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 from Faith in Christ Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God from a sense of our sincere dealing with God 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that
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
Estate you have according to the Master's Command An unfaithful Steward that keeps all to himself is a Thief A Noble Man hath need of Money and sendeth to his Steward Go to my Steward and demand such a Sum Will he deny him his own when his Lord hath need of it God hath commanded to give when he sendeth to you How doth God send to us but in the course of his Providence We are one day to give an Account And what a sorry Account shall we make So much for Pomp so much for Pleasure so much for gorgeous Apparel so much for Riot and Luxury and so little for the Master's Use. If a Man to whom the Care of Children is committed should feed Dogs and Whelps and neglect the Children what a sorry Account would he give of his Trust God hath demanded his Right by our poor Brethren he hath made them his Proxies Our Bounty reacheth not to God himself therefore he offereth them to our Pity what we do for them he accounteth as done to himself Acts of Mercy are required that we may acknowledg God's Property it is our Rent to the great Landlord of the World It is an Honour put upon you you are as Gods to them to relieve them and comfort them He could give without thee but he trieth thee and will have them interested in the Act. It is a great Honour to Religion the World is taken with Bounty Rom. 5.7 Peradventure for a good Man some would even dare to die Titus 3.14 And let ours also learn to maintain good VVorks for necessary Vses that they be not unfruitful Let not others that have not such high Motives or such glorious Advantages be more forward than ours Secondly There are the Requisites to a good Work there is the State of the Person and the Uprightness of our Principle and the End and Rule of our Actions 1. The State of the Person the Person must be in Christ. Do we gather Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles We expect good Fruit from a good Tree The Person must first be in Christ as the Apostle saith Titus 3.8 These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good Works When the Foundation of Faith is first laid and that is the Root then good Works flow kindly as the Fruit that grows upon this Tree So in the Text first a peculiar People and then zealous of good Works The Leper under the Law till he was cleansed all that he touched and all he went about was unclean so till you are purified and cleansed by the Work of Grace passing upon your Hearts all that you do is abominable and filthy in God's Eye A natural Man cannot be acceptable to God nor perform an Act of pure Obedience for he is an Enemy and therefore his Gifts are giftless Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Method the Apostle lays down Ephes. 2.10 For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works First his Workmanship created in Christ there is the fitness and preparation for good Works Works materially good may be done by God's Enemies out of the strength of an unrenewed Will for carnal Ends without any Respect and Love to God therefore first we must be reconciled to God first we stir up Men to love God and then serve him Will you have the Graft or Cyon bear Fruit till it be set in the Stock So can we bear Fruit to God until we be planted in Christ All the Issue that is born before Marriage is illegitimate the Acts are but Bastard-Acts and our Graces are but Bastard-Graces till we are contracted to Christ. 2. The Principles of Operation must be right for the constitution of good Works These Principles are Faith Love and Obedience Faith receives Help from Christ Love enclines the Heart and Obedience sways the Conscience In every good Work these are the true Gospel-Principles Obedience sways the Conscience by virtue of God's Law Love enclines the Heart out of Gratitude and Thankfulness to God and Faith expects Help and Supply from Christ. In short every good Work is an Action commanded by the Law but arising from Faith in the Gospel it is done out of Conscience and because of God's Command but yet willingly because God is so good in Christ and Faith gives both help and encouragement Without Faith whatever is done is but Sin without Obedience it is but customary and without Love it is but Legal and no Evangelical Work 3. As the Principle and Operation so the End must be right to glorify God in whatever we do not to gratify Interest that is carnal not barely to promote the welfare of Nature that is but an Act of natural Self-love aiming at his own preservation not to pacify God that is legal and so a renouncing of the Merit of Christ. So that every Act of Duty must be made a Branch of Gospel-Obedience arising from Gratitude that God may be glorified 4. Those are good Works which are commanded by God and conformable to the Rule laid down in Scripture As Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Transgression of the Law of God so a good Work is a Conformity to the Law of God That is a good Work which is agreeable to that Rule that is the proper measure of Good and Evil Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments A Strictness beyond the Word or besides the Word is a Bastard and an Apocryphal Holiness and but counterfeit Coin which is not currant in the Kingdom of Grace II. What is it to be zealous of good Works 1. We should be forward and chearful in well-doing Zeal is ferventior Amoris gradus a higher degree of Love the more Love the more forward in acting Certainly Zeal will readily set us a-work to do all we do willingly freely and chearfully as the Apostle intimates 2 Cor. 9.2 For I know the Forwardness of your Mind for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a Year ago and your Zeal hath provoked very many It is not Zeal to stand hucking and disputing every Inch with the Spirit of God You are not only called to the bare practice of good Works but you must be first and most forward and Leaders of others Watch opportunities to do good and take hold of them when they are offered We should be glad of an opportunity offered wherein to discover our Affection to God and our Hatred to Sin This is Zeal to be willing and forward 2. To be zealous is to be self-denying and resolute notwithstanding Discouragements Zeal is a mix'd Affection it consists partly of Love and partly of Indignation and so when I am zealous of a thing I love that thing and shake off and hate all that lets and hinders it Zeal sets us a-work and holds us to it notwithstanding Discouragements Zeal will not stick at a little
seem the cheapest Matter in the World But whoever is a Christian indeed makes a full and absolute Resignation of himself and all he hath He that loves Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Mark 10.37 He that loveth any thing more than Christ can never hold out in Heaven's way When the Profession of Religion grows cheap and is low God sends some trouble or other to raise the price that those that will go to the cost may be known what they are I. VSE For Reproof unto two sorts 1. Those that are so unwilling to part with a little Portion of their Goods when the Lord hath need of some supply from them for his Servants and their poor fellow Christians They are so far from being Content to part with all for the Glory of God and good of their Brethren that they are backward and will part with nothing for the maintenance of God's Worship and Relief of the Poor it must be drawn and wrung from them as if all were lost Men act as if their Goods were at their own dispose O how dwelleth the Love of God in them 1 Iohn 3.17 Whoso hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 2. It reproveth those that shift and wriggle and Dispute themselves out of their Duty and all to shake off the Cross and avoid suffering whereas they should with a ready mind take it up Gal. 6.12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only least they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ that is they did Judaise to avoid trouble from the Iews Thô they were not guilty of a total Apostacy yet to take off the Edge of the Iews they disputed themselves into such evil complyance It is true to escape suffering by lawful means is Commanded Mat. 10.23 When they persecute you in this City flee ye into another To remove our selves when a Storm comes this is commanded Prov. 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil and bideth himself but the simple pass on and are punished But to do any thing to prejudice the Truth to shift and turn and all to shake off the Cross this is sinful and forbidden 3. It Reproveth those that do with such Impatience suffer the Loss of any outward thing either by God's immediate Providence or by the violence of men for the Profession of the Truth O this should not be but you should cheerfully and willingly yield it up to God Lev. 10.3 And Aaron held his peace Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods 1 Cor. 7.30 We should mourn as if we mourned not In all worldly Losses we are to shew that we expect better things and that our Hearts are not here and that we have such an Esteem for Christ that he is so worthy and so necessary for us that we should be glad to follow him naked II. VSE To press us to be of such a Spirit to be willing to part with all when Christ will have us and when the Sence of our Duty and his Honour requires it of us This seems to be a hard Lesson but to help us to learn it something must be avoided and something considered 1. Something must be Avoided As 1. Love of the World and Addictedness to the Creature We must hang loose to outward things or we shall never be ready to forgoe them for Christ's sake If there be any secret Idol in your Heart God will bring it forth and put it to the Tryal whether you love him or your Idol most Now the World is a great Idol to keep us from God 1 Ioh. 5.3 4 5. This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous For whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the world even our Faith Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God The connexion between these Verses is thus Whoever will keep the Commandment must overcome the World which is a great Lett thereto therefore we have need of a Heart to look after better things and loosen the Heart from the World which is that Faith that overcometh the World This Precept is hard but it is only to those that are wedded to present things therefore Contempt of the World and of the Possessions and Riches of it is necessary for all that will not make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and render themselves uncapable of the Duties of their Holy Calling 2. Distrust of God's Alsufficiency and trust in the Means is that which makes this Precept difficult He that durst not trust in God will certainly be unfaithful to him Here is our danger resting in the Means as if there could be no supply but from Creatures 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches There is the great Bane of Men we cannot see how we can be well without Friends Wealth Liberty Favour Preferment and such and such Revenues by the year We would fain be on the surest side and on the gathering hand and that is the Reason it is so hard to forsake all and trust our selves alone with God's Alsufficiency And therefore if you would bring your Heart hereunto you must strengthen Faith in the Providence of God and bring thy Heart to lean upon that and not inferiour Means and trust him upon his Word then it will be easie It is no unreasonable thing that I require of you it is but that which is due to any honest Man especially if you have had tryal of him you will trust him upon his Word even without a Pawn So you should trust God thô you can see nothing but Nakedness and Poverty and all manner of Inconvenience In time past God hath not been wanting to you he hath given you better things and will he deny thee daily Bread 2. Some things are to be considered if you would thus forsake all for the discharge of a good Conscience There is God's Right and our own compleat Resignation when we first took Christ I suppose you have done so or certainly you are not Christians Our Hopes in the World to come Heaven is worth something But I shall pitch only upon two things 1. Others have quitted Wealth upon far meaner lower and more inconsiderable Respects than you are called to do it therefore certainly you should quit it for Conscience of your Duty to God Anacreon restored five Talents to Polycrates because he was so troubled with Cares about keeping of them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those things were not worth the care laid out about keeping of them Another cast his Wealth into the Sea saying
in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world A serenity resulting from our peace with God and close walking with him 2. The strictness and exactness of the Apostles course He would keep this good Conscience void of offence It may be understood passively or actively Passively that Conscience be not offended and suffer wrong Actively that we offend not or offer wrong to others 1. That Conscience be not offended or receive wrong by any miscarriage of ours For it is a tender thing the least dust in the eye hindreth its use so doth Sin offend and trouble the Conscience Take those four Notions before-mentioned Clearness Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God A dusty Glass hindreth the sight of the Image so Lust cloudeth the mind In regard of Purity so far as we give way to Sin Conscience is defiled the Apostle speaketh of some Whose minds and consciences were defiled Titus 1.15 It is defiled by Sin In regard of tenderness nothing bringeth a brawne upon Conscience so much as frequent and allowed sinning in small things first it is wounded and then hardned and so groweth dead and sleepy though it may write it refuseth to speak it is a Register when it is not a Witness So it is offended in regard of quietness an offended Conscience will offend us and a wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 You may as well expect to touch the Flesh with a burning Coal without pain as to sin without trouble of Conscience Sin will bring shame and horrour ever since Adams experience who was afraid and ashamed Gen. 3.7 2. The second Sense that we offend not nor offer wrong to others will fall in with the next Head 3. The Impartiality of his Obedience both towards God and towards men There are two Tables and we are to take care we do not give offence to God or Men by neglecting our Duty to either 1. Our chief care should be that we do not make a breach upon our Love to God Conscience standeth alwayes in dread of God's Eye and Presence to whom it is most accountable Acts 23 1. I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day Oh grieve not the spirit Eph. 4.30 Offend not the pure Eyes of his Glory 2. That we do not offend Men Rom. 12.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Provide things honest in the sight of all men We must be careful of our Conscience before God and frame with Men that we neither seduce them by our Example nor grieve them by any unjust or uncharitable Carriage of ours but be blameless to Men. 4. The Constancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes in all cases by all means at all times A Conscience brought forth at times and for certain turns is not a good Conscience Iob 13.18 Behold now I have ordered my cause I know that I shall be justified A Man is tryed by his course not by a step or two 1 Pet. 1.15 As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every creek and corner of your lives not in an Humour and in good Moods A Christian is every where like himself and never dareth to do any thing knowingly against Conscience Thirdly The laborious diligences wherewith he carryed it on I exercise my self We must make it our constant labour and endeavour by a diligent search into the mind of God Rom. 12.2 That we may prove what is the good and acceptable will of God Eph. 5.17 Be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5.10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord that we may not offend him in Worship or Daily Conversation By a serious enquiry into the state of our own hearts and wayes Psalm 4.4 Stand in awe and sin not commune with your hearts upon your bed and be still If we would have Conscience speak to us we must often speak to Conscience Ier. 8.6 I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done Ask questions of your hearts And also by a constant watchfulness and taking heed to our feet Psalm 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not with my tongue Many live as if they had no Conscience and by a broken-hearted making use of Christs Death Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. And 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous And Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself to God without spot purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God By a serious resistance and mortification of Sin cutting off the right Hand and pulling out the right eye Matth. 5.29 30. and Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And by the use of all Holy Means which God hath appointed II. The Reasons Why this is true Christianity 1. The necessity of it it is a great question how far Obedience belongeth to Faith whether as a part or as an end fruit and consequent I answer both wayes consent of subjection is a part of Faith Actual Obedience a fruit of it In the Covenant there is a consent first before practice Faith believeth the Precepts as well as the Promises Psalm 119.66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge for I have believed thy commandments Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water It believeth the Promises to sweeten Obedience to us it hath a perswasive Oratory as it worketh by Love or Hope it worketh us to an observance of the Precepts by the hopes of the Resurrection least we be inticed from them either by things grateful or troublesome to present sense 1 Cor. 15.58 Be stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abâ—iâ—ding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your work is not in vain in the Lord. If you believe things written in the Law and the Prophets you will see your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 2. The Comfort of Obedience to us we cannot make out our Evidence and Plea but by a uniform constant and impartial Obedience Principles are latent till they discover themselves by their Fruit our Faith and Hope is but a fancy unless it prevail over sensitive inclinations to present things that we may live in the patient and delightful service of God and an intire
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
2. Consider the impartiality of your Judge you will not find favour for being a Christian in Profession only 1 Pet. 1.17 If ye call on the father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 3. You lose your Evidence if you do not live as one known of God External Profession is disclaimed Matth. 7.21 22 23. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my father which is in Heaven Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecied in thy name And in thy name have cast out devils And in thy name done many wonderful works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 4. As you are concerned in God's Foundation you obliged your selves to a strict holy Life 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth now also save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God And Heb. 10.21 22. Having a High-priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water A Sermon on Acts xxiv 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled And answered Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee IN this Chapter you have 1. The Story of Paul's Accusation by Tertullus 2. Paul's Defence 3. The Event Felix his Humanity to Paul where three things are observable 1. He deferred the business Vers. 22. When Felix heard those things having more perfect knowledge of that way he deferred them and said when Lysias the chief Captain shall come down I will know the uttermost of your matter That is understanding the Affairs of Christians better than they were represented to him by Tertullus having governed the Province jointly with Camanus for a while and afterwards being sole Governor himself He well understood the difference between the Jews and Christians as to the external State of the Controversie that is the meaning of Having more perfect knowledge of that way not that he knew or accurately understood the Tenour of Christian Doctrine but that he well knew how hardly and unjustly the Christians were handled by the Jews He knew that Christ and Christians were not guilty of Sedition against the Roman Commonwealth but that Christ was delivered to Pilate out of mere Envy That the Christian Religion was confirmed by notable Miracles That those that professed Christianity were Eminent above all other Sects of the Jews for great Modesty and Piety nor so prone to raise Mutinies and Troubles as the rest of the Jews This he knew and this moved him to shew some favour to Paul by putting off the Jews under a pretence to speak further with the Chief Captain Lysias Which teacheth us that the Religion and Innocency of the Primitive Christians was such that in some measure it got them favour in the sight of Heathens Christians are holy chiefly for this end that they may please God and save their Souls but yet this is one Motive by which they are quickened to holy Conversation and Godliness that they may give no occasion to the Enemies to blaspheme but rather may have a good report among them which are without and so invite them to a love of the Truth and Ways of God 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good Works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation Colos. 4.5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time 1 Thes. 4.11 12. That ye study to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your hands as you are commanded That you may walk honestly towards them that are without and that you may have lack of nothing Those that by Scandals do hinder other Men's Salvation can hardly be certain of their own 2. He gave Paul more liberty Vers. 23. And he commanded a Centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come to him Though he kept him yet in Bonds yet he was not a close Prisoner but had liberty of conversing with his Friends Where learn First When Afflictions are not wholly taken away yet 't is a Mercy to have a mitigation Paul from his closer Restraint had his Condition enlarged and God gave him some more Liberty though not a full Deliverance Christ himself though he could not obtain that the Cup should pass away yet was comforted and supported by an Angel Luke 22.42 43. So Paul in another case had Grace sufficient for him tho' the Messenger of Satan that buffeted him was not taken away 2 Cor. 12.8 9. Thus God often sweetneth our Afflictions when he doth not remove them and remembreth Mercy in the midst of Judgment Secondly Observe he should forbid none of his Acquaintance to minister or come to him which sheweth the kindness of Christians one to another in affording mutual Help and Comfort in their Necessities and Afflictions He should forbid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none of his own i. e. of his own Company to come to him as Acts 4.23 They went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto their own Company 3. The third Office of Humanity and Kindness from Felix to Paul was that he was desirous to hear him Preach Vers. 24. After certain days when Felix came with his wife Drusilla which was a Iewess he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ That is of the Christian Religion This Drusilla was the Sister of Herod Agrippa who killed Iames and imprisoned Peter Acts 12. In Histories she is said to have deserted her Husband the King of the Emisens and to have lived uncleanly with Felix Now being a Jewess by Religion she had not only sinned against the Law by marrying an Uncircumcised Person or a Worshipper of a strange God Mal. 2.11 Iudah hath dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iudah hath prophaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved and hath married the daughter of a strange God But also by deserting her Husband after she had married him and living in Adultery rather than a true and proper Marriage with Felix So that here are two evil Pesons and yet they are willing to hear Paul Preaching concerning the Faith in Christ. Wicked People may desire to hear the Word out of Curiosity so Herod heard Iohn Mark 6.20 but they come not with an intent to believe and do the Things given them in Charge In the Text you have the issue and effect of this Sermon And as he
A Fourth Volume Containing One hundred and fifty SERMONS ON Several Texts of Scripture By the Late Reverend and Learned Thomas Manton D. D. In Two PARTS PART the First Containing LXXIV Sermons PART the Second Containing LXXVI Sermons WITH AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE To the Whole LONDON Printed by I. D. and are to be sold by Ionathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCIII AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Principal Matters Contained in this VOLUME A Page ABraham's Faith opened 1. In his clear sight of Christ to come 474 The Grounds of this Faith 475 The Strength of it 476 2. In overlooking the Difficulties that lay in the way of the Promise 482 The Grounds of this Faith 483 The Strength of it ibid. The Effects of it 488 Acceptance with God for the pardon of Sin the highest matter in the World 945 Account There are Books of Account kept between God and the Creature 261 At the Day of Iudgment these Books of Account shall be opened 262 All shall be called to an Account ibid. Iudgment shall pass upon all Men according to the Account then given 263 The Advantage of calling our selves often to Account ibid. Mens Account shall be answerable to their Mercies ibid. Adherence Resolute Adherence of Faith how seen 471 The Grounds of this resolute Adherence 472 Adoption How the Spirit witnesses of our Adoption 1135 Afflictions should not make us question our Adoption 1136 1139 Afflictions come from God 1133 Afflictions and Miseries may befal Gods ' People 1210 Bearing Afflictions becomes God's People 1137 We must not faint under Afflictions 765 Afflictions of the Righteous prove a Life to come 1215 Angels look into the Mystery of Redemption by Christ 918 What of this Mystery Angels look into ibid. The manner how Angels look into it 920 The Reasons why Angels look into it ibid. Angels fallen Why God would not save fallen Angels but fallen Men 658 Page Anger of God God may be angry with his own People 273 Anointing what it signifies 712 Christ was anointed by God 716 Why Christ was anointed 717 Who were anointed first Christ then Believers his Fellows ibid. Apparel Sobriety to be used in it 75 How to judg of Excess in Apparel 76 Helps and Motives to Sobriety in Apparel ib. We must not envy the Apparel of others 75 Appearing of Christ. Vid. Coming Assurance to be laboured after 114 What Application there must be when Assurance is wanting 115 B BAckslider in Heart what he is 1109 The Backslider in Heart shall be filled with his own Ways Vid. Filled Balaam's Plot to destroy Israel 802 Observations from hence 804 Believing what is necessary to it 723 Believing in God and Christ how they differ 235 Why believing in Christ is specially required besides believing in God 245 Believing in Hope against Hope opened with the Reasons of it 484 Better We are not only to be good but to grow better 429 Blessedness True Blessedness not to be sought on this side Heaven 129 Blessedness eternal wherein it consists Vid. Heaven 116 Duties of those that have an Interest in this Blessedness 130 Blessings spiritual we are to be much affected with them 426 We are to be in a capacity to praise God for spiritual Blessings 425 In Thanksgiving spiritual Blessings to be owned 424 Body The Qualities of a glorified Body 119 Brazen Serpent the History of it 747 The Typical Vse of the brazen Serpent 748 The Resemblance between Christ and the brazen Serpent 749 The Excellency of Christ above the brazen Serpent 751 Breasts Naked Breasts condemned 78 Brethren Christ having taken our Nature is not ashamed to call us Brethren 1083 Comforts from being Christ's Brethren 1088 Whether Believers may call Christ Brother ibid. Bruised Christ bruised by the Serpent and bow 538 Burden What a Burden Sin is 1125 None can take off the Burden of Sin but Christ 1126 C CAlamities In all Calamities we must look to God 1132 Vid. Afflictions Calling of Christ twofold outward and inward 784 Canaan The Woman of Canaan that she was a Believer 467 The Greatness of her Faith ibid. Her Temptations and Trials 468 Her Victory over them 470 Captives To whom we were Captives 164 The way of redeeming Captives 165 Care of the World What that Care is that is to be moderated 79 How sinful Care may be discovered ib. Whence it ariseth 80 Arguments against distrustful Care 1099 The Cure of sinful Care 80 Carnal Things Men are addicted to them more than to spiritual things 1111 Cause When we do not honour God as the first Cause 33 Centurion's Faith opened 460 The Greatness of his Faith 459 How it discovered it self 462 How this Faith was bred or begotten in him 461 Certainty conditional and actual what 1104 Charitable We must be charitable to others according to our Power 87 Reasons why we must be charitable 336 Charity or Love to the Brethren the Properties of it 995 Children are a Blessing 833 834 Much of the Providence of God exercised in and about Children 834 How far Parents may procure a Blessing or a Curse to their Children 836 How far godly Parents are blessed in their Posterity 837 Motives to Parents to take care of their Childrens Education 839 Christ. That Christ was God proved 152 Why Christ was called the Great God 150 Why Christ must be God ibid. Christ to be honoured and praised by Saints 1175 1183 Christ's Growth stated and proved 855 856 How Christ grew in Wisdom and Knowledg 855 Coming second of Christ the Preparations of it 139 Second Coming of Christ will be glorious 138 Why Christ's second Coming will be glorious 144 Inferences from Christ's glorious Coming 146 The Personal Glory of Christ at his second Coming 140 His Attendants then 141 His Work then 142 The Consequents of Christ's second Coming 143 Belâ—evers to look for Christ's second Coming 131 Objections answered 135 Reasons of it 132 The Advantage of looking for Christ's second Coming 135 How we are to prepare for Christ's second Coming 138 The Privilege of the Saints at Christ's second Coming 133 Coming to God How we are said to come to God by Christ 965 Who they are that come to God by Christ 964 Common Work not to be rested in 291 Comparison fourfold between this Life and the next 1211 Conceit Why Men are apt to conceit well of themselves 316 Arguments to press you against this Self-conceit 320 Conditions of the Gospel Man cannot perform them of himself 405 Confession with the Mouth what it is 953 The Matter to be confessed 954 The Way by which it is to be made ibid. The Necessity of it to Salvation 957 The Respect that Believing with the Heart and Confession with the Mouth have to one another 955 Conflict with Sin in the Regenerate and Vnregenerate the difference between them 365 Conflict spiritual we are to arm our selves for it 1101 The use of Faith Hope and Love in the spiritual Conflict 1105 Conscience the Nature of it
Grace is to raise and beget this Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Who hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope 2. There may be sometimes a Drousiness and Indisposition when their Lamps are not kept burning Luke 12.36 And be ye always ready as those that wait for their Lord. When they are fallen asleep they may for the present wish that Christ may not come and take them in this condition As the wise Virgins slept as well as the foolish so God's own Children many times find themselves indisposed for his coming careless Carriage weakens their Hope and the Remisness of their Watch yet in all there is a Spirit this way which beginneth with the new Birth A Wife desires her Husband 's coming home but it may be all things are not ready and in so good order as they should So all Christians desire the coming of Christ but sometimes they are not so exact and watchful and therefore their Affections are not so lively Drousiness creeps upon their Hearts and then God rouzeth them by Afflictions Obj. 3. But is this the Property of God's Children when we see carnal Men sometimes out of Weariness of the present Life and Trouble of the World will even long for his coming and wish for Death Answ. That is an Offer of Nature after Ease this is a Desire stirred up by the Spirit Sometimes God's Children in their Passions desire to be taken out of the World as Ionah 4.8 He fainted and wished in himself to die and said It is better for me to die than to live And Elijah 1 King 19.4 He requested for himself that he might die and said It is enough now O Lord take away my Life for I am not better than my Fathers But this is but a shameful Retreat from Duty and the Heat and Burden of the Day and the Labours of the present Life these are froward Thoughts not sanctified Desires Words of a feaverish Distemper not of Affection but it comes from the Sickness and Weakness of their Souls But this I speak of is a solid looking for desire and longing for the glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ. Vse 1. It sheweth what they are who wish that it may never come Some would be glad in their Hearts to hear such News that Christ's Coming would never be it is their Burden and Torment to think of it as Felix trembled when he heard of Judgment to come These Men have the Spirit of the Devil in them if they had the Spirit of God in them would it be so Surely no. A carnal Man cannot say the Lord's-Prayer for he is afraid he shall be heard Optas ut veniat quem times ne adveniat saith Austin How canst thou say Thy Kingdom come when thou art afraid lest God should come Vse 2. To press us to this earnest Looking Christ looketh he is not slack 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise If all things were ready he would come presently Before he came in the Flesh his Delights were with us Prov. 8.31 Rejoycing in the habitable Parts of the Earth and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. And he longeth now he is in Heaven Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me The Angels expect it they would not be found Liars they told us of it Acts 1.11 This same Iesus that is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven The Saints groan How long O Lord how long Devils tremble at the thoughts of it Mat. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time The Creatures expect it in their kind Rom. 8.19 For the earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God All things by a natural Instinct are carried to their Perfection Evil Men cannot endure to think of it as Felix trembled at the thoughts of Judgment to come Let not the Saints stand out but expect it earnestly How much was the first coming of Christ wished for and desired Abraham rejoiced at the thoughts of it Iohn 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad Kings and Prophets desired to see these things Luke 10.24 For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them Old Simeon Luke 2.25 was just and devout waiting for the Consolation of Israel yet then he was a Child in the Cradle now in Glory riding on the Clouds then he came in the Similitude of sinful Flesh Rom. 8.3 God sent his own Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh but now he shall appear without Sin Heb. 9.28 Vnto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation This earnest looking implieth strong Faith longing Desires frequent Thoughts 1. Strong Faith Reason saith it may be Faith saith it shall be Divine Justice must have a solemn Triumph Conscience is afraid of it Our Reward may be delayed but it cannot stand with the Justice of God that it should be abolished and taken away There is Confusion in the World Dives flowed with Ease and Plenty when Lazarus was rough-cast with Sores We need to be awed with Shame as well as Fear Faith saith he will come we have his Word for it as unlikely things have come to pass that have been foretold Were the old Believers deceived that expected his coming in the Flesh That a few Fishermen should preach the Gospel to all Nations this is already done Christ is contracted with us now he will come to marry us he went not away upon Discontent He that loved us so as to as to come from Heaven to Earth to take our Nature will he not come in Glory We have of his Spirit and we enjoy his Ordinances as a Memorial till he comes and we have many Love-tokens sent us as a Pledg that he will come 2. Longing Desires Our Hearts should even spring and leap within us when we hear of Christ's coming Thus the Believers of the Old Testament how did they rejoice to hear of a Messiah to come Iohn 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad Abraham rejoiced to think that a Son should come of his Loins in whom all the World should be blessed Heb. 11.13 These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them How did the Patriarchs hug the Promises O sweet Promise this will yield a Messiah a Christ to the World 3. There should be frequent Thoughts of his coming as if you always heard the Trumpet Every time thou lookest to Heaven think I have a Christ there a rich Jewel kept safe and when ever you see the Clouds think of Christ's coming and going These Clouds were Chariots by which Christ
Works were evil and his Brother 's righteous 1 Joh. 3.12 Carnal Professors that creep into the Church unawares are full of Envy Strife and Wrath. How can we edify one another in the holy Faith unless we be first holy A Man would think they should be purified to the Love of God nay but they must be purified to the Love of the Brethren 3. With respect to the World A distinct Body should have a distinct Excellency They are a People distinct from the World they are set apart for God Psal. 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself They are a chosen Generation Many other Societies excel the Church for Strength Policy and worldly Pomp but Holiness and Purity is the Church's Badg Psal. 93.5 Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever God's peculiar People must have a peculiar Excellency upon a double ground 1. Because of Likeness to God Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods who is like thee glorious in Holiness It is God's Glory and therefore the Churches God is rich in Mercy but glorious in Holiness his Treasure is his Goodness but his Honour is his Holiness and immaculate Purity as among Men their Wealth is distinguished from their Honour 2. Because all the Ordinances hold it forth especially the Ordinance of Initiation So that it is the greatest Hypocrisy in the World to pretend to be God's People and not to be holy because they wear the Badges of Holiness they all come in by the washing of Water Men forget their Baptism 2 Pet. 1.9 He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old Sins Men that are only whited over with the Name of Christians and Sin is still new and fresh as an old thing they forget the Effect of their Baptism That a washed Man should be so foul and noisom still sure they forget or do not know what it is to be baptized into Christ. Secondly The Manner how he purifieth them There is on Christ's part the Spirit and Ordinances and his Merit reacheth to both and on our part Faith 1. On Christ's part 1. The Spirit is necessary Titus 3.5 He saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost applieth all the Grace which the Father intendeth and Christ hath purchased We are usually said to be saved by the Blood of Christ that was the Merit and Price There was a Grant on God the Father's part Rev. 19.8 To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine Linen clean and white An Authentick Act passeth in the Court of Heaven that we shall have fine Linen as Esther had Garments out of the King's Wardrobe But this is founded on Christ's Merits the Stream in which we are washed flowed out of Christ's Heart 1 Iohn 1.7 The Blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin But then the Holy Ghost as the Executor of Christ's Will and Testament worketh and applieth all The Merit of the Creature is excluded by Christ's Merit and the Father's Grant the Power of the Creature is excluded by the Work of the Spirit he worketh with a respect to Christ's Blood As in the cleansing of the Leper the Bird was to be killed over running Water Levit. 14.5 So in the cleansing of the Sinner there is the Merit of Christ and the Work of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God If we come to the Father the Father sends us to the Son otherwise he could not look upon us the Son sends us to the Spirit the Spirit sends us to Moses and the Prophets 2. The Ordinances Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word These are the Ordinances that are specially consecrated and to which Christ's Merit reacheth he hath not only procured the Gift of the Spirit but a Blessing on the Means that we may use them with Confidence The Word helpeth us by way of Declaration and Offer and Baptism concurreth sacramentally by way of signing and sealing and so it is a Means to confirm and provoke the Faith of a Receiver to lay hold on this Grace The Ordinances are an help to call to mind Baptism It is not good to balk the known and ordinary Means of Grace Christ hath purchased a Treasure that cannot be wasted Iohn 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctify my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth When you come to hear you come to receive the Fruits of Christ's Purchase 2. On our part there is required Faith which also purifieth Acts 15.9 Purifying their Hearts by Faith Christ's Blood cleanseth the Gospel cleanseth Baptism cleanseth the Spirit cleanseth Faith cleanseth all these are not contrary but subordinate neither Christ nor the Word nor the Spirit worketh without an Act on our parts As under the Law the Priest was not only to wash and cleanse the Leper who herein represented God but also after the sprinkling of the Priest he was to wash himself Lev. 14.8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his Clothes and shave off all his Hair and wash himself in Water that he may be clean to shew that some Work is required on our part The Work of Faith is to apply to wait to work by Reflection and to stir up Love 1. To apply the Promises of God the Offers of Grace in the Word and the Blood of Christ and all these to purge out Corruption It applieth the Blood of Christ urgeth the Soul with it he died to purchase that Grace which thou wantest The Water and Soap cleanseth but the Hand of the Landress must apply it and rub the Clothes that are washed This is called sprinkling the Conscience with the Blood of Christ Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water We should thus argue with our selves Surely Christ died to sanctify Sinners his Death cannot be in vain Grace is bought at a dear rate in the offers of the Word God maketh a tender why should I not accept of it Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the Word preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it But we do not say What shall we say to these things By Faith the Plaister is laid on the Sore 2. In the Use of Means it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of the Blood of Christ and looketh upon them as Ordinances under a Blessing Isa. 45.24 Surely shall one say In the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength It casts out the Net at Christ's Commandment Micah 7.19 He will turn again he will have Compassion on us he will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast all their Sins
what they say nor whereof they affirm only ignorantly and inconsiderately swallow down the Current Opinions without knowing the certainty of those things wherein they have been instructed Luke 1.4 And so though they never doubted of the Truth of their Religion it is because they were never assaulted with Temptations to the contrary and all the strength of their Faith lyeth in their Inconsideration or Non-attention If they have any ground and bottom it is only Men's saying so and therefore their Belief if they have any should rather be called Humane Credulity than Christian Faith In short they that believe every thing believe nothing which soon appeareth when a Temptation cometh 2 dly It distinguisheth it from Conjecture which is a lighter Inclination of Mind to a thing as possibly or probably true whereby Men get no higher than it may be so and yet there are shrewd suspicions to the contrary A guess is not an Assent much less a firm and strong Assent as Faith is 3 dly It distinguisheth it from Opinion which is a trembling fearful uncertain Assent Opinion is beyond Conjecture but short of Faith Conjecture only supposes it may be so but Opinion asserts that it is so though not without some fear of the contrary but above all this Faith is an undoubted perswasion of the Truth of things revealed by God By Opinion one may be so convinced of the Truth of Divine things as not to be able reasonably to contradict them but by Faith a Man is so convinced of the Truth of the Gospel that he seeth all the reason in the World to embrace and follow it Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ And 1 Thess. 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake And Heb 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water 2. The next Qualification of this Assent is that it is a Cordial or Hearty Assent I mean such as doth engage the Will and Affections to pursue the Happiness which God hath revealed in the way and by the means which God hath prescribed We read in Scripture of believing with the heart Rom. 10.9 10. and with all the heart Acts 8.37 The Object of Faith is not only true but Good and therefore produceth a Cordial Adherence to the Truths of which it is perswaded There is not only a Conviction of the Mind but a bent and Inclination of the Will which followeth the perswasion of Faith if it be firm and strong for it considereth not only the evidence of the things propounded but the worth weight and greatness of them 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation otherwise it will not serve the end and purpose of the Gospel which requireth us to Crucifie our Lusts and Sacrifice our Interests and perform Duties displeasing to Corrupt Nature and all this upon the Hope 's only which it offereth to us and to wait upon God for his Salvation in the midst of all Pressures and Afflictions Therefore certainly Believing is an Heart business not a simple naked and speculative Assent This latter Qualification doth exclude two things from true Lively and Saving Faith First That which Divines call Historical 2 dly That which they call Temporary Faith 1. Historical Faith which is a simple and naked Assent to such things as are propounded in the Word of God and maketh Men more knowing but not better not more Holy and Heavenly they are not excited thereby to pursue that Happiness which the Gospel offereth in the way of Holy Living or patient continuance in well-doing So Simon Magus believed the preaching of Philip Acts 8.13 yet his Heart was not right with God but he still remained in the Gall of bitterness and bond of Iniquity And so many believed in the Name of Christ to whom Christ committed not himself because he knew all men Joh. 2.23 24. And this Faith even the Devils may have Iam. 2.19 Thou believest that there is a God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble and that not only in Truths evivident by Natural Light such as that is there mentioned that there is a God but in Gospel Truths as that Jesus is the Son of God Mark 1.24 The Devil cryed out saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth I know thee who thou art the Holy One of God Now this kind of Faith is called Historical Faith not from the Object of it as if it did only believe the Histories of Scripture No they that have it may believe the Promises the Doctrines the Precepts as well as the Histories but from the Manner in which it is conversant about its Object namely thus As we read Histories in which we are no way concern'd we nakedly read them for Knowledge sake not to make a party in their Broils and Interests but only to know what was done so they that have only this kind of Faith read the Scriptures as Persons unconcerned and rest in idle Speculation without referring those notable Truths to choice and practice I cannot say that this cannot be called Faith because they that have it do believe those things which are true and do truly believe them but yet lively Saving Faith it is not for he who hath that findeth his Heart engaged to Christ and doth so believe the Promises of the Gospel concerning pardon of Sins and Life Eternal that he seeketh after them as his Happiness and doth so believe the Mysteries of our Redemption by Christ as that all his Hope and Peace and Confidence is drawn from thence and doth so believe the Commandments of God and Christ as that he determineth to frame his Heart and Life to the observance of them and doth so believe the Threatnings whether of Temporal Plagues or Eternal Damnation as that in comparison of them all the frightful things of the World are as nothing Luke 12.24 Be not afraid of them that can kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do Destruction from God is a Terrour to them beyond all the Evil that Man can threaten As he said to the Emperour Thou threatenest a Prison but Christ threateneth Hell 2. It is distinguished from Temporary Faith which is an Assent to Scriptural or Gospel Truth accompanyed with a slight and insufficient touch upon the Heart called a taste of the heavenly gift and of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb. 6.4 5 6. By this kind of Faith the Mind is not only enlightened but the Heart affected
the Life to come let us dig the Pit and tarry till God fill it with Rain from Heaven 2. In case of Difficulties Wants Distresses the naked Promise must be ground of Hope and Comsort to you though it seem to be contradicted in the Course of God's Providence when it is neither performed nor likely to be performed you are to go by his Word whatever his Dispensation be Rom. 4.18 Abraham against hope believed in hope And David saith Psal. 56.4 In God will I praise his Word in God I have put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me So Verse 10. In God will I praise his Word in the Lord will I praise his Word The best holdfast Faith can have on God is to take him by his Word though he withholdeth Comfort and Deliverance from us yet we may praise him as long as we have his Word His Dispensation giveth no Satisfaction yet the Soul can find Rest and Contentment in his Word Well then if the Word be an impregnable Bulwark against all Fears and Dangers and Comfort against all Wants and Distresses your Faith is grown for the more simply our dependance is upon the Word of God without sensible Encouragements the stronger is our Faith 3. When all the Trust we have in God concerning the Comforts we expect by the way is still referred to the great Blessing of Eternal Life We are to trust God by the way for our Protection and Defence as well as for the Reward at the end of the Journey by swimming in the shallow Brooks we learn to venture in the great Ocean but still in subordination to the main Blessing This is the great Comfort Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom And our Faith in the Word tendeth to this Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our Learning that we thrô patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Therefore strength of Faith is hereby determined 4. Because the Word is not only our Charter but our Rule The strength of Faith is known by this If we value the Word of God as it maketh us wise unto Salvation therefore we delight in the plain Word without the Ornaments of wit as painting in Glass Windows hindereth the Light Every thing communicateth to it 's own Nature Heat causeth heat Cold causeth cold Ministers speak as the Oracles of God and so the People receive SERMON V. ON 2 THESS I. v. 3. Your Faith groweth exceedingly and the Charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth Fifthly WE come to the Fifth Property of Faith which is an high Value and Esteem of Jesus Christ I mention this 1. Because Faith in the New Covenant mainly and distinctly respects Christ Acts 20.21 Testifying both to the Iews and also to the Gentiles Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ. Why Repentance respects God I shewed you lately because from God we fell and to God we return We fell from him as we withdrew our Allegiance and sought our Happiness elsewhere we return to him as to our Rightful Lord and proper Happiness But Faith respects the Mediator who is the only Remedy of our Misery and the Means of Eternal Blessedness He opened the way to God by his Merit and Satisfaction and actually bringeth us into this way by his Renewing and Reconciling Grace that we may be in a Capacity to please and enjoy God and that 's the reason why Faith in Christ is so much insisted on as it begets a Title to the Blessings of the New Covenant It hath a Special Aptitude and fitness for this work of our Recovery from Sin to God partly because a guilty Conscience is not easily settled and brought to look for all kind of Happiness from one whom we have so much wronged Adam when once a Sinner was shy of God Gen. 3.10 Guilt is suspicious and maketh us hang off from God Psal. 32.13 And if we have not one to lead us by the hand and bring us to God we cannot abide his Presence 2. Partly because the Comfort of the Promises is so Rich and Glorious and the Persons upon whom it is bestowed so unworthy that it cannot easily enter into the Heart of a Man that God will be so Good and Gracious to us unless we have a sound Belief of his Merit who hath procured these Mercies and Hopes for us 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Therefore since Sense and Reason could look for no such thing 2 strong Faith is necessary 3. The way God hath taken for our Deliverance is so supernatural and strange that nothing but Faith can receive it Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life And Rom. 8.32 He spared not his own Son but gave him to dye for us 4. The chief of our Blessings lye in another World and Nature cannot see so far off 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off Unless we believe Christ and his Message to us we shall never entertain these things 5. For the present Christ's People are assaulted and afflicted with so many Difficulties and so seemingly forsaken and Temptations to Unbelief in this lower World are so manifold and pressing that we can take no Comfort in the New Covenant unless we have Faith in Christ who is able to maintain and defend us till he hath brought us home to God 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 6. Faith in Christ is most fitted for the acceptance of his free Gift Faith and Grace go always together and are put as Opposites to Law and Works Rom. 4.16 Therefore 't is of Faith that it might be of Grace And Eph. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God Faith establisheth the free Grace and Favour of God or his Condescention to us in the New Covenant wherein Pardon and Life are offered to Penitent Believers What we receive by the Grace of God in Christ cannot be of Right or such as we may Challenge by Vertue of Obedience to the Law upon that Account He might Condemn us but he doth Accept us upon these New Terms which Christ propounded of his meer Grace and therefore Faith solveth the Interest of Grace in our Pardon and Salvation 7. Because the Duties of the New Covenant are opposite to the bent of the Carnal Heart which is set upon Liberty and Uncleanness Rom. 8.7 The Carnal mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be And nothing
1 John 3.8 The Devil sinneth from the beginning Therefore he is not so destroyed as if he did no more desire the Ruine and Destruction of Men. He is as malicious as ever The Devil is always at the old Trade of destroying Souls and watcheth all Advantages and observeth our Motions and Inclinations to make use of them 2. Affirmatively it remaineth that it is ratione Potentiae in regard of his Power But the Question returneth How far is his Power destroyed For he still governeth the Wicked and possesseth a great part of the World Therefore the Devils are called Ephes. 6.12 the Rulers of the Darkness of this World He molesteth the Godly whether considered singly and apart or in their Communities and Societies Singly and apart he may sometimes trouble them and sorely shake them as Wheat is winnowed in a Sive Luke 22.31 Simon Simon Behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat And in their Communities and Societies Psal. 129.1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth may Israel now say Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth Answ. Though he may afflict and molest the People of God yet he cannot totally prevail over them 1. There is enough done by way of Merit to break the Power of Satan or that whole Kingdom of Darkness which is united under one Head called the Devil The Price and Ransom is fully paid for captive Souls The Lamb of God taketh away the Sin of the World John 1.29 There need no more to be done by way of Merit and Satisfaction to bruise the Serpent's Head and to dissolve that woful Work which he hath introduced into the World Now not only the Comfort of particular Believers is ascribed to the Death of Christ but the Success of the Gospel over false Religions as 1 Pet. 1.18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation received by Tradition from your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Christ. He purchased the Power of recovering Souls out of their Apostacy at a dear rate Therefore though the Superstitions of the World were entailed on People by a long Descent yet when we go forth to preach the Gospel in the Virtue and Value of the Blood of Christ that will work mighty Wonders for the Destruction of the Kingdom of the Devil 2. Christ is upon the Throne and we are under his Protection therefore the Devil cannot totally prevail as to those who have Interest in him As to single Believers Iohn 10.28 None is able to pluck them out of my Hand Or as to their Communities and Societies Matth. 16.18 Vpon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it The Gates of Hell signify the Power and Policy of Hell for there was their Armoury and their Counsel Christ expecteth their most subtile and furious Assaults but all should be but as the dashing of Waves against a Rock end in Foam and Shame to the Aggressors and Assailants So that besides his Merit on the Cross there is his Power in Heaven as now sitting upon the Throne 3. The Victory is carried on so as that our Duty and Trials may not be excluded 1 st Though Satan's Head be crushed yet still there is room for our Duty that we may use the Means for our Safety as good Souldiers of Christ and live as in a continual Fight These are set down 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober and vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1. Sobriety or an holy Moderation as to the Comforts and Delights of the present Life The Devil the Flesh and the World are in Conspiracy By the Baits of the World he inticeth our Flesh to a neglect of God and heavenly things therefore we must use the World as if we used it not lest our Hearts be burdened and depressed and disabled from seeking after our great End and Happiness 2. Vigilancy and Watchfulness is necessary that we may stand upon our Guard avoiding Snares and forecasting Hazards lest we fall as a ready Prey into the Mouth of the Tempter 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit your selves like Men be strong The first Point of a Christian Souldier is to watch Conscience must stand Porter at the Door examining what cometh in and what goeth out The Devil watcheth all Advantages against us that he may spy where we are weakest and if the Enemy watch and we sleep we cannot be safe 3. Stedfast Resistance in the Faith When we are yielding Satan gets ground but when we believingly and stedfastly resist he is discouraged This stedfast Resistance in the Faith is first Adhering to the Privileges of the Gospel as our Happiness secondly Persevering in the Duties thereof as our Work resolving not to let go our hold but by patient Continuance in Well-doing to wait for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal Life Now if Christ should so destroy the Devil as to exempt from this Duty the whole Gospel would be in vain and the Promises and Precepts of it to no purpose and all the Furniture of Grace which Christ hath purchased for us and promised to us be lost and useless Surely Christ hath not so crushed the Serpent's Head but that we need to be sober and watchful and stedfast in the Faith otherwise we were not his Souldiers but his Enemies 2 dly Not to exempt us from Trials of our Sincerity God will have all Obedience to be tried and honoured by Opposition and sometimes by sharp and grievous Opposition Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that you may be tried Thus Iob was remitted to Satan for his Trial chap. 1.12 And the Lord said unto Satan Behold all that he hath is in thy Power And Paul had his Messenger of Satan for his Trial to see what shift he could make with sufficient internal Grace under outward and vexatious Evils 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10. Now better undergo the fiery Trial than the fiery Torment Tried we are then but not destroyed God may let loose the Wolf to drive us into the Fold and exercise us with Temptations but not suffer us to be overwhelmed 4. In the external Management of the Mediatorial Kingdom there are many Vicissitudes and Interchanges of the outward Condition of the Church Sometimes God doth notably defeat Satan and his Instruments and the Devil's Kingdom visibly goeth to wrack As at the first Promulgation of the Gospel though the World was captivated under Satan rooted in former Superstitions yet Christ prevailed and got ground by the Rod of his Strength and the Word of his Kingdom Tho Satan every-where had his Temples wherein he was worshipped and his Oracles were resorted to with great Reverence Till the Hebrew Child silenced him he are the Fat
there must be a resolute endeavour to overcome every Sin you are convinced of Heb. 13.18 Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly 2. That you may not have a dead sleepy stupid Conscience you must often excite it For your Actions bring them to the Rule Haggai 1.5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord God consider your wayes Psalm 4.4 Commune with your own hearts upon your bed and be still For your state try it often 1 Cor. 11.28 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates The Acts of Conscience are three to be an Accuser Witness and Judge 1. As an Accuser hearken to its voice what doth it say to you good or evil Iob 27.6 My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live If it speak not to you you must speak to it God complaineth Ier. 8.6 I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done 2. As a Witness consider the Evidence it bringeth that it may be matter of Joy or Sorrow to you of Confession or Thanksgiving If it reproach you do not smother the check Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Foelix trembled and answered go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient season I will call for thee If it chear you see upon what grounds Rom. 9.1 I speak the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost It is no matter what others think but what Conscience thinketh Nothing is nearer to us than our selves it is a domestical Tribunal that we alwayes carry about with us 3. As a Judge it passeth Sentence if it be wrong there is an appeal from Court to Court Psalm 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who can stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Conscience is a Judge but it is an inferior Judge there lyeth an Appeal to a higher 1 Cor. 4.4 He that judgeth me is the Lord Heb. 11.23 And to God the judge of all But it should be done with great admiration of Grace But if the Judgment be right it is ratified its Judgment we must yield to 1 Cor. 11.32 But when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord. Thus should we keep up the force of Conscience A SERMON On ZECHARIAH xiv 20 21. In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses Holiness unto the Lord and the pots in the Lords house shall be like the bowls before the altar Yea every pot in Ierusalem and in Iudah shall be Holiness unto the Lord of hosts THESE words describe the Purity and Holiness of the Gospel-Church in such Termes and Notions as are proper to the Old Testament Dispensation In them observe 1. The Inscription or Impress 2. The things on which it is ingraven 3. The time when it is done 1. The Inscription or Impress Holyness to the Lord. This was of old written on the Priests Mitre Exod. 28.36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the ingravings of a signet HOLINESS TO THE LORD To shew that he was a Person Sacred and designed for special Holy Uses therein he was a Type of Christ. Now what was upon the High Priests Frontlet was inscribed on every thing to shew they should consecrate their all to God 2. The things inscribed particularly enumerated first the horse-bells or the Ornaments of their Horses Secondly Their bowles or basons Thirdly Their pots 1. What was used in the Kitchings of the Temple 2. The Utensils of every ordinary House and Family There were Kitchins belonged to the Temple wherein the Thank-Offerings were dressed for their Sacred Feasts The Bowles of the Altar were for an higher use namely to receive the Blood of the Sacrifices to make the sprinklings as Solomon made an hundred basons of Gold for that use 2 Chron. 4.8 3. The Time in that day he speaketh not of any peculiar time but the whole State of things under the Gospel which is as it were but one day And it is called that day by way of excellency Thus the time of the Gospel are dayes indeed full of Light and Grace and that day by way of limitation it should be reserved for this day and not found in such a degree and measure at any other time even then when there should be no Sacrifices no Altars then the Bells Pots and Basons should be sanctified or separated from a common and dedicated to an Holy Use that is there shall be such special Universal Holiness as if it were so done upon all these things But you will say When and where is it Alas considering the degenerate state of the Christian World where is this Universal Holiness to be found How shall we make it good Answer 1. Prophesies of things belonging to our Obedience are to be understood many times quoad officium of our Duty rather than quoad eventum of the event it is their Duty to be thus Holy in all their Imployments and Affairs that dispensation requireth it as our Duty 2. As to the Event it is to be understood comparatively not absolutely to shew that there shall be a far greater Holyness under the Gospel than under the Law both intensive as to the degree of the Holyness it self and extensive as to the Persons sanctified Intensively the Holiness its self is greater because the Ordinances of the Gospel are Rational and not Typical and the Duties of it Moral more than Ceremonial God taught them by Ceremonies to hate Sin by the Types of legal uncleanness to devote themselves to God by offering their Beasts in Sacrifice Theirs was like a training ours a real War as much as the difference is between shooting at a Puppet or painted Castle and fighting with an Enemy And because more of the Spirit is poured out now Grace is not given upon trust but the price is actually paid Extensively more Persons are sanctified as the Pale is inlarged and the Gospel prevaileth on them Rev. 5.9 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Mark 16.15 Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature 3. The Gospel-State hath its ebbs and flowes in several Ages Sometimes there is a notable vigour and power of Godliness at other times a great Increase of Wickedness and Men do so far corrupt their way that we are forced to put another sense upon words or expect a better time when the Prophesie shall be more amply fulfilled We can hardly reconcile the words with the state of the
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
it Sin dyeth when the Love to it dyeth All that are converted to God are possessed with an Enmity to Sathan and his wayes such as they had not before when they remained in the degenerate State They have a New Heart and a New Spirit not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God The Natural Spirit that Spirit that dwelleth in us is the Spirit of the World The Spirit that inclineth us to worldly and sensual satisfactions but the Spirit maketh them look after the things promised by Christ and required by Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 For we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God The Natural Spirit was a Spirit that lusteth to envy Iames 4.5 And so the Satanical Spirit But this is a Spirit of Love to God and Man that maketh us to seek his Glory and the good of others 'Till this Spirit be planted in us we have not changed Masters 2. As to Confirmation and Perseverance Christ will not loose the prey that he hath recovered out of the hands of Sathan Indeed while any thing of Sin remaineth there is somewhat of Sathan left which he worketh upon There is a remnant of his Seed in the best The Godly are yet in the way but not at the end of the Journey Therefore Sathan hath leave to assault them while they are here but Christ will perfect the Conquest which he hath begun and the very being of Sin shall at length be taken away At Death Sin is totally disanulled Iude 24. And to present you faultless before the presence of his glory Eph. 5.27 That he may present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish When the Vail of the Flesh is rent once there is a ceasing from Sin The Physician of Souls will then perfect the Cure and finish the Work The question then is how far Sathans power is destroyed as to the Converted I Answer Negatively not so far as to exclude our Duties or Tryals but affirmatively the Victory is secured by Promise to the striving Christian. 1. Negatively Not to exclude our Duty There is still room left for Prayer Watchfulness Sobriety Serious Resistance that we may use the means appointed for our safety 1. There is required of us Sobriety or an Holy Moderation of the Comforts and Delights of the present Life The Devil the Flesâ— and the World joyn in Conspiracy against us By the baits of the World Sathan inticeth our Flesh to a neglect of God and Heavenly things therefore we must be sober 1 Pet. 5.8 use the World as not abusing it 1 Cor. 7.31 that our Hearts be not depressed and disabled from looking after our great End and Happiness 2. Vigilance and Watchfulness is necessary that we may stand upon our Guard avoiding Snares fore-casting Hazards least we fall as a ready prey into the Mouth of the Tempter 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand ye fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong The first point of a Christian Souldier is to watch Conscience must stand Porter at the Door of the Soul examining what goeth in and what cometh out The Devil watcheth all advantages against us to espy where we are weakest Men that have no great tenderness of Conscience fear not much the loss of their Souls and are most easily wrought upon by Sathan Eph. 4.27 Neither give place to the devil If you but set open the door to Sathan the Capital Enemy of Mans salvation he will re-enter his old Possession and seek to exercise his old Tyranny therefore watch 3. A stedfast resistance Whom resist stedfast in the faith When we are yielding Sathan gets ground but he is discouraged by stedfast resistance This must be in the Faith or by a close adherence to Gods Word 1 Iohn 2.14 I have written to you young men because you are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Adhering to the Priviledges of the Gospel as our Happiness and persevering in the Duties as our work or resolving by a constant continuance in well-doing to wait for Christs Mercy 4. We are also to pray earnestly Psalm 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over me We had need to pray earnestly because sin will put strongly for the Throne again therefore beg Direction 5. All is bound upon the Conscience by continual mindfulness of our Baptismal-Vow and Covenant which must be often called to remembrance Rom. 6.11 Likewise also reckon your selves dead unto sin and alive unto God Rom. 8.12 We are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh If Christ had so destroyed the Devil as to exclude our Endeavours and our Duty the whole Gospel would be in vain and the Promises and Precepts of it to no purpose and all that furniture of Grace which he hath provided for us lost and useless Surely the Enemy and Avenger is not so stilled but that we need to be sober and watchful and stedfast in the Faith and much in Prayer and ever mindful of our Covenant and vowed Death to sin A Man that is baptized he hath a Debt and Bond upon him Secondly Christ hath not so stilled the Enemy and the Avenger to exempt us from Tryals of our sincerity God will have all Obedience to be tryed and honoured by opposition and sometimes sharp and grievous opposition Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed Iob was permitted to Sathan for his Tryal Iob 1.12 Paul had his Messenger of Sathan for his Tryal to see what shift he could make with sufficient Internal Grace under Outward and Vexatious Evils 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10. Now it is better to undergo the fiery Tryal than the fiery Torment Tryed we are but not destroyed exercised with Temptation but not over-whelmed 2. Affirmatively 1. 'T is so far broken and destroyed that we have necessary assistance provided for us 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness Perfect That is manifested to be perfect When the World is of Sathans side God is of our side 2 Tim. 4.17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthned me 1 Cor. 10.13 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape 2. The final Victory is secured by Promise to the striving Christian Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Sathan under your feet shortly 2. As to his Interest in the Corrupt World the Kingdom of Sathan is more and more subdued For Christ must divide the spoil with the strong Isa. 53.12 Christ prevails upon Opposition and against Opposition and by Opposition For 1. Christ having a grant of a Kingdom over the Nations is every way furnished with Power to obtain it by Means
wonderfully reconcile the heart to God and make our thoughts of him sweet and acceptable when we come to Pray to him Christ will not be strange to his own flesh as we are bidden Not to hide our selves from our own flesh Isai. 58.7 3. His bountiful providence His former kindness to David is mentioned all along the Chapter both by the Lord himself and also by David God that hath been good will be good for he wasteth not by giving but is where he was Iam. 1.5 If any lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him As the Fountain remaineth as full as ever tho it overflow and sendeth forth its streams God delighteth that former mercies should be improved to future trust 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us And to Prayer Phil. 4 6. In every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Promises should not lye by us as a dead stock Psal. 116.2 Because he hath inclined his ear to me therefore will I call upon him as long as I Live Deus promittendo et donando debet God is a Debtor both by his Promises and by his Gifts He loveth to crown his own mercies and to follow gift with gift For he is not weary of giving 4. His Promises The Promises to incourage Prayer are very large 1. There are indefinite promises of Audience Psal. 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Job 22.27 Thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy Vows So Isai. 45.19 I said not to the Seed of Jacob Seek me in vain Now these are mighty incouragements and shew us that 〈◊〉 is not labour in vain to seek God So that if there be not a commandment in our way to stop our requests we have all the ingagements in the World to come and acquaint God with all our desires griefs fears wants requests We may find in our hearts to be dealing with him upon these incouragements For what cannot God do And what will not Prayer do with a good God who is readily inclined to his People and able to do what he pleaseth and hath promised to do what we desire 2. There are promises of general universal concernment that God will not only hear Prayer but do all that we desire of him As John 14.14 If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it And Matth. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive Psal. 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart And many such expressions Not that men have a lawless liberty allowed them to ask what they will and Gods power shall lackey after their vain fancies and appetites No these large and universal offers admit of a limitation propounded in Scripture and that then when these universal particles are mentioned these limitations are to be regarded that you may not make promises to your selves and set God a task by your self-conceitedness and vain fancies and think him ingaged beyond what he is pleased to bind himself unto But what are the Limitations 1. That we ask righteously according to the matter So you have the limitation 1 John 5.14 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us And if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him All the business is what is the meaning of these words According to his Will Ans. With Conformity to his Revealed Will and with Submission to his Secret Will Surely with Conformity to his Revealed or Commanding Will that we ask nothing unjust or sinful and seek to bring God to our hire as Balaam when he built Altars and sought to God for leave to Curse his People And that we ask nothing but what is agreeable to his Secret Will Many things are lawful yea and commanded as for Parents to ask the Conversion of their Children and it is our Duty to use the means in order to it but we must refer the success to God God must be judge what shall be most for his Glory In short we must ask according to his Commanding Will with due respect to his decreeing Will Ioh. 14.13 Whatever ye ask the Father in my Name I will do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son Whatever belongeth to our Duty and the Glory of God we must do but for the event how God will be glorified by either we must submit it to God So for lawful things Gâ—ace puts a restraint upon the Will of a renewed man that he seeketh nothing but what may be for the Glory of God and his Good If he asketh other things and to other ends he is prompted thereunto by his Flesh which maketh him Lust after Vain Empty Carnal Satisfactions to please his flesh 2. The next Limitation is to the manner If we ask them fervently and with that Life and Seriousness which finding a Prayer in the Heart doth require So Mat. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Prayers are not answered if the Spirit of Prayer be wanting or that liveliness which is necessary to make it Prayer though the form and fashion of it be kept up Men may pray but that Life which their Necessity calleth for may be far to seek When we set our Face to seek the Lord God with Prayer and Supplication Dan. 9.3 I set my Face unto the Lord God to seek by Prayer and Supplications Jer. 29.13 Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your Heart This sets the Spirit of Prayer a work 3. The next Qualification is of the Person as in the Text Thy Servant so in other places 1 Ioh. 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight That is we are as certain we shall receive as if we had it already If Prayer should be performed with the greatest Earnestness and the greatest Faith and Confidence yet if the Consciences of men reprove them of any looseness and lightness of Spirit or that they have served God by halves and are off and on with him in their Practice and look for good things from God while they neglect their own Duty and what is required of them they cannot think that God should do it for them they cannot look that God should be ingaged any further than he hath ingaged himself So Ioh. 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto
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
it Again it is an holy Law according to which the process of that day shall be guided A Law that is clean and pure which alloweth not the least evil Thy Law is exceeding pure Psal. 119.140 The Gospel abateth nothing of the purity of it Now when we appear before an holy God and must be judged by an holy Law surely we must have holiness and righteousness answerable or how can we stand in the Judgment It is an holy God before whose Tribunal we must appear and an holy Law that we must be judged by therefore if we be destitute of all kind of righteousness What shall we do 2. No other righteousness will serve the turn but the righteousness of Faith And therefore till we submit to the New Covenant we are in a woful case Now the righteousness of the New Covenant is supream or subordinate The supream by way of Merit and Satisfaction The Subordinate by way of Application and Qualification on our parts 1. The Supream is the Righteousness or Obedience of Christ. VVhich can alone deliver us from Hell Job 33.24 Deliver him from going down to the Pit for I have found a ransom There is no deliverance from eternal destruction which our sins deserve but onely by the Ransom which he hath paid Till his Justice be satisfied by Christ no good can come unto us 2. The Subordinate Righteousness which qualifieth us and giveth us an interest is Faith Repentance and new Obedience All which are hugely necessary and convenient and gracious terms 1. Faith By which we own and acknowledge our Redeemer with love thankfulness dependance and hearty subjection to him Certainly love and thankfulness is due to him who hath indured so much and procured such great benefits for us Would we have the blessings instated on us and not know from what hand they come And acceptance is due for should Christ save us without our wills and against our consent Dependance is due Should they have benefit by Christ's Merits who question the force and efficacy of them Therefore God hath set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood Rom. 3.25 2. Repentance is necessary Would we have God to pardon us while we continue in our rebellion without sorrow for it or purpose to leave it The case of the obstinate is not compassionable Jer. 3.13 Onely acknowledge thine iniquity and I am gracious And to acknowledge an offence and continue in it is to condemn our selves 3. New Obedience That was due before to our Creator and our Redeemer strengtheneth the Bond and maketh it more comfortable For we have a new Lord by right of Redemption Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living A Lord that hath payed dear for our Souls 3. This righteousness is every way sufficient that we may venture our eternal well-being upon it For what is appointed by God will be accepted by God And though there be many defects in our Faith Repentance and Obedience yet there is an intrinsick value in the obedience and death of Christ besides the Institution Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God And 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by Tradition from your Fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Lastly See your help The Spirit is the great New-Covenant Gift purchased by Christ that it might be dispensed to us the more abundantly John 1.16 And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Tit. 3.5 6. By the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us By his Sanctifying and renewing Grace we are inabled for all this duty We have it by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 And the whole dispensation of the Gospel is called the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.8 Therefore if a sluggish heart did not possess Christians they might do more than they do A Sermon on 2 Pet. III. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some Men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance THe Apostle in Answer to the Cavil and Exception of the Mockers of Religion is taking off the Scandal of the delay of Christ's Coming Three Considerations are produced to satisfie the Godly 1. The true measure of speed or delay is the Eternity of God which admits of no beginning succession and ending but consists in a constant presentness to all that which to us seemeth past or to come And we must judge as he judgeth This is laid down vers 8. 2. The end of this delay which is the conversion of Sinners It proceedeth not from any culpable slackness in God but onely his patience towards the Elect. God is not slack but we hasty Our temper requireth time and patience to work upon us and bring us under the power of Grace This is in the Text. 3. The manner of coming which is sudden and unexpected like the coming of a Thief upon a sleepy family ver 10. Therefore we should rather prepare for it than complain of slackness We are upon the second consideration Wherein 1. The false cause of this delay is removed The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some Men count slackness 2. The true cause assigned But is long-suffering to us ward 3. The end of this long-suffering propounded First Negatively Not willing that any should perish Secondly positively But that all should come to Repentance Wherein the way to escape ruine is intimated which is Repentance The only doubt is about the sense of the words How that is to be understood that God would not have any perish but all come to Repentance For we see many do yet perish all do not come to Repentance And is God frustrated of his end Ans. To this doubt three answers are given and all solid though I prefer the two first 1. The Patience of God according to its nature hath that use and end to invite all sinners to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance Gods continuing forfeited Mercies and tarrying the sinners leisure giveth us an hope that he is willing to be reconciled And if we do not seek his favour and turn to him by Repentance it is long of our selves the fault is our own because we do not improve this hope 2. The Apostle in this place hath special reference to the Elect who are concerned more especially in the promise of Christs coming to put an end to their sufferings and to render them an eternal reward Certain
Verse 8th The word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart It 's in the Mouth to know it and speak of it it 's in the Heart as written there by the Spirit that we may do the duty it requireth of us with ease and sweetness 'T is in thy Mouth to Confess and in thy Heart to Believe and Practise VVhen the New Covenant is spoken of as opposite to the Covenant made with them when they came out of Egypt it is said sometimes to be put into the Mouth and sometimes in the Heart The words are Isa. 59.21 As for me This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my VVords which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy seed nor out of the Mouth of thy seed's seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Meaning thereby That his Spirit and Word shall continue with them as a Church to direct them in all necessary things This for the Mouth Now for the Heart see another Promise Jer. 31.33 And this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People Well then The Excellency of the Gospel-dispensation is set forth by Two things 1. It 's more easie to be known and understood and carried in the Memory for the Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth The drift of Moses his Speech tendeth to shew that they should have a New Covenant the Tenour of which was known and easie to be expressed by all those who were acquainted with it 2. It 's more easie to be practised 'T is not in our Mouths onely but in our Hearts which are inclined by the Holy Spirit to obey it so that the New Creature may undertake the duty it requireth of us by the assistance of God and do it sincerely though not exactly Secondly The sense of what it saith 't is explained and exemplified 1. Explained Verse 8. This is the word which we preach namely the Doctrine of Repentance and Remission of sins by Jesus Christ. 2. Exemplified Verse 9th That if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Confession with the Mouth there answers to the Word is in thy Mouth believe with thine heart that implieth Faith And Christ's being raised from the Dead is instanced in rather than any other Article of Faith because that proveth all the rest and is the great evidence of the truth of Christianity Doctrine That the way of acceptance with God or obtaining Salvation is so clearly stated in the Gospel that we need not be in doubtful suspence or seek out another Religion wherein to find it or other satisfaction than God hath given us in his Word The sense of this Point I shall give you in these Propositions First That it is the weightiest matter in the VVorld to know how to be accepted with God as to pardon and life Man being a guilty Creature needeth pardon and the Soul dying not with the Body we desire to know the way of life or what shall become of us when this frail life is at an end Certain it is that we are haunted with guilty fears for we are through the fear of death all our life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 There are some troubles of Mind in all of us about our acceptance with God not always felt indeed but soon awakened Trembling Souls who know what God is and what themselves are and are conscious to former guilt and present unworthiness cannot easily settle in a confidence of God's Mercy to them especially when they come to die The fear of death raised our trouble before but when death cometh indeed these stings are increased 1 Cor. 15.56 The Sting of Death is sin and these stings of Conscience are justified by the highest reason which is the Law of God not occasioned by our melancholy conceits only It 's an Amazing consideration to us to think of entering into an unknown World and to stand before the righteous bar of an impartial Judge That it is very hard to undergo death with a steady confidence and to incourage our fearful and doubtful Minds to lanch out into Eternity common experience verifieth I pray consider Christians that our present condition is a state of darkness and fear and these fears are caused by sin and justified by the Law of God and revived by death and the thoughts of the other World And therefore there is not a weightier business than to establish our fearful and doubtful Minds in Peace that we may comfortably wait for the Mercy of God unto Eternal Life Secondly That is the best Religion which doth most provide for this Peace and Rest of Soul So that if a man were at liberty to choose and were consulting what Religion he should choose this Consideration must guide him where he can find true Peace and Rest for his Anxious Soul So the Prophet directeth them 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 you shall find rest for your Souls And by this Argument Christ inviteth us to himself Mat. 11.28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls And the Apostle commendeth the Gospel upon this account Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Iesus It is easie to lull Conscience asleep for a while either 1. By Carnal Pleasures Prov. 9.17 Stolen Waters are sweet and Bread eaten in secret is pleasant For a while they seem so but the vertue of that Opium is soon spent Or 2. By a false Religion but within a while we shall soon find that is so far from being our cure that it is a great part of our disease no false Religion is consistent with right Thoughts of God Therefore the Woman of Samaria assoon as she began to have an awakened Conscience enquires after the true Religion Iohn 4.20 Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship An awakened Conscience will be careful to lay the ground-work of Religion sure A false way of Religion always breedeth scruples and is accompanied with no sound Peace Or 3. In the superficial observances of a true Religion Mat. 19.20 All these things have I kept from my Youth up what lack I yet A false Righteousness will not give true quietness to the Conscience there is something lacking and the Soul sits uneasie Therefore nothing but coming under the Power of the
interest in him we make our Addresses to him with confidence VVho may be confident if not the children of such a Father 3 This Fatherly goodness and all sufficiency is engaged for our relief by the Mediatour As all things are from the Father so all things are by him that is purchased and bought by his Merit The extent and vertue of his Merit is expressed as largely as the Father's power If we believe in God as an All sufficient Fountain of Grace we believe in Christ as an All-sufficient Mediatour John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me 1 John 2.23 He that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also Besides this The Vâ—â—l of Christ's flesh doth break the beams of his terrour to those that behold his Excellencies and rejoice in them By that we are incouraged to come to God for the Mediatour's Blessing which is the pardon of our sins Mat. 1.21 He shall save his people from their sins And Acts 3.26 God hath sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your sins One great Petition which we have to put up to God is for the pardon of sin This is a principal suit which sinful Man hath daily to present to God Now when we are sensible of sin How comfortable is it to come to God in the Name of this Lord and Mediatour who came on purpose to take away sin and hath satisfied God's Justice and Merited God's favour and mercy for us and liveth in Heaven to plead the Merit of his Sacrifice 4. As we are incouraged greatly to expect the graces and favours needful so we are as deeply engaged to the returns of Love Service and Obedience and that not onely as oblig'd in point of gratitude but as inclin'd suited and fitted for as we are for God so we are by him I say we are obliged in gratitude for the many Blessings which are procured and conveyed to us by the Mediatour If we have all things from God and all things by him and we Christians more than ordinary Creatures surely we should in a singular manner fulfil his Will and seek his Glory 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus Iudge that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again And not onely are we obliged but inabled and inclined We for him there is our duty in the first clause We by him there is our help Ephes. 2.10 We are his workmanship in Christ Iesus created unto good works Not onely by him so as to perform it acceptably but by him so as to perform it chearfully and with all readiness of Mind It relateth to our assistance as well as our acceptance There is the Spirit to help our infirmities which is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord Titus 3.6 So we are by him that is are fitted for the Service of God and put into a capacity to please him IV. Who are the parties interested in these Comforts and most concerned in these Duties The Apostle saith here To us there is but one God and one Lord meaning to us Christians all those that own God and worship God by the Mediatour Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him VVho are they Some will not come to God others not by him They and they onely are the persons that enjoy the benefit of this Mediation who come to God by him and that Two ways 1. They come to God by him who take upon them the profession of being his servants and obedient subjects in Christ. The bare profession bringeth us somewhat nearer to God Thus the People of Israel are said to be a People nigh unto God Psal. 148.14 They were a step nearer to God than the Gentiles So the Profession of Christianity bringeth us near unto God Who were sometime afar off but now are made near by the blood of Christ Ephes. 2.13 Before they were afar off from God from his Church his Covenant and Communion with him in his Ordinances Surely 't is some advantage to come so near to God by Christ as to have Union and Communion with the visible Church of Christ they are in that Society and Community of Men who are under God's special care and government above the rest of the World and where they enjoy the means of Salvation and such ordinarily by which God useth to convey his choicest Blessings These have a benefit above those who are wholly without the Church as having an offer of the Gospel-benefits though not a right to them They are nearer at hand and in Grace's way and may sooner understand that Christ is a Means chosen and used by God to bring home sinners to himself and by the Christian Doctrine currant amongst them which they know and profess to believe have a Dogmatical Faith at least that God is the Supream Fountain of all Happiness and Christ the onely way to him and have the common conditional pardoning Covenant sounding in their ears continually wherein God offereth to be a God and Father to them in Christ and telleth them what he will be and do to and for all those that do come in and submit to this Covenant 2. These come to God by him who really enter into the Evangelick estate and are converted by an unfeigned Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 20 21. Repentance respects God as our Supream Lord and chief happiness and Faith our Lord Jesus Christ as the onely one Mediatour When you turn from Sin Self and Satan unto God then you come to him for certainly the farther we depart from Sin the nearer we come to God Now this coming is by Christ. The Sinner that is turned from the Creature to God and from Sin to Holiness is also turned from Self to Christ who is the onely Means of our Recovery by his Merit and efficacy reconciling us to God and changing our hearts by the one restoring us to his Favour by the other to his Image Therefore a turning our selves from our sins with a resolution to forsake them without a reflection upon Christ is but a Natural Religion not Evangelical The Evangelical Religion is a coming to God by Christ or as it is described by the Apostle Heb. 10.22 A drawing nigh with a true heart and in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Those that are justified by the Merit and Sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and fully resolving intirely and unfeignedly upon the duties of the Gospel depending upon the Promises thereof these indeed have one God for their Father and one Lord Jesus Christ for their Redeemer and Saviour Till a Man be renewed and reconciled sanctified
certainly than others who are not of such a light and unsettled Mind It is said Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced Which implieth a steady consideration otherwise we are in danger to go as we came There is not that lively Commemoration of Christ. You come full of other Cares Desires and Delights and therefore return empty of all solid and true Refreshment 2. It must be Applicative Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me This great Love which God hath manifested in Christ is not only sounded in our Ears and represented to our Eyes but is brought home to us and shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us Rom. 5.5 The Spirit accompanieth Christ's Institutions and the diligent serious hungry Soul is not left destitute Christ and his Benefits are no where so particularly offered applied and sealed to us as in this Duty Christ's Messengers offer him to us in particular with a Charge and Command that we should receive him take and eat for our own Comfort and Use. What is particularly applied to us and made ours as Food that is turned into our Substance should awaken in us greater Thoughts and Care about our own Interest 3. Practical The Effects must more sensibly appear Two ways is that done 1. When we are made Partakers of his Benefits when we are justified and sanctified Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Annunciation inferreth this Then it is Practical when it assureth our Confidence Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And we are incouraged to wait for the accomplishing of these ends and instating us in these Priviledges 2. When we express more likeness to Christ in dying to Sin and to the World or suffering for Righteousness Dying to Sin and the World Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ. Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Or suffering for Righteousness Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death For as Christ came to destroy the Desires of the Carnal Life so to wean us from the Interests of the Animal Life Sacraments bind us to this Matth. 20.22 Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with II. Confirmation or Reasons why the Lord's Supper is a Commemoration of Christ's Death 1. To supply the room of his Bodily Presence 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And in the Text Ye shew forth the Lord's death till he come Christ is not bodily present in the Church till the last Judgment And we are to continue this holy Festival till the time that we shall have no need of these Memorials because then he cometh in Person 2. It is a lively Objective Means to affect our Hearts Both in regard of what is represented Christ is as it were evidently set forth Crucified before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 And also in regard of what is required to be done on our parts that we should return to our Duty and devote our selves to God's Service Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Use. To press you to the Duty of the Text To shew forth Christ's death 1. It is the strongest support to Faith When we apprehend the Greatness and Heinousness of Sin the Righteousness of God and Purity of his Holiness what shall compensate that infinite Wrong which is done to his Majesty If it seem easie to us we do not know what Sin is and what God is Not what Sin is which is a depreciation of God and a contempt of his Majesty There is no petty Creature above another but he is jealous of his Honour and will vindicate himself from Contempt Nor what God is God is of pure Holiness his Nature ingageth him to loath Sin his Justice to punish it It is a difficult case questionless how to get Sin expiated but this wonderful Condescention will make this Difficulty cease the Person is great and Way wonderful Consider what a Person hath undertaken this and what he hath done he hath died for us which at once sheweth God's willingness to Pardon and an answerable Ransom that such an one should undertake for us so beloved of God so equal to God Phil. 2.6 7. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men This will settle and calm the Heart that such an one should come about such a Work 2. It is the greatest Incentive to Love That Christ loved us and gave himself for us a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 Those innumerable Angels that left their Station and were once in Dignity above us have not such glad Tydings to impart to one another or to shew forth in their Societies not such a word to comfort themselves withal They cannot annunciate the Death of Christ and say Lo there is our Confidence and Hope the Propitiation for our Sins 3. It is a powerful Perswasive to Obedience Shall we deny our selves to him that gave himself to and for us Or seek to frustrate him of his End This was his great End 1 Pet. 2.21 For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps He hath purchased Grace to mortifie Sin and to quicken us to the fruits of Holiness shall we be alive to Sin and dead to Rightousness A Sermon on MAL. iii. 17 And I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him THese Words are part of the Promise which God maketh to them that fear him or to those who are good in evil Times In them take notice of 1. The Blessing promised that God will spare them 2. The manner of this Indulgence amplified and set forth by the Carriage of a Father to his Son wherein a double Reason of this Indulgence is intimated 1. Propriety his own Son 2. Towardliness or Obedience his Son that serveth him Parents are not severe to any of their Children especially the dutiful 1. Propriety his own Son A faulty Child is a Child still and therefore not so easily turned out of the Family as a Servant We often forget the Duty of Children but God doth not forget the Mercy of a
and happy Wisdom will teach us to live for ever And in her left hand riches and honour all good Things in this World so far as not to hinder us of the Things of a better World shall be vouchsafed to us 3. The third Argument is in the Text the Pleasantness of Wisdom which is added to sweeten the Difficulties in attaining to it or pursuing after it or exercising the Virtue of it in the regulation of our Lives and Actions It is hard to get it and then to exercise it but it is recompenced with an answerable Sweetness Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Where note 1. The Subject Ways Paths The general Course or particular Duties which Wisdom prescribeth 2. The Predicate Pleasantness Peace They are not only pleasant but safe they are accompanied with spiritual Sweetness and produce solid Tranquility in the Mind of Man Doctr. That the Man whose Actions and Ways are guided by Heavenly Wisdom enjoyeth true Peace and Delight I. For stating the Point 1. By Wisdom is meant the Heavenly Doctrine revealed in the Word of God especially the Gospel or Salvation by Christ. For this is called The wisdom and power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 And it is said the Holy Scriptures through faith in Christ Iesus do make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 He is a Fool that is wise to other things and is not wise to the saving of his Soul for he is wise in Trifles and neglects necessary Things Well then the Ways and Paths of Wisdom are the Ways and Paths of Faith and Holiness Faith is necessary to solid Rejoycing For 't is said 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill ye with all joy and peace in believing And Holiness concurreth necessarily for it is not only a godly Man's Duty but his Delight and it is rewarded with Joy and Peace 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Some degree of Comfort followeth every good Action before our full and final Reward we have the solace of a good Conscience during our Service 2. That these Delights are not Carnal Delights but Spiritual Man is ever inviting himself to some Delight the oblectation of his Mind cannot lye idle but usually consults with Flesh and Blood in choosing his Delights and careth for the Body more than the Soul But bodily Delights and pleasing the sense were our old Slavery Titus 3.3 Serving divers lusts and pleasures These draw down the Mind and dull our Desires and Endeavours towards better things therefore here we need not use the Spur but the Bridle and must refrain our selves because these Delights corrupt the Mind and such a kind of Peace is not the quiet and repose of the Soul in God but the numbness and deadness of Conscience carnal Security not a true Peace But the Delights and Peace which Wisdom inviteth us unto are chaste and rational such as innoble the Soul and raise it to God and do not put it in Vassalage to Sense When our Joy runneth out in a Spiritual Channel there is no Excess in it no Snare by it The Pleasures of Sense are base and dreggy but these are Heavenly and Spiritual 3. It supposeth that the Man be renewed and recovered out of the common Apostacy For while a Man remaineth in it the Beast rideth the Man and nothing is sweet and pleasant but what gratifyeth sensual Appetite Regeneration and change of Heart is necessary to taste the Pleasures which are in the Paths of Wisdom For nothing is pleasant to Men but what is suitable to their Natures And we use to say that one Man's Pleasure is anothers Pain Distempered Souls are not capable of this Peace and Delight for every Man's Gust is according to his Constitution Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Therefore the carnal Man that is wedded to his vain Delights is an incompetent Judge of the Pleasantness that is in the Paths of Wisdom Will he that is wholly addicted to the Flesh ever judge that there is more delight in the Exercises of Godliness than in the foolish Pastimes of the World That it is better to be mourning for Sin than rejoycing in the Creature and that the Congregation yieldeth a more solid Pleasure than the Theatre and that it is better to be mortifying the Deeds of the Body by the Spirit than to court the Senses If his Judgment may be convinced he will never yield to it in his Practice He doth not live by these Rules and Measures II. Let me now prove that the true Peace and Pleasure is no where else to be found but in obedience to Heavenly Wisdom 1. I prove it from the matter of this Peace and Joy and that is Wisdom heavenly Wisdom which leadeth us to Faith in Christ Love to God and an holy and heavenly Life And what is the consequent of these Things but the Pardon of all our Sins the assurance of the Love of God and the lively foresight and foretaste of endless Glory and Blessedness 1. The Wisdom that cometh from above doth teach us Faith in Christ as the whole Scripture manifesteth Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Well now can any Man be truly chearful till his Sins be forgiven Alas if Conscience were but a little awake in the midst of all his Mirth he would see a sharp Sword hanging over his Head by a slender thread and that all his Jollity is but like dancing about the mouth of the bottomless Pit into which he is tumbling every moment Nay let him stifle Conscience as much as he can yet he can never totally get the victory of it For he hath his Pangs and Qualms and hidden Fears if you dig him to the bottom and stinging Remorses of Conscience which though not always felt are soon awakened No this Man can never be truly merry Suppose none of this as yet ever felt yet this you must grant That he cannot be a Man recollect his ways or use any sober consideration why he came into the World and whither he is a going which every one that weareth the Heart of a Man should sometimes do but his Trouble is revived such Trouble as soureth his Contentments and puts a damp upon all his Mirth On the other side a Man that hath made it his business to enter into God's Peace by Jesus Christ and is humbly and broken-heartedly suing out his Pardon in his Name and hath the justice and faithfulness of God engaged to him that so doing he shall be pardoned hath not this Man true and
against the Soul as they bring a servitude and a brawn and a deadness upon the Heart Tit. 3.3 We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. As we are apt to love them more than God 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God As they bring a brawn and a deadness upon the Heart and so make it uncapable of that sweet consolation which the Spirit worketh in us 2. When the Heart is mortified and subdued to God there is no such pleasure as the contempt of Bodily pleasures Quam suave mihi subito factum est carere suavitatibus nugarum How sweet is it to me to want the sweetness of these trifles In some diseases it 's a pleasure to eat Dust when the disease is cured it 's abhorred as a filthy thing It is our distemper that leaveth the carnal rellish so strong upon us get rid of your distemper and you will be ashamed of your brutish satifactions it is a diseased Mind that looks after them 1 Use. To remove prejudice Men usually judge Wisdoms ways to be sower and bitter whereas they yield great joy and pleasure to those that walk in them Here is peace for their Consciences and pleasantness to satisfie their Affections Who live the pleasant life they that walk upon the brink of Hell every moment or they who being justified by Faith are made Heirs of Eternal life who look every day when God will translate them into his immediate Presence They that satisfie their Lusts by breaking God's Law or they that provide for the Peace of their Consciences by observing and keeping it Who are like to be most satisfied in their Object they that love a vain uncertain world or they that live in the love of God If Men would but come and try what it is indeed to believe in Christ to live in the love of God and the hope of Eternal life their prejudices would be soon confuted Object But you will say your Spiritual delight is but a fancy it seemeth to be hard to forsake what I see what I feel what I taste what I love for a God and a Glory which I do not see and it may be never shall see I Answer It is no wonder How can you see when you have no Eyes Faith is the eye of the Soul Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen and ver 27. By faith he forsook Aegypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible 2 Pet. 1.9 Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho' now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And how can you hope to see while you are carnal and your Hearts do not suit with these things or ever experienced this Joy But beg the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him The eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and return you to him Illumination and Inclination conduce both to your cure For this Holy Delight cannot be forced nor drawn forth by bare Commands and Threatnings When the attractive goodness of the Object is represented by the Spirit the Heart must be suited to it and then you will find this joy 2. Use. To reprove two sorts of People 1. Those that can find no pleasure in an Holy life that is no ground of pleasure Is not God a delectable Object Is not Salvation by Christ a delightful speculation or such a Glorious Mystery as cannot be found elsewhere Are not the promises of Heaven comfortable things If a Man should adopt you into the succession of a Crown VVould it not please you And is not God's promise more sure Is not Communion with God a pleasing exercise Heathens pretended to Secresie with their gods as the greatest Felicity Needeth a Christian pretend it Hath he not liberty to open his Heart in secret Do you ever come from your Sports with such a chearful Soul as you come from your Duties Many have repented of their carnal Mirth never any of their Godly Sorrow VVhich is better to fill the body with Diseases which is the part gratified by Sin and is more Wasted than Gratified or to enrich the Soul with Graces To deny the clamours of the Flesh or the importunities of Conscience Or which is all one to offer Violence to our Lusts or to our Consciences 2. It reproveth them that live as if there were no pleasure in a course of Holiness When others go merrily to Hell will you go drooping to Heaven I pray whose Work are you about Whither doth your Journey tend Are you sad because you have left Sathan's service Was he a good Master to you Or because it is now a part of your business to tame and subdue the Flesh Will that yield any thing more satisfying than the love of God It could yield you nothing but Vain Pleasure that when gone is but as a Wind nay it proves a Whirlwind in the Conscience or is it because you have renounced the World Is not Heaven better Is God wanting in such Wordly supplies as are necessary for you Or is it because you thrive no more in holy Endeavours Is not God's Grace sufficient for you Was he ever backward to do you good whilst you were labouring and striving to approve your selves to him Hold up your hearts the way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 3. Use. To press you to make trial Resolve upon an holy and heavenly course and then you are in the ways of Wisdom Psal. 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him Trust him upon his Promises before all be confirmed to you upon Experience To this end consider 1. We invite to Pleasure not to Labour or to Labour seasoned with Pleasure And Pleasure is the lure that draweth all the world By sensitive Pleasure men are perverted Iam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed By holy pleasure he is perfected 2. We invite you not to pleasure only in another world but pleasure during service Psal. 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 But now that we may not be tired with expectation There is pleasure not only in the end but in the way and path 3. We invite you to Continual Pleasure Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce In Worldly Joys there are vicissitudes and subalternations Now we rejoyce and anon we weep there is joy when a Child
acceptance with God if both Principle and Performance are right and justifiable fearing God and working righteousness He that is truly Sanctified must first be one that truly feareth God that is maketh God his Witness Approver and Judge His aim is to please and Glorifie God and his work is to sue God Grace must be acted in the whole life and this not by starts and fits but for a constancy Psal. 106. 3. We can make no judgment upon our selves by what is unusual and extraordinary but by the tenour and drift of our Conversation Not by what happeneth rarely but by our ordinary course Acts 10.2 Cornelius gave much alms to the people and prayed unto God alway Daily converse manifesteth the temper of our hearts A Christian is not to be judg'd by single Acts but by his Life These two then we must still look after the Principle and the Performance The Principle is Fear that owneth God's Authority our Hearts and Lives must be ordered and directed according to his Will and moved and acted by his Rewards And the performance must be regarded wherefore did God change our Hearts and infuse Grace into them but that we might have the use of it But that we might act it and live by it Saving Grace is a Talent and the chiefest Talent that we are intrusted with for the Masters use Matth. 3.8 Bring forth fruits meet for Repentance And Acts 20.21 Testifying to the Iews and Greeks repentance towards God There must be practices becoming such a change of Heart 2. Use. To press you to fear God and work Righteousness I have many Arguments in the Text. 1. From the Priviledge to be accepted with God That should be our great scope 2 Cor. 5.9 labor that whether present or absent we maybe accepted of him with respect to God See that all is right between you and God It is his Law you have broken his Wrath you fear his Judgment you must undergo his Presence you come into his Favour which is your Life and Happiness So that it is a great priviledge to be accepted of God Then for your comfort 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience Carnal joys do but tickle the Senses this doth affect the Heart yea the Conscience which is the quickest tenderst and most sensible part of the Heart Many things please our Affections which yet cannot appease our Consciences That frowneth upon and sowreth our other Delights if it be not pacified Till God accepteth our persons this still occurreth God may condemn thee to Eternal Torments for all this 2 With respect to Men He that is accepted with God needeth not care for any mans hatred he may be confident of God's Favour and the priviledge of his Servants Iob 16.20 My Friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out tears to God Besides you have a testimony in their Consciences not by being zealous for the Interests of a Faction but careful of God's Laws Rom. 14.17 18. He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men 2. From the condition What is required of you 1. Fear To fear God is not contrary to your Comfort or Blessedness to be always in God's company living as under his Eye is a branch of Blessedness Prov. 28.14 Happy is the man that feareth always 2. Righteousness These are things which bespeak their own Respect If the Lord had bidden us do some other things we might have stuck at it but Righteousness is so amiable and lovely that if a Man be well in his wits he will not stick at it but would work Righteousness if it were not requir'd of him We should be so inured to it that we cannot go out of its track We should never consent to break a Law so fit for God to give and us to receive so conducible to the Glorifying of God Governing our selves and Commerce with others 3. The force of the Enunciation In general it is predicatio adjuncti de subjecto But what kind of Adjunct is it 'T is either Signi de Signato or effectus de medio requisito necessario 1. It is a sign or evidence whereby you may really know that you are accepted with God It is a comfortable thing to know how we shall fare in the judgment hereafter or whether we shall be accepted to Life or no. This cannot be known but by somewhat equivalent to what is asserted in the Text. That is a sure Note which gives you comfortable access to God for the present and hopes of fruition of him hereafter 2 Kings 20.3 Remember Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart But 2. There is not only necessitas signi but necessitas medii A Sign is with respect to our own judgment of our Selves but a means is our qualification before God and God considereth these things in his Judgment Luke 1.6 They were righteous before God and walked in all the ways and ordinances of God blameless Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of lifâ— A Sign giveth us Comfort but a necessary Means appointed by God giveth us right The New Covenant is certainly the strongest ground of solid Comfort to the fallen Creature We can have no other hope of acceptance with God than that alloweth Now in the New Covenant there are three things considerable all which have a great influence on our Comfort and Peace 1. The first is the Merit and Satisfaction of the Lord Jesus This is necessary to allay the Conscience of Sin which is the root of all our trouble Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the â—lood of Carist who through the eternal Spirit offer'd himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water Heb. 12.24 And to Iesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel 2. The Matter of it or the large priviledges we enjoy by it For these are the Hope set before us Heb. 6.18 Psal. 84.11 He will give grace and glory c. Psal 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever thâ—y are â—he rejoycing of my heart 3. The Third is a sure claim Now this is not Perfection but Sincerity Gen. 17 7. Walk before me and be thou perfect or upright Psal. 84.11 No good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Here then are the three grounds of Comfort Everlasting Merit Blessed Promises Sure Title This last is to walk before God in all Holy Conversation and Godliness this keepeth Conscience from being offended Acts 24.16 This is accepted with God next to Faith in Christ. So that attain this and Conscience is well setled and hath a full
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
Work to make us serious will carry it on to a farther degree if we be not impatient Matth. 12.20 A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment unto victory He is not wont to be strange to such as bemoan themselves to him Ier. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself It may be he will not do it so sensibly by Ordinances as by or not without sharp Providences which usually subtract the Fuel of our Lusts and awaken Seriousness Isa. 27.9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin And 2 Cor. 12.7 There was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure We must leave God to his own way 3 Use. Let it put us on Thankfulness to our Redeemer Sin is a great mischief now that he should fetch us up from the Gates of Hell and recover us when the sentence of Condemnation was pass'd upon us and there was nothing but the slender thread of a frail Life between us and Execution and was content to do it at so dear a rate as to be made Sin and to be made a Curse for us and that he should put us into the way of Salvation to obtain Eternal Life how should our Hearts be enlarged in Thanksgiving to such a Redeemer A Sermon on JOHN xviii 11 The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it THese Words are part of Christ's Rebuke to Peter who when the High-Priest's Servants came to attack Christ draweth his Sword and cuts off Malchus his Ear which our Lord first healeth and then reproveth his Disciple for this temerarious Action Put up thy sword into the sheath He reproveth him partly because it becometh no private Man by opposition to resist Authority but the chief Reason was our Lord would not be hindred in performing the great Act of his Mediation his dying for Sinners You shall see in another place when Peter counselled him against his Sufferings he rebuked him with the same severity that he doth the Devil tempting him to Idolatry Get thee behind me Satan Matth. 16.23 compared with Matth. 4.10 And here this rash and unseasonable Interposition to save his Master by force is again reproved In Peter's Temerity take notice of the difference between Military Valour and Christian Fortitude He that faltered and was blown down by the weak blast of a Damsel's Question hath now the Courage with a single Sword to venture upon an whole Band of Men. Military Valour is boistrous and dependeth upon the heat of Blood and Spirits and is better for a sudden Onset than a deliberate Tryal but Christian Fortitude dependeth on the strength of Faith and lieth in a meek subjection to God and will enable us to endure the greatest Torments rather than encroach upon the Conscience of our Duty to God A Man of a Military forward Spirit may outbrave Dangers when they are sudden but faileth or fainteth in weaker Tryals that are managed rather in a way of Charge and Accusation than Force But in Christ's Rebuke take notice of his Obedience to God and Love to Men. Obedience to God shall I not suffer patiently without resisting what my Father hath determined me to suffer And Love to Men it was the Cup which God had given him to drink for the good of his People and therefore he would by no means decline it In the words take notice of 1. The Notion by which Affliction is expressed it is a Cup. 2. God's ordering of it Which my Father hath given me 3. Christ's submission Shall I not drink it 1. For rhe Term or Notion whereby Christ's sufferings are expressed a Cup. We read of a threefold Cup in Scripture 1. A Cup of Tribulation 2. A Cup of Consolation 3. A Cup of Salvation and Thanksgiving The first of these is often mentioned Psal. 11.6 Upon the Wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. So the Prophet Ieremiah is bidden Ier. 25.15 Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand and cause all the nations to whom I send thee to drink it So Psal. 75.8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the wine is red it is full of mixture and he poureth out the same but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them Thus God's Dispensations are ordinarily expressed by a Cup poured out and given to Men to drink And therefore our Lord Christ himself useth this form of speech not only here but elsewhere as Matth. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me It was a dreadful Cup that he was to drink of The second Cup the Cup of Consolation is spoken of Ier. 16.7 Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother taken from the Jewish Custom of sending it to them that mourned or to condemned Persons The same is spoken of Prov. 31.6 7. Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more Amos 2.8 They drank the wine of the condemned The third was the Cup of Salvation spoken of Psal. 116.13 I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Or the Cup of Deliverance used more solemnly in the Temple by the Priests or more privately in the Family Sometimes called the Drink-offering of Praise And to which the Cup of Blessing 1 Cor. 10.16 used in the Lord's Supper hath a great respect for it was always used with certain Expressions of Commemoration and Praise The first is plainly here intended the Cup of Tribulation so called because our Afflictions are measured out by God both for quantity and quality either by his Justice or by his Wisdom and Mercy 2. God's ordering of it which my Father hath given me Christ mentioneth not the malice of his Enemies but the will of God and his Father His hand in Christ's sufferings is often asserted in Scripture Isa. 53.10 It pleased the father to bruise him he hath put him to grief Acts 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Acts 4.28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done God did not excite and instigate those wicked Wretches to that cruelty which they exercised upon Christ yet it was prae-determined by God for the salvation of Mankind 3. Christ's submission Shall I not drink it If God put a bitter Cup into our hands we must not refuse it for here we have Christ's Example The meaning is This bitter Passion which the Father hath laid upon
And more and more interest our selves in his cleansing 5. Because the Application is a difficult Work Besides the Purchase of the Gift of the Spirit Christ hath instituted the Help of the Word and Sacraments to bring us into Possession of this Benefit Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of VVater by the VVord The Merit of his Death falleth upon these means that we may use them with the more Confidence Iohn 15.3 Now are ye clean through the VVord which I have spoken unto you The Word is the Glass wherein to see Corruption which sets a-work to seek Purging By that our Sense of our natural Impurity is revived the Means and Causes of our cleansing set down that we may with deep Humiliation confess our Sin humbly sue out the Grace offered and wait for it in the conscionable Use of all the means of Grace And for the Sacraments As the Word containeth the Charter and Grant of Christ and all his Benefits to those that will receive him so this is the Seal of the Grant Rom. 4.11 He received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith whereby we are more confirmed in waiting for the Spirit and excited to look for this Benefit from Christ. Well then we must still lie at the Pool of the Word and Sacraments And now you have my second Argument Why Jesus Christ should be honoured lauded and praised by all the Saints because he hath done so great an Office of Love and procured so great a Benefit for us as the washing away of our Sins in his Blood that we might be admitted to Communion with God III. The Fruits and Benefits that we have thereby He hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and to his Father This doth oblige us the more to ascribe and give Glory and Dominion to him for ever and ever since he hath brought us into Communion with God and set us apart as consecrated Persons such as Kings and Priests were of old to perform daily Service to God In this third Thing 1 st Observe the Order We must be washed from our Sins before we can be Kings and Priests or minister before the Lord. Aaron and his Sons though they were formerly designed to be Priests yet they could not officiate and act as Priests before they were consecrated So must we be consecrated and made Priests to God and that by the Blood of Christ. They were seven days in consecrating This whole Life is the time of our Consecration which goeth on by degrees and will be made compleat both for Body and Soul upon the Resurrection when we shall be fit to approach the Throne of Glory and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal Temple of Heaven For this Life though our Consecration be not finished yet here we are stiled an Holy Priesthood to minister before the Throne of Grace though not before the Throne of Glory Now if we be washed from our Sins in the Laver of Regeneration we may draw near to God as the Priests under the Law were washed in the Laver and then came to the Altar It holdeth good both in this Life and in the Life to come that none but the Washed can come so near to God either before the Throne of Grace or Throne of Glory The Throne of Grace Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water So Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God In the State of Glory Rev. 7.14 15. These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him Day and Night in his Temple The persecuted Saints who came out of great Tribulation they first washed their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb before they were admitted as Priests to stand before the Throne of God to serve him Day and Night in his Temple Sanctification must go before Consecration and the more sanctified the more consecrated when our Sanctification is finished then our Consecration is consummate And then we shall have a full Communion with our God a clear Vision of his eternal Beauty and as great a Fruition of his Godhead as we shall be capable of in a State of full Contentment Joy and Blessedness 2 dly The Privileges are exceeding great to be consecrated to so high a Dignity That we should be consecrated or set apart for God to be Objects of his special Grace and Instruments of his Glory and Service Much more that we should be advanced to so great a Dignity as to be Kings and Priests to God We share in Christ's own Dignity He was a King and a Priest so are we He had an Unction so have we He was Christ we are Christians By virtue of our Union with him we are Partakers of his Kingdom and Priesthood The Church of Israel was called a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19.6 And Believers in the New-Testament are called a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Not to disturb Civil Kings or the Order God hath instituted in the Church for it is Kings and Priests to God not to the World Let us consider these Privileges asunder 1. Kings King is a Name of Honour Power and ample Possession 1. Here we reign spiritually as we vanquish the Devil the World and the Flesh in any measure It is a Princely Thing to be above these inferiour Things and to trample them under our Feet in an holy and heavenly Pride An Heathen could say Rex est qui metuit nihil Rex est qui cupit nihil He is a King that fears nothing and desires nothing He that is above the Hopes and Fears of the World he that hath his Heart in Heaven and is above temporal Accidents the ups and downs of the World the World is beneath his Heart and Affections this Man is of a Kingly Spirit Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is a Believer's Rev. 5.10 Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth viz. in a Spiritual Way It is a beastly thing to serve our Lusts but kingly to have our Conversations in Heaven and vanquish the World 1 Iohn 5.4 5. Whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God To live up to our Faith and Love with a Noble Royal Spirit 2. Hereafter we shall reign visibly and gloriously when we shall sit upon Thrones with Christ at his last coming to judg the World and Angels themselves Matth. 19.28 Verily I
with the Blessing of eternal Life His Priestly Actions after the Order of Aaron were his Consecration to his everlasting blessed Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedeck Without these Sufferings he could neither be a faithful nor a merciful high Priest nor satisfy his Father's Justice nor have a full feeling from Experience of the Creatures Misery Well then as Christ was consecrated at his Death so is a Christian who runneth Parallel with Christ in all his Offices As Christ had an Inauguration into that Priesthood he executed upon Earth at his Baptism So hath a Christian for his spiritual Priesthood as soon as washed in the Laver of Regeneration but for his everlasting Priesthood at Death 2. My next Argument is This suteth with the other Privilege of Kings We are made Kings as well as Priests Now as our Kingly Office is not perfect till we come to Heaven so neither our Priestly and therefore it mainly respecteth our Ministration in the heavenly Temple How is a poor Christian a King here unless in a Riddle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he vanquisheth the Devil the World and the Flesh As it is a Princely thing to be above inferiour things and to trample them under our Feet The Heathen could say Rex est qui metuit nihil Rex est qui cupit nihil He is a King that is above the Hopes and Fears of the World that feareth nothing and desireth nothing This is indeed in a Metaphor a Kingly Spirit to have our Hearts in Heaven and to look upon all sublunary things as beneath our Care and Affections Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is a Believer's Here upon Earth we reign only in a spiritual way But the Privilege cometh fully to be verified when we tread Satan under our Feet and triumph over Enemies and reign visibly and gloriously sitting upon Thrones with Christ at his Coming judging the World and Angels themselves Matth. 19.28 Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye shall also sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Psal. 49.14 The upright shall have Dominion over them in the Morning And 1 Cor. 6.2 Know ye not that we shall judg the World And ver 3. Know ye not that we shall judg Angels Neither will this Kingdom be terminated and ended at the Day of Judgment but they shall be Kings eternal in Heaven Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom 2 Tim 2.12 If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him that is in Heaven With respect to this Title Right and Interest we are said to be made Kings Now proportionably the other Privilege of being made Priests must be expounded also We are spiritual Priests upon Earth we have our Sacrifices of Prayers Praises and Alms and devoting our selves to God But this Office is not compleated till we come to Heaven and do immediately minister before the Lord. Then we have Entrance into the holiest Heb. 10.19 Having therefore Brethren Boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Iesus Not in Spirit but in Person For if the chief Part of our Kingly Office be yet behind why not the chief Part of our Priestly Office also 3. Then we are qualified and prepared Sanctification must go before Consecration and the more sanctified the more consecrated And when our Sanctification is finished then our Consecration is consummated and not till then Now in this World our Justification and Sanctification is imperfect we are not got above our legal Fears and Grace is very weak in us You know before we can serve the living God our Consciences must be purged from dead Works Heb. 9.14 As the High Priest was not to approach God without his Washings lest he die And we are bidden to draw nigh to God with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Heb. 10.22 If we have the Privilege of Priests we must perform the Duties of Priests Now we are not perfect as appertaining to the Conscience nor are we fully cleansed and sanctified till the Vail of the Flesh be removed and we be presented to God without Spot and Wrinkle Somewhat is begun indeed that will tend to and end in perfect Sanctification enough to qualify us for our Ministration at this Distance from God There is enough done on Christ's Part by way of Impetration and Merit Heb. 10.14 For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified or consecrated he hath payed the Price but as to the Application that is by Degrees The Priest under the Law was seven Days in consecrating this figured all the time that interveneth before we enter upon the everlasting Sabbath Our whole Life is the time of Consecration which goeth on by Degrees and will be made compleat both for Body and Soul at the Resurrection for then shall we be made fit to approach the Throne of Glory and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal Temple of Heaven In this Life our Consecration is not yet finished we cannot come so near God we are qualified indeed to come to the Throne of Grace but not qualified to come to the Throne of Glory But the Work is a-doing and in time it will be accomplished 4. We have not the full Privileges of Priests till then which is Intimacy full Communion Nearness of Access to God and Ministration before him This is the Privilege we have as Priests The Apostle telleth us Heb. 9.8 The Holy Ghost signifieth that the way to the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing How did the Holy Ghost signify this I answer by the whole Oeconomy and Frame of that Dispensation God kept State and Majesty then and his People must not come too near him The common Israelite must not come too near the Sanctuary they were not to camp or pitch their Tents round about it but only the Levites lest they die Numb 1.52 53. And the Children of Israel shall pitch their Tents every Man by his own Camp and every Man by his own Standard throughout the Host. But the Levites shall pitch round about the Tabernacle of Testimony that there be no Wrath upon the Congregation of the Children of Israel It was a dangerous thing for the common Israelites to be too near the Symbols of God's Presence to teach us the Distance between God and Men and their Unworthiness to come near him and his holy things But though the Levites might encamp near it yet none but the Priests must
Good As to our selves we must subordinate all things to our true Happiness and be more careful for the Soul than for the Body All this Righteousness or the Evidence of natural Light calleth for at our Hands that we love our Creator and live to him and depend upon him for if he be God he is our first Cause highest Lord chiefest Good and last End That Love to others is shewed in doing to them as we would should be done to us We would have others helpful to us so must we to our Power be helpful to them he that will be for none but himself cannot justly expect that any should be for him And for our selves Man consists of a Body and of a Soul now all our Senses and bodily Powers and the Appetites must be subordinated to the Good of the Soul for the Soul is the chiefest Part. Well then if we live in the Neglect of God and be only Self-Lovers and Self-Pleasers and wrong our selves by gratifying our Flesh do we do well If we prefer every paltry Vanity before the Favour of God slander and wrong our Neighbour please Appetite before Reason and let the Beast ride the Man surely we obey Unrighteousness we do not do well 2. We must obey the Truth that is act agreeably to the revealed Will of God in Scripture that is to do well It is the Scripture which helpeth us to distinguish Good from Evil and will be a sure Direction in well-doing Psal. 119.105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. Prov. 6.23 For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them We are not to be ruled by our own Thoughts but by God's Word which amply sets forth our Duty to us The Light of Nature is very dim and it would be a matter of great Difficulty to find out our Duty if we had no supernatural Light to help us Therefore God hath given his Word and that not only to instruct us in moral Duties most of which are evident by the Light of Nature but also in supernatural Verities which tend to our Relief and Deliverance by Christ. Well then well-doing is not one Work only but all our intire Obedience which is necessary to â—alvation that we may not only love God do Good to others govern our Appetites and Desires but believe in Christ and live according to his holy Institutes and perform all the Duties which belong to his new remedying Law This is Well-doing 2. There must be Continuance in Well-doing As we must indeavour universally to do all that God hath commanded us so we must continue this Care unto the End Luke 1.75 In Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life In a Journey it is not enough to go a Mile or two but we must continue till we come to our Journey 's End so must we never give over whilst we are in this World There may be Interruptions Diversions and Straglings but a Christian gets into the way again Sometimes we slip and stumble and sometimes step aside but we must not go back again Some are good for a Pang or Fit Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always I might heap up many Considerations here but the thing is evident The Law bindeth continually and Grace planted in the Heart should influence all our Actions God's Eye is always upon us and every Hour and Moment we are a-new obliged to him for his Benefits how reasonable is it our Duty should last and the Use of Means be continued till we attain our End Therefore do not lose your Crown and the Benefit of all you have done already The Promise runneth to Perseverance Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life 3. Here is patient Continuance That is necessary also The good Ground is described to be that which bringeth forth Fruit with Patience Luke 8.15 The other Grounds brought forth Fruit but they did not bring forth Fruit with Patience the stony Ground was impatient of Contradiction and Afflictions The thorny Ground was impatient of the Delay of the Reward and therefore took up with present things Riches and Honours and voluptuous Living but they that have a deep Sense of the other World and can tarry God's Leisure enduring the Hardships of Obedience and look for their Happiness in the World to come that is the good Ground So Heb. 6.12 Be ye Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises We shall meet with Opposition within and without till we can deny our selves our Hearts are not sound with God We need the working Patience because of the Labour and Pains which belongeth to well-doing and the waiting Patience because our Reward is to come and the bearing Patience because of the Troubles and Dangers which we must indure if we would be faithful with God Loss of Estate Slanders of the Wicked and sometimes Danger of Life The working Patience should not be grievous to us because the Pains of Godliness will be recompensed with the Fruit of it the Peace and Comfort that followeth it and because there is more Labour in committing Sin than doing Good The waiting Patience should not be grievous because there must be a time for the Trial of our Faith They are Hypocrites which must have their Reward at present Matth. 6.2 Verily I say unto you they have their Reward The Believer he can wait for it he looketh for Glory and Honour too but not now The bearing Patience should not be irksom because Faithfulness in our Trials is most comfortable to us and most acceptable to God Comfortable to us we have not ordinarily so clear a Proof of the Reality of Grace as when we are under sore Trials 1 Pet. 1.7 That the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold though it be tried with Fire may be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Faith is then Faith indeed and Obedience Obedience indeed The greater the Work and the more Impediments we meet with self-denying Obedience doth most evidence it self to the Conscience Whilst we do any thing for God while we do it without Shame Opposition and Loss it is more hard to interpret our Sincerity It is more acceptable to God 't is tried Friendship and Obedience which is most valuable The Obedience of a Souldier is pleasing to a General in a time of Peace when he saith to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh but especially in the most desperate Hazards when he doth not dispute Commands when he is bidden to go upon the Cannons Mouth From the whole Mortification Self-denial Contempt of the World Patience under manifold Sufferings
Anger of God God may be angry with his own People 273 Anointing what it signifies 712 Christ was anointed by God 716 Why Christ was anointed 717 Who were anointed first Christ then Believers his Fellows ibid. Apparel Sobriety to be used in it 75 How to judg of Excess in Apparel 76 Helps and Motives to Sobriety in Apparel ib. We must not envy the Apparel of others 75 Appearing of Christ. Vid. Coming Assurance to be laboured after 114 What Application there must be when Assurance is wanting 115 B BAckslider in Heart what he is 1109 The Backslider in Heart shall be filled with his own Ways Vid. Filled Balaam's Plot to destroy Israel 802 Observations from hence 804 Believing what is necessary to it 723 Believing in God and Christ how they differ 235 Why believing in Christ is specially required besides believing in God 245 Believing in Hope against Hope opened with the Reasons of it 484 Better We are not only to be good but to grow better 429 Blessedness True Blessedness not to be sought on this side Heaven 129 Blessedness eternal wherein it consists Vid. Heaven 116 Duties of those that have an Interest in this Blessedness 130 Blessings spiritual we are to be much affected with them 426 We are to be in a capacity to praise God for spiritual Blessings 425 In Thanksgiving spiritual Blessings to be owned 424 Body The Qualities of a glorified Body 119 Brazen Serpent the History of it 747 The Typical Vse of the brazen Serpent 748 The Resemblance between Christ and the brazen Serpent 749 The Excellency of Christ above the brazen Serpent 751 Breasts Naked Breasts condemned 78 Brethren Christ having taken our Nature is not ashamed to call us Brethren 1083 Comforts from being Christ's Brethren 1088 Whether Believers may call Christ Brother ibid. Bruised Christ bruised by the Serpent and bow 538 Burden What a Burden Sin is 1125 None can take off the Burden of Sin but Christ 1126 C CAlamities In all Calamities we must look to God 1132 Vid. Afflictions Calling of Christ twofold outward and inward 784 Canaan The Woman of Canaan that she was a Believer 467 The Greatness of her Faith ibid. Her Temptations and Trials 468 Her Victory over them 470 Captives To whom we were Captives 164 The way of redeeming Captives 165 Care of the World What that Care is that is to be moderated 79 How sinful Care may be discovered ib. Whence it ariseth 80 Arguments against distrustful Care 1099 The Cure of sinful Care 80 Carnal Things Men are addicted to them more than to spiritual things 1111 Cause When we do not honour God as the first Cause 33 Centurion's Faith opened 460 The Greatness of his Faith 459 How it discovered it self 462 How this Faith was bred or begotten in him 461 Certainty conditional and actual what 1104 Charitable We must be charitable to others according to our Power 87 Reasons why we must be charitable 336 Charity or Love to the Brethren the Properties of it 995 Children are a Blessing 833 834 Much of the Providence of God exercised in and about Children 834 How far Parents may procure a Blessing or a Curse to their Children 836 How far godly Parents are blessed in their Posterity 837 Motives to Parents to take care of their Childrens Education 839 Christ. That Christ was God proved 152 Why Christ was called the Great God 150 Why Christ must be God ibid. Christ to be honoured and praised by Saints 1175 1183 Christ's Growth stated and proved 855 856 How Christ grew in Wisdom and Knowledg 855 Coming second of Christ the Preparations of it 139 Second Coming of Christ will be glorious 138 Why Christ's second Coming will be glorious 144 Inferences from Christ's glorious Coming 146 The Personal Glory of Christ at his second Coming 140 His Attendants then 141 His Work then 142 The Consequents of Christ's second Coming 143 Belâ—evers to look for Christ's second Coming 131 Objections answered 135 Reasons of it 132 The Advantage of looking for Christ's second Coming 135 How we are to prepare for Christ's second Coming 138 The Privilege of the Saints at Christ's second Coming 133 Coming to God How we are said to come to God by Christ 965 Who they are that come to God by Christ 964 Common Work not to be rested in 291 Comparison fourfold between this Life and the next 1211 Conceit Why Men are apt to conceit well of themselves 316 Arguments to press you against this Self-conceit 320 Conditions of the Gospel Man cannot perform them of himself 405 Confession with the Mouth what it is 953 The Matter to be confessed 954 The Way by which it is to be made ibid. The Necessity of it to Salvation 957 The Respect that Believing with the Heart and Confession with the Mouth have to one another 955 Conflict with Sin in the Regenerate and Vnregenerate the difference between them 365 Conflict spiritual we are to arm our selves for it 1101 The use of Faith Hope and Love in the spiritual Conflict 1105 Conscience the Nature of it 730 Conscience is God's Vicegerent or Deputy 731 Three Acts of Conscience to be an Accuser Witness and Iudg 736 Conscience to be your Guide 730 Why God hath given Man a Conscience ibid. The Properties of a good Conscience 725 Conscience void of Offence what it signifies ibid. Conscience easily offended but not easily appeased 732 Conscience the best Friend or worst Enemy ib. Conscience the Beginning of Heaven or Hell 733 When there is a Flaw in Conscience all our Trading for Heaven is at a stand ibid. When Conscience speaks not it writes ibid. The Stings of Conscience soon awakned 734 If Conscience do not speak to you you must speak to it ibid. No sound Conscience without sincere Obedience ibid. A man may do Good or Evil without Conscience or according to Conscience or against Conscience 734 Consolation Comfort Peace Ioy and Consolation opened 211 Comfort allowed to the Saints 217 God's People have not alike Comfort 214 Who they are the Lord gives most Comfort to 215 How Christians disparage their Comfort 219 False Comfort of wicked Men whence it ariseth 217 Strong Consolation why so called 212 How it ariseth from Assurance 213 How it is dispensed 214 Motives to look after it 220 The Advantages of it 221 Directions to keep it 226 Convincing Power of the Word whence it ariseth 1034 Correction Why God corrects his People for their Sins in this World 272 Covenant Why God makes a Covenant with his People 826 No Covenant can be made with God without the Interposition of a Sacrifice 828 What we should do to enter into Covenant with God 831 Covenant of God called the Foundation of God and why 1025 The Sureness of God's Covenant 1026 The Seal of the Covenant on God's part 1027 on Man's part 1029 Covenant of Grace why called an everlasting Covenant 691 Covenant of Works what it is 306 All Men by Nature are under this Covenant ibid. Natural Conscience