him that he was at first loth to consent to the Persecution but when he was once in he was more inexorable and merciless than the rest of his Companions None have done more vile things against God and the Interest of God than men accounted of a Good Nature when once the Temptation hath prevailed upon them Herod Agrippa was a sweet natur'd Popular man but he slew Iames and would have slain Peter also Acts 12.1 2. and all out of Easiness and Facility to please the People Usually none fall sooner into the Snare of Persecution and Hatred of the Saints of God than they and the Reason is Counsel is of great Advantage upon those that are of a plyant and pleasing Disposition and all their Parts and Excellencies are but like a Sword in a Cutlers Shop as ready for the Thief as the True man to purchase He is easily made a Prey to Satan and turned against God therefore do not rest in these things 2 Doct. That in some respect Christ loves those that are Orderly and Civil and do but outwardly carry themselves according to God's Commands I shall give the Reasons and then Apply it 1. The thing is Good in it self thô the resting in it makes it useless as to the Salvation of the Person that goes no further Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God These things are agreeable to the reasonable Nature and the Perfection of it lyes in them Now all Good is the Object of Love therefore if it be good Christ loves it 2. Because our Lord Christ is willing and ready to own the least Good in us that he might draw us on to more Here was a towardly Young man and Christ would not discourage him thô he was not Gracious it is said He looked upon him and loved him Mat. 12.20 A bruised Reed will he not break and smoaking Flax shall he not quench that is not despise and reject Weaklings When a Reed is broken we cast it away it is good for nothing but to be trampled under Feet and we are discouraged from blowing while we see no Flame but Smoke But Christ is of another Disposition he will not cast away the bruised Reed nor despise the smoaking Flax so far as there is any thing of Goodness in a Creature thô it be but Smoke Christ will own it 3. Because these things tend to the profit of Mankind and Jesus Christ his Heart is much set upon the good of Mankind His rejoycing was in the Habitable parts of the Earth before there was Hill or Mountain Prov. 8.31 Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth and my delights were with the Sons of men And his Apostle doth press this that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these are good and profitable to men Titus 3.8 Christ is a great Friend and Patron of Humane Society therefore will shew his liking of it and how pleasing all things are to him that tend to maintain it as Justice Equity Temperance Prudence Moderation Fidelity Christ would put some mark of his Favour on those that excell in these things When he instructeth the Young man in the Commandments of the Second Table and he said All these have I kept from my Youth Iesus loved him VSE Now let us see what Use we may make of this 1. Negatively To shew what Use is not to be made of this Passage for men may be apt to abuse and make an ill use of Jesus his Love of these Moral Vertues 1. We cannot make this Use of it as if Christ did Love Moral Vertues as meritorious of Grace they are not such things upon which God hath bound himself necessarily to give the Grace of Conversion The Pelagians had this Axiom Facienti bomini quod in se est tenetur Deus dare ulteriorem gratiam That let a man do what in him lyes God is necessarily bound by that to give him further Grace And the Papists build upon the same ground their Doctrine of Meritum ex congruo Merit of Congruity As they hold Merit of Condignity in the Works of Renewed men so they hold Merit of Congruity in the Works of Unrenewed men as if God in Right and Equity were bound to recompence them with the Reward of Conversion But the Scripture puts Conversion upon another bottom and shews that it is not given according to the Good Works we have done but meerly of the Lord's Grace and Mercy Titus 3.4 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost The Apostle speaks there of Converting Grace wherein we have a Negative and an Affirmative Cause He could have said simply of his mercy he saved us and no more but he would disprove Works therefore he doth express it Negatively Not by works of Righteousness which we have done Or at least he might have said this Not only by works of righteousness which we have done but also of his mercy he hath saved us and so might have allowed it as a con-Con-cause as having some influence something in it to bind God O No he excludes Works altogether Not by works of righteousness Or at least if the Apostle would express it Negatively and Positively he might have said thus Not by works which we have done but of his Mercy he saved us No but he says Not by works of righteousness which we have done He describes the Works which he rejects as being a Cause of Saving Grace All our Moral Righteousness the best of our Works they have no Influence upon God to give us Grace but meerly of his Grace he hath saved us therefore do not think that God by a certain Infallible Law is bound to give Grace 2. We must not so take this as that he doth love Good Qualities so as to make them equal with Christian Vertues or the Graces of the Spirit Morality is good but we must not lift it up beyond its place There is something better and that 's Grace those things which do accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 I observe this because there are many secret Atheists that will cry up Moral Righteousness beyond its worth and the Vertues and Honesty of the Heathens to debase the Esteem of Christian Religion which the World now is grown weary of They think there was more Honesty by the Natural Institutions of the Heathens than by the Law of Christ and cry up Moral Honesty to the great detriment and prejudice of the true Religion I do confess if we compare some honest Heathens with many Christians in Name that have defiled themselves with monstrous Impieties it is not hard to determine which are the better men Loose Professors dishonour their Religion but the sound Grapes in the Cluster must not be judged of by
not only shew them what they must do but how they may come to do their Duty in this kind for saith he The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation c. In the Words you may observe the Teacher the Lesson the Encouragement and Inducements to learn First The Teacher is the Grace of God described ver 11. Secondly The Lesson is the whole Duty of our Heavenly Calling set forth ver 12. and there 1 st Negatively in departing from Evil denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts. 2 dly Positively in cleaving to that which is good We should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Where you may observe that the Duty of the Creature is distributed into three Ranks and Parts according to the several Objects to which it is refâ—â—red soberly we must walk as to our selves righteously as to our Neighbour and godly that the Lord himself may not be defrauded of his Portion There are in a moral Consideration but three things in the World thy Self thy Neighbour and God and suitably doth the Apostle distribute and parcel out Christian Offices and Duties soberly as to our selves righteously as to our Neighbour and godly as to God Thirdly The Encouragements to learn and they are two If we look forward there is Hope if we look backward there is Gratitude or an Obligation arising from the Death of Christ. In short the two great Motives and Inducements are the Hope of eternal Life and the End of Christ's Death Hope of eternal Life ver 13. Looking for the blessed Hope c. the End of Christ's Death ver 14. who gave himself for us c. The Text being long I shall forbear Exposition till I come to handle the several Branches I shall first begin with the Teacher described ver 11. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men. The Grace of God is described by its Property it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Grace bringing Salvation or tending to Salvation as the Word signifies and by a special Adjunct its present Manifestation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath appeared suddainly broken out like the Light of the Morning after a dark Night and then there is the Extent of that Manifestation it hath appeared to all Men. Some indeed refer this Extent not to the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath appeared but to the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringing Salvation and they read it as we do in the Margent The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all Men hath appeared there is not much Difference To supersede all Doubt and Dispute about the matter all Men here signifies all sorts of Men for the Apostle had spoken of Servants and Bond-men that they in their Relations should glorify God and he proves it by this Argument The Grace of God hath appeared to all Men that is to the Bond-man as well as to the Lord and Master therefore they in their places are to discharge their Duties as well as others for the Gospel as I said hath appeared to all Men and presseth all sorts of Duties I. I begin with the thing described The Grace of God It is a term that admits of divers Acceptations sometimes it is put for God's eternal Favour and Good-Will sometimes for the Effects of this Favour as Grace infused and bestowed upon the Creature Ephes. 4.7 To every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ. Sometimes it is put for the Gospel which is the Charter by which we hold this Grace and so it is said Rom. 6.15 You are not under the Law but under Grace i. e. under the State of the Gospel Here I take it in the first sense viz. for the gracious Will and good Pleasure of God to do Good to Men or to shew Mercy to the Creature for God's Kindness and Bounty to Men is expressed by several terms the most usual are two Grace and Mercy I will shew how they agree and how they differ They both agree in this that they are Attributes which merely respect the Creature The Love and Knowledg of God first falleth upon himself God knows himself and loves himself and then the Creature But now the Mercy and Grace of God are merely transient and pass out to and respect the Creature only God cannot be gracious to himself and merciful to himself as he loves himself and knows himself and therefore herein they agree But now in some respects they differ Grace properly signifies the Freeness of God's Love Mercy relates to the Misery of the Creature God's external Motive is our Misery and his internal Motive is his own Grace Mercy respects us as we are in our selves worthy of Condemnation Grace respects us as we are compared with others that are not elected As for Instance if the Question be Why any are chosen to Life it is out of Mercy because they are lost and undone Creatures But then if the Question be Why these are chosen above others then the ultimate Reason is God's Grace Once more the Angels that never sinned are saved meerly out of Grace and not out of Mercy it is not proper to say they are saved out of Mercy for they were never miserable but Men that were once miserable are saved not only out of Grace but also out of Mercy In short Mercy signifies that Love of God which helps the Miserable and Grace signifies a Property in God to give forth things freely and without desert Grace doth all gratis freely and without any Merit or Precedent Obligation or Debt Note then Doct. 1. That the original and first moving Cause of all the Blessings we have from God is Grace Survey all the Blessings of the Covenant and from first to last you will see Grace doth all Election Vocation Justification Sanctification Glorification all is from Grace There 's a clue of Scriptures which will lead us through all these steps and direct us to Grace 1. For Election Rom. 11.5 6. There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace And then he adds presently for Paul cannot mention Grace but he must run out into the Praise or Vindication of it And if by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace But if it be of Works then it is more Grace otherwise Work is no more Work Mark the Context The Apostle's drift in that place is to prove that all Israel are not cast away that thô the Nation of Israel were past by yet there were a Remnant chosen according to the Election of Grace Grace is spoken of by the by but he takes every little Occasion to digress into the Commendation of Grace and what doth he say The Foundation and Ground of Salvation is God's Election and the impulsive Cause of Election is God's Grace Why is there a Remnant there 's an Election and why is there Election it is according to Grace 2. Our Calling when Election breaketh out in time and becometh
actual Look as the Heirs of Salvation are distinguished from others by Election in the Purpose and Bosom of God so are they actually distinguished from others by effectual Calling 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the World begâ—â— Why doth God pick and chuse and cull here and there The only reason is his own Grace and his own Purpose When we come to make choice we cull and pick out those things that are worthy of our Love and Respect And we favour none but for something whereby we may be allâ—red to love them but God saw nothing lovely in us but yet calleth us with an holy Calling according to his Purpose and Grace The same gracious Purpose that distinguisheth them from others before all Time doth in time make an actual choice and distinction between them and others by effectual Calling 3. Justification Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his Grace Mark the Apostle useth two words it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his Grace and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely by his Grace freely to note the readiness of his Inclination and by his Grace to exclude the Merit of our Works or the meer Grace of God not excited or quickned by any Works of ours but acting of its own accord The Scriptures do with such emphatical and redoubled Expressions inculcate it because there are deep Prejudices in the proud Heart of Man rooted in his Nature against the Grace of God 4. Sanctification all the parts whereof are called the Graces of the Spirit because Gratiae gratiâ—â— dâ—tae they are not only wrought by the Spirit but freely given us of God Thus Faith is said to be God's Gift Ephes. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God And it is given of meer Grace Phil. 1.29 To you it is given to believe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies graciously given it is the same word that is used Rom. 8.32 He that spare 〈…〉 own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he nor with him also freely give us all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Grace that giveth Christ giveth Faith to believe in Christ that we may be possessed of his Grace 5. Glorification which is the Complement of all Salvation So Ephes. 2.8 By Grace you are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gifts of God Not only all the Means and all the Tendencies of Salvation are of Grace but Salvation it self from first to last it is all of Grace So that when we come to Heaven this will be our great Work to sing forth the Praises of Grace and to admire and glorify the Grace of God to all Eternity II. To limit the Point Thô it is of Grace yet not to exclude Christ not to exclude the Means of Salvation 1. Not to exclude Christ. The Merit of Christ stands well enough with the Grace of God Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus Freely you will say How so when it was not without so great a Price and Satisfaction as the Blood of the Lord Jesus Yet however it is freely in respect of us it is by no Work of ours it was the exceeding Grace of God to appoint the Merit of Christ that it might be the greater ground of Confidence to us We do not look for things with such certainty which depend upon meer Grace and Favour and Good-will as we do when a thing is established by Merit and Desert Now Merit in us there could not be without wrong to Grace and therefore the Wisdom and Love of God hath found out this way of Merit in Christ that we might be the more confident of the standing of our Priviledges they being bought at so great a Price There was Grace in this that God gave Christ that the Satisfaction is not required of us and therefore indeed there is nothing doth so gloriously discover the Grace of God as the free giving up of Jesus Christ. God might require Satisfaction from the Party offending or the Person that had so sinned might bear the Blame and Punishment but the Lord hath so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son and that not to Angels but to us Well then it is Grace to find out the Merit and Grace by which we are interested in it Christ's Merit is most free both on the part of God the Father freely sending Christ and on the part of Christ taking this Office upon him It was Grace that moved God to give Christ and Grace that moved Christ to give himself who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Nay after all this it is Grace that gives us Faith that so we may be interested in the Merit of Christ that we which sinned with both Hands earnestly might take hold of God with both Hands And our Salvation is carried on in such a way that we may confidently expect his Mercy whithout any violation of his Justice and Truth So that it doth not derogate from the Grace of God but much amplify and enlarge it This is a great part of the Grace that he freely sent Christ to make all sure between us and him 2. Not to exclude the Means of Salvation not Faith nor Obedience also if rightly understood Not Faith that may well enough stand with Grace Ephes. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God There is a Condition required and that 's Faith but God himself gives the Condition that he requireth Grace cannot stand with any thing that is in Man and of Man as the Condition of the Covenant yet it stands with Faith because it justifies not as an inherent Quality in us or as a Work done by us but as it layeth hold of Jesus Christ and it is not of our selves but is the meer Gift of Grace And then for Obedience that is also subordinate to Faith as a necessary Fruit and Effect of it As Faith is the Instrument so Obedience is required as a Fruit of Faith thô it come not into Justification yet it is an Evidence of our Interest in Salvation It is required as a Testimony of Faith yet not as a Condition which is a Cause of the Thing promised It is required because thô it be not of Man yet it is in Man it is given of God but it is our Work The Papists to excuse the grossness of Merit say That our Works do not merit but as they come from the Grace of God and as they are sprinkled with the Blood of Christ. But mark it is not enough so to ascribe our Works to the Grace of God all Self-justiciaries will do so as the Pharisee that pleaded his Works Luke 18.11
God I thank thee I am not as other Men are And you confound the Covenants when you think that a Man may merit of God by his own Grace Adam under the Covenant of Works might then be said to be saved by Grace Why Because he could not persevere in the use of his own Free-will unless he had received it of God Well then Grace doth not exclude Faith nor Works not Faith as the Instrument of Justification and as the Condition of the Covenant not Works as the Fruit and Testimony of Faith There is a Concurrence of Works but not by way of Causality but Order God will first justify then sanctify then glorify and all of Grace Obedience is the Conditio 〈◊〉 quâ non the Condition without which we cannot be saved The Grace of God is the first moving Cause Christ is the meritorious procuring Cause Faith is the Instrument and Obedience is the Fruit of Faith These are subordinate not contrary III. My next Work shall be to give you some Reasons why it must be so that Grace is the Original Cause of all the Blessings we receive from God because it is most for the Glory of God and most for the Comfort of the Creature 1. It is most convenient for the Glory of God to keep up the Respects of the Creature to him in a way suitable to his Majesty Mark God would dispense Blessings in such a way as might beat down Despair and carnal Confidence at the same time Man had need of Mercy but deserveth none Despair would keep us from returning to God and carnal Confidence from ascribing all to God therefore as the Lord would not have Flesh to glory so neither to be cut off from all Hope It is of Grace that we may hope and keep up our Respect to God for there is nothing that keeps up the Devotion and Respects of the Creature to God so much as Grace The Psalmist intimates this There is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal. 130.4 Mercy in God makes us fear love and respect him And it is of Grace that Flesh may not glory Ephes. 2.9 Not of Works lest any Man should boast but that God may have all the Glory of his Grace If God did not deal with us upon Terms of Grace Despair would make us let go all sense of Duty and a guilty Creature would stand at a distance and fly from the sight of God Some think that the only way to gain Men to a sense of Religion is by rubbing the Conscience and keeping it raw and sore with Terror But the Psalmist faith There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared this is the best way to keep up the Creatures Respects False Worships are meerly supported by Terror and Fear but God that hath the best Title to the Heart will gain it by Love and Grace But as Despair standeth in the way of God's Glory so doth carnal Confidence Now Grace taketh off all boasting 1 Cor. 1.31 He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Here is nothing of Pre-engagement Merit and Hire yea it is for the Glory of the Supream Majesty that he should act freely and that his Blessings should come to us not as a Thing deserved but as a Gift and that he should entertain us as a King not as an Host. He that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Isa. 55.1 Nothing can be more dishonourable to God than the Merit of the Creature for it takes off part of his Royalty and Supremacy 2. It is most for the Comfort of the Creature Grace is the original Cause of all the Good we expect and receive from God that we may seek the Favour of God with Hope and retain it with Certainty 1. That we may seek the Favour of God with Hope If we had to do with Justice there could be no Hope for Justice giveth only what is due and doth not consider what we need but what we deserve Now mark the Apostle in the behalf of God makes the Challenge Rom. 11.35 Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again Come let me see the Man that durst plead Desert with God and claim any thing of him by way of Merit Who will enter that Plea Lord give me what thou owest I desire no more than is due to me Let me not have Mercy till I deserve it Merit-mongers are best confuted by Experience Let them use the same Plea in their Prayers which they do in their Disputes and plead the Merit of their Works and say Lord give me not eternal Life and Grace and Favour till I deserve it at thy Hand Let them thus dispute with God or with their own Consciences in the Agonies of Death and under Horrors of the Lord 's Wrath. Surely those that cry up the Merit of Works are Men of little spiritual Experience and seldom look into their own Consciences Dare they thus plead with God Lord never look upon me in Mercy if I do not deserve it You shall see the best Plea that the eminentest of God's Children could make is meer Grace The Church speaks thus Hos. 14.2 Receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our Lips It is the Form that is prescribed to returning Israel If you would establish Hope with God this must be your only Plea and Claim Grace Lord Mercy Lord And David saith Psal. 13.5 I have trusted in thy Mercy There 's the ground of my Confidence And Chrysostom hath a sweet gloss upon that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If others have any thing to alledg let them plead it Ah Lord I have but one thing to say and plead and upon which to cast all my Hopes and that 's Mercy and Grace Lord I have trusted in thy Mercy Thus Ambrose when he was to die saith Etsi non sic vixi ut pudeat inter vos vivere c. Thô I have not so lived as that I should be ashamed to live I am not afraid to die Why not that I have lived well but quia bonum habeo Dominum because I have a gracious Lord and have made Grace my Confidence So we read in the Life of Bernard seeming to be cited before the Tribunal of God when Satan had spoken in his Conscience What! thou look for any Favour at God's Hand thou art not worthy He replies I confess I am not worthy nor can I by my own Deserts obtain the Kingdom of Heaven but I have a double right Haereditate Patris Merito Passionis by the Grace of my Father and by the Merit of Christ's Passion hereby I can take hold of God with both Hands by Grace and Merit not my own but Christ's Thus God's best Servants their Hopes have been established this way by casting themselves upon Mercy and Grace 2. That we may retain the Favour of God with Certainty Rom. 4.16
that are in the World are held up by God's hand They do not subsist by their own Nature so much as by Divine Manutenency He upholds all things It is an allusion to a weighty Body that is held up by the hand of Man which if loosned it falls to the ground so the Creature would fall to nothing if not kept up by God Now what an Almighty grasp hath he that holds up all things He that feedeth so many mouths with the opening the hand of his Bounty Psal. 145.15 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season Thou openest thy hands and satisfiest the desire of every living thing He that sustains and guides so many Creatures that preserves the Confederacies of Nature that sets bounds to the Sea and makes Decrees for the waves to obey beyond which they shall not pass Ier. 5.22 Which have placed the sand for the bounds of the Sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it and thô the Waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail thô they roar yet can they not pass over it He that holds the Winds in his Fist is not not he mighty and strong And therefore if God should but loosen his hand the World would soon fall into Confusion and nothing Thus his sustaining and preserving all things speaks him an All-powerful God 2. His Internal Providence The Providence of God is chiefly seen in his Power over the Spirits of men that are voluntary Agents He hath such a Power over them that they are not Masters of their own Affections and Dispositions but act contrary many times to their intended purposes Prov. 21.1 The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of waters he turneth it whither soever he will Look as a Man by cutting a Channel draws the water this way or that way hither and thither so doth God move the Hearts of all men in the World nay even of Kings and Princes Prov. 16.7 When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him Strange thing that God can put a Bridle upon the Spirits of men and they shall be at peace with him whom they hated their Hearts are turned many times to what formerly they resolved against Esau is an Instance he had vowed Iacob's Death and meets him with purpose to destroy him but when God brings them together Esau falls embracing of Iacob Gen. 33.4 And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him Egypt dismissed Israel with Jewels Balaam comes to curse and he falls a blessing Israel This bridling turning changing the hearts of men it is a notable discovery of God's Omnipotency Look as there is more Power seen in governing a skittish Horse than in rolling a Stone so in ruling those Beings which have a Principle of Resistance doth the Lord shew forth his Power Angels Men and Devils can do nothing but as God will and as God gives them leave The Devils are fain to ask Christ's leave to enter into the herd of Swine Mat. 8.31 and therefore how may the flock of Christ's Sheep rest secure under the Power of his Providence when those damned Spirits are held in by the irresistible Providence of God that they can do nothing but what God will As Tertullian said If the Bristles of Swine be numbred much more are the Hairs of the Saints God hath such a mighty Power that not a Creature can be troubled without his leave even by those Spirits that are most opposite to him so that his Power over the Affections and Hearts of men shews he is a great and mighty God 3. That God is Almighty appears by the strength that is in Creatures which is an effect and shadow of the Power of God All the Power that is in Creatures is from God and he wastes not by giving as we do That expression suits to this Case God took from the Spirit of Moses and put it upon the Elders and yet Moses had not the less because of their participation We cannot communicate to others but we lessen our selves but God remaineth in an Infinite fullness and therefore if he hath given Power to Creatures he hath more power himself Now there is great Power in Creatures Iob 41.8 Iob tells us of great Whales that have Bones as Brass and strong as pieces of Iron And David tells us of Angels that excell in strength Psal. â—33 20 so that one of them slew a hundâ—ed fourscore and five thousand in one night in Senacherib's Host And if there be such strength in Creatures what is there in God from whom they have it For nothing is in the Effect but what was first in the Cause Secondly Let me come to Explain this Power of God by three Distinctions 1. God's Power is twofold either Absolute or Actual 1. His Absolute Power is by which he can do that which he never will do This is spoken of Mat. 26.53 Thinkest thou not that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of Angels Mark 3.9 God is able of these stones to raise up Children to Abraham he can do more than ever he did or will do He can do not only what Men and Angels conceive can be done but what he himself conceiveth can be done 2. His Actual Power is that by which he doth whatever he will Psal. 115.3 Our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleaseth And Psal. 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and in Earth in the Seas and all deep places Never shall any thing be done but what God wills and what God wills shall surely come to pass which is a notable support in all accidents 2 Distinction God's Power is Ordinary and Extraordinary 1. Ordinary is that which is according to the Course of second Causes and Law of Nature when he preserves the Creatures and works by them according to the Order which he himself hath established Psal. 119.91 They continue this day according to thine Ordinance for all are thy Servants All the Creatures Sun Moon and Stars do keep the Track and Path which God hath set unto them and God preserves the Beings of all things and keeps the Covenant of night and day as it is called in the Prophet 2. There is God's Extraordinary Power by which he can suspend the whole Course of Nature as he hath done sometimes upon eminent Occasions as when the Sun stood still in the Valley of Ajalom Iosh. 10.12 13. or when the Sun went back ten degrees on the Dyal of Ahaz 2 Kings 20.11 His interdicting the Red Sea that it should not flow Exod. 14.21 22. His causing Iron which is a heavy Body to swim upon the top of the water at the Prayer of Elisha 2 Kings 6.6 His suspending the burning of the Fire when the three Children were in the Furnace Dan. 3.27
our Sins in his own Blood And for God the Spirit we also find our Hearts raised to give him Glory partly by the Motions of his Grace which we feel in our Hearts Psal. 143.10 Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of Vprightness Nehem. 9.20 Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them The Sanctifier Guide and Comforter of Believers is God's Spirit he is the only Author and Fountain of all Goodness and Holiness And partly by the comfortable Sense he begets in us of our Adoption Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And of our Hopes of Glory 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who hath also given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit And partly by the Support and Comfort we have from him in all our Conflicts and Distresses 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 3. That we may with more Confidence wait for the Beginning Progress and Consummation of our own Salvation There is the eternal Love of God the alsufficient Merit of Christ and the omnipotent Operation of the Holy Ghost What cannot Eternal Love Infinite Merit and Almighty Power do As Christ is necessary to keep all right between us and God so the Spirit is necessary to keep all right between us and Christ. As we need a Person of the Godhead to satisfy the Justice of God so also to overcome our Obstinacy and Unbelief and to vanquish Temptations and Doubts and Fears and to settle us in the Comfort and Hope of the Gospel It is God's Prerogative to settle the Conscience Isa. 57.19 I create the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace to him that is afar off and to him that is nigh saith the Lord. God is the supream Judg and the wronged Party He commands his Loving-kindness in the Day-time Psal. 42.8 By a powerful Imperial Act of the Spirit he stilleth our Doubts and Fears 4. That the whole Glory of our Salvation may redound to God alone Therefore the Divine Persons carry it on among themselves Love Grace and Communication do all To the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 Grace is the fountain-Fountain-Cause of our Election Grace bringeth it about for who could ransom a Soul except Christ had taken the Work in hand There would have been a stop there Psal. 49.7 8. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him for the Redemption of their Soul is precious and ceaseth for ever There would have been a stop there Grace applies all What are we before the Grace of the Spirit How unworthy till Grace made us lovely How unable to lay hold on it before the Spirit of God enable us Rom. 5.6 For when we were yet without Strength in due time Christ died for the Vngodly And how unable are we to make good use of it afterward For 1. What was our Behaviour before Calling Disobedient serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Titus 3.3 2. In Calling it was slight and â—efractory Iob 33.14 For God speaketh once yea twice but Man perceiveth it not He often inviteth but Men take no notice of what so much concerneth their Souls good but slight all Warnings and Instructions lay not their Condition to heart and many an Opportunity is lost but God overcometh Mens Evil by his own Goodness and will not lose his Elect therefore ver 16. He openeth the Ears of Men and sealeth their Instruction that is breaketh in upon them in such a powerful way that they cannot withstand it 3. Since Calling there are frequent Interruptions of Obedience Iames 3.2 For in many things we offend all Our best Performances are weak and full of Blemishes Isa. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags So that from first to last all floweth from God and all floweth from Love and Grace and Communication of the Spirit that our Persons and Actions are accepted Now it is our Duty to acknowledg this Love and highly esteem this glorious Grace and to testify our Esteem by Word and Work By Word â—n Praises by Deed expressing our Thankfulness in our Lives that they may be a constant Hymn to God and a Praise of his Grace that we are made Partakers of Vse 1. To encourage us to seek after the Effects of this Love of God Grace of Jesus Christ and Communion of the Spirit 1. I will plead your Want What will you do if you have not Father Son and Holy Ghost for your God You have your Beings from him for a while but the Day of his Patience will not always last You must die and give an Account and woful yea dreadful will their Account be who are not only involved in the common Apostacy but have heard of the Transactions of Father Son and Holy Ghost about their Recovery and never minded the Benefit or made light of it Surely it is woful Dulness and Stupidity not to value it and to feel no need of it 2 Cor. 6.1 We then as VVorkers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain What Grace was that God was in Christ reconciling the VVorld to himself chap. 5.19 That Grace which the Father hath contrived for your Salvation that Grace for which Christ laid down his Life that Grace which is so affectionately tendred in the Gospel that Grace and that free undeserving Mercy which is so sutable to your Necessities Will you despise this It was an Act of infinite Love of God to design it and reveal it to you of Christ to purchase it for you of the Holy Ghost to offer it to you yea to strive with you to make you capable of it Shall the Gospel be cast away upon you and all those gracious Methods of God frustrated Or have you no need of it How will you maintain Peace in your Consciences now without Grace How will you stand before God's Tribunal at the last Day 2. Let me plead the Worth of it He that hath this Love of God this Grace of Christ this Communion of the Spirit wanteth nothing to his solid Happiness He hath all necessary things in their Cause and Fountain for he hath God Christ and the Spirit For all things come from the Love of God and the Grace of Christ and the Communion of the Holy Ghost And he doth possess all things in that measure that God sees fit for him Psal. 84.11 The Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly It bringeth other Mercies with it and nothing is
not in Iniquity but rejoiceth in the Truth Ver. 7. Beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Ver. 8. Charity never faileth but whether there be Prophecies they shall fail whether there be Tongues they shall cease whether there be Knowledg it shall vanish away In 1 Sermon p. 995 Psal. 84.7 They go from Strength to Strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God In 1 Sermon p. 1000 1 Cor. 11.26 For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lord's Death till he come In 1 Sermon p. 1009 Mal. 3.17 And I will spare them as a Man spareth his own Son that serveth him In 1 Sermon p. 1016 2 Tim. 2.19 Nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth them that he his and let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity In 1 Sermon p. 1024 Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Iudgment to come Felix trembled and answered Go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient Season I will call for thee In 1 Sermon p. 1031 Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of Pleasantness and all her Paths are Peace In 1 Sermon p. 1038 Prov. 10.20 The Tongue of the Iust is as choice Silver the Heart of the Wicked is little worth In 2 Sermons p. 1053 Acts 10.34 Then Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of Persons Ver. 35. But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him In 1 Sermon p. 1065 Mark 4.24 And he said unto them Take heed what you hear with what Measure ye mete it shall be measured to you and unto you that bear shall more be given In 1 Sermon p. 1076 Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which Cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren In 1 Sermon p. 1083 Heb. 13.5 For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee In 1 Sermon p. 1093 1 Thess. 5.8 But let us who are of the Day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation In 1 Sermon p. 1100 Prov. 14.14 The Backslider in Heart shall be filled with his own ways and a good Man shall be satisfied from himself In 1 Sermon p. 1108 John 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sin of the World In 2 Sermons p. 1116 John 18.11 The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it In 1 Sermon p. 1131 Luke 23.34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do In 1 Sermon p. 1138 John 19.30 He said It is finished and he bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost In 2 Sermons p. 1149 Eccles. 7.29 But they have sought out many Inventions In 1 Sermon p. 1153 Eccles. 12.7 Then shall the Dust return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it In 1 Sermon p. 1161 Rev. 1.5 And from Iesus Christ who is the faithful Witness and the first begotten of the Dead and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Ver. 6. And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father unto him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen In 2 Sermons p. 1175 Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him In 2 Sermons p. 1195 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable In 2 Sermons p. 1209 Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life In 1 Sermon p. 1224 2 Cor. 13.14 The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen In 1 Sermon p. 1232 ADVERTISEMENT THE Publication of this Fourth Volume as also the Author 's former Works in Folio is due to the kind Incouragement of many worthy Persons both Ministers and others who from a publick Spirit and a true Sense of the real Benefit that may accrue thereby to the Church of God have readily contributed their Assistance But that it came out no sooner it must admit of this favourable Excuse from those that were concern'd in the Publication thereof that notwithstanding the hopeful Incouragement it met withal when first proposed yet many Persons that did not decline it were very backward in sending in their first Payments by means of which there could not be any Paper procured before this last Summer to begin the Work which Omission in Subscribers proves very injurious to the speedy finishing any Work of this Nature and sometimes is the Cause of their being wholly laid aside There are some also that 's very strange that were not willing to promote this Work themselves were not satisfied in that but did very industriously indeavour to hinder others by giving out that what was printed were but Scraps and not from his own Notes and that if publish'd would tend rather to the Dishonour than Credit of the Author All which savours so much of Disingenuity that it needs no more Words to refute it But let such judg if they are able by this and the Doctor 's former Works if any thing has been publish'd under Dr. Manton's Name that has not truly born his Character and there is so little need of publishing Scraps that there remains as many single Sermons under his own Hand as would make as large a Volume as this besides several whole Chapters which would make one if not more large Folio's viz. on Psalm 131. Isaiah chap. 53. Ephesians chap. 5. Philip. chap. 3. most of 2 Thess. chap. 1. most of the Chapters of the 1 st Epistle of Iohn with many others not mentioned ERRATA in the First Part. PAge 3. line 16. read no more Grace P. 17. l. ult r. Heat increaseth with Light P. 21. l. 37. f. sure r. soar P. 22. l. 29. r. we must hearken P. 25. l. 10. r. of Argument P. 28. l. 5. dele his P. 29. l. 37. f. lurking r. hucking P. 30. l. 28. f. Conversation r. Conversion l. 44. f. Case r. Care P. 32. l. 20. r. Practicals P. 34. l. 56. f. thô r. if P. 47. l. 57. f. or r. of P. 50. l. 25. r. after he is recovered P. 60. l. 3. dele l. P. 64. l. 9. f. hinged r. honied 1. 24. f. but r. and l. 34. r. a wanton l. 54. for remit r. vomit l. 55. f. Case r. Care P. 74. l. 14. r. a wanton P. 75. l. 33. f. the Sin r. seen P. 79. l. 16. r. envy it P. 83. l. 20. f. these r. there l. 26. dele his P.
the Fruit of his Sufferings When Christ was about to die he made his last Will and Testament Heaven was his by Purchase to bestow upon all his Heirs He had bought it at a dear Rate therefore now he shews what he would do with it Iohn 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be where I am that they may behold my Glory And then he is gone to Heaven again as our Harbinger to prepare a Place for us Ioh. 14.2 I go to prepare a Place for you to take up Mansions and Rooms for us in his Father's Palace He is gone as a Guardian or Feoffee in trust to seize upon Heaven in our Right to keep it during our Non-age and he will come again in Person as the Husband of the Church to bring us into his Father's House with Triumph therefore it is said Rev. 4.10 That the Elders did cast their Crowns before the Throne not as despising their Glory but as professing their Homage and Dependance and Rev. 5.8 9. The four Beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb c. saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood His Abasement was for our Preferment and therefore even here upon Earth may we bless God for the Elders represent the Church upon Earth for his great Mercy to us in Christ. 3. Consider how much we are engaged to God the Spirit who fits and prepares us for this happy State and seals up our Interest to us therefore it is called the Earnest of the Spirit Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who also hath given to us the Earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 The Holy Ghost shapes and fashions all the Vessels of Glory fits and prepares them for Heaven It is the Spirit of God dwelling in us that wrought us and fits us for this great and blessed Hope therefore when-ever you think of it your Hearts should be raised in Thanksgiving It is not only their Duty to praise God that are in actual possession of Glory but ours also to whom these Hopes are revealed Rev. 5.8 There was a mixture of Harps and Vials full of Odours which are the Prayers of all Saints Compare this with Vers. 11. And I beheld and heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and Elders Not only Angels and blessed Spirits but Saints on Earth all join in Consort praising the Lamb. We must praise the Lord in the time of our Pilgrimage for this great Estate reserved for us in Heaven 3. It informs us how desperately wicked the Hearts of sinful Men are that can run the hazard of eternal Death and forfeit this blessed Hope of eternal Life for a little carnal Satisfaction Survey all the Temptations of the World how much they come short of it If the Heart were not desperately wicked we would not be carried out to these things What is Vain Glory to Eternal Glory What are a few dreggy Delights to those Pleasures which are at God's right Hand for evermore What are the Riches of the World to our glorious Inheritance You would count him a mad Gamester that would throw away whole Lordships and Mannors at every Cast. A Sinner forfeits a blessed Hope that is above all the Kingdoms and Possessions of the World It is for this you will be the Scorn of Angels at the last Day Psal. 52.7 Lo this is the Man that made not God his Strength but trusted in the abundance of his Riches and strengthned himself in his Wickedness This will make you ashamed in the great Congregation that you were so foolishly bent to your own Ruin Nay this will torment you for ever nothing torments Men more than their foolish Choice Conscience will for ever tell them with what disadvantage they have forsaken God for a thing of nought Disappointment to a reasonable Creature is the worst vexation and what Disappointment is more than to be disappointed of our glorious Hopes and that for Trifles and a little carnal Satisfaction This will be our Shame and Torment to all Eternity We may guess at the gnawings of Conscience in the Damned by the Horrors of carnal Men when they come to die O then how do they bewail the Folly of their Choice O that they had been as mindful to serve God as to provide for the World as careful to satisfy the Motions of the Holy Ghost as to satisfy a Lust and carnal Desire When they are on a Death-bed and upon the Confines of Eternity then all worldly Comforts cease and there is a real confutation of the folly of their Choice a Sting then begins that never ceaseth Jer. 17.11 At his End he shall be a Fool. When he comes to die his Conscience will rage and call him Fool Beast and Mad-man for hazarding such eternal Joys for a Trifle 4. It informs us of the Excellency of the Gospel or Christian Profession Wisdom should be justified by her Children And all that do profess Religion should see the Excellency of it what there is in their Beloved more than in another Beloved Cant. 5.9 This there is in the Christian Religion there are purity of Precepts Psal. 19.7 8. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the Heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes Then there is sureness of Principles of Trust and Dependance established between us and God that we may depend upon God with Comfort and Satisfaction there do you find rest for the Soul Ier. 6.16 Stand ye in the Ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good Way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your Souls Then there are no such Rewards any where as in the Christian Profession 2 Tim. 1.10 Life and Immortality are brought to Light by the Gospel The Heathens had Dreams of Elizium Fields and Mahomet tells his Followers of a sensual Paradise but Life and Immortality is a Revelation proper and peculiar only to the Gospel The Heathens were at a loss for the Reward of Vertue Austin out of Varro gives us an account of 288 Opinions concerning Happiness and the chief Good of Man but now here is all brought to Light we may look beyond the Grave now and there is not such a Mist and Darkness upon Things to come God having acquainted us with the Gospel Nay there 's more revealed than was in the time of the Law If God had still kept this Secret in his own Bosom what a Support should we have wanted in our Trouble what Encouragement to the practice of Holiness O therefore prize the Gospel it is the Charter of your blessed Hope 5. It informs us what little cause we have to be slack in God's Work or to
of the Mouth of the Lion and this is called presenting his Spouse to God Ephes. 5.27 That he might present it to himself a glorious Church Christ hath shed his Blood and washed her clean and decked her with all the Jewels of the Covenant and then he shall present her to God and the Form of Surrender you have Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children God hath given me Behold here I am and all thou hast given me there is not one wanting O what a glorious Sight will this be to see the great Shepherd of the Sheep leading his Flock into their everlasting Folds and all the Elect following Christ with their Crowns of Glory upon their Heads singing to the Praise of the Lamb O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory c. To see them with Harps in their Hands triumphing thus in the Salvation of God all Enemies gone and the Church lodged in everlasting Habitations Besides consider the Acclamation and Applause of the Angels O how should we strive to be one of this Number 3. The next Consequent is the burning of the World that 's described at large 2 Pet. 3.10 11 12. how that Fire shall come out from God and burn and devour all things and melt the very Firmament Certainly that Fire is to be taken literally for it is opposed to Water the first Water by which the World was destroyed Now by this Fire I conceive the World shall not be consumed but renewed and purged because in the everlasting State God will have all things new he will not only have the Bodies and Souls of the Saints new but will have new Heavens and new Earth for it is a deliverance from the Bondage of Corruption Rom. 8.21 If the World shall be no more the Habitation of the Saints yet God will renew the World that it may be a continual Monument of his Power Now this burning of the World some place it in Preparation before the Day of Judgment but I conceive it is a Consequent for it seemeth to be an Instrument of Vengeance on the Wicked I will not say with the Schoolmen the feculent and drossy part of this Fire is reserved for the Torment of the Wicked in Hell but in general it shall be the Instrument of God's Vengeance upon them so much is asserted 2 Pet. 3.7 The Heavens and Earth that now are by the same Word are kept in store and reserved unto Fire against the Day of Iudgment and the Perdition of ungodly Men. There are some that say this Fire shall begin the Day of Judgment Et causam dicent in flammis the Wicked shall plead their Cause in Flames but this were to execute before the Sentence Sodom's Fire was dreadful but nothing to this Burning It was a dreadful Sight when God rained Hell out of Heaven and the poor tormented Creatures ran screeching and yelling to and fro because of those Flakes of Fire and Brimstone but this Fire shall come out of the Throne of the Lord Dan. 7.10 A fiery Stream issued and came out from before him to consume his Adversaries and to remain in Hell with them for evermore which will be much more dreadful God hath Diluvium Ignis as well as Aquae a Deluge of Fire as well as of Water As one saith very wittily As at the first he drowned the World propter ardorem libidinis because of the Heat of Lust so in the end he will kindle a Fire to burn the World propter teporem charitatis because of the Coldness of Love The Object of your Adulteries will be burnt God will have nothing impure in the everlasting State the World shall be purged with Fire Thus you have seen how the Appearance of Christ will be glorious II. Why the Appearance of Christ will be so glorious 1. To recompense his own Abasement His first Coming was in Humility he came riding upon the Fole of an Ass but now on the Clouds they are as it were his Royal Chariot Then he came with Fishermen a few Apostles to be his Messengers but now he comes with Angels Then he came in the form of a Servant to be judged now he comes as the Son of God to be the Judg of all the World When the Day of Judgment is spoken of Christ is called the Son of Man Mat. 25.31 When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all his holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory Mat. 26.64 Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right Hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven And Dan. 7.13 Behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the Antient of Days and they brought him near before him Why so He that was the Son of Man that came in such a mean Condition at first shall then be glorious and so it taketh off the Scandal of his present Estate He that appeared in so low a Condition that was betrayed crucified spat upon pierced dead buried then shall be crowned with Glory and Honour When he came to teach us Righteousness he comes as the Son of Man but when he comes to reward Righteousness then he comes as the Son of God 2. That he might shew himself to be fully discharged of Sin The Glory bestowed upon his Humane Nature by God the Father noteth his plenary Absolution as our Surety We hear that he is taken up into Glory that God hath acquitted him that he was taken from Prison and from Iudgment Isa. 53.8 but then we shall see it with our Eyes when the Father sends him from Heaven with Power and great Glory At the first Christ came like a Man charged with Sin in the Garb of a Sinner therefore it is said Rom. 8.3 God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh. But then Heb. 9.28 He shall appear the second time without Sin The first time the World looked upon him as one that was forsaken stricken and smitten of God but then he comes as one that is honoured of God his second Coming shall make it evident that he is discharged of the Debt which he took upon himself The Apostle doth not say Those that look for him shall be without Sin but he shall be without Sin The discharge of our Surety is enough it is a sign the Debt is paid 3. He comes in great Glory that he may be as a Pledg and Pattern and Cause of our Glory Christ's Coming is still suted to his Work There is his first Coming and that is in Humility for we fell by Pride he came to redeem us therefore he comes humbly and lowly in the form of a Servant as one that came to suffer not to ruffle it in the World and tread upon the Necks of Kings Then there is his spiritual coming into the Heart to sanctify it this coming is invisible it is with great Power but hidden But when he comes to
a Religion to talk of but not to live by therefore they are cold and indifferent and when the Children of God offer a holy Violence to the Kingdom of Heaven they become a Matter of Scorn and Opposition to them And besides formal Men cannot endure to be outstripp'd and therefore malign what they will not imitate as those that are at the Bottom of the Hill fret at those that are at the Top and Men of a lazy and slow Pace envy them that are more zealous strict and holy but they have little Cause to envy them for Christ died to make us zealous of good Works 3. It informs us if we would expect any Benefit by Christ's Death we must be zealous of good Works and more warm in the Service of God A cold Christian will have but cold Comfort For whom did Christ die for those that are zealous of good Works Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by Force It is an Allusion to Exod. 19.23 24. where there was a Rail about the Mount of God that the People might not break through but when Iohn the Baptist began to discover the Grace of God and pointed to the Lamb of God then the Kingdom of God suffered Violence Men began to break through and press upon God there is a free Access to God and Men are earnest and will not be denied Entrance Matth. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no Case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It is not cold Prayers and yawning Devotions and drowzy Wishes when Men are half asleep that will serve in this Case Heaven is gotten by Force and surprized by On-set and Storm it signifies breaking through the Rail and all Restraints that are set to keep us off from God Vse 2. To stir us up to this Zeal of good Works In a dead and drowzy Age we need an Alarum Knowledg hath now devoured Practice in these decaying times Seneca complains Men are altogether studious for filling their Brains not warming their Hearts And when once Men became more learned they were less good The World is altogether for storing the Head with Notions empty and airy Strains so that if Christ should come amongst us he would find few zealous but a Company of lazy Christians that live at a low cheap Rate of Christianity High-flown we are indeed in our Fancies in Notions and Pretences but low and flat in Practice and Conversation Usually thus it is in the time of the Church's Prosperity like a River it loseth in Depth what it gains in Breadth then it hath many Friends but their Love is not so strong nor so hot as at other times Salvian complains Multiplicatis fidei populis fides diminuta est crescentibus filiis mater aegrotat c. When Professors were multiplied their Faith was lessened and as a Mother grows the weaker the more Children she bears so doth Religion grow weaker and weaker when every one takes up a cold Profession they learn Formality one of another And he goes on Quantum copiae accessit tantum disciplinae recessit as a large Body is less active In audito genere processus recessus crescens simul decrescens When the Church increaseth in Multitude and decreaseth in Vigour and Strength it loseth in Spirit what it injoyeth in temporal Felicity Thus it often falls out with the Church of God that when Religion is fair many take up the Profession but alas it is but weak and spiritless without any Life and Vigor Therefore in such a drowzy Age and dead times we need Alarms and quickning Excitations to awaken our Zeal again for solid Piety for those good Works that are commended to us in the Scripture Therefore let us inquire what kind of Enforcements and Considerations are likely to be most operative to press us to this Zeal and Care of good Works 1. Consider how violent and earnest carnal Men are in the Ways of Sin and shall they serve Satan better than you serve God O consider you have a better Master better Work and better Wages their Master is the Devil their Work is the basest Drudgery being Slaves to their own Lusts and their Wages are sutable their Reward is everlasting Damnation and a Separation from the Presence of the Lord. How active are wicked Men for the Kingdom of Darkness How zealous and earnest to ruine themselves as if they could not be damned soon enough Isa. 5.19 They draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and sin as it were with a Cart-rope The meaning is they would sin though it cost them a great deal of Pains and Sorrow and though they could not sin at a cheap rate The Prophet doth not say they were drawn into Sin as into a Gin and Snare but they themselves did draw on Sin it is horrid Work yet they delight in it toiling and tiring themselves as Beasts at a Plough they were sinful though it cost them Sorrow and Pain There is no Corruption but it puts you to some Self-denial Luxury is costly and he that loves Wine and Oil saith Solomon will be poor Pride we say will endure the cold and Vain-glory will expose a Man to Danger and Ruine Worldliness incroacheth upon Pleasantness and the Comforts of Life a Worldling will rise early sit up late and eat the Bread of Sorrows Psal. 127.2 With what Earnestness and unwearied Diligence do carnal Men pursue after a few Trifles How do they lay out all their Wisdom and all their Sagacity about worldly things Luke 16.8 The Children of this World are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light As Children are busy about Toys and Puppets so they cumber themselves about much Serving and all their Life is but Care and Disquiet and a constant Self-denial Psal. 39.6 Surely every Man walketh in a vain Shew surely they disquiet themselves in vain They make a great deal of Stir and Bustle and many times when all is got what is it A sorry Comfort and that which must be left on this side the Grave Thus wicked Men are active and restless in their way So for Idolatry with what Cost and Diligence do Men promote false Worship and compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte they will give Rivers of Oil and thousands of Rams they do not stand at Pains and Cost God bids the Prophet look upon this Sight as indeed it is worthy of a Christian Consideration Ier. 7.17 18. Seest thou what they do in the Cities of Judah and in the Streets of Jerusalem The Children gather Wood and the Fathers kindle the Fire and the Women kneed the Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-Offerings unto other Gods What a busy Diligence is here to promote their false Worship Fathers Children Husbands Wives they all put their helping Hands to the Work and find some Imployment or other Where will you have a Family
and neglected It is very sad when God is provoked to swear to the Damnation of any Creature Who are the Persons that may stand in dread of this Oath why they that believe not Heb. 3.18 To whom swear he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believe not It is the Sin of Unbelief after many tenders and offers of Mercy which provokes God to this Indignation Here is Oath against Oath the one to drive us the other to draw us and pull in the Heart to God If you continue in this course you shall have neither Part nor Portioâ— in Christ nor in the Land of Promise It is better to be satisfied with God's Oath in Mercy than to run the hazard of his Oath in Judgment Therefore speak to Conscience Do I come up to this Certainty and Confidence Is the Controversy ended between God and me Are all Suspicions laid aside Obj. But you will say I do not doubt of the Truth of the Gospel but of my own â—nterest I doubt that I am the Person to whom God hath sworn The Truth of God is sure but my Interest is not clear Sol. In Answer to this consider 1. It doth but seem so that all Doubts are about our own Interestâ— but it is not so indeed If once you were heartily perswaded of God's good Affection in Christ Doubts and Scruples about our own Estate would soon vanish Look as the Fire when it is well kindled bursts out of its own accord into a Flame so if Faith were once well laid in the Soul if Men could rest upon these two immutable things Consolation would not be so far from them if there were a firm Assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel there would not be so many Buts if you did firmly believe his Mercy in Christ it would soon end in a stedfast Confidence This appeareth from the nature of the thing All Uncertainty ariseth either from a Neglect of the great Salvation or else from Trouble of Conscience Now carnal Men neglect it because they are not perswaded of the Worth and Excellency of it and Men under Horrors of Conscience distrust it they are such Sinners they dare not apply it and are so full of Doubts and Scruples because they are not perswaded of the Truth of the Gospel See how the Apostle proposeth the Gospel 1 Tim. 1. â—5 This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief If negligent and carnal Men would but look upon it as worthy of all Acceptation and troubled Conscience look upon it as a faithful Saying there would be more regular Actings and Effects found in their Hearts and Lives the Negligent would give more Diligence and the Contrite would rise up into a greater Hope and Confidence If Men did believe the Worth of Salvation they would not run after lying Vanities If they did believe the Truth of Salvation for Sinners there would not be so many Scruples and Fears It is notable that the Scriptures very seldom do press Assurance of the Subject but Assurance of the Object in very many places to believe the Doctrine it self for there is the greatest Difficulty and in the Word of God we have no Precedent of any that were troubled about their own Interest If an Earthly King should proclaim a general Pardon and an Act of Grace to all Persons in Rebellion only on terms of Submission and laying down their Hostility and returning to their Duty and Allegiance the Doubt would not be of their own Interest but of the truth of his Intention to shew them such Grace and Mercy So it is with God he hath proclaimed Terms of Grace in the Gospel provided we will lay down the Weapons of our Defiance and return to the Duty of our Allegiance now that which we suspect is the Heart of God and the Gospel in the general whether there be Mercy for such kind of Sinners as we are 2. Because we cannot perswade Men to a Certainty against their Consciences what should hinder but that now you should establish your Interest and that you now make your Plea and Claim according to God's Word and Oath for Joy must arise from a Sense of it Your complaining is not the way to ease your Conscience but Obedience It is an Advantage to find our selves in an ill Condition not a Discouragement As the Woman in the Gospel made an Argument of that that she was a Dog Mat. 15.27 Truth Lord yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Masters Table As when the Man-slayer saw the Avenger of Blood at his Heels this made him mend his pace and fly for Refuge so when we see we are under the Wrath of God this should make us more earnest to look after Christ and Salvation in and by him The Cities of Refuge under the Law stood open for every Comer and there was free Admission till their Cause was heard So Christ is the Sanctuary of a pursued Soul and whosoever comes shall be received Iohn 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out God excludeth none but those that exclude themselves No Sin is excepted but the Sin against the Holy Ghost Therefore make your Claim till your Cause be heard The great Affront we put upon God's Oath is not so much doubting of our Condition but not running to Christ for Refuge If we still stand complaining of our lost Estate and do not attempt the Work of Faith we put an Affront upon God's Oath If the Lord had bid thee do some great thing I allude to the Speech of Naaman's Servants wouldst thou not have done it to be freed from Death and Hell How much rather when he saith unto thee Only come fly as for thy Life and see if I will cast thee out Take up a Resolution to try God and see if he will not be as good as his Word and Oath Say Lord thou hast given two immutable Grounds of Hope here I come I will wait to see what thou wilt do for me in Christ. 3. I answer Do but see whether thy Interest in Christ be not established or no Here is the lowest Qualification of an Heir of Promise and yet the highest and most solemn way of Assurance Here are two immutable Grounds and yet what 's the Description we who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before 〈◊〉 Here is a driving Work that belongs to the Law implied in these words We fly 〈◊〉 Refuge then a drawing Work which belongs to the Gospel in these words To lay hold on the Hope set before us The Law begins and works preparatively as Moses brought the Children of Israel to the Borders then Ioshua led them into the Land of Canaan The Law shews us our Bondage and makes us fly for Refuge but then the Gospel pulls in the Heart to God There is a necessity of the preparing
us the more dreggy Delights oppress Reason wound Conscience and so make way for Sorrow 2. Or else it is called strong Consolation in comparison with it self with respect to less or more imperfect degrees of Comfort There is a Latitude in Comfort some have more and some less some have only weak Glimmerings and Drops others have strong Consolation Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Now a Christian should aim at the highest Degree the stronger your Consolation the better is Christ pleased with it John 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Ioy may remain in you and that your Ioy might be full This makes the Heart of Christ glad when our Counsels are more able to swallow up our Sorrow and revive the Soul in the midst of Trouble In some this Confidence is accompanied with more sensible Doubts Staggerings and Weaknesses though Comfort gets the upper hand in others it is more strong clear and lively and they act in the Ways of God with greater Encouragement 3. It may likewise be called Strong in regard of its Effects 1. It marreth Carnal Joy it puts the Soul quite out of taste with other things Men used Acorns till they found out the use of Bread We content our selves with Husks till we taste of the fatted Calf in our Father's House The Soul must have some Oblectation Love cannot lie idle we are taken with Garlick and Onions till we taste Manna When once we have tasted of the Love of God other things will not be so sweet Cant. 1.4 We will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy Love more than Wine 2. It is stronger than the Evil which it opposeth it swalloweth up all our Sorrows whatever they be Look as we say of Wine or of any Spirits it is very strong when a few Drops can change a great deal of Water into its own Nature So because it overcometh the greatest Evils Terrors of Conscience worldly Miseries and the greatest Anguish and Distress which may befal us therefore it is called strong Comfort A mighty Joy a sense of God's Love in Christ swalloweth up all our Sorrow whatever The Wrath of God is a dreadful thing we can hardly think of it without amazement The fear of Hell Death and Judgment to come these are wont to raise a great Storm in the Conscience but spiritual Joy can only allay it As a wounded Conscience can say there is no Sorrow like unto my Sorrow so a peaceable Conscience can say there is no Joy like unto my Joy Phil. 4.7 The Peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding shall keep your Hearts and Minds through Iesus Christ. The strength of this Joy is seen by Experience rather than Expression In outward Troubles they can take pleasure in Infirmities 2 Cor. 12.10 Glory in Tribulation Rom. 5.3 The more the Devil seeks to trouble the Saints they have the more Joy and are more than Conquerors Rom. 8.37 and all by the Power of this Joy as the more we seek to wrest a Staff out of a Man's Hands he holds it the faster Tribulations Anguish Distress Fears Torments Difficulties they are all overpowred by this Joy II. How this strong Consolation ariseth from Assurance and Certainty To establish Joy and Comfort two things are necessary Excellency and Propriety The thing in which I rejoice it must be Good and it must be Mine Sutably here in the Text there is an assurance of excellent Privileges and then there is a Qualification annexed that we may understand our own Interest God by his Oath assures us of excellent Privileges in Christ and that 's a ground of strong Consolation Then he requireth a Duty of us that we fly for refuge to take hold of the Hope set before us 1. For the Excellency of our Privileges You know that which will minister solid Comfort to the Soul it had need be Excellent A small Matter though never so sure will not occasion a strong Consolation the Joy is according to the Object Now whether a Christian look backward or forward there is Matter of Rejoicing to the Heirs of Promise Backward there is the Immutability of his Counsel Forward there is a Hope set before us From one Eternity to another may a Believer walk and still find cause of rejoicing in God If he looks Backward there God reveals to him the unchangeable Purposes of Grace before the World was If he looks Forward there is an eternal Possession of Glory when the World shall be no more It is sweet to know what 's past and what 's to come there 's naturally a Curiosity in us which would be satisfied We know what God was doing before the World was and what he will do when the World shall be no more We may know for our comfort God was treating and dealing with Christ about our Salvation putting it into an unchangeable course and he hath for ever provided for the Comfort and Welfare of our Souls that we may enjoy him love him and delight in him for evermore Man out of a natural Curiosity hath a great delight both in History and Prophecy to read what is past and to fore-know what is to come especially what concerns his own Destiny Now God in condescension tells us under the assurance of an Oath what he has done for us what Thoughts of Love he had towards us from Eternity what he will do and how happy our Estate shall be for ever God doth not only satisfy the Curiosity of our Nature that desireth Knowledg but the bent of it that poiseth us to our own Happiness It is sweet to read our Names written in the Book of God's everlasting Decree Luke 10.20 Rejoice because your Names are written in Heaven That God hath set us down as Heirs of all that Grace and Mercy he hath dispensed in his Covenant It is sweet and pleasant to reflect upon his antient Purposes of Grace and by the Eye of Faith to read our Names written and recorded in the Rolls of Heaven When you hear any Offer in the Gospel to say this was God's Purpose and eternal Counsel to bestow this upon me before all Worlds he thought of me then And then there is an Hope set before us thy Lot is fallen to thee in a fair Ground O what Joy is this to Believers that their Souls are fully provided for for ever and ever and they shall have what infinite Mercy can bestow and what infinite Merit hath purchased 2. Another Cause of strong Comfort is Interest and Propriety Besides the Excellency of the Privilege there must be the Clearness of our Interest The Object of Joy is not only good in common but our Good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is a Man 's own is sweet to him It doth not enrich a Man to hear there are Pearls and Diamonds in the World and Mines of Gold in the Indies unless he had them in his own possession So it doth not fill us with
the midst of Difficulties such a fickle and such a changeable Creature as Man is how can that be 1 Pet. 1. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation The Power of God is engaged for our Defence So for Temporal Difficulties when we see no means no likelihood to escape yet we are not thoughtful of this matter for our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King Dan. 3.17 In Death when we go to the Grave to moulder into dust and rottenness then to look upon the Morsels of Worms as parcels of the Resurrection what shall uphold and support our Hearts in waiting upon God for this Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subà ne all things unto himself The Scripture still referrs us to the mighty Power of God whereby he can subdue and cause all to fall under him The Destruction of Antichrist and Enemies of the Church who are supported by great and strongly combined Interests how can that ever be hoped for Rev. 18.8 Her plagues shall come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her and that is the greatest Cordial of the Soul The Life of Faith lyes in the Belief of God's Power and All-sufficiency He can raise up the Church from her low Condition and all without any means when all is dry Bones then God can put Life into his People 2. To encourage us in Obedience it is good to believe and improve the Power of God 1. That we may carry it more humbly and more dutifully 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God This is that which begets a deep awe and reverence of his Majesty Shall we not submit to that God that is able to crush us O therefore let us Study to please him in all things When you sin you bid deâ—iance to the Almighty and enter into the Lists with God and provoke him to jealousie 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he Do you know what it is to dash against God and Contest with God He that is Almighty is the most desirable Friend or the most dreadful Adversary and therefore humble your selves and carry it dutifully towards him Every one would be in with the Almighty Be sure to keep in with the Lord Deut. 10.17 For the Lord our God is a God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward Will you provoke him and dare him to his Face 2. To keep us upright in Obedience without Warping and using any Carnal shifts Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect God alone is enough to you The Reason why we so often step out of the way is because we do not believe God to be Almighty that he is more able to defend than Man to hurt Even God's own Children may warp for want of a sound belief of this Abraham saved himself by a Lye because he would not trust God with his Preservation Gen. 20.11 Moses was backward to do the Lord's Message Exod. 4.13 as if God could not bear him out before Pharaoh and before the Egyptians There was a Promise Iacob should have the Blessing but Rebecka puts him upon using indirect means to obtain it because she could not trust God's Alâ— sufficiency to bring it about He that will not trust God and rest upon his Power cannot be long faithful to him because they think there is not enough in God they will seek elsewhere All sincerity ariseth from these two things and until you get your Hearts into this Frame you never will be sincere submitting all things to God's Will and resting upon God's Power How desperate soever the Case be this will relieve you and keep you sincere and comfortable the Lord is a powerful God and knows how to provide for his Glory and for your sustentation Now to quicken you thus to believe and improve the Power of God I will offer these Considerations 1. Consider the Amplitude of God's Power which is not to be measured by our scantling and model we can do something but God can do all things we must have Matter prepar'd but God works out of nothing we do things difficultly and must have time but God can do all things in a moment he needs no Instruments or Tools no Pattern or Copy but worketh all things according to the Counsel of his Will We rust with Age and our strength is dryed up but the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save Isa. 59.1 His strength is never wasted or dryed up When any thing is to be done or expected from God is it greater than making the World and God is where he was at first Our knowledge of things is by Effects but God never had an Effect adequate to his Power he hath done great things but he hath Power to do greater Mal. 2.15 And did not he make one yet had he the residue of the Spirit When he Created the World he had the residue of the Spirit he could have made more Worlds All Created Effects are finite and therefore not fully answerable to the force of the Cause Let us be still enlarging in our Thoughts of God's Power This is a Power that needeth not the Concurrence of visible means but can work without them yea opposite Power is no hinderance to God Rubbs are plain Ground to him Isa. 27.4 Who would set the bryars and thorns against me in battle I would go through them I would burn them together What can Bryers and Thorns do against a devouring Flame they are fit Fuel to encrease the Fire but cannot hinder the burning God works through all Opposition Isa. 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it 2. Consider this Power is ready to be employed for our Use so far as it shall make for God's glory and our good God is ours if we be in Covenant with him and if so all that is in God is ours also Quantus quantus est as great as he is God makes over himself in Covenant I am yours therefore Almightiness is yours to be set a work for you And as Aristotle said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are common between Friends and Confederates 1 Kings 22.4 Iehoshaphat said unto the King of Israel I am as thou art my People as thy People my Horses as thy Horses Surely being in Covenant with God it is a Relation of Friendship and whatever is God's is ours and that is the reason of this Expression Eph. 6.10 Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might In all our Faintings and Fears we should look upon God's Almighty Power as a
to the thankful Soul but to the unthankful they prove Occasions to the Flesh so their Table is made a snare to them and their Welfare a Trap Psal. 69.22 But when we sip and look upward and acknowledge God on all occasions the Creature is sanctified to us 1 Tim. 4.4 Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving Where there is a due Acknowledgment of the Donor we have it with a Blessing So 2. It suppresseth murmuring or that quarrelling fretting impatient Humour which venteth it self against God even in our Prayers and Complaints and sowreth all our Comforts Murmuring is an Anti-providence the scum of Discontent by which we entertain Crosses with Anger and Blessings with Disdain Man is a tachy Creature always querulous especially when God retrencheth him in some Worldly Conveniencies which he fancyeth Now a Thankful Spirit counterballanceth Crosses with Comforts Iob 2.10 What shall we receive good at the Hand of the Lord and shall we not receive evil It taketh Notice how gracious God hath been notwithstanding his seeming Severity therefore it can Bless God in every Condition Iob 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. This fretting Humour is Cured as long as we see Occasion of giving Thanks it causeth us to submit to his Disposing Will. 3. It prevents Distrust and carking Cares This Remedy is prescribed by the Apostle Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God When we acknowledge what God hath done for us it prevents Distrust Psal. 77.10 11. I said this is my infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High I will remember the Works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old There are great Convulsions in an Earthquake but when it findeth a Vent all is quiet When we can Bless God for Favours already received we will not doubt of his Goodness for the future but quietly compose our selves to wait for the good end of the Lord. 4. It Cureth spiritual Pride to consider who must be Praised and Owned for all the good which is in us 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it The more we have we are more indebted to Grace We have all from God and for God not for our selves our own Glory and Ostentation God will be Angry if we rob Him of it as Herod was smitten because he gave not God the glory Acts 12.23 The Receiver is as bad as the Stealer we Consent to this Robbery and Usurpation VSE Oh then let us be more abundant in Thanksgiving and Praise It is God's Will concerning us in Christ 1 Thes. 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the Will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you But there are other Reasons to perswade us as 1. Our Profit both Spiritual and Temporal It argueth a good Spirit great Faith and Love when we look to God in every thing and a submissive Spirit when we take any thing kindly at his hands The Nations had never fallen to Idolatry if they had kept up Thankfulness and considered God in all their Mercies Acts 14.16 17. Who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Setting up the Idol Chance was the great Cause of perverting Mankind Besides this is noble and delightful Work the Work of Angels our Work in Heaven Well then Observe what matter of Praise God vouchsafeth to you continually if you did want many of the Comforts you now enjoy how miserable would your Lives be A thing too near the Ball of the Eye is not seen well Our Comforts must be set at a distance to make us value them 2. Our continual Dependance It is with us as it was with the Raven and the Dove which Noah sent forth out of the Ark Gen. 8.7 8. the Raven feeding on the floating Carrion returned no more but the Dove finding not whereon to rest the sole of her Foot returned with an Olive-branch Carnal Men if they can get any thing from God to support them and they have their Stock in their own hands they care no more for Him but live apart from God Ier. 2.31 Wherefore say my People We are Lords we will come no more unto thee 3. Consider how Thankful others are for less than what we enjoy There are many that would be glad of our leavings but usually those that enjoy the greatest Possessions pay the least Rent and God receiveth more Praise from a poor Cottage than from a rich Pallace But I proceed to the second Point 2 Doct. That in Thanksgiving to God we should especially own his Spiritual Benefits These are usually overlooked but yet these deserve the chiefest Acknowledgments First Because these are discriminating and come from God's Special Love which floweth forth to his own People Corn and Wine and Oyl are bestowed upon the World but Faith and Love upon his Saints David prayeth Psal. 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the favour which thou bearest unto thy people To have the Favourites Mercy is more than to have a common Mercy Protection is the Benefit of every common Subject but intimate Love and near Admission are the Priviledges of Special Favourites Now by the common Effects of his Providence Love or Hatred cannot be known Eccl. 9.1.2 No man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to all c. The things without us and the things before us and the things promiscuously dispersed will not discover his Special Love to us Christ gave his Purse to Iudas the worst of the Disciples but his Spirit to the rest as the choicest Gift Secondly Because these concern the better part the Inward Man 2 Cor. 4.16 For which cause we faint not but thô our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by â—ay He doth us more Favour that healeth a wound in the Body than he that soweth up a Rent in the Garment Is not the Body more than Rayment So is not the Soul more than the Body Yea farther and the Soul furnished with Grace than the Soul furnished only with Natural Gifts and Endowments 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal And though I have the gift of prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my
better colour The Mystery of Redemption to the Carnal is but a cold Story and the Rose of Sharon but as withered Flowers and the Promises of the Gospel are as dry Chips 3. The Causes of it they are the Holy Ghost and Faith as his Instrument This Joy is stirred up by the Holy Ghost therefore often called Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost And the Comforts of the Spirit Acts 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost But then Faith is the Means Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho' now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory So that it is a Fruit of Faith as well as a Work of the Holy Ghost Faith joyned with Love will bring much Love into the Heart of a Believer and will cause it to be deeply affected with Christ's Grace 3. The Nature of this Joy and Gladness Here we must distinguish 1. There is a superstitious Joy which ariseth from knowing Christ after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know we no Man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more which is seen in this it prizeth Christ's Name but neglects his Office pretends a fond Esteem of his Memory but despises his Benefits As the Iews would fly in the Face of any that would not count them Abraham's Children yet would not do the Works of Abraham so is the Nominal Christian's Joy This Joy venteth it self in a Carnal way by outward Theatrical Pomp and Ceremonial Observances but not in real Affection to Christ yea they are rather Enemies to his spiritual Kingdom and Cause and Servants and express their rejoycing rather as Votaries of Bacchus than as Disciples of Christ in a gross and Carnal way This Joy is a rejoycing in Christ for a day but we are to make it our daily Work an holy Festival that lasteth our whole Lives Phil. 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoice This is a different thing from Abraham's rejoicing He had a Prospect of Christ's day and was exceeding glad but this is a Carnal owning of the God of the Countrey and no more 2. There is an holy Rejoycing which may be considered 1. As to the lively Acts. 2. Or solid Effects 1. As to the lively Acts in solemn Duties as the Word and Meditation and Lord's Supper it doth your Hearts good to think of Christ Cant. 1.4.10 We will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy Love more than Wine Psal. 22.26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied they shall praise the Lord that seek him Your Heart shall live for ever Heb. 11.13 All these dyed in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them That is when they thought of it the time of the Gospel was a sweet time to them and so it is to all other Believers A Man cannot think of his Pelf or any petty Interest in the World without Comfort and can a Believer think of the Promises and not be affected with them In solemn Meditation and other Duties is Faith and Joy acted 2. As to its solid Effects 1. It is such a Joy as doth enlarge our Hearts in Duty and strengthen us in the way of God Nehem. 8.10 For the joy of the Lord is your strength Psal. 119.14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all riches The hardest Services are pleasant to one that delighteth in Christ. This Joy is the very life of Obedience a Christian cannot be without it 2. It sweeteneth our Calamities and Crosses 1. Common Afflictions It can never be so sad with us in the World but we have cause of rejoycing in Christ Hab. 3.17 18. Tho' the Fig-tree do not blossom c. yet I will rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of my Salvation For we have better things in him than any natural Comfort which can be taken from us This should not diminish the solid satisfaction of our Souls 2. The Afflictions of the Gospel Luk. 6.23 Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy for your Reward is great in Heaven for in like manner did their Fathers unto the Prophets Heb. 10.34 And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that in Heaven ye have a better and enduring substance They are fit Occasions to shew how much we Value Christ above all our own Interests how near and dear soever they be to us 3. It draweth us off from the vain Delights of the Flesh. Every Man must have some Oblectation for Love and Delight cannot lye idle in the Soul either it is taken up with the Joyes of Sense or with the Joyes of Faith And it is good for every Man to Observe what it is that puts gladness into his Heart where his solid Contentment and Pleasure is A bruitish Heart fetcheth all its Solaces from the World but a gracious Heart from Christ the one love Pleasures more than God but to the other Christ and his Benefits are their matter of Joy and Comfort this is that they are cheared with as they get more of Christ into their Hearts Psal. 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased As David calleth God his exceeding Ioy Psal. 43.4 They need not the Carnal Mirth without which others cannot live Psal. 4.6 Who will shew us any good VSE Well then you see Faith is not only a Sight but a Taste or a feeding on the Promises with delight Psal. 119.111 Thy Testimonies I have taken for an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart And such a Delight as draweth off our Hearts from other things as the Man that had found the true Treasure Matth. 13.44 For joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field I Observe a double Joy in Abraham 1. In Desiring He rejoiced to see my day The Spiritual desires of God's People after Christ are full of Joy There is a Joy that accompanieth seeking before we attain what we seek after Psal. 105.3 Let the hearts of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Before Complacential Joy there is a Seeking Joy Better be a Seeker than a Wanderer and Delight in Christ keepeth up this seeking 2. There is a Joy after Faith hath given some satisfaction First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he rejoiced and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was glad A Man sick of a Mortal Disease when he heareth of
do not lose what you have wrought Isaac digged Wells and the Philistines dammed them up so when the Soul hath digged a Well of Salvation Satan will seek to damm it up therefore be watchful SERMON VI. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide Secondly I Come now to the particular Objects of Meditation First I begin with that which is the Chief End of Man a necessary Work that you may come to your selves Luke 15.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he came to himself he said how many hired servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger That is when he began to consider of his Condition it put better thoughts into him Therefore that we may come to our selves it is good to consider the End why we were Created and the Errand upon which God sent us into the World to reason thus with our selves Why was I sent into the World Why do I live here to get an Estate or to get into Christ To wallow in Pleasures or to Exercise my self in Communion with God To heap up perishing things together or to make my Everlasting State more sure When the End is rightly stated Men know their Work and so live up to the purposes of their Creation But alass Many know other things but are ignorant of themselves and so pass on carelesly to their own Ruine like him that gazed on the Stars and fell into a deep Pit their Eyes are upon the ends of the Earth but they do not consider their Souls Others for want of considering the end of their Lives are so far from living as Christians that they scarce live as Men but either as Beasts or as Devils Delight in the Pleasures of the World transformeth a Man into a Beast it is their happyness to enjoy Pleasures without remorse and to gratifie the Body and delight in Sin transformeth a Man into a Devil Worldly Pleasures are not Bread and Sinful Pleasures are Poyson You that are allured by the Pleasures of the World which are lawful in themselves you lay out your Money for that which is not Bread and you to whom it is Meat to do Evil you feed upon that which is Rank Poyson the World cannot satisfie and Sin will surely destroy Thus Men beguile themselves and do not consider of the end of their Lives till their Lives be ended and then they make their moan Usually when Men lye a dying then they cry out of this World how it hath deceived them And how little they have fulfilled the end of their Creation Partly because then Conscience is awake and puts off all Disguises and partly because present things are apt to work upon us and when the Everlasting Estate is at hand the Soul is troubled that it did no more think of it Oh consider It is better to be prepared than to be surprized Think not only of your Last End but of your Chief End what should be the great aim of your Lives even before Death comes All Religion lyes in this in fixing the aim of your Life all the difference between Men and Men is in their Chief Good and Utmost End In the managing of this Meditation I shall pursue it in this Method not that I prescribe to you but that I may set some bounds to my own Discourse however I shall use such a Method as is most facile and obvious not exceeding the Capacity and Reach of the meanest The Work of such a Meditation may be divided into three parts 1. The Considering Work 2. The Plotting and Contriving Work 3. The Arguing Work First In the Considering Work you may propound these or such like things to your thoughts 1. Man was made for some End All God's Works are referred to the Service and Use of his Glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of wrath God being a wise Agent must have an End now God could have no other End but himself and his own Glory for the End must be more worthy than the Means something better and above all created things And if God made all things for himself then Man who was the visible Master-piece of the Creation the lesser World the Compendium and Summ of all Gods other Works So the Apostle Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things All things are of him as a Creator through him as a Preserver and to him or to his Glory from him as the first Cause to him as the last End Certainly God did not make such a glorious Creature as Man for any low use The whole Creation was for Mans Use and Man was for God's Glory Psalm 8.3 4. When I consider the heavens the works of thy fingers the moon and the stars that thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him He was God's Deputy and Vicegerent created to enjoy the Comfort of other Creatures and to exercise Dominion over them the whole World is his Palace arched with Heaven and floored with Earth But still that he might be faithful to his Maker and do his Homage to God and give him the Rent and Tribute of his Glory and Praise And therefore if the Heavens do declare the Glory of God and the creeping things and all Beasts in their Rank and Place much more should Man who was furnished with Higher Priviledges and with an Higher Capacity we have faculties that are especially suited to this purpose therefore it is said 1 Iohn 5.26 He hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true Certainly God never made such a Glorious Creature for Wealth or Pleasures but for an higher Use and Purpose even for himself If you do but look upon his Mind and Understanding you will find it to be a wrong and debasement to take it off from a Spiritual Use and put it to a Carnal 2. This End is the injoying and glorifying of God To enjoy God is Mans happyness and to glorifie God is Mans work by glorifying God he comes to enjoy him and he enjoyeth him that he may glorifie him Herein he differeth from other Creatures they were made only to glorifie him not to enjoy him but Man to glorifie him and enjoy him too 1. He was made to enjoy him for that is his happyness Domine Fecisti nos propter te irrequietum est cor nostrum donec perveniat ad te The Soul is made up of unlimited and restless desires there are such cranneys and chinks in the Soul that cannot be filled up but by the enjoyment of God we were made for him and we are not quiet till we do enjoy him Nature will teach us to groap after an Eternal good as the Sodomites did after Lots Wife in the Dark Acts 17.28 That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him
Every Sinner is as a mad Gamester he ventures a Kingdom the largest and fairest that ever was at every throw and he is fure to lose it too Then consider the pains of Hell they will set out the greatness of Sin and consider them either in regard of Gods Ordination or Appointment or in regard of your own feeling 1. In regard of Gods Ordination and Appointment That the good of God who is meekness and sweetness and Bowels it self should adjudge his Creature to Eternal Torments certainly there is some cause We pity a Dog if he should be cast into a furnace for half an hour yet those tender Bowels of Mercy shrink not up at the sight of Sinners though Man be the work of his own hands and though the Creature screech and howl under these pains yet he will not lessen and take them away Surely there is some great evil in Sin that hath tyed up the hands of Mercy 2 Consider it in regard of your selves and your own feeling Oh for a short Temporal Pleasure thou runnest the hazard of Eternal pains We that cannot endure the scratch of a Pin or the aching of a Tooth how shall we endure the torment of so many thousand years and yet still to look for more Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Mark the Attribute the living God who Lives for ever to see the Vengeance accomplished as long as God is God Hell will be Hell there can never be any Hope that Gods Being can be destroyed or that there will be aâ—cessation of those torments and pains God ever liveth to reward the Godly and to punish the wicked 3. The third sort of Arguments are from the aggravations of Sin that may enhance it and show the greatness of it to your thoughts 1. It is natural to us It is necessary to reflect upon this Circumstance because it is the hardest matter in our Humiliation to be sufficiently affected with our Birth-Sin Evils that come by Accident are Objects of Pity but Evils of Nature are Objects of Hatred we pity a Dog that is poysoned but we hate a Toad that is poysonous by Nature oh how may the Lord hate us that have Evil in our Nature it is not accidental to us It is the great fondness of Men to make that an excuse which is in it self the greatest aggravation Some will say when they are reproved for Sin I cannot do otherwise it is my Nature this will be the cause of thy ruine without an Interest in Christ. The Waters that come out of a pure Fountain may be soiled and dirtied but they will be clear again but a puddle that runneth out of a Dunghil will be alwaies nasty and filthy Our Sins are not by Accident but by Nature they are not like the muddying of a clear Fountain but like the unsavoury liquor that comes out of a Dunghil Original Sin however you think of it is the sin of sins we are born with such a Sin and it is worse than any other Sin Actual Sins are but as a transient Act whereby there is a violence offered to one of Gods Commandments but this is a constant rooted abiding contrariety to Gods own Nature Actual Sins are a blow and away but this is a remaining Enmity Actual Sins are like a fit of Anger and Displeasure soon up and soon down but this is a rooted hatred This is the cause of all other Sins the bitter root that diffuseth a poyson into all the branches All other Sins that a Man commits are but Original Sin acted and exercised Look as in the Art of numbring the greatest number that can be numbred is but One multiplyed so the whole fry of Actual Transgressions is but Original Sin multiplyed this Spawn diffused and spread abroad all those Traiterous Actions that we are guilty of in the course of our Lives are all summed up in this sinning Sin 2. Our Sins are many We sin in praying in eating in ploughing in trading and any one of these is enough to undo a World The Angels became Devils for one Sin for one Sin of thought a proud thought against Gods Empire and Greatness and for this they were thrown into places of Darkness what ruine then will a great many Sins procure to thy Soul If single Sins seem light in themselves yet what are they all together There is nothing lighter than one Sand and yet nothing heavier than Sand in a great quantity A Gnatt a Fly a Locust are poor inconsiderable Creatures yet when they come in multitudes they are called Gods great Army and destroy whole Countreys Ioel 2.11 The Lord shall utter his voice before his Army for his camp is very great If every pore in the Body were but pricked with a Pin the veins would soon be emptied of Blood One Sin was deadly but what are they altogether when from Top to Toe there is nothing but sores and putrefaction Herod was eaten up with Lice a small inconsiderable kind of Vermin yet the abundance of them destroyed him so though Sins seem small in themselves yet when they come in clusters how soon will they devour and eat out the life and comfort of the Soul Psal. 40.12 Innumerable evils have encompassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of mine head therefore my heart faileth me And if David may say so may not we much more Nothing can be little that is committed against the great God but suppose them small yet they are a Company oh this will make your hearts fail The little finger of Sin is weighty but when all the loins of it are laid upon the Soul how great will the Burden be Lok upon all the troubles of the Servants of God and you will find they were first occasioned by a small Sin as Mr. Peacocks by eating too freely at a Meal but when innumerable evils shall compass you about that wherever you look there is Sin if you look on Duty there is Sin if you look on your Calling there is Sin if you look on your Recreations there is Sin if you look on the hours of your repast there is Sin Oh this will make your hearts fail indeed 3. If they have been such as have been committed against Knowledge There is more of the Nature of Sin in such Acts for the Nature of Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the Law now the more we know the Law the greater is the Transgression according to the sense we have of the Law so the offence is elevated and raised He that hath Knowledge is magis particeps legis the Law is a piece of himself it is impressed upon his Conscience and he offereth violence to the Principles of his own Bosome This is the Reason why the Children of God use this aggravation as David Psal. 51.6 In the hidden part thou shalt make me
God converted Firmius Omnipotency needeth no outward advantage So in Publick Deliverances Gods Instruments are usually despicable a Straw is as good as a Spear in the hands of Omnipotence Most of the Iudges that rescued Israel were taken from the Plough and Sheepfold So for Judgments God by weak means punishes Sinners Egypt was plagued with Flies and Lice they were strong to execute Gods Word 3. By working with contrary means Christ used Clay and Spittle that one would think should put out the Eyes to restore sight to the blind Man Ioseph was first made a Slave and then a Favourite his Brethren first sell him and then worship him he is cast into the Dungeon to be preferred to Court There are strange Contrivances and Contrarieties in Providence the way seemeth contrary to the Aim and the Means disproportionable to the End When we see great Confusions in the World we wonder how this should tend to oGds Glory and the Churches good and are apt to say as Ioshua chap. 7.9 What wilt thou do unto thy great name And as the Prophet Amos 7.2 By whom shall Iacob arise for he is small We wonder how God means to save when Babylon destroyeth and how Confusion and Mischief can end in Order and Beauty But Gods knows the sufficiency of his own Power and is able to bring about these things to bring Light out of Darkness and one contrary out of another 2. The Acts of Providence they are three Conservation Gubernation and Ordination 1. Conservation Conserving and keeping all Creatures in their Being Therefore the Apostle saith Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the word of his power Isa. 22.23 24. I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house If God should take away the shoulder of his Providence all things would return to their first nothing and vanish and disappear as a Seal upon the Waters the Impression is defaced assoon as the Seal is gone Providence is a continual Creation every thing that is kept in Working and Being is as it were newly born newly brought forth newly produced nay Chrysostome saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something greater than Creation as it is more to support a burden long in the Air than to raise it up from the Earth so it is more to keep all things from returning to nothing than to educe and bring them out of nothing That 's the Reason why the Holy Ghost speaks in the present Tense Psalm 104.2 Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain And Isa. 40.22 It is he that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in It is not in the future Tense because God is alwaies a stretching them out So our Saviour Iohn 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I work Though there be a cessation of work in regard of new kinds yet there is a continuation of work in regard of their Preservation and God's Providential Influence The Power which raised from nothing must still preserve from nothing Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things This Solomon intends when he saith Prov. 20.12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them He doth not mean Spiritually but Naturally he doth not only give the Faculty but the Exercise as he gives the Eye so the seeing and as he gives the Ear so the Hearing This could not be done without new Acts of Providence Assistance and Supportation from God Therefore we read Hagar did not see the Well of Water till the Lord opened her Eyes Gen. 21.19 And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water So the Disciples Luke 24.31 And their eyes were opened and they saw him When the Lord suspended his influence the Fire could not burn the three Children God did not destroy the property of the Fire but only suspended the Efficacy of it No Creature can put forth it self in a way of Operation without a new Providential assistance from God 2. Gubernation or governing all things according to his Will and Pleasure All things keep their course for God sitteth at the Helm and steereth all Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him What doest thou God doth all according to his pleasure he is not confined by any External Law nor straitned by the course of Nature but acts with a great deal of Soveraignty and Freedom and sometimes inverts the Order of Second Causes God's Will is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Pleasure is all There are indeed some standing Ordinances of Nature as the Ordinances of Sun and Moon and the Covenant of Day and Night Ier. 31.35 Thus saith the Lord which giveth the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of moon and stars for a light by night And Gen. 8.22 While the earth remaineth seed-time and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease God can alter the course of these as in Ioshua's time and at Christs Death there was three dayes darkness in Egypt Matth. 5.45 He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust There is nothing so casual but it is governed by God and falls under the Ordination of his wise Counsel It is said 1 Kings 22.34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness It was a meer chance as to him but God directed it into the sides of the King So Exod 21.13 If a man lye not in wait but God deliver him into his hand compared with Deut. 19.5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to how wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree and the head slippeth from the helve and lighteth upon his neighbour that he dye God slew him There is nothing so casual but it is directed by the wise Ordination of God Prov. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposal thereof is of the Lord. There seems to be nothing so trivial and casual as the casting the Lot into the Lap yet it is over-ruled by him he doth not only permit but governe God governs all his Creatures in such a throng of Stars there is no interfering We wonder at strange Events when the great sway is discovered The Sea is higher than the Earth yet it doth not transgress its bounds and limits We live and breath as the Israelites did in the midst of the Red Sea this is a dayly Miracle 3. Ordination All things are over-ruled by Gods great sway it is
swallowed up of this Joy shall we be no more affected with it now We that shall so shortly be so full of joy shall we be empty now Shall not we rejoyce who have now a Title to Heaven and shall in a little time be in the full and perpetual possession of it III. The many Reasons which shew we should have a greater inclination to this Blessed Work than usually we have and be oftner in it 1. Because God hath done so much to raise it in us All the Persons of the God-head concur and contribute their Influence in that way of operation which is proper to each to give us grounds of joy 1. The Father giveth himself to us and his favour as our felicity and portion Gods Love is the bosom and bottom cause of all our Happiness which sets all other causes at work and when we have the sure effects of it can any thing so bitter befal us that will not be sweetned by the Love of God Or so evil that this shall not be ground of Comfort to us Psalm 4.6 7. There are many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased Carnal Men must have something good to sense but Godly Men take their full delight in God This doth them good to the Heart it is not like a little Dew that wets the Surface but like a soaking Showre that goeth to the Root And more enough to draw us off from the World enough to swallow up all our infelicities yea to encounter the Thoughts of Death Hell and Judgment to come 2. The Son is also matter of rejoycing to us as our Redeemer and Saviour You are to consider what the Lord Jesus hath done to deliver you from Sin and the bitter Curse of the Law and the Fears of Death and the Flames of Hell The Eternal Son of God came to heal our wounds Isa. 53.5 By his stripes we are healed To make our peace with the Father by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 To vanquish our Spiritual Enemies and triumph over them Col. 2.14 15. to be the ransom of our Souls 1 Tim. 2.6 The Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 the Head of his Church Eph. 1.22 The Treasury and Storeâ—ouâ—e of all our Comforts Iohn 1.16 and in short he hath recovered us to God and hath given us an Interest in the Comforts of his Gospel and the Promises thereof which are in him Yea and in him Amen and is not this matter of joy and rich comfort The whole Covenant breed strong consolation in the hearts of Gods People Heb. 6.18 And David saith Psalm 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart It doth our hearts good when we take these things for our Happiness Abraham rejoyced in the fore-thought or fore-sight of Christs day Iohn 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And should not we rejoyce that live under the clearest dispensation of it The benefits of our Redemption by Christ should be so esteemed that no Affliction should be grievous The Kingdom of Christ is every where represented as a Kingdom of Joy and Comfort Rom. 14.17 The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And if we be real Members of it we should see more cause of rejoycing in Christ Jesus 3. The Holy Ghost concurreth in his way of Operation as a Sanctifier Guide and Comforter As a Sanctifier he layeth the foundation for Comfort for it is the spirit of Delusion that comforts us in our sins that by imaginary Comforts he may keep you from those that are real solid and everlasting But the true Spirit is a Sanctifier and therefore a Comforter he first poureth in the Oyl of Grace and then the Oil of gladness Comfort and Joy follow Holiness as Heat doth the Fire And then as a Guide either in his restraining Notions as he mortifieth Sin or in his inviting motions as he exciteth and quickneth to Holiness These are helps to our Comfort cannot a Man live merrily without Sin And do you think a Life of Holiness irreconcileable with a life of rejoycing no such matter it is the ready way to joy especially to joy Spiritual But chiefly as a Comforter he is purposely given us to keep in this Holy Fire and maintain a constant delight in God in our Souls And therefore it is called Joy in the Holy Ghost where God himself taketh upon him the Office of a Comforter surely there will be comfort Life will quicken light will illuminate and the comforting Spirit will comfort in that season and degree God seeth fit and we are capable to receive Now he comforteth partly as sealing partly as giving earnest 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts As sealing us by stamping the impress and image of God upon us which is the mark of his Children the sure Evidence of his Love and the Pledge of our Happiness And as giving us the earnest of a Blessed Estate to come that Life is begun which there shall be perfected Now consider all this when God himself will be our Portion our Saviour our Comforter should not all this cause us to rejoyce in God what-ever our Condition be in the World 2. All the Graces tend to this Faith Hope and Love 1. Faith That is a dependance upon God for something future that lyeth out of sight Now these invisible and future Objects are so great and glorious that they support and comfort the heart how afflicted soever our present Condition be 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost In both these places Faith implyeth a firm belief of and dependance upon Christ as an All-sufficient Saviour by whom alone God will give us Eternal Life This Faith will breed a perpetual rejoycing in the Soul if it be firm strong and operative 2. Hope breedeth this Joy also Rom. 12.12 Rejoycing in hope and Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Though we be pressed with Miseries for the present yet there is a better Estate to come the excellency and certainty of which causeth us to rejoyce and giveth us a foretast of it Joy is chiefly for Injoyment but there is a partial Injoyment by hope which is not only a desirous expectation but delightful for tast or praeoccupation of the thing hoped for 3. Love to God also causeth us to rejoyce in him For it sheweth it self in a complacency and well-pleasedness of Mind in God as our chief good Psalm 16.5
my Heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God The Prophane blind world neither careth for the Duty nor for God in the Duty the formal hypocritical part of the World is for the outward Duty and rests satisfied with the bare Ordinance but the sincere Christian would meet with God there They do not only serve him but seek him to find God in the means and his lively operation upon their Hearts and therefore God would not go from 〈◊〉 without him Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee go except thou bless me They must have somewhat of God this is what they long for some new warmth and comfort and quickening 3. Those Ordinances are prized where many of the Servants of God meet together It is comfortable to injoy God in secret such duties are rewarded with an open blessing Mat. 6.6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and shut thy Door and Pray unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret will reward thee openly But here it is Gods Court David could thus injoy God in the Wilderness Psal. 42.4 I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God with the voice of joy and praise with the multitude that kept holy day It is a comfort certainly to meet with our everlasting companions joining in Consort with them and beginning our everlasting work Gods people have but one Spirit one Divine nature are led by the same principles rules and ends have the same hopes desires and joys To have multitudes of these joining with us in lifting up the same God in the same solemn worship praying together hearing together sitting down at the same table and glorifying the same God and Father with the same Heart and Mouth Acts. 1.14 These all continued with one accord in Prayer and supplication Psal. 22.22 In the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee And ver 25. My praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation I will pay my vows before them that fear him 4. It must be to the Ordinances though under reproach disgrace persecution Heb. 11.26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures in Egypt Though the Service of God expose us to the lowest and most painful condition of Life as a Door-keeper if joined with any measure of Communion with God 2 Sam. 6.22 I will be yet more vile than thus It is better to suffer affliction with the people of God than to injoy the most easie sumptuous and plentiful condition of Life with wicked Men. Few are content to serve a poor Christ. 5. It is a constant affection not for a pang Herod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heard John Baptist gladly Mark 6.20 and Iohn 5.35 He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light for a season while Ordinances are novel things or during some qualm of Conscience But it is from a constant inbred appetite common to all the Saints 6. This value and esteem must vent it self by a strong desire Psal. 42.1 2. As the Hart panteth after the Water Brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God The lively Believer doth earnestly and above all other things seek after communion with God Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my Life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple There were other things which David might desire but this one thing was his Heart set upon that he might live in constant communion with God Not to be setled in his Regal Throne which he sought not yet to be but to injoy that transcendant pleasure of conversing daily and frequently with God And the Spirit worketh uniformly in the Saints 7. The end of our attendance on Ordinances must be Gods Glory and our own profit God's Glory Psal. 27.4 To behold the beauty of God God is infinitely worthy of all honour and praise from his Creatures Love to God hath an influence on it Psal. 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth Our profit 1 Pet 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby that we may have some increase of light and life Psal. 84.7 They go from strength to strength every one in Sion appeareth before God Sermon I. on Luke Xix. 10 For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost THIS is given as a reason why Christ came to invite himself to Zaccheus his House who was a Publican we find ver 7. the people murmured saying that he was gone to be a Guest with a Man that is a sinner Christ defendeth his practice by his Commission or the errand for which he came into the World For the Son of Man c. In which words 1. The Person or the character by which he was described the Son of Man Christ is called so not to deny his Godhead but to express the verity of his humane nature and that he was of our Stock and Linage He might have been true Man though he had not come of Adam but his Humane Nature had been framed out of the Dust of the Ground as Adam's was or created out of nothing but he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are of one For which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Heb. 2.11 He would be of the Mass and Stock with us 2. His Work He is come to seek and to save The first word to seek sheweth his diligence he leaveth no place unsought where his hidden ones are the second word to save sheweth his sufficiency of Merit and Power both shew his kindness and good will to mankind to recover us out of our lapsed estate 3. The object of this Grace and Favour that which was lost The object of Christ's Salvation is Man lost and undone Doct. That the great end and business of Christ's coming is to seek and save that which is lost Here I shall enquire two things by way of explication 1. In what sense we are said to be lost 2. How Christ cometh to seek and save such I. In what sense we are said to be lost two ways really and indeed or in our own sense and apprehension 1. Really and indeed so we are lost to God and lost to our selves As to God he hath no Glory Love and Service from us and so is deprived and robbed of the honour of his Creation The Father in the Parable by whom God is resembled saith Luke 15.24 This my Son was lost and is found Lost as to themselves so they are said to be lost as they are out of the way to true Happiness and as they are in the way
Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Christi It is well that every angry Christian's Tongue is not the Fan wherewith Christ will purge his Floor God considereth Men in his judgment not of this or that Party but as Righteous or Wicked II. In what sense is this denied of God For it seemeth God doth respect Persons giving more Grace to one than another though both be equal in themselves I answer First The Text speaketh of what is done by God in his Government Respect of Persons is not faulty except it be in judgment for so it is forbidden to Man that neither the Poor nor the Rich should be favoured in the judgment of their cause Levit. 19.15 Thou shalt not respect the person of the Poor nor honour the person of the Mighty but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy Neighbour And so it is applied to God 1 Pet. 1.17 Who without respect of persons judgeth every one according to his works Therefore God may be considered two ways either as a righteous Governor of the World or as a free Lord. And the decision in short is this That God that is Arbitrary in his Gifts is not Arbitrary in his Judgments Therefore we must not exclude the free distribution of his Graces for God as a free Lord may give his benefits as he seeth meet for that is not a matter of right and wrong but of meer favour Thus God of his free mercy called the Gentiles who were further off from him than the Jews and may give the Gospel and the Grace of the Gospel to one and not to another when both are equally unworthy of it As to his Gifts he may do with his own as it pleaseth him Matth. 20.15 We can plead no right either by merit or promise On the other side if you consider God as a Governor who Governeth Mankind by a Law which hath Punishments and Rewards Punishments threatened and Rewards promised he judgeth according to that Law and as obliged by promise Compare Rom. 9.16 and 1 Cor. 9.24 In the one place It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy But in the other so run that ye may obtain How shall we reconcile these places The first place belongeth to Gods Dispensation as a Free Lord the second as a Righteous Governor All Acts of Government are dispensed according to Law and Rule but his Gifts according to his own Pleasure If you ask why he doth nor give effectual Grace to all and hinder Sin in all He is not a Debtor but a Free Lord though we are all Children of Wrath though God seeth no more in one than another yet it pleases him to shew more Mercy to one than to another He speaketh not here of the Sovereign will and good pleasure of God who taketh into favour one that is of himself as unworthy as another but his love towards the Work of Grace in whomsoever it is found He speaks of his consequent rewarding Grace in dispensing of which he looketh not to outward Prerogatives or Observances 2. In his Gifts of Grace he doth not respect Persons or Nations or outward Prerogatives but the Counsel of his own Will He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy passing by others which are nobler richer wiser He is not moved by any bye Respects to any thing in the Creatures so to do Even so father for so it pleaseth thee Matth. 11.27 III. What is the meaning of this Qualification That feareth God and worketh righteousness and the respect which each hath to the other The Answer must be given according to the several acceptions of the Words Fear and Righteousness which may be taken strictly or largely 1. Strictly So the Fear of God implyeth his Worship Deut. 6.24 The Lord commanded us to fear the Lord our God for our good always or all that Duty of Man which is immediately given to God And Righteousness is also taken for the whole Duty of the second Table as often in Scripture Now thus it maketh a good sense for all Religion consists in these two The Faithful discharging our Duty to God and Man There are two Tables and we are to take care of both that we do not give Offence to God or Men by neglecting our Duty to either Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man So Rom. 12.17 Providing things honest in the sight of all men neither offending against the Rules of Justice or Mercy but abounding in the Exercise of both 2. Both are taken largely Fear for the principle of our Obedience to God and Righteousness for the Fruits of it whether they belong to the first or second Table As 1 Iohn 3.7 He that doth righteousness is righteous So that here Peter observeth the right order he beginneth with Fear as the Root of all Duty and Worship and then proceedeth to the Fruit which is an uniform constant impartial Obedience to the whole Law Which Method is also observed in other Scriptures As Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth God and delighteth greatly in his commandments And Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them to fear me and keep my precepts This sense I choose and prefer and therefore shall examine 1. Why Fear is made the Principle 2. Why working Righteousness is required as the Fruit. 1. Why Fear is made the Principle of Obedience Certainly not to exclude Faith in Christ for without him we can do nothing Iohn 15.5 At least nothing acceptably Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God And God is especially to be reverenced and adored for his Goodness in Christ Hos. 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter day Let us a little then consider 1. What is this Fear of God 2. Why is it required as the Principle of all our Actions 1. What is it Holy Fear is of two kinds the Fear of Reverence and the Fear of Caution The Fear of Reverence respects God and not our selves Fear of Reverence is grounded on the Nature of God his Majesty Holiness Goodness and Justice The Fear of Caution upon the weightiness of the Work we have to do and our own Weakness The Fear of Reverence maketh us walk strictly the Fear of Caution watchfully 1. The Fear of Reverence is necessary or an awful regard of God that we may not offend him or displease him or give him just cause of being angry with us who is of such glorious Majesty Ier. 10.7 Who would not fear thee O thou King of Nations Of such unspotted Holiness Rev. 15.4 Who would not fear thee O Lord for thou only art holy 2. The Fear of Caution is necessary to make us watchful against Temptations The Work is weighty if we miscarry we are undone for ever Heb. 4.1 Let us fear lest a promise being left us any of you should come short of it We are
Son of God Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead The true Messiah and Judg of the World Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead If he had been an Impostor neither could he have raised up himself being a mere Man nor would God have raised him up for we cannot imagine that Divine Providence would cooperate to countenance a Lie or Cheat. As then you would not be found Enemies to Christ in his Imperial Day give him Glory and Dominion If you slight him you despise one that is evidently declared to be the Son of God and there is no Medium either he must be your loving Saviour or your terrible Judg. If you neglect him he will not be the first-born from the dead to you nor the first-Fruits to you The first-Fruits did not bless the Tares or the Cockle or Darnel or filthy Weeds but only the good Corn though raised again you shall be by his Judicial Power Again he is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and therefore highly to be respected Respect to great Ones and fawning upon great Ones is the practice of all the World all will seek the Ruler's Face As all Rivers run to the Sea so do all the Respects of the World to the Great and the Mighty And is not the Son of God worthy of our Respects that is sat down at the right Hand of Majesty above all If we did live by Faith as much as by Sense we would see it is our Interest as well as our Duty to honour Christ we would not fear a mortal Man that can threaten us with a Prison but Christ who can threaten us with Hell nor be dismayed at the Frowns of Men when Christ smiles Who would not fear thee O Lord and glorify thy Name Rev. 15.4 We would yield up our selves to be his willing Subjects and obey his Laws who can reward us not with Temporal Dignities but Eternal Life The Authority and Power that all others have is but derived from Christ and subordinate to him therefore if he smiles whose Frowns need we fear He is the one Law-giver that hath Potestatem Vitae Necis Power of Life and Death he is able to destroy absolutely and you may be safe in his Protection Well then if we consider what he is he deserveth everlastingly to be honoured II. What he hath done for us He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood And there we begin First With the Fountain and Bosom-cause of all and that is Christ's Love To him that loved us 1. Christ's Love is the Ground of Man's Redemption that stirred all the Causes and set them a-work that concurred to this End Other Attributes were manifested in the Redemption of Mankind as God's Wisdom Power Justice Holiness but they are all subservient to Love but Love is at the upper end of all Causes subservient to nothing but it self If you ask a reason of other things it may be assigned but if you ask a reason of his Love that cannot be given but from it self If the question be Wherefore did God discover such Riches of Wisdom Goodness and Power for the saving poor worthless Creatures He loved us Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Wherefore did Jesus Christ submit to such bitter Agonies such an accursed Death He loved us Ephes. 5.2 Walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savour Ephes. 5.25 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it And Gal. 2.20 Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me But now put the question Wherefore did he love us Love only is the reason of it self He loved us because he loved us Deut. 7.7 8. The Lord did not set his Love on you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any People c. but because the Lord loved you 2. As it is the fountain-Fountain-Cause so it was that Property that shined forth most conspicuously in the Work of Redemption Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his Love toward us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us And therefore this is that which we should most admire and be ravished with in our Thoughts Here next to the Description of the Excellency of Christ's Person the first thing mentioned in the Doxology it self is this To him that loved us This is a comfortable Word as if Jesus would be described and known by nothing so much as by his Love What was the Son of God but Love incarnate Love born of a Virgin Love conversing in the World and preaching Salvation to poor Sinners Love going about and doing Good Love relieving the Diseased and the Possessed curing the Deaf and the Dumb and the Blind and the Lame and finally Love dying and hanging on the Cross God is Love 1 John 4.8 The Angels in Heaven adore this Love tho Spectators not Parties interested he came not for their sakes but ours only We have a little notional knowledg of it but could we once find the saving Effects of God's Love in Christ impressed upon our Hearts by the Spirit how would you be melted and ravished and ever be thinking what Glory and Honour you might bring to him that thus loved you You and I may discourse of it it is not a few cold Thoughts of the Love of Christ will work on us but the shedding of this Love abroad in your Hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 There is no Knowledg like the experimental Knowledg which ariseth from the felt and known Effects of this Love this would awaken your Hopes fill you with solid Comfort excite you to your Duty 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth us However till you have this the Means you must use are sound Belief and serious Consideration 1 st Imbracing by Faith the Love of God in Christ and the good things prepared by it as they are revealed and offered in the Gospel That is the way to get this fuller Insight and experimental Knowledg and Feeling of this Love for so the Apostle prayeth Ephes. 3.17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in Love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length and Depth and Height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg 1 John 4.16 We have known and believed the Love which God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 2 dly The serious Contemplation and
that we have heard and seen Gal. 2.11 When Peter was come to Antioch I with stood him to the Face because he was to be blamed The one requireth Aptness of Gifts the other only Christian Prudence and a fervent Charity This latter we have now in hand II. The Arguments by which we are to inforce it Which are needful in this Case because Men are so apt to bear with Sin both in themselves and others and this Duty is of so great Use that Satan seeketh to hinder it with all his Power and so hard to be done rightly that most Men quite omit it 1 st I shall prove it from the Law of Nature which teacheth me to love my Neighbour as my self and therefore Conscience bindeth me to reduce those into the right way who are gone out of it this is the obliging internal Cause We our selves by a regular Will having erred would be glad to be reduced and set into the right way again Ier. 8.4 Thus saith the Lord Shall they fall and not arise Shall they turn away and not return Is any Man so absurd heedless and witless that when he hath gotten a Fall will lie still and not essay to get up again Or that hath been unwittingly out of the way and will not desire to come into it again and be willing to receive Direction from those that would set him right Now this being a Dictate of Nature produced by God himself by his Prophet to aggravate their Apostacy who having faln by their Sin refused to rise and return holdeth good also to others whom we are to love as our selves And therefore when they are fallen we must help them to rise again and when they are turned away we must help them to return This is so natural that the very Birds and Beasts desire to return to their proper Places in their natural and appointed time when they have wander'd as the Prophet speaketh of the Stork Turtle and Crane ver 7. Yea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming Now from that reciprocal Obligation that is between Men and the Law of Nature we are bound to reprove our Brother as we desire it and expect it from them to be set right when we are wrong we are to pay the same Debt of Love to them again The Argument holdeth à fortiori because in spiritual things the Danger is greater the Good to be procured is greater the Evil to be feared greater Yea this Argument is the stronger because it holdeth good concerning the Ox and Ass not only of our own Neighbour but of our Enemy as Exod. 23.4 If thou meet thine Enemy's Ox or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again And Deut. 22.1 Thou shalt not see thy Brother's Ox or his Sheep go astray and hide thy self from them thou shalt in any case bring them again to thy Brother Surely hereby God would teach every Man not to look on his own things only but to love and do Good to other Men. This Duty required towards Beasts is much more towards Men Ezek. 34.4 Ye have not brought again that which was driven away and ye have not sought that which was lost We are all like Sheep going astray and have need of one anothers Help Mark there are two Precepts in Deut. 22.1 a Prohibition not to hide and a Commandment to restore so that they are doubly guilty that are not affected with other Mens Sins or do not seek to reform them 2 dly It is a Duty because positively commanded by God so that unless we will be guilty of flat Disobedience we ought to mind it God bindeth all Men to reprove their erring Brother and Neighbour keeping the Rules of Prudence Justice and Charity Now that God hath commanded this many of the Scriptures cited before prove it Matth. 18.15 16 17. If thy Brother offend thee go and tell him his Fault between him and thee Which is to be understood not only of Offences done to us but to be extended to all wilful Crimes of which we see him guilty for Zeal for God should prevail with us as much as Injuries done to to our selves and it is not angry Reproach but Christian Admonition that we press you to 1 Thess. 5.14 Warn them that are unruly 2 Thess. 3.15 Admonish him as a Brother So Rom. 15.14 I my self also am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye are full of Goodness filled with all Knowledg able to admonish one another So Prov. 25.8 9 10. Go not forth hastily to strive lest thou know not what to do in the End thereof when thy Neighbour hath put thee to Shame Debate thy Cause with thy Neighbour himself and discover not a Secret to another lest he that heareth it put thee to Shame and thine Infamy turn not away All these Expressions concern Brotherly Reproof debating Matters in Case of Offence and Injury real or supposed If we presently run to Law without using previous gentle Methods of taking up Matters among our selves we run a great Hazard both of Loss and Infamy Better end it by friendly Composition than running to the Judg where by many unhappy Representations a Righteous Cause may be oppressed But for the common Duty of Christians see Ephes. 5.11 Have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness but rather reprove them The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather doth not lessen our Duty but inforce it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom We ought to reprove We shall not be excused before God unless we do our Duty So Iude 22.23 And of some have Compassion making a Difference And others save with Fear pulling them out of the Fire SERMON II. LEVIT XIX 17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him 3 dly COnsider how far it bindeth 1. Intensively as to the Value of the Precept It is not an Arbitrary Direction which we may omit or observe at Pleasure but a Necessary Precept which we must obey 1. From the Danger we incur We are under Danger of Sin and bearing Punishment for them whom we reprove not and the Punishment of Sin is eternal Death if it be omitted out of a culpable Negligence Eternal Life and eternal Death is in the Case there is no doubt of Superiours who by Justice and Office are bound to reprove as well as by the Law of common Love and Charity Ezek. 33.6 His Blood will I require at the Watchman's Hands But even private Persons may bear Sin for others 2. Because of the Good which cometh thereby which is the Glory of God and the gaining of our Brother Matth. 18.15 Thou hast gained thy Brother And the gaining of another's Soul is no small Advantage this will be your Crown and rejoicing in the Day of the Lord. To enforce both consider that Text Prov. 24.