made like Him was under no Limitation of Service in the History we have of Him Jacobs Patriarchal Line reach'd even to Moses and there ceased Moses Faithful in All his House Run that whole and very Great Line of Service in the Wilderness but was so Limited He must by no means enter into Canaan but must Dye in the Borders And Joshuah must enter upon his Course and having settled the People of Israel in Canaan and after the Lord had given them rest round about He Finished his course Then came on the Days of the Judges and their course with Samuel reached with the Intervention of Saul unto David who served his Generation according to the Will of God And so the Line came down to John Baptist Fulfilfilling his course as a Forerunner and so to our Lord Jesus who walked as He said in his course here on Earth though as the Son an Eternal Priest this Day and to Morrow and the Third Day should be perfected Then the course of the Apostles and the Witnesses under a most Definitive Line as hath been said This therefore gives great satisfaction in the Term of Life Calls for Great self-Resignation and to have our Eye Fixed on the Great End of Life the Line of Faith and Service It is true There is a Line allowed to Evil Men in their Wickedness and in their Enjoyments of their Lusts and Pleasures of this World and they cannot exceed it But this is not of the present consideration But it is most necessary here to remember That the Lowest and Meanest even the Infant Servants of God have their Line and Service and the Just Times of it Fixed by God even as their Reward because it is wholly the Reward of Free Grace It is in the essence of the Reward equal as hath been argued 2. The Time of the Servants of God is therefore Defined and Limited That it may be seen God hath no need of this or that Servant or Generation of Servants but that He hath successive Servants or Generations of Servants and He is so Far off being in want of them That He can allow them no longer Time how Eminent how Excellent soever then He hath appointed and resolved with Himself and of Free Grace as their Honour and Priviledge chosen them unto 3. The Servants of God are many That they may reach through and unto the Time of his Kingdom And each must have His Time and each must therefore of those who go before give way to those who are to follow after and so every one is Limited to his own Time For though it may be thought They might be together The Wise God having appointed Times more Dark and more Glorious How many of his Servants are proportion'd to each He sees and knows and so Limits accordingly There was one Noah and no more in the Old World One Elijah only in view in that so Fowl Apostacy of the Ten Tribes And when the Light is clearest and most High It must not be clear Light till his Kingdom The General Assembly cannot be before so each Time hath such and such Numbers of Stars which He telleth the Number of and calleth them All by their Names and knoweth what Lustre of Rays and Beams each and together shall cast There is a Counterpoizing consideration of Wicked Men in the World and the Darkness and Fire of Hell they spread But that is not within the present purpose 4. There is a Gracious Pleasure of God There should such Numbers of his Servants be all along from Age to Age with Jesus Christ their Lord Philip. 1. Dissolved from Body and with Him in Spirit Absent from the Body and present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 1 c. And in their House not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens And that our God may come and All His Saints with Him Zech. 14. He cometh with Ten Thousand of his Saints as the Armies of Heaven on white Horses Bodys of the Resurrection washed in the Blood of Jesus in fine Linnen clean and white Rev. 19. 14. To shew This hath been all along from the former Times of the World There is a Reception in Heaven Styled Abrahams Bosome A Jerusalem above the Mother of us All that shall come down from Heaven Gal. 4. With all its Children Rev. 21. There is the State of the Spirits of Just Men Heb. 12. Who shall be made perfect in Bodys made like to his Glorious Body Phil. 3. ult There must be therefore a Limitation of their Time of Service here below That they may be taken within the Veil and made acquainted with the Glory that is to be Revealed And the Apostle Intimates These Dead in Christ shall have some precedency For the Dead in Christ shall not be prevented by the Living Remaining as we Translate but shall not be so much as overtaken according to the true force of the Original we shall not attain or come equal with those asleep 1 Thes c. 4. v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nullo Modo Assequemur Now in all such Particularities God is pleas'd to be at Liberty in dealing with His own Servants The essential Glory the Crown of Righteousness the Crown of Life the Crown of Glory being alike sure to all And so I have open'd the second Point propos'd The Limitation of the Time of the Servants of God continuing in His Service here on Earth I come to the Point 3d. 3. That the Limitation of their Time is made known to them in the manner of a severe and angry Process in the way of what we Call a Prohibition the proper sense of what we Translate not saffered Heb. 7. 23. And this is a Point worthy to be enquired into for the removing the fears of Death and for the Consolation of Saints in Death 1. It must then be Acknowledg'd that the outward Face and appearance of Death bears the Resemblance of a Judgment and of that Denunciation In the Day thou Eatest thou shalt Dye Dust thou Art and to Dust thou shalt return It comes as a King of Terrors Flesh and Blood is ready to be affrighted at it Life is naturally Dear even to the Servants of God who desire not to be uncloathed They desire to continue in the Service of God here but when they are raised by Higher Considerations of being present with the Lord Clothed upon with their House from Heaven they even desire to be Dissolved And it cannot be denyed That God doth in the Dying of his Servants bear a Regard to that Justice and Truth of His Word That when Sin came in Death came in and passed upon All because All have sinned Rom. 5. 12. Wheu the Servants of God therefore are warm and zealous and lively in His Service Often there comes a Prohibition Thou mayest no longer continue in my Service here like the command to Moses to anoint Eleazar and to strip Aaron of his Priestly Garments who was presently to Dye A Prohibition to Moses to carry
the Hearts of all to whom He Preached For speaking of the Preaching of the Gospel He saith The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty So with the open professed Oppositions to the Truth of Christ in his Redemption To the Jews a Scandal as it it was contrary to all the Revelation of God in the Old Testament and to the Gentiles Foolishness as if it had no Agreement with the Reason Learning and Wit of Men of Understanding and Accomplishment 1 Cor. 1. 23. 4. He had to Fight with the Powers of Darkness Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places as every Christian hath For as He says we War not That is not principally against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities and Powers the Rulers of the Darkness of this World And for the maintaining this Fight He had the same necessity with all Saints To take to himself the whole Armor of God that he might stand in the evil day and having drne all to stand Eph. 6. 10. 5. All the Persecutors and their cruelty like the Beasts of Ephesus in what Sense soever taken He had to Fight with wherein He suffered as an evil doer and was Killed all the Day long But in all He was more than a conqueror through him who Loved him 6. He had to Fight with Guilt Death and the Grave the Wrath to come and with all the unbelief of his own Heart But he over came by the continual Application He made to the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus who Loved him and gave himself for him in whom he desired to be Found So that he Ran up to that assurance to make that challenge who shall lay any thing to my â—harge as one of Gods Elect to be assured â—hat neither Life nor Death Things present nor Things to come should be able to separate him from the Love of Christ and so he could Sing that Triumphant Song Oh Death where is thy Sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin the Strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord as in the case of the Body of Sin and Death All he places still in Christ and thus we see on all accounts The Apostle Fought a good Fight and through Christ had the Prospect of a High and Noble End of the VVar that is of Victory Head 2. I come then to the Second Point of the Apostles Triumphing Declaration of his own State in Christ I have finished my course That we may rightly apprehend Here are two things to be understood by it I. The General course of a Christian State in its own Motion Action Conversation from the Time of Conversion unto the very Hour of Death This was one thing the Apostle understood by his course for God having drawn out the Line of Life as he hath seen fit for every one of his Servants Their course of Christian Action is by him drawn out proportionable So that there is no part to be unadorn'd Something of Publick Private Secret Unholy Action is to be applyed to every part of it There must be a Running to obtain It is called therefore Running the Race that is set before us Looking to Jesus to shew in whose strength the whole Race is run So It is expressed concerning David by his serving his Generation according to the will of God and of Johns fulfilling his course as a Servant of God in a Holy Conversation besides his Ministerial service How many great concernments hath every Christian to look to His Implantation into Christ Renovation New Creation The In-dwelling of the Spirit the Graces and Fruits of it His Living walking in the Spirit The work of Faith with Power Sorrow after God working Repentance to Salvation never to be Repented of The constraining Love of Christ the living to him the dying Dayly Converse with the Word of God Hearing Reading Meditation Holy Discourse Prayer Thanksgiving Self-denyal Sufferings being made meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light All these with much more set before us in Scripture shew us what the Race of a Christian is what his course is Now to find our Heart engag'd herein with all earnestness Pressing forward to reach the mark by the utmost stretch and extending our selves to it is what the Apostle speaks of himself He had run on in this Christian course on this Line to very near the End of his Line of Life and it is a Glorious Review of a sincere much more of an Eminent Christian while he can behold Christ the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and End of All All the Haltings the Falls False-steps the many Lingerings made up Answered and Attoned for by the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the Joy sett before Him ran the whole course the Father Lin'd out to Him Doing always the things pleasing in his sight Who set every step according to his Obediential Love to the Father and thefore went forth to his Death with highest Resolution Let us Arise saith he and John 14. 31. Go hence He endured the Cross despised the shame and is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on High And thus his servants follow his steps and so we have reason to hope of this his Servant that she was swift she Finished her course she Finished the course she was sett in though a more private and retired one before she was Prohibited as the true sense of that word we Translate Not suffered signifies Heb. 7. 21. To continue any longer therein 2. There is yet a higher and more exalted sense of the Apostle Finishing his course not a more substantial or Fundamental sense For that is indeed the Fundamental All the redeemed of Christ in and by him running their course and so entring into their Masters Joy but there was also in all times a more Publick and high sphere of Action Into which God hath been pleased to raise some of his servants and there hath not been a higher then the Ministry of the Gospel and most particularly the Apostolick and to this undoubtedly the Apostle had regard when he here saith I have Finished my course For herein the Apostle had a Line given to him and a measure the measure of the Line which he would not stretch himself nor into other Mens Labours but according the Rule or Line prescribed him by God 2 Cor. 10. 13 c. And this was so abundant that he Laboured more abundanily then any other 1 Cor. 15. 10. He was the Apostle of the Gentiles Ministring the Gospel of God so to them that the offering up of the Gentiles might be a Sacrifice Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ being sanctified by the Holy Spirit which was indeed a high sphere of Christian Gospel-Activity and whereof he saith He might Glory And the Line was so every way enlarged that he Preached the Gospel round about from Jerusalem to Illyricum Rom. 15. 16 c. He did fully or Fulfil to
Israel over Jordan but to come up to Mount Nebo and to Dye Deut. 33. God plainly sent to Hezekiah to set His House in Order and to Dye against which Prohibition that it might be under as it were an Arrest of Judgment He so earnestly Prayed It is therefore to be duly considered That for the Display of the Judgment and Indignation of God against sin and because of the present State of the Saints under a Remaining Body of Sin and so of Death and in the present State of this World full of Sin and Evil and of so many of the Children of Adam Children of Death even of the Second Death In the Wisdom and Holiness of God It was by the Counsel of the Father and the Son that Death should continue and have the Face of a Judgment and of a Legal Prohibition to continue in the Service of God any longer on Earth Till the Kingdom of Christ the Kingdom of Redemption should bring in a State of the Living Saints then Remaining being chang'd and not to Dye 2. Jesus Christ our Lord Because the Children were Partakers of Flesh and Blood He took part of the same that through Death He might subdue Him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil and Deliver them who all their Life were subject to Bondage by reason of the Fear of Death and now therefore Death came upon Him with the Violence and Terror of a Judgment from which He was taken and from Prison Esa 53. 8. By the Mighty Power of his Resurrection It becomes all His to submit then to the Face of a Judgment in Dying that they may be conform'd to their Captain and from the First Born Heb. 2. 14. Obj. It may be Objected against this necessity of Dying How were those two Enoch and Elias exempted from that sentence of the Righteous and Holy Law that is stretched out so upon all seeing sin had extended it self on them as well as on others Answ The Death of Jesus Christ stood as a Full Ransom and Price of Redemption from the very first promise so that it is not indeed a Point of Justice or of the Truth of God That Believers in Jesus Christ are served as I may so speak with a Prohibition by Death but a Wise and Holy Dispensation of Government with Relation to the Servants of God in the present World where therefore in that wise Government God thinks fit there might be such an exemption from the General Statute of Dying or Prohibition by Death as of Enoch and Elijah and many more Examples of such Exemptions there might have been if He had seen Good having received such full satisfaction to his Law and to his Justice and He hath it in reserve an Universal Exemption at the Kingdom of Christ the Kingdom of Redemption when the Apostle says We shall not all dye but we shall all be changed and he prefaces before it Behold I shew you a mystery And I am much perswaded and even assured These two were Types of the Living Remaining caught up to meet the Lord in the Air 1 Cor. 15. He delivers up the Kingdom to God even the Father and hath put down all Rule Authority and the last Enemy and cast it into the Lake Rev. 20. ult When the Gentle Hand of Power shall Transpose the Saints as the Great Prophet Enoch of the Lord coming with Ten Thousand of his Saints and the Living Remaining changed and the Flames of Fire upon All Enemies shall convey them as in Elijahs Chariot to Heaven 3. The Judiciary part of Death is absolutely removed For the Sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 12. So that Death is to Saints a sleeping in Jesus a Resting from Labours an entring into Rest a becoming present with the Lord A being with Christ a being in Paradise a being clothed upon with our House from Heaven And to shew It was not a Deadly stroke Before the Pronunciation of that Universal Prohibition of continuing here Dust thou Art and to Dust thou shalt Return Death was more gently express'd and with assurance of Victory The Womans Seed shall break the Serpents Head but the Serpent shall only Bruise the Heel of the Womans Seed Applic. I will now by way of Applicatory Review close the whole How fit this Context of the Apostle is to a Discourse with Relation to the Death of one or more of the Servants of God appears by the Apostles Preface to it I am even now as it were already as in Conformity to my Great Lord Offered and Sacrificed as a Martyr and the Time of my Dissolution is at Hand and so He goes on I have Fought c. As if He Preached his own Funeral Sermon while Living and a Great one it is but it hath its Principal sense in Christ and in God as appears in the following Part of the Chapter v. 17. wherein we have this Great acknowledgment that in his Fighting the Good Fight and Finishing his Course the Lord stood with Him strengthened Him that by Him the Preaching might be Fully known and the Gentiles hear and the Lord Delivered Him out of the Mouth of the Lyon the Lord would deliver Him from every Evil Work and preserve Him unto His Heavenly Kingdom and to Him he ascribes the Glory of All for Ever And He Includes all Saints Even all who Love the appearing of Jesus Christ this High Elogium or Speech of Praise else I must acknowledge I have no Opinion of the Large Encomiums or Praisings used in Funeral Sermons observing the Grand Exemplar of them Gods Gracious Remembrance of Moses John 1. Moses my Servant is Dead and no more and yet that Fixed so Dashing a Character of Honour upon Him that He is remembred by it to the Last Rev. 15. They Sang the Song of Moses the Servant of God and of the Lamb But this of the Apostle Joyned with that of Heb. 7. 23. Gives me such a History of the Life and Death of Saints That I cannot but Recommend it to all the Servants of Christ as the most excellent Rule of Life and as the Ground of the most Consolatory Hope in Death and that the very Discourse of it may be upon the Deceased Christian Friend a Memorial of Honour And so I most Humbly Recommend it to the Relations of all the Friends of the so many lately Removed Servants of God and of this Particular one the occasion of whose Death it is Published through Him who though the Eternal Liver as the Son of God without Beginning or End of Days yet in our Nature Became Dead for our sakes but behold He is Alive for Evermore Even so have all his Servants Reason to say Even so Amen And He hath the. Keys of Hell and Death Let Him Lay His Hand on his Servants of God in this Discourse and Bless it to Them and to his Servants of all States and Conditions saying unto them Fear not And to Him be Glory for Ever FINIS
are pure in their own eyes and yet Pro. 30. 12. were not wash'd from their filthyness Many think and flatter themselves that they are Rich and full and have need of nothing and know not that they are Poor Rev. 3. 15 16. and Blind Naked Wretched and Miserable Thus many deceive themselves and put a dreadful cheat upon their precious Souls But 3dly you have the predicate or thing spoken of by Christ to this People in these words For Judgmemt I am come into this World that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made Blind a startling and a wakening Word Before I lay down the Proposition I must a little open the word Judgment in the Text which will give great Light into it Judgment is taken many ways in the Holy Scripture 1st It is sometimes taken for the Just Statutes and Holy Commandements of God Ps 19. 9. the Judgments of the Lord says Ps 19. 9. David are Pure and Righteous altogether 2dly For punishments Inflicted upon Christ by God for our sins which we must have suffer'd in Hell had not he born them for us on Earth Acts. 8 and 33. In his Humiliation his Judgment was taken away and who can declare his Generation By humiliation here is meant the Grave and the bands of Death which Christ suffer'd and lay under for our Sins and by Judgment is meant the Hand says one and Counsels of God justly afflicting and punishing his Son our Surety for our Sins and sakes but this is not meant in our Text. 3dly It is taken sometimes for the moderation or measure which God keeps in Chastizing of his People O Lord Correct me says the Prophet but with Judgment let it be with measure and moderation not in thine Jer. 10. 24. Anger lest thou bring me to nothing God hath not ty'd himself not to Afflict his people he will debate with them but it shall be in measure he keeps time and measure with his in afflicting of them so that they cannot enter into Judgment with God But 4th for the Wrath and Vengeance of God which he Mat. 8. 28. will Execute upon Wicked Men at the last day the Lord says the Apostle will Come Jude 5. 15. with Ten thousand of his Saints to do what To Execute Judgment upon all that are Ungodly c. The day of Judgment will be a passing of an Irrevocable Sentence and Condemnation upon all that shall then be found Enemies to Christ and his Pure Gospel But lastly It is also sometimes taken for the Spirit of Wisdom and Justice to know and discern what is Right what is wrong what is Good and what is Evil. Give the King says the Pfalmist thy Judgments and thy Righteousness Psal 72. 1 2. to the King's Son but neither of these senses are meant in the Text. Quest What is then meant by Judgment Answ 1st Some by Judgment here understand the Eternal Counsel and Decree of God as if Christ had said I am come into this World to Execute the Righteous Will and Counsels of my Father and the Event of it is this viz. that some who saw not see and some who see in a sense are made blind This I conceive is not primarily meant here 't is true Christ came into the World to do the Will of his Father and John 6. 38. 39. to Execute his Eternal Purposes of Grace in the Salvation of Sinners by his Death but yet I cannot think that this is meant primarily by Judgement here tho' some great Men would have it so But Secondly Others by Judgement here understand the Sentence of Condemnation as if Christ had said I am come to execute the Judgement of Condemnation but this is not meant by it for if you take it in this Sense you 'll find it hardly reconcileable with what is said John 3. 18. God sent not his John 10. 10. Son to condemn the World but that the World thro' him might have life Christ's first coming was not as a Judge but as a Saviour he came not in the days of his Flesh to condemn Sinners but by his Death and bloody Luke 19. 10. Agony to save them from Hell and Wrath I had rather Fall in and acquiesce with those Divines that by Judgment here understand the spiritual Government of the World by Christ committed to him as Mediator by Christ committed to him as Mediator by God his Father and managed by him with perfect Equity and Righteousness Thus Judgement is sometimes taken in Scripture The Father says Christ judgeth no man that is but by his Son for he has commited all John 5. 22. 16. 11. Judgements to him thus it is understood in my Text God governs and judges the World now by his Son Christ that all men may honour him as they honour the Father and great part of this Government of the World by Christ was his promulging and publishing his everlasting Gospel which is called the word of Life the Power of God Phil. 2. 15. Rom. 1. 16. to the saving of them that believe and the Law of Faith The Effect of this is twofold 1st That they which see not might see i. e. that those poor Souls who are spiritually blind and so utterly unable to see and find the way that leads to Life might thro' the Spirit as this Man born blind saw clearly be enlightned into the saving Knowledge of Christ and of the divine Truths of the Gospel The second Effect is and a dreadful one too that they which See might be made Blind that is that those who think they see and boast of their Knowledge as these did might through their prejudice to the Gospel Infidelity be more Blind than they were from their Birth There are two things signifi'd in making persons blind first to keep men from seeing and knowing the Truth when the Light of it is set before them this is a dreadful judgment and how many are there in this miserable case they have the Light of the Word shining in the midst of them and yet they discern it not The Bible is a sealed Book to many they know nothing savingly and feelingly of the truths and mysteries of the Gospel Their eyes are blinded Psal 69. 23. that tho' the Light shine they cannot behold it is not the case of such Souls dreadful to whom the Gospel is hid yes says Paul if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost But 2dly To make blind is to increase Ignorance for the great Abuse of former Knowledge and Light this happened to them spoken of by Paul 2 Thes 2. 11 12. For this Cause God shall send them 2 Cor. 4. 4. strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie that they all might be damned who believe not the Truth but have pleasure in Vnrighteousness This is a dreadful Judgement but what is the Cause of it Verse 10th tells you Because they
Love of the Truth as it in Jesus is the ready way to be judicially hardened and blinded and to be given up by the holy God to believe Lies that we may be damn'd 2 Thes 2. 10 11. If you read the Scriptures in the margent you will plainly see that Gods judicial Mat. 13. 14 Mark 4. 12 Acts 28. 26 27. giving over this People to blindness c. was consequent to their sinful stopping of their Ears shutting of their Eyes and sinning against the light of the Word of their own Consciences received from it It is dreadful sinning against the Light of Conscience which is Gods spy and Mans Overseer and the Light of the holy Word for this cause many are blinded and judicially hardened by God the Judge of all God hath given them says St. Paul the Spirit of slumber Eyes that they should not see and Rom. 11. 8. 9. Ears that they should not hear unto this day Quest But who are they that thus sin against Light The Light of the Word and of Conscience which so highly provoke God to anger against them Answer First They are such as sin after the many Warnings and Admonitions given them by God in his holy Word God's Trumpet viz. his Word is blown in Sinners ears dayly which calls them to retreat and break off from sin God saith My Son if Sinners intice you if they would Prov. 1. 10 11. have partake with them in their Sins consent thou not give no way to them nor to their Temptations they that sin with others must look to suffer with others in their plagues without true Repentance They that like Simeon and Lovi Brethren in Iniquity shall also be Brethren in Misery Therefore says God enter not into the Path of the wicked go not in the way of evil Prov. 4. 14. 15. 16 17. Men Avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away for they sleep not except they have done Mischief and they eat the Bread of Wickedness c. Oh! how cautelous is this Caution to have a Care of sin and of being led away by the Wicked into the evil Ways of it Forsake says God the way of the 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. Foolish and walk in the way of Vnderstanding and come out from amongst them and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and be your God and you shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord. Sinners You cannot plead Ignorance as an Excuse for your sins who live under the Gospel You have heard the Word of God preached often by a many of Gods Servants which call you to break off Sin by Repentance to plow up the fallow Ground of your Hearts and not sow among Thorns lest the Fury of the Jer. 4. 3 4. Lord come forth like Fire and none can quench it because of the evil of your Doings The Word calls you to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lust and to live sâ—berly righteously and Tit. 2. 11. 12. godly in this present World You have you Wretches been told often of Sin and warned against it and yet you will venter upon it You have been told of your Pride and Malice and Swearing calling God to damn your Souls and of your Drunkenness and Sabboth-Breaking and yet you live in these Tim. 3. 13. 1 Tim. 6. â— 12. Sins This is indeed to sin against Light Oh! have a Care you provoke not God to give you up to blindness of Mind to deceive and to be deceived Flee these things and follow after Righteousness and Godliness Faith Patience Love and Meekness But 2 dly Such sins against Light c. as Live in the total neglect of those Holy duties which God calls for and that they know well they should be found in the practice of You have been told often that Gal. 4. 2. 1 Thes 5. 19 20. you ought to Pray to continue in Prayer and to Pray alwayes that is always to have your hearts in a praying frame for God and yet you Live in the neglect of it there are many prayerless persons who mind not this Work which is their priviledge as well as duty You have been told also that it is your duty to hear God's Word often and to live the Sermons in your Lives which you hear with your Ears out of the Pulpit and to read the Scriptures much which are able to make you Wise unto Salvation But Oh! how is this Work neglected by many if they do hear and read now and then they mind it not but cast the Word of God behind them What wretches are these not to mind what the Great King of Heaven and Earth says to them I have called says God but they have Prov. â— 25 29. refused and have set at nought all my Counsels and would not be reprov'd by me they hate knowledge and have not chose the Lord this is matter of Lamentation and it shall be for a Lamentation that the great God should call after sorry sinful man and he refuse to hear and regard Is not this provoking what will God do to such Will he let them go unpunished No he 'll lay his Ireful Rod upon them and Laugh when their Calamity comes Many are convinc'd that it is their Ver. 27. 28. duty to pray in their Families and yet can go Days Weeks and Months without it and God never hear of them I fear many professors are guilty in this point let me tell you in the Name and Fear of the dreadful God that these are dreadful sins and a ready way to bring Gods Curse down upon you Pour out says the Prophet thy Fury upon Jer. 10. ult the Heathen and the Families which call not upon thy Name Here Heathens and prayerless Families and Persons are reckoned together as being nothing better than they Think often upon that word of the Apostle He that knoweth to do good and doth it not to Jam. 4. 18. him it is a sin But 3 dly Such persons sin greatly against Light that Live in the practise of those sins which they condemn in others it is the trick of Hypocrites and wicked Men to condemn that in others which they allow and practise themselves But what saith Paul to such kind of men Art thou inexcuseable Rom. â— 1 2 3. O man whosoever thou art that Judgest For wherein thou Judgest another thou Condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things But we are sure says he that the Judgment of God is according to Truth against such as commit such things thinkest thou this O man That judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the Judgment of God Seneca wrote against Superstitions and the Superstitious and yet worship'd Images himself Many condemn that as sinful in others which they allow in themselves is not this to sin against Light Let such persons have a care they be not left of God
to blindness of Mind and hardness of Heart One he Condemns for Covetousness and yet he is Covetous another for Pride and yet he is Proud such were these in my Text they said men must not commit Adultery and yet Rom. 2. 19. 20 to 24. they committed Adultery they pretended to abhor Idols and yet committed Sacriledge They taught that a man must not Steal and yet they Stole so while they boasted of the Law they became Transgressors of it and Dishonour'd God But 4 thly They sin against Light that sin against the express Threatnings of God in his Word against sin Hath not God said that to be sure your sins shall find you out i. e. the punishments due to you for them Has not the Lord said expresly that the Wicked Psal 9. 17. shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God and yet you go on as if God were but in jest and did not mean as he spake God hath thunder'd out his Judgments against Sin and Sinners he hath said that he will wound the Head of his Enemies and Psal 68. 21. the hairy Scalp of him that remaineth still in his sins And yet you go on and hold your sins fast tho' God sets the point of the Sword at your Breast yet you will go on in your sins and Rebellion against him Is not this think you to sin against Light doth not this argue that the pleasures of sin doth more delight and please you than the Threatnings of God afright you Are not many sinners like the Leviathan Job 41. 29. that Laughs at the shaking of the spear many Laugh when they hear of Hell but they will not when they come there there be many so bold that they deride Gods threatnings they say as them who draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity Let him Isaiah 5. 19 20. make speed and hasten his work that we may see it c. As if they had said we have heard that God will do much against sinners and that his Judgments will Light upon them Why do not he do it We would fain see it Let the Counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come that we may know it What wretches are these thus to deride Gods threatnings Let such vile ones remember this that for men to see Gods Flaming Sword as it were drawn against sin and sinners and yet strengthen themselves in sin is to sin against Light and Knowledg and the way highly to provoke God But Lastly such sin indeed against Light as sin after many Promises and Vows made against it How many have promised God fairly to amend and leave sin and yet they go on in it What says Solomon to such When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it For he hath no pleasure in fools pay that Eccl. 5. 4 5 6. which thou hast vow'd Better is it that thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay Suffer not thy Mouth to cause thy Flesh to sin c. Many put God off with a many good morrows and fair promises to Repent and amend their-ways but mind not to perform'em A Vow is a religious promise What a Vow is made to God to dedicate our selves to him and to be for him and for no other but him Now how greatly do they sin that have not only purposed but promised to leave sin and yet they Live in it Every man that vows makes himself a debtor he binds himself to God in a solemn manner Now for a man to sin after a vow to vow himself to God and yet give himself to Sin and the Devil is to sin against Light with a witness Let men have a care what they do in this point and especially professors who have the vows of God upon them It is dangerous to Leave God when we have vow'd our selves to him Thus much for the first general 2dly I shall now lay down a few propositions for the better clearing of the Doctrine and they are these six following viz. First Prop. That God sometimes punisheth sin with sin for sin he gives men up often to be led Capuve by their base Lusts God gave them up says Paul to uncleanness Rom. 1. 24 26. thro' the Lust that were in their Hearts When men harden their hearts willfully God often hardens them judicially Pharaoh would not let Exod. 7. 3 4. the People go Well says God with he not let my Son go to serve me I will Harden his Heart that he shall not let them go c. They that will not Repent when God would have them but harden their Hearts and say they will do so again shall not have a Heart nor Grace to Repent to purpose when for Fear of Judgements they with Esau seek a place for Repentance It is a dreadful Judgment for God to Punish sin with sin But 2dly Spiritual Judgments of all on this Prop. 2. side Hell are the worst a Judicial Blindness of Mind and Hardness of Heart of all Rev. 22. 17 Hos 4. 19. Plagues are the worst For God to say Let him that is Filthy be Filthy still and he that is Unjust be Unjust still is very dreadful Spirit strive not with him any more he is joyn'd to Idols let him alone What can be more dreadful on this side Hell than for God to say Ez. 24. 13. to Sinners because when I have Purged thee thou wast not Purged thou shalt not be Purged from thy Filthiness till I cause my Fury to rest upon thee Spiritual Judgments and Plagues are the worst and that for these three Reasons First Reason is in respect the Subject upon whom they Fall and that is the Soul which Mat. 16. 26. is a rare and precious Jewel The Soul of Man is worth more than all the World for the World cannot with all its Riches save nor redeem it The Soul is a spiritual substance in Man Created by God the Father of Spirits which can exist when separated from the Body Now by how much the Soul What the Soul is Ecc. 12. 7. is better than the Body by so much must it be worse for the Soul to be afflicted as mercies to the Soul are the greatest so judgments upon it must be the greatest But 2dly Because these plagues are the greatest Evidences of Eternal Wrath What surer mark for Hell can there be than this for a Person judicially to be left of God here John 3. 36. and given up to Blindness of Mind to believe Lies is a sure mark of eternal ruine and destruction 3dly Spiritual judgments are the worst because they hinder and with-hold from us the best good which is God and Christ Now that which restrains and keeps from us the best and chief good without which our Souls cannot be happy must needs be the worst kinds of restraints and judgments What plagues are like those of Hardness of Heart a Spirit
of slumber taking away the gifts of the Mind and giving men over to the power of Satan and to the love of Sin with-holding that good by the Gospel which our Souls need and others in mercy enjoy But 3dly The sins of a Person and People may provoke God to curse their very Blessings Prop. 3. and cause those things which are Mercies in themselves to prove Judgments to them As for instance Rain is a great mercy to have the former and the latter Rain in Jer. 5. 24. its Season is no small Blessing Yet how has sin turn'd this into a Judgment to many In every drop of Rain there is an Ocean of Isa 42. 21 26. Wisdom Goodness and Mercy but sin often makes it a Judgement to many Fire is a Mercy Yet how often for sin has it been sent in a way of Judgement it overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and laid them in Mark 9. 43. Ashes for their sins How many dreadful Fires hath sin kindled in this Nation and City And there is one Fire kindled by it that will never go out and that is the Fire of Hell c. To have the Gospel is a great Mercy but how shall we escape if we refuse to hear Christ that speaketh in it and neglect Heb. 2. 3 12 25. so great a Salvation Sin provokes God to curse our blessings and turn them into Judgements If ye will not hear and if ye Mal. 2. 2 3. will not lay it to heart to give Glory unto my Name saith the Lord of Host I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your Blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to Heart Here is the Cause of the Curse and it is a Cause so just as they upon whom it falls have no Reason to complain of Gods too severe proceeding against them God beloved is the Author and Inflicter of all Judgements he sends his Curse for sin but especially for Amos 6 3. Corruptions in Religion and Contempt of his holy Word When God's Word and Gospel is heard and preached it must be Prov. 13. 13. Jam. 1. 22 23. Ps 119. 9. Luke 2. 19 Heb. 6. 8. attended upon and obeyed For without this Hearing is counted no hearing we had as good not hear as not lay the Word to our hearts and practice it in our lives God's word must be hid in our Hearts and Christs sayings must be pondered there or else we hear not to purpose Careless and fruitless Hearers are nigh unto Cursing whose end Paul tells us is at last dying so to be burned But Fouthly From one and the same Cause may arise divers and contrary Effects that Prop. 4. which softens one may harden another that which enlightens one may be a means to blind another Christ that is a Stone of Foundation to a believer is a Stone of stumbling to the Unbeliever The Gospel of Peace Mat. 3. 12. 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. and glad Tidings to a wicked Man is a fire a sword and a fan but to the godly it is a savour of Life and a means to bring ' em to God thro' Christ and to Salvation As the Sun melteth the wax and hardneth the clay so the Gospel accidentally by the corruption that is in wicked men and by the fearful Judgements of God hardens and blinds them while others are softned and made anew by it The Gospel to some is the Power of God but to others a Stone of stumbling and very foolishness The Gospel 1 Cor. â— 23 24. that is a blessing to some thro' sin and unbelief proves a Judgement to many Oh! Let Persons have a care that they do not rest in the having barely the means of Salvation as the preaching of the Word c. It is a Mercy indeed to enjoy the Gospel but it is not to be rested in by any for thro' their Corruption and Sin it may be a greater means of Damnation Bless God for the means of Grace be thankful to him for his holy Word but be sure you be not satisfied without the Grace of means lest Rom. â— 16. you be blinded c. Say when you go to hear the Word preached Lord let it be thy power to the saving of my poor Soul But Fifthly The Judgements which fall upon Prop. 5. particular wicked men for their Sins and Unbelief are to be accounted the Punishments of the whole Body of Unbelievers This Judgement of Blindness in our Text which hapned to many of the Jews and Pharisees for their rejecting Christ and his Gospel is the Punishment of all Persons that shall be found such Offenders And that for four Reasons Because all the Judgements that sell upon Reas 1 them for their rejecting Christ and stumbling at him all wicked men have and do deserve Are not they worthy of the same Strokes and of the same Judgements that slight the same Christ and trample upon the same Blood and Gospel which they did What saith Paul to this If they says he that despised Moses's Law dyed without Mercy c. Of how much forer Punishments shall they be thought worthy who have Heb. 10. 28. trodden under Foot the Son of God and have counted the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing c. Surely such Wretches cannot think at last to escape the deserved Judgements of God who undervalue Christ and trample upon his Blood and Merits Vengeance Ver. 30. is mine says God and I will repay it I will ease me of mine Adversaries and be avenged on all them that despise my Son and cast my Word behind them Oh! Let Sinners hear and tremble and lay this Ver. 31. Psal 2. 12. to heart that'tis a fearful thing to fall into the bands of an angry God For while his Wrath is kindled but a little blessed are they that trust in him But secondly Because when God threatens some he Reas 2 threatens all that are such gross Offenders As the Promises run general to all that repent and believe in Christ so the threatnings run to all that are and shall be found at last Rejecters of Christ and his Word Were the Jews and Pharisees blinded who stumbled at Christ and his precious Word Were they offended because of him and so were cut off and punished for their Unbelief So shall all as are offended at Christ and his Word and shall at last be found Unbelievers for as he that believeth shall be saved and not at last confounded so he Mar. 16. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. that believeth not shall be damned Christ the Judge of all will come at last in staming Fire that is in a terrible Manner to take Vengeance on them that know not God and obey not his Gospel who shall be punished with 2 Thes 1. 7 9. everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord c. Let all Persons have a Care Young and Old Rich and Poor they
be not found at last Rejecters of Christ and his Gospel For remember that the Judgements inflicted others God means to you Who so despiseth the Word let him Prov. 13. 13. be who he will and as great as he will shall be destroyed it is not said they may but they shall be destroyed 3dly Because no ungodly Men in the Reas 3 World can be sure for the time to come that they shall not fall upon him What Assurance have you O Sinners who live in sin and despise the Word that you who think you see and boast of your Knowledge shall not be blinded and turned into Hell as Psalm 9. 17. Mat. 24. 48. to the end others for their Disobedience and Unbelief are Doth not the word of the holy God say that all the wicked shall be turned into Hell and are you sure this shall not be your Portion Were these wretches in my Text blinded for their Unbelief and despising dear Jesus and his precious word And are you sure Sinners that this Judgment will not fall upon you if you thus continue to sin and reject the Grace of the Gospel Have many for their sins as a just Judgement from God been blinded and damned by the Word which have been a means thro' Grace to save others Oh! Coâ—â—â—er this you that forget God lest he tear Psal 50. 21 22 Prov. 29. 1 2. you in Pieces and there be none to deliver you Remember what the word saith that he who is often reproved and yet hardens his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy But 4dly It is thus because the Judgements Reas 4 in this Life are typical to wicked men Of what if they die in Unbelief and Rebellion against Christ and his word shall be their Portion in the next Despair to a wicked man is a typical Hell for Hell is a Place of eternal despair and so all other Punishments and Judgements here are but little Hells Let Sinners tremble at this who are Rejecters of Christ and take unjustly Offence at his word Oh! You wretches consider Mat. 13. 21. this that any fearful Judgements that fall upon others for their sins may fall up on you and that God is as well displeased with your sins as with those that he has plagued and sent to Hell this our blessed Lord Jesus tells you is a truth Think ye says Christ That they upon whom the Luke 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Tower of Siloam fell and slew them that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem Were there none in that City to be parallelled with them for their sins I tell you except ye repent you shall all likewise perish It is no matter what Sinners they were if you do not repent and leave your sins you shall all perish as well as they But so much for the fifth Proposition 6thly God by Christ is just and righteous Prop. 6. in this dispensation of his in causing some to see and others by the same means to be hardened and made blind None shall have ought to say against him at the Last day but all then shall be made to say Righteous art Jer. 12. 1. thou O Lord. Christ will have enough to lay to the Charge of wicked Men for their rejecting of Him and the tenders of his Grace to them in and by his Word But their Mouths shall then be all stopp'd muzzled for none shall enter into Judgment with God nor have Mat. 22. 12. any thing to say for themselves nor against God Some now say that God will not turn them that he has reprobated them to Hell and if they pine away in their Sins how con they help it Thus many quarrel with God here but no such complaints shall Ez. 33. 10 11. be heard against God at the Last day for then all sinners shall see that their Damnation is Just and so shall clear God and forever Condemn themselves One will say when in Hell God is Just in sending of me hither for by my sins I have deserved to come to this place of Torments Another will say my Pride hath brought me hither another my Swearing and Prodigality a third my Unbelief and rejecting of Christ and his Word has sunk me into this abyss of misery Oh! What complaints will sinners make against themselves How will they reiterate again and again those good Sermons and wholesome Instructions they have heard and misimprov'd here on earth each one will say How have I hated Instruction and my Heart despised reproof and have not Obey'd the ways of Prov. 4. 11 12 13 14. my Teachers nor Inclined my Ear to them that Instructed me The Lord will every one then say is Just and Righteous in sending me here to this place of endless and easless Misery For by my sins I have deserved it a Thousand times over Thus much for the Propositions I shall now 3dly shew you how this stands with the Holyness and Kindness of God to 3d. Head 2 Thes 2. 10 u. give Men up to Blindness of Mind and Hardness of Heart to believe Lyes that as the Apostle says they may be damned This I must confess sounds harsh at the first and seems to be Inconsistent with that goodness and kindness that God hath expressed in his Word to sinner But I hope anon you will see clearly that in these tremendous dispensations God is both Good and Just Before I speak directly to this case I shall premise two things that will give you great Light in this matter First that God in all his dispensations of Grace and Providence acts in a way of Soveraignty Prem 1. like himself as not being bound to his Creatures He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardneth Why doth God write some Names in Rom. 9. 18. the Book of Life and leave out others Why doth he save some and Condemn others at last Why are some Enlightned and others Blinded by the same Word Why doth not God Accompany it with the Efficacy of his Spirit in some as well as in others What beloved will you resolve these things into but the Soveraign Will and Pleasure of God Who giveth no Account of his matters Job 33. 13. unto any Why are some Rich and others Poor some Noble and others Ignoble some Strong and Healthy and others Sickly and Weakly c. Why it is the Will and Pleasures of God it should be so God giveth Grace when and to whom he pleases as well as other things Why doth not God mould the Heart to a Gospel frame when he fills the Ear with a Gospel sound Why are not all Converted by the Word as well as some Why doth God strike off the Chains from some and tear off the Veil from the Heart while he leaves others in Slavery and Egyptian darkness Why do some ly under the bands of Death while others are raised to spiritual
16. Rom. 2. 16 17. Mie 2. 12. Word Have you sound it to be a saviour of Life unto Life and the power of God to the saving of your Souls Doth not my word saith God do good to the upright O examine what good you have found by the Gospel You have been hearers of it many Years what Have you received no Soul-benefit by it Let me ask you two or three questions and do you ask them seriously your own Souls Have you been savingly enlightned by the Quest 1 Spirit in the Word Can you say with the blind man upon good grounds I was born blind but now I see Are your Eyes beloved opened and Illuminated to see the evil of sin and the good that is in Jesus Christ Every Eph. i. 18. 19. one that is brought to Christ Interested in him are Spiritually Illuminated their understandings which were darkned are enlightned by the Spirit Is it thus with you Have the Spirit by the Word set up a divine Light in your Souls Is the Veil taken from off your Eyes Are you that were darkness 2 Cor. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 8. Acts 26. 18 1 Cor 4. 5 6. in the abstract made Light in the Lord Are you turned from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God In a Word Hath God commanded the Light to shine into your Souls and shewn you his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ God saith Paul that commandeth the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the Light of the Knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Christ Is it thus with you Have you found God dealing thus with your Souls Are your hard and frozen Hearts softned Quest 2 by the Word Have any of you in good earnest been made to cry out with them 3000 that were pricked at the Heart under Peters Sermon Men and Brethren what shall we do That beloved which neither can be bruised nor broken with any strokes nor softned with any Moisture is hard indeed By this you may know your Hearts Will no means and monitions of the Word break your Hearts Will no exhortations entreaties nor promises in it melt you Surely thy heart O sinner Must be hardned indeed that nothing will move nor melt it Oh! have the Word or rather the Spirit by the Word broken and melted any of your Hearts Have you found it a hammer and a fire A hammer to break your rocky Hearts Jer. 23. 29. and a fire to burn up your Lusts and melt down your hearts into Godly Sorrow Can you mourn for sin as sin And are you grieved that you can love Christ no better nor bring forth no more Fruit for his Glory are you concerned for his absence And do you greatly rejoyce in his presence If it be thus 't is a good sign your hearts are softned Are you transformed by the Gospel into the Image of Christ Is the Old man put off Quest 3 Eph. 4. 22 23. with is deeds and the New man put on Can you truly say with Paul from good experience we all with open face beholding as in 2 Cor 3. 18. a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Even by the Spirit of our God have you had transforming sights of Christ in the pure Glass of the Gospel Are you become new Creatures Can you remember it was not with you once as it is now Is sin Loth some and Christ Lovely to you Then you have received good by the Word and it is not a Judgment but a Mercy to you 3d. Use is by way of exhortation Oh! Use 3 Let me exhort you all in the Name and Fear of the dreadful God to these few following things and I shall soon have done First be exhorted and perswaded to abstain from all sin but especially from sins against Light and Knowledg A good Man thro' the violence of temptation or Infirmity may sin against knowledge as David and Peter did But have a care as one says of cold blood and continuing in known sins Remember that knowledg taketh away all excuse of sin If I had not come says Christ to the Jews and spoken to them they had not had John 12. 22. sin but now they have no Cloak or Excuse for their sin Ignorance if not affected may excuse a tanto but not a toto but Knowledg will not excuse any Dost thou know that drunkenness O Man is a sin And that Lying Whoredom and Sabboth-breaking are abominable sins and yet Live in them Alas what hope canst thou have A willing practise of known sins and true repentance cannot stand together Nay remember it 't is the ready way to a reprobate Mind and to Eternal Ruine Tho' while in this mortal State you cannot but sin yet beware of two things First of being willingly Ignorant of that which God gives you the means to know This O sinner Is the mark of a Reprobate Wretch Peter tells us of some that are willingly Ignorant of this that by the Word of the Lord the Heavens were of Old There 2 Pet. 3. 5 6. be many that do not know Christ savingly and this is their misery they do not desire to know him They say unto God depart from Job 21. 4. us we desire not the Knowledg of thy ways Oh! beware of this for to be Ignorant and not desire to know is a sad sign of a hardned Heart and a blinded Mind But 2dly beware of doing contrary to your knowledg For to him that knoweth to 2. James 4. 18 do good and doth it not to him it is a sin His knowledg aggravates his fault To sin against Light and Knowledg is a crimson sin a sin of a deep dye Every infirmity every thing that falls short of the Rule is sin but much more that which contradicts the Rule This Man's sin is a hainous sin a capital sin 't is a sin with a witness and will be punished with a vengance If he that sins Ignorantly will be damned surely then he that doth not what he knows but contrary shall be double Luk. 12. 47. damned He that knoweth his Master's Will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes But 2dly be exhorted to comply and fall in with the motions of the Blessed Spirit in the Word Do not the Spirit at no time move upon your Hearts and cause some convictions in your Consciences c. Oh! see that when the Spirit move you do not resist For his Spirit God hath said shall Gen. 3. 6. not always strive with Man Oh! quench not the Spirit turn not a deaf Ear to his Calls do not drown his convictions as some in a Cup of Ale or in merry Company But I must not inlarge Therefore in the Third and last Place Be exhorted and perswaded dayly to fear and dread being hardned by the Gospel a hardned Heart is a most
with the First Character I would consider the Apostles Expression of himself I have Fought I have Finished I have Kept Now it is certain the Apostle who acknowledges himself chief of Snners and least of Saints would not speak of himself as in or of or by himself but is to be interpreted by 1 Cor. 15. 10. c. By the Grace of God I am what I am and not I but the Grace of God that was with me And Gal. 2. 10. I Live yet not I but Christ Liveth in me Altho' therefore at the first view the Apostle may appear as a self-Subsisting a self-Confident Person in that three fold I Yet when we duly weigh what he says in those places Not I It shews when he speaks thus he considers himself as in Christ the Head and Saviour of the Body who represented his in all he Did and Suffered But further He is in all his united to him by Faith He doth all their Works in them and for them and thus in him by the Power they receive from him by being strong in the Grace that is in Jesus Christ They do all They do so that the Apostle when he saith I does not mean himself by I as single solitary divided from Christ but as in him by him as to the Strength Life Principle he acted from He did all in Christ and not only so but as the Power and the Action flowing from it was in Christ So the acceptance the making up the Imperfections the taking away the Guilt the Corruption The setting him free from the Law of Sin and Death In regard of condemnation falling upon Sin dwelling in him In all this he looks wholly to Christ and so his Fighting Finishing his Course keeping the Faith Are to be limited Not I but Christ alone did all in me and was accepted for me This is therefore the not only Encouragement but the very support nay more the subsistnce of Saints in all their holy Action and Motion All is in Christ And this is their consolation in the midst of so many Clouds of Guilt and Imperfection that they have a faithful and merciful high Priest who makes Reconciliation and perfumes their Persons and services with his much Incense And tho' many are ignorant of this great Gospel Doctrin this was the consolation of our Friend in her Dying Hours Now this Explication of the Apostles as it shuts out on one side all the Pharisaie Boasts in our selves all the Self-righteousness and Self-sufficiency of Legalists so it utterly condemns all the Licentious pretensions of Carnalists to live as they please or to be Slothful Negligent Careless Unactive in these great Transactions For though they live all in Christ depend wholly on Him for acceptance yet all His are under the Holy Constraints of Love and the Obligations of Filial Obedience and Christ in them is a Principle of Spiritual Life and Highest Activity So that they can neither be loose or plead Liberty as a Cloak of Wickedness nor be dull and stupid in the ways of Christ And herein our Deceased Friend had learned Christ In all things sensible of Duty but Living as to Justification and Acceptance with God above With those who are the Circumcision Worshipping God in the Spirit rejoicing in Christ Jesus and having no confidence in the Flesh and so she was able though so young a Person to sing the Song of Victory O Death Where is thy Sting Oh Grave Where is thy Victory I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord who hath given me the Victory This made Her earnestly desire a remove out of the Body and to be with Christ Thus I have given the True Evangelical sense of the Apostle placing so much upon himself I have Fought and Finished and Kept 'T is but as if he had said I have I can do all things through Christ strengthneing me and I can look look upon all with Joy and Triumph because all my Impurities and Imperfections are answered for and my Person is washed with the pure Water of his Sacrificing Blood Let us then consider the great sence of the Apostle I have faught a good Fight Wherein he comes forth in the strength of Jehovah Jesus Christ the Lord of Hosts As David the Warrior of the Lord under the Captain of Salvation Resolved and arm'd at all Points and that had with Courage and Fidelity almost now to the very last carried on so far as his Station reach'd the full Conquest and Victory of Jesus Christ he is now triumphing over all Enemies For the Explaining of this warfare in the warrs of the Lord as they are stil'd Numb 21. 14. We are to consider the Great Lord mighty in Battle who arms all his even the Lord Jesus who appoints them who are therefore stiled Good Soldiers of Jesus Christ who hath Redeemed them from being slaves of Justice of Wrath of Satan and they therefore are said to overcome by the Blood of the Lamb. So their very setting out is by his Blood They are Arm'd by him with Courage Spirit and Might within He teaches their hands to War and their Fingers to Fight by him they run through a Troop by him they leape over a Wall it is he that Girdeth them with strength to the Battel that they may help the Lord against the mighty and that all Enemies may be subdued to him and trherefore the Fight is called a good Fight with great Reason 1. The Apostle had to Fight with himself his carnal Reason to Throw down the strong holds of that to bring every thought into Captivity to Christ all those high Thoughts of self-Righteousuess to slight all conferences with Flesh and Blood and to repel them when tempted to such disloyal Treaties to bring under the Law of his Members that warred against the Law of his Mind and would bring him into Captivity to the Law of Sin and Death to bring under subjection that carnal Mind that is enmity to God not subject to the Law of God nither indeed can be that in dwelling Sin All those Willings and Lustings against the Spirit In regard of which the Apostle Expresses himself in the Language of a Combatant in those Games that deals the most subduing and mortifying Strokes and Blows so he upon all Bodily Inclinations and Lusts And this is one great Point of the good Fight the Apostle reviews with so much comfort But it is in Christ and through Christ by whom in whom as Crucified with him the Flesh with its Lusts and Affections are Crucified and not in or by himself 2. The Apostle had to Fight with the World in all both its inticements and blandishments and in regard of its Threats Rages and Persecutions In both regards saith He I am Crucified to the World and the World to me Gal. 6. 14. But it is in Christ and his Cross alone enabled Him 3. He had to Fight with all the Enemies of the Gospel of Christ in resistance to the Grace of Christ in