take from them what they resign to him but they are not prepared for a submission to all Events Like those that make large Promises to others when they think they will not take them at their words So their Hearts secretly except and reserve much of that they resign to God But this is false-dealing and is shewn in part in murmuring when God taketh any thing from us 1 PET. 1. 9. Receiving the End of your Faith even the Salvation of your Souls THE Apostle here giveth a reason why Believers rejoice in the midst of Afflictions they are qualified thereby to receive Salvation yea in part have it already Receiving the End of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls In which words observe 1. The Benefit The Salvation of our Souls 2. The Grace which qualiâ—ieth us for that Benefit Faith 3. The respect between the Benefit and the Grace 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the End or Reward 1. The Benefit Which may be considered as consummated or as begun And accordingly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be interpreted If you consider it as to Consummation and actual Possession so we receive it at Death when our Self-denying Obedience is ended And for the present we are said to receive it because we are sure to receive it at the close of our days We believe now that we shall at length have it and therefore rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory 2. If you consider it with respect to Inchoation or begun Possession We have an undoubted Right now and some beginnings of it in the Consolations of the Spirit Now we receive it in the Promises we receive it in the first Fruits which are some forerunning Beams of the day-light of eternal Glory 2. The Grace which qualifieth and giveth us a Title to this Benefit is Faith The word Faith is taken in Scripture sometimes for fides quae creditur sometimes for fides quâ creditur for the Doctrine or Grace of Faith The first Acceptation will make a good sense here namely that the whole Tenor of Christian Doctrine leadeth us to the expectation of and diligent pursute after eternal Salvation 'T is the whole drift of the Christian Religion But I take it rather for the Grace This is the prime Benefit which Faith aimeth at as I shall shew you by and by 3. The Respect between Faith and Salvation 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the End or the word signifieth the Fruit and the Reward As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for an End and Scope the Scripture favoureth that Notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I press towards the Mark or Scope Phil. 3. 14. And 2 Cor. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Salvation of our Souls is the prime Benefit which Faith is not only allowed but required to aim at A Believer levelleth and directeth all his Actions to this end that at length he may obtain eternal Life Sometimes 't is put for the Fruit or Reward Rom. 6. 22. Being made free from Sin and become Servants to God ye have your Fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life The issue of all the final result was your Salvation The Point that I shall inâ—ist on is this Doct. That the End and Reward of Faith is the Salvation of our Souls I shall open the Point by explicating three Questions 1. What is this Salvation of our Souls 2. What Right the Believer hath to it 3. What is that saving-Faith which giveth us a Title to it The last is most important 1. What is the Salvation of the Soul 'T is not meant of temporal Deliverance or an escape from Danger as some would affix that sense upon it but of eternal Life or our happy Estate in Heaven This belongeth to our whole Man the Body as well as the Soul but the Soul is the chief part of Man and that which is first glorified When Men come first into the World first the Body is framed and then the Soul cometh after As we see in the Creation of Adam first his Body was organized and then God breathed into him the Spirit of Life And we see it in common Generation when the Body is first framed in the Womb then 't is quickned by a living Soul This lower Region of the World is properly the place of Bodies therefore Reason requires that the Body which is a Citizen of the World should first be framed that it may be a receptacle for the Soul which is a stranger and cometh from the Region of Spirits that is above But when we must remove into these heavenly Habitations then 't is quite otherwise for then the Soul as a Native of that place is presently admitted but the Body as a stranger is forced to recide in the Grave till the Day of Judgment and then for the sake of the Soul our Bodies also are admitted into Heaven This is the ordinary Law for all private Persons Christ indeed who is the Head of the Church and the Prince of this World and that which is to come his Body as well as his humane Spirit was made a Denizon of Heaven as soon as he ascended He entred into Heaven not as a private Citizen but as King and Lord of the Heavenly Jerusalem and therefore carried both Body and Soul along with him But as to us first the Soul goeth there as into his ancient Seat and proper Habitation and afterwards the Body followeth Well then 1. at Death our Souls go to Christ and enter into a state of Happiness Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. The Soul is not annihilated after Death nor doth it sleep till the Resurrection nor is it detained by the way from immediate passing into Glory but if it be the Soul of a Believer as soon as it is loosed from the Body it is with Christ Luke 23. 43. Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise He asked to be remembred when Christ came into his Kingdom and Christ assureth him of a reception there that day as soon as he should expire 2. In due time the Body is raised and united to the Soul and then Christ will be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thess. 1. 10. Such glory and honour will be put upon those who are but newly crept out of Dust and Rottenness the Saints themselves and all the Spectators shall wonder at it 3. There is another Period in this Happiness Our everlasting habitation in Heaven near unto the Throne of God and in the presence of his Glory John 14. 2. In my Father's House are many Mansions There we shall also have the company of Angels and blessed Spirits and make up one Society with them Heb. 12. 23. To the general Assembly and Church of the first Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudg of all and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect This is the
destitute of every thing which might commend us to God but there is a fulness in Christ to be communicated to all who sensible of their own emptiness do seriously apply themselves to him a perfect Wisdom a perfect Righteousness perfect Sanctification and supplies for ouâ— perfect Glory and Blessedness He beginneth by his Spirit to renew our Natures and this Grace is still of the growing Hand till all be crowned in Glory there is a compleat Fulness in our Mediator 4. There is a perfect Reward or a perfect state of Glory in which there is nothing wanting either to Holiness or Happiness The Scripture describeth it by our growing up into a perfect Man in Christ Jesus Ephes. 4. 13. We have our Infancy at our first Conversion when liable to childish Ignorance and many Infirmities we have our youth and growing Age when making Progress in the way of Grace towards Perfection And lastly We have our perfect manly Age when we are come to our full pitch when Grace is fully perfected in Glory In Scripture there is nothing said of the fading and declining time of old Age. Oh! blessed will that time be when we shall be holy and undefiled above the reach of Temptations when Believers receive all immediatly from the Fountain of Holiness and are filled with the fulness of all Perfections And shall we that have such Hopes be lazy and negligent No we must press towards the Mark if we expect it as our Felicity we must prize it and seek after it and get more of it every day Vse 1. Is to press and exhort you to labour after Christian Perfection 1. Motives What you lost in Adam must be recovered in Christ or else you dishonour your Redeemer Now we lost in Adam Innocency and perfect Holiness therefore you must seek to recover it by Christ for certainly Christ is more able to save than Adam to destroy Rom. 5. 17. The abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righteousness came by Jesus Christ. 'T is true Christ doth his Work by Degrees but if we mind it not and lazily expect that he should make us perfect how will it ever be for God will not save us without us and as far as we hope for any thing we must endeavour after it for Christian Hope is not a devout Sloth but an incouragement to Diligence 2. We pray for Perfection and therefore we must endeavour after it otherwise our Prayers are a Mockery We pray Mat. 6. 8. and 1 Thess. 5. 23. The God of Peace sanctify you throughout even your whole Body Soul and Spirit We pray for compleat Sanctification in hope to obtain it Prayer is not for God's sake but ours a solemn binding our selves to use the means that we may obtain the Blessings that we ask 3. In our making Covenant we purpose to do the whole Will of God now where there is a Purpose there must be an Endeavour and a Progress for otherwise 't is not made with a true heart Heb. 10. 22. A Man may purpose Duty in a Pang which afterward he retracts in his Conversation and Practice he may wish for Perfection like it in the general not considering it as exclusive of his beloved Lusts but there he will be excused Yea he may sincerely purpose it yet be faint and slack in his Endeavours Therefore we need to be exhorted continually to be more earnest and diligent in Holiness to avoid all appearance of Evil 1 Thess. 5. 22. Not to allow our selves in the omission of any known Duty Iames 4. 13. or the commission of any known Sin though never so near and dear to us Psal. 18. 23. I was upright before thee and kept my self from mine Iniquity Therefore unless we comply with these Exhortations and set our selves sincerely to do the whole Will of God the Challenge will be brought against us which was brought against the Church of Sardis I have not found thy Works perfect before God Rev. 3. 2. Your Vows were good but your Practice is not answerable 4. Consider the Comfort and Peace of that Man who doth more and more press towards Perfection Psalm 37. 37. Mark the perfect Man behold the Vpright for the End of that Man is Peace They have a sweet Life and an happy Close a tolerable passage through the World and a comfortable passage out of the World For Means 1. See that the Work be begun for there must be converting Grace before there can be confirming Grace Life before there be Strength and Growth as there must be Fire before it can be blown up for what good will it do to blow a dead Coal to seek Strength before we have Life 't is as if we should give Food or Physick to a dead Man The Secure and Impenitent are not to be confirmed and strengthned but humbled and changed We must first chuse God for our Portion before we can be exhorted to cleave to God Acts 11. 23. First the Perfection of Sincerity before the Perfection of Growth and Progress the Measures and Degrees following the real being of Grace in the Soul 2. If you would be perfect the radical Graces must be strengthned which are Faith Hope and Love strong Faith fervent Love lively Hope Such a Faith as realizeth the unseen Glory and giveth such a deep sense of the World to come as that you are willing to venture all upon the Hopes of it such an Hope as sets the Heart upon Glory to come as present things do not greatly move us such a Love as levelleth all our Actions to God's Glory and our eternal enjoyment of him Iude 20 21. 3. Use the Means with all Seriousness and good Conscience these conduce to perfect what is lacking to your Faith to root you ground you in Love confirm you in Hope that the Thoughts of Heaven may be more affecting and engaging Now the principal Means are the Word and Sacraments and Prayer 1. In the Word you have Principles of Faith Obligations to Love and Arguments of Hope therefore 't is said God buildeth us up by the Word of his Grace Acts 20. 32. 2. The Sacraments strengthen Faith Hope and Love as Signs and Seals of the Love of God through Jesus Christ in the new Covenant that so our Consolation may be more strong they strengthen our Faith and Hope as a Bond or a Vow So they excite and engage our Love and Obedience we bind our selves to God anew to pursue our everlasting Hopes whatever they cost us Our great Diseases are proneness to Evil and backwardness to Good we check the one and cherish the other 3. Prayer for 't is God that perfects us 2 Pet. 5. 10. he must be sought to his Blessing maketh the means effectual 4. Think much and often of your perfect Blessedness which you expect according to promise which will quicken and excite you to more diligence There is a time coming when the Mind shall be filled with as much Light and the Heart with as much Love
complain of God but your selves and beg Grace more fâ—â—lingly In short you are not able because you are not willing And your impotency is increased by evil habits contracted and long custom in Sin I now proceed to the fourth Consideration 4. None of these Excuses are sufficient for not following of Christ. And that 1. Because of his Authority Who requireth this Duty from us or imposeth it on us 'T is the Lord Jesus Christ to whose Sentence we must stand or fall When he biddeth us follow him and follow him speedily to excuse our selves is to countermand and contradict his Authority 'T is flat disobedience though we do not deny the Duty but only shift off and excuse our present complyance For he is as peremptory for the Time and Season as for the Duty Now while 't is called to day harden not your hearts Heb. 3. 7 8. God standeth upon his Authority and will have a present Answer If he say To day 't is flat disobedience for us to say To morrow or suffer me â—irst to do this and that business 2. It appeareth from his Charge to his Messengers Nothing can take off a Minister of the Gospel from seeking the Conversion and Salvation of Souls We cannot plead any thing to exempt us from this Work to plead that the Peoples hearts are hard and that the Work is difficult and full of danger will not serve the turn no Their Blood will I require at thy hands Therefore all excuses set aside we must address our selves to our work Acts 20. 23 24. Paul went bound in the Spirit and the Holy Ghost had told him that in every City Bonds and Afflictions did abide and wait for him But saith he None of these things move me neither count I my Life dear to my self so as I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of my Lord Iesus to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God He was willing and ready to endure what should befal him at Ierusalem and reckoned nothing of it nor of loss of Life if he might successfully preach the Gospel and serve Christ faithfully in the Office of the Ministry If nothing be an excuse to us can any thing be an excuse to you Should your Souls be nearer and dearer to us than to your selves 3. It appeareth from the matter of the Duty imposed on you If you consider the Excellency and the Nececessity of it To begin first the Excellency All Exâ—uses against Obedience to God's Call are 〈◊〉 from the World and the things 〈…〉 in the World Now there is no 〈…〉 between the things of the 〈…〉 following Christ's Counsel 〈…〉 â—verlastingly happâ— The Question will soon be reduced to this Which is most to be regarded God or the Creature the Body or the Soul Eternity or Time The Excuses are for the Body for Time for the Creature but the Injunctions of Duty are for God for the Soul and for Eternity Sense saith Favour the Flesh Faith saith Save thy Soul The one is of everlasting Consequence and conduceth to an happiness that hath no end the other only for a time 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal One turn of the Hand of God separateth the neglected Soul from the pampered Body And then whose are all these things 2. The Necessity that we may please God and enjoy him for ever We can never plead for a necessity of sinning for a Man is never driven to those streights whether he shall sin more or less but sometimes Duties come in competition Duty to a Father and a special injunction of Christ's to follow him One must be subordinated to the other and the most necessary must take place the less give place to the greater Now this is much more true of those things which are usually pleaded by way of hesistancy or as a bar to our Duty as our worldly and carnal satisfactions But you will say We must avoid poverty and shame But it is more necessary to avoid damnation Not to preserve our temporal Interests but to seek after eternal Life Luke 10. 42. One thing is necessary 4. It appeareth from the nature of the Work To follow Christ is not to give to him as much as the Flesh can spare but wholly to devote your selves to his Service to sell all for the Pearl of great price Mat. 13. 46. And you are obliged to walk so that all may give way to the Glory of God and the Service of your Redeemer If he will imploy us thus and thus we must not contradict it or please any thing by way of excuse Vse Do not neglect your Duty for vain Excusâ—s The excusing humour is very rife and very prejudicial to us for the Sluggard hath an high conceit of his own Allegations Prov. 26. 16. The Sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven Men that can râ—nder a reason In the Eastern Countries their Counsel usually consisted of seven as we read of the seven Princes of Media and Persia Esther 1. 14. Therefore let us a little disprove this vain conceit The Sluggard thinketh himself so wise that all others are but giddy and â—raisy-brain'd People that are too nice and scrupulous and make more ado with Religion than needeth But can a Man do too much for God and Heaven 1 Thess. 2. 12. The Sluggard thinketh 't is a venture and he may venture on one side as well as the other but 't is a thousand to one against him in the eye of Reason put aside Faith in doubtful Cases the surest way is to be taken But to draw it to a more certain determination 1. Nothing is a reasonable excuse which God's Word disproveth for the Scriptures were penned to discover the vain Sophisms which are in the Hearts of Men. Heb. 4. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Ioints and Marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart To discover the Affections of a sensual Heart however palliated with the pretences of a crafty Understanding Certainly our private Conceits must not be lifted up against the Wisdom of God nor can a Creature be justified in going against his Maker's Will Nothing can be Reason which the God of Wisdom contradicts and calleth Folly Jer. 8. 9. Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them 2. Nothing can be pleaded as a reasonable Excuse which your Consciences are not satisfied is Reason Men consult with their Affections rather than with their Consciences Conscience would draw other Conclusions therefore our Excuses are usually our Aggravations Luk. 19. 22. Out of thy own mouth will I judg thee thou wicked Servant The Master expected increase
look back to shift for our selves If you are willing to be his People he will be your God and your Saviour and then you may conclude that God even our God shall bless us Psalm 67. 6. He will not be wanting to those that unreservedly yield up themselves to his Obedience 3. Consider that they are deluded Hypocrites that will meddle no farther with Religion than they can reconcile it with their worldly Happiness What-ever glorious Notions they have of God or pretences of admiring free Grace 't is Self-denial that Christ calleth for and taking up our Cross is the first Lesson in his School And true Conversion is a turning from the Creature to God and beginneth in Mortification and Baptism implieth a renunciation of the Devil the World and the Flesh. Therefore those that will save their wordly State and launch out no farther in the Cause of Religion than they may easily get ashore again when a storm cometh and love and serve God no farther than will stand with the contentment of the Flesh and divide their Hearts between God and the World give God but half and the worst half surely these were never sincere with God 'T is an impossible Design they drive on to serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. You must let go Christ and Glory if you be so earnest after the World and so indulgent to the Flesh. 4. Consider how much 't is your business to observe what maketh you fit or unfit for the Kingdom of God The aptitude or inaptitude of means is to be judged with respect to the end as they help or hinder the attainment of your great End For Finis est mensura mediorum Mat. 6. 22. The Light of the Body is the Eye If therefore thine Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light Now our great end is to enjoy God for ever And what fitteth you for this looking back or keeping the Heart in Heaven Experience will shew The observant and watchful Christian will soon find where his great hindrance lieth How much he findeth his Heart down by minding the World and how he needeth to wind it up again by Faith and Love Psal. 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul The World is the great Impediment that keepeth him from God and indisposeth him for his Service dampeth his Love and quencheth his Zeal and abateth his Diligence he will soon find how much more he might do for God if he could draw off his Heart more from those inferior Objects This is the weight that presseth us down and maketh us so cold and cursory in God's Service 5. Consider in the Text here is the Kingdom of God which is double The Kingdom of Grace and the Kingdom of Glory The one is called The Kingdom and Patience of Iesus Christ Rev. 1. 9. The other is called His Kingdom and Glory 1 Thess. 2. 12. By the first we are prepared for the second and the second is the great Incouragement Now they that look back are unfit for either the Duties of Christians or the Reward of Christians he slincheth from his Duty here and shall be shut out of Heaven at last 2 Thess. 1. 5. That ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer They are only counted worthy who constantly and patiently look for it and venture something on it 6. Consider the great loss you will incur by looking back after you have put your hand to the Plough You will lose all that you have wrought and all that you have suffered 1. What you have wrought 2 Ep. Iohn 8. Look to your selves that ye lose not the things which ye have wrought but that ye receive a full Reward You forfeit the Reward of your good Beginnings A partial Reward they may have in this Life while they continue their well-doing for no Man is a loser by God but not a Compleat and full Reward till the Life to come Some overflowings of God's Temporal Bounty they may have but not the Crown of Life and Glory So Ezek. 18. 24. All his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned All is obliterated and forgotten and made void as to any Interest in the great Reward This was represented in the Type of the Nazarite Numb 6. 12. The days that were before shall be lost because his separation was defiled He was to begin all anew 2. All that you have suffered as a Man may make some petty losses for Jesus Christ. Gal. 3. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain This maketh all the cost and expence that you have been at to be to no purpose FINIS THE Nature and Excellency OF Saving Faith IN TWO SERMONS FROM Heb. 10. 39. 1 Pet. 1. 4. To which is added A Wedding Sermon On Gen. 2. 22. THE EXCELLENCY OF Saving Faith HEB. 10. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul IN the Verse immediatly preceding there is a dreadful Doom pronounced on Apostates that God will take no pleasure in them Now lest they should be much afrighted with the terror of it and suppose that he had too hard an Opinion of them he sheweth That tho he did warn them he did not suspect them presuming other things of them according to their Profession But we are not of them that draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul In the words two things are observable 1. The denial of the suspicion of their Apostacy 2. An Assertion of the Truth and Constancy of their Faith That Clause I shall insist upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where first take notice of their Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly Their Perseverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth their purchasing acquiring obtaining finding the Soul meaning thereby that though they lost other things they did not lose their Souls Doct. That a true and sound Faith will cause us to save the Soul though with the loss of other things 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ye are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 'T is the Power of God indeed that keepeth He that reserveth Heaven for us reserveth and keepeth us for Heaven But by what Instrument or Means By Faith to depend upon an Invisible God for an Happiness that lieth in an invisible World when in the mean time he permitteth us to be harrased with Difficulties and Troubles requireth Faith And by Faith alone can the Heart be upheld till we obtain this Salvation So vers 9. Receiving the End of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls 'T is Faith maketh us row against the stream of Flesh and Blood and deny its Cravings that we may obtain eternal Salvation at length The Flesh is for sparing and favouring the Body but Faith is for saving the Soul That 's the End and Aim of Faith To make this
Worth of those blessed Things which are to come and so to take the Thing promised for our Happiness and the promise for our Security 1. There is no true sound Faith till we take the everlasting Fruition of God in Glory for our whole Felicity till our Hearts be set upon it and we do desire it intend it wait for it as the chief Good and Blessedness The upright Heart is known by its Treasure Mat. 6. 20 21. Lay up Treasure in Heaven for where your Treasure is there your Heart will be also Now if this be so other things will be lessened all other Hopes and Happiness is nothing worth and will appear so if compared with this better part with what we account our Treasure you will see all this World is Vanity and hath nothing in it worthy to be compared with the Salvation of our Souls 2. There is no true Faith where the Word and Promise of God is not taken for our Security so as our Trust in his Word may quiet and embolden us against Temptations and give us stronger Consolation than all the visible things on Earth Psalm 119. 111. and Heb. 6. 18. We should do more and go farther upon such a Promise than for all that Man can give unto us Earthly Pleasures and Possessions should be small things in regard of the Promise of God This should make us row against the stream of the Flesh and cross its desires and appetites and deny the Conveniencies of the World and all because we have God's Promise of better things 2. This forsaking cannot be without Faith because the Flesh is importunate to be pleased with present Satisfactions and loth to part with things which we see and love for that God and Glory which we never saw to quit what is present for what is future and with patience to be expected The Flesh is for pleasing the Body but Faith is for saving the Soul Heb. 10. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purchasing the Soul with the loss of other things So that this is Faith nothing but Faith and other Faith is not true and sound 2. It maketh us to give up our selves to the conduct of the Word and Spirit for obtaining this Happiness I add this because the Word is our Rule Gal. 6. â—6 and the Spirit our Guide Rom. 8. 14. And Faith is not only an apprehension of Privileges but 〈…〉 of Subjection And the sound Believer devoteth himself to the Love Fear Service and Obâ—dience of God 2 Cor. 8. 8. They first gave up themselves to the Lord and to 〈◊〉 by the Will of God that is to the Apostles as Christ's Messengers to be directed in the Way to Heaven Psal. 119. 38. Stablish thy Word unto thy Servant who is devoted to thy fear This now is saving-Faith The Vse is to exhort you to believe to the saving of the Soul To this end 1. Because Faith is the Gift of God beg the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that your Eyes may be opened that you may see what is the Hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints c. Ephes. 1. 17 18. That you may be convinced of the truth and worth of the Blessedness promised and know and see it not by a traditional Report but in the lively Light of the Spirit such as may affect and engage your Hearts Naturally we are purblind 2 Pet. 1. 9. have no accute discerning but in Back and Belly Concernments We know what is noxious or comfortable to the present Life pleasing or displeasing to the Flesh but are little affected with the danger of perishing for ever the need of Christ or the worth of Salvation and till God make a change how slight and sensual are we 2. Think often and seriously how much the saving of the Soul is better than the saving or getting or keeping all the World Matth. 16. 26. What will it profit a Man if he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul So much as God is to be preferred before the Creature Heaven before the World Eternity before Time the Soul before the Body so much must this Business of saving the Soul have the preheminence and be preferred before the Interests of the Body and the bodily Life But alas what poor things divert us from this Happiness the satisfying of the Flesh the pleasures of Sin for a season a little Ease or Profit or vain-Glory this is all for which we slight Heaven and our own Salvation 3. Put your selves into the way of Salvation by sâ—eking Reconciliation with God by Christ. You are invited in the universal conditional Offer Iohn 3. 16. 'T is offered to all that will repent and believe and there is no exception put in against you to exclude you Why then will you exclude your self Therefore come forward in the way of Faith and God will help you 4. Mind often the genuine Effect of the True Faith It makes you forsake all that you may be obedient to Christ and resolved upon it Therefore consider 1. the Necessity of it You can neither trust God nor be true to him till your Heart be loosened from the Pleasures and Profits and Honours in the World and you can venture all upon the security of his Promise other Hopes and Happiness will divert us from the true Happiness and the good feed will be choaked by the cares of this World and voluptuous Living that you can bring nothing to perfection Either you will turn aside by open Defection or Apostacy or else be a Dwarf and Cripple in Religion all your days either in Mortification in denying the sinful Pleasures of the Senses you will slight the fulness of Joy at God's right Hand for a little vain Pleasure which when 't is gone 't is as a thing of nought 'T is the Pilgâ—im abstaineth from fleshly Lusts He that runâ—eth not as uncertain that keepeth down his Body 1 Cor. 9. 26 27. or in a way of Self-denial run few hazards for Christ It may be they may make some petty losses but do not sell all for the Pearl of great Price Or in a way of Charity How else can you lend to the Lord upon his Bond or the security of his Promise Prov. 19. 17. He that hath pity on the Poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again 2. Consider the Profit Whatever a Believer losâ—th by the Way he is sure to have it at the end of his Journey Mat. 19. 28. Iesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel You will be no losers by God at the last A Wedding SERMON GEN. 2. 22. And brought her unto the Man THE words belong to the Story of the first Marriage that ever was celebrated in the
in the Book of the Maccabees concerning Eleazar and the Woman with her seven Sons so cruelly tortured But these Commands were contrary to the Laws of God Should they have said God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice No in such a case God will have Sacrifice and not Mercy Tho often advised to yield they would not abate a Jot of their Zeal For tho the Case be but in Externals yet there is a Renunciation of our Relation and Obedience to God's Law So Daniel opening his Windows and praying three times a day as he was wont to do Dan. 6. 10. That Circumstance might have been forborn you will think in a Case of such imminent Peril of Life No he would neither forbear praying nor opening his Windows he had wont to do so before and without dishonouring God and renouncing his Profession he could not forbear to do so now The Promise of Audience made to Solomon at the Dedication of the Temple required this Ceremony as an Effect of Faith 1 Kings 8. 42 43. When they shall pray towards this House then hear thou in Heaven And David saith Psal. 5. 7. In thy Fear I will worship towards thy holy Temple The Temple did shadow forth the Body of our Lord Christ the Mediator in whom only our Prayers and Services are accepted with the Father which Solomon respected in looking towards the Temple But the chief Reason is the Necessity of Profession and open Profession too against this impious Law contrived by the Malice of his Enemies to make him afraid Now to shew he was not frighted from his Duty he openeth his Windows and would not forgo any Circumstance of his Duty to God I might instance in Circumcision as urged by the false Apostles as necessary to our Justification Gal. 5. 2 3 4. Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testify again to every Man that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law Christ is become of none effect unto you Whosoever of you are justified by the Law you are fallen from Grace Such is the difference when God calleth us to the profession of a lesser Truth Therefore the Case may be such that Externals may bear great Weight 7. If the Externals of God's Worship instituted by himself must give place to Mercy then Externals of Humane Institution ought much more to give place to Mercy Sacrifices were of God's Institution and a way of expressing their Obedience and Thankfulness in his Worship yet God saith I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice And twice is this applied by Christ to Mercy towards the Souls of Men in the Text and Mercy concerning the Bodies of Men Mat. 12. to defend the Disciples rubbing the Ears of Corn because they fainted for Hunger Then by like Reason where the urging of Externals may cross Mercy to the Souls of Men by depriving them of the Means of Edification and the Gifts of a lively Ministry or crossing Mercy to the Bodies of Men by depriving them and their Families of their necessary Support and Maintenance in such a case they should learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice And the Peace and Edification of the Church is more valuable than that of a private Man In all External positive Institutions the Apostles often urge Charity to the Souls of Men for which Christ died that we neither wound them with Sorrow or Sin as the sure Rule to guide us either in practising or forbearing our Liberty Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ died So 1 Cor. 8. 11. And through thy Knowledg shall the weak Brother perish for whom Christ died That is the scandalous Abuse of this Knowledg In short if any great dammage to the Souls or Bodies scandal or inconveniece should come upon urging these Externals surely they should be forborn for if it be the Will and Pleasure of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that Matters commanded by his Affirmative Precepts should be forborn for Charity 's sake Men should be perswaded to remit of the rigor of their Impositions in this kind though the things imposed were indifferent and the practice of them in some Cases a Duty yet if it would destroy Charity we are to leave our Prayers publick and private forsake a Sermon to save the Life of our Neighbour nay to quench the Fire burning his House nay to help his Cattle out of the Ditch But I will prosecute this no further Let me now make some use of what hath been said 1. Let us take heed that we be not of the number of them that are serious and zealous in some things but not in all Partial Zeal hath always been the Note of Hypocrites as the Pharisees were earnest for Externals but neglected Justice and Charity Saul is an Instance of Partial Zeal in destroying the Gibeonites and sparing the Amalekites 2 Sam. 21. 2. Saul sought to sâ—ay them in his zeal to the Children of Israel and Iudah He was expresly commanded to root out the Amalekites but he spared Agag out of seeming pity but useth barbarous Cruelty in seeking to root out the Gibeonites who were to be preserved by Oath and Covenant and this he is said to do in his Zeal Not a true Zeal surely as aiming at God's Glory for it tended much to his dishonour to have them destroyed who were new Proselytes and professing Religion and had put themselves under God's Protection but a preposterous hypocritical Zeal of aiming as he pretended at the welfare of the Common-Wealth of Israel his main Intent was popular Applause and to gratify them who envied the Gentiles should be incorporated into God's People An Hypocrite's Conscience is not uniform but brought upon the Stage for a Turn I shall give you another Instance in Iehâ— mighty zealous in destroying the Idolatry of Baal which was the Idolatry of the House of Ahab but not only cold and indifferent but resolute against the destroying the Calves of Dan and Bethel which was the Idolatry of Ieroboam 2 Kings 10. 28 29. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel Howbeit from the Sins of Jeroboam wherewith he made Israel to sin Jehu departed not from them to wit the Golden Calves in Dan and Bethel Reason of State perswaded the one and disswaded the other His Interest lay in ruining the House of Ahab and in taking care that the Tribes might not revert to the House of David Thus you see Men zealous in some things may griâ—vously sin in others Therefore my Beloved be you careful to regard all God's Commands in their place Piety in its place Justice in its place Mercy in its place The Jews after they had smarted in Babylon were zealous against Idols but robbed God of his Dues never took care to restore the Riches of the Temple Therefore the Apostle taxeth this partiality of Zeal Rom. 2. 22. Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit
so much as a sound sense of Religion and a solemn exercising our selves to Godliness maketh us see and loath our selves and pity oâ—hers I find the Pharisees Enemies ever to the â—reeness of God's Grace to Sinners and the Work of Repentance And that the bringing of poor Sinners to Salvation was the great eye-sore They call Christ a â—ine-bibber and a Friend of Publicans and Sinners because of his social and free but sanctified Converse with all sorts of Men Mat. 11. 18. He would not take such a strict form as Iohn did because he would not seem to justify their Pharisaical Rigors So again Luke 15. 2. This Man receiveth Sinners and eateth with them Because he went to them as a Physician to heal their Souls Christ refused not familiarity with the poorest and worst as was needful for their Cure and would not observe the humour of proud Pharisaical Separation by the Parables of the lost Sheep and the lost Groat but confuteth it sheweth that this is the Spirit of the Elder Brother who envied the Prodigal's Return And telleth them in another place that Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them Mat. 21. 30. pleadeth the Case of the Woman against Simon the Pharisee Luke 7. 30. If this Man had been a Prophet he would have known who and what manner of Woman this is that touched him Luke 7. 47. Christ telleth him She had much forgiven her for she loved much Well then a penitent broken hearted sense of our own being indebted to Grace and tender compassion towards others that yet go astray discovereth the true Spirit of the Gospel But to stand aloof from others by a foolish singularity Isa. 65. 5. which say Stand by thy self come not near to me for I am â—â—lier than thou Some though impure and prophane counted all others unholy and unclean but themselves This inclosing Spirit is the Spirit of Pharisaism An outside strictness without that Faith Love Charity Meekness Usefulness and Humility which is the very Soul and Life of Christianity Usually Gifts and outward strictness puff up Men with a vain conceit of their own Righteousness and a censuring and despising others This one Text sheweth us both the Spirit of Pharisaism and the Spirit of Christianity The Pharisees who abounded in External Observances censured Christ for his free Converse disdained these penitent People whom he invited to a better Life But now true Religion maketh Men humble and lowly in their own Eyes by acquainting them with the desert of Sin and their own Misery and maketh Men pitiful and compassionate towards others more ready to help than to censure them and to use all ways and means to do them good But when Men would shine alone in the repute of Holiness they are envious to those who penitently return to their Duty as those Servants who had wrought all the day envied those that came in at the last hour Mat. 22. 12. or as the elder Brother envied the Prodigal or Simon the Pharisee repined at Mary Magdalen's observance of Christ. They esteem much of their own Works Merits Sufferings and Righteousness O take heed of this Spirit The use of this Bâ—anch is to press us to regard Internals more than Externals and the Substantials more than the Ceremonials of Worship and a broken-hearted thankful sense of our Redeemer's Love before a Legal Righteousness Inward Worship is Love Fear and Trust outward Worship is Prayer Praise Hearing Reading Outward Worship is not a Duty at all times but inward Worship is a Duty at all times for we should always love God and delight in God and trust in God Outward Worship may be omitted for a Work of Mercy and in case of invincible Necessities but inward Worship may never be omitted never dispensed with We always owe Love and renewed Obedience to God and must depend upon him and delight in him Outward Worship may be counterfeited and External Worship without Holiness is highly displeasing to God and never pleasing but when 't is in conjunction with it Hypocrites may abound in Externals but Hypocrites will not delight themselves in the Lord nor heartily devote themselves to him so as to serve please and glorify him the inward Graces cannot be counterfeited but the outward Expression may 2. Be more careful of the Substantials than of the Ceremonials of Religion and to mind the Power of Godliness more than the Form The Substantials of Religion are the Love of God and our Neighbour The Circumstantials are those ways of Worship which God hath appointed whereby we are visibly to express our love to him Now our main care should be in the first place to be intirely devoted and subject to God That was Iob's Character One that feared God and eschewed Evil Job 1. 11. To do that we do out of love to him obeying his Laws as our Rule and depending upon his Rewards as our Happiness And as to Men let us be faithful and walk holily in our Places Callings and Relations being just and kind unto all but having an exceeding dear love for our fellow-Saints and everlasting Companions This is more pleasing to God than the costliest Sacrifices than all our Flocks and Herds or any outward thing that we do for him I take notice of those words of God to Solomon when he was building him a magnificent Temple 1 Kings 6. 11 12. And the Word of the Lord came to Solomon saying Concerning this House which thou art building if thou wilt walk in my Statutes and execute my Iudgments and keep all my Commandments to walk in them then will I perform my Word to thee which I spake to David thy Father God hath more respect to Solomon's faithful Obedience than to that glorious Building So far do Morals exceed Ceremonials in Religion 3. That you prefer a broken-hearted thankful sense of our Redeemer's Love before legal and conceited Righteousness of our own Christ's love to Sinners is that which the Pharisees mainly stumbled at An external shew and fair pretence of a good Life which had no bottom of Regeneration was the superficial Righteousness of the Pharisees Nicodemus who had been of that Sect wondred when that was pressed upon him Iohn 3. 4 5. an outward Conformity which was more in Shew than in Substance in Form and Fashion than in Power was their Religion abstaining from gross Sins as Murder and Adultery but not purifying the Heart from Lusts. Murder they made Conscience of but not of Envy Malice and Hatred Theft but not Covetousness and close Extortion Adultery but not Wantonness or looking upon a Woman to lust after her as you may see at large Matth. 5. Thus Christ presseth us to exceed the Pharisees who turned all Obedience into an empty Formality wherein they puffed up themselves as meer Men and so had never been at the Market of Free Grace all their Wares were their own and their Righteousness of their own spinning and therein stood upon their own Bottom
without seeking the reconciling and renewing Grace of the Redeemer Luke 18. The proud Pharisee pleadeth his own Merits rather than God's Grace but the Publican pleaded Mercy 'T was long e're Paul was brought to count all but Dung and Dross for the Excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Phil. 3. 7 8 9. But on the other side a Christian though he maketh progress in Holiness yet from first to last cherisheth a broken-hearted sense of his own Wants and a thankful remembrance of his Redeemer's Love who is all in all with him both for Justification and Sanctification Before Pardon the Sinner is weakned and humbled with a sense of his lost Condition and then there is a constant watchfulness with Repentance and brokenness of Heart which followeth Pardon loving much because much is forgiven Luke 7. 47. And loathing himself in his own sight because of his vileness and sinfulness after God is reconciled to him Ezek. 16. 63. This is the frame of Heart which suiteth with the Gospel-state III. I come to the third Thing the value of Mercy I shall not speak of it at large but only with respect to this Scripture 1. 'T is better than Sacrifice To sacrifice is to serve God but to shew Mercy is to be like God Luke 6. 36. Be ye therefore merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful Now Conformity to God is more noble than Subjection to God it hath more of Perfection and Blessedness in it especially than a particular external mode and way of subjection to God 2. As 't is preferred before Sacrifice so 't is preferred before the external Observation of the Sabbath The Sabbath is the great Institution conducing to the enlivening of other Duties Mercy not only to the Souls of Men as here or Bodies of Men but Mercy to the Bodies of the to help a Beast out of a Pit is a Sabbath-days work Mat. 12. 11 12. 3. 'T is more than Gospel-Externals of Worship The Apostle had spoken of being not hearers of the Word only but doers also Jam. 1. 25. Then saith Vers. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God is this To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and keep himself unspotted from the World Is this Religion to come to Church to hear the strictest Preachers Doth the Apostle reckon this another part of Religion No but to visit the Fatherless and Widows They who are truly Religious have such a deep sense of God's Mercy to them that they are changed into the Divine Nature that they cannot but pity the miserable and afflicted Now the Ordinances of the Gospel are rational not so carnal and servile as the Ordinances under the Law 4. 'T is more excellent than all the Gifts of the Gospel The Gifts of the Gospel were glorious Things Gifts of Tongues Gifts of Healing Gifts of Knowledg and Utterance 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet earnestly the best Gifts and yet I shew you a more excellent way What is that Love Charity Mercy Though Abilities are excellent Things to be able to edify and instruct others yet no way to be compared with the Grace of Charity and the performing all our Duties to our Brethren out of love to God 5. I cannot say 't is above the Graces of the Gospel Faith and Love to God yet this I can say that those Graces are not real unless accompanied with Charity 1 John 4. 20. If a Man say he loveth God and hateth his Brother he is a liar for if a Man hateth his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen He speaketh there of Love to Christ vers 19. We love him because he loved us first There may be a great deal of Hypocrisy in professing and pretending Love to Christ and so he doth certainly who doth malign and persecute Christians or not shew Mercy to them in their Distresses We daily converse with Men meet with Objects of Charity whom we should pity but if we do not this which is the more easy we will not do that which is more difficult 6. 'T is the Qualification of finding Mercy Mat. 5. 7. ` Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy Compassion to other Mens Bodies and Souls gives this hope and confidence of finding Mercy with the Lord and that is all our Hope It will be inquired into at the Day of Judgment Mat. 25. 35 36 37 38 39 40 41. For I was an hungred and ye gave me Meat I was thirsty and ye gave me Drink I was a Stranger and ye took me in Naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in Prison and ye came unto me Then shall the Righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee Drink When saw we thee a Stranger and took thee in or naked and clothed thee Or when saw we thee sick or in Prison and came unto thee And the King shall answer and say unto them Verily I say unto you in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Oh then let us make Conscience of this Duty more than ever we have done A DESCRIPTION of the True Circumcision PHIL. 3. 3. For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the Flesh. AMong those that entertain thoughts of Religion there ever have been and will be many Contests who are the True Church and People of God The Lazy place their Plea and Claim in External Observations The Serious look to the Vitals and Heart of Religion and cannot satisfy themselves in an outward Form without the Life and Power This was the very difference between the True Christians and a certain sort of Persons who took upon them to be the Circumcision The Jews are often called the Circumcision Therefore Christ is said to be a Minister of the Circumcision as being sent to the People that were to be Circumcised Rom. 15. 8. And Peter is called the Apostle of the Circumcision Gal. 2. 7 8. as being appointed to deal with that People Now these Judaizing Christians who had a zeal for the Ceremonies of the Law did falsely boast themselves to be the only People of God and the true Circumcision This was the difference between them Who were to be accounted the true Circumcision the Jewish Zealots who placed their Justification in the Ceremonies of the Law or those who adhered to Christ only and looked for the Mercy of God through him We are the Circumcision say they excluding the other and better sort of Christians The one had the Form and the other the Effect and Power The one were circumcised outwardly the other spiritually The Apostle judgeth for the latter the former were
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Concision who instead of circumcising themselves did cut asunder the Church of God But the sound Believers were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Circumcision indeed as being circumcised by the Circumcision made without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flâ—sh by Christ Câ—ll 2. 11. They were the true Children of Abraham who did indeed perform that for which Circumcision was intended For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the Flesh. In the words we have a three-fold Description of the True Circumcision How they stand affected To God Christ Self I. They worship God in the Spirit II. They rejoice in Christ Jesus III. They have no confidence in the Flesh. I. They worship God in the Spirit This Clause may be interpreted 1. In opposition to the Legal Ordinances So 't is taken Iohn 4. 23 24. But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth The Jewish Worship is in a sense called Carnal the Christian Spiritual Heb. 7. 16. A Carnal Commandment Heb. 9. 10. Carnal Ordinances imposed on them till the Time of Reformation And Shadows Heb. 10. 1. Now the Lord would have a Spiritual Worship and the Truth of what was in these Shadows these external Forms he allowed instituted in the Infancy of the Church so that they worship God in the Spirit is they have embraced the true Worship of the Gospel and serve God not by the Carnal Rites of the Law but by the pure rational Worship of the Gospel This is part of the sense 2. It implieth worshipping God with the inward and spiritual Affections of a renewed Heart Heb. 12. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear Worship flowing from Grace engaging the Heart in God's Service is that which God prizeth Therefore a Christian should not rest in an External Form God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit Rom. 1. 9. 3. It doth also imply the Assistance and continual Influence of the Holy Spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints And Iude v. 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost The Doctrine is this That a True Christian is known by his Worship or is one that doth worship God in the Spirit Here I shall shew you 1. What is Worship 2. What a true Christian 1. doth worship 2. Why in the Spirit 1. What is Worship 'T is either Internal or External The Internal consisteth in the Love and Reverence we owe to God The External in those Offices and Duties by which our Honour and Respect to God is signified and expressed 1. Internal The Soul and Life of our Worship lieth in Faith and Reverence and delight in God above all other things Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoice with Trembling Such a delight as will become the greatness and goodness of God Worship hath its Rise and Foundation in the Heart of the Worshipper there it must begin In our high thoughts and esteem of God especially two things Love and Trust. 1. Love Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul and with all thy Might We worship God when we give him such a Love as is Superlative and Transcendental far above the Love that we give to any other thing that so our respect to other things may sâ—oop and give way to our respect to God 2. The other Affection whereby we express our esteem of God is Trust which is the other Foundation of Worship Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all Times pour out your Hearts before him Delightful adhesion to God and an intire dependance upon him if either fail or be intermitted our Worship faileth If Delight Job 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he always call upon God Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel They that love God and delight in him cannot be long out of his company They take all Opportunities and Occasions of being with God So Dependance and Trust Heb. 3. 12. Take Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God James 1. 6 7. Let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the Wind and tossed For let not that Man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Dependance begets Observance They that distrust God's Promises will not long keep his Precepts If we look for all from him we will often come to him and take all out of his hands Be careful that we do not offend him and displease him 2. External In those Offices and Duties by which our Honour and Respect to God is signified and expressed As by Invocation Thanksgiving Praises Obedience God will be owned both in Heart and Life In all these prescribed Duties by which our Affections towards him are acted If God did not call for outward Worship why did he appoint the Ordinances of Preaching Praying singing Psalms Baptism and the Lord's Supper God that made the whole Man Body and Soul must be worshipped of the whole Man Therefore besides the Inward Affections there must be External Actions In short we are said to worship God either with respect to the Duties which are more directly to be performed to God or in our whole Conversation 1. With respect to the Duties which imply our solemn Converse with God and are more directly to be performed towards him such as the Word Prayer Praise Thanksgiving and Sacraments Surely these must be attended upon because they are special Acts of Love to God and Trust in him And these Duties are the ways wherein God hath promised to meet with his People and appointed us to expect his Grace Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and bless thee And Mark 4. 24. 'T is a Rule of Commerce between us and God With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given 2. In our whole Conversation Luke 1. 74 75. That we should serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our lives A Christian's Life is a constant Hymn to God or a continued Act of Worship ever behaving himself as in the sight of God and directing all things as to his Glory He turneth Second-Table Duties into First James 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the
Father is this To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the World Heb. 13. 16. To do good and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Ephes. 5. 21 22. Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God Now a true Christian maketh Conscience of all this as of Internal Worship so External As of Solemn and Sacred Acts so of a constant Awfulness of God Secondly The Reasons 1 st Why a true Christian doth worship God 2 dly Why in the Spirit 1 st For the Worship it self 1. Because they have a deep sense of his Being and Excellency impressed upon their Hearts 1. His Being These two Notions live and die together That God is and that he ought to be worshipped and served Heb. 11. 6. The one immediately floweth from the other The first Commandment is Thou shalt have no other Gods before me The second Thou shalt not worship a graven Image If 〈…〉 Worship is certainly 〈…〉 They that have no 〈…〉 they had no God The Psalmist proveth Atâ—â—ism by that Psal. 14. 1. The Fool hath said 〈…〉 Heart There is no God And vers 4. They call not upon God 2. His Excellency They have a cleareâ— sight of God than others have and are more acquainted with him than otherâ— are and therefore are more prone to worship When God had proclaimed his Name and manifested himself to Moses Exod. 34. 8. He made haste and bowed himself to the Earth and worshipped None so ready and forward Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee 2. Because they have a Principle within them which inclineth them to God Their Hearts are carried to him as light Bodies are carried upward There is such a Grace as Godliness 2 Pet. 1. 6. and distinct in the Notion from Righteousness and Holiness 1 Tim. 6. 11. Follow after Righteousness Godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. What manner of Persons ought we to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness What is the Notion then of it 'T is Tendentia mentis in Deum An Impression left upon their Hearts which causeth a bent and tendency towards God as the Fountain of their Mercies the Joy of their Souls and the Center of their Rest. There is such an Inclination in some stronger in others more remiss but in all that are made Partakers of a Divine Nature in some good Degree so as ordinarily to prevail over the Inclinations of the Flesh As Holiness noteth purity of Life so Godliness an Inclination to God 3. Because of their Relations to God which they own God pleadeth his Right Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father Where is mine Honour If I be a Master Where is my Fear A Father must have Honour and a Master must have Fear And God who is the common 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Master of all must have both A Worship and Honour in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy Or as the owning of a King implyeth submission to his Government so the owning of a God Adoration and Worship 2 dly Why in the Spirit 1. Because Worship without the Spirit is like a Body without the Soul 't is but the Carcase of a Duty The Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in this Business Mat. 15. 8. This People draweth nigh to me with their Mouths and honoureth me with their Lips but their Hearts are far from me There is no Love to God rather an habitual aversion from him 2. External Worship is but a Means to the Internal as Prayer Hearing Reading Receiving tend to promote Love Trust Heavenly-mindedness Self-denial Mortification purity of Life and Conversation Now as the Means are only valuable with respect to their End so are these Duties of Hearing Reading Singing Diligence in the use of Means is good but those Acts that are conversant about the End are better such as the Love of God and Delight and Trust in God for Finis est nobilior mediis Nay amongst the Internal Acts as they are Means to one another so the nearer respect they have to the last End the more noble they are As Faith is more noble than bare Knowledg because Knowledg tendeth to Faith Psalm 5. 10. Love than Faith because Faith tendeth to Love Gal. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 13. 13. Faith causeth Love and serveth as the Bellows to in-kindle this Holy Fire and in Love Desire maketh way for Delight as its noblest Act. And accordingly must all things be valued as they suit the great End which is the injoying of God 3. A Man doth not partake of the Gospel-Blessing till he doth serve God in the Spirit that is till he be made partaker of the Regenerating Grace and actual Influence of the Holy Spirit 1. Of his Regenerating Grace Rom. 7. 6. That we should serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the Letter New Life is the principal of Evangelical Obedience and when we are renewed by the Holy Ghost we walk in newness of Conversation The Gospel is a Ministry of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. It not only requireth Duty but giveth Power to perform it The Letter of the Law requireth but giveth no Principle or Inclination to do it that is from Regenerating Grace or the Law written upon our Hearts John 3. 6. That which is born of Spirit is Spirit that is suited inclined disposed fitted for a Spiritual Life 2. Actual Influence He still worketh in us what is pleasing in God's sight Helpeth to mortify Corruption Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live To perfect Holiness Heb. 13. 21. that so we may serve God in all purity of Life We cannot get nor keep nor act nor increase Grace of our selves if forsaken by the Spirit of Grace The foulest Sins would become our Pleasure and the most unquestionable Duties our Burden If he withdraw his quickning Influences you can do nothing Vse 1. It reproveth those that either do not worship God or by halves or not worship him in the Spirit 1. It disproveth their Confidence that do not worship God There are an irreligious sort of Men that neither call upon him in publick or in private in the Family or in the Closet but wholly forget the God that made them and at whose expence they are maintained and kept 1. Let me reason with you as Men Wherefore had you reasonable Souls but to praise and honour and glorify your Creator and Preserver If you believe there is a God why do you not call upon him The neglect of his Worship argueth a doubting of his Being If there be such a supream Lord to whom you must one day give an account how dare you live without him in the World All the Creatures glorify him Psal. 145. 10. they passively but you have a Heart and a Tongue to glorify him actually Man is the Mouth of the Creation to return to God
King saith the Lord of Hosts Slight Worship argueth lessening thoughts of God Do you know to whom you speak 'T is a contempt of God if you think any thing will serve the turn you have mean thoughts of him and do not consider him as you ought to do So our vileness Gen. 18. 27. Who am I that am but Dust and Ashes that I should speak unto God Dust as to the business of his Original and Ashes by the desert of Sin In our nearer Approaches to God thus should we think of our selves 2. With Delight and Affection as our reconciled Father in Christ. So he is to us as the Well-spring of all Grace and Goodness The great Work of the Gospel is to bring us to God as a Father Gal. 4. 6. God as a Judg by the Spirit of Bondage driveth us to Christ But Christ by the Spirit of Adoption bringeth us back again to God as a Father This is the Evangelical way of worshipping that in a Child-like manner we may come to God 3. With Trust Hope and Confidence He knoweth all our Wants can relieve all our Necessities Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high who performeth all things for me Worship would be a cold Formality if we had to do with one that knew us not or had not Sufficiency and Power to help us But God is Omniscient and All-sufficient and hath promised to hear and help us in our straits He knoweth our Necessities when we know them not II. We come now to the second Character And rejoice in Christ Iesus Thence observe Doct. That the great Work of a Christian is a rejoicing in Christ Iesus or a thankful sense of our Redeemer's Mercy In opening this Point I shall use this method 1 st Shew you What is this rejoicing in Christ. 2 dly I shall prove That Christ is matter of true Rejoicing in his Person Offices Benefits 3 dly That Christians are not sound and sincere in their Profession unless they do keep up this Rejoicing in Christ. 1 st What is this Rejoicing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Original word implieth such a degree of Joy as amounts to glorification or boasting or such an exultation of Mind as breaketh out into some sensible expression of it There are in it three things 1. An apprehension of the Good and Benefit which we have by Christ For otherwise how can we rejoice and glory in Him 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. But of him ye are in Christ Iesus who of God is made to us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption That according as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord Christ is All. That our whole Rejoicing may be in him who hath enlightned us with the Knowledg of the Gospel and shewed us the way of Salvation and is the Author of our Justification and Sanctification and of our deliverance from all Calamities and from Death it self These Benefits are the cause of our rejoicing namely the Promises of the Gospel sealed by his Death and the Graces conveyed to us by his Spirit We rejoice and glory in him as the only and all-sufficient Saviour They that gloried in Circumcision gloried in their entrance into the Legal Covenant They became Debtors to the Law but Christ hath ratiâ—ied it in the New Covenant by his Blood therefore here is more abundant cause of rejoicing 2. Due Affections of Contentment Joy Love Exultation of Heart that followeth thereupon A blessing our selves in our Portion that this great Happiness is fallen to our share offered to us at least if not possessed by us The very Knowledg of Christianity breedeth Joy Acts 8. 8. And there was great joy in that City That is upon the tendency of the Gospel much more when we believe in Christ and embrace his Religion and resolve to become his Disciples They received his Word gladly Acts 2. 41. His Doctrine must be welcomed with the Heart with all Love and Thankfulness 'T is said of the Jaylor Acts 16. 34. That he rejoiced believing in God and all his House He was but newly recovered out of the Suburbs of Hell ready to kill himself but just before so that a Man would think 't were easier to fetch Water out of a Flint or a spark of Fire out of the bottom of the Sea than to expect or find Joy in such an Heart yea though still in danger of Life for treating those as Guests whom he should have kept as Prisoners yet he rejoiced when acquainted with Salvation by Christ More especially should we rejoice when the Comfort is sealed up to our Consciences Rom. 5. 11. Not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement The Eunuch when he was baptized He went on his way rejoicing Acts 8. 39. 3. An expression of it by an open Profession of Christ's Name both in Word and Deed what-ever it costs us They are said to rejoice in Christ Jesus who in those Times could profess his Name though with hazard and self-denial As the Thessalonians who received the Word with much Affliction and much Assurance and Joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1. 6. And 't is expressed by the Parable of the Man that found the true Treasure and for joy thereof sold all that he had to buy the Field Matth. 13. 44. They are willing to lose all other Contentments and Satisfactions for this Christ is enough They needed this Joy to encourage them against the Tryals which they then underwent for Christ's sake and the Gospel's sake 2 dly That Christ is matter of true Rejoicing for they are Fools that rejoice in Bawbles and Trifles A Christian's Joy may be owned and justified When Christ's Birth was celebrated by Angels 't is said Luke 2. 10. Behold I bring you glad tydings of great Ioy. Here is Joy and great Joy in Salvation by Christ And Mary Luk 1. 46 47. My Soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour Surely there is no cause of Joy wanting in God and in God coming as a Saviour In short In Christianity all is fitted to fill our Hearts with Delight and Joy 1. The wonderful Mysteries of our Redemption by Christ. Thereby 1. A way is found out for our Reconciliation with God and how that dreadful Controversy may be taken up and Heaven and Earth may kiss each other 2 Cor. 5. 19. Surely this is glad Tidings of great Joy to self-condemned Sinners who stood always in fear of the Wrath of God and the Flames of Hell What Joy is it to a condemned Man that is ready every day to be taken away to Execution to hear that his Peace is made that Pardon may be had if he will seek it and sue it out 2. A distinct Relation of a defeat of the great Enemies of our Salvation Death Hell the Devil and the World He hath not only made our Peace with the Father by the
Believing by Tradition giveth us but cold thoughts of these Mysteries but believing by Inspiration warmeth the Heart and reviveth it with an unspeakable Joy and is called tasting the good Word which is the privilege of those who are enlightned by the Spirit Heb. 6. 4. And a tasting that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2. 3. which much differeth from the common reflection upon those things which Flesh and Blood may give us or the bare reports of Men stir up in us The Spirits light is lovely and ravisheth and traâ—sporteth the Soul And where it is permanent and rooted it effectually changeth the Soul Someâ— are altogether careless not affected at all with these things as the habituated worldly Sinner 1 Cor. 2. 14. They are folly to him For Spiritual Things must be spiritually discerned Some are to a degree affected by the common Work of the Spirit Heb. 6. 4 5 6. but 't is not rooted 't is not predominate so as to control other Affections and Delights they have a rejoicing in the Offers of Pardon and Life but 't is a Joy that leaveth some darling Sin still predominant But there is a third sort that have such a taste of these things that they are renewed and changed by it Heb. 3. 6. Now then if you would have this rejoicing in Christ Jesus you must apply your selves to Christ in the use of the appointed means for the renewing of your Natures for Love and Delight are never forced nor will be drawn forth by bare Commands and Threatnings yea and not by the proposal of Promises though the Injoiments be never so great and glorious This may a little stir us and this is the Matter of Joy but not the Cause of Joy But this Joy proceedeth partly from the Inclination when the Heart is suited and partly from the attractive goodness of the Object and both are powerfully done by the Holy Spirit as the Heart is renewed and the Object is most effectually represented by him Ephes. 1. 17 18. And this we must wait for 3. 'T is received and believed by Faith This is often told us in the Scripture 1 Pet. 1. 18. In whom believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory And Rom. 15. 13. The God of Hope fill you with Ioy and Peace in believing We cannot be affected with the great Things Christ hath done and purchased for us till we believe them There is in Faith three things Assent Consent and Affiance 1. Assent or a firm and certain belief of the Truth of the Gospel concerning Christ as the only sufficient Saviour by whom alone God will give us the pardon of Sins and Eternal Life John 4. 42. We have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World And Iohn 6. 69. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ thâ— Son of the Living God When we are verily perswaded of this as we are of any thing that appeareth true to us this stirreth up Joy Others have but an hear-say Knowledg not a Believing Assent Surely Christ is a delectable Object what hindereth then but that we rejoice in him Nothing but want of Faith For if this be true we so Necessitous and he so Al-sufficient a Remedy why are we not so affected with these things as the worth of them doth deserve Nothing can be rationally said but that we are not soundly perswaded of the truth of it 2. A Consent This Grace is dispensed by a Convenant which bindeth mutually assureth us of Happiness and requireth Duty from us Therefore an unfeigned Consent or a readiness to fulfil those terms expressed in the Promise is required of us or a resolution to repent and obey the Gospel Christ hath Offices and Relations that imply our Comfort and other Offices and Relations which imply our Duty Or rather the same do both He is our Teacher and King as well as our Priest and we must submit to be ruled and taught by him as well as depend upon the Merit of his Sacrifice and Intercession Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of Etâ—â—nal Salvation to all them that obey him And they are so taught the Truth that is in Jesus that they put off the Old Man and put on the New Ephes. 4. 20 21. True Believers must be Scholars daily learning somewhat from Christ yea his Priesthood implieth Duty Dependance humble Addresses A broken-hearted coming to God by him As his Kingship and Prophetical Office implieth privilege also His defending and teaching us by his Spirit 3. There is Affiance Which is a reposing of our Hearts or a relying upon God promising remission of Sins and Eternal Life for Christ's sake alone that he will be as good as his word while we diligently use the Means ordained to this end Rom. 2. 7. And this Confidence hath an influence upon this Joy Heb. 3. 6. or a delightful sense of our Redeemer's Grace 4. 'T is improved by Meditation For the greatest things do not work unless we think of them and work them into our Hearts The natural way of Operation is That Object â—tir up Thoughts and Thoughts stir up Affections Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. The more frequent and serious Thoughts we have of the Love of God in Christ and the more deep and ponderous they are the more do they blow up this Holy Fire into a Flame Now for this end was the Lord's Supper instituted where the whole Gospel is applied and sealed to us that this delight might be afresh acted and stirred in us at the Lord's Table while our minds are taken up in considering Christ the great Apostle and High Priest of our Confession Heb. 3. 1. Surely it should not be an idle and fruitless Contemplation it should stir up Love and what stirreth up Love stirreth up Delight I come now to the last part of the Description 5. The particular Affection caused by this sense is mentioned We delight in the Grace of the Redeemer more than in all other things whatsoever Where 1. Take noice of the Affection it self Then 2. The Degree of it 1. The Affection it self Which is Delight or a well-pleasedness of Mind in the Grace that is brought to us by the Knowledg of Christ. This inlargeth the Heart and filleth it with a Sweetness and Contentment and the Vent of it is Praise for the Heart being inlarged cannot hold and contain it self Psal. 33. 14. I will shew forth all they Praise in the Gates of the Daughter of Sion I will rejoice in thy Salvation Joy cannot be kept within doors it will break out in all suitable ways of Expression The Heart doth first Rejoice and then the Tongue doth overflow The Heart is filled with Joy and then the Tongue with Thanksgiving So Psal. 35. 9. My Soul shall be joyful in the Lord it shall rejoice in his Salvation Nothing disposeth the Heart to praise
Were those things spoken to them only and not to us also Surely all may learn from hence that by a bare submission to outward Rites we are not approved of God without minding the true Reformation of Heart and Life and expecting the Pardon of our Sins by Jesus Christ. You are baptized but are you washed from your Sins You hear the Word but is it the Power of God to your Salvation You frequent Sacraments but is the Conscience of the Bond of the Holy Oath into which you are entred upon your Hearts There is more required in Christianity than outward Profession whether in Word or Deed Namely the Conscience of your Dedication to God or else the Work doth not go deep enough 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and though I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing You content your selves with your Tale and number of Duties praying Morning and Evening and reading so many Chapters But where is the Spirit and the Fruit of all that you do They that are given to Fasting think themselves very devout if they fast often be their Hearts never so full of rancour Many huddle over many Prayers but they do not go from their Heavenly Father with an Heavenly Mind They give Alms but live loosly As Michal laid a Statue in David's Bed and covering it with David's Apparel made Saul's Messengers believe it was David himself sick in Bed So many Persons cover themselves with certain External Actions belonging to Religion and the World believeth them truly sanctified and spiritual whenas indeed they are but Statues and Apparitions of Devotion to God But this is but a vain shew a placing the Means instead of the End the Subordinate instead of the Ultimate End 2. Man's Externals Invented by themselves by Laws of their own and outward Observances of their own devising Men's whole Religion running out into Externals they are not contented with the Forms of Worship instituted by God but add somewhat of their own and love to bind themselves in Chains of their own making As the Jews not being perfect as appertaining to the Conscience by the use of the Instituted Ceremonies of Moses invented other things to make them more perfect Now as to this I shall only observe 1. That as the out-side of Worship is most minded by a Carnal Christian so the in-side by a renewed Christian Mat. 15. 8. This People draweth nigh to me with their Mouth and honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me Their Hearts are averse from God The Carnal Christian is all for uncovering the Head and bowing the Knee but taketh no care of the Heart Isa. 58. 5. Is it such a Fast that I have chosen A day for a Man to afflict his Soul Is it to bow down his Head as a Bulrush and to spread Sack-cloth and Ashes under him wilt thou call this a Fast and an acceptable day unto the Lord The Pharisees were zealous for washing before Meat as if it were an holy religious Act because it was one of their own Traditions Mat. 15. 2. But took no notice of inward Defilement 2. They are more zealous for Humane Inventions than Moral and commanded Duties Mat. 15. 3 4. For the Rudiments of the World as the Apostle calleth them Col. 2. 10. than the unquestionable Ordinances of Christ. For a worldly Religion must be supported by worldly Means 3. I observe That the more external Pomp there is of Man's devising the less spiritual Truth for it gratifieth the natural Corruption which is all for the out-side Some few Externals God intended for an Help but when Men will be adding they become a Burden and an Impediment God did not abrogate his own Ceremonies for Men to appoint theirs 2 dly That naturally Men are meerly for an external way of serving God and place their Confidence therein Here I shall shew you 1. That their Hearts are set upon External Worship 2. That therein they place all their Confidence 1. That naturally Mens Hearts are chiefly set upon External Services And that 1. out of laziness Externals being more easy than worshipping God in the Spirit Matth. 23. 23. They tithe Mint and Annise and Cummin but omit the weightier things of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudgment Mercy Faith Conscience is like the Stomach which naturally desireth to fill it self and when it cannot digest solid Food filleth it self only with Wind. So here outward things are more easy but mortifying Sin and solid Godliness is more difficult this the natural Man cannot digest and therefore culleth out the easier and cheaper sort of Religion which puts him to no great trouble or self-denial 2. Out of their Indulgence to the Flesh A Man can spare any thing better than his Lusts His Estate the present â—ase of the Body their Children any thing for the Sin of their Souls Micah 6. 6 7 8. The Question is not how to satisfy Justice but how to appease Conscience while they retain their Sins They would buy out their Peace with vast Sums of Mony mangle their Flesh like the Priests of Baal to spare the Sin of their Souls do any thing endure any thing but the subdâ—ing the Heart to God The sensual Nature of Man is such that he is loth to be crossed if he must be crossed only a little and but for a while and therefore affects an easy Religion where the Flesh is not crossed or but a little crossed Now â—light Duties performed now and then do not much trouble the Flesh where there is no mortifying of Lusâ—s no 〈◊〉 Godliness 3. Out of Pride Man is a proud Creature and would fain establish his own Righteousness and have somewhat wherein to glory in himself Rom. 10. 3. A Râ—â—â—et Coat of our own is better than a silken Garment that is borrowed of another Luke 18. 9. Christ spake this Parable against those who trusted in 〈◊〉 that they were Righteous There is such a disposition in Men that if by any means they can hold up a pretence of Righteousness of their own will not pray and wait and consecrate and devote themselves to God that they may attain his Righteousness if they have any thing to plead if they have a partial Righteousness if they be not to be numbred among the worst of men Luke 18. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican If they have an External Righteousness they will plead that I fast twice in the Week I give tithe of all that I possess c. A legal Spirit is natural to us Though Men dare not pretend to an universal Conformity to the Law in a strict sense yet if they can make a shift to get any external Conformity to the Law they are confident of Divine Acceptance Yea so sotâ—ish is their Conscience that they
be done by all sorts of Persons Princes and Peasants Noble-men or Tradesmen as well as Ministers and People of a more retired Life 4. Coming into the World to set up the Kingdom of God it was sit his Form of Life should suit with the Nature of that Kingdom Iohn Baptist telleth them The Kingdom of God is at hand and Christ himself That the Kingdom of God was come and was among them Now what is the nature of this Kingdom of God The Apostle telleth you that Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God standeth not in Meat and Drink but in Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost There are two expositions of that place and both equally probable the one more general the other more limited and restrained to the Context More general That Righteousness is taken for all new Obedience and Peace for peace of Conscience resulting from the rectitude of our Actions and joy in the Holy Ghost for that supernatural comfort which the Holy Ghost puts into our Hearts by reflecting upon our Privileges in Christ and the Hopes of the World to come Now Christianity consists not in eating or not eating such or such Meats or such kind of Observances but in solid Godliness or in the practice of Christian Graces and Vertues The more limited sense is That by Righteousness is meant just dealings by Peace a peaceable harmless inoffensive sort of living by Joy in the Holy Ghost a delight to do good to one another to advance and build up one another in Godliness not dividing hating excommunicating censuring one another for lesser Things and meer Rituals but pleasing our Neighbour to edification Rom. 15. 2. and 1 Cor. 10. 31 32 33. Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God give no offence neither to Iews nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved This meek holy charitable converse to the Glory of God without offence and scandal is that which promoteth God's Kingdom And this would Christ teach us in his own form and course of Life conversing in a sanctified manner with all sorts of Persons to their profit and benefit 5. Because Christ would not gratify Humane Wisdom As he would not gratify Sense by chusing a pompous Life so he would not gratify Humane Wisdom by chusing an austere Life There are two sorts of Men in the World who are not of God the Men of the World and the Saints of this World The Men of the World are brutish Sensualists who are all for Pomp and Glory Christ would not gratify these but came meek and poor to teach us Humility Self-denial and Contentation Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart He did not bustle in the World for Respect and Honour His Complaints of his Enemies and his Answers to them were full of Meekness and stood not to abase himself for the Father's Glory and Mens Good so he did not gratify the Men of the World The Saints of this World are such as are strict in outward Observances in eating or not eating in marrying or not marrying in forbearing such Company in such a number and tale of Devotions in abstaining from such lawful things These things the Apostle saith have a shew of Wisdom Col. 2. 23. The World is mightily taken with bodily Exercise and outward Strictness As the Men of the World love to pamper the Body so the Saints of this World needlesly afflict and dishonour the Body This hath a shew and nothing but a shew but Christ would not gratify these neither he used a free but an holy Life and so was censured and traduced as a Wine-bibber and a Glutton to teach his Followers to be contented to be judged according to Men in the Flesh and live to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4. 6. He came to preach and to give inward Regeneration and Renovation To shew the proper way of Mortification which is not by a severity of Life but by deadning the mind to the esteem of the World That kind of Life which consists in outward Rigors hath some honour and reputation in the World and maketh a fair shew in the Flesh but he would teach us the Life which consists in Faith Holiness Sobriety Humility of Mind Charity Obedience to God Joy in the Spirit and comfort of the Promises which the World liketh not so well outward and rigorous Observances are more plausible but the Power of Godliness and a true sense of the World to come the World hateth 6. To shew us the true nature of Mortification which consists not in a bare abstinence and shameful retreat from Temptations but in a Spirit fortified against them not in a monkish discontent with the World but an holy contempt of it when we most freely use it And in bridling and governing the Appetite and Desire rather than in scrupulous refraining from the Object it self In an using of the World but not abusing of it 1 Cor. 7. 31. Not so much scrupling the Comforts of the present Life as a valuing and esteeming the Comforts of a better Life prising more the Christian Vow than any by-Laws of our own The Apostle telleth us 1 Tim. 4. 8. That bodily Exercise profiteth little but Godliness is profitable to all things Abstinence from daily Meats Wines Marriage is an act of Self-denial but a very small one for all the good it doth is to tame the Members of the Body and its external Motions and Actions without sanctifying the Heart and inward part as a lively Faith Fear and Love of God doth The profit of bodily Exercise is little in comparison of inward Piety which is necessary to a comfortable Life here and a blessed hereafter Thirdly The Observations which we may build thereon 1. We may observe the Humanity Goodness and Kindness of that Religion which we do profess both with respect to our selves and others 1. Our Selves Man consists of a Body and a Soul and hath respects for either else he were unnatural The Body indeed we are apt to overprize and therefore we need not â—â—â—pur but a Bridle for our Affections to the bodily life And therefore Religion in the Precepts of it interposeth by way of restraint rather than exhortation Titus 2. 12. That we should live soberly c. And Rom. 13. 14. Make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Do not cherish carnal Desires The Apostle telleth you No Man ever yet hated his own Flesh Ephes. 5. 29. but nourisheth and cherisheth it Our usual fault is an excessive pampering of the Flesh Some have hated their own Souls at least by consequence and interpretation therefore we dare not let loose the Reins and give either incouragement or allowance to Men to indulge their carnal Desires yet to avoid prejudice we must grant what may be granted for Men are
apt to think that Religion is a sower thing and abridges them of all the Comforts of their lives No besides the rich Comforts it provideth for the Soul it alloweth and forbiddeth not so much sensitive pleasure as tendeth to the holiness of the Soul and furthereth us in God's Service It rebukâ—th and forbiddeth nothing but what really may be a Snare to us It considereth all things Meats Drinks Marriage Wealth Honours and Digâ—â—ties of the present World as they have respect to God and a better World and as they help and hinder us in the pleasing God and seeking Immortality 2. With respect to others The Spirit of our Religion may be known by the Example of our dearest Lord 'T is not a proud disdainful Spirit that refuseth the company of the meanest and worst so we may do them good He came to save Sinners and conversed with Sinners He came to redress the miseries of Mankind and went up and down doing good tho his familiarities were with the most godly yet he disdained not the company of others And surely his Religion where it prevaileth in the Hearts of any it causes them not only to deal justly with all but to love all all Mankind with a love of Benevolence it maketh us to long for the good of their Souls and desirous also to do good to the Bodies of those that are in need 'T is said indeed Prov. 29. 27. An unjust Man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked But we must distinguish of the hatred of Abomination and the hatred of Enmity We hate our sinful Neighbour as we must our selves much more in opposition to the love of Complacency but not in opposition to the love of Benevolence so we must neither hate our selves nor our Neighbour no nor our Enemy The business of your lives must be to do good to all especially to the Houshold of Faith God's Natural Image is on all Men his Spiritual Image on his Saints and we must love God in all his Creatures especially in his Children This is true Religion consecrated by our Lord's Example Secondly We may observe That an External Holiness which consisteth in an outside strictness without that Faith Love Charity Hope usefulness and activity which is the very soul and life of Christianity usually puffeth up Men with a vain conceit of their own Righteousness and a censuring and a despising of others This Text sheweth us both the Spirit of Pharisaism and the Spirit of Christianity The Pharisees who abounded in outward Observances censured Christ for his free Converses and disdained those Sinners whom he invited to a better life Luke 18. 9 10 11 12. And they were ignorant of true Wisdom which is justified embraced and received by all her Children Learn then that an unruly fierce censorious Spirit which is only born up by external advantages is not the right Spirit of the Gospel True Religion maketh men humble and low in their own eyes acquainteth them with their Desert Sin and Misery and maketh them pitiful and compassionate to others and more ready to help them than to censure them and to use all ways and means to do them good Thirdly The main Observation is this That a free Life guided by an holy Wisdom is the most sanctified Life and bringeth most honour to God and is most useful to others Here I shall shew you 1. Wherein lieth this free life guided by holy Wisdom 2. How it is the most sanctified life 1. Wherein lieth this free life guided by holy Wisdom 'T is said of Enoch Gen. 5. 22. That he walked with God and begat Sons and Daughters that is dedicated himself to God's Service and lived in most strict Holiness And there you see the use of a conjugal life in its purity may stand with the strictest Rules of Holiness So for worldly Affairs when the course of our calling ingageth us in them 't is not using of the World but over-using is the fault 1 Cor. 7. 31. So for the Comforts of this life Psal. 62. 10. If Riches encrease set not your heart upon them The business is not to withdraw them away but to withdraw the Affection So for the lawful Delights there are two extreams clogging and retrenching our liberty with outward burdensome Observances or abusing our liberty to wantonness Gal. 5. 13. Ye are called to liberty only use not your liberty as an occasion to the Flesh. Corrupt Nature venteth it self both ways either by superstitious rigors or by breaking all Bonds and inlarging it self according to the licentiousness of the Flesh. Meat Drink Apparel are in their own nature indifferent neither must Superstition work upom them nor Profaneness and in the mean between both lieth Godliness 2. How it is the most sanctified life 1. Partly because it suiteth with the Example of Christ He came as to expiate our Offences so to give us an Exsample 1 Pet. 2. 21. Leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps and 1 Iohn 2. 6. walk as he walked 'T is high presumption to aim at an imitation of Christ in those acts of his which he did for satisfying the Father's Justice or proving his Dâ—ity yea 't is impossible to imitate him in those yet in Actions moral we are bound to imitate him and in Actions indifferent not to suffer our Liberty to be strâ—ightned but to govern Circumstances according to that holy Wisdom Christ retired not from the society of Men but used the greatest freedom in an holy way 2. Because there is more true Grace in being dead to the Temptation than to retreat from the Temptation A Christian is not to go out of the World neither by a voluntary Death Iohn 17. 15. nor by an unnecessary sequestration of our selves from Business and the Affairs which God calleth us to 1 Cor. 7. 20. Let every Man abide in the same Calling wherein he was called But to be crucified to the World Gal. 6. 14. that's Grace to withdraw our Hearts from the World while we converse in it and with it Many real Christians when they hear us press Mortification and deadness to the World think they must leave their Callings or abate of their necessary activity in their Callings Alas in the Shop a Man mayâ—keep himself unspotted from the World as well as in the Closet in a Court as well in a Cell We read of Saints in Nero's Houshold Phil. 4. 22. he was a great Persecutor yet some Saints could live there within his Gates There were some Professors of the Gospel So Rev. 2. 13. I know thy Works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is and thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denied my Faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth In the sorest and thickest of temptations a Christian may maintain his Integrity In short our way to Heaven lieth through the World
evident to you 1. I shall prove That all other things must be hazarded for the saving of the Soul 2. That nothing will make us hazard all things for the purchasing or acquiring the Salvation of the Soul but only Faith 1. That all other things must be hazarded for the saving of the Soul Mat. 10. 39. He that findeth his Life shall lose it and he that loseth his Life for my sake shall find it So 't is repeated again upon the occasion of the Doctrine of Self-denial Mat. â—6 25 26. The saving of the Soul is more than the getting and keeping or having of all the World For the World concerneth only the Body and bodily Life but the saving of Soul concerneth Eternal Life If Life be lost Temporally 't is secured to Eternity when we shall have a Life which no Man can take from us And the Case standeth thus That either we must bring Eternal Perdition upon our selves or else obtain Eternal Salvation They that are thrifty of Life bodily and the Comforts and Interests of it are certainly prodigal of their Salvation But on the other side If we are willing to venture Life Temporal and all the Interests thereof for the saving of the Soul we make a good Bargain That which is left for a while is preserved to us for for ever In short so much as God is to be preferred before the Creature Heaven before the World the Soul before the Body Eternity before Time so much doth it concern us to have the better part safe And as Men in a great Fire and general Conflagration will hazard their Lumber to preserve their Treasure their Mony or their Jewels So should we take care that if we must lose one or other that the better part be out of hazard And what-ever we lose by the way we may be sure to come well to the end of our Journey 2. That nothing will make us hazard all things for the purchasing or acquiring the Salvation of the Soul but only Faith The Flesh is importunate to be pleased Sense saith to us Favour thy self that is spare the Flesh But Faith saith Save thy Soul Faith which apprehendeth things future and invisible will teach us to value all things according to their worth and to lose some present satisfaction for that future and eternal Gain which the Promises of God do offer to us Now Faith doth this two ways By convincing us of the Worth and of the Truth of things promised by God through Christ. The Apostle when he bloweth his Trumpet and summoneth our reverence and attentive regard to the Gospel in that Preface 1 Tim. 1. 15. he saith This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners Salvation by Christ is worthy to be regarded above all things And if it be true all things should give place unto it Now Faith convinceth us of the Worth and Truth and maketh us to take the thing promised for all our Treasure and Happiness and the Promise it self or the Word of God for our whole security 1. It maketh us to take the thing promised for all our Treasure and Happiness Mat. 6. 19 20 21. Lay not up for your selves Treasures upon Earth where Moth and Rust doth corrupt and where Thieves break through and steal But lay up for your selves Treasure in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt nor Thieves break through and steal For where your Treasure is there your Heart will be also It highly concerneth us to consider what we make our Treasure Worldly things are subject to many Accidents and deseâ—ve not our love nor esteem only heavenly things deserve to be our Treasure If our Hearts be set upon these things 't is a sign we value what Christ hath offered So 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal We make these things our End aud Scope and Happiness 'T is easy to prove the worth of these things in the general as 't is easy to prove that Eternity is better than Time that things incorruptible are better than those which are subject to corruption That things exempted from Casualty are better than those things which are liable to Casualty and are not out of the reach of Robbery and Violence But to Creatures wedded to sense and present enjoyment 't is difficult and hard to cause them to set their Hearts in another World and to lay up their Hopes in Heaven and to part with all things which they see and love and find comfortable to their Senses for that God and Glory which they never saw This is the Business of Faith or the Work of the Spirit of Illumination changing their Hearts and Minds This general Truth all will determine as that things Eternal are better than things Temporal But we undervalue these gracious Promises whose accomplishment must with patience be expected whilst their future Goodness cometh in actual competition with these bodily Delights which we must forgo and those grievous bodily Afflictions which we must endure out of sincere respect to Christ and his Ways Therefore before there can be any true self-denial Faith must incline us to this offered Benefit as our true Treasure and Happiness whatever we forgo or undergo to attain it 2. For the truth of it the Word of God must be our whole security as being enough to support our Hearts in waiting for it however God cover himself with Frowns and an appearance of Anger in those Afflictions which befal us in the way thither The Word of God is all in all to his People Thy Testimonies have I taken as my Heritage for ever they are the rejoicing of my Soul Psal. 119. 111. If a Man hath little ready Mony yet if he have an Heritage to live upon or sure Bonds he is well â—paid So is a Believer rich in Promises which being the Promises of the Almighty and Immutable God and built upon the everlasting Merit of Christ are as good to him as Performances and therefore cause joy in some Proportion as if the things were in hand Heb. 11. 13. These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen then afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them And Psalm 56. 4. In God will I praise his Word in God have I put my trust I will not fear what Man can do unto me Faith resteth upon God's Word who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to him by Christ. 1. Vse is Information concerning a weighty Truth namely what the Faith is by which the Just do live 'T is such a trust or confidence in God's Promises of eternal Life through Iesus Christ as that we forsake all other hopes and happiness whatsoever that we may obtain it To make good this Description to you let me
observe 1. That Faith looketh mainly to Heaven or the saving of the Soul as the prime Benefit offered to us by Jesus Christ. For all attend to this 1 Tim. 1. 16. For a Pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting This was that they chiefly aimed at and therefore called the End of our Faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. For this end were the Scriptures written John 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name The Scriptures are writâ—en to direct us to know Christ aright who is the Kernel and Marrow of all the Scriptures who is the great Subject of the Gospel and that the chief Benefit we have by him is eternal Life by which all our Pains and losses for Christ are recompenced and from whence we fetch our Comfort all along during the course of our Pilgrimage and upon the hopes of which the Life of Grace is carried on and the Temptations of Sense are defeated so that this is the main Blessing which Faith aimeth at 2. That the sure grounds which Faith goeth upon is God's Promise through Jesus Christ and so it implieth 1. That there is a God who is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him for the Apostle pursuing this Discourse telleth us Heb. 11. 6. That a Man must believe God's Being and Bounty before he can do any thing to the purpose for him 2. That this God hath revealed himself in Jesus Christ as willing to accept poor Creatures who refuse not his New Covenant and remedying-Grace to Pardon and Life For the guilty Creature would stand at a distance and not receive his Offers with any comfort and Satisfaction had not God been in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. But now they may be invited to come to him with hope vers 20. And his gracious Promises standing upon such a bottom and foundation are the sooner believed 2 Cor. 1. 20. For the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen to the Glory of God by us that is the Promises of God propounded in Christ's Name are undoubtedly true they are not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen They do not say Yea to Day and Nay to Morrow but always Yea so it is and Amen so it shall be because they stand upon an immutable Foundation the everlasting Merit and Redemption of Christ. 3. It implieth That the Scriptures which contain these Offers and Promises are the Word of God For though God's Veracity be unquestionable how shall we know that we have his Word 't is laid at Pledg with us in the Scriptures which are the Declaration of the Mind of the Eternal God The Promises are a part of those Sacred Scriptures which were written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and sealed with a multitude of Miracles and bare the very Image and Superscription of God as every thing which hath past his Hand hath his Signature upon it even to a Gnat or Pile of Grass and have been received and preserved by the Church as the certain Oracles of God and blessed by him throughout all Generations and Successions of Ages to the convincing converting sanctifying and comforting of many Souls And carry their own Light Evidence and Recommendation to the Consciences of all those who are not strangely perverted by their brutish Lusts and blinded by their worldly Affections For the Apostle saith By the manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every Man's Conscience For if our Gospel be hid 't is hid to those who are lost The God of this World having blinded their Eyes lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. Upon these grounds doth Faith proceed which I have mentioned the more distinctly that you might know how to excite Faith for besides praying for the Spirit of Wisdom and Illumination to open our Eyes we must use the means both as rational Creatures and new Creatures And what Means are more effectual than those mentioned 1. Is there not a God If there be not a God How did we come to be Thou wer 't not made by chance And when thou wer 't not thou couldst not make thy self Look upon thy Body so curiously framed Whose workmanship could this be but of a Wise God Upon thy Soul Whose Image and Superscription doth it bear Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's Nay look upward downward within thee without thee what dost thou see hear and feel but the Products and Effects of an eternal Power Wisdom and Goodness Thou canst not open thine Eyes but the Heavens are ready to say to thy Conscience Man there is a God an inâ—inite eternal Being who made us and all things else Now for the second Hath not this God revealed himself gracious in Christ Nature declareth there is a God and Scripture that there is a Christ. As there is one God the first Cause of all infinitely powerful wise and good therefore 't is but reasonable that he should be served and according to his own Will But we have faulted in our Duty to our Creator and therefore are in dread of his Justice Certainly reasonable Creatures have immortal Souls and so die not as the Beasts therefore there is no true Happiness in these things wherein Men ordinarily seek it Is it not then a blessed discovery that God hath brought Light and Immortality to light by Jesus Christ that he sent him into the World to be a Propitiation and to satisfy his Justice and to redeem us from our guilty Fears And shall we neglect this great Salvation brought to us by Jesus Christ or coldly seek after it Surely God is willing to be reconciled to Man or 〈◊〉 he would presently have plunged 〈◊〉 into our â—ternal Estate as he did the Angels upon their first sinning But he waiâ—eth and beareth with many 〈◊〉 he beseecheth us and prayeth 〈◊〉 to be reconciled And how shall we 〈◊〉 if we neglect so great Salvation whiâ—h wâ—s first spoken by the Lord and then confâ—â—mâ—d unto us by them that heard â—im God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Heb. 2. 3 4. Would Holy Men cheat the World with an Imposture or would God be accessory in lending his Power to do such marvellous things It cannot be And then for the third Is not this a part of the Word of God which Holy Men have written to consign it to the use of the Church in all Ages 1 Iohn 2. 45. This is the Promise which he hath promised us Eternal Life Is not this God's Promise And will not God be mindful and regardful of his Word He was wont to be tender of it Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name above