for the fitness of this Person to commend our Works and Affairs unto in his Book De Patientia Satis idoneus patientiae sequester est Deus si injuriam deposueris penes eum ultor est si damnum reslitutor est si dolorem medicus est God is a sufficient Depositary of patience to thee If thou committest thy Wrongs to him he is an Avenger if thy Losses to him he is a Repairer if thy Diseases to him he is a Recoverer and so forth In all conditions and upon all occasions he is ready to hear thy complaints and to take thy supplications This shews what good cause we have to commit our Works unto him I might take occasion hence also to amplifie it from all his Relations wherein he stands with us And thus we see what good ground there is here for this Exprecton and Motion in the Text to Commit our Works to the Lord as the Term and Point this Action which it is directed unto and the Person which this Commitment and Deposition is charged withal Now further To open this still unto us we are not to take this only Specificative but also Exclusive whereby it is said here Commit thy works to the Lord. It seems to carry this sense with it that we do so commit them to him as upon the point to none else besides So that moreover there are these intimations included in it and with it First To the Lord and not to thine own self Whilst we are bid to commit our Works unto God we are thereby implicitely forbidden Self-confidence and Presumption in any thing which belongs unto us As for instance our own Wit and Counsel and Understanding Thus Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thine own understanding It is a dangerous thing for us to lean to our own Understanding which is apt many times to fail us and give us the slip Carnal Policy and the Wisdom of the World such things as these they do many times prove but broken Reeds And so as for Wit so Wealth and Strength and Power such things as these it is but ill trusting and confideing in them Secondly To the Lord and not to other men There is ill committing of our Works to such also The Scripture has shewed us how ill it is for us so to do by setting a Character upon them Psal 62.9 Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of sigh degree are a lye being layed in the ballance they are altogether lighter than vanity Thirdly To the Lord and not to Fortune and Chance There are many which do blindly commit their Works and their Ways unto this which is as good as nothing at all Now it becomes not Christians so to do we should rest and relye upon God and commend our selves to His Gracious Providence which is the surest Shelter and Refuge for us that may be And thus we have seen this Point opened and enlarged in all its several Particulars Now what remains to our selves for the Use and Application of it but to perform it and to put it into practise Seeing the Spirit of God thus enforces it upon us let not us be wanting to it or negligent in it let us not deprive our selves of so much comfort and quietness as may accrew to us hereby as we shall hear afterwards only that we may do it the more effectually let us consider what Qualifications do belong to the right doing of it This Committing then which is here spoken of First It is an Act if Interest and of Persons in Covenant with God Those which are Enemies or Strangers to God they cannot commit their Affairs unto him for as much as this is an Action of special Intimacy and Acquaintance Will men trust their Jewels and Treasure or their Secrets and private Counsels with men whom they never saw before in all their lives No they will not do it nor if they should they would not do it with prudence and discretion because it were possible for them to be frustrated and disappointed And so is it here in our Addresses to God Ceatainly we can trust nothing with him except we are first acquainted with him our selves No man can commit his Works to God who has not first committed his Soul to God and given up his Person to his owning None can commit his Works in a way of Dependence who has not committed his heart and soul to God in a way of Obedience who has not resigned and given up himself to God as wholly his Therefore let us be sure to look to this as very pertinent hereunto And know for this purpose where this is done the other will follow and may very well do so because that God himself in such cases does take special care of us when we once enter into Covenant with God and because it is the blessed and happy privilege which comes to us by being God's Children He is not only the God of our Persons but he is also the God of our Performances and of our Conditions and all that comes from us He undertakes to work all our Works in us and for us not only those Works which do immediately refer to our Salvation but also even those Works which are of common and ordinary Concernment And though he may sometimes be helpful to others in them also yet they cannot so well trust him for them Persons which are out of Covenant they cannot commit their Works to the Lord which is first of all an Act of Interest Secondly As it is an Act of interest so it is also an Act of favour I mean of favour in a passive sense A man may be in Covenant with God for the General Acceptation of his Person and Justification in the sight of God and yet lie in terms of particuar distaste and displeasure from him Now this is a great Obstruction of this committing of our Works unto him That Man which has done any thing whereby he has taken off God's Countenance from him and caused him to look angerly upon him he is much hindred and has hindred himself from the kindly performance of this duty which does not only imply Interest and Acquaintance but likewise Friendship and Good Will betwixt God and the Soul of a Christian We may see it in the Example even of the Holy Man David himself who having offended God by his sins had not that freedom of access unto him nor delight in him as sometimes he had had Eccles 7.26 He that pleaseth God shall not be taken by her Oh we should by all means be careful to keep in good terms with God and to have all things right betwixt him and us not only from the sweetness which is contained in the state and condition it self but also for the blessed effects and consequents which do issue from it And especially this amongst the rest of liberty and opportunity for committing and commending of our Works and Affairs unto him Thirdly This business
the right hand of the most High SERMON XXV Psal 118.18 The Lord hath Chastened me sore but he hath not given me over to Death The Afflictions of the people of God are apt sometimes to be Misinterpreted both by others and by themselves by themselves in a way of Impatience and questioning of Gods Goodness to them by others in a way of Reproach and Aggravation of Gods Judgments against them Each of which Evils have need both to be removed and prevented by them and accordingly we find them so to be in this Scripture which we have now in hand in the Example of the Prophet David who partly to keep his own Heart from sinking under the manifold Tryals which God had exercised him withall and partly to restrain his Enemies in their uncharitable Censures of him occasionally from those Afflictions does here most pertinently and seasonably break forth into this sweet and Comfortable Meditation and Expression of Himself now before us concerning both the manner and measure and quality of Gods dealings with him in the words of this present Text. The Lord hath Chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto Death IN the Text it self there are two General parts observable First The Condition Secondly The Qualification of this Condition The Condition The Lord hath Chastened me The Qualification But he hath not given me over to Death We begin with the First viz. The Condition wherein three particulars more First The Author of it and that is the Lord. Secondly The Nature of it and that is Chastening Thirdly The Aggravation of it and that is exprest to be Sorely He hath Chastened me sore First The Author of it We are Chastened of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11.3 Affliction comes not out of the Dust God is the Inflicter of all Evils and Crosse upon us No Evil in the City namely of Punishment which the Lord hath not done Amos 3.6 God hath an hand in all Afflictions whatsoever even the Afflictions of Evilmen but he hath a special hand in the Afflictions of his people in ordering and disposing them to their good And not a Hair falls from their Heads without the will of their Heavenly Father This is a point which we often hear of but do not improve so much as we should do and yet indeed the life of it lies in the Application we need not so much to inform our Judgments as to quicken our Practises and there is this use to be made of it First That therefore we look up to the Lord in every Affliction and labour to see him in it Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it we are apt to look much to Instruments and second Causes but we should acknowledg God in all and consider that our Business is with him And therefore when any Evil befals us have still recourse with him and make our Peace with him because otherwise we are upon no sure terms at all There 's none can secure us against any Affliction but he onely that inflicts it and lays it upon us it is at his disposing Who as the Centurion in the Gospel to his Servants says to it God and it goeth Come and it Cometh do this and it doth it Secondly Here is also matter of Comfort to the Servants of God That whosoever or whatsoever may be the Instrument God Himself is the principle Cause of every Trouble to them It is the Cup which their Father gives them to drink and therefore they may be sure that it is well mingled and tempered for them and this upon occasion hath still been an Incouragement to them As Job when the Sabeans spoyl'd him The Lord hath taken And David when Shimei Curst him The Lord hath bidden him This was that which was a Comfort to both and so may be likewise to any other else besides But so much briefly of the Author of this Condition which was the Lord Himself The Lord hath Chastened me The Second is the Nature of it It is a Chastening which is a word of Oeconomie and Dispensation A molifying term it is not Punishment but Correction not for Satisfaction to his Justice which is done Sufficiently in Christ but for the better rule and Government of his Family As for the thing it self God thinks fitting sometimes to Afflict and so to Correct his dearest Servants Yea of all them more or less in one kind or other at one time or other shall be sure to partake of this from him We have a pregnant place to this purpose in Heb. 12.6 which is worth our most serious Meditation For whom the Lord loveth he Chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If ye indure Chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons for what Son is he whom the Father Chasteneth not But if ye be without Chastening whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons Where we see that seasonable Correction it is an Evidence and Testimony of our Adoption and Favour with God Himself Thus it is with some other things besides taken in with it Affliction simply in it self is no argument at all of the love of God no more then Prosperity nay the Afflictions of wicked men they are rather arguments and Testimonies of Gods Hatred even to him and Fore-runner of his future wrath and further Punishment of them in Hell but to Gods Children who are in Covenant with Him and who have his Image and stamp upon them they are thus far beneficial to them and God sees them to be necessary for them these Chastenings in sundry regards As First To wean us from the world and an inordinate love of these things here below This is still our Folly that we cannot injoy any Comfort here but our Hearts are ready presently to be overwhelmed and smother'd up with it and we are apt to grow so much the more Carnal and worldly minded from it now therefore is God fain to take such Courses as these are to restrain us and to work Sobriety in us to put aloes upon these Breasts that we may not cry too fiercely after them Intermingled Afflictions they teach us the better to injoy Comforts and are like sower sauce to sweet Meat For which reason it pleases God in wisdom and goodness to inflict them and lay them upon us to make us the willinger to Die and leave the World when our time Comes and that we may not say it 's good for us to be here And then to make us so much the more to relish Spiritual things and Spiritual Truths for a man must still have somewhat to pitch his Heart and Affections upon and when Earthly things fail him then do Heavenly more savour to him and he finds so much the greater Sweetness and Contentment in them Now he Chewes upon them and sucks out that Delight out of them which before he did not so much regard And Spiritual Truths as long as men are well and in Prosperity so long they are taken with Fansies and
own infinite Majesty and Glory what are all Nations and Kingdoms of the World Surely as the Prophet Isaiah speaks of it Isa 40.21 Behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and are accounted as the small dust of the ballance Behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing The Lord is high above all Nations and his Glory above the Heavens Psal 113.4 He encreaseth the Nations and destroyeth them he enlargeth the Nations and straitneth them again Job 12.23 Who smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings Psal 135.10 Secondly The Importunity of Sin and Guilt that makes for this likewise Nahum 1.12 Though they be quiet and likewise many yet thus shall they be cut down when he shall pass through says the Lord there by his Prophet because their Sins call for Vengeance As we see it was with the Sodomites and tâ—â— Cities round about them whilst the Cry of their Wickedness ascended and came up to Heaven in their committing of Fornication and going after strange Flesh it is said That even they suffered the vengeance of eternal fire And so the Cananites and the rest of the Nations which opposed and fought against Gods People we hear what a quick and speedy riddance the Lord made of them for it in their Universal overthrow and ruine and destruction And so he is ready to do with many more in the like circumstances Who would not fear thee O King of Nations as it is in Jer. 10.7 What cause have all the People and Kingdoms of the Earth to tremble before this great God who is able thus to crush them in peices and to destroy them even in Hell it self if they provoke him as he here threatens them We should here learn to satisfie our selves in this great Mystery both of Prudence and Religion It seems to be a strange thing to reason that God should damn whole Nations And therefore such Persons as make Reason to be the Rule of Faith they do much doubt of it and call it into Question For which purpose they have found out salvation even for the Heathen that know not God nor ever heard word of Christ But we see here how the Scripture it self expresses it self in this particular whereby it tells us that whole Nations shall be turned into Hell That so we may not be wiser or mercifuller than God himself But submit our own reason and the Dictates of our own understanding to his Discoveries and Proposals And in the mean time bless God our selves if he hath exempted us out of the number of those Nations which shall be thus dealt withal by a more peculiar manifestation and dispensation of himself unto us Thus for the Subjects here mentioned in reference to this Punishment All the Nations The Second is the guilt which is fustned upon those Subjects as the Ground and Foundation of this Punishment and that is Forgetting of God This now does a little qualifie it and restrain it and take it in It is not all Nations Absolutely and Indefinitely and without exception howsoever qualified but under this Notion of Impiety God does not in this case proceed in a way of Soveraignty but in a way of Justice It is true he might if he pleased do the former forasmuch as all the Nations of the World they are his own Creatures and the Workmanship of his own hands therefore if he saw good he might deal with them as the Potter with his vessel And no man might say unto them what dost thou But he has thought fitting to take another course than this with them and that is by proceeding upon the account of their own guilt as it is here declared unto us Therefore this Punishment and Destruction it is here limited and restrained to Sinners And so we find it to be also in other places as Psal 79.6 Pour out thine indignation upon the Heathen that have not known thee and upon the Kingdoms that have not called upon thy name Not upon the Heathen considered Absolutely nor upon the Kingdoms considered Indefinitely But upon those Heathens and Kingdoms which have not known God Nor called upon him And so likewise here in the Text All the Nations that forget God This is a Particular Character whereby a wicked People are distinguisht viz. Forgetfullness of God as that which carries the very root of all wickedness in it For hence it is that any Persons do make so bold with God as commonly they do by offending him and rebelling against him because indeed they are such as do forget him and think not of him This forgetfulness of God which wicked men are thus guilty of to explain it a little to you it extends to Sundry Particulars First To the Essence of God They forget God that is they forget that there is a God They have heard of it it may be and have seen Habitual Notions of it yea but in such and such cases and circumstances they do it or reflect upon it They do not Actually mind or consider it which makes them so to carry it as if indeed they did not beleive it Secondly To the Nature of God They forget God that is they forget who or what manner of one God is They forget him in his Properties and Attributes and such Expressions of him as whereby he has revealed and made himself known In his Holiness and Justice and Power and Omniscience and Omnipresence and the like In these they do not remember him but plainly forget him Wicked Men they frame to themselves such a God as is suitable to themselves and their own Fancies and Imaginations As he tells that wicked Man in the Psalm 50.21 Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self As if that which pleased them it were pleasing to him also Thirdly To the Word of God They forget God that is They forget what God does command or commend unto them They forget his Instructions and they forget his Injunctions and so in that respect they forget God himself for as much as he accounts himself interested and concerned in such things as these are as a Prince in his Laws David resolved with himself that he would never forget God's Precepts But this is that which such Persons as these do continually though they may seem to remember God Notionally yet they forget him Practically And though they profess that they know him yet in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 Lastly To the Providence of God They forget God that is They forget what God has done and brought to pass in the World As it is charged upon the Israelites that they forgat the works of the Lord aad the wonders that he had shewed them Psal 78.11 His Works of Mercy they forgat them They remembred not his hand nor the day when he delivered them from the Enemy Psal 78.42 They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things for them in Egypt Psal 106.21 And
Admonition or Instruction it self both absolutely propounded as also comparatively illustrated We ought to give the more earnest heed c. The second is the Inforcement of its observation by way of Argument and this is twofold First From the equity of it in the word of connexion therefore Secondly From the danger of the contrary in the close and conclusion of the verse Lest at any time we should fail or let them slip First Here 's an Argument from the equity of it which relates to what he had said before in the precedent Chapter wherein he had fully set forth the Dignity both of Christs Office and Person which the Doctrine of the Gospel does treat of and discourse about upon those promises he does infer this conclusion therefore To speak distinctly of it there are three special Arguments which this Exhortation is founded upon why we ought more abundantly to give heed to this Doctrine of the Gospel in comparison with the Doctr. of the Law First The Authority of the speaker and minister of it which is Christ the Son of God whereas the other was Angels and men Thus in v. 2. of this Chap. it is call'd the word spoken by Angels the Law Whereas the other to wit the Gospel is said to be first of all spoken by the Lord that is Christ himself And again Chap. 1. v. 1 2. God who at sundry times c. where the Apostle lays a very great stress upon this as to the Ministry of the Gospel that it is dispenst through the hans of Christ First For the Dignity of his Person so excellent simply in himself the more eminent the Person is that speaks to us the more cause and reason we have to heed the things which are spoken for the Persons sake it being a piece of great indignity to stop our ears to any one of worth speaking to us such an one is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory and therefore see that ye refuse not him that speaketh as it followeth also in Heb. 12.25 But then secondly There 's not only his person but also his relation that 's another thing in it which the Apostle seems to stand upon and is to be refer'd hereunto There are many eminent persons considered simply in themselves but all their eminency it is within themselves and in the compass of those persons of theirs such as they are yea but this person now which speaks to us in the Ministry of the Gospel He is not only eminent for his person but also for his relation for he is the son of God himself and so much better than the Angels even in that consideration also For unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee c. Heb. 1.5 Then thirdly There is also his estate there 's a great matter in that likewise we respect men much according to that if a man speak to us which is a great heir who has many lands and possessions which belong to him we are apt to give heed unto him Now for this it is also observable in Christ who speaks to us in the Gospel for he is appointed heir of all things and hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than Angels The Apostle lays a force upon that in the place before cited which is thereforemuch considerable in this business Lastly His activity for us there 's much likewise in that We have great cause to respect a Benefactor one that has done us great courtesies and favours when he speaks to us he should be hearkened to by us Now this is also remarkable in Christ for he hath himself purged our sins and upon this account to manifest the certainty and and fulness of it is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 So then that 's the first ground of this Attendance implied in this Therefore viz. the authority of the speaker The Lord Jesus Christ himself eminent for his 1. Person 2. for his relation 3. for his estate 4. for his activity for us The second is the excellency of the things themselves which are spoken of that 's another thing which calls for attention yea not only invites it but commands it If a man of worth shall speak to us yet if he shall not speak to us like to himself speak but of slight and trivial matters we regard him not for all that nor give heed unto him a speech is commendable not only from the speaker but the matter and in this the Gospel carries it likewise Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life say the Apostles Joh. 6.68 The Gospel it treats of such points as no other word does besides as containing very great and admirable mysteries in it which we have join'd all together there in one chain 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angelâ— preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up unto glory What rare and admirable Doctrines and Dispensations these are such things as the very Angels desire to peep into 1 Pet. 1.12 If we look no further than the height and sublimity and transcendency of the points themselves they are such as may well command our heedfulness and attention to them even in that respect alone and nothing besides with it But then thirdly If we shall add to all this the circumstances attending upon it as the profitableness and advantagiousness of this Doctrine the interest which our selves have in it the sweetness which is in the observation of it this will now set it on so much the more and put an edg upon this therefore indeed to make it effectual to purpose let points be never so excellent considered simply in their own nature yet if they have not a tang of some profit or benefit in them there are some people which will never regard them What does a Merchant or Tradesman care for a discourse of Metaphysicks Very fine notions indeed and speculations which tickle the fancy yeâ— but they have no gain or profit in them Dic aliquid tandem de tribus capellis as he said speak somewhat which tends to our advantage Why this now is the commendation of the Gospel that it treats not only of things which are excellent but of things which are profitable for it is the ministration of righteousness the Doctrine of Reconciliation the glad tydings of peace There is life and immortality which is brought to light by it as the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Tim. 1.10 Look then as any would give heed when any thing is spoken of which has any profit in it in the like manner should they give heed to the Gospel which is a Doctrine so far esteemed even upon this consideration But then further there 's our own interest in it likewise that 's somewhat more profit if it belongs not to us is no such pleasing theme to hear of but
ONE HUNDRED SELECT SERMONS UPON SEVERAL TEXTS FIFTY upon the OLD TESTAMENT And FIFTY on the NEW By the Reverend and Learned THO. HORTON D.D. late Minister of Great St. Hellens London Left perfected for the press under his own hand Hebr. 11.4 He being dead yet speaks 2 Thes 2.5 Remember ye not when I was yet with you I told you of these things Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel MDCLXXIX To the Reader Chirstian Reader OF the Author of these Sermons I may truly say though not in so eminent a degree what St. Paul intimates of himself 2 Cor. 3.1 That he needeth not as some others Epistles of Commendation at leastwise not to those who had the Happiness to Hear or will take the pains to Read his Sermons The person being so well known and his manner of Preaching that they are not likely to receive much advantage by my Recommendation His Birth and first Education was in the City of London He was Son to Mr. Laurence Horton Merchant one of the Company of Mercers The first time I had the opportunity of knowing Him was about the year 1632 when he was fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridg in which Colledg I had the Honour and Happiness of receiving the first of my Academical Education and for some part of it under his Tuition which Colledg had at that time as great a reputation for serious Piety solid Learning and sober Conversation as any House in the University and had as little either of Duncery or Debauchery considering the number of Students in it wherein it was at that time scarce inferior to any as any Colledg there In the year 1637 he was made University-Preacher About the year 1638 he was called back to the City of London to Exercise his Ministry there in St. Mary Cole-Church where I remember to have observed the Reverend and Learned Bishop Brownrigg when in London to be a very frequent if not his Constant Auditor even though he did not lodg in those parts of the Town He was Preacher to the Honorable Society of Grays-Inn admitted also a Member of that Society He removed from the Parish of St. Mary Cole-Church to Great St. Hellens in the same City of London where in the year 1672 3 he finisht his life in the work of the Ministry But what most concerns the present business he was a pious and learned man a hard Student a sound Divine a good Textuary very well skill'd in the Original Languages very well accomplished for the work of a Minister and very conscientious in the discharge of it He made the Ministry his whole Business and as David said of himself on another occasion he did not serve God with that which Cost him nothing being very industrious in his preparations ver sedulous diligent and constant in the Exercise of it and did very rarely unless upon urgent occasions or by some eminent person supply his place by a Deputy He wanted not variety of Learning to embelish and trim up a Sermon if he had so pleased But he contented himself with sound Doctrine Scripture-language and such as might be understood by his Auditory rather than admired as best conducing to perswade men to the practice of those duties he did recommend For matters of Wit though at the first hearing they may please the Ear and tickle the Fancy yet have not that awe upon the Conscience nor make those lasting impressions which sound Doctrine plainly delivered with clear evidence from the word of God is known to do And Sermons so Composed are like to be of more lasting use than others accommodated to what the present Age calls Wit For witty expressions pass for such but while that way of Wit is in fashion but upon a second hearing or when that fashion of Wit alters which alters like that of clothes that which is now thought witty will then seem flat if not unsavory But sound Reason will be sound reason in all Ages and as cogent at the Second and Third reading as at the First And sure that 's the best Rhetorick and perswades most which moves by strength of Argument and plain evidence rather than what depends only on what they call Ornament and a pleasing sound of words and that Langnage is most fit for business which is not either slovenly so as to make it unsavory or affectedly Trimmed so as to divert the mind from the sense of what is said and make it dwell on the words only Two Volumes of his Sermons have already seen the light and been received with good approbation the one upon the whole Eight Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans the other upon some of the Psalms the fourth the two and fortieth the one and fiftieth and the sixty third and we have no cause to think but those of this third Volume being Select Sermons preached on special occasions were penned with as great care as those in his ordinary course of Preaching And there is yet a fourth Volume which I should be glad to see abroad also on the whole Seventeenth Chapter of St. John's Gospel which were Preach'd not long since and by himself revised a little before his death and two other Volumes One Sacramental Sermons and another Funeral In the mean time what is here prepared for thy use if thou read with the same seriousness and consideration with which it was written thou wilt receive the benefit of his labours and of thine own Thine in the Lord JOHN WALLIS Oxon. Sept. 28. 1678. The various Texts and Subjects contained in this Volume of Sermons with the Page directed to The Texts of the Old Testament-Sermons Sermons I. GEn. 28.12 13. Jacobs Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven Page 1 Sermons II. Deut. 8.18 To remember God is the way to get wealth Page 9 Sermons III. Deut. 11.12 Gods care for his Church and People in all Ages Page 17 Sermons IV. 2 King 5.26 God sees and knows what is in the heart of man Page 24 Sermons V. 2 Chron. 4.10 Jabez Prayer to God for his Blessing Page 30 Sermons VI. 2 Chron. 4.10 Second Sermon on Jabez's Prayer Page 38 Sermons VII Deut. 4.20 Gods Deliverance of Israel out of the Iron Furnace A fifth of November Sermon Page 45 Sermons VIII 1 Sam. 2.9 The Custody of God over his People Page 54 Sermons IX Job 20.11 Sins of Youth cause great sorrows in old Age. Page 64 Sermons X. Job 20.12 13 14. The seeming sweetness and real bitterness of Sin Page 71 Sermons XI Job 1.5 Job 's Care for his Childrens welfare lest they should sin against God Page 77 Sermons XII Job 34.29 When God gives Quietness to a person or people none can give trouble Page 83 Sermons XIII Job 34.29 A second Sermon Page 89 Sermons VIV 2 King 7.2 A peremptory Answer to a
crak't Consciences in time of some special affliction and distress they will reflect most uncomfortably Thus it was with Joseph's brethren when they were once in distress themselves they thought of their former unkindness towards their brother many years past Gen. 42.21 They said one to another we are very guilty concerning our brother c. And so the widdow of Sarepta when her child was taken away from her she reflects upon some former miscarriage 1 Kings 17.18 O thou man of God art thou come to call my sins to remembrance and to slay my son The slaying of her son put her in remembrance of her sin which had hitherto been forgotten by her and so it is with many others besides in the like cases Affliction itrubs up sins past even the sins of youth which shall not go unpunished as has been hitherto declared And as in other Punishments so amongst the rest within the compass of themselves even spiritual Judgements which are the worst and heaviest of all even with sin it self in a greater measure and further improvement of it which may be also further signified and intimated in this expression in the Text His bones are full of the sin c. That is sin it does still yet stick and adhere and cleave unto them So it does even to the best that are in the General corruption of Nature but not alwayes in the actual improvements Sin in the Regenerate is Mortified and quel'd and subdued and has its deaths-wound But in wicked men it is predominant and in its full force their bones are full of it and that which is thus bred in the bone it will not easily out of the the flesh Wicked men when they are in years and in age Their Bones are full of the sins of their youth that is as we may also further expound it they have hankerings and propensities and inclinations and desires after them when as to the accomplishment of these desires they are it may be restrain'd And this they are so much the rather as they have been any thing longer accustomed unto them Those which begin betimes in evil they do not easily get ridd of it or fall into a contrary course as the Prophet Jeremy hath signified to us in Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good which are accustomed or taught to doe evil The last Use and Application of this Point is from hence to take up a General Lamentation of the great exorbitancies and irregularities of youth especially in these present dayes in which we now live The more that God will account for such sins as these are as we have hitherto shewn the sadder is our condition in this age in this particular when we look about us and consider the great miscarriages of them and how they grow exceedingly upon us in every place in all manner of wickedness In idleness in prophaness disobedience in luxury in lasciviousness in pride in vanity in cozenage in all manner of debauchedness tainting and leavening and corrupting and entising one another into all manner of evil Beloved we do not think of these things and it may be doe not love to hear of them but we have very great cause to be affected with them and to lay them to heart and so indeavour all we can in our several places and opportunities to put a stop and obstruction to them which if it be not speedily done can threaten nothing but ruine it self When a man looks upon his garden and sees his young plants to wither it is a great disheartning and discouragement to him and what is it then in these spiritual blossoms we now speak of when they shall be nipt and blasted and withered before our eyes What hope can there be of Posterity and of a succeeding Generation in the Church when those which should lay the grounds and foundations to it do oftentimes thus miserably miscarry Therefore let us consider of it and I say be affected with it and do all we can to prevent it by prayer and education and instruction and seasonable restraint and all means that can be used otherwise it wil be so much the worse both for us and them too who shall hereafter certainly find and feel the misery of it as is here declared in this present Scripture And so I have done with the first General part of the Text which is the state or condition it self of a wicked man consisting both of the sin and punishment His bones are full of the sins of his youth The second is the Extent or Amplification of the condition in these words which shall lye down with him in the dust This it doth especially denote the continuance of a wicked man's sin it begins with him betimes for it is the sin of his youth and it lasts with him a long while for it follows him even into another world it lies down with him in the grave it is not buried with him that 's not the meaning of it which is the advantage of a Godly man that there is a period to his sin with his life He will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea as it is Mic. 7.19 but it goes with him even to Hell it self and there abides and continues with him when he dyes and goes out of the world and lies down in the dust as at last he must do then his sin as the shaddow to the Body is accompanying of him A wicked man whiles he lives sin lies before the door as we find that expression used in Gen. 4.7 It is a band-dog ready to surprize him and to pull him by the throat when he dyes it does not now leave him but adheres unto him There 's two manner of wayes in which sin is said to lye down in the dust which follows wicked men even to Hell it self whither at last without repentance they goe First in regard of the stain of it and Secondly in regard of the guilt of it They shall loose their Comforts but they shall not loose their Lusts Their Riches and Honours and pleasures they shall be gone but their sins they shall stay still behind even for ever and ever Their Glory shall not descend after them but there 's an exchange c. shame shall c. Psal 49 87. First For the stain and pollution His sin That is The habit and vicious principle of sin which in this life was predominant in him after this life it shall be adherent to Him Wicked men when they dye they leave every thing behind them but their sins and those they carry along with them they lye down with them in the dust And that first in the Defilement of them nay in this respect it is inlarged and increased in them Look on the other side gracious persons which were Godly and Holy here they become more godly and holy when they come to Heaven their Graces
in sundry regards First As to matter of Preparation consider it so and thus it is in the hand of the Lord. Esay 45.7 I form the Light and create Darkness I make Peace and create Evil. I the Lord do all these things So Deut. 32.39 I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand all is attributed to him Shall there be Evil in a City says Amos that is to say Evil of Punishment and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 Affliction it is in the Hand of God and it is so as well as Blessing He has an Hand for one as well as for the other An Hand to Strike as well as an Hand to Stroke An Hand to inflict his Punishments as well as an Hand to distribute his Favours He is as well fitted for this as he is for that that so we may have right and congruous Appehensions of Him Indeed t is true that this of Punishment it is not altogether so pleasing to Him nor such as he takes delight in It is in his Hand but it is in his left Hand as we may so express it that hand which he does not so ordinarily or at least so readily make use off and so does the Scripture represent it in Esay 28.21 He calls it his Work his strange work and his Act his strange Act. As being such which we in a manner drive him to or else he would not undertake it And Hos 11.8 Ye shall see there how he struggles with it and how loath he is to come to it How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel Pleasures they are at his right hand At thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more Psal 16.11 And Victory that 's at his right hand The right hand of the Lord does Valiantly Psal 118.16 But Judgment that 's at his left where he is said to place the Goats that is the People which are appointed to Destruction He sets them at his left hand well but though it be at his left yet it is his hand still we may take notice of that he has an hand for this cup of red wine and this hand of his is stretched out as there is occasion for it as the Scripture declares it And therefore accordingly let us expect it and make account of it Let us look upon God as a Punisher and a revenger as well as any thing else as a Judge as well as a Father There are some kind of people in the world that look upon God as all Mercy as if he had no Justice at all in him This is to rob and spoyl him of that which is most due unto him it is to separate and divide him from Himself which is not to be done No it does as well beseem him to Punish as it does to shew Mercy and it does as much express him to the World and therefore says the Prophet David of him The Lord is known by the Judgments which he executeth in Psal 9.16 Gods Judgments they are Demonstrations of Gods Nature and they shew him to be that which he is in his Wisdom and Power so that this may not be denyed by us in any case And as not denyed in the Theory and Speculation so neither in the Practise which is more often and frequently done There are many which if ye put it to the Question and ask and demand of them what ye think of him in this matter they will be ready with their mouths to acknowledg that God is a God of Justice and Revenge and that in his hand there is a Cup of Red wine as it is here before us yea but their Livâ—s and Conversations are not answerable and sutable hereunto for they so walk and behave themselves as if there were no such matter as if there were no Eye to observe them nor no hand to inflict Punishment upon them Now let all such People and Persons as these are be here admonish't from this Expression what ever Mischief or Wickedness or Evil practise which any are undertaking or going about let them still meditate and think this with themselves That in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup of Fury and Wrath and Indignation it is in his hand and t is at his hand also t is ready at hand as he may be provoked unto it let them remember that And so ye have the first Explication how this Cup is in the hand of the Lord namely by way of Preparation It is he that provides it Secondly By way of Qualification It is he that tempers it ye heard before It was full of mixture Here now ye see who t is does it namely God Himself he orders and disposes and regulates all the Evil which is done in the World My Times are in thy hand says David Psal 31.15 What ever Troubles and Calamities there are flying abroad through the Earth they first come through Gods hands before they light upon such and such Persons as the sufferers of them he must give them their Fiat and their Pass before they can proceed any further Thus it shews what cause all have to make their peace with God and to keep in good terms with him especially in such times of Danger and hazard as these now are in which we live we see what Symptomes of wrath and Judgement there are almost in every place and what continual threatnings of more Now how much does it concern us in these cases to look to our selves and to do somewhat which may prevent it from falling upon our own Heads as the Prophet David gives us advice in Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled yea but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him This is the Comfort of Gods children in trouble That all Afflictions are in the hands of God In His hand to order and temper them by way of Qualification that is the second Thirdly By way of Distribution as giving to every one his share and portion in it it is in the hand of the Lord so when God has prepared this Cup which is here spoken of it is not to run loosely and at random without any difference or discretion at all No But as there 's an hand to temper it so there 's also an hand also to dispose it and he gives to every one so much of it as he pleases and thinks fittingest for them we may take notice of that also And it is very profitable among other improvements which may be made of it to this purpose hereby to keep me from murmuring and impatience and discontent Ye know what was the reasoning of our Blessed Saviour for his own particular Joh. 18.11 The Cup with my Father hath given me shall I not drink it The same likewise may every Christian and true Believer say also with him This is that which is
and favour towards them and comfortable presence with them then they have done in their saddest Conditions and when it has been worst with them in regard of the World then has he most tender'd and regarded them and come into them And Supt with them and they with him as we meet with that Expression there in that place in Rev. 3.20 And that 's the Third Explication the Loving-kindness of God is most Excellent in regard of its Efficacy Fourthly It is Excellent also for its Freeness and Impartiality It s Loving-kindness originated in Himself and not in any merit or desert of the Persons whom it is fastened upon men in the placing of their Affections they have somewhat for the most part in the object which is attractive and persuasive hereunto but in God it is not so Those whom he loves he loves freely out of his own propensity and gracious Inclination independently upon the persons themselves and what an excellent thing is this And then which is Pertinent hereunto his Impartiality also in this Business that he is no respecter of Persons as the Scripture proclames it of him Gods favour is not carried towards any for any worldly Eminencies in them Either of Birth or Estate or Pars or any such Induements from whence he does respect one man above another or disrespect those which are difficient in either of these particulars as it is commonly amongst men No but those which have true Grace in their Hearts and hath his Image instampt upon them they are acceptable and well-pleasing to Hin in the meanest Condition that may be which makes his favour to be so much the more Excellent Lastly to add no more at this time it is Excellent also for its Continuance and Duration It s such as cast's and abides There 's a Constancy and Perpetuity in it whom he loves he loves to the End The favour of men it is oftentimes very uncertain according to the Subject of it which is mutable and exposed to Change but the favour of God is otherwise It is such as does not cease to those which are once partakers of it as we have still signified to us in Scripture Thus we find it said expresly of Solomon Psal 89.33 If his Children forsake my Law I will Visit their Transgression with the Rod and their Iniquities with stripes Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail God may sometimes correct his Children but he does not in the mean time forsake them He may hide his face from them but he does not remit of his favour towards them he may withdraw his Countenance but he will not take away his loving-kindness this is still one and the same Therefore his Loving-kindness is called Everlasting Loving-kindness Esay 54.8 With Everlasting-kindness will I gather thee And it is set forth by such like sutable Expressions from the waters of Noah Thus we see in all these particulars how excellent the Loving-kindness of God is said to be Now the Improvement of all this to our selves may be to this purpose First We see from hence what great cause we have to pursue it and to seek after it Seeing it is every way so Excellent it is not then good for us to want it or to be destitute of it we see how ambitious many are sometimes of the favour of Men Especially which are great in the World and how much they will adventure for it and what a shame is it then for them to neglect the favour of God which has so much Eminency and Transcendency in it This was that which our Saviour laid sometimes to the charge of the Jewes That they Received Honour one of another and sought not the Honour that cometh from God onely John 5.44 And again John 12.43 That they loved the Praise of Men more then the Praise of God This is that which too many still do to this present day which is very unsutable and Disconsonant to the present Truth which we have now in hand If Gods Loving-kindness be so excellent why then certainly it is worth the regarding and looking after we should give no rest to our Eyes nor sleep to our Eye-lids till we have in some manner assured and made this Condition good to our selves that it is so with us for our particulars as to be Subjects hereof And further Secondly Let us take heed of forfeiting it or doing any thing which may hazard it to us let us take heed of doing any thing whereby we may incur Gods displeasure or provoke him if not to take away his favour absolutely in it self yet any expression or sense of it in our selves By how much more excellent it is in its own Nature by so much more chary and tender should we be of it to take heed of the doing of such things as may any way rob or deprive us of it But by all means keep up in our selves a perfect feeling and apprehension of it This we should do Especially upon a two-fold Consideration First In order to Comfort And Secondly In order to Duty That we may be more chearful and also more Servicable in our present Pilgrimage First In order to comfort to make us more cheerful there 's nothing more becomes Christians then a chearfullness and pleasantness of conversation as much as may be for their own greater contentment and the honour also of Religion it self Now this can be no further expected from them then as they walk in the light of Gods Countenance and the expression of this excellent loving-kindness the want of this puts men into darkness and sadness and blackness of spirit it self and fills them with horror and confusion Secondly This is also further requisite in order to Duty to make us so much the more serviceable The Apprehension of Gods favour and loving-kindness is a great quickning to us in His work to make us to undertake it and to dispatch it with the more alacrity and intention of mind then otherwise we should when a servant is perswaded of his Masters favour it does much hearten him and incourage him in his work The Joy of the Lord is here our Strength which puts nimbleness and activity into us in all our performances Now If we would further know how this might be done by us how we might keep and preserve our selves still in such a Condition I answer by walking warily and fruitfully in our whole course that 's the best and readiest way hereunto warily in regard of Miscarriages take heed of doing any thing amiss and Fruitfully in regard of Performances Take heed of omitting any thing which should be done these two are especially necessary for the keeping up of Gods favour towards us in the Vigor of it First I say we must walk warily in regard of Miscarriages we must be suspicious and Jealous over our selves that God himself may not be jealous towards us they that make no bones of any Sin or the tendencies
Solomon tells us and Peter councels Simon Magus to repent of his wicked thought that it might be forgiven unto him we have cause to take care of our thoughts that they may not be otherwise then such as are agreeable to the rule of God's Law Take heed of spiritual sins and such as are more appropriated to the mind or of Corporal sins made Spiritual by Fancy and Speculation Speculative revenge and Speculative uncleanness and Speculative Theft which consists in Covetous and unlawful Desires We should use our phansies and thoughts purely that so while they are not to us instruments and means of sin they may not be to us neither instruments or means of Affliction that we may not have troublesome and disquieting thoughts it concerns us to have innocent thoughts and thoughts as near as we can free from guilt and that in all the Improvements and Activities of them In matter of Judgement to have sound and sober opinions In matter of reflection to have holy and Sanctified Meditations In matter of Counsel to have honest and faithful Contrivances Every way and in every thing to submit our thoughts to the blessed guidance of the Holy Spirit of God and in a Gracious Captivity and subjection to the Obedience of Christ Thus shall we have less trouble from our thoughts then otherways we should And as this does concern all men whatsoever so more especially does it concern those whose excellency lies in their thoughts Schollers and men of parts and understanding forasmuch as these are most subject to such kind of evils as these are in the greatest Aggravations The finest wits are liable to the greatest Distractions and the more advantages any have of doing Evil the more occasions have they likewise of suffering Evil as the mind is capable of the greater Comfort and Contentment so it is also of the greatest trouble and look as it is in the body that the most exquisite Constitutions are liable to the greatest pains so in the Soul the most sublime and raised parts ar exposed to the most disquieting thoughts Thus God is pleased now and then to afford sad instances and Expressions off that others may take heed but so much for the first particular to wit the grief or evil it self which is here mentioned And that is thoughts The Second is the Amplification of this Evil and that is from the Number Multitude of thoughts Thoughts crowding and thrusting in themselves in a Violent and confused manner one upon another Que catervatim se proruunt as Austin speaks in another case such thoughts as these does he here speak off All Evils do still receive an Intention and Aggavation of themselves from the plurality and multiplicity of them And so likewise here one troublesome and molesting thought it may breed a great deale of Grief and Distraction and such as a man would fain be rid off and shake off from Himself what he could But where there are many this is so much the more Intollerable Now this is that which we have here in this place exhibited to us David had many rugged thoughts which he was perplext and troubled withall and which occasion'd so much grief unto Him It was Multitudo Cogitationum and this is that which many others besides are subject unto There are many devises in the Heart of a man as Solomon speaks Prov. 19.21 And again in Eccl. 7.29 God made man Righteous but they sought out many Inventions Many Devises and many Inventions and many Thoughts are men troubled withall There 's a variety and diversity of them This to give you some account of it from whence it does proceed is founded upon these following Considerations First The nature of the mind of man consider'd simply in it self that lays Ground for this Multiplication Man's Soul it is full of Nimbleness and Activity and Fruitfulness upon all occasions It is that which is still working and beating out somewhat or other without any Intermission And because it is also full of Inconstancy and unsettledness by reason of Sin therefore it is apt to produce a variety and abundance of thoughts It goes from one thing to another like a Bee in the change of Flowers and is never at rest and this is a part of that Vanity which is upon it this Infirmity is seen in nothing more then it is in the performance of good Duties Prayer and hearing of the word and such Religious Exercises as these wherein this multitude of thoughts does in a special manner discover it self How hard and difficult is it without a great deal of carefulness and watchfulness and preparation and circumspection for the mind to keep it self close to that one thing which is necessary and not to be called away to a variety and multiplicity of Distractions at such times as those are The Holiest men that ever have been they have much complained of this weakness in themselves as St. Austin and St. Basil c. Secondly Another Cause and Ground of this multitude of thoughts may be taken from the mutability of Conditions and variety of Objects and occasions which we meet withall in this world Our thoughts are for the most part answerable to the Estate in which we are and the occasions which are presented unto us Now forasmuch as there 's an alteration in them there 's a diversity also in these which are sutable and agreeable thereunto This is our Condition in this World that it is subject to an abundance of change sometimes things go well with us and sometimes they go another way at least we are ready to think so let them go how they will There are occasions from our selves there are occasions from our Relations there are occasions from the Church and publique Estates And this does produce Plurality and variety of thoughts in us Thirdly There is also some cause from this now and then likewise from others according as thoughts are suggested and presented and offered to the mind and this is seen in nothing more then in the Temptations of Satan who being Himself a Spirit has thereby a very great advantage over our Spirits and does sometimes put thoughts into us of his own accord and which otherwise we should never think off Yea there are some whom he does in a manner force and impose thoughts upon them against their will in his violent suggestions Thoughts of Atheism and thoughts of Blasphemy and thoughts against the very Light and dictates of Nature it self these may be said to be our thoughts so far forth as we are the Subjects recipient of them and in a passive sense but otherwise they are none of ours neither shall they be put upon our score or laid to our charge while we do abhor and reverence them no more then the words of any Blasphemer or prophane person which we hear against our minds and which we shut our Ears against yet these they are many times in great multitudes and do make up this present number in the Text. And
not some Light ones onely but such as were very Irksome and hard to be born That is Chastening me sore First I say in this Expression we have the Frequency and Reiteration of these Chastenings even again and again This is one thing which God is pleased sometimes to do with his Children when he has Chastened them once to return to it and Chasten them a fresh and to renew his Chastenings to them When Sin is repeated Punishment is repeated likewise and when we return to our Transgressions God himself returns to his Corrections and Chastisements of us as is most requisite and Convenient for us Look as it is with Physitians in regard of the Body when the same Distemper comes again they give the same Physick to remove it and to take it away even so does the great Physitian in reference to the Soul Relapses into Sin will cause Relapses into Sickness or into any other trouble for Sin which it is a ground and occasion of The one follows upon the other in Gods most wise and prudent Dispensations Secondly Here 's the Multitude of Corrections He hath Chastened me in Chastening that is he hath sent one Affliction upon another this is another thing here observable in Gods proceedings towards the Sons of men one Deep calls to another Psal 42.7 Deep calleth unto Deep at the noise of thy water-spouts all thy Waves and thy Billowes are gone over me And so Job in Job 16.14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach he runneth upon me like a Giant Thus did the Lord with that Holy man he had Messenger upon Messenger of Evil tidings which hapned unto Him of the Chaldeans and Sabeans c. Thou renewest thy Witnesses against me and Increasest thine Indignation upon me in Job 10.17 Thirdly Here 's the Greiviousness of the Correction Repition implies Intention and so here he hath Chastened me in Chastening that is He hath Chastened me sore as our own Translation here gives it Thus God oftentimes does likewise he layes heavy Afflictions upon his People Thus the Church complains to God Psal 44.19 Thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadows of Death And Psal 80.5 Thou feedest them with the Bread of Tears and givest them Tears to drink in great measure Job The arrows of the Almighty were in him Heman His wrath lay hard upon him Paul He was Prest above measure and so of the rest And there 's very good cause for it God sees it to be necessary for us oftentimes to deal thus with us as simply to Chasten us so now and then to Chasten us sore and that especially that Patience may have its perfect work in us and that the Cure may be throughly wrought in us For strong Humours require strong Physick to purge them out Where Corruption is deeply rooted in the Heart there it is not a light or small matter which will serve the turn to work it out No but there must be a great deal of stir and adoe which is to be made with it The Use which we should make of it is therefore from hence to learn to understand the Providences of God in this particular to be satisfied in them and prepared for them we are apt to think our troubles to be such as none were ever before us see here how it is with David Chastened me sore And as I said there is cause for it that God may be clear when he Judges there are some Natures and Dispositions which a small or light Correction will doe no good upon him but they are apt to despise it and therefore God sees it necessary to deal more severely with them and to take a sharper Course to mend them And so I have done with the first General part of the Text which is the Condition it self The Lord hath Chastened me sore c. The Second is the Qualification of this Condition But he hath not given me over to Death which words are to be considered of us two manner of ways First in their Connexion with the words that went before And Secondly In their absolute Consideration as taken alone by themselves First In their Connexion and so I say they are a Qualification of those that went before and they serve to shew unto us the manner of Gods dealings with his people which is to mitigate his Afflictions of them and to Correct them still in measure he Chastens them but does not undoe them Thus 2 Cor. 6.9 As Dying but behold we live As Chastened but not kild And so 2 Cor. 4.8.9 Troubled on every side but not Distressed Perplexed but not in Dispair Persecuted but not forsaken Cast down but not destroyed And 1 Cor. 10.13 God is Faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able but will with the Temptation find a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Though he cause Grief yet will he have Compassion according to the Multitude of his Mercies Lam. 3.32 And so here now in this present Scripture Though he Chastens yet he gives not over unto Death The reason of it is this because Gods Ayme and Intent is not Destruction but Reformation which Death doth hinder and prevent the opportunities of unto us Though it is true that even in Death it self God can work much to this purpose as to the Changeing and bettering of the Heart yet for the outward Life and Conversation and the reforming of that this by Death is taken away Secondly As God does thus mitigate his Corrections in Wisdome so also in Mercy because he is a Gracious God and he continues still so to be without alteration Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords Mercies that we are not Consumed because his Compassions fail not They are new every Morning great is thy Faithfulness And Malach. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not Consumed The Lord is full of very much tenderness in this particular as it is related Concerning the Israelites that though they carried themselves perversely towards him Yet he being full of Compassion forgave them their Iniquities and destroyed them not Yea many a times turned he his Anger away and did not suffer his whole Indignation to arise for he remembred that they were but Flesh a wind that passeth away and cometh not again Psal 78.38 39. And Psal 102.13.14 Like as a Father pittieth his Children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but Dust in Psal 103.13.14 And again Esay 57.16 I will not contend for Ever neither will I be always wrath for the Spirit would fail before me and the Souls which I have made God stands very much upon this to prevent Discouragement in his Servants This should therefore First of all teach us to acknowledg Gods Goodness in this respect and to praise him for it as David Psal 119.75 I know O Lord that thy
Principle from whence they came in them or the Manner which is observed by them or the End which puts them upon them besides the manifold Corruption which is mingled by them Thirdly The Opinion of Others and the good esteem which they have of them This is another Foundation to them but as weak as any of the rest as being subject to a great deal of Mistake and false Apprehension and often times failing of truth Thus Wicked Men have no Peace in the midst of all the false Glosses and Apprehensions of Peace which are upon them as being such as in time do but deceive them And So Now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which is The Report it self expressed to us in these words There is no peace to the wicked The Second is The Author or Maker of this Report that we have in these words Saith my God Where again two words more First The Word of Eminency And Secondly The Word of Propriety The Word of Eminency God The Word of Propriety My God First For the Word of Eminency God It is he that says it Thus saith the Lord as we have it also in the parallel Scripture Isa 48.22 It is fastened upon him It is a matter of great consequence and importance in any report or tidings whatsoever who it is that is the first Author and Raiser of it the Original from whom it proceeds Now this as to the present business in hand is God himself which carries the greater weight with it and makes it to be so much the more observable to those to whom it is brought Men are apt for the most part when they hear of such tidings as these are The Denunciation of God's Judgments against Sins and sinful Persons to think that this is nothing else but the Conceit and Device of Men and that which they framed to themselves spoken sometimes out of Envy and Hatred and Ill Will and the like But have no other ' Bottom for them Now in opposition hereunto is it here said saith my God And so frequently also in other places The Lord hath said it and The Lord hath spoken it This is the word and burthen of the Lord. It is that which God hath said in all the Kinds and Specifications of Saying He hath said it that is He hath decreed it It is a word of Counsel God that doth not change And He hath said it that is He has declared it It is a word of Truth God that cannot lie And He hath said it that is he hath effected it It is a word of Power God that cannot miscarry There are all these Sayings in it for the further Illustration of it to us First He hath said it that is he hath decreed it It is a word of Counsel God that does not change He hath past this Irrevocable Sentence upon all wicked persons so remaining that there shall be no peace unto them Neither Peace of State nor Peace of Mind neither Peace with his own Majesty nor Peace with other men and Creatures nor Peace with themselves and their own Consciences It is the sad and fatal Doom which is fallen upon them and belonging unto them Secondly He hath said it that is He hath declared it It is a word of Truth God that cannot nor will not lye Men they many times speak as they would have it whether the thing be true or false speak out of Humour and Fancy and Prejudice and such things as those speak by Rote and by Guess and by Conjecture and by Mis-report Yea but whereby now it is God that says it there is no fear of any of these in it And he hath said it fully and at large he hath abundantly declared it he hath said it by his Spirit in the Conscience and he hath said it by his Spirit in the Scripture We cannot turn a Leaf in the Book of God but we find such a Truth as this is written even in Capitol Letters so that he that runs may read it Thirdly He hath said it that is He hath effected it It is a word of Power It is God that cannot miscarry that sits in Heaven and does whatsoever he pleases He hath said it in the voice of his Providence and the things which he does in the World These do in conclusion speak thus much that There is no Peace to wicked men Whatever they may say to themselves in their own private Imaginations or whatever others may say to them or for them in a way of flattering and soothing up of them yet the Lord he hath every way said it that there is no peace belonging unto them And his saying is more than the saying of all the rest of the World besides So much for the Word of Eminence which is here exhibited and that is God The Second is A word of Propriety which is My Saith my God This is added by the Prophet Isaiah to make it still so much the more Emphatical and fuller of Weight and that as some account of his own knowledge of it to be so For whilst he had said that God himself said it it might perhaps by some have been demanded how he came so well to know it To this he answers It is my God the God whom I serve as his Minister the Prophet of the Lord and the God whom I have Communion withal as his Servant the Beloved of the Lord It is he that hath said it by me and to me Those who are God's Servants and who have more intimate Acquaintance with him they have the discovery of many Truths unto them which are concealed from other Persons The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him to shew them his Covenant Psal 25.14 And The Lord God will do nothing but he will reveal his secrets to his servant 's the Prophets Amos 3.7 And thus we have both parts of the Text layed open before us both in the Report it self and the Author of it There is no peace to the wicked saith my God That which remains now behind is the Improvement of both these Truths in a word of Profitable Application And there is very good Use which may be made of both by us First It serves to awaken all wicked and ungodly persons and to make them sensible of the Condition in which they are it is that which they always are not neither do they see how it is with them as being apt very often to speak Peace to their own Souls where there is but little cause for it But we see here the Censure which the Holy Ghost himself gives of them and the Doom which he passes upon them whilst he says There is no peace unto them Not Peace in any way or kind or respect whatsoever The word Peace is commonly taken two manner of ways both in the Generical sence and in the Specifical According to the Generical sence so it does denote all kind of Good at large which especially in the Hebrew
of the strength of Beleivers in general Secondly A Particular Demonstration of this Proposition taken from the Consequences and Effects The Proposition in General That ye have in these words They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength The Demonstration of this Proposition in the Particular Ye have in these words They shall mount up with eagles wings they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint We begin with the first viz. The General Proposition They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength Wherein again we have two Branches more First The Persons spoken of and they are Those which wait upon the Lord. Secondly The thing it self which is spoken of them and that is that They shall renew their strength For the First The Persons mentioned or spoken of they are Those that wait upon the Lord. This is here made the Description of God's People of Believers the Saints and Servants of God They are such as wait upon God This is a Duty often called for in Scripture and so considerable a Duty it is as that thereby the whole Race of Godly Men is expressed and signified to us As if there were nothing else almost which were pertinent hereunto but that It is a Phrase which we often meet with in Scripture to this purpose Thus Psal 25.3 Let none that wait on thee be ashamed Isa 30.18 Blessed are all they that wait for him So again Lamen 3.25 The Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him Where they that wait for him and that seek him are all one both Descriptions of his Children There are two things eminent in Waiting and so in Waiting upon God Expectation and Patience There is Looking for somewhat from him And there is a quiet Resting and Tarrying till it be bestowed And both Properties of true Believers First There is Expectation from God there is Looking for somewhat from him to be bestowed upon them This is always in the Servants of God Psal 123.2 Behold as the eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Master and as the eyes of an handmaid looks unto the hands of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have mercy c. All Good Christians they do certainly expect somewhat from the hands of God and that which is worth the expecting Even glory and honour and immortality and eternal life as we have it exprest unto us Rom. 2.7 Other matters there are which they do sometimes look for and very well may but these things they look for especially as their reward and their portion and their inheritance and such as may not be denyed them They wait for these absolutely Secondly As they have the Waiting of Expectation so they have likewise of Patience They are content to stay Gods time and leisure for the obtaining of any thing which they look for and expect from him He that believeth maketh not hast Isa 28.16 He doth not prevent or out-run God in HIs Providence towards him but stayes till he thinks fitting to help him This is the right Temper of a true Christian and Believer Prophane and desperate persons they flye off in a discontent and impatience like that wicked king Jehorum 2 King 6 ult Why should I wait on the Lord any longer but his people they wait for him and they are contented so to do The Reason of it is because they are sure to speed at last There 's none that wait upon God shall be ashamed that is shall be disappointed which is many times the cause of shame As we see sometimes in waiting upon the Creature in waiting upon vain men As we have it exprest unto us in Job 6.19 20. The Troops of Tema looked the Companies of Sheba waited for them They were confounded because they had hoped they came thither c. thus it falls out in waiting upon such as these but now in waiting upon the Lord it is otherwise They that wait upon him they shall be sure not to want success Nay They shall speed the better for waiting there 's that also considerable The more willing we are to wait upon God the better it is for us for He he payes for time and gives us the more because we have waited This the servants of God considering are therefore content to wait and that with patience Thus David Psal 40.1 I waited patiently for the Lord or as it is in the Hebrew Text. I waited in waiting But so much briefly of the first branch of the first General viz. The Persons here mentioned Believers They that wait upon the Lord. The Second which I chiefly aym at in this Text is what is said of them and that is they shall renew their strength By strength here we are to understand spiritual strength strength in reference to Religion and Christian Conversation That 's the strength which is here pointed at in this place by the prophet Isay And when is is said they shall renew it there are three things intimated to us in this Expression First Their Duty Secondly Their Disposition Thirdly Their Priviledge Their Duty they ought to do it Their Disposition they are ready to do it Their Priviledge they may do it or 't is that which shall actually and indeed happen unto them First Here 's their Duty they ought to do it this is that which which lyes upon a Christian as a Duty belonging unto him to improve still in spiritual strength every day to grow stronger and stronger in his inward man To go from strength to strength as it is Psal 84.7 This is that which the Scripture still calls for as Ephesi 6.10 Finally brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might And Colos 1.10 11. Being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God strengthened with all might in the inward man A Christian must be like a tree not only growing to bear more fruit but also growing to more strength We need a great deal of strength not onely to overcome our own weaknesses but also to bear with the weaknesses of other men Whiles we are here required to renew our strength there are two things which may be pointed out to us in this Expression First Recovery of strength there where it is in some measure lost and abated in us To renew it that is to regain it to require it and fetch it up again after some diminution Secondly The Improvement of strength to renew it that is to increase it and to add new strength unto it Each of these are here imployed and both to be practised by us in reference to our Christian Conversation we must renew our strength to each purpose First In a way of Recovery we must renew it that is repair it Those which have lost any measure and degree of Grace which they have formerly had they must indeavour to restore it again It is an ill thing for a
come to him no more Thus we find it recorded in the Gospel concerning divers that came to Christ that they served him just thus Joh. 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walk'd no more with him This must needs be very grievous and displeasing to him because it is such as casts a reproach upon his service and makes it to be ill thought of in the world As when a servant shall run away from his Master and come no more unto him especially there where he is well used and hath all the encouragement given him that can be this carries a great deal of disparagement and ignominy with it Even so is it here in mens carriage to God in this particular when they shall absolutely take their leaves of him and resolve to make no further addresses to him this is the height of miscarriage in them which therefore all those that fear God should be very cautious of being guilty in themselves And so much of the first particular considerable in this First General to wit the things themselves which God does charge these people withal in their assertion and resolution The Second is the censure which he passes upon them in the proper word of expostulation wherefore He charges them in it with unreasonableness and as such as they were able to give no good account for it in themselves And there are two things again in this First to signify that it was without reason They had no cause at all for it Secondly to signify that it was against reason They had very much cause to the contrary each of these are in this word Wherefore First to signify that it was without reason They had no cause at all for it that they should carry it thus towards God so as to withdraw and to depart from him for he had give them no occasion nor provocation at all We know how we reckon it amongst men and in the affairs of the world For people to be strange there where there is no occasion given them of strangeness it carries some uncouthness with it and puts them sometimes to their plunges and musings and thoughts in themselves who are the objects of it To study and find out a ground and reason for it from whence it should proceed Even so as we may say was it here with God in respect of his people he cannot devise what should be the cause of this their strange minds Wherefore to signify it is without reason But Secondly Wherefore also to signify it was against reason There was all the reason that might be to the contrary First their relation My people For strangers not to come at me were no strange thing but for relations to do so it is strange The more claim we make unto God the more observant should we be of him The Lord does still very frequently in Scripture lay a great emphasis upon that My people my people have committed two great evils my people have forgotten me c. And here my people came not unto me and say too that they will not what an unnatural thing is that Secondly The great things which they have received from me and which I have done for them It is strange in regard of that also and very unreasonable Every kindness is a strong engagement every courtesy is an obligation to duty The love and favour of God it is of a constraining and of a compelling nature and yet for all that it did not work or prevail here What a monstrous and prodigious thing was this contrary to all sense and reason and apprehension and imagination whatsoever There 's nothing which can be said to justify it or be a pretence and colour for it And so I have done also with the Second General Part of the Text which is the Ezpostulation Wherefore say my people we are Lords we will come no more unto thee The Third and last is the invitation to the view and consideration of both which we have prefixt in the beginning of the verse by way of introduction but I have reserv'd it rather to be handled in the conclusion as the fittest place for it in reference to our handling in these words O ye Generation see ye the Word of the Lord. By Generation here he means the people of the times in which the Prophet at that time lived And it has a kind of reflexion with it upon the sinfulness and wretchedness of it As who should say into what an age and time are we fallen And so we find our Saviour himself sometimes to use it and his Apostles with him A sinful and an adulterous Generation a crooked and perverse Generation a Generation of vipers and of evil-doers and the like Still they took notice of the temper of the Age and Generation in which they were and so is it requisite likewise upon occasion for others to do the same with them But that which is chiefly here observable is that which this Generation is invited unto namely to see the word of the Lord. One would have thought it should rather have been hear it for that 's the sense which is receptive of words rather than seeing But the Holy Ghost knew what he said and accordingly was pleased to make choice of such an expression as was most emphatical and agreeable to his purpose And so says rather see it as that which had the greatest efficacy and influence with it upon the mind Segnius irritant animum demissa per aurem quam quae sunt ocuâ—is subjecta So then see it that is understand it consider it mind it and attend unto it They had heard the word of the Lord often enough with their outward ears but that had done no good at all upon them they were little the better for that So then now therefore he calls upon them to see it that is in a special manner to take notice of it And which seems also to be included in it to judg of it and to consider the weightiness and seriousness of it That there was some ground and reason and cause for that which he said There are many words which are sometimes spoken by men especially in their anger and wrath which would not so well endure the test or examination of them which they would be ashamed that others should see them in the sense whereof we now speak Yea but these words of God were not such he cares not who hears them and he desires that every one may see them and be witnesses of them especially those who were themselves more particularly concerned in them Hear ye the word of the Lord. And it has a respect to a twofold Branch whereunto it is to be referr'd First the word of the Lord as it did respect his own justification Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of darkness judge ye of the truth of that Secondly as it did respect Israel's condemnation Wherefore say my people we are Lords we will come no
of of speaking And the Prophet Jeremy might say very well he could not hold his peace if we consider him but as a Prophet and Minister I cannot hold my peace that is I cannot but publish it and declare it and divulge it and make it known Therefore we see here what little reason there is to be offended with the servants of God upon such occasions as these are when those which are Prophets and Ministers do threaten and foretell Judgments to come and give some hints and symptoms of it aforehand we have no cause to be angry with them for it or to blame them for so doing for it is that which they many times cannot help nor hinder in themselves they are forced and put upon it out of obedience to God respect to themselves and their own peace affection to you and for your preservation They should deal very unworthily if they should here now hold their peace They speak and speak they must they are called and invited unto it and forced and constrained unto it There 's both a Providence and a Spirit guiding and inclining them in this particular which they cannot well decline It is a thing which is not of it self very pleasing unto them no more than it was to the Prophet Jeremy when it made his very heart ake and his bowels to roar within him The Ministers of God they do not very much delight in such messages as these are they had rather a great deal come with other words in their mouths with the words of comfort and peace and joy and consolation but it is your occasion and the condition which you are in that do enforce them and put them upon it whether they will or no. Therefore I say let us be patient under such hints and intimations as these are Those who are the Lords Watchmen they cannot here hold their peace and it becomes them to speak in this matter indeed I must also add this that they are to do it with a great deal of modesty and tenderness and ingenuity not too peremptorily taking upon them the determination of times and seasons or other circumstances which are mysteries which God has reserved in his own breast but for the general hints and motives themselves they may and must declare them according to the proportion of God's discovery and manifestation to themselves I cannot hold my peace i. e. I cannot hold my declaration as the Prophet here did That 's the first thing as it was a speech of Discovery or Publication The second is the Speech of Complaint I cannot hold my peace that is I cannot chuse but must bewail it the grief which he had conceived inwardly it did now outwardly vent forth it self as wind in the bowels of the Earth if it be kept in it will cause Earthquakes and terrestrial commotions and those siery exhalations that are drawn upward and are above in the Air if they be straitned they will cause Thunders and Tempests so passions and perplexive affections in the minds if they be restrained and curbed and kept in they will cause vexation and trouble of spirit within Those therefore in whom they are they think it the best and safest way to ease themselves of them by some outward expression And so did the Prophet here in the Text. There are divers vents which are used to this purpose weeping sighing complaining The heart in any kind of grief or extremity which is upon it does for the most part case it self in one of these three particulars But that which we have here now before us at this present time is the last of these three which I have named to wit of speaking I cannot hold my peace This Prophet Jeremy's Anguish was now so intolerable with him as that it drew him forth into complaints and bemoanings both of his own passion and also of the occasion of it Sometimes grief is so great as that it makes men that they cannot speak Curae leves loquuntur ingentes stupent Sometimes again it is so great as that it makes men that they cannot hold their peace and forbear speaking And this was Jeremy's case in this Scripture I cannot hold my peace meerly from the extremity of sorrow which is in my heart It is the case of many more besides poor souls especially in these times wherein we live of want and penury and necessity that though modesty will hardly let them speak as being ashamed to discover their condition yet extremity will hardly let them be silent as being unable to conceal their condition through the grievousness of it Where-ever we meet with such persons we should be tenderly affected towards them and where they cannot but speak we should not but hear them speaking to us where they have mouths we should have ears yea hands for the relieving of them according as it pleases God to inable us hereunto But that only by the way That 's the second Explication of it When the Prophet sayes he cannot but speak that is to say by way of complaint as Job 7.11 And so I have done with the Third Particular the passage or vent as likewise with the first General in the Text The Prophet's Lamentation My bowels my bowels I am pained at my very heart my heart makes a noise within me I cannot hold my peace Now there follows Secondly The ground or occasion of it in the next words Because thou hast heard O my soul the sound of the Trumpet and the Alarum of War Great and grievous complaints they have some ground and foundation for them especially according to the persons from whom they come Wise and well tempered men they do not use to make moan without cause especially in that manner as is here exprest Now the ground and occasion of the Prophet Jeremy's thus complaining is here before us Because thou hast heard c. In which passage for methods sake and more distinct handling of it we may take notice of three particulars First The Tydings or Report it self Secondly The conveyance of it to the Prophet Thirdly His Improvement which he makes of it The Tydings or Report it self that ye have in these words The sound of the Trumpet the Alarum of of War The conveyance of these Tydings to the Prophet Thou hast heard O my soul The Improvement in the Connexion Because thou hast heard c. First For the Tydings or Report it self it is the sound of the Trumpet and Alarum of War This was that which was presented unto him where it will be worth our time a little to inquire what we are to understand by these expressions And here I must premise thus much that this is not to be understood literally of the Trumpet properly so called in a military Acceptation the Trumpet of War whereof as yet there was no sound at this time in the Land when the Prophet Jeremy thus exprest himself Indeed it was not as we shall hear far off from them they were very near unto
with us whatever speculative knowledge we may at any time have of them we do as yet not know them That 's the third Explication He knows it not that is knows it not practically Lastly He knows it not i. e. knows it not cireumstantially in the latitude and extent of it with all the disparagements and aggravations which are upon it some slight kind of conceits he has of it but does not think it to be so bad a matter in good earnest as indeed it is Not to know a thing throughly and perfectly is so far forth not to know it at all and so here exprest Why but if he do not know it all the better there 's the less evil in it That misery which is not known it is not felt it is as good as no evil at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay but soft take heed of that this makes it to be so much the worse if we duly consider it There is a double evil in sin or Judgment not known as an aggravation of it The one in regard of the symptoms which are concurrent with it and the other in regard of the effects which are consequent to it First It is an ill symptom in regard of the concurrences with it It is an Argument of a greater distemper Look as in matter of the body when sickness is not felt it is a sign the Patient is so much the worse and his disease has more predominancy upon him and prevalency over him Even so is it also in case of the soul where there 's senslesness there 's the greater distemper It is a sign that wickedness is more wrought and incorporated into mens hearts than otherwise Where there is some tenderness and reluctancy and remorse there 's an Argument of some life but where all 's quiet and no stirring there 's nothing but spiritual deadness which has seized upon it Therefore the Apostle speaking of the Gentiles makes this to be an aggravation of their sinfulness that they were past feeling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness to commit all uxcleanness with greediness It is ill for the symptom Secondly It is ill for the effects It is of the more dangerous consequence to those which are in such a condition Sickness where 't is not felt it is desperate the Patient is in an unrecoverable condition no helping or curing of him And so here Those that know not either their sins or Judgments will still persist and go on in them and so expose themselves still to further danger and inconvenience from them as not discerning the snares which they are in nor the evils whereof they are likely to partake It is ill for the effects What does all this now teach us as the use which we are to make of it Two things especially First Pity to others Secondly Caution to our selves There 's both of these which do issue from it First I say Pity to others When at any time we see any poor wretches in such a sad condition as this is whereof we now speak lying under great miscarriages and yet not knowing it or exposed to great Judgments and Punishments and yet knowing it not we see here what couse we have to commiserate them and to have compassion upon them as being indeed most miserable We pity men who are so in bodily distempers When we see a mad-man triumphing in his chains ah poor creature say we that knows not the misery which he is in And how much more cause have we to do so likewise even in spiritual We see how the Prophet does here bewail it in Ephraim c. Especially considering this that it will not alwaies be so with him If people as they do not know their misery now so they could ever be ignorant of it there might be somewhat in it but that they cannot conscience will one day be awake and they shall know whether they will or no yea perhaps when it is too late for them and they shall then know to purpose God will make them then to know as Gideon did the men of Succoth Judg. 8. The daies of visitation are come The daies of Recompence are come Israel shall know it Hos 9.17 Secondly Here 's Caution also for our selves to take heed that we be not willingly ignorant but labour thoroughly to know the state and condition which we are in either in regard of sin or Judgment Consider what a sad thing it is to be in a fools Paradise and to go on laughing and singing to Hell Do but think of that how dangerous a thing it is here not to know and therefore search and study our own hearts and lives and conversations and Gods providence towards us and be mindful of every thing which we see to happen out unto us Yea for this purpose desire God himself herein to help us as David himself did Psal 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts See if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting So much also of the second General The aggravation of Ephraim's misery from his stupidity He knows it not yea and he knows it not twice repeated SERMON XLVI JER 18.12 And they said There is no hope but we will walk after our own devices There is nothing wherein the naughtiness and perversness of the heart of man which is most deceitful and desperately wicked is more discovered than in its cross and unsutable entertainment of the dealings of God with it especially in his gracious excitements and invitations of it to Repentance and Conversion and Turning to himself in that these have oftentimes very little impression upon it or prevalency with it Nay farther not onely so but also that now and then it proves to be from hence so much the more confirm'd and setled and rooted in evil An instance whereof we have now here before us in the Text which I have now read unto you We shew'd the last day out of the verse immediately preceding the seasonable and serious Exhortation which was made by God to these people the men of Judah and Jerusalem and in them to all others besides for their returning from their evil ways and the making of their ways and their doings good Now here in this Verse in hand we have the obstinate and refractory Answer and Reply which they make hereunto in a flat and absolute denial with the pretended ground of it And they said There is no hope c. IN the Text it self there are two General parts considerable First a desperate Conclusion Secondly a peremptory Resolution or Determination following thereupon The Conclusion is in that word there is no hope The Resolution upon it in those But we will walk after our own devices We begin with the first viz. the Conclusion There is no hope The Hebrew word is Noash the same expresly which is in Jer. 2.25 There is
inconstancy nor God will not have us to be peremptory there where we are meetly dependant We are but tenants at will and so we must carry our selves to this great and mighty Landlord of Heaven and Earth This the Apostle James enforces and sets on upon us in Jam. 4.13 14. Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow For what is your life it's even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away For that ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that Thus in every particular we must be dependant still upon the Lord the preserver of our lives And thus as it must be in our lives so also in every thing else friends husbands wives children and the like The more men make account of them the less hold they have of them and they are then taken away when they are most of all expected to remain God loves to discover to us what vain creatures we are and how our whole subsistence is in him This is the Second Proposition The Third has some affinity with it and that 's this Thirdly The life of man lies open to innumerable hazards they shall take away thy soul we in our translation read it passively Thy soul shall be required of thee but in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is impersonable and also indefinite to signify to us how many things are able to do it They cannot be numbred and therefore they cannot be named They that 's indeed All there 's nothing whatsoever but is here at God's command Where then are those which boast in their youth and their health and their strength and their vigorous constitution as if nothing could mar them but a disease or old age Alas there are an hundred thousand things besides They shall take away thy soul If men could covenant with sickness yet they cannot covenant with chance and casualty and unexpected accidents there are more of these than diseases This should teach us therefore to be always in readiness and preparation seeing eternity depends upon our lives and our lives are so full of hazard how should we then be careful to look to our selves A Christian with the Apostle Paul should dye daily and look upon every day as that which might be his last for ought himself knew And for this purpose be often in converse and communion with God that so that which is so obvious when it comes may not be tedious not a strange and uncouth thing It will be no such difficult matter for that man to go to God at his last day who converses with God every day Seeing life lies open to so many evils and dangers it should teach us to be more in preparation and disposition for our departure Further we may here see what a little distance there is betwixt wicked men and hell They use to put away from them the evil day and to think it a great way off and far from them but ye see they are neer it as they are subject to so many casualties This should frighten men out of their natural condition and perswade them to make their calling and election sure who would be uncertain of his salvation so long as he is uncertain of his life who would not labour to find himself to be a Christian who considers himself to be one Oh the madness and folly of men in this particular methinks we should not sleep quietly nor eat nor walk about the streets whiles they remain in their unregenerate estate because that wheresoever they go or whatsoever they set themselves about they go not only in danger of their lives but likewise in danger of their souls they are not only exposed to death but exposed to damnation if they should dye in that condition Again we here see how much we are bound to the providence and goodness of God towards us and what cause we have to be thankful that seeing so many things might take us away yet so few things do Oh! we little think what an eye waits over us and rescues us from many evils which we were subject and liable to in our infancy and in our childhood when we were unable to help our selves how God protected us and kept us and gone along with us and how have we cause to bless and praise his name for it This is the Third Proposition Fourthly Ungodly men their souls are taken from them by force It shall be required of thee that is it shall be drawn by compulsion The children of God although they have the reluctancies of nature which others have yet they sweetly resign their souls into the hands of the Lord as our Blessed Saviour for a pattern Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And the Apostle Peter to this purpose in 1 Pet. 4.19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator This is the excellency of the Saints that they can commit their souls to God and deposite them with him as a man does any thing of value and esteem with some special and some faithful friend Thus the Apostle Paul in 2 Tim. 1 12. I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Thus I say 't is with believers and the children of God but for the wicked their souls are forced from them they are pull'd and haled out of the world whether they will or no. Not as if any one were to hasten his own death himself we mean not so but wicked and ungodly men God in a manner turns them out of doors and bids them be gone His own children when they perceive their lives once out they give up their lease themselves upon his intimation without any more ado But men of the world they stand out till they have a writ of Ejection They shall take thy soul from thee For this we have a notable place in Job 27.19 c. The rich man shall lye down but he shall not be gathered he openeth his eyes and he is not Terrors take hold on him as waters and a tempest stealeth him away in the night The East-wind carrieth him away and he departeth and as a stone hurleth him out of his place And this is the Third General The threatning and menacing tidings This night thy soul shall be required of thee The last General Head is the expostulatory inference Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Which words contain in them a double signification First a note of resolution and Secondly a note of ambiguity whose shall these be That is first of all they shall not be thine that 's once take that for granted
the surface of things but we do not dive into the bottom and foundation of them We see things sometimes in their beginnings but we do not see what they will be in the close and latter end and conclusion of them There 's a various account which may be given of this truth and observation to us as First from the intricacy and difficulty and perplexity of the things themselves God's ways themselves many times are very dark and obscure and mysterious As there is a mystery in the truths of Christ the mystery of the Faith and the mystery of Godliness as it is sometimes call'd in Scripture so there is a mystery in the actions of Christ likewise His Providence it has secrets in it His way is in the Sea and his path in the great waters and his footsteps are not known Ps 78.19 Oh the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out for who hath known the mind of the Lord says the Apostle Rom. 11.33 And the Prophet Isaiah in Isa 55.8 9. My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord For as the Heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts There 's an involution of one thing in another so that they do not presently appear what they are As in the Prophet Ezekiel there were the wheels within the wheels He does great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number Job 5.9 Secondly As there 's an intricacy in the things so there 's likewise a difficulty upon our understandings yea even the best that are they are but short-sighted in this particular And that according to a twofold principle First the dimness of natural reason and Secondly the imperfection of supernatural illumination Reason that 's blind And Grace that 's but weak and imperfectly wrought in us First There 's a dimness upon reason even in those who have the greatest measure and proportion of it from whence they are unable to reach the deep things of God either as to matter of Doctrine or Practice Worldly wisdom it counts the ways of God to be foolishness and such things as are inconsistent to themselves And Secondly As for Grace and the light of the Spirit of God himself it is but in such a measure and degree communicated to us from whence it might do this in us Therefore even holy persons such as Peter in the Text here was have been sometimes short in this particular and still are From a deficiency in their own understandings Thirdly This proceeds from special and Divine Dispensation God does of purpose order it that even his own Servants shall sometimes not be able to apprehend his own ways nor know what he does in the World And that for divers reasons also As First Because it may be they are not as yet capable of them nor sit to receive them Thus we know how in other places our Blessed Saviour forbore to discover some things to his Disciples because as yet they were not able to bear them as himself tells them Joh. 16.12 I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now It is a great part of wisdom in a Teacher to impart and communicate his notions answerably to the capacity of the Learner And so it is also with Christ in his dispensations As Paul to the Corinthians I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even as to Babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able And so to the Hebrews Heb. 5.12 Of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing ye are dull of hearing God's people whiles they are here in this world have neither heads nor hearts fit for some kind of discoveries not heads sit to apprehend them nor hearts fit to digest them If they be evil they would be apt too much to be dejected if they be good they would be apt too much to be exalted and lifted up They would be ready to bear neither so as they should do And therefore does God think it fitting in wisdom to keep them ignorant of them that so as yet they might not know them or be acquainted with them That 's one reason of this concealment because as yet they are not capable of them Secondly God will not have his people presently to know what he does that so hereby he may take occasion for the better exercise and improvement of their Faith and dependance upon himself The more at any time we see the less we do commonly believe Faith it is most vigorous and conspicuous in cases of obscurity and disappearance Now blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed as our Saviour speaks Joh. 20.19 It is no great thanks to trust God when we see all clear before us But in difficulties there 's the trial As Abraham Even against hope to believe in hope And as Job Though he slay me yet will I trust in him And as Paul We despaired even of life and yet trusted in the Living God which raises from the dead And as Habakkuk Although the Figtree blossom not nor fruit be in the Vine c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation This is enough for Christians to know that they have to deal with a Gracious and All-sufficient God to whem they may with a great deal of safety and considence commit themselves in the greatest outward uncertainties And so long as they can do so they need not be any further troubled in their own thoughts as concerning future events Yea God himself delights that it should be at this pass with them as whereby himself is so much the more honoured and advanced by them Abraham whiles he was strong in Faith he is said to give Glory to God and so indeed he did Rom. 4.20 Because he stagger'd not at the promise of God through unbelief He that believeth not he makes God a liar which amongst men is counted one of the highest pieces of dishonour But he that believeth he sets to his seal that God is true for which cause God is pleased so much in the improvement of Faith He comes to see of what credit and esteem he is with us where there is a failing of outward helps Thirdly The Servants of God do not always know what he does nor he will not have them to do so for the preferring of his own liberty and soveraignty amongst them that they may not by this means teach him and follow him and set limits unto him His ways as we said are unsearchable and he delights to have them be so for his own greater glory and renown It is fit for creatures to be in the condition of creatures and to keep
any one else in such a condition As Micah said to the Danites Judg. 28.24 Ye have taken away my Gods and do ye ask me what ayles me That Christian from whom Christ is departed hath very great cause and occasion of trouble upon him As we may see by the complaint which the Spouse her self makes of it Cant. 3.9 And Cant. 5.6 Thus have Christians cause to be troubled for the miseries and afflictions which are upon them And so as for their own miseries so for the miseries and afflictions of the Church which are either felt at any time or seared They have great cause to be troubled for these likewise By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion c. And Neh. 1.3 4 c. When he heard of the captivity of his brethren he sat down and wept and mourned certain days Yea even Artaxerxes the King himself took notice of it in the sadness of his countenance Neh. 2.2 The Prophet Jeremy wish'd his head were waters and his eyes a fountain of tears that he might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people in Jer. 9.1 c. So far have the Servants of God been troubled for the troubles of their brethren and it has become them so to be And thus far as we have now explain'd it is it both lawful and necessary likewise for Christians to be troubled in case both of their own and others sins and miseries which is the first thing here considerable The next is how far it is unlawful and prohibited to them as it is here in the Text Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid As there is a trouble and fear allowed so there is also the same forbidden unto them Now this trouble which is prohibited and forbidden for the better explaining of it to us is considerable three manner of ways First in the measure of it Secondly in the manner of it Thirdly in its effects For the measure of it First Then trouble is inordinate when it is excessive and immoderate and beyond the nature and quality of the thing it self which it is exercised about The rule of all affections is to be suitable and proportionable to the objects which they are carried unto now when this rule is not observed by us in matter of grief or fear or trouble or any such thing it is then otherwise than it should be and to be restrained in us Thus David for his Absalom he was greatly moved 2 King 18.33 And Rachel for her children She refused to be comforted Jer. 31.15 And Hannah for her barrenness She was in bitterness and heaviness of spirit 1 Sam. 1.15 When men are troubled and know no bounds for their trouble then their trouble is inordinate in them Secondly As for the measure so for the manner and circumstance of it When trouble is joyn'd with distrustfulness and despair and questioning of God's attributes whether his Goodness or Truth or Wisdom or Power or All-sufficiency then it is inordinate Thus we may be troubled for sin yea and ought so to be But we must be troubled for it in God's way troubled for it so as to loath it and hate it and abhor it and to depart from it Not troubled for it so as to deny the free Grace of God in Christ and God's readiness to forgive and pardon all those who in truth of heart turn unto him We may be troubled for it but not as Cain was troubled who said his sin was greater than could be forgiven And we may be troubled for it but not as Judas was troubled who run himself upon desperate courses upon the apprehensions of it To be troubled thus is unagreeable to a Christian and gives further occasion of trouble where it is well considered and thought upon So again As for sin so for misery and affliction either our own or the Churches we may as I said be troubled for them and we are accountable there where we are not We ought to be affected and to lay to heart the dispensations of God in the world and his chastising providences to us Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the people not be afraid Shall the Lion roar and the beasts of the I orrest not tremble Shall God threaten a Nation at any time either with sword or with samine or with pestilence or with any token of his displeasure and shall not they in the mean time be sensible and apprehensive of it Yes by all means it becomes them to be so God expects it and looks for it from them Whether in regard of publick calamities or in regard of mens private afflictions they may be justly troubled at them But this trouble it must be qualified with Grace and submitted to that with saith and patience and contentation and self-resignation and submission still to God's will in all conditions We may not be so troubled for the World as to think God does not govern the World nor takes no care at all of it Nor we may not be so troubled for the Church as to think God has forsaken the Church and has no further affection to it As Sion sometimes foolishly and pettishly complain'd The Lord has forsaken me and my God has forgotten me c. Isa 49.14 Can a woman forget her sucking-child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb Yes she may yet will not I forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands c. We may be troubled and grieved in our selves for the troubles and afflictions of the Church but it must be still with these qualifications and concomitances joyn'd unto it First that we do acknowledg God's Justice and Righteousness in that which he does that God afflicts it not without very great cause and provocation of himself thereunto As Ezra 9.13 After all that is come upon us thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities Secondly that we acknowledg God's Wisdom as one that knows what is best for his Church and what condition is most expedient for it or for any part or member of it Thirdly that we acknowledg God's Goodness and Love and Good-will to his Church as being a great deal more tender of it than we can be that knows its frame and remembers its mould c. Lastly that we acknowledg God's Power and Ability to help his Church and to save it in time of need And so mourn but not without hope Thirdly This inordinacy of trouble is considerable in its consequents and effects which it does work and produce in us As First when it makes us impatient and fretful under the hand of God Thus it has done sometimes with some persons as Jehoram 2 King 6.33 Behold this evil is of the Lord why should I wait on the Lord any longer And Isa 8.21 They shall fret themselves c. Thus Jeremy and Jonah who were otherwise holy Prophets they were
and his whole life was no other than a continual Document to them and Pattern which he set before them Now it could not but be very grievous to them likewise to be destitute and fall short of this which they did by his going away from them In all these respects were the Disciples now likely to be comfortless and afterwards proved so occasionally from Christs departure from them as to the withdrawing of his corporal presence They were sad as those that had lost a most sweet and useful Friend and one that was every way profitable and beneficial to them sor instruction for direction for imitation and every thing which was lovely And so it may be likewise with any other which are still in the like condition The likest that is to it of any thing is the deprival of the outward Ordinances and Means of Salvation and of those that should dispense them to us This according as they may be especially is in a sort and in a manner to be deprived even of the presence of Christ which is especially considerable in these matters Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me says the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13.3 and it is Christ that walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.13 The dispensation of the Ordinances it is the presentment and manifestation of Christ to such persons as are made partakers of it And on the other side the want of them is the withdrawing as it were of his presence Now this to bring it home to the Text it is a very sad and uncomfortable business where it happens so to be even as of Children destitute of their Parents it is not onely as of Sheep without a Shepherd but also as Orphans without a Father as it is here exprest unto us and not onely here also but elfewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we find the word used 1 Thess 2.17 Now the sum of all is this That we now for our particulars should accordingly be affected with it and lay it to heart thus the Disciples were here when they were deprived of Christs bodily presence and it became them to be so As their condition was now comfortless so to be sensible and apprehensive of it and to mourn under it This is that which they did this is that which was sitting for them to do though our Saviour did labour to pacifie them and to comfort them in it it was their duty to be troubled for it where yet it was possible for them to fail in the manner and circumstances of that duty And so here as to this particular business whereof we now speak it is likewise the duty of all such as are under the want and deprivation of those spiritual opportunities to make the best improvement of it that possibly they can First by inquiring into the cause and occasion of it as near as we can what it is which may move God to take such a course as this with us which is in it self a very great affliction and not lightly to be past over by us And the finding out of the cause of it may be a great tendency and inducement to the remedy and recovery of it Now of this there are divers occasions which are to be thought on and considered by us God does sometimes for sundry reasons out short and deprive a people of those means and instruments of their salvation which they have formerly enjoy'd First Vnthankfulness and want of prising of such a Blessing as this is whiles we enjoy it God's word and the labours of his Servants are things which are so precious with him and which be sets at so high a rate that sooner or later he will be sure to have them valued there where they are bestowed and where they are not so he will now and then remove them and take them away that so that which is not known in the enjoyment it may at least be understood by the loss and privation of it It was reasonable it might be so with the Disciples now at this time as to Christs personal presence with them they might not it may be have esteemed it so much as they should and therefore though there were other ends for the withdrawing of it yet it might also have this influence upon them so as to humble them for their former neglect that they might bewail their ingratitude and unthankfulness for so great a favour as the presence of so gracions a Master And so in this particular which we now speak of God does oftentimes take away such opportunities that men may reflect upon their former senslesness and inapprehensiveness of the mercies which they did enjoy and accordingly be assected with it as it becomes them to be Secondly As unthankfulness so also which is annex'd to it unfruitfulness and unprofitableness under such means God never appointed his Ministery as a Complement and business of State which men should have here by them onely for fashion and never to do any good with it but for improvement and edification The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with all as that they should profit others who are endued with it so that they should be profited by it for whose sake also it is given Now therefore where it ceases to be so he is very much displeased and because he is so now and then withdraws the exercise of it God will not have such precious liquor as this is to run waste but be gathered up and made use of And where it is otherwise himself will restrain it and deny it and keep it up Thirdly Spiritual Wantonness and Curiosity and Affectation When God shall afford us the gifts and pains of his Servants and we are continually excepting against them and quarrelling with them and diminishing from them this does provoke God exceedingly in this particular When we have good and wholesome food provided for us and we loath it and scorn it and despise it as the Israelites did their Quails and Manna this light bread as they call'd it God will then in such cases as those are make them to know what it is as children when they begin to paly with their victuals their Parents then take it away from them These and the like miscarriages which we may think of are the causes and occasions of such dealings from God in this business And that 's the first use of this Observation by inquiring into the occasions Secondly Seeing the deprival of the means of Salvation is so sad and comfortless a condition therefore we should the more carefully improve them at such time as we are partakers of them and prevent and thereby keep off such a condition as this is from our selves We should so order and dispose of our carriage as that Christ may delight to be with us and to reside and continue amongst us and not to remove or to depart from us And so much may suffice briefly to have spoken of
to understand them and to know the meaning and intent of them that is to say for which cause and reason God is pleased to send and inflict them that so they may make a right use of them this they do not see which it concerns them to do To know the times and seasons thus namely in reference to God's judgments Thirdly The duties and engagement of the times it becomes us likewise to know these and it concerns us to study them to know what Israel ought to do as it is there exprest For there is a particular duty and carriage and behaviour and conversation which is proper to such a particular time which in another time is not so convenient Every thing is beautiful in its season as the Scripture tells us and that which may be a sin at one time it may be a duty at another according to the several circumstances and appurtenances which it may be clothed withal which it concerns all wise and prudent Christians to be advised of and lay to heart In Rom. 12.11 We find this advice given by the Apostle to the believing Romans and in them to all other Christians Not slothful in business fervent in spirit serving the Lord but according to some translations it is serving the time which is not to be understood by us of a base and unworthy complyance with the sins and corruptions of the time but of a careful and discreet consideration of the necessities and conditions of the time which are very much to sway and regulate those actions which are to be done by us This is to be supposed and taken for granted and laid for a rule That we may never do any thing which in its own nature is unlawful or against the word of God There 's no time for sin no not the least sin that is neither may we at all indulge our selves in it so as to frame our selves to it But for those things which are of a middle nature and in themselves consider'd indifferent there 's another account to be given of them and the time of performances here 's considerable as of very great influence both as to the honour and glory of God and as to the good and advantage of God's people And thus we have seen in what respect it may be pertinent for us to know the times and seasons whether in a natural sense or a civil sense or a spiritual sense and religious But the sense in which it is impertinent and whereof we now speak is suitable to the occasion of the Text and as we hinted before as to the time of mens particular deaths the change and alteration of affairs in Kingdoms or States the end and consummation of the world and the time of Christ's coming to judgment such times and seasons as these it is not for you to know that is it is not proper for you it is not your business nor belonging unto you Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but revealed things belong unto us and to our children for ever Deut. 30.20 Secondly It is not for you that is it is not profitable for you it is not your interest or advantage For men to know the times and seasons in this last sense as I have now explained it 's no way useful or beneficial to them neither is it any matter whether they know them and whether the time of their own particular end or of the end of the world It might please as a matter of speculation and so there are divers that busy themselves about it for the discovery of it but it cannot profit in a way of instruction neither does it tend to any true or real edification There 's no considerable advantage which can be thought to come by it nay indeed there is rather much of the contrary it is prejudicial and inconvenient Partly as it would be perplexing and distracting and partly as it would be apt to retard us and take men off from their duty and doing of such things as at present are required of them Thirdly It is not for you that is it is not possible for you it is not within your reach or compass or which you are able to attain unto The time and season of the end of the world and for Christ's coming to judgment it is not in your power to know nor comprehensible by you This agrees with that which follows in the close of the verse which we handled before where it is said that the Father hath put it in his own power and so out of the power of any other besides This agrees with that which our Saviour himself hath in another place likewise declared to this purpose in Mark 13.32 But of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Where there are three sorts of persons excluded from the knowledg of this time Men and Angels and the Son that is Christ himself The latter whereof especially seems to carry some difficulty with it which I shall briefly resolve how Christ who is said in another place to know all things Joh. 21.17 yet is said in this place not to know the day and hour of the last judgment And it is so much the more considerable forasmuch as it is he himself who is appointed to be the Judg as we have it in Acts 17.31 God hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordain'd This man is no other than Jesus Christ who is God and Man both Now that he who was to be the Judg should not know the time of the judgment seems to be a little incongruous and yet notwithstanding it is here intimated as if he did not know the day For the right explication we must consider in what sense this is spoken and we may reduce it to a threefold head First to the subject of this knowledg Secondly to the means of it Thirdly to the manner of it According to either of these he may be said to know it well First Take it as to the subject of this knowledg The Son knoweth not that day and hour But how consider'd namely not as the Son of God but as the Son of Man forasmuch as Christ doth sustain in himself both natures the Godhead and the Manhood therefore by a communication of properties what belongs but only to one nature it is attributed to the whole person As therefore Christ is said to dye not as he was God but as he was Man because the Manhood only is capable of mortality so Christ is said to be ignorant as he was the Son of Man not as he was the Son of God because the Manhood only is capable of ignorance And as he is said to know all things because he was God so on the other side not to know some things because he was Man And so some of the ancients carry it He that knew it as he was God and
this that we should Preach of no other subject but only of the death of Christ for there are many other points besides which it is necessary for a Minister to speak of and for a Christian likewise to hear of But when we are commanded to Preach Christ crucified and to make this the object of our Ministry there are these things included and involved in this expression as to be understood by us First For the matter of our Preaching as I have already shewn that we are to preach this principally and to make people sensible of this point more especially above any other because the hinge of the Gospel turns upon this point and we are Ministers of the Gospel therefore to beat more upon this than any other Secondly For the order of our Preaching to do all in reference to this then we preach Christ crucified not only when we discourse of this Argument for the particular subject of it but likewise when we preach of such points as are introductive and preparatory hereunto or which are superstructed and founded hereupon When we shew men their own corruption by nature and the necessity which they have of a Saviour And when we teach men to live holy lives and to be crucified in their affections and lusts then we preach Christ crucified as well as when we discourse of the thing Thirdly For the manner of our Preaching we then Preach Christ crucified when we Preach Christ and the Doctrine of Christ in a grave and sober fashion this is clear by the opposition which the Apostle Paul himself there sets 1 Cor. 2.2 where he sets this Preaching of Christ crucified as opposite to the excellency of humane speech I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring unto you the testimony of God For I de termined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified As who should say the one would not consist with the other They that profess themselves to be Preachers of Christ crucified they should abstain from all kind of looseness and affectation and flanting in their Preaching as a manner which does not agree with the matter Suppose now that any one were to paint a dying or crucified man would he paint him in a garment of colours or in a garment of black surely in the most grave and solemn attire that could be even so it should be likewise with us whiles we Preach Christ crucified we should endeavour to set him out after a crucified manner not in the wisdom of words lest we make the Cross of Christ of none effect but in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit which may have conviction and power with it And thus we see what it is to preach Christ crucified Again further Here 's that which may satisfie Ministers as for those things which oftentimes they are subject unto and that scorn and ignominy which is many times cast upon them it is but futable to the Doctrine it self which they teach namely Christ crucified and therefore it should satisfie them in it and make them more willing to endure and to bear with them whiles they Preach Christ crucified to be content to be crucified and to meet with the same entertainment which he did in the world The Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord. Besides The Doctrine it self is odious A stumbling-block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles as we shall hear God willing hereafter And therefore they must be needs odious that bring it and so for the most part they are as the Apostle professes of himself 1 Cor. 4.9 c. But then secondly Here 's somewhat not only for Ministers but people and not only for Preachers but hearers as first to teach them what Points and Doctrines they should chiefly affect and look afer We live in such an age at this present as tha the wholsome and savoury points of Religion are of no esteem with us but we loath them and are weary of them but we must have every day some new-nothing to be brought unto us we do not like this Doctrine of Christ crucified but must have somewhat else given us for our lusts as the Israelites for their bodily food Now here we are better instructed in this present passage of the Apostle wherein he tells us That he preached Christ crucified That which is the main object of the Ministers Preaching is the main of our hearing also And therefore let us take heed of this same itch which is abroad in the world in this kind I hope I shall not need to say much here in this place to this purpose but only this in a word First This is a cause why many people are so formal in Religion and have so little of the power of Godliness in them because they look rather after notions and speculations than solid Truths Their strength is according to their sustenance Secondly This is the cause of so many Errors and false Doctrines amongst us men first turn their ears from the truth and then are turned unto fables as it is in 2 Tim. 4.3 4. Thirdly This is the cause of so much strife and division amongst us because every one stands more for the devices of their own brains than they do for the Truths of Christ Now there 's this Use which may be made of this Point to all Christians namely that seeing Christ crucified is the chief Argument of a Ministers Preaching it should be also accordingly the chief rule of a Christians practice The Preaching of Christ crucified should teach us to be crucified with Christ that so the labours of the Ministers may be digested into our lives When we preach Christ crucified it is not only by way of narration to tell you that such a thing is done but it is rather by way of information to perswade and work upon you for living answerably hereunto And 't is not only to work upon mens fancies and to stir their passion a little for a while in a Frier-like manner but to mollifie and soften their hearts and to bring their spirits into a temper suitable hereunto This Doctrine of Christ crucified it should crucifie us more to sin to the world and to our own selves as we shall have occasion hereafter to show And as this Point should always take with us so especially should we now more meditate and think upon it as is that which is especially tendered and exhibited to us in the Sacrament which we have so often partak'd of The Sacrament of the Lords Supper it was instituted in remembrance of Christs death and to assure us of the great love of Christ to us in this particular This is not only to be thought of us at the very instant and time of receiving but upon all occasions all the days of our life which we are to regulate and to frame hereunto And so I have done with the Apostles Doctrine it self Christ crucified How farther this
regard of the world of no great descent so likewise for his conversation in the world it was after a poor and mean fashion Foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests but the son of man knew not where to lay his head This was another thing which made them to forsake him and to withdraw from him Those which are worldly-minded themselves they look at nothing else in others but worldly accomplishments Thirdly His Company and Converse that was another thing which rendred him offensive that he had society with Publicans and Sinners whereas indeed he had it for no other end but only for their good not as delighting in their sinfulness but rather as taking occasion to take them off from it But lastly and especially which is that that is here mentioned in the Text he was offensive in regard of his Death Christ crucified was an offence unto them that he who was called the Saviour of the World should suffer death from the hands of men this they looked upon as a contemptible business and they now began to scorn that Doctrine which brought such tidings unto them This we see made good in the mockings which they cast upon him on the Cross it self If thou be the Son of God save thy self c. And thus we see how Christ was a stumbling-block or scandal in point of Cavil or Exception Secondly He was so likewise in point of Temptation he was a scandal or stumbling-block to the Jews as he was an occasion of sin unto them and this he was as Christ crucified also an occasion not as given by him but as made and taken by them First as being themselves instrumental in the very act of his Crucifying for so some of the Jews had been Their wicked hands as the Apostle Peter plainly and roundly tells them had crucified him and put him to death And was he not then truly a stumbling-block and a scandal unto them in this regard what greater sin could there be than the crucifying of the Lord of Glory and the putting of the Son of God to an open shame why this now some of them did and so fell into a grievous sin But then secondly that was not all that they were active themselves in crucifying him but further in that being crucified they took occasion from hence to abhor him and so much the more to withdraw from him so that now he is indeed a stone of stumbling to them and they stumble at this chief corner-stone as the Scripture speaks This is the great misery and wretchedness of wicked men that they are so far from being the better as that they are the worse for the Mysteries of Salvation and their hearts are now so much the more hardened as these things are tendered and exhibited unto them As the Apostle observes of the Law it was an occasion of sin unto him Rom. 7.10 Thus he was a scandal also in point of Temptation Thirdly A scandal also in point of Destruction Christ crucified and the preaching of him was to the Jews an occasion of ruin and plunged them so much the deeper as it fell out in condemnation And that because they rejected this means of Salvation which was now offered unto them this the Apostle himself signifies unto us in Rom. 9.31 32 33. Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone as it is written Behold I lay c. And so the Apostle Peter again 1 Pet. 2.7 8. A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to them which are disobedient This was Christ crucified to the Jews He was through their own sin and corruption instead of a Saviour a Destroyer and instead of a means of recovery an occasion of great mischief and ruin Now what 's the Moral of all this to us For I suppose the Spirit of God intends somewhat more than the bare history and narration and what is written before in this kind it is written for our learning There is somewhat which we may take notice of as profitable for our own instruction from this of the Jews and that 's this That the means of Grace and Salvation are to corrupt and perverse hearts the occasions of greater ruin and destruction Christ who by Gods appointment was a precious and chief corner-stone is to the Jews a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence They break their shinns at this stone and are bruised by it This is a truth in sundry Particulars wherein it is made good take it in what you will almost and so you shall find it This very Doctrine it self of Christ crucified It is such as by many persons is wrested to their own perdition and destruction For what do divers sorts of people conclude from hence why that therefore they may live as they list and give no account of their carriage Christ died and therefore they think that hereby themslves are discharged upon what terms and conditions they please This is the Cross of Christ a stumbling to them they are ruined and undone by it and occasionally more involved in condemnation And so as for the Death of Christ so also for the Remembrance of this death which is exhibited to us in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper which we are now to approach to Those which are yet in their sins even this is also a stumbling-block to them He that eats and drinks unworthily he eats and drinks damnation to himself not discerning the Lords-body as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 11.29 The word in the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies judgment and it respects either temporal or eternal it being in a sense true of both First Temporal judgment forasmuch as in the profaning of this Ordinance he provokes God to inflict many temporal evils upon him For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep as it is vers 30. Profanation of the Ordinances is an occasion of many corporal diseases But then se condly also spiritual and eternal there are such evils as these which are oftentimes consequent hereupon and I join them both together as relating one to the other First Spiritual and that even here in this present life in a judgment upon the soul and spirit Careless and unworthy Communicants they do much prejudice themselves here both in reference to Grace and Comfort for Grace instead of improving in this they improve more in sin and their corruptions encrease more upon them than they did before When a man comes conscionably to this Ordinance and receives it so as he should do it is a means through the Blessing of God for the weakening of corruption in him and for the strengthening of the Graces of Gods Spirit but when he comes carelesly and hand over head it proves the contrary to him Let a man have any Grace
of Gods election he hath chosen a certain number of each I shewed you before how our effectual calling is founded upon our predestination Now there is a number of each which are elected therefore there must be a number of each which are called forasmuch as those which are appointed to the end they must of necessity partake oF the means which tend to that end Now for Jews and Gentiles they are both elected and chosen and therefore both also effectually called For the Jews they are said as touching the Election to be beloved for the Fathers sake Rom. 11.28 And for the Gentiles 1 Thes 1 Knowing Brethren Beloved your election of God Thus Jews and Greeks are both elected Accordingly God is said to be the God not only of the one but of the other Rom. 3.29 c. Is he the God of the Jews only Is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also Seeing it is one God c. Secondly Christ died for both for one as well as for t'other therefore there are those which shall be saved of both That Christ died for both 't is clear as out of that place in John 21.51 52 where it is said that Caiaphas who was the high priest for that year prophesied that Jesus should dye for that nation And not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad And so 1 John 2.1 2 We have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole That is not only for the Jews but the Gentiles And hence we are all both one and the other said to partake of the same mystical body 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit They have both alike interest in Christ Thirdly They have both alike interest in the Gospel and means of salvation this was cleared by Peters going to Cornelius Acts 11.17 18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance and the condition which is given in charge to the Apostles runs thus Go unto all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature and go teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 They partake in the means and therefore consequently in the thing it self The consideration of this present point is thus far useful unto us as it teaches us two things First To pray for the calling and conversion of the Jews And Secondly to pray for the accomplishment and fulness of the Gentiles First For the calling of the Jews which is a mystery revealed unto us as that which in time shall be Rom. 11.16 c. We have here further a good ground to expect it from that which is done already being there were some which were called from the beginning in the days of the Apostles there shall be more of them at last wrought upon and converted And St Pauls argument holds good to this purpose If the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches The conversion of so many Jews in the first plantation of the Gospel was a pledg and fore-runner of many more to be brought into the same number Secondly It also holds for our expectation of the fulness of the Gentiles we see there are yet many Gentiles which are still kept out of the pales of the Church which never heard of Christ nor as yet have partaked of the means of Salvation well but let us not from hence be discouraged and put out of hope we have some cause to look for it and expect it from those which are brought in already also The calling of these Greeks gives us ground to hope and expect that there will be divers others in time likewise converted The performance whereof is that which the Jews also stay for according to that of the Apostle in Rom. 11.25 That blindness is in part happened unto Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved And so much for the words in that sense To them which are called both Jews and Greeks But then again a little further These words may be here taken not only in an Historical sense but in a Moral not only as spoken particularly of these two Nations the Jews and the Greeks but likewise as spoken of such persons as were noted either for simplicity or wisdom as those Nations do point out unto us so that the Jews represent the one and the Greeks the other The Jews being notorious for their stupidity and the Greeks famous for their learning as I have formerly shewn unto you And so there 's this in it That God has his lot and portion amongst learned and unlearned both there 's no exception in point of conversion of either of these two we have instances of either of these in Scripture of the learned in Paul himself and many others whom we read of in Scripture converted to the faith and of the unlearned in many of meaner parts which did partake of the rich priviledges of Salvation The ground hereof still is this The good pleasure and will of God who is no respecter of persons but bestows his grace there where he pleases without any account given to any Therefore let those which are unlearned not here excuse themselves and say they are no Scholars c. though they be not Scholars yet they may be Christians and though they be not book-learned yet for all that they may be learned to Salvation And so it becomes them to labour to be and to endeavour thereafter because there are called of the Jews Again for those which are learned let them not rest themselves in their humane learning and that wisdom which they get here in the world but labour further to be taught from God and to have the knowledg of his ways in Christ because there are called also of the Greeks But so much of the first Part in the Text viz. the Persons here mentioned To them which are called c. Now the second is the success of this Preaching it self Christ the Power of God and the wisdom of God where we may observe how as the Apostle crost these Jews and Greeks in what they desired so also he did in a sort comply with them Here 's the opposition and the accommodation both in this Text the Jews require a sign and they have brought unto them a stumbling-block the Greeks seek after wisdom and they have preached unto them foolishness there 's the opposition and contradiction Again the Jews require a sign and they have brought unto them the power of God the Greeks seek after wisdom and they have Preached unto them the wisdom of God There 's the accommodation and agreement Now the latter of these
ingaged to this for its defence and preservation than he is to them The one being but his creatures but the other being as it were a part of himself So then that 's now the second thing excluded as to this business to wit the perfections of grace and spiritual endowments The Third is the perfection of imployment or manner of dispensation An Angel from Heaven that is an Angel as coming from heaven and pretending to Divine Inspiration And so there is this in it That the highest Revelations are not to be named or heard against the Scriptures The word of God as it is delivered to us from the mouths and pens of the Prophets and Apostles of Christ is to be of more account and esteem with us than as if an Angel should come down from Heaven with an errand or message to us Though an Angel from Heaven This is clear from that which the Apostle Peter has to this purpose 2 Pet. 1.18 19. Where there seems to be a comparison made betwixt Scripture and Revelation and the pre-eminence given to Scripture The voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place c. Mark here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of prophecy it is more sure than the voice from Heaven And if than a voice from Heaven indeed How much more then surer than a pretended How must all imaginary Revelations upon this account now fall to the ground and come to nought If an Angel from heaven may not be believed in contradiction to the Scripture and written Word How much less may any other besides of inferior rank or imployment And what cause have we then to keep close to this infallible rule which through Gods goodness is left unto us yea and as the Beraeans sometimes did in Act. 17.11 Search the Scriptures daily to see whether those things are so which are spoken even by Paul himself or if there be any other Minister besides superiour unto him So much for that first particular viz. The persons mentioned We or an angel from Heaven The second is the miscarriage which by supposition is fastened upon them and that is in these words Preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the Apostle does not only take care of Preaching the Truth himself but falls upon all such as should vary from that which he had preached not allowing any liberty to them in this particular lest hereby he should even destroy the thingswhich he had built This it was not a part of selfishness but zâ—â— in him there being a great deal of danger 〈◊〉 indulgence given in this kind we cannot dâ—â—â—d truth and tolerate error both at once especially such as that error it self may be for the nature of it That which carries in it sometimes a shew of charity and ingenuous condescension i indeed nothing else but treachery and betraying the Doctrine of Christ which is committed unto us Indeed in some points and cases that rule and practice of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians is very good If in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Phil. 3.15 But in others it will not hold because God has revealed it already and it is mens perversness that keeps them off from closing with it In matters of greater consequence and in matters of clearer evidence there is no permission of men to enjoy their own sense because here it is not want of power but want of will that makes them to stand out whiles they shut their eyes upon that light which is tendered to them that they may the freer enjoy their lusts And for those cases in which some indulgence and freedom is to be granted as in lighter and smaller matters and which are not so clear yet there is a great respect to be had to the Principles whereupon this is granted which if they shall be otherwise than warrantable it will hereupon appear to be inordinate As first That it be not out of an indifferency and neutrality in Religion There are many which are ready sometimes to give to others a liberty of judgment and likewise of practise because they think it is no great matter what opinion any man 's of or what way any man 's in Out of Atheism and Profaneness of spirit like Gallio which care for none of these things think that a man may be saved in any Religion whatsoever that is in no Religion at all Secondly That it proceed not neither from corruption and carnal policy Thus ye shall have many sometimes which will allow others their opinions that so they may with the better quietness enjoy their own Bear with me and I 'le with you letme alone in mine errors and I 'le pardon you for yours which cry up charity and tenderness and condescension and such things as these that so they may the better lye hid and run away with their own heterodoxy an unsoundness untouch't and unexamined This is naught for the Principle though perhaps upon better reasons there might be ground for the thing it self which it is applied unto But so much by the way for that In this passage of the Apostles there are divers steps or gradations pertinently observable of us for our instruction First That the Apostle lays this grievous and heavy Censure not so much upon the judgment or opinion simply considered or privately injoy'd butupon the vent and discovery and communication of it in Preaching If we or an angel shall preach c. There 's an Emphasis in the Conveyance Preaching it is the divulging of an opinion and making it known yea not only so but the spreading of it and scattering it and diffusing of it abroad Now this as to matter of error and false Doctrine is gross and intolerable The Spirit of God in Scripture does not allow men to think that which is amiss or to be of a corrupt judgment themselves but when they will moreover discover it and impart it and convey it to others here it does especially restrain them and lay a severe penalty upon them Thus likewise in some other places as 1 Tim. 6.3 If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to godliness He is proud knowing nothing c. Teach otherwise and consent not or come not off in his Teaching as the word properly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 different teaching from the Apostls of Christ is justly censured by the Apostle Paul And so again Tit. 1.10 11. There are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers especially they of the circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose mouths must be stop't who subvert whole houses teaching
what I would have done why therefore thou hast it that so thou mayst have nothing to object or to pretend at that day Fourthly Sometimes to harden men and to give them up to themselves that those who will not be better they may now be worse As Pharaoh when God took off his Plagues he hardened his heart every mercy to him it was a greater judgment upon him that which was a mercy in the nature of the thing it was a judgment in the improvement to the person and so it is to many others And therefore it follows in the Verse next the Text After thine hard and impenitent heart c. which very often go together with Temporal favours Men from hence are more incouraged in evil and more slack and remiss in good there 's none are worse commonly than those who are bad after some special favour shewen unto them either in deliverance from some eminent danger or in the obtaining of some eminent advantage and accomodation in one kind or other And God sometimes where he accepts not the person he does in this manner dispose of the event and does thus manage his Providence towards them Fifthly and lastly and more especially which is also most agreeable to the Text and which we shall come to in the close of it and therefore will but name it here that so hereby he may more kindly and effectually work upon them and lead them by his Goodness to repentance These Dispensations in their own nature have a mollifying quality and property in them The consideration of this present point may be thus far useful to us seeing God is oftentimes thus gracious and indulgent even to wicked men as to bear with very much in them and to bestow many courtesies upon them let none therefore from hence conclude of the goodness of their state and condition in regard of God It is no infallible argument to any of Gods love and favour to them because they have great things here in the world or escape outward crosses and afflictions which others fall into this is no good argument at all nay it is many times rather the contrary and as it may happen a token rather of displeasure The reason why Godforbears punishing and afflicting of many people it is because he looks upon them as incorrigible and such as upon whom there 's no good likely to be done Why should ye be smitten any more thou wilt revolt still more and more Isa 1.5 And Hos 4.14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom nor your spouses when they commit adultery for themselves are separated with whores and they sacrifice with harlots therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall So the reason why he heaps outward blessings upon them here it is because it is all he means to give them and he makes account it is their portion which they must also make account of too They have their reward that 's the character which the Scripture gives of them which is the greatest punishment that may be if it be duly and thoroughly considered and attended unto And so the Gospel sets it Luk. 6.14 Wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your consolation which are rich and nothing but rich nor have nothing else to say for your selves but only that which are rich in Treasure but are not rich in Faith which are rich in Goods but are not rich in good works which are rich to the world but are not rich to God You which are rich and only rich thus with these exceptions and limitations wo be to you indeed even from the mouth of Christ himself if there should be any such amongst you and wo be to you upon this account Because you have received your consolation and there 's no more behind for you to expect Beloved we should all labour to see upon what terms we enjoy that which we enjoy and not so much take care to have the things themselves which we aim at as to have them in mercy and favour to have outward prosperity so far forth as we do partake of it to be seasoned and sanctified to us and sprinkled with the love of God in Christ which is the cream of all And then we may take some comfort and delight and contentment in it which otherwise we cannot do And this will be discern'd by us according to the effects which it hath upon us for further improvement there 's nothing which we are the better for which we are not the better with and the better by which does not draw us nearer to God and make us more fruitful to him in using it to his honour and glory our Parts and our Estates and our Interests or whatever we can name Therefore let us look to it that so as Jabez desired for himself we may be blest indeed and that the Lord may not from henceforth curse our very blessings to us as he hath sometimes threatned to do Mal. 2.2 I will send a curse upon you saith the Lord of Hosts and will curse your blessings yea I have curst them already because ye have not laid it to heart Again From hence we learn likewise as how to judg of our selves so likewise how to judg of others which is not so much according to the enjoyment of common things which there is no cause to envy them for as many sometimes are apt to do The Spirit of God gives divers hints against it in regard of our proneness hereunto It was that David himself was subject so much unto Psal 73.3 I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked But he was afterwards of another mind when he once went into the Sanctuary of God ver 17. and so he labour'd to make others also Psal 37.1 Fret not thy self because of evil doers neither be thon envious against the workers of iniquity And so Psal 49.16 Be not thou afraid when any one is made rich when the glory of his house is increased And Solomon Prov. 24.1 Be not thou envious against evil men neither desire to be with them Alas they are but common mercies and such as the worst partake of God is oftentimes very gracious to them thus Which is the first Particular here considerable his carriage and behaviour even to evil men which is to bestow great riches of goodness and of patience upon them The second is the miscarriage and unanswerableness of evil men again to him and that is signified in their despising of these riches of goodness from him This is that which wicked and worldly men are very apt to do and which frequently they also do They slight and contemn and despise these gracious and merciful dispensations of God towards them And this they may be conceiv'd to do three manner of ways especially First By non-attendancy and unthankfulness Secondly By non improvement and unfruitfulness Thirdly By misimprovement and incorrigibleness First By non-attendency and unthankfulness those
here a duty which is to be performed and put in practice by all other sinners besides and that is to labour to work themselves to such a shame as this is That which is here spoken of these Romans it is not spoken of them only in a way of simple Narration as signifying how they were affected but also in a way of tacite commendation as praising them for being affected in that manner and so it does implicitly exhibit a duty to us that we should labour to be so our selves Next to the shunning and avoiding of sin is to be ashamed and grieved for committing it Now this does justly come home to the Consciences of abundance in the world there are many which are perfrictae frontis of a bold and hardened forehead which have no shame nor relenting in them at all which can sin one sin after another in the highest and hainousest manner that can be and yet never be once wrought upon for it or ashamed of it the unjust knows no shame as it is Zephan 3.5 The Heathen could say he was lost that had no shame The Prophet Jeremy has set forth such as these in their colours to us Jer. 6.15 Were they ashamed says he when they had committed abomination nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush c. This is the exact temper and disposition even of many in these days and in this land in which we live which are past all shame whatsoever they have no shame at all in them never more of the occasion and never less of the affection And I speak not only of that spiritual shame and holy blushing which belongs to Religion and is within the compass of Christianity it self which is taken from religious Grounds and spiritual Arguments and Considerations but I speak now of that natural shame which God has planted in all men by Creation an is not lost but in the height of wickedness and abomination it self This is that which many Monsters in this age are devoid and destitute of both men and women I should be exceeding sorry if I should have need to say much of it here in this place only I cannot but by the way take notice of it that I may testifie and bear witness against it as that which I look upon as one of the saddest symptoms of Gods wrath and indignation against us and if it be not timely prevented by those whom it concerns to reform it will not only be reckoned by God as the sin of some particular persons but also of the whole Nation it self which will be charged with it That impudence and boldness and undauntedness in sinful courses which many people are come unto which are so far from being ashamed of sin as that they rather boast of it and as the Apostle speaks glory in their shame This is the humour of too many in the world that which should most humble them and abase them and cast them down and lay them low in the sight of God and men and themselves is that which commonly most exalts them and swells them and puffs them with pride so far are they from this temper of the Romans of being ashamed And so now ye have the second particular for the Expression of sins inconvenience taken from the dishonourableness of it Whereof ye are now ashamed The third and last is taken from its perniciousness For the end of those things is death This is that which hits the nail on the head and brings all here indeed and 't is that which is very considerable forasmuch as the end is all in all and such an end as this which is here spoken of so more especially if the other two evils had been spared yet this alone were enough to deter us though there were some gain and honour in sin as we have shewed there is none yet whiles there 's death in it that 's enough against it and that there is The end of those things is death This Death here is to be taken by us in the latitude namely in each kind of it whether natural or else spiritual and eternal First For natural death which we call the death of the body that 's the end of sin and that which sin procures though not that which the sinner intends By sin death came into the world as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.12 This is so in a double Explication First In the nature of the thing and as the effect immediately flowing from the cause And secondly by the just judgment of God who in his Providence does so order and dispose it and himself does inflict death for it First It is so in God's Pvovidence and Judgment How many do we read of in Scripture whom God himself has in an extraordinary manner stricken dead for their sins Er and Onan and Nadab and Abihu and such as these the end of of their ways was death and that in a more eminent manner There are some more gross and notorious sinners which God has not patience to suffer them and let them alone here in this world but to prevent Atheism and contempt of his Majesty will be presently avenged upon them Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days says the Prophet David Psal 55.23 and Eccles 7.17 Be not overmuch wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou dye before thy time Intimating and implying thus much that such courses and ways as those do provoke God many times so to do Again secondly In the nature of the thing it self and as the effect immediately issuing from the cause Sin it ends in death so as we see by daily and common experience How many are there which by their passion intemperance lasciviousness uncleanness and such courses as these are hasten their own end and not only hazard their souls but likewise expose their lives and so in that regard are no better than self-murtherers It is true they do not always think so nor as I said intend it but yet it is that which follows upon it and in the event is consequent there unto there 's many which might have lived longer if they had lived better and had had a comfortable old age in conclusion if they had not had a dissolute youth going before The end of those things is death if we take it but for natural death the death of the body But secondly It is true also and especially of spiritual death the death of the soul and eternal death the death of soul and body for ever in Hell This is that death which is the wages of sin more particularly for spiritual death Sin it defaces God's Image in us it alienates us from the life of God And whatever Grace is already wrought in us if it does not kill it actually yet it tends to the killing of it and destroys it all it can it takes away a Christians vigor that liveliness and loveliness which should be in him and makes him little better than a
a way of Application Thirdly In a way of Evidence or Conviction Probat qui tentat probat qui approbat probat qui docet argumentis But here in the Text it is confined only to the two former the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same that is used by the Apostle in another place in reference to the Lords supper 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and let him prove his own work they come both to one and the same effect only in that place it is restrained to one work as the occasion is whereas here it is taken more at large and so it seems to carry two things in it which are understood by it First As it is a word of Inquity or Examination Let him prove that is let him try Secondly As it is a word of Allowance or Approbation Let him prove that is approve either may be meant by it First It may be taken by way of Examination or Exploration Let every man prove his own work that is let every man try it and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus it is in many other places of Scripture besides as 2 Cor. 8.8 1 Thes 5.2 That I might prove the sincerity of your love that is that I might try it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proving all things c. that is examining or trying them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 14.19 I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them that is to try them and to inquire about them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus is both this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek and also prove in our own language oftentimes taken in this acception for matter of Tryal and Examination And so first of all here in the Text. We must do with our works as Goldsmiths do with their Gold who prove it for their better satissaction Now Goldsmiths they prove their Gold two manner of ways First They prove it by the touchstone for the discerning of true from counterfeit they prove it that is they try it Secondly They prove it by the fire for the separating and consuming of the dross they prove it i.e. they approve it And the first of these is that which is considerable of us in this present verse in regard of our own performances This is the duty of every Christian as to search and examine and inquire into his own heart as concerning the general frame and temper and disposition of it so consequently into all the works and actions which do come from him whether they be such as are warrantable or not it is not a matter of indifferency to us what things they be which we do but we are to call our selves to an account about them and to set up a Tribunal in our own consciences for the trying and judging of our selves And that especially upon these following Considerations First For our own innocency and the better ordering of our own lives where we do not prove that is try our works we cannot dispose of them so as we should do but shall be apt still to go on in a way of security and self-pleasing whether we have cause to do so or no Those that never look in the glass they do not see the spots in their faces and so do not take any care for the wiping them off from them and so those that do not try their works they do not so easily see their miscarriages from whence they might be brought to reform them and to do them away This tryal is necessary to integrity and self-reformation and therefore we shall find the Prophet Jeremy so to set it in Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our mays and turn again unto the Lord. Self-examination is a very good step to Copversion when we inquire how it is with us we are likeliest to be that which becomes us and which we ought indeed for our own parts to be I considered my ways and turned my seet unto thy testimonies says the Prophet David Psal 1 19.59 Look as it is with those which are travellers when they never look after the way or consider whither they are going they many times go a great way astray before they return and come into it again even so is it with those that are upon their journey to Heaven c. Secondly This tryal is also requisite in order to our own comfort and satisfaction it is good we should prove our works as that we may be humbled for our defects so that we may be comforted from our good proceedings and reap the fruit of our own doings as the Scripture speaks For though the best things that come from us they have corruption mingled with them and so in that regard are matter rather of abasement than any thing else yet withal for the substance of them they are the workings of God's Spirit upon us and the evidence of his Graces in us which therefore in the discerning of them must be very grateful and comfortable to us in the sweet relishes and reflexious of consciences as rich men considering of their estates and worldly improvements This is such a special Consideration for this inforcing of the present Duty as that it seems to be the principal hinge upon which the Text it self turns as we shall see hereafter out of the following words And the c. Thirdly In an holy Conformity to the Judgment of God himself and his proceedings with us Therefore let us prove our own works because we shall have one to prove them for us at another day there 's a time a-coming when every mans work shall be prov'd whether he will or no namely at the day of judgment which is by a special Eminency in Scripture call'd the day of Discovery or Revelation Rom. 2.5 And again in another place it is said That every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is 1 Cor. 3.13 God will try every mans work and therefore it concerns every man to try it himself and so much the rather that that tryal may be with the greater comfort Schollers that have well examined themselves they are so much the better fitted and qualified for their Masters examination and so it is here This therefore justly meets with the contrary practise of abundance of persons there are a great many of people in the world which never take this so much into their thoughts whether their works be good or bad but let them pass without any reward or consideration at all And to give you some account of it it does proceed from a threefold Principle in them First From neglect and non-attendency Secondly From presumption and self-flattery Thirdly From consciousness and self-suspicion First The cause why many do no more prove their own works it does proceed from simple neglect and carelesness
sins 296 Profaneness It s concomitancy with formality and the grounds thereof 346 Passions The evil of them 363 Professor See Hypocrite Three things carry on empty profissors of Religion 308 R Remember God what 9 Help to remember God 10 Motives to remember God 11 Riches How God gives power to get it considered 1. Positively 12 2. Negatively 13 When given in mercy 33 Religion Not a dull but a pleasant thing and thereby vindicated 216 219 Why so few delight in it 200 Two extreams in the professors of it 372 Reproof How to give it implied 29 To receive it a threefold Argument of wisdom 224 to refuse it dangerous 229 230 389 Rolling Our burthens on God what 236 Repentance Wherein it consists 290 291 293 Three things look like repentance but are not it 291 A threefold call unto it 301 Arguments to speedy repentance 182 Reason It s deficiency 287 Running See Walk The Christian race what it implies 312 S Soul Hath a threefold presence 24 The companions of wicked mens souls 204 Sin How God often discovers secret sins 26 Impudency the height of sin 28 How men hide them 72 VVhy men delight in them 75 Its evil 75 373 390 391 Against the Holy Ghost what 76 VVhy other mens sins are grievous to the godly 78 406 407 Three sorts of sins 81 Personal sins may procure publick Judgments and why 88 Sinners Present misery 56 57 176 192 263 393 Future misery 58 59 69 283 288 231 Relief to great if penitent sinners 296 God can punish them from within themselves How 361 Silence How sometimes taken 58 59 Sighing What it signifies 408 Its aggravations 122 133 263 Helps against persisting in it 126 Continuance in it dangerours 395 When a peoples sin seems to be full 133 Whence obstinacy in sin arises 388 When is sin come to an habit 396 Sensoriousness A check to it 178 247 Salvation Neglecters of the great salvations who they are implied 227 Whence the neglect of the great salvation springs Ibid. Scorner Described 227 Whence scorning springs Ibid. What danger a scorner is in 228 414 Soul How it 's said to hear 364 Stupidity Wherein it lies 382 Whence it proceeds 383 Speech Men speak two ways 388 God speaks two ways 298 Spirit How to discern between the leadings or dictates of Gods Spirit and the spirit of delusion 303 Incouragement to attend its motions 304 T Temptations How God keeps Christians from and under them 54 Thankfulness It s ground 105 Thoughts Their perplexity and inconstancy 159 Motive to watch them 160 292 The properties of Gods thoughts towards his people 169 Whence holy thoughts proceed 170 A great blessing to have them establish'd 240 Whence instability of Thoughts in business arises 240 249 250 The evil of anxious thoughts See Care Trumpet Signifies three things 363 Toleration Vniversal condemned 371 How taken 241 Touching blasphemous thoughts See Blasphemy The corruption of the Thoughts 292 Time How a Christian hides himself in evil times 261 How God hides his people in evil times 262 Trouble Christians apt to much trouble and fear with the ground thereof 117 Trouble for sin good 118 Misery the occasion of trouble 119 Trouble when unlawful 120 Why Christ would not have Christians much troubled 121 How Christians may preservs themselves from trouble 122 V Unbelief The grounds of it 98 The evil of it 102 286 Unity How the Gospel tends towards it 194 Who should especially maintain it 194 Or its extent 196 Its excellency 197 Menas to get and preserve it 199 W Walk See Way See Running Motives to circumspect Walking 8 Vpright walking what 159 Motives to diligence in our Christian course implied 207 Word Why men under the same word are not a-like wrought upon 139 The excellency of Gods Word 254 Barrenness under it a great evil 270 354 What it is to see the word of the Lord 357 Dropping of words what 404 A word behind how taken 298 299 300 Gods word powerful 299 Wound How God wounds sinners 124 Gods wounding the head what Ibid. Watch. Motives to watch the thoughts 160 See Thoughts 253 Works Arguments moving to good works See Fruitfulness See Charity VVhat and how to commit our works and ways to God 234 235 236 239 Why we should commit our ways and works to God 235 237 VVhat we may not commit to God 239 VVhat works me may commit to God 235 239 Ways See Walk Godliness a pleasant way in three particulars 219 Four things apt to make a Christian faint in his way 312 How to be kept from fainting in Gods way 312 Wicked Persons who 275 292 Wilderness VVhat it signifies in Scripture 352 War It s grievousness 365 A foreign war in some respects more grievous than a domestick one 379 Waiting See Hope Y Youth Sins of youth or youthful lusts what 84 How men possess the sins of their youth 66 VVhy sins of youth afterwards prove dreadful Ibid. Motives to early godliness 66 70 376 Lamentation over the sins of the youth of this age 68 A Table of the chief Matters contained in the Fifty Sermons on the New Testament A Afflictions QVieting considertions under them 51 See Contentment Anthropomorphites Confuted 135 Accursed VVhat it signifies 340 VVhy many in Scripture might but we must not curse others 341 Apostacy The evil of it 421 Twofold 431 B Behold How used in Scripture 65 Bosom VVhat it implies 136 C Conversion Morality accidentally may set a man further from it than profaneness 12 See Morality VVhether Cornelius Nathaniel the Eunuch Lidia c. were converted or not 13 A twofold conversion 79 How men may be said to convert themselves how not 79 Labour to convert others why 81 By what means to endeavour others conversion 82 Cannot be promerited 86 156 How far we may how we cannot resist it 87 Touching knowing the moment of it 89 Counsel or advice How to be given 41 Christian Vnprofitable Christians hurtful to others 32 Christians should improve one another 37 Take heed of discouraging young Christians 54 His choice justified See Election Support to weak Christians 69 Lawful for them to eye the recompence of reward 423 In what respects Kings and Priests 444 Their excellency 445 Why they desire Christs second coming 449 Censoriousness or evil surmisings A check to it 14 39 57 61 63 64 73 Children How the word is taken 364 Weak Christians compared to children 365 Calling Over-doing in a mans particular calling whence it springs 44 How men offend in their particular callings 44 A double end of particular callings 50 Touching effectual calling 286 Christs inviting those that thirst is favour and honour 455 Care The evil the causes the remedies of distracting cares See Thoughts Conversion Travails in conversion what 365 Its nature 368 Why God converts by the word preached 93 285 Both Jews and fulness of the Gentiles shall be converted 288 We should labour to convert others 429 Church What and why so called 286 How its censures