too dear a Bargain for us to deal withal we snuff at God's terms as troublesome and fling off No we should be glad to accept of Mercy on any terms and take Heaven at God's price 1. This unbounded Resolution must be seriously made Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Mar. 13.45 46. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly pearls who when he had found one pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it 2. It must be faithfully performed You must not only renounce but overcome when it cometh to tryal subdue your Lusts run all hazards for Christ thwart Affections slight Disgraces Nick-Names and Scorns and lay all down nay Life it self at Christs feet Mar. 19.27 28 29. Then answered Peter and said unto him Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore And Iesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my Names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit Everlasting Life We must pluck out a right Eye and cut off a right Hand Matth. 5.29 30. Many will perform such duties as cross not any strong bent of their Lusts they will forbear some Sins that are not so rooted in their Natures nor grown strong by Custom nor are set on by any forcible Temptation but fail in other things of greater moment or more nearly concerning them There are four Points of great weight and moment which should ever be remembred by them that would make out their Gospel-Qualification or New-Covenant-Plea of Sincerity 1. That any allowed evil Habit of Soul or reigning Sin is inconsistent with that Faith that worketh by Love and only maketh us capable of the great Priviledges of the Gospel That appeareth by the Nature of Conversion which lyeth in three things a turning from the Creature to God from Self to Christ from Sin to Holiness Ioh. 5.44 How can ye believe that receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only 1 John 2.15 Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Mat. 6.24 No Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon James 4.4 Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the World is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a Friend of the World is the Enemy of God 2. That the usual bait of reigning Sin is the World The great difficulty of Salvation lyes in a Mans addictedness to worldly Things or Temporal satisfactions when these are highest in our Esteem or dearest to our Hearts it weakneth Gods Interest and our care of Salvation and our sense of the World to come 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not 2 Pet 1.9 He that laâ—â—eth these things is blind and cannot see afar off Phil. 3.19 Whose end is destruction whose God is their Belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things The World taketh us off from the serious pursuit of Heaven Luk. 10.41 42. Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and makes us shrink at Tryals 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present World 3. That our Inclination to worldly things is various according to the Temper and Constitution of Men. As the Channel is cast so the River runs Isa. 53.6 We have turned every one in his own way Some are carried away by Pride some by vain Glory some by Sensuality some by Worldliness Uprightness and Sincerity lyes in observing the tender part of the Soul and preserving our selves from that Sin which is most natural to us Psal. 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine Iniquity 4. That many times when pretences are fair there is a secret reserve in our Hearts The Devil seeketh to deceive Men with a superficial Change and half Reformation and moveth them to take on the Profession of Religion and yet secure their Fleshly and Worldly Interest The most dangerous Cheat of our Souls is by halving it between God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon When we are not so mortified as to subject our selves entirely to Christ's direction upon the hopes of Eternal Life or the Happiness of the World to come and to part with all things in the World when it is necessary so to do or else we must part with this Salvation Many think they are not Worldly because they have some thoughts of Heaven and do something for it in seeking after it but the business is whether you seek it in the first place and make it your principal End and Scope to which all other things are subordinated and referred whether you can forsake all rather than miss Heaven Jesus Christ thô he prized good beginnings and would not discourage any yet admitteth none to the Priviledges of Grace that are but half converted whose Hearts are in secret League with the World though they seem to be affected with the offers of Eternal Life SERMON II. ON MARK X. 18 And Iesus said unto him Why callest thou me Good there is none Good but one that is God WE have seen the Young Man's Question here is Christ's Answer in which observe two things 1. His Expostulation with him VVhy callest thou me Good 2. His Instruction of him There is none Good but one that is God First For the Expostulation VVhy callest thou me Good He doth not simply blame him for giving this Title to him but argueth with him about it 1. To shew that he loves no Complements or fair words which proceed not from sound Faith and Love to him Christ saw that he was ignorant of his Divine Authority and foresaw that he would not take his Counsel and therefore expostulates with him VVhy callest thou me Good As elsewhere Luke 6.46 Why call you me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Cui res nomini subjecta negatur is nomine illuditur It is a mockery to give Titles to any one when we do not answer it with suitable endeavours As those that
subscribe to them they bind as a Law though not as a Covenant but Vows and Promises make the Covenant more explicite A lawful thing vowed and dedicated to God could not be alienated without Sin Ananias was smitten dead for receding from his purpose Acts 5.4 Whilst it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God But much more in vowes in things necessary that are not in your Power When you have promised Obedience you have promised a thing necessary God might require Duty from you and punish you for the violation of his Law whether you vowed or no It was never left to your pleasure to deal falsely in your Covenant with Men it is a Sin the Lord doth alwaies avenge such solemn Obligations should be Sacred and Inviolable what then is it to break Vows with God after we have solemnly renewed our Covenant with him 6. If it be against former Experiences and that either of the sweetness of Grace or the evil of Sin 1. Of the sweetness of Grace The Lord takes it ill that you should sin against him after you have tasted his good word Heb. 6.5 It is a Mighty affront to Jesus Christ to go off from him after we have had experience of the sweetness of his wayes the Apostle calls this a denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2 1. that is in foro Ecclesiae in the Court of the Church and with respect to the outward Covenant that is between the Lord and every Church Member An Apostate doth as it were proclaim to the World that Jesus Christ is no good Master that after he hath made Tryal of both the Devil is a better Master than Christ for he seemeth to have known both Masters So we find the Lord contests with his People about their Provocations Ier. 2.5 VVhat iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanities and are become vain You have gone far from me and departed from my wayes what is the matter Did I ever do you hurt Have I ever been a Land of Darkness to you or a hard Master So Micah 6.3 O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearyed thee testifie against me When we go off from God we do as it were proclaim that we have found just discouragement in the wayes of Christ as a Man that goeth off from you sheweth his expectation is deceived in you 2. If you have done it after experience of the Evil of Sin When a Man hath found the bitterness of Sin suppose it be of Drunkenness or Anger when it hath weakned his Body and broken his Peace and yet he runs into it again it is a sad aggravation as that King that would adventure another Captain and his Fifty when one Captain and his Fifty were consumed with Fire from Heaven 2 Kings 1.10 11. When we will be tampering with the Carnal Sweets again which have cost us so much trouble when we have found the Hand of God meet us in a Carnal way yet we will venture again and enter into the Lists with him and set our selves against him it is as the breaking of a Bone in the same place Iames 4.2 Ye lust and have not yet kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not This is a plain contest with God when after ye have been broken in pieces you will again gather and associate your selves as it is Isa. 8.9 Associate your selves O ye people and you shall be broken in pieces and give ear all ye of far countreys gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Thus the Children of Israel argued with the Reubenites and Gadites and the half Tribe of Manasseh Ioshua 22.17 18. Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed until this day though there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord But that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord. 7. If Sin has been committed against a special Relation as suppose that of a Magistrate or a Minister this doubles the offence Your Sins are imitated you should be Fountains of Religion and Justice and you poyson the Fountains You are as the first sheet that is printed off and all others are stamped after your Copy It was a sad Title that was given to Ieroboam that he made Israel to sin so when you do not shew forth a special strictness of Religion according to your place it is a great aggravation SERMON IX GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide Thirdly THE Matter I am now to propose to you is The Excellent Contrivance of the Gospel as a Subject for your Meditation an Argument that challengeth all our Reverence and Thoughts and Wonder a Mistery of Misteries the fairest Draught and Picture that ever came out of the Work-house of God 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness This is a depth that cannot easily be fathomed here are Miracles infolded in Miracles and Misteries within Misteries God would astonish Mankind and save it at the same time Christ is called the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God not only as the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are hid in him and through him conveyed to the Creatures but because herein is Gods Wisdom most discovered by disposing and putting our Salvation into the hands of Christ not only as a Fountain of Wisdom but as a Mapp of Wisdom as discovering the excellent contrivance of God and the curious variety that is in his Councils God sheweth Wisdom in all things Psal. 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all Every Creature is disposed into apt Cells and Store-Houses and contribute to the Glory of their Creator But here God would discover the Curiosity of his Wisdom The World is his Work but the Gospel is his Plot. And therefore in your solemn and most deliberate thoughts you should take a view of it It is the great Duty of Saints Ephes. 3. 18 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge This should be your continual task and search There are two great Mysteries in the Word Christ and Antichrist the Mystery of the Gospel and the Mystery of Iniquity it is the great advantage of Christians to discern the Mystery of Iniquity and to meditate upon the Mystery of Godlyness to observe Antichrists cunning and to consider the contrivance of the Gospel Oh then exercise your thoughts herein and study the Excellency of Gods design bring Hallowed and
wherewith Manasseh had provoked him Thus godly Children may bear in their bodies the fruits of their Parents uncleanness and intemperance and their estates which they had from their Parents may moulder away in their hands And this may teach Parents as they love their Children to beware of leaving such sad debts upon the heads of their posterity Their Children shall smart for the fruits of their sin We often see that the godly Children of wicked Parents are ruined for the sins of their Families both in their Persons and Estates If you ask for what sins Perversion of God's Worship as in the Second Commandment Persecution of God's Children so Ahab's Posterity was rooted out 1 Kin. 21.29 I will bring the evil in his Son's days Ill getting an Estate Haereditates transeunt cum onere The Inheritance passeth with its burden There is a Curse goeth along with it Parents sell their own Souls to make their Children great and God will shew the fallacy of it by blasting that greatness Iob 20.10 His Children shall seek to please the poor and his hands shall restore their goods 2. How far godly Parents are blessed in their Posterity 1. Good Men convey many a temporal blessing to their Relations As God blessed Ishmael for Abraham's sake Gen. 16.10 And the Angel of the Lord said unto her I will multiply thy seed exceedingly that it shall not be numbred for multitude Gen. 21.13 And also of the Son of the Bond-woman will I make a Nation because he is thy Seed They have the blessing of Ishmael if not the blessing of Isaac 2. They are without scruple Children of the Covenant in visible relation to God and in better case than the Seed of Infidels not merely as the Off-spring of your bodies nor as deriving Grace from you by generation but because you have dedicated your selves and all that you have to God They are capable of Ordinances Rom. 9.16 For if the first fruit be holy the lump also is holy and if the root be holy so are the branches 3. If they die before they come to the use of reason you have no cause to doubt of their Salvation God is their God Gen. 17.7 I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee compared with Gal. 3.14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith And they never lived to disinherit themselves As we judge of the Slip according to the Stock till it live to bring forth fruit of its own So here 4. If they live to years of discretion they have greater advantages of being godly than others Partly as your dedication doth oblige you to greater care in their education Eph. 6.4 Ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Partly as God tendereth them more means with respect unto the Covenant Act. 3.25 26. Ye are the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers saying unto Abraham And in thy Seed shall all the kindreds of the Earth be blessed unto you first God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you You are Children of the Covenant therefore unto you first c. partly as the Grace of the Covenant runneth most kindly in the Channel of the Covenant Rom. 11.24 How much more shall these which be the natural branches be graffed into their own Olive Tree 5. If they take to their parents Covenant and fear and love God their blessings are increased David urgeth that Psal. 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant and the Son of thine Handmaid When they are serious they have a greater holdfast upon God 2 Chron. 6.42 Remember the Mercies of David thy Servant Well then out of all you see it is such a blessing as is dispensed in the way of a reward yet it is such a blessing as may be turned into a Curse It is a Door whereby God may let in blessing or cursing upon us And though they are an happiness yet not our main happiness but dispensed sometimes as rewards and sometimes as punishments Vse 1. To reprove those who are not thankful for Children but do grudge and look upon it as a burden when God blesseth them with a numerous issue These murmur at that which is in it self a Mercy When we want them we value them when we are full of Children we are full of distrust and murmuring It was counted an honour to be a Father in Israel Surely those that fear God should not count an happiness to be a Burden Psal. 128.3 4. Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine by the sides of thine House thy Children like Olive Plants round about thy Table Behold thus shall the Man be blessed that feareth the Lord. God maketh his People Families like a flock Psal. 107.41 Use 2. Reproof to those who do not acknowledge and improve this mercy 1. Those who do not acknowledge this mercy Surely Parents should acknowledge God in every Child given to them Much of his providence is seen in giving and with-holding Children We have songs of thanksgiving very frequent in Scripture upon this occasion It is a thing wherein God will have his bounty taken notice of by solemn praises And for every Child God should have a new honour from you What hath been done to the Lord for this Therefore do not look upon the birth of a Child as a natural thing see God in it When Rachel fell out with Iacob about her barrenness Am I saith he in Gods stead Who hath with-held from thee the fruit of the Womb Gen. 30.2 Specially confederate Parents should acknowledge this mercy It is a mercy that when a sinner is taken into favour God will accept of our Actions which are the fruit of our souls That the evil that is in all these should not out-weigh the little goodness which is in them nay that they should not only be accepted but rewarded But further that he should make a Covenant with the fruit of our body if you consider your natural sinfulness it is wonderful that your Children should be holy and Gods portion Grace like a mighty River will be pent within no banks but overflow all that a man hath God loveth not to take a single person but grace cometh to our houses Act 16.31 Believe in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saved thou and thy house Doth the faith of the Master of the Family save the Family occasionally it doth as it giveth a title to the means of Grace Therefore this should be acknowledged with all thankfulness 2 Sam. 7.19 Thou hast spoken also concerning thy servants house for a great while to come 2. Those that do not improve the mercy nor indeavour to make Children
still encrease with the Enjoyment and Men crave more and more Such a Dropsy as this is argues a distempered Soul especially when the Desires are transported beyond all bounds of Modesty and Contentment Isa. 5.8 Wo unto them that joyn House to House and Field to Field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the Earth The inordinate Inclinations still encreaseth and Men never have enough as if they would grasp all that they might be blessed alone Alas those that have a heavenly frame will stand wondering that God hath given them so much in their Pilgrimage nay that God hath given them any thing But more especially doth this bewray Lust when these Desires bring the Soul to that determinate Resolution that this shall be the Project of their Lives He that is rich hath many Temptations how ever Wealth be gotten or given by God but he that will be rich is sure to miscarry 1 Tim. 6.9 They that will be rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition The Bent and Resolution of the Soul argues the Heart is naught he hath drowned himself already he falls into a Snare and into many Temptations 3. By an immoderate delight in worldly Comforts A Man may be worldly that is not carking and ravenous Esaâ— saith I have enough my Brother Gen. 33.9 Your Complacency in outward Enjoyments is a great Sin When Men are satiated with their present Portion of the World it is as great if not a greater Sin than to desire more When Christ would represent a Covetous Man he doth it not by one that grasps at more but by one that found a greater Complacency in what he had he blesseth himself as if he had Happiness enough Luke 12.19 I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast much Goods laid up for many Years take thine Ease eat drink and be merry It is a Question which is worse a ravenous Desire after more or a carnal Complacency in what we do enjoy This last is worst there is Discontent and Distrust in the former but God is robbed and wholly laid aside by the latter Our Delight which is the choicest Affection is intercepted Many will say I desire no more but thy Heart is set upon what thou hast and so God is robbed who is to be the Soul's Treasure and the Poor are robbed they are loth to part with what they delight in and the Soul is robbed of eternal Happiness which it should look after and of present Comfort in case God should blast all by his Providence for a contented worldly Man will be soonest discontented It is a breach of the Matrimonial Contract Iames 4.4 Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the Friendship of the World is Enmity with God There is a Matrimonial Contract between God and the Soul wherein God propoundeth himself as God All-sufficient Now as if God were not good enough Men seek Delight elsewhere Well then deny these Lusts of the Eyes To this purpose consider 1. Your Happiness doth not lie in these things Luke 12.15 Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth you may be happy without them The Saints have a Candle that shall never be blown out Neither your Safety nor Comfort lies in the World your Safety doth not lie in it you do not live by ordinary Supplies but by God's Providence Your Comfort doth not lie in it it should be in God We cannot see how we can be well without Friends Wealth present Supports but consider a Man lives not by visible means but by the Providence of God 2. A little serves the turn to bring us to Heaven He is not poor that hath little but he that desires more he is the poor Man Enlarged Affections make us want more than the Necessities of Nature We are not contented with God's Allowance but pitch upon such a state of Life and cannot live without such Splendor and Pomp or without such an Estate It is not want of Estate that makes a Man poor but an unsatisfied Mind He that doth not submit to God's Allowance is poor 3. God will provide for us if we do our Duty He that hath given us Life will give us Food that is less than Life it is Christ's Argument Mat. 6.25 Is not the Life more than Meat and the Body more than Raiment Nay he that hath given us Christ will he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 So a Man may argue God hath given me Life and that is better than Food and Raiment as the Body is better than the Garment Is any Man so illogical and of so little Reason as to argue thus God hath given me Christ and will he not give me Support I have trusted him with my Soul shall I not trust him with my Estate God never sets any one to work but he gives them Maintenance He feeds the Ravens and will he not feed his Children Certainly a Father will not be more kind to a Raven than to a Child to a Flower than to a Son Mat. 6.26 27 28 29. 4. Wealth doth not make us more acceptable with God Grace puts the Rich and the Poor upon the same level Iames 1.9 10. Let the Brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted but the Rich in that he is made low because as the Flower of the Grass he shall pass away The rich Man is not too high for God if his Heart be kept humble with his Estate and the poor Man is not too low for God if he be preferred by Grace so that Grace still is the ground of Acceptation Riches profit not in the day of Wrath Prov. 11.4 What is the Hope of the Hypocrite tho he hath gained when God takes away his Soul Job 27.8 These things will stand you in no stead 5. The more Estate you have the more Danger and the more Trouble A Pirat doth not set upon empty Vessels None are so liable to such Snares as those that have Wealth and Greatness You can hardly discharge what you have already if you had more you would have the greater Trust for to whom much is given of them much shall be required Luke 12.48 You must give account for more Time for more Opportunities to do good for more Acts of Mercy A greater Estate is incident to more Cares and more Duties 3 dly The third Lust is Pride of Life The most natural Affection is Self-love and Pride is nothing else but the Excess of Self-love we suck it in with our Milk Our first Parents fell by Pride they soon catched at that Bait You shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 and we see it takes with us and surprizeth us upon every small occasion a fine Garment a Lock of Hair a good Horse or a serviceable Creature There is nothing so high
So the Heart is fixed in God by Faith it depends upon him and looks for the Success and Issue of all from his Blessing though the Hand in the mean time be imployed in the Use of Means Certainly God allows us careful Provision against all visible Evils though they be to come as Ioseph stored the Granaries of Egypt against the dear Years But not to distract our selves with a Supposal of future Contingencies therefore our Saviour saith Matth. 6.34 Take no Thought for the Morrow and ver 31. Take no Thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink and wherewithal shall we be clothed This is that the Scripture forbids You ought not to trouble your selves with uncertain future Events but to refer your selves to the Disposal of God Briefly sinful Cares may be thus discerned 1. Distrustful Care is troubled about the Event what shall be the Issue but lawful Care is imployed in the Use of Means The Event is God's Act Duty is ours and to trouble our selves about it is to take God's Work out of his Hands We set our selves in God's stead when we think to accomplish our Ends by our own Industry The Lord might lay this Burden upon us as a Punishment of Sin but he would have us cast it upon himself 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your Care upon him for he careth for you To neglect the Means were to neglect Providence but then to trouble our selves about the Event what will be the Issue and how these Means will succeed that is to renounce Providence to reproach God as if he were not sollicitous for us A Christian is not to trouble himself what will become of him and his Posterity that is God's care and it is altogether needless in us for God is alsufficient but he is to be diligent in a lawful Calling and then let God do what seemeth him good 2. Sinful Care flieth to unlawful Means but Religious Care keepeth within the bounds of Duty Prov. 16.8 Better is a little with Righteousness than great Revenues without right It useth no Means that are indirect and sinful Men that will not trust God with success will soon go out of God's way The Unbeliever looketh not to what is just but to what is gainful as those that gathered Manna on the Sabbath-Day and trod Wine-presses and brought in Sheaves and laded Asses Neh. 13.15 3. Sinful Care is immoderate in the use of lawful Means Eccles. 2.23 For all his Days are Sorrows and his Travel Grief yea his Heart taketh not rest in the night Those that have none else to trust to no wonder if they make use of their own Endeavours to the uttermost but he that hath an Heavenly Father should not so cumber and distract his Spirit Eccles. 4.8 There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither Child nor Brother yet is there no end of all his Labour neither is his Eye satisfied with Riches neither saith he For whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of Good The World will not let them be quiet they toil and moil and there is no end When Men multiply Means they have no trust in God God is tender of all his Creatures much more of the reasonable Creature 4. Sinful Care increaseth upon good Duties but diligent Care fairly complieth with them Christ warns his Disciples Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life Our care for eternal Things doth not carry any proportion to the Excellency of them but they are laid aside Mat. 13.22 He heareth the Word and the Care of this World and the Deceitfulness of Riches choak the Word and it becometh unfruitful They take up the Room Travel and Affection which Heavenly things should have so that they have no time to converse with God or to look into their Souls so that the Heart groweth poor lean distempered and unfit for holy Uses they are greedy of Wealth and prodigal of Salvation Secondly Whence it ariseth From a distrust of God and discontent with our Portion 1. From a distrust of God Carking takes his Work out of his Hands as the Care of the Son is a Reproof to the Father You tax his Being and Providence A Child at School taketh no care for Maintenance because he hath a Father Mat. 6.32 Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things 2. From discontent with our Portion We have never enough and expect more than God will allow Heb. 13.5 Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee It is not our Necessities but the enlargement of our Desires that causeth carking We would have more and more worldly Goods which hindreth us from trusting God's Promise I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The Sea hath Banks and Bottom but not Man's Heart We begin and end with nothing and yet nothing will suffice us There is a Story of a Discourse between Pyrrhus and Cynicus when he told him of his Designs When thou hast vanquished the Romans what wilt thou then do Conquer Sicily What then Subdue Africk When that is effected what then Then we will sit down and be quiet and spend our Time contentedly And what hinders but thou mayest do so before without all this Labour and Peril Thirdly The Cure of it Cure it by Christ's Arguments Matth. 6.25 Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on Is not the Life more than Meat and the Body than Raiment c. 1. Life is more than Meat and the Body than Raiment ver 25. Deus donando debet God by giving is become a Debtor Life without any Aid of ours is a Pledg of more Mercy God provided us two Bottles of Milk when we were new born Psal. 22.9 10. Thou art he that took me out of the Womb thou didst make me hope when I was upon my Mother's Breast I was cast upon thee from the Womb thou art my God from my Mother's Belly Who formed us and suckled us and continued us hitherto We are unthankful to God if we ascribe it to our selves 2. Consider God's Providence to other Creatures God feeds the Fowls Matth. 6.26 Behold the Fowls of the Air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them Are not ye better than they God paints the Lilies ver 28 29. Consider the Lilies of the Field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these Luke instances in the Raven which is Animal cibi rapacissimum a Creature ravenous of Food chap. 12.34 Consider the Ravens for they neither sow nor reap which neither have Store-house nor
Barn and God feedeth them The Raven is a Bird of Providence Psal. 147.9 He giveth to the Beast his Food and to the young Ravens which cry The Raven assoon as it is hatched it is left to Prayer for the Crying of the Ravens is their Prayer Now ask the Beasts if there be not a Providence Job 12.7 But ask now the Beasts and they will teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee These Creatures have no ordinary Means they neither sow nor reap nor gather into Barns the Lilies spin not and yet God feedeth and clotheth them And shall he not much more clothe you O ye of little Faith Mat. 6.30 3. Consider the fruitlesness of our Care unless God add a Blessing Ver. 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one Cubit to his Stature A Man never gets any thing of God by not trusting him He that will not take God's Word must look elsewhere The way to obtain earthly things is to be less careful and distracted about them 4. Consider it is for them to distrust who know no Providence or no particular Providence Ver. 32. For after all these things do the Gentiles seek Distrust and carking becometh none but those that will not grant a Providence Shall our Profession be Christian and our Practice Heathen 5. Set your Minds on a higher Interest Ver. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you You then promote both Cares at once Christianity is a compendious way the Body followeth the State of the Soul Man was made to contemplate and enjoy better things and when he doth so these things shall be given in over and above SERMON IX TITUS II. 12 Righteously c. I Now come to the second Branch wherein the Duty of Man is express'd and that is Iustice or Righteousness which implies the Duties of our Publick Capacity and Relation to others Tho the Discourse be moral yet it may conduce to spiritual Ends. Therefore let us see what may be spoken concerning Justice and Righteousness Justice is a Grace by which we are enclined to perform our Duty to our Neighbour There are many Distinctions usual in this Matter which I shall omit and only deliver you the Nature of this Grace in some general Rules and then shew you how much it concerns us to look after this Grace to be just and righteous in the Course of our Conversation First To give you the Nature of this Grace in some general Rules and they are such as these To give every Man his own to do Injury to no Man to make Restitution to bear the Injuries of others with Patience in many cases not to demand our own extreme Right to do as we would be done unto Publick Good to be preferred before Private and that according to our power we must be useful to others 1 st To give every Man his own This is laid down Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour This Due ariseth either by virtue of the Law of God or by virtue of a Bargain and Contract or by virtue of a voluntary Promise 1. There is a Due that ariseth by virtue of the Law of God such things cannot be dispensed with therefore the Obligation cannot be made void as for instance A Child is to honour his Parents by the Law of God and a Father cannot discharge his Child from Obedience as we may remit a Duty or thing that is due by Bargain and Contract because we have greater power over ... There is a Due to every one as Reverence to Parents Obedience and Tribute to Magistrates double Honour to Ministers and the Guides of the Church It 〈◊〉 Injustice to deny Parents a Respect it is Theft and Robbery to defraud Magistraâ—es of their Tribute or Ministers of their Maintenance it is not a Gift but a Deâ—◠〈◊〉 â—he Scripture saith they are worthy of double Honour 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elaâ—â—â—â—hat rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Wâ—rd and Doctrine And it is not in a begging way as a Contribution but as an honorary Stipend Things that are due by natural Duty cannot be dispensed with as things due by Bargain and Contract because the Obligation cannot be made void 2. There is a Due that ariseth by way of Bargain and Contract Rom. 13.8 Owe no Man any thing but to love one another If Mony be borrowed but not restored it is Theft and Injustice If you bargain with another the full Bargain is due to him 1 Thess. 4.6 Let no Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any Matter because that the Lord is the Avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified He is to enjoy his full Bargain The Apostle saw a need of enforcing this Doctrine in the Church to prevent the Iniquity of Traffick The Seller is not to work upon the Simplicity of the Buyer nor the Buyer upon the Necessity of the Seller but all things must be done equally else God will be offended But chiefly is this Iniquity committed and that it is in an high degree when the Reward you are to give is not bought with Money but earned with Labour Defrauding the Hireling and Servants of their Wages is a very crying Sin the greatest height of Iniquity it cries in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts Iames 5.4 Behold the Hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth and the Cries of them which have reaped are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth God is their Patron This is a grievous Sin because it is their Life and their Support and Solace Deut. 24.14 15. Thou shalt not oppress an hired Servant that is poor and needy whether he be of thy Brethren or of the Strangers that are in thy Land within thy Gates At his Day thou shalt give him his Hire neither shall the Sun go down upon it for he is poor and setteth his Heart upon it lest he cry against thee unto the Lord and it be Sin unto thee It is often spoken of in Scripture There is a greater and more pressing Inconvenience to defraud the Labourer than to defraud others 3. Again there 's a Due ariseth by voluntary Promise We make our selves Debtors and it is part of Justice to make good our Promise though it be to our own hurt and loss Psal. 15.4 He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not All Promises must be kept but those that are evil and those are void in making Why because they are Bonds of Iniquity so they must be broken and not kept and again because they are contrary to the former Promise we have made to God to obey his Laws it is evil to make a sinful Promise and it is a
scandalize others and not right himself In taking Wrong we suffer Evil in returning Wrong we do Evil the one is our Affliction the other is our Sin It will be no Excuse for you to say you were wronged first See how the Spirit of God takes off these Pleas Prov. 24.29 Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will render to the Man according to his Work This is but a continuance and reciprocation of Justice So Prov. 20.29 Say not thou I will recompense Evil but wait on the Lord and he shall save thee I remember Lactantius hath a pretty saying in this Case Qui par pari referre nititur ipsum à quo laesus est imitatur Revenge and Injury differ only in Order he that begins the Injury goeth before in Mischief and he that requites it comes as fast after as he can he doth but delight to follow that which he saw go before him If you judg it evil in others why do you fall into the like your selves What care hath he of Justice and Goodness that imitateth that which he acknowledgeth to be evil It is no Excuse to say he began his doing Wrong to thee doth not dissolve the Obligation of God's Law or the binding Power it hath upon thy Conscience Nay the return of Injuries argues you to be the more malicious because it is a more willing a more knowing Act. 5 th Rule We must be so far from wronging any Man that in many cases we must not demand our own extream Right Phil. 4.5 Let your Moderation be known unto all Men the Lord is at hand your Moderation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies the mitigating of the extremity of Justice James 3.17 The Wisdom that is from above is peaceable and gentle Extream right is but an Injury when you do not all you may do by the Letter of the Law out of Lenity and Christian Forbearance Power stretched to the utmost is but Tyranny and when the words of the Law are urged contrary to the end the Law is made a Pattern of Sin and unjust dealing In short this Equity and Moderation lieth in not interpreting things doubtful to the worst sense Eccles. 7.16 Be not righteous overmuch When we do not interpret things rigorously that are receptive and capable of more plausible Interpretations when we depart from our own Right for just and convenient Reasons Psal. 69.4 I restored that which I took not way For Peace sake much may be done that we may not dishonour God nor vex others for every Trifle the good of others is to be considered that we may not undo them tho it be our Right Thus Paul departed from his own Right to cut off occasion from them that desire occasion 2 Cor. 11.12 He would labour with his Hands rather than lose an opportunity of spreading the Gospel 2 Thess. 3.8 Neither did we eat any Man's Bread for nought but wrought with Labour and Travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you Paul took no Maintenance the spiritual things we sow are above your best carnal things considering our Labour and Pains the Bread we eat is bought at the dearest rate We have a Right but for God's Glory and not to lay a stumbling-Block in the way of young Converts we recede from it You are not to exact all your Labours Isa. 58.3 When you hold poor Men to a Bargain that is burdensome it is Injustice And thus our Lord Christ himself paid Tribute to avoid Scandal 6 th Rule Do as you would be done unto Mat. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye even so unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets this is the scope of Scriptures This saying the Roman Emperor Severus much admired and wrote it upon many places of his Palace for it is a Rule serves in all cases If we would do as we would be done unto what Lives might we lead We are very tender of our own Interest give a favourable Sentence in our own case and are very sensible of the Wrong done to us we would not be circumvented by a fraudulent Bargain we would not be detracted in our own Names we would have our Infirmities hidden and not divulged we would be succoured in such Distresses now do so to them If in all cases we would do aright and judg aright let us change the Persons and suppose our selves in another's case would I have others thus do with me But how is this Law to be understood Some lay violent hands upon themselves others desire things sinful as to be drunk and to commit Adultery I answer it is meant of what we wish to our selves by a regular Self-love and a free and unperverted Will. Again it holdeth not in Duties of Relations it is not just that the Father should do that to the Children which he would have the Children do to him as to give Honour and Reverence and the like So in all Relations between Inferiors and Superiors it is to be understood if we were in their place and in the like condition as if I were a Son or if I were a Servant still take the Person of him with whom thou dealest upon thy self that Right which you would have others do to you as you would be kindly dealt with in buying and selling in pardoning Injuries forgiving unadvised Wrongs do you the same to others This will help us to keep a good Conscience in all our dealings 7 th Rule Publick Good is to be sought as well as private and in many cases to be preferred before it No Man is born for himself and therefore it is Injustice when Men mind only their own things and are wholly taken up with fulfilling their own Wills and Desires God hath commanded us to love one another he hath devolved upon one Man the Respects of all the World in effect for all Men are bound to love thee and seek thy Good What 's the reason of this but to engage and oblige us the more to seek the good one of another Rom. 12.5 We are all Members one of another the Members seek the good of the Body The Stomach receives Meat not for it self but to disperse it for the use of the whole Body When Men are of a narrow private Spirit and do not seek the Welfare of others they sin against Nature and Grace Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable Creature if he could live by himself then he might live to himself Human Society is founded upon Communion and Commerce and therefore we are bound to seek the good one of another There is a great Body to which all the Members must have respect As in a Clock all the Wheels move one another and each part receiveth help one from another so every one should mind the common Good and be sensible of the common Evil 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no Man seek his own but every Man
begrudg the pains of his Service 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord for asmuch as ye know that your Labour will not be in vain in the Lord. The Children of God are wont to think they can never do enough for God that hath found out such a Reward for them in Christ. A thousand Years Service will not deserve one hour's Enjoyment of this blessed Hope much less eternal Happiness When we come to see what shall be bestowed upon us we shall be ashamed that we have done no more Work for God having so much Wages and such excellent Encouragement Mat. 25.37 the Saints are brought in there saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee Drink being ashamed Ah Lord this is nothing What have we done At the Day of Judgment there will be the highest Exaltation of the Saints and yet the lowest Self-abasement they will wonder even to admiration of Angels There will be Christ's owning them and they disclaiming their own Services and all their Works and Christ rewarding them And therefore grudg not if you have the strictest Precepts of any Religion remember you have the noblest and highest Reward 6. It informs us what cause we have to contemn all earthly things tho they be never so great and glorious because of this blessed Hope There are two Considerations that will make us contemn the World and they are suted to the two essential Parts of Man and we should ever think of them We carry about us a mortal Body and an immortal Soul the Body lasts but for a while and the Soul survives and out-lives the Body's Happiness Now we toil our selves in gathering Sticks to our Nest when to morrow we must be gone Alas here we dwell in Houses of Clay whose Foundation is in the Dust which are crushed before the Moth Job 4.19 Our Estate in this World is represented by a Tabernacle which is a moveable Habitation but our Estate in Heaven is represented by a Temple Here it is but a Tabernacle and that of Clay that will be crumbled into Dust nay we are said to be crush'd before the Moth and a Moth is but a little enlivened Dust and so is Man The World is but a House of Potters Vessels that will be soon broken And shall we for the Conveniences of a Temporal Life prejudice and run the hazard and loss of our Eternal Hopes Shall we injure the Soul to gratify the Body that is the way to destroy both for ever Our great care should be for that Place where we live longest in the other World we have the longest Life and the most glorious Possession therefore our great Care should be for that 7. It informs us what little cause we have to envy carnal Men the Hope of your Profession is a blessed Hope This was David's Preservative he was daily in danger of his Life and his Enemies were fat and shining in the Pomp of the World and how doth he comfort himself Psal. 17.15 When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy Likeness as if he had said Alas their Felicity is but a sorry thing they are filled and I shall be filled too David sums up their Happiness under two Heads Whatever here we have it is either for personal Use or for our Posterity A worldly State is only valuable upon these two Grounds what we may use for the present and what we may transmit to our Children Now what a sorry Happiness is this to what I expect 1. For personal Use ver 14. Their Bellies are filled with thy hid Treasure that is with the rarest Dishes and best Meats which God's Store-house doth afford By hidden Treasures is meant Food and other worldly Comforts therefore called hidden Treasures because it doth not lie within every one's grasp and reach they are not vulgar and common Delights The meaner sort their Hand will not attain to it Lo here is all that which God allows them for their Portion the filling of the Belly and alas this is but the Happiness of Beasts who eat with less remorse yet all their Happiness is to fill their Belly with better Food than the poorer sort which indeed is a Misery rather than a Happiness for what doth this but nourish sensual Lusts and strengthen and hearten our Enemy And gorgeous Apparel is but a Supply from Creatures beneath us it is but Stercus in volutum Dung neatly wrapp'd up here 's the Sum of all a Carnal Man's Happiness that which God allows him for his Portion But a Christian hath better Fare if he goes into the Sanctuary there 's enough but if he goes into Heaven there 's a great deal more David defeats the Temptation by this Psal. 73.16 17. When I sought to know this it was too hard for me until I went into the Sanctuary of God to enjoy God in his Ordinances and the present Glimpses of God's Face Present Communion with God is far to be preferred above all the Dainties in the World But that is not all we shall be satisfied for ever We may go into Heaven as well as into the Sanctuary and behold God's Righteousness When I awake that is out of the Dust I shall be satisfied with thy Likeness A Child of God hath his Content and Happiness to the full when he comes to die A carnal Man his Back hath been richly clothed and Belly filled but when he comes to die he hath a sad Doom Son remember thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus his evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Luke 16.25 was said to Dives who fared deliciously every day and was clothed in Purple and fine Linen Well you have your Portion and must look for no more you give God a discharge for ought else But for God's Children then their Happiness begins they are going down to sleep in the Grave and when they awake they shall be filled they have not only God's Favour here but Eternal Felicity hereafter They that are called to a Feast will not fill themselves at home with courser Fare The rich Glutton who had his Belly full of hid Treasure here was shut out but Lazarus is carried into Abraham's Bosom and feasted there for this was their Table-gesture to lie in one another's Bosoms Christians reserve your Appetite a little you will be satisfied it is but staying a little longer for a better Meal We expect to be like Angels let others be like Beasts whose Happiness lieth in feeding 2. Then for the other part the transmission of Honour and ample Revenues to Posterity It is true Man is much carried out this way he would fain advance his House and live gloriously in his Posterity Posterity is a shadow of Eternity Children are but the Father multiplied when the Father's Thread is spun out then the Knot is knit his Name and Memory is continued in the World by his Children
therefore Men would live in their Posterity and have their Families great But this is a sad Exchange to forfeit Heaven that our Children may enjoy the World as many times it falls out that the Father goes to Hell for getting an Estate and the Son goes to Hell for spending it Tho they have an ample Patrimony yet they know not who shall enjoy it Who knows whether he shall be a wise Man or a Fool Eccles. 2.19 A Man hath no knowledg of future Events nor no power of them So that you see still we have no cause to envy worldly Men even in this Happiness We are better provided for having a Covenant-Interest that countervails all I am thy God and the God of thy Seed Tho we cannot leave them Gold Land and ample Estate yet you leave them a God in Covenant who hath undertaken for you and yours And many times they have Temporal Blessings for their Father's sake the Blessings of Ishmael if not of Isaac Vse 2. Direction that we may not seek Blessedness elsewhere Some seek it in a wrong way Carnal Men think that there is no such Happiness as in letting loose the Reins to carnal Lusts and living as they list This is the basest Bondage that can be 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 The Work is Drudgery and the Reward is Death they are intangled in Snares and held in Chains and is this an happy Life This doth but increase our Misery and make way for more Shame Yet carnal Men are much taken with this kind of Life they wonder how Men can abjure the Pleasure and Contentment which they fancy 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of Riot They think themselves very wise in following the Counsels of their own Hearts and doing as others do that are like themselves You do but make your selves more responsible to God's Justice Worldly Comforts cannot make us happy it appeareth by our many Inventions Eccles. 7.29 God made Man upright but he hath sought out many Inventions Every Sinner hath his wandrings Man being off from God never cometh on again of himself but wandreth infinitely and beats out himself with his own Inventions As a way-faring Man who hath once lost his Directions turneth up and down and knoweth not where to pitch so are all Endeavours fruitless till God direct us We are to follow God's Counsel not the Counsel of the Ungodly Psal. 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and after receive me to Glory As a Clock runs at random when the Ballance is once out The Lord is willing to direct us Psal. 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners in the way He is too wise to be deceived and too good to deceive O Sinners learn the upright Way When we are weary of wandring and willing to be directed such as submit themselves to God shall never want a Guide Creatures cannot make us happy such is the Restlesness of the Soul that we must have shift and change Envying one another sheweth the narrowness of our Comforts Gripes of Conscience spoil all as Belshazzar in his Cups was afrighted with an Hand-writing upon the Wall Says the young Man in the Gospel Mat. 19.16 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal Life What lack I yet saith the Moralist In false Worship Men are unsatisfied Micah 6.6 Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God It is not a loose Profession of the Gospel that will make us happy Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart and ye shall find Rest for your Souls Nothing can make us happy but what is a full Relief from Sin and Misery Here is Rest for our Souls the Foundation is laid in Justification and Sanctification Here is our Reconciliation with God hereafter is our Advancement Vse 3. It is an Invitation to the Practice of Holiness Blessedness is a great Motive David begins the Book of Psalms with it and Christ his Sermons there is enough in it to allay the Sorrows of the present Life and fill up the Desires of the Life to come All would be blessed and happy but we must take the right course say as Christ's Hearers Iohn 6.34 Lord evermore give us this Bread As Balaam Numb 23.10 Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last End be like his Be not content as Balaam with a Vision of Iacob's happy Seats Numb 24.5 How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As the Noble-man that saw the Plenty of Israel but did not eat thereof 2 Kings 7.20 And so it fell out unto him for the People trod upon him in the Gate and he died The Damned at the last Day are Lookers on but not Partakers of the Blessedness of the Righteous Luke 13.28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and your your selves thrust out Vse 4. Exhortation to those that have an Interest in this blessed Hope Behave your selves as those that are called thereunto think of it often discourse of it often and live sutable to it 1. Often meditate of the Happiness that is laid up for you and warm your selves with the thoughts of it The Mind ruminateth on Happiness Your Minds should be there Col. 3.2 Set your Affections on Things above not on Things on the Earth 2. Confer of it often 1 Thess. 4.18 Comfort one another with these Words against all the Changes and Dangers of this Life Alas how carnal and flat is our Discourse He that is of the Earth is earthy and speaketh of the Earth Joh. 3.31 3. Live more sutable to it 1 Thess. 2.11 12. As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged you as a Father doth his Children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory Make Eternity your Scope 2 Cor. 4.18 Looking not to the Things that are seen but to the Things that are not seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There should be a greater proportion between your Hopes and your Lives Behave your selves as those that are interested in this blessed Hope be not dejected with every Cross nor overcome with every Bait and Temptation nor live in a base and low manner this is not becoming your Hopes Show your Interest herein by the Heavenliness and Courage of your Spirits SERMON XVI TITUS II. 13 And the glorious Appearing c. IN the Encouragement to the Duty of our Heavenly Calling we have the Substance of our Hopes and the Seasons when we shall come to enjoy them to the full 1 st The Substance of our Hopes Looking
return That unto me every Knee shall bow and every Tongue shall swear It is a Prediction of Christ's Sovereignty and it is ratified with an Oath all God's Holiness and Glory is laid at Stake that it shall be accomplished Now this Prophecy is twice alledged in the New-Testament Phil. 2.10 11. At the Name of Iesus every Knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth And every Tongue shall confess There it is made the Fruit of Christ's Ascension what is swear in the Prophet there is confess they are both Acts of Worship and given to Christ Presently God gave him this Power upon his Ascension for his Ascension was his solemn Inauguration into the Kingly Office Christ was a chosen King and anointed from all Eternity While he was here in the World he was a King but when he ascended up on high then he was a Crowned King and God undertook to make good this Prophecy That every Knee should bow to him as David was anointed by Samuel but crowned at Hebron But some will say we do not see that all things are put under him there are damned Spirits that resist his Counsels and there are wicked Men that rebel against his Laws every Knee doth not bow and every Tongue doth not call him Lord. But wait a little the Work is a doing Christ's Royal Office receiveth several Accessions of Glory and Degrees of Perfection till the Day of Judgment and then it is discovered in a most Imperial manner The Apostle quoteth this Place to prove the Day of Judgment Rom. 14.10 11. Why dost thou judg thy Brother and why dost thou set at nought thy Brother We must all stand before the Iudgment-Seat of Christ. How doth he prove that For it is written As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall confess to God implying that at the Day of Judgment this Promise shall be fully made good This is the consummate Act of his Regal Office then Devils and wicked Men shall all be made to stoop to Christ. Christ's Kingdom is a growing Kingdom Isa. 9.7 Of the Increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end Not only of his Government but of the Increase of his Government then it is at its full strength Therefore it is called the Day of the Lord 2 Pet. 3.10 The Day of the Lord cometh as a Thief in the Night Then Christ discovereth himself as Lord in all his Royalties and Greatness and makes his Enemies shake before him Then also he shews himself to be a King to his People Mat. 25.34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right Hand Mark the special Title that is given to Christ when he invites the Saints into his Bosom then we come to receive from Christ the most Royal Donative and highest Fruit of his Kingly Office Thirdly The Consequents of that Day I shall name three sending of Persons judged to their everlasting State giving up the Kingdom to his Father and burning the World 1. The sending of Persons judged to their everlasting State the Elect into Glory and the Wicked into Torments For the Elect Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World O you have been too long absent Come blessed Children come into my Bosom Come possess that which was prepared for you before you had a Being in the World And then for the Wicked by a terrible Ban and Proscription they are excommunicated and cast out of the Presence of the Lord Ver. 31. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels A terrible Ban and Proscription As Haman's Face was covered when the King was angry and so he was led away to Execution so the Wicked banished from Christ's Presence are accursed to all Eternity and so enter into their Eternal State Now from this Sentence either of Absolution or Condemnation there 's no Appeal 't is pronounced by Christ as God-Man On Earth many times God's Sentence is repealed God may speak of the Ruin of a Nation but Free-Grace may interpose Jer. 18.7 8. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their Evil I will repent of the Evil that I thought to do unto them Deus mutat Sententiam non Decretum In the World tho God doth not change his Decrees yet he changeth his Sentence many times the Sentence shews what might be the Decree shews what shall be But now this Sentence shall never be reversed Now is the Day of Patience then of Recompence the Day of Patience is past It is said Luke 2.14 Peace upon Earth God may proclaim War against a Soul or People that he may awaken them to look after their Peace but this is a Sentence that shall never be changed The Execution is speedy here many times the Sentence is past but not speedily executed against an evil Work Eccles. 8.11 But here Christ's Sentence presently begins and the Wicked in the very sight of the Godly are thrust into Hell Mat. 13.30 Gather ye together first the Tares and bind them in Bundles to burn them but gather the Wheat into my Barn Which doth awaken the Grief and Envy of the Wicked when they shall see others gathered into the Great Congregation and themselves thrust out And then the Godly have a deeper sense of their own Condition When Contraries are put together they do mutually illustrate one another so when we see the Misery of the Wicked this matures our Apprehensions and makes us have larger Thoughts of our Deliverance by Christ. And then this Sentence to it is upon the whole Person and that for ever Upon the whole Man Go ye cursed and Come ye blessed both Body and Soul share in the Reward and Punishment And then the Sentence is Eternal it remains for ever Why for the Reward is built upon an infinite Merit the Lord Christ his Blood is of an infinite value the Virtue of it lasts to all Eternity to secure Heaven to us And the Punishment is Eternal because an Infinite Majesty is offended In short God is never weary of blessing the Godly and never weary of cursing the Wicked and accomplishing his Judgment and Displeasure against them 2. The next Consequent is the resigning and giving up of the Kingdom to the Father You have it described 1 Cor. 15.24 to 28. I suppose this giving up of the Kingdom is not taken for a resigning of his Kingly Office for Christ still holds the Government and wears the Crown of Honour to be the Head of the Church But Kingdom here is put for the Subjects of the Kingdom He shall finish the present Manner of Dispensation and present all the Elect to God and give them up as a Prey snatched out
Sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Then it is of Use to make you constant in walking in the Fear of the Lord Eccles. 12.13 14. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man For God shall bring every Work into Iudgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Especially it is an Engagement to Faithfulness in your Calling especially Ministers 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Again it urgeth you to keep the Commandments Christ will bear you out Keep this Commandment without Spot unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.14 And then it presseth to Diligence He comes with Crowns in his Hands to reward all that are faithful to him 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judg the quick and the dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom 1 Thess. 2. â—9 For what is our Hope or Ioy or Crown of rejoicing Are not even ye in the Presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his Coming The Day of Judgment respects our Callings especially as Ministers Christ's Officers must give an Account and in whatever Condition God hath set us in wherein he expects a Trial of our Faithfulness we are to consider what we must do SERMON XVIII TITUS II. 13 Of the Great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. I Come to the Description of the Person who shall appear who is described by a Title of Power and a Title of Mercy and Love because in Christ's Person there is Greatness and Goodness mixt for he is called the great God there is his Attribute of Power and Majesty and then there is a comfortable Name and Title Our Saviour That both these Titles do belong to the same Person the Fathers have abundantly proved against the Arians In the Original there is but one Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that greaâ— God and our Saviour We have just such another Expression 1 Cor. 15.24 He shall deliver up the Kingdom to that God and Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to God even the Father So here the great God and Saviour that is the God that is the Saviour Besides there is another Argument that the Words must be referred to the same Person because it is never said any where the Father doth appear but only Jesus Christ and therefore the Appearance of the great God must needs be applied to Jesus Christ. I shall handle these Titles conjunctly and severally I. Look upon them conjunctly and together and there you may observe the mingling of Words of Power and Words of Goodness and Mercy in Christ's Stile and Title I observe it the rather because it is often found in Scripture But for what Reasons are these Titles of Mercy and Power thus mingled and coupled together 1. For the Comfort of the Saints to shew that Christ in all his Glory will not forget himself to be a Saviour At the Day of Judgment when he comes forth like the great God with all his Heavenly Train then he will own us and will be as tender of us as he was upon the Cross. The Butler in his Advancement when he was at Court and well at Ease forgot Ioseph in Prison but Christ in his Advancement doth not grow shy and stately We may have Boldness in the great Day for he will not only come as the great God but also as our Saviour We have the like Expression Heb. 8.1 2. We have such an high Priest who is set on the right Hand of the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens And what follows a Minister of the Sanctuary Jesus Christ certainly had a gracious Welcome into Heaven and was exalted by the Father but even now he is our faithful Agent in Heaven This is made to be the Excellency and Height of his Condescention that he came in the Form of a Servant in the Fashion of an ordinary Man poor and despicable then he came to do the Church Service and now he is gone to Heaven in all his Glory still he is there as a Servant as one that is to negotiate with God for holy things to tender our Prayers to the Lord and to pass out Blessings to us this is Christ's Imployment in Heaven 2. To shew the Mystery of Christ's Person in whom the two Natures meet there is not only the Majesty of the God-head but also the humane Nature by which he claims Kin of us I observe it because the Scripture takes notice of it Isa. 9.6 To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace What a Mixture of Titles is here He is called a Child yet the everlasting Father Wonderful yet the Counsellor one that is intimate with his People he gives sweet Counsel to them He is called the mighty God and then presently the Prince of Peace Christ's Person is the greatest Mystery and Riddle in the World he is God and yet Man He is as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.3 Without Father and without Mother as Melchisedec yet he had both Father and Mother a Father in Heaven and a Mother upon Earth He was without Mother as to his Divinity and without Father as to his Manhood Another Place where the same Method is observed Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow He is called the Man but yet God calls him his Fellow our Brother and God's Son There are so many Mysteries that meet in Christ's Person that under the Law he could not be figured and represented by one Sacrifice Levit. 16.15 21. There were two Sacrifices chosen to represent Christ there was the Goat to be slain for the Sin-Offering and then the Scape-Goat one was not enough because there are in Christ two Natures a God that could not die and a Man that could not overcome Death The Goat that was slain shewed he was crucified in the Flesh and the Goat that was let go shewed that he did yet live by the Power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 For though he was crucified through Weakness yet he liveth by the Power of God Or as another Apostle hath it 1 Pet. 3.18 Being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit There was his humane Nature as he was Man that he might die to answer the Goat that was slain then his Divine Nature that he might live and overcome Death 3. To compare his two Comings and to show that Christ doth not forget his old Work His first Coming was in Humility to save not to judg Iohn 12.47 I
Treasures and his Jewels Let me first exhort then direct 1 st I shall exhort you by these Considerations how God will own his peculiar People above all the World besides and how he doth value them above all the World 1. How he owns them privately in their own Consciences he owns them in his Ordinances he owns them publickly in his Providence and most publickly he will own them in the Day of Judgment 1. He owns them privately in their own Consciences God's holy ones are said to be sealed by the Spirit Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption God sets his own Seal upon them to signify his Right and Property in them As a Man marks his Sheep or a Merchant seals his Wares to declare his Right and Property so all that are God's they are sealed by his Spirit and they bear his Mark. As the Worshippers of the Beast have the Mark of the Beast so the People of God have the Lord's Seal he owns them There is the Spirit 's Witness to tell them God is theirs and there is the Spirit 's Work to cause them to become God's the Spirit witnesses to them by Impressions and tells them God is your Salvation and seals them by Expressions and makes them choose God There is a mutual Appropriation Cant. 6.3 I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine He chooseth them for his peculiar People and they choose him for the peculiar Treasure of their Souls Whom have they in Heaven but God and who doth God regard in the World but they they have his Privy-Seal in their own Consciences 2. He owns them in his Ordinances so as to maintain Communion with them as he doth not with others When others pray God takes no notice that such a Prayer is made they hear but cannot say God owns them But now he owns his People in their Approaches Isa. 58.9 Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say Here I am God doth as it were say It is the Voice of my People What would you have here I am ready to help you and to give you Grace No King will do so much for his Favourites as God will do for his People Zeph. 3.10 he calls them his Suppliants This is not a peculiar Privilege for some peculiar Saints that they are thus honoured of God and answered by him in Prayer but all are a peculiar People and God hath Affections and Blessings enough for them all When the Wicked come and pray God takes no notice of them as if no such Men were in the Congregation Isa. 1.15 When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine Eyes from you yea when you make many Prayers I will not hear They have no Visits from the Spirit nor sensible Returns of Prayer It is sad to come to Ordinances and God to take no notice of us when the Spirit of God comes into the Congregation to bless the Worshippers by Head and Pole and you are left out of the Account and past over You know what is said in the Law Exod. 29.42 43. At the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the Lord where I will meet you to speak there unto you And there I will meet with the Children of Israel God did not only promise to meet with Moses but with all the Congregation and certainly the Services of the Church now are not less fruitful than the Services of the Tabernacle When God's People come together God meets with them and talks with them and sends them away with Gifts of Grace and spiritual Encrease for they are his Suppliants and his peculiar People 3. God owns them in the course of his Providence sometimes with outward Blessings Thus God set up Abraham as a Mark of Envy to the Nations about him As Benjamin's Mess was five times as much as the rest so many times in outward Blessings God owns his People But I cannot much press this but the aim of Providence principally concerns them Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God All things may seem to work against them but they work for them It is a Mercy that God takes notice of them and visits them day by day Iob 7.18 That thou shoulst visit him every Morning and try him every Moment Brambles are not pruned and pair'd as Vines are Wicked Men they are as Sheep whom no Man taketh up God doth not look after them But God's Children may take notice how the special Care of Providence serves their special Necessities and particularly as to their Afflictions they do not spring out of the Dust but every day God is mindful of them and ordereth such Dispensations to keep them in order whereas wicked Men are only under the general Care of Providence they cannot discern such particular Love and Aim at their Good and spiritual Welfare 4. He will own them before all the World at the last Day I will confess them saith Christ before my Father which is in Heaven Luke 12.8 These are the Fruits of my Purchase he will present them to God Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children which God hath given me But wicked Men are disclaimed Then will I profess unto them I never knew you Mat. 7.23 O how will their Faces gather Blackness when Christ shall disclaim all Acquaintance with them I never had any real and familiar Converse with you in publick or private Worship 2. How he values them He doth not stand upon other Nations for their Safety either to preserve them or to divert the Destroyer from them As for Instance when God raiseth up some furious Instrument that is Flagellus Dei the Scourge of God to pull down and waste God finds Work for them abroad to save his People and therefore he saith Isa. 43.3 4. I am the Lord thy God the holy One of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy Ransom Ethiopia and Seba for thee Since thou wast precious in my Sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give Men for thee and People for thy Life He let the Sword go into other Countries to save Iudah that was his Heritage if the Sword must drink Blood and eat Flesh let it go to Egypt Ethiopia Seba into Idolatrous Countries He puts other Nations in their stead and counts them as a little Chaff to save the Jews And then the highest among the Nations which is another Argument are rebuked for their sakes God plucked the Scepter out of the Hands of Kings and the Diadems off from their Heads Psal. 105.14 15. He suffered no Man to do them Wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not my Anointed meaning those that are anointed with his Grace God will rebuke the mightiest Potentates Again tho they are never so despicable yet Countries whom God hath deemed to Destruction hath he saved for their sakes It
a Religion to talk of but not to live by therefore they are cold and indifferent and when the Children of God offer a holy Violence to the Kingdom of Heaven they become a Matter of Scorn and Opposition to them And besides formal Men cannot endure to be outstripp'd and therefore malign what they will not imitate as those that are at the Bottom of the Hill fret at those that are at the Top and Men of a lazy and slow Pace envy them that are more zealous strict and holy but they have little Cause to envy them for Christ died to make us zealous of good Works 3. It informs us if we would expect any Benefit by Christ's Death we must be zealous of good Works and more warm in the Service of God A cold Christian will have but cold Comfort For whom did Christ die for those that are zealous of good Works Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by Force It is an Allusion to Exod. 19.23 24. where there was a Rail about the Mount of God that the People might not break through but when Iohn the Baptist began to discover the Grace of God and pointed to the Lamb of God then the Kingdom of God suffered Violence Men began to break through and press upon God there is a free Access to God and Men are earnest and will not be denied Entrance Matth. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no Case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It is not cold Prayers and yawning Devotions and drowzy Wishes when Men are half asleep that will serve in this Case Heaven is gotten by Force and surprized by On-set and Storm it signifies breaking through the Rail and all Restraints that are set to keep us off from God Vse 2. To stir us up to this Zeal of good Works In a dead and drowzy Age we need an Alarum Knowledg hath now devoured Practice in these decaying times Seneca complains Men are altogether studious for filling their Brains not warming their Hearts And when once Men became more learned they were less good The World is altogether for storing the Head with Notions empty and airy Strains so that if Christ should come amongst us he would find few zealous but a Company of lazy Christians that live at a low cheap Rate of Christianity High-flown we are indeed in our Fancies in Notions and Pretences but low and flat in Practice and Conversation Usually thus it is in the time of the Church's Prosperity like a River it loseth in Depth what it gains in Breadth then it hath many Friends but their Love is not so strong nor so hot as at other times Salvian complains Multiplicatis fidei populis fides diminuta est crescentibus filiis mater aegrotat c. When Professors were multiplied their Faith was lessened and as a Mother grows the weaker the more Children she bears so doth Religion grow weaker and weaker when every one takes up a cold Profession they learn Formality one of another And he goes on Quantum copiae accessit tantum disciplinae recessit as a large Body is less active In audito genere processus recessus crescens simul decrescens When the Church increaseth in Multitude and decreaseth in Vigour and Strength it loseth in Spirit what it injoyeth in temporal Felicity Thus it often falls out with the Church of God that when Religion is fair many take up the Profession but alas it is but weak and spiritless without any Life and Vigor Therefore in such a drowzy Age and dead times we need Alarms and quickning Excitations to awaken our Zeal again for solid Piety for those good Works that are commended to us in the Scripture Therefore let us inquire what kind of Enforcements and Considerations are likely to be most operative to press us to this Zeal and Care of good Works 1. Consider how violent and earnest carnal Men are in the Ways of Sin and shall they serve Satan better than you serve God O consider you have a better Master better Work and better Wages their Master is the Devil their Work is the basest Drudgery being Slaves to their own Lusts and their Wages are sutable their Reward is everlasting Damnation and a Separation from the Presence of the Lord. How active are wicked Men for the Kingdom of Darkness How zealous and earnest to ruine themselves as if they could not be damned soon enough Isa. 5.19 They draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and sin as it were with a Cart-rope The meaning is they would sin though it cost them a great deal of Pains and Sorrow and though they could not sin at a cheap rate The Prophet doth not say they were drawn into Sin as into a Gin and Snare but they themselves did draw on Sin it is horrid Work yet they delight in it toiling and tiring themselves as Beasts at a Plough they were sinful though it cost them Sorrow and Pain There is no Corruption but it puts you to some Self-denial Luxury is costly and he that loves Wine and Oil saith Solomon will be poor Pride we say will endure the cold and Vain-glory will expose a Man to Danger and Ruine Worldliness incroacheth upon Pleasantness and the Comforts of Life a Worldling will rise early sit up late and eat the Bread of Sorrows Psal. 127.2 With what Earnestness and unwearied Diligence do carnal Men pursue after a few Trifles How do they lay out all their Wisdom and all their Sagacity about worldly things Luke 16.8 The Children of this World are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light As Children are busy about Toys and Puppets so they cumber themselves about much Serving and all their Life is but Care and Disquiet and a constant Self-denial Psal. 39.6 Surely every Man walketh in a vain Shew surely they disquiet themselves in vain They make a great deal of Stir and Bustle and many times when all is got what is it A sorry Comfort and that which must be left on this side the Grave Thus wicked Men are active and restless in their way So for Idolatry with what Cost and Diligence do Men promote false Worship and compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte they will give Rivers of Oil and thousands of Rams they do not stand at Pains and Cost God bids the Prophet look upon this Sight as indeed it is worthy of a Christian Consideration Ier. 7.17 18. Seest thou what they do in the Cities of Judah and in the Streets of Jerusalem The Children gather Wood and the Fathers kindle the Fire and the Women kneed the Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-Offerings unto other Gods What a busy Diligence is here to promote their false Worship Fathers Children Husbands Wives they all put their helping Hands to the Work and find some Imployment or other Where will you have a Family
and 28. Fear not them that kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul And again Weep as if you wept not 1 Cor. 7.30 And mourn not as Men without Hope 1 Thess. 4.13 But such is the Goodness of our God that he hath said all this and much more and so made our Comfort and Chearfulness a great part of our Work and hath made it unlawful for us to be miserable and to pierce our selves through with divers Sorrows The Lord foresaw what sinful Anxiety was incident to us because of our Difficulties and Discouragements and how we would be distracted in our Duty if he should leave the Burden of Care and Sorrow upon us Therefore he would only have us mindful of our Duty leaving all Success and Events to him A small matter occasioneth much Vexation of Spirit to us when we take the Care of it upon our selves Therefore it is not only our Privilege that we may but our Duty that we must disburden our selves of these distrustful Fears and Cares and Sorrows It is his peremptory Command which his People must not disobey unless they will incur his Displeasure 2. A Submission to his Providence He is absolute Lord to dispose of our Persons and Conditions as it shall seem good in his Sight For he is our Potter and we are his Clay Isa. 45.9 Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker let the Potsherd strive with the Potsherds of the Earth Shall the Clay say to him that formeth it What makest thou Therefore we must not be troubled when he exerciseth this his Soveraignty Iob 33.13 Why doest thou strive against him for he giveth not an account of any of his matters Who shall be Judges and Arbitrators to take the Account of his Proceedings And before whom will you call him to render a Reason of his Actions No he ruleth with absolute Dominion and Soveraignty but yet sheweth himself a loving and tender Father to his People Matth. 6.32 Your heavenly Father knoweth you have need of all these things The Lord will keep off Dangers provide every thing needful and is more sollicitous for your Well-being than you can be your selves There is a constant fatherly Providence watching over his People for good if we do believe it why are our Hearts troubled Let our Father take his own way to bring his Children to Glory Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock for it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom That Clause concerneth not only our final Blessedness but all the ways and means which conduce thereunto 3 dly It is contrary to that Peace Comfort and Happiness we might otherwise take in the rich Provisions and Preparations of Grace which God hath made for us It is said Psal. 94.19 In the multitude of my Thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my Soul It is a great Point of Sincerity to comfort our selves with God's Comforts such as he alloweth to us provideth for us and worketh in us Many careful Troubles and perplexing Thoughts are apt to arise in our Minds in a time of danger Now where is our Ease and Relief but in God's Comforts These will yield not only Support but Delight they have a Power to revive and chear the Soul All the business is to enquire what are God's Comforts The Comforts of the Gospel such as result from the sense of our Reconciliation with God Rom. 5.11 Ye Ioy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have received the Atonement The Pardon of our Sins Mat. 9.2 Son be of good chear thy Sins be forgiven thee Our Adoption or being taken into God's Family Heb. 12.5 Ye have forgotten the Exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto Sons It cannot be otherwise with those that have a Father in Heaven but they may have some Comfort if not in the Creature yet in God if not on Earth yet in Heaven Besides this there is the hope of Glory Rom. 5.1 2. Therefore being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the Glory of God Sin hath woven Calamity into our Lives and filled us with Troubles Griefs and Fears but God hath sent his Spirit not only a Sanctifier but Comforter into our Hearts to fill us with all Ioy and Peace in believing Rom. 15.13 Now shall God make all this Provision for our Comfort and we never the better Luke 24.38 Why are ye troubled and why do Thoughts arise in your Hearts Surely the comforting Work of the Spirit should not be interrupted by us It is our Sin if these Comforts be despised our Infelicity if they be not injoyed they being necessary for us for our Incouragement in the way of Holiness and to quicken our Praise and Thanksgiving and raise our Hearts in Love to God Vse Let us all take heed then of the Evil of a troubled and uncomfortable Spirit What shall we do to prevent it 1. Something is pre-required that a Man be upon good terms with God 1 Sam. 30.6 David encouraged himself in the Lord his God He was in a great distress at that time the City wherein he left his Family and the Families of his Followers was taken and burnt their Wives and Children carried away and all gone So that David and those that were with him lifted up their Voices and wept till they had no more power to weep and to make up the Calamity his Souldiers were ready to stone him In this desperate condition David incouraged himself in the Lord his God So Psal. 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul Why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the Health of my Countenance and my God David speaketh this when he was deprived of Ordinances and his constant recourse to God's solemn Worship which was a sad Reflection to him yet he rebuketh himself for being utterly cast down or immoderately disturbed And why because he had some Supports in the midst of all this Sadness God is the Health of my Countenance and he did not despair but God would return in Mercy to him and he should find some way of escape because God was his God This is a stay to our drooping Souls that we be not too much dejected and disturbed that God is our loving Father when we are under his sharpest Chastisements If God be ours in Covenant with us Why should we be troubled If you have consented that God shall be your God your Portion and Saviour and Sanctifier there needeth no more for your Comfort Are you resolved of this 2. See that your Hearts be mortified to the World and fixed on Heavenly Things Whilst you have too great a value for Worldly Things your Hearts will be overwhelmed with Griefs and Cares and Troubles Our Affections increase our Afflictions Iob 1.22 In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly
Diseases he ascended up into a Mountain or retired into a Ship and leaves the Multitude and when they would have crowned him King he refused it all these were Arguments and Instances of his Humility Hear and wonder at what you read Iohn 13.3 Iesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God A magnificent Preface Now one would have thought that some rare act of Empire Soveraignty and Domination should have followed No Verse 4.5 He riseth from Supper and laid aside his Garments and took a towel and girded himself After that he poureth water into a bason and began to wash his Disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded The Disciples did not wash the feet of their Lord but the Lord washed the Disciples feet and what was the meaning of this see Verse 15. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you 3. In Love to the Saints Iohn 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another And Iohn 15.12 This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you Oh how express are these Injunctions There is nothing in which Christ was more Eminent than in his Love no rancour of Spirit no boyling up of Envy but all Love The Apostle propounds it to Husbands Eph. 2.25 Husbands love your Wives even as Christ loved the Church Now how did Christ love his Church with a great Love so as to dye for his Church The Love of Christ was sincere not for By ends he loved Saints as Saints because of his Interest in them So should we love those in whom we see most of the Image of God It was not a blaze but a constant abiding Love whom he loves he loves unto the end so must we love the Saints It is true Jesus loved some above others Iohn was the beloved Disciple John 21.20 There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Flower of the Disciples whom he loved most but he loved them all We should Love not in Word but in Deed and in Truth Oh be filled with Love to God and Love to the Saints who have his Image stamped upon them You that are Believers have cause to love one another have we not all the same Father Are we not Children begotten of the same Holy Seed the Word Do we not all suck at the same Breasts of the Promises Do we not all sit at the same Table at the Lords Supper Are we not all cloathed with the same Robe of Christ's Righteousness and do we not all expect the same Glory 4. In his Vsefulness and Profitableness And of this the whole Gospel is a Narrative and History Therefore when the Apostle would summ up the Life of Christ he tells us this Acts 10.38 He went about doing good giving Eyes to the Blind Feet to the Lame Speech to the Dumb healing every sickness and every Disease among the people Matth. 9.35 full of Compassion to the Souls of Men. Jesus Christ was nothing else but Charity covered over with Flesh and Blood he was always either giving of Blessings or forgiving of Sins All his Miracles were not actions of Pomp but of Relief and Succour unless it were blasting the Fig. tree and sending the Herd of Swine into the Sea and the Figg-tree was Barren and the Swine was of little use in the Jewish Countries All the Miracles of Christ were salutary and healing We never read he destroyed one Man by Miracle but saved many Eph. 5.1 2. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us Oh that we could learn this none is born for himself but for the Community and it is better to give than to receive 5. In his Piety towards God If you consider the History of Christ you will find him much in Acts of Devotion he was Frequent and Fervent and Reverent in Prayer Frequent Mark 1.35 And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed And Luke 6.12 He went out into a Mountain to pray and continued all night in Prayer to God Alas we are weary in our ordinary stinted Offices of the day how soon do we grow weary of calling upon God! but Christ spends whole Nights in Prayer He was Fervent Luke 22.44 And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly And he was Reverent when he was in the Garden he kneeled down and prayed Luke 22.41 And he fell on his face and prayed Mat. 26.39 He was a most diligent Observer of the Sabbath Luke 4.16 As his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day he was diligent in frequenting the Publick Assemblies Oh how doth this confute those that out of height of Spirit and a proud Conceit of themselves are above Ordinances and say they were appointed only for Christians of the lower form He praised God for mean and course fare when he had but five Barley Loaves and two Fishes He took the loaves and when he had given thanks he distributed to the Disciples John 6.11 Alas when our Tables are full furnished we have scarce any serious Thoughts of God that giveth us richly all things to enjoy 6. In his Spirituality and Heavenly-mindedness Christ came from Heaven and he lived in Heaven all the while he was upon the Earth When he was at the Well of Samaria conferring with the Woman there he discourseth of the Well that springs up to Everlasting Life Iohn 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life He drew her from a Discourse of ordinary water to a Discourse of the Water of Life When he was at Supper at the Pharisee's House he discourseth of eating Bread in God's Kingdom Luke 14.15 Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God When he had wrought the Miracle of the Loaves he discourseth of the Bread of Life and the Mannah that came down from Heaven Iohn 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat which endureth to everlasting Life which the Son of Man shall give unto you When he was at the Feast of Tabernacles where they were wont to pour out water and so to make a Pool near the Temple he discourseth of Rivers of water and of the flowings of the Spirit Iohn 7.38.39 He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive A rare Pattern for us to follow We should labour as to see all things in God so to see God in all things and to be heavenly minded
me ye might have peace in the World ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the World 2 Cor. 1.5 For as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. Iacob when he slept and had an heap of Stones for his Pillow had then the Visions of God and usually when we are taken off from the Comforts of the World then we have the clearest manifestations of the Love of God Rom. 5.5 The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us It is an Honour for us to suffer with Christ and for Christ Phil. 1.29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake And all this how bitter soever it be for the present will end well Acts 14.22 We must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of God After this howling Wilderness there will be a Canaan We have had our times of good and is it nothing to pass over so much of our time in Peace and Comfort Iob 2.10 Shall we receive good at the hands of God and shall we not receive evil 4 VSE If all that enter themselves Disciples of Christ must prepare for the Cross then are we indeed prepared for it You will think all this needeth not in times of Peace when Religion is under the Covert and Protection of the Laws and we are not called to the Afflictions of the Gospel yet certainly such questions as these are not to be entertained coldly and carelesly Have you prepared your shoulders for the Cross of Christ it is necessary to put it to you 1. Because of private Crosses which are incident to all such as Loss of Goods and Relations Pains of Body Sickness Reproach Contempt and the like There is none get out of the World without some Execises 1 Pet. 5.9 Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the World Heb. 6.12 That ye be not slothful but followers of them who thro Faith and Patience inherit the Promises All the Heirs of Salvation have their Conflicts before they come to enjoy their Hopes The Earth is a middle place between Heaven and Hell and partaker of both it is only evil that is in Hell and only good that is in Heaven but here our State is mixed our Afflictions are tempered with some Comforts and our Comforts seasoned with some Afflictions Earth must be Earth and Heaven must be Heaven here we must expect our Tryals Iob 2.10 Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord and shall we not receive evil therefore we need to be provided there is Good that need to be tryed and Bad that need to be purged out 2. Because we should be always ready to encounter the greatest difficulties Tho' we do not always lye under Tribulations and Persecutions yet we should be alwayes prepared Preparatione Animi as Ioseph prepar'd for the Years of Scarcity in the Years of Plenty The wise Virgins had not only Oyl in their Lamps but Oyl in their Vessels we should not only have Grace for present use but against future Temptations Now have you indeed this Preparation of Heart and because a Man may crack and vaunt it before the Temptation cometh let us consider who hath this Preparation of Heart so as chearfully willingly and patiently to bear the Cross and who hath it not 1. He that is not Strict and Holy in a time of Peace will not be chearful in a time of Trouble Acts 9.31 Then had the Churches rest c. and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied When we are not called to Passive Obedience and Suffering our active Obedience should be more chearfully performed Now where is it so Our Fathers suffered more willingly for Christ than we speak for him they were not ashamed to dye for a Crucifyed Jesus they endured the Fire better than we can a Frown or Scoff 2. He that is not mortified to the World but loveth a Flesh-pleasing Life is but ripening himself for Apostacy Iames 5.5 Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the World is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a Friend of the World is the Enemy of God A fond and delicate Person that hath a Value for Worldly Contentments will be grieved when he cometh to part with them He that is corrupted with Prosperity will be dejected with Adversity but no Man is prepared but he that is Crucifyed to the World by the Cross of Christ that liveth in a holy Weanedness in the midst of his present Enjoyments Gal. 6.14 But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the World is crucifyed to me and I unto the World 3. He that is not abounding in Charity and willing to part with Temporal things in a way of free distribution will be loth to part with them by constraint and by way of Sacrifice and voluntary Surrender to God when he calls for them I offer this because the Churches that were free from Persecution are still charged with the Duty of Charity and it is a general Precept Gal. 6.10 As we have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of Faith Because he that will not part with his Superfluities willingly to God will never part with his Substance and the main of his Estate with rejoycing when it is made a Prey to the Violence of Men. It is irrational to think that he that grudgeth at a Command that requires him to part only with a little of his Temporal Conveniencies will not storm at the Violence when all is taken away Iames 5.1 Go to now ye rich Men weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you There are their howling times when that Wealth which they sat abrood upon is taken away in an instant 4. He that cannot digest lighter Afflictions how will he bear greater Ier. 12.5 If thou hast run with the Foot-men and they have wearied thee then how canst thou contend with Horses and if in the land of peace wherein thou trustedst they wearied thee then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Iordan The Prophet was all in a Pet because the Men of his Town and Neighbourhood had conspired against him and were very troublesome to him God tells him If thou canst not bear this how wilt thou do when thou art exposed to greater Tryals There are private Persecutions therefore Father and Mother are put into the Catalogue of things to be renounced by us when we take to Christ Luke 14.26 If any Man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple If a Frown and Disgrace and loss
Treasure in Heaven the Purchase whereof is certain the Possession firm and the Price incomprehensible The Lord will keep you aloof from Temptations he knows that if you were rich you would grow sensual insolent and negligent of spiritual things God knoweth what Condition is best for you you should have a greater account to make he expecteth from others Charity from you Patience Besides says Iob Chap. 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Some think it is the greatest Misery to have been sometimes happy but that is through Corruption when former Enjoyments make Men more nice delicate and tender and so less able to bear the present Cross. But if we consider rightly the less we have been afflicted the less are our Afflions on that behalf is it nothing that God hath given us to pass over some of our dayes with Peace and Comfort should we be so unthankful as to account that no benefit because it is past Iob 2.10 What! shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil is not what you have received a Pledge of what he can do for the future 3 VSE To the Rich to shew them what need they have of special Grace to manage that Condition aright It would seem an hard Censure upon this sort and order of Men yet it is a Truth and spoken by him who is Truth it self It concerneth you to look after special Grace more than others your danger is great and your difficulties in order to Eternal Life not a few You need peculiar Grace 1. To prevent the Evils and to heal those Diseases that are incident to Riches As Contempt of God We are apt to neglect and despise him when our Necessities do not drive us to him such is the Pravity of our Natures Hosea 5.15 In their Affliction they will seek me early Make God your refuge and he will be your habitation Psal. 91.9 Because thou hast made the Lord thy refuge even the most high thy habitation Neglect of Christ and Salvation by him they that have an Happiness in their hands already see no want in their Condition The whole need not a Physitian take heed of being heart-whole then you will have no relish for the Gospel It disposeth to Apostacy you have something of Value which you must esteem as nothing for Christ. It maketh us neglect Heaven Psal. 4.6 7. There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased An Estate without God is not good Lord let me not have my All here for these things must be left It maketh you proud and scornful Remember there are the true Riches without which a Person is but Vile He is most honourable before God that hath most Grace The Value of Men is otherwise in the World to come than in the present World Your Humility is your Crown It makes you to be more Sensual Wealth is the Pander of Pleasure the Purveyor for the Flesh but it should not be thus There is more cause of Fear than Rejoycing Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption It makes us Worldly as Chains to detain us under the Power of Satan and enslave us to the World It doth but betray you into mischief Do you desire your way to Heaven should be made more hard that is hard enough already 2. That you might devote your Riches to the Lord and be holy and heavenly in the midst of so great Temptations that you may not by momentary and temporal things forfeit eternal but rather further them Luk. 12.21 So is he that layeth up treasures for himself and is not rich towards God 1 Tim. 6.18 19. That they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of eternal life Wealth rightly imployed makes us capable of a greater Reward hereafter as it makes us more useful here SERMON XI ON MARK X. v. 24. And the Disciples were astonished at his words But Iesus answered again and said unto them Children how hard is it for them that trust in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God IN these Words you have two things 1. The Entertainment which the Disciples gave to his former speech They were astonished at his words 2. Christ's further Explication of himself But Iesus answered again and said unto them Children how hard is it for them that trust in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God Wherein Observe 1. The Manner of our Saviour's speaking in that kind Compellation Children 2. The Matter of the Explication How hard is it for them that trust in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God 1. For the Entertainment which the Disciples gave to his former speech They were astonished at his words This Astonishment was caused either by the legal Dispensation under which Obedience was rewarded with visible and temporal Blessings and therefore they marvelled that rich men should find such difficulty of entering into Heaven Or else it was occasioned by the Jewish Expectation of a pompous Messiah wherewith the Disciples themselves were levened expecting to share of the Honours and Riches of that Kingdom which Christ would set up Now Christ's Answer was quite blank contrary to these Carnal Hopes therefore they marvelled Or it may be upon the common reason that the Gates of Heaven should be shut to them to whom the gates of the World do always ly open Thus hardly are good Men brought to disesteem worldly things and rightly to ponder and weigh the Doctrine of the Cross which Christ had so frequently taught them 2. For Christ's Explication And there 1. The Compellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children so he bespeaks them who were sincere for the main thô a little leavened with Carnal Conceits and to sweeten the Doctrine which seemed so contrary to their humour 1 Thes. 2.11 As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a Father doth his Children Novices and weak ones are to be used with all Indulgence for they had not received the Spirit in that plentiful measure as afterward 2. The Matter of his Explication How hard is it for them that trust in Riches c He had said before How hardly do they that have Riches now he explains himself they that trust in Riches He instanceth in this 1. As one common Disease of Rich Men as soon as they have any thing in the World they are apt to trust in it Some abuse Riches one way some another some to encrease their Worldly Cares and desire of having others to feed their Pride and Sensuality this way or that way according to their different Temper and Constitution of Body and
that are in the World are held up by God's hand They do not subsist by their own Nature so much as by Divine Manutenency He upholds all things It is an allusion to a weighty Body that is held up by the hand of Man which if loosned it falls to the ground so the Creature would fall to nothing if not kept up by God Now what an Almighty grasp hath he that holds up all things He that feedeth so many mouths with the opening the hand of his Bounty Psal. 145.15 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season Thou openest thy hands and satisfiest the desire of every living thing He that sustains and guides so many Creatures that preserves the Confederacies of Nature that sets bounds to the Sea and makes Decrees for the waves to obey beyond which they shall not pass Ier. 5.22 Which have placed the sand for the bounds of the Sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it and thô the Waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail thô they roar yet can they not pass over it He that holds the Winds in his Fist is not not he mighty and strong And therefore if God should but loosen his hand the World would soon fall into Confusion and nothing Thus his sustaining and preserving all things speaks him an All-powerful God 2. His Internal Providence The Providence of God is chiefly seen in his Power over the Spirits of men that are voluntary Agents He hath such a Power over them that they are not Masters of their own Affections and Dispositions but act contrary many times to their intended purposes Prov. 21.1 The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of waters he turneth it whither soever he will Look as a Man by cutting a Channel draws the water this way or that way hither and thither so doth God move the Hearts of all men in the World nay even of Kings and Princes Prov. 16.7 When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him Strange thing that God can put a Bridle upon the Spirits of men and they shall be at peace with him whom they hated their Hearts are turned many times to what formerly they resolved against Esau is an Instance he had vowed Iacob's Death and meets him with purpose to destroy him but when God brings them together Esau falls embracing of Iacob Gen. 33.4 And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him Egypt dismissed Israel with Jewels Balaam comes to curse and he falls a blessing Israel This bridling turning changing the hearts of men it is a notable discovery of God's Omnipotency Look as there is more Power seen in governing a skittish Horse than in rolling a Stone so in ruling those Beings which have a Principle of Resistance doth the Lord shew forth his Power Angels Men and Devils can do nothing but as God will and as God gives them leave The Devils are fain to ask Christ's leave to enter into the herd of Swine Mat. 8.31 and therefore how may the flock of Christ's Sheep rest secure under the Power of his Providence when those damned Spirits are held in by the irresistible Providence of God that they can do nothing but what God will As Tertullian said If the Bristles of Swine be numbred much more are the Hairs of the Saints God hath such a mighty Power that not a Creature can be troubled without his leave even by those Spirits that are most opposite to him so that his Power over the Affections and Hearts of men shews he is a great and mighty God 3. That God is Almighty appears by the strength that is in Creatures which is an effect and shadow of the Power of God All the Power that is in Creatures is from God and he wastes not by giving as we do That expression suits to this Case God took from the Spirit of Moses and put it upon the Elders and yet Moses had not the less because of their participation We cannot communicate to others but we lessen our selves but God remaineth in an Infinite fullness and therefore if he hath given Power to Creatures he hath more power himself Now there is great Power in Creatures Iob 41.8 Iob tells us of great Whales that have Bones as Brass and strong as pieces of Iron And David tells us of Angels that excell in strength Psal. â—33 20 so that one of them slew a hundâ—ed fourscore and five thousand in one night in Senacherib's Host And if there be such strength in Creatures what is there in God from whom they have it For nothing is in the Effect but what was first in the Cause Secondly Let me come to Explain this Power of God by three Distinctions 1. God's Power is twofold either Absolute or Actual 1. His Absolute Power is by which he can do that which he never will do This is spoken of Mat. 26.53 Thinkest thou not that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of Angels Mark 3.9 God is able of these stones to raise up Children to Abraham he can do more than ever he did or will do He can do not only what Men and Angels conceive can be done but what he himself conceiveth can be done 2. His Actual Power is that by which he doth whatever he will Psal. 115.3 Our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleaseth And Psal. 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and in Earth in the Seas and all deep places Never shall any thing be done but what God wills and what God wills shall surely come to pass which is a notable support in all accidents 2 Distinction God's Power is Ordinary and Extraordinary 1. Ordinary is that which is according to the Course of second Causes and Law of Nature when he preserves the Creatures and works by them according to the Order which he himself hath established Psal. 119.91 They continue this day according to thine Ordinance for all are thy Servants All the Creatures Sun Moon and Stars do keep the Track and Path which God hath set unto them and God preserves the Beings of all things and keeps the Covenant of night and day as it is called in the Prophet 2. There is God's Extraordinary Power by which he can suspend the whole Course of Nature as he hath done sometimes upon eminent Occasions as when the Sun stood still in the Valley of Ajalom Iosh. 10.12 13. or when the Sun went back ten degrees on the Dyal of Ahaz 2 Kings 20.11 His interdicting the Red Sea that it should not flow Exod. 14.21 22. His causing Iron which is a heavy Body to swim upon the top of the water at the Prayer of Elisha 2 Kings 6.6 His suspending the burning of the Fire when the three Children were in the Furnace Dan. 3.27
should value more and bless God for them But for Men that know not their own great Necessities and Benefits but slight their chiefest Mercies and account them Burdens they can more feelingly thank God for a gluttonous Meal or unjust Gain or some vain Pleasure but for the Means of Grace they bless him not But now the Flower of Thanksgiving is when we can bless God for Christ for his Spirit for Heaven for Faith and Love And therefore we should labour to get these things and to make our Sincerity more unquestionable for these are the chiefest Matters for which God expecteth praise from us The Apostolical Forms insist upon these things 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Secondly To be most affected with these Mercies Other Mercies may be overvalued especially if we look upon them under the Notion of provision for the Flesh so our very Thankfulness may be a Snare Lust ingrosseth our Hearts but Religion tippeth our Tongues Men will thank God for their Preferment more than for the Offer of Christ and Pardon and Life by him Our esteem is known by this what it is that moveth us to thankfulness if it be for the World as used for the pleasure of the Flesh rather than for the Service of God it is but Lust disguised in a Religious Form Therefore what are you most affectionately thankful for Worldly or Spiritual good things God is to be thanked for all for Temporal encrease but chiefly for Spiritual Mercies Now what endeareth God to your Hearts that he is so good in Christ or that he blesseth your outward Estate You should not lessen that Favour but look for a better and more distinguishing Expression of his Love 3 Doct. That not only the Spiritual Blessings vouchsafed to our Selves but to Others also must he acknowledged with Thankfulness 1. It suiteth with our Relation of Members in the same Mystical Body of Christ and so is a part of the Communion of Saints 1 Cor. 12.26 And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it The Members care for one another and are affected with each others Wo or Weal if the Toe be trod upon the Tongue will cry out You have hurt me Therefore they that have lost sympathy and feeling seem to have cast themselves out of the Body as if they were no way concerned in their fellow Members in Christ. If we be in the Body we must be affected with others Concernments as with our own Phil. 1.7 I have you in my heart Where sincere Love is among Christians there will be a Communion of Prayers and Praises therefore they bless God for others Mercies as their own See Rom. 12.15 Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and weep with them that weep Spiritual Love is but acted and personated if we only drop some words of Prayer and Praise and do not look upon our selves as under a Debt and that it is meet so to do and do it upon Inclination and not meerly upon the Invitation of others We should give Thanks for all their Mercies especially for such Spiritual Mercies as constitute the Union such as Faith and Love by Faith we are united to the Head by Love to the Fellow-members Col. 1.3 4. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ praying always for you Since we heard of your Faith in Christ Iesus and of the love which you have to all the Saints These Graces qualifie for this Spiritual Communion 2. The Glory of God is concerned in it Wheresoever his Goodness shineth forth especially with any Eminency it must be acknowledged Rom. 1.8 I thank my God through Iesus Christ for you all that your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole world When Christ's Kingdom doth thrive extensively or intensively by the addition of more peace or the encrease of Grace if we love our Master we must be glad when he getteth more Servants and our Joy must be expressed in praises When Paul was Converted he saith Gal. 1.24 The Saints glorified God in me That is praised God in his behalf and gave him the Honour of that great Work that so useful an Instrument was gained to the Faith 3. The Spiritual Blessings vouchsafed to others conduce to a common Good therefore our Profit and Interest inviteth us to this Duty The good of some is the gain of the whole we have benefit by their Example and are confirmed by having Companions in the Faith and Patience of the Gospel and the common Profession groweth by their Accession to the Faith 1 Thes. 1.7 8 Ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your Faith to God-ward is spread abroad Eminent Christians promote the Interest of the Gospel and their Gifts make them serviceable 1 Cor. 1 4 5. I thank my God always on your behalf for the Grace that is given you by Iesus Christ that in every thing ye are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge And Rom. 1.12 That I may be comforted together with you by the mutual Faith both of you and me It is a Comfort to meet with our Father's Children every where and that we have hopes of having more Companions in Heaven 4. If we have no profit by them yet the thing it self is a Benefit to us for if we have any thing of the Bowels of Christ or Love to Souls surely we are gratified when any are Converted to God If the Salvation of our Brethren be dear to us whatever is given in order thereto we must reckon among our Benefits and we should rejoyce in one anothers Gifts and Graces as our own True Goodness is communicative and diffusive of it's self as Fire turneth all about it into Fire Hypocritical Profession is accompanied with an Envy they would shine alone and Mules and Creatures of a Bastard Production do not propagate 5. We encrease their Faith and Comfort when we give Thanks to God for them To that end doth the Apostle mention his Thanksgiving that they might be encouraged to go on Phil. 1.3.6 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Iesus Christ. 1 VSE They are Monsters of Men that Repine at the Riches poured down by their own or other Men's Ministry upon others Yet such a base Spirit reigneth in many they cannot endure any should be Godly and Serious 2 VSE Let us Bless God for others The Angels rejoyce at the Conversion of a Sinner Luke 15.10 Now this should never be omitted 1. When there is some eminent Work
will bind us but Faith in Christ to whom we must give an Account in the Solemn Judgment Acts 17.30 31. He commandeth all men every where to Repent because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the VVorld in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead In which Words I observe four things 1. That God requireth of all that will submit to the Gospel Repentance and New Obedience 2. That the binding Consideration is that the Judgment of every Man's Estate is put into Christ's Hands who in the day appointed will declare and determine every Man's right and qualification 3. That the Efficacy of this Consideration dependeth on the strength of our Faith or Belief in Christ. 4. That the strength of our Faith dependeth on that Assurance given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Woe be to those that now refuse Christ or do not Believe him so as to Obey him 2 Thes. 1.8 In flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. 8. 'Till we believe in Christ all his Offices are useless to us and therefore without Faith he will do us no good Who would learn of him that doth not believe him to be the great Prophet sent of God to teach the World the way to true Happiness Who would Obey him that doth not Believe that he is our Lord that he hath Power over all Flesh at whose Judgment we must stand or fall Who would depend upon the Merit of his Obedience and Sacrifice and be Comforted with his gracious Promise and Covenant and come to God with boldness and Hope of Mercy in his Name and be confident that he will Justifie and Save who doth not believe that he is a Priest who once made an Atonement and doth continually make Intercession for us In the dayes of his Flesh all that would have Benefit by Christ he did put them to this Question Whether they did believe he was able to do it To the Father of the Possessed Child Believest thou that I am able to do this Mark 9.23 to Martha Joh. 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye Believest thou this So still it holdeth good this is the most necessary Grace that maketh way for all other Respect to Christ. Secondly That this Respect is an high Value and Esteem of Christ above all other things That Faith implyeth an Esteem of Christ is plain by that of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.7 Vnto you therefore which believe he is precious And that it is a Transcendental Respect and Esteem so as that all other things are lessened in our Opinion of them and Estimation of them and Respect unto them in Comparison of Christ appeareth by other Scriptures as Phil. 3.8 I count all things 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 He had counted and did count as not repenting of his Choice he could deny his own Honour Ease Profit and Estate his own every thing but his own God and his own Christ so Matth. 13.45 46. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it The Pearl was accounted of great Price if he would sell all things for it Christ is so dear and precious that the most excellent things are not dear and precious when they are to be ventured for his sake Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my Course with Ioy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God No Faith but this will allure and draw our Hearts to Christ and no Faith but this will keep our Hearts to him there being so many other things either to keep us or to draw us off from him Nothing but this Transcendentall Respect begets the close adherence to Christ. Now I will shew three things 1. That Christ hath deserved this Esteem 2. That Faith only will give it him 3. The Notes or how this Esteem of Christ will shew it self 1. That he Deserveth it And that 1. By what he is in himself the Son of God and the Saviour of the World This is the chief ground of our Respect to the Mediator Acts 8.37 38. If thou believest with all thy Heart thou mayest and he answered and said I believe that Iesus Christ is the Son of God So Martha maketh her Confession of Faith Ioh. 11.27 Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God that should come into the World So Peter in his own Name and the Name of his Fellow Disciples Ioh. 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the living God This is the ground of adherence to him and dependance upon him that he whom the Christian World hath hitherto called their Saviour is the very Son of God appointed by God to execute the Office of King Priest and Prophet to the Church This giveth us ground to adhere to him and vanquish all Temptations 1 Ioh. 5.5 Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God The most part of the Christian World leap into this Opinion and the Name of Christ is prized but his Office is neglected there is a fond Esteem of his Memory but no real Improvement of his Grace Quandoquidem panis Christi jam pinguis factus est tractatur in Conciliis disceptatur in Iudiciis disputatur in Scholis laudatur in Eclesiis questiosa res est Nomen Christi But this is the true ground of a Christian's Esteem when soundly perswaded that he is the Christ. 2. What he hath done for us Christ requireth not so much at our Hands as he himself hath voluntarily performed for our sakes He pleased not himself that he might promote the Glory of God and our Salvation Rom. 15.3 He became poor that we might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 He was obedient to the death even the death of the Cross that we might have Life Phil 2.7 He was made sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made a Curse for us that we might have the Blessing Gal. 3.13 Doth he require so much of us 'T is grievous to the Flesh to be crossed but he hath suffered greater Sorrows and Agonies that we might have Eternal Life 3. What he still doth for us He is our Life Gal. 2.20 You live upon and by his Life Ioh. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also We use him not as an Instrument which is layed by when our turn is served
cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my Soul He heareth not as to Deliverance but yet he heareth as to Support 5. Because the Saints are wont to train up themselves for these difficulties by proposing hard Cases to themselves As Psal. 3.6 I will not be afraid of Ten Thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about Psal. 27.3 Though an Host should Encamp against me my Heart shall not fear though War should rise against me in this I will be confident Psal. 46.1 2. God is our Refuge and Strength a very present help in trouble Therefore will we not fear though the Earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Presumption is a Coward and a Run-away from all thoughts of danger but Faith meeteth its Enemy in open Field it supposeth the worst that the Heart may be fortified aforehand against whatever may fall out They much inure their Thoughts to God and dwell in and with the Almighty and reckon upon the Changes of a Reeling World and so are prepared to be Martyrs and suffer the worst for God VSE You have heard this Faith opened to you labour to get such a Wrestling Faith in expecting the Benefits of the Messiah you may have your difficulties 1. About your Spiritual Estate and Acceptance with God in Christ. You would have the Devil cast out of your Souls you beg it of God but he seemeth not to hear you you are to wait not to give over the matter as hopeless and in despondency to throw up all at first The Lord is Righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandment Lam. 1.18 He hath called and you would not hear and therefore noâ— God may delay It may be you have doubts whether ever God will hear you and you question your Election then consider God's Mercy and your Necessity Christ hath taught us how to pray for the Spirit Luke 11.8 Though he will not rise and give him because he is his Friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him You continue praying and it is with you as before iâ— may be worse Rom. 7.9 But when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died A Bullock is most â—nruly at first yoking Fire at first kindling casteth forth much Smoke What then Should you give over seeking to Christ That is to shut the Door upon your selves God seemeth to shut you out and you are discouraged with a deep sence of your own unworthiness will he look upon such a dead Dog as I am In such cases you should creep in at the Back door of the Promise as Paul doth 1 Tim. 1.15 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 Christ came to save Sinners I am Sinner enough for Christ to save or as the Woman here Dogs lick up the Crumbs 2. In some prevailing Carnal Distempers that you have long wrestled with to get rid of and you desire the Physician of Souls should Cure you follow the Means lay open before him the Plague and Sore of your own Heart You do not presently find Success will you therefore give over the Business as hopeless and go still with a Wound or Thorn in your Conscience No consider 1. It must be Cured 2. If ever it be Cured it must be by Christ. 3. Use all his Healing Methods 4. And beg a Blessing upon all by Prayer Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Matth. 8.2 5. Believe his Grace to be sufficient for thee Be earnest and importunate we scratch the Face of Sin but we do not seek to root it out If you are resolved you will take no Nay In a little time and after some â—erious wrestling with God you will be eminent in the contrary Grace 3. In great streights and pressures you seek to God plead his Covenant and yet no answer cometh Will you turn Atheist and say It is in vain to pray to God No He that believeth will not make haste Isa. 28.16 Or will you faint and give over the Suit Where then is the Exercise of your Faith and Patience It may be God sheweth himself strange to you in your Troubles as Ionah 2.4 I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again toward thy Holy Temple Let Faith look to Heaven and the Covenant made with Christ. Will you give way to the Temptation till you are bribed by sence No look again and again Let Faith triumph over Difficulties and the Issue will be comfortable 4. For the Church as God's Children preferr Zion above their chief Joy You pray for the welfare of it and God giveth no comfortable Answer what then Will you neglect your Duty or abate of your Love It may be the Clouds are thickned dangers greater what Will you swell against Providence Hab. 2.4 Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the Iust shall live by his Faith No it is Importunity Humility resolved Confidence will do you good at the last Follow the Suit still and say For Zion 's sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalem 's sake I will not rest until the Righteousness thereof go forth as Brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth Isa. â—2 1 There should be an unwearied Solicitation of God for the Churches Restitution Christ is the Churches Advocate we are her Solicitors This is an Example not to gaze upon but to imitate A SERMON ON JOHN VIII v. 56. Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad THE next Instance and Pattern of a strong Faith we find in Abraham We must consider his Faith in two things 1. His clear Sight of things to come before the Exhibition of Christ or his coming in the Flesh. 2. His over-looking the difficulties which seemed to obstruct the accomplishment of the Promise A Believer hath two great Works to do to open the Eye of Faith and shut that of Sense In both Abraham was Eminent His opening the Eye of Faith is spoken of here He saw my Day His shutting the Eye of Sense in Rom. 4.13 And being not weak in Faith he considered not his own Body now dead when he was about an Hundred Year old neither yet the deadness of Sarah 's Womb. The former falleth under our Consideration now Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad The Iews were always cracking and boasting that they were Children of Abraham Christ disproveth their Claim because they did not his Works Iohn 8.39 If ye were Abraham 's Children ye would do the Works of Abraham And in particular because they imitated not his Faith with respect to Christ they despised what Abraham made great account of Abraham rejoiced to see what you see but they rejoiced not in him and the Priviledges of the Gospel
holds his Hand and cuts you short in spiritual Blessings which otherwise he would plentifully dispense unto his People Partly they exceedingly weaken the Work of Grace which is wrought upon their Hearts their Faith is more dead their Love is more cold than it was Hope is languid the spiritual Life is interrupted and at a stand tho the Seed of God remains yet it cannot put forth it self with such Vigor and Efficacy Yea they may never recover such a Portion of the Spirit as they had before 2 Chron. 17.3 Jehoshaphat walked in the first Ways of his Father David as having some note of blemish on his latter Ways These Sins in short as a Wound in the Body let out our Blood and Strength As a Prodigal that hath once broken after he hath been set up is not trusted with a like Stock again so God's Children may not recover that largeness of Spirit and fulness of inward Strength and Comfort which they had before as many after a great Disease do not regain that pitch of Health which formerly they had but may carry the Fruits of their Disease with them to their Graves Partly because Acts are intermitted when the Soul is distempered it is unfit for Action Either Duties are omitted or else done in such an overly manner as doth increase our Distemper and harden us the more In what a sorry Fashion did David worship till God awakned his Conscience by Nathan Prayer is interrupted 1 Pet. 3.7 As Heirs together of the Grace of Life that your Prayers be not hindred 2. Grieving the Spirit Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption All Sin is a Grief to the Spirit especially Filthiness and Bitterness Compare this with Ver. 29 31. Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but that which is good to the use of ediâ—ying that it may minister Grace unto the Hearers Let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamour and evil Speaking be put away from you with all Malice Now the gâ—ieving of the Spirit makes a great Breach in our Grace and Comfort as the Spirit is our Sanctifier and Comforter To speak only of the last When the Spirit is grieved we have not such a sense of God's Love For the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given 〈…〉 Rom. 5.5 We have not that Liberty and Confidence in Prayer we once had 1 John 5 21. Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God Nor those lively Hopes of Glory and final Redemption in that Text Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption Nor that Comfort in Reproaches nor Courage in Afflictions nor Strength to resist Sin nor that Readiness and Chearfulness in Obedience that once they had So that a Christian is like Sampson when his Locks are gone all delightful Communion with God is suspended and a Christian doth not act like a Servant that is in his Master's Favour 3. Carnal Liberty When a Man giveth too much Contentment to the Flesh the Spirit or better Part is in Bonds Psal. 119.37 Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity and quicken thou me in thy Way A Man that lets loose the Reins to worldly Vanity will soon find Hardness coming on his Heart and see a need to ask quickning Grace Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life Worldly Comforts over-affected or immoderately used clog and enslave the Heart and so we are more unperswadible and disobedient to the Motions of his Spirit and the Counsels of his Grace Therefore if we will take heed that our Hearts be not hardned let them not out too freely to worldly things lest they be withdrawn from God but rejoice here as if you rejoiced not that you may keep up your Liberty to God 4. Pride and Self-sufficiency 2 Chron. 32.31 Howbeit in the Business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon who sent unto him to enquire of the Wonder that was done in the Land God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his Heart Paul was permitted to be buffered that he might be kept humble 2 Cor. 12.7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure When you trust to your selves God leaveth you to your selves and then we are as a Glass without a bottom broken as soon as out of hand Iam. 4.6 God resisteth the Proud but giveth Grace to the Humble It is not so much understood of a moral Humility or a lowly Carriage towards Men as of an Evangelical Humility which consists in brokenness of Heart or a sense of our Unworthiness and Weakness these are influenced by Grace but others are left to fall and miscarry by their own presumptuous Confidence And therefore if we would not incur any Degree of this Judgment we must take heed of Pride and spiritual Security Those that feel the daily and hourly necessity of Grace have more of the Supplies of the Spirit they are oftner waiting upon God Psal. 25.5 On thee do I wait all the day Christ hath taught us to beg daily Bread daily Pardon and daily Strength against Temptations that he might engage us to be often with God and keep in a constant dependance on him that the Heart might be kept more awful tender and serious 5. Carelesness and spiritual Sloth When we carelesly entertain the Motions of his Spirit and lie upon the Bed of Ease he is gone Cant. 5.2 3. I sleep but my Heart waketh it is the Voice of my Beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my Sister my Love my Dove my Vndefiled for my Head is filled with Dew and my Locks with the Drops of the Night I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on I have washed my Feet how shall I desile them And ver 6. I rose up to open to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone God's Children may stifle many a pressing Conviction and Motion in their Souls hang off from the Throne of Grace and other good Duties and upon every frivolous Pretence keep away from God This unkind and ungracious Dealing will cost them dear Neglect of the Means of Grace quencheth the Spirit 1 Thess. 5.19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesyings Therefore we should be more diligent in the use of Means Mark 4.24 Vnto you that hear shall more be given We must more carefully obey the sanctifying Motions of the Spirit if we mean to avoid hardness of Heart 2 dly The Means to cure it 1. Bewail the Evil and complain of it before God who alone can help us We complain of
and plenty of Revelations So we read of Peter's Rapture while he was praying Acts 10.10 He fell into a trance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a trance fell upon him noting that those Raptures are things of Dispensation rather than Choice and Duty they fall upon us we do not work our selves into them So we read of Paul's Rapture 2 Cor. 12.2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven Whether these things were framed by way of Representation to the Soul or whether the Soul were for a time separated from the Body and was transported into Heaven Paul himself was at a loss and could not determine and resolve the Case 2. These Dispensations may still be though not in the same height and manner which the Apostles enjoyed God may do it still for he is left to the Liberty and Soveraignty of his own Dispensations and though Sight and the Beatifical Vision and Contemplation be the Happyness of the next World yet in some measure God may begin it here that his Children may enter into their Inheritance by Degrees and may be before-hand led into the Suburbs of Heaven As a Father gives the Child not only a part of the Estate but sometimes the Liberty of the whole House so God may give us here in this World not only those more Temperate Enjoyments of Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and the first Fruits of the Spirit but he may lead us into the Suburbs of Heaven and put us above the Clouds into the Glory of the World to come Though there may be such a Dispensation yet not in the same manner that the Apostles enjoyed it for that was peculiar to them and therefore when the Apostle Paul had reported his Rapture he pleaded that he had the Sign of an Apostle 2 Cor. 12.12 Truely the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience in signs and wonders and mighty deeds With these Raptures there was a Concomitant Revelation of the Will of God And they were for other ends these Raptures were not so much Excesses of Religion but Revelations for the great ends of the Gospel Iohn's Rapture was to receive the Visions of God for the Comfort of the Churches Peter's to go to the Gentiles Paul's that he might have Commission for the Apostleship and the Mark and Sign of an Apostle Therefore though God may use some such dispensation for we know not what he may do out of Soveraignty yet not in the same way and for the same end Those Raptures and Transportations which the Children of God now feel sometimes proceed from strong Pangs and Extasies of Love which for a while do suspend and forbid the distinct use of Reason and cast the Soul into a quiet silent gaze Observe that Love where it is moderate venteth it self in thoughts and words and it is a great help to make the inward sense more acute and sharp but where it is vehement and strong it is contented with it self and satisfied with its own Heat Ardor and Intenseness therefore there is not such a distinct actual Discourse As when a Man huggeth and embraceth a Friend the closer he huggeth him the less distinctly doth he behold and take a view of him so in the embraces of Love when the Soul falleth into the Arms of Christ and claspeth about Christ with the Arms of its own Love it hindreth the distinct Exercise of Reason and those Offices of Discourse by which the Soul would otherwise reflect upon him A Man that desireth a Precious Jewel at first he vieweth it with greediness and delight but afterwards he layeth it up in his Bosom and wholly pleaseth himself in the possession of it so the Soul that thirsts after Christ pleaseth it self in the consideration of his Beauty and Perfection and dwells upon it with Religious thoughts but afterwards Love growing very strong and being heightned unto the utmost degree shutteth the Eyes of our Souls and we only please our selves in a more intimate feeling and in the sweetness of our embraces Great and high Affections must needs hinder the use of Reason because all our strength and vigour runneth out into one faculty and then such a poor limited Creature as Man is cannot attend other Offices and Employments of the Soul It is very notable in the whole Life of Christ that he had no Extasie Propter maximam capacitatem supernaturalem animae because of the extraordinary perfection of his Person and the large Capacity of his Soul he had a Transfiguration yet all the while in the midst of that he had a temperate use of Reason Matth. 17. The Disciples were indeed suprised by those glimpses and emissions of his Glory they were overwhelmed so that they fell on their faces and were sore afraid verse 6. Poor Man being of a lesser Capacity cannot suffer such a feeling and high tyde of Affection without some Transportation and Ravishment beyond the support of Reason for the strength and vigour of his Soul is melted out to Christ in Love Now the Soul being of a limited Power and Capacity the more strongly it attendeth one Office and Function the less can it serve others Look as a Flame when it ascendeth endeth in a point and groweth narrower and thinner so such high Flames and such glorious Ascents of Affection usually mind but one thing and do not permit the Soul any variety of discourse but fix it in one thought and in one study and deliberate gaze 4. Usually such experiences of Gods Children are given in to them in the most Social Duties As in the time of Prayer Peter's trances fell upon him in Prayer Ordinary Extasies carry some proportion with that which is Extraordinary and usually the Soul flames out to God and breaks forth in Religious Ascents in the time of Prayer And so such strong Affection over-sets the Soul in the time of the Lords Supper Cant. 5.1 Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Be drunk with Loves that whole Song concerneth our Communion with Christ in Heaven and in the Ordinances above all in the Ordinance of the Supper which is the pledge of Heaven So also in the height of Meditation when the Soul hath been spent and much exercised it self in that work after the labour of Meditation God giveth in this silence and rest in the steady Contemplation of his Love and Glory and the mind being inflamed and heightened with Spiritual Thoughts and Exercises suffereth a kind of Transportation It is very notable that those Ravishments that were between Christ and the Spouse were in the Palm-tree Cant. 7.8 I said I will go up to the palm-tree I will take hold of the boughs thereof now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine and the smell of thy nose like apples There Christ would satisfie himself with the Churches
off Prayer especially in secret Gods Children may be streightned in Prayer but they do not restrain Prayer Conscience is clamorous Prayer would fain break out but they smother these checks and sentiments of Religion till they wholly quit a course of praying Sometimes they deny Providence Psalm 73.11 They say how doth God know and is there any knowledge in the most high And verse 13. I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Mal. 3.14 Ye have said 't is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts Or else they do not soundly believe the Covenant of God as made with them in Christ Rom. 10.14 How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed We cannot address our selves to God in Christ if we are not rooted in the Faith of the Gospel 2. Sometimes through a defect of their Love to God They have no delight in him and therefore call not upon his Name Iob 27.10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwaies call upon God They may sometimes cry to him to be free from trouble but they do not alwaies call upon him nor keep up a constant use of Prayer They are weary of God Isa. 43.22 Thou hast not called upon me O Iacob Thou hast been weary of me O Israel They that left their first love left their first works Rev. 2.3 4. Or else they are glutted with Worldly Happiness and so God is neglected Ier. 2.31 We are Lords we will come no more unto thee They are well and at ease or else they are besotted with carnal pleasures that they have no heart to come to God Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life The Heart is withdrawn from God and stolne away by carnal vanities 3. From a defect in their Hope they despair either of assistance or acceptance 1. Of Assistance Having such a wandring lean and barren Understanding and dead Affections they think they shall be never able to pray And though God hath promised a Spirit of Grace and Supplication and is ready to give it to those that do not give way to these evils but strive against them and the Holy Ghost is appointed to teach them to pray yet they give way to this dulness and deadness out of an indulgence to the ease of the flesh and sloathfulness and despair of Gods help Isa. 64.7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee There is the lazy despair as well as the raging despair when Men will not stir up themselves and overcome the seeming difficulties which at first a course of Prayer meeteth with 2. Of Acceptance They have lost their peace by some grievous wounding Sin and then have not the heart to go to God As David kept silence and hung off Psalm 32.3 till he recovered his peace So others have offended God and represent him to themselves as an angry Judge rather than a gracious Father and so run away from him as guilty Adam did to the bushes Gen. 3.8 rather than come to him In part this may be in Gods Children when they have grieved the Spirit but mostly it is in the wicked who go on impenitently in some grievous and heinous sin and so can have no heart to go on in a course of lively Prayer The Presence of God is terrible to a Sinner because of the Conscience of their own sinful Courses they expect nothing but Wrath and Vengeance from God and they will not take Gods way to reconcile themselves and make their peace with him but only put off the thoughts of that they cannot put away and neglect God rather than seek to appease him VSE II. It informeth us of a necessary Truth if we must pray evermore then there must be an endeavour to keep up our hearts still in a praying temper or in a disposition to go to God upon all occasions that when God offereth these occasions there may not want a suitable frame of heart The Disposition and Temper of Heart fit for Prayer must never be lost Sathan is a great Enemy to this Commerce with God and our Hearts soon grow unfit for it It is a difficult thing to keep up this praying frame yet this must be a Christians constant work and care The whole Spiritual Life is but a watching unto Prayer Now this praying frame lyeth in three things 1. A broken-hearted sense of our Spiritual wants We have a quick and tender feeling of Bodily wants for these are evident to Natural Sense and we love the Body more than the Soul and are tender of our Bodily Interests but we should be alike affected with Soul necessities or else there will be no life in our Prayers God filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away Luke 1.53 The poor in Spirit do most mourn before the Lord and hunger and thirst after Righteousness Matth. 5.3 4 5 6. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Now that which hindreth this brokenness of Heart is carnal pleasures which bring on a brawn and sensless deadness upon the Soul Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4.7 Be sober and watch unto Prayer Now Sobriety is a sparing use of Sensual and Worldly Delights or a Moderation in all Earthly Things This you must labour after if you would keep up your correspondency with God by Prayer in a lively manner 2. A strong and earnest bent of Heart towards God and Heaven and so towards Spiritual and Heavenly things Isa. 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early The Soul that is set to seek the Lord is most fit for this Duty But unless the Heart be thus set towards God and Heavenly things Prayer will be as a customary talk we shall ask for fashions sake pray from our Memories rather than our Conscience and from our Conscience rather than Heart and Affections or from Affections actually excited and stirred rather than from an Heart renewed or that habitual bent and tendency towards God which is at the bottom of Prayer The Heart sensibly stirred in our Duty may do well for the time but it is soon lost and controlled and mastered by contrary affections That which doth habitually dispose and incline you to pray alwayes is the fixed bent of Heart towards God and Heaven There are three Agents in Prayer as in every Holy Duty the Humane Spirit the New Nature and the Spirit of God The Humane Spirit or my Natural Faculties that by
still the enemy and avenger THE scope of this Psalm is to glorifie God for the singular Dignity he hath put upon Man above all his works The expressions literally and apparently refer to Gods works of Creation and Providence about him but in a Divine and more Spiritual sense the Misteries of Redemption are intended and secretly couched under them as appeareth by the frequent quotations of this Psalm in the New Testament There is a double Honour put upon Mankind 1. That God hath ordained Man that feeble and weak Creature to subdue and conquer his Enemies 2. That God hath made him Lord of all his other Creatures Both which concerne not only Man in general but especially Jesus Christ. God made Man and therefore both are applyed to him The first when the Children welcome him with the acclamations proper to the Messiah Matth 21.15 16. When the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying in the Temple Hâ—sanna to the son of David they were sore displeased and said unto him hearest thou what these say and Iesus saith unto them yea have ye never read out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise The other in many places especially Heb. 2.6 7 8. But one in a certain place testified saying what is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou visitest him Thou hast made him little lower than the angels thou crownedst him with glory and honour and didst set him over the works of thy hands Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet For in that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him So that Man is both his Champion and his Deputy He is his Deputy verse 6. Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feet His Champion in the Text Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength c. In explaining these words I shall enquire 1. Who are these Babes and Sucklings 2. Who is the Enemy and Avenger 3. What is the Miracle and Wonder that raised the Prophets admiraration and moved him to praise God for this I. Who are these Babes and Sucklings 1. Man in general who springeth from so weak and poor a beginning as that of Babes and Sucklings yet is at length advanced to such power as to grapple with and overâ—ome the Enemy and the Avenger 2. David in particular who being but a ruddy youth God used him as an Instrument to discomfit Goliah of Gath. 3. More especially our Lord Jesus Christ who assuming our Nature and all the sinless infirmities of it and submitting to the weakness of an Infant and after dying is gone in the same Nature to reign in Heaven till he hath brought all his Enemies under his feet Psalm 110.1 And 1 Cor. 15.27 For he hath put all things under his feet but when he saith he hath put all things under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him Then was our Humane Nature exalted above all other Creatures when the Son of God was made of a Woman carried in the Womb as long a time as other Infants are Luke 2.6 Sucked as a Babe and afterwards dyed and was received unto Glory 4. The Apostles who to outward appearance were despicable in a manner Children and Sucklings in comparison of the great ones of the World poor despised Creatures yet principal Instruments of Gods Service and Glory Therefore 't is notbale that when Christ glorifieth his Father for the wise and free Dispensation of his Saving Grace Matth. 11.25 He saith I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid those things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes So called from the meanness of their Condition Compare the parallel places Luke 10.21 And you shall see it was spoken when the Disciples were sent abroad and had power given them over unclean Spirits In that hour Iesus rejoyced in spirit and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes This he acknowledged to be an Act of Infinite Condescension in God 5. Those Children that cryed Hosanna to Christ make up part of the sense Matth. 2â— 16 for Christ defendeth their practice by this Scripture when he was condemned by the wisest and greatest and proudest Men in the World such as were the Scribes and Pharisees at that time he was praised and welcomed as the Messiah or Son of David by the Children 6. Not only the Apostles but all those that fight under Christs Banner and are listed into his Confederacy may be called Babes and Sucklings First Because of their Condition Secondly Their Disposition 1. Because of their Condition God is pleased often to make choice of the meanest and lowest 1 Cor. 1.27 28. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty And the base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are That is God in the Government of the World is pleased to subdue the Enemies of his Kingdom by weak and despised Instruments 2. Because of their disposition They are most humble spirited We are told Matth. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God As if he had said you strive for preheminence and worldly greatness in my Kingdom I tell you my Kingdom is a Kingdom of Babes and containeth none but the humble and such as are little in their own Eyes and are contented to be small and despised in the Eyes of others and so do not seek after great Matters in the World A young Child knoweth not what striving or state meaneth and therefore by an Emblem and visible Representation of a Child set in the midst of them Christ would take them off from the expectation of a Carnal Kingdom II. Who is the Enemy and the Avenger In the Letter Goliah in the Mistery the Devil and his Agents and Instruments He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Enemy of God and Man Matth. 13.39 The enemy that soweth them is the Devil and with him all the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 These are Wicked Men Iohn 8.44 For ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do 1 Iohn 4.4 Ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world The War is carried on between two Heads and two Seeds III. What is the Miracle and Wonder that raised the Heart of the Psalmist to praise
I will give them an Everlasting Name that shall not be cut off 2. In Framing the Child in the Womb. It is not the Parents but God The Parents cannot tell whether it be Male or Female Beautiful or deformed they know not the number of the Veins and Arteries Bones and Muscles See Psal. 139.13 14 15 16. For thou hast possessed my Reins thou hast covered me in my Mothers Womb. I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my Soul knoweth right well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Larth Thine Eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them There is a great deal of Work-man ship in the Body of Man it is a curious piece of Embroidery Angels sang at Mans Creation Iob 38.7 When the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy and they admire at his Resurrection What is God about to do 3. In giving Strength to bring forth The Heathens had a Goddess which presided over this work His Providence reacheth to the Beasts It is by the Lord that Hinds do calve Psal. 29.9 The Voice of the Lord maketh the Hinds to calve and there is a Promise to them that fear him 1 Tim. 2.15 She shall be saved in Child-bearing if they continue in Faith and Charity and Holiness with Sobriety It must be understood as all temporal Promises are with the exception of his Will but thus much we gather that it is a Blessing which falleth under the care of his Providence and that by Promise so far as God seeth fit to make it good Rachel died in this Case every godly Woman hath not this deliverance So did Phinehas his Wife 1 Sam. 4. latter end God might have taken this advantage against you to have cut you off If deliverance were not so ordinary it would be accounted miraculous The Sorrows and Pains of Travel are a Monument of Gods displeasure Gen. 3.16 Vnto the Woman he said I will greatly multiply thy Sorrow and thy Conception in Sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children Womens Pains are more grievous than the Females of any kind to preserve a weak Vessel in great danger and for the Child a Sentence of Death way-laid it as it was coming into the World 4 The Circumstances of Deliverance In every Birth there are some new Circumstances to awaken our Stupid Thoughts to consider the Work of God For God doth all his works with some variety lest we should be cloyed with the commonness of them 2. They are a great Blessing in themselves and the more of them the greater Blessing and therefore should they be acknowledged and improved as Blessings Certainly there is a more special favour shewed us in our Relations than in our Possessions Prov. 19.14 House and Riches are the Inheritance of Fathers â—ut a good Wife is from the Lord. So for Children By them the Parent is continued and multiplied They are a part of himself and in them he liveth when â—e is dead and gone It is a shadow of Eternity nodosa Eternitas therefore the outward appurtenances of Life are not so valuable as Children Besides they are capable of the Image of God By them the World is Replenished the Church multiplied a people continued to know love and serve God when we are dead and gone We read of Christ's rejoicing in the habitable parts of the Earth and his delights were with the Sons of Men. Prov. 8.31 In the habitable parts of the World there are great Whales but Men were Christs delight Especially to Gods Confederates or Parents in Covenant with God are Children a greater Mercy David was such an one these are Sons and Daughters born to him Ezek. 16.20 These are visibly the Children of God and in a most proper sense an heritage from the Lord. It is said Gen. 6.12 The Sons of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fair and they took them Wives of all which they chose Seth begat Sons and Daughters to God See Gen. 10.21 Vnto Shem also the Father of the Children of Eber the Brother of Japhet the Elder even to him were born Children The Persians Lydians Assyrians Syrians these who were possessed of the Empire of the World and all the rich Spices and Treasures of the East he hath not his denomination from them but from the Children of Eber a people a long time kept under before they could grow into a Nation but they were the People of God who retained his true Worship Their's were the Promises the Adoption and the Glory See that place 1 Cor. 7.14 For the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the Husband else were your Children unholy but now are they holy Reasons are à notioribus from some things plainer than the things they are to prove The scope of it is to hold forth some priviledge to Believers not common to others who are Infidels for it is for the Believers sake that the other is sanctified If it were a common priviledge the unbelieving Husband had been as much sanctified in himself as in his Wife Well then it is some special priviledge not common to the Marriage of an unbelieving couple Agaâ—n whatever this priviledge be it is something of importance for therefore is it mentioned negatively and positively which the Holy Ghost useth not to do but in weighty cases negatively they are not as other Children unclean but positively they are holy Again mark the gradation The unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the Husband else were your Children unholy but now are they Holy To be sanctified is more than to be lawful and to be holy is more than to be sanctified All things as Meats Drink Marriage Estate are lawful to an Infidel but not sanctified for they are sanctified by the Word and Prayer and many things are sanctified which are not holy as Gold Silver Goats Hair when they were dedicated to God they were changed in use not in nature The unbelieving Husband to whom all things are impure he is sanctified that is set apart to serve God's providence to this holy end and use that the believing Wife may bring forth Children to God As a Nobleman Marrying a Begger conveyeth Nobility to the Children Now having laid this foundation let us see what is the meaning of not being unclean but holy The unclean under the Law were those that might not come into the Sanctuary or into the Temple Holiness qualified for worship and made capable of Ordinances What God hath cleansed call not thou common or unclean Act. 10.15 saith God to Peter speaking of the Gentiles as capable of Gospel Priviledges And so we have found out the sense the Children
are Holy though sinners by nature yet dedicated to God and by vertue of the Parent 's Covenant accepted into the visible Church This agreeth with the exact rules of friendship to be a friend to us and our Families as David was to Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake 2 Sam 9.7 Fear not for I will shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy Fathers sake So Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospel they are Enemies for your sake but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sake For so many thousand years This is a friendship like God whose kindness is expressed in a way becoming himself Well then every Child is capable of dedication to God in the solemn way of an Ordinance 'T was a grief to Gehazi to have the Leprosie cleave to him and his Posterity it is a comfort to you that your Children are Holy Another Leper was born of him another Child is born to God of you More especially when the Covenant breaketh out then Children are a blessing indeed an Heritage from the Lord Gen. 9.25 26. Cursed be Canaan a servant of Servants shall he be to his Brethren And he said blessed be the Lord God of Shem. Ham is cursed in the person of Canaan whose progeny was excluded from the Grace of the Ordinances Instead of blessing Shem as he had cursed Cham Noah blesseth and praiseth God Blessed be the Lord God of Shem. God is his God that is happiness enough which is to be ascribed to his Grace But to return God hath implanted an affection in Parents to their Children he hath a Son himself and he knoweth how he loveth him and he loveth him for his holiness Heb. 1.9 Thou hast loved Righteousness and hated Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oil of gladness above thy fellows So many times in a condescention to good Parents he bestoweth this priviledge that they shall have Godly Children Look as to a Minister those whom he converts to God they are his Glory and his Ioy and his Crown of rejoicing at the day of the Lord 1 Thes. 2.19 20. So as to those whom we have been a means to bring into the World if they are in the Covenant of Grace it is a greater blessing than to see them Monarchs of the World 3. 'T is a gift and a blessing dispensed as a reward and heritage with respect to the obedience or disobedience of their Parents God would by all ways and means ingage us to godliness now because our temporal happiness or misery much dependeth upon our Relations and Children he would make this one motive to invite us to walk in his ways This is one way or means to let in happiness or trouble upon us Sometimes he promiseth Children and flourishing Children as a reward of piety and threateneth no Children or unhappy Children as a punishment of disobedience See Iob 5.4 compared with 25. Of the wicked it is said ver 4. His Children are far from safety they are crushed in the Gate and there is none to deliver them 'T is promised to the godly ver 25. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great and thine off-spring shall be as the Grass of the Earth So the Second Commandment Exod. 20.5 6. I the Lord thy God am a Iealous God visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shewing Mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments and many other places Though not all the Godly and only they have the gift of prosperity and a successful posterity yet God is pleased in express terms to adopt this blessing into the Covenant Wicked Parents are ordinarily great snares and plagues to their Children and the godly prove great blessings Because this is an argument often pressed in Scripture I shall a little state it how far wicked Parents may procure a judgement and godly Parents a blessing to their Children 1. How far wicked Parents may procure a Judgment to their Children Answ. Punishments are either Temporal or Eternal For Eternal no man is punished with Eternal punishment for anothers sins properly and directly there we stand upon our own personal account occasionally a Child may be punished eternally for his Father's sin as being deprived of the means of Grace by the Parent 's revolt from the true Religion As for external means the Parents who are a kind of Trustees may put away the means of Grace from their Families When God cometh to tender Grace to them he tendereth it to them in the name of their whole house Luk. 19.9 This day is salvation come to this House Forasmuch also as he is the Son of Abraham as a Believer he had an interest in Abraham's promises Gen. 17.7 I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy Seed after thee So Act. 16.31 Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved thou and thy House that is put in a way of Salvation If a Family reject the strictness of profession and give up themselves to cursing swearing uncleanness gaming hatred of reformation and of a lively Ministry the Children born in the Family may be justly left to be wicked by these examples and prejudiced against the ways of God 2. For Temporal Punishments These may be supposed to come both on those that continue in their wicked Parents Paths and Courses or on those who do break them off by repentance 1. If they continue in them then both Parents and Children are considered as one Body and Society Isa. 65.6 7. I will recompense even recompense into their bosom Your iniquities and the iniquities of your Fathers together There is a cup still filling and when we add more Water then it runneth over As by a figure added to a number already set the value is increased to a much greater sum than the single Figure would bear if it stood alone So the personal sins of the Child are made much more hainous by the foregoing offences of the Parents Or as a fire that is already kindled when it meeteth with more combustible matter the flame is the more increased so by the addition of the Childrens sins to their Ancestors the judgment is made more exemplary and remarkable nay it may be the judgment may begin with the Children when the Parents in this World do escape and go unpunished The Parents kindle the Fire and the Children come and cast in more Fuel and then no wonder if the burning be the greater 2. If they be godly The judgments may continue though they be sanctified to their holy posterity Thus God's quarrel for the sins of Manasseh continued in the days of good Iosiah 2 Kin. 23.26 The Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah because of all the provocations
blessings indeed by an holy Education Oh it will be a great happiness to be Parents to such as shall be Heirs of Glory As Children ought to be looked upon as a great mercy so also as a great trust which as it is managed may occasion much joy or much grief If Parents doat upon them they make them Idols not servants of the Lord If they neglect Education they will surely prove crosses and curses to them or if they taint them by their example Young ones are very apt to follow the example of those they see or converse with or are related to them Those Forty two Children 2 Kings 2.23 24. That were devoured of two She-Bears and cryed Bald pate to the Prophet of the Lord were Children of Bethel which was a nest of Idolatry Therefore Parents had need see what example they give or suffer to be given to their Children in contemning the Servants of the Lord or in any other kind of sin 3. Reproof to Children born of Godly Parents and notwithstanding dedication and education break out into unseemly and wicked courses For Children born in a godly Family to be naught is the greatest degeneration that can be Ungodly Children of godly Parents these wrest themselves out of the Arms of mercy and instead of a blessing become a burden and a curse They cast off their Fathers God Prov. 27.10 Thine own Friend and thy Fathers Friend forsake not But what shall be said of them that forsake their Fathers God They break off and interrupt the course of the Blessing Jer. 2.12 13. Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord For my People hath committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living water and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that will hold no water He would have the Sun to look pale the spheres to cast out their stars Wilt thou be a Traytor to thy Fathers God Solomon continued allyance with Hyram because he had been a Friend to David And wilt thou break off the Grace of the Covenant Cain excomunicated himself Gen 4.16 Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. Ishmael for scoffing malignity against the power of godliness was cast out of Abrahams Family Gen 21.9 Esau for sensual prophaneness Heb. 12.15 Despising Spiritual priviledges for sensual satisfactions The Jews were cast off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for unbelief Rom. 11.20 or positive rejection of the Gospel Christ made them the first offer 2. Vse To exhort Parents to bring up their Children for God For if they be an heritage from the Lord they must be an heritage to the Lord give them up to Him again as you had them from Him at first For whatever is from Him must be improved for Him Dedicate them to God and Educate them for God and he will take possession of them in due time Hannah though her Son were a Levite born and her eldest Son yet she Solemnly Dedicateth him to God 2 Sam. 1.27 28. I Prayed for this Child and the Lord hath given me my Petition which I asked of him therefore I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. Give God his portion Now if the Dedication be sound it will ingage you to a serious Education God dealeth with us as Pharaoh's Daughter did with Moses his Mother Exod. 2.9 Take this Child away and Nurse it for me Motives 1. The express charge of God who hath made it your Duty Ephes. 6.4 Fathers bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Deut. 6.7 These words shalt thou teach diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Now we should make Conscience of these commands as we will answer it to God another day 2. The example of the Saints who have been carefull to discharge this trust God presumeth it of Abraham Gen 18.19 For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Observe God reckoneth upon it and disappointment is the worst vexation And it is a means to obtain the Promise and the blessing 2 Tim. 3.15 And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures How by his Grandmother Lois and Mother Eunice as is expressed elsewhere Surely they are unworthy to have Children that do not take care that Christ may have an interest in them 3. The importance of this Duty Next to the preaching of the Word the Education of Children is one of the greatest Duties in the World For the service of Christ and of the Church and State dependeth upon it Families are the Seminaries of Church and Common-Wealth Religion dwelt first in Families and as they grew into numerous Societies they grew into Churches As Religion was first hatched there so there the Devil seeketh to Crush it The Families of the Patriarchs were all the Churches God had in the World And therefore when Cain went out of Adam's Family he is said to go out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4 16. If the Devil can subvert Families other Societies and Communities will not long flourish Towns and Nations are made up of families A fault in the first Concoction is not easily mended in the second Here is the first making or marring And Solomon telleth us Prov. 20.11 That even a Child is known by his doings 4. To countermine Satan who hath ever envyed the succession of Churches and the growth and progress of Christs Kingdom and therefore seeketh to crush it in the Egg by seeking to pervert Persons while they are young and like wax capable of any form and impression As Pharaoh would destroy the Israelites by killing their Young ones So Satan who hath a great spight at the Kingdom of Christ knoweth there is no such compendious way to subvert and overcome it as by perverting Youth and supplanting Family Duties He knoweth that this is a blow at the root Therefore what care should Parents take to season Children with holy Principles that they may overcome the wicked one by the word of God abiding in them 1 John 2.14 I have written unto you Young men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one And cleanse their Hearts by a regard to Scripture direction Psal. 119.9 Wherewithal shall a Young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word They are defiled already not as Vessels taken out of the Potters shop but as Vessels tainted and polluted 5. To make good
submit to any condition for his glory Some that profess his name will suffer nothing for him If they may injoy him or his ways in peace and quietness well and good but if trouble arise for the Gospel's sake immediately they fall off The most yea the best have a secret lothness and unwillingness to condescend to a condition of trouble and distress for the Gospel Now to these I will but propound these three considerations 1. If Christ had been unwilling to die for us and suffer for us if the same mind had been in Christ what had been our estate and condition to all Eternity without his sufferings we should have suffered eternal misery If you would not have Christ of another Mind let the same Mind be in you 2. We cannot lose for him as much as he hath done for us 2 Cor. 8.9 Ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we through his poverty might be rich 3. We are gainers by him if we part with all the World for his sake Mark 10.29 30. There is no Man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospel but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with Persecutions and in the World to come Eternal Life Oh then do not stand upon terms The same Mind or Spirit answerable to Christ was that of David 2 Sam. 6.22 I will be yet more vile than thus Christ became vile for us made himself of no reputation and shall we be flouted out of our Religion If he had disdained to indure grief and sorrows and stood upon befitting terms what had become of us 2. Humility We are far inferiour to Christ and shall we stand so much upon our reputation Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart Learn of me not to make Worlds or work Miracles but to be contented with the lowest place the meanest service to be any thing and do any thing to bring glory to God and that not out of necessity but choice Mat. 20.28 Even as the Son of Man came not to be Ministred unto but to Minister It is brought to check aspiring or affecting domination in the Church They that love the preheminence would be great and high seem to dislike Christs proceeding especially those that rend and tear all to advance themselves or to grow greater in the World See that magnificent preface to the History of Christ's washing his Disciples Feet Iohn 13.3 Iesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God Poor Worms that are but three degrees distant from dust and nothing how do we stand upon our terms Christ when his own thoughts were most filled with his own glory doth the meanest office Surely considering Christ's humility we should no more over-value our selves nor desire high esteem with others nor affect preheminence nor undervalue and despise others 3. More exact obedience Christs condescention was a special act of Grace and Love but it was also a signal act of obedience It is so called in the 8th verse He humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross. It was done in pursuance of the Fathers command and elsewhere Heb. 5.8 9. Though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered And being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him By the multiplicity of his sufferings he learned obedience and the impression is according to the Stamp and Seal Christ came to be the Leader of an obeying People 4. Self-denial as well as obedience Preferring a publick Interest the glory of God and the good of Souls before his own glory as God and the Interests of that natural Life that he assumed Rom. 15.3 Christ pleased not himself and Iohn 12.27 28. Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Father glorifie thy name That was enough if God was glorified Every Christian should be thus affected Phil. 1.20 That Christ may be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death 5 The last lesson is contempt of the World and all the glory thereof Christ teacheth us this lesson by making himself of no reputation two ways 1. The example of his own choice The Lord of Heaven and Earth despised and neglected the glory and riches of this World He passed through the World to sanctifie it as a place of service but chose not pomp of living nor the happiness of it lest we should chuse it as our rest and portion They are not of the World as I am not of the World Iohn 17.16 Those that are dearest unto God must look by crosses and trials to be fitted for another World If a Man say never so much for contempt of the World yet live in the love of it his saying is nothing But Christ would be a pattern of his own doctrine Contempt of the World is a lesson of great consequence Salvation lieth upon it 1 Iohn 2.15 16 17. Love not the World neither the things that are in the World if any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World And the World passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever Whether we are high or low full or kept bare it concerneth us all to learn it Though we flow in wealth we should be as having nothing and sit loose from the Creature If we are poor we must count grace a preferment Jam. 1.9 10. Let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted But the rich in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away There is required of all an hearty preparation for when they are not called to a patient enduring of afflictions for Christs Name Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need This is of an hard digestion to a Natural Man Now Christs example is a great help to us to check our worldly desires let us not affect greater eminency in the World than Christ had And to check the vanity of fulness or our carnal complacency that it may not be a snare to us 1 Tim. 5.6 The Woman that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth Christ was a Man of sorrows do you Profess Christ and yet are
of any danger of ruine to the Soul Surely this care of seeking and searching out and reducing sinners to Repentance should be imitated of all These words are spoken by Christ upon another occasion why his little ones should not be despised Mat. 18.11 For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost He came to redeem the meanest Believer Now his little ones are despised by laying stumbling Blocks in their way or neglecting the means by which they may be reduced to God as if their Souls were not worth the looking after Hath the Minister no poor ignorant Creature to instruct Or the Father of the Family no Children or Servants to bring home to God Or the good Christian no Brothers nor Sisters nor Neighbours who walk in a Soul-destroying course how can we think our selves to belong to Christ when we are so unlike him Oh seek and save that which is lost do what you can to pluck them out of the fire they are lost and undone for ever if they continue in their carnal and flesh-pleasing course Be they never so mean you must seek to save them for you must not have the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons 2. How much they obstruct the end of Christ's coming who hinder the Salvation of lost Souls either by depriving them of the means of Grace as the Pharisees who would neither enter into the Kingdom of God themselves nor suffer them that were entring to go in Mat. 23.13 but seek all means to divert them or else by clogging his Grace with unnecessary conditions or preparations and so shut up the way to the City of Refuge which was to be smoothed or made plain Deut. 19.2 3. that nothing might hinder him that fled thither no stop nor stumbling block no hill nor dale nor river without convenient passage It is enough they are sensible that they are lost Creatures And it is not the deepness of the wound is to be regarded but the soundness of the cure they have a sense of sin and misery Christ seeketh such to save and cure Some exclude all conditions and means he must look to nothing in himself to make out his claim but only to Christ's Blood shed for the expiation of his sins Alas Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost not only as a Priest but as a Prophet and as a King not only to die for sins but to call us to Repentance and to work it in us by his Spirit He findeth us lost sinners but he doth not leave us so And Conversion is a part of his Salvation as well as Redemption he saveth us by renewing God's Image in us as well as procuring his favour for us to be saved from our sins is Salvation Mat. 1.21 To be regenerated is Salvation as well as to be reconciled to God and so the Scripture speaketh of it 3. It informeth us that if Men be not saved the fault is their own for Christ doth what belongeth to him he came to seek and to save what is lost but we do not what belongeth to us we are not willing to be saved The Scripture chargeth it upon our Will we will not submit to his saving and healing methods Mat. 23.37 I would have gathered thee as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would not Christ would but we will not so Iohn 5.40 Ye will not come to me that you might have life You complain of want of power when ye are not willing to leave your sins You say I cannot save my self when thou art not willing that Christ should save thee thou wilt not receive the Grace and Help offered to thee Possibly thou wouldest be freed from the Flames of Hell but thou wouldest not leave thy sins There is no man perisheth in his sins but because he would not be saved Is not Christ able to help thee Yes the doubt lieth not there is he not willing to help thee say it if thou canst why did he die for thee Why did he send means to offer his help Why did he bear with thee so long and warn thee so often of thy danger when thou thoughtest not of it if he were not willing to help thee out of thy misery why doth he so often tender thee his saving Grace Surely the defect is in thy Will not in Christ's thou art in love with the sensual pleasures of sin loth to exchange them for the Salvation Christ offereth Christ inviteth thee and thy excuse is I cannot when the truth is thou wilt not come to him The business is not whether thou canst save thy self But whether thou art willing Christ should save thee Christ is not unwilling to do that which he seeketh after with so much diligence and care Say not then in thy heart I know Christ can save me if he will Why he is as willing as able to save thee but he will not save thee by force against thy will or without or besides thy consent Certainly none perish in their sins but because they would not be saved they refuse the help which God offereth and will not improve the power which he hath given They refuse his help I would have purged thee but thou wouldest not be purged Ezek. 24.13 They do not use the power they have for there is no wicked Man but might do more than he doth they are sloathful servants that hide their Talents in a Napkin Matth. 25 26. They put off the Word quench their Convictions will not bestir themselves nor hearken to Christ's offers if others had these helps they would have repented long ago Matth. 11.21 22. Wo unto thee Chorazin Wo unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which are done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tire and Sidon in the day of Iudgment than for you Vse 2. To press you to accept of this Grace and deal with Christ as a Saviour this title is not a title of terror and dread but of life and comfort Oh! submit then to his healing Methods and suffer Christ to save you in his own way Arguments to press you to accept of this Grace 1. Consider the misery of a lost condition We were all lost in Adam and can onely be recovered by Christ we fell from God by his first transgression and so were estranged from the Womb and went astray assoon as we were born Psal. 58.3 The wicked are estranged from the womb they go astray assoon as they be born speaking lies And every sin that we commit is a farther loss of our selves for every wicked Man doth more undo himself and plunge himself into farther Perdition for our sins make a greater distance between God and us Isa. 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will
Caves of the earth So 1 Cor. 4.11 We both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place This God doth 1. Partly to correct and humble them for the abuse of their Mercies and the dishonours done to him in their dwellings God hath reserved in the Covenant a liberty to correct his wanton children Psal. 89 30 31 32 33. If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my Iudgments If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes c. And by Moses Law the Rebellious Son was to be put out of doors This kind of correction God himself useth for great sins Mark the emphatical phrases of Scripture Sometimes our dwellings are said to cast us out Ier. 9.19 Sometimes he is said to sling out the Inhabitants of the Land out of their dwellings Ier. 10.18 as easily readily and irresistibly as a Stone is cast out of a Sling Sometimes God is said to pluck us out Psal. 52.5 He shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place We are apt to root there and to dream of such a fixing as not to be moved Sometimes to spew us out Levit. 18.28 That the Land Spew not you out also when ye defile it as it Spewed out the Nations that were before you Surely it is a great offence which provoketh a loving Father to turn a Child out of doors God did not turn Adam out of Paradise for eating an Apple as ignorant people talk There is a long Bill brought in by Divines Or if not for great sins yet God thus punishes them though in some more moderate way for lesser sins As for their little sense of God's love and merciful provision of so great a comfort as an habitation for them Surely we should shew more thankfulness when we enjoy the effects of God's bounty in this kind That he should give us any repose or place to rest in not vouchsafed to Christ Matt. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head He had no certain place of residence not so much as a Foxe's hole or a Bird's Nest So considering our condition God's people are strangers and so must look to be ill-treated by the Men of the World Religio scit se peregrinam esse in terris Religion is a stranger in the earth Ruth 2.10 Why have I found grace in thy sight that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger a kind word was much Now that God should give us a resting-place in our Pilgrimage is a great Mercy and if we are not thankful for it God may make us to wander Or their little compassion to other exiled and shiftless ones provokes God that he thus Corrects them and maketh their abode more uncertain Till we have felt misery our selves we cannot pity others Israel learned to pity strangers by being a stranger in the Land of Egypt Exod. 23.9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Experience sheweth us more than guess and imagination 2 For their Trial. To see how they will bear it for God's sake and when God's will and pleasure is so As those in the Hebrews God trieth the strength of our resignation Mark 10.29 30. There is no Man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospel but he shall receive an hundred fold in this life Houses and Brethren c. Not in kind as Porphyry and Iulian scoffed but in value The fortitude and courage of God's children is seen upon these occasions when they are shiftless and harbourless or threatned by Men to be cast forth of House and Home 1 Cor. 4.13 We are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things to this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sweeping of the City The Apostle saith Heb. 13.13 Let us go forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach The good Levites left their possessions 2 Chron. 11.14 The Levites had left their suburbs and their possession and came to Judah and Jerusalem for Jeroboam and his Sons had cast them off from executing the Priests Office unto the Lord. When we are thrust forth contemptibly and rejected of the World let us bear it with patience Eudoxia threatned Chrysostom with Banishment He replied Nihil timeo nifi peccatum I fear nothing but sin The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof God is our habitation An Heathen could say Ibi exilium ubi virtuti non est locus There is Banishment where there is no place for vertue where a Man hath no service to do and no opportunity to own or glorifie God 3. Sometimes to shew his Soveraignty over us and all our temporal Interests and Concernments So by noisom Diseases God sees fit to drive us for a while from our dwellings and we are exposed to sad scatterings as in the case of the Leper Lâ—v 13 46. All the days wherein the Plague shall be in him he shall be defiled he is unclean he shall dwell alone without the Camp shall his Habitation be 4. Sometimes to spread Knowledge to scatter the Seeds of the Word among those that are strangers to God The good Figs were put into the Basket to be carried out of the Country for Food Ier. 24.5 The Disciples that were scattered abroad went every where Preaching the Word Act. 8.1 God scattereth his Enemies as Smoak is scattered by the Wind but he scattereth his People as Corn is scattered by the Hand of the Sower Micah 5.7 The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as Dew from the Lord to refresh and make others fruitful towards God So Zech. 10.9 I will sow them among the People and they shall remember me in far Countries God would make their scattering to be a means to bring in the fulness of the Gentiles Well then this may be and often is the condition of the People of God Thirdly In this appellation and title a Metaphor is ascribed to God and so there is implied that whatever may be expected from an habitation and dwelling-place that may be and eminently is found in God An House serveth for three uses 1. For our defence and shelter from the Storms 2. It is the seat of our blessings and the store house of our comforts 3. It is the place of our rest and repose Now all these a Believer findeth in God Protection Provision and Peace and Comfort yea whatever a Soul can wish for therefore here a Child of God may and must dwell 1. Here is defence or the warm and comfortable Protection of God Almighty We have many Enemies Spiritual and Bodily we need a defence and God
possident minores census tulerunt Those that possessed great Estates paid the least Taxes In many great Houses how little is God owned God hath many times more Prayers from a smoaky Cottage than from Great Mens Houses The Revenues of Heaven do more arise from a few poor broken-hearted Christians that have little in the World than from Great Ones that have altogether broken the yoak 3. We must inure the Soul to the thoughts of a change and live in the midst of the abundance of worldly comforts with greater weanedness and looseness of heart As remembring that temporal enjoyments are not our happiness that here God will exercise us with much uncertainty and that surely every Man at his best estate is altogether vanity Psal. 39 5. When we seem most setled to rest secure upon temporal things is but to raise a Fabrick or Structure upon the Ice God can soâ—n remove us not onely by the great remove of death but by many interveening accidents during life when we have surest tenures strongest dwellings clearest air best accommodations how soon can the Lord blast all these things and break in upon us by his Judgments There were two Types Leaven in their Thank-offerings and Dwelling in Booths at the Feast of Tabernacles Deut. 16.13 14. with Levit. 23.42 After they had gathered in their Corn and VVine and their Houses were full of all the Blessings of the Earth then they were to dwell in Tents They that are secure as if above Changes God will soon shew them the vanity of all earthly enjoyments Psal. 30.6 7. In my Prosperity I said I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled No Man ever slept well on a carnal Pillow but his rest was disturbed before his night was spent 4. Be content with God's allowance God is our habitation and doth appoint to us how much or how little we shall have of these comforts He is as to temporal things a larger habitation to some than to others If he be but an hiding-place to us though not a Palace we must be contented Psal. 119.114 Thou art my shield and my hiding-place David took notice of that as a great Mercy VVe are not to seek great things for our selves If we have any tolerable safety or any tolerable condition of life and opportunity of service it is enough The degree of enjoying these Comforts must be left to God himself Promises were not made to suffice Covetousness but to incourage us in our want Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Purge the Soul from VVorldly desires and then there will be room and place for the exercise of Faith 5. If God be our habitation the heart must not be fixed in the Creature nor diverted from the everlasting enjoyment of him For the present your dwelling is in God himself Now God is enjoyed three ways In the Creature In the Ordinances and in Heaven These three ways of enjoying God must not clash one with another but be subordinate To be satisfied in the enjoyment of God so far as the creature or outward things can let him out to us is a sign of a carnal heart David was otherwise minded His great thing in this VVorld was to enjoy God in his Ordinances See Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple that is to enjoy God in the Ordinances Now those that desire thus to enjoy God in the Ordinances will long to see his Face in Heaven For these are but part of his ways a taste to make us long for more Besides God is never so much so truely an house to us as in Heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens That house should be mainly desired Therefore all that we enjoy here should but quicken our desires after more in Heaven for if God be our habitation he is there all in all Heb. 11.14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Country and verse 16. Now they desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly There is our Inheritance which is Immortal Eternal and Undefiled There is our Father and the best of our Kindred If the Creature were onely our habitation then it were good to be here still but since God is we must strive to be there where we shall have most of him And therefore as to the Creature and any outward comforts resulting from thence we must carry our selves as Strangers and Pilgrims The Life of Faith is Heaven anticipated and Heaven is but the Life of Faith perfected Here we must be contented to be Strangers and Pilgrims So was Abraham who had the best right Heb. 11.9 By Faith he sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country So was David who had most possession Psal. 39.12 I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were He that had so full a right to an opulent powerful Kingdom not onely when he was chased like a Flea or Partridge on the Mountains but in his full glory and prosperity when he offered many Cart-loads of Gold and Silver 1 Chron. 29.15 For we are strangers before thee and sojourners as were all our Fathers Iesus Christ who was Lord Paramount complains Psal. 69.8 I am become a stranger to my Brethren and an Alien to my Mothers Children He that was Lord of all had neither house nor home He telleth us Iohn 17.16 I am not of this World He passed through the World to sanctifie it as a place of service but his heart and constant residence was not here to fix in it as a place of rest All that are Christ's have the Spirit of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom We pass through but do not inhabit this World Here we are absent from our own Country yea from our God who is our house and home 2 Cor. 5.6 Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. We are at home there where we may enjoy the full of God Our hearts should be still homeward and we should take little and moderate pleasure in the delights that offer themselves in the course of our Pilgrimage and esteem it an honour if we may get a little leave and respite to do any piece of service to God while we are upon our Journey Vse of all To press us to dwell in God This is the happiness and honour of the People of God that they dwell in God and God dwelleth in them He
commanded to use these means in order to our recovery should lye at the pool and wait for Mercy If we refuse the helps and the means our condemnation is just we even pass it upon our selves Act. 13.46 Since ye put away the Word of God from you ye judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life and become uncapable and unworthy of any benefit by the Gospel The giving of these manifold helps and means on Gods part sheweth a great hopefulness of success and such as may incourage us chearfully to perform our duty and carry it through with the expectation of a blessing But the refusal of these helps and means on our part sheweth we are untractable and disobedient and perish by our own obstinacy 7. Because common mercies are our ruine and our table a snare and our welfare a trap and the ease and prosperity of Fools slayeth them Prov. 1.32 Therefore God warneth us of the danger of the abuse of these mercies telleth us of the corruption that is in the World through Lust commandeth us and intreateth us to use them better and to remember him who giveth us comfortably and richly to injoy these things 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Sometimes taketh them out of our hands as a Father would do a sharp Knife out of the Hands of a Child Prayeth us that we will not love a perishing World and forsake our own Mercies that we will noâ— hazard eternal things for trifles And after all these warnings who is to blame 8. God doth not presently give over dealing with the despâ—sers of his Grace or those that reject or neglect his blessed offers but doth defer punishment draw out his patience towards them to the fullest length He yet tarrieth longer to see if yet they will be in a better mind 1 Pet. 3.10 The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah If after all this we be disobedient and incorrigible what place is fit for us but the Prison of Hell Vse 1. It sheweth how cross to Gods design they act who delay Repentance because God delayeth Vengeance Eccles. 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed therefore the Heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do evil Men are apt to do so partly because they measure things by present sense If it be not ill with them for the present they think to morrow shall be as yesterday Partly because they think they shall have time enough to Repent at last and so can be contented that God be longer dishonoured provided that they at length may Repent and be saved though God delayeth that you may take the season not let it slip Partly because they abuse Gods Patience to Atheism Either denying Providence saying The Lord will not do good neither will he do Evil Zeph. 1.12 As if God had forgotten the care of the World Or else think that God approveth their sin because they continue in health peace and prosperity Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence Thou thoughtest c. and so grow sensual and secure and their Hearts more hard and impenitent because God spareth them This is to turn the Grace of God into wantonness and to treasure up wrath Rom. 2.5 But though God bear long he will not bear always The Chimney long foul and not swept taketh fire at length Psal. 68.21 But he will wound the Head of his Enemies and the Hairy Scalp of every one that goeth on in sin Forbearance is not remission Sentence is past Iohn 3.18 He that believes not is condemned already though not executed Eccles. 8.11 Because Sentence is not speedily executed c. God may give sinners a long day but reckoneth with them at last Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his power known endured â—ith much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to Destruction There suffering â—ong suffering and much long-suffering yet all this while fitted for destruction When you have but a little space given you will you frolick it away in sins and carnal pleasures God is bending his Bow whetting his Sword if they turn not He is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7.11 12. And at length his anger will break out if they turn not Vse 2. What reason all of us have to bless God for his forbearance and long-suffering and to acknowledge it as a great Mercy For his long-suffering tendeth to Repentance either the beginning or the perfecting of it Now this mercy is the more inhanced when we consider 1. What we have done against God A good Man cannot tell how often he offendeth Psal. 19.12 Who can understand his errors Psal. 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about they are more than the hairs of my Head Gods People have cause to wonder at his patience as well as others 2. What is the desert of sin in the general Rom. 6.23 The Wages of Sin is Death 3. The instances of those who have been taken away in their sins Zimri and Cosbi unloaded their Lives and their Lusts together Lots Wife in her looking back was turn'd into a Pillar of Salt Luke 17.32 Remember Lot 's Wife A lasting Monument of Rebellion against God Gehazi blasted with Leprosie Corah Dathan and Abiram the Earth swallowed them 4 With how much ease God can do the like to you 1 Sam. 24.19 If a Man find his Enemy will he let him go well away when he has a fair opportunity to satisfie his wrath God can easily do this Iob 6.9 That he would loose his Hand and cut me off With one beck of his Will he can turn us into our first nothing 5. With how much Justice and Honour he might have taken us away long since and have shut us up in Chains of Darkness for a Monument to the careless World Sometimes God maketh instances in every Table Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men who hold the truth in unrighteousness In every Law both by way of omission and commission Why might not I have served for one of these instances 6. How many Mercies have been vouchsafed to you in the time of Gods long suffering The mercies of daily Providence Psal 68.19 Who loadeth us daily with his benefits Especially deliverances out of imminent dangers when you were snatched as a braâ—d out of the burning Amos 4 11. And preserved in a general destruction Lam. 3.22 It is the Lâ—â—ds mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not Or when some disease hath been upon you that you thought you should have gone down to the Câ—â—mberâ— of Death Psal. 78.38 He being â—ull of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not that is He respited his vengeance It is a kind of a pardon when God remitteth some measure of the deserved punishment so far as any part of the punishment is remitted so far is the same pardoned Sometimes God seemeth to put the
have preached unto you let him be accursed 3. Extraordinary means will do no good where ordinary prevail not But man is never satisfied with the present Dispensation Psal. 78.22 23. But they believed not in God and trusted not in his Salvation tho' he had commanded the Clouds from above and opened the doors of Heaven Whatever means â—od useth man is man still There were Carnal Wretches when there were Miracles and so there will be still when the Heart is out of order bare means will not set it in frame 4. Though we live not in the Age of Miracles and Oracles yet if we have valuable Testimony of them it is enough to beget Faith Psal. 78.5 6 7. He commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children That the Generation to come might know them even the Cildren that should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children That they might set their hope in God It were endless to attest former Miracles with a new supportation of Miracles report is enough to convey them to us and if we cannot contradict them why do we not believe Use I. To check the dream of the Efficacy of extraordinary means above the ordinary which God seeth fit to give us Our Lord impersonateth our thoughts Luke 16.30 31. If one went unto them from the Dead they would repent And he said unto them They have Moses and the Prophets if they hear not them neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the Dead We think the Word is an Antiquated State Dispensation that hath lost all its force If God would assure us and invite us to Faith and Repentance some other way it would be more successful as if one came from the other World or an extraordinary Messenger from Heaven or Hell Let us argue the Case It must be either because he is supposed to bring a more necessary Doctrine to work men to Faith and Repentance or can urge better Arguments or with more Perswasiveness or propound these Truths with more Certainty or convey a Power greater than is ordinarily dispensed by the Word It must be one of these four things but neither the one nor the other can be 1. Not a Doctrine more necessary to convince men of their Misery and Remedy Sin and Duty The Son of God is a sufficient Teacher of all Divine things for he lay in the Bosom of God John 1.18 And he came on purpose to reveal what was necessary to mans Salvation 2. Not better Arguments to enforce it What would we have an hotter Hell or a better Heaven More direful Threatnings or sweeter Promises Or more powerful Motives Surely nothing can be added What is beyond Eternal Misery or Eternal Happiness 3. Not propound these things with more Certainty For these things are offered to our understandings by a full and fair Credibility Christ being fore-described by Prophesies Authorized by Miracles mightily declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead requiring nothing of us but what is suited to Gods Nature and our Necessity What certainty would a Spectre or Ghost or an Angel or Apparition give above this 4. Nor convey a greater Power and Force to affect the Heart of man What is of greater Efficacy than the Spirit of God Surely he is able to change the Heart of man when nothing else can Now the Gospel is the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 See these Heads more inlarged in the Sermon on Luke 16.30 31. Use II. If God hath so settled the way of Salvation in the new Covenant as to leave no cause or occasion of Doubting or suspecting of the Truth or Certainty of these Blessings he hath promised to us then we should not live in Jealousies and Doubtfulness as if we were not upon sure Terms with God If we transact with another about certain Benefits the Transaction may prove to no purpose if the matter about which we contract with them hath no being or the Terms be impossible or the conveyance be not so firm and strong as to hold good in Law Now none of these can be imagined in our entring into Covenant with God For 1. Eternal Life is not a Chimera or a thing that hath no being Then you might run uncertainly 1 Cor. 9.26 If it were a Dream or a well devised Fable No it is the greatest reality that can be thought of Iohn 14.2 In my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you Christ would not flatter us into a Fools Paradice 2. It is not upon impossible Terms but such as are performable by the Grace of God as Faith Eph. 2.8 For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of yourselves it is the Gift of God And the Apostle telleth us Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed Consider the Conditions that concern either the making or keeping Covenant The Conditions for making Covenant Ier. 24.7 I will give them an Heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my People and I will be their God for they shall return unto me with their whole Heart And Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your flesh and I will give you an Heart of flesh Then for keeping Covenant for this is a Covenant that keepeth us as well as we keep it Ier. 32.40 41. I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their Hearts that they shall not depart from me Yea I will rejoice over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole Heart and with my whole Soul So there is a Promise of Influences to prevent danger of discovenanting Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Iudgments and do them 3. If the conveyance be not so strong and firm to make a Plea in Law but this is conveyed by Gods Word and confirmed by his Oath Heb. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong Consolation It is assured to us by his own Son Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom and sealed to us by Christs Spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts Therefore the conveyance will bear a Plea both now in Prayer and before the Tribunal of God If there be
certainly than others who are not of such a light and unsettled Mind It is said Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced Which implieth a steady consideration otherwise we are in danger to go as we came There is not that lively Commemoration of Christ. You come full of other Cares Desires and Delights and therefore return empty of all solid and true Refreshment 2. It must be Applicative Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me This great Love which God hath manifested in Christ is not only sounded in our Ears and represented to our Eyes but is brought home to us and shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us Rom. 5.5 The Spirit accompanieth Christ's Institutions and the diligent serious hungry Soul is not left destitute Christ and his Benefits are no where so particularly offered applied and sealed to us as in this Duty Christ's Messengers offer him to us in particular with a Charge and Command that we should receive him take and eat for our own Comfort and Use. What is particularly applied to us and made ours as Food that is turned into our Substance should awaken in us greater Thoughts and Care about our own Interest 3. Practical The Effects must more sensibly appear Two ways is that done 1. When we are made Partakers of his Benefits when we are justified and sanctified Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Annunciation inferreth this Then it is Practical when it assureth our Confidence Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And we are incouraged to wait for the accomplishing of these ends and instating us in these Priviledges 2. When we express more likeness to Christ in dying to Sin and to the World or suffering for Righteousness Dying to Sin and the World Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ. Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Or suffering for Righteousness Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death For as Christ came to destroy the Desires of the Carnal Life so to wean us from the Interests of the Animal Life Sacraments bind us to this Matth. 20.22 Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with II. Confirmation or Reasons why the Lord's Supper is a Commemoration of Christ's Death 1. To supply the room of his Bodily Presence 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And in the Text Ye shew forth the Lord's death till he come Christ is not bodily present in the Church till the last Judgment And we are to continue this holy Festival till the time that we shall have no need of these Memorials because then he cometh in Person 2. It is a lively Objective Means to affect our Hearts Both in regard of what is represented Christ is as it were evidently set forth Crucified before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 And also in regard of what is required to be done on our parts that we should return to our Duty and devote our selves to God's Service Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Use. To press you to the Duty of the Text To shew forth Christ's death 1. It is the strongest support to Faith When we apprehend the Greatness and Heinousness of Sin the Righteousness of God and Purity of his Holiness what shall compensate that infinite Wrong which is done to his Majesty If it seem easie to us we do not know what Sin is and what God is Not what Sin is which is a depreciation of God and a contempt of his Majesty There is no petty Creature above another but he is jealous of his Honour and will vindicate himself from Contempt Nor what God is God is of pure Holiness his Nature ingageth him to loath Sin his Justice to punish it It is a difficult case questionless how to get Sin expiated but this wonderful Condescention will make this Difficulty cease the Person is great and Way wonderful Consider what a Person hath undertaken this and what he hath done he hath died for us which at once sheweth God's willingness to Pardon and an answerable Ransom that such an one should undertake for us so beloved of God so equal to God Phil. 2.6 7. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men This will settle and calm the Heart that such an one should come about such a Work 2. It is the greatest Incentive to Love That Christ loved us and gave himself for us a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 Those innumerable Angels that left their Station and were once in Dignity above us have not such glad Tydings to impart to one another or to shew forth in their Societies not such a word to comfort themselves withal They cannot annunciate the Death of Christ and say Lo there is our Confidence and Hope the Propitiation for our Sins 3. It is a powerful Perswasive to Obedience Shall we deny our selves to him that gave himself to and for us Or seek to frustrate him of his End This was his great End 1 Pet. 2.21 For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps He hath purchased Grace to mortifie Sin and to quicken us to the fruits of Holiness shall we be alive to Sin and dead to Rightousness A Sermon on MAL. iii. 17 And I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him THese Words are part of the Promise which God maketh to them that fear him or to those who are good in evil Times In them take notice of 1. The Blessing promised that God will spare them 2. The manner of this Indulgence amplified and set forth by the Carriage of a Father to his Son wherein a double Reason of this Indulgence is intimated 1. Propriety his own Son 2. Towardliness or Obedience his Son that serveth him Parents are not severe to any of their Children especially the dutiful 1. Propriety his own Son A faulty Child is a Child still and therefore not so easily turned out of the Family as a Servant We often forget the Duty of Children but God doth not forget the Mercy of a
Father A Prodigal Child hath some Encouragement from his Relation though his Manners be not answerable Luke 15.18 I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants And he arose and came to his Father But when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him A Father will not be â—evere to a returning Prodigal as God is not to penitent Sinners 2. But this is not all it is not a prodigal Son a rebellious Son that is here considered who by Moses's Law might be turned out of Doors and stoned Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son that will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and when they have chastened him will not hearken to them then shall his father and mother lay hold on him and bring him out unto the elders of his City and unto the gate of his place and they shall say unto the elders of his City This our son is stubborn and rebellious he will not obey our voice he is a gluton and a drunkard And all the men of his City shall stone him with stones that he shall die Such a Law did God make against Disobedience to Parents And if Children put off all respect of natural Duty Parents were to put off all Bowels and Compassion towards them But this is not the case here It is a good Child that is here spoken of His own Son that serveth him When a Son is dutiful for the main a Parent will not be harsh and severe to him upon every failing What ever Men are to Slaves or to the Children of others who serve them yet they cannot so divest themselves of the Heart of a Parent as to be inexorable to their own Children and correct them severely for a lesser fault This is the Expression that God useth to set forth his Indulgence and Compassion towards them that fear him Doct. That God's sparing his Children notwithstanding their manifold Infirmities is one of the Choice Priviledges of them that fear him I shall discuss this Point in this method 1. I will shew you what it is to spare 2. That this is a choice Priviledge 3. The Grounds and Reasons of this Indulgence or Sparing that he useth towards them 4. The Qualification of the Persons I. What it is to spare them It is seen on two occasions when he cometh to accept them and when he cometh to afflict them In accepting their imperfect Services and not correcting them at all or correcting them in Measure and in Mercy 1. Sometimes Sparing is spoken of in Scripture with respect to some Judgment to be inflicted and so it is an Act flowing from Mercy withdrawing or moderating deserved Judgments For we by Sin deserve the sharpest Dispensations of God's Anger and Wrath and so God is said to spare as with-holding or withdrawing the Judgment Ioel 2.17 Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach Sometimes as Moderating when he doth not stir up all his Wrath As it is sweet to find Mercy remembred in Wrath and that he will moderate the Judgment to us and make it more sufferable Ezra 9.13 Thou hast punished us less than our Iniquities deserve 2. At other times Sparing is spoken of with respect to a Duty to be accepted We need to be spared in our best Actions they being defective and defiled Nehemiah prayeth Nehem. 13.22 Remember me O my God! concerning this also and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy He speaketh this when he had procured God's holy Ordinances to be duly observed he pleadeth no Merit before God but desireth rather to be spared and forgiven for he was conscious to his own many Failings Well then God spareth when he forgiveth our Sins and pardoneth the manifold Imperfections of our Services II. That this is a choice Priviledge So it will appear to be if we consider 1. The holy Nature of God 2. The strictness and purity of his Law both as to the Precept and Sanction 3. Our incapacity of appearing in the Judgment 4. The sense which Conscience hath of Sin All these must be considered because usually Men heal their Wounds slightly and afterwards they fester into a more dangerous Sore And again we are not affected with God's pardoning Mercy because we do not see with what difficulty it is brought about 1. The holy Nature and Justice of God His Nature inclineth him to hate Sin and his Justice to punish it Ioshua 24.19 Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins This he speaketh not to discourage them but that they might not have slight thoughts of God and his Service as if he would be put off with any thing and would lightly and easily pardon their Errors Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity That is without taking Vengeance of it The least Sin is an Offence to God so pure and holy 1 Sam. 6.20 Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God That is this God who is so jealous of his Institutions All this is mentioned to shew that God doth not make little reckoning of Sin and that which lesseneth the benefit of Pardon in our thoughts is usually some abasing of the Nature of God It is not from magnifying his Mercy as it is discovered in Christ and the New Covenant but from some wrong conceit of God as if he were not so Just and Holy as he is represented to be Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self Because he doth not always inflict Punishment they think Sin is no such great matter and not so hateful to God as indeed it is Oh no! God that is so willing to spare his People notwithstanding their Infirmities doth not cease to be Holy nor his Law leave off to be Righteous Therefore this is the means to heighten this Priviledge 2. The Purity and Strictness of his Law both as to the Precept and Sanction 1. The Precept which reacheth to the Soul and the Operations of every Faculty Thoughts Purposes and Desires as well as Words and Actions Therefore when David had admired the Purity of the Law he adds Psal. 19.12 Who can understand his errors Cleanse thou me from sâ—cret faults Oh the multitude of our Errors that we know And the multitude of them we know not But God knoweth them How imperfect is our Obedience How many times have we transgressed this holy Law of God Many Failings we do not observe and those which we do observe we are not able to enumerate If we were to be
righteousness for the remission of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God Rom. 3.25 In him God will satisfie his justice and accept of the believing Penitent He spared not his Son that he might spare us Rom. 8.32 He that spareth not his own Son but delivered him up for us all Isa. 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruise him and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand In the same verse Christ's Bruises and our Salvation are called the pleasure of the Lord. The Lord was willing of both and well content with both 3. His gracious Covenant which may be considered 1. As to the terms or conditions it requires 2. As to the Penalties which God hath reserved a Liberty to inflict 1. As to the Terms or Conditions propounded it requireth Perfection and accepteth of Sincerity It requires Perfection Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect Surely the Covenant of Grace requireth Perfection for the righteous Law is Adopted into the frame of it as the rule of our duty otherwise our defects were no Sins and otherwise allowed failings were consistent with sincerity and where shall we then stop otherwise we were not obliged to strive after perfection for it were only a work of Supererrogation not of necessary Duty to press towards the mark Therefore certainly it doth invite us to the highest degree of Goodness and maketh Perfection it self our Duty And there is Mercy in it that our Duty and Happiness may agree and we may not have liberty to be bad and miserable but ever bound to our own felicity which consisteth in an exact Conformity to God and the most perfect subjection to him But yet it accepteth of Sincerity If our Hearts be upright with God and set to obey please and glorify him and we make it our main work so to do God will not enter into judgments with his Servants nor be strict to his Children nor condemn those that Love and Fear him 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his Heart to seek God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the people Therefore he taketh not advantage of our infirmities to ruine us Indeed as the Covenant commandeth Perfection it noteth our infirmities to humble us in order to our cure but as it accepteth of Sincerity Christ looketh not to our Infirmities as a Judge but as a tender Physician to rid us of them and free us from them more and more 2. As to the Afflictions and Penalties which God hath reserved a liberty to inflict notwithstanding the new Covenant they all infer his sparing of us for they are but Temporal Evils when we have deserved Eternal and the Temporal Evil is sent to prevent Eternal It is true they are merited by our Sin but yet they turn to our good They are in themselves the effects of God's displeasure and parts of our Misery but by them he speaketh to the Conscience of a Sinner and sealeth Instruction to our Hearts that we no longer deal perversly for the rod hath a voice Micah 6.9 Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it In short they are in themselves and in their own nature Evils of punishment but there property is changed and so they are acts of God's Faithfulness Psal. 119.75 I know O Lord that thy Iudgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me and they are sent to us as a needful Medicine Isa. 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his Sin And are profitable acts of God's Fatherly Discipline Heb. 12.10 For they verily for a few days chastned us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness Mercy turneth them to our benefit 'T is our part to seek after the benefit it is God's part to give it and to remove the affliction and that is his sparing Hic ure hic seca modo in Aeternum parcas or Burn me or Cut me or do what thou wilt with me here so thou spare me as to Eternal punishment said one of the Ancients 4. From his comfortable relation to us He is our Father and a Father will not be severe to his Children partly out of Instinct of Nature which inclineth the Bruits to their Young ones till they can shift for themselves and partly from Reason which should guide Men they being our own Flesh Blood and Bone a New and Second self the Child is the Father Multiplied and the Father Continued And partly out of Conscience of God's Command who hath injoyned this Duty on Parents to be tender of their Children Now if God be our Father and will take the relation upon himself he will do whatever this relation implieth Psal. 103.13 Like as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth thosâ— that fâ—ar him Yea whatever is in the Creature is ascribed to God per modum Eminentiae By way of Eminency Tam Pater nemo No one is so much a Father as God Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good Gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him So in the present case 1. There is sparing as to acceptance A Father if there be any blemish in his Child he will pity it and cover it He accepteth in good part the willingness of his Son to serve him though he through weakness fail in the exact manner of performance So our Heavenly Father accepteth of a willing and honest Heart though we come short of that perfection required in the Law His choice Servants have had their blemishes yet their merciful Father giveth them this commendation that they have have walked before him with a perfect Heart So doth God to David Asa and Iehosaphat 1 King 15.5 David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing which he commanded him save only in the matter of Uriah The brand of that wilful sin sticketh upon him but other things are passed by 2. There is God's sparing as to Punishment and Correction It is true that God hath reserved a liberty to scourge his Children but still he doth it as a Father Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth To spare the Rod is to spoil the Child but still he useth it as a Father which is seen partly because he cometh to it unwillingly There are Tears in his Eyes as it were when the Rod is in his hand Lam. 3.33 He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men And partly because he doth it in measure and with great Moderation In chastising his people he dealeth otherwise with his People than
others to whom he hath not the like respect or relation He debateth with them in measure or with much moderation meting out their sufferings in a due proportion Isai. 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth the rough wind in the day of the east wind He dealeth with them as a Father with others as a Judge with the one out of love with the other out of vindictive wrath Ier. 10.24 O Lord correct me but with Iudgment not in thine Anger lest thou bring me to nothing With his people not according to the strict rule of Law and Justice but according to his Wisdom and Love And Lastly because he soon relenteth Ier. 31.20 Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. What! is my dear Son my darling Child in such a sad condition Are these the Moanings of Ephraim Surely I am mindful of him my Bowels are towards him as those of a Mother towards her tender Child Thus God sheweth himself a Father IV. The qualification of the persons to whom God maketh this promise in the context They that feared the Lord and thought upon his name Those whom God owneth for his peculiar people See the same qualification Psal. 103.13 Like as a Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth those that fear him 1. It is necessary for them For the best need to be spared as a Father spareth his own Son that serveth him or else what would become of them If they were not under such a pardoning Covenant How could they maintain any peace in their own Souls being guilty of so many daily failings which they resent more tenderly than others do fouler faults And that they are also more sensible of the effects of his Anger in his Providence for they dare not despise the chastening of the Lord but have a greater reverence for their Fathers Anger than the rest of the world have and therefore the Lord expresseth his Indulgence for their comfort and satisfaction Those that walk most closely with God and exactly according to Rule need Peace and Mercy Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God We still stand in need of Mercy free and undeserved Mercy that our failings may be pardoned our Persons and Duties accepted our Afflictions moderated and we may be accepted and go to Heaven at last 2. It is peculiar to them There is a conditional offer of Pardon to the wicked if they will repent but Fatherly dealing and Indulgence is assured to those who are admitted into God's Family He hath a paternal affection towards them and they have filial dispositions towards him And though he doth express his common Goodness and Bounty to all his Creatures yet his Special and Fatherly Love is to his Saints to whom he hath given a new Being and an Holy Nature The whole Commerce that is between God and them on God's part is Fatherly on their part Child-like on God's part in a way of Grace and Love pardoning their Sins and Frailties and their carriage is loving and obedient unto God Love is at the bottom of God's Dispensations towards them and at the bottom of their Duty unto God He loveth them as a Father and they love him as dear Children Fatherly benefits are fullest sweetest and surest and filial Duty is the choicest Now those that are not Children cannot look for a Child's portion Certainly the obstinate and impenitent are excluded Deut. 29.20 The Lord will not spare him but the Anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him But if any fear him and serve him they may hope for his Mercy Psal. 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy They that live in a constant Obedience to his Commands and an Holy Trust and Affiance in him not by any tenure of Merit in themselves but free and undeserved Mercy in him they are spared they are accepted yea they are Blessed and God delights in their welfare 3. It is congruous proper and suitable For this is God's end in sparing that he may be reverenced and feared Psal. 130.4 But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared He intended forgiveness as a new foundation of Obedience Love and Thankfulness that we should love him more because forgiven Be the more Holy because pardoned as she loved much because much was forgiven her Luke 7.47 Contempt and commonness of Spirit in dealing with God is the worst use we can make of it Therefore if there be no love to God nor reverence of him nor delight in him if you take the more liberty to Sin upon an hope that God will spare you and not be so severe to you though you indulge your selves in pleasig the Flesh These abuse his Grace and turn it into wantonness some more openly others more secretly as they are leavened with this Teint they draw incouragements from it to Sin and Folly whereas the true temper is to fear the Lord and his goodness Hos. 3.4 To have a deeper Reverence of God because of his Goodness in the new Covenant and his pardoning Mercy should be the great ingagement to Gospel-obedience 1. Use Is Caution and Warning to the People of God that they do not entertain jealousies of God as one that watcheth all opportunities and advantages against us to punish us as if he seemed to be glad at our halting No this is a Blasphemy against his Holy and Gracious Nature and a flat contradiction to the discoveries and expressions of his Love in his Covenant Yet such Thoughts are wont to haunt us Iob's words import little less Iob 4.16 17. For now thou numbrest my steps Dost thou not watch over my sin My transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sewest up mine iniquity He speaketh as if God severely marked and would strictly call his people to an account for all their sins This apprehension of God's severe dealing is very natural to us in our sore Affliction For Iob so speaketh as if God had strictly marked all his Sin and kept the Record sealed up in a Bag to make out his Process against him Obj. But what other Thoughts can we have when Troubles come thick and threefold and God seemeth to be reckoning with us for our Transgressions Answ. 1. God's sparing Mercy may sometimes be concealed and not alway visibly expressed to the Sense of the Believer and Faith should see Mercy in God's Heart when his Hand is heavy and smart upon us Iob 10.13 These things hast thou hid in thine heart I know that this is with thee What things Life and Favour and Gracious Supports and Visits of
every particular Circumstance 2. As he taketh notice of them so it is with Love Delight and approbation verba notitiae connotant affectus He embraceth them with special love delighteth in them as his peculiar people and approveth of them Knowing beareth this sense for approving as Pas. 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous but the way of the Ungodly shall perish So Matth. 7.23 I never knew you depart from me ye workers of Iniquity that is I do not approve you The Lord seeth and beholdeth them with Mercy and according to the gracious Tenor of the Evangelical Covenant he approveth and rewardeth all the good purposes and performances of the Godly Here the Lord rests in his Love Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty He will save thee He will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love He will joy over thee with singing as his peculiar people 3. Knowledge is put for the communication of saving Benefits Gal. 4.9 Now after ye have known God or rather are known of God Sinners in an unconverted estate are such of whom God taketh no notice and knowledge to wit so as to be familiar with them and to communicate saving Blessings to them But thus God knoweth his People that he will not suffer them to be taken out of his Hands 2. The Impression that suiteth with our part or our Duty in the Covenant Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from Iniquity Where take notice 1. Of the description of the Parties concerned Whoso nameth the name of Christ That is maketh profession of being a Christian As the Wife is called by the name of her Husband Isa. 4.1 Only let us be called by thy name The Father's name is put on the Children Gen. 48.16 Let my name be named on them so every one that nameth the name of Christ that is so as to intitle himself to him to be one of his Disciples and Followers 2. The Duty required Let him depart from Iniquity Where note 1. That there is a Duty required of those that would possess those Blessed Priviledges Those that presume of their Election and cast away all care of Salvation and let loose the Reins to all Carnal Liberty they have no Title nor right to these Comforts No it belongeth to them who live in a Conscionable Obedience and careful endeavour to please God in all things No man immediately Knoweth his Election but by Holiness 1 Thess. 1.4 5. Knowing Brethren Beloved Your Election of God For our Gospel came not to you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost We understand Things by their effects God carrieth on the Business of Salvation in such a manner that he will have his People co-operate by the power they have received from Him taking heed of all Things which are contrary thereunto both in Life and Doctrine Phil. 2.12 Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure And 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure God's Counsel is fulfilled by means and we can have no knowledge but by the effect 2. How his Duty is Expressed Let him depart from Iniquity Not only retain the Faith and Profession of Jesus Christ but depart from all manner of Sin 1. The Thing quitted is Sin It is an Indefinite expression which implyeth all Sin not only Sensual Lusts as Voluptuous Living but Pride Ambition Contention Animosity Vain-Glory See Verses 21. and 22. of this Chapter If a Man therefore purge Himself from these he shall be a vessel unto Honour sanctified and 〈◊〉 for the masters use and prepared unto every good Work flee also Youthful Lusts but folâ—ow aftâ—r Righteousness Faith Charity Peace In short our Duty is to keep close to God and the departing from Iniquity is by sound Repentance at First and by 〈◊〉 Holiness of Life afterwards which are as the Gate and the Way 2. Though it belongeth to our Care yet God affecteth and worketh this Obedience in the Hearts of the Elect or his peculiar People they must attend upon this work but all is done by the Grace and Power of the Holy Ghost Heâ— 13.20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Ieâ—â—â— that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Use. We learn hence two things 1. A comfortable dependance upon God till our Salvation be accomplished 2. The necessity of all holy Care and Diligence notwithstanding God's Undertaking in the Covenant 1. A comfortable dependance upon God till our Salvation be accomplished 1. You are his Psal. 119.94 I am thine save me 2. He knoweth you and will make a distinction between you and others Iohn 13.18 I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished 3. He that knoweth you is the Lord and what is too hard for the Lord His Divine Power can give you all things 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness And 2 Cor. 9.8 God is able to make all grace abound towards you that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work 4. It is the Seal of his Foundation therefore he will unchangeably pursue what shall be for our good Isa. 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanul it Psal. 46.10 My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed We often complain as Israel of old My way is â—idden from the Lord and my judgment passed over by my God Isa. 40.27 He hath forgotten us in the throng of Business that is upon his Hands and taketh no notice of us But here is sufficient Encouragement for a dependance upon God The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth those that are his 2. We learn the necessity of all holy Care and Diligence notwithstanding God's Undertaking in the Covenant Qui fecit te sine te c. God that made thee without thee will not save thee without thee God that decreed the End decreeth also the Means 1. If you name the name of Christ there must be Holiness joyned with Profession otherwise you are a dishonour to him and make him the Minister of Sin Gal. 2.17 But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners is therefore Christ the minister of sin God forbid
Apply it closely What sin have I done How doth it concern me Practice it readily Iam. 1.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of libetty and continueth therein being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word this man shall be Blessed in his deed 3. Use is to put us upon Self-reflection Is our Fruit proportionable to our Hearing The Word is not only the Seed of Regeneration but the means of Growth 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever with 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby God does not consider what we are de facto but what we ought to be what strength we might have Our account is according to our means Luke 12.48 Unto whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more Less Grace will serve to the Salvation of some than others Therefore take heed that where more Grace is bestow'd it be not neglected by you A Sermon on HEBR. ii II. For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren IN this Epistle to perswade the Hebrews to continue in their professed Subjection to Christ the Apostle setteth forth Christ in his Person and Offices In his Person there are Two Natures Divine and Humane The Apostle proveth both by one Argument That Christ ought to be such a Person as was Superior to Angels and yet for a time to be also inferior to them He had already proved that Christ ought to be Superior to Angels He is now shewing the Reasons why he must be made a little lower than the Angels in his Incarnation and Passion The necessity and reasons of his Incarnation he beginneth to lay down in this verse For c. In the words observe 1. A Maxim or Truth laid down 2. A Consequence or Inference thence deduced 1. In the Truth laid down Two things are expressed 1. A difference between Christ and his People 2. An Union between them 1. The different Parties here spoken of He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified Christ is the Agent he hath an active Power to free from Sin such as are polluted with it We are Passive for by him that sanctifieth is meant Christ One prime benefit we have from him is Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 Who is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption And by the sanctified are meant the People of God who sometimes were polluted and sinful 2. They are said to be of one This Notes the Union that is between them they are of one Stock and Lineage or one common Parent of Mankind Adam Of one Blood Acts 17.26 He hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth Thence Luke carrieth up the Genealogy of Christ to Adam Luke 2.38 So that he is one of our Kind and Nature There is indeed an union of Christ with man 1. By his Incarnation 2. Upon actual Sanctification In the first respect he is One with all Mankind as they are Men. In the Second He and the Sanctified which are the Church are one in an especial manner There is a Natural Bond between us and Christ and a Spiritual Bond The Natural Bond gave him an Interest to Redeem us The Spiritual Bond is the ground of our Comfort in that Redemption They are of one 2. The Inference or Effect thence resulting For which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Which words represent 1 the condescension of Christ He is not ashamed 2. The nature and value of the Priviledge to call them Brethren 1. The condescension of Christ He is not ashamed We are said to be ashamed in Two Cases 1. When we do any thing that is filthy As long as we have the heart of a Man we cannot do any thing that hath filthiness in it without shame Or 2. When we do any thing beneath that Dignity and Rank which we sustain in the World The former Consideration is of no place here The latter then must be considered Those that bear any rank and port in the World are ashamed to be too familiar towards their Inferiors But yet such is the love of Jesus Christ towards his People that tho' he be infinitely greater and more worthy than us yet he is not ashamed to call us Brethren It is said Prov. 19.7 All the Brethren of the poor do hate him If a Man fall behind hand in the World his Friends look askew upon him But Jesus Christ tho' he be the Son of God by whom he made the World the splendor of his Fathers Glory and the brightness of his Person the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords and we be poor vile and unworthy Creatures yet he disdaineth not to call us Brethren If a great Prince should call a poor Tradesman Brother it would be accounted singular Courtesie And yet what is the greatest Prince of the World to Christ 2. The nature and value of the Priviledge 1. The nature of it Christ calleth us Brethren Not Children Servants Friends but Brethren A Title of great dearness and intimacy 2. The value of it 1. It is not an idle foolish Compliment for there is Cause and Reason for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a reason of the use of this Title because all Mankind coming of one Father and being made of one Blood are Brethren And Christ reckoneth himself among us considereth the Bond he hath to us and assumeth all Relations proper to his Nature And also because the Sanctified are the Children of God by the Grace of Adoption 2. It is not an empty Title but a great and real Priviledge he is affectioned to us as Brethren His Call is Doing For his Call he is not a meer Nominal Titular or Complimental Word Rom. 9.25 I will call them my people that is openly and before all the world declare they are my People Called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15.19 Not worthy to be called thy Son Luke 15.21 Many Points may be hence deduced 1. That Iesus Christ ought to be of the same Nature and Stock Yet he with those whom he redeemed or sanctified to God 2. That Christ having taken our nature upon him counts it no disgrace to acknowledge and accept us as Brethren 3. The kindred is only reckoned to the Sanctified Though all Mankind have the same nature and come of the same stock yet he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one therefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren 4. This Sanctification which is required of us must proceed originally from Christ. 1. That Iesus Christ ought to be of the same nature and stock with those whom he redeemed or sanctified to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee Or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee 2. Apply this Promise God will not forsake me nor mine Let not Truths be eyed only in the general but particularly applied to thy self thus Lord thou hast ever been my God provided for me hitherto Take these Promises to live upon them and say Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever Psal. 119. V. III. 3. Improve it 1. To moderate your Desires of Earthly Things That your Conversation may be without Covetousness for the more our Desires abound the more our Fears about them abound also Why should we be carried after them with such a greedy Thirst. 1. Man's Happiness lieth not in Worldly Abundance but in the Presence of God with him and his Providence over him Luke 12.15 A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth If you do not think so you set up another God the Creature instead of God Sometimes God giveth abundance to his People sometimes he keepeth them low and bare they do but live from hand to mouth because God will keep the Purse in his own hand and train them to live by Faith and not by Sense and to take all their Comforts immediately from him Now are Christians any whit the worse provided for no God hath ways enough to provide for his People and to satisfie and moderate our desires 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowful yet alway rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things There is more mischief than you are aware of in this Thought that you are not well enough provided for unless your supplies be ready at hand and visible For it is a sign you depend more upon the Presence of the Creature than the Favour of God and will trust God no further than you can see him And this is the cause of all repinings against Providence heartless Dejections yea Apostacy unlawful means racking and vexing our selves with immoderate Cares and Labours It is next to Atheism and plain Infidelity to ascribe to God only a common Providence that he doth in the general furnish the World and store it with sufficiency leaving us to our own industry to catch what we can catch and make it our own No Faith sees God near at hand and with us placing him not only in the circle of the Heaven only beholding Men scattered on the face of the earth and forraging for themselves No his Providence and Care reacheth to each single person he hath his Eye opened his Ear bowed down his Hand stretched out to every one that seeketh to him We are all at his finding In common plenty he can punish single persons with personal scarcity as he did the Prince of Samaria In general scarcity he can furnish with personal plenty as Elijah did the Widow of Sarepta Many allow God a general Inspection think he upholds the pillars of the earth but perceive not that God taketh care of particulars and so resolve to live by their Wits and shift for themselves But a good Christian seeth him at home believeth God will take care of him and so casts himself into the Arms of his Providence and looketh upon every comfort as reached out from Heaven by God's immediate Hand to him in particular 2. That the Presence of God may be continued with us though we be cast into deep Afflictions As persecuted but not forsaken 2 Cor. 4.9 He is miserable indeed who is forsaken of God but not he who is persecuted by Man Caelestis ira quos premit miseros facit humana nullos God's anger makes those miserable upon whom it lights but not man's They may be miserable that live in pomp jollity and ease and they may be happy that live in straits and pressures Christ was a man of sorrows yet God was with him Iohn 16.32 I am not alone because the Father is with me Had Christ any thing less of the Presence of God for his troubles Sins separate Afflictions do not Psal. 91.13 I will be with him in trouble In the Body of Man if any Member be hurt presently the Blood and the Humors run thither and the Man is wholly taken up about that part which is hurt his Eyes his Hands his Tongue as if he forgot all the rest his Speech is about the hurt part his Eye is directed thither his Hand thither In a Family if one of the Children be sick all the Mother's Care is about that Child to tend him to take care of him to blandish him insomuch that the rest do many times even envy his sickness If Nature do thus will not the God of Nature do more If an Earthly Parent be so careful of a sick Child will not an Heavenly Father whose Love is far more tender take care of the hurt-part of Christ's mystical Body The sick Child is most looked after This is the difference between God and the World The World looketh after the happy the flourishing but leaveth those who are in want and affliction As all Waters run to the Sea where there is enough already So do the respects of the World to the Happy and the Mighty But God goeth another way to work he visits them that are in Tribulation comforts them that are in Zion 3. Those that are rightly qualified are sure to have the Presence of God with them 1. They that fear God and make it their business to please him Psal. 115.5 He hath given meat to them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his Covenant John 8.29 The Father hath not left me alone for I do always the things that please him 2. Those that moderate their desires to Earthly things and do first seek Heavenly Matth. 6.33 Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you By so doing you drive on both Cares at once There needeth not so much adoe about the World you may desire and have in Spirituals yea and other things cast into the bargain 3. Those that depend on his Providence They that do not trust God cannot be long true to him Uprightness is founded in a belief of God's All-sufficiency Gen. 17.1 When Abraham was ninety years old and nine the Lord appeared to Abraham and said unto him I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect They that will not depend on God's Providence seek by Lyes Violence and neglect of Godliness to make their worldy portion great One great mischief introduced by the Fall was that Man would be his own carver we would have our portion and stock in our own hands would have the care of our selves devolved wholly upon our selves or else we grow distrustful of God Gen. 3.22 is become as one of us knowing good and evil Our business at first was to please our Creator and not
to take Care and Thought for our selves It was our Fathers part to preserve us and provide for us to bestow good and keep off the evil But every Man since would have life and his comfort and his safety in his own hands and so much of temporal Happiness as he seeth good There is no way to rectiâ—ie it but to return to our Innocency to mind our Duty and cast our burden on the Lord commending success and events to him 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you And Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thansgiving let our requests be made known unto God upon confidence that his Hand and Providence will not neglect us or any of our concernments 4. Those that are contented with what their Father alloweth When God giveth sufficient to supply our necessities we seek to satisfie our Lusts when God hath done enough and more than enough to evidence his Power Justice Truth and Care of our welfare yet we will not rest on him unless he will subject his Providence to our Will and carnal Affections As the Israelites when miraculously fed miraculously cloathed God kept a Market for them gave them their Supplies not out of Earth but out of the Clouds yet tempted God in their hearts asking meat for their lusts Psal. 78.19 Yea it is said Psal. 106.13 14 They sâ—â—n forâ—at his works they waited not fâ—r his counsâ—l but lusted exceedingly in the wildâ—rness They made haste they forgat his worâ—â— so 't is in the Hâ—brew Carnaâ— desires greatly transport they must have Festival Diet in the Wilderness or they will no longer believe his Power and serve him Thus when Men take the ruling of themselves into their own hands they will not stay till God provide for them but must have their Carnal Desires presently satisfied Matth. 5.5 The meek shall inherit the earth But who are meek They that quietly submit to God's Providence and so they have Food and Raiment and have any time to glorifie God and seek his Kingdom and the Salvation of their Souls let others live in Pomp and Ease It is enough for them to be as God will have them be They are not over-desirous to have Worldly Things or too much dejected and cast down through the want of them But those that are greedy and earnest and covet more than God seeth meet to bestow upon them as they forfeit the Blessing of God's Presence so by enlarging their Desires they make way for their own Discontent when they are not satisfied and so fall into murmuring against God and so into all disquiet of Mind about Earthly Things 2. Improve this Point to moderate and allay your distrustful and distracting Cares And so cometh in the Apostles Exhortation Be content with such things as you have Content is a quiet temper of Mind relying on God's merciful Providence and gracious Promises for such Things as are necessary for us during our Pilgrimage and Passage to Heaven Sometimes it is opposed to Murmuring but I take it here as opposed to distrustful Cares because we have little in a time of Troubles and are like to have less and therefore are full of anxious Thoughts what we shall eat what we shall drink what we shall put on Consider God will not leave you nor forsake you What cannot his Wisdom and Mercy and Power do for you He hath deeply and strongly engaged himself to his People and therefore it should quiet our Minds in all Necessities and Streights See Christ's Arguments Mat. 6.25 26 and 32. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment 1. They had Life from God without any thought of theirs therefore he would provide the Conveniencies of Life God has given Life and framed the Body which was a far greater act of Power and Mercy than giving Food and providing Raiment 2. Other Creatures are provided for without any solicitude of theirs both as to Food and Raiment Vers. 26. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they God that provideth for Birds and Fowls will provide for his Children Men may look for it more than they having ordinary means of Reaping and Sowing and other Trades and ways of Living which the Fowls have not and so are meerly cast on the Care of Providence Man is a more considerable Creature so more liable to God's Care and Providence 3. It is a Pagan Practice to be thoughtful Vers. 32. After all these things do the Gentiles seek 3. Improve it to remove our Fears of Danger So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me They are David's words Psal. 118.6 If God be with us he will help us therefore as Faith prevaileth Fear ceaseth Psal. 16.7 I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night season If our Hearts misgive us God is our Second he will afford Protection when necessary for his glory and our good The Fear of Man is an ordinary Temptation to divert the Godly from their Duty or discourage them in it You may be confident upon such a Promise Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Man can do much he can fine imprison banish reduce to a morsel of Bread yea torture put to death yet as long as God is with us and standeth for us we may boldly say I will not fear what man can do Why Because God will not see them utterly perish He can give us Joy in Sorrow Life in Death A Christian is not afraid because he can set God against Man Temporal Things against Eternal Covenant against Providence 1. God against Man Isa. 51.12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you c. God can change their Hearts Prov. 16.7 When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him He can weaken their Power Iob 12.21 He weakenth the strength of the Mighty Mar. 12.41 Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and can do no more 2. Eternal things against Temporal 2 Cor. 4.16 Our light Affliction for a moment worketh for us an eternal weight of Glory 3. The Covenant against Providence Psal. 73.17 Till I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end A Sermon on 1 THES V. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation IN the Context the Apostle inferreth our Duty from our Profession of Christianity all Christians are taken into a new estate called out of Dâ—rkness into Light
your Redemption 2 Use Hath Christ taken upon him to carry away Sin Then here is Instruction 1. To the Careless Certainly he that seeketh after benefit by Christ must be one that is not a Stranger to himself one that knoweth and is acquainted with the case of his own Heart and Life one that is sensible of his Sins and corrupt Inclinations and the guilt and burden that lieth upon him one that mourneth under the fears of God's displeasure Will Christ ease a Man of a Burden that he feeleth not A sensless sleepy Soul hath not Work for Christ to do He inviteth those that see a need of Mercy Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest 2. To those who are afflicted in Conscience for Sin Remember you must be not only sensible of the guilt of Sin but the stain of it and look after not only Peace but Healing Isa. 53.5 With his stripes we are healed It is not a sound Cure that aimeth only at the asswaging of the Grief but the Distemper must be removed Mountebanks only stop the Pain but let alone the Cause such a Cure would they have who are more earnest for Ease and Comfort than for Grace Sin in some sense is worse than Damnation Remember then this is the Undertaking of our blessed Redeemer will he come in vain and miss of his End Consider the Merit of his Humiliation what a Price he hath paid for sanctifying Grace 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot This Price was not given only to heighten our Esteem of the Priviledge but to encrease our Confidence And consider the Power of his Exaltation Acts 3.26 God having raised up his son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Having paid our Ransom he is gone into Heaven fully furnished and impowred to free from Sin all that consent to receive this Benefit But what shall we do that we may have the actual Benefit 1. Seek the Pardon of Sin in the way of Repentance confessing your Sins with brokeness of Heart 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Sue out his Grace and turn to the Lord. Repentance lieth not in a feigned Wish only that Sin had not been done but in a change of Mind Heart and Life in a hatred to Sin repented of and a love to God and Holiness Man's Fall was specially in point of Love and his Recovery must be a Recovery of Love to God again Your Love to Sin must be turned into an Hatred of Sin the Soul must be not only turned from Sin but against it Repentance is most seen in our Love and Hatred 2. Seek the subduing of Sin in a diligent use of Means There is a Spirit purchased by Christ to begin the Life of Grace and to carry it on with success to heal and renew our Natures and to strengthen them being heal'd and renew'd Now we must not by our carelesness negligence or other Sin provoke the Lord to withdraw from us and suspend his Grace but humbly implore his Favour wait for his Approaches and attend and obey his sanctifying Motions God is willing to give the Spirit to them that ask him as a Father is to give an hungry Child bread Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him We make our selves uncapable of this help by grieving the Spirit Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption When we are so easie to the Requests of Sin and so deaf to his Motions he ceaseth to give us warning There are certain Ordinances whereby this Grace is conveyed to us and Christ died to sanctifie them to us Eph. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word These Ordinances are the Word and Sacraments by the use of which Sin receiveth a new wound The Word is for cleansing the Soul Iohn 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Baptism must be improved for the washing away of Sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins A Man forgetteth his Baptism that is neglecteth it if he be not purged from Sin 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins That is he hath made no use and received no benefit by his Baptism In the Lord's Supper we remember the Death of Christ as the Price given for the Life of our Souls as a Spectacle that may affect us with the Odiousness of Sin as an occasion of renewing our Covenant with God and binding our selves afresh to his service and as a means to stir up our Love to God and so by consequence our hatred of Sin Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil And to awaken our hopes and so of purifying the Soul 1 Iohn 3.3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Here is delivered to the believing Soul a sealed Pardon of all Sin Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins And we wait for the Application of his mortifying and renewing Grace 3. If the first Attempt succeed not yet afterwards Sin may be subdued and broken In natural Things we do not sit down with one Tryal and one Endeavour a Man that will be rich pierceth himself through with many Sorrows 1 Tim. 4.10 and after many miscarriages pursue their Designs till they compleat them and shall we give over our waiting and striving because we cannot presently find success That sheweth our Will is not fully bent and set upon the thing we seem to desire In the face of Discouragements we must venture again Luke 5.5 Master we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy command I will let down the neâ— God's Grace is free and his holy Leisure must be waited for it was long e're God got us to this pass to be sensible of our Burden or anxiously solicitous about our Soul Distempers We must lie at the Pool for cure the Spirit bloweth when and where it listeth Iohn 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the spirit He that begun the
the Original of that Altar which Paul saw with this Inscription To the unknown God Acts 17.23 I have brought this account to shew you that all Evil is sent by God and his Hand must be acknowledged in it or else Religion will fall to the ground When the Disciples were terrified in a great storm Christ cometh walking upon the Waters and telleth them Be of good chear it is I be not afraid Mark 6.50 They thought it was a Spectre but Christ saith It is I. In short the Author of all the Annoyances and Afflictions that befalleth us in this Life is God their End is Repentance their Cause is Sin and this well thought of will silence all our Murmurings II. That it is a great advantage to Patience when we can consider him not as an angry Judge but as a gracious Father The Cup which Christ drank off was very bitter and yet he saith The cup which my father hath given me Now every one cannot apply this Comfort for many are not so much as in a visible relation to God and others that visibly live in his Family yet are not owned and acknowledged by him as his dear Children rather counted Bastards than Sons as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.7 8. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisements whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Not legitimate but degenerate Children Others have a special relation to God such as is between Father and Children 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be unto you a father and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty These have an Interest in his dearest Love and a Right to his choicest Benefits and they shall know it by his Fatherly dealing with them Now to such this Comfort properly belongeth for though God may punish and afflict others yet he cannot be said to chastise them as a Father but as an angry Judge he doth punish them for their Offences and Rebellions Therefore if you would apply this Comfort you must clear up your Interest enter into Covenant with him and sincerely believe in Christ and devote your selves to him that he may be your God and Father But because Being and Seeing are two things and many that are the Children of God may not know themselves to be so therefore I shall 1. State this Matter 2. Shew what an advantage it is to Patience First I shall state this Matter in these Considerations 1. God is a Father by Creation or Adoption 1. In a more general Respect by Creation as Adam is called The son of God Luke 3.38 So Mal. 2.10 Have we not all one father Hath not one God created us God is more our Father than our natural Parents are they concur to our Beings but instrumentally but God originally It is God that formeth us in the Womb we are his Workmanship not our Parents both as to Body and Soul As to the Body Psal. 119.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me They know not whether the Child be Male or Female Beautiful or Deformed they cannot tell the number of the Bones Muscles Veins and Arteries which God hath framed in such a curious and exact Order But for the Soul which is the better part of Man that is of his immediate Creation therefore God is called The father of spirits Heb. 12.9 They do not run in the Channel of Carnal Generation or Fleshly Descent In this general sense by virtue of Creation God is the Father of all Men good and bad which though it give Cod a Title to our Love Service and Honour yet it giveth us no Interest in his special Benefits or the Fruits of his Fatherly Love it moveth God not to stir up all his Wrath against them yet not to bestow Saving Grace his Favour and Image upon them 2. More especially and in a more comfortable sense there is a more peculiar sort of Men to whom God is a Father by Adoption and they are his dear Children This Title is not by Nature but by Grace the Foundation of it was laid in the Election of God Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will But before this Decree could be executed and take place the redemption of Christ was necessary for we read Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons Sin needed to be expiated by the Son of God in our Nature before God would bestow this Honour upon any of Mankind Christ was to take a Mother upon Earth that we might have a Father in Heaven Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.14 15. And besides this Grace is applied to us by the Spirit who by his effectual Operation bringeth us into a state of Love and Sonship As a Father by Creation he giveth us our natural Endowments as a Father by Adoption he giveth us the supernatural Grace of the Spirit to sanctifie and change our Hearts for Regeneration and Adoption always go together Iohn 1.12 13. But 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 And by the new Nature put into us we are brought into this new State and Relation Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father The Soul that was shy of God then inclineth to him as our Lord that we may honour love and obey him and as our Happiness that we may seek after him and live in Communion with him And lastly the Act on our part that we may be received into the number of God's Children is an owning and acknowledging Christ to all the ends and purposes for which God hath appointed him if we really entertain him as sent by God to be our Lord and Saviour we are advanced to this Dignity Iohn 1.12 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 This of the Priviledge 2. You having received this Grace it is your duty to get it evidenced that you may maintain a comfortable sense of your Adoption It is evidenced by the dwelling and working of the holy Spirit in you Rom. 8.16 The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are
the children of God He witnesseth objectively and effectively Per modum Argumenti per modum Efficientis Causa By way of Argument and by way of Causal Efficiency Objectively if I have the Spirit of God framing my Heart to love and honour and fear and obey him and delight in câ—mmunion with him surely I am a Child of God for where these are sincere love to God prevaileth 1 Iohn 4 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit There he speaketh of Love to God and so for Honour it is else but an empty Title Mal. 1.6 If I then be a father where is mine honour If I be a master where is my fear So for Fear or Child-like Reverence that we dare not offend him Psal. 103.13 As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him His Children and those that fear him are equivalent Expressions 1 Pet. 1.17 If ye call on the father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear I illustrate by that Ier. 35.6 And they said we will drink no wine for Ionadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us saying Ye shall drink no wine neither ye nor your sons for ever So for Obedience 1 Pet. 1.14 As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance Eph. 5.1 Be ye followers of God as dear children So for delighting in communion with him Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into our hearts crying Abba father This 〈◊〉 most felt in Prayer Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and supplications Rom. 8.26 Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Jude 20. But ye beloved building up your selves in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost Here we have the nearest familiarity with God whilst we dwell in the Flesh and our Souls are carried to God as light Bodies move upward This is the matter of the Evidence but the Spirit giveth a sight or sense of this if he be not grieved and ill treated but his sanctifying Motions be obeyed he sheddeth abroad the Love of God in our Hearts and filleth us with much Joy and Peace 3. If this be faithfully done and there be no other reason to break our Confidence the bare Affliction or the greatness and grievousness of your Afflictions should not For these sharp Afflictions are not only consistent with this Relation as the Instance of Christ sheweth but also it is an act of his Fatherly Love and Discipline The Exhortation speaketh to us as Children Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. Ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons God's Children must look to be chastened neither must our Father's hand be slighted nor must we faint under it It is an act of love and kindness to us that he will not suffer us to go on in our Sins God seemeth to cast off them whom he leaveth to their own Hearts lusts Hosea 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone But he loveth whom he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth The Rod of Correction will not wholly be laid aside while God's Children are in the Flesh In Heaven where there are no Dangers there is no use of it any more because then we are fully and perfectly sanctified but here you must be content to submit to the discipline of the Family Certainly you must not question his Love because something falleth out contrary to your desires God is a Father when he frowneth and when he smileth he is the God of the Valleys as well as of the Hills and Mountains his Love doth not alter with our condition the comfort of Adoption is not for such a time only 4. Because of our imperfection both in Holiness and Comfort we must submit to the Authority of a Father when we cannot see our Interest in his special Fatherly Love Alas most are so ill settled in the Peace and Comfort of the Gospel that every notable Affliction reviveth our guilty Fears as the Sareptan said to Elijah when her Child died Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son 1 King 17.18 She looked upon that sad Providence as a Judgment for her Sins so if God awakeneth in us a Spirit of Bondage Besides there is none of us but may justifie God that he is not needlesly severe yea some have so sinned that though they be not Filii irae Children of Wrath yet they are Filii sub irâ Children under Wrath though they need no Regeneration or Conversion yet they have grieved the good Spirit of God by walking inordinately therefore their business is to submit to the Authority of God justly correcting and punishing them for Sins Micah 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him And by unfeigned Repentance to renew their Claim and promise greater Loyalty and Fidelity for the future Ier. 3.19 Thou shalt call me my father and shalt not turn away from me They must get their Wounds healed make up the Breach between God and them sue out their Pardon in the name of Christ and get a renewed Grant of it and a sense of their Adoption 5. If hitherto you have been quite Strangers to God such Providences may be an occasion to begin the Relation before they are over as they are helps to Repentance and Recovery Upon the serious working of your Souls the Lord may be found as a Father and admit you into his Family It is said The Lord loveth whom he chasteneth Heb. 12 6. There is a twofold Love in God the Love of Benevolence and the Love of Complacency the one while we are Sinners the other after he hath made us amiable Some God chooseth in the Fire or Furnace of Affliction Isa. 48.10 Behold I have refined thee but not with silver I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction The hot Furnace is God's Workhouse the most excellent Vessels of Honour are formed there Manasseh Paul the Iaylor in the Acts When the Prodigal began to be in
want he thought of returning to his Father Luke 15.17 18 19. if our Ears be opened to Discipline we can own God in the humbling though not the comfortable way Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Many that were never serious before are brought to bethink themselves in their Afflictions 1 King 8.47 48. Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives and repent and make supplications unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives saying We have sinned and have done perversly we have committed wickedness And so return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul. The Doors of God's Family are always open to believing Penitents and it is a Fatherly Providence at last Secondly What an advantage is it to Patience and submission to God 1. God's Fatherly Relation sheweth his Love to us and so we know that by all his Chastisements he doth but seek our spiritual and eternal Good Heb. 12.9 10. We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the father of spirits and live For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Children though they take it ill to be beaten by others yet they take it patiently when beaten for their faults by their Parents who under God are the cause of their Being and Maintenance and ever in correcting seek their good much more should we submit to our Heavenly Father Earthly Parents may err wanting Wisdom or being blinded with Passion and so their Chastisements are arbitrary and irregular But there is more of Compassion than Passion in God's Rod all cometh from purest Love and is regulated by perfect Wisdom and tendeth to the highest End even our Holiness and Happiness 2. It inferreth great Love from us to God again No owning of God is allowed but the Practical owning of him and therefore none own God as a Father but those that love him as a Father Now love God once and nothing that he doth will be grievous to us for as Love sweetneth Duties so it sweetneth Providences It cometh from my Father that doth not only bespeak Reverence or Submission Numb 12.14 If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days but welcom any thing should be well taken at his hand III. It well becometh his People to endure willingly whatever God calleth them unto 1. From God His Sovereignty and Power He is too great to be questioned Iob 9.12 Behold he taketh away who can hinder him Who will say unto him What dost thou His Justice He is too just to do us wrong Iob 34.23 For he will not lay upon man more than is right that he should enter into judgment with God There is Guilt enough in every one to silence us Psal. 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgments His Goodness He is too good to do us harm he knoweth how to recompense us Psal. 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted Nothing but Good can come from him who is Goodness and Love it self His Wisdom and Faithfulness he will afflict us no more than need requireth or will exceed our strength 1 Pet. 1.6 Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 2. With respect to Christ whose Example should be of force to us both for Suffering and patience in Suffering For Suffering there is a certain measure of Affliction fitted and prepared for Christ and all his Followers the bitter Cup goeth round from hand to hand the whole Wave dashed upon Christ some Drops light upon us Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake which is the Church And for patience in Suffering Heb. 12.2 3. Looking unto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despised the shame and is sate down at the right hand of the throne of God For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself least ye be wearied and faint in your minds 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps And Vers. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously He hath trod the way before us and his steps drop fatness Matth. 20.23 Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father There are two things if any would be nearer in Dignity to Christ than others it is not in reigning but in suffering with Christ in drinking Christ's Cup but for Preferment in another World and to have a larger measure of Honour that is given to those for whom it is appointed We are to prepare for the Cross. The other is the New Covenant engageth us hereunto for there is an Allusion to the Sacraments Therefore Christ useth these Notions 1 Use Sheweth what Provision the Christian Religion maketh for Patience Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope This Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures is a higher thing than what is learnt by the Institutions of Philosophy Tam in ipsis falsa erat patientia quà m falsa sapientia Cypr. Both their Patience and their Wisdom is false The Grounds of Patience from the Christian Religion are particular Providence Adoption the Example of Christ the Assistance of the Spirit the Desert of Sin the Fruit of Afflictions both as to the refining of Grace and preparing us for Glory Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the presâ—nt seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby 2 Vse To exhort us to bear whatsoever God shall lay upon us 1. Seek this Grace of God both the Wisdom and the Power to calm the Spirit Col. 1.11 Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask it of God Man's
strength is not the strength of Bulls it doth not lie in brutish force but strength of Reason Our own Reason is too feeble to encounter our Passions if not assisted by Grace they are not healed by Time but spiritual Wisdom Psal. 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. 2. Expostulate with your selves and cite all your Passions before the Tribunal of Reason Psal. 42.5 Why art thou cast down Oh my soul Why art thou disquieted within me God puts Ionah to the Question Ionah 4.4 Dost thou well to be angry So should we argue with our selves with whom are you displeased Is it with God He doth what he pleaseth he might cast thee into Hell and art thou angry because of his Temporal Chastisement He hath bestowed many Mercies upon thee and shall he not take his seasons to chastise thee Art thou angry with Man But is not God's hand in it Hast not thou done so to others Eccles. 7.22 For oftentimes also thy own heart knoweth that thou thy self likewise hast cursed others A Sermon on LUKE xxiii 34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do THE Words of the Dying are wont to be much observed when Men depart out of the Body they are usually more serious and divine and speak with greater weight As a Man that is to take a Journey trusseth up his Bundle or Fardle so when Men are to take a Journey to God and are upon the brink of the everlasting State they are wont to gather up whatever is of a divine and immortal Nature Especially the Speeches of the Godly dying are to be regarded who having laid aside worldly Affairs and earthly Thoughts are wholly exercised in the Contemplation of heavenly Things Therefore in Scripture we read of David's last Words 2 Sam. 23.1 and of Ioshua cap. 23. ver 14. And behold this day I am going the way of all the Earth But before he goes he would leave this Testimony for God Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to pass unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof So Iacob Moses Simeon Luke 21.29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Paul 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing Now certainly if any Man's dying Speeches are to be observed Christ's are much more Iob said Iob 19.23 24. Oh that my words were now written Oh that they were printed in a book That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever It were well if Christ's Words were written not in Cedar but in our own Hearts They reckon seven short Speeches of Christ upon the Cross and this is the first when he begins to break off his silence it is to pray for his Persecutors Father forgive them for they know not what they do In which Words there is 1. Christ's Request Father forgive them 2. The Argument by which it is enforced For they know not what they do I. Christ's Request Father forgive them Father is a word of Confidence towards God and of Love to his Enemies he mentioneth the sweetest Relation Father is a word of blandishment as Children when they would obtain any thing at their Parents hands cry Father Some observe that when he speaketh of his own Desertion he criâ—th My God! my God! But now when he prayeth for the Pardon of his Enemies he useth a more endearing Relation Father But the Observation is fond and nice for Christ in his own case useth the same endearing Title Mat. 26.39 Oh my father if it be possiâ—le let this cup pass from me and there is a special Reason why in his Desertion he should say My God! my God! as suiting the Title to his case Eli Eli My strong One my strong One He wanted the strong Support and the sensible Consolations of his Godhead It is most comfortable to observe how Christ upon the Cross calleth God Father he felt him a Judge and believeth him a Father The special Work of Faith in Afflictions is to maintain the Comfort of Adoption Heb. 12.5 Ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord. Those that are under chastening may be Sons God doth not always put on the Person of a Judge when he taketh the Rod in his hand the change of your Condition doth not alter nor make void your Interest God is the God of the Valleys as well as the God of the Hills Christ was now as a Man forsaken and rejected of God left to the Assaults of Satan and Scorns of Men and yet in the height of his Pains and Passion he retaineth his Confidence Father forgive them The whole World is not worth the comfort that is wrapped up in that one word Father It is a great folly in the Children of God to question his Love meerly because of the greatness of their Afflictions We presently cry out as Iob 30.21 Thou art become cruâ—l to me with thy strong hand thou oâ—pâ—sâ—st thy self against me That he hath put off all Fatherly Affection because we judge of the Cross according to the sense of our own Flesh. And therefore meerly to question God's Love because of Afflictions is folly rather we may conclude the contrary of the two Bastards are left to a looser Discipline than Sons the Bramble of the Wilderness is suffered to grow and spread when the Vine is cut and pruned and pared The Stones that are to be set in the Building are most hewed and squared others lie neglected in the Quarry and are left to their own roughness Multiplied Afflictions are a sign God hath a care of you he will not suffer you to run wild And therefore in defiance of the Cross learn to call God Father look through the Cloud of the present Dispensation to the Love of God towards you Father forgive them Christ speaks as foreseeing the Danger and Punishment which they would bring on themselves as the fruit of their Madness and Folly and therefore he prays Father forgive them This Act was provocation enough to move God to dissolve the Bonds of Nature to cleave the Earth that it might swallow them up quick or to rain Hell out of Heaven upon them Lesser Offences have been thus punished and one word from Christ's mouth had been enough But Father forgive them we hear nothing but words of mild pity when he says Forgive he means also convert them for where there is no Conversion there can be no
say unto you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luk. 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel This was spoken at the Lord's Supper which is a Pledg of it The Vpright shall have Dominion over them in the Morning Psal. 49.14 3. They shall be Kings eternally in Heaven Luk. 12.32 Fear not little Flock for it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also reign with him that is in Heaven with respect to this Right Title and Interest so they are made Kings We are Heirs in Christ Rom. 8.17 If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together We are Heirs of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken 2. Priests That was a great Dignity among the Iews To this all Christians are now advanced 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye are an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. Our Sacrifices are not Expiatory but Gratulatory not Sin-offerings but Thank-offerings not Typical but Spiritual Jesus Christ is the only Sin-offering Our Thank-offerings are either our selves Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable Service Or our Duties which are Spiritual-offerings we offer not Beasts which were Typical but the Calves of our Lips our Prayers and Praises Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God continually that is the fruit of our Lips giving Thanks to his Name Or Alms ver 16. But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Phil. 4.18 But I have all and abound I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an Odour of a sweet Smell a Sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God Now this is a great Honour that we should be separated by the Lord from all the rest of the World and admitted into such a Nearness and Access to God with Boldness and Hope of being accepted through Christ. Vse 1. In the general All this should stir up our Hearts to give continual Praise and Glory to Christ our blessed Redeemer So doth the Apostle here that is the use he maketh of it To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen It is a thing to be reproved in Christians that we take so little time to admire honour and praise our Redeemer which yet is a great part of our Work Surely if you had a due Sight of his Excellency or a Sense and Taste of the Riches of his Goodness and Love you would be more in this delightful Work Usually Praise is a Stranger to our Worship and however we are enlarged in Confession of Sin or Supplication for such things as we want yet we are straitned in our Gratulations Surely Lauding and Praising God in Christ is as necessary as the other parts of Worship Psal. 22.3 God is said to inhabit the Praises of Israel that is in Israel where he is praised The great End of Worship is not the Relief of Man so much as the Honour of God Therefore we should not only ask things needful for our selves and mind meerly the Supply of our Necessities but the Honour of Christ. Psal. 50.23 Whoso offereth Praise glorifieth me If God will account it an Honour to be well thought of and spoken of by his Creature we should more abound in this Work Why are we then so scanty in Praises and Thansgivings The Reasons of this Defect are Self-love We are eager to have Blessings but we forget to return to give God the Glory Prayer is a Work of Necessity but Praise is a Work of mere Duty Self-love puts all upon Prayer but the Love of God upon Praise Again stupid Negligence we do not gather up Matter of Thanksgiving nor watch in our Prayers nor seek after Matter for it Coloss. 4.2 Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving 2. More particularly let us take our Example from this Doxology To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen We can but ascribe to Christ what he hath already but we must do it heartily Observe here 1. The things ascribed to Christ Glory and Dominion 2. The manner of Ascription it is Imperative 3. The Duration For ever and ever 4. The Seal of all in the word Amen 1. The things ascribed to Christ Glory and Dominion In other Places it is Honour and Power everlasting 1 Tim. 6.16 Who only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no Man can approach unto whom no Man hath seen nor can see to whom be Honour and Power everlasting Amen In the Lord's Prayer more fully Mat. 6.13 For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever Amen Where by Kingdom is meant Right and Authority to dispose of all things according to his own Pleasure by Power Strength and Alsufficiency to execute what he pleaseth by Glory his Honour which is the result of all that he doth Clara cum laude notitia Excellency discovered with Praise We desire that he may be more honoured and brought into Request and Esteem in the World Here we have but two Words Glory and Dominion Glory that is just Praise and Esteem gracious Hearts think they can never set Christ high enough in their Esteem and Praise this is all they can return to him for his great Benefits Glory that he may have the Honour as they the Comfort Dominion implieth Lordship and Soveraignty this they would have given to Christ as his Due by his own Purchase and God's Assignment Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the Dead and Living It was God's End Phil. 2.10 That at the Name of Iesus every Knee should bow 2. The Form is Imperative as binding themselves and others to give him Glory and Dominion Themselves in the first place and that not only with the Tongue but with the Heart not only in Word but in Deed So they would give him Glory praise him with their Lips and honour him with their Lives They would make that their Work and Scope that this may be the real Language of their Hearts and Actions which speak much louder than Words These shew forth the Praises of him who hath called them out of Darkness into his marvellous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 that really they may be the Glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8.23 They are the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ. 2 Thess. 1.12 That the Name of
Reproof is prescribed for two Reasons 1. Because there is a Supposition of Wrong done that is when any Man hath wronged us in any thing let him not nourish Hatred or Anger in his Bosom lest by abiding there long it sowreth into Malice and Revenge rather go and shew them the Evil that they have done to bring them to Repentance It is said of Absalom 2 Sam. 13.22 That Absalom spake unto his Brother Amnon neither good nor bad for Absalom hated Amnon because he had forced his Sister Tamar Amnon did the wrong but Absalom reproved him not because he hated him Implacable Malice and Desire of Revenge is hid under Silence and Dissimulation he spake neither good nor bad to Amnon to wit of that Subject of the Rape committed upon his Sister he reproved not the Fact that so he might conceal his Malice till he found occasion to put the same in Execution And this is the Fashion of all that regard the wrong done to themselves but not the Offence done to God Well then since Hatred begets close and cunning Dissimulation till it have a full Advantage to put forth it self it is opposite to Reproof It is as Fire raked under Ashes and reserved till another Day The Historian Tacitus observeth it in Tiberius who being offended by some Words spoken in the Senate by Haterius and Scanrus In Haterium statim invectus Scaâ—rum cui implacabilis irascebatur silentio transmittit The one he rebuked the other whom he implacably hated he passed by with Silence Therefore God well knowing the Disposition of Man giveth this Direction by his Servant Moses Hate not thy Brother in thy Heart but rebuke him in any wise So that you see it is meant of Hatred rising of Offences principally wherefore rebuke him hate him not for such things Sutable to this is the Law of Christ Luke 17.3 Take heed to your selves if thy Brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him Do your utmost to reduce any that offendeth though it be by injuring thee do not desire Revenge but seek an Opportunity to pardon him upon his Reformation Matth. 18.15 If thy Brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother that is thy Charity must be sure to put off all Thoughts of Revenge against him yea it will oblige thee to use all prudent Methods to bring him to a Sense of his Fault and the most discreet and gentile ways are first to be essayed That is the first Reason 2. He that doth not rebuke his Brother when he doth any thing amiss doth indeed hate him not love him There are two things which put us upon Reproof Zeal for God's Glory and Love to our Neighbours Soul There is a Defect in our Zeal if we do not seek to repair God's Honour when it is wounded by others Psal. 69.9 The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up and the Reproaches of them that reproached thee have faln upon me Injuries done to God and Religion affect us no less nearly than personal Wrongs done to our selves So there is a Defect in our Love and Charity to others to let them alone in Soul-Dangers and therefore Reproof as it is opposed to Hatred so it is opposed also to Flattery which is false and corrupt Love Prov. 28.23 He that rebuketh a Man afterwards shall find more Favour than he that flattereth with his Tongue When we are about to reprove others for their Faults we are afraid we shall offend them and that all Friendship will be broken off between us and them and so are tempted to connive at others sinful Courses for fear of a Rupture and Breach with them Alas at length though the Party be displeased a little for the present when he recovereth and cometh to himself again he will see that you shewed him the true Friendship whereas others that connived at or flattered him in his Sins however they sought to please his Humour hated his Soul and they will love you the better for it because you awaken them out of their Sins that would have been their eternal Ruin It is possible you may inrage a wicked and haughty Scorner but then you have discharged your Duty and freed your own Soul But for others you get the more Favour and Thanks because you have done a true Office of Love So that that which you are afraid will be an Occasion of breaking off Friendship will prove a means to nourish Love Prov. 9.8 Reprove not a Scorner lest he hate thee rebuke a wise Man and he will love thee Gain him to a Sense of his Duty and he will bless God for thee while he hath a Day to live So Prov. 27.5 6. Open Rebuke is better than secret Love Faithful are the Wounds of a Friend but the Kisses of an Enemy are deceitful Open Rebuke is when we plainly and sometimes sharply convince Men of their Errors or Sins they lie in this is better than hidden Love for that is of no Use and Profit to us He that reduceth me into the way when I go astray and plucketh me out of the Fire and Water when I am in Danger to be drowned or burned though he break an Arm or Leg he that cureth my Disease though by a sharp and troublesome Medicine doth me a greater Benefit than he that professeth great Love to me and lets me alone to perish and will not reach an Hand to pluck me out out of Tenderness as loth to trouble me That is called hidden Love that doth not make it self known by the Offices of Love and Friendship or for fear of Offence will not warn a Man of his Danger it is indeed true Hatred The next Verse is to the same Purpose It may be my Friend wounds me as the Physician lets me Blood to cure my Feaver he doth it in Faithfulness A sharp Reproof is there called a Wound but it is the Faithfulness of my Friend not done out of Rancour or Malice with a Desire to shame and reproach me it is intended for my Good but the Kisses of an Enemy or one that hateth me and my Soul are deceitful By Kisses are meant the Pretences of great Love to us as Ioab kissed Amasa and stab'd him 2 Sam. 20.9 10. And Iudas kissed Christ and betrayed him Mat. 26.48 49. Alas this Love is but deceitful whilst it betrayeth your Souls That this is true Love appeareth also because thus God dealeth himself with his own Children Prov. 3.12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth God loveth his Children dearly but yet will not let them perish in their Sins therefore sometimes he useth a smart Discipline towards them Satan seeketh to lull thee asleep by the Delights of the Flesh but God awakeneth them by the sharp Corrections and Rebukes of his Providence I will but add David's Expression which sheweth what
we urge the Desires of the Renewed and Sanctified which do much more prove it for these act more regularly and direct their Desires and Hopes to a certain Scope and End and these are excited by the holy Spirit of God who imprinteth the firm Perswasion of this Happiness and inclineth us to it and stirreth up these Groans after it Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also which 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 The Word of God warrants these Desires and the Spirit of God kindleth them in our Hearts and that usually in our gravest and severest Moods when we are solemnly conversing with God in his holy Worship then doth he raise up these Affections towards heavenly things as in the Word Prayer and Sacraments then is this Relish left upon our Hearts and the more serious and holy any are the more do they feel of this And also in our bitter Sufferings for God Rom. 5.3 And not only so but we glory in Tribulation also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience 1 Pet. 4.13 14. But rejoice in as much as ye are Partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Ioy. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil-spoken of but on your part he is glorified This is a greater Argument than the bare Instinct and Desire of Nature Certainly if our Holiness be our Torment and God beget in us these Desires which he never meant to satisfy then we are of all Men most miserable 4. There would be no Recompence for their greatest Losses Christ requireth us not only to venture but lose our Lives for his sake Luke 14.26 If any Man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Now if our Hopes in Christ be at an End with this Life what Incouragement have we to lose our Lives for Christ's sake Nature will teach us to submit to a lesser Evil to obtain a greater Good than that Evil depriveth us of But what will teach us to lose the greatest Benefit we are possessed of when nothing cometh of it Grace indeed teacheth us to quit this frail Life for the Hopes which Christ hath given us of an immortal blessed Estate but if that be not Christians are of all Men most miserable who had better have kept that Life which they had till a natural Death called them from it than to have lost it for nothing Secondly Having vindicated the Apostle's meaning I shall prove That it is inconsistent with the Righteousness of God's Government that his People should be always of all Men most miserable for a time they may be so but not for ever Certainly God is righteous to deny him to be just is to deny him to be God and the Governour of the World The Perfection of his Nature includeth his Justice so doth also the Eminency of his Office Is God unrighteous who taketh Vengeance God forbid for then how shall God judg the World Rom. 3.5 6. that is he were then uncapable of governing Mankind But when is this Righteousness manifested not always in this World especially to those who perish in their Afflictions and Persecutions which they indure for his Name 's sake No He hath appointed a Day wherein he will judg the World in Righteousness Acts 17.31 And that is at the general Resurrection God now judgeth the World in Patience winketh or conniveth at many Faults indureth the Wicked with much Long-suffering but then he will judg the World in Righteousness None are punished now besides or beyond their Deservings but all are not punished according to their Deservings nor are the Wrongs of his People righted nor their Labour of Love recompensed Therefore we must expect another Day and Time when that shall be done and that is most fully and universally done in the great and general Day of Judgment when the Dead shall be raised out of their Graves they that have done Good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil to the Resurrection of Damnation And so it serves the Apostle's Scope to prove a Resurrection SERMON II. 1 COR. XV. 19 If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable II. I Must shew the Validity of the Apostle's Argument That there must be a Life to come because otherwise Christians would be of all Men most miserable The Apostle urgeth it here as a strong Proof of the Resurrection and elsewhere he urgeth it as a Demonstration of the general Judgment as when he speaking of the Persecutions of the Righteous telleth us 2 Thess. 1.5 Which is a manifest Token of the righteous Iudgment of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plain and certain Demonstration Surely the Argument is cogent and conclusive But where lieth the Force of it 1. I shall argue from the Nature of God and there 1. I shall begin with his Wisdom which doth things according to Number Weight and Measure and doth rightly dispose things in their proper Places This Wisdom of his will not permit the Disjunction of these two things so closely united together as Sin and Punishment Holiness and Happiness This cannot be but there will be an Appearance of Deformity and Irregularity If there be such a thing as Good and Evil bonum malum morale as Reason will tell us there is again if there be such a thing as Pleasure and Pain Joy and Sorrow or bonum malum naturale as Sense will tell us there is Then it is very agreeable to the Wisdom of God that these things should be rightly placed and sorted That Moral Evil which is Sin should be punished with a natural Evil which is Pain and Misery and that Moral Good which is Holiness should end in Joy and Happiness These seem to be such natural Relatives that without great Incongruity they cannot be parted It seemeth uncomely and an uncouth thing to us when it is otherwise Prov. 26.1 As Snow in Summer and as Rain in Harvest so Honour is not seemly for a Fool. That is as Snow and Rain in Harvest and Summer come unseasonable and unwelcome and breed a kind of Displeasure in our Minds So we look upon it as a Blemish or an uncouth thing when the Wicked are exalted We have Compassion on a miserable Man whom we esteem not deserving his Misery but are moved with Indignation against one that is happy and successful but unworthy the Happiness he injoyeth this is the general Sense of Mankind which is a Proof and plain Document that we perceive an excellent Harmony and natural Order between these two things Sin and Misery Holiness and Happiness and this Sentiment is
these little ones a Cup of cold Water only in the Name of a Disciple he shall in no wise lose his Reward The Smalness and Meanness of the Benefit Help and Refreshing done to any in Christ's Name shall not make it lose its Estimation and Recompence This though hardly credited by the unbelieving World is very true Verily I say unto you and he shall in no wise c. they are emphatical Expressions But now the more eminent Services which are carried on with Hazard and Difficulty and very considerable Self-denial surely they shall not fail of their Recompence Whatever we lose for Christ we shall receive again with infinite Advantage Mark 10.29 30. And Iesus answered and said Verily I say unto you there is no Man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospel's but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with Persecution and in the World to come eternal Life He shall in this Life in the midst of his Persecutions and the time of his Trials and Troubles have an hundred-fold not in kind an hundred Wives and Mothers as Iulian and Nero scoffed at the Christians but in Value in Peace of Conscience and Joy in the Holy Ghost and the Satisfaction of having discharged his Duty But God will not rest there in the World to come he shall have eternal Life Now then the Argument groweth upon our Hands If self-denying Obedience would be not only Man's Loss but utter Ruin and he be made miserable by his Duty without any Recompence God would not only be not the best but the worst Master and they that suffer the Loss of Life and all things by the Cruelty of their Persecutors would be utter Losers by their Faithfulness and Obedience to God which is contrary to the Experience of all Mankind and all that natural Light and Sense of Religion that is in Mens Hearts Surely Christ would never proselyte us to a Religion that is our undoing nor shall any of his People be Losers by him or they that venture the most for him be in the worst Condition and therefore there must be another Life wherein he will fulfil the Good he hath promised and execute the Evil threatned 2. From the Nature State and Condition of Man 1. He is God's Subject not left at Liberty to break or keep God's Laws at his own Pleasure which he would seem to be if no harm would come to it yea present Good and Profit For we see here the Wicked live a Life of Pomp and Ease and often have their Will upon the Godly and oppress them at their Pleasure their Wickedness is their Advantage Now this is not only a great Discouragement to the Gracious and Heavenly-minded but would quite destroy all Obedience if there were not Assurance of a better Estate Therefore God expresses himself as particularly ingaged to punish such as flatter themselves with Hopes of Impunity though they go on in their Wickedness Deut. 29.19 20. And it came to pass when he heareth the Words of this Curse that he bless himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imagination of mine Heart to add Drunkenness to Thirst. The Lord will not spare him but then the Anger of the Lord and his Iealousy shall smoke against that Man and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven They that add the moist to the dry and the dry to the moist So Zeph. 1.12 And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with Candles and punish the Men that are setled upon their Lees that say in their Heart The Lord will not do Good neither will he do Evil. And on the other side he considereth the Case of the Faithful that they have an opposite Principle against their Duty within their Hearts which must be always curbed and suppressed and they meet with many Temptations from the Oppositions and Reproaches of those that like not that sort of Life which they addict and apply themselves unto and therefore if they have not sufficient Motives to keep them in the Love of God and Obedience to the End how shall they bear up against all these Blasts of Persecution when all the World is against them They need both their Cordials and their Solaces from another and better World Therefore God assureth them that their Fidelity and Obedience shall not be lost that they are blessed already and shall be perfectly blessed hereafter Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the Man that indureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoice in as much as ye are Partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed you may be glad also with exceeding Ioy. That is that these Sufferings are sure Pledges of the Glory that shall insue Their Joy is suspended while the Glory of Christ is under a Vail but when he is manifested to the World they shall be manifested to be the Children of God Alas otherwise what would become of the best Servants God hath in the World when they are hooted at by the Clamours of the wicked Rabble and pursued with sharp Laws and exposed to great Difficulties and Hardships if they had no Life to live but this The bare Sense of our Duty would not support us in this State of Imperfection if there were not a great Recompence of Reward set before us So that the Perswasion of another Life is necessary to secure our Duty 2. Man is bound to be upright and sincere in God's Service or to get such a Constitution of Soul as to resolve to adhere to God whatever Temptations he hath to the contrary Our Lord describeth the good Ground to be that good and honest Heart which having received the Word keeps it and brings forth Fruit with Patience Luke 8.15 This was a Principle not denied by many Heathens who esteemed the love of Honesty and Goodness better than this mortal Life with all its Appurtenances and thought that a Man was never sincere nor throughly honest till he did abhor the Practice of any Villany and Impiety more than Death and those things which were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely good a Man ought to love them more than Life and lose Life rather than omit their Practice Now such Principles whether they saw it yea or no do necessarily conclude and infer a Life after this much better than this is and an Estate of Torment much worse than Death to those that have lived and died dishonestly For every thing that hath a Being doth by an indispensible Law of Nature desire the continuance of its Being but most of all its Well-being or the bettering of
terms Therefore he revealeth and perswadeth us to accept the conditions of the New Covenant and to cast away all our rebellion against God and enter into his Peace 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God They plead in his Name and by vertue of his Power Secondly As a King and Lord so he maketh these terms part of the New Law for the remedying of lapsed Mankind Heb. 5.8 Though he were a Son yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered And not only so but he subdueth us to himself Luke 11.21 By strong hand rescueth us out of the power of the Devil and giveth us Grace to serve him acceptably Heb. 12.28 And taketh us into his care and ruleth us and protecteth us till we enter into everlasting life His Lordship is a great part of his Mediation III. The Comforts and Duties thence resulting namely from Christ's being constituted as Mediatour as they are laid forth in the Text. 1. I observe That the Father's Honour and Glory is still secured and preserved safe and intire notwithstanding the giving the Glory to Christ as the Lord of the New Creation The Glory of the Mediatour doth no way impair and infringe the Fathers Glory That is apparent partly because all the good we have is from the Father but onely by Christ. For when the Father is spoken of 't is said From him are all things but when the Mediatour then 't is said By him which notes a subordinate operation or administration as Lord Deputy under the Father and therefore in the subjection of the Creature unto Christ the Glory of the Father is expresly reserved Phil. 2.11 That every Tongue should confess that Iesus is Lord to the Glory of the Father Again it 's apparent because it 's said We are to him or for him The Mediatour does not lead us off from God but to him Therefore both our love to God and subjection to him must still be preserved 1. Our love You must not think of the Father that he is all Wrath severe and inexorable and his Favour not to be gain'd but upon hard terms no if he himself had not loved us we could never have had Christ for our Redeemer All things are of him not only in a way of Creation but Redemption and one great end of sending Christ was to shew the amiableness of the Divine Nature Christ himself was sent by the Father John 3.16 God so loved the World that he sent his onely begotten Son 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses to them Rom. 8.32 God spared not his own Son but delivered him for us all 2. Our Subjection and Obedience Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood His antient right in us is not disannull'd but promoted We are redeemed to his Service and Obedience See 1 Cor. 6.19 20 Which are God's viz. By a right beneficial as a farther obligation God is the Efficient and Final Cause of all things Therefore still our Subjection to God and Love to God must be preserved 2. I observe That the expressions here used imply Returns as well as Receipts Look to the Expressions in both Clauses either concerning the one God or the one Mediatour The one God From him are all things and we by him or for him As from his bounty and goodness so for his honour and service Prov. 16.4 God hath made all things for himself 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God Whether it be in a way of Nature or Grace all things come of God These words do especially concern Christians All matters of Grace come from the Father to us for his Glory All things that belong to the New Creation as appeareth by the last clause we by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for him See Eph. 1.12 That we should be to the praise of his glory So for what is said of the Mediatour and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things That is which we receive from God and we by him that is all the services which we return to God again Not onely Blessings come from the Father to us but we also must return duty and service to God by the same Mediatour Receipts come from God by Christ and Returns go back by Christ to God Which is to be noted by them who are all for Receipts but think not of Returns And also by them who own God in their Mercies but make Returns in their own Name No all that duty which we perform to God 't is by the Mediatour All Christianity is a coming to God by Christ Heb. 7.25 If we believe in God 't is by him 1 Pet. 1.2 By whom we believe in God If we love God 't is in Christ. If we pray to God 't is in and through him Ephes. 2.18 For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father If we praise God 't is in and by Christ Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Iesus Christ to the Glory and Praise of God Otherwise our Duties are not acceptable and pleasing to him 3. I observe That in the Receipts we expect from God there is great encouragement to expect them For God is represented as a fountain of Grace as a Father as a God and Father that acts by a Mediatour whose Merit is exprest as large as the Father's Power 1. As a Fountain of Grace he is the supream Cause of all things from whom all creatures have their life and being A Fountain ever-flowing and over-flowing What can we ask of him which he is not able to do Psal 57.2 I will cry unto God most high unto God that pâ—rformeth all things for me If it be pardon of sin or the gift of the spirit If subduing Enemies or everlasting Salvation he is able to give it you If it be strength against Temptations or Grace to serve him acceptably you come to a God from whom are all things VVhen a Man seriously worshippeth God he turneth his back upon all other things and turneth his face to God as the supream Lord and Fountain of all Happiness You may with confidence present your Petitions to him that can perform all things 2. You come to God as a Father If you take it personally 't is comfortable to come to him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes. 3.14 or essentially as a Father of the whole family of the faithful He loveth us dearly VVe have the Supream God for our Father and shall not we trust in him 2 Cor. 6.18 And I will be a Father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters VVho would distrust a Father and an Omnipotent Father VVhen we remember not onely his sufficiency but his love to us and our
interest in him we make our Addresses to him with confidence VVho may be confident if not the children of such a Father 3 This Fatherly goodness and all sufficiency is engaged for our relief by the Mediatour As all things are from the Father so all things are by him that is purchased and bought by his Merit The extent and vertue of his Merit is expressed as largely as the Father's power If we believe in God as an All sufficient Fountain of Grace we believe in Christ as an All-sufficient Mediatour John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me 1 John 2.23 He that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also Besides this The Vâ—â—l of Christ's flesh doth break the beams of his terrour to those that behold his Excellencies and rejoice in them By that we are incouraged to come to God for the Mediatour's Blessing which is the pardon of our sins Mat. 1.21 He shall save his people from their sins And Acts 3.26 God hath sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your sins One great Petition which we have to put up to God is for the pardon of sin This is a principal suit which sinful Man hath daily to present to God Now when we are sensible of sin How comfortable is it to come to God in the Name of this Lord and Mediatour who came on purpose to take away sin and hath satisfied God's Justice and Merited God's favour and mercy for us and liveth in Heaven to plead the Merit of his Sacrifice 4. As we are incouraged greatly to expect the graces and favours needful so we are as deeply engaged to the returns of Love Service and Obedience and that not onely as oblig'd in point of gratitude but as inclin'd suited and fitted for as we are for God so we are by him I say we are obliged in gratitude for the many Blessings which are procured and conveyed to us by the Mediatour If we have all things from God and all things by him and we Christians more than ordinary Creatures surely we should in a singular manner fulfil his Will and seek his Glory 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus Iudge that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again And not onely are we obliged but inabled and inclined We for him there is our duty in the first clause We by him there is our help Ephes. 2.10 We are his workmanship in Christ Iesus created unto good works Not onely by him so as to perform it acceptably but by him so as to perform it chearfully and with all readiness of Mind It relateth to our assistance as well as our acceptance There is the Spirit to help our infirmities which is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord Titus 3.6 So we are by him that is are fitted for the Service of God and put into a capacity to please him IV. Who are the parties interested in these Comforts and most concerned in these Duties The Apostle saith here To us there is but one God and one Lord meaning to us Christians all those that own God and worship God by the Mediatour Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him VVho are they Some will not come to God others not by him They and they onely are the persons that enjoy the benefit of this Mediation who come to God by him and that Two ways 1. They come to God by him who take upon them the profession of being his servants and obedient subjects in Christ. The bare profession bringeth us somewhat nearer to God Thus the People of Israel are said to be a People nigh unto God Psal. 148.14 They were a step nearer to God than the Gentiles So the Profession of Christianity bringeth us near unto God Who were sometime afar off but now are made near by the blood of Christ Ephes. 2.13 Before they were afar off from God from his Church his Covenant and Communion with him in his Ordinances Surely 't is some advantage to come so near to God by Christ as to have Union and Communion with the visible Church of Christ they are in that Society and Community of Men who are under God's special care and government above the rest of the World and where they enjoy the means of Salvation and such ordinarily by which God useth to convey his choicest Blessings These have a benefit above those who are wholly without the Church as having an offer of the Gospel-benefits though not a right to them They are nearer at hand and in Grace's way and may sooner understand that Christ is a Means chosen and used by God to bring home sinners to himself and by the Christian Doctrine currant amongst them which they know and profess to believe have a Dogmatical Faith at least that God is the Supream Fountain of all Happiness and Christ the onely way to him and have the common conditional pardoning Covenant sounding in their ears continually wherein God offereth to be a God and Father to them in Christ and telleth them what he will be and do to and for all those that do come in and submit to this Covenant 2. These come to God by him who really enter into the Evangelick estate and are converted by an unfeigned Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 20 21. Repentance respects God as our Supream Lord and chief happiness and Faith our Lord Jesus Christ as the onely one Mediatour When you turn from Sin Self and Satan unto God then you come to him for certainly the farther we depart from Sin the nearer we come to God Now this coming is by Christ. The Sinner that is turned from the Creature to God and from Sin to Holiness is also turned from Self to Christ who is the onely Means of our Recovery by his Merit and efficacy reconciling us to God and changing our hearts by the one restoring us to his Favour by the other to his Image Therefore a turning our selves from our sins with a resolution to forsake them without a reflection upon Christ is but a Natural Religion not Evangelical The Evangelical Religion is a coming to God by Christ or as it is described by the Apostle Heb. 10.22 A drawing nigh with a true heart and in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Those that are justified by the Merit and Sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and fully resolving intirely and unfeignedly upon the duties of the Gospel depending upon the Promises thereof these indeed have one God for their Father and one Lord Jesus Christ for their Redeemer and Saviour Till a Man be renewed and reconciled sanctified