Labour and Charge the more Resistance the more Glory God's Children are glad that they may not serve God with that which cost them nothing as David professeth 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer a Burnt-offering unto the Lord my God of that which did cost me nothing Certainly Men are not zealous and their Hearts are not set upon the Ways of God when every slight Excuse will serve the turn and every little Profit draws them away and every petty Business doth hinder them and break off Communion with God and every slender Temptation doth interrupt and break off all their Purposes and Resolutions to Duty and Obedience be it Prayer Charity or Acts of Righteousness We must be resolute for Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing 3. To be zealous of good Works imports Diligence and Earnestness to advance Piety to the highest pitch when we are not contented with any low degrees of Obedience but would fain carry out a godly Conversation to the uttermost to do it with all our Heart Is he zealous that is contented with a little Charity with a little Worship only Sloth and Idleness will not stand with Zeal Rom. 12.11 Not slothful in Business fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Thus it will be when we are seething hot in Spirit as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies A large Affection cannot be contented with mean things and low degrees of Holiness nor lay a dead Child in the room of a living one This the Apostle calls being rich in good VVorks 1 Tim. 6.18 One or two Acts will not serve the turn Thus Dorcas is said to be full of good VVorks Acts 9.36 How full It is not an Allusion to the fulness of a Vessel that is full of Water or a Chest full of Clothes but to the fulness of a Tree loaden with Fruit James 3.17 Full of Mercy and good VVorks Those that are planted into this noble Vine Jesus Christ are full of good Works 4. To be zealous of good Works is to be constant to the End The Fire on the Altar never went out but it was always maintained and kept in so we must never let the Fire of Zeal go out Zeal is not like Fire in Straw Alas sudden Fervours are soon spent they are but Freewill-Pangs the Birth of an unrenewed Will but it is like Fire in Wood that casts a lasting Heat Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected always Not at first only for a Fit or Pang that doth not come from Sanctification therefore you should keep up your Fervour Watch against all Decays especially in Age. The Motions of Youth are very vehement for Youth is full of eager Spirits and seems to be all on fire but many times these Motions are not so sincere but the Actions of Age are more solid tho many times they want Vigour and Heat Therefore strive to keep up your Zeal Gal. 5.7 Ye did run well who did hinder you Carnal Men when their first Heats are spent give over they grow cold careless and indifferent in Matters of Religion But shall all these Heats and Desires of Reformation be in vain and shall we give over at length In worldly things we will not give over when we have been at great cost but shall all that is past in Religion be in vain Gal. 3.4 Have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain His meaning is It is not like to be in vain it will but tend to your greater Condemnation An Adulteress is punished more than an Harlot It is more Dishonour and Ingratitude to God to tire at length III. The Respect and Place of Zeal in good Works it is a Note of God's People and a Fruit of Christ's Death 1. It is a Note of God's People Vnumquodque operatur secundum suam formam There is in the New Creature a Propensity and Inclination to good Works As all Creatures are created with an inclination to their proper Operations such a willing tendency is there in the New Creature to those Actions which are Heavenly As Sparks fly upwards and a Stone moves downward so the New Creature is carried to Obedience and Holiness from a free Principle within The Nature of every thing is the Principle of its Motion Faith will discover it self therefore we read of God's fulfilling the VVork of Faith with Power 2 Thess. 1.11 Hope is called lively from the Effect 1 Pet. 1.3 He hath begotten us to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the Dead Love constraineth 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us Good Works are a Note of the New Creature We are the Workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus unto good VVorks Ephes. 2.10 As an Artificer sets a Mark upon his Workmanship that he might know it so God sets a visible Mark upon his Servants he doth not make a new Creature for old Works Good Works are Christianae Fidei quasi testes Witnesses that you can bring to evidence the Truth and Power of Grace Luther saith Good VVorks are Faith incarnate that is Faith is manifested by them as the Son of God was manifested in the Flesh. They are Witnesses to the World to your selves and unto God that you are his They are Signs and Witnesses to the World This is the Badg by which God would have his peculiar Children known not by Pomp and worldly Splendor not by any outward Excellency Riches Greatness and Estate but by Zeal to good Works There are no barren Trees in Christ's Garden it is not for the Honour of God for our heavenly Father would be glorified in his Servants bringing forth much Fruit John 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit so shall ye be my Disciples God standeth much upon his Honour Now it is for the Honour of God that all which are planted and grafted into Christ should be full of good Works And they are Testimonies to our selves 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Some Copies add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make your Calling and Election sure by good VVorks certainly it may be collected from the Context he bids them ver 5. add to their Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledg c. and so they might come to make their Calling and Election sure Graces are not discerned by their Habits but by their Acts and Exercise Look as in a Tree the Sap and Life is hid but the Fruit and Apples do appear so Zeal of good Works is that which appears and so it manifests and clears up your Condition This is the great Note of Difference between us and the Prophane they are zealous for the Devil's Kingdom Factors for Hell Iohn 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father you will do They are known by their Works they are earnest for Satan zealous for the Devil follow Sin with earnestness and do Evil with both hands
our fixed Scope that his Honour and Glory may be at the end of every Natural and Civil Action Look as in all the Works of Creation Providence and Redemption God made it his Aim to glorify Himself in all so we should make it our fixed Aim and Scope to bring Honour to God in all our Work all other things are nothing to this Vse 1. Examination Art thou godly Hast thou been a diligent Hearer and Reader of the Word a religious Observer of the Lord's Day an earnest Worshipper of God zealous for his Glory against those that prophane his Name corrupt his Doctrine make void his Institutions an Enemy to Idolatry and Superstition a Lover of God's Ordinances It is an evidence of Interest in Grace to live godly Only there is a Form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof which is discovered by a pretence of Worship and a neglect of Honesty as the Pharisees made long Prayers but devoured Widows Houses or else by a disproportionate Zeal against Idolatry but not against Heresy or such Falshoods as yield no Gain It is not Zeal for God's Institutions when you do not hate every false Way 2 Tim. 2.16 But shun profane and vain Bablings for they will increase to more Vngodliness The Apostle speaketh of some that suppose Godliness is Gain 1 Tim. 6.5 that make a Merchandize of their Zeal Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacrilege He speaketh to the Jews that gloried in their Privileges he had said before Dost thou steal dost thou commit Adultery But here Dost thou commit Sacrilege That was their Glory that they did not serve Idols but they robbed the true God they would not endure a false God or an Idol to be set up but in the mean time they defrauded the Temple of its Maintenance and Things consecrated But the closest Rebuke is ver 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God They were much in Worship but were not bettered by it they were not changed in Heart You do not feel the Power of it if the Heart be not new fashioned and put into a godly Frame Vse 2. To press you to exercise your self to Godliness 1. It is the Aim of the Gospel The Gospel is called 1 Tim. 6.3 the Doctrine which is according to Godliness invented on purpose to maintain and keep Godliness alive So Titus 1.1 The Truth which is after Godliness which preserveth the true Worship of the true God and right Thoughts of God Here in the Gospel the way to Eternal Life is discovered 2. It is the Aim of Providence All God's Dispensations seem to put us in mind of God and to draw us the nearer to him Afflictions to increase our Reverence and Watchfulness and Mercies to engage our Love and Trust. God complains of Israel that he had inflicted many Judgments on them and yet ye have not turned unto me saith the Lord Amos 4.8 9 10 11. So he complains of their abuse of Mercies Hosea 2.8 She did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oil and multiplied her Silver and Gold which she prepared for Baal The Mercies of God should be Cords and Bands of Love to draw us to God 3. Consider how God hath deserved it We are God's You that have Servants expect they should work for you their Strength and Time is yours Rom. 14.8 For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord 's A Christian is not Master of any thing his Affections his Interests his Time his Care his Strength all is the Lord's 4. Consider God hath given us sufficient Grace to live godly 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his Divine Wisdom hath given unto us all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness We cannot complain as the Israelites did of Pharaoh that he required Brick where he gave no Straw or as the Servant did of his Master that he expected to reap where he never sowed the Divine Power is engaged to help us How much do we walk beneath that Divine Power which he is ready to afford us Do not saâ— I shall never be godly if this be to be godly I am but Flesh and Blood what would you have me do 5. Consider the worth of Godliness it is our chief Duty First we must shew our Respects to the first Table because there are the great Commandments Matth. 22.37 38. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind This is the first and great Commandments De loco modum de ordine statum de confinio meritum cujusque praecepti cognosces says Teâ—tullian It is the first Table and therefore most worthy the Object is greater God is greater than Man by the breach hereof we do more immediately sin against God He that wrongeth his Neighbour sinneth against God 1 Cor. 8.12 But when ye sin against the Brethren and wound their weak Consciences ye sin against Christ but not so immediately Godliness directeth Honesty which is otherwise but a civil Action proceeding from Interest and Self-love This is the great Commandment without it all other Graces are worth nothing 2 Pet. 1.5 6. Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledg and to Knowledg Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness Civility is nothing Temperance is nothing Abstinence from Pleasures is nothing without Godliness Many Vertues are reckoned up as Patience Knowledg Temperance all these things the Lord requires not without Godliness therefore add Godliness God requires nothing but that which draweth the Creature to himself this bringeth us to the Well-head 6. Consider the Profit of Godliness I mention this to counterballance the Discouragements which you would meet with in the Ways of Godliness It will cost you trouble 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer Persecution Mark if they will live godly not civilly only if they are zealous for Christ's Institutions A Gallio will escape well enough but you have Encouragements 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having the Promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come They have an Interest in both but the Promises of this Life are subservient to that which is to come If the Things of this Life hinder our progress to Heaven Grace should be content to be without them There is much Comfort with a little 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness with Contentment is great Gain SERMON XI TITUS II. 12 In this present World HAving shewn you the Substance of the Lesson let me now speak of the Season of it when this is to be performed and that is in this present World Doct. That our Abode in the present World is the only time wherein we are to discharge the Duty of our Heavenly Calling
to live righteously towards all Men giving to all their Due in all Relations Superiours Inferiours and Equals owing nothing to any Man but Love a Debt which we must always pay and always owe That we may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things ver 10. This is that which recommends Religion to the Sons of Men 't is this Well-doing which puts to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men 1 Pet. 2.15 For Men are not much concern'd what we are to God if we be unjust false treacherous unfaithful and over-reaching towards our Neighbour And thirdly that we demean our selves in all the Turnings of our Conversation holily towards God Let our conscientious discharge of First-Table-Duties be the Test of our Uprightness in those of the Second Let our Honesty and Sincerity in those of the Second evidence our Holiness in those of the First 2. Come we now to that pleasing View of the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Where we find a twofold Design of Christ in his Death and Sufferings 1. He had a noble Design for us he dealt with God gave himself for us to him 2. He had a Design upon us too that he might purify us to himself He redeems us from this present World as well as from Wrath to come Gal. 1.4 Redeems us from our selves as well as from Sin and Satan Takes us not only out of the Hands of the Law and Iustice but out of our own That they who live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5.15 Secondly Because Faith is a Grace that has always the labouring Oar a Grace that bears the Heat and Burden of the Day that has the World and the evil One to overcome and that it may be victorious over those must first learn to lay hold on God's own Strength and overcome him too And because this Grace unites us to Christ and then draws Virtue from Christ to maintain that Union and support the spiritual Life and because it ventures far flies high and runs great Risques and has therefore great need of good Security let us again read our Author 's glorious Discourses upon Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong Consolation who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before us A Word from a God that cannot lie is a sufficient Security for Faith to rest upon Upon this single Security we might safely venture the Weight of all our Souls the stress of all our Concerns 'T is upon this alone the Apostle Titus 1.1 2. encourages us to lay the Hope of eternal Life even upon the Promise of him that cannot lie But our gracious God knowing the weakness of our Faith the Fears and Iealousies of guilty Souls has added his Oath to his Word that from such double Security we might have strong Consolation O happy Souls for whose sakes God will vouchsafe to swear O miserable Sinners who will not give credence to a swearing God! a God that swears by Himself because he has no greater thing to swear by Had he sworn by the Heavens and Earth they shall perish and with them the Security had perish'd but he swears by Himself As I live saith the Lord And Faith having got this Ground to place its Engine upon is able to overturn the World What has it not been able to suffer when Divine Truth is its Warrant What has it not been able to do when the same Truth is its Security It has subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness obtained Promises stopped the Mouths of Lions quenched the Violence of Fire escaped the Edg of the Sword grew strong out of Weakness waxed valiant in Fight and turned to flight the Armies of Aliens Heb. 11.33 34. I will add it has routed Legions of Devils triumph'd over Death the Grave and Hell challeng'd the whole World to come in and lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect for it has a God to justify the believing Sinner a Christ that died for the Sinner once and lives for ever at the Right Hand of God to make Intercession for him Rom. 8.33 34. Now then let Faith know its Security The Oath of Man when yet every Man is a Liar puts an end to all Controversies amongst Men Let the Oath of God who can no more lâ—e than he can die put an end to our slavish Fears perplexing Doubts all our suspicious of God and his Word and let the Soul return to its Rest for God has dealt graciously with it But I have forgot my self and wrong'd thee too Christian Reader whilst we wander and lose our selves in these pleasing Anticipations For more abundant Satisfaction in these and many important Truths I refer thee to the following Discourses only have Patience to be advertised of two or three smaller Matters 1. Rest fully assured that though these Pieces are Posthumous Births they are not Spurious but the Legitimate and Genuine Offspring of the same Father with those that were first born They carry the Lineaments the Signature the Image of their Elder Brother and have been compared Line by Line Word by Word with the Author's Manuscripts by an unquestionable Voucher 2. Let it not offend thee that the same Truths and perhaps in the same Words are repeated which frequently happens in the Course of any Man's Ministry when the same Subject has been formerly handled and yet Care has been taken as much as could possibly be to prevent all Nauseousness yet sometimes it could not be done without disjointing and mangling the Sermons 3. Be so just as not to impute the Crimes of the Printer to the Author or Publisher which yet are such as an ordinary Charity may pardon or a small Ingenuity correct The rest is only to commit thee Reader and these Discourses to the Blessing of our gracious God with whom remember Thy unworthy Servant in the Service of the Gospel VIN ALSOP Jan. 17. 169â— Books wrote by Dr. Manton and printed since his Death THE first Volume of Sermons on the 119 th Psalm The second Volume of Sermons on Matthew the 25 th Iohn the 17 th Romans the 6 th and the 8 th and the 5 th of the second Epistle to the Corinthians The third Volume of Sermons on the 11 th of the Hebrews with a Treatise of Self-denial and several Sermons on the Sacrament and other Occasions Twenty select Sermons in quarto An Exposition on the Lord's Prayer in 80. Several Sermons on the Rise Growth and Fall of Antichrist on 2 Thess. 2. Several Discourses tending to promote Peace and Holiness among Christians Sermons on Christ's Temptations and Transfiguration Wâ—th Christ's Eternal Existency and the Dignity of his Person asserted against the Socinians Most of the Author's Works are to
not only shew them what they must do but how they may come to do their Duty in this kind for saith he The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation c. In the Words you may observe the Teacher the Lesson the Encouragement and Inducements to learn First The Teacher is the Grace of God described ver 11. Secondly The Lesson is the whole Duty of our Heavenly Calling set forth ver 12. and there 1 st Negatively in departing from Evil denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts. 2 dly Positively in cleaving to that which is good We should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Where you may observe that the Duty of the Creature is distributed into three Ranks and Parts according to the several Objects to which it is refâ—â—red soberly we must walk as to our selves righteously as to our Neighbour and godly that the Lord himself may not be defrauded of his Portion There are in a moral Consideration but three things in the World thy Self thy Neighbour and God and suitably doth the Apostle distribute and parcel out Christian Offices and Duties soberly as to our selves righteously as to our Neighbour and godly as to God Thirdly The Encouragements to learn and they are two If we look forward there is Hope if we look backward there is Gratitude or an Obligation arising from the Death of Christ. In short the two great Motives and Inducements are the Hope of eternal Life and the End of Christ's Death Hope of eternal Life ver 13. Looking for the blessed Hope c. the End of Christ's Death ver 14. who gave himself for us c. The Text being long I shall forbear Exposition till I come to handle the several Branches I shall first begin with the Teacher described ver 11. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men. The Grace of God is described by its Property it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Grace bringing Salvation or tending to Salvation as the Word signifies and by a special Adjunct its present Manifestation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath appeared suddainly broken out like the Light of the Morning after a dark Night and then there is the Extent of that Manifestation it hath appeared to all Men. Some indeed refer this Extent not to the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath appeared but to the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringing Salvation and they read it as we do in the Margent The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all Men hath appeared there is not much Difference To supersede all Doubt and Dispute about the matter all Men here signifies all sorts of Men for the Apostle had spoken of Servants and Bond-men that they in their Relations should glorify God and he proves it by this Argument The Grace of God hath appeared to all Men that is to the Bond-man as well as to the Lord and Master therefore they in their places are to discharge their Duties as well as others for the Gospel as I said hath appeared to all Men and presseth all sorts of Duties I. I begin with the thing described The Grace of God It is a term that admits of divers Acceptations sometimes it is put for God's eternal Favour and Good-Will sometimes for the Effects of this Favour as Grace infused and bestowed upon the Creature Ephes. 4.7 To every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ. Sometimes it is put for the Gospel which is the Charter by which we hold this Grace and so it is said Rom. 6.15 You are not under the Law but under Grace i. e. under the State of the Gospel Here I take it in the first sense viz. for the gracious Will and good Pleasure of God to do Good to Men or to shew Mercy to the Creature for God's Kindness and Bounty to Men is expressed by several terms the most usual are two Grace and Mercy I will shew how they agree and how they differ They both agree in this that they are Attributes which merely respect the Creature The Love and Knowledg of God first falleth upon himself God knows himself and loves himself and then the Creature But now the Mercy and Grace of God are merely transient and pass out to and respect the Creature only God cannot be gracious to himself and merciful to himself as he loves himself and knows himself and therefore herein they agree But now in some respects they differ Grace properly signifies the Freeness of God's Love Mercy relates to the Misery of the Creature God's external Motive is our Misery and his internal Motive is his own Grace Mercy respects us as we are in our selves worthy of Condemnation Grace respects us as we are compared with others that are not elected As for Instance if the Question be Why any are chosen to Life it is out of Mercy because they are lost and undone Creatures But then if the Question be Why these are chosen above others then the ultimate Reason is God's Grace Once more the Angels that never sinned are saved meerly out of Grace and not out of Mercy it is not proper to say they are saved out of Mercy for they were never miserable but Men that were once miserable are saved not only out of Grace but also out of Mercy In short Mercy signifies that Love of God which helps the Miserable and Grace signifies a Property in God to give forth things freely and without desert Grace doth all gratis freely and without any Merit or Precedent Obligation or Debt Note then Doct. 1. That the original and first moving Cause of all the Blessings we have from God is Grace Survey all the Blessings of the Covenant and from first to last you will see Grace doth all Election Vocation Justification Sanctification Glorification all is from Grace There 's a clue of Scriptures which will lead us through all these steps and direct us to Grace 1. For Election Rom. 11.5 6. There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace And then he adds presently for Paul cannot mention Grace but he must run out into the Praise or Vindication of it And if by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace But if it be of Works then it is more Grace otherwise Work is no more Work Mark the Context The Apostle's drift in that place is to prove that all Israel are not cast away that thô the Nation of Israel were past by yet there were a Remnant chosen according to the Election of Grace Grace is spoken of by the by but he takes every little Occasion to digress into the Commendation of Grace and what doth he say The Foundation and Ground of Salvation is God's Election and the impulsive Cause of Election is God's Grace Why is there a Remnant there 's an Election and why is there Election it is according to Grace 2. Our Calling when Election breaketh out in time and becometh
inclining the Heart to obey out of the sense of God's Love and encouraging us by Faith drawing Strength from Christ and looking to God for our Acceptance from him Some Works of the Unregenerate are materially good but it is not the Matter maketh the Work good but the Principle The Works of unregenerate Men are done by God's Enemies out of the strength of a corrupt Will for carnal Ends without any Conscience of God's Will or Respect to his Glory But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are giftless Gifts But now these done by Persons in a gracious State are as good Fruit growing on a good Tree Grace teacheth he speaketh not of the external Direction of the Gospel but the internal working of Grace in the Heart it worketh by Faith Love and Obedience Obedience owneth the Obligation Love inclineth to discharge the Duty and Faith looketh up to God for Help and Acceptance that we may do it in Christ and for Christ's sake to God's Glory There is a free loving Subjection of the whole Man inward and outward to the whole Will of God with a Desire to please him 2. That Grace and Corruption draw several Inferences and Conclusions from the same Premisses A Bee gathereth Hony from whence a Spider sucketh Poison Corrupt Nature is out in Conclusions Prov. 26.9 As a Thorn goeth up into the Hand of a Drunkard so is a Parable in the Mouth of Fools Let us do Evil that Grace may abound says a corrupt Heart Let us deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts says a gracious Person God doth all says a corrupt Heart therefore we need but lie upon the Bed of Ease and expect his Help No says a gracious Soul Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good Pleasure The Epicure says the time is short Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 The Apostle argues otherwise 1 Cor. 7.29 Brethren I say unto you the time is short it remaineth that they that have Wives be as tho they had none c. So 2 Sam. 7.2 Then the King said unto Nathan the Prophet See now I dwell in an House of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains compared with Hag. 1.2 This People say The time is not come the time that the Lord's House should be built Eli said 1 Sam. 3.18 It is of the Lord let him do what seemeth him good The King of Israel said 2 King 6.33 Behold this Evil is of the Lord why should I wait for the Lord any longer We are apt to stumble in God's plainest Ways Carnal Logick is one of our greatest Corruptions 3. That it is the greatest Wrong one can do to Grace to slacken any part of our Duty for Grace's sake Jude 4. Vngodly Men turning the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they hale it besides its purpose There is no such Teacher of Holiness as Grace it teacheth and giveth a Heart to learn They know not what Grace meaneth that grow wanton vain and sensual to make Grace Sin 's Lacky is a vile Abuse Rom. 6.15 What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid You are under Grace therefore yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the Dead and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God ver 13. As Fulvius said to his Son when he slew him I begot thee not for Cataline but for thy Country God justified us not that we might live to Satan but to himself Vse 2. Of Trial. Whether we are made Partakers of the Grace of God in the Gospel Have we these Teachings and Arguings Many can endure to hear that Grace bringeth Salvation but that it teacheth us to deny Ungodliness there they flinch Men would have us offer Salvation and preach Promises but when we press Duty they cry out this is a hard saying The Cities of Refuge under the Law were all Cities of the Levites and Schools of Instruction to note that whoever taketh Sanctuary at Grace meeteth Instruction it is no benefit to thee else In the general doth it perswade you to make a willing Resignation of your selves to God Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service Every time you think of Mercy do ye find some Constraint in this kind More particularly 1. Doth it press you to deny Lusts Ezra 9.13 14. Seeing thou hast given us such Deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandments Doth it recoil upon you Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great Wickedness and sin against God Is this your Kindness to your Friend 2. Doth it press you to good 1 John 5.3 This is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous When God maketh a motion by his Word or the Counsels of his Spirit Well! I cannot deny it what a small Service is this I owe to God as Iacob served seven Years for Rachel and they seemed unto him but a few days for the Love he had to her Gen. 29.20 And Shechem underwent the pain of Circumcision for Dinah's sake Obs. 2. Grace teacheth us both to depart from Evil and also to do Good Psal. 34.15 Depart from Evil and do good Isa. 1.16 17. Cease to do Evil learn to do Well We must do both because God hates Evil and delights in Good we must hate what God hates and love what God loves That is true Friendship eadem velle nolle to will and nill the same thing I durst not sin God hates it I durst not omit this Duty God loves it Again our Obedience must carry a proportion with the Divine Mercy Now God's Mercy is not only privative but positive God not only spares and delivers us from Hell but saves and brings us to Heaven The Lord God is a Sun and Shield Psal. 84.11 Not only a Shield to keep us from Danger but a Sun to afford us Comfort and Blessing Therefore it is fit our Obedience should be both privative and positive not only cease to do Evil but learn to do Well as the description of a Godly Man runs Psal. 1.1 2. Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the Counsel of the Vngodly nor standeth in the Way of Sinners nor sitteth in the Seat of the Scornful But that is not enough but his delight is in the Law of the Lord. Again we must have Communion with Christ in all his Acts in his Death and in his Resurrection and therefore we must not only mortify Sin but be quickned to Holiness of Conversation He that hath Communion with Christ in one Act hath Communion with him in all and therefore if we have been planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the
be pleasing and acceptable to God in order to Practice and value our Lives for this End only that we may serve God it is a sign Grace is planted in the Heart But now ungodly Men neither care to know the ways of God nor to walk in them They that are willingly ignorant and do not search to know how God will be served and pleased and make this their Work they do not count God their chiefest Good They search not that they may not practice they err not in their Mind only but in their Hearts Psal. 95.10 It is a People that do err in their Hearts they have not known my ways To err in the Mind may be through invincible Ignorance but a Man errs in his Heart when he doth not desire to know God and to know his Will and what he must do in Worship and Conversation but saith I do not desire to know God Iob 21.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the Knowledg of thy ways Therefore he that doth not make it his great Work and the Business of his Life to find out what God would have him do he is ungodly Usually this is found in Men half convinced they have not a Mind to know that which they have not a Mind to do and so they are willingly ignorant But now a godly Man makes it the Business of his Life still to follow God Foot by Foot to know more of his Mind and Will Rom. 12.2 That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect VVill of God Ephes. 5.12 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. A true Christian always practiseth what he knows and still searcheth that he may know more he would be always more useful for God and more according to his Heart that is the Study the great Business and Project of his Life to find out God's Will and then practise it What shall I do more for God Thirdly God must be acknowledged as the supream Truth and Authority and there if we be not moved with his Promises with his Threatnings and Counsels as the Words of the great God as if he had spoken from Heaven by an audible Voice if we do not yield him Reverence in his Worship and subject our Hearts and Lives unto his Laws it is Ungodliness 1 st We must receive the Counsels of his Word with all Reverence and Veneration as if God had spoke to us by a Voice from Heaven This is to receive the Word as the Word of God 2 Thess. 2.10 They received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved The Heathens received the Oracles of their Gods with great Reverence and were much moved when they had an Oracle but when the Word comes with a mighty convincing Power upon the Heart and you are not moved and affected this argues your Ungodliness So when we can drousily hear of the great things of Heaven and the Death of Christ and the Covenant of Grace and the glorious Salvation offered and are no more moved than with a Fable or with a Dream of Rubies dropping down from Heaven in the Night this is Ungodliness That there is a great deal of Ungodliness in this kind is clear by our Neglect of these Precious Things If a Man should proffer another a thousand Pound for a Trifle and he should not accept it you would not say it was because he prized that Trifle that is not profitable but because he did not believe the Offer So when God offers Heaven and Christ to us upon such easy terms as to part with nothing but our Sins which are better parted with than kept we do not honour him as the eternal Truth if we do not accept it but count him a Liar and this is the greatest Affront you can put upon God for he that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son 1 John 5.10 He that doth not regard the Offer of the Gospel certainly he believes it is not true and so he dishonours God as the supream Truth 2 dly If we would honour God as the supream Lord of Heaven and Earth we must reverence him in his Worship God is not only terrible in the high Places of the Field and there where he executes his dreadful Judgments and not only so in the Depths of the Sea where the Wonders of the Lord are seen but he is also terrible in his holy Places Psal. 68.35 O God thou art terrible out of thy holy Places Then are the Hearts of his People filled with most awful Apprehensions of his glorious Majesty and of his excellent Holiness and this makes them tremble But now when we do not come with these awful Apprehensions we do not own God as the supream Majesty and therefore when they brought him an unbeseeming Sacrifice saith the Lord Mal. 1.14 Cursed be the Deceiver which hath in his Flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadful among the Heathens This is not becoming my Majesty And the Saints of God never feel such Self-Abhorrency and Loathing of themselves as when they are worshipping God God is even dreadful then when he is most comfortable to his People Deut. 28.58 That thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God Thy God this is the comfortablest Name in all the Scripture this is the Foundation of our Hope and this puts the Saints upon a Holy Reverence But now ungodly Men come with slight cold and careless Hearts their Thoughts are upon the Shop and the Cart and the Plough and any where else than upon God they dream nigh to him with their Lips but their Hearts are removed far from him They do not come to him as a great King and supream Majesty and Authority of all and so they dishonour God exceedingly Our Thoughts in Worship should be more taken up with his Glory 3 dly If we would honour God as supream there must be a willing Subjection of our Hearts and Lives to his Laws Usually here we stick in a want of Conformity thereto Men that love God as a Creator naturally hate him as a Law-giver Men love him as a Giver of Blessings but they would fain live at large Thoughts that strike at the Being of God and Doctrines of Liberty are welcome to a carnal Heart therefore it is tedious to them to hear of one to call them to account and it is pleasing to them to think which is an Argument of the highest Hatred that can be that there were no God to call them to a reckoning that they might let loose the Reins to vile Affections We would be absolute and Lords of our own Actions And this Subjection must be in Heart and Life There must be a Subjection of the Heart God's Authority is never more undermined than by a mere Form of
and nothing so low but Pride can make use of it if we go back any degrees it is to rise the higher Yea rather than not be proud we can be proud of Sin the Apostle speaks of some that glory in their Shame Phil. 3.19 as their Revenge and glutting themselves with their unchaste Pleasures It is a Sin that will put us upon much Self-denial How can Men rack their Spirits to promote their own Praise and Exaltation How can they pinch themselves of the Conveniences of Life to feed Pride and to supply Pomp and State Nay a Man may be proud after his Death in Funeral-Pomp and in the Glory of the Sepulcher Now Pride is twofold in Mind and in Desire Pride in the Mind is Self-Conceit and Pride in the Desire is an inordinate Affection of Glory or high Place Pride in Mind is when we ascribe to our selves what we have not or transfer upon our selves the Praise of what we have To boast of what we have not is Folly to boast of what we have is Sacrilege and we rob God this is like a Man deeply in Debt who boasts of an Estate he has borrowed Pride in the Desire is an inordinate Affectation of our own Glory all that Men do is to set up themselves 1. Against Pride in the Mind consider what little Reason we have to be proud Poor Men in whose Birth there is Sin in whose Life there is Misery and in whose Death there is Sorrow and Perplexity What should we be proud of Not of Strength which is inferior to many Beasts Not of Beauty many Flowers are decked with a more glorious Paintry Beauty it is but Skin-deep it is blasted with every Sickness it is the laughing-stock of every Disease And then he that is proud of his Clothes is but proud of his Rags wherewith his Wounds are bound up Clothes you know were occasioned by Sin in Innocency Holiness was a Garment for Man and Men might have conversed naked without Shame And so for Birth we have no reason to be proud of that Omnis sanguis concolor all Blood is of a Colour He hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men to dwell on all the face of the Earth Acts 7.26 Not of Estates they are but as Trappings to a Horse things without us We do not value a Horse for his Trappings but by his Courage Mettle and Strength Not of Learning there is none so learned but he hath Ignorance enough to humble him To be proud of Learning shews our Ignorance A little River seems deep when it runs between narrow Banks but when there 's a broad Channel it is very shallow So Men seem to be profound till their Thoughts run out into the breadth of Learning Nor should we glory in Preferment and in being advanced when Men are put into great Places they grow proud but it is their Folly thy Preferment may be in Judgment God many times chooseth wicked Men to rule He gives Kingdoms to the basest of Men Dan. 4.17 God's Providence is not only seen in preferring wise and godly Governours but in setting up the Base for a Judgment to the Nation Nebuchadnezzar is called God's Servant Ier. 25.9 the Sins of Egypt and Iudah did require such a Servant A devout Man complained of a bloody Prince Lord why hast thou made him Emperor he did seem to hear this Answer Because I could not find a worse for such a wicked People So when such a one was chosen Bishop he grew proud upon it and there was a Voice heard Thou art lifted up not because thou art worthy of the Priesthood but because the City is worthy of no better a Bishop Some may be preferred not because they are worthy but because the Sins of the Nation deserved no better Governours So in any good Actions when they are done commendable before Men remember God makes another Judgment All the ways of Man are clean in his own Eyes but the Lord weighs the Spirits Prov. 16.2 Man hath but a partial hatred of Sin but God hath an exact Ballance and he weighs the Spirits Luke 16.15 Ye are they that justify your selves before Men but God knoweth your Hearts for that which is highly esteemed among Men is Abomination in the sight of God When Men praise you say these Men cannot see my Heart usually after some Eminency there afterward comes a blasting Iacob wrestled with God and then his Thigh was broken Paul was wrapt up into the third Heaven then presently there was sent him a Thorn in the Flesh. Sometimes God blasts the Creature before the Work as Moses his Hand was made leprous before he wrought the Miracle Exod. 4.6 Sometimes after the Work to shew we are but vile Instruments there is something left to remember the Creature of his own Vileness Then be not proud of thy Holiness for what is this to God's Psal. 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who should stand And God hates this Sin so much that he lets Men fall into many scandalous Sins when they grow proud of their Holiness The Ornament of a high and honourable Estate in the World is not outward Splendor but the humble Mind Iames 1.10 Let the Rich rejoyce in that he is made low This is true Nobleness and Eminency and an Argument of a great Mind to be like a Spire least and low in our own account when most exalted by God 2. Against the other Pride in Desires and inordinate Affectation of Greatness Consider what God hath done for you already and prize the Opportunity of a private Life and improve it to frequency of Duty and converse with God It is better to be like a Violet known by our own Smell rather than our Greatness The Mountains are exposed to Blasts and Winds and they are generally barren but the low Vallies are watered and fruitful Therefore Men know not what they do when they seek great things The true Ambition is to seek the great things of Heaven and the great things of Christ and for other things to refer our selves to the fair Invitation and Allowance of God's Providence A vain-glorious Man is nothing in Christianity Paul can count a Man's Judgment but a small thing 1 Cor. 4.3 With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of Man's Iudgment God is our Judg and the Business of our Lives is to approve our selves to God Man's Judgment must not be valued And besides it is a vain thing to affect that in which we may be soon crossed One Man's Opinion may disturb our Quiet One Mordecai can cross Haman in all his Pomp. To dote upon that which is in the Power of those whose Humours are as inconstant as the Waves or their Breath or the Wind is a very great Folly where one Word may deject us and cast us into Sorrow And lastly consider this is nothing to eternal Glory SERMON VII TITUS II. 12 We might live soberly c. THE
Lesson which Grace teacheth was propounded Privatively and Positively Privatively wherein I have shewed what we must eschew and avoid viz. Vngodliness and worldly Lusts. II. I now come to the Positive Part where the Duty of Man is distributed into three kinds Look as in a moral Consideration there are but three Beings God Neighbours and Self so here the Apostle makes three Parts and Branches of our Duty that we should live soberly as to our selves righteously as to our Neighbour godly that the Lord may not be defrauded of his Portion Sobriety respects the Duties of our personal Capacity Righteousness the Duties of our Relation to others and Piety the Duties of immediate Intercourse with God I begin with the first of the Apostle's Adverbs That we should live soberly Sobriety is a Grace very necessary we can neither be righteous nor pious without it for he that is not sober he takes to himself more than is due and so can neither give God nor Man their Portion If he be unsober he will be unjust he robs the Church of his Parts which are quenched in Pleasure the Common-wealth of his Service the Family of their Maintenance and necessary Provision and then the Poor are robbed because that which should be spent in their Relief is wasted in Luxury And then he that is unsober cannot be godly for he doth not give God his Portion he robs God of his time and which is worse of his Heart for that being carried out to Pleasure it is deprived of the Fruition of God and transported from better Delights So that if we would discharge our Duty to God or Man if we would live righteously and piously we must live soberly Once more that you may a little conceive of the Weight and Consequence of this Discourse Sobriety is a part of Vertue 's Armor so much is intimated by the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.5 6. Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledg and to Knowledg Temperance and to Temperance Patience Vertue or Strictness of Life is rooted in Faith directed by Knowledg defended and maintained by Temperance and Patience by Temperance on the right hand and Patience on the left as Fortitude or Patience is necessary to arm Grace against Dangers so is Temperance or Sobriety to arm it against Pleasures and worldly Comforts It is hard to say which we need most Temperance or Patience we must expect Hardships and still we live among Snares but only Snares are more frequent than Troubles as more Birds are ensnared by the Net than killed by the Birding-piece Persecution hath slain its Thousands but Pleasures their ten Thousands Therefore you see Sobriety is of great Use in the spiritual Life As we need to press Faith as the Root of Vertue and Knowledg as the Guide of Vertue so we need to press Temperance and Patience as the Guard and Defence of Vertue Patience against the Troubles and Hardships that we meet with and Sobriety against the Comforts and Allurements of the present World Before I enter upon the Discussion of the present Argument let me first remove some Prejudices 1. Some Men think that to discourse of Sobriety will be to give you a moral Lecture not an Evangelical Discourse they would have us to preach Christ as if pressing the Duties of Religion were not a preaching Christ. Certainly we may preach that which Grace teacheth now Grace teacheth to live soberly The Truth is Men would be hinged and oiled with Grace and cannot endure the Strictness of moral Duties Here Conviction is easy and Conscience maketh Guilt fly in the Face and therefore Men cannot endure this kind of Preaching I tell you to preach Sobriety and Temperance is to preach Christ. It is said Acts 24.24 After certain Days when Felix came with his Wife Drusilla which was a Iewess he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the Faith in Christ. Paul Let us hear somewhat of Christ. Now what doth Paul preach of ver 25. And as he reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Iudgment to come Felix trembled There is his preaching Christ. To preach Christ is to press whatever the Christian Religion requireth and in that manner and upon those terms And when Paul saith 1 Cor. 2.2 I have determined not to know any thing among you save Iesus Christ and him crucified it was because that was the controverted Truth the Truth then in Question and most opposed for the Doctrine of the Cross was to the Iews a Stumbling-block and to the Greeks Foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23 Now saith the Apostle as foolish a Doctrine as it is I have determined to know nothing else among you not to prescribe in other Cases but to confine our Meditations to the Doctrine of the Cross. There are other Arguments necessary and must take their turn and place 2. Some Men think that they are above these Directions to be taught how to eat and drink and that every Man hath Prudence enough to govern his Appetite But consider Christ thought meet to warn his own Disciples Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life A Man would think it a needless Direction to such holy Men yet saith Christ Take heed And certainly Sin is not grown less dangerous nor we more holy than the Apostles Besides now if ever is there need of such kind of Preaching some Men profess to live to the Height of the Creature and so make Lust as wanton as it is dangerous always to go near the Pit's Brink and he that doth all that he may will soon do more than he should It is a Character of prophane Men Iude 12. Feeding themselves without Fear The Throat is a slippery Place and had need be watch'd and kept with Fear We find that an over-spiritual Preaching hath made Men loose and careless and that moral Duties need to be pressed 3. Another Prejudice there is against this Doctrine Men shift it off to others We conceive of Gluttony Drunkenness and Covetousness otherwise than Christ did and therefore do not judg such Discourses necessary We conceive Drunkenness and Gluttony to be an outragious Excess when we hear of Gluttons and Drunkards we think of them vomiting staggering reeling not being able to speak or able to go faltring in Speech and Language But the Scripture sets out other manner of Drunkards these are the Effects the Punishment rather than the Fault And so when we hear of Covetousness then we think of some sordid Wretch or else of some Oppressor that gets Wealth by Rapine and Extortion or the apparent use of unlawful means and so we wipe our Lips and think we are clean But now that which is counted Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Covetousness before God is the over-charging the Heart Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest your Hearts be over-charged c. A Man's Heart may be over-charged though his Stomach is not when he cannot freely meditate upon
Services of State as General of an Army yet after he returns to the Plough again not enriched at all with publick Spoils Of Aristides it was said You may sooner pull the Sun out of Heaven than turn Aristides out of his course Scevola buying a piece of Ground and the Seller setting too low a Price saith he This is too little and he gave a great deal more Abimelech would not have took Sarah if he had understood she was Abraham's Wife Now shall Nature do more than Grace SERMON X. TITUS II. 12 And Godly c. I Come to the third Branch used by the Apostle wherein the Duty of Man is express'd and that is Godliness Here we have a perfect Distribution of the Duty of the Creature The Duties of our personal Capacity are express'd by Sobriety the Duties of our publick Relation and Commerce with others are express'd in the word Righteously and then all those Intercourses that are to pass between God and us and the whole Tendency of the Soul towards God is express'd by the word Godly The Scripture speaks of Godliness and of the Exercise of Godliness 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self unto Godliness Therefore I shall inquire I. What Godliness is II. How it must be exercised or what it is to live godly the Phrase used here I. What Godliness is It is a thing not only distinct from Righteousness and Honesty but also from Holiness It is the opposite part of the distinction to Honesty 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith c. By Righteousness he meaneth the Duties of the second Table and by Godliness the Duties of the first More expresly 1 Tim. 2.2 That we may live a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty The Apostle presseth Christians there to pray for the Conversion of the Magistrate who is custos utriusque tabulae that so he may promote the Duties of both the Tables If any Difference should arise about Godliness or about the Institutions of Christ there the Magistrate may interpose for the Defence and Safety of the first Table and that we might live peaceably for the Exercise of it and so for Honesty in the second Table But it is also to be distinguished from Holiness 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of Persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Holiness notes Purity of Heart and Life and an Abhorrence from Evil but Godliness denoteth more distinctly a Tendency of the Heart and Carriage towards God and therefore God is said to be Holy but not to be Godly because it is a Grace proper to the Creature and implies Inferiority and Subordination a Tendency towards God as the highest Lord and chiefest Good as Holiness denoteth Excellency and Perfection Briefly Godliness may be thus described It is a religious temper and frame of Heart by which we are inclined to look after the right Worship and to aim at the Glory of the true God To the Constitution of Godliness there are Graces necessary and Ordinances that which swayeth and inclineth the Heart is Grace that about which it is conversant are the Ordinances of Worship Therefore I shall inquire First What Graces are necessary to make up this religious temper and frame of Heart Secondly What are the Ordinances about which it is conversant First The principal Graces that are necessary to this Frame of Heart are Faith Fear and Love 1. Faith is necessary partly that we may have a right Apprehension of God which by Nature we cannot have It is not Godliness but Idolatry Superstition and Formality until we have a right Knowledg of God The Samaritans worshipped the true God and yet it is said Iohn 4.22 Ye worship ye know not what To worship God out of Form and blind Custom it is to make him an Idol But chiefly is Faith required because Trust is the Ground of all the other Respect that passeth between God and us Look as Unbelief is the Ground of all Disrespect and Departure from God Heb. 3.12 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the living God So is Faith and Trust the Ground of all true Respect You know our first Parents fell by Unbelief First Satan seeks to weaken their Faith in the Promise first he told them Ye shall not surely die Gen. 3.4 then ye shall be as Gods ver 5. First he perswaded them to Unbelief before he perswaded them to Ambition and aspiring after the Dignity of the Divine Nature This is the Root of all Men care not for God because they do not believe him upon his Word But now Faith is the Mother of all Respect of all Devotion and Obedience to God When we believe that he is and is a Rewarder of those that come to him this is that which makes us seek him diligently To evidence this by the Influence which Faith hath upon the Soul there are two powerful Affections by which the spiritual Life is acted and carried on and they are Fear and Love and they both need the Influence of Faith There can be no Fear till we are perswaded of his Being and Power whom we cannot see with bodily Eyes but put on the Spectacles of Faith and so we see him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 God is within the Curtain of the Heavens and carnal Men say Tush he cannot see Iob 22.12 13 14. Is not God in the height of Heaven and behold the height of the Stars how high are they And thou sayest How doth God know can he judg through the dark Cloud Thick Clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the Circuit of Heaven They cannot see him and think he cannot see them As the Panther hideth his Head in a Bush and then thinks the Hunter doth not see him and that is the Ground of all Disobedience and carnal Conversation But now Faith opens the Eye and carrieth us within the Curtain and Vail and discovers the invisible God upon his Throne of Glory without which Sight we cannot fear him So for Love the other powerful Affection that flows from Faith for our Love is but a Reflex of God's Love but a Reverberation and Beating back of God's Beam upon himself 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first There must be first a Sense and Perswasion of his Love to us in Christ and then we love him again The more we feel the comfortable Effects of God's Love in the Conscience the more is the Heart inflamed with Desire of performing Love and Service and Subjection to God again and therefore Faith is said to work by Love Gal. 5.6 and make use of the Sweetness of God's Love to carry on Duty and Obedience Look as the more directly the Beams of the Sun do fall upon any solid and smooth Body the more strong is the Reflection of Heat again The less of Jealousy and Darts of God's Love and the more God's Love is darted
Desires till he come again in person to convey us into his Father's Bosom It is a mysterious Instrument and Means God hath found out to convey Comfort and Grace to the Soul to work out a Union between him and the Creature We do not only draw nigh to God but are united to him It is the Beginning and Antipast of Glory so much Christ intimates Mat. 26.29 I will not henceforth drink of the fruit of the Vine until the day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom It is a Taste of the new Wine we shall drink with Christ those spiritual Consolations we shall receive from him in his Kingdom 7. Keeping the Sabbath-day holy It is a sure mark of an ungodly Person to be a Sabbath-breaker as a conscionableness to celebrate it to God's Glory is both a mark and a work of Godliness It is the description of the godly Eunuch Isa. 56.4 Thus saith the Lord to the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and choose the things that please me and take hold of my Covenant Mark it is one of the chiefest things that is taken notice of there the observation of God's own Day If you would exercise your selves to Godliness this is a great means Prophaning the Lord's Day is the cause of Prophaneness all the week after and so a careless keeping the Lord's Day is the cause of the Carelesness and Formality you are guilty of in the business of Religion God hath appointed this Day for a repose for the Soul that by a long uninterrupted continuance in Worship it might be more seasoned and fit to converse with God all the week after Dost thou love Christ then observe his Day Ignatius calls it the Queen of Days The primitive Christians were very careful of the Sabbath they would run all hazards rather than not keep the Sabbath-day When they were accused as guilty of Sabbath-violation they would answer I am a Christian how can I choose but love the Lord's Day This is the Day wherein we do most solemnly and publickly profess the Worship of God therefore it is to be celebrated with all care Thus much for the Description of Godliness from the Disposition of the Heart and the Duties about which it is conversant II. I am to speak of the Exercise of Godliness 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self to Godliness It must be exercised both in Worship and Conversation 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of Persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness First In Worship What is the part and office of Godliness in Worship 1. There must be a care that it be right God will not be at the Creature 's carving his Honour is best kept up by his own Institutions and therefore he will accept nothing but what he requires The Woman of Samaria as soon as she was converted enquired after the right Worship Christ had convinced her of Lewdness and living in Adultery Iohn 4.18 The Man thou now hast is not thy Husband The great thing that troubled her was her present standing and the Superstition she was nuzled and brought up in ver 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the Place where Men ought to worship Assoon as Men are awakened that is the question they can no longer be content with their ignorant sensless careless ceremonial worshipping of God and say Thus our Fathers did this will not serve the Conscience when it is a little stirred It is said of the People of God Ier. 50.5 They shall ask the way to Sion with their Faces thitherward Sion was the place of God's Residence and solemn Worship and it is the disposition of his People still to be inquisitive after the way to Sion how God is worshipped I speak not this to unsettle Men and to draw them to Scepticism and Irresolution but partly that they might settle upon better grounds than Tradition publick Consent and the Example of Men. Cyprian observes that this is the reason Men are so fickle so inconstant so soon off and on they do not practise those things upon good grounds None so unconstant as they that practise things right and good but not upon Principles And partly that Men may not content themselves with a cheap Worship such as costs them nothing as when they do not enquire about the grounds and reasons of what they do or when they do but even as others do We should be still searching and proving what is acceptable unto the Lord Eph. 5.10 and seek for Knowledg as for Silver and search for her as for hid Treasures Prov. 3.4 It is a thing of great care and exactness to be a Christian to be right in God's Worship Usually Men serve God at random and at peradventure and if they be right it is but a happy Mistake they do not enquire and search and so miss of a great deal of Comfort Settlement and Experience in the Way of God 2. There is required Constancy and Zeal in the Profession of God's Worship This is Religion to be zealous for God's Institutions to contend for the Faith of the Saints and hate what is contrary to right Worship and sound Doctrine Psal. 119.104 Through thy Precepts I get Vnderstanding therefore I hate every false Way And ver 128. Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false Way This is the effect of the knowledg of the Truth to hate all Falshood Idolatry and Superstition as much as they love God's Institutions that they may not be entangled and so either deceive others or be deceived themselves by the Craft of them that lie in wait for such an Enterprize Whenever they hear or read any such Doctrines the Heart nauseateth them there is a rising of Heart not only against Corruptions of Manners but Falshood of Doctrine But if Men be indifferent come what may come Christ or Antichrist they care not greatly their Religion is worth nothing If you do not hate Heresy and corruption in Worship there is no true Religion or Godliness in you Hereticks and Men in a false way seldom hate one another tho they differ in Principles Why because they have not a love to Truth but those that love the Truth prize the Institutions of God there 's a keen displeasure in their Hearts against any false Way 3. There must be frequency in the practice of it God and their Souls must not grow strangers Things that are not used contract Rust as a Key seldom turned in the Lock turns with difficulty so it will not stand with your spiritual Welfare to omit Duty long Much spiritual Exercise keeps the Soul in Health and sweet as the oftner they drain the Well the sweeter the Water is By running and breathing your selves every day you are the fitter to run in a Race so the oftner you come into God's Presence the greater Confidence and Freedom and Enlargement it will bring The way to be fervent
glorify us his Coming is sutable to his Work that is visible in Power and great Glory therefore it is said Col. 3.3 When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory Christ is to have all first and we at second-hand when he comes in Grace Iohn 17.19 For their sakes I sanctify my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth So we must be glorified at second-hand first Christ and then we 4. Christ comes not simply to glorify us but to bring the Saints to Heaven with the more State O Christians remember Christ thinks he can never do you Honour enough Christ doth not send for us but he will come in Person Iohn 14.3 I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Look as the Bridegroom comes with the Youth and Flower of the City to bring in his Bride in State so Christ brings the Flower of Heaven all his holy Angels to conduct us in State to our everlasting Mansions 5. He comes in Glory that all Creatures might see his Glory to the full Men and Angels were made for this Spectacle that they might behold the Glory of Christ. It was evidenced in part at the Resurrection Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead But that was but a private and more covert Declaration to the Jews and when it was published to the World in the Gospel many believed not We have the spiritual Evidences of it to Faith but not to Sense and Sight But now the Personal Union shall fully and undeniably appear which before appeared but in part he is now declared to be the Great God 6. His Appearing shall be glorious because then Christ shall have the full Conquest over all his Enemies Some of his Enemies are still let alone for our Exercise Satan is not destroyed The infernal Spirits are held with the Chains of an irresistible Providence and shall then be brought trembling into the Presence of Christ Jude v. 16. The Angels which kept not their first Estate but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness to the Iudgment of the Great Day They are now in expectation of greater Doom and Terror Mat. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time The good Angels come forth as Christ's Companions the evil Angels as his Prisoners The Saints shall judg Angels as well as Men 1 Cor. 6.3 Know ye not that we shall judg Angels Christ will have his People come and set their Feet upon the Necks of their Enemies for the present God hath a Ministry for them But tho the Devils now tempt trouble and molest the Saints for their Exercise yet then the Saints shall triumph over them when they shall be brought like Captives into Christ's Presence Vse 1. For Information in two things 1. That Humility is the way to Glory This Lesson we learn from the two Comings of Christ first in an humble manner and then in a glorious manner The Devils aspired after Greatness they would be great and not good The fallen Angels set us an ill Copy but Christ came to set us a better He came not from Heaven to teach us to make Worlds and work Miracles but to teach us to be humble and lowly Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart The way to spiritual Preferment is to be low and vile in our own Eyes as the Ball that is beaten down riseth the higher 2. We learn what cause we have to be patient under present Abasement Jesus Christ is contented for a while to lie hid and not to shew himself in all his Glory till the End of the World In the Days of his Flesh he was trampled upon by wicked Men and now he is in Heaven he is despised in his Gospel in his Cause and in his Servants tho his Person be above Abuse but he is content to tarry till the Day of Manifestation when he will appear in all his Glory so should we Vse 2. 1. Here is Comfort to the Godly To you Christ's Appearance is glorious but not terrible it is as Light but not as Fire the Trumpet sounds but it summons you to be crowned The Sign of the Son of Man shews your Lord is come it is as the Shadow of the Husband before his Person appeareth this is your Jesus Certainly they that have an Interest in him will not be afraid of him foâ— his Angels are your Guardians his Saints your Companions his Appearance is to pronounce your Pardon a Crown shall be set upon your Heads in the face of all the World That which is so formidable and dreadful to our Thoughts in it self is all comfortable to a Child of God Christ came as God but still in the Humane Nature as your Brother if he be glorious it is for your sakes that you might be like him he comes as a Pattern of your Glory 2. Here is Terror to them that lie in their Sins How can they hear of these things without Astonishment You that despise the still-Voice when God speaks to you by the Angel of the Church what will you do when you hear the Great Trump which will be an Alarm to Death and Execution Your Avenger is come Christ's Sign is not Light but Terror to you If you tremble not you are worse than Felix an Heathen for Felix's Heart trembled when he heard of Judgment to come Acts 24.25 he had a more tender Conscience Nay such as do not they are worse than Satan for the Devils fear and tremble Iames 2.19 Loose and carnal Persons scoff at that at which Devils tremble It is storied of a King that wept when his Brother came to him being asked the Reason O saith he I that judg others must be judged my self Shall not I tremble at the great Trumpet that shall awaken the Dead O take Sanctuary in Grace 3. Here is Advice to All. It is a good check to Sin it stays the boiling of the Pot. Remember when thou art in the carreer and heat of thy Lusts for all these things God will bring thee to Iudgment Eccles. 11.9 Whenever thou sinnest thou art entring into the Lists with Christ as if thou wert stronger than he But Man canst thou grapple with him then it is an Engagement to Repentance When Iacob heard Esau was coming with a great Power and Force against him he sends to make Peace with him You have heard that Christ comes in a glorious manner and will be terrible to his Enemies Let us compromise all Difference between us and God O go and make Peace with him it is Christ's own Advice Luke 14.32 Or else while the other is yet a great way off he sendeth an Ambassador and desireth Conditions of Peace And repent saith the Apostle that your
Works were evil and his Brother 's righteous 1 Joh. 3.12 Carnal Professors that creep into the Church unawares are full of Envy Strife and Wrath. How can we edify one another in the holy Faith unless we be first holy A Man would think they should be purified to the Love of God nay but they must be purified to the Love of the Brethren 3. With respect to the World A distinct Body should have a distinct Excellency They are a People distinct from the World they are set apart for God Psal. 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself They are a chosen Generation Many other Societies excel the Church for Strength Policy and worldly Pomp but Holiness and Purity is the Church's Badg Psal. 93.5 Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever God's peculiar People must have a peculiar Excellency upon a double ground 1. Because of Likeness to God Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods who is like thee glorious in Holiness It is God's Glory and therefore the Churches God is rich in Mercy but glorious in Holiness his Treasure is his Goodness but his Honour is his Holiness and immaculate Purity as among Men their Wealth is distinguished from their Honour 2. Because all the Ordinances hold it forth especially the Ordinance of Initiation So that it is the greatest Hypocrisy in the World to pretend to be God's People and not to be holy because they wear the Badges of Holiness they all come in by the washing of Water Men forget their Baptism 2 Pet. 1.9 He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old Sins Men that are only whited over with the Name of Christians and Sin is still new and fresh as an old thing they forget the Effect of their Baptism That a washed Man should be so foul and noisom still sure they forget or do not know what it is to be baptized into Christ. Secondly The Manner how he purifieth them There is on Christ's part the Spirit and Ordinances and his Merit reacheth to both and on our part Faith 1. On Christ's part 1. The Spirit is necessary Titus 3.5 He saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost applieth all the Grace which the Father intendeth and Christ hath purchased We are usually said to be saved by the Blood of Christ that was the Merit and Price There was a Grant on God the Father's part Rev. 19.8 To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine Linen clean and white An Authentick Act passeth in the Court of Heaven that we shall have fine Linen as Esther had Garments out of the King's Wardrobe But this is founded on Christ's Merits the Stream in which we are washed flowed out of Christ's Heart 1 Iohn 1.7 The Blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin But then the Holy Ghost as the Executor of Christ's Will and Testament worketh and applieth all The Merit of the Creature is excluded by Christ's Merit and the Father's Grant the Power of the Creature is excluded by the Work of the Spirit he worketh with a respect to Christ's Blood As in the cleansing of the Leper the Bird was to be killed over running Water Levit. 14.5 So in the cleansing of the Sinner there is the Merit of Christ and the Work of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God If we come to the Father the Father sends us to the Son otherwise he could not look upon us the Son sends us to the Spirit the Spirit sends us to Moses and the Prophets 2. The Ordinances Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word These are the Ordinances that are specially consecrated and to which Christ's Merit reacheth he hath not only procured the Gift of the Spirit but a Blessing on the Means that we may use them with Confidence The Word helpeth us by way of Declaration and Offer and Baptism concurreth sacramentally by way of signing and sealing and so it is a Means to confirm and provoke the Faith of a Receiver to lay hold on this Grace The Ordinances are an help to call to mind Baptism It is not good to balk the known and ordinary Means of Grace Christ hath purchased a Treasure that cannot be wasted Iohn 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctify my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth When you come to hear you come to receive the Fruits of Christ's Purchase 2. On our part there is required Faith which also purifieth Acts 15.9 Purifying their Hearts by Faith Christ's Blood cleanseth the Gospel cleanseth Baptism cleanseth the Spirit cleanseth Faith cleanseth all these are not contrary but subordinate neither Christ nor the Word nor the Spirit worketh without an Act on our parts As under the Law the Priest was not only to wash and cleanse the Leper who herein represented God but also after the sprinkling of the Priest he was to wash himself Lev. 14.8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his Clothes and shave off all his Hair and wash himself in Water that he may be clean to shew that some Work is required on our part The Work of Faith is to apply to wait to work by Reflection and to stir up Love 1. To apply the Promises of God the Offers of Grace in the Word and the Blood of Christ and all these to purge out Corruption It applieth the Blood of Christ urgeth the Soul with it he died to purchase that Grace which thou wantest The Water and Soap cleanseth but the Hand of the Landress must apply it and rub the Clothes that are washed This is called sprinkling the Conscience with the Blood of Christ Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water We should thus argue with our selves Surely Christ died to sanctify Sinners his Death cannot be in vain Grace is bought at a dear rate in the offers of the Word God maketh a tender why should I not accept of it Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the Word preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it But we do not say What shall we say to these things By Faith the Plaister is laid on the Sore 2. In the Use of Means it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of the Blood of Christ and looketh upon them as Ordinances under a Blessing Isa. 45.24 Surely shall one say In the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength It casts out the Net at Christ's Commandment Micah 7.19 He will turn again he will have Compassion on us he will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast all their Sins
purified as a covetous Man loves his Treasure or a proud Man his Jewels and Honours Give me leave to illustrate it by a few Scriptures where the World and the Saints are compared The World are said to be not a People 1 Pet. 2.10 How so not for want of Prowess or Policy or Pomp or worldly Splendor or civil Arts or Crafts many times in these things they excel the Church but they are said to be not a People that is in God's Account and Esteem they are but a confused Heap of Nations spilt upon the Earth by a general and looser Providence In Isa. 55.5 There is another Emphatical Expression Behold thou shalt call Nations that thou knowest not and Nations that know not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God It is spoken to Christ It is a strange Expression Is there any Terra incognita any Land that is unknown to him The meaning is which thou hast no more taken notice of nor taken Care of than a Man doth of those whom he never knew a People of no Esteem and Respect with God as if he had taken no notice that there were any such in the World So Acts 17.30 The times of this Ignorance God winked at In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he overlooked them The Vulgar read it despiciens he did despise them and our old Translation is better than the new God regarded them not It is usually taken to signify God's Indulgence that he did not deal so strictly with the World because they had so little means to keep them from Sin whereas the Scope carrieth it quite otherwise in another Sense God overlook'd or lightly passed over those times not caring what became of them that then lived before they were his peculiar People he overlooked and regarded them not but let them go on in their Sins though not unpunished Thus you see Foreigners to the Church are Strangers to God and wicked Men are as if they were not not in regard of God's general Providence so they are sustained and regarded he preserves Man and Beast not in regard of calling them to an account for their Sins they that are sometimes called no People are at other times called the People of his Curse But in regard of Value and Esteem as to special Communion with him they are not at all But now look upon the Terms that are bestowed upon the Church and Godly those that are purified Iames 1.18 they are called the first Fruits of his Creatures Under the Law the first Fruits were the Lord's Portion so all that are regenerated and called to Grace are the Lord's Portion Oâ—cumenius glossâ—th upon the Place the World is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Creature but the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Possession the World are his Goods and they are his Treasure The vast Territories of the blind World are but as a Common and Heath which God doth not look after but the Church is as a Garden inclosed in regard of his Love and special Dispensation Heretofore this was the Privilege of Israel to be God's Portion it was confined to them and that 's the Reason of that Expression Isa. 19.25 Assyria the Work of my Hands and Israel mine Inheritance or Portion God made all People but he chose these for his Delight and Habitation It was confined to them heretofore but it is not confined now the People of any Nation may be preferred to this Estate Those that are purified where-ever they are they are the Lord's Treasure and People But why doth the Lord esteem them as his peculiar People I shall give Reasons with respect to every Person of the Godhead 1. Because of God the Father's Choice he hath picked and culled them out of the World and therefore he esteemeth them above all others See what the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen Generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People Therefore a peculiar People because a chosen Generation they are set apart singled out of the World for himself So Psal. 135.4 The Lord hath chosen Jacob for himself and Israel to be his peculiar Treasure He hath called them out and left all the World besides God's Choice puts a Value upon things Common Gold and Silver is not of such Value as that which was consecrated and dedicated to God Nay Gold and Silver was not so good as Goats Hair that was consecrated to the Uses of the Tabernacle The Dedication of a thing to an holy Use inhanceth the Price of it Now those that are chosen are consecrated and set apart by God for himself The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal. 4.3 And therefore of greater Value than all the World because designed by God to be his Portion 2. Because of Christ's Purchase they are bought at a dear Price 1 Pet. 2.9 A purchased People that is the marginal Reading The Saints are valued not from themselves so much as in Christ he hath put Honour upon us as Adam put a Disgrace upon us Adam sold us for a Trifle but Christ did not redeem us at so cheap a Rate Ye are redeemed not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold c. but with the precious Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. We prize that which cost dear Christ was given in Ransom for us therefore doth God prize us 3. Because they are Vessels of the Spirit 's forming God delighted in all his Creatures they were all good the Product of the Spirit 's Incubation Gen. 1.2 The Spirit of God moved upon the Face of the Water But much more doth he delight in the new Creature his Workmanship in Christ Eph. 2.10 Partly because there is more goes to form the new Creature than the old and partly because their Being is more noble than the Beings of all other Creatures in this lower World 1. There is more goes to form them there is discovered more Wisdom more Power more Goodness The new Creature discovers more of his Power than the old It was a wonderful thing the making of the World and disposing of the Creatures into so many several Forms and Ranks a mighty Effect of God's Power but as there was no Help so there was no Lett or Hindrance nothing to oppose God's Work as nothing to facilitate it But when God comes to frame a new Creature there 's a Spirit of Rebellion and Opposition Then more of his Wisdom The Gospel is a better Theatre whereupon to see God than the World In the World there is much of his Wisdom but much more in the Mystery of Grace and in all his Transactions to bring Man to a purified State therefore here 's his special Delight Then for his Mercy Goodness and Love A great deal of Love God shewed in making Angels out of nothing but in some Sense there is more Love shewed in sanctifying Man for in the former there was no Hindrance to his Goodness but
here wronged Justice interposed and put in something by way of Bar against us yet notwithstanding the Demerit of our Sins he would take us into his Favour In the Creation God shewed himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Angels but in Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Man Tit. 3.4 After that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared 2. Chiefly because of the Life they live the new Creature hath a more noble Being than all the Creatures in the World and lives a more noble Life Put the whole World in the Ballance and it is not worthy to be compared with the new Creature those that are purified and sanctified the World is not worthy of them Heb. 11.38 Of whom the World was not worthy Look as the Life of Reason excels that of Sense and the Life of Sense that of Vegitation the Life of Beasts is better than the Life of Plants and the Life of Man better than the Life of Beasts so doth Grace excel Reason and the Life of Saints is a more noble Being than that of Men. I confess if you go upward we cannot say the Life of Glory as much excels the Life of Grace as the Life of Grace excels the Life of Reason there is a greater Difference between the Life of Reason and the Life of Grace than between the Life of Grace and the Life of Glory or between a carnal Man and a Child of God than between the most glorified Saint in Heaven and the weakest Believer on Earth The Difference between Glory and Grace is gradual but the Difference between the carnal Life and the spiritual Life is essential Glorified Saints and Saints here living the Life of Grace differ only in Degrees but the Life of Grace and the Life of Nature differ in kind There is more Difference between a Toad or Beast and a Man than between a Child and a Man Grace and Glory differ but as a Child and a Man only in Degree but Grace and Sense and Grace and Reason differ as the Life of a Toad and the Life of a Beast from the Life of a Man Vse 1. Information 1. That we should not value Men by their secular Interests but by their Relation to God The Lord doth not call the Potentates of the Earth his Treasure as he doth his Holy Ones Prov. 12.26 The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour Men may be mighty in the World yet base and vile in God's Esteem Dan. 4.17 He gives Kingdoms to the basest of Men. It is notable in the prophetical Visions of the great Monarchs of the World they are compared to wild Beasts Alexander the Mighty yet is called the Goat of Graecia Paul calls Nero a Lion They that brave it in the World as if they were Gods upon Earth yet in the Lord's Account they are but Beasts But now the Saints are the precious excellent ones of the Earth Psal. 16.3 Therefore we should not value Men by their outward Greatness James 2.1 Have not the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of Glory with respect of Persons If you have Relation to Christ he puts a Glory and Excellency upon you you are his Treasure Saith Tertullian Non ex personis fidem sed ex fide personas We must not measure the Faith by the Person but the Person by his Faith They are Fools that despise and vilify those upon whom God sets the greatest Price and admire those that are of lowest Esteem with God 2. It informeth us that the Judgment of God and the Judgment of the World are very contrary The World counts the Saints the Filth the Scurf and Off-scouring of all things and God calls them Jewels and Treasure Alas with God carnal Men are nothing worse than nothing It had been better for them saith the Spirit of God that they had never been born and they are viler than the Earth The blind World knows not how to value the Stamp and Seal of the Spirit When God hath impress'd his own Image the World knows not how to value them but God values them These are Coins and Medals God will keep in his own Treasure Certainly they are worthless Souls that despise them that count Purity a Disgrace It hath always been the World's Fashion to crucify God in Effigie in his Picture to despise oppress and scoff at them that bear his Image and resemble him and malign and scorn the Lustre of Holiness 3. It informs us how much it concerns us to be holy and purified for those he counts to be his Treasure God's Church is his Heritage but every one that lives in the Church God doth not count them to be his Jewels Many claim Acquaintance of him by virtue of Offices and Ministration in the Church yet they are disclaimed and disowned by God Mat. 7.22 23. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works And then will I profess uâ—â—â— them I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity The Holy Ghost brings in some that had great Gifts and Employments in the Church And as when a Man entertaineth another with Strangeness we use to put him in mind by some Tokens so carnal Professors put Christ in Mind as it were by some kind of Tokens Do you not remember that we prophesied in your Name c. and we were employed in special Offices in the Church No verily I know you not he disclaims and disowns them 4. It informs us that it is dangerous to molest oppress and prosecute the Godly those that are purified because they are God's peculiar ones you meddle with the Apple of his Eye and to destroy them is Sacrilege Israel is a holy thing Ier. 2.3 Israel is Holiness unto the Lord and the first-fruits of his Increase all that devour him shall offend Evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. Sacrilege hath been always deadly robbing of Temples among the Heathen hath been always observed to be fatal to those that attempted it the Lord by his wise Providence was pleased to suffer the Devil to follow them with Tempests and Punishments to keep up the Notion of a Divine Power which is the Fundamental Principle and Ground of all Religion So when you oppress and destroy the People of God and malign them you devour that which is holy which will prove fatal and deadly Look as he told the Governour Acts 22.26 Take heed what thou doest for this Man is a Roman So God is very tender of these kind of Men they are his Jewels his Treasure take heed how you use them Vse 2. Exhortation and that both to carnal Men and to God's People who are his peculiar ones First It exhorts carnal Men to put in for a share in this great Privilege to be one of God's peculiar ones those that he counts his
therefore cast your selves upon God 3. Carry your selves as a peculiar People to him Wherein 1. You must not be contented with common Mercies Every distinct Society have distinct Privileges Now the Elect are a peculiar People and therefore should look after peculiar Privileges A Man may have outward things and here is nothing peculiar no Argument of God's special Love Cast-aways may have these things Psal. 119.132 Look then upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto them that love thy Name Look not upon me as thou usest to do on the World in general but as thou dost on thy own People You must have renewing Mercies and sanctifying Mercies a holy Heart be kept from Sin and conformed to God Other Mercies a Man may have and go to Hell therefore be not satisfied with them Luther protested to God he would not be put off with Estate and the Favour of the World and with increase of Honour and Esteem Alas the multitude may have these things it is their Happiness Psal. 4.6 There be many that say Who will shew us any Good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us 2. Be not contented with common Graces Thus far a Man may go and not be saved As for instance There are moral Inclinations in Heathens and they make Conscience of gross Sins It is not enough to keep from Theft Drunkenness Adultery a Heathen would discover those Sins by the Light of Nature and by such Arguments and Reasons as Nature suggests would avoid them And then Hypocrites may have flashes of Comfort Glances Wishes and good Moods though they have no constant Delight in Communion with God yet they have superficial Hopes and are much taken with Evangelical Strains and Tenders of the Gospel they have a desire to keep their Consciences quiet and peaceable but you should labour for Uprightness and special Graces Carnal Men desire to be secure rather than sincere that they may have some Delectations and superficial Tastes but you are to look after things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that have Salvation in them you should be contented with no Grace but that which is an undoubted Pledg and Evidence of Heaven not a loose Hope of the Gospel 3. Be not satisfied with a common Conversation How is that Partly thus You must not live according to ordinary Privileges and ordinary Hopes You must discover Self-denial as one trained up in the School of Christ. It is an Accusation the Apostle brings against the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not Carnal and walk as Men When Men pretend to be God's peculiar People and have nothing singular but are given to worldly Cares vile Passions and corrupt Affections as other Men are this hardens carnal Men. A Christian should live like a Wonder in his place by discovering much Self-denial and Mortification in his Conversation Mat. 5.4 For if ye love them which love you what Reward have you do not the Publicans the same It is the greatest Hypocrisy that can be in the World to profess to be a peculiar People and to deny your selves in nothing but do as others do we should live at another rate and be more Holy more Charitable more Heavenly 4. Do not live according to ordinary Examples We may not frame and fashion our selves to the Guise of the World because we are the Lord 's peculiar People Deut. 14.1 2. Ye are the Children of the Lord your God ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldness between your Eyes for the Dead For thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar People unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the Earth Dead Fishes swim with the Stream A Christian should live in a Counter-motion to the World You cannot do as others do for you profess your selves to be distinct Especially we should consider this in times of general Defection not to run away from God Mich. 4.5 For all People will walk every one in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever When every Man sets up a distinct Religion that is the meaning of it then the peculiar People of God should hold together and shew forth special Zeal and special Strictness in the Ways of God in times of Coldness Indifferency and Neutrality in Religion Josh. 24.15 And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this Day whom you will serve whether the Gods which your Fathers served that were on the other side of the Flood or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwell but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord. SERMON XXII TITUS II. 14 Zealous of Good Works I Come to the last Circumstance the outward Manifestation of Christ's Puririfying that he might make us zealous of good Works I shall consider it partly as the Note of Evidence of God's peculiar People and partly as it falls under the Aim of Christ's Death Doct. Zeal for or in good Works is a Note of God's People and a Fruit of Christ's Purchase Here I shall enquire I. What good Works are II. What it is to be zealous of good Works III. In what Respect and Place we are to put this Zeal or how it stands in order to the Death of Christ. 1. What good Works are I shall shew the Kinds of them and the Requisites to them First The Kinds of good Works Good Works for the Matter of them may be distributed into four Sorts or Ranks Opera Cultûs Acts of Worship Opera Vocationis Works of our own particular Function and Calling Opera Iustitiae Works of Righteousness Opera Charitatis Works of Mercy 1. Opera Cultûs Acts of Worship both Internal and External External to Pray Hear Read Meditate to be much in Communion with God So for Internal Acts as Faith and Repentance and Love All these are good Works and fitly placed in the first Rank of these we must be chiefly zealous because our Happiness lies in Communion with God It is notable Daniel would not omit Prayer for one Day though he was forbidden by the King and in danger of Death Dan. 6.11 Now when Daniel knew that the Writing was signed he went to his House and his Windows being open in his Chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his Knees three times a Day and prayed and gave Thanks before his God as he did afore-time Certainly they have little Zeal in them that care not to be frequent in Communion with God and call not upon his Name These are the chiefest parts of those good Works we must press and exhort you to where we are to be the more punctual because the Offence is immediately done to God If we do not Works of Mercy and Justice there the Offence is done to Men but neglecting the Works of Piety
a Religion to talk of but not to live by therefore they are cold and indifferent and when the Children of God offer a holy Violence to the Kingdom of Heaven they become a Matter of Scorn and Opposition to them And besides formal Men cannot endure to be outstripp'd and therefore malign what they will not imitate as those that are at the Bottom of the Hill fret at those that are at the Top and Men of a lazy and slow Pace envy them that are more zealous strict and holy but they have little Cause to envy them for Christ died to make us zealous of good Works 3. It informs us if we would expect any Benefit by Christ's Death we must be zealous of good Works and more warm in the Service of God A cold Christian will have but cold Comfort For whom did Christ die for those that are zealous of good Works Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by Force It is an Allusion to Exod. 19.23 24. where there was a Rail about the Mount of God that the People might not break through but when Iohn the Baptist began to discover the Grace of God and pointed to the Lamb of God then the Kingdom of God suffered Violence Men began to break through and press upon God there is a free Access to God and Men are earnest and will not be denied Entrance Matth. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no Case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It is not cold Prayers and yawning Devotions and drowzy Wishes when Men are half asleep that will serve in this Case Heaven is gotten by Force and surprized by On-set and Storm it signifies breaking through the Rail and all Restraints that are set to keep us off from God Vse 2. To stir us up to this Zeal of good Works In a dead and drowzy Age we need an Alarum Knowledg hath now devoured Practice in these decaying times Seneca complains Men are altogether studious for filling their Brains not warming their Hearts And when once Men became more learned they were less good The World is altogether for storing the Head with Notions empty and airy Strains so that if Christ should come amongst us he would find few zealous but a Company of lazy Christians that live at a low cheap Rate of Christianity High-flown we are indeed in our Fancies in Notions and Pretences but low and flat in Practice and Conversation Usually thus it is in the time of the Church's Prosperity like a River it loseth in Depth what it gains in Breadth then it hath many Friends but their Love is not so strong nor so hot as at other times Salvian complains Multiplicatis fidei populis fides diminuta est crescentibus filiis mater aegrotat c. When Professors were multiplied their Faith was lessened and as a Mother grows the weaker the more Children she bears so doth Religion grow weaker and weaker when every one takes up a cold Profession they learn Formality one of another And he goes on Quantum copiae accessit tantum disciplinae recessit as a large Body is less active In audito genere processus recessus crescens simul decrescens When the Church increaseth in Multitude and decreaseth in Vigour and Strength it loseth in Spirit what it injoyeth in temporal Felicity Thus it often falls out with the Church of God that when Religion is fair many take up the Profession but alas it is but weak and spiritless without any Life and Vigor Therefore in such a drowzy Age and dead times we need Alarms and quickning Excitations to awaken our Zeal again for solid Piety for those good Works that are commended to us in the Scripture Therefore let us inquire what kind of Enforcements and Considerations are likely to be most operative to press us to this Zeal and Care of good Works 1. Consider how violent and earnest carnal Men are in the Ways of Sin and shall they serve Satan better than you serve God O consider you have a better Master better Work and better Wages their Master is the Devil their Work is the basest Drudgery being Slaves to their own Lusts and their Wages are sutable their Reward is everlasting Damnation and a Separation from the Presence of the Lord. How active are wicked Men for the Kingdom of Darkness How zealous and earnest to ruine themselves as if they could not be damned soon enough Isa. 5.19 They draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and sin as it were with a Cart-rope The meaning is they would sin though it cost them a great deal of Pains and Sorrow and though they could not sin at a cheap rate The Prophet doth not say they were drawn into Sin as into a Gin and Snare but they themselves did draw on Sin it is horrid Work yet they delight in it toiling and tiring themselves as Beasts at a Plough they were sinful though it cost them Sorrow and Pain There is no Corruption but it puts you to some Self-denial Luxury is costly and he that loves Wine and Oil saith Solomon will be poor Pride we say will endure the cold and Vain-glory will expose a Man to Danger and Ruine Worldliness incroacheth upon Pleasantness and the Comforts of Life a Worldling will rise early sit up late and eat the Bread of Sorrows Psal. 127.2 With what Earnestness and unwearied Diligence do carnal Men pursue after a few Trifles How do they lay out all their Wisdom and all their Sagacity about worldly things Luke 16.8 The Children of this World are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light As Children are busy about Toys and Puppets so they cumber themselves about much Serving and all their Life is but Care and Disquiet and a constant Self-denial Psal. 39.6 Surely every Man walketh in a vain Shew surely they disquiet themselves in vain They make a great deal of Stir and Bustle and many times when all is got what is it A sorry Comfort and that which must be left on this side the Grave Thus wicked Men are active and restless in their way So for Idolatry with what Cost and Diligence do Men promote false Worship and compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte they will give Rivers of Oil and thousands of Rams they do not stand at Pains and Cost God bids the Prophet look upon this Sight as indeed it is worthy of a Christian Consideration Ier. 7.17 18. Seest thou what they do in the Cities of Judah and in the Streets of Jerusalem The Children gather Wood and the Fathers kindle the Fire and the Women kneed the Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-Offerings unto other Gods What a busy Diligence is here to promote their false Worship Fathers Children Husbands Wives they all put their helping Hands to the Work and find some Imployment or other Where will you have a Family
1 Cor. 7.30 And they that weep as tho they wept not and they that rejoice as tho they rejoiced not and they that buy as tho they possessed not 2 Cor. 6.7 By the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the right-hand and on the left by Honour and Dishonour by evil Report and good Report Phil. 4.12 I know how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need A Man must learn both Lessons or he learneth neither The Prevalency of any Earthly Love will always expose us to Disquiets and we should have more in God if we looked for less in the Creature but whilst we dote upon these things we are more sollicitous about getting or keeping and troubled at the want or loss of them 3. The great care is in the Text about the exercise of Faith on God and Christ Ye believe in God believe also in me Sense is the cause of Trouble Faith of Comfort Christ who is the true Physician of Souls knoweth what Cure is proper to the Disease Mountebanks would prescribe another Cure spare the Flesh or feed Men with carnal Hopes No ye believe in God believe also in me Tho God should not prevent the Evil feared or remove the Affliction yet if we can believe we are well enough Faith represents more Grounds of Comfort than Sense can of Trouble whilst it carrieth off the Heart from things seen to things unseen from things present to things future from the Creature to God who can give better things than the World can give or take from us Here are two Objects of Faith God and Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 To us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him One supream God from whom we derive all our Graces and to whom we direct all our Services and one Mediator by whom as a golden Pipe all our Mercies are conveyed to us and by whom also we have access to God for all that we stand in need of 4. Let us labour to keep our Consciences pure if we would not have our Hearts troubled Sin will bring on Trouble both inward and outward for it is the cause of Sufferings and it maketh them more grievous as we shall always walk in Pain till the Thorn be pulled out of our Foot Righteousness bringeth Peace and the Oil of Grace maketh way for the Oil of Gladness the Apostle bringeth this out of Melchisedec's Name and Title Heb. 7.2 First being by Interpretation King of Righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is King of Peace Elsewhere the Scripture doth attest it Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God And 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoicing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World David interposeth a Caution Psal. 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak Peace unto his People and to his Saints but let them not turn again to Folly 5. There are certain Ordinances appointed to fortify us against Soul-trouble The Word Psal. 119.50 This is my Comfort in mine Affliction for thy Word hath quickened me There are the fixed Grounds of that Hope and Comfort which will support and enliven us in the greatest Pressures God's Covenant and promised Mercies are Portion enough what Distresses soever he sendeth So Prayer if it be ingenuous thankful Prayer Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your Requests be made known unto God The Lord's-Supper it is our Viaticum non morientium not when we come to die Papists think so and therefore thrust the Sacrament into the Mouths of those that die if this be neglected they almost despair of their Salvation But it is Viaticum viventium of those that live Death is not a Journey but the end of a Journey a Passage in a Moment a Cessation from our Journey in this World which needeth no Viaticum a going out of the World like the putting out of a Lamp in a moment as the Lamp needeth no more Oil when it is to be extinguished We need this for our Journey in the World not our departure out of the World Acts 8.39 He went on his way rejoicing As it is our Antidote against the Corruption that is in the World through Lust so it is our Cordial against the Troubles of the World to give us more Joy of Faith more sense of God's Love It is the Feast provided for the refreshing of the weary and cherishing of the mournful Soul SERMON II. JOHN XIV 1 Let not your Heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me Doct. II. ONE great Means of easing our Hearts from Trouble is believing in God and Christ. To evidence this I shall consider I. The Act. II. The Object which is double 1. One part taken for granted Ye believe in God 2. The other part of the Object they were now invited and recommended unto Believe also in me I. For the Act. Faith in the general hath a comforting Property and a Power to allay Trouble As here the Disciples being in Trouble are exhorted by Christ to believe that is to renew their Faith David felt a blustering in his Spirit and how doth he allay the Storms Psal. 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God There is no such ready way to still unquiet Thoughts as to set Faith on work and to cast Anchor within the Vail hoping for and expecting Relief from God So the Primitive Christians when they were under great Heaviness in divers Trials how did they get any Comfort to keep themselves alive 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory A lively Exercise of Faith will bring in much Joy to the Soul in hard Times and under sore Trials and not only keep it alive as Habak 2.4 The Iust shall live by Faith or make a Believer not barely to subsist but he fareth high and liveth at a wonderful rate of Comfort such as is for nature and kind tho not degree somewhat like the Joy of the Blessed Look into the Book of God and you shall find that all our Fears and Troubles are for want of Faith As for Instance Peter when he walked to Christ upon the Waters his Feet never sunk till his Faith failed Mat. 14.31 O thou of little Faith wherefore didst thou doubt The Wind was boisterous but there was Christ at hand He looketh at the Wind too much
and at Christ too little and therefore was full of Fears and began to sink So the Disciples were afraid to perish tho Christ himself were in the Ship Mat. 8.26 Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith It is Mark 4.40 How is it that ye have no Faith A little Faith is as no Faith in great Trials Well then there is no way to ease our Hearts of Trouble but by exercising Faith To make this more expresly to appear to you I shall consider again what is Trouble the nature of it and what are the causes of it and then you will discern that Faith is the proper Remedy First For the nature of this Trouble It consisteth 1. In a Fear of Danger 2. Sorrow for some Disappointment in the Creature 3. A fretting dislike of God's Dispensations 1. Fear is vanquished by Faith That appeareth by that Opposition Prov. 29.25 The Fear of Man bringeth a Snare but whoso putteth his Trust in the Lord shall be safe Or as it is in the Hebrew shall be set on high There is no conquering either the Allectives or Terrors of Sense till Faith represent something greater to be feared and loved 1 Iohn 5.4 This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith It much out-weighs all Temptations What is a Prison to Hell a fiery Furnace to everlasting Burnings the Creature to God or the Threatnings of Men to the Lord's Promises Do but shut the Eye of Sense and open that of Faith and you will see that God is only worthy to be feared and trusted and then the Creature will be nothing to you we shall comfortably do our Duty and not fear what Man can do unto us We have more encouragement to be faithful to Christ than the World can present Allurements or Affrightments to the contrary If Man be our Enemy and God be our Help and Second what need we fear Psal. 16.8 I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right Hand I shall not be moved God is set before us either in a way of Reverence or in a way of Dependance either for seeing him in all our ways making him our Witness Approver and Judg so it is an Act of Holy Fear or as looking up to him as our Helper and Deliverer so it is an Act of Faith and Confidence And he that thus often looketh to God is carried through all his Fears and Cares and may easily despise all the frightful things in the World therefore why should your Hearts be troubled Believe in God and believe in Jesus Christ. It is a Fault in Christians to be immoderately fearful in times of Trouble and Danger Faith puts it self under God's special Protection upon a two-fold Perswasion of God's Power and Presence 1. His Power God is greater than the Creature and all the Terrors which Sense can present to us from the Creature Dan. 3.17 18. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King But if not be it known to thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up If Men bind God can loose if they threaten to kill God can save 2. His Presence Heb. 13.5 6. Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what Man shall do unto me The Lord will stand by his People and deliver them when it shall be for his Glory Now till we come to this Courage and Constancy of Mind and fearlesness of Men we never have the Generosity of Christians 2. Sorrow is vanquished by Faith 1. As it diverteth the Heart from present things to future and maketh things absent present and recompenseth Losses and Disappointments in the World with the hope of greater things in the World to come Faith sheweth better things to be enjoyed Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your Goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an indaring Substance Spoiling of your Goods is either by Violence or by Fire and Confiscation It goeth near to the Hearts of Worldlings to part with their necessary and convenient earthly Comforts But to a Believer it is more easy for Heaven is infinitely better and more precious than all the Wealth of the World If the World be our Darling or any created Comfort be overvalued it will fill our Hearts with sorrow to be deprived of it A Christian that hath Heaven in Hope and Reversion cannot be poor he is richer than all worldly Men though God's Providence hath given him little or left him little 2. The Sting of present Evils is removed by the Pardon of Sins and the Sense of God's Love You are secured from Death and Wrath and God in Christ is your Father Rom. 5.1 2 3. Therefore being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the Glory of God And not only so but we glory in Tribulations also If his Love be shed abroad in the Heart it is no great matter what we feel in the Body The Venom of the Affliction is the Curse due for Sin that is gone when we have first made sure of our personal Reconciliation with God and Acceptance with him in Christ. 3. Not only is the Venom gone but every Condition is useful and hath a Blessing in it to the Godly We know this by Faith Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Psal. 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes And ver 25. I know O Lord that thy Iudgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me Our wise and faithful God would not bring it upon us if he did not know how to make a good use of it By this we may discern whether God chasten us in Anger yea or no Whether our Crosses be Curses The Cross which maketh thee better than thou wert it cometh with a Blessing and as a Blessing It is not the sharpness of the Affliction that we should look to but the Improvement If it be improved the bitter Waters are made sweet if we are more godly wise and religious All God's Dispensations to his People are good and tend to good Luther hath a saying Qui tribulantur sacras literas melius intelligunt securi fortunati eas legunt sicut Ovidii carmen Those that are in trouble understand the Scriptures better the secure and prosperous read them as a piece of Ovid. It maketh us more serious keepeth us in a relish of spiritual Things While God is striking we feel
wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him There is a peculiar Goodness which God hath to his People and all his Blessings to them come from it 2 Thes. 1.11 That God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness I. VSE The Consideration of his Goodness is Matter of great Comfort to the Godly and Faithful at all times but especially in time of Trouble and Distress At all times Psal. 100.5 For the Lord is good his Mercy is everlasting an◠〈◊〉 Truth endureth to all generations Here 's the Stability of the Saints which 〈◊〉 them in Life and Heart and Comfort in all Conditions but especially in a 〈◊〉 of Want and Afflictions inward or outward It is a great Cordial of the Saints to think of the Goodness of God Do we want Direction Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good teach me thy Statutes Do we want Support and Deliverance Nahum 1.7 The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Do we feel the Burden of Sin or do we fear the Wrath of God Psal. 86.5 For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive When his old Sins troubled him Psal. 25.7 Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy mercy remember me for thy Goodness sake O Lord. Do Enemies insult and boast and threaten much Psal. 52.1 Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty Man the Goodness of God endureth continually Tho' they have never so much Might and Power and do never so much machine against you yet they cannot take away the Goodness of God therefore you have no Cause to be discouraged God may seem to break down the Hedge and forget his poor Servants and leave them as a Prey to their Enemies yet he changeth not his Affection to them In the Agonies of Death here 's our Cordial and Support Austin when he came to dye had this Speech to those that were about him Non sic vixi ut me pudeat inter vos vivere nec mori timeo quia bonum habeo Dominum I have not so lived as that I should be ashamed to live among you and I have not so believed as that I am afraid to dye for I have a good God This supports us and is a very great Cordial to our Heart he is a good God to all that put their trust in him II. VSE Let it move all to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his Goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance God is Good but not to those that continue in their Sins There is Hope offered O come try see how good he will be to you Psal. 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him If Goodness be despised it will turn into Fury In point of Gratitude the Goodness of God should melt our Hearts into Godly Sorrow for Sin The kindness from Men melteth us it is as Coals of Fire as Fire melts a thing and makes it capable of any Impression The Borrower is a Servant to the Lender God hath not lent but given us all that we have O let it break our Hearts with Sorrow that we should offend so good and Bountiful a God Saul had but a rough military Spirit yet when he heard how kind David had been to him in sparing his Life He lift up his voice and wept 1 Sam. 24.16 Methinks when we hear how good God hath been to us all our days this should make us ashamed of the Insolencies and Abuses we have put upon him Every Man will condemn him that wrongs one that never hurt him God hath done us no hurt but a great deal of good what will you Sin against God that is so good in himself and so good to all his Creatures and return Evil for all his Goodness to you I beseech you by the Mercies of God deal not so unkindly how can you Sin against him and abuse all his Mercies III. VSE Honour and Praise him for this in Word and Deed Psal. 118.1 O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good You all have tasted of the Goodness of God now what shall be done to the Lord for this Certainly we should be good and do good that we might imitate our Heavenly Father SERMON III. ON MARK X. 19 Thou knowest the Commandments do not commit Adultery do not Kill do not Steal do not bear False Witness Defraud not Honour thy Father and Mother IN former Discourses upon this Context you have heard of a necessary Question asked and that by a Young Man concerning the way to Eternal Life He doth not put it upon good Words or any thing less than good Works really to be done What good thing must I do that I may inherit Eternal Life Yet because he spoke in a Legal Sence Christ accommodates his Answer thereunto First he gives Answer to his Compellation Good Master and now to his Question To convince his Conscience and bring him to Brokenness of Heart and now remitteth him to his Rule 1. He mindeth him of his Pattern Why callest thou me Good there is none good but one which is God This Young Man had too high a Conceit of his own Goodness therefore Christ shews him that Originally and absolutely that Title belongeth to God only 2. He referrs him to his Rule Thô we be not so perfect as God is perfect yet if we answer our Rule the Law given to us it is enough for us Creatures and therefore the Young Man is put upon that Tryal Thou art not good as God is good so thou canst not be for God alone is good yet thou knowest the Commandments Do not commit Adultery c. Observe here 1. Christ directeth him to the Commandments for an Answer to his Question the Question was What must I do that I may inherit Eternal life Christ saith Thou knowest the Commandments c. That here is a direct Answer to the Question appeareth by comparing the Evangelists for we see Mar. 19.17 18. it is drawn Dialogue-wise thus If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments He saith unto him which Iesus said Thou shalt do no Murder thou shalt not commit Adultery c. If thou lookest to be saved by Doing keep the Law perfectly 2. For the particular Commandments he instanceth in those Commandments for his Tryal which were more apt to convince him of his Sin and of his Imperfection And here it is notable that they are all of the second Table Do not Kill do not commit Adultery c. And there is one Clause Defraud not that is left out in Luke and in Matthew instead thereof there is put this General Clause Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Mat. 19.19 Three Questions then are necessary for Explication 1. Why Christ referrs him to the Commandments 2. Why the Commandments of the Second Table are
if Men under Grace could live under the Dominion of any one Sin they are shut up by the Curse we must look to Christ and give up our selves to him This Man in the Text had the Love of the World reigning in his Heart and Christ turns him away and afterwards it is said he went â—â—way sad III. VSE To instruct us if we would be prepared for Christ what we must do we must study the Law the Purity of it and the binding Force it hath on all under it 1. We must be able to understand it Christ saith to the Young man Thou knowest the Commandments he appealeth to him as to one that had some Knowledge of the Law Those that live in the Church should not be ignorant of the Commandments or Law of God but well acquained with them God complaineth Hosea 8.12 I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing To be Strangers to the Word of God little conversant in it and to make little use of it is a great Affront done to God We should acquaint our selves not with the Letter only as little Children learn it by rote but with the sence and purpose of it 2. Meditate often thereupon Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and Night Deep and ponderous Thoughts have most Efficacy without a Study of the Law Men are without the Law while they have it Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the law once Who more zealous for the Law than Paul Gal. 1.14 I profited in the Iews Religion above many my Equals in mine own Nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers but while he did not ponder of it he was without the Law 3. Judge your selves by it One great use for which the Moral Law serveth is to bring men to a sight and sense of their Sins and Imperfections and humble them before God Rom. 7.7 I had not known Sin but by the law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet and to undeceive them of Conceits of their own Goodness and Righteousness Look into thy Bill what owest thou 4. Beg the Light of the Spirit to shew thee thy Sin and Misery Rom. 7.9 Whâ—n the Commandment came in the Light and Evidence of the Holy Spirit Sin revived and I dyed Men that have the Letter of the Law may be without the Light and Power of it Without the Spirit we guess confusedly concerning things as the Man that saw men like Trees walking and have but general cursory confused Thoughts SERMON IV. ON MARK X. v. 20. And he answered and said unto him Master all these have I observed from my Youth YOU have heard of a necessary Question propounded by a Noble Young man to Christ What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life We have spoken to Christ's Answer Now in this Verse we have the Young man's Reply All these have I observed from my Youth wherein there is expressed or pretended at least 1. An Vniversality of Respect to the Will of God All these have I observed 2. An early Beginning to do so from my Youth He was still a Young man but by these words from my Youth he means ever since I had the use of Reason as soon as I begun to distinguish between Good and Evil strait and crooked Certainly this Answer were good if it were true Some goodness there is in it therefore we will observe something from it for it is said in the next Verse when he had answered thus Iesus beholding him loved him First It is good in the first Respect as an Vniversality of Obedience is pretended and I may drop this Note Doct. They that would keep the Commandments must observe not only one but all It is true of the Law of God as it belongeth to the Covenant of Works or to the Covenant of Grace 1. As it belongeth to the Covenant of Works Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Every Sin the least is damnable by that Covenant and deserveth a Curse if he should omit any thing required or commit any thing forbidden the Curse seizeth upon his Throat So Iames 2.10 Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all As one Condition not observed forfeits the whole Lease therefore it concerns this Legalist to make good his Plea and Conceit of Perfection by the Law to say All these things have I done 2. But is not the Covenant of Grace more favourable No it gives not allowance to the least failings but binds us to make Conscience of all as well as of some 1. Because the Authority is the same Exod. 20.1 God spake not one or two but all these words they are all ratified by the Great God and Law-giver So that the same reason that moves us to one moves us to another also that we do it out of Conscience to God we must walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work Col. 1.10 That we should obey Parents keep the Sabbath not Steal be careful of his Institutions not worship him by an Idol this is pleasing to God and so is that 2. The Heart can never be Sincere when we can dispense with any thing which God hath Commanded And you cannot have the Testimony of a good Conscience approving your Sincerity when you allow your selves in the least Failing Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments I confess it is chiefly meant of our final Judgment But in all Conditions in the World if we would be found faithful with God and not lest to shame we must respect all his Commandments Luk. 1.6 Zachary and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless And saith David Psal. 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me If you would not break your Confidence and freedom of Heart when you come to God in Prayer but come with Assurance of Welcome and Audience not one Sin must be regarded When we set up a Toleration in our own Hearts and dispense with any one Duty it is either some Pleasure or Profit or Honour that maketh the Duty contrary to us but this will not stand with Sincerity that any petty Interest or Affection of ours should be preferred before the Will of God for these Men do not serve God but their own Lusts when they will only obey God so far as Pleasure Honour or Profit or some Lust will permit them to yield Obedience to him 3. God giveth Grace to keep all Wherever he Renews and Sanctifies it is throughout he fills the Soul with the Seeds of all Grace so as to dispose and encline us to every Duty
Soul but they all agree in this both the Muck-worm and the Epicure that they trust in Riches 2. He instanceth in this Trust rather than Love of Riches not how hard is it for them that love Riches but how hard is it for them that trust in Riches because this is more and doth more express the disposition of Worldly Men. We Love many things in which we do not put our Trust but we put our Trust in nothing but what we Love A Glutton loves his Belly-chear but he doth not trust in it as thinking to be protected by it as the Covetous doth by his Estate and therefore tho' he make his Belly his God or his chief good and last end yet he doth not make it the first Cause and Fountain of his Happiness But now this gives all the Titles and Priviledges of God to Wealth Trust makes Wealth to be the first Cause the chief Good and the last End Well then for these two Reasons doth Christ instance in this one sin as being a common Disease and cause of all the rest or implying them at least This young Man who went away sorrowful from Christ thought he should be despised and grow necessitous if he should forsake all upon the Command of Christ he made his Riches to be the Fountain of his Hope and Confidence and therefore doth Christ say How hard is it for them that trust in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! Doct. That rich Men are very prone and apt to put their Confidence in Riches and so thereby render themselves uncapable of the Kingdom of God In the handling this Point I shall 1. Shew there is such a Sin as Trusting in Riches 2. The Heinousness and evil of it 3. The Signs and Discoveries of it 4. The Remedies I. That there is such a Sin and that a very common sin The Scripture shews it plentifully Iob when he protested his Innocency among other sins he reckoned up he disclaims this Chap. 31.24 25. If I have made Gold my hope or said to the fine Gold thou art my Confidence If I rejoyced because my Wealth was great and because my hand had gotten much Iob to Vindicate himself from Hypocrisie reckons up the usual Sins of Hypocrites and among the rest this for one making Riches our Hope and Confidence He had immediately before waved the Crime of Extortion and Oppression but he thinks not that sufficient to clear himself and therefore he further denyeth also the Crime of Carnal Confidence It is not enough that our Wealth be not gotten by Fraud Cousenage and Extortion but we must not trust to it Symachus renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Safety and Security the Cause why I am not afraid The World looketh upon Wealth as that which will help us to all we want defend us from all we fear and procure to us all we do desire as if by that we were out of the reach of all Danger and in a Capacity to live longer and happier under the Patronage and Provisions which our Money shall procure to us Another place is Prov. 18.10 11. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe The rich man's wealth is his strong City and an high Wall in his own conceit Mark what the Name of the Lord is to the Believer that is Wealth to the Carnal rich Man in his own Conceit A godly Man never thinks himself safe 'till he can get into the Name of the Lord and be within the compass and Verge of the Covenant But a Carnal rich Man if he be walled and intrencht within his Wealth thinks himself secure against all Changes and Chances and so God is laid aside and little cared for That there is such a Sin you see but I shall prove that it is a common sin very incident to all Men and that it is a very secret sin but yet of a Pestilential Influence 1. It is very Natural to all Men yea impossible almost to be free from it Consider Man as degenerate and in that corrupted Estate in which he is as fallen from God as his chief Good and last End and so he is an Idolater and makes the Creature his God or sticketh too much to it more especially to Wealth Wealth is the great Instrument of Commerce it cannot be denyed to have a Power and Influence upon Humane Affairs Eccl. 10.19 Money answereth all things It can do much in this lower World and saveth us out of many Dangers Prov. 13.8 The ransom of a man's Life are his Riches It hath its use in this World as a Means in God's hands to sustain and preserve Life But what more common than for a Man to look to the subordinate Means and neglect altogether the first Cause as Children will thank the Taylor and think they owe their new Cloaths to his Provision rather than to their Parents Bounty So we look to the next hand and set up that instead of God Rich and Poor cannot be exempted from â—his Sin 1. The Poor and those that have not Wealth they Idolize it in Fancy and Conceit that if they had Estates this would make them happy and glorious and because they have not they trust in those which have which is Idolatry upon Idolatry see Psal. 62.9 Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye To appearance men of low Degree are nothing and can do nothing towards our Relief and so are Vanity but Men of high Degree they are aâ— Lye because they disappoint those that trust in them to the wrong of God Alas they have neither Power to help nor hurt if the Lord will not 2 Kings 6.27 If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee And therefore we need not fear the hazard of their Frowns nor of their Displeasure we need not with such restlesness court their Favour and trust in them that have Wealth 2. But chiefly this is incident to worldly Great Men to trust in what they have Their Minds are secretly enchanted by their Estates when they are encreased to them Still the Distemper grows with the encrease of worldly Accommodations Psal. 62.10 Trust not in oppression and become not vain in robbery If Riches increase set not your heart upon them As soon as we begin to have any thing about us from thence forward we date our Happiness and Security Many that in Want despise Wealth and live in an actual dependance upon God's Providence as soon as they have somewhat in the Creature they begin to value themselves at a higher rate as if they could live alone without God and their Hearts are altogether for encreasing their Store or keeping and retaining what they have already gotten 2. It is a very Secret Sin and found in those that are least sensible of it We seldom or never mistrust our selves of this Confidence which is so Natural and so Common and why Because we have too
tender of their Reputation lest they should be despised and turned out of their places for deserting the old way wherein they were bred But none of this can be imputed to our Centurion whose Faith Christ approved and rewarded For in Contemplation of this Faith the Cure was wrought Verse 13. And Iesus said unto the Centurion go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it unto thee And he ventureth the Credit he had with his Nation and though the particular address concerned not him but his Servant yet he maketh an open acknowledgment of Christ. II. How was this Faith wrought and bred in him I Answer The Ground-work was laid in his Knowledge of the Omnipotency and Power of God and his acquaintance with the Scriptures of the Old Testament tho' he were not a professed Iew. This prepared for his Faith in Christ the report or hearing was the ground of Faith Isa. 53.1 Who hath believed our report He had heard by Fame of his excellent Doctrine Matth. 7.29 That he taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes And he had heard the rumour of his Miracles more particularly the late Instance of curing the Leper which was notorious and publick for Christ biddeth him shew himself to the Priests Matth. 8.4 And also the Miracle in recovering the Rulers Son an Instance near which was done a time before this Iohn 4.46 47. And there was a certain Noble man whose Son was sick at Capernaum And he heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Gallilee and he went unto him and besought him that he would come down and heal his Son for he was at the point of death By all which he was moved to ascribe the Omnipotency of God which he knew before to Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God can bless slender Motives to a willing Heart and there is a readiness in Holy Souls to believe sooner and easier than others Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures whether these things were 〈◊〉 no. They were not light of Belief for they searched the Scriptures yet they were more ready to believe than perverse and prejudiced Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When there is sufficient Evidence they can hold out no longer Thus the Spirit of God blessed the knowledge of this Centurion and the Rumours that were brought to him of Christ's Doctrine and Miracles III. The Effects or Fruits of it or how it discovered it's self 1. In that he applyeth himself to Christ. They that believe in Christ will come to him and put him upon work whilst others prize his Name but neglect his Office A gracious Heart will find Occasions and Opportunities of acqâ—â—intance with Christ if not for themselves yet for others for when they have heard of him they cannot keep from him Faith never wants an Errand to the Throne of Grace either Necessity brings us thither or Delight Christ inviteth us to come for what he hath to give Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest He is angry that we will not come Iohn 5.40 And ye will not come to me that ye may have life If we be backward he sendeth Afflictions upon our selves and Families Hosea 5.15 In their affliction they will seek me early Surely it is a Delight to him to do his Office in helping distressed Creatures or else he would never have taken it upon him The Elect shall be brought to him upon one occasion or another and he will kindly receive them Iohn 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out An Apoplexy fallen on a beloved Servant bringeth this Centurion to Christ. Well then since Christ is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 Let us not neglect the Occasions of coming to him but get nearer to God by Repentance and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Would Christ stoop so low as to take our Nature and purchase us with his Blood and be strange to us when we come for the Fruits of his purchase and his Mercy to help us and ours 2. That he accounteth Misery an Object proper enough for Mercy to work upon The Centurion came to him saying Lord my Servant lyeth at home sick of the Palsie grievously tormented Verse 6. that is grievously affected with the Disease Alas what can we bring to Christ but Sins and Sicknesses Justice seeketh a meet Object for it giveth to every one what is due but Mercy only seeketh a fit Occasion It doth not consider what is deserved but what is desired and wanted Etiam si sim indignus sum tamen indigens saith Romeranius I am not worthy but I am needy The more affected we are with our Misery the fitter for Christ's Mercy Psal. 9.18 The needy shall not always be forgotten The more hope we have the more we are sensible of our need Psal. 40.17 But I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me Faith giveth us this ground of Hope that Misery is a Motive to God's pity tho' we have nothing within us or without us to commend us to Christ yet he will not despise the Miserable and the Needy and they shall not perish who in the sense of that need repair to him God bringeth Alsufficiency to the Covenant we bring nothing but All-necessity as the Widow was only to provide empty Vessels the Oyl failed not till the Vessels failed Christ's Bowels yearn towards the distressed 3. When Christ offereth to come and heal him Verse 7th I will come and heal him which was the great Condescention of the Son of God to a poor Servant see how the Centurion taketh it Verse 8. He answered and said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof Humility is a Fruit of Faith A sound Believer hath an high esteem of Christ and a low esteem of himself and the one breedeth the other they see Christ so excellent and themselves so vile in regard of past Sin and present Infirmities What! the Son of God come to the House of an Ethnick and one that hath lived in Idolatry and the Worship of false Gods The Godly are ever acknowledging their Vileness and Baseness and Indignity and Unworthiness when they have to do with God and Christ. Gen. 18.27 And Abraham answered and said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes 2 Sam. 7.18 Then went David in and sat before the Lord and he said who am I O Lord God! and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant So Matth. 3.11 Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear So when
holding and drawing with the Almighty will not let him go till he bless them The Woman doth not turn her Back upon Christ but draws the nearer to him the more he seemeth to drive her away from him and keepeth arguing with him and beseeching of him till he giveth her Satisfaction But how shall we do to keep up Prayer in the midst of so many Discouragements 1. Our Necessity should quicken us And 2. God's Goodness and Power should support us Faith pressed with need is earnest in Prayer when it is dealing with a God gracious and powerful why should we give over the Suit 2. Her Humility We read of no murmuring and Impatience or Discontent at Christ's Carriage No if we will wrestle with God we must wrestle with Prayers and Tears with humble and broken Hearts there must be no complaining of God but to God The Woman doth not tax Christ as harsh and severe but only maketh Supplication Lord have mercy upon me Son of David help me It is said Matth. 15.25 She worshipped him But in Mark 7.25 it is said She fell at his feet She fell prostrate before him and owneth the Term of Dog that justly she might be accounted so and maketh it her Plea and Claim Humility is contented to be humbled as deeply as the Lord pleaseth but cannot bear this to be excluded from Christ and the Benefit of his Grace In all Faith there is always a deep Humility When Christ rebuketh her as a Dog she doth not make a murmuring Retort but an humble Plea That some of the Mercy provided for Israel might be spared to a poor Canaanite a Crumb at least 3. A resolved Faith under our greatest Pressures Iob 15.14 Tho' he slay me yet I will trust in him As Antisthenes told his Master that taught him Philosophy That he should not find a Club big enough to beat him from him Faith will not quit it's Adherence to God for any Difficulty whatsoever when God seemeth to quit the Believer the Believer will not quit God but take him as a Friend when he seemeth to deal as an Enemy and still put a good Construction upon his Providence This Resolute Adherence is seen in three things 1. An Adherence to his Way how little soever he seemeth to own it Psal. 44.17 18. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant Our Heart is not turned back neither have our Steps declined from thy way Sharp Afflictions do not discharge us from our Duty in professing the Truth As our Steps must not decline so not our Hearts Dan. 3.17 18. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and â—e will deliver us out of thy Hand O King But if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the Golden Image which thou hast set up However God disposes of us we must keep to our Duty 2. In Perseverance in the use of Means Rom. 12.12 Continuing instant in Prayer We are to use the Duty still though we have no Satisfaction as to the Event and as long as there is Life in the Duty it will come to something at the last Luke 5.15 We have toiled all night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy Word we will let down the Net It is enough that these means are appointed by God and we must use them though hitherto we have gained little Comfort and Success by them 3. In a Dependance upon his Promises and powerful Providence The Woman sticketh to Christ as only able to help her though there was little appearance of any help from him She runneth not away to another Helper but worshippeth him cleaveth to him Better lie dead at Christ's Feet than die in a state of Alienation from him We must resolve to be his though we cannot know that he is ours No Trouble how great soever is a Warrant to quit our Trust and whatever Disappointment saith to us it doth not say Put your Confidence elsewhere or trust no longer in God This resolute Confidence is justifiable upon these Grounds 1. His Providence will never give his Word the Lie Let God do what he will they are approved who are approved by his Word and they are condemned who are condemned by his Word Psal. 73.17 When I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end Job 3.3 I have seen the foolish taking root but suddenly I cursed his Habitation And on the contrary Psal. 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly for himself the Lord will hear when I call unto him Isa. 3.10 Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eat of the Fruit of their doings 2. There is more good Will in his Heart than is visible in his Dealings The merciful Nature of God should be a support to us though we see nothing of the Effects of it in his Providence Iob 10.13 These things hast thou hid in thine Heart I know that it is with thee He speaketh of his favourable Inclination to shew pity to distressed Creatures We are not able always to reconcile his present Dispensations with his gracious Nature yet Faith must not quit it's Hold fast We must see what is hid in God's Heart and comfort our selves with that Favour and Mercy which we know to be Essential to him Tho' the Mercy and Pity be not visible and obvious to Sense the Disposition and Inclination abideth in God unchangeable and sure God is a merciful God still and Christ a compassionate Saviour though the Effects be suspended to try and sharpen our Faith 3. Because God loveth to bring Light out of Darkness to give the Valley of Achor for a Door of Hope to bring meat out of the Eater and sweetness out of the strong to bring about his Peoples Mercies by means very improbable and contrary that he may train us up to hope against Hope When Deliverance is a coming it is not always in sight Christ at a Wedding calls for Water when he intended to give Wine Iohn 2.7 And here he rebuketh the Woman as a Dog when he meant to treat her as a Daughter of Abraham 4. When he seemeth to resist and be opposite to his People he giveth them secret-Strength to prevail over him When Iacob wrestled with God it was by God's own Strength God in Iacob seemed to overcome God without him or against him Was not the Spirit of Christ at work in the Heart of this Woman all the while he seemed to be struggling with her He never striveth with his Servants but giveth them suitable Strength to the Task he imposeth on them 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Psal. 138.3 In the day when I
former Prophets There are so many Degrees mentioned first they grow slight and careless and do not care to hear what you say then they refuse to obey what they have heard then they grow Sermon-Proof they can hear and have no Benefit by it As long as the Word doth any way affect a Sinner there is some Hope but within a while Conscience smiteth not and Men have gotten the Victory over their Fears and Scruples And thus they go on from natural to voluntary and from voluntary to judicial Hardness of Heart and so are a ready Prey for the Devil 8. Dilatory Excuses are the last Refuge of an hard Heart When they can no longer withstand a Conviction they adjourn and put off the Compliance with God's Will and so elude the Importunity of the present Conviction Felix his Heart boggled Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Iudgment to come Felix trembled and said Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient Season I will call for thee Mind the present Season when God is affording Opportunities of getting Grace Heb. 3.7 8. To Day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts Psal. 119.60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Zacheus Luke 19.6 he made haste and came down and received him joyfully Peter and Andrew Mark 4.20 They straitway left their Nets and followed him Paul Gal. 1.16 Immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood If God hath given you any Will and Inclination for the present it is an Advantage Sin the longer it continueth the stronger it groweth He that doth not go over at the Fountain-head will not be able to go over when the Stream groweth broader and the farther he goes downward the broader still he findeth it Every Day 's Impenitency bringeth on a new Degree of Hardness Would a Man that is to drink that which to his knowledg is poisoned put the more into his Cup and then take it off out of a Presumption that at length he shall find an Antidote Alas thou may'st be poisoned and dead before the Antidote comes SERMON III. MARK III. 5 And Iesus looked round about on them with Anger being grieved for the Hardness of their Hearts Vse 1. OF Trial. Is this our State Take the two Properties to judg by Insensibleness and Inflexibleness First A hard Heart is insensible insensible of Providences of the Word and of the State of the Soul 1 st Insensible of Providences 1. Of Mercies Either of the Author of Mercies they never look up to the God of their Mercies Hosea 2.8 She did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oil and multiplied her Silver and Gold As Swine that feed upon the Acorns but never look up to the Tree from whence they fall Cant. 4.1 Behold thou arâ— fair my Love behold thou art fair thou hast Doves Eyes As Doves peck and look uâ—ward It is a sign of a tender Heart to see God in every Mercy A drowsy and unattentive Soul never heedeth it is wholly swallowed up in present Enjoyments and looketh no farther It is our Privilege above the Beasts to know the fâ—rst Cause other Creatures live upon God but they are not capable of knowing God they glorify God in their Kind but we may know him Idolatry and Sottishness had never crept into the World if Men had owned the first Cause Or of the End of Mercies which is to draw in our Hearts to God therefore they are called Cords of a Man Hosea 11.4 I drew them with Cords of a Man with Bâ—â—ds of Love Esther 6.3 What Honour and Dignity hath been done to Mordecaâ— for 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 7.2 Thâ—â— the King said unto Nathan the Prophet See now I dwell in an House of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains When the Heart is urging to Duty upon this score God hath been good to me he hath given me Food and Raimâ—â—â— What have I done for God Now the Heart is hard when we are not sensible of his daily Providence and gracious Supplies in this kind 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I anointed thee King over Israel and delivered thee out of the Hand of Saul And I gave thee thy Master's House and thy Master's Wives into thy Bosom and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight David had lost his Awe of God because he had not a thankful sense of the Mercies of God 2. Of corrective Providences The Body is a tender Part with wicked Men when they are straitned for bodily Conveniences they will complain yet the hard Heart is still insensible of Judgments They are insensible of the Author or discerning Cause they do not look upward nor inward and though doctrinally right in these things yet they do not seriously consider it and recal it to mind Opinion is one thing and Consideration is another wicked Men may take up good Opinions but they do not consider the Force and Consequence of them 1. They do not see the Hand of God in them Isa. 26.11 Lord when thy Hand is lifted up they will not see They look on these things but as a Chance 1 Sam. 6.9 And see if it goeth up by the way of his own Coast to Bethshemesh then he hath done us this great Evil but if not then we shall know that it was not his Hand that smote us it was a Chance that happened to us If Men own God's Hand they should take up the Matter with him but they own it doctrinally though not practically A Godly Man hath explicite Thoughts of God Iob doth not say the Sabeans and the Chaldeâ—â—s but the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Job 1.21 They do not complain when they are crossed of Chance but the Lord is angry and when they are stricken they consult with him and humble themselves before him Wicked Men are sensible of the smart of the Rod but not of the Hand that holds it 2. They do not see the deserving Cause of them which is Sin Lam. 3.39 40. Wherefore doth a living Man complain a Man for the punishment of his Sins Let us search and try our Ways and turn again to the Lord. If Sickness cometh if a Relation be taken away if an Estate be blasted a waking Conscience looks to the Cause they would see the Mind of God in the Rod. When Israel fell before the Men of Ai Ioshua looketh out for the Troubler so do God's Children 2 dly Insensible of the Power of the Word they have no taste no feeling of the Powers of the World to come Jer. 23.29 Is not my Word like a Fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces There is a breaking and a melting Power in the Word
at Dothan they were in Samaria Ignorance because it is not always accompanied with gross Acts is little thought of but it is a bloody Sin If Men did know God and themselves more they could not be satisfied with their Condition Ignorance is the greatest cause of hardning 2 dly Love I do not consider it as a Grace but as an Argument to melt the Soul It is a forcible Argument and a kindly Argument 1. It is a forcible Argument Saul relented when David had an advantage against him and spared him in the Cave 1 Sam. 24.16 17. Saul lift up his Voice and wept and he said to David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me Good whereas I have rewarded thee Evil. To make the Heart relent it is good to study God's Kindness not only how he hath spared us but how he hath blessed us 1. For temporal Mercies Creation and Providence For the Mercies of Creation We all condemn the Rebellion of Absolom for rising against his Father God made us out of nothing none so much a Father as God and yet we rebel against him If we had lost a Limb an Eye a Tooth or an Arm would we injure him that could restore us these things God gave them to us at first how should the Thoughts of this soften our Hearts Then for the Mercies of Providence Nathan mentions God's Mercies to David to humble him 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul And I gave thee thy Master's House and thy Master's Wives into thy Bosom and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do Evil in his Sight It is God that feedeth and maintaineth you and preserveth you Men stand upon their Honour in the World to be true to their Interest not to be unthankful to their Preservers Now God giveth us Life and Breath and all things You value these things when they are given you by Men much more should you when they are given you by God Is Water the worse because it cometh from the Fountain and not from the Cistern Water is purer in the Fountain We have more Reason to value Mercies when they come from God that so great a Majesty should look after you Psal. 113.6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in the Earth That God that standeth not in need of you as Man doth of the meanest that God whom you have offended whose Favour you are so much concerned about In a small Gift from a King the Favour is valued we are continually fed and maintained at the Expence and Care of his Providence 2. For spiritual Mercies they melt the Heart What great Love Christ shewed in the Business of our Salvation what he left what he suffered what he purchased 1. What he left That Love that is accompanied with Self-denial is accounted the highest how many Degrees did the Sun of Righteousness go back 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.8 He humbled or emptied himself There was a Vail upon his Godhead when he was rich for our sakes he became poor 2 Cor. 8.9 In the Fulness of the Godhead he abstained from the Use of it Did Christ leave Heaven and wilt not thou leave thy Lusts Was he made the Son of Man and wilt not thou be made the Son of God It was his Abasement but it is our Advancement 2. What he suffered We are more affected with what Men suffer for us than with what they do for us Cubitum sin◠manu To shew the Stump of the Arm where the Hand was lost was an effectual Plea Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and be in Bitterness for him as one that is in Bitterness for his First-born Sin doth most affect the Heart when we consider the Wrong done to Christ by it Amor doloris causa the more a Man loveth another or apprehends that he is loved of him the more he is grieved that he hath any way injured him Your Sins strike at Christ and have pierced him shall not your Hearts be pierced when his Head was pierced with Thorns his Hands and Feet with Nails his Heart with Sorrows Can you look upon Golgotha with dry Eyes and a careless stupid Heart Think that you heard Christ say Behold is any Sorrow like to my Sorrow Will you still go on in your Rebellion against me Is all nothing all that I have done and suffered for you 3. What he purchased for us He gave himself a Ransom and Price a Ransom to free us from Death and Hell We would love a Man that should get a Pardon for our Lives when we are condemned to die 1 Thess. 1.10 Even Iesus who delivered us from the Wrath to come There was never any such Wrath past or present it is a thing to come when he shall stir up all his Wrath And a Price to purchase for us the Favour of God and our eternal Abode with him in Heaven Heaven is called the purchased Possession Ephes. 1.14 If we were to be annihilated or to spend our time in some obscure Place it were Mercy but to be for ever with the Lord and to be filled up with God who can express the Greatness of this Mercy And all this is freely offered to you in the Gospel Things that concern us affect us and therefore surely this should melt the Heart Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the Mercies of God What! shall not Mercy prevail Ioel 2.13 And rent your Heart and not your Garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to Anger and of great Kindness and repenteth him of the Evil. Surely God's Graciousness and Readiness to receive returning Sinners should work upon us An Hammer will easily break an hard Stone against a soft Bed but if it be laid on an hard solid Body that will not give way underneath strike as hard as you will it is kept from breaking so smite thy Soul on the Gospel Hell and Damnation may be the Hammer but then lay thy Soul upon the Gospel and Gospel-Considerations then it breaketh all to shatters Strike thy Soul with the Blows of God's Wrath against the Law and it resists still all doth but make us desperate but now remember the Mercies of the Lord how freely he inviteth returning Sinners and this breaks the Heart to pieces 2. It is a kindly Argument the Heart is not till then kindly humbled for Sin as Sin An apprehension of Wrath is one thing godly Sorrow is another thing the former is necessary but not enough 2 Kings 22.19 Because thine Heart was tender and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord when thou heardest
refreshment as the Christian hath 2. More Practical and Applicative Meditation is when we take our selves aside from worldly distractions that we may solemnly debate and study how to carry on the Holy Life with better success and advantage when we are wise in our Sphere Luke 16.8 The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their generation it is an Hebrew Phrase for the Manner Course and Sphere of our Lives Gen. 6.9 These are the generations of Noah Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation and Noah walked with God so to be wise in our generation is to be wise in our manner of living and business So it is said Psalm 122.5 He will guide his affairs with discretion which noteth plotting and wise fore-sight choosing our way or devising our way as Solomon calleth it Prov. 16.9 A mans heart deviseth his way It is a great part of a Christians Employment The Scriptures call for it for a Minister 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth to devise how to carry on his Ministry with most Honour and Success So for Private Christians Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works We should consider one another each others Gifts Dispositions and Graces that so our Spiritual Converse and Commerce might be the more improved By this kind of Meditation Piety is made more prudent reasonable and orderly Christians that live at hap-hazard and order their Lives at adventure without these rational and wise Debates if they do not stain their Profession with foul indiscretions yet find much inconvenience and toyl in the Holy Life and are not half so useful as others are Certainly we should learn this of the Children of this World a wicked Man is plotting for his Lusts Rom. 13.14 Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the luste thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they make Provision they are catering how they may feed such a Lust and satisfie such a Carnal Desire Therefore certainly we should take care for the Conveniencies of the Holy Life how we may be most needful for God and pass through our Relations with most advantage and cast our businesses that they may be the least disadvantage to Religion and consider how particular Duties may be the most dexterously accomplished Psal. 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me These are the kinds of Meditation The Definition may be formed thus Meditation is that Duty or Exercise of Religion whereby the Mind is applyed to the serious and solemne Contemplation of Spiritual things for Practical Vses and Purposes I shall open the Description by the parts of it 1. It is a Duty and Exercise of Religion 1. That it is a Duty and Exercise of Religion appeareth by the Evidence of Scripture where it is commanded Ioshua 1.8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night It is made a Character of a Godly Man Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night It is commended in the Practice and Example of the Saints that were most famous in Scripture Isaac in the Text Moses and David And as it is plain by the Evidence of Scripture so by the Light of Nature and Reason God that is a Spirit deserveth the most Pure and Spiritual Worship as well as such as is performed by the Body The Thoughts are the Eldest and Noblest Off-spring of the Soul and the solemn Consecration of them is fit for God In the Gospel Meditation is called for I find in the Old Testament the main thing there called for is Meditation in the Law in the Gospel we are directed to a new Object the Love of Christ Eph. 3.17 18 19. That ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that is the Study of Saints I confess it is more called for in the Old Testament being gross and carnal they needed greater enforcements to Spiritual Duties but now it suiteth every way with the Nature of our Worship Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Now Worship in Spirit and in Truth is more agreeable to our State Meditation is a pure and rational converse with God it is the flower and height of Consecrated Reason 2. It is not a Duty of an Arbitrary Concernment It is not only a Moral help that may be observed or omitted but a necessary Duty without which all Graces would languish and wither Faith is lean and ready to starve unless it be fed with continual Meditation on the Promises as David saith Psalm 119.92 Vnless thy law had been my delight I should then have perished in my affliction Thoughts are the Caterers of the Soul that purvey for Faith and fetch in Food and refresh it with the Comfort of the Promises Hope is low and doth not arise to such a fullness of expectation till by Meditation we take a deliberate view of our Hopes and Priviledges Gen. 13.17 Arise walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it for I will give it unto thee Our Hopes arise according to the largeness of our Thoughts it is a great advantage to have our Eyes open to view the Riches of our Inheritance and to have a distinct view of the hope of our Calling The Apostle prays for the Ephesians Chapt. 1.18 The eyes of your understandings being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of ehe glory of his inheritance in the Saints Men of barren thoughts are usually of low hopes and for want of getting to the top of Pisgah to view the Land our Hearts sink within us Certainly Hope thriveth best on the Mount of Meditation Then for Love the sparkles of Affection will not flow out unless we beat upon the Will by constant Thoughts Affection is nourished by Apprehension and the more constant and deliberate the Thoughts are the love is alwaies the deeper Those Christians that are backward to the Duty of Meditation find none of those impulses and meltings of Love that are in others they do not endeavour to comprehend the height and breadth and length and depth of the love of Christ and therefore no wonder that their Hearts are so narrow and so much straitned towards God Affections alwayes follow the rate of our thoughts if they are ponderous and serious Then for Obedience or keeping the Spirits constantly in a Religious Frame to others good Motions come like flashes of Lightning and are as soon gone as their thoughts
SERMON V. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide 4. Case WHEN must we Meditate 1. In the General something should be done every day seldom Converse begetteth a strangeness to God and an unfitness for the Duty It is a Description of Gods Servant Psalm 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night At least we should take all convenient occasions It is an usual way of Natural Men to make Conscience of Duties after a long neglect they performe Duties to pacifie a Natural Conscience and use them as a Man would use a sleepy Potiori or Strong Waters they are good at a pinch not for constant Drink Alass we lose by such wide gaps and distances between performance and performance it is as if we had never done it before 2. For the particular time of the day when you should meditate that is Arbitrary I told you before you may do it either in the silence of the Night when God hath drawn a Curtain of Darkness between you and the things of the World or in the freshness of the Morning or in the Evening when the Wildness and Vanity of the Mind is spent in Worldly Business 3. There are some special solemne times when the Duty is most in season As 1. After a working Sermon after the Word hath fallen upon you with a full stroak it is good to follow the blow and when God hath cast Seed into the Heart let not the Fowls peck it away Matth. 13.19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart Ruminate on the Word chew the Cud many a Sermon is lost because it is not whet upon the Thoughts Iames 1.23 24. He is like a man that beholdeth his Natural face in a glass For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was Matth. 22.22 When they heard these things they marvelled and left him and went their way You should rowl the word in your thoughts and deeply consider of it 2. Before some solemn Duties as before the Lords Supper and before special times of deep Humiliation or before the Sabbath Meditation is as it were the breathing of the Soul that it may the better hold out in Religious Exercises it is a good preparative to raise the Spirits into a frame of Piety and Religion When the Harp is fitted and tuned it doth the better make Musick so when the Heart is fixed and setled by a preparative Meditation it is the fitter to make Melody to God in Worship 3. When God doth specially revive and enable the Spirit It is good to take advantage of the Spirits gales so fresh a Wind should make us hoise up our Sails Do not lose the Spirits Seasons the Spirits Impulses are good significations from God that now is an acceptable time 5. Case What time is to be spent in the Duty I Answer That is left to Spiritual Discretion Suck the Teat as long as Milk cometh Duties must not be spun out to an unnecessary length You must neither yield to laziness nor occasion Spiritual wearyness the Devil hath advantage upon you both wayes when you rack and torture your Spirits after they have been spent it makes the Work of God a Bondage And therefore come not off tiâ—l you find profit and do not press too hard upon the Soul nor oppress it with an indiscreet Zeal It is Satans Policy to make you out of Love with Meditation by spinning it out to a tediousness and an unnecessary length 6. Case Whether should the time be set and constant I Answer It is good to bind the Heart to somewhat and yet leave it to such a liberty as becomes the Gospel Bind it to somewhat every day that the Heart may not be loose and arbitrary we see that necessity quickneth and urgeth and when the Soul is engaged it goes to work the more throughly Therefore the Lord asks Ier. 20.21 Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me It is good to lay a tye upon the Heart and yet I advise not to a set stinted Hour lest we create a snare to our selves Though a Man should resist Distractions and Distempers yet some business is unavoidable and some Distempers are invincible I have observed this that even Religious Persons are more sensible of their own Vowes then of Gods Commands when Men have bound up themselves in Chains of their own making their Consciences fall upon them and dogg them with restless Accusations when they cannot accomplish so much Duty as they have set and prescribed to themselves And besides when Hours are customary and set the Heart groweth formal and superstitious 7. Case Are all bound to meditate Are the Ignorant Are Men of an unquiet Nature Are Servants Are Ministers 1. Are the Ignorant and Men of barren Minds that have not a good stock of Knowledge I answer Yes they are bound to this as well as other Duties though they cannot do it well it is their Duty to strive that the Word of God may dwell richly in them It is a mark of a Godly Man every Man is bound to be skilful in the Scriptures Ier. 31.34 They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. God hath no Child so little but he knows his Father therefore all are bound in some measure to be able to discourse of God and of the things of God 2. But some are of an unquiet Nature fit for Publick Duties but not for Private Exercises are they bound as well as those of softer Spirits and fitter for Meditation I answer This is not Temper but Distemper the unquiet Spirit must not totaliter cessare wholly discontinue this work They are to mind wherein they may serve God most but not totally desist from a work so necessary and of such great importance 3. Are Servants bound to it whose time is not their own I Answer They should do what they can God is more merciful to them but those that are in bondage to others may find some leisure for God 4. Are Ministers obliged Their whole work is a Study their Imployment is a continual Meditation I Answer There is a difference between Meditation and Study In Study we mind the good of others in Meditation the good of our own Souls Things work with us according to our end and the aims that we propose to our selves Things work with us according to our end and the aims that we propose to our selves Publick Teaching is no such Tryal of our Hearts there is a Natural Pride in us to urge us to teach others and that makes so many intrude into the Ministry there is some kind of Authority in it that we exercise over others but we are to mind the good of our own Souls and to regard
this makes Death to be dreadful and terrible to the Soul and keeps the Soul in Bondage Heb. 2.15 Through fear of death they were all their life-time subject to bondage But certainly it shall be at the day of Judgment then we shall see the folly of it Conscience shall then be extended and enlarged and the Sinner shall remember the wickedness of his past life You will then find the Devil that is now a Tempter will prove an Accuser Oh what kind of Apprehensions will you have when the Devil shall come forth and plead Lord Adjudge this Person to me I never dyed for him I never shed my Blood for him I could promise him no Heaven and Glory yet he easily hearkened to my Temptations Tuus esse noluit per gratiam sit meus per culpam ostende tales tuos munerarios O Christe He would not be thine for all the Grace and Kindness thou didst show him and all the Rewards thou didst propound and promise to him Then all disguises will be laid aside A little consideration and search and Prayer for Conviction for the present would help us to the same apprehensions If Conscience should be now extended as it will be then we should soon be weary of our Lives At least do not rest in your own Valuation and Account for then the Secrets of all Hearts shall be opened 3. The less Sin appeareth many times it is the greater Sins are not to be measured by the smalness of the matter of them but by the offence done to God The first Sin to a vulgar and common apprehension was but the eating of an Apple it seemed a small matter if we did not consider the offence against God It is an aggravation mentioned by the Prophet Amos 2.6 They sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes that is upon so small an occasion or for such a contemptible matter they would oppress the poor The lesser the occasion and temptation is the greater the Impudence the Imprudence and the Unkindness the greater the Impudence that they will dare God to his face for a trifle the greater is the Imprudence that we will hazard our Souls for a mean thing the greater is the unkindness that we will stand with God for a little Sins that are accounted small in the matter of them have been overtaken with the sad Revenges of God he that denyed a crum could not receive a drop of Water to cool his Tongue The contempt of God is the greater when we break with God for a small matter and transgress his Commandments upon every light occasion In short sin is in no case small but only in regard of Gods Mercy and Christs Merits 4. None are exempted from bewailing the evil of Sin Though the Children of God shall never feel it nor have the dregs of God's displeasure wrung out to them for it yet they must bewail the evil that there is in Sin The Death and Merit of Christ doth not change the Nature of Sin nor put less evil into it why should we look upon it with a different eye after Conversion than we did before Sin is still damning in its own Merit and Nature and it is still the violation of an Holy Righteous Law and an affront to the Holy God and an inconvenience to the precious Soul Sin is the same as it was before though the Person be not the same Nay the Children of God are not altogether exempted from the effects of Sin neither it is a Disease though not a Death and who would not groan under the heat of a burning feavour though he be assured of Life God hath still a bridle upon you to keep the Soul in awe And though the godly can never loose their right in the Covenant that doth remain yet they may loose the fruition of it and this is enough to make a Child of God mourn Notwithstanding all the Priviledges of Grace you may be branded though not executed and though the Lord hath made them Vessels of Mercy yet he doth not use and employ them as Vessels of Honour but they are set aside as useless Vessels Sin will still be inconvenient it will bring disgrace to Religion and discomfort to your Souls and furnish the Triumphs of Hell and make Satan rejoyce and Eclipse the Light of Gods Countenance and who can brook the loss of Gods Favour and of intimate Communion with him without sadness and bemoaning his case I may ask you that question Iob 15.11 Are the consolations of God small with thee Do you make so little reckoning of those rich Comforts of the Holy Ghost Though you cannot be damned for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 yet your Pilgrimage may be made very uncomfortable and he that prizeth Communion with God would not loose the Comfort of it for the least moment Besides if there were no inconvenience yet Love is motive enough to a gracious Person Where is your Love Christians You sin against Mercy the warm beams of Mercy should melt the heart Ezek. 36.31 Then shall ye remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for all your abominations As long as there is Love in the Heart you can never want an Argument to represent the odiousness of Sin Put the matter in a Temporal Case it would be ill reasoning for an Heir to say I know my Father will not disinherit me therefore I do not care how I offend him Where is your Love to God if you do not hate Sin Psam 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Though your Right in the Covenant be safe yet you should still have the evil of your own doings in remembrance 5. Many speak much of the Evil of Sin in Prayers and Confessions yet loath it never the more yea the less What should be the Reason of it All their thoughts are spent in empty Declamations and forms of Satyr or Anger and these do not subdue Affections Or else it may be we only paint Sin in our Fancies and that worketh no more than a Picture or Image which doth not allure and draw Love so much as a Living Beauty it only pleases and tickles a little Things foul in their Nature are pleasant in their Picture and Description What more dreadful than War And yet what more pleasant than in a strain of Poetry or Rhetorick or in a lively Picture to describe the fury and heat of Battle What more uglâ— than a Toad And yet a Toad painted to the life pleaseth So when we meerly paint Sin by the help of the Imagination or Fancy it moves only the lighter part of the Soul It is good to be rational in our Considerations and where there is the less Art it leaveth the deeper stroak upon the Heart Imagination and Fancy is a great Instrument in the work of Mediation but still it must be
The will of God signifieth two things either his Decree concerning them or else that Law which he hath given concerning our Duty This last is intended The Works of Man are the Actions and Operations of a reasonable Creature subject to the Laws of God if his Actions be conformable to his Law they are good if not they are evil Therefore a Man cannot be a good Christian without doing Gods Will. If it be the Will of God he should forbear such a Practice Custome or evil action he dareth not go forward Ier. 35.6 We will drink no wine for Ionadab the Son of Rechab our Father commanded us saying Ye shall drink no wine neither ye nor your sons for ever If it be the Will of God he should do such a thing he will do it He dareth not omit it how cross soever to his Inclinations and Interests Iam. 4.17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin This is the Reason of all Reasons 1 Thess. 4.3 For this is the will of God even your sanctification 1 Thess. 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you 1 Pet. 2.15 For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Well then 't is not enough that we should well and thoroughly understand the VVill of God but we should do it And I will add this one Consideration the more we do it the more we will understand it Iohn 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God It is doing that God looks at and we must most regard not who can Accutely Plead or Eloquently declaim about it but readily frame his Heart to do the VVill of God For the Precepts of God are given not to try our VVit or Memory but Practice 4. VVe must do it so as may be well-pleasing in his sight VVhere note 1. That all that we do is done in the sight of God He observeth who breake and who keep his Law and nothing can escape his view and knowledge Luke 1.75 In holiness and righteousness before him VVe are ever in his Eye and he is our VVitness Approver and Judge Will he force the Queen saith Ahasuerus before my face Esther 7.8 VVill ye God looking on be vain foolish and carnal 2. This must be our great aim and scope to please God It is a well tempered Religion that beginneth and endeth in God Man-pleasing is the Hypocrites Religion but God-pleasing is sincere and true Religion Col. 1.10 That ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing And the Apostle often inculcateth this as the right end of all our Duties Not as pleasing men but God 3. Our work must be so ordered as it may be pleasing and acceptable to God For every slight thing will not please him but when it is agreeable to his VVill. Therefore it is not enough to do what is for the Matter good but what is for the Manner pleasing to him That is to say 1. It must come from a right principle Love to God 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us And Faith in Christ Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Not as forced nor as a meer Natural Act but as depending on the Redeemer for our Acceptance VVe are Sinners we are not exact 2. Then for the Manner it must be with seriousness Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear So as will become so great a Majesty with that diligence which our aim at perfection calleth for 1 Thess 4.1 Furthermore then we beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Iesus Christ that as you have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more II. The words which express the necessary concurrence of the Divine Power they are two 1. The first is Make you perfect He prayeth not now for framing the new Creature but for perfecting it God that maketh Man new maketh him and then he perfecteth him God is wonderful in the first Creation in raising such a beautiful piece out of the dust of the ground as the first Man was And in ordinary Generation David telleth us Psalm 139.14 I am fearfully and wonderfully made So God is wonderful in remaking or regenerating us Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holyness There is much of the VVisdom Goodness and Power of God seen in the new Creature to inable a Man to captivate those Lusts which the generality of the VVorld are mastered by and to live a Divine Life in Flesh. He is also wonderful in perfecting us till we grow up to our full Stature in Spiritual things As it is not in Mans power to make himself or regenerate himself so it is not in Mans power to perfect himself no but the Spirit of Regeneration abiding in us doth renew us more and more well then 't is not meant of Regeneration when we are created to good works but of the increase of his sanctifying Grace which is to Regeneration as Preservation and Providence is to Creation God that begun the work must continue it and strengthen it otherwise we shall be unfit for every good work or as a Member that is out of joint as the word importeth which is there used 2. Working God doth continually co-operate and work in us and with us without which we cannot fulfil his Will or do any thing that will please him So Will and Deed are joyned together Phil. 2.13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do God worketh in us a power to will and maketh us actually to will and a power and strength or ability to do it The new Creature dependeth absolutely on his influences from first to last 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that partain unto life and godliness He giveth us Spiritual Life and he giveth us Godliness He first giveth Supernatural Faculties and then the Use and Exercise of them in our Walk or Conversation The first Motions and then the flowing forth of these Motions into Acts suitable 1. VSE To establish our dependance In doing any good we must depend on God both for the Power given at first and continued unto us Will and Deed come from him and they come from him through Christ who purchased and conveyeth this Power to us by his constant intercession and the influence of his Spirit Of unwilling he maketh us willing and causeth us to do what he would have us to do He doth not only give us the Will that is the Desire and Purpose
Life and Affection that he hath required Their Actions are superficial shadows of good things they draw nigh to him with their Lips when their Hearts are far from him Matth. 15.8 This people draweth nigh to me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me Their Duties to Men are but shadows of good Actions not flowing from a hearty Love and a good Conscience but from Interest or Natural Temper 3. There is a defect in the end they do not regard Gods Glory Col. 3.17 Whatsoever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God The most commendable Actions of Carnal Men have either a Natural aim as self-preservation So in their Worship Hosea 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds They howl upon their Bed for Corn and Wine or Self-quiet and Ease so in their Duties to Men more for wrath than conscience-sake Rom. 12 5. Or for Vain-Glory To be seen of men Matth. 6.1 Or a legal aim when most Devout to quiet Conscience or to satisfie God for their Sins by their Duties Micah 6.6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousand of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Usually the Sacrifice of the Wicked is brought with an evil mind Prov. 21.27 To buy our Indulgence in some Sins by avoiding others or by performing some Duties to pay for their neglect of others which are more weighty Duties are performed as a Sin-Offering not as a Thank-Offering to pacifie God not to glorifie him There is no delight in God or Obedience In short all is as Flowers strowed upon a Dunghil 2. The Solifidians That cry up an empty Faith without Obedience and Holiness These are to be dealt with as well as the other 1. The end of all Religion is Practice Christianity was not brought into the World that we might talk of great things but do great things for God All the Misteries of our most Holy Faith are Misteries of Godliness and if it be not so the Word of God is come to us in Word only and not in Power and we are Christians of the Letter not of the Spirit The Law of Grace was never intended to try the Acuteness of Mens Wits who could reason most profoundly of these Glorious Things nor the firmness of their Memories who could best carry in mind these Holy Truths nor the readiness of their Invention who could most plausibly discourse about them but the willingness of their Obedience who would most intirely practice them Iohn 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me The practical Christian hath the truest sense of his Religion 2. The end of our Redemption is Obedience Christ hath Ends of his own as well as those which more immediately concerne our benefit Rev. 5.9 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Sin had made us unserviceable to God and the end of Christ's Death was to put us in joynt again and to bring us into a course of Service and Obedience unto our Creator Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living He came to redeem us not only from Wrath but from Sin not only to abolish Guilt but to establish Holiness Titus 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 3. It is the end of his Renewing Grace He hath altered the constitution of our Hearts that we may live unto God 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new We are renewed in Heart that we might walk in all newness of Conversation 4. It is the end of our Faith and Hope Faith and Hopes are but Means subservient to Love which is the Grace by which we are inclined to perform our Duty to God and Man And therefore the strength of our Faith is to be judged by the readiness of our Obedience Gal. 5.6 For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love That carryeth away the prize of Justification It is the love of God stirred up in us by Faith which maketh us watchful against Sin and careful to please him in all things VSE II. To press us all if we would be Compleat Christians to take all the three parts 1. Let us be sound in the Faith 2. Let us keep up Hope 3. Let us be thorough and exact in Obedience 1. Let us be sound in the Faith believing all things that are contained in the Word of God not contenting our selves with a light credulity or common Tradition but have a Faith of the Spirits working Your Love to God dependeth upon the Principles laid down in the Gospel which discover to you his Love in the Redeemer and the provision made for your Souls therefore you are to build up your selves in your most holy faith that you may keep your selves in the love of God Iude 20.21 2. Let not Hope be left out as unnecessary Grace This is not a cursory and slight but a desirous expectation so as not to be weakned by the Lusts of the Flesh 1 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your minds be ye sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ. When Christ cometh all your Labours and Self-Denyal shall be recompensed Rom. 8.24 25. For we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for but if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it 3. Be sound and thorough and exact in Obedience Many hold sound Doctrine and have some lazy expectation of Eternal Life but they are defective in the third branch they are not careful to keep a good Conscience and do their Duty in all things to God and Man Here I shall press you to two things 1. Let Conscience be your Guide 2. Exercise your selves in this that Conscience may be a good Guide to you First Let Conscience be your Guide I shall press you hereunto by two Considerations 1. From the Nature of Conscience It is not only a Monitor but a Judge as a Monitor it warns us of our Duty as a Judge it censures our neglects of it Science is one
To all Men and to our fellow Saints 2 Pet. 1.7 And to godliness brotherly-kindness to brotherly-kindness charity In Justice and Charity When the Web is one thing and the Woof another the Lord abhorreth it II. Of Holyness in the general What it is It may be considered relatively or positively 1. Relatively So that Thing or Person is Holy which is set apart from a Common to a Holy use 2. Positively So it implyeth the Renovation of our Natures and the Rectitude of our Actions For Holiness may be applyed to Persons or Actions an Action is Holy by its Conformity to the Rule a Person by the prevalency of his Principle Holiness with respect to our Actions is an Universal Endeavour of Conformity to the Will of God A Person is Holy by the prevalency of his Principle when his Heart by those Divine Qualities which we call Graces is constantly bent and powerfully inclined to please God in all things 1. For Holiness Relatively considered or with respect to our Relation to God These four thing are in it 1. An inclination towards God There is a new bias upon the Heart which bends it to God which before bended and tended towards Carnal Vanities Conversion is a turning to God and the Holy Life is a living to God Gal. 2.19 For I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God The great work of Grace is to set and fix the Heart towards him from whom we departed by our Folly and Sin that we may serve please and glorifie him in all things and finally come to injoy him as our chief happiness 1 Chron. 22.19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God 2. From this tendency towards God ariseth a Dedication of our selves and all that we have to the Lords Use and Service 2 Cor. 8.5 But first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God Rom. 6.13 But yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service They are ashamed they have so long kept God out of his right therefore now they resign themselves to be what he will have them to be and to do what he will have them to do 3. From this Dedication there results a Relation of the Persons so dedicated to God so that from that time forth they are not their own but the Lords Ezek. 16.8 Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spred my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into a covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Rom. 14.7 8. For none of us liveth to himself and no man dyeth to himself for whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we dye we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords 4. There is another thing and that is the actual using of our selves for God We are Vessels set apart for the Masters use 2 Tim. 2.21 If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work And according we must live not to our selves but unto God it resulteth from all the former 2 Cor. 5.15 And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them If we love God and have a thankful sense of his love and kindness to us we will do so there needeth no other law to bind this upon us but our Love Love is the poise which inclineth the Soul to God If we are dedicated to God the sincerity of our Dedication is known by our use many give up themselves to God but in the use of themselves there appeareth no such matter they use their Tongues as their own their Hearts as their own their Bodies as their own their Wealth Strength and Time as their own but a sincere Christian maketh Conscience of his Dedication 1 Cor. 6.15 Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Our Members are Members of Christ as we are in Covenant with him in point of fidelity we must not do so And his Interest in us obligeth us Matth. 22.21 Render therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesars and to God the things which are Gods We are not our own but Gods 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Do not rob God of his own you should make Conscience of alienating that which is the Lords Once more this is bound upon us by another Argument the certainty of our future account Luke 19.23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank that at my coming I might have received my own with usury He will require his own with Usury We should keep a constant and faithful reckoning how we lay out our selves for God we must not spare God something only but the main drift and business of our lives must be to honour God he must have a share in all things we have and do I might add as another binding Consideration the constancy of Divine Inspection We are alwayes in the Eye and Presence of the Great God who still looketh upon us and considereth whose business we are about his or our own Luke 1.75 In holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life We are alwaies before him and observed by him 2. Positive Holyness may be considered either with respect to our Persons or Actions 1. Our Persons When Ye are renewed by the Spirit or there is an inward principle of Sanctification wrought in our Hearts Other things when dedicated to God are changed only in their Use as Gold Silver and Goats Hair but when Man is dedicated to God he is changed in his Nature there is not only a difference between him and others but a difference between him and himself There is a difference between him and others not only as he is set apart for God and dedicated to an Holy Use the Godly are set apart for God Psalm 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly for himself But as he is cleansed purified and renewed by the Holy Ghost and so there is a difference between him and himself 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Now this is necessary that
Lord and those who most rejoyce in the Lord do most mourn for Sin As that Christian Niobe wept much because she loved much and she loved much because much was forgiven her Luke 7.47 As many times the Sun shineth when the rain falleth so there is a mixture of Spiritual Rejoycing and Holy Mourning a deep Sense of Gods Love and yet a Mourning because of the Relicks of Corruption Well then Carnal Rejoycing is opposite to Holy Mourning but not Joy in the Lord therefore these two must be mixed Sorrow is a Servant to Faith and Love and Joy in the Holy Ghost and Joy and Thankfulness for the Mercy of God in Christ is an help to Godly sorrow the one serves to mortifie Sin the other to strengthen Grace None are so displeased with themselves for offending so good a God as those that have tasted how good and gracious the Lord is But more thoroughly to reconcile this Holy mixture to your thoughts take these considerations 1. Godly Sorrow is better than all the pleasures of Sin 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of Many have repented of their vain pleasures or of their Carnal Mirth but never any repented of their Godly Sorrow Many have cursed the day of their Birth but never any cursed the day of their New Birth Whoever had any loathsome remembrance of those hours which they spent in reconciling themselves to God though it were done with grief and bitterness of Spirit Oh the remembrance of that happy time is ever sweet and grateful to them 2. That mourning for Sin containeth in it self the matter of Joy is evident because a poor Christian is glad when his Heart can melt for Sin A day of serious and sound Humiliation is more to him than all carnal pleasures whatsoever he would not exchange the Comfort that he findeth in his Penitent Tears for all the Mirth in the World He findeth this helpeth to mortifie Sin which would mar his rejoycing in God it helpeth him to value Christ and taste the sweetness of his Love they are more glad of that measure of Grace received than if they were Masters and Rulers of the World To be affected with the dishonour done to God is included in their Love and esteem of him and floweth from their delight in him 3. Though they groan under the Relicks of Sin yet they are glad they are but Relicks That they are in any measure gotten out of their former Estate is a comfort though that they are gotten no further be a grief to them The mourning Christian would not change Estates with the best and greatest of Ungodly Men which sheweth there is some solid complacency and delight in their present Condition though not that full Joy which they shall have in Heaven when Sin shall no more Joy is not perfect till Holiness be perfect yet there is joy still though be not perfect joy Here there is Gaudium ineffabile cum suspiriis inenarrabilibus a joy mixt with sorrow groans unutterable and joyes unspeakable and glorious Secondly Having removed the prejudices Let me now perswade you to rejoyce evermore by the two Arguments of necessity and Utility 1. The necessity of it 1. That you may own God as your God delighting in God is a Duty of the first Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods before me that is rejoyce in no other but in me only as thy full and All-sufficient Portion and Happiness And therefore it is a part not of Instituted but of Natural Worship such Worship which we are to give God though he had never given direction about it which immediately resulteth from the owning and choosing of God for our God For if God be not loved and delighted in more than any thing or all things else he is not our God Now then is there not a necessity if you would worship God as God that you should rejoyce evermore and delight in him as sufficient to your Happiness whether the World cometh or goeth whether your Creature Comforts and Relations continue with you or be taken from you God still must be the Hearts delight and your exceeding joy Psalm 37.4 Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart 2. The necessity appeareth by this how can you be thankful and prize and value those Blessings which you have from God by Christ unless you rejoyce evermore whatever your Condition be in the World Surely Christ when received must be received with all love and thankfulness else you do not know the worth and value of his Grace and this esteem is never so much shewn in words as in deeds when you can delight in him more than all things else Psalm 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased Delight in him so as to loose all for him Phil. 3.8 For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Heb. 10.34 And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance And you can esteem a naked Christ ground enough of Comfort though you be stript of all things The Heart is not sound with Christ till we be so taken up with the Love and Praise of our Redeemer that we have scarce leasure to observe whether we be rich or poor or to regard the honours and dishonours of the World 3. How can you profess to follow the Conduct of that Holy Spirit who hath undertaken to be your Comforter unless your solid Delight and Comfort be in God and Heaven I know the Spirit is not so necessarily a Comforter as he is a Sanctifier but I speak of that disposition of Soul which belongeth both to his sanctifying as well as his comforting Operation and is necessary to Grace and that is to place your Happiness not in this World but in God and Heaven and so to place it there as that this may be a support to you in poverty and disgrace and pain that nothing may be able to overcome your joy Iohn 16.22 Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you Surely this is a necessary work of the sanctifying Spirit to teach you to fix your Comforts there where they may be out of the reach of the World that you may have Everlasting grounds of delight what ever Man can do unto you 2. The Utility of it both with respect to our Spiritual benefit and profit and our acceptance with God 1. With respect to the temper and frame of our own hearts or our Spiritual benefit There are two parts of Regeneration Mortification and Vivification and this rejoycing evermore promoteth both of them 1. As to Mortification It is most profitable to wean us from Carnal Vanities The Love of sensitive Delights is the Root of Sin some carnal lure there is which inticeth
doth not only overtake them but they had waited long for a change of condition 3. When we are perplexed and imbrangled in our troubles and miss the true way of support under them We are said to walk in darkness when we want either the light of direction or consolation I. The Light of Direction And this will respect either to the understanding of our outward and common affairs or with respect to our Duty towards God under such Afflictions 1. As to the understanding or right management of our common affairs being troubled and amazed we are not able to take any good counsel and advice Isa. 59.10 We grope for the Wall like the blind and we grope as if we had no eyes we stumble at Noon-day as in the Night So Job 5.14 They met with darkness in the day time and grope in the Noon-day as in the Night It is a great judgment of God upon a People when counsel is perished from them and they have not the judgment of ordinary Men. It is threatned as a punishment on the disobedient Deut. 28.29 Thou shalt grope at Noon days as the blind gropeth in darkness and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways and thou shalt only be oppressed and spoiled evermore and none shall save thee Now thus it often befalleth the People of God for their disobedience they know not what course to take for their common safety 2. The next is a greater evil when we understand not our Duty towards God and the reason of our troubles It is some comfort to a Child of God when he knoweth his Duty under such a condition a speaking rod though it be smart is more comfortable than a dumb rod Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest him out of thy Law Our advantage cometh not by being Afflicted but by being instructed in our Afflictions when the rod maketh us tractable and pliable to Gods counsel Job 36.10 He openeth their ears to discipline and 15. He openeth their ears in oppression It is the property of beasts to feel the smart of the rod but men Especially Good men should know the use of the rod. Our condition is not altogether dark when God hath humbled and instructed his People under his chastnings that they may get good by their chastnings but when they are still in the dark as to the reason and end of their troubles it is the more grievous II. When we want the light of consolation And that two ways either by present Experience of Gods Love or Hopes of future Deliverance 1. As to present experience of Gods Love Rom. 5.3 4 5. And not only so but we glory in Tribulation also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope And Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us It is promised to the upright that Light shall arise to them in obscurity Psal. 112 4 Vnto the upright there ariseth Light in the Darkness Now it 's very sad and afflicting to them when they cannot get a comfortable and satisfactory sight of Gods Love to them or Presence with them or Mindfulness of them in their Afflictions but he hideth himself from them This is the bitterest ingredient in their Sorrows that God hideth his face from them they should not else resent so much other Sorrows The favour of God is the Godly mans choice Psal. 4.6 7 Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their Corn and Wine increased And their Life Psal. 30.5 In his favour is Life And therefore they cannot but be most affected with the sense of the want of it This is the trouble of their trouble and maketh their darkness to become thick darkness 2. As to future deliverance when they cannot look through the cloud of present trouble with any hope of relief or have not any probable appearance of any good Issue Psal. 74.9 We see not our Signs there is no more any Prophet neither is theâ—e among us any that knoweth how long This is very sad Troubles that have an end are the better born but when we are altogether puzled when we think of a remedy and an escape then we are overwhelmed like a man ship-wracked and swimming for Life in the vast Ocean and sees no banks or land near II. The Reasons why this may befall the People of God There are reasons on Man's part and on God's part First On Man's part 1. The astonishing power of sore troubles Psal. 60.3 Thou hast shewed thy People hard things thou hast made us to drink of the Wine of astonishment They are amazed with afflictions like unto a Man that hath drank some intoxicatiâ—g drink which had put him besides himself They are in the dark about Gods mind in such dispensations and wonder why God suffereth his People whom he hath Chosen and Loved to go to ruine especially by the malignity of instruments more wicked than themselves When the wicked devoureth the Man â—hat is mâ—re righteous than he Hab. 2.13 2. From that weakness bondage and legal dejection which yet remaineth upon their Spirits so that they are not able to look beyond their present condition and if it be evil they make it worse by their own apprehensions and diffidence It is dark now and therefore they think it will never be day they see not God for the present and therefore they conclude they shall not see him As in prosperity Gods Children are apt to promise themselves too great a stability and continuance Psal 30.6 In my Prosperity I said I shall never be moved So in Adversity they are no less ready to heighten their trouble by fearful apprehensions of the perpetuity thereof Psal. 77.7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever Doth his promise fail for evermore Hath God forgot to be gracious Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies Trouble of our own making breedeth the greatest dejectâ—on They mistake Gods dispensation and make their present condition sadder and worse than indeed it is It would ease us of our greatest pressures if we would look off a little from the present and consider how God can work contrary to our probabilities and fears Contrary to our probabilities Zech. 8.6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts if it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this People in these days should it also be marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of Hosts And contrary to our fears Isa. 51.12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die and of the Son of man which shall be made as grass And forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundation of the Earth And hast feared
an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always 'T is done to God who will not be mocked And every Consecration implieth an Execration But for the present see no Lust be reserved If you live or resolve to live in any known Sin or do not resolve against it God will say What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth Psal. 50.16 If there be any unsincerity the Covenant is marred in the making Psal. 78.37 Their Heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant If there be any partial reserve the Heart is not right All former Vanities must actually be renounced 4. Having made Covenant with him you must be exact in keeping it Psal. 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth to such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Therefore be ever mindful of it 1 Chron. 16.15 Be ye mindful always of his Covenant Deut. 4.23 Take heed to your selves lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God Do not deal falsly in it upon any Temptation whatsoever Psal. 44 17. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant 5. Take heed of an unmortified Heart For an unmortified Professour will never be faithful with God Every Sacrifice shall be salted with Salt Mark 9.49 Remember Gods Judgments upon those that have broken his Covenant Levit. 26.25 I will bring a Sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant Isa. 14.5 The Earth also is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Laws they have broken the Everlasting Covenant Entring into Covenant is called entring into a Curse Nebem 10.29 They clave to their Brethren their Nobles and entred into a Curse and into an Oath to walk in Gods Law and to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord our God and his Iudgments and his Statutes A Sermon on Psalm Cxxvii 3 Lo Children are an Heritage of the Lord and the Fruit of the Womb is his Reward THis Psalm beareth Title A Song of degrees for Solomon In the Margin it is of Solomon or concerning Solomon that is spoken in the Spirit of Prophecy concerning him indeed the passages are in their intrinsick meaning applicable to him He was a builder of the Temple and an inlarger of the State and Dominion of the Iews There is a plain Allusion to his Name Iedidiah and Solomon in the latter end of the second verse For so he giveth his beloved Sleep For Iedidiah see 2 Sam. 12.24 25. She bare a Son and he called his Name Solomon and the Lord loved him and he sent by the Hand of Nathan the Prophet and he called his Name Jedidiah because of the Lord i. e. Beloved of the Lord. And for his other Name Solomon see 1 Chron. 22.9 10. Behold a Son shall be born to thee and he shall be a man of rest and I will give him rest from all his Enemies round about for his Name shall be Solomon i. e. Peaceable and I will give Peace and Quietness in his days He shall build an House for my Name and I will be his Father and he shall be my Son and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever Well now it is in vain for you Absolom and Adonijah to set your Wits on the rack to torture your selves with your own Ambition God will give Iedidiah the Kingdom and he shall be Solomon have Rest and Peace We read in the History 2 Sam. 15.2 Absolom rose early in the Morning and stood in the Gate to salute every one that passed by Adonijah made a great bustle But Gods will concerning Iedidiah shall stand Hâ— was to be the Builder he was to be the Son by whom the Succession of the â—egal line was to be continued Upon this David comforteth himself and acknowledgeth Gods Mercy Lo Children are an Heritage of the Lord and the Fruit of the Womb is his Reward In the Words Children are represented as a Blessing In which are two things 1. The Author from whom Children come from the Lord. 2. The Quality in which we receive this Blessing set forth by a double Notion 1. As an Heritage 2. As a Reward The Word Heritage is often by an Hebraism put for a man's Portion be it good or bad It is used in a bad sence as Iob 20.29 This is the Portion of a wicked man from God and the Heritage appointed unto him by God In the good sence Isa. 54.17 This is the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord. Reward is put for any Gift that cometh by Promise or with respect unto Obedience Because in a Promise there is a contract implyed if we will do so and so God will do so and so for us Doct. It is a Blessing that we have from God and so it should be accounted that we have Children born of our Loins It is not only a bare gift so it is to the Wicked but a Blessing one of the Temporal Mercies of the Covenant Psal. 128.1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his ways One of the Blessings is Ver. 3. Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine by the sides of thy House thy Children like Olive Plants round about thy Table This is a part of our Portion and Heritage the Saints have so acknowledged it Gen. 33.5 Who are these with thee And he said the Children which the Lord hath graciously given thy Servant Iacob speaketh like a Father and like a godly Father Not only given but graciously given As a Father he acknowledged it a Gift as a godly Father coming from meer Grace This may be gathered from the Story of Iob. Compare Chap. 1. ver 2 3. with 18 19. Observe when his Blessings are reckoned up first his numerous Issue is mentioned before his great Estate The chief part of a mans Wealth and Prosperity are his Children the choicest of outward Blessings Children are first mentioned But observe again in the 18. and 19. verses the loss of Children is mentioned as the greatest Affliction to put the top-stone upon his Trial the last Affliction is the saddest and so giveth the dead stroke 1. There is much of Gods Providence exercised in and about Children 1 In giving Strength to conceive It is not every ones Mercy Sarah obtained it by Faith Heb. 11.11 Through Faith Sarah received Strength to conceive Seed Though bringing forth Children be according to the course of Nature yet God hath a great hand in it Many Godly Parents have been denied the Benefit of Children and need other Promises to make up that want Isa. 56.4 5. Thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and choose the things that please me and take hold of my Covenant Even unto them will I give in mine House and within my Walls a Place and a Name better than of Sons and of Daughters
are Holy though sinners by nature yet dedicated to God and by vertue of the Parent 's Covenant accepted into the visible Church This agreeth with the exact rules of friendship to be a friend to us and our Families as David was to Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake 2 Sam 9.7 Fear not for I will shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy Fathers sake So Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospel they are Enemies for your sake but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sake For so many thousand years This is a friendship like God whose kindness is expressed in a way becoming himself Well then every Child is capable of dedication to God in the solemn way of an Ordinance 'T was a grief to Gehazi to have the Leprosie cleave to him and his Posterity it is a comfort to you that your Children are Holy Another Leper was born of him another Child is born to God of you More especially when the Covenant breaketh out then Children are a blessing indeed an Heritage from the Lord Gen. 9.25 26. Cursed be Canaan a servant of Servants shall he be to his Brethren And he said blessed be the Lord God of Shem. Ham is cursed in the person of Canaan whose progeny was excluded from the Grace of the Ordinances Instead of blessing Shem as he had cursed Cham Noah blesseth and praiseth God Blessed be the Lord God of Shem. God is his God that is happiness enough which is to be ascribed to his Grace But to return God hath implanted an affection in Parents to their Children he hath a Son himself and he knoweth how he loveth him and he loveth him for his holiness Heb. 1.9 Thou hast loved Righteousness and hated Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oil of gladness above thy fellows So many times in a condescention to good Parents he bestoweth this priviledge that they shall have Godly Children Look as to a Minister those whom he converts to God they are his Glory and his Ioy and his Crown of rejoicing at the day of the Lord 1 Thes. 2.19 20. So as to those whom we have been a means to bring into the World if they are in the Covenant of Grace it is a greater blessing than to see them Monarchs of the World 3. 'T is a gift and a blessing dispensed as a reward and heritage with respect to the obedience or disobedience of their Parents God would by all ways and means ingage us to godliness now because our temporal happiness or misery much dependeth upon our Relations and Children he would make this one motive to invite us to walk in his ways This is one way or means to let in happiness or trouble upon us Sometimes he promiseth Children and flourishing Children as a reward of piety and threateneth no Children or unhappy Children as a punishment of disobedience See Iob 5.4 compared with 25. Of the wicked it is said ver 4. His Children are far from safety they are crushed in the Gate and there is none to deliver them 'T is promised to the godly ver 25. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great and thine off-spring shall be as the Grass of the Earth So the Second Commandment Exod. 20.5 6. I the Lord thy God am a Iealous God visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shewing Mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments and many other places Though not all the Godly and only they have the gift of prosperity and a successful posterity yet God is pleased in express terms to adopt this blessing into the Covenant Wicked Parents are ordinarily great snares and plagues to their Children and the godly prove great blessings Because this is an argument often pressed in Scripture I shall a little state it how far wicked Parents may procure a judgement and godly Parents a blessing to their Children 1. How far wicked Parents may procure a Judgment to their Children Answ. Punishments are either Temporal or Eternal For Eternal no man is punished with Eternal punishment for anothers sins properly and directly there we stand upon our own personal account occasionally a Child may be punished eternally for his Father's sin as being deprived of the means of Grace by the Parent 's revolt from the true Religion As for external means the Parents who are a kind of Trustees may put away the means of Grace from their Families When God cometh to tender Grace to them he tendereth it to them in the name of their whole house Luk. 19.9 This day is salvation come to this House Forasmuch also as he is the Son of Abraham as a Believer he had an interest in Abraham's promises Gen. 17.7 I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy Seed after thee So Act. 16.31 Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved thou and thy House that is put in a way of Salvation If a Family reject the strictness of profession and give up themselves to cursing swearing uncleanness gaming hatred of reformation and of a lively Ministry the Children born in the Family may be justly left to be wicked by these examples and prejudiced against the ways of God 2. For Temporal Punishments These may be supposed to come both on those that continue in their wicked Parents Paths and Courses or on those who do break them off by repentance 1. If they continue in them then both Parents and Children are considered as one Body and Society Isa. 65.6 7. I will recompense even recompense into their bosom Your iniquities and the iniquities of your Fathers together There is a cup still filling and when we add more Water then it runneth over As by a figure added to a number already set the value is increased to a much greater sum than the single Figure would bear if it stood alone So the personal sins of the Child are made much more hainous by the foregoing offences of the Parents Or as a fire that is already kindled when it meeteth with more combustible matter the flame is the more increased so by the addition of the Childrens sins to their Ancestors the judgment is made more exemplary and remarkable nay it may be the judgment may begin with the Children when the Parents in this World do escape and go unpunished The Parents kindle the Fire and the Children come and cast in more Fuel and then no wonder if the burning be the greater 2. If they be godly The judgments may continue though they be sanctified to their holy posterity Thus God's quarrel for the sins of Manasseh continued in the days of good Iosiah 2 Kin. 23.26 The Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah because of all the provocations
wherewith Manasseh had provoked him Thus godly Children may bear in their bodies the fruits of their Parents uncleanness and intemperance and their estates which they had from their Parents may moulder away in their hands And this may teach Parents as they love their Children to beware of leaving such sad debts upon the heads of their posterity Their Children shall smart for the fruits of their sin We often see that the godly Children of wicked Parents are ruined for the sins of their Families both in their Persons and Estates If you ask for what sins Perversion of God's Worship as in the Second Commandment Persecution of God's Children so Ahab's Posterity was rooted out 1 Kin. 21.29 I will bring the evil in his Son's days Ill getting an Estate Haereditates transeunt cum onere The Inheritance passeth with its burden There is a Curse goeth along with it Parents sell their own Souls to make their Children great and God will shew the fallacy of it by blasting that greatness Iob 20.10 His Children shall seek to please the poor and his hands shall restore their goods 2. How far godly Parents are blessed in their Posterity 1. Good Men convey many a temporal blessing to their Relations As God blessed Ishmael for Abraham's sake Gen. 16.10 And the Angel of the Lord said unto her I will multiply thy seed exceedingly that it shall not be numbred for multitude Gen. 21.13 And also of the Son of the Bond-woman will I make a Nation because he is thy Seed They have the blessing of Ishmael if not the blessing of Isaac 2. They are without scruple Children of the Covenant in visible relation to God and in better case than the Seed of Infidels not merely as the Off-spring of your bodies nor as deriving Grace from you by generation but because you have dedicated your selves and all that you have to God They are capable of Ordinances Rom. 9.16 For if the first fruit be holy the lump also is holy and if the root be holy so are the branches 3. If they die before they come to the use of reason you have no cause to doubt of their Salvation God is their God Gen. 17.7 I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee compared with Gal. 3.14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith And they never lived to disinherit themselves As we judge of the Slip according to the Stock till it live to bring forth fruit of its own So here 4. If they live to years of discretion they have greater advantages of being godly than others Partly as your dedication doth oblige you to greater care in their education Eph. 6.4 Ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Partly as God tendereth them more means with respect unto the Covenant Act. 3.25 26. Ye are the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers saying unto Abraham And in thy Seed shall all the kindreds of the Earth be blessed unto you first God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you You are Children of the Covenant therefore unto you first c. partly as the Grace of the Covenant runneth most kindly in the Channel of the Covenant Rom. 11.24 How much more shall these which be the natural branches be graffed into their own Olive Tree 5. If they take to their parents Covenant and fear and love God their blessings are increased David urgeth that Psal. 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant and the Son of thine Handmaid When they are serious they have a greater holdfast upon God 2 Chron. 6.42 Remember the Mercies of David thy Servant Well then out of all you see it is such a blessing as is dispensed in the way of a reward yet it is such a blessing as may be turned into a Curse It is a Door whereby God may let in blessing or cursing upon us And though they are an happiness yet not our main happiness but dispensed sometimes as rewards and sometimes as punishments Vse 1. To reprove those who are not thankful for Children but do grudge and look upon it as a burden when God blesseth them with a numerous issue These murmur at that which is in it self a Mercy When we want them we value them when we are full of Children we are full of distrust and murmuring It was counted an honour to be a Father in Israel Surely those that fear God should not count an happiness to be a Burden Psal. 128.3 4. Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine by the sides of thine House thy Children like Olive Plants round about thy Table Behold thus shall the Man be blessed that feareth the Lord. God maketh his People Families like a flock Psal. 107.41 Use 2. Reproof to those who do not acknowledge and improve this mercy 1. Those who do not acknowledge this mercy Surely Parents should acknowledge God in every Child given to them Much of his providence is seen in giving and with-holding Children We have songs of thanksgiving very frequent in Scripture upon this occasion It is a thing wherein God will have his bounty taken notice of by solemn praises And for every Child God should have a new honour from you What hath been done to the Lord for this Therefore do not look upon the birth of a Child as a natural thing see God in it When Rachel fell out with Iacob about her barrenness Am I saith he in Gods stead Who hath with-held from thee the fruit of the Womb Gen. 30.2 Specially confederate Parents should acknowledge this mercy It is a mercy that when a sinner is taken into favour God will accept of our Actions which are the fruit of our souls That the evil that is in all these should not out-weigh the little goodness which is in them nay that they should not only be accepted but rewarded But further that he should make a Covenant with the fruit of our body if you consider your natural sinfulness it is wonderful that your Children should be holy and Gods portion Grace like a mighty River will be pent within no banks but overflow all that a man hath God loveth not to take a single person but grace cometh to our houses Act 16.31 Believe in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saved thou and thy house Doth the faith of the Master of the Family save the Family occasionally it doth as it giveth a title to the means of Grace Therefore this should be acknowledged with all thankfulness 2 Sam. 7.19 Thou hast spoken also concerning thy servants house for a great while to come 2. Those that do not improve the mercy nor indeavour to make Children
that God's people cannot be Houseless and Harbourless Exod. 33.14 My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest Under his defence they dwell safe and sound in the Wilderness The Shekinah or God's Majestick Presence went along with them though they had not an opportunity to build an House therefore God supposed they would not forget this even when they had built to themselves goodly Houses Deut. 8.12 to the 16. Now God once gracious is ever gracious for God is always like himself If he was so to former Saints or his People living in former Ages he will ever be so We may lay claim to the same priviledges the same Mediator the same Covenant the same terms of Grace The Lord's kindness to his People is alike in all Ages 2. It is of use to us when we have an House God is still to be owned as our Habitation A Christian should always make use of God and look beyond the Creature whatever his condition be There are two notions of a Refuge and of an Habitation Psal. 91.9 Because thou hast made the Lord which is my Refuge even the Most High thy Habitation A Refuge is the place of our retreat in a time of danger an Habitation is the place of our residence in a time of peace Most men make use of God in their streights and the time of adversity when they are beaten to him and have no other place of retreat God is their refuge but he is not their habitation They are frightened into a little Religiousness when they are in trouble and their life and temporal comforts are in hazard They use God as Men in a City do a Porch or Pent-house Or as Men in a Journey do a broad and well-spread Tree They run to it in a Storm but do not fix their Residence there The Psalmist speaketh of dwelling and abiding Psal. 91.1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty He doth not say He that hopeth or trusteth in the most high but he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High We must not run to God's help as we run to a Tree or Pent-house to use it onely for a time or for a turn and by compulsion against our wills Many seem to beg God's help in Prayer but are not protected by him They seek it onely in a storm and when all other means and refuges fail them But a Christian must maintain constant Communion with God must dwell in God not run to him now and then It is an everlasting truth Thou art our habitation In this respect a Snail may be an emblem of a Christian They carry their Houses about with them And though they wander here and there yet still they are at home God is not to be used for a turn but for every good thing his people need and he is to be acknowledged in all things which we have Not for one day onely but there must be a constant recourse to him Psal. 71.3 Be thou my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort Sermon II. on Psalm Xc 1 Lord thou hast been our Dwelling-place in all Generations WE must make use of God daily owning him in all things that we have Therefore whether we have or want an House he is still our habitation How when we have an House 1. Whatsoever comfort and safety we have in an outward dwelling must be owned as the effect of his bounty who ruleth in all our affairs and giveth and taketh these things at his own pleasure So it is said Exod. 1.21 Because the Midwives feared God that he made them Houses It is the Lord's Providence that we enjoy any thing in this kind an house health peace and safety therein Psal. 3.5 I lay'd me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me So Psal. 4.8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safety So that the habitation of our habitation is God himself Alas without him the Noblest Dwellings will be but a comfortless place All the World are but Tenants at will to God who is our Great Landlord and putteth into possession and turneth out of possession as he pleaseth I gave thee thy Master's House saith God to David 2 Sam. 12.8 God is called the Possessour of Heaven and Earth Gen. 14 19 Not onely the Creator but the Possessor because he still disposeth of all things here below We are but his Tenants at will received by him into those places he seeth convenient for us and entertained by him during our abode there He is the Preserver of us and our dwellings against what evil might otherwise befal us by Men or Devils or any kind of accident He keepeth off the violence of Men. When the Males go up to Worship at Ierusalem the Enemy shall not desire their Land He keepeth off Diseases When dangers are near a Thousand shall fall at thy side and Ten thousands at thy right hand it shall not come nigh thee Psal. 91.7 and vers 10. The Plague shall not come nigh thy dwelling This must be acknowledged then when we dwell in safety 2. God must not be displeased or dishonoured in our houses but glorified served and obeyed A practical acknowledgment giveth God more glory than a verbal acknowledgment and we destroy our own happiness and cannot depend upon him with that comfort for the continuance of our Mercies if we do not honour and love him and serve him We saw before how sin maketh Mens dwellings to spue them out and cast them out They will soon grow weary of us if we do not pay our Great Landlord the constant rent of Duty Service and Worship Surely if we would comfortably enjoy God there we must walk uprightly and glorifie God there Psal. 101.2 I will walk in my house with a perfect heart There his domestical carriage is described and how he would purge his house from all impurity Psal. 30. The Title A Psalm of David at the Dedication of his house We should enter upon our houses in a Religious manner and consecrate our selves and houses to him It is good to observe the different carriage of Men in their houses Nebuchadnezzar when he walked in the Palace of Babylon Dan. 4.30 Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the House of the Kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty Pride of heart came upon him Those Iews that dwelt in Ceiled Houses were well and at ease therefore neglected God Haggai 1.2 This people say The time is not come the time that the Lord's House should be built David 2 Sam. 7.2 See now I dwell in an house of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains Nebuchadnezar was proud the Iews careless David zealous Say then What have I done for God who hath done so much for me It was a saying of Parisiensis Qui majores terras
only by Possession but by Estimation and choice Psal. 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased They place their Happiness in them So on the other side Lazarus Evil things as the Rich man had abundance of Ease Pleasure and Prosperity so Lazarus had his Portion of Afflictions 2. In the World to come Mark 1. The time presently upon Death Now. The Sleep of the Soul is a vain Figment 2. The different recompences in the Words Comforted and Tormented 3. The Order in both the Begger had first Temporal Evils and then Eternal good things but the Rich man had first Temporal good things and then Eternal Evil things As many that do well here in this World fare full ill in the World to come the one hath his Bliss and the other his Torment and both without any allay and mixture Doct. That it is the greatest Misery that can light upon men to be condemned to worldly Happiness The Rich-mans Disposition is but intimated but his Condition is expressed as the ground of his Misery that in his Life-time he had received his good things Gregory professed that he could never read this Scripture without trembling as being afraid to have his Portion in this World or his Happiness here And what is here represented in the Scheme and Draught of a Parable is elsewhere positively asserted in plainer Scriptures as Luke 6.24 Wo unto you that are Rich for ye have received your Consolation You have all that you can look for you shall not have a double Heaven here and hereafter Ier. 17.13 They that depart from me shall be written in the Earth Luke 12.20 Thou Fool this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Psal. 17.14 From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the World which have their Portion in this Life and whose Belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure they are full of Children and leave the rest of their Substance to their Babes Not as if all that live prosperously here in this World shall be Eternally miserable or on the contrary that all that live miserably here shall be comforted hereafter No it is not the Condition but the Disposition which is regarded For 1. Riches are in themselves Gods Blessings Prov. 10.22 The Blessing of the Lord maketh Rich. And are promised to his People Psal. 112.3 Wealth and Riches shall be in his House And accordingly bestowed upon some of them as upon Abraham Gen. 24.35 The Lord hath blessed my Master greatly and he is become great So was Iob Chap. 1.3 He was the greatest of all the men in the East So David Solomon Lazarus of Bethany Ioseph of Arimathea and others By these instances God sheweth that he can and will give Wealth to his People if it were for their good Some Godly men may be Rich and Wicked men Calamitous The Lord giveth to both a taste of their future Condition Godliness hath the Promises of this Life and Ungodliness forfeiteth them 2. It is not the having but the abuse The Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 1.4 Of the Corruption that is in the World through Lust or our own unmortified Corruptions The Poyson is not in the Flower but the Spider that Carnal Disposition that is in us maketh us drown our Mind our Time and our Affections in the World and the Cares and Pleasures thereof and to be ensnared thereby and hindred from looking after Heavenly Happiness To blame Riches simply is to blame him that made them and distributeth them according to his Will as if he did bait his hook with seeming Blessings and did set golden snares to intangle the Souls of men The good things of this World are profitable to them that make a good use of them if we use Wealth well or want it patiently It is no matter what part we Act on the World so we Act it well As in a Chore of Voices some sing the Base some the Treble it is no discommendation to sing either part so we sing it well So some are Poor some are Rich if we carry a full â—up without Spilling we may Honour God by being Rich if we patiently bear the burden imposed upon us we may Honour God with a meek and humble Poverty Dormit pauper Lazarus in sinu Abrahami divitis Poor Lazarus slept in Rich Abrahams Bosom The Rich man was not condemned because he had Wealth and Ease and Prosperity but that he was puffed up with these things he wholly gave up himself to Pride and Luxury neglecting Piety and Charity But Lazarus believed Gods Promises bore the burden imposed upon him patiently and by the Obedience of Faith wholly submitted himself to Gods Will. 3. However a full Condition is apt to be a snare and must be watched with the greater Caution That Context is very notable Mark 10.23 24 25 26 27. And Iesus looked round about and saith unto his Disciples How hardly shall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God And the Disciples were astonished at his Words But Iesus answered again and saith unto them Children how hard is it for them that trust in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for a Rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves who then can be saved And Iesus looking upon them saith With men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible That Discourse between Christ and his Disciples sheweth us three things 1. That it is impossible to trust in Riches and enter into the Kingdom of God 2. That 't is impossible to man to have them and not to trust in them 3. And that the special Assistance of the Divine Grace can only cure this Evil. It is very hard to injoy Ease and Idleness and Pleasures here and to be exercised with no Affliction and yet keep right with God Prov. 1.32 The Prosperity of Fools shall destroy them Men being drunk with Prosperity are forgetful of their Duty A rank soil is apt to breed many weeds And on the other side Afflictions are an help to the Godly to make them profit in Piety But having obviated this Difficulty I shall shew three things 1. That God useth to give many Temporal good things to carnal men 2. That those Carnal men whose Hearts are taken up with these good things as their only and chief Happiness while they continue so can look for no more at Gods hand but are condemned to worldly Felicity 3. That their Misery is great before Death at Death and after Death I. God useth to give many temporal good things to Carnal men for several Reasons 1. Because he will be behind hand with none of his Creatures but all that are made by him shall know him to be a
every particular Circumstance 2. As he taketh notice of them so it is with Love Delight and approbation verba notitiae connotant affectus He embraceth them with special love delighteth in them as his peculiar people and approveth of them Knowing beareth this sense for approving as Pas. 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous but the way of the Ungodly shall perish So Matth. 7.23 I never knew you depart from me ye workers of Iniquity that is I do not approve you The Lord seeth and beholdeth them with Mercy and according to the gracious Tenor of the Evangelical Covenant he approveth and rewardeth all the good purposes and performances of the Godly Here the Lord rests in his Love Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty He will save thee He will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love He will joy over thee with singing as his peculiar people 3. Knowledge is put for the communication of saving Benefits Gal. 4.9 Now after ye have known God or rather are known of God Sinners in an unconverted estate are such of whom God taketh no notice and knowledge to wit so as to be familiar with them and to communicate saving Blessings to them But thus God knoweth his People that he will not suffer them to be taken out of his Hands 2. The Impression that suiteth with our part or our Duty in the Covenant Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from Iniquity Where take notice 1. Of the description of the Parties concerned Whoso nameth the name of Christ That is maketh profession of being a Christian As the Wife is called by the name of her Husband Isa. 4.1 Only let us be called by thy name The Father's name is put on the Children Gen. 48.16 Let my name be named on them so every one that nameth the name of Christ that is so as to intitle himself to him to be one of his Disciples and Followers 2. The Duty required Let him depart from Iniquity Where note 1. That there is a Duty required of those that would possess those Blessed Priviledges Those that presume of their Election and cast away all care of Salvation and let loose the Reins to all Carnal Liberty they have no Title nor right to these Comforts No it belongeth to them who live in a Conscionable Obedience and careful endeavour to please God in all things No man immediately Knoweth his Election but by Holiness 1 Thess. 1.4 5. Knowing Brethren Beloved Your Election of God For our Gospel came not to you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost We understand Things by their effects God carrieth on the Business of Salvation in such a manner that he will have his People co-operate by the power they have received from Him taking heed of all Things which are contrary thereunto both in Life and Doctrine Phil. 2.12 Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure And 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure God's Counsel is fulfilled by means and we can have no knowledge but by the effect 2. How his Duty is Expressed Let him depart from Iniquity Not only retain the Faith and Profession of Jesus Christ but depart from all manner of Sin 1. The Thing quitted is Sin It is an Indefinite expression which implyeth all Sin not only Sensual Lusts as Voluptuous Living but Pride Ambition Contention Animosity Vain-Glory See Verses 21. and 22. of this Chapter If a Man therefore purge Himself from these he shall be a vessel unto Honour sanctified and 〈◊〉 for the masters use and prepared unto every good Work flee also Youthful Lusts but folâ—ow aftâ—r Righteousness Faith Charity Peace In short our Duty is to keep close to God and the departing from Iniquity is by sound Repentance at First and by 〈◊〉 Holiness of Life afterwards which are as the Gate and the Way 2. Though it belongeth to our Care yet God affecteth and worketh this Obedience in the Hearts of the Elect or his peculiar People they must attend upon this work but all is done by the Grace and Power of the Holy Ghost Heâ— 13.20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Ieâ—â—â— that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Use. We learn hence two things 1. A comfortable dependance upon God till our Salvation be accomplished 2. The necessity of all holy Care and Diligence notwithstanding God's Undertaking in the Covenant 1. A comfortable dependance upon God till our Salvation be accomplished 1. You are his Psal. 119.94 I am thine save me 2. He knoweth you and will make a distinction between you and others Iohn 13.18 I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished 3. He that knoweth you is the Lord and what is too hard for the Lord His Divine Power can give you all things 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness And 2 Cor. 9.8 God is able to make all grace abound towards you that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work 4. It is the Seal of his Foundation therefore he will unchangeably pursue what shall be for our good Isa. 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanul it Psal. 46.10 My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed We often complain as Israel of old My way is â—idden from the Lord and my judgment passed over by my God Isa. 40.27 He hath forgotten us in the throng of Business that is upon his Hands and taketh no notice of us But here is sufficient Encouragement for a dependance upon God The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth those that are his 2. We learn the necessity of all holy Care and Diligence notwithstanding God's Undertaking in the Covenant Qui fecit te sine te c. God that made thee without thee will not save thee without thee God that decreed the End decreeth also the Means 1. If you name the name of Christ there must be Holiness joyned with Profession otherwise you are a dishonour to him and make him the Minister of Sin Gal. 2.17 But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners is therefore Christ the minister of sin God forbid
Zeal We translate it Bitter Envyings or that secret discontent and grudge that we take at their advancement or esteem Well then in this Envying there is a grudge and an indignation and an evil inordinate Emulation of their Happiness 2. The object is expressed in the word Oppressor or Man of Violence in the 32 verse the froward The one noteth the disposition of his Heart he is froward the other the Evil of his practise he oppresseth or seeketh to bear down others by Violence The Froward Praefractus the hard inflexible man that is confirmed and settled in his evil purpose Refractory opposers of the ways of God Mark 't is not the Wicked or undeserving in the general A man may be Tempted to Envy them but the Froward and Oppressors such as are Maliciously and obstinately bent to do Mischief to us Though the advancement of such may be apprehended as a burden and Judgment and so complained of to God especially as 't is likely not only to prejudice our Interest and comfort of Life but as contrary to God's Honour and Interest or as it tendeth to the increasing or confirming of Wickedness yet we should not fret at it First as if they were Happier than the Godly lest we be tempted to let go our Innocency Secondly as if we did tax the Providence of God of Injustice Thirdly to be stirred up thereby to any undue Practice Fourthly that our quarrel should not be the main reason of that sense we have of this disorder our Ease our Credit our Revenge lest it be like Ionah's Ager Ionah 4. not so much for God's Honour as his own lest he should be accounted a false Prophet 2. That the People of God are subject to fall into this distemper of Envy at the Prosperity of the Wicked the Scripture every where witnesseth David is an Instance Psal. 73.3 I was Envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the Wicked So Ieremiah so Iob so Habakuk so all the Saints Here in this lower World where our hopes are unseen and to come and our tryals are so many and the flesh is so Importunate to be pleased and the Wicked being of the Earth have so much of Earthly Happiness as Nettles that grow of their own accord will thrive better than Choicer Plants Especially when we our selves are burdened and streightned Now this troubleth the Children of God that Bastards should be better fed than Sons that they whom God hateth should seem to have more of the Fathers Love Care and Blessing 3. That there is little reason yet why the People of God should be so affected if you consider 1. The condition of the Wicked 2. The State of the suffering Godly 3. The mischievous Nature and effects of this Envy 1. The Condition of the Wicked though never so much exalted That 's represented in the Text Envy not for the froward are an abomination to the Lord. Mark 't is not only said God hateth them but abominateth them There is not only odium inimicitiae aut offensionis a hatred of Enmity but abomination of abhorrence when a Thing is done contrary to our will or when a Thing or Person is contrary to our Nature so God is not only angry with them but hateth them and that 's enough to make them miserable 1. Observe here That the suffering Godly the Spiritual Blessings which they have they have with God's love and cannot but have them so for these are not given in Anger But we cannot say so of the Wicked's Prosperity and Success that they have this with the love of God they have it from the hand of his Providence but his Heart is not with them for the Froward are an abomination to the Lord which sheweth that their Felicity is no true Felicity for 't is such as may consist with God's hatred This consideration that the Lord abhorreth wicked Men as it sheweth that they themselves can have no solid satisfaction in their Estate be it never so high plentiful and prosperous for they cannot for all this say that God loveth them Eccles. 9.1 No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them Yea they may determine by the Word if wicked that God hateth them they are but fatten'd to destruction as Swine for the slaughter The Curse of God sticketh to them when they eat their plentiful Morsels of Meat put on their gorgeous Apparel they have this Thought to sowre all God hateth them I say as this Consideration lessens the comfort and satisfaction of wicked Men so should it abate yea take away the Envy of the Children of God God is displeased with them what plenty and pomp of living soever he affordeth them by the Bounty and Indulgence of his Providence Surely those whom God hateth are Objects of Pity rather than Envy if their Condition were well considered still they are under the Wrath of God Certainly the People of God when appointed by Man as Sheep to the slaughter being under the love of God are in a happier condition than wicked Men that are fatted for Destruction and under the wrath of God ' for 't is not the wrath of Man or the favour of Man that maketh us miserable or happy but the love and hatred of God Who was in the better condition Daniel among the Lions or Nebuchadnezzar among the Beasts In a sober mood which would you choose The love of God can sweeten the bitterest Cup that ever Believer drank off But if it were rightly apprehended to be lyable to his hatred is the saddest thing in the World 't is the Sting of Miseries and the Curse of Blessings 2. Observe To be hated and rejected of God should be esteemed by us as one of the greatest Calamities that can befall a poor Creature as to be accepted with him one of the greatest Blessings Psal. 4.6 7. There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their corn and wine increased 1. On one side we have the Matter compared their good Things their Corn and Wine not sinful but lawful Comforts 2. 'T is proposed with a supposition of Increase not in the wane 3. For the Time take it at best when this Joy is most lively at the time of Vintage and Harvest 4. The Persons their Corn and Wine not different godly Men in whom these Things are refracted and broken not the same godly Man in whom these different Desires are found On the other side there is 1. The Matter and Ground of Gladness the Light of God's Countenance Ier. 2.13 My people have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out Cisterns c. They drink of the Cistern you of the Fountain they rejoyce not in God but his Gifts and those not saving but the common sort such as Riches Pleasures Honours And in these not as the Effects of God's
right to these Priviledges and will be matter of everlasting Comfort to you V. It is represented here as a thing evident in God's Government Now I perceive of a truth that God is no respecter of persons Now God's way of Government is either External or Internal and it is seen in both As for instance There are two Acts of Judicature Reward and Punishment I. God's Government is seen in rewarding God's External Government is seen in dispensing outward Blessings to his People as the fruit of their Obedience Micah 2.1 Do not my words do good to them that walk uprightly His promises as declared speak good as fulfilled Do good that is yield Protection Countenance and such a degree of outward Prosperity as supporteth and incourageth them in their service David owned God's dealing with him in this sort Psal 119 56. This I had because I kept thy precepts Now as to his Internal Government he giveth his People increase of Grace peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 So God often rewardeth Grace with Grace Isai. 58.13 14. If thou call the Sabboth a Delight then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. So Psal. 31.14 Be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart Proficiency in the same Grace is a reward of the several Acts and Exercise of it So also God delights to reward his Childrens Obedience with Internal Comfort 2. God's Government is seen in punishing Sometimes he useth the way of External punishment by visible Judgments exercised on his own for the breach of his Holy Law Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Heb. 2.2 Every transgression and disobedience receiveth a just recompence of reward Sometimes the way of Internal punishment by terrors of Conscience and punishing sin with sin Both Godly and Wicked For the Godly as to External Government 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord. Internal lesser penal withdrawings of the Spirit which God's people find in themselves after some hainous sins and neglects of Grace Psal 51.10 11 12. But the judgments of the Souls of the ungodly are most dreadful As when the sinner is terrified 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin Stupified Psal. 81.12 So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts So that the sinner is left dull sensless past feeling Eph. 4.7.8 Having the understanding darkned By horror of Conscience they are made to feel God's displeasure at the courses they walk in But when that is long despised and Men sin on still the other and more terrible judgment cometh the giving up a sinner to his own hearts lusts And losing remorse and tenderness is the sorest judgment on this side Hell 5. In all Acts of Judicature either in punishing or rewarding God is no respect-of persons His own people are not excepted when they fall into wilful or scandalous sins Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for your iniquities Prov. 11. last The righteous shall be recompensed on the earth much more the wicked and the sinner God judgeth not with partiality In his External Government he punishes sometimes with 1 a Blot on their name 1 Kings 15.5 David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside in any thing that he commanded save only in the matter of Uriah His plotting Uriah's death is more laid to his charge than the other sins which he committed many failings of his are left on Record Distrust Dissimulation rash Vow to destroy Nabal injustice in the matter of Ziba and Mephibosheth indulgence to Absolom his carnal confidence in numbring the people yet all these are passed over in silence as infirmities only the matter of Uriah sticks close to him 2 With many troubles for the vindication of his Justice and Providence tho' they be the dearly beloved of his Soul What troubles in his house ensued David's presumptuous sin his Daughter ravished Amnon slain in his Drunkenness Absolom driveth him to shift for his life his Subjects desert him 2 Sam. 12.10 11 12. Ely's Sons slain Israel discomfited the Ark taken his Daughter dyed in Child-bearing the old Man broke his Neck Do not think your Estate will bear you out Sin is odious to God by whomsoever committed 6. We shall shortly appear before the Tribunal of God where every Man's qualification must be judged whether he fear God and work Righteousness How soon it may come about we cannot tell most will be taken ere they think of it Therefore the word found is often used 2 Cor. 5.3 We shall not be found naked 2 Pet. 3.14 That we may be found of him in peace Phil. 4.9 Well then 1. Let us make our peace with God 2 Cor. 5.19 2. Fear God get a single heart Col. 3.23 Whatsoever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men 3. Work Righteousness 1 Iohn 3.7 He that doth righteousness is righteous You must do wrong to none good to all Charge your selves to practice this great Duty A Sermon on MARK iv 24 And he said unto them Take heed what ye hear for with what measure you meet it shall be measured to you again and unto you that hear shall more be given WHat one said of Laws is true of Sermons That there are many good Laws made but there needeth one good Law to put them all in Execution so there are many good Sermons but there wanteth one good one to reduce them all to practice This Scripture conduceth to this very purpose And he said unto them Take heed what you hear c. The Words are a special Admonition touching the right way of hearing the Word Wherein we have 1. A Duty 2. The Reason to inforce it from the fruit and benefit intimated in two Proverbs for with what Measure ye meet it shall be Measured to you again And unto you that hear shall more be given 1. The Duty Take heed what you hear Attend diligently to the matter of Doctrine which I deliver unto you In Luke 8.18 it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed how you hear and Take heed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely what you hear so 't is here 'T is a Doctrine most true as being of Divine Revelation most necessary and of great importance to your Happiness you are utterly undone without it Most Excellent as being about the greatest matter the enjoyment of God and the saving of your Souls 2. The Reasons expressed in a Proverb and a promise grounded upon a Proverb 1. A Proverb With what measure you meet it shall be measured to you again This passage is often repeated in the Gospel sometimes as a threatning Matth. 7.2 For with what Iudgment ye Iudge ye shall be Iudged and with what Measure ye meet it shall be Measured to you again Sometimes in the way of a Promise and differently applied to
of Christ. These things are worthy in themselves but when Men count them unworthy we should not be ashamed Not ashamed of sufferings 2 Tim. 1.8 Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor me his Prisoner but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel through the power of God Mallem ruere cum Christo quam stare cum 〈◊〉 I had rather perish with Christ than stand fast with Caesar. And Mâ—rsac cur non me quoque torque donas c. Why dost thou not grace me with a Chain 〈◊〉 Nor ashamed of those that suffer for the Name of Christ 2 Tim. 1.16 He was not ashamed of my chain Heb. 11.26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt As any one cometh nearer to Christ so should he be dearer to us This is true Gratitude not to be ashamed of Christ and his Service nor Servants otherwise Christ will be ashamed of us Mark 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the Holy Angels Oh to have Christ be ashamed of us to hide his Face in that day How terrible will it be In the changes of the World Men if they did know it would stick to that Party that is sure to be uppermost Christ is sure to be uppermost if you shrink from him when his Cause or Honour lyeth in the Dust it will be matter of Eternal Shame in the world to come 3. Doctrine The kindred is only reckoned to the sanctified All Men are in some sense of the same stock with Christ yet it is said He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one The rest of the world are left out as not capable of the comfort of this Relation 1. Who are the Sanctified 2. Why this appropriation 1. Who are the Sanctified To Sanctifie signifieth Two things to separate and to set apart for an Holy use And to cleanse and Purifie And when this is applied to Persons they are sanctified that are dedicated and set apart for God's use and service and are purified and cleansed from the pollution of Sin And so in all that are Sanctified there is a difference between them and others For they are set apart for God while others live to themselves Psal. 4.3 The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Yea there is a change and so a difference between them and themselves 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God This closely followed would find out the Parties here intended But yet we must know that in both these Senses some are Sanctified in appearance only others really and indeed 1. In Appearance only And so all the members of the visible Church that are in outward Covenant with God and bound to be Holy are called Saints and said to be Sanctified Exod. 31.13 I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you And thus Apostates are said to trample the Blood of the Covenant under foot wherewith they were Sanctified Heb. 10.29 That is externally in their separation from the World and dedication to God's Service by outward Calling and Covenant In foro externo before Men these are Sanctified yea in his external Dispensation God speaketh to such an one and of him and dealeth with him as one of his own People 2. Really and indeed So Sanctification is threefold 1. Meritorious 2. Applicatory 3. Practical 1. Meritorious Sanctification is Christ's meriting and purchasing for his Church the inward inhabitation of the Spirit and that Grace whereby they may be Sanctified So it is said Heb. 10.10 By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all All those for whom Christ did offer himself are Sanctified in due time by virtue of Christ's offering So it is said Heb. 13.12 Iesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own Blood did suffer without the gate This Sanctification cannot be repeated or increased but was done once for all and that by one above even Jesus Christ. There needeth no addition to his Merit 2. Applicatory Sanctification is the inward renovation of the Heart of those whom Christ hath Sanctified by the Spirit of Regeneration whereby a Man is translated from Death to Life from the state of Nature to the state of Grace This is spoken of Tit. 3.5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost This is the daily Sanctifiation which with respect to the merit of Christ is wrought by the Sprit and the ministry of the Word and Sacraments 3. Practical Sanctification is that by which they for whom Christ Sanctified himself and who are renewed by the Holy Ghost and Planted into Christ by Faith do more and more Sanctifie and cleanse themselves from sin in Thought Word and Deed 1 Pet. 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Joh. 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Weakning the relicks of sin and getting more readiness and preparation of Heart for all the acts of the Holy Life In the former we are passive we contribute nothing to the First little to the Second but in this we are operative Besides these two Notions to consecrate and purifie help us to understand the nature of true Sanctification 1. As to Sanctifie signifieth to Consecrate or Dedicate to God so it signifieth both the fixed inclination or the disposition of the Soul towards God as our highest Lord and chief good and accordingly a resignation of our Souls to God to live in the love of his Blessed Majesty and a Thankful Obedience to him More distinctly 1 It implyeth a Bent a tendency or fixed inclination towards God which is habitual Sanctification 2. A Resignation or giving up our selves to God by which actual Holiness is begun A constant using our selves for him by which it is continued and the continual exercise of a fervent love by which it is increased in us more and more till all be perfected in Glory And perfect Love is maintained by a perfect vision of him 2. As it signifieth to Purifie and Cleanse so it signifies the purifying of the Soul from the love of the World Omnis impuritrâ est ex mixtum vitioru A Man is impure because when he was made for God he doth prefer the base trifles of this world before his Maker and everlasting Glory And so he is not Sanctified that doth despise and disobey his Maker He despiseth him because he preferreth the most contemptible Vanity before him and doth chuse the transitory pleasure of sinning
to take Care and Thought for our selves It was our Fathers part to preserve us and provide for us to bestow good and keep off the evil But every Man since would have life and his comfort and his safety in his own hands and so much of temporal Happiness as he seeth good There is no way to rectiâ—ie it but to return to our Innocency to mind our Duty and cast our burden on the Lord commending success and events to him 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you And Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thansgiving let our requests be made known unto God upon confidence that his Hand and Providence will not neglect us or any of our concernments 4. Those that are contented with what their Father alloweth When God giveth sufficient to supply our necessities we seek to satisfie our Lusts when God hath done enough and more than enough to evidence his Power Justice Truth and Care of our welfare yet we will not rest on him unless he will subject his Providence to our Will and carnal Affections As the Israelites when miraculously fed miraculously cloathed God kept a Market for them gave them their Supplies not out of Earth but out of the Clouds yet tempted God in their hearts asking meat for their lusts Psal. 78.19 Yea it is said Psal. 106.13 14 They sâ—â—n forâ—at his works they waited not fâ—r his counsâ—l but lusted exceedingly in the wildâ—rness They made haste they forgat his worâ—â— so 't is in the Hâ—brew Carnaâ— desires greatly transport they must have Festival Diet in the Wilderness or they will no longer believe his Power and serve him Thus when Men take the ruling of themselves into their own hands they will not stay till God provide for them but must have their Carnal Desires presently satisfied Matth. 5.5 The meek shall inherit the earth But who are meek They that quietly submit to God's Providence and so they have Food and Raiment and have any time to glorifie God and seek his Kingdom and the Salvation of their Souls let others live in Pomp and Ease It is enough for them to be as God will have them be They are not over-desirous to have Worldly Things or too much dejected and cast down through the want of them But those that are greedy and earnest and covet more than God seeth meet to bestow upon them as they forfeit the Blessing of God's Presence so by enlarging their Desires they make way for their own Discontent when they are not satisfied and so fall into murmuring against God and so into all disquiet of Mind about Earthly Things 2. Improve this Point to moderate and allay your distrustful and distracting Cares And so cometh in the Apostles Exhortation Be content with such things as you have Content is a quiet temper of Mind relying on God's merciful Providence and gracious Promises for such Things as are necessary for us during our Pilgrimage and Passage to Heaven Sometimes it is opposed to Murmuring but I take it here as opposed to distrustful Cares because we have little in a time of Troubles and are like to have less and therefore are full of anxious Thoughts what we shall eat what we shall drink what we shall put on Consider God will not leave you nor forsake you What cannot his Wisdom and Mercy and Power do for you He hath deeply and strongly engaged himself to his People and therefore it should quiet our Minds in all Necessities and Streights See Christ's Arguments Mat. 6.25 26 and 32. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment 1. They had Life from God without any thought of theirs therefore he would provide the Conveniencies of Life God has given Life and framed the Body which was a far greater act of Power and Mercy than giving Food and providing Raiment 2. Other Creatures are provided for without any solicitude of theirs both as to Food and Raiment Vers. 26. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they God that provideth for Birds and Fowls will provide for his Children Men may look for it more than they having ordinary means of Reaping and Sowing and other Trades and ways of Living which the Fowls have not and so are meerly cast on the Care of Providence Man is a more considerable Creature so more liable to God's Care and Providence 3. It is a Pagan Practice to be thoughtful Vers. 32. After all these things do the Gentiles seek 3. Improve it to remove our Fears of Danger So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me They are David's words Psal. 118.6 If God be with us he will help us therefore as Faith prevaileth Fear ceaseth Psal. 16.7 I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night season If our Hearts misgive us God is our Second he will afford Protection when necessary for his glory and our good The Fear of Man is an ordinary Temptation to divert the Godly from their Duty or discourage them in it You may be confident upon such a Promise Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Man can do much he can fine imprison banish reduce to a morsel of Bread yea torture put to death yet as long as God is with us and standeth for us we may boldly say I will not fear what man can do Why Because God will not see them utterly perish He can give us Joy in Sorrow Life in Death A Christian is not afraid because he can set God against Man Temporal Things against Eternal Covenant against Providence 1. God against Man Isa. 51.12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you c. God can change their Hearts Prov. 16.7 When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him He can weaken their Power Iob 12.21 He weakenth the strength of the Mighty Mar. 12.41 Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and can do no more 2. Eternal things against Temporal 2 Cor. 4.16 Our light Affliction for a moment worketh for us an eternal weight of Glory 3. The Covenant against Providence Psal. 73.17 Till I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end A Sermon on 1 THES V. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation IN the Context the Apostle inferreth our Duty from our Profession of Christianity all Christians are taken into a new estate called out of Dâ—rkness into Light
some Stricture and Shadow of the Perfection of God's Wisdom And therefore though for a time while both Good and Bad are upon their Trial the Good are not regarded nor the Bad punished yet the Wisdom of God will not permit it to be always so that the Godly should be in an afflicted and distressed Condition and the Wicked prosperous 2. Come we to the Holiness of God which inclineth him to hate Evil and love that which is good Surely God is not indifferent to Good and Evil or more partial to the Evil than to the Good That were a Blasphemy and such a Diminution of God's Holiness as should be abhorred by every good Christian. No He hateth all the Workers of Iniquity Psal. 5.5 And again Psal. 11.7 The righteous Lord loveth Righteousness his Countenance doth behold the Vpright Well then wherein is this Love and Hatred demonstrated God doth not openly declare it in his present Dealings with the Rebellious and the Righteous therefore it shall be seen in his final Dealing with the wicked Oppressors of his People and those that walk uprightly Therefore there is a Life to come for in this Life this Love and Hatred is not sufficiently expressed Not his Hatred against the Wicked even in the Judgment of them who have no great Knowledg of the Nature of Sin and the Punishment which is competent thereunto nor his Love to the Godly who are often exposed to bitter Sufferings and seem to be less favoured in the Course of his external Providence than their Enemies Therefore there is a time to come when he will shew his Love to the Good in making them everlastingly happy and his Detestation of the Wicked in eternal Torments 3. Come we now to the Justice of God It is agreeable to the Justice of his Government that it should be well with them that do well and ill with them that do evil and that he should make a difference by Rewards and Punishments between the Disobedient and the Righteous Conscience hath a Sense of this and therefore checketh and cheareth as we have done Good or Evil. Heathens had accusing or excusing Thoughts which the Apostle urgeth as an Evidence to the Gentiles of Judgment to come Rom. 2.15 16. Which shew the Works of the Law written upon their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another In the Day when God shall judg the Secrets of Men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel If every Man's Thoughts do accuse or excuse him respectively according to the Nature of his Actions then there is in Nature a Sense of this different Retribution Notions of Good and Evil are as naturally implanted in our Hearts as Notions of Truth and Falshood and a Man is as sensible of a difference between comely and base as between the right Hand and the left only the Notions of Good and Evil are sooner corrupted than the Notions of Truth and Falshood However the Workings of Conscience cannot utterly be choaked and deaded in any though most Men seek to stifle it and the Voice of it be often-times unheard The very Profane have hidden Fears frequently revived in them because of these Retributions of God's Justice The Apostle telleth us Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the Iudgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death They were none of the tenderest Men that are here spoken of but such as were extreamly debauched and corrupted and did delight in the Company of those who were as corrupt as themselves Well then Conscience is sensible of a Reward and Punishment but this is not fully nor universally dispensed in this World yea rather the Worst are permitted to injoy most here when the Good are kept in a low and bare Condition And that is not the whole Case the Worst do not only differ from the Best but are permitted to triumph over them Now no righteous Governour will suffer his disobedient Subjects to persecute those who most carefully obey him if he hath Power to remedy it And therefore though he may permit it for a time yet he will call them to an Account and then amends and Satisfaction shall be made to them that have suffered wrongfully Therefore the Wicked are reserved to future Punishment and the Godly to future Reward 4. Come we now to the Goodness of God The Lord is inclined to do Good to his Creatures and if there were no Sin to stop the Course of his Bounty there would be nothing but Happiness in the World But certainly if any recover out of a State of Sin and are willing to devote themselves to God and to contemn all their natural Interests for his sake certainly the Lord will be good and kind to them A certain Truth it is That no Man serveth God for nought And 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the first Maxims of Religion That God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 Next to his Being we believe his Bounty that God's Service first or last will turn to a good Account And it is the rather to be believed by us because carnal and corrupted Nature begrudgeth every thing and in the Eye of Sense all is lost that is laid out upon God We say with Iudas What needeth this Waste The same Opinion that Seneca had of the Jewish Sabbath the same Thoughts have carnal Men of the Service of God He said the Jews were a foolish People quia septimam aetatis partem perdunt vacando because a full seventh part of their Lives was lost in Idleness and Rest. While Men are under the Influence of such Thoughts they will never do any thing for God that is great and worthy And therefore to confute this false Conceit during the time of his Patience the superficial Service he getteth from us hath its Reward He giveth many temporal Blessings to those that worship him in the slightest Fashion as he suspended his Judgments upon Ahab's Mock-Humiliation 1 Kings 21.29 And his present Providence plainly declareth that none shall be a Loser by God nor do any thing for nought He pleaded by the Prophet against this People for their sorry Services and contemptuous Usage of him Mal. 1.10 Who is there even among you that would shut the Doors for nought Neither do ye kindle Fire on mine Altar for nought I have no Pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept an Offering at your Hand That is the Porters of the Temple did not open and shut the Doors for nought nor the Levites that kindled the Fire nor the Priests attend upon the Burnt offering for nought they were all well rewarded with Tithes Portions and Oblations and this by the Lord 's own Appointment and Allowance And again if any thing be done sincerely though never so mean and inconsiderable it hath its Reward Mat. 10.42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of
Bounty but as happening to them in the ordinary course of second Causes as they rejoyce in an uncertain Good so in an uncertain Author You rejoyce in God in his best Gifts his Love and Grace 2. The Author thou hast put allowed by God wrought by him Rom. 14.17 Ioy in the Holy Ghost stirred up by his Spirit Their Joy is neither God's Allowance nor God's Work 3. The Subject and Seat Into my heart not to tickle the Senses but delight the Heart not as the morning Dew but as a soaking Shower 4. The Measure 't is more pure that is more sublime or more that is more chearing of a stronger Efficacy which not only overcometh the sense of present Infelicity but the fear of Death Hell and Judgment to come Heb. 6.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strong Consolation They dance about the brink of Hell have their secret Gripes and will you envy them as if your Condition were not much better When God hath given you the Feast will you be troubled that others should have the Scraps and Fragments of his Bounty 3. Observe from the supposition of God's abomination of their Persons and Courses that he can when he pleaseth easily ruine and destroy them which must needs infer at least an uncomfortable uncertainty in their Condition The Wicked being Objects of God's Hatred the easiness of their destruction is often asserted in Scripture Iob 5.3 I have seen the foolish taking root but suddenly I cursed his habitation Psal. 37.20 But the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of Lambs they shall consume into smoak they shall consume away The Fire licketh up the Fat of Lambs which is not a very solid substance but easily melted so shall their Glory vanish and be consumed in God's Wrath when he is pleased to let it out upon them Psal. 37.2 They shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb Though they seem to be in a prosperous condition for the present as Grass while 't is growing is very green yet they are soon cut down by the Sythe of Providence and then presently fade and are carried away as Grass from the place where it grew Psal. 118.12 They are quenched as the fire of thorns Though for the time it burneth and flameth extreamly yet they are soon consumed and are turned into Dust and Ashes Psal. 73.18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places And 't is notable that all these places do intimate that God can easily destroy them and usually doth when they are at their prime and that they are never nearer their Ruine than when they come to the height of their Exaltation As the Sun declineth presently when it cometh to the highest Point of the Zenith as Grass when it cometh to its full growth it beginneth to wither as the Sacrifice is first fatted and then killed before the Lord so Enemies are permitted to prosper and grow great and proud and then are cut off Or as Thorns dye and are extinguished by their own blaze so in slippery places the higher they go the nearer to their Downfal and Ruine As Men on the top of an Hill and there have no firm footing they slip and fall and by the highness of the ground are more sorely bruised And as by the Expressions of Scripture so by God's Providence it appeareth how easily he can subdue wicked Men God did not bring down Egypt by Bears and Lions and Crocadiles but Flies Frogs and Lice The Walls of Iericho fell not with force of Arms and Engines of Battery but Rams Horns Iosh. 6.6 The Tents of Midian with Trumpets and Earthen Pitchers Iudges 7.7 The City of Nesibis was freed from a long Siege only by Gnatts at the Prayers of his People when Sapores King of Persia thought to have his will upon them as Theodoret witnesseth God sent such Clouds and Swarms of them which flying into the mouths of their Elephants and Horses disturbed their whole Camp And should we envy them to whom God oweth an evil turn and can so easily ruine though nothing appeareth of it Once more observe how the Scripture representeth the uncertain condition of the Wicked with the stable condition of the Godly Prov. 11.28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall but the righteous shall flourish as a branch The one is compared to a Leaf the other to a Branch So Prov. 12.12 The wicked desireth the net of evil men but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit Men who have no grounds in them of Piety and Godliness are for the present only and when they see the prosperity of the Wicked and how they thrive in their evil Designs taking up Men as Fishes in the Waters they are willing to get into the Net too even run with Company But the Root of the Righteous which hath its growth under ground not seen by fleshly Eyes this Root will grow up again and yield abundance 2. God will not always bear with them that are an abomination to him but hath his times of shewing his hatred of them and their evil courses for if they are an abomination to him and he never shew it they need not care and so it inferreth not only a possibility but a certainty of their Destruction Psal. 92.7 When the wicked spring as the grass and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever The end of all their flourishing and temporal prosperity is Perdition Yea their very Prosperity as it ferments their Lusts and hardens their Hearts and encourageth them to acts of Violence becometh one means to draw on their Ruine the sooner Psal. 73.17 I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I their end God's Vengeances are due to them and one time or other shall be inflicted Psal. 37.13 His day is coming Psal. 37.38 But the transgressor shall be destroyed together the end of the wicked shall be cut off Though long deferred Vengeance cometh at last to the full and cuts them off You think Providence doth not deal righteously because the Unworthy are Exalted and the Worthy Depressed Tarry but a while and you will have no cause to complain or grow weary of Godliness or to cry up a Confederacy with Evil Men. Who would envy those that climbe up the Ladder for Execution or carried to the Top of a Rock to be thrown down thence and broken in pieces or think Haman preferred because Advanced above others on a high Gallows Would you envy a man on the Gallows because he standeth above the rest of the Company 2. The state of the suffering Godly Wicked men you see are under God's displeasure which will one day break out upon them and consume all their Temporal Happiness But in what state are the Godly Consider their future Hopes and their present Enjoyments they need not envy them 1. Their future Hopes Their Possessions are not to be compar'd with your Hopes
Psal. 17.14 15. From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world which have their portion in this life and whose Belly is fill'd with the hid treasure they are full of Children and leave the rest of their substance to their Babes But as for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Men are dazled with the splendour of Worldly Happiness and think it a fine thing to be well fed and well clad and well attended but this is all for them and theirs and shall we Envy them for this That they have more for Back and Belly than we have a little pomp of living especially when such great things be provided for us in Christ. Alass what is a more plentiful Table to the Everlasting fruition of God The Pomp of the World to the Honour Christ will put on us at the day of Judgment when he shall be admired in his Saints The favour of Princes to seeing God face to face Vain Glory to Everlasting Glory Their momentary Pleasures which pass away suddenly as a Dream to that Everlasting pleasure at God's Right hand A little Decking and Adorning of the Body to be satisfied with his likeness and to walk with God in White 2. Present Enjoyments Here I take in the notion of the Text his secret is with the righteous There is some difference what should be meant by the secret of the Lord. Sometimes it noteth 1 Spiritual Illumination or the knowledge of God's Will Psal. 25 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him he will teach them his Covenant They know more of God's mind than others do and they know it not only Literally but Spiritually That is by the lively light of the Spirit not Disciplinarily Now this is a great favour that God doth so love them that he doth admit them to his Arcana Iohn 15.15 I have called you Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you 'T is a greater Evidence of God's Friendship to understand his Counsel in the Word and to be acquainted with the Mysteries of Godliness than all the Success Power and greatness of the World Christ gave his Spirit to the rest of the Apostles but his Purse to the Son of Perdition Some have Knowledge and Eminent Gifts others Wealth and Honour yea though they which increase Knowledge increase Sorrow yet the knowledge of a despised hated truth though it expose us to sufferings is better than to flourish in opposition against the ways of God through our ignorance obstinacy and blind prejudice And will you that are directed in the way of Salvation advanced to know God and the tenour of his Will far more than the Blind Carnal Careless World Envy them that are only acquainted with Christianity as a Report or Tradition calculated and formed to to a Worldly Interest 2. The secret of the Lord may intend not only direction in our Duty but Satisfaction about God's Dispensations for our Consolation in all Afflictions God helpeth them to interpret his Providence better than others called the secrets of Wisdom Iob. 11.6 And should the Saints whose Graces make them so sharp and Engaged that know more of God's mind than others in these very dealings which are so troublesome and offensive to them should they envy the Oppresâ—or and be so discontented to suffer a little that have more skill than others to look into God's ways and consider the course of his proceedings 3. Secret may imply the visible Blessings of God's Providence so 't is said Iob. 29.34 The secret of the Lord was upon my Tabernacle The singular Love God bore to him did preserve him and did guide him and his Family and made all his Affairs prosper Psal. 31.20 God shall hide them in the secret of his presence When they seem to be left open as a prey to the oppressions and injuries of their potent Adversaries yet there is a secret guard upon them and they are kept the World knoweth not how Now should such that are hedged round about with the guard of a secret Blessing leave their refuge for the defence of a little Interest in the World which God hateth and can soon blow upon Psal. 91.1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty 4. Secret may note the intimate familiarity that is between God and them and that inward Consolation which they have with God in a course of Holiness which is hidden from the World 1 Iohn 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him Many secret Refreshings visits of Love expressions of Grace are bestowed upon them Now have such any cause to envy others They that walk with God meet him at every turn are so often comforted and quickned by the manifestations of God and the influences of his Grace Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness The Psalmist preferreth his present condition before the greatest happiness of carnal men because he had opportunities of beholding the Face of God or enjoying the Comforts of his Presence This is as if a Child fed with Manchet should envy a Slave for being fed with the Bread of Sorrows 3 The Nature and mischievous effects of this envy For 't is not so tame an evil as the world doth imagine 1. It disposeth to fretting or murmuring against God's Holy Providence Psal. 37.1 Fret not thy self because of evil doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity Prov. 24.19 Fret not thy self because of evil men neither be thou envious at the wicked It notes a certain taxing of God's Providence as if he did not rightly Govern the World 1. It tempteth to Apostacy from God's ways to the ways of the wicked That 's in the Text clearly Envy not the oppressor and chuse none of his ways implying that this emulation of their Happiness will draw you to cry up a Confederacy with them and to enter into their Lot and Net Prov. 24.1 Be not thou envious against evil men neither desire to be with them When we admire their Happiness it secretly inticeth our Hearts to take share and lott with them A Man is perverted by this Envy it weakneth our fear of God our value of Spiritual Blessings expectation of things to come and diligence in God's Service 3. It implieth and includeth many ill Principles which tend directly to the weakning of Faith Hope and Piety 1. It implyeth or includeth this Principle or Opinion That the felicity of a Man consisteth in these external good things which the wicked enjoy which is an error destructive to Godliness For change a Man's