The ground that lies lowest usually is most fruitful the earth that hath the richest mines in it commonly is most barren Who serves God less than they who are most wealthy to their shame be it spoken You would have more of this world and fret that God keeps you so much under alas you know not what you desire had you more it would be hurtful if the estate was better the heart would be worse Again Eccl. 5.13 as 't is not best for Duty so neither for Safety who are exposed to so many dangers as they who swim in earthly treasures Saepius ventis agitatur iâ—gens Pinus c. Horat. The higher is the building the more 't is endangered by fierce winds great Vessels strike where lesser go with safety the Ship that Sails with a full wind and all its fails up is apt to overset such who feed high are in most danger of Feavers and Surfeits Every condition hath its snares but the high condition is exceeding full of them And once more 't is not the best for Comfort the poor envy the rich when in truth they have more cause to pitty them Oh the cares distractions hurries that they live under In all their great enjoyments how little do they enjoy either God or themselves Pauperes ditiâ—ribus eo plerumque laetâ—ores quò animus eorum in paucioribus distringitur Sen. ad Helvid c. 12 and can any state be comfortable without these Luk. 12.15 Take heed of Covetousness for a man's life i. e. the comfort of his life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Tantis parta malis cuâ—á majore metúque Servantur misera est magni custodia census Juven Sat 14. The easiness of the garment or shoe doth not lie in its bigness but in its fitness And so 't is not the greatness of the Estate that gives comfort but the suiting of the mind and of the elate be it what it will There often is that serenity of mind in a poor cottage which is not enjoyed in the stately palace The mean man sleeps better on a hard bed than he who lies upon his bed of down and there is a more chearful spirit where the fare is course than where there are the greatest dainties You fondly imagine could you but skrew up your estates to such an height then you should and would live with comfort but I pray you why may you not do so now under what you have already as that Commander answered Pyrrhus designing so and so to enlarge his conquests which when he had done then he would fit down and be quiet and live merrily should you arrive at what you aspire after you would find your selves then to be as far from what you promise to your selves as now you are It appearing then that the great Estate is not the best why should any vex and be disturbed because that is denied to them Cui cum paupertate bene convenit dives est Sen. Non qui paruÌ„ habet sed qui plâ—s cupit pauper est Idem Ep. 2. Nihil interest utrum non desideres an habes Ep. 119. Desunt inopiae multa avaritiae omnia Ep 108 Nunquam parum est quod satis est nunquam multum est quod satis non est Ep. 119. Semper inops quicunque cupit Claud. Multa petentibus desunt multa bene est cui Deus obtulit parcâ quod satis est manu Horat. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 6. The contented man is never poor let him have never so little the discontented man is never rich let him have never so much He is not rich who possesseth much but he who desires no more than what God gives him The way to be rich indeed is not to encrease the wealth but to lessen the covetings of the heart after more He that is ever desiring is ever wanting and he that is ever wanting is ever poor 7. What are these earthly riches that any should be thus insatiably greedy of them Surely there 's but little in them fancy mistakes ignorance being laid aside they are no better than unsatisfying perishing uncertain things Eccles 5.10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase Men may fill their bags and chests with silver nnd gold but they cannot with them fill their Souls no the Soul is a thing too great to be fill'd with such little things as these are Had you all that you desire you would be but where you are dissatisfied still for your * Auri naque fames parto fit major ab auro Prudent Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam Majorumque fames Horat. Inflammatur lucro avaritia non restinguitur Ambros desires would still grow as fast as your riches should grow yet more must be had and that is the banc of satisfaction †Est uat insoelix augusto limite mundi Unus Pellaeo juveni non sufficit orbis Alexander could conquer the World but the world could not satisfie him he wept because there was no more worlds to conquer Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexation I say too they are perishing and uncertain things that 's the Epithete of the Apostle trust not in uncertain riches 1 Tim. 6.17 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away as an Eagle towards heaven This we see verified every day and if so doth it become a man much more a Christian to be discontented because he hath but little of such vain things as these are Methinks such should scorn to have their generous minds discomposed for such trifles 8. As they are dying things so we are dying Persons What though we be straitned in them 't is not necessary our Estates should be very large when our Lives are not like to be very long A little money serves the Traveller that hath but a short journey to go Parum viae quid multum viatici Might we either alwayes live or when we die carry with us into another world what we have laid up in this then our greediness of these things would be more excusable but neither of these are to be expected Job 1.21 Naked came I out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return thither 1 Tim. 6.7 For we brought nothing into the world and it is certain we can carry nothing out Grace will accompany us into the other World but other things must be all left behind And which I would further add Is it not stupendious folly for dying men who yet have never-dying souls to trouble themselves so much about dying things have not they other things to mind and should not all their sollicitudes be employed about those things such as the things above Col. 3.1 Math 6.33 Math. 6.20 the Kingdom of God and his righteousness treasures in Heaven c. If eternal things and the eternal state was
doth God mean to give me such a command as never to any one else in this world He consults not his Wife Oh what will Sarah say He sticks not at what might expose Religion What will the Heathen say You may well suppose great struglings between Nature and Grace but God seemed to press upon him with this Question Whether dost thou love me or thy child most Abraham doth as it were answer Nay Lord if that be the question it shall soon be decided how and where thou pleasest Another instance we have in Moses (k) Exod. 3.13 and 33.15.18 if you will compare two or three Scriptures Moses at first he enquires of God as we do of a stranger what is his Name upon Gods further discovery he begs more of his special presence and upon God's granting of that his Love grows bold and he said I beseech thee shew me thy Glory upon his finding God propitious he begs that God would remove the cloud and shew him as much of his Glory as he was possibly able to bear the sight of Take one instance more and that is of Paul who thinking God might have more glory by saving of many than by saving of him was willing to quit the happiness of salvation for not the least Grace much less grace in the height of it could possibly choose a necessity of hating and blaspheming God which is the venom of Damnation but his Love to God is greater than his love to himself and so he 'l reckon himself happy without Glory provided God may be more glorified And thus I have produced three Examples of one before the Law one under the Law and one under the Gospel How will you receive it if I shall venture to say We have in some respect more cause to love God than any than all these Persons put together What singular gleams of warm Love from God they had more than we are in some respects exceeded by the noon-day light and heat of Gospel-love that we have more than they What love-visits God was pleased to give them are excelled by Christs as to them extraordinary presence among us What was to them a Banquet is to us our daily bread God opens the windowes of heaven to us God opens his very heart to us We may read more of the Love of God to us in one day than they could in their whole Life 2. Angels that unweariedly behold the face of God (l) Mat. 18.10 they refuse nothing that may evidence their love to God 'T is ordinarily the Devils work to be the Executioners of Gods wrath it is said (m) Psal 78.49 he cast upon them the fierceness of his anger wrath and indignation and trouble by sending evil Angels among them but the good Angels will not stick at it when God requires it (n) 2 King 19.35 The Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians 185000. But now we have more cause to love God than the Angels God hath expressed greater Love to us in Christ than he hath to them He took no hold of Angels c. (o) Heb. 2.16 not any one of them receiv'd so much as the pardon of any one sin God would not bear with them in so much as the least tittle So soon as they ceased to love God with a perfect love God hated them with a perfect hatred And for the blessed Angels (p) Heb. 1.14 are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation but none of the Saints are to minister to the Angels in any thing How should we love such a Master but I have a Pattern to commend to you above the Angels 3. Christ and oh that the mention of Christs Love to his Father might transport us though Christ did nothing but (q) Joh. 8.29 what pleased his Father Christ suffered every thing that might please him ( ) Phil. 2.8 Christ obeyed every Command endured every Threatning that it was possible to endure and that to the intensive extent of them yet God dealt more hardly with Christ than ever he doth with any of us (s) Isa 53.10 It pleased the Father to bruise him and to put him to grief whereas the Church in the midst of her Lamentations must acknowledge (t) Lam. 3.33 he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men yet Christ pray'd (u) Joh 17.23 that the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me Should not we then pray and strive to love God as near as it is possible as Christ loved him Christ had not one hard thought of Gods severe Justice no not when he endur'd what was equivalent to the eternal torments of the Damned and shall our love shrink at Gods fatherly Chastisements Christs love to God did not abate while God poured out his Wrath and shall ours abate under Medicinal Providences whatever our outward condition is in this World 't is better than Christ's Thus I have endeavoured to acquaint you what Abilities are requisite and how to attain them that you may love God c. How to improve and augment our love to God 4. How to improve and augment all our possible abilities to love God with all our Heart Soul Mind and Strength and for this I shall give you one general yet singular direction though I must inform direct and press several things under it and that is set your selves to love God Set upon it as you are able do for the engaging of your love to God as you would do for engaging your hearts in love to a person commended to you for marriage Here 's a person commended to you which you never saw nor before heard of All the report you can hear speaks a great suitableness in the person and consequently happiness in the match you thereupon entertain the motion and a treaty to see whether reports be true and affections feasible though at first you find no affection on either side yet if you meet with no discouragements you continue converse till by a more intimate acquaintance there ariseth a more endearedness of affection at length a non-such love becomes mutual Do something like this in spirituals I now solemnly bespeak your highest love for God Perhaps God and thy soul are yet strangers thou hast not yet met with him in his ordinances nor savingly heard of him by his spirit Don't slight the overture for from thy first entertainment of it thou wilt be infinitely happy Every thing of Religion is at first uncouth the work of mortification is harsh and the work of holâ—ness difficult but practice will facilitate them and make thee in love with them so the more thou acquaintest thy self with God the more thou canst not but love him especially considering that God is as importunate with thee for thy love as if his own happiness was concern'd whereas he is infinitely above receiving benefit
the Image of God the first-born of Faith the soul of other graces the Rule of our actions a summary of the Law an Angelick life a prelibation of Heaven a lively mark of a child of God for we may read God's Love to us in our love to him But O! how opposite and black are the characters of Love to the world nothing deserves the name of Love but that to God 2. Hence also infer that Love to God and Love to the world divide all mankind There is no middle state between these two opposites neither can they ever consist together in their perfect degrees If thou art a lover of the world in John's sense thou art a hater of God and if thou lovest God thou art an hater of the world Hereby then thou mayest make a judgment of thy state whether thou art a Saint or a sinner a Godly or worldly man And remember this that to love any worldly good more than God is in the Scripture's sense to hate God Mat. 6.24 3. This also instructs us that all natural irregenerate mens Love is but concupiscence or Lust Do not all men in their natural state prefer the creature before the Creator are not the pleasures profits and Honours of this world the worldly man's Trinity which he adoreth and sacrificeth unto Have not all men by nature a violent impetuous bent of heart towards some one or other worldly Idol are not their souls bound up in something below God Do not all men naturally esteem love use and enjoy the creature for it self without referring it to God and what is this but Lust 4. We are hence likewise taught that a regular and ordinate love to and use of this world's goods is very difficult and rare Alas how soon doth our love to creatures grow inordinate either as to its Substance Quantity Quality or Mode yea how oft and how soon doth our love to things lawful grow irregular and unlawful what an excess are most men guilty of in their love to and use of things indifferent how few are there who in using this world do not abuse it as 1 Cor. 7.31 where is that person that can say with Paul Phil. 4.12 Every where and in all things I am instructed both to abound and suffer want 5. This also informs us that where predominant Love to the world is notorious visible and manifest we cannot by any rule of judicious Charity count such a Godly man It was a Canon common among the Jews mentioned by Rabbi Salome that (x) Populus terrae non vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hasid the people of the earth are not called Godly i. e. the Lovers of the world may not be called Saints And Oh! how many worldly professors are cut off from the number of visible Saints hereby It is to me a dismal contemplation to consider how many follow Christ in profession and yet have the black mark of worldlings on there foreheads O! how much love to the world lies hid under the mask and vizard of professed love to God It is not the having or possessing of the world's goods but the over-loving of them that bespeaks you worldlings It 's true a Saint may fall under many preternatural heats yea fevers of Love to the world yet in time love to God as a sttonger fire expels such violent heats and noxious humors 6. Hence in like manner we may collect That worldly minded professors are composed of a world of Contradictions and Inconsistences Such Love God in profession but hate him in truth and Affection Their tongues are tipt with Heaven but their hearts are drencht in the Earth They pretend to serve God but they intend nothing but to serve their Lusts They make a shew of confidence in God but place their real confidence in the world They make mention of God in Name but exalt the world in Heart They Conform to the Laws of God in outward shew but Conform to yea are transformed into the world in Spirit Finally they hate sin and love God in appearance but they hate God and love sin in reality Ezech. 33.31 7. This also instructs thus That for professors of love to God to be deeply engaged in the love of this world is a sin of deep Aggravation O! what a peculiar Malignity is there in this sin How much Light and Love do such sin against What a reproach and disparagement is cast on God hereby Are not profane worldlings justified in their earthly-mindedness by the worldly love of Professors Yea do they not hereby take occasion to blaspheme the holy Name of God Lo say they these are your professors who are as covetous as over-reaching in their dealings as much buried in the Earth as any other And is not God hereby greatly dishonoured Do not such worldly professors live below their principles profession convictions covenant-Obligations and the practice of former Professors 8. This gives us the genuine Reason and Cause Why the word of God and all the good things contained therein find so little room in the Hearts of many great Professors It is to me a prodigious thing to consider among the croud of notional Professors and Hearers of God's Word how few entertain the same in an honest heart And where lies the main bitter root of this cursed Infidelity but in love to the world So Mark 4.18 19. And these are they which are sown among thorns Such as hear the Word and the cares of this world and the Deceitfulness of Riches and the Lusts of other things entring in choke the word and it becometh unfruitful It deserves a particular remark that the Thorny-ground hearers here characterised are ranked in the highest form of notional Hearers as much surpassing the Highway-ground or Stony-ground Hearers For in these thorny-ground Hearers the word takes some root yea with some depth and so springs up into a blade and green ears and so endures a cold winter yea a scorching summer's heat and yet after all it is choaked How so why by the cares of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the amorous distracting anxious cares and the deceitfulness of Riches O! what Deceitful things are Riches how soon do they choke the word and the Lusts of other things Namely Pleasures which deserve not to be named (y) Solenne fuit Hebraeis uti voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alius quoties cunque rem abominandam tacitè innuunt Horting Thesaur Philolog p. 51. For so the Hebrews were wont to express vile abominable things by other things Thence they termed Swine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other things 9. Hence also conclude That such as love the world hate God and their own souls That predominant Love to the world in its proper notion includes the hatred of God is evident from the whole of our discourse That it implies also hatred of our selves is manifest because the hatred of God includes love to death and so by Consequence the hatred of our own souls as Prov.
the Grace of God and whar by the receiving of it in vain And this shall serve for explaining the Exhortation the first part Receive not the Grace of God in vain The second part to be opened is that which contains the reasons of this Exhortation Sect. 4 and they are these two 1. The First is the reason of the Apostles giving this Exhortation or caution against the receiving of the Grace of God in vain namely because we are saith he workers together We read it workers together with him but in the greek 'tis only workers together not with him And there are several expositions given of this expression workers together Calvin thinks that this working together doth intend the working together with the doctrine delivered by the Apostle As if the Apostle intended that it was his duty not only to deliver the Truths and the Doctrines of the gospel but to work together with those Truths and Doctrines by way of urging and exhorting or by urging those Doctrines with Exhortations to make them effectual and therefore saith he Non satis est docere nisi urgeas It is not enough Doctrinally to inform people what is the Truth but we must Vrge it upon them with motives inducements and perswasions that may make the Doctrine embraced And the Syriack seems to favour this Exposition which renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working together promoventes hoc negotium as if the work of Doctrinal information were to be promoted by arguments and incitements to the imbracing of the Truth Others conceive that this working together is to be referred to the common mutual endeavours of Ministers who are to be fellow-helpers one with another as if the Apostle had said All we Ministers working together to further our Master's work in the conversion and Salvation of your Souls beseech you c. Chrysostome refers this working together to the mutual endeavours of Ministers and People as if Paul had said We Apostles work together with you to whom we preach in this work of your receiving the grace of God by our exhortations to incite you to comply with the duties propounded in the gospel Our English interpreters by putting in these words with him understand the Apostle to intend a working together with God and indeed Ministers are called Labourers with God 1 Cor. 3.9 I see no reason why we should reject this exposition if we take it with these two cautions 1. First Ministers in this working with God must be looked upon so to use their abilities as not implanted in them hy nature but bestowed on them by grace that so they may be made apt and fit instruments by the grace of God to work Therefore the Apostle saith 2 Cor 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament And so in 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God saith he I am what I am and I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the gace of God which was in me His power and ability to work he attributes merely to the grace of God And all our sufficiency is of God 2. Secondly If you take this to be the meaning of it that we are fellow-workers with God you must understand that what is the main and principal in this work which is the bestowing of spiritual life and growth must be lookt upon as only the work of God and to come from him and that therein man had no share at all nor is a co-worker with God in it And as Beza well notes on 1 Cor. 3.9 we must alwaies observe carefully a difference between causes Subordinate and causes Co-ordinate Ministers are to be considered as purely in subordination to God and as those whom God is pleased to make use of in the way of his appointment not in the way of effectual concurrence with God as if they could communicate any power or strength to the working of Grace by the preaching of the word Subordinate causes Ministers are to not Co-ordinate causes with God in the great work of producing of our Salvation which God only hath in his own hand both as to the internal working of grace in the Soul and the Eternal bestowing of glory upon us in the life to come There is the first reason opened that is the reason why the Apostle doth here give them his exhortation namely We are workers together with God The second is the reason why the Apostle doth put them upon this great Sect. 5 duty of not receiving the Grace of God in vain And that is taken from that text in Isa 49.8 where there is this promise made unto Christ I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee These are the words of the promise that God the Father maketh unto Christ as Mediator which is that in his discharging of the great work of saving his Church God the Father will answer and succour him as the Head of the Church and shew it by granting him a day and a time for the bestowing of efficacious Grace upon his Members by making the means of Grace effectual for their Salvation which time is here called an accepted time and a Day of Salvation because this time and this day is the time and the day of God's free favour in which he will so accept of sinners as to shew his Gracious good will unto them in accepting of them to life and in working by his Son Jesus Christ Salvation and deliverance for them Now this is a very forcible Argument and reason against the receiving of the Grace of God in vain namely because there was such a rich treasure and measure of saving and efficacious Grace in the time of the Gospel to be dispensed to the Church therefore they should labour to have their share in it and not receive the Gospel of Grace vainly and unprofitably as they would approve themselves to be the Members of Christ and those for whom Christ hath prayed unto the Father that they might have saving Grace bestowed upon them And this shall serve for opening the second part of this text namely the reason of the Apostle's laying down this exhortation both in regard of himself because he was a worker with God and in regard of the Corinthians it was because God the Father had made a promise to Christ the Head of the Church that Grace should be bestowed saving effectual Grace not Grace in vain but Grace bringing Salvation should be afforded in an accepted time and in a day of Salvation by the Administration of the Gospel The third part which is that which I intend to insist upon is the Apostle's Sect. 6 accommodation or his application of the fore-going reason taken out of Isa 49.8 unto the present state and time of the Corinthians by giving them this quiâ—kning Counsel that since the present season of Grace which they enjoyed now was the accepted time and the day of Salvation promised unto Christ for his
For it is a People of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour IN this and the precedent verse we have a dreadful denunciation of judgment upon either the oppressors and Enemies of God's People or upon obstinate and incorrigible sinners among God's People together with the reason of that denunciation or cause of that judgment threatned 1. The judgment denounced is 1. Great desolation as to their outward state verse 10. and former part of the 11. v. 2. Utter destruction final ruine v. 11. He that made them will not have mercy on them James 2.13 It is the highest severity where no Saviour is to be found where judgment is executed without mercy And this is amplified by the consideration 1. Partly of the Inflicter of the judgment it is God himself He that made them They were not to fall into the hands merely of men like themselves their fellow Creatures but into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.13 2. Partly of kindness formerly received from him He that made them He that formed them i. e. He that created them gave them their being if we understand it of the Enemies of God's People or he that not only made them as his Creatures but formed them to be his Servants formed them into a state and into a Church if we understand the words as spoken of God's People themselves and so had given them their being not only a natural one but a civil and Ecclesiastical one he that had formerly done so much for them vouchsafed them such choice mercies yet now would renounce all kindness to them have no mercy on them shew them no favour II. The cause of the judgment to be inflicted it is a People of no understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not a People of Vnderstanding as much as to say It is not a people of any understanding or as we read it It is a people of no understanding It is a sottish ignorant people such as take no notice of any thing know not God observe not his works understand not their duty Other sins no doubt they were chargeable with but the Lord takes notice especially of their ignorance and it is for that they are here threatned Hence we take notice that Obs 1. Ignorance of God his truths or ways is no security against his judgments Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not c. Obs 2. The knowledge of the will and ways of God is necessary for them that expect to find favour with God They that desire God would save them must labour to know him That some knowledge of the will of God is needful to all those that expect to be saved for we set aside the case of Infants I suppose is clear in it self But when you hear this Doctrine you may be ready to ask What is that knowledge which they who would be saved should seek after And when that is answered you may again enquire What means you are to use for the obtaining of it And so the case to be spoken to is this What Spiritual knowledge or knowledge of the things of God for other knowledge at present we take no notice of however commendable in it self or secondarily useful to higher ends they ought to seek for who desire to be saved and how such knowledge may be attained Of this Case Case there be two parts I shall speak distinctly to each and so first shew what is that knowledge we are to seek after and then give directions for the attaining of it I. What knowledge they are to labour after who expect to be saved In answer to which I must promise something by way of distinction something by way of Concession and then add other things by way of proposition for the fuller determining the case in hand Distinct 1. We must distinguish between that knowledge which is simply and absolutely necessary to the Salvation of all men so that no man can be saved without it but whosoever falls short of it must certainly perish for lack of it such knowledge the want of which is always actually damning and that even in them that have not the means of obtaining it as Heathens who have no revealed light for in them it is the occasion of their perishing as a man 's not knowing the only Medicine in the World that could cure him when sick would be the occasion of his death and so would be his undoing though not his fault 2. And that knowledge which though it be not simply necessary to Salvation necessitate medii yet is Secondarily necessary to be in those that would be Saved or necessary in some respects and upon some suppositions as 1. On the account of the circumstances wherein men are and the capacity they are in for the gaining of knowledge whereby they are brought under the obligation of a command to labour after it and so they have the necessity of Duty to seek that knowledge though that knowledge it self have not the necessity of a Mean 2. Necessary though not absolutely to the very Esse or Being of a Christian and his Salvation yet to his bene esse his well being as a Christian his better and more comfortable management of the affairs of his Salvation The want of this knowledge if it be not alwaies actually damning as when God giveth men repentance yet proceeding in those that are in condition to obtain it not from want of means or capacity but from gross negligence or contempt of the truth it must needs be in it self damnable 2. By way of Concession It is a difficult thing to determine just how much knowledge is absolutely necessary to Salvation to define the Minimum quod sic so to speak of Divine knowledge so as to say that whoever falls one degree short of it cannot be saved That there be certain prime fundamental Doctrines of Religion which are so necessary to Salvation that men cannot in an ordinary way be saved without the knowledge of them is I think confessed by the generality of those that pretend to Christian Religion or to any hopes of Salvation But which in particular those fundamentals are and how many is not alike clear A controversie it is which I shall not need to touch upon not only as being a tender point but as not being concerned in my present design as will further appear in the following Propositions It will little avail us in our present circumstances amidst such plentiful means of knowledge and so much truth as is revealed to us to know just how much knowledge is absolutely needful to Salvation as suppose how much would have been sufficient for the Salvation of a believing Jew before our Saviour's coming in the flesh or what knowledge might be sufficient for the Salvation of and consistent with truth of Grace in some poor Christian in the darker corners of the
the Course of this World after the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that works now in the children of disobedience among whom also we had our conversation in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind There all our Enemies appear abreast the Devil as the Grand deceiver and principal of all wickedness the World with its Pleasures Honours and Profits as the Bait by which it doth deceive us and steal away our hearts from God and pervert and divert us that we should not look after the one thing necessary the Flesh is that Corrupt Inclination in us which entertains and closeth with these Temptations to the neglect of God and the wrong of our own Souls this is very importtnate to be pleased and is the proper internal cause of all our mischief for James 1.14 Every man is inticed and drawn away by his own lust These must be renounced before we can return to God for till we put away our Idols we cannot incline our hearts to the true God Josuah 24.23 And these are the great Idols by which our hearts are estranged from him When God is laid aside self interposeth as the next Heir and that which we count self is the flesh Many wrong their own Souls but never any man hated his own flesh That which feeds the flesh is the World and the Devil by proposing the Bait irritateth and stirreth up our affections Therefore we must be turned from Satan to God we must be delivered from the present evil World we must abstain from fleshly Lusts for God will have no Co-partners and Competitors in our hearts 2. A devoting and giving up our selves to God Father Son and Holy Ghost as our God 2 Cor. 8.3 and Rom. 6.13 As our owner by Creation Psal 100.3 And by Redemption 1 Cor. 6.19 20. As our Soveraign Lord Jer. 24.8 Isa 26.13 Other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us c. As the fountain of our life and blessedness Psal 31.14 I trusted in the Lord I said thou art my God Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him Psal 119.57 I have said thou art my Potion therefore I will keep thy Precepts II. As to our Progress and Perseverance which is our walking in the narrow way and shews the sincerity and heartiness of our consent in making the Covenant And besides this is not the work of a Day but of our whole Lives we have continual need of coming to God by Christ Here three things are required 1. As to the Enemies of God and our Souls there must be a forsaking as well as a renouncing the Devil must be forsaken we must be no more of his party and confederacy we must resist stand out against all his batteries and assaults 1 Pet. 5.8 9. the World must be overcome 1 John 5.4 5. and the flesh must be subdued and mortified Gal. 5.24 that we be no more governed by the desires thereof and if we be sometimes foiled we must not go back again but renew our Resolutions and the drift of our lives must still be for God and Heaven 2. As to God to whom we have devoted our selves we must love and please and serve him all our days Luke 1.75 we must make it our work to love him and count it our happiness to be beloved by him and carefully apply our selves to seek his favour and cherish a fresh sense of it upon our hearts and continue with patience in well-doing Rom. 2.7 till we come to the complete sight and love of him in Heaven 1 John 3.2 3. You must always live in the hope of the coming of Christ and everlasting glory Tit. 2.3 looking for the blessed hope and Jude v. 21. looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal life As we did at first thankfully accept of our recovery by Christ and at first consent to renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and resolve to follow God's counsel and direction we must still persevere in this mind and use his appointed means in order to our final happiness The sum then of our Christianity is that we should by true Repentance and Faith forsake the World the Flesh and the Devil and give up our selves to God Father Son and Holy Ghost that he may take us for his reconciled Children and for Christ's sake forgive all our sins and by his Spirit give us grace to persevere in those Resolutions till our full and final happiness come in hand Seventhly This Covenant consisting of such Duties and Priviledges God hath confirmed by certain visible Ordinances commonly called Sacraments as Baptism and the Lord's Supper both which but in a different manner respect the whole tenour of the Covenant For as the Covenant bindeth mutually on God's part and ours so these Duties have a mutual Aspect or Respect to what God does and what we must do on God's part they are a Sign and a Seal on our part they are a Badge and a Bond. 1. On God's part they are sealing or confirming Signs as Circumcision is called a sign or seal of the righteousness which is by faith Rom. 4.11 that is of the grace offered to us in Christ so is Baptism which came in the Room of Circumcision Col. 2.11 12. In whom ye are circumcised buried with him in Baptism Surely the Gospel-Ordinances signifie as much grace as the Ordinances of the legal Covenant if Circumcision was a Sign and Seal of the Righteousness which is by Faith a or pledge of God's good will to us in Christ so is Baptism so is the Lord's Supper they are a Sign to signifie and a Seal to confirm to represent the Grace and assure the grant of Pardon and Life As for instance Baptism signifies Pardon and Life so does the Lord's Supper Matth. 26.28 29. That for our growth and nourishment this for our imitation Baptism is under our consideration at present that it hath respect to remission of Sins the Text is clear for it and so are many other Scriptures It was Ananias his Advice to Paul Acts 22.16 Arise and be Baptized and wash away thy sins and call on the Name of the Lord. So Ephes 5.26 That he might sanctifie and cleanse us by the washing of water through the Word The washing represents the washing away the guilt and filth of sin it signifies also our Resurrection to a blessed and eternal Life Baptism saveth by the Resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 Well then it is a sealing Sign When God promised longer life to Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.8 he said What shall he the sign that the Lord will heal me So when he promiseth pardon and life to us What shall be the sign that the Lord will do this for us Baptism is this sign a witness between us and God Gen. 31.48 This heap is a witness between thee and me 2. On our part they are a Badge and a Bond to oblige us to the
to his old age and then going about it heard a voice des illi furfurem cui dedisti farinam give him the Bran to whom thou hast given the Flour Every day renders you more and more indisposed The longer sin and Satan possess the Forts of your hearts the more they will fortifie and strengthen them against God and Holiness Jer. 13.23 your God deserves your youth The best God deserves the best of days Briefly your God will call you to an account for your youth Eccles 11.9 Here is a cooler for the high-flown Youngster's courage The words after an Ironical concession thunder out a most dreadful commination Well then be perswaded truly to Reverence and honor your Parents Masters Ministers Even Lambs will kneel to their Dams Mal. 1.6 Eph. 6 2. Levit. 19.3 Reverence them inwardly in your hearts with an awful fear outwardly in your lives in language and in carriage Gen. 4.12 1 Kings 2.19 Obey your Superiours Eph. 6.1 In a word read Prov. 2.1 to 6th 1. My Son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my Commandments with thee 2. So that thou incline thine ear unto Wisdom and apply thine heart unto Vnderstanding 3. Yea if thou criest after Knowledg and liftest up thy voice for understanding 4. If thou seekest her as Silver and searchest after her as for hid Treasures 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Up therefore and be doing and the Blessing of him that dwelt in the Bush shall be with you How may it appear to be every Christian 's indispensable Duty to partake of the Lord's Supper Serm. XII 1 Cor. 11.24 This do in Remembrance of me THese words are a Command of the Lord Jesus received through revelation by the Apostle Paul and by him as Christ's Herauld proclaimed to the Church that not only this particular Church of Corinth but that the whole Catholick Church of Christ in their successive Generations until his second coming might take notice thereof and yield obedience thereto as to a command of that nature wherein very much of the glory of their once crucified Redeemer and their own spiritual joy and consolation is concerned this will further appear in the following explication of the words In the words you have four parts two of which are expressed and the other two implied 1. A duty this do 2. The end for which in remembrance of me 3. The Obligation to the duty Christ's command this is implied 4. The persons under the Obligation the whole Church Catholick militant so far as they are Scripturally capacitated thereto this likewise is implied But of these in their order 1. The duty this do What is this to be done the Apostle tells you in the beginng of this verse and in the following verse and it is this This broken bread take and eat This Cup take and drink Here is a Duty my brethren so plain so easie of whose obscurity or difficulty certainly we have no cause to complain For what can be less obscure than a command so evidently expressed and what more easie than to eat and drink and call to mind the greatest and best of friends that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1.5 and surely then a neglect herein must needs prove a sin that will admit of no excuse But if any of you be offended at the outward meanness of the Ordinance and be thereby tempted to neglect the observance I wish you to remember who they were that stumbled at Christ himself because of the poverty of his Parents is not this say they the Carpenter's Son Mat. 13.55 This was the introduction to their rejecting of Christ and to that great plague that followed viz. their being rejected of Christ Certainly as the meanness of his Parents ought not to have prejudiced the glory of his person to those infidels so ought not the seeming poverty of these elements of bread and wine any waies abate of the glory of that mystery of our Redemption that is shadowed out by them I know our carnal reasonings are apt to suggest that since Christ intended to leave behind him a monument of the greatness of his person and of his gracious undertaking in redeeming a Church to himself by his blood that it would have been more suitable to the honour of such an undertaking if the monument had been more magnificent as if he had given in charge to his Disciples to have erected his Statue of beaten gold and set it up in the places of their solemn Assemblies as the Roman Senate used to do for the honour of their excellent men whose Statues they erected In their Capitols or as the London Senate doth in honour of their Kings they give them their Statues in their Royal Exchange To this I say that certainly Christ is wiser than man and that this memorial of himself which is already appointed by him is more sutable to the end intended than what our vain thoughts have or can propose For to what end should he have caused such golden statues to have been erected to his memory when he was so acquainted with the nature of man and with his propensities to Idolatry and therefore could not but foresee that at least they would probably make no better use of them than the Israelites did of the Brazen Serpent to whom they most unworthily paid that honour that was only due to God himself And that this is no vain conjecture I only desire you to call to mind that though the wisdom of our Saviour pitched upon bread and wine that of all things seem most unfit to make Idols of yet what bad use men have made thereof and how foolishly their vain minds have transubstantiated them into God I need not tell those that know there are Papists in the World and have heard of their Idolatrous doctrine of Transubstantiation But peradventure some may yet further urge that since it pleased our Saviour to chuse to appoint a feast for his remembrance it had been meet this feast should have been more magnificent and consequently more significant of the Majesty and riches of that Lord whose Table it is but to have only a piece of broken bread a cup of wine what poor man could have made a meaner entertainment This also is easily answered I say therefore that such a pompous feast you talk of had not so well comported with his principal end in the institution for Christ did not in this Supper intend the filling of your bellies but the refreshing of your souls it was not instituted for that end as the Feast of first-fruits among the Jews for the remembrance of God's blessing of the earth and giving them full harvests but for the remembrance of things of a higher nature of things invisible spiritual and eternal as the saving you from sin the law from the grave and hell which were all procured by the breaking of Christ's body and
not the Christ but that I am sent before him He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom c. he must increase but I must decrease John would not suffer any envy or prejudice to remain in the hearts of his Disciples against Christ upon his account but seeks to check it presently But he being now not present with them the Pharisees more easily ingaged them in this opposition and objection against Christ about Fasting to join with them therein And the zeal that John's Disciples had for the reputation of their Master might somewhat incline them also to it for they saw the people following Christ which they thought might be some eclipse to it and consequently to their own as they were his Disciples And besides they knowing the austerity and abstinence that was practis'd by John his meat being locusts and wild honey such food as he found in the wilderness they might be more easily offended at that greater liberty that was taken by Christ and his Disciples about eating and drinking Especially at this time when their Master was in Prison they thought fasting might be more seasonable than going to a feast as Christ and his Disciples did at the house of Levi as Grotius observes upon the place Next we have Christ's reply to the Objection and he presents it in a parable as I said the parable of a Bridegroom who at his wedding hath his Bridemen and Bridemaids attending him in the wedding chamber who according to the Hebrew Dialect are here called the Children of the Bride-chamber And is it then a proper season for their fasting while they are in the wedding-chamber and the Bridegroom with them Wherein Christ doth represent himself as a Bridegroom and his Disciples as the Children of the Bride-chamber And he doth now represent himself thus the rather to put these Disciples of John in remembrance of their Masters speech when he call'd Christ the Bridegroom As we read John 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom And should then his Disciples fast and mourn while Christ the Bridegroom was with them And their Master John he profest that he was the friend of this Bridegroom and rejoyced greatly to hear his voice John 3.29 And therefore why should they be offended at his Disciples that they did not fast and mourn when their Master John rejoiced and had his joy fulfill'd in hearing his voice as we read John 3.29 And herein Christ doth intimate to them that if they were indeed his Disciples and the children of the Bride-chamber they would not fast neither for the children of the Bride-chamber cannot fast while the Bridegroom is with them But he adds The days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those days And so I come to the Text. Wherein we may observe by the way 1. That Christ doth exempt his Disciples from observing those fasts that the Pharisees and John's Disciples were in the practice of Chemnitiu Harm in loco And the rather because they were observed especially on the Pharisees part Ex simulato pietatis studio out of ostentation of piety and for self-justification As he did exempt them from their other traditions so also from their fasts 2. That the Bridegroom was to be taken away which is to be understood of Christ's fleshly presence for his spiritual presence never was nor never will be taken away from his Church And this presence discontinues till his coming to judg the world and then the cry will be heard at Midnight Behold the Bridegroom cometh Mat. 25.6 The Bridegroom that was once visibly present on earth with his Disciples is so taken away that he will not be in that manner present with them again till his return from heaven And his taking away doth either respect the acts of men who by cruel hands took him from prison and from judgment and nail'd him upon the cross Isa 53 8. and took him out of the Land of the living Or else it respects the act of his Father who took him up into heaven after he had finisht his work here upon earth as it is said 1 Tim. 3. ult Received up into glory which is the more probable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though there is nothing in the original word to determine it to either sense 3. He also declares what the practice of his Disciples would be after his taking away Then shall they fast in those days so that he doth not deny the practice of Fasting to his Disciples but rather commends it only it was not at present seasonable as it afterwards would be Qu. But why should they fast after he was taken away Ans 1. Some say because till then the Holy Ghost was not given in such a degree as might fit them for such extraordinary duties Chrysost As Christ seems to intimate when upon this occasion he excuseth his Disciples as being not yet fit for such spiritual services No man putteth a piece of new Cloth into an old garment nor new wine into old bottles Mark 2.22 It 's true they might be able to keep fast days as the Pharisees did but Christ that values our duties by the frame of spirit exerted in them would not have them put upon extraordinary duties till they had a suitable measure of the spirit to enable them thereunto 2. Others and I think more properly understand the words of Christ with respect to the afflictions and persecutions that would come upon the Church after his ascension into heaven vvhich vvould give them great occasions of prayer and extraordinary supplications and vvhich vvould reduce them to such great sorrows and distresses vvhereby fasting vvould be not only seasonable but that principle of grace that vvould act them in other duties vvould also naturally lead them to it Not to take up again the practice of these Pharisaical Fasts as the Montanists would hence infer but the duty of Fasting as suited to Gospel times And these persecutions began early First by the Jews and then the Arrians and then the Heathen persecutions under the Dragon in the Roman Empire and then under the Beast with the seven heads and ten horns to whom the Dragon gave his seat and great power Rev. 13.2 And Christ foretold this to his Disciples before he vvas taken away That they that kil'd them would think they did God good service John 16.1 And that Nation should rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there should be Famine Pestilence and Earthquakes Mat. 14.7 Now in these days should his Disciples fast Not that in these vvords Christ doth give an institution for fasting but declares what eventually would come to pass Neither doth he determine any particular days and times for fasting but only general during the absence of the Bridegroom they should fast in those days And indeed as soon as the Bridegroom was gone they began to have cause of mourning his absence it self was one great cause
as when he foretold them of it sorrow filled their hearts And so upon several other causes of sadness that should fall out afterwards there would be great occasion of fasting and mourning till his coming again Thus much for explication And because my subject is about fasting I shall not consider Christ in the relation of a Bridegroom as he is here stiled of vvhich might be made a long discourse vvhich vvould rather lead me to speak of Christian Festivals and spiritual joy than a religious Fast which is the subject I must attend unto Neither need I make any logical division of the Text. But instead thereof shall propose these three observations Obs 1. There are some times that are more particular seasons for Fasting Obs 2. That Christians ought wisely to observe what is the proper duty of the times and especially when they are call'd to the great duty of a Fast Obs 3. That fasting is a duty to be practised in the days of the New Testament even all the time of the Bridegroom's absence So that it is not a duty that was peculiar to the times of the Old Testament and the Mosaic poedagogy but is to be practised in the Gospel times The last I shall only insist upon and touch upon the other in the handling of it vvherein I shall take notice That Fasting may be considered either as 1. Meerly natural 2. Civil 3. Religious 1. As meerly natural vvhich is only an abstinence from food As the Greek vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fast Grammatically imports no more but a not eating Which may arise sometimes from necessity and want of food as vvhen the people followed Christ in the wilderness and continued three days there and had nothing to eat and hereupon Christ wrought a miracle to feed them because he would not send them away fasting and they faint in the way Mat. 15.32 So when Paul was in his Voyage to Rome for want of provision he and his company fasted fourteen days Act. 27.33 Or else this natural fast is through want of appetite though food is present There may be an Atrophy upon Nature and man fasts only because he cannot eat Now this fasting is of no avail with God if a man eats not he is nothing the better and if he eats he is no whit the worse Bodily exercise profiteth nothing of it self As the Kingdom of God is not meats and drinks so neither is it abstinence from meats and drinks especially such abstinence as this that is not voluntary but upon necessity 2. Civil when there is a fasting upon a civil account with respect to some civil end As when the Magistrate doth impose abstinence from meats for a while for some civil good As Saul imposed it upon the people in his pursuit of the Philistines 1 Sam. 14. that his victory might not be hindred And such fasting sometimes may be imposed for the increase of provision and for the publick health 3. Religious When fasting is attended with duties of religion and is to some religious end For the end doth in such things as these specifie and denominate the Action And to give a particular Account of it take it thus A Religious Fast is the devotion of the whole man to solemn extraordinary attendance upon God in a particular time separated for that end for the deprecating his displeasure and for the supplicating of his favour joined with an abstinence from bodily food and other bodily delights and from secular affairs So that he that fasteth doth for that time separate himself to God and doth voluntarily dedicate a part of time to his more solemn service and doth put himself as it were under a Religious vow to abide solemnly with God in the duties of the fast he is ingaged in Now this Religious fast is either publick or private 1. Publick As when a whole City fasts as in the case of Nineveh or a whole Nation as in Jehoshaphat's case 2 Chron. 20.3 who proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah And the Prophet Joel calls to such a fast Joel 1.14 Sanctifie a fast call a solemn Assembly gather the Elders and all the Inhabitants of the Land into the House of the Lord c. when the occasion is publick so ought the fast to be 2. Private Which is either of a particular person of which Christ speaks Mat. 6.17 18. But thou when thou faste◠anoint thy head wash thy face that thou appear not to men to fast but to thy Father in se ret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And of this private fast Anna is an instance of whom it is said Luke 2.37 That she served God in the temple with fastings and prayers night and day And Daniel another who tells us in three whole weeks he was mourning did eat no pleasant bread neither came flesh and wine into my mouth Dan. 10.2 3. And Cornelius is another Act. 10.30 And the occasion for private fasting is more peculiarly some private concerns unless the person that fasts be a publick person and then a private personal fasting may be upon a publick account as Daniels was Or of a particular family which the Apostle seems to speak of 1 Cor. 7.5 Where husband and wife being of the same family are advised by the Apostle not to defraud one another but by consent for a time to give themselves to fasting and prayer And when the Prophet Zachary speaks of families mourning apart Zach. 12.13 14. It may probably be meant of fasting join'd with mourning And though the word family may be understood patronimically and extend further than to a particular house yet it may by Analogy be apply'd to particular houses and the inhabitants therein Again a Religious fast is either stated or occasional 1. Stated as the fast of the seventh month and the tenth day of the month was a stated fast to Israel every year and the fasts the Jews observed in Babylon of the fourth fifth seventh tenth month mentioned Zach. 8.19 were stated fasts and the Pharisee in the Gospel boasted of his stated fasting I fast twice in the week Luke 19.12 Against which stated fasts I have nothing to speak or to censure any mens practice herein if the occasion still continues and it do not degenerate into formality 2. Occasional of which we have frequent instances as the fast observed by Esther and her Maidens and the Jews in Shushan was occasional And so that which I mentioned of Jehoshaphat was occasional And the fast in Nehemiah's time mentioned ch 9.1 was occasional These fasts did not pass into any Stated course of observation Having premised these distinctions I shall discourse of this religious fast 1. In the Sanction of it 2. The Manner of Observation 3. The occasion that requires and calls for it 4. The concern that abstinence from food hath in the right Observation of it 5. The abuse of the Ordinance in the wrong managing of it 1. First for the Sanction
afflict affront and troubles us and wo to them that a child of God upon a mature judgment names in prayer I find not that such a prayer in Scripture return'd empty Jacob in a great strait Deliver me from the hand of my brother Gen. 32.11 from the hand of Esau David in the ascent of Mount Olivet O Lord I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness 2 Sam 15.31 2 Chron. 20.10 Prayer twisted the rope for him at Giloh Thus Jehoshaphat in his prayer names Ammon Moab and Edom conspiring against him Thus Hezekiah spreads the railing letter before the Lord Isa 37.14 Psal 83.6 c. Act 4 27. Joseph l. 18. c. 9. Euseb Chron. l. 2. p. 159. Eph. 3.14 Luke 17.5 2 Cor. 12.8 and the Psalmist takes them all in a round Catalogue that consulted against Israel Thus the Church in her prayer names Herod-Antipas and Pontius Pilate whereof the first was sent into perpetual banishment and the latter slew himself It 's of great use in prayer to attend to some special case or single request with arguments and affections suitable For this cause says Paul I bow the knee Suppose a grace deficient in its strength Lord increase our faith or a temptation urgent For this I pray'd to the Lord thrice A great reason why we reap so little benefit by prayer because we rest too much in generals and if we have success 't is but dark that often we cannot tell what to make of the issues of prayer Besides to be particular in our petitions would keep the spirit much from wandring when we are intent upon a weighty case and the progress of the soul in grace would manifest its gradual success in prayer 6. Holy and humble appeals before the Lord in secret when the soul can submissively and thankfully expose it self to divine searching about some measures of holiness and grace wrought in the heart Psal 139.23 Tertal de orat p. 213. The soul cannot bide by the presence of God under flashings of defilement neque agnosci poterit à spiritu sancto spiritus inquinatus neither will the holy spirit own a defiled soul But when a person can humbly modestly and reverently say search me and try my reins and if there be any way of wickedness in me lead me in the everlasting way it vvill be the means of the ebullitions and boilings up of joyful affections and meek confidence at the footstool of grace especially in pleas of deliverance from wicked and proud enemies When David can plead in comparison with and in the case stated between his enemies and himself For I am holy Psal 86.2 14 17. It shews him a token for good or when we plead against the assaults of Satan can we be conscious that we have watcht and prayed against entring into temptation When in the main we can wash our hands in Innocency Psal 26 6. Psal 18.20.7.3 we may then comfortably compass God's altar about In case of opposition and injustice He rewarded me says David in the point of Saul according to my righteousness and the cleanness of my hands before him Or about the truth of the love that is in the heart to God Thou that knowest all things John 21.17 Neh. 14.14 22 Isa 38.3 Isa 26.8 says Peter knowest that I love thee As to zeal for the Worship and Ordinances of God so did Nehemiah As to the integrity of a well-spent life so did Hezekiah or if we cannot rise so high yet as the Church did The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Or lastly when we can unfeignedly plead the usefulness of a mercy intreated in order to the divine glory As when a minister or the Church of Christ for him prays for such gifts and graces Eph. 6.19 Col. 4 3. such knowledg and utterance that he may win souls to Christ and can appeal that it is his principal aim this is glorious 7. Pray for the spirit that ye may pray in and by the spirit Awaken the North and the South to blow upon thy garden that the spices thereof may flow forth Cant 4.16 Then thou mayest invite Christ Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits that the soul may enjoy him and hold sweet communion with him All successful prayer is from the breathing of the spirit of God when he inspires and indites when he directs the heart as to matter and governs the tongue as to utteranee 1 Cor. 2.10 Rom. 8.27 Psal 147.18 Ezek. 47.1 Gerson T. 2. K. K. 4. 49. Zech. 12.10 God graciously hears the sighs of his own Spirit formed in us He sent forth his spirit and the waters flow That I may allude the waters of contrition flow upon the breathing of the spirit and the soul is as it were all afloat before the throne of grace when these living waters issue from under the threshold of the sanctuary Sequitur lachrymosa devotio flante spiritu sancto Devout tears drop down from the spirit's influences Melting supplications follow the infusions of grace by the spirit Then they shall mourn for piercing of Christ says the Prophet and be in bitterness as for a first-born like the mourning at the town of Hadadrimmon where Josiah was slain Then (a) 13.1 2 4 14.8 Isa 66.12 Rich. de Sâ—ult p. 321. in that day what inundations of mercy shall refresh the Church when the Lord will extend her peace like a river and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream great things to the Church and gracious things to the soul Inter orationem suspiria cognoscit holy sighs in prayer give intelligence of great mercies to follow Nay to withstand powerfully all the wiles of Satan one means is Eph. 6.18 to consecrate every part of the spiritual armour by prayer in the Spirit 8. Apply special promises to special cases in prayer For God hath and will magnifie his word of promise above all his name Psal 138.2 John 12.28 when we are under the word of command for a duty we must seek for a word of promise and unite them in prayer When a promise of aid suits to the precept it renders prayer victorious and obedience pleasant when we come with God's own words into his presence when we take his words with us that he would take away all iniquity he 'll receive us graciously Hos 14 2. Gen. 32.9 1 Kings 8.24 Jacob urged that God had bid him return from his Country and kinred Solomon urges the word of promise to David Jehoshaphat urges the a 2 Chron. 20.8 9. word of promise to Solomon Daniel fills his mouth (b) Dan. 9.2 3 with the promise given to Jeremiah he reads and then applies it in prayer First search the Bible and look for a promise and when found open it before the Lord. Paul teaches us to take the (c) Heb. 13.5 6. promise given to
humour them with those things that may gratifie their sensual appetitites though never so prejudicial in the consequence and in the present judgments of their Superiors who would have their children disciplin'd to self-denial and temperance which the Gospel (k) Mat. 16.24 Luke 21.34 1 Cor. 9.25 sets a great value upon I speak this from my own and others certain experience of what I have seen and heard both in Families of the Gentry and others in the Country and those of the best rank in the City Oh! what cause then have some of us with heartiest thankfulness to adore our Heavenly Father that our dear Parents have not only taught us the rudiments of goodness but call'd upon us to exercise self-denial and temperance and to enure our selves to hardship as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ (l) 2 Tim. 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist de Rep. l. 8. c. 17. So the Apostle enjoyned agreeable to the Philosopher who determin'd it best to accustom children in their tender years unto colds as most advantagious to good health and warlike actions And to bless God that they kept a watchful eye upon us in our minority giving check to our inordinate appetites that we can now in this luxurious and delicate age in the midst of fulness curb our selves and not hanker after every dainty and fine fashion we see or repine when it passeth by us whose Souls are made for better attainments But I forget my self in this business of Education being yet to speak to the remaining offices of Parents The next of which is 4. Disposal or elocation of children growing up or adult either into some particular employment or marriage 1 Into some fit way of employment or particular calling Christian Parents are concern'd not only to train up their children for business in the world but to do what they can to provide an honest fit and useful calling or profession wherein they may serve their own generation according to the will of God (m) Acts 13.36 and the abilities he hath bestow'd on them and the inclinations he hath implanted in them whereby they may mostly promote the Kingdom of Christ (o) Mat. 6.33 To find out natural capacities in the obsequious part of age requires the diligent consideration of a sagacious mind So that Parents herein have really need of the skill were it attainable of the boasting Spaniard who in his Tryal of wits pretended to know what complexion was fittest for every profession For all dispositions and inclinations are not equally fit for every affair †Equolibet ligno non fit Mercurius Some according to the temperament of the body and culture of the mind are for more ingenuous and liberal others more mechanick Arts some in a more publiik others more private station Upon discerning of which Parents should strain hard proportionable to their estates to choose such honest and advantagious Callings as their children are fittest for so nigh as they can judge Daniel and his companions were for liberal Sciences (p) Dan. 1.17 and so was Moses before them (q) Acts 7.22 and Paul after them (r) 22.3 These God made use of as eminent instruments of his honour in their generation one of them a Prophet another a Prophet and Magistrate the third an Apostle and all of them witnesses to the truth Paul doth gratefully commemorate his Parents love in educating him at the best School and Vniversity under the best Tutor living far from the City of his birth nor without reason for God's raising up Sons unto Parents for Prophets and placing them in the Ministry however despised in this decrepit age was accounted a singular priviledg (s) Amos. 2.9 10 11. with 1 Tim. 1.12 Ephes 4.8 11 c. 2 Cor. 5.20 Others in their circumstances were dispos'd into other Callings which their Parents thought them fit for In the morning of the world the two first children Cain and Abel were put into different employments (t) Gen. 4.2 so were Isaac's Sons into the like (u) 25.27 and Samuel's Sons into another (w) 1 Sam 8.3 though they very much misbehav'd themselves in it Jacob's Sons (x) Gen. 37.12 Laban's and Revel 's daughters were employ'd about cattel (y) 29.9 Exod. 2.16 None should be left to live idly but if not disabled all should be ordinarily in some stated employ wherein they have an Heavenly guard (z) Psal 91.12 for the publick good and the honour of God who where he gives most will not be content with the least but requires either corporeal or mental employment from all And therefore Parents having consulted their childrens inclinations and considered what breeding they have given them for the bettering of their parts and improvement of their gifts should not fail to dispose of their so that they may be able to maintain themselves (a) 2 Thes 3.6 10.12 or use what they have honestly provided for them to the doing of good in the Church and State and the training up of others in succeeding generations according as God hath distributed gifts to every one for his Calling wherein he is to abide till more clearly called to another (b) 1 Cor. 7.17 whether for husbandry (c) Gen. 47 6. or handy-crafts in more substantial (d) 1 Kings 5.6 or more curious works (e) Exod. 35.30 35. or yet more laudable employments (f) Jer. 17.16 whereunto they are not to be intruded but orderly called All which gives check to such Parents who are negligent herein after primaeve education and those who either put their children into unfit Callings or enter them not into fit ones in a fair way but by some indirect means There is another disposal and placing out of children wherein good Parents ought to be greatly concern'd and that is 2. Into the honourable estate of marriage (g) Heb. 13.4 when at a competent age considering the temper and inclinations of the children upon a due expence of circumstances in all Christian prudence sooner or later to avoid temptations on one hand and another by endeavouring to provide such matches as they may have a good ground to hope for God's blessing upon which they may then do when they are in the Lord (h) 1 Cor. 7.39 with 22. Because that 's the great Canon for the Regulation of Christian marriages and should be the principal ponderation in this greatest affair of Parents and Children that the persons marrying be not unequally yoked (i) 2 Cor. 6.13 14. and that they do it in the Lord as the obedience of wives and children is required to be (k) Eph. 6.1 with 5 8. and to please the Lord in my Text yea this of marriage is to be only in the Lord (l) Col. 3.18 For not to please him by marrying in him is by consequence to incur the displeasure of him in whom alone a blessing is to be had Wherefore professing Parents who are charg'd
by others iniquity these are most to be pityed the violent suffocation of their thoughts is not without great vexation of their hearts as Lot might be an instance 2 Pet. 2.2 8. And David Psal 39.23 I was dumb with silence I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred my heart was but within me while I mused the fire burnt In others this is affected out of Moroseness doggedness or design in these the offence is most aggravated the silence is most sinful but more particularly When are we guilty of over-much silence 1. When Justice is obstructed by it my Neighbour has suffered wrong I know it without my testimony he cannot have right I conceal it my secrecy involves me in the iniquity Lev. 5.1 A pretence of peaceableness and good Neighbour-hood stops the mouths of several in this case but peace of Conscience and the cause of Righteousness should be preferred before all peace and above every other consideration take place if the matter especially be momentous 2. When Charity is omitted and is not like from other hands to be at least so seasonably and advantagiously administred there is oft-times great Charity in a word and it is the greatest cruelty imaginable to spare that word and it is often further heightned from the parties to which it is grudged For instance if we are made privy to any thing the discovery of which is for great publique good and conceal it for private advantage beyond what is fitting for our private capacity and a just reward for our ingenuity we highly transgress against publique Charity and are unworthy of the benefits of Society this we learn from the Lepers case themselves being Judges 2 Kings 7.8 9. Again if we alone are privy to a Brother or Friend's fault wherein he goes on and is not like of himself to come off bolstering himself up in the opinion of its secrecy a word of reproof from thee might save him and thou art the greatest Enemy he has if thou with-holdest it from him Lev. 19.17 Further thy own Soul is in a dark and dismal state thy Neighbour or Friend is full of light by one question thou mightest do much to thy own illumination and yet thou pinest away and perishest for lack of knowledg where is thy love to thy self in the mean time Tongue-Charity is the cheapest of all Charity and yet many certainly not without great guilt let their Countreys Friends and own Souls starve for lack of it 3. If our own Spirits be soured by it words kept in are many times like humours struck in go to the heart and offend the vital parts Maliciousness censoriousness are often so fed vent might give relief in this case and be the only means for our Cure if moderately and discreetly given Many can write their probatum est to this 4. If our Company whom we may and ought to please so far as we can be grieved or offended at it Silence where we may be free and have wont to be free and it is justly expected we should be free as among Friends Relations c. Speaks very cuttingly and should not causlesly be long kept lest it be ill interpreted it intimates anger at them or contempt of them it renders you wholly insignificant to them you had as good send your Horse among them if you will not converse like a man with them 5. If our Calling and Commission from God be to speak we may not be silent as to any one thing committed to us to speak in this case You know who said Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak woe is us if we do not Paul no other way could clear himself of their blood than by protesting that he had not shunned to declare unto them the whole counsel of God Acts 20.27 And our Saviour doth mainly comfort himself as having hid or kept back nothing given in charge to him Psal 40.9 10 11. Loe I have not refrained my Lips O Lord thou knowest I have not hid thy Righteousness within my heart I have not concealed thy loving kindness and thy truth with-hold not thou thy tender mercies from me 6. If the Cause and Honour of God call for a publique testimony no one in his way may innocently with-hold it however mean be his capacity Children therefore in Christ's day were called forth to it and justified in it Mat. 21.15 16. And when offence was took on a like occasion he tells them that if those should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out Eccl. 3.7 You see then that there is a time to speak as well as keep silence happy he that hits his time and he that heeds it will hardly miss it or if he does shall the more easily be excused it We commonly say that little said is soon amended true but yet for not speaking as well as not doing in some cases we may be condemned It is therefore our duty to rouze our Tongue when it is sluggish as well as hold it in where it is lavish calling upon it as he Psal 57.8 Awake up my Glory or as you have another instance Judges 5.12 Awake Awake Deborah Awake Awake utter a Song 2. The second extreme to be avoided is Loquacity or over-much speaking a fault many are incident to through the levity of their temper and looseness of their Tongues and it is a very hard task for them to talk much and talk well He is peremptory Prov. 10.19 that in the multitude of words there wants not sin And I suppose he speaks modestly and that he means that there is a great deal of sin But let our Query be Quest When any one may be said to talk too much Some few of many instances take as follows 1. When talking excludes thinking the Tongue out-runs the wit a little of this talk is too much as being to no purpose but to betray our folly abuse our Brother's patience and waste precious time One may talk to Children at this rate to save a needless expence of sense where there is but little but it is an intolerable presumption upon men to entertain them with words morecrude than our belches that we fetch not so low as our breath and that little differ from an Asse's braying 2. When it will not give way to hearing especially when wiser and better men be present If they were inferior and weaker it were meet they should be allowed their turns every one may be supposed to have brought something wherewith the whole might be edified in ingrossing all the talk to thy self thou art chargeable with unseemly vaunting thou art in the ready way to emptying there is no hope of thy replenishing go hoop and hallow in the Woods if thou wilt be answered only by thy own Eccho Proud men and passionate men are apt so to offend they have no ears and so are unlike to edifie and for any thing they are like to get had as good keep out of Company Mark advice of
Christians How many are there that are full of rage one against another for being either for a Form of Prayer or against it either for the Ceremonies or against them that never searched into the state of the Controversie and never took pains to examine the Arguments on both sides which in all reason they ought to have done or else at least to have restrained their Tongues from such unreasonable and sinful censures and reproaches These I say are the Persons that are most guilty nay upon the matter the only guilty Persons except such whom base Lust and Interest doth corrupt and work to these animosities 5. Converse much with your selves It is want of business at home in mens own hearts that makes them ramble so much abroad and rake into the Lives of others Study your selves more and other men less Did you search your own hearts and lives you would find so much cause of self-judging and self-abhorring that you would have little cause to despise others and much cause of compassion towards others 6. Judg of others as you would do of your selves and your own Actions It is worth our consideration what a great difference there is between the Judgment men pass upon themselves and other men As for themselves all their Errors are but small mistakes and all their sins against God however attended with ugly circumstances of light of consent of the will custom and allowance yet they are but sins of Infirmity if themselves may be Judges in their own Cause Their injuries to men are but small and trivial offences and they do indeed expect both from God and Man a Pardon of course which if they have not they judg God tobe harsh and severe Men to be cruel and implacable But when they come to pass Judgment upon other Men the Tables are turned some mistakes are damnable delusions and all their sins against God which they can observe are evidences of a naughty heart and inconsistent with Grace and the Offences of others against them are inexcusable and intolerable great affronts and Indignities whereas on the contrary thou shouldest as it was said of a great Man Be severe to thy self and Candid to others Because thou knowest more wickedness by thy self and more aggravation of thy own sins than of all the sins that are in the World But at least all the reason and Justice in the World requires this that thou shouldest weigh thy self and others in the same Balance that thou shouldest try thy own and their Actions by the same Touch-stone and more need not be done Thou who art so prone to flatter thy self wouldest certainly be more indulgent to other men and pass a more favourable construction upon their Actions What Light must shine in our Works Serm. XXII Matth. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven THE Work designed for this time is to resolve this practical Case What is that Light which must shine before Men in the Works of Christ's Disciples for the Glorifying of God But the Explication of the Text is therein included The Son of Righteousness Jesus Christ who giveth Light to every one that cometh into the World or coming into the World giveth Light to all from his fulness hath bespangled the Inferiour Heavens his Church with many fulgent Stars appointed freely to communicate the Heavenly light which they had freely received In his corporal presence he prepared them and his Spirit having moved on the darkned World he unresistably said at the descent of the Holy Ghost Let there be Light and there was Light beginning at Jerusalem but not fixed to any determinate place But what he gave them necessarily and antecedently they were to Exercise as Free Agents by a command more resistable which here he gives them Having told them their Office and given them their Names v. 14. Ye are the Lights of the World he next tells them how they must be useful They must be conspicuous 1. Because the Church where they are placed is like a City on a Hill which cannot be hid 2. Because it 's the end of him that lighteth them and sets them up not to put them under a Bushel but on a Candlestick to give light to all his House And therefore no men's silencing or prohibitions no difficulties or sufferings will excuse them from their Duty Lights they are and Shine they must But lest they should think that it is Preaching only which he meaneth he here commanding them their Duty lets them know that the splendour of Christianity is in Works as well as Words And thereby giveth us cause to think that it is all his Disciples or Christians that he speaketh to though first and eminently to the Apostles and Teachers of the World 1. By Light he meaneth both the Illuminating knowledg which must be uttered by Words and the Splendour or Glory of Holiness which must be refulgent in their Lives 2. He calls it Your Light as being their own in his Graces as the Subjects and their own in Exercise as the Actors though both under him 3. It must Shine that is Appear in its splendour for the Illumination and conviction of the World 4. It must So shine as is fittest to attain these ends It is not every twinkling that will answer their great obligations 5. It must be Before men that is both those within and especially those without the Church that are but Men. 6. It must be a Light shining in Good Works and their Own Works For that is the grand difference between the Disciples of Christ and others He teacheth them not only to know and talk well but to Do well And he maketh men such as he Teacheth them to be Non magna loquimur sed vivimus said Tertullian 7. That Men may see doth signifie both the necessary refulgent quality of their Works and also the end of God and them 8. But it is not Hypocritical ostentation of what they are not nor of what they are and have as for their own Glory to be honoured and praised of Men but for the Glorifying of God Who is called their Father to shew their obligation to him and to encourage them by the honour and comfort of their Relation and to shew why their Works will tend to the glorifying of God even because they are so nearly related to him And he is said to be in Heaven because there he appeareth operatively in his Glory to the beautifying of Holy Spirits As the Soul is said to be in the Head and we look a man in the face when we talk to him as if there principally we saw the Man because it is in the Head that it operateth by Reason So much of the meaning of the Words Many Doctrines the Text affordeth us as 1. Christ's Disciples are the Lights of the World both in the splendour of Wisdom and Holiness 2. Their most eminent and convincing splendour is in
preparation and introduction to it a valley never to be fill'd up the Gospel doth by no means allow of Self-Exaltation no flesh must glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.29 we must still seem vile in our own eyes 2. Of God and of his mercy which is two-fold 1. Privative which is a total privation of the habit root or principle of true saving hope as in all unbelievers 2. Negative a cessation of the acts of hope which is twofold A total cessation at least as to our sense and discerning of the actings of Hope for a time this is temporary Despair Gradual arising from a weakness in the actings of Hope which is Despair in opinion counted so by weak doubting Christians both these last mentioned are incident to true Believers and occasion much sorrow and sadness to them But this Privation or negation of hope doth not fully set forth the nature of despair in which there seems to be somewhat positive recessus a re desiderata as the Schools speak an actual with-drawing from Christ the heart falls off from the Promises doth act against them puts them from us despair argues and reasons the soul out of its hope puts in a caveat against it self cannot think that a person under such circumstances can be within the meaning of the promise and so sinks and faints away Job 17.15 This is more than meer privation or negation there is an evil disposition wrought in the heart by unbelief which fills the soul with many prejudices against the truth makes it pertinaciously to adhere unto its own erroneous judgment so that it can do nothing now but quarrel dispute and except against all that may be said on t'other side These things premis'd I now come to shew the difference between Despair and Hope 1. Despair is the result of strong legal convictions urging the sentence of the Law against us without any consideration of Gospel-Grace for our relief and succour This works great consternation fills the soul with amazing fears shuts it up in a dark dungeon claps it in irons binds it hand and foot and so leaves it under a fearful expectation of fiery indignation to devour it But Hope deals in the promises is begotten by them and bears up the soul under the condemnation of the Law 2. Despair indisposes the soul from hearkning to the free grace of the Gospel when 't is offered because it still retains those strong impressions and dreadful apprehensions which the Law hath wrought and will not be comforted But Hope allayes these fears makes the soul willing to debate the matter to hear what the Gospel sayes to see what may be done in so dangerous a cause 3. Despair sees more in sin than in Christ and supposes the wound incurable my sin is greater than can be forgiven But Hope sees Grace superabounding large enough to cover all our sins 4. Despair is very peremptory and positive in concluding against it self 't is resolv'd upon nothing but death greater than can be forgiven a lost undone creature to all eternity it cannot be otherwise As in the highest decree of faith and hope there is assurance of salvation so here there is a dismal uncomfortable assurance of damnation But Hope though it may be accompanied with many fears and doubts yet there is some expectation of good a patient looking for and sollicitous waiting though sometimes with trembling for salvation the soul doth not give over its pursuit after life and pardon but when 't is at the lowest ebb doth apprehend some possibility of escape through Christ it may be for all this we shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger Zeph. 2.3 it may be we shall be delivered from the wrath to come Thus Hope draws on the soul to Christ encouraging it to come forward Directions how to avoid both extreams 1. Against Presumption whether of our selves or of God 1. Against that Presumption that is of our selves take these following Directions 1. Take up so much of a sense of sin into the mount of Hope as may keep thy hope from swelling into presumption or from feeding upon any thing in thy self 2. Be much in proving thy hope in giving thy self and others a reason of it 1 Pet. 3.15 this is the way to keep it right consider what that reason is whether it be a true Gospel-ground of hope as natural affections in a man must be guided by reason so spiritual affections in a Christian must be regulated and influenced by Faith I believed and therefore have I spoken 2 Cor. 4.13 so it holds here I believe and therefore do I hope 3. Suspect those acts of Hope that have their rise from any thing else but Christ and the promises the heart of man is deep and very deceitful 't is no easie matter to understand our hope at all times and to manage it aright we are apt to forget our selves flesh will be putting in and contributing something from its self towards the support of our hope it will be casting in something into the scale with Christ to make better weight This we must carefully watch against keeping our eye only upon Christ as David Psal 62.5 6. When we find our hearts pleasing themselves with any self-reflections upon our own personal worth in any kind we should fear lest those thoughts should gather too fast and puff us up in a vain conceit of our selves we should see nothing but meanness vileness and unworthyness in our selves under the highest actings of our hope in Christ Though I were perfect yet would I not know my soul Job 8.21 4. Begin thy Hope with an act of humble holy despair of thy self that thy hope may be discharged on that hand forc't to quit all expectations from thence and not be tempted to any sinister aspect that way upon so poor empty insufficient a thing as thou knowest thy self to be We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2 Chron. 20.12 Our hope though it look never so directly upon Christ yet it is too too apt to take in some collateral encouragements from self which do cause a further dilation in the heart and make some secret and if we observe our own spirit some sensible additions to the joy and complacency we have in our hope we bless our selves the more and though we are pleased with Christ yet we are pleased with something besides Christ and this spoils all it poysons our hope is like a Canker eats like a Gangrene and is a great blemish to our hope 5. If all this will not do but still thy proud heart is big with expectation of something from God upon its own account and thou canst not separate self from Christ in the out-goings of thy hope then my advice is Answer thy foolish heart for once in its folly and take its supposed worth into thy serious consideration weigh it well prove it examine all its pretences that the truth may appear and that you may do this
to be worshipped that the soul is immortal that there is a state of bliss in another world that righteousness is the way to that bliss Now as there are but two righteousnesses the righteousness of Christ of which the whole Creation is silent and nature altogether ignorant and Angels knew it not until it was revealed to them and a mans own righteousness So there are but two Religions in the world sc Christianity and nature Call Religions by what names you list Judaism Turcism Paganism Popery common Protestantism 't is still but nature The Sea hath many names from the Countries and shores but still it is the same Sea These two righteousnesses cannot be mixt in the business of justification in the sight of God If it be of Christ as the Scripture faith it is no more of works if it be of works as nature saith it is no more of Christ we cannot be justified in his sight partly by the righteousness of Christ's obedience and partly by our own The Law is not of Faith Gal. 3.13 as many as are of the works are under the curse v. 10. the just shall live by faith ergo not by law This is Paul's Logick v. 11. A man cannot be Son of two mothers Gal. 4. lat end Cast out the bond-woman and her Son for the Son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the Son of the free-woman And a woman cannot be wife to two husbands together Rom. 7.4 There is but one strait gate Matth. 7.13 one door Joh. 10.9 one way Joh. 14.5 one name Acts 4.12 Paul is the most lively instance in this great case while he was alive to the Law he was dead to Christ and when he was alive to Christ he was dead to the Law Gal. 2.19 dead to the Law as a rule of righteousness and alive to the Law as a rule of obedience dead to the Law in point of dependance and alive to the Law in point of love and practice his Christianity did ennoble and heighten his morality he was just and sober and temperate blameless while he was a Pharisee but when he was a believer he did the same things from a noble principle in a spiritual manner for the right ends before he did act from himself for himself now from Christ and for Christ The deduction from hence is this If we would live in true comfort we must be true Christians A man may be a Protestant yet not a Christian indeed a man may be blameless and Christless and by consequence Godless Remember the parable of the foolish Virgins they were not harlots profane but Virgins they were not persecutors or blasphemers or malicious but foolish i. e. supine careless negligent they had lamps in their hands but no oyl in their hearts the parable of the builders the sandy believers of the Kings supper the man that had not on a wedding garment Indeed most of the preaching of the Lord Jesus tends this way and these parables live to this day and as much at this day Let us look to our selves the oyl of Faith and comfort go together the oyl of holiness and the oyl of gladness true Christians are anointed with both Consider the man that wanted the wedding robe was not discerned by any at the table the Lord espied him quickly who would have thought such a professor should go to hell bind him hand and foot he did pretend to Christ and it was but a pretence I may dispute for preach up Christ's righteousness active and passive and the imputation thereof according to the Scripture and the judgement of the best learned that ever the Churches have had and yet I may go about to establish mine own I may lift up Christ to you and pull him down in mine own heart The sum is this Nullum bonum sine summo bono Austin I will expound it thus No good work without God no God without Christ no Christ without heart-Faith no Faith without love no love without obedience no such obedience without comfort Doct. more or less This brings me to the Doctrine It is the property and practice of believers to love the Lord Jesus and to rejoyce in him and in the hope of eternal life by him 1. First It is their property they and all they and always and none but they there is no man in the world that loves God and the Redeemer Jesus but a believer the Philosophers were haters of God Rom. 1.30 the Gentiles and their wise men for it is plain that the Apostle speaks of them not of the Gnosticks that is an idle conceit and I am bound to believe Paul's Characters of the Gentiles and their Philosophers before Diogenes Laertius Plutarch or any man else the Jews hated Jesus Christ John 15.24 the world hated him John 7.7 Luke 19.14 All Gospel-Atheism said that incomparable Dr. Twisse is against Jesus Christ So for joy there 's never a joyful man alive but a believer Will you say that men take pleasure in their sins why that is the Devil's joy or that they rejoyce in full barns and bags that is the Fool 's joy or that they rejoyce in wine i. e. all dainties that gratifie the palate that is a Bedlam joy I have said of mirth thou art mad Read and believe Eccles 2.3 indeed from the first v. to the 11. The whole book but especially that Chapter is the divinest Philosophy that ever was or will be 2. 'T is their practice they love the Lord Jesus in incorruption or sincerity Eph. 6. last The Church i. e. Believers joyntly and singly say of Jesus that he it is whom their soul loves Cant. 1.7 in the 3. chap. the 4 first ver we have it four times and none but that I sought him whom my soul loveth v. 1. I will arise and seek him whom my soul loveth v. 2. I said to the watchmen saw ye him whom my soul loveth v. 3. after a little while I found him whom my soul loveth v. 4. here is no supernumerary repetition every believer's soul bears a part in this divine song so for joy that is their practice too we have no confidence in the flesh but rejoyce in Christ Jesus which joy in him did plainly flow out of their confidence of an interest in him Phil. 3.3 as sorrowful yet always rejoycing 2 Cor. 6.9 we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 and we rejoyce in God by Jesus Christ v. 11. with many more Texts to the same purpose there need no more only observe 't is we rejoyce 't is not only Paul or the Apostles but the Philippians Romans and so all believers we rejoyce I shall speak something 1. For the explication of the Doctrine 2. For the vindication of the truth 3. For the resolution of the case 1. For explication these two affections Love and Joy will be best described by their properties objects causes Love is the return of an holy affection to Jesus Christ with desires after
him and delight in him whose properties are these 1. 'T is a soveraign love he it is whom the soul loveth as before out of the Canticles chap. 1.7 a transcendent love arising out of some due apprehension of his own excellency and those most inestimable benefits procured by him he is the standard-bearer amongst ten thousand Cant. 4.10 as the apple-tree for shade and fruit to the weary travellers above all the trees of the forrest Cant. 2.3 Saints and Angels are but shrubs and fruitless things to him they have fruit for themselves from him but none for us 2. It is unsatisfiable with any thing besides him love is a restless affection therefore compared to the grave and death Cant. 8.6 7. amor semper quaerit nova it cannot say I have enough till it be terminated on Jesus Christ and God by him 3. 'T is ardent and therefore it is compared to coals of fire in the Text Cant. 8. it is not a flat and faint thing but it warms and enlarges the heart 4. 'T is very chast 't is not to be frighted away by the troubles and affrightments of the world neither is it to be bribed off by the blandishments and allurements of it many waters cannot quench it and if any would offer all the substance of his house to corrupt it to withdraw it it would be utterly contemned ibid. 5. And chiefly it is obediential what would not a man do or suffer for such a Saviour for such a Salvation as from sin and hell and such a Salvation as into grace and eternal glory it is the fulfilling of the law Rom. 13.10 A man that loves the Lord Jesus would fulfil every one of his commands the law of his God is in his heart Psal 37.31 and his heart is to the law there is a kind of perfection secundum intentionem and he goes on gradually quoad perfectionem Love makes the yoke easie his commands are not grievous i. e. They are precious Oh how I love thy Law says David Psal 119.97 I delight in the Law of God in my inner man saith Paul Rom. 7.22 Try your selves by this compare your selves with that of Christ in his farewel Sermon Joh. 14.15 21 23. withal remember and dread that Text 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus i. e. malign him oppose him let him be accursed till the Lord comes 2. The object of this love we have it in the Text viz. the Lord Jesus and all of him he is altogether lovely A believer loves him as King loves his Laws and institutions and none but his loves him as Priest in the holiness of his nature and life in the suffering of his soul and death how precious is Jesus 1 Pet. 2.7 loves him as a Prophet revealing the mystery of Salvation the glorious mystery of the Gospel hidden from generations hidden from the wise and prudent Believers love him most intimately as a King for holiness as a Priest for righteousness and as a Prophet for wisdom Lust like the harlot divides him but love like the true mother will have him whole as well holiness to save from sin as righteousness to save from hell 3. The cause of it is the blessed Spirit the fruit of the Spirit is love Gal. 5.22 The Lord thy God shall circumcise thy heart and cause thee to love the Lord thy God Deut. 30.6 Alas 't is not in corrupt nature the wisdom of the flesh the best in that hedge is enmity not a bare enemy but enmity against God 't is not subject i. e. ordinarily regularly subject to his Law neither can be there is a remotio actus and posse too 't is a divine work The other holy affection is joy in the Text we have the properties of it First 'T is unspeakable the joy of harvest rich spoils great treasures when they are right i. e. when they are derived from God by Jesus Christ they have their weight but what are these to the joy of a pardon to a trembling and condemned man and what is this to the joy in Christ to a man that understands and is sensible what damnation is what hell is what eternity is the highness the sweetness the revivement is indeed ineffable no man that feels it can find words fully to express it 2. 'T is full of glory i. e. say some a stander by cannot judge of it That is true but is too short 't is initium vitae aeternae 't is glorificatum gaudium 't is a part of heaven Austin seems to think that is too much our present comfort saith he is rather Solatium praesentis miseriae than gaudium futurae beatitudinis rather a collation or refreshment upon our journey than a set meal at our journeys end What if we should take the word here glorious for strong full of glory full of divine power a holy joy an heart-enlargeing joy strong to do and strong to die certainly sin is never more odious the heart is never more soft the commandements never more precious the World never more regardless Jesus never more glorious than when we humbly rejoyce in the sense of God's love by Jesus Christ through the witness of the blessed Spirit If our comforts be not heart-enlarging to love and duty they may be suspected for unsound I will add one property viz. The joy of Believers is soul-satisfying joy it fills the heart and every chink of it it is abundantly nay victoriously satisfying the Soul of it self without praying in the help of the Creatures Light all the candles in the world and they will not cannot make it day let the Sun arise and that will do it without their help Read Hab. 3. the latter end in our phrase our manner of speech it is this if no bread in the cupboard nor money in the purse nor Friend to help yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and glory in the God of my salvation The Object of this Joy is present interest in Jesus and a lively hope of Glory or Glory hoped for the cause efficient is the blessed Spirit joy in the Holy Ghost i. e. by him the inward instrument is Faith Faith special or Assurance Christ loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 The outward instrument is the Gospel the Angel called it Tydings of great joy I pray you try again where is your joy whence doth it arise upon what is it fixed of what kind is it what is the power of it joy is natural and pleasing every man seeks it many there be that say who will shew us any good they are for sensible palpable good Corn Wine or Oyl Riches Honours here they think to find joy and comfort Alas they seek the living among the dead they suck an empty breast David had all this but he sought far higher he was of a more noble and heavenly temper lift up the light of thy countenance cause thy face to shine upon thy Servant that will put gladness into my
aliqua ex Parte cum statús sui qualitate rixetur Idem ibid. Oh this is much to be lamented Let us bring it down to our selves Paul had learnt in every state to be content we have scarce learnt in any state to be content We are not well either full or fasting When it's Summer then 't is too hot when 't is winter then 't is too cold Every condition is more or less uneasie to us If it be Mercy we complain it is not enough if affliction we complain 't is too much and so we are alwayes in statu querulo moroso as he in Seneca expresseth it The great God is willing to be pleased with what we do but how hard are we to be pleased with what he doth He finds no fault with our duties though attended with many defects if done in sincerity we will be finding fault with his Providences though there be nothing in them but what speaks infinite Wisdom and Goodness The generality of men carry it as if the fretting leprosie was upon them yea many even of those who belong to God are too much sick of this disease Surely if he was not a long-suffering and compassionate Father he would not bear as he doth with such froward Children The most like their inward state too well and their outward state too ill Such who have the world are contented without God Such who have God are not contented without the world It being thus is it not highly necessary that we should for the time to come set our selves with our utmost diligence to get a Contented spirit May be we dare not let the fire of our passion break forth but it lies smothering and hid in the heart when shall it be quite extinguished oh that that might be wholly cast out and that instead thereof sedateness of mind submission to God contentation in every condition might come in into the soul My Brethren will you fall upon the studying of this excellent lesson of Contentment You have learnt nothing in Christianity till you have learnt this you are no better than Abcedarians in Religion if you have not mastered this great piece of practical knowledg You have heard much read much of contentment but have you learnt it so as to live in the daily practice of it pray take up with nothing short of that The design of this Sermon hath been to help you herein to direct you what you are to do in order to Contentment Now will you make use of the Directions that have been given viz. to be considerative godly praying persons These are the best remedies that I could think of against that Spiritual Choler that doth so much trouble you Use them and I hope you will find the vertue and efficacy of them to this end Look to your state and course that you be godly when any thing troubles you retire for Consideration and Prayer hold on in this way and in tim you also will be able to speak these great words as to your selves that you have learnt in every state to be content How to bear Afflictions Serm. XXVII HEB. 12.5 My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Prov. 3.12 THe words are an excellent passage from the Book of the Proverbs wherein the Supreme eternal Wisdom is represented giving instruction to the afflicted how to behave themselves under troubles so as they may prove beneficial to them the counsel is that they should preserve a temperament of Spirit between the excess and defect of patience and courage and neither despising the Chastenings of the Lord by a sinful neglect of them as a small unconcerning matter nor fainting under them as a burden so great and oppressing that no deliverance was to be expected To enforce the exhortation Wisdom useth the amiable and endearing title My Son to signifie that God in the quality of a Father afflicts his people the consideration whereof is very proper to conciliate reverence to his hand and to encourage their hopes of a blessed issue The Proposition that ariseth from the words is this 'T is the duty and best Wisdom of Afflicted Christians to preserve themselves from the vicious extreams of despising the chastenings of the Lord or fainting under them To illustrate this by a clear method I shall endeavour to shew 1. What it is to despise the chastenings of the Lord and the causes of it 2. What fainting under his rebukes signifies and what makes us incident to it 3. Prove that 't is the duty and best wisdom of the afflicted to avoid these extreams 4. Apply it 1. To despise the chastening of the Lord imports the making no account of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unworthy of serious regard and includes inconsiderateness of mind and an insensibleness of heart 1. Inconsiderateness of mind with respect to the Author or end of Chastenings Job 5.6 1. With respect to the Author when the afflicted looks only downwards as if the rod of affliction sprang out of the dust and there were no superior cause that sent it Thus many apprehend the evils that befall them either merely as the productions of natural causes or as casual events or the effects of the displeasure and injustice of men but never look on the other side of the veil of the second causes to that invisible providence that orders all If a disease strikes their bodies they attribute it to the extremity of heat or cold that distempers their humours if a loss comes in their estates 't is ascribed to chance to the carelessness and falseness of some upon whom they depended but God is concealed from their sight by the nearness of the immediate agent whereas the principal cause of all temporal evils is the over-ruling Providence of God Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 They come not only with his knowledg and will but by his efficiency Exod. 10.13 19. The Locusts that infected Egypt were as real an effect of God's wrath as the most miraculous Plague although an East-wind brought them and a West-wind carried them away The arrow that was shot at a venture and pierc't between the joynts of Ahab's armour was directed by the hand of God for his destruction 1 King 22.34 Shimei's cursing of David though it was the overflowing of his Gall the effect of his malignity yet that holy King lookt higher 1 Sam. 16.11 and acknowledged the Lord hath bidden him As the Lord is a God of power and can inflict what judgments he pleaseth immediately so he is a God of Order and usually punisheth in this world by subordinate means Now where ever he strikes though his hand is wrapt up in a cloud yet if it be not observed especially if by habitual incogitancy men consider not with whom they have to do in their various troubles this profane neglect is no less than a despising the
let him reprove me To give and take reproofs is a Dictate of the Law of Nature whereby every man is obliged to seek the Good of others and to promote it according to their ability and opportunity The former is directed by that love which is due unto others the latter by that which is due unto our selves which two are the great Rules and give measure to the Duties of all Societies whether Civil or Spiritual Wherefore it doth not evacuate a Reproof or Discharge him who is reproved from the duty of attending unto it that he by whom it is managed is not Righteous yea is openly wicked For the Duty it self being an effect of the Law of Nature it is the same for the substance of it by whomsoever it is performed Yea oft-times such Moral or rather immoral Qualifications as render not only the Reprover less considerable but also the Reproof it self until thoroughly weighed and examined obnoxious unto prejudicate Conceptions do occasion a greater and more signal Exercise of Grace and Wisdom in him that is reproved than would have been stirred up had all things concurred unto the exact Regularity of the Reproof However it is desirable on many accounts that he who Reproves us be himself a Righteous person and be of us esteemed so to be For as such a one alone will or can have a due sense of the evil reproved with a right Principle and End in the Discharge of his own Duty so the minds of them that are reproved are by their sense of his Integrity excluded from those insinuations of evasions which prejudices and Suggestions of just causes of Reflections on their Reprover will offer unto them especially without the exercise of singular Wisdom and humility will all the Advantages of a just Reproof be lost where the allowed practice of greater sins and evils than that Reproved is daily chargeable on the Reprover Hence is that Reflection of our Saviour on the useless Hypocritical Diligence of men in pulling the mote out of their Brother's eyes whilst they have beams in their own Mat. 7.3 4 5. The Rule in this Case is If the Reprover be a Righteous person consider the Reprover first and then the Reproof if he be otherwise consider the Reproof and the Reprover not at all II. The Nature of a Reproof is also to be considered and this is three-fold for every Reproof is either Authoritative or Fraternal or merely Friendly and occasional Authoritative Reproofs are either 1 Ministerial or 2 Parental or 3 Despotical 1. There is an especial Authority accompanying Ministerial Reproofs which we ought especially to consider and improve Now I understand not hereby those Doctrinal Reproofs when in the Dispensation of that Word of Grace and Truth which is profitable for Correction and Reproof 2 Tim. 3.16 they speak and exhort and rebuke the sins of men with all Authority Tit. 2.15 but the occasional Application of the Word unto individual persons upon their unanswerableness in any thing unto the Truth wherein they have been instructed For every Right Reproof is but the orderly Application of a Rule of Truth unto any Person under his miscarriage for his healing and recovery Where therefore a Minister of the Gospel in the Preaching of the Word doth declare and Teach the Rule of Holy obedience with Ministerial Authority if any of the Flock committed to his charge shall appear in any thing to walk contrary thereunto or to have transgressed it in any offensive Instance as it is his Duty the discharge whereof will be required of him at the great Day particularly to apply the Truth unto them in the way of private personal Reproof so he is still therein accompanied with his Ministerial Authority which makes his Reproof to be of a peculiar nature and as such to be accounted for For as he is thus commanded as a Minister to Exhort Rebuke Admonish and reprove every one of his charge as occasion shall require so in the doing of it he doth discharge and Exercise his Ministerial Office and Power And he that is wise will forego no considerations that may give efficacy unto a just and due Reproof especially not such a one as if it be neglected will not only be an aggravation of the evil for which he is reproved but will also accumulate his guilt with a contempt of the Authority of Jesus Christ Wherefore the Rule here is The more clear and evident the representation of the Authority of Christ is in the Reproof the more Diligent ought we to be in our Attendance unto it and compliance with it He is the great Reprover of his Church Rev. 3.19 All the use Power Authority and efficacy of Ecclesiastical Reproofs flow Originally and are derived from him In Ministerial reproofs there is the most express and immediate Application of his Authority made unto the minds of men which if it be carelesly slighted or proudly despised or evacuated by perverse cavillings as is the manner of some in such cases it is an open evidence of an Heart that never yet sincerely took upon it his Law and Yoke These things are spoken of the Personal Repoofs that are given by Ministers principally unto those of their respective Flocks as occasion doth require wherein I shall pray that our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of the Sheep would yet make us all more Faithful and diligent as the season wherein we live doth abundantly require it But moreover Church-censures in Admonition and Excommunication have the nature and ends of Ministerial reproofs But the handling of their nature and use with the Duties of those persons who justly fall under them and the benefit which they may reap thereby is too long and large a subject to be here diverted unto 2. Authoritative reproof is Parental Reproof is indeed one of the greatest and most principal Duties of Parents towards Children and without which all others for the most part do but pamper them unto slaughter and Ruine Neglect hereof is that which hath filled us with so many Hophni's Phinease's and Absolom's whose outragious wickednesses are directly charged on the sinful lenity and neglect in this matter even of godly Parents And indeed whereas some Parents are openly vicious and debauched even in the sight of their Children in a sensual neglect and contempt of the Light of Nature whereby they lose all their Authority in reproving as well as all Care about it and whereas the most have so little regard unto sin as sin whilst things are tolerably well in outward concerns that they neglect the reproof of it as such and many through a foolish contemptible prevalency of fond Affection will take no notice of the sinful follies extravagancies and miscarriages of their Children until all things grow desperate with them but sooth up and applaud them in such effects of Pride Vanity and Wantonness as ought to be most severely reproved in them the woful and dreadful degeneracy of the Age wherein we live owes it self
after all mouldred to dust by death and rottenness but there neither deformity pains nor death shall be their fear nor exercise Our Souls shall quit their prisons clouds and chains our apprehensions shall be clear 1 Cor. 13.12 and Consciences full of peace and joy Oh what an harmony and concord shall there be betwixt God's will and ours what purity order warmth and vigour shall there be in our affections and what subserviency and due prostrations in our passions yea what comfort and constancy shall there be in full and grateful exercises in the whole man No Jars and Discords shall spoil the Melody of our Spheres our Holiness shall need no Crutch but reach the fulness of a perfect stature no broken-winded nor imperfect praises there the pulse of perfect Souls shall know no intermissions nor unequal motions but keep one constant rate of work and joy And what a change of state as well as persons shall we meet with there Phil. 1.23 A vale of tears quit for Rivers of eternal pleasures an element of joys succeeds our bitter Cups our rights can never be invaded there nothing can stain the comforts of that world no blots nor wounds are there contracted nor endured no troubles in that Israel there are no pauses of astonishment through surprisals of afflictions death smites no corners there Providence makes no storms there lies that Ark wherein no vile or wicked Cham shall dwell the glory of that place it knows no eclipse nor cloud no dim discoveries or flat notes shall be the exercise or entertainment of that state How sprightly are the Airs and descants of their Hallelujahs No worm on Conscience or carkass there there Charity knows no breach no male-administrations in that Kingdom nor bad constructions of God's providence or of the Actions of his servants there there are no cuts from Friends nor gripes from Enemies no frailties to report nor Enemies to report them no falls in Israel to grate upon these holy hearts nor fears to be their painful exercises there are no wrinkles on the brows of God nor frowns upon the face of Majesty nor one dejected look amongst those blessed Myriads of Saints and Angels their Ark hath neither shake nor cover nor any startling strokes to terrifie its attendants Souls once arrived at this harbour are entertained with perfection in a morning-blush and everlasting youthfulness Oh who can draw these Breasts of Consolation dry These upper Springs they run clear and freely and all the Fountains of the great Deep shall there be broken up to overflow the Banks of Paradise with everlasting joys and satisfaction With what a torrent shall these clear and pleasant Rivers run Should I attempt a full description of this joyful state I might far sooner set Rhetorick upon the wrack and contract the Character of being one that quaintly did attempt to play the fool and was eloquently mad than think to escape that censure Job 38.2 Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Oh it must be Vision and Fruition and not the Flourishes of expression that must reach the excellent perfections of that state 1 Cor. 2 9. See Psal 16.11 And now shall we fear to leave this world and die What! shall we be undone by being happy Is it the misery of man to be with God like him and dear and near unto him What is this state and theatre of woes and sorrows that we are so loth to quit it Methinks I see the Angels overmatcht with strange astonishment at our reluctancies to be gone and our averseness to desert our Dotages and Prisons It might in reason be expected from us that no exercise of our patience should be so sore and pinching as this that we must stay from Heaven so long and shall we after all raise such a false report about the Land of Promise by our averseness to be gone thereto as to insinuate into the thoughts of others that either the trifles of this mortal Life or the pains and terrors of our passage to the Land of Rest are much beyond the Recompences and Reparations that we shall meet with there View then the difference and be free to go Prop. 3. Death is an enemy which Christ hath conquered and God hath given us the victory through Christ 1 Cor. 15.54 57. Heb. 2.14.15 Oh what an emancipation hath Christ here wrought That Christ hath conquered it 't is clear in Acts 2.24 That Prophesie is now accomplisht Hos 13.14 with Rom. 1.4 And blessed are the consequences of this Victory to us John 6.39 40. Why should we fear this King of Terrors who gives his stroke but has no sting the stab is deep but the captivity short for vve shall have our lives again which are hid with Christ in God till Christ appear Col. 3.3 4. And Soul death is escaped for when we are absent from the body we shall be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 Sin bound us over to eternal death by Law and here vvas the strength and sting of Death but this Sentence is reversed through the Law of the Spirit of Life Rom. 8.1 4. And Death it self can neither come from nor end in any want of Love in God to us And how triumphantly doth the Apostle speak when animated with this Meditation Rom. 8.32 39. What an allay is it amidst our pangs and fears of death to think upon those Confidences Encouragements and Consolations before and in and after the shakes and conflicts yea and execution of a dying hour vvhich God allovvs intends and is resolved to give us then 'T is novv consistent vvith the dearest love to die and introductive of the best delights and state and therefore vve have little cause to fear it seeing vve shall be gainers by it 't is but a Moment's blovv and that shall be healed again 1 Pet. 1.3 4. He that is true to his baptismal covenant hath novv the title and shall have the honour and advantages of this victory if God be served and sought and loved as our great end and happiness Psal 73.25.26 if we be freely for Christ Joh. 6.37 faithful to him Rev. 2.10.3.10 Heb. 5.9 and fruitful in him Joh. 15.1.10 2 Pet. 1.5.10 if vve live in the spirit and vvalk by it Gal. 5.25 Rom. 8.9.17 and sovv to it Gal. 6.8 and if vve heartily and prevailingly ansvver the claims and ends of the Gospel of the grace of God Tit. 2.11 15. What need vve perplex our selves vvith fears as if vve served a rigid or unfaithful Master Oh let not our unvoluntary vveakness and surprisals discourage us for God is merciful his goodness is exceeding great and our High priest is sensible of our vveaknesses and true to all our interest Heb. 7.25 9 24. Heb. 2.14 18 4.14.16 And novv having thus prepared the vvay by these preliminary Propositions vvhat novv remains for us to do but to take these follovving Directions vvhich vvill come something closer to the case in hand Direct 1. See that
Christian who is saved when he dies may live comfortably while he lives then the resolution of the case is this that that Faith which is saving in the end is also sanctifying in the way and would be comfortable also if the Christian did not Ponere obicem hinder it himself and therefore that he may live joyfully he must remove these hindrances and use the means proper to the end of which anon at present he must do as these believers in the Text did and he shall find comfort as they did in these four particulars 1. They did persist in the simplicity of the Gospel as it is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Ministers of Christ began then v. 13. Paul was jealous of the Church of Corinth lest that chast Virgin should be corrupted v. 2. as the Churches in Galatia were bewitched with these juglers Gal. 3.1 the great design of the old serpent from that day to this hath been to adulterate the Doctrine of faith in a crucified Redeemer knowing full well that this is the most effectual course to ruine all true holiness and solid comfort But these believers received the grace of God in truth as it was fully and plainly proposed to them they did not spin out the high and vital truths into needless disputes nor darken them with nice distinctions and subdistinctions this serves for little else but to distract the mind and disturb the quiet of mens souls 2. They did taste that the Lord viz. Christ is gracious to whom coming as the living stone they as lively stones were built upon him a spiritual house for God 1 Pet. 2.4 5. they did not content themselves with orthodoxy to rest satisfied in this that they were not Simonians or Ebionites or Menandrians or the sectators of them that did destroy Christ's righteousness by dividing it let us not only profess Christ but feel him 't is one thing to preach Christ and another thing to feel him were the last words of Mr. Ash 3. They minded the mystery of the Gospel the eternal Deity grace and righteousness of our Lord Jesus as Peter prayed for them 2 Pet. 1.3 and exhorts them to grow in this 2 Pet. 3. last as for Church modes and membership and priviledges they did enjoy them without censuring and animosity but knowledge of and communion with Jesus Christ accompanied with love and obedience and peace of conscience was the main business of their life this is the way to comfort let us do so Assure your selves there is little joy in a ceremony to a dying man modes and membership are but sorry comforters Lastly As they had Faith and Love so they did exercise them they did believe and they did go on to believe and so to be acquainted with the righteousness of God from Faith to Faith you may observe how the Apostle remembers the works of Faith Love and Patience in Christ of the Thessal 1. cap. 1.3 and in the 2. Epistle cap. 1. verse 3. He thanks God their Faith did grow exceedingly there was but a little time between the writing of these two Epistles this latter being written shortly after the first to rectifie their mistake about the day of Christ The primitive Christians did not content themselves with habits and let them be as fire under the ashes or as seed under the clods but did stir them up that they might warm and they did water them that they might spring and blossom like a rose If a man that hath the power of seeing should walk up and down the streets from morning to night with his eyes shut without any actual seeing would you not suspect him to be distempered what comfort can this man take in the light of the Sun much like this is a believer that hath Faith habitual he riseth in the morning and lyes down at night and hath not an act of Faith upon nor a privy thought of blessing Jesus all the day how can any comfort be expected in such a strangeness as this is So then the sum is this these believers received the Gospel of Salvation by Christ pure as it was proposed to them they gave the Apostle this honour that they had wisdom enough to express themselves plainly fully significantly and honesty enough that they would not deal fallaciously or ambiguously they valued not the tradition of their fathers nor the fancies of Philosophers they had no vain janglings amongst themselves but coveted the sincere unmixed milk of the word that they might grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.1 2. The Gospel came to them not in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance Assurance of understanding assurance of Faith their communion was with the Father and fellowship with Jesus Christ that made their joy to be rich and plentiful their priviledges and ordinances were their delight but not their confidence they came to God by them and waited upon God in them in dangerous times for the enlarging and confirming of their knowledge Faith and comfort let us be exhorted to do as they did and doubtless we shall speed as they sped My business now is to speak something to the Text and then more to the practical case in hand only first I would crave leave to speak a few words to the context for this reason because as my Text is the true pourtraiture of practical godliness so the context gives us a system of godliness doctrinal The Epistle is written to the strangers v. 2. Jews and Gentiles say some but especially Jews scattered in four now Roman provinces not long before distinct and considerable Kingdoms together with Asia sc the proconsular or less Asia yet including also those parts in and about Chaldea Peter was at this time in or about Babylon in which parts were many myriads of the Jews of whom he was the Apostle with James and John Gal. 2.9 1 Pet. 5.13 That Babylon in the Text should mystically be Rome is a mere conceit and a groundless fancy this Epistle was written thirty years at least before John had received the revelation Grotius and others are quite beside the truth 't is forty to one odds that Peter was never there well these Jews were effectually called according to Gods election the terminus or the thing to which not for which or upon which but to which they were chosen and called is said to be this sc to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus the great efficient of this in them is the blessed Spirit through the sanctification of the Spirit the same verse being thus sanctified they had hope where observe the property of this hope it was a lively hope 2. The term or object an inheritance 3. The way whereby they obtained this hope they were begotten of God as a father to it 4. The cause moving God to this his abundant mercy 5. The ground of this hope it was the resurrection of Christ from the dead then
the fruit of it which was great joy v. 3. And then 6. here is their perseverance and how that is effected they were kept by the power of God to Salvation v. 5. No doubt but holiness is loseable the Angels lost theirs and we lost ours and the Saints at this day would quickly lose theirs totally and finally if they were left to a stock of grace received to trade for another world to grace received there must be grace supplyed the grounds of perseverance are without us viz. the promise of the Father the purchase and intercession of the Lord Jesus the power and supply of the blessed Spirit a Doctrine full of comfort but for certain as full of grace and humility too indeed if the comfort were not sanctifying it were not found So that here we may see the Doctrine of the glorious Trinity and every person in his work according to the most wise and divine Oeconomy and propriety in working towards fallen men quite dead in sin and dead in law and that irrecoverably as to themselves or any created power in heaven on their behalf here is I say the Father electing to life and glory here is Jesus Christ dying and rising here is the blessed Spirit sanctifying here the three Graces Faith Hope and Love inseparably accompanyed with obedience cherished with joy and comforts and crowned with perseverance by the power of God all arising from the Soveraignty of God's will and his rich abundant mercy to the praise of the riches of his glorious grace that they that glory should glory in the Lord. Pelagius was the first that set up nature for which the Church of God abhorred him saith Austin and the Fathers call it virus illud Pelagianum the most learned Vsher called it detestandam illam haeresin that pestered the Church of Christ olim bodie saith that holy man in his Hist Pel. But to proceed these strangers notwithstanding their holiness were undeâ— manifold temptations v. 6 7. persecutions in a tumultuary way were raised against them by the unbelieving Jews who were egged thereto by the Priests Priests who did stir up the people against them there was no Imperial Edict at this time against the Christians Nero was the first he was dedicator damnationis nostrae I need not quote Tertullian every Lad of the upper form may know this out of Suetonius and Tacitus God kept the Gospel in the first publishing of it free from any disturbance by the civil powers about 34 years that Claudius banished John into Patmos and that then he had the revelation is a mere figment of the learned Grotius and his Annotations built upon it have neither sap nor sense Under these persecutions their Faith did not only continue but shine and their love was evident and their comforts were so far from abating that they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious But you will say what is this to the question I answer here are two directions how a Christian may get that Faith whereby he may live comfortably as well as die safely 1. Be clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 ascribe all thy gifts and graces thy profiting under afflictions ordinances thy peace and comfort wholly to the grace of God by Jesus Christ through the Spirit of holiness If there be any way in the world to get special Faith and to live comfortably it is this to live humbly the evangelically humble soul is the serene chearful soul heart-pride doth not only deprive believers of comfort but brings vexations disappointments and disgusts which are a torment to pride where ever it is 't is a sin that is very incident very pleasing to us very displeasing to God and very disquieting 't is an easie thing to preach and hear and discourse humility but believe it it is not so easie to live it a man's soul is never so fit to receive the shines of Gods love as when he is nothing in himself be sure to crush the sprawlings and motions of this cursed pride see God in all bless him for all see the Lord Jesus the purchaser of all and the blessed Spirit the Sanctifier of all study this well and live that Text in Rom. 11. last God is Principium efficiens finis of him through him and for him are all things give him the glory reduce this to practice this is every day practicable and were it practised would make every day comfortable envyings and provokings arise from vain-glory Gal. 5. last Inde nata sunt schismata quippe Hierome cum dicunt homines nos justificamus impius nos sanctificamus immundos we would be some-bodies away with these thoughts let God have the glory and thou wilt have the comfort in this way God will give Faith special and that is the Faith that brings comfort 2. The way to comfort is to do as these believers in my Text did they did choose rather to forego their earthly comforts than their consciences made choice of affliction rather than iniquity esteemed the reproaches of Christ rather than their safety prisons are not so terrible as they are imagined the best men have rejoyced in the honour of suffering they suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Col. 1.11 Scripture-History primitive and modern abound with instances of all Sexes Ages Conditions in this particular The noble Galeacius had that joy in Christ at Geneva beyond all the Marquisates in Italy or the whole world In suffering comes assurance and that is comfort You will say we are not called to suffering and I say the God of peace give us truth and peace always but then if you would live comfortably live in religious honesty chuse poverty before knavery an honest meanness before secretly sinning gains Conscience is the best friend next to Jesus Christ Our rejoycing is this not that we are Preachers so was Demas nor an Apostle so was Judas but the testimony of our conscience that not in fleshly wisdom but in godly sincerity through the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 Light i. e. comfort is sown for the righteous and joyful gladness for the upright Psal 97.11 Now I come to my Text. The words contain the essence of Christianity or godliness The constituent parts of it are Faith and Love the necessary consequences are obedience evangelical and joy unspeakable Faith in Jesus is the great command of the Gospel Joh. 1.5 last 'T is the work of God Joh. 6.29 this is that work Love is the great command of the Law Matth. 22.36 Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy soul Faith acts upon Jesus and sets Love on work Love desires after him and delights in him and sets obedience on work divine comfort flows in proportionably In this is the formal nature of Christianity and what ever is not this in truth is but nature The revelation left in nature tells us that there is a God that he is