and to be above troubles and fears seek for a more lively and Divine Knowledge of God than most as yet have and rest not till you bring him into your hearts and then you shall rest indeed in him Sanctifie him by fearing him let him be your fear and your dread not only outward gross offences fear an Oath fear to prophane the Lord's Holy Day but fear all irregular earthly desires the distemper'd affecting any thing entertaining any thing in the secret of your hearts that may give distaste to your beloved take heed respect the great Person you have in you Company and lodges within you the holy Spirit grieve him not for it will turn to your own grief if you do for all your comfort is in his hand and flows from him if you be but in heart dallying with sin it will unfit you for suffering outward troubles and make your spirit low and base in the day of tryal yea it will fill you with inward trouble and disturb that peace which I am sure you that know esteem more of then all the peace and flourishing of this World Outward troubles do not molest nor stir inward peace but an unholy unsanctified affection doth all the winds without cause not an earth quake but that within its own bowels doth Christians are much their own enemies in unwary walking prejudge themselves of those comforts they might have in God and so are often almost as perplex'd and full of fears upon small occasions as worldlings are Sanctifie him by believing study the main question your reconcilement with him labour to bring that to some point and then in all other occurrences Faith will uphold you by relying on God as now yours for those three things make up the Souls peace 1. To have right apprehension of God looking on him in Christ and according to that covenant that holds in him And 2. A particular apprehension that is laying hold on him in that covenant as gracious and merciful as satisfied and appeased in Christ smelling in his sacrifice which was himself a savour of rest and setting himself before me that I may rely on him in that notion 3. A perswasion that by so relying on him my Soul is at one yea is one with him yet while this is wanting as to a Believer it may be the other is our duty to Sanctifie the Lord in believing the word of Grace and believing on him reposing on his Word and this even sever'd from the other doth deliver in a good measure from distracting fears and troubles and sets the Soul at safety Whence is it that in times of Persecution or Trouble Men are troubl'd within and rackt with fears but because instead of God their hearts are glâ—ed to those things that are in hazard by those troubles without their estates or their ease or their lives the Soul destitute of God esteems so highly of such things that it cannot but exceedingly feel when they are in danger and fear their loss most gaping after some imagin'd good and Oh! iâ— I had but this I were well but then such or such a thing may step in and break all my Projects and this troubles the poor Spiriâ— of Man that hath no higher designs but such as are so easily blasted and still as any thing in Man lists up his Soul to vanity it must needs fall down again into vexation There is a word or two in the Hebrew for Idols that signifie withal Troubles and Terrors and so 't is certainly All our Idols prove so to us fill us with nothing but anguish and troubles with unprofitable cares and fears that are good for nothing but to be fit punishments of that folly out of which they arise The ardent love or wilful desire of Prosperity or Wealth or Credit in the World carries with it as inseparably ty'd to it a bundle of fears and inward troubles They that will be rich says the Apostle fall into a snare and many noysome and hurtful lusts and as he adds in the next Verse they pierce themselves through with many sorrows He that hath set his Heart upon an Estate or a commodious Dwelling and Lands or upon a healthful and long Life cannot but be in continued alarms of renewed fears concerning them especially in troublous times the least rumor of any thing that threatneth his deprivement of those advantages strikes him to the heart because his heart is in them I am well seated thinks he and I am of a sound strong constitution and may have many a good day Oh! but beside the Arrows of Pestilence that are flying round about the Sword of a cruel Enemy is not far off this will affright and trouble a heart void of God but if thou wouldst readily answer and dispel all these and such like fears Sanctifie the Lord God in thy Heart the Soul that eyes God renounces these things looks on them at a great distance as things far from the Heart and therefore that cannot easily trouble it but looks on God as within the Heart sanctifies him in it and rests on him The Word of God cures the many foolish hopes and fears that we are naturally sick of by representing to us hopes and fears of a far higher Nature which swallow up and drown the other as Inundations and Landâ—â—oods do the little Ditches in those Meadows that they overflow fear not says our Saviour him that can kill the Body what then fear must have some work he adds but fear him that can kill both Soul and Body Thus in the passage cited here fear not their fear but sanctifie the Lord and let him be your fear and your dread And so for the hopes of the World care not to lose them for God there is a hope in you as it follows here that is far above them Be ready always to give an answer The real Christian is all for Christ hath given up all right of himself to his Lord and Master to be all his to do and suffer for him and therefore sure will not fail in this which is least to speak for him upon all Occasions if he sanctifie him in his Heart the Tongue will follow and be ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give an Answer a Defence or Apology Of this here four things 1. The need of it Men will ask an account 2. The Matter or Subject of it the hope in you 3. The manner with meekness and fear 4. The faculty for it be ready 1. Religion is always the thing in the World that hath the greatest calumnies and prejudices cast upon it and this engages those that love it to endeavour to clear and disburden it of them this they do chiefly by the Tract of their Lives the Saints by their blameless Actions and patient Sufferings do write most real and convincing Apologies yet sometimes 't is expedient yea necessary to add verbal Defences and to vindicaâ—e not so much themselves as their Lord and his Truth suffering in the
death and resurrection study them set thine eye upon them till thy Heart take in the Impression of them by much Spiritual and affectionate looking on them beholding the Glory of thy Lord Christ then be transformed unto it 2 Cor. 3. It is not only a moral Patern or Copy but an effectual Cause of thy sanctification having real influence into thy Soul dead with him and again alive with him Oh Happiness and Dignity unspeakable to have this Life known and cleared to your Souls If it were how would it make you live above the World and all the vain hopes and fears of this wretched Life and the fears of Death it self yea it would make it most lovely to them that is the most affrightful Visage to the World It is the Apostles Maxime that the carnal mind is enmity against God as it is universally true of every carnal mind so of all the motions and thoughts of it even where it seems to agree with God yet it s still contrary if it acknowledge and conform to his Ordinances yet even in so doing it s in direct opposite terms to him particularly in this that which he esteems most in them the carnal mind makes least account of He chiefly eyes and values the inside the Natural Man dwells and rests in the shell and superfice of them God according to his Spiritual Nature looks most on the more Spiritual part of his worship and Worshippers The carnal mind 's in this just like it selfe altogether for the sensible external part and cannot look beyond it Therefore the Apostle here having taken occasion to speak of Baptism by terms of Paralel and resemblance with the Flood is express in correcting this mistake It is not says he in putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience Were it possible to perswade you I would recommend one thing to you learn to look on the Ordinances of God suitably to their Natures spiritually and enquire after the spiritual effect and working of them upon your Consciences We would willingly have all Religion reduced to outwards this is ouâ— natural choice and would pay all in this coyn as cheaper and easier by far and would compound for the Spiritual part rather to add and give more external perâ—ormance and ceremony Hence the natural complacency of Popery which is all for this service of the flesh and body-services and to those prescribed of God all deal so liberally with him in that kind as to add more and frame new Devices and Rites what you will in this kind Sprinklings and Washingâ— and Anointings and Incense but whither all this is it not a gross mistake of God to think him thus pleased or is it not a direct afront knowing that he is not pleased with these but desires another thing to thrust that upon him that he cares not for and refuse him what he calls for that single humble heart worship and walking with him that purity of Spirit and Conscience that he only prizes and no outward-service but for these as they tend to this end and do attain it Give me says he nothing if you give not this Oh! saith the carnal Mind any thing but this thou shalt have as many washings and offerings as thou wilt thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yea rather then fail let the Fruit of my Body go for the Sin of my Soul Thus we will the outward use of Word and Sacraments do it then all shall be well baptised we are and shall I hear much and communicate ofâ—en if I can reach it shall I â—e exact in poâ—nt of Family Worship shall I pray in secret all this I do or at least I now promise Ay but when all that is done there is yet one thing may be wanting and if it be so all that amounts to nothing is thy Conscience purged and made good by all these or art thou sâ—â—king and aiming at this by the use of all means then certainly thou shalt â—ind life in them But does thy heart still remain uncleansed from the old ways not purified from the Pollutions of the World do thy beloved sins still lodge with thee and keep possession of thy heart then art thou still a stranger to Christ and an enemy to God the word and seals of Life are dead to thee and thou still dead in the use of them all Know you not that many have made shipwrack upon the very rock of Salvation that many which were baptised as well as you and as constant attendants on all the Worship and Ordinances of God as you yet remained without Christ and died in their sins and are now past recovery Oh! that you would be warned there are still multitudes running headlong that same course tending to destruction through the midst of all the means of Salvation the saddest way of all to it through Word and Sacraments and all heavenly Ordinances to be walking hellwards Christians and yet no Christians baptised and yet unbaptised as the Prophet takes in the prophane multitude of God's own People with the Nations Jer. 9. 26. Egypt and Iudah and Edom all these Nations are uncircumcised and the worst came last and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised in the Heart Thus thus the most of us unbaptised in the heart and as this is the way of personal destruction so it is that as the Prophet there declares that brings upon the Church so many publick Judgments and as the Apostle tells that for the abuse of the Lord's Table many were sick and many slept Certainly our abuse of the holy things of God and want of their proper Spiritual Fruits are amongst the prime sins of this Land 〈◊〉 which so many 〈◊〉 have fallen in the Fields by the Sword and in the Streets by Pestilence and more likely yet to fall if we thus continue to provoke the Lord to his Face for it is the most avowed direct affront to prophane his holy things and thus we do while we answer not their proper end and are not inwardly sanctify'd by them we have no other Word nor other Sacraments to recommend to you than these that you have used so long to no purpose only we would call you from the dead forms to seek the living power of them that you perish not You think the renouncing of Baptism a horrible Word and that we would speak only so of witches yet it is a common guiltiness that cleaves to all who renounce not the filthy lusts and the self will of their own hearts for Baptism carries in it a renouncing of these and so the cleaving unto these is a renouâ—cing of it Oh! we all were sealed for God in Baptism who lives so few that have the Impression of it on the Conscience and the expression of it in the walk and fruit of their life We do not as clean washed persons abhor and fly all pollutions all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness We have been a
of unbelieving Husbands and this we have both in that word their conversation which signifies the whole course and tract of their Lives and in the particular specifying of the several duties proper to that relation and state of Life First Subjection Secondly Chastity Thirdly Fear Fourthly Modesty in outward Ornaments Fifthly The inward Ornaments of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit The combinement of those things makes up such a Wife and the exercise of them throughout her life makes up such a Conversation as adorns and commends the Religion they profess and is a fit and may be a successful means of converting the Husband that as yet professes it not Chaste Conversation It is the proper character of a Christian to study Purity in all things as the word in its extent signifies Let the World turn that to a reproach call them as you will this is sure that none have less fancy and presumption of Purity than these that have most desire of it but the particular pureness here intended is as 't is render'd that of Chastity as the word is oft taken it being a Grace that peculiarly deserves that name as the sins contrary to it are usually and deservedly called Uncleanness 'T is the pure whiteness of the Soul to be chaste to abhor and disdain the swinish puddle of Lust than which there is nothing doth more debase the excellent Soul draws it down below it self and makes it truely brutish The three kinds of Chastity Virginal Conjugal and Vidual are all of them acceptable to God and sutable to the Profession of a Christian therefore in general only whatsoever be our condition of Life let us in that way conform to it follow the Apostles Rule possessing those our earthen Vessels our bodies in Holiness and Honour by which there is express'd this same Chastity And this we shall do if we rightly remember our Calling as Christians in what sort of life soever as there he tells us That God hath not called us to Vncleanness but unto Holiness With Fear Either a reverent respect to their Husbands or the fear of God whence flows best both that and all other observance whether of Conjugal or any other Christian Duties be not presumptuous as some because you are chaste but contemper your Conversation that way with a religious fear of God that you dare not take liberty to offend him in any other thing and according to his institution with a reverent fear of your Husbands shunning to offend them but possibly this fear doth particularly relate to this other duty with which its joyn'd chaste Conversation with fear fearing the least stain of Chastity or the very least appearance of any thing not suiting with it 't is a delicate timerous Grace affraid of the least air or shadow of any thing that hath but a resemblance of wronging it in carriage or speech or apparel as follows Verses 3 4. 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of apparel 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price THat nothing may be wanting to the qualifying of a Christian Wife she is taught how to dress her self supposing a general desire but especially in that Sex of Ornament and Comeliness the Sex that began first our engagement to the necessity of cloathing having still a peculiar propension to be curious in that and to improve the necessity to an advantage The direction here given corrects the misplacing of this diligence and addresses it right i. e. Let it not be of the outward Man in plaiting c. Our perverse crooked hearts turn all we use into disorder these two necessities of our Life Food and Rayment how few know the right measure and bounds of them unless Poverty be our Carver and cut us short who almost is there that is not bent to something excessive far more are beholding to the lowliness of their estate than to the lowliness of their mind for sobriety in those things and yet some will not be so bounded neither but will profusely lavish out upon Trifles to the sensible prejudice of their Estate 'T is not my purpose nor do I think it very needful to debate many particulars of Apparel and Ornament of the Body their lawfulness or unlawfulness only First 'T is out of doubt that though cloathing was first drawn on by necessity yet all regard of Comeliness and Ornament in Apparel is not unlawful nor doth the Apostle's expression here rightly considered fasten that upon the adorning he here speaks of and he doth no more universally condemn the use of Gold for Ornament than he doth any other comely Rayment which here he means by that general Word of putting on of Apparel for his not is comparative not this Adorning but the Ornament of a meek Spirit that rather and as much more comely and precious as that I will have mercy and not sacrifice Secondly According to the different place and quality of Persons there may be difference in this Thus the Robes of Judges and Princes are not only for personal Ornament but because there is in them especially to vulgar eyes that seldom look deeper than the outside of things there is I say in that Apparel a representment of Authority or Majesty that befits their place and besides this in other Persons that are not in Publick Place Men or Women that are here particularly directed yet may have in this some mark of their Rank and in Persons otherways little distant some allowance may be made for the Habitudes and Breeding of some beyond others or the quality of their Society and those with whom they converse Thirdly 'T is not impossible that there may be in some an affected Pride in the meaness of Apparel and in others under either neat or rich attire a very humble unaffected mind using it upon some of the aforemention'd engagements or such like and yet the heart not at all upon it Fourthly 'T is as sure as any of these that real excess and vanity in Apparel will creep in and will always willingly convey it self under the cloak of some of these honest and lawful Considerations This is a prime peice of our hearts deceit not only to hold out fair Pretences to others but to put the trick upon our selves to make our selves believe we are right and single minded in those things wherein we are directly seving our Lusts and feeding our own Vanity Fifthly To a sincere and humble Christian very little either dispute or discourse in this will be needful a tender Conscience and a Heart purg'd from Vanity and weaned from the World will be sure to regulate this and all other things of this nature after the safest manner and will be wary 1. Of Lightness and fantastick garb in Apparel which is the very Bush
mention'd and carries along with it this inward and real not acted courteousness Not to insist on it now it gains at all hands with God and with Men receives much Grace from God and kills envy and commands respect and good will from Men. Those showers of grace that slide off from the lofty Mountains rest on the Valleys and make them fruitful He giveth grace loves to bestow it wherethere is most room to receive it and most return of ingenuous and entire praises upon the receipt and such is the humble Heart and truly as much humility gains much grace so it grows by it 1. 'T is one of the Worlds reproaches against those that go beyond their size in Religion that they are proud and self conceited Christians beware there be nothing in you justifying this sure they that have most true grace are least guilty of it common knowledge and gifts may puff up but grace does not He whom the Lord loads most with his richest gifts stoops lowest as pressed down with the weight of them the Free Love of God humbles the Heart most to which it is most manifested And towards Men it graces all Grace and all gifts and glorifies God and teaches others so to do It is the preserver of Graces sometimes seems to wrong them by hiding them but indeed it is their safety Hezekiah by a vain shewing of his jewels and treasures forfeited them all Verse 9. 9 Not rendring evil for evil or railing ofr railing but contrary wise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing OPposition helps Grace both to more strength and more lustre when Christian Charity is not encounter'd with the Worlds malignance it hath an easier task but assaulted and overcoming it shines the brighter and rises higher and thus it is when it renders not evil for evil To repay good with evil is amongst Men the top of iniquity yet this is our universal guiltiness towards God he multiplying mercies and we vying with multiply'd sins as the Lord complains of Israel as they were increased so they sinned The lowest step of good mutual amongst Men is not to be bent to provoke others with injuries and being unoffended to offend none but this not to repay offences nor render evil for evil is a Christians rule and yet further to return good for evil and blessing for cursing is not only counsell'd as some vainly distinguish but commanded It is true the most have no ambition for this degree of goodness aspire no further but to do or say no evil unprovoked and think themselves sufficiently just and equitable if they keep in that but this is lame is but half the rule Thou thinkest injury obliges thee or if not so yet excuses thee to revenge or at least disobliges thee unties thy engagement of wishing and doing good but these are all gross practical errours For 1st The second injury done by way of revenge differs from the first that provoked it little or nothing but only in point of time and certainly no one Man's sin can procure priviledge to another to sin in that or the like kind If another hath broken the bonds of his allegiance and Obedience to God and of charity to thee yet thou art not the less ty'd by the same Bonds still 2dly By revenge of injuries thou usurpest upon God's prerogative who is the Avenger as the Apostle teaches Rom. 12. this doth not forbid either the Magistrats Sword for just punishment of Offenders or the Souldiers Sword in a just War but such revenges as without authority or a lawfull call the pride and perversness of Men do multiply one against another In which is involv'd a presumptuous contempt of God and his supreme authority or at least the unbelief and neglect of it 3dly It cannot be genuine upright goodness that hath its dependance upon the goodness of others that are about us that as they say of the vain glorious Man his vertue lyeth in the beholders eye if thy Meekness and Charity be such as lyeth in the good and mild carriage of others towards thee in their Hand and Tongues thou art not owner of it intrinsecally such quiet and calm if none provoke thee is but an accidental uncertain cessation of thy turbulent Spirit unstirr'd but move it and it acts it self according to it self sends up that Mind that lay at the bottom but true Grace doth then most manifest what it is when those things that are most contrary surround and assault it it cannot correspond and hold game with injuries and raylings hath no faculty for that for answering evil with evil a Tongue enur'd to graciousness and mild Speeches and Blessings and a heart stor'd so within can vent no other try it and stir it as you will A Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him but according to what he is through the grace and Spirit of God in him as they say quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis the same things are differently received and work differently as the Nature and way is of that which receives them A sparkle blows up one of a sulphureous temper and many Coals greater injuries and reproaches are quench'd and loose their force being thrown at another of a Cool Spirit Prov. 17. 27. They that have malice and bitterness and cursings within though these sleep it may be yet awake them with the like and the Provision comes forth out of the abundance of the heart give them an ill word and they have another or two for one in readiness for you where the Soul is furnished with spiritual blessings there blessings come forth even in answer to reproaches and indignities the mouth of the Wise is a Tree of Life says Solomon can bear no other fruit but according to its kind and the Nature of the root an honest spiritual heart pluck at it who will they can pull no other fruit but such fruit Love and Meekness lodge there and therefore whosoever knocks these make the answer Let the World account it a despicable simplicity seek you still more of that Dove-like Spirit the Spirit of meekness and blessing a poor glory to vie railings and contest in that faculty or any kind of vindictive returns of evil the most abject creatures have of that great Spirit as follish poor Spirited persons account it but it is the glory of Man to pass by a transgression the noblest victory and as we mention'd the highest example God is our Pattern in Love and Compassions we are well warranted to do 't in this Men esteem much more of some other vertues that make more shew and trample upon these Love and Compassion and Meekness but though these violetâ— grow low and are of a dark colour yet they are of a very sweet and diffusive smell odoriferous Graces and the Lord propounds himself our example in them Matth. 5. 't is to be truly the Children of your Father your
may hold firm You may be free chose it rather not to stand to the courtesie of any thing about you nor of any Man whether enemy or friend for the tenure of your happiness lay it higher and surer and if you be wise provide such a peace as will remain untouch'd in the hottest flame such a light as will shine in the deepest dungeon and such a life as is safe even in death it self that life that is hid with Christ in God But if in other sufferings even the worst and saddest the Believer is still a happy Man then more especially in those that are the best kind suffering for righteousness not only do they not detract from his happiness but 2dly They concur and give accession to it he is happy even by so suffering As will appear from the following considerations 1. 'T is the happiness of a Christian until he attain perfection to be advancing towards it to be daily resining from sin and growing richer and stronger in the graces that make up a Christian a new creature to attain a higher degree of patience and meekness and humility to have the heart more weaned from the Earth and fixed on Heaven now as other afflictions of the Saints do help them in those their sufferings for righteousness the unrighteous and injurious dealing of the World with them have a particular fitness for this purpose those trials that come immediately from God's own hand seem to bind to a patient and humble compliance with more authority and I may say necessity There is no plea no place for so much as a word unless it be directly and expresly against the Lord's own dealing but unjust suffering at the hands of Men requires that respect unto God without whose hand they cannot move that for his sake and for reverence and love to him a Christian can go through those with that mild evenness of Spirit that overcomes even in suffering And there is nothing outward more fit to perswade a Man to give up with the World and its Friendship than to feel much of its enmity and malice and that directly acting it self against Religion making that the very quarrel which is of all things dearest to a Christian and in highest esteem with him If the World should caress them and smile on them they might be ready to forget their home or at least to abate in the frequent thoughts and fervent desires of it and turn into some familiarity with the World and favourable thoughts of it and thus let out somwhat of their hearts after it and thus grace would grow faint by the diversion and calling forth of the Spirits as in Summer in the hottest and fairest weather 't is with the body 'T is a confirm'd observation by the experience of all Ages that when the Church flourish'd most in outward peace and wealth it abated most of its spiritual lustre which is its genuine and true beauty and when it seem'd most miserable by persecutions and sufferings 't was most happy in sincerity and zeal and vigour of grace when the Moon shines brightest towards the Earth 't is dark Heavenwards and on the contrary when it appears not is nearest the Sun and clear towards Heaven 2dly Happy in acting and evidencing by those sufferings for God their love to him Love delights in difficulties and grows in them the more a Christian suffers for Christ the more he loves Christ accounts him the dearer and the more he loves him still the more can he suffer for him 3dly Happy as in testifying love to him and glorifying him so in conformity with him which is loves ambition affects likeness and harmony at any rate a Believer would readily take it as an affront that the World should be kind to him that was so harsh and cruel to his beloved Lord and Master Canst thou expect or wouldst thou wish smooth language from that World that revil'd thy Jesus that called him Beelzebub couldst thou own and accept friendship at its hands that buffetted him and shed his blood or art thou rather most willing to share with him and of S. Paul's mind God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ whereby the World is crucified to me and I unto the World 4. The rich supplies of spiritual comfort and joy that in those times of suffering are usual that as sufferings for Christ do abound consolations in him abound much more as the Apostle testifies God speaking most peace to the Soul when the World speaks most War and enmity against it and this compenses abundantly when the Christian lays the greatest sufferings Men can inflict in the one ballance and the least glances of God's countenance in the other it says 't is worth all the enduring of these to enjoy this says with David let them curse but bless thou let them frown but smile thou And thus he usually doth refreshes such as are prisoners for him with visits that they would buy again with the hardest restraint and debaring of nearest friends The World cannot but misjudge the state of suffering Christians it sees their Crosses but not their anointings Was not St. Stephen think you in a happy posture even in his enemies hands was he afraid of the Showre of Stones coming about his ears that saw the Heavens opened and Jesus standing on the Father's right hand so little troubled with the stoning him that as the Text hath it in the midst of them he fell a sleep 5. If those sufferings be so small weigh'd down even with present comforts and so the Christian happy in them in that regard how much more doth the weight of Glory surpass that follows these sufferings they are not worthy to come in comparison they are as nothing to that glory that shall be revealed in the Apostle's Arithmetick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I have cast up the sum of the sufferings of this present time this instant this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they amount to just nothing in respect of that glory Now these sufferings happy because the way to this happiness and pledges of it and if any thing do they raise the very degree of it however 't is an exceeding excellent weight of glory the Hebrew word that signifies glory signifies weight yet the glories that are here are all too light except in weight of cares and sorrows that attend them but that hath the weight of compleat blessedness speak not of all the sufferings nor of all the prosperities of this poor life nor of any thing in it as worthy of a thought when that glory is named yea let not this life be called life when we mention that other life that our Lord by his death hath purchas'd for us Be not afraid of their terrour No time nor place in the World so favourable to Religion that it is not still needful to arm a Christian mind against the outward oppositions and discouragements he shall meet with all
says the Son to the Father power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him and after all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them For the sins of those he suffered standing in their room and what he did and suffered according to the Law of that Covenant as done and suffer'd by them All the sins of all the Elect were made up into an huge bundle and bound upon his Shoulders so the Prophet speaks in their name surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows And the Lord laid or made to meet on him the iniquity of us all where he spoke of many ways of sin every one to his own way he binds up all in the word of iniquity as all one sin as if it were that one transgression of the first Adam that brought on the Curse of his Seed born by the second Adam to take it away from all that are his Seed that are in him as their Root He the great high Priest appearing before God with the Names of the Elect upon his Shoulders and in his Heart bearing them and all their burdens and offering for them not any other Sacrifice but himself charging all their Sin on himself as the Priest did the Sins of the People on the Head of the Sacrifice He by the eternal Spirit says the Apostle offered up himself without spot unto God spotless and sinless and so only fit to take away our sin being a satisfactory oblation for it He suffered in him was our ransome and thus it was paid in the Man Christ was the Deity and so his blood was as the Apostle calls it the Blood of God and being pierced it came forth and was told down as the rich price of our Redemption not silver nor gold nor corruptible things as our Apostle hath it before but the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish Obs. 1. Shall any Man offer to bear the Name of a Christian that pleases himself in the way of Sin can delight and sport himself with it when he considers this that Christ suffered for sin do not think it you that still account sin sweet which he found so bitter and light which was so heavy to him and made his Soul heavy to the death you are yet far off from him if you were in him and one with him there would be some harmony of your hearts with his and some sympathy with thâ—se sufferings as endured by your Lord your Head and for you They that with a right view see him as pierced by their sins that sight pierces them and makes them mourn brings forth tears beholding the gushing forth of his blood This makes the real Christian an avowed enemy to sin shall I ever be Friends with it says he that killed my Lord no but I will ever kill it and do it by applying his death The true Penitent is sworn to be the death of sin may be surprized by it but no possibility of reconcilement betwixt them Thou that livest kindly and familiarly with sin either openly declarest thy self for it or hast a secret love for it where canst thou reap any comfort not from these sufferings to thee continuing in that Posture It is all one as if Christ had not suffer'd for sins yea worse than if no such thing had been that there is salvation and terms of mercy unto thee and yet perishes That there is Balm in Gilead and yet thou art not healed And if thou hast not comfort from Jesus crucified I know not whence thou canst have any that will hold out look about thee tell me what thou seest either in thy Possession or in thy hopes that thou esteemest most off and layest thy confidence on it or to deal more liberally with thee see what estate thou wouldest chuse for thy wish stretch thy fancy to devise an earthly happiness these times are full of unquietness but give thee a time of the calmest peace not an air of trouble stirring put thee where thou wilt far off from fear of Sword and Pestilence and encompass thee with Children Friends and Possessions and Honours and Comfort and Health to enjoy all those yet one thing thou must admit in the midst of all these within a while thou must die and having no real portion in Christ but a deluding dream of it thou sinkest through possibly that death into another death far more terrible of all thou enjoyest nothing goes along with thee but unpardoned sin and that delivers thee up to endless sorrow Oh! that you were wise and would consider your latter end do not still gaze about you upon trifles but yet be intreated to take notice of your Saviour and receive him that he may be yours fasten your Belief and your Love on him give him all your Heart that stuck not to give himself an offering for your sins 2. To you that have fled into him for Refuge if sensible of the Churches distress be upheld with this thought that he that suffered for it will not suffer it to be undone all the rage of enemies yea the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it he may for a time suffer them to be brought low for the â—ins of his People and other wise Reasons but he will not utterly forsake them though there is much chaff yet he hath a precious number in these Kingdoms that he shed his blood for many God hath called and yet is to call he will not lose any of his flock that he hath bought so dear Acts. 20. And for their sake he will at one time repair our breaches and establish his Throne in these Kingdoms 2. For your selves what can affright you while this is in your Eye let others tremble at the Apprehension of Sword or Pestilence but sure you have for them and all other hazards a most satisfying answer in this My Christ hath suffered for sin I am not to fear that and that set aside I know the worst is but death I am wrong truly that is the best to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more better This were a happy Estate indeed but what shall they think that have no assurance those that doubt that Christ is their's and that he suffered for their sins I know no way but believe on him and then you shall know that he is yours from this is the grand mistake of many they would first know that Christ is theirs and they would believe which cannot be before he becomes ours by believing It is that gives title and propriety to him he is set before Sinners as a Saviour that hath suffered for sin that they look to him and be saved that they lay over their Souls on him and then they may be assured he suffer'd for them Say then what is it that scares thâ—e from Christ this thou seest is a poor groundless exception for he is set
be filthy still in the sight of God There is such a Generation a Multitude of them that is pure in their own Eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness Moral evil persons that are most satisfied with their own estate or such as have further a form of Godliness but their lusts not mortified by the power of it secret pride and earthliness of Mind and vain glory and carnal wisdom still pleasingly entertained within these are foul Pollutions filthy and hateful in the sight of God so that where it is thus that the heart is peaceably possest with such guests there the blood and Spirit of Christ are not yet come neither can there be this answer of a Good Conscience unto God This answer of a Good Conscience unto God as likewise its questioning to enable it self for that answer is touching two great points that are of chief concern to their Soul its Iustification and Sanctification for Baptism is the Seal of both and purges the Conscience in both respects that water as the figure both of the blood and water the justifying blood of Christ and the pure water of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ takes away the condemning guiltiness of sin by the one and the polluting filthiness by the other Now the Conscience of a real Believer enquiring within upon right discovery will make this answer unto God Lord I have found that there is no standing before thee for the Soul in it self is overwhelmed with a World of guiltiness but I find a blood sprinkled upon it that hath I am sure vertue enough to purge it all away and to present it pure unto thee and I know that wheresoever thou findest that blood sprinkled thine anger is quench'd and appealed presently upon the sight of it That hand cannot smite where that blood is before thine eye And this the Lord does agree to and authorises the Conscience upon this account to return back an answer of safety and peace to the Soul So for the other Lord I find a living Work of holiness on this Soul though there is yet corruption there yet it is as a continual grief and vexation it s an implacable hatred there is no peace betwixt them but continual enmity and hostility and if I cannot say much of the high degrees of Grace and faith in Christ and love to him and heavenliness of Mind yet I may say there is a beginning of those at least this I most confidently affirm that there are real and earnest desires of the Soul in these things It would know and conform to thy will and be delivered from it self and its own will and though it were to the highest displeasure of all the World it would gladly walk in all well pleasing unto thee And he that sees the truth of these things knowing it to be thus owns it as his own work and engages himself to advance it on and bring it to perfection This is a taste of that intercourse the purified Conscience hath with God as the saving fruit of Baptism And all this it doth not of it self but by vertue of the resurrection of Jesus Christ which refers both to the utmost effect Salvation and the nearer effect as a means and pledge of that the purging of the Conscience By this his Death and the effusion of his Blood in his sufferings are not excluded but are included in it His Resurrection being the evidence of all that work of Expiation both compleated and accepted full Payment made by our Surety and so he set free and his Freedom the Cause and the Assurance of ours Therefore the Apostle St. Paul expresses it so That he died for our sins and rose for our righteousness and our Apostle shews us the worth of our living hope in this same resurrection Chap. 1. v. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Now that Baptism doth apply and seal to the Believer his Interest in the death and resurrection of Christ the Apostle St. Paul teaches to the full Rom. 8. 3. The dipping into the waters our dying with him and the return thence our rising with him The last thing is the resemblance of Baptism in these things with the saving of Noah in the Flood and it holds in that we spoke last of for he seemed to have rather entred into a Grave as dead than into a safeguard of Life in going into the Ark yet there being buried he rose again as it were in his coming forth to begin a new World The Waters of the Flood drown'd the Ungodly as a heap of filthiness washt them away they and their sin together as one being inseparable and upon the same Waters the Ark floating preserved Noah Thus the Waters of Baptism are intended as a deludge to drown Sin and to save the Believer that by Faith is separated both from the World and from his Sin so it sinks and he is saved And there is further one thing specified by the Apostle wherein though it be a little hard yet chiefly intends the paralel The fewness of these that are sav'd by both for though many are sprinkled with the Elemental Water of Baptism yet few so as to attain by it the Answer of a good Conscience towards God and to live by participance of the Resurrection and Life of Christ. Thou that seest the World perishing in a deluge of Wrath and art now most thoughtful for this how thou shalt escape it fly into Christ as thy safety and rest secure there thou shalt find life in his death and that life further ascertained to you in his rising again so full and clear a Title to Life in these two that thou canst challenge all Adversaries upon this very Ground as unconquerable whilest thou standest on it and speak thy challenge in the Apostles stile It is God that justifieth who shall condemn But how know you that he justifies it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen who sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us It alludes to that place Isa. 50. where Christ speaks of himself but in the name of all that adhere to him he is near that justifies me who is he that will contend with me so that what Christ speaks there the Apostle with good reason imparts to each Believer as in him If no more to be laid to Christ's charge being now acquitted as is clear by his rising again then neither to thine who art cloathed with him and one with him This the grand Answer of a good Conscience and in point of justifying them before God no answer but this What have any to say to thee thy debt is paid by him that undertook it he is free answer all accusations with this Christ is risen And then for the mortifying of sin and strengthing of thy Graces look daily on that
this great task to be gaining further upon it and overcoming and mortifying it every Day and to this tend the frequent Exhortations of this Nature Mortifie your members that are on the earth So Rom. 6. Likewise reekon your selves dead to sin and let it not reign in your mortal bodies Thus here Arm your selves with the same Mind or with this very thought Consider and apply that suffering of Christ in the flesh to the end that you with him suffering in the flesh may cease from sin Think it ought to be thus and seek that it may be thus with you Arm your selves There is still fighting and sin will be molesting you though wounded to death yet will it struggle for life and seek to wound its enemy will assault the graces that are in you Do not think if it be once struck and you have a hit near to the heart by the Sword of the Spirit that therefore it will stir no more No so long as you live in the flesh in these bowels there will be remainders of the life of this flesh your natural corruption Therefore ye must be Armed against it Sin will not give you rest so long as there is a drop of blood in its vein one spark of life in it and that will be so long as you have life here This old Man is stout and will fight himself to death and at the weakest it will rouze up it felt and act its dying Spirits as Men will do sometimes more eagerly then when they were not so weak nor so near death This the Children of God often find to their grief that corruptions which they thought had been cold dead stir and rise up again and set upon them A â—assion or Lust that after some great stroke lay along while as dead stirred not and therefore they thought to have heard no more of it though it shall never recoverfully again to be lively as before yet will revive in such a measure as to molest and possibly to foyl them yet again Therefore is it continually necessary that they live in Arms and put them not off to their dying day till they put off the body and be altogether free of the flesh you may take the Lord's promise for victory in the â—nd that shall not fail but do not promise your self ease in the way for that will not hold if at somtimes you be at under give not all for lost he hath often won the Day that hath been foiled and wounded in the fight but likwise take not all for won so as to have no more conflict when sometimes you have the better as in particular battels be not desperate when you loose nor secure when you gain them when it is worst with you do not throw away your Arms nor lay them away when you are at best Now the way to be armed is this the same mind how would my Lord Christ carry himself in this case and what was his business in all places and Companies was it not to do the will and advance the glory of his Father If I be injured and reviled consider how would he do in this would he repay one injury with another one reproach with another reproach No being reviled he reviled not again Well through his strength this shall be my way too Thus ought it to be with the Christian framing all his ways and words and very thoughts upon that model the mind of Christ and to study in all things to walk even as he walked 1. Studying it much as the reason and rule of Mortification 2. Drawing from it as the real Cause and Spring of mortification The pious Contemplation of his Death will most powerfully kill the love of sin in the Soul and kindle an ardent hatred of it The Believer looking on his Jesus crucified for him and wounded for his transgressions and taking in deep thoughts of his spotless Innocency that deserved no such thing and of his matchless love that yet endured it all for him then will he think shall I be a friend to that which was his deadly enemy shall sin be sweet to me that was so bitter to him and that for my sake shall I ever have a favourable thought or lend it a good look that shed my Lord's blood shall I live in that for which he died and died to kill it in me Oh! let it not be To the end it may not be let such really apply that Death to work this on the Soul for this is always to be added and is the main indeed by holding and fastning that Death close to the Soul effectually to kill the effects of sin in it to stiâ—â—e and crush them dead by pressing that death on the heart looking on it not only as a most compleat model but as having a most effectual vertue for this effect and desiring him intreating our Lord himself who communicates himself and the vertue of his death to the Believer that he would powerfully cause it to flow to us and let us feel the vertue of it It s then the only thriving and growing life to be much in the lively Contemplation and Application of Jesus Christ to be continually studying him and conversing with him and drawing from him receiving of his fullness grace for grace Wouldest thou have much power against sin and much increase of holiness let thine eye be much on Christ set thine heart on him let it dwell in him and be still with him When sin is like to prevail in any kind go to him tell him of the insurrection of his enemies and thy inability to resist and desire him to suppress them and to help thee against them that they may gain nothing by their stirring but some new wound If thy heart begin to be taken with and move towards sin lay it before him the beams of his love shall eat out that fire of these sinful lusts Wouldest thou have thy Pride and Passions and love of the World and self love kill'd go suit for the vertue of his death and that shall do it seek his Spirit the Spirit of Meekness and Humility and Divine Love Look on him and he shall draw thy heart heavenwards and unite it to himself and make it like himself And is not that the thing thou desirest Verses 2 3. Ver. 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of Wine revellings banquetings and abominable idolatries THE Chains of sin are so strong and so fastened on our Nature that there is in us no power to break them off till a mightier and stronger Spirit than our own come into us The Spirit of Christ dropt inâ—o the Soul makes it able to break through an host and leap over a Wall as David speaks of himself furnisht with
Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt And besides many other things to animate this that is here exprest Oh! how full is it They shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead And this in readiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the day set and it shall surely come though you think it far off Though the wicked themselves forget them and the Christian slight them and let them pass they pass not so they are all registred and the great Court-day shall call them to account for all these riots and excesses and withal for all their reproaches of the godly that would not run with them in these ways Tremble then you despisers and mockers of Holiness though you come not near it What will you do when these you reviled shall appear glorious in your sight and their King the King of Saints here much more glorious and his glory their joy and all terror to you Oh! then all faces that could look out disdainfully upon Religion and the Professors of it shall gather blackness and be bathed with shame and the more the despised Saints of God shall shout for joy You that would rejoyce then in the appearing of that holy Lord and Judge of the World let your way be now in holiness avoid and hate the common ways of the wicked World they live in their foolish opinion and that shall quickly end But the Sentence of that day shall stand for ever Verse 6. 6. For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit IT is a thing of prime concernment for a Christian to be rightly inform'd and frequently remembred what is the true estate and nature of a Christian for this the Multitude of those that bear that name either knows not or commonly forgets and so is carried away with the vain fancies and mistakes of the World The Apostle hath charactered Christianity very clearly to us in this place by that which is the very nature of it conformity with Christ and that which is necessarily consequent upon that disconformity with the World And as the nature and natural properties of things hold universally thus it is in those that in all ages are effectually called by the Gospel are moulded and framed thus by it thus it was says the Apostle with your Brethren that are now at rest as many as received the Gospel and for this end was it preacht to them that they might be judg'd according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit We have first here the preaching of the Gospel or suitable means to a certain end 2. The express Nature of that end 1. For this Cause There is a particular end and that very important which the preaching of the Gospel is aimed at this end many consider not hearing it as if it were to no end not propounding a fixed determined end in our hearing This therefore is to be considered by those that preach this Gospel that they aim right in it at this end and no other no self end The legal Priests not to be squint eyed nor evangelical Ministers thus squinting to base gain vain applause and also that they make it their study to find in themselves this work this living to God otherwise they cannot skillfully nor faithfully apply their gifts to this effect on their hearers and therefore acquaintance with God most necessary How sounds it to many of us at the least but as a well couched story whose use is to amuse us and possibly delight us a little and there is an end and indeed no end and turns the most serious and most glorious of all Messages unto an empty sound and if we awake and give it hearing it is much but for any thing further how few deeply before hand consider I have a dead heart therefore will I go unto the word of Life that it may be quickened it is frozen I will go and lay it before the warm Beams of that Sun that shines in the Gospel my corruptions mighty and strong and grace if any exceeding weak there is in the Gospel a power to weaken and to kill sin and to strengthen grace and this being the intent of my wise God in appointing it it shall be my desire and purpose in resorting to it to find it to me according to his gracious intendment to have faith in my Christ the Fountain of my Life more enabled and more active in drawing from him to have my heart more refined and spiritualized and to have the Sluse of Repentance opened and my Affections to Divine things enlarged more hatred of sin and more love of God and communion with him Ask your selves concerning former times and to take your selves even now enquire within why came I hither this day what had I in mine eye and desires this morning ere I came forth and in my way as I was coming did I seriously propound an end or no and what was my end Nor doth the meer custome of mentioning this in prayer satisfie the question for this as other such things usually do in our hand may turn to a lifeless form and have no heat of spiritual affection none of David's panting and breathing after God in his ordinances such desires as will not be still'd without a measure of attainment as the Childs desire of the breast as our Apostle resembles it chap. 2. And then again being returned home reflect on your hearts much hath been heard but is there any thing done by it have I gained my point it was not to pass a little time simply that I went or to pass it with delight in hearing rejoycing in that light as they did in S. Iohn Baptists for a season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as long as the hour lasts it was not to have my earpleased but my heart changed not to learn some new notions and carry them cold in my head but to be quickened and purified and renewed in the Spirit of my mind is this done think I now more esteemingly of Christ and the life of faith and the happiness of a Christian and are such thoughts solid and abiding with me what sin have I left behind what Grace of the Spirit have I brought home or what new degree or at least new desire of it a living desire that will follow its point Oh! this were good repetition A strange folly of multitudes of us to set our selves no mark to propound no end in the hearing of the Gospel The Merchant sails not only that he may sail but for traffick and trafficks that he may be rich The Husband Man plows not only to keep himself busie with no further end but plows that he may sow and sows that he may reap with advantage and shall we do the most excellent and fruitful work fruitlesly hear only to hear and look no
the heart But sure this one thing would make the Soul more calm and sober in the pursuit of present things if their term were truly computed and considered How soon shall youth and health and carnal delights be at an end how soon shall State craft and King-craft and all the great Projects of the highest Wits and Spirits be laid in the dust This casts a damp upon all those fine things but to a Soul acquainted with God and in affection removed hence already no thought so sweet as this helps much to carry it chearfully through wrestlings and difficulties through better and worse they see Land near and shall quickly be at home that 's the way The end of all things is at hand an end of a few poor delights and the many vexations of this wretched life an end of tentations and sins the worst of all evils yea an end of the imperfect fashion of our best things here an end of prayer it self to which succeeds that new Song of endless praises Verse 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins THE Graces of the Spirit are an entire frame making up the new Creature and none of them can be wanting therefore the Doctrine and Exhortation of the Apostles speak of them usually not only as inseparable but as one But there is amongst them all none more cemprehensive than this of Love insomuch that St. Paul calls it the fullfilling of the Law love to God the sum of all relative to him and so likewise is it towards our Brethren Love to God is that which makes us live to him and be wholly his that which most powerfully weans us from this World and causeth us delight in communion with him in holy Meditation and Prayer Now the Apostle adding here of the duty of Christians to one another gives this the prime yea the sum of all Above all have fervent love Concerning this Consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Eminent Degree of it 3 The Excellent Fruit of it 1. It is an union therefore called a bond or chain that links things together 2. 'T is not a meer external union that holds in customs or words or outward carriage but an union of hearts 3. 'T is here not a natural but a spiritual supernatural union it is that mutual love of Christians as Brethren There is a common benevolence and good-will due to all but a more particular uniting affection interchangeably one amongst Christians The Devil being an Apostate Spirit revolted and separated from God doth naturally project and work division This was his first exploit and still his grand design and business in the World he first divided Man from God put them at an enmity by the first Sin of our first Parents and the next we read of in their first Child was enmity against his Brother so Satan is called by our Saviour justly a liar and a murderer from the beginning murdered man by lying and made him a murderer And as the Devil's work is Division Christ's work is Union he came to dissolve the works of Satan by a contrary work he came to make all Friends to recollect and reunite all Men to God and Man to Man and both those unions hold in him by vertue of that marvellous union of Natures in his Person and that Mysterious Union of the Persons of Believers with him as their Head so the word Eph. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To unite all in one head Thus his great project in all this he died and suffered for and this he prayed for Iohn 17. and this is strong above all ties natural or civil union in Christ this they have that are indeed Christians this they pretend to have if they understood it that profess themselves Christians If natural friendship be capable of that expression one spirit in two bodies Christian union hath it much more really and properly for there is indeed one Spirit more extensive in all the Faithful yea so one Spirit that it makes them up into one body more intensive they are not so much as divers bodies only divers members of one body Now this love of our Brethren is not another from the love of God 't is but the streaming forth of it or the reflex of it Jesus Christ sending in his Spirit into the heart unites it to God in himself by love which is all indeed that loving of God supreamly and entirely with all the mind and soul all the combined strength of the heart and then that same love first wholly carried to him is not divided or impared by the love of our Brethren 't is but dilated and derived from the other he allows yea commands yea causes that it stream forth and act it self toward them remaining still in him as in its source and center beginning at him and returning to him as the Beams that diffuse themselves from the Sun and the Light and Heat yet are not divided or cut off from it but remain in it and by emanation issue from it Loving our Brethren in God and for him not only because he commands us to love them and so the Law of Love to him ties us to it as his Will but because that love of God doth naturally extend it self thus and acts thus in loving our Brethren after a Spiritual Christian manner we do even in that love our God Loving of God makes us one with God and so gives us an impression of his divine bounty in his Spirit and his love the proper work of his Spirit dwelling in the Heart enlarges and dilates it as self-love contracts and streightens it so that as self-love is the perfect opposite to the love of God it is likewise so to brotherly-love shuts out and undoes both and where the love of God is rekindled and enters the Heart it destroys and burns up self love and so carries the affection up to himself and in him forth to our Brethren This is that bitter root of all enmity in man against God and amongst Men against one another Self Man's Heart turned from God towards himself and the very work of renewing Grace is to annual and destroy Self to replace God in his Right that the Heart and all its Affections and Motions be at his dispose so that instead of self-will and self-love that rul'd before now the Will of God and the Love of God commands all And where it is thus there this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this love of our Brethren will be sincere Whence is it that Wars and Contests and mutual Disgracings and Despisings abound so but that men love themselves and nothing but themselves or in relation to themselves as it pleases or is advantageous to them that 's the Standard and Rule all is carried by interest so thence are striâ—es and defamings and bitterness against one another but the Spirit of Christ coming in undâ—es all selfishness And now according to God what he
wills and loves that 's Law and a powerful Law so written on the Heart this Law of Love that it obeys not unpleasantly but with delight no constraint but the sweet constraint of love to forgive a wrong to love even thine enemy for him is not only feisible now but deâ—ectable that ere while thou thoughtest impossible That Spirit of Christ is all sweetness and love so calms and composes the Heart that peace with God and that unspeakably blessed correspondence of love with him doth so fill the Soul with lovingness and sweetness that it can breath nothing else hates nothing but sin pities the sinner and carries to the worst that love of good-will desiring their return and salvation but to those in whom appears the Image of their Father those their heart cleaves to as Brethren indeed No advantages natural no birth no beauty nor wit draws a Christian's love so much as the resemblance of Christ wherever that is found it is comely and lovely to a Soul that loves him Much communion with God sweetens and calms the mind cures the distempers of passion and pride that are the avowed enemies of love particularly Prayer and Love suit well 1. Prayer disposes to this love he that loveth not knoweth not God saith the beloved Apostle for God is love he that is most conversant with love the spring of where 't is purest and fullest cannot but have the fullest measure of it flowing in from thence into his heart and flowing forth from thence unto his Brethren if they that use the society of mild and good men are insensibly assimilated to them grow like them and contract somewhat of their temper much more doth familiar walking with God powerfully transform the Soul into his likeness makes it merciful and loving and ready to forgive as he is 2. This love disposes to prayer to pray together hearts must be consorted and tun'd together otherwise how can they sound the same Suits harmoniously How unpleasant in the exquisite ear of God that made the ear are the jarring disunited hearts that often seem to joyn in the same prayer and yet are not set together in love and when thou prayest alone thy heart imbitter'd and disaffected to thy Brother altho' upon an offence done to thee 't is as a mistuned Instrument the Strings are not accorded so are not in tune amongst themselves and so the sound is harsh and offensive try it well thy self and thou wilt perceive it how much more he to whom thou pray'st when thou art stirr'd and in passion against thy Brother or not on the contrary lovingly affected towards him what broken disordered unfastened stuff are thy requests therefore the Lord will have this done first the Heart tun'd go thy way says he leave thy Gift and be reconcil'd to thy Brother c. Why is this so much recommended by Christ and so little received by Christians given by him as the cognisance and badge of his Followers and of them that pretend to be so so few that wear it Oh! little real Christianity were more worth than all that empty profession and discourse that we think so much of Hearts receiving the mould and stamp of this Rule these were living Copies of the Gospel ye are our Epistle says the Apostle We come together and hear and speak sometimes of one Grace and sometimes of another and the most never seek to have their hearts enricht with the possession of any of them We search not to the bottom the perversness of our Nature and the guiltiness that is upon us in these or we shift off the Conviction and find a way to forget it when the hour 's done That accursed root self-love that makes man an enemy to God and Men enemies and devourers one of another who sets to the discovery and the displanting of it bends the force of holy Endeavours and Prayer supplicates the hand of God for the plucking of it up Some Natures are quieter and make less noise but till the heart be possest with the love of God it shall never truely love either men in that way due to all or the Children of God in their peculiar relation Among your selves c. That is here the point the peculiar love of the Saints as thy Brethren glorying and rejoycing in the same Father the Sons of God begotten again to that lively hope of glory now these as they owe a bountiful disposition to all they are mutually to love one another as Brethren Thou that hatest and reproachest the godly and the more they study to walk as the Children of their holy Father the more thou hatest them art glad to find a spot to point at on them or wilt dash mire on them where thou findest none know that thou art in this the enemy of God that the indignity done to them Jesus Christ will take it as done to himself truely we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death So then renounce this Word or else believe that thou art yet far from the Life of Christ that so hatest it in others Oh! but they are but a number of Hypocrites wilt thou say Brethren if they be so this declares so much the more thy extream hatred of holiness that canst not endure so much as the Picture of it canst not see any thing like it but thou must let fly at it and this argues thy deep hatred of God holiness in a Christian as the Image of God and the Hyprocrite in the resemblance of it is the Image of a Christian so thou hatest the very Image of the Image of God for deceive not thy self it is not the latent evil in hypocrisie but the apparent good in it that thou hatest The prophane Man thinks himself a great Zealot against Hypocrisie he is still crying out of it but it s only this he is angry at that all should not be ungodly wicked enemies of Religion as he is either dissolute or meerly civil and the civil man is readily the bitterest enemy of all strictness beyond his own size as condemning him and therefore he cries it down as all of it false and counterfeit wares Let me intreat you if you would not be found fighters against God let no revilings be heard amongst you against any that are or seem to be Followers of Holiness if ye will not reverence it your selves yet reverence it in others at least do not reproach it It should be your ambition else why are you willing to be called Christians but if you will not pursue holiness yet persecute it not if you will not have fervent love to the Saints yet burn not with infernal heat of fervent hatred against them for truly that is one of the likliest pledge of these flames and society with damned Spirits as love to the Children of God is of that inheritance and society with them in glory 2. You that are Brethren and
IMPRIMATUR Novemb. 25. 1693. Guil. Lancaster R. P. D. Henrico Epis. Lond. Ã Sacris Domesticis A Practical COMMENTARY UPON THE First Epistle General of St. Peter VOL. II. Containing the Third Fourth and Fifth CHAPTERS By the Most Reverend ROBERT LEIGHTON D. D. Some-time Archbishop of Glasgow Published after his death at the request of his Friends LONDON Printed by B. G. for Sam. Keble at the Great Turks-head in Fleet-street over-against Felter-lane MDCXCIV TO THE Christian Reader THE following Discourses of our most Reverend Author contain his judicious and pious Thoughts upon the Third Chapter to the end of the First Epistle of St. Peter which together with the Commentary on the First and Second Chapters published the last year make a compleat and useful Explication of that whole Epistle They might have been all of one Impression and so have come into thy hands at the same time and in one Volume had not some prudent considerations oblig'd us to change the Printer However we have taken care so to print this Second Part that it may conveniently be bound up with the first and there is little loss by the delay but that of time which perhaps is not so much neither but that it may with more profit to thee be happily redeemed I know that some do not relish the phrase and contexture of such Discourses but I am on the other hand assured by others very able and competent judges of such performances that they are highly valuable in their whole scope and tendency for they think that they not only contain the purity of Doctrine according to Scripture but also the life and spirit of Christian Morals and that they happily cement together and bear in upon the heart right notions of God and Religion with solid Piety In a word that as they are written by a Primitive Spirit and in a plain Stile so they may through Gods grace sow the Seeds of Primitive Devotion which is too much worn out in this Age the seat whereof is more in the Heart than in the Head If they serve in any measure those great ends our labour is highly rewarded Let such then as shall reap this benefit by these well designed Papers be pleased to know that it is not so much to me as to the Pious Zeal and Care of our Great and now Blessed Authors surviving Relations that they owe this Happy Enjoyment whose Virtue and Piety afford matter enough for a large Preface if their Modesty did not so awfully restrain my too forward inclinations that I must content my self to say that they now live like him whom they tenderly loved whilst he was amongst them and that as he did so they make it their business to do good without letting the World know of it It has been at their charge and pressing desire that all those papers that are already printed have been copied out prepared for the press and published They neither proposed to themselves nor expect any other advantage but thy Edification and therein the glory of God rich returns indeed and which nothing can rob them of but meerly thy inproficiency and if that happen which God forbid the loss shall be more thine than theirs I was not willing that such good ends should be obstructed by my declining any part of the trouble that fell to my share on the contrary I considered it a Duty I owed first to God and then to the memory of the excellent Author whose divine converse and wonderful example gave me early and powerful Resolutions to dedicate my self to God and the Service of his Church In my performance I have done my best tho short of what I wished to serve thee there remains in our Hands some brief but lively Discourses upon the Epistle to the Ephesians upon the Decalogue the Creed and the Lord's Prayer which possibly may be made publick in a convenient time When this is done I think we have ended all we intend to publish at present Let us therefore set about the reformation of our Lives in the use of these means depending upon God for the success and that he by his free Grace and good Spirit may enable thee and me by this and all other helps which this Age affords to make greater and greater Advances towards Heaven and so to finish our Course with Ioy is and shall be the hearty Prayer of Thy Servant in the Lord I. FALL York March 13 th 1694. Books written by the most Reverend Father in God Robert Leighton D. D. sometimes Archbishop of Glasgow Printed for and are to be Sold by Sam. Keble at the Great Turk's-Head in Fleet-street EIghteen Sermons Printed in 1691 8 o. A Practical Commentary upon the First and Second Chapters of St. Peter by the most Reverend Robert Leighton D. D. sometime Archbishop of Glasgow 1693. 4 o. R mi. D. D. Roberti Leightoni Praelectiones Theologicae in Auditorio publico Academiae Edinburgenae dum Professoris primarii munere ibi fungeretur habitae Vna cum Paraenesibus in Comitiis Academicis ad gradus Magistralis in artibus Candidatos Quibus adjiciuntur Meditationes Ethico Criticae in Psalmos IV. XXXII CXXX 1693. 4 o. A Practical Commentary upon the First Epistle General of St. Peter Vol. II. containing the Third Fourth and Fifth Chapters by the most Reverend Robert Leighton D D. sometime Archbishop of Glasgow 1694. 4 o. ERRATA PAg 16. on the margin for nulla read multa p. 22. l. 22. far very read very far p. 51. l 5. mind read mud p. 61. l. 10. be read the. p. 81. l. 2. re read respect p. 211. l. 1. not be read not to be p. 219. l. 25. caties read Calamities p. 243. l. 16. point it thus we were all sealed to God in Baptism p. 245. l. 1. yea read ye p. 254. l. 20. dele where he reigns p. 261. l. 31. bear read bore p. 277. l. 10. he read the ib. penult it hatest read hatest it p. 281. l. 29. point it thus not to equal that which it were so reasonable c. p. 262 l. 32. their read the. p. 357. l. 21. before you read before you p. 416. l. 14. of the way teaching read the way of teaching p. 441. l. 30 some read foam p. 448. l. 15. turn read turned 1 Ep. St. Peter Chap. III. Ver. 1. Likewise ye Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any one obey not the word they also without the word may be won by the Conversation of the Wives THE Tabernacle of the Sun Psal. 19 is set high in the Heavens but 't is that it may have influence below upon the Earth And the Word of God that is spoke of there immediately after as being many wayes like it holds resemblance in this particular 't is a sublime heavenly Light and yet descends in its use to the Lives of Men in the variety of their Stations to warm and to enlighten to regulate their affections and actions in whatsoever course of
in Heaven it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven But alas where is ours The greatest part of Hearts say nothing and others with such wavering and such a jarring harsh noise being out of tune earthly too low set that they spoil all and disappoint the Answers Were the Censer fill'd with those united Prayers Heaven-wards it would be fill'd with Fire Earth-wards against the Enemies of the Church And in your private Society seek unanimously your own and each anothers Spiritual Good not only agreeing in your affairs and civil converse but having one heart and mind as Christians to eat and drink together if no more is such Society as Beasts may have to do these in the excess to guzzle and drink intemperately together is a Society woâ—se than that of Beasts and below them to discourse together of civil business is to converse as men but the peculiar converse of Christians in that notion as born again to Immortality an unfading Inheritance above is to further one another towards that to put one another in mind of Heaven and things that are Heavenly And 't is strange that men that profess to be Christians when they meet either fill one anothers ears with Lies and prophane Speeches or with Vanities and Trifles or at the best with the Affairs of Earth and not a word of those things that should most possess the Heart and where the minds should be most set but are ready to reproach and taunt any such thing in others What are you asham'd of Christ and Râ—ligion Why do you profess it then Is there such a thing think ye as Communion of Saints if not why say you believe it 'T is a Truth think of it as you will the Publick Ministry will profit little any where where a People or some part of them are not thus one and do not live together as of one mind and use diligently all due means of edifying one another in their holy Faith How much of the primitive Christians praise and profit is involv'd in the word they were together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord with one mind and so they grew the Lord added to the Church Consider 1. How the Wicked are one in their ungodly Designs and Practices the Scales of Leviathan as Luther expresses are linkt together shall not the Lord's Followers be one in him They unite to undermine the Peace of the Church shall not the Godly joyn their Prayers to countermine them 2. There is in the Heart of all the Saints one Spirit how can they be but one since they have the same purpose and journey tend to the same home and why shall they not walk together in that way When they shall arrive there they shall be fully one and of one mind not a jar nor difference all their Harps perfectly in tune to that one new Song Having Compassion This testifies that 't is not a bare speculative agreement of opinions that is the badge of Christian Unity for this may accidentally be where there is no further Union but that they are themselves one have one life in that they feel how it is one with another there is a living sympathy amongst them as making up one Body animated with one Spirit for that 's the reason why the Members of the Body have that mutual feeling even the remotest and distantest and the most excellent with the meanest this the Apostle urges at large Rom. 12. 4. and 1 Cor. 12. And this lively Sense is in every living Member of the Body of Christ towards the whole and towards each other particular part This makes a Christian rejoyce in the welfare and good of another as if it were his own and feel their griefs and distresses as if himself were really sharer in them for the word comprehends all feeling together feeling of jâ—y as well as of grief Heb. 13. 3. 1 Cor. 12. 26. And always where there is most of Grace and of the Spirit of Jesus Christ there is most of this Sympathy The Apostle St. Paul as he was eminent in all Grace had a large Portion of this 2 Cor. 11. 29. And if this ought to be in reference to their outward condition much more in spiritual things rejoycing at the increases and flourishing of Grace in others That base envy that dwells in the hearts of rotten Hypocrites that would have all ingross'd to themselâ—es argues that they move not further than the compass of self that the pure love of God and the sincere love of their Brethren flowing from it is not in them but when the heart can unfeigneâ—ly rejoyce in the Lords bounty to others and the lustre of Grace in others far out-shining their own truly 't is an evidence that what Grace such a one hath is upright and good and that the law of Love is engraven in their hearts And where that is there will be likewise on the otherside a compassionate tender sense of the infirmities and frailties of their Brethren Whereas some accouâ—t it a sign of much advancement and spiritual proficiency to be able to sit upon the qualifications and actions of othâ—rs and to lavish out severe censures round about them to sentence one weak and of poor abilities and another proud and lofty and a third covetous c. And thus to go on in a Censor-like-magisterial strain it were truly an evidence of more Grace not to get upon the Bench to judge them but sit down rather and mourn for them when they are manifestly and reaâ—ly faulty and for their ordinary infirmiâ—ies to consider and bear them These are the characters we find in the Scriptures of stronger Christians Rom. 15. 1. Gal. 6. 1. This holy and humble sympathy argues indeed a strong Christian and nothing truly as one says shews a spiritual Man so much as the dealing with another Mans sin far will he be from the ordinary way of insulting and trampling upon the weak or using rigour and bitterness even against some gross falls of a Christian but will rather vent his compassion in tears than his passion in fiery raylings will bewail the frailty of Man and or dangerous condition in this Life amidst so many snares and tentations and such strong and subtle enemies 2dly As this sympathy works to particular Christians in their several conditions so by the same reason it acts and acts more eminently towards the Church and the publick Affairs that concern its good And this is it that we find hath breath'd forth from the hearts of the Saints in former times in so many pathetical complaints and Prayers for Sion Thus David in his saddest times when he might seem most dispensable to forget other things and be wholly taken up with lamenting his own fall Psal. 51. yet even there he leaves not out the Church ver 17. in thy good pleasure do good to Zion And his heart broken all to pieces yet the very pieces cry no less for the building of
Conquest 1. It must begin at the heart otherwise it will be but a Mountebank cure a false imagin'd conquest the weights and wheels are there and the Clock strikes according to their motion even he that speaks contrary to what is within him guilfully contrary to his inward conviction and knowledge yet speaks conformably to what is within him in the temper and frame of his heart which is double a heart and a heart as the Psalmist hath it A guileful Heart makes guileful Tongue and Lips it is the Work-house where is the Forge of Deceits and Slanders and other Evil-speakings and the Tongue only the outer shop where they vent and the Lips the Door of it so then such Ware as is made within such and no other can be set out from evil thoughts evil speakings from a prophane heart prophane words and from a malicious heart bitter or calumnious words and from a deceitful heart guileful words well varnish'd but lin'd with rottenness And so generally from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh as our Saviour teaches That which the heart is full of runs over by the Tongue if the heart be full of God the Tongue will delight to speak of him much of heavenly things within will sweetly breath forth something of their smell by the mouth and if nothing but earth there all that man's discourse will have an earthly smell and if nothing but wind vanity and folly the Speech will be airy and vain and purposeless Ps. 37 30 31. Ps. 40. 8 9. in the midst of my bowels and as from the center thou sends forth the lines and rays of sutable words and will not cannot refrain as there it is so no more can the evil heart refrain the Tongue from evil as here is directed The Tongue of the Righteous says Solomon is as fined silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth makes the Antithesis in the root his heart little worth and therefore his tongue no silver in it he may be worth thousands as we speak that is indeed in his Chests or Lands and yet himself his heart and all the thoughts of it not worth a penny If thou art inur'd to oaths or cursing in any kind or fashion of it taking the great name of God any ways in vain do not favour thy self in it as a small offence to excuse it by custom is to wash thy self with Ink and to accuse thy self deeper that thou art long practic'd in that sin but if thou would'st indeed be deliver'd from it think not that a flight dislike of it when reprov'd will do but seek for a due knowledge of the Majesty of God and thence a deep reverence of him in thy heart and that will certainly help that habituated Evil of thy Tongue will quite alter that bias that the custom thou speakest of hath given it will cast it in a new Mould and teach it a new Language will turn thy regardless abuse of that name in vain Oaths and Asseverations into a holy frequent use of it in Prayers and Praises thou wilt not then dare to indignifie that blessed name that Saints and Angels bless and adore but will set in with them to bless it None that knows the weight of it will dally with it and lightly lift it up as that word of taking in vain in the command signifies they that do continue to lift it up in vain as it were to sport themselves with it will find the weight of it falling back upon them and crushing them to pieces In like manner a purified heart will unteach the Tongue of all filthy impure speeches and will give it a holy strain and the Spirit of Charity and Humility will banish that mischievous humour that sits so deep in the most of reproaching and disgracing others in any kind either openly or secretly for 't is wicked self-love and pride of heart whence those do spring searching and disclosing the failings of others which love will rather cast a Mantle on to hide them 'T is an argument of a candid ingenuous mind to delight in the good name and commendation of others to pass by their defects and take notice of their vertues and to speak and hear of these willingly and not endure either to speak or hear of the other for in this indeed a Man may be little less guilty than the evil Speaker in taking pleasure in it tho' you speak it not And this is a piece of Men's natural perversness to drink in tales and calumnies and he that doth this will readily from the delight he hath in hearing slide insensibly into the humour of evil speaking and it is strange how the most dispence with themselves in this point and that in no Societies almost shall we find a hatred of this ill but rather some touches of pleasingness in it and until a Christian set himself to an inward watchfulness over his heart not suffering in it any thought either of uncharity or vain self esteem upon the sight of others frailties they will still be subject to somewhat of this in the Tongue or Ear at least So for the evil of guile in the Tongue a sincere heart truth in the inward parts that powerfully redresses therefore Psal. 15. 't is express'd that speaketh the truth from his heart Thence it flows seek much after this to speak nothing with God nor Men but what is the sense of a single unfeigned heart O sweet truth excellent but rare sincerity He that loves that truth within alone can work it seek it of him 2dly Be choice in your society sit not with vain persons whose Tongues have nothing else to utter but impurity or malice or folly Men readily learn the dialect and tone of the people amongst whom they live If you sit down in the chair of scorners take a seat with them you shall readily take a share of their diet with them and sitting amongst them take your turn by time of speaking with them in their own language but frequent grave and Godly Persons in whose hearts and lips piety and love and Wisdom are set and 't is the way to learn it 3dly Use a little of the Bridle in the quantity of speech incline a little rather to sparing than lavishing for in many words there wants not sin That flux of the Tongue that prating and babling disease is very common and hence so many impertinences yea so many of these worse ills in their discourses whispering about and enquiring and censuring this and that A childish delight and yet most Men carry it with them all along to speak of Persons and things not concerning us and this draws Men to speak many things that agree not with the rules of wisdom and charity and sincerity he that refraineth his Lips is wise saith Solomon A Vessel without a cover cannot escape uncleanness and much might be avoided by a little refraining of this much infection and sin by the many bablings
doing of good The main is to be inwardly principled for it a heart stampt with the love of God and his Commandments for conscience of his Will and Love to him and desire of his Glory to do all a good action even the best kind of actions in an evil hand and from an evil unsanctified heart passes amongst evils Delight in the Lord and his ways David's Oh! how I love thy Law can tell that he esteems it above the richest and pleasantest things on Earth but how much he esteems and loves it he cannot express And upon this will follow as in the former a constant tract and course of obedience even contrary to the stream of wickedness about a man and the bent of his own corrupt heart within him moving against all a serious desire and endeavour after all good within our calling and reach but especially that particular good of our calling that which is in our hand and is peculiarly requir'd of us For in this some deceive themselves look upon such a condition as they imagin were for them or such as is in their eye when they look upon others and think if they were such and had such place and such power and opportunities they would do great matters and in the mean time neglect that good to which they are called and have in some measure power and place to do this is the roving sickly humour of our minds and speaks their weakness as sick persons that would still change their Bâ—d or Posture or place of Abode thinking to be better but a staid mind applies it self to its own station and seeks to glorifie him that set it there reverencing his Wisdom in disposing of it so and there is certainty of a a blessed approbation of this be it never so low 't is not the high condition but much fidelity cures it thou hast been faithful in little We must care not only to answer occasions when they call but to catch at them and seek them out yea to frame occasions of doing good whether in the Lord 's immediate Service delighting in that private and publick or to Men in assisting one with our means another with our admonitions another with counsel or comfort as we can labouring not only to have something of that good that is most contrary to our Nature but even to be eminent in that setting Christian resolution and both the example and strength of our Lord against all oppositions and difficulties and discouragements Looking unto Iesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith c. We see our rule and 't is the rule of peace and happiness what hinders but we apply our hearts to it this is our work and setting aside the advantage that follows consider the thing in it self 1. The opposition of Sin and Obedience under the Name of evil and good 2. The Composition of our rule in these Eschew and do Consider it thus evil and good and it will perswade us to eschew and do And if perswaded to it then 1. Desire light from above to discover to you what is evil and offensive to God in any kind and what pleaseth him what is his will for that is the rule and reason of good in our actions that ye may prove what is the good and holy and acceptable will of God And to discover in your selves what is most enemy and repugnant to that will 2. A renew'd mind to hate that evil the closest and most connatural to you and to love that good even that is most contrary 3. Strength and skill that by another Spirit than your own you may avoid evil and do good and resist the incursions and sollicitings of evil the slights and violences of Satan who is both a Serpent and a Lyon and Power against your own inward corruption and the fallacies of your own heart And thus you shall be able for every good work and be kept in such a measure as suits your present estate blameless in Soul and Body to the coming of Iesus Christ. Oh! but I am often entangled and plunged in Soul-evils and often frustrate in my Thoughts against these evils and aims at the good which is my task And was not this Paul's condition may you not complain in his Language and happy if with some measure of his sense happy in crying out of wretchedness was not this his malady when I would do good evil is present with me But know once that tho' thy duty is this to eschew evil and do good yet thy Salvation is surer founded than on thine own good that perfection that answers Justice and the Law is not required of thee thou art to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit but in so walking whether in a low or high measure still thy comfort lyeth in this that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus As the Apostle begins the next Chapter after his sad complaints Again consider his thoughts in the close of the same Chapter perceiving the Work of God in him and differencing that from the corrupt notions of himself and so finding at once matter of heavy complaint and yet of cheerful exultation O! wretched Man that I am and yet with the same Breath thanks to God through Christ Iesus our Lord. So then mourn with him and yet rejoyce with him and go on with courage as he still fighting the good fight of Faith when thou fallest in the mire be asham'd and humbled yet return and wash in the Fountain open'd and return and beg new strength to walk more surely learn to trust thy self less and God more and up and be doing against thine enemies how tall and mighty soever be the Sons of Anak Be of good courage and the Lord shall be with thee and shall strengthen thy heart and establish thy goings Do not lye down to rest upon lazy conclusions that 't is well enough with thee because thou art out of the common puddle of profaneness but look further to purge from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Do not think thy little is enough or that thou art desperate of attaining more but press press hard toward the mark and prize of thy high calling do not think all is lost because thou art at present foyled the experienc'd Souldier knows that he hath often won the day after a fall or a wound receiv'd and be assur'd that after the short combats of a Moment follows an Eternity of Triumph Let him seek peace and ensue it Omitting the many acceptations of the word peace here particularly external peace with Men I conceive is meant and this to be sought and not only so to be sought when'â—is willingly found but to pursue and follow it when it seems to fly away but yet so to pursue it as never to step out of the way of holiness and righteousness after it and to forsake this rule that goes before it of eschewing evil and doing
it a lesser sin is more than the simple falling into sin and as the ungodly do for this reason lose all their prayers a godly man may suffer this way in some degree upon some degree of guiltiness this way the heart seduc'd it may be and entangled for a time by some sinful lust they are sure to find a stop in their prayers that they neither go nor come so quickly and so comfortably as before Any sinful humor as rheums do our voice binds up the voice of prayer makes it not so clear and shrill as it was wont and the accusing guilt of it ascending shuts up the Lord's ear that he doth not so readily hear and answer as before and thus that sweet correspondence is prejudged which all the delights of the World cannot compensate If then you would have easie and sweet accesses seek 1. an holy Heart entertain a constant care and study of Holiness admit no parlee with sin do not so much as hearken to it if you would be readily heard 2. Seek a broken heart the Lord is ever at hand to that 't is in the same Psalm he is nigh to them that are of a contrite spirit c. 't is an excellent way to prevail The breaking of the heart multiplies petitioners every piece of it hath a Voice and a very strong and very moving Voice that enters his Ear and stirs the Bowels and Compassions of the Lord towards it 3. A humble heart that may present its suites always the Court is constantly there even within it the Great King loves to make his Abode and Residence in it Is. 57. 15. This is the thing that the Lord so delights in and requires he will not fail to accept of it 't is his choice Mic 6. Wherewith shall I come c. He hath showed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and love mercy There 's this righteousness and that as a great part making it up to walk humbly with thy God in the Original humble to walk with thy God he cannot agree with a proud heart he hates and resists it and two cannot walk together unless they be agreed as the Wise man speaks The humble heart only company for God hath liberty to walk and converse with him he gives Grace to the humble he bows his ear if thou lift not up thy neck proud Beggers he turns away with disdain and the humblest Suiters always speed best with him Righteous not such in their own eyes but in his through his gracious dignation and acceptance and is there not reason to come humbly before him base Worms to to the most holy and most high God The Eyes of the Lord. We see 1. That both are in his sight the righteous and the wicked all of them and all their ways his eye is on the one and his face on the other as the word is but so on these as against them 't is therefore render'd his Eye of Knowledge and of Observance marking them and their Actions equally upon both No darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves foolishly and wretchedly done to do that or think that that we would hide from the Lord and then to think that we can hide it the Prophet speaks wâ— to such Wâ— to them that dig deep to hide their counsel from the Lord and their works are in the dark and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us And this is the grand principle of all wickedness not it may be expresly stated but secretly lying in the Soul an habitual forgetting of God and his eye not considering that he bâ—holds us ye that forget God says the Psalm thence all impiety and on the other side the remembrance of his eye a radical point of Piety and Holiness in which the 139 Psalm is large and excellent But as the Lord doth thus equally see both so as his Eye and Countenance imports his mind concerning them and towards them the manner of beholding them is different yea contrary And from the other beholding in common knowing their ways arises this different beholding which as usually word of Sense signifie also the affection is theâ— approving and dislike the loving and hating them and their ways so he peculiarly knows the righteous and their ways Ps. 1. And knows not never knew the workers of iniquity even those that by their profession would plead most acquaintance and familiar converse eating and drinking in his presence and yet I know you not whence are you 'T is not a breaking off from former acquaintance no he doth not that disavows none ever truly acquainted with him so the other Evangelist hath it of those that thought to have been in no small account I never knew you depart from me and there 's the convincing reason in that ye Workers of Iniquity none of his favourites and friends such Thus here his Eye his gracious Eye for good is on the Righteous and his Face his angry looks his just wrath against evil-doers In the 11th Psalm we have this much after the same way express'd First that we spoke of his knowing and beholding in common the righteous and wicked and their ways sitting high where he may mark and seeing clear throughout all places and all hearts his Throne is in Heaven his Eyes behold his Eye lids try the Children of Men. Sits in Heaven not as in a Chair of rest regardless of humane things but on a Throne for governing and judging tho' with as little uneasiness and disturbance 〈…〉 there were nothing to be done that way His Eyes behold not in a fruitless contemplation or Knowledge but his Eye lids try which signifies an intent inspection such as Men usually make with a kind of motion of their Eye lids Then upon this is added the different portion of the righteous and wicked in his beholding them and dealing with them he tryes the righteous approves what is good in them and by tryal and affliction doth purge out what is evil and in both these is love but the wicked and him that loveth violence his Soul hateth and therefore as here his face is against them his Soul and face all one but these things are express'd after our manner he looks upon them with indignation and thence come the Storms in the next Verse snares rained dâ—wn the wariest foot cannot avoid such snares they come down upon them from above fire and brimstone and burning tempest alluding to Sodom's judgment as an emblem of the punishment of all the Wicked This is the portion of their Cup. There 's a Cup for them but his Children drink not with them they have another Cup the Lord himself is the portion of their Cup Psal. 16. His Favour as closes Ps. 11. the righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright that 's another beholding than the former gracious loving beholding as here his
that for Cry in the Psalm do mean and in that sense the Lord's open ear and hearkning hath in it his readiness to answer as one that doth hear and to answer graciously and really as hearing favourably Some directions 1. For Prayer that it may be accepted and answered 2. For observing the answers of it 1. For Prayer the qualification of the Heart that offers it 2. The way of offering it The Heart 1. In some measure a holy Heart according to that here the Righteous no regarding iniquity entertaining of friendship with any sin but a permanent ove and desire of Holiness Thus indeed a man prays within himself as in a sanctified Place whither the Lord's ear inclines as of old to the Temple need not run superstitiously to a Church c. intra te ora sed vide prius an sis templum Dei The sanctified Man's Body is the Temple of the holy Ghost as the Apostle speaks and his Soul the Priest in it that offers sacrifice both holy to the Lord consecrated to him a believing Heart no praying without this Faith the very life of Prayer whence springs Hope and Comfort with it to uphold the Soul and keep it steady under storms with the promises and as Aaron and Hur to Moses keeping it from fainting strengthening the hands when they would begin to fail that word Psal. 10. 17. for the preparing of the heart which God gives as an assurance and pledge of his inclining his ear to hear signifies the establishing of the Heart that indeed is a main point of its preparedness and due disposition for Prayer Now this is done by Faith without which the Soul as the Apostle St. Iames speaks is a rolling unquiet thing as a Wave of the Sea of it self unstable as the Waters and then driven with the Wind and tossed too and fro with every tentation see and feel thine own unworthiness as much as thou canst for thou art never bid believe in thy self no but countermanded that as Faith's great Enemy but what hath thy unworthiness to say against free promises of Grace which are the basis of thy Faith so then believe that that you may pray this is David's advice Ps. 62. Trust in him at all times ye people and then pour out your hearts before him confide in him as a most faithful and powerful Friend and than you will open your hearts to him 2. For the way of offering up prayer 't is a great art a main part of the secret of Religion to be skill'd in it and of great concern for the comfort and success of it much here to be considered but for the present briefly 1. Offer not to speak to him without the heart in some measure season'd and prepossess'd with the sense of his Greatness and Holiness and there is much in this considering wisely to whom we speak the King the Lord of Glory and setting the Soul before him in his presence and then reflecting on our selves and seeing what we are how wretched and base and filthy and unworthy of such access to such a Great Majesty the want of this preparing of the heart to speak in the Lord's ear by the consideration of God and our selves is that which fills the exercise of prayer with much guiltiness makes the heart careless and slight and irreverent and so displeases the Lord and disappoints our selves of that comfort in prayer and answers of it that otherwise we would have more experience of We rush in before him with any thing provided we can tumble out a few words and do not weigh these things and compose our hearts with serious thoughts and conceptions of God The Soul that studies and endeavours this most hath much to do to attain to any right apprehensions of him for how little know we of him yet should we at least set our selves before him as the purest and greatest Spirit a Being infinitely more Excellent than our Minds or any Creature can conceive this would fill the Soul with awe and reverence and balast it make it go more even through the exercise to consider the Lord as that Prophet saw him sitting on his Throne and all the Host of Heaven standing by him on his right Hand and on his left and thy self a defiled Sinner coming before him as a vile Frog creeping out of some Pool how would this fill thee with holy Fear Oh! His greatness and our baseness and Oh! the distance This is Solomon's advice be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words be few This would keep us from our ordinary bablings that heart nonsense tho' the words be sense yet through the inattention of the heart are but as impertinent confus'd Dreams in the Lord's ears as there follow v. 3. 2. When thou addressest thy self to prayer desire and depend upon the assistance and inspiration of the holy Spirit of God without which thou art not able truly to pray 't is a supernatural work and therefore the principle of it must be supernatural He that hath nothing of the Spirit of God cannot pray at all he may howle as a Beast in his necessity or distress or may speak words of Prayer as some Birds learn the Language of Men but pray he cannot and they that have that Spirit ought to seek the movings and actual workings of it in them in Prayer the particular help of their infirmities teaching both what to ask a thing that of our selves we know not and then enabling them to ask breathing forth their desires in such sighs and groans as the breath not simply of their own but of God's Spirit 3dly As those two before it so in the exercise of it you should learn to keep a watchful eye over your own hearts throughout for every step of the way that they start not out by the keeping up of a continued remembrance of that presence of God which in the entry of the work is to be set before the eye of the Soul and our endeavour ought to be to six it upon that view that it turn not aside nor downwards but from beginning to end keep sight of him who sees and marks whether we do so or no. They that are most inspective and watchful in this will still be faulty in it but certainly the less watchful the more faulty and this we ought to do to be aspiring daily to more stability of mind in prayer and driving out somewhat of that roving and wandring that is so universal an Evil and certainly so grievous to those that have it most but that observe and discover it most and endeavour most against it A strange thing that the mind even the renewed mind should be so ready not only at other times but in the exercise of Prayer wherein we peculiarly come so near to God yet even then to slip out and leave him and follow some
and Body do not and possibly cannot well joyn with it Fears and Loves and Trusts in him which properly the outward Man cannot do tho' it does follow and is acted by these affections and so hath share in them in its capacity Beware of an external superficial sanctifying of God for he takes it not so he will interpret that a prophaning of him and his name be not deceived he is not mocked he looks through all Visages and Appearances in upon the Heart â—ees how it entertains him and stands affected to him if it be possess'd with reverence and love more than either thy tongue or carriage can express and if it be not so all thy seeming-worship is but injury and thy speaking of him iâ— but babling be thy Discourse never so Excellent and the more thou hast seemed to sanctifie God while thy heart hath not been chief in the business thou shalt not by such service have the less but the more fear and trouble in the day of trouble when it comes upon thee No estate so far off from true consolation and so full of horrors as that of the rotten-hearted Hypocrite his rotten Heart is sooner shakt to pieces than any other If you would have heart-peace in God you must have this heart sanctifying of him 'T is the heart that is vex'd and troubled with fears the disease is there and if the prescribed remedy reach not thither 't will do no good but let your hearts sanctifie him and then he shall fortifie and establish your hearts This sanctifying of God in the Heart composes the Heart and frees it from fears 1. In general the turning of the Heart to consider and regard God takes its off from those vain empty windy things that are the usual causes and matter of its fears it feeds on wind and therefore the bowels are tormented within the Heart is subject to disturbance because it lets out it self to such things and lets in such things into it self as are ever in motion and full of instability and restlesness and so cannot be at quiet till God come in and cast out these to keep the Heart within that it wander out no more to them 2. The particulars of Fear and Faith work particularly in this 1. That Fear as greatest overtops and nullifies all losser fears the Hearâ— possess'd with this fear hath no room for the other it resolves the Heart in point of duty what it should and must do not offend God by any means lays that down as indisputable and so eases it of doubtings and debates in that kind whether shall I comply with the World and abate somewhat of the sincerity and exact way of Religion to please Men or to escape persecution or reproaches no 't is unquestionably best and only necessary to obey him rather than Men to retain his favour be it with displeasing the most respected and considerable Persons we know yea rather chuse the universal and highest displeasure of all the World for ever than his smallest discountenance for a moment counts that the only indispensible necessity to cleave unto God and obey him If I pray I shall be accused might Daniel think but yet pray I must come on 't what will so if I worship God in my Prayer they will mock me I shall pass for a Fool no matter for that it must be done I must call on God and strive to walk with him this puts the mind to an ease not to be hanging betwixt two but resolv'd what to do we are not careful said they to answer thee O King our God can deliver us but however this we have put out of deliberation we will not worship the Image As one said non oportet vivere sed oportet navigare 't is not necessary to have the Favour of the World nor to have Riches nor to Live but 't is necessary to hold fast the Truth and to walk Holily to sanctifie the name of our Lord and Honour him whether in Life or Death 2. Faith in God clears the mind and dispels carnal fears the most sure help what time I am afraid says David I will trust in thee It resolves the mind concerning the event and scatters the multitude of perplexing thoughts that arise about that what shall become of this and that what if such an enemy prevail what if the place of our abode grow dangerous and we be not provided as others are for a removal no matter says Faith though all fail I know of one thing will not I have a Refuge that all the strength of Nature and Art cannot break in upon or demolish a high Defence my Rock in whom I trust c. Psal. 62. 5 6. The firm belief of and resting on his Power and Wisdom and Love gives a clear satisfying answer to all doubts and fears It suffers us not to stand to jangle with each triffling grumbling objection but carries all before it makes day in the Soul and so chases away those fears that vex us only in the dark as affrightful fancies do This is indeed to sanctifie God and give him his own Glory to rest on him and it is a fruitful homage done to him returning us so much Peace and Victory over Fears and Troubles perswades us that nothing can separate from his Love and that only we fear'd and so the things that cannot reach that can be easily despised Seek to have the Lord in your Hearts and sanctifie him there he shall make them strong and carry them through all dangers though I walk says David through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no ill for thou art with me Psal. 23. so Psal. 27. 1. What is it makes the Church so firm and stout though the Sea roar and the Mountains be cast into the midst of the Sea yet we will not fear that 's it God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved No wonder he immoveable and therefore doth establish all where he resides If the World in the middle of the Heart it will be often shaken for all there is continual motion and change but God in it keeps it stable Labour to get God into your Hearts residing in the midst of them and then in the midst of all Conditions they shall not move In your hearts Our condition universally exposed to search and troubles and no man so stupid but studies and projects for some Fence against them some Bulwark to break the incursion of Evils and so put his mind to some ease ridding it of the fear of them thus the most vulgar Spirits in their way for even the Brutes from whom such do not much differ in their actings and course of Life too are instructed by Nature to provide themselves and their young Ones of Shelters and the Birds their Nests and the Beasts their Holes and Dens Thus men gape and pant after gain with a confus'd ill-examin'd fancy of quiet and safety in it once to reach such a day as
to say with him in the Gospel Soul take thine ease thou hast much Goods laid up for many years c. though warn'd by his short ease there and by many watch words yea by daily experience that days may come yea one day will where fear and trouble shall rush in and break over the highest Tower of Riches that there is a day call'd the Day of Wrath wherein they profit not at all thus Men seek Safety in Greatness or Multitude or supposed Faithfulness of Friends seek by any means to be strongly underset this way to have many and powerful and confident Friends But wiser mâ—n perceiving the unsafety and vanity of these and all external things have cast about for some higher Course they see a necessity of retiring a Man from externals that do nothing but mock and deceive most those that trust most to them but they cannot well tell whither to direct him the best of them bring him into himself and think to quiet him so but the Truth is he finds as little there nothing truly strong enough within him to hold out against the many sorrows and â—ears that still from without do assault him so then though 't is well done to call off a a Man from outward things as moving Sands that he build not on them yet 't is not enough done for his own spirit is as unsettled a piece as is in all the World and must have some higher strength than its own to fortifie and fix it This is the way that is here taught fear not c. but sanctifie the Lord c. and if you can attain this latter the former will follow of it self 1. Generally God taking the place formerly possess'd by things full of motion and unquietness solids and establishes the Heart 2. Particularly Consider 1. Fear of him 2. Faith in him His Fear turns other fears out of doors no room for them where this great Fear is and being greater than they all yet disturbs not as they do yea brings as great quiet as they brought trouble 't is an ease to have but one thing for the heart to deal withal for many times the multitude of carnal fears is more troublesome than their weight as flies that vex most by their number Again This fear is not a terrible apprehension of God as an Enemy but a sweet composed reverence of God as our King yea as our Father very great but no less good than great so highly esteeming of his favour as fearing most of all things to offend him in any kind especially if the Soul have been formerly either under the lash of his apprehended displeasure or on the other side have had some sensible tastes of his love and hath been entertained in his Banqueting-House where his Banner over it was Love Faith carries the Soul above all doubts that if sufferings or sickness or death come nothing can separate it from him this suffices yea what though he may hide his face for a time the hardest of all yet no separation His Children fear him for his Goodness are afraid to lose sight of that or prejudge themselves of any of its influences desire to live in his favour and then for other things they are not much thoughtful 2. Faith sets the Soul in God and if there be not safety where is it rests on those perswasions it hath concerning him and that interest it hath in him Believes that he sits and rules the Affairs of the World with an all-seeing Eye and all-moving Hand the greatest Affairs surcharge him not and the very smallost escape him not orders the march of all Armies and the events of Battels and yet thou and thy particular condition slips not out of his view the very hairs of thy head are numbred are not all thy steps and the hazards of them known to him and all thy desires before him doth he not number thy wandrings every weary step thou art driven to and put thy tears in his Bottle thou mayest assure thy self that however thy matters seem to go all is contriv'd to subserve thy Good chiefly thy chief and highest Good there is a regular Motion in them though the Wheels do look to run cross all those things are against me said old Iacob and yet they were all for him In all estates I know no hearts ease but to believe to sanctifie and honour thy God in resting on his Word if thou art perswaded of his Love sure that will carry above all distrusting fears if thou art not clear in that point yet depend and resolve to stay by him yea to stay on him till he shew himself unto thee thou hast some fear of him thou canst not deny it without gross injury to him and thy self wouldst willingly walk in all well-pleasing unto him well then who is among you that feareth the Lord though he see no present light yet let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Press this upon thy Soul for there is not another charm for all its fears and unquiet therefore repeat it still with David sing this still till it be stilled chide thy distrustful heart into believing why art thou cast down O my Soul why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him though I 'm all out of tune for the present never a right string in my Soul yet he will put to his hand and redress all and I shall yet once again praise and therefore even now I will hope 'T is true God is a safe shelter and refuge but he is holy and holy Men may find admittance and protection but can so vile a sinner as I look to be protected and taken in under his safe guard Go try knock at his Door and take it not on our word but on his own it shall be opened to thee and once thou shall have a happy life on 't in the worst times Faith hath this priviledge never to be asham'd it takes Sanctuary in God and sits and sings under the shadow of his wings as David speaks Ps. 63. Whence the unsettledness of minds in trouble when 't is near but because they are far off from God the heart shak't as the leaves of the Tree with the wind no stability of Spirit God not sanctified in it and no wonder for not known Strange the ignorance of God and the precious Promises of his word the most living and dying strangers to him when trouble comes have not him a known refuge but are to begin to seek after him and to enquire the way to him cannot go to him as acquainted and ingaged by his own covenant with them others have empty knowledge and can discourse of Scripture and Sermons and Spiritual Comforts and yet have none of that fear and trust that quiets the Soul notions of God in their heads but God not sanctified in their hearts If you will be advised this is the way to have a high and strong spirit indeed
intention and is this a work to be done at random no 't is the most exact and curious of all works to have the Conscience right and keep it so as watches or other such neat pieces of Workmanship except they be dily wound up and skillfully handled they will quickly go wrong yea besides daily inspection it would as they at sometimes be taken to pieces and more accurately cleansed for the best kept will gather soyl and dust sometimes a Christian should set himself to a more solemn examination of his own heart beyond his daily search and all little enough to have so precious a good as this a good Conscience They that are most diligent and vigilant find nothing to abate as superfluous but still need of more The heart to be kept withall diligence or above all keeping corruption within ready to grow and gain upon it if it be never so little neglected and from without to invade it and get in we breath in a corrupt infected air and have need daily to antidote the heart against it You that are studying to be excellent in this art of a good Conscienee go on seek daily progress in it the study of Conscience is a more sweet profitable study than of all Science wherein is much vexation and the most little or no fruit read this book diligently and correct your Errata by that book the word of God labour to have it pure and right other books and works are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curious and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by works they shall not appear but this is one of the books that shall be opened in that great day according to which we must be judged On this follows a good Conversation as inseparably connexed with a good Conscience Grace is of a lively active nature and doth act like it self holiness in the heart will be holiness in the life too not some good actions but a good Conversation an uniform even tract of life the whole revolution of it regular the inequality of some Christians ways doth breed much discredit to Religion and discomfort to themselves But observe here 1. The order of these two 2. The principle of both 1. The Consâ—ience good and then the Conversation make the tree good and the fruit will be good says our Saviour so here a good Conscience the root of a good Conversation most Men begin at the wrong end of this work would reform the outward Man first that will do no good 't wil be but dead work Do not rest upon external reformations they will not hold there is no abiding nor no advantage in such a work you think when reprov'd Oh! I will mend and set about the redress of some outward things but this is as good as to do nothing the Mind and Conscience being defiled as the Apostle speaks doth defile all the rest 't is a mire in the spring although the pipes are cleansed they will grow quickly fowl again so Christians in their progress in grace would eye this most that the Conscience be growing purer the heart more spiritual the affections more regular and heavenly and their outward carriage will be holier whereas the outward work of performing duties and being much exercis'd in Religion may by the neglect of this be labour in vain and amend nothing foundly To set the outward Actions right though with an honest Intention and not so to regard and find out the inward disorder of the Heart whence that in the Actions flows is but to be still putting the Handle of a Clock right with your Finger while 't is foul or out of order within which is a continual business and does no good Oh! but a purified Conscience a Soul renew'd and refin'd in its temper and affections will make things go right without in all the duties and acts of our Callings 2. The Principle of Good in both is Christ. Your good Conversation in Christ. The Conversation not good unless in him so neither the Conscience 1. He the Person must be in him and then the Conscience and Conversation will be good in him the Conscience that is morally good having some kind of vertuous Habits yet being out of Christ is nothing but pollution in the fight of God it must be washt in his blood ere it can be clean all our pains will not cleanse it floods of tears will not do it 't is blood and that blood alone that hath the Vertue of purging the Conscience from dead Works Heb. 9. 2. In him the perfect pattern of Holiness the Heart and Life to be conformed to him and so made truely good 3. He the Spirit of Grace whence it is first derived and always fed and maintained and made active a Spirit goes forth from him that cleanseth our Spirits and so makes our Conversation clean and holy If thou wouldst have thy Conscience and Heart purify'd and pacify'd and have thy Life certify'd go to Christ for all make use of him as of his blood to wash of thy guiltiness so of his spirit to purifie and sanctifie thee if thou wouldst have thy Heart reserv'd for God pure as his Temple if thou wouldst have thy Lusts cast out that pollute thee and findest no power to do it go to him desire him to scourge out that filthy Rable that abuse his House and make it a Den of Thieves Seek this as the only Way to have thy Soul and ways righted to be in Christ and then walk in him Let thy Conversation be in Christ study him and follow him look on his Way on his Graces his Obedience and Humility and Meekness till by looking on them they make the very Idea of thee new as the Painter doth of a Face he would draw to the Life so behold his Glory that thou maist be transformed from glory to glory but as it is there added this must be by the Spirit of the Lord do not therefore look on him simply as an example without thee but as lâ—e within thee having received him walk not only like him but in him as the Apostle St. Paul speaks and as the word is here your Conversation not only according to Christ but in Christ draw from his fullâ—ess Grace for Grace 2dly The other thing in the Words is the advantage of this good Conscience and Conversation 1 Even external towards the malicious ungodly World they shall be ashamed that falsly accuse you thus often it is â—ven most evident to men the victory of Innocency silent Innocency most strongly confuting all calumny making the ungodly false accusers hide their heads thus without stirring the Integrity of a Christian conquers as a Rock unremoved breaks the Waters that are dashing against it And thiâ— not only a lawful but laudible way of revenge shaming calumny out of it and punishing evil-speakers by well-doing shewing really how false their acâ—users were this the powerfullest Apology and Refutation as his was of the Sophister that would prove there were no motion by rising up
he still asks what you mean by this those things answer not me do ye think I can find Comâ—â—â—â— in them so long as my sin is unpardon'd and there is a 〈◊〉 of Eternal Death standing above my head I feel even an impress of somewhat of that hot Indignation some flashes of it flying and lighting upon the face of my Soul and how can I take pleasure in these things you speak of And though I should be sensless and feel nothing of this all my life yet how soon shall I have done with it and the delights that reach no further and then to have Everlasting burnings Eternity of wrath to enter to how can I be satisfyed with that estate All you offer a Man in this posture is as if ye should set dainty fair and bring musick with it to a Man lying almost pressed to death under great weights and ye bid him eat and be merry but lift not off his pressure you do but mock the Man and add to his misery On the other side he that hath got but a view of his Christ and reads his own pardon in Christs sufferings he can rejoyce in this in the midst of all other sufferings and look on death without apprehension yea with gladness the sting is out Christ hath made all pleasant to him by this one thing that he suffered once for sins Christ hath perfum'd the Cross and the Grave and made all sweet The pardoned Man finds himself light skips and leaps and through Christ strengthning him he can encounter with any trouble If you think to shut in his Spirit within outward sufferings it is now as Sampson in his strength able to carry away the Gates on his back that you would shut one withal yea can submit patiently to the Lords hands in any correction Thou hast forgiven my sin therefore deal with me as thou wilt all is well 1. Learn to consider more deeply and esteem more highly of Christ and his suffering to silence our grumbling at our petty light crosses for so they are in comparison of his will not the great odds of his perfect Innoâ—ency and oâ— his nature and measure of his sufferings will not the sense of that Redemption of our Souls from death by his death will none of these nor all of them argue us into more thankfulness and love to him and patience in our tryals Why will we then be called Christians it is impossible to be fretful and malecontent with the Lord 's dealing with us in any kind till first we have forgot how he dealt with his dearest Son for our sakes But these things are not weigh'd by the most we hear and speak of them but our hearts receive not the impressions of them therefore we repine against our Lord and Father and drown a hundred great blessings in any little touch of trouble that befalls us 2. Seek surer interest in Christ and his suffering than the most either have attained or are aspiring to otherwise all that is here suffered will not ease or comfort thee any thing in any kind of suffering no though thou suffer for a good cause even for his cause still this will be an extraneous foraign thing to thee to tell thee of his sufferings will work no otherwise with thee than some other common story And as in the day of peace thou regardest it no more so in the day of thy trouble thou shalt receive no more comfort from it Other things you esteemed shall have no comfort to speak to you though you persue them with words as Solomon says of the poor Man's friends yet they shall be wanting to you And then you would sure find how happy it were to have this to turn you to that the Lord Jesus suffered for sins and for yours and therefore hath made it a light and comfortable business to you to undergo momentary passing sufferings Days of tryal will come do you not see they are on us already Be perswaded to turn your eyes and desires more towards Christ. This is the thing we would still press the support and happiness of your Souls lyes on it But you will not believe it Oh! that ye knew the comforts and sweetness of Christ. Oh that one would speak that knew more of them were you once but entered into this knowledge of him and the virtue of his sufferings you would account all your days but lost wherein you have not known him and in all times your hearts would find no refreshment like to the remembrance of his love Having somewhat considered these sufferings as the Apostles Argument for his present purpose Now to take nearer notice of the particulars by which he illustrates them as the main point of our Faith and Comfort Of them here two things 1. Their Cause 2. Their Kind Their Cause both their meriting cause and their final cause 1. What in us procured these sufferings unto Christ. 2. What those his suffering procured unto us Our guiltiness brought suffering upon him and his suffering brings us unto God 1. The evil of sin hath the evil of punishment inseparably ty'd to it We have a natural obligation of obedience unto God and he justly urges it so that where the command of his Law is broke the Curse of it presently followeth And though it was simply in the Power of the supream Lawgiver to have dispensed the infliction yet having in his Wisdom purposed to be known a just God in that way following forth the tenor of his Law of necessity there must be a suffering for sin Thus the Angels that kept not their Station falling from it fell into a Dungeon where they are under chains of darkness reserved to the Iudgement of the Great day and Man fell under the sentence of Death But in this is the difference betwixt Man and them they were not of one as parent or common root of the rest but each one fell or stood for himself alone so a part of them only perisht but Man fell altogether so that not one of all the Race could escape condemnation unless some other way of satisfaction be found out And here it is Christ suffered for sins the just for the unjust Father says he I have glorified thee on Earth In this Plot indeed do all the Divine Attributes shine in their full infinite Mercy and immense Justice and Power and Wisdom Looking on Christ as ordained for that purpose I have found a Ransom says the Father one fit to redeem Man a Kinsman one of that very same Stock the Son of Man one able to redeem Man by satisfying me and fullfilling all I lay upon him my Son my only begotten Son in whom my Soul delights And he is willing undertakes all says loe I come c. We are agreed upon the way of this Redemption yea upon the Persons to be redeemed it is not a roving blind Bargain a price paid for we know not to whom Hear his own words Thou hast given the Son
fruitful 2. By this Spirit it s said here he preacht not only did he so in the Days of his abode on Earth but in all times both before and after never left his Church altogether destitute of saving light which he dispenced himself and conveyed by the hands of his Servants therefore it s said he preacht that this be no excuse for times after he is ascended into Heaven no nor for times before he descended to the Earth in humane flesh though he preached not then nor does now in his flesh yet by his Spirit he then preacht and still doth so according to what was chief in him he was still present with his Church and preaching in it and is so to the end of the World This his infinite Spirit being every where yet 't is said here by it he went and preached signifying the remarkable clearness of his Administration that way as when he appears eminently in any work of his own or taking notice of our works God is said to come down so to those Cities Gen. 11. Let us go down So Exod. 3. 8. Thus here so clearly did he admonish them by Noah coming as it were himself on purpose to declare his Mind to them And this word I conceive is the rather used to shew what equality there is in this He came indeed visibly and dwelt amongst Men when he became flesh yet before that he visited by his Spirit he went by that and preached And so in after times himself being ascended and not having come visibly in his flesh to all but to the Jews only yet in the preaching of the Apostles to the Gentiles as the great Apostle says of him in this expression Eph. 2. 17. He came and preached to you which were asar off and this he continues to do in the ministry of his word and therefore says he he that despiseth you despiseth me c. Were this considered it could not but procure far more respect to the word and more acceptance of it Would you think that in his word Christ speaks by his eternal Spirit yea he comes and preaches addresses himself particularly to you in it could you slight him thus and turn him off with daily refusals or delays at least Think it is too long you have so unworthily used so great a Lord that brings unto you so great Salvation that came once in so wonderful a way to work that Salvation for us in his flesh and is still coming to offer it unto us by his Spirit does himself preach to us tells us what he undertook on our behalf and how he hath performed all and now nothing rests but that we receive him and believe on him and all is ours But alas from the most the return is that we have here disobedience Sometimes disobedient Two things in the hearers by which they are charactared their present condition in the time the Apostle was speaking of them and this by-past disposition when the Spirit of Christ was preaching to them this latter went first in time and was the cause of the other Therefore of it first If you look to their visible subordinate Preacher a holy Man and an able and diligent Preacher of righteousness both in his Doctrine and in the tract of his life which is the powerfullest preaching it seems strange that he prevailed so little But much more if we look higher this hight as the Apostle points to us to look to that Almighty Spirit of Christ that preacht to them and yet they were disobedient The word is they were not perswaded and it signifies both unbelief and disobedience and that very fitly unbelief being in it self the grand disobedience the mind not yielding to Divine Truth and so the spring of all disobedience in affection and action And this root of bitterness this unbelief is deep â—aâ—â—ened in our natural hearts and without a change in them a taking them to pieces they cannot be good it is as a Tree firm rooted cannot be pluckt up without loosening the ground round about it and this accursed root brings forth fruit unto death because the Word is not believed the threats of the Law and promises of the Gospel therefore Men cleave unto their sins and speak peace unto themselves while they are under the Curse It may seâ—m very strange that the Gospel is so fruitless amongst us yea that neither word nor rod both preaching aloud to us the Doctrine of Humiliation and Repentance yet perswades any Man to return or so much to turn inward and question himself to say what have I done But thus it will be till the Spirit be poured from on high to open and soften hearts It is to be desired as much wanting in the Ministery of the Word but were it there that would not serve unless it were by a concurrent work within the Heart meeting the Word and making the impressions of it there for here we find the Spirit went and preacht and yet the Spirits of the Hearers still unbelieving and disobedient it s a combined work of this Spirit in the Preacher and Hearers that makes it successful otherwise it is but shouting in a dead man's ear there must be something within as one said in a like case To the Spirits in Prison That 's now their Posture and because he speaks of them as in that Posture he calls them Spirits for it s their Spirits that are in that Prison As likewise calls them Spirits that the Spirit of Christ preacht to because it is indeed that that the preaching of the Word aims at it hath to do with the Spirits of Men is not content to be at their ear with a sound but works on their Minds and Spirits some way either to believe and receive or to be hardened and sealed up to Judgement by it which is for Rebels If disobedience follow on the preaching of that word the prison follows on that disobedâ—ence and that Word which they would not be bound by to obedience binds them over to that Prison whence they shall never escape nor be released for ever Take notice of it and know that you are warned you will not receive Salvation offering pressing it self upon you You are every day in that way of disobedience hastening to this perpetual Imprisonment Consider you now sit and hear this Word so did these that are here spoken of they had their time on Earth and much patience used towards them and though not to be swept away by a flood of Waters yet daily carried on by the flood of â—imes 90 Psal. and mortality And how soon you shall be on the other side set into Eternity you know not I beseech you be yet wise hearken to the offers yet made you for in his name I yet once again make a tender of Jesus Christ and Salvation in him to all that will let go their sins to lay hold on him Oh! do not destroy your selves you are in Prison he proclaims you Liberty Christ is still following
long time hearers of the Gospel whereof Baptism is the seal and most of us often at the Lord's Table What hath all this done upon us ask within are your hearts changed is there a new Creation there where is that spiritual minâ—â—dness are your hearts dead to the World and 〈◊〉 and alâ—ve to God your Consciences purged from dead works What mean you is not this the end of all the ordinances to make all clean and to renew and make good the Conscience to bring the Soul and your Lord into a happy amity and a good correspondence that it may not only be in speaking terms but often speak and converse with him may have liberty of answering and demanding as this Word hath both That it may speak the language of faith and humble obedience unto God and he may speak the language of peace to it and both the language of the Lord each to other That Conscience alone is good that is much busied in this work in demanding and answering that speaks much with it self and with God this is both the sign that it is good and the means to make it better That Soul will doubtless be very wary in its walk that takes daily account of it self and renders up that account unto God it will not live by guess but readily examin each step before hand because it is resolved to examin all after will consider well what it should do because it means to ask over again what it hath done and not only to answer it self but to make a faithful report of all unto God to lay all before him continually upon tryal made tell him what is in any measure well done as his own work and bless him for that and tell him too all the slips and miscarriages of the day as our own complaining of our selves in his presence and still intreating free pardon and more wisdom to walk more holily and exactly and gaining even by our failings more humility and more watchfulness If you would have your Consciences answer well they must enquire and question much both before hand whether is this I purpose and go about agreable to my Lord's will will it please him ask that more and regard that more than this that the most fâ—llow will it please or profit my self fits that my own humour And not only the bulk and substance of thy way and actions but the manner of them how thy heart is set sâ— think it not enough to go to Church or to pray but take heed how yea hear consider how pure he is and how piercing his eye whom thou servest Then after again think it not enough I was praying or hearing or reading it was a good work what need I question it further No but be still reflecting and asking how it was done how have I â—heard how have I prayed was my heart humbled by the discoveries of sin from the Word was it refresht with the promises of grace did it lye level under the word to receive the stamp of it was it in prayer set and kept in a holy bent towards God did it breath forth real and earnest desires into his ear or was it remiss and roving and dead in the service So in my Society with others in such and such Company what was my time and how did I follow it did I seek to honour my Lord and to edifie my Brethren by my carriage and speeches or did the time run out in trifling vain discourse when alone what 's the carriage and walk of my heart where it hath most liberty to move its own pace is it delighted in converse with God are the thoughts of heavenly things frequent and sweet to it or does it run after the earth and the delights of it spinning out it self in impertinent vain Contrivances The neglect of such inquiries is that which entertains and increases the impurity of the Soul so that Men are afraid to look into themselves and to look up to God But Oh! what a foolish course is this to shift off that which cannot be avoided in the end answer must be made to that all-seeing Judge with whom we have to do and to whom we owe our accompts And truly it would be seriously considered what makeâ— this good Conscience that makes an acceptable answer unto God That appears by the opposition not the puting away the filth of the flesh then it is the puting away of Soul â—ilthiness so then its the renewing and purifying of the Conscience that makes it good pure and peaceable In the purifying it may be troubled which is but the stirring in cleansing of it which makes more quiet in the end as Physick or the launcing of a sore and after it is in some measure cleansed it may have fits of trouble which yet still add further purity and further peace so there is no hazard in that work but all the misery is a dead security of the Conscience remaining filthy and yet unâ—tirred or after some stirring or pricking as a wound not thoroughly cured skin'd over which will but breed more vexation in the end it will fester and grow more difficult to be cur'd and if it be cur'd it must be by deeper cutting and more pain than if at first it had endured a thorough search O My Brethren take heed of sleeping unto death carnal â—ase resolve to take no rest till you be in the Element and place of Soul rest where solid rest indeed is rest not till you be with Christ though all the World should offer their best turn them by with disdain if they will not be turned by throw them down and go over them and upon them you have no rest to give me nor will I take any at your hands nor from no creature no rest for me till I be under his shaddow who endured so much trouble to purchase my rest and having found him may sit down quiet and satisfied and when the World makes boaâ—t of their highest contents I will 〈◊〉 them all with this own Word my beloved is mine and I am his Towards God The Conscience of 〈◊〉 is never right at peace in it self till it be rightly perswaded of peace with God which while it remains â—ilthy it cannot be for he is holy and iniquity cannot dwell with him what Communion betwixt light and darkness so then the Conscience must be cleansed e're it can look upon God with assurance and peace This cleansing is sacramentally performed by Baptism effectually by the Spirit of Christ and the blood of Christ and he lives to impart both Therefore here is mention'd his resurrection from the dead as that by virtue whereof we are assured of this purging and peace Then can it in some measure with confidence answer Lord though polluted by former sins and by sin still dwelling in me yet thou seest that my desires are daily more like my Christ I would have more love and zeal for thee more hatred of sin that can answer with St. Peter
that was posed lovest thou me Lord I appeal to thine own eye who seest my heart Lord thou knowest that I love thee at least I desire to love thee and to desire thee and that is love Willingly would I do thee more sutable service and honour thy name more and do desire more Grace for this that thou maist have more Glory and intreat the light of thy Countenance for this end that by seeing it my heart may be more weaned from the World and knit unto thy self thus it answers touching its inward frame and the work of holiness by the Spirit of holiness dwelling in it But to answer Justice touching the point of guilt it flies to the blood fetches all its answer thence turns over the matter upon it and answers for it for it doth speak and speaks better things than the blood of Abel speaks full payment of all that can be exacted from the sinner and that 's a sufficient answer The Conscience is then in this point once made speechless driven to a nonplus in it self hath from it self no answer to make then turns about to Christ and finds what to say Lord there is indeed in me nothing but guiltiness I have deserved death but I have fled into the City of refuge thou hast appointed there I resolve to abide to live and die there if Justice pursue me it shall send me there I take sanctuary in Jesus my arrest laid upon me will light upon him and he hath wherewithal to answer it He can straightway declare he hath pay'd all and can make it good hath the acquittance to shew yea his own liberty is a real sign of it he was in Prison and is let free which tells all is satisfied Therefore the answer here rises out of the resurrection of Iesus Christ. And in this very thing lies our peace and way and all our happiness Oh! its worth your time and pains to try your interest in this it is the only thing worthy your highest diligence But the most are out of their wits running like a number of distracted Persons and still in a deal of business but to what end they know not You are unwilling to be deceived in those things that at their best and surest do but deceive you when all is done But content to be deceived in that your great concernment You are your own deceivers in it gladly gull'd with shadows of faith and repentance false touches of sorrow and and false of Joy and are not careful to have your Souls really unbottom'd from themselves and built upon Christ to have him your treasure your righteousness your all and to have him your answer unto God your Father But if you will yet be advised let go all to lay hold on him lay your Souls on him and leave him not he is a tried Foundation Stone and he that trusts on him shall not be confounded Verse 22. 22. Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject to him THIS is added on purpose to shew us further what he is how high and glorious a Saviour we have Here four points or steps of the Exaltment of Christ. 1. Resurrection from the Dead 2. Ascension into Heaven 3. Sitting at the right Hand of God 4. In that Posture his Royal Authority over the Angels The particulars clear in themselves Of the sitting at the right Hand of God you are not ignorant that it is a borrowed Expression drawn from Earth to Heaven to bring down some Notion of Heaven to us to signifie to us in our Language suitably to our Customs the Supream Dignity of Jesus Christ God and Man the Mediator of the New Covenant his matchless nearness unto his Father and the Sovereignty given him over Heaven and Earth And that of the subjection of Angels is but a more particular specifying of that his Dignity and Power as enthron'd at the Father's right Hand they being the most elevated and glorious Creatures so his Authority over all the World implyed in that subjection of the highest and noblest part of it His Victory and Triumph over the Angels of Darkness is an evidence of his Invincible Power and Greatness and matter of Comfort to his Saints but this here is his Supremacy over the glorious Elect Angels That there is amongst them Priority we find that there is a comely order in their differences cannot be doubted but to marshal their Degrees and Stations above is a point not only of vain fruitless Curiosity but of presumptuous intrusion whether these are names of their different particular Dignities or only different names of their general Excellency and Power as I think it cannot be certainly well determin'd so it imports us not to determine only this we know and are particularly taught from this place that whatsoever is their common Dignity both in names and differences they are all subject to our glorious Head Christ. What Confirmation they have in their Estate by him though piously asserted by Divines is not so infallibly clear from the alledged Scriptures which may bear another sense But this is certain that he is their King and they acknowledge him so and do incessantly admire and adore him they rejoyce in his glory and in the glory and happiness of Mankind through him they yield him most cheerful obedience and serve him readily in the good of his Church and each particular Believer as he deputes and imploys them Which is the thing here intended having in it these two 1 His Dignity above them 2. His Authority over them 1. Dignity that even that Nature which he stoopt below them to take on he hath carried up and raised it above them the very Earth the flesh of Man exalted in his Person above all those heavenly Spirits who are of so excellent and pure a Being in their Nature and from the beginning of the World cloathed with so transcendent Glory that a parcel of Clay is made so bright and set so high to outshine these bright flaming Spirits these Stars of the Morning that flesh being united to the Fountain of Light the blessed Deity in the Person of the Son In coming to fetch and put on this Garment he made himself lower than the Angels but carrying it with him at his return to his eternal Throne and sitting down with it there it is high above them as the Apostle teaches excellently and amply Heb. 1. 2. To which of them said he sit on my right Hand This they look upon with perpetual Wonder but not with envy nor repining no amongst all their eyes no such eye to be found yea they rejoyce in the infinite Wisdom of God in this Design and his infinite Love to poor lost Mankind its wonderful indeed to to see him filling the room of their fallen Brethren with new guests from Earth yea such as are born Heirs of Hell not only thus sinful Man raised to a participance of Glory with them
of God And perceiving their short day so far spent ere they set out will account years precious and make the more hast and desire with holy David enlarged hearts to run the way of God's commandments will study to live much in a little time having lived all the past time to no purpose none now to spare upon the lusts and ways of the flesh and vain societies and visits yea will be rescuing all they can from their very necessary Affairs for that which is more necessary than all other necessities that one thing needful to learn the Will of our God and live to it this is our Business our high Calling the main and excellent of all our Employments Not that we are to cast off our particular Callings our due diligence in them for that will prove a snare and involve a Person in things more opposite to godliness But certainly this living to God requires 1. A fit measuring of thy own ability for affairs and as far as thou canst chuse â—itting thy load to thy shoulders not surcharging thy self with it overburden of businesses either by the greatness or multitude of them will not fail to entangle thee and depress thy mind and will hold it so down that thou shalt not find it possible to walk upright and look upwards with that freedom and frequency that becomes Heirs of Heaven 2. The measure of thy affairs being adapted look to thy affection in them that it be regulated too thy heart may be engaged in thy little business as much if thou watch it not a Man may drown in a little brook or pool as well as in a great river if he be down and plunge himself into it and put his head under water Some care thou must have that thou maist not care these things that are thorns indeed thou must make a hedge of them to keep out those tentations that accompany floth and extream want that waits on it but let them be the hedge suffer them not to grow within the Garden though they increase set not thy heart on them nor them in thy heart That place is due to another is made to be the Garden of thy beloved Lord made for the best plants and flowers and there they ought to grow The love of God and Faith and Meekness and the other fragrant Graces of the Spirit and know that this is no common nor easie matter to keep the heart disingaged in the midst of affairs that still it be reserved for him whose right it is 3. Not only labour to keep thy mind Spiritual in it self but by it put a spiritual stamp even upon thy temporal employments And so thou shalt live to God not only without prejudice of thy Calling but even in it and shall converse with him in thy Shop or in the Field or in thy Journey doing all in obedience to him and offering all and thy self withal as a sacrifice to him thou stâ—ll with him and he still with thee in all This is to live to the will of God indeed to follow his direction and intend his glory in all thus the wife in the very exercise of her house and the husband in his affâ—irs abroad may be living to God raising their low employments to a high quality this way Lord even this mean work I do for thee complying with thy will who hast put me in this Station and given me this task thy will be done Lord I offer up even this work to thee accept of me and of my desire to obey thee in all and as in their work so in their refreshments and rest all for him whether you eat or drink doing all for this reason because it is his will and for this end that he may have glory bending the use of all our strength and all his mercies that way setting this mark on all our designs and ways this for the glory of my God and this further for his glory so from one thing to another throughout our life This is the art of keeping the heart spiritual in all affairs yea of spiritualizing the affairs themselves in their use that in themselves are earthly This the Elixir that turns lower mettal into gold the mean actions of this life in a Christians hands into obedience and holy offering unto God And were we acquainted with the way of intermixing holy thoughts ejaculatory eyings of God in our ordinary ways it would keep the heart in a sweet temper all the day long and have an excellent influence into all our ordinary actions and holy performances at those times when we apply our selves solemnly to them our hearts would be near them not so far off to seek and call in as usually they are through the neglect of this This were to walk with God indeed to go all the day long as in our Fathers hand whereas without this our praying morning and evening looks but as a formal visit not delighting in that constant converse which yet is our happiness and honour and makes all estates sweet This would refresh us in the hardest Labour as they that carry the spices from Arabia are refresht with the smell of them in their Journey and some observe that it keeps their strength and frees them from fainting If you would then live to God indeed be not satisfied without the constant regard of him and whosoever hath attained most of it study it yet more to set the Lord always before you as David professeth and then shall you have that comfort that he adds â—e shall be still at your right hand that you shall not be moved And you that are yet to begin to this think what his patience is that after you have fitten so many calls you may yet begin to seek him and live to him and then consider if you still despise all this goodness how soon it may be otherwise you may be past the reach of this Call and may not begin but be cut off for ever from the hopes of it Oh how sad an Estate and the more by the remembrance of these flighted offers and invitations will you then yet return you that would share in Christ let go these lusts to which you have hitherto lived and embrace him and in him there is Spirit and Life for you he shall enable you to live this heavenly life to the will of God his God and your God and his Father and your Father Oh! delay no longer this happy change how soon may that puff of breath that is in thy Nostrils that hearest this be extinguisht and art thou willing to dye in thy sins rather than that they dye before thee thinkest thou it a pain to live to the will of God sure it will be more pain to lie under his eternal wrath Oh! thou knowest not how sweet they find it that have tryed it or thinkest thou I will afterwards who can make thee sure either of that afterwards or of that will if but afterwards why not now presently without
Spirit of Châ—â—st against the Spirit of the World and these are by far the more excellent and strongâ—r faith looking to him and drawing vertue from him makes the Soul surmount all discouragments and oppositions so Heb. 12. 2. Looking to Iesus and not only as an example worthy to oppose to all the World's examples the Saints were so chap. 11. and chap. 12. but he more than they all But further he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith and so we eye him as having endured the cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Not only that in doing so we may follow him in that way unto that end as our pattern but as head from whom we borrow our strength to follow so the Author and Finisher of our Faith And so 1 Joh. 5. This is our victory whereby we overcome the World even our Faith The Spirit of God shews the Believer clearly both the baseness of the ways of sin and the wretched measure of their end That Divine Light discovers the fading and false blush of the pleasures of sin that there is nothing under them but true deformity and rottenness which the deluded gross World does not see but takes the first appearance of it for true and solid beauty and is so enamoured with a painted strumpet And as he sees the vileness of that love of sin he sees the final unhappiness of it that her ways lead down to the Chambers of Death Methinks a Believer is as one standing upon a high Tower that sees the way wherein the World runs in a Valley in an unavoidable Precipice a steep edge hanging over the bottomless pit where all that are not reclaimed fall over before they be aware this they in their low way perceive not and therefore walk and run on in the smooth pleasures and ease of it towards their perdition but he that sees the end will not run with them And as he hath by that light of the Spirit this clear reason of thinking on and taking another course so by that Spirit he hath a very natural bent to a contrary motion that he cannot be one with them that Spirit moves him upwards whence it came and makes that in so far as he is renewed his natural motion though he hath a clog of flesh that cleaves to him and so breeds him some difficulty yet in the strength of that new Nature he overcomes it and goes on till he attain his end where all the difficulty in the way presently is over rewarded and forgotten that makes amends for every weary step that every one of these that walk in that way does appear in Zion before God The Christian and the carnal Men are each most wonderful to another The one wonders to see the other walk so strictly and deny himself to these carnal Liberties that the most take and take for so necessary that they think they could not live without them And the Christian thinks it strange that men should be so bewitcht and still remain Children in the vanity of their turmoil wearying and humouring themsâ—lves from morning to night running aâ—ter stories and fâ—nciâ—s ever busie doing nothing wonders that the delights of earth and sin can so long entertain and please men and perswade them to give Jesus Christ so many refuses to turn from their life and happiness chuse to be miserable yea take much pains to make themsâ—lves miserable He knows the depravedness and bliâ—dness of Nature in this knows it by himself that once he was so and therefore wonders not so much at them as they do at him yet the unreasonableness and frenzy of that course now appears to him he cannot but wonder at these woeful mistakes But the ungodly wonder far more at him not knowing the inward cause of his different choice and way the Believer as we said is upon the Hill he is going up looks â—ack on them in the Valley and sees their way tending to and ending in death and calls to them to retire from it as loud as he can tells them the danger but either they hear not nor understand not this Language or will not believe him finding present ease and delight in their way will not consider and suspect the end of it but they judge him the fool that will not share with them and take that way where such multitudes go and with such ease and some of them with their Train and Horses and Coaches and all their Pomp and he and a few straggling poor Creatures like him climbing up a craggy steep Hill and will by no means come off from that way and partake of theirs not knowing or not believing that at the top of that Hill he climbs is that happy glorious City the new Ierusalem whereof he is a Citizen and whither he is tending that he knows their end both of their way and his own and therefore would reclaim them if he could but will by no means return unto them as the Lord commanded the Prophet The World thinks strange that a Christian can spend so much time in secret Prayer not knowing nor being able to esteem the sweetness of communion with God which he attains that way yea while 〈◊〉 feels it not how sweet it is beyond the World's enjoyments to be but seeking after it and waiting for it Oh! the delight that is in the bitterest exercise of repentance the very tears much more the succeeding Harvest of Joy It s strange unto a carnal Man to see the Child of God disdain the pleasures of sin not knowing the higher and purer delights and plâ—asures that he is called to and hath it mâ—y be some part in present but however the fullness of them in assured hope The strangeness of the World's way to the Christian and his to it though that is somewhat unnatural yet affects them very differently He looks on thâ— deluded sinners with pity they on him with hate Their part which is here exprest of wondering breaks out in reviling they speak evil of you and what 's their Voice what mean these precise â—ools will they readily say what course is this they take contrary to all the World will they make a new Religion and condemn all their honest civil Neighbours that are not like them Ay forsooâ—h all go to Hell think you except you and those that follow your guise no more than good-fellowship and liberty and as for so much reading and praying these are but brain sick melancholy conceits and Man may go to Heaven Neighbour-like without all this ado Thus they let fly at their pleasure But this troubles not the composed Christians mind at all while Curs snarl and bark about him the sober Traveller goes on his way and regards them not he that is acquainted with the way of Holiness can endure more than the counter-blasts and airs of scoffs and revilings he accounts them his Glory and his Riches So Moses esteemed the reproach of
further This is indeed a a great vanity and a great misery to lose that labour and gain nothing by it which duly used would be of all others most advantageous and gainful and yet all meetings are full of this Now when you come this is not simply to hear a discourse and relish or dislike it in hearing But a matter of life and death of eternal death and eternal life and the spiritual life begot and nourisht by the word is the beginning of that eternal life Follows To them that are dead By which I conceive he intends such as had heard and believed the Gospel when it came to them and now were dead And this I think he doth to strengthen these brethren to whom he writes to commend the Gospel to this intent and not to think the condition and end of it hard As our Saviour mollifies the matter of outward sufferings thus so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you And the Apostle afterwards in this Chapter uses the same reason in that same subject so here that they might not judge the point of mortification he presses so grievous as naturally Men will do he tells them it is the constant end of the Gospel and they that have been saved by it went that same way he points out to them They that are dead before you died this way that I press on you before they died and the Gospel was preached to them for that very end Men pass away and others succeed but the Gospel is still the same hath the same tenour and substance and the same ends As Solomon speaks of the Heaven's and Earth that remain the same while one Generation passes and another cometh the Gospel surpasses both in its stability as our Saviour testifies they shall pass away but not one Iot of this Word And indeed they wear and wax old as the Apostle teaches us but the Gospel is from one Age to another of most unalterable integrity hath still the same vigour and powerful influence as at the first They that formerly received the Gospel it was upon these terms therefore think them not hard and they are now dead all the difficulty of that work of dying to sin is now over with them if they had not died to their sins by the Gospel they had died in them after a while and so died eternally it is therefore a wise prevention to have sin judged and put to death in us before we die if we die in them and with them we and our sin perish together if we will not part but if it die first before us then we live for ever And what think you of thy carnal will and all the delights of sin What is the longest term of its life uncertain it is but most certainly very short thou and these pleasures must be severed and parted within a little time however thou must dye and then they dye and you never meet again Now were it not the wisest course to part a little sooner with them and let them dye before thee that thou mayest inherit eternal life and eternal delights in it pleasures for evermore It s the only bargain and let us delay it no longer This is our season of enjoying the sweetness of the Gospel others heard it before us in our rooms that now we fill and now they are removed and remove we must shortly and leave this same room to others to speak and hear in It is high time we were considering what we do here to what end we speak and hear and to lay hold on that Salvation that is held forth unto us and that we lay hold on it let go our hold of sin and those perishing things that we hold so firm and cleave so fast to do they that are dead who heard and obeyed the Gospel now repent their repentance and mortifying the flesh or do they not think ten thousand times more pains were it for many Ages all to little for a moment of that which now they enjoy and shall enjoy to eternity And they that are dead who heard the Gospel and slighted it if such a thing might be what would they give for one of these opportunities that now we daily have and daily lose and have no fruit nor esteem of them You have lately seen many of you and you that shifted the sight have heard of numbers cut off in a little time whole families swept away by the late stroke of God's hand many of which did think no other but that they might have still been with you here in this place and exercise at this time and many years after this and yet who hath laid to heart the lengthning out of their day and considered it more as an opportunity of that higher and happier life than as a little protracting of this wretched life which is hastening to an end Oh! therefore be intreated to day while it is day not to harden your hearts though the Pestilence doth not now affright you so yet that standing mortality and the decay of these earthen lodges tells us that shortly we shall cease to preach and hear this Gospel Did we consider it would excite us to more earnest search after our evidences of that eternal life that is set before us in the Gospel and we would seek it in the characters of that spiritual life which is the beginning of it within us and is wroâ—ght by the Gospel in all the heirs of Salvation Think therefore wisely of these things 1. What 's the proper end of the Gospel 2. Of the approaching end of thy days and let thy certainty of this drive thee to seek more certainty of the other that thou maist partake of it and then this again will make the thoughts of the other sweet to thee that visage of death that is so terrible to unchanged sinners shall be amiable to thine eye having found a Liâ—e in the Gospel as happy and lasting as this is miserable and vanishing and seeing the perfection of that life on the other side of death will long for the passage Be more serious in this matter of daily hearing the Gospel why it is sent to thee and what it brings and think it is too long I have flighted its Message and many that have done so are cut off and shall hear it no more I have it once more inviting me and it may be this may be the last to me and in these thoughts ere you come bow your knee to the Father of Spirits that this one thing may be granted you that your Souls may find at length the lively and mighty power of his Spirit upon yours in the hearing of this Gospel that you may be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit Thus is the particular nature of that end exprest and without the noise of various senses intends I conceive no other but the dying to the World and sin and living unto God which is the Apostle's
real complacency and delight in one another And then consider the temper of thy heart towards spiritual things the Word and ordinances of God if thou dost esteem highly of them and delight in them that there is a compliance of thy heart with Divine Truths somthing in thee that suits and sides with them against thy corruptions That in thy affliction thou seekest not to the puddles of earthly comforts but hast thy recourse to the sweee Christal Streams of the Divine Promises and findest refreshment in them It may be at sometimes in a spiritual distemper holy exercises and ordinances will not have that present sensible sweetness to a Christian that he desires and some will for a long time lie under dryness and deadness this way yet there is here an evidence of this spiritual life that thou stayest by thy Lord and reliest on him and will not leave these holy means how sapless soever to thy sense for the present thou findest for a long time little sweetness in prayer yet thou prayest still and when thou canst say nothing yet offerest to it and lookest towards Christ thy life thou doest not turn away from these things to seek consolation else where knowest life is in Christ and will stay till he refresh thee with new and lively influence it s not any where but in him As St. Peter said Lord whether should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Consider thy self if thou hast any knowledge of the growth or deficiences of this spiritual life for it is here but begun and breaths in an air contrary to it and lodges in an house that often smoaks and darknes it Canst thou go on in formal performances from one year to another and no advancement in the inwards of Grace and restest content with that it is no good sign But art thou either gaining victories over sin and further strength of faith and love and other graces or at least art earnest seeking these and bewailing thy wants and disappointments of this kind then thou livest At the worst wouldest thou rather grow this way be further off from sin and nearer God than grow in thy estate or credit or honours esteemest thou more of grace than of the whole World There is life at the root although thou findest not that flourishing thou desirest yet the desire of it is life in thee and if growing this way art thou content whatsoever is thy outward estate Canst thou solace thy self in the love and goodness of thy God though the World frowns on thee art thou not able to take comfort in the smiles of the World when his face is hid this tells thee thou livest and he is thy life Although many Christians have not so much sensible joy yet they account spiritual joy and the light of God's countenance the only true joy and all other without it madness and they cry and sigh and attend for it mean while not only duty and hopes of better but even love to God makes them to be so to serve and please and glorifie him to their utmost And this is not a dead resting without God but it is a stable compliance with his will in the highest point waiting for him and living by faith which is most acceptable to him in a word whether in sensible comfort or without it still this is the fixed thought of a believing Soul its good for me to draw nigh to God only good and will not live in a willing estrangedness from him what way soever he is pleased to deal with 〈◊〉 Now for the entertaining and strengthning this life which is the great business and care of all that have it beware of omitting and interrupting these spiritual means that do provide it and nourish it Little neglects of that kind will draw one greater and great neglects will make great abatements of vigour and liveliness Take heed of using holy things coldly and lazily without affection that will make them fruitless and our life will not be advantaged by them unless used in a lively way Be active in all good within thy reach as this is a sign so it s a helper and friend to it A slothful unstirring life will make a sickly unhealthful life Motion purifies and sharpens the Spirits and makes Men robust and vigorous 2. Beware of admitting a correspondence with any sin yea do not so much as discourse familiarly with it or look kindly toward it for that will undoubtedly cast a damp upon thy Spirit and diminish thy Graces at least and will obstruct thy Communion with God thou knowest that hast any knowledge of this life that thou canst not go to him with that sweet freedom thou wert wont after thou hast been but tampering or parlying with any of thy old loves Oh! do not make so foolish a bargain as to prejudge the least of thy spiritual comfort for the greatest and longest continued enjoyments of sin that are base and but for a season But wouldest thou grow upwards in this life have much recourse to Jesus Christ thy head the spring from whom flow the animal Spirits that quicken thy Soul Wouldest thou know more of God he it is that reveals the Father and reveals him as his Father and in him thy Father and that 's the sweet notion of God Wouldest thou overcome thy lusts further our victory is in him apply his conquest We are more than Conquerors through him that loved us wouldest thou be more replenisht with graces and spiritual affections his fulness is for that use open to us life and more life in him and for us this was his business here he came that we might have life and might have it more abundantly Verse 7. 7. But the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer THE heart of a real Christian is really taken off from the World and set heavenwards yet there is still in this flesh so much of the flesh hanging to it as will readily poise all downwards unless it be often wound up and remembred of these things that will raise it still to further spiritualness This the Apostle doth in this Epistle and particularly in these words In them three things to be considered 1. A threefold duty recomended 2. Their mutual Relation that binds them to one another 3. The reason here used to bind them upon a Christian. And of the three the last is evidently the chief and here so meant the other being recommended as suiting it and subserving to it prayer Therefore I shall speak first of it And truly to speak and to hear of it often were our hearts truly and entirely acquainted with it would have still new sweetness and usefulness in it Oh! how great were the advantage of that lively Knowledge of it beyond the exactest defining of it and a discoursing Knowledge and of the heads of Doctrine that concern it Prayer is not a smooth expression or a well-contrived form of words not the product
powerfully assimilated to him by converse with him as we readily contract their Habitudes with whom we resort much especially of such as we singularly love and respect thus the Soul is moulded further to the likeness of God is stampt with fuller Characters of him by being much with him becomes liker God more holy and spiritual and brings back a bright shining from the Mount as Moses 4thly And not only thus by a natural influence doth prayer work this advantage but even by a federal efficacy suiting and upon suit obtaining supplies of Grace as the chief good and besides all other needful mercies it is a real means of receiving whatsoever you shall ask that will I do says our Saviour God having establisht this intercourse and engag'd his Truth and Goodness in it that if they call on him they shall be heard and answered If they prepare the Heart to call he will incline his ear to hear and our Saviour hath assur'd us that we may build upon his Goodness and the affection of a Father in him that he will give good things to them that ask says one Evangelist and the holy Spirit to them that ask it says another as being the good indeed the highest of Gifts and the sum of all good Things and that which his Children are most earnest supplicants for Prayer for Grace doth as it were set the Mouth of the Soul to the Spring draws from Jesus Christ and is replenisht out of his fullness thirsting after it and drawing from it that way And for this reason is it that our Saviour and from him and according to his example the Apostles recommend Prayer so much Watch and pray says our Saviour and St. Paul pray continually And our Apostle here particularly specifies this as the grand means of attaining that conformity with Christ which he presses this is the high-way to it be sober and watch unto prayer He that is much in prayer shall grow rich in grace he shall thrive and increase most that is busiest in this which is our very traffick with Heaven and fetches the most precious commodities thence he that sets oftenest out these Ships of desire makes the most Voyages to that Land of Spices and Pearls shall be sure to improve his stock most and have most of Heaven upon Earth But the true art of this trading is very rare every trade hath something wherein the skill of them lies but this is deep and supernatural is not reacht by humane industry industry is to be used in it but we must know it comes from above the faculty of it that Spirit of Prayer without which Learning and Wit and religious Breeding can do nothing Therefore this to be our prayer often our great suit for the Spirit of Prayer that we may speak the Language of the Sons of God by the Spirit of God which alone teaches the Heart to pronounce aright those things that the Tongue of many Hypocrites can articulate well to mans ear and only the Children in that right strain that takes him call God their Father and cry unto him as their Father and therefore many a poor unlettered Christian so far outstrips your School-Rabbies in this faculty because it is not effectually taught in these lower Academies they must be in God's own School Children of his House that speak this Language Men may give Spiritual Rules and Directions in this and such as may be useful drawn from the word that furnishes us with all needful Precepts but you are still to bring these into the seat of this faculty of prayer the Heart and stamp them upon it and so to teach it to pray without which there is no prayer this is the prerogative Royal of him that framed the Heart of Man within him But for advancing in this growing more skillful in it it is with continual dependence on the Spirit to be much used praying much thou shalt be blest with much faculty for it so then askest thou what shall I do that I may learn to pray there be things here to be considered that are exprest as serving this end but for present this and chiefly this by praying thou shalt learn to pray thou shalt both obtain more of the Spirit and find more the chearful working of it in Prayer when thou puttest it often to that work for which it is received and wherein it is delighted and as both advantaging all Graces and the Grace of Prayer it self this frequency and abounding in Prayer is here very clearly intended in that the Apostle makes it as the main of our work that we have to do and would keep our hearts in a constant aptness for it be sober and watch to what end unto prayer Be sober and watch They that have no better must make the best they can of carnal delights it is no wonder they take as large a share of them as they can bear and sometimes more But the Christian is called to a more excellent estate and higher pleasures so that he may behold men glutting themselves with these base things and be as little moved to share with them as men are taken with the pleasure a Swine hath in weltring in the Mire It becomes the Heirs of Heaven to be far above the love of the Earth and in the necessary use of any thing in it still to keep both within the due measure of their use and their heart wholly disingag'd from the affection of them This is the Sobriety here exhorted It s true that in the commonest sense of the word it is very commendable and it is sit to be so considered by a Christian that he flie gross intemperance as a thing most contrary to his condition and holy calling and wholly inconsistent with the spiritual temper of a renewed mind and those exercises to which it is called and its progress in its way homewards It is a most unseemly sight to behold one simply by outward profession a Christian overtaken with surfeitting and drunkenness much more to be given to the vile custom of it all sensual delights the filthy lust of uncleanness go under the common name of Insobriety Intemperance and they all degrade and destroy the noble Soul are unworthy of Man much more of a Christian and the contempt of them preserves the Soul and elevates it But the Sobriety here recommended though it takes in that too yet reaches further than temperance in meat and drink It is the spiritual temperance of a Christian mind in all earthly things as our Saviour joyns these together Luk. 21. 34. surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life and under the cares are all the excessive desires and delights of this life which cannoâ— be followed and attended without distempered carefullness Many that are sober men and of temperate diet yet are spiritually intemperate drunk with pride or covetousness or passion drunk with self-love and love of their pleasures and ease with love of the world and the things of it which
hapned unto you 13. But rejoyce in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy THis fighting liâ—e when we consider it aright sure we need not be desired not to love it but have need to be strengthned with patience to go through and to fight on with courage and assurance of victory still combating in a higher strength than our own against sin within and troubles without This is the great Scope of this Epistle and the Apostle often interchanges his advices and comforts in reference to these two Against sin he instructs us in the beginning of this Chapter and here again against suffering and both in a like way and us to be armed armed with the same mind that was in Christ against trouble here after the same manner in the mortifying of sin we suffer with him as there he teaches verse 1. of this Chapter in the encountring of aâ—â—liction we suffer with him as here we have it and so the same mind in the same sufferings will bring us to the same issue Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you c. But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye likewise may be glad with exceeding joy The words to the end of the chapter contain grounds of encouragement and consolation for the Children of God in sufferings especially in suffering for God These two verses have these two things 1. The cloâ—s conjuncture of sufferings with the estate of a Christian. 2. The due composure of a Christian towards suffering 1. It s no new and therefore no strange thing that sufferings hot sufferings fiery ones be the Companions of Religion besides the common miseries of humane life there is an accession of troubles and hatreds for that holiness of life to which the Children of God are called It was the Lot of the Church from her wicked Neighbours and in the Church the lot of the most holy and peculiar Servants of God from the prophane multitude Woe 's me my Mother says Ieremy thou hast born me a Man of contentions And of all the Prophets says not our Saviour handling this same argument in his Sermon So persecuted they the prophets that were before you and after tells them what they might look for Behold says he I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves And generally no following of Christ but with his badge and burden somthing to be left our selves left whosoever will be my disciple let him deny himself and what to take take up his Cross and follow me And doth not the Apostle give his Schollars this universal lesson as an infallible truth all that will live Godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution and look in the close of that roll of Believers conquering in suffering what a cluster of sufferings and torture you have Heb. 11. ver 36 37. c. Thus in the Primitive times the tryal and fiery tryal even literally so continued long these wicked Emperours hating the very innocency of Christians and the people though they knew their blameless carriage yet when any evil came would pick this quarrel and still cry Christianos ad Leones Now this if we look to inferiour causes is not strange the malignant ungodly World hating holiness the light yea the very shadow of it and the more the Children of God walk like their Father and their home the more unlike must they of necessity become to the World about them and therefore become the very mark of all their enmities and malice And thus indeed the Godly though the Sons of peace are the improper causes the occasion of much noise and disturbance in the World as their Lord the Prince of peace avows it openly of himself in that sense I came not to send peace but a sword to set a Man at variance with his Father and the Daughter against the Mother c. If a Son in a Family begin to enquire after God and withdraw from their prophane or dead way Oh! what a clamour rises presently Oh! my Son or Daughter or Wife is become a plain fool c. And then all done that may be to quel and vex them and make their life grievous to them The exact holy walking of a Christian condemns really the World about him shews the disorder and foulness of their prophane ways and the Life of Religion set beside dead formality discovers it to be but a carcase and lifeless appearance and for this neither grosly wicked civil nor formal persons can well digest it There is in the life of a Christian a convincing light that shews the deformity of the works of darkness and a piercing heat that scorches the ungodly which stirs and troubles their consciences and this they cannot endure and hence rises in them a contrary fire of wicked hatred and hence the trials the fiery trials of the godly If they could get those precise persons removed out of their way think they then they might have more room and live at more liberty as 't is Revel 11. 10. a carousing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What a dance there about the dead bodies of the two witnesses the people and nations rejoyced and made merry and send gifts one to another because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth And from the same hearth I mean the same wickedness of heart in the World are the fires of persecution kindled against the Saints in the World and the bonefires of joy when they are rid of them And as this is an infernal fire of enmity against God t is blown by that Spirit whose Element it is Satan stirs up and blows the coal and raises the hatred of the ungodly against Christians But while he and they in whom he powerfully works are thus working for their vile ends in the persecutions of the Saints he that soveraignly orders all is working in the same his wise and gracious ends and attains them and makes the malice of his enemies serve his ends and undo their own It is true that by the heat of persecution many are fear'd from embracing it such as love themselves and their preâ—ent ease and others that seem'd to have embrac't it are driven to let it go and fall from it but yet all well computed Religion is still upon the gaining hand those that reject it or revolt from it are such as have no true Knowledge of it nor share in it nor in that happiness in which it ends but they that are indeed united to Jesus Christ do cleave the closer to him and seek to have their hearts more fastened because of these trials that they are or likely may be put to And in their victorious patience appears the invincible power of Religion where it hath once gained the heart that it cannot be beaten nor burnt out it self is a fire more mighty
is hid with Christ in God The World sees here nothing of his Glory and beauty and his own not much have but a little glimmering of him and their own happiness in him know little of their own high condition and what they are born to But in that bright day he shall shine forth in his royal dignity and all eyes shall see him and be overcome with his splendour terrible shall it be to those that formerly despised him and his Saints but to them the gladest day that ever arose upon them and that shall never set or be benighted The day they so much longed and lookt out for the full accomplishment of all their hopes and desires Oh! how dark were all our days without the hope of this day Theâ— says the Apostle ye shall rejoyce with exceeding joy and to the end you may not fall short of that Joy in the participance of Glory fall not back from a cheerful progress in the Communion of these sufferings that are so close linked with it and will so sure lead unto it and end it For in this the Apostles expression this Glory and Joy is set before them as the great matter of their desires and hopes and the certain end of their present sufferings Now upon these grounds the motion will appear reasonable and not too great a demand to rejoyce even in the sufferings It is true that passage in the Epistle to the Heb. opposes present Affliction to Joy But 1. If you mark it is but in the appearance or outward visage it seemeth not to be matter of joy but of grief To look to it it hath not a smiling countenance yet joy may be under it 2. And though to the flesh it is what it seems grief and not joy yet there may be under it spiritual joy yea the affliction it self may help and advance that joy 3. Through the natural sense of it there will be some allay or mixture of grief so that the joy cannot be pure and compleat but yet there may be joy even in it Thus the Apostle here clearly gives rejoyce now in suffering that you may rejoyce exceedingly after it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaping for joy doubtles this joy at present is but a little parcel a drop of that Sea of joy Now 't is joy but more reserved then they shall leap Yet In present rejoyce even in trial yea in fiery trial This may be the Children of God are not called to so sad a life as the World imagines besides what is laid up they have even here their rejoycings and Songs in their distresses as those Prisoners had their Psalms even at midnight after their stripes in their chains before they knew of a sudden deliverance true there may be a darkness within clouding all the matter of their joy but even that darkness is the feed time of after joy and light is sown in that darkness and shall spring up and not only shall they have a rich crop at full harvest but even some first fruits of it here in pledge of the harvest And this they ought to expect and seek after with humble submissive minds for the measure and time of it that they may be partakers of spiritual joy and may by it be enabled to go patiently yea cheerfully through the tribulations and tentations that be in their way homeward and for this endeavour after a more clear discerning of their interest in Christ that they may know they partake of him and so in suffering are partakers of his sufferings and shall be partakers of his Glory Many afflictions will not cloud and obstruct this so much as one sin therefore if ye would walk cheerfully be most careful to walk holily All the winds about make not an earthquake but that within Now this joy is grounded on this Communion 1. Sufferings then 2. In Glory 1. In suffering even in themselves it is a sweet joyful thing to be a sharer with Christ in any thing all enjoyments wherein he is not are bitter to a Soul that loves him and all sufferings with him sweet The worst things of Christ more â—â—uly delightful than the best things of the World his afflictions sweeter than their pleasures his reproaches more glorious than their honours and more rich than their treasures as Moses accompted them Heb. 11. Love delights in likeness and Communion not only in things otherwise pleasant but in the hardest and harshest things that have not any thing in them desireable but only that likeness so that this is very sweet to a heart possest with this love what does the World in hatreds and persecutions and revilings for Christ but make me more like him give me a greater share with him in that which he did so willingly undergo for me When he was sought to be a King he escaped but when he was sought to the Cross he freely yielded himself And shall I shrink and creep back from what he calls me to for his sake yea even all my other troubles and sufferings I will desire to have stampt thus with this conformity to the sufferings of Christ in the humble obedient cheerful endurance of them and giving up my will to my fathers The following of Christ makes any way pleasant his faithful followers refuse no march after him be it through deserts and Mountains and Storms and hazards that will affright self-pleasing easie Spirits hearts kindled and acted with the Spirit of Christ will follow him wheresoever he goeth As he speaks it for warnings if they persecuted me they will persecute you so he speaks it for comforting them and it is sufficiently so if they hate you they hated me before you 2. Then add the other see whether it tends he shall be revealed in his Glory and ye shall be filled even over with joy in the partâ—king of that Glory Therefore rejoyce now in the midst of all your sufferings stand upon the advanced ground of the promises and covenant of grace and by faith overlook this moment and all that is in it to that day wherein everlasting joy shall be upon your heads a Crown of it and sorrow and mourning shall flie away believe this day and the victory is won Oh! that blessed hope well fixed and acted would give other manner of Spirits what zeal for God what invincible courage against all encounters How soon will this pageant of the World vanish that Men are gazing on these pictures and fancies of false stiled pleasures and honours and give place to the real glory of the Sons of God this blessed Son that is God appearing in full Majesty and all his Brethren in glory with him all cloathed in their robes And if you ask who are they why these are they that came out of great tribulation and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. Verses 14 15 16. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on
you bear them by his Spirit and his Spirit most fit to support you under them yea to raise you above them they are ignominious and inglorious he is the Spirit of glory they are humane reproaches he the Divine Spirit the Spirit of Glory and of God that is the glorious Spirit of God And this is the advantage the less the Christian finds esteem and acceptance in the World the more he turns inward to see what 's there and there he finds a down weight counterpoise of excellency and glory even in this present condition as the pledge of the glory before him The reproaches be fiery but the Spirit of glory resteth upon you doth not give you a passing visit but stays within you and is indeed yours And in this he can take comfort and let the foul weather blow over let all the scoffs and contempts abroad pass as they come having a glorious Spirit within such a guest honouring him with his presence and abode and sweet fellowship and is indeed one with him So that rich Miser could say when they scorned him in the streets he went home to his bags and huggs himself there at that sight say they what they would How much more reasonably may the Christian say let them revile and bark I have riches and honour enough that they see not And this is it makes the World as they are a malicious party so to be an incompetent Judge of the Christians estate they see the rugged unpleasant outside only the right inside their eye cannot reach We were miserable indeed were our comforts such as they could see And as this is the constant estate of a Christian it is usually most manifested to him in the time of his greatest sufferings then as we said he readily turns inward and sees it most and accordingly finds it most God making this happy supplement and compensation that when they have least of the World they have most of himself when they are most covered with the World's disfavour this favour shines brightest to them as Moses in the Cloud in nearest access and speech with God when the Christian is most clouded with distresses and disgraces then doth the Lord often shew himself most clearly to him If you be indeed Christians you will not be so much thinking at any time how you may be free from all sufferings and despisings but rather how you may go strongly and cheerfully through them so here is the way seek real and firm interest in Christ and participance of Christ's Spirit and then a look to him will make all easie and delightful Thou wilt be ashamed within thy self to start back or give one foot at the encounter of a taunt or reproach for him thou wilt think for whom is it is it not for him who for my sake hid not his face from shame and spitting and further he died now how would I meet death for him that shrink at the blast of a scornful word If you would know whether this his Spirit is and resteth in you it cannot be better known than by that very love ardent love to him and high esteem of him and from thence a willingness yea a gladness to suffer any thing for him 2. This Spirit of Glory sets the heart on glory true glory makes heavenly things excellent in our thoughts and sets the World the better and worse the honour and dishonour of it at a low rate The Spirit of the World is a base ignoble Spirit even the highest pitch of it those that are projecting for Kingdoms these are poor designs to that of the Christian which ascend above all things under the Sun and above the Sun it self and therefore he is not shaken with threats nor taken with offers in these things Excellent is that answer St. Basil gives in the person of those Martyrs to that Emperour as making them as he thought great profers to draw them off why say they doest thou bid us so low as pieces of the World we have learnt to despise it all This is not stupid nor an affected stoutness of Spirit but a humble sublimeness that the natural Spirit of a Man cannot reach unto But wilt thou say still this stops me I do not find this Spirit in me if I did then I think I could be willing to suffer any thing To this for present no more but this dâ—est thou find desire that Christ may be glorified and couldâ—â—â—e content it were by thy suffering in any kind for him as called to it art thou willing to give up thine own interest and study and follow Christ's and that thou mightest sacrifice thine own credit and name to advance his art thou unwilling to do any thing that might dishonour him nor unwilling to suffer any thing might honour him or wouldest thou be thus Then be not disputing but up and walk on in his strength Now iâ— any say but his name is dishonoured by these reproaches true says the Apostle on their part it is so but not on yours They that reproach you do their best to make it reflect on Christ and his cause but thus it is only on their part you are sufferers for his name and so you glorifie it your faith and patience and victory by these do declare the Divine power of grace and the Gospel working They have made torturers ashamed and induced some beholders to share with them Thus though the prophane World intend it as far as they could reach to dishonour the profession of Christ yet it â—â—â—cks not but on the contrary he is glorified by your constancy And as the ignominy fastens not but the glory from the endurance so they are obliged and certainly are ready according to the Apostles zeal verse 16. To glorifie God on this behalf that as he is glorified in them so we may glorifie and bless him that he hath dignified us so that whereas we might have been left to a sad sinking task to have suffered for various guilts our God hath changed the tenure and nature of our sufferings and make them to be for the name of Christ. Thus doth not a spiritual mind swell on a conceit of constancy and courage which is the readiest way of self undoing But acknowledge all gift even suffering To you its given not onlâ— to believe but to suffer and so to bless him on that behalf Oh! this 〈◊〉 grows in suffering so Acts 5. 41. They went away rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name Consider it s but a shoâ— while and the wicked and their scoffs shall vanish they shall not be this shame will presently be done and this disgrace is of short date but the glory and Spirit of glory eternal what though thou shouldest be poor and defamed and despised and be the common mark of scorn and all injuries yet 't is hard at the end This is now thy part the scene shall be changed Kings here real ones are in deepest realty but strange
none of his to be burdened with casts it on God and he careth for it they need not both care his care alone is sufficient hence peace unconceivable peace Phil. 4. 6 7. Inf. 2. But truly the godly are much faulty to themselves by the not improvement of this their priviledge they too often forget this their sweet way and fret themselves to no purpose wrestle with their burdens themselves and do not entirely and freely roll them over on God they are surcharg'd with them and he calls for them and yet they will not give them him think to spare him but indeed in this they disobey him and dishonour and so grieve him and they find the grief return on them and yet cannot learn to be wise Why do we thus with our God and with our Souls grieve both at once let it never be that for any outward thing thou perplex thy self and ravel thy thoughts as in thickets with the cares of this life Oh! how unsuitable to a Child of God provided to a life so far more excellent Hath he provided thee to a Kingdom and will he not bestow thy charges in the way to 't think it not he knows you have need of these things seek not vain things nor great things in these for that likely is not for thee but what is needful and convenient in his Judgment and refer to that Then for thy Spiritual estate lay over the care of that too be not so much in thorny questionings doubting and disputing each step Oh! is this accepted and that and so much deadness c. But apply more simply thy self to thy duty lamely as it may be halt on and believe that he is gracious and pities thee and lay the care of bringing thee through upon him lie not complaining and arguing but up and be doing and the Lord shall be with thee I am perswaded many a Soul that hath some Truth of Grace falls much behind in the progress by this accustomed way of endless questionings men can scarce be brought to examine and suspect their own condition being carnally secure and satisfied that all is well but then when once awaken and set to this they are ready to entangle in it and neglect their way by poring on their condition and will not set chearfully to any thing because they want assurances and hight of joy and this course they take is the way to want it still walking humbly and sincerely and offering at thy duty and waiting on the Lord is certainly the better way and nearer that very purpose of thine for he meeteth him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness that waits for him in his ways One thing the Christian would endeavour firm belief for the Church all the care of that on God that he will beautifie Zion and perform all his Word to her then think do I trust him for the whole Church and the great Affairs concerning it and shall I doubt him for my self or anything concerns me do I conside on him for the steering and guidance of the whole Ship and shall I be peevishly doubting and distrusting about my pack in it Again when to present and past thou callest in after evils by advance the dangers before and thy weakness good indeed to entertain by these holy fear and self distrust but by that be driven in to trust on thy undertaker on him in whom thy strength lies and be as sure and confident in him as thou art and justly art distrustful of thy self Further learn to prescribe nothing study entire resignment for that is thy great duty and thy peace that gives up all into the hand of thy Lord and can it be in a better hand First Refer the carving of outward things to him heartily and fully then stay not there but go higher if we have renounced the comforts of this World for God let us add this renounce even Spiritual comforts for him too put all in his will if I be in light blessed be thou and if in darkness even there blessed be thou too as he saith of these Gold is mine and Silver is mine and this may satisfie a Christian in those too desire no more of them than their Father sees fit to give them knowing that he having all the mines and treasures of the World at his command would not pinch and hold short his Children if it were good for them to have more thus even in the other the true riches Is not the Spirit mine and comforts mine may he say I have them and enough of them and ought not this to allay thy afflicting care and quiet thy repinings and to establish thy heart in referring it to his dispose as touching thy comforts and supplies the whole golden mines of all Spiritual comfort and good are his the Spirit it self Then will he not furnish what is fit for thee if thou humbly attend on him and lay the care of thy providing upon his wisdom and love This were the sure way to honour him with what we have and to obtain much of what we have not certainly he deals best with those that do most absolutely refer all to him Verse 8 9. 8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the World THE Children of God if they rightly take their Father's mind are always disburden'd of perplexing carefulness But never exempted from diligent watchfulness Thus we find here they are allowed yea enjoyned to cast all their care upon their wise and loving Father and are secured by his care he takes it well they lay all over on him yea he takes it not well they forbear him and burden themselves He hath provided a sweet quiet life for them could they improve and use it a calm and firm condition in all the storms and troubles that are about them However things go to find content and be careful for nothing Now upon this a carnal heart would imagine streight according to its sense and inclinement as it desires to have it so would it dream that it is that then a man devolving his care on God may give up all watch and ward and need not apply himself to any kind of duty but this is the ignorance and perverse mistake the reasonless reasoning of the flesh you see these are here joyned not only as agreeable but indeed inseparable Cast all your care on him for he careth for you And withal be sober be vigilant And this is the Scripture Logick it is he that worketh in you to will and to do Then would you possibly think I need not work at all or if I do it may be very easily and surely no Therefore says the Apostle because he worketh in you to will and to do work you â—ut your salvation yea and do it with fear and trembling work you in humble
a living foundation having influence into the building for perfecting it for 't is a living House and the foundation is a root sending life to the stones that they grow up as this Apostle speaks 1 Epistle 2. chap. It is the unactiveness of Faith on Jesus that keeps us so imperfect and wrestling still with our corruptions without any advance we wrestle in our own strength too often and are justly then necessarily foiled it cannot be otherwise till we make him our strength this we are still forgetting and had need to be remembred and to remember our selves frequently of it we would be at doing for our selves and insensibly fall into this folly after much smart for it if we be not watchful against it There is this wretched natural Independency in us that is so hard to beat out all our projectings are but castles in the air imaginary buildings without a foundation till once laid on him But never shall we find heart peace sweet peace and progress in holiness till we be driven from it to make him all our strength to do nothing to attempt nothing to hope nor expect nothing but in him and then shall we indeed find his fullness and all-sufficiency and be more than conquerors through him who hath loved us But the God of all Grace Our many wants and great weakness had need to have a very full hand and a very strong hand to go to for our supplies and support and such we have indeed our Father is the God of all Grace a Spring that cannot be drawn dry no nor so much as any whit diminisht Of all Grace The God of imputed Grace of infused and increased Grace of furnished and assisting Grace The Work of Salvation all Grace from beginning to end free Grace in the plot of it laid in the Counsel of God and performed by his own hand all of it his Son sent in the flesh and his Spirit sent into the hearts of his chosen to apply Christ. All Grace in him the living Spring of it and flows from him all the various actings and all the several degrees of Grace he the God of pardoning Grace that blots out the transgressions of his own Children for his own name's sake that takes up all quarrels and makes one act of oblivion serve for all reckonings betwixt him and them and as the God of pardoning Grace so withal the God of sanctifying Grace that resines and purifies all these he means to make up into Vessels of Glory and hath in his hand all the sit means and ways of doing this purges them by afflictions and outward trials by the reproaches and hatreds of the world little known of the prophane world how serviceable they are to the Graces and Comforts of a Christian when they indignifie and persecute him yea little doth a Christian himself sometimes think how great his advantage is by those things till he find it and wonders at his Father's Wisdom and Love but most powerfully are the Children of God sanctified by the Spirit within them without which indeed no other thing could any whit advantage them in this that divine fire kindled within them is daily resining and sublimating them that Spirit of Christ conquering sin and by the mighty flame of his love consuming the earth and dross that is in them making their affections more spiritual and diâ—ingag'd from all creature delights and thus as they receive the beginnings of Grace freely so all the advances and increases of it life from their Lord still flowing and causing them grow abating sins power strengthning a fainting Faith quickning a languishing Love teaching the Soul the ways of wounding strong corruptions and fortifying its weak Graces yea in wonderful ways advancing the good of his Children by things not only harsh to them as afflictions and tentations but by that which is directly opposite in its nature sin it self raising them by their falls and strengthning them by their very troubles working them to humility and vigilance and sending them to Christ for sterngth by the experience of their weaknesses and failings And as the God of pardoning Grace and sanctifying Grace in the beginning and growth of it so the God of supporting Grace that supervenient influence without which the Graces plac'd within us would lie dead and fail us in the time of greatest need This is the immediate assisting power that bears up the Soul under the greatest services and backs it in the hardest conflicts fresh auxiliary strength when we and and all the grace we have within dwelling in us is surchar'd then he steps in and opposes his strength to a prevailing and confident enemy that is at point of insulting and triumph when tentations have made breach and enter with full force and violence he lets in so much present help on a sudden as makes them give back and beats them out when the enemy comes in as a flood the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him and no siege so close as to keep out this aiâ— for it comes from above And by this a Christian learns that his strength is in God whereas if his received Grace were always party enough and able to make it self good against all incursions though we know we have received it yet being within us we woubld possibly sometimes forget the receit of it and look on it more as ours than his more as being within us than as â—lowing from him but when all the forces we have the standing Garison is by far overmatcht and yet we find the aâ—â—ailants beaten 〈◊〉 then we must acknowledge him that sends sue 〈◊〉 ascâ—â—ble relief to be as the Psalmist speaks a present help in time of need All St. Pauls constant strength of Grace inherâ—nt in him could not sâ—nce him so well as to award the peircing point of that sharp tentation whatsoever it was that he records and the redoubled by â—fettings that he felt came so thick upon him he was driven to his knees by it to cry for help to be sent down without which he found he could not hold out and he had an answer assuring him of help a secret support that should maintain him my grace is sufficient for thee though thine own be not that is that which I have given thee yet mine is that is it is that which is in me and which I will put forth for thy assistance And this is the great advantage and comfort that we have a Protector who is Almighty and is always at hand who can and will hear us whensoever we are beset and straitned That Captain had reason who being required to keep Millan for the King of France went up to the highest turret and cry'd three times King of France and refused the Service because the King heard him not nor no body answered for him meaning the great distance and so the difficulty of sending aid when need should require but we may be confident of our supplies in the suddenest surprizes