that so many do abide in themselves and trusting to their own good purposes resolutions endeavoâ—…s do think to pacifie God and help themselves out of their misery But O look again and look in upon your selves in the glass of the Word and there is no doubt but you vvill straightway be filled vvith confusion of face and be altogether spoiled of good confidence and hope as you call it you vvill find your self plunged in a pit of misery and all strength gone and none on the right hand or the left to help you and then and not till then vvill the second Adams hand stretched out for our help be seasonable That vvhich next follows is that vvhich is the companion of sin inseparably Death hath past upon all and that by sin Adams one disobedience opened a port for all sin to enter upon mankind and sin cannot enter vvithout this companion Death Sin goes before and Death follows on the back of it and these suite one another as the vvork and the vvages as the tree and the fruit they have a sibness one to another sowing to corruption reaps an answerable harvest to vvit corruption Sowing to the vvind and reaping the vvhirlewind how suitable are they That men may know how evil and bitter a thing sin is he makes this the fruit of it In his first Law and sanction given out to men he joyns them inseparably sin and death sin and vvrath sin and a curse By Death is not only meant bodily death which is the separation of the soul from the body but first the spiritual death of the soul consisting in a separation of the soul from Gods blessed enlightning enlivening and comforting countenance Mans true life wherein he differs from beasts consists in the right aspect of God upon his soul in his walking with God and keeping communion with him all things besides this are but common and base and this was cut off his comfort his joy and peace in God extinct God became terrible to his conscience and therefore man did flee and was araid when he heard his voice in the garden Sin being interposed between God and the soul cut off all the influence of heaven Hence arises darkness oâ—… mind hardness of heart delusions vile affections horror of conscience Look what difference is between a living creature and a dead carcase so much is between Adams soul upright living in God and Adams soul separated from God by sin Then upon the outward man the curse redounds the body becoms mortal which had been incorruptible it 's now like a besiedged City now some outward sorts are gained by diseases now by pains and torments the outward wals of the body are at length overcome and when life hath fled into a Castle within the City the heart that is at last all besiedged so straitly and stormed so violently that it must render unto death upon any terms The body of man is even a seminary of a world of diseases and grievances that if men could look upon it aright they might see the sentence of death every day performed Then how many evils in estate in friends and relations in imployments which being considered by Heathens hath made them praise the dead more then the living but him not yet born most of all because the present life is nothing else but a valley of misery and tears a sea of troubles where one wave continually prevents another and comes on like Iobs messengers before he speak out his woâ—…ul tydings another comes with such like or worse But that which is the sum and accomplishment of Gods curse and mans misery is that death to come eternal death not death simply but an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power An infinite loss because the loss of such a glorious life in the enjoyment of Gods presence and an infinite hurt and torment beside and both eternal Now this is that we would lay before you you are under such an heavy sentence from the womb a 〈◊〉 of the Almighty adjudging you for Adams guilt and your own to all the misery in this world and the next to all the treasures of wrath that are heaped up against the day of wrath and strange it is how vve can live in peace and not be troubled in mind vvho have so great and formidable a party Be perswaded O be perswaded that there shal not one â—…ot of this be removed it must be fulfilled in you or your Cautioneâ—… and vvhy then is a Savior offered a City of refuge opened and secure sinners vvill not flee into it But as for as many as have the inward dreadful apprehension of this vvrath to come and knows not vvhat to do know that to you is Jesus Christ preached the second Adam a quickning Spirit and in that consideration better then the first not only a living soul himself but a Spirit to quicken you vvho are dead in sins one that hath undertaken for you and vvill hold you fast Adam vvho should have kept us lost himself Christ in a manner lost himself to save us And as by Adams disobedience all this sin misery hath abounded on man know that the second Adam his obedience and righteousness is of greater vertue and efficacy to save and in stead of sin to restore righteousness and in stead of death to give life therefore you may come to him and you shal be more surely kept then beâ—…ore 1. Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came in the world to save sinners OF all Doctrines that ever vvere published to men this contained here is the choisest as you see the very preface prefixed to it import And truly as it is the most excellent in it self it could not but be sweet unto us if we had received into the heart the belief of our own wretchedness misery I do not know a more soveraign cordial for a fainting soul then this faithful saying That Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners And therfore we are most willing to dwel on this â—…ubject and to inculcate it often upon you That without him ye are undone and lost and in him you may be saved I profess all other subjects howsoever they might be more pleasing to some hearers are unpleasant and unsavory to me This is that we would once learn and ever be learning to know him that came to save us and come to him We labored to show unto you the state of sin and misery that Adams first transgression hath subjected all mankind unto which if it were really and truly apprehended I do not think but it would make this saying welcome to our souls Man being plunged into such a deep pit of misery sin and death having over-flowed the whole world and this being seen and acknowledged by a sinner certainly the next question in order of nature is this Hath God left all to perish in this
a little time the advantage of all the Books of the world shal be gone The statutes and Laws of Kings and Parliaments can reach no further then some temporall reward or punishment their highest pain is the killing of this body their highest reward is some evanishing and sading honour or perishing richest But he sheweth his word and judgements to us and hath not dealt so with every nation Psal. 147. 19. 20. And no nation under the whole heaven hath such Laws and Ordinances eternall life and eternall death is wrapt up in them these are rewards and punishments suitable to the Majesty and Magnificence of the eternall Law-giver Consider I beseech you what is folded up here the Scriptures shew the path of life life is of all beings most excellent and comes nearest the blessed being of God When we say life we understand a blessed life that only deserves the name Now this we have lost in Adam death is past upon all men but that death is not the worst it s but a consequence of a soul death the immortall soul whose life consisteth in Communion with God peace with him is seperated from him by sin and so killed when it s cut off from the fountain of life what life can it have any more than a beam that is cut off by the intervention of a dark body from the sun Now then what a blessed Doctrine must it be that brings to light life and immortality especially when we have so much miserably lost it and involved our souls into an eternall death Life is precious in it self but much more precious to one condemned to die to be caught out of the paws of the Lyon to be brought back from the Gibbet O how will that commend the favour of a little more time in the World But then if we knew what an eternall misery we are involved into and stand under a sentence binding us over to such an inconceivable and insupportable punishment as is the curse wrath of God O how precious an esteem would souls have of the Scriptures how would they be sweet unto their soul because they shew unto us a way of escaping that pit of misery and a way of attaining eternall blessednesse as satisfying and glorious as the misery would have been vexing and tormenting O that ye would once lay these in the ballance together this present life and eternall life Know ye not that your souls are created for eternity that they will eternally survive all these present things Now how do ye imagine they shal live after this life your thoughts and projects and designs are confined within the poor narrow bounds of your time when you die in that day your thoughts shal perish all your imaginations and purposes providences shal have an end then they reach no further then that time if you should wholly perish too it were not so much matter but for all your purposes and projects to come to an end when you are but beginning to live and enter eternity that is lamentable indeed Therefore I say consider what ye are doing weigh these in a ballance eternal life the present life if there were no more difference but the continuence of the one shortnesse of the other that this worlds standing is but as one day one moment to eternity that ought to preponderate in your souls do we not here flee away as a shadow upon the mountains are we not as a vapour that ascends and for a litle time appears a solid body and then presently vanisheth Do we not come all into the stage of the world as for an hour to act our part and be gone now then what is this to endless eternity When you have contained as long as since the World began you are no nearer the end of it ought not that estate then to be most in your eyes how to lay up a foundation for the time to come But then compare the misery and vexation of this life with the glory and felicity of this eternall life what are our dayes but few and full of trouble Or if you will take the most blessed estate you have seen or heard of in this world of Kings and rich men and help all the defects of it by your imaginations Suppose unto your selves the highth and pith of Glory and abundance and power that is attainable on earth and when your fancy hath busked up such a felicitie compare it with eternall life O how will that vanish out of your imaginations if so be you know any thing of the life to come you wil even think that an odious comparison you will think all that earthly felicitie but light as vanity every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Eernall life will weigh down eternally 2 Cor. 4. 17. 18. O but it hath an exceeding weight in it self one moment of it one hours possession and taste of it but then what shal the endlesse endurance of it add to its weight Now there are many that presume they have a right to eternall life as the Jews did you think saith he that you have it you think well that you think its only to be found in the Scriptures but you vainlie think that you have found it in them And there is this reason of it because you will not come to me that you may have life vers 40. If you did understand the true meaning of the Scriptures and did not rest on the outward Letter and Ordinances you would receive the testimonie that the Scriptures give of me But now you hear not me the Fathers substantiall Word therefore you have not his Word abiding in you vers 38. There was nothing more generall among that people than a vain carnall confidence and presumption of being Gods people having interest in the promise of life eternall as it is this day in the visible Church There is a multitude that are Christians onlie in the Letter not in the Spirit that would never admit any question concerning this great matter of having eternall life and so by not questioning it they come to think they have it and by degrees their conjectures and thoughts about this ariseth to the stabilitie of some faigned strong perswasion of it In the Old Testament the Lord strikes at the roots of their perswasions by discovering unto them how vain a thing it was and how abominable before him to have an externall profession of being his people and to glory in external Ordinances and Priviledges yet to neglect altogether the purging of their hearts consciences from lusts and Idollisâ—…s to make no conscience of walking righteously towards men Their profession was contradicted by their practice Will ye steal murther and commit adultery and yet come and stand in my house Jer. 7. 8. 9. doth not that say as much as if I had given you liberty to do all these abominations Even so it is this day the most part have no more of Christianitie
duration no end of his affection He can still say I am that I am What I was I am and I will be what I am men cannot say so they are like the Brooks that the companies of Teman looked after thought to have found them in Summer as they left them in Winter but behold they were dried up the companies ashamed God cannot make thee ashamed of thy hope because he is faithfull able Ability and Fidelity is a sure Anchor to hold by in all storms and tempests Such is God in himself now there are two manner of wayes he vents himself toward the Creatures In a comfortable way or in a terrible way This glorious perfection and Almighty power hath an issue upon sinners and it runs in a twofold channell of mercy and justice Of mercy towards miserable sinners that finds themselves lost and flee unto him and take hold of his strength and justice towards all those that flatter themselves in their own eyes and continue in their sinnes and put the evill day far off There is no mercy for such as fear not justice and there is no Justice for such as flee from it unto mercy The Lord exhibites himself in a twofold appearance according to the condition of sinners He sits on a Throne and tribunal of Grace mercy to make accesse to the vil est sinner who isafraid of his wrath and would 〈◊〉 be at peace with him and he sits on a Throne of justice and wrath to seclude and debar presumptuous sinners from his Holinesse There were two mountains under the Law one of cursings another of blessings These are the Mountains God lets his Throne upon and from these he speaks and sentences mankind From the Mountain of cursings he hath pronounced a curse condemnatory sentence upon all flesh for all have sinned therefore he concludes all under sin that all flesh might stop their mouth and the whole world become guilty before God Now the Lord having thus condemned all Mankind because of disobedience he sits again upon the Mountain of Blessings and pronounces a sentence of absolution of as many as have taken with the sentence of condemnation and appealed to his grace and Mercy and those which do not so the sentence of condemnation stands above their heads unrepealed He erects his Tribunal of Justice in the Word for this end that all flesh might once be convicted before him and therefore he cites as it were and summons all men to fift themselves and compear before his Tribunall to be judged he layes out an accusation in the Word against them he takes their consciences witnesse of the truth of all that is charged on them and then pronounces that sentence on their conscience Cursed is he that abides not in all things which the conscience subsumes and concludes it self accursed and subscribes to the equity of the sentence and thus the man is guilty before God and his mouth stopped he hath no excuses no pretences he can see no way to escape from Justice and God is justified by this means in his speaking and judging Psal. 51. 4. The soul ratifies and confirms the truth justice of all our threatnings judgements Rom. 3. 4. Now for such souls as joyn with God in judging and condemning themselves the Lord hath erected a Throne of grace Tribunall of mercy in the word whereupon he hath set his Son Jesus Christ Psal. 2. 6. and 89. 14. and 45. 6. Heb. 1. 8. And O this Throne is a comfortable Throne mercy and truth goes before the face of the King to welcome entertain miserable sinners to make access to them And from this Throne Jesus Christ holds out the Scepter of the Gospel to invite sinners self-condemned sinners to come to him alone who hath gotten all finall judgement committed to him that he may give eternall life to whom he will Ioh. 5. 21 22. O that is a sweet and ample Commission given to our Friend Brother Jesus Christ power to repeal sentences past against us power to loose them whom Justice hath bound power and authority to absolve them whom justice hath condemned and to blesse them whom the Law hath cursed to open their mouth to praise whose mouth sin and guiltinesse hath stopped power to give the answer of a good conscience to thy evill self-tormenting conscience in a word he hath power to give life to make alive and heal those who are killed or wounded by the Commandement Now I say seeing God hath of purpose established this Throne of mercy in the Word thou mayest well after receiving and acknowledging of the justice of the curse of the Law appeal to divine mercy and grace sitting on another Throne of the Gospel thou may if thy conscience urge thee to despair and to conclude there is no hope thou may appeal I say from thy conscience from Satan from Justice unto Jesus Christ who is holding out the Scepter to thee the Minister calls thee Rise and come stand no longer before that Bar for it is a subordinate Judicatory there is a way to redresse thee by a higher court of Grace Thou may say to justice to Satan to thy own Conscience It is true I confesse that I deserve that sentence I am guilty and can say nothing against it while I stand alone but though I cannot satisfie and have not yet there is one Jesus Christ who gave his life a ransom for many and whom God hath given as a propitiation for sins he hath satisfied and paid the debt in my name go and apprehend the Cautioner since he hath undertaken it nay he hath done it and is absolved Thou had him in thy hands O justice Thou had him Prisoner under the power of death since you have let him go then he is acquited from all the charge of my sins therefore since I know that he is now a King hath a Throne to judge the world and plead the cause of his poor sheep I will appeal to him refer the cause to his decision I will make my supplication to him and certainly he will hear and interpole himself between wrath and me he will rescind this sentence of condemnation since he himself was condemned for us and is justified it is Christ that died nay rather is risen again who shal condemn me He is near that justifies me Rom. S. 33. 34. Now iâ—… thou do indeed flee into him for refuge that City is open for thee and nothing to prejudge thy entry but no curse no condemnation can enter in it Rom. 8. 1. He will justifie absolve thee from all things whereof the Law could not justifie thee but condemn thee there is forgivenness with him that he may be feared David may teach thee this manner of appellation Ps. 130. 142. 2. of appealing from the deserved curse to free undeserved blessing mercy in Christ. Let us consider this Name of the Lord and it shall answer all our suspicions
if I may speak so our creation in holynesse and righteousness after his own Image that same hath consulted about the rest of it hath found out this course that one of them shal bee made after mans Image and for this purpose that he may restore again Gods Image unto us O bless this deep invention and happy contrivance of heaven that could never have bred in any breast but in the depths of eternal wisedome and let us abandon forsake our own imaginations and foolish inventions let us become fools in our own eyes that we may become wise Man by seeking to be wise became a fool that was an unhappy invention now it s turned contrary let all men take vvith their folly and desperate vvickedness let not the vain thoughts and dreams of our own vvel-being and sufficiency lodge vvithin us and vve shal be made vvise come to the Fathers vvisdom unto Jesus Christ vvho is that blessed invention of Heaven for our remedy How long shal vain thoughts lodge within you O when will you be washed from them How long shal not your thoughts transcend this temporal and bodily life How long do you imagine to live in sin and die in the Lord to continue in sin and escape wrath Why do you delude your souls with a dream of having interest in the love of God and purchasing his favor by your works These are some of those many inventions man hath sought out Rom. 5. 22. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin so death past upon all men for that all have sinned THis is a sad subject to speak upon yet it is not more sad then useful though it be unpleasant to hold out a glass to men to see their own vile faces into yet it is profitable yea and so necessary that till once a soul apprehend its broken and desolate condition in the first Adam it can never heartily imbrace and come to the second Adam You have here the woful and dreadful effects and consequents of the first transgression upon all mankind the effect is twofold sin and misery or sin and death the subject is universal in both all men the whole world Behold what a flood of calamity hath entred at a smal cranny by one mans transgression May it not be said of sin in general which the wise man speaks of strife The beginning of sin is as when one lets out water therefore it had been good leaving it off before it had been medled vvith it entred at a smal hole but it hath overflowed a vvhole vvorld since That vvhich first occurs is that all mankind proceeding from Adam by ordinary birth are involved in sin by Adams transgression But that may seem a hard saying that sin and death should flow unto the vvhole posterity vvho had no accession to Adams transgression It vvould seem that every man should die for his own iniquity and that it should reach no further in justice But consider I pray you the relation that Adam stood into and in vvhich he is here holden out as a figure of Christ. Adam the first man vvas a common person representing all mankind in vvhose happiness or misery all should share God contracts vvith him on these terms that his posterities estate should depend on his behavior Now if all mankind vvould have reaped the benefite and advantage of Adams perseverance iâ—… such an undeserved reward of eternal life vvould have redounded by the free promise unto them all vvhat iniquity is it that they also be sharers in his misery Our stock treasure vvas ventured in this vessel if vve vvere to partake of its gain vvhy not of its loss You see amongst men children have one common lot vvith their parents if the father be fore-faulted the heirs suffer in it are cast out of the inheritance It might appear a surer vvay to have the fortunes of all so to speak depend upon one their happiness assured unto them upon the standing of one then to have every one left unto himself his own vvell-being depending upon his own standing as it is more likely one and that the first one shal not sin then many and especially when that one knew that the weight of all his posterity hung upon him it might have made him very circumspect knowing of how great moment his carriage 〈◊〉 But certainly vve must look a little higher then such reasons there was a glorious purpose of Gods predominant in this else there was no natural necessity of imputing Adams sin to the children not yet born or propagating it to the children He that brought a holy one undefiled out of a Virgin who was defiled could have brought all others clean out of unclean parents but there is a higher counsel about it the Lord would have all men subject to his judgement al men once guilty once in an equal state of misery to illustrate that special grace shewed in Christ the more and demonstrate his power and wrath upon others That which concerns us most is to believe this that sin hath over-spread all and to have the lively impression of this were of more moment to true Religion than many discourses upon it I had rather ye went home not cursing Adam or murmuring against the most High but bemoaning yourselves for your wretched estate then be able to give reasons for the general imputation propagation of sin Ye all see it is therefore you should rather mourn for it then ask why it is There is sin entred into the world by imputation and also by propagation Adams first sin and hainous transgression is charged upon all his posterity and imputed unto them even unto them who have not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression that is actually as he did Infants whom you call innocents and indeed so they are in respect of you who are come to age yet they are guilty before God of that sin that ruined all Now that you may know what you are and what little reason you have to be pleased with your selves and absolve your selves as ye do I shal unbowel that iniquity unto you First there was in it an open banner displayed against God When the soveraign Lord had enjoyned his 〈◊〉 â—…uch a testimony of his homage and loyalty and that so easie to be performed and such as not a whit could â—…ba e from his happiness what open rebellion was it to refuse it It was a casting off the Soveraign dominion of God than which nothing can be more hainous as if the clay should refuse to serve the Potters pleasure and therefore it is eminently and signally styled disobedience as having nothing in it but the pure naked nature of disobedience no difficulty to excuse it for it was most easie no pleasure to plead for it for there were as good fruit beside a world of them No necessity to extenuate it so that you can see nothing in it but
estate Is there any remedy provided for sin and misery And this will be indeed the query of a self-condemned sinner Now there is a plank afâ—…er this broken ship there is an answer sweet and satisfactory to this question Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners We shal not expatiate into many notions about this or multiply many branches of this The matter is plain and simple and we desire to hold it out plainly and simply that this is the remedy of sin and misery When none could be â—…ound on the right hand or left hand here a Savior from heaven comes down from above whence no good could be expected because a good God was provoked Can any good come out of Nazareth that was a proverb concerning him But I think in some sense it might be said can any good thing come down from heaven from his holy â—…abitation to this accursed earth Could any thing â—…e expected from heaven but wrath and vengeance And if no good could be expected that way what way could it come Sure if not from heaven then from no â—…rt yet from heaven ouâ—… help is come from vvhence it could not be looked for even from him vvho vvas offended and his justice engaged against man that he might both satisfie justice and save man that he might not vvrong himself nor destroy man utterly he sends his only begotten Son equal vvith himself in majesty and glory into the vvorld in the state of a servant to accomplish mans salvation and perform him satisfaction Therefore Christ came into the world to save sinners There vvere two grand impediments in the way of mans salvation which made it impossible to man one is Gods justice another is mans sin these two behoved to be satisfied or removed ere there can be access to save a sinner The sentence of divine Justice is pronounced against all mankind Death past on all A sentence of death and condemnation Now vvhen the righteousness and faithfulness of God is engaged into this how strong a party do you think that must be What power can break that prison of a divine curse and take out a sinner from under Justice hand Certainly there is no coming out till the uttermost farthing be paid that was owing till compleat satisfaction be given to all vvrongs Now truly the redemption of the soul had ceased for ever it 's so precious that no creature can give any thing in exchange for it except Jesus Christ had come into the vvorld one that might be able to tread that winepress of wrath alone give his life a ransomer in value far above the soul and pay the debt of sin that vve vvere owing to Goâ—… And indeed he vvas furnished for this purpose a peâ—… son suted and fitted for such a vvork A man to undertake it in our name and God to perform it in hiâ—… own strength A Man that he might be made undeâ—… the Law and be humbled even to the death of 〈◊〉 cross that so he might obey the commandment aâ—… suffer the punishment due to us and all this was elevated beyond the vvorth of created actions or sufferings by that divine nature This perfumed all hiâ—… Humanity and all done by it or in it this put the stamp of Divinity upon all and imposed an infinite value upon the coyn of finite obedience and sufferings And so in his own person by coming into the vvorld and acting and suffering in the place of sinners he hath taken the first great impediment out of the vvay taken down the high vvall of divine Justice vvich had enclosed round about the sinner and satisfied all its demands by paying the price so that there is nothing upon Gods part to accuse or condemn to hinder or obstruct salvation But then there is an inner vval or dark dungeon of sin into vvhich the sinner is shut up and reserved in chains of his own lusts until the time of everlasting darkness and vvhen Heaven is opened by Christs death yet this keeps a sinner from entring iâ—… Therefore Jesus Christ vvho came himself into thâ—… vvorld to satisfie Justice and remove its plea thâ—… there might be no obstruction from that airth 〈◊〉 sends out his powerful Spirit vvith the Word to deliver poor captive sinners to break down the vval of ignorance and blindness to cast down the high tower of vvickedness and enmity against God to take captive and chain our lusts that kept us in bondage And as he made Heaven accessible by his own personal obedience and sufferings so he makes sinners ready â—…nd free to enter into salvation by his Spirits vvorking in their persons In the one he had God as it vvere his party and him he hath satisfied so far that â—…here vvas a voice came from heaven to testifie it â—…is is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased â—…nd therefore in testimony of it God raised him from the dead In the other he hath Satan and mans vvicked nature as his party and these he must conquer and subdue these he must overcome ere vve can be saved A strange business indeed and a great vvork to bring such two opposite and distant parties togetheâ—… a holy and just God and a sinful and rebellious creature and to take them both as parties that he might reconcile both Now vvhat do ye think of this my beloved that â—…uch a glorious person is come down from Heaven â—…or such a glorious vvork as the salvation of sinners 〈◊〉 put no doubt it vvould be most acceptable unto you 〈◊〉 ye knew your misery and knowing your misery you could not but accept it if you believed that it vvere true and faithful I find one of these two the great obstruction in the vvay of souls receiving advanâ—…age by such glad tydings either the absolute necessiâ—…y and excellency of the Gospel is not considered or â—…he truth and reality of it is not believed Men eiâ—…er do not behold the beauty of goodness in it or 〈◊〉 not see the light of truth in it either there is noâ—…ing discovered to engage their affections or nothing â—…en to perswade their understandings Therefore â—…he Apostle sounds a Trumpet as it vvere in the entry before the publication of these glad news and commends this unto all men as a true and faithful â—…aying and as vvorthy of all acceptation There is â—…ere the highest truth and certainty to satisfie the mind It 's a faithful saying and there is here also thâ—… chiefest good to satiate the heart It 's worthy of alâ—… acceptation Now if you do really apprehend your lost and miserable estate you cannot but behold that ravishing goodness in it and behold that you cannot til you see the other first Whence is it I pray you that so many souls are never stirred vvith the propâ—…sition of such things in the Gospel that the riches aâ—… beauty of salvation in JESUS CHRIST doth not once move them Is it not because therâ—… is no lively apprehension of their misery vvithoâ—… him FINIS GLASGOW Printed by ROBERT SANDERS and are to be sold at his Shop M. DC LXVII
THe singular respect that God hath put upon Man in creating him after His Own Image ibid. 214 How necessary it is for us to know the happy estate wherein we were created p. 215 We are to consider what that Image of God was which was stamped on man in the beginning p. 216 217. 218 We should consider from what we are fallen and how great that fall is p. 219 220 SERMON XX. Rom. 11. 36. Psal. 103. 13. Mat. 10. 29. Of Providence THe Providence of God is either not at all believed or superficially considered ib. 221 222 The most common and known truths most sweet p. 223 All things depend upon God as their producing conserving and finall cause and what power the Faith thereof hath to conform us to his Will p. 224 The upholding of the World is a kind of repeated and continued Creation p. 225 It is a most sutable exercise for a Christian to deduce all things from God as the first cause and to reduce them all to him again with glory as the last end p. 226 How God governs the World p. 227 The faith of Gods Supremacy over all things would encrease our fear of God and abate our fear of others p. 228 SERMON XXI Gen. 2. 17. Gen. 1. 26. Of the first Covenant made with Man THe severall draughts and lineaments of Gods Image whereinto man was created ibid. 229 p. 230 Man in innocency enjoyed a freedom from all fear of misery and had a dominion over the creature p. 231 There was a law imprinted in Adams heart and a law prescribed unto him p. 232 Of the positive law prescribed unto Adam and of the reasons thereof p 233 Many perform commanded duties not because they are commanded p. 234 The command and will of God should perswade to obediente without any more enquiry or debate about the matter p. 235 236 SERMON XXII Gal. 3. 12. Of the first Covenant THe wonderfull condescension of God in entering into covenant with Man p. 237 238 To speak strictly there cannot be a proper covenant betwixt God and man ibid. Why God deals with man in the terms of a covenant p. 240 241 The terms of the first covenant and what obedience it required p. 242 Of the difference betwixt the first second covenant ibid. Whether the first covenant did require faith what kind of Faith p. 244 How the Law is not of Faith ibid. What the Fall hath made man now p. 245 SERMON XXIII Eccles. 7. 29. Of the state wherein man was created and how the Image of God is defaced TRue Religion consists in the knowledge of God and of our selves p. 246 That which we have to know of man is what God made him at the first and what he hath now made himself p. 247 We are to consider the sad consequence of the Fall p. 248 All mens invention about the remedy of his misery vain p. 249 How necessary it is for us both to consider what we were and what we now are p. 250 251 SERMON XXIV Rom. 5. 12. Of sin by imputation and propagation HOw and whence it is that Adams first transgression is imputed to all his posterity p. 252 Gods gracious purpose in permitting the Fall p. 253 Sin is entered into the word by imputation p. 254 The hainousness of sin p 255 What Original sin is which is propagated to all Adams posterity p. 256 A right sight of Originall corruption is a humbling sight p. 257 How profitably to look upon the evils of others ibid. Few are truly perswaded of the evil of their nature p. 258 Sin brings death into the world with it and the extent of that death p. 259 260 SERMON XXV 1 Tim. 1. 15. Of the way of Mans delivery THe Doctrine of salvation by Jesus Christ most sweet to a soul made sensible of its mercy p. 261 Our help comes from that airth out of which we could not have expected it p 262 Our sin and Gods justice made salvation impossible to man ibid. Christ satisfies justice for us and conquers our corruptions also p. 263 How acceptable would the news of a Savior be to us if we knew our misery without him p. 264 The great thing which keeps men from reaping any real advantage by the Gospel is this that men do not either see the necessity and excellency of these things or That they do not believe the reality of them p. 265 OF THE CHIEF END OF MAN Rom. 11. 36. Of Him and through Him and for Him are all things to whom be glory for ever And 1 Cor. 10 31. Whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glory of God ALL that men have to know may be comprised under these two Heads What their end is and what is the right way to attain to that end and all that we have to do is by any means to seek to compass that end These are the two cardinall points of a mans knowledge and exercise Quo quâ cundem est Whither to go and what way to go If there be a mistake in any of these fundamentals all is wrong All Arts and Sciences have their principles and grounds that must be presupposed to all solid knowledge and right practice So hath the true Religion some fundamentall principles which must be laid to heart and imprinted into the soul or there can be no superstructure or true and saving knowledge and no practice in Christianity that can lead to a blessed end But as the principles are not many but a few common and easie grounds from which all the conclusions of Art are reduced so the Principles of true Religion are few and plain They need neither burden your memory nor confound your understanding that which may save you is near hand saith the Apostle Rom. 10. in thy mouth it is neither too far above us nor too far below us But alas your not considering of these common and few and easie grounds makes them both burdensome to the memory and dark to the understanding As there is nothing so easie but it becomes difficult if you do it against your will nihil est tam facile quin difficile fiat si invitus feceri So there is nothing so plain so common but it becomes dark and hard if you do not indeed consider it and lay it to heart That which is in the first place to be considered is our End As in all other arts and every petty business it hath the first place of consideration so especially in the Christian Religion It is the first cause of all humane actions and the first Principle of all deliberate motions Except you would walk at randome not knowing whither you go or what you do you must once establish this and fix it in your intention What is the great end and purpose wherefore I am created and sent into the world If this be not either questioned or not rightly constituted you cannot but spend your time Vel nihil agendo vel aliud agendo vel male
other thing but this could have summed up And then suppose a product to be made of all the severall summes of years it would be vast unspeakable but yet your imagination could reach further and multiply that great summe as often into it self as there are unites into it Now when you have done all this you are never a whit nearer the dayes of the ancient of dayes Suppose then this should be the only exercise of men and Angels throughout all eternity all this marvellous Arithmetick would not amount unto the least shadow of the countenance of him who is from everlasting All that huge product of all the multiplications of men and Angels hath no proportion unto that never beginning and never ending duration The greatest summe that is imaginable hath a certain proportion to the least number that it containeth it so oft and no oftner so that the least number being multiplied will amount unto the greatest that you can conceive But O where shal a soul find it self here It is inclosed between infinitnesse before infinitnesse behind between two everlastings which way soever it turns there is no out going which way soever it looks it must lose it self in an infinitness round about it it can find no beginning and no end when it hath wearied it self in searching which if it find not it knows not what it is and cannot tell what it is Now what are we then O what are we who so magnifie our selves We are but of yesterday and know nothing Job 8. 9. Suppose that we had endured the space of 1000. years yet saith Moses Psal. 90. 4. A thousand years are but as yesterday in thy sight Time hath no succession to thee thou beholdest at once what is not at once but in severall times all that hath not the proportion of one day to thy dayes we change in our dayes and are not that to day we were yesterday but he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. Every day we are dying some part of our life is taken away we leave still one day more behind us and what is behind us is gone and cannot be recovered Though we vainly please our selves in the number of our years and the extent of our life and the vicissitudes of time yet the truth is we are but stil losing so much of our being time as passeth First we lose our child-hood then we lose our man-hood and then we leave our old age behind us also there is no more before us even the very present day we decide it with death But when he moves all things he remains immoveable though dayes and years be in a continual flux and motion about him they carry us down with their force yet he abides the same for ever even the earth that is establisht so sure the Heavens that are supposed to be incorruptible yet they wax old as doth a garment but He is the same and his years have no end Psal. 102. 26 27. Sine principio principium absque finc finis cui praeteritum non abit haud adit futurum ante omnia post omnia totus unus ipse He is the beginning without any beginning the end without an end there is nothing bypast to him and nothing to come sed uno mentis câ—…rnit in ictu quae sunt quae erunt quae fuerantque He is one that is all before all after all in all He beholds out of the exalted and supereminent Tower of Eternity all the successions and changes of the creatures and there is no succession no mutation in his knowledge as in ours Known to him are all his works from the beginning He can declare the end before the beginning for he knows the end of all things before he gives them beginning Therefore he is never driven to any consultation upon any emergent or incident as the wisest of men are who could not foresee all accidents and events but He is in one mind saith Iob and that one mind and one purpose is one for all one concerning all he had it from everlasting who can turn him For He will accomplish what his soul desires Now canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou a poor mortal creature ascend up unto the height of Heaven or descend down unto the depths of Hell Canst thou travel abroad and compasse all the Sea dry Land by its longitude and latitude Would any martal creature undertake such a voyage to compasse the Universe Nay not only so but to search into every corner of it above and below on the right hand and on the left No certainly unlesse we suppose a man whose head reaches unto the heighth of Heaven and whose feet is down unto the depths of hell and whose armes streached out can fathome the length of the Earth and breadth of the Sea unlesse I say we suppose such a creature then it is in vain to imagine that either the heighth of the one or the depth of the other the length of the one and the breadth of the other can be found out and measured Now if mortal creatures connot attain the measure of that which is finite O then what can a creature do what can a creature know of him that is infinite the maker of all these things you cannot compasse the Sea and Land how then can a soul comprehend him who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure the mountains he weighs in scales and the hill in a ballance Isa. 40. 10. Thou cannot measure the circomference of the heaven how then canst thou find out him who metteth out the heaven with his span streacheth them out as a curtain Isa. 40. 12. 22. You cannot number the Nations or perceive the magnitude of the Earth and the huge extent of the Heavens What then canst thou know of him who sitteth on the circle of the earth and the inhabitants are but as Grasse-hoppers before him he spreadeth out the Heaven as a Tent to dwel into He made all the pins and stakes of this Tabernacle and he fastned them below but upon nothing and stretches this curtain about them and above them it was not so much difficulty to him as to you to draw the curtain about your Bed for he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Canst thou by searching him out And yet thou must search him not so much out of curiosity to know what he is for he dwels in inaccessible light which no man hath seen nor no man can see 1 Tim. 6. 16. Not so much to find him as to be found of him or to find what we can not know when we have found Hic est qui nunquam quaeri frustra potest cum tamen inveniri non potest you may seek him but though you never find him yet ye shal not seek him in vain for ye shall
you your hearts deceive you when they perswade you that you have had no other God but the true God Christianity raises the soul again and advances it by degrees to this love of God from which it had fallen the soul returns to its first husband from vvhom it vvent awhooring now the stamp of God is so upon it that it is changed into his Image and glory having tasted how good this one self-sufficient-good is it gladly easily divorces from all other Lovers it renounces formall lusts of ignorance and now begins to live in another Love transplants the soul into God and in him it lives and vvith him it vvalks It 's true this is done gradually there is much of the heart yet unbroken to this sweet and easie yoke of love much of the corrupt nature untamed unreclaimed yet so much is gained by the first conversion of the soul to God that all is given up to him in affection and desire he hath the chief place in the soul the disposition of the Spirit hath some stamp and impression of his Onenesse singularity My beloved is one Though a Christian is not wholly rid of strange Lords yet the tye of subjection to them is broken they may often intrude by violence upon him but he is in an hostile posture of affection and endeavour against them I beseech you since the Lord is one and there is none beside him O let this be engraven on your hearts that your inward affections and outward actions may expresse that one Lord to be your God and none other beside him It is a great shame and reproach to Christians that they do not carry the stamp of the first Principle of Religion upon their walking the condition conversation of many declares how little account they make of the true God vvhy do ye enslave your souls to your lusts the service of the flesh if ye believe in this one God Why do ye all things to please your selves if this one Lord be your God As for you the Israel of God who are called by Jesus Christ to partake with the Common-Wealth of Israel in the Covenant of promises hear I beseech you this and let your souls incline to it and receive it Your God is one Lord have then no other Lords over your souls and consciences not your selves not others But in the next place let us consider to what purpose John leads such three witnesses that we may draw some consolation from it The thing testified and witnessed unto is the ground-work of all a Christians hope and consolation that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and Saviour of the World one able to save to the utmost all that put their trust in him so that every soul that finds it self lost and not able to subsist nor abide the judgement of God may repose their confidence in him and lay the weight of their eternal well-fare upon his death sufferings with assurance to find rest and peace in him to their souls He is such a one as faith may triumph in him over the world all things beâ—…de A Beleever may triumph in his victory and in the faith of his victory over hell and death and the grave many overcome personally for this is our victory over the world even our faith vers 4. And how could a soul conquer by Faith if he in whom it believes were not declared to be the Son of God with power there is nothing so mean weakly as Faith in it self it s a poor despicable thing of it self and that it sees and that it acknowledges yea faith is a very act of its self denyall it s a renouncing of all help without and within it self save only that which is laid on Christ Jesus therefore it were the most unsuitable mean of prevailing and the most insufficient weapon for gaining the victory if the object of it were not the strong God the Lord Almighty from whom it derives and borrows all its power vertue either to pacifie the conscience or to expiate sin or to overcome the world Oh! consider Christians where the foundation of your hope is scituated it is in the divine power of our Saviour if he who declared so much love good-will to sinners by becoming so low suffering so much have also all power in Heaven and Earth if he be not only man near us to make for us boldnesse of accesse but God near God to prevail effectually with God then certainly he is asure foundation laid in Sion elect and precious he is an unm oveable Rock of ages whosoever trusts their soul to him shal not be ashamed I am sure that many of you considers not this that Christ Jesus who was in due time born of the Virgin Mary died for sinners is the eternall Son of God equall to his Father in all glory and power O how would this make the Gospel agreat mystery to souls the Redemption of souls a precious and wonderfull work if it were considered Would not souls stand at this Anchor immoveable in tentation if their faith were pitched on this sure foundation and their hope cast upon this solid ground O know your Redeemer is strong and mighty and none can pluck you out of his hand and himself will cast none out that comes If the multitude of you believed this you would not make so little account of the Gospel that comes to you make so little of your sins which behoved to be taken away by the blood of God could be expiated by no other propitiation you would not think it so easie to satisfie God with some words of custome and some publick services of forme as you do you would not for all the World deal with God alone without this Mediator and being convinced of sin if you believed this solidely that he in whom forgivennesse of sin and salvation is preached is the same Lord God of whom you hear in the Old Testament who gave out the Law and inspired the Prophets the only begotten of the Father in a way infinitly removed from all created capacities you could not but find the Father well satisfied in him find a sufficient ransome in his death doings to pacifie God to settle your consciences But as the thing testified is a matter of great consolation so the witnesse testifying to this foundamentall of our Religion may be a ground of great encouragement to discouraged souls It is ordinary that the apprehensions of Christians takes up Jesus Christ as very lovely and more loving than any of the Persons of the God-head either the Father or the Holy Ghost there are some thoughts of estrangednesse and distance of the Father as if the Son did really reconcile and gain him to love us who before hated us and upon this mistake the soul is filled with continual jealousies and suspicions of the love of God but observe I beseech you the Father the Son