in the next verse That good thing which was committed to thee and so expounded chap. 2.2 The things which thou hast heard of me amongst many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Hold fast Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word hath a double signification scil to have and to hold and both of these the Apostle commends to Timothy namely 1. To have such a form or collection of Gospel-doctrines as a Type or Exemplar to which he should conforme in his Ministry 2. To hold it i. e. to hold it fast Not to swerve from it in the course of his Ministry but pertinaciously to adhere to it not to suffer it to be corrupted by men of erroneous principles nor to part with it upon any termes in the world but to stand by it and own it against all opposition and persecution whatsoever This I conceive to be the sense of the words which thus opened may afford us some such Doctrinal Observations as these Doct. 1 1. Doct. Evangelical words are sound words Or All Gospel-truth is of an healing nature Doct. 2 2. Doct. It is of great use and advantage boâ—h for Ministers and private Christians to have the main fundamental truths of the Gospel collected and digested into certain Modules or Platforms Or Methodical systems of fundamental Articles of Religion are very profitable both for Ministers and people Doct. 3 3. Doct. Such Forms and Modules are very carefully and faithfully to be kept Doct. 4 4. Doct. Faith and Love are as it were the two hands whereby we may hold fast Gospel-truth Other doctrines besides these might be raised from the words but these are the main and lie visibly in the face of the Text And I intend to speak only to the second and third doctrine the one now at our entrance upon this Morning Exercise the other at the Close if God permit The first and last of these doctrines may be of use in the handling of these two In which doth lie the main designe as of the Apostle here so of the work which falls to my share in this monthly service I begin with the first of them scil Doct. 1 Doct. 1. Methodical systems of the main and special points of the Christian Religion are very useful and profitable both for Ministers and people In the managing of the doctrinal part of this Observation I shall only give you two demonstrations 1. Scripture-pattern 2. The usefulnesse of such Modules 1. Scripture-pattern The Word of God is full of such Maps and Modules of divine truths necessary to salvation The whole Scripture is a large Module of saving truth Joh. 18.37 The whole Gospel in general is nothing but the great Platform or Standard of saving doctrine It was the great end and errand of Christ his coming into the world to reveal unto us the truth of God so himself testifieth John 18.37 To this end was I born and for this cause I came into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth It took up one whole entire office whereunto he was anointed of his Father his Prophetical Office so he was named many hundred years before his Incarnation by Moses A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall you hear The office of a Prophet was not only to foretell things to come As Exod. 7.1 Aaron is call'd but to reveal the mind of God according to the import of the Hebrew word Nabi which signifieth an Interpreter Thus Jesus Christ came to be an Interpreter of his Fathers mind unto the world No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father Joh. 1.18 he hath declared him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath expounded him The whole Gospel which Christ preached was nothing else as it were but a publick testimony of the secret transactions between the Father and the Sonne concerning mans salvation a transcript of that truth which was in the divine understanding from all eternity John 8.38 15.15 And accordingly it is observable that the Sermons which Christ preached in the days of his flesh have more of doctirne in them than of perswasion more of the Teacher than of the Pastor as more sutable to his Ministry wherein he was to lay down a Module of Gospel-truth and to leave it to the world to be received and believed unto salvation The credit of our Religion is founded upon this important truth that Christ was sent from God to reveal unto us the mind and will of his Father and to be believed in all he delivered unto us all other Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel are but Deputy Witnesses to make report of Christs affidavit to the doctrine of salvation And it is yet further remarkable that this doctrine which Jesus Christ left us in the Gospel is nothing else as it were but * Novum Testamentum in vetere velatum vetus in novo revelatum a Comment or Paraphrase of what was preached by Moses and the Prophets in the Old Testament as he came * Matth. 5.18 not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them so he came to expound and reconcile them with the doctrine which he himself taught thus it is recorded by the Evangelist that * Luke 24.27 beginning at Moses he expounded unto his Disciples in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself So that the result of all this in general is this that the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are nothing else but a full and perfect platform or Module of divine truth given to the Church at first by Christ himself the great Prophet and transmitted by the Ministry of those who were successively the Amanuenses or Secretaries of the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 from which no man is to recede upon pain of damnation But now more particularly we may observe that besides this great universal Map or Synopsis of divine truth there are to be found in Scripture more compendious and summary abstracts and abridgements containing certain of the main heads and points of saving doctrine methodized into lesser bodies and tables for the help of our faith and knowledge And we find them accommodated by the Penmen of the Holy Ghost to two special ends and purposes Two ends of such Modules 1. To instruct the Church and people of God in the more necessary and fundamental points and principles of Religion 2. To antidote beleevers against the infection and contagion of unsound doctrine which have crept into the Church in the several ages and successions thereof Of the first sort In the Old Testament To informe the Church in the principles of Religion though in a larger volume is the book of Deuteronomy which being interpreted is the repetition of the Law And because that being so large might seem too great a burden to the memory Behold God
the end of our faith but the salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1.9 All the prizes were not equally valuable See Learned Dr Hammond upon Phil. 3. when we come to the Goale here we finde no Tripodes Shields or Caps but Crowns and no mean Crowns but glorious ones no fading Crowns but everlasting ones Who would not with the Apostle but pressed toward the mark Lastly That we may have greater comfort and assurance that we shall not wax weary and faint in our course and consequently not misse of those glorious rewards There 's no Calling that hath so high and heavenly assistances as this hath God that calls to this Race engages his power to carry us through it The Son of God intercedes for us the Spirit of God is ready to comfort us the Angels of God have the charge of us to keep us so that we shall not dash our feet against a stone the spirits of just men made perfect though they be not acquainted with our particular wants yet in general they tender our conditions and help us by their prayers all the people of God are constant sollicitors for us at the Throne of Grace besides those helps they afford us by their watching over us by their counsels instructions admonitions rebukes examples the chearfulnesse and alacrity of some in the ways of God having a great and happy tendency to prevent the wearinesse and discouragements of others Thus it is an high Calling Thirdly It is a Call without a sound or if it have any it is heard by none but them to whom it is directed A good Divine calls it an in visible Call Vocatio invisibilis Alting Occultis itineribus sapor nobis vitalis infunditur as Ennodius speaks by hidden paths and passages the vital savour is infused into us the seed grows up we know not how Mark 4.26 the Spirit secretly winds himself into the soul Christ comes into our hearts as he did into the house where his Disciples were met John 20.26 the doors being shut Thus it is ordinarily though I will not deny but that sometimes it may be oâ—herwise Acts 2.1 The Spirit may come with a mighty rushing and Christ with holy violence break open the doors of our hearts Saul could well tell the time and other cir umstances of his conversion Divina gratia adhuc in utero matris impletus Cypr. in Epist ad Jubaianum but it is likely the holy Baptist couâ—d not in whom the Father saith there was a Spirit of grace as soon as a Spirit of life The corruptions of some will out as it were by insensible breathings but so obstinate and inveterate are the spiritual distempers of others that they must have strong Vomits violent Purges and all little enough to clear them for a man of a good nature as they call it liberal education much restraining grace to take and give notice punctuaâ—ly when his state is changed is very difficult whereas this is no hard matter for a grosse and scandalous piece of debauchery becoming afterwards an example of piety We must not expect the same account from Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of our Lord in poi t of Conversion yet they both rejoyced in Christ as their Saviour This I have the rather spoken that I might enter a Caveat agâ—inst those rigâ—d and severe Tryers of mens spiritual estates whom as I have heard nothing will satisfie but the Precise time of Conversion I acknowledge these men great Artists and good Work-men but it is in frami g New Racks for mens Consciences since the Old Popish ones are broken I make no Question b t a weak Christians soul may be as sadly strained to give an Account of his Graces as it would have been to give an Account of his Sinnes had he lived in the dayes of Auricular Confession Beware my Frâ—ends of the Devils Sophistry Fourthly and lastly It is an Immutable Call immutable as God Himself as his Electing Love the living Fountain from whence it springs Not as the World loves doth God love they love to Day and hate to Morrow wearing their Friends like Flowers which we may behold in their Bosomes whil'st they are fresh and sweet but soon they wither and soon they are laid aside whereas the love of God to his people is Everlasting and he wears them as a Signet upon his right Hand which he will never part with Not as the World gives doth God give Men give liberally and repent suddenly but the Gifts and Callings of God are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 So much for the properties of this Call and so much for the opening of the point Shall I speak a word or two of Application APPLICATION Beloved in the LORD I have answered you many Questions I beseech you answer me a few Me said I Nay answer them to God and your own Consciences First Are you of the number of the Called Called by the Gospel I know you are but that may be your misery Are you Called according to the purpose that only can be your Happinesse Is your Calling Inward and Effectual We hope it is why we have some Convictions some Inclinations to good so had Herod so had Agrippa so may a Reprobate by the common work of the Spirit I would be loth you should be but almost Christians lest you be but almost saved Tell me then is the whole frame of your hearts altered Is sinne odious Is Christ precious Doth the prcie of heavenly Commodities rise in your hearts and the price of earthly Trumpery fall Do you love God and his Sonne Jesus Christ in sincerity Then I can assure you not in the word of a mortal man which is as good as nothing but in the Word of God that cannot lye even in the words of my Text You are Called according to his purpose Secondly If you be Effectually Called Why do you not answer that Call in receiving Christ in all his Offices in obeying Christ in all his Commands in meeting Christ in all his Ordinances Why do you not give all Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Shall the Children of this World still be wiser in their Generation than the Children of light They rest not till they have assured as they suppose their Earthly Tenements Why do not we bestir our selves as much to Assure an Heavenly Inheritance Why are you not more thankful for this Grace Why are you not more joyful in it How did the Wise men of the East rejoyce when they found Christ born in Bethlem Is it not matter of greater joy to finde Christ born in your hearts Tell me is it nothing to have your Names written in the Book of Life To have God for your Father Christ for your Husband and Brother The Spirit of Christ for your Comforter The Angels for your Servitors All the Creatures at your Beck These are the Noble Priviledges of those that are Called according to the purpose of God How
God grounded upon the perswasion of his glorious being and the goodnesse of his nature which is not terrible to them but when they consider his mercy is a holy mercy and that it is never dispenc't to the prejudice of his justice though they cannot hate God for his goodnesse directly yet they hate him with it for although he is the perfection of beauty and goodnesse it self yet they being evil there is no congruity or conveniency between God and them they love sin and hate punishment Now God as Author legis by the most strict Laws forbids sin and as ultor peccati inflicts severe punishments from hence it proceeds the most lovely and sweet Attributes of God cannot endear him to them no more than the natural or moral excellencies of a Judge the comelinesse of his person or his wisdome and knowledge can draw forth the love of a Malefactor when he is condemned by him Moreover since the general nature of sin is an eternal contrariety to the nature and will of God the love of it must needs argue the hatred of God for as the Lord Jesus requires an universal chearful and constant obedience as the most clear evidence of love to him if you love me keep my Commandments So the Argument will be as strong to conclude backward If you keep not Gods Commandments you hate him to live in the practice of known sinnes is a vertual and interpretative hatred of God 2. The benefits which God bestows upon us deserve our love How great an endearment did he passe upon us in our Creation we might have been admitted into the lowest form of Creatures and have only enjoyed the life of flies or worms but he made us little lower than the Angels and Crowned us with glory and honour and gave us dominion over all the works of his hands Psal 8.5 Whereas the rest of the Creatures were the acts of his power the Creation of man was an act of power and wisdome in all the rest there was nothing but he spake the word and they were made Psal 148.5 But in the making of man there was a consultation about it Gen. 1. Let us make man he framed our bodies so that all the parts conspire for the ornament and service of the whole Psal 139.15 Thine eye did see my substance being yet imperfect and in thy book were all my members written and therefore Lactantius said truly hominem non patrem esse sed generandi Ministrum man is only the instrument which the Lord doth use for the effecting of his purpose to raise the beautiful Fabrick of mans body Now if we are obliged to expresse the dearest love to our Parents with how much greater reason should we love God who is the fountain of all our beings He hath breathed into man a spiritual immortal rational soul which is more worth than the whole World this is in some sort a spark and ray of Divine brightnesse 't is capable of Gods Image 't is a fit Companion for Angels to joyne with them in the praises of God and enjoy a blessed eternity with them 'T is capable of communion with God himself who is the fountain of life and happinesse The soul is endowed with those faculties which being terminated upon God it enjoys an infinite and everlasting blessednesse The understanding by knowledge rests in God as the first and highest in genere veri the will by love embraces him as the last and greatest in genere boni and so receives perfection and satisfaction which is the incommunicable priviledge of the rational soul Beasts can only converse with drossy and material objects they are confined to earthly things but the soul of man may enjoy the possession and fruition of God who is the Supreme and Soveraign good Now this should inflame our love to God he formed our bodies he inspired our souls Moreover if we consider our lives we shall finde a chain of mercy which reaches from one end to the other of them How many Miracles of Providence do we enjoy in our preservation how many unseen dangers do we escape how great are our daily supplies The provisions we receive do serve not only for necessity but for delight every day we have the provisions of meat and drink not only to cure hunger and all our thirst but to refresh the heart and to make us chearful in our work every houre is filled up with the bounties of God Now what shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits he desires our love this is the most proper return we can make for love is of an opening and expansive quality calling forth the heart our love within should break forth to close with Gods love without the love of obedience in us with the love of favour and bounty in him 'T is a principle of nature deeply implanted in the hearts of men to return love for love nay the very Beasts are not deficient in this Esay 1.3 The Oxe knows his Owner and the Asse his Masters Crib Those Creatures which are of all the most stupid and heavy respect their Feeders and expresse dumb signs of love unto them How much more should we love God who spreads our Table fills our Cup and causes his Sun to shine and his Rain to fall on us 'T is an Argument of Secret Atheisme in the heart that in the confluence of mercies we enjoy we do not look up to the Author of them as if common mercies were the effects of Chance and not of Providence if a man constantly relieves our wants we judge it the most barbarous disingenuity not to repay love to him but God loads us with his benefits every day his wisdome is always busied to serve his mercy and his mercy to serve our necessities but we are insensible and unaffected and yet the meanest mercy as it comes from God hath an excellency stamp't upon it We should upbraid our souls for our coldnesse to God everywhere we encounter sensible demonstrations of his love to us in every moment of our lives we have some pledges of his goodnesse Let us light our Torch at this Mountain of fire let the renewed act of his bounty constrain us to love him we should love him for his excellency though we had no benefit by him nay though he hated us we are bound to love him as he is truly amiable in himself how much more when he draws us with the cords of a man with bands of love whosoever requites the love of God with hatred as every impenitent sinner doth puts off the nature of man and degenerates into a Divel 2. Fear this is that eternal respect which is due to our Creator an humble reverence we owe to him as he is infinitely above us the holy Angels cover their faces when they have the clearest views of his glory Esay 6.1 2 3. The Lord is represented as sitting on a Throne and the Seraphims stood about each having six wings with twain he covered his
giving of the Law on Mount Sinai and yet there he speaks in the singular number Exod. 20.2 Exod. 20.2 I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 3. 'T is likely the Princes did at first speak in the plural number not to note their power and greatnesse but their modesty and warinesse that it was not their design to rule according to will but according to counsel that they were willing to advise with others and to be guided by others The wisest Kings on earth will have their counsel and it is no more than needs plus vident oculi quam oculus many eyes see more than one eye Eph. 1.11 but Gods Counsel is his Will Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own Will Nor indeed is it safe or fit for any to govern arbitrarily or purely by will but he whose Will is his counsel it is so far from needing a rule that it is the only Rule Isa 63.7 8 9 10. 2. As a plurality of persons so a Trinity of persons may be proved out of the old Testament I shall mention and only mention for brievity sake one place in the Prophecy of Isaiah in the seventh verse you have mention made of Jehovah or the Lord in the ninth verse of Jesus Christ called the Angel of his presence in the tenth verse of the holy Spirit but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit 2. You have this doctrine more clearly delivered in the new Testament as will appear by several instances Mat. 3.16 17. 1. At the Baptisme of Christ the Trinity of persons were clearly discovered you may read the history And Jesus when he was baptized went up strait way out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him and lo a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Consider here 1. We have three names given severally and particularly to three persons 1. He who spake with a voice from heaven was the Father 2. He who was Baptized in Jordan is called the Son 3. He who descended in the shape of a Dove is called the Spirit of God 2. There were three outward signes or symboles by which those three persons did manifest themselves 1. The Father by an audible voice the Word in heaven is borne witnesse to by a word from heaven 2. The Son in the humane nature 3. The holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove 3. They are described by three distinct actions 1. The one cries by a voice from heaven This is my well-beloved Sonne heare him this could not be the voice of the Sonne for then he would be Sonne to himself nor can this be attributed unto the Spirit for then Jesus would have been the son of the Spirit 2. The second after his Baptisme prayes Luke 3.21 It came to pass that Jesus being baptized and praying the heaven was opened 3. The third descended in the shape of a dove and rested upon Jesus Christ Now to close this particular why might it not be said that the Father was baptized in Jordan as well as the Sonne or that the Father descended in the shape of a dove as well as the Spirit or that the Sonne did all this speak with a voice from heaven and was baptized in Jordan and descended in the shape of a dove if this were not a truth that there are three persons in the divine essence hence the primitive Christians used to say unto any one that doubted of the Trinity abi ad Jordanem videbis go to Jordan and you will see a Trinity 2. This doctrine may be proved from the institution of the Ordinance of Baptisme Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne Mat. 28.19 and of the Holy Ghost and indeed no wonder if God discovered himself to be three persons and one God at Christs Baptisme when the name of the blessed Trinity is as it were in faire and legible Characters writ upon the forehead of the Ordinance of Baptisme its self Baptisme its self is as it were baptized in the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost now these I call the words of institution for although you have not here the first institution of Baptisme John the Baptist who was called so from this very Ordinance administring this Sacrament and the Disciples questionlesse from the Command of Christ himself the Evangelist John tells us that Jesus himself baptized not Joh. 4.2 but his Disciples yet here you have a solemn command for baptisme and the forme of the administration thereof unto all generations And here consider 1. Christ commands them to baptize not in the names but in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost if you consider them personally so they have three names Father Son and holy Ghost if essentially then but one name unum nomen una deitas one God one deity and I observe farther that which way soever we expound this phrase in the name either calling upon the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost as some or in the name by the authority or at the appointment of God the Father Son and holy Ghost as others or in the name viz. for the service honour and glory of God the Father Son and holy Ghost as a third sort you must either make these to be three Gods or else three persons in the Godhead for who is the object of our prayers but God who hath authority to appoint Ordinances for his Church but God whom are we to serve and worship but God alone Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God Mat. 4.10 and him only shalt thou serve 2. They were to baptize not in the name of the Father by the Son or by the Spirit but in the name of the Father Sonne and Spirit which notes the equality of the three persons 3. Father Son and holy Ghost are so joyned together that we are no lesse baptized in the name of the Sonne and of the Spirit than of the Father and therefore their deity is the same their power and authority the same 4. An Article is thrice prefixed and added to every one baptizate in nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Father that Son that holy Ghost that Father whose voice you have heard from heaven that Sonne whom as yet you see in the humane nature that holy Ghost whom you have seen descending upon me in the shape of a Dove Surely the repetition of this Article doth not want its singular Emphasis that Father that Sonne and that holy Ghost 3. This doctrine may yet further be cleared from that saying of our Saviour John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter hence is plainly proved the personality of the Holy Ghost he is
thereof thou shalt surely dye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. Dying thou shalt dye THe next head in the body of our Religion which falls this Morning to be spoken to in Course is Gods Covenant made with Adam before the fall which we call a Covenant of Works and we ground our Discourse upon the Text read to you When God would communicate his goodnesse to the creatures he made the world out of nothing for his own glory but especially man after his Image this inferiour world he provided for mans house and habitation but he dresseth and trimmeth one part for him especially and calls it Paradise In the Paradise or pleasant Garden he was not to live idly but must dresse and keep it In the midst of all mans enjoyments which the Lord allows him with a liberal hand yet he lets him know withall he was under subjection though Lord of all and therefore gives him a command obsequii examen obedientiae quoddam rudimentum Calvin a test and tryal of his obedience to which God trains him up As Lords when they let out their Lands to Husbandmen reserve somewhat to themselves which the Tenants are not to meddle with that they may have some check upon them Muscul so God here That which the Lord commands Adam was no hard matter he grants him a vast latitude to eat of all freely Oecol only one sort excepted in which exception as God was not envious to him as the Envious One suggested so was not this Commandment grievous to him Object It may be objected from 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man why then for Adam in his righteousnesse Resol Paul means good men do not so need the Law as bad men do for good Laws rose from evil manners yet in a sense the Law is given for righteous men not to justifie them for it finds them justified already and past the condemnation of the Law it finding them also sanctified Beza it treats them not as enemies but leads them and delights them consenting to it This serves to explode the errour of Antinomians and Libertines so then God to declare his Soveraignty and mans subjection gave Adam though innocent a Law Mark how God bound mans obedience with a double fence first he fenced him with a free indulgence to eat of all but one this was an Argument to his ingenuity secondly by a severe prohibition upon pain of death by the first the Lord wooes him by love by the second he frights him by the terrour of his justice and bids him touch it if he durst Observe among all the Trees of the Garden there are two here mentioned in a more peculiar manner the Tree of life and the Tree of knowledge which are called by Divines two Sacraments in a large sense in which sense also the Ark of Noah the fire which descended and burn't the Sacrifice Polanius the Baptisme of the Red Sea and Cloud the Manna the water out of the Rock the pouring out of the blood of the Sacrifices the Land of Canaan the Tabernacle Temple Ark of the Testimony the propitiatory the golden Candlestick the twelve stones taken out of Jordan with the pool of Bethesda all these I say in a large sense are Sacramental Symbols of the Covenant of Grace or extraordinary Sacraments but the Tree of knowledge and Tree of life are called Sacraments of the Covenant of works By these the Lord did signifie and seal to our first Parents that they should alwayes enjoy that happy state of life in which they were made upon condition of obedience to his Commandments i. e. in eating of the Tree of life and not eating of the Tree of knowledge For it was called the Tree of life not because of any native property and peculiar vertue it had in it self to convey life but Symbolically Morally and Sacramentally it was a sign and obsignation to them of life natural and spiritual to be continued to them as long as they continued in obedience unto God Aug. In like manner the Tree of knowledge of good and evil was spoken from the sad event and experience they had of it as Sampson had of God departed from him when he left his Nazaritish haire by Dalilah Now that a Covenant of Works lay in this Commandment is clear 1. Because that was the condition of mans standing and life as it is expresly declared 2. Because in the breach of that Commandment given him he lost all This obedience as it was Characteristical to Adams Covenant and Contradistinguished to the Covenant of Grace was perfect personal and perpetual In a sense though different from the other those three things are required in our obedience under the Covenant of Grace not in reference to the Covenant nor to justification neither is our personal righteousnesse perfect I mean legally yet is it perfect though not in us but in our surety neither was the Covenant made primarily with us but with him and with us in him and on his account even as God made the Covenant of Works primarily with Adam and with us in him as our head inclusively Now for our better opening this doctrine to you I shall propound and answer some questions 1. What is meant by Covenant 2. What ground we have to call it Adams Covenant or a Covenant of Works 3. Wherein doth the Nature and Tenour of it consist 4. Whether the Covenant of Works was revived and repeated to Israel 5. How long it lasted whither till now unto any Quest 1. What is meant by Covenant name and thing Answ The word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith which hath a threefold derivation very fit to be taken notice of for clearing of the nature of the Covenant 1. From Barah to choose because the persons are chosen between whom the Covenant or Agreement is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed Gods Covenant with man is not only with his elect and chosen ones but a fruit and effect of our election yea the Lord doth encline our wills to make choice of him and of his terms I have made a Covenant with my chosen so again Choose you whom ye will serve ye are witnesses against your selves this day Psal 89.3 Josh 24.15 22 that you have chosen the Lord. 2. Or else this word Berith Covenant may be taken from Barah to eat Illyricus because they were wont to eat together of the Sacrifice slain and provided at the making of the Covenant at which time they had a Feast hence the Apostle speaking of the Eucharist the signe and seal of the Covenant and which is a spiritual Food and Feast upon a Covenant account saith This Cup is the New Testament or New Covenant in my blood 1 Cor. 11.25 3. Or from Bathar to cut and divide asunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by transposing a letter for so the sacrifice was divided and the Covenanting parties were to passe
1. The term from which this commences viz. the very first receiving of our natures and beings from our Parents from the first original and moment of our being we received with all a liliablenesse to the wrath and curse of God Psalme 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 2. The ground for which this wrath impends and hovers viz. nature not first created for that was upright after God but the corrupted nature which is conveyed and derived with our beings Eccles 7.29 Gen. 1.27 This very nature leads to deserves and will lodge under eternal wrath every mothers child in whom regeneration and transplantation into Christ are not found The Doctrine then comprising the summe of the Text is this Doctr. Every man and woman from their very first conception through a corrupted nature are under the Lords wrath and continuing such not new-born and engraffed into Christ that wrath shall abide upon them for ever We may not mince and extenuate here with the Pelagian as if this only were by imitation Flatterers of nature may lessen the wound but Heires of grace should and will rather magnifie their Physitian Nor may we limit and confine this truth as if it concern'd native Turks Mat. 23.15 canker'd Papists and the Proselytes of the Pharisees only to be children of hell when it knocks at every of our doors Jew and Gentile promiscuously Neither people nor Ministers not Apostles can exempt themselves great and small rich and poor those which the Lord hath not appointed unto wrath but to obtain salvation by their Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 yet by nature are children of wrath even as others This wrath in the Scriptures hath several Names respectively to the Law-giver it is called wrath respectively to the Law it self the curse respectively to the effects of both it is translated vengeance Rom. 3.5 Man by nature is exposed unto all these 1. He is exposed to the wrath of the Law-giver Here 1. Take some Cautions that we may duly conceive of wrath the root of all penal afflictions on Gods part as sin is the meritoriâ—us root on mans part All wars with men begin in wrath Animosities first boyle within and then wars break out James 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you Come they not hence from your lusts which war in your memb rs and in special this of wrath so there is somewhat proportionable in God if understood sutably to his glorious Being namely wrath perfectly clean from all dregs of 1. Folly the fool never more peeps out than in passion Prov. 14.29 He that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly that is sets it aloft that every body may discern and take notice of it but the Lord is 1 Sam. 2.3 A God of knowledge by whom actions are weighed 2. Injustice Gods wrath is a clear fire without any smoke of unrighteousnesse Rom. 3.5 Is God unrighteous that inferreth wrath he cannot be We plough with an Oxe and an Asse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingle drosse with our zeal c. 3. Perturbation the wrath of men is the rage of men who disjoint and discompose themselves as well as others but the Lord acts and suffers not in his wrath Prov. 11.17 he strikes wounds destroys from the infinite holinesse and justice of his nature declaring it self against all sin with the exactest serenity and oneness of minde and frame within himself from everlasting to everlasting This is the root of all wars with sinful men Moses saw the plague growing up out of this root Num. 16.46 Wrath is gone out from the Lord and the plague is begun Job 21.17 He distributeth sorrows in his anger 2. Consider what this wrath implies two things 1. That the Lord is highly displeased with men and women in their natural estate though never so goodly a vernish of Religion be above yet if nothing but nature be underneath Isa 10.6 an hypocritical Nation are the people of the Lords wrath No created understanding can conceive exactly what this displeasure is Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thy anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath Take some short ladders that our thoughts may a little climbe up by and consider seriously and deeply 1. What a Kings wrath is Prov. 20.2 The fear of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon who so provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul that is acteth as an enemy to his own life and Prov. 16.14 The wrath of a King is as the Messengers of death but the wise man will pacifie it as that which he cannot resist Eccles 8.4 Where the Word of a King is there is power and who may say to him What do thou that is where not only the name but the reality of a King is he sustains the person of the Common-wealth and hath the strength and power of all put into his hand and hath power to execute his wrath and will not be controlled nor expostulated with And what can a Branch do against the whole Tree The King is wroth and Hamans face is covered Prov. 27.3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty but a fools wrath that is that hath power is heavier than them both to crush a weak person that standeth in his way All these are but toyes to the power and weight of Gods wrath 2. What an incensed brothers wrath is that hath a little more power Rebecca understanding Esau his wrath against Jacob packs him away till that wrath be over Gen. 27.43 44. If a mother dare not venture a childe into an angry sons presence nor a brother himself into an angry brothers presence how insufferable will the angry presence of the Lord be 3. What Gods Fatherly refining wrath is against the drosse that mingleth it self with his Worship and Ordinances and what dreadful Furnaces he hath put the Vessels of mercy into to take away their tin from them Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire If men cannot bear Christs coming with a refining fire to purge out drosse much lesse not his coming with flaming fire 2 Thes 1.8 to consume and burn up persons and drosse together We have need of grace to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God that is related to us in Christ is a consuming fire Hebr. 12.28 29. 4. What afflictions are how very bitter yet separated from wrath they may be born with comfort The mingling of fire with the haile in Egypt made it so very dreadful Exod. 9.24 The fire of the Lords wrath mingled with stormes renders them so grievous to be stood unde Hell it self would not be so dreadful did not the breath of the Lord that is the wrath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone kindle it Isa 30.33 The Prophet submits to any stroaks only deprecates wrath as worse than any stroaks
you they have no such thought nor any cause for any such thought through grace they abhorre these sins and wonder that any are so besotted as to quarrel with a Minister for speaking against them You see then 't is your consciences that reproach you and not the Ministers of the Gospel 2. Here 's matter of Admiration Admiration of Gods rich Grace and unparallel'd Providence to us that God should cast our Lots in to such places and times wherein we enjoy the best of the best gracious Dispensations Acts 17.26 God hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation God hath been pleased so to dispose of Christs little flock that there shall be some in all times of the world and in all places of the world where he makes known his Name to be the salt of the Earth But now for us to be so disposed of that among the several thousand years of the worlds continuance and among the innumerable millions of places of the worlds Inhabitants that we should be brought forth in such a nick of time and in such a spiritual Paradise of place that there 's none in the world to equal it Sirs what doth this call for what shall we render to the Lord for this I know not what to call it 't is such unspeakable love Beloved I must both give and take time to answer this question And O that you and I may give a sutable answer to it I know not at present what to say to it unlesse we could as overcome by it faint away in a love-sickness into the bosome of our dearest Jesus that Cant. 2.4 5 6. seeing he hath brought us where we may not only taste a draught out of a Bottle but are brought to the great Vessels of spiritual comforts where we may not only enjoy Christ a little but even to spiritual extasie O that we now as sinking down in a Swoun and as unable to stand under the thoughts of such love might be even strowed and boulstered up with the comfortable doctrines of the Gospel-Covenant and all through impatience of love The love of God to such inconsiderable persons should carry the soul out of it self to do more than languish with desire after more extasying communications so that none but Christ with his right hand of Divinity and left hand of Humanity may be acceptable to us to embrace us O Christians I should be glad to send you all home heart-sick of love to Christ But 3. By way of Inference Everyone of you that is not in the Gospel-Covenant is in a dreadful state 't is your own wilfulnesse you will not believe the Gospel Though 't is through Divine Grace that persons do close with the Gospel yet it is your own sin you do not close with it for you are willing to be strangers to it you are willing to enjoy your lusts which you must part with if you embrace it You may observe the dreadful estate of persons out of Covenant in these three particulars 1. The sin against the Gospel-Covenant is most dreadful This sin hath the guilt of all other sins in it John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin Sodom and Gomorrah Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdome of heaven before those that refuse the Gospel God the Father invites men to the Marriage Supper nay you are wooed and entreated to be Christs Bride You make light of it you have the profits and the pleasures of the world to take up your thoughts you will not be perswaded to believe that Christ is better than your lusts you will not be beat out of it but that a bag of gold is better than a Crown of glory but that a filthy lust is better than communion with God but that the Divels slave and fool is better than to be Gods Childe and Darling Is this your choice Then consider 2. The penalty for the contempt of this Gospel-Covenant is most dreadful John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather than light this brings persons under the very utmost of the wrath of God 1 Thess 2.16 when the Jews sinned against the Legal Dispensation then Dan. 9.12 Daniel complains Under the whole heavens hath not been done as hath bâ—en done upon Jeâ—usalem but what now will become of those that refuse the Gospel Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God Can any thing be worse than to dye without mercy yes saith the Apostle what 's that nay he leaves it to your consideration as being unpossible to be expressed To poure contempt and scorne upon the pretious blood of Christ wherewith the Covenant betwixt God and his people was made and ratified to offer a spiteful affront unto the Spirit of God by contemning and opposing his gracious motions O what remains for such persons but a dreadful expectation of Gods terrible Judgment But there 's a third thing that I would have you consider which is sensibly more dreadful than either of these 3. The sentence against Gospel-Covenant breaking is most irreversible and peremptory mercy and grace and patience and compassion when these are abused all these become the sinners enemy for that which is ordained a life to prove death unto them oh this is dreadful for the blood of Christ to cry to heaven against sinners this is dreadful this made Christ to weep over Jerusalem Luke 19.40.41 These persons passe judgment upon themselves though not with their lips yet with their lives they pronounce themselves unworthy to be saved Acts 13.46 O Sirs I beseech you consider though persons brake the Covenant of Works there was salvation to be had by another Covenant but if this be violated there is no other Covenant to relieve this The Gospel-Covenant is our Refuge when the other Covenant pursues us Hebr. 6.18 Contemptuous carriage against Grace is beyond all help I beseech you therefore take heed of sinning against Gospel-light and Gospel-love O you will have that sting of conscience that no other sinners in the world have that have not refused a Redeemer Beloved I would I could say with due meltings of heart it grieves me for you to think how many hundreds in this Congregation are yet without Christ being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes 2.12 O Sirs do you know what you do when you cocker your lusts in despight of Christ Can you hear Sermons and go on in sin You do well to hear but you make a desperate adventure to do what you know discovenants you from God and hazards your eternal separation from God Beloved I
swears by his life Isa 49.18 18. The Prophet speaks there of Sion as of a Mother-City and of multitudes that should be brought home to her by the Ministry of the Gospel and that they shall be as Jewels and Ornaments matter of much honour to her by their e dowments with spiritual graces Thus Gospel-Covenanters shall be qualified But you will presently say there is no danger of Gods breaking Covenant all the danger is on our part but Christians there is not so much danger on our part as many fear it is not every sin that presently breaks the Covenant a wife may be foolish and passionate yet the marriage is not thereby broken And when we do slip into Covenant-breaches Christ is ready to pardon us and the Spirit of Christ ready to piece up our breaches Provided that we do but make conscience in the whole course of our lives to keep Covenant with God Christians I hope by all that hath been spoken you will be perswaded to enter into Covenant and to keep Covenant with God if so I have my End and so hath my Sermon THE Mediatour OF THE COVENANT Described in his Person Natures and Offices 1 Tim. 2.5 And one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus COmmunion with God is our only happinesse 't is the very heaven of heaven and 't is the beginning of heaven here on earth The only foundation of this communion is the Covenant of Grace and 't is the great excellency of this Covenant of Grace that 't is Established in such a Mediator even Jesus Christ And one Mediator between c. This Epistle as ot the substance and main design of it is a short directory unto Timothy how he might faithfully discharge that great Office to which the Lord had called him in the Church of Ephesus In the first Chapter he instructs him concerning the doctrine he should Preach In this Chapter concerning the persons for whom he should pray 1. More generally For all men ver 1. i. e. men of all ranks conditions and Nations in the world 2. Particularly and especially for Magistrates ver 2. The Magistrates of those times were not only Pagans but Persecutors Diversus orandi modus ac scopus in diversis hominum generibus accurate observetur Non enim quidvis pro quovis orandum est quia sic precatio nostra divinae voluntati repugnaret Conrad Voâ—st in loc strangers to Christ themselves and enemies to every thing of Christ in others yet pray for them There are indeed some persons whom Christ leaves out of his prayers Joh. 17.9 and would have us leave oâ—t of ours 1 John 5.16 But yet thus far we may and ought to pray for all men the worst of men that the Lord would either make them truly good or else restrain them from doing evil that he would either shew mercy to them in their own soules or else keep them from being instruments of mischief unto others That under them you may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godlinesse and Honesty The encouragements unto prayer in this extent are Non omnes sine discrimine sed ex omnibus ordinibus Parae in loc 1. The good will of God to all men ver 4. i. e. men of all ranks and degrees for though God by his preceptive Will commands every individual man in the world to mind his salvation Acts 17.30 and by his approving Will delights in saving lost creatures nay though he vouchsafe to all men so much grace as will leave them inexcusable in their neglect of salvation yet can we not from hence stretch the grace of God into that unlimited and boundlesse universality as the Pelagians do from this Scripture for did God peremptorily and determinately Will the salvation of every particular person in the world mans stubbornnesse could not be too strong for God nor could our impotency resist his Omnipotent Will 2. The Mediation of Christ which lies open to all men to make use of as God is not the God of Jews only but of the Gentiles also Rom. 3.29 30. so is Christ a Mediator for all And one Mediator c. In the words 1. The only way of friendly intercourse between God and man 't is through a Mediator 2. The only Mediator between God and man one Mediator the Man Christ Jesus 1. The only way of friendly intercrouse between God and man 't is through a Mediator that 's implyed Burgesse Vindic. Leg. pag. 133.134 135. Whether man in the state of innocency needed a Mediator is disputed among persons learned and sober but in his lapsed state this need is acknowledged by all God cannot now look upon men out of a Mediator but as Rebels Traytours as fit objects for his Vindictive wrath Nor can men now look up to God but as a provoked Majesty an angry Judge a consuming fire And therefore were not it for a Mediator i. e. a middle person interposing between God and us who are at variance to procure reconciliation and friendship as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports we could not but so dread the presence of this God that like our first Parents in that dark interval 'twixt their sinning and the succour of that promise Gen. 3.15 we should have endeavoured to hide our selves what we could from the presence of the Lord. Gen. 2.8 2. The only Mediator between God and men One Mediator i. e. but one Papists acknowledge one Mediator of reconciliation but contend for many of intercession But as God in the former part of this verse is said to be one God by way of exclusion of all others so is Christ said here to be one Mediator i. e. but one This Mediator is here described partly by His Nature The man His Names Christ Jesus 1. His Nature the man i. e. that eminent man so some Singularis ille homo Vorst Paraphr in loc qâ—i factus est homo Versio Aethiop he that was made man so others Object But why is this Mediator mentioned in this Nature only Answ 1. Negatively Not by wâ—y of diminution as if he were not God as well as man as the Arrians argue from this Scripture nor as if the execution of his Mediatorship were either only In Christo non solus Deus est Mâ—diator nâ—c solus homo sed Deus-homo or chiefly in his humane Nature as some of the Papists affirme though others of them deny as Cornel. A Lap. in loc asserting Christs Mediatorship secundum utramque naturam according to both Natures 2. Positively to prove that Jesus Christ was the true Messiah whom the Prophets foretold the Fathers expected and who had in that Nature been so frequently promised as in the first Gospel that ever was preached Gen. 3.15 he is promised as the seed of the Woman Besides the Apostle mentions Christ in this Nature only as an encouragement to that duty of Prayer he had before perswaded to the like purpose he is mention'd
that Jesus Christ is the Lord. For the first of these we will enquire 1. What we are to understand by the Name given unto Jesus Christ 2. How this Name is a Name above every Name 3. How we are to understand this that God hath given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Christ a Name above every Name In Answer to the first First Some by this Name do understand the Name Christ Jesus and so take it literally but neither Jesus nor Christ is a name above every name 1. Not Jesus for that was the name of Joshua the Son of Nun the famous Captain of Israel called Jesus by the Apostle Hebrews 4.8 And of this Name was the High Priest Joshuah the Son of Josedek Haggai 1.1 1 Sam. 24 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unctus sive Christus Domini Isa 45.1 Nomen supra omne nomen non intelligendum est de aliquo externo cognomine vel Jesu vel Christi Brent Heb. 1.4 5. 2. Neither is Christ a name above every name for Saul is called the Lords anointed Christus Domini And so also the Prophet speaking of Cyrus calleth him the anointed of the Lord. We cannot therefore understand this of any name either of Jesus or Christ for Paul is here speaking not what the name of our Saviour was but of the Honour Dignity Power and Majesty to which Christ was advanced Secondly Others as Hierome and Theodoret do think that in that Christ was called the S nne of God he had therein a name above every name and this Exposition is gathered from that passage of the Apostle that Jesus Christ was much better than the Angels as he hath by Inheritance obtain'd a more excellent name than they for unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee But though this be true that to be the eternal Son of God is a Name above every Name yet this cannot be meant here for it is spoken of that which Christ was exalted to after his Humiliation but from Eternity he was the Sonne of God and did not cease to be so by his Incarnation and Humiliation Thirdly By Name therefore we are to understand that Power Dignity Per nomen potestas dignitas significatur Calvinus Gen. 6.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri nominis 1 Chron. 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri nominum John 1.14 and Authority which Christ was invested withal after the dayes of his flesh and Sufferings were finished 1 Sometimes in Scripture-phrase Name is put for glory and Renown So we read of men of Renown it is in the Hebrew Men of Name and of famous men Heads of the House of their Fathers What we read famous men is in the Hebrew Men of Names and thus the glory which Christ is invested withal is the Glory of the only begotten of the Father 2. By Name in Scripture-phrase is meant power and Authority and the Soveraignty by which Christ is King of Nations and King of Saints and thus the Scripture speaks The works saith Christ that I do in my Fathers Name John 10.25 they beare witness of me in my Fathers Name i. e. by the Power of God Acts 3.6 Acts 4.7 Thus Pâ—ter speaks to the Criple In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth arise and walk i. e. by the Power of Christ for so it is expressed when the Council questioned them for this thing they are asked By what power or by what name have you done this So then we are to understand by Name that Honour Authority and Dignity which Christ now enjoyes in Heaven of which he spake when he was ascending into Heaven All power is given me in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 and the Glory of Christs Name is such that it shall be celebrated through all the Ages of the World Heaven and Earth shall Ring with the praises of his Name as the Angels praised his Name at his Birth Behold I bring you good tydings of great joy Luk. 2.10 11 13 14. which shall be unto all people for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord and suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the Heavenly Hoste praising God and saying Glory be to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men So they do now praise him and worship him in Heaven Heb. 1.6 Rev 5.12 saying Worthy is the Lambe to receive Power and Riches and Wisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Secondly How hath Christ obtained a Name above every Name This Nomen super omne nomen a Name above every Name is a demonstration of Christs Super-Exaltation and it notes four things First This is a Name above every Name that Jesus Christ should be the only Saviour of the World that his Name should be the Only One Name by which we are saved Of this the Apostle The stone which the builders refused Acts 4.11 12. is become the Head of the Corner neither is there any Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under heaven given amongst men John 4.42 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby we must be saved He is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World which we may understand not only eminâ—ntly but exclusively He is the Saviour there is none besides him We read that God did raise Saviours to his people Israel so acknowledged the Levites in their solemn Fast-day Nehem. 9.27 Thou O Lord deliveredst thy people into the hands of their enemies who vexed them and in the time of their trouble when they cryed unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them Saviours who saved them out of the hand of their Enemies Such a Saviour was Moses to the Israelites from the Egyptians Joshua from the Canaanites Gideon from the Midianites Jeptha from the Ammorites and Sampson from the Philistims but all these were but partial petty and temporal Saviours These saved the body from misery and that but for a time Christ saves our souls from our sins Mat. 1.21 and that for ever All these Saviours stood in need of the Saviour Joshua himself had eternally perished had it not been for Jesus Jesus Christ was the only Saviour to whose most precious and saving Name all the Old Testament pointed at He was the Saviour in whom all the Promises were performed all the Types accomplished and all the Prophesies fulfilled Acts 10.43 Gen 49.10 Psal 110.1 Isa 7.14 Jer. 23.5 Dan 9.29 Hag. 2.9 Mat. 12.21 It was unto this only Name the Saviour that all the Prophets bare witness He he it was that was Jacobs Shiloh Davids Lord Isaiahs Immanuel Jeremies Branch Daniels Messiah and Haggie's desire of all Nations It is in his name and his Name alone that all Nations shall trust and that for salvation Secondly Jesus Christ hath a Name above every Name in that he
audaciousness to bid the Son of God fall down and worship him Mat. 4.9 10. Christ said Get thee behind me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve The Devils are bound to bow though they refuse 2. The Devil Rebels and wicked men do not bow to but blaspheme the Name of Christ and yet Jesus Christ hath and doth exercise Authority over them 1. In limiting them 2. In punishing them 1. In that he doth limit them The Devil could not take away either Jobs Cattle Job 1.11 12. Luke 8.32 Servants Children or Health but as far as Gods permissive Providence was pleased to lengthen the chain and though God doth lengthen the chain yet he alwayes keeps the chain in his hand The Devils could not go into the Herd of Swine till they had first ask't leave of Jesus Christ And so persecuters they are limited too the Devil and his instruments they are limited The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that you may be tried and you shall have tribulation ten dayes Thus the Devil and his instruments are bounded 1. As to the Persons whom they shall persecute the Devil shall cast some of you not all into Prison 2. As to the kind of trouble the Devil shall cast you into Prison not into hell Rev. 2.10 3. As to the time you shall have tribulation ten dayes and not for ever 2. God will punish them and so they shall be Subject to Christ 1. In this life for though the patience of God be long-suffering yet it is not alwayes suffering 2 Pet. 2.8 Luke 18.7 Psal 110.11 Luke 19.27 and though he do beare long yet he will avenge his elect 2. At the last day The unjust are reserved to be punished at the day of judgement then will Christ put all his enemies under his feet and then Christ will say As for those mine enemies that will not that I should reign over them bring them forth and slay them before my face the total final subject on of the Devil and Wicked men of all the enemies of Christ unto him shall be at the last day then shall all knees bow before God Thus the Lord speaks in the Prophet I have sworne by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness Isa 45.23 and shall not return that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sweare To this Scripture it is that the Apostle alludes in this place and if you ask when shall this vniversal subjection be unto Christ the Apostle will answer you in his Epistle to the Romanes To this end Christ both died and rose and revived Rom. 14.9 10 11 that he might be Lord both of dead and living but why dost thou judge thy Brother or why dost thou set at naught thy Brother we shall all stand before the judgement Seat of Christ for it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God And so I am come to the third and last particular of Christs Exaltation viz. Every tongue shall confesse that Jesus is the Lord. In the handling of which I shall resolve these Questions Quest 1. What are we to understand by every tongue Answ 1. Some understand every tongue for every Nation and then the meaning is Omnis linguae pro quavis Gente Dan. 3.4 Rev. 5.9 Psal 67.7 Psal 2.8 Psal 72.9 Rom. 10.18 that the Name of Christ shall be acknowledged and worshipped by every Nation and so in Scripture Phrase Tongue and Language and Nation they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of the same notion and import And this is true that before the end of the world all the ends of the earth shall worship the Name of Christ. The Heathen shall be his inheritance and the uttermost ends of the earth his possession and they that dwell in the Wildernesse shall bow before him and the Sunne-light of the Gospel shall shine all the world over And it is very remarkable how God did repair the confusion of tongues by the gift of tongues Gen. 11.7 compared with Acts 2.11 Rom. 10.10 2. But I rather conceive that by every tongue is meant every person as by every knee every person for with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Quest 2. What are we to understand here that Jesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 2.8 Answ Jesus Christ is the Lord the Lord of glory in several respects 1 Cor. 8 6. Rom. 11.36 1. He is the Lord as he is Creatour of heaven and earth to us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him For of him and through him and to him are all things Heb. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.2 2 Cor. 4.5 2. As he was the Son of God so he is the Lord and so he hath obtained by inheritance this most excellent Name to be Lord and Christ thus Christ is Lord of all jure haereditario as he was the Heire of all things Jesus Christ is the Lord so speaks the Apostle We preach Christ Jesus the Lord. 1. Christ is a Lord to command us he hath that Authority that he hath an absolute Soveraignty over our consciences men are but Servants of our Faith Stat pro rationibus universis Deus vult but Christ is the Lord of our Faith and Consciences It is enough that Christ hath said it that he hath commanded it Heb. 7.25 2. Christ is a Lord to save us and he hath power and ability to save to the uttermost all those that come unto God through him And thus as he hath the Authority of a Lord to command us we should willingly obey him and as he hath the power and ability of a Lord to save us we should chearfully trust in his Name To confess that Jesus is the Lord is so to believe on him as to say Mat. 8.26 Acts 9 6. Lord save us or else we perish and so to obey him as to say Lord what wouldst thou have me to do Now as every knee must bow to the Dominion of Christ so every tongue must confess that Jesus is the Lord. 1. The Devils and Wicked men shall be forced at the last to acknowledge the power of Christ whose Authority they have alwayes rebell'd against And as Pharaoh and the Egyptians cryed out Exod. 14.15 Lâ—t us flee for the Lord fighteth against us So shall the stoutest-hearted sinner one day flee from the presence of Christ Rev. 6.16 and call to the Mountains to shelter them from the wrath of the Lamb. And all the implacable enemies of Christ they shall be forced through spite and rage to gnaw their tongues and gnash their teeth and say as that Cursed Apostate Julian Thou hast overcome me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Galilean 2. All the Saints
natural men minde something else than God would have them Phil. 3.19 they minde earthly things Herod mindeth the dancing of a lewd Strumpet more than the preaching of the holy Baptist the young man mindeth his great possessions the Epicure his belly the Farmer his barn Judas his bag the Silversmith his Shrines the Gadarenes their Swine Pila e the favour and applause of the people Let the best men speak ingenuously and they must needs confesse that there were many things if I may call them things rather nothings which they minded more than God or Christ or Heaven more than the highest concernments of their immortal souls the weightiest businesse of Eternal salvation they were all Gallios in respect of these things they cared for none of them till they were rouzed out of their waking dreams by the Effectual Call of the most gracious God This is the condition of every natural man 2. It presupposeth That it is an easie thing with God to bring us home to himself though we be never so far distant from him to awaken us to his service though in a dead sleep of sin to raise our minds to higher objects though they be never so deeply immersed in the things of this present world Is any thing hard to the Almighty with a word he made us with a word he can renew us When darknesse covered the face of the deep he did but ay Let there be light and there was light with the like facility can he shine in our hearts giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus He uttereth his voice saith David and the earth melteth Let but God utter his voice and the Rocks and Mountains of our corruptions will melt away like wax Come we now closer to the Point Toward the opening of which I shall entreat your Attention to the resolution of sundry Questions Question 1. What is this Calling It is the real separation of the soul unto God and a cloathing it with such gracious abilities whereby it may be enabled to repent of its sinnes and to believe in his Son It is our Translation from the state of Nature which is a state of sinne wrath death and damnation to a state of Grace which is a state of Holiness Life Peace and Eternal Salvation This Translation is wrought 1. By strong convictions of the minde First Of the guilt and filth of sin of the danger and defilement of sin of the malignity of sin and the misery that attends it Once saith the soul that is under this dispensation of Gods Grace Once I lookt upon sin as my wisdome now it is madness and folly Once I accounted it my meat and drink to fulfill the wills of the flesh sinne was a sweet morsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I drank iniquity like water now 't is a cup of trembling to me and I fear it may prove a cup of Condemnation Once I hugged embrac't and delighted in sin as the Wife of my bosome now I clearly see that the fruit and issue of the impure copulation of my soul with her is nothing else but the shame of my face the stain of my reputation the Rack and horrour of my conscience and which is more than all these the provocation of the Almighty and therefore I begin to think within my self of an eternal divorce from her I slept securely in the lap of this Dalilah she robb'd me of my strength she delivered me up to Philistines that dealt unworthily with me that put me upon base and low employments what now should I think of but if it please the Lord to give new strength the death and destruction of them all Secondly Of the vanity and emptiness of the creature which we have Idolized confiding in it as the staff of our hopes breathing and pursuing after it as the perfection of our happiness Thirdly Of the absolute need of Christ that if he do not save vs we must perish Fourthly Of the absolute fulnesse of Christ and that in him we may be compleat if we be guilty he can justifie us if we be filthy he can purge us if we be weak he can strengthen us if we be poor he can enrich us if we be base he can ennoble us if we be deformed and ugly he can make us beautiful and lovely if we be miserable he can bless us and that with all Blessings in Heavenly places Fifthly Of the clemency goodness meekness sweetness graciousness of his disposition that if any man come to him he will in no wise reject him John 6.37 These things the minde is strongly convinc't of yet if there be not a farther work a man may carry these Convictions to Hell with him Therefore 2. In the second place this Translation is wrought by a powerful inclination and conversion of the will to close with Christ upon his own termes to embrace him as Soveraign as well as Saviour to take him as men use to do their Wives for better for worse for richer for poorer to stick to him on Mount Calvary as well as Mount Tabor to welcome him into thy bosome by bidding an everlasting farewell to thy sinnes In a word to make a voluntary tender and resignation of thy self unto him solemnly avouching that from this time forward thou wilt count thy self more his than thou art thine own and the more thy own because thou art his This work is carried on with a most efficacious sweetness so that the liberry of the will is not infringed whilst the obstinacy of the will is mastered and over-ruled If you ask me How can these things be I never studied to satisfie curiosity but if you can tell me how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child I also will tell you how the parts of the new man are formed in the heart but I suppose silence and humble admiration will be best on both sides if there be so great a mystery in our natural generation surely there is a far greater in our spiritual Regeneration if David could say of the former I am fearfully and wonderfully made much more might he say of the latter I am fearfully and wonderfully renewed Question 2. Who are the Called First Among creatures none but men are of the number of the called The Angels that kept not thei◠first estate but left their own habitation are never recalled Jude ver 6. but reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse to the judgement of the great day Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him Psal 8.4 or the son of man that thou so regardest him Secondly Among men none but the Elect are capable of this grace the call is limited by the purpose Whom he hath predestinated them he also called Rom. 8. Touching these Elect Persons divers things fall under our Observation As 1. In regard of their internal condition before this call they are dead in sins and trespasses
busie himself about a lump of sin and misery What but meer mercy what but rich and abundant mercy 1. It is meer mercy When by our own merits we were bgotten to death by his mercy he begat us again unto life Cum nostris meritis generati essemus ad mortem sua misericordia nos regeneravit ad vitam Beda Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he hath saved us Tit. 3.5 Indeed we cannot do any works of righteousness before our Calling that righteousness which natural men are subject to glory in is rather seeming than real and that which shineth so bright in our own eyes and perhaps in the eyes of other men is an abomination in the sight of God Luke 16.15 God and men do not measure our righteousness by the same standerd men account them righteous that conform to Customes Laws and Constitutions of men if at least they be likewise conformable to the Letter of the Law of God But God reckons none righteous besides those that have a singular regard to the Spirit of the Law if I may so call it which layeth an Obligation upon the inward man as well as the outward which binds the heart as well as the hand and commands not only that which is good but that good be done upon a good principle in a good manner to a good end A pitch of obedience that no natural man can possibly arise to so that in the sight of God there is none righteous Rom. 3.10 Ephes 2.3 no not one We are all by nature children of wrath as well as others Children of wrath we are by our own desert if ever we become Children of Grace it must be by his mercy 2. As by meer mercy so by rich and abundant mercy in God it is that we are called There is a greatnesse of love in the quickning of those that are dead in sins together with Christ There is mercy in that we have our lives for a prey Eph. 2.4 5. mercy in all the comforts and accommodations of life mercy in the influences of the Sun mercy in the dropping of the Clouds mercy in the fruitfulness of seasons mercy in the fulness of barnes the yeare is crowned with the goodness of the Lord but this is a mercy above all mercies That we are called from darkness unto marvelous light and from the power of Satan to the service of and fellowship with the only living and true God other benefits are extended to the worst of men nay the very Devils have some tastes of mercy but this of an Effectual Calling is as I said before communicated to none but those that God hath chosen Other blessings and benefits though they be good in themselves yet they cannot make us good they are but as trappings to a Horse which if he be a Jade make him not go the better but the worse but here God works a marvelous change for the better once the man ran away from God and himself but now he instantly returns once he was a hater a fighter against God but now the weapons of his hostility are laid down and he thinks he can never do enough to express his love once he was darkness but now he is light in the Lord once dead but behold he lives Finally Other blessings and benefits can never make us happy but as they finde us miserable so they leave us we may and are too apt to bless our selves in them yet God never intended to bless us in the sole enjoyment of them But oh how happy is that man that God hath effectually called to himself his bosome shall be his refuge in all storms his grace his sufficiency in all temptations his power his shield in all oppositions But let the Text speak All things shall work together for his Spiritual and Eternal good Before I part with this Point I shall acquaint you with an Exposition of my Text utterly inconsistent with the Doctrine I have delivered and the truth it self and very unworthy of the Authours of it This it is That here we are said to be call'd not according to Gods purpose Chrys Theod. Theoph. but according to our own purpose to hear and obey his call And perhaps upon this the Papists have grounded their merit of congruity but this must needs fall if we consider but this one thing among many that those that have been farthest off the Kingdome have been fetcht into it and those that have not been farre from the Kingdome of God have never come nearer it God doth not alwayes take the smoothest but the most knotty pieces of Timber to make pillars in his house He goes not alwayes to places of severest and strictest Discipline to pick out some few there to plant in his House but he goes to the Custome-House and calls one thence to the Brothel-House and calls another thence And if yet you insist upon the purpose of man as an inducement to the call of God pray tell me what was Sauls purpose when God met with him in the way to Damascus Had he any other purpose than to persecute the Disciples of the Lord Enough of that Question 5. By what means are we Called Sometimes without means as in persons not capable of the use of them there is highest Caution amongst the people of God to avoid that sin nay the very appearance of limiting the holy One of Israel Sometimes by contrary means the greatness of a sin being ordered by God to set on the conversion of a sinner as when a man is wounded with the sting and healed with the flesh of a Scorpion Gaffarel or as when we make triacle of a Viper a most poysonous creature to expel poyson Sometimes by very unlikely means as when by some great affliction we are brought home to God which in its own nature one would think should drive us farther from God as there is no question but it doth the Reprobates who are ready to tell all the world what King William Rufus told the Bishop if the partial Monk do not belye him God shall never make me good by the evil I suffer from him Nunquam me Deus bonum habebit pro malo quod mihi inâ—ulerit Edmerus in Hist Ser. 2. de Spirt Sanct. tom 4. or which is yet more unlikely when we are brought home by prosperity God overcoming our evil with his good heaping as it were Coals of fire upon our heads and so melting us into kindly contrition Gerson in a Sermon of his tells us of a most wicked Priest that when he was preferr'd to a Bishoprick became exemplarily holy but such a Convert is rara avis seldom to be found Alwayes this work is carried on by weak means Thus I have heard it credibly reported that a sentence written in a window and accidentally read by an inveterate sinner pierc't his heart and let out the corruption thence the sentence was that of Austin
He that hath promised pardon to the penitent hath not promised repentance to the presumptuous sinner Thus Austin was converted with a Tolle lege Take up the book and read the Book was the New Testament the place he opened was the Epistle to the Romans where he first cast his eye upon the thirteenth Chapter the words these not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse c. This stroke him home But the most ordinary means of our Effectual Calling is the Preaching of the Word which though the world account foolishness 1 Cor. 1.18 An esse sibi cum Christo videtur Qui adversus sacerdotes Christi facit Cyprian de unit Ec. Edit Goul. Sect. 15. 1 Cor. 4 15. is the power of God unto Salvation And though by other means men may be called yet seldom or never any are called that neglect and contemn this God delights to honour his own Ordinances and to credit and encourage his Ministers and because he is pleased to make use of the Word they Preach as seed therefore it it his Will and pleasure that his people should own and reverence them as their Fathers In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel and therefore I am confident they can have no good evidences of their Christian Calling that secretly despise openly revile secretly undermine openly oppugne the Ministerial Calling Christ will not own them as his Children that refuse to honour his Ministers as their Fathers He that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10.16 So much for answer to the fifth Question Question 6. What is the end of this Call What but that which is the end of all things the glory of God what but that which should be the end that all men should aime at the salvation of their souls Here we may see the glory of Gods free grace and mercy the immutabilitie of his purposes the holiness of his nature in that he makes us fit for communion with himself before he admits us to it Col. 1. the wisdom of his Counsels and last of all the exceeding greatness of his Power For though the Effectual Calling of a soul be no miracle yet there is as much power manifested in it as in any miracle that Christ wrought yea as in all the miracles which he wrought if they be put together For here the blind eyes and deaf ears are opened the withered hands and lame legs are restored the bloody issue stanched the Leper cleansed Legions of Devils cast out the dead soul raised to walk before God in the Land of the Living In a word the water is turned into wine the water of contrition into the Wine of sweetest spiritual Consolation Question 7. When is the time that God calls As the persons are chosen so the time is appointed called therefore the acceptable yeare of the Lord the accepted time the day of visitation the day of Salvation What hour of the day God will please to call any person in is to us uncertain this only is certain that we must be call'd within the compass of this present life or else we shall never be call'd There 's no Preaching to souls in the Prison of Hell no constituting of Churches there if the Spirit of God be not our Purgatory fire here in vain shall we look for any other hereafter Thus briefly of the seventh Question Question 8. What are the Properties of this Call 2 Tim. 1.9 First It is a Holy Calling holy is the Authour of it holy are the means of it holy are the ends of it holy are the Subjects of it God is the Authour the Word is the means holiness it self the end none but holy men the Subjects I cannot but wonder at the impudence of profane men that they should call themselves Christians that they should call God Father that they should call Christ Saviour if they be Christians where is the savour of those precious oyntments those special graces that run down from the head unto all his members and give the only just reason why we should be denominated Christians I wonder the meer civil person can sleep so securely with his short covering he boasts of a righteousness and is a meer stranger to holiness he separates those things which God hath perfectly and inseparably united Holinesse and Righteousnesse God hath so knit and coupled together To serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1. that he reckons no service performed to him where either of these is wanting It is a part of our Righteousnesse to be holy in our converse with God It is a part of our Holinesse to be Righteous in our converse with men Therefore I shall adde the deceitful hypocrite unto the deceived equillist the one drawing as near to God with his external righteousness as the other doth with his pretended Holinesse both stand at a distance from him he beholds them afar off and though he hath Called them to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 yet they are not Saints by an Effectual Calling Phil. 3.14 Hebr. 3.1 Secondly It is an high and heavenly Calling a learned Critick supposeth that the Apostle in bestowing this Epitath high upon our Calling Grotius Dr. Hammond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alludeth unto the Olympick games an allusion which indeed he much delighteth in throughout all his Epistles there the Master a Ruler of the game who was also the Keeper and Bestower of the prize stood upon the higher ground called to those that were engaged to that noble exercise to begin the Race proportionably unto this Christians having a Race set before them Hebr. 12.1 which they must run with patience at the call of their great Director who utters his voice from heaven unto their hearts they first start so that the Calling is high because we are Called from on high but this is not all for besides that it is an high way though it be no common way that we are Called to run in all the exercises and employments that a Christian is Called to they are exceeding high such as are the service of God the mortification of lusts the fighting against principalities and powâ—rs of darkness the trampling upon all the gilded glisterring vanities of this world such are the denial of a mans self the taking up the Crosse daily the following of Christ and the shewing forth all his vertues that hath called us such are warme devotions spiritual meditations fervent supplications holy breathings and aspirings after communion with the ever blessed God in a conscientious use of his Ordinances all these are employments too high for those that are skild in nothing else but Satans and the Worlds Drudgery too high for any but those that are endued with grace and power from on high to perform them Yet farther this Calling is high not only in regard of the Director and the Race but in regard of the prize as the reward that we shall receive from the righteous Judge What is
can they but rejoyce in them and sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever Why are you not more careful to walk worthy of this Grace There is a Decorum Ephes 4.1 a seemlinesse that appertains to every Calling This made Scipio that he would not accept the offer of an Harlot because he was General of the Army And when Antigonus was invited to a place where there was none of the best Company he was well advised by one to remember he was a Kings Sonne When you suffer your selves to be drawn away by your lusts to be ensnared by the World to be captivated by the Divel you forget the Decorum that should attend your Christian Calling Remember I beseech you First That it is a Holy Calling and therefore be ye also Holy in all Manner of Conversation Methinks it should sound as harshly in our ears to hear of a dark Sun as a wicked Christian Secondly It is an High Calling Do you live High Scorne Basenesse Blush to appear in your Old Raggs To be seen Catering for your Lusts as you use to do Crown your selves with the Starres Cloath your selves with the Sunne Tread the Moon under your Feet Let the Gospel be your Crown Let Christ be your Cloathing Let the World be your Foot-stool Let Hidden Manna be your constant Dyet Keep Open House to all Comers Set your Spiritual Dainties before them Bid them feed Heartily and Welcome And for Discourse Tell them what great things God hath done for your Souls Thirdly It is an Heavenly Call Let your Conversations be in Heaven you have a good Correspondent there Maintain a constant Trade and Traffick thither Expect Returns thence Lay up your Treasure there where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt nor can Thieves break through and steal Be alwayes preparing for your passage thither Fourthly It is an Immutable Call Do not droop and hang your Heads for the Changes and Mutations there are in the World The Foundation of God standeth sure though the Foundation of States be Overturned Overturned Overturned the Lord knoweth who are his and will cause all things to Work together for their good But what if now there be many amongst you that are not Effectually Called In the third and last place I addresse my self to them Men and Brethren if you have any sense of the excellency of your Immortal Souls any Love to them sutable to that excellency any care and solicitousnesse sutable to that love Do not resist the Holy Ghost Make the best Use you can of the Means of Grace To day if you will hear his Voice harden not your hearts If he now Knock at the Door of your hearts and you will not Open you know not how soon you may come to Knock at the Door of his house and he will not Open. Diog. Laertius Thal. It is Reported that Thales one of the Grecian Sages being urged by his Mother to marry told her at first it was too soon and afterward when she urged him again he told her it was too late Effectual Voâ—ation is our Espousal unto Christ all the time of our life God is urging this Match upon our Souls his Ministers are still wooing for Christ if now we say it is too soon for ought we know the very next Moment our Sunne may set and then God will say it is too late They that are not Contracted to Christ on Earth shall never be Married to him in Heaven THE TRUE BELIEVERS Union with CHRIST JESUS 1 COR. 6.17 But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit YOU have lately seen the Portraicture of our Lord Jesus drawn as it were at length Introduction both as to his Person and Offices together with the Means and Mannâ—r how he hath dearly purcha'st Redemption for us Method now requires that we lay before you how that Redemption and the benefits thereof come to be effectually applied unto us There we had the balme of Gilead and the plaister spread what remains but that it be now applied There we had a Bethesda an healing Fountain open'd but the Pool of life heals not unlesse the Patient be put in and the Angel of the Covenant Stir the waters Salvation for sinners cannot be obtain'd without a puâ—chase this purchase is not significant without possession this possession not to be procured without application this application made only by union this union clearly held forth in the Text viz. He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit Coherence In the close of this Chapter our Apostle seriously dehorts his Corinthians from that grosse that soul-polluting sinne of Fornication His Arguments which he lets flie as so many Barbed Arrows at the fifth Rib of Uncleanness are drawn 1. Partly from the end to which the body is appointed The body is for the Lord Ver. 13. The body was made for the God of holinesse therefore not to be prostituted to Lust and uncleannesse Ver. 19. The Holy Ghosts Temple ought not to be converted into a Stye for Satan That 's the first 2. Partly from that honour which by the Lord to our bodies is vouchsafed Know ye not that our bodies are the members of Christ Ver. 15. Believers bodies are the members of Christ therefore not to be debauch't so far as to be made the members of an Harlot This second Argument is back't and amplified by the words of the Text He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit q. d. There is a near and dear union betwixt the Lord Jesus and true believers much what resembling that which is betwixt the head and members Only here 's the difference that union is carnal this spiritual He that is joyn'd to the Lord is one Spirit i. e. he is spiritually one or one with the Lord in Spirit therefore ought not to be one with a strange woman in the flesh Having thus beaten up and lâ—vel'd our way to the Text I shall not stand to shred the words into any unnecessary parts but shall extract out of them such an Observation as I conceive strikes a full eighth to the minde of the Spirit of God in them And 't is plainly this Observation True Believers are closely united unto Christ Iesus The word which we render a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agglutinatus joyned imports the nearest strictest closest union This truth I shall endeavour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cleanly to explain solidly to confirme practically to appy 1. For the Explication of this truth Explication It will be of consequence to lay before you Query 1 1. Whom we understand by true believers Sol. 1. Not such as are united unto Christ by a meer external prosession Sacramental admission or presumptuous perswasion Such as these are said to believe in Christ John 3.23 and yet they are such so hollow so false that Christ dares not trust them Ver. 24. These are dead Branches John 15.2 Saplesse stakes in the Churches hedge Reformadâ—'s and Hangby's only
in Christs Regiment whose names are not registred in Aeternitatis Albo Wooden legs of Christs body such as have no true spiritual vital functions and operations Such as have a fâ—rme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.5 Sardys-like they have indeed a name that they live but are dead Rev. 3.2 With th se our Proposition meddles not 2. But true believers i. e. such as are united uâ—to Christ by Internal Implantation Living fruit-bearing branches John 15.5 Such as have not only Christs picture drawn on their fore-heads but Christs Spirit quickning their hearts Ephes 3.17 Nathanaels Israelites indeed John 1.47 Jews inwardly Rom. 2.29 Such as are really and effectually by the Spirit and Word of God call'd out of a state of sin enmity misery into an estate of grace union reconciliation so that now Christ is in them and they in Christ John 17.21 23. They reposing themselves in Christs bosome by love and Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith These are the Believers our Observation intends Query 2 2. What kinde of union it is that is betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers Sol. 1. Negatively what kinde of union it is not 1. Not a grosse carnal corporeal union not a union of bodies Christ is in heaven Acts 1.11 3.21 we on earth 2. Not an hypostatical personaâ— union such as is that ineffable union of the Divine and Humane natures in the person of our Immanuel the Lord Jesus 'T is indeed a union of persons but not a personal union Believers make not one person with Christ but b 1 Cor. 12.13 one body and that not one body natural but mystical True indeed the Church is call'd Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 but that is meant of the whole Church made up of head and members which is Christ mystical Now 't is not rational to apply that to any one single Believer which is proper only to the whole body Besides should there be a personal union betwixt the Lord Jesus and true Believers then would there be as many Christs as Believers But to us as there is but one Father so but one Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 8.6 Add that then very action of Believers would be of infinite value as is the obedience of Christs Humane nature by reason of its hypostatical union 3. Not an essential substantial union not such an union as makes Believers in any wise partakers of the substance of Christs Godhead Those expressions of Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old and English't by some of us of late viz. Being Godded with God and Christed with Christ are harsh and dangerous if not blasphemous To aver that Believers are partakers of the substance of Christs Godhead is to ascribe that to Believers which we dare not affirme of Chrissis Manhood it self concerning which we say that it was inseparably joyned together with the Godhead in one person but yet c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Chalcedon without the least conversion composition or confusion True indeed Believers are said to be partakers of the Divine d 2 Pet. 1.4 nature but how not of Gods substance which â—s wholly incommun cable but Believers by the exceeding great and precious promises as by so many Conduit-pipes have excellent graces conveyed unto them whereby they are made like to God in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse wherein the Image of God which was stamp't on man at his Creation consists Ephes 4.24 Col. 3.10 4. Not such an union as mounts up Believers to an equality with Christ in any respect He is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 In all things he hath and must have the preheminence Col. 1.18 The best of Saints have but their Ephah their Homer their stint and e Ephes 4.16 measure of excellencies and Divine Endowments But now Jesus Christ in his Humane nature united to the Divine was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit f John 3.34 Psal 45.7 Hebr. 1.9 above measure we have but our mites drams scruples in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.3 Our Lord Jesus is his Fathers Gazophylacium the great Magazine and Store-house of infinite excellencies It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 Yea in him dwells all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 Three gradations the Godhead the fulnesse of the Godhead all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. not only truly and really in opposition to the Ark and Temple in which the Godhead was typically but personally to distinguish the indwelling of the Manhood of Christ from all accidental extrinsecal and integral unions Thus Negatively 2. Positively What kinde of union it is that is betwixt the Lord Jesus and truâ— B lievers g Nostra ipsius conjunctio non miscet personas nec unit substantias sed affectus consociat confaederat voluntates Cypr. Cyprian tells us in the general 't is not such an union as speaks a conjunction of persons or a connection of natures but a consent of wills and confederation of affections but this is too lax and general more particularly therefore it is 1. A spiritual union He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit i. e. one with Christ not in a grosse and carnal but spiritual manner As man and wife united make one flesh Gen. 2.24 so Christ and Believers united by the Spirit and Faith make up one spiritual Christ Believers are made partakers of one and the same Spirit with Christ Christs Spirit is really communicated to them and abides in them 2. A mystical deep profound union This is a great mys ery saith the Apostle but I speak of Christ and the Church Ephes 5.32 We read of three great mystical dazling unions of three distinct persons united in one God 1 John 5.7 of two distinct natures meeting in one person in our Immanuel Luke 1.35 Col. 2.9 of two distinct natures and persons united by one Spirit that 's the union betwixt Christ and true Believers This is a great mystery a deep union Hence it is that it is compared to the mystery of the very Trinity as being like to the union of persons in the Divine nature Christ in the Father Believers in Christ and Christ in Believers Joh. 14.20 So Christ prayes Joh. 17.21 that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Hence may be gathered a likeness though not an equality of union In the union betwixt Christ and Believers is shadow'd out the union betwixt Christ and his Father This is one of the great Arcana Evangelii 't is a mystical union 3. And yet it is a true real union not a fancy only not an imaginary union not like the union of the mouth and meat in a dream Isa 29.8 No but
that He that believeth shall never dye but have eternal life John 11.26 I answer We must look upon threatnings as a part of the Law declaring the duenesse of the punishment what the offender hath deserved to suffer not as predictions of the event any more than Thou shalt and Thou shalt not in the command are predictions but only are expressive of the duenesse of obedience Nor will it hence follow that we have the least cause once to suspect that God may if he please revoke his promises as well as his threatnings and then what would become of us for there is a wide difference in their essential natures and properties In a promise the obligation lies upon the party promising he hath past away his own liberty and the thing is now no longer his but the others who may if he please release and quit-claim to his pretensions he may dispense with and surrender his own right but if he claime his right to and interest in the benefit by vertue of the promise it cannot be detained without notorious wrong and injury which God forbid we should charge him with for he were not God if he were not infinitely true and faithful How should he â—lse judge the world But now the Obligation unto punishment lies contrarily upon the sinner threatned he hath past away his own indemnity and given God the right of punishing him I say the right not the necessity if God will claime this right he may but if he please he may dispence with it It is no injury if he punisheth yet no Obligation lies upon him but his own honour And that indeed obligeth him not never to dispence with his Law but never to dispense with it upon a light cause or upon termes misbecoming his Glorious Attributes And the dispensation we now speak of is an honourable one for 1. There are weighty inducements moving God hereunto If he had not dispenc't with the rigor of it First He had lost the opportunity of the highest possible way of glorifying his own goodnesse which now so infinitely endears him to the world and lays such Obligations on us to admire and adore him Secondly As all Israel lamented over Benjamin Judg. 21.6 that a Tribe was lost so the Creation would have mist a Tribe which is the reason some Divines have given why Christ took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham because only some of the Angelical Tribe lost their birth-right only some kept not their first estate but man being in honour continued not but became like the Beast that perisheth Thirdly All Religion had been extinguish't and frozen by despair unavoidably if there had been no hope the fear of God his worship and service had for ever utterly perish't from off the earth But now his Name is excellent in all the earth even that Name Proclaimed to Moses Exod. 34.6 The Lord is known in Judah and his Name is great in Israel Psal 79.1 2. As the causes inducing are weighty so the terms on which he dispenseth with his Law are as honourable which was our third Query propounded in the opening the point For since Christ Redeemed us not by way of Solution strictly as a Surety paying the Debtors proper debt to the Creditor but by way of Satisfaction as a Mediator and Intercessor offering a valuable consideration to the offended Judge of the world in lieu of the Laws executing the penalty threatned upon the sin er It necessarily follows that no right at all in the benefits of this satisfaction can accrue to the Delinquent but upon such terms precisely as the offended party and the Mediator that satisfieth him shall agree unto and upon mutual treaty and compromise joyntly ratifie so that justification by way of satisfaction provides noâ— only for the sinners indemnity but in such a manner as also to consult the interests and honour both of the party saâ—isfying and satisfied and this latter is the rule and measure of exhibiting the former and of making over the satisfaction for discharge of the offender Query 3 What are the terms therefore upon which both God and Christ have agreed to justifie sinners I answer first faith which is a hearty receiving Christ as he is tendred by the Gospel and here the soul quits all pretensions of being justified by any righteousnesse of its own and rolls it self upon the Lord its righteousnesse and therefore hath faith the honour to be the justifying grace because it so highly honoureth Christ it is the nuptial knot whereby the soul joyns it self to its Lord-Redeemer in an everlasting Marriage-Covenant it denies its self and forsakes all its other Lovers and clasps about its Lord and Husband as its all in all Look what a wife doth in a Marriage-Covenant to her husband that doth a soul in believing unto Christ it saith unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art my husband Hos 2.16 And he saith unto his Spouse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you are my people But then this justifying faith hath two daughters that inseparably attend her 1. Repentance Here sinful man retracts and undoes his faults cryes peccavi weeps wrings his hands smites upon his breast and cryes What have I done Laments after the Lord and abhors himself in dust and ashes He calls himself fool mad man beast traytor to his God and to his soul In a word executes the Law upon himself and since God excuseth him from the punishment he accuseth himself of the guilt and condemns himself to the shame of his sin and hereby the sinner honours the equity of the threatning by his tears acknowledging that his blood was due 2. Newnesse of life here the sinner acknowledgeth perfect obedience to be still his duty this honours the equity of Gods Commandments And the Redeemer by making this one of the conditions of the Gospel-Covenant hath given his Father his Law back again he doth not repeal it no it s still the rule of life and every Commandment still obligeth a Believer Christ hath only released us from the condemning power of it not the commanding power of it We must still presse after perfection but though we fall short of it we shall not dye for it Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us but hath left us under the government and command of the Law The whole matter is excellently expressed 1 John 2.1 My little children these things I write unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 3. Having thus discoursed to the three general points first propounded and shewed that the person justified is charg'd with guilt And secondly that he pleads to the charge where I have largely opened the nature of that plea I come now to the third general point to shew how upon his plea he is discharged or justified A sinner is then actually justified when he is constituted or
of a reason God sends his Gospel proclaiming Acts 3.19 Repent ye and be converted that your sinnes may be blotted out His Ministers proclaiming We then are Embassadors of Christ 2 Cor. 5. as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God Why dost thou hate thy soul and say I will not why wilt thou not Is it because it doth not concern thee or because eternal life and death are trifles small little things not worth thy considering or doth any body hinder thee No no our Saviour gives the true account Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life Let me entreat this small request of thee for Gods sake for thine own take the next opportunity and spend half an houre alone let thy spirit accomplish a diligent search pursue this inquiry to some issue am I justified or no if not what will become of me if it should happen sometimes such things fall out that I should dye now presently I cannot promise my self that I shall see to morrow morning Thus go on and bring it to something before thou leavest give not over till thou art not only clearly convinced of but heartily affected with thy guilt not only to see but feel thy self to be the man who art undone without an interest in this justification Be in good earnest thou canst not mock thy God and is there any wisdome in mocking and cheating thy own soul What thou dost do it heartily as unto the Lord as for thy life as one that would not rue thy self-deceiving folly when it cannot be recalled and if thou art hearty and serious in these reflexions 1. Thou wilt deeply humble thy self before the Majesty of the Judge of all the earth with that self-abhorrence and confusion that becomes one who feels himself even himself being Judge most righteously condemned 2. Thou wilt sollicite and assail the Throne of Grace with all redoubled favours and holy passionate importunities of prayer and supplication giving God no rest till he hath given thee his Spirit according to his own promise Luke 11.13 Ezek. 36.26 27. To help thee to performe the conditions of the Gospel-Covenant plead his own promise with him Wrestle with him for a broken and clean heart for faith for repentance unto life for these are not of thy self they are the gift of God let him not go till he hath blessed thee with these blessings in Christ Jesus This will confound every sinner at the day of Judgment that when he might have had grace yea the Spirit of grace for asking he either asked not or if he did it was so coldly as if he were contented enough to go without Now if thou art in good earnest God is I assure thee in full as good earnest as thou he is ready to meet thee Try but once whether it be in vain to seek him all that ever tryed found it good to draw near to God and found him easie to be entreated he useth not to send the hungry empty away He that commands us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling he it is that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.12 13. Secondly To them that are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Let me beseech them 1. To walk worthy of God who hath called them to his Kingdome and Glory to adorn their holy profession take the Exhortation in Pauls words Col. 2.6 As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Receive not this grace of God in vain the interest of your comfort obligeth you hereunto hereby you will know that you know him that you are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 that there is no cond mnation to you if you walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and herein will your Father be glorified John 15.6 if ye bring forth much fruit 2. To live up to the comfort of their state 1 John 3.1 Ye are already the sons of God it doth not yet appear what you shall be Who shall lay any thing to your charge it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed c. Rom. 8.33 Go eat thy bread with joy and put on thy white rayment God now hath accepted thy works Eccles 9.7 8. I conclude this particular and the whole discourse with the happy effects and fruits of Justification which every Believer hath as good a right and title to as the Gospel it self the Word of the God of truth can give him as I finde those sweet effects and consequences set down in my Text and the words next following it 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 2. By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience 4. And patience experience and experience hope 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Wherefore the righteous shall be glad in the Lord and all the upright in heart shall glory Psal 64.10 THE BELIEVERS DIGNITY and DVTY LAID OPEN In the High-Birth wherewith he is PRIVILEDGED And the honourable Employment to which He is called John 1.12 13. But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God IN this Chapter Christ the principal Subject of the Gospel is admirably and Seraphically described 1. By his Divintiy as co-eternal and co-essential with the Father verse 1. 2. 2. By his discovery or manifestation 1. In the work of Creation ver 3. 10. 2. In the work of common providence ver 4.5 9. 3. In the work of gracious providence he being in the world and coming to his Church as our Immanuel God incarnate ver 11. 14. 3. By his entertainment which was 1. Passive his entertainment was poor the world knew him not ver 10. He was as a Prince disguised in a strange Country the Church sleighted and rejected him as Rebels do their natural Prince ver 11. And such entertainment Christ meets with at this day in his Truths Ordinances Graces Ministers and his poor members c. Object Was not Christ entertained by them what else means their harbouring him at Capèrnaum their flocking after him admiring of him seeking to make him a King c. Answ True they entertain'd him for a while civilly and formally upon self-interest but not spiritually by saving Faith Love and Obedience John 6.26 Matthew 11.21 23. Quest 1. Did Christ find no entertainment at all Answ This rejecting of Christ was not universal some did
42.3 weak as a bruised reed through dimness and scantiness of knowledge as a building laid upon a weak or narrow foundation cannot be strong weakness of assent strength of temptations natural timorousness Rom 4.19 20. Act 6. suspiciousness and lowness of spirit In others it is strong and they are full of Faith as Steven having clear and large knowledge c. Both weaker and stronger may be considered either as Habitual in the root and principle or Actual as exercised toward Christ and the promises For the Definition or Description of Faith I shall not heap up words in mentioning many but take up with that full and excellent one of the late Judicious Assembâ—y in their larger Catechism that Christians may with more readiness and safety entertain it Description Faith is a Saving Grace wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God whereby he being convinced of his sin and misery and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of that lost condition not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the Gospel but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth for pardon of sin and for the a cepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation It hath here for its Genus or general and common nature a Grace it being compared with Love Hope c. they herein agree The word Grace distinguisheth it from other Habits even good and vertuous that are acquired this is a Grace or gracious disposition or habit infused A Saving Grace to distinguish it from and set it above common Grace and make it one of those better things that accompany salvation Heb 6.9 The Subject is twofold Subjectum Recipiens Occupans 2. Subject Subjectum recipi ns The first the Subject receiving it or in which it is most ordinarily called the Subject and this is The heart of man a sinner elected and called 1. It is Man that believeth not Angels for of their Faith we have no ground to speak It is Man not God and the Spirit in us but man through them Yea Man singularly not of another but of him that hopeth for life the Just shall live by HIS Faith not by anothers 2. It is the Heart of man with the heart man believeth Rom 10.10 the Heart includeth Will and Affections it is not the Vnderstanding onely nor so much though that necessarily makes way Coming to Christ is a spontaneous motion of Will and Affections renewed and this is beleiving there is assent to things revealed as true and acceptance of things offered as good receiving Joh 1.12 embracing with suitable affections to the Revealer and things revealed 3. The heart of a man a sinner for man upright is not capable of this Faith which is in God through a Mediator Believing the word of another concerning restoral and reparation speaketh loss and decay acceptance of alms poverty Indeed Adam might and must thus far exercise Faith in beleiving and trusting God it belongeth to the first commandment that he continuing upright there would be a continuation of Gods love and his happiness but Faith apprehending the promise of God of acceptation through the righteousness of another necessarily speaketh man a sinner Rom. 4.5 as Justification which is by Faith is of the ungodly Rom. 11.7 4. The heart of man a sinner elected the election obtained it the rest were hardned Tit. 1.1 and therefore is it called the Faith of Gods elect Remarkable is that expression As many as were ordained unto life beleived Act. 13.48 and our Lord saith all that the Father giveth him come unto him Joh 6.37 and the Jews not believing was because they were not his sheep and therefore heard not his voyce 5. The heart of man a sinner elected and called is the Subject of Faith Rom. 10.17 Faith is by hearing it is the souls answer to and compliance with Gods call God vailing his omnipotency under and putting it forth with words of command Uncalled and unbelievers are the same and therefore calling is one of the links of the golden chain of Salvation Rom. 8.28 30. and goeth before Justification by Faith in which Call the Terminus â quo is Satan sin misery death we are called from and the Terminus à d quem we are called to Christ God Holiness and Life Subjectum Occupans Materiale The Subject about which Faith is employed or Object that which and in which we believe is not God immediately though primarily Heb. 6.1 but Christ immediately and the Promises which are in him yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and God through Christ 1 Pet. 1.21 he that believeth not in the Son believeth not in the Father and he that hath not the Son hath not the Father Act. 20.21 Repentance is peculiarly referred to God and Faith to the Lord Jesus Christ Faith also and the Promises Heb. 10.23 or God through Christ promising are Correlates and of all Promises those that concern righteousness and life through the blood of a Mediator are the peculiar object Act. 10.43 1 Joh. 5.10 11. Believing the witness of remission and the recrod of giving eternal li e is mentioned it is called beleeving the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings in the Gospel promises of remission and salvation Mark 1.16 It is true that Faith doth believe and apply every word of God Some things reductively and secondarily are the object of Faith in a sequacious Spirit credulous to whatever is contained in Scripture as that Abimelech had a wife c. Gen 20. Some things are more directly the Word of God expressed and asserted in the History of the Bible yet being believed have not an immediate connexion with Justification and Salvation thereby But the grand testimony of and through Christ Faith as saving principally respecteth and as assenting in the mind looks upon the Promise as accepting in the Will and Affections respecteth Christ The ground on which we believe Formale called the Formal Object of Faith shall be referred to the Externally moving Cause to believe of which afterwards Of all Four Causes I shall speak in order 3. Causes Efficient Principal and first of the Efficient which is either Principal or less Principal The Principal Cause may be considered as that from which the beginning acting continuance growth and perfection of Faith do proceed and this is the Blessed Trinity or God the Father through the Son by the Spirit 1. The beginning root and habit of Faith is from God if of every a Phil 1.6 good work and b Jam 1.17 gift then this and therefore it is called the c Ephes 2.8 gift of God and to you it is d Phil 1.29 given to believe e Heb 12.2 Jesus also is called the Author this is wrought by the Spirit it is
then of the nature of Repentance and in opening it I shall not trouble you with the curious and critical considerations of the word or the various descriptions of the thing set down by many sound and pious * Ambrose de poenit Aretii problem tom 1. l. 3. Dani. Dike Stock with many others Repen de fin Authours but briefly propound unto you this general description as that which comprizeth in it the nature and particular parts of true Repentance viz. Repentance is a grace supâ—rnatural whereby the believing sinner sensibly affected with and afflicted for his sin as committed against God freely confessing and fervently begging pardon turneth from all sin to God Instead of a logical division and discussion of this description I shall distribute it into these Theological conclusions as most proper for your capacities and profitable for your instruction 1. Repentance is a grace supernatural 2. The believing sinner is the subject of true Gospel-Repentance whereby the believing sinner c. 3. Sense of and sorrow for sin as committed against God are the precursive acts of true Repentance sensibly affected with and afflicted for his c. 4. A turning from all sin to God is the formality of true Repentance 5. Confession of guilt and supplication for pardon are constant concomiâ—ants of Gospel-Repentance These several Conclusions I shall briefly and distinctly explain whereby I hope you will well understand the nature of Repentance and first of the first viz. Conclusion 1 Repentance is a grace supernatural It is a grace in its nature supernatural in its Authour Original quality and operation Repentance is a grace in its nature not only as it is freely given us of God without the least merit of ours but also as it is a gift animating and enabling unto action That which I intend you especially to note when we say Repentance is a grace is this viz. that it is an habit power principle spring root and disposition not a bare single and transient action as the Papists and some ignorant souls do imagine Repentance is different and distinct from all penitential acts sighing self-castigation and abstinence from all sinful actions are fruits and expressions of repentance but not the grace it self for that diffuseth it self into the heart and disposeth habituateth and enableth to all acts of sorrow for and cessation from sin The repentance which is given of God is not an action but power principle and frame of spirit The power and principle is divine but act and exercise of repentance is humane God plants the root whereby man brings forth fruit worthy repentance Matth. 3.8 Repentance is no other but a spirit of grace animating men to mourn Zech. 12.10 Repentance is not the work of an houre or a day but a constant frame course and bent of the soul on all renewed guilt flowing afresh and bringing forth renewed acts When the mighty hand of God doth smite the flinty heart of man it loseth its stone and hardinesse becomes pliable to divine pleasure is inclined to relent and prone to distill its heavenly dew and therefore it is called a grace as in its nature Repentance is a grace so in its Original and operation it is supernatural a grace freely given from above not acquired by any means or merit of our own but springing into the soule by the meer good Will of God and immediate power of the holy Ghost however Repentance must be acted it cannot be acquired by man it lieth out of the reach of humane arme and must be the effect of an Almighty hand even the influence of God himself there is not in man the least merit of condignity or congruity that can engage divine justice to bestow it No it is a good and perfect gift James 1.17 and cometh down from above and is given by the Father of lights In vain do men seek Repentance in any natural meanes for birth breeding education instruction art knowledge moral swasion friendly advice 1 Cor. 3.6 7. and Gospel Ministry it self cannot work it without the immediate operation of an omnipotent Spirit that will and that indeed only can work above and contrary to the course of Nature God only can take away the stony heart and give an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 It is the sole and singular prerogative of Christ Jesus exalted to give Repentanc all means and Ministry are but a Moses Rod a meer passive instrument only the might of Gods hand can make mans Rocky heart relent Ministers must indeed preach in season and out of season yet it is but a peradventure that God will give repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 In vain do men dally with and delay repentance when God calleth determining to themselves time wherein to repent as if it were within the reach of their own arme or at the command of corrupt nature whil'st God knoweth they may see their set time though that it self is doubtful and yet find no place for repentance though they seek it with teares Repentance is not the result of purest nature nor yet the effect of the Law but a pure Gospel grace preached by the Gospel Dykes Treat of Rep. p 3 4. promised in the Covenant sealed in Baptisme produced by the Spirit properly flowing from the blood of Christ aâ—d so is every way supernatural so that every returning sinner must pray to God Jeâ— 31.18 19. Turn thou me and I shall be â—urned and the praise of Repentance obtained must be returned to God alone 1 Pet. 1.3 as him from whom it hath been derived for 't is a grace supernatural But secondly Conclusion 2 The believing sinner is the subject of Gospel-repentance Whosoever repenteth chargeth himself with guilt and must needs be a sinner Adam in innocency had no repentance because no sin and the Lord Jesus saith he came not to call the righteous but the sinner to repentance Matth. 9.12 Returns do follow upon deviations remorse upon disobedience and repentance is the work of a transgressor But the Subject of Gospel-Repentance must be a believâ—ng sinner a sinner not only of sense but also of hope not only of conviction but also of confidence seeing a pardon procured for sin committed Faith must be the formal qualification of a Gospel-penitent as the very foundation and fountain of true repentance unbelief is the very ground of impenitency and lock of obduracy Gods common complaint of impenitent Israel is they believed not Psal 78. Then faith must needs unlock and release the soule unto its returne to God for contrariorum eadem est ratio the reason is the same to contraries Saint Ambrose calls faith incendium poenitentiae the spur of repentance and the Scripture doth suggest to be the pumpe of repentance Psal 130.4 There is mercy with thee that thou shouldest be feared Hence it is that the objects of faith become arguments and the promises of grace perswasions to repentance Jer. 3.13 The approach of the Kingdome of God is the
unto the Lord and when provoked by others it is to return to the Lord their God Hosea 14.1 and when God calleth and chargeth their Repentance with hypocrisie it is with this complaint They cryed but nat unto me and they returned but not unto the most High Hosea 7.14 16. The Gospel penitent turneth not from sin to sin as do the profane nor from sinful rudenesse to common civility or only moral honesty as do the civil honest man but unto piety acts of Religion unto God God is the sole object of his affection and adoration the true penitent is prostrate at the feet of God as him only that pardoneth iniquity transgression and sin And pliable to the pleasure of God as him only that hath prerogative over him the whole man soul and body is bent for God and pursueth communion with and conformity to God not only doth Repentance turn us from what is grievous and contrary to God but unto that which is agreeable and acceptable God the minde returneth from the devising of evil to the review of the minde and will of God Psal 1. v. 1 2. from sitting in the seat of the scorneful unto meditating on the Law of God night and day his earnest out-cry is Lord Acts 9.6 what wouldest thou have me to do for he is transformed in the spirit of his minde to prove what is the good and acceptable will of the Lord Rom. 12.3 and full well knoweth it is life eternal to know God 1 Pet. 2.2 and Jesus Christ and therefore having once tasted that the Lord is gracious he as a new-born babe desireth the sincere milk of the Word Gods Word is his great delight and beautiful in his eyes are their feet that bring glad tydings from Zion Rom. 10.15 The will and affections return from all evil unto a resolution and ready acceptance of the good and acceptable will of God not only doth the Gospel penitent pray Wherein I have done amiss do thou shew it me I will do so no more but also speak Lord for thy servant heareth for it is wholly resolved into the will of God approving what is good prizing every act of worship and purposing an exact observance of it sincerely praying Let thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and accounting it his meat and drink to do the will of God his desires and affections run out to God and God alone there is nothing in all the earth to be compared with God nor any in heaven acceptable to the soul besides God Psal 73.25 The Lord becomes his very dread and delight he rejoyceth in the Lord and continually feareth before him such are his affections now towards God that he can leave all to follow him father mother sisters brethren wife children lands houses nay life it self becomes nothing in respect of God A Gospel penitent stands convinced that if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 And if any man love any thing better than Christ he is not worthy of him Matth. 10.37 and so he accounteth all things drosse and dung in comparison of Christ Phil. 3.7 The Lord is his chiefest among ten thousand his all in all and so his outward man is ready in the utmost of endeavours to do the will of God he is wholly resigned to Divine pleasure to do or suffer any thing God shall not enjoyne what his attempts and utmost industry shall not be to performe or inflict what he shall not in patience and silent submission endure Repentance is no other than the obedience of faith 1 Pet. 1.2 the penitent Romans do obey from the heart the forme of sound words unto them delivered or as the Greek bears it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which they are delivered as in a mold which leaves its shape and impression on that which passed through it Rom. 6.17 For the stony heart removed the Law of God is imprinted in the soul the Spirit of Repentance maketh us walk in Gods way Ezek. 3.26 and to do his Statutes The command of God carrieth the truly penitent contrary to the commands of men nay corrupt dictates of their own soul J seph dare not sin against God for all Potiphars possession nor Daniel slack his devotion for fear of a Lyons Den nay it is irksome to a penitent Peter to be once and again provoked to obedience as half angry he cannot but cry out John 21.17 Why Lord thou knowest I love thee he is ready to execute Divine prescription against the utmost of opposition he never desireth other Apology than whether we obey God or man judge ye for Christ is exalted to be Lord and King to give Repentance c. Not only doth he believe but is also ready to suffer for the sake of Christ he is contented to be at Gods carving as unworthy any thing under sharpest sorrows he is dumb Psal 39.9 and openeth not his mouth because God did it in saddest disasters he complains not because he hath sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 16.10 let Shimey curse him he is quiet nay grieved at the instigations of revenge for that God hath bid Shimey curse in all his actions and enjoyments he is awed by and argueth not against God However he may with Hezekiah slip and fall in his life time yet the support of his soul at death is Lord Remember I have walked before thee with an upright and perfect heart and have done that which was right in thine eyes Isa 38.3 And with Paul he may finde a Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his minde yet can thank God that with his minde he serves the Law of God Rom. 7.25 So that true Gospel Repentance doth not only convince and cast down but change and convert a sinner sense of and sorrow for sin as committed against God are necessary and essential parts but not the whole or formality of Repentance no that is a turning from sin all sin unto God only untâ— a God it indulgeth not the least iniquity nor taketh up short of the Lord it stayeth not with Jehu at the extirpation of Baal but with Hezekiah and Josiah Rest reth the Passeover the worship of the Lord and that is the fourth thing considerable in the nature of Repentance Conclusion 5 The fifth and last conclusion is Confession of sin and prayer for its pardon are constant concomitants of true Repentance The true penitent is not only the sinner of sense but of hope and therefore a suppâ—iant at the Throne of Grace prostrate at the foot-stool of mercy confessing sin and suing for pardon freely accusing and fully condemning it self before God every penitent soul comes to God like Benhadad to the King of Israel wiâ—h an Halter about his Neck praying Forgive us our trespasses David is no sooner brought to Repentance by Nathan but he is brought on his knees before the Lord with an I havâ—
shall enforce the necessity of Repentance from these two grounds 1. The Anticipation and removal of Gods wrath and judgments 2. The Answer unto the call of the Gospel First Then Repentance is necessary to anticipate and remove the wrath and judgments of God Repentance is the only fence to be made against feared judgments there is no way to appease Divine fury but by Repentance judgments threatned may be thus diverted and prevented and evil inflicted may be thus removed the Lord threatens before he striketh that the fear of approaching evil might force men to Repentance thus God sent Jonah to cry to Nineveh Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed and so the Lord sent his Prophets Rising up early and sending them to Judah and to Samaria The threatnings of God are but Summons unto Repentance that his hand might be stayed and therefore every threat doth either expresse or imply a promise of escape on the condition of Repentance and an assurance is given by the Lord that Repentance shall appease his anger and anticipate the denounced judgments Behold at what time I shall speak against a Nation or Kingdome if that Nation against whom I have pronounced shall turn from their evil I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto it Jerem. 18.8 Accordingly God 's hand is stayed by the but-seeming Repentance of men Ahabs formal Repentance procureth a reprieve of the judgment though not a remission of sin because Ahab humbleth himself before me I will not bring the evil in his days saith thâ— Lord to the Prophet 1 Kings 21.29 And so Nineveh repenting at the preaching of Jonah were spared Jonah 3.10 God saw that they repented and turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he said he would do unto them and he did it not Impenitency is the enforcement of Divine plagues for all denunciations run with an unlesse ye repent ye shall likewise perish Repentance is the main errand of Gods judgments and if it will be effected by reproof and threatning God will never handle the rod or inflict evil the judgments of God thunder not over Jerusalem untill they mocked the messengers of God despised his Word and misused his Prophets and then the wrath of the Lord was kindled and arose against his people untill there was no remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 God is so solicitous of Repentance that like the Lord of the Vineyard he sends his servants one after another to the rebellious husbandmen and at length his Son whom he expects they should reverence to call them to Repentance before he come with force and armes to subdue them Mat. 21.36 37 38 39 40. Gods judgments are never inflicted untill mens impenitency be upbraided he always begins his corrections with an how often would I have gathered you Mat. 23.37 and ye would not and aggravates the affliction with a thy destruction is of thy self and enforceth his utter rejection with an Oh that thou hadct known Luke 19.42 at least in this thy day the things which concern thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes he drowns not the old world without the warnings of an hundred and twenty years he damned not the souls which are now in Prison untill by Noah the Preacher of Righteousnesse he had called them to Repentance and sealed them up under disobedience We are now the Subjects of sin and that stirs up Gods wrath if we will escape that we must return from this Sin kindleth and Repentance quencheth Gods fury Man is not bound to pardon and pretermit an offence but on Repentance of the offender neither Nature nor Scripture doth require it how much lesse is the Lord thereunto obliged therefore agree with thine adversary quickâ—y whil'st th u art in the way with him lest he bring thee before the Judge and the Judge deliver thee over to the Jaylor and thou be cast into Prison How many plagues are there impending over our Nation Families Persons how high are the provocations of our sins have we any heart to escape evil and fear of the judgments impending deserved and ready to fall on our heads Let us humble our selves under Gods hand let the Nation repent every Family repent and every particular soul repent for Repentance is our onely remedy of absolute necessity to divert the denounced judgments and anticipate impending plagues Repentance is not only a means to prevent judgments threatned but to remove them when inflicted Impenitency kindles Gods fury but obduracy maketh it flame Impenitency pulls the judgments of God on us but obduracy sealeth us under them to our ruine it is the very heighth of obduracy not to repent under the Rod they that fear not yet cannot but relent when they feel the smart of Gods anger the proudest Pharaoh that can out-face a threat with a What is the Lord that I should let Israel go is yet apt to cry under his plagues poured out I have sinned against the Lord. Gods wrath is never so severe or his hand so smarting but it will be stayed by sincere Repentance but never without it Repentance is the errand of his Rod as well as of his reproof where this prevaileth not that must walk I will go and return unto my place Hosea 5.15 for in their affliction they will seek me early The least remorse of a repenting Ephraim moves God to pity and Repentance and stayeth his correcting hand but stubbornnesse in sin must meet with bitternesse and severity in God when God takes stubborn hearts to task he addes to the number and nature of his chastisements untill their sturdy stomacks are taken down He walks contrary unto them that walk contrary unto him Lev. 4.26 and comes on them with seven times more plagues untill the uncircumcised heart be humbled and they confesse their iniquities this God will effect or he will break in pieces none must strive against him and prosper they that are hardened under his hands he handleth to their utter ruine Repentance is the natural genuine result of the Rod of heart-rending plagues it is a note of the highest impiety to persist in sin under punishment of all the Kings of Israel Ahaz is marked with this brand of incorrigiblenesse This is that King Ahaz who in his distresse did trespass yet more against the Lord 2 Chron. 28.22 Where there is any ingenuity there will be a repenting under the Rod by them that resisted the Word It is the ordinary note of most obstinate Israel when he slew them then they sought him Psal 78.34 Though they were not good any longer than whil'st they were beaten yet they were indeed exceeding bad when they resisted correction the worst tale that ever was told against Gods children is that by the Prophet Jeremy Thou hast stricken them and they have not grieved Thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction and have made their faces harder than a Rock they have refused to return Jerem.
and is exalted to give remissiâ—n of sin and Repentance and to consecrate us unto himself a peculiar people These Lessons and every of them are written in such legible Characters in the death of Jesus Christ that he that runs may read them and each of them are pathetical perswasions to Repentance whil'st they are read by any seriously observant soul they reflect these serious and pensive thoughts How vile is mine iniquity that hath provoked so great severity and exp sed my Surety to so much misery how great peril was my soul in which is râ—deem d by so great a price how dangerous those wounds which are only cured by the death of the Chyrurgion how dissonant to holinesse and daring to justice is that sin which but imputed exposed the only begotten Son of God to be deserted by his Father how fierce that fury which could not be appeased without suffering it must needs be fearful to fall into the hands of an angry God for how will he fume at the servant that thus frets at his Son how will he tear the Principal that thus tormenteth the Surety how shall God punish us for our own sins who is so wrathfully displeased with his Son for other mens sins Oh what shall be the sufferings of the Reprobate if these be the sufferings of his dearly beloved needs must fraile man sink under the burden of Divine fury when the God of Angels needed the support of an Angel If my Repentance will avenge the quarrel of my suffering Saviour shall I not do it if Repentance will rescue me from wrath to come shall I not performe it had I not better weep a few days here then in hell for ever and the rather for that I weep not without cause nor mourn without hope The sin was mine the sorrow my Saviours the transgression mine the satisfaction my Sureties Oh the depth of his pity that endured this for mine iniquity What he endured for a time I must have endured for ever if in him the Father had not been well-pleased Shall that be my delight which cost my Surety so dear Shall I call on the Lords Name or be called by the Name of Christ and not depart from iniquity was Jesus Christ thus broken for me and shall not my heart be broken for and from sin hath he R deemed me from this wrath to come and shall he not Redeem me from my vain conversation shall I expect Remission and not accept repentance through his blood Oh what reason have I to return to God and glorifie him with my soul and body which are his for he bought them at a price and a deare price his own blood he hath consecrated a way of access unto the Father through the vaile of his own flesh but shall I dare to approach not having my heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and my body washed with pure water he is reconciled but shall I againe rebell I am healed shall I againe sin a pardon is to me extended shall I not receive it with a pensive and prostrate soul Thus then we find that there is much of strength in this Argument even above a thousand Arguments to enforce Repentance if but right reason keep the Throne what reply can be made or reason rendred why the call of the Gospel should not be obeyed whilst it pleadeth with so much clearnesse for our repentance from the consideration of the death of Christ But the second Argument urged by the Gospel to induce us to repent is the day of judgement 2. Argument to enforce repentance The former Argument doth assault our affections this our passions that the soul may be surrounded with suggestions unto repentance and if either the one or the other are under the command of right reason the design of the Gospel may not miscarry the dread of the day of judgement drives the Ministers of God to Preach and perswade repentance Knowing the terrours of â—he Lord we perswade men saith the Apostle for that we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive according to the things done in the body according to that he hath done in the body whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 11. This is sure a profitable proper Argument to perswade repentance which provokes unto the Preaching of it and therefore the same Apostle doth in Acts 7.30 31. urge it but now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent for that he ha h appointed a day wherein to judge the world in righteousnesse c. And this Argument is so pregnant and profitable to perswade repentance that it is urged by John the Baptist The Kingdome of God is at hand therefore repent nay the axe is laid to the root of the tree and every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit must be hewen down and thrown into the fire therefore bring forth fruits meet for repentance Matthew 3. and very often by the Lord Jesus himself This is so proper an Argument to enforce repentance that it is noted to be set at a distance to the thoughts of the impenitent they live as having made a Covenant with death and an agreement with hell Isa 28.15 put farre away this evil day it is noted that the Doctrine which increaseth ungodlinesse denieth the resurrection 2 Tim. 2.16 17 18. And such as walk after their own lusts are scoffers at the day of judgement 2 Pet. 3.3 4 5. And it is to be observed that those in Athens who repented not at Pauls Preaching mocked when he made mention of the resurrection and last judgement But certainly there is much in the day of judgement to move the hardest heart and most stubborn sinner to repentance the same Spirit which is to convince the world of sin and of righteousnesse convinceth also of judgement for the day of judgement answereth all the sinners pleas whereby he defendeth and encourageth himself in sin for it assureth of certaine detection and conviction of sin It is a day which alloweth not the least encouragement from secresie for therein every mans deeds must be made manifest whether they be good or evil nay the very secrets of all hearts shall be laid open and sinful thoughts themselves must then be judged the day of judgement determineth a period to all impiety and denieth the duration of its props and Pillars profits and pleasures in the world determining all the advantages of sin to be at the best but pleasures of sin for a season calling on rich men to howle and weep though they live in pleasure on earth in James 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. The day of judgement assureth of the punishment of the wicked however they scape scot-free in this life and by their present power Gods patience and humane strength they evade and escape many evils which befall the godly yet they are but reserved to this day of vengeance and this is the day in which the wicked must appeare Cursed and manifesteth
that it shall not go well with the wicked this day of judgement is the day of recompence to the righteous wherein it shall be made manifest it is not in vaine to serve God or walk mournfully before him the iniquities of the penitent shall not be found when sought for but appear blotted out of Gods remembrance for that if there be in the soul any sence of sin and fear of judgment this is one eminently forcible argument to perswade repentance shall men continue in sin which shall erelong be laid open to their shame or pursue the pleasures which shall shortly end in perplexities and not rather judge themselves that they may not be judged by the Lord Thus then the Gospel doth by plain and powerful arguments call unto repentance and witnesse its necessity But yet again The most powerful helps conducing to Repentance are afforded by the Gospel and thereby it calls most loudly to Repentance leaving us altogether without excuse and sealing us under inevitable condemnation in case we do not repent the Gospel affords the fulnesse of knowledge for the enforcement of Repentance ignorance and unbelief those bars and locks of impenitency are broken open the Gospel opens the blinde eyes and turnes us from darkness to light makes all men from the least to the greatest to know the God that is offended to be a God of jealousie that will not endure iniquity he is a consuming fire to the hypocrite in Zion The Law that is violated is just holy and good the guilt contracted is so contrary and provoking to justice that in it there is no possibility of approach to God that therefore Christ is exalted a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance before Remission of sin Repentance is a free gift conferred by the Covenant of grace signified and sealed in Baptism Christ Jesus the Donor we need but ask and have the death of Jesus the efficient cause of Repentance it is wrought by union with the same so that the Gospel makes us to see the necessity nature next way method and order of repentance we cannot now plead we knew not what it was to repent where or how to gain repentance or that there was so great a need of it The Gospel helps us to the Spirit that worketh Repentance The Ministry of the Gospel is the Ministry of the Spirit this awakeneth the most sleepy conscience and shaketh the most rocky heart this makes Herod heare John gladly and the Jews to rejoyce in his light this makes Foelix himself to tremble and Simon Magus to fall down like lighâ—ening none can continue impenitent under the Gospel but by quenching the Spirit grieving the Spirit nay with rage resisting the Spirit and counting themselves unworthy of salvation The great work of the Gospel is to send forth the Spirit to convince the world of sin Act. 13.46 7 51. righteousnesse and judgement and the Spirit by the Gospel works conviction unto very opposition with rage and violence and malicious attempts to extinguish its light and destroy the Ministers that publish it if it do not convince unto conversion and repentance hence the sin unpardonable constituted say some but I am sure compleated by impenitency is called blasphemy against the Spirit for and by reason of its spite and rage against the Gospel We see then that the Gospel teacheth repentance as its maine doctrine offereth repentance as its prime priviledge urgeth repentance as its chief duty and enforceth repentance as its only end and so loudly calleth unto repentance that we are bound to the obedience of the Gospel as the last of Divine instructions and after which we must expect no direction to our happinesse but this must stand as the high aggravation of impenitency as a sin against the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ the death sufferings resurrection of the Son of God the Covenant and Spirit of grace Repentance is absoultely and indispensably necessary So that in order to the antiâ—ipation of divine fury and answer of the call of the Gospel we see the necessity of repentance And this is the second general Head propounded which give me leave to dismisse with a brief but plaine rebuke and blame unto the sinful demeanour and carriage of men in the world demonstrating an insensibility of this indispensable necessity of Repentance and it consists in two things viz. the Contempt Of Repentance Neglect Of Repentance 1. Note of insensibility of repentance The sinful carriage of men evidencing their insensibility of its necessity is the contempt of Repentance whereby men scoffe at repentance despising all calls thereunto scorning it as a base and contemptible melancholy humour below the spirit of men they live like men in Covenant with hell and at an agreement with the grave who need no repentance and therefore make their hearts hard and necks stiffe become obdurate and rebellions to all calls to repentance approve themselves a scornful people nay scoffers at the Doctrine of the Gospel and day of judgement which calls them to Repentance In the haughtinesse of their spirits they 1. Disesteem the mercies and common providences of God which should lead them to repentance They say not in their hearts Let us feare the Lord our God that giveth rain both the former and latter in its season and that reserveth to us the appointed weeks of the Harvest Jer. 5.24 but despise the patience and long-sufferance of God which should lead them to repentance 2. Decline nay despise the Word of God when preaching repentance they will not hearken to the sound of the Trumpet Jer. 6.17 have line upon line yet will not heare Isa 28.13 Nay pull away the shoulder and stop their eare lest they should hear Zech. 7.11 3. Disregard the judgements of God denounced or inflicted upon others for their warning all that God doth to treacherous Israel never affects or frightens treacherous Judah to make her return Jer. 3.10 The falling of the Tower of Siloa and Pilates mingling the blood of men with Sacrifices may occasion censorious thoughts Luk. 13.1 2 3 4 5. these were worse sinners than others but never any serious reflections that unlesse we repent we must all likewise perish Obdurate children never relent at their Brethrens correction nay when threatened themselves they blesse themselves in their heart and say We shall see no evil though we go on to adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 By their stubbornnesse they tire and stay Gods correcting hand with a Why should you be smitten any more you revolt still more and more Isa 1.5 4. Are desperate and daring in their impiety sinning with an high hand and brazen face with utmost resolution Come say they we will fetch wine and fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and more abundant Isa 56.12 are not ashamed when they commit abomination nor can they blush Jer. 6.15 they sin as Sodome not so much as seeking to hide their iniquity Isa
the whole man and shutteth out all list or leasure to repent 7. They are in danger dolefully to outdate the day of grace God doth manifest graces beauty and magnifie the necessity of Repentance by limiting its time to day if ye will hear his voice well and good if not he will sweare in his wrath you shall not enter into his rest if the day of grace be once expired Repentance may be sought with tears but not obtained and then the pleasures of sin will be shortning conscience will grow clamorous and torment with an expectation of fiery indignatâ—on to be revealed from heaven lamenting too late Oh that I had known in that my day Luke 19.42 the things which Concerne my Peace which are now hid from mine eyes Such as in time will not when it is too late shall see that repentance is the One Thing Necessary of mans life is even of absolute Necessity I have laid before you the two first general things considerable viz. the Nature and Necessity of Repentance wherein I have been longer than intention but shall be more brief in the two remaining I passe then to the third thing propounded viz. The Notes and Characters of true Repentance And concerning this I might return back to the description of Repentance and make that an examination of the truth of your Repentance but I will leave that to your own private meditations and only examine your Repâ—ntance by the Characters propounded by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians For behold this self-same thing that you have sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignaâ—ion yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 in which we have two remarkable Notes and Characters of true Rpentance First The general nature of it godly sorrow Secondly The Concomitants thereof care fear c. 1. Mark of Repentance The first Note or Mark of Repentance is godly sorrow I have before Noted sorrow to be essential to Repentance God never calls to Repentance but he calls to weeping or promiseth Repentance Mr. Calamies Sermon before the house of Commons Octob. 22. 1644. but he promiseth a spirit of mourning excellently well saith an eminent Minister of this CITY God hath tyed sin and sorrow together with Adamantine chains A woman may as soon look to be delivered of a Childe in a dream as a man to repent without sorrow Sorrow is indeed the daughter of sin but God hath made the daughter a means to destroy the mother you must not look to dance with the Divel all day and sup with Christ at night to lie in Dalilah's Lap all your lives and go to Abrahams bosome when you dye To the merry Greeks and Boon Companions of the world Repentance seems madnesse because it calls for mourning for wheresoever there is true Repentance there must there will be sorrow for sinne This sorrow must be godly sorrow after a godly sort it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God Godly in its Author Occasion Object End and Effects it must be godly sorrow in its Author springing from God and God alone the working of natural passions by a supernatural power and principle a spirit of mourning even the Spirit of God melting and making the hard heart to mourn a rock relenting on the stroak of Gods rod the stony heart is taken away and an heart of flesh given by the Lord this sorrow is Gods gift from Golgotha the death of the Son of the Son of God depresseth in us all joy and comfort Nature is no Author though an Actor in this grief It is godly in its Occasion Divine offence rather than Humane losse sinne not smart is the ground reason occasion of it it is most in their hearts who in respect of the world have least cause to mourn it is not for losse of wife children goods or credit but breach of Divine Law its complaint is not I am undone but God is offended the Law violated Christ is dishonoured it is more for deformity than deserved misery for extinguished holinesse than miseries to be endured a mourning for sin as sin as it is offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo an act of disobedience an act of unkindnesse It is dolor to God Against thee thee only have I sinned The souls unlikenesse to God unlocks its passion the utmost of perplexities cannot abate its joys if God appear well-pleased nor the highest of enjoyments silence its sorrow whil'st God stands offended It is godly in its object it is s rrow towards God Acts 20.21 A lamenting after the Lord 1 Sam. 7.2 A looking unto Christ and mourning oveâ— him whom we have pierced Zech. 12.10 As a man runs with bleared eyes to the party offended Oh Sir I have offended wronged you will you forgive me So penitent David runs to God and with remorse crieth Against thee thee only have I sinned And the Prodigal crieth to his father I have sinned against thee In days of affliction and atonement Israel assembled and mourned before the Lord penitent Ephraim crieth Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised This sorrow speaks not in the ears of men but God it is not open and seen to the world but secret serious towards God It is godly in its end and effects it is expressed to God that God may be enjoyed this sorrow speaks unto God the vindication of his justice That thou mayst be justified when thou judgest and righteous when thou speakest It is not a mourning of murmuration but of justification Why should a man complain a man for the punishment of his sin it is a sorrow that sets a lustre on the least mercy it is of the Lords mercy we are not consumed We are lesse than the least of his mercies is its language this sorrow is of submission I have sinned let the Lord do what seems him good it lies prostrate at the feet of God for mercy and resigned into the will of God Wherein I have done amiss shew it me I will do so no more and so devotes it self unto God to suffer or do his will its out-cry is Lord what wouldest thou have me to do it is every way godly sorrow This is the first Mark of Repentance The second Note or Character followeth upon it 2. Mark of Repentance and is the Concomitants some call them adjuncts properties effects but I shall only say inseparable Concomitants of this godly sorrow and these are seven in number First Care by some rendred study in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Concomitant of godly sorrow which as Cicero rendreth is a very earnest application of a man unto something with great delight And as Interpreters render it signifieth serious intention of minde and speedy sedulous execution of hand so that it stands opposite to security and slothfulness and intends to Note the diligence and dexterity of
but our day of nature may out-date our day of grace yet of this we have no assurance but if so it do it were better the day of our being had never been for the opportunity lost we are lost for ever whilst we enjoy the Word and motions of the Spirit we have hope but if ever these cease we are undone Let us startle our souls with these sad thoughts This may be the last day or hour of my life but if not the last day and houre of grace would we hear every Sermon as the last it would rouze our souls to repentance Sixthly Seriously expâ—ct approaching judgement it is an Argument to repentance 6. Help to repentance and very perswasive thereunto as you have before heard the thoughts of the last judgement will cool the courage of the prophanest sinner when he seeth the day approach in which his secrâ—t sins must be laid open a severe sentence cannot be respited or suspended for the least moment but must be executed with speed certainty and severity the Judge is just and will then be inexorable All the shelâ—ers of his power might policies riches honours by which he staved off reproâ—f will now bâ— scattered a d fame vain and bootlesse the Judge is no respector of person a day stored with indignation which will not be mitigated but be poured out in full vials can the heart but tremble that is the subject of these thoughts They that sin with boldnesse set the day of judgement at a distance from their soul but if we will provoke repentance think with Jerom you alwayes hear the Trumpet of the last day sounding in your ears Arise ye dead and come to judgement Excellent was the stratagem to stir up repentance whâ—ch is storied of a Christian King of Hungary who being on a time sad and pensive his brother a jolly Courtier would needs know the cause of his sadnesse O Brother said the King I have been a great sinner against God and know not how to die or to appear before God in judgement his Brother making a jest of it said These are but melancholy thoughts the King replyed nothing at present But the custome of the Country was that if the Executioner came and sounded a Trumpet before any mans door he was presently led to execution the King in the dead time of the night sends the Executioner to sound the Trumpet before his brothers door who hearing it and seeing the Messenger of death sprang into the Kings presence beseeching to know in what he had â—ffended Alas Brother said the King you have never offended me And is the sight of my Executioner so dreadful and shall not I who have greatly offended fear to be brought before the judgement seat of Christ a singular cure for jovial contempt of repentance the sense of judgement is a strong summons to repentance Seventhly Seriously apprehend the possibility nay probability nay the positive certainty of pardon I have before told you 7. Help to repentance Repentance is the result of faith despair deters duty hope in Israel is the great help to repentance the Law leads to conviction but the Gospel to conversion despair is the devils lock to impenitency look up therefore see there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared and plenteous Redemption that he may be sought unto apprehend then the price of mans sin paid the justice of God satisfied the pardon sealed in and by the blood of Christ and proclaimed in the Gospel so that it is thine with certainty if received with a prostrate soul and sued out by serious repentance nothing needs to deter God is reconciled therefore return unto him 8. Help to repentance Eighthly Soak the heart in the blood of Jesus take every day a turn of meditation in Mount Calvary cast thy eyes on a crucified Christ read the nature of thy sin the provoked wrath of God and passionate loves of a Saviour it is suppling to the Adamantine heart and swasive to the most obdurate soul I have before noted its force and efficacy to repentance be perswaded daily to contemplate the Crosse of Christ 9. Help to repentance Ninthly Speed will much facilitate repentance sin may be removed before it be settled by custome but then it is difficult youth is pliable to precepts strong under burdens dexterous and active in businesse when old age is infirm and impotent the piety of youth is the horrour of the devil the honour of Religion the case and joy of the soul let not sin become customary if you will ever cast it off for it will become a second nature linger not in what you will be rid of for the longer you linger you will be more loth to part like Austins modo sine modo and paululum quod ibat in longum your anon will never come and our little longer in sin will last for ever by the good will of nature singularly good is the counsel of Basil If the thing be honest keep it to the end if filthy and hurtfull why dost thou continue in it doth any that desires to ease the stomach of choler increase it by a continued bad and intemperate dyet if ever you will repent repent betimes late repentance is rarely true but ever difficult 10. Help to repentance Tenthly Sue for it at the hands of God Repentance is Gods gift and therefore must be begged it is Christs purchase the Covenants promise and may be begged with confidence Jesus Christ is exalted to give Repentance therefore go to him in Faith all meanes is ineffectual without Gods Blessing Let therefore Prayer enforce all meanes to this end whilst you sit under the Word study the nature of God examine your selves sit loose to the world see life its brevity and the limitation of the day of Grace seriously expect the day of judgement sensibly apprehend a pardon soake the heart in the blood of Christ and speed Repentance second all with earnest Supplication say with Ephraim O Lord turn thou me and so shall I be turned so shall your stony heart be taken from you and you shall possesse this necessary grace of Repentance in the truth of it which God of his mercy grant us OF Holiness HEB. 13.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. HEre are two duties enjoyned together in one and the same precept though not enjoyned wâ—th the same penalty peace and holinesse the latter hath a sad threat added if we misse it without which no man shall see the Lord. It is somewhat like that charge Exod 28.34 35. that the Vest of Aaron should be on the skirt with a Pomegranate and a Bell both of gold yet the use of the Bell was far above that of the Pomegranate that the sound thereof may be heard when he goeth in before the Lord that he dye not So are peace and holiness two golden graces or blessings peace is like the Pomegranate
whose smell is fragrant odoriferous and so full of seeds as no fruit more such is peace of all outward blessings the chief and full of the seed of all blessings it is therefore call'd the bond of peace Ephes 4.4 as if other blessings were the bundle but peace the bond that did comprehend them all Yet holinesse is that which beareth the Bell and maketh the musick in the ears of God and if the sound thereof be not heard before the Lord we shall surely dye Therefore it is observed that the Relative which is not plural as referring to peace and holinesse both nor is it feminine as referring to peace at all but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as referring only to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holinesse Here are two great points contained in this Text. Doct. 1. P ace is a high duty rich blessing and singular benefit that a Christian is bound to follow pursue presse after and labour for and that with all men The duty is pressed strictly in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred here with the softest follow and in other places it is rendered to follow after 1 Cor. 14.1 Phil. 3.12 to pursuâ— 1 Pet. 3.11 to presse unto Phil. 3.14 And we have a full proof for all Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men We must see there be no default on our part that all the world is not in peace but that we follow pursue presse hard after peace as far as possibly we may and to the utmost that lies in us and that with all men so saith the Text also But I must leave this small Pomegranate peace that I may ring out the Saints Bell of holinesse the sound and force whereof I heartily pray may reach all your hearts not ears or rather that the sound thereof in all your hearts may be heard in the Lords ears not ours that ye dye not yea that Religion dye not otherwise I may fear that Englands passing Bell is tolling at the departure of our glory and we may call the next generation Iohabod But the other and present point is this viz. That true and real holiness is the grace the duty the state the trade which every Christian is bound to follow pursue press after with might and main as he ever thinks to look God in the face 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God perfecting holinesse what is that but to follow it follow after pursue presse hard to it so 1 Pet. 1.15 Be ye holy as God is holy there is as much or more pursue follow it still that you take up with no scant measure no low degree of it I call it 1. A grace and so it is yet more it is not one single grace alone but the conjunction of all graces To say it is a star is too little it is a constellation or the way of holinesse is as the lactea via altogether starry so holinesse is all grace 2. I call it a duty and so it is but much more it is the sum and Epitome of all duty All duties of the first Table are referred to holiness as all of the second Table to righteou ness Luke 1.75 Yea duties of the second Table are call'd holinesse 1 Thes 4.3 7. 3. I call it a state it is not an act or habit but a state nor a state of a Christian but the state of Christianity the state of consistency and continuance or growth there are some states we passe through as the man through Infancy childehood youth but abides in the state of Manhood we passe through the New birth to be born no more of mortification Rom. 6.9 11. Rom. 8.15 to dye no more of bondage to fear no more but in this state once we must persist persevere live dye in it 4. I call it our trade and so it is our noblest profession and course of life 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy in all manner of conversation 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation This is the trade and businesse we should ply in the whole course of our lives Now it may be asked what this holinesse is And I would answer and if the time would bear it open the definition which is this True holinesse is that inward through and real change wrought in the whole man of a formerly vile sinner by the Spirit of God What holiness is whereby his heart is purged from the love and his life from the dominion and practice of foâ—mer sins and whereby he is in heart and life carried out after every gâ—od 1. I call it a change and so it is it is not from nature custome education it is not an habit form but a change Christiani fiunt non nascuntur creantur non generantur and a mighty and manifest change it makes it is therefore call'd a new birth new creation a new creature resurrection c. Is there not a change when a childe is born when a dead person raised a blinde man receiveth sight Yea whatsoever is call'd holy is eo nomine changed from its common use when a person or a garment or a place or a vessel or a day were called holy all such were changed as to their use serving now for sacred and Religious Services such is Soul-holinesse a Soul-change There are three great changes wrought in a Christian at times First One in Justification 1. Ne imputetur when a guilty sinner hath sin taken away that it is not imputed The second in Sanctification when a sinner living and wallowing in sin hath sin taken away 2. Ne regnet the power of it that it doth not raign The third is in Glorification 3. Ne restet aut omnino sit when the sanctified person hath sin taken away all remainders of it that it hath no being left Now though the first and last of these are both perfect changes and Sanctification is not perfect here yet upon some account some have called that change wrought in Sanctification the greatest change of the three for compare it with Justification Justification is a change of the state not of the person a change without not within the man In Sanctification there is a real change and that within the man In Glorification also is a perfect change it being the highest state of the three but the change is not so great as in Sanctification glory and grace differ but gradually there being no opposition between them as between grace and sin The change is not so different between the Morning light and the Noon-day brightnesse as between the Morning light and the Midnight darknesse 2. I call it an inward change to distinguish it from civil honâ—sty 3. A through change to distinguish it from restraining or conforming
and unsainteth all others Isa 65.5 Which say Stand by thy self come not near me for I am holier than thou these are a smoak in my nose and a fire that burneth all the day saith the Lord. This is the worst spot in the beauty of holiness a spice of that pride that was in Lucifer and his fellow-aspiring Angels that made the first Schisme and separation in the purest Church even in heaven it self among the Angels that were wholly perfect Take heed of this as of the very pest of the Church and the bane of all Religion which is best preserved in unity and humility I shall shut up all with a wish and that an hearty Prayer alluding to what I said at first Oh that all our garments our Profession might be adorned with these Bells and Pomgranates peace and holinesse That as we call on God who is called holy holy holy Rev. 4.6 and on Christ who is called King of Saints Rev. 15.6 and as we profess the Gospel which is a Rule of holiness and are members of the Church which is called a Kingdom of Saints an holy Nation 1 Pet. 2.9 and as we look to be partakers of that Kingdom wherein dwells righteousness and holiness that according to that promise Thy people shall be all righteous Isa 60.21 that holiness to the Lord may be engraven upon all our hearts as with the engraving of a Signet the Spirit of God and holiness to the Lord upon all our fore-heads as to our conversation that as we have had a year which we call Annum Restitutae Libertatis we might have a year Restitutae Sanctitatis this we might safely call Annum Salutis or Annum Domini the year of our Lord. That our Officers might be all peace our Governors holiness Isa 60.17 that our Ministers might be cloathed with righteousness and our Church-Members with holiness that all of different perswasions might not contend but labour for peace and holiness Herein let us agree and all is agreed that the bells of our Horses and Bridles of our Horsemen Commanders and common Souldiers might be holiness to the Lord Zach. 14.20 21. that there might not be a Canaanite or hypocrite in the house of the Lord then might our Land Church Parliament Army City Minâ—stry be called Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 yea then would this holiness settle us in peace here and bring us to see the Lord where peace and holiness shall never be separated Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen OF THE Resurrection ACTS 26.8 Why should it be thought a thing unreasonable with you that God should raise the dead THese words are part of St. Pauls Apologie for himself before King Agrippa against the unjust accusations of his implacable enemies wherein 1. He demonstrates the innocency of his life 2. The truth of his Doctrine and sheweth That there was nothing either in his life or doctrine for which he could justly be accused The Doctrine he taught did consist of divers particulars enumerated in this Chapter one of which and that not the least was That there should a day come in which there would be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust Now that this Doctrine was not liable to any just exception he proves three manner of ways 1. Because it was no other Doctrine but such which God himself had taught It had a Divine stamp upon it as it is Verse 6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers 2. Because it was that which all the godly Israelites instantly serving God day and night did hope for and wait and expect in due time to be fulfilled as it is Verse 7. Unto which promise our twelve tribes hope to come for which hope sake King Agrippa I am accused of the Jews and therefore it is called The hope of Israel Acts 28.20 for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain 3. Because it was a Doctrine which God was able to bring to pass This is set down in the words of the Text Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead The emphasis lieth in the words with you Why should you O King Agrippa who art a Jew and believest in the God of Israel and that he made the world out of nothing think it incredible for this God to raise the dead indeed it may seem incredible and impossible to the Heathen Philosophers who are guided onely by Natures Light but as for you who believe all things which are written in the Law and Prophets why should you think it either impossible or incredible that God should raise the dead This interrogation is an Emphatical Negation and it is put down by way of Question Vt oratio sit penetrantior that so the Argument might take the deeper impression and the meaning is that it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not a doctrine exceeding the bounds of faith or contrary to right reason that God should raise the dead The Observation which ariseth naturally out of the words is Doctrine That the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust is neither incredible nor impossible neither against right reason nor true faith Though it be above reason yet it is not against reason nor against the Jewish or the Christian Faith For the explication of this Doctrine I will briefly speak to six particulars 1. What is meant by the Resurrection of the dead 2. Who are the dead that shall be raised 3. The absolute necessity of believing this Doctrine and believing it firmly and undoubtedly 4. The possibility and credibility of it 5. The certainty and infallibility of it 6. The manner how the dead shall rise What is meant by the Resurrection of the dead The first Particular Answ For answer to this you must first know what there is of man that dyes when any man dyeth Man consisteth of soul and body and when he dyeth his soul doth not dye it is the body onely that dyeth Death is not an utter extinction and annihilation of the man as some wickedly teach but onely a separation of the Soul from the Body It is called a departure Luk. 2.25 2 Tim. 4.6 And an uncloathing 2 Cor. 5.4 and a Departure of the Soul out of the body either to Heaven or Hell When Stephen was stoned his soul was not stoned for while he was stoning he prayed Lord Jesus receive my spirit When Christ was crucified his soul was not crucified for while he was crucifying he said Faâ—her into thy hands I commend my Spirit The Wiseman saith expresly That when a man dyeth His body returns to the earth from whence it came Eccles 12.7 but his spirit returns to God who gave it And our Lord Christ commands us Not to fear them that kill the body 1 Luk. 2.4 and after
body which hath fasted and prayed and joyned sincerely with the soul in holy services shall one day behold the face of God with comfort Christ will say Are not these the eyes which have been liftâ—d up unto God in my service Are not these the ears which have hearkned to my word Remember this when your bodies are wearied and tired in the worship of God The more thou servest God with thy body the more glory it shall have at that day 4. Labour to get gracious souls here and you shall have glorified bodies hereafter 5. Labour to be united to Christ by a lively faith and he will be your resurrection and your life It is the great promise of Christ that he will raise up the body at the last day John 6.39.40 54 58. that is raise it up to life everlasting 6. Labour to have part in the first resurrection Revel 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection I know this Text is differently interpreted but sure I am according to the judgement of all learned men there is a double resurrection the one spiritual the other corporal the one of the soul the other of the body Those Texts Ephes 2.1 Col. 2.13 John 5.25 do without all doubt speak of the spiritual resurrection By nature we have dead souls dead in sins and trespasses void of spiritual life as perfectly under the power of sin as a dead man is under the power of death and as unable to do any thing that is spiritually good as a dead man is to do any work Now a soul dead in sin shall be damned for sin but if thy soul be quickned and made alive if the Lord hath infused principles of grace into thee and given thee a new heart and a new spirit if regenerated and born again then thy bodily resurrection shall be happy It is very observable That the Resurrection is called Regeneration Mat. 19.28 In the regeneration that is as many interpret it in the resurrection If spiritually regenerated thy resurrection shall be most happy and glorious O pray unto God and labour for regeneration and a new creation and that thou mayest have a share in the first resurrection 7. Heaken to the voyce of Christ and of his Spirit and of his Ministers and of his Rod and then his voye at the resurrection when he shall call thee out of the grave shall be a happy voyce If thou stoppest thine ears and wilt not hearken to the voyce of the Rod nor to the voyce of his Word and the Ministers of it thou shalt hear the voyce of the Archangel calling thee out of the grave whether thou wilt or no and the voyce of Christ saying Go ye cursed ito Hell-fire c. 8. Count all things dung and dross that thou mayest gain Christ and be found in him at that day not having thine own righteousness but the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ and be willing to do any thing if by any means you may attain to the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.8 9 11. that is either to a happy resurrection or rather to such a degree of grace which the Saints shall have at the Resurrection 9. Remember and carry daily in your mind that saying of S. Jerom Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you are doing think with y ur selves That you hear the Trumpet sounding and the voyce of the Archangel saying Arise ye dead and come to judgement Vse 5. A Divine Project how to make your bodies beautiful and glorious and beautiful in an ominent degree in a supersuperlative measure beautiful as the Sun in the Firmament as the beautiful Body of Christ which so dazzled Pauls eyes that it put them out To make your bodies Majestical Immortal and Impassible and that is by labouring to glorifie God with them and to get an interest in Christ and to get gracious and beautiful souls O that this word were mingled with faith Methinks if any Motive could prevail with you that are Gentlewomen and rich Ladies this should Behold a way how to make your bodies eternally beautiful What trouble and pains do many women that are crooked endure by wearing iron-bodies to make themselves stait What labour and cost are many women at to beautifie their rotten carcasses Hearken to me thou proud dust and ashes thou guilded mud that labourest to beautifie thy body by vain foolish and sinful deckings and trimmings and thinkest thy self deckt in the want of decking That pamperest thy body in all voluptuousness and makest thy self by thy strange fashions so unlike thy self as that if our civil forefathers were alive again they would wonder what strange monster thou wert Hearken unto me I say and consider thy madness and folly by labouring so much to adorn thy body with the neglect of thy soul thou undoest both body and soul The onely way to make thy body beautiful is as I hove said to gain Christ to have a part in the first resurrection and to get a gracious soul and then thou shalt be sure hereafter to have a glorious body Excellent is that saying of Bernard Christ hath a treble coming Once he came in the flesh for the good of our souls and bodies now he comes in the Spirit by the preaching of his Ministers for the good of our souls At the last day he shall come for the good of our bodies to beautifie and glorifie them Noli O homo praeripere tempora Do not O fond man mistake the time This present life is not the time for thy body it is appointed for the beautifying of thy soul and adorning it with grace and holiness The Resurrection is the time wherein Christ will come from Heaven to make thy body glorious How quite contrary to this do most people live Let it be our wisdom with the children of Issachar to have understanding of the times 1 Chro. 12.31 Let us labour to get our souls beautified by Christs second coming with Justification and Sanctification and Christ at his third coming will make our bodies glorious above expression The Day of Judgement asserted ACTS 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in which he will judge the world c. SAint Paul perceiving the Idolatry at Athens his spirit was stirred in him ver 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his spirit was sowred and imbittered in him Paul was a bitter man against sin That anger is without sinne which is against sinne Or the word may signifie he was in a Paroxysme or burning fit of zeal and zeal is such a passion as cannot be either dissembled or pent up with this fire he dischargeth against their Idolatry ver 22.23 Ye men of Athenâ— I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious for as I passed by and beheld your devotions I found an Altar with this Insc iption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God Nor doth the Apostle only declaime againg the false god but
alteration of his will and affections that he shall not more disallow than detest the sinfulnesse of sin he no sooner seeth his iniquity but he loatheth himself because of his abominations sin was never so much the object of his affections as now it is the object of his passions what he before loved desired delighted in he now by Repentance hateth feareth envieth with David he hateth every false way and the very workers of iniquity if he be surprised by the difficulty of his estate or distemper of his minde with an act of sin he loatheth himself because of it and with Paul professeth I do the things that I would not do the very existency of sin in him is his intolerable burden Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of corruption is his out-cry death is desired because he would sin no more he would rather be redeemed from his vain conversation than from wrath to come penitent Anâ—elme had rather bein hell without than in heaven with his iniquity and therefore he yet recedes Thirdly Into an abstinence from nay actual resistance of sin he puts away the evil of his doings forsakes his way abstains from the appearances of evil he is now ashamed of what he hath sometimes acted with eagernesse he now preacheth the Gospel he sometime destroyed and blesseth the name he blasphemed he is not only restrained himself but he labours to reclaime others from iniquity nay not only is his hand with-held from sin but his heart is set against it his study is to mortifie his earthly members and his resolution that sin shall not raigne in his morâ—al body that he should obey it in the lust thereof he is careful to avoid all occasions and inducements unto evil he feareth to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof his hearty prayer is that he may not fall into temptation but be delivered from evil he resisteth all sinful assaults striveth against sin unto very blood his righteous soul is grieved for the sins of others all his complaint under sorrows is against sin his care is to be rid of sin his fear of falling into sin So that the Gospel-penitent maketh a perfect recession from sin all sin sin in its kinde not in its species or degree not only this and that sin but sin which is contrary to Gods Law and Image be it sin small or great natural and near allied unto him it is his care to keep himself from his own iniquity the sin of his complexion calling constitution or condition he will not indulge his right eye or right hand in opposition to Gods holinesse No pleasure profit or honour shall willingly hiâ—e him to the least iniquity the penitent eye judgeth sin by its complexion not its composition by its colour not by its weight he determines of it not by comparison with it self but its non-conformity to Gods Law so that if you say of any thing there is sin in it you have said enough to set the Gospel penitent against it for he is turned from all evil yet take along with you this cautionary Note that you run not into sinful despaire and despondency in observing your penitent Recession from sinne viz. Sins existency and sometimes prevalency Caution is consistent with a penitent recession and turning from it Sin may remain though it doth not raigne in a gracious soul Who is there that lives and sins nâ—t If we say sin is not in us we are lyars and the truth is not in us The righteous themselves often fall Noah the Preacher of Repentance to the old World becomes the sad pattern of impiety to the new World Penitent Paul hath cause to complain when I would do good evil is present with me Sin abides in our souls whil'st our souls abide in our bodies so long as we live we must expect to bear the burden of corruption sin exists in the best of Saints by way of suggestion natural inclination and violent instigation and enforcement of evil and so taking advantage of the difficulty of our estate and distemper of our minds it drives us sometimes into most horrid actions even Davids Adultery or Peters denial of Christ which of the Saints have not had a sad experience hereof nor must it seem to us strange for Repentance doth not cut down sin at a blow no it is a constant militation and course of mortification an habit and principle of perpetual use not action of an houre oâ— little time as we have Noted before it is a recession from siâ— all our days though sin run after us if once we be perfectly freed from sins assaults we shake hands with Repentance for we need it no more so that let it not be the trouble of any that sin is in them but let it be their comfort that it is shunned by them that you fall into sin faile not in your spirits let this be your support that you flie from fall out with and fight against sin the true penitent doth evidence the truth and strength of his Repentance by not admiting sins dictates without resiâ—â—ance not acting sins precepts without reluctance when he deviseth evil his minnde is to serve the Law of God and he approveth of that as good he doth what he would not the Law in his members rebels against the Law of his minde and leadeth him captive and therefore he abides not under sins guilt or power without remorse if he be drawn to deny his Master he goeth out and weepeth bitterly he is in his own eye a wretched man whil'st oppressed with a body of corruption nay he retireth not into sinful society without repining his soul soon thinks he hath dwelt too long in Meshech and in the Tents of Kedar the wicked are to him an abomination whil'st then any soul maintaineth this conflict and so visibly disalloweth what he sometime doth he may safely say it is no more I but sin that dwelleth in me for his servants you are to whom you yield your selves servants Rom. 6.16 and comfortably conclude that as a Gospel-penitent he turneth from all sin and that is the first part of the formality of Repentance the second naturally followeth and that is Second part of conversion Reversion to God a reception of God God and God only becomes the adequate object of Gospel Repentance man by sin hath his back on God by Repentance he faceth about all sin doth agree in this that it is an aversion from God and the cure of it by Repentance must be conversion to God when God calls for true Repentance it is with an if thou wilt return O Israel return unto me Jer. 4.1 and when Repentance is promised it is promised that the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse Hosea 3.5 And when they provoke one another to Repentance it is with a come let us return