and to be above troubles and fears seek for a more lively and Divine Knowledge of God than most as yet have and rest not till you bring him into your hearts and then you shall rest indeed in him Sanctifie him by fearing him let him be your fear and your dread not only outward gross offences fear an Oath fear to prophane the Lord's Holy Day but fear all irregular earthly desires the distemper'd affecting any thing entertaining any thing in the secret of your hearts that may give distaste to your beloved take heed respect the great Person you have in you Company and lodges within you the holy Spirit grieve him not for it will turn to your own grief if you do for all your comfort is in his hand and flows from him if you be but in heart dallying with sin it will unfit you for suffering outward troubles and make your spirit low and base in the day of tryal yea it will fill you with inward trouble and disturb that peace which I am sure you that know esteem more of then all the peace and flourishing of this World Outward troubles do not molest nor stir inward peace but an unholy unsanctified affection doth all the winds without cause not an earth quake but that within its own bowels doth Christians are much their own enemies in unwary walking prejudge themselves of those comforts they might have in God and so are often almost as perplex'd and full of fears upon small occasions as worldlings are Sanctifie him by believing study the main question your reconcilement with him labour to bring that to some point and then in all other occurrences Faith will uphold you by relying on God as now yours for those three things make up the Souls peace 1. To have right apprehension of God looking on him in Christ and according to that covenant that holds in him And 2. A particular apprehension that is laying hold on him in that covenant as gracious and merciful as satisfied and appeased in Christ smelling in his sacrifice which was himself a savour of rest and setting himself before me that I may rely on him in that notion 3. A perswasion that by so relying on him my Soul is at one yea is one with him yet while this is wanting as to a Believer it may be the other is our duty to Sanctifie the Lord in believing the word of Grace and believing on him reposing on his Word and this even sever'd from the other doth deliver in a good measure from distracting fears and troubles and sets the Soul at safety Whence is it that in times of Persecution or Trouble Men are troubl'd within and rackt with fears but because instead of God their hearts are glâ—ed to those things that are in hazard by those troubles without their estates or their ease or their lives the Soul destitute of God esteems so highly of such things that it cannot but exceedingly feel when they are in danger and fear their loss most gaping after some imagin'd good and Oh! iâ— I had but this I were well but then such or such a thing may step in and break all my Projects and this troubles the poor Spiriâ— of Man that hath no higher designs but such as are so easily blasted and still as any thing in Man lists up his Soul to vanity it must needs fall down again into vexation There is a word or two in the Hebrew for Idols that signifie withal Troubles and Terrors and so 't is certainly All our Idols prove so to us fill us with nothing but anguish and troubles with unprofitable cares and fears that are good for nothing but to be fit punishments of that folly out of which they arise The ardent love or wilful desire of Prosperity or Wealth or Credit in the World carries with it as inseparably ty'd to it a bundle of fears and inward troubles They that will be rich says the Apostle fall into a snare and many noysome and hurtful lusts and as he adds in the next Verse they pierce themselves through with many sorrows He that hath set his Heart upon an Estate or a commodious Dwelling and Lands or upon a healthful and long Life cannot but be in continued alarms of renewed fears concerning them especially in troublous times the least rumor of any thing that threatneth his deprivement of those advantages strikes him to the heart because his heart is in them I am well seated thinks he and I am of a sound strong constitution and may have many a good day Oh! but beside the Arrows of Pestilence that are flying round about the Sword of a cruel Enemy is not far off this will affright and trouble a heart void of God but if thou wouldst readily answer and dispel all these and such like fears Sanctifie the Lord God in thy Heart the Soul that eyes God renounces these things looks on them at a great distance as things far from the Heart and therefore that cannot easily trouble it but looks on God as within the Heart sanctifies him in it and rests on him The Word of God cures the many foolish hopes and fears that we are naturally sick of by representing to us hopes and fears of a far higher Nature which swallow up and drown the other as Inundations and Landâ—â—oods do the little Ditches in those Meadows that they overflow fear not says our Saviour him that can kill the Body what then fear must have some work he adds but fear him that can kill both Soul and Body Thus in the passage cited here fear not their fear but sanctifie the Lord and let him be your fear and your dread And so for the hopes of the World care not to lose them for God there is a hope in you as it follows here that is far above them Be ready always to give an answer The real Christian is all for Christ hath given up all right of himself to his Lord and Master to be all his to do and suffer for him and therefore sure will not fail in this which is least to speak for him upon all Occasions if he sanctifie him in his Heart the Tongue will follow and be ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give an Answer a Defence or Apology Of this here four things 1. The need of it Men will ask an account 2. The Matter or Subject of it the hope in you 3. The manner with meekness and fear 4. The faculty for it be ready 1. Religion is always the thing in the World that hath the greatest calumnies and prejudices cast upon it and this engages those that love it to endeavour to clear and disburden it of them this they do chiefly by the Tract of their Lives the Saints by their blameless Actions and patient Sufferings do write most real and convincing Apologies yet sometimes 't is expedient yea necessary to add verbal Defences and to vindicaâ—e not so much themselves as their Lord and his Truth suffering in the
that for Cry in the Psalm do mean and in that sense the Lord's open ear and hearkning hath in it his readiness to answer as one that doth hear and to answer graciously and really as hearing favourably Some directions 1. For Prayer that it may be accepted and answered 2. For observing the answers of it 1. For Prayer the qualification of the Heart that offers it 2. The way of offering it The Heart 1. In some measure a holy Heart according to that here the Righteous no regarding iniquity entertaining of friendship with any sin but a permanent ove and desire of Holiness Thus indeed a man prays within himself as in a sanctified Place whither the Lord's ear inclines as of old to the Temple need not run superstitiously to a Church c. intra te ora sed vide prius an sis templum Dei The sanctified Man's Body is the Temple of the holy Ghost as the Apostle speaks and his Soul the Priest in it that offers sacrifice both holy to the Lord consecrated to him a believing Heart no praying without this Faith the very life of Prayer whence springs Hope and Comfort with it to uphold the Soul and keep it steady under storms with the promises and as Aaron and Hur to Moses keeping it from fainting strengthening the hands when they would begin to fail that word Psal. 10. 17. for the preparing of the heart which God gives as an assurance and pledge of his inclining his ear to hear signifies the establishing of the Heart that indeed is a main point of its preparedness and due disposition for Prayer Now this is done by Faith without which the Soul as the Apostle St. Iames speaks is a rolling unquiet thing as a Wave of the Sea of it self unstable as the Waters and then driven with the Wind and tossed too and fro with every tentation see and feel thine own unworthiness as much as thou canst for thou art never bid believe in thy self no but countermanded that as Faith's great Enemy but what hath thy unworthiness to say against free promises of Grace which are the basis of thy Faith so then believe that that you may pray this is David's advice Ps. 62. Trust in him at all times ye people and then pour out your hearts before him confide in him as a most faithful and powerful Friend and than you will open your hearts to him 2. For the way of offering up prayer 't is a great art a main part of the secret of Religion to be skill'd in it and of great concern for the comfort and success of it much here to be considered but for the present briefly 1. Offer not to speak to him without the heart in some measure season'd and prepossess'd with the sense of his Greatness and Holiness and there is much in this considering wisely to whom we speak the King the Lord of Glory and setting the Soul before him in his presence and then reflecting on our selves and seeing what we are how wretched and base and filthy and unworthy of such access to such a Great Majesty the want of this preparing of the heart to speak in the Lord's ear by the consideration of God and our selves is that which fills the exercise of prayer with much guiltiness makes the heart careless and slight and irreverent and so displeases the Lord and disappoints our selves of that comfort in prayer and answers of it that otherwise we would have more experience of We rush in before him with any thing provided we can tumble out a few words and do not weigh these things and compose our hearts with serious thoughts and conceptions of God The Soul that studies and endeavours this most hath much to do to attain to any right apprehensions of him for how little know we of him yet should we at least set our selves before him as the purest and greatest Spirit a Being infinitely more Excellent than our Minds or any Creature can conceive this would fill the Soul with awe and reverence and balast it make it go more even through the exercise to consider the Lord as that Prophet saw him sitting on his Throne and all the Host of Heaven standing by him on his right Hand and on his left and thy self a defiled Sinner coming before him as a vile Frog creeping out of some Pool how would this fill thee with holy Fear Oh! His greatness and our baseness and Oh! the distance This is Solomon's advice be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words be few This would keep us from our ordinary bablings that heart nonsense tho' the words be sense yet through the inattention of the heart are but as impertinent confus'd Dreams in the Lord's ears as there follow v. 3. 2. When thou addressest thy self to prayer desire and depend upon the assistance and inspiration of the holy Spirit of God without which thou art not able truly to pray 't is a supernatural work and therefore the principle of it must be supernatural He that hath nothing of the Spirit of God cannot pray at all he may howle as a Beast in his necessity or distress or may speak words of Prayer as some Birds learn the Language of Men but pray he cannot and they that have that Spirit ought to seek the movings and actual workings of it in them in Prayer the particular help of their infirmities teaching both what to ask a thing that of our selves we know not and then enabling them to ask breathing forth their desires in such sighs and groans as the breath not simply of their own but of God's Spirit 3dly As those two before it so in the exercise of it you should learn to keep a watchful eye over your own hearts throughout for every step of the way that they start not out by the keeping up of a continued remembrance of that presence of God which in the entry of the work is to be set before the eye of the Soul and our endeavour ought to be to six it upon that view that it turn not aside nor downwards but from beginning to end keep sight of him who sees and marks whether we do so or no. They that are most inspective and watchful in this will still be faulty in it but certainly the less watchful the more faulty and this we ought to do to be aspiring daily to more stability of mind in prayer and driving out somewhat of that roving and wandring that is so universal an Evil and certainly so grievous to those that have it most but that observe and discover it most and endeavour most against it A strange thing that the mind even the renewed mind should be so ready not only at other times but in the exercise of Prayer wherein we peculiarly come so near to God yet even then to slip out and leave him and follow some
painful diseases that either quickly cut the thread of Life or make their aged bones full of the sins of their youth Take what way you will there is no place nor condition so senc'd and guarded but publick calamities or personal griefs find away to reach us Seeing then we must suffer however this kind of suffering to suffer for righteousness is far the best what he said 〈◊〉 of doing ill we may well say of suffering ill if it must be 't is best to be for a Kingdome And those are the terms on which Christians are called to suâ—â—er for righteousness if we will reign with Christ certain 〈…〉 sâ—ffer with him and if we do suffer with hi◠〈…〉 we shall reign with him And therefoâ—◠〈…〉 are happy But 〈…〉 suffering for righteousness only with relation to 〈◊〉 Apostle's present reasoning his conlusion he establishâ— 1. From the favour and protection of God 2. From the nature of the thing it self Now we would consider the consistence of this supposition with those reasons 1. The Eyes of the Lord being on the righteous for their good and his Ear open to their Prayer how is it that for all that favour and inspection they are so much expos'd to suffering and even for the regard and affection they bear towards him suffering for righteousness these seem not to agree well yet they do 'T is not said that his Eye is so on them as that he will never see them afflicted nor have them suffer any thing no but this is their great priviledge and comfort in suffering that his gracious Eye is then upon them and sees their trouble and his Ear towards them not so as to grant them an exemption for that they will not seek for but seasonable deliverance and in the mean while strong support as is evident in that 34th Psalm If his Eye be always on them he sees them suffer often for their afflictions are many ver 19. and if his Ear be to them he hears many sighs and cries press'd out by sufferings and they are content this is enough yea better then not to suffer they suffer and often directly for him but he sees it all takes perfect notice on 't therefore 't is not lost And they are forc'd to cry but none of their cries escape his Ear he hears and he manifests that he sees and hears for he delivers them and till he does he keeps them from being crush'd under the weight of the suffering he keeps all his bones not one of them is broken He sees yea appoints and provide these conflicts for his choicest Servants he sets his Champions to encounter the malice of Satan and the World for his sake to give proof of the truth and the strength of their love to him for whom they suffer and to overcome even in suffering He is sure of his design'd advantages out of the sufferings of his Church and Saints for his name he loses nothing nor they lose nothing but their Enemies when they rage most and prevail most are ever the most losers his own glory grows and his peoples graces grow yea their very number grows and that sometimes most by their greatest sufferings It was evident in the first Ages of the Christian Churches where were the glory of so much invincible love and patience if they had not been so put to it 2. For the other that the said following of good would preserve from harm it speaks truly the nature of it what 't is apt to do and what in some measure it often doth but the considering the nature of the World its enmity against God and Religion that strong poyson in the Serpents Seed it is not strange that it often proves otherwise that notwithstanding the righteous carriage of Christians yea even because of it they suffer much 't is a resolv'd case all that will live godly must suffer Persecution it meets a Christian in his entry to the way of the Kingdome and goes along all the way no sooner begin thou to seek the way to Heaven but the World will seek how to vex and molest thee and make that way grievous if no other way by scoffs and taunts as bitter blasts to destroy the tender blossom or bud of Religion or as Herod to kill Christ newly born you shall no sooner begin to enquire after God but twenty to one they will begin to enquire if thou art gone mad but if thou knowest who 't is whom thou hast trusted and whom thou lovest this is a small matter what though it were deeper and sharper sufferings yet still if you suffer for righteousness happy are you Which is the Second thing was proposed and more particularly imports that a Christian under the heaviest load of sufferings for righteousness is yet still happy notwithstanding these suffering 2dly That he is happier even by these sufferings And 1. All the sufferings and distresses of this World are not able to destroy the Happiness of a Christian nor diminish it yea they cannot at all touch it 't is out of their reach If it were built on worldly enjoyments then worldly deprivements and sufferings might shake it yea might undo it when those rotten stoups fail that which rests on them must fall he that hath set his heart on his riches a few hours can make him miserable 't is almost in any bodies power to rob him of his Happiness a little slight or disgrace undoes him or whatsoever the Soul fixes on of these moving unfixed things pluck them from it and it must cry after them ye have taken away my God's But the Believer's happiness is safe out of shot he may be impoverished and imprison'd and tortur'd and kill'd but this one thing is out of hazard he cannot be miserable still in the midst of all these subsists a happy Man If all Friends be shut out yet the visits of the Comforter may be frequent bringing him glad tydings from Heaven and communing with him of the love of Christ and solaâ—ing him in that 'T was a great word for a Heathen of his false 〈◊〉 kill me they may but they cannot hurt me how much more confidently may the Christian say so banishment he â—ears not for his Country is above nor death for that sets him home into that Country The believing Soul having hold of Jesus Christ can easily despise the best and the worst of the World and give a defie to all that 's in it can share with the Apostle in that which he gives I am perswaded that neither death nor life shall separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Yea what tho' the frame of the World were a dissolving and salling a pieces this happiness holds and is not stir'd by it for 't is in that Rock of Eternity that stirs not nor changes at all Our main work truly if you will believe it is this to provide this immoveable happiness that amidst all changes and losses and sufferings
before thee as a Saviour to believe on that so he may be thy Saviour why wilt thou not come unto him why resuseth thou to believe art thou a sinner art thou unjust then he is fit for thy case he suffered for Sins the Iust for the Vnjust Oh but so many and so great sins yea is that it it is true indeed and good reason thou think so But 1. Consider if they be excepted in the Proclamation of Christ the Pardon that comes in his Name if not if he make no exception why wilt thou 2. Consider if thou wilt call them greater than this Sacrifice he suffered Take due notice of the greatness and worth 1. Of his Person and thence of his Sufferings and thou wilt not dare to say thy sin goes above the value of his suffering or that thou art too unjust for him to justifie thee be as unrighteous as thou canst be art thou convinced of it then know that Jesus the Just is more Righteous than thy unrighteousness And after all is said that any sinner hath to say they are yet without exception blessed that trust in him That he might bring us to God It is a chief Point of Wisdom to proportion means to their end therefore the all-wise God in putting his only Son to so hard a task had a high end in this and this was it That he might bring us unto God In this three things 1. The Nature of this good nearness unto God 2. Our deprivement of it by our own sin 3. Our restorement to it by Christs sufferings 1. God hath suited every Creature he hath made with a convenient good to which it tends and in the obtainment of which it rests and is satisfied Natural bodies have each their own natural place whether if not hindred they move uncessantly till they be in it and there declare by resting there that they are as I may say where they would be Sensitive Creatures are carried to seek a sensitive good as agreeable to their rank and being and attaining that aim no further Now in this is the Excellency of Man he is made capable of a Communion with his Maker and because capable of it is unsatisfied without it The Soul a Being cut out so to speak to that largeness cannot be fill'd with less though he is fallen from his right to that good and from all right desire of it yet not from a capacity of it no nor from a necessity of it for the answering and filling of his capacity Though the Heart once gone from God turns continually further away from him and moves not towards him till it be renewed yet ever in that wandering it retains that natural relation to God as its Center that it hath no true rest elsewhere nor cannot by any means find it It is made for him and is thereâ—ore still restless till it meet with him It is true the Natural Man takes much pains to quiet his Heart by other things and digests many vexations with hopes of contentment in the end and accomplishment of some design he hath but still they misgive Many times he attains not the thing he seeks but if he do yet never attains the satisfaction he seeks and expects in it only learns from that to desire something farther and still hunts on after a fancy drives his own shadow before him and never overtakes it and if he did yet it s but a shadow and so in running from God besides the sad end he carries an interwoven punishment with his sin the natural disquiet and vexation of his Spirit fluttering too and fro no rest for the sole of his foot The matters of unconstancy and vanity covering the whole Face of the Earth We study to abase our souls and to make them content with less than they are made for yea we strive to make them carnal that they may be pleased with sensible things and in this men attain a brutish content for a time forgetting their higher good but certainly we cannot think it sufficient and that no more were to be desired beyond Ease and Plenty and Pleasures of Sense for then a Beast in good Case and a good Pasture might contest with us in point of Happiness and carry it away for that sensitive good he enjoys without sin and without the vexation that is mixt with us all These things are too gross and heavy The Soul the immortal Soul descended from Heaven must either be more happy or remain miserable The highest increated Spirit is the proper Good the Father of Spirits that pure and full good raises the Soul above it self whereas all other things draw it down below it self So then its never well with the Soul but when it is near unto God yea in its union with him married to him and mismatching it self elsewhere it hath never any thing but shame and sorrow All that forsake thee shall be ashamed Jer. 17. says the Prophet and the Psalmist Psal. 73. They that are far off from thee shall perish And this is indeed our natural miserable condition and is often exprest this way or estrangedness and distance from God Eph. 2. Gentiles far off by their profession and Nation but both Jews and Gentiles far off by their natural Foundation and both brought near by the blood of the new Covenant and that is the other thing here implied that we are far off by reason of sin otherways there were no need of Christ especially in this way of suffering for sin to bring us unto God The first because of Gods command sin broke off Man and separated him from God and ever since the Soul remains naturally remote from God 1. Under a sentence of Exile pronounced by the Justice of God condemned to banishment from God who is the life and light of the Soul as it is of the Body 2. It 's under a flat impossibility of returning by it self And that in two respects 1. Because of the guiltiness of sin standing betwixt as an unpassable Mountain or Wall of separation 2. Because of the Dominion of sin keeping the Soul captive still drawing it further off from God increasing the distance and the enmity every day Nor in Heaven nor under Heaven no way to remove this enmity and make up this distance and return Man to the Possession of God but this one by Christ and him suffering for sins He endured the Sentence pronounced against man yea even in this particular Notion of it one main ingredient in his suffering was a forsaking to sense that he cried out of And by suffering the Sentence pronounc'd he took away the guiltiness of sin he himself being spotless and undefiled for such an High Priest became us the more defiled we were the more need of an undefiled Priest and Sacrifice and he was both Therefore the Apostle here very fitly mentions this qualification of our Saviour as necessary for reducing us unto God the Iust for the Vnjust so taking on him and taking away the
the first was there is no power of hell can dissolve it He suffered once to bring us once unto God never to depart again as he suffered once for all so we are brought once for all We may be sensibly nearer at one time than another but yet we can never be separate nor cut off being once knit by Christ as the bond of our Union Neither Principalities nor Powers c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God because it holds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit The true life of a Christian is to eye Christ every step of his life both as his rule and as his strength looking to him as his pattern both in doing and suffering and drawing power from him for going through both for the look of Faith doth that fetches life from Jesus to enable it for all being without him able for nothing Therefore the Apostle doth still set this before his Brethren and here having mentioned his suffering in general the condition and end of it he specifies the particular kind of it that which was the utmost put to death in the flesh and then adds this issue out of it Quickned by the Spirit The strongest engagement and the strongest encouragement he our head crowned with Thorns and shall the body look for Garlands We redeemed from hell and Condemnation by him and can any such refuse any Service he calls them to they that are washt in the Lambs blood will follow him wheresoever he goes and following him through they shall find their Journeys end overpay all the troubles and sufferings of the way These are they said he to Iohn which came out of great tribulation tribulation and great tribulation yet they came out of it and glorious too arrayed in long white robes The scarlet Strumpet as follows in that Book died her Garments red in the blood of the Saints But this is their happiness that their Garments are washt white in the blood of the Lamb. Once take away sin and all suffering is light now that is done by this his once suffering for sin they that are in him shall hear no more of that as condemning them binding them over to suffer that wrath that is due to sin Now this puts an invincible strength into the Soul for all other things how hard soever Put to death This tâ—e utmost point and that which Men are most startled at to die and a violent death put to death and yet he hath led in this way who is the Captain of our Salvation In the flesh Under this second his humane Nature and Divine Nature and power are differenced Put to death in the flesh a very fit expression not only as is usual taking the flesh for the whole Manhood but because death is most properly spoken of that very person or his flesh the whole Man suffers death a dissolution or taking a pieces and the Soul suffers a separation or dislodging but death or the privation of life and sense particularly to the flesh or body but the Spirit here opposed to the flesh or body is certainly of a higher Nature and Power than is the Humane Soul which cannot of it self return and reinhabit and quicken the body Put to Death His death was both voluntary and violent that same power that restored his life could have kept it exempted from death but the design was for death he therefore took our flesh to put it off thus and offered it up as a Sacrifice which to be acceptable must of necessity be free and voluntary and in that sense he is said to have died even by that same Spirit that here in opposition to death is said to quicken him Heb. 9. 14. Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself without spot unto God They accounted it an ill boding sign when the Sacrifices came constrainedly to the Altar and drew back and on the contrary were glad in the hopes of success when they came chearfully-forward but never Sacrifice came so willingly all the way and from the first step knew whether he was going Yet because no other Sacrifice would serve he was most content Sacrifices and burnt Offerings thou didst not desire Then said I loe I come c. Was not only a willing Sacrifice as Isaac bound peaceably and laid on the Altar but his own Sacrificer the Beasts if they came willingly yet offered not themselves but he offered up himself and thus not only by a willingness far above all those Sacrifices of Bullocks and Goats but by the eternal Spirit offered up himself Therefore he says in this regard I lay down my life for my sheep it is not pull'd from me but I lay it down and so it is often exprest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he died and yet this suites with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put to death yea it was also expedient to be thus that his death should be violent and so the more penal carry the more clear expression of a punishment and such a violent death as had both ignominy and a Curse tyed to it and this inflicted in a judicial way though as from the hands of Men most unjustly that he should stand and be Judged and Condemned to Death as a guilty Person carrying in that the Persons of so many that should otherwise have fallen under Condemnation as indeed guilty he was numbred with transgressors as the Prophet hath it bearing the sins of many Thus then there was in his Death external violence joyned with internal willingness But what is there to be found but Complications of Wonders in our Lord Jesus O! high inconceivable mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh nothing in this World so strange and sweet as that conjuncture God Man humanitas Dei what a strong Foundation of Friendship and Union betwixt the Persons of Man and God that their natures met in so close embraces in one Person And then look on and see so poor and despised an outward condition through his life yet having hid under it the Majesty of God all the brightness of the Fathers Glory And this the top of all that he was put to Death in the flesh the Lord of life dying the Lord of Glory cloathed with shame But it quickly appeared what kind of Person it was that died by this he was put to Death indeed in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit Quickned He was indeed too great a morsel for the Grave to digest for all its vast craving mouth and devouring appetite crying give give yet forced to give him up again as the fish that Prophet who in that was the figure of him the Chains of that Prison are strong but he was too strong a Prisoner to be held by them as our Apostle hath it in his Sermon that it was not possible that he should be kept by them They thought all was sure when they had rolled to the Stone and
death and resurrection study them set thine eye upon them till thy Heart take in the Impression of them by much Spiritual and affectionate looking on them beholding the Glory of thy Lord Christ then be transformed unto it 2 Cor. 3. It is not only a moral Patern or Copy but an effectual Cause of thy sanctification having real influence into thy Soul dead with him and again alive with him Oh Happiness and Dignity unspeakable to have this Life known and cleared to your Souls If it were how would it make you live above the World and all the vain hopes and fears of this wretched Life and the fears of Death it self yea it would make it most lovely to them that is the most affrightful Visage to the World It is the Apostles Maxime that the carnal mind is enmity against God as it is universally true of every carnal mind so of all the motions and thoughts of it even where it seems to agree with God yet it s still contrary if it acknowledge and conform to his Ordinances yet even in so doing it s in direct opposite terms to him particularly in this that which he esteems most in them the carnal mind makes least account of He chiefly eyes and values the inside the Natural Man dwells and rests in the shell and superfice of them God according to his Spiritual Nature looks most on the more Spiritual part of his worship and Worshippers The carnal mind 's in this just like it selfe altogether for the sensible external part and cannot look beyond it Therefore the Apostle here having taken occasion to speak of Baptism by terms of Paralel and resemblance with the Flood is express in correcting this mistake It is not says he in putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience Were it possible to perswade you I would recommend one thing to you learn to look on the Ordinances of God suitably to their Natures spiritually and enquire after the spiritual effect and working of them upon your Consciences We would willingly have all Religion reduced to outwards this is ouâ— natural choice and would pay all in this coyn as cheaper and easier by far and would compound for the Spiritual part rather to add and give more external perâ—ormance and ceremony Hence the natural complacency of Popery which is all for this service of the flesh and body-services and to those prescribed of God all deal so liberally with him in that kind as to add more and frame new Devices and Rites what you will in this kind Sprinklings and Washingâ— and Anointings and Incense but whither all this is it not a gross mistake of God to think him thus pleased or is it not a direct afront knowing that he is not pleased with these but desires another thing to thrust that upon him that he cares not for and refuse him what he calls for that single humble heart worship and walking with him that purity of Spirit and Conscience that he only prizes and no outward-service but for these as they tend to this end and do attain it Give me says he nothing if you give not this Oh! saith the carnal Mind any thing but this thou shalt have as many washings and offerings as thou wilt thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yea rather then fail let the Fruit of my Body go for the Sin of my Soul Thus we will the outward use of Word and Sacraments do it then all shall be well baptised we are and shall I hear much and communicate ofâ—en if I can reach it shall I â—e exact in poâ—nt of Family Worship shall I pray in secret all this I do or at least I now promise Ay but when all that is done there is yet one thing may be wanting and if it be so all that amounts to nothing is thy Conscience purged and made good by all these or art thou sâ—â—king and aiming at this by the use of all means then certainly thou shalt â—ind life in them But does thy heart still remain uncleansed from the old ways not purified from the Pollutions of the World do thy beloved sins still lodge with thee and keep possession of thy heart then art thou still a stranger to Christ and an enemy to God the word and seals of Life are dead to thee and thou still dead in the use of them all Know you not that many have made shipwrack upon the very rock of Salvation that many which were baptised as well as you and as constant attendants on all the Worship and Ordinances of God as you yet remained without Christ and died in their sins and are now past recovery Oh! that you would be warned there are still multitudes running headlong that same course tending to destruction through the midst of all the means of Salvation the saddest way of all to it through Word and Sacraments and all heavenly Ordinances to be walking hellwards Christians and yet no Christians baptised and yet unbaptised as the Prophet takes in the prophane multitude of God's own People with the Nations Jer. 9. 26. Egypt and Iudah and Edom all these Nations are uncircumcised and the worst came last and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised in the Heart Thus thus the most of us unbaptised in the heart and as this is the way of personal destruction so it is that as the Prophet there declares that brings upon the Church so many publick Judgments and as the Apostle tells that for the abuse of the Lord's Table many were sick and many slept Certainly our abuse of the holy things of God and want of their proper Spiritual Fruits are amongst the prime sins of this Land 〈◊〉 which so many 〈◊〉 have fallen in the Fields by the Sword and in the Streets by Pestilence and more likely yet to fall if we thus continue to provoke the Lord to his Face for it is the most avowed direct affront to prophane his holy things and thus we do while we answer not their proper end and are not inwardly sanctify'd by them we have no other Word nor other Sacraments to recommend to you than these that you have used so long to no purpose only we would call you from the dead forms to seek the living power of them that you perish not You think the renouncing of Baptism a horrible Word and that we would speak only so of witches yet it is a common guiltiness that cleaves to all who renounce not the filthy lusts and the self will of their own hearts for Baptism carries in it a renouncing of these and so the cleaving unto these is a renouâ—cing of it Oh! we all were sealed for God in Baptism who lives so few that have the Impression of it on the Conscience and the expression of it in the walk and fruit of their life We do not as clean washed persons abhor and fly all pollutions all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness We have been a
of unbelieving Husbands and this we have both in that word their conversation which signifies the whole course and tract of their Lives and in the particular specifying of the several duties proper to that relation and state of Life First Subjection Secondly Chastity Thirdly Fear Fourthly Modesty in outward Ornaments Fifthly The inward Ornaments of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit The combinement of those things makes up such a Wife and the exercise of them throughout her life makes up such a Conversation as adorns and commends the Religion they profess and is a fit and may be a successful means of converting the Husband that as yet professes it not Chaste Conversation It is the proper character of a Christian to study Purity in all things as the word in its extent signifies Let the World turn that to a reproach call them as you will this is sure that none have less fancy and presumption of Purity than these that have most desire of it but the particular pureness here intended is as 't is render'd that of Chastity as the word is oft taken it being a Grace that peculiarly deserves that name as the sins contrary to it are usually and deservedly called Uncleanness 'T is the pure whiteness of the Soul to be chaste to abhor and disdain the swinish puddle of Lust than which there is nothing doth more debase the excellent Soul draws it down below it self and makes it truely brutish The three kinds of Chastity Virginal Conjugal and Vidual are all of them acceptable to God and sutable to the Profession of a Christian therefore in general only whatsoever be our condition of Life let us in that way conform to it follow the Apostles Rule possessing those our earthen Vessels our bodies in Holiness and Honour by which there is express'd this same Chastity And this we shall do if we rightly remember our Calling as Christians in what sort of life soever as there he tells us That God hath not called us to Vncleanness but unto Holiness With Fear Either a reverent respect to their Husbands or the fear of God whence flows best both that and all other observance whether of Conjugal or any other Christian Duties be not presumptuous as some because you are chaste but contemper your Conversation that way with a religious fear of God that you dare not take liberty to offend him in any other thing and according to his institution with a reverent fear of your Husbands shunning to offend them but possibly this fear doth particularly relate to this other duty with which its joyn'd chaste Conversation with fear fearing the least stain of Chastity or the very least appearance of any thing not suiting with it 't is a delicate timerous Grace affraid of the least air or shadow of any thing that hath but a resemblance of wronging it in carriage or speech or apparel as follows Verses 3 4. 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of apparel 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price THat nothing may be wanting to the qualifying of a Christian Wife she is taught how to dress her self supposing a general desire but especially in that Sex of Ornament and Comeliness the Sex that began first our engagement to the necessity of cloathing having still a peculiar propension to be curious in that and to improve the necessity to an advantage The direction here given corrects the misplacing of this diligence and addresses it right i. e. Let it not be of the outward Man in plaiting c. Our perverse crooked hearts turn all we use into disorder these two necessities of our Life Food and Rayment how few know the right measure and bounds of them unless Poverty be our Carver and cut us short who almost is there that is not bent to something excessive far more are beholding to the lowliness of their estate than to the lowliness of their mind for sobriety in those things and yet some will not be so bounded neither but will profusely lavish out upon Trifles to the sensible prejudice of their Estate 'T is not my purpose nor do I think it very needful to debate many particulars of Apparel and Ornament of the Body their lawfulness or unlawfulness only First 'T is out of doubt that though cloathing was first drawn on by necessity yet all regard of Comeliness and Ornament in Apparel is not unlawful nor doth the Apostle's expression here rightly considered fasten that upon the adorning he here speaks of and he doth no more universally condemn the use of Gold for Ornament than he doth any other comely Rayment which here he means by that general Word of putting on of Apparel for his not is comparative not this Adorning but the Ornament of a meek Spirit that rather and as much more comely and precious as that I will have mercy and not sacrifice Secondly According to the different place and quality of Persons there may be difference in this Thus the Robes of Judges and Princes are not only for personal Ornament but because there is in them especially to vulgar eyes that seldom look deeper than the outside of things there is I say in that Apparel a representment of Authority or Majesty that befits their place and besides this in other Persons that are not in Publick Place Men or Women that are here particularly directed yet may have in this some mark of their Rank and in Persons otherways little distant some allowance may be made for the Habitudes and Breeding of some beyond others or the quality of their Society and those with whom they converse Thirdly 'T is not impossible that there may be in some an affected Pride in the meaness of Apparel and in others under either neat or rich attire a very humble unaffected mind using it upon some of the aforemention'd engagements or such like and yet the heart not at all upon it Fourthly 'T is as sure as any of these that real excess and vanity in Apparel will creep in and will always willingly convey it self under the cloak of some of these honest and lawful Considerations This is a prime peice of our hearts deceit not only to hold out fair Pretences to others but to put the trick upon our selves to make our selves believe we are right and single minded in those things wherein we are directly seving our Lusts and feeding our own Vanity Fifthly To a sincere and humble Christian very little either dispute or discourse in this will be needful a tender Conscience and a Heart purg'd from Vanity and weaned from the World will be sure to regulate this and all other things of this nature after the safest manner and will be wary 1. Of Lightness and fantastick garb in Apparel which is the very Bush
or Sign hanging out that tells a vain Mind lodges within 2. Of excessive costliness which both argues and â—â—eds the Pride of the Heart and defrauds if not others of their dues yet the poor of thy charity which in God's sight is a due debt too and far more comfort shall thou have on thy death Bed to remember such a time in stead of Lace on my own Cloaths I helped a naked back to cloathing I abated somewhat of my former superfluities to supply the Poors necessities sweeter this than to remember that I could needlesly cast out many pounds to serve my Pride rather than give a penny to relieve the Poor As conscientious Christians will not exceed in the thing it self so in as far as they use lawful Ornament and Comeliness they will do it without bestowing much either diligence or delight on the business To have the mind taken and pleas'd with such things is so foolish and childish a thing that if most might not find it in themselves they would wonder at many others of years and common wit And yet truely 't is a Disease that few escape 't is strange upon how poor things Men and Women will be vain and think themselves some body not only upon some comeliness in their face or feature which though poor yet is a part of themselves but of things meerly without them that they are well lodged or well mounted or well apparell'd either richly or well in fashion light empty minds as bladders blown up with any thing and they that perceive not this in themselves are most drown'd but such as have found it out and abhor their own follies are still hunting and following themselves in these to beat them out of their hearts and to shame them from such fopperies The Soul fallen from God hath lost its true worth and beauty and therefore it basely descends to these mean things to serve and dress the body and take share with it of its unworthy borrow'd Ornaments hath lost and forgotten God and seeks not after him knows not that he is the alone Beauty and Ornament of the Soul Ier. 2. 32. his Spirit and the Graces of it its rich attire as here particularly specified in one excellent Grace and holds true in the rest The Apostle doth indeed expresly on purpose check and forbid vanity and excess in apparel and excessive delight in lawful decorum but his prime end is to recommend this other Ornament of the Soul The hidden man of the heart 'T is the thing the best Philosophy aim'd at as some of their choice men do express it to reduce men as much as may be from their Body to their Soul but this is the thing that true Religion alone doth effectually and throughly from the pampering and feeding of a Morsel for the Worms to the nourishing of that immortal being infus'd into 't and directs it to the proper nourishment of Souls the Bread that came down from Heaven Io. 6. 27. So here the Apostle pulls off from Christian Women their vain outside Ornaments but is not this a wrong to spoil all their dressing and fineness No he doth but this to send them to a better Wardrobe there 's much profit in the change All the Gold and other riches of the Temple figuring the Excellent Graces of Christians of Christ indeed first as having all fullness in himself and furnishing them but secondarily of Christians as the living Temples of God so the Church all glorious but within and the embroidery the variety of Graces the lively colours of other Graces shining best on the dark ground of Humility Christ delights to give much Ornament to his Church commends what she hath and adds more Cant. 1. 10. 11. The particular Grace he recommends is particularly suitable to his subject in hand the conjugal duty of Wives nothing so decoring their whole carriage as this meekness and quietness of Spirit but it is withal the comeliness of every Christian in every estate 't is not a Womans Garment or Ornament improper for Men there is somewhat as I may say of a particular cut or fashion of it for Wives towards their Husbands and in their domestick Affairs but Men all Men ought to wear of the same stuff yea so to speak of the same piece for it is in all one and the same Spirit fits the stoutest and greatest Commanders Moses a great General and yet no less great in this Virtue the meekest Man on Earth Nothing more uncomely in a Wife than an uncomposed turbulent Spirit that is put out of frame with every trifle and inventive of false causes of disquietness and fretting to it self And so of a Husband and of all an unquiet passionate Mind lays it self naked and discovers its own deformity to all The greatest part of things that vex us are not from their Nature or weight but the unsettledness of our Minds How comely is it to see a composed firm Mind and Carriage that is not lightly moved I urge not a Stoical stupidness but that in things that deserve sharp reproof the Mind keep in its own Station and Seat still not shaken out of it self as the most are that the Tongue utter not unseemly rash words nor the Hand act any thing that discovers the mind hath lost its command for the time but truly the most know so ill how to use just anger upon just cause that it is easier and the safer extream not to be angry but still calm and serene as the upper Region not the place of continual tempest and storms as the most are let it pass for a kind of sheepishness to be meek 't is a likeness to him that was a Sheep before the shearers not opening his Mouth 't is a Portion of his Spirit The Apostle commends his exchange of Ornaments from two things 1. Incorruptible and therefore fits an incorruptible Soul Your varieties of Jewels and Rich Apparel are perishing things you shall one day see an heap made of all and that all on a slame and in reference to you they perish sooner when death strips you of your nearest Garment your flesh all the other that were but loose upper Garments above it must off too it gets indeed a covering to the Grave but the Soul is left stark naked if no other Cloathing be provided for it for the Body was but borrowed then it is denuded of all But spiritual Ornaments and this here amongst them remain and are incorruptible they neither wear out nor out of fashion but are still the better for the wearing and shall last Eternity and shine there in full lustre And 2dly because the opinion of others is much regarded in matter of Apparel and 't is most for that we use Ornament in it he tells us of the account of this Men think it poor and mean nothing more expos'd to contempt than the Spirit of Meekness mere folly with Men that 's no matter this overweighs all their disesteem 't is
Ierusalems Wallâ— than for the binding up and healing of it self and in that Psal. that seem's to be the expression of his joy being exalted to the Throne and sitting peaceably on it yet he still thus prays for the peace of Ierusalem And the Penman of that 137. Psalm makes it an execrable oversight to forget Ierusalem ver 5. or to remember it coldly or secundarily no less will serve him than to prefer it to his chief joy Whatsoever else is top or head of his joy as the word is Ierusalems wellfare shall be its Crown shall be set above it And the Prophet whoever it was that wrote that poured out that Prayer from an afflicted Soul comforts himself in this that Zion shall be favoured my bones are consum'd c. But it matters not what becomes of me let me languish and wither away provided Sion flourish tho' I feel nothing but pains and troubles yet thou wilt arise and shew mercy to Sion I am content that satisfies me But where is now this Spirit of high sympathy with the Church sure if there were of it in us 't is now a fit time to act it If we be not altogether dead sure we will be stirr'd with the voice of those late stroaks of Gods hand and be driven to more humble and earnest prayer by it Men will change their poor base grumblings about their privacy Oh! what shall I do c. into strong cries for the Church of God and the publick deliverance of all these Kingdomes from the raging Sword but vile selfishness undoes us the most looking no further if themselves and theirs might be secur'd would regard little what became of the rest as one said when I am dead let the World be fir'd but the Christian mind is of a larger Sphere looks not only upon more than it self in present but even to after Times and Ages and can rejoyce in the good to come when it self shall not be here to partake of it is more dilated and liker unto God and to our head Iesus Christ. The Lord says the Prophet Esay in all his peoples affliction was afflicted himself and Jesus Christ accounts the sufferings of his Body the Church his own Saul Saul why persecutest thou me the heel was trod upon on earth and the head cryeth from Heaven as sensible of it and this in all our evils especially our spiritual Griefs is a high point of comfort to us that our Lord Jesus is not insensible of them This emboldens us to complain our selves and to put in our petitions for help to the Throne of Grace through his hand knowing that when he presents he will speak his own sense of our condition and move for us as it were for himself as we have it sweetly express'd Heb. 4. 15. 16. Now as it is our comfort so it is our pattern Love as Brethren Hence springs this feeling we speak oâ— Love is the cause of union and union the cause of sympathy and of that unanimity before they that have the same spirit uniting and animating them cannot but have the same Mind and the same feelings And this Spirit is derived from that head Christ in whom Christians live and move and have their being their new and excellent being and so in living in him they love him and are one in him they are Brethren as here the word is their fraternity holds in him he is head of it the first born among many Brethren Men are Brethren in two natural respects their Bodies of the same earth and their Souls breathed from the same God but this third fraternity that is founded in Christ is far more excellent and more firm than the other two for being one in him they have there taken in the other two for that in him is our whole Nature he is the Man Christ Iesus but to the advantage and 't is an infinite one being one in him we are united by the Divine Nature in him who is God blessed for ever and this is the highest certainly and the strongest union that can be imagin'd Now this is a great Mystery indeed as the Apostle says speaking of this same point the union of Christ and his Church whence their union and Communion one with another that make up that Body the Church is deriv'd In Christ every believer is born of God is his Son and so they are not only Brethren one with another that are so born but Christ himself own 's them as his Brethren both he which sanctifies and they who are sanctifiâ—d are all of one for which cause he is not asham'd to call them Brethren Sin broke all to pieces Man from God and one from another Christ's work in the World was Vnion to make up these breaches he came down and begun the union which was his work in the wonderful union made in his Person that was to work it made God and Man one and as the Nature of Man was reconciled so by what he performed the Persons of Men are united to God Faith makes them one with him and he makes them one with the Father and from these results this oneness amongst themselves concentring and meeting in Jesus Christ and in the Father through him they are made one together And that this was his great work we may read in his Prayer where it is the burden and main strain the great request he so iterates that they may be one as we are one ver 11. a high comparison such as Man durst not name but after him that so warrants us and again ver 21. that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us and so on So that certainly where this is it is the ground work of another kind of Friendship and love than the World is acquainted with or is able to judge of and hath more worth in one drachme of it than all the quintessence of civil or natural assection can amount to The friendship of the World the best of them are but tyed with chains of glass but this fraternal love of Christians is a Golden chain both more precious and more strong and lasting the other are worthless and brittle The Christian ows and pays a General Charity and good will to all but peculiar and intimate friendship he cannot have but with such as come within the compass of this fraternal love Which after a special manner flows from God and returns to him and abides in him and shall remain unto eternity Where this love is and abounds it will banish far away all those dissentions and bitternesses and those â—rivolous mistakings that are so frequent amongst the most it will teach wisely and gently to admonish one another where it is needful but further than that it will pass by many offences and failings and cover a multitude of sins and will very much sweeten Society and make it truly profitable therefore the Psalmist calls it both
good and pleasant that Bretâ—ren dwell together in unity it persumes all as the precious â—yntâ—â—â—â—â—â— c. But many that are called Christians are not indeed of this Brotherhood and therefore no wonder they know not what this love means but are either of restless unquiet Spirits biting and devouring one another as the Apostle speaks or at the best only civilly smooth and peaceable in their carriage but rather scorners than partakers of this spiritual love and fraternity are strangers to Christ not brought into acquaintance and union with him and therefore void of the life of Grace and the fruits of it whereof this is a chief one Oh! how few amongst multitudes that throng in as we do here together are indeed partakers of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God or ambitious of that high and happy estate As for you that know these things and have a portion in them that have your communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ I beseech you adorn your holy profession and testifie you selves the Disciples and the Brethren of Jesus Christ by this mutual love seek to understand better what it is and to know it more practically Consider that sourse of love that love that the Father hath shewed us in this that we should be called the Sons of God and so be Brethren and thence draw more of this sweet stream of love God is love says the Apostle therefore sure where there is most of God there is most of this Divine Grace this holy love Look upon and study much that infinite love of God and his Son Jesus Christ towards us he gave his only begotten Son the Son gave himself he sweeten'd his bitter cup with his tranâ—â—endent love and this he hath recommended to us that even as he loved us so should we love one another we know we cannot reach this highest pattern that 's not meant but the more we look on it the higher we shall reach in this love and shall learn some measure of such love on Earth as is in Heaven and that which so begins here shall be perfected there Be pitiful be courteous The Roots of Plants are hid under Ground so that themselves are not seen but they appear in their Branches and Flowers and Fruits which argue there is a Root and Life in them thus the Graces of the Spirit planted in the Soul though themselves invisible yet discover their Being and Life in the Tract of a Christian's Life their Words and Actions and the frame of their carriage thus Faith shews that it lives as the Apostle St. Iames teacheth at large and thus Love a Grace of so active a nature that it is still working and yet never weary your labour of love says the Apostle it labours but delight makes the hardest labour sweet and easie and so proper is action to it that all action is null without it 1 Cor. 13. yea it knits Faith and Action together is the link that unites them Faith worketh but 't is by it as the Apostle teaches us by Love so then where this Root is these Fruits will spring from it and discover it Pity and Courtesie They are of a larger extent in their full Sphere than the precedcing for from a general love due to all they act towards all to men or humanity in the general And this not from a bare natural tenderness which softer complexions may have nor from a prudent moral consideration of their own possible falling under the like or greater calamities but out of obedience to God who requires this mercifulness in all his Children and cannot own them for his unless in this they resemble him And it is indeed an evidence of a truly Christian mind to have much of this pity to the miseries of all being rightly principled and acting after a Pious and Christian manner towards the Sick and Poor of what condition soever yea most pitying the spiritual misery of ungodly men their hardness of heart and unbelief and earnestly wishing their conversion not repining at the long-suffering of God as if thou would'st have the Bridge out because thou art over as St. Augustine speaks but longing rather to see that long-suffering and goodness of God lead them to repentance being griev'd to see men ruining themselves and diligently working their own destruction going in any way of wickedness as Solomon speaks of one particularly as an Ox to the Shambles or a Fool to the correction of the Stocks Certainly the ungodly Man is an object of the highest pity But there is a special debt of this pity to those that we love as Brethren in our Lord Jesus these are most closely linkt by a peculiar fraternal love Their sufferings and calamities will move the Bowels that have Christian affection within them Nor is it an empty helpless pity but carries with it the real communication of our help to our utmost power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not only Bowels that are moved themselves with pity but that move their hand to succour for by this word the natural affection of Parents and the tenderer of them the Mother are express'd who do not idly behold and beâ—oan their Children being sick or distress'd but provides all possible help their bowels are not only stirr'd but dilated and enlarged towards them And if our feeling bowels and helping hand are due to all and particularly to the Godly and we ought to pay this due in outward distresses how much more in their Soul-afflictions the rather because these are most heavy in themselves and least understood and therefâ—re least regarded yea sometimes more by natural Friends possibly by their bitter scoffes and taunts or by their flighting or at best by their misapplying of proper helps and remedies which as unfit Medicines do rather exasperate the Disease therefore they that do understand and can be sensible of that kind of wound ought so much the more to be tender and pitiful towards it and to deal mercifully and gently with it It may be very weak things sometimes trouble a weak Christian but there is in the Spirit of the Godly a humble condescention learn'd from Christ who broke not the bruised reed nor quenched the smoaking flax The least difficulties and scruples in a tender conscience should not be roughly encounter'd they are as a knot in a silken thread and require a gentle and wary hand to loose them Now this tenderness of bowels and inclinement to pity all especially Christians and them especially in their peculiar pressures is not a weakness as some kind of Spirits take it to be this even naturally is a generous pity in greatest Spirits Christian pity is not womanish yea 't is more than manly 't is divine there is of it natural most in the best and most ingenuous natures but where 't is spiritual 't is a prime lineament of the image of God and the more absolute and disengag'd it is in regard of those towards whom it acts the more like
mention'd and carries along with it this inward and real not acted courteousness Not to insist on it now it gains at all hands with God and with Men receives much Grace from God and kills envy and commands respect and good will from Men. Those showers of grace that slide off from the lofty Mountains rest on the Valleys and make them fruitful He giveth grace loves to bestow it wherethere is most room to receive it and most return of ingenuous and entire praises upon the receipt and such is the humble Heart and truly as much humility gains much grace so it grows by it 1. 'T is one of the Worlds reproaches against those that go beyond their size in Religion that they are proud and self conceited Christians beware there be nothing in you justifying this sure they that have most true grace are least guilty of it common knowledge and gifts may puff up but grace does not He whom the Lord loads most with his richest gifts stoops lowest as pressed down with the weight of them the Free Love of God humbles the Heart most to which it is most manifested And towards Men it graces all Grace and all gifts and glorifies God and teaches others so to do It is the preserver of Graces sometimes seems to wrong them by hiding them but indeed it is their safety Hezekiah by a vain shewing of his jewels and treasures forfeited them all Verse 9. 9 Not rendring evil for evil or railing ofr railing but contrary wise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing OPposition helps Grace both to more strength and more lustre when Christian Charity is not encounter'd with the Worlds malignance it hath an easier task but assaulted and overcoming it shines the brighter and rises higher and thus it is when it renders not evil for evil To repay good with evil is amongst Men the top of iniquity yet this is our universal guiltiness towards God he multiplying mercies and we vying with multiply'd sins as the Lord complains of Israel as they were increased so they sinned The lowest step of good mutual amongst Men is not to be bent to provoke others with injuries and being unoffended to offend none but this not to repay offences nor render evil for evil is a Christians rule and yet further to return good for evil and blessing for cursing is not only counsell'd as some vainly distinguish but commanded It is true the most have no ambition for this degree of goodness aspire no further but to do or say no evil unprovoked and think themselves sufficiently just and equitable if they keep in that but this is lame is but half the rule Thou thinkest injury obliges thee or if not so yet excuses thee to revenge or at least disobliges thee unties thy engagement of wishing and doing good but these are all gross practical errours For 1st The second injury done by way of revenge differs from the first that provoked it little or nothing but only in point of time and certainly no one Man's sin can procure priviledge to another to sin in that or the like kind If another hath broken the bonds of his allegiance and Obedience to God and of charity to thee yet thou art not the less ty'd by the same Bonds still 2dly By revenge of injuries thou usurpest upon God's prerogative who is the Avenger as the Apostle teaches Rom. 12. this doth not forbid either the Magistrats Sword for just punishment of Offenders or the Souldiers Sword in a just War but such revenges as without authority or a lawfull call the pride and perversness of Men do multiply one against another In which is involv'd a presumptuous contempt of God and his supreme authority or at least the unbelief and neglect of it 3dly It cannot be genuine upright goodness that hath its dependance upon the goodness of others that are about us that as they say of the vain glorious Man his vertue lyeth in the beholders eye if thy Meekness and Charity be such as lyeth in the good and mild carriage of others towards thee in their Hand and Tongues thou art not owner of it intrinsecally such quiet and calm if none provoke thee is but an accidental uncertain cessation of thy turbulent Spirit unstirr'd but move it and it acts it self according to it self sends up that Mind that lay at the bottom but true Grace doth then most manifest what it is when those things that are most contrary surround and assault it it cannot correspond and hold game with injuries and raylings hath no faculty for that for answering evil with evil a Tongue enur'd to graciousness and mild Speeches and Blessings and a heart stor'd so within can vent no other try it and stir it as you will A Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him but according to what he is through the grace and Spirit of God in him as they say quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis the same things are differently received and work differently as the Nature and way is of that which receives them A sparkle blows up one of a sulphureous temper and many Coals greater injuries and reproaches are quench'd and loose their force being thrown at another of a Cool Spirit Prov. 17. 27. They that have malice and bitterness and cursings within though these sleep it may be yet awake them with the like and the Provision comes forth out of the abundance of the heart give them an ill word and they have another or two for one in readiness for you where the Soul is furnished with spiritual blessings there blessings come forth even in answer to reproaches and indignities the mouth of the Wise is a Tree of Life says Solomon can bear no other fruit but according to its kind and the Nature of the root an honest spiritual heart pluck at it who will they can pull no other fruit but such fruit Love and Meekness lodge there and therefore whosoever knocks these make the answer Let the World account it a despicable simplicity seek you still more of that Dove-like Spirit the Spirit of meekness and blessing a poor glory to vie railings and contest in that faculty or any kind of vindictive returns of evil the most abject creatures have of that great Spirit as follish poor Spirited persons account it but it is the glory of Man to pass by a transgression the noblest victory and as we mention'd the highest example God is our Pattern in Love and Compassions we are well warranted to do 't in this Men esteem much more of some other vertues that make more shew and trample upon these Love and Compassion and Meekness but though these violetâ— grow low and are of a dark colour yet they are of a very sweet and diffusive smell odoriferous Graces and the Lord propounds himself our example in them Matth. 5. 't is to be truly the Children of your Father your
propension of his heart towards them The Eye is the servant of the affection turns readily that way most where the heart is Therefore thus the Lord is pleased to speak of his love to his own he views still all the world but he looks upon them with a peculiar delight his eye still on them as it were towards them from all the rest of the world tho he doth not alwaies let them see these his looks for 't is not said they alwayes are in sight of it no not here yet still his Eye is indeed upon them by the beauty of Grace in them his own work indeed the beauty that he himself hath put upon them And so the other of his Ear too he is willing to do for them what they ask he loves even to hear them speak finds a sweetness in the voice of their Prayers that makes his ear not only open to their Prayers but desirous of them as sweet Musick Thus he speaks of both Cant. 2. 14. My dove let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely 2. His good Providence and readiness to do them good to supply their wants and order their affairs for them to answer their desires and thus to let them find the fruits of that love that so leads his eye and ear towards them his eye is upon them he is devising and thinking what to do for them 't is the thing he thinks on most his eyes are on all but they are busied as he is pleased to express it they run to and fro through the earth to shew himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him c. 2 Chron. 16. 9. so Deut. 11. 12 his Eyes all the year on the land And no wonder then he answers their Suits in what is good for them when it is still in his thoughts before he prevents they cannot be so mindful of themselves as he is of them This is an unspeakable Comfort when a poor Believer is in great perplexity of any kind in his outward or spiritual condition Well I see no way I am blind in this but there are eyes upon me that see well what is best the Lord is minding me and bringing about all to my advantage I am poor and needy indeed but the Lord thinketh on me that casteth the ballance Would not a man tho he had nothing think himself happy if some great Prince were busily thinking how to advance and inrich him much more if a number of Kings were upon this thought and devising together yet these thoughts might perish as the Psalmist speaks how much solider happiness is it to have him whose power is greatest and whose thoughts sail not eying thee and devising thy good and asking us as it were What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour And his Ears What suits thou hast thou mayst speak freely he will not refuse thee any thing that is for thy good O! but I am not righteous and all this is for them only yet thou wouldst be such a one wouldst thou indeed then in part thou art as he modestly and wisely chang'd the name of Wisemen into Philosophers art thou not righteous yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Righteousness thou art then one of these but if still thine own unrighteousness be in thine eye it may and should be so to humble thee but if it should scare thee from coming unto God and offering thy suits with this perswasion that his ear is open make thee think that his favourable eye is not toward thee yet there is mercy creep in under the Robe of his Son thou art sure he is Iesus Christ the righteous and that the Father's eye is on him with delight and then it shall be so on thee being in him and put thy petitions into his hand that is Great Master of Requests thou canst not doubt that he hath access and that ear open which thou thinkest shut to thee The Exercise of Prayer being so important and bearing so great a part in the life and comfort of a Christian it deserves to be very seriously considered We will therefore subjoyn some few Considerations concerning it 1. Prayer is considerable in a threefold Notion 1. As a duty we owe to God being he from whom we expect and receive all 't is a very reasonable homage and acknowledgement thus to testify the dependance of our Being and Life on him and the dependance of our Souls upon him for Being and Life and all good that we be daily Suiters before his Throne and go to him for all 2. As the Dignity and the delight of a spiritual Mind to have so near access unto God and such liberty to speak to him 3. As a proper and sure means by Divine Appointment and Promise of obtaining at the hands of God those good things that are needful and convenient for us And altho some Believers of lower Knowledge do not it may be so distinctly know and others not so particularly consider all these in it yet there is a latent Notion of all these in the heart of every Godly Person that stirs them and puts them on to the constant use of prayer and to a love of it And as they are in these respects inclin'd and bent to the exercise of prayer the Lord's ear is in like manner inclin'd to hear their prayer in these respects 1. He takes it well at their hands that they do offer it up as due worship to him that they desire thus as they can to serve him accepts of those offerings graciously passes by the imperfections in them and hath regard to their sincere intention and desire 2. It pleases him well that they delight in Prayer as converse with him that they love to be much with him and to speak to him often and still aspire by this way to more acquaintance with him that they are ambitious of this 3. He willingly hears their prayers as the Expressions of their Necessities and Desires being both rich and bountiful loves to have blessings drawn out of his hands that way as full breasts delight to be drawn the Lord's Treasure always full and therefore always Communicative In the first respect prayer is acceptable to the Lord as Incense and Sacrifice as David desires the Lord receives it as Divine Worship done to him In the second prayer is as the Visits and sweet Entertainment and Discourse of Friends together and so pleasing to the Lord the free opening of the mind pouring out of the heart to him as 't is called in the Psalm and so done calls it his Words and his Meditation and the Word for that signifies Discourse or Conference And in the third sense he receives prayer as the suites of petitioners that are in favour with him and that he readily accords to And thus the words for Supplication in the Original and the word here for Prayer and
and walking And without this good Conscience and Conversation we cut our selves short of other Apologies for Religion whatsoever we say for it one unchristian action will disgrace it more than we can repair by the largest and best framed Speeches on its behalf Let those therefore that have given their names to Christ honour him and their holy profession most this way speak for him as occasion requires why not providing with meekness and fear as our Apostle hath taught but let this be the main defence of Religion live like it and commend it so Thus all should do that are called Christians adorn that holy Profession with holy Conversation but the most are nothing else but spots and bloâ—s some wallowing in the mire and provoking one another to uncleanâ—ess Oh! the unchristian Life of Christians an Evil to be much lamented more than all the Troubles we sustain But these indâ—ed do thus deny Christ and declare that they are not his So many as have any realiâ—y of Christ in you be so much the more holy the more wicked the rest are strive to make it up and to honour that name which they disgrace and if they will reproach you because ye walk not with them and cast the mire of false reproaches on you take no notice but go on your way it will dry and easily rub off be not troubled with misjudgings shame them out of it by your blamless and holy carriage that will do most to put lies out of countenance however if they continue impudent the day is at hand wherein all the Enemies of Christ shall be all cloathed over and covered with shame and they that have kept a good Conscience and walked in Christ shall lift up their faces with joy 2dly There is an intrinsecal good in this goodness of Conscience that sweetens all sufferings as follows Verse 17. 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing then for evil-doing A Necessity of suffering in any way wherein ye can walk if ye chuse the way of wickedness you shall not escape suffering so And that suppos'd this is by far the better to suffer in well-doing and for it than to suffer either for doing evil or simply to suffer in that way as the Words run 1. The way of the ungodly not exempt for suffering even in present setting aside the judgement and wrath to come often from the hands of men whether justly or unjustly and often from the immediate hand of God always just both in that and the other causing the Sinner to ear of the Fruit of his own ways When prophane ungodly men offer violences and wrongs one to another in this God is just against both in that wherein they themselves are both unjust they are both rebellious against him and so though they intend not his quarrel he means it himself sets them to lash one another As the wicked profess their combined enmity against the Children of God yet they are not always at peace amongst themselves They often revile and desame each other so 't is held up on both sides whereas the godly cannot hold them game in that being like their Lord who when he was reviled reviled not again Besides although the ungodly flourish at sometimes yet they have their days of suffering are subject to the common miseries of the life of Man and the common calamities of evil times the Sword and Pestilence and such like publick judgements Now in what kind soever it be that they suffer they are at a great disadvantage compared with the godly in their sufferings Here impure Consciences may lie sleeping while they are at ease themselves but when any great trouble comes and shakes them then readily the Conscience begins to awake and busle and proves more grievous to them than all that comes on them from without When they remember their despising the ways of God neglecting him and holy things whence they are convinc'd how that comfort might be reapt in these days of distress this cuts and galls them most looking back at their licentious prophane ways each of them strikes to the heart As the Apostle calls sin the sting of death so is it of all sufferings and the Sting that strikes deepest into the very Soul no stripes like those that are secretly given by an accusing Conscience A sad condition to have from thence the greatest anguish where the most comfort should be expected to have thickest darkness whence they should look for most light Men that have evil Consciences love not to be with them are not much with themselves as St. Augustine compares them to such as have shrew'd Wives love not to be at home but yet outward distress sets a Man inward as foul weather drives him home and there where he should find comfort he is met with such accusations as are like a continual dropping as Solomon speaks of a contentious Woman It is a most wretched estate to live under sufferings or afflictions of any kind and a stranger to God then a Man hath God and his Conscience against him that should be his solace in times of distress being knocked off from the comforts of the World whereon he rested and having no Provision of spiritual comfort within nor expectation from above But the Children of God in their sufferings especially such as are for God can retire themselves inwards and rejoyce in the testimony of a good Conscience yea the Possession of Christ dwelling within them All the trouble that befalls them is but as the ratling of Hail upon the Tiles of the House to a man that is sitting within a warm Room at a rich Banquet such is a good Conscience a Feast yea a continual Feast The Believer looks on his Christ and in him reads his deliverance from condemnation and that is a strong Comfort a Cordial that keeps him from fainting in the greatest distresses The Conscience gives this testimony that sin is forgiven raises the Soul above inward sufferings Tell the Christian of loss of Goods or Liberty or Friends or Life he answers all with this Christ is mine and my sin is pardoned That 's enough for me What would I not have suffered to have been delivered from the wrath of God if any suffering of mine in this World could have done that now that is done to my hand All other sufferings are light they are light and but for a moment one thought of Eternity drowns the whole time the World's endurance which is but as one instant or twinkling of an eye betwixt eternity before and eternity after how much less is any short life and a small part that is spent in sufferings though it were all sufferings without interruption which yet it is not when I look forward to the Crown all vanishes and I think it less than nothing Now these things the good Conscience speaks to the Christian in his sufferings therefore certainly his choice is best that provides it
he still asks what you mean by this those things answer not me do ye think I can find Comâ—â—â—â— in them so long as my sin is unpardon'd and there is a 〈◊〉 of Eternal Death standing above my head I feel even an impress of somewhat of that hot Indignation some flashes of it flying and lighting upon the face of my Soul and how can I take pleasure in these things you speak of And though I should be sensless and feel nothing of this all my life yet how soon shall I have done with it and the delights that reach no further and then to have Everlasting burnings Eternity of wrath to enter to how can I be satisfyed with that estate All you offer a Man in this posture is as if ye should set dainty fair and bring musick with it to a Man lying almost pressed to death under great weights and ye bid him eat and be merry but lift not off his pressure you do but mock the Man and add to his misery On the other side he that hath got but a view of his Christ and reads his own pardon in Christs sufferings he can rejoyce in this in the midst of all other sufferings and look on death without apprehension yea with gladness the sting is out Christ hath made all pleasant to him by this one thing that he suffered once for sins Christ hath perfum'd the Cross and the Grave and made all sweet The pardoned Man finds himself light skips and leaps and through Christ strengthning him he can encounter with any trouble If you think to shut in his Spirit within outward sufferings it is now as Sampson in his strength able to carry away the Gates on his back that you would shut one withal yea can submit patiently to the Lords hands in any correction Thou hast forgiven my sin therefore deal with me as thou wilt all is well 1. Learn to consider more deeply and esteem more highly of Christ and his suffering to silence our grumbling at our petty light crosses for so they are in comparison of his will not the great odds of his perfect Innoâ—ency and oâ— his nature and measure of his sufferings will not the sense of that Redemption of our Souls from death by his death will none of these nor all of them argue us into more thankfulness and love to him and patience in our tryals Why will we then be called Christians it is impossible to be fretful and malecontent with the Lord 's dealing with us in any kind till first we have forgot how he dealt with his dearest Son for our sakes But these things are not weigh'd by the most we hear and speak of them but our hearts receive not the impressions of them therefore we repine against our Lord and Father and drown a hundred great blessings in any little touch of trouble that befalls us 2. Seek surer interest in Christ and his suffering than the most either have attained or are aspiring to otherwise all that is here suffered will not ease or comfort thee any thing in any kind of suffering no though thou suffer for a good cause even for his cause still this will be an extraneous foraign thing to thee to tell thee of his sufferings will work no otherwise with thee than some other common story And as in the day of peace thou regardest it no more so in the day of thy trouble thou shalt receive no more comfort from it Other things you esteemed shall have no comfort to speak to you though you persue them with words as Solomon says of the poor Man's friends yet they shall be wanting to you And then you would sure find how happy it were to have this to turn you to that the Lord Jesus suffered for sins and for yours and therefore hath made it a light and comfortable business to you to undergo momentary passing sufferings Days of tryal will come do you not see they are on us already Be perswaded to turn your eyes and desires more towards Christ. This is the thing we would still press the support and happiness of your Souls lyes on it But you will not believe it Oh! that ye knew the comforts and sweetness of Christ. Oh that one would speak that knew more of them were you once but entered into this knowledge of him and the virtue of his sufferings you would account all your days but lost wherein you have not known him and in all times your hearts would find no refreshment like to the remembrance of his love Having somewhat considered these sufferings as the Apostles Argument for his present purpose Now to take nearer notice of the particulars by which he illustrates them as the main point of our Faith and Comfort Of them here two things 1. Their Cause 2. Their Kind Their Cause both their meriting cause and their final cause 1. What in us procured these sufferings unto Christ. 2. What those his suffering procured unto us Our guiltiness brought suffering upon him and his suffering brings us unto God 1. The evil of sin hath the evil of punishment inseparably ty'd to it We have a natural obligation of obedience unto God and he justly urges it so that where the command of his Law is broke the Curse of it presently followeth And though it was simply in the Power of the supream Lawgiver to have dispensed the infliction yet having in his Wisdom purposed to be known a just God in that way following forth the tenor of his Law of necessity there must be a suffering for sin Thus the Angels that kept not their Station falling from it fell into a Dungeon where they are under chains of darkness reserved to the Iudgement of the Great day and Man fell under the sentence of Death But in this is the difference betwixt Man and them they were not of one as parent or common root of the rest but each one fell or stood for himself alone so a part of them only perisht but Man fell altogether so that not one of all the Race could escape condemnation unless some other way of satisfaction be found out And here it is Christ suffered for sins the just for the unjust Father says he I have glorified thee on Earth In this Plot indeed do all the Divine Attributes shine in their full infinite Mercy and immense Justice and Power and Wisdom Looking on Christ as ordained for that purpose I have found a Ransom says the Father one fit to redeem Man a Kinsman one of that very same Stock the Son of Man one able to redeem Man by satisfying me and fullfilling all I lay upon him my Son my only begotten Son in whom my Soul delights And he is willing undertakes all says loe I come c. We are agreed upon the way of this Redemption yea upon the Persons to be redeemed it is not a roving blind Bargain a price paid for we know not to whom Hear his own words Thou hast given the Son
sealed it that then the Grave had indeed shut her mouth upon him it appeared a done business to them and lookt very compleat-like in his Enemies eyes and very desperate like to his Friends his poor Disciples and Followers were they not near the point of giving over when they said This is the third day c. And we thought this had been he that should have delivered Israel And yet he was then with them who was indeed the Deliverer and Salvation of Israel that rolling of the Stone to the Grave was as if they had rolled it towards the East in the night to stop the rising of the Sun the next Morning much further above all their Watches and power was this Sun of Righteousness in his rising again That body that was enâ—omb'd was united to the Spring of Life the Divine Spirit of the Godhead that quickened it Obs. 1. Thus the Church which is likewise his Body when it seems undone is brought to the lowest Posture yet by vertue of that mystical Union with Jesus Christ as his Natural Body by personal Union with his Deity shall be preserved from destruction and shall be delivered and raised in due time Yet as he was nearest his exaltation in the lowest step of his Humiliation so is it with his Church when things are brought to the most hopeless appearance then shall light arise out of darkness Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses Therefore as we ought to seek more humble Sense of Sions distress so withal not to let go this hope that her mighty Lord will in the end be glorious in her deliverance and all her sufferings and low estate shall be as a dark Soil to set off the lusture of her restorement when the Lord shall visit her with Salvation As in the rising of Jesus Christ his Almighty Power and Deity was more manifested than if he had not died and therefore we may say confidently with the Psalmist to his Lord Psal. 71. Thou which hast shewed me greâ—t and sore troubles shall quicken me again and shall bring 〈◊〉 up from the depths of the Earth thou shalt increase my greatness and comfort me on every side Yea the Church comes more beautiful out of the deepest distress let it be oâ—erwhelmed with waves yet it sinks not but rises up as only washt And in this confidence we ought to rejoyce even in the midst of our sorrows and though we live not to see them yet even in beholding afar off to be gladed with the great things the Lord will do for his Church in these later times he will certainly make bare his holy Arm in the Eyes of the Nations and all the ends of the Earth shall see the Salvation of our God His King that he hath set on his holy Hill shall grow in his Conquests and Glory and all that rise against him shall he break with a Rod of Iron He was humbled once but his glory shall be for ever as many were astonished at him his Visage being mar'd more than any Man they shall be as much astonished at his Beauty and Glory so shall he sprinkle many Nations and Kings shall shut their mouths at him According as here we find that remarkable evidence of his Divine Power in rising from the dead put to death in the Flesh but quickened by the Spirit 2. Thus a believing Soul at the lowest when to its own sense it is given over unto death and swallowed up of it as it were in the Belly of Hell yet look up to this Divine Power him whose Soul was not left there will not leave thine there Yea when thou art most sunk in thy sad apprehensions and far off to thy thinking then is he nearest to raise and comfort thee as sometimes it grows darkest immediately before day Rest on his power and goodness which never failed any that did so It is he as David says that lifts up the Soul from the Gates of Death 3. Would any of you be cured of that common Disease the fear of Death look this way and you shall find more than you seek you shall be taught not only not to fear but to love it Consider 1. His Death He died by that thou that receivest him as thy life maist be sure of this that thou art by that his death freed from the second death and that 's the great Point let that have the name which was given to the other the most terrible of all terrible things and as the second death is removed this death that thou art to pass through is I may say beautified and sweetned the ugly Visage of it becomes amiable when ye look on 't in Christ and in his death that puts such a pleasing comeliness upon it that whereas others fly from it with affrightment the Believer cannot chuse but embrace it longs to lie down in that Bed of Rest since his Lord lay in it and hath warmed that cold Bed and purified it with his fragrant Body 2. But especially looking forward to his return thence quickened by the Spirit this being to those that are in him the certain pledge yea the effectual Cause of that blessed Reâ—urrection that is in their hopes there is that Union betwixt them that they shall rise by the communication and vertue of his rising not simply by his Power so the wicked to their grief shall be raised but they by his life as theirs Therefore is it so often re-iterated Io. 6. where he speaks of himself as living and Life-giving Bread to Belivers adds I will raise them up at the last day This comfort we have even for the house of Clay we lay down and for our more considerable part our immortal Souls this his death and rising hath provided for them at their dislodging entring into that Glory where he is Now if these things were lively apprehended and laid hold on Christ made ours and the first Resurrection manifest in us quickened by his spirit to newness of life certainly there would not be a more wellcome and refreshing thought nor a sweeter discourse to us than that of death and no matter for the kind of it were it a violent death so was his Were it that we account most judgement like amongst diseases the plague was not his death very painful and was it not an accursed death and by that curse endured by him in his is not the Curse taken away to the Believer Oh! how wellcome shall that day be that day of Deliverance to be out of this woâ—ful Prison I regard not at what Door I go out at being at once freed from so many deaths and set in to enjoy him who is my life Verses 19 20 21. 19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison 20. Which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water 21. The like figure
the particular resemblance of it with the rule of Christianity Baptism the like figure c. In them 1. The end of Baptism 2. The proper vertue or efficacy of it for that end A resemblance in both these to Noah's preservation in the flood Save us This is the great common end of all the Ordinances of God that one high mark they all aim at And the great and common mistake of them is that they are not so understood and used We come and fit a while and if we can keep awake give the Word the hearing but how few of us receiâ—e it as the ingraâ—ted Word that is able to save our Souls were it thus taken what sweetness would be found in it that most as hear and read it are strangers to How precious would these lines be if we lookâ—â— on them thus saw them meeting and concentring in Salvation as their end Thus likewise the Sacraments considered indeed as Seals of this Inheritance annexed to the great Charter of it Seals of Salvation this would powerfully beget a sit appetite for the Lord's Supper when we are invited to it and would beget a due esteem of Baptism would teach you more frequent and fruitful thoughts of your own and more pious considerations of it when you require it for your Children A natural eye looks upon Bread and Wine and Water and the outward difference of their use there that they are set apart and differenced as is evident by external circumstances from their common use but the main of the difference where their excellency lies it sees not as the eye of faith above that espies Salvation under them and Oh! what another thing are they to it than to a formal user of them We aspire to know the hidden rich things of God that are wrapt up in his Ordinances We stick in the shell and superfice of them and seek no further that makes them unbeautiful and unsavoury to us and that use of them turns into an empty custome Be more earnest with him that hath appointed them and made this their end to save us that he would clear up the eye of our Souls to see them thus under this relation and see how they â—uit to this their end and tend to it and seriously 〈◊〉 Salvation in them from his own hand and we shall find it Save us So that this Salvation of Noah and his Family from the Deluge and all outward deliverances and Salvations but dark shadows of this let them not be spoke of these reprivalls and prolongings of this present liâ—e to the deliverance of the Soul from death the Second death the stretching of a moment to the concernment of Eternity How would any of you welcome a full and sure protection from common dangers if such were to be had that you should be ascertained of safety from Sword and Pestilence that what ever others suffered about you you and your Family should be free And they that have escaped a near danger of this kind resting there as if no more were to be feared whereas this common favour may be shew'd to these that are far off from God and what though you be not only thus far safe but I say if you were secured for afterwards which none of you absolutely are yet when you are put out of danger of Sword and plague still death remains and sin and wrath may be remaining with it and shall it not be all one to dye under these in a time of publick peace and welfare as if it were now Yeâ— something more unhappy by the increase of the heap of sin and wrath guiltiness augmented by life prolong'd and more grievous to be pulled away from the World in the middle of peacable enjoyment and Everlasting darkness to succeed to that short Sun-shine of thy day of ease happiness of a short date and misery for ever What availed it wicked Cham to outlive the flood to Inherit a Curse after it to be kept undrown'd in the waters to see himself and his posterity blasted with his Fathers Curse Think seriously what will be the end of all thy temporary safety and preservation if thou share not in this Salvation and find not thy self sealed and marked for it to flatter thy self with a dream of happiness and walk in the light of a few sparkles that will soon dye out and then lie down in sorrow a sad bed that the most have to go to after they have wearied themselves all the day all their life being in a chase of Vanity The next thing is the power and vertue of this means for its end That it hath a Power is clear in that it is so expresly said it doth save us which kind of power is as clear in the way of it here exprest not by a natural force of the Element though adapted and sacramentally used it only can wash away the silth of the Body its Physical Efficacy or power reaches no further but it is in the hand of the Spirit of God as other Sacraments and as the Word it self is to purifie the Conscience and convey Grace and Salvation to the Soul by the reference it hath to and union with that which it represents It saves by answer of a good Conscience unto God and it affords that by the Resurrection of Iesus from the dead Thus then we have a true Accompt of the Power of this and so of other Sacraments and a discovery of the error of two extreams 1. Of those that ascribe too much to them as if they wrought by a Natural inherent Vertue and carried Grace in them inseparably 2. Of those that ascribe too little to them making them only signs and badges of our Profession signs they are but more than signs meerly representing they are means exhibiting and seals confirming Grace to the Faithful But the working of Faith and the conveying of Christ into the Soul to be received by Faith is not a thing put into them to do of themselves but still in the Supream hand that appointed them and he indeed both causes the Souls of his own to receive these his Seals with faith and makes them effectually to confirm that Faith which receives them so They are then in a word neither empty signs to them that believe nor effectual Causes of Grace to them that believe not The mistake on both sides arises from the inconsideration of the relative Nature of these Seals and that kind of Union that is betwixt them and the Grace they represent which is real though not Natural or Physical as they speak So that though they do not save all that partake of them yet they do really and effectually save Believers for whose Salvation they are means as the other external Ordinances of God do Though they have not that Power which is peculiar to the Author of them yet a Power they have such as befits their Nature and by reason of which they are truely said to Sanctifie and Justifie and so to
who are spotless sinless Spirits but their flesh in their Redeemer dignified with a Glory so far beyond them This is that Mystery they are intent in looking and prying into and cannot nor never shall see the bottom of it for it hath none 2. Jesus Christ is not only exalted above the Angels in absolute Dignity but in relative Authority over them he is made Captain over those Heavenly Bands they are all under his Command for all Services wherein it pleases him to employ them and the great Employment he hath is the attending on his Church and particular Elect Ones are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth c. They are the Servants of Christ and in him and at his appointment the Servants of every Believer and are many ways serviceable and useful for their good which truely we do not duly consider There is no danger of overvaluing them and inclining to Worship them upon this Consideration yea if we take it right it will rather take off from that The Angel judg'd his Argument strong enough to St. Iohn against that that he was but his fellow Servant but this is more that they are Servants to us although not therefore inferiour it being a honorary service yet certainly inferiour to our Head and so to his mystical body taken in that Nation as a part of him Obs. 1. The hight of this our Saviour's Glory will appear the more if we reflect on the descent by which he ascended to it Oh! how low did we bring down so high a Majesty into the pit wherein we had fallen by climbing to be higher than he had set us it was high by reason we fell so low and yet he against whom it was committed came down to help us up again and to take hold of us took us on so the Word is Heb. 2. he took not hold of the Angels let them go hath left them to die for ever But he took hold of the Seed of Abraham and took on him indeed their flesh dwelling amongst us and in a mean part emptied himself and became of no repute and further after he descended into the Earth and into our flesh in it he became obedient to death upon the Cross and descended into the Grave And by these steps was walking towards that Glory wherein now he is Phil. 1. he abased himself wherefore says the Apostle God hath highly exalted him so he himself Luk. 24. Ought not Christ first to suffer these things and so enter into his Glory Now this indeed it is pertinent to consider and the Apostle is here upon point of suffering that 's his theam and therefore he is so particular in the ascending of Christ to his Glory who of those that would come thither will refuse to follow him in the way where he led 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leader of our Faith Heb. 12. and who of those that follow him will not love and delight to follow him through any way the lowest and darkest its excellent and safe and then it ends you see where 2. Think not strange of the Lord's method with his Church bringing her to so low and desperate a Posture many times can she be in a more seeming desperate condition than was her head not only in ignominous sufferings but dead and laid in the Grave and the Stone roll'd to it and sealed and made all sure and yet arose and ascended and now sits in Glory and shall sit till all his Enemies become his Footstool do not fear for him that they shall overtop yea or be able to reach him who is exalted higher than the Heavens be not affraid neither for his Church which is his Body and if his Head be safe and live cannot but partake of safety and life with him though she were to sight dead and laid in the Grave yet shall she rise thence and be more glorious than before and still the lower brought in distress shall rise the higher in the day of deliverance Thus in his dealing with a Soul observe the Lord's method think it not strange that he brings a Soul low very low which he means to comfort and exalt very high in Grace and Glory leads it by Hell-gates to Heaven that it be at that point my God my God why hast thou forsaken me was not the Head put to use that Word and so to speak it as the Head speaks for the Body seasoning it for his Members and sweetning that bitter cup by his own drinking of it Oh! what a hard condition may a soul be brought unto and put to think can he love me and intend mercy for me that leaves me to this And yet in all the Lord preparing it thus for comfort and blessedness 3. Turn your thoughts more frequently to this Excellent Subject the glorious high Estate of our great high Priest The Angels admire this Mystery and we flight it they rejoyce in it and we whom it certainly more nearly concerns are not moved with it do not draw that comfort and that instruction from it which it would plentifully afford if it were drawn It comforts us against all troubles and fears is he not on high who hath undertaken for us doth any thing befall us but it is past first in Heaven and shall any thing pass there to our prejudice or damage he â—its there and is upon the Counsel of all who hath loved us and given himself for us yea who as he descended thence for us did likewise ascend thither again for us hath made our Inheritance he purchas'd there sure to us taking Possession for us and in our name since he is there not only as the Son of God but as our Surety and as our Head and so the Believer may think himself even already possest of this Right in as much as his Christ is there The Saints are glorified already in their head where he reigns Where he reigns there I believe my self to reign says Aug. And consider in all thy straights and troubles outward and inward they are not hid from him he knows them and feels them a compassionate high Priest hath a gracious sense of thy frailties and griefs and fears and tentation and will not suffer thee to be surcharg'd is still presenting thy Estate to the Father and using that interest and power he hath in his affection for thy good And what wouldst thou more art thou one whose heart desires to rest upon him and cleave to him thou art knit so to him that his resurrection and glory secures thee thine his life and thine are not two but one life as that of the Head and Members and if he could not be overcome of death thou canst not neither Oh! that sweet word Because I live you shall live also Let thy thoughts and carriage be moulded in this contemplation rightly ever to look on thy exalted head consider his glory see not only thy Nature raised in him above the Angels but thy person interested by
Faith in that his Glory and then think thy self too good to serve any base lust look down on Sin and the World with a holy disdain being united to him who is so exalted and so glorious And let not thy mind creep here engage not thy Heart to any thing that Time and this Earth can afford Oh! why are we so little there where there is such a spring of delightful and high thoughts for us If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where he sits what mean you are ye such as will let go you interest in this once crucified and now glorified Jesus if not why are ye not more like it why does it not possess your hearts more ought it not to be thus should not our hearts be where our Treasure where our blessed Head is Oh! how unreasonable how unfriendly is it how much may we be ashamed to have room for earnest thoughts or desires or delights about any thing beside him Were this by these that have right in it much wrought upon the heart would there be found in them any ingagement to the poor things that are passing away would death be a terrible word yea would it not be one of the sweetest most rejoycing thoughts to solace and ease the heart under all pressures to look forward to that day of Liberty This inâ—ectious Disease may keep possession all the Winter and grow hot with the year again do not flatter your selves anâ— think its past you have yet remembring strokes to keep it in your eye But however shall we abide still herâ—â— or is there any thing duly weighed why we should desire it well if ye would be untied beforehand and so feel it less this is the only way look up to him who draws up all hearts that do indeed behold him then I say thy heart shall be removed beforehand and the rest is easie and sweet when that 's done all is gained And consider how he desires the compleating of our union Shall it be his begging and earnest desire and shall it not be ours too that where he is there we may be also with patient submission yet striving by desires and suits looking out for our release from this Body of Sin and death The End of the Third Chapter 1 Ep. St. Peter Chap. IV. Ver. 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin THE main of a Christians duty lies in these two patience in suffering and avoidance of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they have a natural influence each into the other altho affliction simply doth not yet affliction sweetly and humbly carried doth purifie and disingage the heart from sin weans it from the world and the common wayes of it And again holy and exact walking keeps the Soul in a sound healthful temper and so enables it to patient suffering to bear things more easily as a strong body endures fatigue heat and cold and hardship with ease a small part whereof would surcharge a sickly constitution The conscience of Sin and careless unholy courses do wonderfully weaken a Soul and distemper it so that it is not able to endure much every little thing disturbs it Therefore the Apostle hath reason as to insist on these two points so much in this Epistle so to interweave so often the one with the other pressing jointly throughout the chearful bearing of all kind of afflictions and the careful forbearing all kind of Sin and out of the one discourse slides into the other so here And as the things agree in their nature so in their great Pattern and Principle jesus Christ and the Apostle still draws both from thence that of Patience ch 3. ver 18. that of Holiness here Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us c. The chief study of a Christian and the very thing that makes him to be a Christian is conformity with Christ. This is the Sum of Religion said that wise Heathen to be like him whom thou worshippest But the example being in it self too sublime is brought down to our view in Christ the brightness of God veil'd and veil'd in our own flesh that we may look on it The inaccessible Light of the Deity is so attempered in the humanity of Christ that we may read our Lesson by it in him and may direct our walk by it and that truly is our only way nothing but wandring and perishing in all other wayes darkness and misery out of him but he that follows me says he shall not walk in darkness And therefore is he set before us in the Gospel in so clear und lively colours that we may make this our whole endeavour to be like him Consider here 1. The high ingagement to this conformity 2. The nature of it 3. The actual improvement of it The ingagement lies in this that he suffered for us Of this before only in reference to this had he come down as some have mis-imagined it only to set us this perfect way of obedience and give us an example of it in our own nature this had been very much that the Son of God would descend to teach wretched man and the great King to descend into man and dwell in a Tabernacle of Clay to set up a School in it for such ignorant accursed creatures and did in his own person act the hardest lessons both in doing and suffering to lead us in both But the matter goes yet higher than this Oh! how much higher hath he suffered not simply as our rule but as our Surety and in our stead He suffered for us in the flesh We the more obliged to make his suffering our example because it was to us more than an example it was our ransom This makes the conformity reasonable in a double respect 1. It is due that we follow him who led thus as the Captain of our Salvation that we follow in suffering and in doing seeing both were so for us its strange how some Armies have addicted themselves to their head to be at his call night and day in Summer and Winter to refuse no travel or endurance of hardship for him and all only to pleasure him and serve his inclination and ambition as Caesar's trained bands especially the eldest of them a wonder what they endured in countermarches and tracing from one Country to another But besides that our Lord and Leader is so great and excellent and so well deserves following for his own worth this lays upon us an obligation beyond all conceiving that he first suffered for us that he endured such hatred of Men and such wrath of God the Father and went through death so vile a death to procure our life what can be too bitter to endure or too sweet to forsake to follow him Were this duly considered would we cleave to our lusts or to our ease would we
the strength of his God Psal. 18. Men's resolutions fall to nothing and as a Prisoner that offers to escape and does not is bound faster thus usually it is with Men in their self purposes of forsaking sin they leave out Christ in the work and so remain in their Captivity yea it grows upon them and while we press them to free themselves and shew not Christ to them we put them upon an impossiblity but a look to him makes it feisable and easie Faith in him and that love to him which faith begets breaks through and surmounts all it s the powerful love of Christ that kills the love of sin and kindles the love of holiness in the Soul makes it a willing sharer in his death and so a happy partaker of his life for that always follows and must of necessity as here is added He that hath suffered in the flâ—sh hath ceased from sin is crucified and dead to it but he looses nothing yea it is his great gain the loss of that deadly life of the flesh for a new spiritual life a life indeed living unto God that is the end why he so dies that he may thus live That he no longer should live c. and yet live far better live to the will of God He that is one with Christ by believing he is one throughout in Death and Life as Christ rose so he that is dead to sin with him through the power of his Death rises to that new life with him through the power of his Resurrection And those two are our Sanctification which whosoever do partake of Christ and are found in him do certainly draw from him Thus are they joyned Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reekon you your selves dead indeed to sin but alive to God and both through Christ Iesus our Lord. All they that do really come to Jesus Christ as they come to him as their Saviour to be cloathed with him and made righteous by him they come likewise to him as their Sanctifier to be made new and holy by him to die and live with him to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes through the hardest sufferings and Death it self and this spiritual suffering and dying with him is the universal way of all his followers They are all Martyrs thus in the cruciâ—ying of sinful flesh and so dying for him and with him and they may well go cheerfully through though it bear the unpleasant name of Death yet as the other Death is which makes it so little terrible yea often appears so much desirable to them so is this the way to a far more excellent and happy life so that they may pass through it gladly both for the company and end of it it s with Christ they go into his death as unto life in his life Though a Believer might be free upon these terms he would not no sure could he be content with that easie life of sin instead of the Divine Life of Christ no he will do thus and not accept of deliverance that he may obtain as the Apostle speaks of the Martyrs a better resurrection Think on it again you to whom your sins are dear still and this life sweet you are yet far from Christ and his life The Apostle with intent to press this more home expresses more at large the nature of the oppoâ—te estates and lives that he speaks of so sets before his Christian Brethren 1. The Dignity of that new life 2. By a particular reflex upon the former life presses the change The former life he calls a living to the lusts of Men this new spiritual life to the will of God The lusts of Men. Such as are common to the corrupt Nature of Man such as every Man may find in himself and perceive in others The Apostle in the third verse more particularly for further clearness specifies these kind of Men that were most notorious in these lusts and those kind of lusts that are most notorious in Men. Writing to the dispersed Jews he calls sinful lusts the will of the Gentiles as having least controul of contrary light in them and yet the Jews walked in the same though they had the Law as a light and rule for the avoiding of them and implies that these lusts were unbeseeming even their former condition as Jews but much more unsuitable to them as now Christians Some of the grossest of these Lusts he names meaning all the rest all the ways of sin and representing their vileness the more lively not as some take it when they hear of such hainous sins that lessen the evil of more civil nature by the Comparison as if freedom from these were a blameless condition and a change of it needless No the Holy Ghost means it just contrary That we may judge of all sin and of our sinful nature by our estimate of these sins that are most disâ—â—rnable and abominable all sin though not equal in degree yet is of one nature and originally springing from one root arising from the same unholy nature of Man and contrary to the same holy nature and will of God So then 1. These that walk in these high ways of impiety and yet will have the name of Christians they are the shame of Christians and the profest enemies of Jesus Christ and of all others most hateful to him that seem to have taken on his name for no other end but to shame and disgrace it but he shall vindicate himself and the blot shall rest upon these impudent persons that dare hold up their faces in the Church of God as parts of it and are indeed nothing but the dishonour of it spots and blots that dare own to Worship God as his people and remain unclean riotous and prophane persons How suits thy sitting here before the Lord and thy sitting with vile ungodly Company on the Alâ—-Bench How agrees the Word sounds it well there goes a drunken Christian unclean basely covetous earthly minded Christian and the naming of these is not besides the text but the very words of it for the Apostle warrants us to take it under the name of Idolatry and in that name he reckons it to be mortified by a Christian. Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncâ—eâ—nness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetoâ—sness which is Idolatry 2. But yet men that are some way exempted from the blot of these foul impieties may still remain slaves to sin alive to it and dead to God living to the Lusts of Men and not to the Will of God pleasing others and themselves displeasing him And the smoothest best bred and most moralized Natural is in this base thraldom And the more miserable that he dreams of liberty in the midst of his chains thinks himself gay by looking on those that wallow in gross prophaneness takes measure of himself by the most crooked lives of ungodly men about him and so thinks himself very streight but lays not the streight
he likes and desires and alters not so now thou knowest whom thou hast to do withal and what to do whom to please and what will please him and this cannot but much settle thy mind and put thee to ease and thou maist say heartily as rejoycing in the change of so many for one and such for such a one as the Church says Isa. 26 13. O Lord our God other Lords beside thee have had dominion over me but now by thee only will I make mention of thy name now none but thy self not so much as the name of them any more away with them through thy Grace thou only shalt be my God It cannot endure any thing be named with thee Now that it may be thus that we may wholly live to the will of God we must know his will what it is Persons grosly ignorant of God and of his will cannot live to him we cannot have fellowship with him and walk in darkness for he is light This takes off a great many amongst us that have not so much as a common Notion of the Will of God but besides that Knowledge which is a part and I may say the first part of the renewed Image of God is not a Natural Knowledge of Spiritual Things meerly attained by human teaching or industry but it s a beam of God's own issuing from himself both enlightening and enlivening the whole Soul gains the affection and stirs to action and so indeed it acts and increases by acting for the more we walk according to that of the Will of God which we know the more we shall be advanced to know more that is the real proving what is his good and holy and acceptable will Rom 12. 2. so says Christ if any will do the Will of my Father he shall know of the Doctrine our lying off from the lively use of known Truth keeps us low in the Knowledge of God and Communion with him 2. So then upon that Knowledge of God's Will where it is Spiritual and from himself follows the suiting of the Heart with it the affections taking the stamp of it and agreeing with it receiving the Truth in the love of it the Heart transformed into it and now not driven to obedience violently but sweetly moving to it by love within the Heart framed to the love of God and so of his Will 3. As Divine Knowledge begets this affection so this affection will bring forth action real obedience For these three are inseparably linkt and dependant on the product of another in this way the affection is not blind but flowing from knowledge nor actual obedience constrained but flowing from affection and the affection is not idle seeing it brings forth obedience nor the knowledge dead seeing it begets affection Thus the renewed the living Christian is all for God a sacrifice entirely offer'd up to God and a living sacrifice lives to God Takes no more notice of his own carnal will hath renounc't that to embrace the holy will of God and therefore though there is a contrary Law and will in him yet he does not acknowledge it but only the Law of Christ as now establisht in him that Law of Love by which he is sweetly and willingly led Real Obedience consults not now in his ways with Flesh and Blood what will please them but only enquires what will please his God and knowing his mind thus resolves to demur no more nor to ask consent of any other that he will do and its reason enough to him my Lord will's it therefore in his strength I will do it for now I live to his will it is my Life to study and obey it Now we know what is the true Character of the redeemed of Christ that they are freed from the service of themselves and of the World yea dead to it and have no Life but for God as all his Let this then be our study and ambition to attain this and to grow in it to be daily further freed from all other ways and desires and more wholly addicted to the will of our God displeased when we find any thing else stir or move within us but that that he Spring of our Motion in every work 1. Because we know his Soveraign Will and most justly so is the Glory of his Name therefore not to rest till this be set up in our view as our end in all and to count all our plausible doings as hateful as indeed they are that are not aimed at this end yea endeavouring to have it as much frequent and express before us as we can attain still our eye on the mark throwing away yea undoing our own interest not seeking our selves in any thing but him in all 2. As living to his will in the end of all so in all the way to every step of it For we cannot attain his end but in his way nor can we intend it without a resignation of the way to his prescript taking all our directions from him how we shall honour him in all The Soul that lives to him hath enough not only to make any thing warrantable but amiable to seek his will and not only does it but delights to do it that 's to live to him to find it our life as we speak of a work wherein Men do most and with most deligh employ themselves In that such a lust be Crucified is it thy will Lord then no more advising no more delay how dear soever that was when I lived to it it is now as hateful seeing I live to thee who it thou hatest Wilt thou have me â—orget an injury though a great one and love the person that hath wronged me While I lived to my self and my passions this had been hard But now how sweet is it seeing I live to thee and am glad to be put upon things most opposite to my corrupt heart glad to trample upon my own will to follow thine and this I daily aspire to and aim at to have no will of my own but that thine be in me that I may live to thee as one with thee and thou my rule and delight Yea not to use the very natural comforts of my Life but for thee to eat and drink and sleep for thee and not to please my self but to be enabled to serve and please thee to make one offering of my self and all my actions to thee my Lord. Oh! it s the only sweet life to be living thus and daily learning to live more fully thus it is Heaven this a little scantling of it here and a pledge of whole Heaven this is indeed the life of Christ not only like his but one with his it is his Spirit his Life derived into the Soul And therefore both the most excellent and certainly most permanent for he dieth no more and therefore this his Life cannot be extinguisht hence is the perseverance of the Saints Because being one Life with Christ alive unto God one for all for
main subject and scope in the foregoing Discourse that death was before called a suffering in the flesh which is in effect the same and therefore though the words may be drawn another way yet its strange that Interpreters have been so far wide of this their genuine and agreeable sense and almost all of them taken in some other intendment To be judged in the flesh In the present sense is to die to sin or that sin die in us and it s thus exprest 1. Suitably tably to the nature of it it is to the flesh a violent death and it is according to a Sentence judicially put against it that guilty and miserable life of sin is in the Gospel adjudged to death there that arrest and sentence is clear and full Rom. 6. 6 c. 8. 13. That sin must die that the Soul may live it must be crucified in us and we to it that we may partake of the Life of Christ and Happiness in him And this is called to be judged in the flesh to have this sentence executed 2. The thing is the rather spoke here under the term of being judged in counter-ballance of that Judgment mentioned immediately before v. 5. The last Judgment of quick and dead wherein they that would not be thus judged but mockt and despised those that were shall fall under a far more terrible Judgment and the sentence of a heavy death indeed everlasting death though they think they shall escape and enjoy liberty in living in sin And that to be judged according to men is I conceive added to signifie the connaturalness of the life of sin to man 's now corrupt nature That men do judge it a death indeed to be severed and pulled from their sins and that a cruel death and the Sentence of it in the Gospel a heavy Sentence a hard Saying to a carnal Heart that he must give up with all his sinful delights must die indeed in self-denial must be separated from himself which is to die if he will be joyned with Christ and live in him Thus men judge that they are judged to a painful death by the Sentence of the Gospel although it is that they may truely and happily live yet they understand it not so They see the death the parting with sin and all its pleasures but the life they see not nor can any know it till partaking of it it is known to him in whom it is it is hid with Christ in God And therefore the opposition here is very fiâ—ly thus represented that the death is according to men in the flesh but the life is according to God in the Spirit As the Christian is adjudged to this death in the flesh by the Gospel so he is lookt on and accounted by carnal men as dead for that he enjoyes not with them what they esteem their life and think they could not live without it one that cannot carrouse and swear with prophane Men is a silly dead Creature good for nothing and he that can bear wrongs and love him that injured him is a poor spiritless fool hath no mettal nor life in him in the World's account thus is he judged according to men in the flesh he is as a dead man but lives according to God in the Spirit dead to men and alive to God as ver 2. Now if this life be in thee it will act all life is in motion and is called an act but most of all active is this most excellent and as I may call it most lively life it will be moving towards God often seeking to him making still towards him as its principle and fountain holy and affectionate thoughts of him sometimes on one of his sweet attributes sometimes on another as the Bee amongst the Flowers And as it will thus act within so outwardly laying hold on all occasions yea seeking out ways and opportunities to be serviceable to thy Lord employing all for him commending and extolling his goodness doing and suffering chearfully for him laying out the strength of desires and parts and means in thy station to gain him Glory If thou be alone then not alone but with him seeking to know more of him and be made more like him if in company then casting about how to bring his name in esteem and to draw others to a love of Religion and Holiness by Speeches as it may be â—it and most by the true behaviour of thy carriage Tender over the Souls of others to do them good to thy utmost thinking each day an hour lost when thou art not busie for the honour and advantage of him to whom thou now livest thinking in the Morning now what may I do this day for my God How may I most please and glorifie him and use my strength and wit and my whole self as not mine but his and then in the evening reflecting O Lord have I seconded these thoughts in reality what glory hath he had by me this day whither went my thoughts and endeavours what busied them most have I been much with God have I adorned the Gospel in my converse with others And if finding any thing done this way to bless and acknowledge him the spring and worker of it If any step aside were it but to an appearance of evil or if any fit season of good hath escapt thee unprofitably to check thy self and to be grieved for thy sloth and coldness and see if more love would not beget more diligence Try it by sympathy and antipathy which follows the nature of things as we see in some Plants and Creatures that cannot grow cannot agree together and others that do favour and benefit mutually If thy Soul hath an aversion and reluctancy against holiness this is an evidence of this new Nature and Life Thy heart rises against wicked ways and speeches oaths and cursings and rotten communication yea thou canst not endure unworthy discourses wherein most spend their time findest no relish in the unsavory societies of such as know not God canst not sit with vain persons but findest a delight in those that have the image of God upon them such as partake of that Divine Life and carry the evidences of it in their carriage David did not disdain the fellowship of the Saints and that was no disparagement to him he implies in the name he gives them Psal. 16. The excellent ones the Magnifick or Noble and that word is taken from one that signifies a robe or noble Garment so he thought them Nobles and Kings as well as he and had robes royal and therefore Companions of Kings A spiritual eye looks on spiritual dignity and esteems and loves them that are born of God how low soever be their natural birth and breeding The Sons of God have of his Spirit in them and are born to the same inheritance where all shall have enough and they are tending homewards by the conduct of the same Spirit that is in them so that there must be amongst them a
real complacency and delight in one another And then consider the temper of thy heart towards spiritual things the Word and ordinances of God if thou dost esteem highly of them and delight in them that there is a compliance of thy heart with Divine Truths somthing in thee that suits and sides with them against thy corruptions That in thy affliction thou seekest not to the puddles of earthly comforts but hast thy recourse to the sweee Christal Streams of the Divine Promises and findest refreshment in them It may be at sometimes in a spiritual distemper holy exercises and ordinances will not have that present sensible sweetness to a Christian that he desires and some will for a long time lie under dryness and deadness this way yet there is here an evidence of this spiritual life that thou stayest by thy Lord and reliest on him and will not leave these holy means how sapless soever to thy sense for the present thou findest for a long time little sweetness in prayer yet thou prayest still and when thou canst say nothing yet offerest to it and lookest towards Christ thy life thou doest not turn away from these things to seek consolation else where knowest life is in Christ and will stay till he refresh thee with new and lively influence it s not any where but in him As St. Peter said Lord whether should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Consider thy self if thou hast any knowledge of the growth or deficiences of this spiritual life for it is here but begun and breaths in an air contrary to it and lodges in an house that often smoaks and darknes it Canst thou go on in formal performances from one year to another and no advancement in the inwards of Grace and restest content with that it is no good sign But art thou either gaining victories over sin and further strength of faith and love and other graces or at least art earnest seeking these and bewailing thy wants and disappointments of this kind then thou livest At the worst wouldest thou rather grow this way be further off from sin and nearer God than grow in thy estate or credit or honours esteemest thou more of grace than of the whole World There is life at the root although thou findest not that flourishing thou desirest yet the desire of it is life in thee and if growing this way art thou content whatsoever is thy outward estate Canst thou solace thy self in the love and goodness of thy God though the World frowns on thee art thou not able to take comfort in the smiles of the World when his face is hid this tells thee thou livest and he is thy life Although many Christians have not so much sensible joy yet they account spiritual joy and the light of God's countenance the only true joy and all other without it madness and they cry and sigh and attend for it mean while not only duty and hopes of better but even love to God makes them to be so to serve and please and glorifie him to their utmost And this is not a dead resting without God but it is a stable compliance with his will in the highest point waiting for him and living by faith which is most acceptable to him in a word whether in sensible comfort or without it still this is the fixed thought of a believing Soul its good for me to draw nigh to God only good and will not live in a willing estrangedness from him what way soever he is pleased to deal with 〈◊〉 Now for the entertaining and strengthning this life which is the great business and care of all that have it beware of omitting and interrupting these spiritual means that do provide it and nourish it Little neglects of that kind will draw one greater and great neglects will make great abatements of vigour and liveliness Take heed of using holy things coldly and lazily without affection that will make them fruitless and our life will not be advantaged by them unless used in a lively way Be active in all good within thy reach as this is a sign so it s a helper and friend to it A slothful unstirring life will make a sickly unhealthful life Motion purifies and sharpens the Spirits and makes Men robust and vigorous 2. Beware of admitting a correspondence with any sin yea do not so much as discourse familiarly with it or look kindly toward it for that will undoubtedly cast a damp upon thy Spirit and diminish thy Graces at least and will obstruct thy Communion with God thou knowest that hast any knowledge of this life that thou canst not go to him with that sweet freedom thou wert wont after thou hast been but tampering or parlying with any of thy old loves Oh! do not make so foolish a bargain as to prejudge the least of thy spiritual comfort for the greatest and longest continued enjoyments of sin that are base and but for a season But wouldest thou grow upwards in this life have much recourse to Jesus Christ thy head the spring from whom flow the animal Spirits that quicken thy Soul Wouldest thou know more of God he it is that reveals the Father and reveals him as his Father and in him thy Father and that 's the sweet notion of God Wouldest thou overcome thy lusts further our victory is in him apply his conquest We are more than Conquerors through him that loved us wouldest thou be more replenisht with graces and spiritual affections his fulness is for that use open to us life and more life in him and for us this was his business here he came that we might have life and might have it more abundantly Verse 7. 7. But the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer THE heart of a real Christian is really taken off from the World and set heavenwards yet there is still in this flesh so much of the flesh hanging to it as will readily poise all downwards unless it be often wound up and remembred of these things that will raise it still to further spiritualness This the Apostle doth in this Epistle and particularly in these words In them three things to be considered 1. A threefold duty recomended 2. Their mutual Relation that binds them to one another 3. The reason here used to bind them upon a Christian. And of the three the last is evidently the chief and here so meant the other being recommended as suiting it and subserving to it prayer Therefore I shall speak first of it And truly to speak and to hear of it often were our hearts truly and entirely acquainted with it would have still new sweetness and usefulness in it Oh! how great were the advantage of that lively Knowledge of it beyond the exactest defining of it and a discoursing Knowledge and of the heads of Doctrine that concern it Prayer is not a smooth expression or a well-contrived form of words not the product
cannot consist with the love of God as St. Iohn tells us drunk with the inordinate unlawful love even of their lawful calling and the lawful gain they pursue by it their hearts going after it and so reeling to and fro never fixed on God and heavenly Things but either hurried up and down with uncessant business or if sometimes at ease it is as the ease of a drunken man not compos'd to better and wiser thoughts but falling into a dead sleep contrary to the watching here joyned with sobriety Watch. There is a Christian Rule to be observed in the very moderating of bodily sleep and that particularly for the interest of Prayer but Watching as Sobriety here is chiefly the spiritual circumspectness and vigilancy of the mind in a wary walking posture that it be not surprized by the assaults or slights of Satan by the World nor its nearest and most deceiving enemy the corruption that dwells within that being so near doth most readily watch unperceived advantages and easily circumvents us Heb. 12. 1. The Soul of a Christian being surrounded with enemies of so great both power and wrath and so watchâ—ul to undoe it should it not be watchful for its own safety and live in a military vigilancy continually keeping constant watch and sentinel and suffering nothing to pass that may carry the least suspicion of danger to be distrustful and jealous of all the motions of his own Heart and the smilings of the World and in relation to these it will be a wise course to take that word as a good caveat be watchful and remember to mistrust Under the Garment of some harmless pleasure or some lawful liberties may be conveyed into thy Soul some thief or traytor that will either betray thee to the enemy or at least pilser and steal of the preciousest things thou hast Do we not by experience find how easily our foolish hearts are seduc'd and deceived and so apt to deceive themselves and by things that seem to have no evil in them yet are drawn from the height of affection to our highest good and from our Communion with God and study to please him which should not be intermitted for then it will abate but ought still be growing 2. Now the Relation of these is clear they are inseparably link't together each of them assistant and helpful to the other in their nature as they are here in the words Sobriety the friend of watchfulness and prayer of both Intemperance doth of necessity draw on sleep excessive eating or drinking sending up too many and so gross vapours surcharge the brain and when the body is thus deaded how unfit is it for any active imployment Thus the mind by a surcharge of delights or desires or cares of earth is made so heavy and dull that it cannot awake hath not spiritual activeness and clearness that spiritual exercises particularly Prayer do require Yea as bodily insobriety full feeding and drinking not only for the time indisposes to action but by custome of it brings the body to so gross and heavy a temper that the very natural spirits cannot stir to and fro in it with freedom but are clog'd and stick as the Wheels of a Coach in a deep miry way Thus is it with the Soul glutted with earthly things the affections bemir'd with them make it resist and unactive in spiritual things and the motions of the spirit heavy and obscured in it grows carnally secure and sleepy prayer comes heavily off But when the affections are soberly acted and even in lawful things that they have not liberty with the reins laid on their Necks to follow the World and carnal projects and delight when the unavoidable affairs of this life are done with a spiritual mind a heart kept free and disingaged Then is the Soul more nimble for spiritual things for Divine Meditation and Prayer it can watch and continue in these things and spend it self in that excellent way with more alacrity Again as the Sobriety and the watchful temper attending it enables for Prayer so Prayer preserves these it winds up the Soul from the Earth raises it above these things that intemperance feeds on acquaints it with the transcending sweetness of Divine Comforts the love and the loveliness of Jesus Christ and these most powerfully wean the Soul from these low creeping pleasures that the World gapes after and swallows with such greediness He that is admitted to nearest intimacy with the King and is called daily to his presence not only in the view and company of others but likewse in secret will he be so mad as to sit down and drink with the kitchin boys or the common guards so far below what he may enjoy surely no. Prayer being our near Communion with the great God certainly it sublimates the Soul and makes it look down upon the base ways of the World with disdain and despise the truly besotting pleasures of it Yea the Lord doth sometime fill these Souls that converse much with him with such beautiful delights such inebriating sweetness as I may call it that 't is in a happy manner drunk with those and the more of this the more is the Soul above base intemperâ—nce in the delights of the World as common drunkenness makes a Man less than a Man this makes him more that throws him below himself makes him a beast this raises him above makes him an Angel Would you as sure you ought have much faculty for Prayer and be frequent in 〈◊〉 and find much the pure sweetness of it then 〈…〉 selves more the muddy pleasures and sweetness of the World if you would pray much and with much advantage then be sober and watch unto prayer 〈…〉 your hearts to long so after ease and wealth 〈◊〉 esteem in the World these will make your hearts if they mix with them become like them and take 〈◊〉 quality will make them gross and earthly and unable to mount up will clog the wings of prayâ—r and you shall find the loss when your Soul is heavy and drowsie and falls off from delighting in God and your Communion with him Will such things as those you follow be able to countervail your damage can they speak you peace and uphold you in a day of darkness and distress or may it not be such now as will make them all a burden and vexation to you But on the otherside the more you abate and let go of these and come empty and hungry to God in prayer the more room shall you have for his consolations and therefore the more plentifully will he pour in of them and enrich your Soul with them the more the less you take in of the other 2. Would you have your selves raised to and continued and advanced in a spiritual heavenly temper free from the surfeits of earth and awake and active for heaven be uncessant in prayer But thou wilt say I find nothing but heavy indisposedness in it nothing but roving and vanity of
that they go through so many tribulations and tentations so many fightings without and fears within the Christian so simple and weak and his enemies so crafty and powerful The Oppositions of the wicked World their hatreds and scorns and molestations the flights and violence of Satan and the worst of all the strength of their own corruptions And by reason of abounding corruption such frequent almost continual need of purging by afflictions and trials to be still under Physick to be of necessity at sometimes drained and brought so low till there is scarce strength or life remaining in them And truely all outward difficulties would be but matter of ease would be as nothing were it not the incumberance of lusts and corruptions within were a man to meet disgraces and sufferings for Christ how easily would he go through them yea and rejoyce in them were he rid of the fretting impatience the pride and self-love of his own carnal heart these clog and trouble worst and he cannot shake them off nor prevail against them without much pains many prayers and tears and many times after much wrestling scarce finds that he hath gained any ground yea sometimes is foiled and thrown by them And so in all other duties such a fighting and continual combate with a revolting backsliding heart the flesh pulling and dragging downwards when he would mount up finds himself as a Bird with a stone tied to its foot hath Wings that flutter to be upwards but is pressed down with the weight fastened to him what struggling with wandrings and deadness in hearing and reading and prayer and that which is most grievous that by their unwary walking and the prevailing of some corruption they sadden the Spirit of God and provoke him to hide his face and withdraw his comforts How much pain to attain any thing any particular grace of humility or meekness or self-denial and if any thing attained how hard to keep and maintain it against the contrary party how often driven back to their old point if they do but cease from striving a little they are carried back by the stream and what returns of doubtings and misbelief after they thought they were got somewhat above them in so much that sometimes they are at the point of giving over and thinking it will never be for them and yet through all those are they brought safe home there is another strength that bears them up and brings them through but yet these things and many more of this nature argue the difficulty of their course and that it is not so easie a thing to come to Heaven as most imagine it Inf. Thou that findest so little stop and conflict in it goest thy round of eternal duties and all is well art no more troubled thou hast need to enquire after a long time spent in that way am I right am I not yet to begin sure this looks not like the way to Heaven as it is described in the Scripture it is too smooth and easie to be right And if the way of the Righteous be so hard then how hard shall be the end of the ungodly and sinner that walks in sin with delight it were strange if they should be at such pains and with great difficulty attain their end and he should come in amongst them in the end they were fools indeed true if it were so but what if it be not so then the wicked is the fool and shall find he is when he shall not be able to stand in Judgment where shall he appear when to the end he might not appear he would be glad to be smother'd under the weight of the Hills and Mountains if they could shelter him from appearing And what is the aim of all this that we have spoken or can speak in this subject but that ye may be moved to take into deeper thoughts the concernment of your immortal Souls Oh! that you would be perswaded Oh! that you would make in to Jesus Christ and seek Salvation in him seek to be covered with his righteousness and to be led by his Spirit in the ways of righteousness That will seal to you the happy certainty of the end and overcome for you all the difficulties of the way what is the Gospel of Christ preached for what was the blood of Christ shed for was it not that by receiving him we might escape condemnation nay this drew him from heaven he came that we might have life and might have it more abundantly Verse 19. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful creator NOthing doth so establish the mind in the rollings and turbulency of present things as both a look above them and a look beyond them above them to the steady and good hand by which they are ruled and beyond them to the sweet and beautiful end to which by that hand they shall be brought This the Apostle layes here as the foundation of that patience and peace in troubles wherewith he would have his brethren furnisht Aâ—d thus he closes this in these words Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful creator The words contain the true principle of Christian patience and tranquility of mind in the sufferings of this life expressing both wherein it consists and what are the grounds of it 1. It lies in this committing the Soul unto God the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added is a true qualification of this that it be in well doing according to the preceeding Doctrine which the Apostle gives clearly and largely ver 15 16. If they would have inward peace amidst outward trouble they must walk by the rule of peace and keep strictly to it if you would commit your Soul to the keeping of God know he is a holy God and an unholy Soul that walks in any way of wickedness known or secret is no fit commodity to put into his pure hand to keep Therefore as ye would have this confidence to give your holy God the keeping of your Soul and that he accept of it and take it off your hand beware of willing pollutions and unholy ways walk so as you discredit not your protector and move him to be ashamed of you and disclaim you Shall it be said you live under his shelter and walk inordinately as this cannot well be you cannot well believe it to be loose ways will loosen your hold of him and confidence in him you will be driven to question your interest and to think sure I do but delude my self can I be under his safeguard and yet follow the course of the World and my corrupt heart certainly be it who will he will not be a guardian and patron of wickedness No he is not a God that hath pleasure in iniquity nor shall evil dwell with him If thou
give thy Soul to him to keep upon terms of liberty to sin he will turn it out of his Doors and remit it back to thee to look to as thou wilt thy self yea in the ways of sin thou dost indeed steel it back and carriest it out from him thou puttest thy self out of the compass of his defence goest without the trenches and art at thine own hazard expos'd to armies of mischiefs and miseries Inf. This then is primely to be lookt to you that would have safety in God in evil times beware of evil ways for in these it cannot be if you will be safe in him you must stay with him and in all your ways keep within him as your fortress now in the wayes of sin you run out from him Hence 't is we have so little establisht confidence in God in times of trial we take ways of our own and will be gadding and so we are surprized and taken as they that are often venturing out into the enemies reach and cannot stay within the walls 't is no idle repetition Psal. 91. 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shaddow of the Almighty He that wanders not out but stays there shall find himself there hid from danger They that rove out from God in their ways are disquieted and tossed with fears this is the fruit of their own ways but the Soul that is indeed given to him to keep keeps near him Study pure and holy walking if you would have your confidence firm and have boldness and joy in God you will find it that a little sin will shake your trust and disturb your peace more than the greatest sufferings yea in those your assurance and joy in God will grow and abound most if sin be kept out that 's the trouble feast that unquiets the Conscience which while it continues good is a continual feast so much sin as gets in so much peace will go out afflictions cannot break in upon it to break it but sin doth All the winds that blow about the Earth from all points stir it not only that within the bowels of it makes the Earthquake I do not mean that for infirmities a Christian ought to be discouraged but take heed of walking in any way of sin for that will unsettle thy confidence innocency and holy walking makes the Soul of a sound constitution that the counter blasts of affliction wear not out nor alter it not sin makes it sickly and crazy that it can endure nothing therefore study to keep your Consciences pure and they shall be peacable yea in the worst times readily most peacable and best furnisht with spiritual confidence and comfort Commit the keeping of their Souls The Lord is an entire protectot he keeps the bodies yea all that belongs to the believer and as much as is good for him makes all safe keeps all his bones not one of them is broken yea says our Saviour the very hairs of your head are numbered But that which is in the Believers account and in Gods account so certainly in it self most precious is principally committed and received into keeping their Souls They would gladliest be secured in that here that shall be safe in the midst of all hazards That whatsoever be lost that may not that 's the Jewel therefore the prime care of that if it be safe all is well 't is riches enough What shall it profit a man though he gain the whole World says our Saviour and lose his Soul and so what shall it disprofit a Man though he lose the whole World if he gain his Soul Nothing at all When times of trial come Oh! what a bustle to hide this and that to fly and carry away and make safe that which is but trash and rubbish to the precious Soul but how few thoughts of that were we in our wits that would be all at all times not only in trouble but in days of peace Oh! how shall I make sure about my Soul let all go as it may can I be secured and perswaded in that point I desire no more Now the way is this commit them to God this many say but few do give them into his hand lay them up there so the word is and they are safe and may be quiet and composed In patience possess your Souls says our Saviour impatient freting Souls are out of themselves their owners do not possess them Now the way to possess them our selves in patience is thus to commit them to him in confidence then we only possess them when he keeps them They are easily disquieted and shakt in peices while they are in our hands but in his hand they are above the reach of dangers and fears Inf. Now this is the proper act of Faith rolls the Soul over on God ventures it in his hand and rests satisfied concerning it being there And there is no way but this to be quiet within to be impregnable and unmoveable in all assaults and changes fixed believing on free love therefore be perswaded to resolve in that not doubting and disputing whether shall I believe or no shall I think he will suffer me to lay my soul upon him to keep so unworthy so guilty a Soul were it not presumption Oh! what saist thou why doest thou thus dishonour him and disquiet thy self if thou hast a purpose to walk in any way of wickedness indeed thou art not for him yea thou comest not near him to give him thy Soul but wouldest thou have it delivered from sin rather then from trouble yea rather than from hell is that the chief safety thou seekest to be kept from iniquity from thine iniquity thy beloved sins doest thou desire to dwell in him and walk with him then whatsoever is thy guiltiness and unworthiness come forward and give him thy Soul to keep if he should seem to refuse it press it on him if he stretch not forth his hand lay it down at his foot and leave it there and resolve not to take it back say Lord thou hast made us those Souls thou callest for them again to be committed to thee here is one it is unworthy but what Soul is not so is most unworthy but therein will the riches of thy grace appear most in receiving it and leave it with him and know he will make thee a good accompt of it Now lose goods or credit or friends or life it self it imports not the main is sure if so be thy Soul be out of hazard I suffer these things for the Gospel says the Apostle nevertheless I am not ashamed why for I know whom I have trusted and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that Day Now the ground of this confidence is in these two in him whom we trust ability and fidelity There is much in perswasion of the power of God though few think they question that there is in us secret
stile who loved me and gave himself for me Of the glory to come as their Inheritance they are partakers of it their home as strangers meeting together abroad in some foreign Country delighting to speak of their own Land and their parentage friends and their rich patrimony there abiding them And this ought to be the entertainment of Christians when they meet Away with triffling vain discourses cause all to give place to these refreshing remembrances of our home Were our hearts much on that rich Inheritance above it would be impossible to refrain our tongues and to pass on so silent of it to find matter of empty pratings and be pleased with them and no relishing this whither go your hearts they are out of their way and abase themselves that turn so much downwards and are not more above the Sun eying still that blessed Land where our purchast Inheritance lies Inf. Oh! seek after more clear knowledge of this glory and of your interest in it that your hearts may rejoyce in the remembrance of it that it be not to you as the description of a pleasant Land such as Men read in History and have no portion in they like it well and are pleased with it while they read be it but some imagined Country or Commonwealth finely fancied But know it to be real no device and seek to know your selves partakers of it This confidence hangs not upon a singular revelation but on the power of faith and the light of the Spirit of God which clears to his Children the things that he hath freely given them though some of them at sometimes it may be all or most of their time do want it God so disposing it they scarce clearly see their right till they be in possession see not their Heaven and home till after they be at it or hard upon it yet truly this we may and ought to seek after in humility and submission that we may have the pledge and earnest of our Inheritance not so much for the comfort within us though that is allowed as that it may wean our hearts from things below may raise us to higher and closer Communion with God and enable us more for his service and excite us more to his praises even here What were a Christian without the hope of this glory as one said tolle Religionem nullus eris And having this hope what are all things here to him how poor and despiseable the better and worse of this life and this life it self how glad is he that it will quickly end and what were the length of it to him but by the long continuance of his banishment holden long from home and how sweet is the message that is sent for him to come home The glory to be revealed It is hid for present wholly unknown to the Children of this World and even but little known to the Children of God that are heirs of it yea they that know themselves partakers of it yet know not much what it is only this that it is above all they know or can imagine they may see things that make a great shew here they may hear of more than they see they may think or imagine more than either they hear or see or can conceive of still they must think of this glory as beyond it see I pompous shews or read I or hear of them yet this I say of them these are not as my Inheritance it is far beyond them yea does my mind imagine things far beyond them golden mountains and marble Palaces yet those fall short of my Inheritance for it is such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of Man to conceive Oh! the brightness of that glory when it shall be revealed How shall they be astonisht that shall see it and not partake of it how shall they be filled with everlasting joy that are heirs of it were the heart much upon the thoughts of that glory what thing is there in this perishing World that could either liâ—t it up or cast it down Verses 2 3. 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind 3. Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock EVery step of the way of our Salvation hath on it the print of infinite majesty wisdom and goodness and this amongst the rest that Men sinful weak Men are made subservient in that great work of bringing Christ and Souls to meet that by the foolishness of preaching so appearing to carnal wisdom the chosen of God are called and come in to Jesus and made wise unto Salvation and that life which is conveyed to them by the word of life in the hands of poor Men is by the same means preserv'd and advanc'd and this is the standing work of the ministry and this the thing here bound upon them that are imployed in it to feed the flock of God that is among them Jesus Christ he descended to purchase a Church he ascended to provide and furnish it to send down his Spirit he ascended and gave gifts particularly for the work of the ministry and the great use of them is this to feed the flock of God c. Not to say any more of this usual resemblance of a flock importing the weakness and tenderness of the Church the continual need of inspection and guidance and defence and the tender care of the chief Shepherd for these things it inforces the present duty of subordinate Pastors their care and diligence in feeding of that flock The due rule of discipline not excluded the main is by doctrine the wholsom and green pastures of saving Truths revealed in the Gospel accommodating of the way teaching to their condition and capacity and to be as much as may be particularly acquainted with it and suit diligently and prudently their doctrine to it to feed the Sheep those more advanced to feed the Lambs the younger and weaker to have special care of the infirm to learn of their Master the great Shepherd to bind up that which is broken and strengthen that which is fick those that are broken in Spiriâ— that are exercised with tentations and gently to lead those that are with young in whom the inward work of grace is as in the conception and they heavy and weak with the weight of it and the many difficulties and doubtings that are frequent companions and symptoms of that work Oh! what dexterity and skillfullness what diligence and above all what affection and bowels of compassion are needful for this task who is sufficient for these things who would not faint and give over in it were not our Lord the chief Shepherd all our sufficiency laid up in his rich fulness and all our insufficiency covered in his gracious acceptance Ins. This is the thing we have to eye and study to set him
and walk more discontented and nothing pleases them as peevish Children upon the refuse of somewhat they would have take displeasure and make no account of the daily provision made for them and all the other benefits they have by the care and love of their Parents This is a folly very unbeseeming the Children that are the Children of Wisdom and should walk as such And till they learn more humble respect of their Father's Will they are still the further off from their purpose were they once brought to submit the matter and give him heartily his Will he would readily give them theirs as far as were for their good as you say to your Children of any thing they are too stiff and earnest in and keep a noise for cry not for it and you shall have it And this is the thing we observe not that the Lord often by his delays is aiming at this and were this done we cannot think how graciously he would deal with us his gracious design is to make much room for grace by much humbling especially some Spirits that need much trying or that he means much enabling to for a singular service and thus the time is not lost as we think it it furthers our end while we think contrary 't is necessary spent time and pains that is given to the unballasting of a Ship casting out the Earth and Sand when it is to be loaden with Spices we must be emptied more if we would have of that fullness and riches that we are longing for So long as we some and chafe against his way though it be in our best suits we are not in a posture for a favourable answer would we wring things out of his hand by fretfullness that is not the way no but present humble submissive suits Lord this is my desire but thou art wise and gracious I refer the matter to thy will for the thing and for the measure and time and all were we molded to this composure then were mercy near when he hath gained this broke our will and tamed our stoutness then he relents and pities See Ier. 30. 18. This I would recommend in any estate the humble folding under the Lord's hand kissing the rod and falling low before him and this the way to be raised but it may be one that thinks he hath tried this a while and is still at the same point hath gained nothing and therefore falls back to his old repinings Let such a one know his humbling and compliance was not upright it was a fit of false constrained submission and therefore lasts not it was but a tempting of him instead of submitting to him Oh! will he have a submission I will try 't but with this reserve that if after such a time I gain not what I seek I shall think it is lost and that I have reason to return to my discontent though he says not thus yet this is secretly under it No but wouldst thou have it right it must be without condition without reserve no time nor nothing prescribed and then he will make his word good He will raise thee up and that In due time Not thy fancied time but his own wisely appointed time Thou that thinkest now I am sinking if he help not now 't will be too late yet he sees it otherways he can let thee sink yet lower and yet bring thee up again he doth but stay till the most fit time thou canst not see it yet but thou shalt see it that his chosen time is absolutely best he waiteth to be gracious doth he wait and will not thou Oh! the firm belief of his Wisdom Power and Goodness what difficulty will it not surmount So then be humble under his hand submit not only thy goods thy health thy life but thy soul. Seek and wait for thy pardon as a condemned Rebel with thy rope about thy neck lay thy self low before him at his feet stoop and crave leave to look up and speak and say Lord once I am justly under the sentence of death if I fall under it thou art righteous and I do here acknowledge it but there is deliverance in Christ thither I would have recourse yet if I be beaten back and held out and faith with held from me and I perish as it were in view of salvation see the rock and yet cannot come at it but drown what have I to say in this likewise thou art righteous only if it seem good unto thee to save the vilest most wretched of sinners and shew great mercy in pardoning so great debts the higher will be the glory of that mercy however here I am resolved to wait till either thou graciously receive me or absolutely reject me if thou do this I have not a word to say against it because thou art gracious I hope I hope yet thou wilt have mercy on me I dare say that this promise belongs to a Soul and it shall be raised up in due time And what though most or all our life should pass without much sensible taste even of spiritual comforts a poor all it is let us not over esteem this moment and so think too much of our better or worse condition in it either in Temporals yea or in Spirituals such as are more arbitrary and accessary to the name of our Spiritual Life providing we can humbly wait for free grace and hang on the word of promise we are safe if the Lord will clearly shine on us and refresh us this is much to be desired and prized but if he so think fit what if we should be all our days held at a distance and under a cloud of wrath it is but a moment in his anger then follows a life time in his favour an endless life time 't is but sorrow for a night and joy comes in the morning that clearer morning of Eternity to which no evening succeeds Verse 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you AMongst other spiritual secrets this is one and a prime one the combinement of lowliness and boldness humble confidence This the true temper of a Child of God towards his great and good Father nor can any other have it but they that are indeed his Children and have within them that Spirit of adoption which he sends into their hearts And these two here the Apostle joyns together Humble under the hand of God and yet cast your care on him upon that same hand under which you ought to humble your selves must you withal cast over your care all your care for he careth for you Consider 1. The nature of this Confidence 2. The Ground of it The Nature casting all your care on him The ground or warrant of it for he careth for you Every man hath some desires and purposes that are predominant with him beside the daily exigences of his life he is compast with and in both according to their importance or his esteem and the difficulties occurring in them he
none of his to be burdened with casts it on God and he careth for it they need not both care his care alone is sufficient hence peace unconceivable peace Phil. 4. 6 7. Inf. 2. But truly the godly are much faulty to themselves by the not improvement of this their priviledge they too often forget this their sweet way and fret themselves to no purpose wrestle with their burdens themselves and do not entirely and freely roll them over on God they are surcharg'd with them and he calls for them and yet they will not give them him think to spare him but indeed in this they disobey him and dishonour and so grieve him and they find the grief return on them and yet cannot learn to be wise Why do we thus with our God and with our Souls grieve both at once let it never be that for any outward thing thou perplex thy self and ravel thy thoughts as in thickets with the cares of this life Oh! how unsuitable to a Child of God provided to a life so far more excellent Hath he provided thee to a Kingdom and will he not bestow thy charges in the way to 't think it not he knows you have need of these things seek not vain things nor great things in these for that likely is not for thee but what is needful and convenient in his Judgment and refer to that Then for thy Spiritual estate lay over the care of that too be not so much in thorny questionings doubting and disputing each step Oh! is this accepted and that and so much deadness c. But apply more simply thy self to thy duty lamely as it may be halt on and believe that he is gracious and pities thee and lay the care of bringing thee through upon him lie not complaining and arguing but up and be doing and the Lord shall be with thee I am perswaded many a Soul that hath some Truth of Grace falls much behind in the progress by this accustomed way of endless questionings men can scarce be brought to examine and suspect their own condition being carnally secure and satisfied that all is well but then when once awaken and set to this they are ready to entangle in it and neglect their way by poring on their condition and will not set chearfully to any thing because they want assurances and hight of joy and this course they take is the way to want it still walking humbly and sincerely and offering at thy duty and waiting on the Lord is certainly the better way and nearer that very purpose of thine for he meeteth him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness that waits for him in his ways One thing the Christian would endeavour firm belief for the Church all the care of that on God that he will beautifie Zion and perform all his Word to her then think do I trust him for the whole Church and the great Affairs concerning it and shall I doubt him for my self or anything concerns me do I conside on him for the steering and guidance of the whole Ship and shall I be peevishly doubting and distrusting about my pack in it Again when to present and past thou callest in after evils by advance the dangers before and thy weakness good indeed to entertain by these holy fear and self distrust but by that be driven in to trust on thy undertaker on him in whom thy strength lies and be as sure and confident in him as thou art and justly art distrustful of thy self Further learn to prescribe nothing study entire resignment for that is thy great duty and thy peace that gives up all into the hand of thy Lord and can it be in a better hand First Refer the carving of outward things to him heartily and fully then stay not there but go higher if we have renounced the comforts of this World for God let us add this renounce even Spiritual comforts for him too put all in his will if I be in light blessed be thou and if in darkness even there blessed be thou too as he saith of these Gold is mine and Silver is mine and this may satisfie a Christian in those too desire no more of them than their Father sees fit to give them knowing that he having all the mines and treasures of the World at his command would not pinch and hold short his Children if it were good for them to have more thus even in the other the true riches Is not the Spirit mine and comforts mine may he say I have them and enough of them and ought not this to allay thy afflicting care and quiet thy repinings and to establish thy heart in referring it to his dispose as touching thy comforts and supplies the whole golden mines of all Spiritual comfort and good are his the Spirit it self Then will he not furnish what is fit for thee if thou humbly attend on him and lay the care of thy providing upon his wisdom and love This were the sure way to honour him with what we have and to obtain much of what we have not certainly he deals best with those that do most absolutely refer all to him Verse 8 9. 8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the World THE Children of God if they rightly take their Father's mind are always disburden'd of perplexing carefulness But never exempted from diligent watchfulness Thus we find here they are allowed yea enjoyned to cast all their care upon their wise and loving Father and are secured by his care he takes it well they lay all over on him yea he takes it not well they forbear him and burden themselves He hath provided a sweet quiet life for them could they improve and use it a calm and firm condition in all the storms and troubles that are about them However things go to find content and be careful for nothing Now upon this a carnal heart would imagine streight according to its sense and inclinement as it desires to have it so would it dream that it is that then a man devolving his care on God may give up all watch and ward and need not apply himself to any kind of duty but this is the ignorance and perverse mistake the reasonless reasoning of the flesh you see these are here joyned not only as agreeable but indeed inseparable Cast all your care on him for he careth for you And withal be sober be vigilant And this is the Scripture Logick it is he that worketh in you to will and to do Then would you possibly think I need not work at all or if I do it may be very easily and surely no Therefore says the Apostle because he worketh in you to will and to do work you â—ut your salvation yea and do it with fear and trembling work you in humble