all things will not fail us at last The calling of the Gentiles the rejection of the Jews the sending of the Messiah these were things as invisible and as much to come as Heaven is to us new all these things have been fulfilled and why should we not trust God to the last Experience is wont to beget Hope Rom. 5.4 And Patience Experience and Experience Hope Can God lie or Truth it self be false What need hath God to flatter thee or deceive thee If we did preach a God that needed the Creatures then you might suspect what we tell you in his Name but he hath no Interest to be gratified his vehement Longings are for your Good and Profit Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always that it may be well with them and with their Children for ever God doth not say that it may be well with me but with them Again let Reason be heard to speak how sutable it is to God's Nature Consider the Being of God is infinite and eternal and so is the Reward the Apostle calls it 2 Cor. 4.17 a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory Araâ—nah gave like a King God's Gifts are like himself sutable to his infinite Mercy and eternal Duration how likely is it that God will once shew himself like himself And they are suitable to the Merit of Christ Is God at such expence for Trifles The Comforts of this World may be bought with Gold and Silver but the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold c. but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Why would God give so great a Price out of his own Treasury but to take a Debt upon himself and to oblige his Justice to be our Friend If Christ can be in the Womb and in the Grave why may not we be in Heaven It is more credible to believe that a Creature should be in Heaven than a God should be in the Grave and Christ's Abasement which is first is more than our Advancement There is not so great a distance between us and Happiness as between Christ and Misery Men naturally being made capable of an higher Condition of Mind and Affections to love and know God Godliness must have a better Recompence than is to be had in the World These are but the Offals of Providence enjoyed by God's Enemies they have the greatest Share Psal. 17.14 From Men of the World which have their Portion in this Life The wiser Men are the more they contemn these things Children are taken with Rattles Grace cannot be satisfied with the World without an higher Enjoyment of God Pleasures are common to us with the Beasts wicked Men flow in Ease and Plenty A Reward there must be it is impossible a Creature should rest in its own Action We see that natural Actions that tend to maintain Life have a Sweetness and Pleasure mingled with them that we may not neglect them or our own Preservation as Eating and Drinking and the like Therefore vertuous Actions much more such as are against the hair and bent of Nature must have a Reward a Reward better than the Work or else it would be lost Labour There is a disposition and instinct of Nature towards Eternal Happiness Man's Soul like a Spunge is thirsty and seeketh to be satisfied Psal. 4.6 Who will shew us any Good And every Good will not serve their turn Men at first take up with the Creature because it is next at hand but it satisfieth not their Sore runneth till they come to enjoy God Acts 17.27 That they should seek the Lord if haply they may feel after him and find him When we have all outward Blessings the Soul of Man is not filled up there is something wanting to our Peace and Quiet Solomon made Experiments but had no satisfaction Thus you see there is no such Reward so sutable to what is declared of God of Christ of the Nature of Man of Grace as this blessed Hope 2. Apply it Besides the Truth of the Promises look to the clearing up of your own Interest and Title It is a poor comfortless Meditation to think of a blessed Hope and the certainty of it unless we have an Interest in these things this will be but like the gaze of an hungry Man upon a Feast The Reprobates hereafter are lookers on and David speaks of a Table spread for him in the presence of his Enemies Psal. 23.5 Hope hath never a more lively Influence than when it is founded in Property and a sense of our own Interest Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth And 2 Cor. 5.1 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 which the Lord the righteous Iudg shall give me at that Day There is not only an Heaven but for me Thus are the Saints wont to profess their Interest and assured Hope But is Hope only the fruit of Assurance I answer It is the fruit of Faith as well as of Assurance or Experience but certainly it is very comfortable when we can discern our own Interest and in some sort necessary Before we can hope for our selves our Qualification is to be supposed for that is our Evidence Therefore I shall 1 st Press you to get this Assurance 2 dly Shew what kind of Application is absolutely required that you may thus look for the blessed Hope 1 st Let me press you to get an assured Title to Heaven In a Matter of such moment would a Man be at an Uncertainty Can he be quiet and not sure of Heaven Not to look after it is a bad sign A godly Man may want it but a godly Man cannot slight it A Man may want it he may creep to Heaven some are scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 Others have an abundant Entrance 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an Entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. For want of this you quite lose your Heaven upon Earth which consisteth in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and you lose much of the Influence of Hope Uncertain wavering Thoughts have little Efficacy But a good Man cannot slight it it is a breach of a Command which requireth Diligence It argueth spiritual Security when Men can be content to live long and yet do not know what will become of them How can you think of the Coming of Christ without Terror That which others look for and long for is your Fear as Felix trembled assoon as he heard of Judgment to come 2 dly
of Trial God hath his end in these things for humbling and exercising the good and hardning the wicked But in the day of Recompence then it shall be only ill with them that do Evil and well with them that do Good and the Retributions of his Justice shall be fully evidenced 3 dly The Person By that Man whom he hath ordained meaning thereby Christ. But why doth he call Christ Man rather than God 1. Partly with respect to the Gentiles Incapacity to apprehend the Mystery of the Trinity or the Incarnation of the Son of God and it concerneth us to dispense Truths as People are able to bear them as Christ taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were able to bear it Mark 4.33 Therefore Paul would not offend them by Doctrines which they could not yet understand You will say the Resurrection was as offensive Answ. That was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the first Points of the Apostolical Catechism Heb. 6.1 2. Therefore leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us go on unto Perfection not laying again the Foundation of Repentance from dead Works and of Faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptism and of laying on of Hands and of the Resurrection of the dead and of eternal Iudgment So that the Apostle could not preach the very Rudiments of Christianity if he had not mentioned that 2. Christ is to discharge this Office in the visible Appearance of Man As the Judgment was to be visible so the Judg. The Judgment is not to be acted by the Father or the Spirit but by Christ in the Human Nature Therefore his coming is called an Appearance Tit. 2.13 Looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. And 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Iudg shall give me at that day and not to me only but to all them that love his Appearance And when the Judgment is spoken of Christ is often designed by this Expression the Son of Man Mat. 24.30 They shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory And Mat. 16.27 For the Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every Man according to his Works He is the visible Actor in the Judgment sitting on a visible Throne that he may be seen and heard of all and the Godhead doth most gloriously manifest it self by the Perfections of his Human Nature 3. This Power is given to Christ as a Recompence of his Humiliation For therefore hath God highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name That at the Name of Iesus every Knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things i◠Earth and things under the Earth Phil. 2.9 10. which is at the day of Judgment Rom. 14.10 11. We shall all stand before the Iudgment-seat of Christ. For it is written As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow to me Then all Creatures in Heaven Earth and Hell are to own the Soveraign Power and Empire of the Crucified Saviour Some do it willingly as the elect Angels and Men others do it by constraint as the Reprobate and evil Angels when they are forced to stand before the Tribunal of Christ to receive their final Doom and Sentence This is the last Act of his Kingly Office and the Fruit and Consequent of his Humiliation Therefore this Christ spake of when he stood before the Tribunals of Men Mat. 26.64 Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the Right-hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven The despised Man who was before them as a Criminal in their repute summoneth them to answer before his Tribunal at that Day when his Shame shall be turned into Glory and the Scandal of his first Estate shall be fully taken off and those that despised him as Man shall be forced to acknowledge him as God Secondly The Subsequent Proof Whereof he hath given assurance to all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead I hat is a sufficient Testimony to convince the whole World The Resurrection is a Certain Proof and Argument of the Dignity both of Christ's Person and Office It is an Attestation to his Person Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead To his Office and Doctrine Iohn 5.27 28 29. And hath given him Authority to execute Iudgment also because he is the Son of Man Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done well unto the Resurrection of Life and they have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation How doth this make Faith to all the World for that is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answ. God hath not given Faith to all Men but he hath given an Argument to all Men that is a ground of Faith from whence Faith may evidently conclude that Christ is our Judg for he hath raised him from the Dead Where is the force of this Demonstration Others were raised from the Dead as Lazarus and the like and yet they are not Judges of the World I answer Christ died in the repute of Men as a Malefactor but God justified him when he would not leave him under the Power of Death but raised him up and assumed him into Glory thereby visibly declaring unto the World that the Judgment passed upon him was not right but that he was indeed what he gave out himself to be the Son of God and the Judg of the World to whom Power is given over all Flesh to save or destroy them If he live with the Father in Glory and Majesty it will necessarily follow that he was not a Seducer but that Holy and Righteous One by whom God will execute his Judgment Secondly What Influence this hath upon Repentance 1. The very Day appointed inferreth a necessity of Change both of Heart and Life For how else shall we stand in the Judgment who have broken God's Laws and are obnoxious to his Wrath and Displeasure If we should never be called to an account for what we have been and done here in the World we might then freely indulge our selves in all fleshly Delights and do what we please But this is a Principle of Fear and Restraint that for all these things God will bring thee into the Judgment Eccles. 11.9 Rejoice O young Man in thy Youth and let thy Heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth and walk in the ways of thine Heart and in the sight of thine Eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Iudgment None of us can hide or withdraw our selves from that great Tribunal before which we are to give an
hard for the Lord And this answered Ier. 32.17 There is nothing too hard for God The Affirmative is in the Text And Matth. 19.26 With God all things are possible And the Negative which binds it the more strongly is in Luke 1.37 With God nothing shall be impossible The General is in the Text All things are possible with God and the Particular is in Iob 42.2 I know that thou canst do every thing So that the Power of God is not only propounded in the Lump but particularly parcelled out Certainly God is Almighty 2. I shall prove it by Reason First The Creation of the World shews it The Apostle tells us Rom. 1.20 That the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead If you will know what God is look upon his Creatures Every Creature that hath past his hand hath some prints and some stamp upon it that may discover God his Godhead and his Power that is the most visible thing seen in the Creation His Wisdom and Goodness is seen in the Creation but his Power lyes upward and the most Natural Notion that we have of God is God Almighty God made all the things that are seen and more than are seen He that made all things is Omnipotent and can do whatever is possible to be done Creatures only can do what is possible to be done in their own kind A Man is one kind of Creature an Angel is another both have their Essence limited Man can do things belonging to a Man an Angel can do all things belonging to an Angel but God made all things and therefore he can do all things In short He that stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain Isa. 40.22 He that handles the great Ocean as a Child newly come out of the Womb he that appointed the Clouds a garment thereof and thick darkness a swâ—â—â—ing-band for it Job 38.8 9. He that hangs the Earth upon nothing Job 26.7 What cannot he do The Earth that vast and ponderous Body has nothing to support it but the fluid Air that will not so much as support a Pin or Feather It hangs like a Ball in the midst of the Heavens where are the Pillars and Props that suâ—taiâ— this mighty Mass It is upheld by nothing but the Power of God And for the manner of making How did he make all things By his Word This great Builder needed no Instruments and Tools Heb. 11.10 Whose Builder and Maker is God He commanded and they were created Psal. 48.5 What more easie than a word One asks what is become of the Tools and Engines wherewith God made the World Tully brings in a Philosopher disputing against the Creation of the World with what Spade did God dig the Sea where was the Trowel wherewith he arched the Heavens and the Line and Plummer by which he laid forth the Foundations of the Earth There was nothing but his 〈◊〉 that brought all things out of the Womb of nothing This is the Omnipoâ—â—â—â— the Glorious God that can do all things And then Ex parte termini he brought all things out of nothing which Philosophers could not so much as conceive how it should be done What a large stride and gap is there between Being and Not being He that out of meer nothing brought forth all this World certainly nothing can be too hard for him A Man cannot work without Materials and preparations to his work but God works when he hath nothing to work upon As long as the Creatures endure as long as Heaven and Earth stands which is a Monument of God's Power we need not doubt of his Alsufficiency and therefore in difficult and hazardous Case the Scripture referrs us to God as a Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the 〈◊〉 of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator Why as unto a Creator At that time they carried their Lives in their hands they had nothing to subsist upon no visible Interests to defend them Well go on chearfully in well-doing and commit your selves to him that can work all things out of nothing your Souls that is your Lives put your Lives into the Creator's hands There may be something of Love in the Expression he that Created you will take care of you and there is also something of Power implyed they had but only from day to day and then he bids them â—rust in God as a Creator So Psal. 124.8 Our help is in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Whilst you see Heaven and Earth doubt not of God he hath noâ— lost nor spent his Power He that made Heaven and Earth is as ready and as able to work as he did at first Thô a Potter it is Basil's Sâ—miâ—â—â—de make a thousand Vessels his Art is not lessened by the making but encreased rather So whatever God doth he doth not spend by giving his Power is the same and his Word is as mighty as ever He spoke and it was 〈◊〉 he commanded and it stood fast Psal. 33.9 and that when there was nothing to work on The Will and the Word of God what mighty things can they do He can do the greatest things without any visible Means things are done in the World and no Body can tell how or by what So the Apostle tells us that he still acts according to his mighty Power which he wrought in the Creation 1 Cor. 1.28 God hath chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that are not to bring to nought things that are God will ever Triumph over humane Improbabilities and will have no Flesh to despair because of the smallness of the means or to glory in his sight because of the greatness of them for he doth all things and that by his mighty Power Rom. 4.17 His Creating Power is there again alluded to He calleth those things that are not as thô they were As when God created the World he spoke Light out of Darkness and so still when he finds nothing to work upon he calls things that are not as thô they were speaking of fulfilling his Promises to Abraham So he works Grace in the Hearts of his People according to his Creating Power 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. So that Nature well considered is a great help to Grace when we consider the Creation and busie our Thoughts therein it helps us more to enlarge the Power of God in our Apprehensions Secondly As Creation so Providence shews it Take it either for God's External or Internal Providence 1. His External Providence preserving all things in their proper Place and for their proper Use Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power All things
Guardian for our good All that God hath is forth coming for our use as all other things so his Almighty Power and Strength 3. Whatever his Will is or whatever God hath determined to do concerning us yet he would have us magnifie his Power and with Comfort cast our selves upon it Isa. 8.12 13. Fear not their fear nor be afraid sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread You should set Power against Power that you may not be dismay'd Isa. 50.10 It is not meant Spiritually only but also in Temporal Cases Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God You should Comfort your selves in the Power and All-sufficiency of God 4. Consider how angry God hath been with his Children for not resting upon his Power Nothing hath hindered the discovery of God's Power and the Manifestation of his Love to them so much as distrust of his Power Mark 6.5 He could there do no mighty work It is not said he would not but he could not do any mighty works there because of their Unbelief Unbelief doth put a Barr and Rubb in the way of God's Omnipotency And Ioh. 11.40 If thou wouldst beleive thou shouldst see the glory of God God doth not put forth himself because we do no more rest upon him and his Alsufficiency to help us See how angry God hath been on this account with his own Children and People with Moses and Aaron Mat. 20.12 Because ye believed me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I have given them The believing of God's Power is not determining the Success but when we encourage our selves to Pray and Wait and to be Sincere and Faithfull upon the account of God's Power that God is able Many Troubles and Perplexities have befallen God's Children for not believing his Power Zacharias Iohn's Father was struck Dumb for not believing Luk. 1.20 Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season And God let the Nobleman live to see himself confuted and then he was crushed to Death 2 Kings 7.2 Then a Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the Man of God and said Behold if the Lord should make Windows in Heaven might this thing be And he said Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof 3. Consider it is a notable Argument in Prayer to conjure the Lord by his Power As the Leper comes to Christ Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clearn Do what thou wilt but this I know that thou canst thou hast Power enough See how Moses insinuates Numbers 14.15 16. Now if thou shalt kill all this People as one Man then the Nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak saying Because the Lord was not able to bring this People into the Land which he sware unto them therefore he hath slain them in the Wilderness As if he should say Lord thou wouldest have the glory of thy Power seen in the Eyes of the Nations that they may know thee as a mighty powerful God now they will say the Lord was not able to bring them into Canaan 6. All our Courage and all the strength of our Comfort and Obedience and all the Blessings of Obedience depends upon the Belief and the Improvement of God's Power Look into the Book of God and you shall see all the generous Acts that worthy Men have performed came from hence Abraham the Father of the Faithful offered up his Son his only Son the Son of the Promise and that freely and why Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure Heb. 11.19 In such a Tryal what would support and bear us out So when the fiery Furnace was heated seven times hotter than ordinary burning and flaming exceedingly the three Children ventured into it upon this Principle Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King Dan. 3.17 What is the reason we are so Cowardly and Dastardly we look to things sensible and visible and cannot set the Power of God against it or above them and consider how he can bring good out of evil and so Carnal Fears and Hopes draw us aside Why are we discouraged and turn from God in difficult Cases rather than in easie Cases but that we do not believe that he can do all things Paul believed therefore in the Face of Opposition he goes on in his Work unweariedly 1 Tim 4.10 Therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all Men â—specially of them thâ—t believe This made him in the midst of Reproaches and all manner of Difficulties to go on with Courage 7. When we run to Carnal Shifts because we cannot trust this Power of God then we engage his strength that should be for us against us and it is just with God to blast us Ionah runs from his Work and God sends a Storm after him Ionah was afraid of the Ninevites but mischief will sooner or later overtake them that run from their Duty and they have worse Inconveniencies by their own Shifts Iacob would get the Blessing by a Wile but that cost him dear he was Banished from his Father's House upon it lest Esau should kill him Indirect Courses will certainly prove a loss though you may obtain your Purpose yet you plunge your selves into greater difficulties afterward and Obtain your Desires with more Trouble than if you had waited upon God 8. If the thing be not done for us which we need and desire when we trust upon the Power of God it is because it is not best for us He that trusts upon the Power of God cannot miscarry A Cross is best and a low Estate is best and Troubles are best It is not for want of Power and Love that we are afflicted of God he will deliver us and support us and turn it to the best Psal. 84.11 For the Lord God is a sun and a shield he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal. 34.9 The young Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing If we want any thing we would have certainly it is not good for us 9. The less Power we have in our selves the more Experience we have of God's Power Isa. 40.29 He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength So Deut. 32.36 The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their power is
be vexed by Sathan for his Tryal Iob 1.12 And Paul had his Messenger of Sathan to try him to see what shift he could make with sufficient internal Grace against outward and vexatious evils 2 Cor. 12.7 8. Now it is better to undergo the fiery Tryal than the fiery Torment Tryed we are then but not destroyed Yea sometimes hurried to Death and yet we overcome Revel 12.11 Christ doth prevail upon opposition and by opposition When Sathans Instruments were killing Christians they were pulling down Sathans Throne and advancing Christs and when they were butchered and slaughtered yet they multiplyed 4. The Means and Manner of Victory is to be considered 1. Christ overcometh this Enmity by taking our Nature He might have destroyed him by his Divine Power but the Conquerer is the Seed of the Woman or the Son of God incarnate He conquered in the same Nature that was so lately foiled and thereby Sathans main design is crossed and counter-worked which was double Partly to make Man jealous of God as if he were envious of our Happiness and by this false representation to alienate our hearts and make a breach between us and him Gen. 3.5 God knoweth that in the day ye eat thereof ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil This way would he weaken the esteem of God in our Hearts but hereby we have a fuller manifestation of his love to make him the more amiable to us Rom. 5.8 But God commended his love to us that when we were sinners Christ dyed for us And Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And 1 Iohn 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins We would be as God and Christ would be as Man Partly to depress the Nature of Man which in Innocency stood so near to God that was the end of his malicious suggestion But now 't is advanced and set up far above the Angelical Nature and admitted to dwell with God in a Personal Union Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham The Nature of Man being only assumed by Christ the Angels are not concerned in it immediately Man had the benefit and honour put upon him especially in his glorified Estate Eph. 1.20 21. 2. By his Passion or Death on the Cross Heb. 2.14 For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is is the Devil Christ would not only take our Nature but also suffer in it so to frustrate and make void the Devils design which was to keep Men for ever under the power of Death wherein he had involved him He had brought Sin upon us and by Sin Death and in this Condition as the Executioner of Gods Curse he would still have held us but that Christ came to put us into a Condition of Holiness and Happiness and so make us capable of Eternal Life The Devil did not conquer Christ by Death but Christ did conquer the Devil When the Roman Soldiers were parting and spoiling his Garments he was spoiling Principalities and Powers 3. By his Resurrection and Ascension After he had been a Sacrifice for Sin by his Resurrection he overcame Death Hell and Sin and soon after he ascended into Heaven that he might triumph over the Devil and lead Captivity Captive Eph. 4.8 His Enemies were foiled upon the Cross but his Triumph over them was at his Ascension whereby he hath assured the World of his Conquest that he hath carried the day and gained an absolute and compleat Victory for our Lord in Heaven is out of the reach of Enemies as having done his work we are only left behind to scatter the Relicks of the Battle 4. By his sitting at the Right Hand of God he doth two things 1. He poureth out the Spirit endowing his Messengers with all Gifts and Graces ordinary and extraordinary to preach the Gospel to the Heathen World whereby the Old Religion by which the Devils Kingdom was supported went to wrack every where his Oracles were silenced his Superstitions suppressed No more the same Temples the same Rites the same Gods all fell before God as worshipped in Christ Iohn 16.11 The spirit shall convince the world of judgment because the prince of this world is judged 'T is true in some parts of the World Sathan yet reigneth where Christ hath not pursued him with his Gospel or withdrawn his Gospel for the ingratitude of Men but where it cometh it prevaileth mightily and the World cannot resist its convincing power 2. By his Secret and Invisible Providence he defendeth his People and stilleth the Enemy and Avenger Christ as God incarnate having the grant of a Kingdom is every way furnished with power to maintain it by Means proper to the mediatory Dispensation by his Word Spirit and Providence this last we are upon All Judgment is put into his hands Iohn 5.22 Though there be many vicissitudes and changes in the outward Condition of the Church yet by invisible wayes God doth notably defeat Sathan and his Instruments And though there be ebbings and flowings of the two Kingdoms yet we have much experience that Christ is upon the Throne by his protecting strengthning and assisting his faithful People and prospering their just endeavours for the advancing of his Kingdom Sometimes he destroyeth Enemies Isa. 27.4 Who would set the briers and thornes against me in battle I would go through them and burn them together Sometimes he infatuateth their Counsels Iob 5.12 13. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot performe their enterprize He taketh the wise in his own craftiness and the counsel of the froward is carried head-long Sometimes he hideth his People in the secret of his Presence Psalm 31.20 Sometimes he blasts all their prosperity by an invisible Curse Iob 20.26 A fire not blown shall consume them Or else he divides them as you may read in 2 Chron. 20. Chapter 5. The Degree of the success How far is the Enemy and Avenger stilled I Answer 1. Non ratione essentiae not to take away his Life and Being No there is a Devil still and shall be when the whole work of Christs Redemption is finished for it is said of that time Revel 20.10 That the Devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever and for ever So Matth. 25.41 Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels Then Eternal Judgment is executed on the
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
possident minores census tulerunt Those that possessed great Estates paid the least Taxes In many great Houses how little is God owned God hath many times more Prayers from a smoaky Cottage than from Great Mens Houses The Revenues of Heaven do more arise from a few poor broken-hearted Christians that have little in the World than from Great Ones that have altogether broken the yoak 3. We must inure the Soul to the thoughts of a change and live in the midst of the abundance of worldly comforts with greater weanedness and looseness of heart As remembring that temporal enjoyments are not our happiness that here God will exercise us with much uncertainty and that surely every Man at his best estate is altogether vanity Psal. 39 5. When we seem most setled to rest secure upon temporal things is but to raise a Fabrick or Structure upon the Ice God can soâ—n remove us not onely by the great remove of death but by many interveening accidents during life when we have surest tenures strongest dwellings clearest air best accommodations how soon can the Lord blast all these things and break in upon us by his Judgments There were two Types Leaven in their Thank-offerings and Dwelling in Booths at the Feast of Tabernacles Deut. 16.13 14. with Levit. 23.42 After they had gathered in their Corn and VVine and their Houses were full of all the Blessings of the Earth then they were to dwell in Tents They that are secure as if above Changes God will soon shew them the vanity of all earthly enjoyments Psal. 30.6 7. In my Prosperity I said I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled No Man ever slept well on a carnal Pillow but his rest was disturbed before his night was spent 4. Be content with God's allowance God is our habitation and doth appoint to us how much or how little we shall have of these comforts He is as to temporal things a larger habitation to some than to others If he be but an hiding-place to us though not a Palace we must be contented Psal. 119.114 Thou art my shield and my hiding-place David took notice of that as a great Mercy VVe are not to seek great things for our selves If we have any tolerable safety or any tolerable condition of life and opportunity of service it is enough The degree of enjoying these Comforts must be left to God himself Promises were not made to suffice Covetousness but to incourage us in our want Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Purge the Soul from VVorldly desires and then there will be room and place for the exercise of Faith 5. If God be our habitation the heart must not be fixed in the Creature nor diverted from the everlasting enjoyment of him For the present your dwelling is in God himself Now God is enjoyed three ways In the Creature In the Ordinances and in Heaven These three ways of enjoying God must not clash one with another but be subordinate To be satisfied in the enjoyment of God so far as the creature or outward things can let him out to us is a sign of a carnal heart David was otherwise minded His great thing in this VVorld was to enjoy God in his Ordinances See Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple that is to enjoy God in the Ordinances Now those that desire thus to enjoy God in the Ordinances will long to see his Face in Heaven For these are but part of his ways a taste to make us long for more Besides God is never so much so truely an house to us as in Heaven 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 That house should be mainly desired Therefore all that we enjoy here should but quicken our desires after more in Heaven for if God be our habitation he is there all in all Heb. 11.14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Country and verse 16. Now they desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly There is our Inheritance which is Immortal Eternal and Undefiled There is our Father and the best of our Kindred If the Creature were onely our habitation then it were good to be here still but since God is we must strive to be there where we shall have most of him And therefore as to the Creature and any outward comforts resulting from thence we must carry our selves as Strangers and Pilgrims The Life of Faith is Heaven anticipated and Heaven is but the Life of Faith perfected Here we must be contented to be Strangers and Pilgrims So was Abraham who had the best right Heb. 11.9 By Faith he sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country So was David who had most possession Psal. 39.12 I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were He that had so full a right to an opulent powerful Kingdom not onely when he was chased like a Flea or Partridge on the Mountains but in his full glory and prosperity when he offered many Cart-loads of Gold and Silver 1 Chron. 29.15 For we are strangers before thee and sojourners as were all our Fathers Iesus Christ who was Lord Paramount complains Psal. 69.8 I am become a stranger to my Brethren and an Alien to my Mothers Children He that was Lord of all had neither house nor home He telleth us Iohn 17.16 I am not of this World He passed through the World to sanctifie it as a place of service but his heart and constant residence was not here to fix in it as a place of rest All that are Christ's have the Spirit of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom We pass through but do not inhabit this World Here we are absent from our own Country yea from our God who is our house and home 2 Cor. 5.6 Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. We are at home there where we may enjoy the full of God Our hearts should be still homeward and we should take little and moderate pleasure in the delights that offer themselves in the course of our Pilgrimage and esteem it an honour if we may get a little leave and respite to do any piece of service to God while we are upon our Journey Vse of all To press us to dwell in God This is the happiness and honour of the People of God that they dwell in God and God dwelleth in them He
the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 Now which of these are we to understand Not the Evil Angels to be sure for since the Fall they are called Devils not Angels singly without a note of Distinction This was an Holy Desire of an Holy Object of which those damned Spirits are not capable It is a burden to them to think of God and Christ they abhor their own Thoughts of God Iam. 9.19 The Devils also believe and tremble And Christs Presence was a torment to them Mat. 8.29 What have we to do with thee Iesus thou Son of God! art thou come to torment us before the time They cannot please themselves nor find such a delight and full satisfaction in the view of these Truths Therefore it is meant of those good Angels that behold the face of God and Minister in his presence they are beholding wondering and rejoycing at the mysteries of the Gospel There are two kinds of Creatures made after the Likeness of God Angels and Men and they are seated and placed in the two Extremities of the World the one in Heaven and the other on Earth in the Highest and Lowest Story of the Universe that at both ends of the Creation there might be some to glorifie him and acknowledge his Excellencies Alas here with us in the lower part of the World how few take notice of the glorious discoveries of God in any of his Works especially in the work of Redemption So that all Gods Preparations and Expences seem lost as to the Honour and Service which he might justly expect from us But there is another World where this mystery that is so little regarded here is more thought of and better studied even by the Blessed Angels Creatures more excellent and more numerous than Mankind who are always glorifying God and admiring his Excellencies upon this account As we behold the Sun that shineth to us from their part of the World so do they behold the Son of Righteousness from our part of the World even Jesus Christ the Lord in all the Acts of his Mediation 1 Tim. 3.16 Without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels That is beheld with Wonder and Reverence God needeth not to Court us with such importunity he hath Creatures enough to glorifie him ten thousand times ten thousand Angels that stand before his Throne and know more of God than we do and are more ready to praise him II. What The Text telleth us which things that is those things spoken of in the Context 1. The Person of the Redeemer the most glorious Object that can be looked upon or taken into the Thoughts of any Creature The view of this is now our Comfort and will be our Happiness to all Eternity Iohn 17.24 Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me When we are in Heaven on t'other side of the World that will be our Work and our Happiness but it must not be wholly omitted here So the Angels delight in the Person of the Redeemer it is their rejoicing to look upon Christ in whom the Glory of God shineth forth more admirably than in any other of his Works Yea I shall go one Strain higher God himself delighteth in looking upon Christ Prov. 8.30 There was I by him as one brought up with him I was daily his delight in the Hebrew it is day day one day after another God never satisfieth himself enough in this yea God delighteth in Christ as Mediatour Mat. 3.17 This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Isa. 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteâ—â— It is the ground of his gracious aspect upon us As Holy he delighted in all his Works and was refreshed at the view of them Gen. 1.31 And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good compared with Exo. 31.17 In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Well then this is one thing which the Angels look upon the Person of Christ the most lovely Object to be thought of figur'd in the Mercy-Seat or cover of the Ark who interposed between the Law and God Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Propitiation that is Christ Incarnate 2. The way of Redemption verse 11. The Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow And therein the sweet Harmony and Concord between Infinite Mercy and Infinite Justice that both might have full satisfaction This is figured in the Mercy-Seat Gods reconciling himself to Man by Christ Rom. 3.24 25 26. Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his Righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus 3 Another thing spoken of in the Context is the Grace that should come to us verse 10. Gods keeping familiar Correspondence and Communion with Poor Creatures in and through Christ 1 Iohn 1.3 And truely our Communion is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. The dwelling of our Nature with God in a Personal Union a thing which Angels may wonder at since God abaseth himself to behold things in Heaven or things on Earth Psal. 113.6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in the Earth His Majesty and All sufficiency is so great that he might justly despise the Angels of whom he standeth in no need Now that he should stoop so low as to look after poor crawling Worms and admit them to such intimacy with himself this Commerce between God and the Inhabitants of the lower World is matter of wondrous delight to the Angels 4. The Mission of the Spirit here just before the Text the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven and then presently it followeth which things the Angels desire to look into viz. The Copious Effusion of Gospel Grace Before the price was paid when God gave out Grace upon Trust 't was more sparingly dispensed but now more plentifully since the price of Redemption is actually paid The Angels are ascending and descending present with the Churches in their Holy Worship When the Spirit was first poured out the Men that were Conscious to it were all surprized with wonder Acts 2.7 They were all amazed and marvelled saying one to another Behold are not all these that speak Galileans And surely the Angels see cause to glorifie God for his Gifts and Graces bestowed on the Church It was done in the sight of Angels Eph. 4.8 When he ascended on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men compared with Col. 2.15 And having
Diis nec hominibus pepercit ad impietatem in Deos in homines adjunxit injuriam He spared neither the Gods nor Men to his Impiety against the Gods he added Injuries to Men he was both ungodly and unrighteous Vse Would we not then be counted ungodly let us take heed of all these Sins deny them all 1. How else will you look God in the Face at the Day of Judgment Psal. 1.5 The Vngodly shall not stand in the Iudgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous He shall not be able to lift up his Head 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness The Day of Judgment is to take Vengeance of Ungodliness Iude 15. To execute Iudgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly Deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard Speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him It is the Day wherein God that is now hidden behind the Curtain of the Heavens cometh forth to vindicate his Honour 2. Great Judgments shall befal them in this World 2 Pet. 2.6 And turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into Asbes condemned them with an Overthrow making them Examples unto those that should live ungodly And 1 Pet. 4.18 And if the Righteous scarcely be saved where shall the Ungodly and the Sinner appear God's Jealousy is great Isa. 59.17 For he put on Righteousness as a Breast-plate and a Helmet of Salvation upon his Head and he put on the Garments of Vengeance for a Clothing and was clad with Zeal as a Cloke God is not only jealous of his Honour but he will be known and plainly profess himself so to be the Cloke of a Man being his outward Garment No such visible Providences as against Ungodliness So Exod. 34.13 The Lord whose Name is Iealous is a jealous God That is fit to make the Name of a thing which distinguisheth it from all other things of the same kind This distinguisheth the true God from all Gods whatsoever others are so far from being iealous Gods that tho their Worshippers went to never so many Gods yet to them it was all one they were good Fellow-Gods and would admit of Partners when they brought their Gifts like common Whores they received them without more ado The true God will admit of no Partners this he will severely punish and do them as much Harm as ever he did do them Good 3. It is the great Aim of the Gospel to promote Godliness 1 Tim. 3.6 And without controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 6.3 If any Man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom Words even the Words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the Doctrine that is according to Godliness So far Men are Christians as they are godly Men might be ungodly at a cheaper rate when they had not so much Means As the Angel said to Iacob Gen. 32.26 Let me go for the Day breaketh Now Grace appeareth we should deny Ungodliness 4. Ungodliness is the Root of all irregular Courses Gen. 20.11 I thought surely the Fear of God is not in this Place and they will slay me for my Wife's sake Godliness is the Bulwark of Laws and of all honest Discipline there can be no Honesty without Piety The first part of the Law provideth for Respects to God as being the proper Foundation for Respects to our Neighbour Without the knowledg of the true God the Heart cannot be clean Prov. 19.2 Also that the Soul be without knowledg is not good The Means are these 1. Purge the Heart from all Principles of Ungodliness There are many gross Maxims as that it is Folly to be precise that they have a good Heart towards God that it were better when there was less Knowledg that it is an easy matter to repent and have a good Heart towards God that it is in vain to serve God that Thoughts are free let us carry it fair before Men and all will be well when Men have done their best petty Sins are not to be stood upon These are the implicite Thoughts and Maxims of ungodly Men which are the ground of all sottish Practices purge your Hearts from them 2. Suppress all ungodly Thoughts and Motions all gross Thoughts of God Psal. 14.1 The Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God Shame may lay a restraint upon the Tongue but such Thoughts and Whispers do arise in the Heart Again that God is not so harsh as he is represented Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self That God cannot see through the dark Cloud Iob 22.12 13. Is not God in the height of Heaven and behold the height of the Stars how high they are And thou sayest How doth God know can he judg through the dark Cloud These are the Thoughts of carnal ungodly Men have a care of giving them the least Entertainment suppress them when they first rise in the Heart 3. Mortify vile Affections As the Air in some Countries is seldom clear but dark and foggy so it is with the Minds of carnal Men vile Affections steeming in the Heart cloud the Understanding and Judgment and beget ungodly Thoughts as a filthy Stomach sends up Fumes to the Head 4. Keep close to God's Institutions these keep up his Honour and preserve his Memorial Divine Truths breed Godliness False Worship and multitude of Ceremonies darken the Nature of God Images beget a gross Opinion of God as if he were a poor sensless thing that could do little good or harm God knows what is best and how he will be worshipped do not presume to be wiser than God his own Institutions keep up the repute of his Nature and Essence 5. Let us exercise our selves unto Godliness 1 Tim. 4.7 But refuse prophane and old Wives Fables and exercise thy self rather unto Godliness Give God the Honour due to him let him have your Love Delight Trust and Fear do all things with an aim at his Glory and worship him not out of Custom but out of Conscience so should we exercise our selves unto Godliness SERMON V. TITUS II. 12 And worldly Lusts c. GRace that teacheth us to deny Ungodliness doth also teach us to deny worldly Lusts. These are fitly coupled Ungodliness feedeth worldly Lusts and worldly Lusts encrease Ungodliness 1. Ungodliness feedeth worldly Lusts because when we leave God the chiefest Good then our Hearts go a whoring after every base Comfort Jer. 2.13 My People have committed two Evils They have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters and have hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no Water If Men are ignorant of God or do not seek after God the Heart lies open to every Object As when a worthy Match is refused upon some groundless dislike in a fond humour the next
Disadvantage to your selves for a Man that hath begun to be strict and careful and holy and righteous and profess himself to be taken out of the Kingdom of Darkness and made experience of the Ways of Christ yet if he falls off he doth as it were after Trial pronounce to the World that Satan's Service is better than Christ's As Iacob kept wrestling till Day-light appeared and would not let go his hold-fast so till the Morning of Glory come still keep on and continue your Courage Or as Elisha would not leave his Master till he was taken from him into Heaven so be constant to the last let the World know you see no cause to leave Christ or to be weary of his Service and to begrudg the Strictness of Religion Matth. 20. you read some were called into the Vine-yard sooner some later but they all kept working to the End and Close of the Day There 's a different time of Calling some begin with God in Infancy some in riper Age but none must be weary of well-doing But how apt are we to turn aside from God Our Righteousness must be as the Morning Light that always increaseth till High-noon but our Righteousness is like the Morning-Dew it is gone as soon as the Sun breaks out in Strength and Power We have a great many Resolutions when we begin a Course of Godliness but soon grow weary Look as a tired Horse is ready to turn in at every Inn so upon every Occasion and Temptation we are ready to turn away from God but it is not enough to begin to live godly strictly righteously but while Life lasteth you must hold on in God's ways it must be during your whole present State and Abode here in the World II. The Reasons why this Duty of our heavenly Calling must be in the present World 1. Because this is the Time of Grace There is no other Time to get the Favour of God and an Interest in Heaven but here upon Earth Now we have the Means hereafter the Recompences Now Christ saith Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden Matth. 11.28 Hereafter he will say Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World Mat. 25.34 Now he calls us to receive Grace hereafter we must receive either Vengeance or Glory In the Angels Song we find Luke 2.14 Peace upon Earth Here God proclaims Tidings of Peace and Reconciliation to the Creature if it will submit to God Now the Golden Scepter is held out and you will have no more such a Season This is God the Father's God the Son 's and God the Spirit 's Time but after this Life you shall have it no more It is the Time of God the Father's Patience and these are the Days of the Gospel when God the Son is offered to us and now we have the Advantage of the Spirit 's Impulses and his Convictions upon our Hearts But after this Life there 's neither Prophecy nor Gospel nor Conviction nor Means offered any more then comes Recompence and Retribution Zanchy speaks of some which had a Fancy that the Gospel should be preached hereafter in the other World to those that never heard of Christ in this World as to Children to Turks and Pagans to justify this Conceit they alledg that Place 1 Pet. 3.19 By which he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison But that 's a clear Mistake The Apostle speaks there how the Spirit of God went forth by Noah's Preaching in warm Conviction upon the Hearts of those that are now in Prison that were sometimes disobedient to the Warnings of Noah and are now held with Chains of Darkness in the Prison of Hell But however there is nothing to this World Now you have the Means and God's golden Scepter is held out Now Christ saith Come but if you refuse hereafter he will say Depart Now is the accepted Time now is the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.1 2. This is the Time of our Exercise and Trial. 1. There must be this Exercise before we come to Heaven We do not leap into Heaven without any Preparation The Vessels of Glory must first be seasoned with Grace Col. 1.12 Who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light First we are qualified and seasoned then filled brim-full As when the Virgins were chosen for Ahasuerus they were to accomplish their Months of Purification so we must have a Time of purifying and cleansing from Corruption before we can get to Heaven Balaam would die the Death of the Righteous but not live his Life Numb 23.10 Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last End be like his As it is said of the Snake that when it is stricken with Death stretcheth out it self straight though crooked before at oportuit sic vixisse you should have so lived You should be sober righteous and godly Enoch before his Translation had this Testimony that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 Some-thing must be done here there is no Triumph without a Warfare 2 Tim. 2.5 If a Man strive for Masteries yet is he not crowned unless he strive lawfully that is according to the Laws of the Race or Exercise so we cannot expect to die in the Lord unless we live in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them Your Works die not when you die Eccles. 11.3 If the Tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the Place where the Tree falleth there it shall be In the time of the Law there was nothing to be gathered upon the sabbath-Sabbath-Day but a double Portion to be gathered before those that provide nothing on the sixth Day had nothing on the sabbath-Sabbath-Day The Sabbath is a Figure of Heaven of that eternal Rest we shall have there if we do not make Provision during the time of Life there can be nothing done afterwards 2. It is only here this is the fittest Place for Exercise Here are Difficulties Snares and Temptations and these serve to discover the Glory of Grace and this makes it worthy of Praise that we can act for God in the present World where so many miscarry 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present World Here is the fit Place for our Trial where we have so many Difficulties Snares Baits Avocations and Scandals to take us off from performing the Duty of our Heavenly Calling As Death leaves us so Judgment finds us Upon our Behaviour in the present Life both our everlasting Woe or Weal depends Hereafter is not a time of Labour but of Reward and Punishment there is no room for Exercise and Trial there no Snares in the next World Grace cannot be found worthy of Praise there for that is God's Day called the Day of the Lord 2 Pet. 3.10
that you have struggled with and groaned under all your Lives but Sin Now that is blotted out when the Days of Refreshing shall come And as there is no Sin so there are no Temptations in Paradise there was a Tempter but none in Heaven Satan was long since cast out thence and the Saints fill up the vacant Rooms of the Apostate Angels The World is a Place of Snares a Valley of Temptations it is the Devil's Circuit where did he walk but to and fro in the Earth but in Heaven nothing entreth that defileth Rev. 21.27 No Serpent can creep in there though he could into Paradise O Christians lift up your Heads you will get rid of Sin and displease God no more Here we cry Lord deliver us from Evil and then our Cries are heard to the full Grace weakneth Sin but Glory abolisheth it and the old Adam is left in the Grave never to rise more 2. The next Evil is the Evil of Affliction Whatever is painful and burdensome to Nature is a Fruit of the Fall a Brand and Mark of our Rebellion against God therefore Affliction must be done away as well as Sin if we be compleatly happy As in Hell there is Evil and only Evil a Cup of Wrath unmixed without the least Temperament of Mercy so in Heaven there is Happiness and only Happiness Sorrow is done away as well as Sin It is said Rev. 21.4 God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more Death neither Sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more Pain The Afflictions of the Soul are gone there are no more Doubts of God's Love nor Sense of his Displeasure here though we are pardoned and the Wound be cured yet the Scars remain Absalom could not see the King's Face when he was restored In wise Dispensation God sometimes hideth his Face from us here upon Earth We need to be dieted and to taste the Vinegar and the Gall sometimes as well as the Honey and Sweetness that we may the better relish our Christian Comforts The World is a middle Place standing between Hell and Heaven and therefore hath something of both the Saints have their Mixture of Pleasure and Sorrow Iob 2.10 Shall we receive Good at the Hand of the Lord and shall we not receive Evil But there is Fulness of Joy and Pleasures for evermore Psal. 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life in thy Presence there is Fulness of Ioy at thy right Hand there are Pleasures for evermore there is no Mixture of Sorrow Here we complain that the Candle of the Lord doth not shine with a like Brightness as in the Months that are past there our Sun remaineth in an eternal High-noon without Clouds and Overcasting Nox nullâ— secuta est no Night follows The Afflictions of the Body are done away Heaven is a happy Air where none are sick there is no such thing there as Gouts and Aches and the grinding Pains of the Stone Here it is called a vile Body Phil. 3.21 as it is the Instrument of Sin and the Subject of Diseases We have the Root of Diseases in the Soul and that is Sin and the Matter and Fuel of them in the Body peccant Humours and Principles of Corruption As Wood is eaten out with Worms that breed within it self so there are in our Bodies Principles of Corruption that do at length destroy them but there we are wholly incorruptible Yea because Deformity in the Body is a Monument of God's Displeasure one of the penal Events of Sin introduced by Adam's Fall it is done away the Body riseth in due Proportion Whatever was monstrous or mishapen in the first Edition is corrected in the second like the Errata's in a second Edition And for Violence without Heaven is a quiet Place when there are Tumults in the World God is introduced as sitting in the Heavens a quiet Posture Psal. 2.4 He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh There is nothing to discompose those blessed Spirits wicked Men cannot molest them nor abuse them Here the very Company of wicked Men is a Burden as Lot's righteous Soul was vexed with the filthy Conversation of the Wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 David complains Psal. 120.5 Wo is me that I dwell in Mesech and sojourn in the Tents of Kedar But there the Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do Iniquity Matth. 13.41 The Wicked shall be bound Hand and Foot and cast into utter Darkness as when Men will not be ruled they are sent to Prison Here poor Saints are subject to a Number of Infirmities Labour Thirst Hunger Cold Nakedness and Want which all cease then It is a rich Inheritance as well as a glorious one Ephes. 1.18 That ye may know what is the Hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints These Distinctions of Poor and Rich as they are understood in the World do not outlive Time we shall have enough of true Riches which is eternal Glory and the full Fruition of God Labour ceaseth though there be a continual Exercise of Grace all things rest when they come to their proper Place so do they that die in the Lord we still serve God but without Weariness Yea we are freed from the Necessities of Nature Eating and Drinking and Sleeping to which the greatest Potentates are subject Though they are exempted from hard bodily Labour yet they are not exempted from the Necessities of Nature but there the Use of Meats and of the Belly and Stomach is abolished 1 Cor. 6.12 Meats for the Belly and the Belly for Meats but God shall destroy both it and them It is a piece of our Misery that our Life is patched up of so many Creatures as a torn Garment is pieced and patched up with Supplies from abroad the Sheep or Silkworm supplies us with Clothing the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea with Food and all to support a ruinous Fabrick that is ever ready to drop about our Ears But there we are above Meat and Drink and Apparel it will be our Meat and Drink to do our Father's Will Nakedness will be no Shame we shall have Glory instead of a Robe And the Body will not be a Clog to the Soul but a Help This Mass of Flesh we carry about with us is now the Prison of the Soul where it looketh out by the Windows of the Senses but there it is no longer the Prison of the Soul but the Temple of it In short all that I have to â—ay upon this Branch is comprized in Rev. 21.4 And God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more Death neither Sorrow nor Crying neither shall there be any more Pain for the former things are passed away There is quite another kind of Dispensation no Distraction of Business our whole Employment there will be to
when his Lust was satisfied Imperfections that before lay hid then appear to view and so our Affections are confuted by Experience But there the more we enjoy God the more his Infinite Perfections are manifested and our Pleasure is augmented by our Enjoyment 3. There is a compleat Union with God and Fruition of him 2 Cor. 5.6 Knowing that whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. Phil. 1.23 I am in a strait between two having a Desire to depart and to be with Christ. Here we are united to Christ by Faith but that is nothing to Sight and immediate Intuition we lay hold upon Christ but have not such an absolute Possession of him He is a Head that gives out himself not by Necessity but Choice and Pleasure therefore our Communion with Christ is not so perpetual and familiar as it shall be then As an Iron that lieth long in the Fire seemeth to be changed into the Nature of it so we are then more conformed and changed into the Likeness of Christ Psal. 16.11 In thy Presence is fulness of Ioy at thy Right-hand there are Pleasures for evermore All Comforts in this Life we enjoy in God's Absence and have them at the second third and fourth hand by the Ministration of the Creatures Sun Moon and Stars or by the Ministry of Men. Now these are not Vessels capacious enough to convey so much of God to us as we shall receive when God is All in All immediately 1 Cor. 15.28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be All in All. There is no Temple nor Ordinances in Heaven but the Lamb is the Light thereof We shall enjoy God without Means or intervention of Ordinances We are fed among the Lillies but it is but till the Day break and the Shadows flee away Cant. 2.16 17. My Beloved is mine aend I am his he feedeth among the Lillies until the Day break and the Shadows flee away turn my Beloved and be thou like a Roe or young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether Secondly The Happiness of his Relations and Society In our Company we shall be blessed God and Christ and Saints and Angels Heb. 12.22 23 24. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudg of all and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant c. We shall see God in Christ the bodily Eye that cannot look upon the Sun shall be perfectly glorified and strengthened tho it cannot see the Essence of God yet it shall see greater Manifestations of his Glory than it is able to behold here How will the Father welcome us as he welcomed Christ 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 So he will say to us as Mat. 25.21 Well done thou good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the Ioy of thy Lord. We shall come into his Presence with Shame Sin causeth Shame and maketh us shy of God but as the Eye cannot endure the Light if it be wronged so a wronged Conscience makes us afraid of the Presence of God but when we shall be perfectly sanctified and Sin shall be done away we shall be able to stand in the Presence of God So as to Christ he cannot be contented without your Company and you should not be satisfied without his John 14.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and take you to my self that where I am there ye may be also O what a joyful meeting will there be between us and our Redeemer it will be much sweeter than the Interview between Iacob and Ioseph Christ longeth for the blessed hour as you do The wise Men came from far to see him in a Manger Zacheus climb'd up the Tree to see him riding to Ierusalem There will be another manner of Sight of Christ in Heaven than there was of him in the days of his Flesh. When Ioseph discovered himself to his Brethren and said Gen. 45.4 I am Joseph your Brother what rejoycing was there much more will there be Joy in Heaven when Christ shall say I am Jesus your Brother your Saviour your Redeemer when he shall lead us to God in a full Troop and goodly Company and say Behold I and the Children which thou hast given me Heb. 2.13 what a blessed Sight will that be Then as to the Angels what Welcome will there be between you and them When Christ entred into Heaven they entertained him with their Applauses and Acclamations Psal. 24.11 Lift up your Heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Doors and the King of Glory shall come in So will they welcome the Saints to Heaven with Acclamations They delight in the good of Men in their Creation Redemption Conversion so surely will they delight in the Glorification of a Sinner And as to the Saints your Acquaintance with whom you have prayed suffered and familiarly conversed Memory is not abolished in Heaven but perfected Those whom we knew here we shall know again A Minister shall see his Crown and the Fruit of his Labours 1 Thess. 2.19 You are our Crown and our Ioy. And those which have been relieved by us shall welcome us into Heaven who therefore are said to receive us into everlasting Habitations Luke 16.9 Yea we shall know those that we never saw why else is it made a part of our Priviledg to sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 8.11 As Adam knew Eve as soon as he saw her and in the Transfiguration Peter knew Moses and Elias who were dead many hundred Years before so shall we know one another certainly we shall not go to a strange People where we know no body As Men at a Feast are free and familiar with one another we shall be discoursing of God's Wisdom Mercy and Justice in the Work of Redemption So did Moses and Elias talk with Christ Luke 9.30 31. Behold there talked with him two Men which were Moses and Elias who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem Of the wonderful Providence of God in conducting us to Glory as Travellers in their Inn take Pleasure in discoursing with one another of the Dirtiness and Dangers of the Way The Saints are clothed with Majesty and Glory more lovely Objects than ever they were upon Earth and here is an innumerable Company of them With what Joy were the Disciples wrap'd when they saw but
the World whether Christ should come or no do you think carnal Men would give their Vote this way for Christ's Coming The Voice of corrupt Nature is Depart Iob 22.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy Ways that 's the Language of their Hearts Carnal Men are of the Mind of the Devil when Christ wrought a Miracle in casting out a Devil and discovered somewhat of his Divine Power the Devils were afraid as if he were coming to Judgment already Matth. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time The Devil cannot endure to hear of Christ's Coming no more can carnal Men for they are of his Mind If Thieves and Malefactors might have the Liberty to choose whether there should be Assizes yea or no do you think they would look for and long for the Judg's Coming and the Day of his Approach So corrupt Nature hath no Desire of this Day It is the Spirit in the Bride that says Come as soon as the Spirit of Grace works in us there is a Bent and Inclination this way 1 Pet. 1.3 Who hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope Spiritual Desires come from Heaven and thither they tend As soon as the Spirit works Grace in the Heart it looks out this way the Heart is bent thither from whence it receives all it hath as all Creatures love the Place of their Original The great Work of the Spirit is to bring us and Christ together The Spirit comes from the Father and the Son to bring us to the Father by the Son and therefore the Spirit stirs up those holy Groans in us When will he come Then look upon the Graces of a Christian there is Faith Love and Hope 1. Faith The Ground of this Looking is the Promise now Faith stands waiting for the Promise as if it were already begun to be accomplished Look as Rebeka espied Isaac a-far off so Faith espies Christ a-far off Faith is the Evidence of things not seen and looks upon Christ as if he were already on his way and so makes the Soul stand ready to meet and receive him As a loving Wife stands upon the Shoar and looks for the Return of her Husband and the Sight of every Ship makes her to realize by an active and loving Fancy the Sweetness of an Interview So Faith stands waiting for the Coming of Christ and the Approaches he makes towards the Church 2. Love 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love The Saints love Christ whom they never saw We know Christ by hear-say here in the Church not by Sight he wooes us as Princes use to do by Picture therefore they long for his Appearing Whosoever is a Friend to Christ will find his Heart long for Christ of whom he hath so often heard in the Word and so often tasted in the Supper Love is an Affection of Union it desires to meet the Party loved so is Love to Christ it is not satisfied with the present State but it cries out Come come Why is his Chariot so long a coming It longs to see him whom it hath heard of so often and so much and of whose Sweetness it hath already tasted for this Love is not only kindled by the Knowledg we have of him by hear-say but by Experience Christ first comes in the Heart by Grace and then the Soul having tasted the Sweetness of it longs for another Coming When will he come in the Clouds that we may see him as he is And as Love to Christ so also Love to the Saints enkindles this Desire We have not all our Company here in the World and till we all meet together we shall never be satisfied 3. Hope that is another Grace God sitteth us with Graces as well as Happiness The Lord doth not only provide a glorious Estate for us but Grace to expect it and stirs up Affections in us sutable thereunto As in the privative Part of Salvation Christ doth not only deliver us from the Hurt of Death but from the Bondage and Fear of Death Despair is the Beginning of Hell So in the positive Part of Salvation the Lord doth not only provide Heaven and Happiness for us but Hope that we may look for this Happiness We are begotten again to a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 And to wait for his Son from Heaven 1 Thess. 1.10 Hope was made on purpose for this thing that we expect our full and future Happiness When the Affection of Hope is elsewhere placed and turned to carnal things it is like a Member out of Joint It was made and framed on purpose that we might look for this glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ. 2. Look upon their Relation to Christ. There are two Relations the Scripture usually takes notice of with respect unto the Day of Judgment Christ is our Master and our Husband As he is our Master we must look for him It is the Property of a good Servant to wait for his Master 's Coming Mat. 24.46 Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Here we have only present Maintenance but hereafter we shall receive our Wages Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me A Servant of God should remember that when Christ comes he will not come empty-handed he is your good and bounteous Master Here you have but an Earnest as when you hire a Man you give him Earnest But now because God would not have our Affections to be servile therefore there is a sweeter Relation we are to look for him not only as a Lord and Master but as an Husband and therefore it is the Bride that saith Come Rev. 22.17 Here we are only contracted to Christ he hath pass'd his Promise to us but the Day of Judgment is the Day of solemn Espousals Hos. 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever Here in the Covenant of Grace Christ doth pass a Promise to the Church here he comes to give us a Pledg and take a Pledg from us As Tertullian saith Christ took from us the Token and Pledg of our Flesh and is gone to Heaven to make all things ready and he hath left with us the Token of his own Spirit that so we might long for the time when he shall come again for the Consummation of this happy and glorious Marriage that is between him and us We are to wait for Glory as a Servant for his Master and as a Bride or Virgin betrothed doth wait for the Coming of him that hath promised Marriage to her 3. Look upon a Christian's Privileges which we shall then enjoy and certainly Christians must needs desire Christ's Coming The Day of Judgment is the Day of Manifestation the Day of Perfection the Day of Congregation and the Day of Glorification 1. It is called a Day of Manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 The earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of
the Sons of God All now is under a Vail your Christ your Life your Glory is hid Our Persons are hid under Obscurity and Abasement Col. 3.3 4. Your Life is hid with Christ in God but when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory Look as Moses told those Rebels when they would level the Officers of the Church Numb 16.5 To Morrow the Lord will shew who are his So when once the Night of Death is past over to Morrow when we awake out of the Dust of the Grave then Christ the natural Son will appear in all his Royalty and Glory as the great God and Saviour of the World and then also the adopted Sons shall be manifested we shall put on our best Robes and be apparell'd with Glory even as Christ is In Winter the Tree appears not what it is the Life and Sap is hid in the Root but when Summer comes all is discovered So now a Christian he is under a Vail but in this great Day all shall be manifested 2. It is a Day of Perfection Every thing tends to its perfect State and so doth Grace We see the little Seed that lies under Ground breaks through the Clods and works its way farther because it is not come to the Flower and Perfection So Grace still tends and longs for Perfection then we shall have perfect Holiness and perfect Freedom Christ to the glorified Saints will be a perfect Saviour Death which is a Fruit of Sin is still continued upon the Body therefore Christ is but a Saviour in part to the Spirits of just Men made perfect but then the Body and Soul shall be united and perfectly glorified that we might praise God in the Heavens Christ's Coming is to make an End of his Redemption of what he hath begun At first he came to redeem our Souls and break the Power of Sin but then he comes to redeem our Bodies from the Hand of the Grave and from the Power of Corruption the one is done by Humiliation and Abasement the other by Power The Scripture speaks as if all our Privileges in Christ were imperfect till that Day Regeneration Adoption Union with Christ they suffer a kind of Imperfection till then Regeneration the Day of Judgment is called by that Name Matth. 19.28 In the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on the Throne of his Glory Then all things are made new Heaven and Earth is new Bodies new Souls new Then Adoption is perfect Rom. 8.23 Waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies What is the meaning of the Apostle's Expression As soon as we are planted into Christ are we not the Sons of God Yes now we are Sons but the Heir is handled as a Servant during his Non-age 1 Iohn 3.2 Beloved now we are the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be we wait for the Adoption Justification that is perfect then Acts 3.19 Repent therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the times of Refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord Then our Pardon shall be proclaimed in the Ears of all the World and we shall have Absolution out of Christ's own Mouth then shall we come to understand what it is that the Lord saith I will remember your Sins no more and your Iniquity shall be blotted out Then for Redemption Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the Day of Redemption Luke 21.28 Look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh O how doth the Captive long for his Liberty so should we long for that Day for it is the Day of our Redemption Now the Body is a Captive and when the Soul is set at Liberty the Body is held under the Chains of Death Ay but then Christ comes to loosen the Bands and Shackles of the Grave and free the Bodies of the Saints Look as the Butler was not afraid when he was sent for by Pharaoh because Ioseph had assured him he should be set at Liberty So Christ comes to set you fully at Liberty not only the Soul but the Body Therefore to think and speak of that Day with Horror doth ill become them that expect such Perfection of Privileges to be acquitted before all the World and to be crowned with Christ's own Hands 3. It is a Day of Congregation or gathering together The Saints are now scattered they live in divers Countries Towns and Houses and cannot have the Comfort of one another's Society But then all shall meet in one Assembly and Congregation It is said Psal. 1.5 The Vngodly shall not stand in Iudgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous There will be a time when Christ's Church shall be gathered all together into one Place As the Stars do not shine in a Cluster but are dispersed throughout the Firmament for the Comfort and Light of the World so are the Saints scattered up and down in the World according as they may be useful for God but then when the four Winds shall give up their Dead and the Saints shall be gathered from all the Corners of the World this shall be the great Rendezvouz Look as the Wicked shall be herded together as Straw and Sticks are bound in a Bundle that they may set one another a fire Drunkards with Drunkards Adulterers with Adulterers and Thieves with Thieves Matth. 13.40 41 42. As therefore the Tares are gathered and burnt in the Fire so shall it be in the End of the World The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do Iniquity And shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be Wailing and gnashing of Teeth The Wicked shall be sorted with Men like themselves and so increase one another's Torment so shall all the World of the Godly meet in one Assembly and Congregation and never separate more In this Life we cannot injoy one another's Fellowship for divers Reasons God hath Service for us in divers Countries but such a happy time shall come when we shall all make but one Body therefore the Saints are still groaning and longing for that happy Day we for them and they for us not only the Saints upon Earth that are left to conflict with Sin and Misery but the Saints in Heaven are still groaning as the Souls under the Altar Rev. 6.9 10. How long O Lord Holy and True Look as those in a Ship-wrack that have gotten to the Shore stand longing and looking for their Companions So glorified Saints that have gotten safe to Shore still they are longing and looking when the Body of Christ shall be made perfect and all the Saints shall meet in one solemn Assembly This is the Communion between us and the Saints departed they long for our Company as we do for theirs Here the Tares are
mingled with the Wheat and besides the Persecutions of the Wicked their very Company is a Burden Iacob's Cattle and Laban's are together but then they shall be separated and the Saints shall be gathered together and sit as Judges of them giving their Vote with Christ in their Condemnation 4. It is a Day of Glorification to Christ and therefore the Saints long for it a Day when Christ shall be honoured and get to himself a glorious Name God got himself a great Name when he drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the Sea O what will it be when he shall cast all the Wicked into Hell Now Christ will come to shew the Fulness of his Majesty the Terror of his Wrath and to glorify his Justice upon wicked Men. Christ sheweth his Majesty every day but we have not Eyes to see it our Eyes are dazled with Worldly Splendor but then all Mists shall vanish The Saints that love the Glory of God must needs long for that time when Christ shall be seen in all his Glory when God shall be dishonoured no more and the Kingdom of Sin and Satan have an end and wicked Men shut up under their everlasting State And then from the Saints God hath perfect Glory in them and from them here God hath not his perfect Glory from us nor in us This is the Comfort of God's Children that God is glorified in their Glory that they may live to praise him for ever without Weakness and Distraction and that 's the reason of those Expressions To whom be Glory for ever and ever They delight in their own glorious Estate because they shall ever be in a Capacity to bring Glory to God Nay then God shall be glorified in all his Counsels and Decrees in the Wisdom of his Providence and in the course of his Judgments for in the Day of Judgment the full History of the World shall be brought before the Saints whereas now we see it but by pieces 4. Why the Saints look for Christ's Appearing is the Profit of this Expectation which they shall receive partly as it engageth to a heavenly Conversation Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour Where should we converse most but where Christ is Now where is Christ but in Heaven and therefore our Minds should be ever running upon it our Eyes ever looking that way and our Hearts ever longing for him Partly as it engageth us to Faithfulness in our Relations there is a Day coming when we shall give an account for the Duties of our Relations because that is the particular Sphear of our Activity 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus who shall judg the Quick and the Dead at his Appearing and his Kingdom Paul there presseth Timothy to discharge the Duty of a Minister and so for a Master of a Family and for a Servant Your Relations are not things of chance but they fall under the special Care of God's Providence and therefore you must be accountable for them here God hath confined you by the Wisdom of his Providence to serve the great Ends of your Creation therefore whatever is omitted you are to give an account of your Relations Magistrates Ministers Masters Servants all of their several Relations Partly as it calms the Heart against the Injuries and Molestations of the present Life 1 Pet. 2.23 our Lord Christ when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judged righteously So you must learn of him when you meet with Trouble and hard Usage and unworthy dealing in the World commit your selves to God the Judg is at the Door and he will review all things again Look as Paschalus a Minister of the Albigenses when he was burnt at Rome cited the Pope and his Cardinals before the Tribunal of the Lamb thus do you Partly as it engages to Perseverance If a Man hath followed a distressed and afflicted Party for a long time if nothing comes of it he tires but remember if we follow Christ here all our Pains will be recompensed to us 1 Iohn 2.28 Abide in him that when he shall appear we may have Confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Christ will come and that with Salvation to them that look for him therefore let me be faithful in my Duty Obj. 1. But how can we look for it when we know there are some Signs that precede the Coming of Christ therefore certainly he is not like to come in our days Will he alter the prefix'd time of his Approach and change the Jacets of that great Journey Answ. 1. Tho Christ keepeth his pace yet it is good for us to alter ours tho we cannot hasten his coming yet let us be always ready 2 Pet. 3.12 Looking for and hastning unto the coming of the Day of God It is good for us to get ground upon our Fears and our Sins and to declare our readiness to meet with Christ every day we live in the World is a day lost in Heaven 2. If any Age had cause to think Christ would come certainly we have It was not far off in the Apostles days they were called the last days but ours are the very Dregs of Time When we see an old Man weak and feeble Aches and Diseases of the present Life encrease upon him we say certainly he cannot live long So if we look upon the Temper of the World sure it cannot endure long Christ will come to set all things at rights One Forerunner of Christ's coming are the Dreams and Delusions that are abroad Mundus senescens patitur phantasias as the World grows old it is much given to Fancies as old Men are to Dotage and Dreams 3. If Christ come not in our days yet Death is at hand Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto Men once to die and after that the Iudgment Every Man 's particular Judgment follows upon his departure out of the World and then the general Judgment follows as Death finds him either among the Sheep or Goats Iudas died sixteen hundred Years ago yet as he died so shall he be found After Death there 's no change of State therefore your business is always to be ready to depart in Peace and hasten to an eternal State Obj. 2. How can this be the Property of God's Children to desire his coming Are they always in this Temper and Frame many weak ones tremble at the thought of it for want of assurance of God's Love it is the Terror and Bondage of their Lives to think of Christ's coming and sometimes the Saints do not actually feel such an Inclination and Strength of Desire Answ. 1. The meanest Saint hath some Inclination this way Can a Man desire that Christ may come into his Heart and will there not be such Desires that he may come to Judgment since Comfort and Reward is more naturally embraced than Duty The very first Work of
went triumphing into Heaven and in like manner he will come again Dan. 6.10 Daniel went into his House and his Windows being opened towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his Knees three times a day and prayed and gave Thanks unto his God Daniel had reason to look towards the Temple tho ruined because of the Promise of God to his People that prayed towards the Temple so now and then we should look up to Heaven there is Christ above within the Heavens We are called often to lift up our Hearts to God and our Eyes to Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour there 's our Treasure and our Jesus Vse 3. Of Trial. It is good to see how we stand affected towards this Appearing Nothing can content true Christians in the World Do we look beyond it Whither is the bent of our Hearts how is it with them 1. If there were this Looking there would be Preparing A Man that expecteth the coming of a King to his House he will furnish his House accordingly and make all things ready Surely you look for no Body when you do not sute and prepare your selves to entertain them When the House is sluttish and the Kitchin cold do you look for great Guests What are we to do to prepare our selves for Christ's coming 1. Judg your selves 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates By judging your selves God's Act is anticipated 2. Get into Christ. Rom. 8.1 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus They that are in Christ need not fear God's Judgment you may set Christ's Righteousness against Christ's Judgment Guilty Felons desire not the Judge's Presence Art thou in the Case wherein thou wouldst be found of him 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent that you may be found of him in Peace without Spot and blameless 3. Walk strictly We are between the two Comings of Christ his first and his second Coming let us live Soberly Righteously and Godly When a Man is providing Matter of Condemnation for himself can he be said to look for Christ's Coming 2. How do you entertain Christ for the present in your Hearts and in his Ordinances Can a Man slight Ordinances and expect Christ's second Coming A Woman that never careth to hear from her Husband cannot be said to desire his Coming So if Christ has often knocked at the Door of our Hearts and we will not give him entrance how can we be said to look for his Appearing SERMON XVII TITUS II. 13 And the glorious Appearing c. I Proceed to the Manner of his Appearance the glorious Appearing The Note is Doct. II. That Christ's second Coming to Iudgment will be very glorious Here I shall shew I. How glorious it will be II. Why it will be so glorious I. How glorious it will be You may conceive of it if you consider the Preparation for his Approach the Appearance it self and the Consequences of it First It will be glorious in regard of the Preparation for his Approach The Scripture mentions two the Trumpet of the Arch-Angel and the Sign of the Son of Man 1. There is that great Noise of the Voice of the Lord that begets a Terror in the World which is ministerially managed by an Arch-Angel though the Power and Success be of God That great Noise startles the Dead in their Graves and summons all the World to appear before Christ's Tribunal There 's much spoken of this in Scripture 1 Thess. 4.16 For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout with the Voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trump of God Matth. 24.31 He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four Winds from one end of Heaven to the other Some expound this Trumpet Analogically some Literally Analogically some think it only signifies the Power and Virtue of Christ by which all the Dead are awakened out of their Sleep and forced to appear before his Tribunal and they say it is therefore exprest by a Trumpet because the solemn Assemblies of Israel were wont to be summoned by the sound of a Trumpet But why may we not take it Literally for the audible sound of a Trumpet Look as at the giving the Law the Voice of the Trumpet was exceeding loud so such an audible Voice like the Voice of a Trumpet is there when Christ comes to Judgment to require an Account of the performance of the Law which is as it were a terrible Summons to all the World and a near Sign of his coming Look as at his first coming Christ had his Fore-runner and Harbinger Iohn the Baptist the Voice of one crying in the Wilderness The Kingdom of God is at hand so at his second coming Christ hath his Fore-runner an Arch-Angel that shall sound a Trumpet which maketh his Coming glorious because it shall awaken and startle all the World This Sound shall be heard all the World over by the Dead as the Prophet speaks Ezek. 37.7 8. of a noise and clattering among the Bones and Bone ran to Bone and then they were clothed with Flesh and Sinews so such a noise shall there be among the Bones when Christ comes to Judgment Here in the Church God speaks in a stiller Voice but it is not regarded He speaks by his Angels and Messengers they sound the Trumpet to the Spiritual Battel they pipe but few dance till by his mighty Power he raiseth Sinners from the Dead So at the last Day God hath his Messengers there is the Arch-Angel that is to manage the Ministerial Excitation and the mighty Power of God accompanies it to make the Dead live and awaken out of Sleep 2. There is a Sign of the Son of Man that is spoken of Mat. 24.30 Then shall appear the Sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory What it is we cannot certainly tell until Experience manifests sure we are it must be such a Sign as shall make the World sensible of his Approach Some think it shall be some strange Star such as there was at his first Coming the wise Men were conducted to Christ by a Star this is but a meer Conjecture Others suppose it shall be the Sign of the Cross which shall appear in the Heavens because that is Christ's Badg by which he was known here in the World The great Subject of the Gospel is Christ crucified therefore it is called the Word of the Cross and so they think the Sign of the Cross shall be imprest upon the Heavens in the sight of all the World To confirm the Conjecture they urge the Appearance that was made to Constantine in his War against Maxentius the Tyrant and Persecutor
of the Church he saw the Sign of the Cross say they with this Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this shalt thou Overcome But Eusebius describes it otherwise as an X the first initial Letter of Christ's Name But many of the ancient Writers went this way they thought that this way the Scandal of Christ is best taken away the Cross which is now the Scandal and Offence the World takes at Christ then shall be his Ensign and Royal Standard which shall be imprest upon the Heavens Look as Kings when they make a triumphant Approach have their Banner carried before them so Jesus Christ shall have his Cross which is the Sign of the Son of Man but in such a Point I dare not thus peremptorily dogmatize Others more probably and to which I encline interpret it of some forerunning Beams of Majesty and Glory which shall darken the great Luminaries of the World the Sun and Moon and so strike Terror into the Hearts of Men. The Glory of Christ which is described to pass through the Heavens like Lightning shall be like those Morning-Beams and Streeks of Light before the Body of the Sun be risen As Paul was struck blind with the sight of Christ he saw a Light from Heaven above the brightness of the Sun shining round about him Acts 26.13 Certainly some Sign there shall be that shall make the World fall a Mourning And it is notable that these Preparations and Beams of Majesty are sometimes exprest by Light and sometimes by Fire by Light to note the comfortableness of it to the Godly it is as the Light of the Sun which doth not scorch but refresh and revive and chear the Heart Light is comfortable But then at other times it is represented by Fire 2 Thess. 1.8 it is said The Son of Man shall come in flaming Fire or as the Apostle's word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Fire all a flame to shew the dreadfulness of his Appearance to the Wicked Look as Ioseph told the Butler and the Baker what Pharaoh would do to them hang the one and exalt the other therefore when the Messenger comes for them the Butler's Heart leaps for joy he was to be preferred but the Baker thought of nothing but dreadful Execution that was presignified Just thus shall it be with the Wicked and the Godly the Sign of the Son of Man shall be comfortable to the Godly but it shall be as a flame of Fire and devouring Burnings dreadful and formidable to the Wicked whose Execution and final Judgment now draws near So much for the Preparation Secondly The Appearance it self And there you must consider Christ's personal Glory his Attendance and his Work 1. His personal Glory Certainly that must be exceeding great if you consider the Dignity both of his Person and Employment 1. The Dignity of his Person Mat. 24.30 it is said he shall come in great Glory at other times in the Glory of his Father Mat. 16.27 that is he shall come as God's own natural Son with such a Glory as cannot be communicated to any Creature His first Coming is like the Carpenter's Son mean and despicable but his second Coming is like God's Son Now that you may conceive of this Glory you must guess at it by several hints There shall be great Glory put upon the Saints Then shall the Righteous shine forth like the Sun in the Kingdom of the Father Matth. 13.43 And Christ will be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thess. 1.10 But we do not come in the Glory of the Father when we are glorified we are not deified yet our Glory shall be so great that Men and Angels shall stand wondring what God hath done to us But now Christ is God-Man in one Person and that Mystery is now to be discovered to the uttermost the Union of the two Natures in his Person and therefore he must have such a Glory as never Creature was capable of nor can be He doth not only appear in the Text as our Saviour but as the Great God Guess at it again we may by other Appearances of God When Christ came to give the Law his Voice shook Mount Sinai that Moses trembled and quaked at the hearing of it Heb. 12.21 So terrible was the Sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Guess at it by the Light at Christ's Birth that came from Heaven and shone round about the Shepherds so that they were exceedingly afraid Luke 2.9 The Glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid Guess at it by the Glimpse of his Divine Glory which Christ gave us in his Transfiguration Mat. 17.2 His Face did shine as the Sun and his Raiment was white as the Light when his Disciples fell upon their Faces and could not endure the shining of his Garments So by the Appearance of Christ to Paul that was struck blind for three days Acts 9.3 And suddenly there joined round about him a Light from Heaven And by the Terror the Prophet Isaiah felt when he saw God in Vision Isa. 6.5 Wo is me I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips and mine Eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Because of some reliques of Corruption therefore was it terrible and formidable to him But this Glory though it shall be very great yet it shall be comfortable to the Saints for Sin and Weakness shall be done away 2. Especially if you consider his Office He is a Judg of all the World and therefore he shall come with all things that are becoming such a Judg. He shall sit upon a visible Throne where he may be seen and heard of all You know in earthly Judicatories when great Malefactors are brought to Trial the whole Majesty and Glory of the Nation is brought forth the Judg comes in gorgeous Apparel accompanied with the Flower of the Country Nobles and Gentlemen and a great Conflux of People to make it the more magnificent So here Christ the Judg of all the World comes becoming the Judg of the World that sits upon a Throne of Glory and Majesty Mat. 25.31 32. When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all his holy Angels with them then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations All the World shall be summoned before him Thus for his personal Glory 2. In regard of his Attendants who are Angels and Saints this Appearance must needs be very glorious 1. There are Angels multitudes of them that come with Christ and with such a Glory as cannot be conceived of Matth. 25.31 When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the holy Angels with him Mark the Emphasis of the Expression All the holy Angels shall come with him When a Prince removes the whole Court removes with him so when Christ removes out of Heaven the whole Court of Heaven removes with him As
Chrysostom saith Heaven now shall be left void all the Angels shall come out with Christ that they may be present at this great Act Those blessed Mansions shall be forsaken for a while that they may be present with the Judg of the World Look as the Angels were present at the giving of the Law so also will they be present when the Sentence of the Law comes to be executed Thrones Principalities Powers and Dominions Angels however distinguished were all made by Christ he is their Head and they are given to Christ by his Father as he is Mediator to be his Servants in the Mediatory Office And therefore Christ always useth Angels in his Conception the Angel Gabriel came to Mary At his Nativity an Host of Angels came down to acquaint us with the glad Tidings of Salvation in his Passion he was comforted by an Angel at his Resurrection there were Angels at his Grave at his Ascension he was carried to Heaven by Angels and in the Government of the Church in the present Dispensation Christ useth Angels more than we are aware of these Principalities and Powers are conversant about and in the Church and in the last Day 's Act he shall come with his Holy Angels Whether these Angels shall then visibly appear I dispute not certainly their Attendance upon Christ is partly as a Train to make his Appearance more full of Majesty and partly because Christ hath a Ministry and Service for them Partly as a Train to Christ and to make his Appearance more full of Majesty They that waited upon Christ at his Ascension will now come to wait upon him at his coming to Judgment Publick Ministers of Justice are made formidable by their Attendance and Officers Christ will come like a Royal King in the midst of his Nobles and partly because they have also a Ministry and Service at that Day they are to gather the Elect from the four Winds Mat. 24.31 The Angels love to be conversant about the Saints They that carried their Souls to Heaven shall now be employed to bring their Bodies out of the Grave The holy Angels shall conduct the Souls of those that die in the Lord to Heaven Luke 16.22 The Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's Bosom So also those Angels shall now be employed in bringing their Bodies out of the Grave They are still serviceable to the Saints and this is the last Office of Love they can perform to them therefore they do it chearfully And to the Wicked their Office is to force them into Christ's Presence and to bind them up in Bundles as Tares for the Fire Mat. 13.40 41. Also the Angels have this Ministry and Service to be employed as Witnesses they attend now upon the Congregation to observe your Behaviour therefore the Apostle disputes concerning unseemly Gestures 1 Cor. 11.10 For this cause ought the Woman to have Power on her Head because of the Angels They are privy to our Conversations and able to give an Account of our Lives In the Assemblies there are more meet than are visible Devils meet and good Angels likewise to observe your Carriage that they may give account to God And no sooner shall the Sentence be pronounced but it shall be executed In a condescention to our Capacity God is pleased to represent the Work as done by the Ministry of Angels We can understand better the Operations of an Angel than the Operations of Almighty God because they are nearer to us in Being and are of an Essence finite and limited 2. The Saints they are his Attendants too Some shall come from Heaven with Christ others shall be caught up in the Air to meet the Lord 1 Thess. 4.17 Certainly the Wicked shall be left still to tread upon the Earth And this contributes much to the Glory of the Day because when Christ appears we appear with him in Glory we shall be like him we shall suddenly attain to that Fulness of Glory that their Hearts could never conceive of O what a glorious Day must that needs be when so many Suns shall meet together Every one of the Elect shall shine more than the Sun Then our spiritual Empire and Dominion begins we come to share with Christ in the Glory of his Kingdom to be associated with him in judging of the World Do not then please your Selves with Fancies of temporal Happiness The Vpright shall have Dominion over them in the Morning Psal. 49.14 When is that After they have slept their Sleep of Death then God's Saints and Servants that are now Scorned Censured and Persecuted but in the Morning of the Resurrection when they awake to meet with Christ then doth our Glory begin We are all for a while to stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ. But look upon all the Draughts of the last Judgment and you shall find this Method Sentence begins with the Godly but Execution begins with the Wicked The Books are opened the Godly are called and they are first acquitted that afterwards they may join with Christ to judg the World 1 Cor. 6.2 Do you not know that the Saints shall judg the World The first Process is with the Godly that their Faith may be found to Praise but first the Wicked shall go into Everlasting Punishment Mark 25.46 These shall go away into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal that by others Misery they may be more apprehensive of their own Felicity 3. Another thing that makes the Day glorious is his Work and powerful executing the Work of the Day Jesus Christ is to gather the Wicked together dragging them out of their Graves with Horror then to extend and enlarge their Consciences that all their Doings may come to remembrance and then to cast them into Eternal Darkness to chase them with the Glory of his Presence into Hell dragging them out of their Graves with Terror Rev. 6.16 They said to the Mountains and to the Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb. They are ashamed to look Christ in the Face whom they have slighted despised neglected in the World Then they shall be ashamed to see the Godly preferred As Haman did fret to see Mordecai put upon the King's Horse and led through the City with Triumph so they are envious to see the Preferment of God's Children Then they are cursed out of Christ's Presence and go away yelling and howling and are led away to their final State as Haman's Face was covered and then led away to Execution Now Christ hath the most glorious Conquest over his Enemies that ever he had now he shews himself like a King in punishing his Enemies and rewarding his Friends In punishing his Enemies stubborn Knees shall bow to him it is not done fully till now Isa. 45.23 There is a Decree I have sworn by my Self the Word is gone out of my Mouth in Righteousness and shall not
of the Mouth of the Lion and this is called presenting his Spouse to God Ephes. 5.27 That he might present it to himself a glorious Church Christ hath shed his Blood and washed her clean and decked her with all the Jewels of the Covenant and then he shall present her to God and the Form of Surrender you have Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children God hath given me Behold here I am and all thou hast given me there is not one wanting O what a glorious Sight will this be to see the great Shepherd of the Sheep leading his Flock into their everlasting Folds and all the Elect following Christ with their Crowns of Glory upon their Heads singing to the Praise of the Lamb O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory c. To see them with Harps in their Hands triumphing thus in the Salvation of God all Enemies gone and the Church lodged in everlasting Habitations Besides consider the Acclamation and Applause of the Angels O how should we strive to be one of this Number 3. The next Consequent is the burning of the World that 's described at large 2 Pet. 3.10 11 12. how that Fire shall come out from God and burn and devour all things and melt the very Firmament Certainly that Fire is to be taken literally for it is opposed to Water the first Water by which the World was destroyed Now by this Fire I conceive the World shall not be consumed but renewed and purged because in the everlasting State God will have all things new he will not only have the Bodies and Souls of the Saints new but will have new Heavens and new Earth for it is a deliverance from the Bondage of Corruption Rom. 8.21 If the World shall be no more the Habitation of the Saints yet God will renew the World that it may be a continual Monument of his Power Now this burning of the World some place it in Preparation before the Day of Judgment but I conceive it is a Consequent for it seemeth to be an Instrument of Vengeance on the Wicked I will not say with the Schoolmen the feculent and drossy part of this Fire is reserved for the Torment of the Wicked in Hell but in general it shall be the Instrument of God's Vengeance upon them so much is asserted 2 Pet. 3.7 The Heavens and Earth that now are by the same Word are kept in store and reserved unto Fire against the Day of Iudgment and the Perdition of ungodly Men. There are some that say this Fire shall begin the Day of Judgment Et causam dicent in flammis the Wicked shall plead their Cause in Flames but this were to execute before the Sentence Sodom's Fire was dreadful but nothing to this Burning It was a dreadful Sight when God rained Hell out of Heaven and the poor tormented Creatures ran screeching and yelling to and fro because of those Flakes of Fire and Brimstone but this Fire shall come out of the Throne of the Lord Dan. 7.10 A fiery Stream issued and came out from before him to consume his Adversaries and to remain in Hell with them for evermore which will be much more dreadful God hath Diluvium Ignis as well as Aquae a Deluge of Fire as well as of Water As one saith very wittily As at the first he drowned the World propter ardorem libidinis because of the Heat of Lust so in the end he will kindle a Fire to burn the World propter teporem charitatis because of the Coldness of Love The Object of your Adulteries will be burnt God will have nothing impure in the everlasting State the World shall be purged with Fire Thus you have seen how the Appearance of Christ will be glorious II. Why the Appearance of Christ will be so glorious 1. To recompense his own Abasement His first Coming was in Humility he came riding upon the Fole of an Ass but now on the Clouds they are as it were his Royal Chariot Then he came with Fishermen a few Apostles to be his Messengers but now he comes with Angels Then he came in the form of a Servant to be judged now he comes as the Son of God to be the Judg of all the World When the Day of Judgment is spoken of Christ is called the Son of Man Mat. 25.31 When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all his holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory Mat. 26.64 Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right Hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven And Dan. 7.13 Behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the Antient of Days and they brought him near before him Why so He that was the Son of Man that came in such a mean Condition at first shall then be glorious and so it taketh off the Scandal of his present Estate He that appeared in so low a Condition that was betrayed crucified spat upon pierced dead buried then shall be crowned with Glory and Honour When he came to teach us Righteousness he comes as the Son of Man but when he comes to reward Righteousness then he comes as the Son of God 2. That he might shew himself to be fully discharged of Sin The Glory bestowed upon his Humane Nature by God the Father noteth his plenary Absolution as our Surety We hear that he is taken up into Glory that God hath acquitted him that he was taken from Prison and from Iudgment Isa. 53.8 but then we shall see it with our Eyes when the Father sends him from Heaven with Power and great Glory At the first Christ came like a Man charged with Sin in the Garb of a Sinner therefore it is said Rom. 8.3 God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh. But then Heb. 9.28 He shall appear the second time without Sin The first time the World looked upon him as one that was forsaken stricken and smitten of God but then he comes as one that is honoured of God his second Coming shall make it evident that he is discharged of the Debt which he took upon himself The Apostle doth not say Those that look for him shall be without Sin but he shall be without Sin The discharge of our Surety is enough it is a sign the Debt is paid 3. He comes in great Glory that he may be as a Pledg and Pattern and Cause of our Glory Christ's Coming is still suted to his Work There is his first Coming and that is in Humility for we fell by Pride he came to redeem us therefore he comes humbly and lowly in the form of a Servant as one that came to suffer not to ruffle it in the World and tread upon the Necks of Kings Then there is his spiritual coming into the Heart to sanctify it this coming is invisible it is with great Power but hidden But when he comes to
glorify us his Coming is sutable to his Work that is visible in Power and great Glory therefore it is said Col. 3.3 When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory Christ is to have all first and we at second-hand when he comes in Grace Iohn 17.19 For their sakes I sanctify my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth So we must be glorified at second-hand first Christ and then we 4. Christ comes not simply to glorify us but to bring the Saints to Heaven with the more State O Christians remember Christ thinks he can never do you Honour enough Christ doth not send for us but he will come in Person Iohn 14.3 I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Look as the Bridegroom comes with the Youth and Flower of the City to bring in his Bride in State so Christ brings the Flower of Heaven all his holy Angels to conduct us in State to our everlasting Mansions 5. He comes in Glory that all Creatures might see his Glory to the full Men and Angels were made for this Spectacle that they might behold the Glory of Christ. It was evidenced in part at the Resurrection Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead But that was but a private and more covert Declaration to the Jews and when it was published to the World in the Gospel many believed not We have the spiritual Evidences of it to Faith but not to Sense and Sight But now the Personal Union shall fully and undeniably appear which before appeared but in part he is now declared to be the Great God 6. His Appearing shall be glorious because then Christ shall have the full Conquest over all his Enemies Some of his Enemies are still let alone for our Exercise Satan is not destroyed The infernal Spirits are held with the Chains of an irresistible Providence and shall then be brought trembling into the Presence of Christ Jude v. 16. The Angels which kept not their first Estate but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness to the Iudgment of the Great Day They are now in expectation of greater Doom and Terror Mat. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time The good Angels come forth as Christ's Companions the evil Angels as his Prisoners The Saints shall judg Angels as well as Men 1 Cor. 6.3 Know ye not that we shall judg Angels Christ will have his People come and set their Feet upon the Necks of their Enemies for the present God hath a Ministry for them But tho the Devils now tempt trouble and molest the Saints for their Exercise yet then the Saints shall triumph over them when they shall be brought like Captives into Christ's Presence Vse 1. For Information in two things 1. That Humility is the way to Glory This Lesson we learn from the two Comings of Christ first in an humble manner and then in a glorious manner The Devils aspired after Greatness they would be great and not good The fallen Angels set us an ill Copy but Christ came to set us a better He came not from Heaven to teach us to make Worlds and work Miracles but to teach us to be humble and lowly Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart The way to spiritual Preferment is to be low and vile in our own Eyes as the Ball that is beaten down riseth the higher 2. We learn what cause we have to be patient under present Abasement Jesus Christ is contented for a while to lie hid and not to shew himself in all his Glory till the End of the World In the Days of his Flesh he was trampled upon by wicked Men and now he is in Heaven he is despised in his Gospel in his Cause and in his Servants tho his Person be above Abuse but he is content to tarry till the Day of Manifestation when he will appear in all his Glory so should we Vse 2. 1. Here is Comfort to the Godly To you Christ's Appearance is glorious but not terrible it is as Light but not as Fire the Trumpet sounds but it summons you to be crowned The Sign of the Son of Man shews your Lord is come it is as the Shadow of the Husband before his Person appeareth this is your Jesus Certainly they that have an Interest in him will not be afraid of him foâ— his Angels are your Guardians his Saints your Companions his Appearance is to pronounce your Pardon a Crown shall be set upon your Heads in the face of all the World That which is so formidable and dreadful to our Thoughts in it self is all comfortable to a Child of God Christ came as God but still in the Humane Nature as your Brother if he be glorious it is for your sakes that you might be like him he comes as a Pattern of your Glory 2. Here is Terror to them that lie in their Sins How can they hear of these things without Astonishment You that despise the still-Voice when God speaks to you by the Angel of the Church what will you do when you hear the Great Trump which will be an Alarm to Death and Execution Your Avenger is come Christ's Sign is not Light but Terror to you If you tremble not you are worse than Felix an Heathen for Felix's Heart trembled when he heard of Judgment to come Acts 24.25 he had a more tender Conscience Nay such as do not they are worse than Satan for the Devils fear and tremble Iames 2.19 Loose and carnal Persons scoff at that at which Devils tremble It is storied of a King that wept when his Brother came to him being asked the Reason O saith he I that judg others must be judged my self Shall not I tremble at the great Trumpet that shall awaken the Dead O take Sanctuary in Grace 3. Here is Advice to All. It is a good check to Sin it stays the boiling of the Pot. Remember when thou art in the carreer and heat of thy Lusts for all these things God will bring thee to Iudgment Eccles. 11.9 Whenever thou sinnest thou art entring into the Lists with Christ as if thou wert stronger than he But Man canst thou grapple with him then it is an Engagement to Repentance When Iacob heard Esau was coming with a great Power and Force against him he sends to make Peace with him You have heard that Christ comes in a glorious manner and will be terrible to his Enemies Let us compromise all Difference between us and God O go and make Peace with him it is Christ's own Advice Luke 14.32 Or else while the other is yet a great way off he sendeth an Ambassador and desireth Conditions of Peace And repent saith the Apostle that your
Sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Then it is of Use to make you constant in walking in the Fear of the Lord Eccles. 12.13 14. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man For God shall bring every Work into Iudgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Especially it is an Engagement to Faithfulness in your Calling especially Ministers 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Again it urgeth you to keep the Commandments Christ will bear you out Keep this Commandment without Spot unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.14 And then it presseth to Diligence He comes with Crowns in his Hands to reward all that are faithful to him 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judg the quick and the dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom 1 Thess. 2. â—9 For what is our Hope or Ioy or Crown of rejoicing Are not even ye in the Presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his Coming The Day of Judgment respects our Callings especially as Ministers Christ's Officers must give an Account and in whatever Condition God hath set us in wherein he expects a Trial of our Faithfulness we are to consider what we must do SERMON XVIII TITUS II. 13 Of the Great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. I Come to the Description of the Person who shall appear who is described by a Title of Power and a Title of Mercy and Love because in Christ's Person there is Greatness and Goodness mixt for he is called the great God there is his Attribute of Power and Majesty and then there is a comfortable Name and Title Our Saviour That both these Titles do belong to the same Person the Fathers have abundantly proved against the Arians In the Original there is but one Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that greaâ— God and our Saviour We have just such another Expression 1 Cor. 15.24 He shall deliver up the Kingdom to that God and Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to God even the Father So here the great God and Saviour that is the God that is the Saviour Besides there is another Argument that the Words must be referred to the same Person because it is never said any where the Father doth appear but only Jesus Christ and therefore the Appearance of the great God must needs be applied to Jesus Christ. I shall handle these Titles conjunctly and severally I. Look upon them conjunctly and together and there you may observe the mingling of Words of Power and Words of Goodness and Mercy in Christ's Stile and Title I observe it the rather because it is often found in Scripture But for what Reasons are these Titles of Mercy and Power thus mingled and coupled together 1. For the Comfort of the Saints to shew that Christ in all his Glory will not forget himself to be a Saviour At the Day of Judgment when he comes forth like the great God with all his Heavenly Train then he will own us and will be as tender of us as he was upon the Cross. The Butler in his Advancement when he was at Court and well at Ease forgot Ioseph in Prison but Christ in his Advancement doth not grow shy and stately We may have Boldness in the great Day for he will not only come as the great God but also as our Saviour We have the like Expression Heb. 8.1 2. We have such an high Priest who is set on the right Hand of the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens And what follows a Minister of the Sanctuary Jesus Christ certainly had a gracious Welcome into Heaven and was exalted by the Father but even now he is our faithful Agent in Heaven This is made to be the Excellency and Height of his Condescention that he came in the Form of a Servant in the Fashion of an ordinary Man poor and despicable then he came to do the Church Service and now he is gone to Heaven in all his Glory still he is there as a Servant as one that is to negotiate with God for holy things to tender our Prayers to the Lord and to pass out Blessings to us this is Christ's Imployment in Heaven 2. To shew the Mystery of Christ's Person in whom the two Natures meet there is not only the Majesty of the God-head but also the humane Nature by which he claims Kin of us I observe it because the Scripture takes notice of it Isa. 9.6 To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace What a Mixture of Titles is here He is called a Child yet the everlasting Father Wonderful yet the Counsellor one that is intimate with his People he gives sweet Counsel to them He is called the mighty God and then presently the Prince of Peace Christ's Person is the greatest Mystery and Riddle in the World he is God and yet Man He is as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.3 Without Father and without Mother as Melchisedec yet he had both Father and Mother a Father in Heaven and a Mother upon Earth He was without Mother as to his Divinity and without Father as to his Manhood Another Place where the same Method is observed Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow He is called the Man but yet God calls him his Fellow our Brother and God's Son There are so many Mysteries that meet in Christ's Person that under the Law he could not be figured and represented by one Sacrifice Levit. 16.15 21. There were two Sacrifices chosen to represent Christ there was the Goat to be slain for the Sin-Offering and then the Scape-Goat one was not enough because there are in Christ two Natures a God that could not die and a Man that could not overcome Death The Goat that was slain shewed he was crucified in the Flesh and the Goat that was let go shewed that he did yet live by the Power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 For though he was crucified through Weakness yet he liveth by the Power of God Or as another Apostle hath it 1 Pet. 3.18 Being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit There was his humane Nature as he was Man that he might die to answer the Goat that was slain then his Divine Nature that he might live and overcome Death 3. To compare his two Comings and to show that Christ doth not forget his old Work His first Coming was in Humility to save not to judg Iohn 12.47 I
Treasures and his Jewels Let me first exhort then direct 1 st I shall exhort you by these Considerations how God will own his peculiar People above all the World besides and how he doth value them above all the World 1. How he owns them privately in their own Consciences he owns them in his Ordinances he owns them publickly in his Providence and most publickly he will own them in the Day of Judgment 1. He owns them privately in their own Consciences God's holy ones are said to be sealed by the Spirit Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption God sets his own Seal upon them to signify his Right and Property in them As a Man marks his Sheep or a Merchant seals his Wares to declare his Right and Property so all that are God's they are sealed by his Spirit and they bear his Mark. As the Worshippers of the Beast have the Mark of the Beast so the People of God have the Lord's Seal he owns them There is the Spirit 's Witness to tell them God is theirs and there is the Spirit 's Work to cause them to become God's the Spirit witnesses to them by Impressions and tells them God is your Salvation and seals them by Expressions and makes them choose God There is a mutual Appropriation Cant. 6.3 I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine He chooseth them for his peculiar People and they choose him for the peculiar Treasure of their Souls Whom have they in Heaven but God and who doth God regard in the World but they they have his Privy-Seal in their own Consciences 2. He owns them in his Ordinances so as to maintain Communion with them as he doth not with others When others pray God takes no notice that such a Prayer is made they hear but cannot say God owns them But now he owns his People in their Approaches Isa. 58.9 Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say Here I am God doth as it were say It is the Voice of my People What would you have here I am ready to help you and to give you Grace No King will do so much for his Favourites as God will do for his People Zeph. 3.10 he calls them his Suppliants This is not a peculiar Privilege for some peculiar Saints that they are thus honoured of God and answered by him in Prayer but all are a peculiar People and God hath Affections and Blessings enough for them all When the Wicked come and pray God takes no notice of them as if no such Men were in the Congregation Isa. 1.15 When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine Eyes from you yea when you make many Prayers I will not hear They have no Visits from the Spirit nor sensible Returns of Prayer It is sad to come to Ordinances and God to take no notice of us when the Spirit of God comes into the Congregation to bless the Worshippers by Head and Pole and you are left out of the Account and past over You know what is said in the Law Exod. 29.42 43. At the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the Lord where I will meet you to speak there unto you And there I will meet with the Children of Israel God did not only promise to meet with Moses but with all the Congregation and certainly the Services of the Church now are not less fruitful than the Services of the Tabernacle When God's People come together God meets with them and talks with them and sends them away with Gifts of Grace and spiritual Encrease for they are his Suppliants and his peculiar People 3. God owns them in the course of his Providence sometimes with outward Blessings Thus God set up Abraham as a Mark of Envy to the Nations about him As Benjamin's Mess was five times as much as the rest so many times in outward Blessings God owns his People But I cannot much press this but the aim of Providence principally concerns them Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God All things may seem to work against them but they work for them It is a Mercy that God takes notice of them and visits them day by day Iob 7.18 That thou shoulst visit him every Morning and try him every Moment Brambles are not pruned and pair'd as Vines are Wicked Men they are as Sheep whom no Man taketh up God doth not look after them But God's Children may take notice how the special Care of Providence serves their special Necessities and particularly as to their Afflictions they do not spring out of the Dust but every day God is mindful of them and ordereth such Dispensations to keep them in order whereas wicked Men are only under the general Care of Providence they cannot discern such particular Love and Aim at their Good and spiritual Welfare 4. He will own them before all the World at the last Day I will confess them saith Christ before my Father which is in Heaven Luke 12.8 These are the Fruits of my Purchase he will present them to God Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children which God hath given me But wicked Men are disclaimed Then will I profess unto them I never knew you Mat. 7.23 O how will their Faces gather Blackness when Christ shall disclaim all Acquaintance with them I never had any real and familiar Converse with you in publick or private Worship 2. How he values them He doth not stand upon other Nations for their Safety either to preserve them or to divert the Destroyer from them As for Instance when God raiseth up some furious Instrument that is Flagellus Dei the Scourge of God to pull down and waste God finds Work for them abroad to save his People and therefore he saith Isa. 43.3 4. I am the Lord thy God the holy One of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy Ransom Ethiopia and Seba for thee Since thou wast precious in my Sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give Men for thee and People for thy Life He let the Sword go into other Countries to save Iudah that was his Heritage if the Sword must drink Blood and eat Flesh let it go to Egypt Ethiopia Seba into Idolatrous Countries He puts other Nations in their stead and counts them as a little Chaff to save the Jews And then the highest among the Nations which is another Argument are rebuked for their sakes God plucked the Scepter out of the Hands of Kings and the Diadems off from their Heads Psal. 105.14 15. He suffered no Man to do them Wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not my Anointed meaning those that are anointed with his Grace God will rebuke the mightiest Potentates Again tho they are never so despicable yet Countries whom God hath deemed to Destruction hath he saved for their sakes It
so earnest and zealous to set up the Work of God O how can you look upon such a Spectacle as this without Shame that a Lust should have more power with them than the Love of God with you Is it not a shame that Amnon can be sick for Tamar and yet you cannot be sick for Christ as the Spouse was for her Beloved You have high Motives nobler Employment your Work is the Perfection of the Creature the noblest Faculties are exercised in the noblest way of Operation your Rewards are more excellent and you have greater Advantages and Helps Shall they take more pains to undo their Souls than you do to save your Souls We read in Ecclesiastical Story when Pambus saw a Harlot curiously dress'd he wept partly to see one take so much Pains for her own eternal Ruine and partly because he had not been so careful to please Christ and to dress up his Soul for Christ as she was to please her wanton Lover Christians whenever you are cast upon such a Sight or Spectacle when you come by a Shop and see Men labour and toiling out their Hearts and all this for temporal Gain doth it not make you blush and be ashamed that you are so negligent and careless in the Work of God 2. Consider you your selves have been violent and earnest in the ways of Sin and will you not do as much for God How may every one say when I was a wicked and carnal Man I followed it with all my Heart and shall I do less now in a State of Grace The Apostle hath a notable Expression Rom. 6.19 I speak after the manner of Men because of the Infirmity of your Flesh for as ye have yielded your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity even so now yield your Members Servants to Righteousness unto Holiness Mark how the Apostle brings it in with a Preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I speak after the manner of Men that is Men in common Sense and Reason judg it equal that they should be as diligent to come up to the Height of Sanctification and as zealous of good Works as ever you were to come up to the Height of Sin and were zealous for Hell Should you not have as much Care to save your selves as to ruine and damn your selves You made haste to do Evil as if you could not be damned soon enough Now in Reason you should be as zealous for God as for Satan Heretofore we could riot away the Day and card away the Night and shall not some Days be spent in Fasting and Prayer Shall every Hour be begrudged that is bestowed upon God You will say it is good Reason God should be served as well as the Devil but the Flesh is weak and how shall we be able to serve God But says the Apostle I speak according to the VVeakness of your Flesh It is an equitable modest and just Proposal that I make and with condescention to your Infirmities that you should be as earnest and zealous for God and to grow in Grace as ever you were zealous to increase your Guilt and Sin Formerly I never ceased till I got to the top till I was so wicked that I could hardly be more wicked why should I not now labour to grow in Grace Can Conversion be right when Sin had more of our Thoughts than ever God had The Apostle's Rule holds thus so much Time so much Cost and Care so much Love and Delight as hath been spent in Sin so much must be spent in the Service of God O say then why should I not be as earnest to grow in Grace to be as zealous and holy as I can It is observed of Paul that in his natural Condition he was mad against Christ Acts 26.11 I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities Look upon him converted and see is he not as earnest and mad for Christ as ever he was against him 2 Cor. 5.13 For whether we be besides our selves it is for God Do but look back and see what a Drudg you have been to Sin with what Zeal and Self-denial you hazarded your Souls O your pace was swift and furious like Iehu's March and will you be cold and slow in the Work of God Nay it may be this is your case to this very day you are very busy and painful to undo your Souls O this active Industry that is misplaced and misimployed if the Object were but changed would do well for Heaven Who would pay as dear for Hell as for Heaven Who would pay as dear for Glass as for Jewels What a stir is there to serve a Lust half of this through the Blessing of God might have conduced to save a Soul 3. It may be you have set out late and then it is but reason you should mend your pace and be earnest and zealous for God 1 Pet. 4.3 The time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles whilst you lived in Lasciviousness Lusts excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings and abominable Idolatries O it is enough enough Travellers that tarry long in their Inn ride faster in an hour when they set forth than in two before you have tarried long therefore put forward We see that slow Plants bring forth the most Fruit as if Nature would recompense the Slowness with the Plenty so you that were long e're you were called to God what reason have you to be diligent and earnest and zealous in the Work of the Lord You will think this concerns some that are called in the doting time of their Age but all Men set forth too late If we consider God's eternal Love we should be ashamed that we began no sooner God loved us before we were The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to them that fear him Psal. 103.17 from one Eternity to another God loved us before we had a Being before we were lovely and when we had a Being he loved us when we knew not that he loved us We were Transgressors from the Womb defiled and polluted Creatures in our Birth and Original and afterwards we knew how to offend and grieve him before we knew how to serve and love him If we have any Gratitude to God we should be ashamed that we began so late God began early with us from all Eternity he was our God as long as God is God he is our God therefore now we should mend our pace and double our Diligence and be more earnest and zealous in the Ways of God 4. Consider what Christ hath done in purchasing our Salvation It was no Play and Sport to redeem the World Christ was not in jest when he yielded up himself to be tempted to be persecuted to be crucified to be exercised with bitter Agonies and is all this Expence and Cost for nothing The Temptations of Christ
3.33 He that hath received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true It is a great Dishonour to God not to receive God's Testimony you put the Lie upon him and so make him to be no God You would not do so to your Equals A Lie is the greatest Reproach it rendreth a Man unfit for Society and Commerce It is a fearful thing to make the God of Truth a Father of Lies When God hath given his Word and Oath and Seals all this while shall he not be believed God never gave us cause to distrust him he never failed in one Promise all that have had to do with him have found him a faithful God Nebuchadnezzar doth him this Honour and Right after he had tasted of the Whip and was again restored to the Use of Reason Dan. 4.37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of Heaven all whose Works are Truth not only Justice but Truth not only as I deserved but as he foretold It is a Shame that you have made no Observations upon Providence that you may give it under Hand and Seal that God is true and faithful God expecteth such a Testimony from his People all that have long had to do with him have found him a true God both in a way of Justice and Mercy that he ever stood to his Word God cannot lie Tit. 1.2 In Hope of eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began God can do all things that argue Power and Perfection of Nature but he cannot lie for that argueth Weakness and Impotency 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself he should then cease to be God He is Truth it self the primitive and supream Truth the Original Author of all Truth If he should not be true who should be so But is any so impudent as to put the Lie upon God I answer Yes 1 Iohn 5.10 He that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son We accuse him not only of a Lie but of Perjury 1. By our Carelesness and the little Regard we have to those great and precious Promises that he has given us Great things are offered and you look upon them as Notions and Fancies It was otherwise with the Patriarchs of old Heb. 11.13 All these died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar of and were perswaded of them and imbraced them We cast off the Tenders of Grace as Matters of which we never made any great Account We grasp after the World and let Heaven go when we mind it not we believe it not A Man toileth hard all Day for a small Piece of Silver do we seek Heaven with a like Earnestness How many Adventures do Merchants run when the Gain is uncertain but we are not uncertain of our Reward 1 Cor. 15.58 Forasmuch as ye know that your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Did we more stedfastly believe this we should not be so cold in Duties and so bold in Sinning 2. By our Despondencies in all cross Providences We have a sure Word and why are we up and down and so full of Distractions and Unquietness of Soul Iames 1.8 A double-minded Man is unstable in all his Ways unsetled in all his Thoughts uneven in all his Ways raised up and cast down with contrary Hopes and Fears off and on as worldly things ebb and flow We shall never want Discouragements if we live upon Sense but if we could live upon the Promises we should not be at such a Loss The Fruit of Faith in the Promises is strong Consolation too strong to be overcome by Sin Death or Hell A Believer is content with the Promises though all the World say No 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen Yea to our Hopes Amen to our Desires Whatever Changes happen the Promises are the same upon Desire of such a thing Amen saith the Promise upon Hope of such a thing Yea saith the Promise In difficult Cases you ask of the Creatures they say No but the Promise saith Yea. 3. When we will venture nothing on the Promises Christ told the young Man of Treasure in Heaven and he went away sad he doth not like such a Bargain Luke 18.22 23. Sell all that thou hast and distribute to the Poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and come follow me And when he had heard this he was very sorrowful for he was very rich Thus God dealeth with us Prov. 19.17 He that hath pity upon the Poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again Eccles. 11.1 Cast thy Bread upon the Waters for thou shalt find it after many Days But the Words and Engagements of Men that deceive and are deceived are esteemed above them We would trust a Man of Sufficiency upon his Bond with Hundreds and Thousands if we have his Hand and Seal to shew for it but we refuse God's Assurance Who is careful to provide Bags that wax not old and to draw over his Estate into the other World Luke 12.33 Sell that ye have and give Alms provide your selves Bags that wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not where no Thief approacheth neither Moth corrupteth What Adventures do you make upon God's Bond or Bill Do you account no Estate so sure as that which is adventured in Christ's Hands Can we believe the Promises and part with nothing for them with neither our Lusts nor our Interests 4. When temporal things work far more than eternal things visible things than invisible If we had such Promises from Men we would be more chearful If a Beggar did hear of a great Inheritance fallen to him he would often think of it rejoice in it long to go see it We have a Promise of eternal Life who thinks of it or puts in for a Share of it We are contented with any slight Assurance in matters of such Weight Men love great Earnest and great Assurance in temporal Affairs but any slight Hope serves the turn in spiritual Affairs Why do we so little rejoice in it If the Reversion of an earthly Estate be passed over to us how are we contented with such a Conveyance but God hath made over Pardon and Grace and we are not satisfied 5. Our Confidence bewrayeth it The pretended Strength of our Faith about Christ and Hopes of Glory sheweth the Weakness of it and that it is but a slight overly Apprehension Most Men will pretend to be able to trust God for Pardon of Sin and Heaven and yet cannot trust God for daily Bread they find it difficult to believe in Temporals and yet very easy in Spirituals and Eternals What should be the Reason Heaven and things to come are greater Mercies the way of bringing them about more difficult if Conscience
Spirit worketh it for he is the Comforter Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of Heaven is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Nay it is not only God's Allowance but his great Aim the solemn Assurance that is given by his Covenant is that you may grow up in believing to a strong Consolation and be able to laugh at Fears and Sorrows 1. You may pray for it when you want it Psal. 90.14 O satisfy us early with thy Mercy that we may rejoice and be glad all our Days 2. Nay when you have lost it by your Default it is not Boldness to ask Grace and Comfort again when you have wasted Conscience and weakned your Hopes as David Psal. 5.12 Restore unto me the Ioy of thy Salvation When your Candle is put out you may get it lighted again 3. You may wait for Comfort and still continue your Attendance upon God Psal. 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak Peace to his People and to his Saints 4. You may entertain it when it comes Comfort is a Fruit of the Spirit as well as Grace he which is the God of Grace is also the God of Consolation and the same Spirit which works Grace witnesseth for our Comfort and it is as great a Crime to smother his Witness as to resist his Work Whatever we think God would have us not only to be holy but to be chearful Would you make the Heart of Christ glad See Iohn 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Ioy may remain in you and that your Ioy may be full Christ rejoiceth most in his Heritage when they live up to the Provision and Preparation he hath made for them in the Gospel The Devil envieth our Comfort he knows how useful it is in the Christian Life to make us thankful for Mercies chearful in his Service to wean us from carnal Delights and make us willing to do and suffer for God he seeks to weaken our Confidence as knowing the Joy of the Lord is our Strength he would either keep us from Grace or from a Sense of it and make us either wicked or sad and keep us from a comfortable Feeling and Apprehension of Grace 2. If strong Consolation be a Fruit of Certainty upon God's Oath then it informs us that it is a false Comfort and Peace which is not the Fruit of Certainty and Confidence in Christ which ariseth either from a Neglect of Duty or carnal Pleasure and all that wicked Men have comes from one of these Grounds It is good to look to the Fountain and Spring of our Joy and Comfort that we may be able to say with the Psalmist Thy Comforts delight my Soul Psal. 94.19 We should look to the Ground and Reason of our Peace and Security Why am I thus quiet Is it because God is reconciled to me in Christ because of Assurance from him under his Oath upon my taking Sanctuary in Christ The Devil â—ulls Men asleep by other means Carnal Men their Comfort ariseth from Carelesness and Negligence in the spiritual Life they do not trouble the Devil nor he them When a strong Man armed keeps his Palace his Goods are in Peace Luke 11.21 The Devil lets us alone when we let him alone when we do not exasperate Lusts nor trouble his Kingdom in our Heart Look as the Sea is very calm when Wind and Tide go together so when our Corruptions and Satan's Temptations run the same way all is calm and quiet As a Man feels not the Sickness that grows upon him till the Humours are stirred by Exercise So when there is a Spirit of Slumber and Security and Men are neglectful and careless in the spiritual Life and let Satan alone to possess the Heart they sleep but their Damnation slumbers not Then for carnal Pleasure this will not give them leave to think of their Condition Their whole Life is nothing but a knitting of Pleasure to Pleasure and a Diversion from one Contentment to another so they put far off from themselves the Thoughts of their own eternal Condition The outward Man is gratified and the inward Man hath no time they fill the Soul with Work that it may not fall upon it self as a Mill grinds not it self as long as it hath something to work upon as the Prophet observes of those that drink Wine in Bowls and put far away the evil Day Amos 6.3 They melt away their Days in Pleasure and charm and lull their Souls into a deep Sleep with the Potion of outward Delights lest Conscience should awake and talk with them Therefore look to the Ground of your Comfort and Security whence it cometh Psal. 94.19 Thy Comforts delight my Soul Ever now and then we should be making Experiments and try the Strength of it Can you venture your everlasting Estate upon the present Confidence Would I be thus found of God 1 Iohn 2.28 Little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have Confidence and not be ashamed before him at his Coming In Afflictions and Sickness Men are wont to be serious Is your Faith found to praise and honour 3. It informs us that the State of a Believer is far better than the State of those that flow in worldly Delights A Man of a great Estate and that abounds in all the Comforts of this Life may seem to live a merry Life O but a Believer hath strong Consolation such as when it is put to the Trial will bear him out in Life and Death Wicked Men may rejoice as a Bird sings in the Fowler 's Snare they may take Comfort in their Portion for a while but in their latter End they will be Fools Alas your Comforts cannot ease you of the Colick or Head-ach nor give you a good Night's Sleep Small Comfort that can neither satisfy the Heart in any Distress nor ease the Conscience Solomon saith Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in a Day of Wrath. Take it for Man's or God's Wrath. In Man's Wrath Riches many times prove our Burden and none lie so obnoxious to publick Displeasure as rich Men the Comfort is soon lost it lieth without us An Estate cannot be carried about you though it be in Jewels it is liable to hazard The rich Jews were carried captive when the Poor were left to till the Land So in the Day of Man's Wrath it falls most upon worldly great Men they have poor Comforts which will not bear them out but we read of those which took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance Heb. 10.34 Though with Ioseph they lose their Coat yet they keep a good Conscience and this makes amends for all their outward Losses But I take the Place rather for God's Wrath there is the Trial in Trouble of Conscience and in the Pangs of Death Christian as sure as the Lord liveth there will a
tho the Fruits are seen so Habits of Grace lie out of sight but Operations discover what is in the Soul the Fruits appear Therefore if Christians be lazy and without Fruit they will be without Comfort St. Iames saith chap. 2.23 Faith is made perfect by Works Understand not in a Popish sense as if Works did contribute a Worth and Value to Faith No but as the strength of God's Power is discovered with more advantage by the weakness of Man 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong So Faith by Works is sensibly discovered with more advantage to the Soul So that if a Man would come to the knowledg of Grace he must be constant in the Operations of Grace SERMON V. HEB. VI. 18 Who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before us THE Third thing I would take notice of in this Text is the Description of those who may take Comfort in God's Word and Oath Who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before us The Point is this Doct. III. The true Heirs of Promise with whom God hath pawn'd his Word and Oath to do them good eternally are such as have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before them In the Description there are two Parts flying for Refuge and taking hold of the Hope set before them The one relates to their Justification or their first Acceptation with God in Christ Flying for Refuge The other relates to their Carriage after Justification To take hold of the Hope set before them To open both these 1. For the first Branch Flying for Refuge It is an Allusion to the Cities of Refuge spoken of under the Law God provided six Cities of Refuge for them to fly to that were guilty of casual Homicide that killing a Man by Chance they might avoid the Fury of the Avenger of Blood These Cities of Refuge were a Type of Christ. In the opening of which I shall shew two things First That Christ is a Believer's City of Refuge Secondly That Believers must run in to him First That Christ is a Believer's City of Refuge or the alone Sanctuary for distressed Souls These Cities are spoken of Numb 35.11 12 13 14. Ioshua 20. and Deut. 19. Now the Comparison or Resemblance between Christ and these Cities is very obvious Look as God appointed Cities of Refuge to fly to so Christ is of God's appointing to be a Sanctuary for distressed Souls These Cities were built upon Hills and Mountains that they which fled to them might ever keep them in Sight so Jesus Christ is set forth Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation for our Sins And the Apostles which did hold forth Christ are compared to a City upon a Hill Mat. 5.14 Christ is lifted up in the Preaching of the Gospel to be seen of all There was a Caus-way with Stones set up to guide them a direct Path that the Man-slayer might fly thither Deut. 19.3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way and divide the Coasts of thy Land into three Parts that the Slayer may flee thither The Cities were so established that they might have a short and direct way to them and that their Escape might be more easy So the way to Christ is clear and open that we may not miss of him who is alone the Support of our Souls and God hath appointed some that were as Stones to signify to us that this is the way Zech. 9.12 Turn ye to the strong Holds ye Prisoners of Hope By the Ministry of Man he holloweth as it were after us Isa. 30.21 Thine Ears shall hear a Word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right Hand and when ye turn to the left Again they were ordered so that in half a Day one might recover one or other of them from any Part of the Land or Corner of the Land so God is made near to us in Jesus Christ Rom. 10.6 7 8. Say not in thine Heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach Our Refuge doth not stand at a Distance the Gospel hath brought him near to us in the Gospel God doth so plainly and fully show the way of Salvation that we need not seek further Christ is at hand to do us good Once more these Cities of Refuge were all Cities belonging to the Levites partly that the Tribe of Levi might be the more esteemed and loved of all Israel but chiefly that they might not be lurking Holes of wicked and flagicious Persons but a School as well as a Sanctuary where Persons that lived there in Exile might be instructed in the Law of God So whoever comes to Christ for Refuge must come also for Instruction to be taught and instructed in all the ways of God Micah 4.2 Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his Ways Otheâ— things are spoken of these Cities of Refuge but I now come to the Persons that had slain a Man by chance and were not guilty of Malice prepense they fled thither as for Life for fear of the Avenger of Blood So do we even fly from Wrath to come Matth. 3.7 as if the Wrath of God were at our Heels And whoever ran to the City of Refuge was to be received the Gates were always open for Jew or Foreigner the Sojourner was capable of the Privilege as well as the Natives Numb 35.15 These six Cities shall be a Refuge both for the Children of Israel and for the Stranger and for the Sojourner among them that every one that killeth any Person unawares may flee thither So Iohn 6.37 He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out The Arms of the Lord's Mercy stands open to receive us And when they were once received they were safe and might enjoy their Privilege without Molestation unless they went out of the Limits and Bounds of the City then it was Death Numb 35.26 27. But if the Slayer shall at any time come without the Border of the City of his Refuge whither he was fled and the Revenger of Blood find him without the Borders of the City of his Refuge and the Revenger of Blood kill the Slayer he shall not be guilty of Blood So when Wrath makes Inquisition for Sinners they are never safe but so long as they are found in Christ Phil. 3.9 Christ must not be made use of only at first but for ever And here they were to remain until the Death of the High-Priest Iosh. 20.6 who was herein a Type of our Great High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ who by his
Prosper I pray thee thy Servant this Day and grant him Mercy in the sight of this Man for I was the King's Cup-bearer For Ordinances Mat. 11.23 And thou Capernaum which art exalted to Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell for if the mighty Works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained till this Day Where the Gospel is most clearly preached that Place and People is most clearly exalted and made nearest to Heaven But yet if these be not improved they bring you into the deeper state of Condemnation Persons honoured and favoured by God with spiritual Advantages shall be brought as low as they were formerly advanced Yea for Grace it self You are to be accountable not only for Corn and Wine and Oil but for the saving Gifts of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhat do ye more than others Mat. 5.47 You are always to glorify his Name admire his Grace and live answerably to his Love and bring him into Request among all about you 4. Talents are increased the more they are imployed and we double our Gifts by the faithful use of them As the Widow's Oil increased in the spending and the Loaves in Christ's Miracle were multiplied in being divided and the right Arm by being much used is bigger and fuller of Spirits than the left Grace groweth by Exercise but decayeth by disuse Gifts if they be not employed are lost How many poor withered Christians are we acquainted with that are blasted and have suffered a shrewd loss by slacking their Zeal and want of diligent Exercise VVhosoever hath to him shall be given and whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have Luke 8.18 To have is to use or imploy our present Stock 5. We must give an Account to God We must not think that when God hath given or committed any thing to us he will not look after it any more No he will call us to an Account what Honour he hath by us as Magistrates Ministers or Masters of Families Beasts are not called to an Account for they have no Reason and Conscience but Man is God will ask what you have done with your Time Strength and Estate An Ambassador that is sent abroad to serve his King and Country if he could return no other account of his Negotiation but that he had spent so much of his Time in visiting the Court-Ladies and so much again in Play in Cards or Dice that he could not mind the Employment he was sent about would this satisfy the King that sent him Or if a Factor that is sent to a Mart or Fair should say that he stayed so long guzling at the next Ale-house that the time was over e're he could part with his Companions and riotously wasted the Money that he was to employ in Traffick These are odd things as they are represented to your Imagination Now consider how little better Answer you can make to God when he shall require and ask his own of you 6. Consider what a sad thing it is to have Gifts only to leave us without excuse As the Gentiles had the Light of Nature God left not himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Witness among them Acts 14.17 But what was the Issue The invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse Rom. 1.20 God is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a Witness and they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without excuse they have not the excuse of faultless Ones To others the Word is preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Witness to them Mat. 24.14 The Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the VVorld for a VVitness to all Nations But it is Mark 13.9 For a Testimony against them And the Lord would have Ezekiel preach That they might know that a Prophet hath been amongst them Ezek. 2.5 So that all the Fruit is God is clear when he judgeth but they have no saving Benefit by all this 7. That in improving what is committed to our Trust our Returns must carry Proportion with our Receipts Mat. 25.16 17. He that had received the five Talents went and traded with them and made them other five Talents And likewise he that received two he also gained other two God will not accept of every Rendering For the Mercies of common Providence it is said 2 Chron. 32.25 He rendered something but not according to the Benefit done unto him So for the Mercies of his Covenant where he pardoneth much he expecteth to be loved much Luke 7.47 Her Sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much But to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little So for Sanctification he expecteth more from them to whom he hath given more Grace Paul saith 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly than they all So for all other Talents Ordinances and Means of Knowledg God expecteth more from them to whom they are vouchsafed than from another People as is evident in his Judgments You only have I known of all the Nations of the Earth therefore will I punish you for your Iniquities The Valley of Vision had the sorest Burden Isa. 22.1 Yea it is more easy to be saved for some than others Righteousness consists in a Proportion which holdeth good both in our Duty and God's Judgments But of this hereafter 8. Consider how many Encouragements God's Stewards have to be faithful 1. His Right is clear as appeareth by this double plain Argument God doth dispose of these Gifts at his own pleasure by his Providence and by his Laws he hath regulated the use of them that thus and thus we shall employ them 2. God hath given a liberal Allowance to every Steward which he employeth He is well provided for for he is an Instrument of God's Providence first to provide for himself and for his own 1 Tim. 5.8 But if any provide not for his own and specially for those of his own House he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 3. Besides the Gifts we are intrusted withal there is co-operating Grace to help us to be faithful Phil. 2.13 He worketh in us both to will and to do Else we should swallow the Gift and little mind the Use. Col. 1.29 Whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily 4. There is an eternal Reward to the Faithful Mat. 25.23 Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful in a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the Ioy of thy Lord. All his Servants shall be highly dignified as those whom Christ delighteth to honour SERMON II. LUKE XII 48 For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom Men have committed much of them will they ask the more Doct. II. THese Gifts
Fathers were Idols and not Gods But how can it stand with the Providence of the true God to permit it and forsake Mankind so long Those Times of Ignorance God over-looked sent them no Means nor Messengers then but now he doth And so he teacheth them and us that it is not sufficient to follow the Religion of our Fore-fathers unless they had followed the Will of God If God over-looked them and vouchsafeth you more Grace you must not be prejudiced by the Tradition but improve the present Advantage 2. He as much as in him lieth taketh off the Prejudice of the Practice of former Times by a prudent and self-censure As also elsewhere 1 Cor. 2.8 Which none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory 3. He insinuateth that Ignorance doth not wholly excuse those that err but rather commendeth the Lord's Patience Secondly The Duty of the present Time 1. The Duty pressed is Repentance The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repentance is a returning to our Wits again We were sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish Tit. 3.3 When the Conversion of the Nations is spoken of it is said Psal. 22.27 All the ends of World shall remember and turn unto the Lord as if they were asleep distracted or out of their Wits before the Light of Christ's Gospel shined into their Hearts not making use of common Reason We never act wisely nor with a Condecency to our reasonable Nature till we return to the Love and Obedience of God 2. This is here represented not as an indifferent and arbitrary thing but as expresly and absolutely commanded God's Authority is absolute if he hath commanded any thing Contradiction must be silent Hesitation satisfied all Cavils laid aside and we must address our selves to the Work speedily and seriously without delaying or disputing or murmuring God doth not advise or intreat only but commandeth or interposeth his Authority Now to break a known Command especially of such weight and moment is very dangerous Luke 12.47 That Servant which knew his Lord's Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall be beaten with many Stripes James 4.17 To him that knoweth to do Good and doth it not to him it is Sin A Man in the dark may easily err and go astray but while we know better and what is the express Will of God concerning us we must set our selves to do it 3. As universally required all Men every where not only Iews but Gentiles and not some sort of Gentiles but all you Athenians and all the World this universally bindeth Some must turn from their Idols but all from their sinful Ways Whosoever will not repent when God calleth for Repentance they smart the more for it Impenitency under the Means is the worst sort of Impenitency I may say as Christ Luke 13.5 Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish II. The Argument or Motive Which we considered 1. As propounded 2. As confirmed First As propounded Where note 1 st The Time He hath appointed a Day wherein he will judg the World 2 dly The manner in Righteousness 3 dly The Person By that Man whom he hath ordained These Circumstances must be opened and then we must consider how they make an Argument For opening the Circumstances 1 st The Time appointed but not revealed He hath appointed a Day The word Day is not taken strictly for such a space of Time as is usually signified by that Notion but it is put for a certain fixed space of Time The Work cannot well be dispatched in twenty four hours There is Iudicium discussionis Iudicium retributionis a Judgment of Search or Trial and a Judgment of Retribution Tho by the absolute Power of God they may be commanded into their everlasting Estate in an instant yet the Causes of the whole World cannot be discussed in an instant especially when God designeth the full Revelation of his Justice in all his Proceedings with Men. Therefore the Apostle calleth that Day the Day of the Revelation of the righteous Iudgment of God Rom. 2.5 When this time will be we cannot tell for God hath not revealed it Mat. 24.36 But of that day and hour knoweth no Man no not the Angels in Heaven but my Father only And therefore it is Curiosity to enquire and Rashness to determine Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the Times or the Seasons which the Father hath put in his own Power It is enough for us to believe the thing which is not strange to Reason that God should call his Creatures to an account Natural Conscience is terrified with the hearing of it Acts 24.25 As Paul reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Iudgment to come Felix trembled And the same guilty Fears are incident to all Mankind Rom. 1.32 Knowing the Iudgment of God they know also that they who have done such things as they have done are worthy of Death That we are God's Subjects is evident to Reason because we depend upon him for Life Being and all things that we have failed in our Subjection to God in denying the Obedience due to him is evident by the universal daily and sad Experience of the whole World that Error and Sin will not take place to all Eternity but that there must be some time when the Disorders of the World shall be rectified is a Truth that easily maketh its own way into the Consciences of Men but is fully determined by the Gospel 2 dly For the manner He will judg the World in Righteousness that is then the whole World shall receive the fruit of their Doings whether they be good or evil But doth God ever judg the World otherwise than in Righteousness I cannot say that for far be it from the Iudg of all the Earth not to do right Gen. 18.25 He never doth any thing unjustly or unrighteously now but then he will fully manifest his Righteousness He now judgeth the World in Patience but then in Righteousness There is a difference between a defect of Justice and a Transgression of the Rules of Justice There is no Injustice in God's Dispensations of present Providence but yet there is a Defect or not a full measure or manifest Demonstration of his Justice shewed now on the godly or the wicked Therefore it is said Eccles. 8.14 There be just Men to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the Wicked and again there be wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the Righteous He doth not pass this Censure upon the wise and righteous Providence of God but either speaketh according to the Judgment of Flesh and Blood which is apt to judg hardly of so strange a Distribution or according to the visible Appearance of things when evil things happen to good Men or good things to evil Men. For outward things being not absolutely good and evil are dispensed promiscuously and in the day
we have Now the Rent that God requires is that something should be given and distributed to the Uses of the Poor When the Children of Israel brought their first Fruits wherewith the Poor and Widdows were relieved they were to make their acknowledgment Deut. 26.9 10. The Lord hath brought us into this place and hath given us this Land even a Land that floweth with Milk and Honey And now behold I have brought the first fruits of the land which thou O Lord hast given So David 1 Chron. 29.12 13 14. Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Now therefore O God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name But who am I and what is my People that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee and ver 16. O Lord our God! all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thy holy Name cometh of thine hand and is all thine own Sure we received not all for our selves as the Stomach receiveth not meat for it self and the Liver receiveth not Blood for it self but to disperse it to the rest of the Body So we are but Stewards and Dispensers of what we have not Proprietors 2. God had pitty on the lost World Indigent Creatures have not so much need of temporal relief as we had of God's sending his Son Among all the Treasures of Heaven nothing is more excellent 2 Cor. 8.9 Ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich They are a part of our Thank-offering Heb. 13.15 16. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of Praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased When he had proved Christ to be a Sin-offering he tells us that there is a Thank-offering required of us what is that Praise and Thanksgiving is one and Alms is another these are things pleasing in the sight of God All this is spoken because there are so few true Christians in the World whatever feigned respects they pretend to Christ Alas many that have great Estates hundreds by the Year yet have not a Heart to be helpful to their poor Brethren and Neighbours but are very backward full of grudging and repining when they give any thing How many are there that are Liberal to their Lusts that can spend whole Farms and Lordships upon Gaming Drinking Riot Luxury Law-suits costly Apparel and bestow so little upon the poor Members of Christ Jesus Do these Men believe there will be a Day of Judgment and a Heaven and an Hell Oh rouse up your selves Give but give upon a right Principle it is not a Sin-offering but a Thank-offering and give not for self-esteem and to be well spoken of by Men Mark 6.1 Take heed that ye do not your Alms before Men to be seen of them but give in Obedience to God And for the Quantum how much you should give that is not defined but do not sow sparingly God trusts Love in the time of the Gospel therefore give not grudgingly Draw out thy Soul to th◠hungry 2 Cor. 9.7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly nor of necessity for God loveth a chearful giver Life-Honey is best that which flows of its own accord so Myrrhe that sweats out of the Tree of its own accord that 's most precious O give readily to the poor that you may have the Lord's Blessing and Treasure in Heaven II. The Motive And thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven Thou shalt not part with thy Goods so much as change them for those that are incomparably better 1. There is a Reward for those that are faithful to the Laws of Christ and willing to lay out their Estates for him it is not cast away but well bestowed they sow their Seed here they shall have their Harvest hereafter The Poor cannot recompense thee and therefore God will Luk. 14.14 Thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompense thee but thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the just A Cup of Cold Water is a small thing yet it shall not want its reward Matth. 10.42 And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a Cup of cold Water only in the Name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward 2. This Reward is propounded to encourage us Christ not only instructs us by Commands but allures us by Promises There is a Dispute whether we may look to the Reward I say not only we ma◠but we must The oftener we look to Heaven the better we shall forgoe present things 3. Our Reward in Heaven is call'd Treasure something that is not only answerable to what we quit for Christ but it far exceeds it it is called Eph. 1.18 The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints We shall have true Riches instead of transitory which we cannot long keep and Eternal Riches that will ever last Our Treasure in Heaven is more precious and more certain Mat. 6.19 20. Lay not up for your selves Treasures upon Earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal But lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal 4. This Reward is not only in this Life but in the Life to come The Worldling is rich in this World 1 Tim. 6.17 The Believer hath Treasure in Heaven Let Gentiles seek earthly things that have not a right to heavenly Bracelets of Copper glass Beads and little Bells and such like trifles are valued by rude Barbarians that are contemptible with us The use and valuation of earthly things in the World to come ceaseth it only holdeth on this side the Grave and therefore the great business of Christians should be to make over their Estates into Heaven that they might receive it by exchange there For thô the use of it ceaseth on the other side of the Grave yet we may have the Comfort of it for Everlasting SERMON VII ON MARK X. v. 21. And come take up the Cross and follow me SEcondly Having done with the particular Precept I come to the general Precept given to this young Man Come take up the Cross and follow me The Duty that is enjoyned is double the one an Help to the other and the one necessarily follows the other Take up the Cross and Follow me Whoever follows Christ must prepare his shoulders for the Cross for without taking up the Cross we shall never
to worldly Comforts and Love of Ease and Flesh-pleasing and Ingratitude for all the Spiritual Good we have received Shall God lay in such great Comforts and after such great Receivings do you take it ill to be put to a little Expence Iob 15.11 Are the Consolations of God small with thee If you had a due sence of the World to come you would be glad to keep your Conscience thô you lose your Coat Hebr. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Do you look for a Glory to be revealed in you Then look upon all the Sufferings of this Life as a Feather put into the Scales against a Talent We are to have a sense of our Condition yet in regard of the Honour done to us to bear a part of Christ's Cross and in regard of the Comfort and Happiness provided for us we should be chearful that it may not be known to be an unwilling Patience and extorted by force There is one Expression more Luke 9.23 Let him take up his Cross daily How daily There are fair days as well as foul days and the Face of Heaven doth not always look sad and lowring How then are we to take up the Cross daily I Answer 1. It notes a daily expectation of it the first day that we begin to be Christians we must reckon on the Cross. Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me These words are the Christians Indenture and every one must Seal to this before he can call Christ Master As Porters stand in a Street waiting for a Burden for them to carry so must a Christian be ready and prepared to meet with any hardship which God may lay out for him in his Christian Course Or as the Israelites eat the first Passeover with their loins girded their shooes on their feet and their staff in their hand Exod. 12.11 as ready for a Journey so should a Christian be ready to go forth at God's Call Acts 21.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Evils familiarized are less burdensome by renewing our daily Resolution the evil is the less when it cometh 2. The Frequency of our Conflicts as if every day there were some exercise for our Faith and Patience We are not to prescribe to God how long or how much Affliction he shall exercise us with No thô it were all the days of our Lives we must be content it is but a moment to Eternity We must take up our Cross as often as it lyeth in our way and we cannot baulk it without Sin Gen. 47.9 Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been Man is Born to Trouble The World is a Valley of Tears not the Mount of the Lord where is fulness of Joy If there were no Cross we should not be in Tune and Consort with the rest of the World for here all the Creatures are a groaning 3. The Word Daily sheweth That private and personal Calamities are a part of the Cross as well as the Afflictions of the Gospel and for the Profession of the Name of Christ. Afflictions are either for God or from God Sickness and Death of Friends and loss of Estate by an immediate Providence are a part of our Cross There is an enduring Persecution for the Name of Christ and an enduring Affliction at the Will of Christ. Ordinary Crosses do not exclude the Comforts of Christianity these occasion Experience of God and Tryal of Grace and are a part of God's Discipline for the mortifying of Sin and are happy opportunities to discover more of God and of Grace to us Yea there is more Reason for Submission in these because God taketh us into his own hands A Man that stormeth when a Bucket of water is cast upon him is patient when he is wet with the Rain that cometh from Heaven II. The Reasons why those that follow Christ should prepare their Shoulders for the Cross. 1. That we may be conformed to our Head He had a bitter Cup tempered for him by his Father's hand Iohn 18.11 The Cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drink it and we must pledge him Jesus Christ was a Man of Sorows and acquainted with grief Isa. 53.3 And there would be a strange disproportion between Head and Members if we should altogether live in Delicacy Ease and Pleasures The bitter Cup goeth by course and round first to Christ then to his Apostles and it goeth from hand to hand ever since The Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.24 that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. There is Christ personal and Christ mystical Christ personal as he is compleat in himself so his Sufferings are compleat but the Sufferings of Christ mystical are not perfect until every Member have their own allotted share and portion Indeed our Sufferings are but the drops upon the brim of the Cup he drank up the Dreggs The great Wave of Affliction did first beat upon him and being thereby broken some small sprinklings of it do light upon us we bear the hinder part of the Cross of Christ. It is but Reason that those that will partake with Christ in his Kingdom should be partakers with him in his Sorrows and that the Souldiers should follow the Captain of their Salvation Heb. 2.10 and fare as he fared Iohn 15.20 Remember the word that I said unto you the Servant is not greater than the Lord if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you We cannot in Reason expect better entertainment than he found in the World If you had an high esteem of Christ and a low esteem of your selves you would easily consent to submit to the Will of God herein It is an unseemly daintiness to be nice and tender of carrying the Cross after Jesus Christ as if we were better than he Many Christians will seem to express much Devotion to a Crucifix or those Chips of Wood which Impostors cry up for pieces of the Cross of Christ but here is true respect to the Cross of Christ to be willing for Christ's sake to bear afflictions with patience and humble submission The Apostle counted all things but dross and dung Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death There is a great deal of sweetness and spiritual Comfort in suffering after for and with Christ we should count all things dung and dross to gain this Experience This should be comfort enough to a gracious heart that thereby he is made more like his
2. Consider Carnal Confidence Effectivè in the Influence of it the Effects of it are very mischievous 1. It is the Ground of all Miscarriage in practice When Men think they cannot be happy without Wealth or so much coming in by the Year then they will soon come to this they dare not obey God for fear they shall lose their worldly Comforts wherein their Happiness lyes It is notable when the Holy Ghost speaks of keeping the Commandment and that the Commandments of God are not grievous to his People presently he speaks of Victory over the World 1 Ioh. 5.3 4. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Why what is the Reason of this conâ—exion The World is a great Hinderance and Let in keeping the Commandment Unless a man overcome his worldly Appetites and worldly Desires he cannot keep the Law of God to any purpose And therefore David saith Psal. 119.36 Encline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to covetousness Implying that while our Hearts are carried out so strongly after worldly things we can never be thorough and upright with God in the way of his Testimonies 2. It hinders us from looking after heavenly things It is impossible a Man should in good earnest seek things above whilst be trusts in the World and promiseth himself a long and happy Life here Trust is Acquiescentia cordis the Rest and Complacency of the Soul it seeks no further when it hath something to rest in therefore when we rest here all other Happiness is neglected there is no want in their Condition Luke 12.19 Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease They cannot endure to think of a Change of leaving this and going to a World to come of shooting the Gulph and launching out into another World and therefore make no Provision for Eternity Well then trusting in Riches is bad as it takes off the Heart from depending upon God's Providence for the present for so far a Creature exempts it self from the Jurisdiction and Dominion of God but much more bad as it takes us off from depending on God's Promises for the future as it flatters us with hopes of long and happy days and causeth us to put off all Thoughts and all Care about Eternity and Blessedness to come He that trusts in Riches judgeth all his Happiness to be in this Life let him enjoy the World to the full and he hath enough here is his Happiness and his Heaven too he saith as that Cardinal He would not give his Portion in Paris for his Portion in Paradice Tell a worldly man of laying up Treasures in Heaven and of the Riches of the Heavenly Inheritance he smiles at it and will not give a foot of Land here for an Acre in Heaven Tell them of growing rich towards God and it is but a Fancy Luk. 12.21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God So they may enjoy present satisfactions they will give God a discharge for other things As the Rubenites and Gadites would stay on this side Iordan and consented to abate their Portion in the Land of Canaan because they were already in a Rich Countrey so they can be content to abate Heavenly Happiness for if it be well with them here they are satisfied for other things they need not trouble themselves 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye and there is an end of the World with us 3. It is the ground of all the Disquiet and Discontent of Mind that we meet with If a Man would live a happy Life let him but seek a sure Object for his Trust and he shall be safe Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. A Man that puts his Confidence in God if he hears bad News of mischief coming towards him as suppose a bad Debt a loss at Sea Accidents by Fire Tempests or Earthquakes as Iob had his Messengers of evil tydings which came thick and threeâ—old upon him yet he is not afraid for his Heart is fixed on God He hath laid up his Confidence in God therefore his Heart is kept in an equal poyse he can say as Iob The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1.21 His Comforts did not ebb and flow with the Creature but his Heart was fixed trusting in the Lord. But now when a Man puts his Joy and his Contentment under the Creatures Power he is always liable to great Dejections and anxious Disquiets Ier. 49.23 They have heard evil tydings they are faint-hearted His Life and Happiness consists in the presence of Creatures and in the Affluence of the World which being mutable so must his Comfort needs be So that he that trusts in Riches to be sure doth but make way for sore and sad Troubles of Spirit Good David when he had abused his Prosperity to a Carnal Trust and Security he felt the more trouble afterwards and so gives us the Instance of himself in this kind Psal. 30.6 7. I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made thy Mountain to stand strong thou hidest thy face and I was troubled He shall never want Troubles that placeth his Trust in any thing on this side God but is up and down as his worldly Comforts ebb and flow whereas a Christian who makes God his Trust and the Favour of God his greatest Interest is like the Nave or Center of the Wheel which still remains in its own place and posture in all the Circumgyrations and turnings about of the Wheel So in all the turnings of Providence when the spokes are sometimes up and sometimes down sometimes in the Dirt and sometimes out of the Dirt the Nave and Center is still where it was Well then if you would be acquainted with true Peace let not your Hearts be set upon great Estates which are liable to so many Changes but trust in the Lord and your Heart shall be established III. I come to give some Signs and Discoveries of this secret Evil Confidence and Trust in Riches 1. When Men oppress and do that which is evil and think to bear it out with their Wealth Power and Greatness as if there were no God above to call them to an Account or as if there had not been or could not be such a turn of Humane Affairs as God can lay them low enough and their Honour be laid in the Dust and the Poor and Afflicted shall be Exalted God hurls the World up and down that Misery may not want a Comfort nor Power a Bridle sometimes God puts up this sometimes the other sort of Men that still by all these Changes he may
a daily need of Providence are more humble and submissive to God But when they grow great they turn the back upon him and cannot endure his strict Government so Ier. 22.21 I spake to thee in thy Prosperity but thou saidst I will not hear Those that are rich and well at ease are loath to be controul'd in their will even by God himself Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Who so self-willed proud and scornful of God as they who so apt to please themselves and to use their riches to feed their Lusts and to provide accommodations for their Flesh and corrupt Nature Self-denyal and a flesh-pleasing course are inconsistent and therefore because of the lawless Liberty which they take to please themselves and to make Provision for the Flesh they cannot comply with this Precept of Christ Let him deny himself 2. To take up the Cross that 's another of Christ's Precepts and to be willing to suffer Affliction either from the hands of God or from the hands of Men for God's sake This is one thing that we must reckon upon if we would be Christians and Christ's Disciples first or last we shall be called to this Exercise Ignatius when he was led bound before the Tribunal Now saith he I begin to be a Disciple of Christ Many think it is factious to talk of the Cross in days of Peace and Liberty but Christ puts it in to our Indentures If we should never suffer for Christ yet we must be sure that we have a Heart that would suffer if God calls us to it It is possible a Man may go to Heaven without suffering but he cannot go to Heaven without a Resolution to suffer when God will Now the Cross makes it hard to all Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous It is not pleasing to the Flesh to endure blows suffer smart and to account all that we have as Dung and Dross in comparison of Christ to be joyfull in Tribulation and so wholly swallowed up with the Hopes and Interests and Concernments of the World to come and to be dead to present things O how irksome is the remembrance of this to those that are high in Place and Office and sail with a full tide and current of Worldly Felicity To be averse to suffering is Natural to Man and is in it self no sin for Nature is to seek its own welfare and preservation but when it goes to Excess it argues a tenderness of the Flesh and that we have consulted with Satan Matth. 16.22 said Peter Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee but Christ said ver 23. Get thee behind me Satan Now the more Men have to lose the more tender they are of losing it a little is sooner quitted This Young Man went away sad for he had great Possessions Great Men when once they come to be noted for the Profession of the Truth they shrink and fall off presently they have not learned to leave all for Christ's sake Iudas that had the Bagg turns Apostate and Traytor to Christ Ioh. 12.6 When he saw nothing but opposition encreasing the supposed Kingdom not to go forward and heard Christ speaking of nothing but the Cross and Suffering he thinks of Betraying his Master Heaven is no Penny-worth for him if it cost so dear 3. Let him follow me He that will be Christ's Disciple must follow him his Doctrine and his Example 1. His Doctrine that is the Directions he hath given us in his Word Now what is the drift of Christ's Doctrine The Doctrine Christ brought out of the Bosom of God is to draw us off from the World to Heaven from the Pleasures of the Flesh and the Baits of this Life to seek things to come and things Eternal This is one great Excellency of the Christian Faith that it reveals the Doctrine of Eternal Life and a Blessed Estate to come which all other Professions in the World could only guess at Christ hath made it manifest and brought it to light that there is such a thing 2 Tim. 1.10 He hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel And the Gospel reveals the way that leads to it it makes a free offer of it upon the Condition of Faith in Christ Ioh. 3.16 17. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved And walking in all Holiness of Life Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. And the Gospel lays before us the highest Motives to quicken us to walk therein and take off our Affections from the World Col. 3.1 2. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things of the Earth This must be our great scope and business that we may get home to God with a neglect of present Advantages The Gospel tells us that we should not be troubled thô our outward Man decay whilst this light Affliction that is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Well then seeing this is the great Design of the Doctrine of Christ that here we should ply our Work that hereafter we may receive our Wages that here we should study Holiness that hereafter we may be blessed with him Now what Doctrine can be more contrary than this to those that have their Portion here Psal. 17.14 That have received their Consolation here Luk. 16.32 That have received their good things in their life-time Luk. 16.25 To tell them of a dislodging and removal and of foregoing the things they love and see for a God they never saw Oh how tedious is this to a Carnal Heart They are already happy and blessed and cannot endure to think of a Change and therefore are uncapable of following this Doctrine that drives us off from Carnal Vanities to look after the Interests and Concernments of the World to come 2. His Example I shall only instance in two things We are to follow him in Humility of Heart and Purity of Life 1. In Humility Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart This is the great thing the Son of God would recommend to us in which we should take after him even to be of an humble and lowly spirit Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2.5 Christ was the Son of God He did not affect to be a God by robbery as the Angels had Rebellious Thoughts against the Empire and Majesty of God and they were thrust
worldly Men's Hearts are so deeply dyed with such Desires as carrieth them out to such things they are hardly Saved Well then Here is another Reason of the Difficulty that our Lusts are born and bred with us from our Infancy and can plead prescription and Religion cometh afterwards and findeth us byassed and prepossessed with other Inclinations which by reason of long use cannot easily be broken and shaken off 3. Let us now consider the great Efficacy and Power which this Inclination to Temporal things hath upon us and then you will see it is very difficult for us to enter into Heaven 1. This Inclination and Addictedness to present things weakens our Sense of the World to come and then our Reward hath no Influence upon us to move us and encourage us to serve God Whilst the World bears bulk in our Eye heavenly things are of small or of no value with us Satan blinds us as the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 that is by the Love of the World Christ cured the Blind man by anointing his Eyes with Clay but the Devil puts out the Eyes of our Souls with this thick Clay for Gold is so called Habbac 2.6 That ladeth himself with thick clay He blinds us so as we cannot have a true sight and perswasion of the Truth and Worth of things to come We cannot look afar off into the other World 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off Mountains seem Mole-hills only at so great a distance Heaven is as a matter of nothing in Comparison of present things As in a Prospective Glass look at one end of it it greatens the Object at the other end it lessens the Object Thus when we look upon things to come thrô the Glass of our own Passions and Carnal Affections they are nothing they have no Force nor Power to move us Saith Austin Men do not look after heavenly things Quia in terrena proni dorsum eorum semper incurvum est their Backs and Necks are bowed down that they cannot look upward and have any true sight of heavenly things the World and the Profits of it are real and substantial but heavenly things are Shadows Dreams Matters of Conceit and meer Imagination And therefore since this Addictedness to Temporal things hath such force upon us to hinder the sight of the World to come it must needs be difficult to us to be Saved 2. This Addictedness to present Delights and Pleasures makes us Impatient of the Restrainâ—s of Religion Our Natural Desires carry us to those things which Religion fâ—rbiâ—s We cannot endure to be bridled and kept from forbidden Fruit but we have all an Appetite after it Psal. 2.3 Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us And Ier. 5.5 They have altogether broken the Yoke and burst the Bonds And Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is Enmâ—ty against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Nitimur in vetitum the Prohibition doth but Irritate Corruption as a Stream if checked grows more furious A Man wholly given up to present Satisfactions cannot endure the Yokes and Fetters Religion would lay upon him he would be a free Creature and live as he list Indeed it is to be a Captive Creature but this he accounts his Liberty and Freedom 3. It maketh those Duties seem irksom and unnecessary which are necessary as the way to Salvation Look into the Book of God and you will find we are called upon to strive to enter into Heaven and required to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 with all holy Solicitude with all lively Diligence to be still employed in this Work to strive to enter in at the strait Gate Luke 13.24 To walk worthy of God who hath called us to his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes. 2.12 Now they that are addicted to Ease Pleasure and Sensual Delights cannot endure to be held to this Work they do either openly refuse this Work or delay it which is the more modest Denyal or else are cold in it Some prophane Persons cast off all care of Duty as if Religion were but a Point of Policy Heaven but a Dream and Hell but a false Fire the Gospel but a Fable to busie Mens heads with and so resolve to please the Flesh and never trouble themselves about uncertain Futurities Many thus live in defiance of God and Christianity or else they delay to a more convenient Seaâ—on they have no mind to the Work Acts 24.25 Go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient season I will send for thee Lust must have present Satisfaction but Christ comes always out of Season When Christ makes an offer of Heaven to their Souls hereafter they will be glad to hear of him but now he comes before the time As he said in Seneca A quinquagessima in otiam â—iscedam when I am fifty years old then I will retire and study Philosophy So when their youthful Vanities are spent then they wiâ—â— look after these things When the Heart cannot keep out Light and Conviction of our Duty it seeks to keep off Care and so by making fair Promises for the future we illude the Importunity of present Conviction Or else a Heart addicted to present Satisfaction is very cold in Religion for the Heart that is diverted by other pursuits cannot make Religion it's Work but only minds it by the by The World that is their Business but Religion that is put in the place of a Recreation and they mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 their Heads and Hearts are full of the World so that they have no room for God Their Time Thoughts Discourses are wholly swallowed up of present things and complying with their present Lusts. 4. This Addictedness to present Satisfactions will make us shrink at the Tryals God exerciseth us with before we go to Heaven Acts 14.22 Through much Tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God All good things are hard â—o come by and God will shew that Heaven is worth something When Men have cheap thoughts of it God will enhance the price of Heaven There must be striving and suffering before we get thither The howling Wilderness was the ready way to Canaan The Captain of our Salvation was made perfect thro' suffering VVe should else neither esteem the Cross of Christ nor long for Heaven But present Ease present Safety present Wealth doth wonderfully inchant us to have good dayes here and a quiet Life without any trouble If we could compound with God for this World and Heaven too then we should like it But now while we are so wholly inclined and addicted to present things it must needs be a difficult thing to hear of Tryals and Crosses that we must endure III. This Difficulty must be sufficiently understood and seriously thought of by us And here 1. Negatively We should so reflect upon the Difficulty 1. Not to
is to lay hold upon eternal life 1 Tim. 6.12 that is seize upon it as ours as assured to us by the Word of God or to take it as our Happiness and accordingly pursue after it Eph. 1.13 In whom ye trusted after ye heard the word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation Now when we choose this Felicity for our Portion set our Hearts upon it make it the chief Care and Business of our Lives to seek it and do all as Means thereunto carry our selves as Strangers and Pilgrims in the World and look for no great Matters here but wholly depend upon God's faithful Word for this Happiness to come then is Faith wrought in us 4. 'T is our Strength and Preservative against all Temptations from the Devil the World and the Flesh The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit Eph. 6.17 A Weapon of excellent use in the Spiritual Warfare And 't is said 1 Ioh. 2.14 Ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one This helpeth us to ward off the bloâ—â— of any Temptation When the Heart is well stocked and furnished with this Word of God you have something to oppose still to Darken the Splendoâ— of the World to check the Desires of the Fâ—esh and so do the better carry on a continual Warfare and Watchfulness And so the Fleshly Inclination is overruled and the Profits Honours and Pleasures of the World have less force upon us VVhen the Devil sheweth the Bait and the Flesh is ready to swallow it Faith sheweth the Hook A Belief of the VVord of God being of a lively and vigorous Nature produceth Noble effects in us It casteth down all that rebellâ—th against God and casteth out all that would be preferred before him Psal. 37.31 The Law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide A lively active Sense of his Duty is kept fresh upon his heart 5. To be our Comfort and Cordial in our Afflictions Psal. 119.59 This is my Comfort in my Affliction thy VVord hath quickened me Verse 92. Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in my Affliction Heb. 12.5 Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto Children My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him So Psal. 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my Soul God's Comforts are such as God alloweth or God worketh The Matter of both is in the Scriptures though the Spirit be the Author of them and the Instrument he worketh by is Faith In Wants and Streights how sweet is it to a Believer to consider how amply we are provided for in the Covenant When Gods Hand is heavy upon us and Providence represents him as an angry Judge yet the Covenant represents him as a Father In a time of Tryal one promise of God will give you more true Comfort and Support than all the arguings of men Fourthly The Notes whereby we discern a strong and grown Faith as to this Property of it its respect to the Word 1. When the Consolations laid down in the Word of God are more prized than any extraordinary Dispensations Certainly 't is a weakness when Men undervalue the Comfoâ—ts of the Word as slender empty unsatisfactory and would have the Manifestations of God's Love exhibited to them in some singular and extraordinary way Eliphaz chargeth it on Iob wrongfully Iob 15.11 Are the Consolations of God small with thee is there any secret thing with thee God's ordinary way is the sure way the other layeth us open to a Snare Surely our Consciences are best settled in the ordinary way of God's Word in a way of Faith Repentance and close walking with God but as Naaman despised the Waters of Iordan so many despise the ordinary Comforts and would have Signs and Wonders to assure them These may long sit in darkness because if God comforts them not in their way they will not be comforted at all Now though God sometimes in Condescention to his People may grant their desires as Christ did to Thomas yet 't is with an upbraiding of their Weakness and Unbelief Ioh. 20.28 You should acquiesce in the common allowance of God's People least you seem to reflect on the Wisdom and Goodness of God and lay open your selves to some false Consolation and dream of Comfort while we affect new Rules without the Compass of the Word especially when we find not our expectations there speedily answered like hasty Patients ready to tamper with every Medicine they hear of rather than submit to a regular Course of Physick Gregory telleth us of a Lady of the Emperors Court that never ceased importuning him to seek from God a Revelation from Heaven that they should be saved Rem difficilem petivit inutilem 'T was a thing difficult and unprofitable difficult for him to obtain and unprofitable for her to ask having a surer way by the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have a more sure word of Prophecy than Oracles The adhering of the Soul to the Promises is the unquestionable way to obtain peace Luther as he confesseth was often tempted to ask for Signs or some Special Revelation He tells also how strongly he withstood these Temptations Pactum feci cum Domino meo ne mihi mittat Visiones vel etiam Angelos contentus enim sum hoc dono quod habeo Scripturam Sanctam quae abunde docet suppeditat omnia quae necessaria sunt tam ad hanc vitam tam ad â—uturam I indented with the Lord my God that he would never send me Dreams and Visions I am well contented with the Gift of the Scriptures 2. When the Word is matter of Joy and firm Confidence to us before there is any appearance of performance This in two Cases 1. In Case of Delay when 't is long e're God appeareth and Faith doth not require the Existence and Pre-essence of the thing believed only the Promise of it Therefore though the Promise be delayed it eyeth the Blessing at a distance Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off were perswaded of them and embraced them Abraham was one of them Ioh. 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And we if we would be strong Believers must do likewise Heb. 6.12 Be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the promises A Christian is not to be valued by his Enjoyments but his Hopes Heaven is all performance Here he dealeth with us by Promises but you will find his payment sure and that God in effect is better than all his Promises for they cannot signifie and convey the full Sense of all that God meaneth to bestow Therefore we must wait whether the Promise be to be fulfilled in this Life or
better colour The Mystery of Redemption to the Carnal is but a cold Story and the Rose of Sharon but as withered Flowers and the Promises of the Gospel are as dry Chips 3. The Causes of it they are the Holy Ghost and Faith as his Instrument This Joy is stirred up by the Holy Ghost therefore often called Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost And the Comforts of the Spirit Acts 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost But then Faith is the Means Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho' now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory So that it is a Fruit of Faith as well as a Work of the Holy Ghost Faith joyned with Love will bring much Love into the Heart of a Believer and will cause it to be deeply affected with Christ's Grace 3. The Nature of this Joy and Gladness Here we must distinguish 1. There is a superstitious Joy which ariseth from knowing Christ after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know we no Man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more which is seen in this it prizeth Christ's Name but neglects his Office pretends a fond Esteem of his Memory but despises his Benefits As the Iews would fly in the Face of any that would not count them Abraham's Children yet would not do the Works of Abraham so is the Nominal Christian's Joy This Joy venteth it self in a Carnal way by outward Theatrical Pomp and Ceremonial Observances but not in real Affection to Christ yea they are rather Enemies to his spiritual Kingdom and Cause and Servants and express their rejoycing rather as Votaries of Bacchus than as Disciples of Christ in a gross and Carnal way This Joy is a rejoycing in Christ for a day but we are to make it our daily Work an holy Festival that lasteth our whole Lives Phil. 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoice This is a different thing from Abraham's rejoicing He had a Prospect of Christ's day and was exceeding glad but this is a Carnal owning of the God of the Countrey and no more 2. There is an holy Rejoycing which may be considered 1. As to the lively Acts. 2. Or solid Effects 1. As to the lively Acts in solemn Duties as the Word and Meditation and Lord's Supper it doth your Hearts good to think of Christ Cant. 1.4.10 We will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy Love more than Wine Psal. 22.26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied they shall praise the Lord that seek him Your Heart shall live for ever Heb. 11.13 All these dyed in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them That is when they thought of it the time of the Gospel was a sweet time to them and so it is to all other Believers A Man cannot think of his Pelf or any petty Interest in the World without Comfort and can a Believer think of the Promises and not be affected with them In solemn Meditation and other Duties is Faith and Joy acted 2. As to its solid Effects 1. It is such a Joy as doth enlarge our Hearts in Duty and strengthen us in the way of God Nehem. 8.10 For the joy of the Lord is your strength Psal. 119.14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all riches The hardest Services are pleasant to one that delighteth in Christ. This Joy is the very life of Obedience a Christian cannot be without it 2. It sweeteneth our Calamities and Crosses 1. Common Afflictions It can never be so sad with us in the World but we have cause of rejoycing in Christ Hab. 3.17 18. Tho' the Fig-tree do not blossom c. yet I will rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of my Salvation For we have better things in him than any natural Comfort which can be taken from us This should not diminish the solid satisfaction of our Souls 2. The Afflictions of the Gospel Luk. 6.23 Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy for your Reward is great in Heaven for in like manner did their Fathers unto the Prophets Heb. 10.34 And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that in Heaven ye have a better and enduring substance They are fit Occasions to shew how much we Value Christ above all our own Interests how near and dear soever they be to us 3. It draweth us off from the vain Delights of the Flesh. Every Man must have some Oblectation for Love and Delight cannot lye idle in the Soul either it is taken up with the Joyes of Sense or with the Joyes of Faith And it is good for every Man to Observe what it is that puts gladness into his Heart where his solid Contentment and Pleasure is A bruitish Heart fetcheth all its Solaces from the World but a gracious Heart from Christ the one love Pleasures more than God but to the other Christ and his Benefits are their matter of Joy and Comfort this is that they are cheared with as they get more of Christ into their Hearts Psal. 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased As David calleth God his exceeding Ioy Psal. 43.4 They need not the Carnal Mirth without which others cannot live Psal. 4.6 Who will shew us any good VSE Well then you see Faith is not only a Sight but a Taste or a feeding on the Promises with delight Psal. 119.111 Thy Testimonies I have taken for an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart And such a Delight as draweth off our Hearts from other things as the Man that had found the true Treasure Matth. 13.44 For joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field I Observe a double Joy in Abraham 1. In Desiring He rejoiced to see my day The Spiritual desires of God's People after Christ are full of Joy There is a Joy that accompanieth seeking before we attain what we seek after Psal. 105.3 Let the hearts of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Before Complacential Joy there is a Seeking Joy Better be a Seeker than a Wanderer and Delight in Christ keepeth up this seeking 2. There is a Joy after Faith hath given some satisfaction First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he rejoiced and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was glad A Man sick of a Mortal Disease when he heareth of
the Commandments ver 3. and presently he speaketh of Victory over the World The World is the great Enemy of the Commandments and till it be overcome a Christian can have no Comfort but still be contesting with God as Pharaoh was and slighting every Message 3. This Contest on Pharaoh's part is managed with slightings and contempt of God on God's part with Mercy and Condescension On Pharaoh's part with slightings and contempt of God Exod. 5.2 And Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Words of profane Contempt Who is the Lord as if he should say Am not I King of Egypt Who is my Peer much less my Superiour and my Lord I know not the Lord. Ere God hath done with Pharaoh he shall know him to the purpose Mark the Words I know not and then I will not Hardness is the usual effect of Blindness Errors of Mind go on to Errors of Heart I will not know I will not hear of it I care not for such a Duty nor will I weigh or consider what is God's Will concerning me The Eye affecteth the Heart Pharaoh did not consider what it was to deal with God and then doubleth the Burdens of the Israelites But now on God's part it is managed with Sweetness and Kindness God from the beginning foreknew the Hardness of Pharaoh's Heart and therefore might have swept him away of a sudden but he giveth him frequent Warnings and Convictions He would have Men convinced e're they are punished Foregoing Mercy sheweth the Righteousness of ensuing Wrath. In all the progress of the Story the first Miracles were before him the next upon him And every Judgment is threatned before it be executed God telleth what he would do to warn Pharaoh In one Plague it is notable that God doth not only threaten the Judgment but sendeth a gracious Warning to bid him take his Cattle out of the Fields Exod. 9.19 Send therefore now and gather thy Cattle and all that thou hast in the Field for upon every Man and Beast which shall be found in the Field and shall not be brought home the Hail shall come down upon them and they shall die To shew that God delighteth not in the Ruine and Destruction of the Creature and to make Pharaoh the more liable to Condemnation and to spare such among the Egyptians as had some Fear of God remaining in them but chiefly to harden Pharaoh the more Exod. 10.1 And the Lord said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh for I have hardned his Heart and the Heart of his Servants that I might shew these my Signs before him Moses might say Lord therefore let me never go to Pharaoh but saith God Go in unto him for I have hardned his Heart God continueth the Means though he denieth Grace and the Wicked must be admonished though they will not be reformed In the hardning of Sinners God usually observeth this Course by Mercies and the Meâ—ns of Grace they are convinced and hardned at the same time there is still new matter of glorifying God and hardning the Creature 4. The first Plague on Pharaoh's Heart is Delusion Moses worketh Miracles turneth Aaron's Rod into a Serpent Rivers into Blood bringeth Frogs and the Magicians still do the same God permitteth these Magical Impostures to leave Pharaoh in his wilful Error It is probable that what the Magicians did was not real but a mere Delusion of the Senses but the Lord doth not discover the Cheat because his present Aim was not to shame Satan but to harden Pharaoh therefore he suffered the Devil to imitate the true Miracles without Discovery It is sad when Men chuse false Teachers to themselves and God suffereth them to be blinded Hosea 4.17 Ephraim is joined to Idols let him alone They may have some Parts plausible Elocution Gifts of Prayer there may be common Effects wrought by them these things blind Men and their Hearts are set upon Familism and Antinomianism let them alone Exod. 7.22 The Magicians of Egypt did so with their Inchantments and Pharaoh ' s Heart was hardned This was one means of hardning his Heart the Magicians wrought the same Miracles that Moses and Aaron did God suffereth Men to be hardned by their own Choice 5. God was not wanting to give Pharaoh sufficient means of Conviction The Magicians turned their Rods into Serpents but Aaron's Rod swallowed up their Rods Exod. 7.12 Which sheweth God's supereminent Power They could not deliver him from the Frogs though they could bring Frogs God may suffer the Devil to add to the Judgment but to relieve them is an Act of Mercy the Magicians could add to the Plagues but they could not deliver him from them the Devil can sooner bring a Plague than remove it This was warning enough there was Difficulty enough to harden them and Light enough to convince them Again the Magicians were non-plust in their Art Exod. 8.18 And the Magicians did so with their Inchantments to bring forth Lice but they could not They sought to bring forth Lice and could not being hindred by God's Will They that could bring forth Frogs could not bring forth Lice the greater the Possibility the more are the Magicians abashed this was an easy Miracle All Colour of Excuse is taken away from Pharaoh they confess This is the Finger of God Exod. 8.19 and yet Pharaoh's Heart was hardned as many will not be won to the Truth by the Confession of those that led them into the Mistake Nay afterwards the Magicians themselves were smitten with Boils Exod. 9.11 12. And the Magicians could not stand before Moses because of the Boils for the Boil was upon the Magicians and upon all the Egyptians And the Lord hardned the Heart of Pharaoh and he hearkned not unto them If the hard Heart go to Hell it is not for want of Light but Grace We may wonder as much at the Success as at the Plagues To what a Height of Obstinacy will Man come if he be let alone to Plagues for all this while Pharaoh's Heart was hardened 6. Observe in one of the Plagues Israel might have stolen away whether Pharaoh would or no Exod. 10.22 23. And Moses stretched forth his Hand towards Heaven and there was a thick Darkness in all the Land of Egypt three Days They saw not one another neither rose any from his Place for three Days but all the Children of Israel had Light in their Dwellings They were not only deprived of the Light of Heaven but of Candles and Torches the Air was condensed with thick Clouds and the Mists and Vapors so thick that they would easily have damped them and put them out again Now whilst they were under the Power of three Days Darkness the Israelites might have stolen away and have gone three Days Journey in the Wilderness before they could have made any Pursuit but God had more Miracles to be done When he
destroyed him that had the Power of Death This was a necessary means of Conquest and Christ must overcome Satan by suffering himself to be overcome visibly by him The Devil doth not conquer Christ by Death but Christ doth conquer him And still all the Temptations of the Devil are but the wounding of the Heel the Loss is not great to Christ or his Members As Dan is compared to a Serpent by the Way or an Adder in the Path that biteth the Horse-heels so that his Rider shall fall backward Gen. 49.17 Such is the Craft of Satan he doth not usually bring Temptations before our Reason but they enter in at the Back-door of Sensual Appetite but tho he bite the Heel the Life of Grace is secured Satan prevailed so far against Christ that his wicked Instruments brought him to the Cross pursued him to the Death there But 2 Cor. 13.4 Though he was crucified through VVeakness yet he liveth by the Power of God Or as it is in 1 Pet. 3.18 Being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit So for Christians he may divers ways wound and afflict us in our outward Interests but the inner Man is safe 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day Nay we may be bruised in the Heel by divers Temptations and Slips into Sin yet the Vitals of Grace are not hurt there is no total Extinction of our Love to God I should come now to the fourth Branch That tho Christ was bruised in the Conflict yet it endeth in Satan's total Overthrow His Heel was bruised but Satan's Head was crushed But of that anon In the mean time by way of Use let me press you chearfully to remember and celebrate this Victory of Christ. The Duty we are engaging in is an Eucharist and we come to rejoice in God our Saviour Let me bespeak you in the Psalmist's Words Psal. 98.1 O sing unto the Lord a new Song for he hath done marvellous things his right Hand and his holy Arm have gotten him the Victory Or Psal. 118.15 16. The Voice of Rejoicing and Salvation is in the Tabernacle of the Righteous The Right Hand of the Lord doth valiantly The Right Hand of the Lord is exalted the Right Hand of the Lord doth valiantly Psal. 106.2 Who can utter the mighty Acts of the Lord who can shew forth all his Praise 1. The Conqueror is the Seed of the Woman or the Son of God incarnate O let us bless God for so great a Mercy Luke 1. from 68 to 76. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for us in the House of his Servant David as he spake by the Mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the World began That we should be saved from our Enemies and from the Hand of all that hate us to perform the Mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant The Oath which he sware to our Father Abraham that he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies might serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life What shall the Son of God come from Heaven to subdue the Kingdom of Satan and to deliver Men from this Bondage and we be no more affected with it 2. The Manner of Overcoming it is by suffering a shameful painful and accursed Death Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and made us Kings and Priests to God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Again Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and VVisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 And ver 9. For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation That by a Death which he deserved not he should destroy the Death which we deserved 3. Who is overcome The Devil Rev. 12.10 Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down who accused them before our God day and night Ver. 11. And they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and the VVord of their Testimony and they loved not their Lives unto the Death Ver. 12. Therefore rejoice ye Heavens and ye that dwell in them VVo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great VVrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short Time O Christians what will raise your Hearts in Thanksgiving to God if not these three Arguments which I have plainly mentioned to you for the Matter needeth no Descants The Incarnation of the Son of God who came as the Seed of the Woman that he might free Mankind from the Power the Devil had over them by Sin Then the Merit and Satisfaction of our Saviour for he was bruised in his Heel And then the dissolution of Satan's Power and the freeing of Mankind out of his Hands either as a Tempter or a Tormentor 4. The Effects of the Victory when 't is applied to us I shall mention three 1. Our Conversion to God and the destruction of Sin in our Hearts or our actual deliverance from Satan Luke 11.21 22. VVhen a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace but when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and divideth his Spoils This was our Case All was in a sinful Quiet and Peace When Wind and Tide go together no wonder if there be a Calm Satan's Suggestions and our Corruptions suted the one with the other But blessed be God that this carnal Security is disturbed that the Kingdom of God is come upon us that Christ by a sacred Rescue hath dispossessed Satan and destroyed Sin O let us give Thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. 2. Remission of Sins Acts 26.18 To open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me Col. 1.13 14. VVho hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son in whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of Sins Christ's Subjects have the Privileges of his Kingdom Now bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O
further 2 Pet. 1.18 19. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount who have also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts What greater confirmation could the Apostles expect than that voice from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 17.5 Yet Peter who heard that voice telleth us that comparatively we have greater security from and by the written Word not in it self but as it is given in evidence to us so that there is no compare between it and one from the dead 2. We have sensible Confirmations VVe are wrought upon by sence now is not ordinarily the word as sensibly confirmed to us as it would be by a Vision or Apparition from the dead 1. There is the Holyness of Professors 1 Cor. 14.25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you Is it not more wonder to see a Living Man that hath not devested himself of the Interests and Concernments of Flesh and Blood to deny himself for things to come then to hear a tale from a dead Man 2. There is the constancy of the Martyrs that have ratified this Truth with the loss of their dearest concernments Revel 12.11 And they overcame by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death 'T is possible a Man may suffer for a false Religion and Sacrifice a stout Body to a stubborn mind But is there no true Gold because there hath been some counterfeit Coin The Devils Martyrs have not been so many for number nor for Temper and Quality so Holy so VVise so Meek as the Champions of the Truth The Christian Religion can shew you Persons of all Ages young and old of all Sexes Men and VVomen of all Conditions of Life Noble and of Low Degree of all Qualities Learned and Unlearned See Sermons on John 17. p. 256. 3. Then there is the inward feeling of Gods Children they find a Power in the word convincing changing comforting fortifying their hearts These can speak of what they hear feel and tast as well as one that cometh from the dead They have answerable impressions on their hearts Heb. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart All this stampt upon the heart in legible Characters A true Christian is the lively transcript of his Religion the Scriptures are the Original and every Believer is the Copy it is gone over again in his heart 4. Those that have no Experience of this have a secret fear of the power of the word Iohn 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved He will not come to the light because he is afraid of the Majesty of God shining forth in the Scriptures Men dare not muse upon and seriously consider the Doctrine therein contained Atheisme lyeth in the heart the Seat of desires Psalm 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Men question the word because they would not have it true they are willing to indulge their lusts and therefore they are afraid of the word that forbiddeth them As Ahab was loath to hear Michajah because he prophesied evil Strong Lust maketh us incredulous A Malefactor desireth to destroy the Records and Evidences that are against him 5. There are also outward Effects of the Power of the VVord its propagation throughout all the VVorld within thirty years or thereabout the Doctrine it self contrary to Nature it doth not court the Senses nor woe the Flesh it doth not make offers of splendour of Life or Pleasures and Profits but biddeth us deny these things and expect troubles the drift of it is to teach Men to row against the stream of Flesh and Blood to renounce our Lusts deny our Interests And this was done by a â—ew Fishermen who had no long Sword no Publick Interest or Authority to back them and that in the face of the Learned VVorld when all Civil Disciplines were in there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and height The word prevailed against Ancient Customs the Ark was to be set up in the Temple that was already occupied and possessed by Dagon 6. Then consider the many sensible Effects of the VVord as the Accomplishment of Prophecies Promises Threatnings and Answer of Prayers Gods Providence is a Comment upon Scripture It is an Authentick Register and Infallible Prognostication and Kalender VVe need not have one come from the dead to tell the truth of it it is fulfilled before our eyes every day 4. Or else they can convey a Power or expect that God will co-operate more with their report than with the Holy Scriptures Surely they are finite Creatures though passed out of this Life Nothing can convert and turn the heart of Man but the Infinite Power of God all the Angels in Heaven cannot pluck one Sinner out of the State of Nature VVe read one Angel could destroy One Hundred Eighty Five Thousand in Senacheribs Hoast 1 Kings 19.35 But all the Angels cannot convert one Soul But will God co-operate Alas when all prejudices are removed Men are nothing the better till the Lord puts in his Grace the Iews suppose Moses and the Prophets to be of God they were confirmed by notable Miracles the fame of which continue among them But the matter is about Gods Efficacy But now God concurreth with his instituted Course common means of Gods appointing have a singular efficacy annexed as Reading Acts 8.32 Hearing Mark 4.24 Meditation Acts 17.11 Christ dyed to sanctifie Ordinances Eph. 5.26 and there if ever shall we meet with the Power and Grace of God Secondly Against it There are more rational prejudices that lye against any other way than this way that God hath taken As to instance in the matter in hand 1. It is no mean scruple about the lawfulness of hearkning to one that should come from the Dead since they are out of the Sphere of our Commerce and it is a disparagement to the great Doctor of the Church Against consulting with the Dead See Deut 18.10 11 12 with 14 15. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire or that useth divination or an observer of
and Conscience saith the contrary Or are we innocent Or hath God provided another way than Christ 2 Obedience Every thing is written and must be reviewed If things were forgotten assoon as we forget them we need not revise our Acts or be so careful of our Conversations Oh but we must come to an account Iames 2.12 So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty Psalm 1.5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous What a shameful story will there be produced against careless Sinners All the business of our lives is to stand in the great Congregation and to appear with confidence Would a Man give way to vain thoughts if he knew he were to give an account or to vain Discourse if he thought every idle word would be brought to Judgment or to Carnal Actions though never so secret if he thought that all these would come to a review or neglect the Duties of his Calling if he knew he were to give an account of his Stewardship or be unmerciful to the Poor if he did think of Have you fed Have you cloathed Or that he should be examined upon these questions 3. The Consideration of Hell or the Dreadful Punishment of Sin For this is the matter in this Text. This is useful to think of Hell that we may shun it presumption is a Coward Matth. 3.7 8. O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance There is a forced Repentance they that do not weep for their Sins for a while here shall there mourn for ever with a fruitless Repentance It is peace upon Earth What is Hell 1. There is poena damni the Punishment of loss a separation from the presence of God and Everlasting Exile Depart from me ye cursed Matth. 25.41 Luke 13.25 26. When once the master of the house is risen and hath shut the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying Lord Lord open to us and he shall answer and say unto you I know ye not whence ye are and verse 28. When ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out When God turned Adam out of Paradise it was sad but then he cloathed him made him Coats of skins Adam was a Rebellious Child and was turned out of Doors but God had a care of him would not turn him out of Doors without his Garments gave him the promise of the Seed of the Woman hopes of a better Paradise This is the worst part of Hell to have a glimpse of God the remembrance of which shall remain with them for ever and then to be shut out Thou shalt see it with thine eyes but not taste it As a Prodigal reduced to Rags goeth by the Lands and Houses he hath sold with a sad Heart 2. The poena sensus The Punishments of Sense the Worm of Conscience and the Fire of Gods VVrath The worm of Conscience the Sting of Conscience when we think of our folly and imprudence A Man may run away from his Conscience now by sleeping reading working drinking sporting as Cain built Cities and Saul called for Musick But in Hell there are no such Diversions not a Thought free Day nor Night but Memoria praeteritorum the remembrance of what is past slighted Means abused Comforts wasted Time and Sensus praesentium a Sense of what is present the understanding maketh Heaven or Hell and metus futurorum a fear of what is to come for ever and ever Oh blind Fools that we did not think of these things aforehand The pleasures of the VVorld for a Thousand years will not countervail one minutes torment And then the Fire shall never be quenched Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the the living God Do but make tryal and put your finger in the Candle and see how you can bear it Isa. 33.14 Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings III. How to improve the Scriptures to Repentance 1. Believe them as you would an Oracle or one from the dead Consider the Authority and Veracity of God The Authority of God God Commandeth Men to repent charge the heart in the Name of God as it will answer to him another day If God had bidden thee do some greater thing wouldst not thou have done it VVill you contradict your Maker The Veracity of God these things are true If you had heard a voice from Heaven as Abraham or had a Vision or a Messenger sent out of the other VVorld you would believe you would think him to have a very hard heart that is not warned by an Oracle or frighted by an Apparition God himself hath spoken in his VVord and is not he of Credit You would fly in the face of him that should give you the lye and will you give the lye to the God of Truth VVe should be ashamed that the VVord which is a greater and surer Revelation than Oracles or Apparitions should prevail no more with us and that all those Arts of Grace which are used in the Scriptures do not perswade us to Obedience and Amendment of Life There is more Reason to perswade a Rational Man that the Scriptures are true and worth the heeding than to perswade him of the Truth of any voice from Heaven or Message by one from the Dead There you are warned that if you are un-believing un-holy or un-charitable you shall go to Hell and as Lot seemed to his Sons in law as one that mocked e n. 19.14 so we are looked on as if we were in jest and it were a matter of course to make one another sad by repeating of Matters mournful and lamentable If thou hadst seen a Ghost this last Night or a Devil had appeared to thee in Mans shape thou wouldst have been terrified and shall not the threatnings of the word startle thee So when you are spoken to concerning the joyes of Heaven it should not seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an idle tale as it is said Luke 24.11 And their words seemed unto them as idle tales and they believed them not The Report of Christ's Resurrection was an idle tale If an Angel had told you that within such a compass of years you should be in another world he would have been credited but you have a more sure word of Prophesie we tell you the same from Gods word and yet we are not regarded as the Israelites did not believe the Spies 2. Urge thy Heart with it Recollect your selves Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things Come to your selves Luke 15.17 And when he came to himself The Prodigal came to himself before he thought of returning to his Father Psalm 22.27 All the ends of the
suit with the Duty of their place give warning of the danger And Magistrates may not give liberty to the wickedness of the People least they bring a Judgment on their own heads I have given you some view of the Words let me come to the points 1. That those that have received Mercies must be careful to give in answerable returns or to render according to what they have received 2. That it is a sign we are unthankful for Mercies when our hearts are liftd up under the injoyment of Mercies 3. Pride and Unthankfulness is a sad intimation of approaching Wrath and Destruction 4. When a Rulers heart is lifted up and doth not thankfully improve the mercies received from God the whole Land may smart for it I shall speak but to the Two first of these points Doct. 1. That those that have received Mercies must be careful to give in answerable Returns or to render according to what they have received It was Hezekiah 's Sin that he did not render according Here I shall enquire what it is to render according to what we have received Observe 1. There must be a Rendring 2. A Rendring according to the Rate and Kind of our Receipts I. A rendring There is a Reflection upon God from all his Works Hell-Fire casts back the Reflection of the lustre of his Justice and the Power of his Wrath. The World is round and the Motion of all things circular they begin in God and end in God their Being is from him and the tendency of their Motion is to him Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things All things do thus reflect upon God The wrath of man shall praise thee Psalm 76.10 We should want many occasions of rejoycing in God if it were not for the Wrath of Man Thus God is glorified passively All Events turn to a good account Thus all Creatures praise him Psalm 145.10 All thy works shall praise thee O Lord The Creatures offer matter of praise to God But we speak of the active rendring and returning Praise to God There are many words used in this Matter Those three which are most solemn are Praise Blessing and Thanksgiving which last is the Solemn Word of the New Testament as being proper to the Dispensation of it Gods Benefits being now fully manifested and accomplished There is a difference between these three terms Praise respects Gods Excellency as I may praise a Man that never did me good Blessing Gods Benefits It is an eccho to him Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Iesus And Thankfulness is not only declared in Word but in deed These three should alwaies go together We should gather up Gods Excellencies out of his Providences and acknowledge the Mercy and live the Life of Love and Praise Or if you will in rendring Praise to God these things concur 1. We must be affected with the Mercies 2. Solemnly praise God for them 3. Renew the Remembrance of them 4. Improve them to some good use 1. We must be affected with the Mercy Formal Speeches are but an empty prattle which God regardeth not David first calleth upon his Heart Psal. 103.1 Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name The Noblest Faculties must be exercised in the Noblest Work Is the Soul raised into an admiration of God Church Adversaries took up the customary forme Isa. 66.5 Your brethren that hate you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified In an Instrument of Musick the more the sound cometh out of the Belly of it the sweeter if we expect flame we presuppose fire When the Heart is full of gracious Affections the Tongue will be loosed to praise God Psalm 45.1 My heart is inditing a good matter my tongue is the pen of a ready writer 2. Solemne praising God for them It is an honourable Work Love is the Grace of Heaven Praise the Duty of Heaven There is no room for Faith nor use of Prayer It is Angels work as Sin is the Devils work It is good to be preparing for our Everlasting Estate It is comely for the Saints Psalm 147.1 Praise the Lord for it is good to sing praises unto our God for it is pleasant and praise is comely Usually we thrust gratulation into a narrow room It is a Stranger in our Publick Worship Self-love will put us upon supplication and our wants will beget a Natural Fervency in Prayer We are eager to have Blessings but we forget to return to give God the Glory Hosea 5.15 In their affliction they will seek me early This is Self-Love not Religion All the Ten Lepers could say Iesus Master have mercy upon us Luke 17.13 but only one of them when he was healed turned back and with a loud voice glorified God verse 15. Pharaoh could pray when Gods hand was upon him Oh it is the more honourable thing to give thanks and it is profitable Psalm 67.5 6. Let the people praise thee oh God! let all the people praise thee then shall the earth yield her increase There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a circular Generation between Vapours and Showers Vapours cause Showers and Showers cause Vapours The course of Mercy is stopped when God is not praised where do Husbandmen bestow their Seed most plentifully but where the Ground yieldeth most increase When the Land faileth year after year Men withhold their Seed God will not bury Mercies in the Grave of Unthankfulness It is a due to God it is his bargain with us Psalm 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me He expects it as the return of all his Mercies Glory and Praise are the Revenews of the Crown of Heaven the rent reserved to God We have the Comfort and Use God will have the Glory and Praise We promised it to him Psal. 51.15 O Lord Open thou my lips and our mouth shall sâ—ew forth thy praise Want of Mercies maketh us prize them If we would look upon the vowes of our Affliction we should find cause to value our enjoyments It is our Priviledge as Men that we have a Tongue to bless God Iames 3.9 Therewith bless we God even the Father Therefore our Tongue is called our Glory Psalm 108.1 I will sing and give praise even with my glory Beasts have no reason Angels no Tongue Praise is necessary to give vent to our Affections yea to increase them Fire warmeth the Hearth and then the warmth of the Heart doth preserve the Fire Praise is necessary to convey our Affections to others as one Bird may set the whole flight on chirping 3. Renewing the remembrance of them Psal. 111.4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembred the Lord is gracious and full of compassion Great Deliverances are things not to be once
Evangelist there explaineth his meaning so that there needeth no further scruple about the sense of the words It followeth that whosoever All Persons are invited without exclusion of any that universal particle comprehendeth Sinners of all sorts and sizes of all ranks and conditions in the World Believeth in him This answereth to looking upon the Brazen Serpent Believing is a looking to Christ a looking upon him by the Eye of Faith Shall not perish but have eternal life He shall escape the present danger which he feareth Souls shall be healed and delivered from Hell and Life Eternal is restored to them Doct. That we ought to consider Salvation by Christ as prefigured and represented by the history of the brazen Serpent As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of Man be lifted up And Christ here propoundeth it to Nicodemus 1. It is useful to consider the Types partly to confirm our Faith when we see the Harmony between the Testaments There are Historical Types and Prophetical Types Historical Types are only Patterns and Examples 1 Cor. 10.11 All these things hapned to them for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ensamples or Types so the Providences of God to his Antient People 1 Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents Prophetical Types were instituted to prefigure a thing to come as the Ceremonies of the Law were Figures of better things to come Now we see the Gospel is not a Novel Invention only hatched in that Age when it was first set a foot no it was long since foretold not only by words but things there was a preparation made for it And partly to help our Meditation we reflect upon these things with more delight and sweetness whilest we view the Agreement between the Truth and the Type When we know the Person yet we delight to see the Picture and so we may take a view of things with a grateful variety We see them double when we consider both the Shadow and the Mistery Partly to increase our thankfulness we have not such dark and long prospects through which they only could look to Christ we may see him more clearly in the Doctrines of the Gospel where he is evidently set forth unto us and as it were crucified before our eyes Gal. 3.1 Surely then we are more obliged to mind these things The more clearly and convincingly Christ is represented to us the more will our negligence be aggravated and our contempt the greater if we make light of these things 2. Among other Types the Brazen Serpent must not be forgotten partly because it doth in a most lively and full manner represent Christ Here a word is a Sermon and we cannot think of the Brazen Serpent but the necessity the remedy the means of Application do presently offer themselves to our thoughts And partly because this took off the great scandal and Iewish exception against Christ which was the ignominy of the Cross. Therefore to a Doctor of the Law he doth not produce the Paschal Lamb or other Figures but the Brazen Serpent as clearly representing the Cause Quality and Fruit of his Sufferings 3. To help you in this Consideration I shall 1. Give the History 2. The Typical Use of it First The History in Numb 21.6 7 8 9. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bite the people and much people of Israel dyed Therefore the people came unto Moses and said we have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee pray unto the â—ord that he take away the serpents from us and Moses prayed for the people And the Lord said unto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it he shall live And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole and it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man when he beheld the serpent of brass he lived The Sin occasioning the Judgment was there murmuring at Moses and Aaron and their loathing of Manna for this God sendeth fiery Serpents Observe how God suiteth the Judgment to the Sin venomous Tongues are plagued with venomous Serpents It is said Eccl. 10.11 Surely the serpent shall bite without inchantment and a babler is no better And again Psalm 140.3 They have sharpned their tongues like a serpent Adders poison is under their lips They have a Bag of Water under their Tongues which is most poisonous and inflaming which in biting is broken But this was not the Asp but the Chersydrus a sort of Serpent which abideth on Land as well as in Water whilst it liveth in the Water it is not altogether so venomous as when it cometh to live on the dry Land and in this part of the thirsty howling Wilderness these kind of Serpents were most fiery and burning and at that time of the year when the Israelites were there which was about the end of August For Aaron dyed in the first day of the fifth moneth Numb 33.38 which was about the Tenth of Iuly and the Children of Israel mourned thirty days before they journeyed Numb 20.29 And when they journeyed from Mount Hor then we read of their murmuring and Gods plaguing them with fiery Serpents Observe again that God that bringeth Manna from Heaven can also send Serpents God is not all Honey abused Mercy is turned into fury and when his favours are despised he hath Judgments to sting us and if Men will loath their Food God will chastise them with poison But again to the History These Serpents which God sent are called fiery serpents partly for their colour being of a shining glistring skin the word in the Original is Seraphim-burners a Name given to the Angels Isa. 6.2 Above it stood the Seraphims which Angels are called elsewhere flames of fire Psalm 104.4 Partly because their venomous stinging and biting did cause a raging heat and grievous burning in the Bodies of the Israelites And it seemeth they were a kind of Serpents with Wings not of Feathers but of a cartilaginous substance like the Wings of a Bat and did here and there seize upon them and bite them or at least they are said to flie because of their swift Motion whereby suddenly jerking they shoot themselves forward or dart themselves out of Trees on Men or Beasts as they pass by them There is a plain allusion to those flying Serpents Isa. 14.29 Out of the serpents hole shall come forth a cockatrice and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent And indeed that Wilderness through which the Israelites passed did abound with many sorts of these Serpents Therefore it is said Deut. 8.15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions Well then they go to Moses and said we have sinned for we have spoken against God and against
hanging upon a Tree We should look upon Christ crucified as if the thing were now a doing before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified before you Though it be past long ago it is present to Faith For he is lifted up that by the Eye of Faith we should look to him and see not only the thing but the end use and vertue of this Mistery The Brazen Serpent was a sufficient Remedy for the stung Israelites none that looked towards it perished the Cure never failed and Jesus Christ lifted up and being eyed is sufficient to cure the guilt of Sin and pain of Conscience through Sin and to heal our Diseased Souls and free them from the power of Corruption For being made a Curse for us the Blessing cometh freely upon the believing Gentiles even the gift of the Spirit Isa. 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed 2. The Superexcellency of Christ above this and all the Shadows and Types of him The Type doth express the thing signified but yet the Truth doth much exceed the Shadow The Brazen Serpent was but a Sign of Salvation so called in the Book of Wisdom chap. 16.6 But Christ is the Author of Salvation Heb. 5.9 The Serpent benefitted only the Israelites but Christ all Nations both Iew and Gentile Isa. 11.10 In that day there shall be a root of Iesse which shall stand for an ensign of the people to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious It freed them from present Death but yet so that they might dye by other means but Christ hath freed us not only from the Death of the Body but of the Soul and this for ever as in the Text That they should not perish but have everlasting life So Iohn 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye There Natural Life is preferred but for a while here Eternal Life obtained This benefit might last for a day or two but Iesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 Christ ever retaineth his healing Vertue This was but a piece of Brass while they lodged it in the Temple but Christ is a Mediator to all Eternity It was a great wickedness to worship the Brazen Serpent therefore Hezekiah broke it in pieces when once he understood the People to be guilty of that Idolatry 2 Kings 18.4 He brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made for unto those dayes the children of Israel did burn incense to it and he called it Neâ—ushâ—an or a piece of Brass but it is our Duty to worship Christ All men must honour the Son as they honour the Father Iohn 5.23 And Heb. 1.6 Let all the angels of God worship him Phil. 2.9 10. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow When the Israelites worshipped the Brazen Serpent it was broken in pieces but they shall be broken in pieces themselves that deny Christ his due Worship Psalm 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel Dan. 2.44 And in the dayes of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and shall stand for ever The Kingdom that will not submit to him shall be broken in pieces Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me Thus it sets forth Christ. 3. Faith is set forth or the Way and Means how we come to have benefit by Christ. It is not enough to look to what Christ hath done but what we must do that we may be partaâ—ers of him The way of Cure was by a look so it is believing in him that bringeth home the Blessing to our Souls From this Type we learn 1. The necessity of Faith None had benefit by the Brazen Serpent but those that looked on it The Promise was made to those that observed the Command Numb 21.8 Every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live If a Man turned away his Eyes and refused Gods Remedy the biting was Mortal to him As there is a necessity Christ should die so there is a necessity you should believe for besides Impetration there must be Application and the work of the Spirit is as necessary to apply Grace as the work of the Mediator to obtain Grace for us A deep well will do you no good without a Bucket nor the purchase of Salvation unless you apply it 2. An Incouragement of Faith 1. To broken-hearted Sinners if you are stung with Sin you may look to Christ. It was ground enough for any bitten Israelite to look to this Brazen Serpent because he had need he found himself bitten and thirsted for cure by this appointed means A felt Sense of Sin is warrant enough to look to Christ as the offered remedy Look not altogether to your soar to your sins but to Christ as the means of healing Indeed there must be a feeling and a sense of Sin or else there is no work for Christ to do what should an hail Israelite do with the Brazen Serpent Their looking began in a sense of pain none troubled their Thoughts about it till they were stung Compunction goeth before Faith The Israelites cryed out Oh! What shall we do for these fiery Serpents So Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do An impoisoned dagger was flung into their Souls and then What shall we do The Goaler came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and said Sirs what must I do to be saved Acts 16.29 30. And they said verse 31. Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Only look upon the Serpent A Sinner must first feel himself a Sinner before he will or can come to Christ but then come The son of man is lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Some that know not themselves believers have been welcome to Christ but never any that know not themselves Sinners 2. To lapsed Believers The Serpents were left to sting the Israelites while they were in that place only the Brazen Serpent was lifted up God did not presently take away the Serpents only he gave a Remedy for such as were bitten Sin is not abolished but whilest we are in this Station the Remedy is still offered we are never so cured but we may be bitten again The disobedient Israelites needed this Motive and Chastisement to keep them in
the preference intended 1. On the one side here is sitting at the Threshold on the other side dwelling in the Tents He had distinguished before the Travellers to the House of God and the Dwellers in the House of God vers 4. c. Here a day in God's Courts and a perpetual service in God's House The lowest degree and place about God is more honourable for one day though they die the next as Kimchi than to have a perpetual abode in the Tents of wickedness 2. He calleth the one the House of God the other but a Tent to shew the stability of their estate who live in Communion with God and the uncertainty of their Happiness who are strangers to him they live but in a Tent a moveable Habitation 3. He calleth the one the House of my God as challenging an interest in him And so the place of his Presence Power and Habitation being the more dear to him as every thing that relateth to God is made precious for his sake But he calleth the other Tents of wickedness There was great wealth but nothing but profaneness and corruption Well then you see that David speaketh as a man that had a mind to prefer the one before the other One day in God's Courts Not in Atriis suis Coelestibus in his Court of Heaven as some of the Antients would carry it but here in his Church A few hours spent with God were more than the longest life without him Doct. 1. That God's People have a great value and an high esteem for his Ordinances 2. They do not only value them but value them and esteem them above other things 1. The esteem and value they have for his Ordinances simply considered This is a reason of the Context why there was such longing desire on his own part such earnest pressing forward on the Peoples part who came up to worship at Ierusalem For a day in thy Courts c. Reasons of it 1. Nature or a spiritual instinct All Creatures naturally desire to preserve that life which they have and therefore by a natural propension run thither from whence they received it Meer instinct without instruction carrieth the brute Creatures to the Teats of their Dams And every effect looketh to the cause to receive from it its last perfection Trees that receive life from the Earth and the Sun send forth their Branches to receive the Sun and spread their Roots into the Earth which brought them forth Fishes will not live out of the Water that breedeth them Chickens are no sooner out of the shell but they shroud themselves under the Feathers of the Hen by whom they were at first hatched The little Lamb runneth to the Dam's Teat though there be a thousand Sheep of the same Wooll and Colour as if it said Here I received that which I have and here will I seek that which I want By such a native inbred desire do the Saints run to God to seek a supply of strength and nourishment 1 Pet. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As New born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Young Children are not taught to suck The young born Child runneth to the Dug not by instruction but instinct Iam. 1.18 19. Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures Wherefore my beloved Brethren let every man be swift to hear The same thing that teacheth the young Lambs to suck or new born Babes to draw the Dug or the Chicken to seek a cherishing under the Dam's wings the same thing teacheth the Children of God to prize the Ordinances The cause is inbred appetite not persuasion and discourse but inclination Grace is called a New Nature which hath an appetite joyned with it after its proper supplies 2. The next cause of this value and esteem is experience They find it so sweet that they long for more 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Certainly a man that hath had any taste of Communion with God will desire a fuller measure as by tasting of excellent meats our appetite to them is not cloyed but the more provoked Carnal men do not know what it is to enjoy God in his Ordinances and therefore they do not long for them They never tasted the sweetness of the Word nor of God's Love in Christ. David says Psal. 19.10 The Statutes of the Lord are more to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than the Honey or the Honey-comb The Children of God find more true pleasure in the Ordinances of God than in all things in the World What is the reason that to carnal men they are but as dry chips burdensom exercises melancholy interruptions but to the other nothing so sweet more pleasurable than the richest and choicest sensualities that are most eagerly pursued and gustfully enjoyed by us The reason is given in the 11th verse Moreover by them is thy Servant warned and in keeping them there is great reward There we come to learn wisdom against our spiritual dangers and there we learn the way of godliness and obedience which besides it own sweetness heapeth upon us the richest rewards as having the promises of this life and that which is to come He commendeth the Word from his own experience He had felt the effects and good use of it in his own heart he had his broken heart bound up They find that Christ doth heal their Souls remove their anguish sanctifie their Natures give them the promised help in Temptations warn them of sins and snares relieve them in distress bridle their corruptions So Psal. 63.1 2. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is To see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary He that once hath had a sight of God and a taste of God would not be long out of his company He compareth his desire of Communion with God with hunger and thirst and maketh it greater than the hunger and thirst which men suffer in a dry Wilderness where there is no refreshment to be had He had seen God and would fain see him again the remembrance of the pleasures of the Sanctuary revived his desires So that besides Nature there is Experience 3. There is yet a third Cause and that is Necessity We should take delight in the Means of Grace and Ordinances of God though we stood in no need of them because they carry such a suitableness with the New Nature and because they are means to exhibit more of God to us But our Imperfection is great and this is the only way to get it supplied Decays are very incident to us and how else shall
Doctrinal Opinionative Faith in Christ. Always according to our sense of the disease so is our carriage about the cure and remedy It must needs be so for God by the one will advance the other that where sin aboundeth Grace might much more abound Rom. 5.26 that is rather in our sense and feeling than in our practice So that one wounded for sin will more earnestly look after a cure Others may dispute for the Gospel but they feel not the comfort of it Well then I have proved to you that every Man is in a lost condition sensible or insensible of it And that we ought to have a deep sense of this upon our Hearts to count our selves lost and undone that we may be more prepared and fitted to entertain the Offers and Calls of the Gospel and prize our Redeemer's Grace II. In what sense Christ is said to seek and save such Here is a double work seeking and saving 1. What is his seeking It implieth 1. His pity to us in our lost estate and providing means for us in that he doth not leave us to our wandrings or our own Hearts Counsels but taketh care that we be brought back again to God Iohn 10.16 Other Sheep have I which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice It is spoken of his care to bring in his own among the Gentiles he will in due time convert and bring in all that belong to the Election of Grace Christ hath not only a care of those that are already brought in but of those who are yet to be brought in they are his Sheep though yet unconverted in respect of his Eternal Purpose and his heart is upon them when they little think of him and his love to them So the Lord Jesus appeared in the Vision to Paul Acts 18.10 Fear not I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this City He doth not say there are much people Corinth was a populous City and 't is good casting out the Net where there are store of Fish but I have much people it is not meant of those Corinthians that were already converted to God for at that time there were few or none for all those at Corinth that were converted were converted by Paul 1 Cor. 4.15 Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Or if some few were already converted Paul was not afraid of them But there are much people viz. who were Elected by God Redeemed by Christ though yet wallowing in their sins such as these he findeth out in their wandrings 2. His seeking implieth his diligence and pains to reduce them Luke 15.4 What man of you having an hundred Sheep if he lose one of them doth not leave the ninety and nine in the Wilderness and seeketh after that which was lost till he find it It requireth time and pains to find them and gain their consent A lost Soul is not so easily recovered and reduced from his straying there is many a warning slighted many a conviction smothered and tenders of Grace made in vain till they are taken in their month Isa. 65.2 I have spread out my hands all the day long unto a rebellious People as requiring Audience I evidence this two ways I. Christ is said to seek after us by his Word and Spirit 1. By his Word he cometh as a Teacher from Heaven to recall sinners from their wandrings At first he came in person I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to Repentance Matth. 9.13 Besides his giving Repentance as Prince and Lord of the renewed estate or dispenser of the Grace of the Gospel there is his calling to Repentance and Christ was very painful in it going up and down and seeking all occasions to bring home poor Creatures to God Thus he was now calling home to God Zaccheus a Publican so the Woman of Samaria when he was faint and hungry Iohn 4. and verse 34. He telleth her His meat was to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work To seek and save lost Souls was meat and drink to Christ. So still he doth send Ministers giving them gifts and inspiriting them with a Zeal for God's Glory and compassion over Souls that with all meekness they may instruct those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth c. 2 Tim. 2.25 2â— Now these are to be instant in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 As the Woman lighted a Candle to seek her lost Groat Luke 15.8 So Christ causeth the Candlestick of the Church to be furnished with burning and shining Lights men of Prudence Zeal and Holiness and Compassion over Souls that he may at length gain on a People And indeed Christ never lights a Candle but he hath some lost Groat to seek 2. By his Spirit striving against and overcoming the obstinacy and contradiction of our Souls By his Call in the Word he inviteth us to Holiness but by his powerful Grace he inclineth us Man is averse from God he resists not only external offers but internal motions till by his invincible Grace he changeth our hearts and so in the day of his power we become a willing people Psal. 110.3 Thy people are willing in the day of thy power It is the good Shepherd that bringeth home the Sheep upon his own shoulders rejoycing Luke 15.5 II. This seeking is absolutely necessary if he did not seek them they would never seek him It is our great duty to seek after God the Scripture calleth for it every where Isa. 55.6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near By the motions of his Spirit he urgeth us thereunto Psal. 27.8 When thou saidst Seek ye my face The course of his Providence inviteth us both Afflictions Hosea 5.15 In their afflictions they will seek me early and Mercies Acts 17.27 28. That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us For in him we live and move and have our being And his People are described to be a Generation of them that seek him Psal. 24.6 Yet if Christ had not by his preventing Grace sought us we could never seek after him Isa. 65.1 I am found of them that sought me not I prevented their seeking of me by sending and seeking after mine own first Christ begineth with us first 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he first loved us He chuseth us before we chuse him Iohn 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you He seeketh us first before we seek him for we are fugitives and exiles our hearts are averse from God and there is a legal exclusion in the way Sweetly Bernard to
true Religion will give rest and quiet to the Soul Thirdly That the Christian Religion doth abundantly provide for true Peace of Conscience and Ease of Mind 1. Because it discovereth the Matter of true Peace 2. The Way how it may be attained 1. The Matter of true Peace is Pardon and Life or sufficient Provision to appease our guilty fears and satisfie our desires of Happiness 1. Man being Gods Creature and therefore his Subject and having faulted in his Obedience and Subjection to him and knowing the Judgment of God counteth himself worthy of Death Rom. 1.32 And this fear of Death and Vengeance that ensueth it is â—o ingrained and implanted in the Conscience that unless some fit course of 〈◊〉 and Justification be propounded and that with good Authority man is 〈◊〉 restless and troubled and knoweth not what to do to get rid of the 〈…〉 Soul Micah 6.7 Shall I give my first born for my Transgression the fruit 〈…〉 for the Sin of my Soul Now the great design which the Scriptures 〈…〉 to set forth a grant of Pardon upon Gracious and Commodious Terms 〈…〉 will but accept of it It is the excellency of the Christian Religion above 〈…〉 Religions Micah 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity 〈…〉 by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his 〈…〉 ever because he delighteth in Mercy If the Question were put to you which 〈◊〉 put to the Spouse Cant. 5.9 What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved What is there in Christ above other Gods of the Nations that you make so much 〈◊〉 about him What is it draweth your Hearts so to love him and cleave to him in the greatest Hazards and Extremities This you might Answer He hath set afoot a pardoning Covenant so suited to the Necessities of Man and the Nature of God that all the World cannot shew the like 2 For the other Matter of our Peace a fit Happiness to satisfie our Desires Man having an Immortal Spirit gropeth about for an Immortal and Eternal good Acts 17.27 or such an Estate in the other World as may comfort him against the labours and sorrows and the frailty and shortness of the present Life All Nations have a conceit of the Immortality of the Soul if at any time they doubt of it they cannot wholly blot the sense of it out of their Hearts Surely all desire it and it would give much ease to their Mind if it might be undubitably made out to them that there is such an Immortal Estate They that fully knew it not were pleased with the shadow of it and sought it in fame they would not have their Memory die with them As those that want Children take Pleasure in little Dogs and Cats so did they embrace a poor Shadow for the Substance To be sure most men die Anxious and when they leap into Eternity they know not where their feet shall light But now it is said 2 Tim. 1.10 That Christ hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel He hath made a clear Revelation of that which was not so certainly known before The Heathens guessed at it sometimes they seemed to see it and sometimes doubted of it as men travelling sometimes see a spire of a steeple before them at a distance and anon they lose the sight of it again and so cannot tell certainly whether they see it yea or no. The Law like a Dumb-man made many signs and set forth Eternity by long Life and Heaven by Canaan But now the Gospel clearly speaketh it out and scattereth all the Mists and Clouds about Eternity 2. The Way how we surely may be made partakers of Pardon and Life and there it telleth us First What Christ hath done Secondly What we must do Christ hath sufficiently laid the Foundation and all that we must do is but to apply what he hath purchased and provided for us 1. What Christ hath done The Word that is nigh thee referreth to things already done for us Christs Death and Resurrection 1. His Incarnation and Death for Christ needeth not to be brought down from Heaven any more He once descended from Heaven and was made Flesh and dwelt among us for a double end Partly to reveal these things to us and the way how to obtain them with sufficient Evidence and Certainty One great Errand that he had in the World was to reveal the Will of God to lost Mankind for their recovery and to bring them to the fuller Knowledge of God and the Pardon of Sins and the Truth of the Unseen World and the way thereunto Luke 1.77 To give Knowledge of Salvation unto his People by the Remission of their Sins And not only so but partly also to be a Mediator and Reconciler between God and Man and lay down his Life as a Sacrifice for Sin and a ransom for Souls Eph. 5.2 Who hath given himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice to God Mat. 20.28 He gave his Life a ransom for many We have both Heb. 3.1 Consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession Iesus Christ. Well then herein lay the Advantage of the Gospel above the Law that required all to be done by us but the Gospel referreth us to things already done for us by another who was sent from God to reveal his Fathers will to us and to redeem us to God He suffered the Penalty due for our breach of the Law there is nothing required of us but our thankful Acceptance and hearty consent to follow Christs Conduct and Direction well then he needeth not be brought down from Heaven any more or descend to help and redeem the World 2. His Resurrection and Ascension For that is the second Question Who shall descend into the Deep to bring up Christ again from the Dead No that needeth not He is risen already and gone again to Heaven to assure us of the Truth of his Doctrine and the value of his Sacrifice and the reality of the other World For he himself is entred into the Glory he spake of and so giveth us a visible Demonstration of the Truth and reality of it And also he is sate down at the right Hand of God that he might apply Salvation to us by his powerful and all-conquering Spirit But it is the Resurrection we must chiefly insist upon for God by raising him from the Dead hath declared him to be a sufficiently authorized Messenger and set him forth to be the Person to be believed in heard and obeyed in his Name When Christ was crucified and buried though a Grave stone was sealed and a guard of Souldiers set to watch it yet Angels appeared and rolled away the Stone and spake to those that enquired after him Yea Christ himself often appeared to his Disciples conversed with them forty days instructed them in things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and then went to Heaven and poured out the Spirit and for an
for God First Let us open this looking First It implieth Faith or a believing the reality of these Invisible things That there are eternal and glorious things to be enjoy'd after this life Certainly an Object though never so glorious cannot be seen without eyes Now Faith is the eye of the Soul without which we can have no prospect of the World to come Therefore Faith is defined to be Heb. 11.1 The substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Without Faith Reason is short sighted and there is a deep mist upon Eternity 2 Pet. 1.9 Reason is acute enough in discerning what is noxious and comfortable to the present life Good for Back and Belly but it seeth little of any thing beyond this present World so as to quicken us to make any preparation for Death and Eternity The Mind hath no eyes to look beyond the mists and clouds of this lower World but such as the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation is pleased to give us and cannot believe the reality of the unseen glory 'till in his light we see light Ephes. 1.17 18. Alass The wisest part of Mankind are taken up with Toys and Childish Trifles in comparison of these Invisible things The sweetness of Honour VVealth and Pleasure is known easily by feeling and therefore known easily and known by all but few can see the reality and worth of these unseen things Though Heaven and Glory be talked of in their hearing yet they know it not 'T is quite another thing when it is represented to us in the light of the Spirit None discern the worth of these things but those that have the Eagle-eye of Faith that can pierce above the Clouds to the Seat of the Blessed Faith is like a Prospective-glass by which we see things at a distance Others onely mind things at hand things that may be seen and felt Compare Lumen Fidei the light of Faith with the light of Sense That one degree of light the light of Sense can onely discern things near us present with us and before our eyes Those things which lie out of the view of Sense make no Impression upon them They see nothing but these corporeal things which even Dogs and Horses see as well as they As for Instance That it is good to eat well and drink well and sleep well To be at liberty and enjoy our pleasure or mind our business here in the World and thrive and prosper and do well according to hearts desire But the light of Faith will discover that there is no such danger as perishing for ever no such worth in any thing as there is in Salvation by Christ no such business of Importance as seeking after Eternal Life That all the gay things of Sense are but as so many May games to this happiness All the terrible things in the VVorld but as a Flea-biting All the business of the VVorld but as a little Childish sport at Push-pin in comparison of working out our Salvation with fear and trembling Much of Christianity lieth in opening the eye of Faith and shutting that of Sense Faith can look through all the clouds and changes of this VVorld To those eternal perpetual solid good things which God hath prepared for them that love him and so can the better contemn all those perishing vanities which the VVorld doteth upon This is that which is called in the Text looking and not looking c. The next degree of light is Lumen Rationis Reason can onely guess at future contingencies or at best see things in their causes and that it is probable if nothing letteth that such and such things will fall out but Faith can look through all distance both of time and place and the mist of contrary appearances to things promised with such certainty and sure perswasion as if the things we are perswaded of were at hand Heb. 11.13 These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Still it can believe in hope against hope and see Sun-shine at the back of the Storm and Heaven and Happiness in the midst of deep Afflictions Compare the Lumen Fidei with the Lumen Prophetiae Rev. 20.12 They agree in the common object such things as are revealed by God They agree in the same common nature That they see things future and to come with such clearness and certainty as if they were in being They differ because Faith goeth upon the common Revelation which God hath made to all the Saints in Scripture The other some special Revelation made to certain chosen persons The light of Faith affects the Heart with great joy and comfort The other is usually accompanied with rapture and extasie Yea let us compare it with Lumen Gloriae The Beatifical Vision that worketh a change in Body and Soul 1 Iohn 3.2 This in Soul 2 Cor. 3.18 There we see him Face to Face 1 Cor. 13.12 Here as in a Glass Though we are not so higly affected with the light of Faith yet as truly That nullifieth all sin and misery This exasperateth the Heart against sin and fortifieth it against misery Though the light of Faith giveth not as full an enjoyment of God yet as sure and proportionably affecteth the Heart as if we saw Christ in the midst of his Holiness and Paul with his Crown of Righteousness It puts the Believers Head above the Clouds in the midst of the glory of the World to come Once more this Lumen Fidei is somewhat like that sight which God hath of things Scientia Visionis simplicis Intelligentiae God seeth all things that may be in his own All-sufficiency all things in his own Decree Faith acts proportionably It sheweth all things that may be in the All-sufficiency of God and though it be not sure of the event yet our God is able Dan. 3.17 18. It seeth all things that shall be in the Promises of the Gospel wherein his Decree is manifested it realizeth them as if they were already They have a pledge of the Blessing when they have the Promise Now if we had such a Faith could thus look to things unseen it would produce notable effects A Man would be another manner of Christian Secondly It implieth an earnest Hope as well as a lively Faith Hope implieth Two things First A frequent Meditation Secondly A desirous Expectation 1 Frequent Meditation For Faith is acted by serious Thoughts Carnal Men are described to be those who mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 And again Who mind the things of the flesh Rom. 8.5 As a Man is in the constitution of his Heart so are his musings and meditations For thoughts being the genuine birth and immediate off-spring of the Soul do discover the temper of it But those that
are of an Heavenly Temper and Frame do often exercise their minds in Heavenly things Their Happiness lieth there and their Business tendeth thither Our Lord telleth us That where the Treasure is there the Heart will be Matth. 6.21 A Man's Treasure draweth his heart after it And therefore if his treasure be laid up in him his Heart will be there also The Mind is wholly taken up by these great things that other things are little minded by them But alas 't is otherwise with the generality of Men Our thoughts of Heavenly Blessedness are few and cold Oh that we should throng our Hearts with all manner of vanity when we have Eternity to think upon That all the day long we should be regarding this perplexing Business that Carnal vanity and delight and thoughts of Heavenly things should be such strangers to us Is this looking to things not seen We are continually thinking of what we love Worldly Men of gathering and increasing VVealth Luk. 12.17 18. Ambitious Men of Preferment and Applause Voluptuaries of Sports and Pastimes Philopoemen wherever he walked was thinking of Battels If he should be assaulted on such a piece of Ground how he would Model and Dispose his Army for his Defence A Christian should be thinking of Heaven how he may get thither and what he shall enjoy there They who do not think often earnestly and warmly of Heaven and Heavenly things surely have little expectation this way They are transported with pleasing Sensualities and have cold thoughts of the hope of the Glory of God 2. A desirous expectation Looking is often made the Act of Hope in Scripture as Titus 2.13 Looking for the Blessed hope And Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. And so to look to things unseen noteth an affectionate and desirous expectation of them A Man may believe things terrible and yet he cannot be said to look to them That is longingly to wait for them Therefore this looking hath the earnestness of hope in it as well as the firm perswasion of Faith There is a vehement longing and desire after the actual possession of these things without which Faith is a dead Opinion or a Speculative Assent Our Hope is but a few cold uneffectual thoughts or an hasty wish or a slight desire not that earnest looking which the Scripture calleth for Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things above not on things on earth There must be lively Affections there must be groaning earnestly 2 Cor. 5.2 Longing and Desiring to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Affections add a strong bent and poise to the Will 3. This looking argueth a fixing of the Mind upon these things as our Aim and Scope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's the word used That is our Scope which influences all our Actions when we do all things to eternal ends either nextly or ultimately That we may obtain Eternal Life that is the great drift purpose and business of a Christian. This is the end of our Faith 1 Pet. 1.9 The end of our diligence and of all our service and waiting upon God and that which sets us a work in our general and particular calling Acts 26.7 Vnto which promise our Twelve Tribes serving God Day and Night hope to come This is our great ambition the end of all our Labours 2 Cor. 5.9 Still to drive on a Trade for Heaven this is the end of our sufferings 1 Tim. 4.12 Therefore we both Labour and suffer Reproach because we trust in the Living God He had spoken of godliness having the promise of this Life and that which is to come Therefore this is our aim and scope I now come to shew you Secondly Why such have an advantage above other Men and can more easily do and suffer great things for God This appeareth 1. From the object They that look to things unseen and eternal are acquainted with greater things than those are whose thoughts and projects and designs are confined within the narrow bounds of Time Every one hath a choiceness greatness and excellency of Spirit according to the objects He most converseth withal We count them Children of mean Spirits who converse only with Pins and Points and Toys and Rattles We count those of a meaner Spirit that have only a Cow to Milk or a Field to Till or a Lute to Play upon than those that have a Common-wealth to manage or to make a little City greater So those that are gotten upon the Mount of Eternity can look upon the most serious business of the World as a meer may-game in comparison of injoying God and living for ever in delightful Communion with him they that have made eternal things their choice and scope have this advantage above other men that they are acquainted with such excellent things as will darken the Glory of all Worldly things and lessen them in their opinion estimation and affection As a Man that hath looked upon the Sun in its brightness for a while can look upon nothing else as being dazzled with the splendour and brightness of it Things Invisible whether present or future either because of nature or distance They can set God against the Creature the Terrors of God against all the Terrors of sense and the everlasting Enjoyment of God against all the Delights of Sense 1. Things Invisible because of their Essence and Nature There is an Eternal God against a poor Creature whose Breath is in his Nostrils A God who is all in all and a Creature who is nothing Nothing in opposition or contrariety to God or his People Isa. 41.11 Behold they that are incensed against thee shall be as nothing nothing in comparison with God Isa. 40.17 All Nations before him are as nothing They are accounted less than nothing and vanity Dan. 4.35 The Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed before him as nothing Nothing by way of exclusion of God As the Sun beam is nothing when the Sun withdraweth or the Sound is nothing when the Musitian taketh away his Mouth from the Pipe or Instrument Thou takest away thy Breath and they die The Creature beareth a big bulk in the Eye of sense seemeth not only to be something but all things And so long as we look to things Visible what Hope or Comfort have we to fasten upon But to a Man that looketh to things Invisible the amiableness and frightfulness of the Creature vanisheth into nothing Heb. 11.27 By Faith Moses forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him that is Invisible That is with loss of all attempted to bring the People out of Egypt He saw him not by the Eye of Sense but Faith And then all the Princes and Powers of the World are as nothing Alas when we see great and most enraged Enemies our Hearts fail within us but Faith by closing the Eye of Sense winketh the Creature into nothing On the other side If a
best known by those eternal Torments which are appointed for the punishment thereof Present punishments do somewhat discover it Now know that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Ier. 2.19 Briars and Thorns and sensible smart will teach us that which bare contemplation doth not But if the Temporal punishment maketh us know What an evil thing and a bitter it is What will Eternal do Go ask the Damned in Hell whether it be a light thing to Sin against God Mark 9.44 Where their Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched Here is the great aggravation of Sin that for Temporal Trifles they have lost Eternal Joys and run the hazard of Eternal Pains for the ease mirth and pleasure of a Moment And then for things evil in opinion it sheweth how falsely we are deluded As Afflictions Sufferings and Losses for Christ Death c. It much concerneth us to have a true notion of these things For Afflictions It sheweth that they are not so bad as the World taketh them to be They are tedious for the present but 't is but for a season 1 Pet. 1.6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold Temptations All things are lessened by having eternity in our minds the delights of the World and the sorrows of the World 1 Cor. 7.29 Since the World passeth away and the fashion thereof we should rejoice as if we rejoyced not mourn as if we mourned not the good and evil will be soon over We cry out How long but 't is not for ever 'T is grievous but 't is not Eternal 't is not Hell yea they may be good Psal. 119.71 It is good for me that I have been Afflicted that I might learn thy statutes All things are good as they help on a blessed eternity so Afflictions may be good that part of the World that is led by sense will never endure this but that part which is led by Faith will easily assent to it the World that is led by sense say to a Covetous Man that the loss of an Estate is good to a Worldly Rich Man that Poverty is good to an Ambitious Man that it is good to be despised and contemned to Voluptuous Man that it is good to be in Pain to Afflict the Body for the good of the Soul they will never believe you But go to them that measure all things by Eternity and they will tell you that Poverty maketh way for the true Riches Mourning for the true Glory Want for fulness of Pleasure at Gods Right Hand That misery mortifieth sin 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World Sufferings for Christ If we win Eternity with the loss of all the World we are no losers For the World passeth away and the Lusts thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever 1 Iohn 2.17 But on the contrary 't is a sorry bargain to lose Eternity for the injoyment of all the World Mat. 16.26 For what is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul And then Death the King of Terrors yet 't is not feared by a Christian because it is an entrance into Eternal Life when he dieth then shall he live Iohn 11.25 26. I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall be live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Believest thou this If we have a sense of this why should we be troubled to be uncloathed that we may be cloathed upon with Immortality and Glory It separateth us from our Worldly Friends and Benefits but bringeth us to God with whom we shall abide for ever it puts an end to time that we may enter into Eternity so that death is ours 1 Cor. 3.22 A Friend not an Enemy It maketh an end of Sin and Sorrow to make way for Blessedness and Glory For things Good Good seeming or Good real Good seeming There are many things which the vain deceived World doteth upon which are impertinencies to our great end As Foolish Sports and Recreations Eccles. 2.2 I said of Laughter It is Mad and of Mirth What doth it There are other things which are meer inconsistencies As many evils which we commit for a little Temporal happiness Then real good things Duties Ordinances Graces Christ the Favour of God We know how to value these things by looking to Eternity The good things of this World are not valuable only upon a natural account but as they are helps to Heaven If they be diversions from eternity they are the worst things that can befal us to be condemned to this kind of felicity is a part of Gods Curse Ier. 17.13 They that forsake thee shall be written in the Earth On the contrary to have our names written in Heaven is a great Blessing Luke 10.20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the Spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven It is better to injoy a little as an help to Heaven than a great deal as an hindrance to it oh Blessed is the Man that taketh no farther content in the comforts of this life than they may further his Soul to Eternity If an Estate increase upon you 't is most valuable as you may be rich in good works and take hold of Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.18 When your Hearts rest in them without subordination to Eternal things your estate becometh a Snare whatever the Heart is set upon if it be not in order to this end and scope 't is cursed to thee The Spiritual Blessing of all our natural comforts is in order to this last end But then for Duties time spent with God in order to Eternity is the best part of your lives Acts 26.7 When we are imployed in the World we make provision but for a few Months or Days it may be Hours But in converse with God you lay up for everlasting the Throne of Grace will be the more sweet because 't is the Porch of Heaven Ordinances and publick means of Grace A Child of God valueth them more than the greatest Worldly advantages Psal. 84.12 One day in thy Courts is better than a Thousand I had rather be a Door-Keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness But why Because there is trading for Eternity there he gets a prospect into Heaven and heareth news of his Long-home And then Graces they are glorious things because they are the seed and earnest of eternal glory 'T is called Immortal Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 When this state is begun it cannot be dissolved and it is called the Earnest of the Spirit Graces as well as comforts are his Earnest By all these things the Holy
another World they would sooner discern their mistake How miserably will you bewail your selves when you have lost Eternity for poor Temporal things What comfort will it be to you that you have been Merry lived in Pomp and Ease It is better to believe than try To prevent the misery than experiment it Now for means to help you Vse I. Frequent Recollection For thereby you come to your selves Luke 15.17 And when he came to himself he said How many Hired Servants of my Fathers have Bread enough and to spare and I perish with Hunger Many are so busie about their vanities that they cannot find that they are Men or think what business they have to do in the World nor where they must dwell for ever Self-communing would be an hopeful means to undeceive them Isa. 46.8 Remember this and shew your selves Men bring it again to mind O ye transgressors And elsewhere the Prophet sheweth what reasonings we should use with our selves Isa. 55.2 Surely this would be one means to wean you from Carnal Vanities and to deaden the Gust and Tast of them to your Souls most men debase their reason to the service of their Appetites and Lusts their pleasure and business is the pleasing and gratifying of the Flesh Rom. 13.14 All their care is to Eat well and Drink well to be well Fed and well Clad and to make a fair shew in the Flesh and live in Worldly Pomp All their business is to gather in provision for the satisfying of their present Lusts they spend their days and cares for nothing else which is that living after the Flesh Rom. 8.13 That sowing to the Flesh Gal. 5.8 which the Scripture condemneth And what is the reason of all this Because they are inconsiderate Never consider whence am I whither am I a going What shall become of me to all Eternity Psal. 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my Feet unto thy Testimonies They are like Children hunting after Butter-flies and when they have them their gawdy Wings melt away in their Hands and there remaineth nothing but an ugly Worm The Worm of Conscience the Worm of Disappointment Oh recollect thy self is this to make Eternal things our scope 2. Let us often compare together the condition of the present and of the future Life All things that are liable to the view of Sense soon pass away whether Comforts or Crosses The Good and Evil of the present World are soon over accordingly should be our carriage towards them 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. Now consider how unreasonable it is the Soul should be drawn away by Transitory things from those which are Eternal The things we doat upon are not worthy to be compared with the greatness and duration of those things to which we are invited by the Promises of the Gospel It may be you have Health and Strength and Wealth now but how long will you have it We are not sure of the enjoyment of these things the next day How soon may they be withered The prosperity of the wicked is cut down as Grass withered as the Green Herb Psal. 37.2 But things unseen will be yours to all Eternity God is an everlasting Portion Psal. 73.26 My Flesh and my Heart faileth But God is the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever Christ's Redemption is an everlasting redemption Heb. 9.12 He entred in once into the Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us God and Christ will be yours to day and will be yours to all Eternity Those things which are seen if they do not perish may be taken from you Mat. 6.19.20 We are not sure to get it but you are sure to leave it Iob 1.21 But these other things cannot be taken from you Luke 10.42 One thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken from her The Devil cannot and God will not take it from you 3. Improve your experience of the vanity of this World Psal. 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Vain light Hearts pass over these things and get no profit by them They find the Creature vanity and vexation of Spirit yet run out as greedily after it as they did before Psal. 49.13 This their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings They are sensible of the folly of their Ancestors but are not mended by it they have Eyes to see but not an Heart to see Deut. 29.2 3 4. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your Eyes in the Land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and to all his Servants and to all his Land The great Temptations which thine Eyes have seen the Signs and those great Miracles yet the Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to Hear unto this day 4. Be sure when you are tempted to revive this meditation upon your Hearts That things seen are Temporal and things unseen are Eternal As 1. When any Temptation cometh to draw your Hearts to give contentment to the Flesh for a season As for Instance when you are tempted to please your Eye your Taste your Sensual Desire or to wrong your Souls for Wealth and Honour remember these are not Eternal Pleasures Riches Honours And shall I dare run the hazard of wronging God or my Soul for a little present satisfaction Leave my fatness and sweetness to rule over the Trees What! hazard Eternal things for Temporal trifles 2. When tempted by the bitterness of the Cross to relent in Gods Cause Say as Basil's Forty Martyrs that were kept naked in the open Air in a cold Night to be burn'd next day Sharp is the cold but sweet is Paradice Troublesome is the Way but pleasant is the end of the Journey Let us endure a little cold and the Patriarchs Bosom will soon warm us Stephen saw Heaven opened and that fortified him against the Showers of Stones from the People Act. 7.51 'T is for such a season 5. Beg the light of the Spirit 'T is necessary for us both with respect to things seen and unseen 1. Seen That we may apprehend the vanity of the Creature Psal. 90.92 So teach us to number our days that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom Psal. 49.4 I will incline mine Ear to a Parable I will open my dark saying upon the Harp David is describing the vanity of Worldly prosperity And also to see things unseen Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the Hope of his â—alling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Our Wisdom Natural is Carnal and Sensual Iam. 3.15 Either for Riches Pleasures or Honours Prov 23.4 Labour not to be Rich cease from thine own Wisdom Reason catereth for the Body
Divine Nature did put a Value upon that Price and made it sufficient and responsible to all God's Ends. Therefore it is said Psal. 89.19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one and saidst I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the people It best befitted the Divine Wisdom to choose such a Person as might undertake the Work and not miscarry it otherwise we could have no assurance that full satisfaction was given 4. Jesus Christ taketh away Sin by bearing it in his own Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both to take it away and carry it away And it is said Isa. 53.6 The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all God laid it on him and he willingly took it upon himself 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree which signifieth his voluntary Susception as well as the Father's Ordination and Appointment I must a little explain two things 1. How Sin was laid upon Christ. 2. That being transferred and laid upon Christ it is taken off from the Creature 1. How Sin was laid upon Christ for so the Scripture speaketh There is in Sin Culpa the Fault Macula the Stain Reatus the Guilt and Poena the Punishment We cannot say the Fault was laid on him for that is the Blame which ariseth or groweth out of Sin inherent we cannot say the Stain for Christ was holy harmless undefiled separate from Sinners Heb. 7.26 Therefore we must understand it of the other two the Guilt and the Punishment The Guilt is imputed as he stood in our stead for he is said To bear the sins of many Isa. 53.12 And To be made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 As he offered himself and obliged himself to make satisfaction to his Father's Justice his Soul and Body was a Ransom in our Souls stead 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransom for all he not only died In bonum nostrum for our good but Loco vice omnium nostrum he stood before the Father's Tribunal in our room and stead Then for the Punishment as he was made sin for us so he was made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 That is to undergo the Curse of the Law due to us He was no more spared than if we our selves who had sinned had been in his room and place at that time And therefore he is said To carry our sorrows and bear our griefs Isa. 53.4 He was the Object of Sin-pursuing Justice and at his hands did God demand satisfaction for all our Wrongs He had all the Sins of the Elect upon him by Imputation and voluntary Susception and was handled by Divine Justice as if he had been guilty of them all 2. The Guilt and Punishment being transferred and transacted upon Christ it is taken off from the Creature and all who upon God's Terms do thankfully accept of this Atonement are acquitted and reconciled to God and taken into Grace and Favour through Christ. Iob 33.24 Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom When the Surety hath paid the Debt the Debtor is let out of Prison when the Ram was taken Isaac was let go Gen. 22. As Christ told his Persecutors Iohn 18.8 If therefore you seek me let these go their way In that Action of his there was a Pledge an Illustration at least of his offering himself to the Curse of the Law and the Punishment due to Sin to exempt us from it take me and let these go The Fault is forgiven the Guilt expiated the Blot more and more done away and the Sentence of Condemnation and Punishment disanulled so that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 5. Christ having born the burden and weight of our Sins hath undertaken to take away all that may be called Sin he hath taken away the Guilt and he hath taken away the Stain the Obligation to Punishment and the Power of Corruption Or in short he hath procured both Justification and Sanctification for us 1. Justification is a Fruit of his bearing Sin Isa. 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities To bear the Sin is to bear the Punishment the Wrath due to it now God will not exact it twice of Christ and of us too Christ doth so bear it for us that he takes it away from us that we are discharged from the Guilt and delivered from wrath to come 2 Thess. 1.10 and are brought into a Justifiable condition before God 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2. Sanctification that is one taking away of Sin and a Fruit of Christ's bearing our Iniquities 1 Pet. 2.24 He bore our sins in his own body upon the tree that we being dead unto sin might be alive unto righteousness Naturally we are alive to Sin love it delight in it and are active in it but we are dead to Righteousness not only sick and wounded but dead to it But Christ came to purchase Grace to subdue our Love and Delight in Sin and to turn our Hearts towards God We need a Saviour to help us to Repentance as well as to Pardon the loss of God's Image was part of our Punishment and the Renovation of our Nature is a part yea a principal part of our Deliverance by Jesus Christ. 6. This Work of taking away Sin is not done all at an instant but accomplished by degrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Participle noteth a continued act it is a thing Christ is always a doing till Sin be no more Here we must distinguish between Impetration and Application As to Purchase and Impetration Christ hath done it once for all there needed no repeating of this Act Heb. 10.14 For by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified As to the Merit nothing is wanting no other Oblation and Sacrifice needeth to be offered to God But as to Application so he is every day taking away Sin what is his business now in Heaven but to sit at the right hand of God and to see the Fruits of his Mediation accomplished Yea and as to the same Persons Christ doth not destroy Sin all at once Narrow-mouth'd Vessels cannot be filled in an instant though cast into an Ocean Therefore taking away Sin is a continual act which Christ is ever a doing Some Blessings are dispensed presently upon the first day of our entering into the state of Grace and Favour with God as Adoption into God's Family Pardon of Sins past a renewing of the Image of God in us Redemption or Exemption from the Curse of the Law which Things encrease more and more unto their final perfection in Eternal Glory Adoption then shall be compleat Rom. 8.23 Waiting for â—he Adoption to
Remission I shall look upon this Prayer under a twofold Consideration 1. As an high Moral Act of an holy Man 2. As a Tast of his Mediation and Intercession where we shall consider the publick Relation he sustained upon the Cross. First Let us look upon it as a Moral Action he doth not threaten fearful Judgments but prayed for his Enemies there was no stain of Passion and Revenge upon his Sufferings 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps And wherein Vers. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously One great Use of Christ's Death was to give us Lessons of Meekness and Patience and humble Suffering In this Act there is an excellent Lesson Let us look upon the necessary Circumstances that serve to set it off 1. For whom he prays 2. When he prays 3. Why he prays 4. In what manner 1. For whom he prayeth for his Persecutors Men that had done him the greatest Contempt and Villany which their Spight and Malice could invent They had mocked and buffeted him mangled his Flesh with Scourges led him like a publick Spectacle of Shame through the Streets of the City and by importunate Clamours had gotten him to the Cross and there placed him in the midst of Thieves they had cursed themselves and yet Christ prayed for them In their Rage they had even appealed to and dared Divine Justice His blood be upon us and on our children but Christ saith Father forgive them Yea and which is more they did all this to him when he came to serve the World in a Design of the greatest Love Of all things Men cannot endure to have their Love slighted Holy David when Nabal slighted his Kindness vowed the destruction of him and all his House but when Christ cometh with higher Acts of Kindness he is despised and rejected of Men He came unto his own and his own received him not Iohn 1.11 Nay his own persecuted him and despitefully used him and yet he prayeth for them They omitted no kind of Cruelty the Law saith Breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth Lev. 24.20 But when they cry Crucifie him he cries Forgive them Oh! how may we wonder at this who are so vindictive as we are 2. When he prayeth in the very extremity and height of his Sufferings Then when we are apt to forget our Friends Christ remembreth his Enemies in the very height of his Sorrows he mediates for a Pardon for them A Man would have thought that the sharp sense of the Afflictions wherewith he was exercised should have imbittered his Spirit if he would make Intercession for Sinners in Heaven a Man would have thought that he should not have interceeded upon the Cross. We Pardon when the Misery is over and by the course of Affairs that which was intended for a mischief proveth an advantage as Ioseph did his Brethren Gen. 50.20 As for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive But Christ in the very Act of his Sufferings seeketh Mercy for the Instruments of his Passion Pendebat tamen petebat saith Austin their Rage had brought him to the Cross and there Christ mediateth to bring them to Heaven 3. Who prayeth Jesus Christ With honour enough to himself he might have done otherwise he could have destroyed them with the Breath of his Mouth or with a Beam of his Glory We forgive when we cannot harm Power efferareth the Mind and makes Men fierce and cruel many would be cruel enough but they are restrained either by want of Power or Opportunity But here neither was wanting Mat. 26.53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray unto my father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of Angels In Man's Eye that would have seemed a rare vindication of the Glory and Dignity of his Person but Christ doth not pray Father send twelve Legions of Angels but Father forgive them One Angel had been enough 2 King 19.35 The Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand It would have been more easie for Christ to come down from the Cross than to go up thither that was the greater Miracle four Nails could not have held the Lord of Glory if he had not been nailed and fastened through by his own Love and voluntary Condescention But Christ would not be Glorious now in Acts of Power but of Mildness and Charity and therefore it is not Father destroy but Father forgive them 4. How he prayeth for them he pleadeth their Case and putteth the fairest Construction that can be made of an Action so foul and enormous they are poor ignorant People led with a blind Zeal Christ pitcheth upon the only Circumstance that serveth to lessen the Offence Of all Excuses this is the most plausible 1 Tim. 1.13 I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief Acts 3.17 And now brethren I wâ—t that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Rulers We are wont to strein and force Actions to the most rigorous Interpretation they are capable of Iracundia solers est fingendi causas sui furoris Seneca Anger is witty to find out Causes to justifie it self and if there be ought to justifie Censure we omit those alleviating Circumstances and necessary Mitigations whereby our Asperity may be taken off and Actions be more mildly considered But Christ saith Poor Creatures they act out of a blind Zeal they know not what to do Father forgive them I Use. Information 1. It informeth us that the Love of Christ is greater than we can think or understand much less express If we be afflicted with any Pain in the Teeth Head or Eyes we are so overcome with the sense of it that we can think of nothing else we neither admit the visit of Friends nor will we trouble our selves with any business our Pain wholly engrosseth and taketh up our Minds and Thoughts But Jesus Christ in the midst of his Agonies and painful Sufferings remembreth not only Friends but Enemies and is solicitous about their Salvation Now if he be thus affected towards Persecutors how is he to the Persecuted They cry Crucifie him Crucifie him but he saith Father forgive them He might justly have called for Vengeance but he prayeth for Mercy Nothing was so cruel but they were ready to think and speak and do against him in this blind and inconsiderate Fury but he doth not consider their Injuries against himself but their Sin against God and would have that pardoned and this at the time when they sought not Pardon for themselves but were venting their Malice against him Which surely is an encouragement to the Penitent that he will not be hard to be entreated by them that confess and
with the Blessing of eternal Life His Priestly Actions after the Order of Aaron were his Consecration to his everlasting blessed Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedeck Without these Sufferings he could neither be a faithful nor a merciful high Priest nor satisfy his Father's Justice nor have a full feeling from Experience of the Creatures Misery Well then as Christ was consecrated at his Death so is a Christian who runneth Parallel with Christ in all his Offices As Christ had an Inauguration into that Priesthood he executed upon Earth at his Baptism So hath a Christian for his spiritual Priesthood as soon as washed in the Laver of Regeneration but for his everlasting Priesthood at Death 2. My next Argument is This suteth with the other Privilege of Kings We are made Kings as well as Priests Now as our Kingly Office is not perfect till we come to Heaven so neither our Priestly and therefore it mainly respecteth our Ministration in the heavenly Temple How is a poor Christian a King here unless in a Riddle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he vanquisheth the Devil the World and the Flesh As it is a Princely thing to be above inferiour things and to trample them under our Feet The Heathen could say Rex est qui metuit nihil Rex est qui cupit nihil He is a King that is above the Hopes and Fears of the World that feareth nothing and desireth nothing This is indeed in a Metaphor a Kingly Spirit to have our Hearts in Heaven and to look upon all sublunary things as beneath our Care and Affections Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is a Believer's Here upon Earth we reign only in a spiritual way But the Privilege cometh fully to be verified when we tread Satan under our Feet and triumph over Enemies and reign visibly and gloriously sitting upon Thrones with Christ at his Coming judging the World and Angels themselves Matth. 19.28 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 shall also sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Psal. 49.14 The upright shall have Dominion over them in the Morning And 1 Cor. 6.2 Know ye not that we shall judg the World And ver 3. Know ye not that we shall judg Angels Neither will this Kingdom be terminated and ended at the Day of Judgment but they shall be Kings eternal in Heaven Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom 2 Tim 2.12 If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him that is in Heaven With respect to this Title Right and Interest we are said to be made Kings Now proportionably the other Privilege of being made Priests must be expounded also We are spiritual Priests upon Earth we have our Sacrifices of Prayers Praises and Alms and devoting our selves to God But this Office is not compleated till we come to Heaven and do immediately minister before the Lord. Then we have Entrance into the holiest Heb. 10.19 Having therefore Brethren Boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Iesus Not in Spirit but in Person For if the chief Part of our Kingly Office be yet behind why not the chief Part of our Priestly Office also 3. Then we are qualified and prepared Sanctification must go before Consecration and the more sanctified the more consecrated And when our Sanctification is finished then our Consecration is consummated and not till then Now in this World our Justification and Sanctification is imperfect we are not got above our legal Fears and Grace is very weak in us You know before we can serve the living God our Consciences must be purged from dead Works Heb. 9.14 As the High Priest was not to approach God without his Washings lest he die And we are bidden to draw nigh to God with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Heb. 10.22 If we have the Privilege of Priests we must perform the Duties of Priests Now we are not perfect as appertaining to the Conscience nor are we fully cleansed and sanctified till the Vail of the Flesh be removed and we be presented to God without Spot and Wrinkle Somewhat is begun indeed that will tend to and end in perfect Sanctification enough to qualify us for our Ministration at this Distance from God There is enough done on Christ's Part by way of Impetration and Merit Heb. 10.14 For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified or consecrated he hath payed the Price but as to the Application that is by Degrees The Priest under the Law was seven Days in consecrating this figured all the time that interveneth before we enter upon the everlasting Sabbath Our whole Life is the time of Consecration which goeth on by Degrees and will be made compleat both for Body and Soul at the Resurrection for then shall we be made fit to approach the Throne of Glory and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal Temple of Heaven In this Life our Consecration is not yet finished we cannot come so near God we are qualified indeed to come to the Throne of Grace but not qualified to come to the Throne of Glory But the Work is a-doing and in time it will be accomplished 4. We have not the full Privileges of Priests till then which is Intimacy full Communion Nearness of Access to God and Ministration before him This is the Privilege we have as Priests The Apostle telleth us Heb. 9.8 The Holy Ghost signifieth that the way to the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing How did the Holy Ghost signify this I answer by the whole Oeconomy and Frame of that Dispensation God kept State and Majesty then and his People must not come too near him The common Israelite must not come too near the Sanctuary they were not to camp or pitch their Tents round about it but only the Levites lest they die Numb 1.52 53. And the Children of Israel shall pitch their Tents every Man by his own Camp and every Man by his own Standard throughout the Host. But the Levites shall pitch round about the Tabernacle of Testimony that there be no Wrath upon the Congregation of the Children of Israel It was a dangerous thing for the common Israelites to be too near the Symbols of God's Presence to teach us the Distance between God and Men and their Unworthiness to come near him and his holy things But though the Levites might encamp near it yet none but the Priests must
of the Saints to shew that now they do but begin in the Work which they shall compleat hereafter 7. The Scriptures do plainly express that our Service is not ended with our Lives but as we still stand in the Relation of Creatures to God so we still glorify him and serve him Rev. 7.14 15 16. And he said unto me These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Râ—bes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb Therefore they are before the Throne of God and serve him Day and Night in the Temple And he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them and they shall hunger no more nor thirst any more c. There is the Explanation of the Mystery of being washed in Christ's Blood and made Kings and Priests unto God This Office they chiefly perform when they come to enjoy their Happiness before the Throne of God and in the heavenly Temple And what is the Work there They serve him Day and Night They do not their Service then by Fits and Starts but constantly A Type whereof were the Priests under the Law who in their Courses were admitted Day and Night to be in the Temple Psal. 134.1 Bless ye the Lord all ye Servants of the Lord which by Night stand in the House of the Lord. But what was done by many in their turns is now done by the same Persons continually for they are never weary and there is no Intermission in their Service And God always dwelleth amongst them they shall not be at a distance from God nor he at a distance from them but they shall still enjoy his Company as dwelling in one House with him For there shall not be Sin nor Sorrow any more and then shall they praise God chearfully This will be our Work when we are admitted into the most holy Place 8. As Heaven hath the Notion of a Place a Temple so our Estate in Heaven hath the Notion of a Day or Time wherein our Priesthood is to be solemnly exercised For it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sabbath or Rest Heb. 4.9 There remaineth therefore a Rest to the People of God A Sabbath is for holy Rest not a time of Idleness but to be religiously imployed So this glorious eternal Rest which is prepared for and promised to Believers is not passed over in Ease and Idleness but in Acts of Worship and Adoration It is a Rest from Toil and Labour but not from Work and Service On the Sabbath-day the Sacrifices were doubled the Priest had more to do upon that Day than any other So in our everlasting Sabbatism we serve God after a more perfect manner than now we do On the Sabbath a special Delight and Rejoycing in God was to be raised Isai. 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy Foot from the Sabbath from doing thy Pleasure on my Holy-Day and call the Sabbath a Delight the Holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own Ways nor finding thine own Pleasure nor speaking thine own Words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high Places of the Earth and feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father for the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it So in our eternal Rest shall we delight our selves in his Presence Vse 1. It informeth us 1. That our Service is an Honour and Worship a Privilege for it is not only a Way to Heaven but a Beginning of Heaven Our Work there is a part of our Reward The Priestly Ministration is so the Work of Heaven that it is also a Reward for our present Diligence Well then it is the most blessed Life we can live upon Earth to be serving God and ministring before the Lord and to be imployed in any Nearness about him his People desire no sweeter Work Alas what is the Work of all the World to this but a toilsom Drudgery or base Servility Go to the brutish World what is the Work of the Drunkard Glutton Gamester or Fornicator compared with that of the Spiritual Priest They are Priests to feed the Belly that base Dunghil-God Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their Belly Their Business is to provide for and please the Flesh. Nay go to the more refined part of the World The Covetous and Ambitious Worldlings they aim at nothing beyond this Life but the Spiritual Priest continueth for ever his Service is begun and will ever last his Work is his Wages 2. That it is no easy matter to be familiar with God and to draw nigh to him in Worship We are stupid and therefore not sensible of it You see what Distance God kept under the Law and what Distance he yet keepeth as to his immediate Presence Surely God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in Reverence of all that are about him Psal. 89.7 The Redeemed are honoured to have Access to God with Boldness yet they ought to be humbly sensible of the Privilege Every nearer Approach to God is an Enlargement of Honour We must keep an even hand between natural Bondage and Irreverence Natural Bondage We are sometimes afraid to come into God's Presence and doubt of Access being so unworthy to come before the Lord but we are privileged by our Calling Christ by his Death hath made us Kings and Priests The Priests were sanctified to draw nearer unto God than the common People and to be imployed in his most Holy Service So if we be cleansed by the Blood of Christ we are separated from the ungodly World and may acquaint him with all our Desires Griefs and Fears On the other side against Irreverence It is no easy matter to come before the Lord as we ought to do and we must be sure to bless and thank the Redeemer for this Favour that we are made Priests of God and Christ that we are freed from the Fears of the second Death Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no Power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and we may hope for a more solemn Service Vse 2. To exhort the Children of God First To long and hope for the time of their Ministration in the heavenly Temple When the time of our Consecration is finished then we shall be admitted into this blessed Estate O comfort your selves with the Fore-thought of it There are many Reasons to induce us 1. Because then we shall see him whom we worship and stand before his Throne This is often promised Psal. 17.15 As for me I shall behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness 1 John 3.2 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is So 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see through a Glass darkly but then Face to Face John 17.24 Father I will that
new Convert Acts 16.34 That he rejoyced believing in God with all his house he was but even recovered out of the Suburbs of Hell ready to kill himself just before verse 27. so that a Man would think he should easier fetch Water out of a Flint or a spark of Fire out of the bottom of the Sea than to find joy so soon in such an heart yet he rejoyced though he was still in danger of his Life for treating those as Guests whom he should have kept as Prisoners So 2 Cor. 8.2 We read of the abundance of their joy and deep poverty because they were acquainted with the Gospel So Zacheus received Christ joyfully because Salvation was come to his House Luke 19.6 He made haste and came down and received him joyfully And the Man that found the true Treasure for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath Matth. 13.44 He parted with all His Satisfactions Comforts and Contentments This is so sure a Truth that where-ever the Gospel or Christ is received in any degree and proportion though not to a converting degree there is some joy In Converts I have showed you and you may cast in that Text by way of over-plus Acts 2.41 Then they that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day there were added to the church about three thousand souls It is a degree not amounting to Conversion Luke 8.13 The stony ground received the word with joy Herod had some kind of joy in hearing Iohn the Baptist Mark 6.20 He did many things and heard him gladly And his other Hearers rejoyced in his light for a season Iohn 5.35 These had a joy but not in such a predominant degree as to be able to controul their Affections to other things and so this joy could not maintain it self or keep it self alive Therefore it is said That we are his house if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Heb. 3.6 The first offers of Pardon and Life by Christ do stir up this joy in us as the Gospel sheweth us a way how to come out of the greatest Miseries and get an interest in the greatest Happiness The possible hope of Relief and Deliverance cannot but affect us if we be serious 2. As to our Progress in the Duties and hopes of the Gospel it is still carried on with joy Therefore Believers are described by it as their vital act Phil. 3.3 We are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh What is the constant work of a Christian but a rejoycing in Christ Jesus or a thanâ—ful sense of our Redeemers Mercy And therefore the whole Life of a Christian is represented by keeping a Feast 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the feast Seven dayes the Iews kept their feast of unleavened Bread which figureth the whole time of our pilgrimage till we enter into the Everlasting Sabbath Every day is a Holy-day and a Feast-day with a Christian now Christ his Passeover is sacrificed for him partly through a sense of Gods Love partly through the Testimony of a good Conscience and partly through the hopes of Glory He is alwaies rejoycing in God if he be in a right frame and liveth up to his Gospel-Priviledges Let me chiefly instance in two Duties of Prayer and Praise or Thanksgiving which take up a great part of our Commerce with God And especially because they are connected with the Duty we are upon for we must rejoyce evermore praying without ceasing and in every thing give thanks The Duties that follow serve to act and cherish this joy 1. Rejoyce evermore so as to pray without ceasing They that delight in God will be often with him and can come chearfully and unbosom themselves to him as a Man would to his Friend They are not drag'd into his presence as into the presence of a Judge but they come freely to him as Children to their Father They that love God as their portion and happiness will much converse with him they are out of their Element but when they are praying to God or speaking of God or thinking of God therefore they are still with him But this is denyed of the Hypocrite Iob 27.10 Will he delight himself in the almighty Will he alwayes call upon God They may sometimes cry to him not because they love him and his service but because they love their own ease and to be free from trouble their streights may force a little Service from them Well then without delight we cannot keep a continual course of Communion with God in Prayer 2. For Praise or giving of Thanks in every thing give thanks that is both the fruit of our delight in God and a means to quicken it One that delights in God will have cause enough to give thanks whether the Creature come or goe what-ever is taken from him his joy is not taken from him He can bless God for his Mercies in Christ when retrenched and cut short in the World though he hath lost some Comforts yet others are yet remaining Shall one Cross imbitter all our Comforts As one string broken puts the whole Instrument out of Tune They can bless God for taking as well as giving Iob 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the â—ord If the Lord gave all why may he not take away a part A thankful heart can praise God for God himself for choicer Mercies yet continued for some outward Mercies remaining If God gave all and take but a part have we any cause to complain 3. Still I prove this joy must be continued throughout the whole course of the Spiritual Life because the beginning progress and ending is carryed on by it the joy of God is our support in our declining time the staff of our Age for then Christians grow more dead to the World and worldly things and are less moved by them whether they keep or loose have or want them and then they are nearer to Eternity and have more of that rejoycing in hope spoken of Rom. 2.12 This joy is a beginning of the joyes in Heaven here we have a Sip there a full Draught Our Delight in God now is of the same Nature with that which the Saints and Angels have in Heaven There is indeed a vast difference in the degrees here a little joy entreth into us but there we enter into our masters joy Math. 25.23 But though they differ in degree yet the Object and Affection is the same It is the same God and the same Glory which delighteth us only now they are seen by Faith then they shall be Objects of direct sight and fruition we shall see him face to face In short rejoycing in God is a beginning of the Imployment we shall then have in Heaven Therefore when we expect in a few days to be
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