Desires of his holy Soul concerning our Salvation Iohn 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am and so he appears in our Names as well as in our Nature Partly by some Acts of Adoration of the Sovereign Majesty of God some Address to God there is Iohn 14.16 I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever He doth not only ask the Enlargement of his own Kingdom Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession but the Pardon Comfort Peace and Supply of particular Persons 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous Partly in his presenting our Prayers and Supplications Rev. 8.3 And another angel came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne and therefore he is called A minister of the sanctuary Heb. 8.2 This is the nature of Christ's Intercession 6. The success of Christ's Intercession Father forgive them Was he heard in this Yes this Prayer converts the Centurion and those Acts 2.41 above three thousand and presently after five thousand more Acts 4.4 In the compass of a few days above eight thousand of his Enemies were converted Christ is good at Interceding his Prayers are always heard Iohn 11.42 I knew that thou hearest me always And therefore let us seek no other Mediator God cannot deny his own Son Jesus Christ the righteous intercedes for us let us put all our Requests into his hands II. I come now to the Argument used They know not what they do But you will say Christ elsewhere complaineth of his Enemies that they know him and refused him out of malice Iohn 15.24 Now they have both seen and hated both me and my father and therefore he saith They had no Cloak for their Sin but were utterly without Excuse for they could not plead Ignorance Answ. 1. This is not spoken of all but of some only The greatest part were moved with the Command Authority and Perswasion of the Priests or blinded with a false Zeal to preserve their old Religion and so thought they did God service in crucifying Christ. Those that sinned out of malice Christ had told them their Doom before Mat. 12.32 Whosoever speaketh against the Holy-Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come 2. They knew him to be a just Man though they knew him not to be the Lord of Glory and that he did many Signs which the Prophets foretold should be done by the Mâ—ssias and therefore at least that he was a great Prophet and as such they should have reverenced and received him so that they had the less cloak for their Sin 3. Christ excused not a toto but a tanâ—o not altogether but only sheweth that they were capable of Pardon because of their Ignorance Christ excuseth the Sin of his Enemies in that manner that he could excuse them he could not altogether excuse the Injustice of Pilate nor the Cruelty of the Soldiers nor the Envy of the Chief Priests nor the Folly and Unthankfulness of the People nor the Perjury of the false Witnesses all that he could plead was some ignorance of the Dignity of his Person 1 Cor. 2.8 Which none of the princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory The chief Men of the Iews did not understand the Mystery of Redemption and many were ignorant not only of the Divinity of Christ but his Innocency also They know not what they do Doctr. There is a difference between Sinners and it is a more dangerous thing to sin against Knowledge than out of Ignorance 1. Some sin wittingly and wilfully as Cain Saul Iudas c. who against the apparent Light of their Consciences venture upon the foulest Actions 2. Others sin out of Ignorance either they do not certainly know what they do to be Sin or do not expresly consider it So Paul in persecuting the Church of God 1 Tim. 1.13 Who was before a persecutor and a blasphemer and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief 3. Some sin knowingly indeed but out of Infirmity either arising from some great fear of Danger and present Death as Peter denied his Master it is done with a troubled Mind These may be recovered to God but with difficulty Or else they are hurried to Evil by the baits of the Flesh and pleasing Temptations Iames 1.12 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Now their Case cannot easily be spoken to for it needs much discussion It may be by surprizal and that for one Act and none of the grossest Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye that are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness The Devil many times leaveth no time for deliberation and bringeth his tempting Baits not to the fore-door of Reason but to the back-door of Sensual Appetite which being in a rage blindeth the Mind But if they sin with a strong Will their Case is more dangerous especially if they live and lie in Sin after many Experiences of the Evil of it their Condition is deplorable This Foundation being laid let us see how far Ignorance excuseth from Sin 1. Whatever Sin we commit it is Sin and of it self deserveth Damnation Sin is not determined to be Sin by its being voluntary or involuntary but by its contrariety to the Law of God 1 Iohn 3.4 Sin is the transgression of the Law Therefore the causal Particle For in the Text doth not shew the Reason of Pardon but the capableness of Pardon So Paul's Ignorance was not the cause of God's Mercy for Sin cannot be the cause of Mercy but only the occasion of it The Nature of Sin is not determined by the Voluntariness of it but only the Degree of it 2. Ignorance is either Antecedent Concomitant or Consequent 1. Antecedent going before the Act as in the generality of the Iews Acts 3.17 And now brethren I wâ—t that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Rulers Out of Ignorance and blind Zeal they Crucified him whom God did make both Lord and Christ. 2. Concomitant a Man hath Knowledge but useth it not for the present It is one thing to sin with Knowledge and another thing to sin against Knowledge He that hath Knowledge but for the present may be binded by his Lusts and Carnal Affections sinneth not against Knowledge directly but collaterally only as he that stealeth or committeth Adultery doth not this for Sin 's sake for none can will Evil as Evil but he only attendeth to the
God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ is unto all and upon all that believe for there is no difference they all take hold of the same Righteousness Look as a Jewel held by a Man and by a Child tho the Man holds it more strongly than the Child yet it is the same Jewel and of the same Worth and Value So the Righteousness of Christ is of the same Worth before God the stronger Believer holds it faster than the weaker Believer but tho he cannot be so high in Faith as Abraham and as other Worthies of God yet he hath his hold-fast upon God Differences of Nations and outward Condition do neither help nor hinder Salvation and different degrees of Grace tho they occasion some accidental difference in the spiritual Life as some have more Comfort than others yet as to the main all that accept have a like Priviledg The Reasons of it are partly because the same Grace is the cause of all Free Grace acts for the good of all upon the same terms Isa. 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy Trangressions for my own sake and will not remember thy Sins God doth not take notice of Differences in them whom he forgives God may pardon the Sin of Andrew and Thomas as well as of Abraham and Paul Grace's Motives lie within it self And partly because they have the same Redeemer Jesus Christ theirs and ours Under the Law you shall find the Rich and Poor were to give the same Ransom The Rich shall not give more and the Poor shall not give less than half a Shekel Exod. 30.15 to signify the Price of Christ's Blood for all Souls is equal they have not a nobler Redeemer nor a more worthy Christ than thou hast And partly because your Faith is as acceptable to God as theirs 2 Pet. 1.1 To them who have obtained like precious Faith with us that is for kind tho not for degree It is of the same Nature Worth and Property with the Faith of the Apostle's tho every one cannot believe as strongly as Peter nor come up to his height Vse 1. If the Grace of God hath appeared to all Men then let us put in for a share Why should we stand out Are we excepted and left out of the Proclamation of Pardon and free Grace If Persons be excepted by Name when a Pardon is offered to Rebels they stand off and will not come within the Verge of such Power but if it be offered to all why should we stand out we must not add nor detract If God hath said Christ died for Sinners believe him upon his Word and say I am Chief do not say I am a Reprobate God hath no Favour for me Will you leave that Word and hazard your Salvation for a groundless Jealousy and Scruple Therefore confute your Fears and put all out of question by a thorow believing Vse 2. For Comfort to weak Believers Tho your Faith cannot keep time and pace with Abraham's nor your Obedience with the Worthies of God yet you are Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6.12 A little Faith is Faith as a Drop is Water and a Spark is Fire it is free to all that have or will accept say then as he Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help thou mine Vnbelief The least dram of Gospel-Faith gives a Title and Interest Indeed you must strive to make it more evident you cannot have Comfort till then and consider Endeavours of Growth do better than idle Complaints therefore follow on still with hope SERMON III. TITUS II. 12 Teaching us that denying Vngodliness c. II. THE next thing to be considered is the Lesson that Grace teacheth us Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World But before I enter upon the Discussion of the particular Branches I shall observe some things in the General Observ. 1. Grace teacheth us Holiness It teacheth by way of Direction by way Argument and by way of Encouragement 1. It teacheth by way of Direction what Duties we ought to perform and so it maketh use of the Moral Law as a Rule of Life The Law is still our Direction otherwise what we do cannot be an Act of Obedience Certainly the Direction of the Law is still in force for where there is no Law there is no Transgression and Duty without a Rule is but Will-worship If the Law were blotted out the Image of God would be blotted out for the external Law is nothing but the Copy of God's Image that Holiness and Righteousness which is impressed on the Heart Now Grace doth not blot out the Image of God but perfects it In the new Covenant God promiseth to make the Law more legible Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their Mind and write them in their Hearts Well then we are not freed from the Authority and directive Power of the Law Grace adopts it doth not abolish the Law the Commands of the Law sway the Conscience and Love inclineth the Heart and so it becometh an Act of pure Obedience Obedience respects the Command as Love doth the Kindness and Merit of the Lawgiver 2. It teacheth by way of Argument it argueth and reasoneth from the Love of God Gal. 2.20 The Life that I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me There is Grace's Argument Christ loved me we should not then be so unkind as to deny God his Honour or Worship or cherish his Enemies 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth us What will you do for God that loved you in Christ The Gospel contains melting Commands and commanding Intreaties The Law and the Prophets do not beseech but only command and threaten but the Grace of God useth a different method in the New Testament 3. It teacheth by way of Encouragement as manifesting both Help and Reward The Gospel doth not only teach us what we ought to perform but whence we may draw Strength and how kindly God will accept us in Christ. The Law is a School-master and the Gospel is a School-master but in the Discipline and manner of teaching there is a great deal of difference the Law can only teach and command but the Gospel is a gentle School-master it pointeth to Christ for Help Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me and to God for Reward and Acceptance Heb. 11.16 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him I do but mention these things because I shall handle the Encouragements hereafter Vse 1. Of Information It sheweth us 1. What is true Holiness such as cometh from the Teachings of Grace obliging Conscience to the Duty of the Law
from 2 King 20.6 And I will add unto thy dayes fifteen years and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria The Report of which flying abroad all the Princes round about him stood in awe of him his Neighbours sent him presents his Treasures were increased yea Nations remote and those of no small Power as the King of Babylon reckoned to be Seven hundred Miles distant from Ierusalem sent Congratulatory Embassyes to his Court. Well then Hezekiah was looked upon as one highly in favour with God Honoured of Men courted on every side with costly and precious Presents and so grew full of Treasure and Wealth When such strong Winds fill the Sails it is hard to stear right This was the benefit done to him all things fell out according to his Hearts desire and concurred to the lifting up his Heart Hezekiah rendred not according How can that be He was an holy Man and a thankful Man He penneth a Psalm of Thanksgiving and sung it yearly as a Memorial of God's Mercies to him Isa. 38.9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Iudah when he had been sick and was recovered of his sickness God will not be complemented with It is not Words and Ceremonies Formal Acknowledgments and Dayes of Thanksgiving that God standeth upon but Holy and Humble Carriage under Mercies and therefore Hezekiah though he rendred somewhat to God he rendred not according there was a defect which is here charged as his Sin He should have carryed it more humbly as holding his Life and Kingdom and every thing of the Grace of God 2. The Proof and Argument How doth it appear that he rendred not according His heart was lifted up There is a two-fold lifting up of the Heart In a way of Zeal and Incouragement in the Lords wayes So it is said of Iehosaphat 2 Chron 17.5 6. That he had presents and riches and honours in abundance and his heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord. Moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Iudah This is a good lifting up when a Man groweth chearful and undaunted in the Lords work and therefore falleth a reforming whatever it cost him He knoweth the God of his Mercies will bear him out But there is a carnal lifting up of the Heart in a way of Pride and vain Glory or daring Violence and Oppression Thus it is said of Amaziah after he had smitten the Edomites 2 Chron. 25 19. That his heart was lifted up to boast And this was in part Hezekiahs Sin Indeed it is not easie to state the kind of his Pride 1. Whether the Pride of Arrogancy or self-ascription or taking Gods part to himself as if the Blessings were merited by him a Disease incident to the Creature when exalted Deut. 9.4 Speak not thou in thine heart after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee saying For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this Land And therefore God puts in a caution against it 2. Or else conceit musing upon and admiring his own greatness as the king of Babylon strutteth and vaunteth Is not this great Babylon which I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty Dan. 9.30 Pride of all Sins puts Men upon vain Musings Luke 1.51 He hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts Proud Men of all others are subject to imaginations or self-admiring thoughts His Heart was too much tickled In the Story it is said when Merodach Baladan sent Letters and a Present to Hezekiah Isa. 39.2 He was glad of them wherein the secret intimation of his Spirit was discovered Or else 3. The Pride of Security or Self-dependance When we are well God is forgotten good Men are apt to sleep upon a Carnal Pillow or Bolster and dream many a pleasant dream till God taketh it away from under their heads Psalm 30.6 And in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved Carnal Confidence is very Natural Or 4. The Pride of vain Glory or Ostentation He seemeth to be tainted with a spice of that vanity by shewing his Treasure to the Embassadours of the King of Babylon He shewed them the house of his precious things the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious ointment and all the house of his armour and all that was in his treasures there was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah shewed them not Isa. 39.2 Whether one or more or all I will not determine they are all branches of the same Root Certainly vain Men are apt to be puffed up in all these kinds that have had deliverances far less strange than was this of Hezekiah 3. Come we now to explain the Punishment and sad Effects of this great Failing Wrath was upon him and upon Iudah and Ierusalem 1. Upon his particular Person wrath was upon him There is a near link between Pride and Wrath. His heart was lifted up and presently wrath was upon him Prov. 18.12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty It is a sure sign of the loss of our Comforts Parts Estate Children Authority when we grow proud of them It is a sin that God deeply detesteth and will severely chasten it even in his own dearest children Wrath was upon him Sentence was passed but Execution respited All was well for the present Wrath is said to be upon us as soon as Sentence is passed Men think not so but God judgeth so Wrath was upon him Doth it stay there No. 2. Upon his People It followeth and upon all Iudah and Ierusalem The whole Land smarts for the Sins of Magistrates delirant Reges Kings offend Hezekiahs heart was lifted up Plectuntur Achivi the People are punished Iudah and Ierusalem are obnoxious to the stroke of Gods Vengeance But how can this stand with the Lords Justice What hath these sheep done As David said in a like case 2 Sam. 24.17 I Answer They had done enough to ruin them long since Hezekiah's Sin was not the main cause but one great occasion of hastning the Judgement Sometimes God takes occasion to punish Magistrates for the Peoples Sin Prov. 28.2 For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof The Government is often altered and they are tossed from hand to hand as a just Punishment At other times the People are punished for the Magistrates Sins Zach. 10.3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds and I punished the goats A great Oak cannot fall but all the little shrubs about it suffer loss On the other side when the burning beginneth at a Cottage it may increase till it come to the Palace If the dispensation seem harsh remember that God would involve us in one anothers Judgments to make us more careful of one anothers Duties That when Magistrates transgress the People may mourne and with that Modesty which will
the way of Life that keepeth Instruction but he that hateth Reproof erreth They wander far and wide that hate to be brought into the right way Prov. 12.1 He that hateth Reproof is brutish Why because he despiseth the great Help of Mankind and so is carried away with his base and impetuous Desires and will not hear Reason to the contrary Prov. 13.18 Poverty and Shame shall be to him that refuseth Instruction but he that regardeth Reproof shall be honoured As unwilling to go on in a wrong Course after he seemeth to be ingaged in it and he shall be honoured as one that is prudent Prov. 15.5 A Fool despiseth his Father's Instruction but he that regardeth Reproof is prudent He is wise at the second hand though not in his first Choice yet in rectifying his ill Choice Nay Prov. 15.10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way and he that hateth Reproof shall die Better be corrected than die and perish for ever God's Reproofs and Rebukes at the last Day will be very severe and amazing And ver 31. The Ear that heareth the Reproof of Life abideth among the Wise that is forsaketh the ill Company which misled him and betaketh himself to better Guides Prov. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his Neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without Remedy Our Case without Repentance is desperate for when we have hardened our selves in an evil way the Lord overtakes us with a sudden Destruction Vse 3. It exhorts us to set upon this Duty There is need of it Which will appear if we consider the Infirmity of Nature that is to be restrained a blind Mind to be enlightned a drowzy Heart to be awakened Vehemency of Passions to be curbed and great Allurements to Sin to be withstood Say not with Cain Gen. 4.9 Am I my Brother's Keeper Thou art so do it then with Love lest you do the Work of an Enemy under the Vizard of a Friend No Hatred or ill End must put you on this Business for when you rebuke Sin with Sin you increase it Again there is need of it for it will prevent many Evils as Censuring and Detraction and speaking ill of others and Invasion of the Ministry this is one great Evil that heretofore hath reigned among us many little Pratlers that had no Gifts set up for Ministers this Itch would soon be cured if Men would mind necessary Duties such as Meditation which is a Preaching to themselves Family-Instruction and Brotherly Reproof Vse 4. Direction to perform this Duty Many Graces are necessary hereunto as Zeal for God Love to our Neighbour and Courage Avoid Pusillanimity that you be not hindred by your Fears this is the way to prevail And if you prevail not you must mourn and pray as Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 For that righteous Man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous Soul from day to day with their ungodly Deeds Jer. 13.17 But if ye will not hear it my Soul shall weep in secret Places for your Pride and mine Eye shall weep sore and run down with Tears SERMONS UPON 1 CORINTHIANS XV. 19 SERMON I. 1 COR. XV. 19 If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable IN the Context the Apostle is disputing for the Truth of the Resurrection this way of Reasoning is deducendo ad absurdum by shewing the Absurdities that would follow upon the denial of it 1 st The first Absurdity is mentioned ver 13. If there be no Resurrection of the Dead then Christ is not risen In all things he is a Pattern to his People if the Head be risen so shall the Members also 2 d Absurdity consequent upon that is mentioned ver 14 15 16. And if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vain and your Faith is also vain yea and we are found false VVitnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the Dead rise not for if the Dead rise not then is not Christ raised Whole Christianity would be a Forgery and whatever was preached by the Apostles and believed by them vain and frivolous if Christ be not risen 3 d Absurdity ver 17. And if Christ be not risen your Faith is vain you are yet in your Sins That the new Covenant and all their Confidence about Remission of Sins upon Repentance would come to nothing 4 th Absurdity That those that had lost their Lives for Christ would perish eternally and would have nothing to recompense this Loss ver 18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished 5 th Absurdity is in the Text If all our Hopes in Christ were terminated with this Life Christians were the most wretched sort of Men in this World If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable But these are such absurd Thoughts that every Christian should abhor them with Indignation In the Words we have 1. A Supposition If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ. 2. An Absurdity thence inferred VVe are of all Men most miserable Doct. That the Calamities of the Godly in this Life shew that we have much more to hope for from Christ in the Life to come I. I shall state the Point in what Sense it is said that Christians are of all Men most miserable if there be no Life to come II. Confirm and prove it by shewing the Validity of the Apostle's Reasoning 1. For the Supposition 1. This is supposed that Affliction and Misery is the common Burden of the Sons of Adam In the present Life all are liable to Misery some more some less We walk through a Valley of Tears live in a groaning World none have such an uninterrupted Current and Stream of worldly Felicity but that they have their Crosses and Afflictions These things are common to Man We are told in the Book of Iob chap. 5.7 Man is born to Trouble as the Sparks fly upward And Iob 14.1 Man that is born of a Woman is of few Days and full of Trouble None can reasonably expect to be absolutely exempted from the common Lot of humane lapsed Nature Though Life be short yet it 's long enough to be vexed with many Sorrows Few and evil have the Days of the Tears of my Life been saith old Iacob Gen. 47.9 Since they are evil it is well they are but few Most Men little consider of this that they come into the World to bear Crosses but rather imagine they come hither to spend their Days in Pleasure at least they do not mind the true Cause of their Troubles nor the proper Remedy The true Cause is Sin Man's Transgressions are the Door by which it entred And the proper Remedy is the Grace of God in Jesus Christ. Well then whatever may be the particular and various Dispensations of God towards Men yet to be miserable in some sort and
the Fruit of his Sufferings When Christ was about to die he made his last Will and Testament Heaven was his by Purchase to bestow upon all his Heirs He had bought it at a dear Rate therefore now he shews what he would do with it Iohn 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be where I am that they may behold my Glory And then he is gone to Heaven again as our Harbinger to prepare a Place for us Ioh. 14.2 I go to prepare a Place for you to take up Mansions and Rooms for us in his Father's Palace He is gone as a Guardian or Feoffee in trust to seize upon Heaven in our Right to keep it during our Non-age and he will come again in Person as the Husband of the Church to bring us into his Father's House with Triumph therefore it is said Rev. 4.10 That the Elders did cast their Crowns before the Throne not as despising their Glory but as professing their Homage and Dependance and Rev. 5.8 9. The four Beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb c. saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood His Abasement was for our Preferment and therefore even here upon Earth may we bless God for the Elders represent the Church upon Earth for his great Mercy to us in Christ. 3. Consider how much we are engaged to God the Spirit who fits and prepares us for this happy State and seals up our Interest to us therefore it is called the Earnest of the Spirit Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who also hath given to us the Earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 The Holy Ghost shapes and fashions all the Vessels of Glory fits and prepares them for Heaven It is the Spirit of God dwelling in us that wrought us and fits us for this great and blessed Hope therefore when-ever you think of it your Hearts should be raised in Thanksgiving It is not only their Duty to praise God that are in actual possession of Glory but ours also to whom these Hopes are revealed Rev. 5.8 There was a mixture of Harps and Vials full of Odours which are the Prayers of all Saints Compare this with Vers. 11. And I beheld and heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and Elders Not only Angels and blessed Spirits but Saints on Earth all join in Consort praising the Lamb. We must praise the Lord in the time of our Pilgrimage for this great Estate reserved for us in Heaven 3. It informs us how desperately wicked the Hearts of sinful Men are that can run the hazard of eternal Death and forfeit this blessed Hope of eternal Life for a little carnal Satisfaction Survey all the Temptations of the World how much they come short of it If the Heart were not desperately wicked we would not be carried out to these things What is Vain Glory to Eternal Glory What are a few dreggy Delights to those Pleasures which are at God's right Hand for evermore What are the Riches of the World to our glorious Inheritance You would count him a mad Gamester that would throw away whole Lordships and Mannors at every Cast. A Sinner forfeits a blessed Hope that is above all the Kingdoms and Possessions of the World It is for this you will be the Scorn of Angels at the last Day Psal. 52.7 Lo this is the Man that made not God his Strength but trusted in the abundance of his Riches and strengthned himself in his Wickedness This will make you ashamed in the great Congregation that you were so foolishly bent to your own Ruin Nay this will torment you for ever nothing torments Men more than their foolish Choice Conscience will for ever tell them with what disadvantage they have forsaken God for a thing of nought Disappointment to a reasonable Creature is the worst vexation and what Disappointment is more than to be disappointed of our glorious Hopes and that for Trifles and a little carnal Satisfaction This will be our Shame and Torment to all Eternity We may guess at the gnawings of Conscience in the Damned by the Horrors of carnal Men when they come to die O then how do they bewail the Folly of their Choice O that they had been as mindful to serve God as to provide for the World as careful to satisfy the Motions of the Holy Ghost as to satisfy a Lust and carnal Desire When they are on a Death-bed and upon the Confines of Eternity then all worldly Comforts cease and there is a real confutation of the folly of their Choice a Sting then begins that never ceaseth Jer. 17.11 At his End he shall be a Fool. When he comes to die his Conscience will rage and call him Fool Beast and Mad-man for hazarding such eternal Joys for a Trifle 4. It informs us of the Excellency of the Gospel or Christian Profession Wisdom should be justified by her Children And all that do profess Religion should see the Excellency of it what there is in their Beloved more than in another Beloved Cant. 5.9 This there is in the Christian Religion there are purity of Precepts Psal. 19.7 8. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the Heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes Then there is sureness of Principles of Trust and Dependance established between us and God that we may depend upon God with Comfort and Satisfaction there do you find rest for the Soul Ier. 6.16 Stand ye in the Ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good Way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your Souls Then there are no such Rewards any where as in the Christian Profession 2 Tim. 1.10 Life and Immortality are brought to Light by the Gospel The Heathens had Dreams of Elizium Fields and Mahomet tells his Followers of a sensual Paradise but Life and Immortality is a Revelation proper and peculiar only to the Gospel The Heathens were at a loss for the Reward of Vertue Austin out of Varro gives us an account of 288 Opinions concerning Happiness and the chief Good of Man but now here is all brought to Light we may look beyond the Grave now and there is not such a Mist and Darkness upon Things to come God having acquainted us with the Gospel Nay there 's more revealed than was in the time of the Law If God had still kept this Secret in his own Bosom what a Support should we have wanted in our Trouble what Encouragement to the practice of Holiness O therefore prize the Gospel it is the Charter of your blessed Hope 5. It informs us what little cause we have to be slack in God's Work or to
and neglected It is very sad when God is provoked to swear to the Damnation of any Creature Who are the Persons that may stand in dread of this Oath why they that believe not Heb. 3.18 To whom swear he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believe not It is the Sin of Unbelief after many tenders and offers of Mercy which provokes God to this Indignation Here is Oath against Oath the one to drive us the other to draw us and pull in the Heart to God If you continue in this course you shall have neither Part nor Portioâ— in Christ nor in the Land of Promise It is better to be satisfied with God's Oath in Mercy than to run the hazard of his Oath in Judgment Therefore speak to Conscience Do I come up to this Certainty and Confidence Is the Controversy ended between God and me Are all Suspicions laid aside Obj. But you will say I do not doubt of the Truth of the Gospel but of my own â—nterest I doubt that I am the Person to whom God hath sworn The Truth of God is sure but my Interest is not clear Sol. In Answer to this consider 1. It doth but seem so that all Doubts are about our own Interestâ— but it is not so indeed If once you were heartily perswaded of God's good Affection in Christ Doubts and Scruples about our own Estate would soon vanish Look as the Fire when it is well kindled bursts out of its own accord into a Flame so if Faith were once well laid in the Soul if Men could rest upon these two immutable things Consolation would not be so far from them if there were a firm Assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel there would not be so many Buts if you did firmly believe his Mercy in Christ it would soon end in a stedfast Confidence This appeareth from the nature of the thing All Uncertainty ariseth either from a Neglect of the great Salvation or else from Trouble of Conscience Now carnal Men neglect it because they are not perswaded of the Worth and Excellency of it and Men under Horrors of Conscience distrust it they are such Sinners they dare not apply it and are so full of Doubts and Scruples because they are not perswaded of the Truth of the Gospel See how the Apostle proposeth the Gospel 1 Tim. 1. â—5 This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief If negligent and carnal Men would but look upon it as worthy of all Acceptation and troubled Conscience look upon it as a faithful Saying there would be more regular Actings and Effects found in their Hearts and Lives the Negligent would give more Diligence and the Contrite would rise up into a greater Hope and Confidence If Men did believe the Worth of Salvation they would not run after lying Vanities If they did believe the Truth of Salvation for Sinners there would not be so many Scruples and Fears It is notable that the Scriptures very seldom do press Assurance of the Subject but Assurance of the Object in very many places to believe the Doctrine it self for there is the greatest Difficulty and in the Word of God we have no Precedent of any that were troubled about their own Interest If an Earthly King should proclaim a general Pardon and an Act of Grace to all Persons in Rebellion only on terms of Submission and laying down their Hostility and returning to their Duty and Allegiance the Doubt would not be of their own Interest but of the truth of his Intention to shew them such Grace and Mercy So it is with God he hath proclaimed Terms of Grace in the Gospel provided we will lay down the Weapons of our Defiance and return to the Duty of our Allegiance now that which we suspect is the Heart of God and the Gospel in the general whether there be Mercy for such kind of Sinners as we are 2. Because we cannot perswade Men to a Certainty against their Consciences what should hinder but that now you should establish your Interest and that you now make your Plea and Claim according to God's Word and Oath for Joy must arise from a Sense of it Your complaining is not the way to ease your Conscience but Obedience It is an Advantage to find our selves in an ill Condition not a Discouragement As the Woman in the Gospel made an Argument of that that she was a Dog Mat. 15.27 Truth Lord yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Masters Table As when the Man-slayer saw the Avenger of Blood at his Heels this made him mend his pace and fly for Refuge so when we see we are under the Wrath of God this should make us more earnest to look after Christ and Salvation in and by him The Cities of Refuge under the Law stood open for every Comer and there was free Admission till their Cause was heard So Christ is the Sanctuary of a pursued Soul and whosoever comes shall be received Iohn 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out God excludeth none but those that exclude themselves No Sin is excepted but the Sin against the Holy Ghost Therefore make your Claim till your Cause be heard The great Affront we put upon God's Oath is not so much doubting of our Condition but not running to Christ for Refuge If we still stand complaining of our lost Estate and do not attempt the Work of Faith we put an Affront upon God's Oath If the Lord had bid thee do some great thing I allude to the Speech of Naaman's Servants wouldst thou not have done it to be freed from Death and Hell How much rather when he saith unto thee Only come fly as for thy Life and see if I will cast thee out Take up a Resolution to try God and see if he will not be as good as his Word and Oath Say Lord thou hast given two immutable Grounds of Hope here I come I will wait to see what thou wilt do for me in Christ. 3. I answer Do but see whether thy Interest in Christ be not established or no Here is the lowest Qualification of an Heir of Promise and yet the highest and most solemn way of Assurance Here are two immutable Grounds and yet what 's the Description we who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before 〈◊〉 Here is a driving Work that belongs to the Law implied in these words We fly 〈◊〉 Refuge then a drawing Work which belongs to the Gospel in these words To lay hold on the Hope set before us The Law begins and works preparatively as Moses brought the Children of Israel to the Borders then Ioshua led them into the Land of Canaan The Law shews us our Bondage and makes us fly for Refuge but then the Gospel pulls in the Heart to God There is a necessity of the preparing
5.14 Wherefore he says Awake thou that sleepest 2. Have you been drawn to Christ by the Cords of the Gospel Have you been brought to him as a Sanctuary for your distressed Souls as the Man shut up himself in the City of Refuge 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that Day Here is my Anchor and Safety 3. Are you begotten to a lively Hope Do you often look within the Vail and groan and long for your everlasting Hopes Do you send Spies before-hand into the Land of Promise a few Thoughts thither What hearty Groans are there and Sighs of that happy State Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also who have the First-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body Doth it quicken you and make you mend your pace whatever Difficulties you meet with Rom. 5.2 We rejoice in hope of the Glory of God Vse 2. Conviction It sheweth the hardness of their Hearts who have neither felt the Law-work nor the Gospel-work but remain like the Smith's Anvil softned neither with Hammer nor Oil neither driven by the Threatnings of the Law nor drawn with the glad Tidings of Salvation neither Iohn nor Iesus worketh on them Of such Christ speaketh Mat. 11.17 We have piped unto you and you have not danced we have mourned unto you and you have not lamented A rude and stupid People not affected with any kind of Musick In times of Rejoicing the Jews had their lighter Notes fitted for Mirth in times of Lamentation they had their Minstrels and mourning Women that had venales lachrymas beating their Breasts and crying Alas my Brother and ah Lord and ah his Glory Jer. 9.17 Consider ye and call for the mourning Women Notable movers of Passions they were It was a thing so common among them that the Boys would imitate them in the Streets To these Christ likeneth a stupid People that are moved with no kind of Doctrine neither with Judgment nor sweet offers of Grace Alas they are far from the strong Comfort here spoken of Vse 3. To perswade you to this Temper Three sorts of People usually we speak to 1. The carnally Secure 2. Those that are affected with their Condition 3. Those that esteem Christ and embrace him that own him as ready and willing to save Sinners 1. For the carnally Secure that never made their Peace with God never fled for Refuge nor took Sanctuary at the Grace of Christ. Our Work is to make them sensible of the Avenger of Blood that is at their Heels O poor Wretches will you sleep when your Damnation sleeps not Within a little while what will become of you In the ordinary Course of Nature you have but a few Years to pass over in this World but for ought you know the Wrath of God which makes Inquisition for Sinners may seize upon you a great deal sooner you may not live out half your Days that is so long as in an ordinary Providence you might expect Psal. 68.21 God shall wound the Head of his Enemies and the hairy Scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his Trespasses God may take you by the hairy Scalp while you are in your youthful Freshness before Baldness and old Age cometh and Infirmities seize upon you That which is measured by Time will soon come about Every Day you are a step nearer to Eternity O what will become of you When you are at odds with God Death way-layeth you in every place it may take you Sleeping Eating Drinking Ah poor Man what Refuge hast thou What Buckler to catch the Blow of God's angry Indignation and ward off the Strokes of his Vengeance O fly Sinners for Refuge the Lord knows how soon Destruction may seize upon you while you are yet in Health and Strength there is no other means but Christ. Surely this driving Work would prosper more if Men were not wanting to themselves to improve the Conviction of the Word When God shews you your natural Face and begins to startle and awaken you O let not Conviction die No Iron so hard as that which hath been often quenched and often healed So no Heart so hard as when it hath worn out many Convictions Make use of Remorses of Conscience and your own trembling Fears lest you are given up to a Spirit of Slumber 2. To those that are affected with their Condition to seek for Salvation in Christ alone You which are troubled about your Eternal State own Christ as a City of Refuge his Arms are always open to receive poor trembling Sinners that fly thither from the Wrath of God You do but go about while you seek else-where Jer. 31.22 How long wilt thou go about O thou back-sliding Daughter for the Lord hath created a new Thing in the Earth A Woman shall compass a Man that is when God hath set forth Christ born of a Woman why will you weary your selves to go about This City of Refuge stands open for all Corners own Christ as the only Remedy One who was long exercised with Troubles of Conscience and at length came to some establishment gave this Advice I will never look for that in the Law which is only to be found in the Gospel and I will never look for that in my self which is only to be found in Christ and I will never look for that on Earth which is only to be found in Heaven These three things are the Causes why Men are kept in Trouble You will get nothing but Weariness and Discomfort by running about and looking to Duties and legal Qualifications and therefore while you are affected with your Condition own Christ. 3. To those which are fled to Christ and owned him as the only Sanctuary for poor Souls Press onward to take hold of eternal Life Now you have fled from deserved Wrath run to take hold of undeserved Glory You are past the worst the rest is more easy The Apostle Rom. 5.11 12. puts a much more upon this Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life as if that were a more easy thing Now the worst Brunt is over And not only so but we also joy in God through the Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement When you are reconciled to God you may look to be entertained as Friends being adopted in Christ you may look for a Child's Portion If God would pardon your Sins and take you with all your Faults quicken your selves to be more diligent in the pursuit of Eternal Life and put to your best Strength You will have many ups and downs in the World but bear it with Patience Heaven will pay for all But here is a Doubt May we look to the Rewards I answer Yes else there were no room for Hope for Hope is nothing else but a longing
Again compare him with the Man that brought his Son that was possessed with a dumb Devil he brought him to Christ to be cured and Christ asked him Dost thou believe I can do it And he cryed out with tears Lord I believe help thou my unbelief Mark 9.24 That was an humble Spirit indeed there 's a Work of Faith Lord I believe but he acknowledgeth mixtures of weakness help thou my unbelief But here is no lamenting of defects All these have I kept from my Youth Good Souls in the best Actions they perform will bewail the mixtures of Sin when they own any thing of Grace they are still acknowledging their weakness and many Infirmities We may and we must acknowledge the Good that is wrought in us but still we may and we must be sensible of the mixtures of Infirmity in our best Actions Again compare him with Paul he was one that had cause to stand upon his Priviledges as much as any he had all those things which the finer sort of Hypocrites can plead and rely upon before they come to Christ. Before he became a Christian he was as touching the righteousness which is by the law blameless Phil. 3.6 He had a Life free from all Scandal and any outward Vice yet when he comes to look upon this he says I count all but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Verse 8. Paul was broken-hearted touched with a sight of Sin and deserved Wrath But this Man what an utter Stranger was he to this Blessed Work of Brokenness of Heart All these have I kept from my Youth In short that I may gather up the Discourse Here was wanting Iosiah's Tenderness who rent his Cloaths and the other Man's Humility and Paul's Self-denyal therefore certainly his Answer shews that he was not truly acquainted either with the Law or with himself So that the Note which I shall prosecute will be this Doct. That Men are too apt to think well of themselves or of their own Goodness and Righteousness before God Here is a Young Man drunk with a foolish Confidence and therefore boasteth that he had ever performed his Duty And to be sure he hath more fellows in the World some that are as Confident as he but upon far less grounds It is said of the Scribe that came to Christ Luke 10.29 But he willing to justifie himself That is the Temper and Disposition of Man So Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God So Rev. 3.17 Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and stand in need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Oh how apt are many to conceit of themselves beyond what they ought Obj. But what 's the Cause that Men are so apt to over rate their own Righteousness and Goodness before God I answer Ignorance Error Self-love Negligence and Security First Ignorance They are ignorant of the Law and of the Gospel 1. Ignorant of the Law of the Spiritual meaning of the Law They think they are well enough if they refrain from outward gross Sins and so say All these have I kept because they keep it in an outward way as that Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God! I thank thee I am not as other men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican Men please themselves in this as if open and gross Sinners were only lyable to the Wrath of God O how Natural is it to us to cut short the sence of the Law that which may suit it to our own practice and our own course of Duty Ignorant Persons think that no Man is an Idolalater or guilty of the breach of the First Commandment but he that doth grosly and openly worship Stocks and Stones and Beasts and Serpents and none a Murderer but he that hath kill'd a Man none an Adulterer but he that hath defiled his Neighbours Bed none a Thief but he that robs by the High-way side or that pilfers anothers Goods They look to the gross and outward sence of the Law and not to the inward Spiritual meaning thereof The Lord Christ rebukes this Ignorance Matth. 5.22 and shews that rash anger and contumelious words are Sins and he is a Murderer not only that doth kill another but he that breaks out into Passion that calls his Brother Fool he is in danger of Hell-fire that Lustful glances are Adultery that the Law requires not only an External Conformity in Manners and Actions but Purity and Righteousness in all our Thoughts internal Motions and the Affections of the Heart Therefore the poor ignorant Self-deceiving Man that triumphs over Sin as if it were wholly dead in him because it breaks not out into open wickedness and enormous Offences is wholly mistaken as Paul was alive without the Law O this Man is foully mistaken for he knows not the Law aright for it doth not only Command some External Duties and forbid some of the grosser Sins but reacheth the Heart it condemneth Lust evil Concupiscence and inordinate Motions and Stirrings A Man that keeps the Law only outwardly can no more be said to keep the Law than he that hath undeâ—â—â—â—n to carry a Tree and only takes up a little piece of the Bark 2. They are ignorant of Gospel Righteousness which consists in the remission of Sins and Imputation of Christ's Righteousness applyed by true Faith What 's the Reason men are so apt to over-rate their own Righteousness They are ignorant of the Righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 They do not know the true Plea in the Gospel Court which is not Innocency but a broken-hearted Confession of Sin Thâ—â— Perfection of personal Obedience which the legal Covenant requireth they acknowledge not and being ignorant of the second they patch up a piece as well as they can of the Duties of the Law ill understood that the Ell may be no broader than the Cloath Ignorance then is one great Cause of this Disposition in men to justifie themselves Ignorance of the Legal and Gospel Covenant they are ignorant of the Nature Merit and Influence of Sin and of the severity of God's Justice Secondly Another Cause is Error They are leavened with sottish Principles and that disposeth them to a Conceit of their own Righteousness I shall name several of them 1. That they live in good Order and are of a Civil harmless Life and are better than others or better than themselves have been heretofore and therefore are in good Condition before God and yet a man may be Carnal for all this I will take this Principle asunder Take the Positive part A Man may live in good Order be of a civil and harmless Life and yet be destitute of Grace and of the Life
God converted Firmius Omnipotency needeth no outward advantage So in Publick Deliverances Gods Instruments are usually despicable a Straw is as good as a Spear in the hands of Omnipotence Most of the Iudges that rescued Israel were taken from the Plough and Sheepfold So for Judgments God by weak means punishes Sinners Egypt was plagued with Flies and Lice they were strong to execute Gods Word 3. By working with contrary means Christ used Clay and Spittle that one would think should put out the Eyes to restore sight to the blind Man Ioseph was first made a Slave and then a Favourite his Brethren first sell him and then worship him he is cast into the Dungeon to be preferred to Court There are strange Contrivances and Contrarieties in Providence the way seemeth contrary to the Aim and the Means disproportionable to the End When we see great Confusions in the World we wonder how this should tend to oGds Glory and the Churches good and are apt to say as Ioshua chap. 7.9 What wilt thou do unto thy great name And as the Prophet Amos 7.2 By whom shall Iacob arise for he is small We wonder how God means to save when Babylon destroyeth and how Confusion and Mischief can end in Order and Beauty But Gods knows the sufficiency of his own Power and is able to bring about these things to bring Light out of Darkness and one contrary out of another 2. The Acts of Providence they are three Conservation Gubernation and Ordination 1. Conservation Conserving and keeping all Creatures in their Being Therefore the Apostle saith Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the word of his power Isa. 22.23 24. I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house If God should take away the shoulder of his Providence all things would return to their first nothing and vanish and disappear as a Seal upon the Waters the Impression is defaced assoon as the Seal is gone Providence is a continual Creation every thing that is kept in Working and Being is as it were newly born newly brought forth newly produced nay Chrysostome saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something greater than Creation as it is more to support a burden long in the Air than to raise it up from the Earth so it is more to keep all things from returning to nothing than to educe and bring them out of nothing That 's the Reason why the Holy Ghost speaks in the present Tense Psalm 104.2 Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain And Isa. 40.22 It is he that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in It is not in the future Tense because God is alwaies a stretching them out So our Saviour Iohn 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I work Though there be a cessation of work in regard of new kinds yet there is a continuation of work in regard of their Preservation and God's Providential Influence The Power which raised from nothing must still preserve from nothing Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things This Solomon intends when he saith Prov. 20.12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them He doth not mean Spiritually but Naturally he doth not only give the Faculty but the Exercise as he gives the Eye so the seeing and as he gives the Ear so the Hearing This could not be done without new Acts of Providence Assistance and Supportation from God Therefore we read Hagar did not see the Well of Water till the Lord opened her Eyes Gen. 21.19 And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water So the Disciples Luke 24.31 And their eyes were opened and they saw him When the Lord suspended his influence the Fire could not burn the three Children God did not destroy the property of the Fire but only suspended the Efficacy of it No Creature can put forth it self in a way of Operation without a new Providential assistance from God 2. Gubernation or governing all things according to his Will and Pleasure All things keep their course for God sitteth at the Helm and steereth all Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him What doest thou God doth all according to his pleasure he is not confined by any External Law nor straitned by the course of Nature but acts with a great deal of Soveraignty and Freedom and sometimes inverts the Order of Second Causes God's Will is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Pleasure is all There are indeed some standing Ordinances of Nature as the Ordinances of Sun and Moon and the Covenant of Day and Night Ier. 31.35 Thus saith the Lord which giveth the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of moon and stars for a light by night And Gen. 8.22 While the earth remaineth seed-time and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease God can alter the course of these as in Ioshua's time and at Christs Death there was three dayes darkness in Egypt Matth. 5.45 He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust There is nothing so casual but it is governed by God and falls under the Ordination of his wise Counsel It is said 1 Kings 22.34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness It was a meer chance as to him but God directed it into the sides of the King So Exod 21.13 If a man lye not in wait but God deliver him into his hand compared with Deut. 19.5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to how wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree and the head slippeth from the helve and lighteth upon his neighbour that he dye God slew him There is nothing so casual but it is directed by the wise Ordination of God Prov. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposal thereof is of the Lord. There seems to be nothing so trivial and casual as the casting the Lot into the Lap yet it is over-ruled by him he doth not only permit but governe God governs all his Creatures in such a throng of Stars there is no interfering We wonder at strange Events when the great sway is discovered The Sea is higher than the Earth yet it doth not transgress its bounds and limits We live and breath as the Israelites did in the midst of the Red Sea this is a dayly Miracle 3. Ordination All things are over-ruled by Gods great sway it is
Office 1. As to his Person There we must consider the Original Holyness of his Natures Divine and Humane Divine he is called Isa. 45.21 A just God and a Saviour Humane he was wholly free from that Original Contagion wherewith others that come of Adam are defiled Luke 1.35 That holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Now add to this his perfect Actual Obedience to God both in Heart and Life and this either to the Common Law of Duty that lyeth upon all Mankind for it became him to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 3.15 Or that particular Law of Mediation which was proper to himself Heb. 5.8 Though he were a Son yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered by which he answered the end of the Law which we have broken and was also the meritorious cause of the Covenant of Grace by which all Blessings are conveyed to us 2 Cor. 5.21 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Well then his Personal Holyness did make him acceptable to God and should make him amiable to us He loved righteousness and hated iniquity Adam in the state of Innocency did perfectly love Righteousness and hate Sin but not constantly for he soon fell Believers in the state of Regeneration love Righteousness and hate Iniquity sincerely and constantly but not perfectly but Christ when he assumed our Nature did love righteousness and hate Iniquity both perfectly and constantly in Heart and Practice and this even to the Death This qualified him for his Office of Prophet Priest and King As a Prophet who is so fit to teach the World Holyness as one that hath a perfect love to Holyness and hatred of Sin and this manifested in our Nature Angels are Holy and Righteous but not so as Christ who besides the Essential Purity and Holyness of the God-head hath also assumed our Nature and preserved it in Purity and Innocency And therefore his Nature and Practice agreeth with his design 1 Iohn 3.5 He was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin So as a Priest his Holyness gave a value both to the Merit of his Sacrifice and Intercession Heb. 7.25 26. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For such an high priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Here was a pure unspotted Sacrifice offered up to God here upon Earth and pleaded and represented in Heaven He that was to satisfie in the behalf of others needed to be free from the defilement of Sin himself that he might be not only our Ransome but our Patterne Then as a King this Purity and Holyness is necessary not only that he might powerfully Effect but also Favour and Patronize all that is good Holy and Just in the World For Prov. 15.9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness The one are the Objects of his Abomination the other of his love The Wicked are for a while prosperous and successful therefore they think God loveth them but they are an abomination to him into whose hands all Judgment is put They cannot collect or conclude his approbation from his forbearance no nor any neglect of Humane Affairs as if they were left to their own Chance and Arbitrement No all that can be gathered from hence is his great forbearance and Mercy to the worst while he is inviting them to Repentance On the other side you have the disposition of the Regenerate set forth who do not perfunctorily and by the bye do that which is Holy and Righteous but set their whole Heart and Desire to it They follow after Righteousness their business is to be eminently Holy and surely they are loved by Christ For he that hateth Iniquity and loveth Righteousness will love those that follow after it than which nothing more sweet honourable and blessed can be thought of by us than to be loved by our Redeemer To have a Prince love us or a Wise or Learned Man love us we highly value it What is it then to have Christ love us This will not be a barren or an empty Love Well then he is fit to be the King of the World 2. All this while we have spoken of his Personal Holyness which maketh him acceptable to God and amiable to us and qualifieth him for his Office Now let us see how he sheweth this love to Holyness and hatred to Iniquity in his Office as well as in his Person The general terme whereby this Office is expressed is Mediator The Three particular Functions are those of Prophet Priest and King 1. As to the general terme Mediator whose work it is to bring Heaven and Earth to kiss each other or to make Peace between God and Man God offended and Man guilty All that he did herein was out of his Love love to Righteousness and hatred of Iniquity which was the great Make-bate between God and us therefore surely his chief design was to destroy Sin and to promote Holyness So much we are told Dan. 9.24 That the Messiah shall come to finish transgressions and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophesie and to anoint the most holy The great business for which the Mediator came into the World was to destroy the Reign and Power of Sin and to advance the practice of all goodness and Holyness and to recover the lost World to God Now because his Heart was so much set upon this God anointed him with the oyl of gladness above his fellows 2. Come we to those Three particular Functions wherein this Office is exercised those of Prophet Priest and King 1. As a Prophet by his Doctrine he sheweth that he loveth Righteousness and hateth Iniquity for the whole frame of it discovereth and breatheth out nothing else but an hatred against Sin and a Love to Holyness Iohn 17.17 Sanctifie them through the truth thy word is truth Psalm 119.140 Thy word is very pure All the Histories Misteries Precepts Promises Threatnings aim at this one business that Sin may be subdued in us and brought into disrepute and disesteem in the world The Histories are certain Patterns and Example of Holyness and those taken from Men and Women that had not devested themselves of the Interests and Concernments of Flesh and Blood no more than we have and yet pleased and served God in their several Generations to excite us to like diligence and Self-Denyal Heb. 6.12 Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises The Misteries are not only to raise our wonder but breed a true Spirit of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the mistery of
Evangelist there explaineth his meaning so that there needeth no further scruple about the sense of the words It followeth that whosoever All Persons are invited without exclusion of any that universal particle comprehendeth Sinners of all sorts and sizes of all ranks and conditions in the World Believeth in him This answereth to looking upon the Brazen Serpent Believing is a looking to Christ a looking upon him by the Eye of Faith Shall not perish but have eternal life He shall escape the present danger which he feareth Souls shall be healed and delivered from Hell and Life Eternal is restored to them Doct. That we ought to consider Salvation by Christ as prefigured and represented by the history of the brazen Serpent As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of Man be lifted up And Christ here propoundeth it to Nicodemus 1. It is useful to consider the Types partly to confirm our Faith when we see the Harmony between the Testaments There are Historical Types and Prophetical Types Historical Types are only Patterns and Examples 1 Cor. 10.11 All these things hapned to them for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ensamples or Types so the Providences of God to his Antient People 1 Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents Prophetical Types were instituted to prefigure a thing to come as the Ceremonies of the Law were Figures of better things to come Now we see the Gospel is not a Novel Invention only hatched in that Age when it was first set a foot no it was long since foretold not only by words but things there was a preparation made for it And partly to help our Meditation we reflect upon these things with more delight and sweetness whilest we view the Agreement between the Truth and the Type When we know the Person yet we delight to see the Picture and so we may take a view of things with a grateful variety We see them double when we consider both the Shadow and the Mistery Partly to increase our thankfulness we have not such dark and long prospects through which they only could look to Christ we may see him more clearly in the Doctrines of the Gospel where he is evidently set forth unto us and as it were crucified before our eyes Gal. 3.1 Surely then we are more obliged to mind these things The more clearly and convincingly Christ is represented to us the more will our negligence be aggravated and our contempt the greater if we make light of these things 2. Among other Types the Brazen Serpent must not be forgotten partly because it doth in a most lively and full manner represent Christ Here a word is a Sermon and we cannot think of the Brazen Serpent but the necessity the remedy the means of Application do presently offer themselves to our thoughts And partly because this took off the great scandal and Iewish exception against Christ which was the ignominy of the Cross. Therefore to a Doctor of the Law he doth not produce the Paschal Lamb or other Figures but the Brazen Serpent as clearly representing the Cause Quality and Fruit of his Sufferings 3. To help you in this Consideration I shall 1. Give the History 2. The Typical Use of it First The History in Numb 21.6 7 8 9. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bite the people and much people of Israel dyed Therefore the people came unto Moses and said we have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee pray unto the â—ord that he take away the serpents from us and Moses prayed for the people And the Lord said unto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it he shall live And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole and it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man when he beheld the serpent of brass he lived The Sin occasioning the Judgment was there murmuring at Moses and Aaron and their loathing of Manna for this God sendeth fiery Serpents Observe how God suiteth the Judgment to the Sin venomous Tongues are plagued with venomous Serpents It is said Eccl. 10.11 Surely the serpent shall bite without inchantment and a babler is no better And again Psalm 140.3 They have sharpned their tongues like a serpent Adders poison is under their lips They have a Bag of Water under their Tongues which is most poisonous and inflaming which in biting is broken But this was not the Asp but the Chersydrus a sort of Serpent which abideth on Land as well as in Water whilst it liveth in the Water it is not altogether so venomous as when it cometh to live on the dry Land and in this part of the thirsty howling Wilderness these kind of Serpents were most fiery and burning and at that time of the year when the Israelites were there which was about the end of August For Aaron dyed in the first day of the fifth moneth Numb 33.38 which was about the Tenth of Iuly and the Children of Israel mourned thirty days before they journeyed Numb 20.29 And when they journeyed from Mount Hor then we read of their murmuring and Gods plaguing them with fiery Serpents Observe again that God that bringeth Manna from Heaven can also send Serpents God is not all Honey abused Mercy is turned into fury and when his favours are despised he hath Judgments to sting us and if Men will loath their Food God will chastise them with poison But again to the History These Serpents which God sent are called fiery serpents partly for their colour being of a shining glistring skin the word in the Original is Seraphim-burners a Name given to the Angels Isa. 6.2 Above it stood the Seraphims which Angels are called elsewhere flames of fire Psalm 104.4 Partly because their venomous stinging and biting did cause a raging heat and grievous burning in the Bodies of the Israelites And it seemeth they were a kind of Serpents with Wings not of Feathers but of a cartilaginous substance like the Wings of a Bat and did here and there seize upon them and bite them or at least they are said to flie because of their swift Motion whereby suddenly jerking they shoot themselves forward or dart themselves out of Trees on Men or Beasts as they pass by them There is a plain allusion to those flying Serpents Isa. 14.29 Out of the serpents hole shall come forth a cockatrice and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent And indeed that Wilderness through which the Israelites passed did abound with many sorts of these Serpents Therefore it is said Deut. 8.15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions Well then they go to Moses and said we have sinned for we have spoken against God and against
the Heart and may be determined partly by the object or matter believed partly by the subject of it or the acts of the Soul towards it First The Object or Matter believed is in short this That there is a God Heb. 11.6 That God having made Man he hath right and power over him to govern him by his Laws James 4.12 There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy That Man failing in his Obedience he and all his Posterity are subject to the wrath and vindictive Justice of God Rom. 3.19 That all the World may become guilty before God Ephes. 2.3 And were by nature children of wrath even as others That such was God's Love that to recover Man out of this wretched condition he sent his own Son into the World John 3.16 That Iesus Christ who was the Son of God died for our offences and rose again for our Iustification Rom. 4.25 That is died to expiate our sins and rose again to convince the unbelieving VVorld of the Authority and Dignity of his Person and Offices and also of the truth of his Law and Covenant that having died and rose again he hath acquired Novum Ius Imperii a new right of Command and Empire over the World Rom. 14.9 For this cause he both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord of dead and living That is have full power and dominion to dispose of us dead and living That Christ having this full power and dominion over all flesh hath established and enacted a Law of Grace or New Covenant wherein Pardon and Righteousness or Title to Life is assured to Penitent Believers Mark 16.16 Whosoever believeth shall be saved And Luke 24.47 And that Repentance and Remission of sins be Preached in his Name to all Nations And shall actually be bestowed upon all that obey him Heb. 5.9 But those that refuse this Christ shall be eternally miserable John 3.19 This is the condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil This is the sum of what is to be believed Secondly It may be determined partly by the Subject of it or the acts of the Soul about it The Subject is the Heart both Understanding and Will The Understanding Assents to all this as true both what is said of the Person of the Redeemer and his Covenant and accordingly disposeth the heart of Man to carry it self towards both 1. To the Person of the Redeemer We Thankfully and Broken-heartedly receive him to the ends of the Gospel or to be to us what God hath appointed him to be and do that for us That God hath appointed Him to do for poor sinners To be our Lord and Saviour Iohn 1.12 Col. 2.6 as Lord to obey him and as Saviour to depend upon him and trust our selves in his hands for our happiness whatever befalleth us 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 2. Towards the Covenant which he hath appointed as the Law or Rule of Commerce between us and God There are Promises and Precepts Commands and offers of Grace 1. For the Promises you heartily accept them as the greatest Happiness that can be bestowed upon you and depend upon them as things that surely will be performed for there comes in the consideration of true and good 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a true and faithful saying Ephes. 1.13 In whom ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth as true doubts are opposite to them as good carnal inclinations 2 For the Precepts and Duties required you bind your selves to perform them upon these hopes whatever it cost you And there comes in also the nature of Faith Sincere Resolution and Absolute Self denial Sincere resolution to perform what God hath required that you may obtain what he hath offered which is called a giving up of our selves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8.5 And absolute Self denial or Selling all for the Pearl of Price Mat. 13.46 And so that Faith which is made such a difficult thing to explain as it were a Bugbear to affright poor Christians from all thoughts and study about it is made easie and facile to the understandings of the meanest Christians who must live by it and be saved by it This then is believing with the Heart Secondly What is Confession with the Mouth A solemn outward declaration that we take Christ for our Lord and Saviour or that we believe what is revealed to us concerning God and Christ and our duty to him This is necessary because the Promises of the New Covenant run in both strains of putting the word in our Heart Ier. 31.37 and putting it in our Mouths Isa. 59.21 The Saints Prayers are That God would not take it out of their Hearts Psal. 119.36 nor out of their Mouths Verse 43. Take not the word of Truth utterly out of my Mouth And the nature of their duty to God requireth it for a Man is first to embrace the True Religion to receive it with his Heart and then he is to profess it or express it with his Mouth for no Man is to conceal and keep his Religion to himself Our Tongues and our Bodies were given us to shew forth that acknowledgment and Adoraâ—ion of God which is in our hearts He that denieth God or Christ with the Heart doth not believe in him or Worship him with the Heart So he doth not Worship God with his Tongue and Life who doth not outwardly profess and honour him As he hath given us an understanding that we may know him so he hath prepared for us a body wherewithal to profess him and our esteem of him Isa. 45.23 To me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear Which is again repeated and established as our duty in the Gospel Phil. 2.10.11 At the Name of Iesus every Knee should bow And every Tongue confess that Iesus Christ is Lord. But more distinctly to open this confession with the Mouth 1. The matter to be confessed is the great truths which we do believe God Christ the Covenant of Grace Eternal Glory and Happiness And the lesser truths in their season at other times Rom. 14.22 Hast thou Faith have it to thy self before God 'T is not meant of the necessary Articles of the Christian belief but things of a doubtful disputation If we know more than others in these things yet we must not needlessly trouble the Church or offend the weak to the danger of their Souls and hindrance of greater truths And yet in these things you must not deny the smallest truth 2 Cor. 13.8 We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth For though the thing we contend for be small yet sincerity is a great matter and to profess our Assent or Consent to what we neither count true nor can well approve of is to come under a
out of the reach of his Commerce 2. Difference A Mediator is chiefly one used between disagreeing parties Gal. 3.20 Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one but God is one There must be two parties and usually two different parties There is God angry and Man guilty Conscience of guilt presents God terrible and taketh away all Confidence from the guilty Sinner so that of our selves we cannot approach in a friendly manner to an offended and provoked God Heb. 12.29 For our God is a consuming Fire And who can dwell with devouring Burnings Isa. 33.14 Who shall interpose and stand between God and us the Power of his Wrath and our weakness and obnoxiousness to his Righteous Vengeance II. That none but Christ is fit for this High Office that though God be High and Just and Holy yet poor Creatures and Sinners may have access to him A Mediator must be one that can take off the distance and compromise the difference between us and God Oh that there were saith Iob a days-man between us that might lay his hands upon both Job 9.33 Now considering this Jesus Christ is the only fit interposing party Therefore he is called the Mediator of the new Covenant Heb. 12.24 And to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and the Mediator of a better Covenant Heb. 8.6 1. As to the distance so in his Person he is God-man Our Mediator must be one in whom God doth condescend to man and by whom man may be incouraged to ascend to God Now in Christ God is nearer to Man than he was before and so we may have more familiar Thoughts of God The pure Deity is at so vast a distance from us while we are in Flesh that we are amazed and confounded cannot imagine that he should look after us concern himself in us and our Affairs love us shew us his Free Grace and Favour Now it is a mighty help to think of God manifested in our Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 The Word made Flesh John 1.14 So that while we are here in the flesh yet we may have commerce with God 'T is a mighty incouragement to consider how near God is come to us in Christ and how he hath taken the Humane Nature into his own Person For surely he will not hide himself from his own Flesh Isa. 58.7 He came down into our flesh that he might be man and familiar with man This wonderfully reconcileth the Heart of Man to God and maketh the thoughts of him comfortable and acceptable to us so that we may incourage our selves in free access to God 2. As the Person of the Redeemer so his Work Which is to take away the Difference and Quarrel between us and God To understand this observe that the Mediation between the two differing parties must be carried on so that God who is the Supream and Offended party may be satisfied Now God stood upon these Terms that the Honour of his governing Justice should be secured Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins And that the Repentance and Reformation of sinful man should be carried on strictly Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Remission of Sins These must be done otherwise man must lye under his Eternal Displeasure If the one be done and not the other done no Reconciliation can ensue Therefore we must not look to Christs Mediation with God so as to overlook his Work with man nor so look to his Work with man as to overlook his Mediation with God Heb. 3.1 Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ. We have both here The work of an Apostle lieth with men the work of an High Priest with God He hath an Office with God and Man and both are necessary to bring about our Salvation And Christ cannot be a compleat Saviour without doing both To be barely a Prophet would not serve the turn but he must be a Priest to satisfie Gods Justice also by the Merit of his Sacrifice In short his Work with God is that of a Priest his Work with Man is that of a Prophet and King 1. His Work as a Priest is to pacifie Gods Wrath procure his Grace Love and Favor for us and this he doth under two Relations as a Sponsor and Intercessour 1. As a Sponsor and Surety He was the Surety of a better Testament Heb. 7.22 By so much was Iesus made a surety of a better Testament So First By way of Satisfaction he undertook something to be paid and performed for us He undertaketh to satisfie Gods Justice by the Sacrifice of himself and so make way for his Mercy on easie Terms The pacifying of Gods Justice was a great part of his Mediation Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death fâ—r the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance That is that Penitent and believing Sinners might be acquitted from the curse due to them by the first Covenant and so made capable of Eternal Life What they owe he hath paid Secondly By way of Caution Undertaking for those whom he reconciled to God that they shall perform what God requireth of them in the new Covenant Having purchased the Spirit he hath inabled them to repent and believe and mortifie and crucifie the flesh and obey the Gospel Rom. 6.6 Knowing that our old man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin 2. As an Intercessour He is in Heaven dealing with God in our behalf He hath not cast off his Relation or Affection to his People upon his Advancement Heb. 8.2 A Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man In all his Glory He is the Churches Agent appearing for us as our Atturney in Court Heb. 9.24 Pleading for us and answering all Accusations as our Advocate 1 Iohn 2.1 And if any man Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous And maintaining a correspondency between us and God As an Ambassador between two States promoting our Desires and Prayers Rev. 8.3 And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Cenâ—er and there was given to him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne And obtaining all necessary Graces for us 2. His Work with Men as a Prophet and King 1. As a Prophet and so as a Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3.11 He sheweth us the way how we may be reconciled with God perswading us also to be so reconciled to God For we are ignorant and obstinate loth to part with sin and submit to God's
weak and inconstant 2 Cor. 10.12 The Devil is busie 1 Pet. 5.8 The Devil like a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour 2. Why is this frame of Heart pitched upon For two Reasons 1. That we may most carefully abstain from what displeaseth God Nothing breedeth tenderness of Conscience so much as holy Fear Gen. 39.9 How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God So Phil. 2.12 As you have obeyed not as in my presence only but much more in my absence so work out your salvation with fear and trembling God is alike every where and therefore he that feareth God is alike every where He needeth no other Theatre than his own Conscience no other Spectator than God and his holy Angels No Secrecy can tempt such a one to Sin Levit. 19.14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf nor laâ— a stumbling block before the blind but thou shalt fear the Lord thy God The Blind see not the Deaf hear not but God seeth God heareth and that is enough to restrain a gracious Heart No Terror can tempt them to break the Laws of God Exod. 1.17 The midwives feared God and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them No Worldly Dangers are so much feared as God's Displeasure They look upon God offended with the greatest Terror upon God reconciled with the greatest Comfort and Delight therefore they strictly abstain from what may offend God even in the least Nehem. 5.15 So did not I because I feared God 2. Because it produces a Care and diligent Endeavour to approve our selves to him and to be accepted of him Nothing engageth us to Diligence and Chearfulness in his Service so much as an holy Fear of God Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 Let this be the governing Principle and you cannot be slight and careless you will work and work out 2 Cor. 7.1 Perfecting holiness in the fear of God A little Grace and a little Holiness will not serve the turn So Heb. 12.28 Let us have grace wherely we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear God is not a God to be put off with every thing or a little Religiousness by the bye If we have a due sense of the excellency of God it inspireth us with Care Zeal and Diligence in his Service 2. Working Righteousness is made the Fruit of this sense of God upon our Hearts To work Righteousness is to set our whole Heart and Soul a Work to live conformably to the Law of God or to approve our selves to him by a constant uniform Obedience The sense is He that undertaketh the Service of the true God as Cornelius did and exerciseth himself in Works of Mercy Justice and Devotion that hath Fear which giveth uprightness of Heart and worketh Righteousness which implyeth Holiness of Life This is the Man accepted with God Now this is required over and above the former 1. In respect of God that we may honour him in the World for our Obedience maketh our Reverence and Esteem of him visible and sensible Principles are hidden but Actions discover them Things that lye hid in their Causes are not seen but when the Effect breaketh out they do sensibly appear All Principles are discovered in their Actions as Atheism and want of the Fear of God Psal. 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith there is no fear of God before their eyes And so good Principles are seen to God's Honour and Glory be it Faith or Fear All Graces are more sensible in their Fruits than in their internal elicite Acts. Faith 2 Thess. 1.11 12. The work of faith with power that the name of our Lord Iesus may be glorified in you So Fear is seen in the Effects Acts 10.2 Cornelius feared God and gave much alms and prayed to God alway A phantastical airy Religion bringeth little honour to God 2. It is for our own Comfort When we set our selves diligently and sollicitously to obey God and are careful not to displease him it leaveth an Evidence in our Consciences Partly because Actions are more evident than Habits 1 Iohn 3.19 Hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him And partly because uniform Actions are greater and surer Evidence of our Sincerity than single Actions 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world Partly because there is a sensible Pleasure that accompanieth the holy and heavenly Life and delighteth the Person so employed Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness Constant Obedience breedeth a durable Delight and Pleasure All other Pleasures are nothing worth to this continual Feast partly because God is more ready to witness to our Sincerity Comforts are the Rewards of obedient Children Psal. 11.6 The righteous God loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright God is just and upright himself and he hath a special Eye of Grace and favour over them There is a likeness between them and God he delighteth himself in the reflection of his own Image imprinted on them IV. The meaning of the Priviledge Is accepted with him The Person is pleasing to him so far as to maintain increase and perfect the Grace begun in them for the first Grace is supposed 1. He that feareth God and goeth on in a constant steady course of Righteousness is sure of God's Favour and Protection Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he that hath begun a good Work in you will perform it to the day of Christ that is will maintain what he hath begun you may be confident of his Fatherly Love and Protection 2. He will encrease it For God delighteth to Crown his own Gifts See Prov. 4.18 The path of the just is as the shining light that shines more and more to the perfect day Prov. 10.29 The way of the Lord is strength to the upright 3. He will perfect it and reward you with everlasting Glory See Psal. 15.2 He that works righteousness Psal. 106.3 Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that does righteousness at all times 1. Use of Information It informeth us 1. How much they are mistaken who think Sanctification hath no influence upon our Comfort and Peace Some good People are over-tender in this Point they pretend they would fetch all their Comfort immediately from Christ. And is Christ the less Author of it because Sanctification is the matter of it As if Sanctification were not from Christ as well as Justification He is both to us 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption But they think this is to fetch Comfort from something more in our selves than Justification is for the one is an adherent Priviledge as the other an internal Qualification Answ. True but though it be in us it is not of us It floweth from the same Grace of God and the same
that we have heard and seen Gal. 2.11 When Peter was come to Antioch I with stood him to the Face because he was to be blamed The one requireth Aptness of Gifts the other only Christian Prudence and a fervent Charity This latter we have now in hand II. The Arguments by which we are to inforce it Which are needful in this Case because Men are so apt to bear with Sin both in themselves and others and this Duty is of so great Use that Satan seeketh to hinder it with all his Power and so hard to be done rightly that most Men quite omit it 1 st I shall prove it from the Law of Nature which teacheth me to love my Neighbour as my self and therefore Conscience bindeth me to reduce those into the right way who are gone out of it this is the obliging internal Cause We our selves by a regular Will having erred would be glad to be reduced and set into the right way again Ier. 8.4 Thus saith the Lord Shall they fall and not arise Shall they turn away and not return Is any Man so absurd heedless and witless that when he hath gotten a Fall will lie still and not essay to get up again Or that hath been unwittingly out of the way and will not desire to come into it again and be willing to receive Direction from those that would set him right Now this being a Dictate of Nature produced by God himself by his Prophet to aggravate their Apostacy who having faln by their Sin refused to rise and return holdeth good also to others whom we are to love as our selves And therefore when they are fallen we must help them to rise again and when they are turned away we must help them to return This is so natural that the very Birds and Beasts desire to return to their proper Places in their natural and appointed time when they have wander'd as the Prophet speaketh of the Stork Turtle and Crane ver 7. Yea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming Now from that reciprocal Obligation that is between Men and the Law of Nature we are bound to reprove our Brother as we desire it and expect it from them to be set right when we are wrong we are to pay the same Debt of Love to them again The Argument holdeth à fortiori because in spiritual things the Danger is greater the Good to be procured is greater the Evil to be feared greater Yea this Argument is the stronger because it holdeth good concerning the Ox and Ass not only of our own Neighbour but of our Enemy as Exod. 23.4 If thou meet thine Enemy's Ox or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again And Deut. 22.1 Thou shalt not see thy Brother's Ox or his Sheep go astray and hide thy self from them thou shalt in any case bring them again to thy Brother Surely hereby God would teach every Man not to look on his own things only but to love and do Good to other Men. This Duty required towards Beasts is much more towards Men Ezek. 34.4 Ye have not brought again that which was driven away and ye have not sought that which was lost We are all like Sheep going astray and have need of one anothers Help Mark there are two Precepts in Deut. 22.1 a Prohibition not to hide and a Commandment to restore so that they are doubly guilty that are not affected with other Mens Sins or do not seek to reform them 2 dly It is a Duty because positively commanded by God so that unless we will be guilty of flat Disobedience we ought to mind it God bindeth all Men to reprove their erring Brother and Neighbour keeping the Rules of Prudence Justice and Charity Now that God hath commanded this many of the Scriptures cited before prove it Matth. 18.15 16 17. If thy Brother offend thee go and tell him his Fault between him and thee Which is to be understood not only of Offences done to us but to be extended to all wilful Crimes of which we see him guilty for Zeal for God should prevail with us as much as Injuries done to to our selves and it is not angry Reproach but Christian Admonition that we press you to 1 Thess. 5.14 Warn them that are unruly 2 Thess. 3.15 Admonish him as a Brother So Rom. 15.14 I my self also am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye are full of Goodness filled with all Knowledg able to admonish one another So Prov. 25.8 9 10. Go not forth hastily to strive lest thou know not what to do in the End thereof when thy Neighbour hath put thee to Shame Debate thy Cause with thy Neighbour himself and discover not a Secret to another lest he that heareth it put thee to Shame and thine Infamy turn not away All these Expressions concern Brotherly Reproof debating Matters in Case of Offence and Injury real or supposed If we presently run to Law without using previous gentle Methods of taking up Matters among our selves we run a great Hazard both of Loss and Infamy Better end it by friendly Composition than running to the Judg where by many unhappy Representations a Righteous Cause may be oppressed But for the common Duty of Christians see Ephes. 5.11 Have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness but rather reprove them The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather doth not lessen our Duty but inforce it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom We ought to reprove We shall not be excused before God unless we do our Duty So Iude 22.23 And of some have Compassion making a Difference And others save with Fear pulling them out of the Fire SERMON II. LEVIT XIX 17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him 3 dly COnsider how far it bindeth 1. Intensively as to the Value of the Precept It is not an Arbitrary Direction which we may omit or observe at Pleasure but a Necessary Precept which we must obey 1. From the Danger we incur We are under Danger of Sin and bearing Punishment for them whom we reprove not and the Punishment of Sin is eternal Death if it be omitted out of a culpable Negligence Eternal Life and eternal Death is in the Case there is no doubt of Superiours who by Justice and Office are bound to reprove as well as by the Law of common Love and Charity Ezek. 33.6 His Blood will I require at the Watchman's Hands But even private Persons may bear Sin for others 2. Because of the Good which cometh thereby which is the Glory of God and the gaining of our Brother Matth. 18.15 Thou hast gained thy Brother And the gaining of another's Soul is no small Advantage this will be your Crown and rejoicing in the Day of the Lord. To enforce both consider that Text Prov. 24.
the part of Physician not of a Judg he burneth us cutteth us puts us to pain but not to do us hurt not to satisfy Vengeance but to better our Hearts Hic ure hic seca Domine modo parcas in aeternum Our Afflictions are troublesome to the Flesh as Punishments are we cannot expect full Security or total Exemption from them Again they come not by chance Affliction doth not spring out of the Dust but they come by special Dispensation as Punishments also they do not come by chance Sin is for the most part the occasion of them God chasteneth them because they have sinned as we quench a Brand plucked out of the Burning or he warneth them that they may not sin again The Chastisements of the Godly serve for Examples as well as the Punishments of the Wicked But they are not properly Judicial Acts to satisfy the Law as a Judg taketh no notice of the Repentance of the Delinquent but of his Fault They are Acts of Love and a part of God's Family-Discipline Brambles are not pruned but Vines Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Bastards are leftto live more at large Again they are for the exercise of Grace not for the destruction of our Persons A Judg doth not punish Offenders because he loveth them but because the Law requireth it If Corrections were Punishments wicked Men should have the greatest share Heb. 12.10 He chasteneth us for our Profit that we might be Partakers of his Holiness A Judg looketh to the Good of the Common-wealth to keep Authority and the Majesty of Government not the Benefit of the Malefactor 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World The Godly are punished here that they may not be condemned hereafter The Scripture every-where maketh it a part of our Blessedness Iames 1.12 Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are Dispensations of Love Answ. 2. For Death This was the primary Effect of Sin yet it remaineth Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die But the Curse of the Law is become a Blessing of the Gospel Death is ours 1 Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death c. all are yours Adam might have lived here happily for ever but Christ hath provided a better place for us there is a deep Gulf which cannot be passed but by Death our present Earthly Nature is not fit for that happy State 1 Cor. 15.50 Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption If Christ could have contented himself with giving us an Earthly Paradise Death had not been necessary That State in the Garden was an innocent and happy but an Earthly State These Bodies of ours that need Meat and Sleep would have sufficed for the Earthly Garden but we expect a greater Benefit and therefore we must be contented with the Way and Passage Sense and Reason telleth us that these Bodies which we now carry up and down are not fit for that State we must lay what we received from Adam in the Grave that when it is purged and renewed we may be like to Christ. The Grain liveth not except it die the Shed and old House is pulled down that God may raise a more glorious Structure If all Believers should be wrap'd up into Heaven and changed Miracles would be multiplied without need It is no Punishment to lose our Corruption and Mortality 3. The next Proposition is this That the fairest part of this Redemption is hereafter then our Happiness in Christ is perfect Luke 21.28 When these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption Then we are past Gun-shot and out of Harm's way We are fully redeemed from the Guilt of Sin when there is no Monument of God's Displeasure left We must be like our Head in all Conditions We are not fully freed from the Relicks of Sin till the Resurrection that we may have new Matter to glorify God when we come to Heaven Old Adam is not quite abolished till God be all in all Secondly He hath delivered us from the Power of Sin He paid the Price on the Cross therefore it is said Rom. 6.6 Our Old Man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin When Christ lay a dying Sin lay a dying and bled with him on the Cross then was Grace purchased and therefore Faith should look upon Sin as dead and actually crucified it is done in the Mystery And then he ascended and poured out the Spirit now to accomplish this Work God is satisfied and Christ's Work lieth now with Satan and our own Hearts 1. For Satan He is dispossessed and cast out at Conversion Luk. 11.21 22. When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in Safety But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and divideth his Spoils Then Christ taketh away the Prey The Devil may trouble us but he is but a Tyrant cast out he can no more reign And by preserving Grace he keepeth possession Christ will not lose Ground when once he hath got Footing Rom. 16.20 The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly As Ioshua called unto his Companions chap. 10.24 Come near put your Feet upon the Necks of these Kings 2. As for our own Hearts He breaketh the Yoke and sets the Will at Liberty and maketh us free for God Rom. 6.17 But God be thanked ye were the Servants of Sin but ye have obeyed from the Heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered to you It was a willing Bondage but now we are made a willing People then our Consent was voluntary now our Resignation is so too There are indeed some Relicks of Corruption and Opposition left there are inward Monuments of the Fall as well as outward as there are some grudgings of a Disease after a Cure but in Heaven all is perfect and even now there is not a willing Subjection but a Resistance made to Sin Vse 1. To exhort us to Thankfulness to our Redeemer Remember your former Bondage it is a woful Captivity to be under Sin Those that are under Sin are under the Curse of the Law and the Tyranny of the Devil we could have no boldness with God as a Father nor look him in the Face the Law is against us God is the Judg Satan the Jaylor our own Consciences an under-Keeper Our Fears of Death
Judgment and Hell are a part of our Bondage But now what cause have we to bless God Rom. 8.1 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Then to be under the Power of Sin is a woful Bondage to be at the beck of every Lust and carnal Suggestion Men rejoice in their Bondage they think there is no such Life as to live at large and to do as we list but the more liberty we take in Sin the greater Slavery the Work is Drudgery and the Reward is Death Sin hath reigned unto Death Rom. 5.21 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption for of whom a Man is overcome of the same is he brought into Bondage It is the saddest Judgment to be given up to our own Will to be given up to Satan to be given up to Self What a Slavery is this when we see Mischief and know not how to avoid it Conscience is held a Prisoner we cannot see a Vanity but the Heart lingereth after it and groweth sick as Ahab for Naboth's Vineyard Duties of Godliness are esteemed an heavy Task the Law of God is impelling to Duty and the Law of Sin impelling to Evil. What Thanks is due to God for delivering us from so great a Bondage Vse 2. To press us to avoid Sin Mortify the Lust and prevent the Action let it not reign in the Heart nor be discovered in the Life and Conversation Christ died that the Body of Sin might be destroyed Rom. 6.6 And he died to redeem us from our vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Consider when Sin remains in its Power and while you serve Sin what Dishonour you do to God and what Disadvantage it is to your selves 1. The Dishonour you do to God to all the Persons in the Godhead To the Father by making void the whole Plot of Redemption This was the eternal Project and Design as it were of God the Father the wise Counsel his Wisdom found out to remedy the Fall of Man Jesus Christ was ordained before all Worlds to redeem us from our vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World The Lord projected this way of Restitution from all Eternity that this Course should be taken to destroy Sin Now will you go about to make all this void Then you wrong God the Son and that many ways You disparage the worth of his Price as if it was not sufficient to purchase Grace and so seek to put your Redeemer to shame Nay you disparage the Purity of his Person for you were redeemed with the Blood of Christ as a Lamb without spot and blemish Nay you disparage the Greatness and Extremity of his Sufferings It cost him dear to purchase Grace and Deliverance from Sin and you slight it and make nothing of it Then you rob him of the Greatness of his Purchase he bought us with this great Price that we might not be our own and live to our Lusts. Such as are bought with Money are theirs who bought them 1 Cor. 6.20 For ye are bought with a Price therefore glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit which are his Did Christ pay our Debts and shall we like desperate Prodigals do nothing but encrease them by our Sin Then you disparage the Holy Ghost the Spirit whom Christ doth shed abroad to accomplish his Work 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty The great Work of the Holy Ghost is to free us from the Bondage of Sin Have you the Assistance of such a Spirit and can you not resist carnal Motions And are you taken with every vain Delight a Fashion a sensual Bait Thus consider what a dishonour it is to God to let Sin live if Christ died to redeem us You do as much as in you lieth to defeat the Project of God the Father the Purchase of the Son and the Work of the Spirit 2. It is a Disadvantage to your selves You cut off your own Claim and declare you have no Interest and Share in Christ if Sin live for he came to redeem us from Iniquity We cannot have an Interest in any part of Christ's Redemption till this be for all these go together God's Anger is not appeased the Devil's Power is not restrained the Law 's Curse is still in force as long as Sin lives You can have no Comfort if you be not freed from Sin the Wrath of God is against you and Hell is your Portion nay if you are not redeemed from all Sin for he redeems us from all Iniquity A Bird that is tied by the Leg may make a shew of escape but it is fast enough So though many may abstain from gross Sins for they that commit such shew plainly they are acted by the Spirit of the Devil yet if one Sin remains unmortified it enthralleth as well as many but if it reigns in the Soul you have no Interest in Christ. Object You will say Why should we mortify what should we trouble our selves about this Christ hath done all this Answ. No Christ hath redeemed us from all Iniquity but his Redemption doth not make void but oblige our Endeavours for he undertook as God's Surety that Sin should be destroyed and as our Surety that we should not serve Sin Rom. 6.6 Our Old Man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin There 's a Work on God's part he undertook for the pouring out of Grace and on our part that we should be watchful and strive against Sin and watch against all Occasions of it And he hath given us encouragement so to do Non pugna sublata est sed Victoria It is not the Conflict against Sin that is taken away by Christ but the Victory of Sin Look as when the Israelites had a Promise that God would give their Enemies into their Hands the meaning was not that they should not strike a Stroke but they were to fight the Battels of the Lord So when Christ hath redeemed us from Iniquity yet we are to use all spiritual means of Mortification to subdue the Lusts and to prevent the Act of Sin It will be our great Condemnation when we have so much help that still Sin should remain Certainly he is very lazy that will not ply the Oar that hath both Wind and Tide on his side And when the Lord Christ hath purchased Grace and the Spirit yet we will not endeavour against Sin Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again in the Yoke of Bondage Gal. 5.1 Vse 3. Direction When-ever you are troubled with your Sins and Lusts are too hard for you go to Christ. It is his Office to redeem you from your Iniquity and the Tyranny of Sin Therefore when you feel any Corruption stir go and complain to him as Paul did I cannot do the things