Person of the Godhead to work it out Next to the Gift of Christ we have the Gift of the Spirit O it should be a shame that when we have such a keen Sword to cut the Throat of our Lusts that we act so faintly use it so feebly and are no more valiant And then what pure and excellent Precepts have we in the Christian Religion reaching not only to the Act but the very Aim to the Intents and Thoughts and secret workings of the Heart Psal. 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul And not only to the Sin but to the Lust Thy Commandment is exceeding broad Psal. 119.96 Then we have glorious Hopes The Scriptures that are a perfect Rule in all other Cases yet herein they profess their Imperfection 1 Cor. 13.9 We prophesy but in part Words not fit and great enough to tell us of our Hopes 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the highest strain and reach of Fancy In all other things the Garment of Fancy is too great for the Body wherewith it is to be clothed Fancy never takes a right measure of things but the highest Suppositions are too short to express the Greatness of those Hopes that are provided for you And then for the dreadful Punishments we are told of a Worm that never dies of a Fire that shall never be quenched of a Pit without a Bottom of Torments that are without End and without Ease Ours Hearts are filled with Horror when we do but think of these things and shall we not burn now with Zeal for God when we are in danger of burning in Hell-fire for ever hereafter If now we are cold and slow in good Works it were the most incongruous thing in the World where there is such a high Elevation of Duty and Comfort The whole Scriptures are formed to elevate these things to the highest pitch that we may not be backward and slow in the Christian Religion All things are sublime and therefore call for something more than ordinary 8. Consider the great danger of Coldness both to our selves and others To our selves where there is no Zeal there will be Decay Prov. 18.9 He also that is slothful in Work is Brother to him that is a great Waster Not to go forward is to go backward Standing Pools corrupt as a Man that rows against the Tide and Stream if he doth not ply the Oar he will lose ground and be carried away apace So if we be not zealous we cannot stand and keep our ground there will be a Decay Bernard observes to this purpose that all the Angels in Iacob's Ladder were either ascending or descending there is no stay but either going up or going down When they lose their first Love their Zeal is gone Rev. 2.4 5. Thou hast left thy first Love Remember therefore whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first Works What is the reason Men grow weary of Truth weary of Holiness weary of Prayer Ordinances they do not keep up a constant Diligence First they lost their Zeal they became indifferent cold and careless then off goes the Service of God first their Love and then their Works So consider the danger of it to others Men grow formal by Imitation When Christians high in Profession grow formal cold and careless this makes their Neighbours so There is nothing hardens more than a cold Professor it makes Men sit upon their Lees. Mortified and strict Christians upbraid others by their Example A Man cannot come into the Company of a mortified strict Christian but his Heart will upbraid and shame him And therefore if in this general Decay we have learned Deadness and Formality one of another let us strive now who shall be most forward in the Ways of Grace Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke to Love and good Works You shall see in the Times when Idolatry was like to go down Isa. 41.6 7. They helped every one his Neighbour and every one said to his Brother Be of good Courage So the Carpenter encouraged the Goldsmith and he that smootheth with the Hammer him that smote the Anvil c. They were strengthning one another to plead for their Shrines and to get up their Pictures and Idols again that their Trade might not go down Thus Idolaters hold in a String O what a Religious Correspondency should there be in the Children of God When the Power of Godliness is like to decay and go down how should we strengthen and encourage one another and provoke one another by holy Example to be more zealous that we may not contract the Guilt of their Deadness and Formality 9. Consider There is no danger in Zeal we cannot do too much in solid Piety The least is more than enough in Sin because every thing is too much there but in Grace there is never enough In External Worship indeed there may be too much as in Pomp and Ceremonies when Men will be decking God's Ordinances with Gawdery it is not proportionable to the End of Worship therefore there may be too much And in particular Exercises there may be too much it is good to keep a decorum in Praying and Hearing But now in the Love of God and Zeal for God and the Service of God and solid Piety there can be no excess you cannot be too Heavenly or too Holy There is a great deal of Danger of doing too little Many come short of the Glory of God Rom. 3.23 O Christians you cannot be too busy for saving your Souls nor too earnest 2 Pet. 1.11 we are pressed to labour after an abundant Entrance There are some that are afar off that do not enter at all that neither strive nor seek to enter that are as Swine filthy abominable unprofitable good for nothing but to ruin themselves as prophane Persons and Heathens And some are very nigh to the Kingdom of God as the moral Man upon the Brink and Border and as he that was almost perswaded to be a Christian Acts 26.28 Others again make a hard shift to get to Heaven they are scarcely saved or saved as by Fire But others are carried on with full Sails their Hearts are enlarged to God This is our Duty to labour to get this abundant Entrance Some seek to enter and are not able they go far and yet perish Luke 13.24 Many shall seek to enter but shall not be able 10. Consider If your Hearts be dead and cold you lose the comfort of all your Christian Priviledges A dead Christian is as bad as none at all You cannot take comfort in your Conversion a Change without Life and Zeal is but a moral Reformation not a Regeneration for Regeneration is a quickning and a begetting to Life Ephes. 2.5 Even when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins he hath quickned us together with Christ. That
earnestly Micah 7.3 It is the difference between us and civil Men but unregenerate they are like Cypress Trees fair and tall but fruitless of a comely Life but none of these good Works are to be found in them It is the difference between us and Hypocrites A Hypocrite like a Carbuncle seems to be all on a fire but when you touch it it is quite cold so they pretend to Religion talk much but have no true regular Zeal no spiritual Warmth It is notable our Lord himself proves his Divine Original by his Works Iohn 10.38 Tho ye believe not me believe the VVorks that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him So is this the sensible Evidence you are in Christ and Christ in you Graces are not always evident in feeling but in Fruit the Effects cannot be hid Then they are Signs and Evidences to God himself the Lord will look upon them as Marks and Evidences of his People Look as the destroying Angel was to be guided by a Sign Exod. 12.12 13. by the sprinkling of the Door-posts not that he needed it but because God would have it to be so So the Lord sutes his Dispensations and guides them by a Sign It is true God in his Gifts is arbitrary but in his Judgments he proceeds by Rule according to our Works At the last Day God will judg you not by your Profession but by your Practice what you have done he will not say You have prophesied in my Name you have eaten and drunk in my Presence but you have fed me clothed me visited me That the Faith of the Elect might be found to Praise and Honour he will have Works produced Not that God wants Evidences of our Sincerity but he will have all the World know we have not been unfruitful A Man that expecteth to be posed is preparing to answer and would give somethink to know the Questions aforehand Christ hath told us what are the Questions upon which we shall be examined and taxed at the Day of Judgment he will say Have you fed and clothed my People have you ministred to their Necessities have you relieved them with spiritual Counsel and Admonition have you been good holy and just Therefore let us provide to give an Answer that we might not be ashamed at the last Day Thus this Zeal for good Works hath the place and room of a Witness to God as the Rule and Measure of his Process to our selves as the ground of our Assurance and to the World as the great vindication of the Honour of our Profession 2. It is a Fruit of Christ's Death partly by way of Obligation for certainly God hath not been at all this cost and labour for nothing he did not project the sending of Christ and Jesus Christ did not so give up himself in the Work of Redemption for nothing but to inflame us to a great height of Piety They that live at a low rate of Holiness cross and disgrace the whole Design of the Gospel they are not apprehensive of the Love of God in giving Christ nor the Love of Christ in giving himself Our Redemption was carried on in such a way not only that the Comfort but also the Duty of the Creature might be raised to the highest Partly again as Christ hath purchased the Gift of the Spirit to fit us for good Works yea to make us zealous in them Titus 3.5 6. According to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour Now the Spirit dwelleth in our Hearts to set our Graces a working Iohn 4.14 The Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of VVater springing up into everlasting Life So Iohn 7.38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture saith out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living VVater This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him shall receive The Spirit is not a Fountain sealed up but flowing forth The Spirit of God is a mighty Spirit and comes in upon the Soul not only as a gentle Blast but as a mighty rushing Wind he comes not only in the appearance of a Dove but of cloven Tongues of Fire Acts 2. He comes as a Spirit of Power to quicken and awaken the Soul to great heights and fervours in Obedience Look as Men acted by Satan the unclean Spirit are restless in Evil and carried headlong as the Herd of Swine into the Sea so those that are acted by the Spirit of God are much more carried on with great Earnestness in the Ways of God The Devil hath not such Advantages to work upon his Instruments as the Spirit of God hath upon us The Devil works and operates in all the Children of Disobedience Ephes. 2.3 The Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience But the Devil cannot work but by Man's Consent neither can he work immediately upon the Soul but only by the Senses and by the Fancy but the Spirit of God can work immediately upon them in whom he acts Therefore being acted by him they must needs be zealous and earnest for the Spirit of God nescit tarda molimina knows no slow Motions The Soul in it self is dead and slothful and apt to yield to Laziness and Delays but when we are acted and quickened by the mighty Spirit then draw us and we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 When the Spirit puts forth its Force upon the Soul such as are drawn by the Holy Ghost they are not in jest as carnal Men are but in earnest they do not dally with Religion but make it their great business to surprize Heaven and carry on constant Communion with God Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by force Vse 1. Information 1. That Grace is no Enemy to good Works Libertinism is ancient and natural Christ died to improve Piety not to lessen it but to raise it to the highest to make us zealous of good Works that we might be carried on to Heaven with full Sails Therefore he that grows looser less watchful against Sin less diligent in the exercise of Holiness less frequent in Communion with God less humble and penitent after committing of Sin offers the greatest Abuse to Grace that may be and perverts its natural Use. There is no freezing by the Fire we may freeze indeed by painted Fire that may make us contract Chilliness and Drowsiness but true Grace is a Fire that warms and inflames our Affections Christ came to make us more chearful and lively but not slack careless and cold 2. It informs us what little Reason the World hath to cry out upon Zealots for Christ died to make us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zealous of good VVorks Men that are only contented with a brain Religion speculative Notions they cannot endure Heats and Fervors they would have
actual Look as the Heirs of Salvation are distinguished from others by Election in the Purpose and Bosom of God so are they actually distinguished from others by effectual Calling 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the World begâ—â— Why doth God pick and chuse and cull here and there The only reason is his own Grace and his own Purpose When we come to make choice we cull and pick out those things that are worthy of our Love and Respect And we favour none but for something whereby we may be allâ—red to love them but God saw nothing lovely in us but yet calleth us with an holy Calling according to his Purpose and Grace The same gracious Purpose that distinguisheth them from others before all Time doth in time make an actual choice and distinction between them and others by effectual Calling 3. Justification Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his Grace Mark the Apostle useth two words it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his Grace and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely by his Grace freely to note the readiness of his Inclination and by his Grace to exclude the Merit of our Works or the meer Grace of God not excited or quickned by any Works of ours but acting of its own accord The Scriptures do with such emphatical and redoubled Expressions inculcate it because there are deep Prejudices in the proud Heart of Man rooted in his Nature against the Grace of God 4. Sanctification all the parts whereof are called the Graces of the Spirit because Gratiae gratiâ—â— dâ—tae they are not only wrought by the Spirit but freely given us of God Thus Faith is said to be God's Gift Ephes. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God And it is given of meer Grace Phil. 1.29 To you it is given to believe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies graciously given it is the same word that is used Rom. 8.32 He that spare 〈…〉 own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he nor with him also freely give us all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Grace that giveth Christ giveth Faith to believe in Christ that we may be possessed of his Grace 5. Glorification which is the Complement of all Salvation So Ephes. 2.8 By Grace you are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gifts of God Not only all the Means and all the Tendencies of Salvation are of Grace but Salvation it self from first to last it is all of Grace So that when we come to Heaven this will be our great Work to sing forth the Praises of Grace and to admire and glorify the Grace of God to all Eternity II. To limit the Point Thô it is of Grace yet not to exclude Christ not to exclude the Means of Salvation 1. Not to exclude Christ. The Merit of Christ stands well enough with the Grace of God Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus Freely you will say How so when it was not without so great a Price and Satisfaction as the Blood of the Lord Jesus Yet however it is freely in respect of us it is by no Work of ours it was the exceeding Grace of God to appoint the Merit of Christ that it might be the greater ground of Confidence to us We do not look for things with such certainty which depend upon meer Grace and Favour and Good-will as we do when a thing is established by Merit and Desert Now Merit in us there could not be without wrong to Grace and therefore the Wisdom and Love of God hath found out this way of Merit in Christ that we might be the more confident of the standing of our Priviledges they being bought at so great a Price There was Grace in this that God gave Christ that the Satisfaction is not required of us and therefore indeed there is nothing doth so gloriously discover the Grace of God as the free giving up of Jesus Christ. God might require Satisfaction from the Party offending or the Person that had so sinned might bear the Blame and Punishment but the Lord hath so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son and that not to Angels but to us Well then it is Grace to find out the Merit and Grace by which we are interested in it Christ's Merit is most free both on the part of God the Father freely sending Christ and on the part of Christ taking this Office upon him It was Grace that moved God to give Christ and Grace that moved Christ to give himself who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Nay after all this it is Grace that gives us Faith that so we may be interested in the Merit of Christ that we which sinned with both Hands earnestly might take hold of God with both Hands And our Salvation is carried on in such a way that we may confidently expect his Mercy whithout any violation of his Justice and Truth So that it doth not derogate from the Grace of God but much amplify and enlarge it This is a great part of the Grace that he freely sent Christ to make all sure between us and him 2. Not to exclude the Means of Salvation not Faith nor Obedience also if rightly understood Not Faith that may well enough stand with Grace Ephes. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God There is a Condition required and that 's Faith but God himself gives the Condition that he requireth Grace cannot stand with any thing that is in Man and of Man as the Condition of the Covenant yet it stands with Faith because it justifies not as an inherent Quality in us or as a Work done by us but as it layeth hold of Jesus Christ and it is not of our selves but is the meer Gift of Grace And then for Obedience that is also subordinate to Faith as a necessary Fruit and Effect of it As Faith is the Instrument so Obedience is required as a Fruit of Faith thô it come not into Justification yet it is an Evidence of our Interest in Salvation It is required as a Testimony of Faith yet not as a Condition which is a Cause of the Thing promised It is required because thô it be not of Man yet it is in Man it is given of God but it is our Work The Papists to excuse the grossness of Merit say That our Works do not merit but as they come from the Grace of God and as they are sprinkled with the Blood of Christ. But mark it is not enough so to ascribe our Works to the Grace of God all Self-justiciaries will do so as the Pharisee that pleaded his Works Luke 18.11
likeness of his Resurrection Rom. 6.5 We shall be dead to Sin and alive to God The same Divine Power that kills the Old Man quickens the New Again I might argue from the Word which is our Rule for there we have not only Restraints but Precepts therefore we must not only escape from Sin but delight in Communion with God We must eschew what God forbids and practise what God commands Vse Let it press us not to rest in abstaining from Sin meerly Many are not vicious but they are not sanctified they have no feeling of the Power of the new Life The Pharisees Religion ran upon Negatives Luke 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other Men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican To enforce this consider both are contrary to the new Nature it hates Evil and loves Good Where there is Regeneration there is a putting on and a putting off Ephes. 4.22 23 24. That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts. And be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind And that ye put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness The new Nature makes Conscience of abstaining from Sin and obeying God's Precepts And both are serviceable to the Work of Grace Grace is obstructed by Sins of Omission and Commission for Sins increase as well as unfitness for Duty The Motions of the Spirit are quenched and Lusts grow prevalent in the Soul and both are odious to God A barren Tree cumbers the Ground and is rooted up as well as the poisonous Herb. Obs. 3. We must first begin with renouncing Evil that 's the first thing Grace teacheth Since the Fall the Method is Analytical to unravel and undo that which hath been done in the Soul So it is said of Christ 1 Iohn 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Sin is the first Occupant in the Soul and claimeth Possession six thousand Years ago it thrust out Grace which was the right owner therefore first there must be a Writ of Ejectment sealed against Sin that Grace may take the Throne Dagon must down e're the Ark be set up It cannot be otherwise it must not be otherwise there must be mortifying and subduing of Sin by Acts of Humiliation and Godly Sorrow before there will be Experience of Grace 1. It cannot be otherwise for the Devil hath a right in us as long as we remain in Sin therefore there must be a rescue from his Power Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Christ and Satan cannot reign in the same Heart nor God and the hâ—â— World Ioseph was taken out of Prison and then preferr'd to Pharaoh This is â—he Method Luke 1.73 That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our lives Deliverance hath the precedence first the Thorns must be rooted out and then the Corn is sowed 2. It must not be otherwise God will have nothing to do with us till we have renounced Sin A plausible Life is but a counterfeit Varnish like gilding over a rotten Post or a moral Integrity till Sin be renounced The Prodigal left his Husks and then returned to his Father This is the Method at our first Conversion indeed afterwards there is some difference when once Grace is once planted in the Heart it hath the advantage of Corruption and worketh first Thus it is said of Iob Chap. 1.1 That Man was perfect and upright one that feared God and eschewed Evil. First fearing God then eschewing Evil. Grace having taken possession and being seated in the Heart it works first Like a Man possessed and seated in his House he seeketh to expel his Enemy So at first way is made for the Operation of Grace and then all the Work afterwards is the destruction of Sin Obs. 4. It is not enough to renounce one Sin but we must renounce all For when the Apostle speaks of denying Ungodliness he intends all Ungodliness Compare this with 1 Pet. 2.1 Wherefore laying aside all Malice and all Guile and Hypocrisies and Iam. 1.21 Wherefore lay apart all Filthiness and superfluity of Naughtiness All Sins must be renounced little Sins and great Sins Great Sins as Adultery Drunkenness and the like are manifest Gal. 5.19 that is Nature doth abhor them they stink and smell rank in Nature's Nostrils even to a natural Conscience Then for little Sins Matth. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and teach Men so to do shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven It is spoken of Ministers principally whoever shall give licence by the Gospel to the least Sin either break it himself or teach Men so to do shall have no place no room among Gospel-Ministers No Sin can be little that is committed against the great God Sins are not to be measured by the smallness of the Occasion or by the suddenness of the Act but by the Offence done to God to an Infinite Majesty The less the Sin the greater many times it is It argues much Malice to break with God upon every slight Occasion there is more unkindness in it and the more contempt of God and it argues the greater depravation of Nature As a little Weight will make a Stone move downward because of its natural Inclination so it is a sign we have an inclination that way when a small Matter can draw us from God Again secret Sins must be eschewed as well as Publick Isa. 55.7 Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts the Thought as well as the Way is to be forsaken By Way is meant his outward course of Life by his Thoughts is meant the hidden workings of his Spirit Nothing more transient and sudden than the Thought therefore as we must not do Evil before Men so we must not think Evil before God God seeth the Thought as well as Man the Actions and infinitely more The Thoughts are visible to him and these fall under a Law as well as our Actions Again Sins of Temper to which we are more incident as well as other Sins to which we have less inclination they must be mortified Psal. 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine Iniquity That Sin which we call ours should be most watched against and most hated above all others As a Man should be afraid of the Meat of which he hath once surfeited so the Sin that hath once prevailed over us we should be more cautious against It is nothing for a sordid Spirit to be less proud or a proud Man to be less covetous or a covetous Man to be less sensual or a sensual Man to be less
I shall I. Draw forth the Force of the Expression II. Give you the Reasons of it I. The Force of the Expression In this present World It implies three things timely Beginning zealous Discharge and final Perseverance Whatever we are to do upon the teaching of Grace we are to do it speedily earnestly constantly Speedily now or never take hold of the present Occasion Earnestly it is the Work of our Lives wherefore we are sent into the World and Constantly that is all the time of our living here 1. Speedily Now or never must it be done We must set upon this Work speedily upon two Grounds because time to come is uncertain and it is not fit to neglect it 1. Time to come is uncertain We have nothing to command but this Instant that which is to come is not in our Power One being invited to a Feast the next Day made Answer Ego à multis annis crastinum non habui For these many Years I never had a to Morrow The present Time is put into thy Hands thou hast no Security for the next Day but thy own Word and how is he the better assured that is Security to himself When you promise your selves many Years you are liberal upon another Man's Goods and it is the Fashion of Mad-men to reckon other Mens Estates to be theirs The Father hath reserved Times and Seasons in his own Power and taken them into his own Hands We are not Masters of a Day therefore now or never must we set upon this Work of living soberly righteously godly O how sad is it to be surprized and Death to find us unprovided 2 Pet. 3.14 Wherefore Beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in Peace This is the great Business of our Lives to be found in a Condition pleasing to God A Man should live every Day as he would be found of God for usually Death comes by way of Surprize it finds us before we look for it and steals upon us e're we are aware 2. Because it is not fit to neglect it till Death and to provide Work for that time when we need Cordials the Infirmities of Age and Sickness need Supports and not Work O how sad is this that many times we are going out of the World before we begin to think why we came into it Our great Business here is to save our Souls and when Time is gone then we begin to think of it He is a foolish Traveller that would set out at Night and begin his Journey when the Sun is setting and the Darkness of the Night is coming on so when Time appointed is gone then to think of saving our Souls It is too late to be sparing when we have spent all upon Prodigality The foolish Virgins came to buy Oil too late Who would expect to conquer then when his Enemy is strongest and himself weakest or purposely delay it till such a time If you do not presently set about the Work you do but provide Grief and Sorrow for your last Age when you are least able to bear it 2. Earnestly It is the Reason why we are sent into the present World It is the Work of our Lives We were not put into the World as Leviathan was put into the Sea to take our fill of Pleasure but we were sent into the World for our Trial and for our Exercise For this End was Life given us not to get Wealth and Honour and great Estates or only to eat drink and sleep and so live as if we were never to die and then die as if we were never to live more such lose the End of their Lives God hath appointed a Time for every thing under the Sun and the Time of Life is appointed to work out our Salvation and therefore it is but reason that our best Business should have the greatest Share of our Time and Strength and that this Work should go forward according to our Years still should you increase and be bettering your selves in the great Business of your Lives It is some Work of Grace to raise the Soul to desire Things within the Vail it is more to hope for them it is more to seize upon them as our Right and Portion and lay hold of eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.19 This is the great Work of our Lives first to raise up the Soul and carry it within the Vail to be always increasing our Assurance of Heaven and looking after a better Life Iohn 9.4 I must work the Works of him that sent me while it is Day the Night cometh when no Man can work Hereafter there is no Prophecy nor Labour nor Faith nor Repentance We have a little Time and a great deal of Work and a great many Temptations It 's a great Work to get out of a State of Nature into a State of Grace to fit our selves for a better World Now because we have no long Continuance here we should be doing it with all our Might Therefore let us not forget the main thing that which is the Business and Imployment of our Lives let not your Time pass unfruitfully for the Night cometh wherein no Man can work 3. Constantly It is in the present World as long as we are here without any Limitation and therefore it hints final Perseverance without which as good we had never begun It is notable that under the Law the Nazarite if he had made a Vow he should touch no Wine or any thing that was forbidden for so many Days or Months but if he had defiled himself before the Days of his Purification were accomplished he was to begin again Numb 6.12 The Days that were before shall be lost because his Separation was defiled So when we have renounced the Vanities and Delights of the World and given our selves to God all is lost when we turn Apostates and go off from a Course of Godliness Ezek. 18.24 But when the Righteous turneth away from his Righteousness and committeth Iniquity and doth according to all the Abominations that the wicked Man doth shall he live all his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his Trespass that he hath trespassed and in his Sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die As good never have begun if we fall off and tire before we come to the End nay in some respect it would have been better if we had never begun than not to have continued for it is said the latter End is worse with them than the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 A Malefactor who hath made an Escape out of Prison if he be taken again he is loaded with Chains and Irons So when any have made some shew of Escape out of the Devil's Clutches by keeping a constant Course of Duty and Communion with God and then turns and breaks off again none in such Bondage and Slavery as they Nay and this Apostacy is a mighty Dishonour to Christ as well as a
once The Wages of Sin was eternal Death now something there must be to recompense and countervail the Eternity of the Punishment and nothing could counterpoise this but the Infiniteness and Excellency of Christ's Person therefore we are said to be redeemed by the Blood of God Acts 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood that is with the Blood of that Person that was God It was necessary he should come out of his Sufferings for if he were always suffering we could have no Assurance that God was satisfied If our Surety were not taken from Prison and Judgment how should we know the Debt was paid Isa. 53.8 How shall this be reconciled that he is to suffer but once and but a while and yet to do that which should countervail Eternity It was because of the Value of his Person as a Payment in Gold takes up lesser room than if paid in Silver Then his Aim in all was to expiate Sin and nothing but an Infinite Good could remedy an Infinite Evil. The Person wronged is Infinite so is the Person suffering and then he was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom to redeem us from Hell but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Price given to God to purchase for us Heaven and eternal Glory An ordinary Surety if he pays the Debt he frees the Debtor from Bonds and hath done his Work but Jesus Christ was no ordinary Surety he was to bring us to Grace and Favour with God and to merit Heaven for us now such a Person as could lay an Obligation upon God must needs be Infinite 2. Then for Intercession the other Act of his Priesthood He that intercedes with God must be God to know our Wants and Necessities as the High Priest had the Names of the twelve Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulders Exod. 20.12 29. so Jesus Christ hath the Names of all the Elect he knows their Desires Wants Conflicts he is to negotiate with God in behalf of all Believers that he may dispatch Blessings sutable to their State Now who can do this but God who knows the Heart and tries the Reins Who could know our Needs our Wants our Thoughts Sins Prayers Groans Desires Purposes throughout all the World Who can wait upon our Business day and night and continually interpose that Wrath do not break out upon us but such an All-sufficient Saviour as he is Secondly That he is God and so fitted for this Work In times of Delusion it is good to settle Foundations and give you Grounds of Faith It may be a Discourse upon the Godhead of Christ Men may think unnecessary 1 Ioh. 5.20 This is the true God and eternal Life Isa. 9.6 The mighty God and here in the Text he is called the great God Rom. 9.5 God blessed for ever These Proofs are so pregnant that they need no Illustration And certainly he is not God by Grant or Courtesy but it doth unavoidably follow if he be God he must be so by Nature for the Lord will not give his Glory to another Nay Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily that is essentially not only Divine Qualities such as are infused into us but the whole Essence of the Godhead was in him as in its proper Residence Again Phil. 2.6 Who being in the form of God thought it not Robbery to be equal with God It was not a Usurpation of another's Right And you know this Doctrine Christ himself preached Iohn 5.18 Therefore the Iews sought the more to kill him because he said that God was his Father making himself equal with God Certainly when Christ said God was his Father he did not mean it in an ordinary sense as he is our God and Father but as his eternal everlasting Son Thus Christ is the great God Vse 1. Let us observe the Love of Christ in becoming Man and let us improve it 1. Observe it Men shew Love when they have another's Picture about their Necks What Love did Christ show when he took our Natures To see the great God in the form of a Servant hanging upon the Cross this is wonderful Condescension Christ's Incarnation was a glorious Contrivance 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh. If God had not revealed it it would have been Blasphemy for us to think it Angels stoop to see it the Prophets studied it again how should the Saints admire it Among the Friars they count it a mighty Honour done to their Order if a great Prince when he is weary of the World cometh and taketh their Habit and dieth in their Habit. Certainly it is a mighty Honour to Mankind that the Son of God should take upon him the Nature of Man and die in our Nature and that the Word should not only be made Flesh but be made Sin and made a Curse for us 2. Improve it 1. Let us be desirous to be made Partakers of his Nature as he is of our Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye may be partakers of the Divine Nature Christ's partaking of our Nature was his Abasement the Sun of Righteousness went backward but our partaking of the Divine Nature is our Preferment 2. Let us use our selves more honourably for Christ's sake The Philistines would no more tread on that Threshold on which their Idol Dagon fell 1 Sam. 5.5 Shall we defile that Nature which the Son of God assumed Certainly every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honour 1 Thess. 4.4 Vse 2. Here is an Invitation to press us to come to Christ or by Christ to God Christ is worth a thousand of us We are to seek a Match for our Master's Son Our way to win you is to tell you what he is that those who have given up their Names to him may keep themselves as pure Virgins till his Coming 2 Cor. 11.2 I am jealous over you with godly Iealousy for I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin unto Christ. Now that you may be wrought upon I will tell you what he is he is God-Man in one Person he is Man that you may not be afraid of him and God that he may do you good He is the Lord of Lords the King of Kings the Heir of all things the Saviour of the World a proper Object for your Faith 1 Pet. 1.21 Who by him do believe in God who raised him up from the dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God He knows your Wants and is able to supply them yea he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 Tho we are unworthy yet he needeth no Portion with us we can bring nothing to him but he hath enough in himself I am God All-sufficient as Esther had all things
of Faith There were Moralities among the Heathens far more exact than are to be found among many Christians As Dogs excell Man in acuteness of smell and sense it is their Perfection so do many Heathens excell abundance that go for Christians in Temperance Justice Meekness and a command of their Passions they that were never acquainted with Christ and the Spirit were civil and harmless therefore to be a meer Moral Man certainly is not enough Paul saith of himself before he was acquainted with Christ that he was as touching the Righteousness which is of the Law blameless Phil. 3.6 And the Apostle hath taught us to live Godly as well as Soberly and Righteously in this present World Titus 2.12 There is a living in Communion with God as well as being fair to Men and therefore a Man may be civil and harmless but such as are not Vicious rather than Vertuous and Gracious the meer Rational Life is one thing and the Spiritual Life another thing Then take the Comparative part they live better than others so did the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other men are yet Christ saith Mat. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Among Blind men the Purblind is a kind of King and guide of them all A man may not be as bad as others and yet not so good as God requires Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another It is a miserable thing when a Man hath no other Ground of Confidence but the Sins of others he is good because others are worse he hath no rejoycing in himself but only from the sinfulness of others Or suppose that a Man be better than himself was heretofore there is a Moral Change as well as a Supernatural a Reformation as well as a Regeneration As a wanton Young Man that came in to Zenocrates his Lecture half drunk with his head crown'd with Rose-buds and when he heard a Discourse of Temperance he was converted by his Lecture and betook himself to a sober Course So a Man may cast off his Youthful vanities and may be changed from being Riotous to be more sober and yet be far from Grace A Sow washed is a Sow still What is short of Regeneration is short of Salvation Therefore do not think because of a civil orderly Life you do enough this is a sottish Principle and keeps us from the Righteousness of God 2. Here is another of their Errors They are born and bred up in the bosom of the Church and true Religion and because they are Baptized and profess the Faith of Christ therefore they think they ever had Faith and a good Heart towards God and do not see why or from what they should be Converted It was a wonderful thing to Nicodemus to hear that a Man should be Born again as strange as if a Man should enter again into his Mothers womb John 3.4 They are wholly Ignorant of any Change of Soul or State and mind it not So the Jews when Christ told them of being made free from the Bondage of Sin Iohn 8.33 We be Abrahams Seed and were never in Bondage to any man how sayest thou Ye shall be made free Alas Men neglect their inward Spiritual Estate and are not sensible of setting their Souls free from the Fetters of Lusts and Carnal Affections that they may pursue their chiefest Good Nothing so hard and heavy as Spiritual Bondage and yet is little known and little discerned in the World They live in the Bondage of Sin with as much delight as Fishes in their own Element and all this while they are pufft up with Carnal Dreams of their own Priviledges and Worth These are the Men that are said to need no Repentance Luk. 15.7 that is in their own Conceit those that do not see why or from what they should be Converted 3. They own no difference between a State of Nature and a State of Grace they know no such thing as passing from Death to Life and therefore are never troubled about it All the Lord's People are holy Numb 16.3 and it is factious to make such Distinctions they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the clean and unclean Ezek. 22.26 As if all were of one Lump and all should fare alike and therefore think themselves as good as the best 4. That those that are blameless before Men and well spoken of in the World need not doubt of their acceptance with God O No God's Tryal is one thing and Mens another Men see no further then the Outside but God regards the frame of the Heart 1 Sam. 16.7 Man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart Therefore thô a Man cannot be justly taxed before men yet this is nothing before the All-seeing God Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Non dicit cum hostibus tuis sed cum servo tuo David doth not say Lord enter not into Judgment with thine Enemies but with thy Servant 5. Another sottish Maxim is That petty Sins are not to be stood upon They shall do well enough if they never Sin more nor worse as the Omission of good Duties in their Closets or Families lesser Oaths vain Speeches idle Sport whereas Christ saith By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12.37 Light things may weigh heavy in God's Ballance Well then until the Soul be dispossessed of these sottish Conceits it cannot be but they must overween their own Righteousness and think too well of themselves and of their Estate before God Thirdly Self-love is the Reason of it Prov. 16.2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the Spirits A Man is very Blind and partial in his own Cause and will not own any Opinion and Conceit against himself There is an Emphasis in that his own Eyes surely Man would favour himself and be friendly to himself we have a double Instance of this in Scripture Iudah was severe against Tamar when he thought her to be with Child by another Man Gen. 38.24 Bring her forth and let her be burnt But when she shewed him the Tokens the Ring the Staff and Bracelets and that he was the Man then he becomes gentle enough So David when his own Story was represented to him in the case of a third Person that took away the Ewe-Lamb from the poor Man he says in a heat As the Lord liveth the man that hath done this thing shall surely dye 2 Sam. 12.5 but when the Prophet closeth with him and told him Thou art the man all this is spoken to thee he was more calm All this is spoken to
be Grave and Serious The Mind is according to the course of the Life You flatter your selves when you think you are able to command Spiritual Thoughts on a sudden when you have suffered your thoughts to rove and wander Prov. 17.24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth here and there and every where 5. Watch against the first Diversion how plausible soever it be look upon it as an intruding that breaks the rank The Devil injects good thoughts sometimes that he might divert your other thoughts Charge your thoughts that they may not disturb your Meditation Cant. 3.5 I charge you O ye daughters of Ierusalem that you stir not up nor awake my love till he please 6. When you come to meditate in Gods Presence do not bring the World with you purge your selves of all Carnal Affections Ezek. 33.31 Their heart goeth after their covetousness Alwaies consider this the prevailing Lust will engross the thoughts to a distracted Mind no place is a solitude the very Closet is a Market-place Therefore before Meditation we should purge our Hearts of Worldly Affections SERMON IV. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide I Shall not wholly divert from the Subject in hand though I shall a little interrupt the Method of it My purpose is now to speak of that Meditation that is proper to the Sacrament The main part of that Worship is dispatched in Thoughts Here we come to put Reason to the Highest and most Sublime Use to be an Instrument and Servant to Faith and Love But now the Thoughts proper to the Lords Supper are many There are an Union of Mysteries yea so many that they are a burden to some Christians and a snare to those that are most scrupulous It will be necessary therefore to give you some Directions how you may guide your selves in this Duty for your best advantage It is a matter of great profit to be wise and skilful in Duties Many that know the general Nature of them know not how to manage them David saith Psalm 119.27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous works intimating that then we performe Duties with most success when we go about them with most Wisdom and Understanding and when we are skilled in the way of Gods Precepts we shall understand those Marvellous Acts of Grace which he vouchsafeth to his People Now it is good that every one according to his Talent should help one anothers Joy and therefore I shall now speak a little to this purpose and the rather because it will much conduce to the opening of the Doctrine of Meditation in the general My Method shall be this 1. I will shew the usual defects of Christians in this Service with their necessary Remedies 2. I shall handle some cases First The usual defects and faults of People in this Duty I mean so far as they concern Meditation and they are Four Barrenness Stupidity Roving of Thoughts and a lazy Formality 1. Barrenness This is a great trouble to Christians when their Understandings are unfruitful and they cannot inlarge themselves in pertinent and necessary thoughts Now how shall we do to get our Hearts to be fruitful in Holy Thoughts 1. There must be a Solemn Preparation for this Service It is good to breathe our selves in some Religious Exercises before-hand that we may run the more freely without fainting Spiritual Dispositions do not come on us of a sudden Christians are deceived that look for rapt and sudden motions there must be a time to put off the Shoes off our Feet when we come upon Holy Ground to converse with God in so sweet a Service we must lay aside the Distractions of the World and not come roaking from the World into Gods presence There must be a time to raise the Soul into a Zealous Height and Ardour there must be a blowing of the fire for here you come to the flame your thoughts are to flame out in great and raised ascents Cant. 1.12 While the king sitteth at his table my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof Wood doth not blaze and flame as soon as it is laid on 2. Those solemn and preparative thoughts are chiefly to be spent in these two things The Nature of the Supper and the Love of Christ in the institution of it 1. The Nature of the Supper You are to consider the great things that are offered to you and the great Blessings and Benefits which God cometh to represent exhibit and seal up to your Souls Matth. 11.7 What went ye out into the wilderness for to see Christ examineth the grounds of their Resort and Concourse to him It is good to consider what we are about and the Dainties of the Banquet we are invited to what assurance the outward Signs are to give you what Communion we have with Christ and his Graces We are barren because we do not consider our Work and the Nature and Importance of it 2. The Love of Christ in the Institution of it 1. The Time when it was instituted 1 Cor. 11.23 The Lord Iesus Christ the same night in which he was betrayed took bread The Lord Jesus Christ had thoughts of the greatest good to Man when Man was executing the greatest Spight and Malice against him And the rather because it is an Act of Mercy that Christ frequently useth to surprize Sinners in the midst of their wickedness when Saul was breathing out threatnings against the Disciples God had a design of Love to him and smites him from his Horse Some are smitten with Conviction in the height of Provocations We read in Ecclesiastical Story of a young Man that came to stab St. Iohn was converted by him so many come to jear and catch at a Sermon and have been converted by it 2. The Rights which he instituted appointing Bread and Wine Symbols of Pleasure and Delight as a Physician conveys health to us in a Golden Pill so doth Christ convey Spiritual nourishment to us by those Elements which we take Pleasure in The outward Observance is comfortable God doth not require us to lance our selves and to exercise the Body with Whips and Cords the Rights are not bloody as in Circumcision but Bread and Wine And yet this is nothing to the inward sweetness Meat and Drink which the World knows not of Iohn 4.32 I have meat to eat which ye know not of 3. The Advantage and Relief that Faith has from these things of Sense God speaketh to you now not by Words but things He doth as it were embody Religion and represent it to the Senses Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you That is in the Word or Sacraments here God doth as it were hold forth Christ dying before your eyes
swallowed up of this Joy shall we be no more affected with it now We that shall so shortly be so full of joy shall we be empty now Shall not we rejoyce who have now a Title to Heaven and shall in a little time be in the full and perpetual possession of it III. The many Reasons which shew we should have a greater inclination to this Blessed Work than usually we have and be oftner in it 1. Because God hath done so much to raise it in us All the Persons of the God-head concur and contribute their Influence in that way of operation which is proper to each to give us grounds of joy 1. The Father giveth himself to us and his favour as our felicity and portion Gods Love is the bosom and bottom cause of all our Happiness which sets all other causes at work and when we have the sure effects of it can any thing so bitter befal us that will not be sweetned by the Love of God Or so evil that this shall not be ground of Comfort to us Psalm 4.6 7. There are many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased Carnal Men must have something good to sense but Godly Men take their full delight in God This doth them good to the Heart it is not like a little Dew that wets the Surface but like a soaking Showre that goeth to the Root And more enough to draw us off from the World enough to swallow up all our infelicities yea to encounter the Thoughts of Death Hell and Judgment to come 2. The Son is also matter of rejoycing to us as our Redeemer and Saviour You are to consider what the Lord Jesus hath done to deliver you from Sin and the bitter Curse of the Law and the Fears of Death and the Flames of Hell The Eternal Son of God came to heal our wounds Isa. 53.5 By his stripes we are healed To make our peace with the Father by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 To vanquish our Spiritual Enemies and triumph over them Col. 2.14 15. to be the ransom of our Souls 1 Tim. 2.6 The Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 the Head of his Church Eph. 1.22 The Treasury and Storeâ—ouâ—e of all our Comforts Iohn 1.16 and in short he hath recovered us to God and hath given us an Interest in the Comforts of his Gospel and the Promises thereof which are in him Yea and in him Amen and is not this matter of joy and rich comfort The whole Covenant breed strong consolation in the hearts of Gods People Heb. 6.18 And David saith Psalm 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart It doth our hearts good when we take these things for our Happiness Abraham rejoyced in the fore-thought or fore-sight of Christs day Iohn 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And should not we rejoyce that live under the clearest dispensation of it The benefits of our Redemption by Christ should be so esteemed that no Affliction should be grievous The Kingdom of Christ is every where represented as a Kingdom of Joy and Comfort Rom. 14.17 The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And if we be real Members of it we should see more cause of rejoycing in Christ Jesus 3. The Holy Ghost concurreth in his way of Operation as a Sanctifier Guide and Comforter As a Sanctifier he layeth the foundation for Comfort for it is the spirit of Delusion that comforts us in our sins that by imaginary Comforts he may keep you from those that are real solid and everlasting But the true Spirit is a Sanctifier and therefore a Comforter he first poureth in the Oyl of Grace and then the Oil of gladness Comfort and Joy follow Holiness as Heat doth the Fire And then as a Guide either in his restraining Notions as he mortifieth Sin or in his inviting motions as he exciteth and quickneth to Holiness These are helps to our Comfort cannot a Man live merrily without Sin And do you think a Life of Holiness irreconcileable with a life of rejoycing no such matter it is the ready way to joy especially to joy Spiritual But chiefly as a Comforter he is purposely given us to keep in this Holy Fire and maintain a constant delight in God in our Souls And therefore it is called Joy in the Holy Ghost where God himself taketh upon him the Office of a Comforter surely there will be comfort Life will quicken light will illuminate and the comforting Spirit will comfort in that season and degree God seeth fit and we are capable to receive Now he comforteth partly as sealing partly as giving earnest 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts As sealing us by stamping the impress and image of God upon us which is the mark of his Children the sure Evidence of his Love and the Pledge of our Happiness And as giving us the earnest of a Blessed Estate to come that Life is begun which there shall be perfected Now consider all this when God himself will be our Portion our Saviour our Comforter should not all this cause us to rejoyce in God what-ever our Condition be in the World 2. All the Graces tend to this Faith Hope and Love 1. Faith That is a dependance upon God for something future that lyeth out of sight Now these invisible and future Objects are so great and glorious that they support and comfort the heart how afflicted soever our present Condition be 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost In both these places Faith implyeth a firm belief of and dependance upon Christ as an All-sufficient Saviour by whom alone God will give us Eternal Life This Faith will breed a perpetual rejoycing in the Soul if it be firm strong and operative 2. Hope breedeth this Joy also Rom. 12.12 Rejoycing in hope and Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Though we be pressed with Miseries for the present yet there is a better Estate to come the excellency and certainty of which causeth us to rejoyce and giveth us a foretast of it Joy is chiefly for Injoyment but there is a partial Injoyment by hope which is not only a desirous expectation but delightful for tast or praeoccupation of the thing hoped for 3. Love to God also causeth us to rejoyce in him For it sheweth it self in a complacency and well-pleasedness of Mind in God as our chief good Psalm 16.5
Lord and those who most rejoyce in the Lord do most mourn for Sin As that Christian Niobe wept much because she loved much and she loved much because much was forgiven her Luke 7.47 As many times the Sun shineth when the rain falleth so there is a mixture of Spiritual Rejoycing and Holy Mourning a deep Sense of Gods Love and yet a Mourning because of the Relicks of Corruption Well then Carnal Rejoycing is opposite to Holy Mourning but not Joy in the Lord therefore these two must be mixed Sorrow is a Servant to Faith and Love and Joy in the Holy Ghost and Joy and Thankfulness for the Mercy of God in Christ is an help to Godly sorrow the one serves to mortifie Sin the other to strengthen Grace None are so displeased with themselves for offending so good a God as those that have tasted how good and gracious the Lord is But more thoroughly to reconcile this Holy mixture to your thoughts take these considerations 1. Godly Sorrow is better than all the pleasures of Sin 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of Many have repented of their vain pleasures or of their Carnal Mirth but never any repented of their Godly Sorrow Many have cursed the day of their Birth but never any cursed the day of their New Birth Whoever had any loathsome remembrance of those hours which they spent in reconciling themselves to God though it were done with grief and bitterness of Spirit Oh the remembrance of that happy time is ever sweet and grateful to them 2. That mourning for Sin containeth in it self the matter of Joy is evident because a poor Christian is glad when his Heart can melt for Sin A day of serious and sound Humiliation is more to him than all carnal pleasures whatsoever he would not exchange the Comfort that he findeth in his Penitent Tears for all the Mirth in the World He findeth this helpeth to mortifie Sin which would mar his rejoycing in God it helpeth him to value Christ and taste the sweetness of his Love they are more glad of that measure of Grace received than if they were Masters and Rulers of the World To be affected with the dishonour done to God is included in their Love and esteem of him and floweth from their delight in him 3. Though they groan under the Relicks of Sin yet they are glad they are but Relicks That they are in any measure gotten out of their former Estate is a comfort though that they are gotten no further be a grief to them The mourning Christian would not change Estates with the best and greatest of Ungodly Men which sheweth there is some solid complacency and delight in their present Condition though not that full Joy which they shall have in Heaven when Sin shall no more Joy is not perfect till Holiness be perfect yet there is joy still though be not perfect joy Here there is Gaudium ineffabile cum suspiriis inenarrabilibus a joy mixt with sorrow groans unutterable and joyes unspeakable and glorious Secondly Having removed the prejudices Let me now perswade you to rejoyce evermore by the two Arguments of necessity and Utility 1. The necessity of it 1. That you may own God as your God delighting in God is a Duty of the first Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods before me that is rejoyce in no other but in me only as thy full and All-sufficient Portion and Happiness And therefore it is a part not of Instituted but of Natural Worship such Worship which we are to give God though he had never given direction about it which immediately resulteth from the owning and choosing of God for our God For if God be not loved and delighted in more than any thing or all things else he is not our God Now then is there not a necessity if you would worship God as God that you should rejoyce evermore and delight in him as sufficient to your Happiness whether the World cometh or goeth whether your Creature Comforts and Relations continue with you or be taken from you God still must be the Hearts delight and your exceeding joy Psalm 37.4 Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart 2. The necessity appeareth by this how can you be thankful and prize and value those Blessings which you have from God by Christ unless you rejoyce evermore whatever your Condition be in the World Surely Christ when received must be received with all love and thankfulness else you do not know the worth and value of his Grace and this esteem is never so much shewn in words as in deeds when you can delight in him more than all things else Psalm 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased Delight in him so as to loose all for him Phil. 3.8 For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Heb. 10.34 And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance And you can esteem a naked Christ ground enough of Comfort though you be stript of all things The Heart is not sound with Christ till we be so taken up with the Love and Praise of our Redeemer that we have scarce leasure to observe whether we be rich or poor or to regard the honours and dishonours of the World 3. How can you profess to follow the Conduct of that Holy Spirit who hath undertaken to be your Comforter unless your solid Delight and Comfort be in God and Heaven I know the Spirit is not so necessarily a Comforter as he is a Sanctifier but I speak of that disposition of Soul which belongeth both to his sanctifying as well as his comforting Operation and is necessary to Grace and that is to place your Happiness not in this World but in God and Heaven and so to place it there as that this may be a support to you in poverty and disgrace and pain that nothing may be able to overcome your joy Iohn 16.22 Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you Surely this is a necessary work of the sanctifying Spirit to teach you to fix your Comforts there where they may be out of the reach of the World that you may have Everlasting grounds of delight what ever Man can do unto you 2. The Utility of it both with respect to our Spiritual benefit and profit and our acceptance with God 1. With respect to the temper and frame of our own hearts or our Spiritual benefit There are two parts of Regeneration Mortification and Vivification and this rejoycing evermore promoteth both of them 1. As to Mortification It is most profitable to wean us from Carnal Vanities The Love of sensitive Delights is the Root of Sin some carnal lure there is which inticeth
a great King As God pleadeth it when they brought a corrupt thing for a Sacrifice Mal. 1.13 No Terrors comparable to his Frowns no Comforts to his Smiles So â—sal 2 11. Serve the Lord with fear rejoice with trembling Obey him most circumspectly with all carefulness watchfulness and diligence making it your chief business to please him 5 'T is a considerable part of our work to look for our Wages or expect the endless blessedness to which we are appointed â—it 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God Col. 3.1 2. If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the Right Hand of God Set your affection upon things above and not upon the Earth Phil. 3.20 But our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. That we may see that we have conâ—iderable Motives to do what Christ requireth of us 'T is for our Masters Honour and besides it puts life into our Work and maketh our painful Obedience comfortable and sweet to us for all this is but the way to Eternal Life 6. The Reign of Christ doth not only establish your Duty but is the ground of your safety for he is set down upon the Throne of Majesty to protect his Subjects and destroy his Enemies besides the endless reward in another World there are many evidences of his goodness and signal preservations and deliverances in this World at least peaceable opportunities of serving Him while he hath a mind to employ us He can powerfully support us against all our Enemies Isa. 33.22 The Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King He will save us As a Soveraign protects his Subjects that continue loyal to Him so will Christ be our Sovereign upon this confidence must we carry on our obedience notwithstanding opposition 1 Tim. 4.10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all Men especially of those that believe 7. One part of our obedience helpeth another Sets the Soul in a right posture As in the Wheels of a Watch the whole motion is hindred by a defect in a part the less compleat you are in all the Will of God the more difficult will it be A Sermon on Luke II. 52 And Iesus increased in Wisdom and Stature and in Favour with God and Men. THese words are spoken of our Lord Jesus Christ. In them two things are observable 1. Christs Groâ—th 2. The consequent of it 1. Christs growth both as to Body and Soul He encreased in Wisdom and Stature 2. The consequent of it He attracted the Love of God and Men. The point I am to speak off is this Doct. Iesus Christ himself in respect of his Humane Nature which consisteth of Body and Soul did grow and improve 1. Let us state this growth of Christ. 2. Give you the reasons of it For stating it 1. Certain it is that there are two distinct Natures in the Person of Christ Divine and Humane The one Infinite and Uncreated The other Created and Finite For he is Emmanuel God with us Mat. 1.23 Of the Seed of David and yet declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1.3 4. The Word was made Flesh Ioh. 1.14 The Man God's Fellow Zech. 13.7 A Child yet the Everlasting Father Isa. 9.6 Born at Bethlehem yet his goings forth were from Everlasting Micah 5.2 The Bud of the Lord and the Fruit of the Earth Isa. 4.2 Now according to this double Nature so must his growth be determined surely not of the Divine Nature for to the perfection of it nothing can be added an infinite thing cannot increase So his Knowledge is infinite he knew God and all things 2. In his Humane Nature there are two parts his Body and his Soul The Text saith he grew in both As to his Body and growing in Stature there is no difficulty As to his Soul the doubt is whether he grew really or in manifestation only I think really his Soul improved in Wisdom as his Body in Stature as others of his Age are wont to ripen by degrees In the same sense that he is said to increase in Stature he is said a so to increase in Wisdom for both are coupled together and he increased in Stature really in deed and in truth so that he daily became a more eminent person in the Eyes of all 3. 'T is not said he grew in Grace but in Wisdom To want degrees of Grace cannot be without sin And our High Priest was Holy Harmless Vndefiled separate from Sinners Heb. 7.26 yet his Knowledge as Man was perfected by degrees We always grow in knowledge follow on to know the Lord. He was ignorant of some things as the Day of Judgment for in Mark 13.32 'T is said But of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man no not the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father His Divine Nature was ignorant of nothing but as to his Humane he was ignorant of it Some say he knew it not to reveal it so the Father may be said not to know it as well as the Son This simple Nescience was no Sin 4 This Knowledge or Wisdom wherein Christ grew may be understood thus 1. There is the Habitual Knowledge and the actual apprehension of things Christ had the Foundation and Root of all Knowledge when conceived by the Spirit from his very Conception but the Actual Knowledge came afterwards He had the Spirit of Wisdom and promptness of understanding but the act of knowing is as occasion is offered 2. There is a Knowledge of Generals when singulars are not actually known so Christ was deceived in the Fig-Tree Mat. 21.19 And he enquireth for Lazarus Grave Ioh. 11.34 And he said Where have ye laid him 3. There is a knowledge Intensive and Extensive Intensive a clear knowledge Extensive to more objects Christ grew in both He grew as to clearness of apprehension and as he knew more objects 1. There is a knowledge infused and experimental So Christ knew more by experience 2 Cor. 5.21 Who knew no sin That is by experience in himself and Heb 5.8 He Learned Obedience by the things which he suffered 2. For Confirmation 1. By Scripture 2. By Reason 1 By Scripture Next the Text take that Isa. 7.14 15 16. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel Butter and Hony shall he eat that he may know to refuse the evil and chusethe good For before the hild shall know to refuse the evil and chuse the good the Land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her Kings The Child spoken of should not be any fantastical appearance or meer imaginary Matter but a very Man-child fed and brought up with such food as other Children were that by growing up he may come to years of discretion He
diverted either by the comfortable or troublesome things we meet with here in the World Not by the comfortable things 1 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore gird up the Lâ—yns of your Mind be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Iesus Christ. Nor by the troublesome things of the World Rom. 8.39 Nor height nor depth nor any other Crâ—ature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Iâ—sus our Lord Well then the Supreme Good or Fruition of the ever-blessed GOD is believed sought after waited for we know it by Faith we seek it by Love we wait for the enjoyment of it by Hope Faith affordeth us Light to discover it and direct us to it Love possesseth the Soul with a Desire to enjoy it and Hope giveth us a Confidence of obtaining it through Jesus Christ our Lord. III. Their Use in the Spiritual Conflict 1. They impel us to do our Duty with all diligence whatever Temptations we have to the contrary 1 Thess. 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love and patience of Hope Whence you see Work is ascribed to Faith Labour to Love and Patience to Hope Work to Faith because that Grace is working and ready to break out into Obedience 2 Thess. 1.11 And the Work of Faith with Power Labour to Love because Love puts Men upon Industry and Diligence they that love God will be hard at work for him Heb. 6.10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your Work and Labour of Love Patience to Hope because that Grace produceth Endurance and Constancy 2 Thess. 3.5 The Lord direct your Hearts into the Love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. And the good Ground brought forth Fruit with Patience Luk. 8.19 In short you see these Graces are of an Operative and Vigorous Nature Faith is but a dead Opinion unless it break out into practice Love but a cold Approbation of the Ways of God unless we overcome our Slothfulness Hope but a few slight Thoughts of Heaven unless we persevere and hold out till the time of Retribution cometh 2. These Graces restrain and subdue those corrupt Inclinations which are yet in the Heart and would be a great impediment to us if they be not more and more overcome such as Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts Atheism or a denial of Gods Being and unbelief or distrust of his Promises Worldly Lusts Tit. 2.12 Teaching us to deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts. That is to say Worldly Fears and Worldly Desires or in one word the Sensual Inclination called the Spirit of the World These can never be overcome without Faith by which the Mind is soundly perswaded of the Truth of Salvation by Christ nor without Love by which the Will is firmly resolved and bent upon it nor without Hope by which the Executive Powers are fortified and strengthened in their Operations In short when the Doctrine of Christ concerning things to be believed and done is first propounded to us it findeth us wedded to the World and intangled in the Vanities thereof but as this Doctrine is received and believed the bent and inclination of our Souls is altered a new byass is put upon us and our love to God and heavenly things is more and more increased the Heart is set to seek after God and that with the greatest earnestness and diligence Without this the Carnal and Worldly Inclination prevaileth over us As in the want of Faith Heb. 3.12 Take heed Brethren lest thâ—re bâ— in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Want of Love 1 Iohn 2.15 16. Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World Want of Hope Heb. 10.35 Cast not away therefore your Confidence which hath great recompense of reward Many are beaten out of their Christianity at last because they cannot tarry for Christ's Recompences 3. To fortifie us against all evil without Besides Corruptions within there are Temptations without manifold Afflictions which Satan maketh use of to draw us to sin Now these three Graces arm us against them 2 Tim. 1.7 where he speaketh of enduring the Afflictions of the Gospel by the power of God God hath not given us a Spâ—râ—â— of Fear but of Power of Love and of a sound Mind Faith Hope and Love are intended thereby by a Spirit of Power meaning Hope which breedeth â—ortitude notwithstanding Dangers and Threats of Men Love retaineth its own Name and by the sound Mind is meant Faith All these help us to encounter the Difficulties and Hardships of our Pilgrimage and breed in us a Tranquility of Mind and Contentedness in every State 4. Without Faith Hope and Love we cannot pray to God nor entertain any sweet Communion with him while we dwell in Flesh. Iude 20.21 But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy-Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternal life That Clause Praying in the Holy-Ghost is to be referred in common to them all praying to be built up in our most holy Faith praying to be kept in the love of God praying that we may look for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus to Eternal Life Prayer is not an Exercise only of our natural Faculties but also of the three fundamental Graces of the Spirit There are three Agents in Prayer the Humane Spirit the new Nature and the Spirit of God The Humane Spirit for by the Understanding and Memory we work upon the Will and Affections The new Nature as Prayer is the work of Faith Hope and Love And the Holy-Ghost is there mentioned as also Rom. 8.26 27. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God The middle is to our purpose now Prayer is a Work of Faith as the great Mysteries of our most holy Faith are therein reduced to Practice Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an access by one spirit unto the father Love is acted in Prayer as we delight our selves in conversing with God all our Desires and Groans in Prayer are acts of Love expressing our Longings after more of God Hope is acted in Prayer as we express our Trust in God and the Merits and Intercession of Christ and plead his gracious Promises Prayer it self is but Hope put into Language Psal. 62.8 Trust in him at all