these is certainly the case of the sanctified and the other of the unsanctified Gal. 3. 10 13. As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Rom. 3. 23. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God And Mark 4. 12. shews that the unconverted have not their sins forgiven them Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already And Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me Rom. 8. 1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Abundance more such passages of holy Scripture do assure us that all the unsanctified are unpardoned and all the sanctified are Justified and delivered from the Curse And which of these are in the safer state Did one of you owe ten thousand pounds more then he were worth or had you committed twenty known selonies or murders would you think your selves safe without a pardon Would you not be looking behind you and afraid of allmost every man you see lest he came to apprehend you O what a case is that man in that hath so many thousands sins to answer for and hath such a load of guilt upon his soul and so many terrible threatnings of the Law in force against him Do you not fear every hour lest death arrest you and bring you to the prison of the bottomless pit But the sanctified is delivered from this danger A thousand sins indeed were against us but we have a pardon of them all to shew In Christ we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Col. 1. 14. The law hath nothing now against us and therefore we are safe 4. Those are safer that are dearly beloved of the Lord and reconciled to him and taken for his Children then those that are his Enemies and hated by him and under his displeasure But most Certainly the former is the state of all the sanctified and the later is the state of the ungodly You shall see both in the words of God Psal 5. 4 5. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all the workers of iniquity Psal 7. 10 11. My Defence is of God which saveth the upright in heart God judgeth the Righteous and God is angry with the wicked every day Psal 45. 7. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness Luk. 19. 27. Those mine enemies that would not I should raign over them bring them hither and stay them before me Ephes 2. 3. We were by nature the children of wrath A hundred more such places shew you the state of the unsanctified But how different is the case of the renewed upright soul 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. Yee are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Job 1. 12. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God Rom. 8. 16 17. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God And if Children then heirs heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ Mal. 3. 17. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Heb. 8. 12. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Col. 1. 21 22. And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Psal 32. 1 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Judge now by these plain expressions form the Lord who it is that is in the safer state the godly or the ungodly Is he the safer that is hated by the God of heaven or he that is most dearly loved by him He that is under his displeasure or he that is his delight Why man if God be against thee thou art no where safe not in the strongest Castle not in the greatest Army not in the highest dignity not in the merryest company Thou knowest not but a Commission is gone out for death to strike thee in thy next recreation or fit of mirth How knowest thou but death is ready to strike while thou art eating or drinking or talking or sleeping Thou hast no security from an angry God Till he be reconciled thou art nowhere safe This may be thy fatal day or night for ought thou knowest And if once the mortal blow be struck and thy soul be taken from thy body unrenewed O man where then wilt thou appear O wonderful stupidity that thou dost not eat thy bread in fear and do thy work in fear and sleep in fear and live in fear till thou be sanctified But to the soul that hath God for his security what can be dangerous or what condition while he keeps close to God can be unsafe The Father that gave us unto Christ is greater then all and no man can take us out of his hands Joh. 10. 28 29. Conquer Heaven and conquer the Saints There is their City their garrison their conversation Phil. 1. 20. Heb. 11. 10 16. what enemy what policie what power can endanger him that God will save and hath undertaken for We were never safe one day or hour till we were friends with God Deut. 33. 27. The Eternel God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms Psal 46. 1 2 5 7. God is our refuge and strength a very present helâ— in trouble therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carryed into the midst of the sea God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God shall help her and that right early The Lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is
doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Jam. 2. 23. Abraham was called the friend of God 2. And they are called the Lords Jewels Mal. â— 17. 3. They are called his Beloved and dearly Beloved Deut. 33. 12. Psalm 60. 5. 127. 2. Cant. 2. 16. 6. 3. 7. 10. Holy and Beloved are inseparable Rom. 4. 7. Beloved of God called to be Saints Col. 3. 12. the elect of God Holy and Beloved They are the dearly beloved of his soul Jer. 12. 7. For they are accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1. 6. Even in the Beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased Matth. 3. 17. 17. 5. 4. They are called children or adopted sons Gal. 4 6. John 1. 12. And he disdaineth not to be called their Father Heb. 12. 9. Matth. 23. 9. 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father to you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Mal. 3. 17. He will spare them as a man spareth his son that serveth him 5. They are called also the Heirs of Heaven Rom. 8. 17. A more Honourable heritage then earth affords 6. They are called a peculiar people to the Lord Tit. 2. 14. and his peculiar treasure Exod. 19. 5. Psal 135. 4. 7. They are called Kings and Priests to God Rev. 1. 6. They are a chosen generation a Royal Priest-hood a Holy Nation a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 9. 8. The sanct fied are called the Spouse of Christ Cant. 4. 8. to 13. Because of the similitude of the holy Covenant which they make with Christ to a marriage Covenant and because of the dearness of his love to them and the nearness and sweetness of his Communion with them Mat. 21. 2 4 9. The Lord is said to be married to them Jer. 3. 14. And their Maker calls himself their Husband Isa 54. 5. 9. Yea more they are called the Members of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 15. 12. 12. They are the Body of Christ and members in particular vers 27. We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bone loved and cherished by him as a man doth his own flesh Ephes 5. 25 28 29 30 32. They are kept by the Lord as the apple of his eye Deut. 32. 10. And he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Zech. 2. 8. What nearness what dearness do those terms express 10. Yea they are said to be one with Christ 1 Cor. 6. 17. â—â— that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit John 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be One in â—â— that the world may believe 〈…〉 â—â—oâ— hast sent me that they may be One even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Not that they are One in God-head or personality or office with Christ but most nearly conjoyned as subjects to their Prince that make One Body Politick and as a wise to a husband and nearer then these can express in that they have the communications of his Spirit Judge now by all these wonderful Titles whether any but an Atheist or Infidel can deny that the Godly are the most Honourable people in the world If it be not a contemptible thing to be the son of a King much less to be the sons of the eternal King Deny the Honour of those that are so nearly related to him and you deny the Honour of God himself and consequently deny him to be God Atheism is the beginning and end of all 3. Moreover the servants of the Lord have the most Honourable Natures or Dispositions in the world And the Honour that ariseth from a mans intrinsecal Disposition is far greater then that which accrueth to him from his parentage or wealth or worldly greatness or any such extrinsick accidents Many a proud and worthless person doth boast of the Nobility of their Ancestors and tell you what blood doth run in their veins when they have debased souls and nothing advanced them of their Ancestors but their Riches or the pleasure of some Prince and they know that the beggars at their doors did come from Noah as well as they The Surgeon findeth no purer blood in their veins then in the beggars nor are their carkasses any more sweet or lovely and therefore if their manners are worse they are more base then honest beggars It is the mind that beareth the true stamp of Nobility They are the Noblest that have the Noblest souls All the Silks and Velvers in the world will not make an Ape as Honourable as a Man nor an Ideot as a wise man Solomon in all his Royalty was not cloathed like some of the flowers in the field Mat. 6. 28. 29. and yet he was more Honourable then they A Corpse may be most sumâ—tuously adorned A Crown may be set on the head of an image Such as the mind is such is the man And that the souls of the sanctified are more Nobly qualified then of other men is easily demonstrated For 1. Christ dwelleth in them by faith and by his Spirit Ephes â— 17. 2. 22. We are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. The new nature of the Saints hath no meaner an Author then the Lord himself It is the Divine Power that giveth us all things that pertain to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1. 3. As it is the Honourable work of God the Father to be our Creator and of God the Son to be our Redeemer so is it the Honourable work of God the Holy-Ghost to be our Sanctifier And therefore as it is a Blaspheming of the Creator to vilifie the Creation and a Blaspheming of the Redeemer to vilifie the Redemption so is it a Blaspheming of the Sanctifier to vilifie Sanctification Though â— I say not that it is the unpardonable Blasphemy yet a fearful Blasphemy it is O that those wretches knew their crime that mock at the special work of the Holy-Ghost 2. The new creature is illuminated with a Heavenly light and cured of its former mortal blindness and is brought out of darkness into marvellous light Eph. 1. 18. Acts 26. 18. Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. and is taught of God John 6. 45. 1 Thes 4. 9. 1 Joh. 2. 27. And it is more Honourable to see then to be blind and to live in the open Light then in a dungeon And it is the highest matters in the world that the gracious soul is savingly acquainted with It is more Honourable to have the Knowledge of profoundest Sciences then of some low and poor employment And it is more Honourable to have the saving Knowledge of God and of the life to come which the poorest sanctified person hath then to have the most admired fleshly wisdom or all the common learning in the world What high and excellent and
the Lord On Magistracy and Ministry and the great works of their office On prayer and preaching and Sacraments and Discipline and all other Ordinances of God and also on all the frame of the holy Scripture and also on all the workings and graces of the Holy-Ghost and tell me whether thou darest say that all or any of these are in vain and whether that Holiness which all these are appointed for can be a vain and needless thing Quest 18. Darest thou say that Christ doth more then needs in his Intercession for us with the Father now in Heaven It is he that sendeth the spirit to sanctifie us It is he that prayeth that we may be sanctified by the truth We have no grace and holiness but what we have from him And darest thou say he doth too much It is he that sends his Ministers to call men to a holy life Look into his Word and see whether the doctrine which they preach be not there prescribed to them and the duties of holiness there commended If therefore it were erroneous or excessive it would be long of Christ and not of his Messengers or Disciples that speak and do no more for holiness then he bids them but fall exceeding short Quest 19. Art thou wiser in this and more to be believed then all the antient Prophets and Apostles and servants of God in former ages and then all that are now alive on earth that ever tryed a holy life The Scripture will tell thee that Abraham Isaac Jacob David and all the rest of the Saints that were then most dear to God were so far from thinking that a holy life was more then needs that they thought they could never be holy enough and blamed their defects when they excelled such as now thou blamest as too precise And if thou wilt preferr the words and example of a worldling or of a sottish sensual man before the judgement and example of these Saints the company that thou choosest and the deceivers whom thou followest shall be also thy companions in calamity where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see the Saints from East and West from North and South sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and you and such as you thrust out Even when the last in time whom you here despised shall be equal to the first and antient Saints Luke 13. 27 28 29 30. Why do you hypocritically honour the names and memorials of the Prophets Apostles and other former Saints and keep Holy-dayes for them and yet reproach their holy course and preferr the judgement of a drunkard or a malignant enemy of godliness before theirs For so you do when you argue against a holy life Quest 20. Dost thou think that there is now one soul in Heaven or Hell that is of thy prophane opinion and would say that a diligent holy life is more ado then needs for mens salvation Certainly those in Heaven have more knowledge and experience and love to God and man and goodness then to be of so impious a mind or once to entertain such beastly thoughts And those in Hell though still â—â— holy have learned to their cost to know the great Necessity of â—…ss And would tell you if they could speak with you that the most strict and heavenly life for millions of ages were not too dear for the escaping of the everlasting misery Why else do we find one of them in Luke 16. described as so desirous that oâ—… the dead might be sent to his Brethren to warn them that they come not to that place of torment And what is it that he would have had them warned of but that they should live a holy self-denying life and with all their diligence lay up a treasure in the life to come instead of liying so sensual and voluptuous and ungodly a life as he had lived The scope of the story tells us that this would have been his message if he might have sent Quest 21. Dost thou think in thy Conscience that at the hour â—â— thy death or at least at Judgement thou shalt think thy self that Holiness was unnecessary Doth not thy heart tell thee that then thou shalt be of another mind and wish with the deepest desires of thy soul that thou hadst lived as strictly and prepared for everlasting life as seriously and served God as diligently as ever did any Saint on earth But alas those wishes will be then too late Now is thy day and now thou takest thy work to be needless And to see the Necessity when time is gone will be thy torment but not thy remedy Not one in this Congregation or Town or Countrey not one in England or in all the world but shall be forced at last whether he will or no to justifie the wisdom of the godly and the worst of you shall then with ten thousand fruitless groans desire that you had imitated the holyest persons that you knew Not a tongue then shall say What needs all this ado for heaven Not a man there dare call his neighbour Puritane nor take up a contemptuous jear against the diligent servants of the Lord. Quest 22. Is not that man at the heart against the Lord that reproacheth his serious diligent servants and counts his work a needless thing Men are more willing to please those that they love and more ready to do the works they love If your son or servant speak against your service but as you do against Gods what would you think of their affections Doubtless it is no better then a secret hatred to the holiness of God and a Serpentine eâ—â—ity to his holy wayes that causeth all these sensless cavils and impious speeches against the life that he hath commanded us to live Quest 23. Is it not most unreasonable impiety for that man â—â— speak against too strict exact obedience and against serving God â—â— much that hath served the world the flesh and the Devil in â—â— vigour and flower of his dayes and this with pleasure and never said It is too much When thou wast drinking and sporting thou wast not aweary When it comes to a matter of riches or honour or ease or pleasure to gratifie thy worldliness pride laziness and voluptuousness then thou never saist It is too much And is all too little for sin and the Devil and all too much for thy soul and God Let Conscience tell thee whether this be just Quest 24. Is it not a foolish wickedness for that man to cry out against making haste to heaven and going so fast in the wayes of God that hath loytered already till the evening of his dayes and lost so much time as thou hast done If thou hadst begun as soon as thou hadst the use of reason and remembred thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth and never lost an hour of thy time since then till now thou hadst done no more then what thy God thy soul
say unto you Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Luke 6. 12. He went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God Daniel would not give over praying three times a day in his house for thirty dayes space at the Kings command no not to save his life from devouring Lions David saith Psalm 119. 164. Seven times a day do I praise thee Lam. 2. 19. Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord Psalm 14. 4. it is part of the wicked Atheists description that They call not upon the Lord. Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not and the families that call not on thy name Psalm 145. 18. The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth When Paul was converted the Lord lets Ananias know it by this token Acts 9. 11. For behold he prayeth Acts 1. 14. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication Acts 2. 42. The three thousand Converts continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Col 4. 2 Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving withall praying also for us that God would open to us a door of utterance to speak the mysterie of Christ Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in prayer Jam. 5. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much 1 Tim. 4. 5. For every creature is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer 1 Tim. 5. 5. She that is a widdow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day Jude 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost 1 Thes 3. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly Ephes 6 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints and for me c. 2 Chron. 6. 29. What prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man or of all thy people Israel when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief and shall spread forth his hands in this house then hear thou from Heaven c. I hope by this time if you have eyes you see that more frequent and fervent prayers then any of us use and that without Book were used by the antient servants of the Lord and were not thought too much ado nor more ado then God requireth of us 4. Is it constant diligent teaching instructing and catechizing your families and labouring that your selves and they may understand and practise the Law of God Hear also what the Spirit saith of this and then judge whether it be too much preciseness Prov. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. My son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my Commandements with thee so that thou encline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thy heart to understanding yea if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Deut. 6. 5 6 7. 11. 18 19 20. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates Gen. 18 19. For I know Abraham that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Josh 24. 15. But as for me and my houshold we will serve the Lord. Prov. 22. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Eph. 6. 4. Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. These and many such passages shew you that the most diligent instructing of your families is not more ado then God requireth but a most weighty needful part of godliness 5. Is it the meeting of divers neighbours together distinct from Church-meetings that you question Why if it be Schismatical in opposition to the publick meetings or to do any unlawful work we are against it as well as you But if it be but for the redeeming of their time for their spiritual advantage and orderly peaceably and soberly observed by some that have more time or care of their souls then the rest of their neighbours sure you will not for shame imagine that neighbours may lawfully meet to make merry and feast and sport and conferr about their worldly business and yet may not meet to pray and praise God and repeat what instructions they have received of their Teachers and prepare for and improve the publick Ordinances Hear what the Spirit saith also in this In the text here you find just such a meeting where Christ was teaching and Mary and his Disciples hearing and Martha cumbred with providing for the company and blamed for neglecting the advantage for her soul Acts 12. 12. Peter came out of prison to the house of Mary where many were gathered together praying Acts 10. 24. Cornelius called together his kinsmen and near friends to hear Peter who there preached to them converted and baptized them I need to instance in no more because this was the ordinary practice of Christ and the Apostles If you say Those were times of persecution I answer True But 1. yet such times in which publick Assemblies were ordinarily held and publick preaching used 2. And as the good of mens souls required it in times of persecution so when the good of souls requires it in times of liberty it is from the same general reason a duty but never forbidden by Christ in any times of greatest prosperity and peace 6. Is it the holy observation of the Lords day that is the preciseness that you cannot away with Of all men it beseems not them to quarrel at this that own our Homilies and with the Common-prayer use after the fourth Commandment to say Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law When they have heard Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day thou thy Son thy daughter thy man-servant thy maid-servant thy cattle and the stranger that is within thy gates You see all the foresaid duties must be performed and publick Assemblies for Gods worship and our instruction continued And therefore there must be some known
our refuge Psal 91. 1 2 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shaddow of the Almighty I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress my God in him will I trust This is the confidence and joy and glory of the Saints Psal 59. 16 17. I will sing of thy Power yea I will sing aloud of thy mercies in the morning for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble Unto thee O my strength will I sing for my God is my defence and the God of my mercie Psal 89. 26. Thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my Salvation See Psal 27. 5. 61. 2. 62. 2 6 7. 94 22. Prov. 18. 10. The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run into it and are safe Prov. 21. 31. safety is of the Lord Psal 4. 8. Quietly may we repose our selves to rest for it is the Lord only that maketh us dwell in safety But is it thus with the ungodly man O no when they say Peace and safety to themselves suddenly destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. 3. For their Rock is not like our Rock even our enemies themselves being judges Deut. 32. 31. Why else do they desire in times of danger that they were in the case of the Servants of the Lord If they thought themselves as safe as the Regenerate why do they wish at the hour of death that they might but die the death of the Righteous and their later end might be as his Numb 23. 10. 5. Moreover he is certainly more safe that is an heir of the promises and hath the word of God engaged for his safety then he that hath no promise from God at all nor any such security to shew But all the faithful have interest in the promises in which the ungodly have no share Surely he is safe to whom the Lord hath promised safety O what a precious treasure might I here open to shew you the safety of true believers I will cull out but a few of the Promises for a tast Prov. 1. 32 33. The turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of foâ—â—s shall destroy them But who so hearkenneth unto me shall awell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil Prov. 29. 25. Who so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe Prov. 3. 21 22 23. My Son let them not depart from thine eyes keep sound wisdom and discretion so shall they be life unto thy soul and grace unto thy neck then shalt thou walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall not stumble When thou lyest down thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet Be not afraid of sudden fear neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken Deut. 33. 12. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him the Lord shall cover him all the day long and he shall dwell between his shoulders Psalm 55. 22. Cast thy burden on the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved Psalm 14. 5. God is in the generation of the righteous Psalm 34. 15 17 19 20. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their cry The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their trouble Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all He keepeth all his bones Evil shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate Psal 37. 28. For the Lord loveth judgement and forsaketh not his Saints they are preserved for ever but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off Ver. 37 39 40. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace But the transgressors shall be destroyed together the End of the wicked shall be cut off But the salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of trouble And the Lord shall help them and deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him Psalm 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Isa 49. 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb Yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee He hath said I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Matth. 6. 25. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink c. Matth. 10. 28 30 31. Fear not them which kill the Body and are not able to kill the soul The very hairs of your head are all numbred Isa 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee Yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness See ver 13 14. Isa 43. 1 2. Fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt c. The Lord preserveth the way of his Saints Prov. 2. 8. Psalm 31. 23. O Love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithfull Psal 97. 10. he preserveth the souls of his Saints he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked Psalm 145. 18 19 20. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfill the desires of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them The Lord preserveth all them that Love him but all the wicked will he destroy Prov. 20. 22. Say not I will recompence evil but wait on the Lord and he will save thee Heb. 10. 23. He is faithfull that hath promised I hope the believer will not be weary to read over all these precious promises which are his security from God for soul and body I summ up all in that one 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable to all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Judge whether Godliness be the safest state Can a man of so many promises be unsafe But instead of these the ungodly are threatned with everlasting vengeance 6. He is safer that hath continually a guard of Angels as certainly all the faithful have then he that hath none but is a prisoner of the devil as the ungodly are Hear the Scriptures Psalm 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord
Power Wisdom and Goodness engaged to us for our Good and to be ours according to our necessity and capacity This O ye worldlings is the Riches of the Saints This is the Wealth that we will boldly boast of Boast you of your houses and lands and money and we will boast of our God Have you Houses and Towns and Countreys at command Be it so but the Saints have the God of the world to be their God Have you Kingdoms and Dominions We have the God of all the earth the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Set all your Riches in the ballance against him and try what they will prove Set all the world and the Kingdoms and Glory and Wealth of it in the ballance and try whether they are any more to God then one dust or feather to all the world yea they are nothing and less then nothing vanity and lighter then vanity it self Isa. 40. 16 17. This one Jewel containeth all our Treasure He is ours that hath all things What then can we need Psal 23. 1. He is ours that knoweth all things Who then can overreach us or undo us by deceit He is ours that can do all things What then should we fear and what power shall prevail against us He is ours that is Goodness and Love it self How then can we be miserable or what imperfection can there be in our Felicity They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches none of them can by any means redeem his brother nor himself that he should live for ever and not see corruption Psalm 49. 6 7 9. But God will redeem us from the power of the grave for he shall receive us Ver. 15. Let the workers of iniquity boast themselves a while Psalm 94. 4. Let the wicked 〈…〉 desire and bless the coveâ—â—â—â— whom the Lord abhorreth Psalm 10. 3. It is the Lord that is King for ever and ever that heareth the desires of the hamble that prepareth our hearts and prepareth his ear to hear Ver. 16 17. Our souls shall make their boast in God Psalm 34. 2. O tast and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him But you cannot say truly Blessed is the man that hath Lands and Lorships Blessed is the man that hath Crowns and Kingdoms Yea truly may you say Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and withdraweth his heart from the Lord. Jer. 17. 5. Fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psalm 34. 8 9 10. But when you have all the world you cannot say that you have no want Confounded then be the covetous Idolaters that boast themselves of their Idols Psalm 97. 7. But in God will we boast all the day long and praise his name for evermore Psalm 44. 8. What have you but the gleanings of our harvest and the crums that fall from the childrens table Our God is he that giveth you your prosperity He droppeth you these leavings from the redundancy of his Goodness when he hath given himself his Son and all things to his own All that we want and all that our souls desire is in God We have none in heaven but him nor any in earth that we desire besides him Psalm 73. 25. His loving kindness is better to us then life Psalm 63. 3. Our flesh and our heart faileth us and all the creatures fail us but God is the strength of our hearts and our portion for ever Psalm 73. 26. Verily the Riches of all the Princes of the earth is less in comparison of him that is the Treasure and Portion of the Saints then a straw is to all the earth or a little dung to the shining Sun 2. Would you yet hear more of the Riches of Believers though more then God there cannot be The Lord Jesus Christ is their Head and Husband their Saviour and Intercessour at Gods right hand They are Married to him His Merits are thâ—irs for all those uses to which they need them It is he that Justifieth Who then shall condemn them He that spared not his own Son but gave him up for us all how shall be not with â—iâ— also freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32 34. Christ is the Pearl of infinite valuâ— for whom we have willingly sold all Matth. 13. 45 46. And what are all your Treasures to this Treasure Ask â—â—â—l and he will tell you that had tryed both Phil. 3. 7 8. His 〈…〉 â—e counteth Loss for Christ yea all things he accounted but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ It is Love incomprehensible surpassing knowledge that is revealed to us in Christ Eph. 3. 18 19. The Riches of Christ are unsearchable Riches Eph. 3. 8. It is Christ that bindeth up our broken hearts that is the Peace-maker and Reconciler of our souls to God What he hath done for us and what he will do I shall tell you anon But the ungodly have no part in him nor have they any such treasure that will do for them what Christ will do for us Their Treasure is the wrath of God which they are heaping up against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2. 5. All the Treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Christ Col. 2. 3. And he hath them for us according to our measure as being our Treasurie our Head and made of God to us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. They are exceeding Riches of Grace that are shewed in the kindness of God through Jesus Christ to all that are sanctified by that grace Ephes 2. 6 7 8. Yea that you may see there is no comparison even that which you abhorr in a Christians case and account his misery and the worst of Christ is better then the best of your condition and then that for which you lose your souls For the very Reproach of Christ is greater riches then the Treasures of the world Heb. 11. 26. And it is the reproach that we undergo for Christ that you most abhorr and the treasures of the world that you highlyest esteem It is greater Riches to be one of them that are scorned and derided for the sake of Christ then to be one of them that hath the wealth of the world at his dispose And if the Reproach of Christ be greater Riches then all yours What then is his Life and Love and Benefits his Grace and Glory 3. Would you have the Riches of the Saints yet further opened to you Why the Holy-Ghost is in Covenant with them as their Sanctifier and Comforter And he is not only theirs himself by Covenant and Relation but he also dwelleth in them by his graâ—â—s and restoreth the image of God upon them They are the â—…ples of the Holy-Ghost which is in them 1 Cor. 6. 19. And by the Spirit and by Faith Christ dwelleth
in their hearts Ephes 3. 17. Rom. 8. 11. 1 Cor. 3. 16. God himself doth dwell in them and converse with them and write his Law in their hearts and teach them himself by this his Spirit 2 Cor. 6. 16. Heb. 8. 10. â—â— 1â— Hereby we know that he dwelleth in us by the Spirit which â—e 〈…〉 given us 1 John 3. 24. Yea he that is joyned to the Lord is One spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. For the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. We are an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes. 2. 22. Because we are sons God hath sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. By this Spirit the Saints have access unto the Father Ephes 2. 18. and by this it is that they are quickened to prayer and holy worship and their infirmities are helpt Ephes 6 18. Rom. 8. 11 26. By this they fight against the flesh and overcome it Gal. 5. 17 18. Rom. 8. 13. In this they live and walk and work Rom. 8. 1 5. Gal. 5. 16 25. This Spirit is the Testimony of their Adoption Rom. 8. 16. and the seal and earnest of their heavenly inheritance 2 Cor. 1. 22. 5. 5. Ephes 4. 30. By this they are new born John 3. 5 6. And put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and being renewed in the spirit of their minds do put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes 4. 22 23 24. By the illumination of this spirit they have a new understanding and are brought out of darkness into the marvellous Light of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 9. that they may know what is the hope of the Christian Vocation and what is the Riches of the glory of Christs inheritance in the Saints Eph. 1. 18. In a word by this Spirit their sins are mortified their souls renewed and made like to God and they become a holy Priest-hood a peculiar people unto Christ and in this Spirit have Communion with him Rom. 8. 13. Tit. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Tit. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 13. 14. And what is all the Riches of this world to this Heavenly Treasure the Spirit of the Lord They that have this Spirit are taught by it to set light by all your Riches and to esteem one dayes Communion with Christ above all the Gold and Glory of this world And that which sets the soul of man so far above Riches is better then those Riches As your Lands and honours do set you above the pins and points that children take for their treasure and set as much by as you do by yours so the Spirit of Christ and the Life of Faith doth set the souls of true Believers a thousandâ—old more above your Riches then you are above your childrens â—oyes If yet you see not the Riches of Saints consider but the wonderful expression â— Pet. 1. 4. that they have exceeding great 〈…〉 precious promises given them that by these they may be partakers of the Divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust And can there be more on earth bestowed on man then to be made partakers of the Divine nature As it would be a greater gift to a bruit to be made a man and have manly Riches then to have store of Provender suited to his brutishness so is it greater Riches to the ungodly to be sanctified and made partakers of that nature that is called Divine by God himself then to have provision for unmortified lusts and to have all the contentments of a fleshly mind It were a greater gift to an Ideot to be made a wise and learned man then to be furnished with feathers or sticks to play with So is it here 4. Every truly sanctified man is restored from the misery that he was brought into by sin He hath all his sins forgiven him and is freed from the curse of the Law by the merits of Christ and the promise of the Gospel For in him we have Redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Col. 1. 14. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 39. When we were dead in our sins we were quickened with Christ and had all our trespasses forgiven us Col. 2. 13. Ask a wounded Conscience that groaneth under the weight of sin and under the sense of Gods indignation Whether forgiveness of sin be a Treasure or not I am sure they that now are past forgiveness and feel what sin is in the bitter fruits would give ten thousand worlds if they had them for the pardon of their sins and would account forgiveness a greater mercy then all the Riches and Kingdoms of the world What a heavy curse did the Spirit of God pass upon Simon Magus for thinking that money was a valuable thing to purchase the Holy Ghost with Acts 8. 20 21. Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased by money Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore of this thy wickedness c. The name of Simon Magus is odious to us all and yet I doubt that most among us exceed him in the sin for which he is thus cursed For he thought the gift of the holy-Ghost to be better then his money or else he would not have offered his money for it But most men take their money to be better then the gift of the Holy-Ghost If he that would have purchased the Holy-Ghost yea a lower and less necessary gift of the spirit was pronounced wicked and cursed with such a heavy curse What are they that set more by their money then by the special gift of the Holy-Ghost yea that hate and deride it and plead against its Sanctifying work The time is near when your Riches will fail you and your prosperity die and your sins will live and then there is none of you all but will say that Pardon and Grace are greater Riches then all the world 5. Moreover the godly have Angels to attend them and be their guard as I have proved to you before And are horses and kine and oxen think you greater Riches then the Guard and Ministration of the Angels of God Heb. 1. 14. Psalm 91. 11 12. 6. And surely the very Communion of Saints and Ordinances of God which in the Church we here enjoy are greater Riches then all the world We are now no more strangers and forreigners but fellow-Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 2. 19. We are members of that well-tempered body where all the members are obliged and disposed to have the same care one for another that if one suffer all suffer and if one be
for God to arise to judgement Was it not enough that God was sleighted by them and his service turned out of doors but it must be made a by-word Is there but one way Pleasing unto God and but one way that leadeth to salvation and must that one way be the common scorn For these things God had a controversie with this land and he hath pleaded his cause with fire and sword and spoke by a voice that will not be derided he hash entered into judgement with Priests and people He will not always support and maintain a people to deride him Oh England hadst thou none to make the foot-ball of thy scorn but the servants of the most High God Did he not tell theé that they were his Jewels Mal. 3. 1. and that he that touched them did touch the apple of his eye Zech. 2 8. Will he give his son for them and will he Glorifie them with himself and make them equal to the Angels Luk. 20. 36. and didst thou think he would give thee leave to make them the scorn and off-scouring of the world Hadst thou none to make the football of thy contemptuous sport but the sons of God the spouse of Christ yea his members and the heirs of heaven Oh foolish nation hadst thou none to deride and make thy by-word but Christ himself Yea it was Christ himself though thou wilt not believe it In as much as thou didst it to one of the lest of these his Brethren thou didst it unto him Mat. 25. 40. In all their afflictions he was afflicted Isa 63. 9. and therefore in all their reproaches he was reproached All those that were derided for Holiness were derided upon Christs account If Holiness be vile and to be scorned then God himself is vile and to be scorned and consequently is no God and what greater Blasphemy could be uttered by the tongue of man For God is Holiness it self In us it is but a beam from him the shining glorious Sun If a little in us imperfect worms be hated by thee how wouldst thou hate the perfect Holiness of God And if we deserve thy scorns for our obedience alas our too imperfect obedience it must fall upon him that made the Law and gave us these commands If he be too precise that imperfectly obeyeth God what will you say of God himself that commandeth more then any of us all performeth and that chargeth us on pain of damnation to obey him O how much wiselyer would you daily do if you daily studied and diligently obeyed those Laws your selves If the Rulers of the earth would remember him that is the King of Kings and did serve the Lord with fear and rejoyced before him with trembling and kist the Son to prevent his anger and their perishing in the way Psal 2. 11 12. O England had thy disobedient inhabitants never heard how vain their rage and imaginations would be when they set themselves and took counsel against the Lord and his annointed saying let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Did they never hear that the deriders were derided by him that sitteth in the heavens and how he will shortly speak to them in wrath that speak against his ways in malice and will vox them in his sore displeasure that vext his servants for the doing of his pleasure Will they not believe till Hell have taught them that in despight of all his Enemies he will set his son the King of Saints upon his holy hill of Sion Psal 2. 1. to 9. Had they never heard how hard at last it will prove for them to kick against the pricks Act. 9. 5. And will they not know by any other means but feeling that he will destroy those as his enemies that would not have him to raign over them Luk. 19. 27. and that he will break them with a Rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel Psal 2. 9. O Scorners did you never read his words 1. Sâ—â— 2. 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for this word shall be fulfilled upon you and the work be wrought which you would not believe when God foretold it and will not yet understand and believe though it be declared to you Acts 13. 41. Think not that the infirmities of the Godly do justifie your contempt of Godliness Think not that a Judas in Christs family will Justifie you for making a scorn of his family and persecuting his disciples or that a Cham in the Ark or the sin of Noah will warrant you to make them as bad as the destroyed world whom God had done so much to save Think not when you have jeered at a Holy life that God will take it for a good excuse to tell him that you had found a fault in his servants or an hypocrite crept into his Church He hateth their faults much more then you but will you therefore hate their goodness Condemn the breaches of his Laws and spare not but will you therefore condemn the keeping of them O England if thou hadst had the grace or wit to use Christ better in his wayes and servants he would have used thee better and dealt more gently with thy inhabitants and flames and calamities might have been prevented Often wast thou told from 2 Chron. 36. 14. what it was that captivated Israel and made their Priests and people to be the Heathens slaves When the Lord God sent unto them by his Prophets because he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy But alas thou hast gone much further then this Israel mocked the Prophets but I remember not that it is ever said of them that the way of godliness it self was made a common scorn among them but still they gloried in the Lord and in the Law and in the Temple and the Holy Worship But here if a man did but talk of heaven or of any holy subject or reprove a swearer or not joyn with them in their impieties the common cry was This is one of the holy Brethren here is is one of the Saints It will never be well till we are rid of these Puritans and Precisians How oft have I heard almost the same words from English men as Lot did from Sodomites Gen. 19. 9. This one fellow same in to sojourn and he will needs be a Judge when they lived in their lasciviousness lusts excess of drink revellings banquettings and abominable prophanation of holy things they thought it strange that we ran not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of us but forgetting the account that their Judge was ready to require of them 1 Pet. 4. 3 4 5. Well! have you yet taken warning by the
no relief 3. Another duty that Holiness consisteth in is Thanksgiving and Praise to the God of our salvation He that knows not that this work is Pleasant is unacquainted with it If there be any thing Pleasant in this world it is the praises of God that flow from a believing loving soul that is full of the sense of the mercies and goodness and excellencies of the Lord Especially the â—â—animous conjunction of such souls in the high praises of God in the holy Assemblies Is it not pleasant even to Name the Lord to mention his Attributes to remember his great and wonderous works to magnifie him that rideth on the Heavens that dwelleth in the light that cannot be approached that is cloathed with Majesty and Glory that infinitely surpasseth the Sun in its â—rightness that hath his Throne in the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him and yet he delighteth in the humble soul and hath respect to the contrite yea dwells with them that tremble at his Word Is any thing so pleasant as the Praises of the Lord How sweet is it to see and praise him as the Creator in the various wonderful creatures which he hath made How pleasant to observe his works of providence to them that read them by the light of the Sanctuary and in Faith and Patience learn the interpretation from him that only can interpret them But O how unspeakably Pleasant is it to see the Father in the Son and the God-head in the man-hood of our Lord and the Riches of Grace in the glass of the holy Gospel and the manifold wisdom of God in the Church where the Angels themselves disdain not to behold it Ephes 3. 10 11. The praising of God for the incarnation of his Son was a work that a chore of Angels were employed in as the instructors of the Church Luke 2. 13 14. There is not a promise in the book of God nor one passage of the Life and Miracles of Christ and the rest of the History of the Gospel nor one of the holy works of the spirit upon the soul nor one of those thousand mercies to the Church or to our selves or friends that infinite Goodness doth bestow but contain such matter of Praise to God as might fill believing hearts with Pleasure and find them most delightful work Much more when all these are at once before us what a feast is there for a gracious Soul O you befooled fleshly minds that find no pleasure in the things of God but had rather be drinking or gaming or scraping in the world awaken your souls and see what you are doing With what eyes do you see with what hearts do you think of the Works and Word and Wayes of God and of the Holy employments that you are so much against For my own part I freely and truly here profess to you that I would not exchange the Pleasure that my soul enjoyeth in this one piece of the holy Work of God for all your mirth and sport and gain and whatever the world and sin affords you I would not change the delights which I enjoy in one of these holy dayes and duties in the mentioning of the eternal God and celebrating his praise and magnifying his Name and thinking and speaking of the riches of his Love and the glory of his Kingdom no not for all the pleasure of your lives O that your souls were cured of those dangerous diseases that make you loath the sweetest things You would then know what it is that you have set light by and would marvail at your selves that you could taste no sweetness in the sweetest things Can you think that your work or your play your profits or your sports are comparable for pleasure to the Praises of the Lord If Grace had made you competent Judges I am sure you would say There is no comparison Hear but the testimony of a holy soul yea of the Spirit of God by him Psal. 147. 1. Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing Praises to our God for it is pleasant and praise is comely Psalm 149. 1 2. Praise ye the Lord sing unto the Lord a new song and his Praise in the Congregation of Saints Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyful in their King For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation Let the Saints be joyful in Glory let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high Praises of God be in their mouth c. Psal 95. 1 2 3. O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise to him with Psalms For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all Gods Psalm 96. 1 2 3 4. O sing unto the Lord a new song Sing unto the Lord all the earth Sing unto the Lord bless his Name shew forth his salvation from day to day Declare his glory among the Heathen his wonders among all people For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised Honour and Majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary Did not this holy Prophet find it a Pleasant work to Praise the Lord Yea all that Love the Name of God should be Joyful in him Psalm 5. 11. Every one of his upright ones may say with the Prophet Isa 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord My soul shall be joyful in my God For he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robes of righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels For as the earth springs forth her bud and as the Garden causeth the things sown in it to spring forth so the Lord will cause Righteousness and Praise to spring forth before all the Nations It is a promise of Joy that is made in Isa 56. 6 7 8. To the sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord to be his servants every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my Covenant Even them will I bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my House of Prayer What a joyful thing is it to a gracious soul when he may see the reconciled face of God and feel his Fatherly reviving Love and among his Saints may speak his Praise and proclaim his great and blessed name even in his Temple where every man speaketh of his Glory Psalm 29. 9. If the Proud are delighted in their own praise how much more will the humble holy soul be delighted in the Praise of God! When the Love of God is shed abroad in the heart and Faith doth set us as before his Throne or at least doth somewhat withdraw the veil and shew us him that lives
eyes He discerneth not the Lords body He only quieteth and deludeth his conscience with the outward form He hath not faith to feed on Christ But to a lively faith what sweetâ— ness doth such a Feast afford We have here Communion with the blessed Trinity in thâ—… three parts of this Eucharistical Sacrament As the Father 〈…〉 both our Creator and the offended Majesty and yet he hath 〈…〉 his Son to be our Redeemer so in the first part which 〈…〉 the CONSECRATION we present to our Creator the creatures of Bread and Wine acknowledging that from him we receive them and all and we desire that upon our Dedication by his Acceptance they may be made Sacramentally and Representatively the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ In the second part of the Eucharist which is the COMMEMORATION of the sacrifice offered on the Cross we break the bread and pour forth the wine to Represent the breaking of Christs Body and shedding of his Blood for the sin of man and we beseech the Father to be Reconciled to us on his Sons account and to accept us in his Beloved and to accept all our sacrifices through him So that as Christ now in Heaven is Representing his sacrifice to the Father which he once offered on the Cross for sin so must the Minister of Christ Represent and plead to the Father the same sacrifice by way of Commemoration and such Intercession as belongeth to his Office The third part of the Eucharist is the OFFER and PARTICIPATION in which the Minister Representing Christ doth by Commission deliver his Bedy and Blood to the penitent hungry believing soul and with Christ is delivered a sealed â—â—â—don of all sin and a sealed gift of life Eternal All which are received by the true Believer An unbeliever knoweth not what transactions there are between the Lord and a holy soul in this Ordinance where the appearances are so small A bit of bread and a sup of wine are indeed small matters But so is not this Communion with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost What a comfort is it that the offended Majesty will accept a sacrifice at our hands and enter a treaty of Peace with the offendours Yea that he will provide the sacrifice himself and the preciousest in the whole world that he will signifie this his acceptance of the sacrifice and how he is pleased in his well-beloved Son and that he accepteth his Sons Intercession in the Heavens and his Ministers intercession and his Churches prayers on earth through Christ Seeing Christ 〈…〉 be glorified with his Father and not continue visible among 〈…〉 what could we desire more from him then the three fold Reâ—â—â—sentative which he hath left behind him to supply the room â—â— his Bodily presence Even the Representation of himself by 〈…〉 by his Ministers and by the Holy Ghost which is 〈…〉 substitute within for the efficacy of all O what unspeakable mysteries and treasures of mercy are here-presented to us in a Sacrament Here we have Communion with a Reconciled God and are brought into his presence by the great Reconciler Here we have Communion with our blessed Redeemer as Crucified and Glorified and offered to us as our quickning preserving strengthening Head Here we have Communion with the Holy Ghost applying to our souls the benefits of Redemption drawing us to the Son and communicating light and life and strength from him unto us increasing and actuating his graces in us Here we have Communion with the Body of Christ his sanctified people the heris of life When the Minister of Christ by his Commission Representeth a Crucified Christ to our eyes by the Bread and Wine appointed to this use we see Christ Crucified as it were before us and our Faith layeth hold on him and we perceive the Truth of the Remedy and build our souls upon this Rock When the same Minister by Christs Commission doth offer us his Body and Blood and Benefits it is as firm and valid to us as if the mouth of Christ himself had offered them And when our souls Receive him by that Faith which the Holy Ghost exciteth in us the participation is as true as that of our bodies receiving the Bread and Wine which represent him O do but ask a drooping soul that mourns under the fears of Gods displeasure how he would value a voice from Heaven to tell him that all his sins are pardoned and that he is dear to God and judge by his answer what is contained and offered in a Sacrament Ask him how he would take it if Christ should speak those words himself to him which he hath given his Minister Commission in his name to speak Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you It is the same Christ the same pardon and salvation that is offered us by the Messengers of Christ and which he personally offered himself to his Disciples When you must all appear at the Barr of God O what would you not give for a sealed pardon which in a Sacrament is given freely now to the believing soul Judge now by this whether it be a Joyous Ordinance When the poorest Christian this day receiveth that which the greatest Prince that is ungodly would then give all the world for it he had it For want of that pardon Christian which thou must now receive many thousands will tremble at the barâ— of God and be overwhelmed with his wrath for ever Ask a soul that groaneth under the languishings of his grace and the burden of any strong corruption how he would value the mortifying and quickning grace of the Holy Ghost that would break his bonds and give him light and life and strength and by his answer judge of the value of a Sacrament We have here the greatest mercies in the world brought down to us in sensible Representations that they might be very neer us and the means might be suited to the frailty and infirmity of our present state If the sealed message of Gods Reconciliation with us and a sealed pardon of all our sins and a sealed grant of Everlasting life be not more pleasant and desirable to your thoughts then all that earth and flesh can yield you it is because your are alive to sin and dead to God and want that spiritual sence and appetite by which you might be competent judges If God if Christ if grace if the foretasts of glory can afford no pleasure to the soul then Heaven it self would not be pleasant But if these are sweet the Sacrament is sweet that doth convey them Well poor stubborn carnal sinners you have been invited to this feast as well as others we are sent to call you and even compel you to come in though upon the terms and in the way of Christ but you have no great list but somewhat else doth please you better And will it prove better indeed to you at the end Well take your own choice If an Alehouse be better then the Table of the
Believer knows that as his life and soul so his worldly riches are nowhere sure but in the hand of God And therefore if they can procure his security and get him to receive it and return it them in Heaven with the promised advantage they have then secured it indeed All is lost that God hath not in one way or other and all is secured that he hath and for which we have his promise This is laying it up in heaven Matth. 6. 21. While we keep it we cannot secure it from thieves When we have disposed of it according to the Will of God upon the warrant of his promise it is then in his Custody and then it is safe Neither rust or moath can then corrupt it nor the strongest thieves break through and steal To be Good and do Good is to be likest unto God and therefore must needs be the sweetest life 2. Works of Justice also have their pleasure For they demonstrate the Justice of God himself from whom they do proceed That which is most Pleasant to God should be most Pleasant unto us And as he hath bid us not forget to do good and to communicate because with such sacrifice he is well pleased Heb. 13. 16. so he hath told us that he delighteth in the exercise of loving-kindness judgement and righteousness in the earth Jer. 9. 24. He hath shewed us what is good and what doth he require of us but to do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God Mich. 6. 8. And therefore he commandeth Israel Hos 12. 6. Turn thou to thy God Keep Mercy and Judgement and wait on thy God continually Private justice between man and man and family-justice between parents and children masters and servants and Political justice between the Magistrates and the people do all maintain the order of the world and procure both publike and private peace It is selfishness and injustice tyrannie oppression disobedience and rebellion that procure the miseries of the world But Righteousness is safe and sweet 2. You have heard of the Pleasure of Holy Actions both Internal and External The truth is evident also from the Objects of these Acts and the matter from which a believer may derive his Pleasures And O what an Ocean of delight is here before us Were our powers capacities and acts but answerable to the Objects we should presently have the Joyes of heaven 1. A Believer hath the ever blessed God himself to derive his comforts from He hath his Nature and Attributes to be his comfort He hath his near Relations to afford him comfort and this is more then to have all the world It is a God of Infinite Power and Wosdom and Goodness that we believe in that we Love and Worship and Obey It is also a Father Reconciled to us that hath taken us in Covenant to him as his people through Jesus Christ And where shall we find comfort if not in God It is in vain to look for that from any creature that is not to be found in him Poor worldlings you have nothing that is worth the having but the crumms that fall from the childrens table God is our Portion and the world is yours and yet you have less even in this world then we You have the shadow and we have the substance You have the shell and we the kernell You have the straw and chaff and true believers have the corn Your comforts are shaken with every storm and tost up and down by the Justice of God or the Pride of man But God that is our Portion is unchangeable Yesterday to day and the same for ever We have a Kingdom that cannot be moved Heb. 12. 28. Persecutors cannot take our God from us nor can any thing separate us from his Love Rom. 8. 36. They may separate us from our houses from our Countries from our friends from our riches our liberties our lives from our Books our company and Ordinances but not from God who is our great Delight In poverty in persecution in sickness and at death we have still our interest in God A Christian is never in so low a state but he hath a God to whom he may go for comfort who is more to him then your sweetest pleasures Is it not a pleasure to have such a God as can cure all diseases supply all wants overcome all enemies deliver in all dangers and hath promised that he will do it so far as is for our good If he want water that hath the Sea or he want land that hath all the earth or he want light that hath the Sun yet doth he not need to want delight that hath the Lord to be his God if â—e do but keep in the pathes of grace And are you yet unresolved whether Godliness be the most Pleasant Life Take all your pleasures and make your best of them may I but have the Lord to be my God and I hope I shall never desire to change with you 2. A Holy life is therefore Pleasant because we have a full sufficient Saviour from whom we may daily fetch delight The Eâ—ernal Son of God is become the Healer of our wounds our Peace-maker with the Father the Conquerour of our enemies the Ransom for our sins the Captain of our salvation the Head of his Church and the Treasure of all our Hopes and Joyes Sin and misery are the works of Satan which Christ came into the world to destroy If Hypocrites can steal a little Peace to their Consciences from a false conceit that they have a part in Christ what comfort may it be to the true Believer that hath a sure and real interest in him That is the sad and miserable life when you are out of Christ and strangers to his Covenant and cannot say his benefits are yours but you are yet in your sins without his righteousness But when we have a special interest in him the foundation of our everlasting joy is laid and the heart of sin and misery is broken What fear or sorrow can you name that I may not fetch a sufficient remedy against from Christ What can the Prince of darkness say to our discomfort which we may not answer by Arguments from Christ By this judge of the Comfort of a Holy life If the Godly over-look the Grounds of Joy that are laid in Christ and live in a mistaken sorrow that is not for want of Reasons and warrant to rejoyce but for want of a right discerning of those Reasons But what have you that are ungodly to answer against all the terrours of the Law or to answer against all the accusations of your consciences or to comfort you against the remembrance of your approaching misery While you have no part in Christ you have no right to comfort One thought of Christ to a believing soul may afford more Delight then ever you will find in a sinful life 3. Moreover we have the Holy spirit of Christ that is purposely given us to be