and should not God keep it in it would be every moment going out and therefore God is not only stiled the Fountain of life in that Psalm quoted before but he is also stiled the Lord of life i. e. he prolongs and shortens the lives of his Creatures as himself pleascth Deut. 32.39 See now that I even I am he and there is no God with me I kill and make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hands and so you read that God hath set to every man his bounds beyond which he cannot pass Num. 14.5 The Number it is not said of our years but even the Number of our very months it is with God seeing his days are determined the Number of his months is with thee Thou hast appointed bounds that he cannot pass But now God lives of himself we live altogether in dependance upon him It is true there are many Creatures we depend upon in the ordinary course of God's Providence how many Creatures lose their lives to support and preserve ours but God hath no dependances upon any other but he lives of himself 3. He lives most perfectly not only origial from himself and intirely in himself without dependance upon others but he lives most perfectly in the enjoyment of himself how many things concur together to piece out our lives to us Look upon man in his natural condition and he is the most necessitous indigent Creature in the whole world made up of nothing but wants and weaknesses we are flesh and blood we stand in need of food and rayment and 20 such things and when God hath translated us into a stare of Grace though we have rcceived never so much yet still we want more 'T is no life of perfection whilst we are here on earth there may be a perfection of parts but not of Degrees and indeed observe it absolute perfection is to be found no where but in God alone he lives perfectly we read of Angels and of the spirits of just men made perfect but how it is not spoken nor to be understod of absolute perfection but that may be said to be perfect in which nothing is defective that is necessary to its being thus Angles are perfect in their kind i. e. they have their compleat nature which becomes their Rank and so the spirits of just men are made perfect because they are restored to that perfection by Grace which they had lost by sin But absolute perfection is no where to be found but in God alone in him is that infinite fulness and therefore it is that his happiness is infinitely perfect and such happiness that no Creature is capable of For though the happiness of all Creatures consists in the enjoyment of God yet these enjoyments are onely according to the capacities of Crcatures And therefore a Learned Writer compares several Believers to several vessels thrown into the Sea here is a vessel of a lesser size and there is a vessel of a larger size but every vessel being thrown into the Sea is full and hath as much as it can contain And this is the happiness of Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect But the happiness of God is unspeak because of his infinite fulness in himself 4. God lives immutably Our life is full of changes every moment as one speaks there is no person that is two moments the same he hath one moment past over him more than he had before when the second comes When we come into the world we pass from Childhood to Youth from Youth to riper Years but when we are come to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and heighth of our strength then we decline and pass to old age again As the Sun is always in Motion and never stands still but is either rising higher and higher until it come to the Meridian and when once it is there then it declines lower and lower again thus it is with man he is never at a stop But it is not so with God there is no variableness or shadow of turning in him Take the most immutable things in nature and they are changeable even the Heavens themselves Psal 102.25 26 27. Of old thou hast laid the foundations of the earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands they shall perish hut thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end God therefore lives immutably he is said to be the same yesterday to day and for ever He is the same in himself in all his excellencies and perfections and he is the same to his people 5. God doth not only live immutably for a Time but Aeternally for ever 1 Tim. 6.16 Who only hath immortality dwelling in that light which no man can approach unto who only bath Immortality Why are not Angels immortal and are not the Souls of men immortal it would be good news to wicked men if their Souls could die with their Bodies and if death were no more to them than to other ereatures that when they die there were an end of them that they were not subject to an after-account in another world That is not the meaning of it but he only hath Immortality in himself For though Angels be Immortal yet this Immortality is not per naturam but per Gratiam it is not so much from their nature as the support of God for God supports all things in their Beings and the infinite power of God doth as much appear in his works of supportation and preservation as in his works of Creation at the first And so for the Soul of man it is immortal but still all this is because God upholds it to all Eternity But God hath Immortality Psalm 90 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst framed the earth or the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God From everlasting yes and to everlasting and so Psalm 92.8 9. you have the like expression But thou Lord art most high for evermore for loe thine enemies O Lord loe thine enemies shall perish but thou shalt abide for ever and so Psalm 102.12 But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance to all Generations I might multiply places for this is so often mentioned in Scripture that I must needs forbear farther Quotations A thousand years with the Lord are but as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 He is the Alpha and Omega the first and the last without beginning or and of days that is spoken of Christ This is the first thing propounded to be spoken to That the God whom we own and whom we serve is the living God in opposition to dead Idols and all dying Creatures He lives originally from himself Intirely of himself Perfectly in the enjoyment of himself He lives immntably and he lives eternally 2. The
less than all those that might either endanger the welfare or disturb the peace and quiet of the people of God In the Chapter before you find him in his conflict striving with many doubts and Objections In this Chapter you find his Faith in its elevation as you may find in the 35 verse Who shall separate us from the love of God Shall tribulation or distress persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nay says he in verse 37. In all these things we are more than Conquerors And in this verse St. Paul seems to make a kind of Challenge to all kind of evils to do their worst and utmost he bids defiance to them but it is very observable that all this confidence which appeared in this great Apostle was not upon the account of any thing in himself but only upon the account of the love of God and the assurance he had of his interest therein as David when he went with somuch confidence against Goliah it was not in any strength of his own but because he went in the Name of the Lord of Hosts whose Army that proud person had defied Thus it was with the Apostle Paul here And though in every Epistle written by this great Apostle we find him speaking as becomes an Apostle a person so extraordinarity gifted and called yet in this Chapter as a Writer observes St. Paul speaks as if he was now raised up to the third Heavens he spake such great and mighty things as were enough to pose a weak and ordinary faith as in his other writings he seems to be above others so here he seems to be above himself in respect of what he was at other times he now soars aloft now answers all his Objections In this Triumph here are these four things remarkable 1. A large Catalogue or enumeration of the several troubles that may endanger the safety of the people of God and a separation from the love of God and these he lays down chiefly in the verse before the Text Neither death nor yet life c. The first is death death seems to be a thing of all things the most formidable it s called the King of Terrors it s the most dreadful thing to nature but because after the Apostle had mentioned several particulars in the verse before and in this lest he should leave room for any Objection that might gravel any poor doubting soul he puts in Any other Creature nor this nor that nor any thing St. Paul does here like the wise King spoken of in Luke 14.31 in the Parable Or what King among you that goeth about to wage war against another King sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand St. Paul here computes all the troubles he reckons the summ total of all the oppositions that Christians can meet with in this world and yet he sees nothing discouraging in all these that 's the first particular a large Catalogue c. For while he says these things cannot separate from the love of God he strongly implies thus much that those that are the objects of the love of God are yet liable unto these things 2. Here is the utter inablility of all these things to cause any distance between God and any truly gratious Soul These things may separate us from Friends from Relations from what is dear to us in this world but not from the love of God Alas what breaches is God continually making upon every one of us in every part of our lives but such is the union between God and every sincere believer that nothing can make a separation here God may be offended with his people but nothing can separate between God and his people death cannot do it yet death can separate us from all our Creature-comforts from all our dearest friends yea it may separate the very Soul and body and yet it cannot separate from the love of God God hath such respect to the Souls of his people that pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Yea and their scattered dust God will take care of that and will cause it to meet together again and be made partaker with the Soul of that Glory that is reserved in Heaven But then besides the terrors of death here are the temptations of life the pleasures of this life these Temptations may do that upon some that the terrors of death cannot do upon them Neither death no nor life neither this cannot separate but these cannot yet other things without us are of great influence Angels cannot do it they are Creatures that excel in strength some expound it so good Angels that it is spoken of them by way of supposition Gal. 1.8 If we or an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed not that any good Angel can be so bad a Messenger as to set up a new Gospel in opposition to the everlasting Gospel of Christ it is spoken by way of supposition so I find Learned Writers interpret it thus No good Angels cannot it s contrary to their charge and trust the Angels are Ministring Spirits sent c. Heb. 1. last therefore they cannot so much forget their trust nor be unfaithful to their charge to attempt such a thing especially being now confirmed in a state of Grace Others interpret it of bad Angels now whatever attempts these do make though they are compared to a roaring Lyon going about seeking whom they may devour though they never so much desire it yet they are in Gods Chain Epist Jude 6. Those Angels are in Chains not only as guilty Malefactors to be punished but as Mischievous persons to be restrained who if they were at liberty would do more mischief than now they can You may take it in this latter sense which seems to be most proper so Angels cannot do it but there are several Ranks and Degrees among the Angels therefore we read in Ephes 6.12 We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world c. So here in the Text we read of Principallities and Powers As they said of our Saviour he through Beelzebub the Chief or Prince of Devils did cast out Devils in these Principalities then is the danger But it it is not in them neither I find many Interpreters carrying the sense to earthly Potentates the Rulers of his world that they by all their Tyranny and persecutions for they joyn the word Principalities to Powers they can never be able to separate c. But notwithstanding all we undergo for the present who knows what may follow for the future who knows what a day may bring forth What is in the Womb of the next moment the Apostle answers this here not things present no nor things to come though you know
there are these three several ways by which we are lyable to injure others In their Names by Defamation In their Estates by Fraude In their Persons by acts of Violence All these the Doctrine of the Gospel forbith under the highest Penalties imaginable In their Names And that we are subject to either by spreading of evil reports or entertaining evil reports slightly This we should be careful of to be tender of the good names of others the great Rule the light of Nature teacheth To do to others as we would be willing they should do to us You would not be willing to have your Names blasted your Reputation defamed by others then have the same care of them but the Gospel advanceth its principles much higher Again We may not injure others in their Estates by defrauding them Let no man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter for the Lord is the avenger of such In our worldly commerce and earthly dealings with men this is a frequent Corruption and it is to be wished that men would more diligently hearken to those Rules that this Doctrine prescribes And for the Persons of men this Doctrine iâ— a strong check and restraint to all Enormities of that kind yea it reacheth so far as our very thoughts as our Saviour explains it Matth. 5.22 That Law that forbids murder forbids malice and we are guilty of murder in a malitious thought and how many sad denunciations of wrath are there against the person of him that is angry with his brother without a cause and so for uncleanness in ver 27. it forbids not only the outward act but the inward thought in all those respects this Doctrine is a bar to injuries we must neither wrong others in their names in their estates in their person nor in their Souls 2. This Doctrine doth not only restrain us from doing wrong to others but it injoyns us to do all the good we are capable of doing to others and that in these two respects 1. In all expressions of kindness to their outward man 2. In all expressions of kindness to their inward man 1. In all expressions of kindness to their outward man there is something due of mercy to bruit beasts If thy enemies Oxe or Ass go astray thou shalt surely bring it him back again Exod. 23.4 much more to the person of thy Neighbour This Doctrine doth teach us to be the best natured persons in all the world not only not to dare to injure any in any of their concerns but to do all the good we can for and to them and it is a reproach to this Doctrine when those that profess it do walk so unsutably to it Again it teacheth us to keâ—â— off all wrongs from others Luke 16.37 Jesus answered and said Go and do thou likewise This is the common nature to minister to the necessities of all that are reduced to extremities 2. As in respect of the outward man so especially in respect of the inward man this Doctrine teacheth us to be kind to Souls it was a high price that Christ set upon Souls for for their sakes he left Heaven and died upon the Cross he did not come upon the earth to make his people rich or great to give them abundance of wordly comforts it was not bodily but Soul mercies he came to bestow upon them this is a common debt that we owe to all men as men Rom. 1.14 I am a debtor both to the Jeâ—â— and to the Gentile to both to do them all the good I can but what good was this not to teach them how to thrive in the world to get estates but how to be happy for ever There are these two debts upon all Professors of Christianity to the Souls of others 1. There is a debt of instruction of such as are ignorant Certainly if God takes so much care as to require us to shew mercy to the wandring Oxe or Ass of our Neighbour much more to the wandring soul of our neighbor doth God take care of Oxen we may apply it to this case no it is written for man it is spoken for man 1 Cor. 9. When St. Peter was so much shaken by the prevalencie of his temptation that he had lost all the sense of the truth of Grace in his heart saith our Saviour to him when then art converted strengthen thy Brethren It seemed to be a new conversion of him he had lost so much the sense of his first Conversion shew thy thankfulness to God as if he had said by shewing mercy to others Souls because God hath shewed mercy to thy Soul 2. A debt of reproof of those that are extravagant Thou shalt not suffer sin to rest on thy Brother but thou shalt in any wise reprove him it is spoken of those that partake of the same nature with our selves Thou shalt not hate thy Brother mercy in this kind to him is cruelty and flattery is the most remote from love James 5.20 Let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the evil of his ways shall save a Soul from death O do but think what blessings you might be if you would but conform to this Rule you may save many a Soul from death by seasonable and wise reproof the meanest and most private Christian owes this duty to all the world That is the second this Doctrine teacheth us to bear wrongs but to do none and to do all the good we can both to the Souls and Bodies of others 3. If through weakness or wickedness we have done wrong to others this Doctrine enjoyns us to make full reparation with an overplus for what wrong we have done In the Levitical Law provision was made against doing wrong to others by restitution which we find repeated at large Exod. 22. and Levit. 6. nor was this only a Levitical Doctrine but Evangelical Zacheus crying out Lord if I have wronged any man I will restore four-fold there is this difference between the breach of the Commands of the first Taâ—e and of the Second Table The breach of the Commands of the first Table admits of no restitution but what hath been made by Christ it is impossible that we should compensate for those wrongs that we have done to Divine Justice But for the breach of the commands of the Second Table besides Repentance there must be restitution because then is a double wrong done a wrong against God in transgressing his Commands who commands us to carry it righteously and with all integrity with those with whom we have to do now as his Commands are transgressed so our Neighbours are injured here is a double wrong not but that the Commands of the first Table should have a precedencie and though Repentance may prevail for a pardon so far as the sin concerns God and is a transgression of his Laws yet there must be restitution also to testifie the reality of our Repentance 4. To rejoyce in the good of others and that upon
from strength to strenth that is the same which in other places is called from graceto grace and from faith to faith that is from a less degree to a higher I might instance in the Church of Philadelphia Thou hast a little strength Rev. 3.8 that is there is the reality of Grace but it is Grace as it was in its infancie thou hast but a little strength Indeed where ever there is Grace there is a proportionableness of strength Inlightening Graces are the strength of the understanding a Soul that is spiritually anointed acts strongly in its apprehensive faculty self-denying Graces are the strength of the affections and sanctifying Graces are the strength of the whole inward man But more particularly there is a three fold strength in Grace First a strength of interest as it intitles us to Christ 2. Strength of improvement as Grace grows up to a higher stature 3. A strength of evidence 1 There is a strength of interest by Grace by which we can claim an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ and that is great strength to our Souls when we are going hence and shall be no more If you can say Christ is yours then all is yours life is yours and death is yours 1 Cor. 3. last All things are yours If once God hath given us his Son he will with him give us all things and he that hath given us this Grace will with hold no good thing from us God will think nothing too much for them upon whom he hath bestowed his Son and who are the persons that have an interest in Christ John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life that believeth on him there is the Grace of faith There is a time coming when we shall say to riches and to relations and all Creature-enjoyments there was a time when you were useful refreshing and comfortable but your time is now past it is not in you to comfort us to set open the door of Heaven for us it is not for you to appear before God on our behalves it is not in you to deliver us from the evils we now fear nor to confer upon us the good things which are to be desired Nothing can hide the Soul from the displeasure of God nothing can procure it those undeserved favours and make it compleatly happy but only Christ but if we have Christ we have all with him here is the strength of interest when the Soul is in want and to leave all its enjoyments in the world at once as friends estate relations yet if the Soul hath an interest in Christ death doth not separate it from Christ that you have Rom 8. last Nor heighth nor depth nor life nor death 2. These is the strength of improvement for though weak faith and weak Grace may hold its own in God and Christ yet this hold is not so firm and fast as when Grace is grown up to some stature and hath attained some degree of strength It is a notable passage of a Learned Writer They do but make a great noise in the world about Grace and Christ that make no improvement in Grace and are not every day making some farther prgress in their spiritual interest 'T is true where-ever there is the least degree of grace there is the mystical union to Jesus Christ and a communion with Christ in his Graces for light and heat always come and go together for when Christ comes into the Soul he brings along with him these blessings But yet though no Christian can be any farther in possession of Christ than he doth make use of him yet there are several degrees of strength which by out making use of Christ we may attain unto To instance in mortification of sins and the subduing of our corruptions A Soul that can appropriate Christ will be deriving Conquest from Christ over its inbred corruptions and power to get Authority over its continued temptations such a Soul will be crucified to the world and all the lusts of the flesh and so as to vivification and newness of life a Soul that can challenge a propriety in Christ will fetch dower not only from his death for the mortification of sin but also from his Resurrection for holiness and newness of life and conversation it will finde living desires and longings and lively stirrings of heart after God continually 3. There is the strength of evidence or assurance which results from Grace That I may recover may strength When the Soul by reflecting upon it self nnds that it hath made such improvement by the means of Grace and opportunities it doth enjoy and that really it hath got an interest in Christ and sees some Scripture-grounds to reckon it self among those beloved ones whose names are written in the Book of life this will fill the Soul with joy here and bear it up under all pressures and difficulties it may meet with in its passage this will animate it to look death in the face and that with comfort Now these three sorts of strength are so admirably advantageous will appear from the language of departing Souls when they come to lie upon their death-beds what is it that makes the poor Soul that is ready to take its flight into another world when it is just going hence and shall be no more to quake and tremble but the want of some of these strengths O says one If I had but an interest in Jesus Christ I could say with Simeon Luke 2.20 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart Death should not then storm me no I would then make a quick and speedy surrender of my self to it then it should not lay siege to me Says a second had I more strength of improvement had I walked more circumspectly lived more self-denyingly had I approved my self more faithful in all my Relations I should then have been more able with the dying Swan to have sung my self asleep in my last bed as the Naturallist speaks Says a third had I an evidence and an assurance of my relation to Christ did I certainly know I have an interest in the love of God then I should welcome death and say welcome thou Prince of terrours for though thy face be grim yet thy message is comfortable so that it is only spiritual strength that will bestead the Soul at such a time and whatever mercy we may be found wanting of what a mercy will it be to us not to be found wanting of this mercy this spiritual strength It is no great matter in what way death comes to us if it find us with this spiritual strength in reference to our eterual condition 2. Part. This spiritual strength is subject to many failings and decays Our strength as to interest 't is true can not be lost for a Soul that is once united to Christ is never separated from him again My Father faith our Saviour is greater than
lived unproffitably under these Instructions I do wish that we all may take warning by their woe But the Pledges of Gods peculiar love are cheifly the Operations of his Spirit upon our hearts Now what convincing Operations have you found upon your hearts in the first workings of the Spirit of God though his work be to comfort yet it begins in Convictions I will send another Comforter and he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.8 Are you so convinct of sin as to be brought off from it to have your hearts set against it though you cannot be free from sin yet this is your burthen and your lamentation and you groan under it It is with you as it was with Saint Paul when he cryed out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death that is of sin that I carry about with me Do you partake of the graces of Gods Spirit the inlightning the quickening the renewing the sanctifying graces thereof Do you find your hearts to be warmly affected with the things of God of Heaven you cannot lightly pass by these things if you are his Are you acquainted with the Supports of Gods Spirit in the midest of your distresses there are none of you but may be in troubles and yet may have many false Supports I grant as natural stourness and common Principles may carry men far But are you acquainted with the comforts of Gods Spirit have they been your support Again hath God not only vouchsafed you the means of grace but hath he taught you to profit by those means and to entertain them in their efficacy plainness and power Does God please not to let you alone in your sins For God to leave us to be peaceable quiet in our sins is a very sore Judgement Lastly do you still find upon every relapse and failing your hearts deeply sensible thereof and affected therewith then may you comfortably say these are the distinguishing Mercies indeed and conclude they are accompanied with his peculiar love 3. What are the secret workings of your hearts towards God what are your designs your thoughts your endeavours ingaged upon is it to pursue the World is it to stop every Door at which danger and trouble may enter or is it to approve your hearts to God and to mind your duty and in a way of well doing to commit your selves to him is this your care this you may know by the secret workings of your Hearts and by a serious Reflection upon all the passages of your Lives 4. What is the measure by which you measure and pass a Judgement upon all kinds of Objects Do those things seem most hateful to you that are loathsome to God and you most careful to shun that which may hinder you from attaining this love of God or a clear sense of this love therefore do you hate sin and vanity and all those things that stand in opposition to this Priviledge do you make this your Rule to value Ordinances at a high rate by because these are of great advantage to you in respect of your Communion with God and the enjoying of his love and favour and do you mourn and lament the removal of these or your being straitened as to these kind of advantages upon the account in reference to the love of God because you cannot have these opportutunities of Communion with him Consider and seriously bring home these things to your own hearts Appl. In the next place I shall only speak to one use more that is by way of Exhortation If it be so then if you find it is thus with you upon your examination that you have indeed warrantable hopes of claiming an interest in the peculiar love of God Then labour to answer this love of God with love to God love in any is engaging love in Superiours is more engaging but love in God is infinitely more who is able to return love for his love There are these five hints I shall leave with you by way of direction 1. Let this love of God be a powerful constraint upon your hearts to do all the duty that God requires Let Gods love thaw your Icy hearts and cause them to melt and flow into every duty Joh. 15.14 Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you The love of God is constraining not only to do all but to do all out of love and not to think his Commandments greivous or his Yoke heavy but to serve him with the chearful compliance to his will in all things 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandmenes are not grievous And this is when we account every thing of duty our reward when we look on our work as our ways David saith In keeping of thy Commandments there is great reward Psal 19.7 Mark he doth not say there shall be but there is in it great reward Indeed there is nothing that God commands us if we did but rightly understand our selves but it would be upon its own account excellent and desireable however we may take offence at several duties that God requires because they cross our corrupt nature as mortification self denial and the like yet all these duties are of so high an advantage that an intelligent person if there was nothing of command in them yet would think there is enough in their own excellency to engage us in the performance of them That 's the first hint if we have any ground to hope that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts 2. Manifest your love to God by a through detestation and a careful avoiding of what ever might offend him You that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97.10 The love of God the Apostle saith constrains us 2 Cor. 5. The love of God to us and the love we have to him it lays a holy necessity upon us it not only constrains us to mind our duty more seriously but it wrests sin out of our hearts and hands and engages to oppose every thing that is offensive to God who shews so much of favour and loving kindness to us I charge you saith the Spouse that you wake not my Love till he please Cant. 2.7 She was careful that he should not be dishonoured by others how much more not to be so by her self 3. Manifest your love by a good construction and interpretation of all Gods providences Love thinks no evil Harbour therefore no hard thoughts of God Do not charge him foolishly as it is said of Job in all his sufferings he did not charge God foolishly This is a high expression of a grateful sense of Gods love to us c. Our love of God if we think well of God what ever he doth with us Providence is an uncertain Rule by which to walk in judging of Gods love Gods ways are in the Sanctuary his Paths are in the deep Waters Clouds and thick darkness are round