that they might bring forth fruit unto God serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter For though the Letter of the Law killeth being the ministration of Condemnation yet the Spirit giveth Life being the ministration of Righteousness which exceeds in glory And consequently they have liberty by the Spirit of God are beautified by it so as that Christ is formed in them They live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit The mind of the Spirit is to them life and peace They have access by one Spirit unto the Father The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with their spirit that they are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ that suffering with him they may be glorified together They are led by the Spirit sow to the Spirit and of the Spirit reap life everlasting through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness which is by Faith In a word that Life that Holiness that Beauty that Liberty that Joy that Hope that Fruit which a Christian hath from Christ is communicated by the Spirit and that Glory of Soul and Body which is expected hereafter that Quietness and Rest in life and death which is desirable is from the Spirit of God If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of Christ's But if Christ be in us the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is life because of Righteousness And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in us he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in us Rom. 8.9 10 11. So that I may safely infer from this enumeration of Benefits even the most precious Riches that a Spirit is capable of that the Gift of God's Spirit to a man is the greatest Commodity the Jewel of Heaven What Solomon saith of Wisedom is true of God's Spirit It is a Gift more precious then Rubies and all the things we can desire are not to be compared to it And therefore the Loss of it is the greatest Loss Which brings me to the Enquiry what endangers the Privation of it and that was asserted in the Second Proposition to be great Transgressions II. OBSERVATION That great Transgressions endanger the Loss of God's Spirit This is manifest from David's Petition in that by reason of his Sins he was afraid of its Loss and therefore begs the Continuance of it notwithstanding his foul Trespasses It is I confess a great Dispute Whether a person once regenerated by the Spirit washed sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God can totally and finally lose its Continuance with him I will not meddle with that Point But this is out of question That some Gifts of the Spirit may be lost else the Apostle 1 Thess 5.19 would not have premonished the Thessalonians that they should not quench the Spirit Such Gifts of the Spirit as are for others good to which the Salvation of a person is not promised may undoubtedly be totally lost by great Transgressions So Saul lost the Royal Magnanimity and other Princely Endowments which he had before by sparing Agag and by usurping the Priestly Office in offering Sacrifice Judas lost the Gift of Healing which he had with the rest of the Apostles and other Abilities to preach the Gospell by his traitourous Selling of his Master he fell from the Apostleship and Ministry by his Transgression Nor is it denied but that some who were once enlightned and had tasted of the heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and had tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come might fall away and not be renewed again by Repentance that they might crucifie the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame that they might tread under foot the Son of God and count the Bloud of the Covernant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing and doe despite to the Spirit of grace Heb. 6.4 5 6. and 10.29 Yea those of whom God gave testimony that they did that which was right in the eyes of God as did David yet even they fell so foully as that they lost the Fruits and Comforts of the Spirit so as not to regain them in that degree they once had them Of Asa it is said that his Heart was perfect with the Lord all his days 1 King 15.14 and yet he put the Seer in prison being in a rage with him for reproving his Relying on the King of Syria 2 Chron. 16.7 10. and even in his Disease he sought not to the Lord but to the physicians vers 12. And Hezekiah though he walked before God in truth and with a perfect Heart and did that which was good in his sight yet when God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his Heart he rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for his Heart was lifted up 2 Chron. 32.25 31. Certain it is by David's and other Holy mens example that God doth sometimes leave men to themselves for a time so as to fall into such Sins as deprive them of the Joy of God's Salvation and the establishing virtue of God's Spirit so as not to be so active and constant in the exercise of Godliness as formerly at least for a time else why doth David pray in the next verse to my Text Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit And however the event be yet there is great danger of an utter Loss of the Spirit of God not onely in respect of its Comforts and Motions but also of its inexistence and quickening virtue when men are so overcome by Lust as Solomon and David or Fear as Peter or other Temptations to sin so foully as they did The Reason whereof is because such Sins do grieve and vex the Holy Spirit For though the Spirit of God be not subject to humane Passions yet the Holy Scripture as it ascribes Repentance and some other Affections of men to God so doth it attribute Grief to the Holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 where it minds us that we grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption in respect of the effect that Grief hath in man which makes him withdraw from that which grieves him And so saith the Book intituled the Wisedom of Solomon Chap. 1.4 5. For into a malicious Soul Wisedom shall not enter nor dwell in the body that is subject to Sin For the holy Spirit of discipline will fly deceit and remove from thoughts that are without understanding and will not abide where Vnrighteousness cometh in Contraria se invicem expellunt There is a Contrariety between God's Spirit of Holiness and man's spirit that
13.22 Which is the great Scope of him that walks in his Uprightness and consequently a proof of his owning God's Sovereignty and uniting of his Heart to fear his Name 3. A man's Walking in his Uprightness proceeds from that Faith whereby the Believer presents God to himself sets him before his face sees him that is invisible as Moses did Heb. 11.27 which begets Fear of God takes away servile Fear of others keeps him in even and constant Obedience as Enoch Noah Abraham and all the Holy Patriarchs who walked with and before God without Fear of their Enemies in the Fear of God depending on his Protection and subjecting themselves to his Direction which engaged the Lord to be their God III. What Advantage accrues to him that walketh in his Vprightness and feareth the Lord. Of which very briefly The Psalmist tells us in few words Psal 84.11 that the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the Vpright in heart And after him the Apostle Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to the Rule of the new Creature in Christ Jesus Peace be on them and Mercy and on the Israel of God Whence it is rightly inferred that all such as walk in their Uprightness out of a Fear of the Lord are assured of Light to guide them Protection to preserve them Peace to quiet them Supply of good things to chear them Assistence to help them Favour to comfort them and Glory to advance them APPLICATION And now what remains but that each of us as the Prophet minds the Jews Hag. 1.5 consider our Ways whether we have chosen the Way that leads to Life or that which is the Path to Destruction whether we walk uprightly in the Fear of God or perversly in Compliance with Satan All of us have a Journey to goe here we have no continuing City We may say as David 1 Chron. 29.15 We are Strangers before God as were all our Fathers our days on the Earth are as a Shadow and there is none abiding no expectation of a settled Mansion here We must arise and depart for this is not our Rest because it is polluted Mic. 2.10 Oh then how much doth it concern us to heed which Way we take whether the tendence of our Course of life be to walk in our Vprightness as those that fear the Lord or our Conversation be in the Lusts of our Flesh fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the Mind whether we devote our selves to the Fear of God spend our lives imploy our time and estate to please him to doe his Will or our Walking be according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that worketh in the children of Disobedience If you say you fear God and expect Heaven you must manifest it by departing from your sinfull Ways by serving him in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of your life They must walk before God in their Uprightness here who would stand before God in Happiness hereafter Not Words but Works not a Form of Godliness but the Power of it prevails with God Be not deceived saith the Apostle Gal. 6.7 8. God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap For he that soweth to his Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting Follow therefore Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Walk with that Company here with which you would have your Lot hereafter Walk not in the way with them with whom you dread to be associated at last Take heed of Complying with the World in your Life with whom you would not be condemned at your Death Consider the End of your Life and follow their Faith whose End you would purchase at the greatest rate Remember the Advice of the Prophet Jerem. 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand in the ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good Way and walk therein and ye shall find Rest for your Souls I direct you not to follow any New Lights neither to seek any new Ways but I advise you to goe to Christ that you may find Rest for your Souls to take his Yoke upon you and to learn of him to receive him and to walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the Faith as he hath taught you abounding therein with thanksgiving Believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of Light Walk as Children of Light and walk as such while you have the Light Casting off the works of Darkness and putting on the Armour of Light walk honestly as in the day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof To all which let me adde that of the Apostle Eph. 5.1 2. Be followers of God as dear Children and walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Amen LAVS DEO THE IMPIOUS CONTEMPT Part II. The Twenty-eighth SERMON PROVERBS xiv 2. But he that is perverse in his Ways despiseth him OF all Points of Wisedom this is the Inlet and as it were the Door to fear the Lord and of all Ways of Folly this is the greatest to despise him The one is demonstrated by a man's walking in his Vprightness of which I have already spoken the other by Perverseness in a man's Ways which is now to be considered II. PROPOSITION He that is perverse in his Ways despiseth the Lord. Concerning this three Quaere's are to be answered like as there were in handling the former Proposition 1. Who is meant by him that is perverse in his Ways and when a man is said to be so 2. How such an one despiseth the Lord. 3. What is the Evil of such Despising the Lord. Of which in their order I. Who is meant by him that is perverse in his Ways By Ways as hath been already said are meant the Actions of a Man as he is a Rational Being whose Motions should be ordered by such a Rule as his Creatour hath made known and should tend to his Maker's Honour For God at first made Man upright or simple so as that he had no other Way but that which was God's but they have sought out many Inventions saith Solomon Eccles. 7.29 Whence it comes to pass that there are many and various Ways in which men now walk contrary to God's Way that is his prescribed Will which is the Way that every man should walk in and then he walketh in his Vprightness But when he chuseth any Invention of his own to direct the
man's Heart did entertain his Motions embrace his Suggestions Sin could not be engendred by them So that in vain doth the corrupt spirit of a man accuse things or persons without himself as the Authours or Causes of his sinfull Evils the Judge of Heaven will lay it at his own door and endite him as guilty of the Crime And so do all wise and holy persons We all do fade as a leaf and our Iniquities like the wind have taken us away Behold thou art wroth for we have sinned Isa 64.5 6. Nor do they lessen the Fault but aggravate it as David doth here which was the Second thing observable in an humble Penitent II. OBSERVATION The Penitent Sinner makes not a light matter of his Sin but acknowledgeth the Grievousness of it This is manifest by all the Examples of humble Penitents in the Scripture We have sinned saith holy Daniel Dan. 9.5 and have committed Iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy Precepts and from thy Judgments And holy Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our Iniquities are increased over our heads and our Trespass is grown up unto the Heavens Thus when the justified Publican prays he dares not lift up his eyes to Heaven but smites on his breast saying God be mercifull to me a Sinner And S. Paul censures himself as the chief of Sinners for those Sins he committed in Ignorance and Unbelief He knows that God sees more evil in his Sins then he himself can discern that Sins are not to be censured according to mens estimation but God's most pure Law and righteous Judgment that God is of purer eyes then to behold Evil and that he cannot look on Iniquity with the least approbation or connivence that what is highly prized in mens eyes or made a venial Sin by men is counted a foul Abomination with God that the least Sin is against an Infinite Majesty and cost no less then the Bloud of the Son of God to expiate it that there is no Venial Sin in its own nature to say Raca Thou fool to our Brother makes a man liable to Hell-fire that every Sin is of the Devil who sinned from the beginning that the wages of Sin every Sin is Death even that Death which is opposite to everlasting Life Hence it is that David makes not a small matter of the Sins of his youth but prays God not to remember them and Job complaineth that God wrote bitter things against him and made him to possess the Sins of his youth And Christ makes idle words such as that for them men are to be accountable at the day of Judgment Popish Doctrine of Venial Sins Resolutions of Cases of Conscience after Popish Casuists Dictates are not found in the expressions of Scripture-Penitents much less Pharisaicall Vauntings of Self-righteousness or Monkish Ostentation of their own Merits or Quakers Opinions of Innocency and Perfection but Acknowledgment of their Transgressions and Sins with the hainous Degree and Circumstances of them Which was David's profession here and is an instance of an humble Penitent's practice III. OBSERVATION He freely confesseth and acknowledgeth his Sin at least to God and sometimes to men Though David often professeth his Innocency in respect of the Criminations which were cast upon him in Saul's Court as if he had conspired against him though he alledge his Integrity before God as being upright in heart in promoting God's Worship not going after any other gods but in the choice of his Soul preferring the Observance of God's Laws before any Ends of his own yet he still acknowledgeth his Sins to God without any arrogant vaunting of Perfection or opinion of unspotted Holiness I acknowledge my Sin unto thee and mine Iniquity have I not hid saith he Psalm 32.5 And holy Job although he could not be beaten out of his hold the conscience of his Integrity before God and his Innocence from any Oppression of men with which his Antagonists charged him yet disclaims the Covering of his Transgressions as Adam by hiding his Iniquity in his bosome Job 31.33 And Chap. 7.20 he bespeaks God thus I have sinned what shall I doe unto thee O thou Preserver of men And again Chap. 40.4 Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth All Holy persons do subscribe to that of Bildad Job 25.4 5 6. that in comparison of God in his sight no man living can be justified How can he be clean that is born of a woman They know that God searcheth the Heart discerns the windings and turnings of their deceitfull Hearts that they have secret Sins which neither other men nor themselves perceive S. Paul once conceived himself touching the Righteousness of the Law blameless while he was ignorant of its Spirituality he observed not how the Law forbade Coveting the very first Motions of Lust But when he knew how holy and perfect the Law was how imperfect he was when he found a Law in his Members rebelling against the Law of his Mind and leading him into captivity to the Law of Sin which was in his Members he then cries out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. Such is the Affection of the most inlightned Saints who have been best acquainted with God's Purity the Perfection of his Law their own Impurity and the Defect in their ways that they have always cried out of themselves as the Lepers in the Law We are unclean we are unclean In their Supplications to God they have bemoaned their sinfull Thoughts their most hidden Transgressions yea in their Transgressions against men when doing right to them and giving glory to God hath required it they have not stuck in full Congregations to confess their Errours and to bewail their Transgressions Which thing hath been always necessary 1. To justifie God in his Sentence and Judgments that he might be justified in his sayings and be clear when he is judged as it is in the next verse to my Text. 2. To abase Man that he may lie prostrate at his feet and not proudly lift up his head before God Both which Ends are discernible in that humble Confession of Daniel and his speech to God Dan. 9.7 O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us Confusion of faces because of our Trespass committed against thee For which Ends as God sets our Iniquities before us so the humble Penitent always sets his Sins before his face as David did here IV. OBSERVATION He makes not this a short transient Action but his Sins are ever before him There is indeed a setting our Iniquities before our faces which is pernicious when we look upon our Sins as of so horrid a Guilt that they are unpardonable as when Cain told God Gen. 4.13 My Punishment is greater then I can bear or Mine Iniquity is greater then that it may be
III. OBSERVATION Penitent Sinners such as David was do beg earnestly against the Loss of God's Presence as their greatest Calamity and pray for its Continuance as their chiefest Happiness The Holy Writings are full of such Petitions as these Let my sentence come forth from thy presence Psal 17.2 Make thy Face to shine upon thy servant Psal 31.16 Forsake me not O Lord O my God be not far from me Psal 38.21 Awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise cast us not off for ever Wherefore hidest thou thy face Psal 44.23 24. Return for thy servants sake Isa 63.17 Take away all Iniquity and receive us graciously Hos 14.2 As it is with a Child who misseth his Father he cries after him till he appears to him or as a Traveller that is out of his way and knoweth not what way to take nor what may become of him calls for his Guide to direct for his Company to help him So it is with a Repenting person who hath wandered out of his way he is sensible that he hath done foolishly in leaving God's way fears lest he shall become a prey to Satan finds the want of God's Guidance the need of his Assistence hereupon he cries aloud to God not to leave him he wrastleth with God as Jacob did when he feared his Brother Esau's hostile approach so as not to let him goe untill he bless him he weeps and makes Supplication till he becomes an Isaac one that prevails with God his Eye trickleth down and ceaseth not without any intermission till the Lord look down and behold from Heaven he bewails his turning aside into crooked paths begs to be led into the way everlasting and to that end resolves to hold close to God for the time to come and to keep his way lest he by Recidivation and Relapse drive away God for ever For which purpose he begs God not to take away his Holy Spirit from him as being his best Guide and Guard in his Pilgrimage on Earth Which leads me to the consideration of the Second Petition in my Text but at present time will not permit me to handle it Of what hath been said give me leave to make some Application APPLICATION You that have fallen into any such gross Transgression as David's was remember to imitate him in his Return to God As his Sin was very great so this Penitentiall Psalm shews his Sorrow after God was very conspicuous working Repentance not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 What the Apostle said of the Corinthians guilty of Indulgence to the Incestuous person For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what Carefulness it wrought in you yea what Clearing of your selves yea what Indignation yea what Fear yea what vehement Desire yea what Zeal yea what Revenge in all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter the same was true of David and ought to be verified in every one of you chiefly in these things 1. To be sensible of the great danger of the Loss of God's Presence to know and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that you have forsaken the Lord your God and that his Fear was not in you when either by Wantonness or Intemperance or Profaneness or Unrighteousness or any other kind of Leudness though committed in secret from the eyes of man ye did Evil in God's sight and rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit so that he was turned away from you became your Enemy fought against you and left you to be insnared by the Devil and to be led captive by him according to his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Oh this is a thing you should mourn for as one mourneth for his onely Son and be in bitterness for his absence as one that is in bitterness for his first-born 2. For the time to come that with the spirit of Grace and Supplication you instantly press God to vouchsafe you his preserving guiding comforting aiding Presence that you may not be overcome by a like Temptation nor wander from God by Errour nor by Infirmity of your flesh yield to such Motions in you or Solicitations of others as may overcome you and prevail upon you to goe astray from God and leave him who is your Shepherd lest the Wolf of Hell catch you and tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Oh what-ever you doe watch and pray that God may lead you in the paths of Righteousness for his Name 's sake And what-ever Bait or Suggestion may be set before you yet remember that which Joseph thought on when he was enticed to Leudness by his Mistris How shall I doe this great Wickedness and sin against God Oh set God alwaies before you who being at your right hand you shall not be moved It will be your everlasting Comfort in life and death that you can say I was upright before God and kept my self from mine Iniquity While you live on Earth walk humbly obediently patiently with God Doe as Enoch did who had this testimony that he so walked with God as to please him and then you may be assured notwithstanding your former Falls yet at last to be translated if not as he was not to see death yet so as not to abide in death but to be with your Father for ever Which the Lord grant c. Amen LAVS DEO THE HEAVENLY GIFT Part II. The Seventh SERMON PSALM li. 11. Take not thy Holy Spirit from me IN this Penitentiall Psalm of David wherein he applieth himself to God for the recovery of his Favour after his great Fall in the matter of Vriah as he sincerely confesseth his Sin and humbly beggeth Pardon so he doth earnestly deprecate God's Dereliction of him as being the most sad presage of his everlasting Perdition and the taking away his Holy Spirit from him as the inlet to Satan's possession of him and so the forerunner of his extreme Ruine I have heretofore considered his Petition against Ejection out of God's Presence the regaining of which is a most desirable thing to a Penitent Sinner and though it be forfeited by Sin yet is it recoverable by humble and earnest Supplication It now remains that I consider the other Prayer in my Text against the Privation of God's Spirit in these words And take not thy Holy Spirit from me For explication whereof it is requisite that it be shewed 1. What is meant by the Holy Spirit or Spirit of God's Holiness which he feared might be taken from him 2. How it is taken away from a person 1. The term Spirit is meant sometimes of God the Father as Joh. 4.24 where it is said that God is a Spirit sometimes of the Son as 2 Cor. 3.17 where it is said The Lord is that Spirit and sometimes of the Third Person in the Holy Trinity as 1 Joh. 5.6 where it is said It is the Spirit that beareth witness who is termed the Holy Ghost or Spirit and is all one with the Spirit
him and hide him from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his Wrath is come and who is able to stand Rev. 6.16 17. Now then Deliverance from Death must needs deserve Praise and Thanksgiving Deliverance from the greatest Evil should be received with the greatest Gratitude Deliverance from natural Death causeth Holy persons to bless God but Deliverance from Sin the cause of Death from the Wrath to come eternal Death much more This makes the Deliverance most compleat and the Thankfulness should be most ample To which is to be added 2. That the Deliverance is by God it is He that delivers the Soul from Death Now what comes from God's hand is most acceptable to them that love God A Deliverance from Death by a man doth ingage our Affections to him we think our selves obliged to him while we live who hath preserved our Life especially if he be a person of great Quality To have our Lives saved by the King whom we had provoked to be pardoned our Treason exceedingly heightens our valuation of the Benefit There is much more cause to magnifie the Goodness of God who saves his people from Death by pardoning of their Sins by advancing them to Nearness with himself who so saves from Death temporal as to give Life eternal Behold saith Hezekiah Isa 38.17 for Peace I had great Bitterness but thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit for thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back The Forgiveness of Sins which occasioned Death is a greater Benefit then the prolonging of Life And then it is Happiness accumulated to the height when there is not onely length of days on Earth but eternal Life in Heaven conferred upon the saved Bless the Lord O my Soul saith David Psal 103.1 2 3 4. and all that is within me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits Who forgiveth all thy Sins and healeth all thy Diseases Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with Loving-kindness and tender Mercies All which Mercies are the more joyfull to the believing Soul because they are not so much the fruit of our Prayers as of God's free Grace in Christ The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so loved the World the sinfull World even when they were Enemies to him that he gave his onely-begotten Son to death even the death of the Cross that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life This Deliverance from Death proceeding from God's special Love that great Love wherewith he loved us when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins quickening us together with Christ saving us by Grace is that which makes it incomprehensibly welcome and encourageth the Soul to expect farther Preservation as David doth here which brings me to the Second Part of my Text now to be handled viz. II. David's Postulation Wilt thou not deliver my Feet from falling The Expression seems to be expostulatory but is to be conceived to include a Petition He demands of God Wilt thou not c not as one that challenged it as his due desert but as assured of the Continuance of God's Goodness He deprehends in God a Fountain of Love which is still running over flowing down in farther Streams of saving Mercy We have an exact and ample Paraphrase upon the words of my Text in that passage Psal 36. from vers 5. to the end where having set out the Wickedness of men and his own Danger he breaks forth in extolling God's Goodness in an assurance of a constant Current of Mercies and then is instant with God for the Continuance of his Preservation This part of my Text is a most precious passage of great Use for your Meditation in times of Danger by reason of Pestilence or War and it shews this to be the customary practice of Holy persons to gather Arguments of Assurance of future Help from God from their experience of his former gracious Deliverances So did David 1 Sam. 17.37 when he was to fight wïth Goliah he argued thus The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lion and of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine And after him S. Paul 2 Cor. 1.9 10. We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God that raiseth the dead Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver In his former Deliverance he perceived the Power of God that he could deliver from Death he deprehends his watchfulness over him in the Continuance of his Deliverance his Love to him and Care of him which confirms him in the expectation of farther Help for the future As they say all Vertues are concatenate in Prudence so all Mercies are linked together in God's Love and Care of his Servants And indeed so the Apostle inferrs Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things He that preserves our Lives will keep our Feet Thou hast delivered my Soul from Death wilt thou not also deliver my Feet from falling Surely thou wilt But then this Deliverance must be sought for at his hands which is also implied in this Expression When Christ cured the lame Cripple he bade him take up his bed and walk God when he saves our Life from death expects that we should walk before him Our Life is a Pilgrimage we walk from one Stage of it to another as the Sun runs its course so doth Man The Emanations of our Minds the Actions of our Members are our Steps If we walk not uprightly if we heed not what we think what we speak what we act our Feet will quickly fall first into Sin and then into Mischief The Psalmist Psal 73.2 tells us out of his experience of himself that his Feet were almost gone his Steps had well-nigh slipt He had stumbled at the Stumbling-stone to wit the Prosperity of the Wicked This begat Envy in him and that drew him on to a kind of Affection to their ways to a condemning of his own Course and offending against the generation of God's Children And had not God mercifully caught him when he was falling by directing him to the Sanctuary of God where he might see the End of the wicked that however they stood on smooth yet they were but slippery places they walked on Ice which would suddenly break under them and then they would sink for ever he had certainly perished Therefore he recovers himself and applies himself to God vers 23 24. and stays himself on the Manutenentia Divina Thou hast holden me by my right hand Thou wilt guide me with thy Counsel and after receive me to Glory As for me saith he in another Psalm 41.12 thou upholdest
themselves sutable to his Dignity so as not to disgrace him by their slovenly Habits And thus the Apostle requires that we should walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.13 that is in good fashion decently or honestly as we would say and our Translation reads it after the Court-fashion of Heaven We should walk before God in white like the heavenly Courtiers cloathed with white Linen fine and clean which is the Righteousness of Saints Rev. 19.8 that is with holy Habits and Dispositions of mind They that walk before God must have clean Hands and a pure Heart He that hath not lift up his Soul to Vanity nor sworn deceitfully Psal 24.4 enters into God's holy Hill As Kings love Purity of heart and grace in the lips Prov. 22.11 so doth God much more He is of purer Eyes then to behold Evil he cannot look on Iniquity with any good liking Such as be foolish shall not stand in his sight he hateth all workers of Iniquity he will destroy them that speak leasing c. Psal 5.5 6. No impure-spirited man that hath vain Imaginations of God that fears him not neither is God in all his Thoughts can stand before him If Solomon would not permit any such about him neither surely will God Rectitude of Heart is the chief Requisite when we appear before him Blessed are the pure in Heart saith our Saviour Matth. 5.8 for they shall see God As long as a man retains erroneous Opinions in the things of God as long as vain Thoughts fraudulent Designs unrighteous Projects evil Counsels lodge in his Heart and bear sway in his Actions he cannot walk acceptably with God As to Walking well bodily the chief thing is the Locomotive faculty so in Spiritual Walking before God the main thing is to be moved by a right Principle a due Apprehension of God as he is Most high 2. God must be set before us not onely as Maximus but also as Optimus not onely as the Greatest but also as the Best not onely as one that can punish us but also as one that can and will reward us as Best in himself and good to all that seek him He that shall apprehend it in vain to serve God and that there is no profit in walking mournfully before the Lord of hoasts that there is no profit in keeping his Ordinances as those mentioned Mal. 3.14 will never walk pleasantly before God Such a Servant as looks upon God as a hard Master that reaps where he doth not sow and gathers where he did not strew will shun God and his Service as much as may be hide his Talent in a Napkin rather then imploy it to improvement for his Master He that walks before God must walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exactly as the Apostle speaks Ephes 5.15 circumspectly and diligently As Courtiers that expect Benefits from their Prince will be carefull to accommodate themselves to his Humour diligent to prosecute his Business to the utmost of their skill and power so is it with those that walk before God they expect Preferment from him and therefore are studious to answer his Expectation And when they find God's Favour towards them they prize it as their Life Psal 30.5 yea better then Life it self As the Prince's Favour refresheth a Servant that attends on him is as the Dew upon the tender Herbs which makes them spring up fresh and give a sweet Savour so the Favour of God makes his Servants walk diligently before him with all readiness and alacrity doing his Will So saith David Psalm 26.3 Thy Loving-kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy Truth And indeed this is the chief Encouragement to a man that walks before God that he does all for a Prince that is not onely Deliciae generis humani the Love and Delight of mankind as Titus Vespasian the Roman Emperour was styled but that he serves a God who is Love it self Joh. 4.16 in whom there is not onely a River but an Ocean of Love not a Pond but a Fountain of Love All his ways are Love to his Holy ones He loved them with an everlasting Love and with Loving-kindness hath drawn them to him This was it that made David to aim at walking before God because he had found God's Love to him in delivering his Soul from Death and his Feet from falling Thus God encouraged Abraham to walk before him because he had assured him that he was his Shield and exceeding great Reward Gen. 15.1 It is good for me to draw nigh unto God saith the Psalmist Psal 73.28 But above all the Manifestations of God's Love that which is the grand Motive to encourage our walking before God is that there is now a new and living Way whereby we may draw nigh to God even through the Veil of his Son's Flesh That now the Enmity betwixt us and God caused by Adam's Sin and Satan's project to alienate Men from God is taken away That now there is on Earth Peace and Good will towards men That now the Son of God is made the Way the Truth and the Life whereby we may come to the Father That now we are assured that however it be that we travel through a Wilderness through a dry and barren Land where we meet with fiery Serpents and many Wants yet we have Manna from Heaven to feed on and we drink of the Rock which Rock is Christ Spiritual Meat and Spiritual Drink That as the Serpent was lifted up upon the Pole so the Son of man was lifted up that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life That now we have the Cloud by day to shade and guide us and the Pillar of fire by night to direct us we have not the Shadows of the Law but the clear Light of the Gospel to inlighten us with the Light of Heaven That we have the Spirit from on high given us to be a Spirit of Inlightning a Spirit of Regeneration to beget us again a Spirit of Life to quicken us and make us new Creatures in Christ a Spirit to comfort and refresh us a Spirit to intercede for us And that which is the upshot of all there is a Rest which remains for the people of God not in an earthly Canaan but in the Heavenly Jerusalem where we shall rest in Abraham's Bosom in the presence of the Holy Angels and glorified Saints in the Arms of our Husband who hath espoused us to himself by the greatest demonstration of Love having purified us to himself by his Bloud and joyned us to himself by his own Spirit That we shall behold the Face of our Father which is in Heaven in whom is all Beauty all Worth and all Love everlasting Joy shall be upon our heads and Sorrow and Misery shall fly away we shall be Kings and Priests unto God our Father and that for ever So that it will be abundant Recompence to us that we have walked before God in the light of the living
the Wicked beareth rule in Times of Anarchy or Tyranny there is not this Security to them that follow Good but the people mourn There is a Just man that perisheth in his Righteousness and there is a Wicked man that prolongeth his life in his Wickedness Eccles. 7.15 When cedunt Armis Togae men of the long Robe are awed by men of the long Sword the people are hurried up and down by popular Oratours Demagogues sway with them and they controll their Governours when an Usurper gets into the Throne and to strengthen his Party suppresseth the best and wisest when thundring Cannons are heard and just Laws are silenc'd when the Magistrate's Sword submits to the Souldier's the Judges yield to the Commanders of forces when the Preachers lead the People not by the Word of God but by the Ordinances of Men then it is likely in such an Iron Age wherein non Hospes ab Hospite tutus to follow that which is Good may be a man's greatest Danger to speak truth may be his Ruine When the wicked rise men hide themselves Prov. 28.28 Bene qui latuit bene vixit He is the wisest that lives most retired The like may be said of Times of Persecution when God will have his people to be under fiery Trialls that their Faith and Patience may appear when God will be glorified in their Sufferings as well as honoured by their Doings Yet in these cases he keeps them in perfect Peace whose Mind is stayed on God because they trust in him Isa 26.3 While they hold Faith and a good Conscience and make no shipwreck of them the Peace of God which passeth all understanding guards their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Hic Murus aheneus Yea even in time of universal Loss in such Sufferings as Job's they find an hundred-fold advantage with Persecution and in the end everlasting Life so that they who kill the Body hasten the Salvation of their Souls and by dispatching them hence they speed them in their flight to Heaven Of which yet they are not the proper Cause but there is an higher Cause who is able to bring Good out of Evil. Which was the last thing to be considered VI. Why they are thus secured It is God's Eye and his Hand that do secure and indemnifie those that are Followers of that which is Good This Reason of their Security the Coherence of my Text with the words next before yields me for having said The Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous and his Ears are open unto their Prayers but the Face of the Lord is against them that doe Evil he subjoyns my Text And who is he that will I had rather say shall harm you if ye be Followers of that which is Good While you are in his Service God counts himself engaged to take you into his Protection And therefore he will either change the Hearts of your Adversaries that they shall not mind the harming of you as he promised the Israelites Exod. 34.24 that no man should desire their Land when they should goe up to appear before the Lord thrice in the year though then were in the eye of Reason a fit season for them to make an hostile and successfull Invasion or else he will divert them as he did Saul 1 Sam. 23.28 or disable them as he did Pharaoh or if they be permitted to harm you outwardly God will comfort you inwardly and in fine all things shall work together for good to those that love God and are Followers of that which is Good And thus they shall be as the Three Children in the midst of the fiery Furnace and yet have no Harm And in this respect the Conclusion is made good None doth none will or none shall harm them that are Followers of that which is Good APPLICATION 1. This may be a good Encouragement to you all to follow that which is Good to exercise your selves as S. Paul did Act. 24.16 to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men. At all times specially in troublous Times every man is busie in projecting and contriving how to find an Asylum or Sanctuary where he may be safe from Danger and find Shelter from the Enemy and Avenger One fortifies his House another strengthens himself by Alliances another arms himself and gets into the field another relies on the Favour of the Grandees in Court or Army or City another gets together what Gold or Silver he can to procure his Peace at home or provide for Subsistence abroad But alas all these are but vain Contrivances Sometimes yea very often that which men trust upon is but as a broken Reed which if a man lean upon it will run into his hand Those very things which he thinks to find Protection by become his Ruine and that which he devised to be his Welfare becomes a Trap to him Nor is it any marvel if Woe befalls men when they take Counsell but not of God and cover with a Covering but not of his Spirit that they may adde Sin to Sin as the Prophet speaks Isa 30.1 The best way is to sow in Righteousness and then we shall reap in Mercy to follow that which is Good and then we shall be kept from that which doth harm If our Innocency defend us not from mens Attempts against us yet the Faithfulness and Truth of God shall be our Shield and Buckler Men might live better under the Protection of Laws and Government were it not for their contentious Spirits and unruly Tongues Did every one study to be quiet and to doe his own business did they not render Evil to any man but ever follow that which is Good both among themselves and to all men as S. Paul admonisheth 1 Thess 4.11 and 5.15 they might live more safely and die more happily Were men contented with their own did they defraud none but apply themselves to works of Righteousness and Mercy they might enjoy themselves and God with more freedom Did they not seek to climbe ambitiously or hunt after Vain-glory did they lay up their Treasure in Heaven they should have Rixae multò minus Invidiaeque fare better here and speed better hereafter Oh that you would seriously bethink your selves and apply your Endeavours to doe that which may save you from the Condemnation of your own Conscience the Sting of Death and the Damnation of Hell and learn to commit the keeping of your Souls in well-doing unto God as unto a faithfull Creatour 2. Nevertheless I would not have you to neglect lawfull Means for your Safety Christ would have his Disciples wise as Serpents though innocent as Doves Matth. 10.16 Faith and Prayer exclude not honest Prudence Integrity is not always sufficient to ward off the Blows of malicious Accusers False Witnesses stone Naboth and Envy crucifieth Christ S. Paul is not blamed for Appealing to Caesar or making use of the Difference between the Sadducees and Pharisees nor for discovering of the
and not another though my Reins be consumed within me And thus joyntly of the Head and Members Christ and every Believer is my Text verified and rightly understood and accordingly I shall apply it Therein is declared the Assurance which Christ had and every Believer together with him and by reason of his Union with him hath of three things 1. That God will shew them the Path of Life 2. That in his Presence there remains to them the Fulness of Joys 3. That at his right hand they shall have Pleasures for evermore Of these in their order with what Utterance the Almighty shall vouchsafe me though the Argument be such as neither the Minds of Men or Angels can comprehend nor their Tongues express I. OBSERVATION That Christ and Believers are assured of having the Path of Life made known to them For the distinct handling hereof we are to consider 1. What Life it is the Path of which both are assured of having made known to them 2. What is the Path of this Life or what are the Ways of this Life 3. How God hath and will make them known or shew them 4. Why he did assure Christ and why he doth assure Believers thereof I. What Life it is the Path of which they are assured shall be made known to them Life is the manner of Living things existing and is the Excellency of their Beings whereby things animate differ from things inanimate Of Life there are sundry degrees or kinds made by Philosophers 1. Vegetative in Plants and things which being rooted in the Earth suck their Nourishment from it and so grow thereby and yield Fruit and Seed to propagate their Kind 2. Sensitive in those living things that move and have Sense more or less though they perceive onely such things as concern their Sustenance and Self-preservation but can neither discern Spiritualls or Universalls nor reflect on their own Actions nor discourse as Man though some of them have admirable Sagacity as Experience hath shewed in Elephants and divers other Animals 3. Rationall in a Man whereby he is enabled not onely to know what concerns his Food and Necessaries to uphold his Corporall Being but is also capable of Counsell and Instruction in things pertaining to his Obedience to his Creatour and Peace with him and Comfort in his well-doing 4. There is yet an higher Life to wit that of Angels who need no Food to sustain their Being nor Members to move them but are of a subtile active and intelligent Nature yet much short of the Father of Spirits with whom is the Fountain of Life as it is said Psal 36.9 who hath all Fulness of Life in him not capable either of diminution or privation and is the universall Cause of all Life in other Beings which he imparts to all living things in that way and measure as he thinks best to appertain to them Now the Life of Men or Angels may note the bare Duration or Existence of their Being and so the Devils live and the Souls of the Damned have Life and the uncleanest Sodomites while they walk up and down on Earth have Life though in a morall sense they are dead while alive they have also in some things a bene esse or well-being to wit in respect of such things as pertain to Nature or outward Condition among men as Abraham said to the Rich man in Hell Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things Luk. 16.25 But this is not the Life the Path which Christ and his Members assure themselves God would make known to them though it be not excluded for doubtless David assured himself and therein rejoyced that God would uphold his Soul in Life deliver his Soul from Death his Eyes from Tears and his Feet from Falling that he should walk before the Lord in the Land of the living as he speaks Psal 116.8 9. And Christ understood by the Life which he expected from his Father that he would bring his Soul and Body together again and restore that Life he lost by Death And the Saints believe and expect the Resurrection of their Bodies from the Grave and in the expectation and assurance hereof they endure the greatest Tortures that Tyrants can inflict on them as it is said Heb. 11.35 Women received their dead raised to life again and others were tortured not accepting Deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection But this Resurrection to Life is not the mere Conjunction of Soul and Body together for that may be onely the Resurrection of Damnation as our Saviour speaks Joh. 5.29 which befalls them that have done Evil and is there opposed to the Resurrection of Life which they onely that have done Good shall be partakers of The Resurrection of Damnation though it be with Restitution of the Being those Wretches had before they died so as that they shall come out of the Graves hear the voice of the Son of man and in a sort live stand before the Tribunal of Christ and hear their Sentence and so continue in their Being everlastingly yet it is not termed Life but Death or the Second Death it being to a Copartnership with the Devil and his Angels with whom they are sentenced to be in Torments as they were guided and ruled by them while they conversed with men on Earth But the Life which the Scripture vouchsafes to term Life indeed as being the onely Vita vitalis the lively Life is that which is with God and according to God termed therefore the Life of God Ephes 4.18 God being their God therefore they live to God who is the God of the living as our Saviour's expression is Luk. 20.38 they live and reign with Christ as it is Revel 20.4 It is an holy and happy Life and therefore simply termed Life by way of excellency in opposition to Hell-fire Mark 9.45 If thy Foot offend thee cut it off it is better for thee to enter into Life halting then having two feet to be cast into Hell into the sire that never shall be quenched Vers 47. it is termed the Kingdom of God And if thine Eye offend thee pluck it out it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one Eye then having two Eyes to be cast into Hell-fire It is by our Saviour often called Eternall Life of which the Regenerate Believers have the beginning here they have it inchoate with a Right to it Verily verily I say unto you saith our Saviour Joh. 5.24 He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from Death to Life 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death 1 Joh. 5.11 12. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal Life and this Life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath Life and he that
hath not the Son of God hath not Life Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him But Jus in re or the Consummation and full Possession of this Life is after the Resurrection in the World to come which therefore Christ by way of Excellency terms eternall Life Mark 10.30 And this is that Life in the assurance whereof Christ laid down his Life with so much quietness when he commended his Spirit into the hands of his Father Luk. 23.46 And upon the promise of Life which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1.1 not onely of the Life that now is but also of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 S. Paul did both labour and suffer Reproach vers 10. In hope of this eternall Life Tit. 1.2 he exposed himself to daily danger of Death which he terms dying daily 1 Cor. 15.31 as being sensible as he saith vers 19. if in this life onely he and other Christians had hope in Christ they were of all men most miserable Now in hope and assurance of this Life Christ duram serviit Servitutem underwent the hardest Service that ever was undertaken he emptied himself took upon him the form of a Servant was made in the likeness of Men and being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.7 8. Though the Cup he was to drink of were a very bitter Cup a Cup of deadly Wine such as had in it the Dregs of God's Anger and was mingled with the Sins of men for whom God made him Sin or a Sacrifice for Sin yet he drank it off yielding to his Father's Will as knowing it to be true which he himself taught the two Disciples that Christ must suffer these things and rise from the dead the third day and so enter into his Glory Luk. 24.26 46. And the Promise of this Life animated all the Holy Apostles Martyrs and Saints in their severall Generations to give all diligence to deny themselves to take up their Cross and so to follow Christ even to Death not counting their own Lives dear to them but being zealous to doe and suffer for Christ though with the Loss of all as having learned that whosoever will save his Life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his Life for Christ's sake shall find it Matth. 16.25 What things were gain to me saith S. Paul Phil. 3.7 8 9 10 11. those I have counted Loss for Christ Yea doubtless and I do count all things but Loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord for whom I have suffered the Loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death if by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead Which occasions them to seek the Path of this Life which is the next thing enquired into and is now to be considered II. What is the Path or what the Ways of this Life The Ways or Path of Life is a Metaphor taken from Travellers who have a certain Track in which they are to tread and by going in which they are guided to the place to which their Journey tends and by its direction are ascertained of coming thither if they hold on their Motion Here in this passage it can be taken for no other then the Means of assurance of their attaining this Life Which in respect of Christ are 1. On God's part the Engagement of his Father to him Isa 53.10 11. that when he should make his Soul an Offering for Sin he should see his Seed he should prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand He should see of the travail of his Soul and be satisfied Christ undertook the great Business of doing his Father's Will which was written in the volume of his Book by offering that Body which his Father had prepared him upon a Contract between them when he came into the world as it is described Heb. 10.5 7 8. And this was that he should so lay down his Life as to take it up again as Christ himself declareth Joh. 10.18 I have power to lay down my Life and to take it up again this Commandment have I received of my Father Which thing made it impossible that he should be holden of the pains of death Act. 2.24 And therefore it is said He foresaw the Lord always before his face as being on his right hand that he should not be moved with the fear of Death vers 25. being firmly assured by his Father's Covenant upon which he put himself on that great Expedition of Coming into the world to save Sinners by the offering of himself that he should not lose by his Adventure but should after his Sufferings enter into his Glory To which is to be adjoyned the Love that his Father bare to him for this reason as he expresseth it Joh. 10.15 17 18. As the Father knoweth me even so I know the Father and I lay down my Life for the Sheep Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my Life that I might take it up again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self This unparallel'd Dutifulness of Christ to his Father in yielding so freely to his Self-exinanition and Humiliation unto Death did obtain a singular Love from his Father to him and engage his Truth and Power to revive and superexalt him 2. On Christ's part his ready Obedience to his Father's Will was the Path to Life which therefore he allegeth in that Prayer of his wherein he opened his Bosome to his Father Joh. 17.4 5. I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work thou gavest me to doe And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was In respect of Believers the Path of Life to them is 1. On God's part the free Love of God in chusing them to Life termed the writing their Names in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world Rev. 17.8 which because they are given to Christ is said to be the Lamb's Book of life Rev. 21.27 and our Saviour tells them their names are written in Heaven Luk. 10.20 Hereby is Christ engaged to give Life to them as he himself testifieth Joh. 6.39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And accordingly he saith Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall Life to as many as thou hast given him Hereby it is that Christ is
I. OBSERVATION That Afflictions Persecutions yea Death do not extinguish the Being of Saints who wash their Robes and make them clean in the Bloud of the Lamb. It is the saying of our Lord to Martha Joh. 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die It is true that believing Lazarus her Brother was then in the Grave and had been dead to her apprehension four days insomuch that she made no other account of him but as of a putrefied stinking Carkase yet even then Christ avoucheth him to have been alive And in like manner he judged Abraham and Isaac and Jacob though buried many Ages before yet even then when he conversed on Earth to be alive and so to continue for ever God being their God and he not being a God of the dead but of the living they must by consequence live unto him Luk. 20.38 Be the Dissolution of the Bodies from the Souls of the Saints never so violent their Flesh and Bones never so much consumed by the most vehement Flames torn and devoured by the most greedy and ravenous Beasts be they never so much putrefied and wasted with Sickness yet in their Dust and Ashes there is a Seed of Life It is with their Reliques as it is with Seed that is sown which though it be buried under the clods of the Earth and in appearance to men annihilated yet hath it a seminal Life which shall spring up again and flourish This Job was assured of when he said Job 19.26 27. Though after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another though my Reins be consumed within me But this is not all The Spirits of men even when their Bodies have onely a seminal Life have an actual Life they have a Life of Sense and Understanding they neither have their Life extinguished nor laid asleep without Feeling or Cogitation Though the Dust return to the Earth as it was yet the Spirit returns to God that gave it The Spirits that were sometimes disobedient when once the Long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was preparing were in prison when S. Peter wrote 1 Epist 3.19 20. And it is the saying of the Authour to the Hebrews Chap. 12.23 Ye are come to the Spirits of Just men made perfect When Lazarus was raised from the Grave he had not a new Soul created which was not existent before but the same Soul brought back into his Body Neither at the Resurrection are other Souls joyned to the Bodies then those that before had lived in them For otherwise not the same Soul which had done good or evil should be rewarded but another When Act. 7.59 S. Stephen called upon God and said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit he being full of the Holy Ghost was assured that though his Body were buried yet his Spirit should be with Christ And when the Apostle Paul expressed his willingness to be absent from the Body yet his expectation was to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 It was his choice and option to depart and to be with Christ as being far better Phil. 1.23 He had learned that Christ was in Death Life that he that believeth on him hath everlasting Life that his Life was hid with Christ in God that the Spirit of God that dwelt in him was Life because of Righteousness and therefore he counted not himself to live but Christ in him And as Christ did commend his Spirit into the hands of his Father when he gave up the ghost being assured he should be in Paradise so doe all the Saints that have the Spirit of Christ even when they lie down in their beds of Earth they yield up their Spirits into the hands of their Father as assured to be with Christ who is the Way to the Father And this brings in the II. OBSERVATION That when Saints are removed from Men below they are placed before the Throne of God Though God be a Spirit dwelling in that Light unto which no man can approach whom no man hath seen nor can see yet the Holy Scriptures express him to us under the Similitude of a glorious King suppose a Solomon in all his Glory sitting on a Throne or Seat of Royal Majesty and that in the Heaven of Heavens where his Son termed the Lamb in this Chap. vers 9 10. hath his Throne also at the right hand of God for being ascended into the Most holy place as an high Priest he is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Heb. 8.1 There the Angels who are ministring Spirits unto him and the Elders all the Apostles Prophets Martyrs Confessours as Kings and Priests unto God stand round about the Throne attending upon and beholding the King of Glory the number of whom is said Revel 5.11 to be ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands Now this place is by Christ termed Paradise Luk. 23.43 and by S. Paul 2 Cor. 12.2 4. said to be the third Heaven where is a place of Rest an Abraham's Bosome into which Lazarus is said to be carried by the Angels Luk. 16.22 Now though that were a great Happiness for a Beggar that lately lay at the Rich man's gate full of Sores and empty of Bread glad to have been fed with the crums which fell from the rich man's Table as the Dogs were who had more Compassion then the rich man for they licked his Sores when the rich man disdained to look on him or to pay for his Cure And though it be to all that undergoe sore Travail great Wants and Persecutions a very great part of their Blessedness that there remains a Rest for the people of God Heb. 4.9 and to the Saints which keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus after their patient Sufferings that a Voice from Heaven is heard saying Write Blessed are the dead which die in or for the Lord from henceforth Yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours Yet that is not the total Summe which completes their Felicity there is more in that which follows that their Works follow them so as to be approved in Heaven Their Persons are welcomed and entertained with Triumph over their Enemies they have the Crown of Righteousness conferred on them by the Righteous Judge of all the World their good Fight of Faith is applauded with an Io-Triumph as an Heroical act of the most gallant Fortitude by the Acclamation of the Celestial Quire of Angels and blessed Spirits they are cloathed with white Linen the Righteousness of Saints they are arrayed with the most sumptuous Apparel feasted with the Light of God's Countenance reign with Christ on his Throne are designed to be solemnly married to Christ and to be Judges of the World as Co-assessours with Christ at his Coming in the expectation of which they most delightfully see God
as being before his Throne and there serving him for ever Which brings us to the III. OBSERVATION That the Saints serve God in his Temple in Heaven perpetually The Service of a great and gracious Prince though but in the meanest Office about him is an Employment much sought after for the Advantages it brings of Safety free Access Esteem and other Privileges concomitant but to attend him in a higher quality is still more desirable for the Dignity and Nearness of it to such a Majesty David chose rather to be a Door-keeper in the House of God then to be as Haman the great Favourite in the Palace of Shushan with Ahasuerus King of Persia Yet these are but petty and low Advantages in comparison of what accrue by the Service of the Great God who filleth Heaven and Earth Surely it was a Happiness to be a Servant to God though but a Hewer of wood or a Drawer of water for the House of God as the Gibeonites were they were yet far more blessed that dwelt in his House as Priests and Levites to minister before him and to serve at his Altar but it is superlative Happiness to serve God in his Temple in Heaven and to doe this for ever without any intermission especially when the Service is no other then Service of Gratitude and Praising of the Great Creatour and Benefactour of the world even him who is Optimus as well as Maximus the Best of Beings as well as the Greatest even him who is the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect Gift cometh in whom is no Variableness nor shadow of turning They that are still praising God on Earth are blessed Psal 84.4 As all God's Works do praise the Lord so his Saints do bless him they shew forth the Glory of his Kingdom and talk of his Power Psalm 145.10 11. Much more joyous and blessed a thing is it when the great Consort of Heaven do there perpetually sound forth the high Praises of their God where they have nothing else to doe but to sing Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever where this New Song is sung with the best Musick of Heaven concerning the Lord Jesus Thou art worthy of all Benediction for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and where with a loud voice with the greatest Shout of Angels and glorified Saints this Acknowledgment is echoed forth Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisedom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Oh how glad are men to tell of the Good they have received by such and such Benefactours If a gracious Prince hath but admitted them to kiss his Hands hath deigned to speak kindly to them to promise them Preferment at Court how do men like Haman tell their Wives and Friends of it with rejoycing how highly do they esteem themselves what Regard do they expect from others how do they please themselves in the expectation of his Performance how thankfully do they receive any Intelligence of him any Message from him And yet it often falls out that Princes Favourites be as a wise Heathen said like Counters which one day stand for pounds another day are of no value So that perhaps whom they magnified to day him they will curse to morrow whom they gloried in one day him they are displeased at the next It is otherwise with the Saints in Heaven then with Courtiers on Earth Once in God's Favour and they never lose it They have no fear of Frowns when once before him in his Temple they have no occasion of Dislike at any of his Looks or Speeches There is all Serenity of Aspect Entertainment with perfect Friendship matter of eternal Love everlasting Preferment And therefore with the greatest Freeness and Chearfulness without Intermission or Weariness the Saints do serve God in their Hymns in Heaven and that in his Presence for he that sitteth on the Throne doth dwell among them Which was my last Observation and is now to be considered as the Top of all their Happiness securing it from all Loss Disturbance or Diminution IV. OBSERVATION That the Saints have God everlastingly cohabiting with them Among the Promises and Preferments which are by God bestowed on his Servants this is the chiefest That as they are his Jewells a peculiar people to him are as lively Stones built up a spiritual House an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to him by Jesus Christ so they become the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People 2 Cor. 6.16 The Presence of God is counted so necessary to his People that Moses had rather stay in the vast howling Wilderness among fiery stinging Serpents then goe onward toward Canaan without it Exod. 33.15 On the other side the Psalmist professeth that though he walked through the valley of the shadow of death he would fear no evill because God was with him his Rod and his Staff did comfort him Psal 23.4 And indeed the chiefest Joy of Christians as well as Safety is in God's Company When God hides his Face the holiest Souls are troubled Satan affrights them the men of the World vex them their own Consciences bring their Sins to remembrance and cause Gripings and Pain in their very Bowells But when God returns when all the Clouds and Storms are dispersed Blessed saith the Psalmist is the people that know the joyfull sound they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy Countenance Psal 89.15 How much do Holy Saints here disquiet themselves by reason of their Cohabitation with profane and unrighteous persons When they are forced to dwell with them that are Enemies they are as a Sword in their bones when reproachfully they say daily to them Where is thy God How do they long for the Christian Society of sincere Believers and heavenly-minded Christians But their chief Prayer is Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Their Soul thirsteth for God for the living God When shall we come and appear before God A wise and single-hearted Companion is justly valued as a most precious Jewell As Ointment and Perfume rejoyce the Heart so doth such Acquaintance a man's Spirit But the best of men are imperfect the purest Churches have their Spots Christ's own Disciples had a Judas with them They are not quite free from Satan's Haunts till they be where Christ is But when they behold his Glory are in the Company of the Lamb where he is are in the House where their Father in Heaven dwells have him dwelling with them so as that they behold his Face and are in his Hand then they are filled with everlasting Joy
abundantly satisfied with the Bread of Life drink of the River of his Pleasures with whom is the Fountain of Life and in his Light they see Light they find in God's Presence there is Fulness of Joy and at his right hand Pleasures for evermore APPLICATION And thus have I presented unto you a Shadow of that most desirable Light which is the Inheritance of all the Saints A comprehensive View of which is not attainable except there be afforded such a Sight as was to the Three Disciples at Christ's Transfiguration in the Mount or to S. Paul at his Rapture into Paradise till we be absent from the Body and present with the Lord and then we shall behold his Face in Righteousness and when we awake shall be satisfied with his Likeness In the mean time while we walk by Faith and not by Sight let us be such in our Choice in our Affections in our Endeavours as the Saints have been with Patience waiting for what we see not and running so as that we may attain it This will be our Comfort our Support when we come to the end of our Race that we have not run for a corruptible Crown but an incorruptible that we have not contended for an Earthly Portion with the men of this World but for an Inheritance laid up in Heaven for us that we have as the Saints have done parted with all to buy this Pearl laid up our Treasure not in Earth but in Heaven negotiated to be rich towards God and not to have Treasure here onely for our selves You that would be before the Throne of God must wash your Robes in the Bloud of the Lamb keep your Garments clean have your Conversation such as becometh the Gospel you must cast off the Works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light walk honestly or decently as in the day as Children of Light not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof Dream not that you can serve Sin here and yet serve God before his Throne in his Temple that God will walk with you and dwell with you if you yield your Members as Weapons of Vnrighteousness unto Sin that if you affect the Ways of Sinners walk in the Counsel of the Vngodly sit in the Seat of the Scornfull and joyn with the Congregation of Evil-doers you shall at last have your Portion with the Saints Apply then your time and studies and abilities to purifie your selves as God is pure if you hope to see him as he is And notwithstanding all the Sufferings and Opposition you may meet with with Patience possess your Souls Let this animate and strengthen your Hearts against Fainting and Backsliding that if you suffer with Christ you shall also reign with him Which the Lord grant c. Amen LAVS DEO THE PATRIARCH'S JOY The Thirtieth SERMON JOHN viij 56. Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad AMong other Sufferings which Christ underwent the Antilogy that is the Contradiction of Sinners the Controversie which he had with cavilling and perverse Opponents or Disputers against his Sayings was not the least which therefore Heb. 12.3 is propounded to us to analogize that is consider and ponder upon that we may not faint or be tired in our spirits when we meet with such wrangling Gainsayers In this Chapter we have a Specimen of such Sophistry in the Jews who exercised Christ with their perverse Arguings to the intent they might hinder the Reception of his Testimony of himself and the Doctrine which he was sent to teach them which he terms the Truth vers 32. that would make them free This they disdainfully except against as glorying that they were Abraham's Seed never in Bondage and therefore scorned his offer of Freedom To both which our Saviour replies refuting their vain Brags of their being Abraham's Seed and free in reference to men sith they were the Servants of Sin and utterly unlike to Abraham in their Spirits who was far otherwise affected towards him then they were For saith he Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad whereas my Day is that which you spurn against as galling and vexing your Spirits To understand which it is requisite that I unfold 1. What is meant by Christ's Day 2. How Abraham is said to be their Father whereas vers 39. Christ had said If ye were Abraham's Children ye would doe the works of Abraham which imports they were not 3. How Abraham is said to have rejoyced to see Christ's Day 4. How it was true that he saw it 5. What matter of Rejoycing this was to him and how he was glad in such seeing 1. Concerning the First It is agreed on by most that the Day of Christ here is meant of his Advent or Coming in the Flesh which we at present celebrate Though some refer it more specially to his Passion or Suffering But the Jews understood it of his Birth and the Space of his Life on Earth which usually is termed a Man's Day in the Hebrew expression and in respect of Christ the Days of his flesh Heb. 5.7 2. As for the Second He terms Abraham their Father as they gloried by way of Concession acknowledging them vers 37. to be Abraham's Seed by natural Generation But yet he denies them to be Abraham's Seed in respect of their Minds and Spirits there being so great a Dissimilitude and Contrariety betwixt them and him therein that they were more truly begotten of the Devil whom in Lying and Cruelty they so much resembled 3. As for the Third The word rendred Rejoycing signifies such a Joy as is accompanied with Leaping or other Gesticulation as when a man is superlatively affected with a thing which he hopes for hath some tidings and assurance of its futurity and apprehends it as a Beatitude And it is conceived Abraham thus rejoyced when upon God's Promise of Sarah's Conception and the Blessing consequent thereupon wherein Christ's Coming was included he fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart Shall a Child be born unto him that is an hundred years old and shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear Which was spoken by him not dubitativè by way of Doubting for the contrary is asserted Rom. 4.16 17 18 19 20. but out of Admiration as over-joyed at the news So it is said of John Baptist in the Womb that at the presence of Christ's Mother and her Salutation the Babe leaped or skipped in exultation for Joy in the Womb of his Mother 4. As for the Fourth Quaere It is true there be that understand the Seeing of Abraham of his beholding of Christ when with two Angels he appeared to Abraham in a Humane shape and Abraham saw him eat and talked with him as with the Judge of all the Earth which was