such a Righteousness that true Believers thereby are made the Righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5.21 which is an expression that lifts up the Creature as much as any in Scripture shewing that it is 1. A most excellent glorious and transcendent Righteousness that Believers have the Hebreâ— useth to set forth exeellent things by adding the name of God to them as the Mountains of God the Cedars of God c. So they are made the righteousness of God that is in having the highest and best Righteousness imputed to them 2. There is highest likeness and nearest conformity to God in this Inherent Righteousness being wrought in us and that which is wrought by us is a part of God's Image for the new man is after God in Righteousness but this Righteousness which is adherent and imputed is a more glorious part of God's likeness for this is perfect the other here being but in part and if we could be perfect in our works of Righteousness yet must they be far short of Christ's works or his Righteousness imputed 3. Believers are Righteous before God in the Righteousness of God for Christ is not only man but God but when we have said all we have reason to reckon this among the unutterable things which Paul saw when he was caught up into the third Heavens 3. The Riches of Christ's Righteousness appears in this that hereby we have Justification of Life Rom 5.18 The free gift came upon all men to the Justification of Life Christ's Righteousness is Righteousness unto Life as Hezekiah said in these things is the life of my Spirit so in Christ's Righteousness is the life of our Spirits when sinners that remain without Christ shall dye in their sins when those that trust in their own Righteousness shall dye therein those that desire to be found in Christ having his Righteousness shall live by him and his Righteousness 4. They that have Christ's Righteousness do not only live thereby but Reign in Life Rom. 5.17 They which receive the gift of Righteousness Reign in Life c. which notes thus much That true Believers are not in subjection to any persons or things which may take their life from them 't is one thing to live another thing to Reign in Life we live a bodily life but do not reign in that life but are in subjection to a Divine decree it being appâ—inted to all men once to dye we are in subjection to many infirmities and sicknesses c. and to men that have Power to kill the body Adam in Paradice did live more then a bodily life but did not reign in life Sin entred and Death by Sin but what a better Estate is here A Believer being in Chriâ—â— lives and reigns in life being lifted up far above any power that may take it away above the power of sin the Law and second death above the Power of Satan he hunts after the precious life but it is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 Prov. 30.31 one of the things that is comely in going is a King against whom there is no rising up The like may we say of Believers they reign in life so as there is no rising up against their life who shall lay any thing to their charge or condemn seeing it 's Christ that dyed c. II. There is Christ's Righteousness in his works towards men in the dispensation of that power which he hath in Heaven and Earth as a King he reigns in Righteousness as Priest he makes Intercession in Righteousness and as Prophet he Teaches in Righteousness Isa 63.1 I the Lord that speak in Righteousness His love led him into these Offices and not only love but Righteousness leads him through them and engages him to full and a faithful discharge of them concerning this take these Considerations 1. Saints may fly for refuge not only to the love but to the Righteousness of Christ Prov. 18.11 The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous run thereto and are safe Not only as he is Gracious and Merciful but as he is Just Righteous Servants may run to a Righteous Lord for refuge and shall find his Righteousness a covert and hiding place Isa 32.1 He is Just to forgive sin 1 Joh. 1.9 Just to Justify Just to Sanctify to give Grace and Peace Just to hear Prayers Just to deliver out of the Enemies hand and to bring many Sons to Glory but remember that not our works but God's free Grace it is that makes all this to be Just Being a Surety he is a Just Surety being a Saviour a Just Saviour Just to give the Oyl of Joy c. And having betrothed any to himself he will take them to nearest communion Hos 2.19 20. I will betroth thee unto me in Righteousness Loving Kindness Judgment and Faithfulness Christ â—akes a Spoâ—se among the Captives and when any Israelite would do so Deut. 21.10 He was to briâ—g her to his House she was to shave her Head pare her nails put off the Raiment of her captivity and to bewail her Father and Mother a full Month so such as are taken from amongst the Captives to Sin and Satan to be bethrothed to Christ must put off the old man and lay aside all superfluity of naughtiness that is all sin for eveâ—y sin is a superfluity and â—ewail Father and Mother i. e. that they are Conceived and Boâ—n in Sin and be in Christ's House so he betroths in Righteousness c. and will not be like â—he hard hearted Jews that give a Bill of Divorce for the Lord hâ—tes puttiâ—g away and â—eeing he betroths in Righteousnes Juâ—gâ—ent and Fâ—â—thfulness therefoâ—e a time of the Maâ—riage of â—he Lamb must come and his Wifâ— shall be â—ade ready Thus Saints may fly for refuge to and take comfort in the Righteoâ—sneâ—s of Christ 2. The Râ—ghteousness of Christ makes him râ—ady to fulfil all Promises ready to act for the Saints and to put forth his Power on their beâ—alf Isa 11.5 there being a Prophecy of the K ngdom of Christ it 's said Righteousness shall be the girdâ—e of his Loins which shall make him â—eady tâ— reprove and argue for the me k of the Earth He shall argue out the Saints Innocency and â—he wickâ—dness of the World in persecâ—tiâ—g for Righteoâ—sness sake he shall debate the business with them that all may see what Reasâ—n â—e hath to smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and to slay the Wicked with the Breath of his Lips and to save the meek of the Earth Christ is well pleased for his Rightousness sake Isa 41.21 And when there are in the Saints so many failings when cause to say who is blind but my Servant and deaf as my Mâ—ssenger who is Pâ—â—ud Covetous Earthly c. and there is so much among them that is displeasing when divisions sâ—riâ—e and contention among Brethren yet for his Righteousness sake he is well pleased to do them good If we believe not as
by the blood of Christ and by the word that is of promise of free Justification by Christ and Sanctification to be received by Faith This is more plainly exprest Heb. 13.12 Jesus also that he might sanctify the People with his own Blood suffered without the Gate Here is Love indeed Christ passing by and seeing us weltring in Blood cast out to the loathing our Persons having no loveliness nothing but Spots from the Crown of the Head c. and our defeâ—t being to be cast into Hell then Christ gave himself to redeem us by his own Blood to sanctify us by his Blood Thus you see here is a Mystery of Infinite Love of Divine Grace God herein appears to be rich in Mercy and that great Love wherewith he loved us Eph. 2.4 is made manifest 3. Herein is a Mystery of Vertue There is an Infinite Vertue in the Blood of Christ which in general is set forth by the Apostle 1 John 1.7 The Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sin particularly there is a Vertue going upward expiating guilt and a Vertue going downwards taking away the guilt with the Power and Pollution of Sin out of our Nature 1. There is a Vertue going upward to the Father taking away the Guilt of Sin Quest. How could there be such an Infinite Power in the Blood of Christ Answ Because it was the Blood of him that was God the infiniteness and worth of the Person did derive an infinite worth and value to the Blood of Christ thereby his Blood became an infinite price proportionable to the guilt of Sin which was Infinite As Sin becomes of Infinite guilt from the infiniteness of the Object against whom it is committed so Sin is an Infinite Evil because committed against God an Infinite Good on the otherside satisfaction for an Offence hath its efficacy and worth from the dignity of the Person satisfying so satisfaction made by Christ the price of his Blood becomes of infinite value adequate to the guilt of Sin because the Person whose Blood was shed was Infinite You see how the Blood of Christ hath such an Infinite Vertue For the proof of it that there is such a Vertue see it Zach. 9.11 By the Blood of the Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners that is by the Blood of Christ who is called the Covenant Isa 42.6 that is as the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 as the following words a Light to the People seems to confirm from the Pit wherein is no water that is I have redeemed from under the Babylonish Captivity which was a Type of Spiritual Redemption and deliverance from that cursed estate a man is in by Sin Now how is this but by satisfying the Justice of God paying the price of Redemption unto God by whom a Sinner was cast into Prison Luk. 22.20 This Cup that is the Wine in this Cup is the New Testament or New Covenant that is a Seal of the Covenant in my Blood that is which is established in my Blood because thereby is the Remission of Sins and so a Person comes to have part in that Covenant In this see the Vertue of the Blood of Christ. In the Covenant lies all a Christians Happiness therein God is engaged to be his God not to remember Sin any more but to be his God All sufficient Now this is a Covenant in Blood that is that is established and confirmed in the Blood of Christ the Blood of Christ that satisfied Justice therein was a repairing of all that Injury which was done to God by the Sins of the Faithful so Justice hath nothing to plead against them and the Riches of Grace which are contained in the New Covenant are revealed to them and of right do belong to them So they come to lay claim to the Love of God and to that Eternal Inheritance prepared by Christ The Vertue of Christ's Blood as looking upwards is double 1. Satisfying Justice 2. Purchasing and Meriting Everlasting Life There is Redemption from Misery and the Purchasing an Inheritance both these are called Redemption Eph. 1.1 In whom we have Redemption that is the forgiveness of Sins ver 14. until the Redemption that is buying again and putting into actual Possession of that Inheritance The Blood of Christ redeems out of Misery inflicted by reason of Sin and redeems the Inheritance of Eternal Life which was lost by Sin Heb. 10.19 We have boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus that is by the Blood of Jesus the way to Heaven is opened for us 2. There is a Vertue going downwards taking away the Power and Pollution of Sin out of the Nature and the Guilt out of the Conscience 1. The Guilt of Sin out of the Conscience God Condemns a Sinner the Law condemns and so his own Conscience when convinced of Sin condemns also Now by the Blood of Christ God and the Law are satisfied and so a Sinner is acquitted in his own Conscience he is freed from a eondemning Heart 1 Joh. 3.21 If our Heart condemns us not c. 'T is the Application of the Blood of Christ that frees from this condemning Heart Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart c. having our Hearts sprinkled from an Evil Conscience that is with the blood of Christ an Evil Conscience is an Accusing Conscience The sprinkling of the Blood of Christ that is a fiducial Application of it to a Convicted Conscience acquits it from all Accusations Horrors Fears c. 2. The Power and Pollution of Sin Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Which as it notes the purging of the Conscience in regard of the guilt of dead works that is dead Services dead Duties performed by Men dead in Sin so also it implies a purging of the Heart from the power of Sin as appears by that which follows to serve the Living God From the Blood of Christ applied to the Conscience a Vertue goes forth to the abating of the strength of Corruption and enabling it to serve the living God This see farther Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein That is by Vertue of Christ's Death having therein a Fellowship with him the strength of Corruption comes to be abated ver 6. Our old Man is crucified with Christ c. Quest How is it that there is such a Vertue in Christ's Death and comes to be conveyed to us Answ 1. The proper and principal cause to which this work of mortification of Sin is attributed is the Spirit Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit c. and ver 2. The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made me free c. That is the power and efficatious operation of the Spirit in me c. 2. The formal cause is our union with Christ and planting into him For hereby the Spirit of Christ the Righteousness Grace Merit Life of Christ
the Mark they put forward with all their might so do Christians with all their Souls and strength Heaven and nothing but Heaven should be lookt on as the place of rest looking unto Jesus Make Christ your pattern What was his great desire Father glorify thy Son that thy Son may glorify thee Glorify me with the Glory I had with thee before the World was There was Joy set before him so Christ is set before the Saints revealed to their Faith they should long to see him as he is Glory is set before them c. In the World is Vanity in themselves Corruption Crosses on all hands Shame Reproach c. Before and above all in Heaven is set everlasting Joy Pleasures for evermore Where this Joy is there Believers hearts should be the mind the will and affections of a Believer should still be travelling towards this Joy running a Race towards Heaven as 't is said of the Creature Rom. 8.21 The earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth c. The Creature is in Bondage to Corruption Slaves to Lusts this is contrary to the end for which the Creature was made they naturally make towards that end to be Servants to the Saints and to be instrumental towards the manifesting the Glory of the Creator and to be free of Bondage So should Saints desire perfect freedom from Bondage to enjoy the Liberty the Inheritance portion and perfection of the Sons of God in the presence of God This hath been the great desire of Believers Rom. 8.23 We which have received the first Fruit of the Spirit What is meant by these The beginnings of Grace Knowledge of Christ Faith Love Humility Heavenly Mindedness the Comfort and Consolations of the Spirit we that have received these groan within our selves We would receive the whole lump of the Spirit there are burdens we groan under Sin is a burden when the Spirit hath wrought Holiness earthly things are a burden they cannot be gotten but by the sweat of our brows when Salvation that is purchased by Christ is believed then mortal estates are a burden when immortality is brought to Light then to be out of Christ's presence is a burden where Glory and the fulness of Christ is revealed we groan waiting for Adoption c. There 's Adoption in making you Sons and there 's Adoption in bestowing the Inheritance Glory and Liberty which belongs to them as they are the Sons of God They that are Sons and have the Spirit of Sons crying to God Abba would fully enjoy all the Priviledges all the Glory and all the love which belongs to them as the Sons of God in Christ Phil. 1.23 To depart and to be with Christ is far better beyond all comparison better there 's Joy without Sorrow Holiness without Sin Knowledge without Ignorance Eternity of all So to be in Christ in the World is infinitely better then to be in the World enjoying the contentment of it without Christ And to be in Heaven with Christ is exceedingly much better then to enjoy Christ only in the World The state of a Christian in Heaven is exceedingly beyond the state of a Christian on Earth though the Body may dye and be laid in the Grave Phil. 3.13 14. I count not my self to have apprehended I have not Knowledge enough I have not Grace enough I have not enjoyment of Christ enough it was much he had yet not enough but this one thing I do this is my main business forgetting the things behind earthly things behind and Grace receiv'd behind so far as not to be satisfied there with I reach forward to the things before The heart reaches out Faith is the hand that reaches out after earnest desire carries the Soul out unto them I press towards the Mark as a Man in a throng c. through a throug of Lusts and Temptations c. For the price of the high calling that I might enjoy all that Glory and happiness that God hath provided in Christ 2 Pet. 3 12. Looking for and hastning to the coming of the day of God That day hastens and is coming be you hastening to it i. e. your Hearts and Souls by Faith and desire that it may come hasten to it Sect. 9. Use â— Information By this it appears that many there are that as yet are not in the way of Salvation Because they can't say as Paul this one thing I do Who 1. Such as have nothing before them but worldly things worldly profits and pleasures that have their hope only in this Life and not Hope as an Anchor fixed in Heaven but the love of the World fixed as an Anchor in the Earth whereby their Hearts and Souls are fastened to the World that with the two Tribes could be content to have their Portion on this side Jordan that their Houses Lands and Temporal Lives might continue for ever would desire no better Portion that see more gain in Life than in Death this is an evidence that they have not drunk of the Water that Christ gives their Souls have not been filled with the Glory of the World to come they are not acquainted with the Riches of Christ they know not the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus This is an inseperable property of a true Believer a desire to have his Salvation wrought out and finished where ever this work is begun the Heart would have it finished where Holiness is begun the desire of the Soul is to have it perfected There 's no greater burden than Sin to a Gracious Heart all the Contentments of the World cannot content a believing Soul nothing beneath Heaven nothing without the Presence of God nothing besides the Glory of Christ can make it perfectly Happy to be where Christ is that is best of all Faith will make us sojourn in the World when you are in the way of Salvation perfect Salvation is the mark which the Soul presses towards Now lay your Hearts to the bond of this undoubted Truth and do not conclude your selves to be in the way of Life if perfect Salvation be not the mark you press towards if it be not the presence of the Lord that you account the perfection of Happiness if you could be contented with worldly Felicity and your Desires are only towards the things of this Life then the root of all Evil is yet alive and growing in you 2. Such as dream of a present perfection that think they know as much as they need to know and do as much as is needful to be done He that thinks he knows enough knows nothing as he ought 1 Cor. 6.2 He that thinks he hath enough of Christ hath nothing of Christ Where there is true Knowledge of Christ begun the Soul is carried out with such earnest desires to know more that it accounts it self to know nothing I forget that which is behind Gal. 4.9 Now we know God or rather are known of God we are known perfectly but we do not
The Sorrow of the World worketh Death 2 Cor. 7.10 The sorrow of the World that is grieving more for Suffering than for Sin growing under the want of Temporals more than of Spirituals this is a weight it hinders desire after a Heavenly Life pressing on to Salvation this depresses the Spirit Godly Sorrow what carefulness it wrought what zeal what vehement desires c. Lay aside the weight of worldly sorrow 4. Sin Especially the easily besetting Sin Heb. 12.1 Who shall deliver me from the body of Death This is a weight in Paul's Spirit when I would do good evil is present there 's a Law in my Members c. Desire that Sin may be subdued look to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ to free you from the Law of Sin and Death especially the Lusts that are most prevalent that do most easily prevail that the Soul is usually overtaken with your Dalilah Herodias your Right Hand your Right Eye The following a Lust takes off the Heart from following after Knowledge c. 3. Run your Race with Patience that is first be not angry if the Blessing longed for be not presently bestowed be not like those that ask where is the promise of his coming Hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of God Lam. 3.26 All my appointed time will I wait till my change come Secondly Be not angry at the Crosses you meet with in the way of Salvation c. This was Israel's prevailing Sin whereby they vext the Spirit c. They could not with patience bear any Cross in the way to the Land flowing with Milk and Honey Satan and the World set themselves against the Heirs of Salvation that labour to work it out and with patience endure their buffetting There 's great reason for it for our light Afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more Exceeding and an Eternal weight of Glory Afflistion is not worthy to be compared with the Glory that is to be revealed Rom. 8.18 and 2 Cor. 4.17 Skin for Skin all that a Man hath will he give for his Life endures any thing parts with any thing rather than part with his Life He that will loose his Life shall find it loose Earth to find Heaven c. Psa 84. Going through the Vally of Baca a dry place make a Well this is a Well they going to God can satisfy themselves with his Law c. Thirdly Look to Jesus the Author and Finisher of Faith and Love c. The Author and Finisher of Grace and Glory Believe that he who is mighty to save will carry on the work to perfection The Jews had the Angel of God's presence with them to keep them and to drive out the Canaanites c. In a Wilderness he fed them with Bread from Heaven when they were ready to perish with tâ—irst he brought Honey out of the Rock c. When Sihon King of the Amorites and Og opposed them he slew those mighty Kings and he made a way through the Sea and Jordan Isa 63.9 The Angel of his presence saved them and in his Love and Pity redeemed them and bare them c. even thus Believers have the Angel of God's presence Christ Jesus c. He will bear in his Love and Pity as by his power as the tender hearted Mother bears her Child in her Arms Believers they have Christ to overcome their Spiritual Enemies Christ to feed them and supply them with Spiritual Nourishment Bread from Heaven and with water of Life giving by his Spirit so look to Christ as the Author and Finisher of Salvation As the Cloud and Smoak by day and the flaming fire by night c. was a sign of God's presence so God promises Isa 4.5 I will create on Mount Sion and her Assemblies a Cloud c. the shining of a flaming Fire Shining for Light to the Saints Flaming for Terror to the Enemies Christ will be as careful of Believers now as of the Jews of old believe that you have the Angel of his presence to conduct you to his presence and so hold fast your Confidence firm unto the end and you shall receive the end of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls Heb. 11.14 Christ is passed into Heaven as Priest he bare Sin on Earth but now he is entred without Sin Jesus the Son of God So hold fast your Profession Here 's an encouragement there 's no infirmities but Christ hath felt the like So then come boldly to the Throne of Grace by Faith go to the Throne of Grace in Heaven for Grace to help you to Heaven have Hope as an Anchor fixed in Heaven on a Throne of Grace fixed in Christ so shall you be drawn nearer and nearer to Heaven Section 10. With fear and trembling As the Gospel requires Men to set about a work of following Christ and of saving their Souls so it gives directions for the way and shews where strength is to be had c. Here you have a manifestation of the way and manner in which Salvation is to be wrought out Whence the Doctrine is Doct. 3. Salvation is to be wrought out with fear and trembling Whereas in the former Exhortation somewhat seemed to be ascribed to the Will and Power of Man as if he could do somewhat towards the perfecting of his Salvation This that the Apostle adds in these and the following words takes away all colour and ground of attributing any thing to Nature in this great work But shews it to be the sole work of God's Grace and Power in Christ And there being a glorious manifestation of God in this work revealed in the Hearts of Believers that 's a ground of fear and trembling Now for the opening of this point I shall shew what is not meant by Fear and Trembling 1. Not a slavish fear of Judgment The fear of Christians should be filial i. e. fear of dishonouring God should restrain from Sin not fear of being destroyed but an earnest desire of being accepted Not a dread of Vengeance should move you to walk in Holy and Gospel ways Christians should not be driven to seek Heaven meerly out of fear of Hell but drawn by the Glory of Heaven and Pleasures for evermore in the presence of God Not driven by fear of the wrath of the Lamb but drawn by the Cords of the Love of the Lamb. The fear of Christians should not be the fear of Slaves but the fear of Sons Not the fear of Cain Every one that findeth me shall slay me but the fear of Joseph Gen. 42.18 I fear God Exod. 20.20 When Israel feared because of the thunderings c. Moses said Fear not for God is come to prove you that his fear may be before your faces that you sin not Fear of Evils God doth not account his Fear his fear is not Sin Believers are set beyond the fears of Evil they have no ground to fear wrath and vengeance 'T is an Infirmity to do it
Accomplishment Page 166 3. To make these Argum. convictive there is requir'd an inward work of the Spirit on the Heart Page 170 Use 1. Of reproof to them that honour not the word duly Page 175 2. Of direction how to receive it Page 179 The Fourth Discourse Phil. 2.12 Of working out our Salvation Page 185 Sect. 1. Opening the Text. Page 186 Sect. 2. D. 1. The great busin that requires greatest diligence is to make Salvation sure Page 188 1. Salvation of Believers in Christ is sure in it self as the whole Trinity can make it Page 193 2. It may be made as sure to them 3. It ought to be made sure Page 194 4. Nothing else can be made sure Page 195 5. Nothing else is worth making sure Page 196 Sect. 3. What is Salv. and what Assur thereof Page 197 Sect. 4. Use of Exhortation with motives Page 198 Sect. 5. Directions 1. to estranged Sinners Page 203 Sect. 6. 2. To Saints 1. how to get this Assur Page 211 Sect. 7. 2. How to carry thems in want of it Page 213 Sect. 8. D. 2. The working out of Salvation begun should be the great desire of all Believers Page 220 1. Their Salvation shall be perfected 2. by degr 3. They should desire its perfection Page 223 Sect. 9. Use 1. Of Information 2. Of Excitation 3. Of Direction in this great work Page 229 Sect. 10. D. 3. Salvation is to be wrought out with fear and trembling Page 238 With what fear and what not Page 240 Sect. 11. 1. Salvation of Sinners is the work of the Trinity Page 242 2. There is a most glorious manifest of God in it 3. That cannot but work fear in the Soul to which this manifestation is made Page 245 Sect. 12. Of the nat and opposiâ—… of that fear Page 249 Sect. 13. Use 2 Of Information for Sinners Page 250 Sect. 14. Use 2. To consider well what is this work Page 252 Sect. 15. On the motive to this work ver 13. Doct. 1. they that are in the way of Life and Salvat are willing and doing Christians Page 256 Sect. 16. How they are willing and doing Page 257 Sect. 17. Use for conviction of many Page 261 Sect. 18. Doct. 2. A gracious will is of God's working Page 266 1. Explained 2. Proved by these steps 1. In Nat. Man is no free will to spirit good he is 1 dark 2. dead 3. full of enmity thereto Page 271 2. Renewed Man hath spiritual freedom Page 273 3. This holy free will is of God's working Page 274 Two main Objections answered Page 276 Sect. 19. Divers uses of this point Page 271 The Fifth Discourse Isa 58.13 14 Of Sanctifying the Gospel Sab. Page 283 Doct. In the puâ—est Goâ—pel-times theâ—e will be a strict observ of the Sabbath day How this Prophet Text proves that Page 285 c. Q. How God's Com. to Sanct. the seventh day can oblige us now to Sanct. the Lord's day Page 293 Q. How the chaâ—ge of the Sab. day appears Page 294 Q. How was the Sabbath made for Man Page 296 Q. Wherein consists the strict observ of it Page 299 Answer'd from the Text it self Object Who then can keep a Sab. Answered Page 302 Q. Shall a Sab. be kept in New Jerus or when the Church is glorious on Earth Page 303 Use 1. Of Rep. to many for not counting the Sab. holy and honour neither in the Judgm nor in their Practice Page 304 2. Of Exhortation to Sanctify it better Page 306 3. Motives to the Exhortation 4. Direct how to keep a Gospel Sab. Page 312 The Sixth Discourse Rom. 14.10 Of Christ 's Universal Judgment Page 317 D. 1. Christ hath a Judgment seat prepared for him What is meant by that and by his sitting on it Page 319 How Christ shall then appear What Enemies will then be Conquered D. 2. All Men shall then appear before him to receive Sentence according to their deeds now done in the Body Page 323 After what form Christ's Judgm will proceed Page 324 Q. Shall the Sins of the Godly be then mentio Page 326 Use 1. Of terrour to all the Wicked Page 331 Urged by considering that 1. 't is the day of Christ's wrath 2. All their sinful works will be remembred 3. None of their seeming good works mention'd in excuse of their evil ones 4. Their Conscience shall then be convinced Page 337 5. Their cries Prayers shall not be heard Page 339 6. They 'll be reward accord to their works Page 340 Use 2. Of Exhortat make it the business of every day to prepare for that last day Page 341 Directions how to prepare ERRATA Of many Slips in Spelling and Pointing these most need to be Corrected PReface Page 3. Line 16. for late read let p. 4. l. ult r. 12 Book p. 1. l. 8. dele Saint p. 7. l. 28. after is add to p. 11 l. 9. doth This. l. 33. r. here 's page 53. 30. they p. 54. 30. dele be p. 62. 28. aim p. 65. 12. is r. are p. 67. f. trusting r. instructing as we are instructed p. 68. 32. too r. to p. 69. 33. where p. 78. 12. add as after Sense l. 28. is r. if p. 80. 20. night r. might p. 81. 6. you r. must p. 82. 11. spent p. 84. 7. exercise p. 86. 33. Son-like p. 87. 2. change the Points p. 89. 28. dele more p. 90. 12. none p. 97. 19. Isai 33. p. 103. 14. search l. 22. plenty p. 104. 30. then read thou p. 107. 27. appropriation p. 108. 10. dele re p. 110. 15. I can p. 115. 21. dele on p. 116. 19. dele let 's p. 122. 3. Christ was p. 149. ult they P. 151. 2. constrain p. 152. ult be no. p. 160. 15. p. 170. 9. dele Truth p. 19. 69. â—n r. in p. 174. 20. fore r. for l. 24. there are p. 180. 19. 15. r. 5 p. 199. 22. that he p. 204. 3. r. live p. 221. 22. we were p. 235. 1. groaâ—ing p. 275. 12. dele that l. 21. his own p. 313. ult they p. 323. 30. dele and. p. 333. 14. change the Points r. and the. p. 340. 26. capacity p. 341. ult believe This. p. 344. 15. Jude l. 88. that they THE FIRST DISCOURSE THE Unsearchable Riches of CHRIST EPHESIANS the iij. verse viij Unto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given that I should Preach among the Gentiles the Unsearchable Riches of Christ CHAP. I. THE Apostle here commends the Grace of God to the Gentiles in that they were made Fellow Heires and partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel and also the Grace of God to him in particular in Calling him to Preach the Unsearchable Riches of Christ among the Gentiles Who was a greater and more Eminent Saint Saint then Paul He calls himself when a sinner the chief of Sinners So there was ground for others to call him when he was a Saint the chief of Saints yet he stiles
becomes ours Rom. 6. If we have been planted together with him c. The Death of Christ hath a Vertue to destroy Sin as it makes way for the Spirit of Christ to enter into a Sinner to destroy Sin The Death of Christ opens a way to the Throne of Grace for a Sinner he hath boldness by the Blood of Christ c. Because hereby Justice is satisfied and a Sinner is brought into favour with God and by this taking away of the guilt of Sin that which did seperate betwixt God and us is taken away that which did hinder the Spirit from entring into a Man is removed and so as by the death of Christ a way is made into Heaven for a Sinner so by it a way is made for the Spirit of God into the Heart to reign and rule there Rom. 6.6 2. There is a Vertue of the Death of Christ going downward which draws Believers into a Fellowship with Christ in his Sufferings The Death of Christ is a cause of a double mortification 1. Inward that is of Sin 2. Outward in regard of Sufferings called Deaths 2 Cor 11.23 This is by being planted with Christ in the likeness of his Death that is to dye to Sin as he died for Sin and to suffer Afflictions and Persecutions with him Christ being the Head Believers his Members by dying he draws his Members into a conformity with himself to suffer with him so that all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution 'T is as it were essential to them their Suffering arise from Christ's Death Now although Sufferings in themselves be bitter yet considering them as arising from his Death whence there is a Vertue that makes us to have Fellowship with him in Sufferings so is there sweetness in Sufferings In respect of this Paul did account all things Loss and Dung so he might win Christ and be found in Christ and know the Vertue of Christ's Resurrection and Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death Phil. 3.10 Because he could look on his Sufferings as having in them Fellowship with Christ's Sufferings as being made conformable to Christ's Death Now the comfort and sweetness arises from two Grounds 1. The cause of Christ 's and his Members Sufferings therein they have Fellowship and Conformity 'T was for Christ's good works that the Jews Persecuted him so wicked men Persecute the Saints because their own works are evil theirs good It was because Christ preached and proclaimed himself to be the Son of God and Redeemer that he was Persecuted so because his Members believe in Christ and obey him as the Son of God and Saviour of the World because they set him up as Lord and King wicked men oppose them His Accusation written on the Cross was This is the King of the Jews like unto which is yours who follow him 2. The end of Christ's and his Members Sufferings are the same therein is a Fellowship Christ was made perfect through Sufferings Heb. 2.10 And it as well behoves these Sons he brings into Glory as Christ himself to be made perfect through Sufferings Christ by suffering of Death was Crowned with Glory and Honour so are his Members Suffering with him they Reign with him 2. There is a Vertue in Christ's Death to overcome all his own and his Churches Enemies 1. Death the last Enemy is overcome by Death Hos 13.14 O Death I will be thy Death that was by dying By his Death Believers are delivered from Death this is a Mystery indeed that Death overcomes Death 2 The Devil Heb. 2.14 By Death he overcame him that had the power of Death By that he overcame the Devil by which the Devil thought he had overcome him In overcoming he was overcome This was by Death he ransomed the Elect payed a price and rising again actually put Satan to the worst Use 1. Reproof 1. Of those that are Enemies to the Cross of Christ And that 1. In Opinion Who look on Christ on the Cross as the Jews a Malefactor that think he was justly hanged on the Cross but it may be only those that are open and profest Enemies of Christ are guilty of this not any that bare the Name of Christians but many such to be reproved for slighting and contemning the Cross of Christ like those Greeks 1 Cor. 1.23 to whom the preaching of Christ crucified was but foolishness They are Ignorant of the Mystery they discern not the Wisdom of God and the Love of Christ the infinite Vertue of his Death But as those Heb. 10.29 The Apostle speaks of that count the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common blood no other than the Blood of an ordinary man not precious Blood not Sin-destroying Satan-conquering Soul-saving Blood not Hell shutting Heaven opening Blood I fear such are the private esteems and secret undervaluing of the Blood of Christ by too many whatever outward Profession they make And indeed it is too evident to be so 1. When men esteem no more the Preaching of the Cross c. when that word by which Christ Crucified is set forth meets not with Faith to mix with it with obedient Hearts to submit to it Certainly they are most unworthy of the great benefits of the death of Christ that have unworthy thoughts of Christ crucified 2. In Practice some in a higher degree more open and manifest as those the Apostle complains of Phil. 3.18 Many walk of whom I tell you weeping 't is a most sad thing which pierces a Godly Heart that they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ to Christ crucified How are they described 1 Whose God is their Belly That is that make it all their business to satisfy their fleshly desires to take their fill of Earthly Pleasures that serve not the Lord Christ but their own Bellies Rom. 16.18 Such as are Voluptuous Persons that take care only to satisfy carnal Appetites Drunkards that abuse the Creature to riot and excess these are like prophane Esau that for one morsel of Meat sold his Birth-right So these for one Earthly Pleasure for wine or strong drink sell the precious Blood of Christ. If thou art such a one if a Drunkard c. I must tell thee thou art an Enemy to the Cross of Christ. 2. Whose Glory is their shame who glory in that which is their greatest shame that is who boast themselves to do wickedly are ashamed of the Cross of Christ but not ashamed to commit Sin Some are grown to such a height in Sinning as to be shameless and Impudent they are open and profest Enemies to the Cross of Christ 3. Who mind Earthly things Those to whom earthly thing are great things the desire of their Souls and delight of their Eye that could be contented with the World for their Portion and would remain on this side Jordan in a word who mind Earthly things more than Heavenly Ah! wretched men are such they are Enemies
shall bring to pass whatever the word hath said if you can believe Whatever ye shall ask believe ye shall receive it and ye shall receive it 't is the word of God I will never fail thee nor forsake thee Believe and the Power of God shall make it good John 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life If any drink of the Waters I shall give when thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Fires c. Isa 43.2 Whoever shall gather together against thee shall fall c. Rest now on these Promises the Power of God shall make them good How much comfort do we loose what weaknesses and failings are we subject to how much Sin do we fall into and how much sorrow do we create to our selves and all for want of resting on the Divine Power and Efficacy of the word So say to Unbelief Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence to me the greatest Enemy to Peace and Holiness Hereby 't is that we savour not the things of God his precious word but the things that be of Men. Arg. 2. 'T is drawn from the Holiness of the Word Holiness consists in a conformity to the will of God and giving Glory to him This is a Principle ingrafted in Man's heart That God is to be worshipped and that all Glory must be given to him and that his Will is the Supreme Law now in the word is the will of God perfectly revealed The Moral Law requires that which none can deny but 't is most just and equal that it should be done In the Law of Nature we Sinners could never have read the will of God but he having given the Moral Law which is nothing but the Law of Nature so much is lest of the Law of Nature that there is none but in their Judgments must needs be convinced that we are bound in Conscience to obey it so that the word gives us a perfect rule of Holiness it shews what God is it advances him infinitly above all things which we must set to our Seals should be so it says he is God and there 's none besides him that of him are all things that he is the chief good and our happiness stands in enjoying him and in his favour is our life And it shews that he must be worshipped with our whole selves Soul and Body that it is the worship of the Heart and Spirit he specially requires i. e. that we fear him and love him and put our trust in him it shews the vanity of the Creature and infinite perfection of God it discovers the Evil of Sin and the Beauty of Holiness 't is a Creature-emptying and God-advancing word Whereas in other Doctrines and Religions besides the word 't is otherwise as in Popery and Popish Traditions there is much Ceremony but little Substance outward pompous and bodily service little or none of the heart The honour that is due to God is given to Saints Idols are worshipped instead of God And in the Turkish Alcoran happiness is placed in outward pleasures and carnal delights Now it is far otherwise in the Scriptures In a word these three things well weighed if we can judge of any thing in matters of Religion viz. That the Scripture still gives all Glory to God and places all Happiness in God and that it sets forth conformity to God and communion with God as our perfection and also shews an exact way for attaining to both the Law as a rule for conformity and Christ as the way to communion with God these things being seriously considered by us would amount to a demonstrative and most convincing Argument That this is the very word of God Use This may shew us that if we would be Holy we must look to the word and take that for our rule If we would Glorify God and be Glorified by God Study the word and if we would worship God aright we must take the word for our rule Evermore to the Law and Testimony Isa 8.20 if you speak not and walk not according to this rule 't is because there is no light in you If the Custom and Tradition of men prevail more then the word 't is because you are ignorant of the holiness and perfection of the word Arg. 3. Is drawn from the fulfilling of Prophecies and Promises Prophecies of the Old Testament exactly fulfilled in the New As those great Prophecies of Christ concerning which we often find this or that was said or done That it might be fulfilled which was spoke by the Prophets Math. 1.22.2.15 8.17 12.17 13.35 21.4 27 35. Mark 14.49 15.28 Luke 4.21 John 12.38 13.18.17.12 And many Prophecies of the word have been fulfilled as that which is spoken of the Beast Rev. 13. having seven Heads and ten Horns and another v. 11. a Beast having two Horns like a Lamb which set forth the Civil and Ecclesiastical Roman Empire and when the Pope got both into his hands he was both these Beasts and that Babylon spoken of is Rome for that is the only City that hath reigned over the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.18 Those that will Study the Revelations and observe the workings of God's Providence shall see some of those Prophecies now fulfilling And so for Promises Some there are that can say God hath been as good to them as his word to them he hath said Call on me on the time of trouble I will hear some do know that God is a a God hearing Prayers Christ says Come to me c. some have come to Christ and been refreshed by him and some having had unspeakable Terrors yet thus have been filled with as great Consolations Use This should be a means to strengthen our Faith in the word know assuredly that as Paul said Act. 27.25 it shall be even as he hath said it shall be to those that fear him and trust in him as he hath promised The People of God heretofore have so found and acknowledged 1 Kin. 8.56 Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest to his People according to all that he hath promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promises and many of us have had sweet experience of Promises being fulfilled which is the sweetness of a Mercy to see it first in a promise by Faith and then to receive it out of the bowels of the promise now this should be food to nourish our Faith Psa 74.14 Thou breakest the Heads of Leviathan in pieces that is destroyed Pharaoh and his great Host in the Sea and gavest him to be Meat for the People inhabiting the Wilderness that is to be meat for Faith so should those promises that God hath fulfilled be to us God hath broken the heads of many Leviathans some inward Corruptions are subdued Armies of the ungodly are many times scatter'd this should be food for our Faith why should we doubt of the fulfilling any promise when God hath begun to fulfil
your hearts c. the refusing to hearken will harden your hearts against Christ there is no other name given whereby you may be saved neither is there Salvation in any other Act. 4.12 look whether you will there is no Salvation you may look to the World you may look to your Riches Lands c. but there 's no Salvation in them so then say to your selves that its vain for me to say to my Soul sit down here in Christ alone is Salvation to be had then look to him say that it 's good to be here here I will dwell this shall be my rest for ever I 'll commit my Soul to him who is able to keep what I shall commit to him against that day Christ in you the hope of Glory Christ formed in you Christ revealed to you Christ appearing with his Blood in the heart as well as in Heaven Christ sheding abroad his Love Christ believed on Christ judged worthy of Glory c. most worthy of Love and Obedience Christ esteemed as the chiefest of Ten Thousands as altogether lovely Christ being thus in the Heart is the hope of Glory in that Heart and assurance of Salvation in that Heart when the Sun of Righteousness thus shines into your Hearts then you shall see Salvation sure 'T is not the performance of Duties praying with fervency hearing with delight and abstaining from this or that Sin that is a sure ground of assurance of Salvation any Duty and Grace if there be a beam of Christ that you see derived from Christ the Sun of Righteousness coming from him and tending to him may afford some light towards assurance but then is full assurance when Christ the Sun of Righteousness shines in the Soul God shines in the Face of Christ and sheds abroad his Love in the Heart by Jesus Christ 2. Consider the properties of true assurance of Salvation and the concomitants c. 1. The more assurance of Salvation there is the more Purity true assurance is purifying The more you dwell in the love of God the more will you labour to be like unto God and the more will you abhor impurity and the more will you follow after holiness Assurance will not make licentious dwelling in love and walking in your Lusts hopes of Glory and conforming to the courses of the World a looking for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein Righteousness dwells and not a putting off the old Conversation these will not consist together He that hath this Hope purifies himself even as he is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 Seeing we look for such things be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 2. It makes fruitful in good works the abounding of the Love of God in the heart will cause an abounding in the work of the Lord it will constrain you to serve the Lord and to live to him 3. The more Assurance the more heavenly mindedness our conversation is in Heaven whence we look for a Saviour when Heaven is sure the mind will be most in Heaven If there is your hope there will be your hearts This will make you willing to leave all these things here below this will make you sojourners here in the World By Faith Abâ—aham sojourned â—n the Land of Promise as in a strange Land If you look for a City that hath Foundations then will you be strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth 4. An earnest desire of Christ's appearing Where there is true Assurance a Man shall say to be with Christ is much better Let my beloved be like a Roe on the Mountains of Spices let him make haste to come let him come quickly When there 's a taste of the Love of God the Soul would have it fully When God shines into the hearts in some beams of his Glory the heart would know him perfectly and enjoy him fully That heart that enjoys Assurance of everlasting Love would have an everlasting and uninterrupted sense of that Love That Soul that sees its self above danger of wrath and loss of Love would be above danger of the with-drawings of Love That Soul that is Assured of Eternity of Love would be in such a condition as not to be subject to any moments displeasure in regard of the hidings of God's face 3. Take heed you give not the Right Hand of fellowship to the Enemies of Assurance As 1. Do not love darkness and hate light there 's no greater Enemy to the Assurance of your Salvation then this This is thâ— most direct way you can take to make your reprobation your damnation sure This is the condemnation this makes condemnation sure that light is come into the World and men love darkness rather than light John 2.19 Do not shut your Eyes from beholding the things of your Peâ—ce How should you be assured of your Salvation if you now shut your eyes from Salvation that is spoken to you c. or if you refuse him in whom Salvation is to be found and no other Rom. 1.28 Because they liked not to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them up to a reprobate mind c. 2. Be not enslaved to the World to the Riches and to the Pleasures of it this will hinder you from desiring or seeking Salvation to be made sure The Love of Money is the Root of all Evil which while some have coveted after have erred concerning the Faith to deny the Faith to keep Richeâ— this is a great cause of Mens erring so dangerously concerning their Souls that they do not provide better for them that they study not the good of them because their Hearts are so much glued to the World 3. Let not Sin reign in your Mortal Bodies that you should obey it in the Lusts thereof so long as Sin â—â—igns you are in danger of Death for Sin reigned unto Death and you cannot say you are under Grace for that Spirit that speaks peace to a Sinner proclaims war against his Sin that Spirit that sheds abroad the love of God in the Heart will lust against the Flesh that Spirit that brings Chyist into the Heart as the hope of Glory will write the Law of Christ in the heart and cause a walking in newness of Life 4. Take heed of grieving and quenching the Spirit the Spirit strives in the preaching of the Gospel as with the men of the Old World Noah was a Preacher of the Righteousness of Faith Assurance is a Grace of the Spirit a Gift of the Spirit and if you resist the Spirit the Spirit will not witness with you that you are the Children of God but against you that you are Enemies to God 2. Be not Enemies to the dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ's Kingdom of Light Assurance is a Priviledge of his Kingdom and of those that belong to it When you can see your selves translated out of the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ then happy are you then you are past all danger of
it night with us if the Earth get betwixt our Hearts and God at any time they being overtaken with worldly Contentmentt this may intercept divine light and keep it from you so let your Souls dwell in God and not like Satan walk to and fro in the Earth and wander up and down in it The Apostle's Rule is an excellent one Let them that have Wives be as if they had none and those that be Rich as though they had no Riches 1 Cor. 7.29.30 and those that buy as if they possessed not that is let not your Hearts find rest in these things but let the love of God in Christ be your rest live above let your Souls dwell in God and God will dwell in your Souls 2. Give not way to Sin especially take heed of doing any thing against the light of your Conscience There is nothing more likely to cause a withdrawing of light than a walking contrary to light hereby light is rejected and stifled and when Believers will have Fellowship with Sin God may teach them to take heed of Sin by hiding himself and suffering of their Souls to be filled with terrors By Sin Believers may fall though not from the love of God in Christ yet from the light of his Countenance That is the Apostles triumph Rom. 8. Nothing shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ yet there may be a falling from the love of God in the Heart by Sin so then take heed of being over taken with it have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness but reprove them 3. Walk not in the light of your own fire and sparks of your own kindling the Children of Promise that are free are yet too much in bondage to the Covenant of Works looking to a Righteousness of their own to Duties Grounding their hopes of favour and acceptation hereupon God may suffer those to lye down in sorrow that look not higher for ground of Joy When the Wise men left following the guidance of the Star it left them they walked in their own light and they go to the High-Priests c. and enquire of them but when they returned then they saw the Star 4. Be well Principled in the Doctrine of the Gospel and labour to understand it aright As 1. That though the Sins of Believers have abounded yet Grace abounds much more that is there is Grace enough in God and to spare for the pardon of all Sins God hath an infinite and inexhaustible treasure of Grace What God's answer was to Paul may be applied to all Believers My Grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 Paul was the chief of Sinners and God had Grace sufficient for him 1 Tim. 1.16 He obtained Mercy that Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them that should believe on him to everlasting life Believe the abundance of Mercy in God through Christ and you shall taste the fulness of it look on Sin and from Sin to Grace and there is Grace sufficient for you so you may have Peace in your heart 2. As their disobedience bath abounded so hath Christ's obedience much more As by one man's disobedience many were made Sinners Rom. 5.19 So by the obedience of one many shall be made Righteous There is more Power in Christ's obedience and Righteousness to Justify a Sinner than there is in Sin to Condemn him God is more honoured by Christ than dishonoured by Sin because Christ is an infinite Person equal to the Father he fulfilled the Law that was Lord of it It appears because sufficient to make a Sinner as Righteous as if he had never sinned sufficient to blot out all Sin that there 's no more remembrance of it Sufficient to recompence God c. And besides there is merit in it It 's a price sufficient to purchase Glory Life c. So that as â—here will be frequent acts of disobedience against these set the infinite obedience of the Lord Jesus abounding beyond them all as a Sacrifice sufficient to take away the evil of all 3. God had never suffered the Elect such as are ordain'd to life to have been in a state of Sin before Conversion c. or to do any act of Sin after Conversation but that he intended to glorify his Grace and Mercy in pardoning their Sin and saving them notwithstanding their Sin this was his design from all Eternity to magnify his Grace and Mercy towards the Vessels of Mercy That he might make known the Riches of his Glory Rom. 9.23 So he suffered them to Sin Rom. 5.24 The Law entred that the offence might abound that is that it might be known how far and how exceedingly it abounded Also by the entring of the Law Sin was irritated c. And this that Grace might be magnified towards the Elect in pardoning them and giving Christ to dye and saving them notwithstanding their Sin Now this may uphold the Soul in the apprehensiâ—n of Sin God never intended that Sin should hinder the Salvation of the Elect but to work good even out of sin and to take occasion from thence to magnify his Grace more abundantly so let us have recourse to Grace manifested in Christ But though God by his absolute power might suffer sin c. yet sin is never theless sinful and so we ought to withstand sin to the utmost and we must not do Evil that Good may come of it that is the note of Reprobates whose damnation is just Rom. 3.8 4. The sin of Believers may cause the hiding of love but no hatred they have not Indignation and Wrath but Compassion God looking on the reliques of sin as their infirmities that he will heal Now as Believers out of infirmity do sometimes sin so it is an infirmity to infer hatred in God towaâ—ds them for it for if so then the Grace of God is not sufficient for them and Christ died in vain for them c. 5. The sin of Believers may grieve the Spirit but does not make the Spirit an enâ—my to Believers Greive not the holy Spirit whâ—reby ye are sealed to the day of Redemption Eph 4.30 The sins of Persons sealed by the Spirit do greive the Spirit this is not to be understood properly because the Spirit is not subject to like Passions with us but he 's said to be greived 1. Because sin is contrary to the mind of the Spirit Rom. 8.27 We grieve at any thing that happens against our minds 2. Contrary to the motions of the Spirit 3. To the Graces and Comforts of the Spirit which call for an obedient walking and an holy Conversation 4 Contrary to the Office of the Spirit viz. to comfort the Spirit delights in comforting so it does as it were grieve the Spirit to be hindered from it 5. The sins of Persons sealed by the Spirit are said but to grieve the Spirit not to stir up Wrath and Indignation and a readiness to revenge 6. Consider
that sins should grieve and but grieve the Godly they should not doubt of Love and fear Wrath if once the Soul trusts in the Name of the Lord and stay upon God If once ye be founded on the Rock Christ then your sins should work grief for God dishonoured not fear of God's Wrath Grief for God dishonoured and Joy in God well pleased by Christ may consist together This is the way oâ— the Gospel but indeed a narrow way too hard to keep in it if ye joy in God notwithstanding sin then not to turn to the left hand of making light of sin or if ye grieve then not to turn to the right hand of questioning the love of God and so remitting joy 7. God may afflict yet not hate he may afflict and that grievously as he did Job and yet be well pleased whom I love I rebuke and chasten c. Rev. 3.19 8. For a Believer to doubt of Salvation that takes hold of Christ and is founded on him is his sin For 1. The Spirit of God doth not witness that he is not a Gâ—ild of God If the Spirit of God doth convince a natural Man that 's out of Christ of his carnal and cursed Estate and then he say he cannot lay claim to the Promises of the Gospel to the Benefits of Christ this is not his Sin because it may be that the Spirit is a Spirit of bondage in him and witnesseth this to him and so 't is true But for such as believe in Christ and look for Salvation no other way such never receive the Spirit of Bondage again to fear Rom. 8.15 that is the Spirit doth not bring them into bondage The Spirit doth not witness that they are not the Children of God for he should witness untruth then but their doubting Hearts bring them into bondage 2. 'T is through wanâ— oâ— Fâ—ith that such doubt of Salvaâ—ion 't is for not believing as they ought and that is their Sin and Christ may repâ—ove them as he did Peter O thou of little Faith wherefore did it thou doubt As God hath made the Salvation of Believers sure in Christ c. so they ought to believe it to be sureâ— and 't is their Sin to doubt of it not to believe is to make God a Liar 1 Joh. 5.10 Section 7. 2. How Believers ought to carry themselves in the want of Assurance 1. Desire it thirâ—â— and long for it account it a Mercy worth the enjoying better than all the World can afford and God hath promised to satisfy the hungry with good things and not to send them empty away so then breath after it as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks 3. Wait with patience of God till he return with joy and peace into the Soul I will wait on God that hideth his Face from the House of Israel Isa 8.17 3. Exercise Faith of adherence when you want the Faith of evidence this is the advice of the Prophet Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his Servant that is Christ Iâ—a 42.1 That fears the Lord and serve him in Christ being acquainted with the great Mystery of Godliness here 's Faith of adherence which Judges Christ worthy of Glory and walketh in darkness and sees no light here 's want of Faith of Evidence now what should be done in this case Still trust still hold fast Christ look for Salvation in him and none else trust in the name of the Lord trust to the mercy of God his abundant Grace manifested in giving Christ as sufficient to â—ave you and stay on his God God iâ— his God though he knows it not stay upon him let the Soul he fixed on him and say as Job though he kill me I will trust in him If I perish it shall be at the feet of Mercy and then though you may walk in darkness for a time yet the Lord shall be a light unto you Sâ—ction 8 From the second sense of these words work out that is desire and endeavour this that Salvâ—tion begun to be wrought out may be perfected so much the word signifies Rom. 7.18 How to perform that which is good I find not Doct. 2. The perfecting of Salvation that is begun should be the great desire of all Believers when 't is begun to be wrought they should desire that Salvation may be wrought out a Person begun to be saved should long to be saved to the utmost Here consider a few things 1. The Salvation of Believers shall be perfected This is a work that shall be finished As in the fiâ—st Creation of the World things were imperfect at first but God did not cease Creating till Heaven and Earth were finished and all the Host of them so at the first Conversion when Salvation fiâ—st comes to the Soul it may be it is very imperfect a little Faith a little Love but weak and faint breathings of Spirit but smoking Flax a bruised Reed But God will go on in this work till every Saint be made perfect and all the Host of them Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun a good work will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ He wi l keep Believers till the day of Christ and perfect their Happiness in that day which shall endure for ever Christ dying said it is finished that is the types of the Law are fulfilled what Christ had to do towards the obtaining Man's Redemption was finished for Satisfaction Reconciliation Merit all are fiâ—ished and nothing remains but the application of Christ to the Soul and bestowing the Benefits purchased for the Elect by Christ that Christ lives to finish he died to finish the work of Satisfaction and Reconciliation he lives to finish the work of Sanctification and Glorification He died to finish the work hâ— had to do respecting God's paying the price 〈◊〉 Redemption recompencing him for the d shonoâ—r that was done him by Sin and he lives to finish the work he hath to do respecting the Elect which is to pour out hâ—s Spirit into their â—â—â—â—ts and to form them for himsâ—â—l and to fashion Soul and Body like to himself this is the meaning of that place Rom. 5.10 For if when were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life He died to finish a work with the Father for Men making peace for them he lives to finish a work in them which is to make them Holy aâ—d Happy and whatever Enemies there are to the happiness of the Saints Christ shall subdue them 1 Cor. 15.25 He must Reign till he hath put all his Enemies under his Feet and till all his Members be conformed in glory to him and placed in Glory with him Joh. 17.22.24 The Glory that thou hast given me I have given them Now Believers have a right to but they shall also have the possession of it they shall partake in Christ's Glory in all his
and proceeds from weakness of Faith Psa 23 24. 4. Eâ—ery Believer ought to say as David I will fear no Evil. But they may rejoyce in Love and expect good and count that all things shall work for good to them In Christ they are carried above all fears of Evil for their Hearts should not fall down in them so that fear of Evil is not the thing here required this is forbidden elsewhere as by Moses fear not so not enjoined here 2. Fear of Doubting and Distrust Trembling opposed to Confidence and full Assurance is not here meant Men in a natural condition out of Christ may well be under the tortures and rackings of this fear they may be in bondage through fear of Death They may be tossed with fear and doubting and say as Rom. 10.5 Who shall ascend into Heaven Who shall descend into the Deep Or who can tell whether we shall go to Heaven or Hell But for Believers that are in the way of Salvation they ought not thus to fear 't is for such that have no other Spirit but the Spirit of Bondage which Believers do not receive If they are in bondage 't is not the Spirit of God but the unbelief of their own Spirit is the cause of it We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we may cry Abba Father They are Sons having the Spirit of Sons Now as Christ says the Servant abideth not in the House for ever Joh. 8.35 He may be cast forth and so is subject to fears So Men in a natural estate are in danger to be cast forth into outer darkness But the Son abideth ever he is beyond fear so Believers are Sons they are always in Lâ—ve The Apostle Exhorts Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith c. Heb. 10.22 Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace Now if he should exhort to fear and trembling because of doubtings of Salvation he should conclude it to himself and make void his other Exhortations Again Believers are exhorted to be in a constant frame of rejoycing Rejoyce in the Lord always Phil. 4.4 We rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.1 But fear of doubting is directly contrary to this joy Of it the Apostle says 1 Joh. 4.18 Fear hath torment But against this that place may be objected Heb. 4.1 Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest any of us should fall short Where he seems to exhort to fear of doubting of coming short of Heaven For answer Consider Because some there are that put their Hand to the Plow and look back again some that have Lamps and not Oyl a form and not the power of Godliness a Faith that is not saving but vain so they may seem to stand and walk in the way of Life but because they have no more not true Faith in Christ noâ— real Interest in nor Union with him they come short or come too late as 't is said of the foolish Virgins They came when the Door was shut So the Apostle Exhorts all to fear that is to look well to themselves and to be searching for Salvation and not content themselves with a form with shews and shadows so as to think that their Profession and the performance of some Duties is enough to bring Men to Heaven But they should labour to see themselves stated in Grace interested in Christ that so they may know that they shall not come short The ground of this Exhortation is the Examples of the Jews they had the Promises the Gospel was Preached unto them that is Promises of rest in Canaan But many came short Why They did not believe Now there are Promises of a rest a better rest in Heaven Heb. 10.34 We have in Heaven c. Now fear c. that is look well to your selves take heed you be not deceived lest your Hopes prove vain Believe the Gospel the promises of Life made in Christ and let the word of hearing be mixt with Faith Take heed of an evil heart of Unbelief if the Gospel be not mixt with Faith the Promises of the Gospel will not profit you Christ is of none effect to you if you believe not in him so that this is an Exhortation to those that have not yet received Christ in their Hearts and entertained the Gospel Promises and fear is to be taken for heed-fulness wariness and utmost Diligence If once they believe and are interested in Christ they may be sure then that they shall not come short 2. What is to be understood by Fear and trembling For this consider the Apostle is Exhorting you to work out your Salvation that is make it sure to your selves see God in Christ reconciling and saving and desire that it may be carried on to perfection Now amidst the beholding of God in Christ and desires of perfect enjoyment there being so much of God declared in this business in giving Christ and so much of his Glory shining forth you must fear i. e. admire and stand amaz'd at the love of God giving Christ himself to a wretched polluted Creature full of Enmity Tremble at the infinite greatness of Divine Love be humble and trust not to your own strength but to that infinite Grace and Love in which God comprehends poor Creatures for carrying on Salvation to perfection Sâ—ction 11. That this may be the better understood consider these particulars 1. The Salvation of Sinners is the work of the whole Trinity Of Father Son and Holy Ghost God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself God in Christ through his Spirit saves the Elect and will make them perfectly happy The Salvation of Sinners is the Father's work by ordination he predestinates them to be conform'd to the Image of his Son he chuses to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess 2.13 'T is Christ's work by Mediation he makes their case his own they being under Sin under a Curse he represents their Persons in undergoing Punishment suffering Death Rising and Entring into Glory Believers in him died rose c. Rom. 6.3 to 11. It 's the Spirit 's work by renovation God will have a change of Carnal to Spiritual of Sinful to Holy of Enemies to be made Obedient to the Lord Jesus In a word to be conformed to the Image of Christ Christ's work is to make Peace and to reconcile to God The Spirit 's is to conform to Christ in Grace and Glory to fashion Soul and Body like to him Not that the three Persons are divided in their Operations that one doth what another doth not but this is to be understood by way of Appropriation The Scripture doth Appropriate to each Person one work The Salvation of Sinners is the Father's work by purpose Christ's work by price Redeeming out of Misery the Spirit 's work by performance shedding abroad God's Infinite Love in the Heart shewing God in Christ God giving Christ Christ giving himself to
S raphins had six Wings with twain they covered their Faces and with twain their Feet Shewing that beholding the Infinite Glory of God they were as it were ashamed of themselves of their own emptiness and the great disproportion betwixt God and themselves that they were far from high mindedness and boasting in any perfection they saw that what they had they had from God and that perfection they had came Infinitely short of God and so rejoyce in him and not in themselves And so many Saints Isaiah cried Woe is me I am unclean for mine Eyes have seen the King the Lord of Host c. And Peter said when the Glory of Christ's Godhead appeared in that Miracle Depart from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord. An Expression of Humility and of an opinion of his own unworthiness even so the Infinite Grace and Love of God in Christ's appearing this begets Humility this puls Pride out of the Throne and high mindedness Pride falls before the discoveries of God in the Soul This is that especially which is to be understood in this place by Fear and Trembling The Scripture uses this Expression sometimes and still it signifies Humility as Psa 2.11 Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoice with Trembling Be humble in your Service trust not to your own Strength be humble in your Rejoycings take not the Glory to your selves say that you are nothing rejoyce in God and give Glory to him Again 1 Cor. 2.3 I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling that is I did not boast my self to be some body I was not with you in a proud and stately deportment I did not seek Glory with ostentation of Eloquence but I carried my self with humility amongst you Eph. 6.5 Servants be Obedient to your Masters with fear and trembling that is be humble and submissive not proud and stout against them so work out your Salvation with fear and trembling and be cloathed still with Humility both in Heart and Life be far from high mindedness and carnal Confidence think not to travel towards Heaven in your own strength Rom. 11.20 Be not high minded but fear So see the love of God let your Eye be fixed on Christ who died to reconcile and lives to save you Behold the Trinity carrying on the work the Father loving from all Eternity Christ mediating and rejoyce in the first fruits of the Spirit believe that the Spirit of Christ that 's dwelling in you shall renew and Sanctify you till Sin be wholy abolished and shall quicken your Mortal Bodies and make them like to Christ's glorious Body and know that you can do nothing of your selves and so you shall work out your Salvation with fear and trembling So that Fear and Trembling is to be taken here 1. As opposed to Hardness Stupidity and Insensibleness That when God manifests forth the Glory of his Infinite Goodness in Christ unto Sinners the Heart is no way affected or moved herewith a fearing and a trembling Heart that 's here meant is a Heart affected with the shining forth of God's Glory in Christ. God that commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts giving of the light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Now when the Heart is affected herewith and raised in admiration then it fears and trembles 2. As opposed to high mindedness to high thoughts of a Man's self of his worth and goodness A fearing and trembling heart is a heart sensible of its weakness and nothingness 3. As opposed to Carnal Confidence to trusting in a Man 's own Righteousness and Power as if a Man could merit Heaven by his Righteousness or travel thither in his own strength Section 13. Use 1. Is of Information By this it appears that many there are to whom the way of Life and Salvation is not discovered All that think they are travelling to Heaven are not indeed going thither Many there be that think they are working out their Salvation but there be but few that work it with fear and trembling This is the temper of those that God hath brought into the way of Life their hearts are fearing and trembling hearts hearts admiring at the Riches of Divine Grace hearts that are humble and broken off from Carnal Confidence But how few among the multitude that would be thought to be travelling towards Heaven have these fearing and trembling Hearts Rom. 3.17 18. The way of Peace have they not known there 's no fear of God before their Eyes Christ is the way of Peace Life and Salvation is the woâ—k of the whole Trinity If the way of Peace be known and the Trinity be look'd on as engag'd in this work it will work fear but the fear of God is not before the Eyes of many and so the way of Peace have they not known As many as are without fear and Holy trembling I do not mean slavish fear but reverenâ—ial fear are yet ignorant of the way of Life 1. As many as have not their Hearts deeply affected with and sâ—nsible of the Glory of Divine Grace and Goodness in Christ to Sinners As many as do not fear the Lord and his Goodness as many as heaâ—ing yet do not taste that the Lord is gracious The Apostle speaks of some that counted the Blood of the Covenant as a common thing they not apprehending the price and value of it So many there are that look on the glad Tidings of the Gospel the discoveries of Divine Grace and of the Infinite Love of the Lord Jesus but as common things and are no way taken with the Glory of the Gospel and the Riches of Divine Grace therein discovered This insensibleness of Heart towards the precious things of the Gospel this unaffected Spirit bewrays their Ignorance of the way of Life and what a common thing it is for Persons to make light of the Gospel and to neglect their Salvation that is spoken therein nay to despise the Gospel and to discover enmity against it There 's nothing more contrary to fearing Goodness than the making light of and despising Goodness and there 's nothing more common than that And what greater Evidence can there be than this that Men are not in the way of Salvation Hos 8.12 I have written unto them the great things of my Law but they were counted a strange thing c. 2. As many as are full of high thoughts of themselves As the discovery of this that Salvation is the work of the Trinity the beholding of God in Christ will bring down high thoughts so where high Thoughts are in the Throne and an opinion of Righteousness in Men's selves this bewrays an Ignorance of the way of Life They do not fear and tremble c. 3. As many as work uncleaness with greediness as freely yield up themselves Servants to Lusts fearing and trembling doth not consist with such freedom in Sinning the fear of goodness will restrain
his Spirit in the Heart he is the Well of Water that is springing up to everlasting Life For Explication of this point before I come to the proof I shall distinguish first of Good which is two fold 1. Carnal Outward Worldly good good that pertains to the Body and outward Man As the enjoyment of the things of the World in a sufficiency for Food and Raiment to preserve the Natural Life This good Men can embrace and they can be diligent in their several Callings to get this Worlds good 2. There 's a spiritual good that appertains to the Soul which is the life perfection and peace of the Soul Eternal Everlasting good Meat that endures to everlasting life That is an All-sufficient God There 's none good but one that is God a God reconciled believed and enjoyed in Christ This good a natural Man cannot will or desire because 't is not possible for him to apprehend it There 's no suitableness in Man for it 2. I shall distinguish of God's working which is two fold I In the old Creation So 1. God gives to Creatures a being some of one kind and some of another kind and puts several faculties and dispositions into them to work in several ways and to bring forth Fruits of several kinds He Created the Sun and filled it with Light and put into it a faculty and disposition to run a race in the Heavens and to be the Light of the whole World He Created the living Creatures and gave them a power to propagate after their kind 2. God doth by the same power by which he created preserve and continue them in their beings So 't is said they are created by God That is confirmed Rev. 4.10 Conservation being a continued Creation 3. God doth stir up the â—aculties and Powers put into several Creatures determining to several operations This or that every Creature shall do God concurring with them in their operations so they all act and move by the power of God in them So it 's said In 〈◊〉 we live move and have our being Acts 17.25.28 The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters Gen. 1.2 Which imports the effectual quickning power of the Holy Ghost which upholds and sustains and gives vertue to all Creatures whereby they live move and have their beings So that of all Creatures this is true whatsoever they do 't is God works them to do What a Rational Creature wills God works it to will iâ— a way suitable to the faculty of Rational Creatures that is in presenting of objects to the understanding thereby moving and inclining the wi l. Now in this old Creation there 's no willing or dâ—ing that which is good wiâ—hout special grace There s no disposition or faculty towards it there 's no willing of God to take him as the Supreme Good and the will of God as the Supreme Rule the glory of God as the Supreme End There 's no Piety no Holiness left in the Old Creation Men are Corrupt the Creature is subject to Vanity and in Bondage to Corruption II. Thâ—re is God's working in the new Creation this begins in the Souls of Men c. Herein God works i. e. of Carnal makes Spiritual from Spiritual Death raises to a Spiritual Life and stirs up to Spiritual Operations and brings into Holy ways Now as in the Old Creation it 's said all live move and have their being so in this New Creation all live move and have their being in God God makes New and places Holy dispositions and God preserves and upholds them once made God determines and stirs up by an actual influence of his Spirit So God works to will and do of his good pleasure For the proof of this Three things are to be clear'd 1. Consider In the Natural man there 's no free will to Spiritual good no embracing or doing of it There is free will to Sin in the Men of the Old Creation Free will to natural actions in as much as herein they act by Knowledge and Election chusing to do this and not that There 's no free will to Spiritual good 1. Because they are under such darkness that covers it that they can't know and apprehend Spiritual objects Spiritual things can't be apprehended but by a Spiritual Eye Now the Soul of every Man is Carnal 't is imprison'd in Flesh it dwels in thick darkness As God is said to dwell in thick darkness because his glory is vailed and hid 1 Kings 8.12 He is hid by the thick covering of Carnal things that he doth not shine forth in Spiritual glory in the World so the Soul of man dwells in thick darkness God is above it and full of Glory Splendor and Majesty in himself Men are under it they are darkness so that they cannot look beyond things Carnal they see no good but in things Carnal The Carnal Man perceives not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know 1 Cor. 2.14 So can't chuse and embrace them What the mind can't know as good the will can't embrace as good Now this mind cannot judge and apprehend God in Christ to be the chief good When Peter confessed Christ who he was he replies Flesh and Blood hath not revealed this to thee but my Father which is Heaven Math. 16.17 There 's no more of saving Spiritual Light in the Carnal Man before the New Creation then there was of Natural Light before the Old Creation The Men of the Old Creation have Light whereby they know the Creatures and have Souls terminated in them but not Light whereby they know God Whence the Apostle sais Ye were darkness Eph. 5.8 Men naturally dwell in the darkness and not in the Light of the Lord. They walk in the darkness of Creature-comforts and not in the Light of Divine glory And that which strenghtens this argument is that Men love darkness that covers them They had rather dwell in darkness than in the Knowledge of the glory of God Men do turn from Light and would turn the Light from them A Man hath free will towards darkness that he chuses but not free will towards Light that he refuses Light is come into the World into the Old Creation but Men as Men in a natâ—ral temper as sinners do evermoâ—e loâ—e darkness There must be a New Câ—eaâ—ion before Light will be received with Joy 2. They are under a state of deadness to all Spiritual good there 's no free will in a Dead Man to Spiritual Actions and there is no mâ—râ—â—n a Natural Man to Spiritual Actions Ye are Dead in Trespasses and Sins As Dead to Spiritual Life as the Bodies that lye in the grave to Natural Life As dead to a Life of God as Dead Bodies are to a Life of Man God lives in himself he lives to his own glory to this whatever he doth tends A Natural Man is alienated from this Life of God 3 Under a state of â—nmity against Spiritual good The Carnal
mind is Enmity against God 't is not subject neither indeed can be So there 's no free will to Spiritual good in a Natural Man the Carnal mind and Spiritual good are in opposition one to another Rom. 8.7 2. Man renewed and raised made Spiritual and having the Seed of God in him hath free will to Spiritual good As a Natural Man hath free will in Natural Actions he acts with deliberation and Election So Man renewed hath free will to Spiritual Actions This is implied God works to will so in a renewed estate a Man hath free will The Lord hath shewn what is good and what he requires and the Sâ—irit in them stirs them up to good God hath shined in the Heart and in the Face of Christ and hath appeared in his Glory shed abroad his Love and hath taken away the Heart of Stone in which there is no free will to God and given a Heart of Flesh in which there is a fâ—ee will to God a consent to be saved by Christ The Spirit acting by Light and Love convincing the Soul of the worth of Christ and stirring up to a following of the Lord Jesus that heart can reason out service Christ is worthy because a Lamb slain c. Rev. 5.9 And the heart chuses to serve Christ here 's free will to the doing of good When Christ is revealed in his Glory as most lovely and the Soul is brought into the treasures of good that are in Christ and sees a fulness in him and then embraces him here 's a free will in embracing of good a chusing of Christ above the World You are not sound Christians unless you have such a free will as this 3. That free will to Spiritual good which is in the renewed man is of God's working As the Apostle sais I live yet not I but Christ in me Gal. 2.20 So that a Believer hath free will and he acts freely in the ways of God he embraces what God shews to be good he châ—ses the things that please God yet not he but Christ in him Christ lives Christ wills and Christ works that which is good in him Without me ye can do nothing John 15.5 There 's no free will nor power to do good till Christ be in the heart I can do all things through Christ strenghtening me I can will as I ought and do as I ought through Christ Christ determines to good actions Christ stirs up to good actions Now this will further appear by considering the great design of God in saving Sinners As all God's works are God's manifestations so God intends in this work a glorious manifestation of himself 1. In his Power as in the first Creation his Eternal Power and Godhead is to be seen so in the second Creation Eph 1.19 The Apostle prays that the Ephesians might have the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to know the exceeding greatness of his Power to them that believe God's design is not to make known the power of Nature and Free will but his own power in the exceeding greatness of it If the Conversion of a Sinner be but by Moral perswasion by holding forth of Spiritual objects to be embraced then how is it that the exceeding greatness of power is manifested to them that believe if Faith come forth from free will and power of Nature only excited and stirred up by Divine Grace c. So certain it is that Faith is made out of nothing there 's no disposition in us towards believing but 't is a work of Divine Power creating it in a Soul most empty of Spiritual good 2. In his Grace which he declares first in the freeness of it For it is by meer Grace that any are called and justified There 's nothing that that puts a difference betwixt one and another nor why one embraces the Gospel and another does not but meer Grace 1 Cor. 4 7. These things I write that no one be puffed up against another for who maketh thee to differ If Men have free will to good if that Will be not meerly of God's working whereby one Man doth embrace Christ and lay hold on the Promise of Life God doth not make him to differ but his own free will doth so and so this opinion directly opposes the design of the Gospel to commend Grace in its freeness Free will established in natural men makes void free Grace As the Apostle says If of works then not of grace else grace is no more grace Rom. 6.11 So likewise if of free will grace is no moâ—e grace and if of grace then nor of free will So when the Gospel is Preached to all and some lay hold on it and embrace Christ in their hearts and follow him and others refuse and go on in evil ways leading to destruction What makes the difference Divine Grace God works a will in one and not in another the one he brings out of darkness and the other he leaves in darkneâ—â— and so all grâ—â—nd of glorying in a Man'â—â—elf iâ— taken away that he that glorys may glory in the Lord. So that free wiâ—l to good is nor in nature but where 't is it is a fruit of free Grace God works to will Secondly in the sufficiency of it when the Creature is insufficient and can do nothing to procure pardon and to make his Peace Grace gave Christ. And when Christ is offered and there 's no power to embrace Christ then Grace gives to believe in Christ and works a consent in the will to take Christ. When there 's no power against Corruption and to do good Grace gives the Spirit to be a living conquering Law causing Obedience Objection Some may object against this truth for establishing of free will in the Natural Man from the general and Universal render of the Gospel Go preach the Gospel to every Creature God gave his Son that all that believe c. Rom. 12.17 Whosoever will let him take of the Water of Life freely To what purpose are these tenders if there be not free will and power in Man to embrace them Answ 1. These general tenders of Grace do not argue in Men a freedom of will to receive Grace or a power to believe but only a duty to Believe Men ought to believe so all are called on and unbelief is Men's sin and greatest sin 2. The Election only shall lay hold on the Grace of the Gospel Rom. 11.7 Israel hath not obtained but the Election that is such persons as were Elected hath obtain'd it and the rest were blinded Now because the Election is secret and hid the Gospel is preached to all alike 3. The Preaching of the Gospel the holding forth of the Promises of Life in Christ to Sinners is the ministration of the Spirit to those that are ordain'd to Life that 's the way in which the Spirit comes down into their Souls and is a Spirit of Faith and Love in them 2 Cor. 3. 4. Reprobates having the Gospel Preached and
forc'd from his Heritage and not fed with it and 2 When there was a Famine in the Land of Canaan then his Heritage failed him and he went down into Egypt to be fed there But there shall be a time when the true Israel of God shall not only have but be fed with their Heritage their Heritage shall not fail them There is no Famine of Bread in the true Canaan Bread shall be given them and their Waters sure There shall be no prophane persecuting Person as Esau to make them fly from it 6. A Sabbath rightly kept is as the Gates of Heaven as Jacob said of Bethel this is the Gates of Heaven The Rest of the Sabbath is a figure of the Rest of Heaven and of Christ's Kingdom The work of the Sabbath is a figure of the work of Heaven the Joy in communion with God tasting in his Ordinances that the Lord is gracious is the first Fruits of the Joys of Heaven Heb. 4.4 5. He speaks of the Seventh day God did rest then from all his works and in this place if they shall enter into my rest Observe Those that keep a Sabbath aright to the Lord do enter into the rest of the Lord they rest from their own work and refresh themselves in the Lord. v. 9. There remaineth a rest or Sabbatism to the People of God that is a day to rest in and rejoyce in the Lord and honour him and this is the figure of the Eternal rest the Saints have in Heaven Directions for a Gospel keeping of a Sabbath To what was spoken before from the Text let the 92 Psalm be added where we have a pattern and directory for it The Title of it being A Psalm for the Sabbath-day 1. God is to be praised for making us glad through his work v. 4. It 's a good thing to give thanks c. to shew forth his loving kindness and faithfulness his loving kindness in giving Christ to be made Flesh and Sin a Curse c. Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works through the work of Redemption Justification Sanctification Our own works make us sad when we think of them 't is with grief and Godly sorrow but thy works c. The works of the Redeemer fulfilling Righteousness making his Soul an offering for Sin and making Intercession changing me into thine Image these make me glad I will triumph in thy works I am ashamed of mine own works but I will glory in thine I am ashamed of mine own Righteousness which is as filthy Rags but I will triumph in Christ's which is most perfect and glorious I trust not to my own works but I trust in thine and not only trust but triumph in them over Sin Satan Death and Hell How great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep We should not only take a slâ—ght view but have very serious thoughts of them and be much in meditating on them As the Angels desire to look into them and with a holy admiration of them Such Knowledge is too wonderful for me c. When Christ took not on him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham and took Sin upon him and so loved us as to give himself to suffer Death and passing by many so loved me as to give his Spirit to quicken me when I was dead in Sins and to prepare me unto Glory what a great work is this Now it is proper for the Sabbath to cease from our own works which weary us c. To contemplate on and make our selves glad with the work of the Redeemer There are also the works of his gracious Providence in which God gives great experience of his Love Mercy c. to his People Object When we consider how much the Saints are afflicted in the World the are chastened every morning and in the mean time the Wicked spring as the Grass and the workers of Iniquity do flourish How can we be glad thro' God's works of Providence Answ Here God's thoughts lye deep but enter into the Sanctuary of God draw nigh and search into them and so you shall understand that which shall make you glad As for the wicked they spring as the Grass but 't is that they may be destroyed the wicked in their Prosperity are but as Grass and the best of them but as Grass on the House-top Grass soon withers and that on the House-top the soonest of all Thou Lord art most high if they be more high in Worldly Prosperity c. As for the Godly if they now suffer and are afflicted in their outward Man in worldly things 't is that they may be saved for ever The Wicked now prosper that they may perish for ever This he further sets forth Lo thine Enemies shall perish my Horn shalt thou exalt c. The World being high in worldly Prosperity are in the way to be thrown down Saints being low are in the way to be exalted the wicked exalting themselves glorying in their wickedness in their worldly enjoyments having exalted thoughts of themselves shall be abased but the Godly humbling themselves under the mighty Hand of God shall be exalted 2. On this day a Spirit of Prophesy should be exercised as to praise God for and make our selves glad in the works that are done so by the Spirit of Prophecy to consider from the word what God will do and make our selves glad in the works that are to be done ver 10. I shall be anointed with fresh Oyl I have some Light I shall have more somewhat I know of the Mystery of Godliness and I shall know more Some Grace I have received I shall have more I have a little strength I shall have more the little Faith and Love I have shall be increased thou wert a a Spring to me heretofore I had Grace in Conversion and all my fresh Springs are in thee and thence I shall have fresh Oyl 'T is good to exercise a Spirit of Prophecy it will make us glad amidst all our weaknesses and wants c. ver 11. Mine Eyes shall see and mine Ears shall hear my desire of the Wicked the Church's Eyes shall see her desire on Anti-christ the Man of Sin on Babylon the great ver 12.13 The Righteous shall flourish as the Palm trees the Righteous are oppressed but they shall flourish in and under their oppressions and shall grow under their burdens and take root downward and bear fruit upwards so doth the Palm-tree bear more fruit when 't is burthened He shall grow like the Cedar in Lebanon the wicked grow but as the Grass the Saints grow like the Cedar That is lasting and a Tree that continues long and the wood is very durable and lasting Those that be planted in the House of God shall flourish even when old And then are most green and flourishing in Grace When the outward Man perisheth the inner Man is renewed Lastly All this must be that God may shew himself upright he will put a
agreeable to their actions whether good or bad 1. The Godly must be brought to an account Rom. 14.12 every one of us shall give account of himself to God how he hath behaved himself we must answer the Judge concerning our Persons Conversations c. our Thoughts Faith all shall be enquired into 2. Christ shall take notice of the sincere and holy works of Saints whatever proceeds from a pure Heart good Conscience and Faith unfeigned out of a desire to serve the Lord Jesus Math. 25.35 I was hungry and ye gave me Meat c. God is not unrighteous to forget your works of Faith and labour of Love Heb. 6.10 which ye have shewed towards his name Shew respect and reverence to the name of Christ c. 1 Cor. 3.13 every Man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire which is in part made good in this Life by the work of the Holy Ghost through the Preaching of the Gospel causing a discerning Light to shine to put a difference betwixt Truth and Error and this work shall be perfected at the day of Judgment when all Truths shall be made manifest by the revealing brightness of Christ and all errors discovered thereby Quest Whether the Sins of the Godly shall be at all mentioned or taken notice of in that great day Answ 1. The Sins of the Godly shall not appear against them for Condemnation for then they must appear against the Judge who took the guilt and punishment of their Sins upon himself but the Godly shall triumph over their Sins because they stand before him that died for them therefore no fear of Death 2. Nor to their shame all sorrow and so shame done away therefore if the Sins of the Godly be mentioned yet this shall not make them hang down their Heads with shame they shall not do as Adam hide themselves from their Judge these things are clear Now some hold that they shall not be at all brought to light because by Sentence of Justification they are covered and taken away To this may be answered that in the time of this Life Believers are absolved in God's gracious sentence towards them and in their own conscience more privately and secretly by the witness of the Spirit but at the day of Judgment they shall be absolved and acquitted of all Sins more publickly even in the sight of Angels and the whole World Now the Spirit speaks to the Heart and Conscience then Christ shall openly pronounce Sentence Come ye Blessed of my Father c. therefore it seems not contrary to the analogy of Faith to hold that the Sins of the Godly shall be brought to light Nay it seems very suitable to the great design of the Gospel which is to illustrate and commend in the highest manner the free Grace of God the great love of Christ the power of his Death and Infinite Vertue of his Sacrifice As that day is a day of Wrath to the Wicked c. so a day of Love to the Saints wherein the Love of Christ shall in the fulness of it be display'd and to commend it the more it seems not incongruous to affirm that the Sins of the Godly shall be brought to light even their secret Sins He shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that believe his great love to Saints shall cause great admiration that is they shall admire the love of Christ not only to themselves but other Saints and Angels shall admire Christ in the Saints now the knowledge of Sin and of free Grace rejoycing over it or of the love of Christ c. this shall be a meanes to heighten much their admiration and seâ— of the great love of Christ with the more lustre 3. If the Sins of the Godly be recorded and to be read 't is in the Book of Life 't is that they may have some advantage thereby c. and they are all so recorded Rev. 20. Ergo. 2. For the Sins of the wicked that is most clear they shall be all laid open to the view of Men and Angels at that great day there is a Book in which all Sins are written from an idle word to the highest Blasphemy Math. 12.36 all secret Sins are set in the sight of the Sun Rom. 2.16 He shall judge the Secrets of Men there 's nothing hid that shall not be manifested this day shall declare it Rev. 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the Hearts and Reins Rev. 20.12 the dead are judged out of those things that are written therein Whatever you now go about to conceal and hide shall not be ever hid all wickedness that lay hid under a form of godliness c. then the Vail shall be removed c. Eccles 12.14 God shall bring every work to Judgment with every secret thing Eccles 11.19 Rejoyce c. yet know that for all this God shall bring thee to Judgment Take notice of some particular Sins because the Scripture doth particularize them as Whoredom and Adultery Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 Neglect and abuse of the means of Grace this is one of the greatest Sins that Men shall be brought to Judgment for it shall bring a very heavy Punishment It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for this People if you live under the light of the Gospel and walk in darkness sit and hear the word yet are setled on the lees of Sin then at the last day this shall be brought in upon your account so many Sermons you have heard and never benefitted by them so many times Christ came to gather you and you would not so many times the Gospel came knocking at the door of your Hearts and you refused to open know that all is Recorded likewise hard speeches Jude 15. spoken against God or his People or the Commands ways and Administrations of God as to say his sayings his dealings are hard Christ endured and his Members endure the Contradiction of Sinners but you must look to be called to the Judgment-seat of Christ for Contradiction Christ shall give Sentence against those that did speak against him Yea not only hard speeches but Idle words the least Sins if you were guilty of no Sin but one idle word Christ might very justly cast you into Hell for it Some are mentioned to shew that all shall be remembred against you And there is no deluding or deceiving the Judge by your colourable pretences and excuses for he is most Wise and knoweth all things So there 's no covering your Sins for he is most Just and so no corrupting him with Gifts no overcoming with entreaties for then wicked Men shall try and call hard but he is most severe no appealing from this Bar for he is the Supreme Judge there shall be Verity in his Inquisition Impartiality in Sentencing Severity in Execution 4 Godly shall stand apart from the wicked
of Satan's wrath against the Godly now they breath out threatnings but the comfort is their wrath shall turn to the praise of God because wicked Men's wrath shall work for the good of Saints therein the power and wisdom of God hath praise but the last day is a day of Christ's wrath against the wicked and 't is true this wrath shall turn to the praise of God but who is there to restrain his wrath To be under the wrath of Man or Satan is a most miserable conditon if there be none to restrain it but worse under Christ's wrath 2. All sinful works shall be remembred and brought in upon an inditement against them blessed is he at that day whose iniquity is forgiven and sin covered that hath Christ for his Righteousness and Faith to put him on But the wicked shall have nothing to do with this blessedness now they seek it not now 't is not esteemed by them so great a blessedness as it is now Men establish their own righteousness and will not submit to the Righteousness of God but at the last day when Wicked Men shall know the worth and want of Christ's Righteousness then there shall be no possibility of having it then the Books are opened and the sins of the ungodly discovered and as the Spirit Promised to the Godly to bring to remembrance what Christ said to open the mysteries of the Gospel c. So on the other side then the Spirit shall bring to remembrance all that the Wicked have done all idle words all oaths filthy communication all vain thoughts sinful affections so many times eating and drinking to excess c. All their sins shall dog them to the Judgment-seat of Christ Christ shall take notice of all the unkindness shewn to him those only are mention'd Math. 25.44 to shew they are great and most provoking sins but as under one great duty commanded all are implyed so under one great sin forbidden all others are forbidden And so under these great sins and injuries done to Christ all others are included I was hungry c. and these shall go away into everlasting punishment and in the upshot these were injuries done to the Members of Christ which he makes his own injuries by Compassion as the Head suffers when the Members suffer this you reckon a small matter to pass by a Member of Christ and not supply his wants and if so for not feeding Christ in his Members how much more for going about to starve Christ in his Members by taking away the Bread of Life from them if for not visiting when sick and in prison how much more for wounding of Saints in Name Body Estates and for casting of Saints into prison 3. No works of theirs which for matter are good shall be remembred and accepted of in that day every work being weighed in the Ballance like Belshazzar being found too light whatever proceeds not from Faith in Christ nor is done out of zeal to the Glory of God shall be found too light and for wicked Men's works as hearing the Word doing Justice giving Almes they shall not plead any thing for you your Holy things shall not plead against iniquity because there is iniquity in your holy things self-love seeking Men's praise no sincere love to the Lord Jesus no judging Christ worthy of obedience If you do a good turn to a Man for your own ends what thanks do you deserve For know whatever good you do if it proceed not from a pure heart a good Conscience towards God Faith in the Lord Jesus c. it shall be reckoned but among your sins Math. 7.21 Not every one that saith Lord Lord that in words will call Christ Lord but deny it in works shall enter into Heaven shall be judged meet for that Kingdom But he that doth the will of my Father 'T is not enough to do what is good but to do it as the will of the Father out of obedience to his command with an aim at his honour yet that 's not all but he that doth the will of my Father that obeys the will of the Father as he is Christ's Father knowing the Son as the Father doing the will of the Father for Christ's sake coming to the Father through the Son moved with love to Christ he shall enter Heaven Objection But is this necessary will some plead at the last day that the will of the Father of thy Father as thy Father must be done Is it for thy sake c. Why that we can plead Lord Lord have we not Prophecied in thy Name c. Then Christ shall say Depart from me I never knew you I never knew you Born again Converted made new Creatures I never saw you deny your selves out of sincere love to me and zeal of my honour I never saw you in my Kingdom of Grace so I will not now admit you to any fellowship or acquaintance with me Depart ye workers of Iniquity whatever you have done I look on you but as workers of iniquity your good works that you plead I reckon but amongst your sins How sad a time will it be then with Wicked Men who shall say is our Religion vain Shall none of our works and doings proffit Have we prayed and taken so much pains from time to time Sabbath after Sabbath and all in vain will God forget all what a miserable case are we then in Even so it shall be nothing remembred if you are not regenerated if not a new Creature if you have not true Faith in the Lord Jesus resting in him alone for Salvation 4. When their sinful works shall be set before them in order and imperfection of their good works shewn then the wicked shall be convinced of both in their own Consciences now Wicked Men will not be convinced of sin nor judge aright of their performances they are past feeling Eph. 4.19 The Greek word signifies them that having done any thing amiss can't grieve or take shame to themselves as Drunkards past feeling Swearers past feeling 1 Tim. 4.2 Having the Conscience seared with a hot Iron That is either professing themselves to be the people of God their Consciences are stigmatized with the works of many foul and enormous crimes a metaphor taken from Rogues who are burnt in the Hand or some other part of the body or Conscience so insensible of sin and their dangerous estate by it and of the fearful Judgments of God as dead and hard Flesh feared with a hot Iron Thus 't is for the most part with wicked Men here but when they are called to Judgment then their Conscience shall recover feeling then it shall do its office in accusing judging here wicked Men make God a liar they have beâ—ied the Lord and said no evil shall come on us then they shall set to their seal that God is true his word is true his threatnings are true then as Joshua said ye know that not one thing hath fail'd Chap 23.14 so
on the other side shall the wicked say at the last day they shall know that not one thing fails of the word of God spoken concerning the ungodly they shall set to their seal that God is most just Math. 22.12 that Parable of a marriage of the King's Son most probably is to be understood of the day of Judgment There one was observed that had not a Wedding Garment and when the King askes How camest thou in hither is it fit that thou shouldst be admitted to this Feast c. he was speechless he had not a word to say for himself he was muzled as 1 Cor. 9.9 he could no more speak for himself then a muzled Ox can eat of the Corn he treads out his Conscience speakes against him so how shall he speak for himself when it shall be said that thou wert a Drunkard and never didst repent of this sin and is it fit that having drunk of the Cup of Devils in thy life-time and delighting in nothing else that thou shouldest be admitted to my Feast to partake in Eternal Life Thou that madest nothing of prophaning my Name is it fit thou shouldest dwell in my presence Thou that hadst a form but an Enemy to the power of Godliness when Christ shall thus accuse Wicked Men shall be muzled the Gospel is Preached for a witness Here when the Spirit of God in the word strives with Sinners to convince of sin and would discover their damnable estate They have somewhat to say that as they sin so they do somewhat that is good or will repent hereafter or will repent before they dye c. but then they are all speechless and past excuses 5. Wicked Mens cries and prayers shall not be heard in that day they shall cry Lord Lord they that despised Mercy shall cry they that made light of an invitation to Christ shall earnestly seek to him they that Christ came oft to gather as a Hen her Chickens and they would not then shall cry unto Christ to save them from wrath as the Devils I beseech thee torment me not cast me not into the great deep But refusing to cry in the day of Grace and to hear Christ crying to them their cries shall not be heard in the day of wrath Prov. 1.24 Because I have called that is Christ terming himself Wisdom and ye refused Isa 51.1 2. I have stretched out my hand a gesture of such as made Proclamation to get attention as Acts 21.40 Paul beckened with the hand and there was silence intimating there was no means left untried to perswade them to hearken unto him but what was the Fruit Ye have set at naught my Councel and would none of my reproof But Christ will deal with you as you with him I will laugh at your calamity that is the wicked which make a jest at God's word and mock shall have the just reward of their working they shall be requited in the same kind then shall they call but I will not answer Math. 25.11 The foolish Virgins cry Lord Lord open to us but he answered I know you not Wicked Men would go to Heaven at the last day although now they never think of taking the right way thither 6. Wicked Men shall be rewarded according to their works and what reward see Rom. 2.6 8. he will render to every Man according to his deeds unto them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation wrath tribulation anguish upon every Soul that doth evil So many expressions are heaped together to set forth the great heap of Judgments prepared for the wicked on the Jew first c. all transgressors without distinction or respect to Persons shall meet with tribulation yet Judgment shall begin at the House of God and those that have better means and more knowledge and do not accordingly shall receive the heavier He that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities That is I have chosen accepted priviledged you and you only have known me therefore those sins of ignorance which are not so great in others are in you more inexcusable proceeding from pure malice according hereto at the last day their doom must be sorer Aall Sinners at that day shall be full of wrath All the damned are called Vessels of wrath Now all are not of the same quantity and capaciy one is capable of more another of less but every Vessel full of wrath As throw many vessels into the Sea one is bigger then another and can receive more but every Vessel will be full so the wicked shall be all turned into Hell and to the great deep and all shall be full of wrath though some may have more and some less See the reward of the wicked Math. 25.41 Depart from me from me who am the Way Truth and Life the Light of the World who am that only name given whereby sinners might be saved who am the express image of the Father by whose Blood sins are washt Ye Cursed by the Sentence of the Law into everlasting Fire that is torments prepared for the Devil as Wicked Men are Servants to Satan in sinning so shall they be companions of Satan in suffering Use 2. Exhort Let it be the great business of every day of your life to prepare for that one day of Christ's coming to Judgment that which was Paul's Prayer for Onesiphorus let it be your desire The Lord grant that he may find Mercy of the Lord in that day 2 Tim. 1.18 1. Labour after the knowledge of Christ He shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on all that know not God 2 Thess 1.18 That is with fiery indignation his anger shall sparkle out in a most dreadful manner against them Know God in his Allsufficiency Faithfulness Majesty Goodness or you shall know him in his wrath Know Christ in his Sweetness fulness of Love Grace c. or else you shall know him in fulness of wrath Take heed that you hate not knowledge now in the time of knowledge if you are in darkness that day shall overtake you as a Thief that is suddenly and that day shall strip and spoil you of all your Joys and Comforts that you delighted most in If you know the Lord aright then will Christ say I know you If you know you shall be known now hear and so hear as that you may learn the Knowledge of Christ 2. Obey the Gospel 1. Believe what Christ commands you to believe this is the first and great command of the Gospel Believe in the Son as God-Man as Mediator and Saviour one that is able to save you to the utmost Then you shall be prepared for that day 2 Tim. 1.12 do as Paul He is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day That is my precious Soul