Another parable spake he unto them The Kingdome of heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened And so Psal 92.12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Motive 3. If we do not grow we go back and a declining condition is very uncomfortable what with the dolours inward and the afflictions outward which attend such an estate These be the Motives Now the Means of growth that is to say some inward helps this way for as touching outward means the next Principle intreates Means 1. We must often by our faith apply Christ to Justification The more we apprehend Gods mercy in Christ unto us this way the more our hearts turn towards him in love and obedience 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us And 2 Cor. 5.14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again The more clearly we apprehend Christ our Justifyer the more we find in him to be our Sanctifyer See Eph 3.16 17 18 19. Means 2 We must often by our faith have recourse to Gods Promises in this kind The Lord hath made many gracious Promises to further us in the way of Sanctification as Hos 14.4 I will heal their backslidings And Rom 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you And so Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings And ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall Jer. 32.39 40. And Mat. 25.29 Vnto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance Such Promises as these we must call to mind and be earnest with the Lord in Prayer to make them good unto us Branch 2. To exhort all such as are not sanctified to labor for Sanctification Motives Means Motive 1 No Sanctification no Salvation Heb. 12.14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord And Mat. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven and the Scribes and Pharisees were men very civil 2 By Sanctification we shall conforme to the holy God have his special image upon us which we had and lost in Adam Ephes 4.24 3 Sanctification is the end of our Election Redemption and Vocation The end of our Election Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy The end of our Redemption Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he should redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The end of our Vocation 1 Cor 1.2 Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints 4 Sanctification is not the least part of glory and eternal felicity 2 Cor. 3.18 But 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 that is from one degree of grace to another even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 5 Where there is not Sanctification there can be no true faith and if no true faith why then no Justification nor Adoption These the Motives to Sanctification Now the Means or inward helps for as touching the outward means the next Principle acquaints Sanctification we know consists of Mortification and Vivification 1 Touching Mortification 1 Weigh and perpend that either sin must die or the sinner must die eternally Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh that is if sin be not mortified in you ye shall die that is to say eternally 2 Weigh and consider the great love of God in giving his Son to dye for sinners John 3.16 and wilt not thou shew love to him again by fighting against sin which he hates 3 Weigh and perpend the great love of Christ who willingly underwent that accursed death of the Cross for thy sins Now wilt thou nourish that which cost him his life Then as touching Vivification the other part of Sanctification weigh and perpend Christs Resurrection 1 The efficient cause of it to wit the Spirit of God And thus think with thy self If the same Spirit which raised up Christ from the dead dwell in me he shall raise up my soul from the death of sin to the life of grace as Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in you and as their mortal bodies at the last day why so their souls in this world 2 Meditate upon the end of Christs Resurrection which was that death might no more have dominion over him but that he might for ever live to God which should be thy study and endeavour even to live to God in a life of holiness and Righteousnesse See Rom. 6.9 10 11. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him for in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3 Meditate upon the consequents of Christs Resurrection to wit his Ascension into heaven and his sitting at the Fathers right hand So shouldst thou labour to have thy affections above and thy conversation in heaven Colos 3.1 2. If ye then he risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth And so the Apostle professeth of himselfe Philippians 3.20 Our Conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ And thus much touching the fourth Principle PRINC V. Quest What are the ordinary or usual means for obtaining of faith Answ Faith cometh only by the preaching of the Word and increaseth daily by it as also by the administration of the Sacraments and Prayer MEMB. 1. Faith cometh only by the preaching of the Word and increaseth daily by it THE fifth Principle acquaints us with the ordinary outward Means whereby faith is obtained and encreased And first the Catechisme makes known unto us the ordinary outward Means whereby faith is obtained Faith cometh only by the preaching of the word And this passage of the first Member we commend to your consideration
is very willing to hearken to the Apostle Jude ver 23. injoyning him to hate even the garment spotted by the flâ—sh And to the Apostle Paul 1 Thes 5.22 abstain from all appearance of evill and would faine imitate David Psal 119.101 I have refrained my feet from every evill way that I may keep thy word It is not any known sin no not the least that he dare allow himself in the practice of These differences are betwixt the formallist and the holy person Now we come to lay down some direct signes and marks of sanctification 1. The first signe is A renewed knowledg that is to say a new light in the mind and understanding conceiving the things of the spirit of God Colos 3.10 And have put on the new man speaking of the holy Colossians which is renewed in knowledg as though all that were sanctified had a renewed knowledg This is a part of Gods covenant with his Elect Jer. 31.34 They shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord. And hence it is that the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost And upon this ground it is that the sanctified are called the children of light 2 Thes 5.5 The unsanctified may have a great deal of literall and speculative knowledg but they have not a jot of spiritual and approving knowledg The second signe of one sanctified is a new quality in the will a readinesse to hear the voice of God in all things and to obey it John 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore hear them not saith our Saviour to the rebellious Jewes because ye are not of God And Psal 27.8 saith David to God When thou saidst Seek yee my face my heart answered Thy face Lord will I seek The sanctified person hath a flexible heart to the word The third Signe new affections As especially love to God Psal 18.1 I will love thee oh Lord my strength saith David And Psal 116.1 I love the Lord. Thus we see sanctified persons described Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evill And this love to God the sanctified person manifests divers waies 1. By an earnest desire after such means as whereby he may have converse with God as praier reading and hearing of the word c. How was David addicted to the use of those means if we look into the book of the Psalms and so all the Worthies of God we read of in the Scriptures Oh how is the sanctified man or woman crossed if they be the least restrained of their liberties these ways and however the unregenerate part be backward to the duties aforesaid yet this they mourn for and do not in the ordinary course omit them 2. They manifest their love to God by a love to his children 1 John 5.1 Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him See David Psalm 16.2.3 My goodnesse extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight And Psal 119.63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy precepts The more holy the more watchful the more they observe the image of God to shine upon any the more they love them Such as love not the Saints are not sanctified 3. They manifest their love to God by an endeavour of universal obedience John 14.15 If ye love me saith our Saviour keep my commandments And verse 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is and he only that loveth me And therefore see what David saith Psal 119.5 Oh that my waies were directed to keep thy statutes The sanctified man out of his very love to God would fain keep his commandments Fourthly They manifest their love to God by a grief and heavinesse when the Lord is at any time absent from them in their own apprehensions Psal 28.1 Vnto thee will I cry O Lord my rock be not silent to me lest if thou be silent to me I become like them that go down into the pit And Psal 88.14 Lord why castest thou off my soul Why hidest thou thy face from me Thus we see the third signe and mark of sanctification a love to God and this love manifested as you have heard The fourth signe of sanctification A continual combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit Gal. 5.17 There may be a combat in the unsanctified and is divers times but that is between two several faculties the conscience and the will the conscience terrifying from sin the will pulling and haling unto it Now this is not a combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit but a combat betwixt the flesh fearing and the flesh desiring whereas the combat that is in the sanctified is in one and the same faculty As for example the will of the sanctified person drawing two waies at one and the same time the flesh one way and the spirit another I mean corruption one way and grace another corruption the unregenerate part drawing to sin grace the regenerate part at one and the same time pulling back And so on the contrary grace the regenerate part moving to good but at one and the same time the flesh corruption pulling back as Rom. 7.19 The good that I would I do not but the evill which I would not that I do And many like passages we have in this same chapter And so Galat. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would This is an evident mark of grace for there cannot be this combat but there must needs be sanctification Vse 3. For Exhortation And there be two branches of it First to exhort all such as are sanctified to endeavour a progresse a growth in grace for as we have heard although justification hath no degrees why yet sanctification hath And therefore such as have grace must ever be labouring further degrees Now to this purpose some Motives and Means Motive 1. Gods command 2 Pet. 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ The Thessalonians were a very holy people and yet 1 Thes 4.10 the Apostle would have them to abound more and more Motive 2. This will be a demonstration to us that the grace we have is kindly and of the right stamp it being the nature of true grace ever to desire the encrease of it selfe See Matth. 13.31 32. The kingdome of heaven that is to say the kingdome of grace is like to a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field which indeed is the least of all seeds but when it is growen it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof And verse 33.
in the Proposition or Doctrine following Doct. The preaching of the Word is the only ordinary outward Means for the begetting of faith The Scriptures are very clear this way Do but see Rom. 10.8 That is the word of faith which we preach Not only the proper object of faith but also the proper instrument of faith And so ver 14. of the same Chapter How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear to wit for the obtaining of faith without a Preacher And in ver 17. the Apostle concludes the point in hand So then faith cometh to wit in the ordinary course by hearing that is to say by hearing the Word preached and hearing by the word of God that is to say by the ordinance and appointment of God As though the Apostle should say Do you ask me how the hearing of the word preached comes to be the only ordinary outward means for the begetting of faith I answer by the ordinance and appointment of God Many other places of Scripture come up to the Point in hand as Job 33.23 Elihu speaking of the humbled soul made capable of faith If saith he there be a messenger with him an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness the word is rectitudinem or righteousness to wit the righteousness of faith or which faith apprehends As though the Ministry of the word were the proper means of faith And so Matth. 28.19 Go ye and teach all Nations saith our Saviour unto his Apostles the word in the Original is make Disciples that is by preaching beget men and women to the faith And Mark 16.15 16. Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature to every reasonable Creature Gentiles as well as Jewes and observe what followes He that believeth as though the preaching of the word were the only ordinary means for the begetting of faith And in the same manner it followeth 1 Tim. 3.16 and the same purpose John 17.20 Rom. 1.15 16. Now we come to the Grounds or Demonstrations Reas 1. The first Ground is the unbelief which generally raignes in such places and Congregations where the preaching of the Word is not Examine those places and what shall we find that favours of faith what gross ignorance what prophanenesse and what worldliness may be observed in them men and women living as though they had no souls or as though the soul were mortal and the body immortal frugallity and worldly providence being the greatest perfection aimed at The very best in the places aforesaid who content themselves without the preaching of the Word supposing gain to be Godlinss 1 Tim. 6.5 thinking that he is Religious enough that stores up outward things for himself and posterity This is one Demonstration to let us see that the preaching of the Word is the only ordinary outward means for the begetting of faith to wit The general unbelief and fruits of it which raign in those places where this ordinance is not Reas 2. The second Ground The opposition which is in those persons who have not faith to the preaching of the word especially being plain and powerful To this purpose see 2 The. 3.2 as though all unbelievers did oppose this Ordinance and so they do in some kind or other Hence it is that such persons have so many exceptions to the Ministers of God and their families for so sometimes the persons aforesaid reach to the Minister by causeless carping at his Family or by aggravating every weakness and infirmity of them in his Family It may be some of them are more modest then to speak against the Minster himself but they will labour his derogation and to derogate from his pains by inveying against those appertaining unto him his Family or Associates Hence it is likewise that the persons aforesaid do account the best kind of preaching to wit plain and powerful no better then foolishness 1 Cor. 1.21 that they say it was never good world since there was so much preaching since so much preaching the times are grown hard good house-keeping is laid down and all merriment and joviality is gone out of the world And hence it is when they observe any forward to hear Sermons that they say they are mad or will go mad that all such are hypocrites and dissemblers and of all people in the world not to be trusted brand them with the names of Puritans and Precisians Now this opposition in such as have no faith to the preaching of the word is an evident Demonstration that the preaching of the Word is the proper Ordinance for the begetting of faith The preaching of the word opposeth unbelief and unbelievers oppose it Reas 3 The third Ground The great conscience that the ministers of God of all Ages have made to discharge this Duty as do but see Jerem. 20.9 Acts 5.42 and 6.4 and 1 Corinth 9.16 Wo be unto me saith the Apostle if I preach not the Gospel 2 Timoth. 4.2 And so at this day the more conscionable Ministers are the more they labour in the Word and Doctrine the more diligent they are in preaching of the Word they well knowing that as this is a good means to perfect faith in those that have it why so that it is the only ordinary means to beget faith to make Satan to fall like lightning from Heaven to enlarge the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Reas 4. The fourth Ground The high esteem of the preaching of the Word by all such as have faith by all that are kindly Believers except in times of dissertion thereby intimating that it was the only outward means of their faith And from their high esteem of this Ordinance it is that they do so frequently and fervently pray that the Lord would more and more send forth Labourers into his harvest that they do so plot and project to live under a faithful and conscionable Ministry that they do so honour and reverence painful and conscionable Ministers that they are so liberal and bountiful to them that they do so grieve when any of their mouthes are stopped that they are such frequenters of Sermons And hence it is that they do so stir up their Families Friends and Neighbours to partake of this Ordinance Isai 2.3 Now this high esteem that all true Believers have of the preaching of the Word doth not a little demonstrate the good they have received by it to wit Faith and Conversion Reas 5. The fifth Ground The experience of the blessings that have attended the preaching of the Word this way to wit for the begetting of faith As consider we first of particular persons 2. Of particular Churches 1. Of particular Persons 1 Tim. 1.2 Tit. 1.4 3 Joh. 4. Philem. ver 10 19. Nay such desperate persons coming in this way as many of the Priests who had a chief hand in crucifying Christ Acts 6.7 And some of the mocking Athenians who held the Apostle Paul no better then a
so often mourned O the affection that he wil then manifest unto them Not a good purpose not a good thought of theirs wil he conceal not an evil thought of theirs in any part of their life wil he charge them with What joy and comfort wil the pronouncing of the sentence afford unto them Mat. 25.34 and then they to be so advanced as to joyn with their Judg in judging of wicked men and Angels 1 Cor. 6.2 3. We go no further in this Use because of the Doctrine following desiring to reserve every thing for its proper place Vse 3. For Exhortation to exhort Christians divers waies 1. To be frequent in self-judging so at the day of judgement they shal not be condemned with the world Nay so in this world they shal avoid many particular judgements which otherwise will befal them 1 Cor 11.31 32. Now this self-judging doth comprise the particulars following 1. Self-examination touching the sins a man is guilty of 2. Sins confession which must be serious and hearty 3. Self-condemnation which is a passing of sentence against a mans self at the Bar of Gods Justice 4. An appeal unto the Throne of grace or an importunate suing for pardon in and through Christ 2. To take heed of rash judging Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 4 5. Now this is rash judgment 1. When our Christian Brethren do wel to say they do ill 2. When they do ill to make it worse 3. When a thing is doubtful to take it in the worst part 3. To exhort Christians that when at any time they have any doubtful business or matter to be controverted they would be willing to refer themselves to the judgment and censure of their godly Brethren 1 Corinthians 6.1 c. 4. To be sober prayerful watchful heavenly-minded and fearful to offend God even in the least thing Luke 21.34 35 36. 1 Pet. 4.7 Rev. 14.7 So the Apostle Paul Acts 24.15 16. 5. To labour for patience when at any time wrongs and injuries are done unto them 2 Thess 1.5 6 7. James 5.7 8. 6. To exhort Christians to be loving merciful and bountiful to their Christian Brethren in their distresses Matth. 25.34 35 36. 7. And lastly to persevere and hold ouâ— in good courses even unto the end 2 Epistle of John v. 8. Rev. 3.11 Thus much for the Doctrine of the last judgment Now we should proceed to the two consequents of it viz. 1. The eternal happiness of the godly 2. The eternal misery or damnation of the wicked We shal only speak of the first here having largely handled the 2d in another place Of the first Consequent of the last judgment THe first consequent of the last judgment we commend unto you in the Doctrme following Doct. The godly all the godly when the last judgment is ended shall possess the Kingdom of God Though that woman Matth. 20.20 c. desired a special priviledge for her two sons wherein she seems very ambitious yet so much she takes for granted that Christs Kingdom shal be possessed of the godly all the godly and by the rule of contraries 1 Cor. 6.9 Ephesians 5.5 But more plainly Matth. 8.11 12 13. and 13.43 and 25.34 46. Acts 14.22 2 Cor. 5.1 Rom. 2.7 10. Several Grounds Ground 1. Gods Decree The Lord in his Eternal Counsel hath ordained and appointed them to this possession to possess his Kingdome and so we are to understand that passage from the foundation of the world Matth. 25.34 That is before the foundation of the world to wit from all eternity See Rom. 8.30 The Apostle speaks as of a thing past because it was Decreed a thing set down in Gods Decree And Acts 13.48 Hence it is they are said to be written in the book of Life Phil. 4.3 Rev. 21.27 Ground 2. Christs Purchase He by his obedience Passive and Active hath purchased Gods Kingdome for all the Elect Ephes 1.11.14 1 Thess 5.9 Heb. 10.19 20. Now the godly all the godly do manifest themselves to be of that number Ground 3. Christs Intercession on earth and in heaven On earth John 17 24. In heaven Rom 5.10 John 14.2 3. Ground 4. Whilest they are here on earth they receive of his anointing and so become Spiritual Kings and Priests Spiritual Kings whereby they are apted and fitted for Gods Kingdome Spiritual Priests whereby they daily as they are enjoyned Mat. 6.10 pray for it Rev. 1.6 and 5.10 Ground 5. Gods Promise and Oath John 3.16 and 10.28 1 John 2.25 Heb. 6.17 18. Ground 6. Christ their head in their flesh is ascended into Gods Kingdom and where the Head is there the Members must be in due time and to prefigure and the better to assure this some of the Members are there already as Enâ—ch and Elias and those mentioned Matth. 27.52.53 Before we come to the Application we have some questions to answer the first is touching the evils the godly shal be freed from when they possess that Kingdom The second question is touching the place it self The third question is touching the good which the godly shal enjoy in that Kingdom Quest 1. The evils which the godly shal be freed from when they possess Gods Kingdom Facilius dicere possumus quid ibi non sit quam quid ibi sit saith Augustin 1. They shal be freed from Hell have an everlasting discharge from that most woful and horrible place Rom. 8.1 Rev. 21.8 2. They shal be freed from sin there shal be no more blindness in their minds no more rebellion in their wils no more disorder in their affections nay they shal be freed from the power and possibility to sin be in a better condition then ever Adam was In his best estate he might sin but they shal be confirmed as the good Angels Isaiah 60.21 1 Pet. 1.4 Mat. 22.30 3. They shal be freed from all sorrow shame and grief Isaiah 25.8 Rev. 21.4 4. They shal be freed from all Adversary power all enemies corporal and Spiritual and the fear of them there shal be a perpetual triumph without War or fear of War Luke 21.28 5. They shal be free from the displeasure of God he wil never be angry with them any more Rev. 22.3 6. They shal be freed from all thraldom servitude and bondage all Oeconomical Political and Ecclesiastical Relations shal then cease with Abraham Isaac and Jacob they shal sit down in the Kingdome of heaven 7. They shal be freed from all toyl and labour all the labour and toyl of both callings 2 Thess 1.7 Heb. 4.9 Rev. 14.13 8. They shal be freed from all uncomilness of body all bodily deformity 1 Cor. 15.44 Phil. 3.21 9. They shal be freed from all the means of a natural life and from the inconveniences that attend the same there shal be no need of meat drink sleep raiment physick marriage Matth. 22.30 Rev. 7.16 10. They shal be for ever freed from all the evils aforesaid Quest 2. Now we come to the second question and that
is touching the place it self which the godly after the last judgment shal possess to wit the Kingdome of God Answ It is the heaven of heavens or third heaven a place far above al visible heavens the place whither Christ in his humane nature ascended 1. A place very large and ample and therefore called that great City Rev. 21.10 and John 14.2 2. A place very bright and beautiful Rev. 21.11 Col. 1.12 3. A place wondrous pleasant and delightful and therefore called Abrahams bosome and Paradise 4. A place very safe for there wil be none but friends neither can any enemy enter there 5. A place durable and of continuance Heb. 13.14 2 Cor. 5.1 1 Pet. 1.4.6 A wondrous rich place and therefore called a Kingdom nay an heavenly Kingdom nay Gods Kingdom to intimate that in that place there is a confluence of all good things beyond all expression imagination Ps 87.3 Quest 3. The last question And that is touching the good which the godly shal enjoy in Gods Kingdome Answ 1. In general 1 Cor. 2.9 And if in this world why then sure in a far greater measure when they shal be possessed of his Kingdome as the Psalmist hath it Psal 16.11 2 More particularly 1. They shal enjoy themselves both soul and body in perfection Ephes 5.27 1 John 3.2 And this is shadowed out unto us by those pure white garments Rev. 3.4.5 and 6.11 2. They shal enjoy the blessed company one of another and society with the blessed Angels Heb. 12.22 23. The lowest person there shal be as an Angel Nay 3. There they shal enjoy Christ have immediate communion with Christ and by vertue of that communion have immediate communion with the Father and the Holy Ghost and so have a Crown of glory put upon them and enjoy a perpetual and everlasting Sabbath That they shal have immediate communion with Christ see Phil. 1.23 Rev. 22.3 4. That they shal have immediate communion with the whole Trinity see Mat. 5.8 and 18.10 And then That they themselves when they come to be possest of heaven 1 John 3.2 shal have a Crown of glory put upon them 2 Tim. 4.8 1 Cor. 9.25 James 1.12 1 Pet. 5.4 And that they shal enjoy a perpetual and everlasting Sabbath See John 3.16 Matth. 25.46 Heb. 4.9 And thus we come to the Uâ—es Vse 1. For Reprehension to reprove the ungodly and then the godly To reprove the ungodly and that divers waies 1. For their mean esteem of the godly they thinking of them as base and unworthy when as be they never so low in civil respects they are great Princes Heirs to an eveâ—lasting Kingdome James 2.5 2. To reprove the ungodly for their mean esteem of godliness they taking it to be but folly and madness But is that a foolish and mad course that leads to bliss that tends to eternal happiness See 2 Pet. 1.11 3. To reprove the ungodly because they do no more value Gods Kingdome no more value heaven they preferring their lusts and the things of this world unto it their lusts which are their Spiritual diseases and wil be their bane and undoing utter undoing the things of this world which are but as Counters and Cherty stones comparatively Wel it would be throughly weighed 1 Cor. 6.9 Heb. 2.14 Psalm 119 155. 2. To reprove the godly 1. When at any time they envy the trappings and outward prosperity of the wicked whereas their portion is so little and their heaven so short Alas they have but a short heaven but doubtless shal have an everlasting hell Mat. 25.46 2 To reprove the godly because they do not oft enough meditate of this Kingdome this heavenly Kingdome prepared for them the evils they shal then and there be freed from what a glorious place heaven is and the good they shal there enjoy From this neglect it is they are so intangled and taken with things terrene and sublunary that they are so impatient under crosses and afflictions that they find the practice of holy duties so difficult Vse 2. For Comfort and Consolation to all the godly He that hath look'd upon them with grace bestowed sanctifying grace upon them intends them eternal glory And what indeed is grace but the beginning of glory or what is glory but the perfection of grace The truth is they are subordinate the one to the other there being not any specifical difference but onely gradual See 2 Pet. 1.11 and 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. Wel then let the godly man the godly woman to their comforts remember what our Saviour saith unto them Luke 12.32 The same may be said of other passions Grieve not faint not little flock because it is your Fathers pleasure to bestow a Kingdome an heavenly Kingdome upon you Oppose this to all hardships crosses and afflictions nay death it self and be comforted See Romans 8.18 2 Corinth 4.17 18. Rev. 14.13 Quest But how should we know whether we be truly godly or no Answ 1. Saving grace is of an humbling nature makes a man nothing in himself low in his own eyes to rest upon Gods free favour in Christ for justification Rom. 7.24 25. Mat. 5.3 2. Saving grace is of a purging nature it purgeth out corruption purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 1 John 3.3 3. Of an heavenly nature it wil be pulling up our hearts from these earthly vanities wil be soaring upwards from whence it came Phil. 3.20 Heb. 11.13 14 15 16. 4. It is of a growing nature especialâ—y the publick means being enjoyed in power Mat. 13 31 32 33. Psal 92.12 13 14. Vse 3. For Exhortation To exhort the godly and then the ungodly 1. To exhort the godly and that divers waâ—es 1. To bless the Lord to study the praisâ—s of their good and gracious God in Christ for thâ—s his superabundant love unto them manifested in ordaining them to a Kingdom in providing for them before all worlds a Kingdom an everlasting Kingdom his Kingdom and in due time to give his Sonne unto them to purchase it for them and then at the length to Regenerate them unto it 1 Pet. 1.3 4. 2 To exhort the godly to take heed oâ— carnal security and of suffering grace to go out of exercise The Apostle Paul is very frequent in this Exhortation Phil. 2.12 Rom. 13.11 c. 1 Thess 5.5 6. c. Nay 3. To be constant forward and zealous in the way of godl ness Matthew 10.22 Rev. 2.10 Galathians 6.9 1 Cor. 15.58 Matth. 11.12 But here now we meet with two objections Object 1. But may some man say This is sooner said then done the way of godliness through the backwardness and averseness of the unregenerate part being so painful and difficult Answ 1. The spirit is ready although the flesh be weak so our Saviour So the Apostle John likewise 1 John 5.3 4. And you know what the Apostle Paul saith Phil. 4.13.2 Why should not the godly be willing to take as much pains for heaven as others do for hell
To observe the Superstitious the Prophane the Covetous what pains they take to go to hell rise up early sit up late and all to go to hell 3. Would it not much dulcifie often to meditate upon the end godliness tends unto to wit happiness everlasting happiness Rom. 2.7 10. Object 2. But such as are forward and zealous we observe them many times to be necessitated to be opposed and persecuted Answ 1. But thou dost not see into their inside the inward man the grace and comfort that lodgeth there 2 Cor. 4.16 Acts 5.41 Heb. 10.34 We read of a worthy Germane Philip Lansgrave of Hâ—ssâ— who being a long time Prisoner under Charles the fifth Emperor and being demanded what upheld him all tâ—aâ— time he answered that he felt the Divine consolations of the Mâ—â—tyâ—s And this is that indeed which Chr st pâ—â—miseth to the persons aforesaid even in this life Mark 10.29 30.2 Wil not a Kingdom an everlasting Kingdom make amends for all their outward necessities afflictions and persecutions see Mat. 5.10 11 12. See Moses Heb. 11.24 25. And the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 4.17 18. He opposeth glory to affliction heavy massy substantial glory to light affliction eternal glory to moment any affliction And therefore we faint not saith he whatsoever we suffer and thus our Saviour These two objections bâ—ing answered we go on to the other Members of the Exhortation Then 4. To exhort the godly not onely to grow in love one towards another but more and more to desire society one with another and the reason is this because the time is coming when they must live together and that for evermore Hence it is that the Apostle Peter exhorts godly Husbands to carry themselves lovingly towards their godly Wives 1 Peter 3.7.5 To exhort all the godly in any case to labour heavenly-mindedness to use the world as though they used it not feelingly to know and profess themselves to be Strangers and Pilgrims here and so they wil manifest that they wait for this Kingdom Heb. 11. from v. 13 to v. 17. To this our Saviour exhorts Matth 6.19 20. And so the Apostle Paul Col. 3.2.6 To exhort the godly that they earnestly strive with all patience to undergo afflictions and crosses when it shal please God to reach out unto them a cup of afflictions and bid them drink a draught of it to the bottom the meditation of this heavenly Kingdom must be as Sugar in their Pockets to sweeten the Cup withal See again Romans 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Heb. 11.26 I could be content saith Augustine to endure the torments of hell to gain this joy rather then to lose it Ignatius as some say Pauls Scholar being threatned as he went to Martyrdom with the cruelty of torments answered with courage Fire Gallows Beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing of my body all the torments of the Divel together let them come upon me so I may enjoy the Lord Jesus and his Kingdome These six wayes from the Doctrine in hand we have exhorted the godly 2. Now we come to exhort the ungodly such as for the present are so to exhort them to consider of this Kingdom of this heavenly Kingdom the excellency of the place the evils which all the godly shal be freed from there and the good they shal enjoy there and wil they lose this Kingdom for a little labour come short of it for a base lust are the pleasures of sin for a season to be compared with the everlasting joyes of heaven nay to be compared with the inward consolations that the godly have in this world Psalm 4.7 1 Cor. 2.9 And wil they not take as much pains to go to heaven as they have done all this while to go to hell O yes say they we would fain make out for heaven take any pains for the Kingdom you are speaking of resemble we would the Merchant spoken of Matth. 13.45 Why then this you must do Holiness as you have heard is the way to Happiness Godliness to the Kingdom of Heaven You must labour to be godly Now godliness cannot be had without Christ therefore marry the Heir get the King and the Kingdom is thine too When Christ comes into a soul he comes attended with a train of graces But this is the business Thou wilt not make out for Christ until thou see and feel thy lost estate Why then that thou mayest be acquainted with Christ nay marry Christ that thou mayest be brought to a Legal contrition nay to an Evangelical contrition and so made fit to be espoused to Christ thou must in the outward means take the Kingdom of heaven by violence Mat. 11.12 constantly attend to the word of the Kingdom for so it is called Mat. 13.19 imitating them we read of Luke 51. See John 6.27 Rom. 1.16 and 10 14 Thus we have now done with the first Consequent of the last Judgment to wit Eternal happiness or salvation We should now proceed to the other to wit Eternal misiry or damnation but that we have spoken of in opening the last Member of the second Principle and threfore we refer the Reader thither Laus Deo