been said in order to this morning Exercise As you have heard so you have seen Application to the morning exercise this Moneth now elapsed hath brought to your view an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Model of sound words you have had as it were the Summe and Substance of the Gospel preached over in your hearing I know it falls far short both in respect of Matter and Method of a perfect body of Divinity an exact and full delineation of all the chief Heads and Principles of Religion But considering the smallness of the Circle of this monethly course in which this Model was drawn I dare take the boldness to say there hath as much of the Marrow and Spirits of Divinity been drawn forth in these few Morning Lectures as can be rationally expected from men of such various Studies and assidnous labours in the Ministerial work Former ages have rarely heard so much Divinity preacht over in many years as hath been read in your ears in twenty six dayes These few Sermons have digested more of the Doctrine of faith than some large volumes not of a mean consideration now extant in the Church of God Truely every single Sermon hath been a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within itself Each Subject in this morning Exercise hath been handled in so ample a manner and with so much judgement acuteness and perspicuity that it may well passe for a little Treatise of Divinity wherein many profound Mysteries have been discust and stated not with more judgment in the Doctrine than with life and vigor in the Vse and Application The Preachers have sought to find out acceptable words Eccles 12. and that which was spoken was upright even words of truth Insomuch that a man that had never heard of a Gospel before this moneths conduct had been sufficient not only to have left him without excuse but with the wise mens STAR to have led him to Christ The more I dread to think what a tremendous account you have to make who after twenty twirty fourty years Revelation of the Gospel have the addition of this moneth of Sabbaths also to reckon for in that day when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire c. if while in this Mirror 2 Thes 1.8 beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord you are not changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. I shall not undertake as * Morning Exercise May 1654. formerly to extract the Summe and Substance of what you have heard I have some hope to be saved that labour upon a better account I shall recount to you the Heads only and Points of Christian Doctrine which have been handled in this Monethly Exercise that now in the close of all you may behold as in a Map or Table the Method and Connexion which they hold amongst themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or a Summary repetition of the Heads of Divinity preacht upon in this Course The first Divine after the preparatory Sermon that preached to you began with that which is the first and chief object of Knowledge and Faith that α and ω in Divinity Subject 1 THERE IS A GOD Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that GOD is c. Hereupon because if there be a God then he is to be worshipped and if to be worshipped then there must be a Rule of that worship and if a Rule it must be of Gods own appointment therefore Subject 2 The Second dayes work was against all other Books and Writings in the world to Evince this Truth the SCRIPTVRES CONTAINED IN THE BOOKS OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT are THE WORD OF GOD 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God By these Scriptures that great Mysterious Doctrine of the Trinity which the light of nature can no more discover than deny was asserted and opened as far as so profound a Mystery can well admit and so The third mornings work was to shew Subject 3 THAT IN THE GODHEAD THERE IS A TRINITY OF PERSONS IN VNâ—TY OF ESSENCE GOD THE FATHER GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY GHOST God blessed for ever 1 Joh. 5.7 There are three that bear Record in Heaven the FAHER the WORD and the HOLY GHOST and these three are ONE Subject 4 The Creation of Man in a perfect but mutable Estate by the joynt Power and Wisdom of these three glorious Persons was the Fourth Subject opened from that Text Eccles 7.29 God made man upright but they have sought out many inventions Man thus Created God entred into a Covenant with him and so the COVENANT OF WORKS which God made with Adam and all his posterity succeeded in order to be the Subject matter of the Subject 5 Fifth morning Lecture the Text was Gen. 12.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die This Covenant no sooner made almost then broken the work of him that preacht the Subject 6 Sixth Sermon was THE FALL OF ADAM and therein more specially of PECCATVM ORIGINALE ORIGINANS or ORIGINAL SIN IN THE FIRST SPRING and fountain of it the Scripture Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world c. The Fruit and sad effect whereof being the losse of Gods image and the total depravation and corruption of mans nature Subject 7 The seventh thing that fell naturally to be handled was Peccatum originale originatum or Original corruption in the STREAM and DERIVATION OF IT TO POSTERITY from Psal 1.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me This is the Source of all that evil that hath invaded all Mankind that therefore which naturally succeeded in the Subject 8 Eighth course of this morning Exercise was MANS LIABLENESS TO THE CURSE or the MISERY OF MANS ESTATE BY NATVRE Deut. 27.1 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the things of the Law to do them or Ephes 2.3 By nature the children of wrath Subject 9 Ninthly Mans impotency to help himself out of this miserable estate was the next sad Prospect presented to your view by that Reverend Brother that preached the ninth course and he took his rise from Rom. 5.6 When we were without strength Christ died for the ungodly That the doctrine of mans impotency when it had laid him in the dust might not leave him there the Subject 10 Tenth Preacher discoursed to you of the COVENANT OF REDEMPTION consisting of the transaction between God and Christ from all Eternity from that Text Isa 53.10 He shall see the travel of his soule and be satisfied In the eleventh place THE COVENANT OF GRACE REVEALED IN THE GOSPEL came next to be unfolded as being if I may so say the Counterpart of the Covenant of Redemption which the Preacher to whom the Subject 11 Eleventh course fell opened to you out of Heb. 8.6 Jesus Christ hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediatour
very necessary Matth. 10.17 Beware of men in a sort as of any wild beast or the very Devils themselves This is a glimpse of that wrath which the Lord draweth forth against natural men in this life before the sons of men 2. There are further degrees of this wrath that rush in at the end of this life Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death The bodies of the very heirs of glory and which are Temples of the holy Ghost lie trampled upon under rottennesse and suffer losse of their appointed glory till the last day The Lord batters them till the house tumble about their eares He layes on load till the heart-strings crack and to whom Hell is remitted death is not remitted those must dye that shall not be damned for their sins and death shall have dominion over them till the morning of the resurrection There is a progress in Gods wrath which will not stop in the midway but goes on till it shall be accomplished Ezek. 5.13 3. The full vials and very dregs of this wrath Psal 78.38 shall be poured out in the world to come which now God reins in and lets not get loose and break over the banks or if it do calls it back and turneth it away but then all his wrath shall be stirred up and let forth to the full 1. There shall be the general judgement of the great day in which the Lord himself shall descend from heaven in a shout 1 Thes 4.16 with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and shall be revealed 2 Thes 1.7 with his mighty Angels in flaming fire terribly to execute the curses of that Law which was so terrible in the promulgation Then shall the sinner be forced from his grave dragged to the barre arraigned the books opened all the secrets of darknesse and of the heart made manifest and the Goats put on the left hand and have that dismal sentence Go ye cursed c. Mat. 25.41 2. There shall be dreadful and final execution and this stands in two things 1. In losse expulsion from the Lords face and presence and glory As incurable lepers from the Camp and fellowship of the Saints For the good things which they never cared for and from the good things of the world which they grasped and were their portion from all hopes of grace all preachings of peace all strivings of the Spirit never a friend to comfort a sun to shine a drop of water to cool the tongue or any blessing to come near them any more for ever 2. In sense which is sometimes termed suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jude ver 7. Wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 where there shall be with the damned Angels subjection to the eternal wrath of God the worm of a guilty conscience that never dies where the Lord will beare up the creature with one hand that it continue in being and beat it with the other that it shall be ever dying in death alwayes and never dead Use 1. Inform. We may clearly gather divers Corollaries hence 1. This may inform us of the vast and woful change that sin hath made Men could not come possibly such out of the hands of God Gen. 1.31 God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good and therefore blessed but sin hath taken him from Mount Gerizim Deut. 27.12 13 and set him upon Ebal and the misery now is such that if the Lord should open the same to the conscience fully the very view would drive men out of their wits and men could not tarry in their beds or rellish a morsel of bread till delivered and blessed with some evidence of deliverance out of that condition This may infome us of the causlessnesse of the offence taken at Ministers for preaching this point Now consider seriously 1. Is there a parallel to the offence taken here in any other case in the whole earth Who is angry with a watchman for giving notice that the house is beset and ready to be broken up or on fire though all be disturbed some half-frighted out of their wits or wholly with the tydings and very great pudder follows till the house be secured and the fire quenched men mighâ— otherwise have been undone and destroyed in their beds Who flies out against a Centinel that gives a true Alarme and rowzeth the Souldiers at the deadest time of the night he prevents their surprizal or throats being cut in their beds and the Town from being sacked Who storms at a passenger that sticks up a bough in a Quagmire that other Travellers going securely on may not be laid fast ere they think of any danger Who takes it ill of a friend that seeing a bearded arrow coming that would strike the stander next him mortally puls him aside with that force possibly as to draw his arme out of joint and the arrow goes not through his heart Who thinks amisse of a Lawyer that opens the badnesse of his Clients cause to him that he may not insist on a wrong point in which necessarily he must be cast 2. Should we to avoide your displâ—asure not give you warning and so draw Gods displeasure Ezek. 3.18 19. Videsis Greenhil in loc and the blood of you perishing upon our heads is this good for you or us 3. Do you well to provoke poor Ministers to bauke that part of their office which flesh and blood makes us too willing to have our edge taken off in Desire we to be messengers of sad tydings or rather to come in the abundance of the comforts of the Gospel A pettish Patient makes the Chyrurgion search the wound lesse than is necessary to a through cure Ye tempt us to stop from speaking needfully of your danger by your lothnesse to hear on that ear and by your rage and regret against the teller Those which have most need of faithful intelligâ—â—ce of the Lords wrath have least upon this very score Job 21.31 Who shall declare his way to his face viz. that is respited and prospers and tramples the doctrine under foot and turns again and tears the Preacher 4. This is no other than what the Scripture speaks and conscience upon retirements will speak and Satan will lay in your dish and the Lord will pay into your bosome Will those flye in the Lords face and of conscience telling this story to them and pronouncing the sentence against them Oh profane partial spirits that cannot endure such Preachers as themselves shall be unto themselves that cannot bear the hearing of those terrours that themselves shall be relators and inflicters of upon themselves Ye had better have the commodity at the first hand conscience will preach in another note and loudnesse than we do and the more because your ears have been stopped against our words 5. There cannot be a greater madnesse than not to be able to live under the noise and news of this wrath and yet stick under the wrath
and hast Redeemed us unto God out of every kindred and tongue and people and Nation Rev. 5.9 10. and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests c. This is the daily work of glorified Saints in Heaven to cast down their Crownes before that Throne where Christ sitteth The Saints departed Rev. 4.10 are discharged from those weights and clogs of corruption which did hinder them from this duty while they were in the body Heb. 12.1 Rom. 7.24 Rev. 4.6 and cumbred and pestred with the body of death They are never weary though they never rest day nor night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come And thus I have shewed you how things in Heaven do bow the knee and are subject to the Name and Authority of the Lord Jesus II. Things on earth i. e. Good men and Bad men 1. Good men Psa 110.3 the Children of God who by the grace of Christ are made a willing people in the day of his Power for such is the heart-turning power of Gods Grace that of unwilling Isal 48.4 he makes us willing God by degrees removes out of our necks the Iron sinew that hinders us from stooping and bowing to Christ Grace by degrees doth take away that enmity in our mindes Col. 1.21 Rom. 8.7 and that carnal-mindedness which neither is nor can be subject to the Law of God By nature we are Children of disobedience as well as others Rom. 7.23 Eph. 2.3 and are willingly subject to no Law but the Law of our Members nor to no will but the wills of the flesh but the Grace of God removes that stoutness of heart contumacy and Rebellion which is in us naturally against Christ and so sweetly and powerfully inclines their wills Psal 119.6 1 Joh. 5.3 Veniat veniat verbum Dei si sexcenta nobis essent colla submittemus omnia that they follow the Lamb wherever he goes and have Respect unto all the Commandments of Christ and not one of them is grievous A Child of God willingly submits his Neck to the Yoke of Christ 2. Evil men they also must bow the knee to Jesus Christ and though their subjection be not voluntary and ingenuous yet bow they must and bow they do and partly through the awakening of a natural conscience partly by a spirit of bondage and fear of wrath they are as it were compelled to render many unwilling services and subjections unto Christ Non peccare metuit sed ardere Aug. Which compulsory subjection ariseth not from a fear of sinne but from a fear of Hell All these because they do not willingly bear the yoke of Christ they shall unwillingly become his foot-stool Mat. 11.29 Psal 110.1 And they do not so much honour Christ as Christ may be said to honour himself upon them The wicked do give honour to Christ as unwillingly as ever Haman cloathed Mordecai and proclaimed before him Hester 6.11 Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honour III. And Lastly The Devils in Hell are forced to yield subjection unto Jesus Christ and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things under the earth infernalia things in hell do bow their knee unto him For if in the dayes of Christs Humiliation he hath exercised power over the damned spirits and they have acknowledged him and his Soveraign power over them much more are they subject to him now in the dayes of his Exaltation I shall not need to show you how often the Devils crouched to Christ whilst he was here on earth The Devils were not only subject to his Person but to those that commanded them in his Name for so the seventy Disciples returning gave Christ an account Luke 10.17 Lord say they even the Devils are subject unto us through thy Name In one story we finde that the Devils did three times prostrate themselves at the feet of Christ Saint Luke relates the Story of the man possessed with a Legion of Devils 1. First one of the Devils in the name of all the rest thus supplicates Christ Luke 8.28 What have I to do with thee Jesus thou Sonne of God Most High I beseech thee Torment me not 2. When Christ commanded the uncleane spirits to come out of the man Ver. 31. they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep that is into Hell Ver. 32. 3. The Devils a third time besought Christ that they might go into the Herd of Swine Thus those proud and rebellious spirits were forced to bow even in the dayes of Christs flâ—sh James 2.19 And therefore much more now Chrâ—st is exalted do the devils tremble We read that Christ spoiled principalities and powers Col. 2.15 and made a shew of them openly Triumphing over them In which Scripture we may observe that Christ hath disarm'd and triumph't over Satan The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alludes to the manner of the Conquerour who disarm'd the Captives and afterwards they led their Captives in chaines when they made their Triumphant entrance so the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do signifie alluding to the Romane Conquests and Triumphs Thus the Lord Jesus Christ by his death overcame the Devil Heb. 2.14 Eph. 4.8 Duo in cruce affixi intelliguntùr Christus visibiliter sponte sua ad tempus Diabolus invisibiler invitus in perpetuum Orig Missilia Triumphalia and by his Ascension he led Captivity Captive and gave gifts alluding still to the manner of the Romane Triumphs when the Victor in a Chariot of State ascended up to the Capitol the Prisoners following his Chariot or else drawing it with their hands bound behind them and there were pieces of gold and silver thrown amongst the people and other gifts and largesses bestowed upon the friends of the Conquerour The Devil ever since the death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ hath been overcome and spoiled For by the death of Christ the Devil was unarmed and shackled but presently after he was gag'd and silenc'd and all his Oracles struck dumb and speechless and so the Devils divested of their long-enjoyed power and they forced to bow though unwillingly to Jesus Christ Hence it is said that the Devils tremble Jam. 2.19 because they know Christ as their Judge but not as their Saviour They must bow because they cannot help it But it may be objected Object If all the Devils in Hell and all the wicked men here on earth do bow the knee to Christ how comes it then to pass that the Devil and his instruments do continue their Rebellion and mischief against Christ and his Church 1. To this is answered that even the Devils of Hell are bound to bow the knee unto Jesus Christ though like wicked Rebels they have refused to do it And so much we gather from that Answer of Christ to the Devil who when he had the impudence and
the fish it is said that he may learn to pray there and preach after Go Temptation winnow me that man well that he may not be full of self-confidence that he being converted may strengthen his brethren Go death saith he smite such a womans husband that she may be destitute of worldly comforts then will she trust in me 1 Tim. 5.5 and fall to prayer and supplication Go ye Caldeans and Sabeans and work your will on my servant Job yea Go Satan and do thy worst make ye him poor I 'le make him honest and pious and more than a Conqueror and bring him forth as gold I will leave a poore people saith the Lord and they shall trust in me In a word the Lord saith Zeph. 3.12 the end of all chastisement is That we should be made partakers of his holinesse Hebr. 12.10 2. If God deliver it is that we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Go saith the Lord to Moses Luke 1.74 75. deliver me that people that they may be to me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation Let Naaman be healed Exod. 19.5 6. that he may become a Convert to that God that hath healed him Sanctifie me that first-borne sonne 2 Kings 5. Exod 13.2 whom I have given thee again Secondly In all Ordinances whose sole and proper end is Sanctification The Word is to sanctifie John 17.17 The commands 1 Thes 4.3 The promises to sanctifie 2 Cor. 7.1 The Sabbath is a signe between God and us that he is the Lord that doth sanctifie us Exod. 31.13 The Sacraments Baptisme is to sanctifie Ephes 5.26 The Lords Supper so Discipline Censures Absolution c. Church-communion private Conference All Ordinances agree in this some of them are for Conversion some for Confirmation all for Sanctification Reas 2. This is that which constitutes a Christian and from which he is denominated All the Christians and Church-members of old were called Saints the Saints at Rome Corinth Ephesus c. That is the Christians of those places and Churches not Saints departed and Canon zed but such Saints as we are or should be visible Saints followers of holinesse And therefore as one is called a Scholar because he followes learning another a Merchant because he follows Merchandize so is the Christian to follow holiness To imagine a Christian without holinesse is to call one rich that hath neither goods nor lands a Scholar without learning to imagine a Sun without light and fire without heat which is a pure contradiction It is holinesse which constitutes the Christian as it is the soul which constitutes the man who without it is a dead carcasse hand foot heart move not neither can the eye see eare hear or tongue speak without the enlivening soul so is the Professor a carcasse or shadow without holinesse all his works dead works his prayers dead praises dead yea his faith hope repentance without holinesse mortua mortifera all dead and deadly Reas 3. Without this no man shall see the Lord. This is the Menacing reason of the Text where there are two things to be explained First One implyed Secondly The other expressed 1. That implied is That in seeing the Lord is the compleat beatitude of the soul Blessed are the pure in heart they shall see God Mat. 5.8 i. e. see the Lord Jesus for the Godhead is invâ—sible No man hath seen God at any time nor can we see him 1 Tim. 6.16 But the holy person shall see Christ and the glory of the Divine Essence as much as finite can comprehend of infinite yea see God and live see Christ and be like him 1 John 3.1 2. Jesus Christ seen in heaven is the glass of the Trinity in him we shall see the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily And he is a transforming glasse to those that see him who shall be changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 And the sight of Christ will be to us a transfiguration sight when I look into another glasse I see the image and representative of my self and as it were another self but when I shall look into this glasse I shall see another image and representation as a Parelius by the reflexion of the Sun and as I may say another Christ Hence we commonly call the vision of God the beatifical vision as one saith elegantly Fides justificat Charitas aedificat Spes laetificat Visio beatificat Faith justifies Charity edifies Hope pacifies but it is Vision which glorifies And I may adde Sanctitas qualificat holinesse qualifies that Vision may glorifie And this leads me to the second thing which is expressed 2. Without this no man shall see the Lord. Mark the word no man Be he rich or poor Prince or Peasant yea be he a Prophet Apostle Minister Martyr yea we may carry this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 higher no Angell shall see the Lord what parts soever the man hath whatsoever duties he performeth let him be this or that or any other the best profession way Church let him do let him suffer let him be let him give let him hold what he will â—f he be not holy he comes not into Gods beatifical presence he enters not into the holy hill of God But were he as the Signet oâ— the right hand he must off were he an anointed Cherub he must out down came the Angels when they had laid down the r holinesse and Adam was driven out of Gods presence when he had driven out holinesse Reas 4. The fourth and last Reason is that thundering one of Saint Peter 2 Pet. 3.10 11 12 13. When the last Trumpet shall sound and sound louder and louder when the day of the Lord shall come as a Thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and all the works therein shall be burnt up Seeing then all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Neverthelesse we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Here is nothing but terror in the Text Lamentation and mourning and woe A Thief in the night a great noise fire melting burning dissolving yet is holinesse and righteousnesse secure The new Creature looks for a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein there will be room for holinesse if there be none here as for Lot in Sâ—dome This holinesse is like the blood of the Passeover on the door posts when the destroyer was abroad and a dreadful cry all Egypt over then were the Israelites ready with their loyns girt and staves in their hands expecting the good houre of their last Redemption We have seen it may be
and unsainteth all others Isa 65.5 Which say Stand by thy self come not near me for I am holier than thou these are a smoak in my nose and a fire that burneth all the day saith the Lord. This is the worst spot in the beauty of holiness a spice of that pride that was in Lucifer and his fellow-aspiring Angels that made the first Schisme and separation in the purest Church even in heaven it self among the Angels that were wholly perfect Take heed of this as of the very pest of the Church and the bane of all Religion which is best preserved in unity and humility I shall shut up all with a wish and that an hearty Prayer alluding to what I said at first Oh that all our garments our Profession might be adorned with these Bells and Pomgranates peace and holinesse That as we call on God who is called holy holy holy Rev. 4.6 and on Christ who is called King of Saints Rev. 15.6 and as we profess the Gospel which is a Rule of holiness and are members of the Church which is called a Kingdom of Saints an holy Nation 1 Pet. 2.9 and as we look to be partakers of that Kingdom wherein dwells righteousness and holiness that according to that promise Thy people shall be all righteous Isa 60.21 that holiness to the Lord may be engraven upon all our hearts as with the engraving of a Signet the Spirit of God and holiness to the Lord upon all our fore-heads as to our conversation that as we have had a year which we call Annum Restitutae Libertatis we might have a year Restitutae Sanctitatis this we might safely call Annum Salutis or Annum Domini the year of our Lord. That our Officers might be all peace our Governors holiness Isa 60.17 that our Ministers might be cloathed with righteousness and our Church-Members with holiness that all of different perswasions might not contend but labour for peace and holiness Herein let us agree and all is agreed that the bells of our Horses and Bridles of our Horsemen Commanders and common Souldiers might be holiness to the Lord Zach. 14.20 21. that there might not be a Canaanite or hypocrite in the house of the Lord then might our Land Church Parliament Army City Minâ—stry be called Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 yea then would this holiness settle us in peace here and bring us to see the Lord where peace and holiness shall never be separated Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen OF THE Resurrection ACTS 26.8 Why should it be thought a thing unreasonable with you that God should raise the dead THese words are part of St. Pauls Apologie for himself before King Agrippa against the unjust accusations of his implacable enemies wherein 1. He demonstrates the innocency of his life 2. The truth of his Doctrine and sheweth That there was nothing either in his life or doctrine for which he could justly be accused The Doctrine he taught did consist of divers particulars enumerated in this Chapter one of which and that not the least was That there should a day come in which there would be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust Now that this Doctrine was not liable to any just exception he proves three manner of ways 1. Because it was no other Doctrine but such which God himself had taught It had a Divine stamp upon it as it is Verse 6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers 2. Because it was that which all the godly Israelites instantly serving God day and night did hope for and wait and expect in due time to be fulfilled as it is Verse 7. Unto which promise our twelve tribes hope to come for which hope sake King Agrippa I am accused of the Jews and therefore it is called The hope of Israel Acts 28.20 for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain 3. Because it was a Doctrine which God was able to bring to pass This is set down in the words of the Text Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead The emphasis lieth in the words with you Why should you O King Agrippa who art a Jew and believest in the God of Israel and that he made the world out of nothing think it incredible for this God to raise the dead indeed it may seem incredible and impossible to the Heathen Philosophers who are guided onely by Natures Light but as for you who believe all things which are written in the Law and Prophets why should you think it either impossible or incredible that God should raise the dead This interrogation is an Emphatical Negation and it is put down by way of Question Vt oratio sit penetrantior that so the Argument might take the deeper impression and the meaning is that it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not a doctrine exceeding the bounds of faith or contrary to right reason that God should raise the dead The Observation which ariseth naturally out of the words is Doctrine That the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust is neither incredible nor impossible neither against right reason nor true faith Though it be above reason yet it is not against reason nor against the Jewish or the Christian Faith For the explication of this Doctrine I will briefly speak to six particulars 1. What is meant by the Resurrection of the dead 2. Who are the dead that shall be raised 3. The absolute necessity of believing this Doctrine and believing it firmly and undoubtedly 4. The possibility and credibility of it 5. The certainty and infallibility of it 6. The manner how the dead shall rise What is meant by the Resurrection of the dead The first Particular Answ For answer to this you must first know what there is of man that dyes when any man dyeth Man consisteth of soul and body and when he dyeth his soul doth not dye it is the body onely that dyeth Death is not an utter extinction and annihilation of the man as some wickedly teach but onely a separation of the Soul from the Body It is called a departure Luk. 2.25 2 Tim. 4.6 And an uncloathing 2 Cor. 5.4 and a Departure of the Soul out of the body either to Heaven or Hell When Stephen was stoned his soul was not stoned for while he was stoning he prayed Lord Jesus receive my spirit When Christ was crucified his soul was not crucified for while he was crucifying he said Faâ—her into thy hands I commend my Spirit The Wiseman saith expresly That when a man dyeth His body returns to the earth from whence it came Eccles 12.7 but his spirit returns to God who gave it And our Lord Christ commands us Not to fear them that kill the body 1 Luk. 2.4 and after
of since the Gospel was restored and all other helps both in publick and private should be cut off which God forbid yet this one Book next to your Bible would be a stock of Divinity which might furnish you with the knowledge of the Essentials of Religion and be like Manna to you in the Wildernesse till you come to Canaan To that end therefore that which I would with greatest seriousnesse urge upon you is to get the substance and power of the truths contained in them into your hearts and so to inculcate them especially the general heads of them upon your children and servants that they may be trained up in the knowledge of these vital principles which are of such use for the begetting and increasing of the life and power of godlinesse It will be sad if what was chiefly intended for your use should finde least fruit amongst you and that which is a common good should be not a Monument only but the aggravation of your unfruitfulnesse But I hope better things of you my dearly Beloved and things which accompany salvation though I thus speak The good Lord who hath put this price into your hand give you an heart to prize it and to improve it that you may not receive this grace of God in vain In this hope I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified I am Yours in the service of the Gospel THOMAS CASE The Preface to the Reader NOt to increase the number of Books already grown into a burden and more apt to distract minds with their variety than to edifie them with their Contents but for a publick testimony to the truth of the Gospel and to inform the ignorant doth this Piece crowd into the World Had many of the Brethren adhered to their own private inclination and first aime in this work these Sermons had only been published by word of mouth to the Auditory that then attended on them To write to the World is apprehended by them as a thing very distinct from preaching to a company of a few broken-hearted Christians who were willing to take this help along with them in their way to heaven and to need more exactnesse of care and preparation But upon the strong importunity of the Auditors some of them persons of great worth and honour carrying with it the face of a Call from God as valid as that which first invited them to the work they were contented against their own private inclination to yield to this way of publication for the profit of others but with these CAUTIONS First That it be signified that it was not intended to make up a Map or Compleat Body of Divine Truths but only to handle some more necessary points till Providence shall give opportunity to consider the rest Secondly That it was not designed to discusse these points in a Polemical but positive way and sutable to a popular Auditory Thirdly That it be understood that the Brethren that preached were not acquainted with one anothers studies but did every one expresse his own sense in the point recommended to him Fourthly That this be not interpreted to be the work of the whole Body of the London-Ministers but of some of them which they represent with the more tenderness Partly that the other very Reverend Brethren who were not employed in this Turn and Course of the Morning Exercise may not be charged with their weaknesses Partly because they have not without some regret observed that the larger English Annotations in which but some few only of the late Assembly together with some others had an hand are generally ascribed to the whole Assembly and usually carry the name of the Assemblies Annotations as if done by the joynt advice of that grave and learned convention Fifthly That since the preaching of these Sermons there hath been no general review but every one took care of transcribing his own Discourse and sending me the Copy accordingly I sent it to the Presse Sixthly That if any of these points seem not to be discussed according to the full latitude and worthiness of the subject it be remembred that each Exercise was to be punctually confined within the straits of an houre in which time there was no room for larger excursions Under the severity of these terms my Brethren have consented that I should if I saw fit expose their labours to publick view which I do with all chearfulnesse Partly that the world may be conscious to our Unity soundnesse in the faith and sobriety af judgement And partly expecting from thence I will say it notwithstanding the restraints their modesty hath laid upon me no small increase and return of fruit The Lord by his good Spirit guide you into all truth Yours in our Lord Jesus THOMAS CASE The particular heads in Divinity discussed in these several Sermons are these SErm I. Introduct Methodical systems of the special points of Christian Religion useful and profitable for Ministers and people Page 1. Serm. II. That there is a God p. 29. Serm. III. The Trinity proved by Scripture p. 65. Serm. IV. The Divine Authority of the Scriptures p. 85. Serm. V. Man created in an holy but mutable state p. 105. Serm. VI. The Covenant of Works p. 120. Serm. VII The fall of man or peccatum originale originans p. 134. Serm. VIII Original sin inhering or peccatum originale originatum p. 149. Serm. IX The misery of mans estate by nature p. 173. Serm. X. Mans impotency to help himself out of misery p. 202. Serm. XI The Covenant of Redemption p. 216. Serm. XII The Covenant of Grace p. 233. Serm. XIII The Mediator of the Covenant described in his Person Natures and Offices p. 261. Serm. XIV Christs Humiliation p. 258. alias 278. Serm. XV. Christs state of Exaltation p. 305. Serm. XVI The Satisfaction of Christ p. 337. Serm. XVII Of Effectual Calling p. 353. Serm. XVIII The true Believers union with Christ p. 377. Serm. XIX The nature of Justification p. 403. Serm. XX. The Believers Dignity and Duty or High Birth and Honourable Employment p. 433. Serm. XXI Saving Faith p. 455. Serm. XXII Repentance not to be repented p. 485. Serm. XXIII Of Holinesse its nature and necessity p. 554. Serm. XXIV Of the Resurrection p. 577. Serm. XXV The Day of Judgement asserted p. 605. Serm. XXVI Of Hell p. 621. Serm. XXVII Of Heaven p. 647. Serm. XXVIII The Conclusion p. 677. The INTRODUCTION 2 TIM 1.13 Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus IT was the Character which our Lord gave of Iohn the Baptist He was a burning and a shining light Such should every Minister of the Gospel be shining with light and burning with zeal Joh. 5.25 he should have an head full of truth that he may disseminate and scatter beams of
clearly implies there were that did say so 3. A third principle he layes down is the doctrine of original corruption even in the regenerate themselves (c) Pelagiani negant originate peccatum Aug. cont Mendac Against those that taught the * Pelagiani Aug. contr Mend. total abolition of original sin in and by Baptisme or that denied the being or at least the damnable nature of it Verse 8. If we say we have no sin c. 4. The necessity of confession of sin not only against them (d) Epiphanius calls the Novatians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murderers of repentance Basil de poenit that decried repentance for sin and confession of sin but against them that denied pardon to them (e) Montanistae Novatiani Jerom. Ep. ad Marcel de erroribus Montani that repent If we confesse our sinnes he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins c. 5. He asserts the doctrine of actual sinne in the regenerate against them that affirmed that (f) The Simonians Gnosticks and other hereticks of that age taught that there was no sin but unbelief that to the justified all things were clean however they live vid. Aug. de perfectione justi c. 21 Clem. Alex. c. conceived the Apostles after the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon them nullis esse peccatis aut passionibus ohnoxii Joviniani docebant justum nec leviter peccare a justified person could not sin or which is the same that God sees no sin in his children If we say that we have not sinned we make him a lyar c. If we say we have no sin there 's the denial of original sin if we say we have not sinned there 's the denial of actual sin both make up the great heresie of the (g) Catharists in the third Centurie after Christ Catharists who held perfection in this life 6. The Apostle vindicates the preceptive obligation of the moral Law even over justified persons Against the Antinomian (h) The Simonians Carpocratians Marcionites Maniches did not only deny the moral law but curse and blaspheme it as given not by God but by some unlucky nature heresie which presumptuously breaketh even that yoke also from the neck of the Disciples Chap. 2. verse 3 4 5. Hereby we know that we love him if we keep his Commandments So early were these poysonous weeds sprung up in the Church of God The other Module which the Apostle layeth down is a Catalogue of Gospel-evidences certain marks and signs of an interest in Christ A Catalogue of Scripture-evidences and of a right and title to life eternal such as these 1. Obedience to Gods Commandments ut sup 2. Contempt of the world Ch. 2.15 3. Stedfastnesse in the doctrine of the Gospel verse 8 19 20 24. 4. Conformity to Jesus Christ in holinesse ch 3. ver 3. 5. Mortification 6 7 8 10. 6. Love to the Saints verse 14. and chapter 5.2 10 11. 7. A believing confession * Most blasphemously denied by the Simonians Chrystolites Pâ—oâ—tâ—es c. Aug. de haeres of Gods sending Jesus Christ into the world as the promised Messias with love to him and thankfulnesse for him chap. 4. In the four first verses of the fifth chapter we have no lesse than seven evidences each lincking in with the other and bearing witnesse to the other As 1. You have faith in Christ bearing witnesse to Regeneration Whosoever believeth c. is born of God 2. Love to God bearing witnesse to faith He that loveth him that begat c. 3. Love to the Saints bearing witnesse to our love of God He loveth him also that is begotten Augustine understands it of our love to Christ but the Context expounds it of our love to the Saints for so it followeth ver 2. where we have 4. Love to God reciprocally witnessing our love to the Saints Hereby we know we love the children of God when we love God 5. Obedience to Gods Commandments bearing witnesse again to our love And keep his Commandments 6. Delight testifying the truth of our obedience His Commandments are not grievous 7. And lastly Victory over the world bearing witnesse to Regeneration For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world Verse 4. It were easie out of this and the other two subsequent Epistles to compleat the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gospel EVIDENCES which are not thus expresly delineated that by them only the Church might describe her members as some loose and vaine spirits fancy but for the members of the Church to try and examine themselves by whither they be real and living members yea or no. It were easie I say to adde to the Catalogue but I have insisted too long upon the first demonstration sc Scripture Pattern I come now to the second demonstration namely The advantages of such Modules 1. For the Ornament of the truth The excellency and advantage of such Forms and Collections of Evangelical truths And In the first place it addes much to the beauty and ornament of the truth whither it be delivered from the Pulpit or from the Press in such Systemes and Platforms the Hearer or Reader may as in a Map or Table sometimes of one sort sometimes of another behold divine truths standing one by another in their Method and Connexion mutually casting light and lustre upon each other Every truth single is very precious and indeed of infinite value as purchased with and ratified in the blood of Christ but to see the truths of the Gospel linked together in their proper union facing one another like the Cherubims Exod. 25.20 is very glorious As the stones of the Temple when they were squared and polished in the Forrest were very costly for both matter and workmanship but when they were layd into the building and formed up into a Temple what a beautiful and magnificent structure did they make The Disciples beholding it Luk. 21.5 were filled with delight and wonder The Curtains of the Sanctuary each by themselves were very rich both for their materials and curious Embroyderies but had you seen them in their Connecture each Curtain fastned to the other with taches of gold and so making up one entire perfect Tabernacle sparkling and shining in all its native spendour it would have been a ravishing sight The very representation of many Countries in one Nation of many Nations in one of the divisions or quarters of the world and of all the quarters described in one Globe or Map it is very delightful to the eye of an intelligent beholder at once discovering the scite and cognation the Longitude and Latitude the distance and degree of every Kingdome and County such globes and tables are full of delight and profit It is in a most eminent manner observable in the Creation of the world of every single days work it is said God saw that it was good but when the whole Compages of heaven and earth was set together into
beauty thus by the Sun-beams we may clearly see a Divine providence Besides when it retires from us and a Curtain of darknesse is drawn over the world that proves the wisdome and goodnesse of God the Psalmist attributes the disposition of day and night to God the day is thine Psal 64.16 and with an Emphasis the night also is thine notwithstanding its sad appearance yet it is very beneficial its darknesse enlightens us its obscurity makes v sible the Ornaments of heaven the stars their aspects their dispositions their motions which were hid in the day it unbends the world and gives a short and necessary truce to its labours it recreates the wasted spirits 't is the Nurse of nature which poures into its bosome those sweet and cooling dews which beget new life and vigour the divine providence is also eminent in the manner of this dispensation for the Sun finishing its course about the world in the space of twenty four houres I speak of that part of the world which is inhabited causes that succession of day and night which doth most fâ—tly temper our labour and repose whereas if the day and night should each of them continue six entire months this division would be very inconvenient for us We may farther observe a wise providence in the diversity it hath used to lengthen and shorten the dayes and nights for the advantages of several Countryes for that part of the earth which is under the line being scorcht with immoderate heat wants a continual supply of moysture therefore the longest and coolest nights are there but it is otherwise in the Northern parts for the beams of the Sun being very feeble there providence hath so disposed that the dayes are extream long that so by the continuance of the heat the fruits may come to maturity and perfection And as the difference of day and night so the diversity of seasons proceeds from the motion of the Sun which is a work of providence no lesse admirable than the former as the motion of the Sun from East to West Psal 74.17 Thou hast made the Summer and Winter makes the day and night so from North to South causes Summer and Winter by these the world is preserved Summer crownes the earth with flowers and fruits and produces an abundant variety for the support of living creatures the Winter which seems to be the death of nature robbing the earth of its heat and life contributes also to the Universal good it prepares the earth by its cold and moysture for the returning Sun in the succession of these seasons the Divine Providence is very conspicuous for since the world cannot passe from one extream to another without a dangerous alteration to prevent this inconvenience the Sun makes its approaches gradually to us the Spring is interposed between the Winter and Summer that by its gentle and temperate heat it may dispose our bodyes for the excesse of Summer and in the same manner the Sun retires by degrees from us that so in the Autumne we may be prepared for the asperities of the Winter And to close this part of the Argument the invariable succession of times and seasons is a token of the same providence the Sun which runs ten or twelve millions of Leagues every day never failes one minute of its appointed time nor turns an inch out of its constant course but inviolably observes the same order so that there is nothing more regular equal and constant than the succession of day and night to ascribe this to hazzard is the most absurd extravagance for in the effects of chance there is neither order nor constancy as we may see in the casting of a Dy which hardly falls twice together upon the same square it is necessary therefore to conclude that an intelligent principle guides the revolutions of the Sun thus uniformly for the advantage of the world Psalme 19.1 2 3. The heavens declare the glory of God the firmament shews his handy work Day unto day utters speech and night unto night addes knowledge There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard what is that language and voice but a Universal Sermon to the world of Gods being and excellency Let us now consider that vast extent of aire which fills the space between heaven and earth this is of so pure a nature that in a moment it transmits the influences of heaven to the lower world this serves as an arsenal for thunders and lightenings whereby God summons the world to dread and reverence this is a treasury for the clouds which dissolving in gentle showers refresh the earth and call forth its seeds into flourishing and fruitfulnesse this fannes the earth with the wings of the winde allaying those intemperate heats which would be injurious to its inhabitants this is the Region for the Birds wherein they passe as so many self-moving Engines praising the Creatour this serves for the breath and life of man from hence we may conclude the wisdome of a God who so governes the several Regions of the aire as by them to convey blessings for the necessities of man and to send judgements for the awakening the secure to seek after God Let us now descend to the Sea and see how that informes us there is a God 't is a Truth evident to reason that the proper place of the waters is next to the aire above the earth for as it is of a middle nature between these two Elements being purer and lighter than the earth but more grosse and heavy than the aire so it challenges a situation between them that as the aire on all parts encompasses the Sea in like manner the Sea should overspread the earth and cover the whole surface of it that its natural inclination is such appears by its continual flowings who then hath arrested its course and stopt its violence who hath confined it to such a place and compass that it may not be destructive to the world certainly no other but the great God who first gave it being and motion besides that which renders the power of God more conspicuous is that by so weak a bridle as the sand its rage is bounded when it threatens the shore with its insulting waves you would fear lest it should swallow up all but it no sooner touches the sand but its fury is turned into froth it retires and by a kind of submission respects those bounds which are fixt by the Creatour Now that the fiercest Element should be represt by the feeblest thing in the world and that which breaks the Rocks be limited by the sand is a wonder of providence therefore the Lord alledges this as an effect only proceeding from his power and challenges an incommunicable glory upon this account Job 38.8 9 10 11 verses Who shut up the Sea with doores when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb when I made the cloud the garment thereof and thick darknesse a
jure not imperiously and threateningly but magna comitate that God will deale with man as with his friend and though he may give what Laws he will yet he will give none but what are easie and yet make them more easie by bountifully rewarding an easie obedience this speaks wonderful condiscention 2. The second thing considerable in the Natural Covenant is mans duty which consisted in the knowledge and love of God whence would have proceeded piety to God justice and love to man this was mans natural duty for we must distinguish the duty from the Symbole of duty Natural duty consisteth in those things that are good in their own nature and not in those things that are only good because God commands them the Law about the forbidden fruit was only for the tryal of mans obedience for had not the divine command intervened it would have been as lawful for man to have eaten of that Tree as any other Tree in Paradise but 3. The last thing I shall mention concerning this Natural Covenant is the Promise of Reward now that consisted in a perpetual life flowing with all manner of good things agreeable to the soule and body of man in that perfect estate 2. The second Covenant was the Legal now the Legal Covenant is that whereby God did râ—quire of the people of Israel obedience to the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law and to that obedience he promised all sorts of blessings in the Land of Canaan and to the dis bedient he denounced most severe curses and death and all to this end that he might bring them to the future Messiah Here I shall propose the same considerations as in the former Covenant only something more Therefore consider 1. Gods condiscention is singularly observable that ever he would enter into another Covenant with man when the first was broken this Moses useth as a mighty Argument to perswade Israel to observe the Covenant Deut. 4. from the 32. to the 40. verse Ask now of the dayes that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man upon earth and ask from the one side of heaven unto thie other whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or hath been heard like it Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire as thou hast heard and live Or hath God assayed to go and take him a Nation from the midst of another Nation by temptations by signes and by wonders and by warre and by a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arme and by great terrours according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes c. thou shalt therefore keep his Statutes and his Commandments which I command thee this day that it may go well with thee and thy children after thee c. 2. Consider mans duty in the Legal Covenant and that is obedience to the moral Law to which was added the Ceremonial Law for a Rule and Direction in the worship of God and the Judicial Law which was their divine policy for the government of the State All these are comprehended in the ten Commandments but the more-particular their directions were the more plain was their duty and the truth is it was but need that they should have particular direction when their Legal Covenant neither admitted of faith in the Redeemer nor repentance of sin for pardon of sin and curse for sin are inconsistent Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them As many as depend upon the works of the Law for Justification are under the curse and the Law discovered no other way of Justification but by Works 3. The third thing considerable in the Legal Covenant is the promise that God made to those that obeyed it and that was perpetual happiness in the Land of Canaan By the way to prevent mistakes I do not say neither will the Scripture at all warrant any such assertion as that the Fathers under the Old Testament had only temporal promises they had salvation promised them and pardon of sin promised them but thanks to the Gospel for those promises the Apostle tells us Gal. 3.17 The Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was foure hundred and thirty years after cannot disannull that it should make the promise of none effect the Morning Star of the Gospel Covenant that shone upon Abraham foure hundred and thirty years before the Legal Covenant was given did shine thorough that dark dispensation But to speak of the Legal promises as Lâ—gal so they are of temporal good things and they were made to works not to faith Rom. 4.4 To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt 4. The fourth thing considerable in this Covenant which had no place at all in the former is a Mediator Now the Mediator of the Covenant strictly legal was Moses for That needed only a meer man it not admitting of satisfaction nor reconciliation of mercy nor pardon Moses might serve as a Messenger to make known the minde of God unto the people Deut. 5.5 I stood bâ—tween the Lord and you at that time to shew you the Word of the Lord in the Natural Covenant communion with God was natural unto man and so there needed no Mediator In the Legal Covenant man was rather considered as what he should be than what he was and so a meer man was able in the name of the people to promise obedience and in the name of God to promise a reward and this Moses did you have both very plain in Deut. 5. The people do as it were say Go to God from us upon this Errand Ver. 27. Go thou nâ—ar and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will hear it and do it and God doth as it were say Go dismiss them with this blessing if they will be obedient Ver. 28.29 30. And the Lord heard the voice of your words when ye spake unto me I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee they have well said all that they have spoken O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments alwayes that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Go say to them Get you into your Tents again q. d. If they will keep their promise assure them I will keep mine and thus much concerning the Covenant strictly Legal 3. The third Covenant is the Gâ—spel-Covenant and here Beloved here is 2 Sam. 23.5 the Everlasting Covenâ—nt ordered in all things and sure This is all our salvation and all our desire Here is the
better Covenant established upon better promises But I must explain it before I admire it The Gospel Covenant is that whereby God upon the condition propounded of faith in Christ promiseth remission of sins in his blood and a heavenly life and that for this end that he might shew forth the riches of his mercy * Camero Here I shall propose the same considerations as in the former Covenant only still something more and more comfortably considerable in the consideration of the persons contracting namely God and man according to the proposed method 1. Consider Gods gracious condescention And now Beloved that I have named Gods gracious condescention were my heart but duly affected with it it would constrain me to stop and put in a large Parenthesis of admiration before I should speak a word more Will God after the loss of the natural communion wherein he created man will God when man dâ—eads his Majesty and trembles at his revenging justice will God then as a merciful Father enter into a Covenant of peace with poor undone sinners affrighted with the sense of sin and wrath O the incomprehensible â—ondescention of such unsearchable riches of grace that grace should abound according to sins abounding when sin over-flow d all its banks that God should make a way thorough the deep into the heavenly Canaan never can we enough admire such Extasying grace This is the first thing considerable 2. The second thing considerable is the duty which God requires in this Gospel Covenant and that is Faith faith whereby we embrace the remedy offered us We want a pardon and nothing but faith can receive it we want perfect Righteousnesse and nothing but faith can furnish us with it we want that which may make this Covenant effectual to us and make it a blessing to us and nothing can do any of these things but faith faith is the Antecedent Condition for which the Reward is given 3. The third thing considerable in the Gospel Covenant is the promise Now the promise of the Gospel Covenant is comprehended in the word Salvation therefore the Gospel is called the salvation of God Acts 28.28 And this is the great businesse of Christ to be a Saviour Isa 49.6 That thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the earth when the Angels preached the Gospel they thought they could not expresse their news in better language than to tell people of salvation that must needs be great joy to all people In short when Gospel Ministers come clad with garments of salvation as Heraulds do with the garments of their Office then Saints may well shout aloud for joy Psal 132.16 Now this promise of salvation contains all Gospel promises in it but they are reduced to these foure 1. Justification this is a priviledge which other Covenants were unacquainted with and without this what would become of poor sinful man And this may well be the first great Gospel promise I might name not some Verses but whole Chapters to prove it Rom. 4. and 5. Gal. 3. and 4. but in a word if you would know the preciousness of this promise Ask those that have but felt what sin is and they will tell you 2. The second promise contained in Gospel salvation is Sanctification Rom. 8.2 3 4. The Law of the Spâ—rit of life in Christ hath made me free from the Law of sin and death for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit q.d. The efficacy and power of the sanctifying Spirit which gives life to believers frees us from the tyranny of sin and death and whereas the Law by reason of the corruption of our nature could not make us pure and perfect but rather kindled than extinguished corruption God hath cloathed his Son with our flesh to take away the guilt and power of sin that his perfect righteousnesse might be imputed to us and fulfillâ—d by us that we might not live according to the motion of our sinful nature but according to the motion of his holy Spirit 3. The third promise is the resurrection of the body You know the penalâ—y of sin is the death of soul and body though the soul be immortal yet its being miserable for ever may sadly be called an Eternal death Now let the guilt of sin be abolished and you do therewith abolish the punishment of it for guâ—lt is only an obligation to punishmenâ— let sin be pardoned and the sinner is freed from death and though believers dye yet it is as a corne of wheat falls into the ground they thereby obâ—ain a multiplied life John 6.54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinkeâ—h my blood hath Eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day 4. The last promise is Eternal life a spiritual blessed and immortal life in heaven John 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 The Covenant of Grace is excellent fitted to bring us to the chiefest good Now the chiefest good consists in communion with God that was broken by sin and can never be perfectly recovered till sin be abolished therefore when the guilt of sin is taken away by Justification and the filthinesse of sin is taken away by Sanctification and the penalty of sin taken away by Resurrection then what can hinder our communion with God when we have once obtained perfect holinesse nothing can hinder us of perfect happinesse Thus you have the promise of the Gospel-Covenant which was the third considerable in it 4. The fourth thing to be considered in the Gospel-Covenant is the Mediator of this better Covenant and that is Jesus Christ God-man blessed for ever through his dignity he hath purchased salvation Hebr. 9.12 14. By his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God c. And he is not only the Author of Eternal salvation by his merit and efficacy but the most absolute example and pattern to us how we should walk that we may obtain his purchased salvation Rom. 8.29 God did predestinate us to be conformable to the Image of his Sonne that he might be the first born among many brethren 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly And this is the only Covenant whereof Christ is Mediator the first Covenant needed no Mediator the Old Covenant as Legal take it without its sprinkling of Gospel and so chiefly Moses but in all respects meer men were Mediators but of the New Covenant Christ was Mediator but this I shall leave
understand here by bowing the knee Answ 1. Some take this literally as the Papists who in their worship bow the knee as often as they heare the Name of Jesus mentioned The Learned Zanchy is of an opinion that some of the Ceremonies in use amongst the Papists might have an innocent Original as their signing with the Cross to show that they were not ashamed of the Cross of Christ with which the Heathens did reproach them and so the standing up at the Creed to note their resolution to strive together for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints So genuflection to the Name of Jesus was say some in opposition to the Arrians who denyed the Divinity of Christ but whether these things were so innocent at the first seeing they are all of humane institution and have been abused to superstition we have justly laid the use of them aside And this Text cannot be so understood for if by Name we understand the power of Christ then by bowing the knee must be meant our submission and subjection to this power By bowing therefore to the Name of Jesus is understood that obedience and subjection which is due to the Soveraign power and Auhority of Christ Thus when Joseph was exalted to that Dignity and Authority in Egypt Gen. 41.43 Joh. 5.22 23. Mat. 28.18 Acts 3.15 1 Cor. 2.8 that there was none greater than he but Pharaoh himself They cryed in the streets where Joseph went Bow the knee Thus God the Father gave Jurisdiction and Authority to the Son that they which honour the Father might also honour the Sonne All power saith Christ is given me both in Heaven and in Earth He is the Prince of Life and the Lord of Glory to whom all obedience service and subjection is most due Quest 2. Who are they must bow the knee to Christ and be in subjection unto him Answ All Creatures for the Enumeration is full which Chrysostome thus Expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc Things in Heaven on Earth and under the Earth i. e. Angels Men and Devils which Theodoret doth more clearly Explain 1. Things in Heaven i. e. good Angels and glorified Saints spirits of just men made perfect 2. Things on Earth all men living both good and bad 3. Under the Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infernalia i. e. Devils and damned spirits All these must bow the knee and must yield subjection unto Jesus Christ I. All knees in heaven shall bow to Christ voluntarily 1. The good Angels they did alwayes honour and obey the Lord Jesus It was the joy of the Angels of Heaven to be Subject and Serviceable unto Jesus Christ 1. Before the Incarnation of Christ an Angel instructed Daniel concerning the Messiah Dan. 9.24 and how long it should be before his coming 2. When the fulness of time was come an Angel comes to the blessed Virgin and said Feare not Mary for thou hast found favour with God Luke 1.30 31. and behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Sonne and call his Name Jesus 3. As soon as ever he was born an Angel brings the glad-tydings of it and a whole Hoste of them who sang together Job 38.7 Luke 2.13 and shouted for joy at the Creation of the world do with a song Celebrate Christs Nativity Glory be to God on High c. 4. When Jesus Christ was in danger to be kill'd by Herod an Angel warnes of the danger Mat. 2.13 and directs his Mother to flee with him into Egypt 5. When he was tempted by Satan forty dayes together a little before he entered upon the work of his Ministry Mat. 4.11 behold Angels came and Ministred unto him 6. When he was in his Agony in the Garden ready to take the cup of trembling out of his Fathers hand there appeared an Angel from heaven strengthening him Luke 22.43 This blessed Creature out of love and duty seeing his Lord and Master in such distress came in to succour him 7. And as the Angels gave the first notice of his Birth so also of his Resurrection an Angel told the woman He is not here Mat. 28.6 he is risen 8. The Angels attended Christs Ascension into Heaven for they told the Disciples Acts 1.11 That as they saw him ascending into heaven so he should come again from Heaven in like manner 9. And with infinite delight did they welcome Christ to heaven where Heb. 1.6 upon his first coming all the Angels did worship him Mat 25.31 2 Thes 1.7 Mat. 24.31 10. And Lastly When Christ shall come at the last day to judge both quick and dead he will come with all his holy Angels with him and shall be Revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels who then most willingly will be employed to gather together all his Elect from the foure Windes of Heaven Col. 1.16 All this service the good Angels performe unto Christ not only as he is their Creator for by him were created even the things that are in heaven But they yield him this Subjection as he is their Head and Governour Col. 2.10 Eph. 1.21 22. and so he is called the Head of all Principality and Power i. e. Of Angels And this voluntary subjection to Jesus Christ is because they have benefit by Christ though not in a way of Redemption yet they owe their Confirmation unto Christ The good Angels though they were created good and excellent creatures Hoc ipsum quod sancti Angeli ab illo statu beatitudinis in quo sunt mutari in deterius nullo modo possunt non est iis naturaliter insitum sed postquam creati sunt gratiae divinae largitate collatum Aug. de fide ad Pet. Diac. cap. 23. Qui erexit hominem lapsum dedit Angelo stanti ne laberetur Bern. yet as creatures their state is mutable and they had in them a potentiality and a possibility to sin and fall as well as those Angels which left their first station But this possibility is removed by Christ who by his grace did lift up fallen man and by his Powen preserves the Angels that they shall not fall And therefore it is that in a way of thankfulness the Angels in Heaven do bow their knee in Subjection and Service unto Christ 2. As the glorious Angels bow the knee to Christ in heaven so the spirits of just men made perfect the souls departed do in Heaven praise adore and worship the Lord Jesus Christ and do yield voluntary subjection and obedience to him unto which duty they are more carried by a principle of thankfulness that Christ hath Redeemed them this is shadowed out unto us by the Vision of Saint John who having seen the Lord Jesus taking the Book with seven Seales and opening it he heard the Saints in Heaven singing a new Song and saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seales thereof for thou wast slain
in Faith without wavering is required and he that wavereth is bid not to think he shall receive any thing Yea Jam. 5.15 the efficacy of the prayer of Faith is by him asserted and throughout Scripture by remarkable expressions and instances abundantly confirmed and proved Fidelem si putaveris facies is true as to God Sen. as well as man And that of the Roman Historian Liv. Vult sibi quisque credi habita fides ipsam plerumque obligat fidem But it doth not produce this eminent effect as to Prayer only rendring it acceptable but also 5. Acceptance to the person in all services together with the distinction of and denomination of Good given to habits and actions flowes from Faith Heb. 11.6 vers 4. vers 5. Without Faith it is universally and utterly impossible to please God By Faith our Sacrifices become excellent and we with them we and they please God and therefore it is not without good reason usually accounted that Wedding garment which renders our presence welcome to the Lord in any Ordinance or service Mat. 22.11 Faith taketh away the savor of the flesh which whatsoever is born of the flesh hath and gives a divine tincture and relish it is like a vein of gold running through all duties which makes them precious though still they be somewhat earthly That it is Characteristically denominative of other Graces and distinctive of them fâ—om moral vertues those splendida vitia may appear if it be considered That even that eminent Grace of Love is nothing without Faith 1 Cor. 13.2 Gal. 5.6 as no Faith without it could be any thing and doth nothing without it Faith worketh by Love not Love but Faith by it Faith being first and chief in being and working Humility was eminent in the woman and Centurion Mat. 15.27 28 Mat. 8.8 10. yet not Humility but Faith was taken notice of this being the main tree that a sprig from its root receiving its excellency from it and by faith accompanying and overtopping it becoming true humility and not a degenerate meanness and abject lowness of Spirit Sorrow for sin would not deserve the name of Repentance nor Confession be ingenuous but for the hand of Faith laid on the head of the Scape-goat Faith believing Gods promise concerning the Moderation Sanctification removal of Affliction worketh in a way of Patience Jam. 1.3 and this Faith accompanying ennobles Christian Patience and makes it not to be Obstinacy or Insensibility So it makes a Christians contempt of the World not to be a Vain-glorious pretence or a sullen morose reservedness Thus might we run through many more 6. Conquest over Adversaries and hinderances in the way to heaven Isa 9.6 Heb. 2.10 Ephes 6.16 Faith in the mighty God the Captain of our salvation who hath led captivity captive disarmed the powers of darkness and triumphed over them and we in him our head makes couragious and that victorious for if we resist the General of the adverse party will flee Jam. 4.7 1. Pet. 5.9 only we must resist him stedfast in the Faith holding up that shield that will repel and quench all his darts For the life of sence in the lusts of the flesh and of the eye 2 Cor. 5.7 and the pride of life the life of Faith is diametrically opposite thereto by Faith not sight c. doth necessarily weaken it as we find in those Worthies Heb. 11. that by Faith denied themselves in so many things pleasing to flesh and blood and did and suffered so many things contrary thereto For the World as that same eleventh of the Hebrews giveth remarkable instance so St. John beareth testimony in most significant phrase to the power of Faith herein 1 Joh. 5.4 calling it the Victory whereby we overcome the world because certain victory attends and shall crown all that fight the good fight of faith against the World as the God and Prince of this world so the pleasures of the world the honors the profits the friendship of the World with their contrary troubles and the snares and temptations of both 7. Confession and profession of the Faith This is an inseparable adjunct and consequent of true Faith though I call it not a property because this may be where true faith is not but where Faith is this will be also all is not gold that glisters but that is not gold that doth not glister Can a man carry fire in his bosom and not discover it Can a man have the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5.13 and believe yet not speak The Apostolical command is not only that we stand fast in the Faith 1 Cor. 16.13 Heb. 10.23 Rom. 10.10 but also that we hold fast the profession of our Faith for as with the heart man believeth to justification so with the mouth confession is made to salvation Let our unchristianly and irrational deriders of Professors and Profession consider this 8. It giveth the soul a sight of things invisible Heb. 11.27 Joh. 1.18 Exod. 33.20 2 Cor. 4.18 and an enjoyment of things to come By Faith Moses saw him that is invisible Jehovah whom otherwise no man hath seen nor can see and live Yea by the same St. Paul and others of the faithful looked at those eternal good things which are not seen 5.7 for they walked by Faith and not by sight By this the Saints can look within the vail By Faith the soul takes a prospect of the promised Canaan this being the Pisgah of its highest elevation Joh. 8.56 By this Abraham saw Christs day and rejoyced It gives a present subsistence to certain futures and is the evidence of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and not seen for which cause the believers conversation will be in heaven where he seeth his treasure is and where therefore his heart is 9. Joy and Peace in some degree is an immediate effect of true Faith and no true Joy is without Faith though higher degrees flow through Assurance Rom. 15.13 There is joy and peace in believing and a joy of Faith especially when conjoyned with growth Phil. 1.25 It is expressed by leaning and staying upon the Lord which speaks support fixation quietation of mind For which cause a childe of God under desertions prefers his life of Dependance before the Worldlings life of enjoyment and findes some satisfaction in present unsatisfiedness hath some glimmerings of light in the dark night of unassuredness God hath promised to keep him in peace in peace translated perfect peace whose mind is staid on him 2 Isa 26 3. Ch ron 20.20 because he trusteth in him Believing in the Lord brings establishment not only as to the condition and state of the person but also as to the disposition and frame of the mind We finde it in other cases believing the promise and relying on the power and love of another affords a great calm and some secret joy to a mind
conscience are constrained to repent of their miscarriage like Shimei his repentance for cursing David occasioned only by the change of Davids condition 2 Sam. 19.20 1 King 2.39 40. and crosse of his own expectation which yet at length leads him to sin against his soul and break his bounds unto his own ruine and like Judas in a dogged humour deploring his sin unto self-destruction many men turn out of sin because it turns Wife and children out of doors deprives them of expected preferment disposeth them into distresse and anguish of soul or body or both these men have no natural enmity to sinne but are like a Bowle turned out of its Biasse by some more than ordinary rub to their desires Give me leave to adde one more and that is the Quakers Repentance 7. False Repentance not fit to be mentioned nor worthy the least refutation it is so notoriously prophane and ridiculous were it not too much successeful in these sad times in which God hath given us up to a spirit of delusion so as that the most palpable of errours finde entertainment this is the Repentance whereby men following the pretended light within them are suddenly converted from extreame loosenesse to extreame strictnesse of behaviour it is to be wondred at to see what a sudden leap the lewdest men make by this rude spirit from the most horrid lewdnesse to the most strange solitary and self-affected way of behaviour these men we must not deny to be changed unlesse we will deny our senses nor own to be Gospel-penitents unlesse we deny our Religion and very reason for themselves professe it to be from no other principle than the light within thâ—m which they say also is common to all men and so is at the best but natural though in them plainly visible to be diaboli al whilst it carrieth not so far as the light of nature but is contrary to the dictates thereof in natural and civil society darkening nay declaiming against those very notes of distinction which God and nature hath in all Nations made between man and man being violent sudden and precipitate by some absession or enthusiastique impulse as from the Devil not by any moral swasion or intellectual conviction which is proper to a reasonable soule and therefore acts wilfully with rage and rabid expressions not able and so refusing to render a reason of their actions or perswasions but with obduracy persisting in their own self-affected profession without the least possibility of conviction or capacity of discourse reducing them into a direct Bedlam temper fit for nothing but Bedlam Discipline so that in the very forme thereof men of reason and the least measure of Religion must needs conclude their conversion Devilish not Divine yet in the effect of it their repentance must needs appear not to be true Gospel and saving repentance as being dissonant to the nature in the very formality thereof for however it turns them from sin yet not with due contrition and confession or on due conviction not from sin as sin they retain pride railing disrespect to men are void of natural affection despise dominion speak evil of dignities whilst they damne drunkennesse swearing and other the like abominations but it never turnes them unto God nay it keeps them at an equal nay a greater distance from God than from the Devil from heaven than hell whilst they deny civility and the common reverence children owe to Parents Servants to Masters and all Inferiours to Superiours decline God disown and declaime against holinesse praying hearing Sabbath and Sacraments are to them as the vices they do detest Gospel-Ministers and Ministrations are to them an abomination whilst they refuse to sweare they refuse to pray drunkennesse and devotion are equal in their account if with Jehu they drive furiously against Baal and Ahab yet they mind not to walk with God but follow the way of Jeroboam both for Rebellion towards men and confusion in the Church so that they appeare farre from Gospel-penitents I have done with the first general part considerable viz. the nature of repentance and shall now proceed to the second and that is The NECESSITY of Repentance Repentance in the very nature of it which hath been explained doth appeare useful and necessary It is not a thing base and vile to be despised neglected and contemned but admirably excellent and to be prized and pursued by every soul that is studious of true excellency for however proud men prophanely deem and damne it as a puling property and pusillanimous temper of spirit below a man on every ordinary action to sit drooping and pensive and not dare to do as nature dictates and good company requires yet the children of wisdome well pondering what hath already been spoken of it cannot but see it sparkle with such splendid notes as engage them to esteem it and employ themselves in it night and day making it their work and businesse saying as Tertullian Nulli rei natus nisi poenitentiae I am born for nothing but to repentance For from what hath already been spoken it is apparantly excellent in its First Nature being a remorse for guilt and return from sin which who even among the Heathen did not esteem remorse for guilt is the rejoycing of heaven returns are the delights of God in Luke 15.7 10. rhe teares of sinners is the wine of Angels saith Bernard Secondly Authour and Original a grace supernatural grows not in natures Garden cannot be acquired by the most accurate industry or endowments of nature it is from heaven by the immediate operation of the holy Spirit Christ himself is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance Shall divine works celestial influences lose their esteem Thirdly Ground and principle â—t flowes from faith and is the result of hope it is not the lamentation of despaire but complaint of candor and confidence affording comfort streami g with pleasure from the soule the priviledge of the Gospel and Covenant of grace it flowes from the fountaine of Divine favour 4. Concomitants Confession and Supplication accesse to God with assurance of acceptance Confession is the souls physick saith Nazianzen and Supplication is the Childs portion And indeed what is there in the Nature of Repentance which rendreth it not desirable by every gracious heart or good nature so that to men that seek excellent endowments and are for high and honourable atchievements I must say Repent Repenâ— This is Alexanders honour this is the only ornament of nature the way to highest preferment is to be humbled under the hand of God But not only is it in it self excellent and to be esteemed by such as can and do obtain it but also necessary not of indifferency but of absolute and indispensable necessity men may not choose whether or no they will repent but must do it with all care and diligence with all speed and alacrity and amongst the many Demonstrations which might be urged I
the whole man and shutteth out all list or leasure to repent 7. They are in danger dolefully to outdate the day of grace God doth manifest graces beauty and magnifie the necessity of Repentance by limiting its time to day if ye will hear his voice well and good if not he will sweare in his wrath you shall not enter into his rest if the day of grace be once expired Repentance may be sought with tears but not obtained and then the pleasures of sin will be shortning conscience will grow clamorous and torment with an expectation of fiery indignatâ—on to be revealed from heaven lamenting too late Oh that I had known in that my day Luke 19.42 the things which Concerne my Peace which are now hid from mine eyes Such as in time will not when it is too late shall see that repentance is the One Thing Necessary of mans life is even of absolute Necessity I have laid before you the two first general things considerable viz. the Nature and Necessity of Repentance wherein I have been longer than intention but shall be more brief in the two remaining I passe then to the third thing propounded viz. The Notes and Characters of true Repentance And concerning this I might return back to the description of Repentance and make that an examination of the truth of your Repentance but I will leave that to your own private meditations and only examine your Repâ—ntance by the Characters propounded by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians For behold this self-same thing that you have sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignaâ—ion yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 in which we have two remarkable Notes and Characters of true Rpentance First The general nature of it godly sorrow Secondly The Concomitants thereof care fear c. 1. Mark of Repentance The first Note or Mark of Repentance is godly sorrow I have before Noted sorrow to be essential to Repentance God never calls to Repentance but he calls to weeping or promiseth Repentance Mr. Calamies Sermon before the house of Commons Octob. 22. 1644. but he promiseth a spirit of mourning excellently well saith an eminent Minister of this CITY God hath tyed sin and sorrow together with Adamantine chains A woman may as soon look to be delivered of a Childe in a dream as a man to repent without sorrow Sorrow is indeed the daughter of sin but God hath made the daughter a means to destroy the mother you must not look to dance with the Divel all day and sup with Christ at night to lie in Dalilah's Lap all your lives and go to Abrahams bosome when you dye To the merry Greeks and Boon Companions of the world Repentance seems madnesse because it calls for mourning for wheresoever there is true Repentance there must there will be sorrow for sinne This sorrow must be godly sorrow after a godly sort it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God Godly in its Author Occasion Object End and Effects it must be godly sorrow in its Author springing from God and God alone the working of natural passions by a supernatural power and principle a spirit of mourning even the Spirit of God melting and making the hard heart to mourn a rock relenting on the stroak of Gods rod the stony heart is taken away and an heart of flesh given by the Lord this sorrow is Gods gift from Golgotha the death of the Son of the Son of God depresseth in us all joy and comfort Nature is no Author though an Actor in this grief It is godly in its Occasion Divine offence rather than Humane losse sinne not smart is the ground reason occasion of it it is most in their hearts who in respect of the world have least cause to mourn it is not for losse of wife children goods or credit but breach of Divine Law its complaint is not I am undone but God is offended the Law violated Christ is dishonoured it is more for deformity than deserved misery for extinguished holinesse than miseries to be endured a mourning for sin as sin as it is offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo an act of disobedience an act of unkindnesse It is dolor to God Against thee thee only have I sinned The souls unlikenesse to God unlocks its passion the utmost of perplexities cannot abate its joys if God appear well-pleased nor the highest of enjoyments silence its sorrow whil'st God stands offended It is godly in its object it is s rrow towards God Acts 20.21 A lamenting after the Lord 1 Sam. 7.2 A looking unto Christ and mourning oveâ— him whom we have pierced Zech. 12.10 As a man runs with bleared eyes to the party offended Oh Sir I have offended wronged you will you forgive me So penitent David runs to God and with remorse crieth Against thee thee only have I sinned And the Prodigal crieth to his father I have sinned against thee In days of affliction and atonement Israel assembled and mourned before the Lord penitent Ephraim crieth Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised This sorrow speaks not in the ears of men but God it is not open and seen to the world but secret serious towards God It is godly in its end and effects it is expressed to God that God may be enjoyed this sorrow speaks unto God the vindication of his justice That thou mayst be justified when thou judgest and righteous when thou speakest It is not a mourning of murmuration but of justification Why should a man complain a man for the punishment of his sin it is a sorrow that sets a lustre on the least mercy it is of the Lords mercy we are not consumed We are lesse than the least of his mercies is its language this sorrow is of submission I have sinned let the Lord do what seems him good it lies prostrate at the feet of God for mercy and resigned into the will of God Wherein I have done amiss shew it me I will do so no more and so devotes it self unto God to suffer or do his will its out-cry is Lord what wouldest thou have me to do it is every way godly sorrow This is the first Mark of Repentance The second Note or Character followeth upon it 2. Mark of Repentance and is the Concomitants some call them adjuncts properties effects but I shall only say inseparable Concomitants of this godly sorrow and these are seven in number First Care by some rendred study in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Concomitant of godly sorrow which as Cicero rendreth is a very earnest application of a man unto something with great delight And as Interpreters render it signifieth serious intention of minde and speedy sedulous execution of hand so that it stands opposite to security and slothfulness and intends to Note the diligence and dexterity of
Gospel from being Preached if possible he would blow out the light and hinder men from hearing but chiefly from understanding if our Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that perish the eyes of whose minde the god of this world hath blinded lest the light of the gl rious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 And when God brings to repentance he breaks these barres of ignorance he pulls off these scales of blindnesse and begins with the understanding true grace begins alwayes at the renewing of the mind the transforming of the mind to know the good and acceptable Will of God is the formality of the Gospel-grace true repentance Rom. 12.2 And the knowledge of God being the princâ—ple of it is put for repentance They shall know God Hos 2.20 and God will be known by the Egyptians Isa 19.21 are the promises of repentance There can be no conviction of a contrariety to God where there is not a right conception of God and affection must follow apprehension ignoti nulla cupido how can we fear God or his goodness if we do not know him what reason of return to God when men know not his holinesse offended justice provoked power irresistible mercy in pardoning iniquity It is a seeming faire Apology for Pharaohs obduracy Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go The work of the Gospel is to open the blinde eyes in turning from Satan unto God the enquiry of Saul is first Lord who art thou Act. 9. then What wouldest thou have me to do Did men know who it is they sin against they never durst be so bold Study therefore the nature of God acquaint your selves with his Attributes his Holinesse Power Justice Mercy and the like Your soules will never be drawn from sin or driven into a course of true repentance untill God become your dread 3. Help to repentance Thirdly Sit close to the work of self-scrutiny be serious in self-examination no man sits so fast in impiety as the stranger at home none so soon run upon their ruine as the regardlesse of their accounts This is a remedy of Gods immediate prescription Commune with your hearts is on your beds Psal 4.4 Search and try your wayes and turn unto the Lord Lam. 3.40 Judge your selves Mat. 7.1 When we approach his Table where we are eminently to act repentance the whole work of preparation is resolved into self-examination 1 Cor. 11.28 Nay this is a receipt transmitted to us with a probatum est thus by David Psal 119.59 I examined my wayes and turned my feet into thy Testimonies And when the Prodigals wits returned to consider his wickednesse he would home to be a servant where he had been and might have been a son Gods rod is but a calling us to reckon with our own souls he never reasons with any by correction that read their own estate in his instructions You have heard before that conviction must go before conversion mans conscience is a Register which will bring to remembrance and Judge that will clearly determine of mans wayes the worst of men by a short conference with their own soul would soon see a necessity of repentance censure others lesse and your selves more enquire not into other mens condition so much as your own Conversation let no day return without accounts be serious in self-examination Fourthly Sit loose to the world 4. Help to repentance the world is the great pull-back to heaven and hinderance of repentance you may observe the reason the Rebellion and impenitency of Ezekiels hearers was their hearts went after their covetousnesse Ezek 33.31 otherwise they took delight to hear That sad sentence A Camel may sooner go through the eye of a Needle than a rich man enter into the Kingdome of heaven was occasioned by a rich mans refusal of Christ his call to repentance Matth. 19.20 Riches choak the work and lift up the heart too high great men in the world think they live above all reproof for Tyrus-like they set their hearts as the heart of God Ezek. 28.6 and think to live without controle he that loves the world finds when called to repentance he is loth to leave pleasures it is hard to renounce riches it cuts deep to despise Wife Children Father Mother Friends and deare Relations he cannot but be dismayed at reproach and sufferings sin is the common property of the world the things of this world is the recompence of impiety they that sin highest ordinarily succeed most yet this is the great stumbling stone of the godly the world makes David almost repent his repentance Psal 73. They that will follow God must be strangers to the world true Penitentiaries must be pilgrims in the earth Fifthly See the shortnesse of life 5. Help to repentance and limitaton of the day of grace Hopes of long life and thoughts of repentance at pleasure help many a soul to hell our life we must consider is but a bubble a blast a shadow gone before it well appeare in which there is no certainty our time is in Gods hand he hath numbred our dayes but to which of us hath he declared the number hath he given any man a legible Lease of his life have the youngest strongest most healthful among us an assurance of to morrow and doth not eternity depend on the well-husbanding of this uncertain time is there any remembrance of God in the grave or repentance among the dead doth not death determine the eternal estate of men Dives eyes cannot distiâ—l one tear in hell though he call to Abraham for mitigation of torments never so much as begs the pardon of sin no that is too late see we not men pensive and sad at the thoughts of death Chrysostome hath told us the cause of the fear of death is because we live not in the austerity befitting Christianity but lead dâ—licate and voluptuous lives Could we make every day our dying day it would quicken us to repentance Hilarion never had a to morrow and when he comes to die he hath the comfort of it Oh my soul get thee out of this house of clay what dost thou fear Septuaginta pr pe annis servivisti Christo mortem tim s Hast thou served Christ almost seventy yeares and dost thou now feare death If we will live for ever we must die dayly if we will not defer repentance we must not determine to our selves any other time than the present Again if we know our time in nature who knoweth the date of the day of grace It is a limited day but the bounds thereof are not pub ished that to day whilst it is called to day we may hearken to his voice Heb. 4.4 7. lest he sweare in his wrath we shall not enter into his rest A season of salvation is allotted to the sons of men the old world had its day Jerusalem had her day every of us have our day
a Physician who could cure all bodily deformities what flocking would there be to him for help such a Physician is Death As Job had all things restored double when raised from the dunghil so shall a childe of God have all bodily deformities removed and his body shall be raised in glory and shine as the Sun in the firmament And why then should we be so afraid of death it is initium vivae spei the beginning of a living hope The Heathen mans Motto is Dum spiro spero while there is life there is hope but a Christians Motto is Dum expiro spero when I dye then my hope begins to live 4. Comfort to those who forgoe any members of their bodies for Christ If thou losest thy leg or arm or ear God will restore it again at the Resurrection The same leg c. as Christ healed the ear of Matchus he did not give him a new ear but the same again Famous is the story that Josephus tells of one of the seven children in the Maccabees who when he was to have his tongue cut out and his hand cut off said to his Mother These I have received from the Heavens and for the love of my God I despise them and trust that I shall receive them again 5. Comfort to the people of God when in the lowest condition When upon the dunghil and past help of man then let them remember That the God whom we serve can raise the dead and therefore can deliver them out of all their troubles though never so great and incurable This was Jobs comfort when in the saddest condition Job 19.25 26 27. It is proper to God to deliver from the lowest grave Psal 86.13 And for this very end and purpose God oftentimes brings his children into a very deplorable and desperate condition that they might learn to trust in that God who raiseth the dead 2 Cor. 1.12 6. Lastly Here is singular consolation in reference to the sad times in which we live It is with us now as it was with the Disciples when Christ was crucified their hopes dyed when Christ dyed their faith in Christ was dead and buried with Christ therefore they say Luke 24.21 We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel and besides all this to day is the third day since these things were done As if they should have said Christ hath now been so long in the grave that we have no hope of salvation by him it is now the third day and we hear no tidings of him Even so the people of God are ready to say of these times We had thought that this had been the time wherein Christ would have made the Churches of England very glorious and have taken away all our tynne and drosse out of his Church and perfectly have purged his floor and made a most happy Reformation But we see that Christ is still in the grave and there are mountains upon mountains rowled over him to keep him still in it We are in as bad a condition as ever and our hopes as desperate and it is now not onely the third day but the thirteenth nay the sixteenth year and yet we are not delivered But now hearken to a Word of Consolation As Christ rose in spight of the Jews they rowled a stone upon the mouth of the grave and sealed it and set a watch to keep it and yet he rose in spight of them all So shall Religion and the Gospel and Church of Christ rise notwithstanding all the opposition made against it Though never so many Mountains â—e in the way God will in time rowl away all these Mountains Mat. 16. Isa 54. Zach. 12.3 for Christ haih said That the gates of Hâ—ll shall not prevail against his Church and that no weapon formed against Jacob shall prosper and that he will make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all people all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it As the children of Israel the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied so the more the Church of Christ is trodden under foot the more it will prosper As Moses his bush burned and was not consumed because God was in it so the Church of Christ may be burning and full of troubles and afflictions which shall purge it Rev. 11.7 8 9 10 11. and refine it but it shall not be consumâ—d for Christ is risen and his Church shall rise The God whom we serve is a God who can raise the dead It is related of the two Witnesses that when they shall have flnished their estimony they should be slain and lie three days and an half unburied and that the people that dwell upon the earth should reâ—oâ—ce over them and make merry But yet notwithstanding the Spirit of God should after three days and an half enter into them and they should stand upon their feet and ascend up to Heaven in the sight of their Enemies By these two Witnesses are meant all the eminent Opposers of Antichrist whether Magistrates or Ministers who though they prophesie in sackcloath 1260 years and towards the end of them which is yet to come be in a more then ordinary manner massacred and killed yet they shall after a little while rise again in their successors stand â—pon their feet and ascend up to a more heavenly and glorious condition There will be a happy and blessed Resurrection of the Church Famous is the Parable of the Dry Bones Ezek. 37. God saith to the Prophet Son of man can these bones live The Prophet answered O Lord God thou knowest Then God tells him That he would cause breath to enter into the dry bones and make them to live c. Though the Church of Christ be in as sad a condition as the Israelites in Babylon and be as dry bones in a grave and though the Prophets know not how they can be raised 2 Pet. 2.9 yet God knoweth how to deliver his people He can and will in due time raise them up to a more pure and happy estate even in this life Let us comfort one another with these things Use 3. OF Terrour to all the wicked and ungodly that cannot say with Job I know my Redeemer liveth but I know my Revenger liveth There will a time come when they that now stop their ears and will not hear the voyce of Christ speaking by his Word and Ministers shall hear a voyce whether they will or no and shall come out of their graves to the Resurrection of condemnation just as Pharaohs Baker out of Prison or as Malefactors out of Newgate to be executed at Tiburn Happy were it for such that there were no Resurrection that their souls did dye as the souls of Brute Beasts But let such know That there shall be a Resurrection of the unjust as well as of the just and that there will a day come in which
declare to them the true God and he doth it ab effectu That God which made the world and all things therein is Lord of heaven and earth ver 24. To Create is the best demonstration of a Deity And this God being everywhere by way of repletion * Jer. 23.24 cannot be locally confined He dwelleth not in Temâ—lâ—s made with hands ver 24. And though in former times when the vaile of Ignorance was drawn over the face of the world God seemed lesse severe ver 30. The times of this ignorance God winked at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did as it were overlook them not taking the extremity of the Law yet now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent ver 30. And if it be asked why now repent why may we not take our full sleep The Reason is because now is the broad day-light of the Gospel which as it discovers sin more clearly so judgment upon sinners He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world Which words are Gods Alarum to the world to awaken it out of security This is a sweet yet dreadful point When Saint Paul discoursed of judgement to come Faelix trembled Acts 24.25 He that is not affected with this Truth hath an heart of stone For the illustration of this there are six things I shall discusse 1. That there shall be a day of judgement 2. Why there must be a day of judgement 3. When the day of judgement shall be 4. Who shall be the Judge 5. The order and the method of the Trial. 6. The effect or consequent of it I begin with the first That there shall be a day of judgement There is a twofold day of judgement 1. Dies particularis a particular judgement at the day of death immediately upon the souls dissolution from the body it hath a judgment passed upon it * Hebr. 9.27 Eccles 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was the spirit shall return to God that gave it As soon as the breath expires the soul receives its particular sentence and knows how it shall be with it to all eternity 2. There is Dies universalis a general day of judgement which is the great Assises when the world shall be gathered together and of this the Text is to be understood He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world I might impannel a whole Jury of Scriptures giving in their verdict to this but in the mouth of two or three witnesses the truth will be confirmed Eccles 12.14 God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing Eccles 12.14 whether it be good or evil Mat. 12.36 Every idle word men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement * Mat. 12 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 96 13. Now is the day of Arr ars then will be the day of Account Psalme 96.13 For he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth The Ingemination denotes the certainty and infallibility of his coming Secondly Why there must be a day of judgement 1. That God may execute justice on the wicked Things seem to be carried here in the world with an unequal balance The Candle of God shines upon the wicked * Job 29.3 They that tempt God are delivered * Mal. 3.15 Diogenes seeing Harpalus a Thief goâ—on prosperously said sure God had cast off the government of the world and minded not how things went here below 2 Pet. 3.4 2 Pet. 3.4 There shall be in the last days Scoffers saying Where is the promise of his coming Therefore God will have a day of Assizes to vindicate his justice he will let sinners know that long-forbearance is no forgiveness 2. That God may exercise mercy to the godly Here piety was the white which was shot at they who prayed and wept had the hardest measure those Christians whose zeal did flame most met with the fiery tryal Rom. 8.36 Rom. 8.36 For thy sake we are killed all the day long The Saints as Cyprian saith are put in the wine-presse and oft the blood of these grapes is pressed out God will therefore have a day of judgement that he may reward all the tears and sufferings of his people They shall have their Crown and Throne and White Robes though they may be Losers for him they shall lose nothing by him * Rev. 7.9 Thirdly When the day of judgement shall be 'T is certain there shall be a judgment uncertain when the Angels know not the day nor Christ neither as he was man Matth. 24.36 And the reason why the time is not known is 1. That we may not be curious There are somethings which God would have us ignorant of Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father hath put in his own power We must not pry into Gods Ark or intermeddle with his Arcana imperii it is a kinde of Sacriledge as Salvian speaks for any man to break into the Holy of holies and enter into Gods secrets 2. God hath concealed the time of judgement that we may not be careless We are alwayes to keep Centinel having our Loyns girr and our Lamps burning not knowing how soon that day may overtake us God would have us live every day saith Austin as if the last day were approaching * Ideo latet ultimus dies ut observentur omnes dies Austin Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum This is the genuine Use our Saviour makes of it Mark 13.32 Of that day and houre knows no man no not the Angels in heaven Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is But though we cannot tell precisely when this day of the Lord shall be yet in probability the time cannot be far off Hebr. 10.3.7 He that shall come Hebr. 10.37 will come and will not tarry Chrysostome hath a simile when saith he we see an old man going on Crutches his Joynts weak his radical moisture dried up though we do not know the just time when he will dye yet it is sure he cannot live long because natures stock is spent So the world is decrepit and goes as it were upon Crutches therefore it cannot be long before the worlds Funerals and the birth-day of judgement The Age which Saint John wrote in was the last time 1 John 2.18 in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.18 the last houre then sure the time we now live in may be called the last minute Psal 96.13 For he cometh to judge the Earth Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall come but he cometh * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew how near the time is It is almost day-break and the Court is ready to sit Jam. 5.9 The Judge standeth at the door Verily if Security * Mat. 24.37 Apostasie * 1. Tim. 4.1 Decay of Love * Mat. 24.11
to be tryed for his life he would bethink himself of all the Arguments he could to plead in his own defence we are all shortly to be tryed for our souls while others are thinking how they may grow rich let us bethink our selves how we may abide the day of Christs coming The serious thoughts of judgement would be 1. A Curben-bit to sinne am I stealing the forbidden fruit and the Assizes so neare 2. A spur to holinesse * Nihil est quod magis proficiat ad vitam honestam c. Amb. 1 Pet. 3.10 But the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night seeing then all these things shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all Holy Conversation 2. Branch 2. Branch Let us solemnly prepare our selves for this last and great Trial that is by setting up a judgement-seat in our own souls let us begin a private Sessions before the Assizes it is wisdome to bring our souls first to tryal Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes let us judge our selves according to the Rule of the Word and let conscience bring in the Verdict The Word of God gives several Characters of a man that shall be absolved at the day of judgement and is sure to go to Heaven Character 1 1. Character is humility Job 22.29 The Lord will save the humble person Now let conscience bring in the Verdict Christian art thou humble not only humbled but humble dost thou esteem others better than thy self Phil. 2.3 dost thou cover thy duties with the vail of Humility as Moses put a vail on his face when it shined if conscience brings in this Verdict thou art sure to be acquitted at the last day Character 2 2. Character love to the Saints 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren Love makes us like God 1 John 4.19 it is * Aug. radix omnium virtutum the root of all the graces Doth conscience witness this for you are you perfum'd with this sweet spice of love do you delight in those who have the Image of God do you reverence their graces do you bear with their infirmities do you love to see Christs picture in a Saint though hung in never so poor a frame this is a good sign that thou shalt pass for currant at the day of judgement Character 3 3. Character a penitential frame of heart Acts 11.18 Repentance unto life Repentance unravels sin and makes it not to be Jerem. 50.20 In those dayes the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none A great ball of Snow is melted and washed away with the rain great sinnes are washed away by holy tears Now can conscience bring in the evidence for thee dost thou tune the penitential string thou that hast sinn'd with Peter dost thou weep with Peter * Qui secutus es Petrum errantem sequere poenitentem Ambros and do thy tears drop from the eye of faith this is a blessed sign thou art judgement-proof and that when thy iniquities shall be sought for at the last day they shall not be found Character 4 4. Character Equity in our dealings Psa 24.3 4. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord mundus volis he that hath clean hands Injustice doth sully and defile the hand what saith conscience is thy hand clean it is a vain thâ—ng to hold the Bible in one hand and false weights in the other Beloved if conscience upon a Scripture-trial give in the verdict for us it is a blessed sign that we shall lift up our heads with boldnesse at the last day Conscience is Gods eccho in the soul the voice of conscience is the voice of God and if conscience upon an impartial trial doth acquit us God will acquit us 1 John 3.21 If our heart condemn us not 1 John 3.21 then have we confidence towards God If we are absolved in the lower Court of conscience we are sure to be absolved at the last day in the High Court of Justice It were a sweet thing for a Christian thus to bring himself to a Trial. Seneca tells us of a Romane who every day ca led himself to account quod malum sanasti what infirmity is healed wherein art thou grown better then he would lie down at night with these words O quam gratus sonnus O how sweet and refreshing is my sleep to me Use 4 Use 4. Here is a fountaine of Consolation opened to a believer and that in three Cases Consolation In case of 1. Discouraging fear 2. Weaknesse of grace 3. Censures of the world Case 1 First Here is comfort in case of discouraging fear Oh saith a believer I fear my grace is not armour of proof I fear the cause will go against me at the last day Indeed so it would if thou wert out of Christ but as in our Law-Courts the Client hath his Atturney or Advocate to plead for him so every believer by virtue of the interest hath Christ to plead his Cause for him 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2.1 What though Satan be the accuser if Christ be the Advocate Christ never lost any Cause he pleaded nay his very pleading alters the nature of the cause Christ will show the debt-book crossed with his own blood and it is no matter what is charged if all be discharged here 's a Believers Comfort his Judge will be his Advocate Case 2 Secondly Here is comfort in regard of weaknesse of grace a Christian seeing his grace so desective is ready to be discouraged but at the day of judgement if Christ finde but a dram of sincerity it shall be accepted if thine be true gold though it may be light Christ will put his merits into the Scales and make it passe currant he that hath no sinne of allowance shall have graines of allowance I may allude to that Amos 9.9 Ne lapillus in terram yet shall not the least grain fall to the earth He that hath but a grain of grace not the least grain shall fall to Hell Case 3 Thirdly it is comfort in case of Censures and slanders the Saints go here through strange reports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6.8 John Baptists Head in a Charger is a common dish now adayes 't is ordinary to bring in a Saint Beheaded of his good name but at the day of judgement Christ will unload his people of all their injuries he will vindicate them from all their calumnies Christ will be the Saints Compurgator he at that day will present his Church sine macula ruga * Eph. 5.27 not having spot or wrinkle OF HELL MATTH 25.41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels IF any in the broad
that it shall not go well with the wicked this day of judgement is the day of recompence to the righteous wherein it shall be made manifest it is not in vaine to serve God or walk mournfully before him the iniquities of the penitent shall not be found when sought for but appear blotted out of Gods remembrance for that if there be in the soul any sence of sin and fear of judgment this is one eminently forcible argument to perswade repentance shall men continue in sin which shall erelong be laid open to their shame or pursue the pleasures which shall shortly end in perplexities and not rather judge themselves that they may not be judged by the Lord Thus then the Gospel doth by plain and powerful arguments call unto repentance and witnesse its necessity But yet again The most powerful helps conducing to Repentance are afforded by the Gospel and thereby it calls most loudly to Repentance leaving us altogether without excuse and sealing us under inevitable condemnation in case we do not repent the Gospel affords the fulnesse of knowledge for the enforcement of Repentance ignorance and unbelief those bars and locks of impenitency are broken open the Gospel opens the blinde eyes and turnes us from darkness to light makes all men from the least to the greatest to know the God that is offended to be a God of jealousie that will not endure iniquity he is a consuming fire to the hypocrite in Zion The Law that is violated is just holy and good the guilt contracted is so contrary and provoking to justice that in it there is no possibility of approach to God that therefore Christ is exalted a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance before Remission of sin Repentance is a free gift conferred by the Covenant of grace signified and sealed in Baptism Christ Jesus the Donor we need but ask and have the death of Jesus the efficient cause of Repentance it is wrought by union with the same so that the Gospel makes us to see the necessity nature next way method and order of repentance we cannot now plead we knew not what it was to repent where or how to gain repentance or that there was so great a need of it The Gospel helps us to the Spirit that worketh Repentance The Ministry of the Gospel is the Ministry of the Spirit this awakeneth the most sleepy conscience and shaketh the most rocky heart this makes Herod heare John gladly and the Jews to rejoyce in his light this makes Foelix himself to tremble and Simon Magus to fall down like lighâ—ening none can continue impenitent under the Gospel but by quenching the Spirit grieving the Spirit nay with rage resisting the Spirit and counting themselves unworthy of salvation The great work of the Gospel is to send forth the Spirit to convince the world of sin Act. 13.46 7 51. righteousnesse and judgement and the Spirit by the Gospel works conviction unto very opposition with rage and violence and malicious attempts to extinguish its light and destroy the Ministers that publish it if it do not convince unto conversion and repentance hence the sin unpardonable constituted say some but I am sure compleated by impenitency is called blasphemy against the Spirit for and by reason of its spite and rage against the Gospel We see then that the Gospel teacheth repentance as its maine doctrine offereth repentance as its prime priviledge urgeth repentance as its chief duty and enforceth repentance as its only end and so loudly calleth unto repentance that we are bound to the obedience of the Gospel as the last of Divine instructions and after which we must expect no direction to our happinesse but this must stand as the high aggravation of impenitency as a sin against the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ the death sufferings resurrection of the Son of God the Covenant and Spirit of grace Repentance is absoultely and indispensably necessary So that in order to the antiâ—ipation of divine fury and answer of the call of the Gospel we see the necessity of repentance And this is the second general Head propounded which give me leave to dismisse with a brief but plaine rebuke and blame unto the sinful demeanour and carriage of men in the world demonstrating an insensibility of this indispensable necessity of Repentance and it consists in two things viz. the Contempt Of Repentance Neglect Of Repentance 1. Note of insensibility of repentance The sinful carriage of men evidencing their insensibility of its necessity is the contempt of Repentance whereby men scoffe at repentance despising all calls thereunto scorning it as a base and contemptible melancholy humour below the spirit of men they live like men in Covenant with hell and at an agreement with the grave who need no repentance and therefore make their hearts hard and necks stiffe become obdurate and rebellions to all calls to repentance approve themselves a scornful people nay scoffers at the Doctrine of the Gospel and day of judgement which calls them to Repentance In the haughtinesse of their spirits they 1. Disesteem the mercies and common providences of God which should lead them to repentance They say not in their hearts Let us feare the Lord our God that giveth rain both the former and latter in its season and that reserveth to us the appointed weeks of the Harvest Jer. 5.24 but despise the patience and long-sufferance of God which should lead them to repentance 2. Decline nay despise the Word of God when preaching repentance they will not hearken to the sound of the Trumpet Jer. 6.17 have line upon line yet will not heare Isa 28.13 Nay pull away the shoulder and stop their eare lest they should hear Zech. 7.11 3. Disregard the judgements of God denounced or inflicted upon others for their warning all that God doth to treacherous Israel never affects or frightens treacherous Judah to make her return Jer. 3.10 The falling of the Tower of Siloa and Pilates mingling the blood of men with Sacrifices may occasion censorious thoughts Luk. 13.1 2 3 4 5. these were worse sinners than others but never any serious reflections that unlesse we repent we must all likewise perish Obdurate children never relent at their Brethrens correction nay when threatened themselves they blesse themselves in their heart and say We shall see no evil though we go on to adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 By their stubbornnesse they tire and stay Gods correcting hand with a Why should you be smitten any more you revolt still more and more Isa 1.5 4. Are desperate and daring in their impiety sinning with an high hand and brazen face with utmost resolution Come say they we will fetch wine and fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and more abundant Isa 56.12 are not ashamed when they commit abomination nor can they blush Jer. 6.15 they sin as Sodome not so much as seeking to hide their iniquity Isa
3.9 out-facing vengeance out-daring heaven out-vying hell Isa 28.15 deriding judgements denounced because deferred wâ—th O Watchman What of the night Isa 21.11 Where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3. nay blasphemously saying God is such an one as our selves Psal 50.21 and because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed their heart is fully set in them to work wickednesse Eccles 8.11 so that they do every way demonstrate a contempt of repentance and are so farre from owning a necessity of it that they deem it vaine and vile and so witnesse themselves to be desperately wicked wedded to their lusts and sold to work wickednesse who wi l not heare of parting from impiety though on hope of pardon or feare of hell and so justly called a stubborne people deeply disingenuous despising all dictates of self-preservation and escape of everlasting woe the deepest discoveries of divine wisdome which prescribeth repentance as mans remedy the displayings of divine affection soliciting repentance to prevent their ruine and so are foolish dolefully self-destructive denying the way of their safety and defying a God of power and jealousie to arise in his wrath against them and so aggravating their sorrow with an I would have healed thee but thou wouldst not be healed thy destruction is of thy self O Israel 2. Note of insensibility of repentance But the second sinful carriage of men evidencing their insensibility of the necessity thereof is the neglect of Repentance these men own it as a duty to be done and remedy to be used and dare not admit any contemptible thoughts of it yet they are slack unto and sleighty in the performance of it And of these there be three sorts 1. Sort of neglectors of repentance 1. Self-justitiaries men that are right in their own eyes see Repentance a needful grace but not needful unto them they are honest among men pay all their own live civilly among their Neighbours nay holy towards God they Pharisee like fast twice aweek pay tithes give almes heare Sermons read Scripture pray and the like these pity their prophane Neighbours and apply every reproof to them but as for themselves Bellarmine-like they have no sin to confesse they must straine conscience for some venial sins that they may passe the forme of absolution these are the whole who need no Physician and the righteous whom Christ calls not to repentance Untill convinced that this and more than this is consistent with Reprobation and is not enough to keep a soul from hell certainly these are 1. Ignorant of natures pollution Ezek. 16.2 Rom. 11.24 2. Vnobservant of the Law its exaction which concludeth all under guilt Rom. 3.17 3. Vnaffected with the prescribed way of salvation Repentance and Remission 4. Insensible of Divine scrutiny and judgement which they must passe Prov. 16.2.21 2. Matth. 9.13 5. Unacquainted with and unaccustomed to or indirect in the work of self-examination altogether strangers at home or seeing their faces in the false glasse of comparison with their vilest Neighbours for otherwise they could not but see Repentance absolutely necessary for themselves more than others for Publicans and Harlots will enter into heaven before them 2. Superficial penitents these see Repentance a duty 2 Sort of neglectors of repentance but deem it needs not much ado there is no such necessity of it as that a man should be taken up with it as his serious businesse therefore they regard not the quality of the act but passe themselves as penitentials with some formal carelesse performances some short sighs or sobs for sin trembling with Foelix at Pauls Preaching or quivering with Belshazzar on sight of Gods hand-writing and casting off some grosse prophane acts with Alexander or Polemon but never strike at the root of sin and mortifie lust or make a serious returne to God but shew themselves voide of the grace and ignorant of the nature of true repentance and fall under fallacious hopes of heaven which like the hope of an Hypocrite will faile them in the evil day when they shall be too late convinced that such is the necessity of Repentance that the matter there cannot be separated from the manner of performance 3. Such as set Repentance at a distance 3. Sort of neglectors of repentance and post it off from time to time these men are and indeed by dayly subjection to the Gospel cannot but be convinced Repentance is indeed a duty and exceeding necessary unto the remission of sins and sitting under the Word these men meet with many strong heart-shaking convictions which they bid welcome and unto the truth and goodnesse of what is required they assent and their affections work within them they cannot but sigh on sense of their sad condition and confesse it hath been bad with them but it shall now be better they conceive and declare good purposes but alas they prove abortive like Ephraims righteousnesse an early dew soon gone like the Son in the Gospel when called into Christ his Vineyard they answer I go Sir â—ut go not like lingring Austin pray but feare God will too soon say Amen to their prayer they protract time persist in sin and many times quench the motions of the Spirit within them suggesting to themselves though repentance be necessary it requires no haste these men do sinfully 1. Determine their own time not considering the uncertainty thereof that they are Tenants at the will of another in the hand of the God of time who may not give them another time sense of repentance should make us say Multis annis crastinum non habeo I have no to morrow 2. Deem grace to be within the reach of mans arme they think they can repent when they list not considering it is Gods gift so that they may enjoy their time but not repent were it at mens Command what disingenuity is it to deferre Repentance but in this case it is Grand presumption 3. Do what in them lieth to quench the Spirit stifling convictions disobeying perswasions deadning affection the Spirit will not move for ever Gen. 6.3 4. Disesteem grace and holinesse accounting it the shame of strength and burden of youth thinking repentance the work of old age and weaknesse and the quality of fools 5. Deaden the hopes of their friends who know not how to deertmine their eternal estate are indeed cheered in their pensive posture in sicknesse and at death if it be not too late to be true on which account they are constrained to check their hopes and dare make no conclusion but say as Austin in the like case Non dico damnabitur non dico salvabitur sed tu dum sanus es poenitentiam age Repent in health 6. Make difficult repentance undertaking that in infirm age which requireth the utmost of strength nay rendering sin by its custome natural and obdurate Can the Ethiopian change his colour Jer. 13.23 then they that are accustomed to sin may repent sicknesse employeth
torments to eternity with the enemies of God rather than to part with the pleasures of sinne which aâ—e buâ— for a season and seem to have that wrote on the tables of their hearts which that Wretch subscribed under the Image of God and the Devil * Domine si tu non vis iste me rogitat Lord if thou wilt not here is one that begs of me to be his and his I will be Now if there be a Law a Judge punishments and rewards in some degree here then every man is a Prophet in this case of this Future state 4. The promiscuous dispensations and providences of God in this world * Eccles 9.2 Psal 17.14 Lam. 3.16 all things coming alike to all nay the wicked it may be have their belly full of a large portion in this life when the godly have their teeth broken with gravel stones and covered with ashes these argue 1. There is a day to come when the scales shall be turned Abel is slaine for his piety when Cain lives and builds Cities Herod reigns Herodias danceth when John Baptists head is serv'd in in a Charger And though God sometimes by extempore and sudden justice hangs up some wicked wretches in chaines yet many times the most wretched oppressors are too strong and high for justice in this world and they that live like Lyons die like Lambs they have liberty in their lives and * Psal 73.4 no bands in their deaths Dionysius a bloody Tyrant dies quietly in his bed when David lies * Psal 32.3 roaring all night and a good Josiah falls in Battle which made the Prophet cry out * Hab. 1.8 Wherefore doth the wicked devour one more righteous than himself the just must therefore live by his Faith in the world to come or else all Piety will die therefore there shall be a judgement hereafter for * Heb. 6.10 Psal 58.11 God is not unrighteouâ— to forget their labour of love and patience doubtless there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth 2. Is the life to come such a Kingdome then here is field-room for all our ambition avarice and contention to shew it self be ambitious for something if we must be ambitious let us all King it here What scuffling and scrambling is there for Crowns and Scepters in the world out of that impetuous lust of dominering whereas a prophane Esau sold his Birth-right which had a Kingdome and a Blessing too in it * Gen. 25.34 for a mess of pottage Lysimachus when inflamed with thirst profered his Kingdome for a draught of cold water and how much gold or how many Kingdomes would Dives give if he had them * Luke 16.24 for a drop of cold water or to be delivered from that one Kingdome of the Devil and shall Christians contend about these things Alas Christian Religion was never made for a secular Engine we may as soon turn Axiomes of Truth into Swords and Speares the Rules of holy living into Canons and Musquets and prayers and teares into powder and shot as to make Religion a troubler of the order and peace of the world that is of a Dove-like * Mat. 10.16 innocent temper full of * Jam. 3.17 meeknesse humility gentlenesse easinesse to be entreated without partiality without hypocrisie can suffer any evil but do none can live and secure it self better by suffering than the crafty world by acting to use sinful means to avoid suffering or preserve worldly greatness is like him that when one hoped to see him at his Diocess ere long Replyed He feared he should be in heaven before that time should come It is not Christian Religion but that Anti-Christian spirit which diffuseth it self all over Christendome in its Doctrines and Agitations its Philtres and Poysons that inflames it more with contentions and Warres than any part of the world besides For Religion truly Christian * Mat. 12.25 takes only the Kingdome of Heaven by violence Let one Romane Emperour busie himself in catching flies another gather Cockle-shells with his Army on the Sands after great preparations for an Expedition silly emblemes of the most valiant attempts of many highly-famed Mortals but let Christians March with all Zeale only for the holy Land of Promise All those tittles of Honour for we pronounce them too long which the world playes with as children with Farthing Candles blowing them in with one breath puffing them out with another if they had never so good a * Membrana dignitatis Sen. Pattent yet what will they come to * Isa 34.4 Rev. 6.14 when the Heavens shall role up as a Scrole much more shall these shrivel up as a piece of Parchment before the Flames when all the Armes and Ensignes of Honour shall be blazoned alike in a Field ardent at the judgement day Beauty that blossome of flesh and blood which now carries so many Captives at her Wheeles tyrannizing over fond mortals affections when we come to those beauties of Glory will be no more comely than a dry skull in comparison of the Ravishing Lustre that will be in the most deformed body of the Poorest Lazarillo whose Brightness will transcend the loveliest face more than the rarest Jewel doth a vile piece of Jett And though perhaps difference of Sexes may remaine for all Scotus his Glosse That in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female yet * Delectent intuitum non inflectent ad vitium they will only delight the eye not incline to any vicious thought all lust being fired out and no spark of concupiscence left in the Saints but Grace triumphing in those objects that conquered it here when * Mat. 11.12 they shall be as the Angels of God only pure flames of Divine Love and joy When all the pure gold in the World shall be melted out of the veins of the Earth and mens Coffers into one common streame and all Pearles and precious Stones should lie as the gravel on the side of that River yet they would scarcely be thought fit then to make a Metaphor of for the very Pavement of the new Jerusalem one sight whereof will dimm and deface all the glory of the World 3. Must the Title be Inheritance then look to your evidences Regeneration and Adoption as ever you look for this Kingdome prove your Fathers Will and your selves Sonnes it is no matter how your names are wrote on earth in dust or Marble in reproach or renown if they be written in Heaven Some say this world is but a shadow of that above and it was so before sin had blotted and defaced all therefore look for the lineaments of that Kingdome above to be pourtrayed on you all are for an Heaven but as Eusebius says there were many * Ebionitarum Encratitarum Nazaraeorum c. spurious Gospels so Basilis asserted one hundred sixty five Heavens as many Heavens as dayes in a yeare The Turks
delighting in flowers and their Tulipomania dreame of such a Paradise A silly Countrey Woman coming upon the Exchange was so amazed at the view that she fell down and said She had oft heard of Heaven but never was in it before The voluptuous Epicure will have his a Poetical Heaven of Nectar and Ambrosia the ambitious an Heaven of honours and Gallantry But holy Abraham passed all these by * Heb. 11.10 looking for a City that had foundations The Kingdomes of the world want legs and foundations to stand upon and while men dream of such Paradises they do but build Castles in the ayre without any basis but imagination But look you for the new Heavens Isa 65.17 wherein dwells Righetousness get a Copy of grace in your hearts out of Scripture-Records the Court-Roles of Heaven and then you have * 1 Tim. 6.19 laid hold upon eternal life 'T is easie to be a Saint of the earth a State-Saint a designing Saint nay a Church-Saint but it must be a heavenly Saint one truly holy that is * Col. 1.12 meet to be partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Examine therefore what Authority and entertainment have the most searching truths and cutting Providences of God with you what spiritual wickednesse that never hurt your body Purie or Fame have you forsaken for Christ This sincere beauty of holinesse â—s able to make you Ornaments even to heaven it self 4. Is this Kingdome prepared for those that are Blessed of the Father Oh then labour to obtain your Fathers blessing though * Heb. 12.17 you seek it with teares Now the Father sayes Blessed are the pure the poor in heart the merciful they that pray for them which persecute them be careful not only * Mat. 25.4 to have oyle in your Lamps grace in your hearts but get your * Ver. 7. Lamps trimmed be upon your Watch * Ver. 13. for you know not what houre your Master comes Look how you improve your Talents what good you do in the world Remember it runnes thus in the last account I was an hungry you fed me naked you cloathed me in Prison you visited me and * Mat. 16.27 every man shall be rewarded according to his Works and the more you have of Heaven and Divine love here the more you shall have hereafter for one piece of it will lie in comfortable reflections upon what good we have done in the world though every one hath his * Mat. 20.9 peny that comes in at the Eleventh houre viz. all that is essential unto happinesse yet * 1 Cor. 15.41 one Starre differs from another in glory Art thou therefore in Authority use it for God Art rich alas * Prov. 23.5 riches make themselves wings and fly away Up then and be doing good and make thy self wings of thy Wealth for Heaven by all charitable expressions there is no way to lay your treasure up in Heaven but by laying it out here no way to lend God any thing but by giving to the poor How will hopes of Preferment nourish Conformity Tully tells us A Prince is to be fed with glory and drawn to worthy acts by the allurement of Honour and Renown Did but Christians feed more upon the Heritage of Jacob Isa 58.14 and their Immortal hopes they would act more for their immortal honour such Meditations do as the Philosopher sayes of speculations * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eâ—â— immortalize men and make them spiritual ones indeed or as Ambrose phraseth it carry them upwards as Birds of Paradise * Volucris in Spiritu factus Exod. 19.4 all upon Eagles Wings to soare on high Fifthly Will Christ say Come ye blessed c. then here is an Io triumphe over all the World Let it look as grim as it will upon thee yet Christ will smile though it gnash its teeth upon thee yet Christ will open his lips and * Cant. 1.2 kiss thee with the kisses of his mouth Lapides loquitur though the world speak words as hard as stones about Stephens ears yet Christ will speak comfortably If the World say Go Get you hence yet Christ will say Come if that say Go ye Cursed Christ will say Come ye Blessed Though men say Go ye Cursed Generation who are hated of all men yet Christ will say Come ye blessed of my Father They say Turn out Christ will say Turn in they cry Away from houses and lands and wives and children and all for Christs sake yet be not discouraged poor heart for Christ will recompence thee a hundred fold and thou shalt have a Kingdome for thy Cottage And when they have done all this they rejoyce that their Plot hath taken effect for they designed your ruine long ago I but Christs thoughts of love run higher yet Come blessed soul inherit the Kingdome prepared for thee from the foundation of the World The World may thrust thee out with both hands Christ will receive thee with both arms When Cyrus gave one of his friends a kisse another a wedge of gold he that had the gold envied him that had the kisse as a greater expression of his favour what if thou hast not the onions of Egypt if thou have the Quails and Manna in the Wildernesse Psal 17.14 if thou beest a man of G ds hand if thou beest one of his heart there is small ground to complain Upon all if an Epicurus was the best of the Philosophers without an Elysium If a Platonick lecture of the immortality of the soul made another cast his life away that he might enter upon that state If an Aristotle upon Euripus banks being not able to resolve himself of the cause of its motion dissolved himself by casting himself into the streame saying If I cannot take thee take thou me when we have such a glory as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath * 1 Cor. 2.9 prepared for those that love him how shamefulâ—y are we run a ground if we cannot have a kinde of * Phil. 1.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 22.20 lust to be dissolved and when Christ holds this price in his hand and cryes Come ye blessed we do not answer Come Lord Jesus Come quickly THE Conclusion 2 TIM 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus AT the beginning of this Moneths Exercise I entred upon this Text and then resolv'd the matter contained therein into these four Doctrinal Observations 1. Evangelical words are sound words Or All Gospel-truth is of an healing nature 2. It is of great use and advantage both for Ministers and private Christians to have the main Fundamental truths of the Gospel collected and methodized into certain Models and Platforms 3. Such Forms and Models are very carefully and faithfully to be