〈◊〉 Make no provision for the flesh they are provident in sin studied to please their Lusts. Surely such a like care should we have of Sanctity Providing things honest Rom. 12.17 Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 When men are solicitous that the new Nature be not annoyed as they were formerly that the carnal Nature might be gratified it is a sign that serious Godliness possesseth their hearts Now men were careful heretofore that their lusts might want no satisfaction and shall they not be careful that the course of their obedience shall be carried on without interruption Secondly Industry and Diligence is notable in the servants of sin We read of some that do evil with both hands earnestly Micah 7.3 There is an eager disposition in many to sin Wicked men take a great deal of pains to go to Hell we all served sin with all our might and strength Now should there not be such an unwearied diligence in Holiness Rom. 12.11 Not slothful in business fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. As industrious as you were in obeying your base lusts and vile affections so industrious should you be in obeying the Precepts of Christ. Our vigor is turned into another chanel See Paul's instance Acts 26.11 I punished them ost in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities compared with 2 Cor. 5.13 For whether we be besides our selves it is to God or whether we be sober it is for your cause Thirdly With a like promptness and readiness of mind There need no great deal ado to draw men to evil as a stone runneth down hill of its own accord because of its natural tendency thereto and the smallest temptations seem to have an irresistible force in them Prov. 7.21 With the flattery of her lips she forced him Now after Grace received we should be as ready to obey the motions of the Spirit There is no greater evidence of the new Nature than that our obedience becometh more easie and even There needeth not much ado to perswade the new Creature to such things as belong unto and suit with the new Nature 1 Thess. 4.9 For as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write to you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another Inclination preventeth perswasion Others with much ado are brought to a sense of their Duty and after all they put off God with a little compulsory service which they have no mind unto and had rather forbear than do it Fourthly Resolution and Self-denial How firm are men to a purpose of sinning and go on still though it cost them dear much expence of time waste their Estate bring a blot on their Name yea many a wound in their Consciences and flesh and blood is consumed Prov. 5.11 O that we could thus deny our selves for Christ Every lesser hinderance is pleaded by way of hesitancy and bar to our Duty a little inconvenience in the Service of God seemeth irksom and grievous to us Those that do not take notice of the inconveniences of sin but will easily take notice of the troubles of afflicted Godliness What iniquity have you found in me Jer. 2.5 Alas that we cannot more deny our selves for God who gave us all that we have and can give us greater things than ever we lost for him Fifthly They stopped at no sin Ye yielded your members to uncleanness and to inequity unto iniquity from habitual sin they proceeded to actual from one kind to another rested not in the lust or purpose but were still accomplishing what their lusts craved at their hands So will you count your selves servants of Righteousness because you have some purpose to do good or have some wishes to be better though they never come into act and effect Alas a Christian is to be determined not by knowing or wishing and woulding but by doing He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Joh. 14.21 And whoso keepeth my words in him verily is the love of God perfected 1 Joh. 2.5 The carnal Nature venteth it self not in Lusts only but Practices so doth the new Nature it is an Habit and Principle that influenceth your daily course of life the same God that ruleth the Heart doth also rule the Life the root is for the fruit and the life within to inable us for action without so we have the root and life of Grace and Holiness that we may bring forth the fruit and do the works of Grace and Holiness Therefore whatever wishes and desires men have if they live as they did before neither God nor any wise man will judge that they are freed from sin and become the servants of Righteousness Sixthly The Progress they went forward from one sin to another and never stopped Now as they heaped up sin upon sin so should we add to Grace Grace 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. Add to your faith vertue to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity You should always grow more pure and holy and aim at an higher degree of Sanctification till all be perfected in Heaven 2 Cor. 7.1 Perfecting holiness in the fear of God The more Grace overcometh Nature the more comfortable every day will your lives be and Religion will grow a more easie and delightful thing to you the compleat subjection of our will to the Will of God is the health ease and quietness of our wills therefore study to be perfect 2. The Reasons why it must be so 1. From the Love and Goodness of God shewed in our Change which should constrain us and awaken in us principles of gratitude towards him 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us c. Luke 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much It is a trouble to them that God hath been so long detained out of his right that the Devil hath ingrossed so much of their choicest time and best strength and therefore now they would make some recompence as Travellers that set forth late ride the faster Especially doth this hold good of them that have been great sinners it is possible that some have stuck at no villany but have ingulphed themselves in all manner of dissoluteness O how zealous should they be for God for time to come and bestir themselves that they may shew forth the sacred influence of Grace as they have done the cursed rigour of Nature 2. By Grace we have received a new Principle and Power Now Principiata respondent suis principiis a new Heart sheweth it self by newness of Life therefore the power and effect of Grace must as much discover it self as formerly we bewrayed the power of sin otherwise why is this new Principle planted in our hearts It is dangerous to receive objective Grace in vain
with the Spirit of Christ assisting but not reforming as an Angel sometimes appears in an assumed Body But 't is dangerous to rest in this it maketh our sin and Judgement the greater if after a taste we rest in a common work Historical Faith if not growing into a saving sound Faith 't is a kind of mocking of God and an Hypocrites portion As for instance We profess to believe him Omniscient yet fear not to sin in his presence Omnipotent yet cannot depend upon his Alsufficiency to believe a day of Judgement yet make no preparation for our Account Tit. 1.16 Mens sins and Judgements are aggravated according to the sense they have had of Religion and so their latter end may be worse than their beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 And sad it will be for those that from hopefull beginnings fall off from God I will tell you a man may live and die with a temporary Faith and Affections to God and Holiness without making any visible Apostasie and yet have no sound Faith of the right Constitution Yea if you regard what little rooting Grace hath in mens hearts how weak their Pulse beateth this way how strong their Affections are to the World and the things thereof how little they can vanquish the cares and fears of this world and the temptations that arise from voluptuous living 't is to be feared the far greatest part of Christians are but Temporaries 3. Oh then be sure to get this truth of Grace into your Hearts let your Hearts be effectually subdued to God let there be a Principle of Life set up in them Religion respects our Principles as well as our Performances 2 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned There must be a renewed Heart as the fountain a well informed Conscience as our guide and Faith unfeigned as our great encouragement And so all acts of Charity to God and men are accepted with God as a piece of Obedience done to him If we will not regard the Manner God will not regard the Matter Oh then get this renewed Heart and a lively Faith and an awakened Conscience This is to get Oyl into your Vessels and if once you get this it will never fail but increase exceedingly like the Sareptan's Oyl But how shall we get it I answer 1. You have this Oyl from Christ. The Unction is from the Holy One 2 Joh. 2.20 As the Precious Oyl was first poured on Aaron's Head and then came down to the Skirts of his Garment so Christ is first possessed of the Spirit and then we have it by our Union with him Joh. 1 16. Of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace We must go to the Fountain every day to seek new supplies Christ was anointed with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows Zech 4. Christ is represented by the Bowl and the two Olive Trees that alwayes poured forth Golden Oyl Christ as Mediator is the Store-house of the Church who is intrusted with all Gifts and Graces for our benefit Oh bring your empty Vessels to this golden Olive-tree The Widdow only brought Casks the Oyl failed not till the Vessels failed 2. If you would have it from Christ you must use the Means of Grace the Word Prayer Sacraments Meditation We need continual supplies must use continual Prayers seek the Grace of the Spirit to keep in our Lamps Luk. 11.13 So the Word God droppeth in something to the Soul that waiteth on him Mark 4.24 Take heed how you hear for with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again If we be earnest and diligent in waiting upon God God will abound to us in blessing his Word to us So for Meditation Mat. 13.19 The High-way Ground did not bring the Word to their minds again doth not revolve it mindeth it not heedeth it not So for the Lords Supper 't is a means to root us in the Love of God when we so often renew our Oath of Allegiance to him to excite our Faith in Christ. All these are a price put into our hands to get Oyl in our Lamps and prepare for his Coming 3. Keep your Vessels clean The Spirit dwelleth not but in a clean Heart Doves build not their Habitations on Dung-hills He cometh as an efficient Cause as a Spirit assisting before he comes as a Spirit inhabiting and purifieth our Hearts by Faith 4. After you have gotten this Oyl cherish it that it may not decay Of its own nature it would do so witness that stock of Original Righteousness which Adam had Gods Promise by which it is secured supposeth our endeavours to waste it Luk. 8.18 Whosoever hath to him shall be given but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have 5. Do not only cherish and keep it from decay but see that you encrease it 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge 1 Thes. 3.10 Perfect what is lacking 1 Thes. 4.1 That as you have received of us how you ought to walk and please God so you should abound therein A little Faith will be as no Faith not honourable to God nor comfortable to you nor useful to others All our doubts perplexities uncertainties come from the smallness of our Graces 'T will not make an Evidence therefore give diligence No endeavour labour pursuit after God but hath its recompense not an earnest thought an earnest Prayer or time spent What shall I say They whose Hearts are upon the wayes thereof go on from strength to strength You are almost at home nearer than when you first believed Then you thought all your pains too much now all too little Let me apply all to the Sacrament 1. There we come to meet the Bridegroom in a way of Grace The Marriage Covenant between God Incarnate and his espoused Ones is here celebrated and solemnized The Sacrament is a Transfiguration of the last Marriage Supper to ascertain us what entertainment we shall have at the Day of Judgment when the Bride the Lamb's Wife shall be made ready and cloathed with fine Linnen Rev. 19.23 and then be received in to the Nuptial Feast Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. All is now prepared in this Duty 2. In some respect there should be a Serious Preparation for the one as for the other as we would prepare to dye or prepare to meet Christ the Judge Christ did not wash his Disciples feet when he took them with him to Tabor to his Transfiguration but when he took them with him at his last Supper Joh. 13.7 Surely to rush upon the presence of the Bridegroom with a perfunctory careless common frame of spirit is a dangerous thing When a People come hand over head prepare themselves slightly pray slightly before they come and live carelesly and negligently they slight the Bridegroom and wrong themselves strengthen themselves in sin rather than
this Slumbring and Sleeping is 'T is twofold that of the Body and that of the Mind That of the Body when the Senses cease for a time to do their Office That of the Mind is a secure State of Soul and that is twofold Moral and Spiritual 1. Moral When Reason and natural Knowledge is as it were asleep and useless to us a man doth not act as a reasonable Creature Psal. 94.8 Oh ye bruitish among the People when will ye be wise and Psa. 22.27 All the ends of the Earth shall remember and turn to the Lord Psa. 119.59 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies If men did improve common principles shew themselves men they could not continue in that course of Life wherein they allow themselves In part this Sleep of Reason may befall the Children of God they do not consider nor turn their minds to their Affairs nor act as men whose Eyes are open 2. Spiritual Sleeping Here I shall shew the Nature and Effects of it First The Nature of it when Graces are not lively and kept in exercise I shall instance in those three Theological Graces Faith Hope and Love a weak dead Faith a feeble Sleepy Love a cold and careless Hope 1. A weak and dead Faith that consists more in a Form of Knowledge than a lively assent to the Truths of Godliness A dead oppinionative belief may stand with a carnal Life Jam. 2.20 Faith without works is dead The Word of God is come to them in Word only not in power it puts no Life into what we do believe 1 Thes. 2.13 Doth not work effectually This will fit the slumbring and Sleeping of the foolish Virgins but alas the Wise have their drowsie fits the Truths of the Word concerning God Christ Heaven and Hell have not such a lively influence upon them by the blandishments of worldly Prosperity Faith is fallen asleep ready to give place to the Flesh and they are governed more by Fancy and Appetite than by the Heavenly mind there is no consideration of the Vanity of earthly things the Heart is kept strange to God and Heaven and the Soul is taken up with carnal projects more than it should be 2. A feeble sleepy Love which doth not level and direct our actions to the great end of them which is the pleasing and glorifying of God so that they live too much to themselves Love in vigour doth over-rule us to live unto God 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him who dyed for them and rose again And this keepeth us more sincere and uniform in our course alwayes tending to the great end 3. A cold and careless Hope When there is not that earnest and desirous expectation of Blessedness to come which doth fortifie us against the allurements of sense Math. 6.19 20 21. Lay not up for your selves Treasure upon Earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where Thieves break thorough and steal but lay up for your selves Treasure in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where Thieves do not break thorough and steal for where your Treasure is there will your Hearts be also They do not mind their true Treasure Secondly The Effects of this Sleepiness are seen in these things 1. In some Intermission of their care and caution Watching is a diligent taking heed to our selves and wayes so as we keep our selves from sin We are in constant danger of sins that come on us by insensible Degrees Psa. 39.1 I said I would take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue The best are surprized and Corruption often breaketh out we may say of them as Christ of the Damsel they are not dead but sleep The Children of God are sometimes overtaken by their inadvertency Gal. 6.1 or overborn by the violence of Temptations Jam. 1.14 Inconsiderately and suddenly surprized with some sin So subtle and assiduous is Sathan in Tempting and so ready is Corruption to close with the Temptation as soon as it is represented that if a Child of God doth but abate any thing of his Circumspection and diligence he will be surprized by some one sin or other and thereby be brought to dishonour God and to lay a stumbling block before others Besides those sins of daily incursion and suddain surreption Sathan lieth in wait to draw us to greater Offences that may dishonour God and wound our Peace and scandalize the World against our Profession 2. Some abatement of our Zeal and fervency We are not alwayes fervent in Spirit and do not keep up our Life and Seriousness in the Duties of Holiness our Graces are not actuated and kept in exercise but suffer some decay though they be not quite dead Faith is weak Love is cold Math. 24.12 There is not that lively Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Christians should not only be living but lively 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye as living Stones Nay There may be so great a damp and quenching upon us that there is no outward visible difference between a dead man and a dying Christian All things in us may be ready to dye Revel 3.2 Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye Life is even quite gone in some cases when sin hath made fearful havock in the Conscience 3. In Forgetfulness of non-attendency to the Lords coming When we live merrily quietly in a careless and unprepared Estate this is necessarily to be taken in as the cause of the two former In the slumbring and sleeping of the foolish Virgins the Case is clear Christ's absence or tarrying long is the occasion the World takes to grow secure and wicked the Scoffers walked after their own Lusts because they said Where is the Promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3.3 4. And in the degenerate Church the reason why they were given to Sensuality carnal Pomp and Persecution is set down Math. 24.48 49. My Lord delayeth his coming Therefore the Officers of the Church smite their fellow Servants and eat and drink with the Drunken encourage the wicked and smite the Godly with Censures As it was with the Israelites there was no speech of making a Calf when Moses first went up to the Mount but when he tarryed long Exod. 32. And as for this Moses we wot not what is become of him then nothing would content them but making a Calf The Ordinances and Institutions of Christ had never been so perverted in the Christian World but that they forgat Christs coming to see how they have been observed 1 Tim. 6.14 That thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukeable until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But now for the wise Virgins alas there is not such a constant waiting for the coming of the Lord for if we did not leave off to think of
Trust the very scope of this Parable sheweth it and it may be further confirmed by Isa. 43.21 22 23 24. This People I have formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel Thou hast not brought me the small Cattel of thy Burnt-Offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy Sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an Offering nor wearied thee with Incense Thou hast bought me no Sweet-cane with Money neither hast thou filled me with the Fat of thy Sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities That where God hath given a People advantages he expecteth answerable service and Improvement and that we are bound to this by the Covenant of Grace wherein we give up our selves to the Lord for his use and service and that God reckoneth upon this Gen. 18.19 I know my servant Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him And Luke 13.7 Then said he to the dresser of the Vineyard Behold these three years have I come seeking fruit on this Fig-tree and Isa. 63.8 For he said Surely they are my People Children that will not lie Only now I presâ—â— that Unfruitfulness and breach of Trust is a great Crime and a disappointing the righteous expectation of God a very provoking thing and therefore the sloathful Servant that doth not answer the Ends of his trust nor fulfill his Covenant Vow must needs be highly culpable though he should not break out into acts of gross excess and apparent enmity against God 4. He that ceaseth to do Good Evil must needs ensue and the unprofitable Servant hath his blots and blemishes which render him odious unto God Homines nihil agendo malè agere discunt saith Cato Standing Pools are apt to putrifie and the Psalmist saith Psal. 14.2 They are all become filthy and abominable for there is none that seeketh God When the Gardiner holdeth his hand the ground is soon overgrown with Weeds Sins of Omission will make way for Sins of Commission and those that neglect Improvement lose all reverence and awe of God every day more and more and so are given up to an hatred of his People and many brutish Lusts As a Carkase not embalmed is more noysome every day Job 15.4 Thou castest off Fear and restrainest Prayer before God 1 VSE Let us all be ashamed of our Sloath. There is more evil in it than we are aware of 1. Consider the Necessity of Diligence There is nothing in Religion can be gotten kept increased or maintained without great Diligence No Comfort without it 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 3.14 Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace No Grace without it 2 Pet. 1.5 And besides this give all diligence io adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge No hope of coming to Heaven without it Heb. 6.11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end Illi falsi sunt saith Salust qui diversissimas res expectant ignaviae voluptatem proemia virtutis 'T is in vain to think that a loytering Profession will ever bring any glory to God Comfort or increase of Grace to our selves or breed in us any comfortable Hope and expectation of Blessedness to come All excellent things are hard to come by 't is true in Earthly matters 't is much more true in Spiritual 2. Consider the evil of Sloath. A sloathful man and a prophane man differ very little Prov. 18.9 He that is sloathful in work is brother to him that is a great waster the one getteth nothing and the other spendeth all Thou wilt say thou art no Drunkard no Whoremonger But thou art idle and negligent so that you and they are Brothers all the difference is as between a Consumption and an Apoplexy the one destroyeth in an instant the other consumeth by degrees the one is like splitting a Ship that goes down to the bottom presently the other like a leaky Ship that sinketh by degrees Though you do not run into the same excess of riot with others yet you are idle in the Lords work it cometh much to the same effect the Heart groweth poorer and poorer till at length it ends in final hardness Nay in some sense Negligence is worse than gross Prophaneness Many from great Sinners have turned great Saints but few from a lukewarm careless Profession have come to any thing Therefore these are spued out of Gods mouth Rev. 3.16 There is more hope of a Sinner than of a lukewarm careless person for he doth not think himself evil and so is more liable to Security God may give Grace to the one but taketh away the Talent from the other 3. Consider the Rewards of Diligence This labour will turn to a good effect 1 Cor. 15.58 Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. If there were nothing in chase or not so great a Reward we had more Excuse but when the Reward is so full and so sure shall not we labour for it We labour and toyl and use all diligence to obtain the things of this world and shall we think to go to Heaven with our hands in our bosom or lying upon a Bed of ease To see men under the power of a Lust may shame us Psal. 127.2 Men rise early and go to Bed late to gain the world men labour sweat and travel and spare not cost to go to Hell The Devil gets more Servants than God with all his Promises Threatnings and Mercies shall they be so diligent that have such bad work worse wages and the worst Master and shall not we bestir our selves 4. The whole course of Nature inviteth us to Labour and Diligence in order to our future Estate The Sun is unwearied in his motion that he may go up and down Preaching God to the world Prov. 6.6 Go to the Aunt thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise There is a great deal of morality hidden in the bosom of Nature if we had the skill to find it out What can the Aunt do She provideth her meat in Summer and gathereth her food in the Harvest These little Creatures are not able to endure the cold of Winter therefore work themselves deep into the earth but they carry their food along with them and should not we have as great a sense of futurity We cannot endure the day of the Lord unless we make provision Pro. 10.5 He that gathereth in Summer is a wise Son but he that sleepeth in Harvest is a Son that causeth shame Now is our season to work that in the day of our Accounts we may not be unprovided The Means against Sloath are Faith Patience and Love
shall speak unto them all that I shall command him Christ saith his Father gave it him Christ was consecrated Prophet of the Church by the Trinity Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased There was the Father's Voice the Holy Ghost as a Dove and the Son was there in Person Vse Which should stablish us the more in the Truth and is a Patern to Ministers It is excellent when we can say My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me Or as Paul That which I received of the Lord I have delivered to you 1 Cor. 11.24 3. Observe Among the Things which the Father gave to the Son one of the chiefest is the Doctrine of the Gospel Let us look upon it as a Gift the Father gave it the Son gave it here is a double Gift it was a Gift from the Father to Christ and from Christ to the Apostles I have given them the Word which thou gavest me Next to Christ the Gospel is the greatest Benefit which God hath given to Men He that despiseth the Gospel despiseth the very bounty of God and Men cannot endure to have their Love and Bounty despised As when David sent a courteous Message to Nabal and he was refused he threatned to cut off from Nabal every one that pisseth against the Wall Take heed you despise not God's special Gifts The preaching of the Word it was Christ's largess in the day of his Royalty Ephes. 4 8 11. When he ascended up on high he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers As Princes when crowned have their Royal Donatives Those that grudg at the Ministry and count it a burden they do in effect upbraid Christ with his Gift as if it were not worth the giving Those that labour in the Ministry are his especial Gift to us They are but sottish Swine that trample such Pearls under Feet We should think of them as the special Favours of Christ. I do not speak of the Persons but the Calling This Disposition sheweth no love to Christ. Secondly The next Thing is the Nature of Faith There are two Things spoken of in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have received them and have known surely I. I begin with the latter in order of Words as first in order of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have known surely The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth truly surely is used to exclude that literal historical Knowledg which may be in carnal Men. I. Observe Faith cannot be without Knowledg It is not a blind Assent Rom. 10. 14. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard We must know what Christ is before we can trust him with our Souls 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed we must see the Stay and Prop before we lean upon it otherwise we shall neither be satisfied in our selves nor be able to plead with Satan nor answer Doubts of Conscience He that is impleaded in Court and doth not know the Privileges of the Law how shall he be able to purge himself Fears are in the Dark The blind Man spoke Reason in that Conference between Christ and him when Christ asked him Dost thou believe on the Son of God He answered and said Who is he Lord that I might believe on him John 9.35 36. We must know what God is Till we have a distinct Knowledg of the Nature of God and the Tenor of the Covenant we shall be full of Scruples Well then Vse 1. It discovereth the wretched Condition of Ignorant Persons We are not so sensible of the Danger of Ignorance as we should be God will render Vengeance to them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel 2 Thess. 1.8 Poor Wretches they live sinfully and die sottishly they live sinfully they are under no aw of Conscience because they have no Knowledg and when they come to die they die sottishly like Men that leap over a deep Gulph blindfold they know not where their Feet shall light In their Life-time at best they live but by guess and some devout Aims and when they come to die they die by guess in a doubtful uncertain way Vse 2. To press Christians to gain more distinct Knowledg if you would settle your Souls in a certainty of Salvation God may lay trouble of Conscience upon a knowing Person but usually Persons Ignorant are full of Scruples which vanish before the Light as Mists do before the Sun 2. Observe They know surely In the Knowledg of Faith there is an undoubted certain Light It dependeth upon two things that cannot deceive us the Revelation of the Word and the illumination of the Spirit The Knowledg of Faith is less than the Light of Glory for Clearness but equal for Certainty it hath as much assurance from God's Word though not so much evidence as ariseth from Injoyment 3. Observe They know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly indeed Every kind of Knowledg is not enough for Faith but a true sound Knowledg There is a Form of Knowledg as well as a Form of Godliness Rom. 2.20 compared with 2 Tim. 3.5 A Form of Knowledg is nothing else but an artificial Speculation a naked Model of Truth in the Brain which like a Winter Sun shineth but warmeth not But let us a little state the Differences 1. The Light of Faith is serious and considerate Faith is a Spiritual Prudence it is opposed to Folly as well as Ignorance Luke 24.25 Oh Fools and â—low of Heart to believe all that the Prophets have said Faith always draweth to use and practice It is a Knowledg with Consideration Ephes. 1.17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory would give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledg of him Many have Parts but they have not Wisdom to make the best choice for their Souls There is a great deal of difference between Knowledg and Prudence it is excellent when both are joined together I Wisdom dwell with Prudence Prov. 8.12 Wisdom is the Knowledg of Principles Prudence is an Ability to use them to our Comfort Knowledg is setled in the Brain not the Heart When Wisdom entreth into thy Heart Prov. 2.10 it stirreth up Esteem Affiance Love A Carnal Man may have a Model of Truth a traditional disciplinary Knowledg such as lieth in Generals not Particulars and is rather for Discourse than Life A Vintner's Cellar may be better stored than a Noble Man's he hath Wines not to taste but sell a Carnal Man hath a great deal of Knowledg for Discourse not to warm his own Heart 2. The Light of Faith is a realizing Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 it maketh absent things present to the Soul But the Light of Parts is a naked abstract Speculation it is without feeling there is no sense and feeling
10.38 That ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him 1 John 4.16 We have known and have believed the Love that God hath to us John 6.69 We know and believe that thou art Christ. We must first know before we can believe In Faith there is a Knowledg an Apprehension as well as Discourse a pregnant Apprehension Faith is a clear Light it freeth the Soul from the Mists of Prejudice by representing God in the Allsufficiency of Grace and Power Heb. 11.3 Through Faith we understand that the World was framed by the Word of God It puzzeled the Philosophers but Faith maketh all clear After Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledg Faith is the Fruit of Knowledg Knowledg is the Fruit of Faith So Psal. 119.66 Teach me good Judgment and Knowledg for I have believed thy Commandments that is a fuller manifestation First we receive the Word by Faith then we know more Oportet discentem credere First we know That it is then How it is The ground of Faith is that they are revealed How or what they are we learn by more acquaintance and experience Light is always increasing most necessary to the Christian Life Faith is as Knowledg is more or less explicite yet not so explicite but that there is some impliciteness in it as long as we live here 1 John 2.3 It doth not yet appear what we shall be but this we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him We have not a particular Account not a Reason of the Thing but we have a Reason why we believe it 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a proper Act of Faith God is always on the giving and we on the receiving Hand we receive the Word we receive Christ and we receive Remission of Sins and Glory the main of our Duty is but a Receiving Let me press you to receive the Word to receive Christ. 1. Receive the Word give it a kind entertainment There is an Act of Consideration meditate upon it seriously that Truth may not float in the Understanding but sink into the Heart Luke 9.44 Let these sayings sink down into your Hearts Believe it the Truth is a Soveraign Remedy but there wanteth one Ingredient to make it work and that is Faith Heb. 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it There is an Act of the Will and Affections which is called a receiving the Truth in Love 2 Thess. 2.10 Make room for it that Carnal Affections may not vomit and throw it up again Christ complaineth that his Word had no place in them John 8.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a queasy Stomach possessed with Choler that casts up all that is taken into it 1 Cor. 2.14 A natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Let it lodg and quietly exercise a soveraign command over the Soul 2. Receive Christ in the Word In a Contract there is not only a receiving a Bond but by virtue of the Bond an Inheritance conveyed to us So you must not only receive the Word we are not saved by giving credit to any Maxim of Religion Fides non est assensus axiomati Not they that saw the Ark many saw it and scoffed but they that were in it were saved from drowning When a Man is ready to perish in the Floods it is not enough to see Land but we must reach it stand upon it if we would be safe It is not a naked Contemplation but a real Implantation into Christ. Now if you will know it whatever was in Christ in the History must be in you in the Mystery You are Adopted Sons 1 John 3.1 Christ must be formed and conceived in you Gal. 4.19 You must suffer and be crucified to the World and Sin Rom. 6.6 You must be buried and raised up again Col. 2.12 All is to be done in a spiritual manner I speak not this to turn all Scripture into an Allegory but every Act of Christ hath some Spiritual Accomodation So much for these two acts or parts of Faith They have known surely and have received thy Word Before I go off from this Clause there are two or three Observations to be raised especially if we compare this Verse with John 16.27 28 29 30 31. For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and believed that I came forth from God I came forth from the Father and am come into the World again I leave the World and go to the Father His Disciples said unto him Lo now speakest thou plainly and speakest no Proverb Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and needest not that any Man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Jesus answered them Do ye now believe From whence I observe That this was but a late Acknowledgment Vers. 30. Now we are sure and by this we believe that thou camest forth from God And presently within an hour Christ commendeth it to his Father They have known surely and have believed 1. Observe How ready Christ is to take notice of the Good that is wrought in us He watcheth for an occasion to commend us to God Satan and his Instruments they watch for our halting Jer. 20.10 All my Familiars watched for my halting peradventure he will be inticed Let us watch say they we may have Matter against him The Devil is a Spy that lieth upon the catch that he may frame an Accusation against you before God A Dog doth not wait for a Bit from his Master's Trencher more than he doth for a passionate Word some evil Gesture and Practice whereof to accuse us so his Instruments watch to defame you in the World But now Jesus Christ looketh after Matter of Praise and Commendation Now we know verily and believe and Christ presently telleth his Father of it Oh what an encouragement should this be to press us to grow in Knowledg and to abound in every good Work you furnish your Intercessor with matter of Praise and give your Advocate an Advantage against your Accuser Christ watcheth for a good Action as the Devil doth for a Bad He is a swift Witness not only against his Adversaries but for his People Mal. 3.5 I will come near to you in Judgment and I will be a swift Witness against the Sorcerers c. He cometh to convince them sooner than they are aware none of their Sins are unknown to him and they are brought in Court before they dream of it And the Godly have a Witness in Heaven too So Job 16.20 Behold my Witness is in Heaven and my Record is on High And he is a swift Witness we reap the Fruit of many Actions as soon as they are performed A continual Experience we have of this disposition of Christ in the speedy answer of Prayers Isa. 64.24 And it shall come to pass that before they call
changed his Garments and shaved himself When the Children of Israel came to hear the Law they were sanctified and washed their Cloaths Exod. 19.14 Under the Law there was a Laver stood near the Altar and they were to wash before Sacrifice therefore David saith Psal. 26.6 I will wash my Hands in Innocency and so will I compass thine Altar O Lord. So James 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your Hands ye Sinners and purify your Hearts ye double minded These washings were frequent among the Heathens before they went to Worship so there must be a special Purgation and Exoneration and disburdening of the Soul of those Sins which we have committed 3. We must converse with him in a holy manner Levit. 10.3 I will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto me God will be sanctified upon us or by us here we are to sanctify him in our Hearts with special Reverence and Holiness of Mind Those that served before the Heathen Gods were cloathed in White an Emblem of Purity and Innocency And our Communion with God in Heaven is thus expressed Rev. 3.4 They shall walk with me in White So should we here as much as we can walk with God in White with heavenly pure Souls put up holy Prayers in an holy manner And in the time of Worship be at the greatest distance and Elongation from Sin Many Men out of a natural Conscience will be devout in time of Duty You would be ashamed if an holy Man should know what Thoughts you have in time of Worship and darest thou conceive them in the presence of an Holy God what odious Creatures should we be if our Thoughts were as audible and as liable to publick notice as our Words Alas God knoweth Thoughts as well as Words all your carnal unclean vain Thoughts are known to him therefore take heed how will your holy Father brook this 4. We should go away the more holy from Worship You have been with an holy God what of his Holiness do you carry away in your Hearts They that have looked on the Sun go away with a glaring in their Eyes and they seem to see the Sun in all that they look upon You should carry away the Inlightnings of Worship along with you When Moses came from God his Face shone he had been conversing with the God of Glory and he went away with some Rayes of Glory in his Face We should not be as the Beasts in Noah's Ark to go in unclean and come out unclean God's People are most full of Indignation against Sin when they come from God Exod. 32.19 When Moses had talked with God in the Mount at his return seeing them sacrifice to the Calf he brake the Tables The more Communion we have with God the more shall we hate what is contrary to God When Isaiah saw God in his Glory he began to loath himself Isa. 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips and I dwell among a People of unclean Lips and mine Eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts And those who have effectually conversed with God in Meditation and Prayer they come away from him with a perfect hatred of Sin for a sight of God worketh an Abomination of what is contrary to him In a Shop of Perfumes you carry away the Scent in your Cloaths You wonder that a Man should come away cold from the Fire and it is as great a wonder to come away from the holy God with vile Affections Here you come to make Experiments whether God be an holy One yea or no whether he be originally effectually holy The Syrians that were Strangers to God's Dispensations could speak of him only by hear-say We have heard that the God of Israel is a merciful God but the Israelites that were acquainted with him could speak of him by Experience we know it As a Man that hath never been acquainted with the use of Fire may say I have heard that the Fire will warm but he that hath been at the Fire he knows and feels it So others can only discourse notionally of God's Holiness In Duty we come to him for real Experiences Lord we know that thou art an holy God SERMON XVII JOHN XVII 11 And now I am no more in the World but these are in the World and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are Thirdly THE matter of the Prayer for Perseverance in Grace Keep through thine own Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be rendred in thy Name or by thy Name or for thy Names sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Hebrews may be thus rendred By thy Name Heb. 11.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Elders obtained a good Report For thy Name Ephes. 4.32 As God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Rom. 16.2 Receive her in the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for the Lord's sake 1. If it be in thy Name then the meaning is in the Knowledg of thy Truth for by the Name of God is meant any thing by which he is made known The Doctrine of the Gospel in this Chapter is called his Name Vers. 6. I have manifested thy Name to them meaning the whole Doctrine of Godliness So Christ prayeth Keep them in thy Name that is in the constant Profession of the Truth let them not be cheated out of it by Satan nor affrighted out of it by Persecutions but let them constantly hold it forth defend and propagate it to the World 2. By thy Name so God's Name is Himself and Himself is his Name So Exod. 23.21 My Name is in him that is he is of the same Essence and Glory with me So By thy Name is by thy Self thy Power Mercy Goodness Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom by thy gracious Assistance 3. For thy Names sake to shew forth thy Mercy Truth Faithfulness These Expositions may be compounded keep them in thy Truth or the Worship and Profession of thy Name by thy Power for thy Names sake to discover thy Mercy and Truth thy Mercy in taking them into a state of Grace thy Truth in preserving them in the state of Grace The Points are two 1. That the Perseverance of the Saints or their Conservation in the State of Graece is sure and certain 2. That we are kept in the state of Grace by God's Name by his Power for his Glory Doct. 1. That the Perseverance of the Saints or their Conservation in a state of Grace is sure and certain I. I shall shew how I build the certainty of Perseverance on this place II. I shall handle the Doctrine confirming it by other Grounds I. How this Doctrine of the Certainty of the Saints Perseverance is built on this place Christ hath begged it and he beggeth it for all
the Sickness as being the chief of the kind Before I come to the Observations I must clear up the latter part of the Text Thy Word is Truth Why is this added I Answer Either by way of Explication or by way of Argument and Reason 1. By way of Explication Christ would pray intelligibly some might ask as Pilate did What is Truth John 18.38 Christ answereth Thy VVord is Truth The Word is the authentik and publick Record of the Church the Truth whereby we are sanctified is no where else to be found all pretended Truths are hereby to be examined 2. Or else by way of Argument and Reason why Christ would have them to be sanctified by the Truth that they might have a saving experience of the Power of it and so the better preach it to others then we know the Truth of the Word when it sanctifieth This premised I come to the Point Doctrine That God sanctifieth by his Truth I shall open the Point in these Propositions 1. God's way of working is by Light and in infusing Grace he beginneth with the Understanding He dealeth with Man as a rational Creature and therefore not only teacheth but draweth and sanctifieth the Heart by enlightning the Mind As the rising of the Sun doth not only dispel Darkness but Mists and Vapors so doth a saving Light not only dispel Ignorance but Lusts. This way is Spiritual Life begun Ephes. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead and Christ shall give thee Light A Man would have thought the Apostle should rather have said and Christ shall give thee Life than give thee Light It is the Apostle's word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall shine upon thee rather than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall quicken thee But Light is enough the Power of Grace breaketh in upon the Soul by the Light of the Gospel As it is said of the Natural Life John 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. Reason and Understanding are the Fountain of Life to Men so is Spiritual Reason and Spiritual Understanding to the Soul If the Mind of a Man were once Spiritual inlightned and possessed of the Ways of God the Heart could not utterly reject them There is a notional Illumination that like a Winter-Sun shineth but warmeth not leaveth no comfort and profit upon the Heart But a Spiriâ—â—al Light is always effectual for tho the Will and the Judgment are distinct Facâ—lties and the Will is averse as the Understanding is blind yet God doth never soundly and throughly convince the Judgment but he moveth and inclineth the Will If we know things as we ought to know as the Truth is in Jesus Ephes. 4.21 the Heart must needs close with the Ways of God for the Will of Man is not brutish but reasonable and acteth reasonably Answerably â—o the discovery of Good or Ill in the Understanding there is a Prosecution or Aversation in the Will Therefore a through conviction of Judgment must be the ground of Grace in the Heart for God worketh in us not only by a powerful and real Efficacy but agreeably to an intelligent Nature by teaching perswading counselling nothing can be wrought in this moral way unless Light and Knowledg go before 2. It must be a true and not a false Light Truth sanctifieth and Error defileth Titus 1.1 According to the acknowledgment of the Truth that is after Godliness Right thoughts of God and his Ways preserve an awe in the Heart which both restraineth and reneweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom It is Truth that cleanseth the Heart Error leaveth a stain and defilement The Understanding and the Will are like the Head and Stomach a corrupt Heart blindeth the Mind and a blind Mind corrupts the Heart they mutually vitiate one another As in a ruinous House the upper Room being uncovered lets down the Rain to founder the Supporters â—â—low and the rottenness of the Supporters below weakeneth all above Erroneous Persons are generally represented in Scripture as vain and sensual Jude 8. These filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh First there is Dreaming and then Defilement Error maketh way for Looseness and a vain Mind for vile Affections Partly by God's just Judgment some Opinions seem to be remote and lie far enough from practice yet the Persons that profess them are generally loose Nay some Errors seem to encourage strictness as Doctrines concerning the Power of Nature and the Merit of good Actions but we find it is otherwise Duty is best pressed upon God's Terms Phil. 2.12 13. Wherefore my Beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure By the Judgment of God such are of loosest Life God will have his Glory kept unstained Idolatry is expressed by Whoredom Bodily Uncleanness ends in Spiritual Hosea 4.12 13. My People ask counsel of their Stocks and their Staff declareth unto them for the Spirit of Whoredoms have caused them to err and they go a whoring from under their God They sacrifice upon the tops of the Mountains and burn Incense upon the Hills under Oaks and Poplars and Elms because the shadow thereof is good Therefore your Daughters shall commit Whoredoms and your Spouses shall commit Adultery So Rom. 1.23 24. They changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the Lusts of their own Hearts to dishonour their own Bodies between themselves Partly by a natural Efficacy the Spirit is embased by Error and all false Principles have a secret and pestilential influence on the Life and Practice We lose a sense and care of Piety if we have not a right apprehension of God's Essence and Will a frame of Truth keepeth an awe Therefore where there is so much Truth as to sanctify yet because it is mingled with Falshood there is no such reverence of God no such strictness Unbelief is the Mother of Sin Misbelief is the Nurse of it In Error there is a sinful confederacy between the rational and the sensual Part and so carnal Affections are gratified with carnal Doctrines 3. Every true Light will not serve the turn but it must be the Light of the Word God hath reserved this honour of sanctifying the Heart to the Doctrine of the Scriptures to evidence their Divine Original James 1.18 Of his own Will begaâ— he 〈◊〉 with the Word of Truth The great change that is wrought in the Heart of Man is by the Word a Moral Lecture may make a Man change his Life but the Word of God maketh a Man change his Heart as Xenocrates's Moral Lectures made Pollemo leave his vitious and sensual course of Life But Regeneration is only found in
a vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 By his Death the Covenant is made a Testament and all the Precepts are turned into so many Promises and Legacies Christ will give what he requireth All Excuse is taken away from Laziness and Wickedness is no longer allowed the Plea of Weakness There is Help offered in Christ. 5. Terrible Threatnings The Word is impatient of being denied it would have Holiness upon any Terms There is somewhat propounded to our Fear as well as our Hope Not only the Loss of Happiness Heb. 12.14 Follow Peace with all Men and Holiness without which no Man shall see God which is Loss enough to an ingenuous Spirit But the Forfeiture of the Soul into eternal Torments without ease without end Go ye Cursed into everlasting Fire God hath a Prison for obstinate Creatures a Worm that never dies a Fire that never goes out Whose Heart doth not tremble at the mention of these things We cannot endure the Torment of one Night under a Feaverish Distemper how shall we think of lying down in everlasting Burnings 6. The Word presseth all this with such a Majesty and Power that it astonisheth the Conscience and maketh the Hearts and Souls of Men to quake within them Felix trembled at the mention of Judgment to come There is so much of God in the Word that if it doth not renew Men it doth restrain them maketh them tremble where it hath least force it cometh with such a manifestation of divine Authority upon the Conscience Lactantius saith Nihil ponderis habent illa Praecepta quia sunt humanae There is no such Majesty in humane Precepts Nemo credit quia tam se hominem putat esse qui aâ—divit quà m illum qui praedicat Man is not astonished by Man Verba dedi verba reddidi But now the Word of God searcheth the Heart pincheth the Conscience and where it worketh least it maketh Men to quake within themselves It is said Mat. 7.28 29. The People were astonished at Christ's Doctrine for he taught them as one having Authority and not as the Scribes God's Word cometh with Evidence and Conviction upon the Conscience that they admire the Power of it there is Sovereign Majesty in it the Draught is like the Author Thus you see what a powerful Instrument the Word is even in a moral way therefore the fittest Means whereunto God should join his Assistance to work on the Heart of Man Vse 1. Of Information 1. It informeth us what a Treasure Truth is and what a value we should put upon it There are two Things in the World that God is very tender of his Truth and his Saints In the Controversy about Toleration Men on the one side have urged the danger of medling with Saints on the other side others have urged the value of Truth If the whole Controversy did depend upon this Issue which are to be most respected the Truth or the Saints since God is tender of both it would soon be decided For besides this that it is strange that they only who are called Saints should be afraid of a vigorous Prosecution and Defence of the Truth it is clear Truth must have the Preheminence for it is Truth that maketh Saints and we had need be more tender of the Root than of the Branches 2. It informeth us that out of the true Religion there is no Salvation because there is no true Holiness and without Holiness no Man shall see God Heb. 12.14 Follow Peace with all Men and Holiness without which no Man shall see God It is not without Peace the Necessity is not laid upon that but Holiness for Peace is often broken for Strictness sake A Man that is faithful and sincere may have little of the World's respect But now without the true Religion there is no Holiness that 's clear Hence 't is said Sanctify them by thy Truth There may be Civility and the Exactness of a moral Course counterfeit Grace but there can be no true Sanctification because the Heart can never be good that is ignorant of the Truth and poisoned with Error there may be Superstition which is but a Bastard Religion there may be a good Life but there cannot be a good Heart no true Comfort and true Grace Anima quae à Deo fornicata est casta esse non potest He that believeth ill can never live well Grace and Truth are Twins that live and die together Moral Vertue is very defective in it self Sapientia eorum plerumque abscondit vitia non abscindit All their Craft was to hide a Lust not to root it out 3. That they have not a sound apprehension of Truth that have no Grace There may be a naked and unactive Apprehension that is not accompanied with Power they learn Truth by rote and rest in a vain Speculation but have no strength to perform their Duty 2 Tim. 3.5 compared with Rom. 2.20 What in one place is called a Form of Godliness is in the other called a Form of Knowledg Poor slight and superficial Apprehensions of the Truth they take up Truth not upon any Divine Testimony or Evidence of the Spirit but upon the Credit and Authority of Men the Practice and Profession of the Nation or the Injunctions of a Civil State This is the account of most Mens Truth and Faith Alas Truth thus received entreth not upon the Heart Men gain but a disciplinary Knowledg a literal Knowledg and a spiritual Knowledg differ Ephes. 4.21 If so be that ye have heard of him and have been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus When a Man receiveth it out of the Hands of the Spirit of Christ it frameth and disposeth the Heart to Godliness So Col. 1.6 Since ye heard of it and knew the Grace of God in Truth The tasting of a Thing excelleth the reading of it the true inward powerful affectionate Knowledg affecteth the Heart and altereth and changeth it A Man knoweth no more of Christ than he valueth esteemeth and affecteth and which puts the whole inward Man into an holy spiritual Frame Good Principles if heartily embraced will 〈◊〉 a good Conversation The Point needeth to be heeded in these Times when Knowledg is increased but practice and strictness suffereth an abatement and decay Boni esse desinunt postquam docti evaserint What Strength and Power of Religion possesses the Heart When you know the Truth doth it carry you to God and Godliness 4. They that are above Scriptures have no true Holiness God sanctifieth by the Truth It is strange how Charity over-reacheth to saint Antiscripturists and Men above Ordinances whereas it is the true Ground and Reason of Sanctification As Bernard saith of some That whilst they plead for the Salvation of Heathens scarce shew themselves Christians So I am afraid our excessive Charity to Men argueth little Affection to God God accepteth no Holiness but Word-Holiness and worketh Holiness no other way I doubt they that despise Prophesying quench the Spirit When
of Arms. I remember in Ecclesiastical History when Valens the Emperor railed against all the Defenders of the Godhead of Christ they did not meddle with Polinus out of Reverence to him for he was a very holy strict Man none durst lay Hands upon him 3. Many times they profess and join to the Church and so we have benefit by their Gifts and Abilities Authority and Power for God doth his Church a great deal of good by carnal Men. Conviction may bring them as far as Profession and the temporary Faith of a Magistrate tho carnal may be a Protection to Christianity as an Hedg of Thorns may be a good Fence about a Garden of Roses If they are Men of Parts they may help to defend the Christian Doctrine as a living Tree may be supported by a dead Post and the Gifts of carnal Men are for the use of the Body as the Gibeonites joined to Israel and were made hewers of Wood and drawers of Water or as the Carpenters who helped to build Noah's Ark perished in the Flood or as Negroes that dig in the Mines of Knowledg God may imploy them to bring up that which may be of great use and profit to the World they may help to build an Ark for others tho they themselves perish in the Water We would not refuse Gold from a dirty Hand neither are we to slight the benefit of carnal Men's parts for the common Profession of Christianity that they are under tho they are Slaves to their Lusts yet it is a real benefit and help to the Saints 4. They serve for a Warning to the Saints When this Conviction is strong upon them and grows to an height by the Stings of Conscience and Horrors of them that die in despair God warneth his People tho we would bear off the Stroke yet God knows how soon this Fire may be kindled in our own Breasts when Men see what Convictions will do being stifled and not complied with and Men live not according to their Light it is a warning to others As a Slave is many times beaten to warn a Son of his Father's Displeasure and Naturalists tell us a Lion will tremble to see a Dog beaten before him so do the Children of God tremble at the Convictions of wicked Men. Oh the Horrors of their Conscience declare what God hath wrought upon them tho few take little notice of it Thirdly In respect to the World it self this Conviction serveth both to lessen and encrease their Judgment The Terms seem to be opposite 1. Sometimes to lessen their Judgment Certainly the degrees of eternal Punishment are not equal there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 23.14 a greater Judgment there is a hotter and a cooler Hell there are few Stripes and many Stripes In the World to come it is more tolerable for some than for others Mat. 12.41 The Condition of the Ninevites was made more tolerable by the Conviction wrought by Jonah's Preaching because there was a temporal Repentance they humbled themselves for a while tho they were frighted to this Religiousness Aristides Cato and other moral Heathens their Condition will be more tolerable than those Men that live in a way of brutish and filthy Excess So there are many convinced that have helped the Church and been friendly to Religion when others have oppressed and opposed the Ways of God they have been a Hiding-Place a Shelter a Countenance a Protection to the People of God these shall not lose their Reward they have many Blessings in this World tho they continue Carnal and live and die in their Sins I suppose the more they comply with these Convictions their Condemnation shall be lessened tho not taken away This Advantage they have ut mitiùs ardeant they shall have a cooler Hell 2. Sometimes to increase their Judgment Those that maliciously oppose this Conviction they hasten their own Condemnation and heighten it Then it will be a Sin to them with a Witness when they knew their Master's Will and did it not James 4.17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do Good and doth it not to him it is Sin They carry this Conviction to Hell with them and it is a part of their Torment this is the Worm that never dies Oh what a Terror will it be for them to think I had a better Estate discovered to me I knew somewhat of the Ways of God and now I am shut out for ever and ever There is a Worm that never dies as well as a Fire that shall never be quenched Mark 9.44 There may be a Conviction so much as to enable a Man to speak to others yet he may be a worker of Iniquity and cast out of Christ's Presence How will this encrease their Torment their Knowledg serveth but to damn them the more The Characters are indelible and are not extinguished by Death To all other Torments there is added the gnawing of Conscience Look as in the Elect there is such a Spark kindled as shall never be extinguished their Knowledg they get here is not abolished but perfected and the Joys of the Spirit begin their Heaven a witnessing excusing Conscience to the Elect is the beginning of Heaven So in Hell Conscience will be always raging and expostolating with you Oh Fool that I was to neglect so great Salvation which others enjoy If I had lived civilly at least it had been better with me than now it is As they know more of God than others do so their Judgment will accordingly be greater And you know not how soon God may kindle this Fire in your Bosoms who for the present steep on carelesly in your Sins Vse 1. This may serve to perswade us that the Conviction of the World is a great Blessing and conduceth much to the advancement of Christ's Kingdom without any visible force with meer Spiritual Weapons in despight of all opposition which can be made thereunto The corrupt and ill-principled World cannot stand out against the Evidence of the Truth when it is soundly preached and in the Demonstration of the Spirit We have too slight an Opinion of the Weapons of our Spiritual Warfare 2 Cor. 10.4 The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling down of strong Holds Surely they are more mighty to pull down strong Holds than we are aware of The Spirit of the Lord tho he will not convert yet can so put to silence and bridle the Opposition that carnal Men make that it shall be ineffectual It concerneth God in Honour to go thus far on with the World for the promoting of his Kingdom and that they may not go on with an high Hand to oppose and crush it And this doth also evince the Truth of the Christian Religion such Convictions accompanying the preaching of it And God doth not wholly discontinue this Dispensation now There are ordinary Operations of the Spirit where the Gospel is preached which do convince the World The careless Professor
How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard We must know what Christ is before we can trust him with our Souls Would a Woman accept of a Man when she knows not what he is nor from whence he came Can the Soul rest it self with Christ and venture its Salvation upon him till it knows what he is 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that Day Faith is an advâ—sed Act it is a Child of Light Presumption is but a blind Adventure an Act that is done hand over-head without Advice and Care but Faith certainly presupposeth Knowledg The blind Man speaks Reason in this when Christ asked him Dost thou believe on the Son of God John 9.35 He answered Vers. 36. Who is he Lord that I may believe on him And then for Love No Knowledg no Love an unknown Object never affects us Love proceeds from Sight those that have a sight of the Excellencies of God by the Light of the Spirit accompanying the Word they love the Lord. And then where there is no Love there is no Knowledg 1 John 4.8 He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love And then for Worship and Obedience that is also the Fruit of Knowledg that Worship which is performed to the unknown God is never right As those Fruits that grow out of the Sun are crabbed and sowr so all such Acts of Worship as proceed not from Light and Knowledg are not right and genuine There cannot be a greater Preservative from Sin than Knowledg 3 Epist. John 11. He that doth Evil hath not seen God Certainly he that makes a trade and course of Sin was never acquainted with God 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him And there can be no enjoiment of God without Knowledg neither in a way of Grace nor in a way of Comfort Not in a way of Grace there can be no Grace without Knowledg if we be renewed and changed it is by Knowledg Col. 3.10 And have put on the New Man which is renewed in Knowledg after the Image of him that created him If we be strengthned in Affliction and enabled for the Duties of every Condition it is by Knowledg Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need All Communications of Grace are conveyed by Light Nor can there be any enjoiment of God in a way of Comfort without Light and Knowledg Fears are in the dark till we have a distinct Knowledg of the Nature and Tenor of the Covenant we are full of Fears and Doubts which vanish as a Mist before the Sun when Knowledg is wrought 2. Proposition There is no Knowledg of the True God without the Knowledg of Christ as Mediator For two Reasons 1. Because God will accept no Honour from the Creature but in and through Jesus Christ. John 5.23 That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him God hath revealed himself in Christ and you make God an Idol if you think of him otherwise 2. Because God out of Christ is not comfortable but terrible The fallen Creature cannot converse with God without a Mediator As Waters which are salt in the Sea strained through the Earth are sweet in Rivers So are the Attributes of God in and through Christ sweet and comfortable to the Soul for we cannot draw nigh to God without a Screen Vse To press us to get Knowledg The more Knowledg the more a Man the more Ignorant the more Brutish Psal. 49.20 Man that is in Honour and void of Vnderstanding is like the Beasts that perish And again as Knowledg doth distinguish you from Beasts so the Knowledg of God doth distinguish you from other Men to know God is your excellency above other Men. Jer. 9.23 24. Let not the wise Man glory in his Wisdom neither let the mighty Man glory in his Might let not the rich Man glory in his Riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord c. As if he had said If you will needs glory it is not who is most Wealthy nor most Mighty nor most Wise but who hath the greatest Knowledg of God in Christ. Above all know God in Christ that is most comfortable Horribile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare It is an horrible thing to think of God out of Christ. God in Christ is the greatest Mercy the World was ever acquainted with this is a Speculation fit for Angels 1 Pet. 1.12 Which things the Angels desire to look into Eph. 3.10 To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God And therefore much more should it be the study of Saints But do not rest in a naked Contemplation there is a Form of Knowledg Rom. 2.20 as well as a Form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 which is nothing else but an Artificial Speculation a naked Model of Truth in the Brain which aâ— the Winter-Sun shines but warms not But what is true Knowledg How shall we discover it I Answer 1. It must be a serious prudent Knowledg c. See on Ver. 8. I now come to speak to the Illustration of this Qualification of Saving-Knowledg It is illustrated I. By its Opposite the affected and obstinate Ignorance of the World The World hath not known thee II. By its efficient and exemplary Cause But I have known thee I. The first Illustration is from the Opposite Ignorance and Obstinacy of the World The World hath not known thee Why is this alledged I Answer Partly to shew the Reason why they should be otherwise dealt withal than the blind World As if he had said By thy righteous and wise Constitution thou hast appointed different Recompences to Men of different States but now They have known thee but the World hath not known thee Partly in commend their acknowledgment of Christ the World neither knowing nor believing yea rather hating and persecuting thee In the Original there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tho so that neither hindred by Fears nor Snares the Rulers and great Men were against the acknowledging of Christ the Multitude blind and obstinate yet the Disciples knew him and owned him as the Messiah or one sent of God 1. Observe That it is exceeding praise-worthy to own Christ when others disown him and reject him to own him in the midst of the World's blindness and madness against 〈◊〉 Now he is publickly received among the Nations it is no great matter to own his now as those
communicate it to his Members he is not weak when we are weak but able to do above what we can ask or think 3. As concerning the Life of Glory we have it by Christ also 1 Joh. 5.11 This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son The door which is shut against us by our sins is opened by Christ. Let us follow his Precepts and Example and depend upon his Grace and you cannot miscarry Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to light assured us of an endless Happiness after Death Heathens had but a doubtful conjecture of another Life we have an undoubted assurance and that is some great stay to us 4. Concerning the troubles and afflictions that we meet withal As to the troubles of the Church of God he is alive and upon the Throne he can never cease to live and reign Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool The enemies of his Kingdom must bend or break first or last 5. Against Death Christ hath broken the power of it as it hath no dominion over him so it cannot totally seize upon his Members in their better part they still live to God assoon as they dye and as to their Bodies The body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness Rom. 8.10.15 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand the last day upon the earth c. But what is this to us As it hath no dominion over him so not over us the power is broken the sting is gone If our flesh must rot in the grave our Nature is in Heaven Christ once dyed and then rose again from the dead Now this doth mightily secure and support us against the power and fears of death that we have a Saviour in possession of Glory to whom we may commend our departing Souls at the time of death and who will receive them to himself one that hath himself been upon Earth in flesh then dyed and rose again and is now in possession of endless Blessedness He is Lord of that World we are going into All Creatures there do him Homage and we e're long are to be adjoyned to that dutiful happy Assembly and partake in the same work and felicity SERMON IX ROM VI. 11 Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. THE Protasis or Foundation of the Similitude was laid down vers 9 10. the Apodosis or Application of it to the case in hand in this Verse The Foundation is Christs Example and Pattern dying and rising now after this double Example of Christs Death and Resurrection we must account our selves obliged both to dye unto sin and rise again to newness of life Likewise reckon ye also your selves c. In which words 1. Our Duty which is Conformity or Likeness to Christ dying and living 2. Grace to perform this Duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through or in Jesus Christ by virtue of our Union with him we are both to resemble his Death and Resurrection 3. The means of inforcing this Duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reckon Vulgar existimate Erasmus out of Tertullian reputate consider with your selves Others colligite statuite Doctrine That all who are baptized and profess Faith in Christ dying and rising from the dead are under a strong obligation of dying to sin and living to God through the Grace of the Redeemer Here I. I shall consider the Nature of the Duties of being dead to Sin and alive to God II. The Correspondency how they do answer the two States of Christ as Christ dyeth to sin for the Expiation of it and after Death reviveth and liveth to God so we III. The Order first Death then the Resurrection from the dead so first dying to sin then being alive to God IV. The certain Connexion of these things if we dye we shall live and we cannot live to God unless we be dead to sin neither can we dye to sin unless we live to God V. In the two Branches the Apostle opposeth God to Sin I. The Nature of the Work It consists of two Branches dying to Sin and living to God Mortification and Vivification 1. Mortification is the purifying â—â—d cleansing of the Soul or the freeing it from the slavery of the flesh which detaineth it from God and disableth it for all the duties of the holy and heavenly life The reign of sin was the punishment of the first Transgression and is taken away by the gift of the Spirit upon account of the Merit of Christ however it is our work to see that sin dye it dyeth as our love to it dyeth and our love to sin is not for its own sake but because of some pleasure contentment and satisfaction that we hope to find in it for no man would commit sin or transgress meerly for his minds sake meer evil apprehended as evil cannot be the object of our choice Now then our love to sin dyeth when our esteem of the advantages of the carnal life is abated when we have no other value of the pleasures honours and profits of the world than is fully consistent with our duty to God and may further us in it Therefore we are dead to fin when we endeavour more to please God than to please the flesh and mind more our eternal than our temporal interests Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit What we mind and value most sheweth the Reign of either Principle the Flesh or the Spirit 2. Vivification or living to God is the changing of the Heart by Grace and the acting of those Graces we have received by the Spirit of Regeneration All that have received the gift of the spiritual Life are bound to exercise it and put it in act by loving serving and obeying God 2 Pet. 1.3 4 5. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust And besides this giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. They that have received Grace are not to fit down idle and satisfied but to be more active and diligent in the exercise of Grace and whatever remaineth of their lives must be devoted to
Graves mouth and wealth pleasure carnal rest worldly honour are no longer of use â—o us when we are to be laid in the dust One would think this should cure the mad desires of all mortal Creatures 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God shall endure for ever When we come to die neither can the thing do us good and the very lust and desire is gone and is bitter in the remembrance of it Pray how little can all the World then do for you when you have most need of comfort the taste of these things is gone and the sting remaineth the pampered flesh must then be cast into the dust and all its pleasure will then be at an end Which will be a doleful day to those that had their good things here and all their portion in this life when that is gone which is so much valued and sought after and the true Felicity forfeited because it was undervalued and contemned how will they be ashamed of the folly of their perverse choice Therefore if we would joyfully bear or contentedly yield to the dissolution of our bodies we should now master and mortifie the desires of the flesh 4. To shew that in this state of Mortality and Frailty we may prevent the reign of sin Many will say We are frail Creatures we are not glorified Saints the desires of Nature are impetuous Ay but you may resist them and that with success The mortality of the body doth not excuse sin but aggravate it that for a little brutish pleasure that is but for a while we will forfeit eternal Joys and run the hazard of eternal Pains But can we avoid the pleasing of desires so natural Yes many that live in the flesh do not live after the flesh their Reason is not enslaved by sense but illuminated and directed by Faith to higher things The Apostle produceth himself as an instance Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me And he speaketh no more of himself than what is common to all Believers surely they may or can if they be not wanting to themselves crucifie the flesh with the affections and passions thereof yea they have if they are true Believers Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Indeed nothing seemeth harder and harsher than for men to get such a Victory over their own Flesh and to contradict motions that are so pleasing They are not stocks and stones they say How is it possible to be so dead to the interests of the animal life as not to be moved and sometimes greatly moved with these things which either gratifie or displease the flesh I answer in Christs words Mat. 19.26 With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible There is the Spirit of Christ to change our Natures and the Spirit of Christ to direct and influence our motions and Ordinances and means appointed to convey this Spirit to us as the Word which revealeth better things Sacraments which assure to us our great hopes and oblige us to live answerably there are many Providences to deaden the taste of the flesh and train us up for better things in another World and we are to be watchful serious heavenly 5. To shew that the tediousness of our Conflict and this troublesom resistance shall endure but for a little while All our business is that sin may not reign in our mortal body there will a time come when this mortal shall put on immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 and long before that our spirits must return to God that gave them Eccles. 12.7 Now the more we think of another life the stronger we are against sin the troublesom part of our duty is but while we are in the flesh or in the world and if we can but escape the corruption that is in the world through lust we shall be happy for ever Thirdly When is sin said to reign I answer in general That is said to reign which attaineth the chief power in the Soul and particularly sin is said to reign 1. Negatively when it is not opposed or but slightly opposed We must take in this part of the description because there are contrary Principles in us There is no question but fleshly lusts will solicite you but your business is to inquire whether you oppose them it may be you do for it cannot be imagined that whilst a spark of Conscience remaineth alive in us a man can apparently be tempted from his duty but his heart will give back a little but an ineffectual striving will not acquit us even the unregenerate have a remnant of natural Knowledge and Conscience which in its measure resisteth sin as Light resisteth Darkness as is seen in the Gentiles Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another And where supernatural Revelation is added it may do more for Christians know what is evil more than Heathens do and so may escape through the knowledge of Christ the common pollutions of the world 2 Pet. 2.20 or be much troubled if they fall into them and God may give unto many some common internal Grace of the Spirit Heb. 6.4 5. which may occasion many convictions of the evil way they walk in But the business is whether there be such a Principle of resistance set up in the Soul that you walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 so that your hearts are habitually bent to God and your course of life is altered you dare not wittingly nor willingly give way to any known sin or live in the neglect of any known Duty as they do that live in any customary practice of sin or constant neglect of God or ordinarily break out into enormous offences It may be after all your care caution watchfulness resistance you may be overtaken or overcome by some violent temptation and may feel in your selves some infirmities you find you are guilty of many idle thoughts passionate words unwary practices but what is this to iniquities So those that say they relent and strive and have many wishes to be better but still continue in a carnal and ungodly life these do but sin against Conscience and never conquer the sin which they strive to resist till the opposite Principle be the ruling Principle for the main bent of your hearts and course of your lives the opposition and striving is but ineffectual If there be no sin but what you are truly desirous to
World than to excel in Grace we discover more of the Spirit of the World than of the Spirit of God 5. That Excellency which is more intrinsick puts a truer honour upon us than that which is extrinsick and foreign as we do not value an Horse by his Trappings but by his Mettle and Vigour A Corps may be laid in State and sumptuously adorned but there is no life within Crowns and Garlands may be put upon an Image the white Bulls destined for Sacrifices to Jupiter were brought to the Gates with Garlands on their Horns Acts 14.13 So men are not to be valued by their external Advantages Wealth and Greatness but their intrinsick Perfections Knowledge Holiness Humility Faith Sobriety Godliness Psal. 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought gold not the things without a man do commend him but the things within him 6. That is honourable and glorious which will everlastingly be so But we cannot say so of the things of the world All flesh is grass and the glory of man is as the flower of the field 1 Pet. 1.24 The best estate of men considered with all their ornaments wherein they use to glory is frail and perishing Riches Wisdom Strength and Beauty are soon blasted but they that are holy are lovely for ever amiable and acceptable to God for ever 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever he abideth when other things fade Vse 1. To exhort you to undertake the Service of God that you may have your fruit to Holiness and the end everlasting Life 1. To serve God is our true Liberty his Servants live the noblest and freest lives in the world Servire Deo regnare est you never reign or command till you learn to serve God His Right is unquestionable Acts 27.23 There stood by me this night an Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve It would help you much often to consider whose you are and whom you ought to serve if you were your own you might live to your selves but since you are Gods you must live to him and serve him 1. His Service will be your Pleasure for then you are in your due posture when you have a power over inferiour things and are subject to God using all things for his glory 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any and vers 19 20. Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods You are out of joynt not in your proper posture till it be so and 2. It will be also your Honour for all his Servants are also his Children and Heirs of eternal Life Tit. 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life 3. The Benefit of this Service will be exceeding great the world often inquireth What profit shall we have if we serve him Job 21.15 Ye have said It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance Mal. 3.14 The whole reward of serving God is not altogether laid up for the world to come God giveth a reward before he giveth the full reward Obedience is a reward to it self for Holiness is the health of the Soul and if we grow more in Grace and Godliness we have enough the Apostle saith You have your fruit to holiness Besides we have many spiritual and temporal Blessings 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come and 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness with contentment is great gain Once more though the great Blessedness of the Saints be in the Life to come yet here we have the foresight and foretaste there our full Portion Now that you may do so I press you 1. To give over the service of sin None can be true Servants of God till there be a change both of the Heart and of the course of the Life till the power of sin be broken we shall neither be fit nor willing to serve God Therefore we must first be freed from sin by an hearty renunciation of this slavery and bondage wherein God will help the striving Soul 2. I would press you to an high esteem of God and Holiness and everlasting Life First Of God for till we have high thoughts of God as an All-sufficient God who is able to protect and do all things needful for them that serve him we shall not intirely trust our selves in his hands Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect The incredulous world looketh on Gods glorious Titles as so many fine words Secondly Of Holiness Purity of Heart and Life a recompence worthy of your labours how dearly soever gotten Heb. 12.10 They verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Thirdly Of eternal Life they are true Servants of God who make it their work and business to serve and please God and their scope to obtain eternal Life Phil. 3.14 I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and vers 20. Our conversation is in heaven whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. This is their Happiness SERMON XXIII ROM VI. 22 latter part and the end everlasting life Doct. THAT a blessed eternal Life is the final Reward of those that have their Fruit to Holiness I. What this Eternal Life is II. The Reasons why this is our final Reward I. What Eternal Life is Though it be better industriously to seek after it than scrupulously to inquire into the Nature of this excellent Benefit yet because unknown things have not such a power and efficacy to quicken our desires let us know as much of it as we can Indeed future things are but darkly spoken of e're they be accomplished we are told Prophecy is but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 Our knowledge of these things is but imperfect our apprehensions are suitable to the state we are in which is a state of imperfection but yet they are not altogether useless but fitted to our benefit Before the coming of Christ in the Flesh the Mysteries of the Christian Religion were but darkly revealed to what they were afterward but yet they were such as were comfortable and gave them some kind of sight of Christ before his Exhibition to the World enough to ingage them to live in the expectation of the Messiah So here we have apprehensions fitted to the use of Travellers and such as may encourage us in our heavenly course and raise an expectation
part with it in these strivings yea we must strive against the flesh and overcome it so as to prevent all wilful reigning sin For they that have the spirit live in no sin but only smaller humane frailties surely where the spitit prevaileth it crucifieth the flesh and causeth men to live above all the glory riches and pleasures of the world and mortifieth our sensuality more and more and doth conquer and cast down our strongest sweetest dearest lusts that they may not hinder our love and obedience to God in Jesus Christ. But then for the positive part of the description 'T is a spirit of love power and a sound mind that is the three effects of it are life light and love there is a new vital power called there the spirit of power and then he possesseth our hearts with predominant love to God called there the spirit of a sound mind so that by these three effects doth the spirit renewing and sanctifying the souls of men discover its self in inlightning their minds and opening their hearts and fortifying their resolutions for God and the world to come and these three effects do answer the nature of God whom we apprehend under the notions of Wisdom Goodness and Power to his Wisdom there answereth the spirit of a sound mind to his goodness the spirit of love and the spirit of power to the power of God so that by these Graces we are made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and do in some sort resemble God and these suit with the word of God which is sometimes represented as light because the Wisdom of God shineth forth there and is represented in the Mysteries of the Gospel where the way of Salvation is sufficiently taught We speak wisdom among those that are perfect 2 Cor. 2.6 The holy Scriptures are able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 sometimes the Gospel is called the power of God Titus 2.11 and Jude 4th ver or the goodness of God because it representeth the wonders of Gods Love in our Redemption by Christ and the rich Preparations of Grace he hath made for us And these three effects of the spirit suit with the three fundamental Graces Faith Love and Hope the spirit of a sound mind is elsewhere called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 which is the eye of the new Creature and the spirit of love is with a little variation called love in the spirit Col. 1.8 and is the heart of the new creature and the spirit of power is hope called elsewhere abounding in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost Rom. 15.13 which is the strength of the new creature whereby we overcome sins and temptations and in all these effects doth the life and power of true godliness consist for surely he is sufficiently furnished for the kingdom of Heaven and all the duties thereof whose mind is inlightned to know God in Christ Jesus and inclined to love God and live to him and who hath chosen the blessedness of the next world for his portion and liveth in the joyful hopes and foresight of it this man hath the true spirit of the Gospel and his conversation will be answerable for there are three words by which a good conversation is usually expressed holiness heavenliness and godliness holiness is sometimes spoken of as distinct from godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 and so holiness noteth purity and hatred of sin and abhorrency of sin this is the fruit of the sound mind or the love and knowledg of God in Christ for he that sinneth hath not seen God 3 John 11. that is hath no true apprehension of him for if we rightly beheld the glory of the Lord in the glass of the Gospel we are changed into his likeness 2 Cor. 3.18 And Faith which is but the knowledg of the Gospel with assent doth purifie the Heart Acts 15.9 The next property is godliness or an inclination and addictedness to God and is the fruit of love which subjecteth all to God and raiseth the heart and resigneth it to him and maketh it fit to serve please glorifie and injoy him 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judg that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but unto him which died for them 1 Pet. 4.6 for this cause was the Gospel also preached unto them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit 1 Cor. 6.20 for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your spirits which are Gods Love is most seen in a thorough resignation and obedience unto God and a desire of Communion with him here Eph. 2.8 and the full fruition of him hereafter 2 Cor. 5.1 The last property is heavenliness Phil. 3.20 but our conversations are in heaven from whence we look for a Saviour This the spirit worketh in us by hope which fortifieth us against all the terrors and delights of sense 1 John 4.4 5 6. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world they are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the spirit of truth and the psirit of error The Apostle is speaking there of the Trial of spirits and he puts the difference upon this issue the spirit of God and the spirit of the world and sheweth the one must needs be more powerful than the other so in that other Text 1 Cor. 2.12 For we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God A spirit raised to God and seeking the happiness to come weaneth us and draweth us off the world and so giveth us power to overcome not the world only but the Flesh and the Devil also 2. Consider this spirit as it fitteth us and frameth us for our duty to man That the Apostle sheweth Eph. 5.9 For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness righteousness and truth That is the spirit that God hath sent among us by the preaching of the Gospel doth bring forth and produce in us all kindness justice and fidelity there is not a more benign affable thing than the Gospel-spirit nor any thing that doth more fit us to live peaceably and usefully in humane society the first property is all goodness for God is good to all and his spirit is called a good spirit Psal. 143.10 it causeth us to love all mankind with a love of benevolence and those that are holy and partakers with us in the same grace with a special love of complacency this not only keepeth us from doing those things which would hinder their good but also inclineth us to seek their good by all means possible especially the best good for
the way which God hath set forth for you All will chuse happiness before misery but they are out in the means they do not chuse the good of holiness before the pleasures of sin nor the life of faith before the life of sence If you have more mind to keep sin than to let it go you are still charmed and inchanted with the delights of the flesh your will and resolution is not fixed 3. To this add an industrious pursuit and seeking after these things for our choice is known by our pursuit and our bent by our work these things must be diligently sought after that we may behave our selves like men that are desirous to have what they seek Heb. 11.6 God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Everlasting Joys will not drop into the mouth of the lazy soul these things are not trifles they will cost us diligence and seriousness Phil. 2.12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling It is a weighty work and it must be followed close if you miscarry in it you are undone for ever but if you happily get through it you are in a blessed state indeed 4. You must seek after the priviledges of the Gospel in Gods way You cannot have spiritual life and Adoption and Justification by Christ till you are united to him by faith 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life You cannot have Heaven and Glory but by patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2.3 To them that by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life You cannot have the end but in the use of means and you do not like the end if you do not like the means till you come to God by Christ you cannot live the life of Grace and till you live the Life of Grace you are not capable of Glory Therefore you must ask your souls often What have I to show for my Title to Salvation more than most of the world have 5. It is not enough that you seek after them in Gods way but you must seek after them above other things A feeble desire cannot maintain it self against fleshly lusts and temptations if you have a mind to these things and a greater mind to other things your resolution will be soon shaken carnal things will intercept the vigor and life of your souls these things must be sought first and most all must be sold for the Pearl of Price Mat. 13.45 46. 6. You must beg of God to give you a new mind and a new heart Both to discern and relish spiritual things for your old corrupt minds and hearts will never do it 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he receive them because they are spiritually discerned He cannot accept nor savingly understand these things so as to believe them with a sound belief and a large affection Exhortations are in vain for inclination here doth more than Perswasion all things are of God 2 Cor. 5.17 18. God must give both and therefore ask them of him SERMON VIII ROM VIII 6 For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace THE Apostle is giving Reasons Why the Comforts of Justification do only belong to the sanctified He only takes notice of Two First The difference between the sanctified and unsanctified as to their disposition Secondly The difference that is between them as to the Event and Issue There is a contrary disposition and a contrary end and issue First How they are affected or what they mind Secondly What will come of it according to Gods Oordination and Appointment 1. He reasoneth from the contrary disposition of the unsanctified They being after the flesh do only mind and savour carnal things they study to please the flesh value all things by the interest of the flesh therefore are justly excluded from the priviledges of the spiritual life for 't is not fit men should be happy against their wills or be possess'd of priviledges they do not care for God will not cast Pearl before swine that trample on them nor bestow these precious comforts where they are not valued This Argument you have v. 5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Because they mind them not they have them not 2. He reasoneth from the consequent issue and event by the Ordination and Appointment of God Thus in the Text For to be carnally minded is death Death belongeth to the carnally minded and Life and Peace to the spiritually minded In this Scripture there are two Ways and two ends both opposite and contrary to each other 1. The two Ways The Carnal minding and the Spiritual minding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Two Ends Death and Life and Peace Doct. That the carnal mind tendeth and bringeth a man to Death but the spiritual mind is the way to life and peace The Text and the Doctrine being a copulate Axiom must be explained by parts 1. To be carnally minded is death I must open Two Things 1. The carnal minding 2. That death which is the fruit and consequent of it 1. What is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which here we translate to be carnally minded in the Margent the minding of the flesh and some Translations the wisdom of the flesh 1. I Answer 'T is the influence of the flesh upon all the faculties Vnderstanding Will and Affections as also upon our practice and conversation when the Wisdom of the flesh governeth our counsels choices and actions It includeth the acts of the mind There are two acts of the mind Apprehension and Cogitation in both the flesh bewrayeth its self 1. As to Apprehension We are acute in discerning the Nature Worth and Value of carnal things but stupid and blockish in things spiritual and heavenly Luke 16.9 The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More dexterous in the course of their affairs skilful in all things of a secular interest in back and belly concernments but very sensless in things that are without the line of the flesh and beyond the present world 2 Pet. 1.9 He is blind and cannot see afar off He can see nothing of the danger of perishing for ever or the worth of Salvation or the need of Christ to heal wounded souls or the necessity of making serious preparation for the world to come 'T is strange to consider how acute Wits are stupid and sensless in these things being blinded by the delusions of the flesh surely none have such a lively knowledg of spiritual things as spiritual men Object But do not many carnal men understand the Mysteries of Godliness Yea sometimes more distinctly and acurately than the sanctified I Answer Carnal
them so as to affect and esteem them and esteem and affect them so as to seek after them and so to seek after them as to seek after them in the first place 1. We must know them For the Things of the Spirit must be understood before they can be chosen and desired John 4.10 If thou knewest the gift The brutish world know not the worth of spiritual and heavenly things therefore mind them not 2. Believe them None will seek after that which they judg to be a fancy or of the certainty of which they are not perswaded especially when they must forgo present delights and contentments to obtain it such is Salvation by Christ 2 Pet. 1.5 10 16 And besides this giving all diligence to add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledg Wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 3. Affect and esteem them above all other things Heb. 11.13 Being perswaded of these things they imbraced them So esteem them that your desires may not be checked and controled by other things Heb. 11.26 By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter 4. To pursue after them with all diligence Phil. 2.10 Working out your salvation with fear and trembling and John 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but that which endureth to everlasting life 5. Seek them in the first place that you may not only make it your business but the chiefest business of your lives to obtain these Things Mat. 6.33 First seek the kingdom of God This is to set your faces heavenward when you make it your great business to please God and save your souls 2. This is Life and Peace By Life and Peace is meant Eternal Blessedness he addeth to the Word Life the Term Peace because in Eternal Life there is freedom from all evil and the presence of all good for there can be no true solid peace where there is the fear of any evil or a want of any good but here being neither the Soul is fully at peace and rest therefore 't is said that God will give glory honour and peace to every one that doth good Rom. 2.10 Heaven is the new Jerusalem the City of Peace where we converse with God who is a God of Peace and enjoy full peace and rest from all our Molestations but tho it be meant of Heaven yet peace of Conscience is not excluded partly because 't is the beginning and earnest of it that peace which we now have in the Kingdom of the Messiah by our Reconciliation with God Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God and the testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1.20 This is a continual feast Now the fruit of righteousness is peace Peace in Heaven and peace on earth Luke 2.14 and Luke 19.38 Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord. Peace in Heaven and Glory in the highest 'T is begun here and perfected there And partly because whatever the Spirit worketh tendeth to our Peace and Blessedness not only hereafter but now Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing The Reasons are in common 1. With respect to Gods Justice God who is the most Righteous Governour of the world will make a just difference between the Righteous and the wicked by rewards and punishments it belongeth to his general Justice ut bonis bene sit malis male that it should be well with them that do well and ill with them that do ill Psal. 11.5 6. Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest shall be the portion of their cup for the righteous God loveth righteousness his countenance beholdeth the upright Surely God is not indifferent to good and evil to them that will please the flesh and obey the Spirit his Justice will not permit that the carnal and the regenerate who are so different in their lives should meet together in the end no surely the end of the one will be death and the other life and peace 2. To suit his Motives to the profit of Men. 1. There needeth something frightful to make sin a terror to us therefore doth he counterballance with advantage the pleasures of sin that are but for a season we are vehemently addicted to carnal delights therefore to check this inclination God ballanceth the choicest and highest pleasures with eternal pain that by setting one against the other we may be deterred from pleasing the flesh Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die 2. To encourage the godly in their self-denying Obedience The godly quit and forgo many pleasures which others enjoy Now to restrain and deny the flesh seemeth a pain and trouble therefore to encourage them to continue in an holy course tho it be distastful to the flesh and to renounce worldly pleasures and sensual delights while they may injoy them God hath told them of life and peace they shall have joy enough 1. VSE is Information To shew us the folly of wicked men who are self-destroyers and wrong their own souls while they despise the ways of Wisdom and prefer carnal satisfactions before the pleasing of God All that hate me love death Prov. 8.36 Not formally but consequentially a wicked man sinneth not purposely that he may be damned but that is the issue 2. It sheweth us the security of the wicked they sleep most soundly when their danger is nighest as Jonah in the storm that was raised for his sake they are upon the brink of Hell yet they go on merrily lulling their Consciences asleep with outward and vain delights but tho they sleep their damnation sleepeth not it were better to waken and escape the danger Prov. 27.12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself but the simple pass on and are punished A little sober Consideration of this truth may be of use to them VSE 2. Is Admonition Oh let this stop us from going on in a flesh-pleasing course Consider whither it will lead you what followeth upon this 1. 'T is Death If it were a small thing you might bear it but 't is a case of Life and Death eternal Life and Death This will be the eternal ruin of your precious and immortal souls The more you please the Flesh the more you add Fuel to that Fire which shall never be quenched and provide matter for that never-dying Worm or eternal sorrow and confusion of face to your souls Those things that now please the Senses will one day sting the Conscience We should not affect that which will be Death to us Remember the Hook when the Flesh looketh only to the Bait. 2. T is Death threatned in the Word of God and therefore certain as well as dreadful Rom. 6.21 The wages of sin is death and Rom. 7.5 The motions of sin did bring forth fruit unto death If a man warn
own personal eternal interest have an undoubted evidence of their love to Christ but we cannot say that none love Christ but those which arrive at that height and degree But this is both exclusive and inclusive The Text sheweth it to be exclusive he that hath not the spirit is none of his That is not grafted as a living member into Christs mystical body for the present nor will he be accepted or approved as a true Christian at last at the day of Christs appearing to be none of Christs is to be disowned and disclaimed by Christ Depart from me I know you not How grievous is the thought of it to any good Christian Secondly 'T is inclusive 1 John 2.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in God and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit These are magnificent Words and such as we should not have used if God had not used them before us 'T is much nearness to dwell one with another 't is more nearness to dwell one in another this is mutual and reciprocal between God and a believer if we have his Spirit we may safely conclude it To prove this let us see 1. What it is to have the spirit 2. Why this is the Evidence that we are true Christians For the first Question take these Explanations 1. By the spirit of Christ is not meant any created habit and gift For the new nature is sometimes called the Spirit John 3.6 But the third person in the Trinity called the Holy Ghost is here meant For he is spoken of as a person that dwelleth in Believers in the former part of the verse and dwelleth in them as in his Temple as one that leadeth guideth and sanctifieth them yea as one that will at length quicken their Mortal bodies v. 11. Which no created habit and Quality can do Yea he is called the spirit of God and the spirit of Christ. If so be the spirit of God dwell in you And in the words of the Text if any man have not the spirit of Christ Because he proceedeth from the Father and the Son John 15.26 When the comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father This is the spirit which is spoken of in this place 2. This spirit is had or said to be in us We have not only the Fruit but the Tree But how have we him We have a right to his person he is given to us in the Covenant of Grace as our sanctifyer as God is ours by Covenant so is the spirit ours as well as the Father and the Son and he is present in our hearts as the immediate Agent of Christ and worker of all grace 'T is true in respect of his essence and some kind of operation he is present in all Creatures Psal. 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit Whither shall I fly from thy presence God filleth all things with his spirit and presence And therefore when some are said to have him and others not to have him 't is understood of his peculiar presence with respect to those Eminent operations and effects which he produceth in the hearts of the faithful and no where else For he is such an Agent no where as he is in their hearts Therefore they are called Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 and 1 Cor. 6.19 Because he buildeth them up for an Holy use and also dwelleth and resideth there maintaining Gods Interest in their Souls 3. These Eminent Operations of the Holy Ghost are either in a way of common gifts or special graces as to common gifts Reprobates and Hypocrites may be said to be partakers of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6.4 Balaam had the gift of Prophesie and Judas the gift of Miracles as well as the rest of the Apostles so 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle discourseth at large of the Gifts of the Spirit and concludeth but I shew you a more excellent way verse 31. And then taketh it up again 1 Cor. 13.1 2. Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels and have not charity I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal and though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all Knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are dona ministrantia gifts for the Service of the Church such as profound knowledge utterance in Preaching or Praying or any other Ministeral acts and Dona Sanctificantia such as Faith Hope and Love the former may render us useful to the Church but not acceptable to the Lord. The superficial Christianity is rewarded with common gifts but the real Christianity with Special Graces all that profess the Faith are visibly adopted by God into his Family and under a visible Administration of the Covenant of Grace so far as they are Adopted into Gods Family so far they are made partakers of the Spirit Christ giveth to common Christians those common gifts of the Spirit which he giveth not to the heathen world as knowledg of the mysteries of Godliness abilities of utterance and speech about Heavenly things some affection also to Spiritual and Heavenly things called a tasting of the good Word the Heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come these will not prove us true Christians or really in Gods special favour but only visible professed Christians 4. The spirit as to Sanctifying and saving effects may be considered as spiritus assistens aut in formans either as moving warning or exciting by transient motions so the wicked may be wrought upon by him as to be convinced warned excited how else can they be said to resist the Holyghost Acts 7.51 and the Lord telleth the Old World Gen. 6.3 That his spirit should not always strive with them Surely besides the Counsels and Exhortations of the Word the Spirit doth rebuke warn and excite them and moveth and stirreth and striveth in the Hearts of all carnal creatures or else these expressions could not be used 5. There are such effects of his sanctifying grace as are wrought in us per modum habitus permanentis to renew and change us so as a man from carnal doth become spiritual the Spirit of God doth so dwell in us as to frame heart and life unto holiness this work is sometimes called the new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 And sometimes the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 It differeth from gifts because they are for outward service but this conduceth to change the heart it differeth from actual motions and inspirations because they may vanish and die away without any saving impression left upon the heart it differeth from those slighter dispositions to Godliness which are many times in temporaries because they are but a light tincture soon worn off and have no power and mastery over sensual affections if they restrain them a little they do not
and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Which is a great priviledg if we consider Three Things 1. His Relation to mankind in the general 2. His Relation to the ancient Church under the legal Covenant 3. The estate wherein his Grace found us when he was pleased to take us into his family 1. His Relation to mankind in general So he is the Father of all the world as he created them and Adam is called the Son of God Luke 3.18 He is a father to any who giveth them being and hath a right to govern them so is God to us he made us and is the sole cause of our being and not being and so hath a right in us to dispose of usat his own pleasure But the Relation that we have to God by Creation is distinct from the natural Being this is our new Being which we have from him as his redeemed ones our natural being flowed from his benignity and common bounty but our spiritual being from his special Grace and Love to us in Christ. By creation we are his children as he formed us in the womb and created the soul within us called therefore the father of spirits Heb. 12.9 in opposition to the fathers of our flesh but he is our father by Adoption as we are regenerated by the Holy Ghost John 1.12 13. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God being born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Our new birth and spiritual being in Christ is the next ground of our Adoption and so we come into a nearer relation to him that we may be capable of receiving the fruits of his special love 't is the benefit of our Redemption applied by his sanctifying spirit to all them that shall be heirs of life By the common Relation God hath a title to our dearest love but we have no title to his highest benefits and therefore he is our Father in a more comfortable sense as we are his workmanship in Christ. 2. His relation to the ancient Church through the legal Covenant So God was a Father to them and they his children for Israel was called his first-born Exod. 4.22 in opposition to other Nations who were left to perish in their own ways And their descendants are called the children of the Kingdom Matth. 8.12 because they had the ordinances and means of grace but the Gospel-church is properly the church of the first-born Heb. 12.23 As they have a clearer knowledg of the priviledges belonging to Gods children and a larger participation and more comfortable use of them and so are freed from that rigour and servitude which belonged to the first administration of the covenant of Grace they have that which answereth the priviledg of primogeniture jus sacerdotis jus haereditatis the right of Priesthood as they are a royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Made Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1.5 Because they offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 They are separated by the Election of God from the rest of the world and have an unction from his Holy Spirit 1 John 2.20 And so are qualified to offer up themselves Rom. 12.1 and Prayers and Praises and Alms unto God Heb. 13.15 16. The other Priviledg of the birth-right is jus hereditatis the first-born had a double portion not only of possessions but of Dignity and Honour above their brethren All Gods children are heirs and heirs of the Heavenly inheritance the multitude of co-heirs doth not lessen the inheritance nor make the Priviledg less glorious They are heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 3. The estate wherein his Grace found us when he was pleased to take us into his family We were by nature children of Wrath wretched children Eph. 2.3 that had deprived our selves of the inheritance wasted our Patrimony forfeited our right to the Promises but our inheritance is redeemed and the forfeiture taken off by Christ and we are brought back again into the family dignified with the priviledges of the first-born made Priests unto God and above all his other creatures do become his special Portion Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us to be a kind of first fruits to his creatures And made heirs of the Kingdom Jam. 2.5 Now for us to have the Blessed God whom we had so often offended to become our reconciled Father in Christ Oh what wonderful love is this That we should be admitted into the Church of the first-born have free liberty to worship God and have a right to such a blessed and glorious inheritance 2. What is the spirit of Adoption First We are made sons and then we have the spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 Being adopted into Gods Family we have a spirit suitable They that use to adopt children give them some kind of token to express their love so here is a gift answerable to the dignity of our estate and the love of a Father and that is the gift of the spirit the dignity is inward and spiritual and the gift answereth it He hath sent the spirit of his Son into your hearts God would not distinguish the good â—â— na fall about the Tents of Israel and the people will not go for to gather it to fill their Homer they may starve Tho the Bread of Heaven be dispensed by such a liberal provision the Spirit is ready but they are lazy The Spirit by accident is a cause of servile fear but these Motions are his proper effects 2. A superficial Christianity is rewarded with common gifts but the real Christianity with special Graces All that profess the Faith and are baptized into Christ Gal. 3.26 27. are visibly adopted by God into his Family and are under a visible Administration of the Covenant of Grace So far as they are adopted into God's Family so far they are made partakers of the Spirit Christ giveth to common Christians those common gifts which he giveth not to the Heathen World knowledg of the mysteries of godliness abilities of utterance and speech about spiritual and heavenly things some affection also to them called tasting of the good Word the heavenly Gift and the powers of the World to come Heb. 6. These will not prove us true Christians or really in Gods special favour but only visible professed Christians 3. Among the sincere some have not the spirit of adoption at so full a rate as others have neither so pure and fervent a love to God nor such a respectful obedience and submission to him nor such an Holy confidence and boldness becoming that great happiness which they are called unto who have the right and hope of the Blessed inheritance and so not so much of that son-like disposition which the spirit worketh by revealing the Love and Mercy of God contained in the Gospel in the Hearts of his People some do more improve their priviledges than others do now they
giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledg c. wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure c. for if ye do these things ye shall never fall for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. So for Consideration Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Jesus Christ. The weightiest things lye by and are as if they were not sleepy reason is as none and the most important truths work not till consideration make them lively so for application what concerneth us not is passed over unless we hear things with a care to apply them we shall never make use of them Eph. 1.13 After ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation 'T is not enough to know the Gospel to be a Doctrine of Salvation to others but we must look upon it as a Doctrine that bringeth salvation to our own doors and leaveth it upon our choice a plaister doth not heal at a distance till it be applied to the sore truths are too remote till we set the edg and point of them to our own hearts Now this Question in the Text relateth to all Three 1. It challengeth our faith What shall we say to these things Do we believe them and assent to them as certain verities The Apostle doth in effect demand what we can reply or say to these things The unbelieving dark and doubtful heart of man hath many things to say against divine truths let God say what he will the heart is ready to gainsay it yet 't is good to press our selves thoroughly with the light and evidence of truths to compel the heart to bring forth its objections and scruples if any mind to contradict have we any solid arguments to oppose truth wanteth its efficacy when 't is received with an half conviction and doubts smothered breed Atheism irreligion and gross negligence certainly the weighty truths of Christianity are so clear that the heart of man hath little or nothing to say against them therefore follow it to a full conviction doth any scruple yet remain in our minds 't is good thoroughly to sift things that they may appear in their proper lustre and evidence John 11.26 Believest thou this Pose your hearts 2. This question doth excite consideration or meditation We should not pass by comfortable and important truths with a few glancing and running thoughts 't is one part of the work of grace to hold our hearts upon them Acts 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things that were spoken Otherwise in seeing we see not and in hearing we hear not when we see and hear things in a crowd of other thoughts as when you tell a man of a business whose mind is taken up about other things no your minds must dwell upon these things till you are affected with them a full survey of the object sheweth us the worth of it What shall we say to these things That is what can be said more for our comfort and satisfaction Or what do we desire more How should we be satisfied with this felicity and love of the Ever-blessed God to his people 3. It awakeneth application to our selves that we may make use of these things for our own good Application is twofold direct or reflexive and the question may be explained with respect to both 1. Direct application As when we infer and bind our duty upon our selves from such principles as are laid down so What shall we say to these things That is what use shall we make of them Christianity is not a matter of speculation only but of practise therefore when we hear the truth of it enforced we must commune with our selves What doth this call for at our hands but serious diligence 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness The truths of the Gospel are not propounded that we may talk at an higher rate than others do but to live at an higher rate if I should be negligent indifferent careless What will become of me 2. Reflexive application is when we consider our state and course and judg of it by such general truths as are propounded to us direct application is by way of practical inference reflexive by way of discovery and to this sense may this question be interpreted What shall we say to these things Doth heart and practise agree with them Do I live answerable to these comforts and priviledges What am I one called and sanctified and one that continueth with patience in well doing upon the hope of eternal life 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye are reprobates If Christ be formed in his people is he formed in me Thus things must be brought home to the heart and laid to the conscience if we would make a profitable use of them USE is to awaken this self-communing To make our assent more strong our consideration more deep and serious and our application either by way of inference or discovery more close and pungent Do we assent Is this a truth to be lightly passed over If this be true what must I do Or what have I done Now this you should do upon these occasions 1. When you are tempted to unbelief There are some points which are remote from sense and cross the desires and lusts of sensual men and we either deny them or doubt of them or our hearts are full of prejudice against them and also the Devil doth inject thoughts of blasphemy or doubts about the world to come into the hearts of people especially in those that take Religion upon trust or are secretly false to that Religion they have received upon some evidence Now to prevent all this 't is good to commune with our selves that we may be well settled in the truth therefore see with what evidence the great things of the other world are represented unto us in the Word of God and what a just title they have to our firmest belief Faith will not be settled without serious thoughts and it soon withereth there where it hath not much depth of earth Matth. 13.5 6. No thoughts in the highway ground slight thoughts in the stony ground faith is a child of light and given upon certain grounds Luke 1.4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed and Acts 17.11 12. They searched the Scriptures whether those things were so Therefore many of them believed But presumption and slight credulity is a child of darkness the fruit of ignorance and incogitancy therefore 't is good in those truths that need it most to ask What say we to these things 2. When you are in danger
he is ascended into Heaven he is to be known in Faith and worshipped in Spirit his body is above all kindness and his memory is to be respected not as the memory of an honourable man but as one who is Lord of the Church and governeth it by his Spirit to the end of the World Phil. 2.10 11. Not Lord Lord but obedience Matth. 7.22 1 USE is reproof of those that please themselves with that deceit of heart that if they had lived in the days of Christ conversed with our Saviour and heard his Doctrine and seen his Miracles and holy life they would not have used him as the Jews did but expressed kindness and love to his person Now to these let me say First That 't is an old deceit of heart We usually translate the scene of our duty to former times and lay aside at the present that work and expression of love which God hath called us to God knoweth in what age to cast you and what means and dispensations are fittest for you he that doth not improve present means will not improve any 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen we love in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory If ye receive his Doctrine obey his Laws believe in him love him rejoyce in the midst of afflictions you express your love to Christ. 2. It is not likely you would do otherwise having the same temper and constitution of Soul which they had that opposed Christ the same root of bitterness in you You hate those in whom there is the Image of Christ and some representation of his Holiness and Meekness We read of those Mat. 23.29 30. Who build the Tombs of the Prophets and garnish the Sepulchers of the Righteous and say if we had been in the days of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets who yet persecuted Christ as many will condemn the former Adversaries of the Martyrs Bonner and Gardiner Christ taught no other Doctrine than that which the Prophets and Martyrs had done but dead Saints do not exasperate And what entertainment would a rude dissolute sort of people give to such a mean but holy Person as Christ was that was so free in his Reproofs Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do John 8.44 He that now sheweth a spightful and malicious mind against the Truth and Servants of God shall never make me think otherwise but if he had lived in Christs days he would have been as ready and forward to persecute him as the worst Certainly an Herod and an Herodias to John Baptist would have been an Ahab and a Jezabel to Elijah ask them what they thought of Ahab and Jezabel they would have made many great Protestations that they would have done far otherwise but they did the same things to him that came in the Spirit and Power of Elias No miscreant but will cry out on the treachery of Judas the envy and malice of the High-Priests the fury of the Jews yet the same thing is done by them whilest Godliness is Persecuted they are still desirous to break this Vessel where this Treasure lyeth Dead Saints are out of sight no Eye sore to them no way offensive to their Ears 3. If you should this would not save you without Conversion to God The same Laws were in force then that are now knowing Christ after the flesh would do you no good but a spiritual and true affection to him The Reward was still promised to true Disciples John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honour When some came to see him he exhorted to imitation of his Example and subjection to his Laws It is not an outside appearance unless we humbly engage in his Service and have a desire to please him in all things Oh therefore let us make this use of the love of Christ and the sense of our engagements to him as to know Christ not after the flesh but so as to love him and serve him and subject our selves to his Laws Use 2. Have we a better knowledge of Christ Do we know him after the flesh or after the Spirit 1. The ground of our Knowledge what is it common Tradition Human Credulity or the illumination of the Holy Ghost The same Truths work differently as represented in a different light Common Report begets a cold Christianity Mat. 16.16 17. 1 John 5 4 5. 1 Cor. 2.4 Hear-say is an advantage yet not to be rested in We stand upon higher ground than Heathens yet are not taller men John 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World We our selves should be acquainted with Christ then we know the Truth with more efficacy John 8.32 Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free with more clearness and certainty John 17.8 They have known surely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I came out from thee Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Christ You may venture safely upon it build on it as a sure Foundation the other is but a dead and weak thing it vanquisheth no Temptations subdueth no carnal Affections 2. The fruits and effects of our Knowledge 1. It is a transforming Knowledge 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory Such a Knowledge as begets Union with Christ and a thorow change so as to be converted to him For it follows in the next verse to the Text Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Christ liveth a new kind of life in Heaven so should we upon Earth he hath laid aside his mortal life so should we our carnal life live to God in the Spirit Know him and the power of his Resurrection Phil. 2.10 Christians are to be esteemed by their profiting in Godliness that is knowing him after the Spirit When we know that Spiritual Power which is in him and feel it in our selves renewing and changing the heart we find the power of his Resurrection raising us from the death of Sin to the life of Grace if we are planted into Christ as living Members of his Mystical Body 2. It is a knowledge that obscureth the splendor of all outward excellencies in our Opinion Estimation and Affection 1 Cor. 2.2 For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him Crucifyed Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom
I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ All is nothing to this 3. It weaneth the heart from outward observances and bodily exercises to solid Godliness or looking after the life and power of them The Ordinances of the Law though of God's own Institution are called Carnal Heb. 7.16 Not after the law of a carnal commandment the Worship of the Gospel Spirit and Truth John 4.23 24. The hour is coming and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth The more true knowledge of the Gospel the more of this As the Apostle distinguisheth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.2 3. and the Apostle speaketh of the Jew Rom. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So it is with better reason true of the Christian the Worship of the Gospel consisting little of Externals but being Rational Spiritual Worship 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Col. 2.6 As ye have received the Lord Jesus Christ so walk ye in him We receive his Spirit That is a sorry zeal and hath little of a Christian Spirit that runneth altogether upon outward things Christianity first degenerated by this means and the life and power of it was extinguished when it began to run out altogether in Form and men out of a natural Devotion grew excessive that way A Christian in obedience to God is to use his instituted Externals but his Heart is upon the Spirit and Soul of Duties Multiplying Rites and Ceremonies has eat out the life and heart of Religion The more spiritual and substantial Worship is the better if there be humble and affectionate reverence a ready subjection and submission to him flowing from grace engaging the heart to God and animated by the influence and breathing of his Spirit SERMON XXXII 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new THis is an inference out of the former Doctrine Two things the Apostle had said Henceforth we no more live to our selves verse 15th And Henceforth know we him no more verse 16th There is a change wrought in us a change of life and a change of Judgment a new Life because there is a new Judgment Now in the Text he sheweth a reason why he changed his Judgment and Life and lived and judged otherwise than he did before because there is such a change wrought in all that belong to Christ that they are as it were other persons than they were As when Saul prophesied 1 Kings 10.6 The Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee and thou shalt be turned into another man Not in respect of person or in regard of substance but some gifts and graces So these should be as other creatures as new creatures Now these things should only be in esteem with Christians which belong to the new creature or regeneration Therefore if any man be in Christ c. In the words we have a Proposition 1. Asserted 2. Explained 1. The Proposition asserted is hypothetical in which there is 1. An hypothesis or Proposition If any man be in Christ. 2. The assertion built thereon He is a new Creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A new creation The act of creation is signified by this form of speech as well as the thing created 2. The Proposition explained For there is First A destructive work or a pulling down of the old house Old things are passed away 2dly An adstructive work or raising of the new fabrick All things are become new The words are originally taken out of Isa. 65.17 and Isa. 66.22 Where God promiseth a new Heaven and a new Earth That is a new World or a new state of things Which promises had a threefold accomplishment 1. These promises should have some accomplishment at their return from Babylon which was a new World to the ruined and exiled state of the Church of the Jews 2. These promises were fulfilled to all believers in their regeneration which is as a new World to sinners 3. They shall be accomplished most fully in the life to come for the Apostle telleth us 2 Pet. 3.19 We look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Here it signifieth then that all things which belong to the old man shall be abolished and the new man and its interests and inclinations cherished Doct. All those that are united to Christ are and ought to be new creatures Here I shall enquire 1. What it is to be new creatures 2. In what sense we are said to be united to Christ. 3. How the new creation floweth from our union with Christ. 1. What it is to be new creatures It implieth 1. That there must be a change wrought in us so that we are as it were other Men and Women than we were before As if another Soul came to dwell in our Body This change is represented in such terms in Scriptures as do imply such a broad and sensible difference as is between light and darkness Eph. 5.8 Life and Death 1 John 3.14 The new man and the old Eph. 4.22 and 24. The vitious Qualities must be subdued and mortified and contrary Qualities and graces planted in their stead A man is so changed in his nature as if a Lion were turned into a lamb as the Prophet says when he sets forth the strange effects of Christs powerful government over the Souls of those who by the Ministry of the Word are subdued to him Isa. 11.6 7 8. The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a young Child shall lead them And the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lye down together and the Lion shall eat straw with the Ox. And the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice Den. They shall be so inwardly and thoroughly changed that they shall seem new creatures transformed out of Beasts into men and instead of an hurtful they should have an innocent and harmless disposition Without a Metaphor this is represented 1 Cor 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are