of Living under a Government wholly made up of manifold Graces and Favours having a most Gracious God governing us by most Gracious and Reasonable Laws The Kingdom of Grace the Gospel State affording us a plentiful Measure of Divine Grace and Assistance to perform these Laws and proposing to us most Encouraging Rewards in Heaven to stir us up to a diligent Observance of ' em It is this happy State of Things under the Title of the Kingdom of Heaven whose near Approach John the Baptist foretold in the Wilderness saying Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is the Kingdom of the Messiah or the State of the Gospel whose Great Fundamental and Gracious Law is this that all Sinners must Repent 'em of all their former Sins and upon their Repentance they shall have most Eminent Mercies bestowed upon ' em And it was this State also concerning the undue Entertainment of which by the Scribes and Pharisees our Saviour complain'd Matth. 11.12 saying that From the days of John the Baptist even till then the Kingdom of Heaven suffered Violence so that the Violent took it by force that is the Publicans and Sinners and Gentiles who were look'd upon by the Jews as those who had no Right to the Messiah and so as violent Persons as Invaders and Intruders did croud into the Church at the Preaching of the Gospel whilst the Scribes and Pharisees ungratefully and proudly stood off So again Matth. 13.24 The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good Seed in his Field that is the State of the Gospel or the Success of our Saviour's Preaching in the World is so resembled And so likewise in several other Parables of the like Nature by the Kingdom of Heaven is to be understood the State of the Gospel here on Earth which sure does shew the exceeding great Dignity Worth and Excellency of the Gospel State far beyond any other Dispensation either Patriarchal or Mosaical which the World had ever receiv'd from Heaven before The reason why the Gospel State should be dignified with the Title of the Kingdom of Heaven And indeed upon a near View of the Nature and Design of the Gospel Dispensation we shall see sufficient reason why that State above any other should be so Honourably Entitled the Kingdom of Heaven And the reason is not only because the same God governs us and that by the same Laws of Eternal Unalterable Righteousness and Goodness as in Heaven but also because this Blessed Government of God over us by the Laws of the Gospel does directly tend to render us so exactly like the Blessed Saints those Inhabitants of Heaven viz. Because it so directly tends to render Men so exactly like the Blessed Saints the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven for where the Gospel of Christ does so far prevail upon Men as through the Grace of God to make them diligent and careful to Obey him according as they have Covenanted with him it does bring in such an excellent State of Things as makes a kind of Heaven here upon Earth for where the Gospel does so far prevail as to be sincerely Obey'd it causes that The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and Fatling together and a young Child shall lead them and it causes that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea as was long time since Prophecy'd Isa 11.6 7 8 9. concerning the State of the Gospel that is it files off the roughness and sweetens the cruel and savage Humours of Men so that instead of tearing and tormenting one another like Beasts and Devils it makes Men Gentle and Kind and good Natur'd like Angels like Gods to one another A State certainly which may very well deserve the glorious Title of the Kingdom of Heaven being so contrary to the Kingdom of Darkness and the State of Hell where there is nothing but Malice Rancour and Rage do reign among those unhappy Beings that do inhabit that Place And thus you see that in Scripture by the Kingdom of Heaven is sometimes meant the State of the Gospel the same God governing us therein and by the same everlasting Laws of Goodness as in Heaven and so as to render us of like Tempers and Dispositions with the Saints in Heaven A State so nearly resembling that of Heaven that the Condition of the meanest Christian now under the Gospel is for that reason prefer'd before that of the greatest of Prophets under the Law Verily I say unto you among them who are born of Women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven that is the Gospel State is greater than he Matth. 11.11 But tho' this be very frequently the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven in the New Testament and for that reason This is not the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Catechism I have took such particular Notice of it that so you may know how to understand that Metaphorical Expression in those many Scriptures where you will meet with it in that sence yet it is not the proper and immediate Meaning of the Word in Scripture nor is it so to be understood here in your Catechism But Secondly the Kingdom of Heaven does if not most frequently II. The Kingdom of Heaven signifies the Kingdom of Glory at least most properly signify in the Scripture the Kingdom of Glory and accordingly here in your Catechism it is solely to be understood of the glorious and happy State of Angels and Saints with God in Heaven For Instance In this sence it is to be understood Mat. 5.3 where the Kingdom of Heaven is promis'd as the Reward of the Poor in Spirit And so ver 20. where it is said that Except our Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that is into the State of Glory And in this sence only it can be understood Mat. 7.21 where our Saviour declares that Not every one that saith unto him Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of the Father which is in Heaven that is not those who barely profess Christianity but those who sincerely Practice according to such a Belief and Profession shall be received into Glory The Profession alone will gain Admittance into the Visible Church here on Earth but nothing less than a Living up to it will give an Entrance into the Kingdom and State of Glory with God and his Holy Angels and Saints in the highest Heavens And a most Noble and Glorious State we may be sure this is This a most noble and glorious State as being dignify'd with so honourable and
judge of the beautiful Contexture and admirable Contrivance of the whole and shall easily discern what End it is that Christianity aims at and how admirably every Part of it is fitted to carry on that great End It is without all doubt a most useful Method of Instruction and it would soon appear to be so in its happy Effects would all Persons but lay aside their unhappy Prejudices against it as if it were proper only for Children to be Hearers thereof Whereas indeed it is no ways unbecoming the Eldest and most Knowing Persons to hear the great and fundamental Doctrines of Religion explain'd and handled distinctly and clearly and separated from all unnecessary Mixtures But where all the Means and Methods of Instruction are little enough to give Men a sufficient Understanding in all that is necessary to Salvation instead of comparing 'em one with another we had better to make use of all and to Pray to God to give a Blessing to all his Ordinances that every one may be useful to the Edification and Salvation of every Christian which that they may all prove may God Almighty grant of his infinite Goodness thro' Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen THE Fifth Lecture Wherein I was made a Member of Christ THE Preliminary Questions and Answers of your Catechism do give you a general Account of all the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace both of the Priviledges made over to us by God and of the Conditions to be perform'd by us And these Words Wherein I was made a Member of Christ expressing the First of those invaluable Priviledges made over unto us in this Covenant on God's Part I shall therefore endeavour as well as I can to explain and open to you what they do import Christ is in Scripture often styl'd The Head of the Church as particularly Col. 1.8 And he is the Head of the Body the Church it is there said and we are also styl'd Members of this Body the Church Thus Eph. 5.30 We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones so that to be a Member of Christ is to be a Member A Member of Christ is a Member of Christ's Church or Part of that Body of which he is the Head or to be a Member of Christ's Church And to make it appear to you how happy a Thing it is to be a Member of Christ's Church First I will shew you What kind of Body the Church of Christ is Secondly What it is to be a Member of it And then Thirdly What exceeding great and invaluable Priviledges do belong to a Member of Christ's Church And First let us see What kind of Body that is which is call'd the Church of Christ And tho' it does not belong to this Part of your Catechism to give you a full account of all that is necessary to be known concerning Christ's Church which may more properly be refer'd to that Article of our Creed I believe the Holy Catholick Church However since the high Priviledge and Dignity of any Member as a Member cannot be sufficiently understood nor valued without knowing the Nature and Excellency of that Body of which it is a Member I do therefore think my self obliged in order to let you into a through Understanding of what is meant by A Member of Christ's Church and of the greatness of that Priviledge to speak something largely in this Place concerning the Nature and Constitution of the Church it self and I shall therefore define it and also Explain and prove each Part of the Definition I shall give of it as follows A Definition of Christ's Church The Church of Christ is the universal Society of Christians consisting both of Lawful Governours and Pastors and also of the People of God committed to their Charge and who are call'd forth out of the wicked World by the Preaching of the Gospel to a holy Profession and Calling Namely To Repentance from dead Works to the Knowledge Belief and Service of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost and to the Enjoyment of those inestimable Priviledges of the Gospel viz. Most reasonable and excellent Laws to Conduct 'em to Heaven Divine Grace and Assistance to Enable 'em to obey those Laws Pardon of Sins upon Repentance for the Violation of 'em and eternal Life and Happiness upon sincere Obedience to ' em And who to the End of being Incorporated into one Society and of having God to be their God and they themselves his People have Enter'd into Covenant with him at Baptism and do often Renew the same in the Lord's Supper and are Incorporated thereby into one Body subdivided indeed into several particular Bodies and Churches for the convenience of Government and Worship but holding Communion with one another in One and the same necessary and fundamental Points of Christianity necessary to constitute the Church under Jesus Christ their supreme Head The Church of Christ a well-ordered Society wherein some are Governours some Governed And First The Church of Christ is the Society of Christians consisting both of Lawful Governours and Pastors and of the People of God committed to their Charge The Church of Christ is not a Confus'd an Undigested Headless Multitude but a Regular and Well-order'd Society Hence it is so often in the New Testament call'd The Kingdom of God as Matth. 21.31 The Kingdom of Christ as Rev. 11.15 and The Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 11.12 and the Members of it Children of the Kingdom Matth. 13.38 And Eph. 2.19 20 21. The Members therefore are styl'd Fellow-Citizens Members of a Houshold and Parts of a Temple all which Expressions speak the Church of Christ to be a Regular Society of Men combin'd and knit together by Laws derived from some supreme Head and Governour A Society I say wherein some are Superiours some are Inferiours some Governours some Governed and who altogether make up a well-compacted Body of Men. This last cited place out of the Ephesians speaks the Thing out Now therefore saith he to those who are call'd into the Church ye are no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that is Governours and Teachers Jesus Christ being the chief Corner-stone in whom all the Building fitly framed together groweth up into an Holy Temple in the Lord. Here in this Description of the Church you have Jesus Christ the chief Corner-stone or Head of the Building and Body the Apostles and Prophets Foundation-stones next unto him and all the rest of Christians Fellow-Citizens depending upon Jesus Christ their supreme Head and others his subordinate Governours and Teachers next under him and the Whole represented as a well-compacted Building Or to make it yet more clear to you Eph. 4.11 12. it is said that He gave some Apostles and
Domestick Head viz. the Husband in respect of the Wife and so likewise is Christ the Head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the Body Eph. 5.23 And indeed the Holy Spirit does love to Represent him as such a Head as also by the Title of a Shepherd over the Flock to signify the Gentleness of his Government and the Sweetness and Goodness of his Laws tending all for the Good of those he Governs And Thirdly There is the Natural Head of the Body which is the Fountain of Life and Spirit from whence it is deriv'd into all the Parts of the Body to enable and enliven all the Members thereof to discharge their several Offices and Duties And in Allusion to this Christ the Mystical Head of the Church is Christ said to be the Mystical Head of the Church from whom all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment ministred increaseth with the Increase of God Col. 2.19 And thus I have at length sufficiently in order to my Design of Explaining this Article Wherein I was made a Member of Christ shew'd you What kind of Body the Church of Christ is And by the By from what has been said it does appear That the Church of Christ is a Spiritual Kingdom put up in the World by God The Church of Christ a Spiritual Kingdom on purpose to reduce Man to his due Allegiance to his Maker and to destroy the Dominion of Satan which he had so long Usurpt over Mankind It is a Kingdom as it consists of inferior Governours and Subjects combin'd together by special Laws of Allegiance to the Sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords and by Priviledges granted by that Supreme Head and Governour to such his Subjects and therefore it is so often in the Scripture call'd a Kingdom But you see withal it is a Spiritual Kingdom by the Nature and Design of which God is to Rule in the Hearts and Spirits of Men and therefore it is all over the New Testament call'd the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Christ For Christ does Reign and Rule therein by his Gospel as the Laws of that Kingdom over the Spirits of Men and those are the People or Subjects of this Kingdom who own him for their King and his Gospel for the Laws of this Kingdom and who do give themselves up wholly both Body Soul and Spirit to be Governed by those Laws And the Church is also often call'd in the Holy Scripture the Kingdom of Heaven for indeed it is not a Kingdom of this World supported with outward State and armed Forces in order to promote and to secure from those who would Invade 'em our temporal Interests If my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be deliver'd to the Jews Joh. 18.36 but it is a Kingdom or Society of Men associated together and Listed to Fight under Christ the Great Captain of our Salvation against much more formidable Enemies than any Earthly Potentates Even against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against spiritual Wickedness in high Places Eph. 6.12 that is against the Devil and his wicked Angels who would despoil us of our Heavenly Inheritance Listed I say to fight under Jesus Christ the Great Captain of our Salvation for so he is call'd Heb. 2.10 and to our Comfort who are to fight under him he has already Spoiled these Principalities and Powers and has made a shew of them openly upon the Cross triumphing over them in it Col. 2.15 So that our Work is in a great measure already done under his Conduct for he himself has divested the Devils of much of their Power he has thrown 'em out of their Temples silenc'd their Oracles and does daily by his Assistances enable us to Foil ' em So that the Church of Christ you see is a Spiritual Kingdom But yet notwithstanding that this Society the Church But yet notwithstanding a Visible Society is a Spiritual Kingdom both as its Laws are Spiritual reaching to the Government of the Inward Man and also as it is a Body Listed under a Spiritual King to fight against Spiritual Enemies Yet however from what has been said it does appear that the Church or Kingdom of Christ is a Visible Society of Men consisting of such who make an Outward and Visible Profession of Allegiance to Christ having visibly by an Outward Sacrament Enter'd into Covenant with him and being such as do visibly Communicate together in his Holy Ordinances And therefore it is not only of such who by an inward real and true Faith are United to Christ that the Church and Kingdom of God in this World does consist but of all those outward Professors of Christianity who by the Sacrament of Baptism have Enter'd into Covenant with God Such indeed as besides an outward Covenanting which is certainly necessary are Renew'd withal to the Image of God in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness are the only Persons of which the Invisible Church as it is call'd does consist in this World these perhaps being meant by the Little Flock Luk. 12.32 and of such only will the whole Church in the World to come be made up being of The many that are Called the few that are Chosen Matth. 20.16 But if we consider the Church of Christ in its fully Latitude and in that imperfect State wherein it now is on this side Heaven many Hypocrites and bad Men as well as truly sincere and good Christians do belong to it for the Church of Christ here on Earth is compar'd Matth. 13.24 25. to a Field which contains Wheat and Tares growing up together and to a Net ver 47. wherein there are Fish both good and bad Such you see is the Nature and Temper of that Body of Christ his Church concerning which I thought it requisite to give you a more than ordinary full account even in this place before we come to the Article I believe the Holy Catholick Church because that otherwise it cannot be so well apprehended What it is to be a Member of Christ's Church Secondly What it is to be a Member of Christ's Church which now the way being so far clear'd I shall in few words shew you And from what has been said it does easily now appear that a true Member of the Church of Christ is one who belongs to that Society of Christians which consists of Lawful Governours and Pastors and of the People of God committed to their Charge the one Ministring in Holy Things and the other Partaking thereof at their Hands He is not a Member of that narrow and enclos'd Society of Worshipers the Jewish Synagogue who by their peculiar Rites and Ways of Worship were confin'd to one Nation and Place no more than he is one of the Gentile World at large but he is One who either himself was call'd or is descended of those who were call'd from out of the wicked World
having him our High-Priest over the House of God we may hence-forward draw near with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. that is Every Christian provided he comes not with the guilt of any unrepented Sin upon his Conscience may himself now Offer up his own Prayers to God through Christ without the Mediation of any other Priest or Sacrifice and that with a full Assurance of being graciously heard and answer'd And that this Faith and full Assurance with which we may Approach unto God to Pray to him for the Forgiveness of Sins is our Priviledge only as we are the Sons of God by Adoption is plain from St. Paul Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again unto fear as under the Law but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry unto God Abba Father And again Gal. 4.6 Because ye are thus made his Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father And now Lastly If there be any other very considerable Priviledge Lastly A Child of God is more surely instated in the Inheritance of Heaven than others accruing to a Child of God from such his Relation it is That God will more surely Instate him in the Inheritance of Heaven than he will do others that have no such Relation to him And indeed if Children of God then Heirs we are told Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 But the Vastness of this will be best consider'd by us when we come to the Explication of that Third and the last of those Priviledges made over to us on God's Part in the Covenant of Grace viz. What it is to be an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven The infinite reason we have to praise God for these Advantages And now upon the Review of what has been said in the Exposition of this present Article In what Admiration of God's Goodness may we all of us cry out with St. John 1 Epist 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestow'd upon us that we should be call'd the Sons of God And what infinite Reason have we with St. Paul thankfully to Praise him for it Eph. 1.3.5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath Blessed us Christians with all Spiritual Blessings in and concerning Heavenly Places and Concerns of the World to come through Christ having Predestinated us to the Adoption and Priviledges of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good Pleasure of his Will He Adopted us to be his Children according to the good Pleasure of his Will This Priviledge that we should be his Children is Attended with very rich Advantages all which have accru'd to us not from any Merit and Desert of ours being suppos'd Enemies unto him but only from his free Goodness towards us which was pleas'd so to determine it And as it is both Great and Free we ought certainly with all possible Acknowledgments to Magnify and Extol both his infinite Condescension and Goodness and our own unspeakable Priviledge and Dignity therein Indeed for God to be a Father by Creation and Providence as One observes tho' it be a Mercy yet it is no Priviledge for in that Sence he is Parens rerum the common Parent of all things But that God should be thy Father by Adoption that he should make thee his Son through his only Begotten Son that he should rake up Dirt and Filth as thou art and lay it in his Bosom that he should take Aliens and Strangers near unto himself and Adopt Enemies and Rebels into his Family Register their Names in the Book of Life make them Heirs of Glory Co-heirs with Jesus Christ his Eternal Son as the Apostle doth admiringly re-count it Rom. 8.17 This is Mercy and Miracle both It is indeed an invaluable Grace and Favour that we should be Adopted his Children were it only for this that he will be ready to Pardon our Sins and Infirmities and will Admit us favourably to Address our Selves and Prayers to him But this Priviledge of being his Children will farther appear to be beyond all Expression Great since if Children as the Apostle infers Rom. 8.17 then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ If a Child of God then which Crowns all the rest of his Covenanted Mercies Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven which yet it is said we shall be But what and how Great that Third and Last Priviledge of the Covenant is I am in the Explication of the next Article to declare unto you THE Eighth Lecture And an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven HAving hitherto spoke to the Two First Priviledges made over to us in the Covenant of Grace that thereby we are First made Members of Christ and Secondly Children of God Having both Explain'd to you the Meaning and Importance of those Two Articles and laid out to you the Vastness of those Priviledges and Advantages contain'd therein I come now in like manner to Explain to you the Third which is that we are made thereby Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven And indeed this Last does necessarily follow from the other For as St. Paul speaks Rom. 8.17 If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ This is the Perfection of all God's Promises and Favours vouchsafed in the Second Covenant It comes last and Crowns all the rest And it will be the certain Reward of all those that persevere to the end of their Lives in well-doing and in sincere Obedience notwithstanding all Temptations to the contrary to God's most Righteous Commands Be faithful unto Death says our Saviour and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 And that you may throughly understand the vast greatness of this most extraordinary Priviledge made over to you by Covenant so as to be excited thereby to render your selves worthy to be Partakers thereof according to my usual Method I will Explain to you First What is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven Secondly What it Imports to be an Inheritour of it And then Lastly I will lay out before you the Vastness of our Priviledge in being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven And First I am to Explain unto you By the Kingdom of Heaven is meant in Scripture either First the Kingdom of Grace in this Life or Secondly the Kingdom of Glory in the Life to come what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven is an Expression we do meet with above Thirty times in the New Testament and I think we may safely say That we are constantly to understand by it either First The Kingdom of Grace in this Life or Secondly The Kingdom of Glory in the Life to come By the Kingdom of Grace in this Life I mean that Happy and Blessed State of us Christians now under the Gospel wherein we Enjoy the Happiness
glorious a Title as the Kingdom of Heaven or else it would not be Dignify'd with so Honourable and Glorious a Title as the Kingdom of Heaven a Kingdom being the Top and Height of all Earthly Glories as Heaven is a Place which comprehends all future Excellencies To denote therefore that most exalted State of Bliss in Heaven it is that this State is call'd the Kingdom of Heaven And truly there is nothing in this World wherein we can imagine the greatest Glory and Happiness as a Kingdom a Crown a Throne a Marriage a Feast but are set forth as Emblems to represent to us the Joys and Glories of our future State And yet as if a Kingdom a Crown a Throne were infinitely too short to set forth the Joys and Glories of Heaven and those infinite Blessings Hence all those things in this world wherein we conceive the highest Glory and Happiness are us'd as Emblems to set off our future Glory that do await the Sons of God Saint John tells us It doth not yet appear what we shall be 1 Joh. 3.2 Beloved now we are the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be only this we know says he that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Nay and as if the highest Contentments and Satisfactions of this Life were but meer Nothings as to any thing in 'em whereby they may represent the Joys above St. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 2.9 That Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for those that love him Nay and tho' he was caught up to the Third Heaven into Paradise and so did both see and hear the Glories and Triumphant Joys of that Place All which things come short of expressing it yet the Things which he saw and heard were unspeakable he tells us which it is not possible for man to utter for so it may be render'd 2 Cor. 12.4 So that in short the Kingdom of Heaven does import a State of the most excessive Glory and Happiness that our Natures can be capable of receiving A State so unspeakably Honourable and Delightful that tho' the choicest Things of this World those Things that yield the vastest Contentments are made use of in Scripture to represent them to us yet they are but the meer shadows of the Glories and Joys in the Kingdom of Heaven and after all there is abundantly more than can be Exprest or Imagin'd by us And therefore this must suffice here for the Explication of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven the particular Character of whose Joys being what more properly belongs to that Article of your Creed The Life Everlasting shall there be given you And now An Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven What Secondly Let us next see what it is to be an Inheritour of it An Inheritour or Heir both in Scripture and in common Language does import something of Priviledge more than ordinary Thus Gen. 21.10 we find that Sarah would not endure that the Son of the Bond-woman should enjoy the Priviledge to be Heir with her Son And as to common Account every Body knows that an Heir has a considerable Priviledge above the rest of the Children and what it is I shall Define as follows An Heir is one who has a legal Right and Title to a Possession made over to him An Heir amongst Men is one that receives from Parents or Predecessors either by Nearness of Blood or by Adoption by Entail or by Will or whatever other Method of Conveyance a sure Right and Title to a Possession And here perhaps it might not be difficult to shew how that an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven is made such by something that bears a near Resemblance at leastwise to all these Ways and Methods whereby Men become Heirs to Temporal Possessions But not to insist upon any nice Comparison in these Matters it is sufficient to Ensure unto us the Benefits of Heirship even to the Kingdom of Heaven that those who are in Covenant with God are frequently in Scripture styl'd Heirs and particularly Heb. 1.14 Heirs of Salvation and that they are in like manner and to all Intents and Purposes as much Heirs Such who have Enter'd into the Covenant of Grace are in like manner as Children are Heirs for thus the Apostle argues If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 And if a Son then an Heir through Christ Gal. 4.7 So that we may safely say That as an Heir is One whose Estate is not precariously depending upon the meer Will and Pleasure of another but so setled and secur'd to him Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven as Children are Heirs as to give him a Legal Claim and Title thereto so long as he does not forfeit his Title by not performing the Condition on which his Title depends so an Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven is One who does not depend meerly upon the Vncovenanted Goodness of God for his hopes of Heaven and Happiness but he is One to whom God through Christ has vouchsafed to grant a Legal Claim and Title thereto by giving his solemn Promise and engaging his Truth for the Performance that he will infallibly bestow upon him the most unspeakable Joys of Heaven provided he swerves not from his Allegiance and Obedience to him but Renouncing all God's Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil will Believe in him and Obey him truly and faithfully all the days of his Life I do say and pray mark it That God through Christ It is through Christ alone not owing to the Merit of our Obedience that we are Intitled to the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven has vouchsafed to grant us a Legal Claim and Title to this Inheritance for so it is said that we are Heirs through Christ Gal. 4.7 And far be it from any to imagine that there is any thing of Merit or Worth in our imperfect Obedience whereby of it self it should deserve such a precious Inheritance It would be an Arrogance and Presumption in the highest Saint that ever liv'd and such as would render him more liable to be Punisht for his Pride than rewarded for his Vertue should he pretend to Claim Heaven meerly upon the Score of his own Sanctity or should he pretend a Claim and Title to the Inheritance of Heaven at all otherwise than through Christ and because God has promis'd it However since God has been pleas'd to Ensure it to us by Covenant we may safely call it a Right which God who is Faithful in all his Promises and Just in all his Dealings will never debar us of except by our Disloyalty and Disobedience to him we forfeit all Right and Title to it Which brings me to my Third Proposal which was to lay before you the Vastness of our Priviledge in being
made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven The Vastness of a Christian's Priviledge in being made an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven And if we do but consider it it will soon appear to be both in it self very great and in Comparison of what the rest of the World enjoys a very singular Priviledge this of being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven I say In it self very Great Indeed what can be greater than to have the invaluable Possessions of Heaven I. It is in it self a very Great Priviledge to have the invaluable Possessions of Heaven so setled and ensur'd as to have a legal Claim and Title thereto made over to One. so setled and ensur'd to us as to have a Legal Claim and Title thereto made over to us in Christ We see as to those Earthly Possessions how an Heir does value his Condition above the rest of the Children not only on the account of a greater share commonly in the Estate than the rest but because of the greater security he has of Enjoying those Earthly Possessions An Inheritance being an Estate for which he does not so precariously depend as has been shew'd upon the meer arbitrary and uncertain Will and Pleasure of another but a Right which without Breach of Justice cannot be detain'd from him It is the Priviledge of an Heir that he has all the Security that the Engagements of an Honest Person and the Solemnities of a Covenant can give him to make him a Title but when the Kingdom of Heaven is the Possession and when he who cannot deceive has solemnly setled this Inheritance upon us this is a Priviledge so much beyond what Words can express that it is far easier to be Admir'd than Utter'd II. If compared with what others enjoy it is a singular Priviledge And as it is in it self exceeding Great so it is if compar'd with what Others enjoy a very singular Priviledge This of being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven To be made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven I say is a very singular Priviledge which those who are without Christ and who are Strangers to the Covenants and Promise do not enjoy True it is a few of the more Contemplative and Thinking amongst the Gentile Philosophers did raise to themselves some faint Hopes The best amongst the Moral Heathens could have but faint Hopes built upon uncertain Conjectures of a future Happiness and doubtful Expectations of a future Happiness after this Life They consider'd the noble Nature of the Soul of Man to be such that nothing in this Life is of that Excellency as to give it a full Satisfaction and as to the Body they look'd upon it more as the Prison of the Soul than any Advantage to it and therefore they did hope to be deliver'd one Day from its Incumberance that the Soul might be at liberty to act freely without such a Clog of Flesh trashing it in all its noble Flights and Operations But then all this was in them but Conjecture what possibly might be not what certainly would be their Happiness And being but a faint Hope And their Hopes being faint they could not in the Strength thereof overcome great Temptations But the Christian's Hopes are sure and stedfast being sounded upon the express Promises and Covenant of the God of Truth and uncertain Expectation built upon doubtful Reasonings of their own and more their Wishes and Desires than what they could certainly promise themselves they were not able to support their drooping Spirits under any great Difficulties and to overcome in the Strength of such an Expectation the greater Temptations and Tryals of their Vertue But did generally shrink from their Vertuous Professions when to act honestly was become dangerous But the Christian's Expectation of an Inheritance in Heaven being founded upon the Express Promises of the God of Truth and those Promises given in Covenant and so Confirm'd by an Oath as it were For God willing more abundantly to shew to the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong Consolation These things being so the Christian has a hope which as an Anchor of the Soul is both sure and stedfast Heb. 6.17 18 19. And his Hope being thus built not upon uncertain Conjectures but upon the express Promises of God who cannot lie And being such there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great which he may not overcome there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great that such a Hope will not be able overcome But he that hath this Hope purifieth himself even as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 And may with St. Paul be perswaded That neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate him from the Love of God which is in Christ Rom. 8.38 39. Thus certain are the Christian's Hopes of Heaven it being instated upon him as an Inheritance And having his Hopes so well grounded there is no difficulty in the way of Duty so great which he may not overcome by the Strength thereof Whereas the best of the Moral Heathens had but uncertain Conjectures to ground their Expectations of future Happiness upon and their Hopes thereof being so Weak they presently yielded to the Assault of every great Temptation But besides whatever Certainty an honest Pagan And whatever Certainty an honest Pagan might have that God would reward his Vertue yet depending only on the Vncovenanted Goodness of God he could promise himself no greater a measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which must fall vastly short of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven that liv'd up to the Light of Nature and the Dictates of Right Reason if any of 'em can be suppos'd to have done so might have that the good God would reward his Vertue Yet having only the Equity and Vncovenanted goodness of God to depend upon he could promise himself no greater a Measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which considering the Imperfection of the best Actions of the best of Men whoever liv'd how short must that fall of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven * But a Christian to whom God has Covenanted to make sure a Crown of Glory may without Presumption rely upon him to make good the same But the Christian whom God has Covenanted withal and to whom he has condescended to oblige himself to make sure a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 may without Presumption rely upon God's both Truth and Goodness to make good to him the same notwithstanding when he does all that he can consider'd in himself he is but an Vnprofitable Servant as the best are I have
fought a good fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth says the Apostle and so may every good Christian say the same there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which God the righteous Judge shall give me at that Day and not to me only but to all them who love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Such is the Christian's Priviledge above a Pagan's in being made an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven in that being his Inheritance he may assure himself of it tho' his imperfect Vertues consider'd in themselves could never Entitle him to such an eternal and exceeding weight of Glory In short It is Jesus Christ alone who hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 As Life and Immortality is brought to light through the Gospel so by embracing it and by coming into Covenant alone Salvation can be expected And as he only has brought it to light that is made a clear Revelation of that Life and immortal Happiness laid up for Righteous Men in Heaven which was not before so plainly Reveal'd so it is only through him and by Believing and Embracing and Coming into his Covenant the Gospel that Salvation must now be hop'd for by any for thus we are assur'd Acts 4.12 that There is no other Name under Heaven given among Men but Jesus only whereby we must be saved so that this Invaluable Priviledge this exceeding great Advantage of being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven is made over and certainly Ensur'd to such only who are in the Covenant of Grace and is the Third and Last of those excellent Priviledges and Advantages contain'd and held forth therein And to a sincere Christian who is faithful in the Covenant the Heavenly Inheritance is certain But then the Kingdom of Heaven is the certain Inheritance of the sincere Christian who in the Exercise of Mercy Meekness Piety and all other Christian Vertues which he has Covenanted with God to perform does faithfully discharge his Part of the Covenant as is most solemnly declar'd Matth. 25.31 32 33 34.46 with which I shall conclude this Point Says our Blessed Saviour there When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats and he shall set the Sheep on his right hand but the Goats on the left Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand to his Charitable and Pious and Faithful Servants Come ye Blessed of my Father Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World And as the Wicked shall go into everlasting Punishment so the Righteous into Life Eternal And now to summ up those infinitely Gracious and Invaluable Priviledges made over to us on Uod's Part in the Covenant of Grace A summ of those invaluable Priviledges made over to us on God's Part in the Covenant of Grace hereby we are made First Members of Christ that is are made Members of that Body of which Christ is the Head viz. The Church and so have together with a most excellent Body of Religion and Laws all necessary Grace and Assistance Convey'd and Communicated to us Members from Him the Head to Enliven Support and Enable us to go through all our Task of Religious Duties and Christian Performances requir'd at our Hands The Second Priviledge is That we are also hereby made Children of God that is having Embrac'd Christianity and being Incorporated into the Church of Christ we are thereby Adopted and Chosen out of the rest of the World by God to enjoy this grand Priviledge of Sons to have Pardon granted us when with the Prodigal Son we return Home to Him our Offended but Gracious Father by Repentance And we shall find him not over-severe in respect of our lesser Failings and the unavoidable Infirmities of our Nature but shall always have him ready to hear our Prayers for Mercy both in respect of our greater and lesser Transgressions And Lastly The Third Priviledge you have been now told is this that to compleat All We are made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven that is have secur'd to us a Right and Title to the unspeakable Joys and Glories of Heaven A Priviledge which consider'd in it self is exceeding Great and as all the rest if compar'd with what Others enjoy is a very singular One These now are the inestimable Priviledges made over to us in the Covenant of Grace Priviledges which as they are of infinite Advantage to us so we shall never fail of obtaining 'em if we will but take care to perform the Conditions requir'd on our Parts and so First Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh Secondly Believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And Thirdly Obey God's Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of our Lives Which Conditions and what they Import I come next to declare unto you THE Ninth Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked world and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh I Have already Expounded those infinitely Gracious and Invaluable Priviledges made over to us on God's Part in the Covenant of Grace having shewed you what it is to be a Member of Christ what it is to be a Child of God and lastly what to be an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven as also what are the vast Benefits contain'd in those several Articles I am now come to Explain to you likewise the Conditions of the Covenant those Conditions without the Performance of which those Mercies will not be Confer'd on us For this we must seriously consider that the Benefits now mention'd to be made over to us as they are in themselves exceeding great so as almost to equal us with the Blessed Angels and as they were purchas'd for us at no less a Rate than the precious Blood of the Son of God so we must not expect that Benefits so infinitely great and dearly purchas'd should be Confer'd upon us without any thing to be done on our Parts to express our Value of them much less if we continue in Rebellion against God and instead of him serve under his Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil or will be Infidels and Unbelievers and will remain Disobedient to all his most Just and Righteous Commands No it is not to be imagin'd that God will be so Easy so fond of Sinners as would reflect upon the Wisdom and Discretion of a meer Man But as he does propose to us Invaluable Blessings so he does require from us a Reasonable Service and the Performance of most Equitable Conditions amongst which this is the First
appear First To be Sin And Secondly The tempting of us to Sin His first work was to Sin himself by transgressing God's Laws I. Sin and despising his Authority His next work was to Tempt and Inveigle us likewise into the same Violation and Contempt of the Divine Laws and Authority by committing of Sin And the first general Work of the Devil is Sin for so it is expresly affirm'd 1 Joh. 3.8 The Devil sinneth from the beginning and for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil that is Sin By Sin God's Authority is thrown off which is the Devil 's constant work By Sin the Laws of God are transgress'd his Authority thrown off his Government dis-own'd and his Power defy'd and as the Devil made himself what he is by thus sinning at first so this is his continual Practice his constant Work ever since And whosoever in imitation of him does likewise at any time Transgress or walk contrary to the Laws the Rules the Ways that God hath set especially if knowingly and wilful does thereby in like manner Whoever therefore does wilfully sin does strike at God's Authority as the Devil did throw off God's Authority disown his Power and defy his Government and so does do the Works of the Devil Which one Consideration should make you abominate even the least Sin but especially it should make you infinitely fearful of Sinning wilfully against your Maker Most People alas in these degenerate Times make but a Mock of Sin For which reason no Sin ought to be the subject of any Man's Mirth and make it the Subject of their Mirth and Laughter when committed by themselves or others for want of seriously considering this to be its Nature But the Commission of the least wilful Sin would be dreaded by you and frown'd upon in others if you would but consider how high it strikes even at God himself and whom it Advances to his Right of Dominion over the World even the Devil Some Sins more particularly the works of the Devil But as there are some particular Sins which are more directly level'd against God's Authority and express more of the natural Temper and Disposition of Satan and are more his own Practice than others so of those we may say that they are more particularly and especially the Works of the Devil I. Such as are directly Level'd against God's Authority viz. Idolatry And first as to those which are more directly level'd against God's Authority and are therefore Sins of Satan's own Invention to draw us off from God of this sort we are to reckon Idolatry or the Worshiping of other Gods besides him the Onely True God whether it be that of the Barbarous Nations who worshipt the Devil himself or whether that of the Gentiles in general and some Gentiliz'd Christians as the Papists who Worship the Creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above besides or together with the Creator as that place Rom. 1.25 may indifferently be render'd The Idolatry of either Kind either the Worship of Devils Heroes or of Saints departed does more particularly bear upon it the Character of a Work of the Devil because it is more directly level'd against God's Authority giving his Honour to another And Sorcery Charming Witch-craft and Conjuring as also Resorting to such as use those unlawful Arts. Of the same sort is Sorcery and Charming and Witch-craft and Conjuring as also the Sin of those wretchedly wicked Persons who Resort to Conjurers and Charmers and Witches White or Black as some do foolishly distinguish them for both do deal with the Devil by unlawful Arts whoever I say do resort to any such Persons or such as are so reputed to enquire out their lost Goods or what shall be hereafter their Fortune or to receive Directions for Health or Thriving or if they use themselves any Spells and Charms to these or the like Purposes such do commit a principal Work of the Devil because they hold thereby a Commerce and Correspondence with Satan who is God's most bitter Enemy and do put their Faith and Confidence in him for Help making him viz. the Devil instead of God their Staff and Stay And lastly do commit that Sin which is the particular Invention of the Devil and is therefore often in the Holy Scriptures as for Instance Deut. 18. Detested as such an Abomination and Threatned with such heavy Penalties as must argue those who can use such unlawful Means for Health or for finding out lost Goods to be even utterly destitute of any Fear of God and such who wholly give themselves up to fear and serve only the Devil and I hope therefore as common as it is it will be Detested by you But the Divine Indignation is so fully Exprest against all the Sins of this Kind in this 18th of Deut. 10 11 12 13 14. that I must not forbear to give you the very Words themselves as those which are most likely to Deter you from such high Provocations There shall not be found amongst you any one that useth Divination or an Observer of Times or an Inchanter or a Witch or a Charmer or a Consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizard or a Necromancer for all that do these things are an Abomination unto the Lord and because of these Abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee For these Nations which thou shalt possess hearken'd unto Observers of Times and unto Diviners A Second sort of those Diabolical Sins II. Such as express more of the Devil's Temper than others viz. Pride which may be more particularly stiled the Works of the Devil are those which Express more of the very Natural Temper and Disposition of Satan than others And such are Pride Envy and Malice That Pride is the very Temper of Satan may be gather'd from 1 Tim. 3.6 He was Tempted by that Glorious Condition in which he was Created to conceive highly of his own Dignity and Greatness and Merits and to have tow'ring and ambitious Thoughts of Usurping to himself a greater Power and larger Province perhaps than God had given him and for this his Pride and his Rebellion the Effect of it he was cast out of Heaven and Excluded the Blessed Mansions of the Poor in Spirit whose is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.3 And it does therefore concern every One of you to take care of harbouring in your Breasts the least Degrees of Pride and Vanity and of being Exalted in your own Minds upon the account of any thing you Enjoy above others whether a more flourishing Condition in the World or greater Success in your Affairs or upon the account of your greater Skill and Knowledge Lest being lifted up with Pride you fall into the Condemnation of the Devil as it is in the now cited Place of Timothy And indeed Pride in whatever ways it shews it self ought most carefully to be Subdu'd and Mortify'd as a
to be utterly shut out from the least Glimpse of God's Favour and cast out of his Protection and to be wholly under the Power of the Devil The thing is self-evident so as not to need any Pains to make it appear And in all Probability they have also their Eternal Damnation seal'd in this World Even before they go hence and be no more seen And thus I have at length shew'd you as before Who the Devil is and what are his Works of Sin and how you are to Renounce both him and them So I have now laid open before you as fully as I could not indulging meer Conjecture but fetching my Discoveries from the Holy Scripture from which alone we can learn any thing of Certainty in such a dark Subject I say I have fully laid before you those manifold Methods of Temptation whereby he did and does still Attempt First The whole Race of Mankind Secondly The Church of Christ Thirdly The most Considerable and Leading Persons therein and Lastly Every single and individual Person indifferently amongst us Vpon the general View of the Works of the Devil both of Sin and Temptation it does appear his Drift is no less than to usurp God's Throne and to draw the whole Race of Mankind into the same Cursed Rebellion against the Majesty of Heaven with himself And upon the general View of what has been said it does appear that the whole Drift of that wicked Spirit and of all his Works both of Sin and Temptation is no less than to Usurp God's Throne and to put up a Dominion in Opposition to his and to draw the whole Race of Mankind into the same Cursed Rebellion against the Majesty of Heaven owning him the Devil for their Lord and Master 'T is indeed a thing almost incredible that a Creature could possibly be guilty of such impudent Pride and Ambition as to justle God as it were out of his Throne and to Arrogate to himself the Homage of all the Creatures but yet it appears to be plainly so by his Tempting even of the Son of God himself to Worship and Adore him and in his Plying him so diligently with one Temptation after another never letting him rest till he saw there was no Hopes He perceiv'd that his Coming into the World was to destroy his Kingdom and therefore he first Attacks him in the Wilderness thinking he had him at an Advantage after a long Fast of Fourty Days and that in his Hunger he would do any thing to get Bread And when our Saviour alledg'd his sufficiency in God alone without material Bread he then takes him up into the Holy City and setteth him on the Pinnacle of the Temple bidding him if he were so confident of God's Protection and Preservation of him to cast himself down from thence and no doubt he would order his Holy Angels to receive him And when in that also he was Repuls'd Satan try'd him farther yet and taking him into an exceeding high Mountain where he gave him a Visionary View of all the Riches Glory and Splendor of the World and proffer'd him that if he would Fall down and Worship him that is Desert the Service of the God of Heaven and coming over to him would Propagate and Promote his Kingdom and do Homage himself and cause all others to do the like to him This if he would do Satan Promis'd him all these things would he give him Thus like a Politick Prince who would Bribe with Riches and Honours and Preferments the General of another's Army to come over to him and to Betray into his Power all his own King's Subjects So did the Devil Tempt our Saviour the great Captain of our Salvation to Revolt himself from God and to bring over the whole Church along with him So infinitely bent is Satan upon the Dishonour of God and our Slavery and Ruine which as it is enough to rouze us up to make a most diligent Enquiry till we fully discover all the Arts and Methods whereby he would accomplish it So it will I hope sufficiently Justify my having been so long in laying before you Who the Devil is and what are his Works both of Sin and Temptation Lastly And now it remains only to shew you What it is and how we must renounce this great Work of the Devil his Tempting of us to Sin and then I shall have done this Point What it is and how we must Renounce this great Work of the Devil his Tempting of us to Sin The word Renounce I before told you is a Word that bears various significations according to the Nature of the Thing to be Renounced by us And as the Devil being that Arch-Rebel against God whose Quarrel with him is for no less than Dominion and Empire over the World who shall be King thereof God or Satan and who with all his Legions of Infernal Spirits are continually mustering up all their Forces against the Authority of God and drawing wretched sinful Men into the Conspiracy As the Devil being such to Renounce the Devil as I have told you is to disclaim or leave off having any Hand with him in his base and ungrateful Rebellion against God And as to his Works of Sin As by Sin God's Laws are Transgrest his Authority thrown off his Government disown'd and his Power defy'd So to Renounce his works of Sin must signify to disclaim or abandon every Sin as a thing most dishonourable and provoking to God because it implies a throwing off his Authority and a disowning his Power As this is to Renounce the Devil and all his works of Sin So as to that other great Work of his his Temptations of us those will properly be then only Renounc'd when they are Resisted by us The Temptations of the Devil are then only properly Renounced when they are Resisted by us a thing which we are Commanded to do Jam. 4.7 Resist the Devil as also 1 Pet. 5.9 Whom Resist stedfast in the Faith But how shall such weak and impotent Creatures as we are be able to Resist such a mighty Spirit or rather such a powerful Host of Spirits as the Devils are For are there not Multitudes of 'em surrounding of us as appears by one Man's having a whole Legion of 'em cast out of him And did not the great Fiend the Ring-leader of 'em own to God that it was his Employment to Go to and fro in the Earth and to walk up and down in it Job 1.7 to find out such whom with the greatest Probability of Success he may assault and to see against what weak part of 'em either in Body or Mind he may most advantagiously raise his Batteries Nay and is it not said 1 Pet. 8.9 That as a roaring Lion he continually walks about the Earth seeking whom he may devour So that besides his Industry and Policy he does with the greatest Violence and Fury oftentimes set upon us These things consider'd Is it possible for us to
our way to Heaven and Happiness * So long as we wear these Earthly Bodies about us we are permitted the Vse and Enjoyment of worldly Things provided in Things lawful and in Degrees allowable So long as we live in this World and are Parts of it our selves and carry these Bodies of Earthly Materials about us there is no doubt but it is necessary for us and we are permitted to be concern'd in it and we may without scruple gratify our selves with the Enjoyments of it provided it be in Things lawful and in Degrees allowable and that we suffer not our Hearts and Affections to be too much fixt upon it But in regard our Souls the principal Part of us by far are the Natives of Heaven and are only as Pilgrims and Tenants here Below to stay but for a short Time For As the Dust shall return to the Earth as it was so the Spirit shall return to God But being our Souls our principal part are soon to remove to Heaven we must chiefly set our Affections on things above and mainly endeavour to attain them who gave it Eccl. 12.7 we must therefore Set our Affections chiefly on things above on God the Society Interests and Enjoyments of that Ever-Blessed State making it our main Business to Possess to Attain and Enjoy them and not on things below the foolish Interests and Satisfactions of this perishing and transitory State here on Earth Col. 3.2 And so far as the world or any thing it inveigles our Hearts and Affections to fix upon it and seduces us to commit any Thing sinful and hinders to mind the Business of Religion and the Performance of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace our way to Happiness and everlasting Satisfaction it is to be Renounced Rejected and Overcome by us It is the Matter of a Christian's Warfare and the subject of his Victory And so far as this Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World 1 Joh. 5.4 and in this sence St. Paul Professes Gal. 6.14 that The world was Crucified unto him and he unto the world And thus you see in General in what sence and how far we are to Renounce the World But Secondly II. Concerning the World consider'd in its Particulars those Temptations result both from the Good and the Evils thereof For the more full and compleat Explication of this Point of Renouncing the world it being a Matter wherein it concerns you to receive the most distinct Directions I will farther consider the Particulars of which this World is made up and will also shew you in what sence and how far you are to Renounce each of ' em And here it is observable that when we come to take a nearer View of the world in its Particulars it does not then appear as it does in the General to have nothing in it but Good but to contain withal a great mixture of Evil and indeed to be in the present State thereof almost wholly made up of Vanity and Vexation of Spirit And both the Good and the Evil Things thereof do give us considerable Temptations to Sin Now the Good Things of this world are summ'd up under these Heads The Riches Honours and the Pleasures it affords The good things of this World Riches Honours Pleasures the Evils Poverty Disgrace and Afflictions And Things of a middle Nature are the different Callings Conditions and Cares of this World And its Evils on the contrary may be reduc'd to Poverty Disgrace and those Afflictions of all sorts which in innumerable ways do assail us And there are also some Things therein of a middle Nature as different Callings Conditions or States of Life and the Cares of this World which are the Appurtenances to it and afford great matter of Temptation and Tryal to us therein And in what Sence and how far you are to Renounce it with reference to each of these I will endeavour to shew you And First As to the Riches of this World These are not in themselves Hurtful I. As to Riches these are not in themselves Hurtful but Good and are bestow'd upon us to good Ends and Purposes but Good and are bestowed by the Divine Providence upon those that have 'em to very excellent Purposes and Uses that they may do Good therewith and that not only in providing for their own Houshold but also by Stewarding them out to the Support and Advancement of Religion and Vertue to the Relieving the Poor and Distressed to the Encouragement of Industry and in many other ways which the Laws of Piety and Charity do direct * And those who enjoy 'em have great Advantages of doing Good therewith to others Comfort and the Benefit of their own Souls And those therefore on whom God has bestowed Wealth have admirable Advantages put into their Hands to do Good therewith to the Comfort of others and to lay up to themselves Treasures of Reward in Heaven by their good Works Nevertheless it was no hard Censure our Saviour pass'd upon Riches in saying That a Rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 19.23 For both Scripture and daily Experience tells us Nevertheless Riches are a mighty Temptation whether we consider Men as Getting Possessing or as Parting with or Losing of them that Riches are a very great Temptation to manifold Sins and Offences against God and that whether we consider Men with respect to their Getting Possessing or their Parting with or Losing of them First Consider Men in the State of getting Riches and St. Paul tells us 1 Tim. 6.9 That they who would be Rich fall into a Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition And our own Experience also gives us to see how many horrid and black Crimes and into what miserable Snares so as never to be able to disentangle themselves out of 'em do Men run themselves into by an over-eager Pursuit of Riches I. In the over-eager Pursuit of Riches men do run themselves into many grievous Sins A dividing betwixt God and Mammon is the lowest Degree of Sin that is occasion'd hereby which yet God will not endure as you will find Matth. 6.24 The Neglect of Religion and Contempt of Heavenly Things is the next And it is not seldom we see that Men to raise themselves Estates in this world will not stick at Oppressing the Poor at Cheating of Orphans and Widows at Corrupting of Witnesses and Juries and Forging of Evidences and to add Impiety to Injustice to get but a small Pittance of worldly Wealth they will Rob God in his Tythes and Offerings by Sacrilegiously detaining those Dues which were allotted both by the Laws of God and Man for the Maintenance of the Worship of God and his Ministers a Sin compar'd by St. Paul with Idolatry it self Rom. 2.22 As also into many miserable Snares so as to be hardly ever able to disentangle
from the Faith and a Denial of the Truth Our Blessed Saviour tells us that Whosoever he be that forsaketh not whatever he hath for his sake and the Gospels he cannot be his Disciple and to leave Houses Lands Possessions and whatever worldly Enjoyments if you will not Renounce the Gospel it self or those Truths contain'd therein and will not embrace Errors contrary to it is always the hard Condition that Christians are put upon in Times of Persecution But how hard a thing is it for a Rich Man to do this A poor Wretch may be content to leave his uncomfortable Mansion and to resign this laborious tedious Life in hopes of gaining Rest and eternal Glory thereby rather than strain his Conscience But for a Rich Man to take a Farewel of his stately Houses delightful Gardens his silent Grots and shady Walks his rich Furniture goodly Farms and his heaps of Silver to leave these and fly into Banishment endure Poverty labour with Hunger and starve with Nakedness all this to preserve a good Conscience It is a hard Saying a shrewd Temptation He will be apt to desire his Settlement may be on this side Jordan rather than he will pass over the Flood into the Land of Canaan He will be very apt to build his Tabernacle on this side Heaven The Temptation is indeed Great and many have fallen under the Power of it Several have past very shrewd Brushes in their way towards Heaven and yet have not been able to withstand the Shock of this Temptation We have a famous Instance of this in the Young Man in the Gospel Matth. 19. This Person came to our Saviour with a mighty Desire to know what he should do to Inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and reckon'd up a many extraordinary Acts that he had done already in order to it insomuch that in another Gospel it is recorded our Saviour Loved him very much But the Holy Jesus told him that if he would Be perfect he must go and sell what he had and give to the Poor and he should have Treasure in Heaven and that he must in Poverty and Affliction come and follow him When the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great Possessions says the Text ver 22. And thus you see what Temptations Riches will give you whether you consider your selves as Getting as Possessing or as Parting with or Losing of them In what sence and how far Riches are to be renounced And now the great Question will be In what sence and how far you must Renounce the Riches of this World in all these respects And in the General I can safely tell you that Riches are not of that evil Nature in themselves that you must absolutely Renounce or Reject them We read of a peevish Philosopher In general being they are not Evil in themselves they are in Cases only to be renounced by us wherein we cannot without Sin Pursue Possess or retain them amongst the Grecians One Crates who threw all his Wealth into the Sea he would have nothing to do with it And there are a sort of Men amongst the Romanists those whom they call Begging-Friars who Vow Poverty and place a very great Part of their Religion in that very sinful Trade if there be not a very great Necessity for it of Begging But Riches are not of that Nature that they need be so absolutely Renounced and Rejected by us They may be Innocently enough both Sought Possest and Retain'd And it is only in such cases wherein you cannot without Sin Pursue Possess and Retain 'em that you are oblig'd by your Baptismal Vow to Renounce and Reject 'em and that is in these Cases following And First as to the Getting of Riches As First Riches considered in the getting no Man must so put his Heart upon 'em as to esteem 'em his chiefest Good and Happiness you must not set your Heart upon 'em so as to esteem 'em your chiefest Good and Happiness for this is an eternal and an unalterable Rule both in Reason and Religion That the chiefest and most absolute Good deserves our chiefest Esteem and choicest Affections And that lesser Goods to be less esteem'd and lov'd And therefore God and Heavenly Things being our chiefest Good and the Riches of this World being Good only by Derivation from him and that in infinitely lower Degrees we must by no means suffer the Riches of this Life to have an equal share in our Esteem and Affections with God and Heavenly Things No Mammon is too base a Competitor that we should divide the Empire of our Hearts betwixt God and him No man can faithfully serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon says our Saviour Mat. 6.24 And You must by no means labour after the Riches of this World with immoderate Care Nor must he labour after 'em with immoderate Care so as to neglect the great Duties of Religion Devotion so as to neglect the great Duties of Religion and Devotion Martha you know was much troubled about her Houshold Affairs at a Time and Opportunity given her to hear our Saviour's Heavenly Discourses and Divine Instructions and our Saviour rebuked her for it telling her that Mary had chosen the better Part in laying aside her worldly Business to attend that more important Affair the Enriching of her Soul Matth. 10.41 42. And you must take care lest you also Incurr that and a worse Rebuke by spending the Lord's-Day set apart by Divine Appointment wholly to the Service of God lest you spend it I say in worldly Business and in Projects of Gain Or indeed any Day in immoderate Carkings so as to omit either your Family or Private Devotion And must Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these other things shall be added unto you in such measures as shall be needful for you and you must therefore after lawful Endeavours leaving the Success to God Take no further Thought for the Morrow Matth. 6.33 34. But above all in your Pursuits after this world's Wealth Especially he must beware of Enriching himself by unjust Means You must beware of Enriching your selves by any unjust Means This is call'd by the Wise-man A making hast to be Rich because that those who are bent upon unlawful Gain think plain and honest Dealing too slow a way of encreasing their Substance But he withal tells 'em that They who do so shall not be Innocent Prov. 28.20 that is shall involve themselves in great and terrible Guilt as has been shew'd you And let me tell you withal when-ever you shall come to cast up your Accounts between God and your own Souls a Thorn will not prick your Flesh with half that Anguish as the Reflection upon an Ill-gotten Estate will pierce your Consciences So that above all things it does
pick Quarrels with our Duty our Wills then begin to be averse and our Affections to cool towards it And because in this Obedience of our Works and Actions And therefore endeavoured to be shifted off there is so much of difficulty therefore are most People so desirous to shift it off and so forward to take up with any thing which will save them the labour of it They perswade themselves that God will admit of easier Terms and build their Hopes on cheaper Services as particularly that it will be sufficient to Salvation that they Believe the Gospel and that Jesus Christ died for them that God will accept of the Will for the Deed that God will excuse their Disobedience because when they fall it is by reason of strong and violent Temptations And lastly that it is not without Reluctancy and great Unwillingness that they disobey But all these are deceitful Imaginations for howsoever we are against Sin in our Thoughts and Minds and Desires the working Wickedness will make us in God's account Sons of Sin and Disobedience and will be sure to render such Children of Wrath and Destruction If you live after the Flesh saith St. Paul you shall die Rom. 8.13 And whatever Men think in their Minds or desire in their Hearts or profess in their Words to the contrary if for all that they continue to commit Sin in their Actions Christ has told them plainly That he will pronounce when he comes to sit as Judge Depart from me all ye that work Iniquity Matth. 7.23 And thus you see what is in the first place necessary to make up an Entire Obedience that our Obedience might be that of the whole Man and that it may be such we must have our Minds our Wills our Affections and lastly our outward Actions in Obedience to the Laws of the Gospel that all these several Powers must unite in God's Service before it will be Vpright and Compleat such as at present his Law requires and such as at the last Day he will accept of and reward us for II. It must be an Obedience to to the whole Law Secondly As it is necessary to the Integrity of our Obedience that we Obey his Holy Will and Commandments with our whole Man with our Minds our Souls our Wills and our Strength so that we Obey his whole Law and Conform our selves to every of his Commandments We must not think to pick and chuse in the doing of our Duty for if we do not Obey all we Obey not right in any because all the Laws of God are bound upon us by the same Power and enjoined by the same Authority So that if we fulfill any one upon this account of his having required it the same reason holds for the fulfilling of all the rest This indeed is very hardly believed because it is so hard to practise for almost every Man has some Sin or other which he can as well Die as part with It has got his Heart and is become the Master of his Affections and since he loves it so dearly he hopes God will bear with it too And when Men are thus desirous to Obey God by halves and would hope that this might serve the turn they take to themselves false Grounds and Confidences under which they shelter themselves in the allowance or indulgence of such Sins as they are resolved to practise and when they do wilfully continue in the practice of any Sin they usually plead one or more of these Things in excuse This endeavoured to be evaded by Excuses First That they Sinn'd for the Preservation of their Religion and themselves in times of Danger and Persecution Or secondly for the supply of their Necessities by sinful Arts Compliances and Services and in times of Want and Indigency Or thirdly for the satisfaction of their Flesh in Sins of Temper Age or Way of Life But in vain But whosoever would Obey God's Laws to the Salvation of his Soul must Obey in every Instance and continue wilfully to transgress in none he must never hope to please God in nothing but what he lists himself For the Obedience of the Covenant whereinto Christ commissioned his Apostles to Baptize Converts is nothing below an Entire Obedience Go says he Baptize all Nations teaching them to observe all Things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28.19 20. And threatens Matth. 5.19 That he who breaks the least of these Commandments shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven or none at all which is the sence of the Hebrew Phrase So that the Obedience upon which alone we must expect to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven must be a Faithful and Entire Obedience to all the Laws and Commands of the Gospel Thus we must Obey all God's Holy Will and Commandments which brings me III. To my general Proposal which was to shew you What it is to Walk in the same all the Days of our Lives III. What it is to Walk in the same all the Days of our Lives we must continue in such a Sincere and Entire Obedience even to the End of our Lives We must not think to please God by an Obedience that comes and goes by Fits or by serving him only at such times as we are in Humour and have no Temptation to the contrary but our Service of Him must be Constant and Vniform we must obey him in all things and wilfully transgress in none Some indeed there are who parcel out their time and divide it betwixt God and their Sins they observe a constant Course of Transgressing and Repenting of Sin and Sorrow for they are always won when they are tempted and they are always sorrowful when they have done And others there are who wholly fall off at last and sin against God for altogether But now as for such a broken Service as this is God will not endure a constant Revolution of Sin and Repentance God will by no means accept of it For when Christ comes to Judgment he will pass Sentence upon Men according to what they are then and not according to what they have been formerly If the righteous Man turn away from his Righteousness and commit Iniquity and do according to all that the wicked Man doth Shall he live No by no means For all his Righteousness that he hath done formerly shall not be mentioned but in his Trespass that he hath since trespassed and in his Sin that he hath since sinned in them shall he die Ezek. 18.24 And it is they which by patient continuing in Well-doing seek for Glory and Immortality that shall inherit eternal Life Rom. 2.6 7. But as for all those who fall off from a good Course and turn Apostates from Obedience their Case is desperate and their Condition extreamly Damnable For if after Men have once escaped the Pollution of the World through the Knowledge of Christ's Gospel they are again entangled therein and overcome then is the latter End worse
appease his Neighbour and be reconciled to him for so our Saviour has ordered Matth. 5.23 before he offer his Prayer to God And he that has injured his Neighbour either by taking away his good Name by Slander or his Goods by wrong Dealing must take off the Slander and restore what he has unjustly got and so did good Zacheus upon his Repentance we find Luke 19.8 when he embraced the Gospel And so likewise towards the Reparation of God's Honour Of high Dishonor to God and Religion if that be not repair'd by an eminent Repentance I must needs add as a necessary part of Repentance that he who has formerly liv'd a very notorious and scandalously ill Life to the great Dishonour of God and Religion must now towards the Reparation of God's Honour be as famous for his eminent and exemplary Piety that his Repentance may be accepted a private Sorrow for publick Scandals falling vastly short of undoing what has been done amiss in which consists the restitutive part of Repentance The necessity of this we have exemplified in the case of the Woman who washed our Saviour's Feet with her Tears and wiped them with the Hair of her Head Luke 7.44 She had formerly it seems been a very vile Woman but the reason why her Sins which were many were forgiven is said by our Saviour to have been because she loved much vers 47. And thus if we do repent our Sins shall not be imputed to us but through the Merits of Christ's Death and the Grace of the Gospel they shall be looked upon as if they had never been And thus I have shewed you that other great Difference betwixt that Obedience required now under the Covenant of Grace and the Obedience required by the First Covenant That whereas the Obedience required by the First was a Perfect Exact Vnsinning Obedience the never Offending at all Now not only our involuntary Sins and Infirmities but also our most voluntary and wilful Transgressions when by Repentance we bewail and forsake 'em and take better care to avoid 'em for the future they also through the Mediation of Christ according to the Terms he has obtain'd for us in the Covenant of Grace shall be forgiven us and not prejudice our being Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven And upon the whole I have now shewed you The summ of Evangelical Obedience as to all that Obedience required now under the Gospel to make us Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven that there is not required indeed a Perfect Exact Unsinning Obedience the never offending in any one part which was the indispensible Condition of the First Covenant but there must be a Sincere and Entire Obedience paid to all the Laws of the Gospel Sincere it must be by being a true and undissembled Service Obeying 'em not only because most for our Health and Interest as generally the Laws of Religion are but even where they are contrary to our Inclinations and Interest because God commands us And Entire it must be by being the Obedience of the whole Man of our Understanding our Wills our Affections and our Actions to the whole Law of God and that at all times And this if we endeavour the best we can to do that our unwilling and involuntary Failings which through Ignorance and Frailty we commit shall upon our Prayers to God be forgiven us and that our wilful Transgressions when we repent of and forsake 'em through the Mediation of Christ and the Grace of the Gospel shall not be imputed to our Condemnation The summ also thereof according to Dr. Hammond In a word That Obedience to speak also in the Words of the Learned Dr. Hammond which is the Condition of the Second Covenant and of our being made Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven Negatively it is not a Perfect Exact Unsinning Obedience the never offending at all in any kind of Sin this is the Condition of the First Covenant Nor secondly is it never to have committed any deliberate Sin in the former Course of our Lives Nor thirdly never to have gone on or continued in any habitual or customary Sin for the time past But it is positively the New Creature or Renew'd Sincere Honest Faithful Obedience to the whole Gospel giving up the whole Heart unto Christ the performing of that which God enables us to perform and bewailing our Infirmities and Frailties and Sins both of the past and present Life and beseeching God's Pardon in Christ for all such and sincerely labouring to Mortify every Sin and to perform an uniform Obedience to God and from every Fall rising again by Repentance And thus if we Obey God's Holy Will and Commandments and Walk in the same all the Days of our Life we shall not fail to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven And thus I have fully Explain'd to you all the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace both on God's Part and on ours both what it is to be a Member c. which are the Mercies and Favours made over to us therein on God's Part and what it is to Renounce the Devil c. which are the Conditions to be perform'd on ours My next Task must be and then I shall give you a full account of all that pertains to the Nature and Substance of the Covenant of Grace to shew you what a happy State of Salvation this is to be in such a Gracious Covenant with GOD By whose Mediation we obtain'd it By whom and how we are called into it And lastly what infinite Thanks we owe to God for Calling us into this State of Salvation All which Points we have taught us in these Words And I thank God our Heavenly Father that he hath called me to this State of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour THE XXIV Lecture And I heartily thank our Heavenly Father that he hath called me to this State of Salvation through Iesus Christ our Saviour I Have already in order to a full Explication of all that pertains to the Nature of the Covenant of Grace given you an account of the Terms and Conditions of it both on God's part and on ours as they are laid down and taught you in your Church-Catechism The invaluable Priviledges on God's part made over to you therein as you are taught in your Catechism and I have explain'd 'em to you are first That you are therein made Members of Christ secondly Children of God and thirdly Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven And those Conditions to be performed by us our part of the Covenant are That we should first Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh Secondly That we should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And Thirdly That we should keep God's Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of our Life And what each several Article in this your gracious Covenant doth mean and import
World And so indispensible a Rite of our Initiation or Entrance into the Covenant of Grace And this he has enjoined as indispensably necessary to our initiation into the Covenant of Grace did our Saviour make it that he did not only Command his Apostles and all the succeeding Ministers of his Church to the End of the World to Baptize those whom they did proselyte over to his Religion Go says he Matth. 28.19 and teach or disciple by Baptizing 'em all Nations and lo I am with you always to the end of the World But he excludes all others from having any Interest in his Covenant of Grace which he vouchsafed unto us and from having any claim to the Promises of it who are not entred into it by the outward Rite and Solemnity or Ceremony of Baptism Thus he tells Nicodemus with a Verily verily that is with a solemn Asseveration which amounts almost to an Oath That Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God By the Kingdom of God is here meant the Church of Christ which is a Society of Men in Covenant with God enjoying certain inestimable Privileges under Christ their Supreme Head and is often in the New Testament called the Kingdom of God as Matth. 21.31 So that it is plain from hence that there is no admittance to the Privileges of the Gospel or New Covenant which are Grace Pardon and Happiness nor to the Enjoyment of those infinite Rewards in Heaven the chief of all the Mercies of the Covenant without being first entred into the Church by Baptism which is the Outward Seal and Confirmation of those Mercies to us Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And agreeably to this Doctrine of his Lord and Master did the Great St. Peter hold Baptism so indispensibly necessary that he ordered even those Persons upon whom at his Preaching of the Word the Holy Ghost had fallen which one would have thought might render Baptism unnecessary yet he ordered even those to be Baptized withal as you may see Acts 10.46 47 48. Then answered Peter Can any Man forbid Water that these should not be Baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them Commanded whom why those on whom the Holy Ghost had fallen vers 44. and who had received the Holy Ghost as well as he vers 47. he commanded even those to be Baptized in the Name of the Lord. Thus is Baptism you see an Outward Rite or Ceremony of our Saviour's own Appointment for the solemn admitting of Persons into the Covenant of Grace Secondly And thus our Saviour appointed us to be entered into the Covenant of Grace for the better Confirmation and Assurance of its Terms the Promises on God's part and the Conditions on ours it being thus mutually and interchangeably as it were Sealed to betwixt God and us Baptism appointed the Rite of Admission into the Covenant of Grace for the better Confirmation and assurance of its Terms the Promises on God's part and the Conditions on ours it being thus mutually and interchangeably Sealed to betwixt God and us As in this sacred Rite of Baptism there are two Parties concerned God who by his Minister or Ambassador and Agent as he is called 2 Cor. 5.20 does admit the Person Baptized to Covenant and does by him promise and engage to confer upon him particular Blessings and Favours and the Party Baptized who presents himself or is presented by others and does solemnly engage to Renounce GOD's Enemies the Flesh the World and the Devil to Believe in God and to Obey him As there are Two Parties I say God and Man thus transacting a Covenant together so the Minister God's Agent his Receiving the Party and Baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is the Sealing to it on God's Part who has promised to confirm in Heaven what they in his Name and by his Commission shall bind on Earth Matth. 16.19 And the Party presenting himself or being presented to Baptism and therein expresly vowing to perform the fore-mentioned Conditions and in token of that his being washed or sprinkled with Water is the putting to as it were his Seal to the Counterpart of the Covenant And farther as this mutual Covenanting and Sealing does give unto God besides his Right of Creation a farther Right by our own express Engagements to our Obedience and Service so to us it gives even that which we could otherwise have no not the least Pretensions to even a Legal Right and Title to all the most inestimable Blessings and Favours of the Covenant It gives great Assurance of mutual Performances barely to be in Covenant together It has been already more than once hinted and shall here be more fully declared how that it gives us mighty Assurance that the Mercies of God shall certainly be confer'd on us that he has vouchsafed to engage Himself in Covenant to make 'em good unto us and that because this way of proceeding gives us even a Legal Right and Title to All the most inestimable Blessings and Favours of the Covenant For this we are to consider that till such time as God has condescended to engage so and so the utmost Services that we can pay him cannot give us sure and certain grounds to hope for or expect such invaluable Benefits to be conferr'd upon us Though we should never so heartily repent us of our Sins there is not that in Repentance alone that it should be sufficient of it self to satisfy the Justice of God and to salve that infinite Dishonour we have done Him by our former Violations of his sacred Laws And tho' we should never so sincerely and faithfully Obey him for the future is it possible that such unprofitable Service as ours should merit and deserve of it self the unspeakable and unconceivable Joys of Heaven as a due Reward for such Obedient Service Pardon of our manifold Sins and Offences and eternal Joy and Happiness I say can never be expected meerly upon any Merit there is in our Repentance and Obedience nor at all till such time as he has graciously vouchsafed and freely condescended by Covenant to secure such Benefits unto us upon our serious Repentance and sincere Obedience But then when he has once condescended to ensure unto us by Covenant these unspeakable Benefits and we on the other side have also engaged our selves to the Performance of such Conditions then what our Repentance Faith and Obedience could not give us reason to expect or hope for meerly upon the account of their own desert shall however be ascertain'd to us by virtue of God's Covenant-Obligations which he has laid upon himself And Pardon and eternal Happiness shall be so far then the matter of our Hopes and Expectations that we shall have a Legal Claim and Title made over to us upon our Repentance Faith and
faithful in our Covenant with Him And so likewise it is Thirdly To be an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven III. As Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven What restraint will it put upon a young Heir and how careful will it make him to please his Parents when a great Estate is like to descend upon him but yet so that he shall certainly be dis-inherited of it except he behave himself soberly and regularly and dutifully to those his Parents And if so how infinitely more circumspect and wary and diligent should we all of us be to please our Father which is in Heaven by discharging our Covenant-Engagements to him inasmuch as the Heavenly Inheritance is of infinite more value than an Earthly one can be I shall not stand now to give you a Description of that Exceeding Weight of Glory and of those Vast and Immense Treasures of Happiness which are laid up in Heaven for those who shall faithfully perform their Covenant with God I shall only in short shew you that such is the Nature and Constitution of the Covenant of Grace that there is no Hopes nor Expectations of ever obtaining it without a faithful discharge of all our Covenant-Engagements to God and if so then certainly there cannot be greater Obligations possible to the performance of ' em And as to the Nature of the Covenant of Grace surely one would think it were needless to prove that the Conditions of it must be performed or we cannot expect to inherit the Promises This is of the Nature of all Covenants whatsoever which consist of certain Promises and Benefits to be made good on one part not without certain Conditions to be performed on the other Kingdom of Heaven not to be expected but by those who are faithful in their Covenant And why then should any so fondly expect Justification and Happiness to be conferr'd upon 'em except they do Repent heartily Believe practically and Obey sincerely the only Conditions of this Covenant as has been often shewed Why sure none that look into the Gospel and see and consider how that all along Happiness is only promised to the Obedient can ever expect it upon other Terms But so it is that a sort of Antinomian Hereticks do spread abroad their pestilent Doctrines teaching that Christ by his Sacrifice and Satisfaction for us has purchased Justification and Happiness without any Conditions to be perform'd on our part and that what he has done will wholly excuse us from Duty and Obedience But this is one of the most Anti-christian Errors in the World as undermining the whole design of Christ's Coming and his Preaching the Gospel amongst us which was to tie us up to higher Rules of Righteousness than were before given to the Sons of Men. It was infinitely far from the Design of him who came to save and deliver us from the Power and Dominion as well as from the Guilt and Punishment of our Sins to do any thing that should encourage us in Sin and render us secure when at any time we commit it But that which Christ has done for us amounts to this that he has purchased by his Blood-shedding an Abrogation of the First Covenant wherein was no Happiness without an unsinning Obedience and then has procured for us this most gracious Covenant with these abatements of Rigour That we shall have all that unspeakable Bliss and the Inheritance of Heaven conferr'd on us on condition we shall repent of and forsake our Sins and knowingly and willingly not offend him for the future And a most encouraging Argument this will be to all considering and serious Persons to make 'em faithful and diligent to perform their Covenant No People either Jews or Gentiles ever before us had the like The Jews by the Law of Moses or the meer Covenant of Works had plainly and expresly the Assurances only of a Temporal Canaan and the Promises of a peaceable and prosperous Possession thereof to encourage their Duty And the poor Pagans had little Inducements to vertuous living more than the present Tranquility of Mind which arises from the meer Exercise of Vertue neither of 'em Considerations strong enough to bear us up against great Temptations to Sin and the difficulties in the way of our Duty But this one Consideration of an Eternal weight of Glory an Inheritance laid up in Heaven a Crown of Life infallibly ensured to those who shall be faithful unto Death This is enough to encourage us in Well-doing and to preserve us safe and innocent as it has done Thousands before us amidst all the Persecutions of Evil Men on the one hand or the Allurements of the World on the other withdrawing us or frighting us into Sin so that in the strength of the Hopes of such an Inheritance we may be prevail'd upon faithfully and conscientiously to discharge this our Covenant with God And thus you see what mighty Arguments the several Mercies of the Covenant made over to us on God's Part do yield us and what inviolable Obligations they do all of 'em lay upon us faithfully and conscientiously to discharge this our Covenant with God But IV. As having promised and vowed in our Baptism accordingly to discharge our Covenant w th God Fourthly and lastly Another vast Obligation lying upon us to do the same and which ought especially to be here considered is That Promise and Vow made for us in our Baptism accordingly to discharge this our Covenant Do'st thou not think that thou art bound to Believe and to Do as they have promised for thee That is the Question which is ask'd you to which you are taught to answer Yes verily and thereby to acknowledge the vast Obligations lying upon you on the account of that Promise and Vow to perform that your Covenant and a mighty Obligation too it lies upon us there being nothing more sacred and inviolable than a Vow made unto God and more severely punisht if it be ever violated The matter of a Vow sometimes not a Duty 'till vowed A Vow in general is defin'd to be a solemn Promise made unto God whereby we do in a peculiar manner engage our selves unto him to the performance of something And there are two sorts of these Vows which are to be distinguish'd according to the Matter of which the Vow is made For sometimes the Thing which we have vowed to do was not a Duty upon us till such time as we made such a Vow as when a Person does solemnly promise to God that he will set apart such a Portion of his Time such a Day of the Week for the more immediate Service of God in Fasting and Prayer or that he will devote such a part of his Estate or Gains for pious or charitable Uses Secondly again the matter of a Vow Sometimes antecedently incumbent upon us and such is the matter of our Baptismal Vow may be what was incumbent upon us before only the Vow is added to strengthen the
the contrary I will make appear viz. that the Infants of Believers are capable of Covenant-Priviledges and of Covenant-Engagements too and if of those then the Signs and Seals whereby such Priviledges are ensur'd unto 'em can in no Reason and Equity be deny'd ' em Infants not uncapable of entring into Covenant with God prov'd from Deut. 29. Now that Infants are capable to enter into Covenant with God is apparent in general from Deut. 29.10 11 12. Ye stand this Day all of you before the Lord your God your Captains your Tribes your Elders and your Officers with all the Men of Israel your little Ones your Wives and the Stranger that is in thy Camp that thou should'st enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God and into his Oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this Day Here you see that the very Little Ones were call'd upon to enter into Covenant with God as well as the Elders of the Tribes of Israel And that Circumcision the Sign or Token of the Covenant Gen. 17.11 that this was to be imprinted on Children not exceeding Eight Days Old is what every body knows that reads the Scripture so that there is nothing in the nature of a Covenant in general that should make it unreasonable that Children and Infants should enter into it except you will accuse God himself of appointing things unfit or unreasonable which were meer Blasphemy but to imagine As also from the Nature of the thing Nor is there any thing in the Nature of the Covenant of Grace in particular that should exclude Infants from being Parties in it It consists as has been more than once told you of certain and invaluable Priviledges and Benefits made over to us on God's part and of certain very reasonable Conditions to be performed on ours They are capable of having Priviledges confer'd upon them But as for the Priviledges which of 'em is it which may not be Seal'd and Confirm'd to an Infant May not such a one be made a Member of Christ's Church when our Saviour hath told us that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven May not a Child or Infant be Adopted a Child of God and so be brought into a condition of Pardon as well as the Child or Infant of an Attainted Rebel by the Grace and Favour of his Prince be restored to his Blood and to all the Priviledges of a Free-born Subject And Lastly may not such be made an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven when of such as was before said must consist the Kingdom of Heaven There is nothing in the nature of the thing that should hinder Priviledges from being confirm'd unto and conferr'd upon Children as well as Elder People and we do daily see it practic'd in other concerns Infant Princes are sometimes Crown'd in their Cradles and Children to their great Advantage are often left Executors to great Fortunes and Estates In both which Cases as there are usually very great Priviledges redounding to 'em as well as Engagements lying upon 'em so it is not thought that they are uncapable of ' em Nor is it more unreasonable And of being bound to Conditions that they should be oblig'd to perform certain Duties as Conditions of enjoying those Priviledges The Covenant before-mention'd that the Little Ones as well as Elders were call'd to enter into Deut. 29. as it had this Priviledge made over to 'em on God's part that He would be unto them a God which indeed was a happiness to 'em beyond what all the Nations on Earth besides did enjoy and was in it self inestimable so the Counter part was that they should be unto him a People Ver. 13. a People that would not turn away from the Lord their God to go and serve the Gods of other Nations And Circumcision which was Imprinted on Infants of Eight Days old did not only confer on 'em this Priviledge that they should be God's peculiar People but withal laid upon 'em this Obligation to observe the whole Law for I testifie for ye said St. Paul to every Man that is Circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law Gal. 5.3 And surely we do daily see that a Man may bind his Heir whilst an Infant True it is this cannot be done by the Infant himself nor by any other for him but in such Cases where it will be very much for the Interest of the Infant to be so bound not unless he is to be a gainer by the Bargain But provided the Infant shall gain considerable Advantages by the Covenants that shall be made in his behalf and without his express consent by his Parents or Tutors or Guardians then he shall stand oblig'd in all Law and Equity to what Conditions they have promis'd for him We see it often so Adjudg'd in our Courts of Justice And the Case is the very same here The Conditions of the Covenant of Grace are of some difficulty true it is to be perform'd yet have such invaluable Benefits annexed to 'em that the Tongue of Men and Angels are not sufficient to express the value of 'em and they were worth our utmost endeavours to obtain tho' by the severest Penances and Services of a Thousand Years and therefore it ought not to be thought any unreasonable thing that others should be engag'd in our Name for our performance of such Conditions or that we should be accounted as Engag'd our selves for what our Guardians our Godfathers and Godmothers did Promise for us for this indeed which was the VI. And Last thing I propos'd to speak on this Argument VI. Because it is a great Advantage to Infants to be Baptiz'd We are to account it the greatest Happiness to those Infants that were so early enter'd into Covenant with God in order to the Enjoyment of such inestimable Priviledges and to their Engagement into such reasonable Services First I say First On the account of enjoying thereby such inestimable Priviledge We are to account it the highest Happiness to those Infants that have been so early enter'd into Covenant with God on the account of their enjoying thereby such inestimable Priviledges for being Baptized and having once Covenanted with God they are now no more under the Condemnation of the first Covenant made with Adam nor shall be prejudic'd by the forfeiture of Mercies which he had incurr'd for himself and his Posterity by his breach of that Covenant Their Original Sin is now wash'd off and shall be no more imputed to 'em that is the former Covenant which was at first Cancell'd by being nail'd to the Cross of Christ is now particularly Cancell'd and put out of any force with respect to them they being Baptized and thereby enter'd into a Covenant of Grace so that whatever Guilt might have been imputed unto 'em by reason of Adam's Transgression shall now be clean done away from 'em which seems to me to be the meaning of our Original Sin being wash'd away by the
Christ is a Member of Christ's Church 39 A Definition of Christ's Church The Church of Christ a well-order'd Society wherein some are Governours some Governed 40 An Episcopal Clergy undoubtedly such 41 The Church is the universal Society of Christians taking in Men of all Nations as well of the Gentiles as of the Jews It consists of such who are call'd out of the World by the Preaching of the Gospel to a holy Profession and Calling 42 First Repentance from Dead Works Secondly to the Knowledge Belief and Service of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost 43 Thirdly to enjoy the Priviledges of the Gospel The Church are such who to the End of being Incorporated into one Society and of having God to be their God and they themselves his People have entred into Covenant with him 44 First in Baptism Secondly to renew it at the Lord's Supper The Church one Body 45 Sub divided into several particular Bodies and Churches First for the convenience of Government into Diocesan Churches Secondly for the convenience of Worship into particular Congregations 46 But however united by one Covenant into one Body As also by holding Communion with each other in hearing the Word in Common-Prayers Sacraments and in affording to each other mutual Assistances 47 The Church united into one Body under Jesus Christ its supreme Head Christ a Political Head of the Church Christ the Mystical Head of the Church 48 The Church of Christ a spiritual Kingdom But yet notwithstanding a visible Society 49 What it is to be a Member of Christ's Church 50 Every Baptized Person is a Member of the visible Church And shall continue such till cut off by the just Sentence of those who have the Power of the Keys to receive in or shut out 51 Or till he cuts himself off by a causless Schism and Separation from any of its sound Parts 52 LECT VI. The Priviledges of our being Members of Christ's Church First a most excellent Body of Religion Laws and Ordinances The Christian Religion and Laws far exceed the Pagan Mahometan or Jewish The Pagan Superstition tended to nothing but to defile humane Nature 55 The Gods the Pagans worshiped were at best the most Infamous Men and Women Many times they worshiped the very Devils themselves And that with lewd barbarous and cruel Rites The Mahometan Religion is a vile Imposture 56 Its Principles tend to Lust and Cruelty Judaism was an imperfect and unfinished Draught of Religion Christianity a most excellent Religion 57 It gives a most excellent Representation of God It gives an honourable account of his proceedings with Mankind with reference both to his Creation and Redemption of us 58 Its Laws are excellently contrived for the good Order and Happiness of Mankind And are enforced by most powerful Principles and Motives Another Branch of this first Part of a Christian's Priviledge are most edifying and comfortable Institutions and Ordinances 59 First Publick Ordinances the Priviledge of every Member of Christ's Church 60 Scandalous Members to be suspended from the Lord's Supper First Christian Ordinances are a singular Favour which Aliens and Unbelievers do not nor have any Right to enjoy Secondly they are excellent Advantages consider'd in themselves 61 First as conducing much towards our Edification As most comfortable to the Souls of those who enjoy them 62 They are seldom sufficiently valued till most wanted The second general Priviledge belonging to the Members of Christ's Church is a sufficient measure of Divine Grace and Assistance derived from him the Head and convey'd by his Ordinances to enable us to conform our selves to his Religion and to obey his Laws 63 By the same means that Christ is united to his Members is Grace conveyed down from him as Head to those Members The first Medium of Union betwixt Christ and his Members must be each Member's Union to the Catholick Church Secondly its union to the lawful Governours and Teachers of the Church 64 Thirdly the use of Christ's Institutions and Ordinances First Divine Grace a most singular Priviledge if compar'd with what others enjoy of this Nature 65 Secondly an exceeding advantage consider'd in it self All the Members of Christ have Supplies proportionable to their Station in the Church 66 And also in such measures as according to different Times and Occasions in the Church are wanting 67 LECT VII What is meant in the Catechism by a Child of God First Not the Son of God by an Eternal Generation Secondly Not every Son by Temporal Creation which is a Sence too wide 68 Thirdly Nor such only who are Children of God by spiritual Regeneration which is a Sence too narrow 69 Such indeed are in a peculiar manner and in the highest sence the Children of God But every Child of God is not actually Regenerate either in the sence of Scripture Or of your Catechism But Fourthly a Child of God as meant in the Catechism is every one who is so by vertue of a Covenant Relation This was the Notion of a Child of God before the Law Under the Law 70 Under the Gospel Also a Child of God as meant in the Catechism is every one who is so by vertue of Adoption Adoption what The use of it amongst the Israelites and the Priviledges it gave them The use of it amongst the Gentiles and the Rights it confer'd upon them 71 How we Christians especially such who are descended from the Gentiles are according as has been spoke the Adopted Children of God To the Israelites did once pertain the Adoption But that Covenant by entering into which they were his Children was only Temporary To last only till the Publication of the Gospel After which they and all Christians were to be Children of God by faith in Christ 72 But the Jews adhering to their Law and refusing Christ and his Gospel in whom God had predestinated all to be his Sons the Apostles turned unto Gentiles preaching Christ and Salvation to them and to as many as received him to them gave he power to be the Sons of God What are the Priviledges which do belong to the Children of God as such In general such as an indulgent but wise Father may be supposed to allow his Children beyond Aliens and Strangers Particularly First Pardon of all Sins upon hearty Repentance 73 Secondly by being his Children he will not be so severe as to mark what is done amiss as to Sins of Infirmity 74 Thirdly to the Children of God is granted an easier access by Prayer to the Throne of Grace for Pardon of Sins and other Mercies Lastly a Child of God is more surely instated in the Inheritance of Heaven than others 75 The infinite reason we have to praise God for these Advantages 76 LECT VIII By the Kingdom of Heaven is meant in Scripture either first the Kingdom of Grace in this Life or secondly the Kingdom of Glory in the Life to come The Kingdom of Grace the Gospel State 77 The reason why the Gospel State
should be dignify'd with the Title of the Kingdom of Heaven viz. Because it so directly tends to render Men so exactly like the Blessed Saints the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven 78 This is not the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Catechism Secondly the Kingdom of Heaven signifies the Kingdom of Glory This a most noble and glorious State as being dignify'd with so honourable and glorious a Title as the Kingdom of Heaven 79 Hence all those things in this World wherein we conceive the highest Glory and Happiness are used as Emblems to set off our future Glory All which things come short of expressing it An Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven what An Heir is one who has a legal Right and Title to a Possession made over to him Such who have entred into the Covenant of Grace are in like manner Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven as Children are Heirs 80 It is through Christ alone not owing to the Merit of our Obedience that we are Intitled to the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven The vastness of a Christian's Priviledge in being made an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven First it is in it self a very great Priviledge to have the invaluable Possessions of Heaven so setled and ensur'd as to have a legal Claim and Title thereto made over to one 81 Secondly if compar'd with what others enjoy it is a singular Priviledge The best amongst the moral Heathens could have but faint Hopes built upon uncertain Conjectures of a future Happiness And their Hopes being faint they could not in the strength thereof overcome great Temptations But the Christian's Hopes are sure and stedfast being founded upon the express Promises and Covenant of the God of Truth And being such there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great which he may not overcome 82 And whatever Certainty an honest Pagan might have that God would reward his Vertue yet depending only on the Uncovenanted Goodness of God he could promise himself no greater a measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which must fall vastly short of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven But a Christian to whom God has Covenanted to make sure a Crown of Glory may without Presumption rely upon him to make good the same As Life and Immortality is brought to light through the Gospel so by Embracing it and by coming into Covenant alone Salvation can be expected And to a sincere Christian who is faithful in the Covenant the Heavenly Inheritance is certain 83 Asumm of those invaluable Priviledges made over to us on God's Part in the Covenant of Grace 84 LECT IX Whereof the First is to Renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh 85 The Devil his Names and their Importance He was once one of the highest Angels and is now that Arch-Rebel againsts God He with many Legions of Inferiour Angels whom he drew into the same Conspiracy is Banisht Heaven 86 Being acted with a Spirit of Revenge against God he afterwards withdrew Mankind to join with him in his Rebellion And prevailed so far till God's Authority was almost utterly Banished from amongst Men. Which occasion'd the Son of God's coming into the World to recover Mankind The Works of the Devil in general are First Sin By Sin God's Authority is thrown off which is the Devil 's constant work 87 Whoever therefore does wilfully sin does strike at God's Authority For which Reason no Sin ought to be the Subject of any Man's Mirth Some Sins more particularly the works of the Devil First Such as are directly level'd against God's Authority viz. Idolatry Sorcery Charming Witch-craft and Conjuring as also Resorting to such as use those unlawful Arts. 88 Secondly Such as express more of the Devil's Temper than others viz. Pride Envy 89 Malice Thirdly Such as are more the Practice of Satan himself than other Sins viz. Murder Apostacy Lying and especially Calumniating and Evil-speaking 90 To Renounce a Word of various Importance according to the Renounced 91 To Renounce the Devil in the sence of the Ancient Church was to disclaim his Usurp'd Dominion and Authority over Mankind To Renounce his Works of Sin was in their sence to abandon and forsake every Sin as being the proper Service of the Devil 92 The Words are to be understood in much the same Sence at this day Satan having his Kingdom still in the World and even amongst Christians and the Laws of Sin which are the Laws of his Kingdom being still obey'd by the greatest Part of Mankind This Renunciation for the most part the same with Repentance 93 The Devil and all his Works of Sin must be absolutely and entirely Renounced because There is nothing but Evil proceeds from Satan And Sin whether we consider it in its original Cause and Nature or in its sad Effects and Consequents is the utmost Evil. Therefore no one Sin nor any thing the least of Sin must willingly be comply'd with 94 And indeed if the Nature of Satan and of Sin and the horrid Consequence of yielding to either be well consider'd it is hardly possible not absolutely and entirely to Renounce both However this if we do not do we shall forfeit all Right and Title to those infinite Blessings held forth in the Covenant of Grace 95 LECT X. To Tempt is to make a tryal of a Person To Tempt a thing morally Good or Evil according to the End thereof To Tempt a Person in order to prove his Vertue or discover his Corruption consistent with the Justice Wisdom and Goodness of a Governour and thus God does Tempt Men. 97 First Thus he tempted Abraham to try his Faith and to reward him for it Secondly Hezekiah to discover his Hypocrisy and to humble him in the sight thereof These Temptations of God are therefore in no sence to be Renounced but to be Rejoyced in because for our Good 98 A Temptation to ensnare a Person into some Sin that so God's Anger may be kindled against him And the Person punished for this Transgression is wicked and malicious and so the Devil together with the World and the Flesh do tempt us The vast Concernment it is to us to know his Temptations The several Heads of Satan's Temptations 99 By what Methods he first tempted our first Parents and still does continue to tempt us First By insinuating into the Minds of Adam and Eve false Notions of God and an ill Opinion of their Maker and Governour particularly with respect to his Justice and Mercy 100 And by Entertaining false Notions of God's Justice and Mercy do Men generally Encourage themselves in Sin at this Day But all such Conceits of God are to be utterly renounced and cast out of our Thoughts as Diabolical Suggestions most destructive to our Souls Secondly By Corrupting the Understanding and Reason of Man by putting him upon curious Enquiries after useless Matters and upon making a sinful Experiment of the differences
particularly repented of 278 And in case of Injury to Man if Restitution be made Of high Dishonour to God and Religion if that be repaired by an eminent Repentance The sum of Evangelical Obedience 265 The summ also thereof according to Dr. Hammond 266 LECT XXIV That in the Covenant of Grace we are restored to a State of Salvation How we brought our selves into a state of Misery before How by the Covenant of Grace we are put into a state of Security if we please 268 That by the Mediation of Jesus Christ it was that we obtain'd such a gracious Covenant whereby we are restored to a state of Salvation 269 The infinite Care of God the Father to call us into it 271 The Ever-blessed Son of God no less intent upon this blessed Work How mightily he importuned us to come into this state of Salvation He has left a Succession of Ministers behind him to do the like This great matter of Thankfulness whether we consider 1. The extraordinary Advantage of having God in Covenant with us 272 273 Or 2. Our singular Happiness therein above the fallen Angels or the rest of Mankind 274 LECT XXV Baptism what 1. An outward Rite of our Saviour's own Appointment for the solemn Admission of Persons into the Covenant of Grace 276 To have some outward Rites and Solemnities in Religion agreeable to the Frame and Constitution of Humane Nature as being most apt to receive Impressions from sensible things This especially requisite in the admission into Religious Societies and Covenants The Israelites were initiated both by Circumcision and Baptism 277 The Heathens were initiated into their Mysteries by Purgations or Washings Our Saviour chose the latter as what would be acceptable to both Parties Especially as more significative of Christian Purity And this he has enjoined as indispensibly necessary to our Initiation into the Covenant of Grace 278 Baptism appointed the Rite of Admission into the Covenant of Grace for the better Confirmation and Assurance of its Terms the Promises on God's part and the Conditions on ours it being thus mutually and interchangeably Sealed to betwixt God and us 279 It gives great Assurance of mutual Performances barely to be in Covenant together 280 LECT XXVI The vast Obligations lying upon us both from the Mercies of God and our Baptismal Vow to perform the Covenant of Grace The Obligations thereunto first as Members of Christ's Church 282 The Jews chose from amongst the Nations of the Earth to serve God 283 Christians chose both from amongst Jews and Gentiles to a more peculiar Holiness 284 2. As Children of God Children are bound to the strictest Obedience to their Parents as owing to 'em their Being 285 Children of God as owing both Being and Well-being 286 3. As Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven Kingdom of Heaven not to be expected but by those who are faithful in their Covenant 287 4. As having promised and vowed in our Baptism accordingly to discharge our Covenant with God The matter of a Vow sometimes not a Duty till vowed 288 Sometimes antecedently incumbent upon us and such is the matter of our Baptismal Vow 'T is a provoking Sin to rob God of what has been once Vowed and Devoted to him tho' of the former Nature God's Anger observable upon such Occasions 289 'T is much more provoking to violate Vows to perform which we are antecedently obliged by the Law of Nature A Vow is much of the nature of an Oath and therefore to violate it is Perjury 290 FINIS LECT XXVII I. In order to perform our Baptismal Covenant we must put on a fixt and firm Resolution to discharge the same 293 A Summary Recapitulation of the Doctrine of our Baptismal Covenant 294 The Nature of Holy Resolution as it refers to the performance of it 1. It is a Determination of the Will 2. It must be fixt and peremptory opposite to Fickleness and Inconstancy 295 3. It is a Rational Determination opposite to Wilfulness and Obstinacy 4. It is vigorous in the Execution of its Vows and Promises 5. Speedy 296 6. It is vigorous and speedy in the Execution of All those Vows and Promises made in Baptism 7. Notwithstanding all Opposition to the contrary Lastly It must be Publick and Declarative 297 And solemnly made at Confirmation A Resolution so form'd will go a great way towards the performance of our Covenant with God 298 It will effectually baffle the Devil The Flesh The World Especially when solemnly Ratify'd and Confirm'd 299 II. Our Resolution to be faithful in our Covenant with God must be made not in Confidence of our own Strength but of God's Grace and Assistance 300 LECT XXVIII The whole Nature of Man deprav'd 302 Vnderstandings Wills Affections Lusts and Appetites Christ has purchas'd sufficient Grace to renew us throughout What the Divine Assistance is 303 The Measures of it proportionable to the necessity of the Church Extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit in the first Ages 304 Ordinary in succeeding Times Even the ordinary Assistances extensively very large So as to repair all the Powers of Nature deprav'd by Sin 305 And Intensively very powerful to renew our corrupt Natures 306 LECT XXIX The full meaning of Prayer 309 Prayer a most effectual Means of performing our Covenant 1. As it morally disposes us to be obedient unto God 2. As it naturally enforces us to be faithful to him 310 That there are Praying Hypocrites is by virtue of Antinomian Principles 311 3. As it will certainly procure the Divine Assistance 312 LECT XXX Children of Believing Parents have a Right to be baptized prov'd from 1 Cor. 7.14 314 May be prov'd also from several other Topicks 1. Because Infants were initiated by Circumcision into the Evangelical Covenant made with Abraham The Covenant made with Abraham the same in Substance with the Second made with Adam 316 And the same in a more imperfect Edition of it with that made with Christ As he was cut off from the Covenant who was not circumcised so that Person is to be excluded the Church who is not baptized 317 2. Because they were initiated both by Circumcision and Baptism into that legal one delivered by Moses That they were admitted by Circumcision indisputable 318 That they were also by Baptism asserted both by Scripture And by Jewish Writers 319 III. Because our Saviour adopted the Jewish Rite of Baptism for the Sacrament of Initiation without excluding Children from being baptized The Force of this Argument 320 IV. Because in all probability Infant-Baptism was practic'd by the Apostles 321 V. Because it was very agreeable to the End and Reason of Baptism and the Nature of the Covenant of Grace that Infants should be baptiz'd into it Infants not uncapable of entring into Covenant with God prov'd from Deut. 29. As also from the Nature of the thing They are capable of having Priviledges conferr'd upon them 322 And of being bound to Conditions VI. Because it is a great Advantage to Infants to be
and pass by the Imperfection of the Good they do teaching 'em to apply themselves to the Blessed Virgin and other Saints as Mediators with God for ' em Nay and some of their Doctrines as that of Merits and of Works of Super-errogation do teach 'em proudly to over-value their own Performances and to boast themselves in their Merit And therefore so far must we be from suffering our selves to be perswaded of the Truth of All these and the like Doctrines as Articles of our Christian Faith that we must utterly dissent from them all as unjust and unreasonable Impositions on the Belief of Christians In a word as we must strengthen our selves in the Belief of all those True and Genuine Articles of the Christian Faith so to Believe all these as necessary to Salvation is enough But to Believe more under the Character of Articles of a Christian's Faith especially if they be such Doctrines as do take off the Fears of Sinning and send us to other Mediators betwixt God and Man besides the Man Christ Jesus this is indeed a Belief not only superfluous as being a Belief of more than All the necessary Articles of a Christian's Faith but is a very sinful and criminal and superstitious Perswasion 2. To Believe ALL the Articles of the Christian Faith is not only to assent to All and every of those Articles in the Gross but to be fully perswaded of all and every of those single Truths contained in each of those Articles 2. To Believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith is to be fully perswaded of all and of every of those single Truths contain'd in each of those Articles Every one of the Articles of our Christian Faith is full of a great deal of Meaning and many of them do contain Truths of various Kinds and Importance Thus for Instance To believe that Jesus Christ was Crucified Dead and Buried does import this Comfortable as well as Fundamental Doctrine of Christianity That the Only Son of God suffered Death upon the Cross for our Redemption and that he made there by that one Oblation of himself once offered a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World And accordingly it is said 1 Pet. 3.18 That Christ once suffered for Sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God And 21.24 it is said That he himself did bear our Sins in his own Body on the Tree But then this is not the whole that is meant in that Grand Article but also this other Doctrine That he suffered to Redeem us from all Iniquity that is he suffered on the Cross the Punishment of our Sins that we seeing how odious a Thing Sin is which could not be Atton'd for by a Sacrifice less valuable than the Blood of the Son of God might therefore abhor it and forsake it And this is also taught us in the very place now cited from St. Peter viz. 1 Epist 2.24 He his own self bear our Sins in his own Body upon the Tree that we being dead to Sin should live unto Righteousness A Heretick must be such by Believing only of one of those Truths contained in the Article And now a Person may become Guilty of Heresy by believing only One of those Truths contain'd in the Articles And accordingly there are Two opposite Heresies which do at this day most grievously afflict the Church of Christ amongst us and they do divide these two great Doctrines contain'd in this one Article betwixt ' em And they are therefore Heresies because they do so divide 'em and do not each of 'em Believe both these important Doctrines The Antinomians do Believe indeed that Christ did satisfy the Divine Justice for our Sins but so as to leave no Conditions to be perform'd by them And the Socinians on the other side owning that he came to draw us off from Sin deny that he made any Satisfaction for us So that both do fundamentally Err in the Faith tho' they Believe the Article in the gross that Christ was Crucify'd Dead and Buried because neither of them Believe the whole Truth contain'd in that Article And therefore as you must Believe All the Articles so All those Divine and Necessary Truths which are contain'd in every Article of your Christian Faith according to the full Explication and Meaning thereof given us in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds These Creeds do not contain more or different Articles of Faith than the Apostle's Creed does but in these Creeds many Articles of our Christian Faith are exprest in the full Sence and Importance of 'em in opposition to those Heresies which did and do still pervert or restrain the Meaning of those Articles And thus you also see how you are to Believe All the Articles of your Christian Faith that you are not only to Believe every One of 'em but all that Divine Truth which is contained in each And so as I have before laid before you how you are to Renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh so now what it is to Believe all the Articles of your Christian Faith And so it only remains and then I shall have fully Explain'd to you all the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace that I shew you next what it is to Obey God's Holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of our Life THE XXIII Lecture Thirdly That I should obey God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my Life I Hope I have sufficiently Explain'd unto you the Two first Conditions bound upon you in your Baptismal Covenant as indispensibly necessary to your obtaining the Benefits of it which Conditions are First that you should Renounce the Devil c. Secondly That you should Believe c. And now I come to the Third which is That you should Obey c. And that I may fully and to the purpose Explain this to you I will First Lay before you what it is to Obey God's Holy Will and Commandments or how far you must be Obedient to the Holy Will and Commandments of God as ever you will hope to obtain Salvation or to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven Secondly I will shew you what it is to Walk in the same all the Days of your Life or how long you must persevere in such Obedience which must be to the End of your Lives And Thirdly I will clear the Doctrine of Evangelical Obedience as so stated from those Doubts that may be raised against it And First I. What it is to obey God's Holy Will and Commandments Because nothing can be more necessary for you to be Instructed in than the Measures of that Obedience now under the Gospel or Covenant of Grace upon the performance of less than which you cannot expect to be made Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven I will with what clearness I can shew you How far we must be Obedient
to God's Holy Will and Commandments as ever we 'll hope to obtain Salvation or to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven And that Evangelical or Gospel-Obedience The Nature and Measures of Christian Obedience which now under the Covenant of Grace is the indispensible Condition of Man's Salvation to give it you according as it is most exactly stated by the Learned Author of The Measures of Christian Obedience for it is impossible I do think for any one to do it more exactly therefore I shall give you an Abstract of that whole Work Is a sincere and entire Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel Sincere it must be by being a true and undissembled Service of God opposite to all Hypocrisy or a false and feigned Pretence of obeying Him when in reality we only serve our own Selves or our own Lusts and Interests Entire it must be by being the Obedience of the whole Man to the whole Will of God and that at all times with this abatement of Rigour That all our unwilling and involuntary Failings which through Ignorance and Frailty we commit shall upon our Prayers to God and Charity to our Neighbour be forgiven us and even our wilful Transgressions when we repent and forsake 'em through the Mediation of Christ and the Grace of the Gospel shall not be imputed to our Condemnation Such is the Obedience which every one of you must carefully pay to the Holy Will and Commandments of God as ever you hope to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven But for your better understanding the Nature and Extent of your Christian Obedience I will a little farther unfold each Part of this Description of it And I. Our Obedience must be sincere by being a true and undissembled Service of God opposite to all Hypocrisy or a false and feigned Pretence of obeying Him when in truth we serve our own selves I. Our Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel must be sincere by being a true and undissembled Service of God opposite to all Hypocrisy or a false and feigned Pretence of obeying Him when in reality we only serve our own selves This is a certain Truth That our Gracious God for the most part hath made such Things the Matter of His Laws and of our Duty as really make for our own Interest Reputation or Profit to perform for so it really is to be Temperate and Chaste and Contented and Humble to be Vpright and Charitable and Peaceable c. But then our Obedience is sincere and done as unto God when we observe His Laws for His sake and because He commands it for otherwise we do not observe God's Will but our own His Commands had no share in what we did because it had been done although He had said nothing And thus sincere must our Obedience be unto God as ever we expect that God should Judge us at the last Day to have obeyed Him I say it must be done as unto God and sincerely from our Hearts to please Him and not only our selves And this is plainly expressed in the very words of the Gospel for it accepts not an heartless Service nor accounts it self obey'd by what was never intended for it The Lord thy God requires of thee to serve him with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul Matth. 22.36 37. And therefore St. Paul does pray that the Philippians may be sincere in their Profession being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness or Good Works to the Praise and Glory of God not themselves Phil. 1.10 11. God does not forbid us all intending our Advantage in the performance of his Commandments God indeed has not forbidden us all intending and designing of our own Advantage in the performance of his Commandments When He requires us to obey Him He doth not forbid us all Love of our Selves and Regard to our own Self-interests For why He does propose to us in Scripture the greatest Rewards possible as Motives to us to perswade us to obey And the Blessed Saints in the Scripture so Eminent for their Service to God are said to have had an Eye at the Recompence of Reward But then our Intention of our own Advantage in God's Service is forbidden and renders our obedient Performances corrupt and insincere when together with our Intention of serving God we either join first another Intention of serving Sin Or secondly when we design some temporal Ends as much or more than we design God's Service First I say That Man's Obedience is insincere But 1st that Man's Obedience is insincere who together with his Intention of serving God joins another Intention of serving Sin who together with his Intentions of serving God joins another Intention of serving Sin as if a Man as our Saviour tells us the Pharisees did make long Prayers and other Professions of Religion to enable him the better and without suspicion to devour Widows Houses as well as serve God Where his obedient Performances slow from such a mixture of Design as this they will in no wise be owned as an obedient but punished as a sinful Service Secondly Again Men's Obedience is insincere When they design some temporal Ends in the Practice of Vertue as much or more than they design God's Service as when a Man is temperate II. When he designs some temporal Ends in the practice of Vertue as much or more than he intends God's Service and will not drink which is his Duty indeed but yet only because he cannot without making himself sick But when in the Performance of any Vertue a Man has a regard as much if not more to his Profit or Ease than to the Commands of God in that case this Obedience is also insincere and will be far from entitling him to be an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven For thus to have as much regard to our worldly Profit or Pleasure in the Performance of any Duty as to please God is a degrading of Him it is a setting up the World for His Rival And to bring other Things in Competition with Him is plainly to Renounce him In respect of our Love to God we must even hate Father and Mother Wife and Children the dearest Interests and Concerns we have in the World He will be served and respected above all for He is jealous of the Pre-eminence of His Service above all Things as an Husband is of his Wife's Love to him above other Men I the Lord saith he am a jealous God Exod. 20.5 And so much for that Sincerity which is required of us as the first Qualification of an acceptable Obedience II. That Evangelical or Gospel-Obedience which now 2dly Evangelical Obedience must be entire viz. under the Covenant of Grace is the indispensible Condition of every Man's Salvation must be an entire Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel Now this Integrity of our Obedience is such a Perfection and Compleatness of it as excludes all Maimedness and Defects and this