Lust or Uncleannesse some prick in the flesh that the Lord sent upon him and let him be encountered withal then Paul sought God in a solemn manner more then ever he did at other times 2 Cor. 12. 8. For this I besought God thrice 4. Fourthly In case a man is to do some notable service he is to enter into some new Calling or if the Lord doth put him upon some new service that doth require some more then ordinary help now a man is to seek God by Fasting and Prayer as you may see it was with Barnabas and Paul when they entred into the Ministery Acts 13 3. Now the reason why I name these things is to shew you that sometimes God will have an extraordinary set day for his immediate worship and service when we are to lay aside all other businesse and set out selves apart to call upon his Name and seek him The thing I gather from hence is this If there be an extraordinary set day then there must be an ordinary set day for Gods immediate Service Another Argument is taken from the Equity of it and that stands Two wayes 1. First It is very equal when as we have six dayes to provide for our Reas 4 selves and for the maintenance of our bodies God gives us divers dayes for that now Equity doth require that we should give one day to him we having several dayes it is equity that he should have at least one for himself Therefore this doth aggravate our sins exceedingly if we give not this day to God Did not this aggravate the sin of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit in that God gave him liberty to eat freely of all other trees in the garden and forbad him only the eating of that one Now what excuse could Adam have for not abstaining from that one So here God having given us divers dayes for the good of our bodies and for means and maintenance of the things of this life duty requires that we should not touch Gods day nor set our foot upon it nor turn our eyes away from it we ought to remember it as Joseph said in regard of his Mistris when she enticed him to folly mark how he answers the temptation My Master hath put all things into my hands that are in the house he hath with-held nothing from me but only thee his Wife and that is equal and reasonable how therefore shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. So should we say when we are tempted to break the Lords day we should say The Lord hath not imposed any day besides the Lord hath given us all the six daies for our use how therefore shall I do this great wickednesse and sin against God with worldly thoughts and speeches and actions upon that day It stands with very good equity that it should be so 2. Secondly It stands with equity in regard of our Souls if our bodies which are the worser part have several dayes for their use then how much more should the soul have one day which is a thousand times more worth then the body You know what Christ saith Wâât will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Matth. 16. 26. Our souls are more worth then our bodies and we have more need to seek out for Holinesse and Grace for them and to be well provided for in regard of them then for any thing in this present world if we want meat we can but starve if we want cloaths we can but famish if we want outward things we can but temporally perish but if we want Grace and the Favour of God we perish for ever Now if there be six dayes allowed for the good of our bodies how much more should we be willing to have one day for the good of our souls specially considering what need we have thereof This Argument our Saviour Christ useth to prove the Sabbath Mark â 27. The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath The Sabbath was made for man as meat was made for the body and a man cannot be without food no more can the soul be without the Sabbath so that we see there must be a solemn day set a part for Gods Worship and Service The Fifth Proposition is this That as there must be a set day for Gods Propos 5. One day of Seven to be set apart for Gods worship Worship and Service so this day must be one of seven not one of eight or nine or five or four but one of seven and this though it be not naturally moral yet it is positively moral though it be not natural written in the heart of man as a man if he had no teaching his conscience would find out that he should not be idle and steal and commit murther the Conscience will grope out these Ordinances and Statutes of God and the Conscience will find out that there must be a set day for Gods Worship and Service the light of nature will find out that but that it must be one day of seven that it cannot find out but I say that it is the positive law of God that it must be one of seven Now Because it is not written in the heart of man but in the Commandment Reas 1 of God positively delivered to us and required of us I can give no other Reason for it but only the reason taken out of the Scripture there can be no reason taken from the judgment of man as other Lawes the very law of Reason will enforce them but there can be no other reason for this but only out of the Word of God The Lord hath commanded six dayes thou shalt labour and being his Will it must be performed for God might require six dayes for himself and leave us but one day God might have ordained it so but God intending we should live by the sweat of our brows the Lord was pleased to allow us six dayes now he giving us six dayes doth reserve unto himself one of seven Secondly Another Reason is this As the Lord hath commanded this seventh Reas 2 day so he saith it is his day The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Now then if the seventh day be the Sabbath of the Lord our God then we must not divert any of the hours or any part of the day away when our minds run into the world we must curbe them and remember that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God Thirdly Another Reason is That our Cattel and Servants and Children Reas 3 may rest as well as our selves they are to labour six dayes and one of seven they are to rest Another Reason is Because he hath sanctified it therefore the Lord blessed Reas 4 the seventh day and hallowed it Now then if the Lord hath sanctified the seventh day and appointed it if he hath set it apart for that purpose for spiritual employments and not
to be filled up with any thing else we are guilty of Sacriledge if we do not give him this as Levit. 27. 28. the Lord saith Whatsoever is devoted unto the Lord that is most holy unto him now God saith he hath devoted the seventh day to himself therefore we are to keep it holy Nebuchadnezzar a very heathen when he knew that the Vessels came out of the Temple of the Lord he would not employ them to a common use Dan. 1. 2. He put them into the house of his god which was the holiest place he had Fifthly This is necessary because we are apt to be worldly and carnal Reas 5 and non-resident from Prayer and from the Word and serious humbling of our selves before God if we be never so little taken off how suddenly do our minds cleave unto the world and grow vain and unfit and distempered Now if God should not once in seven dayes have a day to take us off from the world as six dayes are employed in worldly affairs so if there were not a seventh day to take us off there would be no hoâ with us therefore there must be a whole day to accustom us and habituate us to the Service of God otherwise we should drown our selves in the world The Sixth Proposition is this That as it must be one of seven so it is not Propos 6. That day of the seven to be kept holy on which God rested indifferent which of the seven dayes we keep holy but it must be that day whereupon God rested therefore it hath the name of a Sabbath Sabbath is nothing but rest The reason of the name is Two-fold First Because God rested upon that day And Secondly Because we are to rest upon that day The Seventh Proposition is this That all that is in the fourth Commandment Propos 7. All that is in the Fourth Commandment is not essential to it is not essential to the Commandment the fourth Commandment delivers only these Two things First That God will have a seventh day Secondly That this seventh day is to be the day of Gods rest This is the whole meaning of the fourth Commandment now all other particulars in the fourth Commandment are not essential to the fourth Commandment as that God made Heaven and Earth in six dayes and rested the seventh day c. It is not essential to the fourth Commandment but because at that time when God delivered the Decalogue there was no greater work then the Creation and the rest from that work was the rest from the greatest work in the world theefore it was kept upon the last day of the week upon which God rested from the Creation Now the meaning of the fourth Commandment is in the eighth Verse all the other particulars are but Commentaries to open it to the Jewes Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy this is the fourth Commandment The Sabbath that is the day that God rested on and the day that we are to rest upon this is the holy day that is devoted to the Lord now it was kept upon the last day of the week because God created heaven and earth and rested upon that day and the Creation of heaven and earth was the greatest work that God then had done But then you will say Why doth the Commandment say That in Quest six dayes God created Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day I Answer 1. It is no strange thing to see some things in the Commandments Answ which are not essential to them because the Commandments were delivered to the Jewes though they concern the whole world yet the persons that actually stood before God when the Decalogue was delivered were only the Jewes Deut. 5. 22. God spake to the Jewes now no wonder that God speaking to the Jews did speak divers particulars according to them and in their phrase which if we had been alive and they to succeed us God would have spoken according to us as he did according to them 2. Secondly We see plainly there are some things in the Commandments which do not concern the whole world but only the Nation of the Jewes as in the first Commandment I have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage Thou shalt have no other gods but me That is the Commandment but though they together with the other were put into the Tables of Stone yet it concerns only the Jewes 'T is true indeed it is a type of our deliverance that we are delivered from Hell and Sin and Satan as they were delivered out of Egypt and the house of Bondage but literally these words belong only to the Jews and the Commandment is this Thou shalt have no other gods but me So it is for the fourth Commandment Again There is something in the Fifth Commandment that doth not concern us but only them Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. That thy dayes may be long in the Land which the thy God giveth thee that belongs only to the Jews it is meant particularly of the Land of Canaan This then is the effect of the Commandment Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land of Canaan So that the first words are the Commandment and the later part belongs only to the Jewes So Deut. 5. 14. the Fourth Commandment it was put into the Tables of Stone thus Remember the seventh day to keep it holy for the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter c. that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou that belongs to us as well as to them but then it follows Remember thou wert a servant in the Land of Egypt Here you see the Jewes have another Argument besides the Arguments that we have but though we have not that Argument yet the Commandment stands still and the Commandment is only thus much namely That there must be a Seventh day and that seventh day God rested upon now whereas the Jewes kept the last day of the week that was only by a temporary Commandment because the making of heaven and earth was the greatest thing that God had then done and God rested from that upon that day but now if God work a greater work then the Creating of heaven and earth and rest from that then by vertue of the fourth Commandment we are to keep that day holy upon which he rested from that work Now I come to the Eighth Proposition That this Fourth Commandment Propos 8. The 4th Commandment continual alwayes to abide in the Church concerning a Sabbath day concerning the keeping of a Seventh day holy is a continual Commandment alwayes to abide in the Church of God I will prove it by divers Arguments that it was not to continue only in the time of the Jewes but it is to abide alwayes in the Church to the
coming of the Son of man there is not a jot of Ceremony in the fourth Commandment The First Reason is Because God did institute the Sabbath before there Reas 1 was any room for Ceremonies it was commanded to Adam in his Innocency Now all Ceremonies did prefigure Christ and before Adam fell there was no Promise of the Seed of the Woman nor no need of it and so no need of a Figure to represent it but before Adam fell the Sabbath was prescribed Gen. 2. 2 3. On the seventh day God rested from all that he had made so that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it So that you see God having rested upon this day he sanctified it and put holiness upon it therefore we are not to name that Common which he hath named Holy now though we do not read of Adams keeping this day nor Abels nor Enochs nor Noahs nor Abrahams nor Isaacs nor Jacobs yet it doth not follow it was not kept for Moses doth not take in hand to set down the actions of the Fathers but only generally for you see what a short story we have of Methashelah a good man though he lived a thousand years almost yet we have scarce Three Syllables concerning him Now sith Moses did not undertake to set down all that they did therefore they might keep the Sabbath though he did not set it down neither afterwards doth he set it down for 319. years and 111. years which 430. years to the time of the Judges we have nothing spoken of concerning the Sabbath therefore seeing God did Institute it to Adam in his Innocency that is enough but what though the Fathers had not kept it holy doth it therefore follow that we must not keep it holy They had many wives doth it therefore follow that we must have many wives So suppose they did not sanctifie the seventh day though wee can see no proof that they did not yet this is enough That God did sanctifie it before any Ceremony was Again Though we do not read that they practised this yet the Scripture doth intimate to us that they did it The Second Argument to prove this is out of Exod. 16. 23. before the Reas 2 Law was delivered upon Mount Sinai before the Commandment was spoken from Horeb yet you may see that the Sabbath is spoken of and the Lord doth finde fault with Israel for not keeping of it which intimateth it was a day they well knew and the Lord saith afterwards to Moses How long will ye refuse to keep my Laws and Statutes As in vers 28. the Lord there speaks of a Sabbath as a day well known unto them that it was commanded to be sanctified by them and this was before the delivering of the Ceremonial Law therefore it is not a ceremonial Law but a positive Law equipollent with the moral Law A Third Reason is Because it was written by the singer of God in Tabels Reas 3 of stone and put into the Ark Exod. 31. 18. and Deut. 10. â the Commandments were written upon Two tables of stone and by the finger of God Now all Divines in all ages agree upon this that the writing of this Commandment in the Two tables of stone is an evident Argument of the morality of it For as a Reverend Divine saith Not to think the Fourth Commandment to be moral is the way to all Atheisme for if one should say the Fourth Commandment is not moral but ceremonial another might step up the next year and say the Second and the Fifth is not So that whereas the Law is written by the finger of God in tables of stone if we root it out of the tables of stone we shall root it out of the heart of man therefore the writing of it in the tables of stone is an evident Argument of the morality of it to all ages A Fourth Argument is this The Lord doth urge this Commandment Reas 4 more then any other Commandment in the Decalogue so that a man may question the First or Second or any of the Ten as well as this for first we know that God hath made this Commandment larger then any of the rest Secondly hee hath made it stronger and urged it with more arguments then any of the rest 3. He hath fixed a memento remember before it As who should say Be carefull of this and take heed of forgetting it take heed of those that shall teach you the contrary that this Commandment is not morall 4. It is negatively delivered and affirmatively the other delivered only one way either affirmatively only as the Fifth Honour thy Father and Mother or else negatively only as all the rest There is never a Commandment delivered both negatively and affirmatively but only the Fourth as Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy there it is delivered affirmatively And afterwards it is delivered negatively In it thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter c. The Lord hath delivered it both wayes noting that this Commandment is equall and equipollent with the other and the Lord did this in infinite wisdome because he had not written this Commandment in the heart of man by the light of nature therefore the Lord did urge it more with Arguments that what was wanting in the light of nature might be supplyed by the pressing of Arguments 5. Another Argument is Because if this be not morall then we have Reas 5 not Ten morall Commandments there are but Nine now this is false for the Scripture tels us that the Commandments are Ten as Deut. 10. 4. it is not an Ecclesiasticall thing but the Lord hath said it as you may see there And he wrote upon the Tables according to the first writing the Ten Commandments which the Lord spake unto you in the Mount out of the midst of the fire The Lord spake Ten Commandments now if the Fourth Commandment be not morall there be not ten Commandments And you may as well deny the Articles of the Faith and the Petitions of the Lords Prayer as the ten Commandments The Sixth Argument is this Christ tels us plainely that it is a Reas 6 morall Commandment Matth. 24. 20. Pray saith he that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day Our Saviour Christ here prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem which was forty yeares after Christs Ascension when all Ceremonies were ceased as Paul had proclaimed before the destruction of Jerusalem That if any man would be Gal. 5. 2 circumcised Christ should profit him nothing Galat. 5. 2. That is if he would keep the Ceremonial Law Now Christ bids those that should live forty years after the Ceremonies were ceased I would have you have a care of the Sabbath and delight in hearing of the word of God and meditating upon it and so forth and if any occasion come that you fall into the hands of your enemies pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor
on the Sabbath day as who should say If it be in the Winter that will do hurt and be troublesome to your bodies and so if you fly upon the Sabbath day that will trouble your consciences if you regard Gods commandment and the good of your own consciences if you regard or fear Gods name it will grieve you to fly on the Sabbath day whereby you shall be deprived of the Congregation of Gods Saints therefore pray that your flight be not upon that day Intimating that it was Morall for if it had been Ceremoniall he would not have wished them to pray that it might not be upon that day Now whereas our Saviour doth so often condemn the Pharisees in regard of their strictnesse of the Sabbath it is not as if he did disallow the keeping of it but they were foolishly precise they strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel they crowded out and regarded nor Mercy and Judgment they would not pull a poor beast out of a pit or relieve a poor man upon the Sabbath day they found fault that a man should be helped from deaths door by our Saviour upon the Sabbath this was their folly Now our Saviour did not condemn strict keeping of the Sabbath but he did condemn their Superstition for ever since Adams time it was lawful to do works of Mercy on the Sabbath it was Lawful to pull a beast out of the pit and do works of Mercy and Necessity upon the Sabbath day And whereas the Law saith The Jewes might not kindle a fire on the Sabbath Exod. 35. 3 day if we were in their case we might not neither for they were in the Wildernesse in an hot Countrey where they needed no Fire and having their Food provided to their hands And being in an hot Countrey if they kindled a Fire it was out of wantonnesse but if it had been a cold Countrey in Adams time and Abrahams time and in all times it was lawful to kindle a Fire Againe another Argument is this The very Heathen themselves have Reas 7 ever kept a Sabbath day though they could not tell which the day was some kept the Eighth day and some the Ninth yet they ever kept a Sabbath day Yea it is certain many of the Heathen themselves kept the Sabbath after their manner Alexandrinus a godly Father that lived but a little after Christ saith That the Heathen did count the âeventh day an Holy day And it is related of Alexander Severus Emperour of Rome though he were a Pagan and Infidel yet every Sabbath day he retired from his Warlike affaires and went up into the Capitol to worship his gods And it is reported againe in Heathen Histories our boyes go not to School upon the Sabbath day neither are Humane Arts taught on that day but we have a Rest upon that day Nay some of the Heathens tell us That they keep it from the Creation therefore Philo tells us That the Sabbath day is the Creation day and divers other poor people that never had Scripture or Prophet or Minister among them but went meerly by the light of Nature and what they had learned from their Ancestors and Fathers they did keep the Sabbath day Nay one of them saith That on the Seventh day all the Host of Heaven and Earth was finished Therefore seeing the very Heathen have learned to keep this day Holy it is an Evident Argument that this is a Moral Commandement I conclude the Proof of this Point with the saying of our Saviour Christ Mat. 5. 18. Heaven and Earth shall passe away but not one jot or title of the Law shall passe away Marke our Saviour saith there that there shall not one jot or title of the Decalogue passe away As for the Ceremonial and Judicial law they stand not still but the whole compasse of them is removed the Ceremonial Law is quite and clean abolished and the Judicial Law in many particulars therefore our Saviour meant it not of those two Laws but he speaks of the Decalogue and he saith Heaven and Earth shall passe away before one jot of it shall passe away much lesse an whole branch be rooted out And Gal. 3. 10. the Apostle saith Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in this Law to do them not only he that continueth not in the fourth and fifth and all the rest And Jam. 2. 10. the Apostle there saith If a man should keep the whole Law of God and be guilty only in one point he is guilty of all Suppose thou didst keep the Three first Commandments and all the Six last if thou keepest not the Fourth Commandment thou art guilty of the breach of all the Commandments I let this passe and come now to the last Proposition which is this That Propos 9. The first day of the week was the Lords day and so to continue to the end of the world though the last day of the week were kept for the Sabbath till the coming of Christ yet the first day of the week that seventh day is now the Lords Day and is so to continue to the end of the World I frame it thus The change of the seventh day to the first day of the week is not by Ecclesiastical Law or by the Law of man or Apostolical Tradition but it is by the Institution and express Commandment of God The first Argument to prove it is taken out of Psal 118. 24. It is an Argument Reas 1 used by the Church of God in all Ages ever since twelve hundred years agoe Saint Austin did use it in his time the Psalmist Prophecieth of the Resurrection of Christ the Stone which the builders refused is become the Head-stone of the Corner this is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in ver 22 23 our eyes Our Saviour Christ Mat. 21. doth expound it of his Crucifying and Resurrection This is the day that the Lord hath made we will be glad and rejoyce in it The Psalmist speaks here of the Resurrection of Christ now speaking of this very day saith he This is The day that the Lord hath made And we for our part that are godly and desire to be built upon this Corner Stone we will be glad and rejoyce in it we will keep it as a glorious day a day of Thanksgiving and Rejoycing in God The thing is plain see Isa 56. 1 2. the Prophet Prophecyeth of the Day of Christ and saith They are blessed that keep the Sabbath thus saith the Lord Keep Judgement and Justice for my Salvation is at hand to come and my Righteousness is to be revealed Blessed is the man that doth this and keepeth my Sabbaths This is a Prophecie of the day of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and he pronounceth a blessing upon those that keep the Sabbath in those dayes Again Isa 11. 10. it was Prophecied of old that the first day of the week should be the Sabbath day the Lords day
a great forsaking a great declining and people hearkned to Doctrines of Divels and Damnable Heresies and the whole world groaned under Popery Yet in the dead times of Popery there were abundance of Prophets the Lord did keep their Judgements entire in this thing as Gregory and Silvester and others though they were Superstitious Papists yet they say That the change of the Sabbath from the last day of the week to the first is by Divine Institution Now to come to the times of Reformation here we have abundance of Reverend men beyond the sea both in Germany and France that maintain it is by Divine Institution Another Argument is taken from the Judgements of God If men will not Reas 8 hearken to reason and the examples of the Saints and Judgement of Divines in all ages yet the Lord will make it appear from heaven that this is the Lords Day and the Lord hath sealed it First by his Judgements for the wrath of God hath been revealed from heaven upon those that have prophaned this day the Stories in all ages shew it In the Councel of Paris where Divines out of all Countries in Christendome were met together to consult about matters of Religion Ministers stepped up and made complaint concernining the Sabbath Let us make a Canon for the sanctifying of the Sabbath day for to our knowledg the Lords wrath hath broken out upon the Countrey for the breach of this day and one related one story and another another as one told a Story of a Miller that grinding upon the Sabbath day a fire brake out and burnt Mill and Man and all Another of an Husbandman that going into the field to fetch home his Corn upon the Sabbath day thunder and lightning brake forth and burnt him and his corn Many such stories were related in that Councel and the Magdenbergs have a story of a Noble-man that using to Hunt upon the Sabbath day the Lord brought it so to passe that his Wife brought forth a child with a head just like a dog I could relate abundance of Stories beyond sea but we have enough here at home the Town of Stratford in Warwick shire as it is related in the Practice of Piety was Burnt three times upon this day And the Story of the Parris Garden 1583. they were gathered together this day to see the sport of the Beasts fighting together and the Scaffold fell down and eight were slain and abundance hurt So there are many more such Examples I remember my self above a dozen within this half year the Lord hath revealed his displeasure from heaven for the breach of this day Secondly Again the Lord hath sealed this in the conscience of his people For who are they that break this day but loose and vain and prophane men And who make conscience of it but those that most fear God those that God hath most crowned with Righteousnesse and sanctification they delight in this and Sanctifie it and count it Holy to the Lord and the more a man fears God the more careful he is of the keeping of this day and the more he is grieved to see it prophaned either by himself or others because he hath experience of the blessings of God upon the keeping of this day no man doth Sanctifie this day conscionably but he shall find a blessing therefore it is surely from the Lord. The First Vse is this Is the first day of the week the Sabbath by Divine Vse 1 institution then here we see that we are to keep a whole day The Divel if he cannot make men keep no day then it is his policy to make them keep it by halves Oh say they Do we not keep the Sabbath Do we not come to Church and hear the word and Divine Service Morning and Evening Is not this to keep the Sabbath But if the Lord hath Instituted this day then certainly he hath Instituted a whole day It is madnesse and want of reason for a man to think the contrary Suppose I hire a man to labour with mee for a day do I not make account he should work one whole day Suppose I hire a Servant for a year do I not mean an whole year though I put not in the word Whole yet I suppose he must dwell a whole year with me And if I hire a man for a day it is for an whole day so that in Grammatical sense when the Scripture saith Thou shalt Sanctifie the Sabbath day it is meant a whole day It is not in this as in other words any piece of a stone is stone but in things that signifie the whole it is not the same as a day a part of a day is not a day the least part of water is water or of fire is fire but a part of a day is not a day Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day and I was in the Spirit on the Lords day and they met together on the first day of the week it is a day therefore the meaning of the scripture is that it should be a whole day and it is so in reason and therefore we are to keep an whole day therefore we should not curtail the Lords day as the servants of Hanun did the garments of Davids servants You know what became of Ananias and Saphira that brought but part when they should have brought the whole they should have brought the whole price of their inheritance but they brought but part therefore the Lord smote them with death so when the Lord requires a whole day and we give him but a part we shall bring vengeance upon our own heads There are divers arguments for it First the weeke consists of seven dayes and he hath given six to us and reserves one day to himself now we wil grant that we have not part of six dayes but six whole dayes If you aske a man what do you work all day Why yea the Lord hath given us six dayes therefore six whole dayes Now by the same reason God must have an whole day if we take any part of the seventh day then we have more then six dayes which is contrary to the scripture Another reason is this God rested the seventh day now looke what time God rested that time we must sanctifie now God rested the seventh day all of it he left none of the creation to do upon the seventh day he had finished the creation in six dayes and rested all the seventh day therefore we must keep the whole day Thirdly because this is the nature of a Sabbath to bee 24 houres not to be an artificiall day but to be a naturall day 24 houres together as you may see Lev. 23. 32. you shall keep the Sabbath from evening to evening then the dayes were reckoned from evening to evening from the creation though now under the gospel because Christ arose in the morning they are reckoned from morning to morning Fourthly another argument is this God never ordained halfe holy dayes in
4 Stir up Sympathy 69 Qu. 5 How shall we sympathize with Christs members Ans 1 By informing our selves concerning one another 2 By visiting fellow-members 3 By laying to heart their afflictions Of the Sabbath Exod. 20. 19. Prop. 1. There must be some set time for the worship and immediate service of God 70 Reas 1 All actions cannot be done at once 2 Because of our dulness Prop. 2. There must be some set time every day Reas 1. Else we live like beasts 71. 2 Every morning God reneweth mercies 3 God is the beginning and ending of all things Prop. 3. Every day is in some sort a Sabbath Reas 1. Gods covenant with us requires it 2 Not to do so is a brand of hypocrisie 3 Blessednesse consists in it 72 4 This is the sum of the law of righteousnesse Prop. 4. There must be a particular special day Reas 1. That in this life we may have an Emblem of Heaven 2 Gods honour requires it 73 3 God sometimes calls for extraordinary dayes 1 Of rejoycing 2 Of fasting 1 When judgements are feared 74 2 Mercies wanting 3 Souls tempted 4 Some notable work undertaken 4 It is most equitable 75 1 That God should have one day 2 That our souls should have one day Prop. 5. One day in seven is to be set a part for Gods worship Reas 1. Gods positive command 76 2 It is Gods day 3 That servants cattel c. may have rest 4 God hath sanctified it 5 Because we are apt to be worldly c. Prop. 6. That day of seven is to be kept holy on which God rested 76 Prop. 7. All that is in the fourth Commandement is not essential to it Prop. 8. The fourth commandement continually to abide in force 78 Reas 1. Because the Sabbath was instituted before there was room for ceremonies 2 The Sabbath was kept before the Law given 3 It was written by the finger of God 79 4 God often urgeth this Commandement as well as any other 5 Else we have not ten Commandements 6 Christ plainly tells us so 7 The Heathens have ever kept a Sabbath day 80 Prop. 9. The first day of the week is now the Lords day 81 Reas 1. From Psal 118. 24. 2 From Rev. 1. 10. 3 Christ calls himself Lord of the Sabbath 82 4 Christ commanded the Apostles to keep this day 5 Christs wisdom would not leave such things uncertain 6 Who should institute this day but be that is the head 7 All Christians have kept this day since the Apostle time 8 Gods judgements on the prophaners of this day do evince it 83 Use 1. Then we are to keep an whole day 84 Reas 1. We have six whole daies for our selves 2 God rested an whole day 3 From Levit. 23. 32. 4 God never instituted halfe holy daies 85 5 It is the judgement of Divines in all ages Use 2. Then sports are unlawful on this day Reas 1. Because working is otherwise commanded sporting only permitted 2 Working doth less distract the mind The Second Part of CRISTS Alarm to DROUSIE SAINTS REVEL 3. 1. Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead I Have spoken of the life of the affections and now I should come to the next thing namely to shew how far a child of God may be said to be dead but before I handle this there 1. Point why a child of God may think he is dead or deader then ever when there is no such matter Seven cases of false liveliness 1. Novelty of Religion and grace is another point that would be spoken to in a word or two and that is this Why a child of God may think himself to be dead when he is not and think he is grown deader then ever he was and there is no such matter and others may think he is grown cold and negligent and yet the truth is he is more affected and more alive towards God then formerly this is a very needful point and there be several causes of false liveliness which a child of God may have and when they go away he may seem to be deader then he was whereas indeed he is not so The first is novelty of Religion and grace when grace is yet new and the word comes fresh to a man and the promises of eternal life look freshly into a mans heart they will affect him much and not only raise his sanctified affections but his unsanctified too for the unsanctified affections will stir at a novelty a man that hath no grace at all nor any life will be stirred at a new thing as when the Apostle preached new doctrine to the Athenians Acts 17. 32. we will hear thee again of this matter say they they cared not how often they heard this because it was news to them so when Christ preached up and down O what new doctrine is this say they never man spake as this man Joh. 7. 46. it was a new kind of preaching new gifts this stirred them mightily so it may be with a true Christian when the word of God comes first to him and grace comes first to him the novelty of grace may affect him when God first opens his eyes how strangely will he be moved in prayer how strangely will he carry himself at a Sermon his very bowels yearn at a Sermon and he will cry out Oh the infinite mercy of God to my soul what a beast was I before I was an hell-hound a child of the Divel and now the Lord hath made me a child of God I went on in the high way to perdition and now God hath brought me into the right way this is admirable but do you think these are all good affections there is a great deal of corruption in these as new Beer when it is first tunned it hath a great deal of working then but when it is staler it doth not work so much yet then is the Beer more powerfull and hath more life as it is with a mans first entrance into an hot bath it doth so stir him as if it did seald him but after he hath been in a while he is sensible of little or no heat the heart is as much as it was at the first and works upon him as much but he feels it not so much so a good Christian doth not seem to be so much affected afterwards as formerly are his true affections therefore down no but his unsanctified ones are down may be a man hath not lost a jot of his true and sound and sanctified affections but only his unsanctified ones for when grace comes first into the soul of a new convert there is a greater Army raised up for God then is likely to continue there are a company of mercenary Souldiers steping and seem to go out and to fight for God as well as the ãâ¦ã t you shall have more fears in that man then are true and more deââres after grace then are true carnal desires and joys and delights these
but saith he The Lord though I was one of his elect yet he let me fall to this pass that I might be a pattern to them which shall afterwards believe so we may say of Gods children after conversion David may say For this cause among the rest the Lord left me to my self the Lord let me fall so fouly and lifted me up again that I might be a pattern to many poor people to the end of the world that they may see the loving kindness of the Lord and the infinite compassions and bowels of mercy that is in the father of mercy towards them that trust in his name we should never believe the mercy of God the freeness of his grace the goodness of his nature towards his beloved towards those whom he hath effectually called were it not for such examples Secondly The Lord doth this for to punish the carelesseness of his people and their security many times what sin is there that is more apt to grow upon them then security it is a stealing sin it is a secret and cunning sin that comes closely and slightly upon a man before he is aware if he look not to himself now when a man grows to be secure the Lord takes this course many times to eat it out to punish the security of his people Peter when he had gotten faith in Christ and affection to Christ when he felt that his bowels did yearn after Christ and his heart was enlarged towards him he grow secure upon it though all forsake thee yet will not I he was Mat. 26. confident but it was carnal confidence for though the thing a man trusts in be the grace of God yet as long as it is grace received it is trusting in a mans self he therefore was carnally confident now he would venture himself into the high Priests hall though he thus affections will never be drowned he might go any whither well he comes into the high Priests hall and there comes into the very mouth of temptations and dangers he doth not dream how easily his heart may be caused to deny Christ he did not dream what a ticklish heart he carried in his bosome he grew to be bold and venturous now the Lord to heal this security let him fall in a desperate manner he let him get a knock almost to beat out his brains even Mat. 26. 74. to curse and ban himself not only to deny Christ but with abjuration the Lord seeth it is needful to do thus when people grow secure we ought alwaies to carry a covenant about our eyes to take heed where we look and when we are in company to have a bridle in our mouth to take heed what we speak now if we grow careless and negligent and this bridle is gone and this covenant is gone and our watch is taken away no marvel though the Lord be provoked against us to punish us and that soundly and let many of his people get a knock and who knows how great a one and how hard to heal again Thirdly the Lord sometimes leaves his people to themselves that so they may see they stand meerly by grace I doe not mean by grace received though they had all faith though they had never so much knowledge never so much experience and interest in God never so much sense and feeling of him never so much life and zeal and quickening whatsoever it be all the enlargements that ever any man had I doe not mean this for a man never stands by this but by the free favour of God that is the grace a man stands by the free good will and love that God doth bear unto him Now when a childe of God shall have received a great deal of grace a great deal of knowledge and faith c. he is apt to be remisse in seeking of God to direct him in that thing he knowes he thinks he can direct himselfe we see let a man have very good parts and knowledge and be able to preach how apt is he to be the lesse in prayer to God to help him to Preach and guide him to deliver the Word So let another man have a great deal of knowledge may be the man will be the less sensible of his own wretchednesse and ignorance and aptness to mistake and erre and goe aside and so to be lesse eager and earnest with God for his continual aid and teaching and assisting of him every moment So let a man have a great deal of zeal and life and quickening he is apt to discern the lesse pronenesse to coole again And suppose a man hath mortified a lust nay all his lusts he can hardly feel he hath any desire after such a sin hardly any motions or stirrings in his heart I tell you this man if he takes not heed will be a venturing oh he thinks he is cock-sure he is so taken off from the lusts of the flesh that he can never catch hurt and he may be sometimes will admit of occasions and admit of drawing something neer the pits brink he is so mortified he fears nothing Now the Lord in his infinite goodnesse to his people leaves them to themselves are you so mortified come let us see how mortified you are and so leave him to himselfe to see what the man can doe with all his knowledge and zeal and mortification and now this man falls Look how far God leaves a man so far he falls he will have his people see that they stand not by grace received but by the free grace and favour of God It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. No though a man have never so many gracious endowments and heavenly vertues it is not in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy it is in the fountain of mercy and loving kindnesse in God Let a man keep close to God let a man still observe the pleasing of God that there may be a continual fountain open running down upon him from day to day for if he grow secure and look not to himselfe he exposeth himself to woful dangers Fourthly The Lord leaves his people sometimes thus fearfully to themselves that he might teach us to be sensible towards our brethren to be mild and meek and piteous and full of bowels and compassion towards the weakest and meanest of all the Saints of God if we see but any thing of God nay but any likelihood that a man is of God to be tender for fear we should wrong a childe of God the Lord doth this of purpose to breed bowels and meeknesse and gentlenesse towards his people As God lets men fall horribly before conversion that they may carry themselves meekly towards those that are unconverted for fear any of them should be of the Elect of God so he lets them fall after conversion that they may carry themselves so towards them that are converted I say the Lord lets his
wrapt up with God and taken up with spiritual things yet you are not so spiritual but if you will hearken to the counsel of your own hearts you may be carnal and brutish look upon thy self as a poor miserable creature though thou hast never so much grace thou canst not keep it unlesse thou hast a better keeper then thy self Secondly Because the people of God are bound to fear themselves I bring the very arguments that they bring that hold a child of God may fall away totally therefore I grant them that the arguments are good that in themselves they may fall away and I say a child of God is commanded to fear be not high-minded but fear that is though thou hast an excellent faith and standest by faith yet be not high-minded do not think thou art higher then thou art and remoter from the power of the flesh then thou art be not proud and conceited for all the faith thou hast thou mayst distrust God and if God leave thee to thy self thou mayst be an unbeliever and as vile an infidel as ever breathed upon the face of the earth in thy self thou hast as vile a wretched heart as any man which if thou wert left to thy self would quickly shew what it is Phil. 2. 12. 13. work out your salvation with fear and trembling for God worketh both the will and the deed As who should say I do not deny but a child of God doth depend upon the good pleasure of God and is built upon his eternal counsel he is not built upon his own pleasure he doth not stand upon the hap hazard of his own will but upon the good pleasure of Gods will but saith he it is our part to fear for we for our part may fall we can do nothing no more then we are holpen no more then God doth stand by us and keep us from falling it is our part to fear and tremble from day to day as the Apostle saith Heb. 4. 1. let us fear lest having the promises of entring into his rest any of us should fall short Let us fear as who should say we are in danger of coming short we are in danger to fall and not to reach the Kingdom of Heaven how many temptations are there what a vile flesh do we carry about with us therefore let us fear Thirdly The children of God are commanded to take heed lest they fall totally away where note they may for all that is in themselves for any grace that is received therefore God calls upon them to cling to him and âo cleave to him that he may not be provoked to withhold himself from them as we may see Heb. 12. 15. take heed lest any man fail of the grace of God c. Take heed look diligently to your selves lest any man fail of the grace of God if you mean to go to heaven I can tell you you must have care and diligence and look to your selves take heed you be not proud and worldly take heed you suffer not security nor any other corruption to steal upon you and hinder you from going on in a godly course take heed lest any of you fail of the grace of God what do these words import but that a man in himself is in greiveous danger in regard of falling totally away so 1 Cor. 10. 12. he that stands let him take heed lest he falls though he stand never so firm for the present though he be never so stout and couragious no man ever went so far in the wayes of God but he might turn back if he lookt not to himself no man was ever so zealous but he might be lukewarm if he lookt not to it no man was ever so quickned but he may be deaded if he look not to it therefore he that stands let him take heed lest he fall Fourthly Because the children of God are commanded still to grow in grace because there is no grace yet received or that can be received in this world is enough to keep them from falling totally away if a man think with himself this grace I have is enough I need no more if he do stand at a stay and limit himself and think this will suffice he is mistaken there is no grace if it were a thousand times greater then that which the best Saint in the world hath that can secure a man from falling away therefore when the Apostle would perswade Christians to take heed that they did not fall away 2 Pet. 3. 17. he bids them grow in grace would you not fall but stand stedfast would you not be led away with the errours of the wicked know assuredly that all the graces you have received are not sufficient but grow in grace labour to be more humble and meek and patient and zealous labour to make more conscience of your wayes to have a more tender heart to be more taken up with God and more careful to please him to be more earnest and frequent in prayer to mark his word and look to your steps every day labour to stand firmer and stronger yet for all that you have attained to it is not so much but it may be weakned and born down Therefore grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Sixthly Because the examples of Apostates and backsliders are propounded to the very Saints for them to take warning by as the Apostle propounds the example of the Jewish Apostates to the Romans if God spared not the natural branches c. Look upon them see how they are fallen away Rom. 11. 21 how that Church is Apostatized therefore look thou to thy self lest that which befell them befall thee lest thou sin against God as they did and so that light upon thee which did light upon them so the Apostle doth propound tââ example of Alexander and Hymeneus and Philetus even to Timothy though Timothy was elect of God yet he knew Timothy was of a flexible nature and might change and fall and fall totally in himself if he did not look to it O saith he hold faith and a good conscience c. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. He propounds it even to Timothy that the falls of Apostates might make him wary and careful to stand upon his guard Seventhly Bee use the children of God are fain to pray that God would keep them from falling away finally totally which is a sign that they may fall away totally in themselves notwithstanding whatsoever acquaintance they have with God or whatsoever vertue they have gotten from Christs death yet they are to go to God to keep them from falling away as Psal 119. 43. 44. take not away the word of thy truth c. As who should say Lord for ever keep me do thou never forsake me utterly though I may provoke thee to forsake me very much yet never take away the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth then I shall never be able to hold
the people of God and had Abraham for their father and were barren and fruitless and dissolute in their lives you may see how John Baptist answers their foolish conceit think not with your selves we have Abraham to our father c. Mat. 3. 9. he hath no need of you you are the children of Abraham but know God can cast you into Hell for all you are the children of Abraham and can make Heathens and Infidels children of Abraham so when the Jews boasted Mal. 1. that God had chosen them he hated Esau and loved Jacob and they grew to be insolent and disobedient to God and polluted his holy Temple and despised his name see what God saith I will accept none of these things at your hands I will gather me a people among the Heathens Mal. 1. 13. As who should say I want not people I can go among the Heathen and there have my worship regarded which you have slighted and neglected Thirdly There is no particular Church in the world hath a promise 3 No particular Church hath a promise of continuance alwayes to be a Church but it they grow careless and secure and unprofitable under the means the Lord will be gone he hath made no such promise to continue with them for ever 't is true there is never a godly soul never a member of the Church but God hath promised he will never leave him 2 Tim. 2. 19. and Mat. 28. 20. he saith so of his own people he will never leave them but the good things he hath begun in them he will perfect them in the day of Christ nay though all particular Churches should be destroyed God will have a care of these particular Saints of his Catholique Church that not any limbe of it shall cease but for particular Churches God hath made no such promises but upon condition Rom. 11. 22. if a Parish or Kingdom continue in the fear of Gods name and regard his commandements be fruitful under his Ordinances and thankful for his goodness then he will stay but otherwise saith he thou shalt be broken off though thou be the famousest Church in the world This may conâound the Church of Rome who promise to themselves they âse 1. âo conâound the Church of Rome shall never be unchurched though they have been unchurched many years yet they brag they are the only Church in the world Bellarmine brags that St. Peters chair shall never go from Rome and no wonder for the spirit of God foretold it Rev. 17. I sit as Queen and shall never be a Widow I shall be a Wife a Spouse for ever I shall see no sorrow you see how secure she is just the child of her proud mother Babylon Isa 47. 8. So 't is with the Church of Rome I am and none else I am she calls her self the Roman Catholique Church as if there were no Church but Rome all the Nations of the world if they will be a âhurch must be members of that Church as it was said of Rome in Augusius time If Jupiter should come down from Heaven there is no Country for him to come into but Rome look into this or that country Rome hath to doe there so Rome notwithstanding her Apostacy is grown to that height of pride and security as if she were and none but she O poor deluded company there is scarce any true note of a Church of Christ among them and yet they make themselves to be the onely Church This may be an Item for all the particular Churches in the whole world Vse 2. To all particular Churches for England Denmark France wheresoever is any Here you see the Church of Sardis had but a name to live and was dead there was nothing but remainders in her and they were ready to die and come to nothing But what speak I of the Church of Sararâ Where are all the famous Churches of Asta of Pergamus and Thâatâra c. what is become of these famous Churches are they not turned into a wilderness and to worship Mebâmet and Idols and are even grown as bad as Heathens But what need I speak of these Look upon the Church of the Jewes that were thâ priâcipal people of God no Church like that Israel is my first borne there was never any Church under the Gospel that was his onely Church but Judaea was his onely oâe his pleasant Plant nay they were the Fathers of Jesus Christ according to the flesh Rom. 9. yet notwithstanding that Church was cut off When the holy City proved a Harlot when these people grew to be weary of God and his Ordinances and grew to be loose and would not be ruled by God and his Word the Lord gave them a Bill of Divorcement and sent them away therefore let us be warned by them it is a fearfull thing when God for Idolatry shall cast off Churches and yet we not tremble but live under security and hardness of heart and take not warning by it Jer. 3. 8. God saith Yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not but played the harlot When God cast off the ten Tribes Judah saw this and heard of this and could not chuse but understand this and yet she did not fear for all this So when this Parish or any other Parish shall hear of any Parish that is unchurched and unministred and God hath taken away his presence from among them and there shall be no signe of his gracious presence any more the Gospel is gone from such a place and we hear of it and yet doe not fear but are as secure as ever as unfruitful under the means as ever and doe not stir up our selves to be more obedient to God and his Ordinances but goe on to play the harlot and goe a whoring from God from day to day nay we are even ready to promise our selves peace for all this this is a fearful thing Mark what the Lord saith Jer. 7. 11 12 13 14 15. He speaks there of Jerusalem So when God hath poured out his plagues and punishments upon other Parishes and other places and hath taken away his Ark and the glory is departed from them and they are left in the shadow of death and we see it and yet tremble not at it God calls upon us from day to day to amend our lives that we miâht finde mercy with him God tells us as he hath done to other Parishes in the Kingdome so he will doe to us the Lord will lay us desolate and waste as other parts of the land are and certainly the Lords wrath and vengeance is hard at our heels if we doe not speedily repent who knows how soon God may deprive us of his Word and Ordinances For ãâã not found thy works perfect before God If we take these words in sunder they containe these five Propositions First That the covenant of grace requires works Secondly That these works should be perfect Thirdly That they should not onely be perect
the children of Judah fasted and that for 70. years together four times in a year they sought the Lord extraordinarily yet because they did not seek him thoroughly he did not count it sincerely done Zach. 7. 4 5. As who should say You did not fast unto me Doubtless they themselves thought they were very religious what not only to doe the duties of religion but to doe extraordinary duties no question they thought this was very much yet every one were cast off because their hearts were not upright before him Aââziah the Text saith did those things that were good in the eyes of the Lord yet the Text makes this exception against him that it was not with an upright heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. Conâider first That God delights only in an upright heart Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord but those that are upright in their wayes are his delight Upright Prayer and upright hearing of the Word and upright Preaching of it upright walking in a mans Family and upright carriagâ in a mans conversation when a man carries himself uprightly in all his wayes this man is a delight to God as he saith Isa 66. 2. I can look over heaven and earth but at him will I look that trembleth at my Word The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. When a man can make faithful pleas to the throne of grace for mercy faithful pleas that God would pardon him faithful pleas that God would enable him and accept him and he doth not make these pleas falsly but his own heart can say there is no sin but he sets himselfe against it and there is no commandement but he sets himself to obey it but the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him he cannot abide it let them pray a thousand prayers God abhors their prayers if they have not upright hearts So 1 Chron. 29. 17. see what David saith as who should say Lord thou hast pleasure in uprightness and then certainly thou hast some pleasure in me for with an upright heart and in the sincerity of my soule have I sought thee Now on the contrary if a man be not upright before God if a man have a loose conversation and he be not sincere the Lord abhors that man Secondly Consider that this is the totall summe of all that God requires in the Covenant of grace that they should be upright and faithful in his Covenant as when he made his Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. 1. he saith Walk before me and be upright This is that God requires and he would be an Almighty God unto him and bless him and do him good to all generations 1 Sam. 12. 24. It is the saying of Samuel to the people Only fear the Lord and walk before him with an upright heart As who should say this is the onely thing and God requires no more if God had required more he might lawfully have done it if he had required the fulfilling of the Law to the utmost rigour he might have done it but this is the onely thing that God doth stand upon that we should be upright before him he doth not look that we should be Angels upon earth but that we should be sincere and noâ goe a whoring from him wittingly and willingly Thirdly Consider The least faith the least grace and goodness if it be with uprightness is better then all the goodly performances of the whole world God liked more of the poor womans two mites then of all the abundance that the Scribes and Pharisees cast into the Treasury And he that gives a cup of cold water to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall noâ lose his reward Therefore you shall see many poore beggarly things over those things that other men have done have been accepted whereas the building of Hospitals and Colledges have been rejected though a man have but a little knowledge as many of the Martyrs hardly knew how many Sacraments there were yet having uprightness died at stake so if a man have but a little faith with sincerity it shall pass when a thousand presumptuous fools shall goe to hell Fourthly Consider God will wink at manifold and grievous faults so there be sincerity and uprightness Asa his faults were horrible faults 1 Kings 15. 14. yet his heart was perfect What a company of faults had he what an horrible failing was this that he should cast the very Prophet of God into prison that reproved him Now God answers he had his failings and horrible ones yet he was a good man for his heart was upright before me Asa was not himselfe in that businesse Asa was not Asa then his heart was upright with the Lord. So good Jehosaphat a man that was grievously besmeared with corruptions and infirmities and those no small ones how fearfully did he marry his daughters into a most devillish Family as if he had no fear of God before his eyes he married them to the house of Ahab and another time he helped the enemies of the Lord and loved them that hated the Lord I know not how he was hooked in to joyn with Ahab and goe up to Ramoth Gilead and when he had done this and had humbled himselfe for this he did it again 2 Kings 3. 7. And the Reformation he wrought was not thorough as it ought to have been yet saith the Text 2 Chro. 19. 3. There are good things in thee because he was upright the Lord was pleased to accept him nay I will tell you more look upon the people at the Passeover in the dayes of Hezekiah what a company of people came to Jerusalem to keep the Passeover and came horribly unprepared the Text saith they were not prepared according to the Law of Moses which was a grievous thing yet the Text saith the Lord heard the prayers of Hezekiah for them because they prepared their hearts to seeke the Lord they did endeavour to grieve and be ashamed for their failings and want of preparation now on the other side what goodly men doth God reject not being upright and sincere as Jehu what a glorious King was he I warrant all the good people of Judah and Israel blessed God that ever he sate upon the Throne what to root out Baal and to destroy all the Idolatrous Priests and to be zealous in it come and see my zeal for the Lord these were admirable things yet the Lord doth discharge him and would have none of him because he was not upright Look upon the Scribes and Pharisees the none suches and mirrours of their times that was a Proverbe in Israel that if but two men in the world should go to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other Pharisee they were thought to be the holiest men in the world yet when the Lord saw this was not with an upright heart he denounceth woe upon woe against them Fifthly Consider That if we be upright it
86. 2. his conscience did not excuse him onely in that he had done holy duties but in that he waâ an holy man his conscience could witness with him that he was an holy man and on the other side the conscience doth not onely accuse in evil actions but also in an evil estate I and my people are wicked saith Pharoh Exod. 9. his conscience did not onely accuse him that he did evil actions but that he was in an evil estate not onely that he had done a wicked thing but was a wicked man and the reason of this is because how else should a man be commanded to shun a bad and follow a good estate if it were not discernable who are in a good and bad estate as we see we are called to avoid the one and follow hard after the other therefore it is a thing that may be attained to nay it is not onely a thing that may be attained unto but the children of God are wont to know it as Paul here to Timothy he hath called us we are able to speak it our consciences choake us not in speaking of it nay the doubtfullest man that ever was was Hâmar Psal 88. 1. O Lord God of my salvation I have cryed night and day unto thee as who should say I am very much bewildered and much to seek and lost in doubts and fears marvelously oppressed and overwhelmed yet this I can say thou art my God the God of my salvation thou hast effectually called me to pertake of thy mercy and I have relation to that thou hast given me union with thee thou art the God of my salvation and so it was with David when he was at his worst hath God forgotten to be gracious will he câst off for ever c Psal 77. though he had named all their grievous passages of feare and despaire as a man would think yet at the self same time ver 5. I have considered the dayes of old he was able to lay hold upon this certainty I have been called such a time the Lord was gracious and merciful unto me I have believed I have tasted of Gods goodness and pertake of his mercy and known the forgiveness of my sinnes he looked unto the dayes of old he could not deny it though he were now miserably put to it he could not deny this but in the dayes of old God had been his God and he his servant and so Jonah when he was dejected and cast down and seemed to be in the belly of hell Lord saith he I am cast out of thy sight as if he had been cast off and quite at a losse yet at the selfe same time saith he I will loâk towards thy holy Temple Jon. 2. 4. as who should say I cannot deny but thou hast effectually called me I have looked to thy Temple heretofore I have looked to Christ and rested upon thee for eternal life and for mercy and thou art my refuge therefore I will look againe to thee So Joh. 14. 5 6 7. Thomas he speaks as if he had not known Christ Thomas saith he ver 7. thou dost know me nay when he made a vow that he would not believe except he saw the print of the nailes yet this was but in a fit for within a little space he saith my Lord and my God Joh. 20. I will prove this by reason that a man that is quite to seek that a man that is not able to speak with any certainty he hath not a jot of faith in this point to believe that he is the Lords for that man walks in darkness our Saviour makes it a brand of a man that walks in darkness that knoweth not whether he goeth Joh. 12. 35. He that walks in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth whither to heaven or to hell whither he goes right or wrong to Christ or not it is a shroad signe that that man is in a bad estate that God never yet took him out of the world to the fellowship of Jesus Christ The first reason is because it is the office of the Spirit to make known to a The spirit make known the things of God man the things given him of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. now saith he we have received the Spirit not of the world but the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God as who should say as God hath given us such and such things So we have the Spirit of God that can tell us the things that God hath freely given us when God hath given a man effectual calling it is a free gift and then it is the Spirits office to let a man know it and the Spirit will do his office nay when God effectually calls a man by his Spirit the Spirit saith to a man as the disciples of Christ said to the man that was brought to Christ Matth 10. 40 Be of good cheare he calls thee so when God effectually calls a man the Spirit saith arise be of good cheare the Lord calls thee the Lord of heaven and earth gives thee a gracious call to come to his heavenly Kingdome to believe in his name and to rest upon him for Salvation and for every needful thing for this life and the life to come the Spirit whereby a man is called doth speak internum verbum as Divines speak an inward word which the soul hears as well as the outward eare hears the external word our Saviour sheweth this Joh. 6. 45. he that hath heard and learned of the Father saith he cometh unto me when a man is effectually called to come unto Christ he hears of the Father there is a word that the Father speaks not onely the word of the Minister but an inward word and that man hears a word from the Father and how can it be but a man may know it when he hears it for there is a word and an audible word a word whereby the Lord of glory speaks to a man when he effectually calls him to come out of his sins Secondly Because a man that is effectually called of God he is commanded How to make our calling and election sure by God to make his calling and election sure as we may see 2 Pet. 1. 10. as who should say you may make it sure 't is true in legal precepts this doth not follow that if so be God bid a man to do it therefore it is possible to do it for the law commands things not possible to be done by reason of the weakness of the flesh but this is an evangelical precept now when a man is effectually called of God and is commanded to make his calling sure he may do it the thing is possible and it may be performed and it is a mans own fault if he do it not if a man that is effectually called of God do not know it it is his own fault and negligence and carelesness when God bids his people that are
it is an intollerable horror to me it makes my very flesh to shiver and my soul to quake to think what I am in my self Nay if God should lay all the burden of sinne upon the soul the children of God their Spirits would faile they were not able to subsist under it but thus farre the Lord reveals their sinnes and layeth load upon them to break their hearts and rend the kall of their spirits to tame and pull them to him to bring them under and to make them beare his yoake Lastly Because wheresoever the Scripture doth speak at large and professedly of any mans conversation we do not read of any conversation bât 6 From Scripture examples it was after this manner by revealing their misery in themselves and charging their sinnes upon their souls Thus the Lord dealt with Manasses he did mightily afflict him he opened his eyes by outward afflictions and then charged his misery upon his soul Thus the Lord dealt with Ephraim as with an untamed heiâer and then he cryed out Convert me O Lord and I shall be converted Jer. 31. 18. And thus the Lord dealt with the woman in the Gospel that washed his feet with her tears you must think it was not ordinary sorrow that could make her tears trickle down in such plentiful manner as to wash his feet thus it was with her before she had the pardon of her sinnes and thus it was with Peters hearers he told them that they were the murtherers of the Lord Jesus and then they were pricked in their hearts before he did preach the Gospel and bid them repent evangelically Thus did John the Baptist deale first he comes with the axe and hews at them and layes at the root of the tree and then he tells them of Christ there comes one after me that is more worthy then I c. First he did lay about him to detect their misery and reveale to their wretched estate and then at the last he preached the Gospel and poured in oyle So it was with Paul the Lord made it appeare that he fought against heaven and persecuted the Lord Jesus Christ and he laid him flat upon his face nay he smote him with blindness and sent him crying and roaring and made him glad to go to their houses whom before he haâ persecuted and scorned and afterwards he told him that he was a chosen vessel so the Lord dealt with the jaylor he rent and tore him and burst him in peices as if all the devils in hell were about him and afterwards he saith Beliâve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 26 But you will say there are some in Scripture are related not to have any such Object work Lidia she heard Paul preach and the Lord opened her heart at first and was a convert presently Act. 6. 14. So it was with Cornâlius and his company âeter oââned his mouth and preached to them and while âe ãâã spake the holy Ghâsâ selâ on them all Act. 10. 24. Therefore it seems all mens conversions and callings home are not ushered by this legal work I answer This is a poore Argument that because the Scripture doth not Answ say this work of the Law did not go before therefore it did not gâ before a man cannot make such an inference because the Scripture doth not âpeaâe it it is sufficient that the Scripture hath related it in other places how the Lord brings his people âome and what method he useth in doing them good first he useth the work â the Law and then of the Gospel the Lord sets it down in other places and therefore though he omits it here it doth not follow there was no such thââg in Lidia and Cornelius and ãâã prove there was in both places that there was a pâeparatoââ work in Lida is plaine by two Arguments for the Scripture sheââth ãâ¦ã efore this evangelical work came she was a worshipper of God before ãâ¦ã g âhere was something went before this opening of her heart there was a work of the Law before for this was the first work of the Gospel when God opeâed her heart another Argument is in the 13 ver where it is said that Lidia before she heard this Sermon resorted to Paul to the Rivers side to pray therefore it is a plaine sign that she was wrought upon by a preparatory work before Paul converted her and wrought upon her by the Gospel And then for Cornelius and his friends for Cornelius himself it is a plaine case that he was wrought upon before the Holy Ghost fell upon him for in the beginning of the Chapter it is said he was a devout man one that called upon God and set times apart extraordinarily to seek God before the Holy Ghost fell upon him and no question it was so with his kinsfoââs for whom did he call to meet with Peter at this Sermon but those that he had been conversant with therefore it is likely they were wrought upon before as well as Cornelius otherwise he would have had little hope to get them thither well then the first thing we have proved that God doth thus prepare his people legally before he doth effectually call them Now we come to the second thing why God thus and the first Reason Reas 1. To declare Gods justice is because God will declare and shew forth his justice for as God did shew forth his justice in the Redemption of his people so he will also in the application of this Redemption shew some part of his justice in the Redemption of the World he poured forth the full viols of it he required full satisfaction of the Lord Jesus now he will not let justice be utterly swallowed up of mercy when he comes to apply this but justice shall shew his face and they shall come to see what Christ hath done for them and miseries he hath waded through for a man he shall âee that God is a just and righteous God that hates sinne and abhors unquity what a consuming fire he is against them that disobey him the Lord makes his justice appeare in the application of Redemption you see how he takes up his people upon Mount Ebal and delivers the curses of the Law and makes his own people to say Amen and subscribe to them Deut. 27. 26. Here he delivers the curses and makes proclamation of his justice and saith he I will have all the people say Amen he will have all lye a bleeding under this curse and marke what Moses saith in the first verse of the next Chapter it shall come to passe if thou wilt hearken to the voyce of the Lord he will set thee up above all nations here comes in a fire Sunshiny day afterwards the Lord will have his people see his justice and what it is to be delivered from sinne the Lord will make them see that he is a just and righteous God and that there is no sinning against him there
is no living in his sight no entring into his Kingdom without righteousness I must be a new creature else I shall be consumed he chargeth these things upon the soul and that soundly too because now he will lay down the foundation of a godly life the soul shall have need of this point as long as he lives to remember that God is a righteous God he hath found him to be a juââ God against sinne though he be a gracious and merciful God to them that truly repent and set themselves to obey his Name yet the soul seeth there is no living in sinne no following after a mans own lusts and the soul never loseth this for though the soul many times through temptations may âe carried away yet he shall never be under that former blindness he was in never so ignorant of God never think so meanly and ignominiously of God âs he did in his unregeneracy he still knows that God is a severe God and thereâ no expecting of mercy at his hands without holinesse and righteousnes if God should smother up the work all at first justice would not be seen as we see it is among men suppose a base fellow hath wronged a noble man may be the noble man means to pardon him but yet he will have him smart for it and feele and know what it is to displease and wrong and impeach such a great man as he So if the Lord should smother up the business presently as soon as ever he sends the word to a man presently convert a man aâd pardon him and give him true and saving faith justice would not be s ãâ¦ã and therefore the Lord first tramples upon a mans neck and shews âm his silâhiness and casts him out of the Camp as the Lord said concerning Mârian she is unclean carry her out of the Camp so the Lord flings a person âorth like a cursed damned creature as if he would take him by the heeles and flââg him down to hell and never look upon him and then he takes him in thus the Lord tells his people Isa 45. 21. There is none but me a just God and a Saviour first he makes them see that he is a just God and then he makes them see that he is their Saviour and Redeemer and notwithstanding his justice and severity against sinne and iniquity yet he âill give his grace and mercy to them that repent and humble themselves under his hand Secondly The Lord doth this because he would sweeten his mercy to the I. To sweeten mercy soul as you may see how he dealt with the Prophets widow he let her creditors arrest her first and seize upon her two sons for bondmen and then he wrought a wonder for her 2 King 4. 1. now this mercy was sweet and came in due season I was in misery and the Lord helped me saith David as who should say it came in a time when I had need of it The Lord deales as it is reported King James did at the beginning of his reign when some of his Nobles had been offenders he let the law proceed against them till they were brought to the scaffold and their heads laid upon the block and then sent a pardon and now a pardon was acceptable indeed So the Lord deales with his people he lets the law loose upon the soul yea and the devil too many times and he rends them and teares them as a Lyon and lets them look when they shall perish and layes their heads upon the block and then sends hope of a pardon and forgiveness of sinnes what a sweet staying of Abrahams hand was that when the knife was just ready to be stuck in Isaacks throat so when the knife of Justice is ready to be stuck into a mans throat and he is ready to perish for ever now mercy will be sweet mercy now it will be mercy indeed This is the time of love saith God Ezek. 16. 8. When God had laid his people a bleeding in their goare blood now he passeth by and saith This is a time of love he laid them in their blood and silthinesse he laid them vile and miserable in themselves and now saith he is the time of love Now the mountaines drop with sweet wine as the Prophet speaks what is the reason that people do not taste any sweetnesse in the Gospel and Sacraments and Ordinances of Christ Alas they were never sensible of their sinnes therefore the Lord doth thus to make his mercy sweet to his people that they may prize it and esteeme it and make good account of it from day to day Thirdly the Lord doth this that he may fetch his people home to the Lord 3. That he may bring men home to Christ Jesus Christ for before they will not come to God they will not come at him as the Prophet speaks but when they are in the Margent of Hell ready to perish and have no hope to hold to nothing to trust to they are quite and cleane at a loss and know not whither to go now this makes them come home as it is said of Absâlom he sent once to Joab but he would not come to him yea twice and he would not come but when he set his Barley field on fire then he came So the Lord sets his peoples hearts on fire he fires their consciences and their very bowels and makes their soules ake within them for want of mercy and grace and favour for want of power against their sinnes for want of Gods helping and assisting of them from day to day and this makes them glad to come home to him You know how long it was before the woman in the Gospel would come to Christ she was sick twelve years and had spent all her living upon the Physicians and could have no help now she came to Christ when she was quite spent and her patience was come to the utmost she was a dead woman if she came not to Christ all the Physicians could not help her now she comes home to Christ As it was with Agur when he saw his brutishnesse this drave him to Ithiel and Vâal Prov. 30. 1 2. that is to the Lord Jesus Christ as it is with a Coney when she is persued by a Dogge then she runnes to her burrough When Naomi was bereft of Husband Children Meanes and Maintenance and heares there is plenty in Israel she returns presently she might have gone long before but she wanted a scourge and whip to send her home but when she had lost all and was ready to sink and heard good tidings from Bethlehem now she makes speed thither presently as the Lord speaks Hâs 2. 6. I will hedge her wayes with thornes how doth the Lord make the poore Church here come home to him that was her husband and beloved from whom she was gone a whoring God takes this course he hedgeth her wayes with thornes she would have rests and friends and comforts and something to
is Faith and the means of confirming this Faith are the Two Sacraments First The Sacrament of Baptisme we are baptized into the same Body Secondly The Sacrament of the Lords Supper intimated in one part of it namely the Cup which is put for the whole and are made all to drink of the same Cup we are all of one and the self same Body as many as are in Christ are endued with the same Spirit not one endued with one Spirit and another endued with another Spirit but by one Spirit we are Baptized into one Body our Baptisme is one and our Food one it is altogether one though our condition in the world be never so different bond or free though our Countrey and Nation and Parish be never so various one to another one of one and another of another Jews and Gentiles we are all baptized into one Body and this is done by one and the self-same Spirit Now to speak of the putting of a man into the Body of Christ We will shew you these Five things First What this Body of Christ is Secondly What this putting of a man into it is Thirdly That this is done by the Spirit of God Fourthly How the Spirit of God doth it How a man is made part of the Body of Christ Fifthly The Application of the Point For the First What is this Body of Christ which is Spirit of God VVhat this Body is doth ingraft his people into In a word It is the invisible Church of God which is a peculiar company of men and women out of all Nations under heaven predestinated to eternal life gathered together by the Word and made all one in Christ This is the Body of Jesus Christ so that here are Five Things that are to be opened First It is the Church of God as the Apostle saith Col. 1. 18. He is The invisible Church of God the Head of the Body the Church So that the Church is the Body of Christ that same peculiar company of men and women as Saint Peter calls them You are a chosen generation a peculiar people a royal priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. The Author to the Hebrews calls them The Assembly of the first born Heb. 12. 23. And Christ himself calls them A little flock in regard of the multitude of other people that is in the world and are not of this brother-hood Now I call this invisible for though their persons and courses and manner of life be seen and known and they may be known who they are yet all of them were never known nor ever will be there may be more then we can tell and fewer then we think of The foundation of God is sure having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord had seven thousand in Israel that had not bent their knees to Baal when Eliah could see never a one So that this is the First Thing it is the invisible Church of God Secondly It 's such a company as is gathered out of all Nations under heaven Gathered out of all Nations As Saint John speaks Rev. 7. 9. After this behold and loe I saw a great multitude of all Nations and Countryes and Tongues c. Though it be a little Flock in respect of the Reprobate yet it is a great multitude considered in it self and they stood before the throne and before the Lambe with long white Robes and with Palms in their hands This white Robe is the Righteousnesse of Christ Jesus imputed which begets another Righteousnesse which is inherent in some measure and the Palms in their hands is the sign of Victory over Sin Death and Hell and this is a great multitude and it was out of all Cities and Nations and Kindreds of the world and therefore our Saviour Christ speaking of his own taking of this company home unto himself at the last day see what he speaks Mat. 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather his Elect from the four Winds from the one end of the Earth to the other The Lord gathers here one and there another as a man would gather a Posie in a Garden here a flower and there a flower This is Another Thing in the Body of Christ it is a Company gathered out of all Nations and People and Places at one time or other Thirdly This same godly Company are a Company of Predestinated Predestinated unto life men unto Eternal life For there are none but the chosen of God that are the true Body of Christ this is a company only of Elect men and women and babes therefore they are called Elect Rom. 8. 33. They are such a company as are written in the Lamb's Book of life Rev. 21. 27. Therefore all those that seem to be of God and go a great way with the people of God and yet turn back as Orphah from Naomi Ruth 1. They were never of this number 1 Joh. 2. 19. They were not of us they went out from us if they had been of us they would have continued with us So that it is only the Elect of God that are of this Company that are the Members of this Body Fourthly It is such a godly Company as is gathered by the Word of God Begotten again by the VVord The Word of God gathers them together they as well as other people by nature are of another Body of another Corporation as vile and as wretched and as miserable in themselves if left to themselves but God found them when he passed by them and said to them Live they were defiled as well as others in their bloud but the Lord turned their hearts by the Word and doth beget them again thereby This is that immortal seed whereby God doth beget them again unto eternal life Fifthly They are such a company as are made one knit and combined together in Christ though themselves are never so many and never so remote and distant from one another may be they never saw one another nor ever heard of one another one lives in one Country another in another one in one parish another in another and have little bodily communion and are not known one to another may be some of this company are in heaven already and some upon earth yet they are all one in Christ they all meet together in one heart and soul in Christ Jesus they are all of one minde in him as being all one body as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12. 12. And they are all one seed Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the Promises made He saith not To seeds as if they were many but To thy seed as of one that is Christ that is which is Christ and all that are Christs they are one seed the seed of the woman indeed all men come forth of the womans loins the wicked as well as the godly only here is the difference The one is the seed
in the morning and thy faithfulness every night And then again God is the Alpha and Omega he is the beginning and Reas 3 the ending of all things and of all actions we do God should therefore have the beginning and ending of every day that the Worship of God may have the start of all other actions it is necessary it should be so when a man first awakes in the morning God should be the first thought that should come into his mind As David saith Psal 5. 3. My voice will I lift up unto thee in the morning as soon as ever he awakes in the morning his heart is lifted up to God so it is good for a man to make the first part of the day holy that the rest of the day may be thereafter and so as we are to begin the day with the solemn Worship of God so we are to end it in the evening that we may reckon up all our accounts and make even with God as the Apostle saith Ephes 4. 26. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath so let not the Sun go down upon a dead heart upon a carnal heart upon a worldly heart but as the Sun goeth down upon our bodies so let the Sun of Righteousness set upon our hearts that we may lye down in peace having all our reckoning made even and all scores cancelled The Third Proposition is this As there must be some time for Gods Propos 3. Every day in some sort a Sabbath immediate Service and there must be every day some set time at least morning and evening so likewise every whole day all the dayes of our lives should be in some manner a Sabbath day to the Lord we should be holy every day The Apostle finds fault Gal. 4. 10. That they observed times and seasons and dayes and months and years we must not be earthly-minded one day and heavenly-minded another but we must be every day holy to the Lord. The First Reason is The Covenant which God hath made with us doth Reas 1 require it that is the end why God saves a man from his sins and brings him into the kingdom of Christ he takes a solemn Oath from him That being delivered from the hands of his enemies he shall serve him without fear Luk. 1. 74 75. in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of his life Every day must be a Sabbath day whensoever a man gives himself up to God there is an Oath hangs upon him and he breaks this Oath if he set upon it with all his might that every day may be a Sabbath day he is to be careful to live godly and religiously in all places and at all times and in every action he puts his hand unto a man is not only to make conscience on the seventh day but every day of his life The Second Reason is Because not to make every day an holy day is Reas 2 the brand of an Hypocrite it is hypocrisie Job 27. 10. Will be alwayes call upon God To be holy sometimes and not at another time is the trick of an hypocrite will he alwayes call upon God will that man alwayes obey God and worship him will he alwayes set himself to keep close with God No an hypocrite will not do so You may know an hypocrite he hath his fits and his pangs and his moods but a godly man a sincere hearted man is one that doth compose himself to keep a constant course in Gods worship as Act. 24. 16. There saith Paul Herein do I exercise my self to keep a good conscience alwayes both towards God and towards man And as it was the practise of Paul so of all the Elect people of God of all sincere Christians in the world Act. 26. 7. all the Elect of God all the beloved of God they did instantly serve God day and night Thirdly Because blessednesse doth consist in this In keeping every day Reas 3 in some kind as a Sabbath day as the Holy Ghost doth pronounce him blessed that feareth the Lord alwayes Prov. 28. 14. and that doth righteousness at all times Psa 106. 3. It is true the Servants of God are sometimes out of the way they have their swervings and failings but their resolution is to keep a constant course in Gods Worship and they do strive to humble themselves under the hand of God for their failings and to be the more wary because of them Lastly This is the Sum and Scope of all the Law of Righteousness it Reas 4 is the very drift and end of all the Ten Commandements the Lord hath set down in the Decalogue his whole Will and Pleasure what we are to do all the dayes of our lives this day and that day as long as we live and there is no set time but that we should alwayes obey it and this is the practise of the godly alwayes to keep his Commandments as David Psal 16. 8. He set the Lord alwayes before him that is every day he did make it an holy day that he might walk as in Gods presence and live as in Gods Courts that he might do all his worldly businesse as in the presence of God The Fourth Proposition is this As there must be a set time every day Propos 4. A particular special day for Gods worship and we are to keep every day as a Sabbath day in some sense so there must be a particular special day set apart for Gods immediate Worship and Service This is the next Proposition I will prove unto you for though every day is to be a Sabbath day yet we have particular callings and we have businesse in the world to employ our selves about so that we cannot be every day hearing of the Word and employing our selves in Prayer and spiritual exercises though every day we are to keep it holy yet we cannot be vacant wholly and totally every day Now therefore I say That there is a set day that the Lord hath called for to be devoted unto him The very School-men themselves do acknowledge this and the very Heathen have found it out They have set a day apart for the Service of their Gods which they call their holy day wherein they lay aside all other businesse and set themselves apart to honor and worship their Images and Idols according to their manner Now I will make this good by many Arguments that God will have a set day besides the every day Sabbath he will have a set particular Sabbath for his Worship and Service The First Reason is Because he will have a little emblem and picture of the Reas 1 kingdom of heaven among his Saints and Children in this life in the kingdom of heaven there is no buying and selling no eating and drinking no worldly businesse there is nothing but praysing and glorifying of God and speaking of God and singing of Halelujah unto his holy Name there is nothing but enjoying communion with the Lord and feeding upon him
continually there is nothing but this is the kingdom of heaven Now God will have a little picture of this among his Saints here upon earth You know there remains a rest for the people of God Heb. 4. 9. It is an express place the word in the Original is There remains a Sabbath for the people of God As who should say There is a glorious Sabbath that all the Elect of God shall have and they are preserved for it and that is reserved for them and they shall enter into it when this body of death is laid down and they shall enjoy God face to face to all eternity they shall behold him as he is and have communion with him now the Lord will have a little picture of this here in this life we cannot have it altogether in this life for we have mortal bodies that must be fed and cloathed and stand in need of the creature for mans sin is not yet purged away but there is a great deal of rubbish still left therefore this cannot be complete here but yet God will have a little picture ot this even in this life and that is the Sabbath day wherein they are to lay aside all the works of their ordinary callings and rest from all servil labours this is Gods day and we must now call upon him and hear what he saith and wholly employ and occupy our selves about him as neer as we possibly can but now this we cannot do every day for we have Children to look after and Families to provide for and there be an hundred occasions to call a man away it may be a man thinks to go into his Closet and seek God in private and one occasion or other calls him aside that he cannot go on but the Lord will have a little emblem and expression of the kingdom of heaven upon the Sabbath day therefore the Apostle saith It remains for us scil in the life to come The Second Reason why the Lord will have a set day for his Worship and Reas 2 Service besides the every day Sabbath is because the honour of God doth so require it doth require that there should be a solemn day for Gods Service as Kings though their subjects are to obey them every day and keep their Laws every day and if a subject transgress the Laws at any time he is in danger of the displeasure of the King but he will have one day of solemnity to his Majesty So God Almighty though every day we are to tremble before him and stand in aw of his Word and take heed we do not err from his Commandments yet he will have one solemn day for the honour of his Name he will have a solemn day wherein his people shall have nothing else to do but to set themselves apart for his Worship therefore this set day is called The honourable of the Lord Isa 58. 13. that is we must count the Sabbath day an honourable day a day of honour wherein Gods Servants should from morning to evening fall down before him and confess that great is the Lord God We should wholly dedicate it unto him seeking of him in Publick and in Private that we may store up holy affections for all the week following Thirdly Because God sometimes calls for an extraordinary day and an Reas 3 extraordinary day hath ever relation to an ordinary if I say this is my extraordinary food and diet I imply that I have ordinary diet so if the Scripture tells us that God calls for extraordinary dayes it is an evident Argument that there be ordinary dayes which he calls for Now that God calls for extraordinary dayes it is plain 1. First He calls for extraordinary dayes of rejoycing when God compasseth us about with songs of Deliverance and works wonderful Mercies for us we ought to set a part a day for rejoycing and delighting in his goodness and favour towards us and this day is to be an holy day as Nehemiah 8. 9. This day is holy unto the Lord your God mourn not nor weep So that when we are to rejoyce towards God for any spiritual favour towards us we ought to keep this day an holy day we ought to employ the hours of the day in labouring to affect our hearts with his kindnesse and labouring to make his goodness to have impression upon us that we may with cheerfulness run over all our dayes afterwards that we may adhere unto him the better all our life time 2. Secondly As he calls for extraordinary dayes of rejoycing so he calls for extraordinary dayes of Fasting and Humiliation and that in Four Cases 1. First When we fear some heavie judgement to come upon us or else when some judgement is already upon us may be some heavie judgement is upon us or else we fear it to come upon us and now we are to set an extraordinary day apart to seek the Lord as 2 Chron. 20. Jeâosaphat proclaimed a Fast when the Land was in danger Suppose the Lord should take away the Gospel and the feet of those that bring glad tydings should be turned from us then should we Fast in those dayes we should grieve before God and bewail the loss of his Mercies and Favours that we may have his Goodnesse to quicken us and keep us and uphold us in the want of them 2. Secondly In case that we want some Mercy that we cannot well be without in such a case as this if ordinary seeking will not do the deed we ought to set apart an extraordinary time to prevail with God as Ezra he was in danger of the enemy and if he should go to Jerusalem the enemy would set upon him now thought he if I should go to the King though he were very great with the King of Persia at that time yet thought he if I should go to the Kigng for a Band of Souldiers he would think our God were a weak God I have told him what a strong God we have and that he is ready to help all those that trust in him now if I should go to him for a Band of Souldiers he might think that our God were not able to deliver us and it would be a great dishonour to God therefore he set a day apart for a Fast and laboured to get aid and help from heaven Ezra 8. 21. So when a Child of God is exceedingly afflicted with any crosse or temptation and he shall wonderfully dishonour God and cast a snare upon them that fear his Name in this case he is bound to seek God extraordinarily and if the ordinary means that God hath appointed will not prevail he is to set a part a Fast to seek him extraordinarily 3. Thirdly If we be assaulted from hell and Satan and our own hearts with strong temptations then we are to seek God extraordinarily as it was with Paul when the Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him when he lay under some heavy temptation either unto Pride or
In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse which shall stand up for an Ensigne to the people and the Nations shall flie unto it and his Rest shall be Glorious Not only the Fathers Rest shall be glorious when he had Created Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day but Christs Rest also shall be glorious for all Divines agree that the Prophet speaks of the Rest of Christ from the work of Redemption now his Rest shall be glorious As God the Father Rested from his work and his Rest was glorious for four thousand years together so Christs Rest from his work shall be glorious there shall be glory and honour put upon it as well as upon the Rest of the Father when he Rested from making of Heaven and Earth Secondly Another Argument to prove this is out of Rev. 1. 10. there Reas 2 Saint John speaking of the first day of the week the Spirit of the Lord calls it the Lords Day I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day so that it is not by Apostolical Tradition only but by the Institution of God himself he doth call it the Lords Day I was in the Spirit upon the Lords Day he calls the first day of the week the Lords Day by the same reason that the Sacrament is called the Lords Supper Now the Sacrament is so called because the Lord Instituted it and therefore it must be Holy so the Lords Day is called so because the Lord Instituted it and therefore it must be kept Holy Another Argument is this Our Saviour Christ himself doth Intitle himself Reas 3 to be the Lord of the Sabbath and therefore able to alter it and change it and appoint what businesse is to be done and what not to be done upon that day he doth openly profess that he is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. and John 5. 23. he saith They shall Honour the Son as they Honour the Father As they honour the Father with a Sabbath in regard of his Rest from the work of Creation so they shall honour the Son with a Sabbath in regard of his Rest from the work of Redemption which being compared with Rev. 1. 10. where it is called the Lords Day These two being put together do plainly prove it Fourthly Christ himself did command his Apostles to keep this day it Reas 4 was not by the Apostles counsel as if they would set up this day in the Church as some would have it but Christ did command them so to do for the Apostles did deliver nothing Generally to the Church but what they received from the Lord as Paul saith What I have received from the Lora that I declare unto you 1 Cor. 11. But I will prove it was the Commandment of Christ to them by this Argument Because the first day of the week was alwayes kept for the assemblies of the people of God before the Apostles durst order any thing in the Church the Apostles never durst undertake to set up any order in the Church until the Holy Ghost fell upon them in fiery tongues and that was fourty dayes after Now the first day of the week was kept long before this John 20. 19. they kept the first day of the week and again the next week ver 26. they kept the first day of the week and Luke 24. they kept the first day of the week And if you compare three or four places of Scripture together as Mat. 28. 16 20. together with John 20. 19 26. we shall see plainly in John that they did meet upon the first day of the week and in Mat. 28. we shall see that Christ appointed them so to do it was by his Commandment Fifthly Another Argument to prove that it is by Divine Institution and Reas 5 not by Humane Ordinance is this Because the Wisdome of Jesus Christ would never have committed such a weighty thing as this is to the Judgement of man Certainly the Lord Jesus Christ before his ascending up unto his Father would never have left things so raw and uncertain and imperfect as to leave such a Branch of such a Sacred Ordinance to be at the Arbitrament of men being so apt to take liberty and so negligent to keep any day Holy surely the Lord would never have left it to the Arbitrament of men Therefore we may well conclude it is to be found in Scripture by Ordination of God for mark what the Apostle saith As Moses was faithful in all his house so Christ is faithful in all his house Heb. 3. 2 3. He proves that Christ is more faithful then Moses Now Moses was faithful for he delivered the whole mind of God to the people of Israel there was nothing left out for time or place or manner there was not any Ceremony in the worship of God left out but he delivered all to them he was faithful So Christ is faithful in his house therefore seeing Christ knew how ready men were to neglect and prophane the Sabbath plain reason tells us that he would order it himself Again Who should Institute any Ordinance in the Church but only he Reas 6 that is the Head of the Church Again Another Argument is this It hath been the Practice of all holy Reas 7 men since the Apostles daies to keep this day That it was the practice of the Apostles that you will grant that they kept the first day of the week Now if there were no Argument but this that the Apostles did keep it this were enough to prove the change of the day when we find that the Apostles did sanctifie this day this were proof enough to stay our mindes for certainly they had a more Infallible guidance and direction then we have and they insisted upon this day 1 Cor. 16. 1. 2. They ordained and John the Divine kept this day though he were in the place of his banishment where he could hear no Sermon but was all alone yet he would keep the Sabbath on the first day of the week and the Lord rewarded his sanctifying of this day by declaring the Revelation unto him to incourage all good people to go on in keeping this day But to leave these and come to the time of the ancient Fathers immediately after the Apostles they all agree upon the first day of the week Ignatius doth so and Saint Austin saith as the Virgin Mary is among women so is the first day of the week among dayes as she was blessed above women so is the first day of the week blessed above daies No man that makes conscience of his wayes but shall find a blessing upon every day but God hath blessed this day in a more peculiar manner and the soul that makes conscience of the keeping of it may by the Covenant of God expect a blessing Now to come to the dead times of Popery If ever the Sabbath was out of memory and out of date then was the time for then there was a great falling away
his Church indeed the Church of Rome have halfe holy dayes as saint Blacies day which is to be kept in the fore noon so they have other dayes that are to be kept in the after-noone but in the fore-noone they may do what they list so heathens did as Ovid saith the former part of the day is holy the latter part of the day is not holy the Lord hath no such days as these but all holy dayes in scripture if God ever appointed a fast or new moon or feast of Tabernacles whatsoever holy day he did institute it was an whole day and not a part of a day therefore much more this solemn day Again the judgment of all Divines in all ages hath been concerning an whole day I could instance in the fathers as in Irenaeus who saith we are to continue in the Sabbath all the day long for the Lord hath required all the day to be kept holy unto him and the saints of God have alwayes kept an whole day so saint Austin saith It is not enough that wee keep three or four houres of the day but that we rest the whole day And what rest not only to rest from our bodily labours for the beasts keep this Sabbath nor the rest of sport and pastime for that is the Sabbath of the golden calfe they ate and drink and rose up to play No but that thou mayest be vacant to God all the day in prayer and serving of him So in the Councell of Mexicon there was an assembly of ministers out of all nations in Christendome and they ordained a canon concerning the Lords day We ordain that people keep the whole Lords day holy and that they set themselves the whole day to pray to God and delight in God and heare his word and if a countrey-mans servant breake this day his punishment shall be to be beaten with severe blowes ictubus graviâribus are the very words of the Councell and if a Lawyer offer to plead this day he shall not have the benefit of his pleading or case and if a minister breake this day he shall be excommunicated half a year and throwne out of the Church and shall not be received into the Church again but upon great humiliation This was the judgment of Divines in all ages and it is the observation of a reverend Divine Musculus upon Exod. 20. God doth not say Remember the Sabbath to keepe it holy he that keeps it an hour or two keeps it holy but Remember the Sabbath Day to keepe it holy he will have a day kept holy Nay Calvin whom they take to be on their side to be a patron of their liberty he himselfe writing upon Deut. 6 upon these words Remember the Sabbath day he saith we are to keep this day speaking of himselfe and all the people of God we are to keepe this day and not a part of it but all of it The second Use is this we may hence see that sports and pastimes are not Vse 2 agreeable to the Lords day for if the Lord hath forbidden our weekly works on that day then surely he hath forbidden sports and pastimes The reason is good first because our weekly works are things Commanded at other times now sports and pastimes are never Commanded by God but onely permitted now if things commanded and things that are good at sometimes if these notwithstanding may not be done upon the Lords day then much lesse must those be done that are permitted onely Secondly because weekely works do lesse distract a man from God then sports and pastimes I appeale to any man here present if he be not more heavenly and better employed and lesse distract from good thoughts and gracious affections when he is plowing or sowing or threshing then when he is diceing and carding sports and pastimes beat a man further off from religion and let a man go to prayer after sports and pastimes he shall find himselfe more unfit and unaffected a great deal then he shall when he comes from the works of his calling Now if those things that do lesse distract from Gods worship and service are forbidden upon the Sabbath day then surely much more those things that doe more distract must needs be forbidden upon that day THE END
never at quiet till he had made him drunk thinking he would go home thus we see that a child of God may be senseless of his sins Fourthly A child of God may grow to be notoriously vain and notoriously worldly and to be notoriously guilty of sin I do not say to live in sââ but to sin notoriously thar a man that hath but half an eye may say Yonder man is notoriously proud and conceited of himself he is marvelous froward and given to his passions yonder man is marvelous remiss in his place and calling marvelous dull and idle and sluggish and even those that are without may see this much more the children of God thus it was with many of Pauls brethren and companions he had at Rome though he did conceive these were the children of God yet they were grown notoriously and grossely worldly when Paul had occasion to send some Minister or other to fight against the false Apostles he spake it seems to all his brethren and acquaintance to intreat them to go to Philippi but he could not get one of them to go what excuse they made we know not whither they were loth to be at that charge or whither they loved their own ease but Phil. 2. 21. he breaks out into this speech they all seek their own and none the things that are Christs Not as Calvin notes upon the place as though they had no grace or life in them but they were grown marvelous worldly and earthly and carried away with their lusts marvelously tender of their profits seeking their own and not the things of Christ though Paul told them it was the cause of Christ required it yet it was against their profits and ease he could get none of them to go so David that sin of numbring the people it lay upon his heart nine months and he came not to repentance yet Joab saw this thing and he used gracious arguments to divert him he saw plainly that he was transported with some lust or other Fifthly The child of God may grow to that pass that the service of God may be a burthen 't is true it cannot be absolutely a burthen to any child of God so the wicked only are absolutely without zeal and affection they are absolutely wicked and worldly therefore this cannot be absolutely in a child of God yet it may be horribly and grossely even to be tired and jaded under Gods service even to count it a burthen to cry out with those Mal. 1. what a weariness is it Lord even to be loth to go to prayer to go to it dully as a trewant goes to his book and when they are at it to be blockish and without any spirit in it and have no life not so much as to heave up their hearts to the Throne of grace nay they may think it too long and wish it were done and they may think the opportunities to do and receive good come too often this is an horrible thing yet thus it may be what was the reason that the Galatians were so open-eared to the false Apostles that came with another Gospel that separated from the Gospel of Christ what is the reason that they opened the ear to them and were even poysoned by it O saith the Apostle be not weary of well doing Gal. 6. 9. as who should say you are weary of well doing you were once affected with the word and would have plucked out your eyes to do me good you were wonderfully wrought upon and went on in a right manner in some measure Oh be not weary of well doing as who should say the cause of your yielding is because you were weary of well doing you seek out for new opinions and errours and are ready to receive false doctrines contrary to the doctrine of Christ therefore take heed that you be not weary of well doing Lastly A child of God may be so dead that nothing can quicken him nay the whole Church of God may be so dead that the Gospel may be going away and God may be ready to depart and shew signs of his going away from them and yet they may have no heart to humble themselves and seek the Lord to be moved and stirred to get more life and intreat God to turn away the plague as God saith Isa 59. 16. I wondred there was no Intercessor he sent Prophet after Prophet to tell them that he would take away his Kingdom from them and scatter them among the Nations but though he had told them of these things over and over again yet there was none to stand in the gap he speaks in the general there was not a man though otherwise good that could cry to God in this distress so that I say a man may grow to this pass that nothing can quicken him all the ordinances of God cannot nay though he have many judgements of God upon him and his conscience lies digging in his side from day to day yet nothing may work upon him unless the Lord be more strangely merciful to his soul till a whale was provided to swallow up Jonah there was no bringing of his heart to relent Qu. But you will say Where is the sign of Gods grace all this while may a child of God be thus dead certainly the life of the children of God is eternal and when God gives his children grace it continues for ever it is springing up to eternal life now if a Saint may be thus dead where is grace is he unchilded again Ans I answer the grace of a child of God can never be taken away not for any goodness in himself but through the goodness of God For first there is the seed of God remaining still in him 1 John 3. 9. a godly man cannot commit sin saith the Apostle for the seed of God remaineth in him that is he cannot commit sin as the wicked commit it he can never grow to be a wicked man again to do as the wicked do why the seed of God remaineth in him you know seed is a little thing there is a little thing left still in that man that shall still difference him from ungodly men that he cannot commit sin with that fulness of sway as the wicked do now by this seed the Scripture means regeneration regeneration is immortal it is that seed which remaineth for ever 1 Pet. 1. the last Secondly As there is a seed of God remaining in him so there be supernatural habits and the difference between this seed and these supernatural habits is this this seed is immediately in the soul though it runs through all the powers of it but these supernatural habits are immediately in the powers and faculties of the soul now these habits are such whereby they have heavenly inclinations to good and inclinations against evil and these shall never be quite extinguished though they be not like to moral and natural habits for they do actually incline but supernatural habits do never actually incline
out of heart but have something to lay hold on as Paul speaks of his sins of being a persecutor and a blasphemer 1 Tim. 1. he saith it is recorded that I afterwards may be an help to them that shall believe and as the sins of Gods elect before conversion are recorded that this may be a means to perswade Gods elected not yet converted that they may find grace though they be never so vile sinners for God hath left a pattern and pledge he hath been merciful to hainous sinners so the fall of Gods Saints and children after conversion are recorded to this end and I can tell you in time of temptation when conscience shall be awakned and the wrath of God shall stick in a mans soul a man cannot spare any one sweet proposition in Scripture nor any one example in Scripture nor âny tittle of comfort it will be little enough to bear up the soul from despair and from being overwhelmed all will be little enough to assure the soul of Gods favour and that he can and will pardon such transgressors therefore I say look upon this doctrine it is for those that are dejected with their dead hearts that they may yet receive some comfort to their souls The last day I shewed you how far forth a child of God might be dead The deadness of a child of God amplified but some may say I cannot believe a child of God may come to this and thou art confident thou shall not come to this therefore I will speak a little further of it And first Let me tell you there is not the sowlest haynousest abominablest A child of God may fall into very foul sins the most notorious scandalous sin in the world but the most devout godly mortified man upon the face of the earth may fall into it if he take not heed except the sin against the holy Ghost I will instance in some particulars First For Idolatry gross Idolatry will you think that ever a child of God that believes in his name and is acquainted with his word and his goodness and mercy and his jealousie against this sin and iniquity should fall into it should fall down and worship a stock a stone a creature you will never believe it yet you shall see the wisest man that ever was and one that was beloved of God did fall into this sin in a great degree 1 Kings 11. 4 Solomons wives drew his heart away from God they drew away his heart from God in an high degree and they did not nakedly draw away his heart from God but they drew his heart after other gods If a man should say I hope I shall never fall into this sin I say let us hope so still and go on in using the means if we be so confident let us take heed that none of us come to bowe to the creature let our own hating and abominating of it be a watch-word to us to take heed Secondly What say you to apostacy nay almost totall apostacy that a child of God should grow to be an apostate which of you would think it that he should come to curse and bann himself if ever he knew Jesus Christ or loved him or ever did countenance him yet you may see a child of God and a notable one too fell in this fashion Peter he did curse and ban himself that he never knew the man Mark 14. 71. this is very far Thirdly What say you to persecution to persecute a man that is godly dost think that a man that hath the image of God in him that hath the knowledge of the Scripture that hath the fear of God before his eyes and a sympathy with all the Saints of God in the world that this man should ever persecute one that is godly and for his godliness too would you think this yet directly thus it is Asa a godly man for a fit as long as the time lasted when the Prophet reproved him for his sins and dealt roundly with him what was this but gracious dealing yet the man did not only not submit to the Prophets reproof but hiâ very heart rose up against him and he cast him into prison he was a persecutor of him 2 Chro. 16. 10. in one word what enormous flagitious sin in the world is there but a child of God if he look not to himself may actually fall into but the sin unto death Noah a Preacher of righteousness the holiest man upon the earth the world had not his fellow yet he fell to be once drunk David a man after Gods own heart a man of admirable experience a man that traded as far in mortification in holiness and righteousness and walking with God and acquaintance with him and his Laws and promises as ever any Saint in the Old Testament yet he fell into the sin of murther and adultery yea to make a man drunk and that otherwise a good man too one of the worthiest of all the Kingdom you see this is clear there is no sin so desperate the sin against the holy Ghost excepted but a child of God may fall into it therefore he had not need to be carnally confident Secondly When a child of God hath fallen thus into some sowl sin he 2. A child of God may be hardned in sin may be much hardened wofully deaded and benummed and grow blockish and untoward to call upon God and go on in any of his waies become marvelously unfitted and indisposed to the use of Gods ordinances nay he may be grown to that pass that he should never rise up more but that for the infinite goodness of God that doth bring him again home and lift him up again by renewing his faith and his repentance you may see when Jehoshaphat had struck with Ahab and helped the ungodly and loved him 2 Chro. 19. that hated the Lord though he were smitten in the field and were like to have lost his life and saw what danger he was in for joyning with Ahab yet all this did not humble him the Lord sent after him by hue and cry rousing up his conscience by his Prophets if he had not done thus God knows how long he might have lain thus so David he found a deadness in all goodness when he had committed those foul sins he found no working of Gods blessed spirit his own spirit grew dull his own heart grew dead he was as if he had never known what grace meant create in me O Lord a new heart Psal 51. 10. his sin was like to a sweeping rain that leaves nothing like to a consumption that wastes all it was even like a Thief that breaks into a mans ware-house in the night and a man knows not what he hath lost till he casts up his accounts and then he seeth he hath lost almost all his estate so it is with the best of Gods servants if they give way to sin contrary to evangelical obedience God knows what a Thief
people fall horribly into woful evils that though they see a man fall never so much yet they may noâ omit any thing to doe him good that they may not be taken off from their bowels and compassion who knowes but this man may be of God for I was as wretched as he once as Paul would have the Cretians take notice of this they were horrible sinners before conversion lyars slow-bellies now saith he Tit. 3. 2. Speak to them that they shew all meeknesse to all men Mark his reason ver 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient c. We our selves were thus therefore let us shew meeknesse to all whatsoever and let us be kinde and full of bowels and compassion toâards them studying how to doe them good and prevent all manner of evil and labour to win them if it be possible with all meeknesse and condiscending who knows but they may be of God for we our selves have been malâcious and spightful ignorant haters and have served divers lusts and pleasures so it is with people after conversion the Lord lets them fall into horrible sinnes and distempers that so they may be gentle and that they may have the spirit of meeknesse towards all men a man is apt to be severe and rude and rigid towards others if he hath gotten any thing himselfe if he hath gotten a little knowledge a little zeal a little faith a little humility a little ability to please God he is apt to think it such a deal and he is apt to cry down every one that is not as he is You are so proud and so thus and thus and to take off his heart from doing those duties which he owes towards him â man is apt to be very insolent in the Church of God many are thus till God doâh take them down therefore the Lord by this means doth teach his people gentlenesse and meeknesse indeed God teacheth people many wayes besides this if they will take warning by his Word or some other course they save him a labour but if that will not doe God takes this course with a man to make him see his pride and conceitednesse and his want of mercy and unlikenesse to Christ in bowels and pity and compassion towards his brethren Fifthly The Lord leaves his own children to themselves sometimes to fall so foulely that he may humble them and bring them down low that he may make them see yet further into the corruptions of their own hearts that so he may make them capable of more grace for he gives grace to the humble Now when he would give more grace to a man may be he lets him James 4. fall into some horrible sinne that he may be the more humbled and see the naughtinesse of his own heart that he may be driven to God and may be deeper in mortification may be he thought he could goe no furthrer he did please himself in his prayers as I have heard of one that said when he had prayed he could hardly see any sinne in his prayer Now when the Lord is pleased to bestow upon them more grace he doth shew them the corruptions You know how often God let his people fall in the Wildernesse and that horribly by murmuring and repining and infidelity though they were his own chosen yet he let them all at the waters of strife and at the red Sea he let them fall he let them fall concerning Manna why was this the text saith The Lord thy God he proved thee he led theâ up and down in all this âarren wildeânesse where were Scorpious and fiery Serpents that he might humble thee and doe thee good in thy latter end Deut. 8. 15 16 Meaning the Lord let them fall into those horrible evils that he might humble them that they might see the wickednesse of their own hearts and the infinite need they had of grace and the fear of God and standing upon their guard this d ãâ¦ã to humble them and do them good in the latter end The first Use may seem to condemn those speeches that commonly go up down in Christians mouths let me tell you they are wicked speeches O say Vse they grace will not let a man have such pride and vanity in him grace will not let a man do thus and thus I say these speeches are not good they savour of a world of ignorance of the grace of God Indeed in three cases these are admirable speeches First Certainly grace will bring a man home to God that belongs to him it will put him into Jesus Christ it will certainly make him a new creature and bring him out of the estate of sinne he shall not live in the estate of sin grace will do that and God in the covenant of grace doth set down that it is a fundamental promise he will do this for every one as the Apostle saith Eph. 4. 7. this grace will surely undertake that a man shall be a believer if he belong to God and he shall be justified and sanctified in some measure he shall hate sin and love goodness in some measure and delight in Gods ordinances in some measure he shall be in the estate of grace and not in the estate of sin grace will do this this we may boldly say if a man have grace he must do this for God will teach him to do it Secondly Grace will undertake that a man shall not fall finally away that is certain that we may boldly say if a man be of God grace will teach him that he shall not fall away finally grace will uphold a man and maintain him when we see a man fall away finally we may conclude he had no true grace Gods children shall never fall finally away God will preserve and keep them whom he loves he loves to the end of all those that my father hath given me I have lost none saith Christ Joh. 17. neither life nor deaâk things present nor things to come shall ever be able to separate us from Joh. 13. 1. the love of âod in Christ Jesus saith Paul Rom. 8. ult that is most certain blessed and happy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for over such the second death hath no power Rev. 2 26. that is such a man can never come to be damned he can never fall finally away or perish everlastingly there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. v. 30. whom God hath predestinated them he hath also called c. there is an individual necture of all the links of the chain of predestination in all the several buckles of it there is an indivisible connexion if a man be called he shall be justified and if he be justified he shall be sanctified and if he be sanctified he shall be glorified so that grace will undertake this that a man shall not âall finally away Thirdly We may say
there is no man is dead but he that hath no care to look after Christ and desire him if we would have Christ if our hearts be open to him if we doe but desire him and long for him if we have but these groanes and outgoings in our souls oh that I had but Christ shed abroad in my heart if I had him I should have life and quickning if I had him I should have right and title to all Gods heavenly comforts if our hearts did but goe up and down longing after Christ this is the way to attain to quickning Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c. Come and ye shall have waters that shall never be dried up the want of faith is the cause of hardness of heart and of deadnesse as our Saviour Christ when he saw they were dead Matth. 16. he did upbraid them with unbeliefe if a man did but once believe if a man did but truly cast his soul upon God if he had but once his eyes opened to see the vanity of all other things to see the danger of sinne and iniquity the misery of all unregenerate people and to see the worth of Christ and the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ what an admirable pearl it is to enjoy him how it is better then life it selfe better then the whole world yea then thousands of worlds if a man did but see this and had his heart affected with this to be drawn to Christ and to have his heart and minde run after him to be possessed of him this is faith you that would know whether you have faith or no if you had all the faiths in the world you are infidels without this faith but if you have this faith you have true faith if you have a heart running after Christ minding him and longing for him and casting your soules upon him for all good accounting this your principal and total and main good and accordingly affecting this these are the works of faith and if you have these works you may be quickned believe in the Lord Jesus Christ set your hearts upon him and seek after him and you shall have all manner of good even life it self The second meanes is a careful learning of the Word of God preached Second means When the Corinâhians were marvellously blocked uâ in their minds and hearts and were straightned in good things 2 Câr 6 12. mark what the Apostle saith v. 11. Our mâuth is âpen to you c. as who should say in our Ministery there is abundance of grace abundance of life and largenesse of heart abundance of gracious things all manner of good things we bring with us in our Ministery peace and comfort and hope and all the promises of God and all the rich treasuâes of Jesus Christ we come with our armes full you are not straightned here but you are straightned in your ãâã bowels as who should say you may be enlarged sweetly by our Ministry wâ deliver unto you abundance of grace and mercy and abundance of supply all those deadnesses and lockings up of heart in you would be healed by the Ministery of the Word so may I say if your hearts are locked up certainly it is for not taking what the Word offers if you would come hungerly and greedily to the Word of God with an heart desirous to be edified and instructed and to apply what the Word speaks to your souls certainly you shall here meet with abundance of grace and life for the Word is the Word of life and the Ministery of the Word is the Ministery of the Spirit of God and life so that the deadness of all people is meerly from their own bowels you are not straightned in us saith the Apostle no in thâ Ministery of the Word is abundance of life The third meanes is A careful shunning of all those causes of deadness which we named formerly we must take heed of sin for if we give way to sinne it will dead the heart it will make a make a man shy of God and put a man to woful tasks and breâd loâhness to goe about duties it will make a man to have a guilty conscience and dead a man that way it will grieve the spirit of God and quench all the operations and sweet influences and gracious motions of the Spirit that the sweet livelinesse of his workings will be gone away if a man give way to sinne if he give way to the world or slackning in a godly course if a man give way to pride or vanity or any sin this will dead the heart a mans heart will presently be deaded if he give way to the Devil and to his temptations In particular you must take heed of niggardlinesse in Religion they that love quickning must labour for a frank and free spirit that will rather overdoe in Gods service then underdoe as long as a man hath a free heart he shall have a quickened heart therefore labour to preserve it doe as Philemon I knâw thou wilâ dâe more than I say Paul knew he had a free spirit that if be commanded him a little he would doe more he would rather overdoe then underdoe our Saviour Christ calls for this free spirit Iâ a man take thy coat give him thy cloak also rather overdoe then underdoe in any good thing have a free heart if God bid thee pray pray thrâe times five times a day rather then not often enough there be mânâ duties that God doth not set down how often and how frequent and hoâ long now labour for a free spirit rather do twice as much then underdo Again Take heed of lownesse of Religion of taking up a low and base and mean kinde of Religion that will not reach the Kingdome of God there is a low kinde of Christianity that wil not be able to attain to salvation a low faith that doth not make a man to have his conversation in heaven a low repentance that reacheth not to mortification a low profession of Religion that comes not to the power of Godliness Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above it is an high thing therefore take heed of low Religion for people think that any kinde of righteousness will serve turn if they have but a little Reformation and Religion they presently think this is godliness but let us take heed of this low Religion that will never do the deed Again We must take heed of want of Watchfulnesse we must set up a gracious and Christian watch in our hearts from day to day when the Lord had found fault with the Church of Sardis for being dead in the next words he bids them be watchful as who should say the want of this watchfulness and looking to your selves and having a care over your thoughts and aâfections lest you should be drawn aside the neglect of this is the cause of all deadness Again We must take heed of vanity as David saith Psal 119.
if you would but make conscience to make use of all the checks of conscience and the knowledge you have if you would but make use of the relentings you have now and then and the motions you have now and then if you would but make use of them and exercise them this is the way to quicken you let a man have but a little knowledge and let him exercise it and improve it and frame his life anâ conversation accordingly knowledge shall be multiplied to this man and so again let a man have any relentings any meltings now and then at a Sermon and exercise these strike while the iron âs hot and put them to the utmost this is the way to be quickned as it is the saying of one Every thing is increased with the exercise of its own kind as it was with the bread in the Dâsciples hands while they were distributing of it it increased so it is with the graces of Gods spirit peculiar and saving graces and common graces let a man exercise the graces of Gods spirit this is the way to abound in them and to have them quickned and strengthned and made more and more operative in a man therefore let us exercise all the graces of Gods spirit and improve them all grace is like a snow-ball the more it is rouled up and down the bigger it grows so let a man but go and improve all the graces of Gods spirit that he hath bestowed upon him there will be addition to every one of them by repenting a man may learn to repent and by relenting a man may learn to relent and by striving against sin he may learn to strive against sin more and more The last means is to consider the examples of the worthies in all ages 7. Meant and such as are even in our dayes we should consider these and these will quicken us up to be more forward when St. James would quicken up the James 5. Christians to whom he writes to waite with patience the coming of the Lord he quickens them by the example of Job and the Prophets so when he would quicken them up to prayer he presseth them by the example of Elias he w ãâ¦ã man as well as we saith he and had the like passions yet he prayed when the heavens had been shut three years and six months c. Consider this the zeal of others may provoke us specially if we set it before our eyes we should think with our selves What he so believing and I so full of doubting he so lively and I so dull and blockish he so affected and I so untoward this should shame us and provoke us to stir up our selves by looking upon such especially upon those that have taken up the profession since we did and yet have gone beyond us it should awaken us this is an excellent means to quicken us as our Saviour Christ when he would exhort his Disciples to suffer persecution saith he consider the Prophets that were persecuted before you so if we would be quickned up we should look upon Matth. 6. the Saints that have been quickned before us that we may have their grace and comfort We come now to the last thing and that is to perswade you by some Motives 5 Motives to shake off this deadness Motives are special things to quicken up a man the Apostle when he would quicken up the Corinthians to love he useth divers Motives unto them the first is taken from the collation of love with all the extraordinary gifts of Gods spirit he shews without love they are all nothing though a man had all knowledge and all faith so that he could remove mountains and had not love it were nothing so that you see love is an excellent grace 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3. Another Motive he takes from the effects and adjuncts of love love suffereth long c. from the fourth to the seventh verse Thirdly He useth another Motive to shew how love doth generally surpass most graces in the endurance of it Prophesies they shall cease knowledge that shall cease and be done away but love that shall never be done away love never faileth Lastly He compares it with the cardinal vertues with the principal graces namely faith and hope and shews how love is beyond them hope edifies a mans self but love edifies the whole Church of God faith and hope must vanish and will not go into the Kingdom of heaven with us but love it doth alwayes accompany us so that you see the Apostle is careful to use motives to quicken up people to that which he exhorts them unto the Scripture as it doth bid us do a duty so it useth motives to quicken us up to the doing of it And again When it forbids any sin it useth motives to take off our hearts from that sin as when the Apostle would diswade from the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament what abundance of motives doth he heap one upon another to terrifie us from it 1 Cor. 11. 23. c. the first is from the institution of the Lord Jesus Christ I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus c. as who should say what will you prophane his institution Secondly From the time when he instituted it the same night he was betrayed in his agony and in the midst of his sorrows he thought of your good will you prophane such a mercy blessing Thirdly From the nature of the Sacrament it is the Sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and will you not reverence that Another is from the end of the Sacrament it is to shew forth the Lords death till he comes therefore how should we have a care of this that we may come to the Sacrament in a gracious and reverent manner duly meditating what it is having a lively apprehension of the Lord Jesus Christ and to keep a constant memory of what he hath done for us Another is from the greatness of the sin of unworthy receiving he shall he guilty of the body and blood of Christ again from the danger of it whosoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himself again from the particular judgements that God had inflicted upon that town for this cause many are sick among you and many sleep and questionless it is for this cause for your unworthy receiving of the Sacrament you see what abundance of motives he brings for this now I say if Motives be good in any point look whatsoever we exhort people unto if it be good to use Motives to stir them up to it then much more in this point in the point of deadness to shake it off in the point of quickning that they would labour to get it and indeed when a man useth Motives to faith and repentance it is not only to get that but to quicken them up to faith and repentance when a man spurs a horse
receive strength as it is said of Moses Heb. 11. 28. By faith he received the Passeover so if by faith we would receive the Lords Supper and beat down all doubts and fears of flesh and blood and resolve to cast our selves upon Christ and his promises and let him have the disposing of us if we would truly cast our selves upon Christ and believe in his name and so come to the Sacrament we should have strength how can we get strength without this Eph. 3. 17. When we come to the Sacrament we come to partake of Christ and receive Christ that we may dwell in Christ and he in us Now he will not doe thus without faith faith is the wedding garment if we come without it we shall be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness may be thou wert fettered before but now thou shalt be more bound even bound hand and foot that thou canst not stir as the Apostle saith Above all things take the shield of faith so I may say if you will come to the Sacrament to your Eph. 6. own peace and comfort above all things take the shield of faith When men come to the Sacrament only with bodily eyes and bodily hands what do they get nothing but a piece of bread and a drop of wine but if they had faith they should have the evidence of things not seen Christ and heaven and the covenant of grace are not seen with bodily eyes faith would help them to the evidence of these things not seen as St. Austin speaks of a worthy Martyr when he was to suffer Martyrdome he took the Sacrament to strengthen him to suffer Martyrdom and the Martyrs in the Primitive Church every day expecting Martyrdom they every day received the Sacrament to help them with strength but when we come to the Sacrament without faith we deprive our selves of this benefit Now as long as we give way to our sins doubting will reign and faith cannot be in our soules Fourthly Because they do not seek earnestly to God to blesse the Sacrament to them they do not make themselves strong in heaven before they come they do not go with strong cries and groans to the Throne of grace that God would quicken them that they may get the good they ought to do at it If we would come to the Sacrament of Lords Supper as we ought to do we should be earnest with God and wrestle with him that he would make us sensible of our wants and that he would pluck up our hearts to come with faith that he would strengthen us that we may behave our selves well when we are there and when we come away every Ordinance of God is sanctified by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5. Now because either people do not pray at all or if they do they are not earnest with God therefore it is that they return home little the better Fifthly Because they do not behave themselves âell when they are at it they are not well occupied when they sit at the Lords Table they know not how to employ themselves as the duty requires this is that would help us to true strength by the Sacrament if we were well employed when we were at it Cant. 1. 12. While the King sitteth at his table c. saith the Church that is while the King was enjoying communion with me and I with him I was just at the same time very well employed I laboured in some measure to stir up all the graces that were in me that my Spikenard might send up a sweet perfume into his nostrils that my faith might work and my love might work so while we are sitting at the Lords Table and the King sitteth down to bid us welcome we should labour to be well employed to keep vanities out of our minds and employ them well that we may have a good meal before we go Sixthly Because people when they have been at the Sacrament they do not examine themselves diligently whither they have got any good by the Sacrament I have received the Sacrament have I got any good by it is my faith strengthned am I yet backward to Gods will untoward in his worship dead in his service am I still hovering and doubting in my conscience have I no care of God have I got no good by the Sacrament if people would but call themselves to account whither they have got any good by the Sacrament this would do them a great deal of good it would make them bewail and lament and cry out if they got no good people let things rân on at six and sevens if they get good so it is if they get none so it is but lay it not to heart whereas a godly heart when he hath been at an Ordinance calls himself to account and takes it marvellous heavily if he see he hath got no good as the Church when she prayed and saw her prayers did not prevail it was a bitter thing to her Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud that our prayer should not pass thorow Lam. 3. 44. when she saw she prayed and strived and tugged with God and there was no comfort O how she took it to heart she made it the burthen of her complaint so if Christians would do thus The Sacrament doth not take the Lord covers himself with clouds and hides himself from me he will not own me we should go crying and yelling up and down to see that we do not get good by the Sacrament if we would do thus we might get good by it Seventhly If people do get good by the Sacrament afterwards yet they do not interpret this to be by the goodness of God in the Sacrament may be they meet with some comfort and assistance now and then which might do them a world of good and strengthen their hearts wonderfully if they did look to it when they have gotten many good blessings now they do not construe this to be by reason of Gods Sacrament and Covenant if they did look upon it O this came by vertue of Gods Covenant and the seal of his Covenant to my soul this would make them strong in Gods Covenant and help them exceedingly thus David did if he got any mercy at any time still he laid it upon going to Gods Ordinances this I had because I kept thy precepts This I had because I prayed unto thee and sought thee Psal 119. earnestly I followed God earnestly and now I see his infinite goodnesse and mercy towards me how he hath rewarded me I confess it was a poor thing I did God might even have slung it as dung in my face but see how he hath rewarded me So if Christians would say this I had because I was careful though I had formerly neglected Gods Ordinances yet at last I came to seek him earnestly with my whole heart and to come more preparedly and diligently to the Lords Supper and now this I find I had by it
out to the end if thou wilt keep me and uphold me then I shall keep thy Law for ever but otherwise I shall never do it Nay Christ plainly tells us that he is fain to put in and pour out his prayers before his heavenly father that his dearest Saints and elect may not fall away as who should say Father they may fall totally away if thou do not preserve them as he saith to Peter Luke 22. 32. I have prayed that thy faith fail not faith is the best grace that any child of God hath and love proceeding from faith is a good grace but they are all failing things and may be worn out by corruptions therefore Christ prayeth his heavenly Father that it may be fed and cherished and kept by his heavenly Father that it may never fail implying it would fail otherwise Nay the children of God are fain to confesse in their prayers it were just with God to let them fall totally away by reason of their sins by reason of their unthankfulnesse and unfruitfulness under the means and want of knowledge of his son Jesus Christ they confess it were just with God to be weary of them and give them for gone nay the children of God the best of them all do find that it is a very hard thing to keep themselves from decayes of grace and declinings and weaknings they find that they have much ado to hold their own much more to grow in grace and increase more and more to grow more and more heavenly and more and more vertuous and more and more selfdenying they see how many thousand corruptions and temptations they have and how backward their own hearts are and how soon they are surprized that they have much ado to keep that which is begun in them much more to encrease it and grow in it Nay the children of God may so far fall away that in their own sense and feeling they may think that they have not a jot of grace so that they are sometimes ready to conclude against themselves that they have no grace they were never wrought upon never subdued many times it is thus and though they do not conclude thus yet how often are they put to this desperate lift to look every moment when they shall fall and fall totally and lose all they shall not have a relique of grace in them it is thus with the Saints of God Lastly Because there is no grace received is able to hold without continual influences from Heaven this is the nature of the grace of the second Covenant that it is by continual influence it is not like the first Covenant when God gave Adam all his portion in his hand not only for the present but for ever if he would he might stand for ever he need not pray to God to keep him but if he would obey God he might stand of himself by the Covenant that God had made with him but under the Covenant of grace grace runs thus that grace is but for the present if a man stand now if he would stand the next hour he must have a new supply of grace though he be never so patient now he may be impatient in a quarter of an hour though he be never so humble now he may be as proud as Luciser in a quarter of an hour I say God under the Covenant of grace gives a man only for the present so that now he may know it is in Gods hand he is kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation so that grace is in a child of God as light is in an house light is never so in an house but in a moment it will be dark if you shut the windows so it is with a true Christian he had need keep his windows open towards Christ he hath need of continual shinings of grace from heaven as Christ teacheth us concerning our daily bread give us this day our daily bread so it is much more in regard of grace for our souls good Lord give me wisedom and faith and patience this hour and so the next hour and the next day give me the comfort of this day and the assistance of this day give me the concurrence of thy grace this day and so the next and we must never leave praying to God to accompany us with his grace from day to day for a man stands not by the grace that is in him but by the grace that is in God as the Apostle saith Heb. 6. 10. be strong in the Lord by the power of his might he doth not say be strong by the grace ye have received but be strong in the Lord be sure you call upon him and keep close to him there is all you stand by So 2 Tim. 2. 1. be strong in the grace in Christ Jesus if any man in the Church might be strong by the grace in himself Timothy might he was as vertuous a young man as any in the Church no man that Paul loved so as Timothy I know no man like minded saith he he was so endued with Gods spirit and the graces and vertues thereof that there was none like him yet Paul doth not bid him be strong in the grace that was in him but be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus grace is in a child of God as heat is in the water though it be never so seething hot yet take it from the fire and it will fâing out all the heat and be as cold as ever it was so it is here notwithstanding all the graces that are in a child of God if he do not hang over Jesus Christ and keep close to him the daily incursions of sin will consume his graces the temptations of the flesh and the Divel within and the world without will consume them all unless a man be a good husband and receive new supply from Heaven so that we say that no grace received can keep a man from falling but that he may fall totally away in himself Now to come to the true reasons why a child of God cannot fall totally away but something of the Image of God shall remain in him though he may lose much yet he shall not lose all but something shall be remaining in him the reason of this is nothing else but the meer goodness of God to him that God will not let him so fall and God hath covenanted so with him that man that truly believes in his name he shall be kept for ever through faith unto salvation he shall not be quite broken off but he shall have some grace he shall have something of God in him something that shall distinguish him from all wicked men in the world as the Lord saith of David Psal 89 33. though they did sin against him and carry themselves unworthy that God should keep them yet notwithstanding the Lord would whip them and chastize them but his loving kindness he would never take from them why because he
had sworn by his holiness that he would never fail David so that here we see it was meerly through the goodness of God to David and his elect people that they were kept from falling away so Psal 37. 24. saith he the righteous shall not be utterly cast down a child of God may fall and fall souly and fearfully he may stain his own conscience in a lamentable manner and wound his own soul and disable himself to good duties in a fearful manner but yet though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down there shall be some standing still it shall not be an utter fall so he that doth these things shall never be removed Psal 15. 5. he speaks there of a man that shall dwel in Gods holy mount and be names who it is one that hath clean hands and a pure heart c. so that you see it is the promise of God that this man shall stand for ever he shall never be totally unsetled he doth not mean he shall not be moved at all but not absolutely so as to be quite and clean thrown down but yet no thanks to himself but thanks to the promise otherwise he might be moved and unsetled and break his neck and fall and never rise more but the promise is that he shall never âe moved Psal 112. 6. the righteous shall never be moved he shall be had in everlasting remembrance the Lord will remember a righteous man in the midst of all temptations let all the Divels in hell set upon him the Lord will for ever remember that man and never let him go from him so that you see it is meerly the goodness of God not from any thing in himself not from any grace received but meerly from Gods goodness he may thank the rock he is built upon as Christ saith Mat. 7 25. He that heareth these sayings and doth them I will liken him to a man that built his house upon a rock c. The house fell not but he may thank the rock it was built upon a rock so a childe of God is built upon a rock as we have a Proverb how can he but swim that is held up by the chin so a child of God the Lord holds him up by the chin he shall never sink so as to be drowned he may fall and fall fearfully but not totally but there shall be something of God remaining in him for ever the Lord will ever keep some truth of grace in that mans soule that he hath given the truth of grace to 2 John 2. For the truths sake saith he which dwelleth in us and shall be in us for ever When God hath put in the truth of saving grace into any of his peoples hearts it shall dwell in them for ever the Lord will take an order for the keeping of it therefore though a childe of God may be grievously overcome yet God doth ever let somthing or other remain he doth ever exempt something God deals with his children in regard of their souls as he dealt with Job in regard of his body though he let the Devil have a great deal of power over him yet he did limit him he is in thy hand but save his life though he would not let him have power over his life to kill him he let him have Jobs children in his hands and he let him have his goods in his hands his cattel and his substance in his hands nay he let him have his health in his hands so that he did strike him with boyles and blains and woful sicknesse but yet save his life you shall not take away his life so God deals with the life of his Saints though he may let the Devil horribly tempt them and the World horribly carry them away and the lusts of the flesh horribly vanquish them yet saith God he is my childe and the Devil and the Flesh and the Temptations of the World shall never kill him save his life let him never be dead in trespasses and sinnes as a wretch But you will say What is it that doth remain and what shall for ever remain in the children of God You know David fell into adultery to lie with another mans wife he fell to that pass that he laboured to defend his sin and maintain it that it might not come abroad he added murder to it what grace what fear of God what love to his Majesty what regard of Gods commandements what goodness or holiness at all was in Davids heart now at this time So Solomon when he gave way to Idolatry over all Israel to the Idols of Moab and Ammon and Edom and the Philistins round about that the true God was not truly worshipped what grace had he was there any goodness or piety in Solomon at that time So when Peter denied his Master and forswore him and confirmed it with an oath and cursed himself if he knew the man what grace was in Peters heart at that time So when Asa threw the Prophet into prison when he came to reprove him what grace remained in him at that time Thus the enemies of this Doctrine argue against it therefore they say a child of God may fall totally Was there any grace at all in Davids heart when he was committing adultery and murder was there any grace at all in Lots heart when he was committing drunkennesse and incest one night after another I answer There are four things which shall ever remain in Gods children and shall never be taken away quite and clean after they are once converted and brought home to God First They have an Unction an anointing from the holy one and that is in them and shall abide in them for ever 1 John 2. 27. The anointing which ye have received of him dwelleth in you c. This same anointing it abides in the people of God for ever By this same anointing I mean the opening of their eyes whereby they look upon God and Christ and his goodness and holinesse and righteousnesse and the commandements of God and sin and hell and the world and profits and pleasures they look upon the things of the world and upon the things of heaven in another manner then any other people doe God opens their eyes that they look upon things in a different manner from other menâ and this unction shall abide in them for ever 'T is true sin may hârribly dazle their eyes by reason of the corruptions of the fâesh and the deceivablenesse of sin they may be marvellously weakened in this unction and darkness and deadness of soule may blinde their eyes and dimme their looks but it can never be quite taken away they will have a better sight of God and Heaven and Christ and heavenly things and of the Ordinances of God and of the world and their callings and the businesse of the world they shall see these things after a different manner from the world as for example A child of God shall see more
of the word then any other others may see the word and yet continue in sin still but a godly man shall see that in the word that he âares not live in any sin for a thousand worlds So for the Sacrament he seeth more then a natural man a natural man seeth nothing in the Sacrament but he may come to it as he doth come to it he may live in his sins still he sees nothing in the Sacrament he doth not see that he eats and drinks his own damnation if he come unworthily but a childe of God seeth that in the Sacrament that he dares not come unpreparedly and unworthily by any meanes he seeth that in the Sacrament that requires preparation and worthinesse so for sin he seeth that in sin that he dares not goe on in it he will rather die at stake rather then doe as the world doth though through weakness and want of cautelousnesse sin may get great advantage against him yet it shall never bear him down and the unction keeps him that he dares not lay the reins upon his neck This is one thing shall ever remain in a child of God and this appears by two things First by this That if ever the Devil get a childe of God to commit sin he cannot carry it away as others doe but it makes the heart bleed and wounds the conscience he seeth such things in yielding to sin and giving way to the Devil I speak of known sâns the unction doth so wound him that he cannot carry it as others doe if he tell a lye he cannot bear it as the wicked can doe they can be merry and joviâl and carry it away it never troubles them but where this unction is it lies heavy upon the soul as thâ Prophet David had this unction in the midst of all his falling into adultery for you may see for all he lived ten months in the sin before he came to thorough repentance 't is true he did so yet all this while he had this unction for so himselfe confesseth Psalm 51. Mâ sin âever before me Though he never sought to God soundly and thoroughly for ten months together yet still good things were in him his ââns were ever before him it did haunt him as a ghost and wound his conscience his unction did shew him what a beast am I what a wretch what have I done Secondly It appeares too by this That a childe of God though he hath sinned never so much yet he cannot stand it out but let him be soundly dealt with he is not able to hold out but he must submit to the Lord it is a signe this unction is in him for he seeth Gods Word his displeasure his grace and goodnesse a childe of God may be horribly peevish and horribly transported in this fashion to the dishonour of God and opening of the mouths of the ungodly but come and deal with him shew him his sins he is not able to maintain bucklers against it he seeth that in your reproof which will burst all his bones and make him stoop and fling away his sins and cast away his disguisements as it was with David when Nâthan came to him O saith he I have sinned he resented presently the unction made him see that in Nathans Sermon that he was not able to hold out any longer but now his soule bleeds and melts within him so when a childe of God comes to the word and heares his sins reproved he cannot carry himselfe as the wicked doe they can heare the word and keep their sins still but a child of God hath an unction and when the word doth discover his sins to him he cannot hold up his hand against God but he must fall down and bow before him Secondly There shall ever remain in a childe of God lusting against every known sin there will be ever in a childe of God both before and after the committing of known sins lusting against the flesh the sanctified parâ will lust against the unsanctified he shall never sin with an whole will and full consent as the Apostle speaks Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh c. There is a spiritual will in a child of God that will ever lust against the carnal will so that a man cannot commit sin with his whole will as a wicked man doth as Paul saith Rom. 7. 25. He did not sin with all his soule with all his heart his mind was for God the spiritual part of his will was against his sin I find another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde c. He did not sin with all his will for he had another law in his heart rebelling against the law of sin and death therefore the Apostle saith 1 John 5. 18. Whatsoever is borne of God sinneth not that is he cannot sin with his free will with his whole consent I will make this appear by five things that a child of God can never sin with his whole will First Because he never sins but it is against his standing purpose and resolution A childe of God cannot sin with his whole will and determination in himselfe a childe of God hath a purpose never to sin against God by using all manner of wayes by striving praying labouring endeavouring comming to all Gods Ordinances and taking all courses to resist sin he hath this purpose a wicked man now hath no purpose not to sin but he hath a secret purpose to sin a Drunkard hath a purpose when he meets with his companions to goe to the Alehouse and drink with them and a covetous man hath a secret purpose to be worldly so let a man be a vain and an evill companion he will not give over his company-keeping they are his friends and he will converse with them tell him he must converse with the Saints of God he will not he hath a secret purpose to the contrary but if a childe of God sin it is against his purpose he hath a standing purpose not to sin Psalm 119. 27. Psal 39. 1. Psal 101. 3. So I will never forget thy precepts I will consider thy testimonies and I will turn my feet unto thy wayes There are abundance of places of Scripture that shew that a childe of God ever takes up an absolute purpose concerning holinesse and godlinesse of life and conversation Now if a child of God be born down at any time it is against the purpose of his heart which is a signe that he doth not sin with his whole will for if a mans will were absolutely set upon wicked courses then he would have a purpose and resolution to live in them but a childe of God hath alwayes a purpose to doe the contrary and to walk in Gods wayes Secondly Because a child of God never sins but it is against the study and composure of his heart it is against his course against the frame he composeth to himselfe
you if you take not heed therefore receive instruction by the word and give way to it for the word of God may go any whether else and you may be deprived of it if you take not heed Rev. 6. 2. Christ had his word on horse-back now if any Kingdom or Parish or Congregation do not give him good entertainment he is ready to go away and the sincere preaching of the word is the spiritual rain now if any people grow unfruitful and bring not forth the blessed fruit of the doctrine of life God threatens to take away this rain as it was with the Church of Judah Isa 5. 6. he speaks here of his vineyard the Church he had in Judah and Jerusalem and he finds fault with their barrenness and unfruitfulness when he looked they should bring forth grapes they brought forth wild grapes nothing but covetousness and security and all manner of uncleanness and they did not bring forth fruit answerable to the means of grace vouchsafed therefore the Lord threatens to command the clouds that they shall rain no more upon his vineyard thus you see the sincere preaching of the Gospel any particular Church may lose and be deprived of there is no place or Congregation that hath a lease of the Gospel but it may lose it again and be left in blindness and sit in the region and shadow of death now when a Parish or Kingdom is come to this to be deprived of the sincere preaching of the word it ceaseth wholly to be a Church of God I do not deny but God may have some members of his Catholique Church there for they may subsist without Congregations though very poorly and under a great deal of affliction but there is no National Church no particular Church no Parish-Church that Parish is not a Church of God there may be some particular members of the Catholique Church there but there cannot be any particular Church of God there that Congregation is a Congregation without God and that Kingdom is a Kingdom without God as you may see 2 Chron. 15. 3. when as a Kingdom is without a preaching Priest c. He doth not here mean by a preaching Priest one that barely did preach but he means by a preaching Priest true sincere preaching at least in fundamentals now when Israel were without this teaching Priest they were without God at that time and therefore was no true Church for Christ is ever among the candlesticks as you may see in the Revelation there is no Church but Christ dwells there in his Ordinances more or less now when people are deprived of the sincere preaching of the word God goeth away together with his Gospel from that Nation and they are a people without God unless God be pleased to look upon them again they are a Congregation of undone people and not a Congregation of blessed people as the Church of God is so far forth as the judgement of man can judge where the Gospel is gone in the sincere preaching of it they are an undone people Prov. 29. 18. Where there is no vision the people perish Now there is no Nation or Parish but may be deprived of the preaching of the word if they walk not worthy of it therefore may cease to be a Church Secondly Another inseparable mark of the true Church is this a true 2. True and sincere use of the Sacraments and sincere use of the Sacraments at least in the substance of them you shall find a particular Church is described by this to have the right administration of the Sacraments as the Church of Judah is called circumcision Rom. 3. 1. the meaning is what profit hath the Church of Judah above other people and he calls them by that name because that was a Sacrament of the Covenant of grace which God established among them and so it is under the Gospel the Churches under the Gospel are defined by the Sacraments as the Apostle speaks Phil. 3. 3. we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit As who should say they brag that they are the people of God and have the seals of the covenant as circumcision and the like but we are the people of God for we worship God in the spirit Now any Church may lose the right use of the Sacraments the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was almost left out of the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 11. 20. saith he this is not to eat the Lords Supper They met together and had a Table spread and bread and wine and had a form of consecration yet they were come to this pass that they did not receive the Sacrament So the Church of Rome hath lost this inseparable mark of a Church of God they have lost the Sacrament for the ordination of God is quite changed in the main essentials of it and they are made the badges of an Harlot rather then of a true Wife They withhold the cup from the people and administer the Sacrament in one kind only whereas Christ commanded it to be in both kinds again they deliver it in an unknown tongue whereas Christ commanded it to be delivered in a known tongue again they turn it into Idolatry to adore the host to adore the elements so how many Churches are there up and down that yield to the Church of Rome that have quite and clean lost the right use of the Sacrament nay lost the Doctrin of the Sacraments for this is seen as long as the word of God continues soââd in the fundamentals the Sacraments continue in the doctrin of them but the Church may lose the Doctrine of the Sacraments and the right use of them Thirdly Another inseparable mark of a true Church is a sincere profession 3. Sincere profession of the word of God c. of the word of God and true Christian Religion either in truth and uprightness of heart or else so far as man can judge for though the preaching of the Word come to a place yet it doth not follow presently that there is a Church of God for suppose a Minister come to a place where they are all Pagans this doth not make a Church as when Paul came among the Athenians and begun his Sermon they were all Pagans and Infidels they were not a Church presently as soon as ever he begun his Sermon but when divers of them embraced the word either sincerely or else to see to as far as Paul and others could judge then they were a Church there must be a congregation of people that do professe the pure Religion and make it appear at least to the judgement of man that they are godly in Christ Jesus this is an inseparable mark of a true Church as we may see 1 Cor. 14. 33. you shall see there that the Church is called a congâegation of Saints a Church of Saints for saith he as in all Churches of the Saints that is all particular Churches they are Churches of Saints not as if
in the sight of men for that is nothing but perfect in the sight of God before God Fourthly That the Lord Jesus searcheth whither they be so or no. Fifthly Upon due search he finds it out many times not onely in particular persons but in particular Churches as we see here in the Church of Sardis that their works are not so For the first of these That the second Covenant requires works we see Observat 1. The second Covenant requires works here that the Lord Jesus looks for works in the Church of Sardis that were in covenant with him 't is true there is this difference between the two Covenants the first covenant requires works as the condition of it He that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3. 12. The doers of the Law shall be blessed Rom. 2. 13. Therefore it is called the covenant of works and that in two senses First In that works are the condition of it Secondly In that it is left unto man God gives onely a power not to sin if so be that man will but he doth not give the will Now the second covenant is not a covenant of works the condition of it is not works but the condition of it is faith The just shall live by faith Rom. 1. 17. Therefore it is called a covenant of grace and that in two respects opposite to the former not onely in regard that these works are done by another and so nothing is required of the party justified but onely faith for his justification but also because though the covenant of grace require works yet God doth not expect a man should doe any thing of himself but it is by grace we are saved by grace through faith and not of our selves it is the gift of God I say the second covenant is a covenant of grace and yet it requires works And works are here necessary First by necessity of presence for though faith be the condition yet it is such a faith as hath necessarily good works together present with it as the Apostle speaks Faith if it have not works is dead Jam. 2. 17. Good works they are inseparably joyned together with true faith for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also not as though works were the essential forme of true faith but the nature of faith if it be true is such as doth necessarily cause good works to accompany with it They are necessary by necessity of inseparable effects good works are not onely present together with faith but they are so present as that they doe flow from faith God hath required such a faith in the covenant of grace as doth produce good works they are not onely inseparable from faith but thus inseparable that true faith must needs produce them He that hath this hope purifies himselfe as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. That is He that hath this faith he sets down faith by the effect hope and sets it down by another effect it must needs purifie it makes that man purifie himself as Christ is pure So Christ having exhorted them to believe having raised up their minds to believe the things that are above Lay up your treasure in Heaven Mat. 6. 20. in the next verse he shews this will have the effect of all manner of good works For where your treasure is there will your hearts be also it will draw up your hearts and make you heavenly-minded and make you seek the things that are above where your treasure is there will your hearts be also So likewise we may see Heb. 11. thorow the whole chapter what abundance of effects are set down of true saving faith By faith Abel offered sacrifice to God By faith Noah being warned of God obeyed God and did the things that God commanded verse 7. And so by faith Abraham when he was called yielded to God So by faith believers wrought righteousness and did wonderfull things subdued Kingdomes c. They were able to work wonderful effects so that when a man hath not works when he doth not obey God through the power of faith he hath not faith it self Thirdly Good works are necessary by necessity of signs they are not only to be in a Believer as effects but as proofs of his faith âor a man must justifie his faith by his works they are signes and proofs whereby he may know whether his faith be true and of the right stamp oâ no for if a mans faith be a lively faith a faith that doth justifie though in the act of justiâication it be alone yet in existency it is not alone but it hath good âorks together with it as signs and marks of the same as 1 John 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and ãâã not the truth Hereby we may know that we are deceived we may think we have saith and so fellowship together with him yet if we walk in darknesse we may know we lye for this could not be if we had fellowship with God So 1 John 2. 4. He that saâ I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar If a man should once think that he knows God with the knowledge of faith and yet keeps not the commandements of God by this very thing he may know that he is a lyar Hereby shall all men know ye are my discâples if ye love me ãâã or saith Christ and as it is a sign to others so it is a sign to a mans own self Herâby we know that we are passed from death to life it we loveth Brethren He sets down one good work in stead of all other if we bring forth the works of new obedience and if our hearts be purgâd of God iâ we bring forth the fruits of holiness this is a signe we have faith for faith makes a man to choose God for his God and raises a man up to see him to be the chiefest good of all and to see all happiness in him and a supply of all the good we need in him and so it makes a man to love God and by love to doe the works of God Fourthly Good works are necessary also by necessity of commandement not onely to be effects and signes of faith but they are also such things as are commanded of God God hath commanded good works that we should walk in all holiness of conversation to be holy as he is holy that we should be holy in our carriages and behaviour Tit. 3. 8. The same God that commands us to believe commands us to maintain good works as we may see there we sâe that Ministers are to urge people and maintaine it against all gainsayers that there is a necessity of good works and that the Lord will have us to go on in them for faith through the Object of it as it justifies is the promise of God in Christ for forgiveness of sins yet faith in it selfe looks upon the whole
word of God and looks whatsoever it seeth joyned together by that it joynes together of it self as the Promises and Commandements are bound together by an inviolable knot so faith joynes them together it cannot take the promises of God but it must take the commandements of God also faith looks upon God and as it seeth him to be gracious whereby it comes to have faith to rely upon him so also it seeth him to be holy a God that is severe against sin and hateth unrighteousness so that it is necessary that works be together with faith for the commandement and nature of God require it Fifthly They are necessary also by necessity of end for God hath ordained his people to this end that they should bring forth good works Eph. 2. 10. We are his workmanship created in Christ to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them We are created in Christ Jesus not onely that we should be saved but that we should bring forth good works Now good works are necessary by necessity of end in divers respects First to this end To glorifie God in the world Let your light so shine before men c. Matth. 5. 16. So 1 Pet. 2. 12. the Apostle saith Having our conversation honest amongst the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers c. For when a Christian that professeth he believes in God and Jesus Christ is plentiful in all manner of good works this stops the mouth of all gainsayers You know Piety and Religion is hated in the world the Gospel finds opposition among men Now when those that are Professors are loose and licentious in their lives this opens their mouths against the truth but when our lives and conversations hold forth Jesus Christ as we take up the profession of his holy name so they are agreeable to his will they are just and holy and righteous and good this makes men think in their conscience this is of God this stops their mouths that they cannot rail at the Gospel Secondly They are necessary to doe good to others and convert others as the Apostle instanceth in women that believe if they be zealous of good works if they be chast and humble and meek and discreet by this means they may be instruments to convert their husbands that believe not 1 Pet. 3. The Lord looks that his people all that believe in him should be fruitful in good works that they may winne and gaine others to the faith Thirdly Another end is to purifie our selves for it is vertue that must throw out vice we are all borne by nature filthy and unclean and full of noysome lusts and the way to expel these is by the contrary vertues 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing you have purified your soules by obeying the truth Fourthly Another end is to qualifie us for Heaven we cannot be qualified for the Kingdome of heaven unless we be holy and godly in Christ Jesus except we have our conversations honest as becometh Saints for though it be faith that entitles a man to the Kingdome of Heaven and gives a man right to the Kingdome of God yet holinesse and conformity to the minde of God and the image of God is that which doth fit and qualifie a man for to enter into the Kindome of God as Christ saith Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you can in no wise enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Though it be true we are saved by grace and so good works have no causality no proper efficiency in our salvation yet notwithstanding they are a cause sine qua non without them there can be no salvation we cannot enter into Gods Kingdome except we be humble and meek and lowly except we fear God and be according to his minde in all things in some measure we cannot enter into his Kingdom Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God A man cannot be admitted to the Beatifical Vision of God except he be pure in heart and he cannot enjoy the Kingdome of grace neither here unless he be pure in heart Rev. 21. 27. Without holiness aâ man shall see the Lord Heb. 13. It is impossible we should enter into Gods Kingdome by having actual possession of it except we be holy and fitted for it as the Apostle saith Col. 1. 12. It is impossible that drunkards and unclean persons should have society with the blessed Trinity with the eternal God with the Spirit of holinesse to dwell with them for evermore we must be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Fifthly To proportion our Reward for though we are saved only by grace yet God doth proportion our reward according to the multitude and zeal and fervency of our good works for Gods Covenant is a remunerating Covenant for mercy doth not consist only in the pardoning of a man but also in the sanctifying of a man and the inclining of a mans heart to new obedience that there may be remuneration for though God doth not reward people for their works yet according to their works he doth 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly c. Though a man be a Believer and a godly man if he be sparing in his godliness he shall fare accordingly and if he be abundant in the work of the Lord he shall reap abundantly for as there are differences and degrees of torments to the wicked so there be degrees in the Kingdom of God and in glory and the Lord doth reward his people according to their works Lastly Good works are necessary by necessity of thankfulness it is necessary that we having received the forgiveness of our sins and God being pleased to be our God and to deliver us from the wrath to come and the power of Satan that we should be thankful for these mercies as David saith Psal 118. 19. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts and be thankeful Col. 1. 15. When David had considered what the Lord had done for his soul saith he what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits as soon as ever God hath been good to a man to open his eyes to let him see his damned estate and condition and to let him have hope and comfort and encouragement in him concerning deliverance from it and bestowing upon him his heavenly Kingdom and glory it cannot be but the soul must be thankful what shall I do unto the Lord for all his benefits you know there is nothing that we can do back again for these benefits except we will praise and glorifie him by living unto him and not unto our selves therefore when the Psalmist had reckoned up the benefits of God to Israel Psal 105. 46. he concludes that they may keep his statutes and observe his Laws First Here we see how horribly the Papists wrong us when they say we Vse 1 do not teach people
good works and therefore nickname us and call us Solifidiaâs whereas we maintain a necessity of them and as great a necessity of them as they only we beat down the merit of them that no man may think to be saved by works as a reverend Divine Mr. Carter said we teach people holiness and righteousness and good works as if there were no way to be saved but by good works and again we teach that there must be as much hanging upon the grace of God as if we could shew no more to be saved then the vilest drunkard or adulterer all our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth and it is Gods mercy that any of us have an heart to do good you see how the world runs after their hearts lusts and every man is of this disposition and it is Gods grace and mercy to incline any mans heart to walk in that way that tends to his heavenly Kingdom and if God should not be infinitely gracious to pardon us for our best doings they would rise up in judgement against us God might condemn us for all our prayert and performances Secondly This teacheth Ministers how to preach to people to call upon Vse 2 them that they have an operative faith not only to believe but to have a faith that may be fruitful and make their lives nât to barren in obedience and to be abundant in the works of the Lord and to serve him and fear him and glorifie him in the world as the Apostle having shewed how Christ gave himself for us to purchase to himself a people zealous of good works saith he these things speak Tit. 2. 14 15. We must speak these things and rebuke our hearers with all authority rebuke evil workers and tell them they turn the grace of Christ into wantonness they trample the blood of the Covenant under their feet and kick at the spirit of grace and misconstrue the meaning of the Covenant of God in Christ and rend themselves off that they cannot enter into life for no man without holiness shall see God Ministers should tell people plainly and affirm constantly that unless they bring forth good fruit they shall be cast into the fire and that without holiness they cannot have license and dispensation to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for God is an holy God and our faith is an holy faith and the promises are made to none but those that lead an holy and a godly life we must preach these things and reprove with all Authority and let people know that are loose Christians and Hell-hounds that if they do not depart from iniquity they shall see God as a Judge to condemn them for evermore Thirdly This confutes all the graceless conceits of men that think to be Vse 3 saved by Christ and yet walk not after Christ they cast not away from them the works of darkness nor renounce their wicked âayes and yet hope to be saved by Christ this is a cursed and blasphemous hope whereby a man blasphemes God 1 Joh. 3. 6. whosoever sinneâh but ãâ¦ã en him neither knâwn him if a man live in his sins still that is the meaning of it and walks not after the spirit but after the flesh that man hath not seen him neither ever known him he doth not know Jesus Christ otherwise then the Divels know him otherwise then Hell-hounds and reprobates may know him for the second Covenant is as holy as the first and rather more holy and before God hath done it shall bring a man to a nearer communion with God and a nearer likeness it will raise the powers and faculties of the soul so as I believe Aâam in innocency never attained unto so much participation of God as God by degrees will bring a man unto by the Covenant of grace therefore no man can look to âe saved by Christ except he mean to be ruled by Christ and to have him for his Lord and Master and to obey him in all things if a man should lie sick in his bed of a burning feaver and should say he were well would you believe him so if we see a man that is burning in lust wallowing in sinful courses that hath a carnal and a worldly heart unmortified and unsubdued to God if he should say that he were in Christ and hoped to be saved by him believe him not all the world cannot save this man for the Lord Jesus Christ hath this very name Jesus not only because he shall save his people from hell but also from their sins and make them fruitful in all the works of God Fourthly To exhort that we would consider of this the Gospel doth Vse 4 call for works as well and as strongly yea and more strongly then the Law and there be necessary uses of holiness and obedience and all manner of pious works under the Gospel as the Apostle saith Tit. 3. 4. let us maintain good works for necessary uses c. We are barren trees whatsoever we are we are barren and dead Christians and have no life of God in us if we bring not forth good works for good works are necessary for many uses First They are for signs to shew us what estate and condition we are Motive 1. in we may know what estate and condition we are in by our carriage and conversation whither it be earthly or heavenly holy or prophane so is our condition either happy or damned First They are signs of a mans election 2 Tim. 1. 20. this is a sign and a badge and a token whereby we may know that we are vessels of honour if we be sanctified and made meet for our masters use and furnished and prepared for every good work if we do not deny all ungodly lusts and live righteously and soberly in this present world we have rather badges and tokens of reprobation then election we cannot say that God hath appointed us to attain salvation by Jesus Christ but have rather marks of hell and destruction upon us and what is the reason that men that profess Christ do so much question their election no wonder when we are so scanty in our holiness and obedience to God and so backward to do good there is no nickling of Gods everlasting favour breaking out whereas if we were plentiful in good works it would break forth as the Sun out of a cloud Secondly They are signs of effectual calling Jude 1. if a man be called of God he is sanctified also and kept in an holy course preserved in Christ 2 Pet. 1. 3. you are an holy Nation a peculiar people to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you 1 Pet. 2. 9. so that we may be sure that we yet abide in darkness and are under the power of sin and Satan if we have not given over our sinful courses and conformed our selves to the Gospel of God we were never called according to Gods purpose but lie under the wrath of Heaven to this day it
dayes he could not chuse but be scorned and derided but what cared he he would be a just man and was perfect in his generation though it were a devillish generation yet he was an upright man and would not doe as the world did but he would draw near to God and walk with him from day to day So it is said of Job Job 1. 2. That he was an upright and perfect man though Job lived in a blind corner out of the Church and setting aside 304 generally the whole Countrey were Heathens and Pagans and he was as an Owl in the Desart yet he would not doe as the world did but keep himself to God So Luke 1. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth were both righteous before God c. You know the times were then very bad and all the devotion that went for currant was nothing but to be zealous of humane inventions and traditions and worshipping God after the imaginations of men this was the holiness of the world yet the Text saith this man and his wife would be righteous before God and walked in all the Ordinances of God blameless not in the Ordinances of the Scribes and Pharisees but they were righteous before God and walked in all the Ordinances of God blameless Then this may serve to reprove these dayes and times and places of Vse 1. Reproof ours where we live where are hardly any upright people we may say of them as the Prophet Micah said of his time Micah 7. 2. The good man is perished off the earth As who should say we had a great company of godly and holy people religious Ministers painful in their places and abundance of private Christians faithful before the Lord but now there is hardly an upright man there are so many drunkards and adulterers so many unclean persons so many covetous there are so many mockers and enemies to sincerity so many complementers with God so many ignorant nay willingly ignorant though they live under the means of knowledge so many that have a form of golinesse but deny the power thereof so many that are come to the birth but have no strength to bring forth they will never come to be godly indeed there are so many that are dead-hearted and never were quickned by Jesus Christ nor endued with the life of the spirit of grace that we may say as Solomon saith A faithful man who shall finde Prov. 20. 6. Many fathers we have among us but a faithful father who shall finde that doth discharge his duty towards his children many Masters we may finde but who carries himself towards his servants as he ought to doe so we have many in place of Authority that might stand for God and hinder sin and doe some good in their places but a faithful man who shall finde but here one and there one rare birds and they are the offscouring of the world and are hated and mocked and persecuted so we have a great many that have gotten a great deal of light God hath awakened their consciences and made them see their miserable condition but a faithful man that doth discharge a good conscience in that place wherein he is that carries himself uprightly under the means of grace under the Word under the preaching of it under Gods Ordinances such a man where shall we finde as David saith Psalm 12. 1. Help Lord c. He had occasion through the persecution of Sâul to travel thorough the most of the Towns of Israel and all were so loose and licentious and carnall and worldly and serving the times and pleasing and humouring the Court he saw the Countrey so empty of goodness that he prayeth Help Lord c. and as the Lord saith Isa 1. 21. How is the faithful City become an Harlot c. So we may say How is the faithful City become an harlot a faithful Town that hath had the Word sincerely taught that hath had many walking sincerely in obedience according to the Word in some measure and hath set up the power of the Word in their Families but what is become of them there was judgement and righteousnesse but now where is it there was truth and truth could have abode but now it can have no admittance But how may we complain that our faithful Countrey is become an harlot I doe not speak of Papists and Turks and Pagans but of the Church of God the faithful are diminished from among the sons of men Secondly This may serve to humble the best of all Gods children it Vse 2. Humility may serve to ashame us before God to think what a deal of corruption is in our hearts if David might complain of himself how much more may we Lord saith he thou dost require truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. As who should say Lord how far am I from it who would ever have thought that Davids heart should so play fast and loose that ever he should sâ abuse Vriah his faithful servant that ever he should so abuse Bathsheba that good woman and bring her to sin If David himself may thus complain how much more may we complain and loath our selves for the deal of rottenness that is in our hearts O what windlings and fetches are there Austin himself saith I can hardly tell when to believe my own heart so I say what a company of windings and turnings and tricks and startingâoles are there in the hearts of Gods people sometimes we are ready to think we have the good we have not and what evasions have we to put off any good duty if we have not a minde to doe it what put offs what tricks to slip our neck out of the collar if we doe not like it what a company of deceits are in the heart So what a company of slights to doe evil such a company of blindinâs and besottings and carnal reasons and foolish arguments as if we did well in doing it whereas it is but the falseness of our hearts As Mr. Hearn saith It is better for a man to be delivered up to the Devil then to his own heart We read of a man delivered up to Satan as Paul saith and yet we read that that man was brought home again but we never read of any man brought home that was delivered up to the corruptions of his own heart therefore if God hath made us see the falsenesse of our own hearts and made us humble our selves before him for it and made us to endeavour more and more aâter sincerity what a mercy of God is this but the people of God have cause to comâlain of the falseness of their hearts Thirdly Is it so that we must be upright then let this serve to exhort us that we would be upright more and more for this is that which the Lord doth look for and especially look for What though we should do things never so good for the matter yet if we do them not with an upright heart all is nothing though
Sacrament and do the outward things of Religion but never come to worship God in spirit and in truth let me tell you all this Religion is nothing at all suppose a man comes to Church only and lives in his lusts what then Who required this at your hands to tread in my courts Isa 1. 12. Who why God requires it 't is true but not without uprightness to be proud still and worldly still he requires you to come into his courts but not in this manner so likewise for preaching it is an ordinance of God but if a man will preach and doth not lead an holy and mortified life and is not zealous for God and against sin and to hold forth a blessed pattern of uprightness God had as live have that mans room as his company Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to do to take my word into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed As who should say what makest thou here it is fitter for thee to be in an Alehouse then in a Pulpit so God hath commanded prayer but if a man pray not in spirit and in truth and is not an holy man his prayers are nothing Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to God As who should say if you prayed with an upright heart your sacrifice would be a delight to God but seeing you are not upright all your prayers and sacrifices are abominable in the sight of God For humiliation to humble us how should we be ashamed there is no uprightness among us the most of us are not upright before men much less before God For exhortation that we would strive and labour to be upright and upright before him that we would cry out with the Prophet David O let my heart be upright before thee that I may not be ashamed if we find listlessenesse and backwardness for God if we find our hearts side with the ungodly let us know we are wicked people and cannot be of God therefore set us labour to be upright before God REV. 3. 2. I have not found thy works perfect before God THe point of Doctrine is this that the Lord will search whither Doctrine God will search whither we be perfect those that seem to be upright be so or no finding presupposeth searching I have not found thy works perfect Now for the meaning of this searching we must know that Gods searching and mans searching do much differ and they differ in five respects First Mans searching may be without finding though a man search all that ever he can yet may be he cannot finde out the matter how it stands Laban searched in Jacobs tent and Leahs tent and the two maids tent and in Rachels tent for his images and when he had done all he could not tell where they were but now when God searcheth men he is sure to find men out O Lord thou searchest me out saith David Psal 139. 1. This is the reason why men that are sligh and subtil they care not much though they be siââed by men especially if there be none to witness against them you shall have them swear and swagger they were never guilty of such a thing because they are confident it shall never come to light but if God searcheth he will be sure to find Secondly Mans searching hath ever ignorance foregoing though after search may be he comes to know yet before searching he knows not Job 29. 16. the case I knew not I searched out he searched because he knew not but God as after searching he is sure to know and find out so he knows before all searching as the Church saith if we be false in thy covenant shall not God finde us out for thou knowest the very thoughts of the heart and the reins Psal 44. 21. you see God searcheth because he doth know man because he doth not Thirdly Mans searching is properly so called but when searching is spoken of God it is after the manner of men God doth rather act a kind of searching then search indeed as he doth act a comming down whereas properly he doth not come down for he is everywhere and so he acts a kinde of ignorance as if he knew not and yet he knows all things as he speaks to Abraham concerning Sodom Gen. 18. 21. I will goe down noâ there is an horrible noyse what horrible sinners these Sodomites be I will gâ down now and see whither it be altogether according to the cry that is come up unto me if not I will know He speaks after the manner of men he need not come down for he is present everywhere and cannot move from one place to another and whereas he saith if not I will know these things aâ improperly spoken after the manner of men Fourthly It is mans duty to search if he know not any particular passage of his life whither it be warrantable or no so Magistrates ought to search matters before they determine sentence otherwise they may judge unrighteous judgement now God searcheth not as though he had any need of searching but to tell us our duty to give us a good example this phrase is given to him to shew us what we should do as when there was an horrible attempt in the old world among the Builders of Babel they would build a Tower whose top should reach up unto Heaven Now the Text saith The Lord came down to see the Tower and the City that was built not as if he came down so as taking this phrase unto himselfe but to shew what our duty and Magistrates duty is to search before they pass sentence and to see whether reports given out be true or no. Fifthly Mans searching is for himselfe that things may appear to himselfe but when God searcheth it is not that it may appear unto him but to the world that it may be manifest abroad that a mans selfe and others may see it it is spoken onely in regard of the nature of the thing some things are manifest and some secret Now God is said to search when he makes other things that in their own nature are hidden to men when God brings them abroad and unveils them and unmasks them and openly reveals them 1 Cor. 4. 5. Judge not before the time till the Lord comes who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness He searcheth them not for himselfe but to make them manifest he saw them before but they were not manifest abroad they were under the hatches no body could tell whether they were so or no. Now God is said to search to bring them abroad Now God is said to search five manner of wayes First By his own Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10. So saith David Whither shall I fly from thy Spirit if I goe up into heaven thou art there c. If thou shouldst goe into the Alehouse or any bad place God is there a spectator though the Devil onely and such as are his Imps are there keeping company with
thee yet God is there beholding thee though we should dig never so deep God can trace us and finde us out though we should be never so closely and cleverly wicked God can dive into us what we are Come in thou wife of Jeroboam saith the Prophet why dissemblest thou thy selfe to be another The Spirit of God revealed it When Gehesai wiped his lips O thy servant âent no whither Did not my spirit goe with thee saith Elisha when the man returned He shewes how the Spirit of God which he calls his spirit because it dwelt in him did reveal his wretchedness Secondly As the Lord searcheth by his own Spirit so also by the spirit of man as for example by the spirit of the Magistrate he doth search out sly offenders when Solomon had said The King doth scatter the wicked Prov. 20. 27. in the next words he answers an Objection How shall he finde out whether such a man be wicked or no A man may be brought before a Magistrate and yet have all the hands in the Parish for his good behaviour Now how shall the Magistrate finde it out saith he The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord that is as Tremelius expounds it the Lord helps the Magistrate to finde out these fellows though they be never so subtle and how doth he help him by the Magistrates own wit and wisedome it is the candle of the Lord the Lord gives him light to sift things and bring things to light and though wicked and ungodly men hang together though they swear and combine themselves hand in hand together yet if a Magistrate be an able man and gifted of the Lord the Lord hath set a candle in that mans minde to light him how to discover them As when the two Harlots came before Solomon the spirit of Solomon was the candle of the Lord that lighted him to discover which was the mother of the childe Thirdly God doth search a man by the conscience in a man himselfe sometimes you shall have a childe of God much afraid that he is not sincere and calls all into question anon the Lord discovers he is sincere and reveals he is upright how doth he doe it by his own conscience as the ease was Davids one time he concluded all was naught and he had nothing of God in him and God was gone quite away and had shut up his mercy for evermore at last God revealed David to himselfe and that by his own conscience My own spirit searched saith he Psal 77. 6. and then he saw that it was but his infirmity his own spirit and conscience the Lord stirred it up to make diligent search and David perceived himselfe to be as he was so on the contrary a wicked man may seem to have good hopes to be godly and to have an honest sincere heart and be a good Christian and he professeth himselfe to be so and if any one should charge him with the contrary he would say they were uncharitable Now this is a secret Now the Lord searcheth him out by his own conscience thus it was with Pharaoh he thought he did well in not letting the children of Israel goe nay he thought Moses was unreasonable to demand such a thing what to let six hundred thousand of his servants to goe out of his Kingdome at once there was no equity he should let them goe Now the Lord discovered this was nothing but the wretchednesse of his own heart and made his conscience cry out The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Rightly doth he call for it at my hands and rightly doth he punish me for not doing of it and I am a wicked man and have done it out of the wickedness of my heart Fourthly The Lord searcheth men out by his Word he doth thereby discover men to be what they are Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful sharper then a two-edged sword c. and is a searcher and discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the hearts the Word of God doth search and discover men though they be never so secretly covered yet notwithstanding the Word of the Lord finds them out as you may see it discovered the woman of Samaria it made her give over all her wrangling and disputing the case with Christ it made her cry out at the last O come and see a man that hath told me all that ever I have done John 4. 29. So the Apostle when he would exhort the Corinthians to expound the word in a known tongue he gives this reason O saith he if you doe thus it will discover people if a man should come in he will be judged by you and the thoughts of his heart will be made manifest 1 Cor. 14. 24. The Word of God is a divine thing and it is a plain sign that it is the word of an all-searching God for it can meet with mens thoughts and mens secrets When King Ahasuerus said What shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour what man living could tell what Haman thought at that time yet the Word of God revealed the thought of his heart Hest 6. 6. When David was dancing before the Ark and Michal looked oât at the window what man could tell what she thought in her heart yet the Word of God sets it down She despised him in her heart 2 Sam. 6. 16. When Foelix was talking privately with St. Paul friendly and kindly what man or Angel could imagine what Foelix thought at that time yet the Word of the Lord layes it open He thought to have a bribe You will say who could tell that 't is true men know not peoples hearts yet many times the Word meets with them insomuch that they are ready to say sometimes who told the Minister of me certainly he hath some blab how should he come to know this and speak of this in the Pulpit the Word of God meets with them Fifthly the Lord searcheth men by his providence though men carry it out never so handsomely and fairly and can goe in the dark and under the hatches for a long time yet the providence of God will have a time to finde them out as Job speaks Job 12. 22. He discovereth the deep things out of darkness c. That is he doth it many times by his providence he reveals things that are otherwise secret and unknown and lie hid yet he brings them out men may blear the world and deceive their own soules but the providence of God in the end will search out all secret things and make them as manifest as things done on the house top it is a strange thing to see how many that have boyled in their hearts against the Saints and Ministers of God and they have carried it it out slyly and fairly yet God hath discovered their malice and spight and their venemous speeches and the envy they have borne against the people of God What
strange things hath the Lord discovered when men have concluded no eye should see it I hope no body shall know it yet the providence of God comes to finde it out either first or last Now the providence of God discovers mens works that are in secret divers wayes First By letting his people to suspect men 't is true we ought not to give way to an humour of suspition for it is directly against charity for charity thinketh no ill therefore we should take heed of suspition without just cause of suspition for hereby we may wrong persons as the Disciples though Paul was a true Convert yet they suspected he was not and so wronged him It is a dangerous thing to suspect any man without infallible ground yet many times the providence of God doth discover men by this meanes as you may see an example in those false-hearted ones Ezra 4. they would come and build with Zerubbabel and Jehoshua they made as if they did intend the promotion of the Church and Common-wealth Now verse 3. they suspected them Now when they saw that they were shy of them they displayed themselves and laid themselves open and turned to the contrary side and did them all the mischiefe they could Secondly by letting of good people to injure and wrong them this is very true that the children of God should wrong no body especially none that are Christians that we may have any hope they are godly if a child of God should âong any man in the least degree he is guilty of all the mischief that shall follow after therefore we should be marvellous careful that we wrong no man in thought word or deed but yet it will be so long as we dwell here in the flesh wrongs will be committed by good people sometimes against their wills sometimes by corruptions rising in their hearts contrary to their minds and principles they goe upon Now when these wrongs fall upon those that are not sound this discovers them for their venom and madnesse falls not onely upon them but upon all Professors these are your Professors and precise fellows nay let but the children of God be indiscreet this by the providence of God doth divers times discover men as Saul a great hypocrite indeed he had many admirable things in him he had admirable Government and though he were not a man that truly loved holinesse yet he did abundance of good things and he hoped he was right Now the Lord discovered him by this by letting him have some indiscretion shewed towards him as the women in the Song Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands it was indiscreetly spoken of them though it were true they ought not to have made such a Song of it though no question the women meant well in what they did and were honest and well-minded people yet through their indiscretion Saul stomachs David and grows to be a persecutor From this time forward be eyed David Thirdly By guiding of his Ministers to home-preaching this discovers people what they are if they be godly and upright when the word of God meets with any corruption of theirs then it shews they are of God for then they fall down before God and acknowledge their sin and repent of it and part with it and loath it and cry to Heaven for the pardon of it and labour to have it rooted out of their soules and consciences and so they are discovered to be sound but when this meets with an unsound heart and comes to display his secret lusts and vile courses not being able to stoop to this it shewes what it is as when Christ preached something sharply John 6. 55 60. O say they It is hard hard saying who can bear it And from that time many of his Disciples forsook him It fares with Gods Church in this case as with Ishbosheth Abner seemed to be his dear friend and stuck close to him yet when Ishbesheth told him of his faults of his whoredome and lying with his Fathers Concubines then he 2 Sam. 3. 8. was mad and was not able to brook him presently he falls off from Ishbesheth because of this away he goes and turns his enemy So it fares with the Saints of God many seem to be their dear friends and keep close to them and joyn with them but when they are dealt withal about things amisse in them they discover what they are they do not like such men they care not how little they come in their company they fail off and so are made manifest what they are Fourthly By their own lusts and corruptions for you shall have men many times hear the Word and being wrought upon in their consciences by the Word or by Gods judgements that startles them they give over their sins upon this and reform and will have good orders in their Families and take up good duties and not having a sound but a false heart a covetous heart in the end this worldlinesse or any other lust that is unmortified the Lord doth use it as an instrument to discover that all thâse Reformations of theirs were never sound in the end they come to count this a burden and such a burden as they are not able to bear and so grow to be something weary of their strict courses and give over by degrees not to be so careful in their Families to pray morning and evening and sometimes omit it and not to be so forward for God and goodnesse and at the last they come to shew plainly that there was never any soundnesse in them thus the Lord doth many times lead them forth among evil doers Psa 125. 5. and so such as have kept company among good doers are discovered to be evil doers thus Demas was discovered for a time he followed St. Paul but having a worldly heart the Lord discovered him by it in the ând it made him weary of Pauls company and he fell to embrace this present world 2 Tim. 4. 10. Lastly By the times by persecutions that arise against the Church of God and this knocks off all that were but meer hangbyes it knocks them off from the good course they seemed to follow before and they follow the contrary as Christ notes Matth. 13. 20 21. They that received the seed into stony ground when persecution arose they fâll off When persecution and trouble did arise they were offended this discovered them as if there be any rift or unsound place in the house a sharp tempest will discover it and shew where is a flaw in the building so if there be a flaw in a mans faith or profession if a man be not right towards God the times will discover this The Reasons of this are First because it is Gods Prerogative thus to Reason 1 doe because the perfection of mens works though men may give a guesse at it yet it is a secret Now it is Gods Prerogative Royal to reveale secrets Jer. 17. 10. I the Lord search the
heart c. The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it 'T is true but I the Lord search the heart and try the reins So you see God takes it to himselfe as his own Prerogative Royal to search men out what they are And indeed the Lord sometimes in Scripture is described by this very thing the searching of the heart Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the heart Who is that The Apostle doth not tell us who it is but you may guesse who it is by the Epithite he gives him So that God I say is known by this and will be known by this by searching mens hearts and discovering what men are and aym at and intend what men hate and what they love what things they doe and how they doe them Secondly As this is Gods Prerogative Royal so of all things in the world he will bring that which is secret out whether men be sincere or no. Men make a shew O they are baptized and come to Church and take paines in their places and callings and what can you alledge against me Now of all things in the world God will discover this if men be not as they seem to be if men have malice in their hearts and pride if they seek the world and be ambitious and seek to please men and make as if they would please God if they be false-hearted God will discover this he will discover all things but specially Hypocrisie if any will be Adulterers and will not be known to be such if any will be proud or scoffers of Religion and will not be known to be such God will bring this to light as Job saith If you secretly accept persons God will surely reprove you Job â3 10. God will bring all the world and all their doings to light but of all things if men have secret haunts and back-doors to doe evill if men have devices and colours to put off their actions if men can dawb up wretched and filthy cases as if they were good if men will goe about in this fashion to dawb with untempered morter such sins and sinners as these God will lay before him as Moses saith Psal 90. 8. As who should say thou layest all our sins before us but if we have any secret sins thou layest them upon a rock in the open Sun the Lord especially ayms at them there be many persons in the world that are godly and honest and yet are covered by the scoffs and reproaches of the world as if they had no good nor did any good and there are others again that are boulstered up in the world as if they were good men and better then those that keep such a pudder Now the Lord as he will bring every thing abroad so specially this Thirdly Because it is for the glory of God to search men out as Solomon saith of a King Prov. 25. 2. It is the glory of a King to search out a matter as when the two Harlots were brought before Solomon concerning the child whose it was there was no way in the world to know it there was nothing but their own asseverations the one said it was hers and the other said it was hers the one affirmed the other denied it before the King now we shall see what a glory it was to Solomon to search out who was the mother of the child the Text saith all Israel feared King Solomon because of this thing 1 Kings 3. 28. They trembled before him they saw he could search out secrets and hidden things therefore they durst not do wickedness in secret for fear he should finde them out so it is the glory of God to search out secret matters and bring them on the stage if a man be upright and this man is spawl'd and spit upon and born down in the world if the Lord should not search it out what a dishonour would it be to God and if a man should goe for a good Christian and is not and God should not finde them out what a dishonour would it be to him it is the glory of God to search out secret matters Fourthly It is for the truth of God he hath said he will search every one out as you may see Job 34. 22. So he hath said He that hideth his sins shaâl not pâoâper Prov. 28. 13. So he hath said He that walketh uprightly walketh suââly but he that perverteth his wayes shall be known If God hath said thus certainly it concerns his truth to see it made good and therefore he must search them out Fifthly This is for the Justice of God that God should search out every one what he is and what his works be how should God judge the world else therefore when God said he would judge Judah and punish them because they had forgotten him he gives this as the reason of it Therefore saith he I will discover thy skirts upon thy face that thy shame may appear So when God means to glorifie his Saints and bestow the Kingdome of Heaven upon them therefore he will discover their honesty and lay open their godly courses and reward them for all the taunts and vile reproaches of the wicked The first Use may serve to reprove most men generally we do not consider that God will search us what a company of pleas are there to doe evil what a company of put offs to doe good duties If men can but find any starting hole glad are they and if they can but finde any silly pretence then they are made then a man can never get them to doe that which is good When Moses was loth to goe to Pharaoh what abundance of pretences had he to put it off O saith he I am unworthy who am I that I should goe before Pharaoh and another time I am not eloquent He made as if it had been his modesty he was not fit for the office he did not consider that he was to deal with God that could search him out Moses saith he goe before Pharaoh for they are dead that sought thy life As if he had said I know thy thoughts thou hast killed a man in Egypt and thou art afraid that Pharaoh will kill thee but that Pharaoh is dead therefore goe So when a man is unwilling to doe a duty he will have a thousand excuses bid men have prayers in their Family they will say they are not book-learned and cannot pray and how prove you it to be a duty any thing God bids them doe they are willing to doe if you shew them but a place of Scripture for it they make this the reason but this is hypocrisie the reason is they care not for God nor for the Family they care not whether they be saved or damned they care not that the fear of God may be in their children and servants they care not for this but they will not believe this is the cause Again bid another be diligent in his Office alas what shall a man
have shrewd things against them that they can hardly tell how to answer Now what a comfort is this to them though their consciences be unquiet many times to think that God will search them out they shall not be judged by their consciences altogether but the Lord shall judge them As Paul did not onely set down a comfort against the censures of the Corinths but against his own conscience I am not my own Judge Many times conscience may be abused and cry out there is nothing good nothing sounds no true good in my soul Now a man should say I must not judge my selfe but the Lord must judge me and search me out so that this is a great comfort to the people of God that God will search every man Thirdly This may stir us up to be able to stand out Gods search when he shall come and search First That we may be able to stand when offences come When offences come the Lord searcheth whether people love themselves or love his commandements and love his servants there be such horrible offences sometimes that if he doe not love God indeed he will stumble the commandements of God and his pure worship and service may be so derided and oppâed a man may be offended at it that professed it before if he love it not indeed therefore Matth. 18. 10. our Saviour saith Woe to the World because of offences As if he had said when offences shall come they shall discover thousands in the world to be naught woe to the world when they come for these be searching things therefore let us labour when offences come that we may not be offended as Christ saith Matth. 11 5. blâssed is the man that is not offended in me That man is a blessed man that when all offânces arise nothing can make him offended at Jesus Christ This doth plaânly shew that a man hath the grace of God in him when nothing can offend him not the means of Christ in the world in his members not the crosse that doth accompany Religion not the multitudes of evil men not persecutions revilings nick-names poverty and disgrace nothing in the world can offend him but he will love God and feare him and keep close to his commandements this is a sign we shall stand when God searcheth us Again Let us be able to stand out against affâictions and persecutions these search men as it is said of Josepâ when he was laid in prison because he would not yield to his Mistris the Text saith The word of the Lord tryed him Psal â05 If he had not been sincere when he saw how the times went he would have been afraid and yielded to the temptation but the Word of the Lord tryed him and he was found to be sincere and godly indeed So when God afflicted Job Job 10. he saith Thou search â for ây sins When God afflicts us or persecutes us or suffers any evil to fall upon us then he searcheth us and then if we be hypocâites and have onely a forme of godlinesse and are not sound at the botâome then God will finde it out it will appear when crosses and afflictions come it will lay a man open therefore let us be able to stand in afflictions to be dead to the world and worldly things to be able to deny our lives and livings and forgoe all the world rather then any of Gods commandements that when we come to be tryed we may be found to have faith more precious then gold Thirdly Labour to stand in time of difficult commandements sometimes God calls a man to difficult commandements that he cannot doe except he cut off his right hand and pull out his right eye except he will lose his life except he will be driven up and down like a vagrant Traitor and cast into prison sometimes may be God puts a man upon commandements that he must lose all that he hath if he doth them Now know God comes to search whether we love him best whether we will rather obey him or the world whether we love profits or credit or any thing more then him So when the young man in the Goâpel made as if he were well-minded to enter into eternal life he was an observer of the commandements of God Now when Christ would search him he doth it with a difficult commandement the man was rich and he bids him goe and sell and give it to the poore this was a very difficult commandement and this discovered him to be a very wretch he was not âble to doe it ânâ hâ wânt awâââorâowful this commandement could not ânk âown ânto hâs heârt It is so many âimes the Lord puts a man upon difficult ââmmââdements such commonâements thât if he doe them the world will think him mâd such commanâements thât if he doe them he must part with his living and all that he hath Now if we be not able to doe this we shall be discovered not to be âood Lastly Let us be able to stand out against judgement for then God searcheth people most of all there may be something left after all the other searchings a man hath stood out persecutions and yet hath turned Apostate but when the panâs of death and the day of Judgment comes nothing shall be hid then therefore let us labour to stand then when the King of terrours shall appeare before us nay when the Judge of quick and dead âhall stand before us The last Use is for exhortation Will God search us out then we should search our selves what our works are whether good or evil as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 13. 5. Exâmine your selves whether you be in the faith First Consider we can never repent of what is amisse in our selves or in our works except we search our selves Let us search our selves and turne unto the Lord Lam. 1. 43. If there be hypocrisie or hollow-heartednesse in us if we doe not search it out we cannot bewaile it and shake it off Secondly Consider it is a character and mark of the childe of God that he doth desire and is one that doth search himselfe nay he doth not onely use all the meanes he can to doe it but he doth cry and groan to God to help him as David saith Psalm 139 23. Search me O Lord c. As who should say Lord help me to search my heart I have looked into it and turned it âopsy turây and I cannot finde but I am upright but I feare mâ selfe still O help me if there be any way of wickednesse in me shew it me A childe of God is one that doâh indeed deââre to know himself and to know the worst of himself Thirdly Consider if we doe not search our selves it will bâ the worse for us for God will search us and if we doe search our selves we shall scape well when he comes to search us but if we neglect ââis duty what saith Jâb Chap. 13 10. So I may say Is it good that God
shall and will know God in Jesus Christ it puts in divine things into the soul whereby the soul must needs know him and come to him and be reconciled to him 1 Joh. 3. 9. he puts his own seed into him he that is borne of God sinneth not for the seed of God remaineth in him the Lord puts an holy kinde of ointment upon his eyes and makes him see and that abides in him 1 Joh. 2. 27. The holy anoynting which ye have received abideth in you Thirdly It is a continual call it is not a call and so away a call for a year Gods call is an effectual caâl and so an end but it is a continual call he never leaves calling of him till he comes home to him as 1 Thes 5. 24. Faithful is he that hath called you who will also do it as who should say he hath called you and doth call you and he is faithful and will do it he hath called you heretofore and made you come to him in truth and sincerity and he will still continue his call he will still do it more and more the Lord draws his people nearer and nearer to himself Now I will prove the Doctrine by divers particulars First Because a man then may be able to look back upon all his life even from Then a man may reflect on his life past his cradle to this day even before his call and see Gods love to him as Paul though he could not see it before yet when God had effectually called him he is able to look back upon all his former time and space he had lived even from his mothers womb Gal. 1. 15. Who hath seperated me saith he from my mothers wombe and called me by his grace and so it was with David I have been cast upon thee saith he even from my mothers belly Psal 22. 9 10. it is not likely that David was converted then but when God had effectually called him then he was able to go back all along even to his very infancy and trace Gods goodness towards him in this and that even to his very bringing him into the world Secondly This interests a man in all the promises of God 2 Pet. 1. 3. Who This interest a man in the promises hath given unto us all things pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue if we know that God hath called us to glory and vertue then we know that God hath given us all things that pertaine to life and godliness to this life and the life to come we know it when God hath effectually called us we know that all the promises belong unto us as the Apostle speaks Acts 2. 39. For the promise is to you and to your children and to yours that are afar of even as many as the Lord our God shall call look how many God calls so many do the promises belong unto all the promises of mercy and grace and comfort of strength and direction and eternal redemption the compleat working of it all these promises from the first to the last they all belong to a man when God hath called him when the Lord effectually calls a man he takes him out of the world to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and in whatsoever he hath done or suffered or purchased for his people Thirdly It doth sweeten all Gods promises to a man what is the reason we can hear such admirable things out of the Word and yet they affect people It sweetens the promises to a man generally for the most part no more then a dry chip though they hear of the promises of God what promises he hath made to his people to their Prayers to their hearing of the Word to their receiving of the Sacrament what promises he hath made in adversity and prosperity in sickness and in health in life and death when they sin through frailty what promises they have to help them up againe when they are to do any thing what promises to assist them and go along with them when they are called to any employment what promises to sustaine them and bear them out I say though all these things be delivered to people things that were sweeter to David then the hony and the hony combe Psal 119. 103. Yet generally people are not affected with these things the reason is because they are not able to say that God hath effectually called them therefore when they heare such things the heart cannot lay hold upon them they think with Francis Spera I have no part in these things they think 't is true they are so to Gods people but they think there is little comfort little sweetness in them because they cannot say that they are effectually called of God Fourthly If a man be effectually called this helps a man to pray Psal 119. 94. I am thine save me when David was able to say thou hast called me to be one of thine then he was able to pray to God Lord save me Lord help me It helps him to pray I am thine thou art my God when he was able to say that he had interest and propriety in God this did exceedingly help him and encourage him with boldness in prayer but when a man questions his effectual calling every petition a man puts up it is choaked a man cannot pray to God but he is beaten off there is no strength in such a prayer as soon as ever Paul was converted saith God to Ananias behold now he prayes Act. 9. 11. Paul had prayed a thousand times before no man in Judea prayed more then he but God took no notice of his prayers but when God had effectually called him by his grace now the Lord took notice of his prayers and observed them and heard them and regarded them and inclined his ear to them behold now he prayes Fifthly This is a great encouragement to all goodness in outward things Knowledge of our effectual calling a help to good actions it is a great encouragement to a man to take them in hand when he seeth he hath a calling thereunto Gideon was very earnest with the Angel that he might see he had a calling to that he was to go about Judg. 6. 11. So it is in this divine calling it is a great encouragement when a man can see that he is called true it is that every man is called but I speak not of the general calling but of the effectual call when a man can see that he is effectually called of God this helps a man in all good actions then a man may go to God as to â Father he may go to the Sacrament as the seale of his righteousness and saith then a man may take Gods name into his mouth God challengeth the wicked for doing of it without his call Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to dâ to take my name into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be
knowledge of a mans calling Ans may be had yet it is had by degrees it is a gradual knowledge a man cannot know it all at first dash God doth not manifest his favour and love all at once to his people and when he gives it he doth not presently tell a man what he gives him though there be wayes for him to know it and find it out yet the Lord doth not open himself to his people all at the first nay he doth not so to his own Son Christ Jesus in respect of his humanity as he grew in stature and wisdom so he grew in favour with God Luk. 2. 52. The divine nature manifested it self more and more to his humane so God doth manifest his favour and love and openeth himself to his people more and more according as they grow in goodness they grow in this knowledge as they are more and more pure in heart the more do they see God and Gods goodness to them and what God hath done for them this knowledge though it be to be had yet it is to be had by degrees and the people of God have it not all in one degree some have it in a higher degree and some in a lower but every man hath some of this knowledge that he is called of God it is impossible that a man should be effectually called and be wholly and totally ignorant of it Secondly As this knowledge is gradual so it is experimental a man knows The knowledge of effectual calling experimental that he is called by experience chiefly and mainly as when a man knows by experience that he comes to God and draws near to God and that he doth abstract himself from the world and worldly wayes and practises and layes aside more and more the carnal wayes of men and doth approach nearer and nearer unto the things of God in Christ if a man hath experience of these things he comes now to say God hath effectually called me and hath been pleased to do me good when he finds this by experience that these things âre wrought in him then he can conclude this at the first he was like a man in a vision he could hardly believe that God had effectually called him as it was with Peter when the Angel delivered him out of prison he was as one that had seen a vision he had not thought it had been a real thing he could not tell what to make of it Act. 12. 11. but when he came to himself now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me out of prison At first he could not tell what to make of it but afterwards when he saw he was in the streets and that the iron gate opened to him of its own accord now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me So it is with the people of God at first when they hear something from the Father they know not what to make of this call at the first but afterwards when they come to see this lust and that lust fall off and these and these heavenly works in their souls they now know of a surety that God hath sent his Spirit into their souls and delivered them from sins and Satan and hell and damnation c. At first they were like dreamers they were not able to say whether they were called or no as the children of Israel when they were delivered out of captivity they could hardly believe it at first Psal 126. 1. When the Lord turned away the captivity of Zion we were as those that dreamed we could hardly perswade our selves that God had delivered us out of captivity with such a mercy so great a favour so unlikely so improbable it could never enter into their hearts almost we were like those that dreamed but when they saw they were in Jerusalem and were helped and assisted and heard the Gentiles talke of it and all the people runne up and down when they saw it was so and had experience of it then they saw God had done it indeed and did believe it so when a man is first effectually called to come out of his sins the Lord knocks off his bolts and plucks him out of the jaile of hell and sets him as it were in Jerusalem he is at first as a man that dreams he can hardly believe it is so as it was with David when God called him to be King he could hardly believe it it could hardly enter into his heart that he should be King over Israel especially being dayly persecuteed by Saul and calamities heaping up themselves against him he could not conclude it but when the Lord had set him in his Kingdome and given him victory over his enemies now saith he I know that the Lord saveth his anointed now he could speak it and found it by experience that the Lord had made him his anointed and saved and delivered him from all his enemies before he was ready to deny it and say Samuel was a lyar he had anointed him to be King but I said in my hast all men are lyars but when he had experience of it now saith he I know that the Lord hath saved his anointed Thirdly As the knowledge of effectual calling is gradual and experimental so likewise it is very spiritual it is a marvellous spiritual work and therefore The knowledge of effectual calling spiritual no marvel though it be something insensible indeed there be things in it which are very sencible and conspicuous as may be a reprobate may be galled at a Sermon he may have his eyes broad open to see his sins and iniquities and may be wonderfully wrought upon and may have the sencible work of vocation by the very Spirit of God but the very specificalness of it whereby this effectual calling doth differ from all other callings this is a marvelous Spiritual thing and therefore no wonder that it is insencible sometimes and many of the people of God feare they have it not these things may be done in the soul of a man and a man not know it and yet it may seem strange that the eyes of the blind should be opened and the feet of the lame should walk and the dead should be raised and the devils should be cast out it is strange I say that these things should be done in a mans soul and yet the man in whose soul they are done should be ignorant of them it is a strange thing but the works of the Spirit are wonderful secret the actions of the Spirit are very invisible when a man humbles himself and prayes and mournes these are sencible he knows what they are many talke of hunger and thirst and reformation c. But to see the saving sanctifying gracious work of God in these things that is a marvelous hard thing to find this and it is very spiritual as Solomon saith Eccl. 11. 5. As thou knowest
him have but time let him but grow he will quickly be able to look upon it and be able to see what it is so it is with the people of God they are at first very ignorant what God hath given them as the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians Eph. 1. 17. that God would let them be no longer children but that God would open the eyes of their understanding that they might know what the hope of their calling was that he would let them know what he had given them they hardly knew what they had at the first they had an effectual calling from God and they had a thousand hopes they might hope to be strengthened against corruptions to be delivered in six troubles and in seaven they might hope when they died to be translated into the Kingdome of immortallity and glory for evermore they had this hope now saith he the Lord of heaven and earth open the eyes of your understanding that you may see the hope of your calling and the exceeding riches of those things that God hath bestowed upon you Againe they may be ignorant of the voyce of the Spirit they do not understand A young believer is ignorant of the voyce of the Spirit the Spirits language when a child of God is first effectually called he comes into a new world and meets with a new language he is a Barbarian to it and that is barbarous to him he cannot understand the language of the Spirit the Spirit speaks many comfortable things and there are many works of the Spirit whereby the Spirit doth speak to a man for his comfort and consolation if he could take them as a man that comes into a strange Countrey he lives a very uncomfortable life at first he hears them speak but he cannot understand them they speak strange language he cannot tell what to make of it but the longer he is there he comes to understand such a word and then such a word and it may be a sentence now and then and so in the end he understands them plainly so at the first when God calls his people into a new world the Spirit speaks many things to them but yet iâ is in an unknown tongue it is gibberish to them they cannot tell what to make of it but when they come to understand the dialect they come to rejoyce Againe the children of God are ignorant of the work of grace they think certainly never could any of the children of God that were aright beân that A child of God is ignorant of the work grace estate that I am they never find their hearts so like a log in prayer when I go to the Sacrament sometimes I behave my self like a block and cannot behave my self in any competent manner as I ought certainly none of Gods people can be thus an I am they are ignorant what may be in the people of God what may stand with the truth of God and so they question their estate and conditions out of ignorance afterwards when they come to more experience and finde the wayes of God in them and come to have a knowledge of their owne corruptions and of the goodness of God in purging them out more and more in the end they are able to speak it to Gods glory and their own consolation Againe the knowledge of a mans effectual calling may be hindered by being unresolved of a mans Christian liberty when there be Christian liberties that a How the knowledge of effectual calling may be hindred man hath need of every day and yet notwithstanding a man is not resolved upon it many a man thinks verily if he should finde any delight in the good creatures of God if he should be merry or chearful at any time if he should be talking of his calling in the world and speak of it in his communication and follow his calling diligently if he should be angry and let bitter words fly at any time though his nature make him so he thinks verily and concludes that he hath no grace he is a very worldly carnal man he savours of these things here below he savours of the creature and he is carnally merry though a man may take care for outward things moderately and be chearful so for anger a man may be angry be angry saith the Apostle âât sin not now if he be angry at any time though the thing be lawful and he hath Christian liberty in the thing yet not knowing his Christian liberty this doth exceedingly trouble a man many times and makes him question his effectual calling there be abundance of Christian liberties that we have need of every day and have need of the knowledge of and when the soul and conscience doth not know his Christian liberty I do not speak of this in regard of the world they had need have straight limitations curbs and we had need put in all the caveats that can be for they are apt of their own accord to take too much elbow-roome every man is ready to stand upon his liberty what he may lawfully do but though wicked men damne their own soules in these things yet it is fit the children of God should have their portion and know it and the want of this knowledge hinders a man from the knowledge of the things given him of God Againe a man may be ignorant of the tenderness of Jesus Christ and of A man may be ignorant of the tenderness of Jesus Christ the infinite bowels of the Sonne of God and how chary he is over his people and that he regards a graine of wheat under an heap of chaffe it is very probable that the son of Jâroboam had a taint of the family he was taken from which was marvelous foule yet notwithstanding God takes notice of the good things that were in him though in the Churches in the Revelation foule and grievous things were found yet the Lord notwithstanding takes notice of any thing that was good in them if there be but a drop of true saving grace in the heart God will take notice of it though a man be but smoaking flax God will be tender of it now many a child of God doth not know the tender compassions of Jesus Christ and that he will accept them notwithstanding a thousand weaknesses and though they have but a little hold and a little strength to put forth in the wayes of God and they see how many thousand things they can say against themselves when they see not the tender compassions of Jesus Christ and what a tender Saviour he is the tender mercies of our God as it is Luke 1. This hinders them from the knowledge of that which otherwise they might know Againe it may be hindered very much through melancholy it is the very It may be hindred through melancholy coach that the devil rides in as Divines speak it corrupts a mans imagination and fills it with groundlesse fears and doubts and makes a man
this that all a mans corruptions and miseries should lie upon a man notwithstanding all his prayers and asking forgiveness and many tears and sighs that they should yet lie upon him as they do until a man knows that he is effectually called of God all the guiltiness lieth upon his soul he cannot say he hath obtained mercy of God he is without God and without Christ and is yet in his sins for ought he knows Secondly As your consciences must needs accuse you so likewise you can N ãâ¦ã y in Jesus Christ without knowledge of ouâ interest in him c. have no joy in Jesus Christ nor any of his promises nor any of the gracious things in his Covenant because you know not wâether they belong to you or no when a man knows not a thing he cannot have any joy in any thing as Prov 27. 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowâst not what a day may bring fârth a man cannot boast of that he knows not can a man boast of to morrow O I shall have a fine day to morrow when he knows not whether he shall have a morrow or no he may be dead by to morrow or his house may be burnt over his head to morrow he cannot rejoyee in it So when a man knows not whether he be effectually called of God or no what joy can he have what joy can he have in Christ or his ordinances when his conscience knocks him off and his soul stands in doubt whether these things belong to him or no he may catch at these as Josephs Mistres catcht hold on him but he left his garment and fled away so they catch at the promises and these things but they fly away from them and leave them as a shadow and they are as much to seek as before and it will be thus as long as a man doth not go on to make his effectual calling sure Thirdly Thou canst not tell what to make of Gods mercies and blessings to We cannot tell what to make of Gods mercies without this knowledge thee God hath given thee many blessings life and health and means and maintenance and sweetly provided for thee from thy cradle to this day and hath recovered thee out of many sicknesses and afflictions and hath given thee the means of grace and thou hast heard Sermon upon Sermon and hast had the acquaintance of his children and hast dwelt in the land of uprightness and seen the Saints of God and the examples of Gods Saints and thou hast had the motions of Gods Spirit from day to day and many good things God hath vouchsafed but while a man is questioning and doubting whether he be effectually called or no he cannot tell what to make of these things whether he should call them mercies or no whether they be in wrath or no to fat him up against the day of wrath to whom much is given of him much is required It is said of the Virgin Mary when the Angel saluted her graciously and comfortably the text saith she was much troubled wondring what manner of salutation this should be Luk. 1. 29. So when the Lord sends abundance of sweet mercies the soul is troubled what mercies these should be are these mercies that come from Christ and flow from Gods goodness as pledges of his grace and favour or no he is troubled and cannot tell what to make of them what are these mercies and he is afraid he had been better to have been without them and better he had never known them it is a miserable thing when a man is uncertaine of his effectual calling for uncertaine of that uncertaine of all Fourthly Thou dost not know what to do in time of affliction when affliction We know not hâw to beare our selves in afflictions without this knowledge comes as thou canst not but expect it every day yet when it comes how wilt thou bear it how wilt thou be able to suffer for Christ and to go to prison for Christs sake when thou dost question whether the truth ever made thee free if thou wert able to speak of God as thy Father and a Kingdom prepared for thee this would cast out fears feare not little flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom Luk. 12. 37. but when a man questions whether God be his Father or no questions whether he hath given him a Kingdom or no yea whether any such thing belongs to him nay he thinks he is a wretch and he should wrong God if he should lay hold oâ such things this exposeth a man to fears what is the reason that many âall away in time of persecution it is because they want hold of God as D ãâ¦ã as what is the reason he could not beare Pauls afflictions but fell away and ãâã the world it was because he wanted Pauls hold a man must have hold some where if not on God some where else this is the reason why many break their necks and when persecution comes they are troubled and put by and make shipwrack of a good conscience and forbear to go on in that way which they ought to go on in and to yield to those things which they knâw they ought not to yield to When a man knows he is effectually c ãâ¦ã of God this will make a man suffer for God as the Apostle Peter sp ãâ¦ã g of the sufferings of the Saints hereunto saith he were you called knowing thââ Christ suffered for you when a man is able to say Christ suffered for ãâã God hath effectually called me to his heavenly Kingdom to pertake oâ C ãâ¦ã st it and his benefits and sufferings now this will beare a man out this ãâã able to endure the losse of liberty of means maintenance or any th ãâ¦ã t the Gospels sake but before what shall a man do in afflictions as long as a man doth not know that he is effectually called he doth expose himself to lazards and breaknecks and who knows what may be Fifthly Thou canst not pray with any courage thy prayers are but ãâã and lanke and weak as water thou canst not come boldly to the throne of We cannot pray without this knowledge grace thou art afraid thou art none of Gods and none of Christs afraid âât thou hast not received the Spirit of God that thou mayst be the child of God and art afraid that thy prayers are not accepted of God but he turnes them into sin thou canst never have boldness unless it be the boldness of impudeâce but never the boldness of confidence how shall a man call upon him ãâã âe hath not believed a man without faith cannot please God he cannot pray to God O my Lord saith Manoah c. Judg 13. 8. if he had not prayed with faith knowing that God was his God his prayer had not had successe but this made him pray with the more boldness and strength when the Priests of Baal had done praying
gathered you under her wings and made you safe so againe it is called the drawing of a man unto Christ Joh. 6. 44. No man cometh to me except the Father draweth him that is except the Father effectually call him he cannot come unto me now this bare and naked calling cannot do it without drawing therefore it is here called drawing of a man before which a man was altogether out of Christ therefore this is the first act God performes upon a man to draw him to Christ the man is as unwilling to come to Christ naturally as any else his lusts draw him another way and he is as heavy as a milstone and his heart is lumpish to the things of God till the father draws him and pulls his affections and thoughts and minde to come home unto Christ this is the first act God doth and againe it is called the bringing of a man to Christ Joh. 10. 16. other sheep also have I saith Christ which I must bring unto this fold he speaks here how that he means to call the Gentiles all the elect of God among them now because they cannot come they have no strength of their own to come therefore he saith he must bring them unto him Againe there must be application of Christ unto a man now effectual calling is the first step to the application of the Lord Jesus Christ to a man There must be applying of Christ to a man we know the Lord Jesus is the Redeemer of the world he hath taken away the sinnes of the world satisfied the wrath of God wrought righteousness for Gods elect he hath overcome death and sinne and Satan and hath expiated for us and wrought an everlasting salvation by his own death and passion in the daies of his flesh Christ hath done this now except this be applied to a man what is a man the nearer now the first step of the application of the redemption of Christ is wrought by this effectual calling of a man unto him then the Lord begins to make a man have union with Jesus Christ before a man was like a branch out of the vine a dead branch that could do nothing he could not repent or serve God or please God or do any thing he was estranged in minde and heart and will but when God doth effectually call a man he doth first work this application of Christ that a man may have union with him and effectual calling is the first putting of a man into the estate of grace the first estating of a man into eternal life it is the first ingraffing of a man into the Son of God it is the putting on of Christ the Saints of God after they are called weare Christ and walke in Christ but at a mans first effectual calling there is the putting of him on it is the first notice that a man hath of salvation the first tydings that comes to the soul of eternal redemption by Jesus Christ people heare it with their outward ears before but never do they come to heare this in their souls and spirits till now this is the first notice and inkling of it when God doth effectually call them then he begins this work as Col. 1. 6. which Word is come unto you speaking of the Gospel it is come unto you and bringeth forth fruit since the day you heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth that is since the day you were effectually called then was the first time of hearing this blessed Gospel your ears were deaf till then your hearts were dead in sins and trespasses till then but when you were effectually called then was the first knowing of the grace of God in truth therefore it is called in Scripture the first beginning of God to do a man good it is the first beginning of all the goodness of God towards a man as Phil. 1. 6. being confident in this that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ that is he that did effectually call you as he did begin a good work in you and did begin to put forth his eternal good will and pleasure in you and powred forth the beginning of his mercy and grace and favour into your souls now he that hath done this will never leave it till he hath brought it to perfection So againe it is called the first building of a man for heaven this is done in effectual calling Acts 15. 14. Simâon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles saith the text to take out of them a people for his name that is the Word had effectually called the Gentiles and this ver 16. is called the first building of the Gentiles and the first plucking of them out of the other people of the world to be a people of God This is the first day of a child of Gods consecration it is called the forming of Christ in a mans heart when a man comes to be formed in the womb of the Church before he was a non ens he had no being in the world he was but a natural man but this new workmanship never came into the world till now when a man is effectually called So againe it is called a mans first entring into Christ enter in at the straight-gate as who should say obey the call of God come in a mans effectual calling is a mans first entring into the estate of grace I speak the more largely of it because I would have you understand the Scripture that speaks of it in these phrases I say effectual calling is the first step to the application of Jesus Christ the first step of putting a man into the estate of grace the first bringing of a man to Christ The first reason of this is because before effectual calling a man was without Before effectual calling no interest in Christ out Christ and had no interest in Christ no communion or fellowship with Christ he was altogether dead in trespasses and sinnes a cursed creature a damned creature in the estate of sinne and condemnation whatever parts or gifts he had all were no better then may be in a reprobate Eph. 2. 12. before that time you were without Christ aliens and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel may be you were civil but you had no union with Christ though you were constant hearers of the Word which is a laudable thing yet you had no union with Christ may be you were decked with admirable qualities and jewels as the Prophet shews a man may be decked with golden vertues and afterwards turne to drosse a man may have admirable things in him before he hath this but there was nothing of God in a man nothing of Christ in a man no saving operation of Gods Spirit at all in a man no union with Christ this is the first passage of a man from death to life from nature to grace from the devil to God we are
the very in-let of all the comforts of the holy Ghost and all the hope that the soul can have here is all the satisfaction and content of the soul of man they are bestowed upon a man when he is effectually called there is a way set open unto him that he may have the same Thirdly Because this is the first of all obedience a man cannot obey God Effectual calling is the first point of obedience till he be effectually called nay it is not obedience till he be called if a man should heare Sermons come to the Sacraments give to the poore it is no obedience till a man be effectually called when once a man is bound apprentice and his indentures are drawn his running of errands and all he doth is service to his Master when thou art bound apprentice to Christ and thy indentures are sealed and thou art called to be a servant unto him now all thy works are obedience to him Come saith Christ learne of me c. Mat. 11. 28. first he would have them come to him and beare his yoak and then learn of me then be meek as I am meek and humble as I am humble and then bear my burthen then it is obedience and you are able to go through Faithful is he that hath called you who will also do it effectual calling is the fill-horse of the cart that bears up the cart this is the first draught a Painter cannot lay any colour till the first draught be made this is the very ground of a mans workings this is the ground of all obedience of all prayer and hearing here is the ground of doing all aright otherwise God will say what hast thou to do to take my name into thy mouth unlesse thou wilt submit to my Covenant and be bound apprentice with me a man that is yet in his sins he hath nothing to do as yet but to lye at the throne of grace crying that God would give him a call for he can do nothing till he is effectually called of God Fourthly This is the only way to go forward a man cannot go forward Effectual calling is the only means to go forward there is no proceeding unlesse the beginning be well done as the Apostle saith Heb. 6. 1. leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection as who should say taking it for granted that you are effectually called of God that the principals of Religion are laid in your souls let us go on unto perfection let us wax better and better and pray to God that we may encrease in grace let us walk in holy and sincere obedience to all Gods Commandements let us labour and strive to out-strip our selves and amend our selves from day to day if we have laid the foundation well if that be first well laid a man may go on to perfection a man cannot otherwise go on well nay the further a man goeth on the more mischief he pulls upon his soul Lastly This is the maine stud in the house the very ground a man is to Effectual calling the very ground to stand fast upon stand fast upon this is the ground to keep a man from falling away that God hath effectually called him as the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2. 13 14. We are bound to give God thanks for you brethren because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel therefore brethren stand fast when a man is effectually called a man may say stand fast otherwise he cannot persevere unto the end MATTH 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest WE have been large in the opening of effectual calling and the last thing we handled concerning it was this that it was the first gathering of a man unto Christ the first making of a man to come unto Christ it is a mans first admission into the estate of grace it is the first dawning of the light that shineth from above the first coming forth of Gods good will and pleasure to a man Now before I can proceed to the particular parts of effectual calling I must needs take a thing by the way namely Gods preparatory work that he doth work as a way hereunto though it be not the work of saving grace a man may perish for all that work unless the Lord carry a man further on yet there is a preparatory work that God doth work in the soul before he calls a man effectually the Lord doth prepare a man by detecting of sinne and shewing him his misery by sinne and letting him see and perceive what a miserable creature he is in himself and God doth stop and silence a man before him and leave him without excuse and cut him and hew him down by the law that he may see that he is a dead creature and a damned wretch before this a man will not come though God call him never so often he will not here his lusts carry him away and stop his ears and harden his heart though he seem to come and sets divers steps to come home yet he never comes home indeed till God takes a man down in this fashion Now this is the thing we are to speak of and we have it in the text in the which we may observe three things first the preparatory work which now we are to speak of you that are weary and heavy laden secondly the call it self come unto me thirdly the benefit of this yielding to this call I will give you rest To speak then first of this preparatory work the Lord brings the law to a There is a preparatory work to effectual calling man and laies load upon the soul and makes the soul labour and toile and sweat and makes his heart burst within him and he is heavily laden as if mountaines were upon his back God layeth load upon the soul and then comes effectual calling see what the Apostle speaks Gal. 3. 24. the Apostle here speaks by his own experience once we were strangers from Christ and absent from Christ now how did God fetch us home he sent the law the ferula of the law he sent the law to arrest us and schoole us to Christ it was a Schoole-Master I can speak it for my part it was mine as you may see Rom. 7. from the beginning to the 12. ver So the law fetched Paul home and struck him dead and made him see what a miserable and wretched creature he was it made him see he had no hope nor no hold nothing in the world to trust to in himself he was a dead man the law like a sword stabs him at the heart and so it pleased the Lord to bring him home to Christ that he might be justified by faith first the Israelites were stung with the fiery Serpents before they were healed by looking
up to the brazen Serpent first our first parents saw they were naked and then came forth the promise of the seed of the woman so first God convinceth a man of sinne and then of righteousness Joh 10. 8. first he convinceth a man of his sins and then shews him where righteousness is to be had how he may have righteousness and peace of conscience and be justified before God Now for the opening of the point I will shew you three things first that it is thus God doth first prepare a man before he calls him effectually Secondly the reasons why the Lord doth thus and Thirdly the uses First That it is true the Lord doth prepare a man before he doth effectually Proofe 1. from texts full of terror call him either more or lesse there must be a work of the law one way or other and to prove this first wherefore else are those many texts of Scripture full of terrours of sharp arrows and fierce pellets against sinners wherefore are these but to terrifie a man and pull a man down and that we that are Ministers of God should fling them against sinners and the Lord looks that men should tremble Amos 3. 6 8. The Lord saith there shall a trumpet be blown in a City and people not be afraid c. and ver 8. When the Lyon roars who will not feare all those terrible texts of Scripture they are the roaring of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah against all that go on in sinne now who would not tremble saith the Prophet 't is true many wicked and ungodly men do not tremble a jot almost but some shall tremble God looks upon some and they shall tremble at his Word Isa 66. 1 2. Secondly Because this is the office of the Spirit of God to be a Spirit of 2 From the Spirâts office bondage before he be the Spirit of adoption he was so to the Romans he was the Spirit of bondage in their hearts before he was the Spirit of adoption to make them cry Abba Father Râm 8. 15. You have not received againe the Spirit of bondage to feare you did receive it once but you have not received it againe but now you have received the Spirit of adoption whereby you cry Aâba Father Now to deny this doctrine is to deny the maine office of the Spirit which is dangerous for every man naturally is a bedlam now how are bedlams tamed they are beaten and whipt and kept under till they come to themselves so the Lord deals with a man as with a bedlam he comes with the Spirit of bondage flinging in slavish terrours and fears and what a miserable creature he is this sin and the other sinne and the wrath of God is come out against him the Spirit takes a man down from day to day and undermines him and breaks his stomack and then afterwards when he hath ââought that work he comes to be the Spirit of adoption to teach him to cry Abba Father Thirdly Because the Gospels turne is not come till the Law hath done his 3 Because the Gospel follows the law part thâs was the method that Christ was anointed to observe in his Ministery he would first have a man bruised and broken and captivated and blind and poore and in misery and then he preacheth the Gospel to him as you may see Lâk 4. 19. The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to this order saith he it is an excellent place for this purpose to stop the mouthes of those that hope there is an easier way he will preach the Gospel and liberty and comfort and enlargement but he will have a broken heart first and a tender Spirit first Fourthly You may see an expresse place of our Saviour Christ that he 4 From Christs design in coming came to save that which was lost first a man shall be in a lost estate and he shall be in a wilderness and he shall have his sinnes discovered and his misery and then the Lord comes to those that he hath a minde to do good unto Mat. 9. 12. 13. saith he They that are whole need not the Physitian but they that are sââk he means to deale with a man as a Physitian a man must be sick before he comes to him the Physitian gives Physick to none till they be sick now till a man is sick of his sinnes till they are the diseases of his soul till he is in torments and misery the Lord Jesus saith he will not be his Physician Fifthly Because God doth see it sitting to deale thus with his converted ones when they fall into some foule sinne and grosse iniquity the Lord is 5 From Gods working with believers after grosse sins pleased to go this way to work even towards his own converted ones when they sinne not onely through invincible infirmities and through temptation but when they grow stubborn when they fall into some horrible iniquity the Lord doth use to go even legally to work with them though they lie under grace therefore much more towards those that never yet were under grace that never had any free Spirit that never had any part of an ingenious nature that were never yet wrought to be led by the faire means of grace if God work so with those that he hath given in some measure his grace and given in some measure a portion of his free Spirit unto if when they sinne and sinne foully it is not all the promise of the Gospel all the covenant of Grace that will raise them up againe and make them walk before God with holiness and zeale and fervency then much more will he deale thus with those that never had any grace at all Thus David cryeth out thy fears have got hold upon me and Psal 28. 4. his sinnes were as an heavy burthen unto him too heavy for him to beare he did not onely set his sinnes before him they were not onely the objects before his eyes so they are to a man that walks in the comforts of the Spirit they are before his eyes every man that walks in obedience he hath his sinnes before him at times to humble him and keep him low and make him still hang upon Christ and depend upon him and esteem Christ precious to you that believe Christ is precious 2 Pet. 4. 5. But now he sets them before them not only as objects but layeth them as loads upon their backs that their sins shall not only be seen but felt by them now this is a legal work when any part of a mans sinnes and misery lyes upon his soul and conscience 't is true God never shews sinne to the utmost to his people he never layeth all the load if God should stirre up all the stink of uncleanness that is in his people if God should discover to them all the ugly looks of their sinnes they were not able to beare it As a good man said when I see my self saith he
hang upon but God knocks her off from all and now she will returne to her husband again so the Lord to make his people stoop to his yoake he shews them their misery and worries them and wearies them that they can hold out no longer and then down go their bucklers and now speak Lord thy servants hear now they are willing to hear him Fourthly God doth it that he may weane his people from sinne and take off their hearts from their own wayes for a man is marvellous eager of sinne 4. To wean men from sin by nature and will not let it go and will not part with it by no meanes his heart is set upon his lusts and he will have them though he hath hell and damnation with them when the Lord calls upon them to walk in his wayes they say they will not walk therein Jer. 6. 16. People will not be diligent in prayer and hâld close to God they will not be strict in their wayes as the precisenesse of the Gospel teacheth them now the Lord breaks in upon them in this fashion and makes them willing As a man deales with a young horse or colt when a man would tame a colt that is lustly and head-strong and violent he carries him out may be and makes him apprehend in his fancy that he will ride him against stone-walls and carries him may be into Quagmires and Muds and rotten Fennes and there he makes him go and spurs him and beats him and raines him and snafles him and thus he breakes his stomack and at last he will beare the saddle and carry a man quietly so the Lord Jesus doth with a poor creature he casts off the bonds of Christ and though the truth begins to work upon his conscience he throwes out the arrow againe and heales himself with vaine healings now the Lord breakes a mans heart and opens a peep hole into hell as though he would throw him in quick thither and shews him his misery to the life and to the quick and so makes them come off as the Lord dealt with Moses when he would make him circumcise his sonne he was loath to displease his wiâe she was against it being a Midianitish woman and he was loath to have her ill-will and therefore deserred it now what course took God with him the Lord met him and would have slaine him the Lord made as though he were his enemy and would slay him and now he was willing to do it so the Lord deals with a stubborne soul if it belongs to him he will overcome his heart and make him let fall his sinnes he will make as though he would slay him he will make him a weary of keeping his lusts before he hath done with him The Lord deales in this case as he dealt with the Philistins they would not send home the Arke what course did he take to make them send it home and send it home in pomp and great respect God did fling down Dagon which was their chief Idoll and the Lord smote them with Emerods And now they think with themselves let us send home the Arke of the Lord and how shall we send it home Let us provide golden Miââ and Emerods they sent it home with cost and offerings So the Lord deals with those that belong to him he tires them in their own ways and makes them willing to come out at last Lastly the Lord doth it to knock his people quite and cleane off from all 5. To knock us off from any thing else every man naturally hangs upon something and above all hangs upon his good works and good prayers and performances and this keeps his heart from seeing what a miserable creature he is this keeps him from mourning and zeal and fervency and all this while that he hangs upon these his heart is hardâned he will never stoop and yield to God now when the Lord means to do a man good he knocks him quite off and plucks out of his hands all his works and makes him let all go not that he ceaseth to work but as the Apostle speaks Rom 4. 14. He makes him as a man that worketh not not as though he worketh not for there is no carnal man works more then this poor soul in this estate he keeps a great deal of stir to find out mercy and obtaine grace from God there is none that mournes and laments more and goes to Sermons more but yet he is no worker now he is faine to go to his father to him that justifies the ungodly all his wayes are loathsome and abominable he seeth nothing to trust upon but is driven to him that justifies the ungodly he sees he is a vile wretched creature he sees no worth no reason why God should look upon him he is now pennilesse and worthlesse and miserable in himself the Lord makes him a very bankrout he thought he was a rich Merchant but now he makes him a very bankrout and makes him appeare to be naked First here all Dawbers are to be reproved that preach nothing but mercy Vse 1. To reprove Dawbers and the promises of the Gospel many love alife to be upon such theames O say they the promises are best to humble a man and bring him out of his sins whom shall we believe God or man This not the way Ezek. 13. 22. the text saith Ye have strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not turne from his wicked wayes by promising him life When a man preacheth the promise of God before wicked and ungodly men this hardens their hearts and strengthens them that they will not returne from their wicked wayes because the promises are propounded to them and the Minister makes no distinction between the precious and the vile this strengthens them in their sinnes and makes them think they are not so vile but they hope they are in a good case for all this therefore Saint Austine calls such men desolatores not consolatores such work desolation in their hearers and no sound consolation such Ministers as make their Sermons to be pillowes under peoples elbowes they make themselves guilty of the peoples blood and their souls shall be required at their hands they are the cause of peoples miscarriage when a Minister thinks to do people good by crying peace peace when the Prophet saith there is no peace to the wicked this rather drives people further off from God may be it may make them seeme outward professors but it will never make them sound in the faith rebuke them sharply saith the Apostle that they may be stand in the faith Tit. 1. 13. sharp rebuking the powerful delivering of the Law and Gospel is the meanes to maâe men sound in the faith the more humble a man is made to be the more faith he comes to have our Saviour saith of the Centurion he had not found the like faith in Israel how came this the text shewes plainly that we shall
but have eternal life As who should say I bring an indifferent doctrine I propound it to all creatures and thou maist have a part in it as well as any other Whosoever believes shall not perish if thou hast a heart to believe and come unto me thou shalt not perish but have salvation So when our Saviour sent his Disciples to call his Elect throughout the world mark what directions he gave them he calls people with a general call Whosoever will let him take of the water life whosoever hath a mind to be saved to know God and have Communion with him and be united to him whosoever hath a minde to these things tell him I am for him he proclaimes it over the whole world tell every creature in the whole world He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved here is no exception put in but preach the Gospel to every creature tell every creature what I have done for the sins of the world and how I have opened the Kingdome to whomsoever will enter thus God calls his people his Ministers go up and down and tell them they may have pardon and grace and righteousnesse for nothing come and buy without money though you cannot give a farthing token for it but be poor and miserable and cursed creatures Come here it is wine and milk and bread and all without money you shall have it for taking and carrying away so Rev. 22. 7. Whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely it is a quicunquae vult thereis none exempted if any man will he may be saved if he have a will a minde a heart to it he may have salvation Now here be three things I would shew unto you first what this general tender is whereby God effectually calls his people Secondly why it is by a general tender Thirdly the uses First what is this general tender of Christ and grace to every creature that What is this general tender of Christ hath a minde to it and it is this that Christ is the only alsufficient meanes to make a man happy that whereas he is out with his Maker he alone can set him in again though he be under a thousand miseries in this life and under a thousand eternal miseries in the life to come there is in Christ an alsufficiency to make a man happy God is the fountaine of all goodnesse and till his goodnesse is opened in Christ Jesus this is that same general thing as Paul saith 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. We preach Christ crucified unto thâse that are called the power and wisdome of God as who should say this is the thing we go up and down every where preaching that Christ was crucified for the sinnes of the world and hath power to save any man that comes to him it was the wisdome of God he found out this meanes it was an impossibility in the wisdome of men and Angels how man should be saved the Wisdome of God hath found out the Lord Jesus Christ to be the meanes and he is the power of God to save any man that believes and wheresoever we come we preach this Doctrine So again you may see Heb. 7. 24 25. This man hath an unchângable Priesthood for he is able to save to the utmost all those that come unto him c. As who should say he is a publick Saviour he is not onely able to save these and these but all that come unto him he is able to save them to the utmost whosoever you are though you be never so wretched and reprobate to every good work though never so foule and all the nitre in the world cannot cleanse you never so stubborne and all the meanes and Ordinances you have enjoyed have not tamed you why yet here is a Saviour for you he is able to save you to the utmost though you be never so out with God and though God be never so much displeased with your sinful courses and all the Angels and all the world cannot take away Gods wrath from you yet he is able to save you to the utmost if you will come unto him This is the tender of the Gospel delivered to every man Now in the next place I will shew you the reasons why God calls people home by a general tender in this fashion First because this is the surest ground of faith suppose a soul that is effectually Reas 1. This the surest ground of faith called shall afterwards feare and question and by what warrant do I hope to be saved by Christ and by what warrant do I look to be heard for Christs sake and how is it that I âay hold upon such promises and cast my self upon such things in the Gospel upon what acquaintance do I presume that the Lord Jesus will see you assisted in all my wayes and helped in all estates and conditions and save my soul when I die Why saith he I have a good warrant for I see in Scripture that Christ is tendered to all and whâsoâver believes shall noâ perish but have everlasting life and whosoever will have him may I could not tell indeed I was elected before I heard the Sermon but I heard that any man might have Christ that would and I am sure I would have him and I finde in Scripture that he came to save that which is lost and I am sure I am a lost creature and if he came to save that which is lost I have warrant to believe This is that which grounded Saint Paul this generall offer This saith he is a faithful saying worthy to be received of all men that Christ died for sinners whereof I am chief 1 Tim. 1. 15. As who should say here is the thing this is that which comforts me and staies my soul I see that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and I see it is a faithful saying and worthy of all men to be received all men whosoever have a heart may receive it and I am sure then he came to save me and this is my hold I have no other hold but this But now if a man were called by any other call but this a man could have no ground for his calling if the Scripture should say they only are called that are elected he would have no ground for his call Secondly because this is the best answer to Satan many times a man will be 2. This is the best answer to Satan put to heavy straits and will have much ado to answer Satan sometimes a man will be under uncertainty sometimes under want of feeling and sense sometimes under horror of conscience and a mans sins may come to a mans view and feares may step up in the soul then Satan comes how look you to be saved you are a wretch you have a stiffe faith indeed What believe and no sense and feeling such a horrible wretch and such a guilty conscience and you believe What have you to shew Is
record of his Son that he is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world that he is eternal life that he is the way the truth and the light that he is the hope of glory that he is the way of coming to God the Father now when a man hath this saith in a lively manner and this pulls a man out of the world draws him to Christ this is the true faith this is the faith of the Gospel faith is not defined by assurance in Scripture but by beleeving in Christ John 3. 18. by trusting upon Christ Ephes 1. 12. by resting upon God 2 Chr. 14. 11. by relying upon God 2 Chr. 19. 8. by adhering and cleaving to God in Christ Acts 11. 23. this is true faith when a man relies upon God when he believes this same blessed record and throws himself and casts himself upon it and will obey God I may say to you all that have this faith as the Prophet Esay saith to such as you are Who is there among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servants though he sit in darknesse and seeth no light yet let him rest upon the Lord and stay himself upon the God of his salvation Esay 50. 10. as who should say though you be in the dark and have no light no assurance no sense and feeling no inkling of Gods mercy though you be in darkness and know not where you are yet if you have a heart to fear God and obey the voice of his servants and hearken to the tender of the Gospel trust in the Lord your God relie upon him for all want of sense and feeling for all darknesse for all want of light in you for all want of comfort and stay your souls that way yet trust in the name of the Lord relie upon him for all his mercies though you be at this passe Object But the soul will say I am afraid I have nothing I have no interest Object in Christ but what of that Answ If thou be never so much afraid mark what David saith Psalme Answ 56. 3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee as who should say though I be in the middest of fears and doubts and terrors of conscience what time this fear comes upon me I will cast my self upon thee so that this is that which the soul is to do that beleeves the tender of the Gospel and this draws him and works upon him it is not a dead faith but an operative faith it pulls him and draws him to Christ he must have Christ and he must have righteousnesse is there such a faith then relie upon God though thy fears come upon thee yet urge thy self to trust in God Obj. And againe it may be objected I have hardly any hope that ever I Object shal have the pardon of my sins that ever God will hear my prayers and accept my duties and performances What of that if thou hast this faith Answ Mark how it was with Abrahams faith when God told him he should Answ have a sonne though it were above hope besides hope against hope yet he believes in hope so though thou hast hardly any hope yet above hope believe under hope and though thou art put besides all hope and art even ready to be at the brink of despaire yet through thy self upon God if I perish I perish go on in the ways of God and seek after the ways of Jesus Christ and rest upon him from day to day and strive to draw neerer to him to have communion with him and though thou beest put besides hope yet believe under hope Obj. Again it may be objected again if I have any faith it is such a weak Object faith that I can hardly perceive it is any at al God will never receive me surely Answ I answer it is not the strength of faith that justifies but it is faith Answ that justifies the plaister may heal the wound though the hand be weak that lays it on faith is the hand that lays hold on Christ and Christ is the plaister that is applied to the soul now though the hand be never so weak yet it will do the deed as well as a stronger so it was with the Father of the child that came to Christ he could hardly see he had any faith he could not simply deny he had faith but Lord saith he I believe help my unbelief he cried and spake with tears he saw such a deal of unbelief that the tears trickled down her cheeks Matthew 9. 24. yet notwithing that faith got mercy from Christ Mark what Christ saith Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones if Christ will not have his little ones despised of men then certainly he will not despise them himselfe Object But you will say weak faith will save indeed but I question whether Object I have any faith or no therefore how can I lay hold and embrace this same mercy then Answ I answer though thou beest put to this at any time do as the Answ servants of God have done for it may be the case of the very servants of God yea of the best of Gods servants now you may see what they do in such a case how they run to God and pray to him Psalme 61. 2. When my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher then I. The Prophet Davids heart sometimes was overwhelmed but he now went to the rock Christ when I am in this case saith he lead me to the rock shew me Christ guide me to him set me upon him Object But then it may be objected I cannot pray if I could pray Object it were something but I can hardly pray I go to pray and when I am down upon my knees I can say nothing this may be the case of Gods choisest servants Romans 8. 26. Paul puts himself into the number We know not what to pray as we ought we know not what to speak as we should but yet God hath appointed his Spirit to help us in such a case though Hezekiah Esay 38. 14. could not speak a word but chatter like a Crane or Swallow and mourne as a dove yet he had experience that God heard him at that time So Psalme 77. 4. The Prophet there confesseth he was in this case that he could not pray I am so distressed saith he that I cannot speak he meanes to God and it seemes he found by experience that he could not pray nor tell how to poure out a request to God he was was even stopped and stifled in his prayer yet in the first verse he could speak it that God heard him for all this Well then here you see is the ground of the faith of any poore soul though he have not any assurance yet if he hath this faith to relie and rest upon God if the Gospel calls him and he comes at this gracious tender if he
casts himself upon this and this draws him to Christ and if he love God and labour to please him and obey him and throw away all whatsoever displeaseth him if this makes him heavenly minded and long after the knowledge of God and the revelation of it this deads his heart to worldly things and makes him spiritual if it be thus this is true and saving faith and not dead faith This is encouragement to those that are without How many are there Vse 3. For encouragement to all that are without among you that are yet in your sinnes and were never yet brought home to Christ Consider what an excellent invitation here for you the Gospel is sent to every Creature under Heaven as you may see Col. 1. 23. You may have Christ if you have a will you may have righteousnesse if you have a will to it you may have redemption if you have a wil to it you may be delivered from sin and Satan if you have a will to it you may have the favour of God if you have a will to it you may have Christ if you will have all Christ he will come to you and will receive you as you may see an excellent place for this 1 Cor. 6. 11. The Apostle there saith that drunkards and adulterers and covetous persons shall never inherit the Kingdome of God such were some of you but you are justified in the Name of Christ as who should say there is no limitation in the Gospel of God as none in the tender of it so none in the execution of it for all you were drunkards and prophane and covetous yet you have found mercy with God by entertaining of this this methinks should envite people and draw people to come to Christ whosoever hath a minde not to perish not to go in a hard heart not to be worldly and without God in the world here Christ doth envite them all to come Matthew 22. 9. Go into the high-wayes saith Christ and whomsoever you finde bid them to the Marriage God knows who we may finde here at Church to day may be some of you are drunkards some enemies to God some hardned in your lusts some relapsed and fallen back into your carnal courses after profession of Religion some mockers and despisers God knows whom we finde we are bid to go into the high-wayes and bid all we finde therefore in the Name of Christ let me speak to you come to Christ will you let your sinnes damne you rather then receive Christ to save you think of this and if you will but follow Christ in all his Ordinances He hath shewed thee O man what the Lord requires of thee that thou shouldest be humbled and see what a wretched creature thou art that thou shouldest see what is amisse in thy soule and use all courses to reforme thy selfe he hath shewed thee how he would have thee pray what company he would have thee keep what kinde of carriage he would have thee use he hath shewed thee O man what he hath required hast thou a heart now to come to Christ he can help thee to all this and though thou hast not power to do all this yet if thou hast but a heart to do it to walk aright and live aright and spend thy dayes well in this world Though thou canst do none of all these things if though hast but an heart to do them and dost beleeve that eternal life is in Christ and this draws thee to Christ if thou doest but beleeve that in him is acceptance with God and he can bring thee to God for pardon and peace and hope and glory if thou doest beleeve this and the faith of this doth draw thee to come unto God I tell thee all thy sinnes shall not damne thee never a one of thy sinnes shall rise up in judgement against thee whatsoever thy conscience whatsoever the devil hath against thee whatsoever feares terrours discouragements are upon thee they shall never withhold thee from eternal life do but come to Christ and lay hold upon him and here he offers himself unto thee thou art not excepted or excluded unlesse thou exclude thy selfe If thou beleeve not thou shalt be damned but whosoever beleeves shall not perish but have everlasting life Use 4. For terrour to the obstinate Vse 4. In the last place this is for use to those that are obstinate namely to be as hell fire and the flames of Tophet in their soules and consciences You have heard the tender of Christ that salvation is in Christ and none other What a miserable taking are you then in that will not have him if we should carry the Gospel up and down into any place would not every one make it welcome If we should carry it into Innes and Taverns and amongst the basest wretches in the Countrey would they not say we will have Christ a man would think so as God saith Matthew 21. 37. Certainly they will reverence my Sonne not as if God were deceived in his expectation but he speaks of the probability of the thing in all reason one would think if they may have eternal life and Gods good will and pleasure toward them that they may have acquittance from all damnation that they may be happy for ever certainly they will receive my Sonne gladly they will take him and receive him in all reason one would think it were so but we see it is otherwise they will not take up Christ and abandon their own courses they will be vaine they will be company keepers they will be worldly and will neglect the best things they will have their pleasures and they will have their fopperies and fooleries they will not have Christ there be many things in Christ that every man would have the very devils in hell would have it namely to be redeemed from hell to have some peace in their consciences but the Regiment of Christ the dominion of Christ to have all Christ this they will not this therefore is no comfort to stubborne sinners but hell and damnation is the portion of all that refuse him Ezechiel 34. 16. See what the Lord there saith I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgement you that have fat hearts and strong your hearts are strong and your consciences are strong and all our Sermons are not able to make you shake those that are fat and strong saith the Lord I will feed them with judgements none of the mercies and comforts of the Gospel belong to such And assure your selves if you care not for Christ Christ cares as little for you as the Prophet speaks Esay 49. 5. Though Israel be ãâã gathered I shall have glory in his eyes so though you be not called and brought home though you be not saved I shall have glory saith Christ I shall be known to all eternity to be a Saviour to be a Prince to be the glory of the world I shall be glorious
in heaven and in earth and in hell to all the world to all eternity Though Israel be not gathered if you be obstinate and will have your sinnes take them and perish with them I shall never âe your absence in heaven therefore Christ is at a point if you will have him here he is if you will not assure your selves you shall die in your sinnes except you beleeve in him you shall die in your sins COL 1. 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature under heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister WE have spoken of a Christians call by the general indifferent propounding of the Gospel to every creature without exception now the effectualnesse of this call lieth here that the Lord doth put in a little hope into the soul though the man be one of Gods chosen he doth not presently give him faith but doth open a little door of hope to the soul First the Lord brings his Law to a man and layeth him dead in Law utterly undone past all hope of recovery in himself he is a lost creature a miserable wretched creature having no hold to stay upon but a fearful looking for of vengeance he seeth nothing but wrath now when God hath a minde to call a man home at the hearing of the Gospel of peace the Lord lets in a little hope into the soul whereby he doth draw the soul to seek out unto him and makes it look out with hope of salvation the soul seeth now that there is mercy in Christ and grace in Christ and eternal life in Christ and he seeth this is generally and freely tendred to all that will have it and out of these two branches of general faith spirings this hope now thinks the soul I may have it as well as another the dole is free the mercy is free and why may not I be saved why may not I finde mercy and forgiveness and be ingraffed into the Lord Jesus Christ before this the soul was groaping for hope if it could have told where to have had it as Acts 2. 37. they were there groaping where to have it Men and brethren say they what shall we do they do not say there is nothing to be done there is no hope but what shall we do as who should say there is something to be done some course to be taken you that are Ministers of God is there no way whereby we may be pardoned whereby we may be saved whereby we may have a new heart and the favour of God and be delivered from the wrath to come but when the Gospel comes they see now a possibility and this breeds this hope so that this is the next point That when God doth effectually call a soul by his Gospel at the hearing Doct. The general tender of mercy workes some hope in the soul of this gracious tender of eternal life and grace in Jesus Christ the Lord doth let in a possibility of mercy and every grace into the soule and this doth help the soul with hope and this doth make the soul to trace God in all his wayes and he hath some encouragement that God will be found of him and that he may attaine salvation this the first thing the Lord pâts in hope attaining of it the Lord deales with his people in this kinde as he dealt with his people in delivering them out of Babylon Zech. 9. 12. they were prisoners in Babylon now when God would deliver them out of Babylon he did first put in hope into their souls he made them prisoners of hope there was first a pouring of hope into their souls and then he opened the prison doors So the Lord makes his people prisoners of hope that though they be in the captivity of sinne and Satan yet they are prisoners of hope and the Lord gives some hope that the prison doores shall be opened and this we have here in the text for though the Apostle means here by hope the things hoped for yet we call it hope because as soone as ever they dawn in the soul they breed hope if they be the servants of God so that this Gospel breeds hope in a mans bosom Now here be five things I would shew unto you First what this hope is Secondly how iâ agreeth with that hope that follows justifying faith Thirdly how it disagrees with it Fourthly the Reasons of the point And fifthly the Uses For the first what this hope is and it is an hope that ariseth out of the 1. What is this hope faith of possibility when the Lord lets in a possibility of faith and makes the soul believe that his sinnes may be forgiven and he may attaine everlasting life and he may come to be a Saint and one of Gods dear and faithful children he lets in such a possibility into the heart and this hope slows out of this faith of possibility and this faith of possibility is another-gesse thing then people take it for every drunkard will say he beleeves that it is possible to be saved and to finde mercy with God but you will finde it is a greater matter then so it is spoken as a great commendation of Abraham that he did beleeve that God was able to raise up his sonne Isaac Heb. 11. 19. so our Saviour Christ speaking to the blinde man asks him this question do you believe that I am able to do this for you Mat. 9. 23. it was a great matter for him to believe that he was able to do this for him Sarah though an excellent woman for faith otherwise yet she stuck mightily here and thought it was impossible for her to have a childe nay Moses as faithful a man as he was he could not believe that all the people could be fed in the wildernesse it is a greater matter then you think for for every sinful wretch thinks it is an easie matter to believe that Christ died for sinners and that they may be saved it is an easie matter for the faith of presumption but if a mans eyes be opened and his conscience awakened and he comes to have a sight of his sins now Cain will say his sinnes are greater then can be forgiven and Jâdas is not able to flie unto Christ to believe a possibility of pardon but goes and hangs himself and despairs totally of the businesse this faith of possibility it comes within the compasse of a definition of faith it is the evidence of thiâgs not seen it is far above our nature and flesh blood cannot reveal it that there is salvation in Christ and that there is such a thing as a pardon to be had at Gods hands let a man have his understanding enlightned to see what a wretch he is and how fearfully he hath provoked Gods wrath against him and ât is not in his power to beleeve that
there is a possibility for him to finde mercy or any hope of pardon it cannot be attained to without the work of God a weak shelfe is able to hold when a man lays but a book upon it but if a man lay a great weight upon a weak shelf it will break under it so it is with the faith of men when there is no weight laid upon it the burthen of the Lord is not laid upon them then they may think it is an easie matter to have salvation and their sinnes pardoned but if this weight should be laid upon them their faith would burst unlesse the Lord should be pleased to put in a better faith then this it is not in a mans power to look beyond the power of justice for a man to beleeve that there is mercy in God contrary to the sentence of his own Law and contrary to the sense and feeling of a mans own soul and therefore when the Lord is pleased effectually to call a man though he lay a bleeding bleeding before in the sight and sense of his misery he opens a door of hope to the soul he lets in a light of possibility that he may yet come to be quickened and be a new creature and obtaine mercy at the hands of the Lord as the Lord dealt with his people Hos 2. 14. there saith the text I will give them the valley of Achor for the door of hope so when the Lord doth cast a man into the valley of Achor of stoning and astonishment then he opens a door of hope that he may look in and see at a crevis some hope for him to speed though yet I have an hard heart yet such a thing may be if I come to Christ I see God may afford mercy to whom he will and hath propounded it to every man that will have it therefore I may have mercy the Lord begins to stir and move the heart and now the soul begins to have a door of hope you see then what this hope is it is such a thing as flowes from the faith of possibility I do not say that it is a justifying faith but it is the forerunner of it to make way for it The second thing is how this hope agrees with that which proceeds 2. How it agrees with that which followes justifying faith 1. Both are of God from a justifying faith I answer it agrees in five things First both are of God all the hope a creature hath if it be a true hope it is of God therefore the Apostle saith the God of all hope c. Rom. 15. 13. God is the God of all hope I do not say that all hope absolutely is of God for the vaine hope of wicked men is of the Devil and is not of God but I speak of a true hope and courage that the soul gets to seek God in his wayes and fear him Secondly they are both wrought by the Gospel Rom. 15. 4. All things 2. Both are wrought by the Gospel were written for our learning saith the Apostle that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Thus it is with a believer though he hath nothing in present possession though he be persecuted and afflicted and forsaken in the world though he hath never so many miseries here below yet when he looks into the Scriptures and sees what promises God hath made he comes to have some hope it is thus with a man that is not yet a believer but is in the way to be a believer the Lord works with him this way though he see himself a miserable and wretched sinner and undone man cast off and there is no hope in himself yet when he looks into the Scriptures and sees what a gracious tender of mercy there is to any man that will have mercy it is not the wretchednesse of a mans heart that casts him off but the not coming to Christ and receiving of him that damnes him for the fountaine of mercy is open for every one that will receive Christ thus the Scripture gives hope Thirdly both set a man on work as suppose a man hath an hope that proceeds 3. Both set a man on work from justifying faith as he believes in Christ so this sets him a work 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope purifies himself as Christ is pure it makes him labour to be humble and meek and to be made partaker of the Spirit of Grace it makes him labour after the things that are above and to be sitted and disposed to every good work and to purge himself and cleanse his conscience more and more and so a man that hath not this justifying faith but hath only this branch of effectual calling begun in him he that hath this hope I now speak of it sets him a work to seek after Christ and to labour hard for the enjoying of him and to seek him in all his Ordinances in his manner though he cannot pray and performe duties as others do yet he will do it in that manner he is able Fourthly both are the anchor of the soul as it is with a believer though he 4. Both are the anchor of the soul Heb. 6. 19. be a godly believer and hath interest in Christ yet what with temptations from hell and his own heart he will be tossed to and fro were it not for this hope which is as an anchor to the soul so it is with a man that is not come thus far but is only under the same first branch though his tossings be fierce and his temptations be violent and his case be doubtful and full of hazard yet notwithstanding when this hope comes into the soul it doth marvelously stay the heart though it see nothing but hell and damnation and misery and his conscience is not purged and his life renewed and his soul sanctified and wrought upon in Jesus Christ though he sees there is no way but hell and damnation yet when this hope comes into the soul though he can see neither star-light nor Moon-light nor nothing it doth stay him much and prop him up much and doth encourage him to go on without dismay Neither of these two hopes shall make a man ashamed if a man hath 5. Neither of them shall make a man ashamed this true hope he shall never be ashamed Rom. 5. 4. Hope maketh not ashamed so it is with a man that is truly wrought upon the Lord never deceives him there is a working of grace for grace before grace it self comes into the soul which carries a man beyond a reprobate and this hope the soul hath will never let him be in this case that he shall need to be ashamed The third thing is this how this hope differs from that hope which proceeds 3. How this hope differs from that which followes justification 1 This ariseth out of the seeds of grace the other out of grace it self from justifying faith and
they differ in two things The first is that this hope I now speak of it ariseth out of the seeds of grace the other out of grace it self there are the seeds of grace which are something of grace in the soul before grace it self comes and though we have not any place of Scripture to shew this yet there are abundance of places that aime at and include this As it may be referred to the woeings of Christ Hos 2. 14. when the excellency and necessity of Christ woes the soul and the possibility of having Christ these things allure a man here is this work when the soul begins to be a neuter before the soul believes yet there is a kinde of bending of faith as the man in the Gospel when Christ asked him if he believed in the Son of God he saith Lord what is he that I may believe as who should say I am ready to believe if I could I am ready to resigne my self to believe do but shew me how I may believe Secondly this may be referred to the forming of Christ in the heart Gal. 4. 19. before the babe is organized there is seed so there is a seed of God in the soul and he that hath this seed cannot sin because he is borne of God as there is a seed of generation so of regeneration as the prodigal before he came home to his Father he saith with himself I will go home to my Father and say Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee c. Luke 15. 16. What made him do this they are nothing else but the effects of the seeds of grace So the Jaylor Acts 16. 13. that cried out Sirs what shall I do to be saved what were these but the expressions of the seeds of grace that were in him the next newes we heare he did believe now the Lord sowes seeds of grace in the soul and these break forth into hope and desires and waââings for grace these are the seeds of grace and from thence comes this hope but the other hope comes from grace it self it is true that these seeds of grace are grace in themselves they are the work of grace for grace but they are not grace fully and compleatly wrought in the soul They come from several apprehensions the hope we now speak of apprehends 2. They come from several apprehensions nothing but a possibility of pardon that he may be pardoned and have power over his sins he may attaine to be a new creature and to be one of the redeemed of the Lord and this is that which sends him after God and makes him trace him up and down till the Lord doth it for him but the other apprehends that he hath it already or else rests upon God for it and hopes undoubtedly for the accomplishment of it this hope I now speak of was in the King of Niniveh Who knows but the Lord may repent and turne from his fierce anger that we perish not I cannot tell but there is hope it may be and who knows but God will do it And this hope made him humble himself and seek to God and there was a publike kinde of reformation outwardly So it is here the Lord lets in some hope who knows but the Lord will yet shew mercy and it is not only an imaginary hope such a hope as vanisheth and leaves a man in the lurch but this hope doth stir up a mans soul and provoke a man to look out to God for that mercy whereof he sees a possibility of attaining I come now to the reasons of the point why the Lord doth work this hope Reas 1. To prevent despaire in the soul and the first is this Lest a man should lie all along in despaire when the Lord shews a man his sins and his misery in regard thereof if the Lord should not put in this hope a man would altogether despaire it is impossible a man should be able to stand as Solomon saith A wounded spirit who can beare So when the Lord chargeth a mans sins and iniquities upon his conscience and aggravates all his sinfulnesse a man would sink under this burthen and never be able to hold up his head were it not for this hope as we use to say were it not for hope the heart would break so this is the reason why God puts in this hope he doth it to stay the soul that it may not sink under the hand of God I will revive the heart of the contrite ones I will not contend with them for ever Isa 57. 16 17. Lest their spirits faile before me as who should say if I should let my wrath into their souls and should not put in this hope and reviving into their hearts their very spirits would faile before me and sink under me they would be at their wits end and be utterly overwhelmed therefore God puts in this that he may help their soules if God should shew a man his sins as they are in his ire and shew him all the corruption of his nature and his filthinesse from the womb till now and reckon with him for this in his soul and conscience and let him see what a cursed creature he is his spirit would faile before Almighty God and the stoutest creature under Heaven were not able to stand under it but would rather take an haâtar and hang himself then undergo it now when the Lord deales with a man he puts in this supporting hope to stay him up otherwise the soul were not able to hold Secondly if the Lord should not put in this hope it would utterly disable a 2. That a man may not be disabled from looking after heaven man from looking after Heaven when a man conceives no hope this breaks the neck of all his endeavours a man will not toile for nothing and lay out his strength and all that is in him when he conceives he hath no hope at all He that plowes plowes in hope c. 1 Cor. 9. 10. therefore when a man can hardly see any hope this doth ever vale a man it makes a man rather despaire it makes a man do as commonly people do when they see they must go to hell they fill their souls with pleasures and delights there is little hope for them to come into the strict way that they will ever be able to beare it that they may have mercy like those wretches Jer. 2. 25. There is no hope c. there is no hope ââve have loved our owâ lusts and after them we will go When people have not hope to get through this makes them desperate they care not what they do and they grow carelesse and negligent many a man hath said so I was of the minde once to be precise but the further I pried into it the worse I was and these Preachers will make a man mad when people finde humiliation so hard a thing they think they are not able to wade through and
so leave it when they have no hope to go on they grow remiss and loose and carelesse in this kinde it makes a man desperate when this hope is gone therefore when the Lord hath a minde to do good to a man and encourage him to go on in the wayes of holinesse he puts some hope into the soul and when a man sees some hope then he will pray and fast and humble himself the Lord lets in this hope and so prepares a man for himself Thirdly because he will not do all at once but work upon a man by degrees 3. Because God will not do all at once the Lord could put faith into the soul at first but the Lord will first make a man a probationer of faith the Lord will first have the seed sowen and then quicken in the ground and then have a blade and then an eare and then harvest Again the Lord will so do it that he may be sought to for every mercy 4. That he may be sought to for every mercy and therefore first the Lord gives a man natural parts that he may come to Church and hear the Word and then the Lord knocks him down that he may be abased and then he shatters him all to pieces that he may look out for hope and then when he hath gotten hope the Lord makes him seek out for faith and when he hath gotten faith to seek out for other graces and when he hath them to seek for the accomplishment of them the Lord will be sought to for every thing and it is fit we should seek to him though the parent doth not engender the reasonable soul in the babe but God doth create it immediately yet none of us do count marriage superstuous so though God doth give this grace of faith only yet we are not to account the using of means in vain the Lord doth not power in humane wit into stocks and stones but into a body sitted and ordered for a reasonable soul so it is in respect of faith and grace the creature shall be first ordered and sitted for grace there must be preparation and a foregoing work it is his manner of working he will so work as he will still be sought unto of all his people though they have not faith if they have hope they shall seek to him for faith as it is with a Scholar if he will be a Scholar or Fellow of a Colledge he must sit for it so the Lord will have a man sit for it he will have a man sit at the pool of grace and seek to him for it before he shall have it This shews us the graciousness of our good God that when he takes us to Use 1. To shew the graciousnes of God do for our sins He remembers us when we are in our low estate for his mercy endures for ever Psal 136. 53. when we are at the brink of hell at the very bottome of destruction and in the belly of damnation when we know not which way to turne our selves then he remembers us for his mercy endures for ever thus the Lord deals with his people for their good as he opens the casement that his justice may look out upon us so he sets his mercy in the window that we may see it through the glasse that we may not be overwhelmed this is the goodness of God and were it not for this no man should be able to abide his look nor bear his displeasure when he breakes out upon a man this is the infinite goodness of our gracious God to deal thus favourably with his people therefore you that have gotten this hope know that the Lord night have held you down to this day and he had justly served you if he had done so therefore whosoever of you are in the briars do not repine and grumble because you are not refreshed as others are if you have but the least cranny of hope to hang upon make much of it it is more then God owes you how easily might the Lord teare the soul all in pieces when he comes to deal with a man when he shews a man his sins and abominations he might make them as heavy as rocks and mountaines unto him and break him all to powder it were just if he did so now when the Lord puts in this hope what a wonderful mercy is this When God told Hezekiah Behold thou shalt die he presently bade him take a lump of Figgs and healed the disease so what a mercy is this that God saith Thââ shalt die thou art a damned creature and bids him presently take a plaisteâ and so recovers him For comfort to all those that are the Lords though it be a poor faith a poor Use 2. Comfort for believers hope that flowes from possibility only yet I tell you that even believers may have need sometimes to have resort unto it for how often hath the Devil been let loose upon poor souls even those that are of God as sometimes he doth tempt them to presumption that so they may neglect their watch over themselves so it is his practice to drive us from one extreame to another and hurry us to despair and urge upon us that we have no faith we have no grace and are as sure to be damned as if we were in hell already David Psal 31. 22. seems to be out of all hope to be saved as if he were utterly undone the servants of light many of them have found this too too true how fearfully they have been perplexed and galled in minde seeking release but could finde none and pronouncing against themselves bitter things as if they had nothing of God in them the devil dazling their eyes that they cannot see and putting out of their minds all the sweet passages of the Gospel and preaching nothing but the terrible passages of the Law he that doubts is damned and he that wavers is like a wave of the sea and he urgeth them with every vain thought with every omission with every failing and every sin they have committed it is strange to see how some of Gods own people have reasoned against themselves as if all the devils logick were in them and all mercy were gone thus the devil sometimes deals with Gods people that they cannot tell where to hold they can see nothing to give any comfort or stay they are ready to let go all and give over all hope now what an excellent thing is this if a man have this hope that he may be never driven from God that there is eternal life and forgivenesse in him and all these things are attainable I tell you it is a great help to a man when he can say with the Church Joel 2. 13. Who can tell whether thâ Lord will turn and leave a blessing behind him a man that hath but this hope in him it will never let him go off from God and be quite overcome by Satan so that though it
be but a poor thing yet it is worth a Kings ransome in time of trouble To shew unto us how God doth work this hope and he works it first Use 3. Informe how God wo ãâ¦ã this hope 1. By rooting out all vain hopes by rooting out of the heart all vaine hopes and bringing in a better hope as the Apostle speaks Heb. 7. 19. The Law made nothing perfect when God brought in Christ he brought in a better hope when God brings Christ to the soul he brings a better hope into the soul the soul before had a vaine hope he prayed and came to Church and was civil and well brought up and had many good gifts and many terrours and affrightments all these are nothing but legal works a man can never have hope in this but when God brings in a better hope he throws out all the other he shoots his Law like a great Ordnance into the soul and strikes him dead and makes him see there is no hope all his vaine hopes are nothing and still the soul will be gathering false hopes and returning to them but the Lord throws them out still and puts in a better hope By setting a look upon the Gospel as the Gospel tenders this to every creature 2. By setting a look upon the Gospel to one as well as to another so the Lord puts a particular look upon the Gospel as Peter said to the lame man look upon me and this made him expect to receive an alms from him Acts 3. 4 5. So the Lord makes a man look upon the Gospel to minde the Gospel and regard and take notice of it what it saith for people let these things slip but when God works this hope in the soul he makes a man to mind the Gospel and makes as if it looked at him and so he comes to have sound hope in the Gospel as a beggar when a Gentleman puts his hand into his purse though he sees nothing yet he thinks he will give him something so the Lord puts his hand into his purse as it were he lays his hand upon mercy and lets the soul see him tendring of mercy and this makes him hope he shall have mercy he casts a look upon him and so affects and draws the soul and he finds the Lord moving the soul and inclining the heart and weaning the soul from the world and quickning him to seek after the things that are above By removing of all impossibilities that lie upon the soul you know there 3. By removing all impossibilities is abundance of impossibilities that appear as for a man to live in his sinnes a man then hath no heart to Christ no heart to heavenly things no mind to pray and to strict courses it is impossible for a man in this case ever to attaine these things when he hath no heart to them now the Lord takes away that impossibility and makes the soul see it is possible to attain these things therefore there is a kinde of seed of regeneration going along with this 1 Pet. 1. 3. as there is a seed before regeneration it self before that hope that proceeds from justifying faith so these seeds of regeneration are before this hope I now speak of the soul hath something wherby it seeth a possibility and the Lord shews him a way of recovery and sets up a standard to guide him in the way and takes away all impediments that hinder him in the way and now the soul seeth it is possible to attain unto these things If we have any such hope as this let us not labour to diminish it but Use 4. Labour not to diminish this hope let it grow in us it is an excellent mercy of God to begin this hope if we have the least crevis or cranny of it let us make much of it let us tender it cherish it for it will help us to pray and seek God and let go our corruptions it will enable us to do many things when a man hath gotten this hope once therefore if we have it let us put it on as the Apostle saith if you mean to go to heaven you shall be sure to meet with blows therefore you should have your helmet on the devil will say have you any hope to go to heaven having such a vile cursed heart you were better give all over for your betters have missed it now we had need of this hope to be nourished and cherished in us nay though a man hath never so much faith he should cherish this more and more But how shall a man cherish it Quest How may this hope be cherished Ans 1. Look to the power of God I answer first look to the power of God do not say how shall I be able to do this and that how shall I get my lusts to be mortified and how shall I get my heart to submit to God but look unto the power of God and do not limit the holy one of Israel the Lord may pardon thy sins and renue thy heart therefore look unto the power of God When Christ told his Disciples Mat. 16. 24. that it is easier for a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle then for ãâ¦ã ich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven they were all astonished O say they who then can be saved Oh saith Christ look unto God 't is true with mân it is impossiblâ for the heart and affections of a man are so glued to the things of this world aâââe hath so much pleasure and delight in the things of this life that his heart cannot look after mercy with zeal and fervency it is as impossible as for a cable to go through a needles eye but saith he look to the power of God he is able to work it a rich man may be saved for all this if a rich man be touched with the sence and feeling of his sinnes and have a heart to come to God though he meet with never so many difficulties in his way let him look unto the power of God to whom nothing is hard Secondly look to the freenesse of Gods promises the indifferency and universality 2. Look to the freeness indifferency and universality of the promises of the tender of them whosoever thirsteth let him buy wine and milk without money Esay 55. 1. when a doale is tendred to all at the doore Why may not every beggar hope to receive it so if mercy be free for every one that comes to Gods door for it why mayst not thou look up with hope if thou hast an heart to it thou mayest if thou hast not an heart thou art none of Gods but if thou hast an heart look up to God and be not dismayed but see the infinitenesse of Gods mercy that as the heavens are ãâ¦ã her then the earth so his mercies are far above our thoughts and apprehensions and where sinne abounds grace abounds much more there are many poor souls that
would come to Christ but thorough their daily distempers and untowardnesse and the temptations of Satan they are repelled they would come to God but know not how they have hardly any hope these things are spoken for such poor creatures Thirdly send often unto God call upon his Name as it is said of Fâliâ 3. Send often unto God by prayer when he hoped to receive money of Paul he sent often for him to commune with him Acts 24. 26. So send often to God and be often communing with God and calling upon his name above all duties under heaven there is no Ordinance helps a man more with communion with God then frequent prayer doth or that the heart is more against then that not pray out of formality or in a perfunctory manner but to pray indeed of all duties I commend unto thee that go to God and pray often if thou wouldest hope to receive mercy at his hands JOHN 6. 45. Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me WE come now to the second degree of effectual calling and that is a personal call of this or that man by a particular word when the Lord doth particularize his promises and tenders them to this or that man come unto me and here is free grace and mercy for thee come and believe and rest upon me for it when the Lord doth speak a particular word to the soul as you may see Esay 43. 1. I have called thee by name thou art mine when God effectually calls a man he calls him by name he calls him with a particular word come unto me here is pardon rely upon me and thou shalt have it here is peace of conscience rely upon me and thou shalt attain to it thou art an undone creature in thy self here is mercy for thee not only when there is a general word propounded to the soul but when the Lord joynes with the word and follows it to the soul and conscience come to me man when God calls a man by name so it is said of Matthew Christ saw him sitting at the receipt of custom and said unto him follow me he called him in particular and directed a particular word to his heart and bid him follow him and depend upon him for all good so it was with Zachâus when Christ looked up and saw him in the fig-tree he said Come down Zachâus he directed a particular word to him this is the thing now I do not meane the outward word onely in the Scripture either preached or read But secondly when it is inwardly spoken by God himself to the soule and set on when God bids a man believe and come unto him this is the thing and this we have heard in the Text Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me for the coherence of these words you must know that in the former verses our Saviour Christ had told them that he was the bread that came down from heaven inviting them to come unto him ver 41 42. and you may see what effect this wrought in their hearts how they murmured at him they were so far from yeilding to his call that they sell a murmuring at him And secondly see how they alledge reasons for their murmuring v. 42. Is ââ this Jesus the Sonne of Jâsâpâ c. as who should say if he came from the earth how did he come from heaven therefore you may see what answer Christ makes v. 43. First he reproves them and said murmur not among your selves as who should say this is no murmuring matter it is a mourning and lamenting matter you should bewaile your condition and turne your murmuring into mourning Again he bids them not wonder at it v. 44. For no man cometh unto me except the Father drawâth him as who should say it is no news to me that you stumble at my words and will not hear what I say for nonâ can câme to me excâpt my Father draw him you care not for me but murmur against me and your hearts are stoât against the Lord you cannot attain unto it for ãâ¦ã Thirdly he shews that some would come to him for all this though some would not yet some would even all his Elect therefore he quotes this saying out of the Prophets Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me the word shall not only come to the outward eare but they shall be taught of God and then they will come home to me and then concludes with the words of the Text Every man that hath heard c. as who should say though you will not yet I am sure every man that hath heard my Father speak to his heart that hath heard him preaching from heaven in his bosome that man will come to me so that God can call those things which are not as if they were though a man be never so rebellious and averse from Christ yet when he speaks a particular word to the soul it comes But you will say what is this particular word which the Lord speaks to the Quest What is that particular word which God speaks Ans It is contained in general soul is there any such particular word to be found in all the Scripture Thâmas or Richard do you come to me I answer there is a general word in the Scripture and this particular word is in the general so that though there be not a particular word expressively yet there is equivalently and this I will make appear in three or four particulars First what particular place of Scripture saith that Thomas or James or such a one is a childe of wrath by nature is here any Scripture saith so of him I answer yes this particular is in the general we are all the children of wrath by nature Eph. 2. 3. and cursed is every one that continues not iâ all the things written in the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. now though a mans name be not named William such a one is accursed by nature yet notwithstanding he findes his particular in the general that he is a cursed creature Again what place of Scripture saith that Robert or John must love God and is bound to love God is there any such place of Scripture no why will you say then that you are bound to love God and obey him if there be no such place of Scripture yes for this particular is in the general Thou shalt love the Lard thy God c. That Commandment is delivered to all men in the whole world So Thou shalt do no murther thou shalt not commit adultery c. this Commandment lies upon the whole world therefore if thou beest a man though thou canst not finde thy name set down that the Lord speaks to thee yet thy particular is in those generals so though it cannot be shewn in all the Scripture that such a particular man shall rise againe yet when the Scripture saith that all
men shall rise againe as John 5. 28. Marvel not for the houre shall come that all flesh that is in the grâvâ shall come forth if all that are dead shall rise again then every man shall rise again though his name be not named in Scripture so it is hear we read in Scripture that Christ saith John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink now the Lord includes a particular in it and brings it to the soul thou thirstest thou wouldest faine have Christ here are the promises here is all mercy in my Sonne believe in him come and receive him take him and thou shalt have them so if Christ saith whosoever believes shall be saved then Saint Paul might safely conclude a particular word to the Jaylor belâeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. so that you see here is a particular word though not particular directly yet equivalent to a particular namely a particular in the general and the Spirit of God doth speak this to the soul and makes the soul hear it Every man therefore that hath heard it c. When God calls the soul home he makes the soul hear his voice here a Doct. When God calls the soul he makes it hear a particular voice particular voice and word to him believe in the Lord come unto me for salvation relie upon me for eternal life the sinnes that trouble thy soule cast thy self upon me for the forgiving of them the diseases miseries distempers thou art subject unto lay hold upon me and rest upon me for the delivering thee from them the Lord when he calls a man effectually he speaks it not onely the Minister and the Word speaks it but the Lord speaks it and so the soul hearing of the Father comes to Christ thus you may see the Lord holds the free promises of the Gospel before the soul and bids a man relie upon them as Peter dealt with his contrite hearers the Spirit of the Lord going along with his word Acts 2. 39. believe saith he for the promise belongs to you and to your children c. as who should say when God calls a man effectually he holds forth his promises and propounds them to the soul beleeve this promise and rest upon me for it thus the Lord doth call a man home he sends his promise before him he sets up hope before him he sends the gracious invitation of the Gospel before him and bids him relie upon it thus God dealt with his Elect Cârinths 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithful saith the Apostle by whom ye are called to the followship of his Sonne Jesus Christ as who should say when God called you he spake to every one of you in particular come and be fellow heirs with my Son come and have every good thing with my Sonne come and be a sonne with him come and be an heir of grace with him and have title to eternal life and salvation God calls you saith he to beleeve that he is faithful So I might instance in many more though there be never so many in the Congregation yet the Lord doth not speak to them all they do not all hear his voice they all hear the Minister but that makes them not to come that doth not the deed but when the Lord calls a man he comes he joyns with the Word and speaks to this or that man and takes him alone and whispers him in the ear and tells him where mercy is and bids him rely upon him and though sense and seeling be against him though all fears and objections be against him he bids him believe and be of good cheere he shall have all these mercies it he will believe in him as he saith Esay 51. 20. Look unto Abraham your father for I called him alone and blessed him mark it the Lord took him alone and spake to his heart between him and himself so when the Lord speaks to a soul and calls him by his grace he calls him alone and takes him alone though all the Congregation hears the same Sermon yet he takes him alone and speaks to his heart and bids him beleeve in him for I will never faile thee it is a sure foundation he may build upon it for ever and ever Because no man could come unto Christ else for we see daily though Reas 1. Elâe no man could come to Christ Ministers call all the Congregation and assembly yet people do not stir they are dead in their sins they cannot hear the Minister no it must be a louder voice and one that is more powerful and effectual unlesse the Lord come and bid a man beleeve he can never do it therefore John 5. 26. See what Christ saith Verily I say unto you that the hour shall come when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God here comes an Almighty voice that speaks to the raising of a man out of the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and faith and he shews that there is a voice of Christ that speaks to the soul that though the soul be dead yet it shall heare and live so Ephesians 5. 14. and were it not for this call no man could beleeve That so they may have a ground for their faith the soul cannot first beleeve â That we may have a ground for out faith and then come to the promise but the Lord brings the promise first and then makes the soul to beleeve he lets in the promise first and then causeth the soul to lay hold upon it the soul doth not first come and then look to the promise but the soul first looks upon the promise and then beleeves as you may see Psal 119. 49. it is the speech of the Prophet David Remember thy Word O Lord wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust the Lord lets in a word of promise into Davids heart then caused him to hope in it and made him look upon it as a thing tendred and propounded to him and so made him relic upon it if it were not for this call of God who were able to beleeve for without this call the soul when it seeth its dulnesse and deadnesse and untowardnesse and unworthinesse it would go away it would say I cannot look to the promise I cannot do this and that and I have no faith and what have I to do with the promise therefore the Lord when he effectually calls a man he lets in the sight of his promises he holds forth his free and gracious promises so that now the soul can say the Lord calls me by his grace and though I be never so wretched and my heart be stark naught though I be as reprobate to every good word and work as the vilest in the world yet here is a free offer and I will relie upon it it is tendred unto me otherwise why should God propound it so freely why should he hold it forth
mans senses in opening a mans understanding a mans understanding is quite blinded and cannot see the things of God and though a man literally know all the cripture yet notwithstanding there is a veile upon his eyes and he doth not see the excellency and glory of it now when the Spirit of God comes and anoints a mans eyes and takes away the scales that they fall off from his eyes the man now begins with open face to see the glory of God and the glorious Gospel of God the natural man saw the Gospel to be a glorious thing yet the God of this world blinded his eyes that he could not see it in this glorious manner now when the Spirit of the Father comes to call a man effectually he doth anoint a mans eyes Esay 35. 5. The eyes of the blinde shall see he makes a man to see the wonders of Gods Law to see his gracious promises in Jesus Christ the freenesse of them the indifferency of them that they are propounded to every man that hath an heart to them and hungers and thirsts after them so that the Lord doth as it were say to the soul here are the promises here you see them beleeve in me this is the speech of the Father these are the promises this is the happinesse if you will embrace it you may be happy for ever now the world and profits and pieasures are not such a thing you may be damned for all them therefore come unto me and you shall have eternal happinesse thus the Spirit of the Father sheweth the soul the glory of the wayes of Jesus Christ and the glory of the promises here they are beleeve that is the first Secondly he opens the sense of hearing for as the minde of a man is stark blinde and cannot see the things of God so the heart of a man is stark dead and cannot hearken to God a man hath no ears by nature to hear God speak to him till the Lord comes and opens his ears as the Prophet speaks Esay 35. 5. The ears of the deaf shall hear when the Lord comes to open the ears of the deaf now the soul begins to hear before it was like the deafe adder that could not hear the voice of the charmer charme he never so wisely though he heard never so many Sermons he yet heard none his hearing was to no purpose in hearing he heard but perceived not but when the Lord comes and takes away the uncircumcision of the eare the soul now begins to heare and hearken to him now the stone begins to vanish out of the heart and flesh and feeling comes in the place thereof the soul is ready to say as Samuel Speak Lord thy servant heareth now the soul begins to hear a Sermon to hear a counsel to hear a threatning when the Lord begins to open the ear this is another thing whereby the soul is able to hear what the Lord saith Again this voice consists in taking away a mans lamnesse for as a man was 2. In taking away a mans lameness perverted and this was taken away by opening the ear yet now a man is lame and cannot come to Christ therefore the Lord takes away his lamenesse Esay 35. 5. The feet of the lame shall walk First he makes the soul walk and afterwards run and at last to flie as an Eagle First it walks you shall walk in my statutes and afterwards runnes and flies as an Eagle thus you see what this voice is Now there be two reasons why it is called a voice First because it is a Called a voice 1. Because it is joyned to the word thing joyned with the Word because it is all one together with the Word as Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing he doth not mean their onely outward hearing for faith will not come by outward hearing but he means the hearing of the outward ear and this hearing of the Father speaking to the heart and so faith comes Secondly because it hath a similitude of a voice the soul doth as it were 2 Because it hath a similitude of a voice hear a voice speaking to it not as though the acts you heard of even now can distinctly be known he doth them not vocally he doth not open the eyes and open the ear vocally but as the blind man said One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see but how he came to see that he could not tell so when the Spirit comes and speaks to his heart a man can tell no more the way of the Spirit then he can tell how the wind blows or the fashioning of the bones in the womb what man can expresse the manner of Gods secret working could the Apostles see the breath of Christ breathed upon them when he said receive ye the holy Ghost no they could not the acts of the Spirit upon the soul cannot be discerned but as the blind man said once I was blinde but now I see so a man may say whereas I was deaf now I can hear the voice of God and happy is the man that can say this but the things cannot be discerned but at the same time when the Lord works these acts the soul doth as it were hear a speech mentally and spiritualy in the soul Esay 30 22. Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk in it so the Lord speaks to the soul this is the way and this is the promise and this is the Gospel of peace and this is the mercy that I offer unto thee beleeve it the Lord makes the soule as it were heare a voice the Lord speakes and the soul hears it is done after such a manner so effectually as if the Lord did speak to the heart I will allure her into the Wildernesse the Lord doth as it were entice a man thus and thus it shall be with thee if thou wilt follow me it is done after such a manner therefore it is called a voice The third thing is how we may know whether the soul hath heard this Quest How may we know whether that ãâã hath heard this voice Answ 1. There is a power goes along with this Word voice or no I answer first there is a power goeth along with the Word when this voice of the Father goeth with it there is a power put into the promises not only the Minister speaks them or the bare letter of the word utters them but when the Spirit speaks with them there is a power goeth along with them as John 6. 44. there is a power to draw the heart when the Lord calls a man when he speaks to a man he puts a power into the promise that it draws the heart of a man the truth the goodness the excellency freenesse attainableness of it the Lord puts a power into these things to draw the heart so that that man is drawn to look after heaven and come to God from day to day
the excellency and incomparable worth of these things having the power of God in them woeth the heart and enticeth it and draws it and hales it to come to God and weaneth it from the world and he lets them go more and more not seeing such worth in them to draw his minde away more and more hence the Gospell is call'd the power of God to salvation Rom. 16. 6. when God calls a man by the Gospel he puts a power into all the promises to draw a man home to pull a man effectually and powerfully unto him he is enamoured of them and must have them and will have them and casts himself upon God for the having of them when any soul obeyeth the call of God what is the reason that it obeyeth it it feels a power in the Word in the promises of God when he hears it preached as 1 Thes 1. 5. Our Gospel came not unto you in Word onely but in power the Lord calling of these good Thes By his grace there was a power went along with the Word and made them receive the Word and that drew their hearts to take it though by nature they were averse from it though by nature they were stubborn and rebellious and would not submit to the Gospel yet when the Lord puts this power into the promise to overwoe the soul more then lusts and sinnes and things of the world could do more then the inclinations of the soul could do it came with a stronger power then all these to the soul and this made the soul hear this voice Secondly he that hears this voice hears more then a man or any creature 2. This voice makes one hear more then any creature can speak say unto him beleeve saying unto him come unto Christ cast thy selfe upon God here is mercy here is a promise here is peace that thou needest when he doth not onely hear the Minister say it all the Congregation hears him speak it and no man stirs but when a man hears more then a Minister say so he feels such a coming of the Word to him that all the created powers in heaven and earth could never move him in that manner then he heares the voice of the Spirit of God for when God calls a man effectually he makes the Gospel a glasse for a man to see the glory of God thorow as you may see 2 Cor. 3. 18. he means by the glasse there the Gospel the Lord when he calls a man he makes the Gospel a glasse to him that he may behold the glory of God the infinite graciousnesse and lovelinesse of God the infinite goodness happinesse and blessednesse of God and what an infinite fountaine of all goodnesse he is in his own Son Jesus Christ he lets him see not only the Gospel every man seeth the Gospel but every man hath not this glasse it is not this glasse to him to let him see the glory of God when God turns a man he comes with this glorious light thorow the Gospel to his soul there is a great light shines from heaven about a man as there did about Saint Paul the Gospel it self a light and every man seeth this light but there is darkness upon the minde still for all that but when God calls a man there is a great light comes into the soul you are a chosen generation c. 1 Pet. 2 9. mark there is a marvellous deal of light the Lord lets into the soul that the soul can now see how the devil and sin and the world deluded him and how the world and all profits and pleasures are a meer painted thing and are meerly vexations of Spirit now he sees how to distinguish between things and things there is a glorious and a marvellous light come in he sees the wiles of his own heart and how he was beguiled before and betwitched by the devil before he seeth all the folly and the Popery of his own heart such a deal of light comes in that it discovers all so far forth as is necessary to bring him to God now he sees that his moaping and blundering upon his sins and condemning of himself it had a form of humility but it was nothing but pride and stubbornnesse of heart and he would rather have him be without mercy then have it upon Gods termes he beholding the glory of God seeth the wyles and deceits of his own soul this light sheweth him the glory of God and propounds to him these things and makes him beleeve them Thirdly this same voice of the Father when the Father speaks to a man 3. It is the irrefragable propounding of the promise it is the irrefragable propounding of the promise to him when the promises of the Gospel are delivered in an irrefragable manner contrary to all the objections of the heart of man all the pleas that can be brought against it it comes in an irrefragable manner and holds itself before him that he may believe not that he may not be tempted to the contrary but he sees thaâ they are but temptations O saith the soul I see I am unwilling to do good duties what of that if thou wouldest be willing the promise is free may he saith the soul I am full of stubbornnesse and rebellion and unprofitableness what of that that is nothing saith the promise if thou come to me I can heal thee of this stubbornnesse beleeve in me this is the way to be rid of thy stubbornnesse and to have a better heart and more abilities as long as it is a burthen to thee beleeve in me it comes in an irrefragable manner so that the soul can say I refused comfort all this while as David saith Ps 77. comfort was propounded to me but I would not have it I was fullen and peevish and put it off and withstood my own comforts now the soul seeth its putting off of Gods mercie and the forsaking its own mercies and the gracious proffers tendred to it I say when the Spirit speaks this voice to the soul it speaks in a marvellous great and convincing manner it speaks in a prevailing manner it speaks over and above all it speaks in a ravishing manner it makes the soule see a cornucopia of all good an abundant treasury of all mercy in the ways of God and in the promises of the Gospel it makes a man see that whatsoever the heart can wish and desire that is good it is there to be had and no where else to be attained it speaks in an uncontroulable manner to the soul that the soul can stand out no longer but must come off JOHN 6. 35. He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst WE have finished the first part of Effectual Calling and now we come to the second Namely the answer to this Call for this is the difference between effectual calling and that which is not effectual the one makes a man come and the
God therefore seeing they went on in their sinnes it is certaine they did not believe for faith only makes a man obey God and wheresoever it is a man obeyeth God Reas 1. Because faith seeth an indissolvable couple of attributes in God Reas 1 Because faith seeth Gods purity and mercy to be inâeparable attributes that cannot be separated and severed as it seeth his grace and mercy to draw him forward so it seeth his purity and justice and holinesse and righteousnesse that it dares not but obey God as it doth discerne his grace and mercy to make him perfectly to trust in God so it seeth another thing in God that God is of that nature that he must be served and worshipped and obeyed Therefore you shall see Noah though the building of the Ark were an endlesse work and a costly and chargeable work in the eyes of men it would cost him many yeares to build and he could not look after his calling and after the world but it would take him up for an hundred and twenty yeares and set all the world a talking of him and mocking at him for it yet when God commanded him to do it faith made him do it and how did faith make him do it Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah being forewarned of God of things not seen as yet moved by feare prepared an Ark fear moved him faith made him do it but how did faith make him do it It moved him with feare and so made him do it it made him see God was an holy and righteous God that would not be dallied withal and this moved him with feare and he durst not but do it whatsoever it put him to he durst not omit it faith makes a man that he dares not be bold with God it takes away the impudency of the heart and the venterousnesse of the soul as long as a man doth not believe he dares make bold with such Commandements of God as he likes not he will omit them for all him but when faith comes it reveales God to the soul and shewes who he is and what nature he is of and that he is such a one as will not be dallied with but his Commandements must be done and his will must be obeyed or else woe to that man it shewes to a man the infinite Majestie of God and sets it before a mans face that he dares not go on in any thing contrary to Gods will but obey God in whatsoever he commands him and abstaine from whatsoever God forbids as Paul saith We dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves 2 Cor. 10. 12. He knew God had forbidden it and he durst not but obey So 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you having a matter go to Law before unbeleevers As who should say you are not beleevers if you do it faith would shew you what God is and what an inglorious and what a bitter thing it is for you to do it how dare you do it Secondly Faith doth not onely look upon Christ as a Saviour and a Redeemer but also as a Lord and King when Christ comes to a man 2. Because âaith looks on Christ not only as a Saviour but as a Lord when faith comes into the soul Christ is called our Lord Jesus Christ as he is a Jesus so he is a Lord and faith doth not only receive him as a Jesus but submits to him as to a Sovereigne Faith takes them both together faith will not let a man live Lordlesse it knowes he must take Christ as a Lord as well as a Redeemer as faith takes off the guilt of sinne so it puts the yoake of Christ on Is Christ divided saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 1. 13. So I may say is Christ divided Can he be disjoynted himselfe from himselfe Can people mangle Christ in pieces and divide him asunder May be thou wilt have him as a Jesus but thou wilt not have him as a Lord then thou canst not have him at all as Peter saith Acts 2. 36. Be it known to all that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ As he hath made him a Christ by anointing him to be a Saviour to bring men from sinne and to bring them to Gods Kingdome and save them from wrath so he hath made him a Lord he hath set him up as a King upon his Holy Hill of Zion look as it was with Jephtah when the Gileadites would have him to save them from the Ammonites shall I be your head then saith he and he made them to sweare before the Lord that they would make him their Head or else he would not deliver them so if thou wilt have Christ to deliver thee out of the hands of thine enemies sinne is an enemy and the Law is an enemy and the Devill is an enemy and the world and thine own flesh is an enemy if thou wilt have Christ to deliver thee from these enemies shall he be thy Head He hath sworne an Oath That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives Luke 1. 73. He hath sworne with an Oath that that man whom he delivers from his enemies shall serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse and shall not live as he list he shall not live Lawlesse he shall take Christs Lawes as well as his Merits as well Christs Government as the imputation of his truth and righteousnesse he shall take the one as well as the other Now it is an easie thing for a man to believe by a presumptuous faith that Christ is a Jesus but here is the difficulty to take him as a Lord No man can call Christ a Lord but by the Holy Ghost saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 3. He doth not say no man can say Christ is a Jesus the Devill and presumption can make a man say so and every man hopes and beares himself upon this that Christ is a Jesus but no man can truly confesse him to be a Lord but by the Holy Ghost unlesse the Holy Ghost enable him as our Saviour saith David by the Spirit called him Lord he speakes of himselfe Matth. 22. 43. It is a great matter to submit to Christ as a Sovereigne as well as to take Christ for a Saviour now faith seeth both must be done it must take Christ under both relations as he must take him under the relation of a Redeemer so under the relation of a Lord as to be saved by him so to be guided and swayed by him in all his wayes and to be at his disposing in all his courses thus faith seeth Christ is propounded in the Gospell and thus Christ embraceth him it cannot have him in one respect but it must also have him in the other and so faith brings in obedience Thirdly Faith seeth another couple that cannot be disjoynted and severed one from
him already in the world and therefore he will fling them out of his presence into Hell in Heaven is nothing but beatifical vision viewing of God and delighting in God and not thinking a thought but of God and therefore no roome for those that are empty of grace and not fitted and prepared for it now faith knowes this and believes this and therefore as it layeth hold on Christ for title so it never leaves till it hath gotten fitnesse from Christ as the Apostle speakes Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet c. God makes all meet for Heaven that he brings thither and till they are so they cannot be admitted thither if a man will go to heaven he must be a vessel of honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. Therefore Faith purifies a mans heart pares off a mans flesh weanes a man from the world and knocks off a mans cursed corruptions more and more and pulls downe a man before God makes a man stoop to Gods Covenant and to be holâ and righteous as he is it knows unlesse he be made fit for Gods Kingdome he can never come there we should look to this and it should make us feare and tremble and look to our selves for unlesse we be fit for the Kingdome of Heaven we shall never have abode there John 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe c. That is except a man be made meet for the Kingdome of God he cannot come into it Except he have Heavens frame and disposition and Heavens conversation except his conversation be in Heaven here he can never come there and this is the reason we are so often called upon to be godly in Christ Jesus to walk in purenesse and holinesse of living because no uncleane thing shall enter into the heavenly Jerusalem without are Dogges the Lord counts them Doggs that shall never enjoy his presence this is another reason why Faith workes obedience because if he will have Title to the Kingdome of Heaven he must look to be fitted for the same Fifthly because Faith is eminently all that a man is to do it is the whole work of a Christian John 6. 29. This is the work of 5. Because faith is eminently all that a man is to do God c. That is this is eminently all the workes of God But is there no work but this Yes there are many other works but this is the work of God that ye believe because this is eminently all that God looks for as the Apostle speaks 1 John 3 22. This is his Commandement that ye believe c. Is there no other Commandement but this is this all we must do and no more No but this is eminently the Commandement there are other Commandements but all are included in this of beleeving so faith is eminently all graces all other graces are but the daughters and brood of faith they grow out of faith as out of the spring and root so that do this and do all do but beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and what wilt thou not do it will make thee give over thy sinnes and be humbled and mortified it will make thee give over vaine company and delight in all goodnesse make thee zealous and servent and teach thee how to pray and be thankfull to God it will fill thy mouth with laughter and thy tongue with joy it will make thee do any thing if thou believe Acts 16. 31. As who should say believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and this will make thee do all there will be nothing left as Christ saith If thou believe all things are possible So I may say if thou believe all things will be done and thou wilt stick at nothing be backward in nothing but wilt be brought to obey God in every thing it is like the turning of the Cock if the Cock be turned the water will flow forth so if a mans heart be opened by faith all the heart runnes to God a Wind-mill if the Sailes go the stones and all go so if âaith be once working and operating all the soul is turning it self towards God though never so Heavy and Carnal and Vaine and Earthly before yet now all is going in the wayes of God As the Mother of Christ said to the servants of the marriage Whatsoever he âids you do do it So faith saith thus to all the soul look whatsoever Christ John 2. commands look you do it minde those things he bids you minde affect that he affects retaine that he bids you remember it is like Abner that brought all Israel to be the servants of David so faith when it comes into the foul it brings all the faculties of the soul of the whole man to be subject to the Lord Jesus Christ thus you see that faith works obedience in a man The first Use is this to answer a demand that will arise out of the hearts of people when they heare that Faith makes a man to obey Quest. How doth it make a man obey Answ I answer by setting before a man the corruptions of his owne heart and what woeful stubbornenesse is in the same it makes a man see those innumerable corruptions in the soul and how deeply they have eaten into the soul it makes a man see what a loathsome creature he is and what a deal of rebellion there is in his will and minde and thoughts and affections and what oppositions there are against the doing of Gods Holy Will he seeth that if he will obey God what little help he shall have from himself from his own will his own reason his own parts his own nature though he had never so good a nature Nay how he shall be hindered and hampered and opposed by himself faith lets him see this and so pulls him down before God to abhor himself in dust and ashes it was thus in Paul Rom. 7. 24. O miserable man c. It made him finde this that he could not do the good he would thus faith empties a man of himself and makes him to renounce himself and makes him not to stand upon his own feeet never to stand alone never to go about any thing but with the help of Christ it makes a man see what a damned will he hath what a damned reason he hath what a damned heart and disposition he hath O! saith he here is Wisdome indeed here is a disposition indeed I will never be ruled by this disposition and he looks upon himself as an undone creature if he followes his own desires here be desires indeed and thoughts indeed and here is an horrible frame and this makes him renounce himself and thus faith works obedience in a man by driving of him out of himself and dividing a mans self from himself that he will not be led by his own thoughts nor carried by his owne imaginations it seeth ' Hell in all these and that he can do nothing without Christ live in
his heart by faith without faith you can do nothing saith Christ and faith tells a man this it makes him know what a wretched creature he is and what a damned nature he carries about with him and that he must not follow and please and give satisfaction to that at any time Now a natural man may see his insufficiency of himself and the vilenesse of his nature but conscience only shewes him this but because he hath not faith it doth not humble him and put him down but he will follow his own thoughts and go after his own reason for all this he hath not true and saving faith to reveal these things in power to him but when faith comes into the soul it doth it to the purpose it makes a man not to be a little affected with his sinnes but âoundly affected and makes him see that he is undone for ever if he go on in that course he was wont to do and thus faith working in this fashion delivers a man over to Christ by taking a man off from that which was his Pilate and guide before and making him to be guided by Christ Secondly Faith works obedience by carrying a man to God it 2. By carrying a man to God makes a man seek to God how to obey Teach me O Lord to do thy will Psal 143. 10. Faith carried him to God so faith doth wheresoever it is it brings a man to God that God would be pleased to strengthen our apprehension that so we may look upon his will and to fortifie our understandings that we may conceive of all his wayes with a Divine and heavenly understanding and to fortifie our wills that the feeblenesse of them towards God may be removed it crieth to God from day to day that he may not do as he hath done nor live as he hath done faith wheresoever it is drives the soul to God and to lie at him from day to day to guide him and teach him and instruct him and shew him his wayes and reveal unto him his Statutes as David Psalme 119. 35 36. Incline my heart to thy Testimonies and not to Covetousnesse As who should say Lord here is my heart will and whole man I beseech thee make me walk in thy wayes I am very loath and untoward I beseech thee put some strength into this will of mine when I go to thy Word let me heare it with trembling when I go to prayer let me go to it with an heavenly minde encline my heart this way and make it stand bent this way 't is true when naturall men are convinced that all strength is from God they pray too but this is not faith in prayer but faith makes the soul that it cannot be quiet but it must obey and stoop to him in all his wayes Thirdly Faith works obedience by making a man improve all the abilities that God hath given him already and this is the best way to 3. By making a man improve all his abilities encrease them Matth. 13. 12. When a man hath grace hath a Talent and makes use of it and hath it to some purpose and layeth it forth that man shall encrease his Talent and abound God will give him more now as faith works obedience by shewing a man his own wretchednesse that he must not yield to his own desires and be carried by his own vaine imaginations that for his part would conclude such a course is lawful and why not Though God saith the contrary faith makes him consider that and so drives him to God and so also it makes him go and improve those gifts and parts and strength that God hath given him already that he may lay it forth and use it to the uttermost as if a man be haunted and baited by any lust deadnesse security coldnesse in duty or some other lust Now Faith when it would make a man obedient to God to crucifie these lusts it makes a man look out to see what power God hath given him what abilities God hath lent what helps and furtherances God hath reached out unto him and he takes all to fight against that lust hath he understanding that he employes to think of the evill of the sinne to consider of the danger of the sinne how he may avoyde it and what course he may take to overcome it if God hath given him a memory he layeth it forth to remember and recollect such things as he hath heard and hath been told of he layeth all his Talents forth that ever he can to master that lust and so works obedience as faith drives a man to God for help so look what help God lends and what Talent God puts into his hand he layeth all forth for the working of obedience he will not let any one lye idle but will employ all to help him forward in obedience Fourthly Faith doth work obedience by making a man to relie upon Christ it doth look unto an union with Christ it doth make 4. By making a man relie on Christ a man to cast himselfe upon Christ for power against his sinnes it doth extract vigour from Christ against corruption it doth distill and draw down graces from him faith is the pipe whereby grace is conveyed from Christ to the soul and faith opens the passages of this pipe that it may descend down to the heart from the Lord Jesus Christ faith is a marvelous excellent thing it doth extract efficacy and validity and power from the life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ for the crucifying of the flesh for the mortifying of the deeds of the body and thus it changeth the heart and brings willingnesse to every duty by doing thus I say faith goeth to Christ and casts it self upon him for all things it wants for the performance of all good courses and wayes Thus David got power against his carnal âeare when he was afraid of Saul on one side and the Philistins on the other side how doth he fence himself against this Psalme 56. 4. I put my trust in God and therefore need not feare what man can do unto me and so faith was able to root out his feares So it was with the remnant of Israel Zeph. 3. 13. They shall do no iniquity you will say how can that be Can flesh and blood do that As long as a man is flesh and blood he will be doing some iniquity or other how shall a man be able to do no iniquity and let no iniquity have dominion over him it goeth before in the twelfe verse They trust in God They trust in God and so shall ãâã iniquity When a man doth trust in God and hath faith to relie upon him aâd distill down power and strength from Christ this will help him to do no iniquity and help him to oppose himself against all his corruptions and fight against the strength of all his lusts as the Apostle saith Rom. 3. 13. let us therefore cast off the workes
were nothing to be damned and as if they would try whether they can bear hell nay such is the impudency of mens faces that notwithstanding they have heard they are unconverted and their hearts are not subject to God yet they hope they have true faith in God and their sins are infirmities whereas you see it cannot be true faith unlesse it make a man to be obedient to God in all his wayes and binde a man in a perpetual bond to God for ever never to depart from him Thirdly it may be an Use of examination to see whether we obey God Use 3 For examination or no for if our saith be the faith we hope it is it will make us obedient Evidences of true obedience First then true obedience is a willing affectionate hearty obedience 1. Willing and hearty Prov. 3. 1. My son let thy heart keep my Commandments the Lrod will have such obedience as proceeds from the bottome of the heart not when a ãâã heart is dull and dead and hangs off but when the heart pourâs forth it self in his wayes and performing his gracious pleasures from day to day this the Lord requires that it be done with the affection of the heart as well as the thing be done in the thing done the wicked may go as far nay further then the sincere they may multiply duties as well as the other for the things done but here is the thing a wicked man doth duties hearâlesly unaffectionately but a child of God doth them sincerely and willingly and le ts out his heart and affections upon them all God loââs a chearful giver 2 Cor 9. 10. He loves a giver that gives with all his affections so he loves a chearful comer to Church that is glad to hear a Sermon and his heart leapes to hear the Word of God and he is affected with it he loves a chearful praying one that in prayer poures out his soul before him he loves a chearful comer to the Sacrament that delights to shew forth the Lords death till he comes God doth not love a man unlesse âe doth this with all his affections as it is said it is good to be zealous in a good matter the worship and Commandments of God are good matters now it is good to be zealous in these matters nay to have the creame and flower and chief of our affections set upon these things we are acquainted with the wayes and histories of grace and we can speak thereof but it doth not sink down into our hearts it doth not warme us nor put any heat into our souls we are not quickened and moved by these things we know Gods attribute his power and wisdome and mercy and justice c. But none sink down into our hearts they affect us not as they ought to do where are our affections in prayer We pray and come to Church and to the Lords Table but where are our affections in all these things The Lord cares not for these services that have not affections to spice them and sweeten them and beautifie them the Lord loves when a man serves him with all his heart when the will hangs off it is base service and the Lord regards it not as the Lord loves that we that are Ministers should preach with a ready mindâ 1 Pet. 5. 2. That we should preach with gracious affections and be affected in the Pulpit and desire from the bottome of our souls to do good to the people and yearne over the people the Lord loves these things when we do them willingly and heartily so he delights in people when they heare and call upon his Name with affection when we go about Gods Commandments as a Bear to the stake God abhors it may be God commands a man to do such a thing he doth it but it is hard saith he when money is to be fetched out of his purse for good duties it is hard saith he and when he must go against the wicked and pull the ill will of the Countrey upon him may be he doth it but it is hard the Lord distasts this the Lord loves a chearful giver and a chearful worker a chearful Minister and chearfull people now if faith comes into the soul it will not only work obedience but chearful obedience and from the bottome of the heart Secondly true obedience makes a man resigne himself to God it makes a man to be altogether at Gods dispose I am thine saith David he looked 2. Works resignation to God upon himself as if he were altogether at Gods dispose as if he were his and not his own You are not your own saith the Apostle you are bought with a priââ 1 Cor. 2 6. So that is true obedience when a man gives up himself to God many will do things that God commands but they know not how to do them with resignation to be altogether at Gods dispose they love to be called Gods servants but they will be only retainers as many will get to be servants to some Gentleman but it is only for their own advantage to save their purses to have the Gentlemans countenance these will not dwell with the Gentleman but in their own houses and when he hath some great strangers at a Feast or when he rides abroad in state then they will attend upon him but yet they will live at home and be their own men so most people are but the Lords retainers this is no obedience at all it is none of faiths obedience Thirdly true obedience puts forth all a mans strength to God Thou shalt 3. It puts forth all a mans strength to God love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy strengh Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his Holy Name Psal 103. True obedience lets forth all that is in a man to Christ Mat. 4. 20 When Christ called Simon and Andrew they flung away their nets and followed him it was all the living they had and yet they flung away all to follow him so when he spake to Matthew a Publican faith came no sooner into his soul but he followed him presently Mat. 9. 9 Though it was a rich office he was a Knight by his place as Cicero speaks it was worth five hundred pounds a yeare of our money yet as soone as ever Christ called him he leât his place and went after Christ so when a man will part with purse and friends and all he hath and fling all at Gods foot and give up all to him this is true obedience now if we have not this we have not faithful obedience THE KILLING POVVER OF THE LAVV. Rom. 7. 9. For I was once alive without the Law but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died IN these words the Apostle shewes Two things First The Division of the Text. What a jolly man he thought himself to be whilst he was a Pharisee
before the Lord wrought upon him by the Law Secondly What a miserable wretched creature he saw himself to be when the Lord took him in hand and discovered his sins unto him before the Law came home unto him and convinced his Conscience he thought himself to be alive but when the Commandment came Sin revived and he died 1. In the former we may observe Two things First The jolliness of the Apostle he thought himself to be alive I was alive without the Law I was a Pharisee and thought my self to be alive I fasted twice a week and prayed every day and made long Prayers each day when he considered how he walked thus in all the Ordinances of God he thought if this was not to be alive he knew not what it was to be alive I was alive once without the Law Secondly We have here the cause why he had this good conceit of himself it was because he was without the Law the law of God had not convinced him it had not discovered his miserable and wretched estate unto him though he had some understanding in the literal sense of the Law yet the Law was not yet come home unto him he was as yet without the Law and that was the reason of that good conceit he had of himself he did esteem himself to be alive And then again in the latter part When the Commandment came Sin revived but I died There we may also observe Two things First The Law shewed him what a wretched estate and condition he was in for all his self-conceitednesse sin revived and I died Though I thought before I was alive yet when the Commandment came sin ãâã and I died I saw I was a dead man when the Lord took me in hand to deal with me and let me see how my case stood before him Howsoever I thought my self to be in a good case before now I saw I was but a dead man I did not see such evil and such a masse of corruption before but when the Lord discovered my self unto my self and when I saw the Spiritualnesse of the Law then I saw that sin was alive in me and I died when I saw how I ought to behave my self in my affections and in my inward man then sin revived and I for my part was a dead man I was sain to come down from those high conceits and imaginations I had before Secondly We have here the Cause why he was thus brought down it was because of the Commandment of God which came home unto him the Law of God came home unto his Conscience and discovered unto him how it was with him and it made him to shake in the apprehensions of his own estate that he was but a dead man and that he had gone to Hell and perished everlastingly if he had continued in that estate and condition I intend at this time to treat of the former part Without the Law I was once alive And here Two things must be opened First what doth the Apostle mean by without the Law Secondly What doth he mean when he saith I was once alive 1. For the First When the Apostle saith he was without the Law he doth not mean simply that he did think himself without the Law that is without the binding Authority of the Law for so no reasonable creature is yea indeed no creature at all is without the Law of God for there is a Law of Obedience imposed upon all the Creatures and the unreasonable Creatures do keep the Law that is imposed upon them by God and howsoever reasonable Creatures depart from this Law and break it yet they are under the binding power of this Law therefore the Apostle doth not thus mean that he was without the Law therefore we must know that to be without the Law is taken Four wayes First To be without the Law is meant to be without the promulgation and publishing of the Law and so the Heathen only are said to be without the Law as we may see Rom. 2. 12. there the Heathen are said to be without the Law that is without the promulgation of the Law it was published only to the Jewes upon Mount Sinai and so Paul was not without the Law Secondly It is taken in regard of the literal knowledge of the Law and so ignorant people are said to be without the Law of God they know not the Law of God and in this sense Paul was not without the Law he was trained up in the Law he was learned in the Law for he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel Acts 22. 3. so that he had the logical meaning of the Law and was able to speak of the points of Religion better then a thousand millions of carnal men he had the literal knowledge of the Law Thirdly It is taken in regard of the moral Obedience to the Law and so wicked men are said to be without the Law as we may see 1 Tim. 1. 9. The Law is not given to a Righteous man but to the Lawless and Disobedient wicked men are lawless they live as if there were no Law Drunkards and Prophane persons as they are said to live without God in the world so they are said to live without the Law as if there were no Law to bind them they are people that are not to be held within any compass they take notice of no command to rule in their hearts and rectifie their lives and in this sense Paul was not without the Law neither for he lived after the most strict and exact Sect of the Pharisees Phil. 3. 4 5. If any man think he hath whereof he may trust in the flâsh I much more circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee He was one that fasted and curbed himself yea he kept two Fasts a week as those Pharisees did that were of the better rank he Prayed daily and performed the duties of Religion and there was no outward Ordinance of the Law which he performed not he was one that was conformable to the letter of the Law according as he understood the Law he was Morally Obedient to the Law he was no extortioner nor unjust person no he did the works of the Law and those things contained in the Law nay there was no body that could challenge him with any blame none that were familiar with him could say any thing to tax him withal when he was in his ignorance and blindness therefore in this sense he was not without the Law Fourthly Therefore in the Fourth place we are said to be without the Law in regard of the spiritual sense of the Law and so Paul was without the Law he did not clearly understand the divine and spiritual sense of the law he did not see the glory and the beauty of the Law of God how it did discover all the breaches of Righteousness how it reached to all
Whore and commit his wickednesse he doth not think that they are dead and damned men that are there nor that they are in the pit of Hell Though his Conscience may tell him that he is wicked and sinful and wretched and that he is half dead yet he is not a dead man he is not absolutely a dead man he doth not know this It may be he will confesse it Lord I am a dead man Lord I am a damned man it may be he will confesse this in his Prayer because he hath some light but yet his heart is not taken down the livelinesse of his heart is not killed I will prove it to you for let another man a Minister of God or a child of God say he is a dead man a damned man one that lies under the wrath of God he will deny it and say he is uncharitable and judgeth hardly and why may he not be a live man and a good Christian he hopes he is he doth not know that he is a dead man as the wise-man speaks Prov. 14. 12. There is a way that seemetht right to a man but the issues thereof are death that is there is a way that seems to be a way of life and a man seems to be alive that walks in that way but the truth is it is a way of death and a man that goeth in that way is a dead man and a damned man but yet in the mean time while he walks in that way it seems to be a way of life unto him there is a non-appearance of the deadnesse and damnednesse of a mans estate and condition that walks in that way and therefore it seems to him to be a right way and a way of life and there is great hope in him that he shall live for evermore and many men do walk in that way and therefore it seems to him to be a right way and a way of life it seems right to a man but the end thereof is death And this is the First thing wherein this liveliness consists The non-appearance of a mans dead and damned estate 2. Secondly It consists in Performance he is able as he conceives to do the duties that God commands he hath wisdom and ability at home to go about his Affairs he hath understanding and supply at home he hath life and sufficiency to go about these and these duties and performances let the Law tell him he must be sober he hath life to avoid the Ale-house and if he commit a Drunken Act he would have you think he hath grace to be sorry for it and let a man tell him he is a dead man he hath no grace in him no life in him he will tell you he doth thus and thus he hears Gods Word and he Prayes to God and he Trusts in God and he Believes in God your telling of him this doth not kill his heart he thinks he is alive for all this nay let the Law of God come and tell him He is a dead man for all his doing this will not kill him neither so long as the Lord himself doth not open his eyes and clear his eye-sight and discover his sins and convince his Conscience though the Law say he is a dead man and a damned man this doth not kill him he can wait upon God and perform these and these duties Then let the Law of God say He is a dead man for all this he must deny himself why so he will I confesse Lord I am an unrighteous man a wretched man a sinful creature and all my righteousnesse is as menstruous raggs and now he thinks all is well but the Law of God hath not yet come home unto him and shewed him his heavie estate but he is alive in regard of the performance of the duty and thinks verily he hath life at home in him whereas if the Law of God did come home and charge his estate upon him and shew him what obedience the Law requires what severity and truth in the inward parts it would break a mans heart and kill him notwithstanding all performances but in the mean time that a mans heart is not killed and the Law hath not given him his deaths VVound he thinks he is alive Cry aloud saith God lift up thy voice like a Trumpet shâw my people their Transgressions and the house of Israel their sins Isai 58. 1. there the Lord looks upon the people as dead wretched sinners and abominable people but yet notwithstanding they thought they were alive in performances as we may see vers 2. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my wayes even as a Nation that did righteously and had not forsaken the Statutes of their God they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice they draw near to me saying We have fasted and thou regardest it nât We see here they take delight in approaching unto God they take delight in Gods Ordinances and seek God early they can do thus and thus and are alive in all performances but that man whose spirit the Law hath pulled down and the Lord hath convinced him of his infinite inability to perform the Law he cannot see any liveliness in him unto any performance Let any duty come it kill his heart I should now hear the VVord of God but my heart is unprepared and my ear uncircumcised and I cannot hear aright Let an opportunity be offered to Pray it kills his heart I should now call upon the Name of the Lord but I have such a cursed heart I cannot Pray I cannot speâk one right word before God Let an occasion be offered of holy Conference it kills his heart Alas saith he I want pure language my tongue was never touched with a coal from the Altar my lips have not ability to drop forth favoury speeches I am not able to speak one syllable aright to Gods glory it kills his heart he sees no life at all in him unlesse he can have life from without and ability from without he is dead all is nothing to him the law hath taken away the livelinesse that was in him But he that is not humbled by the Law he is alive he hath life in himself it is nothing with him to Pray and go to Church and hear Gods Word it is nothing but thrusting to do the duty he hath life in him to do duties and wait upon God in his Ordinances but when the Law comes home to him it plainly lets him see that he hath no life in himself to do any good he must seek for life and abibility from without else he is a dead man he can do nothing in this case David in this case cannot look up Mine iniquities are gone over my head I cannot loâk up Psal 40. Mâses he is a man of uncircumcised lips and cannot speak unto Phâraoh Paul cannot do any thing that is good In me dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. And so for the rest of Gods people when the Law hath
the fearful condition he is in what a cursed creature he is having no Mercy and being out of Christ having no Pardon no Grace no Holinesse but lyeth under the Curse of God If the Law this come home and wounds his Conscience he is not able to bear it this man let carnal Comforts come he is not able to take them it kills the heart Look as it is with the Stomack if it can take meat and digest it it must needs be alive for if the Stomack be dead it can digest nothing So for the Taste If a mans Palat and all the instruments of the taste be dead he takes no delight in any meats So there is a kind of soundness in the Soul that is the reason why a man can delight in carnal pleasures in Drinking and Sporting and in Profit and Gain There is a kind of soundness and âiveliness in the Heart the heart is not yet broken If the Law come and take the Hearts life away this will pull down the Heart it will make a mans heart even break it will pull down his spirit But a man whom the Law hath not yet humbled and shewed him his damned estate his heart is yet whole and sound When the Law of God had but a little killed Ahabâ heart you might see it in his very gate he went softly he could not tread so confidently upon the ground as he was wont to do it tamed his very steps it is wonderful how his heart was broken it appeared in his very going up and down When the Law comes home to a man it is able to kill his heart and makes him Soul-sick and makes him cry out O the wretchednesse of my heart it makes a man sick at the heart it lyes like a heavie Plague upon the heart and conscience it will make a man at deaths door with his sins it will make him say with Paul When the Commandment came Sin revived and I died But another man though he hath evident demonstration that he is a dead man yet the Law of God hath not pulled down his heart sicknesse will pull down a mans Stomack so when the law of God comes home to a mans conscience and makes him sick it makes him yield and pulls down his stomack Many men are crazy and sickly and yet they lye not by it but walk up and down and go abroad but if they were heart-sick it would pull them down and make them lye by it So many a carnal man may have some qualms of sin but yet their hearts can go abroad after profits and pleasures after vanities and delights they can go abroad for all this But when the law comes home it will pull down a mans spirit and make him heart-sick This is the meaning of that place The whole need not a Physician but the sick Mat. 9. 12. Every carnal man so long as he is not humbled and broken under the sight of his sins his heart is yet whole his spirit is yet sound he is not yet wounded as the Prophet Isaiah speaks Isa 1. 6. From the crown of the hâad to the sole of the foot there is nothing but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption there is no soundnesse in him He is indeed full of wounds but the skin is yet sound it is not broken he fells it not the law hath not yet discovered his estate unto him This is the first effect of this livelynesse it makes men to be sound and heart-whole 2. The Second effect of this livelynesse when a man is alive in the non-appearance of his dead and damned estate alive in performance alive in presumption and self-justifying and self-hopes The effect of it is that he is fearlesse the more lively the more fearlesse First the Object must dead the heart before it can make the heart fear so long as the heart is sâout the livelynesse that is in the heart is able to keep out fear So the livelynesse of a sinner makes the heart fearlesse and secure A man would wonder how any creature durst provoke God it is almost beyond the reach of true reason how any creature should dare to provoke God to consider what infinite danger he is in to have the wrath of the God of heaven and earth to hang over his head to be under the hand of revenging Justice to pull down all the Woes and Plagues and Comminations of God upon the Soul that a man should do this and yet be secure it would make a man wonder at it But a man that hath this livelynesse he can provoke God and yet be secure as Jâb 12. 6. those that provoke God are secure the reason is the law of God hath not taken down their hearts the law of God hath not deaded their spirits they are alive in presumption and imagination and therefore though they provoke God they are âecure and fear nothing It is the disquietnesse of a mans heart that makes him fear therefore so long as a mans mind is quiet and is not disturbed he is fearlesse So long as the law hath not disquieted a mans mind nor broken the rest of a mans Soul nor disturbed his conscience but tells him go on in quiet he spends his dayes in security he fears nothing whereas fearfulnesse and trembling and horrible dread would overwhelm him if the law of God should come and take away his life It is fear that deads a mans heart as we may see Mat. 28. 4. when the Angel of the Lord roled away the stone from Christs Sepulchre it is said For fear of the Aâgel the Keepers trembled and became as dead men There is the effect of fear if the law did but open mens eyes and paint out before them how it is with them how they are liable to Gods wrath and under the sentence of condemnation If they were once thus feared it would make them seem as dead men the Drunkards would be so afraid that they would become as dead men All wretched men all ungrounded Christians all that are not truly alive towards God it would make them become as dead men and it is the deadnesse of the heart that makes men fear and such a man cannot be secure Carelessenesse and fear are two contraries as Ezek. 30. 9. In that day shall Messengers go forth from me in Ships to make the carelesse Ethiopian afraid and great pain shall come upon them The Prophet there makes these two contraries they shall be full of fear to rouze them out of security so the cause why men are carelesse to get Repentance carelesse to get deliverance from sin carelesse of their walking with God the reason is because of this damnable livelinesse that is in their hearts they are not yet deaded by the Law 3. Thirdly Another effect of this livelinesse is this it makes the heart stiff what a deal of stiffnesse is in the hearts of carnal men Let God forbid sinne they are stiff and will still continue in their
Now for the meaning of the Second word I dyed that is I saw I was a dead man I saw plainly and clearly that I was but a dead man I thought I was alive before because I did good duties and walked in the Ordinances of God and I thought that I might go for a Christian and Servant of God as well as another I did not think I was a dead man I thought I had some goodnesse in me some hope of eternal life in me I did not conclude that I was a dead man But when the Law of God humbled me and discovered my estate plainly unto me then I saw I was a dead man indeed my heart failed me and the livelyness that was in me before departed from me I saw I was a dead man and had not the Spirit of Christ come and quickned me I had been a dead man to all eternity I now saw that sin began to revive in me and I began to be a dead man Thus we see the meaning of the words Now the Theame I propounded to you was this namely how the Lord converts the will and the first work that prepares a man hereunto is the work of pulling down the vvill and the pulling down of a mans heart for the will of a man is full of obstinacy full of livelinesse against the truth and commandment of God full of livelinesse in sin and conceives it self to be in a better estate and condition and so the will is obstinate still Now when it pleaseth God to convert a man first he pulls down the will of a man and pulls down his spirit now here is a Doctrine to make way for this Namely That when the Lord takes a man in hand to pull him down to pull down his will he doth shew him what a dead Creature he is The Obser Lord by pronouncing a man in his own Bosom a dead man a damned man one that can no way help himself he is dead absolutely dead in his own estate and in Gods account all his hopes are rotten he is meerly a dead damned man hereby the Lord pulls down his Will We may see this in Paul before his Conversion his Will was full of Obstinacy and Rebellion against God he would go and make havock of the Church he would not submit to the Will of God but when the Lord came to work upon him Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks What wilt thou that I shall do Lord saith he Act. 9. 6 Now his Will is come down but mark how the Lord puts him off Go to such a place saith he and there it shall be told thee what thou shalt do The Lord puts him off and would not give him an Answer presently what he should do as who should say Thou hast as yet an obstinate Will thou wilt not do as I command thee I will not tell thee as yet what I will have thee to do but go to such a place and I will Arrest thee there and charge my Law upon thy Conscience and shew thee thy dead and damned estate And now his Will is come down he bids him be Baptized and he was so he bids him go and Preach the Gospel and he did so now his Will is come down So the Prodigal his Heart was marvellous Obstinate against his Fathers commandment he would be gone from his Father he could not abide to stay in a house where there were such strict courses he would have his Goods and Patrimony in his own hand as it is the Property of every carnal man he would have his Inheritance in his own hand he would have Power and Strength and Ability and these Gifts and Parts in his own hand but when he is humbled by the Law he is content to have all in Gods hand he is content to have all his VVisdom there that he may come thither for it he is content to have all his Righteousnesse there and all his Ability Strength and Sufficiency there that he may come thither for it all is there and he sees himself a beggar if he comes not to God and keeps close to God and keeps fast to his Covenant he is a very beggar But this man would have all in his own hands and go and squander away all upon his Lusts and Pleasures and he would not stay at home with his Father Now when the Law of God came home to him to shew this man to himself when he came to himself as the Text saith his Father did esteem him a dead man before but when he came to himself and saw he was a dead man for going away from his Father the Father of Life Novv his VVill is come dovvn I will go to my Father and say Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired servants Luke 15. 17. Here his VViâl is come dovvn he vvould be gone from his Father before he could not abide to be held in so strictly he vvould fain be gone and be at liberty he had no mind to stay in his Fathers house But vvhen he came to himself vvhen the Lavv shevved him he vvas but a dead man for going from his Father and going after his Lusts and Pleasures novv his VVill is brought dovvn and it submits and yields and novv he vvill go to his Father and humble himself before his Father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee c. Novv I desire here to shevv you Three things as I did in the former Point First VVherein this deadnesse consists Secondly VVhat be the effects of this deadnesse and how it pulls down the heart And. Thirdly The Uses we are to make of it 1. For the First Wherein this deadnesse consists and it consists in Three things First In deadnesse in being Secondly In deadnesse in Gods account Thirdly In deadnesse to all doing 1. First It consists in deadnesse in being When the law comes it shews a man indeed to be a dead man 2 Cor. 3. 6. the Letter killeth saith the Apostle the very letter of the law without the Spirit of life which Christ doth inform it with when he comes to work upon his children The letter alone without the Spirit of God kills a man now when a man is killed he is a dead man he is then fully dead he hath the very being of a dead man he is a dead man that is his Estate and Condition So when the law of God comes âome to a man it shews him indeed that he is a dead man The property of the law when it is let in to work upon the heart is to slay a man I have slain them by the words of my mouth Hos 6. 5. The law which proceeds from Gods mouth is able to slay a poor sinner and kill him at the heart and lay him for dead before Almighty God that he can
That is the First thing 2. Secondly He that is legally dead made dead only by the law he is deaf to the Gospel but when a man is evangelically dead it boars his ears and makes him hear the voice of the Word and not only so but the voice of Christ in the Word Isa 55. 3. Incline your ears and come unto me hear and your soul shall live He calls those that were evangelically dead Hear and your soul shall live they are made able to hear Let their profits and old courses and old companions come and tempt them to walk as they have done they are deaf of that ear they cannot go that way to work no now their ears are open heaven-wards seek the Lord and you shall live Amos 5. 6. They are made to seek the Lord thus much life they have though they are more dead in regard of their own misery then one that is dead by the law yet thus much life they have put into them that they will go and seek unto God in the use of the means and follow him up and down and nothing will satisfy the heart but Christ they leave no stone unroled they seek up and down every where 3. Thirdly He that is legally dead it is a kind of death to love but he that is evangelically dead it is a death of love when the Church in the Canticles was but sensible of the countenance of Christ she was presently sick of love I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my welbeloved tell him that I am sick of love Cant. 5. There is a great deal of difference between sicknesse and death death is a total privation of life sicknesse is but a partial privation now when the Gospel hath wrought upon a man that he hath some of Christ and is not deprived of all that privation makes him sick of love but when the Gospel makes a man see he is dead and altogether deprived of Christ now he is dead of love when a man is legally dead this is his death that he is damned and must go to hell this is his death that he hath no mercy not that he hath not grace and holiness and Christ but if a man be evangelically dead this is his death that he hath not Christ The Use is this If there be any that the law hath made dead rest not Vse there but labour that the Gospel may make you dead also when thou art humbled by the law thou mayest think that mercy is prepared for thee but thy lusts may recover again and that damned life that is in thee may recover again therefore labour to be more deaded by the Gospel that thou mayest have a total death begun in thee that thou mayest have thy deaths wound given thee deep not only to be in a swound but to be dead indeed Joh. 11. Christ staid four dayes after Lazarus was dead before he would raise him because he would have him irrecoverably dead before he would raise him Lord saith Martha he stinketh fâr he hath been dead four dayes vers 39. If he had raised him sooner his glory had not been so great so thou must labour to be dead in deed and to be buried and to be loathsome and abominable and then Christ will quicken thee It is certain that Gods Children have some of this death wrought in them before they are quickned at all for death is before quickning in order of nature there must be a corruption of one thing before there can be a generation of another there must be a privation of one form before there can be an introduction of another A child of God must be dead before he can be quickned Now then if he will have more life he must labour to be dead more and more now thou must labour to have this death truly begun to be wrought in thee thou must labour to have the love of this world and self-conceitednesse altogether dead in thee Hos 6. 2. After two dayes will he revive us and the third day will he raise us up and we shall live in his sight A man may be alive though he have been seemingly dead twenty four hours therefore it is a good custom among us to keep men near two dayes before we bury them that we may be sure they are throughly dead for there are many have been buried alive so after two dayes he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up when a man is dead indeed and hath his liveliness throughly killed in him then God will revive him if he should revive him before his glory would not be so great if he should revive him before he were quite dead when Ahab humbled himself and put on sackcloth and went softly a man would have thought he had been dead but in the next Chapter 1 King 2â we may see he is alive again So Ananias and Sapphira one would have thought their covetousnesse had been dead whether they were any Acts 5. of the three thousand that were pricked at Peters Sermon I dispute not but they were pricked and made sensible of their damned estate and pretended to lay down all at the Apostles feet one would have thought their covetousness had been dead but yet it was alive therefore labour that the Gospel may make thee throughly dead THE SPIRITUAL WATCH 2 Tim. 4. 5. Watch thou in all things IN the verses going before we have 1. The charge that the Apostle gives to Timothy ver 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ that shall judge the quick and the dead There are many duties we are loath to come unto and are tempted from so that we have need of all strong cords to draw us to them 2. We have the thing he gives him this charge for and that is ver 2. Preach the Word in season and out of season c. which duty strongly lyeth upon the Ministers of the Gospel to hold forth the Word of God to edifie and convert mens souls 3. Here is the reason why he gives him this charge and that is in the third and fourth verses For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine c. The more danger there is among people the more instant should Ministers be to preach the Word unto the conscience Now in the verse I have read unto you the Apostle perswades Timâthy to watchfulnesse as who should say Though others be careless and negligent yet I would have thee to be watchful consider thou art a Watchman Every Christian is to watch over his own wayes and those that are committed to his charge but Ministers are watchmen over their people therefore here is a double reason to move him to watchfulness both in regard of his own soul and the people he was set over Mark 13. 37. our Saviour saith What I say to you I say to all Watch. And what Paul saith here to Timothy I may say to
all Christians Watch in all things For the better handling of this point I will shew you First What it is to watch Secondly The things we must watch Thirdly The reasons of it First What it is to watch And to watch in Scripture is taken two What it is to watch wayes Literally and Spiritually First Watching sometimes is taken Literally and then it signifies a waking Literally when the time or nature calls not for sleep for there is a difference between watching and waking we are all awake at this time or else ought to be but yet we cannot be said to watch but this is to watch when time or nature calls for sleep When a man awaketh all night or the greatest part of the night as Luke 2. 8. The Shepherds were watching their flocks by night And this is two fold either Ordinary or Extraordinary Ordinary watching is contrary to immoderatenesse in sleeping As when Ordinary a man is sober in eating and drinking and other lawful things so we ought to be sober in our sleep for it is a dangerous thing if we suffer immoderate sleep to fall upon us Now Extraordinary watching is contrary to sleep it self as ordinary Extraordinary watching is contrary to sleepinesse for it takes away our natural sleep which otherwise we are to have And this is for two reasons The first is for a Civil end when we watch with those that are sick as a For a civil end duty of Charity it is fit that those that are well should break their natural sleep and rest to be helpful to those that are sick this is a Civil end Secondly There is a Spiritual end of extraordinary watching and that For a Spiritual end is when a man is not only moderate in sleeping but abates himself of that rest he may lawfully take for a Spiritual end As Saint Peter saith Watch unto prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7. and the Church Lament 2. 19. watched to humble their souls under Gods hand For sometimes we have need to break our very natural rest for the good of our souls Though we be never so careful and conscionable in the day time yet it may so fall out that the day will not be enough but we must entrench upon the night also to seek the Lord extraordinarily but this watching is not here meant though it be sometimes required But a Spiritual watching is specially meant which includes Spiritually Three things in it First It doth note a readinesse of minde to be drowzy for as in natural It implies proneness to be drowzy and literal watching it doth note a natural proneness to be drowzy either through the darknesse of the night or the heat of the weather or the like so this spiritual watching signifieth unto us that we are naturally subject to be secure spiritually and vain and idle and negligent and have need to be rouzed up for indeed all Commandments since the Fall are such as do not agree with our nature as when he commands us to seek the Lord while he may be found that intimates that we are by nature apt to put it off and to be careless of making our peace with God and when the Lord saith pray alwayes it doth imply how backward we are to that duty how apt to neglect it or to shuffle it over and to be luke-warm in it before the Fall when God did bid man do any thing the bidding of him did imply that if he were not careful he was in a possibility of breaking the commandments it did not argue a proneness to break them but since the Fall the commandements of God whatsoever God hath commanded us to do either for matter or manner of it it implyeth how backward to and untoward we are in doing it Secondly Watchfulnesse doth imply a labour and endeavour in our selves to take off this sinful pronenesse to evil that is in us and to be seriously stirred Endeavour to stir up our selves up to look after our Duty whatsoever it is both towards God and towards man we ought to shake off all untowardnesse of Spirit whereby we are unfit to Watch Watchfulnesse implyeth this also Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead as who should say Shake off thy drowzinesse and labour to break off this folly of heart whereby thou goest dreaming on and rouze up thy spirit and stand upon thy guard The Third and main thing This Watchfulness doth include some further It is an intentive Consideration in all Cases businesse or duty to be done that is not yet performed for watchfulness is an act to help forward some further act As for example We are bound to remember God in all our wayes the want of this is the reason we so often sin against God now if we did remember God if we did remember his Holinesse if we did remember the greatnesse of his Power and the strictnesse of his Justice against Sin if we did remember our Death and what account we are to make before him this would be a great help to keep us from sin now if we would remember this a special way to help us is to watch as Acts 20. 31. Watch and remember saith the Apostle he being desirous that they should remember the admonitions which he had propounded he layes down this as a special means to help them hereunto to watch So we are to be watchful that we may be sober in eating and drinking and all lawful things for how sudduly do distempers break in upon us unlesse a man look to himself now watchfulnesse is an excellent help to Sobriety 1 Thess 5. 6. Let us watch and be sober We had need to watch whatsoever we go about that we may be sober in it whatsoever wordly businesse we go about in our Callings we had need to have this watchfulnesse that we be not overwhelmed and over head and ears in the world that we may not be intemperate in our eating and drinking that we may not give our selves too much liberty and freedom in talking and discoursing of the things here below so we are bound to keep our garments that our nakednesse may not be seen that the sins that are up and down in the world do not defile them that the temptations and allurements and occasions we meet withal and the examples of the times and such like do not take away our righteousnesse from us now watchfulnesse is an help hereunto as we may see Rev. 16. 15. the text saith Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments So that watchfulnesse is an excellent help for a further act to be done when a man hath some duty or other to be done which the Lord requires should be done with care and diligence watchfulnesse is a help thereunto as Hab. 2. 1. the Prophet knowing there was some Prophecy to be bestowed upon them the Prophet laboured to be in a fit case to receive it and that he
5. 8. Be sober and watchful for your Adversary the Divel goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour The Divel is alwayes busie and therefore we had need watch and busie our selves and be careful at all times when we are secure and consider not God and consider not the good of our Souls and the peace of our Consciences Satan presently hath advantage against us If the Divel had any thing else to do it were something but the Divel hath nothing to do but to hurt us and lay Siege against us All his practice from the beginning of the world to this day is to go roaming and ranging up and down to do mischief it is all his employment from the beginning of the day to the end thereof If he get us alone he will ensnare us there if not there he will ensnare us in company if he cannot get us there he will get us in a Sermon and if any thing falls against our lusts he will cause our hearts to rise against it Now when we do not watch over our selves we are led away by Satan therefore we had need be careful for the Divel is alwayes watchful therefore we should labour to be alwayes provided to resist him Again we have the flesh that is continually about us it is an enemy within us it is that which doth betray us to the World and the Divel even our own hearts do betray us and therefore we had need be careful we have enemies from without and our own hearts within and all to undo us Take a man that is in a good way and hath all means and helps to make him Godly though there be no temptation from without yet he may de damned from his own heart if he be not delivered from it Jam. 1. 14. Every man is tempted by his own lusts and Jam. 4. 5. The Spirit that is within us lusteth to envy and covetousness and security and vanity and carnal ease it lusts after these things and therefore we had need to watch A Third reason is Because it will do us a great deal of good for as if we do not watch we are easily surprized so if we do watch it is an easie thing to The certain advantage of Watchfulness stand all our miscarriages in the duties of Religion lye in security whereas if we were watchful and would walk with eyes in our heads and would consider the snares that be laid for us and consider Gods threatnings and Commandments the duties of Religion would be easie For if we do not watch the Divel and the World and the Flesh have advantage against us but if we do watch this is as it were a fence to the hearâ to hedge a man in to keep him safe Rev. 3. 2. There is an excellent place Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain it is the strength of the soul When a man watcheth let a man have but a little grace suppose a man be marvellously fallen off and hath but a little good remaining a few graces in him a little faith a little hope a little sanctified desire he hath but a little strength to go on against sin if a man doth but now watch if a man do but husband this little how strong will he be A little Faith is able to overcome all the Divels in Hell well managed a little hope is able to keep a man above water from sinking a little strength is able to maintain the Combate a little affection to goodness if a man have a carefull heart to improve it to the uttermost will go a great way if a man did but watch it would strengthen the things that remaine Though a man were never so infeebled and come to never so low an ebb watchfulnesse is a stay and strength to the heart Fourthly Again if we do not watch we cannot so much as pray to God to We cannot else expect help or pardon forgive us our consciences tell us unlesse the Lord save us we cannot be saved now how can we expect that God should save us if we do not pray unto him And we cannot pray to him to save us unlesse we watch it is to tempt God to pray to him to preserve us from evil when we do not watch over our selves it is to tempt God to pray to him to quicken us when vve deaden our selves to intreat God to give us an holy mind vvhen vve our selves let in vain thoughts Therefore see vvhat Christ speaks Mar. 14. 38. Watch and Pray that ye fall not into temptation As vvho should say You cannot Pray that you may not enter into temptation you tempt God if you intreat him to do any thing if you do not vvatch over your ovvn souls Though a man hath no Activity to do any good yet God vvill have him be vvatchful if he mean to purifie a man he vvill make him purifie himself if he mean to keep him from pride he vvill make his ovvn heart resist pride therefore watch that thou enter not into temptation if thou mean to pray to God not to lead thee into temptation But you will say All a mans watching will do no good except God watcheth over him Psal 127. 1. Except the Lord keep the City the Watchmen Object watch in vain I answer 'T is true indeed unlesse the Lord keeps a mans soul all a mans Answ watching is nothing But I tell thee If thou watchest thou hast Two watchers thou hast God to watch over thee and thy self to watch over thee thou hast God to watch over thee and keep thee in all thy wayes and then thou watchet over thy self and art sustained by God so that thou hast two watchers God above and thy own soul within thee employed about this work A Fourth Reason is Because this is the very means prescribed by God to do us good It is the very remedy that the Lord of Heaven hath appointed Gods appointment unto us to save us from danger and keep us from falling the Lord hath sanctified this means to this very end and purpose therefore when our Saviour Christ would disswade his people from carking and caring for the things of this life Luke 21. 36. see what means he prescribeth and layeth down to do it Be watchful saith he and pray the world is ready to get in therefore watch saith he and pray alwayes that you may be accounted worthy to escape these things So that we see this the means prescribed by God himself to escape the falling into sin Fifthly Again We should be so much the more careful in this watch None can Watch for us because no other can watch for us in outward things one man may watch while another sleepeth as in sailing when all the rest are asleep there is one watcheth so in war when all the Souldiers lye in their tents asleep it may be some few are watching that the rest may take their rest but it is not so in
so when the Lord doth pluck up this sluce and lift up a mans heart and mind and understanding now the waters of life flow into the soul this is against them now that have plenty of knowledge and yet notwithstanding go no further that have new minds and old wills and affections there is a new brain but an old heart this is not regeneration regeneration it is true begins in the understanding but it runs along in all the soul it descends into heart and mind and all the whole man and therefore it is called a new creature whosoever is in Christ is a new creature Behold I make all things new saith Christ Rev. 21. 5. As Regeneration is the renewing of a man so it is the renewing of the whole man Thirdly It is done by degrees Though Regeneration be in all parts By degrees perfected yet it is not in all degrees at once the spirit of God doth renew more and more and beget a man more and more there is of the old birth a great while but he doth eat it out more and more as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 3. 18. And we all with open face c. Mark here he calls this change glory because it is a glorious creature as long as a man is not renewed he is a base creature but when he is renewed he is a glorious creature Now saith he when the Lord doth this he doth it from glory to glory from one degree to another as this is done by the spirit of God so he doth it more he proceeds from little beginnings to greater perfections it was not so with Adam God made him in his full stature at the first he was a man at the first dash but this new creature is as a Babe conceived in the VVomb it begins there and so grows up As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. He is a babe first aâd so growes though it be not a starveling but grovvs yet it is but a vveak one at first and must grovv and come to its strength more and more it is like a good husband that begins vvith a little and ariseth up to a great estate in the end so Regeneration makes a man a good husband puts a little stock into his hands and makes him rise to a great matter Fourthly This is according to the Image of God It is not all kind of Renewing A man may have a new work that he had not before According to Gods Image but the work of regeneration as it is a renewing so it is a renewing after the image of God man had quite and clean lost the Image of God which consisted in Righteousness and Holiness Now when Gods Spirit comes to regenerate a man that reneweth him according to this Image As the Apostle speaks Ephes 4. 24. That ye put on the new man which is created after his image and how is that In Righteousness and Holiness As it is in Nature though a man be never so godly when he begets a man he begets him after his image as he is by nature polluted and unclean Gen. 5. 3. So Adam begat Seth in his own image so when the Spirit begets a man again he begets him after his own image he makes him merciful as his heavenly Father is merciful Luke 6. 36. and perfect as he is perfect Matth. 5. ult There are none regenerate and born again but those that are like God the Lord stamps upon them his own similitude and makes them like to himself Fifthly This is the Image of God in Jesus Christ who is the express image of his Father he is the pattern after which this frame is made In Jesus Christ nay God did order it should be so from eternity Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did fore-know he did predestinate that they should be conformed to the image of his Son 'T is true this similitude is not presently made out it is but by halves as it were it is but a poor first draught and never perfect in this life but it shall be made perfect 1 Joh. 3. 2 3. We know when he appears we shall be like him and shall see him as he is then we shall be perfectly like him and see him as he is and know him as he is as Paul saith Col. 3. 2 3. You are dead and your life is hid in Christ c. Here the work is hardly come to its glory there is a great deal of basenesse and old rubbish still but it shall be glorious before God hath done it shall come to be perfect then in the mean time it is but by degrees but the work of regeneration puts a man to go to Christ and believe in Christ You that follow me in Regeneration c. saith our Saviour Matth. 19. 28. When a man is regenerate regeneration puts a frame into a mans heart to be like unto Christ and to follow his steps and his example that as he hath done so he may do more and more this is the work of regeneration That the Spirit of God works in Gods people conforming them to the Image of Christ Yea Regeneration doth more than repair a man more than reduce a man to that estate wherein he was in Adam's loins before the Fall it is the ingrasting of a man into Christ and the estating a man into the Merits and Priviledges of the Lord Jesus Christ it is a greater matter then the bare restoring of a man to that which he lost it is the restoring of a man to a better estate this differences it from Sanctification Thus we see what Regeneration is Now the Second Thing is Why it is so called Why this same blessed work of the renewing of the whole man after the Image of God in Christ Why called Regeneration Jesus is called Regeneration There be Two Reasons of it First To shew us how marvellously we are corrupt by Nature Until the To shew the great Corruption of Nature Spirit of God take us in hand a man is quite rotten there is no soundnesse left there is nothing in him will serve it is not a little melting will serve the turn it is not a little plaistering or patching or piecing will do the deed though there be a thousand changes in a man yet if a man be not another man if he be not a new creature it is to no effect it will never bring a man into the kingdom of God what saith Christ Joh. 3. 3. Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God As who should say Verily verily I say unto thee a man is all to shatters all to pieces all rotten and unlesse he be born again and made a new creature it is impossible he should enter into the kingdom of God though a man be never so much altered he is not in the estate of Grace till he be a new man till the Lord hath
is all that are born of God they are brought forth in the day of Gods power in the day wherein God is pleased to put forth his power in them therefore they are called the seed of Christ Isa 53. 10. They are his seed but unless he begets them by his Spirit they can never be so Therefore if we consider the greatness of the work it sheweth plainly it must needs be the effect of the Will of God and his good Pleasure towards man and therefore must be wrought by the Spirit Secondly Another Reason is Because it is not a work of this world It No other agent can do it is a work of another world it is none of the creatures of this life it is beyond the sphere of the activity of any natural agent they cannot reach it Joh. 1. 13. Which were born not of the will of the flesh nor of bloud c. It is not of mans Will he cannot so much as Will it or Desire it effectually he cannot wish it truly nay his heart had rather have the world nay saith he It is not of the Will of the Flesh that is a man may go and beget another Child in the world because it is of the Will of the Flesh it is in the power of the Will of the Flesh Gods power going along with him but this is not so whatsoever a man be though he hath never so many excellent parts it is not in the Will of the Flesh to do it Then again it is not of Bloud it is no terrene or earthly thing this new creature is otherwise made than any new creature in the world besides therefore he concludes it is only born of God it is God only that is the great Author of this great work it descends down meerly from above Thirdly Because it is so far from being wrought by any power Man is totally against it of himself in man or any counsel in man or any endeavours in man it is so far from that as that a man is totally against it A man is an enemy unto it a man hath reluctancy and repugnancy against it he would not be regenerate when a man doth think he desires heaven and to be regenerated of God he doth apprehend Regeneration in a wrong way and heaven in a wrong way so as he apprehends it he doth Will it he thinks of heaven as of a fine place and a place full of pleasure and therefore desires it but that he should alwayes be with God that he should alwayes be praysing and thinking of God and minding of God and have his heart weaned from all other things and set it on God this is heaven but he hates these things and so hates heaven so he Wills that which he apprehends to be Regeneration but Regeneration is when a man hath a new heart and when he is a new-man he was wordly before but he is now brought to be spiritual he was proud before but he is now come to be humble but the heart cannot abide this therefore let the Lord fling in abundance of throws into a natural mans heart to begin some preparatory work this way to make a man begin to look out towards heaven he flings all away he is weary of them quickly as a man at a Sermon perhaps may have throws concerning the new Birth but the corruption of his heart will throw all way he cannot endure them they are contrary to the corruption of a mans nature nay when God comes to work upon his own people what a deal of pleading is there with the world the flesh and the Divel that they may not be cast out Therefore when Peter saw that through the grace and power of God this work was wrought in those he wrote unto 1 Pet. 1. 3. Mark how he speaks Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead He lifts up his hands to heaven and blesseth God that ever this work was wrought he saw so much adoe and such a stir and such a deal of opposition this is a plain sign that it is not of man it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God which sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Neither can man Will neither can he run neither go nor stir towards it nay though God make him go how apt is âe to laggar in the way and draw back again So you see the Fourth Thing Why it must needs be the Spirits Work The Fifth Thing is How the Spirit of God works this Work It is after How the Spirit worketh Regeneration an unspeakable manner Who can declare the noble acts of the Lord The works of God in Nature are marvellous David himself when he looked upon his natural Birth the Conception of him in the Womb of his Mother he wondered at it Psal 139. 14. That was a wonderful work how much more is this unspeakable and unutterable As it is said of our Saviour Christ Who can declare his generations So may I say in a lower sense of this Work Who can declare this Regeneration of his people But yet thus far the Scripture doth authorize and warrant us to go First That he doth it by the word of Life By the Gospel of Salvation by the Preaching of it or otherwise according as he pleaseth that is the By the Word of Life immortal seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God c. And as Paul saith to the Coriâthians Though you have ten thousand and instructers yet you have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. As who should say You are begotten and born again and you are born again by the Word and I was an instrument under God of your new Birth by the Word which I have Preached among you and therefore 1 Tim. 1. 2. he calls Timothy His own Son So Tit. 1. 4. he calls him His Son in the Faith that is he was an instrumental Father under God by the Doctrine of Faith to bring him to be a Child of God So that I say it is done by the Word Of his own Will hath he begotten ãâã by the Word of truth Jam. 1. 18. The Spirit of the Lord sanctifies the Word when he is pleased to convert a man the Word shall shew him what a miserable creature he is by nature it sheweth him that flesh and bloud cannot enter into the kingdom of God it sheweth him that he is utterly forlorn in himself and past all recovery and shews him where life is to be had namely in Jesus Christ discovering his worth and excellency and necessity and that all Grace and good is in him and shews him the freedom of this gracious offer Thus the Spirit of God when he
propounds the Word to the soul holds it before the eyes and conscience and sanctifies it and puts a power into it to enter deep into the soul that it may Conceive in the soul Secondly The Lord doth it by an unspeakable working There is a Divine work which the Lord worketh The spirit comes into the soul after the By a secret and supernatural power manner of water as Christ saith Joh. 3. Except a man be born again of water and the holy Ghost c. that is unless he be born of the Spirit which worketh in the spirit of a man as water doth in working upon a âoul thing Now what this working is we cannot tell but we can tell you the effects of it whereas the soul was rotten and naught before and impotent to all good now it begins to have a better disposition and a new power And whereas it did savour of the things of this life before now it savours of the things that are above but this is a secret kind of working in the soul therefore it is called the washing and the laâer of it And the Apostle speaking of the Corinthians what miserable creatures they were before Regeneration he nameth Drunkards Idolaters Adulterers c. and all manner of filthy persons Such were some of you saith he before your Regeneration but now you are washed and justified and sanctified in the Name of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 11. That same washing there he means by that you are Regenerated so that Regeneration it is a supernatural an unspeakable kind of washing of the soul by the holy Ghost whereby the soul hath its Corruption washed from it in part and made clean in paââ and way made for all the Graces of Gods Spirit to come in now and all the fruits of the spirit to be brought forth Thus the Spirit of God works this work he works it in an ineffable manner by the word of Life and by a secret kind of washing I come now to the Application of this Point And first of all If the Spirit of God be the Regenerater of Gods people then we may here see Vse 1. Of Confutation of Pelagians c. the errour of the Papists Pelagians and others That set up the Will of man and put any activity in the Reason and Judgement and Wisdom and Election of man This Doctrine of theirs is unâound and contrary to the working of Gods holy spirit If it be such a work as God sends his own Spirit to do it What man can do it It is called Regeneration and this shews it is not of man who is able to beget himself and shape himself in the womb and dispose of his own body in the belly Nay more Can any man beget himself again The very name of Again shews that it is a work only of God none but he can do it and we see it plainly it is wrought no where but where God himself doth it and they that have it are able to speak it that they did not chuse God but God chose them I was found of them that sought me not all the souls of his people will subscribe That it was not in them that willed or in them that ran but in God that shewed mercy It is God only that is the Author of this thing and none but he Secondly Again This should teach us to consider that we have alwayes Informaton Of our continual need of the Spirit need of the Spirit of God If the Spirit of God hath begotten us again then we have alwayes need of him it is not in this as in the first Birth when the Child is born though the Father be gone the Child may subsist but it is not so here but the Spirit of God as he begets a man so he is fain alwayes to stand by him and bear him up and give him supplies of Grace from day to day As it is with the Air the Sun doth not only enlighten it but it doth every moment give light to it for suppose the Sun should shine four or five hours in the day yet if the Sun should with-hold its light the Air would be dark presently it is not as it is with Fire let a man heat the water though he take away the Fire the water will keep its heat a while after but do but with-hold the light of the Sun and all is gone in the same moment so it is with this new Creature and the Spirit of God he doth dwell in the soul as the Sun in the Air his presence warms the soul and quickens the soul and inables a man to good and gives a principle of life and enables to all actions that are good therefore how should all Gods people carry themselves towards this Spirit They should have a care that they quench him not nor go against him in any particular The Third Vse is for all Gods people in whom God hath wrought this Exhortation 1. Not to grieve the Spirit blessed work the Spirit of God hath regenerated and begotten them again I say to all such persons Let them endear this Spirit of God let them not grieve or offend or displease him seeing he is such a gracious worker in them Ephes 1. 13. The Apostle makes this very Inference in whom after ye believed ye were sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise that is whereby you were Regenerated Regeneration is the first seal of the Spirit whereby he seals Gods good will to a man Now hath the Spirit of God sealed you Then do not grieve him nor cause him to take any indignation against you for though he will never depart from them whom he hath made new Creatures yet notwithstanding he may hide his face for a time if we displease him Yea Consider Will any natural Child willingly displease his loving Father The Spirit of God is our Father therefore we should have respect to him Again This should be a Motive to Gods people to be willing to do any 2. To do any thing for God thing for God because he hath made them as David saith Psal 100. 3. This very Consideration That God hath made us and re-made us he hath done that for us that all our own wits could never have done that the whole world hath not the like the Lord gener-ally lets the whole World sink in ruine and damnation should be a Motive to you to be willing to serve him gladly and to call upon his Name to be ready prest to execute any of his Commands to enter into his presence upon all occasions seeing it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves To them that are Vnregenerated Here we see where to have Regeneration 3. To the Unregenerate to pray for the Spirit it is only in God and in the Spirit of God to renew a man and make a man up again As David prayed when he had the Spirit Lord take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51. 11. So when
of God the other of the Serpent Now Christ and all that are Christs are one and the self-same seed though they are different in Place different in Countrey different in estate and condition some Jews some Gentiles some Bond some Free some Noble some Mean yet they are all one in Christ Jesus as the Apostle saith Gal. 3 28. There is neither Jew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus 'T is true you are different among your selves one is a master another a servant one is a rich man another a poor man so there is a difference but they are all one in Christ Jesus they have all one and the self-same Faith they have all one and the self-same Father there is but one Lord and one Spirit to quicken and unite them all Thus we see what this Body of Christ is Now in the Second place What it is to be put into this Body to be implanted VVhat putting into this Body is into it to be knit into this Body I Answer in a few words it is this It is a part of a mans Ingrafting into Christ by Faith whereby a man is ingrafted into the Body of Christ having one common life with all the rest of the Members for mutual consent and profit and care and help and sympathy or fellow-feeling First It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Christ For the ingrafting A part of our ingrafting into Christ of a man into Christ and into the body of Christ are not Two things but God doth them by one and the self-same act as you may see Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ and every one Members one of another that is by being Members of Christ and by being ingrafted into Christ we come to have fellowship and conjunction and joyning one with another it must needs be the same work for the putting a man into Christ in whom are the other Members that very act makes a man to have fellowship with Christ together with all the other Members as the Apostle speaks Rom. 11. 17. Though some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wilde olive tree wast grafted in for them and made partaker of the root When a man is ingrafted into this Olive tree he is ingrafted with the rest of Christs Members and he doth partake together with the other Members of the same root and of the same Gifts and Graces God doth both under one Therefore though I handle this after the other it is because I cannot handle them both at once Saint John saith 1 Joh. 1. 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another So that if a man be in Christ he hath communion with the Body of Christ if he hath fellowship with Christ he hath fellowship with the Body of Christ so that you see the Spirit doth both by one and the self-same act as the Apostle saith Ephes 2. 12. Ye were at that time without Christ and aliants from the common-wealth of Israel It is all one thing to say that a man is out of Christ and an Aliant from the common-wealth of Israel without that corporation without that Body he is no Member of that Body therefore it follows on the other side If a man be in Christ and ingrafted into Christ then he is of this society he is of the common-wealth of the Israel of God So that this is the First Thing It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Christ Secondly This likewise is done by Faith When a man is ingrafted VVrought by Faith into Christ he is ingrafted into him by Faith As the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 23. And they also if they abide not in unbelief shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them As who should say If ever they have Faith they are ingrafted into Christ it is Faith that ingrafts a man into Christ and the same Faith that makes a man to be of the Body of Christ that puts a man into the number of the Members of Christ as Paul saith To Titus my Son in the common Faith Tit. 1. 4. that is it is such a Faith as doth not only ingraft this man into Christ but the very self-same Faith another man having it it doth ingraft him into the Body of Christ too So that it is a common Faith whereby one is ingrafted into the Body of Christ as well as another as Act. 2. 44. They were all of one minde and one heart they all hung together as one body they imparted their gifts and things they had even to their very Lands and Goods one to another here was a sweet communion but then what was the reason of this What was the Instrument that wrought this It was Faith for the text saith they were believers or else they could not have done it And therefore as we are said to come to Christ so to the Body of Christ as Heb. 12. 22. But ye are come to Mount Zion to the City of the living God the celestial Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first born which are written in heaven You are come he speaks of a spiritual coming by Faith So that this putting into the Body of Christ is by Faith Then in the Third place It makes a man have a common life with all the Making us have common life with other Members rest of the Members of Jesus Christ As you may see Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appear ye also shall appear with him in glory Christ who is our life We that are the people of God Christ is our life we have one and the self-same life all one and the self-same minde in the wayes of God As it is said Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul all the people of God in the whole world would quickly be acquainted if they were brought together for they are all of one and the self-same disposition and mind As our Saviour speaks to his Father Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou art in me and I in thee so that all they may be one in us As the Three Persons in the blessed Trinity are three distinct Persons and yet are all one so in some sense the Members of the Body of Christ though they be of several callings and conditions in the world yet they are all one that they may be all one as we are one vers 21. They all live by the same rule and walk by the same rule they are all guided by the same Word and swayed by the same Commandment they all walk in one Way they all Pray by one and the self-same Spirit they have a life that is common look as one lives so lives another look as one repents so another repents
help from or can do no good to others Therefore the Apostle prayeth God in the behalf of the Corinthians That the Members of Christ may be of one minde and live in peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. Thirdly Here we may see how to try our acquaintance and whether To try our acquaintance hereby the company we joyn our selves unto be good or no If our company be right the Spirit of God tyeth the knot therefore the Apostle will tell you whether you have the right communion and fellowship or no try the spirits whether they be of God or no saith he If the fellowship we have one with another be not of God if the Spirit of God do not knit us together our fellowship is not right 1. Joh. 1. 3. there is an excellent place That they may have fellowship with us saith he and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ As who should say We would fain have you have fellowship with us and I tell you what kind of fellowship you must have if you be acquainted with us you must have fellowship with the father and with the Lord Jesus Christ for our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ so that we may see whether our Company be right or no by this The Last Vse is this Is it so that the Spirit of God joyns all the Saints To stir up a sympathy amongst the Saints of God together in one Body Then we should have a fellow-feeling with all the Members of Christ Do not say thou art a Member of the Church of England and not of France or Germany do not say thou art a Member of this Parish but not of another do not say so for if thou art a Member of Christ there is one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4. 4. If there be one Body there must be one Spirit and therefore we should have a fellow-feeling But how shall we have a fellow-feeling with the Members of Christ How to work maintain and express this sympathy By informing our selves concerning one another I say First We must inform our selves as much as we can concerning one another As when the Ark of God was among the Philistims old Eli though he gave way too far to his Sons wickednesse yet was he very careful of the Ark and people of God and therefore 1 Sam. 4. 13 14. he went out and sate in the high-way that so he might hear in the first place what was the news and you know how his heart trembled when he heard that the Ark of God was taken So it was with David when any came out of the Camp of Israel he saith to them What is done I pray thee 2 Sam. 1. 4. So we should enquire concerning one another Secondly We should visit our fellow-members As it is said of Moses By visiting our fellow-Members though he were a great Courtier in Pharaoh's Court yet he went out to look upon his Brethrens burthens Exod. 2. 11. he would be ever and anon steping out to see how his brethren fared and how did this affect his heart with their trouble Thirdly We should lay to heart their Afflictions It is a strange thing By laying to heart their afflictions how the people of God in all ages have been affected with the Afflictions of the Church nay though they have not seen it but only fore-saw what would be afterwards As Elisha wept when he fore-saw what cruelty Hazael would use towards the People of Israel 2 King 8. 11 12. So Daniel Dan. 8. 27. when God revealed the Afflictions of the Church to him two hundered years before it should come to pass yet when he heard of the Affliction that should fall out the text saith that Daniel fainted and how can we think that the Spirit of Christ hath united us into one Body when we have not this disposition in our souls OF THE SABBATH Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy THAT which I intend to speak concerning the Sabbath at this time I will cast into these Propositions The First is this That there must be some set time Proposit 1. A set time for worship for the Worship and immediate Service of God Now the Reason why there must be some set time for Gods immediate Worship is First Because all Actions cannot be done at once Reas 1 but by succession first one and then another for a man to perform the duties of Gods Worship in an instant and to get down the knees of body and soul before his Maker in an instant this cannot be Eccles 3. 1. There is an appointed time for every Action under the Sun Then if there be a time for all actions surely there must be a time for the Worship of God Secondly There must be a set time Because such is our dulness in the Reas 2 duties of Gods Worship that we had need to have times set apart for Gods Worship there is a great deal of ado required to fix a mans Thoughts upon heaven to have a fixed apprehension of the Presence of God these do not only require time but a great deal of time Secondly The Second Proposition is this That as there must be some Propos 2. Some set time for worship every day time for Gods immediate Worship and Service so there must be some set time every day all the dayes of our lives there must be some defined and determinate time for Worship of God every day at the least morning and evening David though he were employed in great affairs yet he had three times a day to glorifie God in in his holy Ordinances Three times in the day will I praise thee Psal 55. 17. The Reason of this is Because men live like Beasts without daily invocation upon God 2 Chron. 13. 10 11. Abijah there speaking against Jeâchoam the King of Israel though himself had no great goodness in him he saith The Lord is our God and we offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense every day Every day they did it as who should say it were a sign that God were not amongst us if we did not this he takes it as a principle written in the conscience though he were a natural man yet he doth reason thus that where there is not every day some time for Gods Worship God is not amongst them Another Reason is Because every morning God reneweth his Mercies Reas 2 and every evening they are continued to us as the Church saith in the Lamentations ch 3. 23. Every morning his mercies are renewed to us and in the evening his compassions sail not therefore every morning we are to set our selves before God to ask of him the forgivenesse of our sins every morning and evening we are to do this Psal 92. 1 2. David saith It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord to sing praises to thy Name O thou most High To shâw forth thy loving kindness
will be all up at the first and will go out though they never go to the journeys end it is with a new convert at his setting out towards heaven as it was with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt there was a mixed multitude went up with them Exod. 12. 38. why the plagues of God had wrought upon many of the Egyptians and they would go up with them but they would not go into the land of Canaan but returned back again the true Israelites that were affected truly they only went into the Land of Canaan â but a mixed company went up with them so when a man sets forth towards heaven there is a mixed company in that mans bosome goeth along with him mixed joy and fear and hope and even corrupt nature is raised up at first for you must think the fears of God lying upon the soul and the newness of Religion he was in hell before now he is in heaven that will raise up even corrupt nature for a time a man will seem to be so affected and so lively now after a while these mercenary Souldiers this mixed company go back again and leave nothing but the bâre sanctified affections and now the man seems to be deader then he was as if he had lost all and may be he complains he is not the man he was he was thus and thus moved before and enlarged to good duties now he is down the wind I say this doth not follow it is even as if a man that hath bought a bushel of pease at the Market when they are shell'd and the pods are off and none but the bare pease left should complain he hath less then he had at first so it is here there is nothing gone but the meer trash and husks when a man is first converted there is a great deal of trash with it a great deal of corrupt nature that will leave a man in the lurch afterwards yet it follows not but the man hath the same sanctified affections he had formerly Secondly Violent commotions may stir a man and make him seem to 2. Violent Commotions be more affected then he is there are many seem to be full of life whereas if they were searched to the bottome there is nothing but violent commotions that will come to nothing a child of God at first setting out may be marvellously quickned stirred and seem to be mighty zealous and fervent when in truth the greatest part of this is nothing but violent commotions aâ little grace will seem a great deal when there are these violent stirrings this man will make a greater shew then the same godly man afterwards when he hath more grace a great deal as James and John seemed to be very zealous Luke 9. 54. as zealous as Elias you will say were they not affected when they saw the Samaritans would not receive Christ oh thought they they deserve to be burnt down to the ground Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them as Elias did they could have been content to have fired whole Towns that would not receive Christ you will say this is admirable but these were nothing but violent commotions now when Christ had stilled these violent commotions will you say they were grown cold and dead and not so lively as formerly you know the torrent though it run not so violently as in a great flood yet still it runs so it is here may be a godly Minister at his first entrance puts forth himself more and preaches as if he would fly in the face of the ungodly afterwards he preacheth more gently and evenly shall we say he is grown more dull and dead and not so well affected as before no he may be more affected so for a private Christian it may be so soon as ever God turned his heart and inclined him towards his heavenly Kingdom and made him look out for the good of his soul we shall have hm pray with such violence and such extended passages he will reach forth himself in the confession of sin as if he would trample upon himself and in his petitioning for grace as if he would wrestle with God and in his acknowledging of Gods goodness as if he were affected more then thousand Christians besides but afterwards when he comes to have his eyes better enlightned to see what a deal of froth was in these things and how dead he is in regard of true saving life now he begins to be ashamed of himself he doth not lay them down but he would have them in more truth Now shall we say this man is more dead and lesse affected then he was before no but this man hath less violent commotions Thirdly Indiscretion will make a man seem to be more affected then indeed 3. Indiscretion he is as a godly man that is rash and indiscreet let this man reprove a sin he will be so zealous and earnest nay he will be so cholerick that if you do not yeild presently he is in a combustion afterwards when God gives him more knowledge of his waies and more discretion to reprove sin he will not be so cholerick and in such a passion hath this man lost his affections now no this doth not follow he may keep his affections still and it may be hates sin a thousand times more then he did before but he goes another way to work and deals more composedly and gravely and zealously for the good of the mans soul as when Paul saw the Philippians so loving in the midst of all his afflictions and sufferings for the Gospels sakâ sending him so many hundred miles a great present to relieve him in his necessity what doth he do doth he bid them abate their love no eu ãâ¦ã use in it more and more saith he but let it be with knowledge and judgment Phil. 1. 9. a man that is of a loving nature when he hath pared off all foolish charity and all vain and proud charity whereby he doth things out of pride ostentation and vanity as he will do when he comes to have more understanding if he do not discern and compare himself with the word of God he may seem to abate in his love but he is not less loving but more judicious So Samuel at first he was so zealous against Saul when he had sinned against Gods commandment that he would not stay with him by any means no saith he you have rejected the word of the Lord when Saul confessed his sins and entreated him to stay and was very earnest no by no means what stay with a wretch that hath rejected the word of the Lord 1 Sam. 15. 26. yet afterwards he did stay will you say now Samuel was grown cold and less affected against sin no but he was more judicious he begun to consider certainly if I do not stay it will be a disparagement to the Lords anointed I may disparage the Lords ordinance and
disparage the Kings Authority and cause the people to scorn him he began to see that Saul spake with sense honour me before the people and he did stay then now he was not less affected but more judicious Fourthly Presumption may make a man seem to be more affected and 4. Presumption quickned a great deal then indeed he is as Peter he seemed to be so mightily transported and enlarged towards Christ and so full of zeal for him though all men forsake thee yet will not I he thought he was so affected that he could compare with all the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ and go beyond them all but afterwards when Christ asked him Peter lovest thou me see his answer Joh. 21. 15. his answer was nakedly Lord thou knowest that I love thee he would make no more comparisons though Christ put him upon it there yet he would not be brought to compare any more Now was he less affected towards Christ no but he was less presumptuous Fifthly Activeness of natural disposition may make a man seem to be 5. Activeness of natural disposition more affected then indeed he is for a man the more active his nature is and the more spirits he hath the more stirring he hath a man that hath such a disposition will go further then another of a slower spirit there is a great deal more grace required to make an heavy dull natured man to speak a word for God then to make a cholerick man strike a blow for God mens natures differ some men are more active naturally may be one man is full of activity and stirring another man is of a dull dispostion will you say this man is deader then he no this man may have more life of grace then he it is as if one man should swim with the stream and another against the stream he that swims with the stream will more easily swim a mile then he that swims against the stream will swim half a mile will you say that this man cannot swim so well as the other no he may be a better swimmer of the twain for this is the thing we are not to judge of the life of our grace by what we do but by what labour we take in doing as the Apostle saith remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love 1 Thes 1. 3. may be another man is of a more loving nature then this man but the man that is more unkinde naturally and harsh-natured he labours a thousand times more abundantly then the other who hath most grace of love now the other hath most natural love but this man hath more grace of love as Paul proves he had the life of grace in him because he laboured more abundantly then they all it is not what thou doest but what thou laborest to do he that swims down the stream doth not labour if he should do nothing but stir his hands and feet without any labour the stream will carry him so when a man hath nature to help him he need not labour much but when a man must fetch all out of the hard flint how is he fain to labour there thou mayst try the life of thy affections not by what thou prayest but by what thou labourest in prayer not by what thou remembrest at a Sermon but though thou hast a blockish memory how dost thou labour to remember so it is not the not doing of sin but the labouring against sin hereby thou mayst know whither they zeal and affection be abated in thee So again for a mans self may be he was more active heretofore had a more nimble spirit and temper of body now he is grown more sad and melaneholy his head is distempered and grown more weak his memory fails and his understanding decayes that quick disposition of his body is taken down and he cannot do as he did before is the man therefore not so quickned as he was before is he grown more dead may be the man complains certainly he hath cause to suspect himself and he doth not think he is right formerly he could remember a Sermon be fixed in meditation be attentive at the word be fervent in prayer and put forth himself in this fashion now he cannot he was so lively before now he hath not the same activity and therefore begins to call all into question certainly all is not right I answer this doth not follow it is true in many a man it is the deadness of his heart and the decayedness of his spiritual estate that causeth this but it doth not follow that it is so with thee but the cause is this may be thou hast worn out thy tools therefore no marvel thou canst not work so well as formerly take a skilful Musitian whose instrument is crackt and marred he cannot make so good musick upon this instrument as he could when it was sound doth it follow he hath lost his skill no give this man â sound instrument as he had before and he will play as well as ever all our operations not only external but also internal do much depend upon the disposition of the body as for meditation may be when the body was lively and active a man could fix his meditations upon a thing now it is weakned he cannot may be he hath the same desire and delight as he had before but he cannot do it so may be he hath as great a desire as ever to remember the word but his memory is gone so may be he hath as great a desire to put forth himself in any ordinance of God as ever in all his life but his body will not bear it I say the spirits depend much upon the body you may see this in natural operations let a mans eyes fail will any man say that the soul of that man is less able to see then it was no the soul is as able to see in a blind man as in a seeing man in an old man whose eyes fail him as in a young man that hath the quickest sight if this man had an excellent eye given him he would see as well as any body else the soul is able to do it but it wants a tool so many Saints of God cannot do many duties as they were wont not for want of love and zeal and affections but for want of tools it is said 2 Sam. 21. 16. that when David waxed old they would not let him go out into the field did they look upon David now as less worthy then before no they looked upon him as more worthy then before the text saith they looked upon him as the very light of Israel though he could not fight for Israel so well as he did before so you shall see many a godly man and reverend father upon his death bed shews no great matter in his dying what because he is dead and is not the man he was no but because he hath worn out his tools he is not
that maintaines for matters of Faith and walks for matters of manners according to the Scriptures Now if a Church hath no better mark then Antiquity it is a false Church Another mark of a false Church is universality when they have no other 2. Universality mark to shew but that the most are of their side they can shew the greatest bulk if you go and count there is most of their number a great deal this is a sure mark of a false Church yet the Church of Rome makes use of this mark for they consute our marks of a true Church and will have multitudes to be their mark and by this we may see they are Antichrist Rev. 13. 12. so Rev. 13. 8. All that dwell upon the earth whose names were not written in the book of the Lamb worshipped the beast the reprobate are the greatest part of the world now here he saith all that dwell upon the earth almost shall worship the Beast if this were the mark of a true Church Christ had miscounted himself when he counted his flock a little flock Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock c. And again he saith Strive to enter in at the straight gate c. He describes a true Church by the fewness and not by the universality of it therefore what a madness is this to make universality a note of a true Church Thirdly Another is succession of Pastors from the Apostles times to this 3. Succession of Pastors very day this they make a mark of a true Church O say they we can shew succession down from Peter here at Rome even to this day The Protestants are not able to shew this this is a poor mark Caiâphas that condemned Christ could shew succession from Aaron so a Church may be a Church that renounceth Christ and is an Antichristian Church and yet may shew succession and other Churches as Alexandria and others can shew succession as well as Rome so that succession of Pastors is nothing unless they can shew succession of Doctrine Fourthly Unity They make that to be a mark of the true Church and 4. Unity this is a false mark too others say they have not unity among them but we have unity thus you may as well prove the Divels in Hell to be a Church for there is unity as our Saviour saith If Satan be divided against Satan how can his Kingdom stand so Acts 4. 27. you may see what an unity was there they were all of one knot and one mind there was a marvellous great unity among them all to condemn Christ the Church must be proved to be a true Church before unity can be brought to be any sign of it for the more unity is in a wicked way the more hellish is the conspiracy Fifthly Miracles is a note of a false Church now the Papists say We 5. Miracles can shew miracles for our Religion where can you shew miracles Christ saith we may know Antichrist and his adherents by this Mat. 24. 24. there shall arise false Christs c. False Christs and such as make as though they were Christians and the people of God and come to you in the name of the Lord and they may shew you signs and wonders to make you believe them but they are the Divels signs and they shall be very strong to delude the world so 2 Thes 2. 9. the Apostle shews us that the coming of Antichrist shall be after this manner therefore no marvel that they plead signs and wonders and apparitions of the dead from their doctrine of the Mass and Purgatory and prayers for the dead c. this is an argument that their Church is Antichristian that which is a true Church according to the Scripture needs no new miracles therefore Calvin and Luther that propounded nothing but the truth of the Scripture they need bring no miracles to confirm it if indeed they had brought any new doctrines of their own heads they had need to have brought miracles to confirm them but when they brought nothing but what they could prove out of the Scripture Scripture-miracles were enough to prove this Sixthly Another mark is pompe and stateliness a Church may come to 6. Pompe and stateliness have no other mark but this that it is a goodly and stately Church a pompous kind of serving God things are set ouâ pompously this is rather an argument of an Antichristian Church for the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world and that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abonimable in the sight of God Lastly They make outward prosperity and happiness to be a mark of 7. Outward happiness and prosperity the true Church of God but this is rather a mark of a Synagogue of Satan For all that live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. And if any man will be my Disciple saith Christ let him take up his cross and follow me I say the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world therefore prosperity and felicity is not a sign of a Church of God thus we see that a Church that was once a true Church of God may come to be no true Church they may lose all the true notes of a Church of God and have no other notes but such as prove it to be no true Church but rather a Church of Infidels and unbelievers The first reason is because the Church of God is Catholique that is Reas 1. Because the Church is Catholique it is not tied and pent up in any place God may carry it where he will he may set up his Church in what Country and Town and Family he will and choose what particular person in the whole world he will God is not tied to any therefore when the Jews bore themselves upon this that they were the Church and Gods Ordinances and Oracles were appropâiated to them they came at the first hour of the day at the first hand but if the Gentiles were a Church it was but at the second hand they came but at the eleventh hour he takes up a parable Mat. 20. and saith they that are last shall be first c. and he gives a reason shall I not do what I will with mine own so God may do with his Ordinances and gifts and graces of his spirit he may bestow them where he will he may give his Gospel to a Kingdom and take it away at his pleasure and he may stay as long as he will and be gone when he will Secondly God doth not need any place any people though a place be 2. God needs no place or persons never so glorious and stately and though it be never so admirable a Church God doth not need that Nation but if it grow maleâert and stiffe and stubborn against him the Lord will make them know he hath no need of them and cares not for them as the Jews when they bore themselves upon this that they were
and God would not hear them marke what ãâ¦ã h saith I am thy servant Lord heare me 1 King 18. 36. as who should say here be people praying they pray they know not what and to they know not whom they are none of thine but I am thy servant hâare me Lord he comes and acts a better part and he will be heard before he goes and ãâã accâptance before he departs when a man can say Lord I am thy servant ãâã one whom thou hast redeemed and effectually called heare me Lord this man prayes indeed he prayes to some purpose Sixthly Thou canst not sweetly go on in the waies of God all the duties of Religion will be a burthen to thy soul and thou wilt be weary of them We cannot go on in the waies of God without this knowledge which would be light and pleasant if thou didst know thy effectual calling of God but now they will be burthensome and thou wilt think the Sabbâth comes too often and good duties come too often about they come so fast that thou hast no heart or minde to them for want of that which should sweeten the wayes of God to a man the knowing of God and what he goeth about and the knowing of him he hath to deale withal without this a man can never go on nay it is a wonder that thou hast not broken thy neck before this day that thou hast not turned back to folly and revolted cleane to the wayes of sinne that thou hast not turned back to be a drunkard and profane person againe it is a wonder that thou prayest in thy family that thou hast not given over all holy duties and reassumed the works of the flesh and can off all the courses of a godly life it is a wonderful mercy of God that thoâ hast not apostatized Take a man that knows he is effectually called it is a wonder to see that man fall I marvel saith Paul that ye are soone removed Gal. 1. 6. A man may wonder what ayleth that man that knows he hath an effectual call of God and falls that man is besides himself he is not his own man certainly if he turne back to folly when he knows God to turne from his Commandements to yeild to the lusts of the flesh and grow carelesse and negligent it is a wonder that such a man should be removed back but he that never knew of any such things he hath no knowledge of Gods goodness towards him it is a wounder that he doth not quite fall off for the knowledge of a mans effectual calling is that which doth preserve a man Jude 1. the Apostle saith Jude a servant of Jesus Christ to them that are preserved in Christ and called when a man hath an effectual call he hath that which should preserve him therefore when a man comes to know it what a sweet thing is this to be preserved of God to be kept and carried through when Gods people know not this they are subject to falls and returning back without the Lords wounderful mercy Seventhly What difference is there between thee and a very wretch as We differ not from wretches witâout this knowledge long as thou knowest not that thou art effectually called of God what difference between thee and one that is in darkness and under the power of darkness in thy own sence and feeling when David was but afraid of falling into this passe Psal 28. 1. O Lord saith he be not silent least I be like them that go down into the pit he was afraid of falling into that estate of doubting of Gods love and the assurance of his love and favour least he should be like unto those that go down into the pit so may I say of those that are unsetled in their minds and do not know whether they have any good at all wrought in their hearts what difference do you see between your selves and those that are wicked and abominable you can hardly pitch upon any thing wherein you differ from a wicked man as Throgmorton said brother what will you say if I dye a reprobate so such speeches may come out of thy mouth what will you say if I dye a reprobate as David when he had committed those two foule sins and had blurred his evidences and could not see Gods goodness and mercy towards him he was faine to begin the world again create in me O Lord a cleane heart c. as though he were to begin from the very ground againe as if he had lost all and had nothing in him what a miserable thing is this Eighthly Thou art of all men most miserable if thou knowest not thy effectual We are of all meâ most misââaâle without it calling for other men though they have no comfort in heaven yet they have comfort in the world but as for thee thou hast neither comfort above nor here below the wicked of the earth they care not for thee because thou little for thee because thou art not right and so thou art as a meteor hanging in the ayre cast out from men and God conscience will not let thee close with God nor close with the wicked not with God because thou doubtest whether thou art his or no not with the wicked because thou art strongly convicted that their courses are damnable now what comfort canst thou have when a man cannot tell whether to go this is the case of a man that knows not whether he be effectually called of God or no. Nay lastly Let me tell thee this if thou be totally uncertaine thou wert We were never effectually called if we totally want it never effectually called of God to this very day but still remainest under the guilt of thy sins and the wrath of God and the curse of the law and the damnation of ungodly men for if a man be called he presently comes to be faithful chosen and faithful Rev. 19. it is faith that makes up the effectual call for this call differs from the other in that this call makes a man come to God by faith so that a man is a believer if he be effectually called now if a man be a believer there is some knowledge in faith Isa 45. 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength saith the text look up and down in all the Scripture there is some surety in every believer that he hath righteousness in God that he hath salvation in his name as the Church saith Isa 53. 15. doubtlesse thou art our Father it is the speech of people that are marvelously troubled with unbelief and doubting yet at last they conclude it doubtlesse thou art our Father they cannot deny it so saith David Psal 23. 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life 1 Joh. 5. 19. We know that we are of God he doth not only say it is thus but we knows it is thus nay take the doubtfullest man that ever
was which was Hâmân Psal 88. 1. O Lord God of my salvation saith he he was able in some measure to speak it that God was the God of his salvation he was not totally uncertaine of it wheresoever there is faith there is some knowledge But then you will say what is the difference between the uncertainty that Obj. is in believers and other people it is true that all believers are effectually called of God but yet a man may be uncertaine now the question is how differs the uncertainty of a true believer that is called of God and others The difference is in these several particulars First A man that is effectually called of God as it may be he cannot say it Answ How the uncertainty of beleevers differs from others so he cannot deny it and as in part he cannot say it so in part he can say it though he hath a great deal of feare and terror and affrightment and in some measure he cannot say it yet in some measure he can Mark 9. 24. the man there that came to Christ as he could not simply say that he did believe so he could not simply deny it but he partly did and partly did not Lord I believe help my unbeliefe though he could not say he had the grace of faith so he could not deny it but other men though they would faine say it yet they cannot in spight of their teethes it makes it appeare unlesse they be presumptuous that they do but deceive themselves and rock themselves asleep in a fooles paradice but the people of God that are called indeed as they cannot say they are so so they cannot deny it Secondly They that are called of God effectually though they do not The 2 difference know it but it may be speak bitter things as though they were not called and deny it many times yet it is only in their haste in an odd sit that is come upon them I sayd in my haste all men are lyars Psal 31. 22. it was only in his haste it was only in a pang that came upon him but now other men they do not say it in their haste neither is it only in a passion when they question their effectual calling but they speak it in their sober witts nay they are never in their sober witts but then for when they think it is otherwise then they are in a passion in their haste they are then in their sober witts and speak most judiciously when they say it is not so Thirdly A godly man as he will say he hath no grace so he will let others The 3 difference say so too and it will humble him so much the more and he will be the more abased and caused to seek out more then ever he did before but an hypocrite though he will say in company sometimes I was never yet wrought upon yet if he hears another say so he begins to mince and saith you are mistaken Sir blessed be God I have beeen wrought upon they cannot endure to heare that another should say so but they make as though they had assurance and these and these gifts and graces though their own consciences witness to their teeths that they have it not yet they cannot abide others should say so but a child of God will not exercise himself in things that are too high for him as he is to seek so he is content to be taken to be such a one and when the people of God suspect him it humbles him and drives him nearer to God Fourthly Such persons that are effectually called indeed though they are The 4 difference very ungrounded and to seek in regard of their effectual calling yet they most love and esteem those that tell them of it that they may be better grounded and see God better when a man comes to them and tells them you are hypocritical and secure and you neglect duties in your families and you must give over this and that those that are effectually called of God indeed will love those that are most sound and most rip them up as it was with Paul when he was converted at first the Disciples questioned him Act. 9. 26. they would not believe that he was a convert did Paul now stomack them and shew himself offended no Paul did go on to manifest the truth of his grace more and more till at last it did manifest it self so those that are effectually called they love those most that are godly and question most their sincerity and it humbles them and they love a life to be in such company and they cannot abide those that dawbe them up with untempered moâter but an hypocrite though his own conscience questions it and he is as one in a wilderness and in darkness that knows not whither he goeth yet he cannot abide another should beare him down so Fifthly The uncertainty of the people of God breaks their hearts and pulls The uncertainây oâ it breaks the heart them down before God it bursts their hearts and tears and rends them that they are not able to endure they must have the favour of God and the light of his countenance and know where they are and the things given them of God and they count themselves to have done nothing till they come to this as David was in this case Psal 55. 5. he was in a miserable case as if he were quite lost what did this make him do I wânt to God and mourned in my prayer and cryed unto him as you may see in the beginning of the Psalm it made him mourne before God till the light of his countenance shined upon his soul but a wretched heart that hopes he is called though his conscience doubts of it this breaks not his heart nor awakens him but his vaine hopes build him up and so he is kept off from being right as he ought to be Againe those that are effectually called though they be uncertaine yet Faith supplies this uncertainty they believe they shall be certaine and they follow hard after God till he give them assurance and they build upon it that they shall have it one day and this builds them up as it was with Mr. Moore of Norwich a reverend Divine in all his Sermons for the most part he would in one passage or other move his people to get assurance in the end he sickened himself and called for all the good people in his parish and told them you know what Doctrine I have delivered to you and amongst the rest this was one that I frequently beate upon that you would labour to be assured now I must tell you that I never had assurance to my selfe but I did ever look for it and now by the mercy of God I have it and as I preached this doctrine to you when I was living so now I say unto you being a dying man labour to get assurance so that he did verily believe that he
given him a new frame and a new inclination except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God he cannot see the kingdom of Grace that is the first dowry of the kingdom of Grace to give a man a new Being that he never had before a natural man is just like an old rotten house that hath not one piece that will serve the turn but a man that will make it an habitable house must take it all down to the ground and build it up from the ground so it is here there is not one piece will serve the turn though ye see admirable things in men though they seem excellent in the eyes of men yet they will not serve the turn they are rottân and stark naught there is an absence of all Good Rom. 7. 18. Nay besides there is an universal indisposition in a man like to a thing that is all rotten and marred and can never be made up again except it be made spick and span new and so it is with a man he is altogether corrupt as the Prophet speaks Isa 1. from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head nothing but bruises and putrified soars take a man that is never so civil and of fair carriage so long as he is not a new creature this is nothing for the entring into the kingdom of God and being amiable in his sight Nay Gen. 6. 5. the Text saith The thoughts of the heart of man are only evil continually there is nothing found in a man though he daily think of Grace and think of God his thoughts cannot be said to be good for the mind whereby he thinks of these things is rotten and unsavory though he speaks of never so good things the same things the Saints of God speak of though he doth the same actions the people of God do though he hears the same VVord and receives the same Sacraments he cannot do them aright they are abomination in Gods sight therefore when God regenerates a man he must make him another man then he was before This speaks natures corruption Secondly Because the things of Regeneration are admirably set out by The work well expressed by the Name way of this similitude Natural Generation is generally sweetly answered in this VVork of Regeneration First As a man cannot come into the World without Parents but he must have a Father to beget him so it is in this new Birth as in the other Father both in Natural and Spiritual Generation there was an earthly Father so here is an heavenly Father as the Author to the Hebrews speaks Heb. 12. 9. How much rather shall we be subjected to the Father of Spirits There are two Fathers an earthly Father the Father of the natural and corrupt man and God the Father of our Spirits that is the Father of our spiritual Nature as many excellent Divines do expound it though it may be expounded the Father of our Souls yet this is more likely because here is an opposition between the Father of the Flesh and the Father of the Spirits God himself is the Father of this new work Secondly Here is a Mother too That Jerusalem which is from above is the Mother of them all they are all Zions Children here is A Mother in both the Womb that these new creatures lye in Christs Spouse the Lambs wife is their Mother though the world hate them and her too yet they love her nay though the woman be thrown out into the wilderness yet their hearts run after her the Regenerate only are the true born this is their Mother Thirdly As it is in the Natural Birth There is a shaping in the Womb before there is a coming into life so it is here as the Apostle saith there is a First Conception and then Birth conceiving of a man in the womb before he is Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travel in Birth till Christ be formed in you There is the Conception 't is true wicked men have many Conceptions but they do not bring forth Christ is not formed in them they may have many stirrings that way but they perish in the Birth but Zion travels and brings forth Children Isa 66. 8. Fourthly Again As it is in the Natural Birth None is brought forth without the pains of travel So there be pains in this new Birth legal terrours Pain accompanies both Births which the Reprobate are killed with and die under but the godly come forth from under them safe and bettered Fifthly Again As it is in the first Birth the Child that is born and comes into the world he comes from no Being to a Being from no Existency Both come to a Being they had not to an Existency so it is here in this new Birth those which were no people are now made the people of God those that had no being in Christ now have a being in him they are come into a new world into a new heaven and a new earth others live in this world but they live in a new world Sixthly Again As it is in the first Birth A man comes to have Children to have Brothers and Sisters so in this Birth a man comes to have new New Kindred follows both Kindred all the Godly in the world are of his Consanguinity though they be counted the Puritans of the Parish yet they are of his bloud and Christ himself is their Brother and Abraham is their Father under God and Sarah is their Mother there is a new Kindred Indeed here is the difference that the Children of the first Birth they are visible and their lives and courses are visible and their alliance and kindred is visible and all that they are and do is visible but the Children of the second Birth are not visible indeed their persons are visible as well as others but their life is an invisible thing their excellency their glory this new creature in them this is invisible it is like that River in Spain which runs fourteen miles under ground whence they have a Proverb That the Bridge over the River is fourteen miles long So there is a River in Surry that is just the like it runs under the ground invisible they cannot see it so these new creatures they cannot be seen their lives run under ground their lives are hidden with God indeed their persons and outward actions and courses may be seen nay wicked men may do those very outward actions which they do they may Pray together with them and come to Church together with them but this new workmanship they cannot see that runs along under ground the world seeth it not neither can they know it because they know not Christ the Author of it Thus we see the second thing namely Why it is so called Now the Third Thing is Wherein this blessed Work doth consist and it Wherein Regeneration consisteth consists in Two Things Joh. 1. 12. The Evangelist