Tongue a deaf Ear or a lame Leg certainly you ought much more to bewail the want of Grace We murmure at outward Defects which is a taxing of Providence it being a fruit of the Lord's Dominion belongs to our Care Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 22.6 Dye the Cloath in the Wooll and not in the Webb and the Colour is more durable God works strangely in Children and many notable things have been found in them beyond expectation 3 It prevents many Sins which afterwards would be a trouble to us when we are Old O many think that the Tricks of Youth are long since forgotten and forgiven but alas the guilt of them may fly in our Faces afterward nay tho' they be pardoned and the Persons reconciled to God The Sins of Youth trouble many a tender Conscience in Age witness David Psal. 25.7 Remember not the Sins of my Youth And Iob Chap. 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth A Good man may remember old Sins with new fears that they are not pardoned While it is eaâ—ie to Sin it is easie to believe the pardon of Sin marvel not at the Expression while we are Young and Sin freely we think God will forgive those Sins and they will soon be forgotten but as a Man grows up into more tenderness of Conscience and into a greater Awe and Sense and Esteem of God's Holiness what a Holy God he serves he finds it the more difficult to believe the pardon of Sin Good Men have with much bitterness of Soul called to mind the Sins of their Youth when they see the Sins of their younger days are so many and the breaches of God's Law so innumerable whereby they have offended God that either through Ignorance or Inconsideration they have so sinned against God that they have much ado to believe the pardon of the multitude of their youthful Sins New Afflictions may awaken the sense of old Sins as old Bruises may trouble us long after upon every change of Weather There are some that feel the Sins of their Youth in their Bodies when the Pains and Aches of their miserable Age are the Fruits of their youthful Vanities and Intemperance as it is said Iob 20.11 His bones are full of the Sins of his Youth which shall lye down with him in the dust They carry the marks of their youthful Sins their Bones feel them till they lye down in the Dust. Nay God's Children that have repented and God hath been reconciled to them through Christ they have many a bitter remembrance of their youthful Follies and Vanities that make their Hearts ake at the Thoughts of them Ier. 31.19 Surely after that I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my Youth Therefore upon these Considerations certainly it is very good to begin with God betimes that it may not be a disadvantage to us after God shall call us to Grace for though the Lord may bless the Education of Youth with Supernatural Grace yet youthful Vanities may prove very bitter in the remembrance of them when we grow old VSE This is spoken to reprove us because we always think it too soon to begin with God Where is this timely Care and Forwardness Alas we cannot say All these have we kept from our Youth but when we come to look to the Commands of God we may say All these have we broken from our Youth While they are Young most Men live prophane and without all fear of God Certainly there was some Goodness in this Mans Speech and that occasioned me to observe it for Iesus beholding him loved him But was it true All these have I kept from my Youth In a Sence it was true in regard of outward Conformity but not true in regard of that perfect Obedience which was required 1. It was true in regard of outward Conformity Externally he had kept them all thô not in the just extent of the Law yet he was as to Men unreproveable being no Adulterer no Murderer no Extortioner no Thief he did not lye certainly in this Profession he made he spoke as he thought and out of Simplicity and Error rather than Deceit the Man lived blamelesly and did no body harm and therefore saith All these have I kept from my Youth Outward Obedience and Conformity to the Law is a good and commendable thing in it self yea necessary and required of us but we are not to rest in it but to escape the Vices and Pollutions of the World is so far Praise-worthy There are many that are openly prophane and wicked in Life Swearers Drunkards Sabbath-breakers these come short of this Young man who yet came short of the Kingdom of Heaven What will these say for themselves will they pretend that their Heart is good Can a pure Fountain send forth impure Streams If the Heart were good would the Life be so naught If there be light in the Lanthorn will it not shine forth If there be Grace in the Heart it will appear 2. It was not true in regard of that perfect Obedience which the Law requireth and so he ignorantly and falsly supposed that he had kept the Law well enough and done all those things from his Youth The Falsity and presumption of this Answer will appear by considering 1. What the Scripture saith of the State of Man by Nature Gen. 8.21 The Imagination of mans Heart is evil from his Youth And he saith All these have I kept from my Youth O how much do they forget themselves that boast of their own Perfection 2. The Falsity of it appears by the sence of the Commandment produced Thou knowest the Commandment saith Christ Do not commit Adultery c. which will reach the most perfect man upon Earth It was a Command of the Second Table which wrought such Tragical Effects and that stirr'd up those Stings of Conscience and Agonies of Heart in Paul Rom. 7.7 I had nan known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet and thereupon he groundeth that General Verse 14. The Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal sold under Sin 3. The Falsity will appear by comparing him with other Holy Men of God how differently do they express themselves from this Man that was so full of Confidence Compare him first with Iosiah who when he heard the Law read he rent his Cloaths 2 Kings 22.11 and here Christ recites the Law Thou knowest the Commandment and this Young man saith All these have I kept from my Youth O what a difference is there between a tender Self-judging Heart and a Conceited Justiciary A tender Conscience is all in an Agony when it hears the Law and will smite for the least failing as David's Heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Saul's Garment
Salvation is not only privative but positive Christ doth not only deliver us from Evil from Sin from the Wrath of God the Accusations of the Law and eternal Death but positively he gives us Grace and Righteousness and everlasting Life he is not only a Saviour to defend us but a Saviour to bless us a Sun and Shield Psal. 84.11 not only a Shield to keep from Danger but a Sun who is the Fountain and Cause of Vegitation and Life it is not Preservation meerly but Preferment If Christ had only delivered us from Wrath to come and been a Saviour privatively it had been more than we could expect or if he had procured some place where we might have been unacquainted with Pain or Trouble yet then he had been a Saviour but here is not only a Ransom and Deliverance but an Inheritance an Exaltation Heaven and everlasting Glory are included in this Salvation Instead of Horror and Howlings here are everlasting Joys and we shall ever be with God praising his Grace in the midst of all his Saints The Blessing is so excellent that we cannot neglect it without great danger Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation For what can we expect but that God's Mercy and Patience abused should be turned into Wrath and Fury and we cannot despise it without a great deal of Sin and Profaneness Heb. 12.16 Lest there be any profane Person as Esau who for one morsel of Meat sold his Birthright The Birthright was a Pledg of the Blessing and a right of Priesthood and Ministration before the Lord depended upon it This was Esau's by Birth and he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a profane Man for parting with it at so low a rate and thinking so meanly of spiritual Priviledges O but what Profaneness is this to despise the great Salvation that will cause us ever to be before the Lord and minister in his Presence We count him a profane Man that is guilty of Murder Theft Adultery Perjury because those Sins bring publick Shame and Contempt and because these Sins are most destructive to human Society But he is a profane Man indeed that despiseth the Gospel because it offereth such an excellent Salvation that is Profaneness to slight God's best Provision to scorn his Bowels and when the Lord hath made the Bait an Allurement so strong to gain Man's Heart yet to turn his back upon it 2. Consider the Compleatness of the Saviour Jesus Christ is so by Merit and by Efficacy and Power and so every way fitted to do us good He doth something for us and something in us Look as in the Gospel there is the History of Salvation and there Christ doth all he is a Saviour by Merit and there is the Counsel of Salvation and there he is a Saviour by Power he helps us to do the Duty on our part We have the Merit of his Humiliation and the Power of his Exaltation for us he prevails by the Merit of his Death and in us by the Efficacy of his Spirit When Christ was to save us there were several Hinderances one on God's part and another on ours there was Hinderance put in by God's Justice and a Hinderance by our Unbelief Justice requires Merit and Unbelief Power Christ was a Saviour both ways Again there are different Enemies to our Salvation which were of several Qualities God and the Law and Sin and Death and Satan and the World Now God and the Law are to be considered in a distinct rank from Sin and Death from Satan and the World God was an Enemy that could not be overcome therefore must be reconciled The Law was an Enemy that was not to be disanulled and destroyed but to be satisfied the Precepts of it were not to be relaxed or repealed but fulfilled the Curses of it were not to fall to the ground some must be made a Curse that the Authority of it might be kept up Now Jesus Christ he is made a Curse for us and by his Merit he satisfies the Law and the Justice of God Then among the other Enemies look to Satan he is not only a Tempter but an Accuser as he is a Tempter so Christ is to overcome him by his Power as he is an Accuser so Christ is to overcome him by his Merit Certainly so far as Satan is an Enemy so far must Christ be a Saviour that the Plaister may be as broad as the Sore and therefore against the Accusations of Satan he interposeth as our Advocate by representing his Merit and by bringing his Blood unto the Mercy-Seat Once again consider that our Comfort may be full Christ saves us by Merit and by Power By his Obedience and Merit he gives us jus ad rem a Right and Title to Salvation but by his Efficacy and Power he gives us Possession jus in re he was first to buy our Peace our Comfort our Grace our Glory of God and then to see that we be possessed of it and therefore we are said to be reconciled by his Death and saved by his Life He died that we might rely on his Merit and Ransom and Blood which was a Price to reconcile us to God and he lives that we might wait for his Power and so be saved by his Life 3. Consider As the Greatness of the Salvation and the Compleatness of the Saviour so the Excellency of the Gospel how it manifests and sets out this Saviour not in Shadows and Types but with clear and express Explication God bestowed many Benefits upon the Old Church which were great Enforcements to Godliness but not so powerful and effectual because they were but Shadows of Salvation Things that grow in the Shade come not to such Perfection as Things that grow in the Sun In the Old Testament they had many Blessings but they were Typical Ones and lasted but for a while they had many Saviours that delivered them from the House of Bondage led them through the Red Sea and through the Desart into Canaan delivered them from their Enemies destroyed the Nations round about them But now these were Shadows of good Things to come the New Testament shews what is the meaning of all these that we are delivered from the Devil and led into Heaven and brought to the possession of Eternal Life by Jesus Christ. The Old Testament speaketh of calling Abraham out of Ur of the Caldees and separating his Seed as a People to God we can speak of Election that we may obtain the Adoption of Sons The Old Testament speaks of multiplying the Seed of the Iews as the Sand of the Sea The New Testament speaks of the multitude of Converts a great Number which none can number The Old Testament speaks of the bringing out of Egypt the New of bringing Sinners out of the Power of Darkness The Old Testament mentions the Red Sea the New the Grace of Baptism or Red Sea of Christ's Blood The Old Testament speaks of God's
passionate still a Christian is tried by the revenge he takes upon his own Sin his master-Lust Again not only Sins which lie at a distance from our Interest but Sins that bring us most Profit and Advantage In these things God tries us it is the offering up of our Isaac our Darling In a corrupt World some things bring Credit and Profit but as for the right Hand the right Eye we must pluck out the one and cut off the other Mat. 5.29 30. If thy right Eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell And if thy right Hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell Cannot we do so much for God and for Grace's sake I might give you several Reasons one Sin is contrary to God as well as another There 's the same aversion from an eternal Good in all things though the manner of Conversion to the Creature be different Again one Sin is contrary to the Law of God as well as another there 's a contempt of the same Authority in all Sins God's Command binds and it is of force in lesser Sins as well as greater and therefore they that bear any respect to the Law of God must hate all Sin Psal. 119.113 I hate vain Thoughts but thy Law do I love God hath given a Law to the Thoughts to the sudden workings of the Spirit as well as to Actions that are more deliberate and therefore if we love the Law we should hate every lesser Contrariety to it even a vain Thought And all Sin proceedeth from the same Corruption therefore if we would subdue and mortify it we must renounce all Sin He that hateth any Sin as Sin hates all Sin for there 's the same reason to hate every Sin Hatred Philosophers say is to the whole Kind A Man that hates a Toad as a Toad hates every one of the Kind with the same kind of hatred must we hate every Sin Again one Sin let alone is very dangerous One Leak in a Ship if unstopped and neglected may endanger the Vessel One Sin let alone and allowed and indulged may quite ruin the Soul A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump A Man may ride right for a long time but one turn in the end of his Journey brings him quite out of the way If you do many things yet if you commit any Sin with leave and licence from Conscience you are guilty of all Sin James 1.10 Whoever 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 There is an Indenture drawn between us and God and every Article of this Covenant must be observed If we willingly give way and allowance to the least Breach we forfeit all the Grace of the Covenant Vse 1. Direction what to do in the Business of Mortification We must deny all Ungodliness not a Hoof must be left in Egypt Grace will not stand with any allowed Sin and in demolishing the old Building not one Stone must be left upon another 1. In your Purpose and Resolution you must make Satan no Allowance he standeth lurking as Pharaoh did with Moses and Aaron first he would let them go three days into the Wilderness then he permitted them to take their little Ones with them but they would not go without their Cattel their Flocks and their Herds also they would not leave any thing no not a Hoof behind them So the Devil would have a part left as a Pledg that in time the whole Man may fall to his share 2 Kings 5.18 In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant that when my Master goeth into the House of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my Hand and I bow my self in the House of Rimmon when I bow my self in the House of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing We would grant Christ any thing so he would excuse us in our beloved Sins We complain of the Times and set up a Toleration in our Hearts some right Hand or right Eye that we are loth to part with something there is wherein we would be excused and expect an allowance either outward as in Fashions Customs ways of Profit and Advantage or inward some Passions and carnal Affections that we would indulge Grace will not stand with any allowed Sin Herod did many things but he kept his Herodias still He turneth from no Sin that doth not in his Purpose and Resolution turn from all Sin he doth not break off an acquaintance with Sin but rather make choice what Sin he will keep and what he will part with The Apostle speaks Col. 2.11 of putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. We must not cut off one Member or one Joint but the whole Body totum Corpus licet non totaliter the whole Body of Sin tho we cannot wholly be rid of it Dispense not there where Christ hath not dispensed 2. We should often examine our Hearts lest there lurk some Vice whereof we think our selves free Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our Ways and turn again to the Lord. Compleat Reformation is grounded upon a serious search and trial As those that kept the Passeover were not to have a jot of Leaven in their Houses and therefore they were to search their Houses for Leaven such a narrow search should there be to discover whatever hath been amiss Commune with your selves Is there not a jot of Leaven yet left somewhat that God hateth some correspondence with God's Enemies Is there nothing left that is displeasing to God Thus should we often bring our Hearts and our Ways and the Word together 3. Desire God to shew you if there be any thing left that is grievous to his Spirit Job 34.32 That which I see not teach thou me There are many Sins I see but more that I do not see Lord shew them to me So David appealeth to God who must judg and punish Conscience Psal. 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my Heart try me and know my Thoughts and see if there be any wicked Way in me and lead me in the Way everlasting Can you thus appeal to God and say Lord I desire not to continue in any known Sin 4. When any Sins break out set upon the mortification of them Do not neglect the least Sins they are of dangerous Consequence but renew thy Peace with God judging thy self for them and mourning for them avoiding Temptations cutting off the Provision for the Flesh. 1 Cor. 9.27 But I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection The Leper was to shave off his Hair and if it grew again he was still to keep shaving
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
Gospel of all the Prophets there was not a greater than Iohn the Baptist he was fed with Locusts and wild Honey therefore mortify Pleasure 3. By Custom this Sin is rooted and so hardly lest because it doth not only pervert the Constitution of the Soul but the Constitution of the Body Now when the Body is unruly as well as the Affections Grace hath more to struggle with A Man that hath habituated himself to carnal Pleasure because his Body is distempered and perverted is not so soon healed That 's the reason that when the Apostle speaks of Meats and Drinks 1 Cor. 6.12 he saith he will not be brought under the Power of any So again when Men are given to Wine it is their Custom and rooted Disposition therefore avoid not only the gross Act but the very Beginning that it may not be a settled Distemper Whenever you take Pleasures they should be used with fear It is the Charge the Spirit of God commenceth against those Iude v. 12. Feeding themselves without fear Mark it is not enough for your acquitment that you do not drink to Drunkenness or feed to actual Excess and Distemper but suffer it not to be a rooted Disposition in your Hearts for then it will be hardly left Austin speaks of his own Experience in this kind Ebrietas longe à me est crapula autem nonnunquam subrepit servo tuo Lord I was never a Drunkard it is far from me but Gluttony creeps upon me unawares and so hinders me from the Duties of the Spiritual Life The Throat is a slippery Place and needs to be guarded with much Watchfulness and Care lest this Distemper be rooted in the Heart Iob sacrificed while his Sons were feasting chap. 1.5 For Job said It may be that my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their Hearts In all these things should we use much caution 2 dly The next Particular the Apostle mentions is the Lusts of the Eye or Covetousness This is an Evil very natural to us and we cannot be watchful enough against the Encroachments of the World We need it in part and we love it more than we need it Worldliness is a Branch of Original Sin it is a Disease we are born with The Tenth Commandment that forbids Original Sin saith Thou shalt not covet The Best find Temptations this way We are daily conversant about the things of the World and we receive a Taint from those things with which usually we converse we find by Experience that long Converse is a bewitching thing Again the World is a thing of present Enjoyment we have the World in Hand and Heaven in Hope The Judgment of Carnal Men is quite different from the Judgment of the Word The Word of God counts the World to be but a Fancy and an Apparition and Heaven to be the only Substance Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine Eyes upon that which is not It is not in comparison of better things And the Fashion of this World passeth away 2 Cor. 7.31 But Prov. 8.21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit Substance Heaven is the durable Substance this is the Judgment of the Word but wicked Men think quite otherwise We have sensible Experience of the Profits of the World and therefore we judg thus perversly and call it durable Riches and Heaven but a meer Fancy to make Fools fond withal Besides Worldliness is a serious thing it doth not break out into any foul Act therefore it is applauded by Men. Psal. 10.3 The Wicked boasteth of his Heart's Desire and blesseth the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth We think well of it at least we stroke it with a gentle Censure A Drunkard is more liable to Reproach and Shame than a Worldling Worldliness is consistent with the gravity and strictness of Profession and therefore above all Corruptions it is usually found amongst them that profess Religion but dissoluteness of Luxury will not stand with that external Gravity and Strictness which the Profession of Religion requires Licentious Persons procure shame to themselves and are publickly odious but now this being a serious Sin and possibly it may win the Soul from other Vices therefore we indulge it the more Again it is a cloaked Sin the Apostle speaks of the Cloak of Covetousness 1 Thess. 2.5 It is a hard matter to discover and find it out there are so many Evasions necessary Providence and Provision for our Families is a Duty and it is a Duty enforced by Nature and Grace Here Men evade the Charge of Covetousness they think their carking is justified as being no more than the prudent management of their Affairs But consider it is an Evil which the Lord hates Covetousness bewrays it self by an immoderate care after the things of this Life immoderate Desire and immoderate Delight 1. By an immoderate Care after worldly Comforts When we are so sollicitous about outward Supports what we shall do and what will become of us that is a sure sign of a worldly Heart We dare not trust God's Providence but cark our selves Luke 12.29 And seek ye not what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink neither be ye of doubtful Mind The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Do not hang like a Meteor in the Air hovering between Heaven and Earth between Doubts and Fears This is to take God's Work out of his Hands as the Care of the Son is a Reproach of the Father It is a sign we dare not trust God's Providence but will be our own Carvers we reprove and tax his Providence as if he were not sollicitous enough for us Obj. But must we not be careful and provident I answer 1. Do your present Work and for the future leave it to God God would have us look no farther than the present day provided we do not embezel our Estate by idle Projects or in carnal Pleasures or wasteful Profusion and provided we be not negligent in our Calling Let us do our Work and let God alone for future Times It is a Mercy God would have our Care look no farther than the present day Mat. 6.34 Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof God is very careful of Man's Welfare he hath made carking a Sin he might have left it as a Punishment Every day hath Trouble enough for our Exercise and that 's as much as God hath required 2. It is bewrayed by an immoderate Desire The Temper of the Heart is very much discovered by the Current and Stream of the Desires As the Temper of the Body is known by the beating of the Pulses so is the Temper of the Soul by the Course of the Desires Or as Physicians judg of the Patient by his Appetite so may you judg of your Spirits by your Desires how they are carried out whether to Heavenly Things and the Enjoyment of God or to the World A carnal frame of Spirit will be known by an unsatisfied Thirst and the ravenousness of the Desires when they
So the Heart is fixed in God by Faith it depends upon him and looks for the Success and Issue of all from his Blessing though the Hand in the mean time be imployed in the Use of Means Certainly God allows us careful Provision against all visible Evils though they be to come as Ioseph stored the Granaries of Egypt against the dear Years But not to distract our selves with a Supposal of future Contingencies therefore our Saviour saith Matth. 6.34 Take no Thought for the Morrow and ver 31. Take no Thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink and wherewithal shall we be clothed This is that the Scripture forbids You ought not to trouble your selves with uncertain future Events but to refer your selves to the Disposal of God Briefly sinful Cares may be thus discerned 1. Distrustful Care is troubled about the Event what shall be the Issue but lawful Care is imployed in the Use of Means The Event is God's Act Duty is ours and to trouble our selves about it is to take God's Work out of his Hands We set our selves in God's stead when we think to accomplish our Ends by our own Industry The Lord might lay this Burden upon us as a Punishment of Sin but he would have us cast it upon himself 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your Care upon him for he careth for you To neglect the Means were to neglect Providence but then to trouble our selves about the Event what will be the Issue and how these Means will succeed that is to renounce Providence to reproach God as if he were not sollicitous for us A Christian is not to trouble himself what will become of him and his Posterity that is God's care and it is altogether needless in us for God is alsufficient but he is to be diligent in a lawful Calling and then let God do what seemeth him good 2. Sinful Care flieth to unlawful Means but Religious Care keepeth within the bounds of Duty Prov. 16.8 Better is a little with Righteousness than great Revenues without right It useth no Means that are indirect and sinful Men that will not trust God with success will soon go out of God's way The Unbeliever looketh not to what is just but to what is gainful as those that gathered Manna on the Sabbath-Day and trod Wine-presses and brought in Sheaves and laded Asses Neh. 13.15 3. Sinful Care is immoderate in the use of lawful Means Eccles. 2.23 For all his Days are Sorrows and his Travel Grief yea his Heart taketh not rest in the night Those that have none else to trust to no wonder if they make use of their own Endeavours to the uttermost but he that hath an Heavenly Father should not so cumber and distract his Spirit Eccles. 4.8 There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither Child nor Brother yet is there no end of all his Labour neither is his Eye satisfied with Riches neither saith he For whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of Good The World will not let them be quiet they toil and moil and there is no end When Men multiply Means they have no trust in God God is tender of all his Creatures much more of the reasonable Creature 4. Sinful Care increaseth upon good Duties but diligent Care fairly complieth with them Christ warns his 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 Our care for eternal Things doth not carry any proportion to the Excellency of them but they are laid aside Mat. 13.22 He heareth the Word and the Care of this World and the Deceitfulness of Riches choak the Word and it becometh unfruitful They take up the Room Travel and Affection which Heavenly things should have so that they have no time to converse with God or to look into their Souls so that the Heart groweth poor lean distempered and unfit for holy Uses they are greedy of Wealth and prodigal of Salvation Secondly Whence it ariseth From a distrust of God and discontent with our Portion 1. From a distrust of God Carking takes his Work out of his Hands as the Care of the Son is a Reproof to the Father You tax his Being and Providence A Child at School taketh no care for Maintenance because he hath a Father Mat. 6.32 Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things 2. From discontent with our Portion We have never enough and expect more than God will allow Heb. 13.5 Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee It is not our Necessities but the enlargement of our Desires that causeth carking We would have more and more worldly Goods which hindreth us from trusting God's Promise I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The Sea hath Banks and Bottom but not Man's Heart We begin and end with nothing and yet nothing will suffice us There is a Story of a Discourse between Pyrrhus and Cynicus when he told him of his Designs When thou hast vanquished the Romans what wilt thou then do Conquer Sicily What then Subdue Africk When that is effected what then Then we will sit down and be quiet and spend our Time contentedly And what hinders but thou mayest do so before without all this Labour and Peril Thirdly The Cure of it Cure it by Christ's Arguments Matth. 6.25 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 c. 1. Life is more than Meat and the Body than Raiment ver 25. Deus donando debet God by giving is become a Debtor Life without any Aid of ours is a Pledg of more Mercy God provided us two Bottles of Milk when we were new born Psal. 22.9 10. Thou art he that took me out of the Womb thou didst make me hope when I was upon my Mother's Breast I was cast upon thee from the Womb thou art my God from my Mother's Belly Who formed us and suckled us and continued us hitherto We are unthankful to God if we ascribe it to our selves 2. Consider God's Providence to other Creatures God feeds the Fowls Matth. 6.26 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 not ye better than they God paints the Lilies ver 28 29. Consider the Lilies of the Field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these Luke instances in the Raven which is Animal cibi rapacissimum a Creature ravenous of Food chap. 12.34 Consider the Ravens for they neither sow nor reap which neither have Store-house nor
The Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night Here is our Day because God affords Time to us as a Space and Season of Repentance and Reformation but the Day of Judgment that is the Lord's Day the Day of Recompence Rewards and Punishments Vse 1. To reprove them that delay the Work of Repentance and their Change of State There is nothing more usual than Delays and Put-offs Some are full of Imployment and after their Business is a little over then they will think of saving their Souls Luke 9.59 Suffer me first to go and bury my Father still there is something in the way Others when they have arrived to such a Degree of Wealth and made such Provision for their Families then they will look after their Souls Others when their youthful Heats are spent then they dream of a devout Retirement and a religious Age there is nothing more usual The Lord knows these are our inward Thoughts still there is something in the way when we should act holily righteously and godly This is Satan's last shift to elude the Importunity of a present Conviction by a future Promise As a bad Debtor promises Paiment for the future to be rid of the importunate Creditor though he means no such matter so we make Promises for the future Felix when his Conscience boiled dreams of a more convenient Season Acts 24.25 Go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient Season I will send for thee And Matth. 22. when they were invited to the Wedding the Answer is not scornful but civil it is not non placet but non vacat they do not deny but make Excuse they had present Business and were not at leisure to comply with God's Will Always God comes Unseasonably in the Sinner's Esteem Reckoning and Account and Satan's usual Clamour is when we begin to be serious and mind our Salvation Art thou come to torment us before our time Matth. 8.29 The Devil would fain have a little longer Possession and therefore something is pleaded by way of Bar and Hesitancy You find it in particular Cases when you go to perform any thing that is good to pray to meditate to renew your Communion with God something is in the way if such a Business were over then I were at leisure Thus we dream of another time a more convenient Season and we linger and draw back as Lot in Sodom O consider the Work must be once done or you are for ever miserable and you will never have a better Season than now when you are under Conviction and the warm Impulses of the Spirit of God David takes hold of the present Season when his Heart was ingaged and he had a religious bent towards God Psal. 119.60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments So when there is such a strong bent in your Souls strike while the Iron is hot you may have more Hindrances but never more Helps Again we owe more than we are worth already and why should we run more in Debt The longer you continue in Sin the higher will your Accounts rise A Tenant that cannot pay the Rent of one Year if he let it run on how will he be able to discharge the Rent of two Years So if it be so troublesome now do you think it will be more easy hereafter when the Heart is hardned by a constant Resistance If there were a sound Conviction you would not delay A sensible Sinner is always in haste Heb. 6.18 He flies for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before him It is an Allusion to the Man pursued by the Avenger of Blood he that hath Wrath at his Heels he runs as for Life to Jesus Christ. It is but a slender and insufficient Touch upon the Conscience He that knows the Danger can never make haste enough to come to Christ as the pursued Man could never make too much haste to get into the City of Refuge that is before him Nay it argues little Love to God and a great deal of Disingenuity of Spirit to continue in Rebellion against God and think to come in at last when you can stand out no longer This is meerly Self-love when you care not how much God is dishonoured and his Spirit grieved provided at length we be saved The Lord did not so deal with us his whole Duration and Existence is for our sakes from Eternity to Eternity he is God and from Eternity to Eternity his Loving-kindness is great to them that fear him Psal. 103.17 The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear him If God thinks of us from one Eternity to another before the World and after the World can we be content to thrust him into a narrow Corner of our Lives Can you satisfy your Hearts when you have nothing to give God but the Rottenness Weakness and Aches of old Age and Sickness Consider once more Sin leaves thee in Sickness thou dost not leave Sin it is not a Work of Choice but of Necessity as a Merchant throws his Goods over-board in a Storm tho he loves them well enough At least it is a very suspicious Act a natural Aversation from our own Misery and a desire of our own Happiness it is a yielding upon force when a Man never yields to God but when God hath him under and he can sin no longer And what assurance have we that we shall have a Heart to mind Salvation at all and turn to God hereafter When all our Distractions are out of the way is Grace at our beck There is an offer of it to day Heb. 3.15 While it is said To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts Nay there 's a shrewd Presumption to the contrary that Obduracy Hardness of Heart and Despair will grow upon us Long use makes the Heart more obdurate and long Resistance grieves the Spirit of God and makes him more offended with us By putting off the Change of your Lives you put your Souls into Satan's hands by Consent for a while He that delays his Conversion doth as it were pawn his Soul into the Devil's Hands and saith if he do not fetch it again at such a day it is his for ever Again it is a great Honour to seek the Lord betimes Mnason was an old Disciple Seniority in Grace is a very great Honour The Apostle saith Rom. 16.7 Salute Andronicus and Junia who were in Christ before me And the Lord saith Ier. 2.2 I remember thee the kindness of thy Youth and the love of thine Espousals God prizeth these pure Virgin-Affections when before our Hearts be prostituted to the World we apply our selves to seek his Face You lose the Advantage of much early Communion with God whenever you are called to Grace and if ever you taste of the Sweetness of Grace it will be your Grief that you were acquainted with it no sooner and all the time that remains
this as a Reason why Abraham was a Stranger in the promised Land there where he had most right yet he dwelt in Tents Heb. 11.9 10. For he looked for a City which hath Foundations Abraham had other Expectations he did not look upon the walled Cities of the Amorites but upon Heaven that was founded by God himself he had other Thoughts They that live to the World and to the Flesh never tasted what eternal Life means Look as the Israelites longed for the Flesh-Pots of Egypt before they had tasted the Clusters of Canaan so here the Heart is carried out after better things the Soul must have some Oblectation and Delight for Love cannot be idle it is carried out to present things if we know no better See how fitly they are joined together in the Text denying worldly Lusts and looking for the blessed Hope thereby do we come to deny worldly Lusts by looking for the blessed Hope We should soon return to worldly Lusts if we do not often look up and consider what God hath provided for us in Heaven A Man whose Heart is much in Heaven his Affections are preingaged and therefore the World doth him little hurt Birds are seldom taken in their Flight but when they pitch and rest O if we had more of these heavenly Flights if the Soul did mount upward more it would better escape the Snares of worldly things 3. It urgeth to Care Diligence and Constancy in Obedience Hope is the great Spring that sets the Wheels a-going Phil. 3.13 14. Forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward towards those things that are before I press towards the Mark for the Prize of the High-calling of God in Christ. What is the Reason Paul was so earnest that a little Grace would not content him but he was striving for more so earnestly and zealously he was called to injoy a high Prize a glorious Reward There is an excellent Glory set before us this Race is not for Trifles Christians are the more cold and careless in the spiritual Life because they do not oftner think of Heaven The End quickens to the Use of Means as it is the measure of the Means so it sweetens the Means notwithstanding all Difficulty Why because it will bring us to such an End 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye stedfast unmovable always abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as you know your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. You can never do enough for the Lord Why Your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. This will make you to be instant and earnest and to hold out to the End in the midst of Difficulties Heaven will pay for all You have no cause to begrudg God any Service though it put the Body to Pains and Labours do not spare it Christ will honour it sufficiently The Apostle hath an Expression 2 Thess. 1.10 That Christ will be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe The Soul will remember the Body as Pharaoh's Butler did Ioseph How in Prayer and Fasting and holy Exercises And when Christ comes to raise the Body he will put so much Glory and Clarity upon it that the Angels shall stand wondring what Christ is about to do with a poor Creature that is but newly crept out of Dust and Rottenness Before a Feast we use to take a Walk There is a World of Glory provided for us in Heaven though the Work of God be painful yet it is very fruitful God will reward you as much as you can desire and this makes you to be earnest and zealous and to labour in the spiritual Life We compare the Pains of Duty with the Pleasure of Sin but the Comparison is not rightly made you should compare the Pleasure of Sin with the Reward I confess you may compare Christ's Worst with the World 's Best the Pains of Duty with the Pleasure of Sin the former is more sweet to a gracious Heart but the Comparison should rather be made thus Compare the base dreggy Pleasures of Sin with those pure Pleasures that are at God's right Hand and with the Happiness that is to come which we expect in Christ. 4. It maketh us upright and sincere in what we do That 's Hypocrisy and Guile of Spirit to look a-squint upon secular Rewards You know the Hypocrites that Christ taxeth when they Pray Fast and do other Duties to be seen of Men they have their Reward Matth. 6.2 They have given God a Discharge they look for no more than they have already As hired Servants must have present Wages and Pay in Hand they wait not for the Inheritance as Children do so carnal Affections they look to the Rewards here below If they may have the World and live in Honour and Pleasure here they give God an Acquittance for any thing else But now this is Sincerity to make God our Pay-master to do all we do upon the Incouragement of the blessed Hope Col. 3.24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ. You have a Master good enough you need not look else-where for your Wages And nothing on this side Heaven will satisfy the Soul nothing but these glorious Hopes 5. This blessed Hope it supports the Soul under Afflictions and Difficulties that do befal us in a Course of Godliness We counter-ballance what we feel with what we expect We feel nothing but Trouble yet it is not in vain to serve God I confess we are apt to think so saith David Psal. 73.13 14. Verily I have cleansed my Heart in vain and washed my Hands in Innocency For all the Day long have I been plagued and chastned every Morning My Innocency is to no purpose Mal. 3.14 Ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what Profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance It is a usual Temptation for we measure all things by Sense and Feeling and Sense makes Lies of God Ah but consider that which you feel is not worthy to be named the same Day with that which you hope for Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us Glory is revealed to our Ears in the Gospel but it will be revealed in us hereafter 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory Alas this light Affliction is but the Scratch of a Pin compared with the weighty massy Crown of Glory For saith the Apostle we look not at the things which are seen but at the things that are not seen Christians what do you make your Scope for that is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is it to preserve your Interests to live delicately then the blessed Hope is not for your turn but when you have fixed your Hopes upon these things you will see this is
it to lie under the Wrath of God for ever and ever We were involved in the same Guilt in the same polluted Mass with others therefore we might be bound up in the same Bundle to be cast into Hell as well as they Why are we taken and others left to perish O bless God for this that we are as Brands pluck'd out of the Burning we are bound up in the same Guilt and Misery Zech. 3.2 Is not this a Brand pluck'd out of the Fire Though you feel the smart of the Rod upon your Backs remember this is nothing to Hell Damnation and Wrath to come And this is given to prevent that 1 Cor. 11.32 VVhen we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the VVorld What cause have we to bless God that we may think of Hell as a Danger that we have escaped by Christ But then for Heaven the positive part of this Blessedness you have a Right tho not an actual Enjoyment Sometimes Heaven is said to be kept for us and sometimes we are said to be kept for Heaven 1 Pet. 1.5 VVho are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation Christ holds Heaven in our Right in our Stead and in our Names and we are kept by the Power of God for Heaven Again Heaven is prepared for us Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the VVorld And we are prepared for Heaven Rom. 9.23 And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory 2 dly The greatness of your Engagement to all the Persons of the God-head 1. To God the Father Admire the Love of God that poor Worms should be so exalted that a Clod of Earth should shine as the Sun that those dark and impure Souls of ours should be purified and glorified God could not satisfy himself with temporal Kindness with loving us for a while but he must love us for ever Psal. 103.17 The Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting to them that fear him From Eternity to Eternity God is God and our God Nay and small things would not content him but we must be interessed in a compleat Blessedness 1 John 3.1 2. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! Beloved now are we the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall apappear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is O we should often work this upon our Hearts the great Love of God in predestinating us to such a Glory There is a great deal of Mercy laid out upon us during our Pilgrimage but more laid up for us Psal. 31.19 O how great is thy Goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee O the greatness of Love Infinite Mercy sets it self a-work to see what it can do for Man a poor wretched Creature a thing of Yesterday a Rebel an Enemy to God think of it we may but we cannot express it to the full The least of God's Mercies is more than we can acknowledg and deserves praise much more this full Portion for here God sets himself to make a Creature as happy as it is capable The Lord hath gone to the utmost in nothing but his Love he never shewed so much of his Wisdom and Power but he could shew more but he hath no greater thing to give us than Himself and his Christ he cannot love us more there can be no more done there can be no higher Happiness than the eternal enjoyment of Himself All the Promises of the Word comes short of what you shall enjoy That which Paul saw and heard in Heaven in his Extasy were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words that could not be uttered 2 Cor. 12.4 The Scriptures that are sufficient to make the Man of God perfect here profess an Insufficiency Weakness and Imperfection when they come to speak of Heaven and the Glory of it 1 Cor. 13.9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part is spoken with respect to Heaven and Happiness to come there the Scripture can speak but in part there are no Words nor Notions in the World sufficient to express what God hath provided and we have not Ears to hear it All the Notions now we have of things must be taken from what is obvious to sense and present apprehension and therefore certainly because Heaven surpasseth all that hath been we cannot apprehend the Glory of it The Scripture leaves it rather to be admired in silence there are Joys unspeakable there is no Language intelligible to us that is fit to represent Heaven O then admire the Love of God the Father that hath provided such great things for us 2. Consider how deeply we are engaged to Jesus Christ to deliver us from Wrath to come He himself was made a Curse and tasted the Vinegar and Gall Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Something he suffered that answered Wrath to come In Hell there is poena damni and poena sensus the Loss and the Pain and Sense of God's Wrath. The Lord Christ had for a while the suspension of the Joys and actual Consolation of his Divine Nature a loss that cannot be imagined Mat. 23.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me there 's his Loss Then he had an actual feeling of the Wrath of God therefore he saith Mat. 27.38 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death there was his Sense of Pain He was forsaken that we might not be separated from God for ever and his Soul was heavy to the Death that we might not be cast into Eternal Burnings Then for the positive Part that we might have Everlasting Glory Christ left his Heaven that we might enjoy ours he came from Heaven and is gone to Heaven again and will come from Heaven the second time and all to bring us thither with the more triumph so that going and coming coming and going he is still ours He came at first out of the Bosom of God to establish the Merit and pay the Price for our Glory God sold it not at an easy Rate the Blood and Agonies and Shame of the Son of God must go for our Glory it was no easy matter to bring sinful Creatures so near to God The Lord would not so much as treat with Apostate Angels when once they were Sinners they were no more to remain in his Presence nor to come near him but they were cast out of Heaven The Door was shut against sinning Creatures but Christ came to open it Christ came to open Paradise that was guarded with a flaming Sword he catched the Blow that we might have Communion with God and therefore he sueth it out as
into the Depth of the Sea They see an All-sufficient Mercy and Power and they wait till God manifests himself 3. It worketh by Reflection and so stirs up Love Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by Love It sets Love on work and by little and little drieth up the Fountain of Sin Shall I love that which God hateth Ier. 44.4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my Servants the Prophets rising early and sending them saying O do not this abominable thing that I hate Faith representeth God pleading with us and beseeching us by all his Bowels in Christ. Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend Do I thus requite the Lord for all his Kindness to me There is an Exasperation against Lusts the Soul saith Get ye hence Hosea 14.8 Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols The Soul hath its expulsive Faculty it is at the beck of Love and Love is stirred up by Faith and when it cannot expel Sin it mourneth and groaneth under it as its Burden Vse 1. Are you thus purified Have you passed this Laver The Priests under the Law before they went to the Altar they first washed in the great Laver. You are not his People till you are sanctified Esther was purified before she was brought to Ahasuerus Esther 2. Christ telleth Peter John 13.8 If I wash thee not thou hast no Part in me Though he took humane Nature yet he owneth no Relation to any but the Sanctified Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which Cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren The Devils cannot say He is Bone of our Bone But what though he took your Natures this is not enough he will disclaim you if you be not sanctified I took Flesh but not for you I died but not for you There is a double Notion of Purification in this Place it noteth Cleansing and Dedication there is a Difference between them and others and between them and themselves Whereas I was blind now I see I could before discourse and hear Sermons for Notions but now my Conscience is more serious I am more freed from Bondage I have a more distinct Hope towards God in Christ my Will is not obstinate and unpliable to the Counsels and Motions of the Holy Ghost my Affections are reduced to a better temper as to earthly things Thus examine your selves Is any thing washed off Vse 2. Information It informeth us that we are all polluted by Nature for we need to be purified e're we are Christ's People Nay it sticketh to us we change our Skin our outward Conversation but no other Laver will wash our Hearts but Christ's Blood If we had Eyes to see our natural Filth we should loath our selves more than we do We are all infected with Self-love and fleshly Natures Tit. 3.3 For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures living in Malice and Envy hateful and hating one another But we are partial to our selves we have no spiritual Eye-sight Sin is of a defiling Nature You abhor dirty nasty Creatures all of us are polluted with Sin God that is a Spirit hath other Affections he doth not abhor a Creature because of his Sores but because of his Sins We judg by the Senses Psal. 14.3 They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one So we are in the Eyes of God who is a pure Spirit Sin maketh us odious and loathsome to him but we that have Bodies abominate things that are sensibly unclean Vse 3. Let it stir us up to purify our selves yet more and more 1. See your selves in the Glass of the Word They that have most Light do most complain of the Filthiness and Impurity of their Hearts not because there is more Defilement but more Light Sluttish Corners are not seen in the dark Carnal Men are loth to see their own Faces they will not come to the Light We love a flattering Glass but a searching Ministry is hated You have not looked in the Glass enough till it hath stirred up Shame Sorrow and Self-abhorrence Raging against Conviction argueth the Heart is bad When Men cannot endure to see themselves but think all is clean and well it is a Sign of a secure careless Spirit If we keep our selves from foul Sins we do not think of our odious Natures 2. Desire Cleansing as Peter John 13.9 Simon Peter saith unto him Lord not my Feet only but also my Hands and my Head Or David Psal. 51.2 Wash me throughly from my Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin Sin is a deep Stain hardly got out let it keep us humble God carrieth on his Work by Degrees 3. Use God's Means Zech. 13.1 In that Day there shall be a Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Vncleanness Rev. 7.14 These are they which come out of great Tribulation which have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. The Church knoweth no other Laver and the Effect of it you receive in the Ordinances 4. Keep your selves clean by a constant Watchfulness Iames 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep your selves unspotted from the World The World is a dirty Place you will soil your Garments therefore you must avoid all Appearance of Evil hate the Garment spotted with the Flesh. We cannot keep at too great a Distance from Sin a bold Use of our Liberty sheweth the Heart hankereth after Sin as a Raven hovereth within the Sent of the Carrion Doct. II. Those that are purified are reckoned to be God's Treasure and peculiar People The Word in the Original which we translate Peculiar People is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar renders it Populus acceptabilis an acceptable People but not emphatical enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Wealth Plenty Treasure that which we have above our necessary Substance Yea not only Treasure but the principal Part of it that which is locked up in the Cabinet and takes up but a little Room as Jewels The Expression is taken out of the Septuagint and alludes to those Places in the Old Testament where God calls his People his Jewels or special Treasure Exod. 19.5 Ye shall be a peculiar Treasure to me above all People which is rendred by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And you have another Expression 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen Generation a royal Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar or purchased People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Populus Acquisitionis or Possessionis a People of Possession such as God counts his Heritage his Jewels Mal. 3.17 They shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that Day when I make up my Iewels The Word imports any choice and precious thing that God loves those that are
so earnest and zealous to set up the Work of God O how can you look upon such a Spectacle as this without Shame that a Lust should have more power with them than the Love of God with you Is it not a shame that Amnon can be sick for Tamar and yet you cannot be sick for Christ as the Spouse was for her Beloved You have high Motives nobler Employment your Work is the Perfection of the Creature the noblest Faculties are exercised in the noblest way of Operation your Rewards are more excellent and you have greater Advantages and Helps Shall they take more pains to undo their Souls than you do to save your Souls We read in Ecclesiastical Story when Pambus saw a Harlot curiously dress'd he wept partly to see one take so much Pains for her own eternal Ruine and partly because he had not been so careful to please Christ and to dress up his Soul for Christ as she was to please her wanton Lover Christians whenever you are cast upon such a Sight or Spectacle when you come by a Shop and see Men labour and toiling out their Hearts and all this for temporal Gain doth it not make you blush and be ashamed that you are so negligent and careless in the Work of God 2. Consider you your selves have been violent and earnest in the ways of Sin and will you not do as much for God How may every one say when I was a wicked and carnal Man I followed it with all my Heart and shall I do less now in a State of Grace The Apostle hath a notable Expression Rom. 6.19 I speak after the manner of Men because of the Infirmity of your Flesh for as ye have yielded your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity even so now yield your Members Servants to Righteousness unto Holiness Mark how the Apostle brings it in with a Preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I speak after the manner of Men that is Men in common Sense and Reason judg it equal that they should be as diligent to come up to the Height of Sanctification and as zealous of good Works as ever you were to come up to the Height of Sin and were zealous for Hell Should you not have as much Care to save your selves as to ruine and damn your selves You made haste to do Evil as if you could not be damned soon enough Now in Reason you should be as zealous for God as for Satan Heretofore we could riot away the Day and card away the Night and shall not some Days be spent in Fasting and Prayer Shall every Hour be begrudged that is bestowed upon God You will say it is good Reason God should be served as well as the Devil but the Flesh is weak and how shall we be able to serve God But says the Apostle I speak according to the VVeakness of your Flesh It is an equitable modest and just Proposal that I make and with condescention to your Infirmities that you should be as earnest and zealous for God and to grow in Grace as ever you were zealous to increase your Guilt and Sin Formerly I never ceased till I got to the top till I was so wicked that I could hardly be more wicked why should I not now labour to grow in Grace Can Conversion be right when Sin had more of our Thoughts than ever God had The Apostle's Rule holds thus so much Time so much Cost and Care so much Love and Delight as hath been spent in Sin so much must be spent in the Service of God O say then why should I not be as earnest to grow in Grace to be as zealous and holy as I can It is observed of Paul that in his natural Condition he was mad against Christ Acts 26.11 I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities Look upon him converted and see is he not as earnest and mad for Christ as ever he was against him 2 Cor. 5.13 For whether we be besides our selves it is for God Do but look back and see what a Drudg you have been to Sin with what Zeal and Self-denial you hazarded your Souls O your pace was swift and furious like Iehu's March and will you be cold and slow in the Work of God Nay it may be this is your case to this very day you are very busy and painful to undo your Souls O this active Industry that is misplaced and misimployed if the Object were but changed would do well for Heaven Who would pay as dear for Hell as for Heaven Who would pay as dear for Glass as for Jewels What a stir is there to serve a Lust half of this through the Blessing of God might have conduced to save a Soul 3. It may be you have set out late and then it is but reason you should mend your pace and be earnest and zealous for God 1 Pet. 4.3 The time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles whilst you lived in Lasciviousness Lusts excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings and abominable Idolatries O it is enough enough Travellers that tarry long in their Inn ride faster in an hour when they set forth than in two before you have tarried long therefore put forward We see that slow Plants bring forth the most Fruit as if Nature would recompense the Slowness with the Plenty so you that were long e're you were called to God what reason have you to be diligent and earnest and zealous in the Work of the Lord You will think this concerns some that are called in the doting time of their Age but all Men set forth too late If we consider God's eternal Love we should be ashamed that we began no sooner God loved us before we were The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to them that fear him Psal. 103.17 from one Eternity to another God loved us before we had a Being before we were lovely and when we had a Being he loved us when we knew not that he loved us We were Transgressors from the Womb defiled and polluted Creatures in our Birth and Original and afterwards we knew how to offend and grieve him before we knew how to serve and love him If we have any Gratitude to God we should be ashamed that we began so late God began early with us from all Eternity he was our God as long as God is God he is our God therefore now we should mend our pace and double our Diligence and be more earnest and zealous in the Ways of God 4. Consider what Christ hath done in purchasing our Salvation It was no Play and Sport to redeem the World Christ was not in jest when he yielded up himself to be tempted to be persecuted to be crucified to be exercised with bitter Agonies and is all this Expence and Cost for nothing The Temptations of Christ
the World God created all things by his Word Psal. 33.9 He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast This whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth which we now behold with wonder was made with a Word And mark God's creating Word and Word of Promise do not differ they are both the Word of God and there is as much Force and Power in this Word I will take away the Heart of Stone as there was in this Word Let there be Light There is as much Power in this Sentence I will make your vile Bodies to be like to Christ's glorious Body as there was in that Word Let there be a Firmament God's Word was powerful enough to make a World when it was nothing before All the Works of God subsist by the Force of his Word Heb. 1.3 Vpholding all things by the Word of his Power It is but for God to say Let it continue let it be and either are accordingly One Word is enough to undo the World and one Word is enough to uphold and preserve it God's Word is the Declaration of his Almighty and powerful Will whatever he did in the World he did it by his Word Therefore if you have this immutable Ground if God hath deposited and plighted his Word you have enough to establish strong Consolation for it is powerful to all Purposes and Intents whatsoever 2. Consider the Certainty of it When the Word is gone out of God's Mouth it shall not be recalled The Lord prizeth his Faithfulness above all things The Scripture must be fulfilled whatever Inconveniences come of it Mark the whole Course of Providence and you will find that God is very tender of his Word he valueth it above all his Works Luke 21.33 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my VVords shall not pass away God is not so tender of Heaven and Earth but that he will break it all to pieces rather than not make good his Word though it be a curious Frame and Fabrick in which he hath displayed much of his Glory yet that shall be dissolved Heaven and Earth do only continue till all that is prophesied of in the Word be fulfilled We shall enjoy the Comfort of his Word in Heaven when all these things are melted away with a fervent Heat Nay which is more God valueth his Word above the humane Life of Christ his own Son If God passed his Word for it his Son who was the Delight of his Soul equal to him in Glory must come from Heaven take a Body and suffer a cruel Death Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy Will O God Psal. 40.7 God had passed his Word to the Church that it should be so therefore rather than he would go back from his Word he sent Christ to die for a sinful World There was no Promise of more difficulty for God to grant nor for us to believe than this of the Incarnation and Death of Christ yet rather than go back from his Word Christ must come and die an accursed and shameful Death Secondly The main thing is what ground of Consolation we have in God's Oath And there I shall I. Shew the Reasons why God gives us his Oath over and above his Word II. The several Advantages which we have by his Oath in Believing I. For the Reasons why God should give this Oath An Oath you know is given in Matters doubtful Philo saith An Oath is given for the manifestation of a Matter which is secret and doubtful and which cannot otherwise be determined To swear in Things apparent and Matters clear is to take the Name of God in vain All Matters which are clear are otherwise decided Matters of Opinion by Argument Matters of Fact by Testimony Matters of Promise by the single Word of the Party that promises if he be a Person of Honour and Credit but always an Oath supposes some Doubt and Controversy that cannot otherwise be determined And so much the Apostle intimates when he says Heb. 6.16 It is the End of all Strife or Controversy Well then God's Promises being of such absolute Certainty why doth the Lord deposite his Oath with the Creature since his single and bare Word is enough I answer the Matter it self needs it not but only in regard of us We look upon the Promises with doubtful Thoughts there is a Controversy between God and us we have hard Thoughts of God as if he would not be so good as his Word therefore his Oath is given not to shew the Doubtfulness of the thing that is sworn but the Greatness of our Unbelief Austin saith Est exprobatio quaedam infidelitatis nostrae God hereby upbraids us with our Unbelief when he gives us an Oath for the Confirmation of any Matter Briefly God's Oath is given us for two Reasons to shew us the Certainty and to shew us the Excellency of our Priviledges in Christ. Reason 1. To shew us the Certainty of our Privileges in Christ. The World makes it a Controversy and doubtful matter whether Christ came to die for Sinners yea or no whether God will save those that take Sanctuary at Christ God saith Ay and we say No and how shall the matter be decided Observe it and you will find that there are two things which we are apt to suspect in God his good Affection in making the Promise and his Truth in keeping the Promise We suspect his good Affection especially when we are in Pangs and Gripes of Conscience and we suspect his Truth in Straits and Difficulties whenever in the Course of God's Providence we are cast into such a Condition that we think he hath forgotten his Promise Now the Lord might be highly offended with us for those wicked Thoughts we entertain of his Majesty but in a gracious Condescention he is pleased to put an End to the Controversy by an Oath As if the Lord had said Do you doubt of this Will you put me to my Oath Here I am ready to take it and that the matter may no longer remain in Suspence I sware by my Life by my Holiness by whatever you count sacred and excellent in me That whoever among you whatever he be that is touched with a Sense of his Sin and Misery by Nature if he will run to Christ for Refuge take Sanctuary in Christ if he doth belong to my unchangeable Purposes of Grace I will surely without miscarrying bring him to a sure and eternal Possession of Glory and for the present I will be a Father to him and guide him and keep him as the Apple of mine Eye I will be his present Help his Guardian his Counsellor during the whole time of his Aboad in the World where he is only liable to Dangers This was the matter in Controversy and this is the Substance of God's Oath And I shall shew you how apt we are to distrust God in all this We suspect as I said either his good
Affection in making the Promise or his Truth in keeping the Promise so that we need this solemn way of Assurance Therefore First I shall speak to this that we distrust his good Affection and will not believe God upon his single Word What should be the Reason that Nature is so abhorrent from this Certainty and Assurance which so much concerneth our own Peace and Comfort Take six Reasons 1. Partly because Guilt is full of Suspicion We hate those whom we have wronged Proprium est humani ingenii odisse quos laeserit First we hurt a Person then we hate him so out of Fear of Revenge we suspect all that he doth all Acts of Kindness all Tenders and Offers of Reconciliation which come from him Let me exemplify it in Men. Thus David speaks of his Enemies Psal. 120.7 I am for Peace but when I speak they are for War David was the wronged Party and Doeg and Saul's Courtiers had slandered him and done him wrong David was willing to forget all this Injury and he comes with an Offer of Peace but all Treaties of Peace are in vain This you will find to be the Fashion of the World when they have wronged a Person never to trust him any more lest they should give him Opportunity of Revenge Thus do we deal with God Conscience knows we have wronged him flighted his Love and put Affronts upon his Grace and therefore though he makes the first Offer we believe it not Revengeful Man cannot think God will be so gracious and merciful therefore we cannot believe those ample Purposes of Reconciliation It breaks the Back of Patience to think of forgiving seven times Must I forgive seven times saith Peter And therefore how can we believe the Lord will pardon so many thousand Affronts we put upon him Day by Day Thus we wrong God and sin away our Faith and therefore are not capable of so rich a Comfort 2. Partly because the way of Salvation is so rare and wonderful that a Man can find no Faith for it The Gospel is a Mystery so called by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the Mystery of Godliness Nature affords no Help here Theology is natural but not Christology Nature believes there is a God but not that there is a Christ. The Sun and Moon preach up a God their Sound is gone out into all Lands and proclaim every where that there is one Infinite and Eternal Power And Conscience preacheth up a Judg. But all these natural Preachers are dumb and silent concerning Christ not a Word concerning a Saviour and Mediator It could not enter into the Thought of an Angel to pitch upon such a Remedy if God had not revealed it to them by the Church Eph. 3.10 To the Intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly Places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God The Angels did conceive of this great Mystery by observing God's Dispensations to the Church Well then the way of Salvation being so rare and wonderful we should never acquiesce and rest satisfied with bare Declarations but we need God's Oath that the Controversy may be determined When an Angel came to bring Tidings of it to the Virgin Mary though she were a holy Woman and had such an extraordinary way of Assurance yet you find her Unbelief out-starts her Obedience and Submission to the Will of God How shall this be Luke 1.34 The Incarnation of God the Conception of a Virgin the Death of Life it self all these things are Riddles and golden Dreams to Reason and without a higher Assurance than a bare Word we should not be easily satisfied 3. Partly because the Blessings and Privileges we have in Christ are so great and the Persons which enjoy them so unworthy as being nothing and deserving nothing that they exceed all Thought and Belief 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him Mark all the ways by which we can gain any Knowledg of a thing they come short Sense Fancy Reason Eye Ear Heart of Man cannot conceive and cannot tell what to make of these excellent Privileges we have in Christ they cannot furnish him with fit Notions and Apprehensions of such excellent Glory as is revealed to us in him To illustrate it by the Creatures If a Man had been by when God made the World as the Angels were if he had seen God laying the Foundations of all things he would have wondred what God was about to do for what rare Creature the Lord was about to frame this stupendious and wonderful Fabrick arched with Heaven floor'd with Earth interlac'd with Waters deck'd with Fruits and Plants stored with Creatures and glazed if I may so speak with Stars who would ever have thought that all this Furniture and Provision was for Man a handful of Dust a poor Worm not six Foot long that he might be Lord of all things Vice-king and Deputy under God Now if a Man would wonder at the Honour and Glory God put upon Man at his Creation much more at the Privileges of our Redemption by Christ they are Matters to be wondred at indeed 2 Thess. 1.10 Christ shall be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe This Place chiefly concerns the Angels when God puts such Clarity and Splendour upon the Body that they shall wonder what Christ is about to do with such a contemptible Creature as Man that newly came out of the Grave of Rottenness and Dust. This Text I am upon speaks of a Hope set before us If this were but a little opened as our Ear hath received a little thereof if we should tell you what Preparation Christ hath made to bring the Saints to Glory with what a glorious Train of Angels he will come from Heaven what Mansions he hath prepared for us in his Father's House and all this for those that have nothing and deserve nothing unless it be Extremity of Misery if a Man should tell you Christ would come in such a State and entertain the Saints with such Dearness of Affection and receive Sinners into his Bosom that he would make them his Fellow-Judges liken their Bodies to his own glorious Body for Brightness and Splendor that such Pieces of Worms and Clods of Earth shall be many times brighter than the Sun I tell you this would require a strong Faith to believe it and we had need of all the Averment and Assurance that can be given us under Heaven If an Angel admires at the Saints certainly inferiour Creatures will suspect it Alas what a valuable Price can we bring and pay to God for all this Glory We that judg all things by the Laws of Reason and commutative Justice for we give nothing but upon valuable Consideration what valuable Price can we bring to God What Consideration can we give him for so great a Glory and
how shall we think ever to be Partakers of an Estate so disproportionable to our Merit and Condition Therefore because our Privileges in Christ are so great and wonderful we need not only God's Word but also his Oath 4. Partly because we our selves are so false and fickle in all our Contracts with one another especially in our Dealings with God that we need to be bound with Promise upon Promise and Oath upon Oath and all little enough to restrain and hold us within the Bounds of Duty Man is changeable and breaks Vows and Covenants and Promises and snaps them a-sunder as a Thread and Tow is burnt a-sunder with Fire and will not be held with any Obligation It is a Greek Proverb Children play with Nuts and Men with Oaths It is too often so Perjury though it be monstrous and barbarous and dissolves the Bonds of humane Societies and Confederacies yet it is no rare thing in the World especially in the latter times they are said among other Sins to be infamous for Covenant-breaking 2 Tim. 3.3 Truce-Breakers c. Thus we deal with one another But if we should be more faithful to Men for the Safety of our Interest yet how often do we break with God and compass him about with Lies 2 Sam. 23.5 He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure We are false and fickle when God is sure To Day we promise to Morrow we fail what Vow did we ever make to God and kept it Now we are apt to judg of God's Promises by our own It is usual with Man to transform God into his own Likeness and to muse of him as we use our selves The Heathens did it grosly and by a sensible Picture the Apostle chargeth it upon them Rom. 1.23 They changed the Glory of God into an Image made like to corruptible Man They shaped God into the Picture of Man and still according to the particular Genius and Fancy of each Nation The Spartans being a Warlike People painted their Gods in Armour suting most with their Disposition the Ethiopians painted their Gods black and their Devils white because they were a black People But now we do it all spiritually Psal. 50.23 Thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self We judg of God by our selves and draw a monstrous mishapen Picture of him in our Minds as if he were revengeful fierce fallacious fickle and changeable as we are Therefore to meet with this Sin doth the Lord so often disclaim the Dispositions of a Man that we should not fancy him according to the Lineaments of a Man Hos. 11.9 I will not execute the Fierceness of mine Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man As if he had said Do not measure me according to your Model I am not revengeful as you are and changeable as you are this is not my Fashion So Isa. 55.8 9. For my Thoughts are not your Thoughts neither are your Ways my Ways saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my Ways higher than your Ways and my Thoughts than your Thoughts You see the Distance between Earth and Heaven is so wondrous great that the Earth cannot reach it with its Mountains Cedars Turrets Smoak and Vapors it is so great that a Star of the Heavens as big as the Earth seems to be but a Spangle so infinitely more are the Workings of my Thoughts and my Heart different from your Thoughts and your Heart More particularly and sutable to the present Case Numb 23.19 God is not a Man that he should lie neither the Son of Man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken it and shall he not make it good Man is as unstable as Water his Point varieth according to the different Posture of the Times and Situation of his own Interest and Advantage but it is not so with me saith the Lord. Men say and do not but God's Yea is always Yea and his No is always No. This was the Speech of Balaam who was called a false Prophet not from the matter of his Prophecy but only from his Aims But if you will have it from a more authentick Hand you have it out of the Mouth of Samuel 1 Sam. 15.29 The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a Man that he should repent Mark the Reason for he is not a Man To be a Man and to be changeable is all one Certainly the frequent Inculcation of such Passages in Scripture sheweth that we are apt to measure Infiniteness by our own scantling and size And therefore this being Man's natural Thought God in a Condescention and by way of Check is pleased to give the Creature this Assurance we have his Word and his Oath So that if we would but afford him the Favour we use to shew to an honest Man we have no ground of Diffidence and Distrust 5. Another Cause of this Unbelief is Enmity to the Gospel There is a natural Contrariety in our Hearts both to the Privileges and Duties of the Gospel and because we hate it we do not easily believe it The Pride of Man's Heart sets him against the Privileges of the Gospel and carnal Liberty against the Obedience of it Man is a proud Creature and would be self-sufficient he is loth to be beholden to God as a proud Man loves a Russet Coat of his own better than a Silken Garment that is borrowed of another Thus the Apostle complains of the Jews Rom. 10.3 They being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish a Righteousness of their own have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God There needs some Submission and bearing down of the Pride of Man all is borrowed here Christ is all and doth all he hath merited for all and suffered for all Now this sutes not with the Pride of Man's Heart who would be sufficient to himself and establish a personal Merit in himself And then especially is this Pride bewrayed when a Man hath any thing to trust to and rest in as civil Righteousness or a formal Profession it is a hard matter then to bring Men to submit to the Righteousness of God to come hungry and thirsty for Christ's Righteousness There is no Pride so deadly and mischievous and opposite to the Gospel as the Pride of Self-conceit and Self-sufficiency yet this is natural to us therefore God doth not only say but swear that we shall never enter into his Rest unless we take this course and run to this Hope that is before us And as Pride opposeth the Privileges of the Gospel so carnal Liberty opposeth the Obedience of the Gospel Men are loth to stoop and submit to God's Terms Christ is to be Lord as well as Saviour Now the World will not hear of Laws and Restraints You know the Nations were all for casting away the Bonds and Cords
Psal. 2.3 Let us break their Bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us In the latter Ages of the World it is foretold in the Prophecies of Scripture that the Church is in danger of turning to Libertinism we cast away Yoke after Yoke till we have left Christ nothing but an empty Title How busy are Men now to find out a North-East-Passage a nearer cut to Heaven and therefore the Lord swears and ratifies the whole Tenor of the Gospel by an Oath to meet with our Enmity and natural Contrariety which makes us so apt to misbelieve 6. Another Cause why those that are touched with a sense of Sin suspect God's good Affection is a Jealousy of Assurance or a secret fear of presuming All the Doubts and Scruples of a troubled Conscience come to this Issue and may all be referred to this Head a fear of presuming Many will plead the number of their Sins and how many Affronts they have put upon the Grace or God Some will plead the Greatness and the Aggravations of their Sins Relapses into Sin Sins against Light against the Advantages of Grace but they all end in this one thing a fear of being too bold with the Comforts of the Gospel and that Comfort doth not belong to Persons in their case This is the Cable-Rope which keeps them from floating out amain upon the Ocean of God's Mercy as if the Lord delighted in their Grief rather than in their Assurance and Satisfaction Usually thus it is with disturbed Consciences Trouble that is once swallowed is hardly got up again and Men think Sadness is more pleasing to God than Comfort and that Doubts sute with a Christian Frame rather than Confidence and so they hug a Distemper instead of a Duty Therefore the Lord is fain to swear that certain it is Nay it is not for nothing that this makes the Heart of Christ so joyful that we live upon the Provision he hath made for us Iohn 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Ioy might remain in you and that your Ioy might be full This is the very Aim of God's Oath he would shew as I shall further clear by and by that our Assurance is more pleasing to him than our Doubting that he is better pleased with our Comfort nay tho it rise up to strong Comfort than with our Sorrow Thus you see that Diffidence and Incredulity is deeply rooted in our Nature yea Believers themselves are liable to many Doubts out of the Relicks of Atheism and Unbelief that yet remains in them Secondly I am to shew that we are apt to suspect his Truth in keeping his Promise When Straits and Difficulties come and things go cross to our Expectation we had need of more than God's single Word There is not one of an hundred that lives by Faith and can bottom his Comfort on a single Promise and can rejoice in the Lord his God when outward Supports fail We are led altogether by Sense and therefore in cross Providences we look upon Promises as words of course and are apt to say Where are his Promises and the Soundings of his Bowels and where is the ready Help which God hath promised in the time of Trouble And therefore as a Prop to the Soul he hath backed his Promise with an Oath Mark it Christians it is very usual even with God's dearest Children to unravel their Hopes and to question all upon a cross Providence as David Psal. 116.11 I said in my haste All Men are Liars Why doth David retract that Charge and impute it to his haste The Apostle saith Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every Man a Liar We are changeable Creatures our Beings are a Lie to day we are and to morrow we are not and so our Promises are a Lie we say and do not and therefore why doth David impute it to his haste as if he had spoken something that were untrue Certainly there was some blame in the Expression for he acknowledgeth it was spoken in haste The Speech hath respect to those Messages and Assurances which were brought to him from the Mouth of God by Samuel Nathan and other Prophets They comforted him with God's Promises and now he was Thunder-struck blasted with some sore Affliction far enough from the Case of a Man that had many Assurances from Heaven now all Men are Liars Prophets and all Once more Psal. 31.22 I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine Eyes nevertheless thou heardest the Voice of my Supplications when I cried unto thee God hath cast off all care of David he doth not look after a poor banished Man which wandreth up and down in the Wilderness a poor Flea that is chased and hunted to and fro Such Pets and Passions of Distrust such irregular and unbelieving Thoughts usually have we upon any cross Providence when Sense contradicts the Promise Always we find Sense and Distrust making Lies of God therefore a single Promise will not serve the turn but we need an Oath Surely if God hath sworn we may wait upon him Doubts now God hath passed his Oath do but accuse him of Perjury And therefore you shall see the Oath of God hath always been the Refuge of the Saints even in the worst of Times when they seemed most of all to â—lour upon their Hopes and Expectations Hab. 3.9 The Affairs of the Church were at that time desperate but saith the Prophet Thy Bow was made quite naked according to the Oaths of the Tribes even thy Word Selah God for his Covenant and Oath 's sake revived the Affairs of the Church when they were at a desperate pass It is there expressed in the Plural Number Oaths because they were often renewed with the Church and they are called the Oaths of the Tribes because this was the Church's Treasure because of the Oath God made with the Tribes for it is not meant of the Oaths the Church made with God Look as the Covenant of Abraham is God's Covenant made with Abraham and the Mercies of David were God's Mercies bestowed upon David So the Oaths of the Tribes are not taken actively for the Oaths which the Tribes deposited with God but passively for the Oath God deposited with the Tribes that is the Church God took this Bow out of the Case and bestows the Arrows of his Vengeance upon the Adversaries of the Church That this Exposition is true it appeareth in what follows even thy Word Selah There is his Word and that confirmed by an Oath the two immutable things these relieve the sinking State of the Church It goes ill with the Church along time that we might have Experience what God can do Look what Florus said of the State of Rome Romani praelio saepe victi bello nunquam The Romans were often overcome in Battel but never in War So of the Church they go by the worst in some particular Cases and in some particular Times that we might try God and
Work of the Law that we might be driven out of our selves Sin else would not be bitter nor Christ sweet our Motions and Addresses to Mercy would not be serious every one hath this some in one degree some in another tho all be not anxious yet all are sollicitous O what shall I do Now canst thou speak of this driving Work of the Law Thou canst not say but thou art a poor lost Sinner one willing to fly and take Sanctuary in Christ and to wait upon him in Obedience till thy great Hopes be accomplished This is the lowest Trial what canst thou deny in it Art thou not a poor chased pursued Soul else what mean these Fears and Scruples and what hath the Lord required of thee but to run to Christ for Refuge Many Christians have not Assurance but tho they dare not say Christ is theirs yet here they will wait and not let go their hold-fast for all the World God hath promised to be gracious to every one that takes hold of his Covenant Isa. 56.6 when the Soul will not let go the Grace of God in Christ tho it hath many Discouragements but in the face of all Doubts and Scruples will anchor and hold fast whatever comes of it I am a lost undone Creature it is Christ that must save me and here I will stick and hold This is the Qualification why should we be afraid to be comforted upon God's Terms If you are resolved to wait upon God in and through Christ you are the Heirs of Promise God hath plighted his Oath to you if there be such a Disposition in you being startled and awakened with the sense of your sinful Condition to take hold and not let it go then what mean those Fears and Scruples Do not you desire to take Sanctuary in Christ and wait upon him with strong Resolution not to be discouraged When therefore God hath put it upon such low Conditions why should we stand off Obj. All the fear is these Terms are too easy and cheap to give a solid Comfort and many miscarry by sudden and delusive Hopes and this makes Christians stand at a distance from their own Comfort Answ. When a Man hath God's Warrant to shew for his Confidence why should he doubt If Men were once serious in the Business of Salvation there 's no fear of Delusion You will find Comfort cannot be counterfeited as the Life of a Creature cannot be painted Carnal Men that feed themselves with delusive Hopes who make an account they shall go to Heaven are not serious and mind not what they do as appears by their Contradictions for they blow hot and cold They think that he is in a dangerous condition that doubts of his Salvation and yet they say it is Presumption for a Man to say he is assured of his Salvation the one saying suteth with their carelesness and the other with their own private feeling They have no deliberate and advised Confidence only a rash Presumption And because of their miscarrying we have no reason to weaken our own Hopes because a Man that is in a Dream thinketh that he is awaked when he is not shall not a Man that is really awake know himself to be so Shall we suspect all our Interest in Christ and the Terms of the Gospel as too free and easy Let me tell you by Experience you will find when you are serious and deliberate it is not so easy a matter to have Rest for your Souls Certainty and solid Assurance is not so soon had Guilty Nature is subject to Bondage and presagious more of Evil than of Good more prone to Fear than Hope and to Mourn than to Rejoice therefore go on with your Business wait upon God and take his way without Jealousy and doubting Thus I have shewed how you should meditate on these two immutable things Secondly When must you meditate on God's Word and Oath Answ. Very often The less you apply God's Promise and Oath the weaker will your Consolation be in Christ and the oftner the stronger for by these two immutable things we have strong Consolation Christians lose much of their Peace and Comfort because they do not exercise themselves in thinking of the Condescension and Satisfaction which God hath given them in this kind that he should lay all his Holiness his Life his Excellency at Pledg with poor Creatures I am confident if you did but think of these unchangeable Grounds and Advantages of Faith mentioned before your Comfort would not be upon such loose terms But there are some solemn Times when it must be done 1. Whenever you are conversant about the Seals of the Covenant and go to the Lord's Table Why should I doubt when I have God's Promise and Oath The Sacraments are visibilia Iuramenta visible Oaths here God reneweth his Oath to us and we to God It is an Oath of Allegiance to Christ to walk in all his Ways and it is God's Oath of Assurance to us that he will perform the Promises of the Covenant As under the Law the Blood of the Covenant was to be sprinkled half upon the Altar and half upon the People Exod. 24.6 7 8. God takes an Engagement upon himself and reneweth his Oath to be good and gracious to us in Christ and we take an Obligation upon our selves to walk before him in all Obedience There is a mutual Stipulation therefore there is a special time to meditate of the sureness on God's part God that cannot lie hath said and sworn it 2. In times of outward Trouble when you are in danger of fainting and making Revolt from God meditate of the unchangeableness of his Word and Oath Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine Affliction Psalm 119.92 God's Word and Oath were given on purpose to revive a fainting Soul This is the Design of the Text the Apostle is disswading from Apostacy and pressing to keep our Hopes to the End Vers. 11. We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of Hope unto the End Why we are not upon Conjectures and Probabilities and though outward Encouragements fail yet God's Promise and Oath is a sure Ground of Comfort in the midst of all Difficulties and Hardships This reviveth the Soul we have a glorious Inheritance in Reversion and we have God's Word and Oath to shew for it as much as the Patriarchs had to shew for Christ. It is notable that when the Patriarchs were exercised with any new Trouble then God renewed his Oath implying this is a sure hold-fast we have upon God When outward Encouragements in the Service of God are like to fail then think of the two immutable Grounds of Comfort 3. In Pangs of Conscience when Guilt lies heavy and burdensom upon the Soul God's Word and Oath is a proper Meditation The Lord hath sworn That if I will out of a sense of this Misery that is upon me take Sanctuary
in Christ I shall have strong Consolation And we have not only an assuring but an inviting Oath to help us in such a Case Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked Count me not a living God if I delight in your Scruples and in your Death 4. In Fears of Death We must die by Faith as well as live by Faith and then comfort our selves with the Promise and Oath of God called here two unchangeble things We need all the Props of Faith that can be used When all things are about to change then think God changeth not though I am changing apace As one comforted himself with that Passage Isa. 54.10 For the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my Kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my Power be removed saith the Lord that hath Mercy on thee Sight is almost gone and Speech doth even fail but God's loving Kindness will never be gone You are changing but you may look upon Death it self as an Act of Faithfulness and sent in Mercy to break the Shell that you may have the Kernel to dissolve the Union between Body and Soul that the Soul may flit away to God SERMON III. HEB. VI. 18 We may have strong Consolation c. Doct. II. THat the Fruit of this Certainty and Assurance which we have by God's Word and Oath is strong Consolation To make way for the discussion of this Point and to open the Words which the Apostle here useth I shall I. Enquire what is meant by strong Consolation II. How this strong Consolation ariseth from the Certainty and Assurance we have by God's Word and Oath III. How it is dispensed on God's part and how far it is required on ours I. What is meant by strong Consolation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two Terms Consolation and strong Consolation First Consolation There are three words by which the Fruits and Effects of Certainty and Assurance is expressed which imply so many degrees of it There is Peace Comfort and Joy Peace in the Scripture-Dialect notes Rest from Accusations of Conscience Comfort notes a temperate and habitual Confidence Then Joy notes an actual Feeling or an high Tide of Comfort or a lively Elevation of the Saints 1. Peace That we have as a Fruit of Justification Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God There are no actual Doubts though we cannot say we have absolute Assurance This is the lowest degree of Assurance and it is a Fruit of the Holy Ghost as many of the Children of God have Encouragement to wait upon God though they cannot for all the World say they have an absolute Interest in Christ. 2. Then there is Consolation and Comfort which notes an habitual Perswasion of God's Love there is an habitual Confidence a serenity and chearfulness of Mind Though there be not high Tides of Comfort there is Support though not Ravishment It is called Everlasting Consolation 2 Thess. 2.16 17. Now our Lord Iesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath loved us and given us Everlasting Consolation and good Hope through Grace comfort your Hearts and establish you in every good Word and Work There is a settled Comfort and he prayeth for the continuance and increase of it When the Heart is lightned or eased in Duties or Troubles it is bewrayed by a constant Chearfulness and Alacrity in God's Service and Support in Troubles 3. Then there is Joy or an high and sensible Comfort Rom. 15.13 Now the God of Hope fill you with all Ioy and Peace in believing that ye may abound in Hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost This abides not always it is a Festival Dispensation wherewith God entertains the Soul in the Day of his Royalty and Magnificence he useth it but now and then We have this high Joy either after the Pangs of the new Birth when deep Sorrows were occasioned by the Spirit of Bondage When David's Bones were broken then make me to hear Ioy and Gladness Psal. 51.8 Then we have the highest Comfort John 16.21 A Woman when she is in Travel hath Sorrow because her Hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of a Child she remembreth no more the Anguish for joy that a Man is born into the World Then our Apprehensions of Christ are most fresh Comfort being a strange thing is most welcome Trouble makes way for more Comfort for as our Trouble is most vehement so is our Comfort enlarged Or upon the solemn Exercise of Grace when we are carried on in high Assistance in Meditation Prayer receiving the Supper and the Word is revived upon the Conscience Or else in times of Suffering and Self-denial for God will always be even with a Believer 2 Cor. 1.5 For as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ. A Man is no loser by Christ but according to the Ebb of outward Comforts so is the Tide and Overflow of inward Comforts And when we have Experience of Christ's Sufferings we also have Experience of Christ's Comforts that at the same time God may have an Experience of our Faithfulness and we of his So that Comfort is a middle degree of Assurance between Peace and Joy a temperate Confidence and Support though we do not feel Ravishment and actual Sweetness as a Child doubteth not of his Father's Affection tho he doth not actually smile upon him Secondly The next Term is strong Consolation Why is it so called 1. It is called so either in opposition to worldly Comforts which are weak ravishing and washy The Consolations of the World seem to be strong till they come to be tried Carnal Joy makes a great noise but is soon gone As the crackling of Thorns under a Pot so is the laughter of the Fool Eccles. 7.6 None seem to lead such merry Lives as carnal Men but when it comes to the Trial when their Joy is put to it by Sickness Trouble Pangs of Conscience or Death it is soon spent Take away the Creature and it is gone it dependeth upon somewhat without them Or if the Creature continueth it availeth not before it cometh to trial wicked Men tremble at the very thoughts of Eternity Outward things cannot ease the Conscience if they could satisfy the Heart they cannot buy a Pardon Jer. 17.11 As the Partridg sitteth on Eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth Riches and not by Right shall leave them in the midst of his Days and at his End shall be a Fool. Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the Day of Wrath. Carnal Mirth is a merry Madness as a Bird in the Powler's Snare Prov. 9.17 18. Stollen Waters are sweet and Bread eaten in secret is pleasant But he knoweth not that the Dead are there and that her Guests are in the Depths of Hell a stollen fit of Mirth when Conscience is asleep Carnal Mirth intangleth
the Grief and would fain shift off the Cross but when we see the End then we acknowledg it is good to be afflicted If God write his Law upon our Hearts by his Stripes upon our Backs and so light a Trouble maketh way for so great a Benefit we should not grudg at it Our Happiness doth not consist in outward Comforts Riches Health Honour civil Liberty or comfortable Relations but in our acceptance with God and injoyment of God Good is to be determined by its respect to true Happiness Affliction therefore taketh nothing from our Happiness but addeth to it as it increaseth Grace and Holiness and so we are more approved of God injoy more of God 3. Impatiency at what is past or a fretting dislike of God's Dispensations Now by Faith we are perswaded both of the Greatness and Goodness of God and so our murmuring is prevented I. Faith has an esteem of the Greatness of God God is too great to be questioned The more we see the Greatness and Majesty of God the more is our Pride checked Iob 35.5 6. Look unto the Heavens and see and behold the Clouds which are higher than thou If thou sinnest what dost thou against him Or if thy Transgressions be multiplied what dost thou unto him It is a swelling against God's Soveraignty that he should have the disposal of us at his pleasure Hab. 2.4 Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his Faith The lifting up of the Heart is opposed to living by Faith The lifting up of the Heart is a proud murmuring conceited Disposition under trouble taxing and censuring his Proceedings Such a Soul will make defection Heb. 10.38 Now the Iust shall live by Faith but if any Man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him Pride will not suffer the Heart to submit to the Will of God and so scorneth to bear the Cross of Christ. But now Faith that relieth upon God and his Promises suffereth God to take his own Way and that waiting upon God in his Way is a sure Path to a blessed Issue Pride is conceited of its own Wisdom and Power as if we could secure our selves better than by waiting upon God Pride hath no Opinion of God or his Dealings but Faith which is an high esteem of God referreth all to him 2. Of the Goodness of his Conduct Faith perswadeth us with Quietness and Security to cast our selves into God's Hands who will guide all things well Observe Christ's submission in his Trouble Matth. 26.39 He prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt And David's 2 Sam. 15.25 26. The King said unto Zadok Carry back the Ark of God into the City If I shall find favour in the Eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his Habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him All Discontents come from Unbelief we do not believe God's Providence and fatherly Care but act as Gentiles nor his Love in Christ for if we did we would let him alone to bring his Children to Heaven in his own Way Many times that is best for us which we do not think best for us Peter was best pleased when upon Mount Tabor Mat. 17.4 Lord it is good for us to be here But Christ had other Work for him to do Secondly The Causes of Trouble are removed by Faith As 1. Self-Love 2. The Life of Sense And 3. Fancy or vain Conceit A Man that is governed by these and is under the Influence of these will never be free from trouble But now Faith perswading us of the Love of God in Christ cureth our Self-love 1 John 4.16 We have known and believed the Love that God hath to us And shewing us better things to come weaneth us from present Sense 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen And depending upon the Wisdom and Care of God referreth the choice of our Condition to him and the carving of our Lot and Portion as it maketh most for his Glory Phil. 1.20 Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether it be by Life or by Death whether by things adverse or prosperous whether the way be fair or foul In short there are certain Propositions and Conclusions which are absolutely necessary to exempt us from Trouble and carnal Self-love the Life of Sense and Fancy or vain Conceit will never submit to them but are only granted by Faith are the Results of Faith 1. That spiritual Benefit doth abundantly recompence and make amends for the loss of temporal Interests If an healthy Soul be in a sickly Body 3 Epist. John 2. I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy Soul prospereth If the inward Man may be renewed though the outward Man perish 2 Cor. 4.16 Though the outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day That a little Faith discovered to be sound and saving is of more worth than the best Gold upon Earth 1 Pet. 1.7 That the trial of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with Fire might be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. I◠sore Trials discover Reality of Grace better undergo them than be without them and we should esteem and prize these Seasons of exercising and trying Grace more than times of the quickest and greatest Gain in the World a little 〈◊〉 in a Trial should make up all the Pain Shame and Loss that attendeth it Now Self-love Sense and Fancy will never subscribe to this 2. That God will never leave us wholly destitute or to Difficulties insupportable 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Alas many times in the Eye of Sense they are left and see no Helper 3. That all the Bitter of outward Trials is nothing to the Sweets of inward Communion which the Soul hath or may have with God thereby Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby 4. That Hope against Hope and Patience above Strength is the truest Life of Faith and never wanted a most comfortable Issue Rom. 4.18 Who against Hope believed in Hope that he might become the Father of many Nations James 5.11 Behold we count them happy which endure Ye have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the End of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender Mercy 5. That all the
anon with joy receiveth it Yet hath he not Root in himself but dureth for a while for when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by he is offended 4. It is so far required that your Punishment is more grievous Potentes potenter cruciabuntur Great Men shall be mightily destroyed Rich Men and of great Power and Abilities have the hotter Hell Greater Mercies the greater Sin and the greater shall be the Judgment 5. Righteousness doth consist in a Proportion And it holdeth good both for our Duty and God's Judgment for our Duty that we should be fruitful according to our Means Opportunities and Helps and for God's Judgment for it is said God will lay Iudgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet Isa. 28.17 observes an exact Proportion Precise Justice shall be to the Wicked The only Exception is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lenity of the Gospel 1. That a Man who hath been unfruitful heretofore do change his course and for the future live unto God For the Gospel admitteth of Repentance and grants a Pardon to the Negligent or Unfaithful if they will be Faithful afterward and break off their Sins by after Righteousness Diligence and Fidelity The Gospel looketh forward to the time to come Rom. 6.6 That henceforth we should not serve Sin 1 Pet. 4.2 3. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the Flesh to the Lusts of Men but to the Will of God For the time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles when we walked in Lasciviousness Lusts excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings and abominable Idolatries It respecteth not what penitent Believers have been before their Conversion and turning to God Many have been long serving their base Lusts and vile Affections eminent in Wickedness but they should double their Diligence for the future We should be the more diligent and serious to restore to the Lord his Honour 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly than they all He saith there he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one born out of due time ver 8. and that he persecuted the Church of God ver 9. 2. Where a Man is faithful for the main though he be culpably defective in not making such exact Returns according to his Receipts yet he is not rejected for the Gospel pardoneth manifold Failings and Escapes Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared But the negligent Christian that is right for the Main meeteth with many Troubles in this Life and in the Life to come loseth some degrees of Glory 2 Cor. 9.6 He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully God rewardeth in proportion to the several degrees of our Charity and Fidelity 3. Ability is considered and that is a return of much when we do our best Look as there may be a Summer's Day in Winter and a Winter's Day in Summer for the proportion so much may be little and little much according to the Estate or Ability of the Giver Luke 21.4 All these have of their Abundance cast in unto the Offerings of God but she of her Penury hath cast in all the Living that she had Though she had scarce enough for her self yet out of that little she had been liberal Some do twice as much good with a little as others with a great deal for Love will not be backward Mark there Christ sits by the Treasury to observe what Returns several Persons made he approveth the two Mites of the Widow before the larger Offerings of the rich Pharisees So the Apostle saith of the poor Saints of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.2 Their deep Poverty abounded to the Riches of their Liberality because in the depth of their Poverty they expressed a great Bounty to others though they gave less than the Church of Corinth 4. Opportunity in doing good is considered Where Opportunity is wanting God taketh notice of Affection God considereth what is in our Hearts 1 Kings 8.18 VVhereas it was in thy Heart to build an House unto my Name thou didst well that it was in thine Heart He approved David's Purpose though Opportunity served not as yet So the Apostle excuses the Defect of the Philippians by lack of Opportunity Phil. 4.10 Ye were also careful but ye lacked Opportunity The want of Opportunity not through our Default doth justify for a time the forbearance of positive Duties But then we must take heed 1. That it be not want of good Will but of Opportunity 2 Cor. 8.12 For if there be first a willing Mind it is accepted according to what a Man hath and not according to what he hath not If he doth according to his Ability that which he is not able to do shall not be expected of him 2. That we do not lose the Opportunity by giving way to every Discouragement 1 Cor. 16.9 A great Door and effectual is opened to me and there are many Adversaries The Apostle would stay at Ephesus for there was great hope of doing much good by propagating the Gospel in those Parts though there were many which did oppose the Truth 5. Whether we do much or little for the Quantity God chiefly looketh to the Affection Affectus pretium rebus imponit Affection gives a Price to things without this pompous Services are rejected 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and though I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing If it be not out of Love to God's Glory and aiming at others Good it is not Fruit abounding to our account On the other side Whosoever shall give to Drink to one of these little Ones a Cup of cold Water in the Name of a Disciple he shall in no wise lose his Reward Mat. 10.42 God doth respect the Heart of the Giver Many poor Christians have a large Heart but can do little God loveth not copiosum sed hilarem Datorem not a large but a chearful Giver where Ability and Opportunity will afford it A liberal and open Heart will not be defective in Quantity they think nothing too much for God but all seemeth too little 1 Chron. 22.14 Now behold in my Trouble or in my Poverty have I prepared for the House of the Lord an hundred thousand Talents of Gold and a thousand thousand Talents of Silver and of Brass and Iron without weight 6. In imploying our Gifts our Faithfulness is measured and judged by our Endeavour not by the Success Isa. 49.4 I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my Iudgment is with the Lord and my Work is with my God Though there be little Fruit and Effect in Men yet it is not the less regarded and rewarded by God We read of a Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 and of a Crown
are to be pitied who are provoked to Sin yet the Provocation excuses not the Sinner Moses had led them by God's Direction to this Place and there they murmured against him when they wanted Water and to such a height that he was fain to take shelter in the Sanctuary to avoid their Fury But this doth not excuse Moses Psal. 106.32 They angred him at the Waters of Strife so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes Their Peevishness provoked him yet because he commanded not his Passion he was punished with an exclusion out of Canaan Aaron upon another occasion thought to excuse himself Exod. 32.22 Let not the Anger of my Lord wax hot thou knowest this People that they are set on Mischief c. But Aaron's Sin was so great that God was very angry with him and thought to have destroyed him if Moses had not prayed for him as you may see Deut. 9.20 The Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him and I prayed for Aaron also at the same time Alas these Excuses are frivolous 't is long of others and consider the great Injuries I received Every Man is to answer for his own Actions and cannot be hurt by others without his own Consent 4. Both the Persons were in publick Offices the Magistracy and the Ministry and the highest and most eminent of their Rank The one chief Governour of Israel the other High-Priest God will spare none yea the higher they are the greater are their Offences because of the influence of their Example and therefore their Lot will be the harder God will reckon with them when he passes by others If any the Duty of whose place obliges them to be eminent in Faith and Holiness miscarry the Provocation is the greater As David's Sin is aggravated by his Office I anointed thee King over Israel 2 Sam. 12.7 And the Priests are sorely threatned Mal. 2.7 8. The Priests Lips should keep Knowledg and they should seek the Law at his Mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts But ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts Their Negligence and Errors are greater than others they should be Examples to the Flock 1 Pet. 5.3 2 dly The nature of the Crime 1. It was a spiritual one They did not sanctify God in obeying and depending upon his Word before the Eyes of the People We only look to outward gross Sins but spiritual Sins we take no notice of There are Sins in genere moris and in genere fidei Sins against our Moral Duty and Sins against the Rule of Faith There are Peccata majoris infamiae and peccata majoris reatus Sins of greater Infamy and more publickly hateful and Sins of greater Guilt Of the first sort are Murder Adultery Theft c. Natural Light puts a Brand upon these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5.19 The Works of the Flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness These smell rank in Nature's Nostrils every one knoweth them to be great Sins and a Child of God doth hardly fall into these sensual Villanies But there are other Sins of a more spiritual Nature such as want of Love to God and Faith in Christ and hope of eternal Life or such necessary degrees of either as may enable us to honour him in the World Few take notice of these but God judgeth not as Man judgeth these may be more dangerous as being not only against our Duty but our Remedy Few think distrustful Thoughts or distracting Cares or sinful Fears or immoderate Sorrow are such grievous Distempers as they afterwards prove to be till they cherish them so long that they find the Grievousness of the Sin in the Greatness of the Punishment 2. It was a sudden occasional Passion or fit of Impatience But by that we may give place to Satan and grieve the Spirit of God Eph. 4.26 27. Let not the Sun go down on your Wrath neither give place to the Devil and ver 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God Therefore we should watch against the sudden Disorders of our Passions and Affections otherwise we may do that in a moment the Effects of which will not be altogether blotted out by a long Repentance If we give way to excessive Anger we open a Door to Satan and give him an advantage to excite us to more Evil and the Work of Grace may be so darkened in us that we may long miss of Comfort If we once let the Fire be kindled it will presently send up a black Smoak whereby we dishonour our Profession and provoke God And whatever just cause of Provocation we have we are to overcome and bridle the Exorbitances of our Passions for tho we be provoked we must not provoke God 3. The Sin consisted in this that the Exemplariness of their Faith and Obedience was somewhat obscured We should look to this to have a Faith that will not only save our selves but tend to the Glory of God 2 Thess. 1.11 12. We pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this Calling and fufil all the good Pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of Faith with Power that the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him We may not be guilty of other Mens Sins We must have Grace not only for our own private Benefit that we may be saved but for a more publick Good that God may be glorified and others edified by our Example Many make an hard shift to go to Heaven they may have Grace enough for their own Salvation but yet have not Grace enough for the Honour and Exaltation of God in the World Now it is a great Fault especially in the Eminent if they neglect the glorifying of God in the Eyes of others Noah was raised up in his Age to condemn the World Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with Fear prepared an Ark for the saving of his House by the which he condemned the World that is of their Security and contempt of God's Warnings Thus Moses and Aaron should have condemned the Israelites by their own Faith and ready Obedience And if we do not mind this in our selves we are the more culpable before God 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good Works which they shall behold glorify God in the Day of Visitation that is in the Day when he shall please to visit them by his saving Grace Otherwise we are accountable for those Sins we draw others into And so a Man may sin after he is dead as his Example out-liveth him In short God is severe upon his scandalous Children though he may pardon their Faults as to Eternal Punishment yet they smart for it
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
of Faith There were Moralities among the Heathens far more exact than are to be found among many Christians As Dogs excell Man in acuteness of smell and sense it is their Perfection so do many Heathens excell abundance that go for Christians in Temperance Justice Meekness and a command of their Passions they that were never acquainted with Christ and the Spirit were civil and harmless therefore to be a meer Moral Man certainly is not enough Paul saith of himself before he was acquainted with Christ that he was as touching the Righteousness which is of the Law blameless Phil. 3.6 And the Apostle hath taught us to live Godly as well as Soberly and Righteously in this present World Titus 2.12 There is a living in Communion with God as well as being fair to Men and therefore a Man may be civil and harmless but such as are not Vicious rather than Vertuous and Gracious the meer Rational Life is one thing and the Spiritual Life another thing Then take the Comparative part they live better than others so did the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other men are yet Christ saith Mat. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Among Blind men the Purblind is a kind of King and guide of them all A man may not be as bad as others and yet not so good as God requires Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another It is a miserable thing when a Man hath no other Ground of Confidence but the Sins of others he is good because others are worse he hath no rejoycing in himself but only from the sinfulness of others Or suppose that a Man be better than himself was heretofore there is a Moral Change as well as a Supernatural a Reformation as well as a Regeneration As a wanton Young Man that came in to Zenocrates his Lecture half drunk with his head crown'd with Rose-buds and when he heard a Discourse of Temperance he was converted by his Lecture and betook himself to a sober Course So a Man may cast off his Youthful vanities and may be changed from being Riotous to be more sober and yet be far from Grace A Sow washed is a Sow still What is short of Regeneration is short of Salvation Therefore do not think because of a civil orderly Life you do enough this is a sottish Principle and keeps us from the Righteousness of God 2. Here is another of their Errors They are born and bred up in the bosom of the Church and true Religion and because they are Baptized and profess the Faith of Christ therefore they think they ever had Faith and a good Heart towards God and do not see why or from what they should be Converted It was a wonderful thing to Nicodemus to hear that a Man should be Born again as strange as if a Man should enter again into his Mothers womb John 3.4 They are wholly Ignorant of any Change of Soul or State and mind it not So the Jews when Christ told them of being made free from the Bondage of Sin Iohn 8.33 We be Abrahams Seed and were never in Bondage to any man how sayest thou Ye shall be made free Alas Men neglect their inward Spiritual Estate and are not sensible of setting their Souls free from the Fetters of Lusts and Carnal Affections that they may pursue their chiefest Good Nothing so hard and heavy as Spiritual Bondage and yet is little known and little discerned in the World They live in the Bondage of Sin with as much delight as Fishes in their own Element and all this while they are pufft up with Carnal Dreams of their own Priviledges and Worth These are the Men that are said to need no Repentance Luk. 15.7 that is in their own Conceit those that do not see why or from what they should be Converted 3. They own no difference between a State of Nature and a State of Grace they know no such thing as passing from Death to Life and therefore are never troubled about it All the Lord's People are holy Numb 16.3 and it is factious to make such Distinctions they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the clean and unclean Ezek. 22.26 As if all were of one Lump and all should fare alike and therefore think themselves as good as the best 4. That those that are blameless before Men and well spoken of in the World need not doubt of their acceptance with God O No God's Tryal is one thing and Mens another Men see no further then the Outside but God regards the frame of the Heart 1 Sam. 16.7 Man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart Therefore thô a Man cannot be justly taxed before men yet this is nothing before the All-seeing God Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Non dicit cum hostibus tuis sed cum servo tuo David doth not say Lord enter not into Judgment with thine Enemies but with thy Servant 5. Another sottish Maxim is That petty Sins are not to be stood upon They shall do well enough if they never Sin more nor worse as the Omission of good Duties in their Closets or Families lesser Oaths vain Speeches idle Sport whereas Christ saith By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12.37 Light things may weigh heavy in God's Ballance Well then until the Soul be dispossessed of these sottish Conceits it cannot be but they must overween their own Righteousness and think too well of themselves and of their Estate before God Thirdly Self-love is the Reason of it Prov. 16.2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the Spirits A Man is very Blind and partial in his own Cause and will not own any Opinion and Conceit against himself There is an Emphasis in that his own Eyes surely Man would favour himself and be friendly to himself we have a double Instance of this in Scripture Iudah was severe against Tamar when he thought her to be with Child by another Man Gen. 38.24 Bring her forth and let her be burnt But when she shewed him the Tokens the Ring the Staff and Bracelets and that he was the Man then he becomes gentle enough So David when his own Story was represented to him in the case of a third Person that took away the Ewe-Lamb from the poor Man he says in a heat As the Lord liveth the man that hath done this thing shall surely dye 2 Sam. 12.5 but when the Prophet closeth with him and told him Thou art the man all this is spoken to thee he was more calm All this is spoken to
Children 2 Kings 2.24 And then for Grown men God will have Judgments for them It is a sad time and it calls for much Weeping Lamentation and Grief that we live in an Age wherein Moral wickedness abounds Drinking Whoring Swearing Murdering Stealing and such like Abominations Take this Observation God doth not usually punish in this World for Unbelief and want of Love to Christ he leaves it to the World to come but for breaches of the Moral Law he doth Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men When the two Tables are violated by Ungodliness and Unrighteousness then the Wrath of God breaks out by some notable Judgment So Heb. 2.2 Every transgression and Disobedience of Moses received a just recompence of Reward And Hos. 4.1 2. The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land by Swearing and Lying and Killing and Stealing and committing Adultery they break out and Blood toucheth Blood There are Sins against the Moral Law reckoned up which provokes the Lord's Anger As in Temporal Favours God expresseth love to those that are morally Righteous so in Temporal Judgments he hath expressed his Hatred against Immoralities I confess some Gospel Provocations God doth punish in this World as for Instance when men persecute the Profession of the Gospel or when they grow weary of the Gospel after they have long had it then it concerns God as Governour of the World to punish such the Good of the World being very much concerned But chiefly his Judgments are for Sins against the Moral Law of God when these are broken in our Streets there ought to be much Weeping and Lamenting before the Lord in a sense of these things 4. It Condemns those that will pretend to the peculiar Love of Christ when they are not Moral but froward undutiful in their Relations unconscionable in their Dealing and have not learned to be sober to possess their Vessels in Sanctification and Honour what do you talk of being Christians when they are not so good as Heathens Never think of the higher Mysteries of Religion of Believing in Christ and Communion with God when you live so contrary to the Light of Nature as the Apostle speaks of the Natural Branches and the Branches contrary to Nature Rom. 11.24 It is in vain to think of grafting things that are contrary to Nature if the Natural Branches be not grafted in There are certain who are doubly dear both in the Flesh and in the Lord not only in the Lord upon the Account of Religion but in the Flesh upon the Account of Nature as Onesimus was dear to Philemon when Converted Philemon 16. There were many Moral Heathens of a sweet Nature that had great Command over their Passion Many civil Carnal Men will rise up in Judgment against high-flown Christians that pretend to great heights of Faith and Love to Christ but are defective in Morals As it was said of the Men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba that they shall rise up in Iudgment against this Generation and condemn it Mat. 12.41 42. so will these Heathens Men morally Just Exact Punctual in their Dealings rise up in Judgment against many that pretend to believe in Christ Si non praestat fides quid praestitit infidelitas How should this put you to shame when those that are graceless cannot be taken Tardy in those things wherewith you are charged I say if their Moral Principles and Civil Institutions binds them to the Peace and good Behaviour and will not suffer them to do wrong and all the Laws of Christ will not confine you within your Duty how great will your Condemnation be see that you be not exceeded by them I may represent it thus when a School-boy knows more and better of Arts and Sciences than a University-man is not this a great shame to him I remember it is said of Sarah Gen. 20.16 Abimelech said Behold I have given thy Brother a thousand Pieces of Silver behold he is to thee a covering of thine Eyes unto all that are with thee and to all other thus was she reproved Here is no word of Reproof how was she reproved Why here a Pagan King dismisseth her untouched with Gifts to her Husband he provides for her safety and this was a reproof of Sarah's dissembling his Morality was a reproof to her that was acquainted with the true God and a Professor of the true Faith and yet was found tardy You are shamed and Christ is put to shame in you 5. It invites us to go so far for Jesus loved this Young Man est aliquid prodire tenus What was in this young Man Here 's his Care to seek after Eternal Life his reverend Esteem of Christ's Person his outward Conformity to the Laws of God his abstaining from all gross sins from his Youth O these are amiable Properties and Qualities and those that are endowed with them Christ loveth them Obj. But here 's an Objection How is this a Motive Christ was Courteous and Respectful to this Young Man but now he is in Heaven what Love doth Christ shew now upon Earth to those that are Moral 1. Moral Vertues will at least procure a Temporal Reward Christ loves Vertue so that he rewardeth the Shew of it it keeps off many Temporal Judgments and procures many Temporal Benefits as the Ninevites Repentance though not real kept off the Judgment Ionah 3.10 and Ahab's Humiliation kept off the Judgment in his days 1 Kings 21.29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me Because he humbleth himself before me I will not bring the Evil in his days but in his Son's days will I bring the Evil upon his House It encourageth us to seek him since he rewardeth a Temporal Repentance with Temporal Favours O what will the hearty Humiliation of a true Penitent do when a Counterfeit one is thus far accepted with God And so that kind of Zeal that was in Iehu was not without its Reward 2 Kings 10.30 Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy Childâ—en of the fourth generation shall sit on the Throne of Israel though he did it with an imperfect Heart The Egyptian Midwives when they saved the Children of the Israelites though it were by a Lye the Lord multiplyed them and blessed them Exod. 1.20 Therefore God dealt well with the Midwives and Ver. 21. It came to pass that because the Midwives feared God that he made them Houses So Austin observes that the Romans as long as they did excell in Justice and Temperance were rewarded by God with Victory and Prosperity as long as that Empire kept honest in Civil Vertues it had eminent Success and their Common-wealth prevailed and overtopt the Nations but when they degenerated into Beasts
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
day That an Elephant cannot pass through the Eye of a Needle Our Saviour indeed a little changeth the Proverb instead of the Elephant a Beast which few had seen putting a Camel a Creature very ordinary in Syria It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle I will not say that this Similitude was chosen because they were wont to lade their rich Wares upon Camels and so the Camel doth most decipher the rich Man who is the Pack-horse of his Wealth and hath the burden but not the use of it However two things I may gather from it as Origen hath done before us 1. That there is something in turning Christian or entering into the Kingdom of God that answers the Needles Eye and that is the strate-gate and the narrow way which leads to life Matth. 7.14 the strait gate of Repentance and the narrow way of constant Mortification 2. That there is something on the rich Man's part which answers the Camel namely that they grow so great and bulky in regard of their Pride worldly Lusts Joys and Confidences that they cannot reduce themselves to those straits that are necessary for entering into the Kingdom of God as the Camel's bulk and bunch back hinders his entrance into a strait place This without straining I might observe tho' I must tell you I think the main intent of this Proverbial speech is nothing else but this to express an extraordinary difficulty on the rich Man's part not to be removed but by the Almighty Power of Grace Such Similitudes are frequent in Scripture Ier. 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots so Matth. 23.24 Ye blind Guides which strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Well then you see it noteth the Difficulty if not utter Impossibility for Men of that rank without peculiar Grace to avoid the Snares of Satan or to render themselves capable of Eternal Blessedness And since Christ doth again and again press this we have had it three times and now doth amplifie it by a Comparison I shall observe Doct. That the danger of Riches and the Difficulty of rich Men's Salvation is a Point ought much to be prest and seriously thought of There are two propositions included in this Observation 1. That the Salvation of rich Men is very difficult 2. That this must be much prest and seriously thought of I. The Difficulty of their Salvation I have formerly proved this by reason of the sins incident to this State and Condition of Life therefore now I shall quit that and prove there is a great deal of difficulty for rich Men to enter into the Kingdom of God because of the Duties required of them 1. There are Common Duties that concern them and all Christians 2. There is something peculiar and singular expected from the Rich which makes their Entrance into Heaven more difficult First There are Common Duties that concern them and all Christians that are more difficult for them than for others to perform and these are set down Mat. 16.24 If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Christ saith If any Man without Exception small and great rich and poor they must all submit to those Terms The Duties are three and they make way one for another 1. He must deny himself and he must comply with this 2. That he may take up his Cross and bear it kindly and willingly and that fits for the 3 d. Duty Following Christ or cleaving close to him These are the three Duties that are required of all that will come after Christ and would follow him as their great Lord and Master and Captain of their Salvation He must deny himself his own Wit his own Will his own Affections and Interests and be wholly at the Disposal of God pleasing him in all things 'Till we come to this nothing else in Christianity will down Well when this is done then he must take up the Cross first Deny our Selves that bows the back of a Sinner then take up and bear the Cross kindly that is to say rather suffer the Loss of all than wilfully sin against God and hazard his Favour And after this he must follow Christ not forsake him because of the Cross but stick the closer to him walking according to his Doctrine and Example Let us treat of these Duties apart and withall shew how hard it is for the Rich Man to comply with them 1. He must deny himself whatever his Corrupt Heart desires how dear and pleasing soever it be tho' his parting with the Contentments of the Flesh should be like cutting off the right hand and plucking out the right Eye Mat. 5.29 30. Yet this must be done and he must fully resign up himself to please God in all things Now this is very hard and difficult for all Men which we may soon be sensible of if we do but consider how earnestly Man affects a Dominion and Sovereignty over himself to be sui juris at his own dispose as those Rebels against God said Psal. 12.4 Our lips are our own who is Lord over us A Libertine yokeless Spirit possesseth them We conceit that our Hearts are our own to think what we please our Tongues our own to speak what we please our Hands our own to do what we please Man affects to be a God to himself and to be solely under the Government of his own Will and to have all his Comforts in his own hand and at his own dispose denying himself nothing which his Heart affects as Solomon saith he did Eccl. 2.10 Whatsoever mine Eyes desired I kept not from them I withheld not my heart from any joy Natural Pride and Self-love is such that we cannot endure the Yoke of any restraints but we let loose the reins to a full Fruition of whatever our Hearts affect Now as Self-denyal is difficult to all because of this Yokeless and Libertine Spirit much more to the rich and to the great and to those that flow in Ease and Plenty and have no bands and restraints of Providence upon them they are more licentious impatient of contradiction or of having their Wills thwarted and therefore by a lawless Liberty they wholly seek to please themselves and to feed their own Lusts without any Care and Respect to God Ier. 5.5 I will get me to the great men and will speak unto them but they have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds that is they cast off all the Bonds of Loyalty and Obedience to God And why because they think they can subsist alone and apart from him Ier. 2.31 Wherefore do my People say We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Men think themselves to be Lords of their own Fortune and therefore slight God break through the restraint of his Laws cannot deny themselves any thing that their corrupt Hearts affect Those that are in a low Condition kept bare and in
Flesh Rom. 9.3 So much of Personal Happiness as resulted to him from Communion with God he could even lay it down at God's feet for their sake These are rare Instances I confess but some portion of this Spirit all should have Charity seeketh not her own 1 Cor. 13.5 Chrysostom saith I cannot believe it is posâ—ible for that man to be Saved who doth not labour to procure and further the Salvation of his Neighbour for whoever would go to Heaven would not go to Heaven alone but laboureth to draw others along with him Vid. Chrysostom de Sacerdot lib. â— It was out of Zeal for the Salvation of others 2. The former Reason was Good and argued a Gracious Disposition in them but this that I shall now give is of a worser alloy and argues weakness And yet I cannot but think that this had an influence upon them viz. The Hopes of an Earthly Kingdom and the great Emoluments and Preferments they expected thence Christ's own Disciples were deeply Levened with a Conceit of an Earthly Kingdom which the Messiah should set up And thô they had left all and followed him in his poor Estate yet they expected Greatness and Honour and the Confluence of all worldly Blessings when the Kingdom of the Messiah should begin and therefore when they heard Christ again and again expressing himself concerning the difficulty of Rich Men's entring into the Kingdom of God They were astonished out of measure as finding all their Carnal Hopes dashed at once I cannot but think this was one Cause of their Astonishment because in all their Converses with Christ they bewrayed a spice of this Humour Two Instances I shall give as a pregnant proof of it One when they were at the Sacrament a little before the Death of Christ There was a strife amongst them which of them should be accounted the greatest Luk. 22.24 They understood that the Kingdom was consign'd to them in that Ordinance and they were framing of Principalities and striving who should have the highest Preferment and Office in this Kingdom Nay you shall see after Christ had suffered such ignominious things at Ierusalem this Conceit abode with them and therefore after his Resurrection they come to him with this Question Acts 1.6 Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel They thought the Messiah would set up a Temporal Kingdom over all Nations and that they should at least be Princes and Lords under him in the Exercise of his Dominion and Soveraignty Iustin Martyr tells us That the Heathens imagined some Insurrection that the Christians would be guilty of against Magistracy because they spoke so much of the Kingdom of Heaven and well might they be excused of their Jealousie and of this Surmize since Christ's own Disciples were so far mistaken in it whom he had so often warned of the Cross and to whom he had expresly said that his Kingdom was not of this world But we see hence that the best are too Carnal and too apt to mind Earthly things and please themselves with the Dreams of an happy Estate in the World The Appetite of Temporal Dominion and Wealth and Honour and Peace is Natural to us and we think God doth us wrong if he doth not make us flourish here All God's Children find something of this Disposition in themselves even whilst they are under the Cross they do too little Comfort themselves with the Meditation of the Glory of the World to come but are always feeding themselves with Desires and Hopes of an Earthly Happiness and of turning the Tide and Current of Affairs that seem to be against them that the World may more smile upon them and befriend them more and when they are frustrated and disappointed of this Hope their Soul saints and they are astonished out of measure O this is a sign that our Conversation is not in Heaven and that we do not seek the things that are above and are not perfectly subdued to the Will of God who many times sees the Cross to be necessary and profitable for us And therefore to please our selves still with Carnal hopes and Dreams of a Commodious and Comfortable Condition in the World is not for a Christian. 3. The sense of this Difficulty might revive the Thoughts of other Difficulties Other things besides Riches might obstruct them and hinder their passage to Heaven and therefore even those that had left all and followed Christ were astonished out of measure when they understood the way to Heaven to be much harder than they formerly conceited Certainly it is good to think of the General Case when one instance is given Is it hard to the Rich and not to the Poor have they no Temptations When we hear strict Doctrine pressed we should not put it off to others but fear for our selves The poor Disciples were astonished out of measure when Christ spake to the Rich How hard it was for them to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 4. Possibly this Astonishment might arise from Fear of the success of the Gospel wherein they were to be employed as Instruments when they heard that Rich men were not likely to prove Friends but rather Enemies to the Kingdom of God Alas what should they do that had parted with all and were like to be left destitute to the mercy of an unkind World If the great and mighty men of the World who should be their Props and Supports should so hardly be gain'd alas then how should they go abroad and preach with any Efficacy for the saving of Souls Now whether this or that or all caused the wonder I will not now determine all these have an Influence upon it and for these Reasons they were astonished out of measure This is the first Effect their Wonder The Second Effect is a Doubt moved among themselves privately Who then can be Saved This Question may be looked upon either 1. As a Question of anxious Solicitude Alas how is it that any can be Saved Or 2. Of Murmuring and secret Dislike why if it be so who is able to receive this severe Doctrine or to enter upon this strict Course Now which of these shall we take it to be Either for a Question of anxious Solicitude or a Question of Murmuring and secret Repining I answer 1. I suppose this Question expresseth their anxious Solicitude and so for the main it is a good Question When we hear strict Doctrine it is good to be moved with it and fall a questioning Many hear it over and over again yet are slight no Wonder no Astonishment in their Hearts therefore it is good when it is weighed and laid to Heart This Question of the Apostles brings to mind a saying of one when he heard Christ's Sermon in the Mount read to him he cryed out Aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Christiani Either this is not true Gospel or we are not true Christians 2. There might be something of weakness
expect and that we may resolve to hold on with God whatever it cost us VSE This shews us the Reason of that Presumption which is so common We use to say that Despair kills thousands but Presumption its ten thousands What 's the Reason that many Presume O the Difficulties of Salvation are not well weighed True Hope is a middle thing between Presumption and Despair the Object of Hope is Bonum Futurum Arduum sed possible Hope considers its Object as hard for that which is easie to come by is as if it were already enjoyed a Man cannot be said to hope for that which he may have with the turn of his Hand Well then it considers the good to come as difficult to awaken diligence and serious endeavours but then it considers it as possible for otherwise we are really discouraged from looking after it for why should we look after that which is impossible Paul's Mariners gave over working when all hope that they should be saved was taken away Acts 27.20 But now Presumption leaves out the difficulty and reflects only upon the possibility Some may be saved surely God will not damn all his Creatures therefore I shall be saved But suppose the contrary few are saved then what shall become of me On the other side Despair reflects only upon the difficulty and leaves out the possibility O it is hard it is impossible with Men therefore they give it over I shall make no Work of it saith Despair Now the Scripture that would breed and nourish in us a true Hope doth all along lay forth the difficulty to prevent slightness of Spirit and yet represents the possibility to prevent Despair The Difficulties to quicken our Endeavours and the possibility to encourage men to Hope for the Grace of God 2 VSE It presseth us to mortifie our addictedness to present things O Christians if you could overcome the World you pluck out the root of all Temptations and then the Commandments of God would not be grievous Joh. 5.3 4. For this is the Victory whereby we overcome the World even our Faith The World is the great Lett which hinders us from keeping the Command from being so exact punctual and sincere with God Overcome the World and the work will be easie Take heed of pleasing the Flesh or letting the World have too great an Interest in your Hearts let it not seem a great thing in your Eye Until your Hearts are drawn off from present things and you are wholly Baptized into that Spirit that suits with the World to come to make that your main Care and Desire you will never prosper in Heavens way until your Thoughts be loosened from the World and you are carried out more to Heaven and heavenly things Consider why should you be addicted to present things You that are Strangers and not Inhabitants your Happiness lyes not here If our hopes were only in this life we were of all Men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 We are but probationers for Heaven Our Conversation should be in Heaven Phil. 3.20 3 VSE To fortifie us against the Difficulties in the way of Salvation You must be at some Pains and Labour Ioh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat that endureth unto everlasting life Do not slacken your endeavours To quicken you Consider 1. If you love your Salvation you will be at some Cost about it It is a sign you make no reckoning of Heaven and have no great sense of things to come when you grudge your Pains it is a sign you slight it when you are so slow in the pursuit of it Phil. 3.14 I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus O did you value Heaven or had you any esteem of heavenly things you would not think much of a little Pains of striving with God in Prayer of wrestling and denying your Lusts to bring your Hearts to a readiness and chearfulness in the Service of the ever-living God No Trade in the World you can drive on by Idleness Who ever prospered in any course of living if he followed it with a slack hand we cannot think to have those great invisible things of the Lord's Kingdom and his Glory if you will do nothing for it 2. There is difficulty both in the way to Heaven and Hell Lusts are ravenous things and cannot be fed or kept without much Self-denyal You must deny your selves either for God or the Devil You must deny your Comforts and your Estate Men will venture much for their Lusts and for their Sensuality there must be a great deal of Charge to feed this humour to satisfie the Pleasures of the Flesh. It is costly to be an Epicure Worldliness wasts the Spirits racks the Brain For Ambition how many hazards do Men run for their Greatness in the World how many Men sacrifice their Lives upon the Point of Honour for Revenge and for a little vain glory Now if a Man will take Pains to go to Hell shall he not take Pains to go to Heaven When Men will be at such Costs for Lusts as to deny Conscience and slight many of the Comforts of the present World for Lusts sake shall we take no Pains and exercise no Self-denyal for Heaven 3. If we be at a little Labour it will not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 Be steadfast and unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord Whether you consider your Vales or Wages your Labour is not in vain Your Vales Christ's Servants have a great deal of Comfort and Sweetness Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace And for the World to come there is a full and sure Reward therefore do not stick at a little Pains tho' it be difficult yet remember it is for Salvation 4 VSE Let us look to our own selves how is it with us are we in the way to Hell or Heaven Let us look to our own standing do we leave the Boat to the stream do we give up our selves to the sway of our corrupt and Carnal Affections or else do we row against the stream and current of Flesh and Blood It is no easie matter to be saved I do not ask now what will become of those that never minded Salvation that never busied their Thoughts about it but even in effect say Let them take Heaven that list But I ask what will become of those slothfull perfunctory Christians that count a little slight and formal Religion enough which is without any Life Alacrity and Power Will this do the Deed such will fall short of Heaven SERMON XIV ON MARK X. v. 27. And Iesus looking upon them saith With Men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible WE have seen the Disciples Wonder returning Christ that is never wanting to his in
His shutting the mouths of the hungry Lyons when Daniel was in the Den with them Dan. 6.22 His making the Ravens which are by Nature Birds of prey to be Caterers to Elijah 1 Kin. 17.6 3. Distinction There are Impossibilia Naturae and Impossibilia Naturâ things impossible to Nature and things impossible by Nature Things impossible to Nature God can do but not things impossible by Nature he will do things above Nature and besides it but nothing against it Things impossible by Nature are such as either respect the Agent or the Object 1. With respect to the Agent that which is repugnant to his own Essential Perfection Thus God cannot lye Tit. 1.2 Which God that cannot lye hath promised Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye we may have strong consolation God cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself for these things imply weakness and not Power God cannot dye God cannot sleep It is no discredit to a wise man that he cannot play the Fool or to a valiant Man that he cannot be a Coward God can do all things so as that he is still God Those things that are repugnant to the Perfection of his Nature he cannot do 2. With respect to the Object such things as imply a Contradiction as that a thing should be and not be to make a Creature finite and Infinite dependant and Independant at the same time and in the same respect limited to a place and yet in every place to make the Sun shine and not to shine at the same time these are against the Nature of the things themselves These Distinctions have their use in many Controversies that are about Religion VSE For Exhortation To press you to Believe that God is Almighty and to Improve it 1. Believe it Need we press men to that It is a piece of Natural Divinity a Truth held forth to us not only in the Book of Scripture but of Nature That Light which finds out a Deity will discover him to be Almighty and therefore need we any great ado to perswade men to believe it Yes certainly for this is the great thing that we question in Cases of difficulty we doubt more of the Power of God than of his Will Our seeming doubts of his Will are but pretences to cover our shameful and Atheistical Doubts of his Power that which works subtilly and underground in us and weakens our Conâ—idence in God and hinders the rejoycing of our Faith is a doubt of his Power Surely God knows us better than we do our selves and the Scripture shews all along that our Doubts are about God's Power When there was a Promise brought from God that Sarah should conceive with Child she did not believe the Promise Gen. 18.13 14. And the Lord faid unto Abraham wherefore did Sarah laugh saâ—ing Shall I of a surety bear a Child which am old Is any thing too hard for the Lord There was her Doubt and difficulty So Moses the Man of God the Lord had told him Face to Face that he would feed his People and give them Flesh to eat and he doubted of God's Power Numbers 11.21 22 23. The people among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them Flesh that they may eat a whole month shall the flocks and herds be slain for them to suffice them or shall all the fish of the Sea be gathered together for them to suffice thim And the Lord said unto Moses Is the Lords hand waxed short So when the Prophet foretold there should be such Plenty in Samaria where there was great Scarcity saith the Noble-man 2 Kings 7.2 Behold if the Lord should make windows in Heaven might this thing be There was his Doubt So the Virgin Mary when the Angel comes with the Message of the great Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God that he should be Born of her Luk. 1.34 Then said Mary unto the Angel How can this be seeing I know not a Man At this rate still doth Unbelief speak in the Wilderness as the Children of Israel Psal. 78.19 20. Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Behold he smote the Rock that the Waters gushed out and the streams overflowed can he give Bread also can he provide Flesh for his People Certainly the Scripture knows what is the special Language of our Hearts better than we our selves Now Unbelief is still represented as doubting of God's Power Besides Doubts haunt us only in times of difficulty and when Mercies expected are hard to come by If we did doubt of God's Will because of our Unworthiness why do we not doubt at other times when things are easie but these doubts surprize us only when the things we expect from God according to his Promises are difficult and hard to come by And the reason why we are so apt to doubt of God's Power is the imperfection of our Thoughts about God's being We are inured to Principles of Sense and Converse with limited Beings and therefore confine God to a Circle of our own making Psal. 78.41 They turned back and tempted God and limited the Holy one of Israel We confine God to the Course of second Causes with which we wholly Converse and when there is difficulty there our Hearts fail therefore there is need to press you to believe God's Power 2. Improve it to strengthen our Faith and encourage our Obedience 1. To strengthen our Faith either in Prayer or in Waiting In Prayer O when you come to God remember he is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think Eph. 3.20 How hard and difficult soever the thing be that we ask of God he is able to do it When our Lord taught us to Pray what are the Encouragements he gives us see the Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer Mat. 6.13 Thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory As God hath a Kingdom and Authority to dispose of all things for his Glory and our good so he hath a Power to back it it is not an empty Title Pray for help with such cheerfulness and confidence as if it were the easiest thing in the World to be done All those things that are so difficult to be obtained either the Sanctification of our Souls or the Promotion of Christ's Kingdom or any of those things Thine is the Power there is that which holds up our Hands in Prayer and gives us confidence towards God So to strengthen our Faith in Waiting touching the performane of all God's Promises for our selves and others Abraham believed above Hope and against Hope why being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4.21 This is the great Security of the Soul that confirms us in waiting upon God when the Accomplishment of his Promises is unlikely to Reason God is able If you expect of God preservation in
gone and there is none shut up or left When humane help begins to fail and is spent then God's Power is seen The lean Cheeks and the faint Voice and the pale Colour of a hunger-starved Beggar moves more than all the Canting Entreaties of a sturdy one When we are sufficiently humbled in the sense of our own Unworthiness and can entirely cast our selves upon God out of a Confidence of his Power help will not be far off for he really pities those that are indeed miserable and have a sense of it and sets his Power on work for their relief 10. We can never expect to be free from biting Cares and Perplexities about the various Occurrences of this Life until we can entirely cast our selves upon God's Alsufficiency and Power O but when you are once got upon the Rock then you will not be tost with the uncertain Waves Isa. 26.3 4. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thâ—e Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Iehovah is everlasting strength In the ebbings and flowings of the Creature a Man is safe and fixed for he hath that which answers all things A Man that hath no Lands yet if he hath Money the wise Man tells us that answereth all things and he may do well enough So if a Man hath nothing in the Creature yet if he hath the Power of God that answereth all things he can rejoyce in God when Creatures fail Heb. 3.17 18. As having nothing yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 The Almighty God carryeth the Purse we have all things in God and he will supply us as he seeth it to be best with respect to his own Glory and their Eternal Condition And therefore if you would be freed from all these floating Uncertainties and those tempestuous Agitations of Spirit by which you are tost too and fro you will never come to this 'till you encourage your selves in the sense of God's Power and Alsufficiency SERMON I. ON 2 THESS I. v. 3. We are bound to thank God always for you Brethren as it is meet because that your Faith groweth exceedingly and the Charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth THe first part of this Epistle is Gratulatory for the Thessalonians Perseverance and Increase in Grace In which First the Apostle giveth Thanks to God Secondly He telleth of the Fame thereof in the Churches Verse the 4 th That he might the better encourage and exhort them to continue By both he intimateth his Love and spiritual Affection to them In his Thanksgiving to God we may take Notice of 1. The Affectionate Manner 2. The Matter of this Thanksgiving The increase of their Faith and Charity For the Manner It is done Emphatically We are bound to thank God alwayes for you as it is meet There are three emphatical words Alwayes This Work of God among them was much upon his Heart and still gave him new Matter of Praising God in their behalf Then there is the Obligation from Iustice and Equity signified in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are bound And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is meet there the Expression is stronger He doth not only tell them that he did it but that he ought to do it We are bound and it is meet The first Expression respects the Mercy of God so there was a Debt of Duty lying upon him there was Justice in the Case The second respects their Estate It was meet Becoming the Condition into which Grace had brought them and so there was Equity in the Case Some refer this last Clause to the Performance of the Duty that he gave Thanks as was meet that is in that manner which so great a Benefit deserveth not slightly and perfunctorily but with great rejoicing But rather it refers to the Apostle's Judgment of their Estate As it is meet Hearing what I do for me to Judge of you For a parallel Expression doth thus explain it Phil. 1.7 Even as it is meet for me to think thus of you all He conceived himself bound to Judge of them all to be such as had owned the Lord with a sincere Faith and his People with a sincere Love and were likely to continue therein Not his Affection but his Judgment inclined him to think so the Church of the Thessalonians and every Member thereof had given such real and evident Signs of the Grace of God in them that he was bound to give God special Thanks for this Grace The Gospel hath and may be blessed in some places so far that all the Members of particular Churches have given positive Evidences of true Grace in them and that to the most discerning Christians and those who were best able to judge It is yet possible and therefore why should we not endeavour after it It is meet for me to Judge so I Hope you are so therefore I count my self bound to give Thanks to God From this Preface four Points are Observable 1. That 't is a Debt we owe to God to give Thanks for his Benefits 2. That in Thanksgiving to God we should specially own his Spiritual Benefits 3. That not only the Spiritual Benefits vouchsafed to our selves but to others also must be acknowledged with Thankfulness 4. That in Thanksgiving for Spiritual Benefits whether to our selves or others the Increase of Grace must be acknowledged as well as the Beginnings of it In the former Epistle he gave Thanks to God for their Faith and Love here for the increase and growth of both Your Faith groweth exceedingly and your Love aboundeth 1 Doct. That it is a Debt we owe to God to give Thanks for his Benefits Paul saith here not only we do but we are bound 1. Justice requireth it for the Benefits were given upon this Condition that we should Praise God for them Psal. 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me This is God's Pact and Agreement with us That we shall have the Benefit and he will have the Glory As the King of Sodom said to Abraham Give me the Persons and take the Goods to thy self agen Gen. 14.21 So in effect God saith to us You shall have the Comfort but let me have the Honour We our selves Consent to this Covenant we seldom make Prayers in our distress but we promise Thankfulness Hosea 14.2 Take away all Iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our Lips We engage to offer Praise when our Requests are heard Now when God heareth and granteth our requests there is an Obligation upon us to glorifie God for the Mercies received But now though God be sought to in our Necessities there is no more mention of him when our Turns are served We are forward in Supplications but backward in Gratulations All the Lepers could beg Health yet but one returned to give God the Glory Luk. 17.18 Surely we
continual Practice How few can see all things in God when they have nothing in the Creature 2 Cor. 6.10 Many talk of living by Faith but 't is when they have enough in the World to live upon they eat their own Bread wear their own Apparel only call it by God's Name The Life of Sense is more evident than the Life of Faith Well now This being the Nature of Faith thereby we may know the measure of it for the Excellency and Degree of every thing is known by the Essential Properties 2. The second Property of Faith is Self-denyal or a venturing of all in Christ's Hands or a foregoing all for Christ. That this is included in the Nature of Faith yea essential to it I must prove to you 1. By the Description of Faith in Scripture Heb. 10.39 We are not of the number of them that draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Purchasing of the Soul Not Purchasing in the way of Merit but Means A true and sound Faith will cause us to save the Soul though with the loss of other things The Flesh is for sparing or saving the Body but Faith is for saving the Soul whatever it costs us The Flesh saith Favour thy self Faith saith Hazard all for Christ. 2. By Reason I will prove that it not only necessarily results from the Nature of Faith but is included in it for Faith builds upon the Promise of Salvation by Christ Now this Promise is not only true but good 1 Tim. 1.1 'T is certainly true and requireth the firmest Belief 't is eminently good and worthy to be regarded above all other things the Happiness is most desirable and the Assurance of enjoying it as strong as can be given us Now we do not close with this Promise rightly unless we Assent and Embrace take the thing Promised for our whole Happiness and the Promise it self for our whole Security The thing promised we do not take for our whole Happiness unless we forsake all other Hopes and Happiness and can let go all Pleasures Profits Worldly Reputation and Honour yea Life it self when 't is inconsistent with our Fidelity to Christ or the way we should take to enjoy the Blessedness that he offereth Not only wilfull Sin and all Carnal Pleasures but any thing though never so near and dear to us No we will not take up with any other Portion and Felicity for all the Temptations in the World And also there must be a Confidence of God's Promise in Jesus Christ that we may Venture our all upon this Security and if God call us to it actually forsake all so that without Self-denyal we can neither trust God nor be true to him 3. This suiteth with the Nature of the Conditional and Baptismal Covenant There is an Absolute Covenant whereby God promiseth to give Faith to the Elect and a Conditional Covenant sealed in Baptism wherein 't is said that He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 Now by this Covenant none can be Believers or Disciples of Christ but those that forsake all for Christ's sake Matth. 13.45 46. The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it Christ knew the Nature of Faith better than we do many cheapen the Pearl of Price but do not go through with the Bargain because they do not sell all to Purchase it all that is inconsistent with this Choice and Trust So Luk. 14.26 If any Man come unto me and hate not Father and Mother and Brother and Sister yea and his own Life he cannot be my Disciple Shall we think to go to Heaven at a cheaper rate after such express Declarations of the Will of Christ All Christians are not called to this but all must be ready for this Eph. 6.15 Your Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace Acts 21.13 I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready alwayes to give an Answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you with meekness and fear This every Disciple must be Prepared to undergo Martyrdom if God calls him to it 4. I prove it by the Instances of Believers ordinary and extraordinary Faith was ever a venturing all and a forsaking all upon Gods Veracity and Truth of his Promises 1. Extraordinary Noah had but God's bare Word for the Flood Heb. 11.7 yet notwithstanding the Mocks of the incredulous World with vast Expence and Care he prepareth an Ark which was the prescribed Means to save himself and Houshold Abraham leaveth his Father's House though he knew not whether God would call him Heb. 11.8 Here was venturing all on God's Fidelity and afterwards we read that he was ready to offer Isaac leaving the way to God how to fulfill his Promises Vers. 17 18. So the Israelites passing through the Red Sea Ver. 29. there they put their All into God's Hands when upon his Word themselves and little ones and all their substance ventured into the great deep So Christ's Tryal of the young Man Mark 10.21 Go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven c. But the Promise of Eternal Life and great Treasure in Heaven could not part the young Man and his great Estate 2. Ordinary Moses Heb. 11.24 25 26. By Faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to endure the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt for he he had respect unto the recompense of reward So those that the Apostle speaketh of Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance They had such a Faith in Christ that though they had lost their Goods yet because they lost not Christ and the Hopes of Heaven by him they thought themselves happy enough So Paul's quitting all Honour and Respect with his Countrey-men Phil. 3.8 I count all things but dung and dross for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. 'T is endless to instance in all but this is enough to shew you that the true Believers are still known by their Self-denyal But you will say if this be necessary to the very Truth and Being of Faith as certainly it is how shall we know our growth for we can but forsake all I Answer By your readiness and willingness to part with all for Christ. The weakest Believer can part with no more but all but the stronger this Faith is he doth it with the more readiness of mind
moved the Israelites to make the Golden Calf but Impatience in not waiting for Moses 'till he came down from the Mount where he was with God What made Saul to offer Sacrifice but want of Patience 'till Samuel came 1 Sam. 13.8 9 10. He tarryed seven days according to the set time that Samuel had appointed But Samuel came not to Gilgal and the People were scattered from him and Saul said Bring hither a Burnt-offering to me and Peace-offerings and he offered the Burnt-offering and it came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the Burnt-offering behold Samuel came c. What made the bad Servant to smite his Fellow Servant and to eat and drink with the drunken Mat. 24.40 but this My Lord delayeth his coming Hasty Men are loth to be kept long in doubtful suspence The Voluptuous cannot wait their time when they shall have Pleasures at God's right hand for evermore therefore take up with present Delights like those that cannot tarry 'till the Grapes be ripe but eat them sowre and green Solid everlasting Pleasures they cannot wait for therefore choose the Pleasures of sin that are for a season A Covetous Man will wax Rich in a day cannot tarry the leisure of God's Providence Prov. 20.21 An Inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed The Ambitious Man will not stay 'till God gives Crowns and Honours in his Kingdom All Revolts and Apostacies from God proceed hence they cannot wait for God's Help and tarry the fulfilling of his Promises but finding themselves pressed and destitute the Flesh which is tender and delicate groweth impatient 'T is tedious to suffer for a while but they do not consider 't is more tedious to suffer for evermore Thence come Murmurings and Unlawful Attempts stepping out of God's way An impetuous River is always troubled and thick so is a Precipitated Impatient Spirit out of Order and ready for a Snare 2. Quieting the Heart against Doubts Fears and Cares By a grown Faith Thoughts are established Prov. 16.3 Commit thy VVorks unto the Lord and thy Thoughts shall be established Fire well kindled casteth the least smoke We have firm ground to stand upon therefore we must not reel too and fro in a doubtful agitation of Mind Iames 1.6 7 8. Let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed for let not that Man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord A double minded Man is unstable in all his wayes Faith fixeth the Heart against Fears Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Isa. 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Phil. 4.7 And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your Hearts and Minds through Christ Iesus Rom. 4.20 Abraham staggered not at the Promise of God thro' unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God And Matth. 6.30 Wherefore if God so cloath the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the Oven shall he not much more cloath you O ye of little Faith So Matth. 8.26 He saith unto them why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith The weak are mated with every difficulty Matth. 14.31 O thou of little Faith wherefore didst thou doubt Psal. 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his Countenance Well then here is a sure Note of a grown Faith the more we can quiet our selves in the Promises of God and wait his leisure for their Accomplishment A SERMON ON MATTH VIII v. 5 6 7 8 9 10. And when Iesus was entred into Capernaum there came unto him a Centurion beseeching him And saying Lord my servant lyeth at home sick of the Palsie grievously afflicted And Iesus saith unto him I will come and heal him The Centurion answered and said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed For I am a Man under Authority having souldiers under me and I say to this Man goe and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it When Iesus heard it he marvelled and said to them that followed Verily I say unto you I have not found so great Faith no not in Israel I Come now to the Instances of a grown Faith and begin with the Faith of the Centurion and that deservedly for 1. Christ owneth it as great Faith Ver. 10. I have not found so great Faith no not in Israel that is a Faith so ripe and mature and that in a Military Man and an Heathen 2. Because he marvelled at it In ordinary Cases Wonder is a fruit of Ignorance When we are ignorant of the thing or a thing exceedeth our Capacity or Apprehension we Wonder at it But this cannot be imagined in Christ for he knoweth what is in Man and could not be surprized being the Author of this Faith Therefore some Interpret it of some External gesture of Wondering which he used to Commend the Centurion's Faith Why not the Passion of Wonder its self for we Wonder at things strange and unusual tho' we be not ignorant of them and Christ would discover all our sinless Infirmities therefore this sheweth it was a remarkable thing We read that twice Christ Wondered once here and another time Mark 6.6 And he marvelled because of their Vnbelief 3. Because he was the first Fruits of the Gentiles Ver. 11 12. And I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven But the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth This was the first Occasion which Christ took to speak of the Rejection of the Iews and the Calling of the Gentiles This Man was a Roman and an Heathen but it seemeth had gotten some Knowledge of the true God and the true Religion and tho' he were not a Proselyte yet the Iews gave him this Testimony Luke 7.5 He loveth our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue And indeed we read nothing but well of him the very Errand that brought him to Christ was Care of his Servant and looking out for Cure for him Many have no more Care of their Servants than they have of their Horses and Oxen but this Man was of another Temper good to the Iews good in all his Relations Now that we may profit by this Example let us consider these three things 1. What was his
notable Temptation to a poor Woman who had heard so much of Christ's Power and Compassion towards all those that came to him for Relief He heard well enough what she asked but not a Word of Answer gets she from him I will shew you that though Christ love our Persons and dislikes not our Petitions but meaneth to grant them yet for a time he will seem to take no notice of them 1. That this is a sore Temptotion 2. That it should not yet weaken our Faith 1. That it is a sore Temptation appeareth by the Complaints of the Saints and Servants of God Lam. 3.8 When I cry and shout he shutteth out my Prayer As if God had locked up himself that their Prayers should not come at him or find access to him So Verse 44. Thou coverest thy self with a Cloud that our Prayer should not pass thorough as if God had wrapped up himself in a thick Cloud of Displeasure against our Sins that our Prayers could find no entrance So the Spouse Cant. 5.6 I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no Answer That God should refuse and reject our Prayers is a grievous Tryal to the Faithful who value Communion with God Nay this Delay may be so long till the Caâ—se seem hopeless Psal. 69.3 I am weary of my crying my Throat is dried mine Eyes fail while I wait for my God So Psal. 22.2 O my God! I cry in the Day-time but thou hearest not and in the night season and am not silent And all this while God seemeth to forsake them nor to regard the Suit as if he had no respect to their hard Condition To lose our labour in Prayer is one of the saddest Disappointments that we can meet with when our loud and importunate Cries bring no Relief to us But 2 It should not weaken our Faith For God's Delay is for his own Glory and our Good 1. For his own Glory and the Beauty of his Providence We read Iohn 11.5 6. Iesus loved Martha and her Sister and Lazarus and when he heard he was sick even to Death he abode-still two days in the same place where he was There is little Love in that you will think to a sick Friend who was ready to die Martha expostulateth with him about it Verse 21. Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died But Christ giveth the true Account of it Verse 40. Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the Glory of God It was more for the Glory of God to raise a dead Man than to cure a sick Man So when the Disciples were in a Storm Christ made a shew of passing by Mark 6 4â— He cometh unto them walking on the Sea side and would have passed by them So Christ delayeth the Woman as to Appearance and denieth her that the Glory and Greatness of her Faith might be more seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysâ—â—â—â— that he might crown the Woman as a Notable Believer 2. For our Good and to exercise our Faith Patience Love and Desire 1. Our Faith to wait and depend upon God for things we see not For Faith is a dependance upon God for something that lieth out of sight This Woman was delayed but had at last that which she desired but first her great Faith was discovered 2. Our Patience in tarrying God's leisure His dearest Children are not admitted at the first knock David saith in three Verses I cryed I cryed I cryed Psal. 119.145 146 147. Our Lord Jesus prayed thrice before he got any Comfort in his Agony Matth. 26.44 And he left them and went away again and prayed the third time and then an Angel appeared to him from Heaven and strengthened him Luke 22.43 Elijah prayed thrice for the dead Child e're he got him to Life 1 Kings 17.21 And he stretched himself upon the Child three times and cryed unto the Lord and said O Lord my God! I pray thee let this Child's Soul return unto him again Paul prayed thrice 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me The Lord useth the like Dispensation to us that are their Followers Heb. 6.12 Be followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises We are told Lam. 3.26 It is good that a man should both hâ—pe and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. It is Bonum honestum utile It is our Duty and it is our Profit Our times are always present with us Hungry Stomachs must have the Meat e're it be sodden or roasted We would have our Mercies too soon like the Foolish Husbandman who would reap his Corn and get it into the Barn before it be ripened 3. Our Love tho' we be not feasted with felt Comforts and present Delights or bribed with a sensible Dispensation or indulged with a ready condescention to our Requests God will try the Deportment of his Children whether we love him or his Benefits most Whether sensible Consolations especially external be more to us than a God in Covenant Isa. 26.8 Yea in the 〈◊〉 of thy Iudgments O Lord have we waited for thee A Child of God will love him for his Judgments and fear him for his Mercies God will try whether we can rejoyce in himself in our greatest Wants and Destitutions Heb. 3.17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall Fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the Fields shall yield no meat the Flocks shall be cut off from the Fold and there be no Heard in the Stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation A resolute dependance on an unseen God is the Power and Glory of Faith and a resolute Adherence to a withdrawn God is the Vigour of Love Lime the more Water you sprinkle upon it the more it burneth Many waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it Cant. 8.7 4. To enlarge our Desires and put greater Fervency into them A Sack that is stretched out holds the more Delay increaseth Importunity Matth. 7.7 Ask seek knock the Door is kept bolted that we may knock the harder The choicest Mercies come to us after great Wrestlings She prayeth but Christ keepeth Silence Silence is an Answer and speaketh thus much Pray on and continue your praying still though Christ loved the Supplicant and meaneth to grant the Petition yet at first he answereth her not a Word Secondly Her next Temptation was from the small Assistance she had from the Disciples Verse 23. Send her away for she crieth after us Interpreters dispute whether this was spoken out of Commiseration or Impatience I incline to the former and the Sence is Send her away by granting her Request do that for her that she desireth that she may be quiet But though it were Commiseration yet they spake too coldly as to her Distress and seem to have
a greater respect to their own Trouble than the Woman's Affliction that they might not be troubled with her Cries but they desire for quietness sake that she might be dispatched one way or another Many a poor benighted Soul pray themselves and set others on praying till they are weary and God heareth not which is a great Discouragement to a poor afflicted Creature But yet it is but a Temptation for though Man's Drop be soon spent yet God's Ocean of Compassions faileth not When they are troubled yet importunity is welcom to Christ. Thirdly Her next Temptation is sorer Christ seemeth to exclude her out of his Commission Verse 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel This was a Truth for Christ in the days of his Flesh was a Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 His personal and particular Ministry was principally designed for the People of the Iews they were to have the Morning-Market of the Gospel and the first Handsel of the Redeemers Grace Which by the way was a Rebuke to the Iews that they did no more prize his Ministry and Dispensation when this Stranger was so importunate to receive the Benefit of it But however it was a great Tryal to the Woman as if she were not one of those lost Sheep whom Christ came to seek When Salvation it self refuseth to save us when Christ shall in effect say I am a Saviour but not unto thee thou art not one of my Redeemed ones This is an amazing thing Poor Believers when they are in this Conflict seem to be driven from Christ not only by their own misgiving Hearts but the Denunciation of his Word They question their Election and the Intention of God's Grace whether ever it were meant to them or no. But this is but a Temptation we must not betray our Duties by our Scruples though it be Midnight now we cannot say It will never be Day Our Rule which we must stick to in such cases is God may do what he pleaseth I must do what he commandeth Our Necessities are great and so are Christ's Compassions therefore a believing Soul must not be put off by groundless Fears nor must the Threatnings of the Word drive us from but to the Promise for God opposeth for a while that he may at length give Faith the Victory Fourthly When the Woman reneweth her Suit Verse 25. Then she came and worshipped him saying Lord help me Yet Verse 26. He answered and said It is not meet to take the Children's Bread and cast it to Dogs By Implication Christ reckoneth her among the Dogs A grievous Word to drop from the Mouth of a gracious Saviour But when Christ tryeth us he will try us to the quick and humble us to the very Dust. Our Lord speaketh this according to the common rate of Language among the Iews who accounted all the Heathens as Dogs and without the Covenant Such as were within the Covenant and Pale of Grace were holy and consecrated to God others who were without the Covenant because of their false Religion were accounted prophane and unclean Dogs and Sheep are opposed one to another The People of Israel are decyphered by the Appellation of lost Sheep others are called Dogs Rev. 22.15 Without are Dogs A Term applyed to this day by all Oriental People to those whom they count to be Misbelievers Surely one would think now here were an end of her Faith and Address to Christ no the humble Soul maketh an Advantage of this Verse 27. Truth Lord yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs which fall from their Master's Table Faith is quick to observe all Advantages whereby it may strengthen it self A Dog is allowed to creep under the Children's Table and to feed on what falls down there Thus she maketh a seeming Rebuke to be a kind of Claim and Title And then Christ can hold out no longer for he will at length yield and will not always hide himself from the seeking Soul They that wrestle will at length overcome Mark 7.29 And he said unto her For this saying Go thy way the Devil is gone out of thy Doughter Secondly Her Victory over these Temptations 1. By her Importunity 2. Her Humility 3. Her resolved Confidence All which are the Fruits of great Faith 1. Her Importunity She will not be beaten off by Christ's Silence but she maketh some Advantage of it For it is not said he heard her not a word but answered her not a word Christ may hear his People when he doth not presently answer them She seemed to be excluded out of Christ's Commission but neither this nor reproach of her own Condition doth hinder the Exercise of her Faith but still she reneweth her Suit Lord have mercy on me Son of David help me The Woman will not be put off praying when Christ seemeth to forbid or not to regard her praying Her Daughter was sore vexed and she must have help from Christ or none The more God seemeth to refuse us the more instant should we be in Prayer and pursue our Suit constantly Let God answer how he pleaseth if he be silent we must resolve to follow the Suit till we get Audience if he seem to deny we must get ground by Denyals if he rebuke us we must still make Supplications Be it a Suspension a seeming Denial a contrary Providence Faith will not give over To sink under the Burden argueth Weakness but it is Strength of Faith to wrestle through it We read of Pherecides a Grecian in a Naval Fight between his Nation and Xerxes that he held a Boat in which the Persians were fighting first with his Right Arm when that was cut off with his Left when that was cut off with his Teeth and would not let go his Hold-fast but with his Life This doth somewhat represent an importunate Soul This Woman when Christ doth seem to turn away from her and refuse her Prayer yet she prayeth Lord help me When he reasoneth from his Charge yet still she will come and worship him when he putteth her off with the common Reproach which the Iews did cast upon all that were not of their Religion his Doctrines and Miracles were Children's Bread she turneth a Discouragement into an Argument and maketh her Claim The Dogs eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Master's Table Thus all true Believers are in good Earnest come what will of it they are resolved to pray still Thus blind Bartimeus the more they rebuked him the more he cried Mark 10.48 Faith is like Fire the more it is pent up the more it striveth to break out and worketh effectually in us We read of Iacob's wrestling with God Gen. 22.24 There wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day And it 's explained Hosea 12.3 4. He had power with God yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made Supplications to him Wrestling Souls that are good at
better colour The Mystery of Redemption to the Carnal is but a cold Story and the Rose of Sharon but as withered Flowers and the Promises of the Gospel are as dry Chips 3. The Causes of it they are the Holy Ghost and Faith as his Instrument This Joy is stirred up by the Holy Ghost therefore often called Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost And the Comforts of the Spirit Acts 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost But then Faith is the Means Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho' now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory So that it is a Fruit of Faith as well as a Work of the Holy Ghost Faith joyned with Love will bring much Love into the Heart of a Believer and will cause it to be deeply affected with Christ's Grace 3. The Nature of this Joy and Gladness Here we must distinguish 1. There is a superstitious Joy which ariseth from knowing Christ after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know we no Man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more which is seen in this it prizeth Christ's Name but neglects his Office pretends a fond Esteem of his Memory but despises his Benefits As the Iews would fly in the Face of any that would not count them Abraham's Children yet would not do the Works of Abraham so is the Nominal Christian's Joy This Joy venteth it self in a Carnal way by outward Theatrical Pomp and Ceremonial Observances but not in real Affection to Christ yea they are rather Enemies to his spiritual Kingdom and Cause and Servants and express their rejoycing rather as Votaries of Bacchus than as Disciples of Christ in a gross and Carnal way This Joy is a rejoycing in Christ for a day but we are to make it our daily Work an holy Festival that lasteth our whole Lives Phil. 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoice This is a different thing from Abraham's rejoicing He had a Prospect of Christ's day and was exceeding glad but this is a Carnal owning of the God of the Countrey and no more 2. There is an holy Rejoycing which may be considered 1. As to the lively Acts. 2. Or solid Effects 1. As to the lively Acts in solemn Duties as the Word and Meditation and Lord's Supper it doth your Hearts good to think of Christ Cant. 1.4.10 We will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy Love more than Wine Psal. 22.26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied they shall praise the Lord that seek him Your Heart shall live for ever Heb. 11.13 All these dyed in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them That is when they thought of it the time of the Gospel was a sweet time to them and so it is to all other Believers A Man cannot think of his Pelf or any petty Interest in the World without Comfort and can a Believer think of the Promises and not be affected with them In solemn Meditation and other Duties is Faith and Joy acted 2. As to its solid Effects 1. It is such a Joy as doth enlarge our Hearts in Duty and strengthen us in the way of God Nehem. 8.10 For the joy of the Lord is your strength Psal. 119.14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all riches The hardest Services are pleasant to one that delighteth in Christ. This Joy is the very life of Obedience a Christian cannot be without it 2. It sweeteneth our Calamities and Crosses 1. Common Afflictions It can never be so sad with us in the World but we have cause of rejoycing in Christ Hab. 3.17 18. Tho' the Fig-tree do not blossom c. yet I will rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of my Salvation For we have better things in him than any natural Comfort which can be taken from us This should not diminish the solid satisfaction of our Souls 2. The Afflictions of the Gospel Luk. 6.23 Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy for your Reward is great in Heaven for in like manner did their Fathers unto the Prophets Heb. 10.34 And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that in Heaven ye have a better and enduring substance They are fit Occasions to shew how much we Value Christ above all our own Interests how near and dear soever they be to us 3. It draweth us off from the vain Delights of the Flesh. Every Man must have some Oblectation for Love and Delight cannot lye idle in the Soul either it is taken up with the Joyes of Sense or with the Joyes of Faith And it is good for every Man to Observe what it is that puts gladness into his Heart where his solid Contentment and Pleasure is A bruitish Heart fetcheth all its Solaces from the World but a gracious Heart from Christ the one love Pleasures more than God but to the other Christ and his Benefits are their matter of Joy and Comfort this is that they are cheared with as they get more of Christ into their Hearts Psal. 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased As David calleth God his exceeding Ioy Psal. 43.4 They need not the Carnal Mirth without which others cannot live Psal. 4.6 Who will shew us any good VSE Well then you see Faith is not only a Sight but a Taste or a feeding on the Promises with delight Psal. 119.111 Thy Testimonies I have taken for an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart And such a Delight as draweth off our Hearts from other things as the Man that had found the true Treasure Matth. 13.44 For joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field I Observe a double Joy in Abraham 1. In Desiring He rejoiced to see my day The Spiritual desires of God's People after Christ are full of Joy There is a Joy that accompanieth seeking before we attain what we seek after Psal. 105.3 Let the hearts of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Before Complacential Joy there is a Seeking Joy Better be a Seeker than a Wanderer and Delight in Christ keepeth up this seeking 2. There is a Joy after Faith hath given some satisfaction First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he rejoiced and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was glad A Man sick of a Mortal Disease when he heareth of
In some Sence it is our Duty to consider them that we may not go about the most serious Work hand over head Christ bids us sit down and count the Charges Luke 14.28 For which of you intending to build a lower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it The Saints are wont to put hard cases to themselves Psal. 3.6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about And Psal. 23.4 Yea though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil 2. Therefore the Ends must be observed We must consider them to prevent Slightness and to weaken our Security but not to weaken our Confidence in the Promise When they are urged against the Promise they impeach the Truth of God but when we consider them to prevent Slightness it is good The Difficulties of Salvation must be sufficiently understood oâ—herwise we think to do the Work of an Age in a Breath Luke 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait Gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Josh. 24.19 And Ioshuâ— said unto the People Ye â—annot serve the Lord for he be is a holy God It is not so easie a Matter as you take it to be 3. Difficulties must be thought on to quicken Faith not to weaken it If they be pleaded against the Promise they weaken Faith if they be pleaded to drive us to the Promise they quicken Faith What greater Arguments are there to press us to dependance than to consider our Impotency the loosness of our Hearts and the strength of Temptations 2 Chron. 20.12 For we have no might against this great Company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are unto thee But to plead against the Promise is to Consult with the Wisdom of the Flesh and it hath ever fared ill with the Saints Luk. 1.18 And Zacharias said unto the Angel Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my Wife well stricken in years Therefore for a while he was struck dumb So Moses Numb 20.12 Hear now ye Rebels must â—e fetch you water out of the Rock God had bidden him smite the Rock and assured him the Water should flow but he pleadeth the natural Impossibility therefore he was shut out of Canaan So that Noble Man 2 Kings 7.2 Then a Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the Man of God and said Behold if the Lord would make Windows in Heaven might this thing be And he said Behold thou shalt see it with thine Eyes but shalt not eat thereof But he that will not believe the Truth of a Promise shall not partake of the Benefit of it Well then as Abraham regarded not the great Difficulties that might be pleaded to his Faith from his own and his Wife's Age so must not we Secondly I shall shew you the Inconveniences of this sinful considering the Difficulties in all the parts of Faith Assent Consent and Affiance 1. As to Assent There are many Difficulties which may be objected against the Truths propounded in the Word but it is enough to a Believer that God hath revealed them in his Word and propounded them to his Faith Reason is apt to reply as Nicodemus when Christ spake to him of Regeneration Iohn 3.9 How can these things be Carnal Reason keepeth Men from simple believing or resting on what is revealed till they see a Reason for every thing Now we see a Reason why we do believe and that is the Word of God or Divine Revelation though we do not see a Reason of every thing which we do believe for many things are Mysteries In such cases we must receive Truths as we do Pills not chew but swallow them take them upon the Credit of the Revealer To chew produceth a loathsom Ejection to swallow a wholsom Remedy Believing in the common Notion of it is a receiving of Truths upon Trust from another so it differeth from knowing And Divine Faith is a receiving such things as God hath revealed because he hath revealed them Therefore our first Enquiry is Whether these things be so or no Not how they can be so There we begin at the wrong end In many Cases constat de re the thing is evident in Scripture whereby it is revealed but how it can be is beyound our reach the Modus is not certain Now when we should believe we dispute and so cavil rather than enquire If it be not plainly revealed by God you may reject it without Sin and Danger but if it be you must not contradict all that you cannot comprehend otherwise dangerous Mischiefs will ensue The True God will be no God to you because you cannot comprehend the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence Christ will be no Christ because you cannot comprehend how a Virgin should conceive or how a God should become Man It is sufficient that it is revealed in Scripture which carrieth it's own Evidence in it's Forehead shining by it's own Light hath the Seal and Stamp of God upon it and moreover is confirmed by Miracles and handed and brought down to us by the Universal Tradition of the Church through the Successions of all Ages in whose Experience God hath blessed it to the converting comforting and sanctifying of many Souls In short to see a thing in it's Evidence is not to believe but to receive it on the Credit of the Testifyer If you will not credit it unless the thing be evident in it's self without his Word you do not believe Christ but your own Reason and instead of being thankful for the Revelation you quarrel with his Truth because it is in some things above your Capacity You should be satisfied with the bare Word of God and captivate your Understandings to the Obedience of it 2. As to Consent and Acceptance There are many things may be objected against entring into Covenant with Christ as our Unworthiness the fickleness and loosness of our Hearts how unable we are to keep Covenant with him but these things must not be alledged against our Duty and the free offers of the Lord's Grace 1. Our great Unworthiness This is one Reason why the instance of Abraham is produced by Paul as a pattern of Faith to the Gentiles As Abraham considered not his Natural Incapacity to have Children so they not their unworthiness to be Adopted into God's Covenant The Gentiles were not a People unto God but were over-looked in the Dispensations of his Grace but Hosea 2.23 I will have Mercy upon her that had not obtained Mercy and I will say unto them that were not my People Thou art my People and they shall say Thou art my God Our condition is not so desperate that the Mercy of the New Covenant cannot reach us and recover us So for particular Christians they exclude and repell
Thus some of the Disciples doubted of the Truth of Christ's Resurrection Matth. 28.27 And when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted Luk 24.21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel This argueth a weak Faith not vigorous and active but Faith is strong as it overcomes our speculative Doubts and so doth settle and establish our Souls in the Truth Acts 2.36 Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Christ. 2. There is a Doubting or Staggering as Faith is a Consent when the Consent is weak and wavering Faith is weak Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised But such a confirmed Resolution as leaveth no room for wavering and looking back argueth a strong Faith Acts 21.13 Then Paul answered What mean ye to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but to dye at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus 3. As Faith implyeth a Dependance and Trust Iames 1.6 7 8. But let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed for let not that Man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord A double minded Man is unstable in all his wayes Divided between God and other Confidences 1 Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Matth. 14.31 O thou of little Faith why didst thou doubt Well then it is a strong Faith that causeth such a Fortitude that we pass through all Difficulties and Tryals without distrust or anxiety of mind It is opposite to Fainting Psal. 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living To Fears and Troubles Matth. 8.26 Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith Strength of Assent doth exclude speculative Doubts and Errors Strength of Resolution doth fortifâ—y us against worldly Temptations which beget uncertainty Temptations of Profit Pleasure or Vain-glory if the Heart be secretly biassed with these It is opposite to Faith Ioh. 5 44. How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another And strength of Confidence doth exclude those Doubts which arise from Fears of Danger and Terrors of Sense in such Cases we dispute away the Comfort of the Promises IV. He was fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to perform A strong steddy and full Perswasion of the Power of God argueth a great Faith 1. There is no doubt of his Will when we have his Promise but the Ability of the Promiser is that which is usually questioned Unbelief stumbleth at his can Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Psal. 78.19 and How can these things be Luk. 1.34 So 2 Kings 7.2 If the Lord should make Windows in Heaven might this thing be Nay and the Children of God themselves Sarah was rebuked when she laughed Gen. 18.12 13 14. Therefore Sarah laughed within her self saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also And the Lord said unto Abraham Wherefore did Sarah laugh saying Shall I of a surety bear a Child which am old is any thing too hard for the Lord Her Laughter was not the Laughter of Exultation but Dubitation Moses Numb 11.13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this People for they weep unto me saying Give us flesh that we may eat The Case is clear we Doubt not but in Case of Danger then we are full of Fears and Suspicions if of his Will it is because we are so vile and unworthy but we are vile and unworthy out of danger as well as in danger therefore it is of his Power 2. God's Power and Alsufficiency is to the Saints the great support of Faith in their greatest Extremities They are relieved by fixing their Eye on God's Almightiness as Abraham here So Heb. 11.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead So for Perseverance Iude 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling And for the Resurrection Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself His Power reacheth to the Grave and beyond the Grave So for the Calling the Iews Rom. 11.23 And they also if they abide not still in Vnbelief shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them in again In short to question his Power is to put him out of the Throne to deny him to be God as if he were not able to help his Friends and to be a terror to his Enemies Well then in Matters absolutely promised we have nothing to do but to exalt his Power therefore you may reason thus He will do it for he is able to do it Rom. 11.23 They shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them in again In Matters conditionally promised we must magnifie his Power and refer the Event to his Will Matth. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 3. There are two things enlarge our Thoughts and Apprehensions about the Power of God they are mentioned Verse 17. Whom he believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things that be not as though they were We have to do with a God that can say to the Dead Live God's Power can bring Life out of Death something out of nothing Resurrection and Creation are easie to him He that can quicken the dead can quicken those that are dead in trespasses and sins By the Word of his Power he maketh all things to be that are not Let there be Light and there was Light Lazarus come forth and he came forth He causeth things to appear and exist that had no being before Thirdly The Fruit and Effect of his Faith an exact and constant Obedience Isa. 41.2 Who raised up the righteous Man from the East and called him to his foot The righteous Man is supposed to be Abraham often designed by that Character and he was called to his Foot to go to and fro at God's Command as the Centurion said Matth. 8.9 I am a Man under Authority having Souldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it There are two great Instances of Abraham's Obedience 1. His Self-denyal in leaving his Countrey Heb. 11.8 By Faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went It is a sore Tryal to forsake Kindred Friends Lands Fathers House and Inheritance and to seek an abode he knew
and Spirits and yet there is Sin in the Work and Hell in the Wages Oh consider if it seem difficult which is better to labour for a Season or suffer for ever which is the end of them that live in the constant neglect of a known Duty 3. There is nothing so hard in God's Service but he hath manifested Love enough to sweeten it We begrudge a few thoughts of God and God had thoughts of us before all Worlds Psal. 40.5 Many O Lord my God! are the wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in number unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred Psalm 109.13 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God How great is the summ of them Who can tell what a condescention it was for Infiniteness to think of poor Worms and that he should before all Worlds plot and design our Salvation And when the Plot came out there was a great deal of Love to sweeten Duty the Lord Jesus Christ thought no Danger too great no Suffering or Extremity too hard no work too difficult for our sakes what a Mercy is this God hath not only required Obedience but discovered a Love that may sweeten the difficulties of it 4. There is no difficulty in Religion wholly insuperable and too hard for an Active and Industrious Spirit Those that follow on after God do at length find him to their Comfort A faint pursuit is the cause of discouragement When a flint doth not strike fire at the first we strike again Prov. 10.4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand but the hand of the diligent maketh rich It is a Rule in Grace as well as Nature Let us therefore follow on till we have overcome the difficulty that is before us 5. A Lazy backward Heart must be urged forward with the greater importunity When David was shy of God's Presence he layes a Command upon himself Psal. 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord He maketh Reason to issue out a Decree and positive Conclusion So Psalm 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue So by just Analogy we may gather that the Soul should in this case determine I will go and try and see what may be done I will keep off from God no longer but will go to him 2. Another Lett and Hindrance is Love of Pleasures Men that would pass their time in Mirth are unwilling to be so solemn and serious When Childrens minds are set to play it is irksome to hear of School or of their Books so when the Heart is set for Pleasure it is a hard matter to bring the Soul to Religious Performances How shall we do to wean the Soul from Pleasures 1. Consider to love Pleasure is to gratifie the Beast in us rather than the Angel Man is in part an Angel and in part a Beast he hath a Nature common to both now when Men study altogether to gratifie their sensual part it is to turn Men into Beasts To serve our lowest faculty and to enjoy pleasures without remorse is the happyness of the Beasts to eat and drink and sleep and sport is but to do as the Beasts do A Mans Delight should be in the pure and free Exercises of Reason If Men would exercise themselves herein they would find the greatest delectation would be in the contemplation and view of Truth Psalm 19.8 The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart That Taste which Hypocrites have of the good word of God Heb. 6.5 is meerly such as Scholars have in the height of Speculation and Study because the Gospel is such an excellent Contrivance and a sublime satisfying Truth Nulla major voluptas quam fastidium voluptatis there is no greater pleasure than a disdain of sensual pleasures 2. Consider the sweetness of Religious Exercises is far better than that of Carnal Pleasures as that heat is more Manly that is gotten by exercise than by hovering over the Fire It is hard I confess to abjure accustomed Delights Pleasantness is connatural to us but we should consider that by Communion with God in Spiritual Exercises Delight is not abrogated but preferred and advanced to a more noble becoming Object it is taken out of Egypt that it may grow in Canaan transplanted out of a Fenn into a Paradice that it may thrive in a better Soyl it is less Dreggy but more Masculine and Grave Psalm 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks We keep the Affection but change the Object The Comforts of Christianity are expressed by terms proper to the Delights of the Senses to teach us this Excellent Art to keep the Affection and change the Object and by an Holy Sleight and Wile to couzen the Soul into better Joyes Here Delight is most pure and more free no excess is vitious Castae deliciae meae sunt Scripturae tuae thy Scriptures are my chast Delights The Pleasures of the World are but sugard baits a Man may soon loose himself but here by Tryal you will find the same sweetness with less hazard and danger 3. We may make choice of Matter more pleasant to allure the Soul All the Objects of Meditation are not dark and gloomy there are some things pleasing to Nature the variety of Providences the Beauty of the Creation the excellent contrivance of the Gospel All Objects are not mournful and in case of such a Temptation we may allure the Soul and when we are not so fit for the severe Exercises of the Closet we may as Isaac go out into the Fields to meditate and heighten Fancy and Imagination by Objects more pleasant 3. The next general Hindrance is a Guilty Conscience When the Soul is under the burden of Guilt we are loath to be serious and alone lest the Mind should fall on it self of all things we then desire to flee the Company of our selves and therefore Meditation is an unpleasant Duty We cannot think of God but as of a Judge nor of a World to come but as of our own Ruine A guilty Conscience would fain obliterate the thoughts of God as the guilty Heathens Rom. 1.28 They did not like to retain God in their knowledge that is Actual Sound Distinct Thoughts of God It is said Iames 2.19 The Devils believe and tremble Thoughts of God impressed the more horrour on them therefore they cryed out Matth. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time So guilty Men are under these horrors They are all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 which though it be not alwaies felt is soon awakened Iob 21.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What shall we
It is a pleasure to see things by Picture though we know the Person so though we have an Image of Christ in the Word and may know his Person there yet it is a great relief to us to see Christ in the Supper by these outward Symbols where Sense may teach Faith what strength of Grace and what sweetness of Comfort to expect from Christ. These thoughts through the blessing of God will raise the Soul into a frame of Religion that when you come to this Ordinance you will not be so dry and barren 2. Wandring when the Heart is prepared and set towards God how shall we do to keep it from roving and prevent those excursions which are apt to carry away the Heart 1. Get an Awe and Dread of God Labour to have the deepest Apprehensions of the Presence of God as possibly may be Strong Affections especially Fear lock up the Mind and do not suffer it to flit abroad Now Fear is not unseasonable to this Duty but rather proper because of the Excellent Mysteries by which God condescendeth and approacheth us Chrysostome calls it terribilis mystica mensa the dreadful Mysterious Table and therefore now our Apprehensions should be most awful When Iacob had a sight of God saies he Gen. 28.17 How dreadful is this place And the Psalmist saith Psal. 68 35. Oh God! thou art terrible out of thy holy places Mixt Affections do best in the sweetest Worship Psalm 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Hosea 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes Here we are to have distinct thoughts of his Holyness and Goodness and therefore we should fear before him lest we forget our selves to be poor guilty Creatures and Fear confineth the Soul and will not suffer it to run abroad 2. Chide the Heart for your vain Excursions Christians might have more command over their Hearts if they would but hold the Reins a little straiter and check their Souls they are not so sadly sensible of the idle roving of the brain which do not so directly carry them after the evil as when they make them to neglect the good Take up your selves as David doth about his lumpishness Psalm 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted in me Did I come hither to think of any thing but Christ and Heaven Did I come to think of News Vanity Business and Lust My work is to discerne the Lords Body not to think of Worldly Toyes Is this to remember and fruitfully to insist upon his Death Look as Christ did chide his Disciples Matth. 26.40 What! could ye not watch with me one hour So chide your Heart cannot I keep my Heart free for God a little while In Heaven Duty will be my constant work and if my Heart wander now How shall I be able to hold it for ever In the Supper God tyes my Soul by outward Rites least my Eyes should carry away my Heart God would exercise my Eyes Certainly if you would chide your Souls the Heart would not steal so many glances But usually our Hearts do not steal away we dismiss them and let them go God gave Reason a command of your Thoughts at first and we might exercise it more than we do 3. Stupidness Many times the Soul is surprized with deadness and amazement it neither actually thinks of Evil nor of Good but is at a dead pawse and stay For this I shall urge a double help 1. By earnest Ejaculations call in the help of the Spirit Cant. 4.16 Awake O north-wind and come thou south blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Desire God to breathe upon the Soul with a fresh gale and excitement that he would take a Coal from his own Altar that the perfume might burn bright Censers must not be kindled with strange Fire Oh raise and quicken this dead Soul Remember the first Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 2. Call upon your own Hearts It is a mistake of Christians to think they are only to call upon God you are also to call upon your selves and to deal with your own Souls by way of quickning Psalm 57.8 Awake my glory awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early Charge your Souls awake to the consideration of Heavenly Mysteries Speak to your own Hearts as David layes a charge upon himself Psalm 103.1 Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name The Children of God are brought in speaking to themselves Oh my drousie blockish Heart How coldly dost thou think of Christ This dead Heart will not become the Service of the Living God 4. A lazy Formality Either we cannot get the Soul to this Worship or we performe it slightly We content our selves with a few careless glances and lazy baren thoughts To remedy this consider in so sweet a Duty God doth not only require Affection but height of Affection an Holy ardor earnestness and raisedness of Spirit Cant. 4.6 Vntil the day break and the shadows flee away I will get me to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense an allusion to the Censers used in the Levitical Worship God requires such thoughts as will comfort revive and quicken our Souls Such thoughts as end in Affection Leave not off till you can say as the Spouse Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flaggons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Do not leave meditating of Christ till you can bring your Souls to a Holy ravishment and your Hearts are wounded with impatient Desires after Communion with Christ. No thoughts will work but those that are serious Secondly I will propound some cases which shall not only concern the Duty of the Lords Supper but some of them the Duty of Meditation in general 1. Case How can we do because of variety of Matter that is to be meditated upon that plenty makes us barren And in such streights of time how can we run through all I shall answer to this in three Propositions 1. The Mind of Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working and much may be done by thoughts in a short time The Minds motion is not so slow as that of the Body which is burdened with a mass and clod of flesh and therefore must have time for its Action but the Soul is quick There are two sorts of Meditations in the Supper as indeed in all other Matters pregnant Apprehensions and enforcing Reasons 1. Pregnant Apprehensions sutable to each Circumstance of the Duty Now these are absolutely necessary as in blessing the Elements and setting them aside for this use think of the Eternal Decrees of God by which Christ was separated to the Office of Mediator In breaking the Bread your Thoughts must act afresh on the Sorrows of Christ's Cross and those bruises wherewith he was broken for our Iniquities Thus it is good
Ambition and Aspiring thought but Man sinned by the Devils suggestion certainly it is more to be a Tempter than a Sinner and he that sinneth himself doth not offend God himself so much as he that made Israel to Sin However it be we have cause to bless God that he hath revealed his Justice against them and his Mercy to us 2. Observe Gods Wisdom fetched a large compass and circuit and those things which we count the ruine of Man were through the Wisdom of Providence his Preservation The fall of Angels the fall of Man those crooked things which seemed to be the destruction of the Creature through the over-ruling of God made for the manifestation of his Glory Gregory called the Sin of Adam Foelix Scelus because it occasioned the coming of Christ. Providence hath many creeks and turnings but all concur to the Beauty of the whole Frame The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold wisdom of God Ephes. 3.10 Therefore we are not to judge by present Sense Gods mending is better than his making he would have all fall to pieces to discover more of his Mercy Man must commit a shameful Act and Christ must suffer a shameful Death and all this to advance his own Glory As a Vessel that is crackt and sodered is the stronger there or a Legg that has been broken and set again by a skilful hand is the stronger so the Lord would first have Man to fall and ruine himself that he might be the better established by his own Grace 3. Observe again that God should pitch upon this way of sending his Son God was not limited or bound up he could have done it by an Angel or of his own will have released the Creature of his offence but it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 it was Gods Will that Salvation should be brought about this way In the whole business of Salvation God would proceed by choice not necessity I confess supposing the determination of the Divine Decrees no Creature was qualified to do us good the Angels do but their work they could not so fitly super-erogate for us But if God would send his own Son he might have come as a King in Glory and Triumph and wrestled with Satan and rescued all the Elect out of his hands but the Lord would not now discover Power but Love he had discovered Power in Creation Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead but in Redemption he discovered his Wisdom every Attribute of God was to be discovered in its season Again the Lord would meet with the Sin of Men and Angels The Angels had lost their Holyness out of a desire of greatness they would be over all and under none And Man was sick of the same Disease and did desire to be rather great than good Adam would be as God Adam fell by Pride and to counter-work this Christ was to restore Mankind by Humility When he cometh to save Mankind he layes aside his Majesty and puts on a humble garb he would not save Mankind by Power but by Suffering the Lords design was by the quality of the Remedy to shew the Nature of the Disease 4. Observe Man or Angel could not have found out such an excellent Plot or Design as this is It could not have come into our heads or hearts and therefore it came meerly from the Breast of God it was devised by Father Son and Holy Ghost Rom. 11.34 Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counsellor What Creature did prescribe to God or direct him to such a way The Apostle sheweth it could not enter into the Creatures thoughts 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him You will find by the Context he speaks of the Doctrine and Contrivance of Christ crucified neither Sense nor Fancy nor Reason could suggest such a thing to the Creature There are some seeds of the Law in Nature but not the least seeds of the Gospel We see in other Nations they cannot so much as think of a way of a Recovery Isa. 56.19 He saw that there was no man and wondred that there was no Intercessor therefore his arm brought salvation unto him it is chiefly understood of the Everlasting Salvation by Christ. If the Lord had tarryed till Man had devised a way for his own Comfort we had been miserable to all Eternity 5. Observe God discovered this design before it was accomplished in the fullness of time Isa. 42.9 Before they spring forth I tell you of them This Love was too big to be contained in his Heart but he must open his Mind the Prophecies and Promises of the Old Testament were the Eruptions and Overflows of Gods Love his Heart was so full of Love that it could not be contained within the bounds of secrecy he openeth his Heart and gives vent to his Love in the midst of Anger Assoon as Man had displeased him God drops out the Promise That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents Head 6. Observe again God discovered this by Degrees first in Types then in Truths first in Promises then in Performances God spake to his People formerly not so much by Words as by Things We teach Children to fight with Puppets and in the Oriental Nations it is their genius to be taken with Allegories and Figures God would prepare the World by degrees as the day groweth till it cometh to high Noon to us he hath opened all his good Treasure And further it was for our instruction that wickedness should be perfectly discovered And besides the former Ages needed Restraints more than Comforts Every Age had sufficient Revelation for what God required of them 2. Follow this Meditation by Arguments There could not have been a better way to save the Creature whether we respect Gods Glory or the Creatures Comfort and Profit 1. If we consider Gods Glory It was the best way to commend his Love Rom. 5.8 But God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Herein was the commendation of the Divine Love that God would give up the Son of his own Love and Bosom to dy for us that were Sinners As the Apostle saith Heb. 6.13 When God made promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself So when the Lord could give us no greater gifts he gave us his Son David seems to be amazed with wonder when he considers the Power of God in making such Creatures as the Moon and Stars much more when he considers the Love of God in framing of Man Psal. 8.3 4. When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers the moon and the stars which
not as the Creature will but as God will and many times the Creatures are serviceable to the designs of God contrary to their intentions Isa. 10.6 7. I will send him against an hypocritical nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the streets Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few The King of Assyria was moved with a principle of Ambition Rage and Cruelty but the Lord sent him on his Work So Augustus his Covetous ess in taxing the whole World God orders it for the occasioning Christs Birth at Bethlehem Luke 2. The actings of the Creature are disposed and carryed on besides the purpose of the Creature to another end he discovers his Wisdom by Mans Folly and his Righteousness by Mans Sin Look as in a Ship some sleep and some walk contrary to the Ships motion so in the World some Men are negligent others keep bussling and stirring and seek to resist the designs of God but the Ship goes on Acts 4.28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council determined before to be done The Devil thought to ruine all Mankind by seducing of Adam yet that made way for Christ. Herein is the great Beauty and Order of Providence seen that God â—an make hindrances to be helps and while Men seek to cross his will most they do but accomplish and fulfil it II. That there is such a thing as Providence Heathens granted it though they had but a dimm sight of it and therefore Tully saith Dii magna curant parva negligunt The Gods take care of great things but neglect little things We count them Atheists that deny a Providence as well as they that denyed a God That there is a Providence may be proved from the Being of God there is a God therefore there is a Providence His Wisdom and his Goodness enforceth it he is so wisely good Psalm 119.68 Thou art good and thou doest good The Divine Wisdom ordereth all things for an End and the Divine Power governs all things in order to that end We read it in the Order of the World and the sense of our own Conscience if there were no Providence the Devils would soon overturn all things Honestly would be folly a Title without substance Labour without reward 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable The Godly would have no relief they would not call God to witness nor acquaint him with their sorrows which is their great solace Iob 16.20 My friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out tears unto God Gods works discover it who feedeth the Beasts Iob 12.7 8 9. But ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this His judgments shew it Psalm 58.10 11. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked So that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth Some Mens sins are open beforehand and God keeps a petty Sessions before the general Assize cometh The great Objection that is against Providence is because all things come alike to all But that which seemeth the blemish of Providence is the Beauty of it The Prosperity of Wicked Men complyeth with Gods Ends that there is such a checquer-work of Providence is for the exercise of the Godly as the Stones that are for a Temple are hewed and squared and hereby wicked Men are left without excuse they have Prudence but not Grace and they cannot complain having common Mercies III. I will give you some Observations 1. Providence reacheth to the least and most inconsiderable things as the flight of a Sparrow the falling of a hair Matth. 10.29 30. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father but the very hairs of your head are all numbred God takes particular account of every concernment and circumstance of your Lives Psalm 147.4 He telleth the number of the stars It is much that God should be at leisure to tell the stars much more that he should take particular notice of the hairs of your head 2. Though Providence extends to all things yet it is chiefly exercised about the most Noble Creatures Men and Angels The Psaâ—mist saith Psal. 36.6 Lord thou preservest man and beast but chiefly Man For mark it these are not only governed by God but by themselves Other things that are void of understanding are only guided by an External Principle without the knowledge of an End as Arrows shoot out of a Bowe but Rational Creatures have a principle of their own viz. Prudence which is a shadow of Divine Providence In these Providence is most discovered Mans Will is rebellious it is harder to rule a skittish horse than it is to roll a Stone God challengeth this as his own Prerogative Ier. 10.23 Oh Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps He can bridle rule and restrain the hearts of Men and turn them as he pleaseth Prov. 21.1 The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will The Hearts of Kings those that seem to be most led by Will and Passion God can turn them and rule them at his pleasure 3. Though the Providence of God chiefly concerns Man yet the chiefest care of Providence is about the good of the Elect Matth. 6.26 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 1 Tim. 4.10 We trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe He is a Saviour in this Sense in regard of Providential Administration but all Dispensations towards his People are more exact and have more of care God particularly looks after them Amos 9.9 For lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth Mark above all Nations God would have a care of Israel whatever becomes of the Chaff God watcheth over the Corn. The Elect are the Darlings of Providence the World is continued for their sakes that all the Elect may be gathered in Isa. 43.3 4. I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Soba for thee
old through my roaring all the day long 4. Partly for his Subtilty He is of a Spiritual Nature and so the Devil is invisible both in his Nature and Approaches and doth often reach us a deadly blow before we know it is he and he seeketh by all means to conceal himself 2 Cor. 11.3 I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtilty so your minâ—s should be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ. The Devil maketh as if he meant all kindness when he cometh to ruine and destroy Souls He playeth of all hands tempteth Peter to disswade and Iudas to betray and the High Priests to persecute He endeavoureth to keep out of sight that he may not be seen himself in the temptation as the Fowler and Hunter hide themselves till the Bird or Beast is gotten into the Snare or Toil. Alas little do we think the Devil is so near and hath so great an hand in the business which we are about to perform as we afterwards find him to be It is not he that seemeth to do it but such a Neighbour such a Minister or Wise Man III. Why God permitteth this For many Holy and Wise Reasons 1. To glorifie the power of his Grace in preserving us 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness Made perfect that is found or discovered to be perfect For Gods strength cannot be more perfect than it is There are no degrees in Infiniteness much less can our weakness add any thing to it The meaning is it is manifested to be perfect The greater the Pressures are the more visible and conspicuous is the Perfection of the Divine Assistance More goeth to the keeping of a Saint here in the World then to the preserving of an Angel for the Angels are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Gunshot and Harmes-way but we are making our way to Heaven almost every step by Conflict and Conquest 2. To abate our Carnal Confidence For till we have experience of the strength of Sin danger of Temptations and our own weakness we are too confident of our own Resolutions which because they are sincere and undissembled we think they may be easily maintained Therefore God to shew us our selves suffereth Sathan to tempt us and his Instruments to vex us that by experience we may see how weak that Faith is in the Temptation which we thought to be strange out of the Temptation This is the meaning of that Counsel our Lord giveth his Disciples Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak To enter into temptation hath a peculiar sense and signification in that place and the meaning is to be overcome by temptations to enter so as to abide under the power of them to be encompassed so as we cannot get out Therefore watch and pray that it be not so with you for however your Mind and Resolution be good and your Professions for the time Zealous yet you may fall from your stoutest Resolutions if you be not careful Or thus Though the Spirit or the renewed part be willing to resist and oppose temptations yet the Natural and unrenewed part is weak and ready to be overcome by them They were confident secure and unconcerned when that danger was approaching which would make them either to forsake Christ or to deny and forswear him as Peter did therefore it were better for them to be watchful and importunate with God that they might not be overcome with this Temptation In many cases we find that those that thought their Faith strong find it very weak when the Temptation cometh Iohn 16.31 32. Do ye now believe Behold the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone There is a great deal of difference between Tryals in imagination and Tryals in actual Experience Tryals in imagination do not affect us so much because we only know them at a distance or by guess and supposition but Evils in sense and feeling are another thing than we could imagine It is a lamentable thing to see what a cowardly Spirit there is in most Christians how soon they are discouraged with every petty assault or slender temptation and their Resolutions shaken with the appearance of any difficulty how confident soever they were before 3. God sendeth temptations to abate our Pride and so to humble us as well as prove us that we may not be proud of what we have or conceit that we have more than we have Paul giveth this reason 2 Cor. 12.7 Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations there was given me a thorne in the flesh a messenger of Sathan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure There is a difference about the interpretation what this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thorn in the Flesh was Either a racking Disease or some other sharp Affliction Surely it was not stirrings of Sin or some boiling lusts for Paul was aged and he would then speak of it in other words Some think it was some racking Disease like the Stake thrust into the Fundament of a Slave that ran from his Master and came out at his back Whatever it was it was a Messenger of Sathan Now whether God would permit Sathan to have such Power over Pauls Body I leave it to you to consider Therefore some think it was some soar Affliction In the General I remember the pricking Brier and grieving Thorn is put for the Despisers and Persecutors of Israel Ezek. 28.24 And there shall be no more a pricking briar to the house of Israel nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them that despised them This may be called a thorn in the flesh A sad and sharp Affliction questionless it was inflicted on Paul by the power of the Devil But whatever the event was Gods end was clear that he might not be elevated with his transcendent Revelations he twice repeateth it lest I should be exalted above measure When the instruments of Sathan deal roughly with him this was designed by God to keep him humble 4. God sendeth these temptations in justice to correct us for other Sins 2 Sam. 24.1 The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he moved David to say Go number Israel and Iudah The Lord permitted Sathan to move David as I explained it before but mark it was because God was angry with Israel when they had abused their plenty and prosperity to licentiousness and forgetfulness of God Sathan is permitted to tempt David that God might take that occasion to punish them And it is observed in the Censures of the Church a scandalous Sinner is delivered over to Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 5.5 That is permitted for a while
there must be a resolute endeavour to overcome every Sin you are convinced of Heb. 13.18 Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly 2. That you may not have a dead sleepy stupid Conscience you must often excite it For your Actions bring them to the Rule Haggai 1.5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord God consider your wayes Psalm 4.4 Commune with your own hearts upon your bed and be still For your state try it often 1 Cor. 11.28 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates The Acts of Conscience are three to be an Accuser Witness and Judge 1. As an Accuser hearken to its voice what doth it say to you good or evil Iob 27.6 My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live If it speak not to you you must speak to it God complaineth Ier. 8.6 I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done 2. As a Witness consider the Evidence it bringeth that it may be matter of Joy or Sorrow to you of Confession or Thanksgiving If it reproach you do not smother the check Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Foelix trembled and answered go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient season I will call for thee If it chear you see upon what grounds Rom. 9.1 I speak the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost It is no matter what others think but what Conscience thinketh Nothing is nearer to us than our selves it is a domestical Tribunal that we alwayes carry about with us 3. As a Judge it passeth Sentence if it be wrong there is an appeal from Court to Court Psalm 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who can stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Conscience is a Judge but it is an inferior Judge there lyeth an Appeal to a higher 1 Cor. 4.4 He that judgeth me is the Lord Heb. 11.23 And to God the judge of all But it should be done with great admiration of Grace But if the Judgment be right it is ratified its Judgment we must yield to 1 Cor. 11.32 But when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord. Thus should we keep up the force of Conscience A SERMON On ZECHARIAH xiv 20 21. In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses Holiness unto the Lord and the pots in the Lords house shall be like the bowls before the altar Yea every pot in Ierusalem and in Iudah shall be Holiness unto the Lord of hosts THESE words describe the Purity and Holiness of the Gospel-Church in such Termes and Notions as are proper to the Old Testament Dispensation In them observe 1. The Inscription or Impress 2. The things on which it is ingraven 3. The time when it is done 1. The Inscription or Impress Holyness to the Lord. This was of old written on the Priests Mitre Exod. 28.36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the ingravings of a signet HOLINESS TO THE LORD To shew that he was a Person Sacred and designed for special Holy Uses therein he was a Type of Christ. Now what was upon the High Priests Frontlet was inscribed on every thing to shew they should consecrate their all to God 2. The things inscribed particularly enumerated first the horse-bells or the Ornaments of their Horses Secondly Their bowles or basons Thirdly Their pots 1. What was used in the Kitchings of the Temple 2. The Utensils of every ordinary House and Family There were Kitchins belonged to the Temple wherein the Thank-Offerings were dressed for their Sacred Feasts The Bowles of the Altar were for an higher use namely to receive the Blood of the Sacrifices to make the sprinklings as Solomon made an hundred basons of Gold for that use 2 Chron. 4.8 3. The Time in that day he speaketh not of any peculiar time but the whole State of things under the Gospel which is as it were but one day And it is called that day by way of excellency Thus the time of the Gospel are dayes indeed full of Light and Grace and that day by way of limitation it should be reserved for this day and not found in such a degree and measure at any other time even then when there should be no Sacrifices no Altars then the Bells Pots and Basons should be sanctified or separated from a common and dedicated to an Holy Use that is there shall be such special Universal Holiness as if it were so done upon all these things But you will say When and where is it Alas considering the degenerate state of the Christian World where is this Universal Holiness to be found How shall we make it good Answer 1. Prophesies of things belonging to our Obedience are to be understood many times quoad officium of our Duty rather than quoad eventum of the event it is their Duty to be thus Holy in all their Imployments and Affairs that dispensation requireth it as our Duty 2. As to the Event it is to be understood comparatively not absolutely to shew that there shall be a far greater Holyness under the Gospel than under the Law both intensive as to the degree of the Holyness it self and extensive as to the Persons sanctified Intensively the Holiness its self is greater because the Ordinances of the Gospel are Rational and not Typical and the Duties of it Moral more than Ceremonial God taught them by Ceremonies to hate Sin by the Types of legal uncleanness to devote themselves to God by offering their Beasts in Sacrifice Theirs was like a training ours a real War as much as the difference is between shooting at a Puppet or painted Castle and fighting with an Enemy And because more of the Spirit is poured out now Grace is not given upon trust but the price is actually paid Extensively more Persons are sanctified as the Pale is inlarged and the Gospel prevaileth on them Rev. 5.9 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Mark 16.15 Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature 3. The Gospel-State hath its ebbs and flowes in several Ages Sometimes there is a notable vigour and power of Godliness at other times a great Increase of Wickedness and Men do so far corrupt their way that we are forced to put another sense upon words or expect a better time when the Prophesie shall be more amply fulfilled We can hardly reconcile the words with the state of the
We are never prepared till our State be altered Heart altered and Life altered 1. Our State must be altered For naturally we are Children of Wrath condemned by the Sentence of the Law and under the Curse and doth it become condemned Men to rejoyce and go to their execution dancing No you must take hold of another Covenant the hope that is set before you and then you provide matter of joy yea of strong consolation Heb. 6.18 By taking Sanctuary at the Lords Grace the Heirs of Promise have strong Consolation When the Eunuch was solemnly admitted into Gods Covenant by Baptisme He went on his way rejoycing Acts 8.39 By Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we enter into the New Covenant and that is a State of Peace Life and Joy In the New Covenant God offers himself to be your Reconciled Father Christ your Saviour and the Holy Ghost your Sanctifier are you willing to consent to this And then Why should not you rejoyce in the Lord For you have enough in God 2. Our Heart must be altered For every Mans relish and complacency is according to the Temper and Constitution of his Soul Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Know his complacency what it is that a Man is pleased with most and you know the Man An old corrupted Heart and Mind cannot delight it self in God 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But those that have a Divine Nature put into them cannot satisfie themselves in the World 2 Pet. 1.4 Ye may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust They can easily spare the pleasures of the flesh and leave these husks for Swine to feed on A change of Heart inferreth a change of Delights and Pleasures for the New Heart is nothing else but New Desires and Delights when you have a New Understanding and a New Heart then you will discern and relish Spiritual things 3. The Life must be altered For Holy walking and fruitfulness in Obedience raiseth the greatest Joy Iohn 15.10 11. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full Acts 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost The Godly Life is the only sweet Life 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world If you will but learn what it is to live in the Love of God and the belief and hope of Life Eternal and in Universal Obedience to the Laws of Christ you will soon see what it is to live in a State of Joy and Comfort If you fall into great and wounding Sins no wonder if your rejoycing in God be disturbed Surely a tender Heart cannot make light of Sin but it will cost them broken Bones and broken Hearts 2. Act it continually Partly for that the grounds of rejoycing are Everlasting an Eternal God an Unchangeable Covenant Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever a Kingdom that cannot be shaken an Infinite and Eternal weight of Glory Now these things should ever be thought of by us that we may keep up our delight in the Lord. Partly because we need it continually to enliven our Duties to sweeten our Crosses and to wean us from our Carnal Vanities for otherwise our Duties will go off heavily our Crosses will swallow us up with too much sorrow or our Hearts will be apt to be insnared by sensual delights unless we remember that we are continually to rejoyce in God and Heavenly things Partly because this delight cannot be maintained in the Soul unless it be continually exercised by constant acting it we keep it and increase it till at length it cometh to be predominant in the Soul and able to controul our Affection to other things It is said of Iohn Baptists Hearers That they were willing to rejoyce in his light for a season Iohn 5.35 And of the stony ground Luke 8.13 That they received the word with joy and believed for a while but in time of temptation fall away Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly for a while Mark 6.20 Gods offering Eternal Happiness in Christ may affect us for the present but this rejoycing faileth being over-mastered by the Appetites and Desires of the Flesh. Therefore to root it and increase it that it may be firm to the end it must be continually acted and exercised 3. Take heed you do not forfeit it or damp it by any great and wounding Sin As David speaketh Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Sin cloudeth the Face of God wasteth our Comfort and Joy Psalm 32.3 4. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption When the Comforter is offended he sheweth his dislike and withdraweth when we grosly omit any known Duty or commit any soul Sin he will shew himself displeased with it and withdraw his Gracious and Comfortable Presence Isa. 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth On such occasions he is wroth and smiteth he is wroth and hideth himself and then our Comfort and Delight in God ceaseth Therefore we should deal more dutifully with the Spirit neither grieving him by the omission or intermission of necessary Duties nor by the commission of any hardning Sin by some error of the concupicible or pursuing faculty or the irascible or eschewing faculty by Sins of the Tongue which most easily bewray corruption or by words which discover the temper of the Heart I observe that grieving the spirit Ephes. 4.30 is put in the middle between a disswasive from corrupt Communication verse 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying When Men endeavour to make themselves glad by carnal Discourse which argueth an Heart set for carnal delights and is contrary to rejoycing in the Lord Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks and on the other side verse 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from
pardon all our wrongs surely they that are brought back from the Grave and fetched up from the Gates of Hell and from under a Sentence of Condemnation will be ingaged more to love God Psalm 130.4 But there is forgiveness with thee that thou shouldest be feared The Woman loved much who had much forgiven her Luke 7.47 3. It is most for the Comfort of the Creature that a stated certain course of Remedy should be appointed for our Peace which may leave the greatest Evidence upon our Consciences Now what is likely to do so much as this first and apparent change whereby we utterly renounce and bitterly bewail our former folly and solemnly give up our selves to God by Christ. Things are evident to the feeling which are serious advised difficult have a notable delight accompanying them all which concur here This is the most important Action of our Lives the setling of our Pardon and Eternal Interest a sense of Sin if deep and thorough will ever stick with us The Heart is heartily brought to this to submit to Gods appointed course Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about â—o establish their righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of God And 't is rewarded with some notable tasts of Gods Love for he reviveth the hearts of his contrite ones Isa. 57.15 and restoreth comfort to his mourners verse 17. VSE Let us obey Christ and continually carry out the work of Repentance with more seriousness Sin is not hated enough nor God loved enough and therefore we have so small a tast of the Comforts of Christianity Groans unutterable make way for Joyes that are unspeakable Motives 1. The unquestionable necessity of the Duty should move us Christs Authority is absolute He telleth us I came to call sinners to repentance If he saith so Contradiction must be silent Haesitation satisfied all Cavils laid aside and we must address our selves to his work and never cease till we are past Repentance and that is only when we have no more sin in us which will never be till we die 2. The profit should move It is a Duty of great use By Repentance we are put into a capacity to serve and please God For New Creatures are set in joint again who were disordered by the fall Eph. 2.10 And Titus 3.5.2 Tim. 2.2 and by it we are put into a capacity to injoy God Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan to God 3. Nothing can be excepted against this course 1. The plea of Unworthiness hath no place It is not the applying a Priviledge but the performance of a Duty we invite you to If we did directly call you to accept a Pardon you might question our Doctrine Perhaps you may think you are unworthy to be pardoned but God is worthy to be obeyed Christ calleth you to Repentance 2. You cannot object the greatness of your Sins Did Christ come from Heaven only to cure a cut finger and not a deadly wound He calleth Sinners and Sinners without exception Sinners of all sorts and sizes This thought often cometh into our mind That Christ is a Saviour but not of those who are faln into such hainous and enormous offences as we have done as if any Disease were beyond the skill of the Spiritual Physician as if he could cure a Cold or a slight Ague but not the Leprosie and the Plague All Sinners are called 3. The plea of weakness doth not lye against the Duty neither For he that calleth the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 Lazarus come forth Iohn 11.47 Why doth he speak to a dead Man So to the Man with the withered hand Stretch forth thy hand Matth. 12.13 Do not say Lord This I cannot do No go forth in the strength of Christs Call He calleth not only by the Ministry of the Word but the inward operation of his Spirit Now for Means 1. Examine thine own Heart to find out thy particular sins Psalm 119.59 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet into thy testimonies Lam. 3.40 Search and try your wayes and turn to the Lord. Repentance usually beginneth with serious Soul searching otherwise we spend our indignation upon a Notion Particulars are most affecting Sin is the common Pack-Horse to bear every Mans burden but Sin must be particularly confessed forsaken and mortified that it may be pardoned 2. Labour to work thy Heart to Godly sorrow for them Lam. 3.20 My soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled within me We should humble our selves greatly Iob 42.6 I repent and abhor my self in dust and ashes Matth. 11.21 Repented in dust and ashes This is spoken according to their National Customs Men most abased are most serious But our Repentance generally is not deep and serious enough so as will become offences and dishonours done to God by such weak Creatures as we are and so deeply ingaged to him There is not that self-loathing nor such a measure of Godly sorrow as may either make Christ sweet or Sin bitter to us If it affect the Heart so as Sin becometh hateful and there is a price and value put upon Gods Grace in Christ then it is right Oh therefore bemoan your selves to God as Ephraim did Ier. 31.18 3. Lay them open before God in humble Confession 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confeâ—s sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Ier. 3.13 Only acknowledge thine iniquities that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God And set apart some special time to do it 4. Crave and sue earnestly for the pardon of them in Christs Name and for Christs sake Eph. 4.32 As God for Christs sake hath forgiven you 1 Iohn 2.12 I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake All benefits must be asked in his Name much more this which is the great fruit of his Redemption God himself has taught us to pray for Pardon and to say Take away all iniquity Hos. 14.4 And take the Sacramental Pledges out of Gods hand for this end 5. There must be an unfeigned Purpose and Endeavour to forsake them Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Ezek. 3.11 As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die O house of Israel Hosea 14.8 Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols Isa. 30.22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver and the ornament of thy molten images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence A SERMON On PSALM viii 2 Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest
and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters and God said Let there be light and there was light He can give light in darkness Exod. 10.22 23. And there was thick darkness in all the Land of Egypt three days and they saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three days But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings Psal. 18.28 For thou wilt light my Candle the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness And he can turn darkness into light that is change and alter our condition Isa. 9.2 The people that have walked in darkness have seen a great light they that dwell in the land of the shaddow of death upon them hath the light shined Eph. 5.8 Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. 7. When you cannot interpret the promises of God by his providential dealing with you you must interpret his dealing by his promises Psal. 73.16 17. When I thought to know this it was too painful for me Until I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end His promises are as the light part of the Cloud his providential dealings as the dark part of the Cloud 8. You must distinguish between a part of God's work and the whole intire frame of it The taking of a Watch asunder to mend it an unskilful Man when he seeth every Pin and Wheel taken out will think this is undoing But the skilful Artist knoweth this is mending and repairing Zach. 14.7 But it shall be one day which shall be known unto the Lord not day nor night but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light After the longest suspence there is comfort at the end 9. That is not best for us which we think best Mat. 17.4 It is good for us to be here We think it best to be at the top and have an inspection over affairs in ease and in an uninterrupted prosperity Peter was upon Mount Tabor but Christ saw it fit to bring him thence and expose him to the winnowings of Satan and to penitential weeping this is wholesome to the Soul and afterwards to imploy him in the labours of the Gospel and then to dye a cruel death Paul thought it best to be rid of the thorn in the Flesh but God thought not so 2 Cor. 12.9 My Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness When we are lowest we are most humble Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts 10. That Gods greatest severity to his people is consistent with his covenant love Psal. 89.32 33. Then will I visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquity with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail There is no contradiction between covenant kindness and hard dispensations they may be easily reconciled II. Point That in dark and gloomy times our great Duty is to trust in the Lord. This is prescribed here and in other places commended to us Isa. 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the House of Jacob and I will look for Him We should not give over seeking for a withdrawn God but seek and wait and look for him If you keep his place warm in your Hearts by your Estimation and Affection he will come again Iob 35.14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet Iudgment is before him therefore trust thou in him Times may come when the Saints may say they do not see yea they shall not see him yet they must resolve to lye at Gods door till relief come Trust then in him Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet I will trust in him Though they be under sad Dispensations already and look for sadder yet they resolve to keep up their Dependance and will not be beaten off from God by any rebukes of Providence No trouble how great so ever is a warrant to quit our Faith Faith must not quit God when he seemeth to quit us but must take him for a Friend and put a good Construction upon his dealings when he sheweth himself an Enemy So that in a sinking helpless and hopeless Condition this is a great Remedy The Reasons are taken from the Act and the Object The Act is Trusting and Staying the Object is God or the Name of God The Benefit we have by this Act the Encouragement we have from this Object 1. The Utility and Profit of Trusting 2 Chron. 20.20 Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established If you would be delivered or supported Trust and stay upon the Lord. This allayeth our fears Psal. 56.3 At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. A Christian is or may be immoveable in all changes of Condition It overcometh our Sorrows there was a storm in David's Spirit how doth he calm it Psal. 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his Countenance And verse 11. Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God He is at it again and again It keepeth us from fretting Psal. 37.7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devicâ—s to pass It preserveth us from Fainting Psal. 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Yea from Defection and Apostacy Heb. 3.12 Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God They that cannot trust God cannot be long true to him 2. There is much in the Name of God to encourage trust Psal. 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee The Name of God is any thing by which he is made known It comprizeth two things what God is in himself and what he will be to his People 1. What he is in himself a Wise Powerful and Holy Being his three grand Attributes are Wisdom Goodness and Power Now nothing can be amiss that is done by a God of Infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness and what may there not be expected from him He that can do all things can do what ever you stand in need of he that knoweth all things can never be at a loss either in preventing evil or bestowing good he that is so good will not be backward to pity and help us Our choicest Consolations are fetched out of God's Nature in his Works we see much of him but in his Nature we
present with the Lord. They have a great natural Love to the Body and would not be uncloathed but this natural Love is overcome by an higher love the longings of their Soul after the Lord so that they groan and wait and in the mean time endeavour to make it sure that they shall be accepted of the Lord into this blessed Estate all which is comprized in this desiring and seeking Love 2. There is the Complacential and Delighting Love Divines use to distinguish of a two fold Love Love of Benevolence and Love of Complacency Love of Benevolence is desiring the Felicity of another Love of Complacency is the pleasedness of the Soul in a suitable good Apply this to the Love of God to us he loveth us both these ways Amore benevolentiae with a Love of Benevolence or good will Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth him should not perish but have Everlasting Life And Amore complacentiae with a Love of Complacency or Delight Zeph 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is Mighty he will save he will rejoice over thee with joy he will rest in his Love he will joy over thee with singing Prov. 11.20 They that are of a froward Heart are Abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are his delight And Prov. 12.22 Lying Lips are Abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are his Delight But now the Question is whether one or both of these be compatible with our Love to God With the Love of Delight certainly we may and should love him Psal. 16.6 7. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly Heritage I will bless the Lord who hath given me Counsel my reins also instruct me in the Night season But as to the Love of Benevolence he is above our Injuries and Benefits and needeth nothing from us to add to his Felicity unless improperly when we desire his Glory and the advancement of his Kingdom and Interest in the World But there is no scruple as to the Love of Complacency Psal. 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine Heart There is a Joy and Pleasure of Mind in thinking of him Psal. 104.34 My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. Much more in enjoying of him in part here Psal. 4.6 7. Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased But most of all in our full Enjoyment of him Psal. 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of Life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand there are Pleasures for evermore The Soul is well pleased in God as an all-sufficient Portion It is good to observe what puts gladness into our Hearts Joy in Heaven is our Everlasting Portion but there is Joy by the way as we are going thither 3. The returning Love or the Love of gratitude or thankfulness 1 Ioh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us As fire begetteth fire or as the Echo returneth what it receiveth It is a Reflection a Reverberation or a beating back of Gods own beam upon himself Thus we love God as willing to be reconciled to us in Christ so as we devote our selves to his Service Will and Honour to serve him with all our Power and to use all our Mercies for his Glory We Consecrate our selves to him 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 We use our selves for him 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods Thirdly The Qualification of the Act If we sincerely love him The Sincerity of our Love to God is seen in two things 1. The Eminency of the degree 2. The Genuine and proper Effect Both together discover the Sincerity of Love 1. For the Degree God must be loved above all so as he may have no Rival and Competitour in the Soul Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee There is a partial half Love to God when a greater Love is to other things This cannot be consistent with Sincerity for then Religion will be an Underling and Gods Interest least minded Our Lord telleth us Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me If any thing be nearer and dearer to us than God and any advantages we expect from men be preferred before our Duty to him we are no way fit for Christs service or qualified for our Duty to him because these worldly Interests will soon draw us to some unbecoming Practice or Action contrary to our Fidelity to him Therefore the Saints are ever liberal in professing how much they value his favour above all things Psal. 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than Life There is nothing so comfortable in this World that we should prefer before the feeling or the hope of feeling of God's Love to us 2. The genuine and proper effect of this love which is a ready obeying of his Will or making it our chief care to please God and keep his commandments Iohn 14 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments Our love is a love of duty as God's love is a love of bounty for it is not the love of a superiour to an inferiour or equal but like the love of a Wife to a Husband of Children to Parents of Subjects to their benign Lord all which Relations infer a dutiful subjection on our part II. What it is to be known of God In Scripture 1. It importeth his Eternal Election before all time Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did praedestinate 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his God's love made inquisition for us whilst as yet we lay in the confused heap of nothing and singled us out from the rest of the corrupted Mass of Mankind And so it may make a good sense here Whosoever loveth God is known of God He did not prevent God but God prevented him knew him and loved him long before he knew and loved God 2. His gracious conversion in time So God is said to know us when he calleth us to Faith in Christ Gal. 4.9 But now after that ye have known God or rather were known of God That is after ye were converted to Christ or rather
13.1 2 3. Though I speak with the Tongues of Men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal And though I have the gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing A Man may be burnt in the flames and yet not at all acceptable to God Dive into all mysteries of Religion yet not be affected with them cast out Devils yet be cast out among Devils give his goods to the poor yet have his Soul full of vain-glory speak eloquently and accurately of God and Christ yet not have his Heart subdued to God Yet a Man cannot have Charity and be upon ill terms with Christ all that love him are beloved of him Vse 1. is of Exhortation to join with your Knowledge of God Love to God Motives 1. From the reward and benefit Is it not a great Mercy to be known of God and to be approved in the sentence of his Word Gal. 5.6 In Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love To be chosen accepted and avouched to be his peculiar people 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha compared with Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Iesus Christ in sincerity To be owned in his Ordinances The great feast of the Gospel is prepared for such 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entered into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him To be regarded in his Providence above all the dwellers on Earth Psal. 56.8 Thou tellest my wandrings put thou my tears into thy Bottle are they not in thy book Though they seem base and vile in the Eyes of Men can scarce cleanse themselves yet they are accepted of God Our friends will not know us in adversity and the rich will not know the poor yet God knoweth them and owneth them how despicable soever they be Psal. 34.6 This poor Man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles God's approbation is more worth than the approbation of all the World 2 Cor. 10.18 Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth And at the last day when every Man shall receive his final doom and sentence they shall be admited to glory Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the Man that indureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 2. From the duty 1. There is no true knowledge else We do but talk like Parrots of God and Christ though with never so much subtilty and accuracy till we love him Iud. 16.15 How canst thou say I love thee when thy Heart is not with me Rom. 2.20 An Instructer of the foolish a Teacher of Babes which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2. The design of the Scripture is to teach us the holy art of loving God It is a book written of love wherein is recommended the love of God to us in Creation Providence Redemption and final glorification that by hearing reading meditating therein there may be begotten in us love to God again 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned 3. The love of Christ is the vigour and life of all that grace that is wrought in us by the Spirit 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear but of Power of Love and of a sound Mind 4. The whole work of a Christian is a work of Love to love God and be like to him Deut. 10.12 What doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and all thy Soul A Christian is rewarded as a Lover rather than as a Servant not as doing work but as doing work out of love Vse 2. Examination Do we know God so as to love him Many will say God forbid we should live else if we do not love God But do you indeed love him Christ puts Peter to the question thrice Iohn 21.15 16 17. Iesus saith to Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these c. Others on the other side will say how can we know that we love God Burning fire cannot be hidden do what you can you cannot conceal it If you really love any person there will not need many signs to discern it No you will bewray it on all occasions by looks speeches gestures thoughts and endeavours to please Or if you love things will not a covetous Man bewray his love of Money an ambitious Man his love of honour a voluptuous Man his delight in pleasures Let him conceal it if he can But it is not love but the sincerity of love that is so difficult to be found out Well then that is known partly by the degree partly by the proper effect 1. By the degree If you love God you will love him above all All things must give way to his Love Psal. 63.3 Because thy loving kindness is better than life my Lips shall praise thee You will be content to do and suffer any thing rather than displease God and lose his favour for that is your all But alas how far are we from the love of God who are so addicted to self-love and carnal desires and governed by the relishes of the Flesh and intangled in Earthly and Worldly things Can we adhere to him in time of danger and temptation 2. By the proper effect which is obedience doing his Will seeking his Glory promoting his Interest Many think it is love if they keep solemn feasts in his memory seem to be very devout at certain set times at Christmass and Easter No it is a constant respect in those that profess his name and an obedience to his commands Others think they love him If they languish after comforts No ready obedience is all Then Love hath done its work 1 Iohn 2.5 Who so keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected Hereby know we that we are in him Vse 3. Direction to us in the Lords Supper Let us rouse up our selves in this duty this holy and mystical Supper which Christ departing out of the World ordained to be
Doctrinal Opinionative Faith in Christ. Always according to our sense of the disease so is our carriage about the cure and remedy It must needs be so for God by the one will advance the other that where sin aboundeth Grace might much more abound Rom. 5.26 that is rather in our sense and feeling than in our practice So that one wounded for sin will more earnestly look after a cure Others may dispute for the Gospel but they feel not the comfort of it Well then I have proved to you that every Man is in a lost condition sensible or insensible of it And that we ought to have a deep sense of this upon our Hearts to count our selves lost and undone that we may be more prepared and fitted to entertain the Offers and Calls of the Gospel and prize our Redeemer's Grace II. In what sense Christ is said to seek and save such Here is a double work seeking and saving 1. What is his seeking It implieth 1. His pity to us in our lost estate and providing means for us in that he doth not leave us to our wandrings or our own Hearts Counsels but taketh care that we be brought back again to God Iohn 10.16 Other Sheep have I which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice It is spoken of his care to bring in his own among the Gentiles he will in due time convert and bring in all that belong to the Election of Grace Christ hath not only a care of those that are already brought in but of those who are yet to be brought in they are his Sheep though yet unconverted in respect of his Eternal Purpose and his heart is upon them when they little think of him and his love to them So the Lord Jesus appeared in the Vision to Paul Acts 18.10 Fear not I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this City He doth not say there are much people Corinth was a populous City and 't is good casting out the Net where there are store of Fish but I have much people it is not meant of those Corinthians that were already converted to God for at that time there were few or none for all those at Corinth that were converted were converted by Paul 1 Cor. 4.15 Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Or if some few were already converted Paul was not afraid of them But there are much people viz. who were Elected by God Redeemed by Christ though yet wallowing in their sins such as these he findeth out in their wandrings 2. His seeking implieth his diligence and pains to reduce them Luke 15.4 What man of you having an hundred Sheep if he lose one of them doth not leave the ninety and nine in the Wilderness and seeketh after that which was lost till he find it It requireth time and pains to find them and gain their consent A lost Soul is not so easily recovered and reduced from his straying there is many a warning slighted many a conviction smothered and tenders of Grace made in vain till they are taken in their month Isa. 65.2 I have spread out my hands all the day long unto a rebellious People as requiring Audience I evidence this two ways I. Christ is said to seek after us by his Word and Spirit 1. By his Word he cometh as a Teacher from Heaven to recall sinners from their wandrings At first he came in person I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to Repentance Matth. 9.13 Besides his giving Repentance as Prince and Lord of the renewed estate or dispenser of the Grace of the Gospel there is his calling to Repentance and Christ was very painful in it going up and down and seeking all occasions to bring home poor Creatures to God Thus he was now calling home to God Zaccheus a Publican so the Woman of Samaria when he was faint and hungry Iohn 4. and verse 34. He telleth her His meat was to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work To seek and save lost Souls was meat and drink to Christ. So still he doth send Ministers giving them gifts and inspiriting them with a Zeal for God's Glory and compassion over Souls that with all meekness they may instruct those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth c. 2 Tim. 2.25 2â— Now these are to be instant in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 As the Woman lighted a Candle to seek her lost Groat Luke 15.8 So Christ causeth the Candlestick of the Church to be furnished with burning and shining Lights men of Prudence Zeal and Holiness and Compassion over Souls that he may at length gain on a People And indeed Christ never lights a Candle but he hath some lost Groat to seek 2. By his Spirit striving against and overcoming the obstinacy and contradiction of our Souls By his Call in the Word he inviteth us to Holiness but by his powerful Grace he inclineth us Man is averse from God he resists not only external offers but internal motions till by his invincible Grace he changeth our hearts and so in the day of his power we become a willing people Psal. 110.3 Thy people are willing in the day of thy power It is the good Shepherd that bringeth home the Sheep upon his own shoulders rejoycing Luke 15.5 II. This seeking is absolutely necessary if he did not seek them they would never seek him It is our great duty to seek after God the Scripture calleth for it every where Isa. 55.6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near By the motions of his Spirit he urgeth us thereunto Psal. 27.8 When thou saidst Seek ye my face The course of his Providence inviteth us both Afflictions Hosea 5.15 In their afflictions they will seek me early and Mercies Acts 17.27 28. That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us For in him we live and move and have our being And his People are described to be a Generation of them that seek him Psal. 24.6 Yet if Christ had not by his preventing Grace sought us we could never seek after him Isa. 65.1 I am found of them that sought me not I prevented their seeking of me by sending and seeking after mine own first Christ begineth with us first 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he first loved us He chuseth us before we chuse him Iohn 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you He seeketh us first before we seek him for we are fugitives and exiles our hearts are averse from God and there is a legal exclusion in the way Sweetly Bernard to
alone is the only proper object for our trust for this benefit 1. Because he hath undertaken to keep us and guard us from all evil See Gen. 15.1 Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great reward Psal. 84.11 The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield The removal of evil belongeth to his Covenant as well as the bestowing of all manner of blessings The blessings of the Covenant are privative and positive His Providence is mainly seen in our Pilgrimage in keeping off evils Plures sunt gratiae privativae There are more privative blessings here in keeping from sin temptation and danger In the World to come we know more of the positive blessings See also that promise Zech. 2.5 I will be unto her a wall of Fire round about Pray mark the Promise for every word is emphatical It was spoken when the returning Iews were discouraged with the small number they had wherewith to People their Countrey and Man their Towns against their Enemies Now after a promise of future increase God for the present telleth them that he would be to her a wall of Fire round about The words are so precious it is pity a syllable should be lost There are two Promises included in this one Promise 1. That God will be a Wall There is a distinct promise for that Isa. 26.1 We have a strong City Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks round about her So Psal. 125.2 As the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so the Lord is round about his People from henceforth even for ever God will be instead of all Guards 2 Then a Wall of Fire Not of Brass or of Stone but of Fire Qui comminus arceat eminus terreat They made Fires about them to keep off the Wild Beasts Here is enough for a refuge and to stay our Hearts on the Lord 's keeping Would God speak at this rate and not be a shelter to us If we did make use of him we should find the benefit These promises shew that we have leave to dwell in God as our fortress and that we shall not be refused lodging nor thrust out when we enter into him for that end and purpose Yea they give us confidence as well as leave that we shall have the benefits we expect or a benefit every way as good or better 2. Because he alone will keep us and every part of us and all that belongeth to us our Souls our Bodies our Names and our Estates 1. Our Souls Psal. 121.7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy Soul If a Believer lose any thing by trouble he shall not lose what is most precious he shall not lose his Soul In a Fire a Man careth not so much though his Lumber be burnt if he can preserve his Money and his Jewels Our Soul is in more danger than the Body and needs more keeping Our Body is in danger of Men but our Soul of Spiritual and Ghostly Enemies If God suspend the keeping of the Soul how soon doth Man fall and lose himself Now God preserveth the Souls of the Saints Psal. 22.20 Deliver my Soul from the Sword and my darling from the power of the Dog 2. Our Bodies are not left to the Wills of Men but are under the special care and protection of God Psal. 34.20 He keepeth all his Bones not one of them is broken They are not left to the Will of Instruments in their trouble In our Lord Christ was this promise fulfilled Nay the Excrementitious parts are taken care of Mat. 10.30 The very Hairs of your Head are all numbred He hath a care not only of the essential parts Body and Soul and of their integral parts any Joint or Limb but of their Excrementitious parts which are the least things about them and serve for Ornament rather than for Use. 3. So for all their concernments and estates Iob 1.10 Hast not thou made an Hedge about him and about his House and about all that he hath on every side Not only about him but his Children Servants Horses Oxen Asses Satan could not find a gap or breach whereby to enter and work him any annoyance Such an invisible guard there is upon the Saints It is true there is a difference God hath absolutely promised to save the Souls of his people but life and the comforts of it so far as shall be expedient for his glory and our good Upon which terms we must trust all in his hands 4. I had almost forgotten our Name Psal. 31.20 Thou shalt keep them secretly as in a pavilion from the strife of Tongues Slander and detraction is an Arrow that flyeth in secret and so we are often struck with a blow that smarteth not Calumnies and false accusations are privily whispered to our wrong and prejudice Now it is a comfort to remember that God hath the keeping of our credit as well as of other things He will not only keep us from being smitten from the fist of wickedness but from the strife of Tongues 3. Because he can shelter us from all sorts of Enemies All our Enemies and Dangers they are all under God and at his disposal Therefore we are said Psal. 91.1 to dwell in the secret place of the Most High and to abide under the shadow of the Almighty God is most High and Almighty and the Enemies of your Salvation are something under God Whether Men or Devils Men are but poor Instruments in Gods Hands They can do no more than God pleaseth When you are in their Hands they are in God's Hands Acts 4.28 To do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Council determined before to be done Devils are not exempted from the dominion and government of his Providence they can do nothing without leave whether as Enemies of your Bodies or of your Souls Pests are thought to be an effect of his malice Psal. 91.3 He shall deliver thee from the Snare of the Fowler and from the noisome Pestilence See Iob's case Iob 2.7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore Boils from the Sole of his Foot unto his Crown The Devils are Princes of the power of the Air but God is most High They must have leave if the Devil could not enter into the Herd of Swine without leave surely he cannot afflict the Bodies of Men without leave Oh! could we dwell above in God all the frightful things in the World would seem less to us Though we are in the midst of a thousand dangers what should we fear that dwell above in the bosom of the Almighty God Things the more remote the less they seem and the nearer they are the greater We that inhabit the Earth judge the Mountains that are before our Eyes to be of an unmeasurable bigness and the Stars that are distant from us seem but little sparks and spangles but if we could ascend into Heaven then we should see those Globes of light to be
holdeth comfortable communion with them by the influences of his grace and they have free recourse to him upon all occasions Oh how sweet and comfortable is it to have a lodging in God's heart to take up our Mansion-house in his All-sufficiency and to find there protection provision and all manner of consolation I shall 1. Press you to it by some Motives 2. Shew you what it is and in what manner it is done I. To press you to it 1. Nothing else will be a sure refuge and dwelling place for us on this side God 1. Will you dwell in your own wit How soon can God turn that into folly and bring you to such exigences as you know not what to do nor say Many skilful Men have perished Iob 5.13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong 2. Will you dwell in your own Wealth 'T is an usual sin A Man is known by his trust his constitution of mind and heart is according to it Psal. 115.8 So is every one that trusts in them That this is an usual sin see 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 as an high wall in his own conceit What the Name of the Lord is to the one that a Man's Wealth is to the other by it he thinks to repel all evil and obtain all good They promise themselves all happiness they can shift and run from God This is a great sin Ephes. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness let it not be once named among you Mark 10.24 How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God Yet hardly avoidable Therefore that caution given Psal. 62.10 If riches encrease set not your heart upon them As soon as we have any thing in the World we are apt presently to build our hopes upon it to the wrong of God and our own Souls But all things on this side God will prove a ruinous habitation ready to fall on the head of the Inhabitant 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this World that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches these pass from hand to hand and from house to house Those whom they seem to make happy one day they leave empty and naked the next To promise our selves a long enjoyment of them is to play the fool Luke 12.19 Thou Fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Riches profit not in the day of wrath Prov. 11.4 They will not allay the displeasure of God nor keep off a noisome Disease they cannot purchase a Pardon buy health or prolong life for one day 3. Will you dwell in or trust in strength of Body good Constitution natural Beauty Psal. 39.5 Verily every Man at his best estate is altogether vanity Alas How soon can God arm the Humours of your own Body against you bring on a noisome Disease while you are in your prime and turn this beautiful Body into a loathsome Carkass 4. VVill you dwell in honour and greatness A King confuted his flatterers that told him what a Mighty Prince he was what a great Command he had by Sea and Land by causing his Chair to be set near the VVaves upon the Sand It will not keep off one VVave not a Sickness nor approaches of Death How soon can God lay your Honour in the dust Psal. 146.4 His breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish Psal. 49.20 Man that is in honour and understandeth not is like the Beasts that perish A house of Clay soon crumbled into dust How many may stand on their Fathers Graves and say Where is all the glory and honour they once enjoyed Now what good have their Pleasures and Prosperity done them when he that dwelleth in God is on a sure foundation 5. Will you dwell in Friends This is a great blessing but if it withdraw the heart from God it is a great snare Friends in many cases can onely do us good by their wishes God can send noisome Diseases when Friends and Lovers stand afar off and our Kindred stand aloof from us Psal. 38.11 Friends are mutable 2 Sam. 16.4 Then said the King to Ziba Behold thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth A Sentence unworthy so Just a King towards the Son of his dearest Ionathan to whom he was so strongly ingaged for his true VVorth incomparable Love singular Favours yea by Oath and Covenant so Solemnly made again and again in the Presence of God Reason of State and Jealousie are incident to Empire Men are but Men they die 1 Kings 1.21 It shall come to pass when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted offenders Those that dwell in God have better Protection than the Minions of Princes Psal. 118.8 9. It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in Men. It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in Princes In greatest extremities nothing more frail than an arm of flesh though now never so rich and powerful 6. VVill you dwell in your own Righteousness None trust in their own Righteousness so much as they that have least cause Alas VVhat will this do if God enter into Judgment with you Psal. 143.2 Enter not into Iudgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified 2. You will not be refused lodging nor thrust out when you come to him seriously humbly and penitently whatsoever your condition be Iure venit cultos ad sibi quisque Deos. All come for relief to their Gods Jonah 1.6 Arise call upon thy God if so be that God will think upon us that we perish not Ruth 2.12 A full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust There is no exception against you because of your outward condition Psal. 91.1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High c. It is spoken indefinitely whosoever he be high or low rich or poor young or old For God is no accepter of Persons but is rich to all that call upon him Among Men it falleth out otherwise the poor who most need protection and cherishing have least share of it Men are obnoxious to many wants and weaknesses therefore Barter with their kindnesses and give Harbour and Entertainment where they may receive it again But this is a general and common promise that excludeth no sort of Men Here is no distinction of high or low Prince or Subject Nobles or Common People whoso cometh to seek a hiding in God is welcome if he cometh in Faith The bosom of Providence is open to receive persons of all Ages Sexes Degrees and State of
Faith standeth us in most stead Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Then by the one we are freed from the guilt of Sin and so have deliverance from Eternal Death By the other we have not only right but entrance into Eternal Glory What is our whole scope but to be absolved by Christ at last and enter into Eternal Life Finally these two are to be regarded to obviate their mistake who think indeed that Faith and it may be Repentance is necessary to pardon or to dissolve our Obligation to Punishment but not new Obedience But in their place all the Conditions are necessary They think new Obedience is necessary to Salvation or Eternal Life but not to Justification But Salvation is as gracious an Act of Mercy as free and undeserved a Gift as Pardon Rom. 6.23 The wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Eternal Life is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wages but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gift of God It is as much merited by Christ as the other and therefore as proper a part yea the chief part of the Hope of Righteousness by Faith and that which is only waited for and not injoyed III. What is the work of the Spirit in this business in urging Believers to wait for the Hope of Righteousness by Faith I Answer the work of the Spirit doth either concern the Duties of the new Covenant or the Priviledges of the new Covenant or what is common to them both I begin with the latter 1. What is common to them both He doth convince us of the Truth of the Gospel both of means and end that there is such an Hope and the Righteousness of Faith is the only way to obtain it Now this he doth Externally and Internally 1. Externally and by way of Objective Evidence All the certainty that we have of the Gospel is by the Spirit Acts 5.32 We are Witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Ghost which he hath given to them that obey him And Iohn 15. 26 27. When the Comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me And ye also shall bear witness because ye have been with me from the beginning Mark in both these places the two solemn Witnesses are the Spirit and the Apostles the one Principal the other Ministerial the one declaring Doctrine and Matter of Fact the other assuring the World of the Truth of their Testimony The Apostles testified of Christs sayings and doings and the Holy Ghost which came down upon them and the rest that consorted with them and was given in some measure to those that obeyed their Doctrine was an undoubted Evidence that God owned it from Heaven Here was enough to open mens Eyes and to give them a right understanding of his Person and Doctrine that it was of God The Visible Gifts of the Holy Ghost and his powerful working in the Hearts of men in order to their Conversion unto God These admirable Gifts and Graces shed abroad upon men were a Notable Conviction to the World that Christ was a Teacher sent from God to teach men the way to Eternal Life and Happiness This did afford sufficient matter of Confirmation and Conviction by the Spirit shed abroad and poured forth on the Christian Church 2. Internally inlightning their Minds and inclining their Hearts to imbrace the Truth Which maketh the former Testimony effectual So the Apostle prayeth Eph. 1.17 For the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Christ the eyes of their understanding being inlightned that they might know what is the hope of his Calling and the Riches of the Glory of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light To the sight of any thing these things are necessary an Object a Medium a Faculty As in outward sight an Object that may be seen a convenient light to represent it and make the Object perspicuous An Organ or Faculty of seeing in the Eye Unless there be an Object you bid a man see nothing Unless there be a Medium a due light to represent it as in a fog or at Midnight the sharpest sight can see nothing Unless there be a Faculty neither the Object nor Medium will avail a Blind-man cannot see any thing at Noon-day Now here is an Object the way of Salvation by Christ A convenient light it is represented in the Gospel And the Faculty is prepared for the Eyes of the Mind are opened by the Spirit that we may see both Way and End the necessity of Holiness and the reality of future Glory and Blessedness Alas without this sight we busie our selves about Vanities and Childish Toys and never Mind the things which are most necessary certainly we can have no saving understanding of Spiritual Truths neither what is the Benefit of Christianity or the blessed Condition of Gods People Nor what are the Duties of Christianity so as our Hearts may be held to them or how we may behave our selves as true Believers 2. The Work of the Spirit as to the Duties of the new Covenant He doth not only convince us of the Reality and the Necessity of Christs Obedience and our Holiness but by his Powerful Operation frameth and inclineth our Hearts to the Duties required of us Faith it self is wrought in us by this Holy Spirit for it is the Gift of God Eph. 2.8 And so is Repentance and Obedience Heb. 8.10 I will write my Laws upon their Hearts and put them into their Minds Moses his Law was written on Tables of Stone as a Rule without them but Christs Law on the Heart and Mind as drawing and inclining them to obey it The Renewing Grace of the Spirit of God doth prepare us and fit us and his exciting Grace doth quicken us that we may do what is pleasing in his sight And therefore if we profess to live under the new Covenant we are inexcusable if we do not bestir our selves and accomplish the work of Faith with Power and obey from the Heart the Doctrine delivered to us Indeed the Spirit doth most naturally put us upon spiritual Worship and spiritual Holiness these things agree most with his Being and Nature The observances of the Law were carnal yet as long as Gods command continued the Spirit inclined to Obedience to them But a better Law being enacted by Christ the Spirit that proceedeth from the Father and the Son suiteth his Operations accordingly For he cometh into us as Christs Spirit He shall take of mine and glorifie me John 16.14 All that he doth accordeth with Christ as Christs Will doth with the Father 3. The work of the Spirit as to the priviledges of the New Covenant which are pardon and life 1. As to Pardon he is the Comforter He cometh
others to whom he hath not the like respect or relation He debateth with them in measure or with much moderation meting out their sufferings in a due proportion Isai. 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth the rough wind in the day of the east wind He dealeth with them as a Father with others as a Judge with the one out of love with the other out of vindictive wrath Ier. 10.24 O Lord correct me but with Iudgment not in thine Anger lest thou bring me to nothing With his people not according to the strict rule of Law and Justice but according to his Wisdom and Love And Lastly because he soon relenteth Ier. 31.20 Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. What! is my dear Son my darling Child in such a sad condition Are these the Moanings of Ephraim Surely I am mindful of him my Bowels are towards him as those of a Mother towards her tender Child Thus God sheweth himself a Father IV. The qualification of the persons to whom God maketh this promise in the context They that feared the Lord and thought upon his name Those whom God owneth for his peculiar people See the same qualification Psal. 103.13 Like as a Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth those that fear him 1. It is necessary for them For the best need to be spared as a Father spareth his own Son that serveth him or else what would become of them If they were not under such a pardoning Covenant How could they maintain any peace in their own Souls being guilty of so many daily failings which they resent more tenderly than others do fouler faults And that they are also more sensible of the effects of his Anger in his Providence for they dare not despise the chastening of the Lord but have a greater reverence for their Fathers Anger than the rest of the world have and therefore the Lord expresseth his Indulgence for their comfort and satisfaction Those that walk most closely with God and exactly according to Rule need Peace and Mercy Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God We still stand in need of Mercy free and undeserved Mercy that our failings may be pardoned our Persons and Duties accepted our Afflictions moderated and we may be accepted and go to Heaven at last 2. It is peculiar to them There is a conditional offer of Pardon to the wicked if they will repent but Fatherly dealing and Indulgence is assured to those who are admitted into God's Family He hath a paternal affection towards them and they have filial dispositions towards him And though he doth express his common Goodness and Bounty to all his Creatures yet his Special and Fatherly Love is to his Saints to whom he hath given a new Being and an Holy Nature The whole Commerce that is between God and them on God's part is Fatherly on their part Child-like on God's part in a way of Grace and Love pardoning their Sins and Frailties and their carriage is loving and obedient unto God Love is at the bottom of God's Dispensations towards them and at the bottom of their Duty unto God He loveth them as a Father and they love him as dear Children Fatherly benefits are fullest sweetest and surest and filial Duty is the choicest Now those that are not Children cannot look for a Child's portion Certainly the obstinate and impenitent are excluded Deut. 29.20 The Lord will not spare him but the Anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him But if any fear him and serve him they may hope for his Mercy Psal. 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy They that live in a constant Obedience to his Commands and an Holy Trust and Affiance in him not by any tenure of Merit in themselves but free and undeserved Mercy in him they are spared they are accepted yea they are Blessed and God delights in their welfare 3. It is congruous proper and suitable For this is God's end in sparing that he may be reverenced and feared Psal. 130.4 But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared He intended forgiveness as a new foundation of Obedience Love and Thankfulness that we should love him more because forgiven Be the more Holy because pardoned as she loved much because much was forgiven her Luke 7.47 Contempt and commonness of Spirit in dealing with God is the worst use we can make of it Therefore if there be no love to God nor reverence of him nor delight in him if you take the more liberty to Sin upon an hope that God will spare you and not be so severe to you though you indulge your selves in pleasig the Flesh These abuse his Grace and turn it into wantonness some more openly others more secretly as they are leavened with this Teint they draw incouragements from it to Sin and Folly whereas the true temper is to fear the Lord and his goodness Hos. 3.4 To have a deeper Reverence of God because of his Goodness in the new Covenant and his pardoning Mercy should be the great ingagement to Gospel-obedience 1. Use Is Caution and Warning to the People of God that they do not entertain jealousies of God as one that watcheth all opportunities and advantages against us to punish us as if he seemed to be glad at our halting No this is a Blasphemy against his Holy and Gracious Nature and a flat contradiction to the discoveries and expressions of his Love in his Covenant Yet such Thoughts are wont to haunt us Iob's words import little less Iob 4.16 17. For now thou numbrest my steps Dost thou not watch over my sin My transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sewest up mine iniquity He speaketh as if God severely marked and would strictly call his people to an account for all their sins This apprehension of God's severe dealing is very natural to us in our sore Affliction For Iob so speaketh as if God had strictly marked all his Sin and kept the Record sealed up in a Bag to make out his Process against him Obj. But what other Thoughts can we have when Troubles come thick and threefold and God seemeth to be reckoning with us for our Transgressions Answ. 1. God's sparing Mercy may sometimes be concealed and not alway visibly expressed to the Sense of the Believer and Faith should see Mercy in God's Heart when his Hand is heavy and smart upon us Iob 10.13 These things hast thou hid in thine heart I know that this is with thee What things Life and Favour and Gracious Supports and Visits of
one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity THese Words are brought in to prevent the Scandal which the Godly might take at the falling away of two such Men as Hymeneus and Philetus who in probability were Men of Note in the Church for there is not such notice taken of ordinary and mean Persons Their Error was they acknowledged only a Metaphorical Resurrection and so weakened the Comfort of the Faithful The Scandal which they gave was Threefold Scandalum Seductionis Contristationis Offensionis 1. There was Scandalum Seductionis Ver. 18. They overthrow the Faith of some Fides quae creditur 'T is principally meant They turned them away from the Truth 2. There was Scandalum Contristationis They were a great trouble to the Faithful and weakened their Comfort As surely it is a mighty disheartening to see such glorious Luminaries fall from Heaven like Lightning Some think the main drift of the Text is to comfort them with an hope of Preservation though these fell away When others fall those who are truly the Lord's and do unfeignedly Dedicate themselves to be his People shall be preserved by his Power because the Foundation or first Stone of this Spiritual Building was laid in their Election which is firm and unchangable I am not against this sense because I find Election to be made the ground of our standing out in Temptations Matth. 24.24 Insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. The Elect cannot possibly be deceived and drawn away from the true Christ because of the Wisdom Love and Power of God ingaged for them 2 Thess. 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth Their Election did secure them from Danmable Errors I am not against this Truth yet I think it not the full meaning of this place though strongly implied in it Truly the Apostle doth confirm the Hearts of the Faithful in these words by shewing them their Priviledges and their Duty Their Priviledges when he telleth them that God knoweth them that are his Their Duty when he presseth them to Holiness Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Apostacy of some should excite all to watchfulness â—est they be caught in the same Snare But yet I cannot induce my self to think that by the Foundation of God is meant his Election and it is an hard thing to conceive that a Foundation of a Building should be sealed 3. There is Scandalum Offensionis It might make them to slumble and take Offence and raise a Scandal of Prejudice or Doubtfulness at least First Against the Truth of the Gospel Secondly The Honour of the Church The later Scandal is obviated in the 20th Verse But in a great house there are not only Vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour The Carnal and Renewed the sincerely Godly and the Hypocrites live together in the Church without any dishonour to the Church or derogation to God's Providence As in a great Family there are divers Utensils some for a nobler some for a baser use But the former Scandal against the Truth of the Gospel which seemed to be weakened in their Minds by this perverse Opinion that the Resurrection was past is chiefly obviated in the Text. They denied the future Estate and so there was no Bliss for them that were persecuted Now to comfort them the Apostle telleth them that God hath a Reward for those that were faithful with him and that Eternally both in Body and Soul So that the meaning of The Foundation of the Lord standeth sure is his Obligation and Covenant with them in Christ and his purpose towards them remains unchangable and firm because it is sealed on God's part by his Providence Administring all things for the good of the Elect on Man's part by their Conscience of their Duty Nevertheless the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his and Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity In the words observe First The Proposition concerning the sureness of God's Covenant The foundation of the Lord standeth sure Secondly The Confirmation 1. In General because it is a sealed Contract 2. More particularly from the nature of this Seal or the double Inscription or Motto of it It hath an Inscription or Motto agreeing to the condition of the Two Parties contracting 1. On God's part The Lord knoweth them that are his God will be faithful and constant in loving those who are his Servants 2. On Man's part Yet we are not to be negligent of our Duty And Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Doctr. That what ever Errors or Scandals arise in the Church yet God's purpose declared in the Gospel of bringing his peculiar People unto Glory remaineth firm and steady This was the Truth assaulted by this Error which shaked so many and this is the Comfort which the Apostle propoundeth to the Disciples and Servants of Christ. The Point will be made good by explaining the Circumstances of the Text. I. The Proposition here asserted The foundation of the Lord standeth sure All the business will be to shew what is the Foundation of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Foundation is taken Sensu forensi or Architectonico in the Builder's sense or in the Lawyer 's sense In the Builder's sense for the Foundation of an House In the Lawyer 's sense for the Foundation of an Estate which I expect from another upon any Bargain or Contract with him the Evidences and Deeds of Conveyance are the Foundation which I have to build upon for my Right and Title Now to take Foundation here in the Builder's sense would make but an odd Interpretation in this place who ever heard of the sealing of the Foundation of an House and Inscriptions on that Seal And therefore Foundation is taken here for a Covenant or Bill of Contract As also 1 Tim. 6.19 Laying up in store for your selves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life It would be incongruous to take Foundation there in the Builder's sense as if Good Works were the Foundation of eternal Life No they are only the Evidences and Assurances of it The notion of a Bond or Obligation is more proper Upon a Contract I found or build my confidence of expecting Good from another so Prov. 19.17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again Lending noteth some Contract and Promise and Expectation grounded thereon so here The foundation of God is his Bill or Bond which is as a Pledge or Security left with us And thereby is not meant so much God's Eternal Purpose of Election as his Covenant that Deed and Instrument of Law by which he
in peace without spot and 〈◊〉 Now the Devil will not let you alone in this earnest diligence but seeketh to break your Resolutions or deaden your Affections or damp and discourage your Zeal and the Flesh joyneth with him especially when the World frowneth upon your Endeavours and are set against you for being so faithful to Christ. 2. That they are not prepared till they are endowed with Faith Hope and Love To evidence this I shall shew 1. Their Nature 2. Their mutual respect to one another 3. Their use in the Spiritual Conflict I. Their Nature 1. Faith which is a firm and cordial assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel or such things as are revealed by God because revealed by him 1. The Object 1. The Material Object of Faith in general is such things as are revealed by God in his Word Acts 24.14 Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets The Precepts Promises Threatnings Histories Mysteries The general Faith goeth before the particular there is no Building without a Foundation The special Object is God's Transactions about Man's Salvation by Christ Ioh. 17.3 This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. The formal Consideration is because revealed by him Iohn 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and believe that this indeed is the Christ the Saviour of the World That is because they had heard his Words and were convinced and satisfied 1 Thess. 2.13 Ye received it not as the Word of Men but as it is in Truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Not as any Doctrine devised of Men but as sent by God from Heaven for the benefit of Mankind 2. The act of the Soul It is an Assent The Understanding hath a double act about Divine Truths First Knowledge or a due Apprehension of them Secondly Exercising a Judgment about them this is Acknowledgment or Assent And this Assent hath two Adjuncts 1. It is a firm belief of these things There is a Latitude and Difference in the firmness of Assent there is Conjecture or Opinion which is a weak Faith but Assurance doth best Coll. 2.2 That their Hearts might be comforted being knit together in Love and unto all Riches of the full Assurance of Vnderstanding to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. I say there is a difference In the firmness of Assent there is Certitudo Notitia Certitudo Adherentiae a Certainty of Knowledge and a Certainty of Adherence But in all that are sincere it is so firm as to sway our choice incline our Hearts and govern our Resolutions that we see all the reason in the World to follow the way which Christ hath prescribed that we may be everlastingly happy whatever it cost they will venture Heb. 10.39 But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls Sense saith Spare the Flesh but Faith saith Save the Soul 2. It is a Cordial Belief or such as engageth the Heart For Faith considereth not only the Evidence of things propounded but the Weight Worth and Greatness of them 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation Simon Magus believed but his Heart was not right with God Acts 8.13 compared with 21 Verse So Many believed in his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did but Iesus committed not himself to them because he knew all Men John 2.23 24. This is Faith for first Men believe then love then hope then lift up the Head 2. Love Which is a Grace which inclineth our Hearts to God as our Portion and chief Happiness This over-ruleth all their Affections to their outward Interests Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Here we shall consider 1. The Qualification of the Object Love in the general considereth the Object as good God is good in himself and good to us Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good and we love God as a good God having received our Beings from him Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things And being redeemed by him when all was forfeited into the Hands of his Justice 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first And looking to expect more from him when all his Promises shall be fulfilled 1 Ioh. 3.1 2. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! Therefore the World knoweth us not because it knew him not Beloved Now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 2. The respect of Love to the Object It is such a respect as becometh the Chief Good and Happiness such a superlative and transcendent Love that our Love to other things should be as no Love when it is compared or cometh in Competition with our Love to God There are two acts of Love to God Desire after him and Delight in him 1. Desire is the pursuit of the Soul after God that we may get nearer to him It iâ— expressed usually by seeking after God and when God is sought after in the first place then are we said to love God as Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me All Duties and all Acts of the Spiritual Life are a seeking after more of God Psal. 63.8 My Soul followeth hâ—rd after thee Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the Days of my Life to behold the Beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple This ardent and burning desire is a great effect of love to God but when Men are cold and flat and more indifferent as to the distinguishing Testimonies of Gods love there is something on this side God which doth content us and divert us from him 2. Delight in God The highest exercise of this is reserved for the World to come when we shall enter into our Master's Joy but now it is a pleasing thing to think of him Psal. 104.34 My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. And to speak of him Ephes. 5.4 Neither Filthiness nor foolish Talking nor Iesting which are not convenient but rather giving of Thanks And to converse with him Psal. 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me Come let us go into the House of the Lord. Yea it is the Pleasure of their Lives to serve and obey him Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the Man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments This Complacency or
perish for his Impenitency and Unbelief but not meerly for the Greatness of his Sin for what Sin is so great that it is not or cannot be expiated by the Blood of Christ Christ's Satisfaction maketh the Salvation of the worst possible you may have Peace with God if you will 5. It bindeth our Duty the closer upon us No Man shall perish but for want of a willing Heart to accept of the Redeemer who hath paid our Ransom and of the Grace which he hath brought to us by which we may be interested and instated in the Benefits of this Ransom All things are ready if we are ready Luke 14.17 Come for all things are now ready God's Fatlings are killed his Wines are mingled if we will not come to the Feast we perish through our own default We need confer nothing all is but to receive the Benefits propounded and offered Victory over Death Hell Sin Satan is ready yea Heaven is ready and all Spiritual Blessings are ready if we are ready For the Merit and Satisfaction of Christ is the great cause of all that Blessedness which is offered to the Creature God hath opened the way to all if they will not enter into it they perish by their own default He hath sent Preachers into all the World Mark 16.15 16. And he said unto them Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Tit. 2.11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Let not us refuse our Cure though we must take a bitter Potion though we must enter in by the strait Gate of Faith and Repentance and walk in the narrow way of Self-denial and all holy Conversation and Godliness yet because it is to Life and the Legal Exclusion is taken off let us enter and walk in it Indeed if the Door were shut against us by the Sentence of thr Law and there was no way to remove the Bars and Bolts our Excuse were more just because then our Condition would be hopeless But now all is finished Salvation rendred possible now God hath taken away the Bars and Bolts by which his Law shut us out from all hope Let us not set up Bars and Bolts by our own Unbelief and by our own Cowardly Fears If Man were not Man but a Beast a Fool or a Mad-man it might more excusably be allowed to them to be led by Sense and Appetite and then it were an intolerable thing to Crucifie the Flesh with the Affections thereof But Man having Reason doth know or may know that this Command of God is equal that God doth not only require but help us to perform it and prevent us by his Grace 6. It doth not only bind our Duty upon us but it doth encourage us to Repent and Believe and Obey for Christ is able to save to the utmost all those that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 And he is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 And doth give repentance as well as remission of sins Acts 5.31 For to you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1.29 The first Grace is his Gift and his resolved Gift to the Elect but all are to take their Lot If it were said to us alone That we should strive to enter in at the streight Gate or that we alone should deny our selves and take up our Cross and follow him it were hard But when the same Terms are propounded to all and when many young and old rich and poor have received them and have tried God's Ways and it hath succeeded well with them upon Trial why should we fear it If no body had done it or could do it then we might stick at God's Terms This Argument Austin used to himself in his Conflicts of Conscience Lib. 8. Confess Cap. 11. When he had long withstood offers of Grace he would then propound to himself the Example of others Cur non poteris quod isti istae Isti istae non in se pouterunt sed in Domino Deo suo Why may not I as well as those holy Men and those good Women They did it not in themselves but in the strength of their God and the power â—f his Grace The Yoke of Christ will be more easie than we think of especially when it is lined with Grace 7. When we have once accepted the Condition cleared up our Title then we shall have cause to Glory in the Lord and be sensible indeed that all things are finished which are necessary to our Comfort and Peace and that this was a full Merit As Paul would Glory in the Cross of Christ Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Iesus Christ. Rom. 8.1 There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ. Then we shall make the bold Challenge of Faith Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us If Christ had not made a full Expiation of all our Sins we were under Condemnation still He doth not say there is nothing worthy of Condemnation in Believers for as long as Sin and the Flesh remaineth in us which doth as long as we live in the World there is a Potential Guilt of Damnation an intrinsick Merit in our Actions of Death and Condemnation yet the Actual Guilt or Obligation is taken away because Christ is made a Curse for us Well then our solid Rejoycing to the lasts is in this compleat Satisfaction Rom. 5.11 We rejoyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have received the atonement It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We Glory in God Vse Let this raise in us 1. An hearty Thankfulness and Admiration of the Love of Christ who would not give over Suffering till he could say It is Finished till he had done enough to Glorifie God and Save the Creature enough for the Destruction of Sin as well as the Abolition of the Curse Christ did not Compound but paid the utmost Farthing Oh! let us raise our Thoughts in the Consideration of this Love His Enemies interrupted him and tempted him to give over Save thy self if thou be the son of God come down from the cross Mat. 27.40 42. If he be the King of Israel let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him But because he was the Son of God and the King of Israel he would not come down till he was taken down and all was done that was necessary All God's Works are perfect Deut. 32.4 The Father ceased not till upon the Sixth Day he had perfected the Work of
off from Earthly He bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost I come to the later part of the Text. Some read it that first he Died and then bowed the Head there being no Spirit left to support it but Christ first bowed the Head and then died he did as it were becken to Death to come and do its Office He yielded up the Ghost his Soul was truly separated from his Body The form of Resignation we have Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commit my spirit Wicked Men because they die against their Wills their Souls are said to be taken away Luke 12.20 Thou fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee Job 27.8 For what is the hope of the Hypocrite thò he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul But Christ yieldeth it up and for a Godly Man to give up the Ghost noteth his Faith Submission and Willingness to depart out of the Body As the Prophet saith of Christ Isa. 53.12 He hath poured out his Soul unto death Death did not surprize him Doctr When all things were finished Christ freely and willingly gave up the Ghost His Life was not taken away but resigned there was much of Violence but no Coaction The Term Giving up the Ghost doth not imply the bare Death of Christ but that he died willingly and freely Nihil in hoc Christo est nisi profusa liberalitas misericordiae remissionis peccatorum I can see nothing in this Christ but a prodigality of Love and Mercy He had freely emptied his Veins in the Garden every Pore became an Eye and wept Blood for your sakes and now he cometh to pour out his Soul Reasons why Christ was so willing to die 1. Out of Obedience to his Father The Divine Decrees had laid a necessity upon him and where the Father saith Must Christ saith I will Matth. 26.54 55. Thinkest thou not that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels which was the just number of a Roman Army But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be Christ willingly took this Necessity upon him it was but Necessitas ex Hypothesi had it not been for his Eternal Consent it would never have been said Thus it must be Luke 22.37 This that is written must be accomplished Luke 24.46 Thus it is written and thus it behoveth Christ to suffer It was a Necessity of his own making he was not compelled to Accept of the Conditions from God nor forced by the Violence of Man â—o yield up his Life Iohn 10.18 No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again This commandment have I received of my father 2. Out of Love to us The Jews crucified him but Love made him die we had else perished for ever The Law laid it upon us but Love made Christ take it upon himself Isa. 53.4 Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our Sorrows Justice demanded it of us but Christ said I will be responsible exact it of me Mat. 20.28 Even as the son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many He took Life to lay it down at the demand of Justice Justice said I must have a Ransom Christ said Take it of me let these go Iob 33.24 Then he is gracious unto them and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom The Father received it and Christ payed it As the Angel said to Abraham Gen. 22.12 Lay not thine hand upon the lad neither do thou any thing unto him Justice would have reached forth a deadly stroke to us but Christ catched the blow 3. This would finish his Labours Death was Christ's last Enemy of his Person as well as of his Kingdom He had been harassed and worn out with Sorrows the Grave was a place of Rest it was finished as to him Isa. 57.2 He â—â—all enter into peace they shall rest in their beds Death was the end of Christ's Journey and all his Labours in the Flesh. The Grave was a dark dismal place till Christ went into it ever since it is but a Chamber of Rest and Christ keepeth the Key of it Isa. 26.20 Enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment 4. This furthered his Triumph and made it every way more compleat By dying Christ carried the War into his Enemies Land and foiled Death in its own Territory and made Death it self Mortal by lying in the Grave The Cross and the Grave were the means of Christ's Triumph by these the Devil thought to foil him and by these he triumphed He conquered Satan and Sin when they seemed to have most power upon him like angry Bees they stung him and disarmed themselves Heb. 2.14 That through death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil Col. 2.15 And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the Cross Eph. 2.16 Having slain the enmity thereby that is by his Cross formerly spoken of When he was slain himself then he slew Death and the Law Christ's crucifying was his Exaltation and Preferment It is twice expressed by lifting up Iohn 3.14 So shall the son of man be lifted up John 12.32 33. I if I be lifted up will draw all men after me This he said signifying what death he should die The Grave was consecrated and sanctified by Christ's lying there Duo in cruce affixi intelliguntur saith Origen Christus visibiliter sponte suâ— ad tempus Diabolus invisibiliter invitus in perpetuum There were two crucified at once Christ visibly of his own accord for a time only the Devil invisibly against his will for ever Christ received a slight hurt in his Heel but he bruised Satan's Head 5. He was hastening to his own Glory Heb. 12.2 For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross despising the shame and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God He was thinking of his Welcom to Heaven Oh what sweet Embraces there would be between the Father and him Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footstool Dan. 7.13 14. I saw in the night-visions and behold one like the son of man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of days and they brought him near before him And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed How the Angels should usher him into Glory
to us An Earnest is a part of the Sum which is promised so is the Earnest of the Spirit a part of the promised Felicity God would not altogether weary us and burden us with Expectation but giveth us somewhat in hand Surely he that giveth us Earnest will give us the whole Sum the Earnest of the Spirit consisteth in Light Life Grace Joy one Dram of these is more precious than all the World and yet these are but an Earnest Now having such a Confirmation in the midst of our Doubts and Fears let us with more Confidence look to receive the whole in due Season 4. Some already have got home to God upon the same Terms and in the same Way in which you expect to get home to him Think often of the Happiness of the Blessed who are now enjoying what we expect and are in possession of that supreme Good which we hope for They are entred into the Joy of our Lord and have neither Miseries to fear nor Blessings to desire beyond what they enjoy they possess all that they love And tho the time of our Advancement to these Privileges be not yet come yet we should look and long for it We are all of the same Family Eph. 3.15 Of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named It is but one Houshold some live in the upper Room some in the lower some in Heaven some on Earth but we are all of the same Society and Community Heb. 12.23 To the general Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven We are said to be already come into this Fellowship only they have gotten the start of us and are made perfect before us that we should follow after We are reconciled to the same God by the same Christ Col 1.20 By him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven And we expect our Portion from the Bounty of the same Father If he hath been so good to that part of the Family which is now in Heaven will he not be as good to the other Part also Therefore they that are working out their Salvation with fear and trembling may encourage themselves and look upon this Felicity as prepared for them tho not enjoyed by them It will one day be their Portion as well as those others who have passed the Pikes and are now triumphing with God A SERMON UPON ROMANS II. 7 To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life IN this Scripture we have a plain and full Character of the Heirs of Promise or a short but compleat Description of that Good which is necessary to Life The Words are occasioned by the Apostle's mentioning of the righteous Judgment of God which rendereth to every Man according to their Works That General mentioned in ver 6. is more distinctly explained in the next Verses wherein he sheweth how the righteous Judg will carry himself towards the Good and towards the Bad in the Judgment of Absolution and Condemnation towards the Good in the Text toward the Bad ver 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Indignation and Wrath. The one is a Reward of Grace and the other is a Punishment awarded by his exact Justice We are to consider the first of these the Reward of Grace To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life In the Words observe the Qualification and the Reward 1. The Qualification or Description of the Heirs of Promise 1. By their End and Design They seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality 2. The Means or way wherein they seek it by well-doing 3. Their Constancy and Perseverance in that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by patient Continuance Well then 1 st Here is a short and full Description of those who shall be saved They are those who out of the Hope of the eternal Reward persevere in the Obedience of the Truth for they that continue in well-doing are opposed to them that obey not the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Whereby is intended those that sin against the Light of Nature and refuse the Direction of the Gospel So that well-doing must be stated partly by the Light of Nature and partly by the Light of Scripture or rather by this latter alone as it comprizeth and explaineth the other And their Constancy and patient Continuance in this Work is as considerable as the Work it self Continuance implieth a constant Tenour of Righteousness and Holiness and patient Continuance implies Continuance notwithstanding Temptations to the contrary or bearing the Persecutions which they underwent for the Duties of the Christian Profession still going on in the Pursuit of that Reward which Christ hath promised 2. The Reward is Eternal Life This they looked and this they laboured for They were not carried on upon temporal Incouragements but eternal Bliss in the World to come And this is an excellent Counterpoise against the Loss or the Discomforts of the present Life Doct. That God will give Eternal Life to all those who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek after it The Point will be best opened by discussing the Circumstances of the Text. I shall speak I. Of the Qualification II. Of the Reward I. The Qualification And there I must speak First Of their Design and Aim They seek for Glory Honour and Immortality In all Businesses and Affairs the end must be first thought of Now these Persons which are here described propound to themselves the noblest and highest End which the Heart of Man can pitch upon even Glory Honour and Immortality Amongst Men the Ambitious who aspire to Crowns and Kingdoms and aim at perpetual Fame by their Vertues and rare Exploits are judged Persons of greater Gallantry than covetous Muckworms and brutish Epicures yet their highest Thoughts and Designs are very base and low in comparison of sincere Christians who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality and whom nothing less will content and satisfy than the Injoyment of God himself in his Heavenly Kingdom and all that Happiness which he hath promised to his faithful Servants The Threshold will not content them but the Throne Their End is far more noble than the Designs of all the rest of the World And whereas others do carry themselves but as an higher and wiser sort of Beasts and so are unworthy of an immortal Soul these carry themselves as Men possessed with a Divine Spirit The Beasts have an Instinct that guideth them to seek things convenient for that Life which they have And a Man that is satisfied with his Portion here and only relisheth the Contentments of the rational and bodily Life carrieth himself more like a living Creature than a rational Creature more like a Beast than like a Man All their Business and Bustle is to have their
and Conscience saith the contrary Or are we innocent Or hath God provided another way than Christ 2 Obedience Every thing is written and must be reviewed If things were forgotten assoon as we forget them we need not revise our Acts or be so careful of our Conversations Oh but we must come to an account Iames 2.12 So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty Psalm 1.5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous What a shameful story will there be produced against careless Sinners All the business of our lives is to stand in the great Congregation and to appear with confidence Would a Man give way to vain thoughts if he knew he were to give an account or to vain Discourse if he thought every idle word would be brought to Judgment or to Carnal Actions though never so secret if he thought that all these would come to a review or neglect the Duties of his Calling if he knew he were to give an account of his Stewardship or be unmerciful to the Poor if he did think of Have you fed Have you cloathed Or that he should be examined upon these questions 3. The Consideration of Hell or the Dreadful Punishment of Sin For this is the matter in this Text. This is useful to think of Hell that we may shun it presumption is a Coward Matth. 3.7 8. O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance There is a forced Repentance they that do not weep for their Sins for a while here shall there mourn for ever with a fruitless Repentance It is peace upon Earth What is Hell 1. There is poena damni the Punishment of loss a separation from the presence of God and Everlasting Exile Depart from me ye cursed Matth. 25.41 Luke 13.25 26. When once the master of the house is risen and hath shut the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying Lord Lord open to us and he shall answer and say unto you I know ye not whence ye are and verse 28. When ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out When God turned Adam out of Paradise it was sad but then he cloathed him made him Coats of skins Adam was a Rebellious Child and was turned out of Doors but God had a care of him would not turn him out of Doors without his Garments gave him the promise of the Seed of the Woman hopes of a better Paradise This is the worst part of Hell to have a glimpse of God the remembrance of which shall remain with them for ever and then to be shut out Thou shalt see it with thine eyes but not taste it As a Prodigal reduced to Rags goeth by the Lands and Houses he hath sold with a sad Heart 2. The poena sensus The Punishments of Sense the Worm of Conscience and the Fire of Gods VVrath The worm of Conscience the Sting of Conscience when we think of our folly and imprudence A Man may run away from his Conscience now by sleeping reading working drinking sporting as Cain built Cities and Saul called for Musick But in Hell there are no such Diversions not a Thought free Day nor Night but Memoria praeteritorum the remembrance of what is past slighted Means abused Comforts wasted Time and Sensus praesentium a Sense of what is present the understanding maketh Heaven or Hell and metus futurorum a fear of what is to come for ever and ever Oh blind Fools that we did not think of these things aforehand The pleasures of the VVorld for a Thousand years will not countervail one minutes torment And then the Fire shall never be quenched Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the the living God Do but make tryal and put your finger in the Candle and see how you can bear it Isa. 33.14 Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings III. How to improve the Scriptures to Repentance 1. Believe them as you would an Oracle or one from the dead Consider the Authority and Veracity of God The Authority of God God Commandeth Men to repent charge the heart in the Name of God as it will answer to him another day If God had bidden thee do some greater thing wouldst not thou have done it VVill you contradict your Maker The Veracity of God these things are true If you had heard a voice from Heaven as Abraham or had a Vision or a Messenger sent out of the other VVorld you would believe you would think him to have a very hard heart that is not warned by an Oracle or frighted by an Apparition God himself hath spoken in his VVord and is not he of Credit You would fly in the face of him that should give you the lye and will you give the lye to the God of Truth VVe should be ashamed that the VVord which is a greater and surer Revelation than Oracles or Apparitions should prevail no more with us and that all those Arts of Grace which are used in the Scriptures do not perswade us to Obedience and Amendment of Life There is more Reason to perswade a Rational Man that the Scriptures are true and worth the heeding than to perswade him of the Truth of any voice from Heaven or Message by one from the Dead There you are warned that if you are un-believing un-holy or un-charitable you shall go to Hell and as Lot seemed to his Sons in law as one that mocked e n. 19.14 so we are looked on as if we were in jest and it were a matter of course to make one another sad by repeating of Matters mournful and lamentable If thou hadst seen a Ghost this last Night or a Devil had appeared to thee in Mans shape thou wouldst have been terrified and shall not the threatnings of the word startle thee So when you are spoken to concerning the joyes of Heaven it should not seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an idle tale as it is said Luke 24.11 And their words seemed unto them as idle tales and they believed them not The Report of Christ's Resurrection was an idle tale If an Angel had told you that within such a compass of years you should be in another world he would have been credited but you have a more sure word of Prophesie we tell you the same from Gods word and yet we are not regarded as the Israelites did not believe the Spies 2. Urge thy Heart with it Recollect your selves Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things Come to your selves Luke 15.17 And when he came to himself The Prodigal came to himself before he thought of returning to his Father Psalm 22.27 All the ends of the
earth shall remember and return unto the Lord. Think with your selves whence am I Whither am I going What have I done in the work of Repentance What will become of me to all Eternity Here in the Scriptures God himself hath told me what I must look for and will God deceive me Oh let me take Gods Directions for the saving of my Soul I might take occasion hence to press you to bless God for transmitting such a Doctrine to us and to give you caution not to look after other Revelations there are none or if there were none can be so certain and so sufficient as this And whatever is pretended as a Message from God bring it to the Scriptures Isa. 8.20 To the law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Some cry up the Church some the Spirit in contradiction to the Scriptures do you take the middle course go to the word opened and dispensed in the Church and wait for the Spirits teaching And whatever is pretended if it be not according to this there is no light in it and if there be no Light of Knowledge there will be no Light of Comfort and no Light of Happyness A SERMON ON HEB. xiii 20 21. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus 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 Amen THE words carry the form of an Apostolical Blessing or Prayer for these Christian Hebrews to whom he wrote Consider in them 1. The Person to whom he prayeth in which the grounds of Audience are implyed verse 20. 2. The Matter which he prayeth for verse 21. 1. The Person to whom the Prayer is directed who is described 1. By a proper Title the God of peace 2. By his great Work he brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ Who is set forth 1. By his Office the great shepherd of the sheep 2. By his Merit and Satisfaction through the blood of the everlasting covenant Which may relate 1. To God's Title He is become the God of peace through the blood of the everlasting covenant 2. To Gods Work through the blood of the everlasting covenant he brought him again from the dead 3. To Christ's Office through his blood shed for sinners he is become the great shepherd of the sheep 2. The Matter which he prayeth for The continued Sanctification of Man once regenerate set forth by both its parts the Will and the deed Phil. 2.13 First The Will or remote Power Make you perfect or fit you for every good work to do his will Secondly The deed or actual assistance working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight We have both by Jesus Christ for it is added with a Doxology through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen The Text is long I must give you but short Strictures upon it And I will begin with the second branch the Matter prayed for And therefore let me observe Doct. That the beginning progress and accomplishment of every good work is from God through Iesus Christ. This appeareth plainly from the 21. verse which may be reduced to two heads 1. The Expressions which concerne Mans Duty which is to be perfect in every good work that we may do God's will and that which is pleasing in his sight 2. The Expressions which concerne Gods Power to inable us for this Duty there are two words perfecting and working The first relateth to his Habitual Grace the second to his Assisting Grace I. The first expressions which import Mans Duty are four 1. Perfecting 2. Every good Work 3. Doing his Will 4. So as may be pleasing in his sight 1. We must be made perfect or the begun Work of Grace must be carryed on to perfection We all come short of that perfection which is attainable in this Life therefore those that have attained some good measure of Grace should not rest satisfied with it We need to be more able for Duties more fortified for Tryals A Man groweth till he be fit for all Manly Actions And a Christian groweth and must be made more peâ—fect â—ill he be fit for every good Work An Artisan must be so long learning his Trade till he be fit for all those Functions which belong to his Trade A sick or wounded Man is under the hand of the Physitian or Chirurgeon till he be perfectly cured So is a Christian under the care of his Spiritual Physitian till he be fitted for all the â—arts and Duties of a Christian Here upon earth Christ by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified or dedicated to God Heb. 10.14 But now he is in Heaven he perfecteth us by degrees The Sacrifice needeth not to be repeated but his intercession is continual because we still need new influences of Grace Absolute Perfection is not attainable in this life but the perfection of sincerity is here required that we should mortifie all our Lusts and serve God in every good Work and please him by an Universal and Impartial Obedience Phil. 3.12 Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus That is I aim at that which Christ aimed at that I may be thoroughly and exactly perfect 2. In every good work Not in one but all Many will do some good but are defective in other things and usually in those which are most necessary They cull out the easiest and cheapest parts of Religion such as do not contradict their Lusts and Interests We can never have sound peace till we regard all Psalm 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandments Shame is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear of a just reproof This reproof is either from the Supream or the Deputy-Judge The Supream Judge of all our Actions is God This should be our principal care that we may not be ashamed before him at his coming nor disapproved in the Judgment But there is a Deputy Judge which every Man hath in his own bosom Our Consciences do acquit or condemne us as we are partial or sincere in our Duty to God and much dependeth on that 1 Iohn 3.20 21. But if our hearts condemne us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God Well then that our hearts may not reprove or reproach us we should be complete in all the Will of God Alas otherwise you will never have Evidence of your sincerity 3. The next Expression is That you may do his will The Rule of Mans Duty is the will of God