It sheweth that there is an excellent state of happiness far beyond what we do now injoy provided for the people of God This is seen Partly because all things tend to it as to their great end and state of perfection there is a tendency in the inanimate creatures And Partly because the glory is so great that there must be a dissolution of the present world and a pure estate of things before we can have our happiness We admire the splendor of the present world are taken with earthly things too apt to place our happiness in them but this world must be purged and refined by fire before it can be capable to suit with that blessed estate of things which God hath appointed for his people God denieth not the splendor of the world as too good for his people but as too bad and base to be their Portion the delights of wicked men shall be burnt up before their eyes when he bestoweth their true happiness upon them There would not be else an harmony in all the parts of the World to come if there were not new Heavens and a new Earth This polluted state is not consistent with that happiness therefore when the Saints are perfected the world is restored 2. To quicken earnest expectation All things are carried to their end The little Seeds will work through the dry clods that it may come into Stalk and Flower The whole universe is directed and inclined to a more happy estate so should we look after our most perfect state the creatures by inclination wait for it and shall not we who are to have the chief part therein 3. To perswade the necessity of patience during our sufferings in the mean time We live in a groaning world and such as shall be first destroyed and then restored As the frame of the sublunary world being now in disorder and at length to be dissolved groaneth after a restauration So tho we be harrassed with afflictions and must at length die and this animated body be turned into a rotten carkase yet at length shall be raised up in Glory The points are Three 1. That the glorious priviledges of Gods children are manifested at the last day 2. That the state of the creatures is renewed when Gods children come to be manifested in their glory 3. That this estate of things ought earnestly to be desired and expected by us For the first point That the glorious priviledges of Gods children are manifested at the last day It supposeth that their estate and happiness is hidden for the present but then manifested Here we must enquire 1. How they are hidden 2. From whom 3. Why they are hidden 2. How they are manifested then and so we shall the better understand how the word is used in opposition to the present estate 1. They are hidden as to their persons 2. Their life is hidden 3. As to their priviledges and glorious estate First hidden as to their persons Now 't is little known who are Gods Children Christ himself was not known in the world 1 John 3.1 The world knoweth us not because it knew him not Much less are his People known For he did more to distinguish himself than they possibly can do But it shall be in time manifested who are Gods Children Mal. 3.18 Then shall he return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Some pretend to be his children and servants others really are so 'T is not exactly known in the Winter when the Roots lie in the Earth we cannot tell what will appear in the Spring but when the Sun shineth in its strength and warmth the Bosom of the Earth things hidden then discover themselves As Moses told the Rebels in Num. 10. To morrow the Lord will shew who are his so in the Morning of the Resurrection the natural and only begotten Son is known Christ will appear in all his Royalty and Glory as the great God and Saviour of the World Titus 2.13 So all the Children of God are known They now lie hid among multitudes and swarms of sinful men but then Christ shall gather all nations and he shall separate the one from the other as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats Matth. 25.32 There shall be an eminent and sensible distinction of the one from the other beyond all power of mistakeing 2. Their life is hidden Col. 3.3 Our life is hidden with Christ in God Hidden not only in point of security as maintained by an invisible power but in point of obscurity there is a vail upon it how so Partly because the spiritual life is hidden under the vail of the natural life 't is a life within a life the spiritual life is nothing else but the natural life sublimated and overruled to higher and nobler ends Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God They live in the flesh but they do not live after the flesh The Children of God eat and drink and sleep and marry and give in marriage as others do for when they are converted they do not divest themselves of the interests and concernments of flesh and blood but all these things are governed by grace and carried on to eternal ends The grace now or vital principle that ruleth this life is not seen tho the effects appear Partly Because of the vail of afflictions outward meanness and abasement Heb. 11.37 38. The world was not worthy of them yet they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins and the dens and caves of the earth who would think that so much worth should lie hid under a base outside would any judge that these lived in the highest favour of God and constant communion with him who had so little of his protection and common bounty That they should have so near a relation to God and yet be so miserably poor and destitute That those that want Bread should be heirs of a kingdom Jam. 2.5 That they that feel the hand of God upon them so heavy and smart sometimes should have so much of his heart Partly under the vail of reproaches and calumnies 1 Pet. 4.6 They are judged according to men in the flesh yet live to God in the spirit They are represented in the world as a company of dissemblers and hypocrites and yet in the mean while are the sincere servants and children of God 2 Cor. 6.8 As deceivers and yet true The world counteth them deceivers but God counteth them faithful By the reproach of the world as Husbandmen by soil and dung God maketh his heritage the more fruitful those that have a mind to hate will take up every prejudice against the people of God and will not easily be dispossessed of it And Partly because there is another vail upon good Christians and that is the vail of infirmities by which they
of Adoption no less Agent or Witness will serve the turn Rom. 8.16 The spirit its self beareth witness to our spirits that we are the children of God When that is done yet the glory intended to be revealed in us is not sufficiently known we have not now an heart to conceive of it 1 Cor. 2.9 And Prophesie is but in-part 1 Cor. 12.9 And the Apostle when wrapt up in Paradise heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.4 Heavenly joys cannot be told us in an earthly dialect the Scripture is fain to lisp to us and to speak something of it as we can understand and conceive of things to come by things present therefore our glory is in a great measure unknown and will be till the day of manifestation and then there shall be a Crown of Glory prepared for us 3. Why this Glory is hidden 1. Because now is the time of tryal hereafter of recompence Therefore now is the hiding time hereafter is the day of the manifestation of the sons of God if the glory were too sensible there were no trial neither of the world nor of the people of God Christ himself might be discerned by those who had a mind to see him yet there was obscurity enough in his Person to harden those that were resolved to continue in their prejudices therefore 't is said Luke 2.39 This child was set for the rise and fall of many in Israel So if the whole excellency of a Christians estate were laid open to the view of fense there would be no trial Christ had his bright side and dark side a glory to be seen by those whose eyes were anointed with spiritual eye-salve John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the father And affliction and meaness enough to harden those who had no mind to see So God hath his chosen ones in the world who keep up his honour and interest and he hath his ways to to express his love to them but not openly they are called his hidden ones Psal. 80.3 They are under his secret blessing and protection but not visibly owned but in such a way as may be best for their trial and the trial of the world The Lord Jesus came not with external appearance his Divine Nature was hidden under the vail of his flesh and his Dignity and Excellency under a base and mean outside in the outward estate there was nothing lovely to be seen by a carnal eye Isa. 53.2 He hath no form and comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Yet in himself he was the brightness of the Divine Glory and the express image of his person Heb. 1.3 2. God hath chosen this way to advance his glory that he may perfect his power in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 By wants and weaknesses his fatherly love appeareth to us more than in an absolute and total exemption from them God would not so often hear from us nor would we have such renewed experiences to revive the sense of his fatherly love and grace which would otherwise be dead and cold in our hearts were it not for these wants and afflictions during our minority and nonage 3. To wean and draw us off from things present to things to come That we may be contented to be hidden from and hated by the world if the course of our service expose us to it for we must not look upon things as they are or seem to be now but what they will be hereafter Now is the trouble then the reward present time is quickly past and therefore we should be dead to present profits and present pleasures and present honours and look to eternity that is to come 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not to the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Oh how glorious will the derided vilified Believer be then It should be our Ambition to look after this honour 't is the day of the manifestation of the Sons of Cod tho the wicked have a larger allowance by the bounty of Gods common Providence yet you have his special love We think God doth not place his hands aright no! God doth not misplace his hands as Joseph thought of his Father Gen. 48. when he preferred Ephraim befor Manasseh What a poor condition was the only Begotten Son of God in when he lived in the world When you are poorer than Christ then complain tho you do not enjoy Pleasures Honours Riches Esteem yet if you enjoy the Favour of God 't is enough tho mean yet if heirs of glory Jam. 2.5 God doth not esteem persons according to their outward lustre 1 Sam. 16.7 Look not on his countenance or the height of his stature for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh upon the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart 2. How manifested Their persons shall be known and owned Rev. 3.5 But I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels 'T is no litigious debate then no more doubt when owned not by Charracter but by Name they shall be manifested to themselves and their glory also revealed to the world by the visible marks of favour Christ will put upon them when others are rejected Isa. 66.5 But he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed Yea the world shall stand wondring 2 Thes. 1.10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2. Doct. That the state of the creatures shall he renewed when Gods children come to be manifested in their glory For he saith the whole Creation groaneth and waiteth 1. This is clear that heaven and earth that is the lower Heavens and the Elementary Bodies as well as the earth shall suffer some kind of change at the last day for 't is said Psal. 102.26 As a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed He will change them quite from the condition wherein they now are 2. That this change of the world and the heavenly and elementary bodies shall be by fire 2 Pet. 3.7 The heavens and the earth which are now reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and the perdition of ungodly men 3. That notwithstanding this fire and universal destruction rational creatures shall subsist to all eternity in their proper place assigned to each of them the Godly in Heaven the wicked in Hell Matth. 25.46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into eternal life 4. 'T is probable that the bruits and plants and all such corruptible bodies as are necessary to the animal life but superfluous to life everlasting shall be utterly destroyed 5. That the world and elementaty bodies shall be refined and purged by this fire and
not utterly destroyed This is the design of this Scripture and therefore this general conflagration seemeth not to turn all things into nothing in regard of their substance but change of qualities and to change them with a perfective not a destructive change that change the matter not reduce it into nothing for that which is made matter of desire or hope cannot be simple and total destruction or annihilation as it is by the Apostle here and 't is compared with the deluge where the form of the world was destroyed not the substance 2 Pet. 2.6 As the world that was overflowed by water perished so shall the world perish which is consumed with fire Not by annihilation but a change of qualities only for the better as that was for the worse 6. What use this restored world serveth for we need not anxiously enquire whether to be a perpetual monument of the Wisdom Power and Goodness of the Creator the creating of the world served for this end so may the renewing of it or whether it shall be an habitation for the just during the judgment which is by some conceived to last for a thousand years and at first consumed by a purging fire and afterwards utterly destroyed by a consuming fire we shall enquire in the following Verses 3. Doct. That this estate of things ought earnestly to he desired and expected by us For to this end the Apostle mentioneth the earnest expectation of the creature and the day principally concerneth us and therefore 't is the duty of Gods children to look for this day There are two choice Scriptures that describe the Communion of the Church with Christ and the dispensations of Christ to the Church and they both conclude with a desire of his coming one is Cant. 8.14 the other is Rev. 22.20 the first place Make hast my beloved and be like a young hart or roe upon the mountains of spices Christ is not slack but the Churches Affections are strong make hast my Beloved that is the brides last and great suit to the bridegroom his coming in glory to judg the world The wanton prostitute would have her husband defer his coming but the chast spouse thinketh he ean never come soon enough they that go a whoring after the world and arâ— wholly taken up with the world neither desire his coming nor love his appearing but the Spouse would have all things hastened that he may return either come down to them or take them up to himself 't is that day only can perfect a believers consolation They do what they can to have the blessed and longed for meeting hastened In the other place Christ saith surely I come quickly and the Church like a quick eccho saith Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly It taketh the word out of Christs mouth There is the same spirit in Christ and the Church for 't is Christs spirit which resideth in the Church and therefore Christ speaketh in a way proper to him behold I come quickly in a way of promise And the Church in a way proper to her even so come And Christs voice and the Churches voice are Unisons our acclamation answereth to his proclamation Christ saith I come as desiring to meet with us even so come as desiring his fellowship and company the Saints look for his coming Titus 2.13 by faith and hope and long for his coming love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 in a way of love Now his coming must be desired by us 1. With earnestness and hearty groans 2 Cor. 5.2 For this we groan earnestly 2. With constancy not for a fit the spirit in the bride saith come Rev. 22.17 The new nature stirreth up these desires in us as soon and as long as he worketh in us there is a bent this way We should always stand ready to meet him 3. With patience here is earnest desire and waiting in the Text 1 Thes. 1.10 We wait for his son from heaven USE is to reprove those that never look after this estate 1. That have nothing to incline them to look no higher than the world that are under the power of a carnal nature that wholly bendeth them to earthly things Phil. 3.19 That are well enough satisfied with the happiness of beasts to injoy pleasures without remorse have not sense and care of the World to come Those whose happiness is terminated on things of the present life are so far from Christians that they are scarce men 2. Have much to divert them from it Namely unpardoned and unmortified sin if thieves and malefactors might have liberty to choose whether there should be an Assizes would they give their vote that way Would they look and long for the time They are not fire-proof or such as may abide the day of refining 2 Pet. 2.11 Seeing all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness They are not at peace with God v. 14. 2. USE To press believers to live in the constant expectation of this glorious day to make us Heavenly Phil. 3.20 But our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour Live as if it were always present which by faith we look for this will make us faithful 2 Tim. 4 9. persevere to the end 1 John 2.24 make us press forward and make us long to be at home 2 Cor. 5.8 For we are confident I say willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. SERMON XXVII ROM VIII 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope HERE is the reason why the creature waiteth with earnest expectation for the consummate state of the faithful because it is for the present in a disordered estate subject to vanity In the words three things 1. The present state of the creature 2. The manner how it came into that estate 3. The hope of getting out of it Doct. The creature is made subject to vanity for mans sin Here I shall enquire 1. In what sense the creature is made subject to vanity 2. The manner how it came into it 3. The reason why the innocent creature is punished for mans sin 1. In what sense the creature is made subject to vanity In several respects First 'T is put by the order of its natural estate or much of that harmonious and perfect condition wherein God disposed it The perfection and harmony of the world is often now disturbed by tempests inundations distempered weather pestilential airs and noxious fogs and vapours whence come plagues and famine and murrains and other diseases The world is a Theater whereon much sin and many changes have been acted for thousands of years not only among men but much destructive emnity is to be found among elements themselves and a mutual invasion of one another for the confederacies of Nature are in a great measure loosned though not altogether
not that is as yet He laid aside the person of a Judge then and took on him the Office of a Saviour to offer and purchase Mercy that was his proper Errand when he came first into the world So Luk. 9.56 The Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them And to comply with that end he cast a veil upon his Glory and endured the enmity and contradiction of the world but now 't is otherwise so that the scandal of his first estate is fully taken off 2. He appeareth in this great Glory to beget a greater Reverence and Fear in the hearts of all those that shall be Judged by him He telleth them aforehand That the Son of man will come in great Glory and Majesty To daunt and quell the haughty minds and proud conceits of the Potentates Oppressors and great ones of the Earth who often abuse their Power to wrong and violence Eccles. 5.8 If thou seest the Oppression of the poor and the violent perverting of Judgement and Justice in a Province marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they Here is swaying and swaggering and bearing high upon the thought of their Title and greatness but there they and all their greatness and power shall meet with a Judge that is able by the breath of his mouth to consume them What meaneth the Insolency of the Mighty the Pride of the great Heroes of the Earth that swell and grow haughty with their greatness to look and speak so big Nothing is so profitable to allay the excesses of Power or to fortifie us against the fears of it as the consideration of this mighty Judge who will review all matters and cause the great men of the Earth to tremble Power is an unwieldy thing apt to degenerate and to put men upon unwarrantable practices therefore it needeth to be allayed and ballanced with the consideration of a greater power Alas all the Power and Glory of the world is but a Fancy a vain Pageantry if compared to Christs Power and Glory what is their Authority to his their Splendour to his their Guard to his Nothing can excuse them this Judgment must and shall pass upon them 3. For the Comfort of his People for Christ is a pledge and pattern of what shall be done in them in all things he must first it Rom. 8.29 And we are made conformable to his Image and likeness All Priviledges come to us not only from Christ but through Christ He as Mediator is the first Possessor Are we Elected he was Elected first My Elect Servant Isa. 42.1 Are we Justified so was he as our Surety 1 Tim. 3.16 Justified in the Spirit Are we Sanctified First he received the Spirit of Holiness are we Glorified so was he Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear we shall appear with him in Glory 1 Joh. 3.2 We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is There will be a manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 First the first-born then all the rest of the Brethren yea we participate of his Judicial Power The Saints shall not only be judged but be Judges 1 Cor. 6.2 3. The evil Spirits a long time ago had their Punishment but then their solemn Doom The Saints shall sit down with him as Justices upon the Bench here the Saints judge the World by their Doctrine and Conversation there by their Vote and Suffrage There is the Relation between Christ and the Church of Wife and Husband Vxor fulget Radiis Mariti as the Husband riseth in honour so doth the Wife Of Head and Members when the Head is Crowned all the Members are cloathed with Honour His Mystical Body shares with him that there may be a proportion in the Body He is the Captain of our Salvation and he will dignifie and reward his Souldiers Heb. 2.10 David when he was Crowned at Hebron his followers were made Captains of thousands Captains of hundreds and Captains of fifties Masters and Servants my Servant shall be where I am he will put marks of Honour and Favour upon all his Servants here they were disgraced with him suffered with him sleighted with him then they shall be glorified with him for still there is a likeness we must be contented to lye hid 'till he be publickly manifested to the world for we have all our Blessings at second hand So much for the first thing His Personal Glory Secondly His Royal Attendance And all the holy Angels with him Chrysostom saith The whole Court of Heaven removeth with him surely there are many of them Jude 14. The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment on all to convince all that are ungodly 'T is likely these Angels will put on some visible shape for the greater Glory and Majesty of Christs appearing For as he will appear in a Body upon his glorious Throne so will his Legions round about him whose Order Power and formidable Hosts must some way or other be seen of the wicked for their greater terrour Their attendance upon Christ seemeth to be for these Reasons 1. Partly for a Train to make his Appearance the more full of Majesty We find Angels waiting upon Christ at his Ascension and so at his return to Judgment Publick Ministers of Justice are made formidable by their attendance and Christ will come as a Royal King in the midst of his Nobles And 2. Partly that by their Ministry the work of the day may be the more speedily and powerfully dispatched They are to gather the Elect from the four winds Math. 24.31 The Angels that carried their Souls to Heaven shall be imployed in bringing their bodies out of the Graves Luk. 16.22 Carried by Angels into Abrahams bosom They are still serviceable about the Saints this is the last Office they perform to them they are as it were under Christ Guardians of their Bones and Dust Now to the wicked they are to bind the Tares in bundles Math. 13.41 that they may be burnt in the fire They force and present wicked men before the Judge be they never so obstinate they are witnesses they attend upon Congregations 1 Cor. 11.10 In Assemblies there is more Company meets than is visible Devils and Angels meet there the Devils to divert your minds as soon as they begin to be serious to catch the good word out of your Heart and Angels observing you here should be no indecency so in your ordinary Conversations they are conversant about you and then for Execution no sooner is Sentence pronounced but executed As Haman's face was covered and he led away to Execution as soon as the King had but said the word Thus the Scripture in a condescention to our Capacity representeth to us the Ministry of Angels in that great and terrible day We can better understand the Operations of Angels than of God himself they being nearer to us in
the Righteous and the full Vengeance of the Wicked keep time and pace Christ cometh to fetch the Saints to Heaven in Sate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.19 The earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God Then it shall be seen what God will do for his Children They are clad in their best Robes to set off Christ's Triumph So suitably the Wicked's Judgment is not yet full upon the last day it shall be increased Christ sets himself a-work to shew the power of his Wrath to cloath them with Shame and Contempt 2. Scripture 2 Thess. 1.6 7 8 9 10. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power Heb. 10.27 There remaineth nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversary And in many other places 3. Reason The Body which hath so long Respite then hath its share of Misery upon the Re-union of the Body and Soul they shall drink the Dreggs of God's Wrath The Soul worketh on the Body and the Body on the Soul As an heavy sad Spirit weakens the Body and dryeth up the Marrow of the Bones and a sickly Body maketh the Soul sad and mopish so when the Soul is filled with Anguish and the Body with Pains their Torment must needs be greater because they have had a great sense of the Joyes of the glorified Saints as that Nobleman Thine Eyes shall see it but thou shalt not taste of it It worketh upon their Envy to see them glorified whom they have maligned and used despightfully and it worketh upon their Conscience this they have lost by their own folly As a Prodigal that cometh by the Houses and Fields which he hath sold and thinks This was mine 't is a grating thought to think This might have been mine Partly because of Judgment and Sentence Then the Books are opened and all their wayes are discussed They are ashamed but God is cleared and vindicated There is a Worm as well as a Fire The Fire signifieth God's Wrath the Worm the gnawing of their own Conscience 'T is hard to say which tormenteth them most the Terribleness or the Righteousness To consider that God is righteous in all that we feel and we our selves have been the Causes of our own Ruine this is a cutting thought to the Damned It maketh them gnash their Teeth and though they hate God they can discharge the anger upon none but themselves Besides their Companions are gathered together those that sinned by their Inticement or Example which are as Fuel to kindle the Flames bind them in Bundles and set Fire on one another Objects reviving Guilt are very displeasing here when Conscience flieth in the face as when Amnâ—n hated Tamar They cannot look upon the Devils but they think of Temptations upon the Damned but either they read their own Guilt by Reflection they are the same or else it bringeth to mind their former Example they brought them to this place Again Christ's final Sentence is past and therefore Wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Wrath as they cannot have more for he will no more deal with them 1. VSE Observe how a Sinner hasteneth to his own Misery by steps and degrees In this life we are adding Sin to Sin and in the next God will be adding Torment to Torment Here God beginneth with us Joh. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already Do not say 't is a long time till the last Judgment the Halter is about thy Neck and there needeth nothing but turning over the Ladder Men are not sensible of it till they come to die then there is an Hell in the Conscience a Sip of the Cup of Wrath. The Honours of the dying Wicked are the Suburbs of Hell then Yellings and Howlings begin At Death the Bond of the old Covenant is put in Suit and at the Separation the Gaolâ—r carryeth us away to Prison there the Soul is detained in Chains of Daâ—kness in a fearful Expectation of more Judgment I am horribly tormented in this Flame But after Christ's coming to Judgment we are plunged into the depth of Hell the whole Man is overwhelmed with Misery Well then if you add Drunkenness to Thirst God will add to your Plagues till Wrath come upon you to the uttermost II. Observe the Patience of God he doth not take a full Revenge of his Creatures till the last day The most miserable Creatures are suffered to enjoy some degree of Happiness or rather do not feel the whole Misery at the first In the most dreadful Executions of God's Justice you may read Patience God is patient to the fal'n Angels though presently upon their Sin they were cast down into Hell 2 Pet. 2.5 but much more to sinning Man In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt 〈◊〉 was the Sentence yet the Sentence is prorogued till the day of Judgment To those whom he hath a mind to destroy he is patient The old World he bore with first an hundred and twenty Years and then the Rain was forty dayes in coming and Reprobates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.22 He endureth them with much long-suffering Intermission of Wrath in this life and Respite to the Body till the great Day How doth God bear with a company of Hell-hounds he suffereth them to stand by as a Dog while the Bread of Life is distributed to the Children To bear with his Children is much but to bear with his Enemies who seek not his favour and are the worse because forborn and do provoke him daily and do not relent and acknowledge their Offence is much more yet all this while God holdeth his hands Admire his Patience but do not abuse it We are apt so to do Eccles. 8.11 Because Sentence against an evil Doâ—r is not speedily executed therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men are fully set in them to do evil Reprobates fare well for a time live in plenty and ease and therefore think Hell but a Dream and vain Scare-crow But take heed that which is kept off is not taken away And when you see wicked men endured and not presently â—ut off be not offended their day is coming 1 Pet. 2.9 they are but reserved Justice shall break forth though the Cloud of Mercy long overshadow it Their Doom was long since past God might strike them dead in an instant III. One Judgment maketh way for another Our Anger is rash and therefore cooleth by degrees 't is at the heighth at first but it is not so with God his heateth by degrees and is worst at last There is first Snares then Chains oâ— Darkness then a most active sense of the wrath and displeasure of God Let no man
unacquainted with Pain or Pleasure it had been much but we have not only a Ransom but an Inheritance instead of Horrors and Howlings everlasting Joys Again many are called Saviours either because of their subordinate subserviency to Christ Instruments in inward and outward Salvation but these Saviours needed a Saviour Christ is the True Jesus who saveth as an Author of Grace not as an Instrument and Means of Conveyance Now Christ is a Saviour partly by Merit partly by Efficacy and Power he doth something for us and something in us for us he prevaileth by the Merit of his Death in us by the efficacy of his Spirit all his Work is not done on the Cross. Both are necessary partly in regard of the difference of the Enemies God and the Law are in a distinct Rank from Sin and Death Satan and the World God was an Enemy he cannot be overcome but must be reconciled the Law an Enemy that could not be disannulled but must be satisfied Sin the World and Satan assault us out of Malice they make themselves our Enemies the Law and God are made Enemies out of our Rebellion therefore Christ must satisfy as well as overcome To reconcile God he shed his Blood on the Cross Justice must have a Sacrifice and the Law Satisfaction the Curses of the Law are not to fall to the ground some Body must be made a Curse to keep up the Authority of the Law the Law was an Innocent Enemy and therefore not to be relaxed or repealed Partly in regard of the different Fight of the other Enemies that are Enemies out of Malice Satan is not only a Tempter but an Accuser as a Tempter so Christ was to overcome him by his Power as an Accuser by his Merit when Satan condemneth Christ is to intercede and represent his own Merit the Plaister must be as broad as the Sore so far as Satan is an Enemy so far must Christ be a Saviour and Redeemer by his Power against the Temptations by his Merit against the Accusations of Satan as the Devil is an Accuser Christ is an Advocate Partly because Satan hath a double Power over a Sinner Legal and Usurped Legal as God's Executioner by the ordination of God's Justice Heb. 2.14 That through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil Christ is to die to put Satan out of Office Usurped as the God of this World God made him an Executioner we a Prince John 12.31 Now shall the Prince of this World be cast out Christ rescueth Prisoners Isa. 49.9 That thou mayest say to the Prisoners Go forth He will rescue and recover the Elect when by their own default they put themselves in Satan's hands Partly for our Comfort by his own Obedience and Merit Christ giveth us a Right and Title but by his Efficacy and Power he giveth us Possession He is to buy our Peace Grace Comfort and then to see that we are possessed of it Well then own him as Jesus as the only Saviour Acts 4.17 The Apostles were charged not to preach any more in the Name of Jesus Rest upon his Merit and wait for his Power 1. Rest upon his Merit Troubled Consciences that think to help themselves by their own Care and Resolution are like Men that are like to perish in the Waters and when a Boat is sent out to help them think to swim to shore by their own strength You would be a Saviour to your selves your own Jesus and your own Christ. God is very jealous of the Creature 's Trust and Christ saith Isa. 45.5 I am the Lord and there is none else there is no Saviour besides me You would purchase your Peace conquer your own Enemies and then come to Christ. No Mony of yours is currant in Heaven the Jewels of the Covenant are not sold for any price but Christ's Blood and Christ's Obedience God saith Isa. 55.1 He that hath no Mony let him come and buy Wine and Milk without Mony and without Price He sold to Christ but he giveth to you he asketh nothing of you but Acceptance Will you take it They that refuse Christ and refuse Comfort till they be holy in themselves they have a shew of Humility they would wear their own Garments spend their own Mony but the Spirit is never more proud than when under a legal Dejection we scorn to put on Christ's Robes and are better contented with our own spotted Garments as in outward things we prefer a Russet Coat of our own before a Velvet Coat of another's This is peevish Pride 2. Wait for his Power and Efficacy in the use of Means It is bestowed on us by virtue of his Intercession We are saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 If when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his Life We are reconciled by his Merit but saved by his Life He liveth in Heaven and procureth Influences of his Grace Therefore he is said to be able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 In Heaven he accomplisheth the other part of his Priesthood He doth not work out a part of Man's Salvation and leave the rest to our free Will the sacrificing part is ended and by his Intercession we get the Merit applied to us But we must not be idle we must come with Supplications and present the Case to Christ that Christ may present it to God Our Groans must answer to the earnestness of his Intercession and then we shall receive Supplies The Word is called The Power of God to Salvation Rom. 1.16 Those that conscionably use Prayer and wait for Christ in the Word will find him to be a Saviour indeed The Word is the effectual Means to save Men how foolish and despicable soever it seem in the World God would work with us rationally We cannot expect a brutish bent c. Thirdly The next thing is That he is Christ an anointed Saviour This fitly followeth the former Jesus signifies his Divinity and Christ his Humanity We are not only to know his Person but his Office John 1.41 We have found the Messias which is being interpreted the Christ or Anointed This is often expressed in Scripture Psal. 45.8 He is anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows Isa. 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good Tidings unto the Meek So Acts 4.27 Against thy Holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the People of Israel were gathered together So Acts 10.38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power Out of all which places we see that Christ's anointing is not to be understood properly but by a Trope the Sign is put for the Thing signified 1. Who was anointed Among
only for feathering a Nest which will quickly be pulled down To rule a Kingdom is a nobler Design than to play with Children for Pins or Nuts A Man that designeth only to pamper his Body to live in all Plenâ—â— what a poor Life doth he lead A Beast can eat drink sleep as they do Phil. 3.19 20. Whose End is Destruction whose God is their Belly and whose Glory is in their Shame who mind Earthly Things But our Conversation is in Heaven c. They make a great pother in the World about a brutish Life which will soon have an End 6. God will have his Glory upon you if not from you for he is resolved not to be a loser by the Creature Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the Wicked for the day of Evil. Levit. 10.3 This is that which the Lord saith I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People I will be glorified He will have the Glory of his Justice in the day of Wrath and Evil if not the Glory of his Grace in the day of his Patience and Mercy Therefore either he will be glorified by you or upon you Some give him Glory in an Active some in a Passive way If he have not the Glory of his Command which is our Duty he will have the Glory of his Providence in the Event And how sad that will be judg ye when you serve for no other use but to set forth the glory of his vindictive Justice 7. It must be our last End which must fix Mens Mind which otherwise will be rossed up and down with perpetual uncertainty and distracted by a multiplicity of Ends and Objects that it cannot continue in any composed and setled Frame Psalm 86.11 Vnite my Heart to fear thy Name James 1.8 A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways A divided Mind causes an uncertain Life no one part of our Lives will agree with another the whole not being firmly knit by the Power of some last End running through all III. That when we come to die this will be our Comfort Christ hath left us a Pattern here And Hezekiah Isa. 38.3 Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Oh the comfort of a well-spent Life to a dying Christian 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judg shall give me at that Day and not to me only but to all them also that shall love his appearing Then a Man can run over his Life with comfort when he hath been careful for the Matter and End to glorify God Vse Oh then consider two things 1. The End why you were sent into the World Why do I live here most Men live like Beasts Eat Drink Sleep and Die never sit down and in good earnest consider Why was I born Why did I come into the World and so their Lives are but a meer Lottery the Fancies they are govern'd by are jumbled together by Chance if they light of a good Hit it is a casual thing they live at peradventure and then no wonder they walk at Random 2. What we shall do when our Lives are at an end and we are to appear before God's Tribunal Oh that you would consider this now you are in your Health and Strength Deut. 32.29 Oh that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter End Much of Wisdom lieth in considering the End of Things We are hastening apace into the other World it is good to consider what we have to say when we come to die Job 31.14 What shall I then do when God riseth up And when he visiteth what shall I answer him viz. At the latter End when I am immediately to appear before God when he summons us by Sickness into his Presence and the Devil is more busy at such a time to tempt and trouble us and all other Comforts fail and are as unsavory as the white of an Egg then this will notably embolden our Hearts 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoicing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World Oh will this comfort you that you have sported and gamed away your precious Time that you have fared of the Best lived in Pomp and Honour Oh no but this I have made Conscience of honouring and glorifying God of being faithful in my Place in promoting the Common Good there where God hath cast my Lot Oh then go on your Comfort will increase If hitherto you have been pleasing the Flesh idling and wantoning away your precious time say 1 Pet. 4.3 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 Banquettings and abominable Idolatries You have too long walked contrary to the end of your Creation in dishonouring God and destroying your own Souls SERMON VI. JOHN XVII 5 And now O Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was JEsus Christ as God-Man in this Chapter prayeth to God his Prayer is first for himself and then for his Members in all things he is to have the preheminence as being infinitely of more worth and desert than all His Prayer for himself is to be glorified which he inforceth and explaineth He inforceth it by sundry Reasons the last that he pleaded was that he had done his Work and therefore according to the Covenant and Agreement that was between them he sueth out his Wages In the Suit he explaineth how he would be glorified I have glorified thee on Earth and now O Father glorify thou me with thy self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was For the opening of this Request I shall propound several Questions 1. According to what Nature this is spoken 2. What is this Glory 3. Why he seeketh of the Father the First Person Could he not glorify himself 4. Why is he so earnest for his own Glory Quest. 1. According to what Nature is this spoken the Divine or Humane The Reason of the Doubt is because to the Divine Nature nothing could be given and the Humane Nature cannot he said to have this Glory which Christ had before the World was for then it would remain no longer Humane I Answer The Request is made in the Person of the Mediator God-Man and is distinctly and separately to be applied to neither Nature but to the whole Person The Person of Christ was hitherto beclouded during the time of his Humiliation now he desireth to be glorified that is
that the Divine Majesty may shine forth in the Person of the Mediator and that laying aside the Form of a Servant he might return to the Form of God and that he might appear in his whole Person the Humane Nature not excluded as he was before the Foundation of the World Quest. 2. The next Question is What is this glorifying I Answer There is a two-fold glorifying 1. Per gloriae Manifestationem 2. Per gloriae Collationem by way of Manifestation and by way of Gift and Collation Both are intended the Manifestation concerneth both Natures and the Collation or Gift only the Humane Nature It must be understood according to the Properties of each Nature Quae in tempore Christo dantur secundum humanam naturam dantur 1. For the Divine Nature Christ prayeth that it may be glorified by the clearer Manifestation of his Godhead for that cannot receive any intrinsecal Improvement or Glory It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so far as it was humbled so far it was glorified Now Christ humbled himself not by putting off his Divine Glory but by suffering it to be overshadowed as the Light of a Candle in a Dark-Lanthorn there is a Light in it but you cannot see it till the Cover he taken away Now Christ desireth that the Cover and Vail may be taken away His Glory was not lessened but beclouded the Divine Essence that was hidden under the weakness of the Flesh was now to be manifested and made known to all Men. But you will say it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he desireth the Glory he had with Him might be restored not the Glory with Men. I Answer 1. The Glory which he had with him may be more clearly manifested to the World he had it with the Father yet beggeth it of the Father 2. I Answer again There is somewhat more than Manifestation in the World for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy self The Father was glorified by the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Earth but now glorify thou me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy self So John 13.32 If God be glorified in him God shall also glorify him in himself or with himself So that he beggeth a full use and exercise of the Divine Power from which he had abstained in the time of his Humiliation and Abasement Now that Time being finished he prayeth that it may be restored that he may be exalted in the full manifestation and exercise of his Divine Power that his whole Person might be exalted again at the right Hand of Majesty 2. For his Humane Nature The Flesh was not yet glorified and taken up to God's Right Hand that is exalted to the fruition of Eternal Glory as afterwards it was above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth The Humane Nature was to have as much Glory as it is capable of by being united to the Divine Person Immortality Power Clarity Knowledg Grace but not to have the Properties of the Divine Nature really transfused for then it would no longer be finite nor remain a Creature It was to be raised to the full fruition of the Glory of the Divine Nature and freed from those Infirmities to which by the exigence of Christ's Office upon Earth it was subjected Thus what this glorifying is but I shall speak more fully to it by and by Quest. 3. Why he seeketh it of the Father Could he not glorify himself and exalt his own Person and Humane Nature I Answer He could but would not 1. The Father is the Fountain of the Divinity He is first in Order and so all such Actions are ascribed to him however to shew the Unity of Essence Christ is said to do it as well as the Father John 5.19 What things soever the Father doth these doth the Son likewise The Father is said to sanctify the Son John 10.36 and the Son is said to sanctify himself The Father raiseth the Son from the Dead Ephes 1.10 And Christ saith John 2.19 Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up again The Father placeth the Son at his right Hand Ephes. 1.20 And the Son is said to sit down at the right Hand of the Father However because Christ came into the World to glorify the Father and to shew him to be the Original and Fountain of the Divinity therefore he saith Father glorify thou me with thy self 2. Because the Father is to be look'd upon as Judg and Chief in the Work of Redemption Man is the Debtor Christ the Surety and the Father the Judg before whose Tribunal Satisfaction is to be made Therefore God the Father after the Price and Ransom was paid was to give Christ Power and Leave to rise from the Dead to ascend into Heaven and to govern and judg the World And yet he raised himself by his own Power There is Potestas and Potentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority Leave and Power Christ had Power in himself but he had Leave from the Father John 10.18 I have Power to lay it down and I have Power to take it up again Potentiam resurgendi Christus habet à seipso sed Potestatem à Patre In this whole Business Christ is to be considered as the Surety that took our whole Business upon himself and rendred himself liable to the Judgment of God so long till the Father should declare himself to be satisfied and so dismiss Christ from Punishment After full satisfaction he was to raise him from the Power of Death and to glorify him As the Father delivered him for us so the Father dismissed him raised him again he was not to break Prison but honourably to be brought out and rewarded by the Judg. Quest. 4. Why is he so earnest for his own Glory I Answer All Christ's Mediatory Acts were for our sake and so are his Prayers 1. To comfort his Disciples against his Sufferings they were dejected and therefore Christ in their hearing prayeth for Divine Glory John 17.13 And these things I speak in the World that they might have my Joy fulfilled in themselves There is not a more excellent way of gaining upon others than to commend them to God in Prayer for that which they desire 2. To give the World an Instruction that suffering for God is the high way to Glory 2 Cor. 4.27 Our light Affliction that is but for a moment worketh for us a 〈◊〉 more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory as a necessary Antecedent We may suffer more for Men than they are able to recompence but there is nothing lost for God 2 Pet. 1.11 An entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The whole Scriptures witness the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow according to the measure of Afflictions there shall be a sutable weight of Glory There are notable Passages in the Story of Christ to show the
his Office was to be Mediator between God and Man An Office of so high a Nature that it could be performed by none but him who was God and Man in the same Person For he that would be Mediator was to be Prophet Priest and King As a Prophet he was to be Arbiter to take knowledg of the Cause and Quarrel depending between them and as an Internuncius and Legate to propound and expound the Conditions of Peace that are to be concluded upon As he was a Priest he was to be an Intercessor to make Interpellation for the Party offending and then to be a Fidejussor or Surety making satisfaction to the Party offended for him As he was a King having all Power both in Heaven and Earth he was to keep and present the Church of God so reconciled in the state of Grace and to tread down all Enemies thereof Here is a great deal of Glory far above any Creature Secondly What he wanted that he should pray to be glorified The Glory of his Person and Office was yet but imperfect 1. Of his Person in both Nature It is said Phil. 2.7 He made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made himself empty and void not simply and absolutely for then he would cease to be himself and then he would cease to be God but Oeconomically and Dispensatively vailing and covering his God-head under the Cloud of his Flesh the Beams of his Divinity as it were wholly laid aside only now and then it broke out in his Works and Speeches Certainly he abstained from the full use and manifestation of it He did not cease to be what he was but laid aside the manifestation of it and hid it in the form of a Servant as if he had none at all The World could not discern him to his own familiar Friends he was now and then discovered as occasion did require it Otherwise in his whole Course his Incarnation Nativity Obedience to the Law of Nature to the Law of Adam Law of Sin of Abraham were a vail upon him He suffered Hunger Thirst Weariness bitter Agonies shame of the Cross pain of Death ignominy of the Grave Yea he was not only in the form of a Servant to God this Commandment have I of my Father John 6.38 But he was subject to worldly Powers a Servant of Rulers Isa. 49.7 wholly at their dispose His Human Nature was subject to natural Infirmities Hunger Thirst Fear Sorrow Anguish he had not attained Incorruption Impassibility Immortality nor that glorious Purity Strength Agility Clarity of Body which he expected Phil. 3.21 together with the fulness of inward Joys and Comforts in his Soul He lost for a while all Sense and actual Fruition of his Father's Love Mat. 26.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So that tho he had the Spirit without measure in Holiness and Righteousness yet he was still humbled with unpleasing and afflictive Evils 2. For his Office It was managed as suited with his Humiliation and all his Actions of Prophet Priest and King could not be performed gloriously but in an humble manâ—er as suited with his present State He was an ordinary Prophet teaching in the World as a Priest hanging on the Cross as a King but he had but few Subjects therefore it is said Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour as if he had not exercised any of his Kingly Office before but he was but as a King anointed he did not so evidently shew forth the Kingly Office as afterward Now he doth not overcome his Enemies by Force or by Power 1 Sam. 16.13 David was a King as soon as anointed but for a long time he suffered Exile and wandred in the Wilderness before he was taken into the Throne So it was with Christ. II. His Exaltation What Christ prayed for might be known by the Event His Exaltation begun at his Resurrection and received its accomplishment by his sitting at God's right hand His Exaltation answered his Humiliation his Death was answered by his Resurrection his going into the Grave by his ascending into Heaven his lying in the Grave by his sitting at God's right hand which is a Privilege proper to Christ glorified In the other we share with him we rise we ascend but we do not sit at God's right hand By his Grave tho this Body was freed from Corruption his Human Nature was discovered but his Body had not those glorious Qualities as afterwards at his Ascension Therefore leaving his Resurrection let us speak of his Ascension and sitting on the right Hand of God First His Ascension Three Things happened to Christ at his Ascension 1. The Exaltation of his Body and Human Nature it was locally taken from the Earth and carried into Heaven Acts 1.9 While they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight into the same Heaven into which we shall be translated They err who say that Christ's Ascension standeth in this that Christ is invisibly present every where which destroyeth the Properties of a Body there was not only a change of State but a change of Place it was a created Nature still finite 2. The Glorification of his Person which is the thing spoken of in this Text then all the thick Mists and Clouds which eclipsed his Deity were removed Not that there was any Deposition or laying aside of his Human Nature that is an essential part of his Person and shall continue so to all Eternity but only of all Human Infirmities he laid aside his Mortality at his Resurrection and necessity of Meat and Drink but was not restored to his Glory till his Ascension his Body was so bright that it shall pass through the Air like Lightning clearer than the Sun Upon the Earth he was ignorant of something of the Day of Judgment now he hath all Wisdom not only in Habit but in Act. Before he grew in Wisdom which he manifested by degrees now the Glory of his Deity shineth forth powerfully 3. A new Qualification of his Office Christ hath exercised the Mediatory Office from the beginning of the World till now before his coming in the Flesh when on Earth and after his Ascension Secondly The next thing we are to speak of in the Glorification of Christ is his â—itting at God's right hand Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right Hand till I make thine Enemies thy Footstool It is Christ's welcome as soon as he came to Heaven The Angels guarded and attended him and they brought him near the Ancient of Days Dan. 7.13 I saw in the Night Visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of Days and they brought him near before him They that is the Angels did it they are his Ministers Heb.
answerably to it Dependance should beget Observance Phil. 2.10 13. Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do according to his good pleasure When we do not thrive under his Custody it is scandalous God will takeaway the Hedg let the Boar of the Forest come in and eat them down Vse 2. To press the Children of God to two Duties Dependance Confidence 1. Dependance 1 Chron. 20.12 We have no might against this great Company neither know we what to do but our Eyes are up to thee We must profess that we do not stand by our own strength but are as a Staff in the Hand of a Man or a Child in the Hand of the Father Psal. 70.5 I am poor and needy make haste unto me O God thou art my Help and my Deliverer make no tarrying O my God God is honoured when we acknowledg him for our Guardian 2. Confidence that he will preserve us in that Grace to which he hath called us in Christ. There will be shakings and wandrings as a Tree fastned at the Root is driven to and fro with violent Blasts There may be an interruption of the Acts of Grace as a Man in a swoon or as stunn'd by a great Blow but he is alive so there may be particular Falls but we shall not fall constantly readily easily As in a Land-flood the Meadows may be overflown but the Marshes are drowned every Tide Preservation from damning Sins is sure and certain Christ hath asked it God is able to keep us Happy are they that have an Interest in Christ's Prayers and that have God for a Guardian therefore wait upon God with Hope in the midst of Temptations 6. I observe from the last words the Evil from the evil One or evil Thing it lieth indifferently 1. From the Evil One. Observe Satan hath a great hand in the Evils that befal us in the World both Afflictions and Sin He instigateth our Enemies and inflameth our Lusts. 1. He instigateth our Enemies Christ said Luke 22.53 This is your Hour and the Power of Darkness Rev. 12.12 The Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time If you could behold with bodily Eyes this evil Spirit hanging on the Ears of the great Men of the World and of the common People to animate them against the Saints you would more admire the Work of God that you do subsist 2. He inflameth our Sins and Lusts. 1 Cor. 7.3 Lest Satan tempt you for your Incontinency The Sin is ours but Satan joins with it and makes it more violent As in Storms and Tempests when Matter is prepared the Devil maketh them more formidable Vse 1. Let Persecutors take heed the Devil is near and they are guided by him tho they see him not Rev. 16.14 They are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which go forth to the Kings of the Earth 2. Here is Advice to the People of God 1. To beware of Sins that you gratify not Satan with the displeasure of God Do you think Peter would ever have given such Advice to Christ as he did if he knew Satan had been in it Would carnal Men ever lie if they knew the Devil filled their Hearts Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie to the Holy Ghost Would Men sin so freely if they knew the Hand of Satan was in all And if the Lord should give you over to his Power if he should give Satan charge over you how far might he hurry and carry you 2. Let this teach you dependance upon God so much the more Ephes. 6.12 For we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against spiritual Wickedness in high Places We have to do with the Devil as well as Men and therefore have need to look up to God And this is thy Comfort O Christian that God is stronger than Satan 2. From the evil Thing that is the evil of Persecution keep them from being destroyed till they have accomplished their Ministry Observe God keepeth his Saints temporally till their Work is ended by a Special Providence He delivers them from Diseases and from the fury of Men as long as he hath any Service for them in the World Therefore when ever you have escaped any visible and sensible Danger when you are come out of a terrible Disease or kept from the Fury of Men improve it accordingly it is for Service But rather it may be understood of the Evil of Sin keep them from the Evil. And so the note is That Sin is the greatest Evil. Christ doth not say keep them from Trouble No let them ride out the Storm but keep them from the Evil of Sin SERMON XXV JOHN XVII 16 They are not of the World even as I am not of the World IN this Verse Christ repeateth the Argument used in the 14 th Verse This Repetition is not idle and of no use it is Christ that speaketh The Reason of the Repitition may be conceived either with respect to the Disciples the Persons for whom and in whose hearing he prayed and so it is to inculcate their Duty Or with respect to God the Person to whom he prayed and so he urgeth their Danger For in the 14 th Verse he shewed this was the Cause why the World hated them now he maketh it the Reason why he prayeth for them that they may be kept Keep them from the Evil They are not of the World even as I am not of the World 1. In the general Observe That Repetitions of the same Point are sometimes necessary Phil. 3.1 To write the same things to you to me it is not grievous but for you it is safe Repetition of the same things is tedious and irksome to Nature but profitable to Grace It is tedious to Nature partly out of an itch of Novelty Most Men have but an adulterous love to Truth they love it while it is new and fresh there is a satiety that groweth by acquaintedness the Israelites grew weary of Manna tho Angels Food Partly out of the impatiency of Guilt Sores cannot endure to be rubbed again and again frequency of Reproof and Admonition is like the rubbing of a Sore grievous to a galled Conscience John 21.17 Peter was grieved that he should say to him the third time Lovest thou me as reviving his Apostacy bringing to remembrance his three-fold denying of Christ questioning his Fidelity Sinners do not love to be suspected or urged much it reviveth Guilt and maketh it fly in the Face of Conscience none are weary but they that cannot endure to be remembred of their Duty But it is profitable to Grace First To cure Weakness Secondly To further Duties First To cure Weakness Our Knowledg is little our Affections changeable our Memories weak our Attention slight 1. Our Knowledg is little narrow-mouth'd Vessels
cannot endure to eat twice of one Dish Vse 2. It serveth to encourage you in your private Exercises of Rehearsing and Meditation this is chewing the Cud. Psal. 62.11 God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that Power belongeth to God it was often revolved in the Mind The Meat is taken into the Mouth and Digestion is afterward Repetition is the outward Help Meditation the inward Conscience preacheth over the Sermon again to the Heart Vse 3. To Ministers not only to study new things but to inculcate those that are of a common use Jude 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance tho ye once knew this We are not to content your Curiosity but to provide for your Benefit not to please the Athenian but to profit the Christian. We are not Cooks but Physicians People do not remember half we preach or they lose their Affections Christ often repeateth the same Sentences so do the Apostles You may repeat the same things only with these Cautions 1. That it be in Matters mainly necessary There are some standing Dishes at Christ's Table 2. That it be with variety of Enforcement to avoid tediousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are several Notions to help us every time we should have new Thoughts Adoro plenitudinem Sacrae Scripturae that all be subjected to Profit not a cover to Laziness There is much of God's Providence to be observed in inclining the Heart not only the Efficacy of the Spirit in quickning Gifts is to be regarded but the Power of his Providence in determining the Thoughts Much of God is to be seen in the choice of the Subject But let us look upon the words more particularly the Reasons of this Repetition with respect to the Disciples or to God First With respect to the Disciples It is repeated in their Ears for their Comfort and Instruction They are not of the World even as I am not of the World It either noteth their outward Condition or their inward Temper and Constitution or both they have little of the World's Respect and the World hath little of theirs Gal. 6.14 The World is crucified to me and I unto the World A dead Man hanging on the Cross is a miserable and ignominious Spectacle I despise the World and the World despiseth me as a crucified Man is made an Object of Shame and Scorn Paul sought not after the World nor did the World seek after him All the Honours Pomps Delights which the World doteth upon were as a Crucified Man in whom there is no Form and Comeliness why he should desire them thus they are to a gracious Eye Both Senses are taken and the Patern will agree to both Christ's Spirit Christ's Life 1. Take it for their Constitution and Temper of Mind They are not of the World as I am not of the World Christ repeateth it again in the hearing of the Disciples Observe That we can never enough be cautioned against the World We had need to be pressed often and often in this Matter 1. Because of our proneness to it The Love of the World is natural to us We need it in part and we love it more than we need it There are several Reasons partly because Worldliness is a part of Original Sin it is a Disease we are born with The Commandment that forbiddeth the Original of Sin saith Thou shalt not covet It is hard for any to say they are not tempted to Covetousness it is their Nature Partly by Custom we are daily conversant about the Things of the World our Affections receive taint from the Objects with which we usually converse long Converse is a bewitching thing Partly because it is of a present Enjoyment we have the World in Hand and Heaven in Hope and think Heaven a Fancy a Notion and the World Substance Prov. 8.17 Riches and Honours are with me yea durable Riches and Righteousness The Judgment of Men is different from the Judgment of the Word We have a sensible experience of the Profit of the World Partly because it is a serious Sin applauded by Men. Psal. 10.3 The Wicked boasteth of his Heart's desire and blesseth the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth Men think well of it and stroak it with a gentle Censure it is not so foul an Act. A Drunkard is more liable to Reproach than a Worldling It is consistent with the gravity and strictness of Profession Religion is a serious thing and of all Corruptions it is most incident to them that profess Religion the dissoluâ—eness of Luxury will not stand with the external gravity and strictness of Profession licentious Persons do procure shame and are publickly oâ—ioâ—s Partly because it is a cloaked Sin 1 Thess. 2.5 Neither at any time used we flattering Words nor a Cloak of Covetousness God is Witness It is hard to discover it and find it out there are so many Evasions of Necessity Providence and Provision It is a great part of Religion to keep our selves unspotted from the World James 1.27 2. Because of the heinousness and danger of it It is called Adultery James 4.4 Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the World is Enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a Friend of the World is the Enemy of God It is most unsuitable to the matrimonial Contract between God and the Soul wherein God propoundeth himself as God Alsufficient Now as if we had not enough in God Men go a whoring to the Creatures It is Idolatry Col. 3.5 And Covetousness which is Idolatry So Ephes. 5.5 No covetous Person who is an Idolater hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God It diverteth our Trust robbeth God of the fairest Flower in his Crown of his Soveraignty the trust and dependence of the Creature It is Enmity with God James 4.4 The World is the greatest Encroacher upon God and Grace it robbeth God and destroyeth Grace The Comforts of Christianity relish not with them that love the World It is impossible at the same time to look with one Eye to Heaven and another to the Earth 3. Because of the unsuitableness of it to the Divine Nature It is most unsuitable to the New Nature 1 John 5.4 Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World It is unsuitable to our Hopes God hath provided Heaven on purpose to draw us off from the World God is most liberal in this World to the worst as Judas had the Bag these are Gifts for worldly Men not for God's Favorites Gen. 25.6 Vnto the Sons of the Concubines which Abraham had Abraham gave Gifts and sent them away from Isaac his Son Isaac had the Inheritance It is contrary to the Aim of Christ his whole Aim in coming and going was to bring us to Heaven Heb. 11.16 Now they desire a better Country that is an Heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a Country Vse 1. To press us to beware the more
that looketh upon the Gospel in the Light of Parts and External Tradition hath a Model of Truth in his Brain but these find it impressed upon their Hearts there is Light and Fire Wait for this Witness Sixthly By the wonderful preservation of Scriptures even to our Times There is no Doctrine so ancient it describeth the whole History of the World from the very Creation Moses was ancienter than the Gods of the Heathens No Doctrine can produce such Records of the Original of the World The Doctrine of the Gospel is as Old as Paradise where God preached it to Adam Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed It shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel The Foundation was laid long since tho it was more explicitly revealed upon the coming of Christ. None so much oppugned We have some ancient Writings of the Heathens tho nothing so ancient as Scripture Other Writings by tract of Time have been much mangled tho they have been cherished by Men as not contrary to their Lusts but the Scripture is still opposed persecuted maligned and yet it continueth Psal. 129.1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth may Israel now say Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth yet they have not prevailed against me The Church hath been always bred up under Afflictions Enmity against it began betimes yet still it holdeth up its Head Errors are not long-lived 1 Cor. 3.12 13. Now if any Man build upon this Foundation Gold Silver precious Stones Wood Hay Stubble Every Man's Work shall be made manifest For the Day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by Fire and the Fire shall try every Man's Work of what sort it is The World hath had time enough to enquire into the Scripture and to discover the vanity and falshood of it if there were any Nay not only the main Doctrine of the Scripture hath been continued but no part of it is falsified corrupted or destroyed The World wanted not Malice nor Opportunity the Powers of the World were bent against it and corrupt Persons in the Church were always given to other gospelling Gal. 1.6 7. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel Which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. 1 Tim. 6.3 If any Man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words c. But still the Scriptures are wonderfully preserved as the three Children in the Furnace not an Hair was singed not a jot or tittle of the Truth is perished or corrupted If it were corrupted it must be before Christ's Time or after it not before then Christ would have noted it not after for then the Parts would not agree but we find no such thing but an exact Harmony Nor is there any lost for here is a sufficient Instruction and Guide to Happiness Christ hath promised not a tittle shall fall to the ground The Word hath been in danger of being lost but the Miracle of Preservation is therefore the greater In Joshua's Time there was but one Copy of the Law In Dioclesian's Time there was an Edict to burn their Bibles and Copies were scarce and chargeable and yet still it hath been kept Seventhly By his Judgments on those who have reviled abused and persecuted this Truth The Records of all Ages witness to this The whole Jewish Nation was destroyed for opposing the Doctrine of the Gospel After the slaughter of the Prophets and murder of Christ God let them alone for forty Years and then Wrath came upon them to the uttermost the People were carried captive contrary to the Roman Custom the Land lost its fertility Look into succeeding Times very few Persecutors went to the Grave by a natural Death Particular Stories are full of the Judgments of God executed on them Julian the Apostate confessed Christ had the best at last Vicisti Galilee and so died blaspheming Lucian that railed against God and his Word as he returned from a Supper his Dogs fell mad and tore him in pieces Eusebius reports of a certain Jew that took upon him to apply a sentence of the Word to a prophane End to make a Jest of Scripture was stricken with blindness till he made confession of his Fault Appion scoffing at Scripture and at Circumcision had an Ulcer growing in the place of Circumcision as Josephus reporteth God is very angry when Men are partial in the Law tho they do many good things Rev. 22.18 19. For I testify unto every Man that heareth the words of the Prophecy of this Book If any Man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book And if any Man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the Holy City and from the things which are written in this Book SERMON XXIX JOHN XVII 17 Sanctify them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth II. THE Church hath owned the Word You see how God hath owned it he saith it is my Word Let us see how the Church hath owned it Here I shall shew three things 1. What is the Church's Duty to the Word 2. What Credit and Value we ought to put on the Churches Testimony 3. How the Church hath witnessed to the Word in all Ages 1. What is the Churches Duty To keep the Word and to transmit it pure to the next Age that nothing be added nothing diminished that it be published to the present Age and transmitted pure to the next Rom. 3.2 Vnto them were committed the Oracles of God We are Trustees Jude 3. Earnestly contending for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth The Church is to hold it forth as a Pillar doth a Proclamation that it may not be lost and extinguished This is the Jewel Christ hath left his Spouse as the Law was kept in the Ark. 2. What respect we ought to bear to the Churches Testimony To hearken to it till we have better Evidence We do not ultimately resolve our Faith into the Churches Authority for the Authority of the Church is not Absolute but Ministerial as a Royal Edict doth not receive Credit by the Officer and Crier he only declareth it Yet the Church's Testimony is not to be neglected for Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.14 It is a preparative Inducement John 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World If we would know the Truth of a thing before we have experience go to them that have experience the judgment of others whom we respect and reverence causeth us
precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aaron 's Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment So our Head is anointed with the Oil of Gladness for our sakes Christ received the Spirit without measure in our Nature as Holiness Pity and the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Look as when an Ambassador is sent forth there is not only a designation of his Person but he is furnished for his Emploiment and Work So is Jesus Christ sent forth that is his Person not only designed and chosen in Grace and yet in Wisdom but also furnished with all manner of Endowments in our Nature Grace and Strength for his Work as our Head 3. This Sending implies Authority and noteth a Commission sealed to him so that he was an Authorized Mediator or an Ambassador with Letters Patents from Heaven This is the principal thing intended in this Sending the Call and Authority Christ had to do his Office Heb. 5.4 5. No Man taketh this honour to himself but he that was called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee He was designed in the Council of the Trinity And as every Ambassador hath Letters of Credence under the Hand and Seal of him from whom he is sent that he may be acknowledged as his Deputy to act for him So Christ is sent as God's Deputy into the World to act and deal for him and the Apostles they are thus sent from Christ to act and deal for Christ. Here the Comparison chiefly holds As thou hast sent me into the World that is given me Authority to execute the Office of a Mediator So have I sent them I have given them Authority to preach in my Name and to deliver the Gospel to others This sending of Christ it maketh all that Christ doth in the Father's Name to be valid which is much for the comfort of our Faith Christ is not a Mediator by the right or meerly by the desire of the Creature or by his own Interposition but he is sent and authorized you may plead it with God he hath sent him to save Sinners You know Moses when he interposed on his own accord Exod. 32.32 Forgive their Sin and if not blot me I pray thee out of thy Book which thou hast written Tho it was an high Act of Zeal in Moses yet God refused it Vers. 33. And the Lord said to Moses Whosoever hath sinned against me him will make I blot out of my Book So if Christ had been set up as Mediator by the Right and Desire of the Creature only he might have been refused but he was authorised by God he did not glorify himself by invasion of the Mediatory Office but had a Patent from the Council of the Trinity indited by the Father accepted by himself sealed by the Holy Ghost evidenced to the World by his Personal Endowments and by his Miracles Thus you see what this Sending is it implies the Designation of the Father the Qualification of his Person for the Work and his Authority to execute it in his Name III. To what purpose was he sent into the World I Answer To perform the whole Duty of the Mediator but principally to redeem and instruct the World those two Offices of Prophet and Priest Christ performed upon Earth The Apostle toucheth upon them Heb. 3.1 Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ. Mark the Apostle mentioneth but two Offices but they were the highest in both the Churches the High Priest was the highest Officer in the Jewish Church therefore he saith he was the High Priest of our Profession And an Apostle was the highest Officer in the Christian Church therefore he saith he was the Apostle of our Profession And he mentions but these two because these were the two Offices Christ chiefly performed upon Earth he came to preach the Gospel which we profess so he is the Apostle of our Profession and he came to ratify it with his Blood so he is the High Priest of our Profession In short he came to deal with God and with Men To deal with God and so is an High Priest to pacify God to offer such a Sacrifice as might satisfy God and he came to deal with Men and so be is an Apostle to open the everlasting Gospel to bring it out of the Bosom of God to our Hearts His Kingly Office was but little exercised upon Earth We have a glimpse of his Kingly Office or rather of his Divine Nature in turning the Mony-Changers out of the Temple but it was little exercised upon Earth Why because this was the time of Christ's Humiliation Now the Kingly Office suits more with the Exaltation of Christ when he comes the second time then he comes to exercise his Kingly Office to reign and scatter his Enemies and shew his Kingly Power but now he came to teach and to suffer That is the Reason why his Kingly Office is made the Consequent of his Resurrection Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance to Israel and Forgiveness of Sins Was not Christ King of the Church and King before his Resurrection I Answer As God so he was a King from all Eternity and in the days of his Flesh he was our Mediator therefore certainly King Priest and Prophet but in the World he did not come to possess his Kingdom but only to preach it and divulge it Therefore he saith to Pilate John 18.36 My Kingdom is not of this World if my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Christ came to bear witness that he was King but did not come to possess his Kingdom and act as a King As soon as ever he was consecrated to be a Mediator he was King Priest and Prophet of the Church Look as David was King before God as soon as he was Anointed long before he possessed the Throne and was crowned at Hebron 1 Sam. 16.13 for he was King when he wandred up and down and was hunted like a Flea or like a Partridg upon the Mountains So Christ in the time of his Humiliation was a King but did not exercise his Kingdom Chiefly then he was sent into the World the first time to redeem and instruct the World To redeem the World 1 John 4.10 God loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins This was Christ's first Errand to make Satisfaction for Sins afterwards he will come to destroy his Enemies at his second coming And to instruct the World that is of special consideration in this place As thou hast sent me into the World so have I sent them into the World Christ sent Disciples as a Prophet and in
Men of old did suit their Prayers to their foregoing Sermons so did our Lord Jesus Christ suit this Prayer to his foregoing Sermon made to his Apostles What did he promise to them John 16.8 9 10 11. If I depart I will send the Comforter unto you and when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged This is a difficult Place the meaning is this In the Context you will find the Apostles were troubled about Christ's Departure and their going out into the World to preach the Gospel for they apprehended their Service difficult their Master for whom they stood despised and looked upon as a Seducer and Mock-King among the Jews their Message very unpleasant as contrary to the carnal Interests of Men. Now for a few weak Men to be left to the Hatred and Opposition of a proud malitious ambitious World they that were to preach a Doctrine contrary to the Lusts and Interests of Men and go forth in the Name of a Master that was despised and hanged on a Tree what shall they do Be not troubled saith our Saviour He lays in many Comforts and among them that the World shall be convinced The Spirit shall convince the World of Sin c. Observe 1. The Act He shall convince 2. The Object the World 3. The Particulars what he shall convince them of of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment 4. The Means by the Spirit 5. The Effects of this and how this was accomplished and what a mighty Confirmation this was of the Apostle's Testimony 1. Consider the Act He shall reprove or convince not convert but convince whereby is meant not only his offering or affording sufficient Means which might convince Men but his actual convincing them thereby even the reprobate World shall be so convinced as they were put to silence that they shall not easily be able to gain-say the Truth nay some of them shall obtain the Profession of it And yet the Holy Ghost goeth no further with them than fully to convince them the Work stoppeth there they are not effectually converted to God As many carnal Men that remain in an unregenerate Condition to the last may have many temporal Gifts bestowed on them whereby they may be made useful to the real and true Believers and have strange Changes and Flashes of Conscience for a while yet it went no further therefore the Apostle saith Heb. 6.4 5. They were enlightned and had tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost And have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come 2. The Object of this Work of the Spirit Whom shall he convince the World It is notable the Church is not spoken of but the World Now the World is either the unregenerate and unconverted World or else the reprobate and lost World who finally persist in their Unbelief or want of saving Faith this mad raging World shall be convinced and so their opposition taken off or their Edg blunted and they made more easy and kind to his People though they are but convinced and continue still in a state of Nature Nay some of them shall join with them and be made greatly useful to them therefore they need not fear though all the Power and Learning in the World were against them at that time 3. The Particulars whereof they are convinced Of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Grotius and other Interpreters observe there were three sorts of Causes of Actions among the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning criminal Matters or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in defending the Just and Upright or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in urging the Law of Retaliation for Damage done Sometimes there was a Suit commenced to know whether a Man were a criminal or no at other times if any Man had been wronged there was a Suit commenced concerning Righteousness and Innocency and the Man was acquitted in Court Sometimes there was an Action concerning Judgment and that was concerning Retaliation giving Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth recompencing the Party wronged concerning Damage done So here the Holy Ghost at his coming should be the Advocate of Christ against the World who had rejected and crucified him One Action that he should put in against the World was concerning Sin whether Christ or the Despisers of his Grace were guilty of a Crime it would appear in the Issue that not to believe in him was a Sin as well as to transgress the moral or natural Law The second Action was concerning Righteousness to vindicate his Innocency though he suffered among them as a Malefactor in that he was owned by God and taken up into Heaven as a clear Testimony of his Innocency The third Action was that of Judgment or punishing injurious Persons by way of Retaliation that those which struck out another's Eye or Tooth were to lose their own or he that had wronged another Man in his Substance should lose as much of his own This Action he had against Satan who with his Instruments had put Christ to Death now the Prince of this World shall be judged Retaliation shall be done upon him his Kingdom destroyed his Idols and Oracles battered down and put to silence and under Disgrace And thus the Spirit should come to convince the World that it was a Sin not to believe in Christ who was a righteous and innocent Person and the Devil which did the wrong should have Right done upon him that he should be destroyed and his Kingdom demolished All these we have Acts 5.30 31. The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Forgiveness of Sins The first Question was concerning Sin Whether Christ died as a Malefactor or whether he was a true Prophet And whether it was not a Sin in the Jews not to receive him that was the Point in Controversy between the Apostles in preaching the Gospel and the World that denied this The next Question was concerning Righteousness Whether Christ was a Righteous Person Now Christ being exalted at God's right Hand was thereby owned to be a Righteous Person that though he was hanged on the Tree yet he was justified and exalted at the right Hand of God The other Controversie was concerning Judgment Whether Christ were a base Person or one exalted to be Prince and Saviour exalted above Satan and all Things that are called God in the World Now the Spirit shall convince the World that the Prince of this World is condemned and that Christ is the Prince and Saviour and he must be owned and exalted and his Kingdom set up every where Thus when poor Men were to
bait the Devil and hunt him out of his Territories and oppose themselves against the Tradition of the Nation there is a mighty Spirit set up and he shall convince the World those that are not really and heartily gained he shall convince them of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment 1. Of Sin because they believe not in me The Spirit shall convince them that Christ is the Son of God the great Prophet and true Messiah and so it is a Sin to reject him and his Doctrine that Unbelief is a Sin as well as the Breach of the Moral Law and that the Lord Jesus Christ is to be owned as a Mediator as well as God as a Law-giver All will grant that a Breach of the Law of God is a Sin but the Spirit shall convince that a Transgression against the Gospel is a Sin as well as against the Law 2. Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye shall see me no more That Christ did not remain in the State of the Dead but rose again and ascended and liveth with the Father in Glory and Majesty and therefore that he was not a Seducer but that Righteous One and so however he was rejected by Men yet he was owned and accepted by God and all his Pretensions justified and so might sufficiently convince the World that it is Blasphemy to oppose him as a Malefactor and his Kingdom and Interest in the World there needeth no more to perswade Men that he was that Holy and Righteous one 3. Of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged The Devil is the Prince of this World Eph. 6.12 The Ruler of the Darkness of this World and he was condemned by virtue of Christ's Death and Judgment executed upon him by the Spirit John 12.31 Now shall the Prince of this World be cast out He was foiled and vanquished by Christ and by the Power of the Gospel was to be vanquished more and more by silencing his Oracles destroying his Kingdom recovering poor captive Souls translating them out of the Kingdom of Darkness into a State of Holiness Liberty Light and Life the usurped Power he had over the blind and guilty World is taken from him now his Judgment shall be executed 4. The Way and Means whereby this should be brought about By the coming of the Spirit or the sending the Comforter When he came the Disciples and Messengers of Christ had large Endowments whereby they were enabled to speak powerfully and boldly to every People in their own Tongue and to endure their Sufferings and ill usage with great Courage and Fortitude and to work Miracles as to cure Diseases cast out Devils to confer extraordinary Gifts to silence Satan's Oracles and to destroy the Kingdom and Power of the Devil and to establish a sure Way of the Pardon of Sins and bring Life and Immortality to light preaching that Truth which should establish sound Holiness and helping to restore humane Nature to its Rectitude and Integrity And by this means he should convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment 5. Consider the Effects suitable both to his Promise and Prayer The Acts of the Apostles are a Comment on this Many of the Elect were converted At the first Sermon after the pouring out of the Spirit all that heard the Apostles discoursing that Jesus was appointed to be Lord and Christ were pricked in their Hearts and convinced Acts 2.37 38. This was not Conversion for they cried out What shall we do And Peter said Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Three thousand were converted by this Sermon and five thousand at another time Acts 4.4 when they preached boldly in the Name of Jesus yet others were only convinced pricked in Heart tho they had not yet attained to Evangelical Repentance Some that remained in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity yet they admired the Things the Apostles did and desired to share with them in their great Privileges Acts 8.18 19. When Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostle's Hands the Holy Ghost was given be offered them Mony saying Give me also this Power that on whomsoever I lay Hands he may receive the Holy Ghost Yea and some that were upon the Benches and Thrones and sat as Judges were almost perswaded to be Christians by a Prisoner in a Chain As Felix Acts 24.25 As Paul reasoned of Righteousness and Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled And Agrippa Acts 26.28 Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Some were forced to magnify them who had not an Heart to join with them Acts 5.13 And of the rest durst no Man join himself to them but the People magnified them Some would have worshipped them who were yet Pagans Acts 14.11 And when the People saw what Paul had done they said The Gods are come down to us in the likeness of Men. Some were astonished at what was done by the Apostles Acts 8.13 Then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the Signs and Miracles which were done Some marvelled at their boldness Acts 4.13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant Men they marvelled and they took knowledg of them that they had been with Jesus What! is this cowardly Peter that was foiled with the weak blast of a Damsel Nay their bitterest Enemies were nonplust in their Resolutions when they had to do with them and were afraid to meddle with them Acts 4.16 What shall we do to these Men for that indeed a notable Miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it So far the Bridle of Conviction was upon the Reprobate World SERMON XXXVII JOHN XVII 21 That they all may be One as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent me HAVING proved the Point I shall examine Why Christ should be so earnest to have the World convinced that he should put this into his Prayer that the World may believe that thou hast sent me The Reasons are partly in respect of Himself partly in respect of the Elect partly in respect of the World First In respect of Himself 1. It is much for Christ's Honour that even his Enemies should have some esteem of him and some conviction of his Worth and Excellency Praise and Esteem in the Mouth of an Enemy is a double Honour more than in the Mouth of a Friend The Commendations of a Friend may seem the Mistakes of Love and their value and esteem may proceed from Affection rather than Judgment Now it is for the Honour of God and Christ that his Enemies speak well of him and that they give an
Isa. 58.5 They afflict the soul for a day or bow down the head like a bulrush and so in the external actions of other Duties That this deceit may be more strong they exceed in outward Observances and that produceth Superstition or some by-Laws of our own by which we hope to expiate our sins as to whip and gash our selves Micah 6.6 7. Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord and â—ow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul On the other side if mens Tempers Education and strain of Religion carry them to another way and they are all for the Grace of the Gospel without the Rudiments of men the Devil knows how to charm and lull Souls asleep in sin by that way of Profession also and so many take liberty to sin under the pretence that God may have more occasion to exercise his mercy and our proneness to please the flesh is countenanced by presumptions of Grace and the supposition of unreasonable Indulgences of God to the faulty Creature Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self God will not be so severe as is commonly imagined and so lessening Gods Holiness they abate their Reverence of him Psal. 68.19 20 21. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses He seeketh to obviate their conceit how great soever the riches of his Bounty and Grace offered in Christ be yet he is irreconcileable to those that cease not to follow a course of sin 3. This conceit is strengthened in us because many that profess Christianity live licentiously All sins propagate their kind and among others abuse of Grace we see others have great hopes and confidence in Christ notwithstanding their carnal and worldly course of living and self-love prompteth us that we may hope to fare as well as they and so we leaven one another with a dead loose carnal sort of Christianity instead of provoking each other to love and good works Heb. 10.24 Self-love is very partial and loth to think evil of our condition now this cannot be justified by the Laws of Christianity yet it is often justified by the lives of Christians after this Rule they live in the World and we think we may do as others do 4. There is another cause that is Satan who abuseth the weakness of some Teachers and the ignorance of some Hearers to misapply the Grace of the Gospel and the comforts of Justification to countenance their sins The Devil knoweth we will not receive his Doctrine in his own Name and therefore doth what he can to usurp the Name of Christ and to obtrude his Commands upon us in the Name of Christ and so conveyeth poison to you by the Perfume of the Gospel and if he can set Christ against Christ his Merits and Mercy against his Government and Spirit his Promises against his Laws Justification against Sanctification he knoweth that he obtaineth his end and purpose that the Gospel which was set up to destroy the works of the Devil will be a means to cherish his Kingdom in the World And on the Hearers part he abuseth them also carnal hearts turn all into fuel for their lusts and with the more pretence if they can alledge a Dispensation from God himself to serve and please the flesh and no harm shall come of it A little trusting in Christ shall serve the turn though they live never so impure lives I ascribe all this to Satan because all Errour is from him who is the Father of Lyes who often obtrudeth upon the simple credulity of Christians his own Gospel instead of Christ's and by a partial representation of Christs Gospel destroyeth the whole II. I come now to make good the Charge First That this inference is very unjust and ill grounded The Pretence here are those words of the Apostle in the two last verses of the former Chapter Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. These words yield no such consequence To evince which 1. I shall state the meaning of those words 2. Show the unjustness of this illation from them 1. For the meaning the Apostle sheweth the Law was given to the Israelites by Moses not that they might be justified thereby but that sin and punishment to which we are liable by reason of sin might the better be known and so the Grace of God in Christ which justifieth us notwithstanding the grievousness of sin might be the more esteemed and we might the more earnestly fly to it for Sanctuary and Refuge and the Curse might drive us to the Promise For there are two things which the Law discovereth 1. The multitude and hainous nature of our offences it entred that sin might abound not in our practice but in our sense and feeling as being more apparent and awakening more lively stings in our Consciences If a rugged and obstinate People sin the more that is not the fault of the Law but of our corrupt Nature which always tendeth to that which is forbidden it only took occasion from the commandment Rom. 7.8 The proper effect of the Law was to give us more convincing and clear knowledge of Duty and Sin or to be a means to aggravate sin to render it more exceedingly hainous as being against an express Law of Gods own giving with great Majesty and Terrour 2. The other use of the Law is to give us an awakening sense of the punishment due to sin as it exposes us to temporal and eternal death vers 21. and so our deliverance and life by Christ might be more thankfully accepted who by his Mercy hath taken away the condemning and reigning power of sin by granting pardon of it and power over it so that as a great and mortal disease maketh a Physician famous if he cureth it so sin maketh the Grace of Christ more conspicuous and glorious 2. The injustice of the Illation 1. There is a difference between causa per se and causa per accidens a Cause and an Occasion though the abounding of sin helpeth to advance Grace it is not of it self but by accident by Gods over-ruling Grace therefore it is a desperate Adventure to try Conlusions to drink rank Poison to experiment the goodness of an
renewed ones This Argument seemeth to be urged 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversations but with the precious blood of Christ c. If there be a liberty purchased and bought at so dear a rate and then proclaimed and we will not accept it it is a plain slighting the benefit we have by Christ. 5. The sins of Christians who profess a Communion with his Death are more criminal and scandalous than the sins of Heathens They never heard of the Son of God that came to redeem them from their vain conversations at so high a rate as his own precious Blood They never were called solemnly to vow integrity of life and conversation as a service due to that Redeemer as is done by Christians in Baptism All this we believe and this some have done and yet disobeyed our Masters will Heathens had no expectation of any gracious immortal reward feared no dreadful Doom nor Sentence after death We are hedged in within the compass of our duty both on the right hand the left on the right hand with the hopes of a most blessed everlasting estate on the left with the fears of an endless and never dying death all which are included in our Baptism and so if all be not mockery our old man is crucified with Christ. 6. A Christians living in sin is a greater injury to Christ than the Persecution of the Jews that crucified him because we daily and hourly do that which is more against his holy Will The rule for measuring the greatness of our personal injury and wrong is the opposition which the act includeth to the will and liking of the Party who is displeased and wronged Well then which is most displeasing to Christ his dying for sin or our living in sin Surely his dying for sin as an act of obedience to his Father or love to us was very pleasing to Christ Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart He is more willing to suffer Death for us than to suffer us to live and dye in our sins You will say that is not the case we speak of not the submission of Christ but the Jews act But this will not lessen the Argument if we compare the Jews act with our disobedience that was against his Humane Life this is against his Office Now as Christ preferred his Office above his humane and natural Life so those that neglect his Office or contradict his Office are more offensive to him than those who did wrong to his natural Life Therefore those that profess Christianity and yet live in their sins do more wrong to him than Judas or Annas and Caiaphas or any that had an hand in his Death meerly as such They did wrong to Christ indeed as Cain did to Abel when he took away the life of his innocent Brother and these personal wrongs are more unpleasing to his holy Will as the Son of God than unto the affections of his humane Nature as the Son of David as sins against God more than as injuries against a man But for us who pretend to adore and worship him our crime is the more horrid because we build those things again which he came to destroy and so evacuate the fruit of his Sufferings and make his Office of no effect and thereby take part with the Devil the World and the Flesh against him 2. As it is a great incouragement as Christs Death was the Merit and Price by which Grace sufficient was purchased to mortifie and subdue our Old man The work of Mortification is carried on in the hearts of Gods people by the Spirit and the Spirit is also purchased by the Death of Christ Tit. 3.5 6. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing 〈◊〉 regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Gal. 3.14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith The Spirit worketh as Christs Spirit that he might be glorified by the full extent of his Merit and in the use of means we may comfortably expect the virtue of Christ crucified We are not obliged only but inabled and are convinced of faulty laziness and despondency if we do not resist sin it is a sign we affect our slavery It is not want of power but of will Vse 1. It informeth us that Christianity is the only true Doctrine that teacheth us the right way of mortifying sin Haman refeained himself Hest. 5.10 Moral instructions cannot reach the root of this woful disease So dark are our minds so bad our hearts so strong our lusts so many are our temptations but the Doctrine Example Merit and Spirit of the Lord Jesus will do the work Vse 2. Direction Let us often and seriously consider the Death of Christ and the great condescension of the Son of God who came and suffered in our Nature an accursed Death to finish transgression and make an end of sin As the Leper was cleansed by the blood of the slain Sparrow dropped into running water Lev. 14.5 6. This signifies the cleansing of us sinners by Christ who as the Bird that was killed was put to death in the flesh but as the living Bird was quickened by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 And 2 Cor. 13.4 He was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God The dropping the blood of the slain Sparrow into running water representeth Christ who came by water and by blood 1 Joh. 5.6 Blood noteth Christs Satisfaction running Water the Spirit Joh. 4.24 The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Joh. 7.38 He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water The living Bird was to be dipped in the blood and water and then to be let go in the open field up to Heaven Levit. 14.8 The scaping of the Bird noteth the Resurrection of Christ his flying in the open field with bloody wings in the face of Heaven his Intercession or Representation of his Merit to God and herein is all our confidence Vse 3. Caution Let us not serve sin 1. See you be dispossessed of every evil Habit and Frame Many profess obedience to God but still retain the yoke of sin as Israel delivered out of the house of Bondage returned in their hearts wishing themselves there again Acts 7.39 The league between them and their lusts is not fully dissolved so that though they forsake many sins yet not all their sins they keep some beloved sin Psal. 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity Herod would not part with his Herodias so they return like the dog to his vomit 2. See you resist actual Temptations God calleth to
of a Reverend Man will hold us in some order if Gehazi had known that the Spirit of Elisha went with him would he have run after Naaman for a reward 2 Kings 5.26 his prophetick Spirit went with him We can no more be removed from the presence of God than from our own Being he is the continual Witness and Judge of our Conversations he seeth us in secret as well as in publick Now when the Soul is habituated to this thought how awful and watchful shall we be Psal. 119.168 I kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my ways are before thee The sense of his Presence is the great ground of watchfulness God is not so shut up within the Curtain of the Heavens but that he doth see and hear all that we do or say yea he knoweth our thoughts afar off Thirdly Love to God maketh us tender of offending him for it is a Grace that studieth to please the Soul is jealous of any thing which looks like an offence to those whom we love Others are not troubled though they sin freely in Thought foully in Word frequently in their daily Practice because an offence to God seemeth as nothing they have no love to God Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil it is a loathsom thing to them to a gracious heart it is argument enough against sin That it is the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 and he inferreth it out of Love to God ver 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us c. They have such a deep apprehension of Gods Love to them in Christ that it breedeth an awe upon them or a fear to offend Ezra 9.13 14. After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve and hast given us such deliverance as this Shall we again break thy commandments Joshua 24.31 Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the Elders that outlived Joshua and which had known all the works of the Lord which he had done for Israel What! offend God who is so blessed a Being who created us out of nothing of whose Mercy we have tasted every moment who preserveth and delivereth us continually from whose Goodness we expect all our Blessedness Is our deliverance by Christ of less value than all our temporal deliverances Will not Love draw the same Inferences and Conclusions from it Caution doth not arise out of a fear of anger but a lothness to offend 2. The Time when this Duty is to be practised always it is never out of season Conscience must still sit Porter at the door and examine what goes in and out If men neglect their watch but for a little while how soon doth sin get an advantage against them Lot that was chast in Sodom miscarried in the Mountains where there was none but his own Family David whose heart was so tender that it smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment falleth into so deep a sleep afterwards that his Conscience was silent when he had defiled it with Blood and Lust. The tears and sorrows of many years may perhaps not repair the mischief which one hour may bring unto you You have need to watch after the sense of your Duty hath been revived upon you Satan loveth to snatch the prey from under Christs own arm He entred into Judas after the sop Joh. 13.27 After solemn Duties how soon do people miscarry Assoon as the Law was given with terrible Thundrings the people do presently miscarry by worshipping the golden Calf Exod. 32. And the Priests in the very day of their Consecration in the beginning and first day of their Ministration offered strange fire to the Lord Lev. 10. After some escape from sin we need to watch that we be not intangled therein again 2 Pet. 2.20 If after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning As under the Law a Sore rising as a boil when it was healed might afterward break out again and turn to a Leprosie Lev. 13.18 19 20. So sins after we seem to be healed of them may return and make us worse than before As Christ saith to the man cured Joh. 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee In Prosperity we need to watch it is hard to carry a full Cup without spilling and to live at ease and yet to keep up a due and lively sense of our Duty And in our Adversity when the course of Temptation is altered we are strangely surprized every Condition bringeth its own snares with it Ephraim is a cake not turned Hos. 7.8 Those who are most advanced in a state of Grace they need still to watch Mark 13.37 What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. We are never past this care this is the great difference between Christian and Christian one is more watchful than another 3. Against what we must watch 1. Generally against the three grand Enemies of our Salvation the Devil the World and the Flesh. First Against Satan for he hath laid his Ambushes and Enterprises against us continually and by his spiritual Nature hath advantages of being near us when we are little aware of him 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant for your adversary the Devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Satan is ever watching therefore you should watch you give him the greatest advantage by your folly and negligence now the Apostle saith he would not give him any advantage 2 Cor. 2.11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices He is unwearied in his motions lays his designs deep takes all advantages and occasions to destroy us If the Devil were either dead or asleep or had lost his malice and power then we need not stand so much upon our guard Secondly Against the World for we are bidden to deny worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 not only ungodliness must be watched and prevented but our inclination to worldly things See how these two are matched for when we fall off from God we take to the Creature Jer. 2.13 My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that will hold no water And Christ died to deliver us from this present evil world Gal. 1.4 Here lye all the baits and snares and dangers pass but safe through these flats and quicksands and we shall soon arrive to the Haven of eternal Glory The great virtue and proper effect of the Cross of Christ is seen in crucifying us to the World Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
the other side the greater God is and the more glorious the greater obligation lyeth upon us to love him and serve him so that the good that we do for his sake being the more due God is not bound by any right of Justice from the merit of the action it self to reward it for here the greatness of the Object lesseneth the merit and value of the Action for whatever the Creature is it oweth it self wholly to God who gave us our Being and still preserveth it so that we cannot lay any obligation upon him Luke 17.10 When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say We are uprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Punishment is naturally due to evil doers but God is not by natural Justice bound to reward us but only inclined to do so by his own goodness and bound to do so by his free Promise and Covenant Aristotle telleth us Children cannot merit of their Parents all the kindness and duty they perform to them is but a just recompence to them from whom they have received their Being and Education much less can we merit ought of God it is his meer grace and supereminent goodness that appointed such a reward to us that grace which first accepted us with all our faults doth still crown us and bestow glory and honour upon us Vse 1. See how God doth beset us on every side to fense and bound us within our duty there is a threatning of eternal Death to â—â—vite us to go on in our way the promise of eternal Life and Glory Surely both Motives should be effectual our whole life is a flight from wrath to come and a running for refuge to take hold of the blessed hope set before us in our pursuit after eternal Life Prov. 15.24 The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath We are still running further from Hell and approaching nearer to Heaven the more we hate and avoid sin the further we go from the pit of everlasting Destruction and the more we give our selves to Holiness the nearer Heaven every day our Right is more secured and our hearts more prepared More particularly we have by this conjoyned motive a great help against Temptations The World tempteth us either by the Delights of Sense or by the Terrors of Sense therefore God propoundeth this double Motive the Terrors of everlasting Death and the Joys of everlasting Life that we may counterbalance Terrors with Terrors and Delights with Delights as Luke 12.4 5 Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you Fear him On the other side Jam. 5.5 Ye have lived in pleasure upon earth and been wanton ye have nourished your selves as in a day of slaughter Luke 16.25 Son remember that in this life thou receivest thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented they are excluded from the pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore Or else quite cross as the World tempts us by the hopes of some sensual contentment so we may resist the Temptation by the belief of everlasting Death Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Surely this should make us abstain from all sinful pleasures how much soever we are addicted to them So as the World tempteth us with the fears of some temporal vexation the believing of everlasting Life should help us to bear the evils of our pilgrimage or sufferance for well-doing 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction that is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Thus are we environed on the right hand and on the left Vse 2. From this Conjunction let us learn that God is both a righteous Judge and a gracious Father 1 Pet. 1.17 If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work He hath his gifts for the godly and punishments for the wicked All our claim is Grace the punishment of the wicked is due debt the Sentence of Gods Law hath made it their due but yet our reward is not the less sure though it be more free 2. Let us consider these two Branches apart First The Wages of Sin is Death I. What is meant by Death II. How it is said to be the Wages of Sin 1. What is meant by Death There is a twofold Death First and Second Temporal and Eternal 1. Temporal Death that is also the fruit of Sin Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all men have sinned Death is an Evil for Nature abhorreth it as appeareth by our unwillingness to dye Now if it be evil it must be either the Evil of Sin or of Punishment God threatened it as a punishment in case of disobedience Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die It is an Enemy The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 Would God give Mankind into the hand of an Enemy if he had not sinned against him Now this Evil remaineth partly that there might by some visible punishment and bitter effect of sin in this World unknown Torments are despised and many slight Hell as a vain Scarecrow therefore God hath appointed temporal death to put us in mind of the evil of sin partly for a passage into our everlasting condition that the righteous may enter into Glory and the wicked go to their own place It would make Religion too sensible if the righteous should have all their blessedness and the wicked all their punishment here therefore there must be a passage out into the other World 2. Eternal Death in opposition to everlasting Life which is the fruit of Holiness The opposite Clause sheweth what a kind of death it is This is called the second Death Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power and ver 14. Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death It is called Death because death in all Creatures that have sense is accompanied with pain Trees and other Vegetables dye without pain but so doth not Man and Beast and death to man is more bitter because he is more sensible of the sweetness of life than the beasts are and hath some forethought of what may follow after Again it is called Death because it is a misery from which there is no release as from the first death there is no recovery nor returning into the present life This second Death may be considered as to the Loss and Pain First As to the Loss it is an eternal separation from
the presence of God and so an exclusion from all Bliss and Glory 2 Thess. 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power So Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Secondly The Pain is set forth by two Notions Mark 9.44 The worm that never dyeth and the fire that shall never be quenched by which is meant the sting of Conscience and the wrath of God both which constitute the second Death and make the Sinner for ever miserable 1. The sting of Conscience or the fretting remembrance of their past folly and madness in following the pleasures of sin and neglecting the promises of Grace What a vexing reflection will this be to the Damned to all Eternity And besides this 2. There are pains inflicted upon them by the wrath of God and the Body and Soul are delivered over to eternal Torments Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels There is no Member of the Body or Faculty of the Soul but feeleth the misery of the second Death for as no part is free from sin so none from punishment in the second Death the pain lyeth not in one place head or heart but all over and though in the first Death the more it prevaileth the more we are past feeling yet in this death there is a greater vivacity than ever the capacity of every sense is enlarged and made more receptive of pain While we are in the Body vehemens sensibile corrumpit sensum the sense is deadned the more vehemently and violently the object striketh upon it as the Inhabitants about the fall of Nilus are deaf with the continual noise too much light puts out the eyes and the taste is dulled by custom but here the capacity is not destroyed by feeling but improved As the Saints are fortified by their Blessedness and happily injoy those things the least glimpse of which would overwhelm them in the World so the wicked are inabled by that power that torments them to endure more and all this is eternal without hope of release or recovery II. This Death is Wages a Debt that will surely be paid for it is appointed by the Sentence of Gods righteous Law Now here we must consider 1. The Righteousness of it 2. The Certainty 1. The Justice and Righteousness of it for many make a question about it upon this ground because between the work and the wages there must be some proportion now how can an Act done in a short time be punished with eternal Death or everlasting Torments I answer 1. We must consider the Object against whom sin is committed it is an offence done against an infinite Majesty Now sinning wilfully against the infinite Majesty of Heaven deserveth more than any thing done against a man can do 1 Sam. 2.25 If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him Sins against men are not so great as sins against God and the reconciliation and satisfaction is more easie 2. Consider the Nature of Impenitency in Sin 1. Their great unthankfulness for Redemption by Christ they forsook their own mercies and Gods healing grace to the last Joh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation And then when they are in Termino there is no further Tryal their time and day of Grace is past 2. God offered them eternal Life and then their foolish choice is justly punished with eternal Death Every sin includeth a despising of eternal Life for rather than men will leave their brutish and sordid pleasures that they may live an holy life they will run this hazard the loss of that eternal Life which God offereth and the incurring these eternal pains which he threatneth This immortal happiness far exceedeth all those base pleasures for which they lose their Souls Well then man wilfully exchanging his everlasting Inheritance for momentany and transient pleasures becometh the Author of his own wo whilst he preferreth such low things before Gods eternal joyful presence 2. The Certainty This Debt will be paid if we consider 1. The Holiness of Gods Nature which inclineth him to hate sin and sinners Psal. 5.4 5. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all the workers of iniquity They that take pleasure in sin God cannot take pleasure in them and if they will not part with sin God and they must part and therefore if they will do sins work all that sin bringeth to them by way of stipend is everlasting separation from the presence of God that is implacably adverse to all that is evil and though he hath prepared a place where the holy may dwell with him yet he cannot endure the wicked should be so near him 2. His Justice moveth him to punish it As Holiness belongeth to his Nature so his Justice to his Office his Holiness is the fundamental Reason of punishing the wicked his Justice is the next Cause His Holiness is indeed the fundamental Cause as appeareth by the fears of Sinners 1 Sam. 6.20 And the men of Bethshemesh said Who is able to stand before this holy God And by the security of Sinners Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but the nearest Cause is his Justice as Rector of the World declared both in his Laws and Providence Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death c. Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right 3. His unalterable Truth which is firmer than Heaven and Earth if he threaten will not he accomplish The truth of his Threatnings is as unchangeable as the truth of his Promises for in both God is one 1 Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not as man that he should repent it is spoken in the case of deposing Saul for his disobedience to God The doubt is this Gods Threatnings do not always foretel the Event they shew the merit but not the event I answer The object is changed but God remaineth for ever the same if from impenitent we become penitent we are not liable to his Threatnings but objects of his Grace and capable of the benefit of his Promises a man walking in a room upward and downward hath sometimes the wall on his right hand sometimes on his left the wall is in the same place but he changeth posture 4. His irresistible Power God is able to inflict these punishments upon them Deut. 32.39 There is none that can deliver out
The same is true of words also they declare the Life and Vigor of our spirits for there is a quick intercourse betwen the Tongue and the Heart 1 John 4.5 They are of the world and speak of the world and the world heareth them mens speeches are as their temper is Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth When the heart is stored with knowledg and biassed by spiritual affections they will inrich others with their holy savoury profitable discourse but a drowsie unsanctified heart in man bewrayeth it self by his speeches and communications with others 3. By actions or what we seek after If all our business be to gratifie the flesh Luk. 12.21 or sowing to the flesh Gal. 5.8 it argues a fleshly mind On the other side they that have a spiritual mind make it their business to grow in grace Phil. 3.13 This one thing I do forgetting the things that are behind I press forward towards the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus They labour for spiritual and heavenly things John 17.27 Seek the things that are above Col. 3.1 They mind the things of the spirit 2. Comparitively so the mark must be interpreted The simple Consideration is not so convictive as the comparative 1. Partly because all minding the flesh is not sinful but an over-minding the Flesh the body hath its necessities and they must be cared for yea take the flesh for sensitive Appetite to please it with lawful satisfactions is no sin for it is a Faculty put into us by God and in due subordination to Religion may be pleased to please it by things forbidden is certainly a sin and to prefer it before the pleasing of God is a great sin indeed for it is a Character of them who are in a state of damnation that they are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 Therefore tho we must observe our Thoughts Words and Actions Yet it must be thus interpreted not to condemn every act but that we may know in what proportion the vigor of mind is manifested and carried out to either of these Objects by Thoughts Words or Actions If our thoughts of the world shut out all thoughts of God Psal. 12.4 God is not in all their thoughts If our thinking of spiritual things be too rare unfrequent and unpleasing to us we are after the flesh so for words if we are heartless in our talk of heavenly things and we are in our element when speaking of carnal things and when a serious word is interposed for God we frown upon the motion so for actions compare mens care for the world with their care for their souls if they more earnestly and industriously seek to please the flesh than to save their souls it is a sign the flesh and its interests are predominant in them all things are done superficially and by the by in Religion not as becomes those that work from and for life with any diligence and Fervency There is no proportion between endeavours for the world and their preparations for eternal life all is earnest on one side but either nothing is done or in a very slight manner on the other side their thoughts and love and life and strength are wholly occupied and taken up about the things of the flesh 2. Partly Because we must distinguish between the sin of flesh-pleasing and the state of flesh pleasing for a man is to judg of his spiritual condition not by single acts but his state or the habitual frame of his heart Who is there among Gods own Children who doth not mind the flesh and too much indulge the flesh but they who make it their business to please the flesh are over careful about it Rom. 13.14 Who make provision for the Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof And so indulge the minding of the flesh as not to mind the things of the spirit so that vain pleasures do exceed their delight in God and kill it yet more and more and bring a slavery upon themselves which they cannot help Tit. 3.3 Serving divers lusts and pleasures and being captivated by the fleshly part they have contracted a strangeness and enmity to God and his ways Rom. 8.7 They that have no relish for the joys of faith and the pleasures of Holiness and do habitually prefer the natural good of the body before the moral spiritual and eternal good both of body and soul these are in a state of carnality II. The Observations 1. This minding of the flesh must be interpreted not with respect to our former estate for alas all of us in times past pleased the flesh and walked according to the course of this world and had in time past our conversation in the lusts of the Flesh fulfilling the will of the Flesh and of the mind Eph. 2.3 It was God that loosed our shackles Tit. 3.3 We our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. but after the kindness and love of God appeared towards mankind c. If we yet please the flesh we are not the servants of Christ but if we break off this servitude God will not judg us according to what we have been but what we are 2. To know what we are We must consider what Principle liveth in us and groweth and increaseth and on the other side what decreaseth the interest of the Flesh or the interest of the spirit for these two are contrary and the one destroyeth the other the love of the world and the flesh estrangeth us from God 1 John 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him On the other side minding the things of the spirit deadneth our Affections to the world and the baits of the flesh The Conversation in Heaven is opposed to the minding of earthly things Phil. 3.19 20. Whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things but our conversation is in Heaven So much of affection as we give to the one we take from the other Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things above and not on things of the earth Now we are to consider if we grow more brutish forgetful of God unapt for spiritual things the flesh gaineth But if the spiritual inclination doth more and more discover it self with life and power in our Thoughts Words and Actions the flesh is in the wane and we shall be reckoned among those that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit we have every day a higher estimation of God and Christ and Grace and Heaven and thereby we grow more dead to other things 3. Some things more immediately tend to the pleasing of the flesh others more remotely Immediately as bodily Pleasures and therefore our inclinations to them are called fleshly lusts as distinguished from worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 or
the same in all hearts Have not we as much need to keep humble and watchful and make use of Christs mercy and power as he had Is sin grown more tame and quiet Or are we more fool-hardy and secure Surely we need to mortifie corruption as much as others and whatever degree of grace we have attained unto this must be our daylie task and exercise if sin be stirring we must be stirring against it and when the enemy is active and warring against the Soul it is a folly for us to hold our hands especially since corruption is ever ready to renew the assault there to return after it hath been foiled and by several ways and kinds vendeth its self when one branch of it is cut off and one way of it stopped up it breaketh out in another one sin hath several ways of manifesting its self Worldliness take it off from greedy getting it sheweth its self in sparing or withholding more than is meet the folly of that sin is seen in its delight and carnal complacency Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many years He had enough now takes his fill of pleasure so pride if kept from vain conceit of our selves bewrays its self by detracting from others so envy or vain ostentation as some venomous humour in the body heal up one soar and it breaketh out in another place there is all malice all guile c. All sorts of it 3. The pestilent and mischievous influence of sin if it be let alone Sins prove mortal if they be not mortifyed Either sin must die or the sinner There is an evil in sin and the evil after sin the evil in sin is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the violation of Gods righteous law the evil after sin is the just punishment of it eternal death and damnation Now those that are not sensible of the evil in sin shall feel the evil that cometh after sin all Gods dispensations towards his people are to save the person and destroy the sin 1 Cor. 11.32 But when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world God took vengeance on the sin to spare the sinner but the unmortified spareth the sin and his life goeth for it the sin liveth and he dyeth as the Apostle Paul speaketh of himself when the power of the word came first upon him Rom. 7.9 Sin revived and I dyed Sin exasperated and he felt nothing but sin and Condemnation Oh! Consider with your selves 't is better sin should be condemned than that you should be condemned sin should die than that you should die his life shall go for its life in the Prophets Parable 1 Kings 20.39 Ay But what is this to the justifyed person there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ I Answer You must take in all because they are supposed to live not after the flesh but after the spirit but if it can be suppos'd that ye can live after the flesh then ye die as in the Text that is ye justified persons Poena potest dupliciter timeri ut est in constitutione Dei vel ut malum nostrum as Bernard Eternal death may be considered as an evil which God hath appointed to be the fruit of sin or as an evil that will certainly befal us a justified person one that is not so putatively only but really so not in his own conceit only but in deed and in truth may fear it in the first sense there is such a Connection between continuance in sin and eternal destruction that he ought to reflect upon it so as to represent to his Soul the danger of yeilding tamely to his sins and to fear it so as to eschew it For this is nothing but to make an Holy use of threatnings and to see the merit of our doings but as to the event so not to allow perplexing doubts but to quicken us to break off our sins and to look up to God in Christ for pardon Now to direct you 1. Strike at the root of all sin they that are Christs have crucifyed the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5.24 The Prophet to cure the brackishness of the waters did cast salt into the Spring 2 Kings 2.21 We must begin with the heart and then go on unto the life if the root of bitterness be not deadned it will easily sprout forth and trouble us as inbred corruption is weakned so actual sins flowing thence are weakned also The root of corruption is carnal self-love for it is at the bottom of other sins because men love themselves and their flesh as themselves more than God Now this is weakned by the prevalency of the opposite principle the love of God and the more we strengthen the love of God the more is original sin weakned and we get again into a good constitution and state of soul. Carnal men are self-lovers and self-pleasers but spiritual men love God and please God and seek to honour God love is the great principle that draweth us off from self to God such as mans love nature and inclination is such will the drift of his life be now men will not be frightned from self-love it must be another more powerful love which draweth them from it as one nail driveth out another Now what can be more powerful than the love of God which is as strong as death and will never be quenched nor bribed Cant. 8.7 This overcometh our self-love and then time strength care and all is devoted to God yea life its self Rev. 12.11 They loved not their lives to the death Self-love is deeply rooted in us especially love of life so that it must be something very strong and powerful which must overcome it for what is nearer and dearer to us than our selves now the great means to overcome it is Christs love when the soul is possessed with this that nothing deserveth its love so much as Christ the natural inclination is altered This is done by sound belief and deep Consideration as the means 1 John 4.19 We love him because he loved us first 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judg that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again By the Spirit as the Author of Grace Rom. 5.5 Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us Then the soul knoweth no happiness but to enjoy his love and favour and so it prevaileth over their natural inclination they live not to themselves but to God not according to the wills of the flesh but the Will of God 2. Consider the several ways how this root sprouteth forth Two are mentioned by the Apostle in the fore-cited place Gal. 5.24 With the affections and lusts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death SERMON XXVI ROM VIII 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us IN this Chapter the Apostle speaketh first of bridling lusts and then of bearing afflictions both are tedious to flesh and blood the necessity of taming the flesh is deduced throughout that whole discourse which is continued from v. 1. to the end of v. 17 where he maketh patient enduring afflictions a condition of our glory if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together He now sheweth us a reason why we should not dislike this condition because the good which is promised is far greater than the evil which we fear two things Nature teacheth all men the first is to submit to a lesser evil to avoid a greater as men will cut off an Arm or a Leg to save the whole body the other is to undergo a lesser evil to obtain a greater good than that evil depriveth us of If this principle were not allowed it would destroy all the industry in the world for good is not to be obtained unless we venture somewhat to get it upon this principle the Apostle worketh in this place For I reckon c. In the Words take notice of 1. The things compared The sufferings of the present life and the glory to be revealed in us 2. The inequality that is in them They are not worthy 3. The Conclusion or Judgment of the Apostle upon the case I reckon 1. The things compared On the one side the sufferings of the present time 1. Mark that sufferings plurally to comprize all of the kind Reproaches Strifes Fines spolling of goods Imprisonment Banishment Death Again of the present time To distinguish them from the torments of Hell which maketh up a part of the Argument for if to avoid temporal evils we forsake Christ we shall endure eternal torments but the Apostle speaketh of temporal evils 2. On the other side The glory that shall be revealed in us Every Word is Emphatical 1. Our reward is called glory in our calamity we are depressed and put to shame but whatever honour we lose in this mortal life shall be abundantly supplied and recompenced to us in Heaven If any man serve me him shall my father honour John 12.26 An afflicted persecuted people are usually misrepresented and scandalized in the world but there is a life and state of glory prepared for them in Heaven men cannot put so much disgrace upon them as God will put marks of honour and favour 2. It shall be revealed This glory doth not appear for the present 't is not seen 't is not conspicuous to the eyes of men therefore some believe it not others regard it not It doth not yet appear what we shall be the world knoweth us not as it knew him not 1 Job 3.1 2. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not behold now we are the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him and see him as he is But it shall be seen because of Gods Decree and promise for the glory is prepared tho it be not revealed 3. In us or upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we shall be raised immortal incorruptible and we shall be so highly favoured and honoured by Christ as we shall be at the Day of Judgment then this glory is revealed upon us that is we shall be possessors of if we have the right now but then the possession 2. The inequality between them They are not worthy to be compared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not worthy to future glory not worthy to be set one against the other as bearing no proportion 3. The Conclusion or Judgment of the Apostle in this case the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical and implieth that he had weighed these things in his mind after the case was well traversed he did conclude and determine upon the whole debate rationibus bene subductis colligo statuo The Apostle speaketh like a man that had cast up his accounts well weighed the mattrr he speaketh of and then concludeth resolveth and determineth that the sufferings which are to be undergone for Christ are nothing considering the glory and blessedness which shall ensue Doct. That every good Christian or considerate believer should determine that the happiness of his glorified estate doth infinitely outweigh and exceed the misery of his present afflictions I shall open the Point by these Considerations 1. That counterballancing temporal things with eternal is the way to clear our mistakes or prevent the delusions of the flesh The Apostle observeth this method here and elsewhere 2 Cor. 4.17 This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory And 't is necessary for all our mistakes come by reckoning by time and not by eternity but looking to eternity sets us right again 2 Cor. 4.18 Looking not to the things which are temporal but to the things which are eternal The flesh is importunate to be pleased with present satisfactions it must have something seen and at hand and this tainteth our minds so that present things bear a big bulk in our eye but things to come are as a vain fancy therefore nothig will scatter this mist and cloud upon our understandings but a due sight of eternal things how real they are and how much they exceed for greatness and duration then we shall find that time to eternity is but as a drop lost or spilt in the Ocean as a point to the circumference and that the honours and dignities of the world which dazzle mens eyes are vain and slippery that riches which captivate their hearts are uncertain and perishing that pleasures which inchant their minds are sordid and base and pass away as the wind that nothing is great but what is eternal if wicked men did but consider the shortness of their pleasures and the length of their sorrows they would not be so besotted as they are and if holy men did but consider the shortness of their afflictions and the length of their joy and glory it would animate and encourage them to carry it more patiently and cheerfully in all their tribulations 2. This may be done four ways 1. Comparing temporal good things with eternal good things that we may wean and draw off our hearts from the one to the other and so check the delights of senfe As wealth with heavenly riches Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods as knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and a more enduring substance Eternal bliss in Heaven is the most valuable and durable kind of wealth all other treasure cometh more infinitely short of it than Wampompeage or the shells which the Indians use for money
and them In this Life the Body hath an absolute necessity of them but in the next Life the meat its self as well as the eating or desiring of meat shall be taken away Partly because if these should be restored there must be a Resurrection of them which is only promised to men And the Apostles when they speak restrain it to mankind who have reasonable Souls living to God while their Bodies are not â—otting in the Grave but the Soul of the Beasts goeth downward Eccl. 3.21 that is perish with their bodies which are buried in the ground 4. All artificial works done by the hand of man as Cities Castles Houses Gardens They shall all be burnt up and be extant no more for tho these things are useful during the earthly Life yet then they are all consumed as being defiled by the inhabitants thereof 2 Pet. 3.10 The earth also and the works which are therein shall be burnt up That is which men have made and built thereupon which should turn our hearts from our affecting those things or fixing upon the Creature which is passing away whilest we neglect God who is the same that passeth not 2. That which shall be restored is the Fabrick of Heaven and Earth not the highest Heavens they need no purifying fire no unclean things entring there But the lower Heavens and this Earth the State of things after the Dissolution is called a World to come often Now World in the sacred Dialect comprehendeth the visible Heavens and Earth Meaning by Heavens the airy and starry Heaven and by Earth dry Land and Waters Well then Heaven and Earth Sun Moon and Stars which had a being in the Creation and undergo the purging fire at the dissolution shall be restored as Gold that hath been melted and refined in the fire If you ask for what use We must refer that to the event the Scripture in the general 2 Pet. 3.13 We expect according to his promise new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Wherein righteous men shall have a firm place and always dwell therein and exercise righteousness Whereas this earth is full of wicked and unrighteous men which then shall be all in Hell But the difficulty is about the use of this lower World 1. What if God restore it as a monument of his Wisdom Goodness and Power An object wherein by the great beauty of the creature the just shall see God by reflection 2. What if for the exercise of our delight and gratitude To delight the eyes and minds of the Saints the creatures having a glory and brightness put upon them somewhat proportionable to their own glorious estate God will make a proportion between the Heir and the Inheritance the Lord and the Servants the Habitation and the Inhabitant as the Church is altered so must her dwelling there shall he nothing in nature displeasing to the Eyes of Gods Children but all delightful to all eternity 3. What if to be a Trophy of the final Abolition of Death the last enemy that shall be destroyed The World is now a Monument of Sin and then of our Redemption that all the fruit of Sin is done away both in us and the World 4. What if to compleat the first grant of Dominion to man over the creatures This grant must sometime or other take place Psal. 8.6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the work of thine hands thou hast put all things under his feet 'T is not done here therefore in the World to come as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come Which World to come concerneth the state of the Church under Christ and the state of Glory after the Resurrection now we have the right then the possession An eternal Kingdom over all creatures for 't is said of the Saints that they shall have Dominion in the morning and that they shall reign with Christ for ever and ever Rev. 22.5 and of the new Heavens and the new Earth Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things which beareth some sense VSE It sheweth us three things 1. The certainty of our Hopes There is hope that the creature at length shall be delivered into a state agreeing with the future Glory of Gods Children Therefore much more is their deliverance to be hoped for by the Children of God themselves For if these dumb insensible things be made partakers of a better estate than they have now Will not God take care for the recompence of his people 2. The excellency of our Hopes It appeareth hence what excellency of Glory is reserved for the Children of God since all the World shall be refined and restored for their sakes and seeing the Glory of that state requireth the creature should be changed before it can suit with it 3. It sheweth us the manner of entring into our hopes As the creature must be freed from the state of Corruption before it can partake with Gods Children in any degree of their glorious Liberty so must we be changed before we are capable of it How changed First By Grace Secondly By Death 1. We must be changed by Grace and freed from the Corruption of sin Eph. 5.5 For this we know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God Common knowledg will easily shew us that those that impenitently persist in gross sins are uncapable of any right unto and never shall come to the Possession of that blessed estate of eternal Glory We have a larger Catalogue Gal. 5.20 21. And the Apostle concludeth that they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God There is no mixture of godly and ungodly in the Kingdom of Heaven Nay we may go further not only exclude them who live in gross sin but every unregenerate Person Joh. 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God and in the 5 th vers 't is explained he cannot enter into it Every man in his natural estate be he to appearance better or worse is unmeet for Glory And there must be a change wrought in him he must be delivered from the Bondage of sinful Corruption or he cannot injoy the glorious liberty of the Children of God not only an Epicure or Drunkard or Whoremonger is excluded but a painted Pharisee as long as his heart is corrupt and unrenewed hath no right and never shall have possession he must be changed from a state of Corruption to a state of holiness and the Image of God in which he was created must be restored in him 2. Changed by Death The Saints being mortal must be changed before they can inherit eternal Life All that we derived from old Adam must be laid and left in the Grave 1 Cor. 15.50 Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption These earthly frail bodies
upon If we would enter into his peace we must take his yoke upon us and share with him in all conditions Secondly yea rather that is risen again When the Apostle saith yea rather there is some special thing in Christs Resurrection comparatively above his death which hath an influence upon our justification What is it What is the reason of this connection Was not Christs dying every way enough to free us from sin and from condemnation by sin Answer Yes but yet the visible evidence was by his Resurrection the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not risen then are you yet in your sins And again Rom. 4.25 He dyed for our offences and rose again for our justification Christs death would not have profited us if he had been swallowed up by it or still detained under the power of it More particularly 1. 'T is a proof of the truth of his person and office that he is the Son of God and the Saviour and Judge of the world and therefore usually by this argument the Apostles asserted the truth of the Gospel for they were witnesses of his Resurrection and 't is said 1 Pet. 1.21 God raised him from the dead that our faith and hope may be in God We would not have believed this foundation laid for the great blessings of the Gospel had we not so clear a proof That he is the Son of God is proved Rom. 1.4 Mightily declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the dead So Acts 13.33 God hath raised up Jesus from the dead for it is written Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee He was the Son of God from all eternity but then visibly declared to be so God did as it were by that one act own pronounce and publickly declare in the audience of all the world that Christ was his only begotten Son one in substance with him eternally And as the truth of his person so of his Office that he was the true Messiah that was to restore the lapsed estate of Mankind Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins This was the only sign he would give the Jews the sign of the Prophet Jonah Matth. 12.38 39 40. Master we would see a sign from thee But he answered and said unto them An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the Prophet Jonas for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth So elsewhere he speaketh of destroying the temple of his body and raising it up after three days John 2.19 So for his being the Judge of the world Acts 17.31 Whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that he raised him from the dead Namely that he is Lord and Judge so that by his Resurrection all the clouds about his person vanish The world have satisfaction enough if they will take it There lyeth this argument in the case If Christ had been an Impostor or false Prophet neither could he have raised up himself being a meer man nor would God have raised him up if he had been a meer deceiver nor could the Devil have raised him to life no more than make a man out of dead matter nor can we reply that Lazarus was raised up from the dead and so others and yet not the Sons of God nor Saviours and Judges of the world I Answer Christ dyed not a natural death but in the repute of man as a Malefactor by the hand of the Magistrate Lazarus and others did not give out themselves as the Saviours of the world as Christ did so the truth of his claim was manifested and made evident by the Resurrection God would not leave him in the power of death but raised him up and assumed him into glory Therefore it appeared the judgment passed on him was not right and that he was indeed what he gave out himself to be 2. It is a token of the acceptation of his purchase or a solemn acquittance a full discharge of Christ as our Mediator and Surety He dyed to pay our debts now the payment is fully made when the Surety is let out of prison Isa. 53.8 He was taken from prison and from judgment His Resurrection sheweth God hath received the death of Christ as a sufficient ransom for our sins The continuance of the payment shewed the imperfection of it 't is a kind of release Christ did not break prison but was brought forth Heb. 13.20 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus As the Apostles would not come out of prison till fetched out Acts 16.38 39. so here 3. He is in a capacity to convey life to others which if he had remained in a state of death he could not do John 14.19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me beeause I live ye shall live also The life of believers is derived from the life of Christ without which it cannot subsist If he had been holden of death he had never been a fountain of grace or glory to us we have the merit of his humiliation and the power of his exaltation The Scripture putteth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the latter Rom. 5.10 Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life meaning thereby his life in glory His death was for the Expiation of sin but the effectual application of it dependeth on his life so that the faith of sinners may comfortably rest on Christ as one raised and glorified 4. His Resurrection was his victory over death which is the wages of sin if Christ be risen from the dead then is sin conquered for the sting of death is sin Therefore his Resurrection declareth plainly that sin is done away and so 't is a pattern and pledge to assure us of the forgiveness of sins Thirdly his Exaltation at the right hand of God Who is even at the right hand of God This confirmeth all the other ends 1. The truth of Christs Dignity and Office John 16.10 Of righteousness because I go to my Father 2. The validity of Christs satisfaction for our Surety is not only got out of prison but preferred not only discharged but honoured and rewarded and appeareth in the presence of God Christ did in effect say to God as Judah the Patriarch did to Jacob concerning Benjamin Gen. 43.9 I will be surety for him thou shalt require him of me if I bring him not to thee and set him before thee let me never see thy face more but bear the blame for ever So Christ undertaketh to be responsible for these poor creâ—tures What they owe put upon my score as Paul said to Onesimus 3. That he is in a full capacity to
afflictions of the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.8 9. Death its self may then be born for 't is but the Key to open the prison-door and let out that soul that hath long desired to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Gratias agimus vobis quod a molestis Dominis liberamur You do them a favour to send them home to their dear Lord. 2. 'T is accompanied with hope they expect within a little while to have their desires accomplished and will a soul that is at Heavens Gates lose all that he hath waited for because the entrance is troublesome When men have crouded to any Mask or Show and have waited long they will not lose their waiting tho they venture many a knock or broken pate to get in so when salvation is very near will a Christian give over his waiting seeking and striving for it Matth. 11.12 Even from the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven suffered violence and the violent take it by fâ—rce 3. Delight We have gotten in part a tast and earnest of our fruition and enjoyment of God and Christ hereafter and it is very pleasing to the soul so that the tempter must needs have a hard task to draw off the soul from him in whom he delighteth Worldly men will not let go their vanities nor sinful wretches their foulest sins because they delight in them Many who never knew what it is to love Christ and delight in his salvation do noâ— so earnestly long for and fixedly hope for the promised blessedness Now these may be easily taken off but the other will venture upon the greatest difficulties Oh. But may not a sound believer be foiled as to his inward man by these afflictive temptations Ans. Yes The experience of the Saints sheweth it too often But 1. 'T is not totally and finally their heel is bruised not only as the outward man is molâ—sted by afflictions but as they may be drawn to some sinful slips and temptations the hâ—el is the lowest and basest part of the body far enough from any vital part the wounds whereof endanger not the life at all the devil may draw them into some sins which may cause much unquietness and affliction of spirit but these wounds are not deadly and do not quench the life of grace in them these wounds may be painful but not mortal They shall not be hurt of the second death Rev. 2.11 2 Upon recovery by repentance The Lord sanctifieth these falls to them to make them the more cautious and watchful so they grow wiser and better and more resolute as being warned before by their own bitter cost as a ball with the more force it is beaten down it rebounds the higher or as a child that hath gotten a knock or been bitten by a sâ—appish Cur groweth the more wary Josh. 22.17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little fâ—r us They were not yet whole of the iniquity of Peor and therefore should be careful not to wound themselves again 3. All ends in final conquest over Satan Rom. 16.20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under our feet shortly We are now in our combat 't is some conquering to keep up our resistance but our full triumph is hereafter 2. Ob. But will it not hurt to press believers to this confidence Will not this weaken their care and diligence No. 1. This is pleasing and acceptable to God to believe that he will perfect and maintain his begâ—n work Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this that he that hath begun a good work in you will pâ—rfect it to the day of Christ. 2. 'T is honourable unto God and doth excite us to praise and thanksgiving when we can trust our interests in his hands with a quiet and well composed mind 2 Tim. 1.12 And I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him A Christian in all respects of time can bless God for what he hath done called us when strangers and enemies 1 Pet. 2.9 What he doth do keepeth the feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2.9 For what he will do 2 Tim. 4.17 18. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthned me And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and preserve me to his heavenly kingdom To be satisfied in Gods conduct is certainly very honourable to him 3. 'T is very profitable to the Children of God 1. To keep us from falling God promiseth to keep us but in his own way and that engageth us to an intire dependance upon him in the use of means John 15.4 Abide in me and I in you So 1 John 2.16 17. Ye shall abide in him And then he presently addeth Little children abide in him First a promise and then an exhortation and then we use the means with the more diligence and encouragement as Paul had a promise that not one should perish Acts 27.23 But yet they must all abide in the ship v. 31. 2. To encourage us to return when fallen we have some holdfast on God when we seek to recover our selves by repentance Psal. 119.170 Let my supplication come before thee deliver me accordâ—ng to thy word And Jer. 3 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me My father the guide of my youth 4. 'T is very comfortable and breede 〈◊〉 everlasting joy that should be in Gods redeemed ones Isa. 35.10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads Nâ—y it begets an heroâ—cal spirit when we can bear up on the love of God in the sorest tryals As here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VSE It cautioneth us not to be dismayed when the people of God seem to be run down by oppositions and reproaches and the cause of Religion to suffer loss and visibly to go to ruin No Christ hath promised that the gates of helâ— shall not prevail against the Church Matth. 16.18 All the Powers which the devil can muster up cannot destroy Christs interest in the world his Kingdom is like a Rock in the midst of the Sea which being beaten on every side with waves standeth unmoveâ—ble his people many times may be scattered oppressed their profession discountenanced and opposed every where seemingly beaten out of the world but then the Church groweth inwardly the graces of his people are strengâ—hned and increased and their hearts bettered their glory hastned their profession more honoured and râ—verenced in the consciences of men Some converted others confirmed When the Christians were butchered and went to wrack every where Oftentimmes it falleth out so when God breaketh that temporal interest to which we lean he provideth for his own Glory and the advancement of the Gospel by other and better means and Religion gaineth when it seemeth to lose as in the primitive times when the slaughters were frequent they sought to drive Christians to deny Christ but they confess him the more they fumed and chafed because they could not get their will and
and bottom of all his Mediatorial dispensations is love which is more comfortable to us than bare power for we do not know whether he will exercise that or no. 2. 'T is not our love to Christ but his love to us which is spoken of no question but the great manifestations of his love in reconciling God to us by Redemption and us to God by Conversion do leave upon a gracious heart a forcible impression and inclination to love him again who hath loved us at so dear a rate and in so tender a manner and this love is not unserviceable in our preservation Men are not so easily drawn from him whom they dearly love and love upon such good and powerful reasons But the strength of a believer lyeth not here in his love to Christ but rather in Christs love to us which both began and still continueth our salvation It began it John 3.16 God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And continueth it 2 Thes. 2.16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work Christs love continueth to his people till they enjoy the full effects of it and therefore carryeth them thorough all temptations till they come to their eternal rest There lyeth our stability in the unchangeableness of his love 3. 'T is not barely who loveth us now but who hath loved us He speaketh of the past time 't is true he retaineth still his loving and kind affections to us but the foundation was long since laid in our Redemption and Conversion to God In our Redemption He hath loved us and washed us in his blood Rev. 1.5 In our Conversion Eph. 2.4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ. In these two acts the foundation was laid of our victory and triumph By his Redemption he purchased all that grace which is necessary for us till we are fully brought home to God By Conversion we are actually instated in it by the one jus ad rem our right to this grace was acquired by the other we have jus in re we are actually possessed of it By the one he doth pacifie the wrath of God by the other he doth take us into a near relation to himself that we may become his own and so actually under his care and protection therefore in these two acts lyeth our safety in that of Redemption and Conversion In short these two acts do both indear us to Christ and Christ to us they endear us to Christ by Redemption his people are his dear purchase if they miscarry his purchased people miscarry Therefore he will not lose them they are his own being bought with the price of his blood and everyone will provide for his own 1 Tim. 5.8 The world will love its own John 13.19 Besides by Conversion we are his own by covenant and near relation We are his Spouse the kindness of espousals is above other kindness Jer. 2.2 I remember the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals The day of conversion is the day of espousals Cant. 3.11 Then we are marryed to the Lord that we may bring forth fruit unto God And both these acts doth endear Christ to us for the glory of his grace and love to sinners doth eminently appear in our Redemption then he commended his love to us in the great things he purchased and suffered for us Besides in conversion then his love is applyed to us and he taketh us with all our faults he spake comfortably to us in our ears and sanctified our soulâ— and brought us back again to God and so to our duty and happiness we can never forget this kindness of his espousals 4. He hath loved us it not only compriseth the foundation laid but implyeth also some experience on the Saints part When we consider what he hath done for us already we may be the more confident of what he is now and will be to us hereafter Christs love is not only seen in our first entrance into covenant and the eminent passages of our Redemption and Conversion but there is an uninterrupted course thereof from the time of our first closing with him till our final perfection in glory His whole dealing with them is love 't is to be read in every dispensation of his and condition of ours 't is to be read in the continual supports gracious helps daily pardons which he constantly vouchsafeth to us Now the Saints promise themselves more because God hath done such great things for their sakes already 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. And 2 Tim. 4.17 18. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthned me and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and preserve me to his heavenly kingdom When you have tryed Christ so often cannot you yet trust in him How often hath he performed promises to thee heard thy cryes helped and saved thee in thy distresses confuted thy unbelief and shamed thy disgraceful fears and cares Shall all these experiences of his love be forgotten Nâ—y one mercy is the pledge of another 2 Cor. 1.10 Who hath delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Therefore whatever troubles come upon us we are more than conquerors from him that loved us 5. This Triumph is put into the mouths of a people deeply afflicted or exposed to tribulation distress persecution famine nakedness peril sword 't is these say We are more than conquerors through him that loved us Partly to shew that Christ is not estranged from his people by their afflictions and troubles these do not vacate their interest nor cause his affection to cease Whom the Lord loveth he rebuketh and chastneth Rev. 3.19 He doth not cease to love them but rather is more tender of them more willing to let out more of his love to them the more they are wronged by others And partly also to beget confidence Christs love is more powerful to save us than the worlds hatred to destroy us for here to the most direful effects of the worlds hatred is opposed nothing but the love of Christ as a ground of triumph we make too much of the worlds hatred if we think we are not safe enough in Christs love John 16.33 In the world ye shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace And surely Christs peace should counter-ballance all the worlds troubles Judge you where we are best provided for by the worlds friendship and Christs hatred or by the worlds hatred and Christs friendship 2. The proof
called life and well deserveth it This life is but a continued death it runneth from us as fast as it floweth to us and 't is burdened with a thousand miseries but that life which is the portion of the faithful 't is a good and happy life and 't is endless it hath a beginning but it hath no end One moment of Immortality is worth a full age of all the health and happiness that can be had upon Earth what will you call life The vegetative life or the life of a plant Alas if that may be called life 't is not an happy life for the plants have no sense of that kind of life they have The sensitive life or the life of the Beasts will you call that life They are indeed capable of pain and pleasure but this is beneath the dignity of man and those that affect this kind of happiness to injoy sensual pleasure without remorse degrade themselves from that dignity of nature wherein God hath placed them and make themselves but a wiser sort of beasts as they are able only to purvey for the flesh more than the bruits can Wherein then will you place Life Surely in reason mans Life is a kind of light given us John 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the light of men Reason and understanding was mans perfection Well then this is the Life which we must enquire after Now when is this Life of light in its full perfection While the Soul dwelleth in flesh and looketh out by the senses to things near at hand the proper contentments of the body are the poor paltry vanities of this deceitful World Now this is not the life which we were made for but when it seeth God and injoyeth God in the highest manner that we are capable of our true life lyeth in the vision of God 1 Cor. 13.12 And Matth. 5.8 For he is only that universal and infinite object which can satiate the heart of man and our proper and peculiar Blessedness Whom have I in Heaven but thee Psa. 73.25 This is our full and continued Happiness Alas the present life hath more gall than honey its injoyments are low and base and short and fading and its troubles and miseries are many Gen. 49.9 Few and evil are the days and years of my pilgrimage But in the other World there is nothing but Glory and Blessedness A glorified Soul in a glorified Body doth for ever behold God and delight its self in God 2. The other notion is punishment the Word signifieth not only punishment but torment So we render it 1 John 4.18 Because fear hath torment Annihilation were a favour to the wicked they have a being but 't is a being under punishment and torment Divines usually distinguish of poena damni and poena sensus the loss and the pain both are included Matth. 25.41 in Christs sentence Depart and go into everlasting fire God doth not take away the being of a sinner but he taketh away the comfort of his being he is banished out of his sight for evermore and deprived of his favour and all the joys and blessedness which are bestowed on the Godly and that is enough to make him miserable 'T is true a wicked man now careth not for the light of Gods countenance because looking to visible things he hath no sound Faith of those things which are invisible but now he cometh to understand the reality of what he hath lost and besides hath no natural comforts to divert his mind no Plays or Balls or Pleasures or Meat and Drink and company which now do draw off his heart from better things and solace him in the want of them Secondly the pain of sense that 's double the worm that never dyes and the fire that shall never be quenched Mark 9.44 The worm is the worm of Conscience reflecting upon his evil choice and past folly which hath brought him to this sad and doleful estate When he considereth for what base things he sold his birth-right Heb. 12.15 He parted with felicity and the Life to come this will be a continual torment and vexation to them And being under despair of ever coming out of this Condition his torment is the more increased If there were no more than this Conscience reflecting upon the sense of his loss with the cause and consequents of it surely this will fill him with anguish and the Body united to such a miserable self vexing and self-tormenting Soul can have no rest Secondly besides this there is the fire that shall never be quenched which is the wrath which bringeth on unspeakable torments on the Body For Wo Wrath Tribulation and Anguish is the Portion of every Soul that doth evil Rom. 2.9 10. What kind of punishments they are we know not but such as are grievous and come not only from the reflection of their own Consciences but the Power of God Rom. 9.22 God will shew his Wrath and make his Power known 4. Eternity is affixed to both Everlasting Punishment and Eternal Life 1. The joys of the Blessed are Everlasting There shall never be change of and intermission in their Happiness but after Millions and Millions of Imaginary years they are to continue in this Life as if it were the first moment Paul telleth you 1 Thes. 4.17 That we shall for ever be with the Lord. And what can we desire more in this Life if we had the confluence of all manner of comforts yet the fear of losing them is some infringement of our Happiness But there whatever Glory we partake of we shall never lose it it will be thy Crown for ever thy Kingdom for ever thy Glory for ever thy God and thy Christ for ever Oh why do we no more think of this This Life that scarce deserveth the name of a Life yet we would fain continue it though in pain and misery Skin for skin all that a man hath would he give for his Life Oh then how welcome should Eternal Life be which compared with this Life is like the Ocean to a drop When we lay both of these lives together this fading moment and that enduring Eternity how much more valuable doth the one appear than the other Our sorrows will soon end but these joys when they once begin will never end 2 Cor. 4.17 This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory Cannot we suffer with him for one hour deny our selves a little contentment in the World Shall we begrudge the labours of a few duties when assoon as the vail and curtain of the flesh is drawn we shall enter into Eternal Life and Joy 2. The Punishment is Everlasting The wicked are everlastingly deprived of the favour of God and of the light of his Countenance When Absolom could not see his Fathers Face kill me saith he rather than let it be always thus 2 Sam. 4 32. The wicked are never more to be admitted into
to sin live any longer therein 'T is an argument not so much ab impossibili as ab incongruo And ye are dead therefore mortify your members that are upon earth Col. 3.3 5. If dead already why should they mortify Dead that is bound to be dead So a sinner when he giveth up himself to God doth honestly resolve and firmly bind himself to subdue corruption root and branch and to depart from all known sin 2. When the work is begun corruption is wounded to the very heart And the dominion and reign of sin being shaken off Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under grace Sin is dead where it doth not extinguish the life of grace but the life of grace doth more and more extinguish sin there its dominion is taken away though its life be prolonged for a season 3. The work is carryed on by degrees and the strength of sin is weakened by the power of grace though not totally subdued Gal. 5.17 Ye cannot do the things ye would They are not so active in sin nor delighted in it sin dyeth when the love of it dyeth and the pleasure of it is gone Now the love of sin is weakened in their hearts they hate it though sometimes they fall into it Rom. 7.15 What I hate that do I 't is inabling a Christian to dye to sin and the World every day 4. Christ hath undertaken to subdue it wholly in them and at length the Soul shall be without spot blemish or wrinckle Eph. 5.27 We and corruption dye together when Christ removeth the vail of the flesh and taketh home the Soul to Heaven 't is without spot the glorifyed saints have not one fleshly thought or carnal motion but are wholly swallowed up in the love of God Therefore let Christ alone with his work he will not cease till sin be wholly abolished The foolish builder begun but was not able to make an end it cannot be said so of our redeemer he that hath begun a good work will perfect it Phil. 1 6. and 1 Thes. 5.23 24. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we come â—o Heaven we shall not complain of hard hearts or carnal affections or unruly desires as Naomi said to Ruth Sit still my Daughter the man will not rest till he have finished This thing Gods work now is but half done continue with patience in well doing and in time it will come to perfection Christ will not cease till all be done 4. What use the death of Christ hath to this effect to make us die unto sin and the World 1. This was Christs end He died not only to expiate the guilt of sin but also to take away its strength and power 1 John 3.8 That the interest of the Devil may be destroyed in us and the interest of God set up with more glory and triumph Now shall we make void the end of Christs death and go about to frustrate his intention which was to oppose weaken and resist sin shall we cherish that which he came to destroy God forbid There are some that abuse the death and merits of Christ for a quite contrary end than he intended namely to feed lusts not to suppress them Christ dyed to sinners they say and they resolve to be sinners still these crucify Christ afresh Heb. 6.6 They are not crucified with him that was his end Nothing maketh the Devil such a triumph as when he supposeth God is beaten with his own Weapon and that which should prove the destruction of sin proveth the great promotion of it and the great hindrance of Christ and the Gospel when poison is conveyed by this perfume The Apostle never mentioneth this abuse of grace without abhorence Rom. 6.1 Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Rom. 6.15 Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Gal. 2.17 Shall I make Christ the Minister of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absit a vobis haec cogitatio Calvin Christians should abhominate the thought of it as blasphemy and absurd But again others reflect upon Christs death only for the comfort of it that is but half the end you should prize the vertue as well as the comfort Paul desired not his righteousness only but his power Phil. 3.9 10. Lusts trouble us as much as guilty fears This being Christs end we should comply with it Paul gloried in the cross as by it crucifyed to the World Gal. 6.14 2. By way of representation the death and agonies of Christ do set forth the heinousness and hatefulness of sin 'T is the best Glass to discover it to us in its own colours it smileth upon the Soul with a pleasing aspect but if you would know the right complection of it go to Golgotha and as you like the agonies of the Garden and the sorrows of his cross so you may continue your dalliance with sin and indulgence to carnal pleasures 'T is a sport to us to do evil but it was no sport to Christ to suffer for it it made his Soul heavy unto death Never believe the inticing blandishments whereby it would inveigle you think of the drops of blood the tears and fears and strong cries of Jesus Christ the rending of the rocks the darkening of the Sun the frowns of an angry God Christs desertion the burden he felt when he bore our sins Christ was the Son of God knew his sufferings short and a prospect of the glory which was to ensue had no inherent guilt knew not what it was to commit sin He knew no sin 2 Cor. 4.21 Though he knew what it was to suffer for sin Cast in the dear affection that was between God and Christ and it will make you tremble to consider what he endured it pleased the Father to bruise him Oh know what an evil bitter thing it is what it will bring upon you if you allow it 3 It worketh on love It should make sin hateful to consider what it did to Christ our dearest Lord and Redeemer surely we should not think it fit to go on in that course which brought such sufferings upon Christ. By his love manifested in his sufferings he hath powerfully constrained us not to take pleasure in what put him to such pain and grief We gush at the sight of one that hath murthered a friend of ours When the Prophet saw Hazael he wept and said thou art the murtherer We hate the Jews and detest the memory of Judas the worst enemy is in our own bosoms 't is sin hath slain the Lord of Glory the Jews were the Instruments but sin was the meritorious cause In this sense we made him serve with our fins Isa. 43.24 4. By way of merit Christ shed his blood not
Heavens 1. The general truth henceforth know we no man after the flesh This knowledge is a knowledge of approbation to know is to admire and esteem as we our selves should not seek our own esteem thereby so not esteem others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for some external thing which seemeth glorious in the Judgment of the flesh 1. Doct. A Christian should not religiously value others for external and carnal things Let us state it a little how far we are to know no man after the flesh 1. Negatively and there 1. 'T is not to deny civil respect and honour to the wicked and carnal For that would destroy all government and order in the World Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their duties Tribute to whom Tribute is due And Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear And Honour to whom Honour We are to own Parents Magistrates Persons of Rank and Eminency with that respect which is due to their Rank and Quality though they should be carnal For the wickedness of the person doth not discharge us of our duty or make void civil or natural differences and respects due to them 2. Not to deny the gifts bestowed upon them though Common gifts for your eye should not be evil because Gods is good Matth. 20. 3. You may love them the better when religion is accompanyed with these external advantages Eccl. 7.11 Wisdom with an inheritance is good Religious and noble Religous and beautiful Religious and learned Religious and Rich. When grace and outward excellency meet it maketh the person more lovely and amiable 2. Positively 1. We must not guild a potsheard or esteem them to be the Servants of Christ because of their carnal excellencies and value them religiously and prefer them before others who are more useful and who have the Image of God impressed upon them This is to know men after the flesh and to value men upon carnal respects We do not Judge of an Horse by the saddle and trappings but by his strength and swiftness Solomon telleth us Pro. 12.26 That the Righteous is more excellent than his neighbour and explaineth himself Pro. 19.1 Better is the poor that walketh in his Integrity than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool Grace should make persons more lovely in our eyes than carnal honour and glory 2. The cause of God must not be burdened or abandoned because those of the other side have more outward advantages This was the case between the Apostle and the Desp. And this is clearly to know men after the flesh and such a course will justify the Pharisees plea John 7.47 48. Have any of the Rulers and Pharisees believed in him but this people which knoweth not the Law are cursed The truth is not to be forsaken because there is eminency pomp worldly countenance repute for learning on the other side To this head may be referred the plea between the Protestants and the Papists about Succession suppose it true that there were no gaps in their succession that ours as to a series of persons cannot be justifyed yet the plea is naught for this is to know men after the flesh and to determine of truth by external advantages So if we should contemn the truths of God because of the persons that bring them to us as usually we regard the man more than the matter and not the golden treasure so much as the earthen vessel 't was the prejudice cast upon Christ Was not this the Carpenters Son Matheo Langi Arch-Bishop of Saltsburg told every one that the Reformation of the Mass was needful the liberty of meats convenient to be disburdened of so many commands of man concerning days just but that a poor Monk should reform all was not to be endured meaning Luther 3. We should not prefer these to the despising and wrong of others 1 Cor. 11.22 Every one took his own supper but despised the Church of God That is excluded the poor who were of the Church as well as they 4. To value others for carnal advantages so as it should be a snare or matter of envy to us Prov. 3.31 32. Envy not the oppressor and chuse none of his ways for the froward is an abomination to the Lord but his secret's with the righteous 5. Know no man after the flesh so as to forbear Christian duties to them of admonition or reproof or to accommodate Gods truths to their liking Mark 12.14 Master we know that thou art true and carest for no man for thou regardest not the person of men but teachest the way of God in truth 6. Not to comply with carnal men for our own gain and advantage Judges 16. Having mens persons in admiration because of advantage To sooth people in their errours or sins 2. The Reason is taken from the posture of the words in the context this disposition whatever it be is an effect of the new nature of the love of Christ and a branch of not living to our selves 1. The new nature verse 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature A new creature hath a new Judgment of things when a man is changed his Judgment of things is altered 2. Of the Love of Christ Verse 14. He that loveth Christ as Christ will love Christ in any dress of Doctrine plain and comely or learned or eloquent in any Condition of life in the World high or low is not swayed by external advantages 3. A branch of the Spiritual life ver 15. The faithful being born again of the Spirit do live a new and spiritual life Now this is one part of this life not to know any man after the flesh To be dead to things of a carnal interest not moved with what is external and pleasing to the flesh Let the carnal part of the World please themselves with these vain things Pomp of living external rank possession of the power of the Church c. USE is that of the Apostle James 4.1 My Brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory with respect of persons That is do not esteem things that are religious for those things which have no affinity with or pertinency to religion His reason is couched in the exhortation Christ is the Lord of glory and puts an honour upon all things which do belong to him how despicable soever otherwise in the Worlds eye not external things but religion should be the reason and ground of our affection 2. We come to the conclusion restrained to the instance of Christ Yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more 2. Doct. A meer knowing of Christ after the flesh ought to cease among Christians that have given up themselves to live to him as dying and rising again for their sakes I shall prove to you that knowing Christ after the flesh was not that respect that he looked for when he was most capable of receiving love in this kind namely
defence of it Sixthly An immunity from such temporal judgments as might hinder our salvation and the service of God 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken hold of you but such as is common to man But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it and Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God No absolute immunity from troubles God hath reserved a liberty to his wisdom and justice to afflict us as he shall see cause Psal. 89.32 Then will I visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquity with stripes But will preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.17 18. 1. Their rights and prerogatives First They have a right to serve God with a ready and free will and on comfortable terms Luke 1.74 75. That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives Psal. 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit And Rom. 8.15 For we have not received the spirit of Bondage again to fear but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 2. A liberty of access to God a large door is opened to us for communion with him Eph. 3.12 To whom we have boldness and access with confidence Heb. 4.16 Let us come with boldness to the throne of grace that we may have grace and find mercy in a time of need and Heb. 10.19 Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holyest by the blood of Jesus 1 John 3.21 Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we boldness toward God 3. A free use of all the creatures which fall to our share and allowance by Gods fatherly providence 1 Tim. 4.3 4. Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meat which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and obey the truth For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods With good conscience we may use the creatures and get them Sanctified to us by the word and prayer 4. A right to eternal life Tit. 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Rom. 8.17 If children then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ If so be we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together Tho we have not the possession yet a Title sure and indefecible so that you see and yet I have told you little of it it is valuable but 't is a glorious liberty we are to speak of 2. Our glorious liberty in the world to come That is a liberty which implyeth the removal of all evil and the affluence of all good and may be considered either as to the Soul or to the Body 1. As to the Soul We are admitted into the blessed sight of God and the perfect fruition and pleasing of him in perfect love joy and praise to all eternity 1 Cor. 13.12 For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know it partly but then shall I know even also as I am known 1 John 3.2 But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Psal. 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life for in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand pleasures for evermore Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness 2. As to the Body it is in a state of immortality and incorruption wholly freed from death and all the frailties introduced by sin and because the body remaineth behind when the Soul is in Glory our Deliverance and Redemption is saâ—d to be yet behind Eph. 1.14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption And that in respect of the body Rom. 8.23 Waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body In short This glorious liberty may be somewhat understood by the liberty which we have now 1. Our liberty now is imperfect and incompleat but then 't is full and perfect 'T is but begun now and our bonds loosed in part but our compleat deliverance is to come from sin at death from all misery when our bodies are raised up in glory sin dwelleth in the Saints now but in death it will be utterly abolished therefore groan and long for it Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of death Yet with hope v. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord so then with the mind I my self serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin Our bodies now are subject to corruption and diseases as others are but Phil. 3.21 God will then perfectly glorifie his children in body and soul. 2. Spiritual liberty is consistent enough with corporal bondage Paul was in Prison when Nero was Emperor of the world many that are taken into the liberty of Gods children are not freed from outward servitude 1 Cor. 7.21 22. Art thou called being a servant care not for it but if thou canst be made free use it rather The condition of a slave is not incompetent with Christianity Joseph was a slave in Egypt but his Mistress was the Captive as she was overcome by her own lusts servants may be the Lords Freemen and Freemen may be Satans slaves 3. All the parts of liberty are quite other than now First as to duty we are not so free from the power of sin as to be able to govern our own actions in order to eternal happiness Rom. 7.25 With my mind I serve the law of God with my flesh the law of sin There is law against law mutual conflicts and mutual opposition tho grace gets the mastery not absolute freedom Our present estate is but a convalescency a recovery out of sickness by degrees 2. As to felicity First Immunity from the curse of the law and the wrath of God We have a right but the solemn and actual judgment is not past nor the case adjudged but at the last day when the condemning sentence is past upon the wicked our sins shall be blotted out Acts 3.19 Secondly Death remaineth on the body but then the last enemy shall be quite destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 Thirdly Satan doth still trouble us and vex us winnow us as
wheat but then he shall be trodden under our feet Rom. 16 20. Fourthly For the afflictions of the world They do not now endanger salvation but then wholly gone Rev. 21.4 Then God shall wipe all tears from our eyes then no more sorrow and crying That is because of oppression and violence 2. For Rights and Prerogatives Now we serve God at a distance by some remote service then immediately minister before the Throne Here we come to God now and then but then we shall be ever with him we have now a right to use creatures then we shall need none now a title to Heaven but then possession made actual partakers of eternal blessedness therefore there cannot be a greater liberty than the children of God have at the last day 1. USE is to admire the goodness of God to poor afflicted creatures We have this glorious liberty from Gods bounty Matth. 25.34 Christs love he purchased it 't is the Son of God hath made us free John 8.36 'T is applied to us by the spirit Rom. 8.2 The spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death The Roman Captain said With a great sum obtained I this freedom Acts 25.28 To us it cometh on meer favour 2. Have you interest in this blessedness Is the liberty begun Hath he sealed you to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 You will find the comfort and benefit of his sealing On that day God will own those whom he hath stamped and marked with his own seal that is whom the spirit hath formed for God by impressing his image upon them in righteousness and true holiness after that day no more place will be left for doubts and fears But till that day this is our warrant and assurance till full possession the seal of the spirit is an holy frame of heart fitted to serve please and enjoy God SERMON XXIX ROM VIII 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now THE Apostle had shewed how the creature waiteth for its future perfect estate now what sense it hath of its present condition In the Words we have 1. The Certainty We know 2. The Agony of the Creature It groaneth and travelleth in pain 3. Their consort and agreement in this groaning The whole creation groaneth c. 4. The duration and continuance Vntil now 1. The certainty of what is asserted We know But how do we know First We see by our sense that the whole Creation is under vanity and corruption Secondly We know by faith that it came by sin so that partly from sense and partly by faith we conclude that the creature is under a burthen 2. The great agony of the creature it groaneth and travelleth in pain Groaneth as a man under an heavy burden travelleth in pain as a woman in child-bearing The creature would fain be disburdened of this estate Some think that this last Metaphor implieth that the issue will be comfortable for the pain of Travel ends in joy John 16.21 A woman when she is in travel hath sorrow for her hour is come but assoon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a manchild is born into the world It may be so here only I find this Metaphor used for bitter pangs and sorrows without any respect to the end and issue as Matth. 24.8 All these are the beginning of sorrows 3. The consort and harmonious agreement that is between all the parts of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole creation collectively or every creature distributively they all groan together and travel in pain together 4. The duration and continuance until now that is from the time that sin entred into the world unto this present time Doct. That the whole creation groaneth under the burden of our sins 1. What is this groaning of the creature or in what sense the creature is said to groan 2. How we are concerned in these groans 3. How we know it for who ever heard the groaning of the whole Creation 1. What is this groaning of the creature Or how can that be ascribed to things without Reason Sense and Life There are two causes of groaning in sensitive creatures Labour and Pain that which answereth to Labour is unwearied motion that which answereth to Pain is corruption and decay 1. Labour and Motion so we may say the creature is worn out with hard labour to serve the uses of man because 't is in continual motion the Sun moveth from East to West in the Day and in the Night from West to East again Eccles. 1.5 The Sun also ariseth and the Sun goeth down and hasteth to his place where he arose The Hebrew Panteth as pressing forward to be at his appointed place to give man light to go about his labour how many thousands of Miles hath it travelled to come to us again since we went to bed so Job 37.11 By watering he wearieth the thick cloud and scattereth the bright clouds it is turned about by his counsels He speaketh of the clouds as things that could be wearied being hurried hither and thither to serve the earth in divers places and spendeth its self in that service The earth is digged and rent and torn with the Plough seldom suffered to enjoy its Sabbaths that it may bring forth fruit to man The Rivers flow and the Sea hath its Ebbs and Tydes all things in the lower world are â—ull of labour and so the creature is wearied and worn out to serve even rebel man to whom God continueth this favour 2. That which answereth to pain is their passing away by corruption the four Elements being contrary one to another are still wasting one another till all fail heat against cold and moisture against dryness all things being compounded of these four Elements do in the end return to them again by dissolution and corruption And besides by Gods Judgment the creature is often blasted in its greatest glory and beauty Look as in a fruitful season the Valleys are said to laugh with fatness Psal. 65.12 13. And the flourishing of the spring is as it were natures smile 'T is a pleasant sight to behold when the earth is blessed of God with increase and variety of fruits the creatures do as it were rejoice in Gods bounty and invite us to rejoice with them so on the other side when these things are taken away it doth as it were mourn and look sorrowful like under the judgment as they laugh in their kind so they mourn and groan in their kind as Jer. 12.4 How long shall the land mourn and the herbs of the field wither for the wickedness of them that dwell therein Isa. 24.4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away the world languisheth and fadeth away Jer. 33.9 The earth mourneth and languisheth Lebanon is ashamed Jer. 21.10 Because of swearing the land mourneth Joel 1.10 The field is wasted the land mourneth for