God saith to us ye are mine then we have great immunites 1. We are freed from the revenging wrath of God We are not free from Gods anger as a Father but as a Iudge God will not pour his vindictive Justice upon us Christ hath drunk the Red wine of Gods wrath upon the Cross that Believers may not tast a drop of it 2. We are freed from the Predominancy of sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion or as the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall not Lord it over you Though Believers are not freed from the In-being of sin nor from the Combate with it yet they are freed from its Imperious command As it is said of those beasts in Daniel they had their Dominion taken away yet their Lives were prolonged for a season Dan. 7.12 So sin Lives in the Regenerate but its Dominion is taken away And to be thus freed from the jurisdictive power and tyranny of sin is no small blessing A Wicked man is at the command of sin as the Asse is at the command of the driver the curse of Cham is upon him Gen. 9.25 A Servant of Servants shall he be He is a slave to his Lusts and a slave to Satan O what a priviledge is it to have ones neck out of the Devils Yoak 3. We are freed from the accusations of Conscience The worm of Conscience is part of the Torment of Hell But God being our God we are freed from the Clamors of this hellish Fury Conscience sprinkled with Christs blood speaks Peace a good Conscience like the Bee gives Hony it is like the Golden pot which had Manna in it 2 Cor. 1.12 6. If God saith to us ye are mine we shall be his for ever Psalm 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever You cannot say you have health and you shall have it for ever you have a Child and you shall have it for ever but if God be your God you shall have him for ever The Covenant of Grace is Sacrum diploma a Royal Charter and this is the Happiness of it it is eternized The interest between God and his people shall never be broken off How false therefore is the Opinion of falling from Grace Shall any that God makes his own by Federal union Fall finally Indeed if Salvation hath no better Pillar to rest upon than mans will as the Arminians hold no wonder if there be falling away but a Christians stability in Grace is built upon a surer basis namely Gods inviolable Covenant Isa. 55.3 Once in Christ and ever in Christ. A Star may sooner fall out of its orb than a true Believer be pluck'd away from God 7. If God saith to us ye are mine he will take us up to himself at death Death breaks the union between the Body and the Soul but perfects the union between God and the Soul This is the Emphasis of Heavens Glory to be with God What is the Joy of the blessed but to have a clear transparent sight of God and to be in the sweet and soft embraces of his love for ever This hath made the Saints desire death as the Bride the wedding day Phil. 1.23 Lead me Lord to that glory said an Holy man a glimpse whereof I have seen as in a glass darkly Let this be a Consolatory to the Saints there is a Covenant-union between God and them God is theirs and they are his they shall be mine saith the Lord. Here is a standing cordial for the Godly God looks upon them as having a propriety in them they shall be mine This is Comfort 1. In respect of Satans accusations he accuseth the Saints first to God then to themselves but if God saith ye are mine this answers all Satans Bills of Indictment Christ will shew the debt-book crossed in his blood It was a saying of Bucer I am Christs and the Devil hath nothing to do with me 2. It is Comfort in respect of Poverty Believers are match'd into the Crown of Heaven and all that is in God is theirs The Philosopher comforted himself with this that though he had no Musick or Vine-trees yet he had the houshold Gods with him So though we have not the Vine or Fig-tree yet if God be ours and we are his this Creates joy in the most indigent condition And that which may raise the comfort of the godly higher and cause a jubilation of Spirit is that shortly God will own his people before all the world and say these are mine At present the elect are not known 1 Iohn 3.2 It doth not yet appear what we shall be The Saints are like Kings in disguise but how will their hearts leap for joy when God shall pronounce that word these are mine These the lot of Free-grace is fallen upon these shall lye for ever in the Bosom of my love To all who are yet strangers to God Labour to get into Covenant with him that he may say ye are mine Why doth God woo and beseech you by his Ambassadours if he were not willing to be in Covenant What shall a poor forlorn Creature do to get into Covenant with God 1. If you would be in Covenant with God break off the Covenant with sin 1 Sam. 7.3 What King will be in league with him that holds correspondence with his Enemy 2. Labour for Faith 1. Faith in the Mercy of God Jer. 3.12 I am merciful saith the Lord and will not keep anger for ever As the Sea covers great Rocks as well as little Sands so Gods Mercy covers great sins Manasseh a bloody sinner was held forth as a pattern of Mercy Some of the Jews who had an hand in Crucifying of Christ yet their sins were forgiven 2. Faith in the merit of Christ. Christs blood is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only a Sacrifice to appease God but a Propitiation to ingratiate us into Gods favour and make him look upon us with a smiling aspect CHAP. XVIII The Second part of the Saints Reward Gods Honouring them 2. THE Second part of the Saints reward is Gods Honouring them in that day when I make up my Iewels Here are three Propositions 1. That God hath a great honour for his People 2. That Gods People are his Jewels 3. That there is a day when God will make up his Jewels 1 st That God hath a great honour for his People He speaks of them here with Honour in that day when I make up my Jewels Isai. 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable Honour attends Holiness That the Lord doth highly honour the fearers of him is evident by four demonstrations 1. In that he prefers them before others He chooseth them and passeth by the rest Mal. 1.2 Was not Jacob Esaus brother saith the Lord yet I hated Esau and loved Jacob. 2. In that God gives them frequent Visits 'T is counted an
and down in the World and which is worst these Jewels lye among rubbish they dwell among the Wicked Psalm 120.5 Wo is me that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Kedar was Ishmaels Son Woe is me saith David that I live with an Ishmael-brood The Wicked are still molesting the Righteous Gods Jewels lye scattered among the unclean but here is the Comfort that shortly God will gather his People from among the Wicked he will make up his Jewels and all the Pearls and precious stones shall be by themselves in Bliss 2. It is Comfort in case of Dividing Gods People here are divided their love is so little it may almost lye upon a knives point they oft look strange one upon another these divisions are unseemly and are flaws in Gods Diamonds Discords among Christians brings a reproach upon Religion advanceth Satans Kingdom hinders the growth of Grace Divisions are fatal and do presage Gods Judgments coming upon us Impius haec tam cult a novalia miles habebit Barbarus has segetes Enquò discordiacives Perduxit miseros But this is Comfort God will shortly make up his Jewels he will so gather his Saints together that he will unite them together they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all of one Heart Act 2.46 What an happy time will it be when the Saints shall be as so many Pearls upon one string and shall accord together in a blessed Unity 2. Gods making up his Jewels implies his perfecting his Saints Then a thing is said to be made up when it is perfected you make up a Garment when you perfect it you make up a Watch when you put all the Wheels and Pins in perfect order so Gods making up his Jewels signifies his perfecting them The Godly in this Life are imperfect they cast but a faint lustre of Holiness they receive but the first-fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 that is a small measure of Grace the first-fruits under the Law were but an handful to the whole Vintage This may humble us to consider if we are Jewels yet imperfect our knowledge is checker'd with Ignorance 1 Cor. 13.5 Our love to God is feeble Behold here Clouds in the Diamond This may take down our Top-sail of Pride to consider how incompleat we are but when God shall make up his Jewels and perfect his Saints it will be a glorious time and this brings me to the second Question What is that day when God will make up his Jewels 1. God makes up his Jewels at the day of Death then he makes the Saints Graces perfect 2. He makes up His Jewels at the day of the Resurrection then he makes the Saints Bodyes perfect 1. God makes up His Jewels at the day of death then he makes the Saints Graces perfect Hence it is the Saints departed are called the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Sin doth mix and incorporate with a Christian he cannot write a Copy of Holiness without blotting Grace though it doth abate yet not abolish Corruption but at Death God makes up His Jewels he perfects the Graces of his People Will not that be a blessed Time never to have a Vain thought more never to be within the sight of a temptation or the fear of a Relapse This me thinks may make death desirable to the Godly then the Lord will make up his Jewels he will compleat the Graces of his Children they shall be as holy as they desire to be and as God would have them to be How will Gods Diamonds sparkle when they shall be without flawes In that day of death when God makes up His Jewels the Saints 1. Light will be clear 2. Love will be perfect 1. Their Light will be clear They shall be so divinely irradiated that they shall know the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deep things of God They shall in this sence be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Angels Mat. 22.30 Their Intellectuals shall be raised higher and made more capacious than in Innocency Through the Chrystal Glass of Christs Humane Nature the Saints shall have Glorious transparent sights of God they shall know as they are known 1 Cor. 13.12 A riddle too mysterious for us Mortals if not for Angels to expound 2. In that day the Saints Love will be perfect Love is the Queen of the Graces it out-lives all the other Graces In this life our love to God is luke-warm and sometimes Frozen a Believer weeps that he can love God no more but at the day of death when God makes up his Jewels then the Saints love shall be Seraphical the spark of Love shall be blown up into into a pure flame the Saints shall love God secundum actum as the Schoolmen speak as much as they are able they shall love him superlatively and indeficiently they shall be made up of love O blessed day of death when God shall make up his Jewels the Saints Graces shall shine forth in their Meridian Splendour 2. God makes up his Jewels at the day of the Resurrection then he makes the Saints bodyes perfect these like sparkling Diamonds shall shine in Glory At the Resurrection God is said to change the bodies of the Saints Phil. 3.21 How will he change them not that they shall be other bodies than they were before the substance of their bodies shall not be changed but the qualities as wooll when it is died into a Purple colour is not altered in the substance but quality and is made more illustrious so God in making up his Jewels will cause a greater resplendency in the Saints bodies than before When God makes up the Jewels of the Saints Bodies at the Resurrection they shall be perfect four wayes 1. In Amability or sweetness of Beauty Here the Bodies of the Righteous are oft deformed Leah hath her blear Eyes and Barzillai his lameness but at the Resurrection the bodies of the Saints shall be of unspotted fairness and no wonder for they shall be made like Christs Glorious body Phil. 3.21 2. When God at the Resurrection makes up the Jewels of the Saints bodies they shall have Perfection of parts Their bodies in this World may be maimed and dismembred but in the day of the Resurrection they shall have all the parts of their bodies restored Acts 3.21 Such as have lost an Eye shall have their Eye again such as want a Leg or an Arm shall have their Arm again 3. When God makes up the Jewels of the Saints bodies at the Resurrection they shall be Velocious and quick in their Motion Here the Bodies of the Saints move heavily but then they shall be sprightly and move swiftly from one place to another Here the body is a Weight in Heaven it shall be a Wing 4. When God makes up the Jewels of the Saints bodies they shall be Immortal the Body once Glorified shall never be Subject to death 1 Cor. 15.53 This corruptible shall put on Incorruption Heaven is an healthful Climate no Passing-Bell
is full of fallacies he who Fears God fears his Heart lest it should rob him of the blessing That saying of Epicharmus is Good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember not to trust 3. The Fear of God will make a man Fear death Death may challenge a part in our Fear 1. Because it is such a serious thing it is the in-let to eternity and puts us into an unalterable estate 2. Because of it's Proximity it is nearer to us than we are aware it may be within a few hours march of us God may this night seal a Lease of Ejectment and say Give an account of your stewardship and what if death should come before we are ready 3. Because after death there is nothing to be done for our Souls there is no repenting in the Grave Eccles. 9.10 There is no work nor device in the Grave whither thou goest So that death is to be feared with an holy and Religious Fear How far may a child of God Fear death 1. So far as the Fear of Death is a Curben-bit to keep him from Sin A believer may lawfully make use of all means to deter him from sin No stronger antidote against sin saith Austin than the Fear of Death Am I sinning and to morrow may be dying 2. A Child of God may so far Fear death as it makes him dye to the World The Fear of death would sound a retreat and call us off from Vanity What is the world we must leave it shortly and all we can purchase is a burying-place 3. A Child of God may so far Fear death as this Fear fits him more for death Jacob feared his brother Esau's coming against him and he prepared to meet him he addressed himself to Prayer Gen. 32.7 24. So when we Fear deaths coming and we prepare to meet it we set our Soul in order This is a Good Fear of death But this Fear of death in the Godly must be mixed with hope The nature of death to a Believer is quite changed death is in it self a curse but God hath turned this Curse into a Blessing To a Child of God death is not a destruction but a deliverance When the Mantle of his flesh drops off he ascends in a fiery chariot to Heaven 4. The Fear of God will make a man fear Iudgment Anselm spent most of his thoughts upon the day of Judgement and Hierom thought he alwaies heard that Voice sounding in his ears Surgite mortui Arise ye dead and come to Judgment That there shall be such a day is evident 1. From Gods Veracity He who is the Oracle of truth hath asserted it Psalm 96.13 For he cometh for he cometh to Judge the earth There is a duplication 1. To shew the Certainty he cometh he cometh it is an indubitable Maxim 2. To shew the Celerity he cometh he cometh the time draws near it is almost day-break and the Judge is ready to take the bench Jam. 5.9 Gods decree cannot be reversed 2. There shall be such a day for the Vindication of Gods Justice Things seem to be carried in the World Partially the Godly suffer the Wicked Prosper Atheists are ready to think God hath cast off the Government of the World and minds not how things are transacted here below therefore there must be a judicial Process that God may undeceive the World and set things right 3. That there shall be such a day is evident by the Principles ingrafted in a natural conscience When Paul reasoned of Judgment to come Felix trembled Acts 24.25 The Prisoner at bar made the Judge tremble That a Wicked man dying is so surprized with terrors whence is this but from a secret apprehension of Judgment ensuing It will be a great Assizes never was the like seen 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Iudgment Seat There is no flying no absconding no bribing no appearing by a Proxy but all must make their Personal appearance They who were above Trial here and the Law could not reach them must appear before the Tribunal of Heaven Who shall be Judge Jesus Christ Iohn 5.22 Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained In that Christ is called a Man hence the Socinians blasphemously deny the essential Deity of Christ. That he is God is most clearly evinced from Isaiah 9.6 Ioh. 1.1 1 Cor. 8.6 1 Ioh. 5.20 We are in him that is True even in his Son Iesus Christ this is the true God Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantiate with God the Father Heb. 1.3 But Christ the Judge is called Man because he shall Judge the world in a Visible Shape He must be both God and Man he must be God that he may see mens Hearts and he must be man that he himself may be seen What a solemn day will this be when Christ shall sit upon the Bench of Judicature he will judge righteously Psalm 9.8 Though he himself was wronged he will do no wrong And he will judge Critically Mat. 3.12 Whose fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor He will see what is Wheat what is Chaff who have his Image upon him and who the mark of the beast Sure the Fear of God will cause an holy trembling at the thoughts of this day In what sence should those that Fear God Fear the day of Judgment Not with a Fear of amazement or despondency for the day of Judgment will be a Iubile a blessed comfortable day to them The Thrush sings at the approach of Rain so may Believers at the approach of Judgment Christ who is their Iudge is their Advocate But 1. The Godly should so fear Judgement as every day to renew their Sorrow for Sin They have sins quotidiani incursus that creep upon them daily and they must with Peter weep bitterly they must steep their Souls in the brinish Tears of Repentance It would be sad to be found at the last day in any sin unrepented of 2. The Godly should so Fear the day of Judgment as it makes them afraid of Sins of Omission The not dressing a wound brings death the not discharging duty may bring dâ—mnation You may read the solemn Process at the last day Mat. 25.42 I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat naked and ye cloathed me not sick and in Prison and ye Visited me not The charge here brought in is for sins of Omission Christ doth not say Ye took away my meat from me but Ye gave me no meat He saith not Ye put me in prison but Ye visited me not The sins of Omission condemned them Not praying in the family not sanctfying the Sabbath not giving Almes will be the fatal Inditement 3. The Godly should so far Fear the day of Judgment as it makes them afraid of dissembling in Religion For at that day false hearts will be unmasked Why did Paul walk
goes there this mortal shall put on Immortality Let us labour to be in the number of Gods Jewels that when the Lord shall make up his Jewels he may perfect our Souls and Bodies in Glory How shall we know that we are in the number of Gods Jewels Have we inherent Holiness 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are Sanctified We are not Jewels by Creation but Regeneration If Holiness sparkle in us it 's a sign we are Jewels and then when God comes to make up his Jewels he will put Glory upon our Souls and Bodies for ever CHAP. XIX The Third part of the Saints Reward Gods sparing them 3. THE Third part of the Saints reward is Gods Sparing them I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him The Hebrew word to spare signifies to use Clemency In this Phrase is a Meiosis there is less said and more intended I will spare them that is I will deal with them as a Father doth with his Son the same tenderness that a Father shews to his Child the same will I shew to them that Fear me God will deal with them that Fear him as a Father doth with his Son Two things are in this Proposition 1. That God is a Father He is a Father 1. By Creation he hath given us our Being Mal. 2.10 Have not we all one Father hath not one God created us 2. God is a Father by Election he hath culled out a certain number to be his Children Eph. 1.4 3. God is a Father by special Grace he stamps his impress of Holiness upon men Col. 3.10 All Gods Children resemble him though some are more like him than others 2. That God will deal with them that Fear him as a Father doth with his Son 1. God will accept them as a Father doth his Son If the Child doth but lisp and can hardly speak plain the Father takes all well so God as a Father will accept of what his Children do in sincerity Ezek. 20.40 There will I require your Offerings I will accept you with your sweet Savour 2. Such as Fear God he will be full of Bowels to them as a Father is to his Son There are in God 1. Bowels of Compassion 2. Bowels of Complacency 1. Bowels of Compassion A Father Compassionates his Child Sozomen makes mention of a Father who offered to be put to death for his two Sons who were sentenced to dye God hath soundings of Bowels Isa. 63.15 The Compassions of Parents are Steel and Marble compared with Gods Luke 1.78 Through the tender Mercy of our God in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bowels of Mercy these Bowels make God sympathize with his Children in Misery he is touched in their wounds Psal. 103.13 As a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him 2. In God are Bowels of Complacency How dearly did Iacob love Benjamin his life was bound up in him Gen. 44.30 All the Affections of Parents come from God they are but a drop of his Ocean a spark of his flame Gods love is a love that passeth Knowledge Ephes. 3.19 The Saints cannot Love their own Souls so intirely as God loves them In particular 1. God loves the persons of his Children they are the Apple of his Eye Zach. 2.8 He engraves them upon the Palms of his hands Isa. 49.16 It alludes to them who carry about them graven on the Stone of their Ring the Picture of some dear Friend whom they intirely affect 2. God loves the places his Children were born in the better for their sakes Psal. 87.2 God loves the Gates of Sion ver 5. This and that man was born in her i. e. This and that Believer God loves the very ground his Children go upon Why was Iudaea the Ancient seat of Israel called a delightsome Land Mal. 5.12 Not so much delightful for the fruit growing in it as for the Saints living in it 3. God so loves his Children that he chargeth the great ones of the World upon pain of death not to hurt them their persons are sacred Psalm 105.14 He reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed By anointed are meant such as have the anointing of the Spirit 1 John 2.20 4. God delights in his Childrens company he loves to see their faces Cant. 2.24 Let me see thy Countenance If but two or three of Gods Children meet and pray together God will be sure to make one of the company Mat. 18.20 There am I in the midst of them 5. God so loves his Children that his Eye is never off them Psalm 33.18 The Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him But is this such a priviledge to have Gods Eye upon his Children Gods Eye is upon the Wicked too Answ. It is one kind of Eye that the Judge casts upon the Malefactor and another that the Prince casts upon his Favourite Gods Eye upon the Wicked is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eye of Revenge but his Eye upon his Children is an Eye of Benediction 6. God sets a continual guard about his Children to preserve them from danger He hides them in his Pavilion Psalm 27.5 He covers them with the Golden Feathers of his Protection Psalm 91.4 God preserved Athanasius strangely he put it into his Mind to depart out of the House he was in the night before the Enemies came to search for him No Prince goes so well guarded as Gods Child for he hath a guard of Angels about him The Angels are a numerous guard 2 Kin. 6.17 The Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of fire those Horses and Chariots of fire were the Angels of God gathered together in the manner of an huge host to defend the Prophet Elisha 7. God puts his Children in rich apparel Psalm 45.13 Her cloathing is of wrought Gold Jacob loved his Son Joseph and gave him a finer Coat to wear than the rest of his brethren Gen. 37.3 He made him a Coat of divers Colours God loves his Children and gives them a finer Coat more curiously Woven a Coat of divers Colours it is partly made of Christs Righteousness and partly made of inherent Holiness 8. Such is Gods love that he thinks nothing too Good for his Children he enricheth them with the upper and nether Springs he gives them the Kidneys of the Wheat and Hony out of the Rock he makes them a feast of fat things Isa. 25.6 He gives them the body and blood of his Son and delights to see his Children spreading themselves as Olive plants round about his Table 3. Such as are Fearers of God he will receive their Petitions from them as a Father doth from his Son they may come boldly to the throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 If they come for pardon of sin strength against Temptation God will not deny them Three things may cause boldness in prayer the Saints have a Father to pray to