here a duty which is to be performed and put in practice by all other sinners besides and that is to labour to work themselves to such a shame as this is That which is here spoken of these Romans it is not spoken of them only in a way of simple Narration as signifying how they were affected but also in a way of tacite commendation as praising them for being affected in that manner and so it does implicitly exhibit a duty to us that we should labour to be so our selves Next to the shunning and avoiding of sin is to be ashamed and grieved for committing it Now this does justly come home to the Consciences of abundance in the world there are many which are perfrictae frontis of a bold and hardened forehead which have no shame nor relenting in them at all which can sin one sin after another in the highest and hainousest manner that can be and yet never be once wrought upon for it or ashamed of it the unjust knows no shame as it is Zephan 3.5 The Heathen could say he was lost that had no shame The Prophet Jeremy has set forth such as these in their colours to us Jer. 6.15 Were they ashamed says he when they had committed abomination nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush c. This is the exact temper and disposition even of many in these days and in this land in which we live which are past all shame whatsoever they have no shame at all in them never more of the occasion and never less of the affection And I speak not only of that spiritual shame and holy blushing which belongs to Religion and is within the compass of Christianity it self which is taken from religious Grounds and spiritual Arguments and Considerations but I speak now of that natural shame which God has planted in all men by Creation an is not lost but in the height of wickedness and abomination it self This is that which many Monsters in this age are devoid and destitute of both men and women I should be exceeding sorry if I should have need to say much of it here in this place only I cannot but by the way take notice of it that I may testifie and bear witness against it as that which I look upon as one of the saddest symptoms of Gods wrath and indignation against us and if it be not timely prevented by those whom it concerns to reform it will not only be reckoned by God as the sin of some particular persons but also of the whole Nation it self which will be charged with it That impudence and boldness and undauntedness in sinful courses which many people are come unto which are so far from being ashamed of sin as that they rather boast of it and as the Apostle speaks glory in their shame This is the humour of too many in the world that which should most humble them and abase them and cast them down and lay them low in the sight of God and men and themselves is that which commonly most exalts them and swells them and puffs them with pride so far are they from this temper of the Romans of being ashamed And so now ye have the second particular for the Expression of sins inconvenience taken from the dishonourableness of it Whereof ye are now ashamed The third and last is taken from its perniciousness For the end of those things is death This is that which hits the nail on the head and brings all here indeed and 't is that which is very considerable forasmuch as the end is all in all and such an end as this which is here spoken of so more especially if the other two evils had been spared yet this alone were enough to deter us though there were some gain and honour in sin as we have shewed there is none yet whiles there 's death in it that 's enough against it and that there is The end of those things is death This Death here is to be taken by us in the latitude namely in each kind of it whether natural or else spiritual and eternal First For natural death which we call the death of the body that 's the end of sin and that which sin procures though not that which the sinner intends By sin death came into the world as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.12 This is so in a double Explication First In the nature of the thing and as the effect immediately flowing from the cause And secondly by the just judgment of God who in his Providence does so order and dispose it and himself does inflict death for it First It is so in God's Pvovidence and Judgment How many do we read of in Scripture whom God himself has in an extraordinary manner stricken dead for their sins Er and Onan and Nadab and Abihu and such as these the end of of their ways was death and that in a more eminent manner There are some more gross and notorious sinners which God has not patience to suffer them and let them alone here in this world but to prevent Atheism and contempt of his Majesty will be presently avenged upon them Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days says the Prophet David Psal 55.23 and Eccles 7.17 Be not overmuch wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou dye before thy time Intimating and implying thus much that such courses and ways as those do provoke God many times so to do Again secondly In the nature of the thing it self and as the effect immediately issuing from the cause Sin it ends in death so as we see by daily and common experience How many are there which by their passion intemperance lasciviousness uncleanness and such courses as these are hasten their own end and not only hazard their souls but likewise expose their lives and so in that regard are no better than self-murtherers It is true they do not always think so nor as I said intend it but yet it is that which follows upon it and in the event is consequent there unto there 's many which might have lived longer if they had lived better and had had a comfortable old age in conclusion if they had not had a dissolute youth going before The end of those things is death if we take it but for natural death the death of the body But secondly It is true also and especially of spiritual death the death of the soul and eternal death the death of soul and body for ever in Hell This is that death which is the wages of sin more particularly for spiritual death Sin it defaces God's Image in us it alienates us from the life of God And whatever Grace is already wrought in us if it does not kill it actually yet it tends to the killing of it and destroys it all it can it takes away a Christians vigor that liveliness and loveliness which should be in him and makes him little better than a
greater Guilt upon them and a secret Curse also cleaving to them for their abuse and perverting of thess Mercies And so much of the thing it self here signified for the main Gods Deliverance and preservation of David He hath not c. Now we may further here take notice of the Phrase and Expression which is here used He hath not given me over to Death It is not simply he hath not killed me or taken away my life from me though that be principally intended But he hath not given me over to Death This is true of the Servants of God even there where Death seases upon them yet they are not under the power of it It does not at last prevail upon them which holds true in a twofold regard First Not under the Curse of it it being sanctified to them for their Good Death to the servants of God is a Conquered Enemy it is a Serpent without a sting O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory The sting of Death is Sin the strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ as St. Paul in his Heavenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.55.56 God hath not given his Children over to Death but rather hath given Death over to his Children therefore Death is said to be theirs not they to be Death's 1 Cor. 3.21.22 All things are yours and amongst the rest even Death it self Death is under the power of the Church and in a sort at her Command forher Benefit and Advantage as an Entrance for her into Eternal Glory To me to live is Christ and to Die is gain says the Blessed Apostle of Himself Phil. 1.21 Which is true also of any other Beleiver Christ has redeemed us from Death as it is a Curse the Saints they are not under that Secondly As the Saints are not under the Curse of Death so neither under the Contrivances of it and so in that respect not given over to it as being at last made partakers of a blessed and Joyful Resurrection As our blessed Saviour Christ Himself who seems also to be tipified in this Psalm it is noted of him Acts 2.24 That God raised him up from the Dead having loosed the pains of Death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it As it was not possible for him so neither is it possible for any of his Members it was not possible for him to be detained many days Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy one to see Corruption For it is not possible for his Members to be absolutely and always detained but shall at last be loosed from it As Death had no dominion over him so neither over them This Corruption shall put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall put on Immortality and Death it self shall be swallowed up into Victory as the Apostle has it 1 Cor. 15.45 This is a point of singular Comfort to the Children of God and that which may satisfy them in the thoughts and Meditation of their Mortality that though they may and shall die at last yet they shall not be given over to Death It shall not tyrannize nor Dominear over them Indeed it is the Happy advantage of people that they are given over to no Evil whatsoever whether Spiritual or Temporal neither to the Evil of Sin nor to the Evil of Punishment though they be Capable and sensible of both and liable to them First Not to the Evil of Sin and Satan not given over to that As for wicked and ungodly persons it is their Misey to be so Satan rules in them God gives them over to sinful Courses as it is noted of the Gentiles thrice together in one Chapter the First of the Romans God gave them over He gave them over to Vncleanness and he gave them over to vile Affections and he gave them over to a reprobate Mind still he gave them over But he does not so with his own servants though for just and holy reasons he suffers them to be troubled with Sins while they live here below in the world yet he does not give them over to it Sin shall not raign in their mortal Bodies Iniquity shall not have Dominion over tkem nor presumptuous Sins especially shall not prevail upon them nor given over to the Evil of sin No nor Secondly To the Evil of Punishment neither not given over to that and in particular to this of Death As for wicked men and such as are none of Gods Children It is said they are like Sheep laid in the Grave and Death shall feed on them Psal 49.14 Death shall feed on them that is have it's fill and glut of them and shall do what it list unto them Yea but with the servants of God it shall be otherwise as David there makes the opposition in his own Person but God will redeem my Soul from the power of the Grave for he shall receive me Selah He was not given over to the power of Death And as not of Death Temporal so especially not of Eternal neither God did not give him over to this of any other whatsoever could be thought off God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 God will be sure to keep his Children from this and does order all things to them in reference hereunto even Corrections and Afflictions themselves as I in part hinted before Chastens them here that he may not Damn them hereafter so that the Connexion holds very well here in this sense which we have now before us The Lord hath Chastened me sore but he hath not given me over to Death as a Mercy consequent to this his Chastening and Correcting of me And so we have done with both the parts of the Text The Condition and the Qualification of that Condition to him in this whole verse The Lord hath Chastened me sore but he hath not given me over to Death SERMON XXVI Psal 133.1 Behold how Good and Pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity It is the great advantage of Vertue that it carries it's Evidence within it self whereby it becomes lovely and amiable in the eyes of all that observe it and behold it and take notice of it And as other Vertues and Graces besides so amongst the rest the Grace of Love and peaceableness and Unity and brotherly concord It is such as is very eminent and illustrious and which commends it self to all mens Consciences in the sight of God This is that which is here exhibited to us in this present Scripture before us in the Testimony of the Prophet David wherein we have a lively representation set before us of the Benefit of the Communion of Saints which is a main and Principle Article of our Belief and Christian Faith And so an argument very sutable and agreeable to the present occasion of our Assembling and coming
circumstances and aggravations which I have now mentioned First For the nature and kind of it it was a death of violence it was a forced and unnatural death Unnatural indeed it was in a double consideration First It was unnatural actively in regard of those which complotted it and desired to inflict it For who I beseech you were they but those of our own Country Englishmen and bred at home The nearer at any time the relation the more unnatural still the rebellion Englishmen to destroy Englishmen as it has been in these latter times especially a most fearful and unnatural destruction contrary to the common principles of nature and that affection which God hath put into Heathen and strangers which never head of Religion This death which we now speak of it was such an one as this contrived and conspired by those which were of our own Land and Nation and came as it were out of our own bowels And then again it was unnatural passively as all deaths of violence especially are a taking away of mens lives from them and turning them out of the world a death of greater pain and reluctancy and indisposition and so it was great Secondly It was a great death if it had taken in regard of the suddenness it was the taking away of men without any warning or preparation at all the cruellest thing that could be in reference to the Patients and the cowardliest thing that could be in reference to the Instruments The manner and carriage and contrivance of it had the aggravations of a great death in it and made it more remarkable First I say it was cruel and very grievous in reference to the Patients or those which were designed to be so To come upon men on a sudden without any warning or preparation at all when they should neither settle their Temporal estates for this life nor yet which is more their spiriritual or eternal for a better what an unmerciful thing was this How great was that death wherein men should had no warning given them of avoiding everlasting death but have been in danger as much as men could make them of perishing both ways at once in body and soul And then besides how cowardly and unmanly also for those that acted it How unsuitable to the Principles of an Heroical and magnanimous spirit There was no skill in it but only violence no art at all but the black art no mystery but the mystery of iniquity It savoured and smelt of no other than Hell it self it was treachery and conspiracy and falshood the basest kind of killing of all as David said once of Abner 2 Sam. 3.33 c. Died Abner as a fool dieth thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into fetters As a man falleth before wicked men so sellest thou So had these Worthies died if they had been taken away as a man falleth before wicked men basely cowardly injuriously without any provocation for no cause for no wrong for no offence but only their goodness they had not died as sools had died Not by their own carelesness not by their own wickedness not by their own rashness not by any default of their own but only by the mischief of those which were the children of iniquity not by the hands of law and iustice their hands nor feet had not been bound but only by the hands of cruelty and rebellion Thus had they been taken away thus had they fallen at this time and had not this been a great deliverance Thirdly It was likewise great in regard of the untimeliness and immaturity of it it was the taking of Persons away before their time many in their very youth and many in their riper years and many in the midst of their hopes in the fulness of their strength for their bodies and in the height of their parts for their minds and in the midst of their counsels for their imployment It was the barbarousness of that Soldier in Syracuse that killed the Mathematician in his study and whiles he was drawing his lines even so as I may say it had been here men in the midst of their very work And what work was it to not a work of ordinary concernment neither but the setling of the affairs of the Kingdom in Church and State the establishing of good and wholsome Laws this was the work which stuck so much in their stomacks and which provoked them to this means of interrupting it as it was the reason which some of them gave for the choice of the place Fourthly It was great also in regard of the extent of it here it was great indeed First for the number and plurality of the persons how many had been involved in this death even the whole State it self the Representative Body of the Kingdom assembled in Parliament As he that wisht he could cut off Rome at one blow what a sweeping death had this been which had carried away so many at once And what an unmerciful conspiracy that had bowels left for none We see how unlimited and unbounded malice is that nothing will serve its turn but the ruining and undoing of all friend and foe hopeful and desperate one as well as another all should have gone to the pot without any difference These are the Principles of such kind of persons All 's fish with them that comes to net Secondly For the condition and quality of the Persons consider that to make it somewhat more a multitude of mean rank and condition they are more easily spared but the loss of those which are of greater worth and eminency for their parts and place this is more to be lamented The death of great men it is no other than a great death It was that which grieved David so much in the aforenamed slaughter of Abner not only the wrongfulness of the cause but the eminency of the person Know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel 2 Sam. 3.33 If David made such a matter of it the death but of one great person what had been the death of so many great ones at once King and Prince and Nobles and all the Peers of the Land to have been taken away in one moment Head and Tail Branch and root in one day the stay and the staff the mighty man and the man of War the Judg and the Prophet the Prudent and the Ancient the Honourable man and the Counseller the cunning Artificer and the eloquent Orator this had been the case here and how great had this death been Thirdly Look upon this extent likewise yet further in that which they principally aimed at and propounded to themselves herein which was not only the ruining of persons but also the ruining of Doctrines and the faith and truth of Christ it self the death of he Gospel and the death of the Ordinances and the death of Religion and the death of our own precious and immortal souls And now tell me whether
carkass and as a body without soul This for spiritual death And then for Eternal which is damnation it self that 's clearly the end of all such courses It is so demeritoriously to all who thereby ate made lyable thereunto In the day that thou eatest c. thou shalt surely dye and it is so actually to all such as by repentance and faith in Christ are not freed from the execution of this sentence This is the plain and constant Doctrine of the Scripture that the wages of sin are wages of damnation both as to poena damni the loss of Gods gracious Presence and poena sensus the enduring everlasting torment c. This is that which the Apostle still is so careful to perswade and fasten upon those to whom he writes in divers places Phil. 3.19 Whose end is damnation whose glory is in their shame c. and 1 Cor. 11.29 Drinketh damnation And 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Be not deceived c. and Gal. 5.21 speaking of the works of the flesh Of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in times past that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God Therefore let us labour more to be perswaded of these things and have serlous apprehensions of them let us look upon sin in its colours and in the true shape and representation of it as that which has Death and Hell at the end of it that so we may the better be kept and preserved from it We should make use of this present Doctrine now in all suggestions and temptations to sin which we are at any time put upon Think not upon sin in the profit of it or in the pleasure of it which is but a meer fancy though it usually shews it self so but think of it in the end of it and in the concomitants of it and in the sad and pernicious effects which is death and damnation it self which though men perceive not presently yet at last they shall find to their cost if they take not better care to prevent it as the Apostle Peter speaks of them their judgment now of a long time lingers not and their damnation slumbers not Let us not look upon these things as words and notions and expressions as bug-bears to scare Children but as realities and unquestionable truths and let us labour to find the Power and Efficacy of them upon our own hearts It being better to hear of them than to feel them and to feel them now in the conscience by being affected and wrought upon by them than to feel them hereafter after another manner as all such shall which now make nothing of them let all which hath been said make us so much the more out of love with sin and if one argument alone will not do it let us take them all together as the Holy Ghost does here offer them to us Here 's a threesold Cord which theresore is not easily broken and if one or two should fail yet the other would make amends for the rest Those which have a mind to sin yet if it appears to be any prejudice to their profit that they get no good nor benefit by it it may be here they would be restrained Now for this consider says the Apostle that there 's no such sad fruit in it others there are which do not stand upon their prosit but their honour that goes near unto them and they are loth to forfeit their credit and reputation Now for this consider that these things bring shame whereof ye are now ashamed A third there are which are not moved yet They care neither for profit no honour so they may have their pleasure and safety and ease but their skin that a little affects them and their life goes to their heart and is very dear unto them all they have they would part with for this Now therefore consider here further that it is death and if there be any that stick not at this yet if they have any care but of their own souls consider further that it is damnation not only natural the death of the body but spriritual the death of the soul yea eternal the death of both and as wisdom speaks of her self Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all that hate me love death There 's but one thing more which I will here name and so end We may here from this Text further take notice not only of the wretchedness of sin considered in the streams and actions of it but also the wretchedness of nature and an unregenerate nondition as the fountain and spring which these issue from Here 's not only a Censure upon the performances What fruit had ye in those things c. But here is also a Censure upon the state What fruit had ye then Then when ye were unregenerate then ye were in your natural condition then when ye were at the present unconverted and as yet not brought home to God What fruit had ye then Whatever has been said of sin it may be applied in this An unregenerate condition is an unfruitful condition a shameful condition a dead and mortal condition All the time that any man spends and lives only in that he does but lose his time and run further upon the score with God for a back-reckoning hereafter We are all by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.3 What 's the improvement which is to be made of this point and observation But first for all those which are yet but in the state of nature to labour to bear it and to come out of it as soon as may be and not to content themselves with it Let us not think too well of nature and our condition from that as many persons are ready to do both for themselves and others For our selves if we have no better Principles in us than we brought with us at first into the world we are but in a sad an miserable condition although perhaps we should abound in some kind of outward and moral actions which might have some lustre and splendor upon them as the Heathem had What fruit had ye in those We may say it not only of those actions which are plain sins in their nature but in a sense also of those which for the matter of them are duties themselves yet not done in a right manner and from a right principle What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed The sacrifice of the wicked says Solomon is an abomination to the Lord how much more when he brings it with a wicked mind Prov. 21.27 All the time that a man remains unregenerate he is unprofitable as to matter of duty as well as provoking as to matter of sin and let us take heed of being too well perswaded of the Heathem Philosophers rather make our own salvation than destruction This is a great
a state of Subjection and Obedience to Him And for Heaven He is likewise the head of all Principalities and Powers Col. 2 10. And Angels and Authorities and Powers are made subject unto him 2 Pet. 3 22. This for his Kingly Office Secondly Take it for his Priestly Office And here he is likewise like Jacobs Ladder in the work of Atonement and Reconciliation as bringing Heaven and Earth together Thus Col. 1 20. It pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himself whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven And so likewise in Eph. 1 20. That in the Dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth Even in Him Take us what we are in our selves and there is a Disproportion betwixt God and us we are not onely Strangers but Enemies to him And he to us But now in Christ this Enmity is removed and taken away and there is perfect peace wrought according to that againe of the Apostle Col. 1 21. You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your minde by wicked works Yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his Flesh through Death c. And again Rom. 5 10. When we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the Death of his Son And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom we have now received the Atonement Christ hath made God and us Friends And then again as for Reconciliation so also for Access which is the Fruit and Effect of it It is by Christ that we come unto God and have Admission unto the Throne of Grace As we have the Benefit of his Satisfaction so likewise of his Intercession and both of them consider'd as our high Priest Thus the Apostle seats it Eph. 2 18. Speaking of Jew and Gentile Through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father And so Chap. 3 12. In whome we have boldness and Access with confidence through the Faith of Him What ever intercourse there passes at any time betwixt God and us it is in all the Covenant of Grace and as it is obtained and procured by Christ And it is he alone that does effect it for us and that brings it to pass And therefore upon this Ground are we still incouraged to have recourse unto God and to perfect our Communion with him as Heb. 4 14. Seeing then that we have a great High Preist that'is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need And so again Heb. 10.19 c. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holyest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vayl that is to say his Flesh And having an high Preist over the House of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith And Rom. 5 1 2. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have Access 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence has he in Scripture such Names and Titles put upon him as doe import thus much when he is called the Door whereby we Enter and the Key whereby we Open and the Rock whereby we Climbe and the Ladder whereby we Ascend as it is here in the Text. A twofold Ladder as I may so express it which he hath set up for us The Ladder of his Flesh and the Ladder of his Cross both together make that New and living way for us which was mentioned in the foregoing Scripture Christ is our Conveyance to God and He alone as the Scripture again inform's us Joh. 14 6. I am the way the Truth and the Life No man Cometh unto the Father but by me As no Man come's to Christ except the Father draws him so no Man com's to the Father except Christ brings him Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4 12. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor 5 19. Therefore this by the way shews the Vanity of all such Persons which dream of any other way or Conveyance besides whether of Angels or Saints or their own Free-will and the like that neglect and lay aside Christ as in a manner Needless and Superfluous in this great Work of Salvation surely such as those they are exceedingly deceived and mistaken These that throw down the Ladder they will never be able to get up to Heaven by all the Ropes they can hoyse up to themselves He that hath the Son hath Life but he that hath not the Son hath not Life 1 Joh. 5 12. And so as for final Salvation So for Intermediate Communion likewise It is that which we partake off through Christ and him alone we cannot come into the presence of God nor offer up a Prayer before him which may be acceptable to him but through his Mediation By the Mediation of his Spirit as inabling us and by the Mediation of his Blood as purchasing acceptance for us He is the Angel namely the Angel of the Covenant who offers up the Prayers of all the Saints upon the Golden Altar is before the Throne as it is in Revel 8 v. 3. And what ever are presented otherwise they are of no Force or Validitie at all Thus is Christ our Ladder that reaches from Earth to Heaven in the Consideration of his Preistly Office in both the parts of it whether of Satisfaction or Intercession Thirdly For his Prophetical Office if we take it there also we shall finde that Christ has the notion of a Ladder And as he conveys out Prayers and Desires to God so he does likewise carrye God's words and will to us Joh. 1 18. No man hath seen God at any time The onely begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him And again Joh. 3 13. No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven Even the Son of man which is in Heaven He speaks concerning the knowledge of heavenly Mysteries and the Communication of them which did belong onely to Christ who though then upon Earth as Man Yet as to his Godhead was still residing in Heaven having the same Essence and Glory with the Father Matth. 11 27. All things are delivered unto me from my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son And he to whom the Son will reveale him It is Christ that brings Heaven down to Earth in regard of discoveries And thus a Ladder in his prophetical Office also To draw up this Point to an head Take Christ in his full extent whether of Nature or Offices
their Sin comes to their remembrance and Vexes and Torments their Soul Thirdly Now and then likewise the Hand of God falls heavy upon them in some Eminent and Notorious Judgment as a plain Punishment of their former Miscarriages Though this be not done always for God reserves the Wicked to the day of Judgment to be punished as the Apostle Peter speaks 2 Pet. 2.7 Yet sometimes it is so that the Case is hence altered with them and their Meat is now turned There comes Want and Sickness and Death And now what hath the Hypocrite gained when God shall take away his Soul Job 27.8 Thou Fool this night thy Soul shall be taken away from thee and then where c. Luk. 12.20 And so much for the Proposition in General His meat in his Bowels is turned The Second is the Explication in Particular It is the gall of Asps within him Where there are two things again Considerable First The Bitterness of Sin in that it is compared to Gall which is Eminent in that Qualification Secondly The Perniciousness of Sin in that it is compared to the Gall of Asps which hath a Poysonsomeness and Deadliness in it above any thing else First The Bitterness of it His meat that is his Lust and Sin it is turned to this It was sweet and delicious before pleasant in his mouth but it makes his Belly bitter as was said before of the Rowl that is he has now â—ther apprehensions of it then formerly he had and so indeed it will be Prov. 5.4 Speaking of the Harlot Her end is bitter as Wormwood And Eccl. 7.26 I find more bitter then Death the Woman whose Heart is snares c. speaking concerning the Adultress And Jer. 2.19 Know therefore and see that it is an Evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of Hosts Sin as he said of War It will be bitterness in the latter end 2 Sam. 2.26 It is like a Pill wrap't up in Sugar which when the Sugar which was over it is melted then the bitterness of the Pill does discover and shew it self so when the pleasure of Sin as I said is wasted and worne away then the Sorrows of it does appear Secondly As it is Distasteful so it is Pernicious There are many things which are bitter but they are Wholsome and do carry a Medicinal quality and property along with them But this of Sin is otherwise as it is bitter so it is Destructive it has a Poysonous and Venomous nature which is adherent to it as the Gall of Asps This is a frequent Expression in Scripture applyed to Wicked men to compare them to Aspes or to such Creatures as those are Job 20.16 He shall suck the Poyson of Asps And so Rom. 3.13 The Poyson of Asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of Cursing and bitterness The Poyson of Asps is notorious in a threefold respect in regared whereof it is a very fit resemblance of Sin First In that it kills Secretly Secondly In that it kills Suddenly Thirdly In that it kills Irresistibly First Secretly In that the Mischeif which comes by it it is not easily found out and Discern'd that 's a great Aggravation of any Mischeif because prevents all Remedies which might be administred for the Cure of it And so is it with this of Sin it kills thus it has a secret Malignity in it which goes to the Heart Undiscern'd and those which are infected with it they do not easily perceive it to be so It is a sweet kind of Poyson which kills there where it is not suspected nor thought that ever it would do so Secondly Suddenly in a very little time That is still the more horrible and dreadful for men to be surprised unawares and to be taken away in a moment it is that which all men tremble at Now Sin it has this Effect in it it destroys as soon as it is taken or at least does leave that behind it which does infallibly tend to Destruction if it be not the better prevented Thirdly It kills meerly and Irresistably Thus does the Poyson of Asps The Naturalliss and those that write the story of it affirm that there is no Antidote against it The Poyson of it it is so strong that cannot be over come by any Physick And so in some cases is Sin there 's nothing which will Cure it but the Blood of Jesus Christ and there is one Sin which is not Cured by that and therefore justly câ—ll'd a Sin unto Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Joh. 5.10 The Sin against the Holy Ghost which is a Sin of inveterate malice and despite and universal opposition against the Truth which is known and acknowledged even because it is the Truth This is absolutely unpardonable And thus we have seen how the Metaphor holds good in all the parts of it that as Sin is meat to Wicked men in regard of the present seeming sweetness and pleasure which they take in it yet it is also Poyson and Venom in the Conclusion in regard of the bitterness and perniciousness that follows upon it This meat in their Bowels is turned and as the gall of Aspes within them Now the Vse and Improvement of all comes to this First That we take heed of being taken with any sinful way or Course whatsoever from the seeming sweetness and Pleasantness which is in it Do not make that an Argument for thy Sin whosoever thou art because for the present it is sweet unto thee for it is no good Argument neither on thy part nor yet on Sinn it neither shews thee to be better nor yet it to be better for all that not thee for the sweeter it is to thee the more is it a sign of thy naughty Heart which does so far Close and Comply with it as sutable and agreeable to it Not Sin to be better for though at present be sweet to thy mouth yet hereafter it will be turned in thy Bowels and will be as the Gall of Aspes within thee It is good for the to think of Sin now as thou art likely to think of it hereafter when it shall appear in its true Colours unto thee Secondly Do not please thy self neither in the Covering and Concealing of Sin nor in the hiding of it under thy Tongue for though it be hidden and Concealed for the present yet hereafter it shall be more fully discovered when it shall pain the Bowels and wring the Belly and offend the Stomack that is the Conscieuce as at last it will doe then all thy Wickedness will come out and Disclose and manifest it self and thee also together with it Thirdly Do not please thy self neither in thine own Security and presumption upon Sin from the present escape and avoyding of Punishment for it will assuredly come at last and so as thou shalt not be able to avoid it As the Lord there threatens Babylon for
Judgments are right and that in Faithfulness thou hast Afflicted me For indeed he does wonderfully moderate Himself in these his Corrections He punishes us less then our Iniquities deserves as Ezra makes Confession in Ezra 9.13 And although we do not always think so yet he always Corrects us in measure as himself declares unto us in Scripture thus in Esay 27.8 speaking concerning his Vineyard that is his Church In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth his rough Winds in the day of his East-winds And Jer. 30.11 I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee though I make a full end of all Nations whether I have scattered thee yet I will not make a full end of thee but I will Correct thee in measure and will not altogether leave thee Vnpunished Mark how these two are very happily joyned together I will not altogether leave thee unpunished and yet I will correct the in measure God will not leave his people altogether unpunished that he may the better rule them and keep them in awe and yet he will punish them and correct in measure that so he may keep them from Discouragement and Dispondency and dejection of Spirit Therefore I say let us observe Gods dealings in this particular and acknowledg his goodness in them It should teach us to entertain good thoughts of God and to look for such dealings from him as for time past it should draw out our thankfulness and so for time present it should strengthen our Patience and so for time to come incourage our Faith and Hope and Expectation That he that hath delivered will deliver and though he may Chasten sore yet will still mitigate his Chastenings to us that they shall not altogether overwhelm us and swallow us up but that we shall finde relief in them Indeed we cannot always expect it in the letter of the Text as to an absolute Freedom from Dissolution for that must come and will come at last after all our preservations from it upon such and such particular occasions Recovery is at the best but a Repreive and so must be accounted by us and what ever Evils we do escape there 's no escape of this comming to Death but yet under this phrase here we have signified Gods General inclination for the mitigating of his Corrections to us And therefore Secondly it teaches us also Bowels and Compassions in our selves in imitation of this goodness of God There are some kind of people in the world whom nothing will serve their turn but absolute ruine and destruction Like those two fierce Disciples in the Gospel presently calling for fire from Heaven or like the children of Edom in the Psalm concerning Jerusalem Raze it raze it to the foundation down with it down with it to the ground yea but these are taught better here from the Example of God himself who does hold and restrain his hand in the chastisements and corrections of his people This is still his manner of dealings especially where there 's any hope of proficiency for time to come He will not there presently make an utter end but spare them in much mercy As in Isa 65.8 When the new wine is found in the cluster oh destroy it not for there 's a blessing in it so will I doe for my servants sake c. And so much may be spoken of these words consider'd in their connexion The first part of the verse with the second as qualifying of it Now Secondly let us look upon them in their absolute consideration the latter clause of the verse distinctly and alone by it self He hath not given me over unto death We see here how God does graciously preserve his servants from Death and destruction he keeps and maintains their lives This David often makes mention of in other places of the Psalms besides As Psal 30.3 Oh Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the Grave Thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down to the Pit So Psal 116.8 Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears my feet from falling This the Lord is pleased to doe upon sundry considerations First out of his Goodness and Mercy and Love unto them thus David sets it forth in that place Psal 116.5 6. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is mercifull And what follows hereupon The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me So in verse 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints And Psal 72.14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence and precious shall their blood be in his sight It is not an indifferent matter with God the death of his Servants neither does he lightly take away their lives but where there 's good cause and reason for it and in order to some greater good to them Secondly Because he hath work and service for them to do In death no man shall praise thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit Psal 6.5 And Again Isa 38.18 19. The Grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee The living the living he shall praise thee As long as God has any work for any man to do so long he is sure to live and abide in the world Here 's a double goodness of God manifested to us First In designing us to service and the work it self And Secondly In preâ—erving our lives that so we may serve him and doe the work he has design'd us to This should so much the more incourage us in fruitfulness before him we cannot take a more expedient way to prolong our lives than by doing as much good as we can in them Useless and unprofitable persons which live idly and out of any imployment they doe but stand in the room of those which would do better then themselves and they provoke God oftentimes in Judgement to remove them and to take them away As the barren Figtree in the Gospel it was cut down that it might not cumber the ground But those that are active and serviceable they are a great delight and content to him and he takes a great deal of delight in thinking upon them as himself also expresses it in Malach. 3.16 17. They shall be mine sayes the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him A man loves all his children as children and from his Relation to them Oh but those who are of his Trade and which work to him those he loves and tenders more especially and would be lothest to part with them of any other besides and so is it here with God his sons that serve him their death is more precious with him of all the rest neither will he easily give them over to it Not that he simply needs any work or service of ours who when we have done all we can are at the best but unprofitable
of the Admonition it self saying This is the way walk ye in it Now this in a Suitableness and Correspondency to what went before may be taken three manner of ways and may seem to carry a threefold Impression upon it First As a word of Correction and Reformation in case of Miscarriage This is the way walk ye in it It is very fitly said to those which wander and are out of the way to reduce them and to bring them again into it Secondly As a word of Direction and Instruction in case of Ignorance This is the way walk ye in it It is very properly said to those which are to seek and know not what to betake themselves to nor which way to turn them to shew it and to chalk it out to them Thirdly It is a word of Strengthening and Confirmation in case of Unsettledness This is the way walk ye in it It is very suitably said to those who are doubtful and wavering and uncertain in themselves whether they be right in the way or no to encourage them to persevere and go on in those good Ways which they have made entrance upon All these Emphasis are in this Expression First I say It is a word of Correction and Reformation in case of Miscarriage This is the way walk ye in it It is very fitly said to those which wander and are out of the way to reduce them and to bring them into the way again And to them it is said God doth not only by his Word but by his Spirit admonish them of the evil Courses which they are in and turn them from them That Way which you are in is not that wherein you should walk No it is this and therefore walk ye in it Thus we have it in Ezek. 33.11 Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel The Lord calls upon men dayly to Repentance and Amendment and Reformation of their Lives Not only in the way of his Providence and the things which he does in the World as Grounds and Motives to them for it but likewise in the Work of the Ministry and the stirrings of his Spirit in the heart as enforcing those Occasions upon them This he does as we may conceive especially upon a twofold Consideration First Out of Mercy to them that so by this means he might at last recover them God delight not in the death of a sinner as he hath said and sworn about it It is no pleasure to him that men should sin and live wickedly and damn their Souls He desires rather their Amendment and Salvation And because indeed he does so therefore as a means tending hereunto does he admonish them and check them upon their Miscarriages and Goings astray Secondly In Judgment and Aggravation against them that so hereby he may leave them inexcusable and that they may have nothing to say for themselves that they may not plead they wanted memory that they had no body to rectifie them and set them right He himself does therefore undertake to do it for them They shall hear a word behind them saying this is the way walk ye in it It is a word of Correction and Reformation to them in case of Miscarriage And that is the first Emphasis or Impressions which is upon it wherein we may consider it Secondly It is a word of Direction and Instruction in case of Ignorance This is the way walk ye in it It is very properly said to those which are to seek and know not which way to turn themselves And to them also is it said especially so far forth as they do any thing seek unto him and depend upon him for it Those which desire Direction from God in those Ways which are to be taken by them they shall receive Direction from him The meek will he guide in judgment and the meek will he teach his way Psal 25.9 This is true and may be made good unto us according to a double Explication whether we take it in reference to Civil things and the Affairs of this present Life Or whether we take it in reference to Spirituals and things of a better First Take it in reference to Civil things and the Affairs of this present Life So there are very Gracious Hints which are sometimes given to the Servants of God for their direction in this particular In Businesses of any great Concernment and Moment and Importance to them where they are ignorant and know not what to do it pleases him to advise them This is the way walk ye in it And they may very well satisfie themselves in this respect when it is so with them Though it be that which is not chiefly intended here in the Text yet it is not excluded and therefore we may very seasonably observe it and take notice of it Secondly In reference to Spirituals and the Affairs of a better life Here those that wait upon him shall not want Direction from him but he will advise them and by counselling to them For which purpose they do with a great deal of confidence betake themselves to him as the Prophet David says in sundry places Thus in Psal 25.4 5. Shew me thy ways O Lord and teach me thy paths Lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day So again Psal 86.11 Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth make my heart to fear thy name So again Psal 143.8 Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning for in thee do I put my trust cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Now in answer to such Prayers and Requests as these are does the Lord accordingly very graciously instruct them and give direction to them And they shall hear a word behind them saying this is the way walk ye in it That is Secondly A word of Direction and Instruction in case of Ignorance Thirdly It is a word of Confirmation in case of Unsettledness This is the way walk ye in it It is spoken very suitable to those which are somewhat doubtful whether they be in the way or no by way of Encouragement God will Graciously provide for the Settlement and Constancy and Perseverance of his People that they may not depart of start aside from him And this is another kind of Word which is as useful and necessary as the other We have not more need to be diverted from those ways which are evil and to be directed to those which are good then when we are in good wayes already to be settled and confirm'd in them that we do not forsake and leave them This is that which is in this Supplication Least that which is lame be not turned out of the way but that it rather be healed as it is in Heb. 12.13 There 's hardly any can be in a good way but as soon as ever they
behind him that 's another thing in it It is a mercy to have some strength yet left but here all is laid hands on Thirdly there 's also speed and hastiness in it as we shewed heretofore a cake not turned which would not stay but snap it up presently This again is in devouring we have a full place to this purpose in Hab. 1.8 9 They shall fly as the Eagle that hasteth to eat They shall come all for violence their faces shall sup up as the East-wind and they shall gather the captivity as the sand And so much of that first Branch to wit Ephraim's miserable captivity in these words Strangers have devoured his strength The Second is his symptoms of ruine approaching Gray hairs are here and there upon him It is not said he is gray all over but gray hairs are here and there upon him In the Original it is sprinkled upon him Seva zarkah bo which by the way is an expression suits very well with the vanity of these present times in that ridiculous powdering of the hair both in men and women it is enough only to name it and almost too much that This sprinkling here in the Text does imply some beginnings of wrath which were towards this people Gray hairs are here and there upon him that is he is in a state of declining and tendency to ruine He is not yet quite in his grave no nor in absolute decrepit old age but is making forward and coming to it This in a word is the sense of the Prophet that Ephraim had now some tokens and signs of manifest undoing and destruction upon him Gray hairs are here and there scattered Look as except in some special cases gray hairs are usually and for the most part the symptoms and concomitants of old age and of life declining so the circumstances which were at this time upon Ephraim they were the fore-runners of a period to him Now there are many of this nature which accordingly may be taken notice of by us The symtoms of ruine to a Nation First unfruitfulness under powerful means and dispensations of Grace amongst them This is one of the gray hairs bespeaking destruction The earth which bears thorns and briars is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6.8 If we look into Scripture we shall still find how this has been made a fore-runner of perdition in sundry places As the barren Fig-tree was commanded to be cut down that it might not cumber the ground Luke 13.7 And the unfruitful Vine cast into the fire Ezek. 14.4 So that Nation which brings not forth fruit has the Gospel taken away from it and given to those who will do it God will by no means bear with barrenness in his Garden and Orchard but in such a case root it up Secondly Strange sins which do abound and increase in it This is another symptom to this purpose when the foundations are as it were destroyed there the house is not likely to stand long The foundations of Piety and Religion in the common principles thereof and the foundations also of Nature and Civility in the common principles thereof when these things which are the very sinnews of a Nation shall once begin to shrink or be cut asunder it is too evident an argument of no long continuance for it What 's any Nation whatsoever but the several states and conditions of it and ranks and orders of men in it Now when these shall once begin to fail what will become of it when Magistracy shall be slighted and contemn'd and trampled under feet when Ministry shall be scorn'd and revil'd and reproach'd and ignominiously handled when Piety and Learning and Righteousness and Justice shall be supprest and instead of these wickedness and ignorance and barbarism and oppression shall take place When the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable as it is there in Isa 3.5 What 's the meaning of all this if it be well and throroughly look'd into but so many gray hairs which are sprinkled upon that Nation and People which are guilty of them and plainly foretelling nothing else consider'd in the causes but destruction to them Add to all this in the third place not only sins but plagues likewise There are some kinds of judgments which usher in others and are as it were preparatory to the absolute and final destruction Thus before the destruction of Jerusalem there were many calamities antecedent to it And so our Saviour tells us there shall be also before the final destruction of the world Wars and rumors of wars and famines and pestilences and earthquakes in divers places There 's a sprinkling of judgment before it comes down in its full showers and inundations and streams and these bespeak it before it comes in good carnest There are not more evident symproms to a body natural of natural death than there are also in their kind to a body politick of civil destruction And this is that which is here signified to us Gray hairs are here and there upon him And so now I have done with the First General Part of the Text which is Ephraim's confidence in the simple consideration of it both in his miserable captivity as also symptoms of ruine approaching Strangers have devoured his strength and gray hairs are here and there scattered or sprinkled upon him Now the Second is the aggravation of all this from his senslesness in it He knoweth it not And which is further also amplified from the repetition and ingemination of the words He knoweth it not This now follows to be consider'd of by us And here besides the certainty of the thing it self which is implyed in the doubling of the phrase it may carry a double reference with it either to their sin or to their misery He is in a sinful and a deluded condition and knows not that And he is in a woful and destroyed condition and yet knows not that neither Wicked men they have neither right apprehensions of sin nor punishment they neither see their wickedness nor yet do they take notice of their danger in the very jaws of mischief and ruine yet do not observe it Yet this is not all which is intimated to us in this expression though somewhat it be These words And he knows it not may admit of a various explication and there are divers things pointed out in it First that which we now mention'd and instane'd in their simple ignorance and want of apprehension He knows it not i.e. he does not discern it This is the case and condition of sinful persons that they are worse many times than they think for or than they judg of themselves In the very gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity and yet do not know it This was the state of the Church of Laodicea in Revel 3.17 a people of Ephraim's temper neither hot nor cold a Cake not turned We shall hear
the place before cited I was shapen in iniquity c. And so Paul he has respect to that likewise Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death That is this corrupt nature in me which has all the lineaments of the Old man which it does extend it self unto This was that which the Apostle was so troubled with and so should we be likewise especially upon occasion of any corruption breaking forth in us we should have recourse hereunto That where sin takes its rise and beginning there Repentance may take its also If the streams be so foul and unsavoury what may we think of the Spring and Fountain which they issue from That 's one Improvement to be made of it Again We see here what cause we have to desire that God would change our Nature and bestow New Natures upon us while originally we are so desiled That God would give us a new heart and a new mind and put new principles into us which might work in the manner of a new Nature in us The more settled we are in corruption we should learn hence to be so much the more desirous to be strengthened and confirmed in grace But so much of that first patticular viz. The Inherence of sin it is Natural and such as the sinner does bring with him into the world like the skin and spots of the Leopard and the Ethiopian The Second is the Strangeness or Monstrousness of it it 's praeternatural as we have seen it in it's Generation so we may look upon it in it's Degeneration also It is such as turns the sinner into a nature far inferiour to him and worse than his own It alters the condition of a man's Country turns an Israelite into an Ethiopian and it alters the frame of a man's Being turns a man into a Leopard that is indeed into a very Beast These are the Resemblances whereby the Holy Ghost in Scripture laies forth sin before us thereby to make it the more odious to us and to convince us of the sad estate of those wherein it is First I say It alters a mans Country causes a degeneration there and so is exprest Because men do oftentimes very much pride themselves in that and count it a glory to them to come of such a race and stock therefore does the Lord shew that sin does disparage them even in this particular insomuch as they do not deserve such an honour to be put upon them So that here now in this expression of the Ethiopian there seems to be a secret gird and exprobration and upbraiding of this people who had so far debased themselves by their miscarriages as that they had now lost the very name of the Country whereunto they did belong Here 's Ami turned into Lo-ami that is my people into not my people as it is in Hos 1.9 That which was a Noble-Vine and wholly a right-seed turned into the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine unto the Lord as it is also in Jer. 2.21 And this we shall likewise find in divers other places besides as in Ezek. 16.3 When God speaks of the Genealogy of that People he will not vouchsafe to call them by Abraham but rather by the Canaanites And in Isa 1.10 He does not express them by Judah and Jerusalem but by Gomorrah and Sodom Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom and give ear unto the Law of our God ye people of Gomorrah To signifie thus much unto us that God makes no account of mens Countries where they make no account of their own waies and lives and conversations Judah is Sodom and Jerusalem is Gomorrah and Rome is Babylon and London is Rome where the sins of one place do prevail and abound in the other If the same Vices and Abominations be amongst us which are in Judah or Turky or Italy or any of those Countries we are Indians and Turks and Italians also our selves though the climate or the scituation of the soil be never so different yea and that also which is much to be observed a great deal worse Sinners when they are transplanted or transported from one Country into another they are worse in that Country which receives them than in that which conveys them The sins of Italy in England are so much the more Italian and an English-man Italianate we use to say is a Devil incarnate Thus does sin alter a mans Country makes an Israelite an Ethiopian and causes a degeneracy in him So again Secondly Does it also alter a man's nature and cause a degeneracy there likewise It gives a man the quality and disposition even of the beasts and brute creatures themselves And so does the Scripture again often represent it unto us setting forth more desperate sinners by such means as these are of Wolves and Tygers and Bulls and Bears and Vipers and Lions and Leopards To intimate thus much likewise unto us how far sin does unman us and take away our very reason and the glory of our nature from us as indeed it does transforms us into meer Swine themselves like Circe's Cup makes us like so many Tygers and wild creatures that run about in the Forrest And that as we may conceive of it especially in two particulars First As to matter of Understanding And Secondly as to matter of Affection sin-it does cause a brutishness in either of these For the Understanding first it does mightily besot that and take it away there where it prevails and so has been confest by those who have best understood it It is that which the Prophet David delivers in general concerning all That man being in honour and not understanding is like the beasts that perish in Psal 49.20 And it is that which he delivers in particular concerning himself when a temptation prevailed upon him So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee And so in like manner the Wise man argues Surely I am more brutish than any man I have not the understanding of a man And then as for the Judgment so for the Affection sin it does inbrutish here it makes men cruel and savage like to beasts Homo homini Lupus one manâ—s a Wolf to another that is ready to destroy and devour There 's no such cruelty and fierceness like that of men where it does once prevail and take place in the heart with opportunity for the venting of it and putting it into execution Thus does sin even alter a man's nature And so ye have also the strangeness and monstrousness of it it degenerates and debases and puts the sinner far be low himself and makes him an Ethiopian and a Leopard The Third is the Multiplication of it It s various exprest here by the Leopards spots which are many and numerous and so it is likewise with sinners there are divers sorts and kinds of it It s a beast of divers colours and divers marks and spots which are upon it
's a calling of them to an account for their desire What end have you for it Secondly it is a discovering to them the fruitlesness of their desire What good have you by it The former in the notion of an Expostulation The latter of a Conviction First To look upon it in the former notion and that is by way of Expostulation What end have you for it or in it namely in this desire of yours for the coming of the day of the Lord. The Prophet Amos here calls them to an account for this desire which was in them From whence there 's this general truth to be observed by us That our desires should be still such as are rational and well-grounded in us Those that desire any thing they should know for what end they desire it or else it should not be desired by them To what end is it for you says the Lord here to this people namely when he speaks here of something which was desired by them The reason of it is this Because we are rational our selves at least in our principles we are so as men but we 〈◊〉 â—o more especially as Christians and therefore should every thing be rational that comes from us Loose and unreasonable desires do not become reasonable creatures Those who have light in their understandings by nature and this also elevated and enlarged by Grace for the guiding and directing of them they should be very much ordered and regulated in this particular Therefore let us by the way learn from hence a good rule for our practice to this purpose We may not think that we may desire what we please indefinitely or without any restraint that quicquid libet licet that whatever we have a mind to it may be pursued by us no but we must rather first see what ground and reason we have in us for such desires and restrain and bound our selves by such arguments and considerations as these In all inordinacy of appetite or desires which rises up in us put to our selves this question which the Prophet Amos puts to this people To what end is it for you to desire it And this will be an happy means for the ordering and regulating of it Our desires and affections and inclinations they are such things as for which we are accountable both to God and our selves So much for that as this passage carries in it the force of an Expostulation To what end is it for you i.e. To what end is this desire for you The Second is as it has the force of a Conviction To what end is it for you that is To what end is this day for you which you seem to desire There 's no good or advantage at all which can come to such as you by it by laying an emphasis especially upon the persons And so there 's this in it That the day of the Lord however it may prove to others yet it is no way desirable of wicked and ungodly people and such persons as live in their sins For you says the Prophet that walk in ways of sinfulness and opposition and rebellion against God for you to desire that day wherein he will call all men to account for that which hath been done by them here The day of Judgment and the second coming of Christ it is very sad and ridiculous in you This will the better appear unto us by considering what those things are which do especially make this day desirable of those who do rationally desire it the Saints and Servants of God We may reduce them to three Heads First as it is a day of Absolution Secondly as it is a day of Redemption And Thirdly as it is a day of Salvation for each of these it is to all good Christians and Believers First It is a day of Absolution wherein they shall be quitted and discharged of any thing which shall be laid against them Christ who is their Judge shall be also their Advocate and plead their cause for them and pass a sentence of discharge upon them Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect in that day This now makes it ery desirable to those who have an interest in it But wicked people have not this interest it belongs not to them They have no share in pardon or absolution and consequently have no ground to wish for that day when absolution shall be granted which themselves have no share or interest in No more than Malefactors have cause to wish for the day of Assizes and the coming of the Judge to sit upon them which being duly considered makes nothing at all indeed for them Secondly As it is a day of Redemption it is to God's children desirable so and they are call'd upon in that respect to desire it Luke 21.28 Lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh The day of the Lord is such a day as this is wherein those who are true Believers shall be redeemed from all those evils which here they were encompast withal And especially from the greatest evil of all which is the evil of sin which did here so much trouble and disturb them and makes them to cry out with the Apostle Oh wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of death This day it is desirable of God's children in reference to this as a blessed day indeed unto them when as the fetters and shackles of sin shall be knocked off from them But now as for carnal and profane persons To what end is it for them to desire it What should they desire the day of the Lord that do not care for the fear of the Lord What should they desire that day which is a day of redemption from sin whose desire all their life-time is rather to continue in sin and to have all advantages and opportunities afforded them for the committing and following of sin Thirdly As it is a day of Salvation and the accomplishment of universal happiness it is upon this account also desirable of the Servants of God The day wherein God himself shall be glorified in his Saints because indeed the day wherein his Saints shall be glorified by him But what 's this now to those which walk in ways of sinfulness and impenitency What have they to do to desire to be glorified by God that do not care for glorifying of God Or what have they to do to partake of the life of Glory that are strangers to the life of Grace or to what purpose should they desire the end that despise the means and the ways that tend to that end So much for that And so I have done also with the Second General Part of the Text which is the convincing Expostulation laid down in these words To what end is it for you The Third and last is the express conclusion or determination in these The day of the Lord is darkness and not light which is to be understood by us of the day of death and
but examine it in the circumstances and particulars of it So much of the first particular the thing it self in the simple proposition That he answer'd discreetly distincty intelligently prudently Now the second is Christ's Inserence upon it in the connexion of the words together When Jesus saw that he answer'd discreetly then he said Thou art not far c. Where we see that Christ's favourable censure was grounded upon the Scribe's suitable answer yet not as I hinted before upon his answer simply in the letter but in the circumstances Christ who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he heard his words so he likewise knew his affection and discerned with what mind he uttered them and accordingly does pass this verdict upon them So that we see that the Lord he hath a specialregard to this he looks not only to good words but to good principles and to good affections in the speaking of them which otherwise is no more than even the Devils themselves sometimes have attain'd at This man that which he said he did not say it meerly in course or in a piece of flattery only to close with Christ and to gain acceptance with him Sir you have spoken very learnedly only to commend the Preacher or to say as he said c. and there 's an end No but he spake out of his own judgment and sense and experience as having some feeling in his own heart and conscience of the truth of that which he spake This should teach us accordingly our selves to be in this manner affected not only to have sound understanding but likewise to have savoury spirits Our hearts inditing a good matter as well as our heads as it is in Psal 45.1 Eructantes boyling it forth of us as out of a Pot or Caldron that so out of the abundance of the heart the mouth may speak This will make us most acceptable to Christ and cause him to pass a most comfortable sentence upon us at another day of coming neer into his Kingdom Again Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God It might be also taken Prophetically and by way of Prediction not only as shewing what he was but what he should be and signifying by way of encouragement what now ere long should befall him as to the work of Grace in him But this I do not insist upon I only hint it as rather resting in that exposition of it which we have before mentioned and laid forth So much also for the Second General observable and so the whole Text. When Jesus saw that he answer'd discreetly he said unto him Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God SERMON III. LUXE 12.20 But God said unto him Thou Fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee c. This Text which I have now read unto you that you may so much the more carefully attend it it is the Word of God twice both reflexively by way of Narration as it is apt of holy Scripture and directly by mediate Examination as it is the speech of the Almighty with a worldly and covetous person It was spoken at first to a fool but wise men may learn by it and be taught a great deal from it for their own edification and comfort yea every one indeed upon the matter is so much the wiser as he hath the more learnt that lesson pointed out to us in these words wherein we have God's warning and awakening to look after that which is a business of the greatest consequence and importance in all the world the Salvation of our own precious and immortal Souls The History is Parabolical and doth necessarily imply no more than the possibility of that which is related but we conceive of it so for the present as done in reality And in the words themselves there are four parts IN the Text it self there are these four parts especially observable First The Introductory Preface But God said unto him Secondly The disgraceful Compellation Thou Fool. Thirdly The threatning Tidings This night thy Soul shall be required of thee Fourthly The Expostulatory Inference And then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided We begin with the first The Introductory Preface But God said unto him It was no great honour to this man simply consider'd that God vouchsafed to speak to him for so he did to his enemy Satan God's speaking to his children is very sweet and full of delight but to his adversaries its full of terrour Speak Lord saies Samuel for thy servant heareth Let not God speak to us say the Israelites lest we die There 's the speaking of love and familiarity and there 's the speaking of anger and dislike and such was this here in the Text It was an hard and an heavy speaking a word of cold comfort which God here administers to him and that we have further exhibited in the Discretive Conjunction 5 but it mars all and carries with it for further aggravation a double Emphasis First an Emphasis of Interruption And secondly an Emphasis of Opposition God spake to him and God spake to him at the same time when he spake to himself there 's God interrupting him and God spake to him and God spake to him contrary to that which he spake to himself there 's God opposing him First God interrupts him he speaks to him whiles he is speaking to himself This man was talking to himself as fools use to do and God comes in and disturbes him How it was that God did it it is not agreed upon by all Interpreters do a little vary concerning this speaking some understand it to be a speaking no more but by way of intention not as if God did express himself any way unto him but only did resolve about him A meer simple efficacious determination and appointment in his own Divine counsel concerning the state and condition of this person without any intimation given unto the person himself others understand it practically that here by God's speaking we are to understand some dangerous disease which was already begun upon the body of this rich man which was to him as the messenger of death and bespake death unto him and indeed every disease if it be thought on is a speaking from God and accordingly we shall hear it A third sort would have it to be understood by way of express signification but then they are divided in the name of it Some by the ministry of an Angel others by the mediation of a Prophet others which is most probable and whereunto I rather incline by a secret application to the conscience although I must tell ye I do very well also approve of that interpretation which makes it practical There was somewhat which God did externally in the way of his providence by inflicting some sickness or the like and occasionally from hence he spake more close to the conscience Thus God spake in the Text he opened the man's understanding to see the folly of his imaginations as also
he must dye for all these This night shall thy soul be taken away from thee This we have set forth unto us in Ps 49.6 and so forward They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches none of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransome for him that he should still live for ever and not see corruption for the redemption of their soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever So in Eccl. 8.8 No man hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit neither hath he power in the day of death and there is no discharge in that war If no man hath power not the rich man not the wealthy man not the man of a great estate let him get as much as ever he can grasp yet he shall never see death he shall never be able by his wealth to free himself from that All a mans riches are not sufficient to preserve his life Again not to save his soul When a man is to appear naked before the dreadful Tribunal of Christ and to give account of all the actions which he hath done whether they be good or evil It is not a whole world which will avail him or do him any good The treasures of wickedness profit nothing in Prov 10.2 Riches avail not in the day of wrath in Prov. 11.4 When God shall set home sin upon the conscience and proclaim his fierce wrath and judgment against a poor wretch when he shall pronounce a sentence of cursing and condemnation upon such a soul as has walkt perversly against him all the riches and estate and wealth which such a man is able to make they can never help him to peace There 's nothing but the blood of Christ apply'd here by Christ's Spirit which is here able to avail when a man 's going out of the world the world it self will then be made appear to be wholly insufficient and they now and then to have the least contentment from it which have the most portion in it Oh that I could but sufficiently fasten these things upon your hearts If riches cannot save a man's soul why should men hazard the loss of their souls to come by them why should men take so much pains and care as they do to obtain them why should men put so much trust and confidence and reliance in them surely men do not consider what their precious souls are Thou fool thy soul shall be taken away from thee Methinks this one word it should strike a serious horror and amazement into every mans conscience What is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul In Job 27.8 What is a man profited though he gain the whole world and lose his own soul in Matth. 16.26 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul as it is there also in that place All the tidings could have been brought were not answerable for sadness to this They shall take away thy soul from thee because that this taking away it was not a meet taking away but it had somewhat else at the end of it Take it away to punish it and take it away to torment it and take it away to inflict vengeance upon it It was not so much the separation of the soul from the body as the separation of the soul from the Lord that was that which was terrible and fearful and hideous indeed This is the first observation All the wealth a man has is not able to preserve his soul Secondly We may observe this that God takes away mens lives many times when they least suspect it This covetous wretch in the Text. thought least of death then when it was nearest unto him He was thinking of many years when he had not behind many hours he was thinking of his barns when he had a foot in his grave Thus it has been also with many others besides when they have been pleasing themselves in their enjoyments God has then taken away their souls when they have been promising and forecasting some great things to come to themselves God has then been preparing their deaths Thus it was with Belshazzar in Dan. 5.5 Whiles he was drinking Wine and praising the Gods of Gold and of Silver it is said in the same hour there was an hand writing came out against him and in that very night was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slain So likewise again Herod when he was sitting in his Pomp upon his Throne in his glorious apparel and priding himself in the shout and applause of the people it is said that immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory in Acts 2.23 Thus it was also with Sisera whiles he was sleeping securely in the Tent Jael came upon him with an hammer and stroke a nail through his temples that he died And so I might instance in many other examples besides there 's nothing almost more usual This God will have to be that he may teach us that we are dependant creatures and that our times are in his hands that no man might think of himself more highly than he ought to think but think soberly and meekly therefore he usually disappoints men in their greatest expectations where they do not take him to counsel There 's nothing a surer evidence and fore-runner of any ones miscarriage than an absolute and peremptory determination upon any thing without reference to God No he will have us to know our selves to be but men and accordingly think of our selves This should therefore teach us to take heed of boasting of to morrow or of promising our selves any certainty and assurance in any thing below Alas for ought we know we may be stript and depriv'd of our lives and we know not how soon There 's nothing more ordinary among men than to resolve long before hand and to project to themselves what they will do for time to come And there is nothing more ordinary than for men in such cases as these many times to have their lives taken from them when men settle themselves in a condition as I may so speak and think when they are come to this they shall now be sure to make their mountain strong and think they shall never be moved as David said then 's the very time usually for God to disappoint them Therefore take heed of this setling and resolving afore-hand of any thing I know there 's a lawful forecast and providence which ought to be used and it is such as is both needful and commendable but take heed of this Soul take thy rest take heed of thinking thou hast goods for many years take heed of saying with Peter It is good to be here for then in all probability and likelihood art thou going away God will not have us to dream of rest in a place of disquiet nor God will not have us to think of certainty in a condition of
our hearts does thereby bring us to Glory and make us partakers of his heavenly Kingdom And so they are all upon the point one and the same and accordingly have the name of one thing put here upon them As the several links of a chain make up but one chain even so is it here in this particular But Secondly How is this alone said to be needful We know that there are many other things that we have need of besides this We know that we have need of food and rayment and employment and things conducing to these as our Saviour tells his Disciples in another place Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things as it is in Matth. 6.32 How then do we confine it to Religion as if nothing were needful but only that To this again we answer That our Saviour here intends his speech of an absolute necessity other things are necessary in their place as conducing to such and such ends but nothing is simply indispensibly necessary but this It is the only that is the chiefly needful the words being thus explain'd we come now to the truth it self which is exhibited to us in them and that 's this That the main and principal business which it concerns every one to look after whiles they live here in the world is to endeavour God's Glory in the salvation of their own souls Or if ye will more briefly thus That Religion is the one thing which is needful This is abundantly confirm'd unto us out of divers other places of Scripture Thus Eccl. 12.13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man It is Col Adham as the words run in the Text the whole duty and the whole dignity and the whole happiness of any man whatsoever So Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you And Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat endureth to everlasting life c. In Prov. 4.7 Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding By Wisdom there he means Grace and the knowledg of the Holy as it is call'd Prov. 30.3 Isa 55.1 2. Ho every one that thirsteth come unto the waters c. Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken unto me and eat ye that which is good It is the voice and invitation of Christ calling men to look after their souls and the means which tends to the salvation of them This it may be further amplified and confirmed from these following Illustrations First This is that which is most noble and excellent in its own nature that is mainly and principally to be regarded and look'd after by us which of all other things is most noble and excellent consider'd in it self Now this is the present business in hand whereof we now speak There 's no such sweet and blessed condition as the state of God's children who are indued with Grace in this life and who are perfected with Glory in another It is that which does indeed excel all the comforts and contentments of this World they are nothing in comparison with it There 's an emptiness and a defectiveness in them and such as will be unable to satisfy at another day whereas this it makes a man fully and compleatly happy And on the other side without this a man is for ever wretched and miserable That is certainly and undoubtedly the main thing to be minded without which a man can least subsist Now this is this one thing in the Text. It can be least spared of all other things besides Honours and profits and pleasures and such things as these men in some sense may be able to spare them and they may do well enough without them But Grace it is such a thing as we cannot spare and to purpose be without it so essential is it to true happiness Secondly It is of the greatest influence and extent and usefulness to us it is that which we have occasion for in the whole course and compass of our lives and we cannot properly do any thing without it Grace it is a general and universal qualification it fits a man for every state and condition which he is subject unto for want and for abundance for prosperity and for adversity for life and for death It manages all Callings and all Providences and all Affairs whatsoever they be And a man cannot carry himself in them so decently and as becomes him that wants it That man that neglects his soul there 's nothing else which can be well minded by him Thirdly It is of the greatest continuance and duration All that men look after in the world it lasts no longer than the world it self when that is but once at an end there 's an end of all those things which are pursued in it But now this one thing which is here spoken of it lasts to eternity And so the Scripture expresses it self about it an enduring substance an inheritance that fades not away a well of water springing up unto everlasting life and such phrases as these Hence it is said also in the close of the verse that this good part which Mary had chosen it should never be taken away from her It is eternal both in regard of the enjoyment and in regard of the consequent in regard of the thing it self and of the fruit and reward of it which abides and continues for ever Grace it will stand us in stead as long as we have any being which nothing else will do besides Fourthly and lastly This is also the main purpose for which every man was sent into the world therefore it is mainly to be regarded and looked after by him Every wise man looks after his end and that scope whereunto he is ordain'd to be most of all fitted for that Now what 's the end of our coming into the world it's all and only for this one thing We came not into the world only to be in the world to eat and to drink and to sleep and to take our pleasure to live a natural or a secular life and there 's an end But we come into this world as an opportunity to prepare for a better We come into the world to be useful and profitable in it to employ our talents and to improve our mercies and to serve our generations to do all that possibly we can for the Glory of God and the good of others and the advancement of Religion to get a stock of Grace and Holiness to work out our own Salvation to lay up in store to our selves a good foundation against the time to come laying hold on eternal life As our Blessed Saviour says of himself To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the
advantage of them so that where they will be troubled they shall be And where he at any time discerns any proneness or inclination in them to it he is ready as much as may be to promote it and set it on further that they may be troubled more He loves to fish in troubled waters and to add sorrow to sorrow for the greater perplexity of Gods People Hence he raises a great many fears and jealousies and suspitions in them whereby the more to afflict them Thirdly From the weakness of Grace Therefore it is that Gods Children are apt and subject now and then to be inordinately troubled in themselves because Grace is but weak in them We see how it is in the Body that those who are but of weak constitutions as Children and such as they a little matter troubles them and proves offensive unto them And so it is likewise in the Soul and Spirit and inward man Where Christians are but weak they will be disquieted and easily upon every turn put out of frame Thus it was now at this present with the Disciples of Christ They were as yet but weak Christians in regard whereof he tells them elsewhere that he forbore to speak of some things unto them This is the case also with many others They are but Children and Babes in Christ and therefore apt to be troubled Nay even those who have Grace in the greatest measure if we take it comparatively yet their Grace is but weak and slender in them here in this life as a ground of this perplexity in them Their Faith and their Love and their Heavenly-mindedness and their Zeal and their Patience all in a manner but weak and therefore are their Hearts full of fears and perplexities and disquietings in themselves as a consequent of it The use which we are to make of it is accordingly to take notice of it both in our selves and others that so we may be both humbled for it and prepared against it For it is that which the best that are they are prone to if they do not the better look to themselves It is that which we have dayly and continual experience of every moment How soon we are dejected and cast down and out of heart in our selves upon any occasion such a tenderness and moleities and softness and delicateness there is upon us as that the least thing that is it troubles us and fils us with disquietness And that 's the first thing here observable from these words viz. A Christians Disposition He is apt and subject to be troubled as appears from this Caution or Prohibition of Christ to his Disciples The Second is his Duty and that is not to be troubled or afraid Christians they should by all means shun and take heed of this trouble in themselves Let not your Heart be troubled neither let it be afraid Not troubled for the evil which is present and already upon you not afraid for the evil which is expected or looked for for time to come Here 's a Caveat both against Grief and against Fear Each of which are such Passions as in the miscarriage and exorbitancy of them have much evil and sinfulness in them We 'l joyn them both together in the handling of them as coming both to one and the same effect Where that we may rightly understand the Point we may not conceive as if our Saviour did here plead for a Stoical apathy or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a senselessness and stupidity of Disposition from whence men are altogether mindless and regardless of the condition in which they are This is so far from the mind of Christ as that he does rather exceedingly abhor it and abominate it in those it is in We see how even He himself sometimes was troubled as he consesses and acknowledges it of Himself And he did so far forth express his participation of our Humane Nature in Him Therefore it is not Trouble simply which he here prohibits but the inordinacy of it which therefore we should avoid For the better opening and prosecuting of this Point which we have now before us there are two things which we shall do with Gods assistance First shew how far we may or ought to be troubled Secondly shew how far we may not or ought not to be troubled for there is somewhat considerable as to both First then how far we may and ought There are two things which are the proper objects of Trouble which it is exercised and conversant about Sin and Misery And accordingly it is not unlawful but very requisite and warrantable for a Christian in a due manner and measure to be troubled for either of these as he hath occasion for it First A Christian may be very well troubled in point of sin yea and ought so to be That which troubles all the World as to the ground and matter of trouble as sins does it ought not to be slighted by a Christian but he is much to be affected with it Whether in himself or in other men as he does discern and observe it to be in them For himself first That which He is guilty of for his own particular it ought to go very near unto him It is that which the Servants of God in Scripture have been very much troubled for when they have considered it and reflected upon it as we may see in divers instances and examples David Psal 38.3 4 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine Anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin for mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Peter Math. 27.75 When he had deny'd his Master and remembred the words of Jesus unto him He went out and wept bitterly Paul Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Thus have the Servants of God been much troubled when they have thought of their sin First As a dishonour in reference to God and a grief unto him whose Glory is or should be very dear unto them Through breaking of the Law thou dishonourest God Rom. 2.23 And by this deed thou hast made the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 This it should go very near to a Christian Heart If I be a father where is mine honour Can we call our selves the Children of God and have no sense of the honour of God surely this is very unsuitable No it becomes us to be much troubled for sin so far forth as it is a dishonour to God as his Name is occasionally reproach'd and blasphemed by it And then not only as a dishonour to him but likewise as a grieving of him for so it is Isa 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and fought against them Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed c. Eph. 4.30 Shall sin grieve God and shall it not grieve us
c. Thirdly There is also here considerable the relation of a Master and his Servants Servants they are to be with their Masters that so they may the better attend them and be serviceable to them And thus now are we also to Christ and for this purpose likewise to be with him As Christ himself also urged and carried it Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me And where I am there shall also my Servant be If any man serve me him will my Father honour Thus in respect of all these relations Where Christ is there shall also be Christians The proper Use which we are to make of this Doctrine is that which the Scripture if self teaches us to make of it in the Apostle Paul's own advice 1 Thess 4.18 Wherefore comfort ye one another with these words Comfort your selves and comfort ye one another both are to be done by us And the one making way for t'other When we have first by prayer and meditation wrought these ruths into our own hears and suck'd out the comfort of them we shall from hence be so much the more inabled to comfort others with the comforts wherewith we our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 And there 's a great deal of comfort which may be drawn from such Points as these are Especially if we shall take this Passage in the full Tatitude and extent of it as it becomes us to take it Not only as to an identity of place but also as to an identity of condition which is likewise to be understood in it as belonging unto it That where I am there ye may be also And that as I am so ye shall be also Believers as they shall be in the same house as it were with Christ so they shall likewise be in the same estate which is a state of Glory and Bliss According to that of the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.2 We know that when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Christians they are predestinated to be conformable to the Image of Christ as in other things so also in this Therefore says the Apostle It is a righteous thing with God to give to you which are troubled rest when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven And when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe 1 Thess 2.7 Now what a comfort are such Points as these to a gracious and spiritual heart It is comfortable in all the roubles and pressures of this present life and the manifold sad conditions which God's children are in here in the World in Banishment in Imprisonment in Desolation in want of place of abode That there is a place prepared for them where they shall rest with Christ himself and fare even as he himself does It is comfortable as to present desertion and as to God's withdrawing of himself from his people and seeming as a stranger to them That there will a time one day come when they shall meet so together as never to be separated from each other They shal ever be with the Lord and he also ever with them So likewise As to the thoughts of death and dissolution it is comfortable here also That though body and soul be divided and severed from each other for a time yet they shall be both joyned together at last and both to Christ And we may reason from Christ to our selves By considering in what condition he is together with what we shall be in also in reference to him Therefore as he is risen from the Grave so likewise shall we As he is ascended up into Heaven so likewise shall we As he is in full glory and happiness both of Body and Soul so we in due time shall be likewise He shall change our vile bodies that they may be made like to his glorious body c. Those that are made like to Christ here in regard of Grace have his image of likeness upon them they shall be made like Christ also hereafter in regard of Glory being changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 2.18 Last of all it is comfortable also in respect to Christian Friends in their departure here one from another that they shall at last be sure to meet together again and never part for their being always with Christ it does consequently infer their being also always one with another Besides they shall all be in the same place where Christ himself is And as the Members shall not be disjoyned from the Head so neither shall they be disjoyned from one another but be all of them together And so now I have done with this whole Verse in both the parts of it the intermediate Promise and Vltimate And if I go I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there c. SERMON XX. JOH 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Of the Equality of the Son of God with the Father we heard in part the last day out of that Scripture which was then at that time handled by us In this Scripture we have our Saviour instructing and informing us in the things of God who by how much the nearer he is to him the better is he accepted with him and so consequently the better able to acquaint us with him also in the midst of our own ignorance and incapacity And this is that which we have here offered unto us in this Verse which I have now read unto you No man hath seen God at any time c. IN the Text it self there are two General Parts considerable First a Defect premised Secondly a supply of this Defect propounded The Defect premised we have in these words No man hath seen God at any time The Supply of this Defect that we have in those The onely begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father c. We begin with the first of those Parts viz. the Defect which is here premised No man hath seen c. This is agreeable to some other places of Scripture besides which have the same or like expressions in them In 1 Joh. 4.12 we have the same words expresly No man hath seen God at any time and in 1 Tim. 6.16 that which is equivalent where St. Paul speaking of God says He dwells in that light which no man can approach unto whom no man bath seen nor can see And in other places he is called the Invisible God This will require a little Explication from us because at the first hearing of it it seems to be repugnant and opposite to some others as declaring the contrary as if God indeed both might and had been seen Thus we read of Moses Exod. 33.11 that God spake with him face to face Panim elpanim and Num. 12.8 mouth to mouth Peh el peh a-mareeh apparently or visibly after
Christ crucified But why Christ crucified rather than Christ exhibited in some other consideration why not rather Christ incarnate forasmuch as that was the first news of him or why not Christ risen again or Christ ascended which was a great deal more glorious Why does the Apostle fasten upon this mystery in Religion and Christianity above the rest Christ crucified Surely there 's very good reason to be given for it First because he would give them the worst of Christ at first that he might shew he was not ashamed of him nor of that Gospel which made him known but that hereby he might the better prepare them for other Truths and make them the welcomer to them Christs Cross is the first letter of all in a Christians Alphabet and they that can take out this lesson they will learn the other fast enough Gods beginnings with us are commonly most tedious His conclusions and closings are for the most part very sweet and comfortable and so here Secondly Because Christ crucified it is vertually and implicitly all the rest For why was Christ Incarnate it was for this end that he might be crucified therefore he was born that he might die and therefore he took flesh upon him that he might lay it down again after he had taken it Again when Christ was risen and ascended what were the terms which he was risen from was it not from death and the grave his Resurrection it pointed at his suffering and death which were conquered by him So that all upon the point is Christ crucified Thirdly This was that Mystery which did most concern us for the good and benefit which comes by it as we shall hear afterwards his death was that which pacified Gods wrath and paid the debt which was due for our sins And therefore the Apostle instances in that rather than any other Lastly Christ crucified because this was that which these people had a particular hand in as instrumental hereunto they had been active in the crucifying of Christ themselves and therefore it was most fit that they should hear of Christ crucified to chuse of any thing else Therefore accordingly we shall find that this was the practise of the Apostles in the whole course and way of their Ministry still to urge and inculcate this upon those whom they Preached unto As soon as ever they had received the Holy Ghost upon the day of Pentecost they presently fall upon this as it was that which Christ himself much spoke of That the son of man must suffer many things so it was that which the Apostles of Christ much urged as Peter in his first Sermon Act. 2.23 this was that which he inforced upon them their crucifying of Christ This was that also which he preached so boldly in the Temple Act. 5.28 insomuch as the Council told him that they intended to bring the blood of that man upon them And Act. 8.32 the Providence of God directs them to a Scripture to this purpose out of Isa 53.7 8. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before the shearer so opened be not his mouth Thus was Christ crucified the chief point which they still urged in their Ministry And so it is that which is the chief work of ours it is the Doctrine which is to be chiefly preached by us and that upon these following Considerations First As it is a Doctrine of the greatest Humiliation it is an humbling and convincing Doctrine every Evangelical Truth being set on by the Spirit of God concurring and going along with it has an answerable work upon the conscience to bring it into a spiritual frame the Incarnation to work in us desires and affections after the new Birth the Resurrection to raise us up to new activity in holy duties c. the Ascension to carry us up to Heaven and Heavenly things and so the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ to humble us and to crucifie us for sin This Doctrine rightly preached and understood and believed and imbraced has a might power and efficacy in it for Conviction and Humiliation and to cast down th strong-holds of Sin and Satan in us This you shall see in the effect which it had upon the Apostle himself Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of the Lord Jesus whereby the world is crucified to me and I unto the world By the death of Christ was the world crucified to the Apostle And so St. Peter's Auditors Act. 2.37 When they heard this namely of Christ crucified then they were pricked at their hearts This same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was that which pierced them to the soul their piercing of Christ And so the Disciples which went to Emaus this made their hearts burn If we ask how this is done I answer by an Act of Reflection and special Consideration to this purpose namely as from hence taking notice of this grievous and odious nature of sin those which make nothing of sin in the commission of it and when they are set violently upon it in the strength of their lusts and temptations they may here see what it is now in the price which was paid for it and the pain which was endured to expiate it in Christ crucified And those which make a mock of a sin and sometimes of those which warn them of it they see how sad it is in those effects which it had upon the Redeemer and this is to be a means to humble them and lay them low in themselves Every nail which was struck into his Blessed Body it is here a piercing of our hearts every thorn which stuck in that opprobrous Crown it is a thorn in our sides every drop of blood which issued out of his sides it should fetch buckets of tears from us if we had not hearts harder than the flints This Doctrine of Christs Passion it is thus in this way of Proceeding a Doctrine of Humiliation and therefore fittest to be urged in the course of our Ministry And that because this is a main part of our Ministry to humble men and convince them of sin sutable and answerable to the work of the Spirit of God upon the Conscience for that 's a main work likewise of that The Spirit when he comes he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.9 Now thus it should be with Preaching which is a special conveyance of the Spirit the work of this is not to sooth men up to flatter them to give them scope to sin no but rather to humble them for it Secondly This Doctrine of Christ crucified as it has cause to be the chief work of our Ministry forasmuch as it is an humbling Doctrine so it has cause likewise to be so too because it is a comforting Doctrine and a Doctrine of the greatest comfort that can be We which are Ministers we are made to be the helpers of the joy of Gods people as we are called 2 Cor. 1. ult Now
the course of this present Text and Scripture which we have now read unto you where the Apostle gives us an account of the deliverance of him with his company from a great danger which happened unto them and therein expresses his thankefulness and holy rejoicing as also gives us an hint of expectation of further deliverance from the like dangers that might happen unto them and therein expresses his hope and most holy faith Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust also c. This passage it relates to a story which we meet withal in Act. 19.29 30. which we may read at our leisure though I suppose that most of us are already sufficiently skilled in it and acquainted with it So that I need not now rehearse it or declare it unto you IN this present Verse before us we have three General Parts considerable of us First The Commemoration of a Deliverance past Secondly The signification of a Deliverance present Thirdly The prognostication of a Deliverance to come The Commemoration of a Deliverance past Who delivered us from so great a Death The signification of a Deliverance present And doth deliver us The Prognostication of a Deliverance to come In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Here 's all that we can possibly desire for all the limits and periods of time whether past or present or future This Deliverance it is extended to each here 's matter of thankfulness and matter of joy-fulness and matter of hope We begin in order with the first viz. The Commemoration of the Deliverance past Who delivered us from so great a death Wherein again we may take notice of two Particulars more First the terms of the Deliverance or the evil it self delivered from and that is here exprest to be so great a death Secondly the Deliverance it self or the time for the vouchsafing of it Who hath delivered us First We have here the terms of the Deliverance or the thing delivered from so great a death For the evil it self death and for the aggravation of it a great death it is a deliverance from both Chrysostom together with some others gives it in the Plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so great deaths And indeed there are more deaths than one which God does undertake to deliver his servants from and from which he delivered St. Paul with his Brethren and Companions amongst the rest And which it may not be amiss for our selves at this time by the way to take notice of though I shall insist chiefly upon that which is here chiefly intended and is most agreeable both to the scope of the Text and the present occasion First From spiritual death the death of sin that 's a very great death it puts a man into a state of death not only as exposing to wrath and future condemnation but likewise as disabling to the actions of Grace and Holiness alienating us and depriving us of that life of God which should be in us Ephes 4.18 For as there is a life of grace distinguisht from the life of glory so there 's likewise a death of sin distinguisht from the death of condemnation And this death of sin it is such as is to be numbered among great deaths and the deliverance from it reckoned among great deliverances Indeed it is not always counted so at least by the generality of the world they for the most part are ready to make nothing of it a light and small matter as for the death of the body do all they can to shun that but as for this body of death which the Apostle Paul so much complain'd of and blest God for deliverance from it this is such a thing as they are little troubled or solicitous about Well but every good Christian who has the eyes of his understanding inlightned and his heart truly sanctified with grace he looks upon this as a very grievous and fearful death and accordingly blesses Gods for his deliverance and redempton from it Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 7.24 25. Secondly Eternal death the death of wrath and condemnation that 's another great death also and such as follows likewise upon the former without recovery from it He that 's finally dead in sin he shall be certainly dead in judgment the death of sentence and condemnation follows upon the death of spirit and disposition This God has also delivered us from He hath delivered us from wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 And we are saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.9 This is a great death among other Considerations in this respect forasmuch as it required so great a death for the expiating of it which was the death of no other than of the Son of God himself who therefore tasted of this death for the kind of it that he might free us from it We are reconciled unto God says the Apostle by the death of his Son What a sweet and blessed Saviour have we that cares not how great a death he dyes himself that so he might free us from death for whom he dyed We should take all occasions that may be to celebrate our deliverance from this which I am therefore so much the willinger to mention upon this phrase which I now here meet withal in the Text though it is not that which I desire to insist or stand upon I come to that which is more pertinent The third and that which is here particularly aim'd at is Temporal Death which though it be the least Death of all compared with the former yet it is great considered simply in it self and so much the greater according to the several circumstances and aggravations which it may be cloathed withal Which we may take in these following particulars First From the nature and kind of it A violent Death not a natural This is a great death and so consequently a great mercy to be delivered from it to be kept from accidents and casualties and mischances which we are subject unto when the Candle is not put out but goes out when our life is not taken away from us but ends of it self This is a Temporal Blessing and such as when it is granted to the Children of God is granted in love and answerably to be looked upon by them as a merciful dispensation which they are to be thankful for As for wicked men it is threatned as a judgment upon them Joh 27.20 That a Tempest shall steal them away and a storm shall hurl them out of their places and they shall lye down and not be gathered and such was this God thrusts them and turns them out of doors like a company of disorderly persons whom he will no longer have patience with but now as for the godly and righteous there 's an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fair and kindly death which so far forth as they have an
interest in any outward and worldly blessing is belonging unto them It is true that they cannot absolutely and peremptorily conclude upon it no more than upon any other outward comfort of the same nature with it for all things fall alike unto all here in this life to the good and to the bad to the just and to the unjust c. as the Preacher speaks but yet they may more certainly expect it than any other besides may and they have a promise made of it to them so far forth as is requisite for them and may most consist with the glory of God which all things are to be subservient unto Job 5.26 Among other Blessings of the same condition with it this is reckoned as one pertaining to those which are faithful That they shall come to their grave in peace like a shock of corn in its season This was that kind of death which the Apostle here was delivered from in this danger which he speaks of in Asia as we may see if we look into the story where we shall find that he was ready to be pull'd in pieces in the tumult which was there made and therefore his friends intreated him that he would not adventure himself upon the Theatre namely to the rage and fury of his Enemies which were there met in a cobustion together This is a part of the aggravation of the miseries and calamities of War The difference betwixt a fever and a sword betwixt dying by the hand of an enemy and dying by the stroke of a disease The end and conclusion is all one and the same only there 's some difference in the conveyance when as the soul does not so much take its leave as it is rather driven out of its lodging This is that which nature shrinks at even there where grace has learn't in some degree to submit unto it And that 's the first aggravation which is implyed in this expression so great a Death namely from the nature and kind of it a violent death not a natural The second is from the Quality and manner of it a painful death not a gentle and easie Death it is unpleasing in it self considered as a meer dissolution and separation of two loving friends and companions the soul and body from each other but when to this we shall add pain and torture this makes it to be so much the more This was that which many of the Godly Martyrs suffer'd and indur'd They were stoned they were sawn asunder they were killed they were slain with the sword Heb. 11.35 Deaths full of torment and pain and so great there are likewise such kind of Deaths in a natural way also Sone and Gout c. I need not name them some are afflicted with them and if we be delivered from them we have cause to bless God for it for delivering us from such great Deaths or Diseases as those as namely are painful and tormenting which makes up the second Aggravation Thirdly Take in another from the coming and proceeding of it A sudden death and not an expected This is another aggravation of Temporal Death which the Apostle seems here to allude to in his danger in Asia It was such as he did not look for and in that regard it was great indeed to speak properly Death is not altogether sudden to the Children of God because they are still more or less in the expectation of it and in some sort prepared for it but yet comparatively some is suddener than other and that which is so has the aggravation of a great death in it We find David cry in Psal 39. ult Oh spare me a little before I go hence c. that I may recover my self A Christian though he be able to give some good account of himself whensoever God shall call him as desiring always to live in such a constant frame and temper of spirit as from whence he may be fit to leave the world yet he desires to have some time to make his accounts up and to have them in a more perfect readiness than at all times else he has in which regard it is lawful for him with a submission to the good will of God to desire to be kept and preserved from a sudden stroke that so he may the better be able to reflect and recollect himself to consider what he is and what he has been and what he has done and whither he is going c. which in these sudden surprisals he is not so well able to do Fourthly From the time and season of it when it is an hastened death not a mature one in Eccles 7.17 it is there the counsel and advice of the Preacher Be not overmuch wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou dye before thy time And Psal 55.23 It is said of bloody and deceitful men that they shall not live out half their days For men to dye before their time and not to live out half their days it is reckoned in the Catalogue and account of great Deaths Now death may be said to be untimely in a twofold Consideration Either First of all in a way of Nature Or else secondly in a way of Providence First In a way of Nature When one dyes in infancy or youth or such time as he is not come to full age and it is a mercy to escape this God gives us great occasion of thankfulness when he sets us to run out our time here in the world when he cracks not the hour-glass before all the sand be spent or when the glass is but newly turn'd up as sometimes he does This is an untimely death in a way of Nature Secondly There 's an untimely Death also in a way of Providence When a man is at any time taken out of the world ere he has done his work and before he has accomplish't that business which in all likelihood he was to perform which is the very life of life it self Thus had this Death in the Text been a great Death to St. Paul because it had taken him off from that service which he was to have done for the Church and so consequently it was a great deliverance to be freed from it that he might now glory as afterwards he did before his departure that he had sought a good fight that he had finished his course c. 2 Tim. 4.7 Fifthly The greatness of Death has an aggravation of it from its latitude and extent When it is a death involving and including such and such persons in it As first for the number of the persons the death of many the death of a great many that 's a great death that 's a great death which does devour multitudes and swarms at once Thus had this death been in Asia not only Paul himself but his companions more had been taken away besides him in this violence he here speaks of And this is another thing which would have made it to have been so great a death
Christians as they are Members one of another so they rejoyce in one anothers mutual life and preservation and count their own deliverance to be still so much the greater as it has their brethrens involved with it not only we but us And then what kind of us were they Take in secondly the Quality of persons such as were especially serviceable and useful an Apostle and the Ministers of Christ for these to be delivered from death it was to be delivered from a great death The death of none is to be slighted though never so mean The life of the poorest and simplest man in the world it is precious as the life of a man no more but so but the death of such persons as for their gifts and graces are eminent and for their places and improvements are useful this it is such as is very choice and much to be set by and such was this which the Apostle here speaks of in this present Text It was so great a death c. Sixthly A great death in regard of the proximity and neerness of the evil it self It was as it were at the very next door A great death that is indeed a great danger so some read the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De tantis periculis Though Chrysostom does not so well approve of it surely it carries the sense very well though it answers not the word for if we speak properly the Apostle was not delivered from death but from danger from that which tended and inclined to death and would have proved so if it had not been prevented This is called death both here and in other places as when 't is said by the same Apostle of himself that he was in deaths oft 2 Cor. 11.23 In deaths that is in dangers of death so here from a great death that is from a great danger of death every deliverance is so much the greate as the danger is so much the nearer Lastly A great death also in regard of the apprehensions of those which were in danger of it Conceit and apprehension it does set an aggravation upon danger and does make it to be so much the greater That which is great in our thoughts and in our opinions to us it is great And so was this here to the Apostle Paul and his Company as we may see in the Verse before the Text We had the sentence of death in our selves that is we gave our selves for dead men Men that do not see their danger they do not so easily fee their deliverance nor so much take notice of Gods goodness in vouchsafing it unto them but when they are made sensible of the one they are likewise made sensible of the other If ever we would get our hearts enlarged in thankfulness afterwards we must be apprehensive of danger before For a secure spirit in danger will be an unthankful spirit in deliverance and preservation and so for the contrary So great a death Y◠here 's now the nature of Thankfulness to extend the meroies of God and to make them as great as may be It is of an amplifing and enlarging dispostion as an humble heart puts an aggravation upon sin that it may put an enlargement upon pardon so a thankeful heart puts an aggravation upon danger that it may put an amplification upon deliverance It thinks those mercies to be great which are bestowed upon it because it 's small in its own eyes and looks upon it self as less than the least of all the morcies of God Yea and that which is also further here observable when the danger it self is past and the worst is over There are many which can see it to be a great death when 't is coming and approaching and ready to surprize them when evils are present as near unto them Oh then they are great indeed yea but when they are once gone and removed then they are small or none at all The Plague when it does not spread it was not the Plague This is commonly in mens dispositions yea but with Paul it is not so he counts it a great death even now when it was past and gone It was great to his apprehensions and so great in that regard also thus now have I done with the first Particular in this first General viz. the terms of deliverance or thing c. so great a death The second Particular is the Preservation or Deliverance it self And doth deliver c. And here again take notice of two things more First The thing it self simply and absolutely propounded Secondly The Apostles acknowledgment and manifestation of it in the reflection The thing it self That God had delivered him His acknowledgment in that he blesses God for it and makes mention of it here to the Corinthians First For the thing it self this is that which we may here observe how ready God is to deliver his people from death and from great death that which the Apostle speaks of himself and those which were with him it is appliable to many others besides it is a piece of Providence which the children of God do partake of in frequent experiences and they are able to say it of themselves as so with them It is that which David does often as Psal 57.13 Thou hast delivered my soul from death Again Psal 116.8 My soul from death mine eyes from tears my feet from falling And so likewise Psal 118.18 The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over to death And so in like manner other of the Sains There are many gracious Promises to this purpose as Job 5.20 He shall redeem thy soul from death And Psal 72.14 He shall redeem their soul from violence and precious shall their blood be in his sight So Psal 116.15 it is said That precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints The Lord does not at any time cast away the lives of his servants but though he may seem now and then indifferently and promiscuously to take them away yet he does it not without special heed and regard had unto them He is very careful so far forth as may consist with their greatest advantage and the promotion of his own gracious ends and purposes and glory which it is very fitting all this should stoop unto to keep them and to deliver them from death First Out of pity and compassion towards them the Lord has bowels of tenderness towards his people And deliverance from death it is an act of mercy In Phil. 2.27 it is said concerning Epaphroditus that God had mercy on him when he brought him from the gates of death Look how much sweetness there is in life so much mercy in preservation from death which is a privation of life And God he is full and abundant in mercy as being the God and Father of it as he stiles himself and properly to those which are his children Secondly He has work for them to do and some service which he requites
this was not a great death indeed If we lose our lives yet if we can recover our souls our loss will not be so considerable And if we part with many other things which are near and dear unto us yet after all this if notwithstanding we can hold fast our faith and profession without wavering we may do pretty well But this was the mischief of these enemies that they did then hast to spoil us of these It was not so much other matters which they had an eye to life and liberty and estates though that were somewhat but even Grace and Truth Piety Salvation it self that we might not see our signs not there might not be a Prophet amongst us as the Psalmist speaks This was that which they principally aim'd at as it is said of the Adulteress that she hunts for the precious soul Prov. 6.26 even so it may be said of such as these And thus ye see how it was a great deliveran Fourthly Namely in regard of the extent both to the persons and cause Fifthly From the neerness and approximation of the danger It was great so also for it was even almot come to the execution of it we were even upon the very point and brim of destruction in this design as it was with Paul in this present Text indeed we thus sar differed from him that we knew not what danger we were in which he did we had not the sentence of death in our selves but we had the sentence of death in our conspiracies they had give in and past us for dead and had made as full account of it as might be they made no question at all of it but so it would be The plot discovered but the very night before God brought it to the very extremity it was seen in the minute he manifested himself graciously in our preservation when there was death at the very doors Thus it was here 6. It was great also in regard of the mischievousness of the contrivers it was carried with great wickedness as could be possibly imagined all the strength even of Hell it self here was ingratitude hypocrisie cruelty unnatural affection what not yea here was moreover which made it so much the more hainous the taking of the blessed Sacrament upon it consider that A setting of Gods Seal to their own wicked Counsels an eatin and drinking of damnation to themselves whiles they vowed and conspired and indeavoured destruction to others What an horrible and fearful thing was this to all the rest What wonder that they should make nothing of the death of others which made nothing of the blood of the Lord Lastly A great death in regard of what it should now be to all of us for our apprehension and acknowledgment we should make a great matter of it and so account it And for this purpose lay before us all the aggravations which I have now named to work it upon our selves Narrow capacities have commonly but streightened affections therefore let us help the one by inlarging the other let us labour to raise our hearts to a right frame and pitch of thankfulness this present day and all the days of our lives And let us not have these things only in our fancies and take them as rhetorical expressions but let us labour to get them into our affections and to have impressions of them upon our spirits let us look upon the greatness of this danger even at this distance and remoteness of it which in it self consider'd is still the same as it is with sins which are long ago committed and examine our hearts how indeed we are affected in this particular Whereby we may have some discovery of our selves what we are likely to befor future deliverances if God should vouchsafe them We are all ready to think with our selves that if God would now but give us peace and free us from those fears and distractions under which we lye and settle things quietly amongst us both in Church and State Oh how thankful we would then be to him for it Why what are we now at present for that which he has already done for us What are we for the deliverance of this day from the Gunpowder Treason He that will not be thankful for this he would not be thankful for that neither if God should please in his Providence to grant it He that will not pay the Arrears neither would he pay the new debt It is but the falseness and deceitfulness of our hearts that here cosens us and therefore let us look to our selves and quicken our felves more in this business to be sensible and apprehensive of it and to have answerable enlargements upon it And to the advantage take in all other mercies and deliverances besides with it whether national or personal as in a day of general humiliation we are to be humbled for personal miscarriages so in a day of general and publick Thanksgiving we are to acknowledg personal mercies and personal deliverances And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text And that is the commemoration of a deliverance past who deliver'd us from so great a death The second now follows and that is the signification of a deliverance present in these words And doth deliver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath delivered does deliver It is very fitly and properly put in the present tense and also indefinitely because it is that which is always in being or acting and never otherwise God is never out of this work of deliverance and preservation of us He delivers us daily look how many are the evils and dangers which we are subject unto so many are the deliverances which we partake of in the eating of our meat in the travelling on our way in the lying down on our beds in the going about in our imployments where-ever at any time we go or whatever at any time we are about we have still experiences given us of Gods gracious deliverance of us At home or abroad at work or at play a sleep or awake still in all and either of these does Goddeliver and we have good cause still to acknowledg it but we are to take it here in the Text and so likewise in the occasion in a more limited and restrained signification namely in reference to the business in hand and the particular danger now mentioned and remembred The Apostle here tells us how God had delivered him from the late danger in Asia and to amplisie and extend it further he adds also this That he does still deliver namely in a reference to that particular deliverance before spoken of He delivers with a respect had to that This may be made good unto us according to a twofold Explication First In the continuation of that deliverance which he has formerly given and vouchsafing a further fruit and benefit and efficacy of it Secondly In the multiplication or renewing of the like deliverance and vouchsafing other deliverances which are
which accordingly may be appliedby us to this present Verse here before us which is the Sum as it were and Reversion of that which went before and has been hitherto handled by us Wherein the Apostles going over the same thing once again was not frivolous or superfluous in him but to very good purpose There are three things especially which are pertinently considerable in it First His confidence and firm perswasion of the Truth which he had taught and delivered It is a sign he was no Sceptick in his Religion nor yet in his Ministry but was well assured of that which he both belived and imbraced himself as also preacht and commended to others Those things whichmen are doubtful of they think it is enough to speak but once and hardly that It sticks for the most part in their teeth and comes difficultly from them they do but whisper it or lisp it out as well as they can but where they are certain here they are more free and bold in the uttering of it And so it was here with St. Paul he was confident and therefore he stuck not again to repeat it And we see from hence what it becomes every one else to be upon the like occasion Those which are Preachers and Teachers of others they had need to be well assured of the Truth of that which they preach and vent in their Ministry not to speak things at random or at a venture they care not how but deliberately and upon grounds of confidence First Because they deal in matters of great importance and the highest concernment As it is in the affairs of the world where men speak upon life and death they had need to be sure what they speak forasmuch as otherwise their miscarriage will be such as is irrecoverable Even so it is likewise in these spiritual matters and the subjects of the Ministerial Dispensations because they are such as concern mens souls and their well or ill being to all eternity therefore we had need so much the rather to take heed what we say To say no more than we are able to prove and make good if we should be questioned about it especially if we shall add the threatnings which they join with it as here Let him be accurst He that curses another for not being of his opinion had need to be sure of that opinion Secondly Because there are many more whose judgments do depend upon it If a Minister or Preacher mistake many others mistake with him It is not a single miscarriage but a multiplied for which cause it concerns him to have good ground for that which comes from him For if the blind lead the blind they shall loth fall into the ditch as our Saviour himself has told us Thirdly For the better inforcing of the Truth and Doctrine it self The confidence of the Preacher stirs up belief in the Hearer and makes him so much the more ready to assent to the things which are propounded As we see Agrippa to Paul Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Perswaded him how did he so namely from that confidence and resolution which he did discern to be in him Whereas now on the other side as he that asks coldly we use to say teaches to deny so he that teaches coldly he does in like manner teach to mistrust and makes men to call in question the truth of that which is taught by him This the Apostle Paul here in this Scripture did not do but the contrary by that confidence which he exprest in himself Indeed this Point which we are now upon it both may be and often s abused by some kind of persons for we shall find by daily experience that there are none which are more confident than those which are most ignorant Truth it is for the most part modest and ready to suspect it self whereas error is bold and dark There are some kind of people in the world which are as stiff and resolute and peremptory in the assents of their private fancies and the imaginations of their own brain as if they were Divine Oracles and the very Articles of Faith it self neither Paul nor an Angel from Heaven could take them off from them The Devil the God of this world does two things with them first blinds their eyes from seeing the truth and their ears from hearing the errors and mistakes about it But what shall we now commend or imitate such a confidence as this no in no hand at all Neither is this that which was here observable in the Apostle this confidence of his it was of another strain and tincture which was in it It was not a confidence of presumption but a confidence of well grounded knowledg It was not a confidence of fancy or conceit but a confidence of assurance He knew and understood what he said and because he did so was therefore confident about it He that heareth speaketh constantly Prov. 21.28 And this Confidence is such as is commendable in any other besides when first of all we labour to be satisfied and well-grounded in the Truths of Religion and then keep our selves to them and stand stiffly and resolutely upon them in this case we should not cast away our Confidence which hath great recompence of reward as it is Heb. 10.35 Whether private Christians or Ministers private Christians as concerns the imbracing of the Truth and Ministers as concerns the spreading of it we should both of us so order our selves in this business as that nothing may be able to unsettle us or divert us from that which we have undertaken or discourage us in the prosecution of it For though some as I said are confident causelesly yet it is not so therefore with all There is a great deal of difference in reality between a presumptuous confidence and a rational as between one which is asleep and which is awake Both persons seem alike assured but in the thing there 's a wide distance betwixt them even so it is here But that 's the first Particular here considerable namely the Apostles confidence he was well perswaded of what he delivered The second is the Apostles zeal in the cause and truth of Christ There was a great deal of earnestness which was here exprest by him not only in the expression which he used in the simple Proposition Though we or an angel from heaven mentioned in the eighth verse but also in the additional repetition of it here again in the ninth verse What we said before c. that which men often speak of and repeat their affection is much in it and that which mens affection is much in they can never have done with it and so it was here with this blessed Apostle and holy man of God his heart it was very much raised and transported now in him when he considered how the Truth of God was now in danger to be impair'd on the one side and when he considered how the people of God were now in danger
our deceitful hearts First I say here 's the tenderness and holy jealousie of the Apostle Paul and the Spirit of God in him towards the Galatians and in them to all Christians in that he does reiterate and ingeminate his counsels to us This is still the nature of love and sincere affection that it thinks it 's never sure of the safety of the party whom it loves and therefore it repeats its admonitions and cautions again and again and is not satisfied to do it in one expression but is willing likewise to do it in another for the greater sureness and certainty of it But then secondly Here 's also the falseness and slipperiness of our deceitful hearts which stand in need of such kind of repetitions and inculcations as these are we are apt upon every turn and occasion to fall into evil and therefore we have need of all the helps against it that possibly may be not only to have our duty propounded and that which is to be done by us but likewise to be forewarned of sin and the countuary evil which we are to take heed of and avoid what we can And this by the way from the Addition of this second particular to the first But to come closely to the words themselves Do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh This is that which is in a special manner prohibited to all Christians not only here in this present Text but also in divers others besides The Scripture either in the same words or else in expressions like hereunto is very full of such Admonitions as these And accordingly it concerns us to observe them to take heed by all means that we be not guilty in this respect and to take notice of them and that especially upon these following Considerations First Because it is contrary to their professions those which are Christians have renounced the works of the flesh and vowed against them It is a part of our Covenant in Baptism wherein we are consecrated and given up to God that we will abandon such courses as these and therefore it concerns us in no hand to have to do with them If we have we transgress our Covenant and break the Bond which is betwixt us and God as an engagement to our new Obedience and Holiness of life Secondly It is contrary to our Principles and the work of Grace wrought in our hearts which in Baptism is also sealed unto us those which are true Christians they have the spirit of Christ in them which does incline them and carry them a clean direct and contrary way to these lusts of the flesh This we shall find to be the Argument of the Apostle in another place as Rom. 8.9 c. Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you Now if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness Therefore brethren we are debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh c. Every one that has the Spirit of God in him is a debter to walk after the spirit and so therefore on the other side not to fulfil the lusts of the flesh Thirdly It is contrary to their practice and that which they have done formerly already every good Christian as he has a Principle of Mortification in him whereby he is inabled to subdue the flesh so he has in some sort put this principle into action and has actually subdued the flesh indeed They which are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts says the Apostle Paul in ver 24. of this Chapter Now therefore for them to come and fulfil them is very incongruous and unsuitable and unagreeable to their former practise it is to take sin down again from the Cross and to put life and breath as it were into it after it is once mortified than which there can be nothing more absure or unfitting to be done Thus the Apostle does abundantly reason in Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin And again in ver 11 12. Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof And so all along in that Chapter Fourthly There is this also considerable against the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh the great evil and danger which comes by it and that is that it brings death and destruction along with it to be carnally minded is death Rom. 8.6 And if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8.13 And he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Gal. 6.8 And many such places as these which shew the deadliness and perniciousness of such courses What does all this now come to but teach us so much the rather to shame them and decline them and to abstain from them to follow and put in practice this counsel and admonition of the Apostle here in this Text Do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh For the better urging and pressing whereof it will not be amiss for us to consider the particular meaning of the terms themselves There are two Terms here to be explain'd as there were also in the former branch First What is here to be understood by the lusts of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what we have prohibited therein Secondly What is here to be understood by not fulfilling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what we have prohibited therein To speak somewhat to both First What are we here to understand by the lusts of the flesh Desideria Carnis Now for these we are hereby to understand all the motions and inclinations and actions of the unregenerate part in us of what kind soever By the lusts of the flesh we are not only to understand those sins which by an eminency are called fleshly lusts such lusts as are terminated in the body and acted by that as Drunkenness and Adultery and Fornication and Uncleanness and the like though these be so in a special manner and in that regard to be avoided but by the lusts of the flesh we are to understand all the motions and affections and emanations of corrupt nature in us not only as acted by the body but also as more immediate to the soul as pride and envy and malice and such as these these are included by the Apostle and not only included but also more especially intended as those sins which he did aim at to mortifie and subdue in these present Galatians to whom he here writes This we may observe from the context an the coherence of these words with the former He had spoken in the Verses before of using their liberty for an occasion to the flesh in uncharitable conversation and in biting and devouring one another by slanders and
to Duty and the doing of that which God requires of them in their several places Great and strong lusts are hinderances to any noble performances and high atchievements which are to be undertaken by us The Apostle tells us in the verse immediately following to the Text vers 17. of this Chapter that from the flesh lusting against the spirit the Galatians were disinabled from doing the things which they would and so they were and all others with them whereas on the other side where these are kept down there is strength and ability thereunto namely to serve God with so much the more strength All these laid together do shew us the happiness of this particular condition and the truth of this point in hand to wit the benefit and advantage of not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh Again further we may here also take notice that as it is a benefit in it self simply considered so it is such as is apprehended and counted so by all those which have the Spirit of God in them Those which are the true children of God they look upon this as one of the greatest mercies which can happen unto them to be freed from the power of their lusts This is also implied in the Text it was not only so in the thoughts of the Apostle but also in the thoughts of the Galatians to whom he here wrote or else he had said nothing to the purpose and it had been to no end to signifie as much unto them that by walking in the spirit they should have this benefit confer'd upon them if they had not thought it to be a benefit indeed But now he uses argumentum ad homines and speaks to them in their own Element to their heart as the Hebrew phrase hath it He knew he should now please them and bring that which would be acceptable to them when he should tell them of being freed from their lusts and so he did A good and a gracious heart looks upon this as the greatest mercy and priviledg in the world which he longs for and most eagerly desires as the Apostle Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord which is such as makes him willing to desire even death it self where in he shall indeed partake of this priviledg Again Moreover observe this as another thing implied in these words That the reward of Religion lyes within the compass of Religion The Apostle had stir'd up these Galatians and in them all other Christians to an holy Life and spiritual Conversation to walking in the spirit Now what does he here for their encouragement signifie to be the reward and recompence hereof unto them Why namely this that they should not fulfil the lusts of the flesh He does not say ye shall have such and such outward comforts heaped upon you riches and honours and the like nor he does not say ye shall have Heaven at last given you and ye shall be free from condemnation though this also be true no but ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh If we had no other recompence of a godly life but only that which is emergent from it and immediate to it yet this were enough to satisfie us in it and to perswade us to the leading of it And so much for that which is here supposed and implied in this expression I come now in the second place to that which is exprest which is the words of the Text And ye shall not fulfil c. This for the right handling of it we must take in its conjunction and connexion with the words before and as dependent thereupon Walk in the spirit and so ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh the one prevents the remedy against the other the more spiritual any are the less carnal and the more we are guided by the spirit the less we shall yield to the flesh This truth and expression may be made good to us according to a various explication which may be given of it First Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall not have so great a mind and desire to fulfil them ye shall be restrained in regard of inclination though Grace and the exercise of it does not as I said before wholly extirpate all cortuption out of us and make it cease to be whiles we live here in this world yet it does qualify the dominion of it and makes it cease to be in that measure and degree wherein it was in us before And as sinful acts do increase the habit of sin in us as we have formerly shewn in the point above so the other side do gracious acts dminish this habit and make it less It is the avantage of that man who is imploy'd and taken up in well-doing that he has not that lust and propensity in him to that which is evil as another has Godliness it puts our mouths out of taste to the pleasures of sin as on the other side sin does make goodness to be disrelish't by us Look therefore how far a man is freed from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh by having little or no desire unto them so far is he freed from them also by this course of walking in the spirit which is advantageous and effectual to this purpose to mitigate the desire of sin in them Secondly Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall not have temptation to fulfil them ye shall be kept from lustful and sinful suggestions and provocations The reason why many fall into sin now and then is because they have strong temptations and instigations to it because the Devil is very busie with them and it pleases God someimes in his Providence to give them up into Satans hands But now when men are careful to walk in the spirit they do very much provide for themselves in this particular Satan has not that power over them and advantage which otherwise he would have in the neglect of it nor they are not so much under the power of temptations as they would be if they did not thus walk This is true upon a ouble account both on Gods part and on Satans on Gods part who in this case does not so much give them over to temptation and on Satans who in this case has not that incouragement to fasten his temptation upon them First I say on Gods part who in this case does not so much give them over to Satan to be tempted Take a man that neglects his daily walk and converse with God that does not look so strictly and narrowly to his steps as it becomes him to do it pleases God now and then for his exercise and tryal and partly his correction to let Satan loose upon him and to suffer him to molest and trouble him with sad temptations not only for sin
were all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2.14 15. And then likewise that he might sanctifie Death to all Believers and take away the sting and curse of it That 's one thing which is here intimated to us That Christ was amongst the dead The second is That he rose again from the dead he was begotten among the dead that is he was raised from death to life And this the Scripture also mentions in sundry places to be profitable and beneficial to us both in point of justification and in point of sanctification likewise The former we have in Rom. 4.25 where it is said expresly That he rose again for our justification And the latter we have in Rom. 6.4 where it is said That Christ was therefore raised from the dead by the glory of the Father that so we might walk in newness of life The third and last Point and which comes more home to the Text is That Christ was the first-begotten of the dead Thus he is call'd here in this place and also in some other Scriptures as in Col. 1.18 He is said to be the beginning and the first-born from the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This he is said to be according to a twofold Explication First In regard of order And secondly In regard of influence In regard of order as being himself the first in the resurrection In regard of influence as being operative and efficacious in our rising again First I say Christ was said to be the first-begotten of the dead in point of order as being first in the glorious Resurrection Therefore he is call'd in another place the first-fruits of them â—â—â—t sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 Christ is before any other in this particular And this again in a twofold respect First As to the principle of his Resurrection And secondly as to the terms of it For the principle first In that he alone rose by his own proper virtue and power others they rose from the dead but they were raised by the Power of Christ Christ he rose purely of himself Thus Joh. 2.19 Destroy this Temple and I will in three days raise it up he spoke of the temple of his body And so Joh. 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it again This was the Power of his Divine Nature which from hence did manifest it in him And therefore in Rom. 1.4 he was said to be declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead Secondly As from the Principle of his Resurrection so likewise from the Terms of it Christ was the first that rose from Death to Life eternal and so to Glory Though Lazarus and some others rose from the dead before Christ yet they rose from natural death to natural life and so as to dye again but Christ so rose as never more to dye Rom. 6.9 Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him c. Thus now Christ is the first-begotten of the dead in point of order which is the first Explication The second is in point of influence so far forth as Christ's Resurrection was operative and efficacious to ours as indeed it was Christ's rising again from the dead is a cause of rising again to all his Members who rose in reference to him by way of Merit by way of Efficiency and by way of Pattern or Example Again which we may refer hereunto he is said to be the first-begotten of the dead in regard of that authority which he has over the dead obtained by his rising again We knew amongst the Jews he that was the first-born and eldest in the Family he had many priviledges and preheminences above his brethren as Lordship right of the Priesthood a double portion c. even so has Christ the like priviledg over those whom he is pleased to call his brethren And so the Apostle himself sets it That in all things he might have the preheminence But more expresly in Rom. 14.9 To this end Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living Which he is therefore said to be because in his rising again he entred into the possession and exercise of that Lordship which he had purchased over us and which did now of right give this Denomination unto him Christ was Lord of us before he rose again as he was also before he dyed and in dying it self but his Resurrection put him into the actual possession of this Lordship and was a fuller and clearer discovery and manifestation of it This is a Point of singular comfort and encouragement to God's Children and that especially against the fear of Death and the horror of the Grave wherein notwithstanding they belong to him as the head of them God is in this sense not only the God of the living but of the dead and Christ is likewise their elder Brother and as the first-begotten amongst them There is an inseparable and perpetual Union betwixt Christ and every Believer and that not only in regard of their souls but also of their bodies which as they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost so they are likewise the Members of Christ as it is in 1 Cor. 6.15 And God has made a gracious Covenant with them likewise in Christ to be their God even for ever and ever and in death it self which they shall at last be also raised up from upon the account of Christs Resurrection as it is in 1 Pet. 1.3 4. He hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you And so I have done also with the second General Part of the Text which is the description of Christ taken from his Office of Priesthood in those words The first-begotten of the dead The third and last is from his Regal or Kingly Office And the Prince of the Kings of the earth Christ is not only a Prophet and a Priest but likewise a King Act. 5.31 The God of our Fathers hath raised up Jesus c. and exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins not only a Saviour but likewise a Prince yea a Prince of all Princes as he is here and elsewhere called Thus 1 Tim. 6.15 Who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords who only hath immortality c. And so Rev. 19.16 He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of kings and Lord of lords This Christ is said to be upon a twofold Consideration First In reference to his Nature Secondly in reference to his Office For his Nature first of all as he is God so together with the other two persons in the Sacred Trinity hath he justly this Title put upon him as being the Maker
tremble and quake at this coming and at the thoughts of it as malefactors at the coming of the Judg They desire that Christ would not come and where he gives any symptoms of it they cry out with the unclean spirit in the Gospel What have we to do with thee thou Son of God art thou come to torment us before our time A guilty and defiled conscience it abhors the coming of Christ and withdraws from it if it were possible it would altogether shun it and never have it to come to pass and when it does come it is matter of the greatest terror and astonishment to it that can be Therefore it is said of such persons at such a time That they shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and shall say unto the mountains and rocks Fall upon us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6.15 16 17. The ungodly shall not stand in judgment Psal 1.5 Not stand that is not stand upright but fall down before it and accordingly shall do all they can to avoid it Whereas on the other side the Children of God shall be well-pleased with it and hearty and couragious in it and very freely and cheerfully entertain it When he shall appear they shall have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 Joh. 2.28 Indeed there are some cases and circumstances and times wherein the Spouse of Christ her self may not be always in such a present frame and disposition of spirit as to utter this speech here before us and to say Come even in this sense which we now speak of even the servants of God themselves may at least for such a particular season have an indisposedness upon them hereunto As namely when they have not finished their work or got their businesses ready about them but yet they have always a general and habitual preparation for it in them As a steward that is for the main faithful yet he may not always have his accounts made up and in that regard may not yet wish for the Audit And a Spouse that has a good affection for her Beloved yet may not presently have all her Ornaments upon her and in that Consideration may sometimes wish for the delay of his coming This is tha which is here chiefly considerable that God's Children they do still labour to frame themselves to an entertainment of Christ at his coming And that 's the first notion of this Expression as it may be taken for a word of simple acceptance or entertainment Come that is thou mayst come if thou so pleasest and shalt be welcom to me The second is as it may be taken as a word of desire or invitation Come that is I pray come it is my earnest suit and request that thou would'st come And here now we have a further inlargement and improvement of Grace in a Christian which is not only to be content with Christs coming and submitting unto it but also to be desirous of it and longing after it This is the temper and disposition of a good and of a gracious heart to pant and breathe and thirst for the second coming of Christ and not to be satisfied in it self till it does come The Spirit and the Bride say Come that is they say it importunately and earnestly with a great deal of affection This desire whereof we now speak it is laid and founded in sundry Considerations which do make for it As first in reference to the world it self in the present frame and constitution of it The world is at present in that condition as that the coming of Christ if very desirable in that regard And there are two particulars especially which do make up this unto us First In point of sin and wickedness And secondly in point of misery and affliction Both these two taken together do cast a disparagement upon the world and do therefore make Christians to desire the destruction of it First As it is a wicked and sinful world The world taken at the best was never over-good since it first began to be bad even presently upon the Creation of it Sin made an entrance upon it and got possession of it and not long after the whole earth had soon corrupted it self as the Scripture tells us but now as it 's grown any thing older and of longer standing so its sinfulness is so much the more improved and it grows worse every day than other The very times themselves we live in are a sufficient demonstration of it to us and we find it so by sad experience as being such wherein iniquity abounds more than ever and wicked men grow worse and worse as the Apostle speaks In these latter days and times of the world more especially as the spirit has foretold it there are the greatest incursions of wickedness of any other and that in all the kinds and degrees of it Now this is that which makes a gracious heart so to long for this second coming of Christ that so thereby he may put a period to these days of sin that God may be no longer dishonoured his Name may be no longer blasphemed his Laws may be no longer transgressed his Ordinances may be no longer despised his Spirit may be no longer grieved A good Christian has such an enmity and antipathy against sin as that he cannot but be very desirous of that which is destructive of it as the coming of Christ is not his first only but his second For this end will the Son of God be manifest that he may destroy the works of the Devil And for this end also do the Children of God so much desire the manifestation of him that so by this means sin may be destroyed and have a period and end put unto it And that both in others and also in themselves The Children of God they are both scandalized and offended at others abominations and likewise they are burdened and overprest with their own corruption and in each respect do desire that Christ would come for the remedying of either that their righteous souls with Lot's may be no longer vexed with the Conversation of the wicked and that themselves also with Paul may be delivered from the body of death that is the body of sin as we shall hear more anon in the following Explication But secondly As there is the world in the sinfulness and wickedness of it so there is the world also in the misery and afflictiveness of it which does make for this desire in them also that exceeding vanity which is upon the creature and those manifold calamities which do attend upon humane Life This is another thing here considerable in the world which does put the Church upon this Prayer for Christs coming that as God has promised he may wipe away all tears from