that all the Torments of the cross and revilings of the multitude that as it were rack't him for some answer yet could draw no other from him but this father forgive them for they know not what they do But for those to whom this mercy belong'd not the Apostle tells us what he did in stead of Revilings and Threatnings he committed all to him that judgeth righteously And this is the true method of Christian patience that which quiets the mind and keeps it from the boyling Tumultuous thoughts of revenge to turne the whole matter into Gods hand to resign it over to him to prosecute when and as he thinks good Not as the most that had rather if they had power do for themselves and be their own avengers and because they have not power do offer up such bitter curses and prayers for revenge unto God as are most hateful to him and are far from this calm and holy way of committing matters to his judgment The common way of referring things to God is indeed impious and dishonourable to him being really no other but a calling of him to be a Servant and executioner to our passion We ordinarily mistake his justice and judge of it according to our own precipitant distemper'd minds If wicked Men be not cross'd in their designes and their wickedness evidently crush'd just when we would have it we are ready to give up the matter as desperate or at least abate of those confident and reverent thoughts of divine justice that we owe him Howsoever things go this ought to be fixed in our hearts that he that sits in Heaven judgeth righteously and executes that his righteous judgement in the fittest season We poor wormes whose whole life is but an hand-breadth in it self and is as nothing unto God we think a few months or years a great matter but to him that inhabites Eternity a thousand years are but as one day as our Apostle teaches us Our Saviour in that time of his Humiliation and Suffering committed himself and his cause for that is best express'd in that nothing is express'd but he committed and the issue shall be that all his enemies shall become his footstool and he himself shall judge them But that which is given us here to learn from his carriage toward them in his Suffering is that quietness and moderation of mind even under unjust Sufferings make us like him Not to reply reproach with reproach as our custom is to give an ill word for another or two for one to be sure not to be behind Men take a pride in this and think it ridiculous simplicity to suffer and this make strifes and contention so abound but 't is a great mistake you think it greatness of spirit to bear nothing to put up no wrong Whereas it is indeed great weakness and baseness 't is true greatness of Spirit to despise the most of those things that set you usually on fire one against another especially being done after a Christian manner 't were a part of the Spirit of Christ in you and is there any Spirit greater than that think you Oh! that there were less of the Spirit of the Dragon and more of that Spirit of the Dove amongst us Our obligement to the example of Christ besides its own excellency is in these two things in the words 1. The intendment of his behaviour for this use to be as an example to us 2. Our Interest in him and those his Sufferings wherein he so carried himself Leaving us an Example c. He left his footsteps as a Copy as the word is to follow every step of his a letter of this Copy and particularly in this point of Suffering he writ us a pure and perfect Copy of obedience in clear and great letters in his own blood His whole life is our Rule not his Miraculous works his footsteps walking on the Sea and such like are not for our following But his obedience and Holiness and Meekenss and Humility are our Copy which we should continualy study The shorter and more effectual way they say of teaching is by example but above all this matchless example is the happiest way of teaching He that followes me sayes he shall not walk in darkness He that aimes high shoot's the higher for 't though he shoot not so high as he aimes This is that which ennobles the Spirit of a Christian the propounding of this our high Patterne the example of Jesus Christ. The Imitation of Men in worthless things is low and servile the Imitation of their vertues is commendable but if we seek no higher 't is both imperfect and unsafe The Apostle St. Paul will have no Imitation but with regard to this Supreme Patterne be ye follewers of me as I am of Christ One Christian may take the example of Christ in many things in another but still examining all by the Original primitive Copy the footsteps of Christ himself following nothing but as it conformes with that and looking most on him as both the perfectest and most effectual example Heb. 12.2 there is a cloud of wittnesses and examples but look above them all to him that is as high above them as the Sun is above the clouds As the way is better a lively one indeed so there is this advantage in the Covenant of grace that we are not left to our own skill for following of it but taught by the Spirit In the delivery of the Law God shewed his glory and greatness by the manner of it but the Law was written only in dead Tables but Christ the living Law teaches by obeying it how to obey it and this is the advantage of the Gospel that the Law is Twice written over unto believers first in the example of Christ and then inwardly in their hearts by his Spirit There is together with that Copy of all grace in him a Spirit deriv'd from him enabling believers to follow him in their measure they may not only see him as the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth as it is Io. 6. But as there it followes they receive of his fulness grace for grace The love of Christ makes the Soul delight to converse with him and converse and Love together makes it learn his behaviour as Men that live much together especially if they do much affect one another will insensibly contract anothers habitudes and customes The other thing obliging us is our interest in him and his Sufferings he suffer'd for us and this the Apostle returnes to Ver. 24. Observe only from the Tye of these two that if we neglect his example set before us we cannot enjoy any right assurance of his suffâ—ring for us but if we do seriously endeavour to follow him then we may be perswaded of life through his death and those steps of his wherein we walk will bring us ere long to be where he is Verse 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree
spero 'T is a fearful thing when a Man and all his hopes dye together Thus saith Solomon of the Wicked when He dyeth many of them before but at the utmost then all of them then dye his Hopes Prov. 11.7 but the Righteous hath hope in his Death Prov. 14.32 Death that cutts the sinews of all other Hopes and turns men out of all other Inheritances it alone fulfils this Hope and ends it in Fruition As a Messenger sent to bring the Children of God home to the possession of their Inheritance By the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead This referrs to both Begotten again by his Resurrection and having this living Hope by his Resurrection and well suits both it being the proper cause of both in this order First then of the Birth then of the Hope The Image of God is renewed in us by our Union with him who is the express Image of his Fathers person Gal. 4 19. Therefore this new birth in the Conception is exprest by the forming of Christ in the Soul and Resurrection particularly is assign'd as the cause of our New Life this New Birth is called our Resurrection and that in conformity to Christ yea by vertue and Influence of His. His Resurrection is called a Birth he the first begotten from the dead Rev. 1.5 and that Prophesie Psal. 2.7 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee is applyed to his Resurrection as fulfilled in it Act. 13.33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their Children in that he hath raised up Iesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Not only is it the Exemplary but the Efficient cause of our new birth Thus Rom. 6. at large and often elsewhere and thus likewise it is the cause of our Living hope that which indeed inspires and maintains life in it because he hath Conquered Death and is risen again and that implyed which followeth is set down at the right hand of God hath entered Possession of that Inheritance This gives us a Living Hope that according to his own Request where he is there we shall be also Thus this Hope is strongly underset on the one side by the Resurrection of Christ on the other by the abundant mercy of God the Father Our hope depends not on our own Strength or Wisdom nor on any thing in us for then if it did it would be short-liv'd would die and dye quickly but on his Resurrection that can dye no more for in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Rom. 6.10 This makes this Hope not to imply in the notion of it Uncertainty as worldly hopes but 't is a firm stable inviolable hope an Anchor pitch'd within the vail According to his abundant mercy Mercy is the Spring of all this yea great Mercy and manifold Mercy for as St. Bernard saith Great sins and Great Miseries need Great Mercy and many sins and Miseries need many Mercies and is not this great Mercy to make of Satans slaves Sons of the most high Well may the Apostle say Behold what manner of Love and how great Love the Father hath shewed us that we should be called the Sons of God The World knows us not because it knew not him they that have not seen the Father of a Child cannot know its Resembling him for the World knowes not God and therefore discerns not his Image in his Children to esteem them for it But whatever be their Opinion this we must say our selves Behold what Love to take fire-brands of Hell and to appoint them to be one day brighter then the Sun in the firmament To raise the poor out of the dunghil and set them with Princes Psal. 11.38 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Lastly we see it stirs up the Apostle to praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ This is the stile of the Gospel as formerly under the Law the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the God that brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt c. This now is the Order of the Government of Grace that it holds first with Christ our Head and in Him with us so he sayes I go to my Father and your Father and my God and your God Which as St. Cyril of Hierosol in his Catechism observes shows us not only our Communion with him that might have been exprest thus I go to my God and Father but the Order of the Covenant First my Father and my God and then yours Thus ought we in Consideration of the mercies of God still take in Christ for in him they are conveyed to us Thus Eph. 1.3 With all spiritual Blessings in Christ Iesus Blessed He blesseth us really benefaciendo benedicit We bless Him by acknowledging His goodness And this we ought to do at all times Psal. 34.1 I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth All this is far below Him and His mercies What are our lame praises in comparison of his Love Nothing and less then nothing but Love will stammer rather then be dumb They that are amongst his Children begotten again they have in the Resurrection of Christ a lively hope of glory as 't is Col. 1.27 which is Christ in you the hope of Glory This leads them to observe and admire that rich mercy whence it flowes and this consideration awakes them and strains them to break forth into praises To an Inheritance incorruptible As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather and as Vinegar upon nitre so is he that singeth Songs to a heavy heart Prov. 25.20 Worldly Mirth is so far from curing Spiritual Grief that even worldly Grief where 't is great and takes deep root is not allayed but increased by it a man that is full of inward heaviness the more he is compassed about with mirth it exasperates and enrages his Grief the more like ineffectual weak Physick that removes not the humour but stirs it and makes it more unquiet but spiritual Joy is seasonable for all Estates In prosperity 't is pertinent to crown and sanctifie all other Enjoyments with this that so far suspasses them and in distress 't is the only Nepenthe the cordial of fainting Spirits So Psal. 4. He hath put joy into my heart this mirth makes way for it selfe which other mirth cannot do these Songs are sweetest in the Night of distress Therefore the Apostle writing to his scattered afflicted Brethren begins his Epistle with this Song of Praise Blessed be the God and Father c. The matter of it is the Joyful Remembrance of the Happiness laid up for them under the name of Inheritance Now this Inheritance is described by the singular Qualities of it They Contain 1. The Excellency of its Nature 2. The certainty of its attainment the former in these three Incorruptible Vndefiled and that fadeth
Iesus Christ who hath begotten us again unto this lively Hope to this Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away Verse 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time 'T Is no doubt a great Contentment to the Children of God to hear of the Excellencies of the life to come they are not readily weary of that subject yet there is one doubt that if it be not removed may dampt their Delight in hearing and considering of all the rest The Richer the Estate is it will the more kindle the Malice and Dilligence of their Enemies to deprive them of it and to cut them short of possessing it And this they know that those spiritual Powers that seek to ruin them do overmatch them far both in Craft and Force Against the fears of this the Apostle comforts the Heirs of Salvation assuring them that as the Estate they look for is Excellent so it is Certain and safe laid up there where it iâ— out of the reach of all adverse Powers Reserv'd in Heaven for you Besides that this is a further evidence of the worth and excellency of this Inheritance it makes it sure it confirms what was said of its Excellency for it must be a thing of greatest worth that is laid up in the highest and best place of the world namely in Heaven for you Where nothing that is impure once enters much less is laid up and kept Thus the Land where this Inheritance lyes makes good all that hath been spoken of the Dignity and Riches of it But further as it is a rich and pleasant Country where it lyeth it hath this priviledge to be the alone Land of Rest and Peace free from all possibility of Invasion There is no spoiling of it and laying it waste and defacing its Beauty by leading Armies into 't and making it the seat of war no noise of Drums nor Trumpets no Inundations of one People driving out another and sitting down in their Possessions In a word as there is nothing there subject to decay of it selfe so neither is it in danger of Fraud or Violence When our Saviour speaks of this same Happiness St. Mat. 6.20 in a like term what 's here called an Inheritance is there called a Treasure He expresses the permanency of it by these two that it hath neither Moth nor Rust in it selfe to corrupt it nor can Thieves break through and steal it There is a worm at the root of all our Enjoyments here Corrupting causes within themselves and besides that they are exposed to injury from without that may deprive us of them how many stately Pallaces that have been possibly divers years in building hath sire upon a very small beginning destroyed in a few hours What great hopes of gain by traffick hath one Tempest mocked and dissâ—pointed How many that have thought their Possessions very sure yet have lost them by some trick of Law and others as in time of war driven from them by the Sword nothing free from all danger but this Inheritance that is laid up in the hands of God and kept in Heaven for us The highest stations in the world namely the Estate of Kings they are but Mountains of prey one robbing and spoiling another but in that holy Mountain above there is none to hurt nor spoil nor offer violence What the Prophet speaks of the Church here 't is more perfectly and Eminently true of it above Isâ—i 65.25 This is indeed a necessary condition of our joy in the thoughts of this happy Estate that we have some perswasion of our Propriety that 't is ours that we do not speak and hear of it as Travellers passing by a pleasant place do behold and discourse of its fair structure the sweetness of the Seat the planting of the Gardens and Meadowes that are about it and so pass on having no further interest in it but when we hear of this glorious Inheritance this Treasure this Kingdom that is Pure and Rich and Lasting we may add it is so called and it is Mine it is reserved in Heaven and reserv'd for me I have received the Evidences and the Earnest of it and as it is kept safe for me so I shall likewise be preserv'd to it and that 's the other part of the Certainty that compleats the Comforts of it see Eph. 1.14 The salvation that Christ hath purchased is indeed laid up in Heaven but we that seek after it are on Earth Compassed about with Dangers and Tentations What avails it us that our Salvation is in Haven in the place of safety and quietness while we our selves are tossed upon the stormy Seas of this World amidst Rocks and shelves every hour in hazard of shipwrack our Inheritance is in a sure hand indeed our Enemies cannot come at it but they may overrun and destroy us at their pleasure for we are in the midst of them Thus might we think and complain and lose the sweetness of all our other thoughts concerning Heaven if there were not as firm a Promise for our own safety in the midst of our dangers as there is of the safety of our Inheritance that is out of Danger The assurance is full thus it is kept for us in Heaven and we kept on Earth for it as it is Reserved for us we are no less surely Preserv'd to it There is here 1. The Estate it selfe Salvation 2. The preservation or securing of those that expect it 3. The Time of full Possession In the last time Vnto Salvation Before it 's called an Inheritance here more particularly what meant by that namely Salvation This is more expressly sure being a deliverance from Misery and imports withal the Possession of perfect Happiness The first part of our Happiness is to be freed from those Miseries to which we are subject by our Guiltiness To be set free from the Curse of the Law and the wrath of God from everlasting death 2. From all kind of mortality or decaying 3. From all power and stain of Sin 4. From all Temptation 5. From all the Griefs and Afflictions of this Life To have the perfection of Grace to be full of Holiness and the perfection of Bliss full of joy in the continual Vision of God but how little are we able to say of this our Apostle here teacheth us that it is vailed to us only so much shines through as we are capable of here but the Revealed knowledge of it is only in the Possession 'T is to be revealed in the last time Then there is their Preservation Kept 2. The causes of it By the power of God through Faith the Inheritance is kept not only in safety but in quietness The Children of God for whom it is kept while they are here are kept safe indeed but not Unmollested and Unassaulted they have Enemies and such as are Stirring and Cunning and Powerful but in the midst of them they are Guarded and
Defended they perish not according to the Prayer of our Saviour poured out for them Ioh. 17.16 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the World but that thou shouldest keep them from the Evil. They have the Prince of the power of the Air and all his Armies all the forces he can make against them Though his power is nothing but Tyranny and Usurpation yet because once they were under his yoak he bestirres himselfe to pursue them when they are led forth from their Captivity as Exod. 14.5.9 Pharaoh with all his Chariots and Horses and Horsemen pursues after the Israelites going out of Egypt The word in the Original here translated Kept is a Military term used for those who are kept as in a Fort or Garrison Town besieged So Satan is still raising Batterries against this Fort using all wayes to take it by Strength or Sratagem unwearied in his Assaults and very skilful to know his Advantages and where we are weakest there to set on And besides all this He hath Intelligence with a Party within us ready to betray us to him so that it were impossible for us to hold out were there not another Watch and Guard then our own and other walls and Bulwarks then any that our skill and Industry can raise for our own Defence In this then is our safety that there is a Power above our own yea and above all our Enemies that guards us Salvation it selfe our Walls and Bulwarks We ought to watch but when we do in Obedience to our Commander the Captain of our Salvation yet it is his own Watching who sleeps not nor so much as slumbers 't is that preserves us and makes ours not to be in vain Psal. 126.1 Isa. 27.3 And therefore those two are joyntly Commanded â—atch and Pray that ye enter not into Temtation Watch there 's the necessity of our Diligence Pray there 's the Insufficiency of it and the necessity of his Watching by whose Power we are effectually preserv'd and that Power is our Fort. Isa. 26.1 Salvation hath God appointed for walls and Bulwarks what more safe then to be wall'd with Salvation it self â—o Prov. 18.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the Righteous fly into it and are safe Now the Causes are two 1. Supream the Power of God 2. Subordinate Faith The Supreme Power of God is that on which depends our Stability and Perseverance When we consider how weak we are in our selves yea the very strongest amongst us and how Assaulted we wonder and Justly we may that any can continue one day in the Estate of Grace but when we look on the strength by which we are guarded the power of God then we see the reason of stability to the end For Omnipotency supports us and the Everlasting Armes are under us Then Faith is the 2d cause of our Preservation because it applies the first Cause the Power of God our Faith layes hold upon this Power and this Power strengthens Faith and so we are preserved It puts us within those walls setâ— the Soul within the Guard of the Power of God which by selfe confidence and vain presuming in its own strength is exposed to all kind of danger Faith is a humble self-denying Grace makes the Christian nothing in himself and all in God The weastest Persons that are within a strong Place Women and Children though they were not able to resist the Enemy if they were alone yet so long as the place wherein they are is of sufficient strength and well man'd and every way accommodate to hold out they are in safety thus the weakest Believer is safe because by believing he is within the strongest of all Defences Faith is the Victory and Christ sets his strength against Satans and when the Christian is hard beset with some Tentation too strong for himselfe then he looks up to him that is the great Conquerour of the powers of darkness and calls to him Now Lord assist thy Servant in this Encounter and put to thy strength that the Glory may be thine Thus faith is such an Engine as draws in the power of God and his Son Jesus into the works and conflicts that it hath in hand This is our victory even our faith 1. Iohn 5.4 'T is the property of a good Christian to magnifie the power of God to have high thoughts of it and therefore 't is his Priviledge to find safety in that power David cannot satifie himselfe with one or two Expressions of it but delights in multiplying them Psa. 18.1 The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my Buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower Faith looks above all both that which the soul hath and that which it wants and answers all Doubts and Fears with this Almighty Power upon which it rests To be revealed in the last time This Salvation is that great work wherein God intended to manifest the Glory of his Grace contriv'd before Time And in the severall Ages of the world brought forward after the decreed manner and the full accomplishment of it reserved for the End of Time The souls of the faithfull do enter possession when they remove from their houses of Clay yet is not their happiness compleat till that great day of the appearing of Jesus Christ they are naturally Imperfect till their bodies be raised and rejoyned to their Souls to partake together of their Bliss And they are mistically Imperfect till all the rest of the members of Jesus Christ be added to them But then shall their joy be absolutely full when both their own bodies and the misticall body of Christ shall be Glorified when all the Children of that glorious Family shall meet and sit down to that great Mariage Supper at their Fathers Table Then shall the Musick of that new song be full when there is not one wanting of those that are appointed to sing it for Eternity In that day shall our Lord Jesus be glorified in his saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thes. 1.10 You see what it is that the Gospel offers you and you may gather how great both your folly and your guiltiness will be if you neglect and slight so great salvation when 't is brought to you and you are intreated to receive it this is all that the preaching of the word aimes at and yet who hearkens to it How few lay hold on this Eternal life This Inheritance this Crown that is held forth to all that hear of it Oh that you could be perswaded to be saved that you would be willing to embrace salvation You think you would but if it be so then I may say though you would be saved yet your custome of sin your Love to sin and Love to the world will not suffer you And these will still hinder you unless you put on holy Resolutions to break through them and trample them under