does this Gate brings into this Way of Life whereas no other Gate does None can be careless whether he make Ingress and progress here but he who sets light by Life that Life which for permanency and privileges doe exceedingly transcend this Or 2ly Of the difficulty of going in and going on here A threefold difficulty is here mentioned 1st There is a difficulty in finding this Gate and this difficulty is so great that there are few overcome it Most drop into destruction before they know where the Gate of Salvation lies 2ly There is a difficulty in entring this Gate when it is found it being a strait Gate and so not to be entred with any bulk in any posture a Man must strip himself of all unnecessary lumber and compose his body into the most advantageous posture if he would get in at this strait Gate 3ly There is a difficulty in holding on in the Way which we have entred into through the Gate this Way being a narrow Way such as will not leave us at liberty to do as we list but will confine us within bounds and tye us to good behaviour so that we shall be necessitated to conform our Steps unto our Ways Doct. 1st There is a way which leads unto Life This is so clear a truth and so generall acknowledged that Christ does not think it needfull to prove it no nor so much as to assert it neither he only supposes there is such a way all that he does directly assert is touching the narrowness of this Way and the Straitness of the Gate which admits into it Here we must enquire what this Life is which has a Way to it what this way is which leasts unto this Life how this Way leads unto this Life Quest 1st What is this Life which has a Way leading to it Answer Man has a double Life 1st A Life of the Body in this World 2ly A life of the the Soul which is either inchoat and begun in this World or consummate and perfect in the other Now this Life of the Body consists in the conjunction of the Soul and Body together and exerts its self in natural vital Animal operations whereby we Eat Drink and Grow and Breath See and Hear Smell and Feel and Talk and Walk c. But this is not rhe Life which we have to do with here for we are speaking of a Life which Men generally are without yea are at a great distance from and cannot arrive at but by passing through a long Way but such a Life is not this present bodily life for all on this side the Grave have this Life The life then which we have to Enquire about is the Life of the Soul this men are without unless they be born again to it and they are but few who are born again nay men are at a distance from this life neither prizing this nor desiring it nor knowing the way to it Nay it is not the life of the Soul while it is yet in the body this vile body which we here Enquire after For though these two lives that of the Soul here and that of the Soul hereafter do agree much in their natures and Qualitys they have the same subject the immortall Soul which once was dead in trespasses and Sins Eph. 2. 1. The same principle Christ who saith of himself Job 14. 6. I am the way The truth and the Life whom St. Paul professes to be his Life Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Col. 3 4. When Christ who is our Life c. The same effect influencing upon all the faculties of the Soul to raise and enlarge them bettering both mind and heart in all their operations The same excellency putting upon noble designes such as concern the Glory of the great God and the welfare of precious Souls and furnishing with Satisfactory delights such as are the result of Gods presence in the Soul and the Testimony of our Conscience that according to our power we have kept close to God in obedience The same permanency neither of them ever having any end yet these two Lives differ much in degrees more than the life of a man differs from the life of a new born Child yea more than the life of a grown man differs from the life of a Child in the womb It neither has such high operations nor such high comforts it is oft so secret and so hardly discernable either by the man who enjoyes it or by others that Christ rather counts it a tendency to life than life it self it is so exceedingly below that life which shall be in righteousness peace Joy and Glory the great perfections of this life that it scarce deserves to bear the same name the life then which we are here enquiring of is the life of the Soul after it is uncased of the body this is the great life whereunto the life of grace received in regeneration serves but as a way this is that which all Gods People find feel a want yea a need of which they all pant and breath after it makes the Soul happy immediately after death and the body too as well as the Soul soon after the resurrection 2ly What is this way which leads to this life Ans The way it self is obedience and self-denyal complying with Gods will and denying our own It is but going back the same way which man took when he fell from this life we had not been to seek for this life if Adam had continued in the state wherein he was created had he thus done both he himself had been confirmed in holiness and Righteousness and all his posterity after him had probably been born in the same state but he being Tempted by Satan closed with the Temptations and instead of complying with Gods will gratified his own and thereby ruined not only himself but us too Thus we are told by one man Sin entred into the World c. Rom. 5. 12. A double death entred by Adams Sin 1st A death of the Soul as to eternal life this was the immediate result of his Sin for by it he did as it were cut his own throat and thereby utterly stript himself of Spiritual life 2ly A death of the body as to this Temporal life this Followed upon his Sin also yet not so speedily for the seeds of death was only then sown which must have time to ripen Now the way to get out of this death into which we are plunged and to attain again that life which we have through Sin and folly lost is to take a quite contrary Course and whatever Temptations we have to do with either from the World or Satan more to consider what is Gods will then our own and rather to do what God bids us than what our own lusts incline us to This is the way the onely way though Christ when inwardly received into the Soul as a new life is the principle inclining and enabling us
wherin the Perfection of God lies And press after such a Perfection as the divine Perfection is then when we are Perfect as God is we shall be Perfect indeed Doct. 1. It is the duty of Christians to endeavour after Perfection Were it not the duty and concernment of Christians thus to do Christ would neither command Counsel nor exhort them to it To be Perfect is to be every way compleat in all the excellencies of a Christian 1st As to the kinds of these to have all those excellencyes which a Christian is capable of he is imperfect who is dificient in any of these Now These are of two Sorts 1st Intellectuall perfecting the understanding whereby the man is made in the true light clearely and distinctly to discern all those truths which are of moment for the bettering the heart and life every way these truths are various 1st Such as concerne the State wherein we are so that we may not be mistaken here Judging our selves to be in the State of grace while we still continue in the state of nature or in the state of nature when we have already passed into the State of grace This full assurance of understanding as the Apostle calls it in Colos 2. 2. Is requisite to compleat a Christian for where this is wanting their will not be that Peace of God which passeth all understanding Phil 4. 7. The Joy unspeakable and full of glory 1. Pet. 1. 8. Which are necessary both 1st To vnite the heart freeing it from distracting feares what to do and what to expect which wherever they prevail hinder a man from being intent upon his main business of glorifying God and Saving Souls his own and others 2ly To satisfy the Heart that it may not adhere to or hanker after Vanityes here below and so be drawen to lay out its time strength and parts for the procuring or securing these and 3ly To inlarg the heart from an ingenious sense of the greatest mercyes received from God unto Sinners and earnest desires of pleasing and honouring that God who has already done much And has given an assurance of doing more And 4ly To strengthen the heart that the man may have both Courage to grappel with all the difficultyes of actiue and passive duties and might to overcome them being not infeebled by those misgivings of heart which those who are doubtfull of their state are Vnavoidably subject to 2ly Such as concerne the heart How to understand it as to all its principles whether good or bad how to observe it as to all its workings and motions with their rise and tendency how to improve it in Purity from defilements in liberty from slavery to Sin the World and Satan in life and strength to do and Suffer the whole will of God 3dly Such as concerne the life to bring it unto an Vniversal conformity to and complyance with the holy righteous and good will of God Hereunto conduce whatever makes known the nature of Sin with Sins Vgliness and mischeivousness The severall instances of duty as we are brought into severall conditions and stand in severall relations to God and man the necessary coincidence of duty with interest so that what ever we are obliged to upon any consideration we are as much concerned about every way and not onely to be perswaded thus much in generall but to discerne the particular duty the prudentiall wayes to be taken according to the varietys of Circumstances times Places and Persons for discharging duty in so advantagious a manner so as to bring most Glory to God most comfort and edification to our selves and brethren The cautious to be used in discovering and declining temptations Least by them we be insnared seduced out of the way of duty and drawn unto any Sinfull and distructive Courses Of such a Perfection in intellectualls St. Paul speakes 1. Corrin 2. 6. We Speak wisdom among them that are Perfect 2ly Morall such as have a more immediate influence both upon heart and life to better Borâ— In the heart are Principally four 1st Purity from all fillthy lusts whether Devillish as Pride and malice or worldly ambition for the vain applause and honours of the World and covetuousness after the wealth of the World or Sensuall Such as carry out after case and Pleasure in meats drinks recreations and other sensuall delights 2ly Humility low thoughts of our selves not onely as finite Creatures who have whatever excellencyes we have not only originally from but dependently upon another who gave them at first limmits them as to their degrees and operations continues them dureing his pleasure can recall them when he will But also as Foolish feeble Sinfull creatures Not knowing how to avoid the Greivous consequences of Sin nor yet how to bear them being pleased in such mean thoughts and very well content that others should entertaine the like of us 3dly Faith I speak not of the first act of faith which vnites the soul unto Christ and thereby puts in it a Principle of new life but of those Acts of faith which proceed from the life allready received from Christ as living upon God both as to our naturall and spirituall life and the comforts of both aboue means when we have them expecting no advantage by them to the making the World-tolerable Death acceptable life fruitfull heart gracious conscience peaceable Further then they are sett in with by the wise Powerfull and living God And without means when God deprives us of these knowing that the alsufficient God is abundantly able in himselfe to supply whatever is wanting in the creature 4thly Love to all God and man Acqaintance Strangers Freinds and Focs which Love puts us upon serious care and faithfull endeavours to please and honour God for that is all which he is capable of from us to promote the solid comfort and real welfare of our brethren so far as in us Lies As to the life there are these 1st Obedience and readiness to do whatever the Lord requires of us be it never so displeasing and cross both to our inclinations and interests never so difficult putting us to great intention of mind great toil of body great expense of estate never so reproachfull losing us not only the Favour but the esteem of those whose approbation we most desire and Exposing us to the contempt and censure of the most Then obedience is right when it is Sincere as to its principle and end universall as to its extent And constant as to its duration Walking in all the Commandments and ordinances Blameless Luke 1. 6. That ye may be Sincere and without Offence till the day of Christ Phil 1. 10. Compleat in the whole will of God 2. Patience Chearfullness in suffering whatever the Lord lies upon us without Grudging inwardly murmuring or complaining outwardly either of our own condition or against God and his instruments be our Condition never so greivous and tedious Strengthened with all might c. unto all patience Col 1. 11. Lett
patience have its Perfect work Iam. 1. 4. 3. Resignation unto Gods hands to be disposed of by him as he pleases lett him if he will deprive us of all our Comforts cross us in all our desires frustrate us of all our hopes plunge us into all extremity of Sufferings saying with Ely it s the Lord let him do whatseemes him good 1. Sam 3. 18. with David if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here I am lett him do to me as seemeth good unto him 2. Sam 15. 26. with Hez-kiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken 2. Kings 20. 19. with St. Paul I am ready not to be bound only but also to die c. Acts. 21. 13. These I refer unto the Life not that they do not begin at the heart but because they are most conspecuous in the life whereas the operation of the other is oft more inward 2ly As to the degrees of these excellencies for though these were all found in a Christian so that he were not wholy defective in any usefull knowledge humility Purity Faith Love Obedience patience resignedness Yet were Knowledg obscure confuse doubtfull ineffectuall in him were purity partiall so that it onely freed him from some pollution but not from all were humility in a low degree so that though he did not greatly affect esteem and applausse yet he could not patiently bear open contempt reproach and contumelious using were Faith so seeble that though it did at last overcome all feares and doubtings yet this were not till a long time not without much adoe were love so Narrow as to confine it self but to some few persons or partyes so fickle as upon slight provocations to be Changed into quite another thing so cold and feeble as to put upon doing and suffering little whereby the good of others might be promoted and Secured were obedience partial that it had not respect to all God's Commands temporary and endured but for a while only so long as outward advantages allured to it Formall haveing onely the carcase of it but wanting the Soul if it the Heart servile not out of any Love to God or goodness but either out of hope of reward or fear of Punishment were patience weak that it could bear little or shortwinded that it would not bear long were resignedness limited to some certaine things and not extended unto all so that we could not say without any reserve proviso or exception with them Acts. 21. 14. The will of the Lord be done I Say were not all these excellencies in a Christian in the highest degree that he is capable of he Would not be a Perfect Christian Perfect indeed in one sense he would be having essential perfection or whatever is requisite to make him a true Christian as a man is a man if he have body and Soul though as to his body he be never so deformed and defective and as to his Soul he be never so depraued in moralls and intellectuals but he would not be Perfect as to a graduall Perfection as a Child is not a Perfect man though he want none of the integral parts of a man Nor as to integral Perfection as a man that wants an Eye or Hand or Leg is an Imperfect man Quest. But wherein lies the obligation which a Christian is under to labour after Perfection Answer 1st He owes this unto God 1st that we may honour him by being like him for he is Perfect then we most really declare the high thoughts which we have of Gods excellencyes when we Count them worth transcribing into our selves 2ly That we may please him in being conformed to his will This is the will of God even our Perfection as well as our Sanctification 1. Thes 4. 3. 3dly That we may obey him who Sayes be Perfect 2. Cor. 13. 11. his Law being Perfect Psal 19. 7. 4thly That we may be fitted for serving him acceptably following him fully as Caleb did Numb 14. 24. Readily doing and Chearfully Suffering what ever he calls to and that with Single hearts 5thly For enjoying him fully for God being a Perfect God we shall never be fit for that intimate communion with him which does Compleat our happiness and fulfill the good pleasure of his will without we be Perfect too 2ly He owes this unto his Brethren that he may do them less hurt more good 1st The more Perfect any Christian is the more earnestly desirous the more solicitously carefull the more unweariedly diligent will he be to do all the good which he has ability and opportunity For 2ly The more able will he be to do good 1st His Councels will be the more wholsome more suitable and more seasonable the greater prudence he has 2ly His example will be the more quickening edifying attracting the more Wisdome Holiness and righteousnes there is in it 3dly His labour will be the more industrious more unwearied the greater measure he hath of spirituall life to prompt him to them strength to carry him through them 4thly His prayers for others will be the more servent frequent prevalent the more Love there is in him to excite them the more Faith to encourage them 3ly He owes this unto himselfe the more Perfect any Christian is 1st The more Serviicable his life will be he 'l have more will more Power of doing what may promote God's Glory and mans good he 'l find more encouragement to it more pleasure in it Now it s a Christians intrest to be as Servicable as may be The more he does for God or man the greater is his honour the sweeter his comfort the higher will be his reward 2ly The more comfortable his Death will be 1st He will be every way more fitted for those Joyes and Gloryes which he is entring into he will have a greater capacity for them a deeper sence of them 2ly He will be more assured of them reflection upon his life will give some assurance when he can say with Hezekiah he has walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart Esa 38. 3. with St. Paul I have finished my course 2. Timo 4. 7. Reflection upon his heart and the principles there inhering and working for he who finds grace here need not doubt of glory hereafter Direct actings of faith and Love will incline him to expect confidently good from God aboue all that he can ask or think The sealing of the Spirit will make a more discernable impression in a heart more prepared and the light of the Spirit will give clearer evidence in a more purified heart and the terrours of Satan will less prevail where he has less place 3ly The more glorious his reward in Heaven will be The more Perfect any one is the more Capable he will be of Joy and Glory as Souls are Widened here so they shall be filled hereafter The more Perfect any is the more fitted he will be for Joy and Glory for the righteous God does proportion
any controll and he makes every passage to promote the Comfort welfare of those that truely love and fear him and will bring to utter shame and Misery all those who despise him and choose the World for their portion however he may suffer them to flourish for a while 2ly The Knowledge of the world how little there is in it to fill the capacities to supply the needs to satisfie the desires of an Immortall soul how vain and unsavory all the Comforts of it are especially to such an one as is awakened to a due sense of the wretched Misery and extreme danger of a poor soul and the concernments of Eternity How uncertain all the enjoyments Exposed to infinite hazards and running 1000. ways and while possest are oft made wearisome by the Cumber of them vexations by the Crosses interwoven with them dangerous by the snares of them A Minister can do no greater service to God and Souls then by rubbing off the paint from the Face of this Tempting whore stripping her of her Gawdy Ornaments whereby she do's bewitch the Jnhabitants of the Earth 3ly The Knowledge of our selves How nobly Descended from Adam the Son of God the Master-ship of Gods Creation how Richly Accomplished with Wisdome Righteousness and Power how largely Capacitated for higher and more glorious enjoyments how Lamentably Degenerated into a state of shame misery and danger How dark polluted and Distempered our Souls are how frail and crazy our bodies how vain and miserable our Lives how sad and Hopeless our Death How Unconceiveably wretched if we come short of Christ how strangly Senseless of one Need of him how Grosly Ignorant of the way to him how foolishly content to take up short of him How few reall Friends we have to our Souls how many slie Enemies quite out of Favour with God out of Peace with our selves The Curses of the Law we are to Expect the Joyes and Glorys of Heaven we may hear of indeed but cannot hope for Hell with it's Torments and Confusions is our portion 4ly The Knowledge of Christ in him there is merit Enough to Appease a Provoked God to Satisfie violated Justice he has peace Enough to speak to a troubled Conscience ease to give to a burdened spirit he can quicken the dead heart subdue the stubborne strengthen the weak soften the hard enlarge the strait compose the distracted make Fruitfull the barren He can inform the ignorant rectify the mistaken Councell the Foolish Resolve Doubts Discover Wants Distempers Dangers Remedies Supplies helps c. He can give grace to make holy Heavenly meek Lowly Selfdenying obedient resigned patient Dependant upon God every way pious toward God Just and Charitable to brethren 5ly Knowledge of the way to Christ The true the onely way the ready and sure way That this is obedience and self denyall faithfulness to God and their own Souls in these as light and strength is given in For onely this way a man comes to find Really and Experimentally the blindness weakness Poverty Corruption of his nature and heart which else at best he knows but by hearsay untill by putting himself out to the â—utmost he finds that his Soul is little else but a lump of Darkness and Sin duty he knows but very Faintly what he Knows though it be but little he is not able to practise the Law comes in here sayes do this and Lawe he is not able to do it though it cost him his life it sayes refrain such courses or my curse is against you your Souls Bodies as to the concernments of this Life and the other yet though it bring never so much misery he is not able to refrain Notwithstanding all his reasonings with himself his Resolutions endeauours Either put of your Lusts and be Clothed with the graces of the spirit or else no enterance into Heaven he finds he can do neither I say till a man come to follow God faithfully according to that discovery which he makes of himself unto his Conscience he will never come so far as to understand really the Depravedness of his nature the strict requirings of the Law his vtter in ability to help himself and so never finds any need of Christ never is in good Earnest to lay hold of him but Contents himself with a Christ of his own making and so Lives and Dies in his corrupt nature and all his groundless hopes wherewith he flattered himself do not save him from the misery he never thought of 6ly Knowledge of the priviledges which are in Christ God reconciled Conscience quieted the heart at rests the Soul purified and enlightened filled with Peace passing understanding Joy unspeakable and full of Glory the Man himself and his as to all their Concernments here and hereafter under the Charge of that providence which over rules all God continually present to guide him in his wayes to comfort and help in Afflictions and to make People seek after Christ not onely out of necessity but out of Choice as one who has enough in him to Recompence for all the losses and crosses in the way to him 7ly Knowledge of Dutyes what God requires of all to practise for their own good and the good of their Brethren and how to practise it in such a way as the good that God drives at by it may be Attained To shew what the man owes to himself his Soul his Body To keep his body in Chastity Sobriety To get his Soul quickened with the Life of Christ enlightened with the Knowledge of all it 's reall concernments what he owes to others as a Magistrate a Subject a Minister a Parishioner A Master or Servant an Husband a Wife a Father a Child c. And to make people know that their dutyes are their interests too and nor made Necessary by being enjoyned but therefore enjoyned because discerned by the wisdom of God to be vsefull Not burdens laid on People Arbitrarily by God to make a vain ostentation of his Soveraignty but prescriptions Accomodate to the Necessitous and Distempered Condition of apostate nature to direct them what Course to take for their recovery and to do this with that authority which may awe them to make vse of these directions though contrary to their inclinations To shew them the means the Encouragements and to Answer their objections 8ly Knowledge of Liberty That an upright Person may in certain cases Act this way or that way as their shall be occasion without danger of Sinning even in matters of Religion which as to the Externall and Mutable part of it do's admitt of great latitude and may be Modellized this way or that way as it shall be found to serve most for it's main ends the generall good of Souls and the peace of states And where it is thus ordered upon serious Deliberation by those who have authority what before was indifferent in it self now becomes necessary by vertue of Gods Law which requires us to Submit to every
to Love and chuse and keep this way And Faith is the Instrument whereby we Receive Christ as a principle of inward life and strength Quest 3. How do's this way lead to this life Answer This obedience and selfdenyal has a tendency to advance us unto this life 1st Not as matter of merit whereby we deserve at Gods hands that he should advance us unto this life The begger who comes to the door for alms by coming do's not deserve it though without coming he were never like to get it That a Creature should merit from God from whom it has and to whom it owes all that it has and is is both a proud opinion and a senseless one also Especially if we consider in what a pittiful depraved condition man is in whom this merit is supposed and boasted For 1st Were we born with as great moral perfections as Adam himself was created with and did we improue these with the utmost care diligence and Faithfulness unto the greatest advantage so as at no time to omit any duty or to commit any Sin yet we should by thus doing do no more then we were bound to for we owe our whole beings and Lives whatever we are have and are able to do unto that God from whom we received them and by whom we are preserved in them And is there any so Foolish as to fancy that there can be any great merit in paying of debts 2ly As we are darkned in our minds and depraued in our hearts we neither do nor can do half of that which we ought to do we either fail in the matter doing somthing which is unfitting to be done or not doing somthing which is fitting to be done or we fail in the manner doing what we do when we do the best with undue hearts and for undue ends So that we are alwayes affronting and provoking God either by our Sinful omissions or Commissions either in the thing practised or Neglected or in the manner of our Practising or Neglecting it And would it not be an unparalleld impudence in any to claime as due the least reward for such unworthy Carriages how much lâ—ss so great a reward as eternal Life is 3ly As we do not do all the good we might and the good we do we do not with that exactness which we ought even when we do it in the greatest Sincerity so the good we do it is not we who do it but the grace of God which is in us as St. Paul Modestly acknowledges 1. Cor. 15. 10. Not I but the grace of God which was with me So that were there never so great merit in the action we have little reason to lay Claime to it who are at the best but the instruments God being the principall authour for this is certain all the Evil of our Actions is from our selves and all the good of them from God 4ly The good which we do we do rather for ourselves then for God it is certainly so in the issue and ordinarily it is so in our intentions Whether we do well or ill it neither increases nor lessens Gods happiness Job 35. 6. 7. So that what we do we doing for our selves unto whom the advantage of what we do do's solely redound we have no reason to claime any reward from God till we can shew what we have done for him But 2ly As a means whereby we are fitted for this life such a course is both prescribed by God and has in it self a natural tendency to bring us unto the life which we need and are concerned to seek after Psa 50. 23. To him that ordereth his Conversation aright c. By setting our selves about this obedience and selfdenyall 1st We come to understand really and experimentally how much we are without this life For Obedience Would not be so diffcult a Task had we that life unto which this is Naturall we should Love and delight in Obedience were this agreeable unto the frame of our Spirit and were our wills as Conformable to Gods will as they should be and would be if we were not degenerate There would be no more room for selfdenyal in us then there is for it in Heaven among Angels and Saints who find nothing in them to thwart Gods holy Righteous and good will The first step unto true life is to be brought to a sense that we are without it 2ly We come to understand the worth of this life For we cannot but know that to obey God in his holy and Righteous prescriptions is very much our duty we owe this both to God and to our selves and to our Brethren and we can never have quiet in our selves while our Consciences testify against us that we walk contrary to our duty yet this we shall unavoidably do so long as we want that life which alone can make duty gratefull to us while we force our selves to duty as a thing that we are tasked to and which we may in no wise Neglect unless we will run the hazard of beating for our sloth or while duty goes down with us against the stomack we meddle with it as People do with Phisick which they abhor yet take to prevent a greater mischief while we have no Love to duty we are in Danger of a double trouble from it Trouble in Discharging it contrary to our Inclinations trouble in a total Neglecting of it or a superficial slubbering it over when our conscience takes occasion hence to upbraid us with a want of fear of God and care of our own Souls Now those who know how greivous it is ever to lie under one of these Troubles cannot but count that life precious which will totally free us from both and perfectly reconcile our Consciences Inclinations and duties together that there shall be no jarring among them And when once we come to know the worth of this life we are made to Prize Love Desire and seek it 3ly We Subdue that which in its being and workings is most Contrary to this life That which ties us fast in Death is our owne lusts these are the cords whereby Satan and the World do keep us at a distance from God the Fountain of life these like mud in the head of a spring cause such Obstructions that a source of Living water though it be Just at hand cannot gush out Now obedience gives a check to these lusts it hinders them from working while it finds the Soul a far different Imployment it hinders them from thriving by diverting the sap of the Soul some other wayes While men Neglect Obedience and give the reins unto their lusts they bring themselves more under the power of their Lusts and they have the less Command over themselves to refuse doing what their lusts promp them to neither can they so easily exert themselves into their former liberty But if we deny our lusts and discharge duty in spite of them we famish them and thereby weaken them that they cannot have that Rule
in our Souls which formerly they had and hereby the Soul is more easily to be reduced under the Command of Christ and under The law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ 4ly We keep close under the influences of the Quickening Spirit All life is from God and the nearer we are to God the nearer we are to life Now the distance we are in at any time from God is not of place but of state We cannot possibly be any where where God is not present for God Fills Heaven and Earth Jer. 23. 24. But he is not present to us we have no sensible Experience of his presence in us because our minds are averse from him The way then to find and feel the warmth of the Sun of Righteousness is to turn to it not by Changing our place but by Changing the posture of our Soul our backs are towards God while we follow our lusts then we turn to God when we put our selves in the way of duty 3ly As a condition upon which God has suspended the giving of life Eternal life being the gift of God he may give it out unto whom he pleases upon what termes he pleases Rom. 6. 23. And that he has made Obedience the termes of Eternal life is euident Christ tells the young man Mat. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Paul Saith God will render to every one according to their works to them who by patienâ— Continuance in weldoing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality Eternal life Rom. 2. 7. John saith Men come to have right to the Tree of life by doing Gods Commands Rev. 22. 14. The difference betwixt the Old and New Covenant do's not lie here that the one requires works and the other do's not But they both require works onely with this difference the Old Covenant requires good works from us to be done by our selves the other requires good works in us to be done by the Spirit of Christ And therefore by our Works we shall be tried at the great day whether we be fit for life or we be not As is evident Mat. 25. Vse 1st Is there a way to life then none are excluded by God from Eternal life seeing God has not set this where it cannot be come at but has left a way to it which who ever take cannot miss of Eternal life There is a way to Eternal life this way is declared what it is and how it lies we are loudly called by God into this way Continually called by all providences and Ordinances Now Therefore if we will not take this way and for want of taking it ruine our selves can we say that it is Gods fault that we come short of life Can we clear our selves either by pretending ignorance as if we knew not the way when the Lord has shewed thee O man what is good And what do's the Lord by God require of thee c. Mic. 6. 8. Or by pleading Impotence we could not walk in it this cannot be for if it be a way it must be passable And though we cannot walk in this way of our selves by our own strength yet by the help of God we may and God is Never backward Seasonably to give in Convenient help to those who heartily desire it of him 2ly Is there a way to life let every one take heed how they come short of life had mans case been desperate and now that he has once fallen from life there were no more possibility of his return to it again then there is for the Devils there being no way left to life for them it would have been a troubling our selves to no purpose should we have striven to get to life What vse could there be of any cares or Endeavours in such a case All would have been superfluous But now that there is a way to life a way opened to us by the Blood of Christ and we may attain to life if we do but for our selves what we might and ought we are greatly concerned to look to it that we come not short of life for all this through our own unbelief carelesness and sloth It is sad to lose life and to be vtterly and everlastingly undone for want of it But it will be far sadder to lose it when it has been prepared and offered a way has been made to it and the way declared and we called into it Be the good never so Valuable that we come short of the Evil never so Intolerable that we are plunged into yet if the one could not be by us attained the other could not be by us avoided we Comfort our selves with this that how greivous soever our Sufferings be yet it could not be helped But as the case is here if we lose life and plung our selves into an endless Death we shall be vtterly deprived even of this Comfort we can never be able to say that it could not be helped there was no Remedy it could never be otherwise then it is No then we shall be made to Remember and to Acknowledge that it might have been far otherwise we might have been as full of Happiness as we are now of Misery had we but taken the right way and that we Missed the way was not so much Ignorance as Willfulness or at the best Carelessness This is that which will make Hell-fire burne hotter and its pains Torment more intolerably when we are made to Remember what Fair warnings we had against it how we were told that the way we took was the ready Road to it how we were seriously invited and that frequently into another way which we were assured would lead us into a state of as great Blessedness as we were capable of Doct. 2. The Enterance into the way of life is through a Gate a strait Gate If ye ask what Gate is this it is the Gate of Regeneration for this is the passage through which we turne out of the way of destruction into the way of Salvation while we are in our old nature our motions are Earth-ward and Hell-ward for that way do our Inclinations lead us But when we have attained a new nature a divine nature our bent is altered and by this we are carried Heaven-ward and God-ward our outward man is kept within bounds by the Law and our inward man is Enlarged and Raised carried towards those things which are Spiritual and Eternal by the Spirit Qu. But what is Regeneration which is the Gate into the way of life It is such an alteration wrought in the Soul by the powerfull operation of Gods Spirit whereby the Soul which was Dead in Trespasses and sins Passes from Death to Life 1 Joh. 3. 14. It comes to have new Senses new motions It comes to have different apprehensions from what it had before Wealth Honour Pleasures it counted things of Worth and use now it looks upon them but as vanity and vexation the ways of Sin it looked upon as wayes of
Credit and Delight now it can see nothing in them but sorrow and shame The Councells of God it did despise as advising it to its prejudice now it esteems them as the most advantageous The anger of God it slighted as a thing which onely Melancholy Fools feared now it cannot think of it without dread Grace it looked upon as an Inglorious useless thing now it Esteems it most Honourable most Serviceable It comes to have different affections from what it had before as its light is Changed so is its liking it has new Objects for its Love Desire Hope Delight for its Hatred Fear Anger Greife Other things other persons other occasions raise these from what did before Qu. But what makes Regeneration to be a strait Gate Answer 1st It has difficulty in it which cannot be Mastered by any power within us but requires a power above us No less power is required to raise us from the Death of sin to the life of Faith then was exerted on Christ to raise him from the Dead Ephe. 1. 19. 20. In Regeneration we are raised aboue our selves and we have not onely an impotency to it but a reluctancy against it we are so far from helping forward this work that we oppose and hinder it we cannot alter our own bent and Motion if this be done in us it must be done by one without us one above us 2ly It has trouble in it which we cannot beare up under without much patience here is the Cutting of the foreskin of the flesh which will not be without Wounds and Blood the plowing up the fallow ground of the heart which cannot be done without much rending and tearing Bringing out a man Child unto God which cannot be without the pangs of the new birth Here is cutting of a Right Hand plucking out a Right Eye which can never be done without smart The trouble is occasioned in getting 1st Seperated from lusts 2ly Freed from Satans slavery Vse 1st For Examination Let us hereby try our selves whether we be in the way to life or no men generally presume they are and do not take it well at the Hands of any to Question whether they be or no. To be sure it is the Concernment of all to look to it that they indeed be But may we not be allowed to ask those who conceit they are got into the way of life how came they there What Gate passed they in at to that way Was it a wide Gate or a strait one We are told by Christ that the Gate which brings into the way of life is a strait Gate and sure through such a Gate we cannot get we do not know how It is very suspicious we are not yet in the way if we know nothing at all of the straitness of the Gate If we have not found Difficulty and Trouble in Getting through it Here it is that the Devil vtterly loses his interest in us if he let us now go we are gone for ever and will he be contented quietly to part with his prey Here the strong man Armed is Dispossest of his House Luke 11. 21 22. And can ye think he will come out of his possessions without Tearing Can there be such a great tug betwixt Gods Spirit and Satan whether should have possession of the Soul and the Soul know nothing of this all the while Vse 2. For Exhortation Let us strive to Enter in at this Gate what though it be a strait Gate not to be passed through without difficulty and Trouble it immediately brings into the way of life And whoever are got in at this Gate they are sure of life out of danger of Death I do not say that they have attained this Assurance so that they are delivered from all Feares of finally miscarrying forthwith after they be Regenerate but this I say they are in a sure state whether they think themselves sure or they do not Now that they are entred in at the Gate brought unto the life of Christ Their Salvation is undertaken by Christ himself Who will finish that good work which he has already begun Phil. 1. 6. That God who has brought us in at the Gate will bring us on in the way till he has brought us to the End of our Hope the Salvation of our Souls Again If we be got in at the Gate we have reason to bless God for it both Considering the great difficulty of this the main difficulty of the work of mans Salvation lies in the getting through the strait Gate and also Considering the great advantages by this we are not onely put in a possibility or probability of Salvation but even in a certainty of it That work is begun which God has undertaken to finish in spite of all opposition that shall be made either by lust within or Satan and the world without Vse 3. For Consolation who ever have got so far as to get beyond the strait Gate they are in the way of life and need not fear but they shall arrive at the End of this way life it self The greatest difficulty is over what is behind is easy in Comparison This little which God has done already in bringing through the Gate and advancing to life is but an earnest of what God will further do Doct. 3. The way of life is a narrow way To keep in it there is Required 1st Care that we Observe our way those who have but a narrow way to go in may soon Step aside if they take not great heed to themselves 2ly Jndustry that we take pains with our selves to set our steps right otherwise we shall either sit down in the way or turn out of the way for sloth 3ly Patience That we bear the Trouble which will be Necessarily occasioned to us by our Continuall care and Industry to know and keep the way There will be more need of Patience upon severall accounts 1st By reason of the prevailency of corruption which makes the flesh so vnruly that it will not be kept in the way It will be both Troublesome to Curb these lusts and Troublesome to gratify them by resisting them we Trouble the flesh by Complying with them we Trouble the Spirit and the Conscience 2ly By Impetuousness of Temptations from the World and Satan wherby we are Vehemently sollicited to do something which we cannot do with freedome of Spirit it suiting not the inward frame which God has set our Souls in or we dare not do for fear of provoking God and violating our own Conscience 3ly By pressure of afflictions which the Lord do's variously Exercise his People with in this way for the Mortifying their lusts the practising of their graces that they may live in a sense of their own Sinfulness weakness Apprehensive of the Worlds scorn and Malice raised by Faith to Expect Comfort and Help from God in a time of need maugre the World and Hell 4ly By the discomforts of desertion when we are left wholy in the dark without
promises chiefly for what ever is required of us as duty that is required of us by the Law now we are told what the main Subject of the Gospel is it s the Kingdome of God therfore the Gospel has its Denomination from hence Mark 1. 14. The Gospel of the Kingdome of God This was the chief thing which Christ preached before his Death Mat. 4. 17. He had told them there was A Kingdome of God to be got it was not far off but at Hand this he Chiefly Inculcated after his Resurrection Act. 1. 3. Speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God 2ly Many of the Commands of God Would be Idle when God bids us Seek first the Kingdome of God and its Righteousness it would be all one as if he should say be sure you seek that in the first place which when ye have sought never so long ye are sure never to find for there is no such state of Happiness to be attained When we are bid to Seek the Lord and his strength seek his Face for ever more Psal 105. 4. Which is al lone as if we were bid to seek his Kingdome for what is it else for him to Lord it over us so as to Rule us to put forth his strength upon us so as to subdue our lusts mightily to manifest his Face and presence in us so as to Enlighten Enliven Counsel Comfort us when he bids us thus do he would bid us take pains to no purpose for such an attainment is never to be Expected 3ly The secret Encouragments which Gods People have given in to them would be all Groundless and Delusory There are none of Gods People but he dos inwardly speak unto their heart Seek ye my Face labour to come unto a vision of God unto an intimate Communion with him so as to see him as he is 1. John 3. 2. To speak with him Face to Face And by this inward invitation and Encouragement their hearts are drawn out and Engaged thus to seek Gods Face thus they resolve their heart saith thy Face Lord will we seek Psal 27. 8. Now shall this their faith be in vain Shall God say unto the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Isai 45. 19. 4ly The industrious Endeavours of Gods people would be all lost Do not they take a great deal of pains with themselves Exercise a great deal of patience and all this that they may attain the Glory and Honour and immortality of this Kingdome Rom. 2. 7. And must they lose all there Labour is there no remedy but they must still be slaves to their own lusts carried which way the Temptations of the Devil and the World drives them is there no hopes of attaining the purity and liberty of this Blessed and Glorious Kingdome Must all their Fervent prayers their stedfast Resolutions their unwearied Labours their frequent selfdenyalls in studying their states purifying their hearts and reforming their Lives all come to nothing When they have made it their great Business for a long time to get into the Kingdome of Heaven must they still be kept under the power of Satan And shall he be of more might to Enslave them then God to save them And what are those who are Stiled the only Sons of Wisdome in very deed such Fools as to lay out their time and strength in pursuance of a designe which is altogether unfeasible 5ly The greivous sufferings of Gods People would be all in vain What makes them so willingly and chearfully to expose themselves to the hatred and contempt of the World and Satan to meet and Embrace hard censures bitter Reproaches Terible Threats cruell usages why do they Chuse rather to suffer Affliction with Gods People then to Enjoy all the pleasures of Sin Why do they not rather shun sufferings then run into them but that they know and Beleive and consider that if they Suffer with Christ they shall Reign with him 2. Tim. 2. 12. And that as he by Enduring the Cross and dispising the shame sate down at the Right Hand of God Heb. 12. 2. So shall they if they Be faithfull unto Death be sure to have the Crown of Life c. Rev. 2. 10. If they overcome as Christ did Christ will give unto them â—he power he Received from his Father to Rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron c. Rev. 2. 26. 27. And to the trouble they meet with in these sufferings they oppose the Joy of the Kingdome to the shame they meet with they oppose the Glory of the Kingdome Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the suffering of this present time c. 2. Cor. 4. 17. For our light Afflictions c. To the losses they undergo here they oppose the Riches of the Kingdome Heb. 10. 34. They took Joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in them selves that they had in Heaven a better and an indureing Substance But may this Kingdome of Heaven be Entr'd into in this life Yes why not is it not possible that Victory may be gotton over lusts that they shall little Molest us and though we be in the midst of Temptations yet they shall not greatly either greive or hurt us may not we be Beautified and Satisfied with grace so that we shall desire little of the pleasures and Riches and Honours of the World May not we have peace of Conscience having no guilt lying upon them Peace of heart being nor disquieted with any Inordinate desire or terified with any vain fear the peace of God guarding them within Phi. 4. 7. We being kept in perfect peace by God Isa 26. 3. Others have Enter'd into this Kingdome during this Iife why may not we pray who were they who were come to Mount Sion Heb. 12. 22. 23. 24. Were they not some among the Hebrews who were yet alive when the Author writ to them How could St. Paul bear up so Magnanimously as he did so as to dispise all the Smiles and Frowns of the World how could he have so much love to others to have so great desire to see them do well as to Travel so many Miles to expose himself to so many Hard-ships and Sufferings for their sakes how could he be so wholy unconcerned about his Body and all its Comforts in this life unless he had an inward feeling of that Kingdome of God which is not in word but in Power 1. Cor. 4. 20. Vnless he felt the great Comforts of this Kingdome But what is the entrance into this Kingdome It is Regeneration for as soon as ever we come to be Born again to have a new life put in us which naturally carries us Heaven ward and makes us disgust vanity and to be ashamed of folly and to loth all Impurity Iniquity and Hypocrisy then do's Christ dwell and Rule in us in some measure he is in some sense King over us and we are made Kings with him But as it is in the World oft times after a King is Crown'd and own'd
by sense and if they may have ease for the present they care not what Extream misery they plunge themselves into afterwards 4ly They please themselves with some Slight hopes of doing well to Eternity because as to the Externall part of Religion they do as the best do and they differ much from the generality of the World who pretend to mind nothing but Earthly things therefore they presume they shall be a Difference between them at the great day and seing here they separate themselves in some sort from those who are openly loose and Wicked God will Separate them hereafter also Now men like it very well when by an easy Piece of Formality they can get themselves raised unto Hopes that it shall be well with them when this short Vncertain Life is at an end and can withall freely indulge themselves in the Enjoyment of whatever Pleasures are here below Vse Though by our Religion we may raise some Building for our selves if it be not such a Building as will afford us Comfort in the Greatest distress we can be in on this side the Grave either during this Life or in Death such as will do us good after this Life assuring us of Heaven and securing us against Hell we have little reason to rest here Indeed it is observed in all ages that it is some of this Building that undoes most as Christ in his time Observed that the Publicans and Sinners were in a fairer way then Scribes and Pharisees S. Mat. 21. 31. Not that hearing reading praying c. hinders men from Heaven but the Resting in these Duties doth when men pride and please themselves in these without pressing after something which is higher and better then these When men Build by their Religion and Build nothing to purpose they Ruin themselves by it When men have either no Religion at all or set nothing by their Religion they are far more easily wrought upon they are more ready to Consider truth when it is proposed and to submit unto truth when it is discovered Nothing but an Extraordinary Vivification of Christ could take S. Paul off from that Religion which he had profest and found advantage by Phil. 3. 7. What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ Had not Demetrius found some Worldly advantage by the Religion he also professed he would never have to pertinaciously adhered to it and so stifly have opposed S. Paul when he acquainted him with a better Acts 19. 35. Doct. 2. They that only hear Christs sayings but do them not do only Build on the Sand that is they Build without a Foundation or on such a Foundation as will last but for a little while For 1st The Credit they get upon a Religious account has no Foundation they are not Really what they are taken to be though they have a form of Godliness they are without the Power of it if they do not deny it 2 Tim. 3. 5. Though they have a name to live yet they are Dead Rev. 3. 1. 2ly The Advantage they make by their Religion as to their Trades or Marriages has no Foundation All the ground there is for their being better Customed and more Desired then others are is their being supposed to be such as truly fear God when they are far from that Fear 3ly The Quiet they have in their Consciences is without Foundation It is only grounded on a Mistake that their Hearts and Lives are far better then they are that their Condition is a great deal safer then it really is 4ly The Hopes they have of Heaven and Happiness is without Foundation If they have any Grounds for these it is either because they suppose that all who Profess Religion shall go to Heaven and if so then will Judas and Simon Magus also for they were great Professors in their time or else they suppose that there is some Reason for their going to Heaven when others are excluded thence whereas notwithstanding that Profession they still have as Vile natures as any have Now thus it must needs be because there are but two Foundations on which to raise and continue any of these advantageous Buildings and both these are wanting in Men who Hear Christs sayings but do them not 1st Read Goodness within And this can in no wise be where there is no Change of Nature and there will never be any change where Christs words are only heard but never heeded The main Drift of all Christs Discourses are to bring unto Regeneration and this men will never be brought unto by a bare Hearing of Christs words There must be a Vehement striving of a mans Spirit and a potent work of Gods spirit upon the Soul before any can be brought to this Let men hear or read the Counsels Commands promises and Threatnings of the Gospel never so much if they be not hereby Excited unto the great Work of Believing S. Joh. 6. 29. Which is a laying hold of Gods power for the Cleansing of us throughly there is nothing of Worth and Goodness which may be a Foundation of outward Love and Esteem or of Inward peace and hope Good nature and good Parts good Morall qualifications and a fair profession of Religion will not serve here 2ly Gods peculiar favour It is God alone who gives Repute and Honour who raises Friends that shall be ready to help us when we stand in need When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. It is he who speaketh True peace to the Soul he Challenges this as his Prerogative Isai 57. 19. I create the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace to him that is far off and to him that is near saith the Lord. Hence this peace is called the Peace of God Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding And God the Author of it is called the God of peace 1. Thes 5. 23. The very God of Peace sanctify you wholly When he giveth quietness who can make Trouble Joh. 3. 29. It is he who begets hope in his People if any be Begotten again to a lively hope it is by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his Abundant mercy hath Begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ He is the God of hope Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and Peace When the Lord Roars out of Sion all other hope which is not of his Raising quite fails Joel 3. 16. The Lord also shall Roar out of Sion and utter his Voice from Jerusalem the Heavens and Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his People we must not Expect then that any of these Advantages should last when we have them only by Gods Common Providence not by his Peculiar favour Vse Let men please themselves never so much
those frightfull Shrinks which are to be discerned in some dying Persons it is very probable are not so much the result of Vehement Pains of Body as of extream Anguish on their Spirit when they are made indeed to see whither they are going Sometimes their Peace and Hope continues untill the very last breath and their Amazement must needs be very Horrible when they feel themselves in Hell before ever they thought of it It is certain all these Advantages must come to nothing at Death For 1. Some of them are of that nature that they are of no use in another world as Credit and Worldly advantages Those in Heaven are so filled with Joy and Glory that these are below them Those in Hell are so filled with anguish and horrour that if they could have these still they could not heed them they would find no Ease by them Even during this Life a man in the Gout Stone or Cholick may have such Vehement pains upon him that it will be but poor Comfort to hear that he has lived in good Credit has scraped together much Wealth or purchased many Friends 2. Some of them are of that Nature that they Continue not after this Life Common Grace is but the working of Gods Spirit upon a man to bring him to Saving Grace in the 〈◊〉 or else to keep him from doing that mischief in the World which otherwise he would do Now there is no use of this after Death Gifts are but the Spirits working on a man to Raise his Parts that he may be more usefull to the Church Now the Spirit makes to further use of a man after he is called out of this Life 3ly Some of them are of that Nature that they cannot continue when the Truth is discovered and when Experience shews the Vanity of them as peace and hope God suffers them sometimes to fall here that those who rest in them may take warning not to Content themselves with that which may fall lest their Condition should be as sad as theirs is who fall away The Fall is Great in it self It is Totall whatever men have Raised to themselves by their Religion all comes down together It is Finall the Ruines of this usually are never raised again If it fall not till Death it is impossible to raise it if it fall before it is difficult Those who have got into a Form and rest there who have had great helps to get further and have been much a wanting to God and their own Souls they have Sinned much against Light and Grace or else they had got further Vsually their Fall is then when God leaves them wholly to themselves as despairing to do any good upon them Now there is no hope of that Soul which has Triffled away its Season of grace and is now left by God unto its self The fall is great as to its Consequences There is great Amazement by reason of the suddenness and unexpectedness of it There is great Horrour when all the false Peace and Hope is gone there is then nothing but a fearfull Looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation Heb. 10. 27. Use 1. We should be greatly afraid lest what we Build should fall also and thereby we be put to great Shame to Build so Foolishly when we should be Building for Eternity Thereby we come to great loss we lose our Souls we undergo unspeakable unconceivable Mischeif which we can neither bear up under nor run away from The way to avoid this falling is to make use of Common grace in order to the getting of Saving grace to press through the Form of Religion to the power of it to nourish in our selves Apprehensions of the Danger of resting in such Attainments as we may utterly and everlastingly fall away from to be frequently enquiring what we have attained to in Religion which these Temporary Christians came short of to be earnest with God in Prayer that he would not suffer us to rest in such common Attainments as we may wholly lose during this Life or such as we shall never be Advantaged by when we come to die Use 2. The greater the Fall is let us be the more afraid of it and bend our Endeavours and Prayers so that we may escape it The nearer we come to Heaven the deeper shall we be plunged into Hell if we come short of Heaven Isaiah 55. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be Found Call ye upon him while he is Near. THese words under a different Aspect may admit of a different Construction View them on one side and they seem to lay before us an Exhortation to a great Duty with a Direction how this may be most advantageously Discharged The Duty Exhorted to is the Doing the utmost that in us lieth for the Finding of God The Rules directing how to manage this Duty aright prescribe that this be set about 1st Diligently Men ordinarily when they find and feel great need of the Guidance and Assistance of some Person of eminent Prudence and Power whom they have high hopes of do not content themselves with Idle Wishes neither do they lazily sit down vainly Expecting that he should designedly come to them or that they should Accidentally meet with him in good time No but they consider with themselves where is the Place of his usual Residence or Resort and thither they forthwith betake themselves to seek him out and if haply they do not find him where they Expected they go about calling and enquiring after him till at last they find him With such Care and Diligence must those seek who desire and hope to find God 2ly Speedily Men if they know that one whole help they greatly need cannot be found at all times let never so much Care and Diligence be used in seeking him will not dare to put oft one moment their seeking and calling upon him considering with themselves that for any thing they know that may be the only Moment wherein the Person needed may be found which Opportunity if they let slip they may be at abundance of Cost and Tâ—il in seeking him and all to no purpose Now these that would find God must set about this great work of seâ—kâ—ng him with as little Procrastination View the Words on the other side and they seem to set forth to us an Exhortation to this Duty with an 〈◊〉 Inducement and Encouragement faithfully to set about it Let a Business be of never so great Importance men will but slackly apply themselves to 〈…〉 they either doubt of the 〈…〉 tho' it should be effected or the Feasableness of it that it ever will be effected Therefore to excite men to do their utmost for finding of God he lets them know 1st The Advantage which will certainly accruâ— â—â— God bâ— but once Found he being THE LORD he having not only a Right of Dominion over all Persons and affairs but a Right of Propriety in them Now what may not men expect from this LORD who
hath all Ruleth all and doth all if by finding him they have attained to be in Favour with him and to have his Presence with them 2ly The Possibility nay Probability of finding god if he be but duly sought Were God not at all to be found or were he at such a vast Distance from us that he could not be found without a very Tedious Inquisition we might hereby somewhat excuse our sloth in neglecting to seek him But when he may be found and that without going very far he being so near us it is a Madness to lose him for want of a little seeking after him I shall comprehend the substance of the Text in this brief but full Proposition It is the Duty and Concern of all to seek the Lord while he may be found to call upon him while he is near I say all are obliged and concerned thus to do for the Precept and Exhortation is Generall extending to all Sexes Ages and Conditions of men that are without God unless we can imagine that there are some without God that need him not but can be well enough without him although the Apostle representeth this as the height of the Misery of an Unregenerate Person that he is without God in the World Ephes. 2. 12. The Foregoing Proposition implieth 1st That men in their Naturall Condition are so without God as not to find him without seeking They are at a Remote distance from God not as to Place that being utterly impossible for he who fills Heaven and Earth with his Immense Essence cannot but be intimately present with every Soul but as to State For the Bent of their Hearts being directly contrary to the Divine nature and Will they are no more capable of admitting the gracious Influences of God than a Lump of Clay can take in the Light of the Sun tho' it shine never so bright round about it But this is not all the Wretchedness of an Unregenerate Condition for men in that Estate are not only without God who is the only Originall of their Life and Comforts the only Foundation of their Hopes but are also Ignorant where to find him If they understood but how to go Directly to God they would not need long to seek him And this is one of the Bitterest Fruits of the Originall Apostacy of our first Parents which has been continued and increased by our Actuall Transgressions It is the Root of all those Extreme Mischiefs which follow Sin either as Naturall Consequences of it or Penall Chastisements for it Whatever we at any time complain of may be justly Imputed to this Isa 59. 2. Your Iniquities of have Separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear 2ly That men while without God and thus at a distance from him do greatly and Extremely stand in need of God and can in no wise be without him Were it not for this we should hear of no Commands issued out from God for the enjoyning men to seek him For the good and wise God although his Supremacy be unquestionable yet he Loves not to Act Arbitrarily merely for the Ostentation of his Power but he is induced to Act by the Consideration of some Holy Righteous and good End which he would Promote Now this End cannot refer to himself for the infinite ever Blessed all sufficient God the Lord of Heaven and Earth is utterly uncapable of any Addition to himself It must therefore be the Conveniences and Necessities of poor Sinfull man that God consults in the giving out of his Commands When God therefore sayes to man Seek me we may assure our selves that we have need so to do God knows we have need Possibly Foolish man may have other Conceits in his head while with Children he pleases himself in Toyes but when once with the Prodigal he comes to himself being awakened out of his pleasing Dream by a sight of Sin fear of Gods wrath and the Law 's curse by a sense of Judgements Especially such as Afflict the Body or affright with black Apprehensions of Death or deprive of those Lower Comforts which are most set by then he clearly descerns and sensibly Experiences the Vanity and Vexation of whatever is besides and below God and thereby Learns that the Satisfaction he so much needs is no where to be expected but in God only 3ly That men notwithstanding the need they stand in of God are very backward to seek him Men will not be induced to seek God by the fairest Invitations and the most earnest Entreaties they must be in a manner compelled to seek God by strict Commands and severe Threatnings God would spare those did he not see that there would be no seeking him without them nay Experience shews that all these will scarce do for men seldome seek God in good earnest till the Incessant Judgements of God do as it were drive them out of their Sins their Earthly Comforts and themselves unto God This is one great piece of the Misery of an Apostate State that men are senseless of it and so do not concern themselves to seek unto him who only can save from it like men in High Feavers who greatly need the Help of a Physician yet being in raging Phrensies they as much despise and reject it as being altogether unapprehensive of their own Danger Men are generally so averse from seeking God that the Apostle observes out of Scripture that there are none that seek after God and he imputes it to this that they understand not Rom. 3. 11. Alass they know not their Want of God they feel not their need of God they understand not the Worth of God they have severall things to make Gods of to themselves to please themselves in The God of this World blinds them that they see not their Godless Condition he hardens them that they feel it not and holds them that they stir not out of it The Lusts of the Flesh the World find them severall other things to seek besides God whom they most need 4ly That God may be Found if duly and Timely fought While one observes what Gross neglect there is of God in the World how few seek him and that men are for the most part wholly intent upon the Pursuit of other things he has Temptations to conceit that surely God is not at all to be found otherwise men would not be so desperately mad as never to concern themselves about seeking him seing without him they cannot but be Utterly and Everlastingly undone without Remedy But this strange Carelessness of God is rather the Result of their Senselessness of the need they stand in of God than of their Despair of finding him For the Gâ—d of Truth would never have commanded and Encouraged men to seek him if in seeking they were likely to lose their Labour No he Never said neither to the Seed of Jacob nor to the Seed of Adam seek ye me in Vain Isa 45. 19.
The Condition of lost man would be very deplorable if that God in whose Enjoyment his Happiness consists could in no wise be found The Undertaking of Christ also would be altogether in vain whatever he he has done or suffered even that Painfull shamefull Execrable Death upon the Câ—â—ss would be wholly to no Purpose if men could not be brought to God so as to find him for S. Peter tells us this was the great End of all That he might bring us unto God S. Pet 3. 18. Doubtless then God may be Found if he be but Sought 1. Duly If men seek him out of a feeling sense of their want need of him and out of a sincere desire to find him if they diligently enquire after him faithfully follow the guide which leads to him and carefully use the means whereby he is drawn nigh unto He hath promised Jer. 29. 13. Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your Heart Which is as true of Gods readiness to be found when rightly sought to deliver from the Bondage of Sin as from the Captivity of Babylon 2ly God must be sought timely while he may be found before the Proper season of finding him be over Prov. 8. 17. Those that seek me early shall find me For The fifth thing implied in the Proposition is that the Time of finding God by seeking him will not always last And 1st It will certainly be ended at Death Indeed there is a Presence of God according to which he will be found after Death unsought for and undesired A Terrible furious presence which fills the Conscience of the Impenitent Sinner with a sense of Guilt and wrath and his heart with anguish and Horror Perplexity and Despair It is this Presence which kindles That fire that shall never be Quenched and which so affrights the greatest and stoutest that they are not able to abide it but Call to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on them and hide them from it Rev. 6 16. When the Soul is once separated from this Lumpish Body which straitens its Capacities and dulls its senses and greatly unfits it for Converse with any thing but this Gross world then it comes immediately to have to do with God himself whom it has so much despised and hated and his presence they can in no wise possibly avoid although by reason of the Contrariety which is between Gods nature and theirs it be extremely Tormenting to them like a fire that doth continually scorch Isa 33. 14. Who among us shall dwell with Everlasting Burnings But as for the Amiable and Gracious Presence of God that Presence which the Soul needeth and desireth with which it is so refreshed and ravished this if it be not sought here can never be found hereafter After Death the state of the Soul is unalterable it is with men then as it was with the Devils immediately after their Fall their Wills are Immutably fixed to their former Choice so that those who will not seek God now cannot then There is no such Work as seeking in the Grave whither we go Besides if there could be any seeking God after death there could be no finding him then seing there is then a Vast Gulf fixt between God and Sinfull Souls S. Luke 16. 26. The Romanists who suppose a Purgatory after death and a seeking and finding God out of Purgatory only assign this Purgatory for those in the state of grace who have been sincerely seeking God during this Life but have not found him being not sufficiently purified and so not prepared for him 2ly It may possibly be ended during Life There are those who have outlived the day of Grace in which God offers himself to be found Thus it was with Pharoah whom God after the sixth Plague reserved alive till he should have a more seasonable opportunity for the Glorifying of himself in his destruction Thus it was also with Judas of whom Christ gave this Character some time before his death that he was a Devil S. Joh. 6. 70. A Devil not only for the Wickedness of his heart but also for the desperateness of his state Devils might as soon find God as he There are those who while alive sin the Sin unto Death S. John 5. 19. Opposing the Spirit of God so obstinately and contumaciously in its saving work that at last it fully and finally Resolves to leave them to themselves to go on to their own Destruction God can never be found but when he sets himself to be found saying Behold me Behold me Isa 65. 1. Nay while he himself Seeks his Servants Psal 119. 176. And this is only so long as there is any Hopes that a Sinner may be Reclaimed by any Methods of Grace which Gods Wisdome and Justice will allow to be used towards him But if after a Tryall of all these in spight of Instructions and Reproofs of mercy and Judgement of what God can do mediately by his Ministers and of what God thinks fit to do immediately by his Holy Spirit the Sinner persist obstinately and Incorrigibly in neglecting and rejecting of God God saith of him as he said of Ephraim Hos 4. 17. He is joyned to Idols let him alone I see he will have none of me and I am resolved he shall not And let me tell you this is one of the greatest Judgements a sinner is capable of on this side Hell to be herein by God Iudicially condemned to his own sinfull choice After this there can be no seeking God so as to find him let a man live never so long Having shewn you those things that were implied in the first Proposition I come now to the Proposition it self and shall shew you That it is the Duty and Concern of all to seek God so as to find him It is their Duty for 1st It is the Precept of God whom we ought to obey Psal 25. 4. Seek ye the Lord and his strength Seek his face evermore 2. It is the Practise of the Saints whom we ought to imitate This is the Generation of them that seek him Psal 24. 6. It need not be Explained whom God speaks to Isa 51. 1. Ye that seek the Lord for it is to them that follow after Righteousness 3. The Promises of God encourage to it and they ought not to be slighted The Promise assures of us that we Shall find God if we search for him with all our heart Jer. 26. 13. And together with him every good thing besides Psal 34. 10. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing 4. The Providences of God call to this and they ought to be complied with Mercies are therefore vouchsafed to men to this purpose God hath set men The bounds of their habitations that they should seek the Lord. Act. 17. 46. 27. Judgements are inflicted for this purpose upon this account God ill resents it that People turn not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of
Hosts Isa 9. 13. And so in a manner baffle him by their perverseness in a most gracious design 5. This is the design of Christs undertakings wherein he should not be Frustrated Christ became EMMANUEL God with us that God might be in us He assumed the Humane nature that we might be Partakers of the Divine which cannot be without our finding God He suffered for sins that he might bring us unto God 1. Pet 3. 18. The Bloud of Christ was for making those that were a far off nigh unto God Ephe. 2. 13. Which cannot be without seeking him It is their Concern also for 1st If men find God in him they will find two great Advantages which they will but in vain seek for any where else These are 1st Salvation from evil things as lust sin with all the Mischevous Consequences of it Gods wrath the Laws Curse the Miseries of this life the Terrours of Death and the Torments of Hell From evil Persons Enemies without as wicked men and cruel Devils the great enemy within our Carnall selves In all these cases it is palpably evident that Salvation belongeth unto the Lord Psal 3. 8. 2ly Satisfaction in God The Soul was made for God at the first and only God can fit it and fill it answering its vast Capacities and fulfilling its numerous desires Whatever is besides and below God all worldly Enjoyments are unsuitable to a Soul which is Spirituall unproportionable to a Soul which is immense Eternall Without God himself there cannot be that peace of God which passeth all understanding Phil. 4. 7. There will not be that Joy unspeakable and full of Glory that Fullness of Joy which only is in Gods presence Psal 16 11. 2ly If men finally miss of finding God 1st They sustain great loss their Souls will be lost the most noble and durable part of man the immediate workmanship of Gods hands the purchase of Christs Bloud which is of more value then many worlds will be utterly and Irrecoverably lost Not that it will cease to be but it will be so miserable that it had better never have been It will be an extream Burden to its self being without God for it can never possibly enjoy it self if it find not God 2ly Heaven will be lost and all the joyes and Glories of it There is no being in Heaven without God who makes the main of Heaven into which men enter not so much by changing their place as by changing their state 3ly Their Lives will be unprofitable they will live like Brutes or Devils and want the honour and pleasure of doing service to God and good to themselves and their brethren being Blessings to the places where they are cast Without finding God no good will be got or done for without him we can do nothing S John 15. 5. It is he who works all our good works in us and for us 4ly Their Death will be terrible When men are about breathing out their last their Friends weeping and mourning over them but not able to Comfort or help them unless they be stupid and senseless what horrour and anguish must they needs be in then if they have God to seek when they are quite leaving the world and all its delights wherein they have so much pleased themselves and when they are entring into an Eternity of Woes and Miseries Alass They cannot say with David Psal 23. 4. Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no Evill For thou art with me 5ly Hell will be altogether unavoidable the Horrours torments whereof are unspeakable unconceivable and unsupportable being to continue unto all Eternity without Remission or Intermission The Soul once out of the Body if without God needs no other Hell than what it Carries about with it For then it will be continually upbraiding it self with â—â—s sin and folly and its own desires will Torture it by their Eager and Impetuous Cravings which are never like to meet with the least satisfaction Vse 1. Expostulation 1st Why do we not what we may and ought yea and must do unless we resolve to be extremely endlessly miserable What! have we found God already It is well if we have But let me tell you there are not many that have found him neither is he soon and easily found and Men have no reason to presume that they have found God unless they have uncontroulable Evidences that they have found him Thou who sayest thou hast found God what Extraordinary Wisdome and Grace and Comfort hast thou to Demonstrate that God is in thee of a Truth 2ly Is he not worth seeking If he be not he invites us to our loss when he calls on us to seek him And good men have all along been very Fools who have imployed their time so unprofitably if men may do well enough when they come to die though their Souls have nothing to live on for they are like to Enjoy the world no longer If happiness everlasting happiness be worth seeking God is for only by finding God we are like to find that 3ly Do we expect to find him without seeking We may expect and see what will come of it But if we miss God it will be in vain to wish we had sought him when the time of seeking him is over And it will be little Comfort to us when we feel our selves miserable beyond all Expression for want of God to say we thought we might have found him without seeking And what grounds have we for such Expectations Did we ever know any that found God without seeking Or do the Scriptures mention any way of finding God without seeking Or have we heard from any that are come to God that they know any other way Vse 2. Exhortation Let us all set about this work which we are so much obliged to and concerned in which is the main 〈◊〉 business of our Lives and which 〈…〉 come to die we shall all wish we 〈…〉 applyed our selves unto all 〈…〉 set about it forthwith or 〈…〉 severall Hazards which few in their 〈◊〉 â—â—uld venture upon in matters of far less 〈◊〉 We say we will in good earnest set about seeking God after such a time when we have dispatched such a Business or Enjoyed such a pleasure But how if that time never come Thou in the mean time being snatched away by suddain Death as many are unexpectedly in the midst of their health and strength Suppose the time come and thou hast no leisure being pressed by the importunity of Friends to settle thy Worldly affaires and to make provision for thy Wife and Children How if though thou shouldest have never so much Leisure yet thou hast no such Composure as a 〈◊〉 of such weight which will take up a mans whole thoughts doth require Is a man in due Temper of mind for seeking God when he is fit for nothing else his mind being inwardly Distracted with câ—res about his Temporall concernes and feares of Death and outwardly disturbed with the Lamentations and discourses of these about him How if thou shouldest want neither leisure nor Bodily Health and strength and yet want 〈…〉 Are not many in their life 〈…〉 very Sâ—â—s Are not some Distressed with 〈◊〉 or Melancholy Some 〈…〉 with stupid lethargies 〈…〉 Now are such as 〈…〉 my Tolerable Capacity for seeking God What it thou shouldest wâ—nt a will to seek God at that time which thou proposest to thy self to do this in If nothing else be a wanting this will be enough to hinder thee from doing any thing to purpose herein Now when thy will is already so averse from this necessary work is it likely it should be more inclinable to seek God when longer Custome in sin has further perverted it worldly Affaires have more Entangled it fleshly pleasures have more inveagled it Satans Cunning and power has more inslaved it How if thou neither wantest will nor any of the forementioned Requisites for seeking God and yet want power to do it to purpose If God has given over seeking thee thou canst not seek him Once thou hadst Providences and Ordinances and mightest have had the Influences of Gods Spirit to excite thee to and to direct and assist thee in seeking God but thou wouldest not make use of them and now God is resolved thou shalt have no more offers of any such help You see then such a Resolution of putting off the seeking of God for a while is very unsafe It is also very unmeet and inconvenient If thou wert never so sure that thou couldest afterwards seek God so as to find him yet by delaying to do so now thou art like to be a loser for the longer thou puttest off seeking God the later thou wilt find him and so in the mean time thou wilt be deprived of all those gifts graces and Comforts wherewith God once found would have enriched adorned and refreshed thee Moreover it is to be feared that such a Resolution is unsound how plausible so ever it seems Men often pretend they will seek God when they intend nothing less but only use this pretence as a specious Excuse for their not seeking God for the present thereby to stop the Clamour of their own Conscience which so long as it is awake will be very frequently and sharply reproving them for their gross Negligence in a business of so great importance Thou who sayest thou wilt seek God hereafter if thou dost not say this meerly out of Form but hast a real design to perform it and dost verily believe that God is worth finding why dost thou not forthwith set about this Work of seeking him For thou hast now the same Motives and Inducements to excite thee to seek him and the same or rather greater Opportunities Helps and Assistances of Gods Spirit than thou canst ever expect to have at any Future Time which thou canst propose to thy self For the longer thou continuest in a Sinfull Course the more thou wilt grieve the Holy Spirit and the more thou wilt be hardened in Sin and so make thy Finding of God the more difficult FINIS