So that they do not truly and savingly believe such things who are not seriously and constantly diligent in the spiritual life I cannot say that an assent separate from practice is no Faith but 't is no saving Faith 't is such a Faith as the Devils may have who know there is a God and a Christ and a World to come they believe it and fear it So may carnal men believe it so far as to stir up bondage and legal fears in their Hearts but while they improve it not and prepare not for their everlasting Estate their Faith is ineffectual to Salvation True Faith is tryed rather by Living than by Talking 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the truth is not in him There is a difference between an Untruth and a Lye now where the Actions do not correspond to the Profession that Profession is not only an Untruth but a Lye There is a denying in word as well as works Titus 1.16 Many Profess and believe as Christians but live as Atheists T is not notions but affections living rather than talking that will demonstrate true Faith Now the paucity of serious walkers sheweth the paucity of true Believers 2. In this Improvement there is an Appeal to Conscience for here is a question put to our own Hearts let Reason and Conscience speak After the serious consideration of the glory and terrour of Christs second coming what holiness and preparation is necessary on our part Surely the holiest upon Earth if they would put this question to their own hearts they would not be satisfied with that holiness which they had but would seek after more their desires would be strengthned their endeavours quickened their diligence doubled 'T is for want of self-communing that we are so dull and sluggish If men did oftner ask of themselves Reason would tell them that no slight thing will serve the turn But Truths are not improved First For want of a sound Belief Secondly For want of a serious Consideration Therefore in Scripture when any notable Truth is propounded and improved there are these Appeals to Conscience Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation and Rom. 8.31 What shall we say to these things 3. In this Appeal the qualification of our persons is first regarded and looked after For pray mark the question 't is not How holy ought our Conversations to be but What manner of persons The state of the person must be first regarded and then the course of our actions and conversations There are some persons at whose hands God will not accept a gift God had respect first to Abel and then to his Offering The state of the person is to be judged of according to the two great priviledges of Christianity Justification and Sanctification 1. That we be justified and reconciled to God through Christ that we daily renew friendship by the exercise of a godly sorrow for sin and a lively faith in Christ. 1 John 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God And 1 John 2.1 Little Children these things I write unto you that ye sin not And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Others are not accepted with God 2. That we be sanctified or renewed by the Spirit Tit. 3.5 and so fitted and framed by this general Holiness for the particular duties we are called to A Bowl must be made round before it can run round The Instrument must be framed and strung and put in tune before it can make any melody the Tree must first be made good before we can expect any good fruit from it Mat. 12.33 Actions are holy by their rule a person is holy by his principle Therefore till there be a principle of Grace wrought in our hearts we are not such manner of persons as God will accept Nor are we fitted to perform him any service or to meet him at his coming 4. When our Persons are in frame we must look to the course of our Actions or walking For the tree is known by its fruit and a man by the course of his actions We do but imagine we have holiness within unless we manifest it in our outward conversation and will strive to shew our selves mindful and respectful of Gods commands at every turn Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord not only undefiled in the rule but undefiled in the way A sincere constant uniform obedience to Gods Law or a careful endeavour to approve our selves to God in all our wayes is the mark of true blessedness A man is judged by the tenour of his life not by one action 5. This holiness must be in all the parts of our Conversation In all holy conversation In our outward carriage and secret practice common affairs and religious duties In the duties of Gods immediate Worship and the duties of Relations towards Superiors Inferiors and Equals 1 Pet. 1.5 in every creek and turning of our lives there is no part of a Christian conversation but should savour of Holiness and Godliness His common and civil actions in adversity prosperity at home and abroad So Tit. 2.12 13. The grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Soberly as to our selves Righteously as to our Neighbour Godly as to God To rest in a partial practice of holiness will not become the expectation of Christs coming who will examine us upon every point of duty 6. Godliness is added to Holiness to increase the sense and signification There is some formal difference between these two Holiness signifieth the purity of our actions and Godliness the respect they have to God that He be eyed and aimed at in all that we do That all things should be done in and to the Lord or for his glory This should be the supream end of all our wayes and actions If we consider Grace as it provideth for the rectitude of our actions positively it is called Holiness If relatively with respect to our dedication to God 't is called Godliness Well then we should be such manner of persons not only in all holy conversation but Godliness We should stir up our selves to do more for God in the World and love him and fear him and honour him in all that we do 7. In both we should endeavour the highest pitch that possibly we can attain unto For 't is in the Original all holy conversations and godlinesses which doth not only imply the extention as we render it in all holy conversation and godliness but the intention and degree as well as all the parts and points of Godliness Those that have made most progress in Godliness should still aspire after higher degrees the more will our comfort be now and the more our glory
Negligence in God's Service To undeceive you First Take these general Considerations 1. That Carnal Men are ill versed in the Art of excusing Evil when they have a right Principle to go upon and that which they think maketh for them usually maketh against them Solomon telleth us Prov. 26.9 That a Parable in a Fool 's Mouth is like a Thorn in the Hand of a Drunkard The Thorn was their Instrument of Sewing as the Needle with us Now a Drunkard woundeth and goreth himself because of his uneven Touch when his Spirits are disturbed with excess of Drink Do but observe how contrarily and perversely wicked Men will reason and what Inferences and Conclusions they will draw from those very Principles the Godly make a good use of As in 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die Now compare this with 1 Cor. 7.29 30. But this I say Brethren the Time is short it remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use the World as not abusing it For the Fashion of this World passeth away 2 Kings 6.33 And while he yet talked with them behold the Messenger came down unto him and he said Behold this Evil is of the Lord why should I wait for the Lord any longer Compare this with 1 Sam. 3.18 And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him and he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good So Haggai 1.2 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts The People say the Time is not come the Time that the Lord's House should be built Compare this Scripture with 2 Sam. 7.2 And the King said unto Nathan the Prophet See now I dwell in an House of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains When David dwelt in a stately House his Heart was set upon building an House for the Lord. So Rom. 2.4 Or despisest thou the Riches of his Goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance with Titus 2.11 12. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Jude 4. Vngodly Men turning the Grace of God into Lasciviousness 2. Sometimes Carnal Men pretend certain Causes and Excuses when their Conscience knoweth 't is otherwise and then the things alledged are not the real Opinions and inward Sentiments of their own Minds but something said or taken up to justifie their Sloath. 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolators nor Adulterers nor Esseminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind c. As Hopes of Impunity though they live a Godless and sinful Course of Life If they were serious Conscience would tell them Men may be deceived with these things but God cannot Ye may stifle Conscience for a while with these Allegations but it will speak and then these sorry Fig-leaves will not serve the turn to hide your Nakedness 3. Sometimes these Excuses are the Fruit of Blindness Sottishness Ignorance and Infatuation and the Sluggard hath an high Conceit of his own Allegations Prov. 26.16 The Sluggard is wiser in his own Conceit than seven Men that can render a Reason He thinketh others are mopish giddy and crack-brain'd People that make more ado with Religion than needeth are too nice and scrupulous take it to be good Prudence to keep out of harms way His very foolish Thoughts he thinketh are wise Reasons that Religion is a merry thing Prov. 15.19 The way of a sloathful Man is a Hedge of Thorns but the way of the righteous Man is made plain He imagineth Difficulties and intolerable Hardships in a course of Goodliness 'T is our Cowardise and Pusillanimous Ignorance maketh the Ways of God seem hard All things are comfortable plain and easie to the pure and upright Heart Thus he bloweth hot and cold speaketh contrary things according as he looketh upon them with a sleight or pusillanimous Heart 4. Excuses argue an ill Spirit and an unwilling Heart When they should do something for God there is something still in the way some Danger or some Difficulty which they are loath to encounter withal Prov. 26.13 The sloathful Man saith There is a Lyon in the way They are fruits of the Quarrel between Conviction and Corruption and are usually found in us when we first begin to understand the way of the Lord but are loath to come up to the Terms Certainly 't is better be doing than excusing Doing is safe but Excuses are but a Patch upon a sore Place If we have done a Fault 't is better confess and seek a Pardon than to excuse and extenuate 5. Consider the Invalidity of all things that are usually alledged by Sinners And to help you consider 1. Nothing can be pleaded as Reason which God's Word disproveth The Scriptures were purposely penned to refute the vain Sophisms that are in the Hearts of Men. Hâ—b 4.12 To divide between Soul and Spirit Joynts and Marrow and to discern the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart To discover the Affections of a sensual Heart how ever pailiated with the Pretences of a crafty Understanding to hide the Evil from themselves and others You must not lift up your private Conceits against the Wisdom of God 2. Nothing can be pleaded as Reason which your Consciences are not satisfied with as Reason That is the Reason there are so many Appeals to Conscience in Scripture Do not your Consciences tell you you ought to be better to mind God more That if these things be true 2 Pet. 3.11 That all these things shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 3. Nothing can be pleaded by way of Excuse which reflects upon God as if he had made an hard Law We are apt to plead so The way of the Lord is not equal The Woman thou gavest me she gave me and I did eat Will you excuse your Idleness and sin by the Severity of your Master and cast your Brat at his Doors 4. There can be no Excuse for a total Omission of necessary Duties In a partial Omission the Law it self alloweth a Dispensation as in case of Sickness we are taken off from some Work which God requireth at other times But some things are indispensibly required John 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Heb. 12.14 Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. Here is Necessitas precepti medii 5. You should harden your selves with no Excuse or Reason but what you dare plead when you stand before the Bar of Christ
peace with God but his going off from the world and must believe not only to the pardon of sins but also to Eternal life 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterwards believe on him to everlasting life There is the final and ultimate object of faith which must be first thought of for all things are influenced by the last end when we are invited to Christ we are invited by this motive That sinners shall not only be pardoned but glorified Therefore a true and well grounded hope of Eternal life is a more weighty point than we usually think of and a great part of Religion lyeth in drawing off the heart from things visible and temporal to those that are invisible and Eternal The great effects of faith which are love to God and victory over the world are more easily produced when faith hath the assistance of hope or this lively expectation of the world to come Therefore we must not only consider the death of Christ as it hath procured for us the pardon of sin or the promise of pardon But as he dyed for us that we might live for ever with him 1 Thes. 5.9 that so the soul may more directly and expresly be carried to God and Heaven 4. It informeth us That none can be saved without hope of salvation A Christian as soon as he is made a Christian hath not the good things promised by Christ but as soon as he is made a Christian he expecteth them As an heir is rich in hope though he hath little in possession Take any notion of applying grace as soon as we are justified we are made heirs according to the hope of Eternal life Tit. 3.7 as soon as we are converted and regenerated we are begotten to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 and as soon as we are united to Christ Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory And without hope how can a man act as a Christian since the whole business of the world is done by hope certainly the whole spiritual life is quickned by this grace Titus 2.12 13. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously godly in the present world looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And Phil. 3.20 21. for our conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body But then here ariseth a great doubt how far every man is bound to hope for salvation For those that have no assurance of their own sincerity and cannot unquestionably make out their propriety and interest how can they hope for salvation Answer To solve this doubt we must consider a little the several states of men as they stand concerned in everlasting life some have but a bare possibility others have a probability a third are gotten so far as a conditional certainty others have an actual certainty or firm perswasion of their own right and interest 1. To some the hope of Heaven is but a bare possibility as to the careless Christian who is yet intangled in his lusts but God continueth to them the offer of salvation by Christ they may be saved if they will accept this offer 't is brought home to their doors and left to their choice 'T is impossible indeed in the state in which they are but their hearts may be changed by the Lords grace Mark 10.27 With men 't is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible He can make the filthy heart to become clean and holy the sensual heart to become spiritual and heavenly There are many bars in the way but grace can break through and remove them This possibility checketh scruples and aggravateth their evil choice for they forsake their own mercies Jonah 2.8 by their vain course of life they deprive themselves of happiness which might be theirs 't is their own by offer for God did not exclude them but not their own by choice for they excluded themselves judge themselves unworthy of eternal life Acts 13.46 This possibility is an incouragement to use the means Acts 8.22 Pray if perhaps or if it be possible the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee 2. Others have a probability or a probable hope of Eternal life as when men begin to be serious or in some measure to mind the things of God but are conscious to some notorious defect in their duty or have not such a soundness of heart as may warrant their claim to everlasting blessedness as we read of almost Christians Acts 20.28 and not far from the kingdom of Heaven Mark 10.24 and such are all those which have only the grace of the second or third ground they receive the word with joy but know not what tryals may do they have good sentiments of Religion but they are much choaked and obstructed by voluptuous living or the cares of the world Luke 8.14 yea some such thing may befall weak believers They dare not quit their hopes of Heaven for all the world but cannot actually lay claim to it and say 't is theirs Now probabilities must incourage us till we get a greater certainty for we must not despise the day of small things and 't is better to be a seeker than a wanderer 3. A conditional certainty which is more than possible or probable That is when we adhere to Gods covenant and set our selves in good earnest to perform the conditions required in the promises of the Gospel expecting this way the blessings offered as for instance the hope is described by Paul Acts 24.15 16. And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust and herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men there is such a dependance upon the promise as breedeth an hope and this hope puts upon strict and exact walking such a conditional certainty is described in Rom. 2.7 Who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour immortality and eternal life I am sure to find salvation and Eternal life if I self-denyingly and patiently continue this way and by the grace of God I am resolved so to continue Now there is much of hope in this partly because this is the hope which is the immediate effect of regeneration The hope that is the fruit of experience and belongeth to the seasoned and tryed Christian who hath approved himself hearsay is another thing Rom. 5.4 and partly because this suiteth with Gods covenant or the conditional offer of Eternal life according to the terms of the Gospel where the
bringeth forth sin Jam. 1.15 It hath produced its consummate act and discovered its self to the full 3. It bendeth and inclineth the heart to the thing loved Amor meus est pondus meum 〈◊〉 feror quocunque feror 'T is the vigorous bent of the Soul and it so bendeth and inclineth the Soul to the thing loved that it is fastened to it and cannot easily be separated from it We are brought under the power of what we love as the Apostle speaketh of the Creatures 1 Cor. 6.12 But I will not be brought under the power of any 'T is deaf to counsel in its measure 't is true of our love to Christ if we love him we will cleave to him A man is dispossessed of himself that hath lost the Dominion of himself as Sampson like a Child led by Dalilah So is a man ruled and governed by his love to Christ. 4. To a most kindly principle to do a thing for another out of love What is done out of love is not done out of slavish compulsion but good will Not an act of necessity but choice 1 John 5.3 This is love that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous That 's bad ground that bringeth forth nothing unless it be forced Natural Conscience worketh by fear but Faith by love Love is not compelled but it worketh of it self sweetly kindly it taketh off all irksomness lessens difficulties facilitates all things and maketh them light and easie So as we serve God cheerfully Where love prevaileth let it be never so difficult it seemeth light and easie Seven years for Rachel seemed to Jacob as nothing made him bear the heat of the day and cold of the night Gen. 29.10 But where love is wanting all that is done seemeth too much 5. 'T is a most forcible compelling principle non persuadet sed cogit one glosseth the Text so It cometh with commanding intreaties reasoneth in such a powerful prevailing manner as it will have no denyal Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lâ—sts we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present World Nothing will 〈◊〉 your hearts to your work so much as love Lay what bands you will upon your selves if a temptation cometh you will break them as Sampson did his cords wherewith he was bound Promises Vows Covenants Resolutions former experiences of comfort when put to tryal all is as nothing to love But now let a mans love be gained to Christ that 's band enough quis legem dat amantibus major lex amor sibi est Love so far as love needeth no Penalties nor Laws nor Enforcements for it is a great Law to its self it hath within its bosom as deep obligations and ingagements to any thing that may please God as you can put upon it Indeed if there were not an opposite principle of averâ—eness this were enough but I speak of love as love fear and terror is a kind of external impulse that may drive a Soul to a duty but the inward impulse is love that will influence and over-rule the Soul and ingage it to please Christ if it beareth any mastery there 6. 'T is laborious it requireth great diligence to be faithful with Christ. Now love is that disposition which puts us upon labours this if any thing will keep a man to his work Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love And 1 Thes 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love 'T is not an affection that can lye bashful and idle in the Soul So Revel 2.4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Till love be lost our first works are never left Our â—ord when he had work for Peter to do gageth his heart John 21.15 Simon Peter lovest thou me Love sets all a going 7. It dilateth and inlargeth the heart and so 't is liberal to the thing loved I will praise him yet more and more I will not serve the Lord with that which cost me nothing Other things will not go to the charge of obedience to God It will be at some cost for God and Christ and maketh us obey God against our own interest and carnal inclination It was against the hair but the young man deferred not to do the thing because he delighted in Jacobs Daughter Gen. 34 19. 8. 'T is an invincible and unconquerable affection Cant. 8.6 Love is strong as death â—ealousy is cruel as the grave The coals thereof are as the coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame Many waters cannot quench love Neither can the floods drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned There is a vehemency and an unconquerable constancy in love against and above all afflictions and above all worldly baits and profits The business is of whose love this is to be interpreted of Christs or ouâ—s If we understand it of Christs love then 't is really verified Christs love was as strong as death for he suffered death for us and overcame death for us he debased himself from the height of all Glory to the depth of all misery for our sakes Phil. 2.7 8. And 2 Cor. 8 9. Overcame all difficulties by the fervency of his love despising the cross and enduring the shame on the one hand Heb. 12.2 on the other refusing the offers of preferment Matth. 4.9 10. The Devil maketh an offer of all the World to Christ. Of ease Matth. 16.22 23. And Peter begun to rebuke him saying be it far from thee Lord. Of honour Matth. 27.40 43. Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days save thy self if thou be the Son of God He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Son of God But is also verified of Christians in their measure who love not their lives to the death overcome all difficulties Acts 21.13 Willing to die at Jerusalem Indure all afflictions Psa. 44.17 All this is come upon us yet we have not forsaken thee And suffer the loss of all worldly comforts Matth. 19 27. Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee And Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters and his own life also he cannot be my disciple But rather I apply it to the latter for 't is rendred as a reason why they beg a room in his heart the love that presseth us is of such a Vehement Nature that it cannot be resisted no more than death or the grave or fire can be resisted Nothing else but Christ can quench it and satisfy it such a constraining power it hath that the persons that have it are led captive by it an ardent affection and love to Christ
commit such things are worthy of death The dread of a God angry for sin is natural to us and the ground of all our trouble Man is afraid of death and some misery after death which is likely to come upon him Heb. 2.14 And till the forgiveness of sin be procured for us this bondage sticketh close to us and we know not how to get oft it God is an holy God and cannot endure iniquity and by his Law will not suffer the guilty to go free The Justice of the Supream Governour of all the World requireth that sin should be punished all mankind have a general presumption that death is penal these fears make pardon a very inviting motive to them These fears may be a while stifled in men but they easily return and can no way be appeased but by pardon and reconciliation with God carried on in such a way as they may be exempted from these fears Therefore God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not Imputing their trespasses to them 3. Pardon of sins is very necessary to the end of reconciliation which is living in a course of holy amity and state of friendship with God till we live with him for ever in Heavenly glory Here I am to prove three things 1. That the end of reconciliation is walking in a course of holiness 2. That this holiness is carried on in a state of love and friendship between God and us 3. That pardon is the fittest way to breed this holiness and increase it 1. That the end of reconciliation is walking in a course of holiness for Christ died not to reconcile God to our sins but that reconciling our persons we might quit our sins and walk as those that are at good accord with him Amos 3.3 Can two walk together except they be agreed And 1 John 1.7 If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with an other Now pardon of sin hath a mighty influence upon holy walking Justification and Sanctification are distinct priviledges but they always go together and the one doth exceedingly suit with the other These two priviledges pardon and holiness the one freeth us from the guilt the other from the stain of sin The one concerneth Gods interest our subjection to him the other our own comfort The one is the end the other thè means pardon is the means to Holiness and Holiness is the end of pardon our general pardon is to put us into a state of acceptable obedience our particular pardon to incourage us in it and quicken us and excite us anew The conditional and offered pardon is the means to work regeneration and regeneration Qualifieth for actual pardon Titus 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life And Heb. 8.10 11 12. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more And Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith And then actual pardon quickeneth us by love to carry on that holiness of heart and life which God requireth For this mercy is the powerful motive to perswade us to obedience Because he hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Therefore we must love him and serve him all our days Luke 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World 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 His pardoning mercy and justification by Christ is the great enforcing Argument Those who are fetched up even from the Gates of Hell and delivered from under the sentence of the Law and called into the state of Gods Children should thankfully accept the benefit acknowledge the benefactour live in love to God and holiness hate that sin they have repented of and which hath been pardoned to them and still hold on their course in a way of obedience till their full recovery in the everlasting estate 2. That this holiness is carryed on in a state of love and friendship between God and us Love beareth rule in the Spiritual life and pardon is the great ground of love Luke 7.47 She loved much because much was forgiven her The great business of religion is to love God above all and a man that is uncertain whether there be any such thing as pardon how can he love God above himself and all other things Self love is very hardly cured for what is nearer to us than our selves Therefore self-love is very deeply rooted in us especially love of life that it must be some very strong and powerful thing which can subdue it now nothing will do it but the love of God Propound the terrors of the Lord that will not do it men will not be frightned out of self love It must be a powerful love that must divert us from it as one Nail driveth out another so doth one love drive our another Now what can be more powerful than the love of God T is as strong as death many Waters cannot quench it Cant. 8.7 This prevaileth over our natural inclination so that we shall not only forsake the sins and vanities which we now love but also life its self Rev. 12.11 They loved not their lives unto the death This prevaileth over our natural inclination so that we can lay all things at Gods feet and suffer all things and endure all things for Gods sake yea even life its self for his Glory 3. Pardoning mercy in Christ is the great argument which breedeth and feedeth this love How can I love a God which I think will damn me and may probably do it Our turning to God must be by love and our living to God and for God
any mixture of Errors that have any considerable Influence upon the main of Religion Others are in that Communion in which those Doctrines are as yet taught that are indeed necessary to Salvation but many things are added which are indeed pernicious and dangerous in their own nature So that if a Man should possibly be saved in that Profession he is saved as by Fire 1 Cor. 3.13 And 't is a strange escape as if one had Poyson mingled among his Meat the goodness of his Digestion and strength of Nature might work it out but the Man runneth a great hazard As the Papists acknowledge Christ for the Redeemer and Mediatour between God and Men They own his two Natures and Satisfaction though they mingle Doctrines that strangely weaken these Foundations The Turks deny not Christ to be a great Prophet but they deny him to be the Son of God and the Saviour of the World and the Redeemer of Mankind and wickedly prefer their false Prophet before him The Jews confess there was a Iâ—sus the Son of Mary that gave out himself in their Country of Judea to be the Messiah and gathered Disciples who from him are called Christians But they call him an Impostor question all the Miracles done by him as done by the Power of the Devil Now all these shall be judged by the Gospel which is so proudly and obstinately rejected by them The Spirit shall convince the World of Sin because they believe not in me Joh. 16.9 he hath so proved himself to be the Christ the Son of God the great Prophet and true Messiah that their rejecting and not believing in him and his Testimony will be found to be a great and damning Sin both in its self and as it bindeth their other Sins upon them however their Judgment shall be lighter or heavier according to the diversity of their Offence and the invincible Prejudices they lie under The Corrupters of the Christian Religion because they have perverted the Truth of the Gospel to serve their Interests Ambition Avarice or any Humane Passion their Doom will be exceeding great 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. And with all Deceivableness of Vnrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie That thy all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness To poyson Fountains was the highest way of Murther to royle the Waters of the Sanctuary to mangle Christ's Ordinances is a Crime of a high Nature The Jews that rejected Christ in so clear Light of Miracles Joh. 8.24 Christ saith If you believe not that I am he ye shall die in your Sins it maketh the Judgment the more heavy upon them Others to whom Christ is less perspicuously revealed shall have a more tolerable Judgment For the clearer the Revelation of the Truth is the more culpable is the Rejection or Contempt of it For there is no Man that heareth of Christ's Coming into the World suffering for Sinners and Rising again from the Dead and Ascending into Heaven but is bound more diligently to enquire into it and to receive and embrace this Truth Carnal Christians their Profession condemneth them They are inexcusable they deny in Works what in Word they seem to acknowledge 3. Some lived under the Legal Administration of the Covenant of Grace To whom two things are propounded 1. The Duty of the Law 2. Some Scriptures and obscure Beginnings of the Gospel They shall be judged according to that Administration they are under either for violating the Law or neglecting the Gospel or those first Dawnings of Grace which God offered to their View and Study Indeed the Law was more manifest but the Gospel was not so obscure but they might have understood it Therefore God will call them to an Account about keeping his Law by which who can be Justified Or whether by true Repentance they have fled to the Mercy of God which by divers wayes was then revealed to them and have owned the Messiah in his Types Psal. 145.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy Sight shall no Man living be Justified Psal. 130.3 4. If thou shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Which if not clear they shall be condemned not only for not keeping the Law but also for neglect of Grace Though their Unbelief and Impenitency be not so odious as theirs is that lived under a clearer Revelation yet a grievous Sin it was which will bring Judgment upon them 4. There are some that have no other Discovery of God but what they could make from the Courses of Nature and some Instincts of Conscience as meer Pagans The Apostle having told us of the Righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2.5 and how managed Vers. 6 7 8. and how aggravated the Jew first and then the Gentile he then concludeth Vers. 12. For as many as have sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law but as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law That is the Jews as the other is to be understood of the Gentiles To whose notice no Fame of Christ or the Law of Moses could possibly come To perish without the Law is to be punished and Punishment followeth upon Condemnation and Condemnation is in this Judgment Therefore Pagans and Heathens that lived most remote from the Tydings of the Gospel and Divine Revelation must appear before Christ's Tribunal to be judged But by what Rule He telleth us Vers. 14 15. For whâ—n the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not a Law are a Law to themselves Which shew the Work of the Law written upon their Hearts their Conscience also bearing Witness and their Thoughts thâ—m an while accusing or excusing one another They knew themselves to have sinned by that Rule by the natural Knowledge of God and some sense of their Duty impressed upon their Hearts Nature it self told them what was well or ill done The Law of Nature taught them their Duty and had some Affinity with the Law of Mâ—ses And the Course of God's Providence taught that God was placable which hath some Affinity with these Gospel Rudiments and first Strictures Therefore the Goodness and Long-suffering of God should lead them to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Surely then the Impenitency of the Jews will meet with an heavy Condemnation according to the Proportion of Clearness in their Revelation 5. Men of all Conditions high and low rich and poor mighty and powerful or weak and oppressed Kings Subjects Revel 20.12 I saw the Dead both small and great stand before God No Rank or Degree in the World can exempt us These Distinctions do not ouâ—-live Time they cease at the Graves Mouth there all stand upon the same Level and are
the Saints Christ hath begged it and the Prayers of Christ who is God's beloved Son cannot possibly return in vain there being such an absolute Conformity and Consent between the Will of God the Father and the Son John 11.42 I know that thou hearest me always Christ cannot be denied Audience and Acceptance in the Court of Heaven especially in a Request upon which his Heart is set His People are so wonderfully dear to him that he would not lose one of them and then Christ is so wonderfully dear to God that he must needs speed in all his Requests Therefore if Christ hath mediated for the Conservation of the Saints the Father will grant what he asketh Yea the Father himself loveth the Saints the thing is pleasing to him It is notable that when Christ had spoken of the Perseverance of the Saints he adds John 10.30 I and my Father are one as noting not only the Unity of Essence but the Consent of Will that was between them in this Work Well then look as Christ redeemeth us because the Father required it the Father will love us and preserve us because the Son asketh it If Christ bear any respect to the Father's Command or the Father to Christ's Prayers the Elect are sure to be saved Christ hath engaged God's Name to keep us What â—â—n be objected against this They say that Christ prayed conditionally Keep them if they will But here is no Condition expressed Christ absolutely prayeth Keep them and such a Condition would make the Gift of God to depend upon Man's Will and so to persevere would rather be Man's Act than God's Gift the Determination being on Man's part Nay the main Thing which is to be kept is our Will and so the Condition would destroy the very Nature of the Request They say Christ prayeth only for the Apostles I Answer It cannot be restrained to the Apostles it is the common Priviledg of all the Saints those which thou hast given me Christ explaineth himself and extendeth it to Believers of all Ages Vers. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for those which shall believe in me through their Word Christ's Prayer is every way as good as a Promise II. Let me handle the Doctrine it self The Doctrine of Perseverance is much impugned but the Earth is never the more unsetled because to giddy Brains it seemeth to run round Let me state and then confirm it First State it 1. Seeming Grace may be lost Mat. 25.29 From him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath compared with Luke 18.18 Whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have Blazing Comets and Meteors are soon spent and may fall from Heaven like Lightning while Stars keep their Orb and Station sandy Building will totter The Hypocrites shall be discovered before the Congregation Prov. 26.26 2. Initial or Preparative Grace may fail Heb. 6.4 5. They who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come may fall away Such as Illumination external Reformation temporary Faith some good Beginnings Some die in the Pangs of the New Birth and are still-born Plenty of Blossoms doth not always foretel store of Fruit. 3. True Grace may suffer a shrewd decay but not an utter loss In Temptations it may be sorely shaken the Heel may be bruised as Christ's was but his Seed remaineth in him 1 John 3.9 As Peter denied Christ tho he did not fall from Grace Luke 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not The Leaves may fade when the Root liveth Chrysostom saith concerning Christ's Prayer for Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He doth not say that he might not deny him but that his Faith might not fail and altogether vanish 4. Such Grace as serves to our well-being in Christ may be taken away Joy Peace Chearfulness A Man may be living tho he be not lively a Man may have a Being when his Well-being is lost he is a Man tho a Bankrupt So a Christian the Operations of Grace may be obstructed for a great while a fit of Swooning is not a state of Death there may be no Acts and yet the Seed may remain this may last For a long time David did not recover himself it was near a Year after his Sin 1 Sam. 12.14 The Child that is born of thee shall surely die compared with Psal. 51. Title A Psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet came unto him after he had gone in to Bathsheba 5. Grace indeed if left to us would be soon lost we shewed that in Innocency But it is our advantage that our Security lieth in God's Promises not our own Strength that we are not our own Keepers God would not trust this Jewel but in safe hands Perseverance is God's Gift not Man's Act he is ingaged in Christ to maintain it John 10.28 29. I give to them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any Man pluck them out of my hands My Father that gave them me is greater than I and no Man is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hands they neither shall nor can be taken out of God's Hands God and Christ is engaged in the keeping of them Christ by God's Command as Mediator God by Christ's Merit and therefore he that separateth us from God must tug with Jesus Christ himself and be too hard for him also or else he can never pluck them out of his Hands If they should question Christ's Power because of the Ignominy of the Cross the Father's Hands are also engaged for our greater Assurance none is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hands God never made a Creature that should be too hard for himself 6. We do not plead for any wild Assurance and certainty of Perseverance We do not say that he that neglects Means and grieves the Spirit do what he will yet he is sure he shall not miscarry that is against the Nature of God's Dispensation and the Nature of this Assurance and therefore but a vain Cavil 1. It is against the Nature of God's Dispensation for whom he maketh to persevere he maketh them persevere in the use of Means Hezekiah had assurance of Life for fifteen Years yet he takes a lump of Figs and applies it as a Plaister to the Boil Isa. 38.5 compared with Vers. 21. Or more clearly Acts 27.22 There shall be no loss of any Man's Life among you but only of the Ship But yet Vers. 31. Except the Ship-men abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved We are bound to get Food and Raiment if we would live It is the Devil's Divinity Thou art sure not to fall therefore neglect Means it was Satan's Cavil against God's Protection over Christ. Mat. 4.6 If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written
thereunto Rom. 7.23 But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind We think and speak too gentle of sin when we think it a tame thing that worketh not till it be irritated by the suggestions of Satan No 't is like a living fountain that poureth out its waters tho no body come to drink of them 't is irritated by the law of God many times and the motions of the spirit these corrupt humors within us are in a continual fermentation Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually Temptations only make them more violent 2. Hindring us from that which is good either it draweth away the heart from duty or distracteth the heart in duty it draweth away the heart from duty Rom. 7.21 I find then a law that when I would do good evil is present with me It abateth the edg of our affections discourageth us by many unbelieving carnal thoughts and so the heart is drawn away from God that sin may the more domineer or distracting our minds in duty Ezek. 33.31 Their hearts go after their coveteousness filling our minds with thoughts of the world vain pleasures revenge turneth our duties into sins 3. The sad consequence of letting sin alone When sin is not mortified it groweth outragious and never ceaseth acting till it hath exposed us to shame before God Men and Angels or hardneth us in a carnal careless course Lusts let alone end in gross sins and gross sins in a casting off all Religion Love of pleasures let alone will end in drunkenness and uncleanness Envy in murther and violence Judas allowed his Covetousness that brought him to betray his Master Gehazi first blasted with Covetousness then with asking a Bribe to Gods dishonour then with Leprosie so became a shame and burden to himself Annanias and Sapphira taken off by a sudden Judgment The Devil loveth by lust to draw us into sin and by sin to shame and by shame to horror and despair sin is no tame thing But do the people of God run into such notable excesses and disorders Yes when they let sin alone and discontinue the exercise of mortification witness David that run into lust and blood and Peter into curses and execrations Solomon into sensuality and idolatry old sins long laid asleep may awaken again and hurry us strangely into mischief and inconvenience 3. In regard of grace received 1. The grace of justification Relyance upon the Righteousness of Christ for Justification doth not shut out the work of Mortification but conduceth much towards it it doth not exclude it for the justified must be mortified it pleadeth for it Grace teacheth us to deny ungodliness Tit. 2.11 That sin may be mortified and put to death for Christs sake Christ was crucified and put to death for our sakes God doth not require it in point of Soveraignty but pleadeth with us upon terms of Grace Grace hath denied us nothing it hath given us Christ and all things with him and shall we stick at our lusts Grace thought nothing too good for us not the Blood of Christ nor the Favour of God not the Joys of Heaven and shall we count anything too dear to part with for Graces sake Mortification is an unpleasing task but Grace commands and calls for it and that with such powerful Oratory as cannot be withstood 2. In regard of the Grace of Sanctification To exercise it preserve it and increase it 1. That we may exercise it to that end for which it was given to us It was given to us to avoid sin 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God dtoh not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God and 1 John 5.18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not There is a seed and principle within us to curb and restrain sin too and keep us from falling into the power of the Devil or being brought back into our old bondage this other principle was set up in us on purpose as to excite unto what is good so also to abate the power of sin as the way to destroy weeds is to plant the ground with good seed and 't is given us as a bridle actually to restrain the exorbitances and hold it in when it flyeth out now this grace of God will be in vain unless it be used to such a purpose and one of Gods most precious gifts would lie idle therefore we should act it or walk in the spirit that we may not fulfil the lusts of the flesh 2. Preserve it in power and vigour For the life of grace dependeth very much upon the dying of sin as health and strength in the body cometh on as the disease abateth 1 Pet. 2.24 That we being dead unto sin might be alive unto righteousness But as the life of sin increaseth Grace languisheth and withereth and is ready to die Rev. 3.2 The flesh and the spirit are contrary and always are incroaching upon one another and there is this advantage on the flesh's side that it is a native not a foreigner home-bred plants which the soil-yieldeth naturally without any tillage as Nettles will sooner preserve themselves and get ground upon better plants because the earth bringeth them forth of its own accord or as water heated the cold is natural to it and will prevail against the heat unless it be driven out by a constant fire whether the prevalency of sin doth weaken Grace effective or meritorie by its malignant influence or as deserving such a punishment from God I will not now dispute but weaken it it doth that is clear by experience for tho Grace be planted in us by God 't is not settled in such an indivisible point as that it cannot be more or less there is a remission of degrees Matth. 24.12 The love of many shall wax cold Faith may grow sick and weak there are soul-distempers as well as bodily and then a man is altogether unfit for action and performeth duties in a very heartless and uncomfortable fashion therefore still we must be mortifying sin 3. That we may increase it Grace is not only Donum a Gift to be preserved but Talentum a Talent to be improved and increased upon our hands that we may be the more fit to glorifie God that appeareth by the many excitations in Scripture to growth 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 'T is not enough to maintain that measure of Grace which we have already received but we must get more always look after the growth of it in our selves and indeed the one cannot be done without the other there is no possibility to keep what we have unless it be improved he that roweth against the
us to all holy endeavours of Obedience this is sometimes called the activity or working of Grace Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 Sometimes Zeal or an earnest burning of affection towards God or that holy Ardor whereby we repress those affections unruly motions and desires which are contrary to his Will and do excite and stir up our selves more and more to honour him and please him Titus 2.14 Zealous of good works Sometimes Alacrity and Chearfulness as we prevail in striving against sin and our Love to God increaseth 1 John 5.3 4. All these are as so many degrees First We make Conscience of doing our Duty but that 's not enough a Convinced man may have his Conscience stirring and pleading for God but a Converted man or a renewed Heart hath an inclination and not only an inclination but some fitness and not only some fitness but there is an impulsion which discovereth its self either by stirring or exciting to that which is good though with difficulty which is the lowest degree All Grace is stirring and would fain break out into action for 't is not a dead and sleepy habit but seeketh to break forth and is called by the Apostle The Lustings of the Spirit Gal. 5.17 Another Degree is Zeal and Love to the glory of God whom they honour and desire to exalt continually which maketh them complain of Corruption and to strive against it and to shake off sloathfulness and the weights of sin that hang upon us when the Spirit gets the upper hand but the flesh is not easily subdued Then we are more at liberty to serve God and so Alacrity followeth when a man hath Pleasure in good actions and the Flesh is so overcome and subdued that it can make little or no opposition and so we perform our Duty with more ease and delight which is the highest degree SERMON III. MATTH XXV v. 3 4. They that were foolish took their Lamps and took no Oyl with them But the wise took Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps I Come now to the Second Effect Secondly An habitual Aversation to that which is evil Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil 'T is as natural to Grace to hate evil as to love good As Love was made for God and the things which he hath Commanded and tends to the enjoyment of him so Hatred was made for sin and what is contrary to God Man hath an eschewing faculty as well as an embracing and choosing faculty and Grace falleth upon both and sanctifyeth the one as well as the other Amos 5.15 Hate the evil and love the good Love was given us for good and Hatred for evil Love was made for the chiefest good and all things that tend to it and Hatred for that which is truely and properly evil Now concerning this Effect of Grace I shall observe these things 1. Grace produceth an Hatred of sin not a bare abstinence from it Sin may be restrained by forreign reasons not proper to Grace as a Dogg that hath a mind to the Bait may abstain for fear of the Cudgel So Men may abstain because of the Penalty of Laws Infamy shame in the World or other reasons as Haman refrained himself that he might the better take Revenge upon the whole race of the Jews Men may refrain from sin when there is not a rooted Enmity against it whereas in the Saints there is a constant Principle of resistance against it 1 John 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Seed of God abideth in him The Grace of Sanctification doth change the nature of a man and his Heart is set against that he loved before Look as the Lord will not respect mens external practice of Good when it may be their Hearts abhor and loath it and are bent on other courses he requireth chiefly that they be rooted in the Love of good and delight in it so he will not accept a simple not-doing or forbearing evil while it may be their Hearts are going a Whoring after it but will have them really hate and detest it that there should be an abiding Enmity in their Hearts against it and where 't is so that there is an habitual Love of good and hatred of evil Christ will pass by many failings in practice as you may see Rom. 7.22 23 24 25. that is the Case there The evil that I hate that do I and I delight in the Law of God in the inward man Clear these two once and the remainders of sin will not be your ruine 2. Grace produceth an hatred of sin as sin out of a principle of Love to God and as it is contrary to his Law and the new nature planted in us Ye that love the Lord hate evil and he that is born of God sinneth not that is the principle because the Seed of God abideth in you The School-men distinguish of two sorts and kinds of Hatred Odium abominationis and Odium inimicitiae the first is defined by Aquinas to be Dissonantia quaedam appetitus ad id quod apprehenditur ut repugnans noxium an aversation of the Appetite to what is apprehended repugnant and contrary to us Such an hatred there is in the regenerate for they apprehend sin as repugnant and contrary to their renewed Will to the unregenerate 't is agreeable and suitable as Draffe to the appetite of a Swine or Grass and Hay to a Bullock and Horse The other is an Hatred of Enmity so called both for the ground of it and the effect of it the ground as an evil that which is an Enemy and hurtful to us as sin is to our Peace and Happiness Temporal Spiritual and Eternal but chiefly as to the effect of it Hatred is a willing of evil and mischief to the thing or person hated Both these Hatreds are in the Children of God They hate sin not only as it may bring Loss and Detriment horrour of Conscience and Damnation but out of the pure Love of God as 't is contrary to his Image and Will and they hate it with an hostile Hatred so as to seek the destruction of it Non cessat in laesione Peccati sed in exterminio it doth not scratch at the Face of sin but is seeking to mortifie and subdue it and therefore are alwayes Mourning Praying Watching Striving Famishing it by cutting off its Provisions and denying its Satisfactions and still following the work close 'till we get the Mastery of it 3. I Observe That renewing Grace doth so far obtain and produce this effect in the Hearts of those that are under it that their Hatred to sin is greater than their Love to it and sin is thereby more and more weakened and subdued in the Soul We flatter our selves with notions of Love and Hatred unless there be some answerable Success and Prevalency It cannot be Imagined that sin should Live in its full strength where there is a fixed settled frame of Heart against it that there should be in the Soul
a working warring principle that shall rouse up a man dayly to take heed of it as the greatest evil and yet sin should be as powerful and as frequently and freely break out as it doth in others no where there is such an enmity hostility and irreconcileableness or to say in a word such an habitual aversation it cannot be 1 Joh. 3.9 He that is born of God doth not commit sin his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God He that hath such a blessed change wrought in him by the operation of Gods Spirit as to be transformed in the Spirit of his mind it cannot be supposed but that Grace will have such Energy and efficacy upon him as to prevent the life and growth of sin and restrain the practice of it that the habits of Grace being cherished this must needs be famished and starved by degrees A man that hath a fixed root of ungodliness in him he is at sins beck the Devils Slave but a permanent habit of Grace doth produce a constant carefulness that God be not dishonoured or displeased The Apostle telleth us That Christ bore our sins in his Body upon the tree that we being dead unto sin may be alive unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 Now certainly this effect is obtained in those that have benefit by his Death or have assured it by Faith before they were alive to sin being active and delighting in the Commission of it but dead to Righteousness impotent and indisposed for any spiritual act but afterwards their love to sin is weakened and their Hearts quicken'd to spiritual Life Once more That there is a decay of the evil Principle appeareth by that of Gal. 5.16 17. This I say then walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would This place sheweth that the lusts of the flesh though they be not wholly abandoned yet they shall not be fulfilled We take it otherwise but the meaning is The unrenewed part shall be kept under we cannot fully effectuate the evil we would The Spirit alwayes opposeth what we would do according to the direction of the Flesh. There are two Active principles never wholly dead The flesh doth not advance with a full gale but meeteth with a contrary tyde of resistance from the Spirit 1. Vse Is to Reprove those that can afford a little Religion but cannot afford enough It may be good words without practice or practice without principle Good words without practice many talk well their notions are high and strict but observe them narrowly and you will find them cold and careless like the Carbuncle at a distance it seemeth all on fire but touch it and it is Key-cold Be warmed be cloathed will not pass for Charity nor Opinions for Faith nor Notions and elevated Strains for Godliness You would laugh at him that would think to pay his Debts with the Noise of Money and instead of opening his Purse shake it 'T is as ridiculous to think to satisfie God or discharge our Duty by fine words or heavenly Language without an heavenly Heart or Life or afford practice without a Principle or an inward disposition or inclination of heart to holy things 'T is not enough to do good but we must get the Habit of doing good to believe but we must get the Habit of Faith to do a vertuous action but we must have the Habit of Vertue to perform an Act of Obedience but we must get the Root of Obedience The Soul must be divested of evil Habits and decked and adorned with habits of Grace and endowed with new and spiritual Qualities before it can have a Principle of Life in its self But most men content themselves with a little good Affection that is soon spent Hosea 6.4 Ephraim's goodness is like the morning dew that wets the surface but is soon dryed up Many have some good things in them but they want a firm Root which is an habitual Inclination towards God Oh the difference that is between a man that forceth himself to do good and one whose Heart is inclined to do good He doth not go to it like a Bear to the Stake but with a native willingness he is inclined to think of good inclined to talk of good and holy discourse inclined to pray to exercise himself to Godliness The Lord hath put a new Nature in him and he feeleth an internal Mover or an inward Impression that moveth him This is Life but 't is little regarded Many have a shew but Life cannot be painted otherwise an handsome Picture of Godliness men may keep up But what are the Reasons of this 1. Negligence They are loath to be at the pains to get Grace to be at the expence of brokenness of Heart and that humble waiting and earnest praying that it will cost us A Form is easily gotten and maintained painted Fire needs no fuel to keep it in vanishing Affections are soon stirred A little remorse in a Prayer or delight in a Sermon they may have but it will cost us labour and diligence to have the Heart strongly bent towards God Prov. 13.4 The Soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the Soul of the diligent shall be made fat All excellent things have their incident difficulties and nothing is gotten without diligence labour and serious mindfulness That which is opposed to common Grace is casting off sloathfulness and a diligence to keep some full assurance of hope to the end Heb. 6.11 12. 2. Inconsideration They do not consider how they shall appear before Christ at the day of Judgment Therefore are they called foolish Virgins because they did not foresee all Events to provide against them As if the Spouse should come later they thought this Oyl they had might suffice or they should have opportunity to get more Christianity is a business of Consideration When Christ had laid down the Terms he biddeth them sit down and count the Charges Luke 14.28 A Builder doth but lay the foundation of his shame in his Cost if he be not able to carry on the Building a War were better never be begun if we have not means to maintain it If you mean to build for Heaven to bid defiance against the Devil World and Flesh you must not rashly engage but deliberately resolve We must consider the Quality of Christs Laws what visible Oppositions there are that we may knowingly all difficulties considered put our selves into his hands There is an anxious and serious deliberation necessary otherwise to leap into Profession sleightly maketh way for Apostasie or else for such a cheap Religion which costs nothing and therefore is worth nothing 3. Some unmortified corruption or indulged Lust which hindereth both the Radication and Prevalency of Grace The Heart divided touched partly with
Progress in Religion and stop there they lose what they have Luk. 8.18 From him that hath not shall be taken what he seemeth to have to him that imployeth his stock more shall be given but the other is on the losing hand Secondly As to the Hope and Comfort that followeth this Profession An Inclination to that which is good I suppose without that there can be no true Comfort 'till we should submit to the Conditions of the Gospel-law Matth. 5.28 29 30. There Temporaries are defective all therefore see it and know it when they are serious and considerative and their mistakes and misconceits are blown away by Death and Judgment now the conditions are Believing Repenting and Gospel-walking Now their Faith will not yield Comfort Gal. 5.6 Neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth any thing but Faith that worketh by love Not their Repenting not a little sorrow for sin past 'till carnal Distempers are mortified 2 Cor. 7.10 So for Gospel-walking not a loose owning of Christ Mat. 7.21 'till there be a full Obedience to his Law putting it in practice with an upright Heart which is not consistent with allowed failings A man may profess himself a Christian yet if he do not his Fathers Will he may come short USE Oh then let us take heed we be not of the number of those whose Lamps are gone out The Lamps of the Sanctuary were never to go out but to burn alwayes Exod. 17.20 To this end 1. Apply your selves to Christ in the use of his appointed means for the renewing your Natures That his Spirit may give you a new Understanding and a new Heart God hath made the offer Ezek. 36.26 and it is only made good to those that diligently attend upon the appointed Means 2. Improve what you receive in that way 1 Thess. 5.14 Quench not the Spirit Fire may be quenched by powring on water or withdrawing the Fuel Quench not the Spirit by fleshly delights nor by a careless Conversation 3. They ask the wise Give us of your Oyl First This demand was unseasonable to be getting Oyl when they should use it to have their Oyl to buy when their Lamps should have been burning There is a time of getting if we lose that our opportunity is gone Luke 14.32 Isa. 55.2 John 9.4 While you have the day work for the night cometh in which no man can work Secondly It was extorted by meer necessity In a time of straits and distresses men will call upon the People of God to help them as Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron when Gods Judgements were upon him SERMON VII MATTH XXV v. 9. But the wise answered saying Not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves IN the words we have 1. A Denyal 2. The Reason of the Denyal 3. Their advice and Counsel to the foolish First The Denyal not so 't is not a churlish and envious Denyal but such an Answer as the nature of the thing would bear If they should be so kind they would deprive themselves and not leave sufficient for them both therefore they were better take the usual way of supply Three points are in this Verse 1 Doct. Every one must get Oyl into his own Lamp or get Grace of his own or else in the day of his Accounts the Grace of others will do him no good Secondly From the Reason lest there be not enough for us and you 2 Doct. They that have most grace have none to spare 3 Doct. If we would get Grace we must have recourse to the Ordinances For the first Point That every man must get Grace of his own 1. I do not hereby exclude the Righteousness of Christ or his communicating his Spirit to us There is a great deal of difference between Christ and the Saints in point of Sufficiency Power and Authority First They have not a Sufficiency for themselves and us too Christ hath a fulness out of which you may receive enough John 1.16 Of his fulness we receive grace for grace There is plenitudo Fontis plenitudo Vasis The Fulness of a Fountain and the Fulness of a Vessel The fulness of a Vessel is lessened and abated the more you take out of it the Creature is wasted by giving but a fountain is ever flowing and overflowing it keepeth its fulness still though it affordeth to others God saith to Moses Numb 11.12 I will take of the Spirit that is upon thee and put it upon them The words seem principally to intend as if his own Gifts and Abilities were given to them to help bear a part in the burden of the Government Secondly In point of Power they have no power to transfuse and put over their Righteousness to another As a man cannot divide and part his Life between him and another But Christ who liveth in us and is spiritually united to us he can impart his Grace and Righteousness 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Gal. 2.20 The life that I live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Thirdly If they could do so they have no Authority and Commission to do it as God hath given to Christ Joh. 3.34 35. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand And Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him Such a difference there is between the Lord Jesus Christ and the Saints He can give us of his Oyl and will do it will not deny those that seek it humbly and seasonably and have enough himself as the precious Oyntment upon Aarons head and beard ran down to the skirts of his Garments Psal. 133.2 so doth Christ the Head communicate his Gifts and Graces to all his Members 2. I do not hereby exclude the Benefit which we have by the Communion of the Saints in the Mystical Body of Christ here in this World The Members are mutually usefull to one another as 't is said Col. 2.19 From which all the Body by joynts and hands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God 'T is from the Head but knit together by Nerves Veins and Arteries The Apostle saith that every joynt supplyeth something Eph. 4.16 we communicate to one another that strength and nourishment which all receive by the Head There is no Member but is of use we have benefit from one anothers Gifts and Graces or else we could not be serviceable in the Body But the Case in the Text is different these foolish Virgins had their former advantages which they should have improved to have supplyed them in the day of their Account Now the wise could not help the
to be in Prayer if we be not careful to glorifie his Name zealous to promote his Kingdom ready to do his Will earnest for pardoning Grace watchful against Temptations A Christians life is a Comment upon his Prayers and his Prayers do interpret his life We understand the one by the other Our endeavours and diligent use of means do shew what we really desire For what we pray to God for we bind our selves to seek after Secondly There is a Watching with respect to our future Estate that we may be ready to meet Christ at his Coming Now this consisteth 1. In a deep and lively sense of Christs Appearing and the whole state of the World to come We look for nothing but what we believe Faith is a realizing sight of things not yet in being and maketh them in some measure to work as if they were at hand and ready to be enjoyed Now the more lively sense we have of the concernments of the other World the more diligent and serious shall we be in our preparation when we have a deep sense of these things as if presently to be Arraigned and walk as before the Judge to whom we are to give an account of all our actions Most men live as if there were no day of reckoning no God to see and punish no Books to be opened the careless spending their time sheweth they have no deep sense of these things no sound belief of them But Faith looketh upon these things as great sure and near and so keepeth the Soul awake and alive It greateneth our Apprehensions of these things For 't is no slight matter for the Creature to meet with his Creator the Sinner with his Judge from whom he must now receive his final doom Faith doth speak aloud to a sluggish Soul Thou must be judged Rom. 14.12 So then every one of us must give an account of himself to God And as 't is sure so 't is near The Judge is at the door Phil. 4.5 You must hear of what you now speak and do another day Mat. 12.36 For every idle word that a man shall speak he shall give an account of at the day of Judgment It suppresseth sin and quickeneth and awakeneth to Duty 2 Pet. 3.11 12. Without Faith we have no sensible awakening practical knowledge of these things The sight of Faith differeth from the sight of Sense Sense can discern little more than we see taste smell hear and feel We are affected with these things so are the Beasts who only see things before their eyes by the eye of sense We see nothing but what Dogs may see and Beasts may see that 't is comfortable to eat well and drink well and sleep well and be well cloathed and walk up and down at pleasure and pursue the advantages of the Animal life There is a mist upon Eternity How acute soever men be in worldly things they are blind here 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off Sharp-sighted in things that concern the back and belly and this present World but know nothing of the hazard of perishing for ever or the worth of Salvation their need of Christ and making serious preparation for their great account Faith is a Perspective by which we look into the other World None have such a sharp sight as Believers have for they can see beyond the limits of time the corruption and changes of all things that are in the World even to that blessedness which God hath reserved for them that love him And the light of Faith differeth from Reason That can only see things by ghess or see things in their Causes and that as probable but Faith can look thorough the mists and Clouds of intervening Ages Heb. 11.13 Having seen them afar off embraced them and with certainty and such a sure perswasion as if the things we are perswaded of were in hand and actually enjoyed Reason corrects Sense A Star to the eye of Sense looks to be no bigger than a Spangle but Reason sheweth it must be of a vast bigness because of its distance from us But Faith is an higher light and compare it with the light of Prophesie Rev. 20.12 they agree in the common Object divine Revelation They agree in their common Nature that they are both for things future and things future to us but they differ that Faith depends upon the common Revelation which God hath made to all the â—aints whereas Prophesy hath more of Extasie and Rapture in it and the light is like the lumen Gloriae the beatifical Vision in some measure and degree We do not see him face to face but are desirous of this blessed Estate and perswaded of it and are affected with it as if we saw it The sight of Faith is not a full enjoyment but as sure and so proportionably affects the Heart Nay this lumen Fideâ— is somewhat like the sight God hath of things God seeth all things in his own design and Faith seeth them so far as they are manifested in the Promises of the Gospel There is no hope to get rid of our dead-heartedness and security till we have this reallizing light of Faith 2. This Watching consisteth in Preparation If we expect a thing to come and do not prepare accordingly we do not watch for it but neglect it Now this Preparation must be speedy thorough and constant 1. Watching implyeth a speedy Preparation That we may be in a fit capacity to receive Christ at his Coming we must take the next advantage lest we be surprized and called home before we are ready This is not a work to be put off to Age or Sickness Why should we provide a burden for that time when we are weakest and least able to bear it And therefore now we should begin it Every day brings burden enough for it self He is an unthrifty Tenant that suffers the Rent of one year to run into another How shall that Crop discharge two years Rent that cannot pay one If it be tedious now to turn to God it will be more tedious when thou art hardened in sin and thy neglects of God and Christ will provoke him to deny his Grace And what assurance have we of another year we have this by the favour of Providence Our life was forfeited and lost in Law the first moment and therefore we have but a Reprieve during pleasure What warrant have I to expect another day but my own hope and fancy He that is Security for himself to himself is no whit the better secured he doth but take the word of a Spend-thrift If we had a Lease of our Lives yet what hope of Grace when we have resisted the Spirit of God all our lives what hope that he should assist us at death we do but provide matter of Despair to our selves Every day will prove worse and worse A Traveller may easily pass over the Head of a Brook but when he goeth down thinking to
his Sons Commission yet 't was not a total Omission compare 1 Sam. 2.23 24 25. And he said unto them why do ye such things for I hear of your evil dealings by all this People nay my Sons for it is no good report that I hear of you ye make the Lords People to transgress If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him notwithstanding they hearkened not to the voice of their Father His Admonition was grave and serious yet 't was not enough All Israel knew their sin before Eli took upon him to reprove them secretly whereas the fact was open and he should have put them to open shame and then his Rebukes were mild and soft he should have frowned upon them punished them but his fondness would not permit that 3. Eternal here in the Text Cast the unprofitable Servant c. These sins Christ will mainly inquire after at the day of Judgment and vers 42.43 of this Chapter and Math. 7.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire though not bad or poysonous fruit By all these Arguments it appeareth that sins of Omission may be great sins Thirdly That some sins of Omission are greater than others All are not alike as the more necessary the Duties the more faulty the Omission Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha not if a man hate but if he love not c. These are peccata contra remedium as others contra officium By other sins we make the Wound by these we refuse the Plaister Again If the Omission be total â—er 10.25 Call not on the Name of the Lord Psal. 14.3 None seeketh after God Again When seasonable Duties are neglected Math. 25.44 When I was an hungred ye fed me not 1 Joh. 3.17 He that hath this worlds goods and seeth his Brother in need Prov. 17.16 Why is there a price put into the hand of a Fool And then when 't is easie this is to stand with God for a trifle Luk. 16.24 Desideravit guttam qui non dedit micam Amos. 2.6 They sold the poor for a pair of shoes And when convinced of the duty James 4.17 To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin Fourthly In many cases sins of Omission may be more hainous and more damning than sins of Commission 1. They are the ruine of most part of the carnal world Carnal men are often described by their Omissions to be without God Eph. 3.12 Psal. 10.3 4. The wicked through the pride of their heart will not seek after God God is not in all their thoughts Jer. 2.32 None stirreth up himself to seek after God And 2. Partly because these are most apt to harden us more Foul sins scourge the Conscience with remorse and shame but these bring on insensibly sleightness and hardness of heart and therefore Christ saith Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdom of God before Pharisees that rested in a superficial Righteousness but neglected Faith Love and Judgment Math. 21.31 And 3. Partly because Omissions make way for Commission of evil Psal. 14.4 They that called not upon God eat up his People like Bread They lye open to gross sins that do not keep the heart tender by a daily attendance upon God If a man do not that which is good he will soon do that which is evil Joh. 2.13 Oh then let us bewail our unprofitableness that we do no more good that we do so much neglect God and no more edifie our neighbour so that Gods best gifts lie idle upon our hands Fifthly The first and main evil of sin was in the Omission Jer. 2.13 My people have forsaken me the Fountain of living waters Jam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and inticed First inticed from God and then drawn away to sin therefore the work of Grace is to teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 By Ungodliness is meant not denying God but neglecting God there our chief mischief began for when we do not look upon God as our chief good then we seek Happiness in the Creature 1 VSE To shew that if the unprofitable Servant be cast into Hell what will become of them that live in open sins that bid defiance to God 2. To condemn the unprofitable lives of many they live as if they had only their Souls for Salt to keep their Bodies from stinking Cumber the ground Luk. 13.7 Do not good in their Relations are neither comfortable to the Bodies nor Souls of others Certainly how mean and low soever you be in the world you may be useful Dorcas made Coats for the poor Servants may adorn the Gospel Tit. 2.10 3. If sins of Omission be so dangerous we may cry out with David Psal. 19. Who can understand his Errours The Children of God offend in these kind of sins oftener than in the other kind they are not guilty of Drunkenness or Uncleanness but of Omission of good Duties or sleight performance of them Paul complaineth Rom. 7.18 19. For I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not for the good that I would I do not And should not you complain likewise A Child is not counted dutiful because he doth not wrong and beat his Father he must also give him that Reverence that is due to him Alas how many Duties are required of us to God and Men the neglect of which we should humble our selves before God for SERMON XVIII MATTH XXV v. 31 32 33. When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats And he shall set the Sheep on his Right Hand but the Goats on the Left THIS latter Paragraph I cannot call a Parable but a Scheme and Draught or a Delineation of the last Judgment intermingled with many Passages that are plainly Parabolical as That Christ setteth forth himself as a King sitting upon the Throne of his Glory and as a Shepherd dividing his Flock That he compareth the Godly to Sheep and the Wicked to Goats Those Allegations and Dialogues between Christ and the Righteous Christ and the Wicked When saw we thee an hungry c. have much of the Nature of a Parable in them In these Three Verses we have described 1. The Appearance or sitting down of the Judge 2. The Presenting the Parties to be judged The former is in Vers. 31. the latter in Vers. 32 33. In
for the Reprobate World that they may believe I Answer No Faith or Believing is there taken for a more full Conviction that they may be convinced and rendred more inexcusable It is not taken in a strict sence for a saving Comprehension and Receiving of Christ but for a Conviction and Acknowledgment Divisions in the Church usually breed Atheism in the World all is false when so many Ways and Differences So think they Christ is an Impostor the Word a Fable Now this kind of Conviction is not only termed Believing in Scripture but explained Vers. 23. That the World may know that thou hast sent me Nay let us grant that Faith is taken in the highest and strictest sense yet there is a difference between praying for such a thing as may be a likely means of working Faith and praying that they may believe Christ only prayeth that his People may be one that the World may not plead Prejudice at most he doth but obliquely reflect upon the World in that Prayer that they may have means of Conviction but not Grace Christ denieth that the World either hath or ever shall have the Grace of Faith Vers. 25. O Righteous Father the World hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me And the special Reason why the Elect have known tho the World have not known is rendred Vers. 26. I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it By which is meant the special manifestation of his Grace given to Believers of all Ages which was given to the Disciples of that present Age and will be given to all future Believers A serious consideration of the Context will refute all these Sophisms Thus I have taken off the Objections Let me handle one Doubt more But if they were absolutely predestinated why doth Christ pray for them I Answer Predestination includeth all things that are necessary to the Salvation of the predestinated and so the Prayers of Christ must be taken in as well as other Means Take an Argument or two why Christ did not could not doth not pray for the Reprobate World This Prayer must either argue 1. A Nescience of his Father's Decrees which cannot stand with the Unity of his Person especially as now in Glory While upon Earth he knew it and approved it that God by an immutable Decree had left some to be justly hardened to their own ruine Mat. 11.25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Or 2. A Contradiction to his Will and express Decree It is true we do not sin by asking a thing contrary to God's Decree as when I ask a Parent 's Life whom God hath determined to cut off by such a Sickness which I know not but if I did it is no rule to me But now God's Decree was a Rule to Christ in his Mediatory Actions as the Moral Law was a Rule to his Moral Actions and therefore when the Decree of God called for one thing and the Moral Law for another Christ was both to shew his Moral Affections and Mediatory Obedience Father let this Cup pass nevertheless not 〈◊〉 I will but as thou wilt Mat. 26.39 There was an innocent desire of Nature but an express Submission to his Father 's Will. 3. Because all Christ's Prayers were to be grounded on a Promise There was an Indenture drawn up between him and his Father he had the Assurance to be heard in whatsoever he asked Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession John 11.42 I know that thou hearest me always Therefore he must needs exclude the Reprobate World out of his Prayers Observations First Let us look upon it as a Mediatory Action 1. Observe Here was the first solemn Offer of Christ's Meditation between God and Man and therefore upon this place we may ground the Doctrine of his Intercession I pray for them Here I shall speak of First The Person who is the Intercessor Secondly The nature of the Intercession Thirdly The Privileges and Fruits of it First The Intercessor I pray The Syriack twice repreateth the Pronoun I even I pray for them it is not an ordinary High-Priest but I I that am thy beloved and only begotten Son co-eternal and con-substantial with thy self I that have glorified thee upon Earth and done thy work I that am holy and harmless I whose Prayers thou hast promised to hear I who am an authorized Mediator sent into the World for this Purpose There are all these Advantages in the Intercession of Christ let us go over them a little briefly I shall refer them to these Heads the Dignity and Dearness of his Person the Sublimity of his Office the value of his Satisfaction the Articles of the Covenant or the Promise of being heard 1. The Person of Christ and there you have 1. His Dignity he is God-Man and so fit for this Office Job 9.33 Neither is there any days-man between us that might lay his Hand upon us both He communicates with God in the same Nature and we with him He is our Brother and God's Fellow Our Kinsman is in the Court of Heaven pleading for us he appeareth there in our Nature to set on our Salvation we need not be ashamed to go to him nor he to go to God He is of near Alliance to us and to God himself God's own natural Son which doth not only give him a Power to prevail with God but a Sufficiency to do us good None but Christ could serve our turn in this Matter Who can know all our Needs all our Sins all our Thoughts all our Desires all our Prayers all our Purposes and wait upon our Business with God Night and Day that no Wrath break out upon us but Jesus Christ who hath his constant residence in Heaven at his Father's right Hand There is an All-sufficiency required to Intercession as well as Oblation 2. The Dearness of his Person called his dear Son Col. 1.13 the Son of his Love one with him God bids him ask what he will Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession When Christ came first into Heaven he was to make his Demand He proclaimed it on Earth when Christ was baptized consecrated to God for the Priesthood Mat. 3.17 Lo a Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased There was such perfect Love and Consent of Mind between God and Christ that if he had never died God could not have denied him any thing 2. The value of his Satisfaction Christ is an Intercessor not by Intreaty but by Merit John 17.4 I have glorified thy Name on Earth I
Praise are the Revenues of the Crown of Heaven and all the Persons of the Godhead are Joynt-Possessors the Father will be glorified the Son and the Spirit will be glorified too Well then they that expect all Comfort and do not regard Duty they mistake the Tenor of the Covenant God must needs be angry when we deny him his Rent and Acknowledgment you forfeit your Lease and Charter and how will you do to pray with Confidence It is notable in the Covenant of Grace what God doth to us in a way of Mercy the Creatures return to God again in a way of Duty God justifieth sanctifieth glorifieth the Creature these are the great Blessings of the Covenant and in our way we are to do it again to God to justify sanctify and glorify God To justify God Luke 7.29 And all the People that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized with the Baptism of John To sanctify God Isa. 8.13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts in your Hearts and here I am glorfied in them We are to justify God his Ways against the Cavils of the World the Riches of Grace against the Prejudices of our own Hearts to sanctify God to set him aloof in point of Fear and Trust above the Powers all Excellencies in the World as to sanctify is to set apart from common use And then we glorify him when we advance him in our Thoughts and Faith and Esteem Our best Thoughts are but a Disgrace to the Godhead he is advanced far above all Blessing and Praise yet God counteth he hath another Throne when he is exalted in thy Heart 3. Because we gratify the Aim of God God's great End in all his Dispensations is to glorify his Son and in his Son himself God seeketh his own Glory by glorifying Christ in our Nature We had neither had Word nor Gospel nor Christ nor Grace but for his Glory It is said Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself that is for the Manifestation of his Glory for God being so perfect as he is can no other ways be advanced it must be therefore to make himself known He made the World that he might be glorified and for the same Reason he made us in Christ Ephes. 1.12 That we should be to the Praise of his Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that we are in Religion is for this end We had need respect God's Glory for we owe all that we have to it God is set upon it 1 Sam. 2.30 They that honour me I will honour Vse 1. Information We lose nothing by glorifying Christ It is a Pledg of our Interest in his Intercession We shall have this Honour and Comfort that Christ will be our Advocate In the World we are like those six hundred that were David's Companions in the Wilderness they had hard Service and little Wages but when David was crowned in Hebron they were all advanced to Offices and Places of Power and Trust. In the World if we glorify Christ indeed we shall meet with hard Entertainment but you will not repent of it when Christ appeareth in the day of his Royalty Nay for the present you will lose nothing Worldly Losses are made up in Spiritual Comforts and that is a good Exchange Do but observe Peter's Question and Christ's Answer Mat. 19.27 28. Peter said Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore In Peter's Question we may observe that albeit we suffer little for Christ we think much of it Peter's Case was poor and slender alas what did he leave a poor Cottage a Net a fishing Boat he had no Lands nor Heritage From a Fisher-man he was made a Disciple The Loss is little but we think it a great matter if we part with our Superfluities with the tenth part of a Child's Portion for Christ's Cause and owning Christ's Interest or the propagating of Religion Nay if we suffer but a disgraceful Word or Discountenance or a small Inconvenience in our Name or Estates we are apt to say with Peter What shall we have therefore Thoughts of Merit are natural and we put an high Price upon our petty Services what shall we be the better But observe Christ's Answer And Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon Twelve Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel Pray mark Christ pardoneth the Infirmity of the Demand there was somewhat of Pride in it and somewhat of Fleshliness in having respect to a carnal Reward they dreamed of Earthly Honours that Christ would share and divide among them but Christ passeth it over and gives a gracious Answer Nay mark Christ promiseth a greater Reward than Peter could expect a Kingdom to each of them in the Regeneration I shall not examine that Expression that doth not so suit with my purpose But I observe that though the things we do and suffer for Christ be not worthy to be spoken of yet the least thing if done in Sincerity will be highly esteemed and richly rewarded Christ will intercede for thee and plead for thee with his Father and if once he openeth his Mouth thou canst never miscarry The Apostle saith Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Christ when he hath begun to intercede doth not give over till thou hast Honour enough for honouring him he will save thee to the utmost Oh why should we be prejudiced against the Service of Christ certainly we shall be no Losers in the End Christ will not be behind-hand with you he is making way for your Everlasting Glory by his constant Intercession Now therefore be not troubled you need not seek another Pay-master than Christ we have something in Hand there is present Comfort besides what we have in Hope Vse 2. Exhortation to press us to glorify Christ order your Lives so that Christ may plead Father I am glorified in them I do not press you now to glorify God in general but to glorify Christ as Mediator But what is it to glorify Christ I Answer 1. You will glorify him by Faith Christ is glorified when you acknowledg his Person and Office as revealed to you in the Word and accordingly build your Hopes and Comfort on him Now Faith hath a double Office it accepts Christ from God and presents Christ to God It accepts Christ in the Word and maketh use of him in Prayer Let us speak of both these 1. It accepts Christ. When Men slight the Offers of Christ which God maketh to them they dishonour him exceedingly it is a contempt cast upon the Son of God as if he were not worth the taking Acts 4.11 This is the Stone which was set at nought of you Builders which is become the Head of the Corner God made
Molestations of the World but you have a sanctified use of them John 16.33 These things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have Peace in the World ye shall have Tribulation but be of good comfort I have overcome the World The Victory consisteth not in not suffering and not fighting but keeping what we fight for 2 Tim. 4.18 The Lord shall deliver me from every evil Work not from the Lion but Sin Vse 5. The Example of Christ. When we die let us be mindful of the Danger of our Relations that we leave behind us our Families Church Ministry commend them to God Dying Christians should be best at the last dying Moses left a Song Do not leave the World without a testimony of your Love and Zeal 2. Pet. 1.14 15. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my Decease to have these things always in remembrance SERMON XVI JOHN XVII 11 And now I am no more in the World but these are in the World and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are I Come to the Compellation of the Party to whom the Prayer is made Holy Father This Compellation is to be observed Titles of God in Scripture are suited to the Requests made to him as 2 Thess. 3.16 The God of Peace give you peace always by all means So Rom. 15.5 The God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another He prays for brotherly-forbearance and sweetness In the several Paragraphs of this Chapter Christ speaketh to his Father in a different Stile according to the Nature of the Address Vers. 1 5. it is Father only In Verse 28. it is Righteous Father because of the Truth and Equity which he observeth in his gracious Dispensations and here it is Holy Father When he beggeth things suitable to his commutative Justice then it is Righteous Father but when he asketh things suitable to his Holiness it is Holy Father Certainly it is a great Relief to Faith in Prayer to pitch upon such a Name and Title in God as suiteth with the Nature of the Request it begetteth a Confidence that he both can and will do us good When we call a Man by his Name he will look about upon us and when we ask things according to his Nature he will pity us But why doth Christ use this Title at this Time I Answer Some take Holiness more largely for the general Goodness and Perfection of the Divine Essence a branch of which is his Veracity or Truth in keeping Promises and conceive the Argument thus The Holy God cannot break his Word nor be stained with any Unfaithfulness therefore unless God should deny himself he will keep them through his own Name But I rather think it is specially put for his Purity Christ goeth to his Father as a pure Fountain of Grace for Sanctification for his Disciples Holiness it is the Object of God's Approbation the Effect of his Operation he worketh Holiness and he delighteth in it Holy Father that art Holy in thy Essence Holy in thy Influences Holy in thy Dispensations sanctify them by thy Truth thou that abhorrest all that is Evil workest all that is Good keep them from the Evil God hateth Sin as much as we do and infinitely more and therefore it is some hope that he will help us against it Doct. When we deal with God in Prayer especially for Grace and Sanctification we must look upon him as an Holy Father I. I will open the Holiness of God Holiness implieth a freedom from Sin and Defilement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the privative Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terra in whom there is no Earth no Pollution but all Heavenly Purity When God speaketh to us he crieth out Jer. 22.29 O Earth Earth Earth hear the Word of the Lord. We are Earth in our Understandings in our Affections is our Practices But when the Seraphims speak to God they cry Holy Holy Holy as if it were said without Earth without Earth without Earth Briefly God's Holiness is an Attribute by which we understand his Essence to be most perfectly just and pure at the utmost distance from sin and weakness loving and liking himself above all and the Creatures as they do more or less partake of his Glory Now God is called The Holy One not An Holy One but The Holy One. 1 Sam. 2.2 There is none Holy as the Lord. He doth not say There is none Holy but the Lord but there is none Holy as the Lord. Therefore let us see the difference between the Holiness of God and the Holiness of the Creatures This is an Argument fit for a Seraphim it becometh an Angel's Mouth rather than Man's the Angels that come nearer to God in Essence can best proclaim his Holiness But our Ear hath received a little thereof None is Holy as the Lord because God is essentially Holy infinitely Holy and originally Holy 1. He is Essentially Holy God is not only Holy but Holiness self Goodness it self it is his very Essence The Creatures when they are Holy they are Holy according to the Law the Holiness of Angels or Men is a Conformity to the Law of their Creation as we say he is Holy whose Heart and Life doth exactly agree with God's Law But God's Will is his Rule his Essence is his Law and therefore all his Actions are necessarily Holy The Divine Esse and Being as it is the beginning of all Beings so it is the Rule of all Moral Perfections all created Holiness is but a resemblance of God's either a conformity to God's Nature or a conformity to God's Will Habitual Holiness is a conformity to God's Nature Actual Holiness is a conformity To God's Will his Will is the Rule his Nature is the Patern But now God is a Rule to himself there are no eternal Reasons of Good and Evil beyond God Things are not first Holy and then God doth them but God doth them and therefore they are Holy He himself is his own Rule Andy one may err that hath not the Rule of Righteousness in himself God's Act is his Rule therefore he cannot sin The Hand of the Artificer faileth often in cutting because his Hand is not the Rule by which he worketh there is a Rule or Line without him sometimes he striketh right sometimes wrong If the Hand of a Man were the Rule it were impossible he should work amiss There is a Rule prescribed to Angels and Men their Will is one thing their Rule another for no Creature is Holy by its own Essence This Notion is of practical use there is Holiness in all that cometh from God when he afflicteth us and our Friends or suffereth us to be unjustly afflicted by Men when he
carrying the Bag is a shrewd Temptation to a Carnal Heart John 12.6 This spake he not that he cared for the Poor but because he was a Thief and had the Bag and bare what was put therein He was a bad keeper of the Stock appropriating it to his own use to make himself a Store and a Subsistence having a mind to forsake Christ because he had so often heard him speak of his Sufferings and the Persecution of the Apostles And mark he pretends Piety and Religion to disguise his Covetousness when it was his own private Interest There was a Woman that took a pound of Ointment of Spiknard very costly and anointed the Feet of Jesus Vers. 3. And Judas said Why was not this Ointment sold for three hundred Pence and given to the Poor But this he said not that he cared for the Poor but was a Thief and had the Bag. At length love of Mony joined together with Spleen prevailed on him so far that he sold his own Master He that loveth the World hateth God he that is greedy of Gain will sell his Soul and Heaven and Christ for Mony there is nothing so vile but he will yield to it There was somewhat of Envy and Revenge in it Mat. 26.14 15. Then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went unto the Chief Priests and said unto them What will ye give me and I will deliver him unto you and they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of Silver Then When was it When Christ had checked him for rebuking the Woman he stomached the Disappointment as Carnal Men will storm when their Hypocrisy is discovered and their Carnal Ends disappointed Christ by commending the Woman enraged him 2. His Hypocrisy He continued the Profession of an Apostle preached against Sin seemed to be zealous for the Poor Nay his Hypocrisy was augmented by the constant means he had to convince him he was hardened in it the more Jesus Christ was a constant Preacher of Repentance and all those Sermons and Discourses Judas heard securely Christ often admonished him of his Sin John 6.70 Have I not chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil John 13.18 I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen but that the Scripture may be fulfilled He that eateth Bread with me hath lift up his Heel against me He was threatned that it had been better for him that he had never been born Mat. 26.24 The Son of Man goeth as it is written of him but wo unto that Man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed it had been good for that Man if he had not been born But all this would not do it did not rouze his Conscience and make him bethink himself and to consider that he was not hidden in his Disguise When Christ spoke it more pressingly Mat. 26.23 He that dippeth his hand with me in the Dish the same shall betray me Vers. 25. Judas which betrayed him answered and said Master is it I A benummed Conscience grows shameless Certainly Hypocrisy is a very hardning Sin With what Face could the Traitor even when he was discovered say Master is it I 3. His Treason He first made a Prey of his Master's Mony and then of his Master himself Little Sticks set the great ones on fire When a Man cleaves a Block he first enters it with small Wedges and then with greater and so doth the Devil make entrance into the Soul by degrees Judas first purloineth and steals out of the Bag then censures Christ as profusely lavishing What needs this waste It is not only a check to the Woman but to Christ himself then upon Christ's Rebuke he hates him and then betrays him Christ gave him no cause When Peter disswades him from Suffering he calls him Satan Mat. 16.23 But he turned and said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an Offence unto me for thou favourest not the Things that be of God but those that be of Men. But he dealeth with Judas mildly reproves him in the â—ump But privy Sores will not be touched without Recalcitration and lifting up of the Heel Mat. 26.16 From that time he sought opportunity to betray him He that hath Malice in his Heart will not want an Occasion Judas hurried with Wrath and Avarice seeketh a Chapman and at this very time the Chief Priests were gathered together considering how to attack Christ. And when once Men resolve upon a course of Sin God in his just Providence suffers them to have a fit opportunity The Chief Priests alarmed with the Miracle of raising Lazarus by which many were drawn to believe in him were thinking how to seize him and Judas comes in fitly in this very time Mat. 26.15 What will ye give me and I will deliver him unto you God saith Jer. 6.20 I will lay stumbling-blocks before this People What! doth God lay stumbling-blocks he that forbids the Sin upon so severe a Penalty Providence orders the Occasion and Carnal Men will find the Sin If you will cherish the Sin against Warnings it is just with God to give you the Occasion The Treason may be amplified by the kindness of Christ to him he never did him wrong and he had been an Eye-witness of his Miracles a hearer of his Sermons he had been familiarly treated by him It aggravateh Sins when done against Mercy and Kindness John 6.67 Then said Jesus unto the Twelve Will ye also go away It goes more to the Heart of Christ that they should lift up the Heel against him that have been familiar with him and been trained up as his Friends 4. His Despair which was a greater Sin than his Treason This is to put a Talent of Lead into the Ephah as the Prophet speaks Zech. 5.8 to make that more weighty which is weighty enough of it self already Christ prayed for his Persecutors Luke 23.34 Father forgive them they know not what they do and some of them found Mercy Peter that denied him with Oaths and Curses found Sanctuary at the Grace of God There might have been Hope but Judas despairs Usually this hath been the end of Sinners that have been for a long time hardned in Sin that they do despair of that Mercy which they have abused and slighted Oh hearken to this all ye that commit Sin with security in the midst of all your displeasing of God tho you may eat and drink and rise up to play take heed lest at length you cry out I have sinned and my Sin is greater than I can bear for Judas came at length to this I have sinned in betraying Innocent Blood Mat. 27.4 Sins till they are committed are hidden from the Eye of Conscience but then Guilt flasheth in the Face Before the Commission the Devil will not let us see it lest we should prevent it and afterwards he represents it in a terrible Glass that we may despair After the Act Sin usually appears in its own Colours he despaired and hanged himself
answerably to it Dependance should beget Observance Phil. 2.10 13. Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do according to his good pleasure When we do not thrive under his Custody it is scandalous God will takeaway the Hedg let the Boar of the Forest come in and eat them down Vse 2. To press the Children of God to two Duties Dependance Confidence 1. Dependance 1 Chron. 20.12 We have no might against this great Company neither know we what to do but our Eyes are up to thee We must profess that we do not stand by our own strength but are as a Staff in the Hand of a Man or a Child in the Hand of the Father Psal. 70.5 I am poor and needy make haste unto me O God thou art my Help and my Deliverer make no tarrying O my God God is honoured when we acknowledg him for our Guardian 2. Confidence that he will preserve us in that Grace to which he hath called us in Christ. There will be shakings and wandrings as a Tree fastned at the Root is driven to and fro with violent Blasts There may be an interruption of the Acts of Grace as a Man in a swoon or as stunn'd by a great Blow but he is alive so there may be particular Falls but we shall not fall constantly readily easily As in a Land-flood the Meadows may be overflown but the Marshes are drowned every Tide Preservation from damning Sins is sure and certain Christ hath asked it God is able to keep us Happy are they that have an Interest in Christ's Prayers and that have God for a Guardian therefore wait upon God with Hope in the midst of Temptations 6. I observe from the last words the Evil from the evil One or evil Thing it lieth indifferently 1. From the Evil One. Observe Satan hath a great hand in the Evils that befal us in the World both Afflictions and Sin He instigateth our Enemies and inflameth our Lusts. 1. He instigateth our Enemies Christ said Luke 22.53 This is your Hour and the Power of Darkness Rev. 12.12 The Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time If you could behold with bodily Eyes this evil Spirit hanging on the Ears of the great Men of the World and of the common People to animate them against the Saints you would more admire the Work of God that you do subsist 2. He inflameth our Sins and Lusts. 1 Cor. 7.3 Lest Satan tempt you for your Incontinency The Sin is ours but Satan joins with it and makes it more violent As in Storms and Tempests when Matter is prepared the Devil maketh them more formidable Vse 1. Let Persecutors take heed the Devil is near and they are guided by him tho they see him not Rev. 16.14 They are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which go forth to the Kings of the Earth 2. Here is Advice to the People of God 1. To beware of Sins that you gratify not Satan with the displeasure of God Do you think Peter would ever have given such Advice to Christ as he did if he knew Satan had been in it Would carnal Men ever lie if they knew the Devil filled their Hearts Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie to the Holy Ghost Would Men sin so freely if they knew the Hand of Satan was in all And if the Lord should give you over to his Power if he should give Satan charge over you how far might he hurry and carry you 2. Let this teach you dependance upon God so much the more Ephes. 6.12 For we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against spiritual Wickedness in high Places We have to do with the Devil as well as Men and therefore have need to look up to God And this is thy Comfort O Christian that God is stronger than Satan 2. From the evil Thing that is the evil of Persecution keep them from being destroyed till they have accomplished their Ministry Observe God keepeth his Saints temporally till their Work is ended by a Special Providence He delivers them from Diseases and from the fury of Men as long as he hath any Service for them in the World Therefore when ever you have escaped any visible and sensible Danger when you are come out of a terrible Disease or kept from the Fury of Men improve it accordingly it is for Service But rather it may be understood of the Evil of Sin keep them from the Evil. And so the note is That Sin is the greatest Evil. Christ doth not say keep them from Trouble No let them ride out the Storm but keep them from the Evil of Sin SERMON XXV JOHN XVII 16 They are not of the World even as I am not of the World IN this Verse Christ repeateth the Argument used in the 14 th Verse This Repetition is not idle and of no use it is Christ that speaketh The Reason of the Repitition may be conceived either with respect to the Disciples the Persons for whom and in whose hearing he prayed and so it is to inculcate their Duty Or with respect to God the Person to whom he prayed and so he urgeth their Danger For in the 14 th Verse he shewed this was the Cause why the World hated them now he maketh it the Reason why he prayeth for them that they may be kept Keep them from the Evil They are not of the World even as I am not of the World 1. In the general Observe That Repetitions of the same Point are sometimes necessary Phil. 3.1 To write the same things to you to me it is not grievous but for you it is safe Repetition of the same things is tedious and irksome to Nature but profitable to Grace It is tedious to Nature partly out of an itch of Novelty Most Men have but an adulterous love to Truth they love it while it is new and fresh there is a satiety that groweth by acquaintedness the Israelites grew weary of Manna tho Angels Food Partly out of the impatiency of Guilt Sores cannot endure to be rubbed again and again frequency of Reproof and Admonition is like the rubbing of a Sore grievous to a galled Conscience John 21.17 Peter was grieved that he should say to him the third time Lovest thou me as reviving his Apostacy bringing to remembrance his three-fold denying of Christ questioning his Fidelity Sinners do not love to be suspected or urged much it reviveth Guilt and maketh it fly in the Face of Conscience none are weary but they that cannot endure to be remembred of their Duty But it is profitable to Grace First To cure Weakness Secondly To further Duties First To cure Weakness Our Knowledg is little our Affections changeable our Memories weak our Attention slight 1. Our Knowledg is little narrow-mouth'd Vessels
of Worldliness Christ doth once and again say They are not of the Worldâ— 2 Kings â— 26 Is it a time to receive Mâ—ny and to receive Garments and Olive-yards and Vine-yards and Sheep and Oxen and Men-servants and Maid-servants Especially in these Times in which so many miscarry by worldly Practices and when God hath declared so much of his displeasure against worldly Greatness To this end 1. Consider your Condition you are Strangers and Pilgrims David was a King yet not at home in the World Psal. 39.12 I am a Stranger and a Sojourner with thee 〈◊〉 all my Fathers were We never read that Abraham made any Purchase but of a Gâ—ave Cain built a City We aâ—e gone hence to morrow and who would hang a Room in an Inn 2. We are called to better Things 1 Thess. 2.11 12. As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and chaâ—ged every 〈◊〉 of you as a Father doth his Children That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory It is not for Princes to embrace the Dunghil Who would believe that a Man raking in a Dunghil or nasty Ditch were Heir to a Crown You show your selves hereby to be unworthy of Heaven 3. Take the Apostle's Argument 1 Tim. 6.7 We brought nothing with us into the World and it is certain that we can carry nothing out The Mill-wheel turneth round all day but at Night it is in the same place So at Death we are in the same Estate as at our Birth A Man's Wealth doth not follow him but his Works do Your Iniquity will find you out You did not come rich into the World and you were born to die In our Birth we were contented with a little Cradle at Death with a little Grave but here we join House to House as if the whole World would not contain us 4. Consider how hard it is to have Christ and the World to have Heaven and the World Mat. 16.26 What shall it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul You are put to your choice who would lose a Crown to be owner of a Dunghil It is a vain design to think to reconcile Christ and Mammon 5. Thou art as thy Love is If thou lovest this World thou art Worldly if thou lovest God thou art Godly A Man is not as his Opinion is but as his Affection is a bad Man may be of a good Opinion but a bad Man can never have good Affections The Soul is as Wax it receiveth an impression from the Object Take a Glass put it towards Heaven there you shall see the Figure of Heaven put it towards the Earth and you see the Figure of the Earth Trees Meadows Fruits thou receivest a Figure from the Objects to which thou appliest thy Heart Earthly Things or Heavenly But you will say What would you have us do Is it a Fault to enjoy the World No But to have a worldly Spirit 1. Be not of a worldly Spirit when thou wantest the Things of this World Be not over-careful for the Things of this Life use the Means God hath ordained trust God with the Issue and Event of all Carking implies not only distrust but discontent with God's Allowance and both imply Worldliness Distrust and Fear Luke 12.22 Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat neither for the Body what ye shall put on I am sure Discontent doth Be contented with a mean Condition if these things were good for us God would never deny them to us never have bidden us to conâ—emn them Saints are never more Illustrious than when they have least of the World the less splendor they have in the World the more bright and glorious are they had the Saints a worldly Glory their Grace would not appear with such advantage 2. Be not of a worldly Spirit when thou hast the World A godly Man may be a rich Man but take heed of Trust immoderate Delight and Pride in them Do not trust in them for they are vain nor delight in them for they are Snares nor be proud of them they do not make us better we do not value an Horse by the Trappings but by his Spirit and Courage We may accept the Allowance of Providence it is not having Wealth but setting the Heart upon it nor the Injoiment but Trust in it that is condemned Psal. 62.11 Trust not in Oppression become not vain in Robbery if Riches increase set not you Heart upon them You will be apt to do it but divert your Heart draw it off into another Country 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this World that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain Riches And Vers. 19. Laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life Get a Bank in Heaven make an advantage of it for Religion to confirm your title to Heaven by more Evidences Our Wealth follows us not into another World but our Works do A Man that loveth his Mony is willing to part with it to assure his title to an earthly Inheritance 3. Be not dejected and over-sorrowful when thou losest them thou art but delivered of a Burden a Charge and a Snare Riches are a Clog to thee We are sure to give an Account 2. Take the words as they denote the outward condition of the Disciples They are not of the World that is not respected by it as if they were of their Number and Faction left out of the World's Tale and Count. 1. Observe It is â—n hard thing to digest the World's Neglect and Disrespect We had need be urged again and again partly because every one would be some-body in the World and have some Interest here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when we miss our Aims Sorrow is obstinate Sufferings harsh and irksome to Flesh and Blood because we admire things below and have too good an opinion of them Vse This should be regarded by us in these Times when some grasp the World and use all kind of Means to get it into their Hands others are apt to envy at them when they see others have all and themselves poor Men think themselves wronged 1. Let them alone look after better things Psal. 17.14 From Men of the World who have their Portion in this Life and whose Belly thou fillest with thy good Things If they grow fat upon common Mercies we have no reason to pine and murmur You have not such large Estates costly Furniture fine Cloaths but you have a better Heart it is enough Let the World's Fondlings be dandled on the World's Knees You have a better Portion full Breasts to suck on purer Consolations When a River is troubled the Mud will come on top In Troubles Sin would be uppermost You have no reason to change Conditions 2. Remember by whose Providence it falleth out
near you as Dogs snarling at one another for a bone or piece of Carrion 2. They destroy the welfare of our Bodies the part gratified is depressed by them Prov. 14.30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh but envy is the rottenness of the bones Prov. 5.11 Thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed 3. These Lusts war against the Soul The perfection of the Soul consists in the Image of God which is defaced by these Lusts yea against the Graces and Motions of the Spirit Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit against the comfort of the Soul which dependeth on the holy sanctifying Spirit he is grieved when his work is hindered in us 4. These Lusts oppose our everlasting Felicity and Happiness when to gratifie the Flesh we run the hazard of losing Soul and Body for ever 1. By Efficiency they steal away our hearts from God take up our time turn our thoughts from the one thing necessary The great end of Faith is the saving of the Soul they make it the great end of their living to pamper the Body They put Heaven away from them sell it for a trifle in effect bid God keep his Heaven to himself Heb. 12.16 Prophane Esau for one morsel of bread sold his birtâ—right 2. By Desert Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Rom. 6.13 Neither yield ye your bodies as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin God is provoked and so our Damnation is sure they spend their strength time estates on the service of fleshly Lusts surely these can look for nothing but everlasting perdition SERMON XI ROM VI. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God HERE is the second Branch of the Exhortation which concerneth Vivification for expresly the Apostle speaketh to them as those that are alive from the dead This part of the Exhortation is propounded negatively Yield not c. positively but yield c. 1. The Negative is necessary For further declaring the sense of which he had said before Let not sin reign in your mortal body The body is mentioned as the seat of sin for two Reasons First Because these Lusts gratifie the Body and bodily Life and so pervert the Soul that is spoken to there Secondly Because they are executed by the Body this is spoken to here if they gain the consent of your minds yet yield not your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin let them not be acted by your bodies 2. Positively it is expressed But yield your selves unto God There observe the order set down first yield your selves unto God then your members as instruments of righteousness unto God The general Dedication is the ground of the Particular first I am Gods then I bestow my time and strength for God first we give our selves to him nor in part but in whole to serve him with all our heart and all our might and strength then sometimes the outward or inward Man as the nature of the business calleth for 3. In both take notice 1. Of the two opposite Masters Sin and God 2. The opposite Imployments are Righteousness and Vnrighteousness 3. The Instrument used by both and that is the Body or the members of the Body 1. The two Masters Sin and God the one is an Usurper the other is our rightful and most gracious Lord. God is our proper Lord for he is our Creator and therefore our Owner and Governour and he is our most gracious Lord jure beneficiario he hath obliged us to him by many benefits so that a Christian should say as Paul did Acts 27.23 His I am and him I serve 2. The two Imployments Vnrighteousness and Righteousness Unrighteousness is put for all evil works and actions for all sin is unrighteousness whether committed against God or man By sin we deal unrighteously with God whom we disobey and dishonour Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour if I be a Master where is my fear we deny God his due We deal unrighteously with our selves whom we defile and destroy 1 Cor. 6.18 He that committed fornication sinneth against his own body and Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul. And also in many sins we hurt our Neighbour either in Soul Body Goods or good Name as is evident On the other side Holiness is Righteousness or giving God his due Righteousness is sometimes taken strictly for that Grace which inclineth us to perform our duty to man as 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after righteousness godliness c. Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Sometimes largely for newness of Life for all those holy actions which are required of a Christian 1 Joh. 2.29 If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him 3. The Instrument used in both is the Body or the members of the Body For our Body is of a middle Nature which may be used well or ill and the members of the Body are weapons with which the Soul is armed to do well or ill and it is notable that the word used by the Apostle is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instrumenta as we render it in the Text but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons or arms as we translate it in the Margine The work on both sides is a kind of Warfare 1. They that serve sin or indulge bodily lusts sight for Sin and the Devil against God and their own Salvation 1 Pet. 2.11 Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Rom. 7.23 I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind While ye suffer the body to be thus employed ye wage war against God whether ye know it or owne it yea or no. 2. The other work is also a Warfare our Graces are called Armour of light Rom. 13.12 though you fight for your Duty you must perform it Doctrine That sincere Christians should not suffer themselves to be employed by Sin but offer up and present themselves to God to do his Will 1. Let us explain the Duty 2. Shew you the Necessity of it 1. In explaining the Duty here enforced let me observe to you 1. That there are two Masters which divide the World between them Sin and God every man doth serve one of these but no man can serve both Every man serveth one of these Sin or Righteousness God or Satan for there is no neutral or middle state either their time and strength is spent in the service of the Flesh or in the service of God Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Gal. 6.8 They that sow to
not they No the Apostle saith Give not up your members as weapons of unrighteousness c. and elsewhere Glorifie God in your bodies and souls which are Gods And the Apostle pleadeth the dignity of the Body and how it is defiled by Fornication and other inordinacies 1 Cor. 6. per totum 2. That it is not enough to abstain from evil but we must do good for the Apostle saith Yield not and then yield So the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 2.21 If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel of honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work So 2 Cor. 5.15 And that he died for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again They are sinners that hide their Talent in a Napkin though they live not in apparent gross sins all that time and strength that is bestowed on sin is used against God but what is idlely and impertinently lost is not used for him Both deprive God of his Right the one alienate their time and strength the other mis spend it Some do not run into Gluttony Drunkenness Oppression Adultery these apparently use their bodies as weapons of unrighteousness but they do not live to God and so are defective in the other part 3. It sheweth what care we should take how we imploy our bodies for the members of the body are instruments of the Soul to execute that which it willeth and desireth and sin without the body is unfurnished with Arms. But chiefly two things should we take care of in the body the senses by which we let in sin and the tongue by which we let out sin for it is the Interpreter of the Heart First For the Senses a Christian should not be guided by his Senses but by his Reason and Conscience as sanctified by Grace Our Lord would teach us that it were better to want senses than gratifie them with an offence and wrong to God against them that cannot deny the pleasures of senses Mat. 5.29 30. If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell And if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast if from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell Better be blind than by wanton gazing run the hazard of damnation not that we should maim our selves but of the two count it the less evil Therefore to want the sinful pleasure should not be so grievous when we should be content to want the sense it self The far greatest part of the world are meerly guided by their senses because the far greatest part of the world are unconverted and unsanctified and the world is full of allurements to the flesh and the more we enjoy the good things thereof the more is corruption strengthened within us and as the heart stands affected sensitive objects make a deeper or slighter impression on us Some temptations which are nothing to another may be great matters to some who cannot deny themselves without great difficulty Therefore when such temptations as suit with our fancies and appetites assault us with more than ordinary potency we must remember Sense is not to be the ruling Power in our Souls but Grace Sometimes sin is brought to our hands and the bait is played to our mouths as Joshua 7.21 Achan saw coveted and purloyned the wedge of gold Prov. 6.25 Lust not after her beauty in thy heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lids 2 Sam. 11.2 David saw Bathsheba and so his heart was fired In short Sense is an ill and dangerous Guide it was never given for a Judge or Counsellor to determine or direct but an Informer to represent the outward forms of things partly natural to inform us of things profitable or hurtful to the outward man partly spiritual to transmit the objects of Gods Wisdom Power and Goodness to our minds or to be the ordinary passage by which the daily effects of Gods Love and Mercy are conveyed to our hearts God instituted them for helps but we make them snares Well then better want senses than gratifie them with the displeasure of God to lose an Eye is a far less evil than to lose a Soul Secondly For the Tongue The Apostle saith it produceth a world of evil It hath a great use in Religion to vent the conceptions of our minds to the praise and glory of God Jam. 3.9 Therewith bless we God even the Father and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God In the general think of this every member must be an instrument of Righteousness is my tongue now imployed for God or for Satan when you are apt to run into censuring detraction vain and frivolous talk Vse 2. To press you to this solemn Dedication of your selves to God intirely unreservedly irrevocably 1. God giveth himself to you in Covenant Father Son and Holy Ghost all their infinite Goodness Wisdom Power c. and will not you give your selves wholly to God 2. You are already absolutely wholly his and will not you consent that he shall be your God and you his People that is all that is wanting Jer. 24.7 And I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall return unto me with their whole heart This God worketh by his renewing Grace 3. You are never so much your own as when you are Gods not as to disposal but as to enjoyment 1 Cor. 3.23 All are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods There lieth your safety glory and happiness it is the foundation of all obedience and of all comfort 1. Of obedience you will not easily yield to temptations a Christian hath this answer ready I am dedicated to God 1 Cor. 6.15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of an harlot God forbid Nor will you stick at interest 2 Cor. 8.5 They first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God 2. Then for Comfort Joh. 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me 1 Tim 6.8 Having food and raiment let us be therewith content 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you This easeth you of all your cares and fears you are Gods nay it secureth you against eternal miseries Joh. 12.20 Where I am there shall my servant be Vse 3. To put us upon self-reflection Is your Dedication to God sincere If so 1. In the whole course of your Conversations you will prefer his Interest before
our selves we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the grace of God that is in us 2 Tim. 1.6 we must still be blowing up this holy fire as the Priests do the fire of the Altar still keep it burning and its motions must be hearkened to and complied withal Gal. 6.16 Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh cherish and obey the directions of the renewed part and this will keep the carnal part under so that though the motions of it be not totally suppressed yet they shall not be compleated and fulfilled not so easily consented unto nor so often break out into shameful acts but as these are slighted sin reigneth 3. The Spirit of Sanctification still dwelling and working in us Herein the Law was a dead Letter it only afforded us bare Instruction without the help and power of Grace but the Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 There is a life and power which goeth along with every Gospel-truth to inable us to do what it requireth of us The Renewed certainly feel this benefit by it and the Truths of the Gospel which to others taste are like ordinary running water cold and spiritless are to them like strong water comfortable and full of virtue strong water and running water are alike for colour and show but not for virtue and taste All that repent and believe in Christ have the gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the giâ—t of the Holy Ghost He dwelleth and resideth in their hearts and is the great cause of the mortifying of sin Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The Spirit will not without us and we cannot without the Spirit subdue our sinful inclinations at first indeed he worketh upon us as objects as a Spirit only moving upon us but afterwards he worketh by us as instruments as a Spirit indwelling at first he regenerateth us and converteth us when we were dead and wholly sensless man at first was a passive subject when the Holy Ghost infused life and made him partaker of a Divine Nature we were by Nature all dead in trespasses and sins did not only deserve death by Original sin but did also deserve to be denied the Grace of Jesus Christ by some following actual sins but when we were all equally involved in misery the secret working of Divine Grace did begin the difference Eph. 2.4 5. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in trespasses and sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved This saving Grace is not given to all though all have many both external and internal helps sufficient to make them better that any have his special efficacy and converting Grace is the meer favour and bounty of God if any want it it is long of themselves because by their neglect and abuse of common Grace they deserve that want Well then at first God giveth the Spirit and all his purifying and sanctifying works upon the Soul are by his meer Grace which the Gospel offereth to all till they exclude themselves but then after we are converted we shall have more sins to remove by further Sanctification now the Spirit dwelleth in us to give us his special assistance But more closely consider 1. The Necessity of the Spirits concurrence 2. The Encouragement we have thereby 1. The Necessity of the Spirits concurrence we cannot begin carry on and accomplish the work of Mortification without the operation help and power of the Spirit 1. That we cannot begin it is evident because before Conversion we were dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 had only a life of resistance and enmity against God and the work of his Grace left in us Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be and we were under the power of the Devil who holdeth the fallen Creature in bondage till he be dispossessed Luke 11.21 22. When a strong man armed keepeth the house his goods are in peace but when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divideth his spoils There is no Faculty in man that can work the Cure the Understanding is dark and blind and weak if it warn us of our Duty it cannot break the force of sin Rom. 1.18 The Will is enslaved to Corruption Now nothing will seek to destroy it self but rather to preserve that life that it hath therefore the heart of man which is by Nature corrupt wedded to the interests and concernments of the Flesh will never seek to mortifie and subdue the flesh for a thing will never be opposite to it self The Scripture saith Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh A man wholly addicts himself to sin while under the power of corrupt Nature and a sensual carnal heart cannot make it self holy and heavenly But 2. After Conversion when Grace and the Principles of a new Life are put into us to weaken sin yet still we need the help of the Spirit partly because habitual Grace is a Creature and therefore in it self mutable for all Creatures depend in esse conservari operari upon him that made them Acts 17.26 In him we live and move and have our beings If God suspend the influence the Fire which is a natural Agent burneth not as in the instance of the Three Children who were cast into the fiery Furnace if necessary Agents much more voluntary Agents and if there be this dependance in natural things much more in supernatural Therefore Grace still dependeth on Gods influence and there must be a concurrence of the Spirit to maintain what he hath wrought Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Partly because it doth not totally prevail in the heart but there is opposition against it there is flesh still Gal. 5.12 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that you would Habitual Grace non totaliter sanat it worketh not a perfect but a partial Cure upon the Soul Therefore there needeth new Grace to act and guide and quicken us still and to stir up the Principles of Grace in us Partly because this Grace as it meeteth with opposition from within so it is exposed to Temptations from without from Satan who watcheth all advantages against us now when Temptation cometh with new strength we must have new Grace to oppose it Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain
Duties or the Legal administrations which are called carnal Ordinances Heb. 9.10 and Truth in opposition to them again as they are called shadows of good things to come Heb. 10.1 In this sense the Gospel or New Covenant might well be called the Law of the Spirit but not for this reason only but because of the power of the Spirit that accompanieth it as 't is said 2 Cor. 3.6 Who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Lex jubet gratia juvat and the grace of the Gospel is the gift of the Spirit 3. 'T is called the Spirit of Life because through the preaching of the Gospel we are renewed by the Holy Ghost and have the new life begun in us which is perfected in Heaven and we are said Gal. 2.19 To be dead to the Law that we may live unto God that is that by vertue of the spirit of Christ dwelling in us we may live righteously and holily to the glory of God 4. 'T is the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus partly because he is the author and foundation of this new Covenant and partly also because from him we receive the Spirit as from our head we have the unction from the holy one 1 John 2.10 and the renewing of the Holy Ghost is shed upon us abundantly through Christ Jesus our Lord Titus 3.6 Thus I have plainly opened the first Law mentioned Let us address our selves to the second 2. The Law of Sin and Death Thereby is meant the covenant of works which inferreth condemnation to the fallen Creature because of sin and in part the legal Covenant not as intended by God but used by them it proved to them a Law of Sin and Death for the Apostle calleth it the ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3.7 and verse the 9th a ministration of condemnation Now because it seemeth hard to call a Law given by God himself a Law of Sin and Death I must tell you 't is only called so because it convinceth of Sin and bindeth over to Death and that I may not involve you in a tedious debate I shall expedite my self by informing you That the Law of works hath a twofold operation the one is about Sin the other about Wrath or the Death threatned by the Law 1. About Sin its operation is double First it convinceth of Sin as 't is said Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledg of Sin That is the use of it is to bring us to an acknowledgment of Sin and Guilt For when the Law sets before a man what God commandeth and forbiddeth and a mans Conscience convinceth him that he hath offended against it by Thoughts Lusts Words Deeds he findeth himself a sinner and his heart reproacheth him as one that is become culpable and guilty before God so that all are concluded under Sin by the services of that Covenant neither will the legal covenant help him for that is rather an acknowledgment of the Debt than a token of our Discharge a Bond rather than an Acquittance an hand-writing of Ordinances against us Col. 2.14 which did every year revive again the Conscience and remembrance of Sins Heb. 10.3 Secondly The other Operation of the Law about Sin is That it irritateth Sin and doth provoke and stir up our carnal desires and affections rather than mortify them For the more carnal men are urged to obedience by the rigid exactions of the Law the more doth carnal nature rebel as a Bullock is the more unruly for the yoking and a River stopt by a Dam swells the higher The Law requireth Duty at our hands but confers not on corrupt man power to perform it and denounceth a Curse against those that obey not but giveth no strength to obey that it is so is plain by that of the Apostle Rom. 7.5 When we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto Death While we were under the Dominion of corrupt nature Sins that were discovered by the Law were also irritated by the Law as ill vapours are discovered and raised by the Sun which were hidden in the earth before and so Sin brought forth those ill fruits the end whereof is Death but this is not to be charged on the Law of God but the perverseness of man for the proper use of the Law is to discover and retrain Sin and weaken it not to provoke and stir it up See how the Apostle vindicateth Gods Law Rom. 7.7 8. What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust unless the Law had said Thou shalt not covet but sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Thus he answereth the Objection If Sin grow more powerful in us by the Law then is the Law Sin No far be it from our thoughts the Law is not the cause but the occasion only as Sin sheweth its power upon the restraint Well then the ceremonies of the legal Covenant do not mend the matter for these are but a weak fence about our duty and bridling more of our liberty stubborn man spurneth the more against the Law of God and will not be subject to it 2. The other operation of the Law is about Death or the Judgment denounced against Sin and so 't is said the law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 as it bringeth punishment into the World and revealeth Gods wrath against the transgressions of men and raiseth the fears of it in our Consciences and 't is called the Law of Death because unavoidably it leaveth man under a Sentence of Death or in a cursed and lost estate by reason of Sin These are the two Laws 3. By one Law we are freed from the other the Apostle saith me but he personateth every Believer they are all freed by the Covenant of Grace from the bond and influence of the Covenant of Works so 't is a common Priviledg what belongeth to one belongeth to all 2. My second part is to suit the words as an Argument to confirm the former Proposition 1. They confirm the Priviledg There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ. They are free from the Law of Sin and Death he that is freed from the Law is acquitted from Condemnation it can have no power over him 2. The Description is double first from their internal estate they are in Christ Therefore they have the priviledges and advantages of his new Law of the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus Secondly their external course They walk not after the flesh but after the spirit They have a spirit and a quickning sanctifying spirit grace given them in some measure to do what the Law injoineth being under
will content and satisfie you as to your gracious state is such an high estimation of God and Christ and Grace as weaneth you and draweth off the heart from other things A dull approbation of that which is good will make no evidence nor a few good wishes nothing but such a strong bent as deadneth your affections to the World Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world 3. This will be your Wisdom There is a false Wisdom and a true Wisdom James 3.15 This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devillish Ver. 17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable c. This is the true Wisdom to be wise for the Spirit I do the rather insist upon this because there is a Notion of Wisdom in the Word of the Text. Carnal men judg their own way wisest and the way of the godly to be meer folly 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he receive them because they are spiritually discerned The godly imploy themselves to get things spiritual and such as God's Honour is mainly concerned in and are not attended with an Income of worldly advantage but rather of loss and detriment But yet the end shall prove that they that thought themselves the only wise men and gainers have been meer fools and the greatest losers those others whom they looked upon as mad men are the wisest adventurers and the greatest gainers The issue will shew it Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Rom. 8.6 To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace 4. The Flesh is really our enemy yea our greatest enemy Therefore we should not indulge the Flesh but give up our selves to be ruled by the Spirit 1 Pet. 2.10 11. Take heed of fleshly lusts which war against the spirit That it is one of our enemies is clear by that Eph. 2.2 3. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now ruleth in the children of disobedience among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the chiâ—dren of wrath even as others There is the course of this World and the Prince of the power of the Air and our own Flesh. Corrupt Nature within us would make us vile enough without external incitements and suggestions tho there were never a Devil to tempt or evil Example to follow If the Devil should stand by and say nothing there is enough within us to put us upon all manner of evil tho there were no other irritation than God's Law Rom. 7.9 When the commandment came sin revived and I died Other enemies could do us no harm without our own Flesh. We are tempted to sin by Satan encouraged to sin by the example and custom of others inticed to sin by the baits and allurements of the World but inclined to sin by our own Flesh It is the Flesh that holdeth correspondence with Satan the Flesh that openeth the door to Temptations the Flesh that maketh our abode in the World so dangerous the Flesh that choaketh the good Seed that hindereth all our heavenly thoughts and maketh the Service of God so burdensome The Flesh is within us and maketh a part of our selves There is more imminent danger from a Plague in the body than from an enemy that waiteth in the streets to kill us If we would but keep our selves from our selves we should do well enough It is the Flesh that lulleth us asleep in carnal security that tainteth all our Actions and is so ready to betray us The Devil dealeth with us as Baalam by the Israelites all his Curses and Charms prevailed nothing till he found a means to destroy them by themselves to corrupt them by Whoredom and by Whoredom to draw them to Idolatry It is the Flesh that is the Domestical Enemy that dwelleth with us and in us and so maketh us a ready prey to Satan We carry it about with us wherever we go and so it is ready to do us mischief upon all occasions When we are about holy Duties it distracteth us with vain thoughts and taketh off our edg and makes us drowzy and dead-hearted and weary of God's Service When we are about our Gallings it is the Flesh that maketh us lazy and negligent and diverteth us by the proposals of sensual Objects or else to be so earnest in them that we have no time nor heart for God and Soul-Necessities When we are eating and drinking it is the Flesh that turneth our Table into a Snare and tempts us to glut our selves with carnal delights and to oppress our bodies when we should refresh them and strengthen them for God's Service In our Recreations it is the Flesh that maketh us inordinate in them and to forget our great Work and last End and so we are the more intangled in sin when we should be more fit to glorifie God It is the Flesh that being beaten out at one Door entreth by another and still assaults us afresh to our great spiritual prejudice And will you study how to please the Flesh that is so great an Enemy to your Souls That Flesh that resists all the motions of God's Spirit that cloggeth you in every Duty and draweth you off from the pursuit of everlasting Happiness 5. Consider how ill Christ will take it and what just cause you give him to withdraw when you prize the things of the Flesh before him and the comforts of the Spirit Must not the Lord Jesus take it exceeding unkindly that after all his love and the discoveries of his grace you should study to please his Competitor and your own Enemy Is his Grace and Glory worth no more than so and hath he deserved no better at your hands God spared not his own Son but gave him up to the death for us Rom. 8.32 Christ pleased not himself Rom. 15.3 There is nothing so answerable as some self-denial on our part The most genuine and natural influence from this Grace is That we should spare nothing please not our selves Titus 2.11 The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Teaching us c. How By way of Precept no by way of Argument It perswadeth us to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts. 6. Consider the more you indulge the Flesh the more it is an enemy and the more is your slavery and bondage increased and still you grow the more brutish forgetful of God and unapt for
spiritual favours especially as apprehended under the quality of a felicity or natural good and as separated from the means Numb 23.10 O that I might die the death of the righteous and my last end might be like theirs They may long for the death of the Righteous tho loath to live their life but these desires are neither truly spiritual nor serious nor constant nor laborious so that if we consider what man is in his natural estate blind in his mind perverse in his will rebellious in his affections this work can only be wrought but by the Spirit of God Will a nature that is wholly carnal ever resist and overcome the flesh But so we are by nature John 3.6 Can flesh destroy its self Can a man of himself be brought to abhor what he dearly loveth And he that drinketh in iniquity like water be brought to loathe sin and expel and drive it from him On the other side will he be brought to love what he abhorreth There is enmity to the Law of God in a carnal heart till grace remove it Rom. 8.7 Can we that are worldly and wholly governed by sense look for all our happiness in an unseen world till we receive another Spirit The Scripture will tell you no 1 Cor. 2.12 14. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned and 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off What man of his own accord will deny present things and lay up his hopes in Heaven Can a stony heart of its self become tender or a dead heart quicken its self or a filthy heart cleanse its self bring a clean thing out of an unclean it cannot be 2. The honour of our Redeemer requireth that our whole and intire recovery to God should be ascribed to him Not part only as our freedom from guilt while the power of sin is subdued and broken by our selves Renewing Grace is his gift as well as reconciling Grace and we can no more convert our selves to God than we can reconcile our selves to him both go together and both are obtained by the same merit and both are received from the same hand Act. 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins and 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God As by the vertue of his blood and sufferings he reconciled us to God so by the Almighty Power of his Grace he doth cure and heal our natures and imprint Gods Image upon our souls The work of Redemption would have ceased for ever if Christ had not paid our ransom for us Psal. 49.8 So the work of Renovation Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Surely Christ hath purchased this grace and purchased it into his own hands not into anothers and sendeth forth his conquering and prevailing spirit to bring back the souls of men to God this work must not be disparaged nor looked upon as a low natural common thing for this is to lessen the benefit of the new Creation which is so much magnified in Scripture 2. The necessity of our Co-operation if we by the spirit 1. We may 2. We must 1. We may God hath given us gifts which are not in vain the new nature or principle of Grace infused into us all which tend to weaken and mortifie sin Acts 15.9 Purifying their hearts by faith Hope 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure Love which looketh backward or forward teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. So that we may or caâ— if we be not wanting to our selves do something to the crucifying of the flesh certainly after Regeneration we are or may be active otherwise there would be no difference between the renewed and the carnal and some of Gods best gifts would be in vain you are to improve the death of Christ to imbitter sin to you by his sufferings to improve the Grace received pray for the supply of the spirit to retrench the provisions of the flesh to walk as in the sight of God and prepare for a better world to maintain a constant conflict with sin and watch over all your ways There are means of Grace appointed to weaken sin as the Word and Sacraments and many Providences which might be of great use to you if you did improve them 2. We must For two Reasons 1. That God may apply himself to us in our way 2. That we may apply our selves to God and meet him in his way 1. That God may apply himself to us in our way God being our Creator doth preserve the liberty of his workmanship he applieth himself to every creature according to the nature of it so as to improve it not destroy it he offereth no violence to our natural faculties but super-addeth grace draweth that we may run Cant. 1.4 Not hoised up as dead things by Pulleys and Engines the will is not compelled but overcome by the sweet efficacy of Grace being acted by God we act under God that is by our own voluntary motion and in a way of operation proper to us I say God influenceth all things according to their natural inclination he inlightneth by and with the Sun burneth by and with the fire reasoneth with man acts necessarily with necessary causes and freely with free causes draweth us with the cords of a man Hos. 11.4 Now we pervert this order if we lie upon the bed of ease and cry Christ must do all Christ that doth all for you doth all in you and by you he propoundeth reasons which we must consider and so betake our selves to a godly course he sheweth us our lost estate the possibility of Salvation by Christ sweetly inviting us to accept of Grace that he may pardon our sins sanctifie our natures and lead us in the way of holiness to eternal life 2. That we may meet with God in his way He hath appointed certain duties to convey and apply this Grace we are to lie at the Pool till the waters be stirred to continue our attendance upon God with all diligence and seriousness till he giveth grace Mar. 4.24 And he said unto them Take heed what you hear with what measure ye meet it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given God will have Believers bestir and put forth themselves and he will help them in and by their own endeavours We must not idlely
benefits are offered to invite us to walk in the way of life Now here is faith believing hope expecting and resolution to take Gods way even to deny our selves sacrifice our interests and heartily to exercise our selves unto godliness and partly because much of the life of Christianity lyeth much in this conditional hope and certainty it being absolutely necessary to all acts of grace and partly that we may have much comfort by it for we are making out our claim I do not doubt or considerably doubt of the reward of godliness ex parte Dei no I know they are sure and stedfast by the promise but my own qualification is not so sensible and clear that I can positively determine my own right but I have support and comfort in this way 1 Cor. 9.26 run not as one uncertain for I have reward in my eye 4. There is actual certainty of our interest as being qualified which admits of a latitude for it may be full or not full firm or not firm Heb. 6.14 and we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end it may be interrupted or continued the full hope removeth all doubts and fears that which is not full hath some doubts accompanying it but the certainty prevaileth and is more than the doubting This is comfortable To sail to heaven with full sails rather than make an hard shift to get thither by many doubts and fears and 't is a blessed thing when we can say 2 Cor. 5.1 for we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness In short The more we address our selves to our duty the more we put our selves in the way to receive the promise SERMON XXXII ROM VIII 24 For we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for 2. WE must distinguish of hope There are several kinds of hope 1. There is an hope in the creature and an hope in God all things besides God are false confidences Carnal men hope for that in the creature which is only to be found in God dream of an uninterrupted tenor of worldly felicity in present injoyments therefore their hopes are compared to a spiders web which is gone with the turn of a besom Job 8.13 14. they lay their designs in their minds as curiously as the spiders web is woven but the besom of providence cometh and spider and web are both swept away and trodden under foot By the prophet Isaiah it is compared to a dream Isa. 29.8 As when an hungery man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty or as a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint and his soul hath appetite A false hope is but a waking dream which faileth in extremity and giveth but an imaginary refreshment and satisfaction This may befal Gods Children who fall asleep in the midst of worldly prosperity Psal. 30.6 In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved 'T is hard to keep from sleep when we lean out heads upon a soft carnal pillow and in our sleep we have many fantasies and dreams this is hope in the creature But then there is an hope in God whose immutable mercy and truth maketh him a fit object for hope Psal. 130.7 Let Israel hope in the Lord so Psal. 42.5 Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him He hath the sovereign command of all things and in vain do we look for good apart from him if the creature say yea and God no all the promises of the creature prove but a lie hope in God is that which we press as our respect to him as God for faith hope and love are duties of the first commandment negatives include their positives If no other Gods before him then we own the true God for our God The positive duties of the first commandment are cultus naturalis non institutus such as are our duty to God as God tho he give no direction about them if God be our God then hope in him Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him That is expect all my happiness from him 2. Hope in God is two-fold either irrational and groundless or a rational hope that is built upon solid grounds 1. There is a vain and groundless hope which is irrational such as is in carnal and careless sinners who say they hope well but their hope will one day leave them ashamed Rom. 5.5 For it is not an hope built on the word of God tho they live in their sins yet they hope they shall do well enough tho they be not so strict and nice as others are like condemned men in bolts and irons that dream of Crowns and Septers when they are near unto and ready for their execution so they hope for Heaven with as much confidence as the holiest of them all tho God hath told them Heb. 12.14 That without holiness no man shall see the Lord. This hope is but a vain dream and an awakening time will come this hope is not only without faith but against faith This hope is nothing else but a confidence that God will prove a lyar so that 't is a bâ—â—â—phemy rather than an act of worship a believing Satan rather than God or hoping 〈◊〉 God who hath declared the flat contrary in his word 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortiners shall inherit the kingdom of heaven 2. There is a rational hope which is bâ—â—â—t upon solid grounds probabilities or certainties 1. There is a rational probable hope For hope is sometimes taken for a probable expectation 1 Cor. 13.7 Hopeth all things It meaneth there not a Divine but a charitable prudential hope we hope well oâ— others whose hearts we know not as long as nothing appeareth to the contrary charity goeth upon probabilities therefore hopeth all things 2 Cor. 1.7 Our hope of 〈◊〉 is stedfast as you have been partakers of the sufferings of the gospel so shall ye be also of the consolation So towards God 1 Cor. 9.10 He that plougheth plougheth in hope a man hath no promise of a good Crop but the ordinary providence of God giveth him a probable hope of success In temporal things when we know not what the event will be such a kind of hope we have there is no express promise but such is the Lordâ— Power and Goodness commonly exercised in his provincial government that we have no reason to despair
all our Conversations we should get it rooted and setled in our hearts that we may not be tossed up and down with the various Occurrences of this Life God is our happiness and not the Creature 3. This filleth us with courage and magnanimity in the most desperate cases Dan. â— 17 18. O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace but if not we will not serve thy god nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up This is true fortitude to look to God alone he will deliver from Death or by Death He can save us from trouble or if not he will hastenour glory Yet we must resolve to stick close to him however he determine the event 4. This maketh us live quietly from cares and fears when we can commit and submit all to God Phil. 4.6 7. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. 'T is a blessed frame questionless to be careful for nothing This is to be had by ceasing from Man and trusting in the Lord who hath the government and disposal of all things Directions 1. Let the Will of God be your sure Rule For God must institute that Religion which you expect he should accept and reward None trust in the Lord but those that keep his way Psal. 37.34 Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land 2. Let the Favour of God be your Happiness Be quieted in his acceptance whether man be pleased or displeased 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Let God be enough to you without and against Man SERMON XLII ROM VIII 32 He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things THE Apostle had been speaking of God's eternal Decree which is his hidden Love now he speaketh of Redemption by Christ which is his open and declared Love In Predestination his love was conceived in his own heart in Redemption 't is manifested in the effects and commended to us That was the rise this the visible demonstration In the former Verse the Apostle reasoned a causa here is argumentum a signo Once more The former question is a comfort against that trouble which may arise ex presentia mali this against our trouble which may arise ex absentia boni The Covenant-Notions by which God is expressed are Two suitable to the Two sorts of blessings we have by him positive and privative that he is a Sun and a Shield Psal. 84.11 and Gen. 15.1 Fear not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Do you fear evil God is our Shield and if God be with us who can be against us that is so as to procure our utter and eternal ruin Do you want good God is our Sun and our exceeding great Reward There is blessing enough to be had in God The Argument of the Text sheweth it He that spared not his own son c. In the Words we have two things God's former and after Bounty 1. A Foundation or 2. An Inference 1. The Foundation and ground-work of the Argument is propounded 1. Negatively He spared not his own son 2. Positively But delivered him up for us all 2. The Inference is considerable both for the Matter and the Form In the Matter take notice of a gift resulting from the Death of Christ where 1. the extent of the gift or donation all things 2. The Freeness of the gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely 3. The Method and Order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him 2. The Form 'T is an appeal to our Reason and Conscience how shall hr not As if it were said Can an any man be so absurd and illogical so little skilled in the art of reasoning How is it possible to imagine that he that gave us Christ will deny us any thing that is good for us Doct. That in the Death of Christ God hath laid a broad foundation for a large superstructure of grace to be freely dispensed to all those that have an interest in him Let me here shew you 1. How the Death of Christ is here expressed 2. What a superstructure of grace is built thereupon 3. The strength and force of the Inference 4. Who have interest in Christ and may more expresly take comfort in it and reason thus within themselves 1. How the Death of Christ is here expressed as to God's act about it 1. Negatively He spared not his own son where we have the Act and the Object of it God's Act is intimated in that expression he spared not There is a Two-fold not sparing either in a way of impartial Justice or in a way of free and eminent Bounty 1. In a way of impartial Justice So 't is said 2 Pet. 2.4 5. God spared not the angels that sinned And again He spared not the old world that is would use no clemency but gave them their deserved punishment So many would interpret this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He spared not Christ but stirred up all his wrath against him when he took upon him to satisfie for our sins When he took upon him to satisfie for our sins Divine Justice would not abate him one farthing Zech. 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered 2. In a way of eminent and free bounty So we are said to be sparing of those things which are most dear and precious to us but upon great occasions we part wiâ—h them In this sense when the Elect had need of Christ God did not spare him but came off freely with him John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son parted with him out of his bosom gave him to die for our sakes 2. The Object his own Son that is not an adopted Son but only begotten What dearer to Parents than their children Parents will part with their All to redeem their children especially if they have but one and that dearly beloved but God's love to Christ is not to be measured by an ordinary standard all is infinite between the Father and him Therefore this heightneth his grace to us that he spared not his own Son Let us consider what might have moved God to spare his Son 1. The incomparable worth and excellency of his Person Things which are rare and excellent use to be spared unless upon great necessity Now the Lord Jesus was so the Son of God that he was co-equal with him in divine honour and glory Thus did the Jews understand him
will never be day The possibility removeth prejudices aggravateth their evil choice Jonah 2.8 They that observe lying Vanities forsake their own mercies they are called their own because they might have been theirs By following vain Courses they deprive themselves of happiness which might have been theirs 'T is their own by offer God did not seclude and put them away but they did seclude and put away themselves Judge themselves unworthy of Eternal Life Acts 13.46 And 't is an incouragement when their Consciences are touched with any remorse Salvation is yet possible When there is but a slender possibility yet use the means Acts 8.22 Repent and pray c. If perhaps or if it be possible 2. To others there is a probability or a probable hope of Eternal Life This is more than possible as when men begin to be serious or in some measure to mind the things of God but are Conscious to some notorious defect in their duty or have not such a soundness of Heart as may warrant their claim to Everlasting Blessedness almost a Christian not far from the Kingdom of God As those that have the Grace of the Second or Third ground they receive the Word with joy but know not what tryals may do they have good sentiments of Religion but they are choaked or obstructed by voluptuous living or the cares of this world Now some such things may befall weak believers they dare not quit their hopes of Heaven for all the world though not actually to claim it or say it is theirs Now probabilities must incourage us till we get a greater certainty for we must not despise the day of small things This state must not be despised Christ will not despise smoaking flax 3dly A Conditional certainty which is more than probable or possible That is when we set our selves in good earnest to perform the Conditions required in the promises of the Gospel And upon the hopes offered to us deny our selves Sacrifice our Interests heartily exercise our selves to Godliness Such a certainty is described Rom. 2.7 Rev. 2.10 I am sure to find Salvation and Eternal Life if I continue in this way and by the grace of God I am resolved to continue Much of the Life of Christianity lyeth in this kind of certainty I do not doubt of the rewards of Godliness ex parte Dei No I know that the rewards of Godliness are sure and stedfast by his promise To doubt of that would detract from the Truth Goodness and Power of God But ex parte nostri my own qualification is not so positive and clear that I can determine my own right but I have support and some comfort in this way This Conditional hope and certainty is absolutely necessary to all acts of grace 4thly There is an actual certainty or an assured sense of our qualification and so of our Interest which admits of a latitude it may be not only full or not full firm or not firm but interrupted or continued The full hope removeth all doubts and fears and that which is not full hath some doubts accompanying it but the certainty prevaileth and is more than the doubtings We should Sail to Heaven with full Sails and get as much sense of the love of God and hope of eternal life as possibly we can an abundant entrance We should clear up our Right and Title and be able to say We know And I am persuaded Rom. 8.38 We should come and take possession of the Blessings of the Covenant and say all this is mine by the promise of the faithful God We use to say I know where I am but I know not where I shall be A Believer who hath assured his estate before God knoweth where he shall be as truly as he knoweth where he is He knoweth by Faith that he shall live with God for ever and what he will do for him to all Eternity in the performance of his Holy Covenant 3dly What reasons there are why we should attend upon this Work 1. Because 't is for our greater comfort not only to be safe but to know that we are safe Some have Salvation belonging to them but they know it not As the Child liveth before he knoweth that he liveth As Jacob said of Bethel Gen. 28.16 God was in this place and I knew it not So it may be said of many Christians Christ is in them and they know it not are not aware of it Oh how happy they if they knew their own happiness What delight would the hope of glory raise in their hearts How full of tears and despairs was Hagar when yet there was a Well nigh her Gen. 21.16 How pensive were the two Disciples going to Emmaus when yet Christ walked with them but they knew him not Luke 24.15 16 17. How bitterly did Mary weep at the Sepulchre when yet Jesus stood by her John 20.14 15. So many poor disconsolate Christians apprehend that Christ is at a distance when as yet they will not or cannot see him Therefore though our condition should be safe 't is not so comfortable till we get assurance 2. This certain confidence of our actual right and future possession cannot be had without diligence Such a Jewel will never drop into the mouth of the lazy negligent Soul 2 Pet. 1.10 2 Pet. 3.14 Heb. 6.11 If we would have not a groundless but a rational hope not a rash and probable but a firm and certain hope not a certain only but a full hope and this to continue without interruption We must buckle to it serve God in good earnest It will never be gotten and kept with sloath it may be gotten and kept with diligence As you neglect your duty so far the sense and comfortable assurance of your qualification may abate Gods best Children are sometimes remiss whereupon follow clouds and desertions to their great discomfort God in wisdom withdraweth comfort to quicken them to their Duty Well then 't will not come with a cold wish or a slight prayer or an hasty sigh or a faint and lazy pursuit Grace needeth to be much exercised than shall bring peace Exercised in Duties John 14.21 23. Exercised in Afflictions Those lazy pretenders that never made a business of it and yet hope to go to Heaven as well as the strictest they do but deceive themselves with an hope that will at length leave them ashamed Foolish presumption costs a man nothing like a Mushroom that groweth up in a night or as Jonahs Gourd Behold thou didst not labour for it The less men exercise themselves unto Godliness the more confident for exercise would discover their unsoundness A peace that groweth upon us we know not how and is better kept by negligence than diligence is not right 3. We should attend upon this work with all diligence because though we get it not we shall not labour in vain the very endeavour will keep us awful and serious and it may be we shall get Heaven whilst we are
Reason why we are not taken to Heaven sooner is not because Heaven is not ready for us but because we are not ready for it As in the Tenders of the Gospel all things are ready but we are not ready Mat. 22. So as to heavenly Glory and Happiness Heaven was ready long ago 't was designed by the Father to the Heirs of Promise purchased by Christ and possessed by him in our names Heaven is prepared but we are not prepared we are not brought to our full stature in grace to which we are appointed by Christ in this life Eph. 4.13 We are not come to our perfect growth or that measure of perfection which we are capable of if we long to be with God let us sooner get ready if riper sooner we should be sooner gathered to the company of the Blessed like a shock of Corn in its season Job 5.26 Most of us are but as green Corn not fit to be reaped not so much in respect of Age as the measure of Spiritual growth some ripen speedily whom God meaneth to take sooner to himself others after their long profession keep to their childish ignorance and infirmities and make little progress towards perfection 2. Doct. That God giveth his people the earnest of the Spirit that they may look and long for Heavenly Glory with greater affection Here I shall shew 1. What is given by way of earnest 2. The nature of an earnest 3. The use and end of an earnest 1. What is given by way of earnest The Spirit the Holy-Spirit doth not only bestow his gifts and graces upon believers but cometh himself and dwelleth in them not personally united to them as the Divine Nature is with the Humane in Christ nor in regard of his essential presence for so he is every where Jer. 23.24 Nor in regard of his general providential influence Acts 17.28 But his special residence as in his own Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 By saving and gracious operations whereby he worketh in them the habits of all saving graces at first Conversion Ezek. 36.26 27. and doth by his immediate and strong and special influence preserve those graces in Life Eph. 3.16 And ordinarily make them grow and increase Hosea 14.5 I will be as the due unto Israel he shall grow as the Lily and cast forth his root as Lebanon and doth quicken and excite them to action 2. The nature of an earnest 1. An earnest supposeth a bargain and contract When parties are agreed then they give earnest to stand to the bargain The right that we have to Eternal Life cometh to Believers in a way of Covenant and Paction they resign themselves to God by Faith and God bindeth himself to give them forgiveness of sins an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith Isa. 55.3 Incline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David Upon our hearty consenting God ingageth himself to give us the Mercy of the Spiritual David or the Messiah All that Life and Blessedness which he hath brought to light in the Gospel 2. Earnest is given when there is some delay of the thing bargained for and we do not enter upon possession of it presently assoon as we enter into Covenant with God we have a right but our Blessedness is deferred not for want of love in God but for wise reasons he doth not give us possession upon right but delayeth for a season partly that in the mean time we may exercise our Faith and Love our Faith in looking Phil. 3.21 From whence we look for a Saviour Our Love in longing Rom. 8.23 But our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies Gods Children are always groaning and waiting for a better estate than the world can yield to them the first fruits or the tast is sweet and precious and therefore they long for a more full enjoyment These tasts are but scanty these given in the midst of Sorrows and Temptations Partly that the Heirs of Salvation may Glorifie him here upon Earth God hath a Ministry and service for them to do in this part of the world they are to honour him with their graces that they may be a means of Conversion to some and conviction to others Conversion Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And 1 Pet. 2.12 They may by your good works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation And of Conviction and just Condemnation to others Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by which he condemned the world When they see others serious Heavenly Mortified about them and they will not deny themselves 3. An earnest is part of the whole bargain though but a little part usually the centesima pars was given by way of earnest So the saving gifts and graces and comforts of the Spirit are a small beginning or a part of that Glory which shall then be revealed Grace is begun Glory and they differ as an infant and a man A carnal man and a renewed man differ more than a renewed man and a glorified man the one in kind the other in degree the one as a man and an Ape the other as an Infant and a man Saving knowledge is a degree of the vision of God John 17.3 And this is Life Eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And 1 Cor. 13.12 Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known We are transformed both by the one and the other Compare 2 Cor. 3.18 with 1 John 3.2 Regeneration is an immortal seed a beginning of Eternal Life He that is born again hath Eternal Life abiding in him Holiness and Purity is a pledge of that sinless estate and exact conformity and likeness to God which afterwards we injoy Eph. 5.26 27. 1 John 3.2 3. So comfort a beginning of those Eternal joys we shall have in Gods presence 2 Thes. 2.16 He hath given us Everlasting Consolation and good hope thorough grace The Redemption of Believers is already begun and their bonds loosed in part Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Which is a pledge of that compleat Redemption which is to come Rom. 8.23 But our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies Eph 1.14 Which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy-Spirit whereby ye are sealed
2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Christs benefits are Gods Favour and Image To have low thoughts of these is to have low thoughts of the Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation received by Tradition from your Fathers but with the Precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot And Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace 4thly All that abuse his grace and turn it to wantonness Jude v. 4th For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into Lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Those that grow less humble less holy less careful upon the account of grace 5thly All that break his Commandments John 15.10 If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love Others are reckoned for Enemies Col. 1.21 Enemies in your mind by wicked works And Psa. 68.21 God shall wound the Head of his Enemies and the Hairy Scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his Trespasses 6thly Those that question the truth of his promises 2 Pet. 3.3 4. verses Knowing this First that there shall come in the last days Scoffers walking after their own lusts And saying where is the promise of his coming And they shall know the truth of them to their bitter cost That Christ will come and come as Judge 7thly Those that have perverted his Ordinances Matth. 24.48 49 50 51. verses But and if that evil Servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to smile his fellow Servants and to eat and drink with the drunken The Lord of that Servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of And shall cut him asuâ—der and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth He that maligneth envyeth traduceth and injureth to his power his most painful faithful Followers and Servants That strengthneth the hands of the wicked and incourageth them against the most serious whom he seeketh to oppress shall be most severely punished Secondly What is it that is so terrible 1. He is such a Judge as the Power of the most powerful cannot daunt But they shall be all daunted by him Rev. 6.15 16. The Kings of the Earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every Bond man and every Freeman bid themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains and said to the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand 2ndly Such a Judge as the wealth of the wealthiest cannot bribe What compensation can they bring Christ for the breach of his Laws Matth. 16.26 What shall a man give in exchange for his Soul 3. He is such a Judge as the wit and subtility of the wisest and most subtle cannot delude 1 Cor. 4.5 Judge nothing before the time until the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the heart c. And Jude verse 15. To execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him And Psa. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self But I will reprove thee and set them in Order before thine Eyes 4thly Such a Judge that there is no appealing from his sentence or hope of repealing of it His doom shall stand for ever In the World there is liberty of appeal from one Court to another where there may be a violent perverting of Judgment As Eccl. 5.8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province marvel not at the matter For he that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they But this sentence is definitive 5thly He is a Judge whose wrath is very terrible Psal. 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Well then the wicked that oppose his Kingdom and all that stand by as unconcerned and do not enter into his Covenant They shall be judged by him in whom they have not believed By him whom they have flighted by him whose grace and mercy they have despised By him of whom they have said in their hearts we will not have this man to reign over us 2dly Here is comfort to the Godly Here I shall shew 1. Who may take comfort Or to whom this comfort belongeth 2dly What comfort there is First Who Believers That believe his doctrine John 11.25 He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall be live That receive his Person Joh. 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God Even to them that believe on his name That enter into Covenant with him and so become members of his Mystical Body Who feeling their misery under sin and Satan and the wrath of God and do believe that Christ hath done and suffered for Man's Restauration and Salvation Thankfully accept him as their only Saviour and Lord on the terms offered in the Gospel and to those ends even to justify sanctify and bring them to everlasting Glory These are owned and accepted by him 2dly As by their Faith so by their Love Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity And 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha They love him above their lives He is the desire and delight of their Souls Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee They have longed for this day 2 Tim. 4.8 They love his appearing The thoughts of it was their solace in their afflictions 3dly Those that war against his Enemies The Devil the World and the Flesh Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am sat down with my Father in his Throne 4thly Those that obey his Laws and imitate his example 1 Joh. 2.28 And
is different Others walk according to the course of this World or their own lusts Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds Thirdly A new design and end Are taken off from carnal and earthly things to Spiritual and Heavenly things to seek after God and their own Salvation the renewed being called to the Hope of Eternal Life look after God and Heaven to serve please and Glorify God SERMON XXXIII 2 Cor. 5.18 And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation IN this verse the Doctrine of the new creature is further prosecuted with respect to the Apostles scope which is to assert his fidelity in the Ministry For here are three things laid down 1. The efficient cause of all is God 2. The meritorious cause is Jesus Christ. 3. The instrumental cause is the Word 1. The original Author of all Gospel grace And all things are of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these things He doth not speak of universal creation but of the peculiar grace of Regeneration 'T is God that maketh all things new in the Church and formeth his people after his own Image 2. The meritorious cause how cometh God to be so kind to us We were his enemies The Apostle telleth us here as elsewhere he hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ Rom. 5.10 When we were enemies we were reconciled by the death of his Son So that we have the new creature by vertue of our reconciliation with God as pacified in Christ towards the Elect when our case was desperate there was no other way to recover us 3. The Instrumental cause or means of application is the ministry of reconciliation which was given to the Apostles and other preachers of the Gospel God is the Author of Grace and Christ is the means to bring us and God together and the Ministers have an office power and commission to bring us and Christ together And so Paul had a double obligation to constancy and fidelity in his office his personal reconciliation which was common to him with other Christians and a ministerial delegation and trust to reconcile others to Christ. Two points will be discoursed in this verse 1. That God is the original Author of the new Creature and all things which belong thereunto 2. That he is the Author of the new Creature as reconciled to us by Christ. Let me insist upon the first point and prove to you that Renovation is the proper work of God and the sole effect of his Spirit That will appear 1. From the state of the person who is to be reconciled and renewed the object of this renovation is a sinner lying in a state of defection from God and under a loss of original Righteousness averse from God yea an enemy to him prone to all evil weak yea dead to all Spiritual good and how can such an one renew and convert himself to God 'T is true man hath some reason left and may have some confused notions and general apprehensions of things good evil pleasing and displeasing to God But the very apprehensions are maimed and imperfect and they often call good evil and evil good and put light for darkness and darkness for light Isa. 5.10 However to choose the one and leave the other that is not in their power They may have loose desires of Spiritual favours especially as apprehended under the quality of a natural good or as separate from the means Numbers 23.10 Oh that I may die the death of the Righteous They may long for the death of the Righteous though loth to live their life That excellency which they discover in Spiritual things is apprehended in a natural way John 6.36 And they said unto him Lord evermore give us this bread But these desires are neither truly Spiritual nor serious nor constant nor laborious So that to apprehend or seek after Spiritual things in a Spiritual manner is above their reach and power Neither if we consider what man is in his natural estate this work must needs come of God Man is blind in his mind perverse in his will rebellious in his affections what sound part is there in us left to mend the rest Will a nature that is carnal resist and overcome flesh No our Lord telleth you John 3.6 That which is born of flesh is flesh and his Apostle Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh Can a man by his own meer strength be brought to abhor what he dearly loveth And he that drinketh in iniquity like water Job 15.16 of his own accord be brought to loath sin and expel and drive it from him On the otherside will he be ever brought to love what he abhorreth Rom. 8 7. Because the carnal mind is emnity to God and is not subject to the Law neither indeed can be There is enmity in an unrenewed heart till grace remove it Can we that are worldly wholly led by sense look for all our happiness in an unseen World till we receive another Spirit The Scripture will tell you no 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit And 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things viz. saith and other graces is blind and cannot see afar off What man of his own accord will deny present things and lay up his hopes in Heaven Let that rare Phenix be once produced and then we may think of changing our opinion and lay aside the Doctrine of Supernatural grace Can a stony heart of its self become tender Ezek. 36.26 Or a dead heart quicken its self Eph. 2.5 Then there were no need of putting our selves to the pains and trouble of seeking all from above and waiting upon God with such seriousness and care 2. From the nature of this work 'T is called a new Creation in the 17th verse and Eph. 2.10 And elsewhere Now Creation is a work of omnipotency and proper to God There is a twofold Creation In the begining God made some things out of nothing and some things ex inhabili materia out of foregoing matter but such as was wholly unfit and indisposed for those things which were made of it As when God made Adam out of the dust of the ground and Eve out of the rib of man Now take the notion in the former and latter sense and you will see that God only can create If in the former sense something and nothing have an infinite distance and he only that caleth the things that are not as though they were can only raise the one out of the other he indeed can speak light out of darkness 2 Cor. 4 6. Life out of death something out of nothing 2 Pet. 1.3 By the divine power all things are given to us which are necessary to life and Godliness He challengeth this work as his own as
our Sins This had its rise from the Grace and Mercy of the Father But let us see what the Father doth in the Business of our Redemption that we may with comfort look upon Christ as a constituted authorised Mediator by the Decree and Counsel of Heaven 1. As the Supream Author it was the Father's Contrivance and Motion to Christ to regard the Case of Sinners I look and there is no Intercessor I see there is none fit to go between fallen Man and me Son you shall take their Case in Hand And therefore he is said to give Christ John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son In the purpose of his Thoughts to send Christ Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of the Time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman I shall open it in the next Verse To sanctify him John 10.36 Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the World c. to consecrate him for the great Work of Redemption as when a thing is set apart for Divine Uses and Purposes it is said to be sanctified so was Christ sanctified when he was set apart for the Work of Redemption Nay to seal him John 6.37 Him hath God the Father sealed a Metaphor taken from those who give Commissions under Hand and Seal Christ is a Mediator confirmed and allowed under the Broad Seal of Heaven So Heb. 10.5 A Body hast thou prepared for me And Vers. 7. Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God as if God had set down in a Book a Dâ—aught and Model of his Designs and then shewed it to Christ. 2. As the Supream Cause in whom Divine Power was eternally resident he assisteth Christ in the accomplishment of this Work and qualifieth him for his Office with Power and Mercy Christ in his own Person would shew us the Fountain from whence all Mercies do arise Psal. 45.7 He was anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows the Father is not only said to beget him but to anoint him His compassionate Spirit he received from the Holy Ghost Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the 〈…〉 on me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach the Gospel c. God gave him tenderness and bowels to poor broken-hearted Sinners So for Power and Strength John 5.19 The Son of Man can do nothing of himself as separate and distinct from the Eather not out of any weakness but because of the Unity of the Essence as God and on the foederal Agreement as Mediator 3. As Supream Judg he appointeth his Sufferings and the measure of the Satisfaction he was to make Acts 4.28 To do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done Whatever Men did to him it was by his Hand and Counsel We must look to an higher Court from God's Providence to God's Decree If it had been done without his knowledg and consent nothing would have been done for our Salvation Him being delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the determinate Counsel of God ye have taken Acts 2.24 a word taken from Alms to Beggars We wanted a Price for our Redemption and God gave it out of his own Treasury Rom. 4 ult He was delivered for our Offences a Metaphor taken from a Judg who delivereth up the Malefactor into the Hands of the Executioner Christ was delivered by God as our Surety one that by his Decree was to be responsible to his Justice for Man's Sin The Father was to reward him for this by raising him from the dead and to give him leave to return to his own Glory therefore he asketh leave to return to Heaven Vers. 5. And now O Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was After the Price and Ransom was paid the Father was to give Christ a Power to rise from the Dead and to go into Heaven There is Potestas and Potentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ had Power in himself and leave from the Father till the Father should declare himself to be satisfied Christ was not to be dismissed from Punishment Our Surety was not to break Prison but honourably to be brought out by the Judg for this was the Assurance God would give the World Acts 17.31 He will judg the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead It is not only an Effect of the Divine Power but an Act of Divine Justice And being raised up he is to be crowned with Glory and Honour as having abundantly done his Work for the Salvation of Creatures Heb. 2.9 We see Jesus for the suffering of Death crowned with Glory and Honour The Father's Heart was so taken with it that he honoureth Christ for this Reason And again he giveth Power and Authority to save Sinners Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins He hath raised him up to be a Prince of Salvation Here is the end of all that Christ as Mediator might be in a Capacity to bring Souls to Heaven And in this Work there is a constant co-operation of the Divine Power 1 Cor. 1.30 Of God he is made to us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption All the Emanations of Grace come originally from the Father in and through Christ to all his Members Vse 1. Comfort What would have become of us if the Father himself had not found out such a Remedy God had Power to punish Sins in our own Person he needed no Mediator To save Sinners is not proprietas divine naturae but opus liberi consilii it dependeth on God's Appointment and if Christ had been a Mediator only by the Vote of the Creature he might have been refused Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blet not of my Book These is much in the Father's Act. Now God hath given Christ a Faculty to this purpose when we go to God we may offer a Mediator authorized by himself thou hast sent thy blessed Son to be a Mediator for me 2 Epist. John 9. He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath the Father and the Son You may urge it upon your Fears and Suggestions of Satan God is not only the wronged Party but Supream Judg it is no matter what Satan saith or your own Hearts say if the Lord hath said he will accept Sinners in Christ. Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay 〈◊〉 thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died Who can condemn Satan may say I can and Conscience I can God whose Act is Sovereign doth acquit God hath so great an interest in Christ that he can deny him nothing John 14.31 That the World may
know that I love the Father He will be the Sinners Surety for his Father's sake Vse 2. Glorify God the Father it is the end of the whole dispensation of Grace Glorify him in your Expectations the Father himself loveth you Glorify him in your Enjoyments all is from the Father of Lights James 1.17 There is no Defect in Christ John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me God hath loved him not only as his own Son but our Saviour John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my Life that I might take it again SERMON XI JOHN XVII 8 For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me CHRIST in this Verse further explaineth the Argument that was urged before which was taken from their Proficiency in his School and that they had a right Sense of and Faith in the Dignity and Quality of his Person This Faith is set forth by all the Requisites of it First The Means by which it is wrought that is The Word the Doctrine given to him by his Father and by him to his Apostles For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me Secondly The Nature of Faith which consisteth in Knowledg and Acceptation They have known surely and they have believed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the two Acts of Faith Thirdly The Object of Faith the Mission of Christ and his coming out from the Father That I came out from thee and they have believed that thou hast sent me First I begin with the Means of Faith For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me The only difficulty is how the Word was given unto Christ. Some think it is meant of the divine and infinite Knowledg and Wisdom which was communicated to Christ by eternal Generation But that is very improper Quaecunque Christo dantur secundum humanitatem dantur It is meant of that giving which Christ had as Mediator as the Ambassador hath his Instructions according to which he is to act Now saith Christ I have taught them according to the Instructions which I received as Mediator These are said to be given to be infused and revealed to his Human Soul 1. Observe The Word is the proper means to work Faith We see here the Apostles had no other means of Salvation than Christ's Word when Christ giveth an account of their Faith he doth not mention his Miracles but his Doctrine Again he doth not speak only of the internal manifestation of the Spirit I have manifested thy Name but also of the outward Revelation I have given to them the Words which thou gavest me We have a general Saying Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God This is the usual Method and way of Grace's working God will insinuate the Efficacy of his Spirit by outward Counsel and Instruction and by the Ear transmit his Grace to the Heart that he might work fortiter suaviter Vse 1. It reproveth the Folly of two sorts of Men there are some that think the Word cannot work unless it be accompanied with Miracles and others that think the Spirit will work without the Word 1. Those that think the Word will not work without Miracles and therefore expect a reviving of Miracles to authorize that Ministry which they mean to receive Vain Thoughts In the Primitive Times when Miracles were in force we read of some converted by the Word without Miracles but of none converted by Miracles without the Word Acts 11.20 21. Some of Cyprus and Cirene when they were come to Antioch spake unto the Grecians preaching the Lord Jesus And the Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord They wrought no Signs only preached the Lord Jesus There is not one Instance in the whole Word of any one converted by a single Miracle It is natural to us to idolize visible Helps and Confirmations Those mentioned Acts 11. were not Apostles but private Brethren who in that extraordinary Time used their Gifts and were successful 2. Those that expect the Illapses of the Spirit without waiting upon the Word It is true God can work immediatly but the Question is about his Will God is not tied to means but we are bound and tied God may use his Liberty but this doth not dissolve our Duty and Obligation we are to lie at the Pool if we expect the stirring of the Waters There is a great deal of difference between the want of Means and the contempt of them I should always suspect that Grace that is wrought in us in the neglect of the Means The regular way of Faith is by the Word it hath pleased God to consecrate it God could have converted the Eunuch without Philip but we are to submit to his Will Paul that received his Consternation miraculously had his Confirmation from Ananias Christ had preached him into Terror from Heaven but he sendeth him to Ananias for Comfort Vse 2. It stirreth us up to attend upon the Word It is God's Instrument Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth the meaning is it is a powerful Instrument to work Faith As the first Sermon that ever was preached after the pouring out of the Spirit converted three thousand Souls An Angel could slay an hundred and eighty five thousand Men in a Night by his own natural Strength but it is easier to kill so many Men than to convert one Soul All the Angels in Heaven if they should join all their Forces together they could not convert one Soul to God but yet this Power will God discover in the Ministry and cooperation of weak Men. Those that do not delight to hear the Word have no mind to see the Miracles of Grace The Power is of God yet it is wonderfully joined with the Word it is not inclosed in it but sent out together with it when God pleaseth It is God's Ordinance and under the Blessing of an Institution 2. Observe again The Certainty of Christian Doctrine The Word delivered to the Apostles was received from the Father by Christ. It was no Invention of his own but brought out of the Bosom of the Father John 7.16 My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me So John 14.10 The words that I speak I speak not of my self that is not as Mediator It was prophesied of Christ who was the great Prophet of the Church Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto thee and will put my Words in his Mouth and he