more endearing Title the Spirit of God here will use it Father if I can do any thing or have any room in thy Heart or Affection Father I will c. When we would prevail Christ biddeth us urge our Interest When we pray say Our Father Luke 11.2 so doth he When we mediate for others we are wont to mention our Relation as a Circumstance of Endearment◠So doth Christ expresly mention his Relation when his Requests are of great Concernment Secondly The next Circumstance is the Manner of asking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will a word of Authority becoming him that was God and Man in one Person who knew the Father's Will who had made a through Purchase and so might challenge it of right So some observe he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But possibly it may bear a softer sense in this place and thus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used elsewhere Mark 10.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Master we will that thou shouldest do to us whatever we desire thee if that look like an Expostulation or a Capitulation rather than a Request see Mark 6.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will that thou give me by and by in a Charger the Head of John the Baptist. Mark 12.38 Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we would see a sign from thee Briefly then it doth not express his Authority so much as the full bent of Heart only because he useth the word Will and because at least the manner of expression carrieth the force of a Promise which if it be backed with his Prayers cannot fall to the ground We may thence Observe The Certainty of our glorious Hopes If I will be not a word of Authority it looketh like a Testamentary Disposition Christ was about to die and now he saith I will When Christ made his Will Heaven is one of the Legacies which he bequeatheth to us This was his last Will and Testament Father I will You have the very words and form of a Testament Luke 22.29 I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only word we have for a Testament Heaven is ours a Legacy left us by Christ. But what Power had Christ to dispose of it Let me clear that by the way since he saith Mat. 20.23 To sit on my right Hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Christ's Power of disposing is not denied but he sheweth only to whom it is given not for by-Respects but according to God's Eternal Will and Purpose In the Original the words run otherwise than they do in our Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no Ellipsis which some have fancied and it should be rendred thus It is not mine to give save to those for whom it is prepared of my Father He doth not deny degrees of Glory he doth not deny his own Power to distribute them but only asserts that he must dispose according to his Father's Will not for outward and temporal Respects of Kindred and Acquaintance but as God hath given to every Man his Measure Certainly Christ's Will standeth good to all Intents and Purposes for as God he hath an Original Authority and as Mediator he doth nothing contrary to his Father's Will he is tender of that as you see in the place alleged so that the Objection confirmeth the Point Vse 1. It is comfort to us when we come to die thou hast Christ's Will to shew for Heaven When God's Justice puts the Bond in Suit against us then let Faith put Christ's Testament in Suit There is an old Sentence against us In the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die Gen. 2.17 Confront it with Christ's Prayer In Life we should provide for Death and a comfortable departure out of the World Hear for the time to come it is good to have our Comforts ready Can a dying Man have a sweeter Meditation than Christ's Words Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am We know not how soon we may go down to the Chambers of Death and become a Feast for the Worms When we come to make our own Will we should think of Christ's Father I will c. Vse 2. It is an Engagement to Holiness That is a part of Christ's Will 1 Thess. 4.3 For this is the Will of God even your Sanctification How can I plead his Will in one thing and not in another Hereditates habent sua onera Legacies have their Burdens annexed Christ will have an Action against us if we do not fulfil his whole Will As a Man that sueth for what is left him by Will must take care that his claim be not invalidated Did Christ ever say I will that all that live as they list should at length come to Heaven for all that No But I will that all those whom thou hast given me c. And therefore Thirdly The next Circumstance is the Parties for whom he prayeth It is as ne-necessary to know for whom Christ prayed as for what it is not enough to hear of a Privilege but we must consider which way our Claim and Interest doth arise For those which thou hast given me that is for all the Elect who are intended in this Expression Observe That there is a certain number given to Christ which cannot finally miscarry but shall come to Glory But of that in former Verses 1. Who are given hath been already discussed The Elect are given those that come to him from the Father John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me They are given before all Time and therefore in Time they come and actually accept of Grace And as they come to him so they keep there for of those he can lose nothing Vers. 39. And this is the Father's Will that hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing 2. But how are they given By way of Reward and by way of Charge the one as his Work the other as his Wages 1. By way of Reward John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me They were given to be Members of his Body Subjects of his Kingdom Children of his Family Christ hath a special and peculiar Interest in them This was the Bargain which he made with God that he should be Head of the renewed State This was all the Honour and Benefit accruing to Christ by the Covenant of Redemption Isa. 53.10.11 He shall see his Seed he shall prolong his Days and the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hands He shall see of the travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied Christ was pleased with the Bargain Nothing could be added to the greatness of his Person who was the Eternal Son of God equal with the Father in Glory and Honour yet he was pleased to account it
of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death SERMON XXVI ROM VIII 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us IN this Chapter the Apostle speaketh first of bridling lusts and then of bearing afflictions both are tedious to flesh and blood the necessity of taming the flesh is deduced throughout that whole discourse which is continued from v. 1. to the end of v. 17 where he maketh patient enduring afflictions a condition of our glory if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together He now sheweth us a reason why we should not dislike this condition because the good which is promised is far greater than the evil which we fear two things Nature teacheth all men the first is to submit to a lesser evil to avoid a greater as men will cut off an Arm or a Leg to save the whole body the other is to undergo a lesser evil to obtain a greater good than that evil depriveth us of If this principle were not allowed it would destroy all the industry in the world for good is not to be obtained unless we venture somewhat to get it upon this principle the Apostle worketh in this place For I reckon c. In the Words take notice of 1. The things compared The sufferings of the present life and the glory to be revealed in us 2. The inequality that is in them They are not worthy 3. The Conclusion or Judgment of the Apostle upon the case I reckon 1. The things compared On the one side the sufferings of the present time 1. Mark that sufferings plurally to comprize all of the kind Reproaches Strifes Fines spolling of goods Imprisonment Banishment Death Again of the present time To distinguish them from the torments of Hell which maketh up a part of the Argument for if to avoid temporal evils we forsake Christ we shall endure eternal torments but the Apostle speaketh of temporal evils 2. On the other side The glory that shall be revealed in us Every Word is Emphatical 1. Our reward is called glory in our calamity we are depressed and put to shame but whatever honour we lose in this mortal life shall be abundantly supplied and recompenced to us in Heaven If any man serve me him shall my father honour John 12.26 An afflicted persecuted people are usually misrepresented and scandalized in the world but there is a life and state of glory prepared for them in Heaven men cannot put so much disgrace upon them as God will put marks of honour and favour 2. It shall be revealed This glory doth not appear for the present 't is not seen 't is not conspicuous to the eyes of men therefore some believe it not others regard it not It doth not yet appear what we shall be the world knoweth us not as it knew him not 1 Job 3.1 2. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not behold now we are the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him and see him as he is But it shall be seen because of Gods Decree and promise for the glory is prepared tho it be not revealed 3. In us or upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we shall be raised immortal incorruptible and we shall be so highly favoured and honoured by Christ as we shall be at the Day of Judgment then this glory is revealed upon us that is we shall be possessors of if we have the right now but then the possession 2. The inequality between them They are not worthy to be compared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not worthy to future glory not worthy to be set one against the other as bearing no proportion 3. The Conclusion or Judgment of the Apostle in this case the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical and implieth that he had weighed these things in his mind after the case was well traversed he did conclude and determine upon the whole debate rationibus bene subductis colligo statuo The Apostle speaketh like a man that had cast up his accounts well weighed the mattrr he speaketh of and then concludeth resolveth and determineth that the sufferings which are to be undergone for Christ are nothing considering the glory and blessedness which shall ensue Doct. That every good Christian or considerate believer should determine that the happiness of his glorified estate doth infinitely outweigh and exceed the misery of his present afflictions I shall open the Point by these Considerations 1. That counterballancing temporal things with eternal is the way to clear our mistakes or prevent the delusions of the flesh The Apostle observeth this method here and elsewhere 2 Cor. 4.17 This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory And 't is necessary for all our mistakes come by reckoning by time and not by eternity but looking to eternity sets us right again 2 Cor. 4.18 Looking not to the things which are temporal but to the things which are eternal The flesh is importunate to be pleased with present satisfactions it must have something seen and at hand and this tainteth our minds so that present things bear a big bulk in our eye but things to come are as a vain fancy therefore nothig will scatter this mist and cloud upon our understandings but a due sight of eternal things how real they are and how much they exceed for greatness and duration then we shall find that time to eternity is but as a drop lost or spilt in the Ocean as a point to the circumference and that the honours and dignities of the world which dazzle mens eyes are vain and slippery that riches which captivate their hearts are uncertain and perishing that pleasures which inchant their minds are sordid and base and pass away as the wind that nothing is great but what is eternal if wicked men did but consider the shortness of their pleasures and the length of their sorrows they would not be so besotted as they are and if holy men did but consider the shortness of their afflictions and the length of their joy and glory it would animate and encourage them to carry it more patiently and cheerfully in all their tribulations 2. This may be done four ways 1. Comparing temporal good things with eternal good things that we may wean and draw off our hearts from the one to the other and so check the delights of senfe As wealth with heavenly riches Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods as knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and a more enduring substance Eternal bliss in Heaven is the most valuable and durable kind of wealth all other treasure cometh more infinitely short of it than Wampompeage or the shells which the Indians use for money
doth of our coin and treasure so to wean us from our sensual delights the Scripture propoundeth to our consideration that eternal and solid joy which resulteth from the immediate fruition of God Psal. 16.11 So to wean us from vain glory and that we may be contented with the glory that comes from God only it telleth us of the honour and glory of the Saints John 5.44 All the sensual good things we dote upon are but a may-game or painted shew in comparison of what we shall enjoy there 2. Temporal bad things with eternal good things so to defeat the terrors of sense All the sufferings of the world are but as the scratch of a pin or a flea-biting to that Woe Wrath and Tribulation that abideth for every soul that doth evil no fire like the fire of hell nor pains like the pains of the worm that never dyeth Luke 12.4 5. Fear not them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell Men threaten prisons God threatneth hell they can mangle the body but when they have cut it all in pieces they cannot reach the soul if we sin to avoid trouble in the world we escape at a dear rate As a nail driveth out a nail so doth one fear drive out another temporal sufferings are nothing to eternal Heb 11.35 They accepted not deliverance looking for a better resurrection the general Resurrection is better than present remission of torments 3. Temporal good with eternal evil many succeed well in a way of sinning here live without any remarkable blast and stroke of Gods Judgment but how is it with them in the other world momentum est quod delectat eternum quod cruciat Heb. 11.25 The pleasures of sin are but for a season but the punishment of sin is for ever if we compare the pleasures of sin with the pains of Hell it may be a means to reclaim us from the sensual life This short pleasure is deerly bought 4. Temporal bad things with eternal good things This here and 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light afflictions which are but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory A due sight of eternity will soon shew us the smalness of all that we can suffer here and so our afflictions are not matters much to be stood upon or accounted of the comparison must be rightly stated and weighed and improved by proper considerations 3. In this last comparison these things are considerable 1. Our sufferings come from men but our glory cometh from God now as the Agent is so is the effect man afflicts as a finite creature but God rewardeth us as an infinite and eternal being man sheweth himself in his wrath and God in his love man in his anger Isa. 51.12 Who art thou that thou shouldest be affraid of a man that shall die and of the son of man who shall be as grass Men soon perish and are gone and the effects of their anger cease with them they can do no more than God pleaseth and their time is limited they can rage no longer than God pleaseth But as man sheweth himself as man God sheweth himself as God 't is intimated in the general expression of the Covenant I will be your God be such a Benefactor as a God should be do us good so as becometh an infinite eternal Power thence are those reasonings Matth. 22.32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Heb. 11.16 But now they desire a better country that is an Heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a city He will give us somewhat like himself now what comparison between the wrath of man and the Bounty of God 2. Our Sufferings are Earthly but our Glory is Heavenly As the place is so is the estate here both the good and evil is partial but there both are compleat For here we are in the way there in termino in our final estate here a believers spiritual condition will counterballance all his outward troubles his consolation exceed his afflictions 2 Cor. 1.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation doth abound by Christ much more his eternal estate For now we are but in part acquainted with God but there he is all in all 2 Cor. 15.28 Here we see him in a glass but there face to face 2 Cor. 13.2 Here we have the earnest there the whole bargain here a taste there a full feast here the beginning there the consummation 3. Our sufferings are but short but our Glory eternal 1 Pet. 1.6 For a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations the trouble is but of short continuance so 1 Pet. 5.10 He hath called you to eternal glory by Jesus Christ after you have suffered awhile 'T is but a little time that we suffer for God knoweth our spirits are soon apt to fail he considereth we are but dust Indeed the Lord useth a difference with his Children some have shorter Trials some longer but they are all but for a season If they should last for our whole Lives they are but momentary if compared with eternity But 't is not credible that our lives should be altogether calamitous there is no instance either in Scripture or the Records of Time there are intervals of rest and our Enemies cannot trouble us but when 't is permitted of God But if there were no intermission yet this life its self is but for a moment compared with eternity If you consider that which in these afflictions we most dread and beyond which the power of the most cruel adversaries cannot reach death its self 't is but for a moment in the twinkling of an Eye we are in eternity death cometh in a moment and 't is gone in a moment after that we injoy eternal rest and peace Therefore tho in our way to Heaven we should endure the most grievous calamities yet since they are but short and momentary we should submit to them that we may injoy so great a good as the vision and fruition of God Toleramus brevia expectamus eterna the Sufferings are Temporal the Glory is Eternal because it dependeth upon the will of an immutable God and the everlasting merit of a Glorious Redeemer when either of these Foundations fail your Blessedness will be at an end But these can never fail and therefore our Glory will be everlasting Well then the Pain and Suffering will be short within a little while you will feel it no more than if it had never been if the pain be remembred it will be but to increase your joy 4. As they are short so they are light Leves breves The Scripture often ioyneth them
will without which it would lie sluggish and idle or like a Chariot without wheels and horses or a Bird when her wings are clipped therefore the Holy Ghost stirreth up these affections and our heart within us makes us willing and this bringeth the Soul to God for no other can give us satisfaction but he alone And the difficulties of Salvation are so many that we cannot overcome them but in his power and strength Now sense of wants and an earnest desire of a supply will ordinarily put words into a mans mouth and affections beget expressions Yet because many accidental reasons may hinder it the weight of Prayer is not to be layed so much upon the expression as the affection if there be a strong and an earnest desire after grace it will make us express our selves to God in the best manner that we can As long as you Pray for necessary graces and other things in subordination thereunto and can heartily groan and sigh to God for what you want with respect to your great end the Prayer is well performed there may be a great petulancy and extravagance of words where there is not a good and an honest heart vain bablings without faith or feeling or spiritual affection 4. 'T is not to be understood as if all that pray graciously had the spirit in a like measure or the same persons always in the same measure No the wind bloweth where it liâ—â—eth John 3.7 And he giveth us to will and to do We cannot find the assistance at our own pleasure some have it in a more plentiful others in a scanty measure tho all have iâ— Jesus Christ himself tho he had not the spirit by measure yet he exercised and acted the spirit of Prayer more at one time Luke 22.44 And being in an agony he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more earnestly His love to God was always the same but the expression of it different So Gods Children seek Heavenly things with a weaker degree of desire and sometimes with a stronger at sometimes we have the directing work of the Spirit and are not sensible of those earnest and unexpressible groans That is to say we put up our requests for things lawful and useful and most necessary for us at the time but not with that ardour and fervency that we do desire we cannot say that the Holy Ghost doth not assist these Prayers as sometimes the assistance is given us more largely as to the groaning part and men are all in a flame strong and passionate affections do most bewray themselves Sometimes as a spirit of confidence and Holy liberty with our Father and faith is clearly predominant in Prayer at other times repentance and Child-like reverence and fear are altogether in action in the Prayer and there is a great seriousness tho not such life and vigour or strength of faith as grief for sin bemoaning our failings 5. Gifts are more necessary when we joyn with others and are their mouth to God But the Spirit of Prayer is of most use when we are alone and we have nothing to do but to set our selves before the searcher of hearts and draw forth our desires after him when without taking in the necessities of others we present our personal requests to God and lament the defects of our own Hearts and the plague of our own Souls When we pray alone 't is good to observe the workings of our own hearts surely whatever Prayer we make to God we should find it in our hearts 2 Sam. 7.27 Therefore hath thy servâ—nt found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee Having a deep sense of our wants a real desire of the blessing we ask exercising grace rather than memory and invention pouring out our very Souls to God with sighs and groans rather than words we are liberty there to use or not use the voice to continue speech and break it off and lift up the heart by strong desires to God VSE It informeth us 1. What kind of help we have from the spirit of God in prayer his work is to guide and quicken you First to guide you in Prayer that you may Pray to God in an Holy manner we know not what to pray for as we ought on a fourfold reason 1. As blinded with self-lâ—ve 2. As discomposed by trouble 3. As struck dumb by guilt 4. As straitned by barreness and leanness of soul. 1. As blinded by self-love Oh what strange prayers will men put up to God if they take counsel of their lusts and interests as the Disciples that called for fire from Heaven Christ told them ye know not of what manner of spirit ye are of Luke 9.55 Self love so blindeth us that if we be lead by it we shall rather beg our ruin than our salvation for we know not what is either profitable or prejudical to us so that it would be an argument of Gods anger to grant our requests The Ambitious if he should pray from the passion that possesseth him would only ask honour and worldly greatness The Covetous only that God would double his worldly portion and inlarge his estate according to his vast desires the Sensual the ability and opportunity of glutting his bruitish inclinations the Vindictive that he may interess God in his quarrels All sinners would serve him only to serve their carnal turns whatever words we use to God in Prayer if we serve him to these ends and hope that by praying they shall be the better gratified our Prayer is turned into sin but he that is guided by the Spirit intreateth nothing of God but what is pleasing to him and suiteth with his Glory we come to our Father which is in Heaven when we Pray and our welfare in the World must be subordinated to our Eternal and Heavenly estate And we come in the name of Christ now to ask honours in his name who was born in a Stable and Dyed on a Cross pleasures in his name who was a man of sorrows is utterly incongruous no! Gods Glory Kingdom Will must be preferred before our inclinations other things asked with reservation and submission 2. Our minds are discomposed by trouble that we scarce know what to do or say 2 Chron 20.12 Lord we know not what to do but our eyes are unto thee Our Lord Christ John 12.27 My soul is troubled what shall I say in great grief Christ himself was at a loss The great Teacher of the Church who hath so much to say for our comfort and counsel in such cases yet was amazed and at a nonplus and David Psal. 77.4 I am sore troubled I cannot speak Our words stoppeth the mouth Now when our thoughts are thus confounded we scarce know what to pray for the Spirit teacheth us what to say Look as in the case of the fear of men Luke 12.12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you shall say So in our perplexities when we are scarce able to open
then have we conâ—idence towards God 3. This external and internal calling may be ineffectual or effectual 1. The ineffectual call consists in the bare tender and offer of grace but is not entertained God may knock at the door of the heart that doth not open to him knock by the word knock by the motions of the Spirit and checks of conscience so many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22.14 There is not the fruit of election nor are these the called according to purpose 2. The effectual call is when God changeth the heart and bringeth it home to himself by Jesus Christ we are not only invited to Christ but come to him by the strength and power of his own grace John 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him When we yeild to the call as Paul who was extraordinarily called saith Acts 26.19 I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision we have his consent and resignation recorded Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do He yeildeth up the keys of his heart that Christ may come and take possession In an ordinary call 2 Cor. 8.5 They first gave themselves to the Lord 'T is in other places expressed by our receiving or imbracing Christ John 1.12 both are implyed our thankful accepting of Christ and our giving up our selves to him they both go together and where the one is the other is also In every Covenant there is ratio dati accepti something given and something required Christ and his benefits and what we have are and do both are an answer to Gods call 2. The properties of effectual calling 1. 'T is an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath called us with an holy calling And 't is also an Heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 Partakers of the heavenly calling because we are called to duties and priviledges these must not be severed some are forward to the priviledges of the calling but backward to the duties thereof A good Christian must mind both the priviledges to take him off from the false happiness and the duties that he may return to his obedience to God the one is the way and means to come to the other for 't is said he hath called us to glory and virtue 2 Pet. 1.3 Meaning by glory eternal life and by virtue grace and holiness in the way that God offereth it we embrace it we heartily consent to seek after eternal glory in the way of faith and holiness and so by it the heart is turned by Christ from the creature to God from sin to holiness 3. The ends of effectual calling both on Gods part and the creatures 1. On Gods part That God may shew his wisdom power and goodness 1. His wisdom is seen partly in the way and means that God taketh to convert sinners to himself There is a sweet contemperation and mixture of wisdom and power there is no violence offered to the will of the creatures nor the liberty of second causes taken away and yet the effect is obtained The proposal of good to the understanding and will by the secret power of the Lords grace is made effectual and at the same time we are taught and drawn John 6.44 45. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him as it is written in the Prophets They shall all be taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me There is opening blind eyes and turning an hard heart Acts 26.18 He worketh strongly like himself sweetly with respect to us that he may not oppress the liberty of our faculties and the Convert at the same time is made willing by his own choice and effectually cured by Gods grace so that Christ cometh conqueringly into the heart and yet not by force but by consent We are transformed but so as we prove what the good and acceptable will of the Lord is Rom. 12.2 The power of God and the liberty of man do sweetly consist together and we have at the same time a new heart and a free spirit and the powerful efficacy of his grace doth not destroy the consent and good liking of the sinner The will is moved and also changed and renewed In the perswasive and moral way of working God taketh the most likely course to gain the heart of man discovering himself to us as a God of kindness and mercy ready to pardon and forgive Psal. 130.4 But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared For guilty creatures would stand aloof off from a condemning God no God hath laid the foundation of the offer of his grace in the highest demonstration of his love and goodness that ever could come into the ears of man to hear or could enter into the heart of man to conceive viz. in giving his Son to dye for a sinful world 2 Cor. 5.19 20. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God And not only in the offers of pardon but eternal life and blessedness so infinitely beyond the false happiness that our carnal self-love inclineth us unto that 't is a shame and disgrace to our reason to think that these things are worthy to be compared in any serious debate or that all the pleasures and honours and profits we dote upon should come in competition with that blessed immortality and life which is brought to light in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 And powerful grace goeth along with all this to make it effectual partly in the time of conversion taking us in our month and that season which is fittest for the glory of his grace some are called in the morning some at noon some in the evening of their age as Matth. 20.3 4 5 6. c. some were hired to go into the vineyard at the third some the ninth some the eleventh hour That any believe in Christ at all is mercy that some believe in him sooner some later is the Lords wise ordering He that is called betimes may consider Gods goodness which broke out so early before he longer provoked him and contracted an habit of evil customs and that God instructed him betimes to take heed of sin and spending his fresh and flowry youth in the service of the Devil whereas otherwise lost days and months and years would have been a perpetual grief to him He that is called at the latter end of his days having so many sins upon him may be quickned to glorifie God that he would not refuse him at last nor despise him for all his rebellions nor remember against him the sins of his youth That a long and an old enemy should be taken into favour God knoweth how best to gain upon every heart
is increased Certainly 't is above their trouble 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light afflictions which are but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 'T is likely they have more Mark 10.29 30. In the day of judgment more honour and praise 1 Pet. 4.6 7. That the tryal of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire may be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Christ Jesus 3. The Author or Cause of the Victory or the power by which they conquer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through him that loved us Here observe 1. That Christ is not estranged from his people by their afflictions but rather is more tender of them the more they are wronged by others 2. That loving them he doth over-rule these things and cause them to become a means to do them good 3. He doth not only over-rule these occurrences of providence but doth give them the Spirit of Grace 4. That giving them the Spirit of Grace they overcome in his strength not their own 5. That Christs love is more powerful to save us than the world's hatred to destroy us 2. Branch That a true believer doth not miscarry under his troubles but overcome them yea more than overcome them Here I shall show 1 The nature of the Victory 2 How more than Conquerors 3 Who is this true believer that will be more than a Conqueror 4 Reasons why more than Conquerors 5 Application 1. To explain the nature of this Victory it doth not consist in an exemption from troubles or suffering Temporal loss by them or utter perishing as to this world but keeping that which we contend and fight for We do not vanquish our enemy so as to cause all opposition to cease yea or that we shall not Temporally perish under it no the world needeth not suspect this holy Victory of the Saints 't is not conquering Kingdoms and becoming masters of other mens possessions nor seeing our desire upon our enemies I prove it 1. From Christs purchase Gal. 1.4 Who dyed that he might deliver us from the present evil world How so That we should live exempt from all troubles That the world should never trouble us no but that the world should not ensnare and pervert us his work was to save us from our sins Matth. 1.21 To deliver us from wrath to come 2 Thes. 1.10 and to justifie and sanctifie and glorifie us We have the Victory that he hath purchased for us if the Devil and the world do not hinder our fruition and possession of eternal glory 2. I prove it partly from the way of dispensation of it that is intimated in the first promise of the Messiah Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Misery being brought into the world by sin God ordereth it so that some Temporal calamities shall remain on those that are recovered by Grace indeed 't is our Redeemers work so to moderate these sufferings that our heel may be only bruised but our head safe 3. I prove it from the way of our conflict and combate and conquest 't is not by worldly Greatness visible prosperity or the strength of outward Dominion but by patience and contentedness in suffering even to the very death Those that are as sheep appointed to the slaughter and killed all the day long are more than conquerors This is a riddle to carnal sense we do not call them conquerors in the world who are killed oppressed kept under but yet these are killed all the day long and yet are more than conquerors Scias hominem Christo dicatum saith Jerome Mori posse vinci non posse A Christian may be slain yet more than a conqueror The way to conquer here is to be trodden down and ruined 2 Cor. 4.8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed yet not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 4. Our main party and enemy is Satan You have not only to do with men who strike at your worldly interests but with Satan who hath a spight at your souls Eph. 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against Spiritual wickedness in high places God may give men a power over your bodily lives and all the interests thereof but he doth not give the Devil a power over the graces of the Saints to separate them from Gods love The Devil aimeth at the destruction of souls he can let you enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season that he may deprive you of your delight in God and Celestial pleasures He can be content you shall have dignities and honours if they prove a snare to you The Devil seeketh to bring you to troubles and poverty and nakedness to draw you from God 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world Satans temptations are conveyed to the Godly by afflictions by which he seeketh to make them quit the truth or their duty or to quit their confidence in God otherwise he would let such have all the glory in the world if it were in his power so you would but hearken to his lure as he offered it to Christ Matth 4.9 And saith unto him all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and 〈…〉 Therefore our Victory is not to be measured by our prosperity and adversity but faithful adherence to God if he get his will over our bodies if he get not his will over our souls you conquer and not Satan 5. The ends or things we contend for The Victory must be stated by that for we overcome if we keep what we fight for now our conflict is for the glory of God the advancement of the kingdom of Christ our own salvation and to maintain and keep alive present grace 1. The glory of God God must be honoured by his people in adversity 2. Thes. 1.11 12. Wherefore we pray always for you that God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with powâ—r that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you John 21.19 This he said signifying by what death he should glorifie God Phil. 1.20 Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death When we suffer for his cause our very sufferings are conquering 1 Pet. 4.14 On your part he is glorified When they are reviled reproached persecuted God can bring more honour to himself by the constancy of his people
Faith and Patience we have in one place Heb. 6.12 That ye be not sloathful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises They inherited the Promises that is the things Promised If we propound to our selves such a divine and noble end as those great and glorious things that are offered in the Promises we must use the means they had Faith so must we have they had Patience and we must be Patient First By Faith we are not to understand Confidence and relyance upon Gods Promises a probable humane Faith and Hope will not be sufficient but a firm adherence to Gods Word whatever falleth out we are sure to have enough in the Promise We must have Faith because the things Promised are invisible rare and excellent far above the power of the Creature to give The Promise is a firm and immutable foundation of our Hope we should rejoyce in it as much as if the thing Promised were in hand In God I will rejoyce in the Lord I will praise his Word or praise his Word 'till the thing Promised cometh to be enjoyed Faith 't is the substance of things hoped for Secondly For Patience Heb. 10.36 For ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the Promise And we must have Patience because the things hoped for are to come and at a great distance Rom. 8.25 But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Besides we shall meet with many Difficulties Oppositions and Tryals all which must be overcome many things must be done many things must be suffered and we must make our way through the midst of dreadful Enemies before we can attain our End Further our Desires are vehement and we long for enjoyment which is yet to come therefore we must be patient that we may quietly wait Gods leisure Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuing in well doing seek for glory honour and immortality eternal life Thirdly The next Grace is Love Where there is Love there will be Labour Heb. 6.10 For God is not Unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love 1 Thes. 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love and patience of Hope Revel 2.3 4. And hast born and hast patience and for my names sake hast laboured and hast not fainted Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first Love And Love is said to endure all things 1 Cor. 13.7 'T was Love made Christ to suffer Hunger and Weariness and to forbear to refresh himself for the good of Souls 't was Love made him endure the bitter Agonies of the Cross Love puts strength and life into the Soul addeth wings and feet to the Body spareth no pains nor cost Keep up this Grace and you have an over-ruling bent upon your hearts 2. VSE If spiritual Sloath be so great an evil let the Children of God take heed of it when first it beginneth to creep upon their Spirits As when they begin to Pray without Affection or fervour of Spirit to Meditate of divine things without any sense affection or fruit when they find it difficult to withdraw from carnal Company or vain Discourse and are hardly perswaded to return unto themselves and to consider their wayes and can freely let loose their thoughts and words to all manner of vanity and their Comfort is rather sought in the Creature than in God they can rarely speak of others but 't is in reflecting upon them rather than themselves when Reproofs grow burthensom and are not entertained as an help but as an injury when they give up themselves to carnal Sports and take a license for vain Recreations and so fly from the labours that are profitable and necessary for their Souls health their Zeal languisheth their Duties are not so frequent nor the means of Grace used with life vigour and affection but they are more coldly affected towards them a satiety and fulness creepeth upon them they do not so solicitously avoid the causes of sin begin to indulge the Body or the bodily life to have more admiring thoughts of the Honours and Pleasures and Profits of the World either neglect or quench the motions of the Spirit All these are the effects of a remiss Will or a fainting Heart that beginneth to tire in the wayes of God 3. VSE It serves to justifie God in his Judgments upon the careless and negligent though they be not grossely Dissolute and Prophane There is more Contempt of God in neglecters than you can at first be sensible of Hypocrites complain of the severity of God the rigour of his Law the grievousness of his Judgments they should rather complain of the naughtiness of their own Hearts they are convinced of more Duty than they are willing to perform and they are not willing because they follow after a few paltry Vanities which is a great dishonour to God 'T was not the austerity and rigidness of the Master in requiring Improvement that hindred the increase of his Talent but his own baseness being wedded to sensual delights They say The wayes of the Lord are not equal but their hearts are not right with God Secondly I come now to the Retortion of his vain Excuse upon himself The damned can have no just Complaint against God they are apt to murmur and lay their defects upon the rigidness of Gods Government or Gods Providence but in the issue the blame will light upon themselves even the things they alledge make against them He was convinced the Master expected Increase therefore he should have done what he could Luk. 19.22 Out of thy own Mouth I will condemn thee So 't is here mens Consciences convince them they ought not to live in Idleness and if they have a Master the thought of their Account should inforce them if not their own Inclination especially if a severe Master Grand the Sinners supposition it bindeth the Duty upon him and so he cuts his Throat with his own Sword as they said of Job Chap. 15.6 Thine own Mouth condemneth thee thine own lips testifie against thee Doct. No excuse shall serve the unfaithful and sloathful Servant at the day of Iudgment Let a Man deceive himself now and please himself with these Pretences as he will all his Excuses shall be retorted upon him and made matter of his Condemnation For the Judge is Impartial and Omniscient his Eyes cannot be blinded nay he can open your own Consciences and so overwhelm you with the Evidence and Conviction of your Sins that you shall have nothing to say As in the 22 th of Matthew The Man was speechless when arraigned But because the excusing Humour is very rife and many things serve the turn now which will not bear weight then I shall a little handle this Matter of Excusing In the general an Excuse is an Apology or vain Defence whereby the Sinner seeketh to palliate his
of this Affection to set the Mind a-work and to preoccupy and forestall the Contentments we expect before they come by serious Contemplations and feasts the Soul with Images and Suppositions of things to come as if they were already present So should we demean our selves as if the Judgment were set and the Judge upon his white Throne and we heard him Blessing and Cursing Absolving and Condemning The Heart will be where the Treasure is Math. 6.18 As if we saw Christ with his faithful ones about him If a Beggar were adopted to the Succession of a Crown he would please himself in thinking of the Happiness Honour and Pleasure of the Kingly Estate If you did hope to be Coheirs with Christ or to inherit the Kingdom prepared for you you would think of it more than you doe Our musings discover the temper of our Hearts A carnal Heart is alwayes thinking of building Barns advancing the Family higher our worldly Increase Luke 12.18 I will pull down my Barns and build bigger and bestow my fruits And those in James ch 4.13 To morrow we will go to such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain 'T is usual with men to feed themselves with the pleasure of their Hope As young Heirs spend upon their Estate before they possess it 2. By hearty Groans Sighs and Longings Rom. 8.23 We groan in our selves They have had a taste of the Clusters of Canaan in private Justification They can never be soon enough with Christ when shall it once be They are still looking out and the nearer to enjoyment the more impatient of the want The earnest expectation of the Creature Rom. 8.19 Stretching out the head to see if they can spy a thing a great way off As Judg. 5. She looked through the Lettice Why is his Chariot so long a coming They would have a fuller draught of Consolation more access to him and Communion with him 3. By lively Tastes and Feelings 'T is called a Lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 not a living hope only but lively because it quickens the Heart and filleth it with a solid Joy Rom. 5.2 1 Pet. 1.8 Where we have such a fruition the very looking and longing giveth us a taste 3. This hope should put us upon serious diligence and earnest pursuit after this blessedness 1 Pet. 1.13 Partly as it purgeth the heart from Lusts 1 Joh. 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure These are the Months of our Purification wherein we are made meet to be partakers of the Saints in light we are a preparing for Heaven as that is prepared for us and 't is a lively expectation which produceth this That puts us upon Mortification and diligence in cleansing the Soul that we may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of God Partly as it withdraweth our hearts from present things and minding earthly things But our Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3.18 19 20 21. A man that is alwayes looking and longing for the world to come the present world is nullified to him and he hath a mean esteem of all secular Interests and contentments in comparison of those other which his Soul looketh after As a man looking upon the Sun cannot see an object less glorious on the contrary our overprizing secular Contentments necessarily breedeth an undervaluing of matters heavenly and those that have so great a relish for the world and the delights of the flesh they know not what Eternal life meaneth The Israelites longed for the flesh-pots of Aegypt before they tasted the clusters of Canaan by Faith Moses refused the Honours and Pleasures of Pharaoh's Court We cannot value real Happiness 'till we are brought to contemn earthly Happiness Partly as it urgeth to care and diligence and constancy in Obedience This is the Spring that sets all the wheels a going Phil. 3.13 I press towards the mark because of the high prize of our calling What is the reason Christians are so earnest and serious there is an excellent Glory set before them the Race is not for trifles we want vigour and find such a tediousness in the Lords work because we do not think of the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for us 2 Cor. 8.8 9. 1 Cor. 15.53 We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord Wherefore we labour that whether we are present or absent we may be accepted of him If it be tedious to us to be at work for God this tediousness will not consist with the chearful remembrace of that great Blessedness which he hath prepared for us How eminent should we be in the labours of Holiness to whom this Estate was so peculiarly designed Partly in Self-denyal men venture all in this vessel of Hope Self-denyal is seen in refusing and resisting temptations of honour and profit sin maketh many Promises and so prevaileth by a carnal Hope Balaam was enticed by proffers of riches to Curse Gods People Babylons Fornications are presented in a Golden Cup now Faith and Hope sets Promise against Promise Heaven against Earth the Pleasures at Gods right hand against carnal delights as the Kingdoms of the world are nothing to this glorious Kingdom Partly in Charity laying up treasure in Heaven Luk. 12.33 Being rich in good works 1 Tim. 6.18 I call this Self-denyal because 't is a loss for the present Eccl. 2. So in hazarding Interests Christians Blessings are future their Crosses are present Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.12 Thus you see there are some who are carryed on by the hopes of Heaven to make serious preparation others are wholly wedded and addicted to present things The World morally and spiritually considered is divided into two ranks the one of the Devil the other of God Some seek their rest and happiness on earth others eternal Felicity in Heaven by nature all are of this earthly Society in the Kingdom of darkness and strangers to the Common-wealth and City of God but when Grace hath wrought in them the belief of this coming of Christ and the hope of this blessed Estate is rooted in us we are alwayes purging out of fleshly lusts and weaning our hearts from the world exercising our selves to Godliness and denying our worldly Interests 4. This Hope must moderate our Fears Sorrows and Cares so as no temporal thing should unreasonably affect us Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock The Fear is allayed the World cannot take away any thing from us so good as Christ will give unto us if our earthly Estate be sequestred or any way taken from us we have a better Estate in Heaven Heb. 10.34 If we be reproached and disgraced in this world yet we shall be Kings and Priests and for ever be honoured in Heaven if banished and driven from place to place so that we can find no rest nor safety but are wearied out with our removals let us consider we have a place of eternal abode in Heaven
upbraid them This is your eating of raw Fruit Experience maketh them feel the smart of it Secondly There is the Sense of their present Pain Here when we are corrected we are sensless like Stocks and Stones but there must needs be feeling because there is nothing to mitigate their torment no carnal Comforts wherein to steep Conscience no carnal Companions that can be a Comfort to us The more we look upon them the more we see our own sorrow by reflection There is nothing left but Indignation and Impatience and gnawing their Tongues because of their Anguish Their discontent is part of their torment Thirdly For the future their Condition is hopeless If there could be Hope in Hell the Punishment would be the better borne but there remaineth nothing but a fearful looking for of the fiery Indignation of God Heb. 10.27 And 't is a living God who liveth for ever and ever that is their Enemy Oh! who can think of it without Astonishment When they have run through thousands of Years they still expect more 'T is tedious to think of a short fit of Pain of the Stone or Gout but that is for ever They endure all at once by thinking of what is to come II. There is the Fire or an active Sense of the Wrath of God Consider the Greatness of it in these Circumstances 1. God hath an Immediate hand in the Sufferings of the Wicked Heb. 10.33 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God The Wicked fall immediately into his hands the Quarrel is his own therefore he will take revenge by his immediate Power No Creature is strong enough to convey all his wrath as a Bucket cannot contain an Ocean Mans Anger is like himself weak and finite but Gods is infinite Psal. 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine Anger Surely we do not consider what it is to fall into Gods hands 2. God sets himself a-work to see what he can doe and what a Creature can bear The Capacity of the Creature is enlarged to the utmost Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction His Justice decreeth it his Wisdom designeth it and his Power executeth it He falleth upon us as an Enemy to the utmost with one hand he upholdeth the Creature and with the other punisheth it Here he sheweth what a Creature can do when armed by him hereafter what he can do himself Psal. 78.39 For he remembred they were but flesh he did not stirre up all his Wrath. It doth not break out in its full weight and force 3. Consider some Instances of Gods Wrath When his Anger is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Psal. 2.12 In Corrective Discipline when Gods Children fall into any Disease the Burnings of a Feavour the gripes of the Chollick the torment of the Stone they cannot endure two or three dayes pain how wilt thou dwell with devouring Burnings These are nothing to the sharp Punishments of Hell on the Body Poor Creatures are at their Wits-end when but a Spark or Flash of this Fire lighteth into the Conscience Judas hanged himself Job cursed the day of his Birth yet this is but a drop these come from Hell they have been in the Suburbs of it Dives wished that Lazarus might but dip the tip of his Finger in water to cool his Tongue these are Warnings they can tell you what a dreadfull thing it is The Lord Christ who was the Son of God perfect in Faith and Patience he wanted no Courage he was under no Despair in the midst of his Agonies yet he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh! what will become of them whose Portion it is Thus for the Nature Secondly The Duration Everlasting Fire The Pains of Hell are Eternal 1. The Moral Reasons of it are 1. Partly because our Obligations to God are infinite in a way of Love God hath done as much as he could We turn the back upon Eternal Happiness which was offered in the Gospel They can never restore the Honour to God which they have deprived him of therefore their Punishment is for evermore the Justice of God can never be satisfied by a finite Creature Believers do it in Christ but the Wicked are in their final Estate 2. They still remain Impenitent the Damned are not changed in Hell Melted Mettal groweth hard again the bad Thief that had one foot in Hell dieth blaspheming their Judgments are changed but not their Hearts If one should come from the dead he might speak to you of Eternity and that in Hell they suffer Eternal punishments 2. The Natural Reasons are 1. The Fire continueth for ever Heb. 10.33 The Breath of the Lord still keepeth the Flame burning the Fuel continueth for ever and Wicked men continue for ever they consume not but are Immortal in Body and Soul Oh think of this there is no End no Intermission No End the Fire on Sodom lasted but a day but when the Wicked have lain in Hell a thousand years 't is but as the first day When a Man is sick he tumbleth and tosseth and telleth the Hours of the Night and wisheth it were Day We are wont to think a Sermon long a Prayer long what will Hell be Conscience will ever be talking to thee repeating over the Story of thy Life and putting thee in Remembrance of the Wrath of God that endureth for ever And 2. 'T is without Intermission Revel 20.10 They shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Not a drop to cool their Tongues Here Sin is everlasting all day it runneth in the Mind and all night it playeth in the Fancy Wicked men begin the Morning with it and end the Day with it Man is ever haunted with his own Horrours and the Wrath of God inflicted upon him Thirdly The next Aggravation is 't is prepared for the Devil and his Angels for them principally and others to bear them company Sathan and all that are seduced by him are tormented together There is a Principality among the Devils one that was chief and Ringleader in the Rebellion against God he and his Angels and then Wicked men make up the Company in that Region of Darkness 'T was a sad Judgment on Nebuchadnezzar when he was turned out among the Beasts but the Cursed of the Lord are turned out among Devils If a Man knew a House were haunted he would not lie in it for a Night You must keep Company with Sathan and his Angels for evermore The Saints enjoy God and have the Company of good Angels but you must dwell with Devils If the Devil should appear to thee in some terrible Shape would not thy Heart fail thee Thou canst not look upon any in Hell but thou must remember Enemies to thy Soul as well as to God 1. VSE This should make us consider the
the Gentiles the Wrestlers were anointed Which may be applied to Christ who was now to wrestle and conflict with all the Prejudices and Difficulties of Man's Salvation But it is rather taken from the Customs of the Ceremonial Law Three sorts of Persons we find to be anointed among the Jews Kings as Saul David Solomon 1 Sam. 9.16 Thou shalt anoint him to be Captain over my People Israel Therefore they were called the Lord 's Anointed 1 Sam. 26.11 Priests All the Priests that ministred in the Tabernacle or Temple chiefly the High-Priest who was a special Figure of Christ Exod. 29.29 And the Holy Garments of Aaron shall be his Sons after him to be anointed therein and to be consecrated in them Prophets 1 Kings 19.16 Elisha the Son of Shaphat shalt thou anoint to be Prophet in thy room As Oil strengthneth and suppleth the Joints and maketh them agile and fit for Exercise so it noteth a designation and fitness for the Functions to which they were appointed So Christ because he was not to be a Typical Priest or Prophet or King therefore he was not typically but spiritually anointed not with a Sacramental but real Unction not of Men but of God immediatly Therefore we shall inquire how Christ was anointed It implyeth two things 1. The giving of Power and Authority Heb. 5.5 Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Therefore though Christ be of the same Power and Authority with the Father yet as Mediator he must be appointed Christ took not on him the honour of a Mediator but received it of his Father God needeth not to appoint a Mediator it was his free Grace To save Sinners is not proprietas Divinae Naturae but Opus liberi Concilii This Council had its rise from the Mercy and free Grace of the Father he might have required this punishment of our selves If any had interposed to mediate for us without God's Will and Calling his Mediation would have been of no value a Pledg whereof we have in Moses Exod. 32.32 33. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their Sins and if not blot me I pray thee out of the Book of Life And the Lord said unto Moses Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Book And besides where should we have found a sufficient Mediator unless he should have given us one Therefore there is much in the Father's anointing or appointment therefore is the Mediation of Christ so effectual it is made by his own Will John 8.42 I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me John 6.27 Him hath God the Father sealed as a Magistrate hath the King's Broad Seal Which is a great comfort when we go to God we may offer him Christ as authorized by himself thou hast sent thy own Son to be a Mediator for me And we may plead it to our selves in Faith God the Supream Judg the wronged Party hath appointed Christ to take up the Controversy between him and me 2. The bestowing on him the Holy Ghost who might make the humane Nature fit for the Work So Acts 10.38 Him hath God anointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power The humane Nature of Christ was fitted for the Employment for though it were exalted to great Privileges yet it could not act beyond its Sphere and Sanctification is the personal Operation of the third Person Now the Work of the Holy Ghost was in the Womb of the Virgin to preserve the Humane Nature of Christ from the infection of Sin From a Sinner nothing could be born but what was unclean and sinful by this Anointing Christ was made perfectly just strengthned to all Offices especially to offer up himself Heb. 9.14 Who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God To overcome all Difficulties and Temptations Isa. 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him The Work of Redemption was a weighty Work Christ had to do with God Devil and Man to bear the Wrath of God for the whole World 2. To what was Christ anointed To the Office of a Mediator in general particularly to be King Priest and Prophet of the Church To be a Prophet to teach us by his Word and Spirit Mat. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased hear ye him God bespeaketh audience To be a Priest to intercede and die for us To be a King to rule us by his Spirit and to give Grace and Glory to us Vse 1. Let us receive Christ as an anointed Saviour Christ is set over us by Authority Let us come to him as a Prophet denying our own Reason and Wisdom as a Priest seeking all our acceptance with God through his Merit Let us plead Lord Thou hast anointed Christ to offer himself a Sacrifice for me As a King let us give up our selves to the Authority and Discipline of his Spirit God's anointing is the true Reason and Cause why we should come to Christ. Vse 2. Comfort We are anointed too Christ's Ointment is shared amongst his Fellows he was anointed more than we but we have our part Psal. 133.2 Like the precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aaron 's Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment 1 John 2.27 The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you We are made Prophets Priests and Kings Prophets meet to declare his Praises Priests fit for holy ministring Kings to reign over our Corruptions here and with Christ for ever in glory as the Queen is crowned with the King SERMON V. JOHN XVII 4 I have glorified Thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which Thou gavest me to do IN this Verse there is another Argument to inforce the main Request of his being glorified it is taken from the faithful discharge of his Duty and his Integrity in it it was all finished and finished to God's Glory therefore it was not unjust that he should now desire to be glorified When our Work is ended then we look to receive our Wages Now saith Christ I have finished the Work and besides which giveth weight to the Argument I have glorified Thee The Reason of Christ's Request seems to be taken from the Eternal Covenant Do your Work and you shall see your Seed and from those Promises 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour Prov. 4.8 Exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her Well Christ sheweth that his Request is not unequal Though this be the general Relation of the Context yet it is good to note the particular dependance between this and the former Verse Christ said that it was Eternal Life to know him that was sent now he sheweth he had discharged that Work for which he was
will be like them that go back to fetch their Leap more commodiously Vse 3. When you stand let it incite you to Love and Thankfulness Nothing maketh the Saints more love God than his Unchangeableness His Mercy made you come to him and his Truth will not suffer you to depart from him Mercy and Truth are like Jachin and Boaz. Micah 7.20 Thou wilt perform the Truth to Jacob and the Mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn unto our Fathers from the days of old The Covenant was made with Abraham and made good to Jacob. You may rejoyce notwithstanding your Weakness and Satan's daily Assaults as Daniel in the Lion's Den to see the Lions ramping and roaring about him yet their Mouths muzzled 2 Sam. 2.9 By strength shall no Man prevail that is by his own That any of us have stood hitherto let us ascribe it wholly to God we might have been vile and scandalous even as others Many of better Gifts may fall away and thou keepest thy standing what is the reason We have done enough a thousand times to cause God to depart from us Deut. 23.14 If he see any unclean thing among thee he will turn away from thee And is it not strange that the Spirit of Grace should yet abide with us hitherto when there is so much uncleanness in every one of us The great Argument of the Saints why they love and praise him is the Constancy and Unchangeableness of his Love Psal. 136. For his Mercy endureth for ever and Psal. 106.1 Praise the Lord O give Thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his Mercy endureth for ever No Form more frequent in the Mouths of his Saints Vse 4. If any fall often constantly frequently and easily they have no Interest in Grace 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he maketh not a Trade of Sin that is the force of that Phrase God's Children slip often but not with such a frequent constant readiness into the same Sin Therefore he that liveth in a course of Prophaneness Worldliness Drunkenness his Spot is not the Spot of God's Children Deut 32.5 You are tried by your constant Course Rom. 8.1 That walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit What is your Road and Walk I except only those Sins which are of usual incidence and sudden surreption as Anger Vanity of Thoughts and yet for them a Man should be more humble If it be not felt nor striven against nor mourned for it is a bad Sign What is your Course and Walk There is an Uniformity in a Christian's Course It is nothing to have some Fits and good Moods and Motions Vse 5. It provoketh us to get an Interest in such a sure Condition Be not contented with outward Happiness things are worthy according to their duration Nature hath such a sense of God's Eternity that the more lasting things are it accounteth them the better The immortal Soul must have an eternal Good Now all things in the World are frail and passing away therefore they are called uncertain Riches 1 Tim. 6.17 compared with Prov. 8.18 Riches and Honour are with me yea durable Riches and Righteousness The Flower of these things perisheth their Grace passeth away in the midst of their Pride and Beauty like Herod in his Royalty they vanish and are blasted The better part is not taken away Luke 10.42 Mary hath chosen the better part which cannot be taken away from her A Man may outlive his Happiness be stripped of the Flower of all Worldly Glory is sure to end with Life that is transitory And still they are uncertain Riches uncertain whether we shall get them uncertain whether we shall keep them By a care of the better part we may have these Things with a Blessing Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you Gifts they are for the Body rather than the Person that hath them Men may be carnal and yet come behind in no Gifts Judas could cast out Devils and yet afterwards was cast out among Devils 1 Cor. 12.31 the Apostle had discoursed largely of Gifts but saith he Yet I shew you a more excellent Way and that is Grace that abideth Many that have great Abilities to pray preach discourse yet fall away according to the Place which they sustain in the Body so they have great Gifts of Knowledg Utterance to comfort direct instruct others to answer their Doubts to reason in holy Discourse and yet may fall fouly Heb. 6.4 5. They may be once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy-Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come They may have a great share of Church-Gifts Nay Gifts themselves wither and vanish when the bodily Vigor is spent 1 Pet. 1.24 All Flesh is Grass and all the Glory of Man as the Flower of Grass the Grass withereth and the Flower thereof falleth away Whatever Excellency we have by Nature Wit Knowledg Strength of natural Parts nothing but what the Spirit of God worketh in us will last for ever So for seeming unsound Grace as false Faith such as beginneth in Joy will end in Trouble it easeth you for the present but you shall lie down in Sorrow General Probabilities loose Hopes uncertain Conjectures vanishing Apprehensions of Comfort all fail The planting of true Faith is troublesom at first but it leadeth to true Joy you may look upon the Gospel with some kind of delectation Thorns may blaze under the Pot tho they cannot keep in the Fire Do not rest in tasting the good Word of God Heb. 6.5 in some sleight and transitory Comfort Hymeneus and Alexander are said to make shipwrack of Faith 1 Tim. 1.19 20. that is of a false Faith So for a formal Profession Men may begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh. Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the Flesh A Man may seem to himself and to the Church of God to have true Grace nay he may be enlightned find some comfort in the Word escape the Pollutions of the World foul gross Sins yea these good things may be the Works and the Effects of the Spirit of God not of Nature only not professed out of a carnal Aim but there is no setled Root and therefore it is but of short continuance But certainly that Form that is taken up out of private Aims will surely fail God delighteth to take off the Mask and Disguise of Hypocrites by letting them fall into some scandalous Sins Paint is soon washed off Therefore rest not in these things till solid and substantial Grace be wrought in your Hearts Vse 6. Is Comfort to God's Children Grace is sure and the Privileges of it sure Grace is sure through your Folly it may be nigh unto Death but it cannot
for us Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdom And 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world God prepared this Glory for us and by degrees traineth us up for it 2. The everlasting Merit of Christ Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance It is by his means that we are redeemed from the guilt and power of sin and have an eternal Inheritance stated upon us It behoved Christ for the honour of the Divine Government by the intervention of his Merit and Intercession to satisfie Gods Justice and acquire unto us those things which Love and Mercy had prepared for us and among other things that blessed and glorious estate which is to be enjoyed upon the Resurrection This is made sure to the Heirs of Promise by the Death of Christ which is of everlasting Merit called therefore v. 12. Everlasting redemption 3. The Almighty Power of the sanctifying Spirit both to change the Soul and raise the Body To change the Soul which is made an Act of Omnipotency 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue Therefore it is often compared to Creation which is a making things out of nothing To raise the Body as he did Christs Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead and will raise the bodies of the Faithful in whom he once dwelled Rom. 8.11 He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Phil. 3.21 Who shall also change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the wonderful working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself 4. The immutable Covenant or Promises of the Gospel which always stand firm and stable 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope that is set before us Hope is put for the thing hoped for that is the glorious estate which is reserved in Heaven to be injoyed there this hope is set before us in the Promises as the Prize which we must seek after and the Blessedness we must aim at We lay hold upon it when we consent to Gods offer and we fly for refuge to take hold of this Hope for it is our Sanctuary and safety as the City of Refuge was to him that was pursued by the Avenger of blood this is ground of strong consolation in all fears troubles and sorrows in the midst of the infelicities of this life this consolation is secured by two immutable things Gods Promise and Oath which are as unchangeable as his Nature these cannot fail or frustrate our hopes these give us security of injoying what we hope or receiving the reward promised to us 5. The unquestionable right of the mortified or those that are dead with Christ There is nothing wanting but the clearing up of our right and title Now the Christian Faith proposeth and sheweth much good to them as real Members of Christs mystical Body Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live and till this be done the whole design of Grace is at a stand we cannot upon other terms expect everlasting Blessedness from Christ. 3. The profit of Believing 1. It strengthens our Reason and helps it to maintain its authority and government against Sense and Appetite Reason is a middle Faculty that standeth between things above and things below and it may be either debased by Sense or elevated by Faith The one is easie because corrupt Nature carrieth us to things pleasing to Sense which are near at hand and carry a great suitableness to our Fancies and Appetites The other is difficult because it dependeth on supernatural Grace for the Spirits illumination is necessary to Faith 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the Spirit which is of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God Therefore here lyeth the benefit we have by Faith to take us off from the life of sense and to mortifie the desires of the flesh which the nearness of things sensible is apt to irritate and stir up in us 2. The more we believe the stronger and greater is our Consolation As for instance our comfort under crosses is more abounding 2 Cor. 4.14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not to the things which are seen but to the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Our courage against death is more strong 1 Thess. 4.18 We shall ever be with the Lord. Our diligence in duties is more unwearied 1 Cor. 15.58 Wherefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Vse Let us now improve these things that we have been delivering to you 1. Let us make great Conscience of the first part of our Duty If we be dead unto sin See that the work of Regeneration be once begun The first virtue we receive from Christ is the likeness of his Death that will make way for other things Christ is dead let us be dead with him that to us he may not dye in vain And when it is once begun let it be carried on to a further increase adhere still to Christs dying and persevere both in your diligence and your dependence Diligence do not give over your endeavours of mortifying sin till it be quite gone Dependence that you wait for the power of his Spirit which his Death merited for us 2. As to Life let us incourage our selves with the hope of it the same Grace that hath begun will also finish the work when we are prepared by living the life spiritual in the midst of conflicts and temptations Therefore while you are studying to please God wait for it 1. With Patience Christ after his Resurrection was not presently glorified there must be a time to
Then for the Pain it is set â—orth by the Worm and Fire Mark 9.48 Where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched Alas for momentany Pleasures we run the hazard of eternal Pains 2. It is just they sin against an infinite God! refuse eternal Blessedness have past their Tryal when they were upon their choice If they had lived longer they had continued in their impenitency now they are in their final Estate in termino when no change of mind can be thought to proceed from Grace 3. It is certain both by Gods Commination Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death It is sins wages Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death and Conscience is in dread of it Rom. 1.32 Knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death Vse Often think of the End men would be much more wise if they would more seriously think of the end of things For the present a Sinner may bear it out confidently and with some degree of pleasure but what will the end be that quite spoileth sins market Prov. 1.17 In vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird The silliest creature would not run into the destructive snare if he did see it But we are guilty of two faults either we believe it not or we consider it not First We believe it not The Apostle tells us All men have not faith 2 Thess. 3.2 few have it and the best have too little of it Would they live such a careless life if they were perswaded that all would end in Hell-torments No they would think they could not soon enough get out of the snare they would flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 they would fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them but alas the other World seemeth little better than a Fable to most men Secondly They consider it not Prov. 9.18 He knoweth not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of hell it is rendred as a Reason why the Fool counteth stoln waters sweet and bread eaten in secret pleasant these carnal delights are taken by stealth neither allowed by God nor approved by sound Reason How come men to be thus infatuated they do not consider that these Pleasures are salted with a Curse and that after all their free and licentious Life they shall be turned into Hell To conclude the whole Since there is no profit to be found in the ways of sin and they will certainly bring shame and eternal destruction shame for the present and confusion of face for evermore Let all the people of God seriously think of these things 1. That they may be more thankful for their deliverance by Christ. Pliny tells us of a Wood though of an unpleasant smell that recovers the pleasure of the Senses again So that we may not be Gospel glutted it is good to review the evil of the carnal Estate that we may the better give thanks for our recovery 2. That we may walk more humbly and watchfully You should be so far from running into your past sins that you should never remember them without shame and self-loathing and considering the fruits of sin we should meddle with this forbidden fruit no more SERMON XXII ROM VI. 22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life THE Apostle having shewed how miserable their Estate past was when they served sin he sheweth now the Happiness of the opposite state into which Grace had translated them But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life In which words observe 1. The Change wrought in them 2. The Effect of it 1. Their Change of State which is set forth 1. Partly from the Terms from what to what they were turned from sin to God Observe he had called them before Servants of Righteousness now Servants of God To serve God is heartily to obey his Will which is called the Service of Righteousness because of the equity of his Commands and the strength of the obligation upon us it is right and equal it is a due debt So that the Service of God and of Righteousness is all one 2. The Power by which it was accomplished which is implied in the passive forms of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 20. When ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness now it is made servants and made free We are prone enough to sin of our selves and ready enough to that which is evil but God by his effectual working made us to be that by Grace which by Nature we could never be we were born servants of sin but made servants of God by his Spirit 2. The Effect of this Change which is either Holiness or Happiness the one in this Life the other in the next First Holiness in this Life Ye have your fruit unto holiness the Apostles discourse leadeth him to speak of the fruit by Holiness but he saith Ye have your fruit to Holiness for he is comparing the service of God and the service of Sin now in the service of sin there is nothing to be had but shame and death those were his Arguments there What fruit had you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Now he only saith You have your fruit to holiness in opposition to shame which was the consequent of sin and in opposition to death he saith And the end eternal life Why doth he thus speak Answ. 1. Holiness is a reward to it self it is its own fruit If a man doth attain to Purity of Soul it is enough Honour and Joy doth accompany it as shame doth sin 2. It may be meant of Holiness increased for the more we serve God the more holy shall we be every good work increaseth our Holiness or our fitness and ability for obedience to God So that in effect this is the Argument This good you reap by your subjection to God that you are in this World sanctified and fitted to walk in newness of Life Secondly Happiness in the Life to come and the end everlasting Life that is the final issue for the holy Life is a beginning and pledge of that Life which is immortal and glorious Doctrine That when all things are well considered the only amiable Life is that which is spent in Gods Service I word the Doctrine thus 1. Because the two Lives are compared the Life spent in Vanity and Sin and the Life spent in Holiness and Righteousness therefore I say When all things are well considered 2. Because those who are before called Servants of Righteousness are now called Servants of God therefore I say
Conscience speaketh peace to them so that they have no inward trouble to damp their joy and their end is Eternal Life for the present they have some access to God their work is more easie and their comforts are more sweet 2. Let me now speak of the Honour that doth accompany an holy Life It will never be matter of shame to us as sin is to all that practise it first or last 1. Because Holiness is the very Image of God upon the Soul or that work by which he sets forth his Praise to the World If God be excellent it can be no disgrace or dishonour to us to be like God and nothing on this side Heaven so like him as an holy Soul This was the blessed Perfection in which we were created at first Gen. 1.26 And God said Let us make man in our image after our likeness and when it was lost for this end were we redeemed by Christ who came to set up Gods Image in our Nature Joh. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth That we may be renewed by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of our God It is an Image not made by Painter or Carver but the Holy Ghost Now certainly that which was our primitive glory and excellency and is renewed and repaired with so much ado will never be matter of shame to us 2. They which have their fruit unto Holiness have the best temper and constitution of Soul of any men in the World they have a new and Divine Nature which inclineth them to the noblest Objects and Ends 2 Pet. 1.4 nothing below God can satisfie them their Ends are the glorifying of God and the eternal Enjoyment of him 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Alas what a poor drossie Soul is an unsanctified Soul they that drive no higher a Trade than providing for the Flesh or accommodating a Life which shortly must expire When these are seeking after the World and scrambling for the Honours and Delights thereof they are seeking after Heaven and adorning the Soul while they are pampering the Flesh. Surely they which contemn the World are more honourable than they which injoy it and it is much better to please God that we may live with him in Heaven than to flatter men that we may rise in the World 3. Their way and course of Life as well as their Temper and disposition of Heart is more noble for when others live according to the vain course of this corrupt World they live according to the Will of God which is the highest Pattern of all Perfection The one live to the Lusts of men the other according to the Will of God 1 Pet. 4.2 That be no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God The one walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2.2 According to the course of this world the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule c. Now which Course is better Let us refer this Question to the Sentiments of Nature Even though men be so much depraved by their slavery to their brutish Lusts that they might justly be refused as incompetent Judges yet natural Conscience in the worst doth homage to the Image of God shining in the Saints as Herod feared John because he was a strict and just man Mark 6.20 And Exod. 11.3 Moses was great in the land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaohs servants and in the sight of all the people his Person and Presence was awful to them Nature hath a secret sentiment of the Excellency of Holiness those that regard not to practise it wonder at it 1 Pet. 4.4 They think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot especially when they come to dye then do they approve a sober godly Life though they had an heart to embrace it before Numb 23.10 Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Though they chuse to live with the carnal yet they would dye with the righteous such an approbation is Conscience forced to give first or last to an holy course of Life 4. That is honourable and glorious which is most esteemed by God for he can best judge and the great Soveraign of the World is the Fountain of all Honour Now Holiness is most esteemed by him which he hath declared both by word and deed First By Word Isa. 43.4 Since thou was precious in my sight thou hast been honourable God that was refreshed in the review of the works of Creation is also delighted in the works that belong to Redemption yea more as these gifts are more worthy and brought about with greater expence and difficulty therefore he delights most in the holy and righteous any part of Holiness is an ornament o◠great price in the fight of God 1 Pet. 3.4 Let your adorning be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and of a quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price Secondly In Deed as they are taken into a nearness to himself and here injoy his favour and fellowship and hereafter shall live with him for ever Now they have his Favour and injoy Communion with him Psal. 11.7 For the righteous God loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright hereafter they shall see his blessed Face Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see God They are capacitated for true Happiness This is so certain a Truth that all who are made partakers of a Divine Nature have the same disposition in them Psal. 15.4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. They look not to the outward pomp and prosperity of the World and therefore have an heart to honour and respect godly men as being beloved prized and set apart by God and as they are made partakers of these sute great and glorious things which are infinitely more worthy of our love than any thing below So again Psal. 16.3 To the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight When we think too highly and pleasingly of the condition of the rich and too meanly and contemptibly of the state of the holy and godly as if it were a better thing to be great in the
the way which God hath set forth for you All will chuse happiness before misery but they are out in the means they do not chuse the good of holiness before the pleasures of sin nor the life of faith before the life of sence If you have more mind to keep sin than to let it go you are still charmed and inchanted with the delights of the flesh your will and resolution is not fixed 3. To this add an industrious pursuit and seeking after these things for our choice is known by our pursuit and our bent by our work these things must be diligently sought after that we may behave our selves like men that are desirous to have what they seek Heb. 11.6 God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Everlasting Joys will not drop into the mouth of the lazy soul these things are not trifles they will cost us diligence and seriousness Phil. 2.12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling It is a weighty work and it must be followed close if you miscarry in it you are undone for ever but if you happily get through it you are in a blessed state indeed 4. You must seek after the priviledges of the Gospel in Gods way You cannot have spiritual life and Adoption and Justification by Christ till you are united to him by faith 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life You cannot have Heaven and Glory but by patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2.3 To them that by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life You cannot have the end but in the use of means and you do not like the end if you do not like the means till you come to God by Christ you cannot live the life of Grace and till you live the Life of Grace you are not capable of Glory Therefore you must ask your souls often What have I to show for my Title to Salvation more than most of the world have 5. It is not enough that you seek after them in Gods way but you must seek after them above other things A feeble desire cannot maintain it self against fleshly lusts and temptations if you have a mind to these things and a greater mind to other things your resolution will be soon shaken carnal things will intercept the vigor and life of your souls these things must be sought first and most all must be sold for the Pearl of Price Mat. 13.45 46. 6. You must beg of God to give you a new mind and a new heart Both to discern and relish spiritual things for your old corrupt minds and hearts will never do it 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he receive them because they are spiritually discerned He cannot accept nor savingly understand these things so as to believe them with a sound belief and a large affection Exhortations are in vain for inclination here doth more than Perswasion all things are of God 2 Cor. 5.17 18. God must give both and therefore ask them of him SERMON VIII ROM VIII 6 For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace THE Apostle is giving Reasons Why the Comforts of Justification do only belong to the sanctified He only takes notice of Two First The difference between the sanctified and unsanctified as to their disposition Secondly The difference that is between them as to the Event and Issue There is a contrary disposition and a contrary end and issue First How they are affected or what they mind Secondly What will come of it according to Gods Oordination and Appointment 1. He reasoneth from the contrary disposition of the unsanctified They being after the flesh do only mind and savour carnal things they study to please the flesh value all things by the interest of the flesh therefore are justly excluded from the priviledges of the spiritual life for 't is not fit men should be happy against their wills or be possess'd of priviledges they do not care for God will not cast Pearl before swine that trample on them nor bestow these precious comforts where they are not valued This Argument you have v. 5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Because they mind them not they have them not 2. He reasoneth from the consequent issue and event by the Ordination and Appointment of God Thus in the Text For to be carnally minded is death Death belongeth to the carnally minded and Life and Peace to the spiritually minded In this Scripture there are two Ways and two ends both opposite and contrary to each other 1. The two Ways The Carnal minding and the Spiritual minding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Two Ends Death and Life and Peace Doct. That the carnal mind tendeth and bringeth a man to Death but the spiritual mind is the way to life and peace The Text and the Doctrine being a copulate Axiom must be explained by parts 1. To be carnally minded is death I must open Two Things 1. The carnal minding 2. That death which is the fruit and consequent of it 1. What is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which here we translate to be carnally minded in the Margent the minding of the flesh and some Translations the wisdom of the flesh 1. I Answer 'T is the influence of the flesh upon all the faculties Vnderstanding Will and Affections as also upon our practice and conversation when the Wisdom of the flesh governeth our counsels choices and actions It includeth the acts of the mind There are two acts of the mind Apprehension and Cogitation in both the flesh bewrayeth its self 1. As to Apprehension We are acute in discerning the Nature Worth and Value of carnal things but stupid and blockish in things spiritual and heavenly Luke 16.9 The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More dexterous in the course of their affairs skilful in all things of a secular interest in back and belly concernments but very sensless in things that are without the line of the flesh and beyond the present world 2 Pet. 1.9 He is blind and cannot see afar off He can see nothing of the danger of perishing for ever or the worth of Salvation or the need of Christ to heal wounded souls or the necessity of making serious preparation for the world to come 'T is strange to consider how acute Wits are stupid and sensless in these things being blinded by the delusions of the flesh surely none have such a lively knowledg of spiritual things as spiritual men Object But do not many carnal men understand the Mysteries of Godliness Yea sometimes more distinctly and acurately than the sanctified I Answer Carnal
of Adoption no less Agent or Witness will serve the turn Rom. 8.16 The spirit its self beareth witness to our spirits that we are the children of God When that is done yet the glory intended to be revealed in us is not sufficiently known we have not now an heart to conceive of it 1 Cor. 2.9 And Prophesie is but in-part 1 Cor. 12.9 And the Apostle when wrapt up in Paradise heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.4 Heavenly joys cannot be told us in an earthly dialect the Scripture is fain to lisp to us and to speak something of it as we can understand and conceive of things to come by things present therefore our glory is in a great measure unknown and will be till the day of manifestation and then there shall be a Crown of Glory prepared for us 3. Why this Glory is hidden 1. Because now is the time of tryal hereafter of recompence Therefore now is the hiding time hereafter is the day of the manifestation of the sons of God if the glory were too sensible there were no trial neither of the world nor of the people of God Christ himself might be discerned by those who had a mind to see him yet there was obscurity enough in his Person to harden those that were resolved to continue in their prejudices therefore 't is said Luke 2.39 This child was set for the rise and fall of many in Israel So if the whole excellency of a Christians estate were laid open to the view of fense there would be no trial Christ had his bright side and dark side a glory to be seen by those whose eyes were anointed with spiritual eye-salve John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the father And affliction and meaness enough to harden those who had no mind to see So God hath his chosen ones in the world who keep up his honour and interest and he hath his ways to to express his love to them but not openly they are called his hidden ones Psal. 80.3 They are under his secret blessing and protection but not visibly owned but in such a way as may be best for their trial and the trial of the world The Lord Jesus came not with external appearance his Divine Nature was hidden under the vail of his flesh and his Dignity and Excellency under a base and mean outside in the outward estate there was nothing lovely to be seen by a carnal eye Isa. 53.2 He hath no form and comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Yet in himself he was the brightness of the Divine Glory and the express image of his person Heb. 1.3 2. God hath chosen this way to advance his glory that he may perfect his power in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 By wants and weaknesses his fatherly love appeareth to us more than in an absolute and total exemption from them God would not so often hear from us nor would we have such renewed experiences to revive the sense of his fatherly love and grace which would otherwise be dead and cold in our hearts were it not for these wants and afflictions during our minority and nonage 3. To wean and draw us off from things present to things to come That we may be contented to be hidden from and hated by the world if the course of our service expose us to it for we must not look upon things as they are or seem to be now but what they will be hereafter Now is the trouble then the reward present time is quickly past and therefore we should be dead to present profits and present pleasures and present honours and look to eternity that is to come 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not to the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Oh how glorious will the derided vilified Believer be then It should be our Ambition to look after this honour 't is the day of the manifestation of the Sons of Cod tho the wicked have a larger allowance by the bounty of Gods common Providence yet you have his special love We think God doth not place his hands aright no! God doth not misplace his hands as Joseph thought of his Father Gen. 48. when he preferred Ephraim befor Manasseh What a poor condition was the only Begotten Son of God in when he lived in the world When you are poorer than Christ then complain tho you do not enjoy Pleasures Honours Riches Esteem yet if you enjoy the Favour of God 't is enough tho mean yet if heirs of glory Jam. 2.5 God doth not esteem persons according to their outward lustre 1 Sam. 16.7 Look not on his countenance or the height of his stature for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh upon the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart 2. How manifested Their persons shall be known and owned Rev. 3.5 But I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels 'T is no litigious debate then no more doubt when owned not by Charracter but by Name they shall be manifested to themselves and their glory also revealed to the world by the visible marks of favour Christ will put upon them when others are rejected Isa. 66.5 But he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed Yea the world shall stand wondring 2 Thes. 1.10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2. Doct. That the state of the creatures shall he renewed when Gods children come to be manifested in their glory For he saith the whole Creation groaneth and waiteth 1. This is clear that heaven and earth that is the lower Heavens and the Elementary Bodies as well as the earth shall suffer some kind of change at the last day for 't is said Psal. 102.26 As a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed He will change them quite from the condition wherein they now are 2. That this change of the world and the heavenly and elementary bodies shall be by fire 2 Pet. 3.7 The heavens and the earth which are now reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and the perdition of ungodly men 3. That notwithstanding this fire and universal destruction rational creatures shall subsist to all eternity in their proper place assigned to each of them the Godly in Heaven the wicked in Hell Matth. 25.46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into eternal life 4. 'T is probable that the bruits and plants and all such corruptible bodies as are necessary to the animal life but superfluous to life everlasting shall be utterly destroyed 5. That the world and elementaty bodies shall be refined and purged by this fire and
peace with God but his going off from the world and must believe not only to the pardon of sins but also to Eternal life 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterwards believe on him to everlasting life There is the final and ultimate object of faith which must be first thought of for all things are influenced by the last end when we are invited to Christ we are invited by this motive That sinners shall not only be pardoned but glorified Therefore a true and well grounded hope of Eternal life is a more weighty point than we usually think of and a great part of Religion lyeth in drawing off the heart from things visible and temporal to those that are invisible and Eternal The great effects of faith which are love to God and victory over the world are more easily produced when faith hath the assistance of hope or this lively expectation of the world to come Therefore we must not only consider the death of Christ as it hath procured for us the pardon of sin or the promise of pardon But as he dyed for us that we might live for ever with him 1 Thes. 5.9 that so the soul may more directly and expresly be carried to God and Heaven 4. It informeth us That none can be saved without hope of salvation A Christian as soon as he is made a Christian hath not the good things promised by Christ but as soon as he is made a Christian he expecteth them As an heir is rich in hope though he hath little in possession Take any notion of applying grace as soon as we are justified we are made heirs according to the hope of Eternal life Tit. 3.7 as soon as we are converted and regenerated we are begotten to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 and as soon as we are united to Christ Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory And without hope how can a man act as a Christian since the whole business of the world is done by hope certainly the whole spiritual life is quickned by this grace Titus 2.12 13. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously godly in the present world looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And Phil. 3.20 21. for our conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body But then here ariseth a great doubt how far every man is bound to hope for salvation For those that have no assurance of their own sincerity and cannot unquestionably make out their propriety and interest how can they hope for salvation Answer To solve this doubt we must consider a little the several states of men as they stand concerned in everlasting life some have but a bare possibility others have a probability a third are gotten so far as a conditional certainty others have an actual certainty or firm perswasion of their own right and interest 1. To some the hope of Heaven is but a bare possibility as to the careless Christian who is yet intangled in his lusts but God continueth to them the offer of salvation by Christ they may be saved if they will accept this offer 't is brought home to their doors and left to their choice 'T is impossible indeed in the state in which they are but their hearts may be changed by the Lords grace Mark 10.27 With men 't is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible He can make the filthy heart to become clean and holy the sensual heart to become spiritual and heavenly There are many bars in the way but grace can break through and remove them This possibility checketh scruples and aggravateth their evil choice for they forsake their own mercies Jonah 2.8 by their vain course of life they deprive themselves of happiness which might be theirs 't is their own by offer for God did not exclude them but not their own by choice for they excluded themselves judge themselves unworthy of eternal life Acts 13.46 This possibility is an incouragement to use the means Acts 8.22 Pray if perhaps or if it be possible the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee 2. Others have a probability or a probable hope of Eternal life as when men begin to be serious or in some measure to mind the things of God but are conscious to some notorious defect in their duty or have not such a soundness of heart as may warrant their claim to everlasting blessedness as we read of almost Christians Acts 20.28 and not far from the kingdom of Heaven Mark 10.24 and such are all those which have only the grace of the second or third ground they receive the word with joy but know not what tryals may do they have good sentiments of Religion but they are much choaked and obstructed by voluptuous living or the cares of the world Luke 8.14 yea some such thing may befall weak believers They dare not quit their hopes of Heaven for all the world but cannot actually lay claim to it and say 't is theirs Now probabilities must incourage us till we get a greater certainty for we must not despise the day of small things and 't is better to be a seeker than a wanderer 3. A conditional certainty which is more than possible or probable That is when we adhere to Gods covenant and set our selves in good earnest to perform the conditions required in the promises of the Gospel expecting this way the blessings offered as for instance the hope is described by Paul Acts 24.15 16. And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust and herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men there is such a dependance upon the promise as breedeth an hope and this hope puts upon strict and exact walking such a conditional certainty is described in Rom. 2.7 Who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour immortality and eternal life I am sure to find salvation and Eternal life if I self-denyingly and patiently continue this way and by the grace of God I am resolved so to continue Now there is much of hope in this partly because this is the hope which is the immediate effect of regeneration The hope that is the fruit of experience and belongeth to the seasoned and tryed Christian who hath approved himself hearsay is another thing Rom. 5.4 and partly because this suiteth with Gods covenant or the conditional offer of Eternal life according to the terms of the Gospel where the
of particular persons 't is much more true of the Church all is for good Psal. 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain Christ many times gets up on the Devils shoulders All Providence is for the Elects sake 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake that they may obtain salvation by Christ with eternal glory The sufferings of the Apostles conduced to the good of true Christians God considered the good of the whole Church USE Is Information 1. That the exception against Gods Providence from the evils that abound in the world is vain and frivolous 'T was an old doubting question If there be a God how are there evils If there were not a God how is there good One part answereth the other the Text more fully he turneth evil unto good That there are Devils God knoweth how to make use of them to punish the wicked and exercise the godly that there is sin if there had been no sin no Christ that there are miseries if no miseries many graces would be lost there would be no fortitude no patience no earnestness in prayer that there are wicked men it sheweth Gods distinguishing Mercy that when so many are drowned in the common shipwrack of mankind 't is the greater mercy that we escape if others are bad let us bless God that made us better Lastly that there is death that there might be a passage out of this world and a period to our labours and sorrows 2. It teacheth us how to interpret prayers We have prayed for the continuance of a blessing and lost it for the riddance of a trouble yet it continueth upon us this is the very case here if God heareth them how come they to suffer such hard things The spirit teacheth us to pray now the denyal of either suit turneth to good We often come to God with carnal requests which being interpreted sound but thus Give me that wherewith I may offend thee or have my flesh pleased or lusts fed God findeth us doting on the creature and we take it ill to be interrupted in our Whoredoms We must distinguish between what is really best for us and what we judg best other diet is more wholsome for our souls than what our sick appetites craveth we are best many times when weakest worst when strongest 3. It giveth us a reason of waiting Tho we do not presently know why every thing is done let us wait Providence doth not work without a cause we see it not now but we shall see it when God turneth it to good We must not judge of Gods work by the beginning God seemeth an adversary for a while to them that indeed injoy his eternal love let patience have its perfect work and when Providence is come to a period you will know more 4. What reason to trust God with events Some things fall under our duty others are a meer event our care is about events rather than duty and so we take Gods work out of his hands and so 't is not care so much as carking we enquire what shall become of us rather than what we shall do do you do your duty and God knoweth how to turn all things for good Phil. 4.6 7. Nothing can go amiss to him that is found in the way of duty 5. It informeth us of the happiness of Gods children We may put in for a share when we are sanctified to God all things are sanctified to us and things that otherwise would be snares prove helps and discouragements prove furtherances the creature is as if it were another thing to the Saints if they are advanced their hearts are inlarged to God 2 Sam. 7.2 And the king said unto Nathan the prophet See now I dwell in an house of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within curtains Neh. 1.11 O Lord I beseech thee let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant and to the prayer of thy servants who desire to fear thy name and prosper I pray thee this day thy servant and grant him mercy in the sight of this man for I was the kings cupbearer meaning he had improved this place for God When they are afflicted they do not fret or faint but humble themselves under the mighty hand of God and so meet him at every turn Oh what a blessed thing is it to be under the special care of God and to have all things about us ordered with respect to our eternal welfare 't is not so with the wicked if God make Saul a King Judas an Apostle Balaam a Prophet their preferment will be their ruin Hamans honour Achitophels wit Herods applause turned to their hurt if in prosperity they contemn God in adversity they deny and blaspheme God This evil is from the Lord why should I wait on him any longer As the salt Sea turneth all into salt water so a man is as the constitution of his heart is 2. USE is Caution 1. Against misconstruction of Providence 2. Against non-improvement 1. Against misconstruction of Providence There may be a seeming harshness in some of Gods dealings but all things considered you will find them full of mercy and truth Psal. 25.10 If there be a seeming contradiction between his Word and Providence you must not always interpret the word by Providence but Providence by the word Psal. 73.17 Vntil I went into the Sanctuary of God then I understood their end 2. Against non-improvement Let us not lose the benefit by our negligence and folly let us observe how we make profit of every thing God would not send this affliction did he not know how it would be good for me Therefore to this end 1. Take these Motives 2. Consider what profit is to be gotten by afflictions 1. Motives 1. 'T is not enough to be good in the affliction but we must get good by the affliction Carnal men are somewhat good in the affliction more modest when Gods hand is heavy upon them and they are somewhat disabled or discouraged from following their lusts yea and may make great promises of reformation when God hath them under but as soon as they are delivered they encourage themselves in the practice of their old sins as metals are melted while they are in the furnace but assoon as they are taken out they return to their natural hardness again But the godly are the better afterwards they cannot forget their old smart by sin Josh. 22.17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed unto this day They remember what was the great burden in their troubles and what was the great comfort and support under them and are the better all their lives but others are of another temper Psal. 78.34 When he sâ—ew them then they sought him and enquired early after God The sense of present smart and the terror of an angry God may frighten them into a little religiousness for
the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God For though God keepeth us yet he keepeth us by our faith 1 Pet. 1.5 And are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation The love and power of the principal cause doth not exclude the means of our preservation When we consider our great tryals we are apt to apprehend much matter of fear and uncertainty as Heaven is kept for us so are we kept for Heaven that we may not be lost in the way thither But how are we kept By the power of God as the principal Agent through faith depending upon his promise both for assistance and pardon for 't is a firm cordial believing that Jesus is the Son of God and so the great Law-giver of the Church and the fountain of grace to all his people As a Law-giver so we make conscience of his precepts because his threats and promises are greater than all the terrors and allurements of sense we can set Hell against all the terrors of the world and Heaven against all the delightful things of the world and so are not greatly moved with what befalleth us here Faith layeth these things before the soul as if they were before our eyes and we are affected with them as with things before our eyes yea more here is a prison there is Hell Domine Imperator tu carcerem ille Gehennam here torments for the body there God is ready to cast an unfaithful fearful Christian both body and soul into Hell-fire here is pomp of living contentments for the flesh there is pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore here is worldly glory there the glory honour and immortality of the other world Rom. 2.7 here is escape from present torments there is a better Resurrection Heb. 11.35 all this belongeth to Christ as a Law-giver But as he is the fountain of spiritual life and grace so we receive Christ that he may live in us and we in him and so are fortified against inward weakness and look upon Christ as able to defend us and to maintain us in the midst of temptations We have a weak nature our God is unseen our great hopes are to come the flesh is importunate to be pleased loath to hold out against so many tryals But look to Jesus the captain of our salvation and the fountain of our life we are incouraged and receive supplies from him Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me The Lord inableth us to abound or to be abased to undergo any condition so we may discharge our duty to Christ. He strengtheneth our staggering resolution and helpeth us to be strong in the power of his might for all encounters Eph. 6.10 Thus you see how faith helpeth us 2. Love is another grace and of chief regard in this place Now I shall shew you that love hath an unconquerable force and power in its self especially where 't is accompanied with desire hope and delight as it is in a sincere gracious heart 1. There is an invincible force in love its self Cant. 8.6 7. For love is strong as death jealousie is cruel as the grave many waters cannot quench love nor can the floods drown it If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be utterly contemned Love is of such a vehement nature that we cannot resist it and break the force of it no more than we can resist death or fire nothing but the thing loved can quench or satisfie it Such a vehement love is there kindled in the heart of a believer towards Christ It maketh such strong and mighty impressions on the heart that they cannot endure any separation and divorce from Christ. No opposition can extinguish it no other satisfaction can bribe it and intice it away from Christ. No opposition can extinguish it if many waters cannot quench love nor can floods drown it waters will quench fire but nothing can quench love By waters in Scripture are understood afflictions crosses and seeming hard dealing from Christ All his waves and billows have gone over me saith David Now a sincere love doth so clasp about Christ that no cross no rod nor the blackest dispensations can drive us from him neither Sword nor Famine nor Pestilence If all the floods of tryal and opposition were let out upon it it cannot quench love so also nothing can satisfie it Nay it rejecteth the offers of all inticing objects which would intrude themselves into Christs room in the heart There are two sorts of tryals which carry away souls from Christ left-hand temptations as crosses and afflictive evils and right-hand temptations such as the cares of this world deceitfulness of riches and voluptuous living when the one sort of tryals do not prevail the other may The thorny ground could endure the heat of the Sun but the good seed choaked in it But true love to Christ will be prevailed over by neither if a man would give all the subtance of his house that is all that can be given to buy away a soul from Christ it will not do all this proffer is utterly contemned with an holy disdain and indignation No all things are dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of our Lord Phil. 3.8 9. All essays to cool it or divert or draw it away are fruitless A slight love may be overcome but a fervent strong love will not 'T is a warm love to Christ which maintaineth his interest in the soul and then neither waters nor bribes heights nor depths advantages nor losses preferments nor persecutions will cool the believers affection to Christ. He dareth not entertain any thing in Christs room nor slacken his love to him no pleasures and riches and honours will not satisfie him and troubles and afflictions will not discourage him Thus a true and sincere love is unconquerable and will hold out against temptations on all hands 2. This love to Christ is accompanied with desire hope and delight So far as we want the thing which we love there is desire and so far as 't is likely to be obtained there is hope and so far as we injoy the thing which we love it is accompanied with delight Now all these are to be found in the love of Christ and if they be high and strong the believer overcometh the violence of the temptation 1. 'T is not easie to draw off a man from his strongest desires If a mans heart be set upon Christ he must be with Christ for evermore What can separate him Will he be discouraged with tribulation or distress Nay those inflame him shall he lose all that he hath longed for because of a little inconveniency to the flesh No Pauls groanings for Christ and desires to be with the Lord made him labour and strive and endure all the
back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of their Souls The great satisfaction that the immortal Soul hath by Faith is that it seeth a place of Eternal abode and therefore it cannot settle here it must look higher than the present World Faith perswadeth us that the end of our Creation and Regeneration was far more noble than a little miserable abode here There is no man in the world but if he follow the light of reason much more if he be guided by the Light of Grace will seek a place and an estate of rest wherein he may finally quiet his mind Therefore Faith cannot be satisfied till we reach our Heavenly Mansion he is unworthy of an Immortal Soul that looketh no further than earthly things 2. Hope was made for things to come especially for our full and final Happiness God fits us with grace as well as with Happiness he doth not only make a grant of a glorious estate but hath given us grace to expect it Hope would be of no use if it did not look out for another Condition Rom. 8.24 Hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for it No there is something to come and therefore because we have it not in possession we lift up the head and look for it with a longing and desirous expectation 'T is said Col. 1.5 That our Hope is laid up for us in Heaven A Believers portion is not given him in hand he hath it only in hope He hath it not but 't is safely kept for his use and that in a most sure place in Heaven where Thieves cannot break thorough and steal 3. Love The Saints have heard much of Christ read much of Christ tasted and felt much of Christ they would fain see him and be with him 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye Love Many Love Jesus Christ whom they have not seen in the flesh or conversed with him bodily but though they have not seen him they desire to see him for Love is an affection of union it desireth to be with the party loved The Spirit in the Bride saith come Rev. 22.17 The Adulteress saith stay away but the loving Spouse and the Bride saith come Carnal men will not give their vote this way but the Soul that loveth Christ would have him either come to them or take them up to him their Souls are not at ease till this be accomplished 1. Use. Let us give in our names among them that profess themselves to be strangers and sojourners here in the World This Confession must be made not in word only but indeed and in truth We must carry our selves as strangers and pilgrims 1. Let us be drawing home as fast as we can A Traveller would be passing over his Journey as soon as may be so should we be hastening home in our desires and affections 'T is but a sorry home to be at home in the Body when all that while we are absent from the Lord. There is a tendency in the New Nature to God a perfect enjoyment of God and a perfect subjection to God therefore our desires should still draw homewards Heb. 11.16 They desire a Countrey that is an heavenly All that have gotten a new heart and nature from the Lord their hearts run upon the expectation of what God hath promised they cannot be satisfied with any thing they enjoy here 2. By making serious provision for the other World Matth. 6.33 But first seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you Men that bestow all their labour and travel about earthly things and neglect their precious and immortal Souls they are contented to be at home in the Body and look no farther But when you are furnishing the Soul with Grace and grow more heavenly strict and mortified you are more meet Col. 1.12 Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light They that wallow in the delights and contentments of the flesh dislike strictness and holiness What should they do with Heaven they are not fit for it Every degree of Grace is a step nearer home Psal. 84.7 They shall go on from strength to strength Get clearer Evidences of your right to everlasting Life 1 Tim. 6.19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of eternal life The comfort of what you have done for God will abide with you therefore let it be your care and great business not so much to live well here as to live well hereafter our wealth and honours and dignities do not follow us into the other world but our works do Consider the place you are bound for and what Commodities grow currant there what will stead you when other things fail 3. Mortifie Carnal desires 1 Pet. 2.11 As strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the Soul The Flesh-pots of Aegypt made Israel despise Canaan Fleshly lusts do only gratifie the Body as corrupted with sin and therefore they must be subdued and kept under by those who have higher and better things to care for If we were to live here for ever it were no such absurd thing to gratifie the flesh and please the body though even so it were not a practice so suitable to the rational life yet not altogether so absurd as when we must be gone and shortly dislodge and when we have great and precious Promises of happiness in another World 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit That bindeth it more upon us These lusts blind the mind besot the heart burden us in our Journey homeward divert our thoughts and care yea being indulged and allowed they make us forfeit Heaven and will prove at length the ruine of our Souls Sowing to the flesh cuts off the hopes of happiness Gal. 6.8 Well then bethink your selves if you look for Heaven will you cherish the flesh which is the Enemy of your Salvation Do you expect a room among the Angels and will you live as those who are slaves of the Devil The World is not your Countrey and will you wholly be occupied and taken up about worldly things what you shall eat and drink and what you shall put on 4 Patiently endure the inconveniencies of your Pilgrimage Strangers will meet with hard usage 'T is no news that all things do not succeed with the Heirs of Promise according to their hearts desire here in the World The World will love its own but they are chosen out of the World Joh. 15.19 Christ died not for this that we should be dandled upon the Worlds knees As long as the end shall be happy let us bear the inconveniencies of the way with the more patience A Christian that is convinced of a Life to come should not be greatly dismayed at
Remunerative Justice There is a threefold Justice in God his General Justice his Strict Justice his Justice of Benignity or Fidelity according to his Gospel Law 1. His General Justice requireth that there should be a different proceeding among them that differ among themselves that every man should reap according to what he hath sown whether he hath been sowing to the Flesh or to the Spirit that the fruit of his doings should be given into his Bosom And therefore though this be not evident in this life where good and evil is promiscuously dispensed because now is the time of Gods patience and our tryal yet in the life to come when God will Judge the World in Righteousness Acts 17.31 it is necessary that it should go well with the good and ill with the bad And as the Apostle saith 2 Thes. 1.6 7. It is a Righteous thing with God to recompense Tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels There is generalis ratio justi in the difference of the recompenses And therefore the different actions of the persons to be judged must come into the discussion whether good or evil 2dly There is Gods strict Justice declared in the Covenant of works whereby he rewardeth man according to his perfect obedience or else punisheth him for his failings and coming short This also is in part to be declared at the day of Judgment on the wicked at least for the Apostle declareth that there will be a different proceeding with men according to the divers Covenants which they are under some shall be judged by the Law of liberty according to which God will accept their sincere though imperfect obedience Others shall have Judgment without any temperament of mercy Jam. 2.12 13. And justly because they never changed Copy and tenure When God made man he gave him a Law suitable to that perfection and innocency wherein he made him Our Fact did not make void his right to require the obedience due by that Law Nor our obligation to perform it but yet because man was uncapable of performing this Law or obtaining Righteousness by it Having once broken it he was pleased to cast out a plank to us after shipwrack to offer us the remedy of a new Law of grace wherein he required of us repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20 21. That we should return to our duty to our Creator depending upon the merit Satisfaction and Power of the Mediator Now we are all sinners and have deserved death according to the Law of Nature and wo and wrath an hundred times over and if through our impenitency and unbelief we will not accept of Gods remedy we are justly left to the old Covenant under which we were born and so undergo Judgment without mercy 3dly There is his justice of bounty and free beneficence as judging according to his Gospel Law which accepteth of sincere obedience and so God is just when he rewardeth a man capable of reward upon terms of Grace So 't is said Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work of Faith and labour of love which ye have shewed to his name His promises take notice of works and the fruits of Faith and Love as one part of our Qualification which make us capable of the blessings promised 3. His veracity and faithfulness God hath promised Life and Glory to the penitent and obedient and the faithful And God will make good his promises and reward all the labours and patience and faithfulness of his Servants according to his promises to them To whom hath he promised Salvation To the obedient to the patient to the pure in heart to the diligent and studious every where in the Word of God John 12.26 There shall my Servant be Jam. 1.12 And Rom. 2.6 7. He will render to every one according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour Immortality Eternal Life On the contrary he hath interminated and threatned verses 8 9. To them that are contentious and obey not the truth who wrangle and dispute away duty See promises mixed with threatnings to the carnal and the mortified Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do Mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live And Gal. 6.8 If ye sow to the flesh of the flesh ye shall reap corruption but if ye sow to the Spirit ye shall reap Life Everlasting Now that Gods truth may fully appear mens works must be brought into the tryal 4. His free grace The business of that day is not only to glorifie his Justice but to glorify his free Love and Mercy 1 Pet. 1.13 Hope unto the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. And this grace is no way infringed but the rather exalted when what we have done in the Body whether it be good or evil is brought into the Judgment 1. The evil works of the faithful shew that every one is worthy of death for sinning though we do not die and perish everlastingly for it as others do Gods best Saints have need to deprecate his strict Judgment Psa. 143.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant he doth not say with thine enemy but thy Servant They that can continue with most patience in well doing have nothing to look for at last but mercy Jude 21 'T is their best plea Revel 2.10 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life When we have done and suffered never so much for God we must at length take Eternal Life as a gift out of the hands of our Redeemer but for the grace of the new Covenant we might have perished as others do In some measure we see grace here but never so fully and perfectly as then Partly because now we have not so full a view of our unworthiness as when our actions are scanned and all brought to light And partly because there is not so full and large Manifestation of Gods favour now as there is in our full and final reward 'T is grace now that he is pleased to pass by our offences and to take us into his family and give us some tast of his Love and a right to the Heavenly Kingdom but then 't is another manner of grace and favour then our pardon shall be pronounced by our Judges own mouth and he shall not only take us into his family but into his immediate presence and Heavenly Palace not only give us right but possession Come ye Blessed of my Father Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you And shall have not only some remote service and Ministration but be everlastingly imployed in loving and delighting in and praising of God this is grace indeed The grace of God or his free favour to
in his conversation 2 Cor. 6.4 5 6. But in all things approving our selves as ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in Imprisonments in tumults in labours in Watchings in fastings By pureness by knowledge by long-sufferings by kindness by the Holy Ghost by love unfeigned by the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left c. These were the evidences which he had in their consciences The faithful discharge of his Office in all sorts of pressures wants and exigencies as also by the constant study of the mind of God and purity of life and abundance of Spirit and sincere charity and love to Souls by these things should a People Choose a Minister and by these things did Paul approve himself to their consciences 2. All these may others have hating for the publickness of his Office and the extraordinary assistance of the Holy Ghost all Ministers and all Christians may have an approbation of God and the testimony of their own consciences and a witness in the consciences of others 1. They may have the approbation of God who certainly will not be wanting to the comfort of his faithful Servants Partly Because he hath promised not only to reward their sincerity at last but to give them the comfort of it for the present John 4.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father And I will love him and will manifest my self to him Let a man but love Christ and be â—aithful to him and he is capable of this promise God will love him and Christ will love him and in Testimony thereof he will manifest himself to him Christ knoweth the burden of believers and what it costs them in the World to be faithful to him and what sad hours many times they have who make Conscience of obedience Now to incourage them the more seriously they ingage in it the more evidences and confirmations they shall have of his love to them yea sensible manifestations and comfortable proofs thereof shall still be given out to them in their course of a constant uniform diligent and self-denying obedience Hidden love is as no love Pro. 27.5 Open rebuke is better than secret love As in our Love to God if it be not manifested 't is but a compliment and vain pretence so in Gods Love to us though he hath not absolutely ingaged for our comfort yet he hath his times of allowing special manifestations of himself to his people and lifting up the light of his Countenance upon them Surely God will not be altogether strange reserved and hidden to a loving faithful and obedient Soul They need more Testimonies of his favour than others do and they shall not be without them Partly Because the Spirit of God is given us for this end not only as a Spirit of Sanctification but of Revelation to witness Gods acceptance of our persons and services and the great things which he hath promised for us 1 Cor. 2 11 12. What man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God That we might know the things that are freely given us of God None but the Holy-Ghost can know Gods secrets and revealeth thereof to believers as much as is needful for their Salvation For as mans own understanding can only know mans secrets so none can know Gods secret thoughts but Gods own Spirit Now we have received not the Spirit of the World which only carryeth a proportion with Worldly things but the Spirit of God which is given us to know the mind of God concerning us in Christ He doth not only reveal the mysteries of Salvation in general but our own Interest therein Rom. 8.16 The Spirit its self bearing witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God The infinite mercies of God being bestowed on us God would not have them concealed from us thus we may have the approbation of God 2. We may have the Testimony of conscience concerning our sincerity For conscience is that secret spy which is privy to all our designs and actions and taketh notice of all that we are and do therefore a man should or may know the acts of grace which he puts forth 'T is hard to think that the Soul should be a stranger to its own operations the Spirit in man knoweth the things of a man much more acts of grace Partly Because they are the most serious and Important actions of our lives many acts may escape us for want of advertency they not being of such moment but things that concern our eternal Interests and done with the most advisedness and seriousness surely the man that is thus conversant about them he will mind what he doth and how he doth it 1 John 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commandments 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly And partly Because acts of grace are put forth with difficulty and with some strife and wrestling a man cannot believe but he feeleth oppositions of unbelief Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help my unbelief A man cannot love God and attend upon holy things but he feeleth drowsiness and deadness in his heart which must be overcome though with difficulty Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh A man cannot obey God or do any serious good action but the flesh will be opposing Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other And Rom. 7.21 I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Now things difficult and carryed on with opposition must needs leave a notice and Impression of themselves upon the conscience And partly Because there is a special delight which accompanyeth acts of grace by reason of the excellency of the object they are conversant about and by reason of the greatness and excellency of the power they are assisted withal and the excellency and nobleness of the faculties they are acted by Faith can hardly be exercised about the pardon of sin or the hopes of Glory but a man findeth some peace and joy in believing Rom. 15.13 Acts of love and hope are pleasant a prospect of eternity is delightful now any notable pleasure and delight of mind notifieth its self to the Soul and therefore upon the whole we may have glorying if we love and fear God and hope for eternal life from him and thereupon study to approve our selves to him conscience which is privy to these things will witness them to us 3. We may leave a Testimony in the consciences of others If we keep up the majesty
of our conversations for such is the excellency and honour of religion and godliness that when it shineth in its strength it dazleth the eyes of beholders even of wicked men and maketh them wonder at it and stand in awe of it And where 't is evident and eminent it will do so indeed where Christians are Christians in a riddle shew forth more of the flesh than of the Spirit there is no such thing but where religion is in life and vigour it will discover its self As Johns sanctity extorted reverence and regard from Herod Mark 6.20 Herod feared John knowing that he was a just and strict man Holiness is the Image of God and so far commendeth its reverence and esteem as the Image of God in Adam was a terrour to the beasts and when nothing but the natural Image was left Gen. 9.2 The fear and dread of you shall be upon every beast of the field So much more the Spiritual Image of God Ahab stood in fear of Elijah Certainly a godly life is convincing and darts awe into the conscience 'T is convinceing either potentially or actually Potentially such as is apt to convince and of its own nature tendeth thereunto as Christ saith John 7.7 The World hateth me because I testify of it That is that their works were evil Not only by reproofs but conversation the World would not acknowledge it but they felt it so those that bear witness against the evil courses of the World either by the holiness of their Doctrine or innocency of life do convince others they have a testimony in their Consciences though they will not acknowledge it Or actually which doth so convince that it draweth out an acknowledgement The former may be without the latter as the Sun is apt to inlighten but it cannot make a blind man or one that winketh hard see But however Christians should live convincing lives as pure streams run though none drink of them they may convert others for conversion is facilitated by good conversation yet religion is honoured by the testimony in their consciences though they will not acknowledge it at least it will be a testimony at the day of Judgment against Impenitent sinners 3. All these we should look after The Approbation of God the Testimony of Conscience a Testimony in the consciences of others In a Moral consideration there are three beings God neighbour self and therefore we should approve our selves to God and look after this threefold approbation 1. The Approbation of God must be chiefly sought after first We cannot be sincere without it For sincerity is a streight and right purpose to please God in all things and this should be our aim to approve our selves to God in all that we do and therefore should do all things as in his eye and presence Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou upright And Luke 1.75 In Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our lives This is it which maketh men conscientious in all their actions when they remember that they are now acting a part before the great God who looketh on either to reward or punish it checketh sin though never so secret and though it might be carryed on with security enough from men yea when we may sin not only securely but with advantage and profit Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God So Job 31.4 Doth he not see my ways and count all my steps Therefore he durst not give way to any sin So Psalm 44.21 Shall not God search this out for he knoweth the secrets of the heart Secondly It maketh us faithful in all our Duties and Services When we sâ—rive to approve our selves to God and do all as in his presence to the praise and glory of his name and can appeal for our fidelity to no other judge but the great searcher of hearts from whom we cannot be concealed The Apostle Instanceth in two callings one of the highest and one of the meanest One of the highest and of most Importance to the other World that of a Minister 2 Cor. 4.2 Commending our selves to every mans conscience as in the sight of God And 1 Thes. 2.4 So we preach the Gospel not as pleasing men but God which tryeth our hearts A Minister will never be Faithful unless he first study to approve himself to God and behaveth himself as in Gods eye and presence and one that is to give an account to God So in the lowest a christian servant Eph. 6.6 7. Not with eye Service as men pleasers but as the Servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart With good will doing service as to the Lord not to men So Col. 3.22 Not with eye Service as men-pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing God So Titus 2.10 Not purloining but shewing all good fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things A Christian Servant useth all diligence in his masters business whether he be absent or present and fidelity in all things committed to his trust though he might be false with secresy enough because he fears God and would approve himself to him Well then we must study to approve our selves to God and be alike in all places and companies for all things are manifest to him 2. The Testimony of conscience must be regarded First Because it is matter of true joy and comfort to a Christian 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our Rejoycing the Testimony of our conscience I prove it from the Office of conscience 't is both Judge Witness and Executioner Conscience is the judgment that every man maketh upon his actions morally considered As a man acteth or doth any thing so he is a party as he loveth to view or censure it so he is a Judge the morality considered as to their good or evil rectitude or obliquity in them with respect to praise or dispraise reward or punishment Now joy is one part of execucuting the sentence of conscience as fear is the other Conscience is usually more felt after the act is over than before or in it For during the action the judgment of reason is not so clear and strong the affections raising mists and clouds to darken the mind in the act we feel the difficulties or the pleasure of sin but after the act the violence of the affection ceaseth and then reason taketh the throne and doth affect the mind with joy or grief according as a man hath done good or evil with grief and terrour if the sensual appetite have been obeyed before its self with delight if he hath denyed himself and been faithful with God Rewards and punishments are not altogether kept for the life to come Hell is begun in an ill conscience and a good conscience is Heaven upon Earth Secondly this joy that cometh from the Testimony of conscience is very strong it will fortify us against false Imputations When Christians can say we are not the men you
quick and the dead to him gave all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins And Acts 17.3 He Commandeth all men to repent because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained And Acts 3.19 20 21. Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you whom the Heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things Why doth the Scripture suggest this Meditation Partly because our pardon is not compleat till that day now we have it under his hand in the Word under his seal by the Spirit then from his Mouth And Partly because of the strictness of that day Now to consider that our case must be reviewed that by our works and words we must be justified or condemned Matth. 12.36 37. Surely we should make our peace and be more watchful and serious for the future And partly considering who is Judge 't is a strong Motive to press us to receive his Person embrace his Doctrine and to put our selves under the Conduct of his Spirit and depending upon the merit of his Sacrifice to use the Appointed Means in order to our full recovery and return to God The Third working Consideration is Conscience which anticipateth the Judgment and taketh God's part within us rebuking us for sin A secret Spy that is in our bosoms which handleth us as we handle it Rom. 2.14 15. Before the Action Conscience sheweth us what is to be done in the Act it correcteth after alloweth or disalloweth As a man acts so he is a Party as he censureth the Action so a Judge After the Act the force of Conscience is most usually seen more than before the Fact or in the Fact because before or in the Action the Judgment of Reason is not so clear and strong the Affections raising Mists and Clouds to darken the Mind and trouble iâ— and draw it on their side by their pleasing violence but after the Action the violence of these things ceaseth and is by little and it â—e allayed Guilt flusheth in the face of Conscience Judas Mat 27.4 said I have siâ—ned in bâ—traying Innocent blood Reason hath the greater force doth more affect thâ— mind with grief and fear When a man hath sinned against his Conscience when the act is over and the affection satisfied and giveth place to reason that was before conâ—temned when it recovereth the Throne it striketh through the heart of man with a sharp reproof for obeying appetite before its self bringeth in rerrour and contest unto the mind and the soul â—its uneasie Now then because of this Conscience of sin let us sue out our pardon and discharge Conscience may be choaked and smothered but the flame will break forth again it is not quietly settled but by Reconciliation with Jesus Christ they shun it all that they can but cannot get rid of it John 3.20 For if our hearts condemn us c. There is an hidden fear in the heart of man not always felt but soon awakened usually it speaketh out mens condition to them when their hearts are unfound with God Job 27.6 My heart shall not reproach me all my days The heart hath a reproaching condemning power against a man when he goeth wrong None of us but feel these heart-smitings and checks therefore we should consider of them Now these should be noted partly because to smother and stifle checks of Conscience produceth hardness of heart if not downright Atheism And partly because Conscience if it speaketh not it writeth and where 't is not a Witness 't is a Register And partly because 't is God's Deputy 1 John 3.20 21. And partly because Heaven and Hell is often begun in Conscience Heaven in our Peace and Joy which is unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 and 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the Testimony of our Conscience Sometimes Hell in our grief and fears as appeareth in Judas Matth. 27.4 5. I have sinned in betraying Innocent Blood and he went forth and hanged himself A good Conscience is sweet company as a bad is a great wound and burden Well then be settled upon sound terms if you will not have your Consciences upbraid you Thus to the sleepy sinner 2. To the broken hearted I shall speak of God's readiness to pardon and to forgive 'T is his Name Neh. 9.17 But thou art a God ready to pardon 'T is his Glory Exod. 33.18 compared with Exod. 34.7 'T is his Delight Micah 7.18 The case of any sinner is not desperate a Pardon may be had Isa. 55.7 8. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon For my thoughts are not as your thoughts nor my ways as your ways saith the Lord. A sensible sinner his condition is hopeful Matth. 9.13 with 28. Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest To a repenting sinner it is conditionally certain 1 John 1.9 If we confess and forsake our sins he is just and faithful to forgive us our sins To those who seriously address themselves to this work God sometimes vouchsafeth notable Experiences Psal. 32.5 To those who have verified the sincerity of their Faith and Repentance 't is actually certain evident and comfortable Prov. 28.13 He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy If they fulfil their Covenant Consent confess sin so as to hate it and leave it 't is certain to them in Foro Caeli and in Foro Conscientiae and the more they come to God by Christ and acquaint themselves with him it groweth more firm Job 22.1 For I know that my Redeemer liveth And Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God Then their Reconciliation is secured to them by renewed Evidences and Assurances habitual and familiar converse with him as one friend doth with another maketh it grow up into an holy security and peace For the good and advantage of waiting upon God is better discerned when men have persevered in it than when they first begun 3. The excellency of the priviledge let me speak to the actually pardoned to admire the priviledge and get their hearts more affected with it 1. In the general This way of reconciling us by Christ that our trespasses may not be imputed to us was the product of Gods Eternal Wisdom and Goodness As when there was a search for wisdom the depth saith 't is not in me the sea saith it is not with me Job 28.14 So when there is an enquiry for a satisfactory way of reconciling the Creatures to God so
as may suit with Gods honour and appease our guilty fears go to the light of nature it saith it is not in me to the Law 't is not in me only the Gospel revealeth it and there it is learned and discovered The light of nature apprehendeth God placable for he doth continue many forfeited mercies to us and doth not presently put us into our final estate as the faln Angels are in termino presently upon the fall It apprehendeth that God is to be appeased by some satisfaction hence those many inventions of lancing and cutting themselves and offering their Children solo Sanguine Humano iram Deorum Immortalium placari posse The Law that discovered our misery but not our remedy It sheweth us our sin but no way of deliverance from sin and acceptance with God The Law can do nothing for sinners but only for the Innocent It doth only discover sin but exact obedience and drive and compel men to seek after some other thing that may save them from sin and afford them a Righteousness unto Salvation when man was once a sinner the Law became insufficient for those ends Rom. 8.3 It became weak through our flesh 'T was able to continue our acceptance with God in that Condition in which we were first created but after that man by sin became flesh and had a principle of enmity in him against God the Law stood aside as weakened and insufficient to help and save such an one But then the Gospel yieldeth full relief propounding such a way wherein God is glorified and the creature humbled and due provision made for our comfort without infringing our duty that we might be in a capacity comfortably to serve and injoy God who otherwise had neither had a mind to serve him nor an heart to love him Thus Mercy and Justice shine with an equal glory So do also his wisdom and holiness Our necessity is thoroughly remedied and Gods love fully expressed When we were lost Children of wrath under the curse and no hand that could help us then he set his hand to that work which none could touch and put his shoulders under that burden which none else could bear If John mourned when none was found worthy in Heaven or Earth to open the book of visions and unloose the seals thereof How justly might the whole creation mourn because none was found worthy in Heaven or in Earth to repair this disorder till the Son of God undertook it and made himself an offering for sin Oh! Let us give due acceptance and intertainment to this wonderful love and blessed priviledge 2. The happiness of being actually pardoned is exceeding great This is notably set forth by the Psalmist Psa. 32.1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity in whose Spirit there is no guile The priviledge of the pardoned sinner is here set forth by three expressions Forgiving iniquity covering sin and not imputing transgression and the manner of delivery is vehement and full of vigour Oh the Blessednesses of the man And 't is repeated over and over again Let us a little view the phrase The Hebrew is who is eased of his transgression Junius qui levatur à defectione It compareth sin to a burden too heavy for us to bear The same Metaphor is used Matth. 11.28 Come to me all you that are weary and heavy laden The second expression relateth to the covering of filth or the removing that which is offensive out of sight as the Israelites were to march with a paddle tyed to their arms that when they went to ease themselves they might dig and cover that that came from them Deut. 23.14 You have the Law and the reason of it For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of the camp therefore shall thy camp be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee The third expression is To whom the Lord imputeth not sin That is doth not put sin to their account Where sin is compared to a debt as it is also Matth. 6.12 Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors So that sin is a burden of which we should seek to be eased filthiness which we should get to be covered debts which we should get to be discharged Oh blessed we when it is so when God lifts off from our shoulders the burden of the guilt of sin covereth this noysom filthiness which maketh us so loathsom to him and quits the debt and plea which he had in Law against us This forgiving or lifting of the burden is with respect to Christs merit on whom God laid the iniquities of us all Isa. 53.6 This covering is with respect too the adjudication of Christs Righteousness to us which is a covering which is not too short This not imputing is with respect to Christs mediation or intercession which in effect speaketh thus what they owe I have paid Oh the Blessedness of the man You will apprehend it to be so what a burden sin is when it is not pardoned Carnal men feel it not for the present but they shall hereafter feel it Now two sorts of Conscience feel the burden of sin A tender Conscience And a wounded Conscience 'T is grievous to a tender heart that valueth the love of God to lie under the guilt of sin Psa 38.4 Mine iniquities are â—one over my head as a burden too heavy for me Broken bones are sensible of the least weight So Psal. 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold of me What kind of hearts have they who can sin freely and without remorse Is it nothing to have grieved the Spirit of God and violated his Law and rendred our selves obnoxious to his wrath A wounded Conscience feeleth it also There is a domestick tribunal which we carry about with us where ever we go as the Devils carry their own Hell about with them though not now in the place of torments Pro. 18.14 The Spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity but a wounded Spirit who can bear Natural courage will bear up under common distresses which lie more without us but when the Spirit its self is wounded what support under so great a burden Ask Cain and Judas what it is to feel the burden of sin all sinners are subject to this and this bondage may be easily revived in them a close touch of the word will do it a sad thought a pressing misery a scandalous sin a grievous sickness a disappointment in the World there needs not much a do to put a sinner in the stocks of Conscience As Belshazzar that saw but a few words written on the wall and his countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him So that the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another Again 't is filthiness which rendereth you odious in the sight of God we our selves cannot endure our selves when serious John 3.20