mightily set upon such foolish things as these are But now this text tels you that if you know what it is to be redeemed by the blood of Christ you must know that the blood of Christ was shed for to take you off from your vain conversation received by tradition from your forefathers Christ shed his blood that he might deliver you from all such traditional things that so you might worship God in spirit and in truth this becomes the Gospel And at your leasure do but reade over that second Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians speaking of men that in a voluntary humility worshiped Angels intruding into those things which they have not seen and vainly puft up by their fleshly mind And then in the 16. verse Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink not that you may not eat flesh at such and such times in the year or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath daies the Jewish Sabbath day let no man judg you saith the Apostle in regard of these things which are a shadow of things to come Then in the 19. vers And not holding the head Those that stood upon such things as these are they are here charged for not holding the head that is they did not hold Christ as if the Apostle should say If so be that you hold Christ and profess Christ you would not stand upon these things upon these kind of superstitious waies in the worship of God And you shall find in the Epistle to the Galatians the Apostle telling of the GALATIANS about such kind of waies of continuing and holding of the worship of the Law saith he in Gal. 4. 10. Ye observe daies and months and times and years What then I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain As if the Apostle should say I profess I see you stand upon such old things and worshiping of God in an external way I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed all my labor in vain This is so opposite to the Gospel as makes me think and am afraid that all my preaching of the Gospel to you is in vain and yet mark my Brethren what were these daies and months and times and yeers they were such as God heretofore had appointed but now they were ceased after Christ came out of date and yet they sticking to them after the death of Christ saith the Apostle I profess I am afraid of you that all my preaching in vain to you Now my brethren what shall we say to those that stick upon these things that God had never appointed but were of Popish ordination As keeping one time more holy than another and thinking thereby to tender up service to God Why should we not keep the memory of such and such times Now as to keep them so as to think that they shall sanctifie any time is a dangerous thing a sign that they understand the Gospel but little to think that any men upon any reason whatsoever should be able to sanctifie a time to make that time to be holy I say that 's unbeseeming the Gospel no man can make a holy day under the Gospel Obj. But you will say We keep daies of fasting and thanksgiving Ans But there 's a great deal of difference between them and these times that here the Apostle speaks of Now the keeping of holy daies is this We account the time holy and the very duty is more acceptable because it is performed at that time as now on the Sabbath day there may be a Sermon on the week day but certainly it 's a more holy worship of God to hear upon the Sabbath than on the week day and we sanctifie Gods Name more on the Sabbath than on the week why Because the time doth sanctifie the duty being set apart by God As in the Temple the duty was more acceptable than in any other place why because it was set apart by God but we cannot make any place holy and so no time holy so that our daies of fasting thansgiving are only thus that we wil spend that time in holy duties to humble our selves or to bless God but not to make this time holy so that the duty should be holy because it 's on this day rather than on another day that 's the superstition of it when a duty should be holy rather on this day than on another as now some they think it 's a more holy thing to receive the Lords Supper on an Ester day than on another day this is superstition to think the duty is more holy by any holiness that men put upon a thing that 's unbeseeming the Gospel and we are redeemed from such vain Conversations by the blood of Christ and while men stick upon these things and say let them do what they will me thinks these things are good and right it 's very evil Thus it was with the Galatians they had more seeming reason to think that those things that they stuck upon were according to God than you yet saith the Apostle I am afraid of you lest I have spent all my labor in vain lest I have been a burning and shining lamp to no purpose and truly there 's no people of which there can be less hope that the Ministry of the Word should work sayingly upon than those people that are set upon old customs in the worship of God as wines upon their lees and till the Lord be pleased to take off your hearts from old customs in the service and worship of God there 's a plain demonstration that the preaching of the Gospel hath not prevailed with your hearts for you do not live as becomes the Gospel That which becomes the Gospel it is worshiping God only in a spiritual way the consecrating of your souls and bodies and all you have to the worship of God in making them to be an holy sacrifice to God and that according to the rules of the Gospel which is your reasonable service And that 's another particular that the Gospel teaches And therefore to live as becomes the Gospel is to worship God in spirit and in truth The tenth thing that I shall further add of what the Gospel holds forth to us and that is of such consequence that I shall a little insist upon it that is The near relation that we are in to God and Christ and spiritual union with him This is opened in the Gospel more fully than ever it was before The relation to God First God as a Father and Beleevers as Children yea and as Children of age for though in the Law it 's true we find that God was there a Father and Ephraim was his deer son But you shall find in the 3. of Galatians That now we are as Children of age whereas Beleevers in the time of the Law were under age Now you know any of your children when they come to be of age
you live in that your consciences condemns you for A Heathen would not do it a Heathen would not wilfully live in a sin that his conscience tells him is a sin manie of the Heathens came to that And what way have you made in profession Perhaps you have seemed to be in the School of Christ manie yeers and others take you for a forward Professor and yet your conscience tells you that you live in some sins that are known sins to you but because they are secret and none knows them but your self therefore you have continued in them and ventured upon them hoping of Gods pardon being perhaps but one and no great one I say in this you are beneath the light of Nature and therefore you are far from having your Conversations such as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ This Conversation of yours is not such as becomes the light of Nature divers Heathens would abhor such Conversations in Christians yea if it were among themselves and they would hardlie companie with you there are manie that make profession of Religion that I say if they lived among Heathens Heathens would not keep companie with a great part of this Kingdom yea and of most Congregations and therefore they should not think much though they may not be admitted into such a near communion as the Lords supper Q. You will say then But what is that Conversation becoming the Gospel that is beyond the light of Nature First The light of Nature teaches to worship a God That many of you do you worship God But this is that that becomes the Gospel of Christ To worship honor God as a Father as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ this goes beyond the light of Nature in that particular not only I am convinc'd that there is a God that He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth and my Creator and therefore I 'le worship Him but I do not do that that becomes the Gospel of Christ til I get my self to this That I am able through the grace of the Gospel to worship God as a Father reconciled to me in Christ and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and so do I come and present all my services unto God This few of our Civil men do yet your Civil men will make a profession of the Gospel too and your Civil men they worship God but it is in a meer natural way The God of Heaven and Earth that made them is to be worshiped they can say their old Catechism Q. Who made you A. God Q. Wherefore did he make you A. He made me to serve Him c. I but doest thou when thou comest to serve and worship the Lord look upon God as a Father reconcil'd in Christ and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and so doest thou tender up all thy services to God Thou art not raised to that that becomes the Gospel of Christ except thou doest thus worship God in this way that 's that which becomes the Gospel of Christ and know that all other worship that thou tenderest up to God meerly as God is Creator God that made thee and therfore thou must serve him I say al that worship if thou goest no further God rejects it indeed we are to worship God as a Creator God would have that I but if He hath not that and the other too and if He have not both he will not accept of one for the first is included in the second but the second is not included in the first A man that worships God as a Father and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ he doth worship God as a Cretor too but a man may worship God as a Creator and not at all be acquainted with Him as a Father and as the Father of our Lord Jesus and therefore till the Lord in the Ministrie of the Gospel hath been pleased to shine in upon thy soul as a Father and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and thou comest to worship God thus or at least this is the endeavour of thy soul that thou maiest worship God in this way thou art not satisfied in worshiping God after the other way because he made thee and thy heart works after this indeed I have not got this full assurance that he is my Father but this is that my heart is unsatisfied untill I have got it and I cannot be quiet in anie other kind of worshiping God till I find some abilitie to tender up all to him as a Father and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I say till thou comest to this thou doest not in that particular worship God as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ And so in the point of Justice thou doest give every one his own I but this is beneath that that is required in thy dealing with men according to the Gospel of Christ If you reade the 5. of Mat. there you shall find when Christ comes to preach what he requires he raises the point of Justice beyond doing as we would be dealt with saith Christ there You have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despightfully use you and persecut you this is higher than meerly to be just and for one man not to wrong another you shall have manie men say Who is able to say black is mine eye I live and no bodie can say I wrong them you think this is an excellent Conversation it 's true it is good in its kind and it were good if all Professors of Religion could say they live so that no body can charge them for unjust dealings I but this doth not rise to that height to be the Conversation as becomes the Gospel of Christ you must come to this height to love your enemies and to bless them that curse you you must do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you Can you find this this is somewhat like the Gospel of Christ this is somewhat more than to do no wrong to others And to do as we would be done to we must go higher we must not onlie set this as a pattern I 'le do as I would be done by No But I 'le labour to do to another as God hath done to me This is higher that 's thus hath God shewed Himself gracious unto me I 'le labour to do that good to others as much as I am able even as God hach done to me You have for that those two Scriptures Ephes 4. 31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one towards another tender hearted forgiving one another The light of Nature now will justifie all this But mark the conclusion Even as
the world 157 2 Because he delights to exercise the graces of his Saints ib. 3 That his power and wisdom may appear the more glorious 158 Application Use 1 There is a happiness beyond the things of this world 159 Their world called 1 An evil world 160 2 The Devil is called the god of it ibid 3 The pomp of it is not of the Father ibid 4 Its glory is but darkness ibid 5 It knows not God 161 6 It lies in wickedness ibid PSALM 17. 14. TEXT Opened 295 Doctrine There are men to whom God gives some outward good for a while and this is all they are like to have 298 Arguments of Gods love to Saul 1 He was chosen by God Himself c. 300 Explication 1 Why God deals out something to wicked men 304 1 They are His Creatures ib 2 Their time of life is Gods patience ibid 3 It is their day 305 4 They do something for God here ibid 5 To shew them what little good is in this world 306 6 He hath time enough to manifest his justice upon them hereafter 307 7 He shews what great things He hath reserved for His Children 308 8 God fetcheth glory from hence ibid 1 To harden their heart 309 2 To chasten his own people ibid 9 Because he would have no argument of love or hatred drawn from outward things ibid 2 Here is all they are like to have 310 1 Because their names are not in the book of life ibid 2 They are vile in the eyes of God ibid 3 Because they chuse it themselves 311 4 They are sutable to them 313 5 They abuse the portion they have 314 6 They have no interest in Jesus Christ ibid 7 They are no sons 316 8 The manifestation of Gods patience is ended ibid 9 They must have imediately to deal with God 317 3 Corrollaries flowing from hence 1. This is the reason why worldly men are so cunning in things of this world 318 2 This is the reason why so many great ones regard Religion so little 319 3 This is the reason of the stir that is in the world to maintain this their Portion 328 4 What kind of Portion this is that the men of the world have 1 What poor things they are 329 1 They are but imaginary ibid 2 Of a low nature 330 3 But a poor pittance 331 4 It will vanish 332 5 It will stand with the hatred of God 333 2 The tenure by which thou boldest them 335 Opened in 4. things ibid 3 There is a great deal of mixture in what you have 336 1 Of trouble ibid 2 Of curse ibid 4 What Portion thou losest by it 337 1 It is fit for the Spouse of Christ ibid 2 Sutable to an Heir of Heaven ibid 3 It is the height of happiness 338 4 It is Gods great design in making Heaven and Earth ibid 5 It requires the infinite power of God to support a creature in it ibid 6 It remains to eternity ib 5 What is like to be thy end ib 1 Perplexity of spirit when death comes 339 2 You 'l be called to account for all 340 3 A dreadful Portion at the day of Judgment ib. 5 Who the man is that hath his Portion in this world 1 God gives him nothing but what belongs to this life 341 2 By the working of your hearts about your Portion 342 1 Whether your hearts terminate in what you enjoy ibid 2 Whether they go out in full strength to them 343 3 How the loss of them take thy heart ibid 4 Whether they only be sutable to thy heart 344 5 What thou accountest thy cheefest good ibid 6 What you strive to make most sure 346 7 What thou most admirest men for ibid 8 What thou art careful to lay up for thy children ib. 9 Examine thy services in 3 Particulars 1 Are they slight 347 2 Hypocritical 3 Forced 10 Doest thou draw back in Religion ibid 11 Doth God for the present curse thy portion ibid 12 Doth God convince thee of what stops the current of his mercy ibid 13. He spends his daies without fear of being put off with the things of this world 348 6 Exhortation 1 To those that have evidences of a better portion 349 1 Bless God for it 349 2 Be content with it ibid 3 Envy not wicked men ib. 4 Mind higher and better things 350 2 To all to put on for another Portion 351 Motive 1 Ye are capable of it 352 2 Ye are in a fair way for it ib Means 1 Be stir'd with the fear of God 353 2 Take off your hearts from outward comforts ibid 3 Set the glory of Heaven and Eternity before your eyes 354 4 Honor God with your substance here ibid 5 Let your services be choice services 356 6 Be willing to cast away what you have sinfully got ibid 7 Be willing to joyn with those that suffer for God 358 Conclusion ibid READER Thou hast here the Names of the Books that are lately published of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs As also the Texts of Scripture upon which they are grounded VIZ. 1. An Exposition with Practical Observations on the 4 5 6 7. Chapters of HOSEA 2. A Treatise of EARTHLY MINDEDNES Wherein is shewed 1. What Earthly-mindedness is 2. The great evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. verse Also to the same Book is joyned a Treatise of Heavenly-mindedness and walking with God on Gen. 5. 24. And on Phil. 3. 20. 3. The rare JEWEL of Christian CONTENTMENT on Phil. 4. 11. Wherein is shewed 1. What Contentment is 2. It is an holy Art and Mysterie 3. The Excellencies of it 4. The evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Agravations of it 4. GOSPEL-WORSHIP on Levit. 10. 3. Wherein is shewed 1. The right manner of the Worship of God in general 2. And particularly in Hearing the Word Receiving the Lords Supper And Prayer 5. GOSPEL-CONVERSATION on Philip. 1. 27. Wherein is shewed 1. That the Conversation of Beleevers must be above what could be by the light of Nature 2. Beyond those that lived under the Law 3. And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those Men that have their Portion in this Life only on Psal 17. 14. All which are published by Thomas Goodwin Sydrach Simpson William Greenhil William Bridge John Yates William Adderly All printed by Peter Cole at the Printing-Press in Cornhil at the Royal Exchange in LONDON GOSPEL Conversation PHILIPPIANS 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ THE Apostle in the 23. verse of this Chapter we find to be in a straight what to do whether to be willing to live or to die for his own inclination or desire it was rather to die because then he should be with Christ which was best of all A notable Scripture to prove the Immortallity of the soul For if so be the soul did die with the body it
profession and yet at length break out into some vile scandalous sin Surelie the reason is they have kept hid some corruption within and they have thought it were a verie horrible thing that this corruption in my heart and thought should break out Oh God forbid saith he I hope I shall never live to that time to be so left of God as to commit this sin well thou thinkest verily that thou shalt not commit it I but if thou takest libertie to dally and play with this sin secretlie in thy thoughts and affections it is just with God to leave thee to thy self to shame thy self to leave thee to the commission of that sin thou hast for a long time kept dandling in thy thoughts and affections within although it be with resolution not to commit it that man that shall please himself in any kind of secret sin I say it were just with God to lead him forth with the worker of iniquity so as to lay his shame open and naked before all that he lives with therefore you that are Professors of Religion be careful of secret sins if you would never dishonor your profession in your Conversations A sixth Rule is this If you would be careful of your Conversations do not so much look at those that are beneath you and in the lower form as let your eye be upon those that are most eminent in their Conversations look upon them rather as your mark and aime Manie Christians live and their Conuersations are very dark and no beauty at all in them Why Because they think they live as others do they look upon such are beneath them and they think their lives are rather better than some others that have made profession and this makes them go on in a dull and sluggish way but now if you would have your Conversation indeed as it ought so as to be convincing set before you the examples of the most eminent of those whose Conversation doth most glister not a meer glistering shew I do not mean them But that glistering that comes from Diamonds and Gold and Pearls that have the excellencie of Grace shining in their verie Faces and Conversations set them before you and labor to imitate them and so this will help you in your Conversations We have in Heb. 13. 7. a Scripture for this Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their Conversations 'T is supposed that they should be most eminent Such as have the rule over them that are their Guids but mark he speaks of those that had spoken unto them the Word of God for he doth not speak of the Rulers in Civil States but of the Ministers that were their Guids for so the word is now though there be a work of Ruling besides Teaching we find in Scripture yet we find no Rule of anie Minister but over those that they speak the Word of God unto what Ruling any Minister hath I say it is over such people as he speaks the Word of God to If anie Minister shall come to rule over a people that people may well ask them Have you spoken the Word of God to us Do you teach us the Word of God Do you chalenge Rule over us and have not spoken the Word of God to us Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow considering the end of their Conversations They were it seems eminent in holiness of life and eminent so as they continued in that way of eminencie and the Apostle would have all Christians to look at them it 's a notable Scripture to shew that the Ministers of the Word should be eminent in their Conversations everie way and that all those that they speak the Word of God to should see in their Conversations the Beautie and the Excellencie of the Word of God that they speak to them for people look at the lives of Ministers as well as at their Word it is not enough onlie to be a good man in the Pulpit except it be in the constant way of their Conversations The seventh and last Rule you have it here in this Scripture Heb. 13. 7. Whose faith follow Considering the end of ther Conversation That is be not only careful of your Conversations at first when you begin to be professors of Religion then to be exact but be constant to the verie end Mark Considering the end of their Conversations he doth not mean the end onlie the reward that comes upon their Conversations that they shal have a glorious reward but considering the end as if he should say thus look at these that have spoken the Word of God to you they come not onlie at the verie first to you and speak great things and seem as if they were Saints or Angels come among you but they go on in a constant way whatsoever discouragements they have they go on in a constant way to the verie dying day observe not onlie what they were when they came first among you but what they are in the end of their Conversations and follow them this is a notable Scripture to shew how careful Christians ought to be not onlie to be holie in their Conversations when their hearts are first stir'd by the Ministrie of the Word as 't is with many many there are that when the Word of God comes first to them when they are first enlightened and first converted Oh how strict are they Oh how careful are they then they walk exactly and they are afraid of the least sin and examine everie thing by the Word Oh how curious are they in everie thing then and-their consciences are verie tender and are afraid that this is sin and that the other thing is sin and there is a mightie change in the familie their Masters or Parents they see them so afraid of everie thing and careful of their verie words on the Lords Day careful in seeking of God and attending upon Ordinances and in their particular calling at the first verie strict But now within a little time you shall find manie of these that by degrees they grow more loose and especiallie in these times because in these times there is a way that the Devil hath to get men to be loose in their Conversations that hath not been known in England indeed in Germany it was known and there it was ordinarilie in the beginning of Luthers Reformation that it is weakness in men to make conscience of dutie to be troubled for their sin and be humbled Paul and Peter and David it was their weakness when they were troubled so much for their sin Oh this is a most horrid and abominable wickedness that doth dishonor the Gospel of Christ and will make it rediculous to the world I say such carriages of people to think that they may take libertie to walk in a loose way because of the Gospel
which was established upon better promises A better Covenant and stablished upon better promises or a better Testament Their promises I say were but low and mean and our promises are high and precious and we have a better Covenant a Covenant not of living in the Land of Canaan but of Heaven of which that Canaan was but a Type and therefore our Conversations should rise higher in holiness according as our Covenant and Promises are better than theirs Secondly Our Worship is more spiritual than their worship was As that known place in Joh. 4. 23. where Christ saith to the woman of Samaria You serve God in this place But the time shall come that they shall serve him every where for God is a Spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and in truth There is more spiritual worship in the time of the Gospel than was in the time of the Law The Lord carried them on in a carnal and a sensitive way and indeed this hath been a great design of Antichrist to bring men to a carnal way of worship To carnal Ordinances for so they are called in Scripture the Commandements of God by Moses are called carnal Heb. 9. 10. For their worship was in comparison of the worship in the Gospel but carnal I say it hath bin the design of Antichrist to darken the glory of Jesus Christ in the Gospel by bringing the Church to a carnal way of worship and to take away spiritual and therefore they are altogether about carnal Institutions whereas Jesus Christ hath instituted but only two Sacraments wherein there are outward carnal things wherein we worship God through the Creature otherwise His worship is altogether spiritual but now Antichrist he would bring in altogether carnal things he would ad a hundred inventions of his own as building sumptuous Temples railing in of the Communion Tables and then turning them into Altars with such kind of apish gestures foolish garments and Heathenish musick all which was carnal worship the devices of men to please children and fools with exceedingly much against the very life and soul of Godliness and the only rule of worship in the Word of God Besides this rediculous and carnal way of worship made the worshipers twofold more the children of Satan than they were before But now the more spiritual any worship of God is the more spiritual it makes the heart the lesse we stick to the creature while we are worshipping of God the more communion we come to have with Christ and so it doth raise holinesse to a more higher pitch Thirdly Vnder the Gospel our yoke is more easie You know what Christ saith in a Scripture that I have opened to you at large Come take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easie and my burden is light You are delivered from that heavy burden that they were under and therefore you should run the waies of Gods Commandements and follow after holiness more readily and freely than they could do Fourthly We have access with boldness to the Throne of grace as the Scripture speaks God doth not reveal Himself in that terrible way to his Saints now as in the time of the Law but would have them come with boldness and have libertie of speech for that 's the word as in the second of the Ephesians of the boldness that we have to come into the presence of God Through him we have access by one spirit unto the Father Access the word signifies a coming with freedom as it were being led by the hand of God In Ephes 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access saith the text there with confidence by the faith of Him Three words here are together We have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him The word that is here translated Boldness it is liberty of speech we may come and speak our minds and unbosome our speech freely to God without any such terror and we may come to God without desiring Moses must go into Gods presence for them as he did Oh they durst not go themselves but Moses must go and speak with God We may come into the presence of God and speak our hearts freely with a holy boldness in the Name of Christ Fifthly We have the spirit of adoption more than they Rom. 8. We have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father There was a spirit of bondage under which even the people of God were in former times and now the spirit of adoption is more spread abroad and cōmunicated in the world to the Churches than it was before and therefore the Lord expects a Conversation sutable to the spirit of adoption As now take one that is a child and hath a servile spirit and is afraid to come into the presence of his father it may be he will do some works in obedience to his father but in a heavy dull way but afterwards when his father is fully reconcil'd to him comes speaks kindly to him there comes a spirit of adoption upon the child Oh then he goes lively on in duty to his father then he rejoyces in the presence of his father to do any thing that may please his father when he is acted by a spirit of adoptiō there 's more service done according to the mind wil of Christ than there was before So my Brethren we should exceed all under the Law with a more fillial obedience than ever there was in that time or else our Conversation it is not such as becomes the Gospel Therefore when you open the old Testament and reade of those excellent gracious spirits that were there especially in the Psalms what holy breathings and pantings after God there are and in the Prophets what exemplary holiness then liv'd and shined in the world Be ashamed of your selves if you do not rise to as high a degree as they and higher too Obj. Why you will say But they were eminent men they were the Prophets of God and so were extraordinary and can ordinary Christians rise as high as they did and be such burning and shining lamps as they were Ans I 'le give you one Scripture about that in Zach. 12. 8. it is a cleer Prophesie of the times of the Gospel In that day shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Mark he that is feeble among them shall be as David who was a man according to Gods own heart Oh reade Davids Psalms particularly the 119. Psalm and see the holy breathings of David and observe that there is a Prophesie that those that are feeble shall be as David and those that are as David that is the eminent Christians the Lords Champions and the house of David shall be as God as the Angels of the Lord.
He that will follow me let him deny himself you never read of such a precept in all the old Testament though no question the people of God did deny themselves then but in expresse terms so fully you have not such a thing there and there 's no such rules among the Heathens for a man to deny himself Let him deny himself those that know the Original know that the word is not only to Deny but there is that joyned to it that doth encrease the signification let them deny themselves throughly there is a Preposition put to the word to shew that those that will come to Christ must deny themselves and that throughly it is a proper lesson of the Gospel and the first lesson Oh when our Lord and Master hath thus denied himself and emptied himself for good to us what is beseeming this Gospel but that all that are professors of it should deny themselves It is very unbeseeming the glorious Gospel for a Christian to be selvish to have his self-ends and self-waies and interests in every thing as generally almost al men in the world they are acted by self some self-ends or self-excellency carries them on in their actions or else they have no heart to do any thing this is unbecoming the Gospel But now I say one that would live as becomes the Gospel must be wholly emptied of himself whatsoever parts estate credit or honor he hath in the world must be melted into the glory of God Jesus Christ for the glory of His Father was content infinitly to deny Himself more than we can For what have we to deny our selves of Do you or I live as becomes the Gospel when I say all that we apprehend to have any excellency in we have it all swallowed up in the glory of God when we can dedicate and consecrate our lives honors liberties estates comforts and all to the glory of God and be as nothing to our selves and let God be all in all to us Ministers may bring many reasons why we should deny our selves but all these reasons comes to nothing till the soul comes to behold the cleer light of the Gospel and there beholds the Son of God by faith how he did empty Himself nay then saith a beleeving soul if the Son of God did deny Himself was emptied thus for me Oh then let me be wholly taken off from my self and venture wholly upon God I must not live in my self nor live for my self nor live to my self but wholly live in God and for God and to God and upon God Oh this is that which becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ SERMON VI. PHIL. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ THE Ninth thing that the Gospel holds forth is this That our Conversation should be sutable to spiritual worship the spiritual worshiping of God The worship that there was in the time of the Law it was carnal in comparison of what there is in the time of the Gospel And therefore a great part of the worship of God is called a carnal commandement and rudiments of the world and beggerly things If you reade the 2 d of Colossians there you have strange expressions about that which was even the worship of God and so in the Hebrews divers times But now you know what Christ saith in John 4. to the woman of Samaria The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father But the hour cometh when the true worshipers shal worship the Father in spirit and in truth for such the Father seeks to worship him We must not think to worship God in such carnal waies as before I beseech you consider this one thing Certainly God wil have as much worship in the time of the Gospel as ever He had But where we have one external thing to worship God in now in the time of the Law there was an hundred an hundred to one of external things yet now this worship of God must be made up some way we are not cal'd to those outward worshipings offerings sacrifices and costly things as they were in the time of the Law now how should this be made up but in spiritual sacrifices in presenting our bodies and souls to God as a living sacrifice therefore such men and women as altogether are for the out-side of things in the worship of God and because God hath appointed but a few things in his worship we have use of no other creature in the worshipping of God but meerly the Bread and Wine and Water only these elements and the Man to speak to us to be either Gods mouth to us or our mouth to God there 's all we have appointed in the Gospel for the worship of God therefore it is expected if we would have our Conversation be as becoms the Gospel to be very spiritual in our worship and therefore to take heed of thinking to make up Gods worship with external things of our own that 's exceedingly unbeseeming the Gospel Many thought in former times they did honor God much by adding to His Worship ceremonies external things and peoples hearts are set most upon them because they are from man they are humane I 'le give you but one-Scripture to shew how we should for ever take heed of traditions of men and of mixtures in the Worship of God because that the Gospel points at spiritual worship That place in 1 Pet. 1. 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from what from your vain Conversations received by traditions from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot See what an argument the Apostle uses here unto those he writ to saith he There was a time that you worshiped God in an external way and in a superstitious manner according to the traditions and fancies of your fathers this was before you knew Jesus Christ but saith he now you come to know Jesus Christ know it was the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed to redeem you from this vain Conversation that you received by tradition from your forefathers I do not know any one Scripture hath more power in it to take off mens hearts from all false and superstitious worship from all old customs that they had from their forefathers as people are mightily set upon old customs to worship God according to them what a stir and do had we to get off men from their late Service-Book the great Diana of England which was made up of the ends and shreds of the Romish Mass-Book only printed in an English letter and reading and babling over Burials and such kind of trumperies Oh how were those old Samaritan customs setled in the hearts of men as coming up to the Communion Table and there to kneel down at Rails like so many Beads-men to the Pope Votaries to Rome Mens hearts are
enough here and there to have a leaf and a grape or two but full ripe clusters of grapes becomes those that grow upon such a fruitful Root And then you know Christ is the Head and we the Members Then do not dishonor your Head When there is a temptation comes to any sin but will not this be a dishonor to my Head do I receive such a spirit from the Head to act after such a sinful course Oh be not a crown of thorns to your Head Jesus Christ Yea and the Union is very great for it is not only that we are Members of Christ and so we are in Christ but Christ in us the Root is not in the Branch though the Branches be in the Root and the Head is not in the Members though the Head be joyned with the members But Christ is in us as we are in Him and so the union is very glorious and mysterious You complain of weakness But is there not strength in Christ are you not joyned to Christ thus and a member of Him and a branch in Him what ever infirmities you have which bows you down yet there is power enough in Jesus Christ to convay to any to enable them to walk in an holy Conversation before the Lord to renew their strength as the Eagle Manifest then the vertue of your Head from whence all the sinnews of every members strength doth arise And then you know the relation we have to Christ As He is the Husband we the Spouse Oh do not discredit your Husband Any wise vertuous Wife would make it a mighty argument against any evil way It will disgrace my Husband especially if her Husband be a publick man in place and authority Oh let this be an argument against every sin even the appearence of evil it will be dishonorable to the Lord Jesus who is my Husband How can I do this wickedness against my Lord and my God who hath betrothed me to Himself so that I am bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh That 's the second thing And then a Third thing that the Gospel holds forth to us that we should labor to sute our Conversations according is this The near Vnion that the Saints have one with another It 's not so revealed any where as in the Gospel Rom. 12. 5. we are said there to be members one of another as we are members of Christ I beseech you observe it so we are members one of another That Scripture may be in stead of all for this in Ephes 4. 4. the exhortation there to unity We must endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Why For there is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling One Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all See here 's some seven ones to be an argument of unity One body and one spirit and called in the hope of one calling and one Lord and one Faith and one Baptism and one God Where have you such a unity demonstrated but in the Gospel of peace and love And I do not know in all the Book of God where any one duty is more pressed than unity Somewhat we hinted in speaking of the love of God which is a great design of the Gospel to hold forth and there we spake somewhat of Love But here of the unity of the Saints being so neer united into one thing the Saints should be one and certainly it 's the most unbeseeming thing in the world that can be for Saints to be divided in their affections upon some little differences in judgment Let me argue with you What was the Coat of Christ without any seam and shall the body of Christ be rent all to pieces Fy for shame the Gospel of Christ is in your hands which teacheth another lesson Next to our salvation the Gospel intends the union of Saints there 's nothing prest more strongly in every leaf of it and it 's here in my very text that makes me to speak to this for mark the very words that follow in this of my text Phil. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ Now if you should say Wherein should we walk so The Apostle doth answer then That ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel Mark striving together he would have the Saints to be strivers I but strivers for what Not for their own will and humors and opinions and fancies and customs and traditions which are out of date But strivers for the faith for the faith of the Gospel for the Doctrine of faith and they should labor to joyn all their strength together both shoulders and hearts There 's a great deal of striving now Professors of the Gospel they strive asunder but the holy Ghost would have us strive together and this is as becomes the Gospel saith the text The Apostle here doth instance in this particular above all others that to live as it becomes the Gospel it is to stand fast with one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel Oh how unbecoming the Gospel is the waies and lives of most Christians now Q. You will say From whence are these sad divisions and risings up of hearts amongst the Tribes so that one thinks that he hath the truth and another judgeth that he alone is in the right way A. I beseech you therefore because it 's so fully instanced in the very words of the Text that the Apostle instances in this particular give me leave to speak of it in a few words certainly his meaning is not when he saith that you shall be of one spirit and of one mind that men should give up their judgements and consciences to the opinions of other men that others according to their power may again lord it over us and so enslave our selves to draw in their yokes to grind in their mills and plow with their asses yea that were against other Scriptures No but the meaning is this That we should labor to find out what is truth search for it as for silver and go according to what light we have but yet so though we should differ to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and joyn in al things that we can and walk so lovingly that it may appear that if there be difference it is meerly that which conscience makes because we dare not deny what we are perswaded in conscience is a truth We cannot put out the convincing light of the candle of the Lord which is set up within us yet we can live in unity and peace and be useful one to another communicating our gifts and graces comforts and experiences one to another as it becomes Christians And indeed it is a greater honor to the Gospel for men though
they do differ in their judgments yet if they can keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace I say it 's a great honor to the Gospel than if they were all of the same mind You know the Turks they are al of one mind but I cannot say so of the Papists yet they have a chain to keep them together We read of the Egyptians that when it was darkness among them they sat still and kept close together but when it came to be light every man went about his own business so when light doth begin to break forth and there 's liberty given to search into truths we cannot imagin that at the very first men should be of the same judgment except they will give up their consciences and sacrifice their reason one to another but though they be not of one judgement yet there may be kept a blessed unity of affection there may be a golden girdle clapsed about their loins yea and of practice so far as men can with peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost so as not to sin against conscience and light Unity of affection and practice should be endeavored to the utmost and it is a most Christian thing so to do and certainly this should be studied and endeavored by us as much as lieth in us Me thinks when I reade over the Epistles of Paul or any part of the new Testament I see nothing more pressed than this next to beleeving in Jesus Christ and therefore it should be the care of Christians And as it ought to be the care of Christians to study unity and peace so I beseech you that small differences may not be abused and heightned so far as because some do differ from others that therefore presently if they be the least part especially all the odium should be cast upon them though they can appeal to God that they do endeavour to know the mind of God and to keep unity so far as they can without sin And we shall see that the Scripture doth never lay the sin of devision upon any except those that do lay it upon them are able to say that those make division from some corrupt end or other of their own and then it charges them deeply as that place is most famous that you have in Rom. 16. 17 18. and I verily perswade my self that there is many of your that hear this text very much abused Now I beseech you brethren mark those which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them This is the great place against that sin which we call schism for schism is nothing but a rending asunder That cause division schism contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Now you know the sin of schism was cast by the Popish Bishops heretofore upon all that would not be of their minds in any ceremonies and will-worship and because many would not come up to the Rails and submit to receive the Lords Supper by kneeling in that way that it was then admistred by our Prelatical Priests therefore they were termed schismaticks And so at this day many cry out of others if so be they cannot swallow Camels with them if so be they differ in some things wherein they cannot joyn with them because it would be sin and a snare to them they presently say they are guilty of schism and faction There is a great deal of taking Gods Name in vain in this thing yet they do not tell you what the true nature of schism is but if any persons joyn not with the greater part which is usually least conscientious that 's schism in an high degree this is not that that becomes the Gospel presently to judg all that differ from us But mark the next words and there the Apostle tells what schism is First it must be contrary to sound doctrine for saith he They that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple The Apostle could take it upon his conscience by seeing the behaviour of these men that the cause why they differed from others it was not out of tenderness of conscience and desire to know the mind of God but by their behavior he saw enough to satisfie his conscience their Conversation gave their profession the lye and therefore saith he avoid such So I confess if men can take it upon their consciences as they would answer to Jesus Christ I see such and such men to differ thus but I can appeal to Christ in it that upon these and these grounds I am perswaded it is not out of tenderness of conscience and I am verily perswaded that there is no willingness in them to know the mind of Christ but it is to serve their own carnal ends and purposes I confess if we can take this upon our consciences as we will answer it to Jesus Christ that there are such and such grounds upon which we beleeve Christ wil so account that such men do not differ through their tenderness but from their own carnal ends these men may be accounted schismaticks This is the sin of schism when through want of love and to serve their own by-ends men shall rend one from another But now is it possible to think that the holy Ghost should lay so great a load as to command the Saints to avoid such persons upon men whose consciences are upright with God sure when a man shall be able to appeal to God and say Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that it is the desire of my soul to know thy will and I search for it and pray for it and it is the affliction of my soul that I differ in any thing from my brethren that I see to be godly and if I knew thy mind thou knowest I would quickly close with them and account it the greatest happiness that can befall me in this life to shake hands with them in such and such particulars But thou hast laid this charge upon me that I must do what I do out of faith and I should sin against that rule of thine if I should yeeld to that that I see no footing for out of thy Word Now if a soul should make this moan to Jesus Christ do you think that Christ would account this man a schismatick and that he must be avoided and persecuted 〈◊〉 a schismatick no certainly there 's a great mistake in this and this is meerly for want of charity and that which the holy Ghost is so bitter against is when men for want of love to their brethren and for to serve their own base ends make breaches and rents in the Church judge such now to be guilty of the sin of schism and no other for that is to break unity to judge others guilty of schism meerly because they differ from you and cannot reade by your spectacles these
Conversation is in Heaven Do you expect that this flesh of yours should be made like the Sun in the Heavens like the glorious body of Jesus Christ Oh then do not abuse your flesh to sin make not provision for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof let no member of your body be a weapon of unrighteousness to sin against God withal when you are tempted to any bodily sin stop your selves with this meditation Shall I sin against God with this body of mine that I beleeve shall one day be more glorious than the Sun in the firmament which ere long will be made like to the glorious Body of Jesus Christ Have we the hopes and promises of such an inheritance in Heaven Oh then let not only our thoughts be there but our Conversation our Trading our only business be there also Oh let it appear that we have heavenly hearts and spiritual carriages that we live as it becomes those that hope within a few daies or months to be possest with the glory of Heaven which Christ hath prepared for us such should our Conversations be heavenly Conversations shining with the light of the glory of Heaven upon us Heaven should appear in our Conversations now so that they who look upon us and converse with us may truly judg these are the Citizens of the new Jerusalem free Denizons of Heaven they speak the very language of Canaan already and ere long they wil be possest of that promised Land I 'le conclude all now with one Scripture in 2 Cor. 3. 3. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart Mark the Apostle here tels the Corinthians that they are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ observe the text the People of God Beleevers are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ Quest Epistle of Christ you wil say what 's the meaning of that or what use can you make of that to your point Answ The meaning of it is this That Christ doth by them or in them write an Epistle to the world to declare to the world His mind and His will 't is as if the Apostle should say You that are beleevers know that Christ makes use of you to declare to the world what He is what His glory is you are His Epistle Christ sends by you the knowledge of Himself into the world so that when the world looks upon you they that run may reade in your lives and Conversations and examples the very Epistle of Christ transcribed to the life whereby He declares to the world His excellencies and His glory in lively Characters Now my brethren this should be the Conversation of all Saints that is They should in their lives be the Epistle of Jesus Christ there should be as it were fairly written in their lives the graces of Jesus Christ the mysteries of the Gospel the deep things of God Would you know what Christs mind is and what the excellencies of Christ are and of the Gospel Reade it in the Saints in their lives see their waies and you may know much of the mind of Christ in them you that caÌ„not tel a letter in the book yet you may read this Epistle you may reade the Epistle that Jesus Christ sends to the world to convince the world Now the Epistle that Christ sends to the world is not only in His Word there indeed is a great Epistle that Christ hath sent for the Scripture is no other but as an Ancient cals it the Epistle of God to the world God sends His Letter to the world but the Saints are Christs Epistle likewise wherin Christs mind is to be read and known then let your Conversations be such as that you may be a full Epistle of Christ to the whole world that all the world may reade what Christ is in you take heed of blotting and blurring this Epistle If there be a Letter sent from a great man if a Prince or a King send a Letter it uses to come fairly written and if those that should bring it should all besmeer it and blot the Letter so as it could not be read it would be taken exceeding ill So you that profess your selves to be Christians you do not bring the Letter only but you are the Letter therfore do not blot blur this Epistle of Christ but keep it fair that all with whom you converse all in the family may every day reade somewhat of the mind of Jesus Christ in your Conversations that so you may be the glory of Christ as in that scripture 2 Cor. 8. 23. it is said of Titus and other fellow-helpers That they were the Messengers of the Churches and the glory of Christ Oh! this all Professors of Religion should endeavor to be the glory of Jesus Christ that wheresoever they live all might see the glory of Jesus Christ held forth there whithersoever you go you may carry the glory of Jesus Christ about you Oh Christians I appeal to your consciences Do you live so as the glory of Christ shines in you in the course of your lives As the shine of the Candle goes through the Lanthorn so the shine and glory of Jesus Christ should go through Christians in their Conversations to dazle the eyes of the world Oh! do not darken the glory of Christ but make it as bright as possibly thou canst that so this puâ—blind world may be able to see somewhat in the glory of Christ in your Conversations this should be the great care of your lives SERMON VII PHIL. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ WE have preached you know many Sermons upon this necessary and seasonable Duty That as Christians are to sanctifie the Name of God in Worship so in their Conversations their lives and Conversations must be such as becomes the Gospel of Christ worthy of the Gospel of Christ for so I told you the word signified Now we are upon this great point What Conversation is that which becomes the Gospel of Christ I 'le only add one Scriptare more to the last thing I named and then proceed That the revealing of the glory of Heaven in the Gospel should work mightily upon our hearts to labor for a Conversation sutable thereunto In Titus 2. 11 12 13. For the grace of God saith he that 's the Gospel that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men What doth it teach us That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world We have made use of this Scripture thus far already but that which I quote it for is the refference of this to the next words Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ Here 's a Scripture that if ever the Lord
on in the Gospel What is it Let me labor to serve it whatsoever in me lieth Now if you reade in the Gospel you shall find that the Design that God hath it is To purchase to Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works to promote holiness and godliness that we being redeemed from the hands of our enemies might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the daies of our lives This is the Design that God hath I see that Mankind is fallen from me and the people in the world are generally fallen into wickedness the whole world lieth in wickedness over head and ears in sin but I would have holiness advanced I would have my Image renewed I would have a peculiar people that might live for ever to serve and worship me Here 's the Design of God Oh let me now serve this design of God and labor to do all that I can to serve and honor and blesse and magnifie that God that hath wrought such glorious things for us as He hath wrought in the Gospel And as Christ saith in Mat. 3. when He came to be paptized of John It becomes us to fulfill all righteousness Now shall the Lord Jesus Christ Himself say thus It becomes us to fulfill all righteousness surely then it becomes you to fulfil al righteousness Would you walk as becomes the Gospel Give up your hearts strength and endeavors what possibly you can to fulfill all righteousness do not say Why should I do thus and why need we be so forward and strict Oh remember the text If any talk of too much strictness and too much forwardness then answer thus I heard in such a place such a Text opened and applied to me that my Conversation must be as it becomes the Gospel and certainly let me do what I can I cannot do so much but that the Gospel will require ten thousand times more than I can do and therfore I do endeavor to walk as becoms the Gospel And I hear that Christ Himself saith that it became Him to fulfil all righteousness And why should not I walk as Christ Himself walked O my life hath bin too vain heretofore my heart hath been dead and I have not been quickned up so as to walk worthy of the Gospel but for the time to come my care and endeavor above all things in the world shall be That I may honor this glorious GOSPEL of Jesus Christ from whom I do expect to have such glorious things hereafter Consider now what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding in these things that you may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord JESUS CHRIST SERMON I. IF you please to reflect back upon the last daies Exercise when we finished that Scripture in the Philippians that teaches us to walk as becomes the Gospel in the prosecution of which we shewed what it was the Gospel principally did hold forh unto us and what Conversations ought to be in the Professors of it sutable unto those things the Gospel holds forth and among those this was one particular of great moment that we did then but hint out unto you in a word or two That the Kingdom of Christ was not of this world They are Christs own words Now because it is a consideration of very great use I would be loth the benefit of it should be lost therefore I have now pickt out that to speak to more largely and to open the meaning of it unto you from this Scripture JOHN 18. 36. Jesus answered and said My Kingdom is not of this world THE words are a part of the story of Christs arraignment before Pilat Behold here the King of Heaven and Earth stands arraigned at the Barr of a wicked man In this Arraignment we find a special Charge which his Adversaries bring against Him which was this THAT HE MADE HIMSELF THE KING OF THE JEWS He was an enemy to Government The usual charge that the world hath had against the Saints that they are enemies to Government They fare no worse here than Christ did Pilat requires of him to answer to the Charge whether it were so or no that He hath made Himself a King Now you shall find in the answer of Christ He doth not deny the thing but implicitly grants it neither doth he answer him fully to his mind but saith My Kingdom is not of this world My Kingdom As if he should say I acknowledg that I have a Kingdom as mean and low as I am brought now though I stand here before you as a despised man a Carpenters son yet I confess I have a Kingdom but it is not of this world Not of this world He doth not say not IN this world but saith it is not OF this world it is not a worldly Kingdom We have in the words these two things First That Christ hath a Kingdom Secondly What kind of Kingdom Christs is Not of this world I shall not here speak much unto the former and so to handle the common place of Christs Kingly Office but only hint it to you as it makes way to the latter there we shall stay a while Christ he hath a Kingdom He is anointed by the Father to be King as well as Priest and Prophet of His Church Psal 45. 6. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter that Psalm is a Prophesie of Christ And in the 19. of Revel 16. Christ is there called The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Christ God-man is the King of Heaven and Earth Christ God-man is the King of Angels and over all the World and we must know Christ as a King and act our faith upon him as a King or else we know Him not aright we have not the true work of faith except I say our faith act upon Him as a King as well as a Savior In Acts 2. 36. God hath made Him saith the text both Lord and Christ Mark He it not only Christ but Lord and Christ though it is true that in the word Christ all His Offices are implyed which signifies anointed to them all but yet this is expressed by its self Lord and Christ for indeed properly He is Christ unto His Church but He is also Lord over all the World in some sense But then you will say How doth He say that His Kingdom is not of this world if He he Lord over all the world Now that I might come to that point that I have chosen the text for we are to know that Christ hath a double Kingdom First Together with the Father He hath a Providential Kingdom as I may so say for distinction sake Secondly He hath a Mediatory Kingdom as Divines call it First A Providential Kingdom together with the Father whereby He mannages all the affairs of the world I say God-man the second Person in Trinity doth mannage all the affairs of the world His Scepter ruleth over all as
of Gods mercy and the mercy of God we acknowledge to be very great and glorious well God doth shew himself glorious in mercy that thou being so wicked hast so much as thou hast in this world and therefore though thou shouldst be denied of eternal mercy hereafter yet thou hast cause to tel Devils and damned creatures that shall be thy companions that God was very merciful to thee while thou didst live in this world Somewhat thou hadst then but here 's all Secondly Here is all that ever thou art like to have 1. Because there are some men whose names are written in the Earth and not in the Book of Life In Jer. 17. 13. there it 's spoken of men that are written in the earth wheras the Saints are described to be men that are redeemed from the earth In Revel 14. 3. It is their happiness to be redeemed from the earth and it is all the happiness thou hast that thou art written in the earth 2. Here is their portion because they are vile in the eyes of God If you should ask the Question why you give bones to the Dog and swill to the Swine and nothing else The Answer would be Because it is a Dog that hath it and because it is a Swine it is Dogs meat Certainly God doth speak exceeding contemptibly of all ungodly ones in the world let them be never so great in regard of outwards In the 11. of Daniel 21. A vile person shall arise What is this vile person Interpreters generally consent in this that it is meant of Antiochus Epiphanius that was a mighty great Prince such a Prince as when the Samaritans did write to him they writ Antiocho magno deo to Antiochus the great god and his very name shews him to be a great one Antiochus Epiphanius is as much as Antiochus the Illustrious and the Famous and yet when the Holy Ghost speaks of him it is Antiochus a vile person they are vile in the eyes of God If there be any in a family that you care not much for you make no great provision for them Doth God take care for Oxen Somwhat they have but little Doth God take care for wicked and ungodly ones 3. Here is their portion it is confin'd to this life Why so Because they chuse it themselves and in that they have no wrong make choice of this Portion themselves Moses speaking to the people saith he I set before you life and death So do the Ministers of God in preaching to you they set before you Life and Death What do you chuse Now you chuse the way that goes out of life and into death you have but your choice you chuse Vanity to be your portion God doth you no wrong to give you Vanity Now you that will indent with God for your peny you cannot take it ill if when the end of the day comes God puts you off with your peny you know those in the Vineyard that agreed for their peny they began to murmur indeed when they came to receive their wages but saith the Master of the Vinyard Did you not agree with me so So you agree with God all you intend in Gods service is that you may have some present comfort in this world you dare not trust God for the future and here is that that God will shew His infinit displeasure against the sin of distrust by that when the Lord propounds now in this day of Grace such glorious and blessed things to the children of men and for ought you know any of you may have your portion in them as well as others and yet you dare not trust God for those gracious things you think rather with your selves let me have somewhat now somewhat for the present some present pay the reward that you talk of which is to come I know not whether they be imaginations yea or no therefore you mean it seems to serve God for your present pay and present pay you shall have and no more There are some servants that are your day-servants they serve you so as they expect their pay at night and perhaps you give them their two shillings at night and there is an end but there are other servants now that will serve you in expectation of some reversions and expectations of honor especially when they serve Noblemen and Princes though they have no present pay given them at night yet they go on cheerfully in their service they expect some great Reversions as Leases and preferments they may have afterwards and now though they have not their two shillings a day as the others have yet when the other befals them they are made rich men they and their posterities So now the poor man that hath his pay every day when a Lease and preferment fals if he should come in for his part No he may be answer'd you had your pay every day here was one was content to relie and trust upon me and had no pay and he did trust upon me and now he comes to be preferd This is the direct difference between the men of the world and Gods Saints the men of the world will do nothing without present pay that which is just before them they must needs have their hearts are upon it but the Saints they hear what a blessed thing God hath revealed in his Word what a blessed Covenant of Grace there is what rich Promises of glorious things to come now they beleeve God and trust in God for these and they say Lord let me have my Portion in the life to come and whatever thou doest with me here I care not As it was the speech of Austin Lord here burn here cut but spare hereafter I am content Lord to be burnt to be cut to endure any thing in the world any sufferings in the world for thee only hereafter I look for somewhat else and I 'le wait for hereafter You will not wait for hereafter but you must have it for the present and that is the reason you are put off here Oh it is a serious thing I speak of to you many a soul will wring its hands and curse it self eternally that it was not content to trust God for hereafter but would have present pay You that are great Merchants if you buy a thing that is but a trifle you pull out your purse and give the mony down presently but suppose you go to the Exchange and bargain for 10000l there you may give a little down now but the great pay must come upon pay daies afterwards it is not expected it should be presently done So there are some men in the world will trade with God but they trade with God for pedling things for their Credit and applause and for their preferments and estates God gives down the pay presently you shall have it there is your 12 d presently it is done but now there are other of Gods Saints that trade with God for great things for immortality and
why so many Magistrates are like to Galio in Acts 18. 17. Carring for none of those things they were to him but matters of words and yet they were about the great fundamental Points of Religioâ— Whether Christ were the true Messias and whether He were God or no but to Gallio these things were but matter of words And so the great things of God and Religion to carnal hearts they are things that are of no great consequence at all yea when as Sosthenes that was the Ruler of the Synagogue for countenancing of Paul had the rude multitude of the City rise up in a rude manner to apprehend him and to lay violent hands upon him Gallio cared for none of these things but so far he did not go Gallio went not to stir up a rude multitude to lay violent hands upon a Ruler of a Synagogue or a City but he cared for none of those things saith the text What did he care for rectifying any thing that was amiss in Religion Oh let us say they that have their portion here what ever becomes of things let us make peace say they that we may go on and be quiet in our houses enjoy that we have quietly and peacably and they look no further Their portion is here and as for Truth how do they reject it contemn it It is a speech as is credibly reported hath come even from a Citizen here in cursing of the Truth so as had he lived among the Jews he would certainly have been stoned to death Let us have Peace and a Pox of Truth I say such a speech as this among the Jews would have caused him to have been stoned to death being such horrible blasphemy But how many are ready to say with Pilat in the 18. of John 38. when as Christ was before Pilat and talked to Pilat of Truth Truth saith Pilat What is Truth You shall observe it at the 38. ver What is Truth Saith Pilat as if Pilat should have said What a strange man is this the man is in danger of his life and he talks of Truth when he is in danger of his life What is Truth saith Pilat turns it back upon him presently Just thus are the hearts of many What should we look at Truth or at any thing now but to preserve our lives and estates and outward comforts in the world What is Truth They are a company of mad-brain'd fellows that are factious and seditious they talk of Truth and know not what they say Come let us have peace though it be upon any terms Who is there in this place that desires not Peace The Lord knows it is the desires of those that are accused most for want of desires in this thing yea so as we dare challenge any of you with this Challenge Those who have been most at the Throne of Grace begging unto God for peace for England let them carry the day those that have put forth most prayrs for Peace before the Throne of Grace we are willing they shall have the day We reade that amongst al the Tribes that came up in a war-like way to help the people of God against oppression in the 5. of Judges 18. and so in that Chapter that of all Naphtali was the only Tribe that joyned w th Zebulun that jeoparded their lives in the Cause of God that would take up Arms to defend themselves and the people against oppression Surely these two Tribes by the others that would not venture themselves were at that time accounted very factious and very seditious What they only Zebulun and Naphtali Yet it is observable though there were none joyned with Zebulun but only Naphtali there is no Tribe of which it is so much spoken to be a Tribe full of Courtesie and Civility of a peacable and quiet disposition as Naphtali was you shall find it if you reade in the 49. of Genesis 21. and afterwards in another text there are these two things said of Naphtali only these two first That he was a Hinde let loose and give goodly words But they may be but words of Complement not reality Nay when Moses comes with the blessing you shall find these two places one in Genesis and the other in Deuteronomy when Moses comes with the blessing again upon Naphtali Naphtali filled with favour and with the blessing of the Lord. What is the meaning Naphtali was a Tribe that had most courtesie and civility of all compar'd to a goodly Hinde of a quiet disposition and one that gave courteous language to all not meer words but reality it was such a one that was fill'd with favour that had the favour of God and the favour of Men he had such a courteous carriage and he had the blessing of God upon him and yet this Naphtali was the Tribe that would jeobard their lives and take up Arms in defence of the people of God against oppression in those times above all And Phinebas ye know was so zealous and would make use of the sword so as he did yet in the 25. of Num. 12 13. God saith there He would make a Covenant of Peace with him Beloved Phinehas that is such a fiery hot man yet a Covenaut of peace must be made with him by God Himself for he did indeed by that way procure peace to Israel for so the Text saith there in that place of Num. That because Phinehas was so zealous it was that I might not consume them in my jealousie Now it 's observable the word in the Original is Because he was zealous therefore it was that I might not consume them in my Zeal It s translated in your books Because he was thus zealous that I might not consume them in my Jealousie the words are different in the English but in the Hebrew they are the same and so be turn'd thus Because he was so zealous it was that I might not consume them in my Zeal as if he should have said If there had not been some among them that had been zealous and as they account fiery I would have been zealous my Self and fiery my Self and consumed them and it was wel they had such amongst them and one day those that cry out of them may come to see cause to bless God for them that would not have the world put off and gul'd with the fair name of peace we know the Devil hath made much use of it in former times and would fain make use of it now As if those that desired Truth most were not greatest friends unto peace God forbid but it should be so Though it's true we think not we have our portion here and therefore we would not have peace upon any terms indeed we confess our portion lies higher and that wherein our portion doth consist we would have upon any terms and therefore Saint Paul saith in Philippoans 3. if by any means I may attain to the Resurrection of the dead If by any means upon any
are fading when thou comest to enter in upon thy eternal estate if thou should'st then ask what shall I have now I have now thus much and thus much in my whol life but what shall I have now I come to enter in upon my eternal estate truly nothing at all If a man were to go a great Voyage to the Indies and all the provision he makes is this he gets a Vessel that can make shift to carry him as far as Gravesend that he will do and what need he hath of provision to Gravesrnd or perhaps to the Downs he provides for he goes on and should go on now to the Downs and begins his Voyage to go to the Indies and is gotten into the Ocean alas the Vessel is a rotten Vessel Were not this an unwise man Truly this is the condition of thousands in the world Man Woman thou art â—â—ade for an eternal condition God intends Eternity to every Mothers Child that is here this day God expects that thy life should be spent in making provision for this Eternal estate of thine and thou thinkest of nothing but that thou maiest provide for a few years here and live in some fashion and be some body in the world here Oh! when thou comest to enter upon the Ocean of Eternity thou wilt give a dreadful shreek and cry out I am undone I am undone I have provided nothing for Eternal life these things are very uncertain Oh what a deal of difference there is between the same men in two or three years I might tell you but the time so hastens that great difference two or three years have made between man and man but I forbear it because I see the time will not give leave And yet further for the meanness of the Portion 5. What ever thou hast in this world it is no other but what may stand with the Eternal hatred of an infinite God towards thee it may be the portion of a Reprobate and will this serve thy turn will this satisfie thee will that satisfie thy soul that may be the portion of a Reprobate There are many now that are sweltring under the wrath of the infinite God that have had twenty times as much as any of you have that are here before the Lord this day they have had greater estates than you and lived merrier lives than you and yet are now under the wrath of God Wil a Reprobates portion serve thy turn Therfore surely it is but a mean thing that will stand with Gods Eternal hatred Consider it To enjoy the Dominion of all the world may stand with Gods Eternal hatred but to have but the least dram of saving grace cannot stand with Gods Eternal hatred What a difference is there between the having the least dram of grace and the enjoyment of al the world what a goodly portion is there here that thou so much rejoycest in It is certainly because thy heart is so straight that thou thinkest these things to be so big As in a narrow Vessel a thing will appear big but in a mighty wide Vessel it appears little So when the Lord by grace shall widen and enlarge thy heart then all the things of the world will be little to thee Grace hath the Image of God in it now what saith God of Himself in Isa 40. All the world is but as the drop of the bucket and the dust of the ballance Now grace hath Gods likeness and through the Image of God in a gracious heart the Soul saith thus of the world as God saith of the world that all the world is but as the drop of the bucket and the dust of the ballance to me When the Lord promised to perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem the word that is translated perswade it signifies to enlarge that He would enlarge the heart of Japhet and indeed when God doth convert a soul the Lord doth enlarge that soul doth enlarge the heart and therefore all the things of the world are now but little Indeed if a man be below here and looks upon that which is next to him that hath any bigness in it it shews somewhat great but if a man were advanced on high upon the top of a Pinnacle then that which seemed great appears but little to him so the men of the world that here lie groveling below and the curse of the Serpent is upon them Vpon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat they think the things of the world great matters but grace lifts up the heart on high to God and Christ mounts it up to Eternity and then they can look upon all these things here below as mean things and this was the reason that Luther when he had great gifts sent in to him by many of the great men of Saxony he began to be afraid lest the Lord should reject him here in this world and he hath this expression I did vehemently protest God should not put me off so that is his word according to the manner of the man you know the man and his language according to the manner of his language thus he speaks when there came in things of the world and he began to be tickled with honor and great men did respect him Oh thought he I shall be somebody now in the world thus corruption began to work but grace did prevail and he breaks out with this expression I did professe God should not put me off so the Lord shall not put me off so there are other things which I look for things which are better and higher these are poor pittances for this soul of mine to be put off withal there are other things I must have from the Lord or else I cannot be satisfied That 's the First thing the poor things of the world which is the Portion of wicked men Secondly Consider the Tenure by which they hold it All you have in the world you hold it not by a good Tenure it is not held in Capite that is not the tenure you hold it by I confesse this I think not the men of the world to be Usurpers for what they lawfully get in the world I do not think they shall answer meerly for their using what they do meerly for their right to use that they have but they shall answer for their not right-using they shall not answer I say for their right to use but for their not right-using they have some right but what right is it they hold it upon what tenure There is a Threefold right 1. A right from Justice that we may claim a thing by One can claim by Justice such a thing is his due That 's not your right you cannot claim any thing 2. There is a right from Creation that God gave to man at first Creation you have lost that too 3. There is a right from Promise God hath now promised all good things to his people you have not that right neither You
have neither the right of Justice to claim nor the right from your Creation nor the right from Promise What right then There is a Fourth right and that right I confess you have and that is 4. A right from Donation God is pleased to give to you but just thus You hold all your Honors and Estates that are ungodly men just thus Even as a man that is condemned to die and there being a little reprieving for two or three daies before his execution the Prince out of his indulgence gives order to have provision made for him according to his Quality that if he be a Gentleman he shal have such provision if a Knight a Nobleman a Peer of the Realm he shall have provision according to his Quality till his Execution now no man can say this man usurps though he hath forfeited all his right to his Land and Estate yet if the King will give him this refreshment he is no usurper but it is a poor right he hath it 's a right from Donation and thus God gives the ungodly men in this world they have a right to outward comforts you have your Portion but you see how you hold it That 's the Second thing I have but one or two things more to dispatch of this particular and two things further and I shall wind up all as briefly as I can I am told I may take some liberty at such a time as this is and seeing it is only the preaching oportunity we meddle withal give me leave a little the more to transgresse upon your patience in that I hope it will not be very much The next thing to be considered it is That this Portion here as it 's poor in regard of the mean things and the Tenure So Thirdly There is a great deal of Mixture here in this you have 1. There is a manifold Mixture of Cumber of Trouble and the truth is All the good things that wicked men enjoy in this world will scarce bear charges that is there is so much trouble they meet withal here in this world with their Portion that all they have will scarce bear charges And if a man goes a Voyage we use not to count any thing he spends by the way to be part of his Treasury Now all we have here in this world is but Spending-money to bear our Charges in regard God knows we shall be at a great deal of Charges and afflictions we shall meet with here But besides 2. There is a Mixture of Curse in every Portion of an Ungodly man If any of you think you get such a rich Match you get an Heir that is a very rich Match and you get her portion and there you go and fetch away the bags of God that are her portion but if it should prove that every bag of Gold you have of your Wives portion had the Plague in it it were but a poor portion Certainly it is thus with all ungodly ones in the world that all the while they live whatsoever they enjoy so long as continuing wicked they have a Curse of God that goes along with it and makes way unto Eternal misery for them As those that are godly have the blessing of God in outward things that makes way for their Eternal good So thou hast the Curse of the Lord mingled with all thy outward things that makes way for Eternal evil unto thee And then Consider 3. What portion thou losest thou hast gotten one but thou losest a great deal more If a man had been at the Exchange and made some bargain about some petty thing and afterwards when he comes home knows that by not buying such a thing he hath lost a bargain that would have made him and his posteritie he hath little cause of rejoycing in that bargain he hath made So though thou hast got a portion that may seem to satisfie thee somwhat know thou hast lost a portion of infinit worth and value and it 's impossible to shew you what this portion is for the Devil could shew Christ all the glory of the world in the twinkling of an eye but if I should come to shew you the glory of Heaven I had need have Eternity to shew you what the portion of the Saints is but though I cannot shew it you all I will only give you a hint or two that you may know somewhat what it is 1. It is such a portion as is fit for the Spouse of the Lamb as is fit for the Spouse of one that is to marry the Son of God the second Person in Trinity 2. It is such a portion which is fit and sutable to an Heir of Life and Glory an Heir of Heaven and Earth 3. It is such a portion as God doth give it unto them to this very end As to declare what the infinite Power of God is able to do to raise a poor creature to the height of happiness What think you this must be that I say it must therefore be done that it might declare to Angels and all creatures what the infinit power of God is able to do to raise a poor creature to happiness and glory This must be somewhat 4. It must be such a one as in which God must attain unto the great design that he had from all eternity in making the Heaven and Earth the special design that God had in making Heaven and Earth from all Eternity it was to magnifie the Riches of His Grace to a Company that He had set apart to glory it must be such a portion and guess you what this must needs be 5. It is such a portion as must require the infinite power of God to support a Creature to be able to bear the weight of that glory it 's such a portion And do you but think what kind of portion that must needs be 6. All this must needs be now to all Eternity I remember when Esau did but hear Isaac his father tel what a blessing he had given unto Jacob the Text saith that Esau fell a weeping Oh! that God would strike upon the hearts of men that have so little minded any thing but the present things of the world thou hearest but a few words of what the Lord hath reserved to all eternity for his Saints and compare but that with what is thy portion and what is like to be thy portion and thou hast cause to weep I but more cause you will have to weep if so be you consider the last thing Fifthly What is like to be thy End thy Portion is in this world if indeed thou couldst ruffle it out in this world and enjoy thy hearts desire and there an end it were somewhat Oh but there is somewhat else remains afterwards As first 1. Oh the perplexity of Spirit that any worldly man will have when Death comes when he shall see an end of all the comforts of this world now farewell house and lands and friends and acquaintance and all