destitute of every thing which might commend us to God but there is a fulness in Christ to be communicated to all who sensible of their own emptiness do seriously apply themselves to him a perfect Wisdom a perfect Righteousness perfect Sanctification and supplies for ouâ— perfect Glory and Blessedness He beginneth by his Spirit to renew our Natures and this Grace is still of the growing Hand till all be crowned in Glory there is a compleat Fulness in our Mediator 4. There is a perfect Reward or a perfect state of Glory in which there is nothing wanting either to Holiness or Happiness The Scripture describeth it by our growing up into a perfect Man in Christ Jesus Ephes. 4. 13. We have our Infancy at our first Conversion when liable to childish Ignorance and many Infirmities we have our youth and growing Age when making Progress in the way of Grace towards Perfection And lastly We have our perfect manly Age when we are come to our full pitch when Grace is fully perfected in Glory In Scripture there is nothing said of the fading and declining time of old Age. Oh! blessed will that time be when we shall be holy and undefiled above the reach of Temptations when Believers receive all immediatly from the Fountain of Holiness and are filled with the fulness of all Perfections And shall we that have such Hopes be lazy and negligent No we must press towards the Mark if we expect it as our Felicity we must prize it and seek after it and get more of it every day Vse 1. Is to press and exhort you to labour after Christian Perfection 1. Motives What you lost in Adam must be recovered in Christ or else you dishonour your Redeemer Now we lost in Adam Innocency and perfect Holiness therefore you must seek to recover it by Christ for certainly Christ is more able to save than Adam to destroy Rom. 5. 17. The abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righteousness came by Jesus Christ. 'T is true Christ doth his Work by Degrees but if we mind it not and lazily expect that he should make us perfect how will it ever be for God will not save us without us and as far as we hope for any thing we must endeavour after it for Christian Hope is not a devout Sloth but an incouragement to Diligence 2. We pray for Perfection and therefore we must endeavour after it otherwise our Prayers are a Mockery We pray Mat. 6. 8. and 1 Thess. 5. 23. The God of Peace sanctify you throughout even your whole Body Soul and Spirit We pray for compleat Sanctification in hope to obtain it Prayer is not for God's sake but ours a solemn binding our selves to use the means that we may obtain the Blessings that we ask 3. In our making Covenant we purpose to do the whole Will of God now where there is a Purpose there must be an Endeavour and a Progress for otherwise 't is not made with a true heart Heb. 10. 22. A Man may purpose Duty in a Pang which afterward he retracts in his Conversation and Practice he may wish for Perfection like it in the general not considering it as exclusive of his beloved Lusts but there he will be excused Yea he may sincerely purpose it yet be faint and slack in his Endeavours Therefore we need to be exhorted continually to be more earnest and diligent in Holiness to avoid all appearance of Evil 1 Thess. 5. 22. Not to allow our selves in the omission of any known Duty Iames 4. 13. or the commission of any known Sin though never so near and dear to us Psal. 18. 23. I was upright before thee and kept my self from mine Iniquity Therefore unless we comply with these Exhortations and set our selves sincerely to do the whole Will of God the Challenge will be brought against us which was brought against the Church of Sardis I have not found thy Works perfect before God Rev. 3. 2. Your Vows were good but your Practice is not answerable 4. Consider the Comfort and Peace of that Man who doth more and more press towards Perfection Psalm 37. 37. Mark the perfect Man behold the Vpright for the End of that Man is Peace They have a sweet Life and an happy Close a tolerable passage through the World and a comfortable passage out of the World For Means 1. See that the Work be begun for there must be converting Grace before there can be confirming Grace Life before there be Strength and Growth as there must be Fire before it can be blown up for what good will it do to blow a dead Coal to seek Strength before we have Life 't is as if we should give Food or Physick to a dead Man The Secure and Impenitent are not to be confirmed and strengthned but humbled and changed We must first chuse God for our Portion before we can be exhorted to cleave to God Acts 11. 23. First the Perfection of Sincerity before the Perfection of Growth and Progress the Measures and Degrees following the real being of Grace in the Soul 2. If you would be perfect the radical Graces must be strengthned which are Faith Hope and Love strong Faith fervent Love lively Hope Such a Faith as realizeth the unseen Glory and giveth such a deep sense of the World to come as that you are willing to venture all upon the Hopes of it such an Hope as sets the Heart upon Glory to come as present things do not greatly move us such a Love as levelleth all our Actions to God's Glory and our eternal enjoyment of him Iude 20 21. 3. Use the Means with all Seriousness and good Conscience these conduce to perfect what is lacking to your Faith to root you ground you in Love confirm you in Hope that the Thoughts of Heaven may be more affecting and engaging Now the principal Means are the Word and Sacraments and Prayer 1. In the Word you have Principles of Faith Obligations to Love and Arguments of Hope therefore 't is said God buildeth us up by the Word of his Grace Acts 20. 32. 2. The Sacraments strengthen Faith Hope and Love as Signs and Seals of the Love of God through Jesus Christ in the new Covenant that so our Consolation may be more strong they strengthen our Faith and Hope as a Bond or a Vow So they excite and engage our Love and Obedience we bind our selves to God anew to pursue our everlasting Hopes whatever they cost us Our great Diseases are proneness to Evil and backwardness to Good we check the one and cherish the other 3. Prayer for 't is God that perfects us 2 Pet. 5. 10. he must be sought to his Blessing maketh the means effectual 4. Think much and often of your perfect Blessedness which you expect according to promise which will quicken and excite you to more diligence There is a time coming when the Mind shall be filled with as much Light and the Heart with as much Love
partly that we may not rest in them as the better part of our Duty If Men submit never so much to external Institutions about Religion and Worship and think to satisfy their Consciences therewith yet they will not at all be accepted and approved of God No he looketh more to moral Obedience than positive Commands concerning the Externals of Religion And therefore you have Morals of the First-Table or the Second often compared with and preferr'd above the Externals of Religion as 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord any delight in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices To obey is better than Sacrifices and to hearken than the Fat of Rams Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornness as Idolatry 'T was spoken upon the occasion of Saul's sparing Agag and the Fat of the Cattel for Sacrifice when he was to destroy Man and Beast At other times 't is compared with Duties of the Second-Table The Moral Duties of the Second-Table are better than the Ceremonial Duties of the first If we be scanty in the one and abound in the other 't is a Note of an Hypocrite Rom. 14. 17 18. The Kingdom of God standeth not in Meats and Drinks but in Righteousness Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost If a Man do these things he shall be accepted of the Lord and approved of Men. There are two Expositions of that place both equally probable the one more general That Righteousness is taken for all new Obedience and Peace for Peace of Conscience resulting from the Rectitude of our Actions and Joy in the Holy Ghost for supernatural Comfort which the Holy Ghost puts into our Hearts by reflecting on our Priviledges by Christ and the Hopes of the World to come Now Christianity lieth not in outward Observances but in solid Godliness The other Exposition is in a more limited sense That by Righteousness is meant just dealing by Peace a peaceable harmless inoffensive sort of living by Joy in the Holy Ghost a delight to do good to one another not dividing from or hating censuring excommunicating one another for meer Rituals but pleasing one another to Edification These Morals are more acceptable to God and approved of Men than a furious Zeal for lesser things which belong to the ritual Part or external Order of Religion It 's an Argument of a better Spirit to be more zealous for Morals and Substantials than Rituals certainly without them we shall be of no account with God And partly to that when Moral Duties come in competition with Ceremonial the Moral Duties at that time must take place of the other and all positive Commands concerning the Externals of Religion give way to them The Lord never appointed the Ceremonies of the First-Table to hinder Works of Mercy prescribed in the Second therefore the Mercy must be done and the Sacrifice left undone as the Sabbath is both broken and kept when there is an evident necessity of preserving the Creature When David fainted 't was a Moral Duty to relieve him though there were no Bread at Hand but the Shew-bread 1 Sam. 21. 4. There is no common Bread under my Hands And Christ urgeth that Mat. 12. 3 4. Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungred how he entred into the House of God and did eat the Shew-bread which was not lawful for him to eat nor for them which were with him but only for the Priests In an extraordinary case of Necessity the Shew-bread is as common Bread Now the Reason is plain because Positives bind only in certain Cases but we are everlastingly obliged to things Moral Therefore Externals must give way both to Obedience and Mercy Internal Acts of Worship are never dispensed with 5. Sacrifices come under a double Consideration as they relate to Christ the substance of them all or as External Performances rested in by that People 1. In the first Consideration their Gospel lay much in Sacrifices and the main Duties of Godliness were exercised about them as brokenness of Heart Psal. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise And Faith in Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Vnclean sanctifyeth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God And Covenanting with God Psalm 50. 5. Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice And Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service In the second Consideration The outward bare Offering considered in it self without Faith and Repentance so God disclaimeth it Isa. 1. 11. Bring no more vain Oblations And Isa. 66. 2 3. He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a Man He that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dog's Neck He that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines Blood He that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol Their great Confidence was in their Sacrifices God therefore sheweth how loathsome these things were to him without that disposition of Soul which should accompany them being such Persons as those were he would take no Offering at their hands The Lord in all Ages is Uniform and like himself in approving and injoining Duty and in disliking Sin Morals are always prized by him before Externals and an impartial respect to necessary Duties was more to him than the greatest pomp of outward Worship 'T was so then and 't is so now Pride and Malice and Envy are greater Evils than Ceremonial Uncleanness and to fear God and work Righteousness a greater Duty than the best Sacrifices The performance of External Duties is not and never was a sufficient Testimony of true Piety nay without the Love of God and Men and an uniform Obedience to his Holy Will is meer Hyprocrisy 6. When the breach of a Ceremonial Precept bringeth with it the Transgression of a Moral Precept and is without any absolute necessity imposed in negâ—lect and contempt of the Law of God then we are to run all Hazards rather than to transgress in the smallest Externals because tho the Matter enjoined be but small yet the Contempt of God is a great Sin and our Sincerity and Obedience to God is a great Matter As for Instance When Antiochus pressed the Jews to eat Swines-Flesh which in case of great Extremity no question they might do yet when he pressed them out of Contempt of the Law they chose rather to be tortured to Death than to yield to it And for this they are registred Martyrs Heb. 11. 35. They were tortured not accepting Deliverance that they might receive a better Resurrection There is a plain Allusion to the Story
and will you not rejoice that God hath found a Ransom and provided an Intercessor for you Surely it cannot be imagined that you are sensible of your case if you be not thankful for your Remedy 2. You are not affected with the great Love which Christ hath shewed in your Deliverance nor the Felicity accruing to you thereby 'T is said Ephes. 3. 19. That you may know the Love of God which passeth knowledg Before he had pressed them to make it their study to comprehend the heighth length and breadth and when they have all done the Love of Christ passeth Knowledg Christ would pose Men and Angels with an heap of Wonders in delivering us from Misery and Sin Now should not we rejoice and make our boast of this Surely we vilify and bring down the price of these Wonders of Love if we entertain them with cold Thoughts and without some considerable Acts of Joy and Thankfulness Shall Angels wonder and we the Parties interessed not rejoice Certainly we are not affected with the great Felicity accruing to us Felicity cannot be sought after without the highest Affections and Endeavours Now if we can rejoice in Trifles and not rejoice in the Love of God How can we be said to mind these things 2. A Man's Joy distinguisheth him There is a seeking Joy and a complacential Joy Psal. 119. 14. I have rejoiced in the Way of thy Testimonies as much as in all Riches 'T is good to observe what it is that putteth Gladness into our Hearts The Love of God and his Goodness in Christ. Every Man is discovered by his complacency or displiciency Psalm 4. 7. Thou hast put Gladness into my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit To rejoice in the Creatures as accommodating or pleasing the Flesh is the Joy of the Carnal To rejoice in outward Ordinances and Privileges without other things is the Joy of the Hypocrite and common Professors Let us carry it a little farther The Devils and Damned are out of all hope and possibility of Joy The Angels and glorified Saints rejoice in the full fruition of God There is Gaudium Viae and Gaudium Patriae there is the Joy of the Way and the Joy of our Home at our Journey 's End The latter is set forth Psal. 16. 11. In thy presence is fulness of Ioy at thy right Hand are Pleasures for evermore The other is in Christ and the use of his healing and recovering Methods and the desires and hopes of the Glory to come This is the Joy or well-pleasedness of mind which is proper to us in our Journey 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory The Comfort of Travellers differeth from that which a Man hath in Heaven 'T is a Joy that he hath as he is going Home and therefore how should the serious Christian be described but by his rejoicing in Christ Jesus Vse 1. To reprove those that cannot keep up their Rejoycing in Christ Jesus as soon as they are mated with any Calamity or Affliction in the World Is not Grace better than any natural Comfort taken from us Heb. 12. 11. No chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous Nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Surely when we have such cause of rejoycing in Christ to be dejected with every little Adversity sheweth weak Faith Have you Peace with God and Communion with him at every turn and shall a blasting of the Creature destroy all your Comfort Have you hope of Glory and cannot you bear a Disappointment in the World Are you assured of the Care of your Heavenly Father and his particular Providence over you and yet so full of grudging and repining Thoughts when he retrencheth you a little and blasteth your worldly Probabilities Surely it argueth too much addictedness to present Comforts and love of the ease of the Flesh Have you a due sense of the World to come and that better and enduring Substance and yet complain so bitterly of Worldly Losses Have you a God in Covenant with you who hath engaged all his Love Wisdom and Power to help you and to turn all things to your Good Rom. 8. 28. What though the tryal of your Faith and Patience be very sore Did you capitulate with God and bargain with him how much you would suffer the Flesh to be crosâ—ed and that in such sharp Afflictions you would be excused that your Gourd should not be altogether smitten and dried up You can bear any other Cross but this but was this excepted out of your Resignation 2. It reproveth those that cherish a carnal Rejoicing A Believer should rejoice in Christ Jesus Luke 10. 19 20. Behold I give unto you Power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the Power of the Enemy c. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the Spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoice because your Names are written in Heaven Rejoice not in this that you are in Dignity and Honour This is not your Felicity nor the direct way to your Felicity the higher you climb your Station is the more dangerous They are safer that stand on the Ground than those that are on a Pinacle Rejoice not in that you have abundance of earthly Riches but that you have a taste of higher and better things Be not affected so deeply with lower Mercies as to overlook the special Mercies that accompany Salvation Rejoice not in this that you have convenient Habitations in this World but in that you have a Building of God an House not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens In that you have comely Bodies but that you have hopes of a better Resurrection when this mortal shall put on Immortality Not in the Nobility of your Birth but that you are born of the Spirit John 1. 12 13. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God Rejoice not in that you have great Friends to stand by you but that in the New Covenant you are made a Friend of God as Abraham was Not in that you have costly Accommodations to please the Flesh No this may be the bane of your Souls Rom. 8. 13. They that live after the Flesh shall die And Luke 16. 25. Son Remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things Dives fared deliciously every day and Lazarus was full of Sores and desirous to be fed with the Crumbs which fell from the Rich Man's Table Thou hast received thy good Things and Lazarus evil Things but now he is Comforted and thou art
be fed and increased in us as the Word Sacraments and Prayer The Word Psal. 119. 102. I have not departed from thy Iudgments for thou hast taught me Then Prayer suing out of our Right John 11. 24. Ask and ye shall receive that your Ioy may be full So for the Sacraments Baptism Acts 8. 39. When they were come up out of the Water the Spirit caught away Philip so that the Eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing The Lord's Supper it is our Spiritual Refection 4. Sincerity of Obedience 1 Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old Leaven neither with the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness but with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth Practical Delight is the chiefest above that of Contemplation a more intimate sense We come now to the last part of a Christian's Character And have no Confidence in the Flesh. To understand it consider there are two things called Flesh in Scripture 1. External Privileges belonging to the worldly Life such as Wealth Greatness and worldly Honour Now to glory in these is to glory in the Flesh and to trust in these is to trust in the Flesh which should be far from Christians Jer. 9. 23 24. Let not the wise Man glory in his Wisdom nor the mighty Man glory in his Might Let not the rich Man glory in his Riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth me that I am the Lord c. Where the Prophet laboureth to beat them off from their vain Confidences that they might not rely upon their Power Policy and Wealth but a saving Knowledg of and Interest in God whose Goodness and Faithfulness could only secure them against all Evils and procure them all manner of Blessings 2. The outward Duties and Performances of Religion especially the Ceremonies of Moses Those consisting in External Observances are called Flesh And to have confidence in the Flesh is to place our Confidence in External Privileges and Duties For the Apostle explaineth himself Vers. 4. Though I might also have Confidence in the Flesh if any other Man thinketh he may have confidence in the Flesh I more He was not any whit inferior to any of the Judaizing Brethren in outward Privileges and Duties yea had greater cause of glorying in the Flesh than any of the Pretenders among them And then instances in his Jewish Privileges Circumcision his Family his Sect a Pharisee his Partial Obedience or External Righteousness as to the Law blameless To rest on these things then for our Acceptance with God is to have Confidence in the Flesh. And elsewhere he saith Gal. 3. 3. Having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the Flesh. When they reverted to the Ceremonies of the Law This is called Flesh because they consist in outward things Corrupt Nature is pleased with such things and doth plead and stand for them Doct. That a good Christian doth not place his Hope and Confidence of acceptance with God in External Privileges and Performances In the first Character a Christian is described by his Worship in the second by his Joy in the third by his Confidence In handling this Point I shall shew you 1 st What are these Externals which are apt to tempt Men to a vain Confidence 2 dly That naturally Men are for a meer external way of serving God and place their whole Confidence therein 3 dly Why a good Christian should have no Confidence in this External Conformity to God's Law 1 st What are these Externals in Religion which are apt to tempt Men to a vain Confidence They may be referred to two heads They are either commanded by God or invented by Man God 's Externals or Man's Externals 1. God's Externals Such as he hath instituted and appointed either in the Law of Moses or in the Law of Christ. In the Law of Moses such as Circumcision with all the appendant Rites these are called Heb. 9. 10. Carnal Ordinances imposed on them till the time of Reformation These were to be observed while the Institution of them was in force and stood unrepealed which was done at the coming of Christ Iohn 4. 23 24. The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth These made great trouble in the Infancy of the Church for the Jews and Judaizing Christians were loth to depart from the Rituals under which they were bred and brought up Though Christ fully evidenced his Commission from Heaven to repeal those Laws and his Apostles strongly pleaded the Ancient Prophecies which foretold it But these are no more of concernment to us except to direct us how to behave our selves in like cases 2. There are Externals in the Law of Christ such as the Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper Hearing of the Word External Prayer and the like Now the Rule is that they must be used but the outward Act not rested in as a sufficient ground of our Acceptance with God used they must be in Faith and Obedience because God hath justified them under great Penalties As Circumcision while the Command was in force Gen. 17. 14. The Man-child whose Flesh is not circumcised shall be cut off from his People He hath broken my Covenant So Baptism Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Not want but neglect or contempt Therefore all these Duties must be used as Means of Salvation and as Expressions of the inward Truth of our Faith in God and Obedience to him we must not cast off Ordinances but yet they must not be rested in as sufficient Grounds of our Acceptance with God While Circumcision was in force they relied on it as it distinguished them from other Nations as the genuine Seed of Abraham and so reckoned to be within the Covenant But the Servants of God did always disprove this vain Confidence Rom. 2. 28 29. He is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God They rejoiced in a shadow when they wanted the thing signified if there were no mortification of Sin or putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. But not only the Apostle but the Prophet long before disproveth their vain Confidence Jer. 9. 25 26. Behold the days come when I will punish them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Edom with the Children of Ammon and Moab are uncircumcised in Flesh and all the House of Israel is uncircumcised in Heart God would proceed against wicked Persons and People circumcised as well as uncircumcised
and tho if I be left to my choice I should chuse that course of life in which there are least Temptations yet when God by the posture of our temporal Interests or the course of our Education or the nature of my Employment and usefulness hath determined me to a life more incident to a throng of Temptations I may the better venture upon them and must not leave my Service for supposed Snares Affectation of privacy may be a slothful retreat from publick Business and 't is more glorious to beat an Enemy than to fly from him and Grace is seen in overcoming rather than in shunning Difficulties Well then learn from the whole That true Mortification consists in a change of the frame of Heart in a resolution against the baits of sense rather than removing our presence from them in being not of the World tho we are in the World not in casting away our injoyments but in an equal mind in all Conditions Iames 1. 9 10. That to be poor in Abundance humble in high Places temperate and godly in the freest course of life is to imitate the life of Christ. That then we are properly mortified when our esteem value and affection is mortified That Grace sheweth it self more in choice than in necessity In an abstinence from the delights of the Flesh when we have them rather than when we want them that we may follow our business and yet be godly that the overcharging of the Heart is the great Evil that we should beware of that we may use Company but not to partake of their Sins yea to make them better and to purify them by our example I now proceed to the last Clause But Wisdom is justified of her Children We have observed 1. The different form and course of life wherein Iohn and Jesus appeared 2. Their Censures of both 3. The receiving of the Gospel by the Unprejudiced In this last observe 1. The exceptive Particle But tho undeserved Censures are cast upon the Ways of God yet at length there is a Wisdom found in them Ignorant Men mistake them carnal Men slight them the Prophane snuff at them few or none entertain them with that respect they ought to do yet this Wisdom will not want Advocates 2. The thing spoken of Wisdom By Wisdom is meant the Doctrine of the Gospel called elsewhere the Counsel of God as appeareth by the parallel place Luke 7. 29 30. And all the People that heard him justified God being baptized with the Baptism of John But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves The Gospel method of Salvation is there called the Counsel of God because 't is the Counsel he giveth Men for their good as here Wisdom because 't is the result of God's eternal Wisdom and Decrees And elsewhere the Doctrine of Christ crucified is called the Wisdom of God And again 1 Cor. 2. 7. The Wisdom of God in a Mystery 3. What is said of it or how it is used 't is justified Justification is a Râ—lative word as 't is opposed to Crimination so to justify is the work of an Advocate as to Condemnation so 't is the work of a Judg. The Children of Wisdom discharge both parts chiefly the first they bear witness to â—heir Faith or the Doctrine of God concerning Salvation by Christ by their Profession and godly Life and ready Obedience and exalt it so much as others decry it and every way manifest they hold it for good and right only this pleading is real not by Word but Deed Sapientia non quaerit vocis testimonium sed operam saith Hierom. Divine Wisdom is justified more by Works than by a verbal Plea Wisdom's Children hear her Instructions follow her Directions and Institutes and with diligence observe the way of Salvation prescribed by God tho others slight it and so justify it against the Exceptions and Reproaches of the carnal World 4. Of whom Of her Children The Children of Wisdom are the Professors of it those who are begotten by God by the Word of Truth Iames 1. 18. and are willing to attain the end by the ways and means wherein God affordeth it These are Wisdom's Children begotten bred up and instructed by her 't is an Hebraism as Children of Corah Children of Light Children of this World and the like the Professors and Followers of the Gospel The Point that I shall insist on is this That the Wisdom of God leading Men to Salvation in the ways and means pointed out in the Gospel is and should be justified of all the sincere Professors of it In managing this Point I shall shew you First What is the Wisdom of God in the way of Salvation prescribed by the Gospel Secondly That this Wisdom is despised slighted and contradicted by the carnal World and why Thirdly How and why it must be justified by the sincere Professors of the Gospel First What is the Wisdom of God in the way of Salvation prescribed by the Gospel The sum of the Gospel is this That all thâ—se who by true Repentance and Faith do forsake the Flesh the World and the Devil and give up themselves to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit as their Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier shall find God as a Father taking them for his reconciled Children and for Christ's sake pardoning their Sins and by his Spirit giving them his Grace and if they persevere in this course will finally glorify them and bestow upon them everlasting Happiness but will condemn the Unbelievers Impenitent and Ungodly to everlasting punishment That this is the sum of the Gospel appeareth by Mark 16. 15 16. Go preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Where you have all the Christian Religion laid before you in one short view and prospect It concerneth either the End or the Means 1. The End The Apostle telleth you That God hath brought Life and Immortality to light in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. or clearly discovered an Happiness and a misery in the World to come 2. The Means He hath pointed out a sure way for obtaining the one and avoiding the other As to the Means Christian Religion is considerable either as to the entrance or the progress of it Our Lord telleth us Mat. 7. 14. Streight is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life He speaketh of a Gate and a Way The Gate noteth the Entrance the Way the Progress therein In other Scriptures we read of making Covenant with God and keeping Covenant with God The Covenant must not only be made but kept So again we read of Dedication and Use of devotedness to God and faithfulness to him of our Purpose and Progress Choice and Course all which expressions tend to the same effect 1. As to the way of entring into Covenant with God there is required 1. True Repentance and Faith Repentance towards God and Faith in
have a passionate love for the Pleasures and Honours thereof because the generality of the World are of that mind they brand it with the imputation of foolish singularity And the Carnal Politicians because it was never yet so well with the World but some things which God requireth are discountenanced they tax it of disobedience and they counted Paul as a mover of Sedition Acts 25. 5. And because the Operations of Grace are above the Line of Nature others tax it of Fanaticism and Enthusiasm Atheists who are all for demonstrations of sense sight and present things because Christianity mainly inviteth to things Spiritual and Heavenly and to live upon the hopes of an unseen World that is yet to come they judg it to be a foppery or meer imposture or needless superstition Though both the Hopes and Precepts of Religion carry a marvellous complyance with right-reason yet none of these things move them Lastly There are others that malign oppose and oppugn Holiness There is an everlasting enmity between the two Seeds as between the Wolf and the Lamb the Raven and the Dove the World will love its own and hate those that go a contrary course Iohn 15. 19. And as he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Gal. 4. 29. and so it will be to the end of the World When the Powers of the World give any rest yet the carnal Seed will be mocking and scoffing and bringing God's holy Ways into contempt branding them with Censures and Calumnies The Reasons of this are partly because Men are drunk with the delusions of the Flesh and so cannot judg of Spiritual Things partly to excuse themselves Men will be quarreling at Religion when they have no mind to practise it and dispute away Duties when they are unwilling to perform them Partly they take occasion from the failings of God's People tho there is no reason why they should do so An Art should not be condemned for the workman's want of skill but they do so If Christians be serious to any degree of sadness then Religion is counted an uncomfortable thiâ—g it mopeth them If there be any differences among God's People because of their several degrees of light oh then there are so many Sects and Factions and Controversies about Religion they suspect all and are true to none If any creep into the Holy Profession and pallute it with their Scandals then all strictness in Religion is but a pretence and imposture If Men be strict and would avoid every ordinary failing incident to Mankind then they are more nice than wise and this is preciseness and indiscretion 'T were endless to rake in this Puddle and to reckon up all the Cavils and Exceptions which naughty Men commense against the Ways of God Thirdly How and Why it must be justified by the sincere Professors of the Gospel 1. How I answer three ways 1. It must be approved and received by themselves 'T is Wisdom's Children that can only justify Wisdom they that have entertained it felt the power and force of it in their own hearts yea their very receiving is a justifying they shew the clamourings of the World do not move them Therefore it must be approved by us before it can be recommended to others and approved not speculatively only but practically so as to resolve to follow after Salvation in this way Speculatively they may approve it that have but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 18 and 20 verses a form of Knowledg and dishonour it in their practices as vers 23 24. Men may justify Religion in word by a bare naked approbation and soundly vindicate it from the Cavils and Exceptions of Men. But godly Men have eyes to see the beauty and excellency of it and have sincerely accepted it Acts 2. 41. They received the Word gladly 'T is good news to a poor guilty Conscience to hear of a pardoning God and a merciful and faithful Redeemer the promise of eternal Life and a sure way had to come to it They are said to justify God that accepted his Counsel Luke 7. 29 30. The Hearts of God's Children are thorowly possessed with the reality excellency and blessedness of this Religion they know and believe the infinite consequence of these things Their Faith is a kind of justifying Iohn 3. 33. He that hath received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true 2. It must be professed and owned when it is vilified and in contempt and disgrace in the World We must stand to Christ and his ways tho we stand alone as Elijah 1 Kings 19. 10. and not be ashamed of Holiness notwithstanding trouble and contradiction Christ will be confessed before Men and will be ashamed before God and Angels of them who are ashamed of him in the World and refuse to own Him and his Ways and Truths only because they are despised and contradicted and discountenanced in the World Pleading for Religion is one of the professing Acts 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken We also believe and therefore speak As David when sore afflicted did confess and avow his confidence in God so we heartily believing and approving the Gospel must make a bold profession of it The Sacraments were ordained for this purpose for badges of Profession Baptism is a visible entring into Covenant with God Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Where not only Belief is required but open Profession Baptism is a Badg and a Bond a Badg to distinguish the worshippers of Christ from others and a Bond to bind us to open profession of the Name of Christ. The Lord's Supper it is a profession of Communion 1 Cor. 10. 16. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the communion of the Body of Christ and vers 18. Are not they which eat of the Sacrifices partakers of the Altar They that did any part of the Sacrifices did eat and drink with God at the Altar And ver 20 21. I would not that ye should have fellowship with Devils Ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's Table and the Table of Devils Professing communicating with Christ is not consistent with professing communicating with Devils So Prayer and Praise is a part of Confessing Rom. 10. 10. With the Heart Man beliveth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation The first is proved vers 11. For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed The second vers 13. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Calling upon the Name of the Lord in Prayer and Praise 'T is an open professing Act