thing Isa 64. 6. Jam. 5. 2. When we are most without Guile there is a mixture of Guile so that the holiest oâ— men have dreaded and deprecated a rigorous Law procedure with them as knowing that they could not stand it Psal 130. 3. 143. 2. It is an act of Gods rich Grace to accept of the best and most sincere duties that we do and if there were nâ— a Christ in whom they are accepted it would not beâ— there is a pardon that must be continued and applyed to them else we had no hope the Defilement of the Holy things of Gods Israel must be expiated 7 That the Righteousness of Christ doth alone answer this This doth and none else can this is the Righteousness of God viz. of Gods providingâ— and of him who was God it was perfect in 〈◊〉 self it answered all the Laws demands it complied with both the Sanctions of it it gave the Justice of God the greatest satisfaction that could be he did all that the Law required and suffered all which that threatned in case of sin it was such a righteousness as no other but the Son of God in our nature could offer and hence our pardon can be influenced by no other but this nor can the matter of our Justification be any thing else because nothing else can stand for us 8. That the Commendation and Reward which Christ will give to the Holiness of his people at the Great Day belongs not to their Justification but their Glorification There will be such a thing Math. 25. 34. c. But all this is done after their Justification and when they are in a state of Grace and Favour and under the priviledges and promises of the New Covenant Now in that New Covenant although there be no worthiness in us and all our duties are but our duty and we Unprofitable Luk. 17. 10. Yet our Father who by his Spirit worketh our works in us and giveth us the Grace to Live without Guile and to Serve him in uprightness of Heart accepts of his own works in us gives us the Commendation of them and bestows a reward upon us to let us know that our labour hath not been in vain yet it is not a reward of Debt â—ut of Grace Hence that observable difference Rom. 6. 23. The wages of Sin is Death but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord But this and such like Scriptures are abusively applyed to our Justification for that proceeds according to the Rule set down by God in his Law being answered by a Surety for us whereas Glorification is another thing and is bestowed on such as were before Pardoned and Sanctified and made meet for the inheritance Rom. 8. 30. 3. What evidence our being without Guile giveth 〈◊〉 confirm us in the belief and knowledge of our being â—ardoned or Justifyed A. That Justification and Sanctification are â—ynt benefits flowing from Effectual Vocation hath been already observed Hence that which gives evidence to our calling will do so to all the fruits that derive from it for Christ and his benefits go together and in our calling the Covenant is made between him and us and we are united to him and he becometh ours and 〈◊〉 Justification Adoption c. are ours Now one way to know our calling is by the things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6. 9. i. e. By the fruits iâ— us that infallibly follow upon true Conversionâ— and those fruits that are evidential are specially to be sought for in Sanctification For though Justification and Adoption are benefits bestowed immediately upon Vocation yet being Relativeâ— they are not self evidential but must be proved by something that is inherent in us It is true in Justification we are at Peace with God Rom. 5. 〈◊〉 And thence flows peace in our own Conscienceâ— but there is a false peace that some please themselves withal and we must therefore seek 〈◊〉 that which will witness ours to be true for which we must look further And in our Adoption 〈◊〉 Receive the Spirit of Adoption enabling us to call God Father Rom. 8. 15. But yet there are those who pretend to this and are indeed of their Father tâ— Devil Joh. 8. 43 44. We must therefore enquiâ— whether it be indeed the Spirit of God that beâ—eth witness in us and for this also we must 〈◊〉 something in us to evidence it and where should we seek for this but in our Sanctification For 〈◊〉 for our Glorification that is a resultancy from thâ— three former and we must by them be establishâ— in a firm belief and comfortable expectation of it and if the proof of the two former must be by our Sanctification the clearing up of this must be so too Heb. 12. 14. Holiness without which no man shall see God As therefore the best way to make it appear to the charitable perswasion of others that we are in a good and safe state is by an Holy Conversation and without Guile so the Apostle argues 1 Thes 1. 4 5. 2 Thes 1. 3. So it is a necessary Medium by which we may know our selves to be so to be able to find in our selves such things as evidence that we are really such as we seem to be The Evidence then of our Pardoned State from our being without Guile ariseth from the inseparable connexion there is between these two and hence it amounts to an infallible Demonstration So that if the premises be true the conclusion must needs follow Now the Connexion in the first Proposition is the strongest that can be form it which way we will and it â—bides true and reciprocally so Now the ground of the certainty of this Connexion will be made clear in the following Conclusions 1. All those and none but those that are Converted are forgiven Conversion is the first saving gift that God bestows on any of the Children of men this is the primary design of the Gospel Dispensations Acts 26. 18. When God comes to pursue his Eternal Purpose to any one he then Converts him Jer. 31. 3. In which Conversion â—e gives men Faith and Repentance and then a Pardon Acts 5. 31. It is in Conversion that a quickning principle is put into men and before that they are Dead Eph. 2. 1. Dead legally and dead spiritually but as soon as that comes in they are now Alive to God unto which life this pardon doth appertain and as this priviledge is entailed on Conversion so it is restrained to it and no impenitent Sinners partake in it they are in a state of Condemnation Mat. 18. 3. Joh. 3. 36. 2. In this Conversion in and with which forgiveness is applied there is wrought an universal Change in the man When God Converts a Sinner by turning him from his sin to himself he doth it not by force or violent constraint but causeth him to be spontaneous in it Psal 110. 〈◊〉 Now the will of the natural man is in it self violently and unperswadably
refers to some trouble that he met with after his Conversion and yet he tells us how sadly he was oppressed with it That the sense of Guilt is terrible to him that hath the impressions of it on his Spirit we have already observed That therefore which is here only to be enquired is How a true Convert who is a Justified consequently a pardoned person comes to be distrest with Guilt which is removed by Forgiveness And this is a Case worthy our looking into For the right stainâ— and explaining whereof I may offer these Conclusions 1 It is certain that in the forgiveness of Sin the whole Guilt of it is removed A Pardon hath 〈◊〉 proper respect unto Guilt it makes not the 〈◊〉 not to have been nor takes away the merit of it but it removes the obligation of it that bound the Sinner to Dy a pardon doth not take away a part and leave a part but it dischargeth all it doth not remit the fault and retain the punishment nor doth it abate the Eternal Punishment and reserve the Temporal but it altogether dears the man from the Law sentence against him for this reason it is said to be blotted out c. God indeed forgives as a Judge and corrects as a Father but this respects not the Law but the Gospel and the Correction is to heal the person it is not an act of Revenging Justice but Parental Discipline Jer. 10. 24. 2. That Justification in which Sin is pardoned is not an eternal and immanent but a temporary and transient act They that talk of an Eternal Justification mistake the Scripture notion of it True in the Eternal Compact between God the Father and Son there were those given to the Son whom he was in due time to Redeem and Justify Isa 53. 11. And so this was secured for them and when Christ Rose from the Dead he was as our Sureâ—y Justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. And so there was a â—ustification taken out for us Rom. 4. 25. But the â—ctual application of it to us is upon our believing Rom. 5. 1. There is an act of God which passeth upon the Sinner whereby his Guilt is taken off â—rom him and this is part of that which the Scripâ—ure calls Justification And therefore before that we are counted Children of Wrath Eph. 2. 3. The â—hing was made sure before but we must be in Christ before we pass from Condemnation Rom. 8. 1. 3. There is a double consideration to be had 〈◊〉 the forgiveness which is applied to the Sinneâ— viz. 1. In respect to his Person and State The naturaâ— state of every Child of Adam is a state of Condemnation as he stands Guilty of the Imputatioâ— of the First Transgression and as he is Born undeâ— the power of In dwelling Original Sin by verâ— whereof his State is a State of Guilt Now 〈◊〉 state is removed in Justification in which theâ— are two things done for the person viz. He is 〈◊〉 free from Guilt and Condemnation and adjudged to Eternal Life called a passing from death 〈◊〉 life 1 Joh. 3. 14. The man is removed from under the Law and put under Grace Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 And by this the mans state is secured for Eternity he is for ever out of the reach of the Law threaâ—ning 2. In respect to his actions A pardoned justifiâ— man is not presently got rid of the Body of Death but is sometimes carried Captive by the Law 〈◊〉 his Members and hence he may and sometimâ— doth do the things that are displeasing to God Sam. 11. ult And this must be by sin for nothinâ— else can properly displease him and there is farther consideration to be had on account 〈◊〉 these which we may observe in that which folloâ— 4. That there is a sort of Guilt that cleaves to 〈◊〉 sinful actions of the Children of God If we look Guilt in a strict legal sense as that which binâ— â—he person over to suffer the vengeance of the Law so there is none can befal a justified Believâ— Rom. 8 1. The person is by the justifying act but beyond this danger God hath said Deliver him from going to the pit I have found a ransom he hath imputed Christ's Righteousness to him and it stands for him and cannot cease so 〈◊〉 do But yet there is something that may beâ—al a Justified person that the Scripture puts such name upon David was such an one before he â—urdered Uriah and yet prays to be cleared from â—uilt Psal 51. 14. What this is we must further â—nquire only in general observe that it cannot â—espect the mans state but his actions and the â—onsequents thereon in the Providence of God 5. That actual sins are not actually forgiven the â—an before they are committed Every Justified Beâ—ever is under the moral Law as a Rule though â—ot as a Covenant and so every neglect of or â—oing any thing against the Law is truly Sin â—nd stands in need of forgiveness and for this â—eason they are enjoyned to pray every day for 〈◊〉 Mat. 6. 12. This saith they want it else there â—ould be no occasion to pray for it and inâ—eed all the sins we commit after believing 〈◊〉 go to Christ's score else the Law would all foul on us This forgiveness must be taken 〈◊〉 after the sin is committed for if it were â—ctually applied before we need not go for it â—ery day God doth not as the Pope who â—etends to be Christ's Vicar give men Indulgenâ— for sins to be committed so many years hence all the Indulgence he affords us is if we sâ—n we have an Advocate by whom we may obtain forgiveness 1 Joh. 2. 1. Besides the way in which the Children of God come to obtain actual forgiveness of the sins they fall into is in the way of renewed Repentance and Faith and Godly Sorrow David repented and God forgave him and a particular repentance cannot be till there be the particular sin to be repented of 6. Hence Justification in this respect is a continueâ— Act. Divines rightly put that difference between Justification and Sanctification that the latter is a work but the former an act Now the Justifying act as it respects the person is at once and in aâ— instant at what time God imputeth the Righteousness of Christ to a Sinner and reckons it to him for his by this Imputation he is in the Law account a perfectly righteous person whence 〈◊〉 abstractively declared of him 2 Cor. 5. 21. And in this respect he is as Righteous in Gods account the first hour of his believing as he shall be in thâ— Day of Judgment But the actual forgiveness 〈◊〉 his particular sins is an effect or resultancy foâ—lowing from this Justification and it comes 〈◊〉 after the sins are committed and upon his Repeâ—rance and renewal of his Faith in Christ anâ— that must needs be succedaneous for it is conâ—dered not in respect of God in whose Eterniâ— there is no succession but of the Creature 〈◊〉 which
3. 5. and he makes it his â—usiness to do so he fights against it he brings it to the Cross of Christ to be crucified he prays â—rd against it Psal 119. 29. he hates it v. 128. Such an one in Gods gracious account is one in whose Spirit is no Guile 2. Whether this have any influence into our pardon 〈◊〉 Justification A. There is occasion to make this enquiry here because the disputes about it which began from the first planting of the Churches by the Apostles are not yet at an end nor do Papists only continue to maintain their Doctrine of merit and the confounding of Justification with Sanctification but there are others who call themselves Protestants and are not willing to be counted Arminian neither who go about to depreciate the freâ— Grace of God in pardoning and justifying of us who whiles they ascribe all to Christ as the meritorious cause yet find the matter of our Justification in us which they would have to be oâ—â— Sanctification and New Obedience our faith and Repentance and Holiness and they make theâ— not only necessarily concomitant but an essentâ—â—â— part of our Justification Give me leave then 〈◊〉 clear up this matter and shew the mistake of such an opinion in the following Conclusions 1. That Justification and Sanctification are tâ—â— distinct benefits flowing to us from Christ However vain men have confounded them yet 〈◊〉 Scripture speaks of them as divers priviledges oâ—â— from the other so 1 Cor. 1. 30. Christ indeed 〈◊〉 made both Righteousness and Sanctification to us bâ—â— they are two things and applied to us after 〈◊〉 different manner We are Justified relatively 〈◊〉 are Sanctified really we are Justified by Imputaâ—â—on we are Sanctified by Infusion Justification is 〈◊〉 Garment thrown over us Sanctification is by a new principle put into us Justification is a Change in 〈◊〉 state Sanctification is a Change in our nature 〈◊〉 the one we are made legally innocent in the othâ—â— we are made inherently holy hence the one 〈◊〉 said to be an Act and the other is called a Woâ—â— by our Divines because the one passeth upon us Declaratively whereas the other operates in us Effectually 2. That both of these derive to us from the same fountain of free grace Mans whole Salvation doth so Eph. 2. 8. and both of these do appertain to it that Justification is a fruit of meer Grace we are plainly assured Rom. 3. 24. And hence pardon is to be sought of God or for his own name sake Psal 25. 11. And our Sanctification hath the same original too for it is a product of his meer good pleasure Jam. 1. 18. Grace therefore which is the same thing is given of God Psal 84. 11. God ows neither of them to us we have no way obliged him to bestow them upon us rather than others We have nothing but Sin and Guilt and pollution cleaving to us in our natural state when God comes to pardon and purifie us quickning is bestowed on them that were the Children of wrath Eph. 2. 1 3. How then should our Sanctification or being without Guile possibly contribute any thing to our Justification or Pardon 3. That they are both of them applied together in or upon our Effectual Vocation They are contemporaries for though Divines do allow them an order in the handling of them and an order of nature and accordingly give the priority to Justification yet there is no distance of time between the one and the other by their acknowledgment and they are reckoned as benefits joyntly flowing from our Effectual Calling and indeed it is in Regeneration that we paâ— from death to life there it is that we are quicknedâ— and there is a double life that we pass to according to the double death that past upon us we were dead in the Law by the Condemnation denounced on us but now we are made to live by a pardon in which we are Justified and we weâ— dead in trespasses and sins spiritually and now wâ— are made to live to Holiness by a new inspiration 〈◊〉 and if we are no sooner Sanctified than Justified how can our Sanctification afford any matter for our Justification 4. That because pardon belongs to Justificationâ— hence it must needs have a respect to a Righteousness from whence it proceeds We have already taken notice of the difference between mens pardoning a Criminal and Gods forgiving a Sinner their pardon is not a Justification 〈◊〉 his is theirs proceeds from meer mercy his from mercy tempered with Justice theirs is entirely prerogative but his hath a respect to a Law 〈◊〉 which he must be just in it Rom. 3. 26. and thâ— refers not to his Soveraign Justice barely which 〈◊〉 nothing else but his Supremacy but his Relative Justice as he is Law giver and hath constituteâ— a way of procedure with his Creature In thâ— therefore there must be a Righteousness regardâ— by him to which he hath an eye in the very pardoning of the Sinner and that Righteousness must be such as will answer it so that mercy and truth may meet together c. Psal 85. 10. 5. That this Righteousness can be no other bâ— that perfect Righteousness which was required in the Covenant of Works God did in the First Covenant that was made with man in our first Parents constitute the Rule of Righteousness between him and man and to that Rule it was that the promises and threatnings were annexed and hence the procedure of Gods Relative Justice with man must be according to the tenour of that when therefore God comes to pardon and justifie a Sinner that is the Righteousness he proceeds upon the question is may this be done and the honour of the Law be salved and the resolution of it is that if there be a Righteousness to be presented for the person that will fully answer the demand of the Law and may be accepted as his there will be no injury done to the Law but if not it will suffer by it If it bate but a jot or tittle it is so far a loser and for that reason our Saviour assures us that it shall not Mat. 5. 18. 6. That the most eminent sincerity of the Children of God doth not amount to such a Righteousness And if this be so here is reason enough to deny it to be the meritorious or material cause of pardon and Justification for if it were perfect it could not merit for us a pardon because we owe it but if it be imperfect it cannot be reputed a Righteousness at all with respect to the Law-Covenant It is certain that the Righteousness which that required was such as is without the least flaw or defect and we see how straitly man was obliged if he hoped to Escape the Curse of it Gal. 3. 10. One failure spoils it and makes it become Unrighteousness Now all our Sanctification at present is imperfect and hath mixtures of Sinful defilement adhering to it It is a Ragged
it is thus â—e sighs and groans and roars by reason of his â—erts distress and can enjoy no rest no quiet in â—is mind but goeth up down hurried and amaâ—ed like one distracted Psal 31. 9 10. 38. begin â—8 15. USE I. Learn hence their folly who promise themselves when once pardoned never to be troubled 〈◊〉 Guilt more There are such as entertain themselves with such a fond opinion as this if â—ce they can get the evidence of their forgiveâ—ss Guilt of Sin will never again distress them 〈◊〉 the fears of hell terrify them but this is â—th a groundless and a dangerous mistake they â—tend if a man be forgiven he is Justified and 〈◊〉 state is secured if therefore he knows that he â—pardoned he thereby is assured how it shall be â—th him for ever Again peace with God folâ—ows upon pardon of sin Rom. 5. 1. And the fruit of that is peace in Conscience and because the peace with God is settled what should disturb the mans peace within who knows this but all this will not do for though the Covenant of peace be firm yet 1. There may be peace with God and yet not so resented as to quiet the Conscience A man may have this peace in title and yet doubt whether he hath it or no and so far as he doubts of it he will be disquieted about it and it is no infrequent thinâ— for Godly men to have awful fears in this respect we read of some Heb. 2. 15. That go in 〈◊〉 of death all their life 2. They may have had the resentment of this 〈◊〉 yet lose it again in great measures Gods Childreâ— have their frequent turns on this account noâ— they walk in the Light and anon they are beclonded by the hiding of Gods face away from them it was so with David Psal 30. 6 7. 3. Nay there may be breaches between God 〈◊〉 them and so the comfort of their peaceable state intercepted They may fall into some grievâ— sin and God be provoked at them for it aâ— look upon them like an Enemy and it may be long time before he will witness in them their foâ—giveness in respect of that sin and this will foâ—ly tempt them to question the peaceableness their state or whether ever there were any suâ— thing in truth and so put them on it to begin 〈◊〉 work anew as he Psal 51. 10. And as this coâ—fidence is groundless so it is dangerous Not oâ— doth it give the Flesh and Satan advantage draw us into carelesness and so expose us temptation whereby we may be precipitated into such Sins as will bring us into this uncomfortable condition but when it is so it will put us to a miserable loss in our own spirits and make the apprehension of our Guilt so much the more formidable It will put a weapon into the adversaries hand to enforce the more vehemently the conclusion that because we thought it could not be thus with one that is pardoned therefore this condition must needs be an evidence that we never were pardoned and so are under the whole Guilt of sin and how heavy will this be USE II. Learn hence also how injurious it is to the Children of God to confound Faith and Assurance There are that Define Justifying Faith to be nothing else but a firm and confident perswasion in a man that his sins are pardoned that Christ died for him and that he shall assuredly be saved and that he who hath not this confidence is not a true believer It is indeed the duty of every one to labour after the getting this perwasion 2 Pet. 1. 10. But yet this is not the proper act of Justifying Faith as Justifying but someâ—ing that results from it afterwards It doth not â—operly belong to Effectual Vocation but is one 〈◊〉 the benefits flowing from it and appertains to 〈◊〉 inchoate Glorification of Gods Children in 〈◊〉 life Our comfort indeed flows from this 〈◊〉 hath its measure according to the strength of our hope on this account and therefore no gracious soul can have rest without it But yet there is a Faith going before it and is the foundation on which it is built and that is the true Justifying Faith which is accompanied with Gods forgiveness I must first know that I have that Faith before I can know that I am forgiven The confounding then of these two must greatly damnify us in an hour of desertion What shall a Child of God do when some sin hath wounded him Guilt stares him in the face and his confidence is turned into doubts and fears how forcibly must it sink him into the mire now to think if faith were such a confidence I never had any for if I had it would not be lost Whereas the only support of a Soul at such a time is to feel that there are the breathings and goings out of the heart after Christ and if that be not the acting of Faith he haâ— none USE III. To Exhort the Children of God to take heed how they expose themselves to such a Condition for which end Consider 1. If you do not look to your selves you may fall 〈◊〉 to it There is not the best man on Earth secure against it This was the Case of David a mâ— after Gods own heart Text as long as we dwell a Sinful World and labour under a body of deaâ— we are not out of danger and for that reason shouâ— not be secure in our minds We may be the Heâ— of Salvation and yet want the joy of Salvation Psâ— 55. 12. 2. Satan will do all he can to bring you into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot destroy you he will do you all the â—amage he can and his great business is to make â—reaches between you and your God and that by â—riving you into something that is provoking and when he hath so done and God is angry to accuse â—ou to your own Consciences and lay on load till â—e breaks your backs if possible first to make you â—old to sin and then make you to despair by reason of it and this calls you to be Watchful 1 Pet. â—5 8. 3. If you do fall into such a Condition it will be â—errible No man knows the dismalness of it but â—e that hath felt it It will Soak out your moisture and Dry up your marrow and terribly scorch you â—ead those sorrowful ditties Psal 38. 88. And 〈◊〉 your own hearts whether it be not a matter of greatest concern to avoid the precipitating your selves into it And for advice here 1. See to a particular forgiveness for old sins Sins committed a great while ago it may be before you were Converted you may think it is enough that you had a general pardon but if there have been any more particular sins and you have not made a particular business of them they may thus trouble you afterwards David puts up such a peâ—ion Psal 25. 7. Remember not the Sins of my youth And Job makes
something pecuâ—iar in this there is a root of Atheism at the botâ—th of it for what difference between saying here is no God and thinking he may be imposed â—pon and we can hide our selves from his knowâ—edge and judgment Hence that challenge Jer. â—3 24 Can any hide c. 4. Hence as long as you thus ly your Sin is not forâ—iven Not only doth not this remove the Guilt â—ut is an evidence that it is not taken away If â—ou were Unregenerate before this proves that you are so still till such Sins are repented of â—here is no evidence of a through Conversion â—or when God pardons a sinner he forgiveth all his past sins and that is in the way of Repentance And if you are Regenerate yet the sin is not forgiven before committed nor then neither but in â—he Gospel way viz. in Confessing and Forsaking 〈◊〉 seeking Mercy through Christ which you cannot do whiles in such a frame And how fearful a thing is it to have Sins lying out against us for which we have no Sealed pardon 5. If therefore God lets you alone in this way it is a fearful Judgment It may be you please your selves in this that you are not molested in your minds but alas there is nothing more tremendous As there is not a greater mercy than to make sin too hot for us and so to drive us to the refuge that is set before us so there is not a greater witness of Gods wrath than to let men alone in their sinful courses to please themselves in them and hope to do well enough for all Hos 4. 17. It is one of the last steps God proceeds to before he brings them to ruine 6. There is a time coming when God will bring you to a reckoning for these things and then Conscience will roar The Holiness and Righteousness of God oblige him to see to his own Glory and the honour of his Law delays then are no discharges nor is there any escaping of his righteous Judgments but by timely betaking to his mercy till we do so weâ—ly open and there will be no avoiding it God hath not forgotten though you have and you shall know it too in due time He will fall upon you and then your drousy Consciences shall be full awake God will set it upon you and yoâ— need not have a worse Fiend to Torment you 7. And this may possibly be when it is too late 〈◊〉 may be not before your Soul stealeth into another World and drops into the hands of Devilâ— There are some such Wretches who dy like Lamb but in a moment this rending Lyon falls upon them It may be on a death bed when you have spent a life in sin and lived secure and now time and opportunity is past and God will not give you Repentance but open your eyes to see what you have been doing and then let you see whether you are going and the pit into which you are entring and what a terrour will this be 8. And if God doth give you Repentance at length this will wofully embitter it If you are his Children you shall repent and be forgiven because your state of Justification is secured but you shall be brought to it by Repentance and what deep wounds will these reflexions give to your Souls Be then warned and perswaded to beware of indulging your selves in this course and if you have done so already Do so no more but bitterly bewail it before God and make hast to get the Sin of it forgiven and be sure to put it into your self judging when you aggravate your sins in your humble acknowledgments 2. We now proceed to consider the Author or Efficient cause of this distress and that is God himself on his Hand that was upon him and brought him into this terrible condition and it was not an ordinary dispensation he therefore sets it forth 1. By the pressure of it it lay heavy on him 2. By the constancy of it it lay so Day Night long and without intermission The hand of God is a Metaphorical expression for he is a Spirit hath no Body and so no members it is therefore frequently used for his executive power by which he doth things whether in a way of Mercy oâ— of Judgment and so the anger and wrath of God is frequently in Scripture expressed by his hand and also it is Metonymically put for the effects themselves in which this anger appeareth viz. The Judgments or Afflictions that men are under and so it is to be understood in our Text So 1 Sam 5. 11. The word Heavy is a Metaphor from 〈◊〉 great weight laid upon one which he is not able to stand under without sinking Hence The distress of Conscience from Gods heavy hand DOCTRINE THe sore distress of Conscience that men are broughâ— into for Sin is because of Gods hand lying heavily and continually upon them That both Godly and wicked are sometimes in such distress hath already been observed and how heavily it lyetâ— on them that which now is before us is to enquire How or whence it cometh that they are iâ— such anxiety It is certain that man himself doth not willingly or upon choise bring himself into this trouble though he doth morally procure 〈◊〉 for himself for he doth all he can to keep 〈◊〉 lence to hide to maintain quiet and security iâ— his mind and to benum his Conscience into deâ—olency yea Conscience it self is through the deâ—lement that is in it prone enough to be rocked asleep and ly still and too often doth so in good men as David Satan also useth it as one of his great stratagems to hinder Unregenerate Men from Conversion by keeping all quiet within and is afraid of the least trouble of mind in â—one of his own lest it should issue in the dethroâ—ning of him and subversion of his Kingdom in the Soul for which end he spares none of his cunning by himself and his instruments to prevent or put a stop to all awakenings of Conscience in them and though he hath a peculiar spite at the peace and tranquility of Gods Children and for that reason when Gods hand is heavy upon them he endeavours to lay on load â—ill he breaks them yet when he hath by his policy drawn them into any sin he would keep them senseless as long as he can hoping so to have greater advantage on them afterwards Now â—ur Doctrine fully resolves this Enquiry Three things may here be searched into 1. That God is the author of this trouble by laying of his angry hand heavy on the man 2. How or after what manner he doth this 3. Why or for what end he doth it 1. That God is the author of this by laying his â—ngry hand heavy on the man There are two â—hings in this Conclusion 1. That God is the author of it It is in it self a â—ore evil though by the over ruling Providence of God it is made to issue
they would fain be entertained by him How solemn a moan doth Christ make over Jerusalem Luk. 19. 41 42. And what mean those fearful expressions Ezek. 24 â— 13. Isa 27. 11. In which God gives men to understand that for neglecting their time they shall be rejected for ever 4. That Death which finisheth the Creatures time puts an end to all such business It is the man that must seek God but man consists of a Soul and a Body and it is whiles these are in union that he is capable of this affair Whereas Death dissolves his union and so utterly ends the opportunity the body can no longer be used as an instrument of this if we should preach to it it cannot hear 〈◊〉 The Soul is now separated from the body and can no longer perform its functions in it whiles this dissolution remains and we are told that life is the only working time Eccles 9. 10. The Grave is therefore called the place of silence and the land of forgetfulness and they that are 〈◊〉 are said to know nothing c. 5. That the Eternal State into which men passeth from time is unchangeable Where time ends Eternity begins and it is the property of time that the Subjects are mutable they may be changed from what they are but it is equally the property of eternal things that they are immutable When men dy they pass to their particular judgment Heb. 9. 27. The condition they enter into 〈◊〉 that from which there is no returning Job 16. 22. Life is working time eternity is for the rewards of men according to their works Men immediately pass from life through death either to heaven or hell and the gulf between these two is fixt and this follows properly upon death Luk. 16. 21. with 26. In one word when God will be no longer found it is too late to seek him to any advantage when life is done and time spent God is resolved that they who sought him not before shall never find him USE I. For Information in two particulars 1. Learn hence the folly and unprofitableness of praying for the Dead If the day of grace the opportunity of seeking and finding God be over with all men when time is done with them and death wasts them over into eternity what then can our prayers any more avail them either they sought God and sound him in their life time anâ— if so they are now in glory and in full fruition oâ— that God whom they so sought and out of danger of ever losing him again and so have no need 〈◊〉 our prayers but if they sought him not here 〈◊〉 so did never find him but died strangers to him they are gone to their own place to the generation of their fathers never to see light they are beyond recovery hopeless there is no more mercy for them what good then can our prayers do them If all the prayers of all the Saints on earth could fetch one soul out of hell something might be pleaded but it is impossible Let us then pray for poor Sinners with the greatest importunity so long as they are alive but when once they are gone we must leave them till the Great Day when we shall be satisfied about them 2. Learn hence also the madness of those who spend their time in seeking other things neglecting to seek God in it And is not this the unhappy trade which the generality of the Children of men are driving observe what the most even under the Gospel are doing and you shall see how fearfully this is neglected 1. Are there not those that will not seek God Nay they bid him depart from them if not in words yet their carriages speak their minds How many are there that despise all the counsels that are given them who will not pray to God nor read his word nor enquire after him they are angry 〈◊〉 those that give them good counsel this is the â—â—â—ty character of them Psal 10. 4. The wicked â—â—ll not seek after God and if at any time they are 〈◊〉 led with terrours they do all they can to 〈◊〉 them which is a plain discovery of their â—â—â—fulness 2. And how many are there who are so taken up with other things that they can find no time to seek him Their hearts are ensnared with these things and they cannot get from them the profits pleasures and preferments of this world things lawful in themselves have stollen their hearts from them and though Christ calls and invites them they hearken not One hath a Farm to look after another is over head and ears in Trading another is â—aken up with his new married wife and so the time slides away wherein he should be seeking anâ— interest in Christ and he continues estranged from him and how contentedly do men spend their time at this rate But Consider 1. You lose a finding time It is a day of grace that you squander a precious opportunity to be getting acquainted with God and laying up for eternity If it were a time in which you had nothing else to do it were more excusable but it is a season of doing the greatest and most important business that lieth on the children of men Vain men think it is nothing but a little time they throw away and that is no great matter but time is a pearl of more worth then and thaâ— cannot be purchased with a whole world 2. That which you lay out your time for will not profit Possibly you count your selves the best Husbands and think them mad who spend soâ— much time in Religious duties whiles this man wasâ— praying you made such a gainful bargain whileâ— he was hearing a Sermon you earned so much oâ— the world and bless your selves in your discretionsâ— but you will sooner or later find your miserable erâ—our the best title that God hath to put on you is Fool Luk. 12. 20. And see Isa 55. 2. Eccles 5. 16. Compare but what you lose mean while with our Saviours Rule Mat. 16. 26. What is a man profited c. 3. When time is done and you would seek God he will not he found Whiles you have been minding unprofitable things your opportunity hath been Stealing away from you irrecoverably and when you come to be on the brink of time and your Soul ready to fleet into an unchangeable state you will then Mourn Prov. 5. 11. And what a doleful out-cry will it be to hear a desparing Sinner in his passage roaring out Call time again and wishing Oh that I had one of those Sabbaths that I despised one of those hours to seek God in which I trifled away in vanity had I all the gold and pearls in the world I would give them for it but it is now too late Oh that you were wise that you understood this USE 11. Let it be an awakening call to us all to Redeem our time by setting our selves speedily to seek God And to move us hereto Consider 1. We are
all of us strangers to him in our natural â—tate Eph. 2. 12. The Apostasy hath made an infinite distance between God and Sinners Man goâ—â— away from God by every Sin for it is of the nature of Sin to deaprt from him Psal 73. 27. Hence â—he Sinners of the Gentiles are said to be afar off â—ct 2. 39. 2. If we get not an interest in him we must perish or ever Mans misery took its date from his loosâ—ng of God and his happiness begins upon his finding of him nor will he ever be perfectly blessed till he cometh to that compleat and uninterrupted Communion with him which is reserved for glory Every distance from God is so far a misery and they that regard it not now will find it to their cost when they shall hear that fearful word Depart pronounced upon them and there is no other way to remedy our misery but by the getting of this distance removed God reconciled to us through Christ he must of our enemy be our God or we are undone 3. We must seek after this if ever we obtain it On how many Solemn considerations is this Command urged in the Scriptures and though it be a Solemn truth that if Christ do not seek us first by his preventing Grace we shall never seek him yet the way in which he cometh to be found by us is in his putting us upon seeking him He gives us such an heart and then he comes and revealeth himself to us All men are either seekers or forsakers of him and we are told how it is with both 1 Chron. 28. 9. 4. We have but this time of life to do it in God hath limited the whole opportunity of aâ— treaty with Sinners hither What said Christ to those Jews that despised him Joh. 8. 21. Ye shallâ— seek me and dy in your sins This life is mansâ— probation time for another You have but onâ— life to work in take heed then that you dâ— not let it go before your work be done Goâ— will not give you a second life to try over again if you spend this away prodigally thoughâ— you should repent never so bitterly of it and promise never so sairly he will bid you to remember you had a time but you regarded it not 5. This time will soon be done The shortness of life is that of which all complain though but few rightly improve the consideration there is indeed through Grace time enough if well husbanded to lay up store in for time to come However it is but a little while a few days will summ up and put a conclusion to it See how the Word of God comments upon lifes brevity Job 14. 1. Psa 102. 11. 103. 15. 144. 4. It makes use of the most fleet and transitory things to represent it by it is but a moment to eternity and yet on this moment that eternity dependeth We begin to dy as soon as we begin to live Sinners you have but a short day to do your great work in take heed how you let it slide away insensibly lest your glafs be out before you are aware 6. The finishing of this time is very uncertain Your times are not in your own hands but Gods Psal 21. 15. An age indeed is a poor short thing Psal 39. 5. But how few are there that live to consummate the ordinary age of man how few whose candle of life burns out the most have it blown out by an immature end and there is â—one of you that knows how soon death will seiz you The truth is if you must find God in this life 〈◊〉 ever you had need to do it just now or you may miss of it Think of this you that pretend exâ—uses and delays you are young and there is â—â—me enough how know you but God hath appointed your time to dy to be in youth you say to the Spirit go away and come to morrow but what if this night you be cut off and to morrow dawn not upon you Take heed there is but an hands breadth between life and death and the Change made by it is inexpressibly great If you take this day you may do your work but if you put it off to another it may never be done and then there is a Soul undone and lost to Eternity 7. The finishing of time will put an end to all opportunity of grace You now enjoy it but then no more Now you have Gods holy Sabbaths and precious Ordinances now you may read hear pray ask counsel repent believe and be saved You have a rich price in your hands why will you not set your hearts to improve it when time is done all these things cease no more Sabbaths you must never hear a Sermon more never be entreated again to be reconciled to God then the Spirits strivings will cease Where will you then seek God when you can no more come there where he useth to reveal himself 8. Possibly a great portion of your little time is already gone and you have hitherto neglected this great business You have had a fair season for many years living under the Gospel and enjoying aâ—â— helps for seeking and finding of God but yoâ— have squandred them away negligently and yoâ— have squandred them away negligently and yoâ— have now reason to think that your time is hastening to an end it may be gray hairs predicâ— your approaching dissolution it may be you labour of wasting bodily infirmities that are undermining your lives and telling you that you can hold out but a little longer And is it not time for you to rouse up now at last who have so small a remnant of a short life left you to seek God in and will you lose this too shall the few â—â—itting hours that are behind be sent after the rest there is time yet but it is upon the last sands Oh! redeem it 9. The longer you delay the harder work you will find of it It is the most unhappy way of arguing for men to plead they shall be better disposed afterward when they grow into years or their youthful lusts are tired out or worldly business a little over and in better order c. Assure your selves he that is not ready to day will be more unready to morrow it is the deceitfulness of sin to use delays on such pretences while sin taketh faster hold and gets deeper rooting and custom in sin adds a second nature When lust pleads hereafter the true meaning is never For helps in this affair 1. Resolve in this to be the first and most necessary thing It is a point of prudence to be rightly informed in this matter The most that perish for 〈◊〉 have this plea to make for themselves that they minded that which they accounted most necessary yielding to the pleadings and importunities of the flesh but weigh things in an equal allance enquire what will be of greatest moment â—o you when come to part with time and â—hink that to
but regard neither to get into nor keep in it Many have a good Creed but a loose Conversation confess Christ to be the only way and that none can be saved but believer and holy ones but are not solicitous about this affair they think their profession in words to be enough though in works they deny but let such consider out of your own mouths you shall be judged and condemned What saith Christ Joh. 14. 17. USE II. This truth affords us a Rule of judgment for the Trial of our selves and others 1. Let us try our solves by this Rule If there be such a way as we have been told it concerns us to ask our selves what way am I in if once we know where we are we may firmly conclude whither we are going if we are going to life we are in the way of life if we are in the way of destruction we are surely going thither and this will be an help either to encourage or to stop us in the way we are in This also is â— good Rule to examine our particular actions by If at any time a Child of God is perverted to take wrong steps he had need to be called backâ— which would be done the sooner by thus enquâ—ring and the Word of God is our Rule for this in which both of these are described 2. And we may judge at least negatively concernâ—ng many others by this Rule We cannot know all men there is a Charity that we owe to others the close Hypocrite may seem to be right and a Godly man may take too many false steps that are apparently wrong but our Charity may do hurt to others if we regulate it not with discretion and we here may conclude that there are too many whose whole visible Conversation testifies against them that they are in a way that is not good Psal 36. 1 4. And we may safely say that he who holds in that way to the end is undone and we should tell him of it and warn others to beware of taking such courses USE III. Of Exhortation in two branches 1. To all be not at rest till gotten into this way Consider 1. The matter is of infinite concernment Every one of us is in some way or other there are a great many particular ways that men take but all center in these two either the way to life or death every one is travelling either to heaven or hell and where he arrives in the end of his way there he will be lodged for eternity and of all these ways there is but one and a narrow one too that leads to life Mat. 7. 13. 2. As long as you are in your natural state you are â—â— of the right way It is only by Conversion that we are brought in at the strait gate which sets us in the narrow way if you follow the way of your own heart you are lost all your time â—ost and you but making work for Repentance And for Direction here you must seek to Christ to bring you into the right way you are fallen you cannot get up unless he lift you up you are prejudiced at this way he can remove that if you think to get into it without him you deceive your selves but if you implore his help he is ready to set you right and lead you safely 2. Let them that are in the way be careful to persevere in it Are you got into it keep in it and depart not from it Consider 1. If you forsake this way you perish I do not suppose the total Apostasy of true believers but God puts an holy fear into his people to maintain care and watchfulness in them hence such frequent warning are given in his word Rom 8. 13. c. And you have enough to draw you away if God prevent not 2. But if you hold on to the end you shall certainly obtain eternal life Gods word is past and it cannot fail Math. 24. 13. Whatever difficulty there is in the way this felicity it affords that they that keep it can never miscarry observe it as often aâ— you will this is the result Psal 37. 37. For help 1. Renounce self confidence and place your humble reâ—liance upon Christ If you trust in your own Gracâ— it will fail let you fall and break your bones but iâ— you keep fast your hold on him he will sustaiâ— you nor shall all the force of your adversariâ—â— ever do you harm 2. Animate your selves against all discouragments frequent looking to the Salvation which is in the â—â— If your way seems deep and dark and oppresseâ— and the flesh recoils look forward to the crown think of the happy issue when your toil will be over and you shall rest for ever in the unconceivable glories of the Kingdom So did Paul 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. A look of faith upon this is cordial enough to revive your fainting spirits and give you fresh way Prop. 2. That the proper design of Divine Teaching is to guide men into and in this way By Divine teaching I understand all that which hath God for its author and Divinity for its subject God is the author of other Sciences Isa 28. 29. But Divinity which is a Rule pointing man to eternal felicity is eminently ascribed to him in that it not only comes from God but leads to him and the Religion of fallen man as to the main Articles of it on which his Salvation depends is not to be found by the light of nature nor read in the volumes of Creation and Providence but comes by Revelation Now there is a double Teaching Outward and inward and both may be said to be Divine Outward which is applied by the word and ordinances in which we are treated with by men but these means are of Divine authority these instruments must have a Divine call and influence and the success depends on Divine efficacy Inward is the â—ffectual operation of the Spirit of God on the hearts of men enlightning the mind perswading the Soul and causing the man to learn and this must needs be Divine for all such are taught of God and none else can so teach Now the Propoâ—tion is a truth with respect to both of these only with this difference that the inward teaching which is always effectual is designed infallibly to lead men into the way and never fail whereas the outward is never thus effectual but when it hath the concomitancy of the other but yet the main design of this also is for this end it always obtains in the Elect and is in order of means accommodated thereto That then which is before us is to shew that the great aim of these teachings is thus to guide men Which will appear in these Conclusions 1. That God hath graciously purposed the eternal Salvation of some of fallen men Here begins the ground and reason of all that follows It is true the creating of man upright the Covenant of works that was made with
13. 48. 7. Hence the primary end of all the Gospel Ordinâ—â—ces is to help men in this And though eventually they prove a Savour of Life to some and of Death to others yet but for the former they had not been promulgated Though Christ proves a corner stone to some and a stumbling stone to others yet the direct end of his coming into the world was the former 1 Tim. 1. 15. There is a powerful providence in ordering the coming of the Gospel in regard both of times and places and we find not that God suffered it to come any where but where he had some to bring in to Christ it was that they might so come to know God and the way to life Besides the very nature of the Gospel Ordinances and of the work allotted to the Gospel Ministry shew what is the business thereof God tells us what Pastors after his own heart are to do Jer. 3. 15. Paul tells us what his Ministry was for Act. 26. 18. This is it that Christs faithful Servants travail for and if they miss in it they complain that they labour in vain 8. The Spirit of God sets in with these and effectually teacheth all those that are appointed to Salvation If it be asked why one that sits under the outward teachings remains untaught whenas another hears and understands and receives instruction and takes hold on the paths of peace it is not because they labour more with these or they are in themselves more tractable The natural reluctancy in the faculties of men to the things of God is alike in all and was there no more done for teaching this man than the other he would equally dy without instruction it must then be ascribed to the Spirit of God He indeed useth the means because God hath appointed them for this purpose but he comes in seeretly with them opens their blind eyes and causeth them to see the excellent way of life approve it consent to it and make choise of it and he undertakes to keep them in this way Isa 30. 21. Joh. 16. 13. So that on whomsoever the outward means have this efficacy it is an evidence that the blessed Spirit of God hath been there USE I For Information in three particulars 1. Here see Gods great kindness to those whom he favours with the means of Grace It must needs be a great priviledge because the proper design of them is to guide men into the way of life Hereby God opens a door of hope to men for by pointing them to the way and inviting them into it he testifieth his good will to them and the more because all the world do not share in this benefit and they that have it deserve it no more than they that are without it nor doth the Spirit afford his inward teachings but in and with the Gospel dispensations 2 Cor. 4. 3. What thankfulness then doth this call for at our hands whom God hath thus indulged Take heed of undervaluing this precious priviledge lest we provoke God to take it from us David maketh a singular remark on this Psal 147. 19 20. 2. This informs us of the woful misery of those that live without these teachings All worldly advantages crouded together will not compensate this want or make them less than miserable who suffer it We have a sad deseription of such a people Eph 2. 12. The whole race of mankind in their natural state are out of the way of life and running in the path of destruction and without these teachings can never find the way out of that path but must wander in it till they fall into irrecoverable ruine For a people then not to enjoy these priviledges is an argument that they are forsaken of God What compassion then should we shew to such and how earnestly should we pray to God to shew pity to the ignorant World that lies in wickedness and send them his teachings 3. Learn hence the danger of despising these teachings And all those do so who do not seek to learn by them nor hearken to the counsel and directions therein given them who are weary of the Gospel and though God affords them line upon line do yet hold on their course in the way of death and neither care to acquaint themselves with the Rules of life nor to regulate themselves by them And are there not many such who live under the clearest and most convincing Doctrinal teaching herein is their danger great because by so slighting Gods offered kindness they aggravate their Guilt and will come under the Condemnation of those Luk. 12. 47. What fearful woes doth Christ denounce against such Matt. 11. 20. c. Let these be advised to fear and tremble USE II. For Trial by this we may understand whether we rightly improve these Teachings We enjoy great plenty of Gospel teaching and God expects an answerable improvement which if we neglect we shall have a bad account to make another day Now we then only profitably improve them when we use them to the design that God appointed them for viz. When they help us into and guide us in our way If then sinners be not Converted under and by them and if they do not help the Children of God forward in their Obedience they certainly lose the proper end of them It will be but a vain brag that we have a respect for the Ordinances delight in waiting on them are constant in coming to the house of God and have made a good proficiency in literal knowledge if this be all we shall be inexcusable Let us then ask our own Souls solemnly say I go frequently to the house of God I attend on the means in season and out of season I gain knowledge and can discourse much on the points of Religion but how far hath all this advanced me in the way I ought to go in What sins are mortifyed by the word What acquaintance do I get with God how much nearer doth every Ordinance set me to eternal life Such reflections well resolved will be instructive to us and help us to make a right judgment of our selves USE III. For Exhortation Let us close in with this design and endeavour the promoving of it To move us Consider 1. This is the only way to give God his due acknowledgment for his kindness in affording us these Teachings All other talks of our being obliged signify nothing we are never righly thankful for a benefit but when we use it carefully for the end of its being bestowed on us Our teachableness under the means is the evidence that we prize them this is life thankfulness and that only pleaseth God 2. Thus alone will these means be profitable for us A thing is no further beneficial than as the end of it is advanced now it is eternal life we are all concerned for and there is but one way to it and these means are for our help in this way and only when they so help us do they profit
have a fat soil to do it in a fat pasture that they may be fatted up as Oxen for the Slaughter Only observe 1. That there is a way for the most wicked Sinners to escape God hath laid in a sufficiency in Jesus Christ so that where Sin hath abounded Grace may more abound Rom. 5. 21. And therefore Wicked men are invited and encouraged to it Isa 55. 7. God hath found out a ransome a way for Sinners to escape and reveals it in the Gospel they may exchange their portion and for the Curses out against them obtain a title to the promises of the New Covenant 2. Hence God is in the day of his patience giving them fpace for this So he saith of her Rev. 2. 22. I gave her a space to repent All that enjoy the Dispensation of the Gospel have this priviledge If ever the escape be made it must be in this life before Sinners go to the Grave where when they once come they are fixed for ever and their condition is irreversible but while they live they are within the reach of the grace of the New-Covenant and the goodness and forbearance of God are arguments to lead them to Repentance Rom. 2. 3. 3. Hence if they neglect thus to improve this space their sorrows will thereby be made the more intense If they do not use it to make their peace and get into Christ but abuse it to gratify their lusts and strengthen themselves in wickedness this will add to the provocation and procure for them the more intollerable miseries and for that reason the threatnings of the Gospel are the most fearful of any and the portion of Unbelievers the most amazing Luk. 12. 46. And reason good for if the only remedy be despised how shall men escape it is very fit they should smart for their so despising it 2. It now follows that we observe something of the multitude and greatness of those sorrows that belong to them and this refers to the misery of that estate into which man is fallen of which only some few glances 1. As to the multitude of these sorrows which are the portion of wicked men Let us observe 1. That all the Curses written in the Book of God do belong unto these And what a fearful number of them are there recorded the Curses are nothing else but the Commentaries that are made upon that word Death which is put into the threatning of the First Covenant and are written to explain to us the meaning of it Now this Death was declared to be the punishment of sin and so man by Sin is exposed to it and to all that is contained in it God therefore tells us who they be that lay themselves open to all these Curses Deut. 28. 15. So that there is no misery that ever befel any of the Children of men but every ungodly man is exposed to the same as long as he continues in his natural state and who can count them up they are so many but 2. Those sorrows may be referred to three heads And how many are there ranged under each of these viz. Temporal Spiritual and Eternal If these three brigades were drawn up in order what a formidable army would they make But I shall only touch at them 1. All Temporal Sorrows belong to them And these are the least and most inconsiderable though for the present the most sensible By these I understand all those evils which the outward man iâ— exposed to in this life and they are so many that we can hardly tell where to begin or where to leave of There are the troubles to which the Body it self is exposed which is by Sin become a sink of all diseases sicknesses languishings pains and torments and the most skilful Physitians are at a loss to number up the many ails that mans body is exposed unto they all wait upon the Sinner pining sicknesses burning feavers faintness strong pains besides violent casualties There are sorrows in mens Estates which also bring misery upon men from without sore disappointments in their labours whence poverty straits losses pinching them with hunger thirst nakedness Sorrows also from one another in name in estate in body by reproaches depredations imprisonments stripes all sorts of tortures Wars Rapes Depopulations Bereavements of dearest Comforts Sorrows in the Providences that pass over them bringing Blastings Mildews Epidemical plagues wasting all before them and all these the leaders to and which do at length end in a bodily death which though it puts an end to all the rest yet is it self a terrible thing and called the King of Terrors in that it is so much against the natural inclination in man to part with his life and he chuseth rather to undergo a great deal of sorrow in it than to have that put to an end by the dissolution of naâ—re and separation of Soul and Body The â—ontemplation of this very part of mans misery â—ath made meer Heathen to lament the unhappy â—tate that is befallen him and determine that man â—nd miserable are become terms convertible and â—et if this were all it were but little compared with that which is yet behind Hence 2. All Spiritual troubles do also pertain to their â—ortion And here is another Folio in their Inventoâ—y more formidable than the former for so much as the Soul is more noble and of more excellent â—ubstance than the Body so much the more terriâ—ble and grievous are the sorrows that beâ—al it Now spiritual plagues which are the greatest plagues belong to the Sinner and there are many of these also but those which are most observable may be reduced to these viz. there is the plague of an hard heart which though men are not sensible of because of the hardness of it yet is a ground of the continuance of men under the Curse and as it were binds them over to all the other sorrows which they meet withal and this is followed with Gods giving men up to their sins and delivering them over to their own counsels Psal 81. 12. Whereby they heap up plagues and miseries uncountable to themselves There is also an horrid reflection of Conscience charging sin upon them and presenting before them the Wrath of God accusing arreigning condemning of them citing them to Gods Tribunal and setting before them eternal vengeance whence ariseth amazing fear which gives them no rest they are afraid of every thing and think it a messenger to arresâ— them and carry them before Gods Judgment-seatâ— and they live in a fearful expectation of fiery indinâ— nation to fall upon them and this hath also annexeâ— to it horrid Despair making them a terror to them selves and all about them they go up and dowâ— crying out that they are damned and their sâ—â— are greater than can be forgiven as Cain Gen. 4. 14. And this eats the sweet out of all their outwarâ— comforts robs them of the benefit of all the meanâ— of Grace and fills them with an hell upon
in his Integrity by vertue of the first Command which faith was to have been placed upon God according to all that he revealed of himself to man in the first Covenant and was to be the spring of his obedience He was to believe him to be such an one as he manifested himself to be in all his declared perfections to believe the truth of his commands of his promises and threatnings And it was a wound in this faith at which the Apostasy began which if our first Parents had preserved in its vigour they had never yielded to the temptation but man hath lost that There is then a Faith in God which is required in the Covenant of Grace of all those that entertain it and hope to receive the benefits of it and this faith is to be placed in God through Christ and though God or the Divine nature be the Ultimate object of it yet Christ is the next and immediate object through whom we are to come to and believe in God whence it is most frequently in the New Testament called believing in Christ And as there is no performing acceptable Service to God without it Heb. 11. 6. So it is the root from which all sincere Obedience flows Gal. 5. 6. And whatsoever pretences men may make there is no truth in any thing that is not done by the influence of it Concerning this faith let these things be observed 1. That the Faith it self is a trusting in God for life Life and death in the Scriptures are used to express the happiness and misery of the Creature and hence as all miseries are summed up in death so all felicities are contained in life there are the inchoations of it here in Grace and the consummation of it is reserved for Glory Now there is in all men a natural desire of well being but mans Sin hath deprived his natural apprehension of true felicity and perverted him in seeking after it but where God bestows this faith upon men he both discovers himself to them as the only object of it draws forth the affiance of their Souls on him for it and therefore mans blessedness is declared to flow from this trust Psal 2. 12. 2. That which directs us to make choise of this object alone is 1. A discovery of that in him which is sufficient for this Life Man acts his deliberation in making choise of his object and that which comes under debate is whether it will answer the end of it for which it is chosen so far as he apprehends this so far is he guided to his Election This makes wicked men to chuse the world because they are deceived by it and when God draws men to believe in him he makes himself known to them in his glorious perfections Psal 9. 10. He therefore gives the reason of his trust Psal 62. 5 6 7. 2. A conviction that it is no where else to be had Fallen man is diverted to other objects and hath fastened the hold of his choise on them and must have his hands knockt off before he will chuse God for his portion and this is done by letting him see how vain all other things are that they cannot give him the satisfaction he craves after and without which he must be empty miserable hence the vanity of the Creature is no little part of the design of the Spirit to display in the word of God 3. That which encourageth us to trust in this Object is 1. The communicableness of this life to us It is not enough to have an object in our eye which enjoys a fulness of sufficiency in it self for it self for unless he hath a fulness communicable for the Creature he may be happy himself but that will never make us happy Herein therefore God hath manifested his Alsufficiency to us in that he hath enough for himself and more than enough to spare for us He is compared in his word to such things which have a fulness whereof they are communicative to a fountain of living waters Jer. 2. 13. To the Sun Psal 84. 11. And he is commended to us in his works of Efficiency in which his Sufficiency is imparted to the Creature for the encouragement of our faith Psal 89. 11 12. 2. The Invitation given us to come to him for it He hath commended himself to us as such an one for this very end he hath told us what he is in himself and what he hath to bestow upon us if we come to him for it useth arguments to perswade us so to do he offers it and invites men to accept of it Isa 55 1. Rev. 22. 17 Isa 45. 22. Complains of mens wilfulness in refusing to come Matth 23. 37. Luk. 19. 41. And expostulates with men as if he would break their hearts with kindness and take no denial of them Ezek. 33. 11. 4. The way in which we come to place this trust in God is by Christ This is the only Evangelical way of believing nor can fallen man in any other way rightly place his trust on God for 1. We are made to see that God out of Christ is a consuming fire Man in the first Covenant had to do with God immediately but he can no more come at him according to the tenure of that Covenant for mans Apostasy hath armed the Justice of God against him with Vengeance and now God appears to the convinced sinner to be a devouring â—re and everlasting burnings and he dares not approach him lest he be Consumed 2. We are also convinced that we cannot atone him to us by any Righteousness of our own There is a fond opinion which vain men are ready to take up about themselves as if they might satisfy God and obtain his favour by their own works so that when Conscience is awakened they take up a course of legal duties and lay out much cost and pains about them but when God comes to bring us to the faith of the Gospel he makes us to reject all this and acknowledge the raggedness filthiness of it Isa 64. 6. Phil. 3. 8 9. The proud sinner would make money of this but he now sees it is but dross 3. He lets us see the fulness of sufficiency in Christ to make us partakers in this life This fulness is originally in God but Christ is the Mediator between God and man and the dispensation of the fulness of God to men is put into his hand so to be imparted to us Col. 1. 19. Joh. 1. 16. So that by coming to have a title to Christ we have a sure title to that life 1. Joh. 5. 12. 4. He acquaints us that all this is for those that come to God by him God herein exhibits his Son as an Object of worship to whom we are to pay Divine honour Joh. 5. 22 23. And for this reason he hath given us the assurance that if we come to and believe in him for it we shall not miss of it Joh. 7.
the New Covenant and entituled to Salvation These are the first special fruits of Election breaking 〈◊〉 in Effectual Vocation Rom. 8. 29. And hitherto â—ong those great works of Faith and Repentance which are wrought in them by the Spirit of God by which they are made to turn from sin to God â—nd from all other trust to rely upon Christ alone according to the terms of the Gospel and these are accompanied with Justification and Adoption by which they are discharged from Condemnation and entituled to life and made heirs of God and coâ—rs with Christ and so have a right to all the good â—id up in the promise and these are not not common favours 2 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise c. 2. There are also those benefits which are bestowed on them after they are brought home to Christ and engaged â—he new Covenant which contain all the good that is 〈◊〉 up in the promise made to them that love God and 〈◊〉 in his Son Jesus Christ and those are specially the Sanctification of the Spirit enabling them to serve and glorify God in their generation the preserving them in a state of grace to perseverance the perfecting of all their graces in them and the â—inging them at length into and possessing them for ever of the Kingdom of Glory comprehended summarily in Psal 84. 11. 3. And there are also the saving operations of common providence by which they are made special mercies to them Those things which they have in the ordinary course of providence and are to wicked men but common mercies and do in their operation tend to their hurt are sanctified to the Children of God so as to be servicable to farther their Salvation Those things that are a Snare to ungodly men and abused by them to dishonour God are helps to their Obedience and they glorify God with them 1 Cor 10. 31. They make them to study gratitude Psal 116. 12. Yea and Afflictions too which are to the wicked the beginnings of sorrows are the happy means to do these great good Psal 119. 71. Isa 27. 9. The means of Grace which are to others a Savour of Death are to them a Savour of Life c. 2. As to the mercy that is discovered in these benefits we may observe it in these things 1. The Creature which is the subject of them is in it self miserable for so had the fall of man made the whole race to be in as much as they were involved in Guilt and a Curse which contained all miseries in it Read the description given of a natural man Rom. 3 10 c. and the doom that is fallen upon him Chap. 5 12. And what a forlorn wretched Creature must we conclude him to be and by this he is a subject capable of mercy 2. The miserable Creature receives inexpressible kindness by these benefits His misery is relieved in it yea and remedied and finally removed by it Common favours give a present relief but these make him of miserable to become happy they take of the guilt and so remove the Curse that was lying upon him and confer on him that which fills him with satisfaction and crowns him with endless felicity hence blessedness is pronounced on all believers Psal 2. 12. 3. And all these flow from the fountain of his freâ— benignity There is no merit of the Creature in it the best of men is less than the least of all mercies Ge◠〈◊〉 They deserve the quite contrary Dan. 9. 8 9. They do nothing for them have nothing to proâ—re them withal are no better than those that go without them God bestows them on them for his 〈◊〉 name sake And when these things meet together what is done for them must needs be called mercy 2. Wherein it appears that all the rewards of Obedience are fruits of this mercy A. We may come at it in the following considerations 1. There is a reward promised to the Obedience of 〈◊〉 Children There are not only great and preâ—ous promises made in the Gospel to the people of God but there are the things mentioned to which they are connected and these are proposed 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God for their encouragment in â—ing him God would have them to know that they serve a good Master and would have them to animate themselves by the contemplation and faith thereof Thus did Moses by respecting the recompensa of reward Heb 11. 26. Hence such encouragements Gal. 6. 9. Isa 3 19. Rom. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. ult 2 Hence their faithful Obedience is the way to receive â—he reward God hath not only told his people what he will do for them but how they are to expect to come by it for the Gospel promises are Covenant promises nay we shall find the connexion so strong that there are awful threatnings against such as neglect to seek to enjoy these benefits in the way prescribed we read Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after he flesh ye shall dy This is not to be understood as 〈◊〉 the Children of God should be left to fall from the promise but to let them know that God hath appointed the means in order to the end and thereby to nourish in them awful fear and quicken them to duty 3. This notwithstanding the reward is every way of mercy It is a great error from the notion of a reward to infer a merit in the person that receives it There is a reward of Grace as well as of Debt and is dayly exemplified among men A father bestows a favour on his Child in testimony of his accepting his fidelity in chearfully doing that which was his duty now that all the rewards which God bestows on his faithful people are fruits of meer mercy is evident for 1. The subjects of them are such as were miserable in their natural state and so stood in need of mercy to relieve them They were every whit as miserable in themselves as those that goe without them and this God would have his people to bear in mind and often reflect on to put the greater value upon his kindness Paul would have them to reflect hither Eph. 2. 2 3. ver 12. And he puts himself together with others in declaring how it was with them before Tit. 3 3 4. 2. It is by these rewards that they are made actually to partake in freedom from that misery and enjoy true felicity This is the very nature of them for all the good that is laid up in the promises is herein contained and that consists in a freeing them from those evils which the Curse of God laid upon them and an enjoyment of that peace grace and happiness which is purchased by Christ the whole of it is summed up in Salvation in which there is something that we are saved from and something that we are made to possess hence Salvation is so often mentioned in the Gospel as the portion of the faithful is the greatest mercy the undone creatures can
often doth David in the Psalms and Paul in his Epistles inculcate this but besides let it be considered 1. That joy is put into the Creature for use God who is the author of Nature did nothing in vain Affections are natural to men and are therefore deputed for Service among these Joy is one if then it loseth its use or be not improved it fails of its end and this is properly the Creatures delight in the enjoyment of that which is good for it 2. Hence the Creature is naturally carried out after it Joy is an Affection to which all the other do pay a subserviency they are all at work in their place to make way for that to exert it self the other are working Affections but this is that in which they center and take their rest when they have done their business thus sits down and reaps the comfort of all So that the Creature is restless till it comes to this every thing would rejoyce and is not satisfied till it hath some thing to rejoyce in 3 If any in the world have cause to rejoyce the Children of God have so Worldly men think they have good reason for it but it is certain that the Children of God have infinitely more Look over the worlds inventory and then the Saints and you must needs confess this to be a great truth Need then must it be a preposterous thing for a carnal worldling to be merry and jocund and a Saint sinking in spirit and overwhelmed with grief they indeed have their weeping time whiles the other laugh Luk. 6 21 25. But they have more to joy in in their weeping time than the other in their laughing time 4. There is nothing they meet with in this world sufficient to obstruct their joy There are Changes of Providence which they pass under and they are sometimes called to heaviness and mourning but none of all this can take from them their causes of rejoycing or be sufficient to excuse them from exercising it Jam. 1. 2. But of this afterwards 5. The honour of God is concerned in their rejoycing A Godly man cannot honour God aright unless he rejoyce in the Lord. For a Christian to go always sorrowful and heavy hearted doth not only shew unthankfulness to God for his undeserved mercy but it prejudiceth others and brings the profession they make into discredit among men and maketh them to think that such serve an hard Master whenas a Christian who is holily chearful gains credit to the ways of God Hence the Psalmists care Psal 73 15. 6. And their own comfort in this life depends upon it A man no farther enjoys himself than as he rejoyceth either in hope or fruition â—f his joy be false his life is a dream but if that be true his life is life indeed The Philosopher defines life an act with delight intimating that so much as this is wanting there is so much of death in life And as our spiritual life consists in serving God so we do nothing well for God but what we do chearfully None but the Righteous can claim this priviledge Conclu 4. THat this priviledge and duty belongs to none but these righteous and upright ones As it is common to all of them so it is proper to them There are no other in the world but the righteous and the wicked and certainly wicked men are here exempted if not altogether from the duty yet from the priviledges though in a sense from the duty too Only that we may cautiously take this up let a few things be observed 1. There is a threefold joy which may be considered viz. sinful natural and spiritual These are all mentioned in the Word of God and exemplified in men and we may take a brief account of each of them so far as is for our purpose 2. Sinful joy to begin with that may be so accounted either with respect to the matter or manner of it 1. Sinful joy may be so with regard to the matter of it when the thing it self in which we rejoyce is sinful And there can neither priviledge nor duty belong to this for we ought not to rejoyce in sin â—here are that rejoyce to do evil Prov. 2. 14. But it â—s a sinful joy For Sinners to make themselves merry in their Cups and with their harlots in gaming c. highly provokes God and we read of those that rejoyce in the troubles that befal the Children of God Psal 35. 26. But confusion belong to them 2. It may be so for the manner of it The things themselves may be good in their kind and afford occasion for delight but when men do sinfully rejoyce in them they therein transgress and greatly provoke God thereby There is a mad mirth which men take in the good things of God of which the Wise man tells us Eccles 2. 1. I said of laughter it is mad and hath that Sacrasmons concession Chap. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man c. When men take delight in abusing the goodness of God this is sinful 3. Natural joy is that which the instinct of nature teacheth It is natural for the Creature whether sensitive by meer instinct or rational by the use of the understanding to delight it self in that which it finds to do it good and this answers the inclination of the Affection and the Creature will of its own accord fall into it and there must be force put upon nature if it be suppressed this is accommodated by the common goodness of God in which he makes both good and bad to partake Mat 5. 45. Acts 14. 17. It is certainly a benefit to the outward man to have health and peace and plenty by which it is supported and refreshed and this gives the affection of joy a motive by which it is excited Psal 4. 7. And here let us observe 1. That this natural joy is in it self a duty Consider it abstractly and surely ungodly men owe to God thankfulness for every mercy they partake in and the good they taste in it should excite them to thankfulness Ingratitude is condemned in the Heathen Rom. 1. 21. And that which we are thankful for supposeth that we rejoyce in it else we cannot aright express our thankfulness 2. But a wicked man cannot thus rejoyce lawfully He must cease to be wicked and become upright before he is capable of thus rejoycing Every Ungodly man sins in every thing he doth and though the matter be lawful and a duty yet there is an evil root of bitterness in him that spoils all he doth it can at best be but a carnal joy which can be neither acceptable to God nor profitable for him 4. Spiritual joy may also be considered as to matter or manner 1. It may be called spiritual as to the matter when employed about spiritual things The love of God the Redemption of Christ the Graces of the Spirit and the like and such was Pauls rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. And that which Christ