Second thing was That he lives as Lord that is as God exercising his Dominion over all things both in Heaven and earth and this you find very frequently mentioned in Scripture Psal 97.1 It is spoken by way of comfort and of awakening to the wicked so Psal 97.1 and Dan. 4.3 The Mediatory Kingdom Christ received from his Father he had all power commus nicated to him as Mat. 28.18 God hath exalted him above all and made him the head of all Eph 1.21 22 23. This Kingdom of Christ is so established on him that he shall rule so long as there is one Enemy remaining to be subdued and conquered 1 Cor. 15.26 27. and as long as one Elect person is to be called in preserved and taken care of in this world Christ retains his Dominion and when these things are finished Christ resignes his Kingdom into his Fathers hands and God becomes all in all and he lives as Lord to make good all his Promises to his people and to fulfil his threatings against his Enemies Now consider how large a Treasure the Promises are such as we cannot desire any blessing beyond what the Promises do contain As to the Blessings of this life what can we desire more than God promises God promises we shall have so much of this world as is for our good and would you have that which is for your hurt this was a rash desire God hath promised to free us from so much evil in this world as our condition can be safe without afflictions shall be for a little time if need be no more and no longer shall our afflictions continue then what is needful and so long as we need them they shall 3. How is this for the support and comfort of Gods people that God lives I answer if we consider what God is there is enough in this to so speak it highly to the advantage of his People Look upon God in those excellencies by which he hath made known himself to his poor Creatures and this must needs be greatly to their support and comfort though all other comforts should be taken from from them God is the Fountain of all good and there is that infinite fulness in him that whatever our wants be yet there is enough in his fulness to supply us Though our wants are far more and greater than we are able to understand yet they are not too great for infinite fulness to supply We want all those mercies by which God hath commended his love to poor Creatures there is not one single mercy either pardoning or purging or sealing mercy which we need not But our comfort is we cannot need that mercy but there is enough in God for our relief according to our particular case because he is the Fountain of all blessings the God of all consolation the Giver of every good gift He is the Fountain of his own perfections and he is the Fountain of all the Excellencies that are amongst the Creatures the very Angels themselves do but shine with a borrowed light Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things Nay he is a full Fountain an Eternal Fountain that can never be exhausted or drawn dry Though God hath been thousands of years communicating good to his Creatures and that in divers ways yet he is as full as ever We have some Resemblances of this in Nature Though the Sun hath been priviledging the world with its light for some thousands of years yet the Sun is as full of light as ever And the Sea though it hath been so long supplying the streams yet is as full of water as ever yet all these Resemblances are but dark Representations and shadows of that infinite fulness and excellencie that is in God Alas these Creature helps are but like leaking vessels and broken Cisterns so Jeremiah compares them Jer. 2.13 For my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and howed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water they are but Cisterns and therefore cannot hold much and they are broken Cisterns and therefore cannot hold what they have long all our Creature-comforts are but like Hagars bottle that will be soon empty and dry Gen. 21.15 But now though God hath bestowed millions of blessings upon his people yet he hath as many blessings in store for them as ever None shall have cause to say to him as Esan to Isaac with tears Hast thou but one blessing my Father bless me even me also O my Father The Name by which God made himself known to Abraham was this I am God All-sufficient Gen. 17.1 and what greater thing can be said than this All-sufficient Let our case be what it will suppose we are stript of all our comforts God hath taken away a most comfortable Child a most loving Husband a most faithful friend one that hath been in all respects very helpful both to our Souls and to the comforts of our lives heretofore yet what is all this to the All-sufficiencie of God if we look upon upon him as God All sufficient and consider this God still lives though the Cistern may be dry yet the Fountain is open though Creature comforts may be gone yet God is still where he was this must needs be a ground of Comfort to the people of God Again Look upon God not only as the Fountain of all good but as the Sum and Quintessense of all good and this must needs be comfortable to his people for whatever is of comfort in any Creature must needs be much more in God for God that makes any Creature comfortable to us can in the absence of that Creature communicate the same comfort to us from himself Observe it according to that old Rule That which makes any thing such must needs it self be more such The Schoolmen speak of three ways by which we may come to the knowledge of God The first is by way of Causality when we take notice of those various excellencies that are scattered up and down in the Creatures and all these meet in God yea and meet in him without the least mixture of those imperfections wherewith they are clogg'd in the Creature but that 's not all Secondly they are all in God by way of Infiniteness Is a friend comfortable God is a friend beyond all friends Is a faithful Counsellor a great help what help can you liken unto God in respect of his Being saith Isaiah 40.18 To whom will you liken me where is the person or that friend who can do that for you which I have done and am still ready to do Do you look upon ease as a great priviledge there 's no such ease as that which God gives he gives ease to troubled minds peace to wounded Consciences Nay is life it self desirable you read Psal 63.3 God is much more desirable in life and death God is desirable Thy loving kindness saith he is better than life he
less than all those that might either endanger the welfare or disturb the peace and quiet of the people of God In the Chapter before you find him in his conflict striving with many doubts and Objections In this Chapter you find his Faith in its elevation as you may find in the 35 verse Who shall separate us from the love of God Shall tribulation or distress persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nay says he in verse 37. In all these things we are more than Conquerors And in this verse St. Paul seems to make a kind of Challenge to all kind of evils to do their worst and utmost he bids defiance to them but it is very observable that all this confidence which appeared in this great Apostle was not upon the account of any thing in himself but only upon the account of the love of God and the assurance he had of his interest therein as David when he went with somuch confidence against Goliah it was not in any strength of his own but because he went in the Name of the Lord of Hosts whose Army that proud person had defied Thus it was with the Apostle Paul here And though in every Epistle written by this great Apostle we find him speaking as becomes an Apostle a person so extraordinarity gifted and called yet in this Chapter as a Writer observes St. Paul speaks as if he was now raised up to the third Heavens he spake such great and mighty things as were enough to pose a weak and ordinary faith as in his other writings he seems to be above others so here he seems to be above himself in respect of what he was at other times he now soars aloft now answers all his Objections In this Triumph here are these four things remarkable 1. A large Catalogue or enumeration of the several troubles that may endanger the safety of the people of God and a separation from the love of God and these he lays down chiefly in the verse before the Text Neither death nor yet life c. The first is death death seems to be a thing of all things the most formidable it s called the King of Terrors it s the most dreadful thing to nature but because after the Apostle had mentioned several particulars in the verse before and in this lest he should leave room for any Objection that might gravel any poor doubting soul he puts in Any other Creature nor this nor that nor any thing St. Paul does here like the wise King spoken of in Luke 14.31 in the Parable Or what King among you that goeth about to wage war against another King sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand St. Paul here computes all the troubles he reckons the summ total of all the oppositions that Christians can meet with in this world and yet he sees nothing discouraging in all these that 's the first particular a large Catalogue c. For while he says these things cannot separate from the love of God he strongly implies thus much that those that are the objects of the love of God are yet liable unto these things 2. Here is the utter inablility of all these things to cause any distance between God and any truly gratious Soul These things may separate us from Friends from Relations from what is dear to us in this world but not from the love of God Alas what breaches is God continually making upon every one of us in every part of our lives but such is the union between God and every sincere believer that nothing can make a separation here God may be offended with his people but nothing can separate between God and his people death cannot do it yet death can separate us from all our Creature-comforts from all our dearest friends yea it may separate the very Soul and body and yet it cannot separate from the love of God God hath such respect to the Souls of his people that pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Yea and their scattered dust God will take care of that and will cause it to meet together again and be made partaker with the Soul of that Glory that is reserved in Heaven But then besides the terrors of death here are the temptations of life the pleasures of this life these Temptations may do that upon some that the terrors of death cannot do upon them Neither death no nor life neither this cannot separate but these cannot yet other things without us are of great influence Angels cannot do it they are Creatures that excel in strength some expound it so good Angels that it is spoken of them by way of supposition Gal. 1.8 If we or an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed not that any good Angel can be so bad a Messenger as to set up a new Gospel in opposition to the everlasting Gospel of Christ it is spoken by way of supposition so I find Learned Writers interpret it thus No good Angels cannot it s contrary to their charge and trust the Angels are Ministring Spirits sent c. Heb. 1. last therefore they cannot so much forget their trust nor be unfaithful to their charge to attempt such a thing especially being now confirmed in a state of Grace Others interpret it of bad Angels now whatever attempts these do make though they are compared to a roaring Lyon going about seeking whom they may devour though they never so much desire it yet they are in Gods Chain Epist Jude 6. Those Angels are in Chains not only as guilty Malefactors to be punished but as Mischievous persons to be restrained who if they were at liberty would do more mischief than now they can You may take it in this latter sense which seems to be most proper so Angels cannot do it but there are several Ranks and Degrees among the Angels therefore we read in Ephes 6.12 We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world c. So here in the Text we read of Principallities and Powers As they said of our Saviour he through Beelzebub the Chief or Prince of Devils did cast out Devils in these Principalities then is the danger But it it is not in them neither I find many Interpreters carrying the sense to earthly Potentates the Rulers of his world that they by all their Tyranny and persecutions for they joyn the word Principalities to Powers they can never be able to separate c. But notwithstanding all we undergo for the present who knows what may follow for the future who knows what a day may bring forth What is in the Womb of the next moment the Apostle answers this here not things present no nor things to come though you know
in the New Testament 1 Rom. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is Translated despiteful and denotes thus much When his power could not reach the Persons of Professours nor the worldly concerns of Professours yet he did his utmost to blast their names and blemish their reputation he was a reviler he forbore nothing that was injurious to them but what was beyond his power to inflict These were his sins 2. What mercy he did obtain notwithstanding such sins and that in three instances 1. Sparing mercy God had born with him Notwithstanding he was often guilty of those sins which might have brought wrath and destruction more quickly upon him he wondered at Gods patience towards him this is mentioned in this verse That he might shew forth all long suffering When he once came to understand what he had been and what he had done he stands amazed at the holy God that had so much patience with him God had it is true struck him to the ground he admired that God had not struck him as low as hell We are apt to think beholding the gross abominations that are more open and visible in our days what infinite patience there is in God that he doth not immediately break out upon such as are guilty but S. Paul like a poor humble sinner busies himself at home and spends his wondering chiefly on Gods patience towards himself who had been a blasphemer and persecutour and injurious and yet alive and on this side hell yet a pattern of the patience and long-suffering of God 2. He obtained pardoning and renewing mercy in respect of that double change that was wrought upon him there was an outward change in respect of his State and Condition and there was an inward change in respect of the frame and disposition of his heart These were the high and choice mercies which he obtained Mercy in respect of his state and condition Of a childe of wrath he became a childe of mercy and favour from a state of death he was brought into a state of life from a state of condemnation he was brought into a state of absolution and pardon as he himself speaks 2 Ephes 5. Even when we were deed in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ We were dead guilty of death under a state of condemnation but now 5. Rom. 1. being justified by faith we have peace with God Now justification is not only an act of mercy and consists not barely in the remission of sin but it is an act of justice also in regard of the account upon which sin is forgiven this is a Doctrine whereof many in these times speak very lightly therefore to give a right notion of Justification consider it doth not only consist in the bare remission of sin but this remission of sin is upon a valueable consideration Divine Justice having received a valueable satisfaction by the blood of Christ For nothing could expiate our sins but his blood Now S. Paul was sensible of the great mercy of God to him and by this mercy he means pardoning mercy Again he did partake of purging mercy in regard of the inward frame and disposition of his heart This he frequently mentions Thirdly That is not all but he obtained Commissionating grace grace to be employed to be made use of in the highest degree of service to God and his Church From the lowest degree of infamy he was raised to the highest place of trust 12. vers of this Chapter And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that be counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry Though the Ministry be never so much despised he accounted it a high honour to be put into it he that was a blasphemer a persecutour injurious that Christ should put this honour upon him here is mercy indeed for such an offender to be spared to be pardoned to be sanctified to be made use of as such a glorious chosen instrument of God among the Gentiles this was mercy indeed 3. What encouragement is there in this and such like famous instances which God hath left upon record as monuments of his mercy for broken hearted sinners who are ready to sink under the weight and burden of their own sins First These examples and standing monuments of Gods mercy to others are incouragements to humble broken hearted sinners because the same Fountain of mercy still stands open to us that was open to them and by these standing monuments God hath enabled his people to answer those puzzling objections that do stick most with them The bowels and compassion of a gracious God are open now which were open to Saint Paul This is the original of all kind of mercies and unless this be open every door of mercy is 〈◊〉 59. Isa 1. The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save He hath the same bowels now which he had he is the fame yesterday and to day and for ever his mercy is from one generation to another The mercy of the Lord endures for ever It is no less then twenty times mentioned in the 136. Psalm We have the same fountain opened to us that is the Bowelâ— of God Secondly There is the fame meritorioussâ—â—â— in the bloud of Christ now as was He is the Laâ—â— slain from the foundation of the world There is an everlasting efficacy in his blood The Papists speak of their Treasury of Indulgences that sinners may live upon if they will give a handsome rate for them this is a gross delusion and multitudes have been deceived with it But this is true and real in Christ there is a treasury of all kinde of blessings laid up by his purchase by his once offering up himself be hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Thirdly There is the same efficaciousness in the Spirit of Grace We have the same operations of the Spâ—â—â— of grace to convince and to convert to sanctifie and renew us to prevent us from siâ—â—ing and to regenerate us to holiness to assist us and to enable us to every good way and work Fourthly If you regard the instrumental cause there is the same vertue in ordinances now which ever was because the strength and vertue of ordinances depend upon Gods presence and concurrence with them Now God hath promised his presence and concurrence to the end of the world 28. Matth. last Lo I am with you to the end of the world Not only with your Persons while your live but with your successours by whom the same ordinances are dispenced when you are dead and gone Again if you regard the final cause salvation and happiness God hath the same love for the salvation of lost and undone creatures now which he had of Old therefore says S. Paul 15. Rom. 8 9. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto your Fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy There
ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandment Observe the Commandments are there mentioned in the plural number as many as do these things that are pleasing in his sight in ver 23. And this is his Commandment it is mentioned in the singular Number that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment A new Commandment saith our Saviour I leave with you that ye love one another New Was it not old Yes But it is said to be new upon a double account 1. Because it is prest upon us by new Motives and arguments 2. And it is commended to us by a new pattern and example such an example of love as the world never had before nor can ever have again Now the first and principal Object of our love is God himself in whom is every thing that might attract our love the next and secondary Objects of our love are all those Creatures which according to their degree do participate of Divine excellencies in this respect the Saints are stiled The excellent in the earth as David declares them to be them in whom is all my delight and therefore are excellent because they partake of and are neerer in their resemblance to the Divine nature than others 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the Divine nature a high expression This is clear this debt of love though we owe it to all and shall be owing it while we live yet we owe it especially to our fellow Christians and that upon these accounts 1. Because the Glory of God and the honour and credit of Religion is more concerned in their well doing they are nearer to God than others are 2. Because Christ takes all good offices that are done to them as done to himself a full place to this purpose is that Matth. 25.40 when Christ shall speak encouragingly to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a Kingdom prepared for you c. in as much a ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me 3. It is a special evidence of our sincerity our love to the Brethren Hereby we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.17 4. It is upon this account principally that God intrusts some of his servants with greater talents than others that they may be more capable of expressing their love and tenderness to their Brethren 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle compares the Church of Christ to an organical body a body that consists of many members and he speaks of a diversity of gifts that those members are eudued with v. 4 5 6. but upon what account are these gifts given v. 7. It is given to every man to profit withal to be useful with not meerly to enrich them but to be imployed by them there are some to whom God gives a larger talent of riches and worldly comforts and to others of parts and abilities gifts and graces but all is to profit withal therefore as one observes there are Christians of divers ranks and divers forms some that are weak but God hath inricht others with more strength some are strong in grace and gifts God gives those talents to them that they may by converse help them that are weak and have not their measure of strength and Grace that all may be helpful one to another those that have less than others should provoke them that have more to thankfulness and to have their bowels drawn out towards others that have need of their help Consider the many strict obligations and bonds that Christians are in one to another beyond what other Relations have at least how much more significant those Relations are between them they are servants to one and the same Master to wit the Lord We have one Lord 1 Cor. 12. they are of the same family and houshould nay that is not all though this obligeth us to a spetial degree of love but they are Children to one Father born from above not of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God John 1.14 yet higher they are members of one body Col. 3.15 now there is a tenderness that all the members have one of another Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you are called in one body and be thankful This notion is improved to the full 1 Cor. 12.25 26. That there should be no Schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another But you have a higher expression than this not only members of the same body but members one of another ver 27. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular or as it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 members of a member as Eckius in loc members of every part members one of another this shews the unity oneness and nearness that should be between the Children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay they are said to be acted by the same Spirit as the same Soul in the body acts the several parts of the body but with a great diversity in respect of the divers parts of it because of the diversity of the organs in one part the eye in that the Soul sees in the ear it hears in the hand if works it acts in every part but according to its different constitution So is the Spirit of God in this body the Church it acts in all in common now how strange would it be if the several members in one body should be at varience and difference one with another shall the hand not be helpful to the foot or the foot not helpful to the hand or shall the hand be imployed to pluck out the eye or to cut off the leg this would be monstrous and strange to see â—â—sentions among persons so neerly related it is looked upon as a great failing in many good men who were united in the same faith who were imployed in the same work and carrying on the same designe Gods honour and service in the world yet that they have shewed so much weakness that they have had so many diffentions which nothing could reconcile but the common sufferings of both and that from those who were enemies against both It is observed in the Book of Martyrs that when Bishop Cranmor Hooker Ridley and Sanders were in prison they did agree they then laid aside all differences between them You see upon these accounts it doth very much concern us to exercise this duty of love especially to our fellow Christians Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us Eph. 5.2 Q But wherein should we express our love to our Brethren so as thereby to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour A. 1. In watching over them to do what we
from strength to strenth that is the same which in other places is called from graceto grace and from faith to faith that is from a less degree to a higher I might instance in the Church of Philadelphia Thou hast a little strength Rev. 3.8 that is there is the reality of Grace but it is Grace as it was in its infancie thou hast but a little strength Indeed where ever there is Grace there is a proportionableness of strength Inlightening Graces are the strength of the understanding a Soul that is spiritually anointed acts strongly in its apprehensive faculty self-denying Graces are the strength of the affections and sanctifying Graces are the strength of the whole inward man But more particularly there is a three fold strength in Grace First a strength of interest as it intitles us to Christ 2. Strength of improvement as Grace grows up to a higher stature 3. A strength of evidence 1 There is a strength of interest by Grace by which we can claim an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ and that is great strength to our Souls when we are going hence and shall be no more If you can say Christ is yours then all is yours life is yours and death is yours 1 Cor. 3. last All things are yours If once God hath given us his Son he will with him give us all things and he that hath given us this Grace will with hold no good thing from us God will think nothing too much for them upon whom he hath bestowed his Son and who are the persons that have an interest in Christ John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life that believeth on him there is the Grace of faith There is a time coming when we shall say to riches and to relations and all Creature-enjoyments there was a time when you were useful refreshing and comfortable but your time is now past it is not in you to comfort us to set open the door of Heaven for us it is not for you to appear before God on our behalves it is not in you to deliver us from the evils we now fear nor to confer upon us the good things which are to be desired Nothing can hide the Soul from the displeasure of God nothing can procure it those undeserved favours and make it compleatly happy but only Christ but if we have Christ we have all with him here is the strength of interest when the Soul is in want and to leave all its enjoyments in the world at once as friends estate relations yet if the Soul hath an interest in Christ death doth not separate it from Christ that you have Rom 8. last Nor heighth nor depth nor life nor death 2. These is the strength of improvement for though weak faith and weak Grace may hold its own in God and Christ yet this hold is not so firm and fast as when Grace is grown up to some stature and hath attained some degree of strength It is a notable passage of a Learned Writer They do but make a great noise in the world about Grace and Christ that make no improvement in Grace and are not every day making some farther prgress in their spiritual interest 'T is true where-ever there is the least degree of grace there is the mystical union to Jesus Christ and a communion with Christ in his Graces for light and heat always come and go together for when Christ comes into the Soul he brings along with him these blessings But yet though no Christian can be any farther in possession of Christ than he doth make use of him yet there are several degrees of strength which by out making use of Christ we may attain unto To instance in mortification of sins and the subduing of our corruptions A Soul that can appropriate Christ will be deriving Conquest from Christ over its inbred corruptions and power to get Authority over its continued temptations such a Soul will be crucified to the world and all the lusts of the flesh and so as to vivification and newness of life a Soul that can challenge a propriety in Christ will fetch dower not only from his death for the mortification of sin but also from his Resurrection for holiness and newness of life and conversation it will finde living desires and longings and lively stirrings of heart after God continually 3. There is the strength of evidence or assurance which results from Grace That I may recover may strength When the Soul by reflecting upon it self nnds that it hath made such improvement by the means of Grace and opportunities it doth enjoy and that really it hath got an interest in Christ and sees some Scripture-grounds to reckon it self among those beloved ones whose names are written in the Book of life this will fill the Soul with joy here and bear it up under all pressures and difficulties it may meet with in its passage this will animate it to look death in the face and that with comfort Now these three sorts of strength are so admirably advantageous will appear from the language of departing Souls when they come to lie upon their death-beds what is it that makes the poor Soul that is ready to take its flight into another world when it is just going hence and shall be no more to quake and tremble but the want of some of these strengths O says one If I had but an interest in Jesus Christ I could say with Simeon Luke 2.20 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart Death should not then storm me no I would then make a quick and speedy surrender of my self to it then it should not lay siege to me Says a second had I more strength of improvement had I walked more circumspectly lived more self-denyingly had I approved my self more faithful in all my Relations I should then have been more able with the dying Swan to have sung my self asleep in my last bed as the Naturallist speaks Says a third had I an evidence and an assurance of my relation to Christ did I certainly know I have an interest in the love of God then I should welcome death and say welcome thou Prince of terrours for though thy face be grim yet thy message is comfortable so that it is only spiritual strength that will bestead the Soul at such a time and whatever mercy we may be found wanting of what a mercy will it be to us not to be found wanting of this mercy this spiritual strength It is no great matter in what way death comes to us if it find us with this spiritual strength in reference to our eterual condition 2. Part. This spiritual strength is subject to many failings and decays Our strength as to interest 't is true can not be lost for a Soul that is once united to Christ is never separated from him again My Father faith our Saviour is greater than
all and none can pluck them out of my Fathers hands The very innitiative Covenant by which Christ espouseth a Soul to himself carries the longest date along with it I will never leave thee nor forsake thee thou art mine and shalt be mine I do love thee and I will love thee for ever John 13.3 He loved his own to the end he gives grace and he will give glory But though it is true that cannot be lost yet the strength and improvement and the evidence of this interest may be blotted and darkned it may be intermitted and interrupted our spiritual comforts may be clouded by inbred corruptions breaking in upon the Soul Godmay suffer the Soul to be foyled and born down for a time this you shall find in the most chearful and the most improved Christians and those that have had sometimes the clearest discoveries of Gods love to their Souls what a damp hath sometimes been upon their Joys insomuch that David was fain to call himself to an account Why art thou cast down O my Soul How have even he best of Saints many times thought themselves meer cast-aways and such as whom God had forsaken utterly Indeed to discouse how far a Child of God may go backwards in his Comforts is a task too large to speak to but questionless there may be a great decay in spiritual strength in the strength of improvement Grace may feem to be quite withered and dried up Rev. 2.4 5. The Church of Ephesus had lost her first love her flourishing her vigorous love The Church of Sardis seemed to be quite dead at least ready to die Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a name to live but art dead as to outward appearance We say a reai Christian can never be under such a deprivation of all kind of spiritual life and sense he may be so as to others he may have no symptoms of spiritual life left yet there may be some struglings for life remaining And as for Assurance they may be bronght so low as to be upon the very brink of despair yet they can neither fall totally nor finally how should this make us to walk humbly for if once we begin to be tickled with spiritual pride concerning any spiritual improvement because we outstrip others God can quickly suffer us to fall into the common level whith the meanest Christian As Grace is our spiritual strength and this is subject to decays and declinations so thirdly the great thing that such as rightly understand themselves that renders the life of nature desirable to them it is in order ot their improvement in this spiritual strength O spare me Why that I may recover strength He doth notsay that I may obtain riches and worldly greatness and compass great matters for my self in these outward things but that I may recover my strength The life of nature is in it self the highest of outward mercies for all other mercies are but as so many Cyphers without is if it were not for lise we were not capable of enjoying them hence it is as Solomon speaks A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon when Death comes it puts us in an utter incapacity of partaking of any refreshment from these outward comforts therefore it is the Devil said to Job Skin for skin and all that a man hath will be give for his life It was a truth though from the father of lyes now though it be in it self a very desirable thing yet that which makes it more desirable is in order to this spiritual improvement How sad must needs be the condition of such who only live here to the gratifying of their senses the longer we live the more we shall encrease our score and the more guilty we shall make our selves Certainly we are to live to better purpose Nor can we be said more truly to live then when our Souls do most thrive and flourish in Grace The Heathens themselves thought that meerly to breath to eat and drink and converse with men and to have a being in this world as men was not worthy the name of living and therefore they made a distinction between being and living and others have been said to be in the world and to pass a little time in the world but not to live not to live well is a kind of dying a life below the life of a Christian Applic. Then what cause have we to be thankful-you see Grace is our strength it is that by which we lay hold on Christ and God who is our strength and it is our improvement in Grace that makes our evidences more clear and apparent then if this be the great business to make life desirable our improvement in Grace then remember for what purpose you came into this world God hath not given you lives only that you may live as those Epicureans because they had but a little time to live therefore they will make as much of it as they can because they had so little a time to live in the world to enjoy the comforts of it therefore they would take their fill of them Come let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die should we make this use of all Gods forbearance of us when God hath swept away thousands by the destroying pestilence and when the arrows of God have flown so thick about us when several have faln on our right hands and on our left shal we make this the end of the goodnes of God in sparing us because more time is given us therefore we will give our lusts their swing this would be very sad and a fore evidence against us though God hath spared us yet if we do so our deliverances are not deliverances but reprivals it is one thing to be delivered from a calamity and another thing to be reprieved to be spared for a time that God may punish us more severely hereafter and if we consider in those destroying flames that have laid waste the habitations of others that any of ours have been preserved shall we make no better use of it than thus when God hath under so many several judgments shewed that kindness to us which he promised to Ebed Melech Jerem. 39.18 Notwithstanding when he had threatned all those miseries against them I will surely deliver thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. God doth not know how to cast off them that cast themselves upon him Thou hast reposed thy trust in me and I will be faithful to that trust I will do it for thee But our care should be to improve our time to the utmost we have but a little time to be here and when we go hence we shall be no more That is no more to preparatory opportunities and in this lies our greatest concerns consider the sadness of their condition who go hence in their sins they do at once leave all their comfort and they exchange comforts for sorrows how can these persons go hence in their sins
say therefore may sharply reprove all careless Professors that lay aside their watch and do not always stand upon their guard to keep off every thing of sin You know how much Christ hath deserved from us shall I little minde you in two or three hints Consider how much he hath done and suffered for all that belong to him he thought no blessings too great to leave even such blessings as none but himself was ever capable of for no Creature could be capable of those high and eminent priviledges that he left that he might become our Redeemer and as there was no mercy that he thought too great to leave so there was no misery that he thought too sharp to undergo that the wrath of God his Father whose love to him was more worth than millions of worlds might be appeased and in order to the Redemption of poor lost Creatures he was willing to bear it Lo I came in the Volitinne of thy will Oh my God yea thy Law is within my heart Thus do but consider what the Glory was that he left and what that misery was he underwent that chearfulness with which he did both his design in all these which was only to redeem poor lost Creatures as for him self he could be no gainer as appears by what he said John 17.4 Father Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was and certainly it cannot but command of thee the greatest exactness and circumspection of thy life Doest thou name the Name of Christ Doest thou own these condescentions of Christ and canst thou allow thy self in any kind of iniquity it was iniquity that was the Judas that betrayed him the Pilate that condemned him it was not those instruments but our sins and will you yet harbour those sins is this an ingenious requital of so much love all the malice of Hell and all the rage of adversaries here upon earth all the contrivances of the Jews with their great ones together could never have brought those sufferings upon Christ had it not been for his love that he bore to his people and will you for all this after he hath done and suffered so much trample on his blood and slight his kindness and resolve on your own ruine and in spite of such mercies and kindness will you go on to your own destruction is not this sad what shame shold be to all professing Christians that do not stand upon their watch and do what they can and make it in good earnest their business to keep themselves form all iniquity The next Use and the only Use which I shall add further is by way of exhortation that all that hath been said may prevail thus far with you to get your hearts at as great a distance from sin as possibly you are able never think that you are too strange to it nor at a distance enough from it your professions oblige you your engagements oblige you consider should you allow your selves in any sin you thereby despise the richest mercy that ever was vouchsafed to poor Creatures you that profess the Name of Christ you that know what design Christ came into the world follow the example of those worthies Hebr. 11.37 38. they were stoned they were sawn asunder c. and it s said ver 35. they accepted not of deliverance You see how shie they were of sin and at how great a distance they kept from it and what was their thoughts of it Oh! let it be your practice Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God c. It is a common thing to slight it and to scorn it but what doth the Apostle say to such ver 30. We know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompence saith the Lord and again the Lord shall judge his people They that profess themselves his people must be all brought to the test and tryal Do you think it nothing to despise the very patience of God to despise the choisest mercy of God take it Friends for a sad truth I speak it only to awaken both my self and you there is no sinner like unto a Gospel sinner to them that go on in sin under those means that should recover them from sin and therefore in the day of account you read that no sinner shall have such tremblings and astonishings upon them as sinners Sinners in Sion shall be afraid and fearfulness sahll surprise the hypecrite Sion sinners Sabbath-days Sacrament-sinners they that live under all those opportunities and advantages as their sins bring greater dishonour to God bring greater damage to their own Souls than other sins do these of all persons are the farthest off from being renewed again by repentance Pro. 8. last it is said in general of all kind of sinners He that sins against me wrongs his own Soul he cannot wrong God he does indeed what in him lies and God may account himself wronged by his sin really injure God he cannot our services and sins reach not him God is infinitely above both but he wrongs himself he may wrong others by his bad example but especially he wrongs himself not only in respect of worldly things but he wrongs himself in the highest degrees as Solomon there expresseth it he wrongs his own Soul he doth not only wrong himself as to outward comforts but as to his great concernments as to his everlasting welfare Alas how many be the Judgments God hath to meet with all the contemners of his mercy in this world Outward Judgments and spiritual Judgments and then consider the Judgments of God in another world and certainly of all persons those that profess the Name of Christ shall have the forest it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for Jerusalem that had the Gospel and Ordinances of God and such priviledges and means and helps Let all that hath been said perswade you to a strickt examination of your hearts and lives that what hath been amiss may be both speedily and throughly reformed If you do not depart from all iniquity how sad a thing will it be to you when once Jesus Christ riseth up in Judgment against you what will you plead for your selves when that once Christ shall plead against you even you that have despised his mercy and refused Salvation and have chosen death and those things that tend thereunto SERMON X. Romans 8. last verse Nor heighth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The whole Paragraph runs thus For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. ver 38 39. THese words are a part of St. Pauls Triumph and the evils over which he triumphs are no
about him but all his ways are Righteousness and Judgement Psal 97.2 Manifest your love by a patient submission to all the dispensations of God and by a good construction of all his Providences 4. Manifest your love to God by a chearful undergoing all afflictions in the cause of God It is for your Lord for him that hath done and suffered ten thousand times more for you then possibly you can do for him Manifest your love by a cheerful submission when your Case is clear in doubtful things the Case will be otherwise The Apostles rejoyced that they suffered reproach and dishonour in the Cause of Christ Acts 5.41 5. Manifest your love to God in labouring to bring others to partake of the love of God You that see some ground in your selves to hope that you have an interest in the love of God be actively diligent to help others what you can to get an interest in this love for this is a high testimony of our love to God Peter lovest thou me Feed my Sheep Joh. 21.16 17. you know how our Saviour repeated it three times to shew that he would take this very well at his hands In the last place one word more to them who have good hopes that these great things do belong unto them Labour to keep up a fresh and lively sense of Gods love in your hearts Though the love of God be invariable thus far whom he loves he loves for ever yet the sense of this love is very mutable Be very careful therefore to keep your Evidences clear and unspotted do not blot them by sin David lost the sense of Gods love for a long time by those great lapses of his and though God had pardoned him and did yet love him yet it was a long time before he did recover the sense of it Be diligent in the use of those Ordinances by which the sense of Gods love is most cleared and kept fresh in your hearts Alas those that do the most partake of the love of God may have their ebbings and flowings as to the sense thereof in Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and be that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him If we would have further manifestations of the love of God we must go on in ways of obedience to God Be therefore often Communing with your own hearts and looking into your own Souls and consider your ways c. how matters stand between God and you On the other hand I shall speak one word to them who upon examination find ground to fear that they are rather under Gods displeasure then intitled to his peculiar love that are rather the objects of his wrath then the subjects of his special love Oh think what a woful estate thou art in Oh think what comforts thou by thy negligence and disobedience hast deprived thy self of Think what dangers thou liest open to every moment there is nothing between thee and everlasting misery but a fraile life and the thread of this life how soon God may cut it asunder none knows Think what uncomfortable and an unsafe estate thou art in Do as David in another Case did He would not give sleep to his Eyes nor slumber to his Eye lids till he had provided a place for the Ark of God So do you give all diligence that you may attain reconciliation to God and an interest in this great priviledge that you have heard of this day of the love of God SERMON XII Rom. 8. ult Nor height nor depth c. I now proceed to a third Observation 3. Doct. There is this transendent excellency in the love of God which speaks it an inestimable support to his People in all their distresses that those who have once been made Partakers of this love can by nothing be deprived or dispossessed of it HEre is a large Enumeration of particulars death cannot do it though it can separate from all things here in this World life cannot do it the troubles of life nor the comforts of life I shall not insist on these things further There is this vanity in the best of all our Creature enjoyments that there will be nay there cannot but be a parting with them The rich man that now prides himself in the multitude of his riches in the greatness of his Treasures in the largness of his incomes cannot rationally but think if he does not he does but delude himself that he cannot carry his riches with him into the other World to bribe the Flames of Gods wrath to corrupt the Executioner of Gods Vengeance It was Jobs acknowledgement naked came I out of my mothers Womb and naked shall I return He came into the World without and he must leave all these things behind him when he goes out again Job 1.21 In the 12 of Luke you read of that Gospel Fool when he began to applaud himself in his condition saying Soul thou hast Goods laid up for many years take thine case eat drink and be merry Thou Fool says God to him this night shall thy Soul be required of thee then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided they are thine now but whose shall they be before to morrow there must be a separation from all these things The greatest of men that are that now over top all about them they must ere long be levelled and made equal to their Neighbours There is no difference between the dust of a Nobleman and the meanest person yea Crowns and Scepters which are such dazeling things in the Eyes of the world these ere long must be resigned into the hands of Successours there must be a separation from all these things Nay all these relations that have the greatest indearment in them that can be as the Relations of Husband and Wife and Parent and Child and Pastor and People and Friend and Friend there is a Friend that is nearer then a Brother saith Solomon there must be separation from these there must be there cannot but be so Your Fathers where are they the Prophets do they live for ever Zach. 1.5 observe this general Rule there is no Fixation no stability in any thing but in this only viz. the love of God For the clearing of this observation I shall speak to 2. things 1. Something by way of Explication 2. Something by way of Confirmation 1. By the way of Explication rightly to state the Case concerning the love of God and to set truth its due bounds This I shall do by propounding several distinctions 1. We must distinguish between the common love of God which manifests it self onely in common Mercies in preserving us and providing for us these outward things and the spocial love of God which consists in distinguishing discriminating Mercies Now it is plainly clear that the Apostle cannot speak here of the common love of God because this love may be
had rather die in the favour of God than live in a condition of estrangement from God Alas what is the light of a Candle to the light of the Sun God is in the absence of all Creature-comforts not only as good as those comforts would be but he is much better to them as Elkanah said to Hannah Am not I better to thee than ten Sons 1 Sam. 1.8 When the people of God do leave no less than their all here below they leave Friends Relations Acquaintance their Creature-enjoyments they part with all at once and do you think they are any losers by it when they go to the enjoyment of God alone For it is said in Heaven God shall be all in all there they have all made up in God But then farther look upon God not only as the Fountain and Quintessence of all good but look upon him as the supreme disposer of all things in the world and this God yet lives though we have enemies and dangers and wants and though we have not the Counsel of the friend we had before nor the instruction of those Ministers we had by whom formerly we have been refreshed yet still that God lives who hath the disposal of all things in the world in his own hands insomuch there is not a hair falls from our heads without the will of our Father Lament 3.37 Who is he that saith and it cometh to pasâ— when the Lord commandeth it not there are many devises in the heart of man but the Counsel of the Lord that shall stand Prov. 9 21. and so Psalm 103.19 The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all The very Devils themselves are in Gods chain they can do nothing but what he permits Satan was fore'd to ask leave of God before he could rempt Job and so of Christ before he could enter into the very swine So that whatever our enemies may be yet consider that God can either turn the heart of those enemies for he hath the disposal of all things or if not turn their hearts he can tye their hands or if he do neither but leave them to act maliciously against his People God can turn that to good which they intended for evil for he is the supreme disposer of all things and he is infinitely wise and knows how to dispose all for the best Such is Gods wisdom that he hath no second thoughts but acts all according to the purpose of his own will there is no counsel so secret nor any contrivance carried on so much under ground but God seeth under all these vaults and coverings All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 and the night to him is as the day and the darkness as the light if he permit the designes of his enemies to take effect it shall be no further than for his glory and his peoples good Psal 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder of wâ—ath shall thou restrain and so Isa 10 12. when I have performed my whole work upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem then what then Tâ—eâ— will I punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks God makes use of his enemies as his Skullions to scour off that Rust which is upon the Graces of his people and when he hath done this work by them then will he punish his enemies Again look upon God in his Almighty power he can help when all help fails he can deal effectually with the hearts of his enemies or if he let them go on yet he that brought light out of darkness can bring good out of evil It is strange to consider how wonderfully God hath carried on the designes of his Grace both toward particular Souls and toward his Church in general even by them that have most opposed those designes that Satan himself should be an Instrument of mans Salvation in acting his malice upon Christ in seeking his death thus God takes the wise in their own craft and he overwits them in all their policies and contrivances Again look upon God in his tender Compassions and certainly there be no compassions that can be found on earth that come near to the infinite compassions of a gracious God As a father pities his child so the Lord pities them that fear him a Mother may forget her sucking child but the Lord never forgets his people We read of those wonderful expressions of Gods love to his people of old When God cometh to avenge his people of their enemies he ariseth out of his place with might and strength to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity The earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain Isa 26.21 But then consider his truth and faith fulness God hath been pleased to come underthe engagements of many promises to his people it was freeness in God to promise but it is his faithfulness to perform if the word be gone out of Gods mouth that word shall not fail of being fully executed And then by way of close consider Gods immutableness and constancie in all these excellencies he is the Fountain of all good he is the Sum of all good he is the disposer of all the affairs of the world he is infinite in wisdom great in power tender in his compassions and immutably constant in all these Alas our most loving friends that are so for the present may turn our enemies David speaks of those that had been his familiar friends yet what sore things did he suffer at their hands Caesar was murdered you know by his own Son and I might give notable instances of those that have been at present real in their friendship yet because they are mutable Creatures that friendship hath turned into enmity But since God lives immutably in all these excellencies therefore it is much to the comfort of Gods people if we consider what God is 2. If we consider what interest his people have in him they have an Interest not only as his Creatures so others have also but they have a Covenant Interest I entered into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine and they have an Interest not only by Creation but by virtue of their own choice God hath chosen them and he hath enabled them to make their choice of him and this is the Covenant God makes with such I will be to them says God a God and they shall be to me a people Heb. 8.10 Now certainly this Covenant-Interest it is of all Interests in God the most supporting because in this Covenant where God bestows himself he bestows every thing of himself upon such a person so far as may be for their comfort and for their benefit For if God be in Covenant ours then whatever is in God will be ours His Wisdom will be ours to direct and counsel us and in his Wisdom there can