of Faith There were Moralities among the Heathens far more exact than are to be found among many Christians As Dogs excell Man in acuteness of smell and sense it is their Perfection so do many Heathens excell abundance that go for Christians in Temperance Justice Meekness and a command of their Passions they that were never acquainted with Christ and the Spirit were civil and harmless therefore to be a meer Moral Man certainly is not enough Paul saith of himself before he was acquainted with Christ that he was as touching the Righteousness which is of the Law blameless Phil. 3.6 And the Apostle hath taught us to live Godly as well as Soberly and Righteously in this present World Titus 2.12 There is a living in Communion with God as well as being fair to Men and therefore a Man may be civil and harmless but such as are not Vicious rather than Vertuous and Gracious the meer Rational Life is one thing and the Spiritual Life another thing Then take the Comparative part they live better than others so did the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other men are yet Christ saith Mat. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Among Blind men the Purblind is a kind of King and guide of them all A man may not be as bad as others and yet not so good as God requires Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another It is a miserable thing when a Man hath no other Ground of Confidence but the Sins of others he is good because others are worse he hath no rejoycing in himself but only from the sinfulness of others Or suppose that a Man be better than himself was heretofore there is a Moral Change as well as a Supernatural a Reformation as well as a Regeneration As a wanton Young Man that came in to Zenocrates his Lecture half drunk with his head crown'd with Rose-buds and when he heard a Discourse of Temperance he was converted by his Lecture and betook himself to a sober Course So a Man may cast off his Youthful vanities and may be changed from being Riotous to be more sober and yet be far from Grace A Sow washed is a Sow still What is short of Regeneration is short of Salvation Therefore do not think because of a civil orderly Life you do enough this is a sottish Principle and keeps us from the Righteousness of God 2. Here is another of their Errors They are born and bred up in the bosom of the Church and true Religion and because they are Baptized and profess the Faith of Christ therefore they think they ever had Faith and a good Heart towards God and do not see why or from what they should be Converted It was a wonderful thing to Nicodemus to hear that a Man should be Born again as strange as if a Man should enter again into his Mothers womb John 3.4 They are wholly Ignorant of any Change of Soul or State and mind it not So the Jews when Christ told them of being made free from the Bondage of Sin Iohn 8.33 We be Abrahams Seed and were never in Bondage to any man how sayest thou Ye shall be made free Alas Men neglect their inward Spiritual Estate and are not sensible of setting their Souls free from the Fetters of Lusts and Carnal Affections that they may pursue their chiefest Good Nothing so hard and heavy as Spiritual Bondage and yet is little known and little discerned in the World They live in the Bondage of Sin with as much delight as Fishes in their own Element and all this while they are pufft up with Carnal Dreams of their own Priviledges and Worth These are the Men that are said to need no Repentance Luk. 15.7 that is in their own Conceit those that do not see why or from what they should be Converted 3. They own no difference between a State of Nature and a State of Grace they know no such thing as passing from Death to Life and therefore are never troubled about it All the Lord's People are holy Numb 16.3 and it is factious to make such Distinctions they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the clean and unclean Ezek. 22.26 As if all were of one Lump and all should fare alike and therefore think themselves as good as the best 4. That those that are blameless before Men and well spoken of in the World need not doubt of their acceptance with God O No God's Tryal is one thing and Mens another Men see no further then the Outside but God regards the frame of the Heart 1 Sam. 16.7 Man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart Therefore thô a Man cannot be justly taxed before men yet this is nothing before the All-seeing God Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Non dicit cum hostibus tuis sed cum servo tuo David doth not say Lord enter not into Judgment with thine Enemies but with thy Servant 5. Another sottish Maxim is That petty Sins are not to be stood upon They shall do well enough if they never Sin more nor worse as the Omission of good Duties in their Closets or Families lesser Oaths vain Speeches idle Sport whereas Christ saith By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12.37 Light things may weigh heavy in God's Ballance Well then until the Soul be dispossessed of these sottish Conceits it cannot be but they must overween their own Righteousness and think too well of themselves and of their Estate before God Thirdly Self-love is the Reason of it Prov. 16.2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the Spirits A Man is very Blind and partial in his own Cause and will not own any Opinion and Conceit against himself There is an Emphasis in that his own Eyes surely Man would favour himself and be friendly to himself we have a double Instance of this in Scripture Iudah was severe against Tamar when he thought her to be with Child by another Man Gen. 38.24 Bring her forth and let her be burnt But when she shewed him the Tokens the Ring the Staff and Bracelets and that he was the Man then he becomes gentle enough So David when his own Story was represented to him in the case of a third Person that took away the Ewe-Lamb from the poor Man he says in a heat As the Lord liveth the man that hath done this thing shall surely dye 2 Sam. 12.5 but when the Prophet closeth with him and told him Thou art the man all this is spoken to thee he was more calm All this is spoken to
Objects of Pity and Compassion rather than of Passion and Anger Eph. 1.32 Be ye kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Consider what God hath done to you that you may do the same to them Secondly The next consideration of this Prayer of Christ is as a Tast and Pledge of his Mediation and Intercession So it is Prophecied Isa. 53.12 He was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors Christ was placed in the midst of Thieves as the first Clause is explained Mark 15.28 and he made Intercession that is prayed for his Persecutors The whole Chapter is a Prophetical Narration of the Acts and Sorrows of Christ upon the Cross. In this publick Sense and Consideration let us see what may be gathered out of the Clause Father forgive them 1. It is an Instance of Christ's Love and Bowels to Sinners he loved Mankind so well that he Prayed for them that Crucified him Look on the Lord Jesus as Praying and Dying for Enemies and improve it as a ground of Confidence Upon the Cross he would give us an Instance of his Efficacy in converting the Thief and of his Affection in praying for his Persecutors We were as great Enemies to Christ and as deep in the Guilt of his Passion as they Rom. 5.10 When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son The Enemies of his Kingdom are every way as bad as the Enemies of his Person if Christ did not say Father forgive what would become of us You will say we are Christians But scandalous Sinners renew his Sufferings and put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Oh! let us Adore God for these Experiences it is a mighty ground of Hope that Christ hath put in for a Pardon he would not die till he had expressed his Reconciliation with his Enemies 2. See what is the Voice and Merit of his Sufferings Father forgive them This is the Speech that Christ uttered when he was laid on the Cross. The Apostle compareth Christ's Blood and the Blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 And to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel Abel's Blood was clamorous in the Ears of God Gen. 4.10 The voice of thy brothers blood crieth to me from the ground And so in the Conscience of Cain it crieth Avenge Avenge me Christ's Blood hath another Voice it speaketh to God to pacifie his Wrath and to Pardon us if penitent and believing Sinners it speaketh to Conscience to be quiet God hath found out a Ransom The Blood of Christ may speak against us as well as against the Iews for by our Sins we made Christ to die Oh! be not quiet till it speak Peace in your Consciences Christ's Blood was spilt in Malice as Abel's was and might have cried for Vengeance on the Actors who were not only the Iews but we and it yet speaketh as Abel's did Heb. 11.4 By it he being dead yet speaketh It is a speaking Blood and is yet speaking The speaking of the Blood is interpreted according to the Words in their Mouth wherewith they died Mat. 23.35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zecharias the son of Barachias whom ye slew between the porch and the altar Our Lord gathers it from Zecharias his saying The Lord look upon it and require it 2 Chron. 24.22 So the Words of Christ interpret his Death 3. In the Mediatory Consideration it hinteth the coupling of his Intercession with his Satisfaction On the Cross there he dieth and there he prayeth he was both Priest and Sacrifice The High-Priest under the Law was not only to slay the Sacrifice but to intercede for the People first the Beast was slain without the Camp and then the Blood was carried into the Holy of Holies and there Prayer was made with Incense but before that Aaron when he was going into the holy Place before the Lord was to cause the sound of his Golden Bells to be heard under pain of Death Exod. 28.35 To this I parallel this Action of Christ upon the Cross. This Prayer was as the sound of the Golden Bells he would make his Voice to be heard by Prayer and then he goes into the Holy of Holies the Lord Jesus Christ when he shed his Blood before the Tribunal of God he sendeth forth a Prayer God would have our Salvation carried on in a way of Mercy and Justice and Christ was to mingle Intreaty with Satisfaction as Lev. 16.14 the High-Priest was to bring the Blood within the Vail and to sprinkle it upon the Mercy-Seat He must satisfie Justice and make an Address to Mercy that we that have sinned with both hands may take hold of God with both hands Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ it is freely and yet through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ these two sweetly accord 4. This is a Pledge of his constant Intercession in Heaven The Ceremonies of the Old Law were not only Types of Christ but his visible Actions were a kind of Types and Pledges of his Spiritual Actions 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous He that could pray for Enemies will pray for Friends and he that got our Pardon by his Intercession will promote our Salvation Certainly Christ's Glorified Soul looseth no Affection he is as earnest with the Father for his Friends as ever he was upon the Cross for his Persecutors Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Christ doth appear as our Advocate in Court not only in our Name but in our stead 5. It shews the Nature of his Intercession It not only implies the everlastingness of his Merit that his Blood doth continue to deserve such things at the hands of God as we stand in need of but it is a continual representation of his Merit it is not a Metaphor but a solemn Act of his Priesthood Again it is not by Verbal Expressions such as he used here upon Earth Father forgive them this became the state of his Humiliation but now he intercedes Non voce sed miseratione Not by Voice but by Pity What is it then Partly his appearing in Heaven as God in our Nature Heb. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands c. but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us He is said to appear before God for us as the High-Priest came and presented himself before God with the Names of the twelve Tribes engraven on his Breast-plate Partly in his expressing an actual Willingness or the
Disadvantage to your selves for a Man that hath begun to be strict and careful and holy and righteous and profess himself to be taken out of the Kingdom of Darkness and made experience of the Ways of Christ yet if he falls off he doth as it were after Trial pronounce to the World that Satan's Service is better than Christ's As Iacob kept wrestling till Day-light appeared and would not let go his hold-fast so till the Morning of Glory come still keep on and continue your Courage Or as Elisha would not leave his Master till he was taken from him into Heaven so be constant to the last let the World know you see no cause to leave Christ or to be weary of his Service and to begrudg the Strictness of Religion Matth. 20. you read some were called into the Vine-yard sooner some later but they all kept working to the End and Close of the Day There 's a different time of Calling some begin with God in Infancy some in riper Age but none must be weary of well-doing But how apt are we to turn aside from God Our Righteousness must be as the Morning Light that always increaseth till High-noon but our Righteousness is like the Morning-Dew it is gone as soon as the Sun breaks out in Strength and Power We have a great many Resolutions when we begin a Course of Godliness but soon grow weary Look as a tired Horse is ready to turn in at every Inn so upon every Occasion and Temptation we are ready to turn away from God but it is not enough to begin to live godly strictly righteously but while Life lasteth you must hold on in God's ways it must be during your whole present State and Abode here in the World II. The Reasons why this Duty of our heavenly Calling must be in the present World 1. Because this is the Time of Grace There is no other Time to get the Favour of God and an Interest in Heaven but here upon Earth Now we have the Means hereafter the Recompences Now Christ saith Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden Matth. 11.28 Hereafter he will say Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World Mat. 25.34 Now he calls us to receive Grace hereafter we must receive either Vengeance or Glory In the Angels Song we find Luke 2.14 Peace upon Earth Here God proclaims Tidings of Peace and Reconciliation to the Creature if it will submit to God Now the Golden Scepter is held out and you will have no more such a Season This is God the Father's God the Son 's and God the Spirit 's Time but after this Life you shall have it no more It is the Time of God the Father's Patience and these are the Days of the Gospel when God the Son is offered to us and now we have the Advantage of the Spirit 's Impulses and his Convictions upon our Hearts But after this Life there 's neither Prophecy nor Gospel nor Conviction nor Means offered any more then comes Recompence and Retribution Zanchy speaks of some which had a Fancy that the Gospel should be preached hereafter in the other World to those that never heard of Christ in this World as to Children to Turks and Pagans to justify this Conceit they alledg that Place 1 Pet. 3.19 By which he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison But that 's a clear Mistake The Apostle speaks there how the Spirit of God went forth by Noah's Preaching in warm Conviction upon the Hearts of those that are now in Prison that were sometimes disobedient to the Warnings of Noah and are now held with Chains of Darkness in the Prison of Hell But however there is nothing to this World Now you have the Means and God's golden Scepter is held out Now Christ saith Come but if you refuse hereafter he will say Depart Now is the accepted Time now is the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.1 2. This is the Time of our Exercise and Trial. 1. There must be this Exercise before we come to Heaven We do not leap into Heaven without any Preparation The Vessels of Glory must first be seasoned with Grace Col. 1.12 Who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light First we are qualified and seasoned then filled brim-full As when the Virgins were chosen for Ahasuerus they were to accomplish their Months of Purification so we must have a Time of purifying and cleansing from Corruption before we can get to Heaven Balaam would die the Death of the Righteous but not live his Life Numb 23.10 Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last End be like his As it is said of the Snake that when it is stricken with Death stretcheth out it self straight though crooked before at oportuit sic vixisse you should have so lived You should be sober righteous and godly Enoch before his Translation had this Testimony that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 Some-thing must be done here there is no Triumph without a Warfare 2 Tim. 2.5 If a Man strive for Masteries yet is he not crowned unless he strive lawfully that is according to the Laws of the Race or Exercise so we cannot expect to die in the Lord unless we live in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them Your Works die not when you die Eccles. 11.3 If the Tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the Place where the Tree falleth there it shall be In the time of the Law there was nothing to be gathered upon the Sabbath-Day but a double Portion to be gathered before those that provide nothing on the sixth Day had nothing on the Sabbath-Day The Sabbath is a Figure of Heaven of that eternal Rest we shall have there if we do not make Provision during the time of Life there can be nothing done afterwards 2. It is only here this is the fittest Place for Exercise Here are Difficulties Snares and Temptations and these serve to discover the Glory of Grace and this makes it worthy of Praise that we can act for God in the present World where so many miscarry 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present World Here is the fit Place for our Trial where we have so many Difficulties Snares Baits Avocations and Scandals to take us off from performing the Duty of our Heavenly Calling As Death leaves us so Judgment finds us Upon our Behaviour in the present Life both our everlasting Woe or Weal depends Hereafter is not a time of Labour but of Reward and Punishment there is no room for Exercise and Trial there no Snares in the next World Grace cannot be found worthy of Praise there for that is God's Day called the Day of the Lord 2 Pet. 3.10
of Confidence but in the Clearness of your Ground and Warrant In Matth. 7. latter end the Scripture takes notice of two Builders the foolish and the wise there was no difference in the Building it self both might raise a Structure equally â—air but the difference lay in the Ground-work and Foundation the one built upon the Sand the other upon a Rock therefore you are not to look so much to the Strength of your Hope as to the Evidence the Ground the Foundation of it Do you know what you do when you so confidently believe your Salvation Presumption grows upon Men they know not how it is not an Act of Advice and Consideration and therefore will leave us to Shame A Man had need have good grounds for his Hope True Hope is a serious Act arising from Grace longing after its Perfection and therefore we are said to be begotten to a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Seed desireth Growth every thing aimeth at Perfection when Grace is infused presently there is a Tendency and Motion this way Others may have strength of Confidence though a weak Foundation whereon to build it therefore their Hope comes to nothing but Shame and the greater Confusion Iob 8.14 the Hope of the Hypocrite is compared to a Spider's Web O what a curious Web doth she spin out of her own Bowels but assoon as the Besom comes down goes the Spider and the Web too both are swept away and trodden under foot So it is with Hypocrites they spin a fine Web out of their own Bowels conceive rash but strong Hope a Hope of their own forming and making but when Death comes the Man dies and his Hopes die with him So Prov. 11.7 When a wicked Man dies his Expectation shall perish and the Hope of the unjust Man perisheth It is not meant only of his worldly Expectations tho that is true he that aspired to be great and to feather his Nest and excel in the World when he dies all his Plots and Projects die with him but it is meant of his heavenly Hopes when they come to enter upon their everlasting State then they are sensible of their Mistake We are more sensible of what is near at hand than what is at a distance Men grow wise when they come to die Eternity is near at hand and Men begin to awake as out of their Dream and lose all their Confidence and when they thought they were full they find themselves hungry Again the Hope of the Hypocrite is compared to the giving up of the Ghost Iob 11.20 Their Hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost When the Frame of Nature is dissolved it is done with bitter Gripes and Pain the Soul in a Moment takes an everlasting Farewel of the Body so all the Hopes of the Wicked vanish and are lost in an Instant and they are full of Horrour and sad Despair It is the greatest Evil that can befal you to lose all your Hopes in an Instant Well then this looking for the blessed Hope is not a slender Imagination an unadvised rash Confidence such as is lost whenever we begin to be serious either by the conviction of the Word or the approaches of Death 2. It is not some Glances upon Heaven such as are found in worldly and sensual Persons Sometimes worldly Men have their lucida intervalla their good Moods and now and then have some sober Thoughts of Heaven that rush into their Mind Balaam had his Wishes Numb 23.10 Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last End be like his And the Apostle speaks of some that had a Taste Heb. 6.4 snatch now and then some savour of the Sweetness of Heaven and spiritual Comforts A wretched Worldling in whose Fancy the World plays all the day riseth with him goeth to Bed with him yet now and then hath his Wishes and some sudden Raptures of Soul some Flashes and Motions but alas this is not the looking for the blessed Hope for that is a constant viewing of Happiness to come Sudden Motions are not operative they come but now and then and leave no Warmth upon the Soul as Fruit is not ripened that hath but a glance of the Sun and you know a sudden Light rather blinds a Man than shews him his way so these sudden Flashes Enlightnings and heavenly Thoughts vanish and leave a Man never the better 3. It is not a loose Hope a possible Salvation that can have such an Efficacy upon the Soul to urge and incline it to the spiritual Life James 1.8 A double-minded Man is unstable in all his Ways When a Man is double-minded divided and distracted between Hopes and Fears there will be much Irregularity and Unevenness in his Conversation he will be off and on with God As their Hearts are up and down and divided because the Success is doubtful so also is their care of Strictness weakned and broken 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the Air. He alludes to the Istmich Games In an ordinary Race a Man might run and be out-stripp'd the Event was very uncertain he might miss of the Goal if the other sensibly got ground then he was discouraged and began to slack his pace as out of hope but saith the Apostle I run not as one that is uncertain here we are all sure to obtain tho we cannot keep pace with the foremost And this is that which quickens Industry and stirs up those holy Endeavours The surer your Hope is the greater Strength you find and the greater Power upon your Conversation Thus it is not a blind Hope or some Glances upon Heaven and the blessed Things to come that rush into the Mind of a cursed Worldling nor a loose Hope and bare Conjecture a possible Salvation hath not such Efficacy and Power upon the Soul Secondly Positively what this Expectation is of Blessedness to come It is an earnest and lively Hope a solid Expectation of Blessedness to come and it bewrays it self by three things serious Thoughts earnest Groans and lively Tastes 1. By frequent and serious Thoughts Thoughts are the Spies and Messengers of Hope sent into the promised Land to bring the Soul Tidings of what is to come It is impossible for a Man to hope for any thing but his Mind will run upon it and he will be thinking of it We find it in all earthly Matters that Hope sets the Mind on work and so we preoccupy and forestal the Contentments that we expect we enjoy them before they come by serious Contemplation feasting the Soul with Images and Suppositions of the Happiness we shall have when we come to Fruition Contemplation of Heaven is the Feast of the Soul Hope brings in the Image and Suppositions of what is to come as if it were already present Certainly where-ever the Treasure is the Heart the Thoughts will be there Hope carries the Mind above the Clouds in the midst
therefore Men would live in their Posterity and have their Families great But this is a sad Exchange to forfeit Heaven that our Children may enjoy the World as many times it falls out that the Father goes to Hell for getting an Estate and the Son goes to Hell for spending it Tho they have an ample Patrimony yet they know not who shall enjoy it Who knows whether he shall be a wise Man or a Fool Eccles. 2.19 A Man hath no knowledg of future Events nor no power of them So that you see still we have no cause to envy worldly Men even in this Happiness We are better provided for having a Covenant-Interest that countervails all I am thy God and the God of thy Seed Tho we cannot leave them Gold Land and ample Estate yet you leave them a God in Covenant who hath undertaken for you and yours And many times they have Temporal Blessings for their Father's sake the Blessings of Ishmael if not of Isaac Vse 2. Direction that we may not seek Blessedness elsewhere Some seek it in a wrong way Carnal Men think that there is no such Happiness as in letting loose the Reins to carnal Lusts and living as they list This is the basest Bondage that can be 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption for of whom a Man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage The Work is Drudgery and the Reward is Death they are intangled in Snares and held in Chains and is this an happy Life This doth but increase our Misery and make way for more Shame Yet carnal Men are much taken with this kind of Life they wonder how Men can abjure the Pleasure and Contentment which they fancy 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of Riot They think themselves very wise in following the Counsels of their own Hearts and doing as others do that are like themselves You do but make your selves more responsible to God's Justice Worldly Comforts cannot make us happy it appeareth by our many Inventions Eccles. 7.29 God made Man upright but he hath sought out many Inventions Every Sinner hath his wandrings Man being off from God never cometh on again of himself but wandreth infinitely and beats out himself with his own Inventions As a way-faring Man who hath once lost his Directions turneth up and down and knoweth not where to pitch so are all Endeavours fruitless till God direct us We are to follow God's Counsel not the Counsel of the Ungodly Psal. 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and after receive me to Glory As a Clock runs at random when the Ballance is once out The Lord is willing to direct us Psal. 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners in the way He is too wise to be deceived and too good to deceive O Sinners learn the upright Way When we are weary of wandring and willing to be directed such as submit themselves to God shall never want a Guide Creatures cannot make us happy such is the Restlesness of the Soul that we must have shift and change Envying one another sheweth the narrowness of our Comforts Gripes of Conscience spoil all as Belshazzar in his Cups was afrighted with an Hand-writing upon the Wall Says the young Man in the Gospel Mat. 19.16 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal Life What lack I yet saith the Moralist In false Worship Men are unsatisfied Micah 6.6 Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God It is not a loose Profession of the Gospel that will make us happy Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart and ye shall find Rest for your Souls Nothing can make us happy but what is a full Relief from Sin and Misery Here is Rest for our Souls the Foundation is laid in Justification and Sanctification Here is our Reconciliation with God hereafter is our Advancement Vse 3. It is an Invitation to the Practice of Holiness Blessedness is a great Motive David begins the Book of Psalms with it and Christ his Sermons there is enough in it to allay the Sorrows of the present Life and fill up the Desires of the Life to come All would be blessed and happy but we must take the right course say as Christ's Hearers Iohn 6.34 Lord evermore give us this Bread As Balaam Numb 23.10 Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last End be like his Be not content as Balaam with a Vision of Iacob's happy Seats Numb 24.5 How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As the Noble-man that saw the Plenty of Israel but did not eat thereof 2 Kings 7.20 And so it fell out unto him for the People trod upon him in the Gate and he died The Damned at the last Day are Lookers on but not Partakers of the Blessedness of the Righteous Luke 13.28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and your your selves thrust out Vse 4. Exhortation to those that have an Interest in this blessed Hope Behave your selves as those that are called thereunto think of it often discourse of it often and live sutable to it 1. Often meditate of the Happiness that is laid up for you and warm your selves with the thoughts of it The Mind ruminateth on Happiness Your Minds should be there Col. 3.2 Set your Affections on Things above not on Things on the Earth 2. Confer of it often 1 Thess. 4.18 Comfort one another with these Words against all the Changes and Dangers of this Life Alas how carnal and flat is our Discourse He that is of the Earth is earthy and speaketh of the Earth Joh. 3.31 3. Live more sutable to it 1 Thess. 2.11 12. As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged you as a Father doth his Children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory Make Eternity your Scope 2 Cor. 4.18 Looking not to the Things that are seen but to the Things that are not seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There should be a greater proportion between your Hopes and your Lives Behave your selves as those that are interested in this blessed Hope be not dejected with every Cross nor overcome with every Bait and Temptation nor live in a base and low manner this is not becoming your Hopes Show your Interest herein by the Heavenliness and Courage of your Spirits SERMON XVI TITUS II. 13 And the glorious Appearing c. IN the Encouragement to the Duty of our Heavenly Calling we have the Substance of our Hopes and the Seasons when we shall come to enjoy them to the full 1 st The Substance of our Hopes Looking
tho the Fruits are seen so Habits of Grace lie out of sight but Operations discover what is in the Soul the Fruits appear Therefore if Christians be lazy and without Fruit they will be without Comfort St. Iames saith chap. 2.23 Faith is made perfect by Works Understand not in a Popish sense as if Works did contribute a Worth and Value to Faith No but as the strength of God's Power is discovered with more advantage by the weakness of Man 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong So Faith by Works is sensibly discovered with more advantage to the Soul So that if a Man would come to the knowledg of Grace he must be constant in the Operations of Grace SERMON V. HEB. VI. 18 Who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before us THE Third thing I would take notice of in this Text is the Description of those who may take Comfort in God's Word and Oath Who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before us The Point is this Doct. III. The true Heirs of Promise with whom God hath pawn'd his Word and Oath to do them good eternally are such as have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before them In the Description there are two Parts flying for Refuge and taking hold of the Hope set before them The one relates to their Justification or their first Acceptation with God in Christ Flying for Refuge The other relates to their Carriage after Justification To take hold of the Hope set before them To open both these 1. For the first Branch Flying for Refuge It is an Allusion to the Cities of Refuge spoken of under the Law God provided six Cities of Refuge for them to fly to that were guilty of casual Homicide that killing a Man by Chance they might avoid the Fury of the Avenger of Blood These Cities of Refuge were a Type of Christ. In the opening of which I shall shew two things First That Christ is a Believer's City of Refuge Secondly That Believers must run in to him First That Christ is a Believer's City of Refuge or the alone Sanctuary for distressed Souls These Cities are spoken of Numb 35.11 12 13 14. Ioshua 20. and Deut. 19. Now the Comparison or Resemblance between Christ and these Cities is very obvious Look as God appointed Cities of Refuge to fly to so Christ is of God's appointing to be a Sanctuary for distressed Souls These Cities were built upon Hills and Mountains that they which fled to them might ever keep them in Sight so Jesus Christ is set forth Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation for our Sins And the Apostles which did hold forth Christ are compared to a City upon a Hill Mat. 5.14 Christ is lifted up in the Preaching of the Gospel to be seen of all There was a Caus-way with Stones set up to guide them a direct Path that the Man-slayer might fly thither Deut. 19.3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way and divide the Coasts of thy Land into three Parts that the Slayer may flee thither The Cities were so established that they might have a short and direct way to them and that their Escape might be more easy So the way to Christ is clear and open that we may not miss of him who is alone the Support of our Souls and God hath appointed some that were as Stones to signify to us that this is the way Zech. 9.12 Turn ye to the strong Holds ye Prisoners of Hope By the Ministry of Man he holloweth as it were after us Isa. 30.21 Thine Ears shall hear a Word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right Hand and when ye turn to the left Again they were ordered so that in half a Day one might recover one or other of them from any Part of the Land or Corner of the Land so God is made near to us in Jesus Christ Rom. 10.6 7 8. Say not in thine Heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach Our Refuge doth not stand at a Distance the Gospel hath brought him near to us in the Gospel God doth so plainly and fully show the way of Salvation that we need not seek further Christ is at hand to do us good Once more these Cities of Refuge were all Cities belonging to the Levites partly that the Tribe of Levi might be the more esteemed and loved of all Israel but chiefly that they might not be lurking Holes of wicked and flagicious Persons but a School as well as a Sanctuary where Persons that lived there in Exile might be instructed in the Law of God So whoever comes to Christ for Refuge must come also for Instruction to be taught and instructed in all the ways of God Micah 4.2 Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his Ways Otheâ— things are spoken of these Cities of Refuge but I now come to the Persons that had slain a Man by chance and were not guilty of Malice prepense they fled thither as for Life for fear of the Avenger of Blood So do we even fly from Wrath to come Matth. 3.7 as if the Wrath of God were at our Heels And whoever ran to the City of Refuge was to be received the Gates were always open for Jew or Foreigner the Sojourner was capable of the Privilege as well as the Natives Numb 35.15 These six Cities shall be a Refuge both for the Children of Israel and for the Stranger and for the Sojourner among them that every one that killeth any Person unawares may flee thither So Iohn 6.37 He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out The Arms of the Lord's Mercy stands open to receive us And when they were once received they were safe and might enjoy their Privilege without Molestation unless they went out of the Limits and Bounds of the City then it was Death Numb 35.26 27. But if the Slayer shall at any time come without the Border of the City of his Refuge whither he was fled and the Revenger of Blood find him without the Borders of the City of his Refuge and the Revenger of Blood kill the Slayer he shall not be guilty of Blood So when Wrath makes Inquisition for Sinners they are never safe but so long as they are found in Christ Phil. 3.9 Christ must not be made use of only at first but for ever And here they were to remain until the Death of the High-Priest Iosh. 20.6 who was herein a Type of our Great High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ who by his
divers from all People neither keep they the Kings Laws therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them Thus whisperers make Princes conceive an ill opinion of Religious men But the Devil will Soar an higher flight yet to divide between them and God and to disengage him from the protection of his People What else is the meaning of all his Temptations But most eminently this was the Plot now in hand The Israelites could not be overcome as long as God was with them and how shall they do to get away God from them God was not as the God of the Heathens to be called out by sacrifices and inchantments as they used before they warred against any People to endeavour by certain Charms and Rites to get away their Tutelar Gods from them Macrobius hath a Chapter De ritu evocandi Deos And if they conquered any Country they ascribed it to the departure of their Gods Excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dii quibus imperium hoc steterat Balak according to the custom of the Nations would try this but they were now to deal with the God of Israel who could not be charmed away from his People And though Balaam were of great repute and esteem among that People and though it was misery enough to be blasted with his curse and happiness enough to be blessed by his mouth Numb 22.6 He whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed indeed Even as Simon Magus was esteemed the great power of God Act. 8.10 Yet this would not take effect Therefore 2. Let us see what Balaam Answered him 1. By way of prediction He came to curse them but he uttereth many Prophesies concerning the happiness of Israel Numb 23.8 How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed or how shall I defie whom the Lord hath not defied He sheweth that no inferiour power is able to hurt without leave from God yea he pronounceth a great blessing upon Israel as those that were happy both in life and death vers 10. Let me dye the Death of the righteous and let my last end be like his And farther sheweth the stableness of Gods love to his People vers 19 20. God is not a man that he should lie nor the Son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Behold I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it All the powers of the world are not able to separate them from his love and blessings in Christ. And then prophesieth of Christ Insomuch that Balak intreateth him to give over vers 25. Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all Since he could do no evil to Israel he would hinder him from doing good But yet he would make another tryal but still it pleased the Lord to over-rule his Tongue to bless Israel and the truth and constancy of his love appeared against whose will the more he strugleth the stronger he is resisted Numb 24.3 He taketh up a new parable blessing Israel once again which puts Balak all into a rage and indignation and he driveth away the false Prophet from his sight who sought after honour and riches as the wages of his unrighteousness but is sent home with ignominy and shame But Balaam's mind is still hankering after the reward and therefore when he could not hurt them by any prophetical curse he seeketh to do it by his Pestilent counsel 2. What he answered him by way of advice Numb 24.4 Come now and I will advertise thee what thou shalt do Moses doth not express the counsel given because it was whispered secretly into Balaks ear you see the sense is imperfect in that place And what it was may be known by the effect and by other places By the effect Numb 25. Balaam gave counsel to Balak and the Princes of Midian to put a stumbling block before the Israelites to see if they could withdraw the People from the Love â—ear and Obedience of the Lord their God that so God might be provoked to withdraw his favour and blessing from them and so Israels Sinning might bring themselves into the curse which Balaam with all his Inchantments could not bring upon them By this wicked counsel they prevailed against many to the Death of Twenty four Thousand Israelites That Balaam was the Author of all this mischief appeareth Numb 31.16 Behold these that is the Midianitish Women caused the Children of Israel through the Counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor And it is said Rev. 2.14 That Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication This was the plot to send some Beautiful Women of the Midianites to wander about the Camp of Israel to Tempt their Lusty-Youth and Martial Men first to uncleanness and then to Idolatry that so God might be provoked against them a design pernitious and full of refined malice 3. What befel them between Shittim and Gilgal 1. In Shittim they miscarryed fowlly by the effect of Balaams Counsel The intended War of Moab against Israel was turned into a pretended Peace and fained Amity and their fair Women were sent about the Camp to defile the Bodies and Souls of Men with Whoredom and Idolatry And so a People that had such experience of Gods Power and Goodness in the wilderness and were just now ready to enter into the Promised Land are here prevented and overthrown in the wilderness and Gods Anger was kindled against them and Twenty four Thousand were destroyed among the People Numb 25.9 It seems one Thousand slain by the Judges and Twenty three Thousand by Gods own hand that is by a Plague 1 Cor. 10.8 Neither commit fornication as some of them also committed and fell in one day three and twenty Thousand But after that God was atoned to them and his judgment was executed upon the Malefactours and the plague ceased 2. They are sent against the Midianites who had vexed them with their wiles that is with their Deceits and feigned Amity and there they light on Balaam and slew him Numb 31.8 This wretch died not the death of the righteous as he seemed to desire but his iniquity found him out for among others he was slain with the Sword 3. After this God appears among them again and they are led into Canaan with a miracle an argument of a great favour on Gods part and an awe of those things that befel them at Shittim and now they are very tender of provoking God again Iosh. 22.17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed until this day They had tasted of the bitter Waters 4. Gods Covenant is renewed at Gilgal to shew that he would still be their God and bless them as formerly Iosh. 5.2 3. II. The observations
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