Affliction but shall be for ever happy in the blessed Vision of his Face To him be glory Amen SERMON IV. PREFACE EXternal worship doth openly acknowledge a Deity but want of inward sense in Worship secretly denieth it The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God 'T is strange to hear so much noise of Religigon in the World and to find so little Piety To present the living God with a carcass of lifeless Worship is to pay him with shells of Services and so to mock him And it is a more admirable long-suffering in him to defer the punishment of such Devotion then all the other Sins in the World The Egyptian Temples were rich and stately Fabricks A Stranger who had lookt upon them without would have imagined some great Deity within But if they entered as Lucian says laughing at them nothing was to be seen but only some Ape or Cat or py'd Bull or some other fine God like those To behold our fair semblance of Religion that frequent this house it would appear that we were all the Temples of the Holy Ghost But who so could look within us would find in many of our hearts Lust Pride Avarice or some such like secret Vice adored as a God and these are they that while our Bodies sit here do alienate our Souls from the Service of the Eternal God So that we are either altogether senseless and dead before him or if any fit of Spiritual motion rise within us we find it here and here we leave it as if it were sacriledge to take it home with us But did once that Spirit of grace breath savingly upon our Souls we should straight renounce and abhor those base Idols and then all the current of our affection would run more in this Channel our Services would then be spiritual and it would be our Heaven upon Earth to view God in his Sanctuary and the obtaining of the change is and should be one main end of this our meeting and that it may be the happy effect of it our recourse must be to the Throne of Grace by humble Prayer In the Name of our Mediator Jesus Christ the Righteous Isaiah LX. 1. Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee ADmirable is the worth and depth of Divine Providence this either we know not or at least seldom remember while we forget the wonders of Providence we direct our thoughts to baser objects and think not on it and while we forget the depth of Providence if at any time we look towards it we judge rashly and think amiss of it If this be true of that general Providence whereby God rules the World 't is more true of his special Providence towards his Church This is both the most excellent piece of it and therefore best worth the reading and also the hardest piece and therefore it requires sobriety in judging above all other things he that suddenly judges in this makes haste to err To have a right view of it it must be taken altogether and not by parcels Pieces of rarest Artifice while they are a making seem little worth especially to an unskilful eye which being compleated command admiration P. Martyr says well De operibus Dei. Antequam actum non est judicandum There is a time when the Daughters of Sion embrace the dunghil and sit desolate in the Streets as Jeremiah hath it in the 4th of his Lam. verse 5. And at that same time the voice of Babylon is I sit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow Isa. 47. All is out of order here But if we stay a while we shall see Sion and Babylon appointed to change seats by the great Master of the World Come down says he Daughter of Babylon and sit in the dust Isa. 47. 2. And here to Zion Arise shine for thy light is come and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee It is an entire Catastrophe both Parties find a notable alteration together That same hand that exalts the one ruins the other When the Sun rises upon the Church her Antipodes must needs be covered with darkness As we find it in the next verse to the Text. Darkness shall cover the Earth and gross Darkness the People but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his Glory shall be seen upon thee The Prophet elevated by the Spirit of God to a view of after Ages as clear as if present seems here to find his people sitting under the dark mantle of a sad and tedious night and having long expected the Suns return in vain before its time they give over expectation when it s near them and desperately sold themselves to lie perpetually in the dark Now the Prophet as it were standing awake upon some Mountain perceives the day approaching and the golden Chariots of the Morning of deliverance hasting forward and seems to come speedily with these glad news to a Captive People and sounds this Trumpet in their Ears Arise shine for thy light is come c. The very manner of expression is sudden and rouzing without a copulative Not arise and shine But arise shine c. The words have in them a clear stamp of relation to a low posture and obscure condition They suppose a people lying or sitting without light deep distress is that dark soil that best sets off the lustre of marvellous deliverances and among many other reasons of the Churches vicissitudes why may not this be one The Lord is more illustrious in the World by that deep Wisdom and great Power that shines when he raises and restores her from desperate Afflictions then if he had still preserved her in constant ease he seems sometimes careless of her condition and regardless of her groanes but even then is he waiting the most fit time to be gracious as our Prophet speaks And when it is time out of the basest Estate he brings her forth more fresh strong and beautiful than before Though you have lyen among the Pots ye shall be as the Wings of a Dove covered with Silver and her Feathers with yellow Gold Psal. 68. 13. Do with the Church what you will she shall come through and that with advantage Mergâ—s profundo pulchrior exilit as one says of Rome Keep the Church seventy years Captive yet after that she shall arise and shine more glorious then ever But surely the strain of this Evangelick Prophesie rises higher than any temporal deliverance Therefore we must rise to some more spiritual sense of it not excluding the former And that which some call divers senses of the same Scripture is indeed but divers parts of one full sense This prophecy is out of question a most rich description of the Kingdom of Christ under the Gospel And in this sense this invitation to Arise and Shine is mainly addrest to mystical Jerusalem yet not without some priviledge to literal Jerusalem beyond other people They are first invited to Arise and
that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And if there be any that think to shroud unpunished amongst the thickets of ignorance especially amidst the means of knowledge take notice of this though it may hide the deformity of Sin from your own sight for a time it cannot palliate it from the piercing eye nor cover it from the revenging hand of Divine Justice As you would escape then that wrath to come come to Wisdom's School and how simple soever ye be as to this World if you would not perish with the World learn to be wise unto Salvation And truly its mainly important for this effect That the Ministers of the Gospel be active and dexterous in imparting this Wisdom to their people If they would have their Conversation to be Holy and Peaceable and Fruitful c. The most expedient way is once to principle them well in the fundamentals of Religion for therein is their great defect how can they walk evenly and regularly so long as they are in the dark one main thing is to be often pointing at the way to Christ the Fountain of this Wisdom you bid them be Cloathed and Cloath them not How needful then is it that Pastors themselves be Seers indeed as the Prophets were called of old not only Faithful but wise dispensers as our Saviour speaks St. Luk. 12. 42. That they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able and apt to Teach 1 Tim. 3. 2. Laudible is the prudence that trys much the Churches Store houses the Seminaries of Learning but withal it is not to be forgot that as a due Furniture of Learning is very requisite for this employment so it is not sufficient When one is duly enriched that way there is yet one thing wanting that grows not in Schools except this infused Wisdom from above season and sanctifie all other endowments they remain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common and unholy and therefore unfit for the Sanctuary amongst other weak pretences to Christs favour in the last day This is one We have Preached in thy name yet says Christ I never knew you surely then they knew not him and yet they Preacht him Cold and Lifeless though never so fine and well contrived must those Discourses be that are of an unknown Christ. Pastors are called Angels and therefore though they use the secondary helps of knowledge they are mainly to bring their message from above from the Fountain the head of this pure Wisdom Pure If it come from above it must needs be pure originally yea it is formally pure too being a main treat of God's renewed Image in the Soul By this Wisdom the Understanding is both resigned and strengthened to entertain right conceptions of God in his nature and works And this is primarily necessary that the mind be not infected with false opinions in Religion if the Spring-head be polluted the Streams cannot be pure it s more important then men usually think for a good life But that which I suppose is here chiefly intended is that its effectively and practically pure it purifies the heart Act. 15. 9. said of Faith which in some sense and acceptation differs not much from this Wisdom and consequently the Words and Actions that flow from the heart This Purity some render Chastity The Wisdom from above is chaste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is indeed often so taken and includes that here but it is too narrow a sense to restrict it to that only It is here an universal detestation of all impurity both of Flesh and Spirit as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 7. 1. Pride Selflove Profanness of Spirit and Irreligion though they do not so properly pollute the Body as carnal uncleaneness yet they do less defile the Soul and make it abominable in the sight of God Those Apostate Angels called unclean Spirits are uncapable of bodily defilement tho'indeed they tempt and inveigle Man to it their own inherent pollutions must need be spiritual for they are Spirits Idolatry in Scripture goes often under the name of Fornication and Adultery and indeed these Sins may mutually borrow and lend their names the one to the other Idolatry may well be called Spiritual unchastity and unchaste Love carnal Idolatry earthly mindedness likewise is an impurity of the Soul in the Apostles phrase Covetousness is Idolatry and so a spiritual pollution yea it may well share with Idolatry in its borrowed name and be called Adultery too for it misbestows the Souls prime affection upon the Creature which by right is God's peculiar This Purity that true Wisdom works is contrary to all pollution We know then in some measure what it is it rests to enquire where it is and there is the difficulty it is far easier to design it in it self then to find it among men Who can say I have made my heart clean Prov. 20. 9. Look upon the greatest part of Mankind and you may know at first sight that Purity is not to be lookt for among them they suffer it not to come near them much less do dwell with them and within them they hate the very semblance of it in others and themselves delight in Intemperance and all manner of Licentiousness like foolish Children striving who shall go furthest into the mire these cannot say they have made clean their hearts for all their Words and Actions will bely them If you come to the meer Moralist the World 's honest man and ask him it may be he will tell you he hath cleansed his heart but believe him not It will appear he is not yet cleansed because he says he has done it himself for you know there must be some other besides man at this Work Again he rising no higher than Nature hath none of this Heavenly Wisdom in him and therefore is without this Purity too But if you chance to take notice of some well skilled Hypocrite every thing you meet with makes you almost confident that there is Purity yet if he be strictly put to 't he may make some good account of the pains he hath taken to refine his Tongue and his publick Actions but he dare not say he hath made claan his heart it troubles his peace to be askt the question He never intended to banish Sin but to retire it to his innermost and best room that so it might ewell unseen within him and where then should it lodge but in his heart yet possibly because what 's outward is so fair and Man cannot look deeper to contradict him he may embolden himself to say he 's inwardly suitable to his appearance But there is a day at hand that shall to his endless shame at once discover both his secret impurity and his impudence in denying it After these there follows a few despised and melancholly persons at least as to outward appearance who are almost always hanging down their heads and complaining of abundant sinfulness And sure Purity cannot be expected in these who are so far from it
discourse of Light I take it in this resemblance Christ is the Sun and the Gospel his proper Sphere or Heaven wherein he gives light to his Church he is primarily the Glory of the Lord and the Gospel by participation because it declares him so that much of that which shall be spoken here of Christ will be secondarily to be understood of the Gospel of Christ. That Christ is Light the Scripture speaks abundantly his own voice concerning himself notwithstanding the cavil of the Pharisees is above all exception for he is Truth it self I am the light of the World sayeth he he that follows me shall not walk in darkness John 8. 12. The Father that sent him gives him the same title I will give thee for a light of the Gentiles Isaiah 42. 6. 49. 6. And not to multiply citations of the Prophets and Evangelists who with one consent all magnifie this Light take the true testimony of a false Prophet and indeed the favourable witness of an Adversary is strongest It is that of Balaam who saw that Christ was Light though because he saw him afar off as he says himself and had not his eye fortified like the true Prophets he discerned him but as a Star There shall come a Star out of Jacob c. Numb 24. 17. But what need we go so far to be certified what this Light and Glory of the Lord is the Lord of Glory himself seeing the very next verse to the Text assures us of it Upon thee shall the Lord arise And in the 19th verse The Lord shall be thy everlasting light and thy God thy glory By this time I hope it is clear That the Eternal Son of God co-essential with his Father was he that gave accomplishment to this Prophesie by appearing to the World wrapt up in the darkness of Humane Nature He is that day-spring from on high that hath visited us as old Zacharias speaks Luk. 1. 78. Among all created Excellencies none can be borrowed more fitly representing Christ tha◠that of Light And is it not Christ that decks his Church with supernatural Beauty and makes it indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a comely World called out of the World But the manifold agreement of Light with Christ doth require more particular consideration Light is as they call it Primum Visible The first object of Sight And Jesus Christ whom the Apostle stiles God over all blessed for ever is Primum Intelligibile The prime object of the Understanding What 's then become of that Divine Sparkle that understanding Soul that the Father of Spirits breaths into these Bodies that all our Thoughts creep here below and leave their chief and noblest object inconsidered Which of us may not complain though few of us do that our Souls have either no Wings to elevate themselves to the contemplation of him from whom they issued or if they make offers at it our affections engaged to the World make us like a Bird tied by the foot fall presently down again into the mire It is high time to leave Hunting shadows and to turn our Internal Eye to the beholding of this Uncreated Light In this Elementary World Light being as we hear the first Visible all things are seen by it and it by it self Thus is Christ among Spiritual things in the Elect World of his Church all things are made manifest by the Light says the Apostle Eph. 5. 13 speaking of Christ as the following verse doth evidently testifie It is in his Word that he shines and makes it a directing and convincing Light to discover all things that concern his Church and himself to be known by its own brightness how impertinent then is that question so much tossed by the Romish Church How know you the Scriptures say they to be the Word of God without the Testimony of the Church I would ask one of them again How they can know that it is day light except some light a Candle to let them see it They are little vers'd in Holy Scripture that know not that it 's frequently called Light and they are senseless that know not that Light is seen and known by it self If our Gospel be hid says the Apostle it is hid to them that perish the God of this World having blinded their minds against the Light of the glorious Gospel c. No wonder if such stand in need of a Testimony a blind Man knows not that it's light at noon day but by report but to those that have eyes Light is seen by it self Again it makes all other things that are in themselves to become actually visible as they speak so by the word of this substantial word Jesus Christ all things in Religion are tryed and discovered The very Authority of the Church which they obtrude so confidently must be stopt and examined by these Scriptures which they would make stand to its courtesie Doctrines and Worship must be tryed by this Light and what will not endure this Trial must not be endured in the House of God To the Law and to the Testimonies says the Prophet if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Isa. 8. 20. The rays of Christ's Light are display'd thro'both his Testaments and in them we see him But oh How sublime is the knowledge of him None is ignorant that there is Light yet what Light is few know the best wits are troubled to define it So all that bear the Name of Christians acknowledge that Christ is but to know what he is is of marvellous difficulty In a speculative way unsoundable is the depth of his Nature and Properties and his Generation who can declare says our Prophet I define not whether his eternal Generation or his Incarnation in time These are mysteries that shall hold the very Angels busie in admiration for ever and for experimental knowledge by Faith how small is the number of those that are truly acquainted with it Again Light fitly resembles Christ in purity it visits many impure places and Lights upon the basest parts of the Earth and yet remains most pure and undefiled Christ sees and takes notice of all the Enormities and sinful pollutions in the World as David says of the Sun Psal. 19. there is nothing hid from his Beams ye many of those foul evils he cures and purgeth away these pollutions and yet is never stained by them in the least degree he is a Physician not capable of infection and therefore while he dwelt among Men he shunned not Publicans and Sinners but sought them rather for with such was his business and employment Indeed for a frail Man to be too bold in frequenting profane and obstinate persons though with intention to reclaim them is not always so safe Metus est neattrahant They may pull him in that would help them forth and pollute him that would cleanse them But our Saviour the Light of the World runs no such hazard he is stronger
is used inâ—â— ver 27. conform to that of Moses Gen. 6. Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only evil continually The word indeed signifies the wise thoughts so then take the full latitude of it thus The carnal mind in its best and wisest thoughts is direct enmity against God Carnal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What meant by the flesh here It is the whole corrupt Nature of man and that we may know by its opposition to the Spirit not to the Spirit or Soul of a man for so it hath no thoughts nor minding these being proper to the Soul but opposed to the Spirit of God Now the Corruption of Nature is called the Flesh not without very good reason not only to signifie the baseness of it the Flesh being the more ignoble and meaner part of a Man but because the greatest part of the sins of mens lives are about sensitive objects and things that concern the Flesh or the Body it lets in temptation of sin to the Soul by the doors of the Senses and it gives the last perfection or accomplishment to sin by external acting of it The very first sin that brought in Death and Misery with it upon Mankind the pleasure of the eye and of the taste were sharers in the guiltiness of it The carnal mind Man in regard of his composure is as it were the tie and band of Heaven and Earth they meet and are married in him A Body he has taken out of the Dust but a Soul breathed from Heaven the Father of Spirits a House of Clay but a Guest of most noble Extraction But the pity is it hath forgot its Original and is so drowned in flesh that it deserves no other but to go under the Name of Flesh. It is become the Slave and Drudge of the Body and as the Israelites in Egypt made perpetually to moyl in Clay What is all your Merchandise your Trades and Manufactures your Tillage and Husbandry but all for the Body in its behalf for Food and Raiment In all these the Mind must be careful and thoughtful and yet properly they reach it not for it self hath no interest in them It is true the necessity of the Body requires much of these things and superfluous custom far more but it is lamentable that men force their Souls to forget it self and its proper business to attend these things only and be busie in them They spend all their time and their choicest pains upon perishing things and which is worse engage their affections to them They mind earthly things whose end is destruction Philip. 3. 19. The same word that 's here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Will you consider seriously that your Souls run the hazard of perishing because you consider not their Spiritual Nature When that earthly Tabernacle of yours shall fall to the ground and e're long it must your Souls must then enter Eternity and though you had as large a share of earthly things as your earthly hearts now would wish they all lose their use in that moment they are not a proper good for the Soul at any time and least at that time If you keep it all your life long busie about the interest and benefit of the flesh the Body how poor will be when thy part having provided nothing at all for it self but the guiltiness of a sinful life which will sink it into that bottomless Pit Be forewarned then for to be carnally minded is death verse 6. precedeing the Text. The carnal mind Now as Sin hath abased and degenerated the Soul of Man making it Carnal so the Son of God by taking on our Nature hath sublimated it again and made it Spiritual The Souls that received him are Spiritualized yea as Sin made the Soul Carnal Grace makes the very Body to become Spiritual making it partaker and co-worker in spiritual things together with the Soul in doing and suffering and participant of the hopes too of an everlasting reward This is the main Christian Character our Apostle gives here that they are spiritually minded and that their actions suit their minds They walk not after the flesh but after the spirit whereas before with the rest of the World they were eager in the pursuit of Honours and Profits and Worldly Pleasures Now the stream of their desires run in another channel they seek after Honour and are very ambitious of it but it is such Honour as the Apostle speaks of in this Epistle Rom. 2. 7. By patient continuance in well doing they seek for glory and honour and immortality Their mind is upon profit and gain but it is with the same Apostle Philip. 3. that they may win Christ and they account all other things loss in comparison And their desires are after pleasure too but not Carnal Pleasures those are both base and of short continuance but the pleasures they aim at are those that are at Gods right hand and for evermore Psal. 16. 11. And that path of life he there speaks of that way of holiness that leads thither is their delight Spiritual Excercises they go to not as their task only but more as their joy and refreshment And this change the Spirit of God works in the Soul making it yea and the body wherein it dwells of Carnal to become Spiritual as the fire to which the Holy Ghost is compared refines Sand and Ashes and makes of them the purest Glass which is so neat and transparent Enmity against God Sin hath not only made us unlike God by defacing his beautiful Image in us not only strangers by making us wander far off from him but enemies nor enemies only but Enmity in the abstract for that is emphatical The carnal mind is Enmity nothing else but Enmity Now this Enmity is described in the latter clause of the Text by an Antipathy so to call it or Not-compliance with the Law of God it is not subject to the Law of God neither can it be to wit while it remains such There is an absolute impossibility in it to suit with the Law of God and consequently with God himself the reason lies in their opposits qualities God is spiritual and holy and so is the law as our Apostle hath it in the preceeding Chapter and the opposition he there makes betwixt his Unregenerate part and the Law is wholly true of the Unregenerate man The law is holy says he ver 12. And ver 14. It is spiritual to which too he opposes but I am carnal sold under sin Where are now those that so vilifie Grace and magnifie Nature Or shall I rather say Nullifie Grace and Deifie Nature Here is the best Elogy the Apostle will bestow upon the best of Natures Enmity against God Nay all the sparkles of Virtue and Moral Goodness in Civil Men and Ancient Heathens is no better besides many other things to be said to the Vertues of those Philosophers as ignorance of Christ by whom alone this enmity is removed I
by their own confession Yet the Truth is that such Purity as is here below will either be found to lodge among these or no where Be not deceived think not that they who loath and as they can fly from the unholiness of the World are therefore taken with the conceit of their own holiness but as their perfect Purity of justification is by Christ's Imputed righteousness so likewise they will know and do always acknowledge that their inherent holiness is from above too from the same Fountain Jesus Christ the Wisdom from above is Pure this their engagement to Heaven for it excludes vaunting and boasting and besides that it is imperfect troubled and stained with Sin which is enough to keep them humble Their daily sad experience will not suffer them to be so mistaken their many faults of infirmity cannot but keep them from this presumptuous fault There is a Generation indeed that is Pure in their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 30. 12. But they are such as are not washen from their filthiness They that are washed are still bewailing that they again contract so much defilement The most purified Christians are they that are most sensible of their impurity Therefore I called not this an universal freedom from pollution but an universal detestation of it they that are thus Pure are daily defiled with many Sins but they cannot be in love with any Sin at all nor do they willingly dispence with the smallest Sins which a natural Man either sees not to be Sin though his dim moon light discover grosser Evils or if he do see them yet he judges it too much niceness to choose a great Inconvenience rather then a little Sin Again they differ in another particular a natural Man may be so far in love with vertue after his manner as to dislike his own faults and resolve to amend them but yet he would think it a great weakness to sit down and mourn for Sin and to afflict his Soul as the Scripture speaks The Christians repentance goes not so lightly there is a great deal more work in it 2 Cor. 7. 11. There is not only Indignation against impurity but it proceeds to revenge The Saints we read of in Scripture were ashamed of their impurity but never of their tears for it Let the World enjoy their own thoughts and account it folly yet sure the Christian that delights in purity seeing he cannot be free from daily Sin when he retires himself at night is then best contented when his eyes serve him most plentifully to weep out the stains of the by-past day yet he knows withal that it is only his Redeemers blood that takes away the guilt of them This is the condition of those that are truely though not yet fully cleansed from the pollutions of the World by the Spirit of Wisdom and Purity What mean they then that would argue themselves out of this Number because they find yet much dross left and that they are not so defecated and refined as they would wish to be On the contrary this hatred of pollution testifies strongly that the contrary of it Purity is there And though its beginnings be small doubt not it shall in the end be victorious The smoaking of this flax shews indeed that there is gross matter there but it witnesseth likewise that there is fire in it too and though it be little we have Christ's own word for it that it shall not be quenched and if he favour it no other Power shall be able to quench it You find not indeed absolute holiness in your persons nor in your best performances yet if you breath and follow after it if the pulse of the heart beat thus if the main current of your affection be towards Purity if Sin be in you as your disease and greatest grief and not as your delight then take courage you are as pure as Travellers can be and notwithstanding that impure Spirit Satan and the impurity of your own Spirits vex you daily with temptations and often foil you yet in despite of them all you shall arrive safe at home where perfection dwells Wisdom from above is Pure Be ashamed then of your extream folly you that take pleasure in any kind of uncleanness especially seeing God hath reformed and purged his House amongst us you that are or should be his living Temples remain not unreformed If you do Church-Reformation will be so far from profiting you that as a clearer light it will but serve to make your impurity both more visible and more unexcusable If you mean that the Holy Ghost should dwell with you entertain him avoiding both spiritual and fleshly pollutions The word here used doth more particularly signifie Chastity and certainly where ever this Wisdom from above is this comely grace is one of her attendants whatever any have been in times past let all be perswaded henceforth to mortifie all lustful and carnal affections know that there is more true and lasting pleasure in the contempt of unlawful pleasures then in the enjoyment of them Grieve not then the good Spirit of God with Actions or Speeches yea or with thoughts that are impure The unholy Soul like the mystical Babylon Apoc. 13. makes it self a Cage of unclean Birds and an habitation of filthy Spirits and if it continues to be such it must when it dislodges take up its habitation with cursed Spirits for ever in utter darkness But as for those that are sincerely and affectionately Pure That is Pure in heart our Saviour hath pronounced their begun happiness Blessed are they that are Pure in heart and assured them of full happiness for they shall see God This Wisdom is sent from Heaven on purpose to guide the Elect thither by the way of Purity And mark how well their Reward is suited to their Labour their frequent contemplating and beholding of God's purity as they could while they were on their Journey and their labouring to be like him shall bring them to sit down in Glory and to be for ever the pure beholders of that purest object They shall see God what this is we cannot tell you nor can you conceive it But walk Heavenwards in purity and long to be there where you shall know what it means for you shall see him as he is Now â—o that blessed Trinity be praise for ever SERMON II. PREFACE I Will return to my place saith the Lord by his Prophet till they acknowledge their Offence and seek my Face In their affliction they will seek me early The Father of Mercies hides himself from his Children not to lose them but that they may seek him and may learn having found him to keep closer by him than formerly He threatens them to keep them from punishment if his threatning work submission it s well if not he punishes them gently to save them from destruction He seeks no more but that they acknowledge their offence and seek his Face wounderful Clemency for who can
shine because this Sun arose first in their Horizon Christ came of the Jews and came first to them The Redeemer shall come to Zion says our Prophet in the former Chapter but miserable Jerusalem knew not the day of her Visitation nor the things that concerned her peace and therefore are they now hid from her eyes She delighted to deceive her self with fancies of I know not what imaginary grandeur and outward glory to which the promised Messiah should exalt her and did in that kind particularly abuse this very Prophesie so doteing upon a sense grosly literal she forfeited the enjoyment of those Spiritual Blessings that are here described But undoubtedly that people of the Jews shall once more be commanded to arise and shine and their return shall be the riches of the Gentiles and that shall be a more glorious time than ever the Church of God did yet behold Nor is there any inconvenience if we think that the high expressions of this Prophesie have some spiritual reference to that time since the great Doctor of the Gentiles applies some words of the former Chapter to that purpose Rom. 11. 29. They forget a main point of the Churches glory that pray not daily for the Jews Conversion But to pass that and insist on the Spiritual sense of these words as directed to the whole Church of Christ. They contain a powerful incitement to a twofold act inforc'd as I conceive by one reason under a twofold expression neither of them superfluous but each giving light to other and suiting very aptly with the two words of command Arise for the glory of the Lord is risen and shine for thy light is come I will not now subdivide these parts again and cut them smaller but will rather unite them again into this one Proposition The coming and presence of Christ ingages all to whom he comes to arise and shine In this proposition may be considered the nature of the duties the universality of the subject and the force of the reason First the nature of the duties what it is to arise and shine Arising hath either reference to a fall or to some contrary posture of sitting or lying or to one of these two conditions that are so like one another Sleep or Death and to all these Spiritually understood may it here be referr'd This is the voice of the Gospel to the Sons of Adam Arise for in him they all fell The first sin of that first Man was the great Fall of Mankind it could not but undo us it was from so high a Station Our daily sins are our daily falls and they are the fruits of that great one Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity says the Lord to his people Hosea 14. 1. for these postures of sitting and lying the Scripture makes use of them both to signifie the state of sin Says not St. John The world lies in wickedness 1 Joh. 5. 19 Are not the people said to sit in darkness mentioned Matth. 4. 16 which is directly opposite to Arise and Shine In the darkness of Egypt it is said the people sate still none arose from their places In the gross mist of Corrupt Nature Man cannot bestir himself to any Spiritual action but when this light is come then he may and should arise Now for Sleep and Death Sin is most frequently represented in Holy Writ under their black Vizors To forbear places where they are severally so used we shall find them jointly in one Eph. 5. 14. Arise thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead which place seems to have special allusion to this very Text. The impenitent Sinner is as one buried in sleep his Soul is in darkness fit for sleep and loves to be so That he may sleeep the sounder he shuts all the passages of light as enemies to his rest and so by close Windows and Curtains makes an artificial Night to himself within not a beam appears there though without the clear day of the Gospel shines round about him The senses of his Soul as we may call them are all bound up and are not exercised to discern good and evil as the Apostle speaks Heb. 5. 14. And his leading faculty his understanding is surcharged with sleepy Vapors that arise incessantly from the inferiour part of his Soul his perverse affections nor hath his mind any other exercise in this sleepy condition but the vain business of dreaming his most refined and wisest thoughts are but meer extravagancies from Man's due end and his greatest contentments nothing but Golden Dreams yet he is serious in them and no wonder for who can discern the folly of his own Dream till he is awake He that Dreams he eateth when he awakes finds his Soul empty and not till then Isa. 29. 8. Now while he thus sleeps his great business lyes by yet spends he his hand-breadth of time as fast while he is fast asleep as if he were in continual employment judge then if it bâ— not needful to bid this Man Arise Lastly This voice may import that Man is Spiritually Dead God is the life of the Soul as it is of the Body while he dwells there it s both comely and active but once destitute of his presence becomes a Carcass where besides privation of life and motion there is a positive filthiness a putrefaction in the Soul unspeakably worse than that of dead Bodies Corruptio optimi pessima And as dead Bodies are removed from the sight of Mon dead Souls are cast out from the favourable sight of God till Christ's saying Arise revive them The Ministers of the Word are appointed to cry Arise indifferently to all that hear them and Christ hath reserved this priviledge and liberty to joyn his effective voice when and to whom he pleases A carnal Man may shew his Teeth at this but who is he that can by any solid reason charge absurdity upon this way of dispensing outward and inward Vocation I will not here mention their idle Cavils the Scripture is undeniably clear in these That Man is naturally dead in Sin The Gospel bids him Arise and it is Christ that is his life and that raises him Thus we see in some measure what it is for Men to Arise Now being risen they must Shine and that two ways jointly and publickly as they make up visible Churches and likewise personally in their particular Conversation First then What is the shining of the true Church Doth not a Church then shine when Church Service is raised from a decent and primitive Simplicity and decored with Pompous Ceremonies with rich Furniture and gaudy Vestments Is not the Church then Beautiful Yes indeed but all the question is whether this be the proper genuine beauty or no whether this be not strange fire as the fire that Aarons Sons used which became vain and was taken as strange fire Methinks it cannot be better decided then to refer it to St. John in his Book of the Revelations We find there
1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dwelt in a Tabernacle among us and we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness of his Fathers glory and the Character of his Person And under these expressions lies that remarkable mystery of the Sons Eternal relation to the Father which is rather humbly to be adored than boldly to be explained either by God's perfect understanding of his own Essence or by any other notion It is true he is called the Wisdom of the Father but this Wisdom is too wonderful for us He is called the Word but what this Word means I think we shall not well know till we see him Face to Face and contemplate him in the Light of Glory mean while we may see him to be the Glory of the Lord in a safer way and sufficient measure to guide us on to that clear vision reserved above for us We saw his glory says that sublime Evangelist but how could this excellent glory be seen by sinful Men and not astonish and strike dead the beholders He was made Flesh and dwelt among us says he and so we saw his glory That Majesty that we could never have lookt upon he veiled with humane flesh that we might not die yea live by seeing him There he stood behind the wall and shewed himself through the Trellis In him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead Col. 2. 9. But it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily for who could have endured the splendor of the Godheads fulness if that Cloud of his Body had not been drawn betwixt And through it did shine that Grace and Truth that Wisdom and Power in the work of our Redemption whereby he was clearly manifested to be the glory of the Lord. Surely we need not now ask the Church or a believing Soul what is her beloved more than another or if we do well may she answer He is the chiefest among Ten Thousand and altogether lovely for he is the Light of the World and the glory of the Lord. Let not the numerous Titles of Earthly Potentates be once admitted into comparison with these If we believe David in his 62 Psal. 9. verse the stateliest things and persons in the World being Ballanced with vanity it self are found lighter than it and shall we offer to weigh them with Christ. If we knew him righly we would not sell the least glance or beam of this Light of his Countenance for the highest favour of mortal Men though it were constant and unchangeable which it is not it is ignorance of Christ that maintains the credit of those vanities we admire The Christian that is truly acquainted with him enamoured with the brightness of his beauty can generously trample upon the smilings of the World with the one foot and her frownings with the other if he be rich or honourable or both yet he glories not in that but Christ who is the glory of the Lord is even then his chiefest glory And the Light of Christ obscures that Worldly splendor in his estimation and as the enjoyment of Christ overtops all his other joys so it overcomes his griefs as that great Light drowns the Light of prosperity it shines bright in the darkness of Affliction no dungeon so close that can keep out the rays of Christ's love from his beloved Prisoners The World can no more take away this Light than it can give it Unto the just ariseth Light in Darkness sayeth the Psalmist and When I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a Light unto me says the Church in the 7th of Micah 8 verse And as this Light is a Comfort so it is likewise a Defence that suffers no more of distress to come near the godly than is profitable for them Therefore we find very frequently in Scripture where this Light and Glory is mentioned Protection and Safety joyntly spoken of The Lord is my Light and withal my Salvation whom shall I fear says David Psal 27. 1. The Lord is a Sun and he is a Shield too Psal. 84. 21. And truly I think him Shot-proof that hath the Sun for his Buckler And for glory Upon all the Glory shall be a Defence says our Prophet in his 4. Chapter 5. verse And the Prophet Zach. where he calls the Lord the Churches Glory in the midst of her he calls him likewise a Wall of fire round about her Zach. 2. 4. The only way then to he safe is to keep this Light and this Glory intire to part with any part of this glory is to make a breach in that Wall of fire and if that be a means of safety let all Men judge No keep it whole and then they must come through the fire that will assault you Nor is this Light only defensive of the Church that embraceth it but likewise destructive of all adverse powers see a clear Testimony for this in the 10. of Isaiah 17 18. verses And the Light of Israel shall be for a fire and his holy one for a flame speaking there of the Assyrians and it shall burn and devour his Thorns and his Briers in one day and shall consume the glory of his Forrest and of his Fruitful Field both Soul and Body and they shall be as when a Standard bearer fainteth c. Let ever then the Church of God entirely observe this Light and Glory of the Lord and she shall undoubtedly be preserved by it But to close in a word first to those that know this Light and then to those that are yet strangers to it You who know Christ glory in him perpetually well may he be your glory when he is the Glory of the Lord There are some that pretend love to Christ and yet a taunting word of some profane miscreant will almost make them ashamed of him how would they die for Christ that are so tender as not to endure a Scoff for him Where is that Spirit of Moses that accounted the very reproaches of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt O learn to glory in Christ think highly of him and speak so too Methinks it is the Discourse in the World becomes Christians best to be speaking one to another honorably of Jesus Christ and of all Men the Preachers of his Gospel should be most frequent in this Subject This should be their great Theam to extol and commend the Lord Jesus that they may enflame many hearts with his love and best can they do this who are most strongly taken with this love themselves Such will most gladly abase themselves that Christ may be magnified and whatsoever be their excellencies they still account Christ their glory and they are richly repayed for he accounts them his glory this would seem a strange word if it were not the Apostles They are the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23.
Delight who will either in sloth and ignorance on the one hand or in vain speculations and strains of frothy wit on the other Surely those Preachers shall only be approved in the great day who have constantly endeavoured in their measure to speak the best and fittest they could for their Masters advantage and happy these Christians of what estate soever that in all estates make Christ their glory and in all Actions have their eye fixed upon his glory who is their Light and the Glory of the Lord. Now to those that are strangers to him would to God none that are to be spoken to were such To them I say notice would be given both of the excellency and necessity of Christ. Though it were possibly to grop the way to happiness in the dark yea none will deny but to be conducted thither by a constant Light is both more safe and more delightful But were there any possibility to attain that end without this Light the neglect of it were not altogether so strange The wonder of all is this That Christ alone being both that Life and the way to it and the Truth or Light that guides in that way yet Christians so called should esteem and look after him as little as if he were wholly needless What meanest thou O besotted sinner is it so light a thing to die in thy sins and eternally for them that thou wilt not so much as open and admit the Light of Salvation what shalt thou pretend in that terrible day Though all other kind of people should offer some excuse thou who hast heard the Gospel shall be speechless For not only shall the rigour of justice condemn thee but Mercy it self shalt plead against thee for thou hast despised it That Light did come and was not embraced shall be the main condemnation How many thousands that make no doubt of Heaven yet shall then fall short of it It is not a superficial profession that will then pass current It is not some publick sighs and groans from an unsanctified heart which either come from custom or some present touch of the Word nor yet is it some sudden risings of inward affection towards Christ upon the report of his worth that shall then serve the turn The intellective knowledge of Christ the distinct understanding yea the Orthodox Preaching of his Gospel the maintaining of his publick cause and suffering for it shall not then be found sufficient only that peculiar apprehension of Christ those constant flames of spiritual love that even course of holy walking in his Light shall be these Characters whereby Christ shall own his Children and admit them into the inheritance of perfect Light One of the speakers in the Book of Job discoursing of the prosperity of the ungodly calls it but his Candle and tells how long it can last His Candle says he shall be put out with him and that 's the longest term of it if it last his life time it shall convey him no further he goes into eternity in the dark and therefore as St. John says he knows not whither he goeth Quo nunc abibis said that Emperor to his Soul is it not a sad thing when the Soul that knows no other but worldly Light must take leave of it and enter into eternal darkness there to be uncessantly tormented with present anguish and the frightful expectation of the last Judgment where it must take again that Body which was the complice of its wickedness to be partaker of its punishment where it shall have a double misery to behold Crowns of Immortality distributed to the godly after the short combates of this Life and it self thrust out among the Devils then shall all Men be some way sensible what is the worth of this now contemned light the Lord Jesus Christ the greatest number too late for they shall be banisht from it for ever but the Righteous shall then most perfectly know and for ever enjoy this Light and Glory of the Lord To whom with the Father of Lights and Spirit of Grace be eternity of Praise and Honour SERMON VI. PREFACE WHat shall it profit a Man if he gain the whole World and lose his own Soul said our Saviour who was to lay down a ransom for it and knew well that it would cost infinitely more than the World was worth yet the most of Men value their own Souls at a far lower rate than the whole World losing them for broken morsels of it yea many times for vain hopes that are never accomplished And as these Men make a miserable bargain so by the contrary they that lose the World or any thing Worldly yea though it were the whole to save their Souls make a profitable loss of it Nature teaches Men to hazard and lose all for the life of the Body rather than lose it Although it prove many times very uncomfortable by the lose of these outward things and yet the most part of Men pass their whole life-time without one serious thought of the exellency and importance of their Souls whose life and Happiness is of a higher nature and neither consists in nor depends upon any thing here below Hence it is that while they use the helps of this present life and the defences of it when it is in danger and use them with so much diligence and attention The means of that better life of their better part their Souls they either use not at all or so slightly and coldly that they never find Salvation in them You may find it some way in your selves the threatnings and preparations of Men against you have awakened and rowsed you more to think upon means of your temporal safety but how few are sensible and afraid of the wrath of God who as our Saviour tells us can kill both Body and Soul and cast them into Hell you want not freequent advertisement from the Word of God so plentifully Preacht that many are perishing one part in gross Ignorance of God another in Profane and Licentious living and the greatest part in a formal and lifeless profession of Religion without the power of it and yet where are they that lay it to heart and bestir themselves to rescue their Souls from destruction Certainly whatsoever Men profess it is unbelief that is the cause of Impenitence Men are not convinced of the purity of Gods nature nor sensible of the impurity of their own therefore they apply not themselves in good earnest to the work of Repentance and Reformation the liveliest part of it Labour then for a more active and practical knowledge of God and Divine truths such as may humble and renew your Souls not only that you may be delivered from outward troubles that threaten you but much more that you may escape the wrath to come And because neither the Word Preached nor Judgments nor Mercies that are set before you are sufficient to quicken a dead Soul or soften a hard Heart without the effectual concourse of
his Soul keeping it from sinking in the deeps of Afflictions Yea that big word which one says of his morally just Man is true of the believer Si fractus illabatur orbis Though the very Fabrick of the World were falling about him yet would he stand upright and undaunted in the midst of its ruins In this confidence considered in it self we may observe the Object of it The loving kindness of the Lord. 2. The manner or way by which he expects to enjoy it The Lord will Command it 3. The time in the day His loving kindness He says not return to the House of God for deliverance from the heavy oppression and sharp reproaches of the Enemy which would have answered more particularly and expressly to his present griefs but his loving kindness And the reason of thus expressing himself I conceive to be two fold 1. In the assurance of this is necessarily comprised the certainty of all other good things This special favour and benignity of the Lord doth engage his Power and Wisdom both which you know are infinite to the procurement of every thing truly good for those whom he so favours Therefore it is that David chuses rather to name the streams of particular mercies in this their living Source and Fountain than to specifie them severally Nor is it only thus more compendious but fuller too which are the two great advantages of Speech and this I take to be the other reason 2. A Man may enjoy great deliverances and many positive benefits from the hand of God and yet have no share in his loving kindness How frequently doth God heap Riches and Honour and Health on these he hates and the common gifts of the Mind too Wisdom and Learning yea the common gifts of his own Spirit and gives a fair and long day of external prosperity to those on whom he never vouchsafed the least glance of his favourable Countenance yea on the contrary gives all those specious gifts to them with a secret curse as here as he gave a King in wrath to his people so he often gives Kingdoms in his wrath to Kings Therefore David looks higher than the very Kingdom which God promised him and gave him when he speaks of his loving kindness In a word he resolves to solace himself with the assurance of this though he was stript of all other comforts and to quiet his Soul herein till deliverance come and when it shall come and whatsoever mercies with it to receive them as fruits and effects of this loving kindness Not prizing them so much for themselves as for the impressions of that love which is upon them and it is that Image and Superscription that both engages and moves him most to pay his tribute of praise And truly this is every where David's temper his frequent distresses and wants never excite him so much to desire any particular comfort in the Creature as to intreat the presence and favour of God himself His saddest times are when to his sense this favour is eclipsed In my prosperity I said I shall not be moved And what was his adversity that made him of another mind Thou hiddest thy face and I was troubled This veriâ—ies his position in that same Psalm In thy favour is Life Thus in the 63. Psalm at the beginning My Soul thirsteth for thee in a dry Land where there is no water not for water where there is none but for thee where there is no water Therefore he adds in the 3. verse Thy loving kindness is better than Life and all that be truly wise and of this mind will subscribe to his choice Let them enjoy this loving kindness and prize it that what ere befalls them their happiness and joy is above the reach of all calamities let them be derided and reproached abroad yet still this inward perswasion makes them glad and contented as a rich Man said though the people hated and taunted him yet when he came home and lookt upon his Chests Egomet mihi plaudo domi With how much better reason do Believers bear out external injuries what inward contentment when they consider themselves truly enricht with the favour of God And as this makes them contemn the contempts that the World puts upon them so likewise it breeds in them a neglect and disdain of those poor trifles that the World admires The Sum of their desires is as that Cynicks was of the Sun-shine that the rays of the love of God may shine constantly upon them The favourable aspect and large proffers of Kings and Princes would be unwelcome to them if they should stand betwixt them and the sight of that Sun And truly they have reason What are the highest things the World affords What are great Honors and great Estates but great Cares and Griefs well drest and coloured over with a shew of pleasure that promise contentment and perform nothing but vexation That they are not saâ—isfying is evident for the obtaining of much of them doth but stretch the appetite and teach Men to desire more they are not solid neither will not the pains of a Gout of Strangury or some such malady to say nothing of the worst the pains of a guilty conscience blast all these deligâ—tâ— What relish finds a Man in large Revenues and â—â—aâ—ely Buildings in high Preferments and honour able Titles when either his Body or Mind is in anguish And besides the emptiness of all these things you know they want one main point Continuance But the loving kindness of God hath all requisites to make the Soul happy O satisfie us early with Goodness or Mercy says Moses That we may rejoyce and be glad all our days Ps. 90. 14. There is fulness in that for the vastest desires of the Soul satisfie us there is solid contentment that begets true joy and gladness and there is permanency all our days It is the only comfort of this Life and assurance of a better This were a large Subject to insist on but certainly the naming of his loving kindness should beget in each heart an high esteem of it an ardent desire after it And if it do so with you then know that it is only to be found in the way of holiness He is a holy God and can love nothing that 's altogether unlike himself There must always be some similitude and conformity of nature to ground kindness and friendship and to maintain it that saying is true idem velle idem nolle firma amicitia What gross self flattery is it to think that God's loving kindness can be towards you while you are in love with Sin which he so perfectly hates How can the profane Swearer or voluptuous Person or the Oppressor and Covetous or the close Hypocrite worse than any of them rest upon the loving kindness of the Lord in the day of troubles No sure But the terror of his wrath shall be added to all their other calamities and they shall find it heavier than all the
rest God will not pour this precious Oyl of gladness this perswasion of his love into filthy Vessels even his own Children when they grieve and sadden his holy Spirit by unholiness shall be sadly punished by the withdrawing of these comforting and sensible expressions of his Love Labour then you that as yet never tasted of this Love to know what it means forsake and hate that which hitherto hath made you strangers to it for if you obtain this it shall comfort you when these things cannot but would rather prove your greatest torment And you that have received any Testimonies of it entertain it carefully for it is your best comfort both in your best days and in your worst days too You would all gladly be delivered from these many evils that threaten you for many they be indeed and Peace is a great blessing But suppose you were secured from all these fears and he should command a sudden calm which tâ—uly he can do would you then think your seâ—ves happy That life of yours which you so fear to lose by Fire or Sword though you had Peace would ere long fall into the hands of some Ague or Fever or Consumption and perish by them or at the longest a few years will end it it is a lighted Candle that though no Body blow out will quickly burn out of it self But this loving kindness is not so short-lived it shall last as long as your Souls and so long as it lasts they shall be happy Those goods that you fear shall be pillaged and spoiled in War how many hazards are they subject to even in Peace Solomon tells you That Riches oftentimes though no body take them away make themselves wings and fly away And truly many times the undue sparing of them is but the letting of their wings grow which makes them readier to fly away and the contributing a part of them to do good only clips their wings a little and makes them stay the longer with their owner but that by the way Howsoever in the day of death and in the day of wrath as Solomon says they profit nothing at all So then though you may desire that God would command deliverance for you yet if you would be truly happy your greater and more earnest suit would be That he command his loving kindness to appear to your Souls and having once obtained this you may possibly be persecuted and endure hard Trials But one thing is made sure you cannot be miserable nor shall you want temporal Mercies and Preservation too so far as they are good for you The inward assurance of this Love shall carry you strangely and sweetly through all outward vicissitudes and when the day shall come that all other comforts shall look pale upon you then shall you find the worth and happiness of this more than ever before Command Make it appear to me Sometimes God is said to shut up and hide his Love from his Children and that is a mournfull time with them But we Read not that he shuts out Love and ceaseth altogether to have affection to those whom once he loved And therefore when he shews himself again in the gracious manifestations of his mercy he is not said to begin anew to Love them but only to Command his Love which ere while he had countermanded to appear In the day If you have a mind to take the day and night figuratively for prosperous and adverse times it would lead you in that sense to observe David's constancy in Gods praises that not only in the day of deliverance but even in the night of distress he resolved a Song for God And truly many times God gives his Childen in an afflicted condition more sweetness of Spirit and Aptitude not only to pray but to praise and more spiritual delight in himself than in times of outward Peace and Prosperity He giveth Songs in the night saith Job and you know the sound of Musick is most delightful in the night But to take it properly he is confident that in the several Actions and Occurrences of the day he should find the goodness and favourable assistance of the Lord and then he resolves which leads to the other part of the Text. In the night time to Meditate on that goodness and frame a Song of Praise to the Author of it And indeed what is the whole Threed of our Life but a checkered twist Black and White of delights and dangers interwoven And the happiest passing of it is constantly to enjoy and to observe the experiences of God's goodness and to praise him for them David was a wise King and withal a valiant Souldier And yet we see he thought not this experience inconsonant with either of these two conditions This pecious Book of Psalms a great part thereof being his testifies clearly that Prayer and Praises were his great employment A religious disposition of mind may not only consist with fortitude and magnanimity but is indeed the best principal and cause of both contrary to the wicked and foolish opinion of profane persons whether of the two do you think might welcome a day of Battle with most courage and resolution he that had past the precedeing night in revelling and carouzing or he that had spent it in Prayer and obtained some assurance of a better Life Truly if they went on with equal forwardness there is no Man except he were an Atheist but would judge the one to be Bruitish Fury and Precipitation and the other true valour His Song In the worst Estate there is ever some mater of praise to be mixed with request and truly we may justly suspect that our neglect of praises makes our prayers unacceptable And my Prayer In the best Estate here below Praise must be accompanied with Prayer our wants and necessities and straits return daily upon us and require new supplies of Mercy and Prayer if we know how to use it right is the way to obtain them all To the God of my Life Or the God that is my Life This word is added as the reason of all that went before If you ask David why he reposeth so much upon the loving kindness of God what he means to spend so much pains in Praises and Prayer to God He Answers Because he is my Life He is the Author and preserver of my temporal Life and all the passages and accidents of it are in his hand alone he hath also given me and he maintains in me a spiritual Life yea he is the Life of my Soul it lives by union with him as my Body does by union with it and he hath laid up Life eternal for me Would Christians think thus indeed The Light of this consideration would dispel their distrustful fears Certainly there is Atheism at the bottom of them if not a denial nor a misconceit of God at least a forgetfulness of God See Isaiah 51. verse 12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou
have been to have our share in it for the refreshment and curing of our Souls Nor shall any that came thus be disappointed and if not presently yet most certainly and that in due time they shall find the sweet fruits of it You have heard many ways how the Name of Christ is poured out yet there is one more without which all the rest are ineffectual It is this The secret and powerful working of the Spirit of God in the Soul The Ordinances and means of Salvation do indeed pour forth the Name of Christ round about a Man but till the Spirit concur with them not one drop falls within the Soul and is he not so much the more miserable that hears much of Christ and partakes nothing of him Yes surely a Man may have much common knowledge of Christ and may understand well yea may Preach well concerning his Worth and Graces and yet not love him But there is a particular knowledg of him by the Infusion of the Spirit and where the smallest measure of this is it presently wins the affection There is a shedding abroad of the love of God in onr hearts that the Apostle speaks of Rom. 5. 5. and this draws us after him for our love to God is nothing else but the reflexion of his love to us So then though many hear of Christ yet because there are but few that have this special knowledge of him therefore it is that so few do truly esteem of him and love him and they are such as are here called Virgins And that 's the third thing The Virgins Similitude and Conformity of Natures begets Friendship pure Affections delight in a pure Object and makes them such for the truth is Christ doth not find men naturally suitable to himself but as he took on our Nature so he washeth away the sinfulness of our Nature which he took not on and makes us that way conformable to his Nature and they that are so changed though they were formerly lovers of Sin yet by Conversion which is called Regeneration they are born again and so become not only Chaste but even Virgins spiritually for by Virgins here are not meant such as Romish Votaries fancy them to be No this Virginity may well consist with any lawful State of Life These Virgins are such as be truly Holy and pure in Heart and Life who though they are not perfectly free from all sin yet have they affection to no sin these are singularly delighted with the smell of Christ's Name and Graces while the Voluptuous Person and the Prophane Worldling dislikes and despises it The Virgins they bestow their affection whole and entire upon Christ. How grosly do you delude your selves that make your hearts Dens of Pride filthy Lust Malice and Envy and thousands of Vanities and yet think to find a corner in them to lodge Christ too Truly you would both straiten him in room and give him very bad Neighbours No they that think not a whole heart too little for him shall never enjoy him The Virgins love thee Grace destroys not the natural passions of the Soul but corrects them only by destroying their Corruption and so they become not only not contrary to Grace but are made the subject and seat of Grace This of Love which is the chief of them we see it abolisheth not but rectifies it recalling it to its due object and turning it into the right channel by which it may empty it self into the Ocean of Goodness And this love may well consist with the purity of Virgins yea it is this love that purifies and makes them such The Virgins love but whom Thee and it is as reasonnable a love as it is pure Therefore they love thee because thou hast made them in some measure apprehensive of thy worth which commands the love of all that know it not a cold and indifferent affection but a superlative ardent love far over-topping all their other desires And good reason since Christ doth infinitely and beyond all comparison surpass all other things desirable Ask your own hearts if you love Christ thus for if not thus you love him not at all The Apostle St. Paul's love was of this size Phil. 3. 7 8. But what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lerd for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Thus love will not only undergo difficulties and sufferings for Christ without either repining or fainting but it will even be glad to meet with them as opportunity is to exercise and testifie it self hard things will seem most easie for his sake and bitter things exceeding sweet In a word To him that loves â—ca 〈…〉 is impo 〈…〉 Love is the leading passion of the Soul all the rest conform themselves to it Desire and Hope and Fear Joy and Sorrow If then you love Christ the desires and breathings of your Soul after him are strong and earnest if he withdraw himself or appear angry if either you see him not or see him look discontented your grief will be so deep that it cannot be allayed by any worldly imployments yet upon some former tokens of his love which is known to be unchangeable Hope will uphold the Soul till the beams of his Grace scatter the Cloud and break through Though our Joseph seem strange and speak roughly for a while he cannot long refrain discovering his affection Again love you him unspeakable will be your joy when he smiles upon you as great will be your delight in possession as your desire is in pursuit And while you have his presence it will be too hard a task for any affliction to dismay you Have you indeed heard Christ speak comfortably to you this day at his Holy Table How will this enable the Soul and arm it against dangers and distracting distrustful fears Perfect love casteth out fear saith St. John that is all base and servile fear but there is one fear that 's in no heart but where love begets it fear to offend You know how wary and loth men are naturally to displease those they love therefore it is that love to Christ and a careful observing of his Commandments are inseparable Companions yea Love it self is the fulfilling of the Law for it gives up the heart to God and consequently the whole man Then there is no return of duty which your receiving of Christ calls for and what doth it not call for there is none I say but is comprised under this one of Love Do you owe him praises Yes surely then love him that will stir you up to praise him You never knew but where much love was in the heart it made the tongue ready and active upon all occasions to praise the party loved Love will entertain small courtesies with great thanks much more
should easily confess nor I think can any deny it but that there is in the very ruines of our Nature some Character left of a tendency to God as our chief and only satisfying good which we may call a kind of love and when we hear him spoken of find it flutter and stir and hence men so abhor the imputation of hating God and being enemies Yet this is so smothered under sensuality and flesh that until we be made spiritual nothing appears but practical and as they call it Interpretative Enmity There is one thing stains them enough they were all as that Father speaks Animalia Gloriae They aimed not in their study of Vertue at God's glory but at their own and is not that quarrel enough and matter of enmity Says not he My glory I will not give unto another c. But that is most useful for you to convince you of that too good conceit men have of their natural condition you would take it hardly the most prophane of you all if any should come to you in particular and tell you you are an enemy to God But I answer there is none of you if you believe the Scriptures but will confess that all men are naturally such and therefore except we find in our selves a notable alteration from the condition of Nature we must take with it that we are Enemies yea Enmity to God Of strangers to become acquainted with him yea which is more of enemies to become friends is a greater and more remarkable change than to be incident to a man without any evidence and sign of it I know there is very great variety in the way and manner of Conversion and to some especially if it be in their tender years Grace may be instilled and dropt in as it were insensibly But this I may confidently say that whatsoever be the way of working it there will be a wide and apparent difference betwixt friendship with God and the condition of Nature which is Enmity against him Do not flatter your selves so long as your minds remain Carnal ardent in love to the World and cold in love to God Lovers of pleasures more then of God as the Apostle speaks You are his Enemies for with him there is no neutrality That which they say taxing it as a weakness in the Sex Aut amat aut odit nihil est tertium is in this case necessarily true of all And this is Gods peculiar that he can judge Infallibly of the inside those shadows of friendship men use one with another will not pass with him deceived he cannot be but men may easily and alas too many do deceive themselves in this matter to their own ruin We may learn hence how deep Sin goes in our Nature and consequently that the cure and remedy of it must go as deep That all the parts of our Bodies and powers of our Souls are polluted originally our very mind and conscience as the Apostle speaks for it is immersed in flesh and inslaved to flesh naturally and therefore goes under its name We are become all flesh That is the spring of our mischiefs we have lost our likeness with our Father the Father of Spirits the purest and most Spiritual Spirit till renewed by participation of his Spirit on our Flesh. And it is the Errour not only of Natural Men but somewhat of the Godly too that in Self-reformation they set themselves against actual sin but they lay not the Ax to the root of the Tree this root of bitterness this our inbred and natural enmity against God And till this be done the lopping off of some branches will do no good while the root is in vigour those will grow again and possibly faster than before Bewail every known act of sin as much as you can for the least of them deserves it but withal let the consideration of them lead you into thoughts of this seed of Rebellion the wickedness of our Nature that takes life with us in the Womb and springs and grows up with us and this will humble us exceedingly and raise our Godly sorrow to a higher tide We find David taketh this course Psal. 51. 5. where he is lamenting his particular sin of Adultery and Murder it leads him to the sinfulness of his Nature I was shapen in Iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me or warm me which he mentions not to extenuate and diminish his sin no he is there very far from that strain but adds it as a main aggravation Indeed the power of Original Sin in the Regenerate is laid very low yet not altogether extinct which they find often to their grief and makes them cry out with our Apostle in the former Chapter O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death The Converted are already delivered as he adds from the Dominion of it but not from the Molestation and Trouble of it though it is not a quiet and uncontroulled Master as it was before yet it is in the House still as an unruly Servant or Slave ever vexing and annoying them And this Body of Death they shall have still cause to bewail till Death release them This Leprosie hath taken so deep in the Walls of this House that it cannot perfectly be cleansed till it be taken down and it is this more than any other sorrows or afflictions of life that makes the Godly man not only content to die but desirous longing with our Apostle To be dissolved and be with Christ which is far better As this teaches us the misery of Mans Nature so it sets off and commends exceedingly the riches of Gods Grace Are men naturally his Enemies Why then admire his patience and bounty a little and then we will speak of his Saving-Grace Could not he very easily ease himself of his Adversaries as he says by the Prophet Wants he power in his right hand to find out and cut off all his Enemies Surely no not only he hath power to destroy them all in a moment but the very withdrawing of his hand that upholds their being though they consider it not would make them fall to nothing yet is he pleased not only to spare Transgressours but to give them many outward blessings rain and fruitful seasons as the Apostle speaks Act. 14. And the Earth that is so full of mans Rebellion is yet more full of his Goodness The earth is full of thy goodness It is remarkable that that same reason which is given Gen. 6. 5. of the Justice of God in drowning the World is Chapter 8. 21. rendred as the reason of Gods resolved patience ever since His Grace in finding a way of Reconcilement and not sparing his own Son his only begotten Son to accomplish it nor did he spare himself O matchless Love to lay down his life not for Friends but for Strangers Not only so but Enemies for Unrighteous and Ungodly Persons such as be at enmity against him Rom. 5. 7 8
usque ad aras Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars but nothing of Gods neither ours to give nor his to receive For for this Cause you pay tribute also This the Apostle gives as a sign of that confest right that Magistrates have to the subjection and obedience of people that in all Nations this Homage and Acknowledgment is due to them Tribute payed which it may be he the rather mentions because some question might be what might Christians do concerning this however this according to the Constitution of several places he takes as granted to be not only lawful but due to be rendred Here we are not to insist on the seanning of this but certainly as the power of a Magistrate is not in this nor in any other thing absolute and unbounded so the legal and just paying of Tribute and other Revenues by the people argues their engagement to these set over them and is not as Wages to a Mercenary servant but an Honorary due to their place and calling who are the Ministers of God in civil Government so also convenient yet liberal maintenance to the Ministers of Gods own house is their right yet not to inrich them nor yet ought it to be given grudgingly as undue or superciliously as to servants but with the chearfulness and respect agreeable to the Lords servants watching for their Souls All Tribute and Obedience still relates to this and is grounded on it the Lords Institution of Power and Government for the good of Men though it sometimes prove otherwise in the exercise of it yet the Ordinance is pure and most wisely suited to its end from which the Sin and Corruption of Men turns it but too often so that one Man Rules over another to his hurt to the hurt of both the Ruler himself and of the Ruled Eccl. 8. 9. There is a time wherein one Man ruleth over another to his own hurt each proving a scourge to the other in the Just Judgment of God upon both for their Iniquities making a fire from Abimelech to devour the Men of Shechem and the Men of Shechem deal treacherously with Abimelech Yet still the thing it self remains good many skilful Physicians may kill instead of curing yet it is but a caprice to decry all Remedies and the use of things Medicinal that the God of Nature hath furnisht for that use Men may and alas most do prejudice their own health by either intemperate or some way irregular Diet yet this makes nothing against the continual necessity and use of Food nor can disswade any from using it Thus the abuses of Authority infringe not this That Magistrates are a publick good yea the Unjust better than none Tyranny better than Anarchy there is some Justice done in the most Unjust Government But thus they that are exalted to Rule ought to consider who raised them and for what they are raised and so faithfully to do Justice They are raised high as the Stars are set in their Orbs for influence and the good of the Inferiour World and as the Mountains which rise above the Vallies not to be places of Prey and Ruin but by the streams they send out to refresh them So from Magistrates Judgment ought to run down as Water and Justice as a mighty Stream they ought to consider themselves as Ministers though called Magistrates with relation to the people yet Ministers in relation to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the people's in him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports being constant Labourers for their good Even the Sun a Minister Gods Minister of Heat and Light to the Earth Would they look up thus to God it would make them look down on their Inferiours not with the ill aspect of Pride and Cruelty but the benign looks of Good Will Fidelity and Vigilancy for their Welfare knowing that they are appointed for this very use in the World not referring to that which is nearest here and nearest themselves The receiving of Tribute but the remotest good which is the chief for which their Tribute and themselves are appointed The punishing of the Wicked and encouragement of the Good Render therefore to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute c. The Apostle enlarges his Exhortation to the general Rule of Equity the humble upright mind will willingly suit with this and pay respect to men in obedience to God and therefore primarily to him which the most neglect Honour and fear are due to him as to our Father and Master and yet where is it to be found If I be a Father where is mine honour And if I be a Master where is my fear c. Mal. 1. The Tribute of Praise and Glory in all these is due and ought not to be purloyned nor any part detained but how few are faithful in this Much Uncustom'd Goods pass among our hands in the course of our Lives many things wherein we are not mindful to give Glory entire Glory to God but he cannot be deceived if we go on he will take us in our quietest conveyance and all will be forfeited We shall certainly lose all if all Glory return not to him all that we have and are should we daily and heartily offer up to him from whom we have life and breath and all things Owe no man any thing but to love one another c. That which the Apostle set before himself as his own study and exercise Act. 24. he doth in the latter part of this Epistle set forth at large as the Duty of every Christian to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and Men. And having in the former part of it treated amply and excellently of the Doctrine of Christians Faith and Salvation and ascended to its highest cause he descends from thence to give the Rules of a Christian Life and he reduces them to those two To give the Lord his due which is our selves entire Our Bodies ought to be a living Sacrifice Chap. 12. ver 1. And that they are not without the Soul and it is Love in the Soul that offers up this whole burnt offering to God the fire that makes it ascend Towards men likewise Love is all of which in many several acts of it he spake likewise in the former Chapter verse 9. c. And having inserted an exhortation to Subjection to Humane Authority as a Divine Institution he now returns to that main Comprehensive and Universal Duty of Love and passes fitly from the mention of other particular Dues to Superiours to this as the general Due or standing Debt all men owe one to another So I conceive this is not intended for the further pressing of that particular Duty of Subjection by reducing it seeming hard in it self to the sweet and pleasant Rule or Law of Love but that he passes wholly from that particular to this common Duty so as that is not excluded but comprehended here with the rest though not specially aimed at but a
but imprest within as a sweet principle in our hearts and working from thence naturally This makes a Soul find pleasure in purging out of sensual pleasures and ease in doing violence to corrupt self even undoing it for God having no will but his the remainders sin and self in our Flesh will be often riof sing up but this predominant Love dispels them So this fear works with delight And further that we may know how serene and sweet a thing it is it is here likewise joyned with confidence Trusting a quickning confidence always accompanying it and so undoubtedly it is a blessed thing Blessed is he that feareth Fear sounds rather quite contrary hath an air of misery but add Whom He that feareth the Lord that touch turns it into Gold He that so fears fears not he shall not be afraid all petty fears are swallowed up in this great fear as a Spirit inur'd with great things is not stir'd nor affected at all with small matters And this great fear is as sweet and pleasing as these little fears are anxious and vexing secure of other things If my God be pleased no matter who is displeased no matter who despise me if he account me his though all forsake me my dearest friends grows estranged and look another way if he reject me not that is my only fear and for that I am not perplexed I know he will not As they answered Alexander when he sent to enquire what they most feared thinking possibly they would have said Lest he should invade them Their answer was We fear nothing but lest Heaven should fall upon us which they did not fear neither A Believer hath no fear but of the displeasure of Heaven the anger of God to fall upon him he fears that that is accounts that only terrible but yet he doth not fear doth not apprehend it will fall on him is better perswaded of the goodness of his God so this fear is still joined with trust as here so often elsewhere Psal 33. 18 and 40 3. and 147. 11. There is no turbulency in this fear 't is calm and sweet even that most terrible Evil that which this fear properly apprehends and flies Sin yet the fear of that goes not to a distraction Though there is little strength and many and great Enemies mighty Anakims of tentations from without and corruption within and so good reason for a holy humble fear and self distrust yet this should not beat us off yea is most fit to put us on to trust in him who is our Strength Courage the day shall be ours though we may be often foyled and down and sometimes almost at a hopeless point yet our head is on high he hath conquered for us and shall conquer in us therefore upon this confidence so fear as not to fear Why should I fear in the days of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about Psal. 49. 5. Which I take is some grievous affliction and that with a Visage of punishment of sin guiltiness to be read in it yet not fear If I trusted in Wealth and boast my self in the multitude of Riches then that being in hazard I must fear leaning on that it failing I might fall But this is my confidence ver 15. God will redeem my Soul from the power of the Grave for he shall receive me wealth cannot but he can It buys not a man out from his hand but he buys from the hand of the Grave So the word is For the visible Heavens even their fall and the dissolution of Nature would not affright a Believer Psalm 41. 1. Si fractus illabatur orbis c. Alas most persons have dull or dim apprehensions and shallow impressions of God therefore they have little either of this fear or this trust God is not in all their thoughts but how to compass this or that design and if they miss one then to another they are cast from one wave upon another and if at any time they attain their purpose find it but Wind a handful of nothing far from what they fancied it Oh M. B. my desire is that the faces of your Souls were but once turn'd about that they were towards him looking to him continually fearing him delighting trusting in him making him your All. Can any thing so elevate and ennoble the Spirit of a Man as to contemplate and converse with the pure ever blessed Spring and Father of Spirits Beg that you may know him that he would reveal himself to you for otherwise no teaching can make him known 't is to light Candles to seek the Sun to think to attain to this knowledge without his own revealing it If he hide his face who then may behold him Pray for this quickening knowledge such a knowledge as will affectually work this happy fear and trust You that have attained any thing of it desire and follow on to know the Lord particularly so as your hearts may repose on him so fear as you may not fear He would have our Spirits calm and quiet for when they are in a hurry and confussion they are then fit for nothing all within makes a jarring unpleasant noise as of an Instrument quite out of Tune This fear of God is not you see a perplexing doubting and distrust of his love on the contrary 't is a fixed resting and trust on his love Many that have some truth of Grace are through weakness filled with disquieting fears so possibly though they perceive it not it may be in some a point of wilfulness a little latent undiscern'd affectation of scrupling and doubting placing much of Religion in it True where the Soul is really solicitous about its interâ—st in God that argues some Grace but being vexingly anxious about it it argues that Grace is low and weak a sparkle there is even discovered by that smoak 〈◊〉 it the great smoak still continuing and nothâ—â—â— seen but it argues there is little Fire little Faith little Love And this as it is unpleasant to thy self so to God as smoak to the eyes What if one should be always questioning with his friend whether he loved him or no and upon every little occasion were ready to think he doth not how would this disrelish their Society together though truly loving each other The far more excellent way and more pleasing both to our selves and to God were to resolve on humble trust reverence and confidence most afraid to offend delighting to walk in his ways loving him and his will in all and then resting perswaded of his love though he chastise us and even though we offend him and see our offences in our chastisements yet he is good plenteous in redemption ready to forgive Therefore let Israel trust and hope let my Soul roll it self on him and adventure there all its weight he bears greater matters upholding the frame of Heaven and Earth and is not troubled nor burden'd with it The heart of a man is not
This is the great point we ought to examine it for much is sowen and little brought forth our God hath done much for us what more could be done Yet when Grapes were expected wild Grapes produced what becomes of all Who grow to be more spiritual more humble and meek more like Christ more self-denying fuller of love to God and one to another Some but alas few All the Land is sowen and that plentifully with the good Seed But what comes for the most paâ—t Cockle and no Grain In felix lolium We would do all other things to purpose and not willingly lose our end not Trade and gain nothing buy and sell and live by the loss not plow and sow and reap nothing How sensible do we feel one ill year and shall this alone be lost Labour that well improv'd were worth all the rest Oh! how much more worth than all Shall we only do the greatest business to the least purpose Bethink your selves what do we here why come we here if we still remain as proud and passionate and as self-will'd as before what will all great Bargains and good Years and full Barns avail within a while That word Thou Fool this night shall they fetch away thy Soul how terrible will it be We think we are wise in not losing our labour in other things why 't is all lost even where most gained What amounts it to Cast up Vanity and vexation of Spirit is the total sum and in all our projecting and bussling what do we but sow the Wind and reap the Whirl-wind Sow Vanity and reap Vexation This Seed alone being fruitful makes rich and happy springs up to eternal life Oh that we were wise and that we would at length learn to hear every Sermon as on the utmost edge of time at the very brink of Eternity for any thing we know for our selves or any of us may be really so however it is wise and safe to do as if it were so Will you be perswaded of this It were a happy Sermon if it could prevail for the more fruitful hearing of all the rest henceforward we have lost too much of our little time and thus with the Apostle I beseech you I beseech you receive not the grace of God in vain Now that you may be fruitful examine well your own hearts pluck up weed out for there are still Thorns some will grow but he is the happiest man that hath the sharpest eye and the busiest hand spying them out and plucking them up Take heed how you hear think it not so easie a matter Plow up and sow not among Thorns Jeremiah 4. And above all Pray Pray before after and in hearing dart up desires to God he is the Lord of the Harvest whose influence doth all the difference of the Soil makes indeed the difference of success but the Lord hath the priviledge of bettering the Soil He that framed the heart changes it when and how he will There is a curse on all grounds naturally that fell on the Earth for mans sake but fell more on the ground of mans own heart within him Thorns and Briars shalt thou bring forth Now 't is he that denounc'd that Curse that alone hath power to remove it he is both the Soveraign owner of the Seed and changer of the Soil turns a Wilderness into Carmel by his Spirit and no ground no heart can be good till he change it And being changed much care must be had still of manuring for still that is in it that will bring forth many Weeds is a Mother to them and but a Step-mother to this Seed Therefore Consider it if you think this concerns you â—e that hath an ear to hear as our Saviour closes let him hear The Lord apply your hearts to this work and though discouragements arise without or within and little present Fruit appear but Corruption is rather stronger and greater yet watch and pray wait on it shall be better this Fruit is to be brought forth with patience as St Luke hath it And this Seed this Word the Lord calls by that very name the very Word of his patience keep it hide it in thy heart and in due time it shall spring up And this patience shall be put to it but for a little while the day of Harvest is at hand when all in any measure fruitful in Grace shall be gathered into Glory SERMON XIV 2 Cor. VII 1. Having therefore these promises dearly beloved Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God IT is a thing both of unspeakable sweetness and usefulness for a Christian often to consider the excellency of that estate to which he is called It cannot fail to put him upon very high resolutions and carry him on in the divine ambition of being daily more suitable to his high calling and hopes Therefore these are often set before Christians in the Scripture and are prest here by the Apostle upon a particular occasion of the avoidance of near Combinements with Unbelievers He mentions some choice promises that God makes to his own people and of their near Relatition to and communion with himself And upon these he enlarges and raises the exhortation to the universal indeavour of all holiness and that as 〈…〉 hi 〈…〉 In the words are 1. The Thing to which he would perswade 2. The Motive The Thing Holiness in its full extension and intension Purging our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God The purging out of filthiness and perfecting of holiness expâ—est as usually they are distinguisht those two parts of renewing grace Mortification and Vivification But I conceive they are not so truely different parts as a different notion of the same thing the decrease of sin and increase of grace being truely one thing as the dispelling of darkness and augmenting of Light So here the one rendred as the necessary result yea as the equivalent of the other the same thing indeed purging from filthiness and in so doing perfecting holiness perfecting holiness and in so doing purging from filthiness That Perfection by which is meant a growing progressive advance towards perfection The words without straining gives us as it were the several dimensions of Holiness The breadth purging all filthiness the length parallel to Mans composure running all along through his Soul and Body purging filthiness of the flesh and spirit the highth perfecting holiness the depth that which is the bottom whence it rises up a deep impress of the fear of God Perfecting holiness in the fear of God Cleanse our selves It is the Lord that is the sanctifier of his people he purges away their dross and tin he pours clean water according to his promises yet doth he call to us to cleanse our selves even having such promises Let us cleanse our selves He puts a new life into us and causes us to act and excites us
And never cease in this work for still there is â—eed of more purging one dayes work in this disposes for and engages to a further to the next for as sin is purged out Light comes in and more clear discoveries are made of remaining pollutions So then still there must be progress less of the World and more of God in the heart every day Oh this is a sweet course of Life what gain what preferment to be compared to it And in this 't is good to have our ambition growing the higher we rise to aspire still the higher looking farther than before even toward the perfection of holiness it is not much we can here attain to but sure 't is commonly far less than we might we improve not our condition and advantages as we might do the world is busie driving forewards their designs Men of spirit are animated both by better and worse success if any thing miscarry it sets them on the more eagerly to make it up in the right management of some other design and when they prosper in one thing that enables and incourages them to attempt further shall all things seem worth our pains are only Grace and Glory so cheap in our account that the least diligence of all goes that way Oh! strange delusion Now our cleansing is to be managed by all holy means Word and Sacrament more wisely and spiritually used than commonly with us and private Prayer that purifies and elevates the Soul takes it up into the Mount and makes it shine and particularly supplicating for the Spirit of holiness and victory over sin is not in vain it obtains its desires of God the Soul becoming that which it is fixedly set upon Holy resolution Christians much wanting in this faint and loose in their purposes The consideration of Divine Truths the mysteries of the Kingdom the hope of Christians yea rich and great Promises that is particularly here the motive these are all the means holy means they are as their end is the perfection of holiness Having these Promises Now consider whether it is better to be the Slaves of Satan or the Sons of God measure delight in God with the low base pleasures of sense Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God these gradually go on together and are perfected together Why then is there such an invincible love of sin in the hearts of Men at least why so little love of holiness and endeavour after it so mean thoughts of it as a thing either indecent or unpleasant when 't is the only noble and the only delightful thing in the World the Soul by other things is drawn below it self but by holiness it is raised above it self and made Divine Pleasures of sin for a season the pleasure of a moment exchanged for those of Eternity But even in the mean time in this season the Soul is fed with Communion with God one hour of which is more worth than the longest Life of the highest of the Worlds delights SERMON XV. Psal. CXIX 32. I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart TO desire ease and happiness under a general representation of it is a thing of more easie and general perswasion There is somewhat in Nature to help the argument but to find beauty in and be taken with the very way of holiness that leads to it is more rare and depends on a higher principle Self-love inclines a man to desire the rest of Love but to love and desire the labour of Love is love of a higher and purer strain To delight and be chearful in obedience argues much love as the spring of it that is the thing the holy Psalmist doth so plentifully express in this Psalm and he is still desiring more of that sweet and lively affection that might make him yet more abundant in action Thus here I will run c. He presents his desire and purpose together the more of this Grace thou bestowest on me the more service shall I be able to do thee This is the top of his ambition while others are seeking to enlarge their Barns their Lands or Estates or Titles Kings to enlarge their Territories or Authority to incroach on Neighbouring Kingdoms or be more absolute in their own instead of all such Enlargements this is David's great desire An enlarged heart to run the way of Gods Commandments And these other how big soever they sound are poor narrow desires this one is larger and higher than them all and gives evidence of a heart already large but as it is miserably in those 't is happy in this much would still have more Let others seek more Money or more Honour Oh the blessed choice of that Soul that is still seeking more Love to God more affection and more ability to do him service that counts all days and hours for lost that are not employed to this improvement that hears the Word in publick and reads it in private for this purpose to kindle this love or to blow the sparkable if any there be already in the heart to raise it to a clear flame and from a little flame to make it burn yet hotter and purer and rise higher But above all means is often presenting this in Prayer to him on whose influence all depends in whose hand our hearts are much more than in our own it follows him with this desire and works on him by his own interest though there can be really no accession of gain to him by our services yet he is pleased so to account with us as if there were therefore we may urge this Lord give more and receive more I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart We have here in the words a required disposition and a suitable resolution The disposition relates to the resolution as the means of fulfilling it and the resolution relates to the disposition both as the end of desiring it and as the motive of obtaining it The resolution occurs first in the words I will run c. The way resolved on is that of Gods Commandments not the road of the polluted World not the crooked ways of his own heart but the High way the Royal way the straight way of the Kingdom and that in the Notion of Subjection and Obedience the way of thy Commandments This man naturally struggles against and repines at to be limited and bounded by a Law is a restraint and a vain man could possibly find in his heart to do many of the same things that are commanded but he would not be ty'd would have his liberty and do 't of his own choice This is the enmity of the carnal mind against God as the Apostle expresses it it is not subject to the Law of God neither can it be it breaks these Bonds and casts away the Cords of his Authority This is Sin the transgression of a Law and this made the first Sin so great though in a
and dilated And this word signifies both a high raised Soul and is sometimes taken for proud and lofty but there is a greatness and height of Spirit in the Love of God and Union with him that doth not vainly swell and lift it up but with the deepest humility joins the highest and truest Magnanimity it sets the Soul above the Snares that lie here below in which most men creep and are intangled in that way of life that is on high to the Just as Solomon speaks Good reason hath David to join these together and to desire the one as the spring and cause of the other An enlarged heart that he might run the way of Gods Commandments Sensible Joys and Consolations in God do encourage and enlarge the heart but these are not so general to all nor so constant to any Love is the abounding fixed spring of ready Obedience and will make the heart chearful in serving God even without those felt comforts when he is pleased to deny or withdraw them In that course or race is understood constancy activity and alacrity and all these flow from the enlargement of the heart 1. Constancy A narrow enthralled heart fetter'd with the love of lower things and cleaving to some particular sins or but some one and that secret may keep foot a while in the way of Gods Commandments in some steps of them but it must give up quickly is not able to run on to the end of the Goal but a heart that hath laid aside every weight and the most close-cleaving and besetting sin as it is in that place to the Hebrews hath stript it self of all that may faulter or intangle it it runs and runs on without fainting or wearying 't is at large hath nothing that pains it in the race 2. Activity Not only holding on but running which is a swift nimble race it stands not bargaining and disputing but once knowing Gods mind there is no more question or demur I made haste and delayed not as in this Psalm the word is Did not stay upon why and wherefore he stood not to reason the matter but run on And this love enlarging the heart makes it abundant in the work of the Lord quick and active dispatching much in a little time 3. Alacrity All done with chearfulnes so no other constraint is needful where this over-powering sweet constraint of love is I will run not be hail'd and drawn as by force but skip and leap as the Evangelick promise is that the Lame shall leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb sing for in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desart Isaiah 35. 6. The Spouse desires her Beloved to hasten as a Roe and Hind on the mountains of Spices and she doth so and each faithful Soul runs towards him to meet him in his way It is a sad heavy thing to do any thing as in obedience to God while the heart is straightned not enlarged towards him by his Divine Love but that once taking possession and enlarging the heart that inward principle of obedience makes the outward obedience sweet 't is then a natural motion indeed the Soul runs in the ways of God as the Sun in his course which finds no difficulty being naturally fitted and carried to that motion he goes forth as a Bridegroom and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race This is the great point that our Souls should be studious of to attain more evenness and nimbleness and chearfulness in the ways of God and for this end we ought to seek above all things this enlarged heart 't is want of this makes us bog and drive heavily and run long upon little ground Oh! my Beloved how shallow and narrow are our thoughts of God Most even of those that are truly Godly yet are led on by a kind of instinct and carried they scarce know how to give some attendance on Gods Worship and to the avoidance of gross Sin and go on in a blameless course 't is better thus than to run to excess of Riot and open Wickedness with the Ungodly World But alas this is but a dull heavy and Languid motion where the heart is not enlarged by the daily growing Love of God few few are acquainted with that delightful Contemplation of God that ventilates and raises this flame of Love petty things bind and contract our Spirits so that they feel little joy in God little ardent active desire to do him Service to Crucifie Sin to break and undo Self-love within us to root up our own Wills to make room for his that his alone may be ours that we may have no Will of our own that our daily work may be to grow more like him in the Beauty of Holiness You think it a hard saying to part with your Carnal Lusts and Delights and the common ways of the World and to be ty'd to a strict exact Conversation all your days But oh the reason of this is because the heart is yet straightned and enthralled by the base Love of these mean things and that is from the ignorance of things higher and better One glance of God a touch of his love will free and enlarge the heart so that it can deny all and part with all and make an entire renouncing of all to follow Him it sees enough in Him and in Him alone and therefore can neither quietly rest on nor earnestly desire any thing beside Him Oh! that you would apply your hearts to consider the excellency of this way of Gods Commandments our wretched hearts are prejudiced they think it melancholy and sad Oh! there is no way truly joyous but this They shall sing in the ways of the Lord says the Prophet Do not Men when their eyes are opened see a beauty in Meekness and Temperance and Humility a present delightfulness and quietness in them whereas in Pride and Passion and Intemperance there is nothing but vexation and disquiet And then consider the end of this way and this race in it rest and peace for ever 't is the way of peace both in its own nature and in respect of its end Did you believe that Joy and Glory that is set before you in this way you would not any of you defer a day longer but forthwith you 'd break from all that holds you back and enter into this way and run on chearfully in it the perswasion of these great things above would enlarge and greaten the heart and make the greatest things here very little in your eyes But would you attain to this enlarged heart for this race as you ought to apply your thoughts to these Divine things and stretch them on the promises made in the Word above all take Davids course seek this enlargement of heart from Gods own hand for it is here propounded and said before God by way of request see what is my desire I would gladly serve thee better and advance more in the way of thy
Commandments Now this I cannot do till my heart be more enlarged and that cannot be but by thy hand When thou shalt enlarge my heart Present this suit often 't is in his power to do it for thee he can stretch and expand thy straitened heart can spread and hoyse the Sails within thee and then carry thee on swiftly filling them not with the vain air of Mans applaufe which readily run a Soul upon Rocks and splits it but with the sweet breathings and soft gales of his own Spirit that carry it straight to the desired Haven Findest thou Sin cleaving to thee and clogging thee cry to him help Lord set me free from my narrow heart I strive but in vain without thee still it continues so I know little of thee my affections are dead and cold towards thee Lord I desire to love thee here is my heart and least it fly out lay hold on it and take thine own way with it though it should be in a painful way yet draw it forth yea draw it that it may run after thee All is his own working and all his motive is his own free Grace Let who will fancy themselves Masters of their own hearts and think to enlarge them by the strength of their own stretches of speculation they alone they alone are in the sure and happy way of attaining it that humbly suit and wait for this enlargement of heart from his hand that made it SERMON XVI Rom. VIII 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth c. OTher Men may fancy and boast as they please but there are none in the World but the Godly alone that are furnisht with sufficiency strong supports and comforts against all possible hazards and of these doth the Apostle treat most freely sweetly and plentifully in this Chapter He secures Believers in their Christ touching these two great evils After Condemnation and present Affliction that the one cannot befal them and the other cannot hurt them For their immunity from the former they have the clear Word of the Gospel and the Seal of the Spirit and that former Priviledg made sure as the far greater doth secure the other as the lesser They are freed from Condemnation and not only so but entitled and insured to a Kingdom and what hurt then can affliction do yea it doth good yea not only it cannot rob them of their Crown but it carries them on towards it is their High way to it if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together Yea all things to the Children of God do prove advantage severally taken in their present sense they may seem evil but taken jointly in their after issue their working together are all for good In their simple Nature possibly they are Poison yet contempered and prepared they shall prove Medicinal All these things are against me said old Jocoh and yet he lived to see even all these were for him The Children of God are indeed so happy that the harshest things in their way change their nature and become sweet and profitable This much by their Prayers that have a Divine Incantation in them they breath forth the expressions of that their Love to God by which they are Character'd them that Love God And that is put on their hearts the impression of his Love to them to which they are here led by the Apostle as to the Spring-head of all all their Comforts and Priviledges flow thence yea all their Love and their Faith appropriating those Comforts and Priviledges Yea the very Treasury of all together Jesus Christ himself is the free Gift of this free Love he as the greatest ascertains all things besides an unspeakably less verse 32. These two are such mighty Arguments that no difficulty nor grief can stand before them The Love of God He is with us who then against us All the World it may be but that all is nothing once it was nothing it was that God that is our God that loves us and is for us that made it something and if he will it may again be nothing and as it is at its best it is nothing being compared with an other gift that he hath bestowed on us and having bestowed that sure if there be any thing in this World can do us any good we shall not want it He that spared not his own Son but gave him to the Death for us will he not with him give us all things And to close all he makes these two great Immunities good to us in Christ he fixes there we are freed from all fear of Condemnation or of being hurt by Affliction No Accusation nor Guiltiness can Annul the Righteousness of Christ and that is made ours no Distress nor Suffering can cut us off from the Love of God and if it cannot do that we need not fear it all other hazards are no hazard that being sure And in confidence of this the Apostle gives the Defiance casts a Challenge to Angels to Men to all the World upon these two points Who shall Accuse Who shall Separate Accuse to God or Separate from him Whatsoever times may come the hardest that any can apprehend or foretel i◠these two be not sufficient furniture against them I know not what is Men are commonly busied about other events concerning them and theirs what shall become of this or the other and what if this or that fall out but the Conscience once raised to this enquiry the Soul being awake to discern the hazard of Eternal Death all other fears and questions are drowned and lost in this great Question Am I Condemned or not Is my Sin Pardon'd or no And then a satisfying Answer received concerning this all is quiet the Soul reposes sweetly on God and puts all its other concernments into his hands Let him make me poor and despised let him smite and chastise me he hath forgiven my Sin all is well That burden taken off the Soul can go light yea can leap and dance under all other burdens Oh! how it feels it self nimble as a man eased of a load that he was even fainting under Oh! Blessed the man whose Sin is taken off lifted from his shoulders that 's the word Psal. 32. 1. laid over upon Christ who could bear the whole load and take it away take it out of sight which we could never have done they 'd have sunk us for ever That one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jo. 1. signifies both and answers to the two Isai. 53. He hath born our grief and carried our sorrows lifted them away Oh! how sweet a burden instead of this is that ingagement of Obedience and Love to him as our Redeemer and that is all he lays on us if we follow him and bear his Cross he is our strength and bears both it and us So then this is the great point the hearts ease to be Delivered from the Condemning weight of Sin And
certainly while men do not think thus their hearts have very slight impressions of the truth of these things I fear the most of us scarce believe this condemnation to come at least very shallowly and so they cannot much consider the deliverance from it provided to us in Jesus Christ. I cannot see how 't is possible for a heart perswaded of these to be very careful about any thing beside you that eat and drink and labour and trade and bestow all your time either in the pains or the pleasures of this Earth what think you of Eternity Is it a light thing for you to perish for ever After a few days vainly spent to fall under the Wrath of God for ever Oh! that you would be perswaded to think on these things And you that have an interest in this free and blessed estate why are your Spirits so cold So infrequent in the thoughts of it Why are you not rejoicing in the Lord Glading your selves in secret when you remember this Go the World as it will my Sin is forgiven me mistake me accuse me who so will my God hath acquitted me in his Christ and he loves me and lives to intercede for me Methinks I hear some say Ay they that could say that might be merry indeed but alas I have no such assurance Who can lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect That 's true but here is the great point of so hard a resolution am I one of these That the Apostle doth thus specifie the owners of this Consolation by this high and hidden Character of their Election is not to render it doubtful and dark for his main aim on the contrary is both to extend it as far as it can go and to make it as clear as may be to all that have interest in it but he designs them by the Primitive Act of Love fixing on them so as it is now manifested to them in the subsequent effects that flow from the Elect called and sanctified and conformed to Jesus Christ both by his Spirit within them and the Sufferings that without arise against them in the World such as being the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and walk not after the flesh but after the spirit And these things indeed considered as their Characters the stamp of God on them the impressions of their Election to life do check the vain confidence of all Carnal Ungodly Professors of the Name of Christ and tell them that their pretended Title to him is a meer Delusion certainly whosoever lies in the love of Sin and takes the Flesh for his guide that accursed blind guide is leading him into the Pit What gross folly and impudence is it for any man walking in the Lusts of his own heart to fancy and aver himself to be a Partner of that Redemption whereof so great a pâ—â—t is to deliver us from the power of our Iniquities to renew our hearts and re-unite them to God and possess them with his love The great Evidence of thy Election is Love Thy love to him gives certain testimony of his precedeing Eternal Love to thee so are they here designed they that love God thy chusing him is the effect and evidence of his chusing thee Now this is not laborious that needs to be disputed amidst all thy frailties feel the pulse of thine affection which way beats it and ask thy heart whether thou love him or not in this thou hast the Character of thy Election Know you not that the redeemed of Christ and he are one they live one life Christ lives in them and if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his as the Apostle declares in this Chapter So then this we are plainly to tell you and consider it you that will not let go your Sins to lay hold on Christ have as yet no share in him But on the other side The truth is that when Souls are once set upon this search they commonly wind the Notion too high and subtilize too much in the Dispute and so entangle and perplex themselves and drive themselves further off from that comfort that they are seeking after such measures and marks of Grace they set to themselves for their Rule and Standard and unless they find those without all Controversie in themselves they will not believe that they have an interest in Christ and this blessed and safe estate in him To such I would only say Are you in a willing league with any known sin Yea would you willingly if you might be saved in that way give up your self to Voluptuousness and Ungodliness and not at all desire to follow Jesus Christ in the way of Holiness Then truly I have not any thing as yet to say for your Comfort only there is a Salvation provided and the door is yet open and your heart may be changed But on the other side are the desires of thy Soul after Christ whole Christ to be Righteousness and withal Sanctification to thee Wouldst thou willingly give up thy self to be ruled by him and have him thy King Handst thou rather chuse to suffer the greatest Affliction for his sake to Honour him than commit the least Sin to displâ—ase him Doth thy Heart go out after him when thou heaâ—est him spoke of Dost thou account him thy Tâ—easure so that all the World sounds but as an empty Shell to thee when he is named Says thy Soul within thee Oh! that he were mine And oh that I were his that I could please him and live to him Then do not toss thy Spirit and jangle and spin out thy thoughts in fruitless endless doubtings but close with this as thy Portion and be of good Comfort thy sins are or will be forgiven thee I add yet further if thou sayest yet that thou findest none of all this yet I say there is warrant for thee to believe and lay hold on this Righteousness here held forth to the end that thou mayest then find those things in thee and find comfort in them Thou art convinc'd of Ungodliness than believe on him that justifies the Ungodly thou art Condemned yet Christ is dead and risen fly to him as such as the Lamb slain he that was dead and is alive and then say who is he that Condemneth It is Christ that died or rather that is risen Who shall Accuse 'T is true they may clamour and make a noise both Satan and thy Conscience but how can they fasten any Accusation on thee If they dare Accuse yet they cannot Condemn when the Judg hath acquitted thee and declared thee free who is greater than all and hath the absolute power of the Sentence all Charges and Libels come too late after he hath once pronounc'd a Soul Righteous And who shall Condemn it is Christ that died if the Sentence of the Law be brought forth Yet here 's the answer It ought not to be twice satisfied now once it is in Christ he
pulls not from him they part with life Ay why not this life is but a death and he is our life for whom we lose it All these do but increase the victories and triumphs of Love and make it more glorious as they tell of her multiplying labours to that Champion they are not only Conquerors but more than Conquerors by multiply'd Victories and they gain in them all both more honour and more strength they are the fitter for new adventures and so more than simple Conquerors We overcome and are sure not to lose former Conquests but to add more and Conquer on to the end which other Conquerors are not sure of oftentimes they out-live their own Successes and Renown and lose on a sudden what they have been gaining a whole life time not so here We are secured in the Author of our Victories 't is through him that hath loved us and he cannot grow less yea shall still grow greater till all his Enemies be made his Footstool Having given the Challenge and finding none to answer and that all the most apparent are in a most Rhetorical Accumulation silenced Tribulation Distress Persecution Famine Nakedness Peril Sword c. He goes on confidently in the triumph and avers his assurance of full and final Victory against all imaginable power of all the Creatures neither Death nor Life nor the fear of the most terrible Death nor the hope or love of the most desirable life And in the height of this Courage and Confidence he supposes impossible Enemies Angels Principalities c. unless you take it of the Angels of Darkness only but if it could be possible that the other should offer at such a thing they would be too weak for it No sense of any present things or apprehensions of things to come not any thing within the vast circle of the World above or below nor any Creature can do it Here Sin is not specify'd because he is speaking of outward oppositions and difficulties expressly and because that is removed by the former challenge Who shall accuse That asserting a free and final acquittance of all sin a pardon of the curse which yet will never encourage any of these to sin that live in the assurance of this love Oh! no and these general words do include it too Nothing present nor to come c. So it is carried clear and is the satisfying comfort of all that Jesus Christ hath drawn after him and united in his love 'T is enough whatsoever they may be separated from the things or persons dearest in this World 't is no matter the Jewel is safe none can take my Christ from me and I safe in him as his purchase none can take me from him And being still in his love and through him in the Fathers love that is sufficient What can I fear What can I want All other hazards signifie nothing how little value are they of And for how little a while am I in danger of them Methinks all should look on a Believer with an emulous eye and wish his estate more than a Kings Alas poor Creatures rich men great men Princes and Kings what vain things are they that you embrace and cleave to whatsoever they be soon must you part can you say of any of them who shall separate us Storms may arise and scatter Ships that Sail fairly together in fair weather thou mayest be removed by publick Commotions and Calamities from thy sweet Dwellings and Societies and Estates c. You may even live to see and seek your parting At last you must part for you must die then farewel Parks and Palaces Gardens and Honours and even Crowns themselves then dearest Friends Children and Wife must be parted with And what hast thou left poor Soul that hast not Christ but that which thou wouldst gladly part with and canst not The condemning guilt of all thy Sins But the Soul that is in Christ when other things are pull'd away he feels little or nothing he cleaves to Christ and these separations pain him not Yea when that great Separatist Death comes that breaks all other unions even that of the Soul and Body yet so far is it from separating the Believers Soul from its Beloved Lord Jesus that on the contrary it carries it into the nearest union with him and fullest enjoyment of him for â—ver SERMON XVIII Isaiah LIX 1 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear OUR vain minds are naturally fruitful in nothing more than in mistakes of God for the most part we think not on him and when we do it we fancy him according to our own affections which are wholly perverse and crooked Men commonly judg it a vain thing to spend much pains and time in Worshipping him and if they are convinc'd in this and tied to it by the profession of his Name then they think all Religion is a Shell of external diligences and observances and count it strange if this be not accepted In the former Chapter we find this in the Prophets contest with the people about their Fasting and their opinion of it he cuts up their Sacrifices and lets them see what was within the skin was sound and look'd well but being opened the entrails were found rotten And here he enters into another contest against the Latent Atheism of their hearts who after their manner of seeking God not finding him and not being delivered are ready to think that he either cannot or will not help and rather rest on that gross mistake than enquire into themselves for the true cause of their continuing Calamities they incline rather to think 't is some Indisposition in God to help than what it truly is a want of Reformation in themselves that hinder it It is not likely that they would say thus not speak it out in plain terms no nor possibly not speak it formally and distinctly within not so much as in their thoughts and yet they might have a confus'd dark conceit of this And much of the Atheism of mans heart is of this fashion not formed into resolv'd Propositions but Latent in confus'd Notions of it scarce discernable by himself at least not search'd out and discerned in his own Breast there they are and he sees them not Not written assertions but flying fumes filling the Soul and hindering it to read the Characters of God that are writ upon the Conscience Impenitency of men in any condition and particularly under distress is from the want of clear apprehensions and deep perswasions of God of his Just Anger provok'd by their Sin and of his sweetness and readiness to forgive and embrace a returning Sinner his Soveraign power able to rid them out of the greatest trouble his Ear quick enough to hear the cries yea the least whispering
the Spirit of God let us have recourse to the Throne of Grace by humble and earnest Prayer in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ. Psal. XLII 8. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his Song shall be with me and my prayer unto the God of my life MAN is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards saith Eliphaz Job 5. 7. And as it is the corruption and sinfulness of his Birth and Nature that has exposed him to trouble so Nature usually sets him at work to look out for such things as may preserve and deliver him from trouble or at least mitigate and temper the bitterness of it And because there is not any one worldly thing that hath either certainty or sufficiency enough to serve at all times therefore worldly and natural men are forced to make use of variety and are but badly served with them all The believing Soul hath but one comfort whereon he relies but it 's a great one which alone weighs down all the rest Bread strengthens and Wine makes glad the heart of Man Psal. 104. 15. But God is the strength of my heart says the Psalmist Psal. 73. 20. and the gladness of it too Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than they have when their corn and wine increaseth and therefore while the rest are seeking after some scattered crumbs of goodness in the Creatures Who will shew us any good He fixes his choice upon this one thing The light of God's countenance and it is the constant assurance of this that upholds him waves beat upon him yea and go over him yet the Lord will command his loving kindness to shine upon him In this Psalm we may perceive the Psalmist full of perplexed thoughts and that betwixt strong desires and griefs and yet in the midst of them now and then some advantage and intermixing strains of Hope with his sad complaints for immediately before we heard nothing but the impetuous noise of many waters deep calling unto deep In the former verse we have there as it were a touch of the sweet sound of David's Harp Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time In the words we have David's confidence and David's purpose the one suiting very well with the other His Confidence in God's loving kindness Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness And his purpose And in the night his song shall be with me It is true those words in the night his song shall be with me may be taken as a part of the expression of his confidence taking his Song for the matter or subject of the Song the goodness of God as if he should say both in the day and in the night I shall find the sweet fruits of God's favour and loving kindness But not excluding that I rather take it intended as his resolution that it should be his custom in the quiet Season of the Night to look back upon God's goodness manifested to him in the actions and occurrences of the Day and thus encertaining his Soul with that secret discourse he would stir it up to the praises of his God and withal would joyn Prayer for the continuance and further manifestation of it David as is hinted before intermixing strains of Hope not that faint and common hope of possibility or probability that after stormy days it may be better with him but a certain hope that shall never make ashamed such a hope as springs from faith yea in effect is one with it Faith rests upon the goodness and truth of Him that hath promised and Hope raising it self upon Faith so established stands up and looks out to the future accomplishment of the promise Therefore the Apostle Heb. 11. 1. calls Faith The substance of things hoped for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the evidence of things not seen of all other wavering hope here 's they say true Spes est nomen boni incerti But this can say The Lord will command his loving kindness c. The Lord will command What a sudden change is here Would you think this were the same man that was even now almost overwhelmed Thus Faith always conquers though seldom or never without hard conflict not only assaulted by troubles without but which is worse by Incredulity within nor assaulted only but many times brought under yet does it not succumb and give over knowing that even after many foils yet in the end it shall overcome His confidence you may consider first oppositely and then positively or simply in it self Oppositely both to his present trouble and to his complaints wherein this trouble is exprest and that is fitly implyed though it be not in the Original Though the multitude and weight of Jobs Afflictions did force out of him some bitter words and made him look back upon the day of his Birth and curse it yet Faith recovers him from his distemper and makes him look forward with joy even as far as to the blessed day of his Resurrection Job 19. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God The former words of impatience he spake indeed but he adheres to these and wishes that they were written with an Iron Pen and Engraven to abide for ever Therefore we hear of him again in Scripture as a righteous and patient man but of these words of his impatience not a word In the 77 Psalm what sad Expostulations are these the Psalmist uses Will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever Doth his promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies But see how he corrects them ver 10. Then I said this is my Infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High Thus Jonah 2 Chap. ver 3 4. much like this but there literally true And here deep calls unto deep yet in the midst of those deeps Faith is not drowned you see it lifts up its head above water Yet the Lord will command c. Yea though it takes particular notice of God's hand in the affliction yet it goes not to another hand for comfort Thy Waves and thy Billows yet that same God whose Waves are like to destroy me will ere long command his loving kindness to shine upon me Though he slay me yet will I trust in him A wonderful expression of Faith He says not though he afflict me sore but though he slay me not though evil men or Satan should do it but though he slay me yet will I trust in him What troubled mind can imagine any thing harder against it self than this 1. Learn then to check these excessive doubts and fears by some such resolute word as this Turn the promise first upon thy self and then upon God