World between the first Man and the first Woman a Marriage made by God himself in Paradise who when he built the Rib taken from Adam into a Woman from a Builder becometh her Bringer He brought her unto the Man saith the Text. God's bringing Eve to Adam implieth five things 1. His Permission Allowance and Grant for that Adam might thankfully acknowledg the Benefit as coming from God God himself brought her whether in a visiâ—le shape as prefiguring Christ's Incarnation and with what Ceremony he brought her since the Holy Ghost hath not expressed it I shall not now enquire it is enough that God brought her to give her to him as his inseparable Companion and meet-Helper This bringing was the full bestowing her upon him that they should live together as Man and Wife 2. His Institution and Appointment of Marriage as the means of propagating Mankiâ—d God's adduxit is by our Saviour's Interpretation conjunxit Mark 19. 6. Those whom God hath joined together c. Otherwise what need this bringing for she was created just by him in Paradise when Adam was fallen into a deep sleep not in another place which sheweth that Marriage is an honourable Estate God was the first Author of it his Act hath the force of an Institution 3. For the greater solemnity and comely order of Marriage Adam did not take her of his own head but God brought her to him when we dispose of our selves at our own Wills and Pleasures being led thereunto by our own choice without consulting with God or upon carnal Reasons without the conduct of God's Providence we transgress the Order which God hath set in the first Precedent of Marriage and cannot expect that our coming together should be comfortable Much more doth it condemn the unnatural filthiness of Whoredom whereby Men and Women join and mingle themselves together without God the Devil and their inordinate Lusts leading them God would not put Adam and Eve together without some regard as he did the brutish and unreasonable Creatures but doth solemnly as it were bring the Manness by the hand to the Man and deliver her into his hands having a more honourable regard and care of them God cannot abide that brutish coming together as the Horses do neighing in the rage of unbridled Lusts upon their Mates Ier. 5. 8. No Adam stayeth till she is brought to him This Honour and special Favour God vouchsafeth Mankind above all other Creatures he himself in his own Person maketh the Match and bringeth them together 4. To dispense his Blessing to them The Woman was created on the sixth day as appeareth Gen. 1. and it is said that when he had created them Male and Female he blessed them vers 28. He doth inlarge things here and explaineth what there he had touched briefly when he had made the Woman he brought her to the Man and blessed them both together shewing thereby that when any enter into this Estate they should take God's Blessing along with them upon whose Favour the comfort of this Relation doth wholly depend Those whom God bringeth into it are likely to fare best and they that resign themselves up into his hands to be disposed of by him surely take the readiest way to obtain the Happiness they expect 5. For a Pattern of Providence in all after-Times It is worth the observing that Christ reasoning against Poligamy from vers 24. compared with Mat. 19. God having abundance of the Spirit as the Prophet speaks Mal. 2. 15. brought the Woman to one Man tho there was more cause of giving Adam many Wives for the speedier peopling of the World than there could be to any of his Posterity As Christ observeth the number so we may observe the thing it self it is God's Work still to give every one his Marriage-Companion he bringeth the Woman to the Husband and every Husband to his Wife that meet as they ought to do His Providence doth mightily and evidently govern all Circumstances that concern this Affair as we shall shew you by and by The Point which I shall insist on is this Doct. That Marriages are then holily entred into when the Parties take one another out of God's hands I. I will shew you in what sense they are said to take one another out of God's hands II. Why this is so necessary to be obâ—observed I. For the first They take one another out of God's hands Two ways 1. When his Directions are observed 2. When his Providence is owned and acknowledged 1. When his Directions in his Word are observed And so 1. As to the choice of Parties When a Man seeketh out a Help-meet for himself he should in the first place seek out a Help-meet for himself in the best things for in all our deliberate and serious Consultations Religion must have the first place Mat. 6. 37. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof c. A Man 's chief End should be discovered in all his Actions as it must guide me in my Meat and Drink and Recreations and the ordinary Refreshments of the natural Life or else I do not act as a Christian So much more in my most important and serious Affairs such as Marriage is and upon which my Content and Welfare so much dependeth Certainly he that would take God's Blessing along with him should make choice in God's Family of one with whom he may converse as an Heir with him of the Grace of Life A Christian saith the Apostle is at liberty to marry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but only in the Lord 1 Cor. 7. 39. he is at liberty to rejoice but in the Lord to eat and drink and trade but in the Lord so to marry but in the Lord. Religion must appear uppermost in all his Actions and guide him throughout The Mischiefs that have come by a carnal Choice should be sufficient warning to Christians Gen. 6. 2. The Sons of God went in unto the Daughters of Men and took them VVives because they were fair they were swayed by carnal Motives or because Rich or nobly descended it is all one And what was the issue of it there came of them a mungrel Race of Giants that rose up against God and his Interest in the World Many times by a carnal choice all the good that is gotten into a Family is eaten out and within a little while Religion is cast out of doors Psal. 105. 35. They were mingled among the Heathen and learned their Works Nehem. 13. 25 26. I contended with them and made them swear by God Ye shall not give your Daughters to their Sons nor take their Daughters to your Sons 2 Kings 8. 18. He walked in the Ways of the Kings of Israel for the Daughter of Ahab was his Wife Valens the Emperor married with an Arrian Lady and so was ensnared so far as to become a Persecutor of the Orthodox The Wife of the Bosom hath great advantages either to the perverting or the converting a Man's
and will you not rejoice that God hath found a Ransom and provided an Intercessor for you Surely it cannot be imagined that you are sensible of your case if you be not thankful for your Remedy 2. You are not affected with the great Love which Christ hath shewed in your Deliverance nor the Felicity accruing to you thereby 'T is said Ephes. 3. 19. That you may know the Love of God which passeth knowledg Before he had pressed them to make it their study to comprehend the heighth length and breadth and when they have all done the Love of Christ passeth Knowledg Christ would pose Men and Angels with an heap of Wonders in delivering us from Misery and Sin Now should not we rejoice and make our boast of this Surely we vilify and bring down the price of these Wonders of Love if we entertain them with cold Thoughts and without some considerable Acts of Joy and Thankfulness Shall Angels wonder and we the Parties interessed not rejoice Certainly we are not affected with the great Felicity accruing to us Felicity cannot be sought after without the highest Affections and Endeavours Now if we can rejoice in Trifles and not rejoice in the Love of God How can we be said to mind these things 2. A Man's Joy distinguisheth him There is a seeking Joy and a complacential Joy Psal. 119. 14. I have rejoiced in the Way of thy Testimonies as much as in all Riches 'T is good to observe what it is that putteth Gladness into our Hearts The Love of God and his Goodness in Christ. Every Man is discovered by his complacency or displiciency Psalm 4. 7. Thou hast put Gladness into my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit To rejoice in the Creatures as accommodating or pleasing the Flesh is the Joy of the Carnal To rejoice in outward Ordinances and Privileges without other things is the Joy of the Hypocrite and common Professors Let us carry it a little farther The Devils and Damned are out of all hope and possibility of Joy The Angels and glorified Saints rejoice in the full fruition of God There is Gaudium Viae and Gaudium Patriae there is the Joy of the Way and the Joy of our Home at our Journey 's End The latter is set forth Psal. 16. 11. In thy presence is fulness of Ioy at thy right Hand are Pleasures for evermore The other is in Christ and the use of his healing and recovering Methods and the desires and hopes of the Glory to come This is the Joy or well-pleasedness of mind which is proper to us in our Journey 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory The Comfort of Travellers differeth from that which a Man hath in Heaven 'T is a Joy that he hath as he is going Home and therefore how should the serious Christian be described but by his rejoicing in Christ Jesus Vse 1. To reprove those that cannot keep up their Rejoycing in Christ Jesus as soon as they are mated with any Calamity or Affliction in the World Is not Grace better than any natural Comfort taken from us Heb. 12. 11. No chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous Nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Surely when we have such cause of rejoycing in Christ to be dejected with every little Adversity sheweth weak Faith Have you Peace with God and Communion with him at every turn and shall a blasting of the Creature destroy all your Comfort Have you hope of Glory and cannot you bear a Disappointment in the World Are you assured of the Care of your Heavenly Father and his particular Providence over you and yet so full of grudging and repining Thoughts when he retrencheth you a little and blasteth your worldly Probabilities Surely it argueth too much addictedness to present Comforts and love of the ease of the Flesh Have you a due sense of the World to come and that better and enduring Substance and yet complain so bitterly of Worldly Losses Have you a God in Covenant with you who hath engaged all his Love Wisdom and Power to help you and to turn all things to your Good Rom. 8. 28. What though the tryal of your Faith and Patience be very sore Did you capitulate with God and bargain with him how much you would suffer the Flesh to be crosâ—ed and that in such sharp Afflictions you would be excused that your Gourd should not be altogether smitten and dried up You can bear any other Cross but this but was this excepted out of your Resignation 2. It reproveth those that cherish a carnal Rejoicing A Believer should rejoice in Christ Jesus Luke 10. 19 20. Behold I give unto you Power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the Power of the Enemy c. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the Spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoice because your Names are written in Heaven Rejoice not in this that you are in Dignity and Honour This is not your Felicity nor the direct way to your Felicity the higher you climb your Station is the more dangerous They are safer that stand on the Ground than those that are on a Pinacle Rejoice not in that you have abundance of earthly Riches but that you have a taste of higher and better things Be not affected so deeply with lower Mercies as to overlook the special Mercies that accompany Salvation Rejoice not in this that you have convenient Habitations in this World but in that you have a Building of God an House not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens In that you have comely Bodies but that you have hopes of a better Resurrection when this mortal shall put on Immortality Not in the Nobility of your Birth but that you are born of the Spirit John 1. 12 13. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God Rejoice not in that you have great Friends to stand by you but that in the New Covenant you are made a Friend of God as Abraham was Not in that you have costly Accommodations to please the Flesh No this may be the bane of your Souls Rom. 8. 13. They that live after the Flesh shall die And Luke 16. 25. Son Remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things Dives fared deliciously every day and Lazarus was full of Sores and desirous to be fed with the Crumbs which fell from the Rich Man's Table Thou hast received thy good Things and Lazarus evil Things but now he is Comforted and thou art
by Christ and freed from having his Portion with Unbelievers yet it goeth hard with him as one involved in a common Fire hardly escapeth out of it their Salvation is more difficult In short every one is more happy as he is less apt to be offended in Christ but they are most unhappy that are most offended in him I now come to shew you Fifthly How it is true that those that escape this Sin are in the ready way to Salvation To this I answer 1. The Negative includeth the Positive and must be thus explained He that is not offended but evangelized hath the Power and Vertue of the Gospel stamped upon his Heart Blessed is he Among them that are offended some forsake and fall off from Christ others never come at him But these believe so as to be changed and converted Nothing hindereth them when Christ hath gained their liking and esteem for this esteem that we speak of now is not a simple speculative Approbation for that may be and no change follow Rom. 2. 18. Thou approvest the things that are excellent but a practical comparative approbation all things considered Christ is best for their turns always a change followeth this esteem Phil. 3. 8. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Iesus my Lord. And till we have this esteem there is some secret Offence that we take at Christ either at his Person Doctrine Precepts or the bad entertainment they have in the World and for the contrarieâ—y of our Affections Christ and we do not close with full complacency and delight 2. This esteem produceth an uniform Obedience For they that thus esteem Christ will study to please him Delight in our Master breedeth delight in our Work Col. 1. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good Work and increasing in the Knowledg of God And 1 Thess. 2. 12. That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory The only way to know whether we be more or less offended in Christ is to compare our Conversation and Practice with his Precepts His Benefits commend themselves to our Affections his Precepts to our Consciences the one sweeten the other We have such a good Master we can never do enough for him If we like Christ nothing will be grievous that he giveth us in charge 1 John 5. 3. His Commandments are not grievous 3. When we are not offended in Christ we are the better fortified against Temptations to Apostacy They are of three sorts Errors Scandals Persecutions 1. Errors Many are drawn away with vain Pretences But we have an unction from the Holy One and know all things John 2. 20. But they are an offence not only of Seduction but Contristation Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause Errors and Offenses contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avid them these are Wens of Christ's Mystical Body not Parts Errors in the Church breed Atheism in the World Many question the Ways of God and give over all Religion because there are so many Differences and Sects therefore they think nothing certain Certainly God saw this Discipline to be fittest for his People he hath told us there must be Errors he would not have us to take up Religion upon trust without the pains of Study and Prayer Lazy Men would fain give Laws to Heaven and teach God how to govern the Affairs of the World they would have all things clear and plain that there should be no doubt about it But the Lord in his wise Providence seeth it fit to permit these things That they which are approved may be made manifest To excuse the trouble of a Search Study and Prayer Men would have all things agreed else they take offence at Religion and that is one means to draw them off even after profession The Canonists say Non fuisset discretus Dominus Deus nisi unum constiâ—uerit Vniversalem Iudicem This was their Blasphemy that God were not discreet and wise unless he had appointed one Universal and Infallible Interpreter This is Mens natural thoughts the Jews say That Christ was not the True Messiah Why Because if he had been he would not have come in such a way as to leave any of his Country-men in doubt but would so plainly have discovered himself that all might know him So many think Religion is but a Fancy and so fall off to Atheism and Sceptieism at last and irresolution in Religion because there are so many Sects and Divisions and all upholding it with plausible pretences And to excuse Laziness or Prejudice Men pretend want of certainty But God's Word is plain to all that will do his Will Iohn 7. 17. 2. The scandalous aâ—d â—vil Practices of Professors These do not only infect but offend many and cause them to stumble at Religion or fall into a dislike of the Way of Salvation Scandal is far more dangerous than Persecution In Persecution though many be discouraged yet others are gained to a liking of Religion There are many that have been gained by the patience courage and constancy of the Martyrs but never any were gained by the scandalous falls of Professors Persecutions do only work upon our Heart which may be allayed by proposal of the Crown of Life But by scandalous Actions how many settle into a resolved hardness of Heart In Crosses and Persecutions many Men may have a secret liking of the Truth and a purpose to own it in better times But by this kind of scandal Men grow into an open and professed dislike thereof In Persecutions there is not a dislike of Religion it self but of the hard terms upon which it must be received But by Scandals Men dislike Religion it self and nourish a base and vile Opinion thereof in their Hearts and so they grow loose and fall off And this mischief doth not only prevail with the lighter sort of Christians but many times those which have had some taste it makes them fly off exceedingly Matth. 18. 7. There will be Offences but wo unto them by whom they come Christ hath told us all will not walk up to the Religion they own But a Man that is not offended in Christ will not be offended at the Disorders of those that profess his Way 1 Ioh. 2. 10. He that loveth his Brother abideth in the Light and there is no occasion of stumbling in â—im All things that offend will not be taken away till the Reapers come Matth. 13. 41. The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity In the mean time he that loveth Christ and loveth his Brother dareth not reason from some to all from Persons to the Religion for Religion is not to be judged by the Persons that profess it but the Persons by the Religion These things must ever be distinguished the Rule
look back to shift for our selves If you are willing to be his People he will be your God and your Saviour and then you may conclude that God even our God shall bless us Psalm 67. 6. He will not be wanting to those that unreservedly yield up themselves to his Obedience 3. Consider that they are deluded Hypocrites that will meddle no farther with Religion than they can reconcile it with their worldly Happiness What-ever glorious Notions they have of God or pretences of admiring free Grace 't is Self-denial that Christ calleth for and taking up our Cross is the first Lesson in his School And true Conversion is a turning from the Creature to God and beginneth in Mortification and Baptism implieth a renunciation of the Devil the World and the Flesh. Therefore those that will save their wordly State and launch out no farther in the Cause of Religion than they may easily get ashore again when a storm cometh and love and serve God no farther than will stand with the contentment of the Flesh and divide their Hearts between God and the World give God but half and the worst half surely these were never sincere with God 'T is an impossible Design they drive on to serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. You must let go Christ and Glory if you be so earnest after the World and so indulgent to the Flesh. 4. Consider how much 't is your business to observe what maketh you fit or unfit for the Kingdom of God The aptitude or inaptitude of means is to be judged with respect to the end as they help or hinder the attainment of your great End For Finis est mensura mediorum Mat. 6. 22. The Light of the Body is the Eye If therefore thine Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light Now our great end is to enjoy God for ever And what fitteth you for this looking back or keeping the Heart in Heaven Experience will shew The observant and watchful Christian will soon find where his great hindrance lieth How much he findeth his Heart down by minding the World and how he needeth to wind it up again by Faith and Love Psal. 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul The World is the great Impediment that keepeth him from God and indisposeth him for his Service dampeth his Love and quencheth his Zeal and abateth his Diligence he will soon find how much more he might do for God if he could draw off his Heart more from those inferior Objects This is the weight that presseth us down and maketh us so cold and cursory in God's Service 5. Consider in the Text here is the Kingdom of God which is double The Kingdom of Grace and the Kingdom of Glory The one is called The Kingdom and Patience of Iesus Christ Rev. 1. 9. The other is called His Kingdom and Glory 1 Thess. 2. 12. By the first we are prepared for the second and the second is the great Incouragement Now they that look back are unfit for either the Duties of Christians or the Reward of Christians he slincheth from his Duty here and shall be shut out of Heaven at last 2 Thess. 1. 5. That ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer They are only counted worthy who constantly and patiently look for it and venture something on it 6. Consider the great loss you will incur by looking back after you have put your hand to the Plough You will lose all that you have wrought and all that you have suffered 1. What you have wrought 2 Ep. Iohn 8. Look to your selves that ye lose not the things which ye have wrought but that ye receive a full Reward You forfeit the Reward of your good Beginnings A partial Reward they may have in this Life while they continue their well-doing for no Man is a loser by God but not a Compleat and full Reward till the Life to come Some overflowings of God's Temporal Bounty they may have but not the Crown of Life and Glory So Ezek. 18. 24. All his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned All is obliterated and forgotten and made void as to any Interest in the great Reward This was represented in the Type of the Nazarite Numb 6. 12. The days that were before shall be lost because his separation was defiled He was to begin all anew 2. All that you have suffered as a Man may make some petty losses for Jesus Christ. Gal. 3. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain This maketh all the cost and expence that you have been at to be to no purpose FINIS THE Nature and Excellency OF Saving Faith IN TWO SERMONS FROM Heb. 10. 39. 1 Pet. 1. 4. To which is added A Wedding Sermon On Gen. 2. 22. THE EXCELLENCY OF Saving Faith HEB. 10. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul IN the Verse immediatly preceding there is a dreadful Doom pronounced on Apostates that God will take no pleasure in them Now lest they should be much afrighted with the terror of it and suppose that he had too hard an Opinion of them he sheweth That tho he did warn them he did not suspect them presuming other things of them according to their Profession But we are not of them that draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul In the words two things are observable 1. The denial of the suspicion of their Apostacy 2. An Assertion of the Truth and Constancy of their Faith That Clause I shall insist upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where first take notice of their Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly Their Perseverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth their purchasing acquiring obtaining finding the Soul meaning thereby that though they lost other things they did not lose their Souls Doct. That a true and sound Faith will cause us to save the Soul though with the loss of other things 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ye are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 'T is the Power of God indeed that keepeth He that reserveth Heaven for us reserveth and keepeth us for Heaven But by what Instrument or Means By Faith to depend upon an Invisible God for an Happiness that lieth in an invisible World when in the mean time he permitteth us to be harrased with Difficulties and Troubles requireth Faith And by Faith alone can the Heart be upheld till we obtain this Salvation So vers 9. Receiving the End of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls 'T is Faith maketh us row against the stream of Flesh and Blood and deny its Cravings that we may obtain eternal Salvation at length The Flesh is for sparing and favouring the Body but Faith is for saving the Soul That 's the End and Aim of Faith To make this