the soul together with the body too much favours of Atheism Mat. 10.28 Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Is it not then a childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth 5. Because they will have fewer sins to repent of Did it not lie near Pauls heart that he was in Christ no sooner Rom. 16.7 Youthful sins may prove Ages terrour said that heavenly Preacher Mr. Burroughs Salute Androniens and Junea my Kinsmen which are of note among the Apostles which also were in Christ before me Oh had not Paul cause to repent that he was in Christ no sooner that he concerned his soul with the concerns of his soul no sooner might not this have bin his complaint Oh that I had not lived to have been a Man a blaspheming man a persecuting man before I went to Christ and concerned my soul with the concerns of my soul Oh that I had not breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord and haled men and women to prison Oh that I had not consented to Stephens death a man full of faith and of the holy Spirit but had concerned my soul with the concerns of my soul in the days of my youth Did not the sins of Davids youth lie near Davids heart Psal 25.7 Remember not against me the â—e sins of my youth nor my transgressions Is â—tâ—â—t now a childs mercy to concern his 〈◊〉 with the concerns of his soul in the days of â—â—â—th 6. Because the Time of Youth is the best Time for Service As the Morning Time is the best Studying Time Aurora Musis amica so the Morning Time is the best Serving Time Oh young ones now your Parts are Lively now your Senses are Fresh now your Memories are Strong now your Nature is Vigorous the days of your Youth are the Spring and Morning of your Time Now that God might Shadow out your Duty in the days of your Youth he required that the first fruits and the first born should be offered to him Is it not then a Childs mercy Exod. 22.29 to Concern his Soul with the Concerns of his Soul in the dayes of his Youth 7. Because the Promise is made to a Timely Seeking and serving I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me He that seeks me early or in the Morning shall find me They that seek me in the Spring Prov. 8.17 and Morning of their days shall find me As the Israelites went early in the Morning to seek Manna and as Students rise early in the Morning and go to their Studies so saith VVisdome they that seek me in the morning and Flower of their Youth shall find me Is it not then the Childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of hiâ— soul in the days of his youth 8. Because an Eternity of Felicity aâ—â— Glory hang upon a few moments of time Hence that counsel Heb. 3.7 To day if you will hear his voice Was it not a good question the Lawyer put to Christ Luk. 10.25 What shall I do to inherit eternal life As if he had said Sir I know that I shall be eternally happy or eternally miserable eternally blessed or eternally cursed eternally saved or eternally damned Good Sir what shall I do to inherit life Oh my cares and feares my thoughts and troubles they are all conversant about an eternity No time can reach eternity No age can extend to eternity no tongue can express eternity U num perpetuum hodie Eternity is that one perpetual day which shall never have an end What shall I do what shall I not do that I may be happy for an eternity Oh get the impressions of an eternity upon thee in the days of thy youth As the Painter painted for an eternity so do thou hear for an eternity read for an eternity believe for an eternity pray for an eternity do from life for an eternity Is it not now the Childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth 2 2. The Improving of it I have onely one Vse to make of this and that 's by way of counsel Are those that are young to concern their souls with the concerns of their souls in the days of their youth Suffer then the words of Exhortation But this Vse hath a double Aspect looking unto those that are old 1. To the old and then to those that are young Now these are either in a state of Nature or a state of Grace To those in a state of Nature 1. To those in a state of Nature 1. Art gray and yet graceless repent then and believe the Gospel Haft gray hairs upon thy head Mar. 1.15 Heb. 1.6 and not grace in thy heart 't is high time then for thee to have repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Oh soul there are but a few sands in thy Glass look about thee yea look above thee look within thee â—sa 45.22 yea look without thee Look unto me all ye ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else But will looking amount unto any advantage yea Look unto me and be ye saved When any are old in sin wo to such an old Age. It s better to die young then live to be old and die in sin Oh how sad is it to live to be old and yet die before the old man dies Then only is old age good when we are good in old age Pro. 16.31 not only die in a good old age but are good dying old The glory of young men is their strength but the beauty of old men is their gray head The gray head is a crown of glory if it be found in a way of righteousness Oh soul are grny hairs here and there upon thee hast scarcely an eye to see with hast scarcely a Foot to walk with hast scarcely a Hand to work with and hast not yet Concerned thy Soul with the Concerns of thy Soul Certainly then thou art in danger of hell fire 2. Art Gray and yet Grace-less despair not ther 's hope for thee at the eleventh hour Art going upon the last hour despair not Matt. 20.9 for he that came the eleventh hour received a penny Did not the Thief go from a Cross to a Crown Luke 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise But their things are not written for your Imitation but to prevent your Desperation Wee say so long as there is Life there is Hope Are going off the Stage and yet hast not gone to Christ ther 's great ground for thy Faith and Repentance but not for thy Desperation the reason is Obvious for as God is the Author of Mercy so he is the Timer of Mercy And as he calls whom he will so he
the Kingdom of Heaven is what the Kingdom of Glory is Is not a Sinless state a Sorrow-less state a Temptationless state a Time-less state worth the hearing worth the having Oh Soul 't is a Heaven to hope it what then is it to have it Now Glory hereafter Happines hereafter a Being with Christ hereafter a Heaven hereafter must needs be a great Concern of the Soul which leads me to the next Head proposed 2. Why those that are Young are to Concern their Souls with their Soul-Concerns in the dayes of their Youth 1. Because 't is their Duty so to do To this my Text speaks Remember thy Creators in the dayes of thy Youth Here is a positive Precept and Prescript now as divine Commands are not to be Dispenced with so they are not to be Disputed but Dispatched Oh you that are young your Lot is cast where ye may seek after the Lord you have the meanes and Opportunities of Grace Oh how many Young Persons laid in everlasting Chains of Darkness would give Ten-thousand Worlds had they so many VVorlds to give for an Opportunity to hear one Sermon more to Read one Chapter more to make one Prayer more to Keep one Lords day more may not I therefore say to you as the Apostle did with a very little Variation How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 2. Because 't is their Dignity so to do Oh what a rare sight is it to see Nature and Grace Contemporaries to see Grace and Nature Budding together Blossoming together Oh how honourable is it but Beginning to Act Rationally beginning also to Act Spiritually was not this the honour of Aâ—ijah 1 Kings 14 1 12 13. to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth was not this the honour of Obadiah to fear the Lord in the days of his youth was not this the honour of Josiah 1 Kings 18.12 2 Chro. 34 1 2 3. that precious and promising Prince to seek after the God of David his Father in the days of his youth was not this Timothy's crown that he knew the holy Scriptures from a child which are able to make wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 thorough faith which is in Christ Jesus And was not this the Apostles joy that he found children walking in the truth 2 ep Jo. 4 3. Because 't is their Mercy so to do Hast Mercy in thine eye 't is thy mercy and that in a manifold respect to concern thy soul with the concerns of thy soul in the days of thy youth 1. Because childhood and youth are vanity Solomon speaking to the young man to remove sorrow from his heart Eccl. 11.10 and put away evil from his flesh gives this reason for Childhood and Youth are vanity Young ones in the days of their youth are loytering when they should be labouring playing when they should be praying singing when they should be sighing merry when they should be mourning Childhood and Youth are not only vain but vanity it self 'T is not long after Children have been breathing but they are belching out hideous and horrid Oaths Do not children bring original sin with them into the world Psal 51.5 I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Now 't is not long before they act sin and the soul that sinneth shall die Are not there many children that have not long began to speak but begin to take the sacred Name of God in vain yea desperately to curse and to swear Is it not now the Childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth 2. Because the truth of Grace is a Childs greatest Ornament This pur-blind Gentry and Age look to the Face but not to the Heart upon beauty in the face but not upon grace in the heart Absalom was a perfect beauty as to his body but a perfect black as to his soul for he was Christless and graceless and Godless Grace is the Image of God stampt upon the soul and such a child is lovely in the eyes of God though it be loathsom in the eyes of man How crooked soever deformed soever poor soever weak soever this child be as to body yet 't is beautiful as to soul having grace stamped upon it 'T is a beauty in the eyes of a God and of a Christ though it be a black in the eyes of a man that is Godless and Christless Thy Renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect thorough my comeliness Ezek. 16 14. which I had put upon thee saith Jehovah God As if God had said thou wert a black but thou art now a beauty Oh Child thou art by nature as black as sin can make thee and art like to be as miserable as hell can make thee Is it not now thy mercy to concern thy soul with the concerns of thy soul in the days of thy youth 3. Because their Glass is running God doth as it were turn up a Glass when we come into the world and this is running running apace and die thou must What man is he that liveth and shall not see death i.e. shall not die Child die thou must yea die thou mayest and that in a little time Thou art in health to day thou mayst be sick tomorrow thou art upon a down-bed to day thou mayest be upon a dying-bed tomorrow thou art upon earth to day thou mayst be in hell tomorrow Is it not now the concern of the child to remember his Creator in the days of his youth We say Time and Tide stay for no man My days are swifter then a Post Job 9.25 they flie away they see no good The Ancients emblem'd time with wings not running but flying Time is like the Sun that never stands still but is ever a running his race The Sun did once stand still yea went back but so Time never did The Shunamites son was short-liv'd and so was Davids that he had by Bathsheba 2 Sam. 12.18 Is it not now a childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth 4. Because children have immortal souls Children have souls as Parents children have souls as well as men And these souls of theirs have a stamp of excellency and a stamp of Immortality They have a stamp of excellency The body that 's the cask the soul that 's the wine the body that 's the cabinet the soul that 's the jewel the body that 's the work of God the soul that 's the Breath of God And as the soul hath a stamp of excellency so of immortality Death can kill bodies but it cannot kill souls The soul lives though the body dies The soul is a blossom of eternity and hath a stamp of immortality Every child hath a soul which death it self despaireth how to kill That opinion of the mortality of
Remember the Son so as to believe 〈◊〉 him and rest upon him Remember the Spâ—rit so as to feel his Power and his Presenâ—â— and to experience his Influence Thus yeâ— much more then thus remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth Meditation That young ones must concern their â—â—ls with the Concerns of their souls 〈◊〉 the days of their youth It is a duty â—â—umbent upon those that are young â—â—d that while they are young to concern â—â—eir souls with the Concerns of their souls â—â—ose that are young even while they are â—ung are to remember that is call to mind â—â—d keep in mind the Concerns of their â—â—ls In the managing of this meditation as I 〈◊〉 more or less under a divine Gale and â—ust I shall propound two things by way of â—â—thod Method the Proving and the Improving 〈◊〉 it 1. Now here I shall make an innocent â—nquiry after two things 1. What these Concerns of the soul are The Proving of iâ— â—herewith those that are young are to conâ—â—rn their souls in the days of their youth 2. Why those that are young are to conâ—â—rn their souls with their soul-Concerns in â—â—e days of their youth 1. What these Concerns of the Soul are â—herewith those that are young are to conâ—â—rn their souls in the days of their youth I can but touch upon the Concerns of the â—â—ul and therefore can give you but a Tasâ— â—f soul-concerns I am conscious to my self â—â—at my line is too short to sound this bottom â—nd fathom this Depth But what are the Concerns of the Soul Quest The concerns of the Soul are Grace and Glory Solution holiness here and happiness hereafter a heaven here and a heaven hereafter a believing in Christ here and a being with Christ hereafter Grace here and Glory hereafter are undoubtedly the great concerns of the soul But to speak to these distinctly 1. Grace Grace Grace must needs be a great concern of the soul whether ye consider the Excellency of it or the Necessity of it The Excellency of it 1. The Excellency of it Grace in the soul is the Ornament of the soul As the Firmament is without the Sun so is the soul without grace As the body without the soul so is the soul without grace Now what would the world be without the Sun but darkness perfect darkness It s perfect night to the soul before Christ and Grace arise there What 's the body without the soul but a dead carcass 't is action-less and motionless because soul-less and life-less for as the soul is the life of the body so Christ is the life of the soul Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me yea Christ does not only live in me but He is my life When he who is our life shall appear Gol. 3 4. To me to live is Christ Grace and Truth do not only come by Christ come along with Christ John 3.16 but Christ himself is a gift of Grace So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Grace is of such worth and of such weight as that 't is not for me to say of what worth it is of what weight it is And not only Grace in God but grace in the soul the work of grace there and grace wrought out there is worth a world a thousand worlds ten thousand worlds if there were so many 2 2. The Necessity of it The Necessity of it Salvation is a great concern of the soul and therefore this must needs be a great thing but no salvation without grace Is not that a blessed Parenthesis Eph. 2.5 By grace ye are saved The Grace of God which bringeth salvation Tit. 2.11 Certainly Salvation is a great thing a glorious thing but this is by Grace The free-grace of God is the primum mobile the wheel that sets all a going the moving cause the active and passive obedience of Christ the meritorious cause of this salvation Ask the Papists what pains do he seemingly take witness his Expence witness his Fasting witness his whipping witness his Pennance Pilgrimage c. Ask the Sinner that 's sailing by the Gates of Hell and what would he not give for salvation if he could have it for money Ask the Saint the man or the woman that is under doubt and darkness Lord do what thou pleasest Lord do when thou pleasest lead me thorough the water lead me thorough the fire so thou wilt but lead me to thy self that I may be saved at last This Soul cries out as one did Lord August here beat me and buffet me here bleed me and burn me so thou wilt but hereafter save me 'T is true the word Grace hath a variety of Acceptations in the holy Scriptures of Truth but by Grace I principally Intend the Graces of the Spirit Grace wrought in the Soul and Grace wrought-out for the Soul that it may be Holy and Heavenly which is the great Concern of the Soul Thus Grace here a heaven here holiness here a being in Christ here is the souls great concern 2. Glory Glory As Grace here So Glory hereafter is the Souls great Concernment Grace is the way to Glory Holiness is the way to Happiness H. b 12.14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Grace is the Seed Glory is the Flower Grace is Glory in the Bud Glory is Grace in the Flower Oh where is the Soul that have a Hell here but would have a Heaven hereafter Oh say the Soul let me get to Heaven at last though I Swim through a Sea of Blood Now for a Soul to be created in Christ and Glorified with Christ for a Soul to have a Being in Christ through Grace here and a Being with Christ in Glory hereafter must needs be a great Concernment of the Soul The great Doctor of the Circumcision looked upon Grace from Christ and Glory with Christ to be the great Concerns of the Soul and therfore presseth to ascertain the one that the other may be certain for the one Entitles unto and Entails the other Lend both eares to what he says Give diligence the word in the Greek seems to be Emphatical and hath the signification of Study and Diligence as if the Apostle had said Hoc agite make it your Business let it be the great Concern of your Souls But what to make your Calling and election sur that is firme and Constant Why for this he gives two reasons 1. To Prevent a Final falling For if ye doc hese things ye shall never fall 2 Pet. 1.10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or according to the Greek ye shall not not fall 2. To be Estated in an everlasting Kingdome For so an entrance shall be ministred unto yeu abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Is a Crown nothing a Kingdom nothing but who is able to say what
calls when he will Caesar when he saw Alexanders Statue wept having though young done so much when himself had done so little Dost thou see a green one in the way to Heaven when thou a gray one art in the way to Hell Here 's cause for mourning but not for despairing because God who can have mercy on whom he will will have mercy when he will 2. To those in a state of Grace 1. Art gray but gracious make then death familiar There are few that have much familiarity with Christ when they die but those that have made death familiar before they die That 's the soul that goes singing home when he dies that makes death familiar while he lives That 's the soul that can laugh death in the face when he dies that makes death familiar while he lives This is the soul that through grace can say Oh death where is thy sting Oh grave 2 Tim. 4.6 where is thy victory Paul had not only a knowledge that he should not long live before he died for he could say I know the time of my departure is at hand Phil. 1.23 but he had made death very familiar while he lived for he could say I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far much better Man is a Mass of Mutabilities be daily therefore reading Lectures upon thy mutability Man is but a wink of life be daily therefore reading Lectures upon thy mortality the Heathens Embleme for life Oculus apertus oculus clau 〈◊〉 was an eye opâ—n and for death an eye shut as if there were no more difference between the living and the dying but the twinkling of an eye 2. Art gray and gracious multiply cries then for thy children if thou hast children Thus Abraham did Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight Now he having such a spirit of Prayer would not only pray for the life of his body but also for the life of his soul according to my Charity towards him Thus David did for the child he had by Bathsheba at first the child was sick He prayed and fasted and lay upon the earth all night Now David 2 Sa. 12.16 having such a spirit of Prayer such is my charity concerning him also did not only pray for the life of the body but also for the life of the soul Have not many sick children and some sinful children multiply cries then for these Oh Lord make this Ishmael an Isaac Oh Lord make this Esau a Jacob Oh Lord make this Cain an Abel Oh Lord make this Benoni a Benjamin this son of sorrow a son of my right hand Oh Lord make this Dinah a daughter of Abraham this wandring daughter a believing daughter 3. Art gray and gracious and hast children concern thy soul then with their Education Good Parents good Masters good Tutors and good Guardians are many times great Blessings to Children Now that Parents are to look after the Education of their Children ther 's both Precept and President Precept Commands are Obligatory the Commands of God and Christ are not to be Dispenced with these are to be Dispatched not Disputed a Dispensation from the Italian-Monster is altogether Insignificiant as to these Commands Now that there is a Parental obligation for a filial Education is evident And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath lest they be discouraged Eph. 6.4 but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Nutriment of Soul as well as Nourishment of Body should be in the Parents Eye If the Father be desirous that the Body of the Child should grow bigger he is to be more then desirous that the soul of the Child should grow better Only take heed to thyself Deu. 4.9.10 and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons Specially the day that thou stoodst before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me Gather the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the dayes that they shall live upon the Earth and that they may teach their Children This is still evident by what follows These words which I command thee this day Deu 6.6 7. shall be in thy heart And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up Once more Isa 38.9 The Fathers to the Children shall make known thy Truth 2. President How careful were the Heathen that Chidren might have Education Morally good Now not Christian Parents Believing Parents endeavour an Education Spiritually good An Vnbroken heart and an Vnchatechised head Gen. 18 19. will keep distance enough between a Sinless Creator and a Sinfull Creature Is there not sufficient President for this Practise Did not Abraham read Divinity Lectures to his Family Take the Testimony of God himself For I know him that he wlll Command his Children and his Household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to doe Justice and Judgment c. Thus Abraham did and did there not grow upon the Stalk of his Instructions as as eminent service and obedience to the Father of flesh and to the Father of spirits as ever was was not Isaac willing to offer his Throat to the sacrificing Knife was not Isaac's faith great as well as Abrahams the sons as well as the fathers And was not the son's life as dear to him as the fathers son was to him Once more and no more as to this I will open my mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us we will not hide them from their childrer shewing to the generation to come the Praises of the Lord c. for he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israâ—l which he commanded our fathers that they should makâ— them known to their children that the generation to come might know them even the children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their children Ps 78.2 3 4 5 6 7. That they might set their hope in God and not forget the Works of God but keep his Commandments Question 1. But what Reasons may be given besides Precept and President why Parents should Concern their Souls with the education of their Children Solution 1. Because of its ordinary Tendency Train up a Child in the way he should goe what then and when he is old he will not depart from it In which words Pro. 22. â— you have the Fathers Duty and the Childs Mercy the one to train up when young the way he should goe the other to be trained up when young the way he
the Egyptians Go unto Joseph and whatsoever he say unto you do And may not I say unto you as Mary at the Marriage said unto the servants concerning Christ Whatsoever he say unto you do it In respect of Christ 2. In respect of Christ The Heart is Christ Seat this therefore must be kept above all keeping The Heart is Christs Throne here below now this is his House As the Christian is Christs lesser and lower house so the Christians heart if I may speak it with a holy reverence is Christs lodging room in that house That Christ may dwell but where in your hearts but how by faith Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Shall not a Princes Presence-Chamber his lodging-room be kept above any chamber above any room kept above all keeping As the Womb of Christ wherein he was conceived was and the Tomb of Christ wherein he was laid was so must his Temple be Now Christ was conceived in a Womb wherein no other was conceived interred in a Tomb wherein no other was interred so will he Temple himself in that heart where no other shall be his Corrival and where no affected lust shall be his Equall If Christ dwell in the heart by faith then sin must out of the house by force Christ and Corruption especially if affected cannot dwell under the same Roof in Peace cannot lodge in the same house with love and liking 1 Cor. 16 15. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Many too many have their Paramours their Concubines Oh soul lodge not an Harlot in thy heart for that 's Christs house Was it not pity that David should take Bathsheba into his house for she was another Mans wife Oh how did the displeasure of God begin to flame against the King of Gerar for taking Sarah Abraham's wife was it not pity that Sampson took Dalilah into his lap The Man first lost his locks and then lost his life In respect of the heart 3. In respect of the heart As the heart must be kept above all keeping in respect of God because he hath commanded it in respect of Christ because 't is his Seat so in respect of itself and that upon a manifold Account For 1. 'T is a corrupt heart The heart of a Saint is very corrupt but the heart of a sinner hath nothing but corruption Corrupt Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness a Saints heart hath too much sin but a sinners heart is fuller of sin then the Sun of light or the Ocean of water The heart of a Saint is sinful but the heart of the sinner is sinfully sinful wickedly wicked The heart is the Nursery of sin the Magazine where all the weapons of unrighteousness lie Deu. 15.9 'T is a lesser Hell Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart in thy Belial heart so the Margen It s a kind of an Hell Jer. 4.14 for a man that hath bâ—t a spark of grace to be tempted and turmoiled with the innate corruptions and rebellions of his own heart And if a man would devise a Torment for a soul truly gracious he cannot devise a greater then this Shall not this heart then be kept above all keeping 2. 'T is a bruitish heart Bruitish Psal 92.6 A bruitish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this The heart of man is not only filthy but foolish The bruitish man is the foolish man Wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excelleth darkness The heart of man is naturally foolish and as the heart is foolish so the man is childish for he feeds upon dirt rather then upon bread yea upon dirt but not upon bread Vnderstand ye bruitish among the People Folly is bound up in the heart of a Child but the Rod of Correction shall drive it away from him Folly is not only bound up in the heart of a child of man but in the heart of a child of God Do ye thus require Jehovah Oh ye foolish people and unwise Den. 32.6 Should not the heart now be kept above all keeping 3. 'T is a barren heart There 's not a seed of grace in the heart till the hand of God sow it there Berren The heart naturally and originally is like white Paper without any Inscription Not a Syllable of the Grace of God is written there till the Finger of God write it there This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel Jer. 31.33 but what is it I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people But who is this I 'T is Jehovah After those days saith Jehovah I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their hearts May not the best of men speak after the Prophet My leanness my leanness Wo unto me Might not Christ say Isa 24.16 were there not a spark of grace within to the best of men as he did to the fruitless Fig-tree Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground Luk. 13.7 Shall not the heart now be kept above all keeping 4. 'T is a dark heart Dark A natural heart is a dark heart yea a natural heart is not only dark but darkness it self in the very Abstract before the Sun of Righteousness arise there For ye were somtimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5.8 walk as children of light What would the World be without the Firmamental Sun but a World of darkness Oh what would the Soul be without the eternal Son the Sun of Righteousness but a Dungeon of darkness Oh says the soul how muddy are my thoughts how dark is my understanding I know nothing yet as I ought to know Oh 't is little that I know and I am ignorant of my ignorance The most perfect soul hath but an imperfect sight of God or himself The most seeing man or the Seer himself hath a Film upon his eye at least much darkness in it and must at present look thorough Spectacles 1 Cor. 13.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We now see thorough a Glass darkly Darkly or in a Riddle according to the Greek Shall not this heart then be kept above all keeping 5. 'T is a hard heart Hard. The heart of man is so bad I cannot tell how bad it is The heart is compared to an Adamant They made their hearts as an Adamant stone c. Zach. 7.12 Is not a Flint hard but an Adamant is harder As an Adamant harder then a Flint have I made thy Forehead Ezek. 3.9 Oh wonder not then to hear Persons to complain of their hardness of heart They are strangers to their own hearts that complain not of the hardness
Mar. 16. beg they were Affrighted They were Affrighted but not in an Extasie But a Revelation such as Paul here speaketh of was an Apparition in an Extasie Such was that of Peter concerning the Sheet Acts io 10 c. Such also was that of John when in the Isle of Patmos He was in the Spirit on the Lords day Rev. 1.9 10. and heard behind him a great voice as of a Trumpet 2. His Temptation upon this Revelation And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations 2 Co. 12. â— there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure Some by this Thorn in the flesh understand Concupiscence Others understand Alexander the Copper-smith but there appears not to me the least Shadow of a Probability that either of these should be the Thorn in the Flesh Is it so much as Probable that the Disease should be Corporall when the Remedy was Spirituall that the Malady should be Corporal when the Medicine was Spirituall that the Sorâ— should be Corporal when the Salve was Spiâ—â—â—â—â— So that by the Thorn in the flesh I understand Temptation that is some Satanical Suggestion and Solicitation concerning the Faith and Sincerity of the Apostle 3. His Supplication upon this Temptation For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me 2 Co. 12.8 Here is a Copy for you under Temptation to write after the Apostle hath a Thorn hath a Temptation but what Course doth he now Steer To this Closet he goeth to his Knees he goeth to the Throne of Grace he goeth go you and do likewise 4. His Supportation upon this Supplication And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee Christ answers in Effect though he doth not answer in Kind Paul is not presently Delivered from the Temptation but he is Delivered under the Temptation he is supported under it though not Delivered from it And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee In this text and truth you have something implied and something expressed 1. Something implied that 's the sore This is temptation that is this is some fiery and furious assault and attempt of Satan 2. Something expressed that 's the salve And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee In which words you have these Observables 1. The Person salving He that is God or Christ Or Christ who is God He And he said 2. The Person salved Me that 's Paul And he said unto me 3. The subject-matter of the salve and that 's grace Now grace is an excellent thing an excelling thing All are Pebbles to this Pearl 4. The Propriety that Christ claims in this grace My grace or this grace of mine My grace not thy grace but my grace Not grace in thy private hand but in thy publick head not grace in the stream but in the fountain My grace 5. The Efficacy of this Grace sufficient My grace and sufficient As if Christ had said though thou hast a burden yet thou shalt have a back for that burden thy back shall not break under thy burden nor bow under thy burden though thy burden be great my grace is greater Sufficient 6. The certainty of the efficacy of this Grace Is. My grace my grace is sufficient for thee 'T is grace and my grace that hath not only been but yet is sufficient And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee From the Text and Context you have these Meditations 1. That the chiefest and choicest of Christians are obnoxious unto temptations Meditations Paul who was of the highest form if not the highest in that form of grace and gifts was not without his temptation he had a thorn in the flesh Paul was an eminent Servant of Christ had eminent Revelation from Christ and yet under eminent temptation he had a thorn in the flesh Persons shall not need to wonder when tempted for temptation is no new thing but to pass that 2. That the greatest temptation doth ordinarily succeed the greatest revelation It was thus with the Master when Christ had that voice This is my beloved Son in whom I acquiesce then he was led away by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil Now was it thus with the Master No wonder then if it be thus with the servant but humbly to take leave of that also 3. That Christ suffers temptation to succeed revelation in order to the prevention of carnal exaltation and ostentation Persons are apt to be puffed up with a fleshy mind under Revelations The Spirit begins to swet and become Tympanious under the greatest Manifestation and Revelation Where is the Body that do not sometimes stand in need of Physick Oh but where 's the soul that stands not often in need of a pill and a potion to purge out corrupt Crudities 4. That 't is at once both the Duty and the Dignity of a Christian to multiply Cryes and cry mightily unto Christ under Temptation For this I besought the Lord thrice but to pass that also 5. That a word from Christ is a sutable and seasonable supply and support unto a Christian under Temptation And he said unto me This was under the writing of the Scriptures and this hath been ever since the Scriptures were written the method of Christ unto Christians under affliction and under Temptation to give some word or other And he said unto me 6. That there is a sufficiency of grace in Christ for a Christian under Temptation My grace is sufficient for thee This is the truth that I shall discourse and discuss if indulged a divine Gale and Gust There is a sufficiency of grace in Christ for a Christian By a Christian I mean a Christian of Christ making not of Mans but of Gods making or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of Mans making without God By a Christian I do not mean every Babe or any Babe that is sprinkled for the word Christian is a Derivative from Christ By a Christian I mean a believing Saint and a sanctified Believer By a Christian I mean a Person in Christ for so the Apostle wordeth it I knew a man in Christ that is actually in Christ drawn unto Christ and drawn after Christ now there is a sufficiency of grace in Christ for such a Christian and that under temptation the greatest temptation 2 Cor. 12. â— My grace is sufficient for thee In the Managing of this Meditation Method suffer a serious and sober Inquiry after five things 1. Whether there be a sufficiency of grace in Christ for a Christian under temptation 2. What manner of grace this grace is that is in Christ And is sufficient for a Christian under temptation 3. How this grace is in Christ which is sufficient for a Christian under temptation 4. Why there is in Christ a
sufficiency of grace for a Christian Method under temptation 5. What Vse may be made of this that the grace which is in Christ is sufficient for a Christian under temptation 1. Whether there be a sufficiency of grace in Christ for a Christian under temptation Will it not be lost labour and as it were to hold a candle to the Sun at noon to go about to prove this That there 's a fulness of grace in Christ is Evident Herein the great Doctor of the Gentiles is positive Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell The word Father is supplied in the English Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it pleased so the Greek that is if I mistake not it pleased both the Father and the Spiit that in the Son should dwell but what fulness yea all fulness For it pleased that in him should all fulness dwell All fulness of grace or a fulness of all grace Col. 2.5 In Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead Personally Here 's fulness yea all fulness yea all the fulness of the Godhead yea all the fulness of the Godhead and that Personally Once more the Apostle speaking of Christ as Head and the Church as Body speaks of the Church as the fulness of Him and of Him as the fulness of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And gave him to be Head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Or according to the Greek filling all things in all things 2 VVhat manner of grace this grace is that is in Christ and is sufficient for a Christian under temptation 1. Grace in Christ is free grace 'T is Grace and therefore free 't is free and therefore Grace 'T is Grace no way unless free every way Wine and Milk may be had without money and without price yea Grace and Glory are had without money and without price Jehovah God is a Sun and a Shield he giveth Grace and Glory Grace here glory hereafter grace upon earth glory in heaven are given they are Donatives Grace in Christ and from Christ is free Eph. 4.7 t To every one of us is given graâ—e according to the measure of the gift of Christ 2. Grace in Christ is formidable grace Grace in Christ is able to weather any storm every storm How prodigious soever the winds of temptation be and how impetuous soever the waves of tribulation be grace in Christ is able to weather all The temptations of Christ were great but grace in Christ weathered all He went out conquering and to conquer And as grace in Christ so grace from Christ weathers all As the temptations of Christ were great so the temptations of a Christian are great and yet grace from Christ weathers all When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy Oh Lord held me up Psal 94.18 3. Grace in Christ is attracting grace There is not a greater naturalness in the Loadstone to draw Iron to it then there is in the grace of Christ to draw the soul to Christ. The grace of God and of Christ have a mighty Influence Moses spake from Mount Sinai Christ spake from Mount Zion Moses by his thundering did not draw to Christ but Christ by his grace draws to himself Can. 1.4 I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love And as Christ draw unto himself so after himself in a way of grace Draw me and we will run after thee 4. Grace in Christ is abounding grace Grace in Christ is grace in the Fountain now grace in the Fountain is for Quality and Quantity ever the same Grace in Christ is grace in the Ocean now how empty soever the channel is the Ocean is full always full I will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely Ther 's abundance of grace in Christ so much I cannot tell how much grace in Christ is a wonderful Deep and my Line cannot sound this Depth In Christ there are deep Ditches which cannot be sounded and rich Deeps which cannot be Exhausted Where sin abounded grace did much more abound Rom. 5.20 5. Grace in Christ is abiding grace Grace in a Christian though it may decay yet it cannot dye Grace in a Christian must continue until grace goes into glory when Time goes into Eternity Now if grace be thus in the stream what is it then in the fountain Grace in Christ is lasting yea everlasting As from Eternity to Eternity Christ is God so from Eternity to Eternity he is good and gracious and can as soon cease to be God as to be good Psal 103.17 cease to be God as to be gracious The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting or thus The mercy of Jehovah is from eternity to eternity upon them that sear him and his righteousness unto childrens children The Mercy of the Lord endureth for ever 6. Grace in Christ is commodious grace Is not Advantage in every mans eye Grace is very Advantagious it brings Salvation along with it By grace ye are saved Is not Salvation a great thing Bâ—n 2.5 Is not Damnation a bitter Pill and potion Is not Salvation a sweet morsel This is by grace and this grace is laid up in Christ This Gold layes in this Ore Salvation and all in a Tendency unto Salvation runs in the veins of free-grace The whole Fabrick of Salvation is laid in grace 7. Grace in Christ is Efficatious grace The Man that fell among Theeves was left by the Priest and the Levite as they found him but Christ by his grace had compassion on him What men and means cannot do Christ by his grace can do without men and means What men and Angels cannot do Christ by his grace can do That grace which bringeth Salvation teacheth also to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts that we may walk soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Tâ—â— 2.11 12. 8. Grace in Christ is suitable grace What so suitable for a sinner as a Saviour What so sovereign against sin as grace Ther 's no Physick more suitable for the Body then grace is for the Soul Is not Bread suitable for the hungry Water for the thirsty so is grace for the soul that is sick of sin If any man thirst let him come unto me Joh. 7.37 and drink If any man if any one so the Greek Man or Woman let that man and that woman come unto me and drink Bread and Water are suitable for the hungry and thirsty 9. Grace in Christ is seasonable grace Every thing we say is beautiful in its season and the more seasonable any thing is the more beautiful it is The season of a mercy greatly accent the mercy As the Death of Christ was in season While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us and in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly So
be to think or speak lightly or spearingly of it if to make a Mock at sin be to sport with it as undoubtedly it is then that fools thus make a mock at sin is evident It is a sport to a fool to do mischiefe but a man of understanding hath wisedom Pro. 10.23 As a mad man that casteth fire-Brands Arrows Pro. 26.18 19 and Death so is the man that deceiveth his Neighbour and saith am not I in sport To make a mock at sin is to sport with sin And to sport with sin is to take pleasure and delight in sin Thus Israel according to the flesh sported themselves with their Whorish Idolatries Gen. 3.4 and this their mocking at sin lay neer the heart of God Against whom do you sport your selves Against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue are ye not Children of Transgression Isa 57.4 a seed of falshood Did not this lay neer the heart of God 2. Why Fools make a mock at sin 1. Because 't is possible for these so to do Look upon Adam which was the first man and there was in him under the first Creation an innate potentialit or power unto sinning 'T is true sin never had a being from God though God Created Adam he did not Create sin in him but Adam had in himself a power to sin which is the Original of sin Had there not been a possibility for man to sin and a potentiality in man unto sinning in vain had that Threatning been The day thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt dye Gen. 2.1 That is no sooner shalt thou begin to live but thou shalt begin to dye and continue dying 'till thou beest swallowed up of death This Threatning dying thou shalt dye God gave in Charge and against this threatning the Serpent laid his siege Ye shall not dying dye Now certainly had there not been a possibility and potentiality in man to sin God had not given this in Charge for he cannot without great blasphemy be charged with vanity Besides the Effect which the siege and Temptation from the Serpent Gen 3.12 and the woman had upon Adam sufficiently proves that there was a possibility for man to sin The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat 2. Because 't is connatural unto these to do so As it was possible for an unfallen man to sin so 't is connatural unto fallen man to sin Look upon man in his Conception I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Psa 51.5 As there is the Original of sin so there is Original sin Look upon man in his natural Constitution And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil Jen. 6.5 not onely evil but onely evil and that continually As there is the Original of sin and Original sin so there is actuall sin Look upon men in their Naturals and they are Enemyes to God Col. 1.21 to good to goodness And you who were sometimes alienated and enemyes in your mind by wicked works Or enemies by your mind in wicked works Yet now hath he reconciled The Apostle hath yet a higher strain Because the carnal mind or the minding of the flesh is Enmity against God 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 't is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 'T is Enmity not an Enemy for an Enemy may be reconciled but Enmity is irreconcileable 3. The Applying of it I shall make onely one use of this Vsus and that 's by way of Counsel If fools make a mock at sin suffer then the words of Exhortation But here I would speak to two sorts of Persons the spiritually wise and sinfully foolish 1. To the wise 1. To those that are spiritually wise 1. Do fools make a mock at sin Mourn then over this sinful mocking Did the suffering of a place lay so near Nihemiah's heart and shall not the sinning of a place or people lay near our hearts The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and the Gates thereof are burnt with fire Neh. 1.3 4. and when I heard these things I wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven A Jesting with sin makes a man a fool in earnest Lot had an express from the Angels to go out of Sodom and all that he had but Lot Ge. 19.12 upon his intimation of the destruction of that vitious City and his Invitation out of that City Ge 19 14 seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law Let but one man reprove another for his cursing and swearing for his dancing and drinking for his roaring and whoring he is as one that mocketh and is mocked for his Reproof Now shall not this be laid to heart and mourned over Oh how near did the violating and vitiating of the Law of God lay the heart of the Psalmist Rivers of tears run down mine eyes but what 's the matter Ps 119.136 The Psalmist is ready as it were to weep out his eyes and drown himself in his own tears but what 's the matter because they keep not thy Law They that keep not the Law break the Law and they that break the Law keep not the Law and this lay near the Psalmists heart May we not joyn issue with him and make it the matter of our request as he did Oh that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountain of tears Why because Fools make a mock at sin Let this then be for a Lamentation 2. Do Fools make a mock at sin Bless God then for the difference Grace hath made Ther 's a vast difference between making a mock at sin and a mourning for sin between a boasting of sin and a being burdened for si between a glorying in sin and a being grieved for sin Now soul dost thou gr eve for sin when and while others glory in sin Art thou burdened for sin when and while others boast of sin Dost thou mourn for sin when and while others make a mock at sin Oh bless God then for the difference that the God of race and the grace of Goâ— hath made between thee and others Oh let that word ring in thine eares and bâ— ready always to avouch the truth of it wee maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou 1 Cor. 4.7 that thou didst not receive 3. Do Fools make a mock at sin Stand then in awe and sin not Believe it a Christiâ—â— cannot sin at a cheap rate sin cost the Saint dear Oh the pains of Body and pangs of soul that sin cost Oh! 't is far better suffering then sinning for a man may suffer and not sin In all this Job sinned not but a man cannot sin but he must suffer