Worship and Conversation He did indeed observe the way of the Christian Worship which they called Sectarisme or Heresie and Paul was accused to be a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens verse 5. But yet this was agreeable enough to the Religion of the Iews for the substance which he proveth by his Faith Hope Carriage and Conversation Here is in effect all Christianity delivered to us in one prospect and view 1. An Account of his Faith at the bottom of all Believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets 2. His Hope as the immediate fruit of it And have hope towards God And the principal Object is The resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust When we shall injoy the full of what we wait for 3. An Account of his Manners where you have a brief Description of a Christian Conversation Herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men My business is not to discuss all these branches of Christianity apart and in their full Latitude but to give you the summ and Delineation of all Religion in one view Therefore observe Doct. That true Christianity is such a believing the truths contained in the Scriptures as produceth an hope of Eternal Life and is expressed in an impartial uniform and constant obedience Here is Pauls Apology Faith at the bottom Hope as the immediate Effect and Product of it and an Holy Conversation as the fruit and consequent The same Method is observed in other Scriptures as 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned The Commandment is the Gospel-Institution and this received with a pure Heart and Faith unfeigned produceth a good Conscience which shews it self in love to God and Men by a true and lively Faith in Christ The Holy Ghost purifieth the Heart and Conscience and so produceth Love 2 Pet. 1.5 6. Add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness In the Chain of Graces Faith is the Root of all I shall 1. Examine the Expressions here used 2. Give some Reasons why this is true Christianity I. Examine the Expressions here used First Concerning Faith Believing all things that are written in the law and the prophets 1. Here is the Object or things believed Things written in the law and the prophets 2. The Extent All 3. The Act believing First The Object Things written in the law and the prophets Law and Prophets is an expression commonly used for all the Scripture then extant Matth. 11.13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until Iohn And Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them The Books of the Old Testament are thus called We Christians who have received the Canon and Rule of Faith more inlarged are said to be built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles Eph. 2.20 So that now the Object of our Faith is Prophets and Apostles The Object of Faith may be considered Formally or Materially Materially Such things as God hath revealed Formally Because God hath revealed them If God hath revealed what is in the Writings of the Apostles then we are to believe them God's Veracity is the ground and support of our Faith into which it is ultimately resolved His Instruments in revealing are the Prophets and Apostles We know God hath revealed the things written by them partly because these Writings are delivered to us by the Universal Tradition of the Church and the Testimony of Christians thorough all Successions of Ages in whose experience God hath blessed these Writings for Conviction Conversion and Consolation And partly because of the consent between the Prophets and the Apostles the one foretelling whatever the other declared as accomplished Acts 26.22 Having therefore obtained help of God I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come Partly because the Doctrines have an impress of God upon them as every thing that hath passed his hand hath How do I know a Flie Gnat or any other Creature to be made by God God hath set his signature upon them Psal. 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work So the Scriptures agree with the Nature and Properties of God As God is Wise Powerful and Good these Doctrines become his Wisdom they have the stamp of his Moral Goodness which is his Holiness and as for his Power they that feel it not fear it Iohn 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved There is something that alarmeth the Conscience And partly because it agreeth with the Nature of Man so far as a Man hath any good left in him It agreeth with the necessities of Man his guilty Fears and his Desires of Happyness For his guilty Fears Men that by reason of Sin are afraid of Gods Justice cannot be quieted by any other means but are by this Ier. 6.16 Stand ye in the wayes and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and you shall find rest for your souls Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all you that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest In Life and Death the Conscience is quieted So for desires of Happiness Men rove and grope about for some satisfying good Acts 17.27 That they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him And Psalm 4.6 There be many that say who will shew us any good Life and Immortality are brought to light in the Scriptures and the way to obtain it clearly revealed Psalm 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Partly because God hath witnessed and attested it by his Spirit Acts 5.32 We are witnesses of these things and so is also the holy Ghost Without by Miracles and other wonderful Effects within by inlightning the Heart and Mind inclining and exciting us to believe it upon these Motives and Arguments 2 Cor. 4 6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ so as to discern Gods Impress Upon these accounts we receive what is written in the Prophets and Apostles as revealed by God Secondly The Extent All things A Believer receiveth all Truths which are of Divine Revelation whether Precepts Promises Threatnings Doctrines or Histories But then we must distinguish of an implicite or explicite Faith With the latter we can only believe those things which we know what we know not we cannot believe with an explicite
This dependeth upon the sense of my qualification and interest and is confirmed by experience of God's Love to my Soul for Grace hath the force of an Evidence and Pledge 2. Observe That he pitcheth upon the Resurrection as the great thing hoped for Because then is our full and final Happiness We do not believe in Christ unless we believe in him for Eternal Life 1 Tim. 1.16 That in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting Iohn 20.31 But these things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name This is the great thing which we hope wait and labour for No body would trouble themselves about Religion which abridgeth us of present Delights and exposeth us to great Troubles and Sufferings but for these things Who would deny himself and devote himself intirely to God but for these things 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable but at the Resurrection all shall be recompensed to us all the Effects of Sin cease 3. Observe That he proposeth the double Resurrection of good and bad all that ever lived shall be judged and rewarded whether good or evil though with an hope to be found among the good and among the Sheep not the Goats This is the true way of Christian Reflection upon the great day however we are assured of our own Interest that whilest we strengthen Faith and Hope we weaken the security of the Flesh. Some may miscarry though I have hopes to be accepted 1 Cor. 9.26 27. I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection least that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away We have a Covenant wherein to trust as long as we continue faithful with God and deny the Flesh its satisfactions III. See what account he giveth of his Manners and Conversation verse 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence bâ—th towards God and towards men Observe here Three things 1. The Incouragement 2. The Integrity of his Obedience 3. The laborious diligence wherewith he carried it on First His Incouragement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interpreters diversly expound this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interea temporis in the mean time till Faith be turned into Vision Hope into Fruition There is a time between believing and possessing hoping and having and during that time there is much exercise for our Faith and Patience Heb. 6.12 That ye be not sloathful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by vertue of this Faith and Hope upon this Hope and Incouragement Faith and a good Conscience are often coupled 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned We cannot keep the one without the other not a good Conscience without Faith nor Faith without a good Conscience Not the first for no Man will make conscience of his Duty unless he believeth in God and hopeth for Salvation for unless we believe in God and hope for his promises we shall not be so careful to keep a good Conscience by eschewing evil and doing good Sometimes Faith is said to work by Love and sometimes by Hope By Love Gal. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love The Soul is never fit for Duty till it be possessed with the love of God and Man Sometimes by Hope 1 Iohn 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as God is pure And the second is evident for it is said 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack Any great Lust cherished will destroy our Faith and Hopes as a Man cannot long subsist in a leaky Vessel So 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mystery of Faith in a pure conscience precious liquors are best kept in a clean Vessel Secondly The Integrity of his Obedience set forth in all the necessary requisites 1. There is sincerity asserted For his Conscience was in it and a good Conscience Now Conscience is that faculty which is apt to take Gods part and is the judgment a Man maketh upon his Actions morally considered in order to praise and dispraise reward and punishment and the goodness of Conscience consisteth in its ability to do its Office in its clearness purity tenderness quietness or peaceableness For its clearness A blind Conscience is an evil Conscience for without knowledge the heart is not good Prov. 9.2 as a judge that understandeth not the Lawes of the Countrey is unfit to give judgment in any matter that cometh before him or as a dim Eye cannot do the Office of an eye so a blind Conscience is no competent Judge of our Duty to God So for the purity of Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 Not the putting away of the filthiness of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God And Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good conscience willing in all things to live honestly A good Conscience is an heart set to please God in all things an heart hating Sin and loving Holiness Again Tenderness is another property of a good Conscience when it is wakeful and smiteth for Sin upon all occasions offered This property may be understood by what the Apostle saith of Heathens for gross Sins Rom. 2.15 Which shew the work of the law written on their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean time accusing or else excusing one another In David 1 Sam. 24.5 Davids heart smoâ—e him because he had cut off Sauls skirt And by what Iob saith chap. 27.6 My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live The opposite is a â—eared Conscience that hath no feeling 1 Tim. 4.2 Having their consciences seared with a hot iron This we contract by frequent hainous sinning or by a customary practice of that which is evil by which the heart groweth as hard as the High-way which is trod upon Quietness of Conscience is another property whereby the goodness of it is discerned only this quietness must arise from the former properties else it is a dead sleepy seared Conscience For in this we must consider not who hath most quiet but who hath most cause As in Buildings not the fairness of the Structure but the foundation of it is to be regarded There is a quiet evil Conscience Luke 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace When Wind and Tyde go together there is a Calm but the quiet good Conscience is
13.1 2 3. Though I speak with the Tongues of Men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal And though I have the gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing A Man may be burnt in the flames and yet not at all acceptable to God Dive into all mysteries of Religion yet not be affected with them cast out Devils yet be cast out among Devils give his goods to the poor yet have his Soul full of vain-glory speak eloquently and accurately of God and Christ yet not have his Heart subdued to God Yet a Man cannot have Charity and be upon ill terms with Christ all that love him are beloved of him Vse 1. is of Exhortation to join with your Knowledge of God Love to God Motives 1. From the reward and benefit Is it not a great Mercy to be known of God and to be approved in the sentence of his Word Gal. 5.6 In Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love To be chosen accepted and avouched to be his peculiar people 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha compared with Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Iesus Christ in sincerity To be owned in his Ordinances The great feast of the Gospel is prepared for such 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entered into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him To be regarded in his Providence above all the dwellers on Earth Psal. 56.8 Thou tellest my wandrings put thou my tears into thy Bottle are they not in thy book Though they seem base and vile in the Eyes of Men can scarce cleanse themselves yet they are accepted of God Our friends will not know us in adversity and the rich will not know the poor yet God knoweth them and owneth them how despicable soever they be Psal. 34.6 This poor Man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles God's approbation is more worth than the approbation of all the World 2 Cor. 10.18 Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth And at the last day when every Man shall receive his final doom and sentence they shall be admited to glory Iam. 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 Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 2. From the duty 1. There is no true knowledge else We do but talk like Parrots of God and Christ though with never so much subtilty and accuracy till we love him Iud. 16.15 How canst thou say I love thee when thy Heart is not with me Rom. 2.20 An Instructer of the foolish a Teacher of Babes which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2. The design of the Scripture is to teach us the holy art of loving God It is a book written of love wherein is recommended the love of God to us in Creation Providence Redemption and final glorification that by hearing reading meditating therein there may be begotten in us love to God again 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned 3. The love of Christ is the vigour and life of all that grace that is wrought in us by the Spirit 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear but of Power of Love and of a sound Mind 4. The whole work of a Christian is a work of Love to love God and be like to him Deut. 10.12 What doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and all thy Soul A Christian is rewarded as a Lover rather than as a Servant not as doing work but as doing work out of love Vse 2. Examination Do we know God so as to love him Many will say God forbid we should live else if we do not love God But do you indeed love him Christ puts Peter to the question thrice Iohn 21.15 16 17. Iesus saith to Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these c. Others on the other side will say how can we know that we love God Burning fire cannot be hidden do what you can you cannot conceal it If you really love any person there will not need many signs to discern it No you will bewray it on all occasions by looks speeches gestures thoughts and endeavours to please Or if you love things will not a covetous Man bewray his love of Money an ambitious Man his love of honour a voluptuous Man his delight in pleasures Let him conceal it if he can But it is not love but the sincerity of love that is so difficult to be found out Well then that is known partly by the degree partly by the proper effect 1. By the degree If you love God you will love him above all All things must give way to his Love Psal. 63.3 Because thy loving kindness is better than life my Lips shall praise thee You will be content to do and suffer any thing rather than displease God and lose his favour for that is your all But alas how far are we from the love of God who are so addicted to self-love and carnal desires and governed by the relishes of the Flesh and intangled in Earthly and Worldly things Can we adhere to him in time of danger and temptation 2. By the proper effect which is obedience doing his Will seeking his Glory promoting his Interest Many think it is love if they keep solemn feasts in his memory seem to be very devout at certain set times at Christmass and Easter No it is a constant respect in those that profess his name and an obedience to his commands Others think they love him If they languish after comforts No ready obedience is all Then Love hath done its work 1 Iohn 2.5 Who so keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected Hereby know we that we are in him Vse 3. Direction to us in the Lords Supper Let us rouse up our selves in this duty this holy and mystical Supper which Christ departing out of the World ordained to be
awe we cannot imagine that any would provoke these Serpents to sting him that he might be healed So say I as the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.1 These things I write unto you that ye sin not And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous For the present stings of Conscience is one of Gods Rods over us but when we fall there is forgiveness by Jesus Christ. As Peter of Alexandria destroyd the Idols but only left one for a Monument 3. The Nature of Faith which is a looking to Christ. It is usually said that Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eye of the soul certain it is that the Act of Faith is often expressed by seeing or looking and Faith its self by an Eye as Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced So Isa. 17.7 At that day a man shall look to his maker and his eyes shall have respect to the holy one of Israel So Iohn 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the son and believeth on him may have everlasting life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Faith is described to be the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 By Faith Moses saw him that was invisible Heb. 11.27 Heb. 12.2 Looking to Iesus So Faith its self is said to be the Eye of the Soul Eph. 1.18 That the eyes of your understandings being opened Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you The Mistery of Christ crucified was so evidently set forth as if he had been crucified before their Eyes So where the work of Faith is impeded and hindred it is said the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 That is hindred their Faith Therefore I shall here inquire 1. What sights are proper to Faith 2. What kind of looking Faith is 1. The Objects proper to Faith are Matters that lie out of the view of sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that cannot be seen by any other faculty or discerning power Some things are invisible in regard of their Nature and some things because of their distance from us because either they are past or to come Things invisible because of their Nature are all Spiritual things which are not obvious to the Eye of Sense Sense is only conversant about Bodily things which may be seen heard tasted or felt Reason can only see things in their Causes Things invisible by reason of their distance are either things past as the Creation of the World or the Sufferings of Christ or things to come as the Glory and Happiness of the other World Let us explain this by applying it to the matter in hand the Son of Man lifted up on the Cross. This was sometimes a matter of Sense namely at the time when Christ suffered and therefore then if a Man had seen him or looked upon him it had done him no good as it did not to those that wagged their heads at him and mocked him though it did to the Centurion who cryed out Matth. 27.54 Truly this was the Son of God But in another regard this is alwaies matter of Faith namely if we consider his Deity and Offices As the Son of God dying and healing wounded Consciences this is a thing invisible in its Nature Therefore the Souldiers that turned Subjects to him and Confessors of his Name even then when he is hanging dead on the Cross they that could see his God-head and confess it in its deepest Humiliation were Believers they saw Christ not with the Eye of Sense but of Faith Now go to the other things invisible viz. by reason of their distance because they are either to come or past Christ crucified was sometimes a thing to come The Fathers had need of clear Eyes who could see Salvation at such a distance and represented under such dark Figures and Shadows yet some had such an Eagle-Eye of Faith Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Iohn 8.56 and Heb. 11.13 All these dyed in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them To us now it is a thing past there needeth faith both to believe the History and the Mistery too When we believe the History so clearly as if we saw it Gal. 3.1 That is Faith And the Mistery 1 Cor. 2.2 For I determined to know nothing among you but Iesus Christ and him crucified and verse 4. My speech and my preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this demonstration of the spirit is the ground of Faith when the Object is so represented that it maketh a powerful impression and so affected as if we had seen him with our Eyes Well then it is some Faith to believe the History to see it as a thing now done So Iohn 20.29 Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed But to believe the end and the use that was alwaies matter of Faith whether past present or to come And herein all Believers stand upon the same level Christ is not now lifted up upon the Cross but it is our Duty to lift him up that poor Sinners and wounded Consciences may look on him with an Eye of Faith Isa. 11.10 There shall be a root of Iesse which shall stand for an ensign of the people to it shall the Gentiles seek Isa. 49.22 Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring thy sons in their armes and thy daughters shall be carryed upon their shoulders Christ is lifted up in the Ministry of the Word as a sign of Salvation to draw people to him so to see him as to follow him and as to submit to him If David prayed God to open his eyes to see the wonders of his law Psalm 119.18 We may much more pray to God to open our Eyes to see Christ and own him in the Gospel and to see him crucified in the Symbols of Bread and Wine for our comfort 2. We have shewed you what is to be seen by Faith now what kind of sight Faith is Not a bare speculation but such as was the look of the Israelites on the Brazen Serpent serious applicative affectionate ingaging to Thankfulness and Obedience when they went away and were healed 1. Serious not a glance but a fixed Eye A stung Israelite would not cast a careless glance on the Sign of Salvation and Health neither should we upon Christ. Ponderous thoughts take hold of the Heart musing maketh the Fire to burn and a steady sight hath the greatest influence upon us 2. Applicative So Iob 5.27 Hear it and know thou it for thy good The Israelite came for the cure of
took our Natures though the Crime of our first Parents had made it hateful to God and the consequent Miseries shewed it was not to be valued He that was a Judge of would become a Party and appear for us and answer in our Nature what might be required of us 3. It supports against the Terribleness of God's Majesty How can Men dwell with God Stubble with devouring Burnings If our Nature be taken into a personal Union with God it rendereth it more reconcilable to our Thoughts God incarnate born of a Virgin carried in the Womb rocked in a Cradle sucking of a Breast growing up by degrees going up and down and doing good when dying on the Cross lying in the Grave it mightily abateth our Fears 4. Against the pollution of our Natures which is so ingrained that it cannot be easily wrought off His own holy Nature is a Pledge of the Work of Grace He that separated our Nature in his own Person from all the pollution of his Ancestors he can purifie our Persons and heal our Natures how polluted soever So many as there are in the Story of Christ's Nativity Mat. 1. so many Miracles there are of Grace in that he prevented the Infection conveyed by such and such a one 5. Against the Mindlesness which Unbelief supposeth to be in God of Human Affairs especially of the Calamities of his People Now Christ hath taken the Communion of our Natures and Miseries as a pledge and sign of his Pity Heb. 2.17 He was made like his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest He would intender his Heart by Experience and inure himself to all our Sorrows 6. Against the doubt of Strangeness and that he will take no notice of our Request being so remote from him We may with the more confidence go to him with whom we communicate in Natures There is a natural Bond between him and us we are of the same Stock and Substance 7. Against the fear of Arrogancy in the assuming of the Priviledge of Adoption Surely he will bestow this Priviledge on a returning Sinner For if he be not ashamed to call us Brethren God will not be ashamed to be called our God Heb. 11.16 5 Use. Think of this for your Comfort We have an Unity with Christ in Nature that we may be encouraged to look after the Gifts which he dispenses that we may be one with him in Spirit We may the more chearfully come to him because he took our Nature for this end and purpose especially does this concern you that come to the Lord's Table The Meat that is set afore you is the Flesh of Christ his Humane Nature is the Food of your Souls It 's not enough that Christ the Son of God was partaker of our Flesh and Blood but we must also be partakers of his Flesh and Blood i. e. There must be a true Union and Communion with that Flesh and that Body and that Blood which Christ assumed into his Person and delivered up to Death for us all For Christ as the Son of Man in our Flesh is Head of the Mystical Body of which we are Members The Humane Nature is the Cistern in which the Spirit dwells without measure and of whose Fulness we all receive Grace for Grace that is the Temple in which the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily the Tree of Life whose Leaves heal the Nations In this Temple must we dwell into this Tree must we be grafted that we may become one with him and live by him So the Apostle tells us Eph. 5.30 For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his Bones That is not only of one nature with him which is common to them with all Mankind but as Members of one Mystical Body with him Not as God but as God-man We all draw our Spiritual Life and Nourishment from those things which Christ has done in our Flesh. For this end was the Lord's Supper instituted that we might be partakers of the Flesh and Blood of Christ not only of Bread and Wine but Flesh and Blood it self How so Not with our Mouth and Teeth but Spiritually by Faith with an hungry Conscience and Spiritual desires That which we do receive is not only the benefits which flow from Christ but the very Body and Blood of Christ That is Christ himself Crucified As none can be partaker of the Virtue of the Bread and Wine to his Bodily sustenance unless he do first receive the Substance of those Creatures so neither can any be partaker of the benefits arising from Christ to his Spiritual relief except he first have Communion with Christ himself We must have the Son before we have Life 1 Iohn 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life and we must eat him if we will live by him Iohn 6.57 Well then this is our great business to be partakers of Christ. Now in partaking of Christ we begin at his Humane Nature his Flesh and Blood Iohn 6.53 His Cross and his Death His Body and Blood 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Christ as dying becomes fit Food for Hungry Sinners So only is he suitable to their necessities Certainly the hunger is not that of the body for a Meal but that of the Conscience for a Saviour In this sense the flesh profits nothing but the spirit quickens Iohn 6.62 A man is not better nor a jot the holier nor the further from the second Death if he had filled his Belly with it 'T is a Spiritual eating by Faith that brings quickning and Life an applying of Christ as a Saviour in our Nature Well then His Flesh was given as the price of Life Iohn 6.51 The Bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world This is the first receptacle of our Spiritual Life and being laid hold on by Faith is the Conduit to convey Life to us But the Author of all is his Spirit being and dwelling in us That same Flesh and Humane Nature of Christ which was offered up a ransom to justice is also the Bread of Life for Souls to feed upon tho' the quickning Efficacy and Virtue flow from the Godhead to which his Flesh is united 2. Doctrine That Christ having taken our nature upon him is not ashamed to accept and acknowledge us for Brethren What cause of shame there might be in it we intimated before in the Explication Notwithstanding our meanness and unworthyness and his own glory and excellency Divines observe That he never giveth his Disciples the title of Brethren but after his Resurrection before Servants little Children and Friends were their usual designations But then expresly he calleth them Brethren Servants Iohn 13.13 14. Ye call me Lord and Master and ye
inclining the Heart to obey out of the sense of God's Love and encouraging us by Faith drawing Strength from Christ and looking to God for our Acceptance from him Some Works of the Unregenerate are materially good but it is not the Matter maketh the Work good but the Principle The Works of unregenerate Men are done by God's Enemies out of the strength of a corrupt Will for carnal Ends without any Conscience of God's Will or Respect to his Glory But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are giftless Gifts But now these done by Persons in a gracious State are as good Fruit growing on a good Tree Grace teacheth he speaketh not of the external Direction of the Gospel but the internal working of Grace in the Heart it worketh by Faith Love and Obedience Obedience owneth the Obligation Love inclineth to discharge the Duty and Faith looketh up to God for Help and Acceptance that we may do it in Christ and for Christ's sake to God's Glory There is a free loving Subjection of the whole Man inward and outward to the whole Will of God with a Desire to please him 2. That Grace and Corruption draw several Inferences and Conclusions from the same Premisses A Bee gathereth Hony from whence a Spider sucketh Poison Corrupt Nature is out in Conclusions Prov. 26.9 As a Thorn goeth up into the Hand of a Drunkard so is a Parable in the Mouth of Fools Let us do Evil that Grace may abound says a corrupt Heart Let us deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts says a gracious Person God doth all says a corrupt Heart therefore we need but lie upon the Bed of Ease and expect his Help No says a gracious Soul Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good Pleasure The Epicure says the time is short Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 The Apostle argues otherwise 1 Cor. 7.29 Brethren I say unto you the time is short it remaineth that they that have Wives be as tho they had none c. So 2 Sam. 7.2 Then the King said unto Nathan the Prophet See now I dwell in an House of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains compared with Hag. 1.2 This People say The time is not come the time that the Lord's House should be built Eli said 1 Sam. 3.18 It is of the Lord let him do what seemeth him good The King of Israel said 2 King 6.33 Behold this Evil is of the Lord why should I wait for the Lord any longer We are apt to stumble in God's plainest Ways Carnal Logick is one of our greatest Corruptions 3. That it is the greatest Wrong one can do to Grace to slacken any part of our Duty for Grace's sake Jude 4. Vngodly Men turning the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they hale it besides its purpose There is no such Teacher of Holiness as Grace it teacheth and giveth a Heart to learn They know not what Grace meaneth that grow wanton vain and sensual to make Grace Sin 's Lacky is a vile Abuse Rom. 6.15 What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid You are under Grace therefore yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the Dead and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God ver 13. As Fulvius said to his Son when he slew him I begot thee not for Cataline but for thy Country God justified us not that we might live to Satan but to himself Vse 2. Of Trial. Whether we are made Partakers of the Grace of God in the Gospel Have we these Teachings and Arguings Many can endure to hear that Grace bringeth Salvation but that it teacheth us to deny Ungodliness there they flinch Men would have us offer Salvation and preach Promises but when we press Duty they cry out this is a hard saying The Cities of Refuge under the Law were all Cities of the Levites and Schools of Instruction to note that whoever taketh Sanctuary at Grace meeteth Instruction it is no benefit to thee else In the general doth it perswade you to make a willing Resignation of your selves to God 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 Every time you think of Mercy do ye find some Constraint in this kind More particularly 1. Doth it press you to deny Lusts Ezra 9.13 14. Seeing thou hast given us such Deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandments Doth it recoil upon you Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great Wickedness and sin against God Is this your Kindness to your Friend 2. Doth it press you to good 1 John 5.3 This is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous When God maketh a motion by his Word or the Counsels of his Spirit Well! I cannot deny it what a small Service is this I owe to God as Iacob served seven Years for Rachel and they seemed unto him but a few days for the Love he had to her Gen. 29.20 And Shechem underwent the pain of Circumcision for Dinah's sake Obs. 2. Grace teacheth us both to depart from Evil and also to do Good Psal. 34.15 Depart from Evil and do good Isa. 1.16 17. Cease to do Evil learn to do Well We must do both because God hates Evil and delights in Good we must hate what God hates and love what God loves That is true Friendship eadem velle nolle to will and nill the same thing I durst not sin God hates it I durst not omit this Duty God loves it Again our Obedience must carry a proportion with the Divine Mercy Now God's Mercy is not only privative but positive God not only spares and delivers us from Hell but saves and brings us to Heaven The Lord God is a Sun and Shield Psal. 84.11 Not only a Shield to keep us from Danger but a Sun to afford us Comfort and Blessing Therefore it is fit our Obedience should be both privative and positive not only cease to do Evil but learn to do Well as the description of a Godly Man runs Psal. 1.1 2. Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the Counsel of the Vngodly nor standeth in the Way of Sinners nor sitteth in the Seat of the Scornful But that is not enough but his delight is in the Law of the Lord. Again we must have Communion with Christ in all his Acts in his Death and in his Resurrection and therefore we must not only mortify Sin but be quickned to Holiness of Conversation He that hath Communion with Christ in one Act hath Communion with him in all and therefore if we have been planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the
passionate still a Christian is tried by the revenge he takes upon his own Sin his master-Lust Again not only Sins which lie at a distance from our Interest but Sins that bring us most Profit and Advantage In these things God tries us it is the offering up of our Isaac our Darling In a corrupt World some things bring Credit and Profit but as for the right Hand the right Eye we must pluck out the one and cut off the other Mat. 5.29 30. If thy right Eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell And if thy right Hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell Cannot we do so much for God and for Grace's sake I might give you several Reasons one Sin is contrary to God as well as another There 's the same aversion from an eternal Good in all things though the manner of Conversion to the Creature be different Again one Sin is contrary to the Law of God as well as another there 's a contempt of the same Authority in all Sins God's Command binds and it is of force in lesser Sins as well as greater and therefore they that bear any respect to the Law of God must hate all Sin Psal. 119.113 I hate vain Thoughts but thy Law do I love God hath given a Law to the Thoughts to the sudden workings of the Spirit as well as to Actions that are more deliberate and therefore if we love the Law we should hate every lesser Contrariety to it even a vain Thought And all Sin proceedeth from the same Corruption therefore if we would subdue and mortify it we must renounce all Sin He that hateth any Sin as Sin hates all Sin for there 's the same reason to hate every Sin Hatred Philosophers say is to the whole Kind A Man that hates a Toad as a Toad hates every one of the Kind with the same kind of hatred must we hate every Sin Again one Sin let alone is very dangerous One Leak in a Ship if unstopped and neglected may endanger the Vessel One Sin let alone and allowed and indulged may quite ruin the Soul A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump A Man may ride right for a long time but one turn in the end of his Journey brings him quite out of the way If you do many things yet if you commit any Sin with leave and licence from Conscience you are guilty of all Sin James 1.10 Whoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one Point he is guilty of all As one condition not observed forfeits the whole Lease There is an Indenture drawn between us and God and every Article of this Covenant must be observed If we willingly give way and allowance to the least Breach we forfeit all the Grace of the Covenant Vse 1. Direction what to do in the Business of Mortification We must deny all Ungodliness not a Hoof must be left in Egypt Grace will not stand with any allowed Sin and in demolishing the old Building not one Stone must be left upon another 1. In your Purpose and Resolution you must make Satan no Allowance he standeth lurking as Pharaoh did with Moses and Aaron first he would let them go three days into the Wilderness then he permitted them to take their little Ones with them but they would not go without their Cattel their Flocks and their Herds also they would not leave any thing no not a Hoof behind them So the Devil would have a part left as a Pledg that in time the whole Man may fall to his share 2 Kings 5.18 In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant that when my Master goeth into the House of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my Hand and I bow my self in the House of Rimmon when I bow my self in the House of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing We would grant Christ any thing so he would excuse us in our beloved Sins We complain of the Times and set up a Toleration in our Hearts some right Hand or right Eye that we are loth to part with something there is wherein we would be excused and expect an allowance either outward as in Fashions Customs ways of Profit and Advantage or inward some Passions and carnal Affections that we would indulge Grace will not stand with any allowed Sin Herod did many things but he kept his Herodias still He turneth from no Sin that doth not in his Purpose and Resolution turn from all Sin he doth not break off an acquaintance with Sin but rather make choice what Sin he will keep and what he will part with The Apostle speaks Col. 2.11 of putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. We must not cut off one Member or one Joint but the whole Body totum Corpus licet non totaliter the whole Body of Sin tho we cannot wholly be rid of it Dispense not there where Christ hath not dispensed 2. We should often examine our Hearts lest there lurk some Vice whereof we think our selves free Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our Ways and turn again to the Lord. Compleat Reformation is grounded upon a serious search and trial As those that kept the Passeover were not to have a jot of Leaven in their Houses and therefore they were to search their Houses for Leaven such a narrow search should there be to discover whatever hath been amiss Commune with your selves Is there not a jot of Leaven yet left somewhat that God hateth some correspondence with God's Enemies Is there nothing left that is displeasing to God Thus should we often bring our Hearts and our Ways and the Word together 3. Desire God to shew you if there be any thing left that is grievous to his Spirit Job 34.32 That which I see not teach thou me There are many Sins I see but more that I do not see Lord shew them to me So David appealeth to God who must judg and punish Conscience Psal. 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my Heart try me and know my Thoughts and see if there be any wicked Way in me and lead me in the Way everlasting Can you thus appeal to God and say Lord I desire not to continue in any known Sin 4. When any Sins break out set upon the mortification of them Do not neglect the least Sins they are of dangerous Consequence but renew thy Peace with God judging thy self for them and mourning for them avoiding Temptations cutting off the Provision for the Flesh. 1 Cor. 9.27 But I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection The Leper was to shave off his Hair and if it grew again he was still to keep shaving
these two Prophets Moses and Elias Mat. 17.4 Heaven is called not only a Palace but a City a World to come where there is a Multitude which no Man can number This for the Parts of this Happiness 2. For the Manner and Degree of enjoying it is full We are filled with the Fulness of God and shall eternally lose our selves in an Ocean of Sweetness the Soul is more capable stretched out to the greatest Capacity of a Creature yet God filleth it Here we have but a few drops there we shall be filled up to the Brim and have as much as we can hold Psal. 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness There shall be compleat Joy and Satisfaction all Want Sorrow and Sin shall be done away we shall enter into our Master's Joy We do not say the Sea entreth into a Bucket or Cup or a River into a Man In Heaven the Soul is so full of Joy and Glory as is inexpressible 3. For the Duration of it it is eternal Our Happiness is immortal we can never lose it which doubleth the Joy and Contentment of that State God's Love is everlasting and so shall our Happiness be there will be no fear of losing it Rev. 22.5 They shall reign for ever and ever We shall never lay aside our Diadem of Glory it is a Garland that shall not wither It is not only a certain and eternal State but a State of actual Delights Christ's Manifestations are not lessened by Enjoyment but they are like the Widow's Barrel of Meal and Cruse of Oil never spent but we shall always have the actual Comfort of his Presence SERMON XV. TITUS II. 13 That blessed Hope c. Vse 1. FOR Information in seven Particulars 1. That the Children of God are not so miserable as they appear they have other Hopes and Enjoyments than are seen a large Estate that lies in an invisible Country it is not Terra incognita a Land unknown but it is a Land unseen Pearls and precious things lie out of sight so doth the Glory and Blessedness of a Christian. Our Happiness is a Mystery to a carnal Heart it lieth in another World 1 Iohn 3.2 It doth not yeâ— appear what we shall be Here we have a Right but the Children of God are subject to the Chances and Accidents of the present World as well as others Our Happiness is only to be seen with a spiritual Eye and with spiritual Light Ephes. 1.18 The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being opened that ye may know what is the Hope of your Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints However Christians seem in the Eye of the World mean afflicted despicable yet they are blessed Creatures Look as Beasts know not the Excellency of a Man so carnal Men know not the Excellency of the Saints The Whore of Babylon the corrupt Church is set out in her glorious Out-side with a Golden Cup so carnal Men saith the Apostle make a fair shew in the Flesh Gal 6.12 that is excel in Pomp and Worldly Splendor but a Christian's Glory and Blessedness is under a Vail and Disguise which shall not be fully taken off till the Day of Judgment Col. 3.3 4. Your Life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory Look as in a Dark-lanthorn the Light is hid till the Cover be removed little of the brightness of the Light is seen So there is an Eclipse upon the Christian's Glory now it is covered and vailed and therefore now the Christian passeth under Censures and Reproaches thus was Christ in the World and we must be like him but then all shall be discovered A Garden and a Field differ little in Winter so doth a Christian and other Men till the great Imperial Day of Christ then shall we put on our best Robes Yea this Happiness in a great part is hidden from our selves If we hearken to Sense and present Experience there is not such a miserable sort of People in the World as God's dearest Servants are 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this Life only we have hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable It is true by the Perspective of Faith we may have a glimpse now and then Holy Meditation strikes out and opens a Window into the New Ierusalem and we have some sight of it A young Heir doth not know the Particulars of his Estate neither do we exactly know the Happiness of our Portion and Inheritance in Light 2. It informs us what Cause we have not only to be patient but to be thankful during the time of our Pilgrimage here while we are liable to Sin and Sorrow we may bless God afore-hand That 's one Reason why God hath revealed these things before we came to enjoy them that we may give Thanks for our Hopes Abraham when he had only a Grant and a Promise of Canaan not a Foot of Land actually possest there he built an Altar and offered Sacrifice and Praise Gen. 13.17 18. So this is one Effect of the certainty of Faith it beginneth the Life and Work of Heaven and can praise God before enjoyment Though we be subject to Sin and Misery here yet in despight of Sense Faith will praise God and rejoice in him before we enjoy him Thus the Apostle blesseth God for his Hopes 1 Pet. 1.3 4. 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 unto an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Certainly we may bless God where God blesseth us our Blessing is but the Eccho of his Ephes. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And therefore we have cause to bless him for our Hopes as well as our Enjoyments for the best of our Portion is to come therefore whenever we think of Eternity we should presently fall a blessing of God however it be with us for the present To this end let me shew you how much we expect and how much we are engaged to every Person of the God-head 1 st How much we do expect There is freedom from Eternal Torments and possession of Eternal Glory 2 Thess. 1.10 Even Iesus who hath delivered us from VVrath to come Wrath present is nothing to Wrath to come Now God manageth all things by Creatures and no Creature is sufficient to manifest all God's Wrath. Those Everlasting Flames that are the Portion of the Damned this is that from which we are delivered We tremble at the Name of Hell what should we do at the sense of those Torments that are without End and Ease The Gripes of Conscience for an Hour how terrible are they Then what is
the Fruit of his Sufferings When Christ was about to die he made his last Will and Testament Heaven was his by Purchase to bestow upon all his Heirs He had bought it at a dear Rate therefore now he shews what he would do with it Iohn 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be where I am that they may behold my Glory And then he is gone to Heaven again as our Harbinger to prepare a Place for us Ioh. 14.2 I go to prepare a Place for you to take up Mansions and Rooms for us in his Father's Palace He is gone as a Guardian or Feoffee in trust to seize upon Heaven in our Right to keep it during our Non-age and he will come again in Person as the Husband of the Church to bring us into his Father's House with Triumph therefore it is said Rev. 4.10 That the Elders did cast their Crowns before the Throne not as despising their Glory but as professing their Homage and Dependance and Rev. 5.8 9. The four Beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb c. saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood His Abasement was for our Preferment and therefore even here upon Earth may we bless God for the Elders represent the Church upon Earth for his great Mercy to us in Christ. 3. Consider how much we are engaged to God the Spirit who fits and prepares us for this happy State and seals up our Interest to us therefore it is called the Earnest of the Spirit Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who also hath given to us the Earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 The Holy Ghost shapes and fashions all the Vessels of Glory fits and prepares them for Heaven It is the Spirit of God dwelling in us that wrought us and fits us for this great and blessed Hope therefore when-ever you think of it your Hearts should be raised in Thanksgiving It is not only their Duty to praise God that are in actual possession of Glory but ours also to whom these Hopes are revealed Rev. 5.8 There was a mixture of Harps and Vials full of Odours which are the Prayers of all Saints Compare this with Vers. 11. And I beheld and heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and Elders Not only Angels and blessed Spirits but Saints on Earth all join in Consort praising the Lamb. We must praise the Lord in the time of our Pilgrimage for this great Estate reserved for us in Heaven 3. It informs us how desperately wicked the Hearts of sinful Men are that can run the hazard of eternal Death and forfeit this blessed Hope of eternal Life for a little carnal Satisfaction Survey all the Temptations of the World how much they come short of it If the Heart were not desperately wicked we would not be carried out to these things What is Vain Glory to Eternal Glory What are a few dreggy Delights to those Pleasures which are at God's right Hand for evermore What are the Riches of the World to our glorious Inheritance You would count him a mad Gamester that would throw away whole Lordships and Mannors at every Cast. A Sinner forfeits a blessed Hope that is above all the Kingdoms and Possessions of the World It is for this you will be the Scorn of Angels at the last Day Psal. 52.7 Lo this is the Man that made not God his Strength but trusted in the abundance of his Riches and strengthned himself in his Wickedness This will make you ashamed in the great Congregation that you were so foolishly bent to your own Ruin Nay this will torment you for ever nothing torments Men more than their foolish Choice Conscience will for ever tell them with what disadvantage they have forsaken God for a thing of nought Disappointment to a reasonable Creature is the worst vexation and what Disappointment is more than to be disappointed of our glorious Hopes and that for Trifles and a little carnal Satisfaction This will be our Shame and Torment to all Eternity We may guess at the gnawings of Conscience in the Damned by the Horrors of carnal Men when they come to die O then how do they bewail the Folly of their Choice O that they had been as mindful to serve God as to provide for the World as careful to satisfy the Motions of the Holy Ghost as to satisfy a Lust and carnal Desire When they are on a Death-bed and upon the Confines of Eternity then all worldly Comforts cease and there is a real confutation of the folly of their Choice a Sting then begins that never ceaseth Jer. 17.11 At his End he shall be a Fool. When he comes to die his Conscience will rage and call him Fool Beast and Mad-man for hazarding such eternal Joys for a Trifle 4. It informs us of the Excellency of the Gospel or Christian Profession Wisdom should be justified by her Children And all that do profess Religion should see the Excellency of it what there is in their Beloved more than in another Beloved Cant. 5.9 This there is in the Christian Religion there are purity of Precepts Psal. 19.7 8. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the Heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes Then there is sureness of Principles of Trust and Dependance established between us and God that we may depend upon God with Comfort and Satisfaction there do you find rest for the Soul Ier. 6.16 Stand ye in the Ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good Way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your Souls Then there are no such Rewards any where as in the Christian Profession 2 Tim. 1.10 Life and Immortality are brought to Light by the Gospel The Heathens had Dreams of Elizium Fields and Mahomet tells his Followers of a sensual Paradise but Life and Immortality is a Revelation proper and peculiar only to the Gospel The Heathens were at a loss for the Reward of Vertue Austin out of Varro gives us an account of 288 Opinions concerning Happiness and the chief Good of Man but now here is all brought to Light we may look beyond the Grave now and there is not such a Mist and Darkness upon Things to come God having acquainted us with the Gospel Nay there 's more revealed than was in the time of the Law If God had still kept this Secret in his own Bosom what a Support should we have wanted in our Trouble what Encouragement to the practice of Holiness O therefore prize the Gospel it is the Charter of your blessed Hope 5. It informs us what little cause we have to be slack in God's Work or to
Spirit worketh it for he is the Comforter Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of Heaven is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Nay it is not only God's Allowance but his great Aim the solemn Assurance that is given by his Covenant is that you may grow up in believing to a strong Consolation and be able to laugh at Fears and Sorrows 1. You may pray for it when you want it Psal. 90.14 O satisfy us early with thy Mercy that we may rejoice and be glad all our Days 2. Nay when you have lost it by your Default it is not Boldness to ask Grace and Comfort again when you have wasted Conscience and weakned your Hopes as David Psal. 5.12 Restore unto me the Ioy of thy Salvation When your Candle is put out you may get it lighted again 3. You may wait for Comfort and still continue your Attendance upon God Psal. 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak Peace to his People and to his Saints 4. You may entertain it when it comes Comfort is a Fruit of the Spirit as well as Grace he which is the God of Grace is also the God of Consolation and the same Spirit which works Grace witnesseth for our Comfort and it is as great a Crime to smother his Witness as to resist his Work Whatever we think God would have us not only to be holy but to be chearful Would you make the Heart of Christ glad See Iohn 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Ioy may remain in you and that your Ioy may be full Christ rejoiceth most in his Heritage when they live up to the Provision and Preparation he hath made for them in the Gospel The Devil envieth our Comfort he knows how useful it is in the Christian Life to make us thankful for Mercies chearful in his Service to wean us from carnal Delights and make us willing to do and suffer for God he seeks to weaken our Confidence as knowing the Joy of the Lord is our Strength he would either keep us from Grace or from a Sense of it and make us either wicked or sad and keep us from a comfortable Feeling and Apprehension of Grace 2. If strong Consolation be a Fruit of Certainty upon God's Oath then it informs us that it is a false Comfort and Peace which is not the Fruit of Certainty and Confidence in Christ which ariseth either from a Neglect of Duty or carnal Pleasure and all that wicked Men have comes from one of these Grounds It is good to look to the Fountain and Spring of our Joy and Comfort that we may be able to say with the Psalmist Thy Comforts delight my Soul Psal. 94.19 We should look to the Ground and Reason of our Peace and Security Why am I thus quiet Is it because God is reconciled to me in Christ because of Assurance from him under his Oath upon my taking Sanctuary in Christ The Devil â—ulls Men asleep by other means Carnal Men their Comfort ariseth from Carelesness and Negligence in the spiritual Life they do not trouble the Devil nor he them When a strong Man armed keeps his Palace his Goods are in Peace Luke 11.21 The Devil lets us alone when we let him alone when we do not exasperate Lusts nor trouble his Kingdom in our Heart Look as the Sea is very calm when Wind and Tide go together so when our Corruptions and Satan's Temptations run the same way all is calm and quiet As a Man feels not the Sickness that grows upon him till the Humours are stirred by Exercise So when there is a Spirit of Slumber and Security and Men are neglectful and careless in the spiritual Life and let Satan alone to possess the Heart they sleep but their Damnation slumbers not Then for carnal Pleasure this will not give them leave to think of their Condition Their whole Life is nothing but a knitting of Pleasure to Pleasure and a Diversion from one Contentment to another so they put far off from themselves the Thoughts of their own eternal Condition The outward Man is gratified and the inward Man hath no time they fill the Soul with Work that it may not fall upon it self as a Mill grinds not it self as long as it hath something to work upon as the Prophet observes of those that drink Wine in Bowls and put far away the evil Day Amos 6.3 They melt away their Days in Pleasure and charm and lull their Souls into a deep Sleep with the Potion of outward Delights lest Conscience should awake and talk with them Therefore look to the Ground of your Comfort and Security whence it cometh Psal. 94.19 Thy Comforts delight my Soul Ever now and then we should be making Experiments and try the Strength of it Can you venture your everlasting Estate upon the present Confidence Would I be thus found of God 1 Iohn 2.28 Little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have Confidence and not be ashamed before him at his Coming In Afflictions and Sickness Men are wont to be serious Is your Faith found to praise and honour 3. It informs us that the State of a Believer is far better than the State of those that flow in worldly Delights A Man of a great Estate and that abounds in all the Comforts of this Life may seem to live a merry Life O but a Believer hath strong Consolation such as when it is put to the Trial will bear him out in Life and Death Wicked Men may rejoice as a Bird sings in the Fowler 's Snare they may take Comfort in their Portion for a while but in their latter End they will be Fools Alas your Comforts cannot ease you of the Colick or Head-ach nor give you a good Night's Sleep Small Comfort that can neither satisfy the Heart in any Distress nor ease the Conscience Solomon saith Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in a Day of Wrath. Take it for Man's or God's Wrath. In Man's Wrath Riches many times prove our Burden and none lie so obnoxious to publick Displeasure as rich Men the Comfort is soon lost it lieth without us An Estate cannot be carried about you though it be in Jewels it is liable to hazard The rich Jews were carried captive when the Poor were left to till the Land So in the Day of Man's Wrath it falls most upon worldly great Men they have poor Comforts which will not bear them out but we read of those which took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance Heb. 10.34 Though with Ioseph they lose their Coat yet they keep a good Conscience and this makes amends for all their outward Losses But I take the Place rather for God's Wrath there is the Trial in Trouble of Conscience and in the Pangs of Death Christian as sure as the Lord liveth there will a
time come when the Strength of your Comforts will be tried Here you sit a brooding upon Wealth as the Partridg upon rotten Eggs and what then At his latter End he shall be a Fool Jer. 17.11 Why at his latter End Then he shall be so in the Conviction of his own Conscience his own Heart will call him Fool O Fool O mad Man that I was in lavishing out my Time Strength and Care upon that which will yield me no Comfort Mr. Fox tells us of a rich Cardinal when about to die cried out And must I die that am so rich Will not Death be bribed Will Money do nothing now This will be your Case and Condition when you come to die if you get not an Interest in this strong Consolation As that Pagan Emperor warbled out to his Soul O animula blandula vagula quo nunc abibis c. O where is this Soul of mine going You that now shine in Bravery that eat of the fattest and drink of the sweetest when your Day is gone what will become of you you must die and go from all this Nothing then but Peace of Conscience and spiritual Comfort will serve the turn O for one Dram of this Comfort then when Death is nigh and God is angry Men keep a great deal of Bustle now to get Honour and break through all Restraints of Honesty and Conscience to work themselves into worldly Greatness O but when they come to die how will this be upon their Heart What would they give then for Peace of Conscience and this strong Consolation which God vouchsafeth to the Heirs of Promise But then no Price will be given to God That look as a Husband when he surprizeth his Wife in her Adulterous Imbraces He will not spare in the Day of Vengeance he will not regard any Ransom neither will he rest content tho thou givest many Gifts Prov. 6.34 35. So when God hath surprized you in the midst of your Whoredoms when you have diverted your Respects from and been disloyal to him it is the Day of his Vengeance and he will take no Ransom What will a Man give in Exchange for his Soul There will be such a dying-hour which thou must expect it is hard by Christians have you Comforts strong enough to encounter the Terrors and Horrors of Death within a little while you will be put to trial 4. It informs us that Christians put a Disparagement upon their Comforts when they are dejected with every Fear and Trouble This is much beneath God's Oath the Merit of Christ and the Joy of the Holy Ghost and all the Provision the three Persons have made As for Instance 1. When your Comforts are too weak as you fain in every Affliction Prov. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy Strength is small Thou hast small Comfort if it will not bear thee out in outward Trouble God and Christ and the Spirit they are as it were trying their Skill I would speak it with Reverence to raise up a Confidence in Believers that shall be Affliction-proof now if you are presently gone when put to trial you disparage this strong Consolation and frustrate all the Provision they make for you Many a Heathen would do better upon moral Principles and behave themselves with a greater Generosity and Bravery of Spirit You know that Question Iob 15.11 Are the Consolations of God small with thee the meaning is Is all the Provision of Comfort and Grace and Joy in the Spirit too slender to bear you up in this Affliction What do you expect Christians Would you have better Provision than God hath made Dost thou expect greater Promises surer Mercies and a more able Christ to bear up thy Heart Are not all the Consolations of God able to raise you up Thus when you are overcome in every Trial. 2. When you are full of Doubts Bondage and servile Fears you disparage God's Consolation As for Instance when you cannot think of the Judgment without Horror Acts 24.25 As he reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Iudgment to come Felix trembled or of Death without Bondage Heb. 2.15 Through fear of Death they were all their Life-time subject to Bondage Christians now and then we should be making Experiments and trying the Strength of our Comforts and say thus Can I venture my everlasting Estate upon this Confidence Would I be thus found if Christ were coming to Judgment 1 John 4.17 Herein is Love made perfect that we may have Boldness in the Day of Iudgment Take it for God's Apprehensions of his Love to us or our Apprehensions of our Love to God we should still be providing for that Day and citing our selves before Christ's Tribunal that we might see of what Strength our Consolation is SERMON IV. HEB. VI. 18 We might have a strong Consolation c. Vse 2. TO press you to look after this strong Consolation O! be not contented until you have the Fruit of God's Oath that you may be able to live up to the Provision and Preparation he hath made for your Comfort in the Covenant It is a Condescension that God will give us his Oath and this is the Fruit of it that we might have strong Consolation to see our Names in God's Book and our Heaven in Christ's Possession I shall press you with Arguments both of Duty and Profit First For Arguments of Duty 1. It is for God's Honour that his People should walk comfortably Two things there are which God glories most in the Holiness and the Comfort of his People in the Holiness as he is a God of Grace in their Comfort as he is a God of Consolation It is said in Scripture There is none holy as the Lord. God would have the World know that there is none can sanctify but he alone Moral Principles may change the Life but he only can change the Heart And then it is said there is none like him in Pardon Mich. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity God would have the World know that there is no Comfort so strong and sweet as that which he conveyeth In your Lives God will be glorified in Holiness in your Deaths God will be glorified in your Comfort Ier. 6.16 Where is the good Way and walk therein and you shall find Rest for your Souls Is there any such Comfort to be had as my People have as they have found in the way they have beaten the beaten Path of Faith Repentance and Godliness 2. As it is for God's Glory so for our Profit we look upon Comfort with Jealousy knowing we have deserved none we are guilty Creatures therefore are loth to entertain it even upon God's Terms Joy is the strength of the Soul Neh. 8.10 The Ioy of the Lord is your Strength and that in all Duties Satan knoweth that while the Conscience is kept raw the Soul is unfit for Action A Christian never acts so strongly so regularly as when he is filled
Love and Mercy in providing a Saviour for us and offering pardon to us Psal. 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared Our Thoughts are most conversant about these things 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 3. It is most for the Comfort of the Creature There are some Principles planted in the Heart of Man for the restraint of Sin which may be baffled for a time but our fears will return upon us And till the Soul be subject to God it can never be comfortable nor at ease within it self And it is in vain to think we shall find rest for our Souls till Sin be more hated and God more loved Mat. 11.28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls The same reasons that enforce the necessity of a satisfaction to God's Justice do also enforce the necessity of Repentance for else the Heart of Man is so constituted that it will be a Stranger to comfort It is true God is not quick and severe upon every miscarriage but yet the Soul apprehendeth him an holy and just God and therefore must be set to serve the living God or else the Conscience is not purged from dead works Heb. 9.12 VSE Is to press us to mind this work of Repentance We put all upon Faith but overlook Repentance yet the Gospel aimeth at this and without it the Grace thereof is not rightly applyed It is a Duty of great use for Gods Glory Mans Obedience Duty and Comfort dependeth on it And it is indispensibly necessary by Gods Authority necessitate Praecepti and by the New Covenant Constitution necessitate Medii And dare we be slight in it The times of our Ignorance shew how necessary it is and the light of the Gospel doth more inforce it Christ upbraided the Cities where his mighty works were done because they repented not Mat 11.20 21 22. Then began he to upbraid the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not Wo unto thee Corazin Wo â—nto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloath and ashes But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of Iudgment than for you And there is a Judgment will pass upon us and if we repent not who can stand in the Judgment Psal. 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest mark Iniquities Oh Lord who shall stand What shall we do 1. Expect not extraordinary Dispensations We have advantage enough by Gods Word Luke 16.30 If one went to them from the dead they would repent There Christ impersonateth our natural thoughts there is no need of that Conscience is awakened with the Word Christ is risen from the dead and hath sent this Message to us 2. Rouze up your selves Psal. 22.47 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord Psal. 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies Man is inconsiderate and will not give Conscience leave to work 3. Observe God's Checks We are negligent therefore God seeketh to awaken us Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my reproof Smothering Convictions breedeth Atheism and hardness of Heart 4. Do what you can Hos. 5.4 They will not frame their doings to return unto their God Then we are the more inexcuseable in our Impenitency when we will not so much as think and endeavour or use the outward means which tend to Repentance or set about the work as well as we can If we shut the door upon our selves who will pity us God may do what he pleaseth but we must do what he hath commanded bend our course that way for he has commanded us 5. Ask it of God Pray for it Ier. 31.19 Turn thou me and I shall be turned Surely he is able to help you out of your difficulties Mat. 19. 26. With God all things are possible He is willing for he faileth not the serious Soul Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance and forgiveness of Sins SERMON I. ON MARK X. 17 And when he was gone forth into the way there came one running and kneeled to him and asked him Good Master what shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life ANY reigning Sin maketh us uncapable of Faith and by consequence of Salvation of which we have a notable Instance in the Conference that pass'd between Christ and a young Ruler of the Iews The story begins in the words read And when he was gone forth into the way c. The words give an Account of a Question put to Christ. And here 1. The Time and Place when and where this Question was put to him When he was gone forth into the way In the tenth Verse we read he was in some private House where the Pharisees did resort to him and dispute with him about Divorce And v. 13. They brought young Children to him that he might bless them Now when he had pleaded their Right and layd his hands upon them and blessed them Matthew tells us that he departed thence Chap. 19.15 and by the way-side as he was in his Journey to some other place this Ruler comes to him Thus doth our Lord find new Occasions of doing good in the House and by the Way-side Acts 10.38 it is said He went about doing good The Life of Christ was a constant course of Service to God and Bounty to men he went about and he went about doing good This is the Time and Place when and where 2. The next Circumstance is the Person by whom the Question was put the Text saith only There came one running to him What this one was we shall find by laying several Scriptures together 1. This One is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Young man Math. 19.20 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rich man v. 22. He had great Possessions 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ruler Luk. 18.18 What is meant by that Possibly one of the chief Pharisees for they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers Luk. 14.1 or a Ruler of the Synagogue or as Grotius thinks one of the Magistrates of his Town or rather the Head and Chief of his Family The Honourable Families among the Iewes had their Heads and Chiefs whom they called their Rulers Now such a Ruler a young Man an honourable Person a Head and Chief of his Family he comes to Christ and puts this Question to him 3. The Manner of his Address to Christ it was Voluntary He came saith the Text that is of his own accord it was
do not lose what you have wrought Isaac digged Wells and the Philistines dammed them up so when the Soul hath digged a Well of Salvation Satan will seek to damm it up therefore be watchful SERMON VI. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide Secondly I Come now to the particular Objects of Meditation First I begin with that which is the Chief End of Man a necessary Work that you may come to your selves Luke 15.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he came to himself he said how many hired servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger That is when he began to consider of his Condition it put better thoughts into him Therefore that we may come to our selves it is good to consider the End why we were Created and the Errand upon which God sent us into the World to reason thus with our selves Why was I sent into the World Why do I live here to get an Estate or to get into Christ To wallow in Pleasures or to Exercise my self in Communion with God To heap up perishing things together or to make my Everlasting State more sure When the End is rightly stated Men know their Work and so live up to the purposes of their Creation But alass Many know other things but are ignorant of themselves and so pass on carelesly to their own Ruine like him that gazed on the Stars and fell into a deep Pit their Eyes are upon the ends of the Earth but they do not consider their Souls Others for want of considering the end of their Lives are so far from living as Christians that they scarce live as Men but either as Beasts or as Devils Delight in the Pleasures of the World transformeth a Man into a Beast it is their happyness to enjoy Pleasures without remorse and to gratifie the Body and delight in Sin transformeth a Man into a Devil Worldly Pleasures are not Bread and Sinful Pleasures are Poyson You that are allured by the Pleasures of the World which are lawful in themselves you lay out your Money for that which is not Bread and you to whom it is Meat to do Evil you feed upon that which is Rank Poyson the World cannot satisfie and Sin will surely destroy Thus Men beguile themselves and do not consider of the end of their Lives till their Lives be ended and then they make their moan Usually when Men lye a dying then they cry out of this World how it hath deceived them And how little they have fulfilled the end of their Creation Partly because then Conscience is awake and puts off all Disguises and partly because present things are apt to work upon us and when the Everlasting Estate is at hand the Soul is troubled that it did no more think of it Oh consider It is better to be prepared than to be surprized Think not only of your Last End but of your Chief End what should be the great aim of your Lives even before Death comes All Religion lyes in this in fixing the aim of your Life all the difference between Men and Men is in their Chief Good and Utmost End In the managing of this Meditation I shall pursue it in this Method not that I prescribe to you but that I may set some bounds to my own Discourse however I shall use such a Method as is most facile and obvious not exceeding the Capacity and Reach of the meanest The Work of such a Meditation may be divided into three parts 1. The Considering Work 2. The Plotting and Contriving Work 3. The Arguing Work First In the Considering Work you may propound these or such like things to your thoughts 1. Man was made for some End All God's Works are referred to the Service and Use of his Glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of wrath God being a wise Agent must have an End now God could have no other End but himself and his own Glory for the End must be more worthy than the Means something better and above all created things And if God made all things for himself then Man who was the visible Master-piece of the Creation the lesser World the Compendium and Summ of all Gods other Works So the Apostle Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things All things are of him as a Creator through him as a Preserver and to him or to his Glory from him as the first Cause to him as the last End Certainly God did not make such a glorious Creature as Man for any low use The whole Creation was for Mans Use and Man was for God's Glory Psalm 8.3 4. When I consider the heavens the works of thy fingers the moon and the stars that thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him He was God's Deputy and Vicegerent created to enjoy the Comfort of other Creatures and to exercise Dominion over them the whole World is his Palace arched with Heaven and floored with Earth But still that he might be faithful to his Maker and do his Homage to God and give him the Rent and Tribute of his Glory and Praise And therefore if the Heavens do declare the Glory of God and the creeping things and all Beasts in their Rank and Place much more should Man who was furnished with Higher Priviledges and with an Higher Capacity we have faculties that are especially suited to this purpose therefore it is said 1 Iohn 5.26 He hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true Certainly God never made such a Glorious Creature for Wealth or Pleasures but for an higher Use and Purpose even for himself If you do but look upon his Mind and Understanding you will find it to be a wrong and debasement to take it off from a Spiritual Use and put it to a Carnal 2. This End is the injoying and glorifying of God To enjoy God is Mans happyness and to glorifie God is Mans work by glorifying God he comes to enjoy him and he enjoyeth him that he may glorifie him Herein he differeth from other Creatures they were made only to glorifie him not to enjoy him but Man to glorifie him and enjoy him too 1. He was made to enjoy him for that is his happyness Domine Fecisti nos propter te irrequietum est cor nostrum donec perveniat ad te The Soul is made up of unlimited and restless desires there are such cranneys and chinks in the Soul that cannot be filled up but by the enjoyment of God we were made for him and we are not quiet till we do enjoy him Nature will teach us to groap after an Eternal good as the Sodomites did after Lots Wife in the Dark Acts 17.28 That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him
why will you match your Souls that are of an Heavenly Original to these base outward things 4. All these things which we think increase our Happyness do but add to our Trouble both to our Outward Inward and Eternal Trouble 1. Many times to our Outward Trouble The greater Gates do but open to the greater Cares and the more any are endowed with any Excellency in the World they have proportionable Sorrow and Incumbrances Moral Wisdom is the best of all Outward Enjoyments yet that encreaseth our Portion of Sorrow Eccles. 1.18 For in much wisdom is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow Many have observed that never was a Man eminent for any outward endowment but the Joy of it was abated with an answerable proportion of Sorrow and Trouble and their encumbrances have been every way suitable to their Comforts Those that have been most famous for outward Qualities have come to some dismal End as Sampson for Strength Saul for Stature Absalom for Beauty Achitophel for Council and Parts Asahel for Swiftness Alexander for Warlike â—rowess Nabal for Riches and God hath made it good by many Experiences in our times the Wheel of Providence hath rolled upon them and they have come to some sad End So for Witt and Parts Wit has been many a Mans Ruine Isa. 47.10 Thy wisdom and thy knowledge hath perverted thee Many are undone by their own Wisdom and Knowledge and the greatness of their parts and came to sad Accidents 2. For inward Troubles As Children catch at painted Butter-flies and when they have taken them their gawdy Wings melt away in their fingers and there remaineth nothing but an ugly Worm so we catch at those things which perish in the using but the Worm of Conscience remaineth Many times outward Blessings are salted with a Curse we never have outward things as a Blessing till we have an higher Interest in them Psalm 127.2 So he giveth his beloved sleep Those that have an Interest in God can rest quietly in the bosom of Providence and outward Comforts are given as a Blessing when they are additionals and appendices to the Covenant of Grace Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you God doth not say seek the World and Heaven shall be added to you but seek Heaven and the World shall be added For by seeking of Heavenly things first you drive on two Trades at once for Earth and Heaven But when Men cumber themselves with the World there is a snare upon the Conscience and they cannot enjoy the comfort of their Condition It will add to your inward Trouble when God is neglected and the World sought 3. For Eternal Trouble These things are Temporal and we hazard the loss of Eternal things for them We never leave God but with disadvantage to our selves Ionah 2.8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy whenever you go off from God for a Fleeting Shadow you loose an Eternal Joy The Comfort of the World is but for a time but our Punishment is for ever Ea quae ad usum diuturna esse non possunt ad supplicium diuturna sunt why should we look after those things that we cannot use for ever and so wound and destroy our Souls for ever An immoderate seeking after Temporal things will be our Eternal Ruine Oh that Men would be wise not to run so great a hazard for so small a pleasure Riches are uncertain but the Love of them brings a sure Damnation Phil. 2.19 Whose end is destruction who mind earthly things Oh say then shall I overturn the quietness of my Life Shall I wound my Conscience Shall I contract guilt and terrour for the time to come for that which will perish in the using and is uncertain in the Enjoyment Let us leave things that perish to Men that perish Shall I adventure my Soul upon so vain a pursuit Shall I lose Eternal Glory for a little Vain Glory Shall I make my Children or Kindred Rich and be poor to all Eternity Shall I bereave my Soul of all my hopes and of those Eternal Joyes which God hath provided for them that love him for a possession that is so uncertain and so ensnaring 2. You should deal with your Hearts by apt Similitudes The word will afford you with several who would dwell in a Ditch that may have a goodly House in a City Who would leave Treasures and feed of Husks Who would refuse a pleasant Bride for a Company of nasty Harlots Or who would sit on the Stairs when he is called up to sit on the Throne I may enjoy God in Christ and shall I think it my happyness to enjoy the World 3. By Comparisons Compare the World with Heaven here you have the fuller Wealth and but a foretast of Heaven but the Grapes of Heaven are better than the Vintage of the World and these present Enjoyments are sweeter and more sure than all Honours and Riches in the World These things are gotten with care kept with Fear and lost with grief Reason thus with your selves what are these Pleasures to the Joyes of the Spirit These gratifie the Body the Beast and are so disproportionable to reason it self that when we have sucked out the quintessence of all Earthly Delights they cannot yield a perfect contentment Therefore Solomon saith Prov. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heavyness We see that laughter by too much extension and dilatation of the Spirits causeth an aking in the sides in the outward Expressions of Jollity God would shew how painful it is you will find carnal delights alwaies go away and leave some sad Impressions God's worst is better than the Worlds best the groans of the Spirit are better than the Joyes of the World The groads of the World never go away but they leave a Contentment and drop some sweetness but the Joyes of the World never go away but Clouds of Sorrow are left behind God's Children rejoyce in the midst of their Mourning and a Glory hath risen upon their Spirits even when they seem to be disconsolate in the Eyes of the World 4. By Colloquies with God Either by way of Complaint that thou hast sinned and been ungrateful to God Psalm 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Lord This hath been my brutishness to chose outward Pleasure before Communion with God and to prefer the Contentments of the World before the delights of thy presence Go and humble your selves and say Lord I have traded with vanity and vexed my self in unprofitable pursuits I have lived so long in the World and have scarce minded the end wherefore I was sent into the VVorld as if I was put into the VVorld only as Leviathan in the Sea to take my fill of Pleasure and bathe my Soul in Carnal Delights Or else by way of Thanksgiving if the
Lord hath taught thee better as David when he had chosen the Lord for his Portion Psalm 16.7 I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel My own Reason would never have taught me so much that is a dimm light there were some obscure instincts to sway me to my happyness in general but I might have groped about for the Door of Grace but not have found it but God gave me Counsel As Austin saith Errare per me potui redire non potui Lord I could go astray of my self but I could not return of my self so we could go astray fast enough out of the Inclination of our own Nature but thou hast brought home a poor lost Sheep on thine own Shoulder if I had been left to the Counsels of my own heart what would have become of me 5. By Soliloquie with your own Souls Expostulate with your selves for your former Errors and Follies Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed The end of those things is death why should I melt away my Spirit and emasculate my Soul by stooping to such low Contentments VVhat have I got by turning away from God but a VVound and Disquiet in my Conscience Then charge your Souls Issue out a practical Decree determine with your selves VVell Now I see it is best to cleave to God I will choose God for my chiefest good and utmost end Oh my Soul I see with David Psalm 73.28 It is good for me to draw nigh to God Therefore farewel my Pleasure that pleased my Childish Age when I was a Child I did as a Child it shall be my care now to enjoy Communion with God to be Ruled by his VVord to live to his Glory those things that have intercepted the Delight and Contentment of my Spirit I will leave them to the Men of the VVorld SERMON VII GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide Secondly I AM now to propose to you another Object of Meditation which is the sinfulness of Sin an Argument very necessary and practical It is necessary in several respects Partly to humble us we have low thoughts of Sin and therefore we are but slight in the Matter of Humiliation Until we understand the Evil of Sin sufficiently we do not think it worthy of Tear a or one hearty sigh but when the Understanding is once opened the Heart is deeply affected Psalm 6.6 I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swim I water my couch with my tears VVe see such filthiness in Sin as cannot be washed away without a Deluge of Sorrow And it is necessary partly to awaken us to a greater Care and Conscience who would adventure upon a Sin that doth but know and seriously consider what it is Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God That will be the Issue of such a Consideration The Child will thrust his Fingers into the Fire that doth not know the pain of being scalded or play with a snappish Cur that hath not been bitten Men are the more bold in adventuring upon Sin because they do not know the danger And it is necessary partly to urge us to come to Christ none look to the Brazen Serpent but those that are stung so none regard Salvation but those that have been stung with some remorse in their Consciences for the great Evil of Sin when the poor Soul feels the weight and burden of Sin then it will come to Christ. And it is necessary partly that we may more loath our selves when we come into the presence of God Gracious Men are most self-abhorring Elijah covered himself with a Mantle Isaiah said Isa. 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips Peter had such a Sense of his Sins that he saies â—uke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord Though there was something of Excess and Sin in these Dispositions that is so far as they do exclude the Encouragements of the Gospel but yet there is somewhat worthy of Imitation so far as they had a deep sense of their own unworthyness It is a necessary Argument you see and of much Practical use but very large and will yield great plenty of Thoughts it will be harder to know what we should omit in the Consideration of it than what we should pitch upon I shall pursue it in this Method 1. I shall give you some general Rules and Observations concerning Meditating on the sinfulness of Sin 2. VVhat Arguments you should propound to your Souls to work your Hearts to a sense of it 1. For the general Observations and Rules concerning the sinfulness of Sin 1. None can know the utmost Evil of Sin perfectly but God There is a kind of Infiniteness in Sin because it is committed against an Infinite Object and therefore a finite and limited Understanding cannot conceive of the Evil of it The greatness of Sin is known by the Party offended and the Party satisfying both are Infinite 1 Iohn 3.20 If our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth ull things As if he had said your Heart doth not suggest half the Evil that there is in Sin for the Infinite God knows there is a great deal more Evil in it than you can conceive VVhat is our Light to the Eye of God VVe are the guilty Parties and so are apt to be partial in our own cause but God is the Party offended and therefore he can best judge of the measure of the Offence Again Gods whole Nature setteth him against it we have but a drop of Indignation against Sin God hath an Ocean he is most good and therefore most hateth what is Evil. The truth is there is nothing properly an Object of Divine Hatred but Sin it is wholly and only carryed out against it and therefore he seeth more Evil in it than any Creature possibly can 2. Mans Knowledge of Sin is more clear at sometimes than at others VVhen Conscience is opened there is not a greater Load and Burden David could say Psalm 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me It is a Rule in Philosophy Elementa non gravitant in suis locis Elements are not heavy in their proper place a Fish in the VVater feeleth no weight though it would break the back of a Man if that weight of VVater lay upon him So VVicked Men are in their Element when they are in the heat of their sinful pursuit here they sport and play and feel not the burden of Sin Sometimes when Men come to dye Conscience is touched and then they cry out of the burden of Sin 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin then their Hearts are filled with a sad despair
not as the Creature will but as God will and many times the Creatures are serviceable to the designs of God contrary to their intentions Isa. 10.6 7. I will send him against an hypocritical nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the streets Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few The King of Assyria was moved with a principle of Ambition Rage and Cruelty but the Lord sent him on his Work So Augustus his Covetous ess in taxing the whole World God orders it for the occasioning Christs Birth at Bethlehem Luke 2. The actings of the Creature are disposed and carryed on besides the purpose of the Creature to another end he discovers his Wisdom by Mans Folly and his Righteousness by Mans Sin Look as in a Ship some sleep and some walk contrary to the Ships motion so in the World some Men are negligent others keep bussling and stirring and seek to resist the designs of God but the Ship goes on Acts 4.28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council determined before to be done The Devil thought to ruine all Mankind by seducing of Adam yet that made way for Christ. Herein is the great Beauty and Order of Providence seen that God â—an make hindrances to be helps and while Men seek to cross his will most they do but accomplish and fulfil it II. That there is such a thing as Providence Heathens granted it though they had but a dimm sight of it and therefore Tully saith Dii magna curant parva negligunt The Gods take care of great things but neglect little things We count them Atheists that deny a Providence as well as they that denyed a God That there is a Providence may be proved from the Being of God there is a God therefore there is a Providence His Wisdom and his Goodness enforceth it he is so wisely good Psalm 119.68 Thou art good and thou doest good The Divine Wisdom ordereth all things for an End and the Divine Power governs all things in order to that end We read it in the Order of the World and the sense of our own Conscience if there were no Providence the Devils would soon overturn all things Honestly would be folly a Title without substance Labour without reward 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable The Godly would have no relief they would not call God to witness nor acquaint him with their sorrows which is their great solace Iob 16.20 My friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out tears unto God Gods works discover it who feedeth the Beasts Iob 12.7 8 9. But ask now 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 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this His judgments shew it Psalm 58.10 11. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked So that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth Some Mens sins are open beforehand and God keeps a petty Sessions before the general Assize cometh The great Objection that is against Providence is because all things come alike to all But that which seemeth the blemish of Providence is the Beauty of it The Prosperity of Wicked Men complyeth with Gods Ends that there is such a checquer-work of Providence is for the exercise of the Godly as the Stones that are for a Temple are hewed and squared and hereby wicked Men are left without excuse they have Prudence but not Grace and they cannot complain having common Mercies III. I will give you some Observations 1. Providence reacheth to the least and most inconsiderable things as the flight of a Sparrow the falling of a hair Matth. 10.29 30. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father but the very hairs of your head are all numbred God takes particular account of every concernment and circumstance of your Lives Psalm 147.4 He telleth the number of the stars It is much that God should be at leisure to tell the stars much more that he should take particular notice of the hairs of your head 2. Though Providence extends to all things yet it is chiefly exercised about the most Noble Creatures Men and Angels The Psaâ—mist saith Psal. 36.6 Lord thou preservest man and beast but chiefly Man For mark it these are not only governed by God but by themselves Other things that are void of understanding are only guided by an External Principle without the knowledge of an End as Arrows shoot out of a Bowe but Rational Creatures have a principle of their own viz. Prudence which is a shadow of Divine Providence In these Providence is most discovered Mans Will is rebellious it is harder to rule a skittish horse than it is to roll a Stone God challengeth this as his own Prerogative Ier. 10.23 Oh Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps He can bridle rule and restrain the hearts of Men and turn them as he pleaseth Prov. 21.1 The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will The Hearts of Kings those that seem to be most led by Will and Passion God can turn them and rule them at his pleasure 3. Though the Providence of God chiefly concerns Man yet the chiefest care of Providence is about the good of the Elect 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 ye not much better than they 1 Tim. 4.10 We trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe He is a Saviour in this Sense in regard of Providential Administration but all Dispensations towards his People are more exact and have more of care God particularly looks after them Amos 9.9 For lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth Mark above all Nations God would have a care of Israel whatever becomes of the Chaff God watcheth over the Corn. The Elect are the Darlings of Providence the World is continued for their sakes that all the Elect may be gathered in Isa. 43.3 4. I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Soba for thee
hanging upon a Tree We should look upon Christ crucified as if the thing were now a doing before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified before you Though it be past long ago it is present to Faith For he is lifted up that by the Eye of Faith we should look to him and see not only the thing but the end use and vertue of this Mistery The Brazen Serpent was a sufficient Remedy for the stung Israelites none that looked towards it perished the Cure never failed and Jesus Christ lifted up and being eyed is sufficient to cure the guilt of Sin and pain of Conscience through Sin and to heal our Diseased Souls and free them from the power of Corruption For being made a Curse for us the Blessing cometh freely upon the believing Gentiles even the gift of the Spirit Isa. 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed 2. The Superexcellency of Christ above this and all the Shadows and Types of him The Type doth express the thing signified but yet the Truth doth much exceed the Shadow The Brazen Serpent was but a Sign of Salvation so called in the Book of Wisdom chap. 16.6 But Christ is the Author of Salvation Heb. 5.9 The Serpent benefitted only the Israelites but Christ all Nations both Iew and Gentile Isa. 11.10 In that day there shall be a root of Iesse which shall stand for an ensign of the people to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious It freed them from present Death but yet so that they might dye by other means but Christ hath freed us not only from the Death of the Body but of the Soul and this for ever as in the Text That they should not perish but have everlasting life So Iohn 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye There Natural Life is preferred but for a while here Eternal Life obtained This benefit might last for a day or two but Iesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 Christ ever retaineth his healing Vertue This was but a piece of Brass while they lodged it in the Temple but Christ is a Mediator to all Eternity It was a great wickedness to worship the Brazen Serpent therefore Hezekiah broke it in pieces when once he understood the People to be guilty of that Idolatry 2 Kings 18.4 He brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made for unto those dayes the children of Israel did burn incense to it and he called it Neâ—ushâ—an or a piece of Brass but it is our Duty to worship Christ All men must honour the Son as they honour the Father Iohn 5.23 And Heb. 1.6 Let all the angels of God worship him Phil. 2.9 10. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow When the Israelites worshipped the Brazen Serpent it was broken in pieces but they shall be broken in pieces themselves that deny Christ his due Worship Psalm 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel Dan. 2.44 And in the dayes of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and shall stand for ever The Kingdom that will not submit to him shall be broken in pieces Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me Thus it sets forth Christ. 3. Faith is set forth or the Way and Means how we come to have benefit by Christ. It is not enough to look to what Christ hath done but what we must do that we may be partaâ—ers of him The way of Cure was by a look so it is believing in him that bringeth home the Blessing to our Souls From this Type we learn 1. The necessity of Faith None had benefit by the Brazen Serpent but those that looked on it The Promise was made to those that observed the Command Numb 21.8 Every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live If a Man turned away his Eyes and refused Gods Remedy the biting was Mortal to him As there is a necessity Christ should die so there is a necessity you should believe for besides Impetration there must be Application and the work of the Spirit is as necessary to apply Grace as the work of the Mediator to obtain Grace for us A deep well will do you no good without a Bucket nor the purchase of Salvation unless you apply it 2. An Incouragement of Faith 1. To broken-hearted Sinners if you are stung with Sin you may look to Christ. It was ground enough for any bitten Israelite to look to this Brazen Serpent because he had need he found himself bitten and thirsted for cure by this appointed means A felt Sense of Sin is warrant enough to look to Christ as the offered remedy Look not altogether to your soar to your sins but to Christ as the means of healing Indeed there must be a feeling and a sense of Sin or else there is no work for Christ to do what should an hail Israelite do with the Brazen Serpent Their looking began in a sense of pain none troubled their Thoughts about it till they were stung Compunction goeth before Faith The Israelites cryed out Oh! What shall we do for these fiery Serpents So Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do An impoisoned dagger was flung into their Souls and then What shall we do The Goaler came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and said Sirs what must I do to be saved Acts 16.29 30. And they said verse 31. Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Only look upon the Serpent A Sinner must first feel himself a Sinner before he will or can come to Christ but then come The son of man is lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Some that know not themselves believers have been welcome to Christ but never any that know not themselves Sinners 2. To lapsed Believers The Serpents were left to sting the Israelites while they were in that place only the Brazen Serpent was lifted up God did not presently take away the Serpents only he gave a Remedy for such as were bitten Sin is not abolished but whilest we are in this Station the Remedy is still offered we are never so cured but we may be bitten again The disobedient Israelites needed this Motive and Chastisement to keep them in
because none can make a comfortable claim to this priviledge but those that are sincerely God's people He is their Habitation Others whatever indulgence they have by God's common Providence can have no certain hope or comfortable claim Psal. 84.11 For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly those that fear him love him chuse him for their portion Others build Castles in the Air They do not dwell in the secret place of God that live in their sins and yet lean upon the Lord. By sin you run out of your dwelling-place and weaken your trust 1 Iohn 3.21 Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 5. Constant communion with God Iob 22.21 Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee We must not run to God as we run to a Shelter with a mind to depart thence as soon as the Storm ceaseth Our Habitation is a place of constant residence So we must make use of God not when we are in streights only to serve our turn but abide and dwell in him as our habitation A Sermon on 1 TIMOTHY vi 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition IN these words we may observe 1. The Parties described They that will be rich 2. Their danger represented in two things 1. That they lye open to Temptation 2. Fall into a snare Some think it an Hendiadys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the snare of Temptation But the considerations are distinct the one being a degree of the other Temptation sheweth how the Devil taketh them captive Snare how he keepeth or holdeth them captive So he that fixeth this as his purpose doth lay himself open to the Devil yea give up himself captive to him Men are first tempted drawn to delight in or admire these things secondly snared cannot get out of the intanglings of the World Now in the Text the general nature of this Snare is represented It is lusts sinful and unlawful affections and dispositions of heart 1. The number or quantity of them many lusts 2. The quality kind and sort of them foolish and hurtful lusts 3. The result and issue of them which drown men in destruction and perdition In the main of which Paul doth not speak of what doth often fall out but what doth constantly and necessarily fall out Doct. That a will to be rich is the occasion of much mischief to those that cherish it and allow it in their own Souls The Point will be best opened by laying forth the circumstances of the Text. 1. What it is to have a will to be rich When we make it our scope and our work our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark it is not he that is rich but he that will be rich Riches in themselves are God's gift not the cause of the evils mentioned but our love and lust to them though a man be otherwise poor according to that of Peter Corruption that is in the World through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Here it is They that will be rich that fix it as their scope that make it their business For the bent of the will is bewrayed by two things Intention and Industrious Prosecution 1. Those that fix it as their scope are wholly intent upon getting wealth that give up their hearts to find out and follow after ways of worldly increase This is to set Wealth in the place of God For that is interpretatively a Man's God which is the last end of his actions and upon which his care and thoughts and endeavours do run most whether it be belly world credit friends or whatever else Phil. 3.18 For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are Enemies of the Cross of Christ Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things And then we can never act regularly Christ and Religion will be taken up upon worldly ends and advantages All stoopeth to the chief end Religion and Conscience and all when we fix this as our intention and the designed scope of our lives It is elsewhere expressed Prov. 28.20 He that maketh haste to be rich cannot be innocent A man that fixeth this as his end will not care what means he useth leap over hedge and ditch and cannot be content to travel the long Road of Providence to come to his Journeys end There are many such that will be rich whether God will or no say what he will and almost do what he can to hinder them when their ways are shut up not only by a commandment but the hedge of God's Providence Though disappointed in their projects yet they will through if they can take Faith and a good Conscience along with them they will but if not they will be rich without them 2. Those that make it their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their work and business in the World Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich cease from thine own Wisdom Make themselves Servants of Mammon Mat. 6.24 We cannot serve God and Mammon Both Masters have work enough and their commands are contrary When two consent to employ one man in the same business and service though two men they are but one Master But to execute the wills of men that are different in their designs and have a several and full interest in our labours and actions this is as impossible as to move two contrary ways at once This is the case here Mammon and Christ have full work for us and their designs are contrary Our main work of right is to please God and serve God but our work by choice is to serve Mammon all our labour and travel is to be rich which cannot be without the prejudice and wrong of Religion which should have the preheminence Matth. 6.33 First seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and these things shall be added Religion cannot have all because of our bodily necessities but it must have the chiefest But now when the strength of our endeavours runneth out another way our hearts are taken off from God and his service and so Hagar croweth it over Sarah That is a happy Family where Sarah rules and Hagar serves But alas usually it is otherwise the lean Kine devour the fat and Religion goeth to the wall The world ingrosseth mens time and heads and hearts that they are wholly taken off from better things and the edge of their affections is abated their time and heart diverted Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich Some translate it Weary not thy self to be rich As they that trouble their minds with it with too great eagerness they have no time nor heart for communion with God and the great
God Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens c. 2. God in our Nature was Abased Crucified made Sin made a Curse for us that he might pacifie the Justice of God and reconcile us to him So that besides the infinite Mercy and Power of God there is the Infinite Righteousness and everlasting Redemption of a Mediator God offended with Man is fully satisfied with the Ransom paid for Sinners by Christ Mat. 3.17 This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 3. God having laid such a foundation and bestowed so great a gift upon us will not stick at any thing which is necessarily required to make us fully and eternally happy Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but gave him up c. shall he not with him freely give us all things Here in the Text 't is said All things are by him such abundant provision hath he made for Mans Salvation Surely here is a broad foundation for our comfort and hope Here is God appeased the works of the Devil dissolved our wounded Natures healed our Enemies vanquished by him as the Captain of our Salvation the Church defended and maintained by him as supream Head and Pastor all kept quiet by him between God and Us as our Agent and Advocate and finally he will bring us into the immediate presence of God that we may remain with him for evermore 4. Besides the dignity of his person consider the suitableness of his office to our necessity The dignity of his person must not be over-looked for he is God-man and therefore he is accepted by the Father and may be relied upon by us Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Besides the institution there is an intrinsick value Act. 20.28 'T is called the Blood of God But what a suitable as well as valuable a remedy do his Offices of King Priest and Prophet make him By these three Offices he exerciseth the Office of Mediator The three Offices are alluded unto Iohn 14.6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life The Way as a Priest Truth as a Prophet Life as a King The Way because he hath removed the legal exclusion we were fugitives exiled and then Truth to direct us and give us the knowledge of Gods Nature and Will The Life To begin a Life of Grace in us by his Spirit which shall be perfected in Heaven So 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption All the offices of Christ are there expressed with a suitableness to our misery Wisdom as a Prophet to cure our ignorance and folly we had no true sense of the evil we deserved nor the good we wanted nor of the way to remove the one or obtain the other but he convinceth and instructeth us in all these things We lye also under the guilt and power of sin that is our second necessity and so Christ is made Righteousness and Sanctification as a Priest for he gave himself to cleanse us from sin Eph. 5.26 We are also liable to many miseries introduced by sin yea under a necessity of dying and perishing for ever therefore Christ is made Redemption as a King and as Captain of our Salvation at length fully redeemed us from all evil 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 Bodies Luk. 21.28 And when these things begin to come to pass then lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby ye are seal'd to the day of Redemption Thus you see how amply we are provided for in Christ. It may as well be said By him are all things as it may be said of the Father From whom are all things Secondly Another improvement is to ingage and incourage us to make those returns of Love Worship and Obedience Service and Glory which are expected and required of us There is something which reflecteth from us upon God from all this Grace and Mercy which God dispensed by the Mediator We must be for him and we must be by him 'T is more than if it were said we must serve him glorifie him We in our whole capacity we must be whatever we are and do whatever we do to God and for God by the Mediator 1. We must enter into Covenant with him and give the Hand to the Lord and consent to be his Isa. 44.5 One shall say I am the Lord 's another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his Hand unto the Lord. They should enter their Names to God to be entred into his Muster-Roll or Listed among the Faithful that belong to him and are Listed for his service a Member of that Body whereof Christ is Head a subject of that Kingdom whereof Christ is King 2 Cor. 8.5 'T is said But first gave their own selves unto the Lord. Rom. 12.1 Present your Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service Christ gave himself a Sin-offering and we give up our selves a Thank-offering 2. There must be a strong love to God ever at work in our Hearts levelling and directing all our actions to his glory and this love must be an impression of the love shewed to us by Christ a thankful sense of his Mercies and Benefits 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us Love is an earnest bent and inclination of Heart towards our chief good and last end and its effect and work is to devote our selves to his Service Will and Honour longing after more of God and continually seeking for it Psal. 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee My Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is A Soul that hath chosen God for its portion cannot want him nor be long without him nor satisfied with any partial enjoyment of him therefore still seeketh for more The main work of this life is a desirous seeking after God and getting nearer to their last end by all the means which God hath appointed us to use 3. There must be a constant study and care to please honour and glorifie this God Acts 27.23 Whos 's I am and whom I serve If we be dedicated to God there must be a conscience of our dedication that we may live unto God and this not now and then but in our whole course All our Faculties Bodies Souls 1 Cor. 6.19 20. What! know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy
Heb. 2.15 Who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to Bondage At Death these Fears are more active and pungent 1 Cor. 15.56 The Sting of Death is Sin and surprize the guilty Soul with greater Horror and Distraction then they are summoned to their great Account If the Soul were mortal why should Men be afraid of Torments after Death They anticipate the Miseries of the Life to come not as it puts a Period unto their natural Comforts but as it is an Entrance into everlasting Miseries 4. The Scripture directs to this Argument the Justice of God for the Comfort of the Faithful 2 Thess. 1.5 Which is a manifest Token of the righteous Iudgment of God The Sufferings of the Faithful are a Demonstration of a future Estate there is a God If there be not a first and Fountain-Being how did we come to be for nothing can make it self Or how did the World fall into this Order This God is just for all Perfections are in the first Being If we deny him to be just we deny him to be God and the Governour of the World Rom. 3.5 6. Is God unrighteous who taketh Vengeance God forbid for then how shall God judg the World Now it is agreeable to the Justice of his Government that it should be well with them that do well and ill with them that do evil or that he should make a difference by Rewards and Punishments between the Wicked and Obedient It seemeth uncomely when it is otherwise Prov. 26.1 As Snow in Summer and as Rain in Harvest so Honour is not seemly for a Fool. When the Wicked are exalted Men look on it as an uncouth thing Now this Reward and Punishment is not fully dispensed in this World even in the Judgment of them that have no great knowledg of the heinous Nature of Sin and the Judgment competent thereunto Yea rather the best are exercised with Poverty Disgrace Scorn and all manner of Troubles their Persons molested their Names cast out as odious when the Wicked live in Pomp and Ease and oppress them at their pleasure Therefore since God's Justice doth not make such a difference here there is another Life wherein he will do it otherwise we must deny all Providence and that God doth not concern himself in humane Affairs and that a Man may break his Laws oppress his People and no great Harm will come of it Zeph. 1.12 The Lord will not do Good neither will he do Evil. And God would seem indifferent to Good and Evil yea rather partial to the Evil and to favour the Wicked more than the Righteous which is Blasphemy and a diminution of God's Goodness and Holiness Psal. 11.6 7. Vpon the Wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the Portion of their Cup. But the righteous Lord loveth Righteousness and his Countenance doth behold the Vpright Obedience would be Man's Loss and Ruin and so God would be the worst Master 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this Life only we have hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable They that forsake the sinful Pleasures of this Life hazard all their natural Interests row against the Stream of Flesh and Blood would be ill provided for by their Religion Therefore there is another Life wherein God will reward his People Secondly I shall urge other Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul 1 st The Capacity of the Soul argueth the Immortality of it Now it is capable 1. Of Civil Arts. 2. Of owning the distinction between Good and Evil. 3. Of knowing Immortality and Matters of everlasting Consequence 4. Of knowing God and his Attributes 5. Of the Divine Nature which consists in the Knowledg and Love of God 6. Of a sweet familiar Communion with him Let us see how all these Capacities will prove the Matter in hand 1. The being capable of Civil Arts will prove the Soul's spiritual Substance far excelling the Beasts in Dignity for it is capable of all kind of Learning and witty Inventions as Grammar and the knowledg of Tongues and Rhetorick to form and polish our Speech Logick to refine our Reason Ethicks to order our Manners Medicine to cure the Distempers of our Bodies by Physicks or by natural Philosophy it knoweth all kind of Things all Ranks of Beings from God and Angels to the smallest Worm yea it acquireth such Skill as to make use of all Creatures for its own benefit James 3.7 For every kind of Beasts and of Birds and of Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and hath been tamed of Mankind The Power and Skill of Man is large and reacheth through the whole Creation by one Means or other Man mastereth them Now what doth this signify but that Man hath a Soul different from the Souls of the Beasts Iob 35.11 He teacheth us more than the Beasts of the Field and maketh us wiser than the Fowls of Heaven And that will contribute much to the matter in hand Solomon puts the Question Eccles. 3.21 Who knoweth the Spirit of Man that goeth upward and the Spirit of a Beast that goeth downward to the Earth Mark there he asserts that the Spirit of the Man goeth upward and the Spirit of the Beast goeth downward there is an Ascent ascribed to the one and a Descent to the other upward implieth Heaven and heavenly things downward the Earth and earthly things The humane Soul ascendeth to God the universal Judg of all the World whose Throne is in Heaven but the Soul of the Beasts taketh its Lot among all earthly things which are at length resolved into Earth Water and Air. In the Creation God is said to breath into Man the Spirit of Life not so of the Beast So in the Dissolution the one returneth to God the other leaveth off to exist and when they die they are no more 2. It is capable of owning the Distinction between moral Good and Evil. He that doth not acknowledg it is unworthy the Name of Man for to love or hate God is not indifferent nor to kill a Neighbour or hunt an Hare in the Woods to use lawful Matrimony or for a Man to pollute himself either with promiscuous or incestuous Imbraces Now if our Souls differed not from the Soul of a Beast they could have no such Apprehension or Conception The Beasts know Pain and Pleasure but they have no Knowledg of Vertue and Vice as is sensible to every one that considereth them but Man hath Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the VVork of the Law written in their Hearts Well then Man hath a Life beyond this a further End of his Actions than a Beast which is to approve himself to God to whom he must give an Account whether he hath done Good or Evil. For a Conscience supposeth a Law and a Law