the World God created all things by his Word Psal. 33.9 He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast This whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth which we now behold with wonder was made with a Word And mark God's creating Word and Word of Promise do not differ they are both the Word of God and there is as much Force and Power in this Word I will take away the Heart of Stone as there was in this Word Let there be Light There is as much Power in this Sentence I will make your vile Bodies to be like to Christ's glorious Body as there was in that Word Let there be a Firmament God's Word was powerful enough to make a World when it was nothing before All the Works of God subsist by the Force of his Word Heb. 1.3 Vpholding all things by the Word of his Power It is but for God to say Let it continue let it be and either are accordingly One Word is enough to undo the World and one Word is enough to uphold and preserve it God's Word is the Declaration of his Almighty and powerful Will whatever he did in the World he did it by his Word Therefore if you have this immutable Ground if God hath deposited and plighted his Word you have enough to establish strong Consolation for it is powerful to all Purposes and Intents whatsoever 2. Consider the Certainty of it When the Word is gone out of God's Mouth it shall not be recalled The Lord prizeth his Faithfulness above all things The Scripture must be fulfilled whatever Inconveniences come of it Mark the whole Course of Providence and you will find that God is very tender of his Word he valueth it above all his Works Luke 21.33 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my VVords shall not pass away God is not so tender of Heaven and Earth but that he will break it all to pieces rather than not make good his Word though it be a curious Frame and Fabrick in which he hath displayed much of his Glory yet that shall be dissolved Heaven and Earth do only continue till all that is prophesied of in the Word be fulfilled We shall enjoy the Comfort of his Word in Heaven when all these things are melted away with a fervent Heat Nay which is more God valueth his Word above the humane Life of Christ his own Son If God passed his Word for it his Son who was the Delight of his Soul equal to him in Glory must come from Heaven take a Body and suffer a cruel Death Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy Will O God Psal. 40.7 God had passed his Word to the Church that it should be so therefore rather than he would go back from his Word he sent Christ to die for a sinful World There was no Promise of more difficulty for God to grant nor for us to believe than this of the Incarnation and Death of Christ yet rather than go back from his Word Christ must come and die an accursed and shameful Death Secondly The main thing is what ground of Consolation we have in God's Oath And there I shall I. Shew the Reasons why God gives us his Oath over and above his Word II. The several Advantages which we have by his Oath in Believing I. For the Reasons why God should give this Oath An Oath you know is given in Matters doubtful Philo saith An Oath is given for the manifestation of a Matter which is secret and doubtful and which cannot otherwise be determined To swear in Things apparent and Matters clear is to take the Name of God in vain All Matters which are clear are otherwise decided Matters of Opinion by Argument Matters of Fact by Testimony Matters of Promise by the single Word of the Party that promises if he be a Person of Honour and Credit but always an Oath supposes some Doubt and Controversy that cannot otherwise be determined And so much the Apostle intimates when he says Heb. 6.16 It is the End of all Strife or Controversy Well then God's Promises being of such absolute Certainty why doth the Lord deposite his Oath with the Creature since his single and bare Word is enough I answer the Matter it self needs it not but only in regard of us We look upon the Promises with doubtful Thoughts there is a Controversy between God and us we have hard Thoughts of God as if he would not be so good as his Word therefore his Oath is given not to shew the Doubtfulness of the thing that is sworn but the Greatness of our Unbelief Austin saith Est exprobatio quaedam infidelitatis nostrae God hereby upbraids us with our Unbelief when he gives us an Oath for the Confirmation of any Matter Briefly God's Oath is given us for two Reasons to shew us the Certainty and to shew us the Excellency of our Priviledges in Christ. Reason 1. To shew us the Certainty of our Privileges in Christ. The World makes it a Controversy and doubtful matter whether Christ came to die for Sinners yea or no whether God will save those that take Sanctuary at Christ God saith Ay and we say No and how shall the matter be decided Observe it and you will find that there are two things which we are apt to suspect in God his good Affection in making the Promise and his Truth in keeping the Promise We suspect his good Affection especially when we are in Pangs and Gripes of Conscience and we suspect his Truth in Straits and Difficulties whenever in the Course of God's Providence we are cast into such a Condition that we think he hath forgotten his Promise Now the Lord might be highly offended with us for those wicked Thoughts we entertain of his Majesty but in a gracious Condescention he is pleased to put an End to the Controversy by an Oath As if the Lord had said Do you doubt of this Will you put me to my Oath Here I am ready to take it and that the matter may no longer remain in Suspence I sware by my Life by my Holiness by whatever you count sacred and excellent in me That whoever among you whatever he be that is touched with a Sense of his Sin and Misery by Nature if he will run to Christ for Refuge take Sanctuary in Christ if he doth belong to my unchangeable Purposes of Grace I will surely without miscarrying bring him to a sure and eternal Possession of Glory and for the present I will be a Father to him and guide him and keep him as the Apple of mine Eye I will be his present Help his Guardian his Counsellor during the whole time of his Aboad in the World where he is only liable to Dangers This was the matter in Controversy and this is the Substance of God's Oath And I shall shew you how apt we are to distrust God in all this We suspect as I said either his good
them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own for they had all things common And the reason of the Command Christ gives Luk. 12.33 Sell that ye have and give Alms provide your selves baggs which wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not where no Thief approacheth neither Moth corrupteth It was a prudent Course when there was such a General Destruction to come upon them Doct. That we ought upon God's Call to be ready to forsake all that we have in the World Here I shall 1. Consider when God calls us to forsake all 2. Why we ought to do so First When God calls us to forsake all that we have such a particular Precept or Command we cannot now expect Now Christ is ascended into the Heavens and governs us not by Oracle but by his Word not by his personal Presence but by his Spirit But yet still in some Cases wherein we are to forsake all they may be referred unto two Heads 1. When God by his Providence reduceth us to a poor Condition 2. When we cannot obey any particular Precept of God without danger of being undone by it 1. When God by his Providence reduceth us to a poor Condition either for our Chastisement or our Tryal then we are willingly and chearfully to forsake all This is no strange thing to hear of those that have flowed in Wealth and yet by the meer Providence of God though not by their own misgovernment or default have been reduced to great necessity Our Estates in the World are lyable to many hazards by which this may be brought about as by Fire Innundation or Hostile Depredations by State Injury false Witness of others or negligence of Servants or Sureâ—yship for Friends or oversight of reckoning or trusting of Customers or unfaithfulness of Factors or Piracy by Sea by these and many other such like means may our Estates be wasted and come to nothing and we brought to great Poverty Iob the richest Man in the East was brought to sit upon the Dunghill Belizarius that great Captain that had twice relieved Rome and vanquished so many Enemies was brought to begg for a half-penny to sustain his Life Date obolum Belizario Now we ought to have a ready mind prepared for all Providences and this is the true voluntary Poverty of Christians not Monkish Vows but this willingness to be at God's disposing It ought not to be sought for but we must not be over-sorrowful if it happens but humbly acquiesce in the Will of God and bear Poverty if laid upon us with a constant patient mind Iob 1.21 Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. 2. God still calls us to forsake all when we cannot obey any particular Precept of God without danger of being undone by it When God by his Providence maketh it impossible for us to preserve our Fidelity to him or Obedience to any known Command of his without sacrificing our Interests and parting with all that we have in the World we must impartially perform it and do our Duty tho' it be with the loss of Estate and Life it self Rev. 12.11 They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of his Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes Be ye faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life And Moses when all the Pleasures and Treasures he enjoyed in Pharaoh's Court came once to be the Pleasures of sin and he could continue there no longer without sin he left all Heb. 11.24 25 26. By Faith Moses when he came to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward In these two Cases we are to sell all Secondly For the Reasons why we must do so 1. God hath an absolute Right to all that we have by his own Eminency and Prerogative He is called the Possessor of Heaven and Earth Gen. 14.19 not only the Maker but the Possessor We are not Lords but only Stewards Luk. 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward A Steward must be ready to give up the Estate when the supream Lord calls for it We have not Dominium the Dominion and Sovereignty only Dispensationem a Dispensation and Trust and when the supream Lord calls for all we have we must willingly resign all into his hands I will take away my Corn my Wine and my Wooll and my Flax saith God Hos. 2.9 Every one is allow'd to do with his own as it pleaseth him God cannot injure his Creature for when he takes these things from us he doth but dispose of his own The Lord of his Bounty communicates many good things to us but still he retains the Dominion of them in his own Hands that he may dispose of them according to his own pleasure If God saith Keep you may keep it but if he saith Vade vende omnia Go sell all who art thou O Man that replyest upon God We are not absolute and perpetual Owners and must part with it when the Lord shall require it We are not Possessors but Stewards or Tenants at Will God allows us to dispense and use these things for a time for his glory and for the supply of our selves and ours and to do good to others and then we are to resign and give up all again when he calls for it or shall be pleased to take it from us by his own immediate hand or by other means He giveth us Wealth with this Condition 2. Because it is impossible we should be Christians if we come not to Christ with this Mind and Resolution to forsake all for our Duty to him All hath been ratified by our own Consent see Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple How forsake all not actually but so as to be ready to forsake all if Christ please Christians whoever comes to Christ he lays himself and all he hath at Christ's Feet his Life Goods and Lands to be used and disposed of as Christ shall direct and not to take them up again but as Christ will 〈◊〉 and so he forsaketh all things tho' not actually till God calls him to it yet Preparatione animi in a full Resolution to run all hazards and Extremities that his Duty to Christ shall expose him to Esse Christianum grande non videri it is a costly thing to be a Christian indeed thô it
Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by which he became an heir of the righteousness which is by Faith The saving of Noah from the Flood is a Type and Shadow of Salvation by Christ. The Flood Drowned and Destroyed the impenitent World but Noah and his Family were saved in the Ark. We are warned of the Eternal penalties threatned by God if we do not repent and believe we shall not be saved from wrath But if we believe and prepare an Ark that is diligently use the means appointed for our safety then we become heirs of the righteousness which is by Faith Noah shewed himself a Believer indeed to prepare an Ark with such vast charge in the face of the scorning World which was an eminent piece of Self-denial and Obedience But such will the true Faith put us upon Look as to be justified by the Law or Works required by the Law is all one so to be justified by Faith or the New Covenant is all one also Whatever therefore the New Covenant requireth as our duty that we may be capable of the priviledges thereof that must be done by the sincere Believer 'T is not the idle but the working Faith 2. That confession with the Mouth is required unto Salvation for God is not glorified nor others edified nor our selves comforted but by such a believing with the Heart as hath confession going along with it 1. God is most glorified when Faith breaketh out into confession either in word or deed suffering or obedience 2 Thes. 1.11 12 Wherefore we pray always that God would count you worthy of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of Faith with power that the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you By the work of Faith there is not meant the internal elicite or heart acts such as assent consent and affiance thus we may honour God in our selves but not before others but the external act of confession which is made either by patient sufferings or holiness of life so we honour God before others Our Deeds must answer our Faith For the truest confession is made by deeds rather than words for words are cheaper than deeds The World therefore believeth deeds more In short a Christian that desireth to magnifie Christ in his Soul desireth also to magnifie him in his body Phil. 1.20 So Christ be magnified in my Body whether by life or by death So 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodies and Souls which are Gods 2. Others are edified For that which is secret is no means to profit them they cannot see our Faith but they may see our good works Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before Men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And 1 Pet. 2.12 That they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation and a holy life is required for their sakes that love may be a means to bring them home to God 3. We are most comforted for 't is the practical operative Faith which giveth a Right to Salvation and breedeth assurance of it in our Souls That is but the image and shaddow of Grace that lurketh and lieth hid and idle in the Soul Iam. 2.14 What doth it profit my Brethren if a Man say he hath Faith and hath not works Can Faith save him You do not look for salvation by Christ if you do not take the way that leadeth to it but a fruitful Faith evidenceth it self and confirmeth our interest and increaseth our joy Vse To press you 1. To mark the order of the benefits first righteousness then Salvation 1. We can never have sound Peace there is no appearing before God without some Righteousness of one sort or other God is Holy and Just therefore somewhat we must have to stand before this Holy God 2. No other Righteousness will serve the turn but the Righteousness of Faith We are in a woful case till we get an Interest in the Righteousness of Christ Iob 33.24 Then he is gracious to him and saith Deliver him from going down into the Pit for I have found a ransom 3. Till we heartily and sincerely believe or enter into this Covenant we have not this Interest Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Then for Salvation is this all your Hope and Desire that your Soul may be saved in the day of the Lord Then let not lesser pursuits divert you Acts 16.30 The Iaylor said to Paul and Silas Sirs what must I do to be saved It doth not touch us so near how we shall live in this World as how to live in the other Secondly Mark the Order of Duties 1. Faith Then Confession Hear and your Souls shall live First Hear then Live There must be a believing with the Heart and a Confession with the Mouth both go together For with the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation A Sermon on 1 Cor. Viii. 6 But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him And one Iesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him IN the Text there is a perfect Antithesis or Opposition to the fabulous devices of the Pagan Religion Among the Pagans there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Gods and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Lords verse 5. By Gods meaning the Supream Deities by Lords middle Powers or Gods of an Inferiour Order supposed to be Mediators and Agents between the Supream Gods and Mortal Men called by the Orientals Baalim Lords as Gods here by the Apostles By the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Plato in his Sympos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Commerce and Intercourse between Gods and Men is performed by Daemons Now the Christian Religion doth herein agree with the Pagan that there is a Supream God and a Mediator But it differeth that they had a Plurality in both sorts of their Gods we but one in each And so the Christian Religion is distinguished from all others by one God and one Lord. To us that is to us Christians there is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Sovereign God from whom as Supream we derive all our Graces and to whom as Supream we direct all our Services And one Lord that is one Mediator by whom as through a golden Pipe all Mercies are conveyed to us and by whom also we have access to God But to us there is but one God c. In the Words observe 1. What is said of the Supream and Most High God 1. The Unity of his Essence that though he be distinguished into three Persons Father Son and Holy
ever we think of it When this Lamb of God was killing the Creatures were all in amazement the Earth trembled the Rocks rent the Sun was eclipsed Oh how great is the stupidity and dullness of our Hearts that we can no more seriously think of it Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High-priest of our Profession Iesus Christ. Serious Meditation is like the Concoction of Meat in the Stomach 2. Behold him with Application Iob 5.27 Hear it and know thou it for thy good Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things Excite thine own Heart surely this was for my Sins if I have an Heart to receive Christ and make use of him for this End and Purpose Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me And 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you 3. Behold him with an Eye of Faith Isa. 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Iesus Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced Faith gets such a clear sight of things as if we had been by when he suffered and paid this Ransom 4. Behold him with an Eye of Repentance and brokeness of Heart Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born It was thy Sins that pierced him therefore behold him and mourn 5. Behold him with an Eye of Thankfulness as the great Instance of God's Love who would by so costly a Remedy procure our Pardon and Happiness 1 Iohn 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the prâ—pitiation for our sins 6. Behold your Suffering and Crucified Saviour with an Eye of Love so as to love him the more O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Love is Crucified Ignatius quò vilior eò charior The more vile and humble he was the more dear he should be to you Let it perswade us to a real Love to allow him a Dominion and Lordship in our Hearts that is real Love to obey God Rom. 5.8 God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us This Love must beget Love 1 Use. To press you to behold the Lamb of God behold him as a Sacrifice for Sin whose Blood applied doth quiet the Conscience and turn away the Curse These Words present the more glorious Spectacle and Object not to your Sight but to your Faith not to your Senses but to your most serious and intimate Consideration The Object is Christ Crucified the only true propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin the chief Point of Christian Knowledge and the most powerful Means of the Creatures Good Oh behold him look not at Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper but at the Lamb of God 2 Use. To press you to take and eat Christ and receive him out of God's hands by Faith He is the Lamb of God God designed him for this Work when Man had no way to help himself 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world God tendreth him to you now Take and Eat God the Party offended hath authorized Christ to be a Mediator say then Lord thou hast appointed thy Son and sent him into the World to be a Ransom for our Souls he is now offered to me Lord I come to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood We must eat him so as to feel the Virtue of both changing our Hearts and comforting our Consciences changing our Hearts other Food is changed into our Substance this changeth us 2 Cor. 5.17 He that is in Christ is a new Creature Comforting our Consciences Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Is God unwilling to give Christ Or is Christ unable to do his Work A Second Sermon on JOHN i. 29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World Doctrine 2. THE great Work of Christ the Lamb of God is to take away the Sins of the World 1. What is meant by the World 2. In what manner Christ taketh away the Sins of the World 3. That this is the great End Work and Scope of Christ's coming into the World I. What is meant by the World Why is there such a capacious and comprehensive Word used Since it is clear that all the World have not benefit by Christ for many of them die in their Sins Answ. 1. To shew the difference between the Lamb of God and the Sacrifices of the Law the old Sacrifices were only offered for the People of Israel but Christ's Death hath a larger Extent to People of all places Iews and Gentiles 1 Iohn 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world And in all Ages from the beginning of the World to the end Rev. 13.8 He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world The Lamb of God is of an universal and perpetual Use. 2. To shew the sufficiency of this Mediatorial Sacrifice it is of such a full and overflowing Merit that it becometh a Foundation for a tendry of Grace to every Creature Here is a Ground-work and Foundation laid for the truth of this Proposition Mark 16.16 That whosoever believeth shall be saved So that here is a great Invitation and Incouragement for every oppressed Soul if Christ taketh away the Sins of the World put in for a share thou art a Member of the World Paul creepeth in at the back Door of the Promise 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Christ would not have Sinners exclude themselves but attend upon him for this Benefit Therefore he would have his Grace set forth in the most comprehensive Terms that all that find themselves Sinners may stir up themselves to find benefit by him 3. Those Elect ones who have actual Benefit by this Sacrifice may be called The World partly because of their Number take them all together and they are many and therefore called World Rev. 7.9 I beheld a great multitude which no man could number c. And partly in regard of God's Estimation though they are few they are as good as all the World to him And partly because they will one day be set apart from the rest of Mankind and make a peculiar World of themselves II. In what manner doth Christ take away the Sins
begging to his own Creature and deals with us as importunately as if the Benefit were his own thus doth he pray us to be reconciled And then God threatens eternal Death to stir us up to take hold of eternal Life he tells us of a Pit without a Bottom and a Worm that never dies Sometimes he seeketh to work upon our Hope and sometimes upon our Fear he not only tells us of the loss of Happiness which is very grievous to an ingenuous Spirit Heb. 12.14 Follow Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord But he tells us of those eternal Torments that are without End and Ease of a Worm than never dies and of a Fire that shall never be quenched O whose Heart doth not tremble at the mention of these things Then on the other side we have Promises as great as Heart can wish for and more 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises It hath not entred into the Heart of Man to conceive of these things Who ever hired a Man to be happy or a thirsty Man to drink or a hungry Man to eat Salvation is so acceptable and the heavenly and blessed Hope so glorious that we should purchase it at any rate but God taketh all Methods to awaken Man Thus the Gospel may well be said to be a powerful Instrument of our Salvation because it hath a powerful Tendency that way 2. Because it hath the Promise of the Spirit 's Assistance Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is said to be the Power of God unto Salvation not only because it is a powerful Instrument which God hath appropriated to this Work but this is the Honour God puts upon the Gospel that he will join and associate the Operation of his Spirit with no other Doctrine but this And therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 3.2 Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith How come you to receive the Spirit either by endeavouring to get Acceptance with God according to the Terms of the Law or by the Doctrine of the Gospel The Assistance of the Spirit is joined with no other Doctrine This is the Authentick Proof of the Excellency of that Doctrine that God hath reserved the Power of his Grace to go along with it he will not associate and join his Spirit with any other Doctrine The Law as it is contra-distinguish'd from the Gospel it is called the Ministration of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 and the Ministration of Death to fallen Man ver 7. It is the Office of the Law to condemn a Man not to save him Not as if preaching of the Law did make us guilty but shews us to be guilty to him that is guilty of Death it puts the Guilt before their Eyes that knowing it and feeling it he may be terrified and despair in himself and beg for Deliverance To this end the Apostle gives us an account of his own Experience Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once that is I thought I was alive and did not know my self or feel my self guilty of Death I thought my self to be in as good a condition towards God as any Man but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died then I counted my self to be lost and utterly undone A Sinner before the Law comes is like a Beggar that dreams he is a King and that he wallows in Ease and Plenty but when he awakes his Soul is empty and he feeleth his Poverty and his hungry Belly and his Rags confute all his Dreams and false Surmises So we thought our selves to be alive in a good condition towards God but when the Law comes then we see our selves to be dead and lost Therefore the Law as it is opposed to the Gospel is not the Means of Salvation so it is only the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Object You will say these seem to be hard Expressions to call it the Law of Sin and Death but you must understand it aright To Man fallen the Law only convinceth of Sin and bindeth over to Death it is nothing but a killing Letter but the Gospel accompanied by the Power of the Spirit bringeth Life Again Psal. 19.7 it is said there The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul therefore it seems the Law may also be a word of Salvation to the Creature I answer By the Law there is not meant only that part of the Word which we call the Covenant of Works but there it is put for the whole Word for the whole Doctrine of the Covenant of Life and Salvation as Psal. 1.2 His Delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night And if you take it in that stricter sense then it converteth the Soul but by accident as it is joined with the Gospel which is the Ministry of Life and Righteousness but in it self it is the Law of Sin and Death Look as a thing taken simply would be Poison and deadly in self yet mix'd with other wholsome Medicines it is of great use is an excellent Physical Ingredient So the Law is of great use as joined with the Gospel to awaken and startle the Sinner to shew him his Duty to convince him of Sin and Judgment but it is the Gospel properly that pulls in the Heart Vse To press you to regard the Gospel more as you would Salvation it self for it bringeth Salvation By way of Motive and Encouragement 1. Consider the greatness of the Salvation Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation It is not a slight matter in the Gospel God doth not treat with you about Trifles your eternal Life lies upon it we preach to you a Doctrine that tends to Salvation That so the Argument may be more operative consider what is Salvation Salvation implieth a Deliverance from Danger and Distress and a preservation in a condition of Safety Sometimes he is called a Saviour qui quod semel factum est conservat ne pereat that keepeth a thing in a condition of Safety tho it were never lost In this sense God is said to save Man and Beast Psal. 36.6 O Lord thou preservest Man and Beast As he doth preserve them from Decay and Ruin so he is the Saviour of all Men 1 Tim. 4.10 There is not a Creature but may call God Saviour But this Salvation I speak of is a Salvation proper but to a few Creatures not a general Preservation or Act of Providence here is not only Safety but Glory it is a translation to a place of Happiness Again he is said to save that delivers out of Danger and Destruction as the Shepherd that snatcheth the Lamb out of the Teeth of the Lion saveth him and in common speech we call him a Saviour that delivers from Evil. But mark this
be pleasing and acceptable to God in order to Practice and value our Lives for this End only that we may serve God it is a sign Grace is planted in the Heart But now ungodly Men neither care to know the ways of God nor to walk in them They that are willingly ignorant and do not search to know how God will be served and pleased and make this their Work they do not count God their chiefest Good They search not that they may not practice they err not in their Mind only but in their Hearts Psal. 95.10 It is a People that do err in their Hearts they have not known my ways To err in the Mind may be through invincible Ignorance but a Man errs in his Heart when he doth not desire to know God and to know his Will and what he must do in Worship and Conversation but saith I do not desire to know God Iob 21.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the Knowledg of thy ways Therefore he that doth not make it his great Work and the Business of his Life to find out what God would have him do he is ungodly Usually this is found in Men half convinced they have not a Mind to know that which they have not a Mind to do and so they are willingly ignorant But now a godly Man makes it the Business of his Life still to follow God Foot by Foot to know more of his Mind and Will Rom. 12.2 That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect VVill of God Ephes. 5.12 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. A true Christian always practiseth what he knows and still searcheth that he may know more he would be always more useful for God and more according to his Heart that is the Study the great Business and Project of his Life to find out God's Will and then practise it What shall I do more for God Thirdly God must be acknowledged as the supream Truth and Authority and there if we be not moved with his Promises with his Threatnings and Counsels as the Words of the great God as if he had spoken from Heaven by an audible Voice if we do not yield him Reverence in his Worship and subject our Hearts and Lives unto his Laws it is Ungodliness 1 st We must receive the Counsels of his Word with all Reverence and Veneration as if God had spoke to us by a Voice from Heaven This is to receive the Word as the Word of God 2 Thess. 2.10 They received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved The Heathens received the Oracles of their Gods with great Reverence and were much moved when they had an Oracle but when the Word comes with a mighty convincing Power upon the Heart and you are not moved and affected this argues your Ungodliness So when we can drousily hear of the great things of Heaven and the Death of Christ and the Covenant of Grace and the glorious Salvation offered and are no more moved than with a Fable or with a Dream of Rubies dropping down from Heaven in the Night this is Ungodliness That there is a great deal of Ungodliness in this kind is clear by our Neglect of these Precious Things If a Man should proffer another a thousand Pound for a Trifle and he should not accept it you would not say it was because he prized that Trifle that is not profitable but because he did not believe the Offer So when God offers Heaven and Christ to us upon such easy terms as to part with nothing but our Sins which are better parted with than kept we do not honour him as the eternal Truth if we do not accept it but count him a Liar and this is the greatest Affront you can put upon God for he that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son 1 John 5.10 He that doth not regard the Offer of the Gospel certainly he believes it is not true and so he dishonours God as the supream Truth 2 dly If we would honour God as the supream Lord of Heaven and Earth we must reverence him in his Worship God is not only terrible in the high Places of the Field and there where he executes his dreadful Judgments and not only so in the Depths of the Sea where the Wonders of the Lord are seen but he is also terrible in his holy Places Psal. 68.35 O God thou art terrible out of thy holy Places Then are the Hearts of his People filled with most awful Apprehensions of his glorious Majesty and of his excellent Holiness and this makes them tremble But now when we do not come with these awful Apprehensions we do not own God as the supream Majesty and therefore when they brought him an unbeseeming Sacrifice saith the Lord Mal. 1.14 Cursed be the Deceiver which hath in his Flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadful among the Heathens This is not becoming my Majesty And the Saints of God never feel such Self-Abhorrency and Loathing of themselves as when they are worshipping God God is even dreadful then when he is most comfortable to his People Deut. 28.58 That thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God Thy God this is the comfortablest Name in all the Scripture this is the Foundation of our Hope and this puts the Saints upon a Holy Reverence But now ungodly Men come with slight cold and careless Hearts their Thoughts are upon the Shop and the Cart and the Plough and any where else than upon God they dream nigh to him with their Lips but their Hearts are removed far from him They do not come to him as a great King and supream Majesty and Authority of all and so they dishonour God exceedingly Our Thoughts in Worship should be more taken up with his Glory 3 dly If we would honour God as supream there must be a willing Subjection of our Hearts and Lives to his Laws Usually here we stick in a want of Conformity thereto Men that love God as a Creator naturally hate him as a Law-giver Men love him as a Giver of Blessings but they would fain live at large Thoughts that strike at the Being of God and Doctrines of Liberty are welcome to a carnal Heart therefore it is tedious to them to hear of one to call them to account and it is pleasing to them to think which is an Argument of the highest Hatred that can be that there were no God to call them to a reckoning that they might let loose the Reins to vile Affections We would be absolute and Lords of our own Actions And this Subjection must be in Heart and Life There must be a Subjection of the Heart God's Authority is never more undermined than by a mere Form of
and reflected upon the Soul there is the more Service and Care to glorify God and to do him Respect and Honour Thus Faith the radical Grace is necessary for this temper and frame of Heart which is called Godliness and inclineth us to worship and glorify God 2. Fear and Love are likewise necessary I join them together because they do best mix'd Love with Fear that it may not be servile and Fear with Love that it may not be careless and secure both are Gospel-Graces In the Old Testament when God's Dispensations were more legal and God is represented as a Judg Fear is more spoken of but in the New Testament where more of Grace is discovered Love is more spoken of but both are necessary Fear and Love are indeed essential Respects of the Creature to God therefore both continue in Heaven and they are of great Use in the spiritual Life to maintain Piety Fear is necessary that we may keep God always in our Eye and Love that we may keep him always in our Hearts Fear restrains from Offence and Love urgeth to Work and Service Fear thinks of God's Eye and represents him as a Looker on and Love remembers God's Kindness Fear makes us cautious and watchful and stirs up awful Thoughts that we may not offend God and grieve his Spirit and Love works a Desire to injoy him and a Care to glorify him wherein indeed true Godliness consists for Godliness in its proper Notion importeth a Tendency of the Heart towards God either to injoy him which is our Happiness or to glorify him which is our Work and Duty And therefore Love is of great Use it stirs up Desires to injoy God and Fear which stirs up Care to glorify God Fear makes us upright because of God's Eye and Love makes us diligent and earnest because we are about God's Work who hath been gracious to us in Christ the one makes us serious the other active so that they are both of great Use to constitute that frame and temper of Heart wherein Piety consists Well then he is godly that feareth God for he would not offend him and he is godly that loves God because all his Care and Desire is to serve him and injoy him Secondly The Ordinances about which Godliness is conversant Because Particulars are most effective let me speak a Word of each The Ordinances which manifest which nourish which increase Godliness are these Reading Hearing Meditating Prayer the Use of the Seals and keeping of the Sabbath 1. Reading the Word The Words of Scripture have a proper Efficacy The Holy Ghost is the best Preacher therefore it is good now and then to go to the Fountain our selves and not only to have the Word brought to us by others but to read it our selves As the Eunuch Acts 8.28 when he returned from publick Worship he was reading the Scripture and God owned it by sending him an Interpreter Every Ordinance hath its proper Blessing and when we use it out of Conscience God will not be wanting He that sent Philip to the Eunuch will send his own Spirit to help thee therefore read the Word Daniel the Prophet that had the highest Visions from God yet he studies other Prophecies those of Ieremiah Dan. 9.2 I Daniel understood by Books the Number of the Years whereof the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet Mark the Study of the Scripture is a Duty that lies upon those that are most gifted and most eminent for Parts Nay the Prophets and holy Men of God read over again and studied their own Prophecies 1 Pet. 1.10 Of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you And if they that were guided by an infallible Spirit immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost if they thought fit to read and read again and again their own Prophecies and inquire diligently into the Salvation they spoke of much more is it our Duty to read the Word None is above the Ordinance of Reading That 's one Ordinance which nourisheth Godliness 2. Hearing One Institution must not justle out another It is not enough to read at home but you must also hear and attend upon publick Preaching Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard It is God's Ordinance Seldom is Grace got by Reading We have our Confirmation by Reading but usually Conversion is by Hearing therefore do not reason against this Duty and say you can provide your selves with Books you are not wiser than God his Will should be Reason enough though the Institution should be never so mean and despicable 1 Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the Foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe All God's Institutions are full of Wisdom and full of Reason There is some Help certainly in Hearing there 's a Ministerial Excitation which is of some Use. Look as warm'd Milk is fitter to nourish than that which is cold so the Word of God delivered by a lively Voice hath a greater Congruity and Sutableness to the Work of Grace As the Ear was the Door by which Death got into the Soul by hearkning to the Temptation so God would have the Ear to be the Sense of Grace and the Door of Life and Peace In the Church Hearing is exercised as in Heaven Seeing Our Happiness in Heaven is express'd by Vision and Sight but in the Church Hearing is our Duty and our Benefits and Advantages come in by attending upon the Word therefore it is good to take all Occasions and to be swift to hear James 1.19 Though we know a great deal already and have never so great Parts yet we need a Monitor to represent the things of God to us and to awaken our Consideration and lay them before our Eyes and though we know many things we are forgetful and do not think of them It is good to come to this Duty that we may be put in Remembrance 3. Meditation a neglected thing but it falleth under the Care of Godliness as well as others It is not enough to exercise the Eyes and the Ears but the Thoughts God deserves the best Use and the Flower and Strength of our Reason and the things of God deserve Consideration being so difficult and so excellent Especially should we meditate upon the Word we hear for then there 's matter to work upon and somewhat whereby to fix the Thought Psal. 62.10 God hath spoken once twice have I heard this That which God speaks we should go over again and again in our Thoughts As when a Man hath been hearing of Bells the Sound hovereth in the Brain when the Bells cease Thus and thus hath God spoken to day and what shall I say to these things This is like grinding of the Corn it prepares and makes it fit Nourishment for the Soul So meditate upon what you read Iosh. 1.8 The Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy Mouth but thou shalt
of Confidence but in the Clearness of your Ground and Warrant In Matth. 7. latter end the Scripture takes notice of two Builders the foolish and the wise there was no difference in the Building it self both might raise a Structure equally â—air but the difference lay in the Ground-work and Foundation the one built upon the Sand the other upon a Rock therefore you are not to look so much to the Strength of your Hope as to the Evidence the Ground the Foundation of it Do you know what you do when you so confidently believe your Salvation Presumption grows upon Men they know not how it is not an Act of Advice and Consideration and therefore will leave us to Shame A Man had need have good grounds for his Hope True Hope is a serious Act arising from Grace longing after its Perfection and therefore we are said to be begotten to a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Seed desireth Growth every thing aimeth at Perfection when Grace is infused presently there is a Tendency and Motion this way Others may have strength of Confidence though a weak Foundation whereon to build it therefore their Hope comes to nothing but Shame and the greater Confusion Iob 8.14 the Hope of the Hypocrite is compared to a Spider's Web O what a curious Web doth she spin out of her own Bowels but assoon as the Besom comes down goes the Spider and the Web too both are swept away and trodden under foot So it is with Hypocrites they spin a fine Web out of their own Bowels conceive rash but strong Hope a Hope of their own forming and making but when Death comes the Man dies and his Hopes die with him So Prov. 11.7 When a wicked Man dies his Expectation shall perish and the Hope of the unjust Man perisheth It is not meant only of his worldly Expectations tho that is true he that aspired to be great and to feather his Nest and excel in the World when he dies all his Plots and Projects die with him but it is meant of his heavenly Hopes when they come to enter upon their everlasting State then they are sensible of their Mistake We are more sensible of what is near at hand than what is at a distance Men grow wise when they come to die Eternity is near at hand and Men begin to awake as out of their Dream and lose all their Confidence and when they thought they were full they find themselves hungry Again the Hope of the Hypocrite is compared to the giving up of the Ghost Iob 11.20 Their Hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost When the Frame of Nature is dissolved it is done with bitter Gripes and Pain the Soul in a Moment takes an everlasting Farewel of the Body so all the Hopes of the Wicked vanish and are lost in an Instant and they are full of Horrour and sad Despair It is the greatest Evil that can befal you to lose all your Hopes in an Instant Well then this looking for the blessed Hope is not a slender Imagination an unadvised rash Confidence such as is lost whenever we begin to be serious either by the conviction of the Word or the approaches of Death 2. It is not some Glances upon Heaven such as are found in worldly and sensual Persons Sometimes worldly Men have their lucida intervalla their good Moods and now and then have some sober Thoughts of Heaven that rush into their Mind Balaam had his Wishes Numb 23.10 Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last End be like his And the Apostle speaks of some that had a Taste Heb. 6.4 snatch now and then some savour of the Sweetness of Heaven and spiritual Comforts A wretched Worldling in whose Fancy the World plays all the day riseth with him goeth to Bed with him yet now and then hath his Wishes and some sudden Raptures of Soul some Flashes and Motions but alas this is not the looking for the blessed Hope for that is a constant viewing of Happiness to come Sudden Motions are not operative they come but now and then and leave no Warmth upon the Soul as Fruit is not ripened that hath but a glance of the Sun and you know a sudden Light rather blinds a Man than shews him his way so these sudden Flashes Enlightnings and heavenly Thoughts vanish and leave a Man never the better 3. It is not a loose Hope a possible Salvation that can have such an Efficacy upon the Soul to urge and incline it to the spiritual Life James 1.8 A double-minded Man is unstable in all his Ways When a Man is double-minded divided and distracted between Hopes and Fears there will be much Irregularity and Unevenness in his Conversation he will be off and on with God As their Hearts are up and down and divided because the Success is doubtful so also is their care of Strictness weakned and broken 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the Air. He alludes to the Istmich Games In an ordinary Race a Man might run and be out-stripp'd the Event was very uncertain he might miss of the Goal if the other sensibly got ground then he was discouraged and began to slack his pace as out of hope but saith the Apostle I run not as one that is uncertain here we are all sure to obtain tho we cannot keep pace with the foremost And this is that which quickens Industry and stirs up those holy Endeavours The surer your Hope is the greater Strength you find and the greater Power upon your Conversation Thus it is not a blind Hope or some Glances upon Heaven and the blessed Things to come that rush into the Mind of a cursed Worldling nor a loose Hope and bare Conjecture a possible Salvation hath not such Efficacy and Power upon the Soul Secondly Positively what this Expectation is of Blessedness to come It is an earnest and lively Hope a solid Expectation of Blessedness to come and it bewrays it self by three things serious Thoughts earnest Groans and lively Tastes 1. By frequent and serious Thoughts Thoughts are the Spies and Messengers of Hope sent into the promised Land to bring the Soul Tidings of what is to come It is impossible for a Man to hope for any thing but his Mind will run upon it and he will be thinking of it We find it in all earthly Matters that Hope sets the Mind on work and so we preoccupy and forestal the Contentments that we expect we enjoy them before they come by serious Contemplation feasting the Soul with Images and Suppositions of the Happiness we shall have when we come to Fruition Contemplation of Heaven is the Feast of the Soul Hope brings in the Image and Suppositions of what is to come as if it were already present Certainly where-ever the Treasure is the Heart the Thoughts will be there Hope carries the Mind above the Clouds in the midst
I shall tell you what Application there must be if we cannot attain to Assurance There are three degrees of Application beneath Assurance 1. Acceptation of God's Offer that is one degree of Application Iob 5.27 Hear it and know thou it for thy good Put in for these Hopes and take God on his Word stipulate with him and undertake thy part of the Covenant upon a confidence God will not fail thee As Moses when the Book of the Law was read Exod. 24.6 took half the Blood and sprinkled it on the Altar to shew that God undertook to bless them and ver 8. the other half he sprinkled on the People by which they were engaged to obey There must be in all Christians the Answer of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 2. Adherence Stick close to this Hope in a course of Obedience If we do God's Work we shall not fail of Wages 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the Air. 3. Affiance noting waiting upon God tho with some Doubts and Fears for the Revelation of this Glory Tho you cannot say It is yours yet wait with hope till your Change come looking for the Mercy of Christ so that you durst venture your Soul in that Bottom This is committing our Souls to him in well-doing as to a merciful and faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 You put your Souls into God's Hands that made them 3. Expect it This is the formal Act of Hope which is pressed in the Text. This Hope and Expectation of Blessedness is the Strength of the inward Man The Devils have a Faith but because it is without Hope it yieldeth no Refreshment James 2.19 Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble The word signifies such a trembling as the raging of the Sea it is a Light that does not refresh but scorch There would be Comfort in Hell if there could be Hope there It is the Duty now in season here we must expect Rom. 8.24 We are saved by Hope In Innocency there was little or no use of Hope and in Heaven there will be none at all the Object of Man's Happiness will be present and enjoyed but now all is to come we have only a Taste and Pledg to make us long for more and expect more Faith by Hope maketh them present Substance Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of Things hoped for Things of Eternal Life seem as a Shadow and Fiction to a carnal Heart This Hope is an earnest Elevation of the Mind to look for what Faith counteth real Vse 3. To direct us how to look for this blessed Hope 1. Consider it Hope is a temperate Extasy a Survey of the Land of Promise As God said to Abraham Gen. 13.14 15. Lift up now thine Eyes and look from the Place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward For all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy Seed for ever So Psal. 48.12 Walk about Zion and go round about her tell the Towers thereof It is a great Advantage to think often of Heaven it maketh it present to us Heaven deserveth our best Thoughts We should always do it in the Morning it were a good Preservative to keep us from being under the power of present things Psal. 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness In some special Seasons doth Hope set the Mind a-work in times of Trouble and present Sufferings we enjoy a happy Dedolency the Mind is untouched whatever the Body suffereth When we are summoned to the Grave and bodily Sicknesses put you in mind of Death when Sense and Speech fail the Love of God never fails this pale Horse is sent from Christ to carry us to Glory and though we go down to the Grave to converse with Worms and Skulls this Hope may comfort us Iob 19.26 27. And thoug◠after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another tho my Reins be consumed within me 2. Long for it Hope cannot be without Groans Every day wind up your Affections for here is nothing but Conflicts and Sorrows Love to Christ cannot be without him it will never be content Nature desires Perfection Col. 3.1 2. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right Hand of God Set your Affections on Things above not on Things on the Earth There is our God our Christ our Rest Where your Treasure is there will your Heart be also Mat. 6.22 not only the Mind but the Heart what we are much thinking of the Desires will be working that way The new Nature cannot be without these Desires every thing tendeth thither whence it came Eph. 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heavenly Places God sits in Heaven that dispenseth Grace Christ that conveyeth it thence come our Mercies Comforts and Joys therefore it is against the tendency of the new Nature not to be tending thither where Christ is who is our greatest Happiness There is your Father your elder Brother the best of the Family and your spiritual Relations whom you most valued the best Company is in the other World Here you have Maintenance as in a foreign Land but there is your Interest and Estate How unworthy soever we are there is infinite Mercy to give it there it acts like it self infinite Merit to purchase it there we receive the full Fruits of our Redemption and the present Fruits of the Spirit are the Earnest of it as an Earnest is something in part of a greater Sum. 3. Wait for it There are Groans of Expectation as well as of Desire You have a fair Charter granted by God the Father written with the Blood of Christ sealed by the Spirit To make your Expectation more firm consider 1. Christ's Goodness and Mercy Looking for the Mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternal Life Jude v. 21. He never discovered any backwardness to thy Good or inclination to thy Ruin 2. God's Faithfulness Heb. 9.18 19. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong Consolation God stands more on his Word than on Heaven and Earth If an honest Man has made a promise of any thing he will make it good much more may we depend on the faithful God 3. God's Power If our Souls were in our own keeping we might fear but we are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Abraham being perswaded of God's Power against Hope believed in Hope Rom. 4.18 4. Christ's Merit and Intercession Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right Hand of God who also maketh
think of God and study God but without Weariness Satiety or Distraction Secondly In Blessedness there is a Confluence of all Good To the Happiness of the Creature it is necessary that his Comforts should be full and eternal Psal. 16.11 In thy Presence is Fulness of Ioy and at thy right Hand are Pleasures for evermore 2 Cor. 4.18 The things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal That they may be full for Parts full for the Degrees and the manner of Enjoyment and that they should continue for ever that he may possess this Happiness without fear of losing it let us examine these things 1. He must injoy all Good for the Parts of it the whole Man in all his Relations must be blessed For Man being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable Creature is to be happy not only in his Person but in his Company and Relations so we hope for an Estate when our Persons shall be happy both in Body and Soul conformed to Christ and we shall be blessed in our Company and Relations we are brought into the Presence of God which is Blessedness it self and into the Sight and Fellowship of his blessed Son and into the Company of blessed Angels and Saints First The Happiness of his Person and there both of his Body and his Soul 1 st Of his Body It is good to consider that It is now a Temple of the Holy Ghost and he cannot leave his Mansion and quit his ancient Dwelling-Place and therefore he raiseth it up and formeth it again into a compleat Fashion like to Christ's glorious Body Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile Body that it may be like to his glorious Body for Clarity Agility Strength and Incorruption Solomon's Temple was destroyed but the latter Temple was nothing so glorious as the former Men wept when they saw it Ezra 3.12 But many of the Priests and Levites and chief of the Fathers who were ancient Men which had seen the first House when the Foundations of this House was laid before their Eyes wept with a loud Voice But it is not so here what is raised shall be quite another Body For the present there is to be seen a beautiful Fabrick wherein God hath shewed his Workmanship every Member if it were not so common would be a Miracle all is so ordered for the Service and Comeliness of the whole but now it is a vile Body subject to Diseases fed with Meat humbled with Wants many times mangled with Violence dissolved by Death and crumbled to Dust in the Grave like a dry Clod of Earth This is the Body that we carry about with us a Mass of Flesh dressed up to be a Dish for the Worms Men labour with a great deal of doe by embalming it with Spices to keep it from Putrefaction but all will not serve the turn it moulders at last But this vile Body shall rise in another manner like to Christ's glorious Body When the Sun appeareth the Stars vanish their lustre is eclipsed and darkned But the Sun of Righteousness when he appears at the last Day doth not obscure but perfect our Glory But wherein shall our Bodies be like to Christ's glorious Body The Apostle will tell us that in another Place 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. It is sown in Corruption it is raised in Incorruption it is sown in Dishonour it is raised in Glory it is sown in Weakness it is raised in Power it is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body Let me single out three Expressions it is raised in Incorruption it is raised in Glory it is raised a spiritual Body 1. It is an incorruptible Body Now it yielded to the Decays of Nature and is exercised with Pains and Aches till at length it droppeth down like ripe Fruit into the Grave but hereafter it shall be clothed with Immortality wholly impassible What a Comfort is this to them that are racked with Stone and Gout humbled with Diseases or withered with Age to think they shall have a Body without Aches and without Decays that shall be always in the Spring of Youth The Trees of Paradise are always green 2. It is a glorious Body Here it is many times deformed at least Beauty like a Flower is lost in Sickness withered with Age defaced by the several Accidents of Life but then we shall be glorious like Christ's Body The naked Body of Man at first was so beautiful that the Beasts of the Field admired it and thereupon did Homage to Adam but we shall not be conformed to the first Adam but the second Adam When Christ was transfigured in the Mount it is said Matth. 17.2 His Face did shine as the Sun and his Raiment was white as the Light There was such strong Emissions of the Beams of Glory that they could not indure the Shining of his Garments but it astonished the Disciples his Garments could not vail nor their Eyes indure those Beams of Glory Paul could not indure that Light that shined on him when Christ appeared to him from Heaven but was utterly confounded and struck blind Acts 9.3 4. And as he journied he came near Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a Light from Heaven and he fell to the Earth and heard a Voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me By this you may guess a little what the Glory of our Bodies shall be for we shall be like him Moses by conversing with God forty days the Complexion of his Face was altered so that he was forced to put a Vail upon it In this low Estate in which we are we must make use of these hints If we lose a Limb or a Joint he that healed Malchus his Ear will restore it again 3. It is a Spiritual Body either for Agility caught up into the Air to meet the Lord not clogged as now Or rather because more disposed for spiritual Uses for the Enjoyments and Employments of Grace Here it is a natural Body a great Clog to us it is not a dexterous Instrument to the Soul we are not in a Capacity to bear the new Wine of Glory there it is made more capacious as wide Vessels to contain all that God will give out The Disciples fainted at Christ's Transfiguration Mat. 17.6 And when the Disciples heard it they fell on their Faces and were sore afraid We cannot receive such large Diffusions and Overflowings of Glory as we shall then have every strong Affection and raised Thought doth overset us and causeth Extasy and Ravishment eminent Objects overwhelm the Faculty But there it is otherwise God maketh out himself to us in a greater Latitude and we are more able to bear it 2 dly For the Blessedness of the Soul which is the Heaven of Heaven Our Happiness is called the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 Giving Thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in
account of what we have done and received in the Body And therefore it is best while we are in the way to make our Peace with God and to break off our Sins by Repentance Otherwise what Quiet can we have in our selves or how can we keep our selves when we are serious from trembling at Wrath to come We may smother Conscience and baffle all Convictions for the present but Christians you and I must be judged Now when God riseth up to the Judgment what shall we answer him Iob 31.14 What then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him That must be thought on before-hand If we have no Answer which will satisfy now much less then 2. From the manner or strictness of that Day 's Account he will judg the World in Righteousness Eccles. 12.14 God shall bring every Work into Iudgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Hypocrisy shall be disclosed Sincerity shall be rewarded nothing shall be hidden from God's Search no Person shall be exempted no Work either open or secret but God will bring it into Judgment His infinite Wisdom knoweth all and his infinite Justice will give due Recompence to all The Businesses of all Nations and Persons shall be openly examined What then is our Duty but to exercise our selves both in Faith and Repentance that our Judg may be our Saviour and it may go well with us when this Search is made 3. Chiefly from the Person sufficiently attested by the Miracles of his Life and Resurrection from Death God hath determined and ordained the Person by whom the whole World shall be judged And from thence we may judg of the Rule it is by his Doctrine and by our receiving or not receiving Christ. Surely it is our Interest to be in with him who will cite us before his Tribunal To accept his Person as our Lord and Saviour Iohn 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God To believe and entertain his Doctrine as the Message of God Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from Death to Life To imitate his Example 1 Iohn 4.17 Herein is our Love made perfect that we may have Boldness in the Day of Iudgment because as he is so are we in this World To trust in his Merit Psal. 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his Wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their Trust in him To love him and live to him 1 Cor. 16.22 If any Man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha If he say Come ye Blessed or Go ye Cursed we must abide by it to all Eternity Wo to them that neglect his Offers contemn his Ways oppose his Interest oppress his Servants But blessed are they whose Redeemer is their Judg he who shed his Blood for them must pass the Sentence on them and one that is Flesh of our Flesh and Bone of our Bone is the final Judg between us and God Will he be harsh to his sincere Disciples But to say all in a word Surely this Consideration should do the Work effectually because his Gospel and Covenant is nothing else but a free Promise of Pardon upon Condition of Repentance Luke 24.47 That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations And to this end the Apostles were to preach that Christ is Judg Acts 10.42 43. He hath commanded us to preach unto the People and to testify that it is he who was ordained of God to be the Iudg of Quick and Dead To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive Remission of Sins Nothing sheweth the necessity of Remission of Sins so much as the Judgment and the necessity of Repentance to Remission so much as the Judg who in his Covenant hath made this Condition Nothing doth befriend the great Discovery of the Gospel which is free Pardon of Sin by Christ upon Repentance so much as the sound Belief of this Truth that Christ is Judg. Doct. That the great Purpose and Drift of the Gospel where it is sent and preached is to invite Men to Repentance This appeareth abundantly by the Scripture that Repentance is one of the first and chief Lessons which the Gospel teacheth When the Gospel-Kingdom was to be erected or set up Iohn the Baptist crieth Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3.2 So when Jesus himself began to preach his Note is the same Mat. 4.17 He began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand His Doctrine and the Doctrine of the Baptist is all one in substance and necessarily it must be so The Gospel findeth Men under the Tyranny of Sathan and offereth to bring them into the Kingdom of God So when he sent abroad his Disciples first to the Iews Matth. 10. and afterwards to the World Luk. 24.47 That Repentance and remission of Sins should be preached in his Name The Disciples were faithful to their Commission Acts 2.38 Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of Sins But to give you some Reasons of it I shall 1. Enquire what is Repentance 2. What the Gospel doth to promote it 3. How convenient and necessary this is for all those that are willing to come out of the Apostacy of Mankind and to return to their Obedience to God First What is Repentance Sometimes it is taken largely for our whole Conversion to God through the Faith of Christ as in the Text He commandeth all men to repent that is to turn from their Sins and believe the Gospel 2 Tim. 2.25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth Where the owning of the Christian Faith is called Repentance Sometimes strictly as opposed to or rather distinguished from Faith as Acts 20.21 Testifying both to the Iews and also to the Greeks Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ. Where Repentance is said to be towards God as the End as Faith is conversant about Christ as the Means And there it signifieth a return to the Love and Obedience of our Creator which was our Primitive Duty before the Fall as Faith implyeth all the Duties that belong to our recovery by Christ. In short in the strict sense there is not only a Sorrow for what is past which is a beginning and help to the other part for 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow working repentance unto Salvation not to be repented of but also a full purpose of Heart to live unto God Gal. 2.19 I through the Law am dead to
to worldly Comforts and Love of Ease and Flesh-pleasing and Ingratitude for all the Spiritual Good we have received Shall God lay in such great Comforts and after such great Receivings do you take it ill to be put to a little Expence Iob 15.11 Are the Consolations of God small with thee If you had a due sence of the World to come you would be glad to keep your Conscience thô you lose your Coat Hebr. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Do you look for a Glory to be revealed in you Then look upon all the Sufferings of this Life as a Feather put into the Scales against a Talent We are to have a sense of our Condition yet in regard of the Honour done to us to bear a part of Christ's Cross and in regard of the Comfort and Happiness provided for us we should be chearful that it may not be known to be an unwilling Patience and extorted by force There is one Expression more Luke 9.23 Let him take up his Cross daily How daily There are fair days as well as foul days and the Face of Heaven doth not always look sad and lowring How then are we to take up the Cross daily I Answer 1. It notes a daily expectation of it the first day that we begin to be Christians we must reckon on the Cross. Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me These words are the Christians Indenture and every one must Seal to this before he can call Christ Master As Porters stand in a Street waiting for a Burden for them to carry so must a Christian be ready and prepared to meet with any hardship which God may lay out for him in his Christian Course Or as the Israelites eat the first Passeover with their loins girded their shooes on their feet and their staff in their hand Exod. 12.11 as ready for a Journey so should a Christian be ready to go forth at God's Call Acts 21.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Evils familiarized are less burdensome by renewing our daily Resolution the evil is the less when it cometh 2. The Frequency of our Conflicts as if every day there were some exercise for our Faith and Patience We are not to prescribe to God how long or how much Affliction he shall exercise us with No thô it were all the days of our Lives we must be content it is but a moment to Eternity We must take up our Cross as often as it lyeth in our way and we cannot baulk it without Sin Gen. 47.9 Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been Man is Born to Trouble The World is a Valley of Tears not the Mount of the Lord where is fulness of Joy If there were no Cross we should not be in Tune and Consort with the rest of the World for here all the Creatures are a groaning 3. The Word Daily sheweth That private and personal Calamities are a part of the Cross as well as the Afflictions of the Gospel and for the Profession of the Name of Christ. Afflictions are either for God or from God Sickness and Death of Friends and loss of Estate by an immediate Providence are a part of our Cross There is an enduring Persecution for the Name of Christ and an enduring Affliction at the Will of Christ. Ordinary Crosses do not exclude the Comforts of Christianity these occasion Experience of God and Tryal of Grace and are a part of God's Discipline for the mortifying of Sin and are happy opportunities to discover more of God and of Grace to us Yea there is more Reason for Submission in these because God taketh us into his own hands A Man that stormeth when a Bucket of water is cast upon him is patient when he is wet with the Rain that cometh from Heaven II. The Reasons why those that follow Christ should prepare their Shoulders for the Cross. 1. That we may be conformed to our Head He had a bitter Cup tempered for him by his Father's hand Iohn 18.11 The Cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drink it and we must pledge him Jesus Christ was a Man of Sorows and acquainted with grief Isa. 53.3 And there would be a strange disproportion between Head and Members if we should altogether live in Delicacy Ease and Pleasures The bitter Cup goeth by course and round first to Christ then to his Apostles and it goeth from hand to hand ever since The Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.24 that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. There is Christ personal and Christ mystical Christ personal as he is compleat in himself so his Sufferings are compleat but the Sufferings of Christ mystical are not perfect until every Member have their own allotted share and portion Indeed our Sufferings are but the drops upon the brim of the Cup he drank up the Dreggs The great Wave of Affliction did first beat upon him and being thereby broken some small sprinklings of it do light upon us we bear the hinder part of the Cross of Christ. It is but Reason that those that will partake with Christ in his Kingdom should be partakers with him in his Sorrows and that the Souldiers should follow the Captain of their Salvation Heb. 2.10 and fare as he fared Iohn 15.20 Remember the word that I said unto you the Servant is not greater than the Lord if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you We cannot in Reason expect better entertainment than he found in the World If you had an high esteem of Christ and a low esteem of your selves you would easily consent to submit to the Will of God herein It is an unseemly daintiness to be nice and tender of carrying the Cross after Jesus Christ as if we were better than he Many Christians will seem to express much Devotion to a Crucifix or those Chips of Wood which Impostors cry up for pieces of the Cross of Christ but here is true respect to the Cross of Christ to be willing for Christ's sake to bear afflictions with patience and humble submission The Apostle counted all things but dross and dung Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death There is a great deal of sweetness and spiritual Comfort in suffering after for and with Christ we should count all things dung and dross to gain this Experience This should be comfort enough to a gracious heart that thereby he is made more like his
the midst of Difficulties such a fickle and such a changeable Creature as Man is how can that be 1 Pet. 1. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation The Power of God is engaged for our Defence So for Temporal Difficulties when we see no means no likelihood to escape yet we are not thoughtful of this matter for our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King Dan. 3.17 In Death when we go to the Grave to moulder into dust and rottenness then to look upon the Morsels of Worms as parcels of the Resurrection what shall uphold and support our Hearts in waiting upon God for this Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subà ne all things unto himself The Scripture still referrs us to the mighty Power of God whereby he can subdue and cause all to fall under him The Destruction of Antichrist and Enemies of the Church who are supported by great and strongly combined Interests how can that ever be hoped for Rev. 18.8 Her plagues shall come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her and that is the greatest Cordial of the Soul The Life of Faith lyes in the Belief of God's Power and All-sufficiency He can raise up the Church from her low Condition and all without any means when all is dry Bones then God can put Life into his People 2. To encourage us in Obedience it is good to believe and improve the Power of God 1. That we may carry it more humbly and more dutifully 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God This is that which begets a deep awe and reverence of his Majesty Shall we not submit to that God that is able to crush us O therefore let us Study to please him in all things When you sin you bid deâ—iance to the Almighty and enter into the Lists with God and provoke him to jealousie 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he Do you know what it is to dash against God and Contest with God He that is Almighty is the most desirable Friend or the most dreadful Adversary and therefore humble your selves and carry it dutifully towards him Every one would be in with the Almighty Be sure to keep in with the Lord Deut. 10.17 For the Lord our God is a God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward Will you provoke him and dare him to his Face 2. To keep us upright in Obedience without Warping and using any Carnal shifts Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect God alone is enough to you The Reason why we so often step out of the way is because we do not believe God to be Almighty that he is more able to defend than Man to hurt Even God's own Children may warp for want of a sound belief of this Abraham saved himself by a Lye because he would not trust God with his Preservation Gen. 20.11 Moses was backward to do the Lord's Message Exod. 4.13 as if God could not bear him out before Pharaoh and before the Egyptians There was a Promise Iacob should have the Blessing but Rebecka puts him upon using indirect means to obtain it because she could not trust God's Alâ— sufficiency to bring it about He that will not trust God and rest upon his Power cannot be long faithful to him because they think there is not enough in God they will seek elsewhere All sincerity ariseth from these two things and until you get your Hearts into this Frame you never will be sincere submitting all things to God's Will and resting upon God's Power How desperate soever the Case be this will relieve you and keep you sincere and comfortable the Lord is a powerful God and knows how to provide for his Glory and for your sustentation Now to quicken you thus to believe and improve the Power of God I will offer these Considerations 1. Consider the Amplitude of God's Power which is not to be measured by our scantling and model we can do something but God can do all things we must have Matter prepar'd but God works out of nothing we do things difficultly and must have time but God can do all things in a moment he needs no Instruments or Tools no Pattern or Copy but worketh all things according to the Counsel of his Will We rust with Age and our strength is dryed up but the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save Isa. 59.1 His strength is never wasted or dryed up When any thing is to be done or expected from God is it greater than making the World and God is where he was at first Our knowledge of things is by Effects but God never had an Effect adequate to his Power he hath done great things but he hath Power to do greater Mal. 2.15 And did not he make one yet had he the residue of the Spirit When he Created the World he had the residue of the Spirit he could have made more Worlds All Created Effects are finite and therefore not fully answerable to the force of the Cause Let us be still enlarging in our Thoughts of God's Power This is a Power that needeth not the Concurrence of visible means but can work without them yea opposite Power is no hinderance to God Rubbs are plain Ground to him Isa. 27.4 Who would set the bryars and thorns against me in battle I would go through them I would burn them together What can Bryers and Thorns do against a devouring Flame they are fit Fuel to encrease the Fire but cannot hinder the burning God works through all Opposition Isa. 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it 2. Consider this Power is ready to be employed for our Use so far as it shall make for God's glory and our good God is ours if we be in Covenant with him and if so all that is in God is ours also Quantus quantus est as great as he is God makes over himself in Covenant I am yours therefore Almightiness is yours to be set a work for you And as Aristotle said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are common between Friends and Confederates 1 Kings 22.4 Iehoshaphat said unto the King of Israel I am as thou art my People as thy People my Horses as thy Horses Surely being in Covenant with God it is a Relation of Friendship and whatever is God's is ours and that is the reason of this Expression Eph. 6.10 Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might In all our Faintings and Fears we should look upon God's Almighty Power as a
Guardian for our good All that God hath is forth coming for our use as all other things so his Almighty Power and Strength 3. Whatever his Will is or whatever God hath determined to do concerning us yet he would have us magnifie his Power and with Comfort cast our selves upon it Isa. 8.12 13. Fear not their fear nor be afraid sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread You should set Power against Power that you may not be dismay'd Isa. 50.10 It is not meant Spiritually only but also in Temporal Cases Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God You should Comfort your selves in the Power and All-sufficiency of God 4. Consider how angry God hath been with his Children for not resting upon his Power Nothing hath hindered the discovery of God's Power and the Manifestation of his Love to them so much as distrust of his Power Mark 6.5 He could there do no mighty work It is not said he would not but he could not do any mighty works there because of their Unbelief Unbelief doth put a Barr and Rubb in the way of God's Omnipotency And Ioh. 11.40 If thou wouldst beleive thou shouldst see the glory of God God doth not put forth himself because we do no more rest upon him and his Alsufficiency to help us See how angry God hath been on this account with his own Children and People with Moses and Aaron Mat. 20.12 Because ye believed me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I have given them The believing of God's Power is not determining the Success but when we encourage our selves to Pray and Wait and to be Sincere and Faithfull upon the account of God's Power that God is able Many Troubles and Perplexities have befallen God's Children for not believing his Power Zacharias Iohn's Father was struck Dumb for not believing Luk. 1.20 Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season And God let the Nobleman live to see himself confuted and then he was crushed to Death 2 Kings 7.2 Then a Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the Man of God and said Behold if the Lord should make Windows in Heaven might this thing be And he said Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof 3. Consider it is a notable Argument in Prayer to conjure the Lord by his Power As the Leper comes to Christ Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clearn Do what thou wilt but this I know that thou canst thou hast Power enough See how Moses insinuates Numbers 14.15 16. Now if thou shalt kill all this People as one Man then the Nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak saying Because the Lord was not able to bring this People into the Land which he sware unto them therefore he hath slain them in the Wilderness As if he should say Lord thou wouldest have the glory of thy Power seen in the Eyes of the Nations that they may know thee as a mighty powerful God now they will say the Lord was not able to bring them into Canaan 6. All our Courage and all the strength of our Comfort and Obedience and all the Blessings of Obedience depends upon the Belief and the Improvement of God's Power Look into the Book of God and you shall see all the generous Acts that worthy Men have performed came from hence Abraham the Father of the Faithful offered up his Son his only Son the Son of the Promise and that freely and why Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure Heb. 11.19 In such a Tryal what would support and bear us out So when the fiery Furnace was heated seven times hotter than ordinary burning and flaming exceedingly the three Children ventured into it upon this Principle Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King Dan. 3.17 What is the reason we are so Cowardly and Dastardly we look to things sensible and visible and cannot set the Power of God against it or above them and consider how he can bring good out of evil and so Carnal Fears and Hopes draw us aside Why are we discouraged and turn from God in difficult Cases rather than in easie Cases but that we do not believe that he can do all things Paul believed therefore in the Face of Opposition he goes on in his Work unweariedly 1 Tim 4.10 Therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all Men â—specially of them thâ—t believe This made him in the midst of Reproaches and all manner of Difficulties to go on with Courage 7. When we run to Carnal Shifts because we cannot trust this Power of God then we engage his strength that should be for us against us and it is just with God to blast us Ionah runs from his Work and God sends a Storm after him Ionah was afraid of the Ninevites but mischief will sooner or later overtake them that run from their Duty and they have worse Inconveniencies by their own Shifts Iacob would get the Blessing by a Wile but that cost him dear he was Banished from his Father's House upon it lest Esau should kill him Indirect Courses will certainly prove a loss though you may obtain your Purpose yet you plunge your selves into greater difficulties afterward and Obtain your Desires with more Trouble than if you had waited upon God 8. If the thing be not done for us which we need and desire when we trust upon the Power of God it is because it is not best for us He that trusts upon the Power of God cannot miscarry A Cross is best and a low Estate is best and Troubles are best It is not for want of Power and Love that we are afflicted of God he will deliver us and support us and turn it to the best Psal. 84.11 For the Lord God is a sun and a shield he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal. 34.9 The young Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing If we want any thing we would have certainly it is not good for us 9. The less Power we have in our selves the more Experience we have of God's Power Isa. 40.29 He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength So Deut. 32.36 The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their power is
goods to feed the poor and though I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing I am nothing without saving Grace Therefore these are the Mercies for which God will be praised Thirdly These are brought about with more ado than Temporal Favours God as a Creator and Upholder of all his Creatures doth bestow Temporal Blessings upon the Ungodly World even upon the Heathens that know him not that never heard of Christ yet Saving Grace he bestoweth only as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who was to purchase these Blessings by his Death and bloody Sufferings before we could obtain them Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Other Blessings run in the Channel of common Providence these in the Channel of Christ's Mediation Fourthly Because these are pledges of Eternal Blessings and the beginnings of our Eternal well-being The Life that is begun in us by the Spirit is perfected in Heaven Ioh. 5.24 He that heareth my words and believeth on him that hath sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life It is a spark that shall not be quenched and the Food that feedeth it is the meat that perisheth not but endureth to everlasting life John 6.27 Those Graces and Eternal Blessedness are to be linked together that they cannot be separated Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Sanctification is included in the last word here in the Beginnings by Sanctification and hereafter in the full possession of Eternal Glory So 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It loseth it self in the Ocean of Eternal Glory and Happiness Fifthly These incline and fit the Heart for praise and Thankfulness to God There is an Occasion to praise God and a Disposition and an Heart to praise God outward Benefits give us the Occasion to praise God but these not only the Occasion but the Disposition other Benefits are the Motives but these the Preparations as they do fit and encline the Heart The Work of Faith and Love do set the Lips wide open to magnifie and praise the Lord Grace is the matter of God's Praises and give also a ready will to praise him yea the very Deed of praising him Psal. 63.5 My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips When they feel the Love of God shed abroad in their Hearts they are enclined to praise God Sixthly Temporal Favours may be given in Anger but the Graces of the Spirit are never given in Anger God may give us worldly Honour and Riches in Judgment and indulge large Pastures to Beasts fatted for destruction but he giveth not Faith and Love in Anger or a Renewed Heart in Anger but as a token of his Special Love To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to believe Phil. 1.19 So that for these principally we should praise the Lord. We have a quick sense in Bodily Mercies but in Soul Concernments we are not alike affected We think God dealeth well with them to whom he giveth Greatness and Honour but doth he not deal well with you to whom he hath given his Spirit Seventhly These render us acceptable unto God A Man is not accepted with God for his worldly Blessings he is indeed the more accountable unto God but not of greater Account with him Luke 12.48 For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall the more be required The more Helps and the more Encouragements the more Work and Service God expecteth but they are not more precious in his sight for Temporal things sake Under the Law the Rich and Poor payed the same Ransom the Rich is not accepted for his Riches nor the poor Man despised for his Poverty but now the Saving Graces of his Spirit are acceptable with God It is said 1 Pet. 3.4 A meek and quiet Spirit it is in the sight of God of great price God esteemeth this more and therefore it should heighten the esteem of Grace in our Hearts and quicken us more to get and encrease it Eighthly These Benefits should be acknowledged that God may have the sole Glory of them for he is the Father of Lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift Jam. 1.17 It was the Opinion of the Stoicks Quod vivamus Deorum munus est quod bene vivamus nostrum Our Natural Being we ascribe to God but our Moral Perfections we are apt to usurp the Glory of them to our selves Iudicium hoc est omnium mortalium saith Tully All Men think that Prosperity and Success is to be asked of the Gods but Prudence and good Management belongeth to us But these Opinions are Sacrilegious and rob God of his chiefest Honour Therefore to prevent Spiritual Pride we must be sure to bless God for Spiritual Blessings our Crowns must be cast at the feet of the Lamb Rev. 4.10 11. for he only is worthy to receive Honour and Blessing and Glory and Power Whatever we do 't is from him who worketh all our works in us Isa. 26.12 Thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us And 1 Chron. 29.14 All things come of thee and of thy own have we given thee By his Grace we are what we are 1 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am what I am And Luk. 19.16 Thy pound hath gain'd ten pounds VSE Is to Exhort us to two Things First To be in a Capacity to bless God for Spiritual Blessings Secondly To be most Affected with these Mercies First See that you be in a Capacity to bless God for Spiritual Blessings First see that you have these Mercies and then bless God for them It would trouble a Man even to trembling to hear slight and vain persons take up a Form of Thanksgiving which no way is proper to them as to Bless God for their Election before Time their Sanctification in Time and their Hopes of Glory after all Time As if a Leper should give thanks for perfect Health or a Mad-man that he is made wiser than his Neighbours or a Man that is ready to die to thank God that he is pretty well and recovering so they give thanks for Grace which they never knew nor felt This is to mock God while we pretend to adore him It is true there are Spiritual Mercies for which all are bound to give Thanks such as the Mystery of Redemption the New Covenant the Offers and Invitations of Grace Means and Time to Repent these you
sense of Sin and their Defection from God Satan's Condemnation is our Salvation He did the first Mischief therefore the crushing of his Head giveth hope of our Deliverance out of that State of Misery into which he hath plunged us The Words are dark in comparison of the larger Explications of the Grace of God by Jesus Christ which were after delivered to the Church Who would look for a great Tree in a little Seed Yet the seminal Virtue doth afterward diffuse and dilate it self into all those stately and lofty Branches in which the Fowls of the Air do take up their Lodging and Shelter So do these few Words contain all the Articles and Mysteries of the Christian Faith which are the Fountains of our solid Peace and Consolation In the Seed of the Woman is contained all the Doctrine concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God in the bruising of his Heel his Death and Sufferings in the crushing of the Serpent's Head his glorious Victory and Conquest As obscure as the Words are an Eagle-eyed and discerning Faith could pick a great deal of Comfort out of them The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elders mentioned Heb. 11.2 the Antidiluvian Fathers so famous throughout all Ages for their Faith and Confidence in God had no other Gospel to live upon Abel that offered a better Sacrifice than Cain Enoch that walked with God Noah that prepared the Ark did all that they did in the Strength and upon the Incouragement of this Promise The Words are considerable 1. For the Person who speaketh them the Lord God himself who was the first Preacher of the Gospel in Paradise The Draught and Plot was in his Bosom long before but now it cometh out of his Mouth 2. For the Occasion when they were spoken When God hath been but newly provoked and offended by Sin and Man from his Creature and Subject was become his Enemy and Rebel the offended God comes with a Promise in his Mouth Adam could look for nothing but that God should repeat to him the whole Beadroll of Curses wherein he had involved himself but God maketh known the great Design of his Grace Once more the Lord God was now cursing the Serpent and in the midst of the Curses promiseth the great Blessing of the Messiah Thus doth God in Wrath remember Mercy Hab. 3.2 Yea Man's Sentence was not yet pronounced The Lord God had examined him ver 8 9 10. but before the Doom there breaketh out a Promise of Mercy Thus Mercy gets the start of Justice and triumpheth and rejoiceth over it in our behalf James 2.13 Mercy rejoiceth against Iudgment 3. They are considerable for their Matter for they intimate a Victory over Satan and that in the Nature which was foiled so lately Man by Sin had not only incurred God's Wrath but put himself under the Power of the Devil who had a â—egal Power over fallen Man such as the Executioner hath from the Judg over the condemned Person And a tyrannical Power by Conquest Man being seduced by him from God Therefore it is good News to hear of a Victory over Satan and that his Power shall be destroyed In the former part of the Verse you have the Combate in the Text the Success 1. The Conflict and Combate And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed It cannot be understood of the Hatred and Antipathy between Men and Serpents though that be alluded unto To what end should God thunder Curses and Condemnation upon the Serpent a brute Creature that understood them not Therefore it is meant of the War between the Devil and Mankind Satan and his Instruments for wicked Men are called his Seed Iohn 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil And Ignatius calleth Menander and Basilides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spawn of the old Serpent And on the other side the Seed of the Woman by way of Eminency Christ and his Confederates But I shall not consider the Conflict now as carried on between the two Seeds but between the two Heads Christ the Prince of Life and the Devil who hath the Power of Death Heb. 2.14 It was begun between the Serpent and the Woman it is carried on between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent but the Conflict is ended by the Destruction of one of the Heads the Prince of Death is destroyed by the Prince of Life 2. The Success and Issue of the Combate Where observe 1. What the Seed of the Woman doth against the Serpent He shall bruise thy Head 2. What the Serpent doth against the Seed of the Woman Thou shalt bruise his Heel 1. There is something common to both for the word bruised is used promiscuously both of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman In this War as usually in all others there are Wounds given on both sides The Devil bruiseth Christ and Christ bruiseth Satan 2. There is a Disparity of the Event He shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Where there is a plain Allusion to treading upon a Serpent Wounds on the Head are deadly to Serpents but Wounds in the Body are not so grievous and dangerous And a Serpent trod upon seeketh to do all the Mischief it can to the Foot by which it is crushed The Wound given to the Head is mortal but the Wound given to the Heel may be healed The Seed of the Woman may be cured but Satan's Power cannot be restored The Devil cannot reach to the Head but the Heel only which is far from any vital Part. 1. For the first Clause It shall bruise thy Head The Seed of the Woman crushed the Serpent's Head whereby is meant the Overthrow and Destruction of his Power and Works John 12.31 Now shall the Prince of this World be cast out 1 John 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil The Head being bruised Strength and Life is perished His Kingdom and Strength is his Head that is gone that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Power of Death Heb. 2.14 the Power to deceive and detain captive Souls Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness 2. For the other Clause Thou shalt bruise his Heel Where 1. Note the Intention of the Serpent who would destroy the Kingdom of the Redeemer if he could but he can only reach the Heel not the Head 2. The Greatness of Christ's Sufferings his Heel was bruised as he endured the painful shameful accursed Death of the Cross. Doct. That Iesus Christ the Seed of the Woman is at enmity with Satan and hath entred the Lists with him and though bruised in the Conflict yet he finally overcometh him and subverteth his Kingdom 1. That Jesus Christ is the Seed of the Woman That he is one of her Seed is past doubt since he was born of the Virgin a Daughter of Eve That he is The Seed the most
destroyed him that had the Power of Death This was a necessary means of Conquest and Christ must overcome Satan by suffering himself to be overcome visibly by him The Devil doth not conquer Christ by Death but Christ doth conquer him And still all the Temptations of the Devil are but the wounding of the Heel the Loss is not great to Christ or his Members As Dan is compared to a Serpent by the Way or an Adder in the Path that biteth the Horse-heels so that his Rider shall fall backward Gen. 49.17 Such is the Craft of Satan he doth not usually bring Temptations before our Reason but they enter in at the Back-door of Sensual Appetite but tho he bite the Heel the Life of Grace is secured Satan prevailed so far against Christ that his wicked Instruments brought him to the Cross pursued him to the Death there But 2 Cor. 13.4 Though he was crucified through VVeakness yet he liveth by the Power of God Or as it is in 1 Pet. 3.18 Being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit So for Christians he may divers ways wound and afflict us in our outward Interests but the inner Man is safe 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day Nay we may be bruised in the Heel by divers Temptations and Slips into Sin yet the Vitals of Grace are not hurt there is no total Extinction of our Love to God I should come now to the fourth Branch That tho Christ was bruised in the Conflict yet it endeth in Satan's total Overthrow His Heel was bruised but Satan's Head was crushed But of that anon In the mean time by way of Use let me press you chearfully to remember and celebrate this Victory of Christ. The Duty we are engaging in is an Eucharist and we come to rejoice in God our Saviour Let me bespeak you in the Psalmist's Words Psal. 98.1 O sing unto the Lord a new Song for he hath done marvellous things his right Hand and his holy Arm have gotten him the Victory Or Psal. 118.15 16. The Voice of Rejoicing and Salvation is in the Tabernacle of the Righteous The Right Hand of the Lord doth valiantly The Right Hand of the Lord is exalted the Right Hand of the Lord doth valiantly Psal. 106.2 Who can utter the mighty Acts of the Lord who can shew forth all his Praise 1. The Conqueror is the Seed of the Woman or the Son of God incarnate O let us bless God for so great a Mercy Luke 1. from 68 to 76. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for us in the House of his Servant David as he spake by the Mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the World began That we should be saved from our Enemies and from the Hand of all that hate us to perform the Mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant The Oath which he sware to our Father Abraham that he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies might serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life What shall the Son of God come from Heaven to subdue the Kingdom of Satan and to deliver Men from this Bondage and we be no more affected with it 2. The Manner of Overcoming it is by suffering a shameful painful and accursed Death Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and made us Kings and Priests to God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Again Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and VVisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 And ver 9. For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation That by a Death which he deserved not he should destroy the Death which we deserved 3. Who is overcome The Devil Rev. 12.10 Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down who accused them before our God day and night Ver. 11. And they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and the VVord of their Testimony and they loved not their Lives unto the Death Ver. 12. Therefore rejoice ye Heavens and ye that dwell in them VVo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great VVrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short Time O Christians what will raise your Hearts in Thanksgiving to God if not these three Arguments which I have plainly mentioned to you for the Matter needeth no Descants The Incarnation of the Son of God who came as the Seed of the Woman that he might free Mankind from the Power the Devil had over them by Sin Then the Merit and Satisfaction of our Saviour for he was bruised in his Heel And then the dissolution of Satan's Power and the freeing of Mankind out of his Hands either as a Tempter or a Tormentor 4. The Effects of the Victory when 't is applied to us I shall mention three 1. Our Conversion to God and the destruction of Sin in our Hearts or our actual deliverance from Satan Luke 11.21 22. VVhen a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace but when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and divideth his Spoils This was our Case All was in a sinful Quiet and Peace When Wind and Tide go together no wonder if there be a Calm Satan's Suggestions and our Corruptions suted the one with the other But blessed be God that this carnal Security is disturbed that the Kingdom of God is come upon us that Christ by a sacred Rescue hath dispossessed Satan and destroyed Sin O let us give Thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. 2. Remission of Sins Acts 26.18 To open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me Col. 1.13 14. VVho hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son in whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of Sins Christ's Subjects have the Privileges of his Kingdom Now bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O
of their Sacrifices and drank the Wine of their Drink-offerings yea often the Blood of their Sons and Daughters whom they sacrificed to him yet all of a sudden his strong Holds were demolished the Idols broken whom they and their Fathers had worshipped and prayed unto in their Distresses and Adversities and blessed in their Prosperities the Temples broken down the Altars polluted and set at nought and the World turned from these Vanities to the living God But a little while after the Fires were kindled and the Professors of the True Religion were butchered and slaughtered but then they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and not loving their Lives unto the Death Rev. 12.11 So that when the Church seemed weakest and her Enemies strongest then she had more for her than against her When Satan's Instruments were killing Christians then they were pulling down Satan's Throne and advancing Christ's So that it is better to be a simple Souldier on Christ's side than Commander of a whole Army against him When the Persecutors had done Satan raised up Hereticks in the Church as Worms that bred in the Body and devoured it Yet Christ confounded them and a little Time brake each Sect in pieces and those that were the great Scourge and Vexation of one Age were scarce known to the next but by their Names and some obscure Reports The Light of the Gospel did soon scatter these Mists as soon as they did arise Last of all came the great Apostacy of Antichristianism whereby the Simplicity of the Christian Doctrine was turned into School-Niceties the Worship of the Gospel into a Theatrical Pomp and the Pageantry of ridiculous Ceremonies and the Discipline of the Church into a Temporal Domination And all this supported by the Blood of the Saints and worldly Grandeur and the combined Interests of many Popish Nations And here are the Ebbs and Flows between the two Shores of Christ and Antichrist amongst us You know by what a bloody Design Hagar the Bond-woman that was cast ouâ— sought to weaken and vaunt it over Sarah but the Lord broke the Snare and our Foot is escaped 5. If the promised Seed had not bruised the Serpent's Head the World had been in a worse Case than it is There is some Conviction and Restraint where Conversion taketh not place Consider how Satan reigneth where Christ hath not pursued him with his Gospel or where Christ hath withdrawn his Gospel for the Ingratitude of Men. Surely there is a difference between the Places where People live in the Dregs of Christianity and there where the Devil is worshipped and Idolatry set up 6. Though there be not a total Destruction of the Kingdom of Satan yet it is in an absolute Subjection to the Throne of the Mediator The Kingdom of Sin and Satan are so far destroyed as not to hinder the Demonstration of Mercy to the Elect and as to be subservient to the Demonstration of his Justice to others who neglect or contemn the Remedy offered which is God's great Design that the Elect may obtain though the rest be hardned 7. That in time Christ will destroy all opposite Reigns and Kingdoms He doth some sooner others later but there will be an universal and absolute Subjection to Christ at the Day of Judgment Infernal Spirits shall then bow the Knee to him Phil. 2.10 with Rom. 14.10 11. and that with Isa. 45.23 Then Saints shall judg Angels 1 Cor. 6.2 and the whole Mystery of Iniquity will then be finished and come to nothing Vse 1. Thankfulness and Praise to our Mediator The Eternal God hath selected a People from the rest of the World to praise him for the Mystery of his Love Here in the Assemblies of his People for God inhabiteth the Praises of Israel Psal. 22.3 And hereafter that he may have the Thanks of his glorified Saints for ever Consider to this end how Satan's Design is crossed and counterworked in the Mystery of our Redemption 1. Satan's Design was to dishonour God by a false Representation as if envious of Man's Happiness Gen. 3.5 God doth know that in the Day that ye eat thereof then your Eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil. And so to weaken the esteem of God's Goodness Now in the Work of our Redemption God is wonderfully magnified and represented as amiable to Man not envying our Knowledg and Delight but promoting it by all Means even with great Care and Cost 1 John 4.8 God is Love 2. To depress the Nature of Man that in Innocency stood so near God Now that the Humane Nature so depressed and abased by the malicious Suggestions of the Devil should be so elevated and advanced and be set up far above the Angelical Nature and admitted to dwell with God in a personal Union O let us now chearfully remember and celebrate this Victory of Christ Our Praise now is a Pledg of our everlasting Triumph This Table is spread for us in the sight of our Enemies and we come to have intimate Communion and Fellowship with him at his Table Vse 2. To exhort us to make use of Christ's Help for our Recovery out of the Defection and Apostacy of Mankind O let Satan be crushed in you and the old carnal Nature destroyed He that so willingly entred into the Conflict on the Cross though his Heel were bruised will as willingly imploy the Power of the Spirit to help you the one was in order to the other Christ doth not only enter upon the Work by Conquest but hath much to do with every individual Person before he can settle his Kingdom in their Hearts There is a Combate between Christ and Satan for the rescue of every Sinner and we are not easily brought to change Masters Now yield to him suffer him to save you You look to the outward Interest of Christ in the World and you do well but it is easier to bring Men to own a true Religion than to bring them under the Power of it Christ's greatest Victory is the overcoming Mens Corruptions and carnal Inclinations to purify their polluted Souls and to set up Christ's Government in the Heart where once Satan ruled The Kingdom of Christ within us is the most excellent Kingdom Luke 11.20 If I with the Finger of God cast out Devils no doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you If once we become Christ's we will more really care for his Interest in the World Vse 3. To shew us the Nature of Christ's Victory and wherein it consisteth Not in an Exemption from Troubles nor in a total Exemption from Sin for the present 1. Not in an Exemption from Troubles No you must expect Conflicts Tho Satan's deadly Power be taken away our Heel may be crushed Christ hath delivered us from the present evil World Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from this present evil World Not that the World should
further 2 Pet. 1.18 19. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount who have also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts What greater confirmation could the Apostles expect than that voice from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 17.5 Yet Peter who heard that voice telleth us that comparatively we have greater security from and by the written Word not in it self but as it is given in evidence to us so that there is no compare between it and one from the dead 2. We have sensible Confirmations VVe are wrought upon by sence now is not ordinarily the word as sensibly confirmed to us as it would be by a Vision or Apparition from the dead 1. There is the Holyness of Professors 1 Cor. 14.25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you Is it not more wonder to see a Living Man that hath not devested himself of the Interests and Concernments of Flesh and Blood to deny himself for things to come then to hear a tale from a dead Man 2. There is the constancy of the Martyrs that have ratified this Truth with the loss of their dearest concernments Revel 12.11 And they overcame by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death 'T is possible a Man may suffer for a false Religion and Sacrifice a stout Body to a stubborn mind But is there no true Gold because there hath been some counterfeit Coin The Devils Martyrs have not been so many for number nor for Temper and Quality so Holy so VVise so Meek as the Champions of the Truth The Christian Religion can shew you Persons of all Ages young and old of all Sexes Men and VVomen of all Conditions of Life Noble and of Low Degree of all Qualities Learned and Unlearned See Sermons on John 17. p. 256. 3. Then there is the inward feeling of Gods Children they find a Power in the word convincing changing comforting fortifying their hearts These can speak of what they hear feel and tast as well as one that cometh from the dead They have answerable impressions on their hearts Heb. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart All this stampt upon the heart in legible Characters A true Christian is the lively transcript of his Religion the Scriptures are the Original and every Believer is the Copy it is gone over again in his heart 4. Those that have no Experience of this have a secret fear of the power of the word Iohn 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved He will not come to the light because he is afraid of the Majesty of God shining forth in the Scriptures Men dare not muse upon and seriously consider the Doctrine therein contained Atheisme lyeth in the heart the Seat of desires Psalm 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Men question the word because they would not have it true they are willing to indulge their lusts and therefore they are afraid of the word that forbiddeth them As Ahab was loath to hear Michajah because he prophesied evil Strong Lust maketh us incredulous A Malefactor desireth to destroy the Records and Evidences that are against him 5. There are also outward Effects of the Power of the VVord its propagation throughout all the VVorld within thirty years or thereabout the Doctrine it self contrary to Nature it doth not court the Senses nor woe the Flesh it doth not make offers of splendour of Life or Pleasures and Profits but biddeth us deny these things and expect troubles the drift of it is to teach Men to row against the stream of Flesh and Blood to renounce our Lusts deny our Interests And this was done by a â—ew Fishermen who had no long Sword no Publick Interest or Authority to back them and that in the face of the Learned VVorld when all Civil Disciplines were in there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and height The word prevailed against Ancient Customs the Ark was to be set up in the Temple that was already occupied and possessed by Dagon 6. Then consider the many sensible Effects of the VVord as the Accomplishment of Prophecies Promises Threatnings and Answer of Prayers Gods Providence is a Comment upon Scripture It is an Authentick Register and Infallible Prognostication and Kalender VVe need not have one come from the dead to tell the truth of it it is fulfilled before our eyes every day 4. Or else they can convey a Power or expect that God will co-operate more with their report than with the Holy Scriptures Surely they are finite Creatures though passed out of this Life Nothing can convert and turn the heart of Man but the Infinite Power of God all the Angels in Heaven cannot pluck one Sinner out of the State of Nature VVe read one Angel could destroy One Hundred Eighty Five Thousand in Senacheribs Hoast 1 Kings 19.35 But all the Angels cannot convert one Soul But will God co-operate Alas when all prejudices are removed Men are nothing the better till the Lord puts in his Grace the Iews suppose Moses and the Prophets to be of God they were confirmed by notable Miracles the fame of which continue among them But the matter is about Gods Efficacy But now God concurreth with his instituted Course common means of Gods appointing have a singular efficacy annexed as Reading Acts 8.32 Hearing Mark 4.24 Meditation Acts 17.11 Christ dyed to sanctifie Ordinances Eph. 5.26 and there if ever shall we meet with the Power and Grace of God Secondly Against it There are more rational prejudices that lye against any other way than this way that God hath taken As to instance in the matter in hand 1. It is no mean scruple about the lawfulness of hearkning to one that should come from the Dead since they are out of the Sphere of our Commerce and it is a disparagement to the great Doctor of the Church Against consulting with the Dead See Deut 18.10 11 12 with 14 15. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire or that useth divination or an observer of
thee pray to God for us that he take away the fiery serpents In Adversity Men will own the faithful Servants of God against whom they have murmured when all is well Moses forgetteth the injury and prayeth to God for them and God though he doth not take away the Serpents yet he provideth a Remedy unlikely in appearance a Brazen Serpent to cure the bites of Living Serpents but Divine Institution conveyeth a Blessing The word of Command is that they should look upon the brazen serpent and the word of Promise is that they should be healed Numb 21.8 Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass that every one when he is bitten that looketh upon it shall live This is in short the History Secondly The Mistery or Typical use of the Brazen Serpent The chief things represented in it are Sin Christ and Faith the deadliness of Sin the manner of our deliverance by Christ and the Nature of Faith 1. Israelites deadly Sin and Misery occasioned the setting up of the Brazen Serpent so the occasion of Christs sending into the World was Mans Sin and Misery we being all bitten by the old Serpent and so liable to the Curse The Devil is called the old serpent Rev. 12.9 And in the appearance of a Serpent he deceived our first Parents Therefore we read that the serpent beguiled Eve 2 Cor. 11.3 Humane Nature was then stung to Death by Sathan and the Venome dispersed its self throughout the whole Race of Mankind Among the Israelites there were but a few stung here all there their Bodies here the Soul there Temporal Death followed here Eternal In the Sting of these fiery Serpents two things representeth our Misery by Sin 1. It is painful 2. Deadly 1. This Sting is painful The bitings did presently cause pains and an intolerable thirst and burning which was very grievous to them so the sting of Sin is painful not alwaies felt but soon awakened In Spiritual things we are more stupid and are not so sensible of the Maladies of the Soul as they were of the pains of the Body We are subject to bondage Heb. 2.14 Though we do not alwaies feel actual horrour There is a fire smothering in our Bosoms though it be not blown up into a Flame One of our Spiritual Diseases is a Lethargy and it is a great part of our Misery not to know our Misery If Conscience were not lulled asleep we would be more sensible Surely Sathans bites are more painful than those of these Serpents his Darts are called fiery darts Eph. 6.16 His Darts are dipt in the gall of Asps and Vipers Boiling Lusts will in time awaken raging Fears and Despair O what horrour and torment will Sin procure to us if it be not speedily cured Sin is an Evil and a Mischief whether we feel it yea or no but we shall soon feel it an Evil as the stung Israelites felt the biting of the Serpents Sin in the Life will make Hell in the Conscience it seemeth a sweet draught while we are taking it down but there is rank poison at the bottom A wounded Spirit findeth it now Prov. 18.14 A wounded spirit who can bear Horrour and anguish of Conscience is insupportable ask any Man whose Heart is well awakened and he will tell you that the sense of the guilt of Sin is more bitter to the Soul than the gall of Asps no terrour comparable to the terror and sting of an accusing Conscience Gods terrors are compared to a Fire that drinketh up the Blood and Spirits Iob 6.4 The arrows of the almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me No poison more burning than Sin in an awakened Conscience it may lie asleep till you come to dye in Sin stupid and benummed Creatures But then the sting of death is sin 1 Cor. 15.56 Death is made terrible by those sad horrors and apprehensions which Sin raiseth in us 2. This Sting is deadly As the biting of the Fiery Serpents could not be cured but was present Death till God found out a Remedy so this sting of Sin is deadly Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye dying thou die Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death Death Temporal Eternal Thou art a dead Man lost for ever if thou art not cured Those who were not solicitous about their Cure are a figure of the impenitent who obstinately continue in their Sins though they bring destruction upon them Not only Death Temporal which consists in the separation of the Soul from the Body but Death Spiritual which consists in an estrangement from God as Author of the Life of Grace yea Death Eternal which consists in a separation both of Body and Soul from the presence of God for evermore and is a perpetual living to deadly pain and torment This Second Death is set forth by two solemn Notions the worm that never dyeth and the fire that shall never be quenched Mark 9.44 By which is meant the Sting of Conscience and the Wrath of God Prov. 8.36 All they that hate me love death 2. Christ is set forth by the Brazen Serpent Here I shall shew you 1. The Resemblances 2. The Superexcellency of Christ above this and all the Shadows and Types of him 1. The Resemblance between Christ and the Brazen Serpent 1. The Brazen Serpent was a Remedy of Gods own prescribing out of his great Mercy So is this Remedy for lost Sinners the meer Fruit of Gods Love Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son the causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Occasion or outward moving Cause was our Misery the causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inward impulsive Cause was his own love and pity to lapsed Mankind God found out the Remedy we neither plotted it nor asked it he saw the world of Mankind was perishing and involved in Eternal Ruine and because there was no Intercessor therefore his own Arm wrought out Salvation Herein the Antitype differeth from the Type The stung Israelites having Death in their bosoms go to Moses Moses goeth to God for he saw there could be no help elsewhere then God said Make thee a brazen serpent The motion came from them first but here it is quite otherwise God is the offended Party yet he maketh the first motion 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first There God found out the Remedy but here his meer love began the whole business and did set at work all the Causes that did concur to our Salvation we neither minded our Danger nor asked our Remedy 2. The conveniency of this Type to set out the low Estate and Humiliation of Christ. The form of a Serpent was chosen to shew
God It lyeth in three things 1. That God hath ordained strength 2. That this lyeth in their Mouth 3. That this strength is sufficient to still the Enemy and the Avenger 1. That there is strength in such weak Creatures Christ himself to outward appearance was a mean and despicable Person scorned scourged crucified yet made perfect through sufferings and crowned with Glory and Honour Heb. 2.9 10. But we see Iesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should tast death for every man For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons to glory to make the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings And he hath strength enough to remove the impediments of our Salvation and doth powerfully conquer and subdue all his and our Enemies Christians are in themselves weak Creatures but there is strength ordained for them to do and suffer all things that belong to their Duty or may befal them in the way of their Duty As Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me and when I am weak then am I strong 1 Cor. 12.10 And this strength is said to be ordained or founded because it standeth upon a good foundation the Everlasting Merit of the Son of God who came out from Gods Bosom to reduce and call us to the Dignity of his Servants The Angels those glorious Creatures when they fell by Pride were never restored but are become the Enemies of God and Mankind They usurped the Honour due to God and plunged Man into their Apostacy but God hath ordained strength to recover Man out of this thraldom and vindicate his own Glory that Mankind might not be wholly lost to him Col. 2.15 having spoiled principalitiâ—s and powers that is spoiled them of their prey on his Cross. And afterwards by the power of his Grace rescueth Man Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son 2. That this strength cometh out of the Mouth that is 't is not by the power of the long Sword or by visible force and might but by the breath of his mouth that is to say 1. By the word preached Therefore 't is said That he shall consume Anti-Christ by the breath of his Mouth 2 Thess. 2.8 And Revel 19.15 Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword wherewith he should smite the nations And Isa. 11.4 He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth that is subdue and vanquish opposition by his wonderful word therefore the word is called the rod of his strength Psalm 110.2 2. By confessing his Name Rom. 10.9 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made to salvation And this is one means of Conviction especially when this Confession is accompanied with self-denyal Rev. 12.11 They overcame by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony not loving their lives to the death This bold Confession is the fruit both of the Word preached and the Spirit of Faith given to them 2 Cor. 4.13 And also of Christs actual assistance Luke 21.15 I will give you a mouth and wisdom which your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay Now that by such means the Kingdom of Sin Sathan and Antichrist should be ruined in the World this is and should be matter of Admiration and Praise 3. The effect To still the enemy and the avenger either by brideling their rage Psalm 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain Or silencing their Contradiction Acts 6.10 They were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake Acts 8.13 Simon wondred beholding the signs and miracles that were done Or changing their Hearts as Pauls Acts 9.6 And making him to be Instrumental in changing others Acts 26.18 And determining Interests that the Church hath liberty and opportunity to worship God Acts 9.31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Iudea and Galilee and Samaria and were edifyed walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the holy Ghost Nay the Kingdom of Sathan and his Adherents plainly and apparently goeth to wrack The Devil that proud and rebellious Enemy of God and goodness is by this means subdued and brought down First Cast out of a great part of his Kingdom in Mens Hearts none but obdurate Sinners being left to him Iohn 12.31 32. Now is the judgment of this world now is the prince of this world cast out And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me That is the Kingdom of Sathan shall be destroyed and a great part of the World brought to believe in me And at last he shall be utterly confounded and destroyed 1 Cor. 15. from 24 to 27 verse He hath put all things under his feet All Enemies not one excepted but shall be subdued to Christ. Doctrine That victory over Sathan in our Nature is matter of great praise and thankfulness to God That the same Nature that was lately foiled should yet be victorious 1. I take this for granted that Sathan is the Enemy and Avenger for the Text speaks of an Enemy and an Enemy out of choice for so the Devil is said to be Matth. 13.39 The enemy that soweth them is the devil He is an Enemy to God and Man To God as he affected and usurped Divine Honour and for his Pride was cast out of Heaven into the Torments of Hell Falling by Pride is therefore called the Condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. 3.6 So Iames 3.15 Sensual earthly devilish The glorious Condition in which he was created tempted him to aspire higher than he was and all Ambition is devilish wisdom called so from his Sin Also he is an Enemy to Mankind because by his temptation came our Fall and Misery and therefore he is said to be a Murtherer from the beginning A malicious proud and bloody Murtherer of Soul and Body and still he seeketh our destruction 1 Pet. 5.8 The Devil like a roaring lyon goeth about seeking whom he may devour In the Text he is not only called the Enemy and the Avenger but thine Enemies The word thine sheweth that he is an Enemy to God and all goodness and all good Men who belong to God And the plural expression enemies noteth either the multitude of Evil Spirits who are with Sathan and are set to ruine Mankind or those their Confederate Party in the World who are also many and usually great and powerful For the conflict is not only between the Chiefs but also the Instruments on either side between Sathan on the one side the Head and
true Religion will give rest and quiet to the Soul Thirdly That the Christian Religion doth abundantly provide for true Peace of Conscience and Ease of Mind 1. Because it discovereth the Matter of true Peace 2. The Way how it may be attained 1. The Matter of true Peace is Pardon and Life or sufficient Provision to appease our guilty fears and satisfie our desires of Happiness 1. Man being Gods Creature and therefore his Subject and having faulted in his Obedience and Subjection to him and knowing the Judgment of God counteth himself worthy of Death Rom. 1.32 And this fear of Death and Vengeance that ensueth it is â—o ingrained and implanted in the Conscience that unless some fit course of 〈◊〉 and Justification be propounded and that with good Authority man is 〈◊〉 restless and troubled and knoweth not what to do to get rid of the 〈…〉 Soul Micah 6.7 Shall I give my first born for my Transgression the fruit 〈…〉 for the Sin of my Soul Now the great design which the Scriptures 〈…〉 to set forth a grant of Pardon upon Gracious and Commodious Terms 〈…〉 will but accept of it It is the excellency of the Christian Religion above 〈…〉 Religions Micah 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity 〈…〉 by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his 〈…〉 ever because he delighteth in Mercy If the Question were put to you which 〈◊〉 put to the Spouse Cant. 5.9 What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved What is there in Christ above other Gods of the Nations that you make so much 〈◊〉 about him What is it draweth your Hearts so to love him and cleave to him in the greatest Hazards and Extremities This you might Answer He hath set afoot a pardoning Covenant so suited to the Necessities of Man and the Nature of God that all the World cannot shew the like 2 For the other Matter of our Peace a fit Happiness to satisfie our Desires Man having an Immortal Spirit gropeth about for an Immortal and Eternal good Acts 17.27 or such an Estate in the other World as may comfort him against the labours and sorrows and the frailty and shortness of the present Life All Nations have a conceit of the Immortality of the Soul if at any time they doubt of it they cannot wholly blot the sense of it out of their Hearts Surely all desire it and it would give much ease to their Mind if it might be undubitably made out to them that there is such an Immortal Estate They that fully knew it not were pleased with the shadow of it and sought it in fame they would not have their Memory die with them As those that want Children take Pleasure in little Dogs and Cats so did they embrace a poor Shadow for the Substance To be sure most men die Anxious and when they leap into Eternity they know not where their feet shall light But now it is said 2 Tim. 1.10 That Christ hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel He hath made a clear Revelation of that which was not so certainly known before The Heathens guessed at it sometimes they seemed to see it and sometimes doubted of it as men travelling sometimes see a spire of a steeple before them at a distance and anon they lose the sight of it again and so cannot tell certainly whether they see it yea or no. The Law like a Dumb-man made many signs and set forth Eternity by long Life and Heaven by Canaan But now the Gospel clearly speaketh it out and scattereth all the Mists and Clouds about Eternity 2. The Way how we surely may be made partakers of Pardon and Life and there it telleth us First What Christ hath done Secondly What we must do Christ hath sufficiently laid the Foundation and all that we must do is but to apply what he hath purchased and provided for us 1. What Christ hath done The Word that is nigh thee referreth to things already done for us Christs Death and Resurrection 1. His Incarnation and Death for Christ needeth not to be brought down from Heaven any more He once descended from Heaven and was made Flesh and dwelt among us for a double end Partly to reveal these things to us and the way how to obtain them with sufficient Evidence and Certainty One great Errand that he had in the World was to reveal the Will of God to lost Mankind for their recovery and to bring them to the fuller Knowledge of God and the Pardon of Sins and the Truth of the Unseen World and the way thereunto Luke 1.77 To give Knowledge of Salvation unto his People by the Remission of their Sins And not only so but partly also to be a Mediator and Reconciler between God and Man and lay down his Life as a Sacrifice for Sin and a ransom for Souls Eph. 5.2 Who hath given himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice to God Mat. 20.28 He gave his Life a ransom for many We have both Heb. 3.1 Consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession Iesus Christ. Well then herein lay the Advantage of the Gospel above the Law that required all to be done by us but the Gospel referreth us to things already done for us by another who was sent from God to reveal his Fathers will to us and to redeem us to God He suffered the Penalty due for our breach of the Law there is nothing required of us but our thankful Acceptance and hearty consent to follow Christs Conduct and Direction well then he needeth not be brought down from Heaven any more or descend to help and redeem the World 2. His Resurrection and Ascension For that is the second Question Who shall descend into the Deep to bring up Christ again from the Dead No that needeth not He is risen already and gone again to Heaven to assure us of the Truth of his Doctrine and the value of his Sacrifice and the reality of the other World For he himself is entred into the Glory he spake of and so giveth us a visible Demonstration of the Truth and reality of it And also he is sate down at the right Hand of God that he might apply Salvation to us by his powerful and all-conquering Spirit But it is the Resurrection we must chiefly insist upon for God by raising him from the Dead hath declared him to be a sufficiently authorized Messenger and set him forth to be the Person to be believed in heard and obeyed in his Name When Christ was crucified and buried though a Grave stone was sealed and a guard of Souldiers set to watch it yet Angels appeared and rolled away the Stone and spake to those that enquired after him Yea Christ himself often appeared to his Disciples conversed with them forty days instructed them in things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and then went to Heaven and poured out the Spirit and for an
fellowship of the guilt of undermining Truth and Godliness 2. The ways by which we make this profession The Mouth is only mentioned in the Text but that implieth other things Briefly this Confession is made either in word or deed 1. Verbal and in word by a constant owning of Christ and our Hopes by him both publickly and upon all occasions by private conference or taking all meet opportunities to discover our selves that we are Christians so the Apostle saith of Timothy 1 Tim. 8.12 Lay hold on Eternal Life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many Witnesses He had openly confessed the Name of Christ. And the Apostle telleth us 1 Iohn 4.15 Whosoever shall confess that Iesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God He meaneth it of times wherein this primitive and fundamental truth was mainly contradicted and opposed in the World Then for a Man to declare himself a Christian was hazardous and argued a great degree of self-denial and especially it is spoken in opposition to the Gâ—osticks and Nicholaitans who accounted it sufficient to believe with the Heart taking a liberty to confess what they listed see how they are taxed Iohn 12.42 43. Nevertheless among the chief Rulers also many believed on Him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue For they loved the Praise of Men more than the Praise of God 2. Real or indeed and that was either by Action or Passion By Action and that is twofold either more publick or private 1. More publick by submission to Gods appointed Ordinances as hearing of the Word Baptism and the Lords Supper Christ instituted these visible duties to make the profession of his name publick and open Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved In the Lords Supper we commemorate his Death 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords Death till he come That is we publickly commemorate it and shew it forth as the ground of our hopes So in all the other duties which we observe in the Assemblies of the faithful they are a keeping up of our confession or a testimony that we are not ashamed of Christ. As Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is Faithful that hath promised Now this profession is solemnly made by our Communion with Gods People in their publick Assemblies as it followeth ver 25. Not forsaking the assembling our selves together as the manner of some is The assembling our selves that is with the Christians and their Assemblies wherein they did meet together to serve and worship God and mutually to promote their own Salvation now 't is not enough to have our private devotions in our Families and Closets but we must entertain publick converse with God to testifie our Union and Agreement with the People of God in the same Faith and Worship Now it was the manner of some to forsake these Conventions and Meetings which was a grievous sin and of very ill consequence not only as they deprived themselves of the benefit of these societies but as they seemed to love their Life Goods or Quiet and Peace and Reputation and liberty more than Christ. And though they were convinced of the truth of Christianity yet could not be noted as open Professors of it 2. More private and personal by Holy Conversation and Godliness for we are to confess and glorifie Christ both in Word and Deed. Confession indeed is a life of love and praise in perpetual acknowledgement of this incomparable benefit which we have by Christ. This confession is always necessary to true Christians that their works be holy and agreeable to their Faith for thereby they signifie that they do believe in Christ and expect Eternal Glory by him that he that is raised up by God from the dead at length will come again to bring us to himself As without Faith there is no Righteousness so without this Confession there is no Salvation for this distinguisheth the Christian from the Hypocrite Titus 1.16 They Profess to know God but in their works they deny him They confess fair but their lives shew they believe nothing The very Devils confessed Christ to be the Son of the most High God Mark 4.7 But it profited them nothing because it was a confession extorted and they were Creatures in Rebellion against God Therefore Holiness of Life is one means of our confession otherwise we deny the Lord that bought us Mat. 5.16 Let your light so â—â—ine before Men that others seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And 1 Pet. 2.9 That you may shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Works are a sign as well as words the surer sign of the two of the Faith which is in our Hearts For t is a sign that Faith prevaileth in us when we do things consentaneous and agreeable to our Faith Our profession in words may be contradicted by our works and that is interpretatively a denial of the Faith 1 Tim 5.8 If any provide not for his own he hath denied the Faith 'T is an act of uncharitableness or dishonesty What profess Christ to be our Lord and live in such rebellion and disobedience to him 'T is as if you should assure a Prince of your Loyalty and yet actually be in Arms against him This Confession is never out of season and is our surest evidence 2. By passion or suffering enduring the hardest things that can befal you in the World for his sake Or this our Lord speaketh Mat. 10.31 32. Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I confess before my Father in Heaven But whosoever will deny me him will I deny before my Father in Heaven His name his truth his ways must be avowed before all the World whatever it cost us we cannot honour Christ so much as he will honour us and therefore we must contemn the hatred of the World and all the pleasures and profits of this life that we may be faithful to him Confession is an harder matter than usually we take it to be and requireth good preparation 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready always to give an Answer to every Man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you c. Not ready in point of knowledge only to argue for the Faith but ready as to courage fortitude and resolution of Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not an account of the reasons but of the Nature and Tenour of our Christian Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be ready is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Paul saith Act. 21.13 I am ready not to be bound only but to die also at Jerusalem c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.15 Shod with the preparation of the Gospel
certainly than others who are not of such a light and unsettled Mind It is said Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced Which implieth a steady consideration otherwise we are in danger to go as we came There is not that lively Commemoration of Christ. You come full of other Cares Desires and Delights and therefore return empty of all solid and true Refreshment 2. It must be Applicative Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me This great Love which God hath manifested in Christ is not only sounded in our Ears and represented to our Eyes but is brought home to us and shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us Rom. 5.5 The Spirit accompanieth Christ's Institutions and the diligent serious hungry Soul is not left destitute Christ and his Benefits are no where so particularly offered applied and sealed to us as in this Duty Christ's Messengers offer him to us in particular with a Charge and Command that we should receive him take and eat for our own Comfort and Use. What is particularly applied to us and made ours as Food that is turned into our Substance should awaken in us greater Thoughts and Care about our own Interest 3. Practical The Effects must more sensibly appear Two ways is that done 1. When we are made Partakers of his Benefits when we are justified and sanctified Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Annunciation inferreth this Then it is Practical when it assureth our Confidence Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And we are incouraged to wait for the accomplishing of these ends and instating us in these Priviledges 2. When we express more likeness to Christ in dying to Sin and to the World or suffering for Righteousness Dying to Sin and the World Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ. Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Or suffering for Righteousness Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death For as Christ came to destroy the Desires of the Carnal Life so to wean us from the Interests of the Animal Life Sacraments bind us to this Matth. 20.22 Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with II. Confirmation or Reasons why the Lord's Supper is a Commemoration of Christ's Death 1. To supply the room of his Bodily Presence 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And in the Text Ye shew forth the Lord's death till he come Christ is not bodily present in the Church till the last Judgment And we are to continue this holy Festival till the time that we shall have no need of these Memorials because then he cometh in Person 2. It is a lively Objective Means to affect our Hearts Both in regard of what is represented Christ is as it were evidently set forth Crucified before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 And also in regard of what is required to be done on our parts that we should return to our Duty and devote our selves to God's Service Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Use. To press you to the Duty of the Text To shew forth Christ's death 1. It is the strongest support to Faith When we apprehend the Greatness and Heinousness of Sin the Righteousness of God and Purity of his Holiness what shall compensate that infinite Wrong which is done to his Majesty If it seem easie to us we do not know what Sin is and what God is Not what Sin is which is a depreciation of God and a contempt of his Majesty There is no petty Creature above another but he is jealous of his Honour and will vindicate himself from Contempt Nor what God is God is of pure Holiness his Nature ingageth him to loath Sin his Justice to punish it It is a difficult case questionless how to get Sin expiated but this wonderful Condescention will make this Difficulty cease the Person is great and Way wonderful Consider what a Person hath undertaken this and what he hath done he hath died for us which at once sheweth God's willingness to Pardon and an answerable Ransom that such an one should undertake for us so beloved of God so equal to God Phil. 2.6 7. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men This will settle and calm the Heart that such an one should come about such a Work 2. It is the greatest Incentive to Love That Christ loved us and gave himself for us a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 Those innumerable Angels that left their Station and were once in Dignity above us have not such glad Tydings to impart to one another or to shew forth in their Societies not such a word to comfort themselves withal They cannot annunciate the Death of Christ and say Lo there is our Confidence and Hope the Propitiation for our Sins 3. It is a powerful Perswasive to Obedience Shall we deny our selves to him that gave himself to and for us Or seek to frustrate him of his End This was his great End 1 Pet. 2.21 For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps He hath purchased Grace to mortifie Sin and to quicken us to the fruits of Holiness shall we be alive to Sin and dead to Rightousness A Sermon on MAL. iii. 17 And I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him THese Words are part of the Promise which God maketh to them that fear him or to those who are good in evil Times In them take notice of 1. The Blessing promised that God will spare them 2. The manner of this Indulgence amplified and set forth by the Carriage of a Father to his Son wherein a double Reason of this Indulgence is intimated 1. Propriety his own Son 2. Towardliness or Obedience his Son that serveth him Parents are not severe to any of their Children especially the dutiful 1. Propriety his own Son A faulty Child is a Child still and therefore not so easily turned out of the Family as a Servant We often forget the Duty of Children but God doth not forget the Mercy of a
reasoned of righteousness c. In the Words we have an account 1. Of the Matter of Paul's Sermon 2. The Effect and Fruit of it 1. Felix trembled 2. Delayed and put it off Go thy way c. I. The Matter 1. In General it was concerning faith in Christ or the Christian Religion 2. In Particular three Heads are mentioned Righteousness Temperance Iudgment to come He made choice of these Heads as plainest and easiest to be understood and as a proper and suitable Argument for Felix was publickly stained with Vices contrary to these Virtues he was Brother of Pallas and one well known to the Emperour Claudius He was in his Magistracy very unjust acquiring great Riches by Bribes Tacitus reporteth him Infamous for this And he and Drusilla were Intemperate and Incontinent living in Adultery and he using her as a Wife who was another Man's Paul was not ignorant of this We must not shoot at Rovers but aim at a certain Mark in our Ministry A Physician that cometh to Cure doth not use at adventure one Remedy for all Diseases but Medicines proper to the Malady of the Patient The Method of converting Sinners requireth this to shew what Men must be that may stand in the Judgment Holy Just and Temperate II. The Effect and Fruit on Felix part Of Drusilla there is nothing spoken she being a Jewess this Doctrine was not new and strange to her but having heard it often is not moved by it through hardness of Heart But of Felix we read two Things 1. His Trembling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is all in an Agony made up all of Fear 2. His Delay and Put-off Go thy way 't is a civil denial and baffle put upon Conscience Conviction not improved usually makes a Man turn Devil he might have cast him into Irons but he rageth not It fared worse with Ionathan the High-Priest as Iosâ—phus telleth us when he had reproved Felix for his Injustice and Bribery he sent Assassines to murder him who mingling themselves with his Servants and making a Broil in his Family killed him so that the principal Author and Design of the Murder was not known It fared better with Paul 1. Partly from the force of the present Conviction it was so strong that he could not gain-say but only seeketh to elude the Importunity of it by the Dream of a more convenient Season 2. Partly from some mixture of his Sin Vers. 26. He hoped that money should have been given him of Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Text in the Greek joyneth his Fear and Avarice together being afraid he bids Paul depart but hoped also that Money should have been given This expecting a Gift as it obstructed his Conviction so it broke his Rage and therefore he useth Paul the more civilly Doctr. That a Carnal Man may be deeply affected with the Christian Doctrine even to great Agonies of Conscience and yet finally miscarry This is evident in the Instance of Felix who trembled but yet delayed shaketh off the force of Paul's Sermon by a pretence of business and continueth in his Sin for after this he expecteth a Bribe and because that came not to pleasure the Jews he left Paul in Bonds 1. I shall speak of the Nature of this Trembling or Agony of Conscience which is here ascribed to Felix 2. The Cause of it God's Word in the General and in Particular the Doctrine of the Last Judgment 3. The Effects and Fruit how it doth or may come to nothing I. What is this Trembling ascribed to Felix Trembling at the Word of God is made a Fruit and Effect of Special Grace Isa. 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that it poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word And Ezra attempting a Reformation gathered to him all that trembled at the Words of the Lord God of Israel Ezra 10.3 I Answer We must distinguish of a Fear sanctifying and a Fear only awakening for a time of a Fear that is a Grace and a Fear that is only a Conscience A Fear sanctifying is such a sense of our danger as stirreth up in us a constant serious Care to avoid the Wrath of God and please him So 't is said Prov. 16.6 By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil This Fear is a Grace an habitual disposition of Soul which is spoken of in the places alledged The Fear only awakening is such a sense of our Danger as doth only trouble us for the present but doth not put us upon the right way to remedy the Evil we are convinced of Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light The Awakening is a Mercy especially if we are not only awakened from our drowsie Fits but we arise from the Dead if we forsake the way of Destruction and betake our selves to the service of God we are safe Many wicked Men are shrewdly shaken by the Preaching of the Word for a while they are a little awakened out of their drowsie Fits and begin to fear and tremble yet they return to them again and sleep the sleep of Death till in the Day of Judgment the Books of Conscience be opened and then they everlastingly awake with Terrors and never sleep more If they could as sweetly sleep in their Sins in Hell as they do now upon Earth Wrath to come would not be so terrible and tormenting a thing to them The differences between this sensible Work and Holy Trembling at God's Word are these 1. Holy Fear is a voluntary Act and excited in them by Faith and Love By Faith believing God's Threatning by Love which is troubled at the Offence done to God 2 Chron. 34.27 Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof and humbledst thy self before me and didst rend thy cloathes and weep before me I have even heard thee also saith the Lord. Iosiah was active in this Trembling and Humiliation But this is an involuntary Impression arising from the Spirit of Bondage and irresistible Conviction which for a while puts them in the Stocks of Conscience but they seek to enlarge themselves as soon as they can 2. They differ in the ground or formal Reason of this Trouble Agony and Consternation of Spirit To be troubled for the Offence done to God is a good sign but to be troubled meerly for the Punishment due to us is the guise of Hypocrites Esau was troubled for he sought the Blessing with Tears when he had lost it Heb. 12.17 But how was he troubled Non quia vendiderat sed quia perdiderat because he had lost the Birthright which was his misery not because he had sold it which was his Sin So all wicked men saith Austin non peccare metuunt sed ardere they do not fear to Sin their Hearts are in secret love and league with their Lusts but they are
Spirits to all the other parts so what we receive from God as good Stewards we should dispense it again and so propagate the Knowledge of God in the World which is better than Gold and fine Silver 3. It is a great comfort and quickening to confer together of holy things Rom. 1.12 That I may be comforted together with you by the mutual Faith both of you and me It is a far sweeter thing to talk of the Word of God and spiritual and heavenly things than to imploy our Tongues in vain and foolish Mirth or discoursing about mere worldly Matters Should any thing be more delightful to a Christian than God and Christ and Heaven and the Promises of the World to come and the Way thither And therefore surely we should take all meet occasions to confer of these things Certainly our relish and appetite is mightily depraved to judge our selves as in a Prison when we are in good Company who remember God And when they invite you to remember him with them will you frown upon the Motion because it is some check and interruption to Carnal Vanity Had you rather hear the Ravens croak or the Nightingale sing The grunting of a Swine or the melody of an Instrument Such a a difference there is between vain and worldly talk and heavenly discourse 4. The well-ordering of our Words is a great point of Christianity and argueth a good degree of Grace He that bridleth his Tongue is a perfect Man Jam. 3.2 If any Man offend not in words the same is a perfect Man and able also to bridle the whole Body And Solomon saith Prov. 18.21 That Death and Life are in the power of the Tongue Upon the good or ill use of it a Man's safety doth depend not only Temporal safety but Eternal And a greater than Solomon tells us Matth. 12.37 By thy Words shalt thou be justified and by thy Words shalt thou be condemned Therefore it concerneth us to look to our Discourses as well as our Actions Solomon often describeth the Righteous by his good Tongue Prov. 10.31 The Mouth of the Iust bringeth forth Wisdom Prov. 12.8 The Tongue of the Wise is Health The first Use is to inform us 1. What an Happineâ—s it is to converse with just and renewed Men Their Tongue is as choice Silver You are inriched by converse with them with such Treasures as if you were well in your Wits you would prefer above fine Gold and choice Silver And so sheweth what Teachers you should live under and what Families you should put your selves into if you be at your own disposal and what Company you should chuse You should go into the Mines those places where the Vein of choice Silver is to be had 2. That it is not enough to avoid evil Communication but our Speech must be ordered by Grace to the benefit of others Besides vain babling there are two defects Some are dumb and tongue-tyed in holy Things they can speak liberally of any Subject that occurreth but are dumb in Spiritual Matters which concern Edification Men shew so little Grace in their Conferences because they have so little Grace in their Hearts Many carry it as if they were â—shamed to speak of God or had nothing to say of him or for him You are not bound always to speak of Religious Things but sometimes you are bound now when do you interpose a word for God in a serious and affectionate manner Others jangle about disputable Opinions and all their talk is Controversie as if the plain and uncontroverted Points were not worth the owning yet in these the life and power of Godliness consisteth this is like leaving Bread and gnawing upon a a Stone In Nature necessary things are obvious so in the Universe of Religion to inculcate on each other the Vital Truths and the most necessary Duties Controversies have their place but the ordinary discourse of Christians should be about the most necessary things 3. To shew us what need there is that we should be just holy and righteouâ— If we would profit others by our discourses two things are necessary that we should be inlightned and mortified 1. That we should be inlightned by the Spirit of Grace If we would teach others the way of God it is necessary that we our selves should be taught of God It cometh warmer and fresher from us when we speak not by hear-say only but Experience as Heart answereth to Heart so the renewed Heart in him that heareth to the renewed Heart in him that speaketh and we shew others what God by his illuminating Grace hath first shewed us Then it savoureth of the Spirit that worketh in both he that is all on fire himself will more easily inkindle others Alas Good Things pass through many like Water through an empty Trunk without feeling they may speak very good things but they do but personate and act a part When God hath bound up our Wounds we do more feeling speak to others Certainly we are apt to speak oftenest of those things which we do most affect when we have a true discerning of the Excellency of holy things our Speeches about them will be more frequent lively and savoury 2. That we be mortified and dead to carnal things for we cannot conceal our Affections whether they are bent to the things of the Flesh or to the things of the Spirit Till the Heart be câ—eansed and we mortifie our sinful Inclinations from whence Thoughts and Words proceed they always obey the Ruling Power A good Man will be known by his discourse so will the Carnal The Froward will speak froward things and the Sensual of what is grateful to the Flesh and the Worldly of what is suitable to their worldly Designs and Knowledge doth not guide us here so much as Inclination for Speech is but the overflow of the Heart The second Use is of Exhortation To press us to imploy our Tongues to the Use of Edifying 1. Let us be much exercised in reading and meditating on the Word of God and get a good stock of sound Scriptural Knowledge Matth. 12.35 A good Man out of the good treasure of the Heart bringeth forth good things Every Man entertaineth his Guests with such Provision as he hath He that taketh Money out of his Pocket if it be stored with Gold or Silver or Brass Farthings as his Stock is so will the Draught appear The Word of God is that which enableth us to edifie our selves and others with holy Conference The more Store the more we have to bring forth upon all Occasions Coll. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another A plentiful measure of Gospel-Knowledge enableth us to instruct others and direct others There all Wisdom is made plain things revealed which cannot be found elsewhere that which by long search we get in the Writings of Heathens is there made ready to our hands and brought down to the meanest Capacity If the
Objects of Pity and Compassion rather than of Passion and Anger Eph. 1.32 Be ye kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Consider what God hath done to you that you may do the same to them Secondly The next consideration of this Prayer of Christ is as a Tast and Pledge of his Mediation and Intercession So it is Prophecied Isa. 53.12 He was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors Christ was placed in the midst of Thieves as the first Clause is explained Mark 15.28 and he made Intercession that is prayed for his Persecutors The whole Chapter is a Prophetical Narration of the Acts and Sorrows of Christ upon the Cross. In this publick Sense and Consideration let us see what may be gathered out of the Clause Father forgive them 1. It is an Instance of Christ's Love and Bowels to Sinners he loved Mankind so well that he Prayed for them that Crucified him Look on the Lord Jesus as Praying and Dying for Enemies and improve it as a ground of Confidence Upon the Cross he would give us an Instance of his Efficacy in converting the Thief and of his Affection in praying for his Persecutors We were as great Enemies to Christ and as deep in the Guilt of his Passion as they Rom. 5.10 When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son The Enemies of his Kingdom are every way as bad as the Enemies of his Person if Christ did not say Father forgive what would become of us You will say we are Christians But scandalous Sinners renew his Sufferings and put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Oh! let us Adore God for these Experiences it is a mighty ground of Hope that Christ hath put in for a Pardon he would not die till he had expressed his Reconciliation with his Enemies 2. See what is the Voice and Merit of his Sufferings Father forgive them This is the Speech that Christ uttered when he was laid on the Cross. The Apostle compareth Christ's Blood and the Blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 And to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel Abel's Blood was clamorous in the Ears of God Gen. 4.10 The voice of thy brothers blood crieth to me from the ground And so in the Conscience of Cain it crieth Avenge Avenge me Christ's Blood hath another Voice it speaketh to God to pacifie his Wrath and to Pardon us if penitent and believing Sinners it speaketh to Conscience to be quiet God hath found out a Ransom The Blood of Christ may speak against us as well as against the Iews for by our Sins we made Christ to die Oh! be not quiet till it speak Peace in your Consciences Christ's Blood was spilt in Malice as Abel's was and might have cried for Vengeance on the Actors who were not only the Iews but we and it yet speaketh as Abel's did Heb. 11.4 By it he being dead yet speaketh It is a speaking Blood and is yet speaking The speaking of the Blood is interpreted according to the Words in their Mouth wherewith they died Mat. 23.35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zecharias the son of Barachias whom ye slew between the porch and the altar Our Lord gathers it from Zecharias his saying The Lord look upon it and require it 2 Chron. 24.22 So the Words of Christ interpret his Death 3. In the Mediatory Consideration it hinteth the coupling of his Intercession with his Satisfaction On the Cross there he dieth and there he prayeth he was both Priest and Sacrifice The High-Priest under the Law was not only to slay the Sacrifice but to intercede for the People first the Beast was slain without the Camp and then the Blood was carried into the Holy of Holies and there Prayer was made with Incense but before that Aaron when he was going into the holy Place before the Lord was to cause the sound of his Golden Bells to be heard under pain of Death Exod. 28.35 To this I parallel this Action of Christ upon the Cross. This Prayer was as the sound of the Golden Bells he would make his Voice to be heard by Prayer and then he goes into the Holy of Holies the Lord Jesus Christ when he shed his Blood before the Tribunal of God he sendeth forth a Prayer God would have our Salvation carried on in a way of Mercy and Justice and Christ was to mingle Intreaty with Satisfaction as Lev. 16.14 the High-Priest was to bring the Blood within the Vail and to sprinkle it upon the Mercy-Seat He must satisfie Justice and make an Address to Mercy that we that have sinned with both hands may take hold of God with both hands Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ it is freely and yet through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ these two sweetly accord 4. This is a Pledge of his constant Intercession in Heaven The Ceremonies of the Old Law were not only Types of Christ but his visible Actions were a kind of Types and Pledges of his Spiritual Actions 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous He that could pray for Enemies will pray for Friends and he that got our Pardon by his Intercession will promote our Salvation Certainly Christ's Glorified Soul looseth no Affection he is as earnest with the Father for his Friends as ever he was upon the Cross for his Persecutors Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Christ doth appear as our Advocate in Court not only in our Name but in our stead 5. It shews the Nature of his Intercession It not only implies the everlastingness of his Merit that his Blood doth continue to deserve such things at the hands of God as we stand in need of but it is a continual representation of his Merit it is not a Metaphor but a solemn Act of his Priesthood Again it is not by Verbal Expressions such as he used here upon Earth Father forgive them this became the state of his Humiliation but now he intercedes Non voce sed miseratione Not by Voice but by Pity What is it then Partly his appearing in Heaven as God in our Nature Heb. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands c. but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us He is said to appear before God for us as the High-Priest came and presented himself before God with the Names of the twelve Tribes engraven on his Breast-plate Partly in his expressing an actual Willingness or the
the Soul is said to return to God therefore the whole Man dieth not and is not extinguished with the Body All these Particulars import the Immortality of the Soul Doct. That the Soul of Man is immortal and dieth not when the Body dieth but remaineth in that Estate into which it is disposed by God First There is a threefold Immortality 1. An essential Immortality which importeth an absolute Necessity of Existence so it is said 1 Tim. 6.16 God only hath Immortality 2. There is a natural Immortality which hath a Foundation in the Being of the Creatures so the Angels and Spirits of Men are in their Nature immortal so as they cannot be destroyed by any second Cause and have no Principle of Corruption in themselves though by the Power of God they might be annihilated 3. A gratuitous Immortality or by Gift and Courtesy so the Body of Adam in Innocency non conditione corporis but beneficio conditoris not by the Condition of his Body but the Bounty of his Maker so the Bodies of the Faithful after the Resurrection shall be immortal Secondly Let us prove this that the Soul is immortal and subsisteth after the Separation The Point is necessary to be discussed for till we are established in the Belief of this Truth we shall fear no greater Judgments than what do befal us in this World nor expect greater Mercies than what we injoy here and so never take Care to reconcile our selves to God or to deny the Profits of the World and the Pleasures of Sense that we may attain a better Estate An holy Life will never else be indeavoured or produced to any good Increase For such as Mens Belief is of an immortal or never-dying Condition in Heaven or Hell such will the bent of their Hearts and Course of Life be Therefore the Salvation of our Souls is said to be the End of our Faith 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the End of your Faith even the Salvation of your Souls There the End signifieth either the Scope or the Event If you take it for the Scope the great End of Faith is to lead us from all worldly Happiness to an Estate after this Life Heb. 10.39 But we are not of them that draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul Sense faith Spare the Flesh but Faith saith Save the Soul This is the Scope and mark to which it tendeth If you take it for the Event and Issue of things all our believing praying enduring Suffering rejoicing pleasing and glorifying of God endeth in this the saving of our Souls Therefore let us see how it may be proved both by Scripture and by the Light of Reason I. By Scripture which is the proper means to beget Faith Dives desired one to go from the dead to tell his Brethren of an everlasting Estate of Torment and Bliss Luke 16.27 28. I pray thee Father that thou wouldst send him to my Father's House for I have five Brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this Place of Torment Intimating thereby that the Cause of his own Sin and theirs was Unbelief or a not being perswaded of a World to come Alas we have but an obscure Prospect of an Estate after this Life and therefore indulge sensual Delights But what Cure and Remedy Dives thought a Spectre or Apparition would be the best Cure of this Atheism But Abraham or Christ thought otherwise he referreth them to Moses and the Prophets that is the holy Scriptures for all the Books then written and received in the Church are comprized in that Expression Since we are sick of the same Disease this will be our best Remedy We are told 2 Tim. 1.10 That Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel It is the Privilege of the Divine Revelation to represent this Truth with more Clearness and Certainty 1. With more Clearness There is a Mist upon Eternity which is only dispelled by the Light of the Gospel Reasons from Nature may in some measure acquaint us with an everlasting Estate yet what kind of Happiness it is that attendeth the Godly and what Misery shall befal the Wicked it telleth us but little but the Scripture sets down enough to invite our Hopes and awaken our Fears Heathens had some Conceits of Elysian Feilds and Places of Blessedness and some obscure Caverns appointed to be Places of Torment fitted to work Men into a blind Superstition but the Word of God hath given us such clear Discoveries of future Happiness and Misery as that we may know what to hope for and what to fear and if well improved will breed in us a true Spirit of Godliness 2. In Regard of Certainty Nature may give us some dark Guesses and uncertain Conjectures so as the Heathens that had no other Light were ready to say and unsay in a Breath what they had spoken concerning our Estate to come but the Gospel is a sure Word apt to beget Faith not a wavering Opinion Go to Sense which judgeth by the outside of things Eccles. 3.21 Who knoweth the Spirit of a Man that goeth upward and the Spirit of a Beast that goeth downward to the Earth By Sense we see Mankind as the Beasts to be conceived formed in the Belly brought forth nourished to grow in Strength and Stature wax old and die by the Eye we can discern no external sensible Difference so that if we consult with mere Sense all Religion and Hope is gone Go to Reason and that will tell us indeed that there is a Difference between a Man and a Beast that Man knoweth and desireth things which the Beasts do not and cannot And that the reasonable Soul hath Operations independent on Matter and on the Body and therefore it is probable it can subsiâ—t without the Body for the manner of working sheweth the manner of being but there is cold Comfort in a bare may be The Gospel sheweth it shall be As a Glass it doth discover this State to us as a Rule it guideth us to the Injoyment of it as a Motive it perswadeth us to seek after it as a Charter and Grant it doth assure our Title to it it is full fraught and thick sown with this kind of Seed Therefore let us see what the Light of Scripture saith to this Point 1 st It discovereth to us every-where the Doctrine of the eternal Recompences two Places and two Estates wherein Souls abide after Death Heaven and Hell Heaven the Mansion of the Just Iohn 14.2 In my Father's House are many Mansions And Hell the Place of Torments Mark 9.44 They are cast into Hell where their Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched And as soon as the Soul passeth out of the Body it is in one of these Luke 16.22 23. And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's Bosom the rich Man died also and was buried And in Hell he
And more and more interest our selves in his cleansing 5. Because the Application is a difficult Work Besides the Purchase of the Gift of the Spirit Christ hath instituted the Help of the Word and Sacraments to bring us into Possession of this Benefit Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of VVater by the VVord The Merit of his Death falleth upon these means that we may use them with the more Confidence Iohn 15.3 Now are ye clean through the VVord which I have spoken unto you The Word is the Glass wherein to see Corruption which sets a-work to seek Purging By that our Sense of our natural Impurity is revived the Means and Causes of our cleansing set down that we may with deep Humiliation confess our Sin humbly sue out the Grace offered and wait for it in the conscionable Use of all the means of Grace And for the Sacraments As the Word containeth the Charter and Grant of Christ and all his Benefits to those that will receive him so this is the Seal of the Grant Rom. 4.11 He received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith whereby we are more confirmed in waiting for the Spirit and excited to look for this Benefit from Christ. Well then we must still lie at the Pool of the Word and Sacraments And now you have my second Argument Why Jesus Christ should be honoured lauded and praised by all the Saints because he hath done so great an Office of Love and procured so great a Benefit for us as the washing away of our Sins in his Blood that we might be admitted to Communion with God III. The Fruits and Benefits that we have thereby He hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and to his Father This doth oblige us the more to ascribe and give Glory and Dominion to him for ever and ever since he hath brought us into Communion with God and set us apart as consecrated Persons such as Kings and Priests were of old to perform daily Service to God In this third Thing 1 st Observe the Order We must be washed from our Sins before we can be Kings and Priests or minister before the Lord. Aaron and his Sons though they were formerly designed to be Priests yet they could not officiate and act as Priests before they were consecrated So must we be consecrated and made Priests to God and that by the Blood of Christ. They were seven days in consecrating This whole Life is the time of our Consecration which goeth on by degrees and will be made compleat both for Body and Soul upon the Resurrection when we shall be fit to approach the Throne of Glory and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal Temple of Heaven For this Life though our Consecration be not finished yet here we are stiled an Holy Priesthood to minister before the Throne of Grace though not before the Throne of Glory Now if we be washed from our Sins in the Laver of Regeneration we may draw near to God as the Priests under the Law were washed in the Laver and then came to the Altar It holdeth good both in this Life and in the Life to come that none but the Washed can come so near to God either before the Throne of Grace or Throne of Glory The Throne of Grace Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water So Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God In the State of Glory Rev. 7.14 15. These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him Day and Night in his Temple The persecuted Saints who came out of great Tribulation they first washed their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb before they were admitted as Priests to stand before the Throne of God to serve him Day and Night in his Temple Sanctification must go before Consecration and the more sanctified the more consecrated when our Sanctification is finished then our Consecration is consummate And then we shall have a full Communion with our God a clear Vision of his eternal Beauty and as great a Fruition of his Godhead as we shall be capable of in a State of full Contentment Joy and Blessedness 2 dly The Privileges are exceeding great to be consecrated to so high a Dignity That we should be consecrated or set apart for God to be Objects of his special Grace and Instruments of his Glory and Service Much more that we should be advanced to so great a Dignity as to be Kings and Priests to God We share in Christ's own Dignity He was a King and a Priest so are we He had an Unction so have we He was Christ we are Christians By virtue of our Union with him we are Partakers of his Kingdom and Priesthood The Church of Israel was called a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19.6 And Believers in the New-Testament are called a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Not to disturb Civil Kings or the Order God hath instituted in the Church for it is Kings and Priests to God not to the World Let us consider these Privileges asunder 1. Kings King is a Name of Honour Power and ample Possession 1. Here we reign spiritually as we vanquish the Devil the World and the Flesh in any measure It is a Princely Thing to be above these inferiour Things and to trample them under our Feet in an holy and heavenly Pride An Heathen could say Rex est qui metuit nihil Rex est qui cupit nihil He is a King that fears nothing and desires nothing He that is above the Hopes and Fears of the World he that hath his Heart in Heaven and is above temporal Accidents the ups and downs of the World the World is beneath his Heart and Affections this Man is of a Kingly Spirit Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is a Believer's Rev. 5.10 Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth viz. in a Spiritual Way It is a beastly thing to serve our Lusts but kingly to have our Conversations in Heaven and vanquish the World 1 Iohn 5.4 5. Whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God To live up to our Faith and Love with a Noble Royal Spirit 2. Hereafter we shall reign visibly and gloriously when we shall sit upon Thrones with Christ at his last coming to judg the World and Angels themselves Matth. 19.28 Verily I