is as earnest for grace as for glory Thou hast delivered my soul from death wilt thou not deliver my feet from falling c. Psal 56.13 and refrain them from every evil way Psal 119.101 Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy commandements Psal 119.166 But Presumption makes men more remiss and careless in their whole course it does not quicken our endeavours and make us more active for God as hope does by which we purifie our selves 1 John 3.3 it puts us upon preparing our selves for the actual possession of what we hope for that we may be meet for the Kingdom of God and ready to enter in with the Bridegroom it uses all means to attain its end If thy hope be not a heart-purifying hope a life-reforming hope 't is no better than presumption 1 Pet. 1.13 and Psal 37.3 5. Those things that presumption counts upon in a careless way it doth not bring them so close to the Soul it doth not give us that lively taste and sense of them as true hope does they do not work so kindly upon the heart Presumption apprehends something in gross in a confused manner pleasing it self with the names and empty notions of things rather than with the things themselves is contented with a negative happiness and understands no more by going to heaven and being saved than that he shall not be damned and be tormented in hell A presumptuous person knows not what heaven is what the blessedness of the Saints is he studies not those things but at all adventures he would exchange hell for heaven and pleaseth himself with an imaginary happiness Presumption never makes men heavenly minded for all their high words and confident boasting yet they are not in earnest for heaven they don't savour these things something they must say something they must pretend to to silence their consciences and to keep down those fears that otherwise would distract them There may be an affectation of heaven where there is no true affection for it Heaven glory and eternal life are gay things and signifie some great good but what they know not But hope brings things home to the heart we see the substance of what we hope for Heb. 11.1 Faith comments upon our hope discourses of the excellent nature of those things we wait for tells us many pleasing stories of heaven and Christ and the glory that is above this mightily heightens hope ravishes the soul makes it even leap for joy that its reward shall be so great in heaven faith lifts us up within the vail gives us a strong taste of the powers of the world to come and so feeds and nourishes hope encourages it to a patient waiting for that which will quit cost at last and fully answer our expectations 6. Presumption as it neglects the use of all means for the attaining its end as I said before so it is signally guilty of the neglect of Prayer Psal 10.4 'T is the presumptuous sinner blessing himself in his wickedness David there speaks of verse 3. But true Hope is full of holy breathings and longings after that which it hopes for Rom. 8.23 2 Cor. 5.2 That hope may well be suspected that puts us not upon frequent and earnest prayer they have little ground for their hope of Salvation Omne desiderium post spem impatientius who call not upon the Lord Rom. 10.13 If thy hope be not a praying hope 't is a presuming hope 7. Presumption though it talk much of Christ as one who must do all for us and will save us yet such an one studies not the mystery of Christ doth not make it his business to search the Scripture to enquire after him to satisfie himself about him that he is able to save Herein appears the unreasonableness of this sin we trust we know not whom for a man to commit his greatest concern to an unknown hand and to rest secure is very unreasonable but true Hope is well acquainted with Christ much in the studies of the Mystery of Christ having repos'd so great a trust in him is very desirous to know him throughly and can never act with confidence till then I know saith Paul in whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 2 Tim. 1.12 I dare trust him he wo'nt fail me The reason of our hope must be fetch 't from somewhat in Christ rendring him sufficient for the work he hath undertaken else 't is unreasonable nay it must needs sink and die without Christ without hope Eph. 2.12 When God sent Christ into the world to save us what a high Character doth he give of him purposely to encourage us to trust in him I have laid help upon one that is mighty Psal 89.19 able to save to the uttermost mighty to save Isa 63.1 Isa 49.26 Take all the promises of the Gospel nay all the contents of the Bible and consider them apart by themselves not in conjunction with God nor in relation to him who is the author and owner of them and the great undertaker of all things mentioned therein we shall have little ground to believe them but in God I will praise his word Psal 56.4 In God I have put my trust ibid. Christ in us is our hope of glory Col. 1.27 How glad is a believer to hear any thing of the fulness power and excellency of Christ O his heart leaps within this is my God my Saviour my Redeemer what a happy man am I Psal 144.15 This is my beloved and this is my friend O daughter of Jerusalem Cantic 5.16 A believer is very proud of Christ if I may so speak this enlivens hope and raises it to a very high pitch if our thoughts of Christ and love to him be not raised and heightened by our hope in him 't is not right There is nothing more common in the mouths of the ignorant profane sort than to say I hope to be saved by Jesus Christ but who ever thou art that sayst so of course not minding what thou sayst take up those words again and make common sense of them if thou canst to thy own understanding what hope to be saved by Christ whom thou knowest not hast no acquaintance with art a meer stranger to O lay aside those vain hopes till thou hast learned Christ let me enjoyn thee never to utter those words more till thou knowest Christ better how possible thy Salvation may be I will not now dispute but I am sure thy present hopes of it are very unreasonable and groundless Thus having shew'd the difference between Presumption and Hope I shall in the next place speak something but more briefly of the difference between Despair and Hope As I did before distinguish of a double Presumption so I must in the same terms distinguish of a double Despair Despair is either 1. Of our Selves which is an humble holy despair very consistent with hope and a necessary
the faculties or rather Acts thereof As the will governs all inferior faculties so is she governed by her love which renders her what she is as to good or evil What the Love is that the man is and where the love is there the man is If thy love be in Heaven there thou art and if thy love be in Hell thou art there For where the Treasure is there the love heart and man is Math. 6.21 And as Love governs the whole soul in general so has she a more particular influence or the Affections both rational and passionate Love indeed is not only the prime but also the original source and spring of all humane affections which owe their Being Life and Motion thereto What are all Affections but the several forms and shape of Love whence have they their tincture and colour but from it for look a-the object beloved is affected with this or that circumstance so is Love proportionably invested with this or that form If the object beloved be absent love goes forth to meet it by Desire if present love solaceth it self therein by Fruition and Delight if it be under hazards love waxeth pale with Fear if the enjoyment thereof be impeded or obstructed by others Love grows angry if it be lost Love clotheth her self with black sorrow if there be a probability or but possibility sometimes of enjoying it love moves towards it by Hope Thus love puts on sundry forms and Aspects which we call affections according to the sundry postures of its beloved In short look as the wife changeth her condition into that of her husband and becomes noble or ignoble according to his condition so love changeth her condition according to that of the object she doth espouse if love espouse God for her husband then doth she become spiritual Noble and Divine according to the quality of God but if she Elect and adhere to the world then doth she become carnal base and worldly So much for the general Idea of Love of which more in what follows Sect. 3. What it is to love the World 2. Quest What it is to love the World Love to the world may be considered as Predominant and so altogether inconsistent with the very being and existence of love to God or else as infirm and in part subdued We shall here treat of it in the former respect only which seems chiefly intended by John And so love to the world may be described A certain habitual pondus or weight of concupiscence and Lust whereby the soul is strongly impelled and inclined towards the fruition of and satisfaction in the world as its last end and chiefest Good In this description of love to the world we find its Object subject end principle Act and measure which will all fall under a more particular consideration in the following propositions The Object of predominant love to the world 1. Prop. To love the world is to affect some private particular inferiour Good for it self as the chiefest Good and last end This proposition states and specifies the proper formal Object of worldly love which is some private particular inferiour good loved for it self as the chiefest supreme good and last end Now the world may be constituted the chiefest good and last end two ways 1 Positively when it is loved for it self as a total supreme good unto which all things are referred 2 Negatively when though it be loved only as a partial good yet it is loved for it self and not referred to God either actually or habitually as the supreme good Such is the cursed love of many worldly professors who love the world only as a partial good yet so as they refer it not to God the supreme good and therefore may be said to love it for it self as their last end and chiefest good negatively though not positively This love to the world for it self as the last end and chiefest good is fully described by John in the verse following our text 1 John 2.16 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but it is of the world These words give much light and evidence to our text and present subject wherefore we shall a little insist on the explication of them And 1 We are to consider their rational connexion with the words precedent included in the particle For which gives us the genuine reason and cause why the love of the world is inconsistent with the Love of God namely because all that is in the world whether sensible Civil or Mental Goods so far as they are the fuel of Lusts are not of the Father but of the world 2 We are to observe here that John discoursing of worldly goods as the fuel of our Lust expresseth the things themselves by the lust in us He saith not Pleasures Riches Honours though these be the things he means but the Lust of these things because the poison and evil of these things comes not from the things themselves but from our lusts that run into and live upon them as our last end and choicest good And in this sense saith John they are not of the Father but of the World i. e. God never made or appointed these inferiour goods to be our last end chiefest Good or matter of fruition and satisfaction no it is the Lusts of worldly men that have put this Crown upon the Heads of Pleasures profits preferments c. Hence it naturally follows that all love to these lower goods for themselves as our Last end and chiefest Good is but Concupiscence or inordinate Lust For indeed what is Lust but desire to or fruition of the Creature for it self 3 We are to consider likewise the Distribution which John here makes of all that is in the world into the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the eyes and the pride of Life This as they say is the worldly man's Trinity which he doth so much Idolize and Adore (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo in Decalog Philo the Jew who was greatly versed as well in the Grecian as Judaick learning makes all evil to consist in rhe Lust of Pleasures Riches or Glory which seems to answer to John's Distribution here For by the Lust of the flesh is usually understood Pleasures By the Lust of the Eyes Riches and by the Pride of Life Vain Glory or Honours We shall treat concisely of each as the Fuel of Worldly Love 1 To love the world is to Lust after the pleasures of the flesh as our last end or soveraign Good and so amiable for themselves And O! whâ—t a brutish piece of Lust is this And yet Lo how common even among those who would be accounted generous and noble Yea how many great Professors come under this condemnation For by the Lusts of the flesh we must understand all inordinate love to and delight in sensual pleasures of any kind be it in eating
it known than pleaseth Holy Church i. e. no more than is for the interest of the Pope's pride and the Priest's panches Knowledg hath already done them no small mischief and how can that choose but be too much light which endangers the ruin of the kingdom of darkness thus those Scribes or Jewish Lawyers Luk. 11.52 Took away the key of knowledg they entred not in themselves into the Kingdom of Heaven and them that were entring they hindered and 1 Thes 2.16 The Jews forbad the Apostles to preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved And how great a sin is it to grudg others the grace of Christ and the Kingdom of God to drive a design for the damnation of Souls It is a wretched thing for Men to build their greatness upon the ruine of others and rather to let thousands of Souls be damned than their stakes should not be saved Doubtless if they considered how little comfort they are like to have in Hell in the society of those they have brought thither they would at least be content to perish alone Vse 2. What a Reproof is here for ignorant Souls They that are ignorant not because they want the means of knowledge but either because they hate it or because they are too busie or too lazy or too proud to learn I would be-speak such but even in their own Language Why should you be wiser than your forefathers and wiser than your teachers They that lived before you or I were born were fond of the truth studied the Scriptures inquired into God's will made his Law their meditation their delight their counsellor So did David Psal 119.24 97. Such a one was Daniel ch 9.2 And such were other Prophets 1 Pet. 1.11 12. And such were the Apostles it was their glory to have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 And such were the primitive Christians The Beraeans were commended for searching the Scriptures Act. 17.11 And such the Martyrs They would have made much of any single leaf of the Bible And why then should you be wiser than they Why should you think to be saved without knowledge when they could not Have you found out any newer or nearer or better way to Heaven than they knew of Will God be more favourable to you than to them Will he dispence with your ignorance and would not with theirs And so Why must you needs be wiser than your teachers They are fain to study the Scriptures and labour to know the will of God and spend their time and strength in the search of truth and count it their wisdom so to do both that they may save themselves and them that hear them And what need they go so far about if there were a shorter cut to Heaven What need they seek so much knowledge if less would serve their turn What need they weaken their bodies and wast their Spirits and shorten their days that they may teach you the good knowledge of the Lord and instruct you in the things that concern your peace if you may be saved without knowing them If ignorance were so innocent a thing as many think it Ministers might save their breath and strength for better purposes than the teaching of those that have no need of it Is it not a great shame that there is so much ignorance among those that profess to be enlightned Alas How few be there that can give any tolerable account of the Principles they own How few have any faith but an implicit one any Religion but a Traditional one How many are themselves guilty of what they blame in Papists Papists believe as the Church suppose a Councel or Pope believes and how many Protestants believe as their Parents or as their Ministers believe And so their faith stands not in the power of God but the wisdom or gifts or parts or Authority of Man 1 Cor. 2.5 Use 3. For Exhortation Let every one that desires to be saved labour after such knowledge in Spiritual things as is most conducing to so high an end Labour for the knowledge of the best things and for as much of it as you can get Do not be afraid of too much wisdom of being overcharged with Spiritual knowledg There is no danger that this learning should make you mad To enforce force the duty Consider 1. How useful this knowledg is Prov. 15.2 That the Soul be without knowledg is not good Knowledge in the mind is as necessary and useful as eyes in a guide What a Leader is to his followers The mind is commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Hierocles or a Driver to a Chariot that the mind is to the Man He had need of eyes that is to be an Inspector or leader of others As the eye is the overseer of the body so the understanding is of the whole and therefore knowledge is as useful in the one as light in the other And as the knowledge of natural things is useful to a Man as a Man so is the knowledge of Spiritual things most useful to him as a Christian and that 1. In the exercise of holiness the guidance of his will and affections and ordering of his actions in relation to his highest end The Will is of it self caeca facultas a blind faculty and the affections are no better The will can command but cannot judge It hath authority over the inferior powers but such as must be regulated by the discretion of the understanding And the affections are as it were the legs of the Soul They can go this way and that way but they must have the eye of the mind to superintend their motion like a blind Man carrying a lame one on his shoulder who lends his own legs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anthel Graec. and borrows the other's eyes So that though the understanding's work be only to discern consider judge yet without its performing that work the will and affections can never rightly do theirs You can never love or hate choose or refuse as you should such objects as are presented to you unless you first pass a right judgment upon those objects and the understanding determine of their being good or evil And the understanding cannot judge aright if it be not informed aright It cannot lead you if it be not it self enlightned You can never love God supremely if your understandings do not judge him to be supremely lovely If ever you would duly prosecute your true interest you must be first acquainted with it and have it rightly stated If you would do your duty you must first know it You must of necessity either neglect or mis-perform it if you know not the rule of your doing it Where holiness is your work knowledge must be your director And the more knowledge you have the more fit you will be for the practice of holiness The clearer your light and the better your eyes the more circumspectly you will walk The more you see the nature the beauty the
benefit of holiness the more holy you may be 2. Knowledge will be most useful for the Avoiding of sin The more knowledg you have of the nature of sin the abundance of it in your selves its offensiveness to God The more knowledg you have of the rule the exactness the purity the Spirituality and extent of the Law and so the better able you are to judge what sin is and what its consequences are the better you may escape it The clearer your knowledg and the stronger your convictions are of the evil of sin the more Arguments you are furnished with to perswade your hearts against it A good treasure of Spiritual knowledg will best help you to maintain your Spiritual warfare When you know not only your Leader and your weapons and your reward but your Enemies too and their stratagems and way of lighting you are like then to be most couragious in your combate 3. Knowledg will be greatly useful to you for your Profiting by ordinances The better you understand the nature and use and ends of them the more good you are like to get by them The more you know of the word the more you will still learn by it If the foundation of Spiritual knowledg be well laid Ordinances will more easily build you up Not only the work of Ministers would be more easie if their hearers were better Catechized there would not be such danger of missing the mark by shooting over peoples heads they would not lose so much labour nor spend so much strength in vain they should not need so much to study plainness and be inculcating principles and lisping out the first rudiments of Religion as to those that are but babes in knowledg But hearers likewise would receive the word with more profit they would more easily be brought down under convictions feel the power of Exhortations be quickned to duties yield to reproofs entertain admonitions and tast the sweetness of God's consolations and so more easily obtain the end of their hearing To conclude if your understandings were more enlightned your affections would either be sooner warmed or their heat be more regular if more truth were known more duty would be done if our doctrine were better understood our application would be more effectual 2. Spiritual knowledg is most delightful Prov. 24.13 14. The knowledg of wisdom is said to be to the soul as the hony and hony-comb to the taste The knowledg of truth which is the proper object of the understanding doth usually carry something of pleasure in it and the more excellency there appears in any truth the more delectable a thing it is to know it But there be no truths so excellent as Spiritual ones such as concern God and Christ and the mysteries of Salvation and therefore the knowledg of none is so delightful What high and refined delights doth the contemplation of God in all his holy attributes and excellencies afford to glorious Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect How do those Heavenly creatures despise the gross and faeculent pleasures of the sensual World And though Saints here upon Earth cannot rise so high in their delights because not so high in their knowledg yet they may find incomparably more pleasure in knowing the things of God even according to their present capacity than the greatest voluptuaries can in the enjoyment of the creature If a Philosopher can take more pleasure in the study of nature or a Mathematician in his demonstrations than a sensualist can in his feasts and treatments if lines and angles can do more for the mind of the one than meats and drinks for the palat of the other How far then do the delights a gracious soul finds in the study and search of Divine truths transcend both And this pleasure is yet more heightned by the Interest Saints have in the truths they know when they are not only excellent in themselves but of the greatest consequence to them To know God and that as their God to know Christ and that he is a Christ for them to know the Saints priviledges and that they belong to them to know the promises and that they have a share in them to know there is a Heaven a state of future glory and blessedness and that themselves are concerned in it this must needs be a delightful knowledg You can take some pleasure in seeing a rich country and pleasant seat and fine houses but much more if you see them as they that are to inherit them If a natural man may take some pleasure in the mere notion of divine truths how much more may he do it that is concerned in them 3. This knowledg doth greatly adorn and beautifie the Soul It is a considerable part of the soul's perfection Col. 3.10 The Image of God is said to consist as in righteousness and true holiness so likewise in knowledg How full of it was Adam in Paridise And how full of it are Angels in Heaven The more men know of God the more like they are to him and the more they resemble him the more beautiful and perfect they are You count a clear eye not only useful to the body but a piece of beauty in it Light in the mind is an ornament to the Soul as well as a help Saints in Heaven that are most perfect are most knowing and the fulness of their knowledg is a great part of their perfection 4. It is a most becoming thing most suitable to you as Christians suitable to your new nature your new state your Spiritual relations and Spiritual priviledges It ill becomes them who are called into Gods marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Who are the children of Light Eph. 5.8 and the children of him who is the Father of Lights Jam. 1.17 they that are said to be in the Light 1. Joh. 2.9 nay to be Light Eph. 5.8 yet to he without light An ignorant Saint is as great a Soloecism in Christianity as a Graceless Saint and that is such a Saint as is no Saint 5. Consider the mischief and danger of ignorance 1. It exposeth you to errors and delusions Math. 22.29 Who so apt to be misled as he that hath no eyes He that knows not which is the right way may easily be drawn into a wrong one He that walks in darkness knows not whither he goes Joh. 12.35 Affection is a good follower but a bad leader It is too blind to be a guide It embraces its object and yet knows it not It must be beholden to the eye of the mind light in the understanding or else all its motions will be but wandrings It will be sure to rove where it is not led It is an egregious paralogism of them that argue against the translation of the Scriptures into vulgar languages that that is the way to increase errors and divisions among Christians For that multitude of errors which is among us is not the effect of too much knowledg but too little as Mens losing
which will one day be made good upon them and if they will not know what else they should yet let them know this that Because they are a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Of Sabbath Sanctification Serm. VI. Isaiah 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the LORD honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the LORD and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy Father for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it THese two verses contain a modell of Sabbath Sanctification The 13. v. contains the Duties enjoyned The 14. v. contains the priviledges annexed The Duties are set forth unto us 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively The Negatively Duties are express't 1. Generally and Comprehensively 2. More particularly and distinctly The Generall in these words If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day Wherein there are three things 1. The thing forbidden i. e. The doing of our pleasures on the Sabbath God never appointed a Sabbath for the satisfaction of corrupt nature 2. The manner of doing or forbearing it and that is by turning away our foot from the Sabbath The meaning of which phrase may be 1. Either a turning away of our mind and affections from each objects to which corrupt will do strongly incline us The Affections are the feet of our souls Secondly Or an awful fear of trespassing upon the Sabbath for the satisfying of our carnal desires As men that are afraid of trespassing upon some great mans free-hold withdraw their foot and turn another way c. The Sabbath is Gods Free-hold of which God saith as once to Moses put thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground When we are tempted to any thing unworthy of the Sabbath we should make a stop and turn away that we may not transgress 3. The third thing in the General is the reason why we should be so afraid of incroaching upon Sabbath-time implied in this clause upon my holy day Wherein are two considerations 1. It is holy time 2. It is Gods time To take holy time and bestow it upon our own lusts it is profaneness To take Gods time and bestow it upon the uses of the flesh it is sacriledge It is not fit to make sacred time to serve any but sacred uses This is the general inhibition Secondly The more particular and distinct inhibition followeth in the end of the verse Wherein Three things forbidden in the particular 1. We are forbidden the doing of our own ways It is an Hebraism as much as in our English going our own ways i. e. following our carnal and sinful courses pursuing our own corrupt and sensual inclination 2. We are forbidden the finding of our own pleasure which is the same forbidden in the General ut supra only with this difference that there as I conceive pleasure is taken more largely so whatsoever is pleasing to unregenerate nature and inclinations whether they be bodily labour or Carnal recreations profit or pleasures sports or the works of our Callings we must not find them that is we must be so far from making provision for the satisfying of the sensual Appetite that we must not so much as own them when we meet them we must not suffer our selves to be tempted or insnared by them we must be to them when we meet them as if we had neither eyes nor ears nor hands nor feet we must not desire them or have any thing to do with them 3. We are forbidden the speaking of our own words that is our own impertinent discourses worldly contrivances or in the Apostles language All filthiness Eph. 5.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and foolish talking and jesting or any thing that is not convenient Christians should not only consult what is lawful but what is decent and ornamental to the Sabbath None of these things must be so much as named on our days much less on Gods days Christians look to it you may profane the Sabbath by your Words as well as your Works and by vain words as well as by vile words But there is one thing further observable that is the note of appropriation viz. thine own thine own ways thine own pleasure thine own words thine own what is that Answ In opposition to Gods ways Gods pleasures Gods words thereby utterly excluding not only wicked ways and sinful pleasures and profane words whatsoever which are unlawful at all times but even all such ways pleasures words and thoughts also which are the words of the mind which relate to our own private concernments whether personal or domestical of a worldly and secular nature which though they may be lawful upon other days duly circumstantiated yet by no means to be allowed of on Gods day unless they fall under the general exception of Gods own indulgence namely Necessity and Charity of which I shall speak more largely hereafter In a word Nothing may be done or spoken but what is of a divine or Sabbath nature and tendency upon pain of forfeiting our part in the blessed priviledges following verse 14. and so much for the negative part of Sabbath Sanctification I come to the Affirmative And shalt call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord Honourable and shalt honour him In these words also there be four branches or duties 1. We must call the Sabbath a delight 2. We must call it holy or the holy of the Lord. 3. We must call it honourable or glorious 4. We must not only call it honourable but must actually and really honour It or Him by a suitable deportment 1. If we would sanctifie the Sabbath acceptably we must call the Sabbath a delight Call i. e. account it so calling it is an act of the judgment or appreciative faculty a Delight or as some render it thy delights we must reckon the Sabbath inter Delicias as is said of Jerusalem Lam. 1.7 she remembred all her pleasant things surely her Sabbaths were some of those pleasant things it is said Her enemies did mock at her Sabbaths I but she did mourn They were her delightful things whereupon her heart was And so they must be to us But we must also remember to take in with the Day all the Ordinances and religious services and Duties of the day They must not only be done spiritualy holily and Vniversally but they must be done with delight and complacency we must prefer them to our chiefest joy yea the very approach of the Sabbath should be our delight so have all the Saints and servants of God in all ages
striving could not be removed till it had stifled him Let Children learn hence to take heed of being ungrateful to their Patents for fear of the dreadful consequence thereof Thus we have seen three particulars of Childrens actiue obedience there is yet another which is more passive and that is 4. Submission or subjection to Parental discipline with all lowliness of mind (f) Phil. 2 3. acknowledging their coercive authority and therefore are Children oblig'd with patience to bear their Parents rebukes whether verbal or real considering in charity they design good The ignorance imperfection and corrupt inclinations of Children born in sin require Parents animadversion and the Childrens submission both to their Admonitions and Corrections 1. Their Admonitions when in their watchful inspection they give check unto exorbitant behaviour and lay restraints upon their Children who should indeed stand in great awe of those reproofs and threats which do arise from Parents displeasure When Jonadah's posterity were tempted to act in complaisance with others their Fathers forewarning kept them in awe that they did not violate his appointment (g) Jos 35.6 and so upon doing amiss an ingenuous Child will amend There should be shame upon a Father's frown and discountenance (h) Numb 12.14 yea though Parents should be out in the matter as well as manner and be too quick in their rebukes as it should seem Jacob was with Joseph for his dreams not considering what signal motion of God was in them yet the Children should bear it as Joseph did (i) Gen. 37.10 and as Jonathan did his Father's unkind exprobation (k) 1 Sam. 20.30 c. It is true Jesus took up his Mother in one instance but it was in his Heavenly Father's cause which he was concern'd in as God-man (l) Luke 2.49 Yet in other cases they should not only bear but amend upon admonition as Moses did upon his Father in law's dislike of that task he took upon himself alone (m) Exod. 18.13 17.24 whereas on the other hand Ely's Sons slighted their Father's reproof (n) 1 Sam. 2.25 and such others there are who scorn to be told of their faults (o) Prov. 13.1 though they loose God's favour by it and are accounted fools by him who is never out in his censure when the submiss are prudent going on in the way of life (p) 3.34 35. 15.5 3.23 Many Children are impatient of just restraints in their meats drinks apparel and recreations not considering the advantage of self-denyal and patience learn'd betimes when as others can say experimentally they had been undone if they had not been early curb'd Monica Austin's Mother ‖ Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 9. having in her minority been educated to temperance when growing up and getting from under that severer tuition by the insinuation of a jocund companion was drawn to drink her whole draughts till upon the upbraiding of her associate she reform'd her self and observ'd her former rules of temperance Reverend Mr. Greenham used to say Be most moderate in those things which thine appetite liketh best and check thy too much greediness of them And another said well †Citante Steph. Guazi de civili convers p. 376. maluisse se infirmum quam delicatum esse c. That he had rather be infirm than delicate sith weakness only can hurt the body alone but delicacies may at once corrupt both body and mind and more than that may also render any one unjust by reason they make him covetous to get that which may maintain them and also dull and regardless of the Word of God and the service of his friends and country I have in my own observation seen Children prove well who have submitted to the prudent restraints and admonitions of their watchful Parents and Guides as to these things and others ruin'd who when they have been told of their faults have swell'd and rag'd against those that have lov'd them best yea in a most unchristian manner So necessary it is to submit to Parents admonitions So also to 2. Their corrections or real chastisements whether by stripes or other punishments inflicted sith we should imagine Parents come to this sharp and unpleasant work out of a principle of love (q) Prov. 13.24 with an aim at their Childrens good (r) 22.15 and it is look'd upon in Scripture a Rul'd Case that reverence with submission is paid to the Parents of our flesh (s) Hebr. 12.9 when under their rod which we are to bear and upon the feeling of it to amend what is amiss as some kind of satisfaction (t) Prov. 29.17 whereas disdain and stubbornness spoils all and if it be persisted in may sometimes occasion Parents to call in the posse magistratus (u) Deut. 21.18 19 c. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Epistle to the Hebrews translated We gave them reverence doth import that we Children when faulty under our Fathers frowns and stripes turn'd our faces with shame and blushing at our unworthy acts not able to look them in the face as the Prodigal upon his return (w) Luke 15.21 with Tit. 2.8 which accords as some have noted ‖ Laws on Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Hebrew word which is in this case to submit with humility to them in this Relation Because though we cannot bear that others should beat and scourge us yet our Parents as having power upon a just cause to punish by vertue of their Superiority and our dependence upon them whose end is or should be their Childrens reformation and therefore is in mercy to prevent further sin and misery in complyance with God's command they correct their ofspring to save it from hell though many an inconsiderate Child may at present conceive the Father correcting to be a severe Judge when as to intended amendment he is indeed a loving Father So that though it seem to be jarring and harsh musick disagreeable to the faulty Patient yet it will sound sweeter to the judicious ear than the melody of a luscious and disorderly indulgence Ingenuous Children have acknowledg'd the benefit of Paternal correction especially after they have sought to God by Prayer that God would sanctifie the rod to their good That was a good practical answer of one of Zeno's Scholars Citante Steph. Gua2zi de civil Convers who to his Father asking what wisdom he had learned by being so long abroad said He was able to shew it at any time which he did to the purpose not long after when his Father chastising him with strokes he took it quietly and patiently shewing that he could sustain the displeasure of his Parent without any untoward reparties In short Children should in all these duties deport themselves with piety toward their Parents being in that relation they bear the image of God as Creator Upholder and Governour of the World So that resistance yea surly and rude replies are a
out and shook himself as at other times It seems to have been his manner when he went about any great work We should stir up our hearts and send up frequent Ejaculatory Prayers though we cannot engage in a solemn way of duty to God and much work is done that way Exod. 14.15 Moses sent up an Ejaculation upon a great exigent which reached Heaven yet there was not a word spoken by him yet saith God Wherefore cryest thou unto me We should often cast the eye of Faith up towards God Isa 45.22 as they looked up to the Brazen Serpent and were healed The people of God looked to the Temple when they could not come near to it and the Temple was a Type of Christ 1 Kings 8.29 30 35. Jonah 2.4 This which hath been laid down by way of Direction I would press by way of Exhortation in a word to have frequent recourse to the Lord Jesus Christ since he doth so frequently press us to this very thing the oftner we visit him the more enlarged we are in our desires towards him the more we receive from him and the better welcome we are to him and the Father for his sake He bids us open our mouths wide and he will fill them Psal 81.13 14 15 16. and takes it very ill at our hands when we are straitned in our hearts towards him We can't go to God as a Father in Christ in Christ's Name but we must needs speed Heb. 4. last verse and we can't speed but by him and upon his account for 1. We have admittance and access to the Father only by Christ Eph. 3.12 2. We have assistance only through him Joh. 15.5 Phil. 4.13 3. In regard of acceptance which is only in and through him Eph. 1.3 6. 4. In regard of recompence Rev. 22.12 Our reward is only by him Mat. 5.11 12. that is a great reward for Christ's sake eternal Life The greatest reward is by Christ Rom. 6.23 The Fourth thing propounded was some Uses that since we must do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ hence may be inferred First That all our Actions as they must be done in his strength and for his Glory 1 Cor. 10.31 So by his Authority and according to his Rule and Word It is not in our Power nor at our Liberty to Act as we please according to our own Fancy or for our own ends Rom. 14.7 8. none of us Liveth to himself as if he should say we are none of our own therefore Living and dying we are the Lords and so in neither at our own disposing He had spoken before of their eating or forbearing to eat how they ought to eat or not to eat according to the Will of God it must be to the Lord's Glory especially considering that he who requires we should do all in his strength and Name and for his Glory hath such a Title to us to lay Laws upon us as none else hath 1 Cor. 6.20 So that all our Actions must come under some Rules general if not particular 1. Of Piety to God 2. Of Charity to Men. 3. Of Sobriety to our selves And all this the Gospel teacheth us Tit. 2.11 12. The Grace of God which hath appeared to all Men teacheth us that denying all ungodliness c. we should Live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World There is the Rule of the New Creature Gal. 6.16 by which a Saint doth walk in his general and particular Calling in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 They are a proud Generation that say as they Psal 12.4 Our Tongues are our own who is Lord over us We will not be bounded by any Laws nor walk by any Rule nor be controlled by any whatever but we have not so learned Christ we have our bounds and limits set us not only in Sacred but civil things Therefore Bishop Davenant upon Col. 3.17 speaks fully to our purpose Fallitur vulgus cum judicat licere sibi uti victu vestitu sermone aut quaecunque adiaphora suo arbitrio nam haec omnia ad Regulam adhibenda sunt alioquin licet ipsa re nullum sit vitium erit tamen in utente The vulgar sort are much mistaken who judge it Lawful for them to use their Liberty wholly in Eating Drinking Cloathing Speaking or any other indifferent things according to their own wills and pleasure for all these things are to be brought under Rule otherwise what is lawful in it self may be unlawful to him that useth it 2. Inference That they are very bold and sawcy wretches who presume to entitle Christ to their impious and wicked courses In nomine Domini incipit omne malum How many do justifie themselves in their superstitious practices by the Word of God How many be like Satan who when he tempted Christ produced Scripture to enforce his temptations Mat. 4.2 3 4 c. So too many cite Scripture for their False Worships and for their False Doctrines and wicked Lives but Wisdom is justified of her Children Mat. 11.19 It was a profanation of God's Name when the Israelites proclaimed a Feast to the Lord which was to their Idols Exod. 32.5 We find the false Apostles pretend as much to the Name of Christ as the Apostle Paul did and to Preach in his Name though they Preached false Doctrine 2 Cor. 11.13 And Antichrist himself pretends to be like the Lamb when he speaks like a Dragon Rev. 13.11 3. Infer Hence we infer That we cannot expect God's Blessing upon any thing which is not done in the Name of Christ What we undertake and not in the fear of the dreadful Name of the Lord Jehovah not for his Honour and according to his Word we cannot expect his Blessing None can expect God's guidance assistance or success in that which cannot be warranted by the Word of Christ all Blessings being wholly and only in his Name Eph. 1.3 We have all things in Christ in a way of Blessing 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Whilst we are with him he will be with us 2 Chron. 15.2 While we are with him in a way of Duty he will be with us in a way of Blessing 4. Infer Hence it follows That it is not in the power of any Person by natural or acquired parts to do any thing according to the Rule of Christ or for his Glory which is not done in his strength and thâ—refore Paul who could do all things through Christ which strengthned him Phil. 4.13 could not so much as think a good thought without him 2 Cor. 3.5 And this our Lord Christ puts out of Question John 15.5 where he tells us Without me ye can do nothing It is not in the name of the most â—â—cellent parts or gifts or grace whatever that we can do any thing acceptable or well pleasing to God 5. Infer Whatever Excellency there is in any Action or worthy Atchievement so as to commend it to God it is from Christ through Faith in his
they shall be like the Angels not only vvithout Marriage but vvithout sin they shall be like to them in Holiness and in happiness and this vvill be their happiness to attain perfection in Holiness 5. In Heaven pardoned Persons shall attain a state of perfect happiness and Glory in Soul and Body their Souls shall be glorified and their Bodies glorified in Heaven 1. In Heaven the Souls of pardoned Persons shall be glorified a shining excellency and marvellous spiritual beauty shall be put upon them the Image of God vvill there be drawn to the life in them all the faculties of their Souls vvill there be elevated ennobled and beautified vvith vvonderful perfections and filled brim full vvith glory such as doth far exceed their present capacity they shall have the brightest beams of light in their minds the purest and sweetest flames of love in their hearts and that vvith such heart-ravishing joy as is to us unconceivable but to them vvill both be full and everlasting Psal 16.11 2. In Heaven the Bodies of pardoned Persons vvill be glorified their vile Bodies vvill be fashioned into the likeness of Christ's most beautiful and glorious Body Phil. 3.21 All the defects and deformities vvhich some of their Bodies have here vvill be removed and they shall shine like the new burnisht Heavens vvhat a rare mixture of colours vvhat an exact Symetry of parts their Bodies shall have vvhat lovely Proportion and feature in their Face vvhat sparkling motions in the eye vvhat graceful gestures in the vvhole Body there vvill be it is not for us to describe for the beauty of glorified Bodies vvill be beyond all descriptions And thus much concerning the future blessedness it self vvhich pardoned Persons shall have 3. The second thing is to prove that pardoned Persons shall assuredly attain this future blessedness This will appear by several Scriptures and several Arguments drawn from the Scriptures 1. The Scriptures which prove that pardoned Persons shall assuredly attain future blessedness are these Eph. 1. v. 7 and 11. compared v. 7. In whom we have redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his Grace v. 11. In whom also we obtained an Inheritance This Inheritance here spoken of can be no other than the Heavenly Inheritance and the Apostle plainly asserteth that such who had obtained the forgiveness of sin they had also obtained the Inheritance in whom we have obtained that is they shall as certainly obtain it as if they had it already in Possession A more full proof is in 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 This is that Golden chain so much spoken of by Divines the links of which are so fast joyned together that all the power of men or Devils can never be able to pluck them asunder As such whom God hath Predestinated before time shall certainly be called and justified in time so those who are called and justified and so pardoned in time shall certainly be glorified at the end of time and when time shall be no more And the third Scripture to prove this is Rom. 5.10 For if when we were sinners we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Pardoned persons are reconciled persons and if when they were sinners they were reconciled through Christ's death and satisfaction surely when reconciled taken into favour and become friends they shall be saved not with a temporal but with an eternal Salvation by Christ's life and intercession which hath sufficient efficacy and prevalency to effect this thing for them Here besides the Apostle's assertion he doth insinuate an Argument for the proof of it but I shall add some other Scripture-Arguments to prove that pardoned persons shall most assuredly attain future blessedness Arg. 1. The first Argument may be drawn from God's decree of predestination or election Whom God hath predestinated or elected to the blessedness of Heaven they shall most assuredly attain it But God hath predestinated or elected all pardoned persons to the blessedness of Heaven therefore they shall certainly attain it That all such whom God hath predestinated or elected unto the blessedness of Heaven shall certainly attain it is evident to any who impartially do read and weigh the Scriptures which clearly do reveal the eternity of God's decree of particular predestination or election Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World Ver. 5. Having predestinated us according to the good pleasure of his will God's decree of predestination or election which is to eternal happiness therefore called an ordination to eternal life Acts 13.48 an appointment and election to Salvation 1 Thes 5.9 2 Thes 2.13 being eternal is therefore unchangeable and therefore shall certainly be accomplished If any thing hinder the accomplishment of God's decree it must be either something within him or something vvithout him 1. Nothing vvithin him can hinder its accomplishment unless he should change his own mind and alter his decree and this vvould infer a changeableness in God vvhich is against both reason and Scripture and besides other imperfection it vvould infer an imperfection in God's knowledg and vvisdom that he did not foresee or consider those after-reasons vvhich should incline him unto a change from his first determination and this is inconsistent vvith his infinite fore-knowledg and eternal counsel of his vvisdom in his vvilling and decreeing this thing Men may change their purposes upon this account but God so infinitely vvise and sore-knowing cannot do it If he had fore-seen reason to have altered the thing he vvould never have decreed or determined it 2. Nothing vvithout God can hinder the accomplishment of his decree because of his infinite power to effect vvhat he hath designed and against infinite power no resistance can be made the Elect vvhich the Apostle Peter vvriteth unto 1 Pet. 1.2 As they are chosen to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them V. 4. So they are sure to be kept by the power of God to Salvation V. 5. And surely there can be no hindering of the Salvation and Blessedness of the Elect vvho are kept for it or unto it by the Almighty power of God And thus I think it is very clear that all vvhom God hath predestinated or elected to blessedness shall certainly attain it Hence are the vvords of the Apostle vvhich may put all out of doubt Ephes 1.11 In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will That all pardoned persons are predestinated or elected unto the blessedness of Heaven is also evident because pardon of sin is the effect of predestination Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath predestinated them he also called and justified Because
Priest Physitian Advocate and Saviour His satisfaction related to our forfeiture of all the good we had in promise and possession and his Intercession is with respect to our great distance and unworthiness His deep compassions suppose our Misery and his assistance and supplies imply our wants and disadvantages We are to be taught because we are ignorant and healed because we are sick and disciplin'd because so prone and subject to disorders and succoured and supported because we are tempted and when the heart is once resigned to Christ and God by him Christ looks upon himself as much concerned to perfect in and for us every thing that can concern us in life and death and after death Direct 2. Labour to understand your fears distinctly and know their reasons ends and measures We are buffetted in the dark while we are ignorant of and so mistake the reasons of our fears and know them not in their original and end The Devil loves and labours to disturb us by such boisterous storms and winds as none shall know either whence they come or whither they go he loves to walk and speak and act in the Clouds to our astonishment and confusion that we may be disturbed even when he knows we cannot be destroyed because he sees our hearts are gone for God 'T is here as in Polemical Divinity a Case when it is clearly stated and discovered is half answered by the stating of it for then our Arguments are driven and directed to a point but when words and things are ambiguously used and rendred there will be great contention and but little satisfaction We are too often frighted with clouds and shadows at a distance but when by near approaches and clear inspection we understand the matter our fears become our shame and therefore to come nearer to the Case and our own Consciences what makes us thus reluctant and afraid to die 1. Is it the loss of what you must be divorced from by death If so then think a little on what you are like to lose What is this state which you must leave that it hath stoln your hearts away What is the Wise man's Motto on it but vexatious Vanity Eccles 1.14 Is it not a state of blindness enmity and active wickedness a state of distance and distractions Is it not a state wherein nothing is more sure and frequent than sin sorrows The mind and heart of man are sooner stupified and corrupted than comfortably exercised and satisfied The pleasures and delights of this distracted transient state are most near of kin unto the sluggish drossie part of man his Senses and his Fancy and when the impetuous cravings of Sense and Fancy have got their gluts and surfets the Soul that nobler and more capacious part is furiously invaded sadly imposed on and prevented and obstructed in its sublimer exercises and enjoyments it is degraded by a base captivity stript of its choicest Ornaments and Enrichments and made to slight and quit its best concernments that so the brutish part of man may rule and ruine all The excellency of all things here lies in their ordinate usefulness and subserviency to better things from which when you abstract them you have no right propriety nor proportion in them for you but by your own aversness to be gone from them you shew your little or no love to God 2. Is it your startling apprehension of what you must encounter and sustain in death that makes you fear to die It is true the terrors jealousies and pains that commonly do attend a dying hour together with that dissolution to which our Natures are averse make Death appear an Enemy in the way ready to meet us like Balaam's Angel with an amazing Sword and therefore formidable But yet the serious painful and resolved Christian hath many things wherewith to scatter or correct the evil influences of all discouraging apprehensions of this amazing exercise and change For 1. Those sins that have truly and regularly lost their Throne and Interest in the heart shall never be the ruin of the man through Christ the domineering and damning power of sin are left together He that hath subjugated and mortified his vile Affections Interests and Corruptions and hath broken off his sins by righteousness and hath changed his Principles end and actions hath that immortal seed of life and peace and joy which will assuredly ripen into his everlasting life security and triumphs 1 Cor. 15.56 58. Your former provocations lose their damning strength when you have deserted them by penitent conversion Acts 3.19 And when he that hath the Keys of Death and Hell hath told you this as he hath Luke 24.47 what have you then to exercise your jealousies and sad suspitions but sinful and groundless infidelity which gives the lie to all those testimonies and assurances of the ability and fidelity of God and Christ who have engaged themselves by promise to save you from those dangers which you fear and of whose gracious Nature the Gospel and all those wondrous mercies that attend it have informed you 2. This being granted what then hath the Devil to shake your confidences with but lies and falshood 'T is your own fault to credit Satan when he invalidates the truth of God and would weaken and enervate all the assurances which God hath given you of his resolved design to save you If he can prove that sin may be repented of and yet unpardoned that sin may be pardoned yet the Soul undone that God and Christ are either forgetful impotent or false then be dejected but 't is your comfort that he hath no other Arguments but what are bottomed on these great Absurdities And 3. As to the Terrors of that hour vvhich may arise from Satans furious onsets and assaults God will not let you walk alone he hath his Rod and Staff in readiness for your assistance and support Christ our compassionate High Priest knows what it is to die he knows the subtilty and fury of the Tempter by smart experience and his sympathy hath taught him pity and our compassionate Head will not forget his exercised Members under their pains and terrors and great temptations at that hour Christ is not exalted above the exercise of pity but went to heaven for the reception and possession of that capacity throne and dignity at God's right hand which he is resolved to improve for our security and relief when we are most afflicted and in danger And 4. As to the pains and stroke of Death they are but short and sudden and made our necessary passage to everlasting Glory And may not much be born when all shall be secured What are the struglings gasps and stretches of departing Saints unto those gripes of Conscience and fears of vengeance which are the inward frequent exercises of Sinners when they live and when they die too Nay it is a great allay unto the bitterness and fears of Death that God hath such rich and mighty cordials and