our good that God sent him to be bread and water of Life unto us that we might live through him God sent him to be our Mediator our Saviour our Redeemer and the like we are to receive these truths that God hath revealed concerning Jesus Christ Secondly It is to take Christ for the foundation and building and top stone of our Salvation 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundations can no man lay then that is lay'd which is Jesus Christ To take the Lord Christ to be our Prophet to be our King to be our High Priest to be all in all unto us Thirdly It is to rely upon him and trust in him for the removal of all our sins supply of all our wants and investment of us in his own Righteousness this is to believe in the Name or in the Son and to depend upon him for Redemption for Sanctification for Reconciliation for Adoption for Salvation So then you see the point is that believing lyes under a command this is his Commandement that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ I shall now come to some questions and the Qu. First is Have we power to believe can any do it may they not as easily keep the Law as believe on the Son of God is there any power in us to do it An. You know that there are in the world divers sorts of people that do acknowledge power in us to do it But know that man simply considered in himself hath no power to believe in the Son of God 2 Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selves to think a good thought but all our sufficiency is from him if we ben't sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves as good but our sufficiency is of God surely we cannot believe then which is so great a work and glorious a work and in Col. 2.12 Faith is said to be the opperation of God not of Man But for the further clearing of the point know First that as God commandeth us to believe so he hath promised to give us faith Mat. 12.21 it 's said in him shall the Gentiles trust here is a promise made to us that are Gentiles that we shall trust in the name of Christ God will work that power in them that they shall trust in Christ and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and Joh. 6.37 all that the father giveth me shall come to me here 's a promise they shall come that is they shall believe And faith is called the gift of God Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God None but God can give Christ and none but God can give power to believe in Christ As faith is the Command of God so faith is likewise the work of God Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent that 's the first answer Secondly The Lord giveth the means whereby it is wrought namely the Gospel The Gospel is the means whereby faith is wrought which he hath appointed and ordained for that very purpose and therefore the Gospel is called faith Gal. 1.23 speaking of Paul that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed preacheth the faith that is the Gospel which works faith and is the means that God uses to work faith in the Souls of Men and Women The brazen Serpent was appointed of God to cure the stingings of the fiery Serpent no other Serpent would do it nor no other means would do it if they had used all the Physitians in the world they could not have done it but the brazen Serpent which God had appointed So no other word will work it but the Gospel which he hath appointed to work faith and therefore the Apostle tells you that faith comes by hearing hearing of the Gospel which is appointed by God for that very end Thirdly The Lord he doth accompany his word with his spirit to make it effectual the word without the spirit would not be effectual and therefore God doth accompany his word with his spirit that it may be effectual to work faith in the hearts of Men and Women Hence it is that the spirit is called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 We having faith the Apostle the same spirit of faith it 's called the spirit of faith because by the Gospel it doth work faith in the hearts of Merrand Women and Gal. 3.2 This would I know of you saith the Apostle received you the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith why you heard the Doctrine of Faith the Gospel and by the hearing of Faith you received the spirit for the Gospel is the Ministration of the spirit and the Chariot of the spirit and so God doth by the Gospel convey the spirit into the hearts of men and women and by the spirit works faith in their Souls Fourthly The Lord commands things that are hard for us yea impossible unto us that so we may seek to him to whom nothing is impossible Luke 1.37 for with God nothing shall be impossible no word is impossible to God whatever he hath said he is able to make it good and you know in the Gospel that blind Bartemeus he seeks unto Christ for the Cure of his eyes The blind man in Joh. 9. that was born blind his eyes were opened so we that were born blind and born dead still-born without grace without faith without spiritual life the Lord commands us to believe that we may look to him to convey life and work grace and faith in our souls But Fifthly There is in the Gospel the offer of Christ to sinners you shall see it clear in 13 Acts that the offer of the Lord Jesus Christ is offered in the Gospel and tendered unto sinners v. 26. Men and Brethren Children of the Stock of Abraham and whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent to you it 's sent and v. 38. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is Preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and in the 46. and 47. verses Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and Judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles so that Christ and salvation and all spiritual mercies are offered and tendered in the Gospel unto us unto us Gentiles unto us Sinners And surely such an offer is worthy of acceptation This very offer hath some efficacy and virtue in it to stir up souls to receive Christ 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners O 't is a faithful
THE Sound-hearted Christian OR A TREATISE OF Soundness of Heart With several other SERMONS As Of Believing Of being of Christs mind Of doing all in his Name Of the preciousness of the Word Of the sweetness of the Word and Against the Love of the World By William Greenhill Non progredi est regredi London Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Cross Keys in Bishopsgate-street near Leaden-hall 1670. To that little Flock the Author of the ensuing Treatise relates unto DEarly beloved knowing that shortly I must put off my earthen Tabernacle I thought it meet whilst I am in it to mind you of something Preached amongst you and to present the same in Print unto you that ye might be able after my decease to have the same alwayes in remembrance The chief part of the Treatise is about Soundness of Heart and what is my desire but that you may be found sound hearted The times we live in are discovering times and the unsoundness of many is lay'd open before the Sun they began in the spirit and now are ending in the flesh many are declined and too many declining The Jews rejoyced in John's light for a season Those of Asia followed Paul while the Sun shined but when it was cloudy weather they turn'd aside Those that came out of Egypt meeting with hardships unlook'd for would have gone back to Egyptian flesh-pots and of six hundred thousand men only Caleb and Joshuah who had sound hearts entred into Canaan The holy Scripture mentions but one Demas who imbrac'd the world now there are many so drench't in it that they are in danger of erring from the faith Have not some of all perswasions amongst us manifested their unsoundness by deserting their principles and practices Have not some forsaken their first love and are become lukewarm Laod ceans Are not many halting between God and Baal Are not multitudes return'd to the Romish Synagogne whose Head they pretend is Peter's Successor but unlike him altogether except in denyal of his Lord and Master Have not some gone out from you that were not of you and left Christ the only true light for their own light is it not an hour of Temptation Are there not blustring winds of Doctrine abroad that would blow away the grace and gospel of Christ and have only morality for grace and gospel Is not the Dragon wroth with the Woman and making war with the remnant of her seed which keep the Commandments of God now manifest your selves to be of that seed admit of nothing against the command of Christ without you or the light and motions of the spirit within you The Rabbins say that in the Kingdom of Messiah there is nothing of mans invention In regno Messiae nil mundanum If the Whores golden Cup be offer'd you look not at the glittering outside but the poyson within and drink not thereof least you dye keep your garments clean meddle not with any thing that defileth or is defiled Think not Ordinances needless things for if so the taking away the Kingdom of Heaven from the Jews was no great judgement nor the bestowing of it upon another people any great mercy Have an high esteem of the Word and Oudinances for where there is no vision people perish Hold fast what you have heard and stand fast in the Lord and so shall ye live and you shall be our hope our joy and crown of Rejoycing That you may do so and be so in this day of Tryal and Tribulation this little Treatise is commended unto you wherein you will find what soundness of heart is how greatly desirable and excellent whether your hearts be so how to get such hearts and how to keep them being gotten with something of faith something of being of Christs mind of doing all in his name something of the preciousness and sweetness of the Word and somewhat against the love of the world which if you will read mind and practice you will never fall from the principles and stedfastness but be stronger and stronger and hold on the way until you appear before the Lord in glory The God of all grace be with you dwell in you and inable you all in all things to do his will Yours in the work of the Lord to serve you W. G. ERRATA PAge 10. line 24. read are p. 11. l. 16. r. his p. 15. l. 18. r. 1st Use p. 29. l. 3. r. Obs 2. p. 31. l. 7. r. hereupon p. 35. l. 11. r. do p. 37. l. 29. r. Hezekiah p. 44. l. 6. r. do p. 46. l. 30. r. Jannes p. 47. l. 17. r. Thirdly p. 53. l. 30. r. for p. 58. l. 23. r. fold p. 59. l. 17. r. that fall p. 64. l. 23. r. therefore p. 81. l. 12. r. souls p. 94. l. 9. r. for are will be p. 100. l. 6. r. beautiful l. 20. r. not p. 112. l. 4. r. it 's p. 116. l. 30. r. if p. 128. l. 2. r. if p. 174. l. 9. r. Doctr. without first p. 175. l. 1. r. what things p. 199. l. 32. dele of p. 213. l. 26. r. lamps p. 219. l. 11. r. 140. p. 243. l. 18. r. cares p. 267. l. 2. after no add and leave things certain is unreasonable p. 269. l. 12. r. knee p. 287. l. 28. r. with p. 293. l. 26. d a. p. 295. l. 22. r. doth p. 299. l. 12. r. wares p. 304. l. first r. yea These with some other Errata's especially in the last sheets which the Author had not opportunity to review the Reader is desired to correct and Pardon Of Soundness of Heart The Substance of several Sermons upon Psal 119.80 Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed THis Psalm doth consist of as many parts as there be Letters in the Hebrew Alphabet and every eight verses begins with a distinct Letter of the A phabet and it 's a Psalm that some of the Antients do call the very marrow and heart of the Scripture it being in the middest of the Book of God And divers Eulogies they have of it precious truths are contained in it And twice in this Psalm doth David make request unto God about his heart the one is in the 36. v. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness O Lord saith David I desire my heart may go the right way but I am not able to manage nor carry my heart as I would I would fain have it cleave to thy testimonies but it runs out here and there and therefore Lord saith he incline thou my heart unto thy testimonies thy testimonies are very precious they testifie of thy Nature they testifie of thine attributes they testifie of thy promises they testifie of thy will and good pleasure they testifie what will be the advantage of man for his present and eternal good incline my heart unto thy testimonies and 〈◊〉 to covetousness Alas what are the honours the pleasures the riches of the world to thy testimonies they
are perishing things but thy testimonies indure for ever The second request he makes concerning his heart is in the words I have read O Lord let my heart be sound in thy Statutes In which words you have first David's request Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes Secondly the end or the reason why he would have it so That I be not ashamed Let my heart he dont say let my Head be sound in thy Statutes but my Heart By heart he dont mean the fleshy part that is within man for so heart is sometimes taken in Scripture but he means by heart his Soul the principal part of man and so it 's taken in the 23. Prov. My Son give me thine heart that is give We thy Soul thy reason understanding judgment will and affections I call not for thy Body I call not for thy Flesh but I must have thy Spirit I I must have thy soul The soul is express'd here by heart because the soul doth act principally in the heart Let my heart be sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Hebrew word First Let my heart be perfect with thee and not divided and so it is opposite to division mens hearts are divided between God and the world Ephraim had a divided heart Secondly Let my heart be upright for so the word bears it too and so it 's opposed to Hypocrisie let my heart â—e upright and sincere and not hypocritical Thirdly Let my heart be undefiled so the word is rendred in the â— v. of this Psalm and so it 's opposed to pollution defiledness Let my heart be undefiled pure clean spotless free from Sin Fourthly Let my heart be sound having nothing but truth in it and so it 's opposed to all errors whatsoever so you have it in Tit. 2.2 Let the aged men be sober grave temperate sound in the Faith men are sound in the Faith when their hearts and ears are open to no error no corrupt opinions no false tenents no winds of Doctrine to nothing of Man nothing of Satan nothing of the world let my heart be sound in thy Statutes let not my heart have any errors in it any false Tenents in it any dangerous opinions in it but let my heart be sound in thy Statutes In thy Statutes In this Psalm you have mention of Laws Commands Precepts Testimonies Ordinances and Statutes divers appellations but noting the same thing Thy Statutes that is the appointments of God what God doth appoint to be the rule for our thoughts affections words worship and wayes what he appoints men to do those are his Statutes They are Statutes because determined of God to be standing rules for all men to conform unto and the Laws and Statutes of Nations and Kingdoms should be conformable to them Stata via 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stabile Now saith David let my heart be sound in thy Statutes the words thus opened will yield us some points to treat on Obs 1. First That a gracious heart is a jealous heart Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes I am jealous of my heart 2. That the heart is especially to be look'd after Let my heart O let my heart my eye is upon my heart 3. That it is the desire of Saints and gracious ones to have sound hearts O Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes 4. That an unsound heart will one time or other make a man ashamed Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes That I be not ashamed If the heart be unsound it will appear it will break out It will be discovered and tend to your shame Doct. 1. First a gracious heart is a jealous heart saith David O let my heart be sound in thy Statutes I have a jealousie of my heart that 't is not sound and I would not be deceived here O let my heart be sound That a gracious heart is a jealous heart you may see it in the 47. Psal 6. v. I call to remembrance my Song in the night I commune with mine own heart and my Spirit made diligent Search I Commune with my heart and I make search and diligent search to see whether my heart be sound or no so in the 139 Psal 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 Truly Lord saith he I am Jealous of my heart I am afraid of my heart I have been searching and trying of it and I am afraid there is some way of wickedness in my heart I am afraid it will deceive me and bring me to shame one day why Lord do thou search me and try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way that I cannot find out and Lord discover it to me and if there be any evil in me do not leave me to my own heart but Lord lead me in the way everlasting Thus the Church in the 3. Lam. 40 41. Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens O come God is angry and hath corrected us severely our hearts have not been right with God let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord we have gone aside and we were not aware of it our hearts have deceived us come come let us lift up our hearts to God he hath not our hearts yet Now this Jealousie that a holy man hath of his heart is a Godly jealousie not a wicked naughty jealousie but a Godly jealousie there is a Godly jealousie over others and over a mans self 2 Cor. 11.2 1 Cor. 9.27 Qu. Now it may be ask'd of what is he jealous in his own heart An. First he is jealous least the change which he hopes is in his heart should not be thorough he is afraid 't is not a thorough change he remembers he hath heard in Scripture that one may be almost a Christian and yet not altogether a Christian as Felix said Thou hast perswaded me almost to become a Christian I but he was not a Christian he remembers and considers Ephraim was a Cake half bak'd not thorough bak'd he considers the young man in the Gospel was not far from the Kingdom of Heaven but not in the Kingdom of Heaven Now he is jealous of himself in regard of his change there must be a change in a man that is Godly a thorough change an universal change now he hath a Godly jealousie of himself least he should not be thoroughly changed Secondly he is jealous from what principle he now acts act he doth but he is jealous least he doth not act from a right principle whether he act from the Spirit of God within from the Divine nature within him Or whether he do act from reason from affection from nature from custom what principle he acts by he is jealous of he hath a Godly
not lift up my hand against any let me not think or speak or do any thing against thy Statutes Qu. Now whence is it that a gracious man's heart is such a jealous heart A. First It is from his own heart that his heart is so jealous the deâ—eitfulness of a man 's own heart is the ground or the cause of the hearts jealousie when it 's once sanctifyed in any measure it becomes jealous because this heart is so deceitful Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it well saith a gracious soul I will be jealous therefore of my heart 't is deceitful 't is desperately wicked 't is hard to know it Why â—â—e heart is deceitful there is deceitful lusts in it deceitful principles in it deceitful aims and ends in it deceitful affections in it deceitful apprehensions in it it is a bundle of deceit What experience hath a Godly man of the deceitfulness of his own heart how oft doth it run out when it is hearing reading praying and meditating Therefore a gracious Soul is jealous over its own heart how oft doth the heart excuse when it should condemn how oft doth it condemn when it should excuse how oft doth it cry up a man to be good when he is naught and how oft doth it cry him down to be naught when he is good There is nothing almost but deceit in our hearts and therefore a Godly man is jealous over his own heart Secondly A gracious heart is jealous of it self because it sees men and women may go very far and yet miscarry come short of Heaven prove rotten and unsound and be asham'd at last a gracious heart sees men may go a great way the Galatians went a great way and Paul was afraid of them what saith he have ye suffered so many things in vain you did run well you began in the Spirit what now will you end in the flesh what turn to another Gospel what now be justified by the Law the young man comes very near to the Kingdom of Heaven I but this heart was not sound he had a covetous heart his heart was not enclin'd to the testimonies of God but to covetonsness the foolish Virgins did they not go far had they not got Lamps had they not trim'd up their Lamps went they not forth to meet Christ and came they not to the Gates and knock'd and yet no entrance they were Virgins in name and not in nature seeming Virgins not real Virgins Ananias and Saphira went a great way they received the Gospel they profest Christ they entered into a Church state they sould their Lands and brought the greatest part to the Apostles feet and laid it down and yet not sound at the heart The stony ground received the word with joy yet falls away when temptation comes now a gracious heart is jealous of it self may men go so far as to read hear pray leave the world and part with estate and be joyned to a Church and yet not be sound at the heart O Lord what shall I judge of my heart O that my heart may be sound in thy Statutes Thirdly They are so because Satan is so subtle Satan deceives so many Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light Satan can inject good thoughts good desires good opinions and the like Did not Satan get into David himself and make him to number the people Did he not get into Peter and make Peter set upon Christ himself O Master spare thy self this shall not be unto thee and it 's said that many were turned aside after Satan 1 Tim. 5. now this makes them jealous least Satan should delude them how hath Satan deluded many in our dayes and they thought they had Enthusiasms and Revelations from God and his Spirit whereas they were deluded by Satan I have known some have been confident they have had revelations from God and yet afterwards have been convinc'd that they were from Satan and that they have been deluded Fourthly Lastly a gracious heart is jealous of it self because the right way the way to life to happiness to salvation is very narrow very hard to find and few do find it therefore saith a gracious heart I may well be jealous whether I be right or no whether I have not mistaken O there are many by wayes on this hand and by wayes on that hand and but one way and a narrow way and a hard way and few find it have I found it Broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be that go in thereat a broad way a pleasant way a down hill way and many there be go that way but the way to life and salvation is a narrow way yea so narrow that if Christ had not said it we could not have believed it as narrow as the eye of a Needle t is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven and 't is as narrow to a poor man as to a rich man 't is a very narrow way rich men are loaded with the world and they cannot enter and poor men are loaded with repinings grudgings and discontents and they cannot enter Thus you see that gracious hearts are jealous of themselves and wherein and why Qu. A question may be propounded You say they are jealous of themselves but is not this prejudicial to a man's peace and comfort and spiritual good that he should have a jealousie of himself An. For answer to this I tould you it is not sinful jealousie but a spiritual jealousie and there is no hurt in a Godly jealousie But further First it is not prejudicial to him but advantageous That Soul that hath a Godly jealousie over it self will be kept from a sinful and careless security men that are not jealous over themselves are secure and careless But that soul that is jealous cannot be secure cannot be careless that person will have an eye upon his heart and will be awake and will look to his heart What saith Solomon in the 4 Prov. Above all keepings keep thy heart if you have not a Godly jealousie how will you keep your hearts the secure man is asleep the negligent man is asleep therefore here should be the greatest jealousie and this helps to keep thy heart Secondly This will make you to do your duty towards God and man with more circumspection and with more vigour and life a drowsie sleepy man can neither serve God nor serve man but if a man be throughly awak'd then he looks about him and doth his business with more minding of it and more intention so the Godly Soul that is a jealous heart O it serves God with more carefulness it considers well I am to do with God and God looks for the heart and he calls for the Spirit and therefore I must give him my Spirit I must not be drowsie and sleepy and
of mind lyes in sound principles sound apprehensions of God of Christ of the Spirit of Scriptures and of the great points of Religion of the Resurrection Justification and Sanctification many are unsound touching God unsound in the things of God They deny a Trinity of persons they deny Gods Omnipotency they deny Gods Omnipresence these are unsound they have not sound hearts So concerning Christ how corrupt are many concerning Christ that he is meer Man and not God that Christ did not dye to satisfie for sin but to be an example and many other opinions one might tell you of that are rife in these dayes and people have drunk in now these are unsound hearted men and women So concerning the Spirit of God that it is a quality and not a person concerning Justification many untoward opinions are abroad as that we are justified by inhaerent righteousness and by works that a justifyed man may be unjustified c. So concerning Sanctification that we are without sin perfect that we can fulfil the Law and do works without defect or defilement So for the Resurrection they say the Resurrection is past that Bodies never rise and the Soul sleeps these are corrupt opinions and men are not sound hearted that hold them When therefore we have right apprehensions and sound principles within touching the things mentioned herein lyes soundness of heart let my heart be sound in thy Statutes let me have nothing but what is according to thy Statutes according to thy word Secondly Soundness of heart lies in a healthiness of heart soul and spirit when a man hath any sickliness or distempers in him he is not sound we say he is a sickly man now soundness of heart lies in healthiness of heart in healthiness of soul and spirit and so soundness is opposed to sickliness Isa 1.6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores You see hear soundness is opposed to wounds and bruises and putrifyed sores A man that 's sound hath no wounds nor bruises nor putrified sores and here saith David in the 38 Psal v. 3. There is no soundness in my flesh c. there were diseases distempers and in the 41 Psal v. 4. I said Lord be merciful unto me heal my soul for I have sinned against thee Now when either guilt is upon the heart or either lust or passion predominate in the soul the heart is not sound For the first see the 33. Isa last The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their Iniquity Why they shall be forgiven their Iniquity and then they are not sick And so for distempers or lusts or any other sin Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer why it s the Prayer of an unsound heart and in the 141 Psal 4. v. Incline not my heart to any evil thing If there be any strong inclination to any evil thing in the heart that heart is not sound that 's a lust and the heart is sick now saith David Lord let not my heart be inclin'd to any evil thing So that when a heart is purged from sin the guilt of sin the power and pollution of sin then the heart is sound for sin is a sickness in the soul a disease in the soul especially when it rises up to incline the heart to evil now when it 's purged from sin then it 's sound when it 's purged with the blood of Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ then a heart is sound indeed there 's a heart sound before God sound in the Statutes of God that 's a second thing wherein soundness of heart doth lye Thirdly Soundness of heart doth consist and lye in the total carriage of the heart to God and to his Statutes when the heart is totally carried to the Lord and to his Statutes and not to other things and so soundness is opposed to dividedness Let my heart be soond in thy Statutes let it not be divided between thee thy Statutes and other things the word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth note compleat and perfect let my heart be perfect compleat and totally in thy Statutes and with thee when a heart is divided you know it is not a sound heart so when mens and women hearts are divided between God and the creature between the Word of God and the things of the world their hearts are not sound Hos 10.2 Their heart is divided now shall they be found faulty their heart is not sound saith God their heart is not perfect nor compleatly with me their heart is not carried wholly to me but their hearts are divided and now shall they be found faulty it 's a fault indeed and a foul fault to have the heart divided between God and any other thing whatsoever when the heart is not perfect with God 1. K. 18.21 Elijah came unto all the people and said how long halt ye between two opinions if the Lord be God follow him and if Baal then follow him and the people answered him not a word they were all guilty why halt ye between two opinions why is your heart divided they were for God and for Baal too it 's said they feared the Lord and served Idols Many are for God and the world too but why are ye divided If the Lord be God follow him and if the World be God follow it the heart must not be divided if it be it is not sound 1. Cor. 10.21 ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and the Table of Devils your hearts are not sound if you divide ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith Christ because there 's a divided heart and this is not a sound heart 2 Chron. 25.2 It 's spoken of Antazia he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord for the matter but not with a perfect heart his heart was divided his heart was not perfect his heart was not sound but now see what David saith this way in the 119 Psal touching the soundness of his heart v. 10. with my whole heart have I sought thee there was the whole heart and the whole of the heart there was no division here was a sound heart it was not divided a piece here and a piece there half one way and half another way but with my whole heart have I sought thee and in the 69. v. saith he I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart here was a heart sound in God's Statutes Fourthly Soundness of heart doth lye in the truth and reallity of Grace in the heart the heart is never sound till it have true Grace when there is truth of Grace and truth of Comforts wrought by the Word and
Spirit in the heart then it 's a sound heart there may be seeming Graces and seeming Comforts but these do not cause soundness Take Brass Tin Cooper let it be Silver'd over by the Art of man this is not sound it is not Currant money so many have parts and they may have seeming graces and seeming comforts and yet not be real not be true such a heart is not sound you read in Scripture of a feigned faith a dead faith you read likewise of feigned love and there are feigned comforts flashy comforts and groundless hopes Now where the heart is sound these are graces comforts wrought by the Word and Spirit hence you read of faith unfeigned 2 Tim. 1.5 and you read of Love the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and so peace and joy There 's false peace and false joy but you read of these wrought by the Spirit and love shed abroad in the heart by the Spirit you read of a lively hope of a hope that 's grounded upon the promises 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth now when graces are real in the heart and comforts are real in the heart and there 's a real truth in them Then the heart is sound And so soundness is opposed to the fancies conceits and dreams of men and their mistakes but their hearts are rotten notwithstanding all their dreams and fancies Fifthly Soundness of heart doth lye in sincerity Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes let it be sincere and upright and so some read the words And the word signifies upright and sincere and so it 's opposed to Hypocrisie O let me not be an Hypocrite let me not be a deceiver a sound heart is a sincere heart where there is Hypocrisie in men and women there 's an unsound heart there 's a rotten heart the Apostle speaks of love without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 So all must be without dissimulation where there is soundness and here both the end and the means and the manner are respected First where the heart is sound there will be sound ends sincere ends and among the rest there be three great ends that a sound heart aims at First the Glory of God Secondly Publick good Thirdly the Spiritual and Eternal good of the Soul First the Glory of God that 's the great end of a sound heart such ends will a sound heart have as Gods Statutes doth propound and hold out now this is one great and high end that God holds out in his word the glorifying of himself Prov. 16.4 God hath made all things for himself for his own glory for his own honour God hath set up his own Glory as his own end and so a sound heart hath that end that God hath propounded So in the 11 Rom. last saith the Apostle there From him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Glory is the end 1. Cor. 10.31 Do all to the Glory of God whether you eat or drink or whatever you do that 's the great end 1. Cor. 6. you are not your own you are bought with a price Glorifie God in Soul and Body That 's the great end of a sound heart Secondly the end of a sound heart is publick good Do good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith not a private and domestick end but do good to all the world if possible but especially to Sion to the Church of God to the people of God saith Hester if I perish I perish Sion is in danger Gods people are in danger I will not stand upon my self and my own safety and upon the Kings Law but Gods glory the welfare and good of Sion lyes at the Stake and I will venture here was a sound heart that had a right end if I perish I perish I will venture my self for God and for his cause and people Thirdly It hath a right end in regard of it self viz. it 's Spiritual and Eternal good A Godly man will have a care of his body but his great care is of his soul and the spiritual and eternal good of his soul Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which indureth to everlasting life that meat that perishes concerns the body but there is meat saith Christ which indures to everlasting life and that 's the meat you must look at and that 's the meat a sound heart doth aim at and seek to find out and to feed upon First seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4.18 our scope is not to look at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen things that are eternal and that concern the eternal good of our souls Secondly It is sincere likewise in regard of the means a sound heart will use all the means Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commands there must be respect to all Gods Commands to all his Threatnings to all his Promises to all Examples to all Invitations to all Admonitions to all Counsels to the whole will of God a sound heart hath respect to all that God hath revealed to all the means whatsoever they have unsound and rotten hearts who throw off the Law or the Gospel who throw of all Ordinances who throw off the Scriptures but then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commands Thirdly So likewise for the manner of using the means many come and hear the word but not with trembling Isa 66.2 not as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 they receive it not with love 2 Thess 2.13 they mingle it not with faith Heb. 4.2 they hear it not as the word that shall judge them John 12.48 so many pray but not spiritually Ephes 6.18 not feelingly and fervently Rom. 12.11 Jam. 5.16 not believingly Jam. 1.6 so many receive but descern not the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.29 and many give but not with simplicity Rom. 12.8 and secresie Mat. 6.3 Now a sound heart respects the manner in these and all other duties as much as the duties themselves and is much humbled for failings in the manner of performing duties Sixthly Lastly soundness of heart lyes in this in the hearts putting forth to practice what is revealed to it or received by it when a man hath truth and witholds truth in unrighteousness that man is not sound at the heart but where the heart is sound the soundness of it carries him to practice what is revealed and given in unto it you may see it in David and in Hezekiah 1 K. 15.15 David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life whatsoever God commanded him that he did his heart was sound in his Statutes And so here in Isa 38. v. 3. Remember now O Lord
and not live here was the King of fears the King of terrours now saith he Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and done that which is good in thy sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a heart full of peace a perfect heart with a sound heart see how this now bears him up Fourthly A Godly soul is desirous of soundness of heart because such a one hath Gods favour and will be intrusted by God it 's something to have God's favour something to be trusted by God that knows hearts a sincere heart God favours and God will trust in the 11 Psa 7. v. for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright the upright a man that 's sound sincere and upright and the upright dwells in his presence God he doth regard the righteous he loves righteousness and who doth righteousness but the sound hearted man And his countenance doth behold the upright his favour is towards him and God will trust such a man call him forth to excellent service and employ him in great matters in Psal 78. he chose David also his Servant and took him from the Sheepfold why will God look to the Sheepfold and mind a man tending of his Sheep From following the Ews great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance so he fed them according to the integrity of his heart he had a sound and entire heart a heart for God a heart for good a heart for his people and so God looks upon him he takes him and brings him from the Sheepfold to feed his people and he did it according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his hand Gods favour was towards him and God's favour is towards such and he doth intrust them with great matters 1 Tim. 1.11.12 according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust why who are you that you should have the Gospel and the glorious Gospel of the blessed God committed to your trust I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me worthy putting me into the Ministery O the Lord made me sound hearted when I had rotten principles he took them all away he made my heart sound and imployed me in great things so that where there is soundness of heart God favours and will trust such when men have deceitful and hypocritical hearts God will not trust them Fifthly Soundness of heart is earnestly desired by those that are good because otherwise the means of grace whatsoever they be will do little good very little or no good look into Mich. 2.7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord streightned are these his doings do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly saith he you complain of judgments and afflictions that are upon you but I tell you your hearts are not right do not my words do good to him that walks uprightly if your hearts were sound upright and sincere you would walk according to my Statutes according to my wayes and your hearts would be with me and not with your Idols nor with the world therefore my words do you no good because your lives and hearts are corrupt do not my words do good to them that walk uprightly every one can tell you they do to a corrupt Stomach you know the meat doth little or no good it feeds a corrupt humour and kills at last So now when men and women have unsound hearts the means doth them little good the means will be their death at last there was Judas what gracious words did he hear from Christ how many miracles and examples did he see but all did him no good why he was not sound at the heart he had a covetous heart and so Simon Magus was not sound at heart the word doth men no good when they have unsound hearts Sacraments do them no good they eat and drink their own damnation afflictions doth them no good Prayer doth them no good therefore saith a Godly man O Lord let my heart be sound in thy Statutes Sixthly Lastly soundness of heart is to be desired because without this you will never be admitted into Heaven never be presented by Christ unto the Father In a word you will never be sav'd unless your hearts be sound look into the 15. Psal Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart that is he that hath a sound heart free from hypocrisie a sound heart he shall do it and in the 24 Psal who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord who shall stand in his holy place he that hath clean hands and a pure heart c. Now if a mans heart be not sound 't is impure there is some guilt some lusts some distempers some rotten and false tenets and opinions some hypocrisie in it some dividedness in it there 's some withholding of truth in unrighteousness in it now this man shall not ascend into the holy hill he shall not have the blessing saith Christ in Math. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not Prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderful works and then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity What do all these things and yet be workers of iniquity and not known of Christ there was nothing but rottenness of heart for mark what follows in the Chapter whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man which built his house upon a Rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a Rock And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not he is one that builds his house upon the Sand So that if mens hearts be not sound they will never build upon the Rock they will never be sav'd Doth not Christ tell them plainly woe to Scribes Pharisees Hyppocrites why they shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven they are not sound hearted if men are not sound in the things of God sound in the Gospel and the mysteries of it sound in the faith there 's no coming to Heaven no coming to Glory Christ will never own a rotten hearted man or woman never own a man that hath a form of Godliness and not the power of it therefore if you would be sav'd if you would be presented by Jesus Christ unto the Father you
is immoveable he is fixed he holds out to the end Seventhly The excellency of a sound heart is that it hath a blessedness intail'd unto it Psal 32.2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose Spirit there is no guile if a mans heart be unsound there 's guile in it there 's Hypocrisie in it there are rotten principles in it but Blessed is the man in whose Spirit there is no guile when a mans heart is purged from guile his heart is sound and he hath a blessedness entail'd upon it Nathaniel a man without guile and Christ looks upon him and saith he is a blessed and happy man you know Hypocrisie hath a woe woe to Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites but sincerity hath the blessing soundness hath the blessing blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile blessed is the man whose heart is pure and free from sin there is a blessedness entail'd upon it and thus you see wherein the excellency of a sound heart lyes Now to come to the use and application of the point I. Is soundness of heart a thing very desirable then in the first place take heed of all things may make your hearts unsound Men and Women will take heed of any thing will corrupt their Garments will corrupt their Stomachs will corrupt their Flesh you will not endure dirt in your Garments why it will rot them you will not endure poyson in your broath or wine or meat or bread it will undo you well take heed of that then which may make your hearts unsound and rotten take heed of carnal policy take heed of errors that are abroad every where erronious Doctrines and Opinions concerning God and Christ and his natures and death and satisfaction concerning the Scriptures Ordinances Sabbaths take heed of these An erroneous opinion may be the bane of your hearts make it a sick heart and sick unto death if you can be careful for your Garments for your meat and drink for your Bodies be careful for your Souls Paul had a jealousie for the Corinthians 2 Cor. 11.2 I am jealous over you with a Godly jealousie and v. 3. I fear least by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ you have itching ears and you heap up Teachers according to your lusts and the simplicity of the Gospel is neglected plain honest and sincere preaching to the Conscience which would do your souls good you are weary of many look for new and strange things Stories out of the Fathers and Heathen Authors to please their itching ears they look after learning and not after the Gospel but such things will not save you it 's the Gospel and the simplicity of it will do your souls good I am jealous of you saith Paul So I am jealous over you least you should be led away by the delusions of Satan led away by this world led away by the evils and errors of the times well take heed of all may corrupt your minds and make you unsound Secondly Is a sound mind so desirable then be advised and take heed whom you do make your familiar friends and converse familiarly with all If men have not sound minds there 's great danger for their breath will be stinking and they will infect you if men breath out corrupt words corrupt opinions corrupt doctrines corrupt principles they will undo you but as for them who are sound hearted make them your friends 2 King 10.15 Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart said Jehu to Jehonadab yes saith he my heart is right then he takes him up into the Chariot So question whether mens hearts are sound or no if their hearts be sound then take them up into the Chariot of your hearts otherwise no a heart not right will never be faithful it 's hard to find such a man who can find a man of a faithful heart of sound principles of a healthy constitution that is free from hyppocrisie and ends and reachings and over-reachings well such a one if thou canst find him make him thy familiar make him thy friend David makes Jonathan his friend and such thou mayest trust who are sound hearted they dare not wrong the soundness of their hearts but they labour to preserve it and in preserving that they preserve friendship with thee Thirdly Let us all examine what our hearts are whether we have sound hearts or no whether our hearts be sound in Gods Statutes yea or no 't was that David begged at the hand of God 't was that he knew was of great worth 't is that we should all look after well let us enquire and for discovery hereof I shall give you sundry particulars First A sound heart is very inquisitive into the nature of persons or things what they are before it entertains them a sound heart will not be over credulous but will try them Try the Spirits saith John a found heart will try the Spirits Job 34.32 That which I see not teach thou me O Lord teach me I am afraid least I should be deceived O teach me tell me the nature of this man of this woman of this and that opinion Paul saith Prove all things hold fast that which is good prove them as Gold bring them to the fire to the light to the hammer and when you have tryed them then hold fast you will not pocket up Brass Money but say away with it so sound hearted Christians will try persons and opinions and will not give them entertainment in their hearts unless they be sound to the Law and to the Testimonie and if they speak not according to this word there is no light in them Secondly A sound heart doth find a great deal of sweetness in the word of God and digests it it 's like unto a healthy Stomach a man that hath a healthy Stomach he digests his meat but a sickly Stomach digests it not Take a man now whose heart is sound in Gods Statutes he finds savour and sweetness in Gods word and doth relish and digest his word and lives upon it in Psal 19.10 saith David of the Statutes of the Lord More are they to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold they are sweeter than the Hony or the Hony Comb how sweet is Hony to you and especially when it drops from the Comb saith David in Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter than the Honey to my mouth O Lord saith he thy words they are sweet words they are sweet to my mouth they are sweeter than Honey to my taste how sweet are they they are sweeter than I can express or conceive how did he relish the truths of God his meditation was in them night and day And more do I esteem them saith Job than my appointed food The word of God is the food of the soul and a man that hath
careful to please one another according to the word of God their hearts are not sound if Children be not obedient to their Parents Servants serving their Masters not with eye-service but with singleness of heart as unto the Lord their hearts are not sound many will hear the word of God and talk of good things but care not for doing their duties in their places how do they fill up their relations but now if you be sound hearted you will fill up your relations you stand in Seventhly a sound heart can bear sharp afflictions very quietly and meekly a sore Shoulder will bear no burthen a Horse with a gall'd back will winch and kick and fling take a hand that the skin is off and pour vinegar upon it or lay Salt upon it and how terrible is it but if the hand be sound it can bear it if the Shoulder be sound it can bear a burthen if the Horse be sound he can bear the Rider so a sound heart can bear any burthen Moses was a meek man and he bore all the burthen that was upon him But now if the heart be not sound there 's fretting murmuring and repining when the heart is not sound every little thing doth disturb and disquiet it but when its sound it 's like Christ's heart it can bear all burthens whatsoever Eighthly A sound heart is the same towards God in the darkest dispensations that can be as it is to God in the sweetest dispensations that may be when God carries it most strangely and most enemy-like unto the soul that soul is the same towards God still as it was towards God before in the most sweet and pleasing dispensations saith Hab. in his 3. ch Though the Fig-tree should not blossem neither should fruit be in the Vine the Labour of the Olive should fail the fields should yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the soul and there shall be no heard in the Stall yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation Though there be so great a famine as there is nothing left without or within yet will I rejoyce in God a man uses to rejoyce in God when he hath abundance of the creature but saith Hab. Though none of all these be and there be nothing but famine and I am ready to perish yet will I rejoyce in the Lord his heart was sound and he was the same towards God in one dispensation as in another So Job in the 13. ch 15. v. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him I trusted him when I had all things abounding about me and I will trust in him when all things are taken from me a sound heart is the same at all times Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his Servant which walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God A sound heart will trust in God in Winter as well as in Summer in a Dark night as well as in a Sun shine day in Phil. 4. I have learned saith Paul in whatever estate I am therewith to be content I can want and I can abound God hath made my heart sound and I can rejoyce in all conditions The Cananitish woman Christ calls her Dog here was a dark dispensation but she calls him Lord Lord the Dogs eat the Crumbs that fall from their Masters Table So that if your hearts be sound in the Statutes and in the things of God your hearts will be the same towards God in adversity as in prosperity in sickness as in health in poverty as in glory and honour Ninthly a sound heart will never turn aside from God or out of his way upon any pretence perswasion or advantage whatsoever but keeps on in Gods way in the Kings road in the way of holiness in the way of truth in the way of righteousness it keeps on in this way and will not be warp'd or turned aside it 's said in 1 K. 15.5 That David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter of Uriah the Hittie 〈◊〉 through some violent temptations David turned aside once but now here was the integrity and soundness of his heart that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned not aside from the things that he commanded him all the dayes of his life so that a sound heart will not turn aside 't is not flattery 't is not fear 't is not advantage will make him do it but God is God Truth is Truth as Christ hated iniquity and loved righteousness so doth a sound heart this is the way of God and I will go this way saith a sound heart in the 11. Acts they cleave to God with purpose of heart the Apostle would not take money to give unto Simon Magus the gift of the Holy Ghost and a sound heart it will not be brib'd it will not be couzened it will not turn to the left hand or to the right hand but goes right forward to the end of the way Tenthly A sound heart hath a spiritual confidence and boldness in it and can come unto the Lord in another manner than an unsound and corrupt heart can I say it hath a spiritual boldness and considence in it Heb. 10.19.22 having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holyest by the blood of Jesus how comes any to have a spiritual boldness he must have his heart sound if he have any boldness in him if his heart be guilty if his heart be corrupt and rotten there can be no boldness nor confidence but being sound a man hath boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus A man that hath interest in the blood of Jesus hath a sound heart and v. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience here 's that makes the heart good and makes the heart bold when the heart is sprinkled with the blood of Christ the Conscience is made sound and good and being thus now let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance such a heart as is sound may come with assurance and confidence unto God and beg of God what he stands in need of this is the nature of a sound heart 11. A sound heart depends upon God alone for all spiritual mercies in 1 Cor. 1. saith the Apostle But of him are ye in Christ Jesus that is of God are we in Christ Jesus God hath drawn you to Christ and stated you in Christ so that of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption who of God is made unto us Those that are in Christ Jesus have soundness of heart they have
yet doest the same things what if I condemn another for breaking Covenant with men when I break Covenant with God my self am not I a greater sinner I do the same things and the Judgment of God is according to truth and God will Judge take heed then of censuring others of Judging and Condemning others least you condemn your selves you declare the rottenness of your hearts and you will be found rotten at last Seventhly If men profess Religion and be zealous towards God and yet be without mercy and without Justice these men will be found unsound and rotten and be ashamed at last There are many in these dayes are zealous and will hear the word and that 's to be commended but withall let them not rest in the duties of the first Table but let them do the duties of the second In James 1. saith the Apostle there If any man among you seemeth to be Religious and bridleth not his Tongue he deceiveth his own heart and this mans Religion is in vain pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widdows in their distress and to keep himself-unspotted in the world To shew mercy here 's Religion if I seem Religious and not be merciful merciful to the afflicted to the Widdow to the Orphan to the Poor to the Prisoner my Religion is all vain a dead Religion is like a dead Faith and so for acts of Justice 1 Joh. 3.10 In this the Children of God are manifested and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God Who is he of then he is of the Devil 't is not talking of Righteousness but doing Righteousness unless men and women will keep their promises unless they will pay their Debts unless they will pay their Servants wages unless they will pay their Rents unless they will pay what 's borrowed unless they will restore what they have defrauded what Religion is here Heathens will deal justly and Righteously And therefore those that say they are Christians and not Righteous they are of the Devil and not of God Eighthly They have unsound hearts and will be ashamed who take up Religion upon wrong grounds I told you before upon base ends and a multitude of people take up Religion upon wrong grounds some take up Religion upon a State account the countenance of a State the State doth countenance Religion and make Laws for Religion and the like and upon this account they take up Religion thus was it in King Edward's dayes when he came then many turned Protestants who were Papists before but when Queen Mary came in and there was another face of things then they turned Papists again and in Queen Elizabeth's dayes then they turned Protestants again And thus many in these dayes because there is a state Religion and Worship they desert their former principles and professions and fall in with what is present such men are unsound and will be discovered one day to their shame Many from the Customes of the places where they live it 's the Custom of the Town or of the place it 's the Custom of the great ones to hear the word on the Lords day or to Pray and Read and the like and so upon this account they will become Religious others upon the account of their forefathers oru forefathers did so and so and therefore they will do so others upon the account of education but these are unsound grounds and at one time or other such men and women will be discovered to be rotten-hearted and will be made ashamed of their Religion and therefore men and women should look to the ground Is it the command of God and because you find it 's written in the book of God Is it out of love to God and glorifying of God and saving of your Souls according to the will of God unless it be thus all your grounds are false and vain Ninthly They are like to prove unsound and to be ashamed who have their hearts soaked in the things of the world who are strongly carried out to them and are taken up with these outward things they are like to be ashamed at one time or other it 's said in James 4.4 Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity to God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is an enemy to God tell me now whether any Adulteresses or Adulterers have a sound heart all those that are friends to the world and have their affections carried to the world are they not enimies to God are they not Adulterers Men that are lovers of the pleasures prosits honours and fashions of this world are unsound hearted and will be discovered at one time or other 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him and if that be not in him he is an unsound hearted man and will be discovered one day to be so Demas he professes Christianity he goes along with Paul but because the world was in his heart he leaves Paul and embraces the world and Dorotheus an Ecclesiast cal Writer he tells us that he went to Thessalonica and there he turned an idolatrous Priest Paul tells you plain enough in the 1 Tim. 6.9 10 They that will be rich some men and women are resolved to be rich they will be rich in spight of all they know it 's but rising early and lying down late and using their wits and their hands But they that will be rich fall into Temptations and a snare and into many foolish and burtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil is this heart sound now is that heart sound that hath the root of all evil in it look to it those that have their hearts soak'd in the world and carried out to the things of the world they are rotten and so they will be discovered to be one day to their shame tâ— therefore David saith incline not my heart to covetousness O let not my heart go out to the world least I be ashamed Tenthly Their hearts are unsound who have a secret dislike of the wayes and things of God and the strictness of Religion many men though they will not openly and outwardly speak against the wayes of God against strictness and holiness exact and circumspect walking yet they have a secret dislike of them a secret slighting of them and they do not approve of them and think men may be too strict such men their hearts are unsound and they will be discovered one day saith he in Mal. 3. ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts They had slight thoughts of the wayes of God and they were rotten
and unsound but there were others spake otherwise they were Gods Jewels they would not joyn with the wayes of God but rather did withdraw from them Heb. 10.25 Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is we need not be so strict nor so oft in prayer and hearing and in speaking of the things and wayes of God the Commandements of God are grievous to them 1 Joh. 5.3 when Gods Commandements are grievous to a mans heart or spirit it 's a sign he hath a sick heart a sore heart a corrupt rotten heart when the Commands of God that would make them sound are grievous to them Many care not for examining their own souls when as the Scripture saith prove your selves examine your selves know ye not your own selves that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates walk circumspectly redeeming the time such men have unsound hearts and one day they will be discovered to their shame 11. Those that can walk up and down in the world without having their thoughts carried unto God that can go all the day long and never think of God or Heaven or Eternity or Christ these men have unsound hearts in Prov. 23.17 saith the wise man there Let not thy heart envy sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long A man should have God in his thoughts all the day long and should be fearing God from morning to evening and sanctifie God in his heart and make him his dread and his fear wheresoever he goes a man should be afraid to displease God in any place in any Company at any time but now when a man goes up and down all the day long and never thinks of God nor fears God this man is rotten at the heart he hath an unsound heart for he cares not for God nor for his Company depart from us say they in Job we care not for thy company So though this man saith it not with his Tongue yet he saith it with his heart The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death how can you depart from the snares of death when you are not in the fear of God Some fear God in time of Thunder or in a common Plague but to live in the fear of God all the day all their lives they know not what it means these have unsound hearts and will be ashamed 12. Whosoever doth presume upon the merits of Christ and the mercies of God and walk loosely they are unsound hearted and shall one day be ashamed 't is a common thing in these dayes for Christians to presume upon Christ's merits why did not Christ dye for sinners is not God merciful yes but must you walk loosely now Christ did not dye for sinners that they might go and sin neither is God merciful to encourage you to sin but you will find Christ a Stone to grind you to powder and Gods mercy to be fury and vengeance to you that do so in Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus which walk not after the flesh mark but after the Spirit If men do presume upon Christs merits and Gods mercies and say they have a part in God and Christ they must not walk after the flesh but if you walk loosely you walk after the flesh what Drink Swear Whore Lye Cheat Rail Slander Backbite Defraud and Couzen in Bargaining and Selling you walk after the flesh you have no interest in Christs merits there 's condemnation and nothing but condemnation to you and mark what 's said in 1 Joh. 2.6 If any man say he abides in him that is in Christ he must walk as he walked what dost thou say thou art a Christian thou hast a part in the merits of Christ and in the free grace and mercy of God then must thou walk even as Christ walked in the world what 's thy walking is it so is it becoming the Gospel is it no otherwise than what Christ himself would do then thou mayest have comfort but if it be otherwise deceive not thy self thou hast an unsound heart and thou wilt one day be ashamed 13. They are unsound hearted who do account themselves rich strong wise knowing and full those that are conceited of their own worth of their own excellency of their own ability and as they have unsound hearts so they will be discovered one day for rotten hearted men and women It is incident to you all to have too high thoughts of your selves Paul tells you in Gal. 6.2 If a man thinks himself some body when he is nothing he deceives himself why should the Apostle lay down this Rule but that it was the practice of the Christians then these Galatians thought themselves wiser than Paul they must have another Gospel they must go another way to Heaven we will not be tyed to these wayes they thought themselves some bodies when they were nothing and so deceived their own souls O foolish Galatians they were fools indeed And the Church of Laodicea is a pregnant instance for you all to take notice of she said she was rich full and wanted nothing here was a Church had Priviledges Ordinances Enjoyments Apostolical men in her yet what saith Christ thou art blind thou art naked thou art poor thou art miserable thou wantest all things was not her shame discovered that Christian that is conceited of himself his Parts Gifts Graces Comforts Priviledges Enjoyments or Relations whatsoever they be that Christian is an unsound man and his shame will appear one day 14. Those Christians that do things in their own name and in their own strength they are unsound and they will be discovered and their shame will be thrown in their faces in due time 2 where almost is there a Christian but doth all in his own name and in his own strength I can do this and that saith one I can do so and so what canst thou do poor creature Christ tells thee without me ye can do nothing nothing to purpose nothing to please God nothing to afford you comfort or peace nothing to further your salvation without Christ the Apostle tells you We are not sufficient I Paul am not sufficient to think a good thought well see the Rule Col. 3.17 Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus don 't do it in your own name you are unsound if you do your principles are not right your knowledge is not right and sound but whatsoever ye do do all in the name of Christ what Christians and do any thing in any name but in the name of Christ you are base Christians and you should do all in the strength of Christ 2 Tim. 2.1 My Son he speaks to Timothy an Evangelist a man full of grace and of the spirit My Son be thou strong through the grace that is in Christ saith David I will go forth in the
unsound hearted men and women oh how sad then is the condition of unsound hearted men 4. Look to your hearts look to your spirits that you be sound hearted and so may not be ashamed What shall we do I have told you before how to get soundness of heart and how to keep it and press'd it with arguments I shall add a little First if you would neither be unsound hearted nor ashamed at any time labour to get God to be your Father and to be in Gods house and in Gods way Isa 54. And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Children if God be your Father and you be his Children he will teach you and he will teach you that which shall make your hearts sound All thy Children whose Children the Children of Sion the Church is Gods house all that get into Sion are in Gods house are in Gods way they shall be taught of God and great shall be their peace such a Mother and such a Father will Instill good Doctrine into you make you sound hearted and train you up in the nurture of the Lord and in Isa 48.17 Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit and leadeth thee in the way that thou shouldest go but now if it be not so you must wander you shall go in by wayes you will have an unsound heart and perish for ever Secondly if you would have hearts neither unsound nor such as shall make you ashamed at the last day keep your hearts humble and low in the sight of God be whose heart is lifted up in him is not right as Habbak 2.4 his soul is not sound keep your hearts humble and low through the sense of your own emptyness nothingness guilt wretched deserving the account you must give to God danger of miscarriage and in the 25 Psal saith David The meek will he guide in Judgment and the meek will he teach his way God loves humble and low and meek spirits and v. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose No man fears God that is proud and lifted up no man that is humble and meek but fears God and God will teach that man and keep him that he shall never be ashamed Thirdly If you would not have unsound hearts nor be ashamed then let me intreat you to receive the whole word of God into your hearts receive the whole truth and with love and as the truth of God First receive the whole truth for if you be partial and will receive some truth and not all you shew your hearts to be unsound and you will be ashamed Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandements what if David should have respect to all but one he would be ashamed and confounded if he should not have respect unto all he that breaks one Command saith James is guilty of all Secondly receive all with love and unless you do so all is nothing receive the truths of God because they are holy truths because they have the stamp of God upon them because they will bring you to God and Glory Thirdly receive them as the truths of God 1 Thess 2.13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of Men Mark many say the word of the Apostles and Ministers is the word of men and they will not receive it nor hear it but mark you received it as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe The word is the word of God let them say what they will and it works and works effectually in them that receive it so Therefore receive the whole word receive it with love receive it as the word of God and not as the word of men Fourthly Lastly if you would be neither unsound hearted nor ashamed in time of affliction in an hour of Death in the day of Judgment make the Lord Jesus Christ your friend whosoever hath Christ for a friend shall never be ashamed but if Christ be not your friend let whose will plead for you you will be ashamed you must be confounded 1 Joh. 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous it is as if the Apostle had said we do know Christ and we have union with Christ and interest in Christ and Christ is our Friend and our Advocate and he will plead our cause though Devils accuse and Conscience accuse yet Christ will keep us from shame see then that you get the Lord Christ to be your friend how is that how give up your selves wholly to him Let your understandings conceive of his worth and excellency that he hath all fullness in him that he is the Mediator that he is the Prince of life that he is the great reconciler of man to God the father and that Christ invites men to come to himself in Isa 55. Hoe every one that thirsteth it's Christs invitation Come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price put forth an act of Faith in me close with me choose me for your Husband for your Portion for your Righteousness for your satisfaction choose me for your Advocate and surety choose me to be your friend saith Christ and such a friend is worth the having Joh. 15.15 Henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends If you choose Christ to be your friend he will own you and call you friends therefore receive all that Christ hath given out I have told you all that I have heard of my Father Therefore whatsoever Christ hath made known from the father to you receive it embrace it obey it practice it testifie love and friendship to Christ and then he will testifie love and friendship to you but if you will not do this in Luk. 9.26 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my word of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the holy Angels And then confusion shall be upon you to all Eternity The Lord teach you all to mind these things and to remember the Text and make use of that and pray it over once a day at least to the Lord Lord let my heart be found in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed If the heart be not sound you will be ashamed to all eternity Believing lyeth under Command 1 Joh. 3.23 And this is his Commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ c. IN the Verse before the Apostle tells us the great
interest that the Saints have in God and the ground of it Their great interest in God is this that whatsoever they ask they receive of him they have such interest that God grants their Prayers whatever they ask And the ground of it is because they keep his Commandements and do those things that are pleasing in his fight Now least they might scruple what Commandements they were that he mean't he tells them in the Verse read of two especially and that is That they believe and that they love one another There be three great Commandements in the Gospel Believing Loving and Repenting Two you have here in the Verse the third in Acts 17.30 The Lord commands every man every where to repent and these two of Loving and Repenting cannot be rightly performed without the first Believing Believing in the Son of God for that love which is without faith is but natural love and that Repentance which is without faith in the Son of God is but legal repentance but that love and that repentance which springs from faith in the Son of God is spiritual love and spiritual repentance The Apostle tells you in 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandement is charity out of a Pure heart and of a good Conscience and of faith unfeigned If love dont come from faith unfeigned it is not spiritual love In the words read you have First the Commander in the word his Secondly The thing commanded Believing Thirdly The object or person in whom they are to believe or we are to believe set out First by his Relation the Son of God Secondly by his Titles Jesus and Christ The Commander here is God there is none greater than he and therefore his Commands are of greatest authority if in the word of a King there be power how much more in the word of the great and high God and 't is not a verbal Command onely but 't is a written Command that all may take notice of it and may yield obedience unto it The point that I shall commend unto you is this Doct. That believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is a duty under Command In Mark 1.15 saith he Repent ye and believe the Gospel Repentance is commanded and believing the Gospel is commanded and a man cannot believe the Gospel unless he believe in the Son of God I shall not multiply Scriptures to prove it the Text is enough This is his command that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ Now I shall in the prosecution of this point shew you what is imployed in Believing 2. What 's meant by the Name of the Son of God 3. What believing in the name of the Son of God doth also imply And then answer some questions and improve the point For the first what is implyed in believing First Knowledge is implyed in it 't is a blind faith where there is no knowledge the Papists believe as the Church believes and such a faith is a fancy rather than true faith Paul saith I know in whom I have believed and in Joh. 17.3 knowledge there is put for faith so essential is it to faith that it is put for faith it self this is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God So that in believing there must be knowledge and understanding else it will be a blind believing a blind faith Secondly In believing there is implyed assent of the understanding to the truth that is propounded truth is the object of the understanding As Christ came into the World to save sinners I must assent unto this truth God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Such truths and Propositions as these there must be the assent of the understanding unto and Papists will go thus far in the point of faith and make the very formal nature of faith to lye in assent 't is a truth there must be assent but assent is not enough They place it altogether in the understanding and fix it there but the Devils believe and tremble and give assent unto truths they said Christ was the Son of God they gave assent yea the Devils believe and tremble therefore this is not enough though this is required and necessary assent there must be but there must be more than assent But Thirdly There must be Consent which brings in the heart and will and looks at the goodness of the truth or person some good that is in any truth propounded or any person to be believed in Rom. 10.9 10. If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart Not in thine head for with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness with the heart man believes there must be the heart in believing and not the head and understanding onely so that there must be consent of the will and heart unto the thing believed Now this consent must be free and full to have Christ and whole Christ to have Christ at the best and have Christ at the worst whatever may fall out in true believing there is such a free and full consent that it will have Christ whatever it cost Fourthly Lastly in believing there must be affiance a confidence or trust and that you will find express'd in Eph. 1.12 that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ there must be trusting After we know and give assent and consent then we must trust and depend and rely upon Christ So in 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed in your margin it is whom I have trusted so that there is a trust a confidence a relyance a recumbency a dependance upon the Lord Jesus Christ where there is a right believing Thus you see what is implyed in believing Secondly What 's meant by the name of Jesus Christ Not the Letters or Syllables as many bow at the name of Jesus that is not the meaning but Name is put for the Thing or put for the person Psal 34.3 Let us exalt his Name together that is God himself let us exalt God himself so thou shalt reverence that dreadful name Jehovah that 's God himself and when you read of Sanctifying the name of God in Scripture that is God himself And so here Rom. 10.13 you will find by Name is meant God himself whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved that is shall call upon God himself And Acts 4.12 There is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved that is there is no person but Jesus whereby you can be saved And Joh. 3.18 he that believeth on him is not Condemned but he that believeth not is Condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the onely begotten Son of God Now what is it to believe in his name or in him First it implyes the receiving into our heads and hearts all things God hath revealed from Heaven concerning him As that he is the Son of God that God gave him for
love Thus then you see now to know whether your faith be right in Jesus Christ being commanded to believe in him One thing more and that is if faith lye under a Command let us all then be obedient to this Command and labour to believe in his Son Jesus Christ more and more if we have no faith let us do it if we have faith let us do it more and more I shall give you two or three motives and answer a question and so conclude First for Motives know you can never truly love God till your sins are forgiven you you will think God is not your God till your sins are forgiven but if you find that your sins are forgiven you you will love God then to purpose you will love God then in truth and in strength Mary loved much why many sins were forgiven her now unless you believe in Jesus Christ you cannot have the forgiveness of your sins and so you will be questioning whether God love you or whether he be not a hard God and a hard Master and dont pardon your sins and so you cannot love God truly and love God with strength If therefore you would love God with truth and strength believe in his Son Jesus Christ that you may know your sins are forgiven Secondly This believing in the Lord Jesus Christ makes our persons very acceptable unto God Eph. 1.6 he hath made us accepted in his Beloved How are we made accepted by faith in him if we have not faith in him we are not accepted therefore the Apostles put us to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Col. 3.17 There 's the acceptation of your persons And so of your Prayers our Prayers will never speed in Heaven and have gracious Returns unless we believe in the Son of God 't is for Christs sake that our Prayers are heard as you may see in the verse before the Text and the Text together whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments And what 's one Command That we belieive on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ why now our Prayers come to be heard when we keep his Commandments Lastly It is that which doth exalt the grace of God and honours him very much to believe in his Son Jesus Christ It 's said in 1 Joh. 5. He that believes not hath made God a Lyar. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself There 's encouragement to believe in the Son of God He that believeth not God hath made him a Lyar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son And this is one record that God hath given us eternal life in him And this is another that he Commands us to believe in him that we may have this eternal life Now what a dishonour is this to the God of truth to make him a lyar but now to believe in his Son doth exalt the free grace of God God hath made all the promises to Jesus Christ and in Christ they are all yea and Amen And mark it All the promises of God in him are Yea and and in him Amen unto the Glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 When we believe in his Son Jesus Christ in whom they are all concentred in whom they are all yea and Amen but if you do not believe in the Son of God They are not all to the honour of God God hath not his glory in that way that he looks for by Jesus Christ So that we should believe in the Son of God because it doth exalt his honour and his free grace and promotes his Glory abundantly and the contrary brings reproach and dishonour upon God One question more But happily some will say I cannot believe what should I do To that Soul and to all of us I would say thus much First attend diligently unto the means by which God works faith Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Attend now unto the means the Gospel especially which is the means that God hath appointed to work faith by and doth work faith by Eph. 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your Salvation When they heard the word of truth the Gospel of Salvation then they came to trust in him So when people do attend unto the means of Grace and attend seriously unto it God doth work faith and increase faith where it is by the same means You know Pipes dont give water but water comes through Pipes so the Gospel is the Pipe through which God lets out this water of grace and conveys it unto us and will you see it performed in Acts 13.48 And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed When they heard the Gospel Preached as many as were ordained to eternal life believed they attended upon the word and the means of grace and it was not in vain they believed Attend therefore upon the Gospel and the word Preached as an Ordinance of God appointted and designed of God purposely to work faith in your Souls many persons they come to hear the Word they come only to hear a man what he can say and what notions and new things there may be but they come not to it as an ordinance of God appointed to work grace and faith in the soul and so miss of their expectation upon that account Secondly Consider how freely Jesus Christ is offered in the Gospel and offered unto you and at what a cheap rate Christ is to be had In Isa 55 come without money and without price come and drink of the waters of life freely Why the Lord Jesus Christ is a free gift Rom. 5.15 saith the Apostle not as the offence so also is the free gift A free gift Jesus Christ and grace is and Joh. 4.10 If thou haddest known the gift of God O Christ is the gift of God and what is required now but receiving of this gift will you not receive a gift and such a gift as this is when it is tendred to you by God himself and tendred to you in such a glorious manner and God doth put off this rich gift at a very low rate if you will receive it Rev. 3.20 I stand at the dore and knock if any man hear my voice and open the dore I will come into him and Ch. 22.17 whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely here 's Christ with the water of life and bread of life with his Righteousness with all that is useful for you for the present and to eternity here he is receive him O how great will our condemnation be if we dont receive him when as he is offered so freely to us 3. Lastly you cannot believe you say and I believe you too you cannot believe I but pray unto God to inable you
to believe And that should be one great request of our soules dayly that God would enable us to believe and that he would work Faith in us why it's the gift of God and he is a giving God he gives liberally and upbraids not he will not upbraid you with your unbelief but if you will come and beg Faith in God and power to work that grace in you he is ready to do it in the 17. of Luke say the Disciples Lord we believe encrease our faith so say you Lord work faith in my soul I can never please thee nor get any good unless thou work faith in me and that in Joh. 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me O hearken to the Fathers teaching in the Gospel the fathers revealing of Christ and discoveries he hath made and receive every truth he hath given out concerning Jesus Christ and then he that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto the Son O pray unto the Father to speak to your hearts and to teach your souls that so you may come to Jesus Christ and believe in the Son and have all those great things that are to be had by him Christians ought to be of Christs mind Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus THe Apostle Paul writes to the Church of Philippie and notwithstanding they were precious Christians and a choice Church yet they had need of exhortation and quickning up to their duty and by strong arguments he presses them here to many duties If therefore there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind And so in the third and fourth verses he exhorts them to duties and in this verse Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus here 's nothing difficult in the words We read in Scripture of the mind of God Jer. 19.5 neither came it into my mind saith God we read of the mind of the spirit Rom. 8.27 he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit and here we read of the mind of Christ let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Now the word mind in Holy writ doth signifie sometimes the heart Acts 20.19 serving the Lord with all humility of mind that is with all humility of heart and Deut. 18.6 If a Levite come c. with all the desire of his mind Desire is in the heart and so mind here notes the heart Sometimes it signifies the understanding as in 2 Cor. 3.14 Their mind was blinded speaking of the Jews that is their understandings were blinded Sometimes it signifies the thoughts of the heart Prov. 29.11 A fool uttereth all his mind that is all he thinks all the thoughts of his heart Sometimes it signifies the will 1 Pet. 5.2 feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind that is with your wills willingly and cheerfully Sometimes it s put for the affections and the affecting of those affections 2 Cor. 7.7 he was comforted in you when he told us your earnest desire your mourning your fervent mind towards me that is your fervent affection towards me Mind signifies the affections And the affecting of a thing Rom. 8.5 Those that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh that is their affections do affect the things of the flesh Lastly Mind in Scripture doth signifie the aims and intentions of a man Pro. 21.27 The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind that is with a wicked intention When the intentions and aims of a man are wicked then his Sacrifice is much more abomination So that in all the senses the word mind is used in Scripture and all these may be taken in here for the heart and the understanding and the thoughts and the will and affections and the intentions now the point that I will commend unto you is onely this Doct. That Churches and Christians should be of the same mind that the Lord Jesus Christ is of 1 Cor. 2.16 saith the Apostle there speaking of himself and the Church of Corinth We have the mind of Christ We have Christs understanding Christs heart and the like so in 1 Pet. 4.1 arm your selves likewise with the same mind let the same mind be in you Now it may be said is it possible for any Church or any person to have the mind of Christ First I answer we must aim at it to have the mind of Christ Christ is the Copy written for us to aim at The Scripture doth hold out perfect rules and perfect patterns unto us which dont note our perfection but helps our imperfection that we which are imperfect should reach to perfection aim at the mind of Jesus Christ Secondly I answer we are to have the same mind in kind though not in degree a new born Babe is of the same kind that a man is though he be not come to that degree and state of a man Q. Well now what is the mind of Christ A. In general I say the whole Gospel is the mind of Christ the whole word of God there you have Christs mind and Gods mind But that 's large we will therefore come a little more close and what I find by searching the Gospel I shall give you in particulars First Christ's mind was a Publick mind not a private Domestick selfish mind he did not seek nimself but he sought the good of others saith the Apostle in the verse before my Text Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Christ had a publick mind and would have a publick mind in us Christ neglected himself to do good to others he sought not his own cred it nor his own pleasure or preserment and advantage when they would have made him a King he denyed himself Joh. 6.14 The Lord Christ did nothing for himself but all for us he came from heaven for us he took our nature upon him for us he Preach'd for us I and he suffered for us Dan. 9.26 Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself He was cut off by death but not for himself but for us So that the Lord Jesus Christ he had a publick mind a publick spirit a publick heart he became poor for us 2 Cor. 8. He pleaved not himself Rom. 15.3 So then let this mind of Christ be in you to have a publick mind for the publick good to act for others and not a selfish mind altogether for self Secondly The Lord Christ had a pure mind the Scripture speaks of a defiled mind Tit. 1.15 Those that believe not
Sun of the water now let this mind be in you which also was in Jesus Christ a heavenly mind Eighthly The Lord Christs mind was a zealous mind a servent mind in 2 Joh. 17. Christ was zealous there in driving them out of the Temple that made his fathers house a den of Thieves He was zealous against the Traditions Doctrines and Practises of the Scribes and Pharisees the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up saith he a zealous mind he had Mat. 15. he was zealous against the tradition of the Elders and in Mat. 23. he was zealous against the Scribes and Pharisees woe to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites often he pronounces woe to them he had a zealous mind against all was corrupt and wicked So how zealous was Christ against the Churches for failings Rev. 2.2 3 4 5. I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apâ—stles and are not and hast found them lyars and hast born and hast patience and for my name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted He commends them for what was good first Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love I have somewhat against thee Ephesus thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Here 's the zeal of Christ I 'le come and I 'le come quickly and I 'le come and put out the Candle and break the Candlestick I will come and lay you waste though you be a Church if you dont return to your first works and first love The Lord had a zealous mind and spirit against declensions against declensions in love and grace and the like so in Heb. 5.7 who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save O how zealously did Christ Pray when he prayed till the blood trickled down Christ had a zealous mind Now let this mind be in you also to have a zealous mind against traditions superstitions against declinings in Grace against Apostacy and things of that nature Ninthly the Lord Christ had a peaceable and a quiet mind in Mat. 11. saith Christ learn of me for I am meek he had a quiet and a meek mind and Mat. 12.19 he shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man here his voice in the streets he shall be meek and quiet and peaceable it 's said of Seraiah in Jeremiah that he was a quiet Prince much more of Jesus Christ there was no striving no bitterness no contention and the like but peaceable and quiet he was Now let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus a meek a quiet a peaceable mind the Ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price saith the Apostle Peter speaking of Godly women such a spirit had Christ a quiet and a meek spirit and let this be in Christians and in Churches Tenthly the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ it was a submissive mind a submissive mind to his Fathers will whatever hard thing he should meet withall though he met with the hardest thing that was immaginable yet Christ was submissive unto it in Luke 22.42 Father if thou be willing remove the Cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done There was a cup prepared for Christ that never was the like cup for any to drink a a cup that had so much gall so much of the wrath of God a cup wherein all the guilt of our sins were and all the merit and desert of them this cup Christ must drink well saith he Father seeing I must drink it not my will but thy will be done So that the Lord Christ had a submissive mind to any hard and severe providence We are apt to stumble and quarrel and keep a do if things go cross to our wills and cannot bear them and say Lord not my will but thy will be done But let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus a submissive mind to the providences of God to drink the bitterest cup that he shall order out for you Eleventhly the Lord Christ had a Compassionate mind he was full of bowels of compassion and very tender hearted Mat. 15.32 Then Jesus called his Disciples unto him and said I have Compassion on the multitude because they continue now with me three dayes and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting least they saint in the way O I pitty them I have compassion on them I would not have them faint in the way and so afterwards in Mat. when some came and cryed to him that he would shew them mercy saith the Text Christ had compassion on them Mat. 20.3 4. he was wonderful compassionate Heb. 4.15 We have not an High-Priest which cannot â—e tâ—uched with the feeling of our Infirmities the Lord Christ doth feel the infirmities of every member of his body and in Heb. 2.17 It behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful High Priest He is sensible of our ignorances and infirmities weakness ful of bowels compassions Why then let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus a compassionate a merciful mind he was the good Samaritan which had compassion when neither the Priest nor the Levite would Twelfthly Lastly the Lord Christ had a loving mind a mind full of love a forgiving mind he â—ad such love as he could cover sins and forgive sins Eph. 5.2 walk in love as Christ also hath loved us O Christ hath loved us loved us and washed us in his own blood loved us and lay'd down his life for us loved us dearly and strongly loved us even above himself well saith he let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus walk in love as Christ hath loved us And he loved us so as to forgive those that wronged him though they wronged him exceedingly took away his garments took away his credit took away his liberty took away his life Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23.34 and therefore he appoints or commands Mat. 5.44 I say unto you love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Christ did so let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus Thus you see what mind was in Christ Yet to reduce things to these four particulars First to have the mind of Christ is to have the same thoughts in you that Christ had Christ had no ill thoughts in him but rebuk'd ill thoughts why think you evil in your hearts as it is in Psal 139.17
created an understanding knowing man a holy man and a righteous man now by Adam's eating the forbidden fruit this Image was lost but Christ he came to restore this again it being lost Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness And in the Collossians knowledge is mentioned now by the Lord Jesus Christ we have this restor'd again and the more we know of Christs mind the more that Image is renewed in us 't is a pure mind an humble mind a righteous mind and it is an understanding mind so that the more you know of Christ the more purity the more righteousness the more knowledge you have and so the Image of God is renewed in you and there 's your happiness and when this comes to perfection then you are perfectly happy and that will be in heaven But you will say what should we do to get more of the mind of Christ into us First if you would have more of the mind of Christ then be you less conformable to the world be more and more off from the world and oâ— more and more transformed by the renewing of your minds Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to this world but be ye transtormed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God You will come to know this good and perfect and acceptable will of God more and more that is the mind of Christ 't is the world keeps us from knowledge the world doth blind us and indispose us from receiving the divine truths and mysteries of the Gospel that man that is most alienated from the world and most contemplative of the Gospel will have most of the mind of God and Christ in him Secondly if you would have more and more of the mind of Christ see you love the Lord Jesus Christ more and more daily The more you love the more Christ will let out his mind unto you Job 15.14 15. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I câ—mmand you henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Well you are my friends you love me one friend loves another and Christ made known all things unto them that he had received of his Father so Christ will make all things known to your souls that he hath received of the Father which is needful and good for you if you love him so in the 14. Ch. 21. he that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Would you have manifestations of the Lord Jesus Christ secrets revealed unto you and hidden things that the world knows not of love the Lord Jesus Christ more and more a Wife the more she loves her Husband the more her Husband will communicate his secrets unto her so the more you love Christ the more of his mind shall you have communicated unto you Thirdly Lastly if you would have more of the mind of Christ then pray more and more for the spirit of Christ for the spirit of Christ reveals the things of God and searches them and gives them out unto those where it is pray unto Christ to fill you with his spirit and that spirit will fill you with the knowledge of Christs mind the spirit of God is a spirit of wisdom and Revelation Joh. 16.14 the Spirit shall take of mine and shew unto you there 's a treasury in Christ in him are hid all the Treasures of wisdome and knowledge and the spirit will take of Christs and shew unto you 2 Cor. 3. last we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. What 's this Glass the Gospel is the glass and in the glass there 's Christ and the mind of Christ and when we come to look in there we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory we have more and more of the mind of Christ and of the holiness of Christ and righteousness of Christ as by the Spirit of the Lord so that pray for the spirit and the spirit will interpret and open the mind of Christ in all the mysteries of the Gospel which are hidden from most men in the world All in Christs Name Colloss 3.17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus THis Chapter is full of exhortations First general ones to the end of my Text. Secondly particular ones to the end of the Chapter For the general ones he exhorts them first to seek the things which are above and to set their affections on things above v. 1 2. which he presses with several Arguments to the beginning of the fifth verse Secondly He exhorts them to mortification in the fifth verse Mortifie your members which are upon the earth Fornication Uncleanness Inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry He exhorts them to mortifie all these earthly members and gives reasons and arguments for it even to the twelfth verse Thirdly He exhorts them to Christian vertues to Christian practices put on bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another and above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also you are called in one body and be ye thankful let the word of Christ dwell in you richly These be Christian vertues and Christianpractices he puts them upon and that by three Arguments especially First from their election put on as the elect of God you are elect and choice vessels of God therefore put on these they become elect ones Secondly you are holy and 't is not for holy ones to meddle with unholy things but to do holily Thirdly you are beloved of God God he loves you and you are dear unto him and therefore you should look after such virtues and your practices should be accordingly and then in the 17. verse he exhorts them to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus If you teach and admonish one another if you sing Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus and then afterwards in the Chapter he comes to particular duties of Wives to Husbands and Husbands to Wives of Children to Parents and Parents to Children of Servants to Masters and Masters to Servants and the like In the words you may consider First the act doing Secondly the extent of the act whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all Thirdly the manner in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ Here 's nothing spoken of thoughts are thoughts free therefore Mens thoughts comprehend their reasonings within their consultations their desires their resolutions their intentions which are all included here being acts of the Mind as well as the others are acts of the Tongue and acts of the Hand for thoughts are not free We say thoughts are free free from man he can take no Cognizance of them but they are not free from the Lord he knows them and observes them Why think ye evil in your hearts saith Christ and how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee O jerusalem and God will bring all secret things to light but he doth not mention them because they are not obvious to others but howsoever they should be such as will suit with the name of Christ and our thoughts should be regulated and ordered answerably so as that they may be approved of him They do principiate our words and our actions and are included in words and actions But must all things be done in the name of Christ whatsoever ye do in word or deed let all be done in the name of Christ What ill as well as good done in the name of Christ No he intends not any evil for he writes to Christians and he writes to Saints as you may see Ch. 1.2 To the Saints and faithful Brethren in Christ To Saints and faithful Brethren he writes and whatsoever they do in word or deed they must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ they must have no ill thoughts in them no ill words in their mouths no evil deeds must issue from their hands and in the Chapter he had exhorted them to mortifie their earthly members therefore they are not to be entertained nor to issue from them and in 4. Phil. 8. he tells you there what are the things they should think of and so do Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue in you any grace in you if there be any praise you aim at think of these things and speak of these things and do these things these are the things that Christians should think of speak and do The Doctrine which I shall commend to you is this Doct. 1. That Christians words and actions should all be done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ all that comes from a Christian should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus Joh. 7.16 Christ faith my Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me 'T is my Fathers and I Preach in my Fathers name and Christ taught them to pray in his name whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name I will give it you and Christ sent them to Preach in his name Mat. 28. we are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6.11 and we believe in the name of the Son 1 Joh. 5.13 and Christians must do all in the name of Jesus Christ Now here I must shew you First what it is to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Secondly why we are to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Thirdly make the improvement of the point For the first what it is to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus By name we understand Christ himself as the Scripture doth Acts 4.12 There is no name by which we can be saved but by the name of Christ But to do things in the name of Christ First is to have Authority and Commission from Christ to do what we do to do them in the authority of Christ by Commission from Christ 2 Thess 3.6 Now we command you Brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that is in the authority of Christ by Commission from Christ so that when we do things by Commission from Christ by the authority of Christ we are said to do things in his name In Luke 9.49 we saw one casting out Devils in thy name that is by authority and commission from thee pretended at least if not real and Mark 11.9 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord that is he that comes authorized from the Lord furnished with gifts and abilities for the work that he undertakes that comes in the name of the Lord by divine authority false Prophets they came in their own names they came not in the name of the Lord and therefore the Lord declares his anger against them and threatens them they had no authority no commission for what they did so that that 's the first thing to do in the name of the Lord Jesus is to do it by his authority Secondly To do in the name of the Lord Jesus is to do it by the strength of Christ in Psal 44.5 In or through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us There are many that rise up against us and fight and think to prevail and carry all and to bear us down but in thy name will we tread them under that is by thy help and by thy power and by thy strength we will tread them under so in 10. Luke 17. and the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject unto us through thy name through the power and strength of thy name we prevail against Devils they are subject unto us and that in 3. Acts 6. where the Apostle saith to the impotent man in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk that is by the power and strength of Jesus Christ rise up and walk The name of Christ there notes the power and strength of Christ so Psal 71.16 I will go in the strength of the Lord when we go in the strength of the Lord we go in the name of the Lord and that David makes evident 1 Sam. 17.45 when he went against Goliah saith he I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts thou comest in thy own strength but I come in the strength of the Lord of Hosts to fight with thee and so he prevailed against him Hence saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.1 my Son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus dont rest upon the grace that is in thy self but be strong in the grace that is in Christ when we act in the strength of the grace of Christ then we act in the name of Christ when we lean upon him for strength and confide not in our selves this is doing in his name Thirdly To act in the name of Christ is to do things in the stead of Christ in the very place of Christ when Judges act in the name of the King they do all in his stead in his room in his place in Deut. 18.19 I will raise you up a Prophet like unto Moses and whosoever will not hearken unto the words he shall speak in my name I
will require it of him It 's spoken of Christ who was the Prophet to be raised up in the room of Moses and saith God whosoever will not hearken to what he shall speak in my name in my stead I will require it of him what Christ did was in the Fathers stead they were his words he spake his works that he did so that to do in the name of Christ is to do as Christ himself would do as if Christ were present to do what Christ would do and speak what Christ would speak and think what the Lord Christ would think that 's to do things in his name in his stead Fourthly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them according to the will of Christ Joh. 16.23 compared with the 1 Joh. 5.14 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name shall be given unto you now in 1 Joh. 5.14 saith John who was the beloved Disciple and told you Christs words in the Gospel he interprets them here and tells you this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us What is according to his will is in his name whatsoever we ask or whatsoever we do according to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ that is in the name of Christ and so the proposition En is taken in Scripture for according Joh. 3.21 he that doth the truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God according to the will of God Men don't properly do their works in God but according to the will and mind of God so that when we do act either in word or deed according to the will of Christ then we do things in the name of Christ Fifthly to do all in the name of Christ is to do all for the sake of Christ so you will find the name of Christ to be taken Mark 9.37 whosoever shall receive one such Child in my name receiveth me that is whosoever receiveth one of such Children for my name sake receiveth me so in the 41 v. whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name that is for my sake so that to do things for the sake of Christ is to do things in the name of Christ Joh. 17.12 I kept them in thy name that is for thy sake in 4. Eph. 1. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord a Prisoner in the Lord saith your Margin but properly 't is a Prisoner for the Lord 't is for the Lords sake that I am a Prisoner so that to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is to do them for his sake and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same force with other Prepositions as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall be hated of all Nations for my sake Mat. 24.9 and so in Acts 9.16 how great things he must suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for my name And in the 19 Mat. 29. he that hath forsaken houses or any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for my name sake so then to do things in the name of Christ is to do them for Christs sake as when Beggars do beg of you for Christs sake to bestow an alms upon them if you give them an Alms for Christs sake that 's in the name of Christ Sixthly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them to the honour and glory of his name to do them to Christs account so that Christ may not be damnified nor suffer any way but that Christs name may be honoured 2 Cor. 8.7 saith the Apostle as ye abound in every thing in faith in utterance in knowledge and in your love to us the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your love towards us so that the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies towards So here to do all in the name of Christ is to do all towards Christ towards the honouring of Christ suitable to that in 1 Cor. 10.31 whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God do all to the glory of his name do all to the manifestation of Christ and his name let our words and actions be such as may hold forth something of Christ hold forth the name of Christ Rev. 2.13 Antipas did hold fast the name of Christ the truths of Christ the graces of Christ the profession of Christs Doctrine and Acts 9.15 Go thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel he must hold forth my name and declare something of me that may be for my honour and glory it 's said in 2 Phil. 16. holding forth the word of life when we hold forth the word of life we hold forth the name of Christ and this is for the honour of Christ when Christians hold forth Christs meekness Christs humility Christs patience Christs love any truth of Christ any thing of Christ then they do things in the name of Christ they do honour and glorifie Christ 1. Cor. 14.25 if one come into the Church that believeth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all and the secreâ—s of his heart are made manifest and so falling down upon his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth They held forth something of God they held forth the name of God and God was glorified and a heathen or a stranger coming in saith of a truth God is in you Christs works declared the Father to be in him Joh. 14.10.11 The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake The works that I do do hold forth the Father why they are done in the Fathers name and he is glorified by the works that I do and Christ glorified his Father here on earth by doing of his Fathers will and his Fathers works Seventhly Lastly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them by invocating of Christ by invocating of the name of Christ and so Beza and Zanchy and others interpret this place Mat. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in my name that is invocating of me calling upon my name to call upon the Lord for councel for direction for our thoughts for our words for our actions this is doing things in the name of Christ It was the practice of the Saints to do so 1 Cor. 1.2 unto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord they called upon the name of Jesus Christ to have councel and direction and advice from him for their words and actions and all their
undertakings So in 9. Acts 14. we hear he hath authority from the chief Priests to bind all that call on thy nâ—me The Christians called on the name of the Lord Jesus for advice and councel and they were questioned and persecuted and troubled for it So then you see what it is to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 2. The second thing is why are we to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ First because we are impotent of our selves and can neither think nor speak nor do any thing of our selves well that is spiritual and truly good 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves What Paul that great Apostle that great Schollar not sufficient of himself to think any thing as of himself No saith he we are not sufficient of our selves but our sufficiency is of God and Joh. 15.5 without me saith Christ ye can do nothing abstracted from me ye can do nothing take the branch from the Vine and it will not grow it will not be green nor bring forth any clusters so alienanated distanced from Christ we can do nothing no spiritual action no spiritual thought no spiritual word and Phil. 4.13 saith Paul there I can do all things through Christ that strengthens wit I can think good thoughts speak gracious words do heavenly actions I can do any thing through Christ that strengthens me Therefore we should do all in Christs name that so we may have strength from Christ to do what we do to do it well to do it spiritually Secondly we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ because we do all bear that honourable and worthy name of Christ we are called Christians in the 11 of the Acts at Antioch they had that name put upon them James 2.7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called Men can blaspheme and dishonour the name of Christ by their own corruptions and corrupt power and strength they have but to honour the name of Christ they cannot now its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good name an honourable name a glorious name a great name the name of the Lord Jesus by which we are all called we are called Christians Isa 4.7 in that day seven women shall take hold of one man saying c. onely let us be called by thy name they desir'd it and yet went without it such a scarcity there was of men but Christs name is put upon us all therefore we should do and speak in the name of Christ whose name we bear those that were Aristotles Disciples did things in his name and so those were Plato's did things in his name and so we being Christians should do all things in the name of Christ in 2 Tit. 10. the Apostle there speaks to Servants that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Why the Doctrine is the name of Christ the Gospel is the name of Christ and as servants should adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things so should we adorn his Doctrine adorn his name in all things and in all things we think speak or do we should make his name honourable and glorious and dreadful too John was a holy man and adorned the name of Christ and he struck a dread into Herod by his Holiness he feared him he was a holy man Thirdly we should do all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ because this will warrant our actions and secure them Those who keep courts in their own names what stumbling is there at it and quarrelling against them so when we do things in our own names there will be quarrelling at it But Judges and Justices that do all in the Kings name this bears them out they do it in the Kings name so when we do things in Christs name this will warrant us There be three things that do concur to good actions First that the principle whence they come be good now if we do invocate the name of the Lord Jesus Christ which is one way of doing things in his name its an argument we have a good principle we begin with Christ Secondly that the end be right we must have a right end in a good action there must be the glory of God and the glory of Christ and how can it be otherwise if we do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ If we do all in his name we shall do all unto his name and all for his name for the honour of his name and so far we are well Thirdly but then where the great and common failing of men and women is they fail in the manner and if we fail there our action is marr'd and it is not acceptable it is not a good action and the manner must be in the name of the Lord Jesus whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus do all according to his will do all for his sake do all in his strength it must be in a right manner otherwise it will not be a good action if we do it in Christs name it will bear us up and bear us out and if we should suffer it will bear up us and we shall have this comfort in it that we suffer for Christs sake and not for our own sakes or for mens sakes and if men wrong us they wrong the Lord Christ when we do things in his name and according to his will when it is done in our own names we must stand to it our selves and bear it out as well as we can but if it be done in his name he will bear us out Fourthly we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus because we are all bought by the Lord Jesus and are not our own it 's said in Peter they deny the Lord that bought them i. e. Christ the Lord hath bought all to be Sons or Slaves but for Christians and those that are Saints 1 Cor. 6. last Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods We are bought and bought by Christ and therefore we should do all in the name of Christ being he hath bought us for himself Servants should do all in their Masters names nothing in their own names they in the 12. Psal cryed our Tongues are our own we will speak what we list they thought their tongues their hands their feet their eyes and all their own when as nothing was their own the worst man that is hath nothing his own for he is bought by Christ to be a Slave or a Servant as a man that buys the Vineyard he buys the dry sticks as well as the Vine and the dry sticks for the good of the Vines so the Lord hath bought all but the Godly in a peculiar manner to do all in his name for
his honour and glory Fifthly we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus if we consider the near relation we are in to Christ First we are members of his body true believers are members of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and every member should act for the head and do all in the name of the head Secondly we are subjects to Christ he is their King and they must do all in the name of the King Subjects must act as Subjects in the name of the King and we as Christs Subjects must act in Christs name he is our King our Soveraign and our Commander Thirdly we are the Spouse of Christ and the Spouse must do all in the name of her Husband what she doth in her own name will not be warrantable in Law so what we do will not be warrantable in the Court of Heaven if it be not done in the name of Christ Sixthly Lastly we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus because this is to live a Christian life indeed 't is said of all men that in God they live and move all men in the common providence of God they live and move but Christians live in Christ he is their life and hence Paul saith I live not but Christ lives in me I do not live as a man or as a learned man or as a Pharisee but I live as a Christian I live nay Christ lives in me I dont live upon the account of a learned man or a natural man and the like but Christ lives in me and I live in him in his life in his strength in his will in his mind as a servant a true servant when he comes to a house where he is to be a Servant he must lay down his own will and mind and his own hands and feet he must do nothing now in his own name and strength but he must live in his Masters will and in his Masters Commands and in his Masters authority so a Christian he lives in Christ when we lay down our own wills and reasons and the like and make the reason and end of all we do to be Christ then are we Christians indeed Christs reason is my reason Christs will is my will Christs glory is my end Christs word is my rule this now is true living the life of a Christian thus you see several reasons why we should do all in the name of Jesus Christ I shall now come to some inferences or improvements of the point Inf. First if we are to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus then I infer from hence here 's matter of humiliation to us all we have great cause to be humbled every one of us not only because we have done evil which calls for humbling to or because we have neglected good which calls for humbling also but humbled because we have done good done good the wrong way done good in our own names in our own strength and not in the name of the Lord Jesus who is there among us that can say he hath done and spoken all in the name of the Lord Jesus many talk they have done this good and that good but tell me hast thou done it in the name of the Lord Jesus if it shall be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary there will be defects found and thy self will be too light and thy best actions will be defective and imperfect and call upon thee to be humbled even for thy righteousness for Preaching for Praying for Hearing for breaking bread for alms for all that ever we do there will be such gaps and such gulfs and failings as we have cause to be ashamed even of our righteousness saith the Prophet all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags what filthy Rags thy righteousness yea all our righteousnesses as filthy Rags why filthy Rags defile us many think O their good works do purifie and cleanse them and answer for their sins and are meritorious and the like no our best works do defile us because there are such defects in them and especially when they are not done in the name of the Lord Jesus according to his will and in his strength and for his honour and glory we have no cause then of being swell'd and puffed up with conceits of what we have done or ever shall do Secondly if all must be done in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus then I infer that no thoughts no words no actions are to be conceived uttered or done which are not authorized by the Lord Jesus which are not according to his will which Christ himself would not think and speak and do none should be used by us which dont manifest something of Jesus Christ which tend not to the glory of his name which we dare not pray unto him to give a blessing unto we have many vile thoughts in us many foolish words in our mouths and many acts are done which we dare hardly look up to Christ and say Lord bless this thought or Lord bless this word or Lord bless this act all such thoughts words and acts therefore are to be laid by you know what he saith here in the Chapter before Mortifie your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence all our affections they should be look'd well unto and we should have no affection but that we may look unto Christ for a blessing upon it and so all the rest What abundance of fears are in men and women which they dare not look up to Christ to bless those fears they may look up to him to scatter those fears but not to bless them we should be in the fear of the Lord all the day a Godly fears so what doubts have we about the Scriptures about the Trinity about our salvation about our estate and condition but they are not such as are warranted by Christ and for his honour and glory Those that pray to Saints do they do it in the name of the Lord Jesus So those that worship and adore Images how dare they do it in the name of Christ so those that bow to an Altar how dare they do it in the name of Christ so those worship the Bread how dare they do it in the name of Christ Christ never will approve of such kind of actions or thoughts tending to such wayes and practices Whatever therefore is not according to Christ and may not be done in the name of the Lord Jesus which Christ would not do we should not dare to think speak or do Thirdly See hence two great evils among men even good men and good women First we may see here why many so oft miscarry in their undertakings they do not what they do in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ they do things in their own names and in their own strength and according to their own wills and for their own glory so Judas did
all in his own name and for himself and not for Christ he had a covetous heart So Annanias and Saphira miscarried they did things in their own name so Demas he did things in his own name the world was still upon him and he miscarried and Godly men and women they miscarry they begin not with Christ they do not things in the name of Christ they do not do things for Christ and therefore they miscarry fearfully because Christ is not taken along with them This is a true cause if not the onely cause why Saints and precious ones miscarry in their actions Secondly see hence why Godly men and women have so much guilt and fear upon their spirits which appears in ill times especially when Gods judgments are abroad and dangers are at hand Oh how guilty are they how fearful are they what 's the reason of this it's because the thoughts and words and actions have not been in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we have thought our own thoughts and spoke our own words and done our own wills and hence it comes to pass that we are full of guilt and full of fear in 12. Mat. 36. I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment God hath many dayes of judgment here in the world before the great day of judgment hereafter For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Our words condemn us and we find guilt upon us for our words and our actions do condemn us and we find guilt upon us for our actions Rom. 2.7 8. Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life but unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile We find fears and we fear tribulation and fear ruine and destruction because our actions have not been done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for his honour and glory but for our selves Fourthly if Christians must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus then nothing is to be done in but own names to do things in our own names is not currant is not legal is not warrantable who authorized you will Christ say to do this or that in your own name what warrant have you what word have you for it to do it in your own name no neither must we do things in our own strength nor in our own wisdom we think we are wise and we are able but Prov. 3.5 6 7. Lean not unto thine own understanding dont lean to thy own understanding thou art but a fool unto God and thy wisdom is nothing lean not to thine own understanding in all thy wayes acknowledge him Mark in all thy wayes acknowledge him look up to him do things in his name by his wisdom by his strength not by thy own and he shall direct thy path is not Gods direction better than our own Gods councel better than ours Gods strength better than ours lean not then to your own wisdom acknowledge him in all your wayes be not wise in thine own eyes We are loth to lay down our own wisdom and our own apprehensions and conceptions Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom make not that thy design I will be rich and like the great ones in the City and I will be high and I will be so and so this is thy own wisdom thy own folly indeed we are not to do any thing in our own names no nor in the name of Angels nor of Saints the Papists do many things in the name of this Saint and the other Saint and in the name of the Virgin Mary they do many things pray in her name and act in her name and suffer in her name but this is not in the name of Christ whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Therefore remember we are to do nothing in our own names or in the names of any but in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Fifthly I infer hence that whosoever would steer a right course in this world and have his thoughts words and actions accepted and blessed must have a special eye unto the Lord Christ we must look to him as the Pole-star as Marriners their eye is much upon the Pole-star or the compass upon which they sail by their eye is upon these otherwise they will go out of their way and miscarry but if we observe the courses of men and women they sail most by the compass of the world look what the world doth and such and such a man doth that they will do or if not so yet by the custome of places where they are why 't is the custom of the place to do thus and thus or else according to the tradition of the Elders our Elders did so they wash'd their hands before meat and we will do it or else they look to the Laws of men But this is not yet in the name of Christ or else they do things by their own wills and lusts they will have these fulfilled but where 's the name of Christ all this while men go wrong and out of the way not looking at Christ few direct their course by Christ his name his councel according to his will and his word It was otherwise with that blessed Apostle Paul Paul had his eye upon Christ therefore he saith in 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ I have Christ alwayes in my eye I begin with Christ I go on with Christ I end with Christ I have Christ alwayes in my eye dont follow me at all if I dont follow Christ I am a learned man and you think you may follow me because I am a learned man or I am an Apostle and you will follow me therefore but if I dont follow Christ notwithstanding my learning and my Apostleship dont follow me it is Christ you must have in your eye it is Christ you must regulate all by he must be your Pole star he must be your compass so in 5 Eph. 1. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children dont follow the world dont follow the customes of places dont follow any but God and be followers of God as dear Children Children will follow their Parents and follow no others So then if we would steer our course aright we must be followers of Christ and eye Christ and eye God and take up all from them and not from men Sixthly if we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ according as we have opened then here see to whom we owe the success of all we do 't is not to our selves
't is not to second causes it is to the L. C. that we owe the success of all when we do things in his name and for his sake he doth bless them and give success to our endeavours when we begin with Christ and take Christ along with us and do all as we ought to do then Christ blesses and then he gives success When we pray in Christs name he tells us God will give Joh. 16.23 so in 4 Eph. last even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you for Christs sake it is If we pray and beg pardon 't is for Christs sake we have our prayers heard and pardon given in and whatsoever attempts you make and success you have If you do it in the name of Christ it is for his sake you have the blessing therefore dont say it is your endeavours and your contrivance and diligence and care and circumspection no it is for the Lord Jesus Christ 't is he that gives the success and the blessing Seventhly if we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ then let us examine we who are Christians and bear the name of Christ let us examine whether we do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ it 's good to know in whose name you do your actions You will say how shall we know that You may know it by what I have said already do you do all in the authority of Christ in the strength of Christ in the stead of Christ do you do all according to the will of Christ for the sake of Christ for the honour of Christ by invocating of the Lord Jesus Christ then you do it in his name But to add some few things more First you may know it by this if you do things in Christs name then you do consult much with the Lord Christ and take counsel from him and from his word you will not trust your own heads nor trust your own hearts he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool saith Solomon and we have many such fools in the world sound wisdom and Counsel are mine saith Christ Prov. 8.14 None can give you sound wisdom and sound councel but my self now do you go to Christ for councel do you advise with him and consult with him it 's an Argument then you do things in his name David in the 119. Psal 24. saith Thy Testimonies art my delight and my Councellors I delight in thy Testimonies and they are my Councellors I consult with thy word the word of God the word of Christ I consult with that and I do all according thereunto therefore he is said to be a man fulfilling all the wills of God he took advice from Gods word he went to Christ who gave him sound wisdom and sound Councel but if we go about our actions and do our own wills and never advise with Christ we go in our own strength and the issue is not like to be successful Secondly you shall know it hereby they that do all in the name of the Lord Jesus they advance him and make him high and lay themselves low whose name soever things are done in they are advanced if we do things in our own names we advance our selves if we do things in the names of men we advance men but if we do things in Christs name we advance the Lord Jesus Christ when Servants do things in their own names they spoil all then their Masters are laid low but when they do all in the name of their Masters then their Masters are exalted Now ask your souls what advancement Christ hath from your thoughts words or actions saith David Psal 71.16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God and I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine onely I 'le go in thy strength that is in thy name every attribute is his name as I told you to go in the name of Christ is to go in the strength of Christ now saith he I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine onely I will exalt thy name and thy righteousness and exalt thine onely do you therefore go out in the strength of Christ and exalt his righteousness onely his name onely his truths onely his ordinances onely Paul did so in 15 Rom. 18. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed Have the Gentiles been brought in are they obedient in word are they obedient in deed 't is not my work but the work of Jesus Christ I will not dare to speak of any thing is mine but I will altogether speak of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ thus he advances Christ So that if you do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ you will advance Christ and lift him up and it 's no matter who goes down so he goes up so did John the Baptist he must increase I must decrease and it matters not for I am not worthy to loose the Latchet of his Shoes so excellent is he Thirdly whosoever doth all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ his name is not onely an incentive to action but an attractive to action for as there is power in his name so there is love in the name of Christ the power of that name will bind the heart to obedience but the love that is in the name doth work complacency in the obedience it works complacency and delight as in the name so in the obedience that is given to that name he makes it his incentive and faith the work is necessary and must be done but the other that finds it an attractive faith the work is good and I will do it I must do this and I must do that saith one but saith another the work is good and I will do it Psal 73.28 It 's good for me to draw nigh to God He dont say 't is my duty 't is necessary but it 's good for me I delight to draw near to God So that if we do all in the name of Christ we shall find the name of Christ an attractive to draw our hearts to do things with delight and pleasure Fourthly You shall know it hereby for he that doth all in the name of Christ makes that name the ground and pillar for a blessing upon his actions when I speak in the name of Christ or act in the name of Christ I make the name of Christ the pillar and the ground of my hope for a blessing upon what I say or what I do It is not the goodness of my action which is the ground of my hope a man may be importunate in Prayer and be zealous and pray very well but he dont make this the ground of his hope A man may be very sollid in Preaching and very serious in Hearing but this must not be the ground of his
hope for a blessing upon the action but the ground of his hope is from the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Cant. 1.3 because of the savour of thy good Oyntments Thy name is as an Oyntment poured forth That perfumes all the actions done in Christs name and so they are acceptable unto God and this name is the ground of my hope for a blessing from God and from Christ because I look at the name of Christ which is the sweet Oyntment that doth perfume all Therefore ask your hearts what 's the ground and the Pillar of your hopes for a blessing upon your actions 't is not the goodness of your actions but the name of Christ that gives the hope Fifthly Lastly he that doth all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ ascribes the blessing and success of all unto the name of Christ he will attribute nothing to his own thoughts words or actions he will attribute nothing to any intervening cause but attribute all unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Psal 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us away with all that should rise from us but unto thy name give glory yea all the glory 1 Tim. 1.12 I thank Jesus Christ our Lord saith Paul that inabled me and put me into the Ministry He gives the glory to Christ I thank the Lord I had no power to Preach but thou hast enabled me to Preach and I give thee the glory so did Pet. 2 E. 3.18 To him be glory both now and for ever Amen To him be the glory that makes known himself unto us that gives grace unto us that inables us to Preach and Pray and do good in our places and generations and callings to him be glory both now and for ever So John in 1. Rev. to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever The soul that doth all in the name of Christ will see infinite reason why Christ should have all the glory and all the honour do you so give him all and challenge nothing to your selves attribute nothing to your own dregs to your own endeavours to your own actings it 's a sign you do all in the name of Christ then Eighthly Lastly must Christians do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ then it serves to be an exhortation unto us that we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ let all your thoughts be in his name all your words be in his name all your actions be in his name see you have warrant from his word for them do all in his strength and power and lay by your own do all as in his stead think such thoughts as Christ would think if he were present speak such words as Christ would speak do all according to his will do all for Christs sake do all for his honour and glory do all invocating his name for advice in your actions Q. But you will say is it possible to do all in his name can we alwayes have Christ in our thoughts mouths and actions A. To this I answer that immediately we should have a disposition a frame of spirit an inclination of heart unto it the very bent and tendency of our hearts should be that way the desire of our souls is unto thee and to thy name So the desire of our souls should be unto Christ and to his name the bent and tendency of it should be that way And not only so but Secondly I answer 't is well to have this but 't is not enough we should every morning at least actually mind and intend the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and so go on all the day in that intention as a bowl when it is thrown it runs by virtue of the strength that is put into it from the arm that threw it at first and runs till the strength be spent so we should by virtue of a morning intention and in a morning consideration of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ go on all the day long and if we find it to flag as it will quickly do we should renew our intentions and thoughts in the name of Christ send up secret Ejaculations to Heaven O Lord I desire to think in thy name and to speak in thy name and to act in thy name this we may and ought to do and not to rest altogether in an habitual inclination and disposition and they that do it oftest they will order things best best for themselves and best for Christs glory and advantage but to press the exhortation Christians should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I will give you three or four Motives First We should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ upon this consideration it will assure us that the Lord Christ doth approve of us and will be with us and will make our actions successful and bless them unto us Mat. 28.19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Go and Baptize them all in my name and in their names and what follows teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Do it in my name I will be with you then and I will bless you and prosper you and I will make your Preaching successful and useful David went in the name of the Lord against Goliah that grand enemy of the Israelites and did not the Lord bless him and prosper him did not he slay Goliah and free the Israelites from their fears and dangers the Lord was with him David went out in the name of the Lord in the strength of the Lord will I go and the Lord was with him wheresoever he went and prosper'd him in all he went about he did all things wisely would you therefore in spirituals or in your ordinary callings and places be approved of by Christ have Christ with you and bless you do all in his name not in your own names or in the name of others but in his name and in his name alone Secondly it is great wisdom to do so for what we do in Christs name out of respect to him carries much sweetness in it It is an impulse of of love to such a friend we love Christ when we do it out of respect to his name and 't is our wisdome so to do and the work of love is very sweet A wise man will do things so as they may be most sweet and pleasing to himself and acceptable to him he doth them now when we do it upon this account I say it is the impulse of love and there 's a great deal of sweetness in acting from love there is as true sweetness in acting for Christ as when we receive from Christ when you receive some influences of his spirit when you have an answer of your Prayers when you have your fears
scattered and are strengthened with strength in your souls how sweet is this Now there is true sweetness in acting for Christ a true friend will do Christ service and be thankful for the service because there is a great deal of sweetness in it 1 Tim. 1.12 saith Paul I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me c. putting me into the Ministry I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that hath put me into service he would not have been thankful unless he had found some sweetness in his service It will be our wisdom therefore to do all in the name of Christ if you would find sweetness in the name of Christ so David and the Princes when they had offered so willingly as in the 1 Chron. 29.13 14. Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Lord thou hast given to us and we have given to thee and we thank thee that we have had hearts to give unto thee how sweet delightful and pleasing is thy service therefore it will be your wisdom to do all in the name of Christ for it comes from love in you and you will find sweetness in doing for Christ and you will be thankful for the service you do upon that account Thirdly we should do all in the name of Christ from this consideration that it is a special means both to prevent sin and to promote holiness First to prevent sin 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that names the name of the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity He that names the name of Christ must depart from iniquity this is a preventing of sin now mentioning his name should make us depart from iniquity Why the Lord Christ himself he hated iniquity and loved righteousness His very name should mind us thereof Christ hates iniquity and I will depart â—som iniquity Secondly and acting in his name will put us upon holiness and labouring to he holy The soul saith will Jesus Christ do this I am a doing now but would Christ do thus would Christ think thus would Christ speak thus no Christ would not Christ would speak holy words and do holy actions and think holy thoughts therefore I must do as Christ would do I do all in his name we read of Alexander that had a Souldâ—er in his Camp that did bear his name when Alexander heard it he calls for the Soldier and asks him his name he told him his name was Alexander is it so saith he then see you do nothing unworthy the name of Alexander do that which becomes Alexander so do we bear the name of Christ we must do that which becomes the name of Christ do we bear the name of Christian we must do what becomes a Christian one said I could do this or that if I were not a Christian but I am a Christian and I dare not do this or that I dare not go into such Company I dare not drink healths I dare not be in the mode and fashion of the world And so in the Primitive times the question was have you kept the Sabbath the answer was I am a Christian I dare not neglect the Lords day I dare not speak my own words nor think my own thoughts nor find my own pleasure and why I am a Christian and so it promotes holiness therefore we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Fourthly Lastly we should do all in his name because it will unite and tye the heart of God and Christ abundantly to us Those persons who act all in the name of Christ they are faithful persons as a Servant that doth all in the name of his Master he is a faithful Servant The unjust Steward did not things faithfully he did things in his own name and therefore his Masters favour was not towards him he had none of his favour nor countenance his heart was alienated from him but those that do all in the name of the Lord Christ they are faithful and the heart of Christ is towards such and is wide unto such in Mat. 24.46 Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Blessed is that Servant why his heart is towards this Servant and pronounces a blessing upon him Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing how doing doing all in my name and according to my will and for my glory doing all by invocation of my name O blessed is that Servant which when his Lord cometh shall find so doing his heart is greatly towards him The heart of his Master can trust safely in him all the dayes of his life as it 's said of the virtuous Wife Prov. 31.11 The heart of her Husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil So the Lord Christ can trust in that man or woman who doth all in his name they are faithful and he can trust in them I it is a great honouring of Christ and Christ will honour such a one it 's an honouring of Christ honouring of Christs wisdom honouring of Christs power honouring of his word and name it is the highest service we can do to Christ to do all in his name and the Lord Christ will honour such an one his heart is tyed to him he dares trust him with all he commits his secrets to such So then you see the exhortation back'd with some motives why we should do all in the name of Jesus Christ One thing more which is what directions will you give us now to help us to do all in the name of Christ we see it is a duty a good work and we would gladly do it but what directions and helps may be given to further us therein First consider that the Lord Christ is your Lord. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus if you be Christians he is your Lord Now our Lords commands our Lords will our Lords councels we must do them we must not do our own wills we are the Lords he is our Lord and therefore we must do his will Luke 6.46 Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say What do you call me Lord and will not you do what I say command and appoint you and do it as I appoint you do all in my name why do you call me Lord Surely if Christ be our Lord we must do all in his name and the more we shall think of Christs Lordship and authority over us the more will our hearts be inclined to do things in his name why he is the best of Lords he is a blessed Lord a sweet Lord a good Lord there is no Tyranny in this Lord no hurt in this Lord nothing but all for good in this Lord he
is Lord in your heart he is Lord in your spirits he is Lord in your tongues he is Lord in your heads he is Lord in all your wayes therefore look upon him as Lord and Moderator of all your thoughts words and actions and this will help you to do things in his name Secondly if you would do things in his name then mind the very example and practice of the Lord Jesus Christ himself he did not do things in his own name but he did all in his fathers name and therefore we should do all in his name when he requires it of us as the Father required it of him he did all in his Fathers name in Job 5.43 I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not I am come but I come in my Fathers name I dont come in my own name I run not on my own head I come not with my own will or my own words to do what I would but I am come in my Fathers name and the Fathers works he did in Joh. 10.25 Jesus answered them I told you and ye believe not the works that I do in my Fathers name they bear witness of me all the works that I do I do in my Fathers name not in my own name Now here 's a good example for us to mind the Lord Christ he did all in his Fathers name and so should we do all in Christs name and if we do them in his name we do them in the Fathers name also Paul did all in Christs name and we should do all in Christs name He did all in his Fathers name and his example is an unerring example Thirdly If we would do all in the name of Christ then let us get lowâ—â—â—o the Lord Jesus Christ 'T is want of love that makes us do so little in the name of Christ if we had love enough to Christ it would make us act in his name the name of Christ is an Oyntment poured out therefore do the Virgins love thee if we did look at the name of Christ as an Oyntment poured out sweet and precious and saving and comforting indeed O it would make us love the Lord Jesus as the Virgins do A Wife that loves her Husband it will make her do all in her Husbands name Oh if we had love to Jesus Christ we would do all in his name why the Lord Christ he loved his Father and saith he I keep his Commandements and abide in his love 'T is love will make you do things in the name of Christ the more love is in any soul the more it will act in the name of Christ and honour him Fourthly Lastly if we would do all in Christs name then let us consider the great reward that we shall have the reward will be great if we do all in his name I there will be a reward here and a reward hereafter we glorifie him and honour him much if we do all in his name I all the glory will be his now if we glorifie him we shall have a reward in our very acting how sweet is that action which is done aright in a right manner to a right end from a right principle how sweet is it as the Psalmist saith in keeping of thy Commandements there is great reward in the very keeping of the commands of God and Christ is great reward 〈◊〉 is great peace great comfort great content sweetness communion with God and at the end there is great reward Crowns of Glory a Kingdom Rivers of pleasure great reward so in doing things in the name of Christ there is a great reward in the very doing of it great sweetness great content to the soul great peace great communion with God great favour of Christ and afterwards there will be a great and glorious reward for the soul that doth so in the 12. John 26. If any man serve me saith Christ let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be if any man serve me why who serves Christ better than he that doth all in Christs name if we be the Servants of Christ we shall do all in the name of Christ and what then Let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be and if any man serve me him will my Father honour He shall be honoured by me and honoured by my Father honoured in Earth and honoured in Heaven honoured with a Kingdom and Glory and honoured with fruition of nâ—e and of my Father and all that is desirable Therefore consider of the great reward you shall have if you do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ The preciousness of the Word Psal 19.10 More to be desired are they then Gold yea then much fine Gold THe Psalmist had lay'd down in the former part of the Psalm many commendations of the Law the Statutes the Commandements the Testimonies and Judgments of the Lord. And here he draws up a conclusion concerning them all They are more to be desired then Gold then much fine Gold The words themselves are a Doctrine or an Observation and you may take it thus Doct. Divine truths are more to be desired then the choicest Treasures of the earth then all earthly treasures Two things are here to be done First to shew you that Gold is desirable and truths upon the same account Secondly that divine truths are more desirable then Gold or Silver or any earthly treasures whatsoever For the first two things there First what desire is Secondly that Gold is desirable and the truths of God upon the same account First what desire is desire is the reaching out of the soul after some good affected not in possession but absent saith David O that I had of the water of the Well of Bethlehem here 's the reaching out of his soul after some good affected 2 Sam. 23.15 saith Rachel give me Children or else I dye here 's the reaching out of her Soul after Children It is after good affected Either seeming good or real good affected Love is the root that bears desire and desire is the branch or fruit the hand and opperation of Love what we have no Love to we dont desire but what we have some Love too that we do desire It is the affecting of Good either seeming or real Solomon he desires wisdom that was a real good and he had real desires of it The desire of the Righteous is onely to good saith Solomon and there are seeming goods Eve desires the fruit 't was but a seeming good to her for it brought woe and sorrow to her and all hers Amnon desires Tamar it was a seeming good but a real evil Achan desires the Wedge of Gold it was his ruine Gehezi desires the Garments and the Wedge of Gold Now there must be good real or in appearance where desire is carried out unto it the soul sees some amiableness in the thing it doth desire and so it puts forth its desires after it
All true children of Zion are precious and comparable unto fine Gold to the finest Gold or Silver that is in the world 2 Tim. 3.16 They make wise unto Salvation they furnish and fit a man for every good word and work they make precious Vessels Thirdly Gold is said to be a Cordial likewise and is not the word of God a Cordial the best Cordial we have in this world next to Christ and God himself The Word of God 't is a sweet Cordial a sweet Comfort unto the Soul 7. Gold endures tryal it will endure the fire the exactest tryal that can be Zech. 13.9 I will bring them through the fire and try them as Gold is tryed Gold is tryed and tryed in the fire and therefore it is esteemed because it will endure the fire so the Word of God is a tryed word Psal 12.6 The words of the Law are pure as Silver tryed in a furnace of earth purified seven times The Word of God is a tryed word Psal 18.30 The word of the Lord is tryed his promises have been tryed in all Ages they have had tryals several times and several wayes Those that have received the word have been tryed the Martyrs have been tryed and they find the word to hold out in the sharpest tryals and to stand them in stead So that you see Gold is desirable and upon what accounts and upon the same account the Word of God is desirable 2. Now the second thing is to shew you that Divine truths are more to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold More to be desired and that will appear several wayes First Gold and Silver and earthly treasures are at the will and command of men and we may be deprived of them Dan. 11.43 He shall have power over the treasures of Gold and of Silver and ever all the precious things of Egypt The King should have power over them and take them away from them and we see how Gold and Silver is subject to Thieses and to others and we may be deprived thereof But the Word of God when 't is ours when 't is written in our hearts once there 's none can take it from us nor deprive us of it Secondly The Word of God and Divine truths are more desirable than Gold because it 's better than Gold Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than Thousands of Gold and Silver There 's a betterness in the Word of God than in Gold and Silver it exceeds it and that in several respects First Gold and Silver are subject to cankering and so to perish James 5.3 Your Gold and Silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and it is subject to corrupt 1 Pet. 1.18 ye are not redeemed with Corruptible things as Silver and Gold and in the 1. Ch. 7. Gold that perisheth But the word of the Lord perisheth not corrupts not The word of the Lord endures for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 there 's no corrupting no cankering no perishing of the Word of God Therefore it 's better than Gold Secondly The word is better than Gold or Silver because it doth that which Gold and Silver cannot do nor all the treasures in the world can do and what 's that First It is not in the power of Silver and Gold and Riches or earthly Treasures to sanctifie any mans heart or nature They may pollute men and they do pollute most but sanctifie none But in Joh. 15.3 saith Christ Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you The word of Christ and of God is a cleansing word it will cleanse your heads your hearts your lips your lives where withall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word But all the treasures in the world will never cleanse any Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Gods word is a word of truth and 't is a word of Sanctification that will make men and women holy the more of the word is in you the more holy you are the more filthiness of flesh and spirit is purged out of you So that it 's better than Silver and Gold upon this account Secondly Silver and Gold can never satisfie you Eccles 4.8 The eye is not satisfied with Riches Alexander had the world and yet he was not satisfied he would have another world Eccles 5.10 He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase A man is never satisfied with these things that are below The heart of man is triangular and the whole world being round can never satisfie a triangle but the truths of God are satisfying truths Open thy mouth wide and I will sill it saith God I will fill it with Divine truths Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house the word of God hath that in it will satisfie your souls Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that wait for him and for them that love him There is more prepared than you can expect or look for and that will satisfie Psal 65.4 We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house there is so much goodness in the house of God there you have Communion with God himself and with the Spirit and with Jesus Christ and these will satisfie the soul if ever it will be satisfied Thirdly They are more desirable than Gold and Silver because it is desire that makes the subject fit to receive the thing desired If a man be hungry and thirsty his hunger and thirstiness makes him fit to receive bread and to take drink Now the more excellent the thing to be received is the more must it be desired Matth. 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 Why I am the most excellent therefore I must have the most love and the most desire That Soul will never receive any real good by the Word that doth not desire it more than any other thing If you desire the Word but in competition to another thing or equal to another thing you will have no good by the Word but you must desire it more than other things and therefore it is better than other things Fourthly If our desires be more after the Word than after Gold and Silver and these outward things then these will fall in of course Mat. 6.33 First seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you we must first therefore seek the Kingdom of God that is we must more desire the Kingdom of God than these things if we labour to know the Gospel to know God and Jesus Christ and desire the knowledge of these other things will be given in
are more desirable then Gold and Silver Then here we may see who are the richest men in the world and have the best treasure even those that have gotten most of the Word into their hearts not most of the world into their houses and into their possessions the Word is better than thousands of Gold and Silver They are the richest that have most of this heavenly riches let the word of Christ dwell richly in you Col. 3. To be rich in promises there 's the true riches and great riches Here we say he is a rich man that hath many Bonds or Ships or Houses or Lands that hath many Hundreds or Thousands lay'd up or abroad but he is the richest man in the Scripture account and in Gods account that hath most of the Word of God lay'd up in his heart that hath most light in his understanding most promises in his Soul that hath a good stock that hath a treasure within I have hid thy Law in my heart saith David So when Gods Law is hid in your hearts then you are the richest men the wealthiest men and men of substance indeed Thirdly Then I infer from hence that you may see a great difference between men and men between Saints and the men of the world The men of the world they prize Gold and Silver the Saints prize the Word of God Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver David prized the Law of God more than his Kingdom or the Crown of Gold that was upon his head more than the Gold of Vphaz of Havilah and the Gold of Ophyr the finest Godl that might be had Fourthly If the Word of God be more desirable than Gold and Silver then certainly their loss is great that have the Word taken from them I mean the Word outwardly and the Ordinances and enjoyments when our Silver and Gold is taken away we cry out we are undone we are undone No no you are not undone if you have God and his Word but if Gods Word be taken away from men and women they are more undone than others It 's a great loss to lose that that is better than Gold Silver better than all the world There are many in the world at this day that are depriv'd of their Teachers of Sabbaths and of the Word of God They cannot read themselves and they have none to read unto them it 's a sad condition and a great loss unto them and those that rob them of these they must answer for it one day and they are very guilty that have done it Fifthly If the Word of God be more desirable than Gold and Silver then let us esteem if according to the value and worth of it above outward treasure above all Gold and Silver Joâ— esteemed the Word of God more than his necessary food people cannot eat Gold and Silver and House and Land but their necessary food maintains their lives and 't is more valuable than Gold and Silver If you could not have meat and drink what would your Gold and Silver do you good you would part with it all for a little bread for a little drink now Job did value the Word of God more than his necessary food O that we would set such a price upon the Word of God I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Let us all set such a price upon the truths of God there 's more worth in them than you can find out you have riches unsearchable in the promises and in the truths of God Phil. 3.8 Paul accounts all but dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus And where will you have that but in the Word of God prize it therefore at a high rate Psal 84.10 A dayâ—n thy Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere A thousand dayes are almost three years and one would think they might meet with brave things in such a time but one day in the Courts of God is better than a thousand elsewhere The Word of God is little esteemed in these dayes and every thing preferred before it but let it not be so with you Sixthly If the Word of God be more desirable than Gold and fine Gold then let us keep the Word of God as men keep their Gold and lay it up as men lay up their Gold and know the Word of God if you will lay it up it will be a defence unto you and a Buckler unto you Psal 91.4 his truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler Solomon tells you money is a defence and Gold is a defence it will defend you from the injuries of the world and wrongs of men so is the Word of God it is a defence it is a Shield a Buckler therefore lay it up safely as you would your Gold and Silver Job 22. The Almighty shall be thy defence so you read it but the Margent is the Almighty shall be thy Gold God would be your Gold if you would lay up Gods truth in your hearts God will be your defence he will be your Gold your treasure Seventhly Lastly if the Word and Testimonies of God be more desirable than Gold yea than fine Gold then let us desire it more than outward treasure let us desire it with ardent and strong desires with sincere desires with abiding constant desires with acting and endeavouring desires let us use our utmost endeavour to be enriched with these riches Psal 84.2 My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Soul longs saith David and my soul faints for the Courts of the Lord why what was there There was the Word of the Lord there were the Ordinances of the King in his own Courts and he long'd to be there where he might hear the word of God and have the benefit of the Word of God And in Psal 119.131 I opened my mouth and panted for I longed for thy Commandments Let us wait daily at the Courts of the Lord lot us long and take any pains we can for them Joh. 6. Labour not for the meat that perisheth all your Gold and Silver and these things are all of a perishing nature and will not continue long but let us labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life part with your Silver and Gold which is from the earth to get Scripture Gold which is from Heaven To get Divine truths into your heads and hearts One question more Qu. You will say how shall we get our hearts and the desires of them more inflamed after the Word of God Ans First Consider your own poverty and what riches there are to be had in the Word when men consider they are poor men I am a poor man I have neither house nor Land I have neither Gold nor Silver and in such a place is a Mine and I may go thither and have riches enough this will inflame his desires Now consider your spiritual poverty consider then I have
counsel thee saith Christ unto the Church of Laodicea To buy of me tryed Gold that thou mayest be rich and white rayment that thy nakedness may be covered and the shame thereof may not be seen was not this good and sweet counsel that the Lord Christ did give to the Church that was poor and naked and shameful and destitute of all good So that the counsels of God are sweet counsels Secondly Are not the invitations that we find in the word very sweet sweet invitations are there made unto poor sinners Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye unto the waters and he that hath no money come buy and eat come buy Wine and Milk without money and without price Here is a Hive of Honey and Honey-combs in these words come come come here 's water to quench your thirst here 's wine to comfort your hearts here 's milk to nourish you and cause you to thrive and grow in the wayes of God here 's bread to strengthen you and here 's all free without money How sweet are these invitations come come come and for such things as are so excellent and so precious so that of the Lord Christ in Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and all of you come unto me and I will give you rest how sweet is this now to a burthened soul to a burthened conscience for a man or woman that is in straights and knows not what to do to come to the Lord Christ and they shall have rest in the 14. Hos 1. saith the Lord there O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity one would have conceived that Israel should have first sought to God who had offended God but God comes to delinquent Israel and saith O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquities Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our lips he puts words into their mouths how sweet are these invitations of the Lord to poor sinners So in Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world There 's sweetness in the invitations that the word holds out unto us Thirdly Are not the promises in the word of God very sweet sweet yea sweet as the Honey-comb There are many great and gracious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 they are exceeding great precious promises to have a promise from a great man that is able to perform his promise and faithful is sweet unto a poor man but to have exceeding great and precious promises from the great God who is able and willing to perform and faithful and will not fail how sweet are these promises to the Sons of men Ezek. 36.25 26. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Are not here sweet promises very sweet promises promise upon promise And all the promises of God they are very sweet Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me what a sweet promise is this to poor souls that fear they shall fall away and shall not hold out to the end God will put his fear into them and they shall not depart from him I will heal their backslidings and love them freely Hos 14. full of sweet and precious promises is the word of God Fourthly Is not the Gospel and the Doctrines of it very sweet Is not the Gospel glad tidings Luke 2.10 11. Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy to you this day is born a Saviour 'T is a Gospel of reconciliation that declares the reconciliation of poor sinners unto the great and holy God 2 Cor. 5.19 it is the Ministration of life and of Righteousness 2 Cor. 3.8.9 it is the Doctrine of Christ 2 Joh. 9. what gracious words came out of the mouth of the Lord Jesus never man said his enemies spake like this man but there 's sweetness in this Doctrine is it not sweet that rich mercy is held out unto the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief what a sweet saying is this here is mercy held out to the chief of sinners so that all manner of sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven how sweet is this Matth. 12.31 So that God hath freely given his Son Joh. 3.16 God hath so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Here is a sweet truth unto those that will understand truth there is more sweetness in it than they can taste or find out he is a propitiation in this is manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him and to be the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.9 10 14 15. By him we shall live he is the Saviour of his body the Saviour of sinners So how sweet is that 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made of God unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Here 's sweetness in these things that we are freely justified by him Rom. 3.24 Acts 13.38 39. How sweet is that saying of the Lord Jesus Christ Joh. 6.37 if there were no more in all the Gospel but that all that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Let any poor creatures come unto me in their rags in their filth in their guilt in their sores I will not cast them out I will not send them away discouraged but they shall find favour in mine eyes So the Doctrine of Christs intercession with the Father 1 Joh. 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous He is an Advocate to intercede for us and to order all things for our good so that there 's a great deal of sweetness in the word of God Fifthly There is sweetness in the example of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ washed his Disciples feet what sweetness is there in it to think that the Lord of glory and the Prince of life and the Heir of the world should humble himself so as to
fruit of Christ where there is a spiritual life there is a spiritual taste where there is no spiritual life there is no spiritual taste at all Heb. 5. They had their senses exercised to discern between good and evil some have no spiritual senses they cannot discern between good and evil therefore they find no â—â—etness in the word of God that 's one reason men and women are dead in sins and trespasses and never are quickned with the life of grace Secondly Some have their tastes yet find no sweetness because they have a fullness of other things in them Prov. 27.7 The full soul loatheth an Honey-comb If there be a fulness in us nothing is sweet unto us now men and women are full of several things First some are full of the world Amos 8.5 when will the new moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat and the like these were full of the world and so they could not taste of spiritual things Matth. 13.12 He that received among Thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the world and he becometh unfruitful Secondly Some are full of conceitedness in Luke 18.11 The Pharisee he was conceited of his own goodness righteousness and doings and the Church of Laodicea she was full and wanted nothing and so could not taste the dainties of the Lord nor the sweetness that was in his Ordinances and his word there was such a fullness in them of their own conceitedness that they wanted nothing Thirdly There is a fullness of errors in many a fullness of opinions Scribes and Pharises they found no sweetness in Christ nor in Christs way they were full of their own opinions errors traditions and false doctrines So many now are full of their own light and the light within that 's all in all unto them and they find no sweetness in Ordinances nor in the means of Grace Fourthly Many yea most are full of creature delights and creature contentments and creature comforts full of sensual pleasures they take so much pleasure in the creature in their outward comforts contentments in their estates and relations in their gifts and parts and things of that nature that they can taste no sweetness in the word of God Thirdly Men taste not the sweetness in the word because of their slighting of the word and hence it is a just Judgment of God to suffer them not to taste the sweetness that is in the word when they made light of the Gospel and the Gospel dainties prepared for them Matth. 22.5 They went away and flighted the invitation to the Gospel feast It is said in Luke 14.24 none of them shall Taste thereof that is none of them shall ever taste the sweetness or goodness therein they might hear but they should taste no sweetness in their hearing and therefore to slight the word of God is a great evil and will hâ—nder persons from tasting the sweetness that is in the word of God Fourthly A fourth reason is that formality that is in the people they come to the Word and Ordinances of God with formal hearts and spirits we come not to the Ordinances as the Ordinances of God we come not to the word as the word of the great God we hear not for time to come we hear not for eternity we hear not as matters of life and death and therefore we dont find that sweetness as they do that hear so Men pray but not in the Spirit serve God but not in Spirit they draw near God with their lips but their hearts are far from him Fifthly And I may add one thing more people dont find sweetness in the word of God because they do nourish some base lust or corruption in their hearts And Peter gives you an intimation of this 1 Pet. 2.1 Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisie and envies and evil-speakings as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby If there be in our hearts such things we shall not taste the sweetness of the sincere milk of the word neither shall we grow thereby so now you see what hinders the tasting of the sweetness of the word Qu. Another question may arise hereupon and that is What should we do to find sweetness in the word of God An. First If you would find sweetness in the word of God get hungry souls Prov. 27.7 To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet If we had hungry souls the bitterest truth in all the word of God would be sweet unto us Now there be three things which beget hunger in men and women there 's Fasting Purging and Excercise First If you would have hungry souls you must fast much I dont mean a fasting from bread meat and drink but from sin fasting from pleasures and delights fasting from lawful things of the world 1 Cor. 7.29 The time is short It remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had â—one and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that bay as though they possessed not Fast from your lawful enjoyments from your pleasures delights and contentments and this will breed an appetite to the word of God Secondly Purging we take bitter things to purge us so we should take something to purge our Hearts our Heads and Consciences Be sensible of sin and the bitterness of sin what a bitter and evil thing sin is what danger sin doth involve the soul in and expose it to the wrath of God hell and damnation we should take some pills to mortifie our lusts and then the word of God would be sweet unto us indeed Thirdly Exercise will beget a stomach 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self to Godliness If men and women did pray much read much meditate much and have their hearts much in Heaven they would have hungry souls after the word of God and find a sweetness in the word of God Joh. 7.17 saith he there If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self He shall know whether the Doctrine be not an heavenly Doctrine and a sweet Doctrine he shall taste the sweetness of my Doctrine that I have brought down from my Father if he will do the will of God So that that 's the first thing to get hungry Souls and then we shall reâ—ith the word of God and find sweetness in it Secondly If we would find sweetness in the word of God we should make much Conscience of the Lords time and day and sanctifie the Lords day if we did sanctifie the Lords day as we ought to do we should find sweetness in his Ordinances and sweetness all the week after in his Ordinances and in his word Isa 58.13.14 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing
thy pleasure on my Holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord thou wilt find sweetness in the Lord and sweetness in the words and wayes of the Lord in all things of the Lords thou wilt find sweetness such sweetness as will make thy soul to delight in the Lord. Thirdly If you would find sweetness in the word of God then take that which is suitable to your conditions There is somthing alwayes suitable to your conditions when you read the word or hear the word Preach'd something will concern you now that which is most suitable to your condition will be most sweet unto you If one want peace and there be a word suits you take that if one want comfort take that if one want counsel take that that that is suitable to the soul that 's sweet Fourthly Lastly make the word your delight Psal 119.24 Thy Testimonies are my delight So in the 77. v. Thy Law is my delight They were the delight of David and so he delighted in them that he meditated in them day and night Thy Testimonies are my Meditation v. 99. what you delight in you find a sweetness in so if you would delight much in the word of God you would find much sweetness in the word of God Thus you see those questions answered I shall now come to some Inferences or Conclusions First If the word of God be sweet and sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-comb then they that find no sweetness in the word of God they are in an ill condition they are in a state of death they are dead men and dead women A dead man tastes nothing so that man or woman that tastes no sweetness in the word of God is a dead man you read in Scripture of men dead in sins and trespasses and twice dead Let the dead bury their dead saith Christ how can the dead bury their dead let them who are dead in sins bury those that are dead in body if you find no sweetness in the word of God you are dead men dead women Secondly If the word be so sweet then it 's no wonder if some persons are so taken with the word of God they are always reading the word of God and looking into the word of God and meditating in it and why its sweet and delightful to their souls Those that have Gardens full of sweet flowers they love to be often looking into their Gardens so those that are Godly how do they find sweetness in the word of God In every promise in every truth in all the providences and experiences of the Saints they find a great deal of sweetness therein Thirdly If the word of God be so sweet then praise and bless the Lord for the sweetness of his word that he hath given you out such a word praise him for his sweet invitations for his sweet promises for the sweet and heavenly doctrines for the sweet titles you meet with therein In the 56. Psal you have it three times I will praise his word praise the word and praise God who hath given you such a word such a word that is so sweet that is so precious have you not found the sweetness of it in your affliction in your temptations in your darkness in your desertions O praise the Lord for his sweet word and let God have the glory of it Fourthly If the word of God be sweet and sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb then surely they do ill that cast off the word of God and cast off his Ordinances and leave off the things that are good Many in these dayes they cast off Ordinances and lay aside the word of God and are altogether for the light within and nothing but for the light within but it is to be seared that their light is but darkness for the light of the Scripture will never direct men to cast off it self The word of God is to be a light unto our feet and a lamp unto our paths therefore they do ill who cast off the word of God that is sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb and that lay aside the Commands of God and the Ordinances of God But they will say we lay aside the Honey-comb and we take the Honey For answer to that look into the 5. Cant. 1. I am come into my garden c. I have eaten my Honey-comb with my Honey The Church would eat the Honey-comb with the Honey she would have the Ordinances and the sweetness through the Ordinances by the Ordinances The Ordinances are the Honey-comb and the sweetness that God conveys through them is the Honey Fifthly If the word be sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb then in all your afflictions and bitter waters you have to drink sweeten them with this Honey and this Honey-comb sweeten them with the word of God Afflictions are very sowr sad and heavy many times but the word of God is Honey to sweeten them when they came to the waters of Marah and could not drink them they were murmuring and troubled and they should perish for want of water but Moses takes a bough and throws in and sweetens the waters so that they could drink them and were revived and refreshed So if men and women would but sweeten their afflictions with the word of God they would go down very sweetly The steps of a good man saith the Psalmist are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way though he fall he shall not utterly be cast down what though you fall into afflictions you shall not utterly be cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand and James 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptations that is afflictions for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him who would now be troubled at temptations and afflictions when a blessedness is fixed to them Blessed is the man that endureth Temptations c. You shall have a crown of life for your temptations what if they take away life you shall have another life and a crown of life so that we should sweeten our afflictions with the consolations of the word 2 Cor. 4.17 The outward man decayes but the inward man is renewed daily and saith he our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Here 's light affliction here 's weighty glory here 's glory opposed to affliction here 's weight opposed to light here 's eternal opposed to momentary and here 's exceeding above all that How sweet would this be in our afflictions if we did lay it to heart and receive in these truths to sweeten our afflictions Sixthly If the word of God be sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb Then esteem the word of God very
highly dont think meanly of the word of God Phil. 3.8 Paul did esteem the knowledge of Christ above all knowledge in the world the excellency of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the knowledge of the Gospel and the knowledge of the word There 's an excellency in it beyond all knowledge all Histories and all Arts and Sciences whatsoever there is not that excellency in them as in the word of God therefore esteem it highly Psal 84.10 A day in thy courts is better than a thousand In the courts of God There was the word of God preached and held forth and read and interpreted and therefore a day there is worth a thousand dayes elsewhere Seventhly If the word of God be so sweet sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-comb then feed much upon the word of God in the 24. Prov. 13. saith Solomon to his Son My Son eat thou Honey because it is good So let me say to you Eat this Honey because it is good Honey hath three great properties Honey doth cleanse it doth preserve and honey doth please Eat this spiritual Honey 't will please your spiritual souls and appetites it will preserve you from all evil it will cleanse you from all your pollutions David loved to be in the courts of God and to be feeding upon this Honey continually and to be satisfied with it Psal 65.4 We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house it will satisfie me in point of cleansing in point of preserving in point of pleasing I am never better pleased nor safer nor in a purer condition then when I am under thy word seed much upon this others feed upon Acorns and upon the Wind and Ashes and the like but Saints feed upon Honey the Honey of Gods word the Honey that will do your souls good to eat it will sweeten all of your afflictions Eighthly Lastly if the word be sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb then try whether it be so to you or no Try whether you have found the word to be sweet to you sweet as Honey and as the Honey comb Honey will sweeten other things so if the word have been Honey to you it will sweeten you it sweetens men and women it sweetens their spirits men have harsh sowr and bitter spirits of themselves but if the word have been Honey to them it hath sweetned their spirits and calm'd and meekned their spirits Eph. 4.31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamur and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice put away all of this nature this is sowr leaven and be ye kind one to another tender hearted for giving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Have you found the word to be Honey to you to sweeten your spirits and make them peaceable and plyable to the will of God it 's an argument that you have tasted the sweetness that is in the word of God and so in the 4. Cant. 11. where it 's said Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the Honey-comb That is her words and expressions were sweet a Law of kindness was in her lips so if the word of God have been sweet to us there will be sweetness and meekness of spirit in us therefore try whether the word have been Honey unto you Thus you see that the Statutes and Law of the Lord they are more to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb And the Lord make them sweet to every one of your Souls Against Love of the World 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the World neither the things that are in the World IOhn was the beloved Disciple of Christ and he writes this Epistle unto those that were dear unto Christ and his great scope is to confirm them in the faith of Christ and to put them on to holiness and love as may appear in the 23. v. of the third Chapter This is his Commandment saith he that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment And in the second Chapter he lay'd down a remedy against the infirmities of weak Christians in the first and second verses that if any sinned they had an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And lest that should be abused and men take liberty to sin seeing there was such a remedy he puts them upon keeping the Commandments of the Lord in the 3 4 5 6. verses that if they have any benefit by Christ they will love Christ and if they love Christ they will keep the commands of Christ and walk as Christ walked And in the 7 8 9 10 11. verses he puts them on to love shewing that it is a new Commandment and an old Commandment in divers respects And then he comes and speaks in particular unto little Children verse 12. and to young men in the 13 verse and to fathers in the 14 verse and tells them in the Text that they must not love the world neither the things that are in the world for this is a great impediment both to holiness of life and love one to another The words will afford us two observations Obs The first is that there is a proness even in Saints to love the world There would not be a prohibition against it unnless there were a proness in us to it Even Christians and Believers are too apt and prone to love the world and the things of the world There is a great suitableness between the world and our corrupt hearts and natures Pleasures Profits Honours and things of that nature do suit with our sancies and suit with our affections dispositions and inclinations and therefore he saith Love not the world but this I shall not stand upon Obs The second observation which I shall insist upon is this That those that are in a state of Grace be they little Children or be they young Men or be they Fathers they are not to love the world Love not the World nor the things that are in the world Now here I must shew you what is meant by the World 2. What it is to love the World 3. Some reasons why we should not love the World 4. Answer a question or two For the first what is meant by the World By world in the first place is meant the visible Heavens and Earth with all the creatures in them as they came out of the hand of God Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth and afterwards he tells you of particulars that were created Joh. 1.3 It 's said By him all things were made and verse 10. he was in the world and the world was made by him The world and all things were made by Christ God imployed Christ in making of the world and the things of the world So that all the visible things in this world are the workmanship of God and Christ and are
and the things of the world are a great enemy to growing in grace and to Communion with God It makes men to leave the best things and most excellent things even Grace it self and God himself and Communion with God A worldly heart hath little or no Communion with God If a Woman fall in love with another and commit folly with another her Husband cares not for Communion with her so is it here ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God Psal 73.27 They went a whoring from under God Men go a whoring from God when they love the world and dote upon the world and the things of it Now what an enemy is the world to growth in grace and Communion with God Twelfthly The world is the Devils Instrument whereby he ensnares men and women and leads them captive at his pleasure he is called the God of the world and he takes men with the world The world is his grand Instrument to take men and women In Matth. 4.8 9. he thought to catch Christ with the glory of the world The Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them Here was his last bait whereby he thought to catch Christ And saith unto him all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me He thought to catch Christ with it but the Lord Christ was too hard for him but 't is his Instrument whereby he catches men and women Thus he caught Eve by the fruit of the Garden thus he caught David by Bathsheba and thus he caught Achan by a Wedg of Gold and a Babilonish Garment And thus he catches men and women some by Wine some by Women some by Kingdoms and he leads them captive when he hath taken them by some bait or other of the world something or other he presents sutable to the eye to the taste to the fancy or to their opinion he presents something or other sutable by which he leads them Captive at his will 13. Lastly We should not love the world because it is that which causes men to erre and go astray from the truth and from the wayes of God and leads them to Apostacy in the end 1 Tim. 6.10 The Love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith Mark they have erred from the faith if we love the world we will let the faith go and truth go and the wayes of God go and so we make way for Apostacy what was it caused Spira to renounce the faith whose story you have heard of and is among you it was the love of the world of his credit and esteem and outward engagements that he had These made him to renounce the faith And so Demas 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken me saith Paul and embrac'd the present world What forsake Paul that great Apostle brought up at the feet of Gamaliel a man wrapt up into the third Heavens a man of that note that Paul was to forsake him for the present world yet Demas did it the Love of the world drew him off from Paul and his Doctrine and Church State and wayes the Devil by that means drew him away So then you see the reasons why we should not love the world nor the things of the world But now a Question or two comes to be answered Qu. What must we then quite cast off the world and have nothing to do with the world Anâ— I answer not so neither 't is not said here we may not have the world but we must not love the world We may have to do with the world I shall answer this question in three or four things First We may study the world make it a part of our study we may study the works of God in the world they are honourable sought out of all them that have pleasure therein we may study the world for the world will teach us many good lessons First We may study the world and come to the knowledge of the invisible things of God by these visible things Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are cleerly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and God-head so that they are without excuse We may come to know there is an eternal God an Omnipotent God by these visible things and in the 12. Job 7 8. 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 These will teach us something the Beasts and the Fowls and the Earth and the Fishes will teach us the invisible things of God and instruct us in those things may do us good There 's something to be learned from these therefore we may study these God's power wisdom goodness mercy are all learned by the creatures Secondly The creatures do teach us prudence and providence Go to the Ant thou Sluggard he layes up in Summer against Winter Thirdly The creatures will teach us to do the will of God Psal 119.91 They Continue to this day according to thy Ordinances for all are thy Servants They all serve thee The Sun and Moon and Stars they all serve the Lord and the Winds do serve the Lord Psal 148.8 Stormy winds fulfil his Word The very winds do fulfill the word of God and obey his voice and do what he commands them to do They teach us therefore to do the will of God shall the waves and winds and all the creatures obey the Lord and shall not man obey the Lord for whom all these were made Fourthly They teach us to wait upon God 145. Psal 15. The eyes of all wait upon thee that thou mayest give them their meat in due season the fowls of the heaven wait upon God the very Leviathan in the Sea waits upon God for its meat in due season And what shall we be carking and caring about what shall we eat and what shall we drink and wherewith shall we be cloathed who feeds the Wild fowl in the air the Lord feeds them and therefore they teach us to wait upon God without carking and being distracted and desponding Fifthly The creatures do teach us to expect glorious liberty from the hand of God Rom. 8.14.21 The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God and v. 21. They wait to be delivered into the glorious liberty of the Children of God there is a glorious liberty for the Children of God to come to they may be in bondage and are at this day but there is a liberty and a glorious liberty and shall not we wait for it when the whole
things that we know we must part with and the loss of other things concerning our souls and which we should mind above all things in the world the Word of God and his Sabbath and Ordinances and Worship and the like these little trouble us Well by these things you may know whether you love the world yea or no and if it be so you are worthy of great blame for loving of the world In the next place it shall be a use of exhortation to exhort you not to love the world nor the things of the world the pomp of the world tho pleasures of the world the profits preferments and honours of the world and the things that are in it Love them not I shall do two things here First Give you several grounds or arguments to enforce the exhortation Secondly Some directions how to take off our hearts from loving the world First We should not love the world because it is a sin to love the world whatever is forbidden us is a sin and will you live in sin is sin a small matter sin is the transgression of a Law you will say well here 's the Law Love not the world If you love the world you transgress this Law therefore dont live in the transgression of this Law It 's an ill thing to live in sin Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sins shall dye be it what soul it will the souls of the highest or lowest learned or ignorant rich or poor if they live in sin they shall dye it 's a dangerous thing to live in sin a pleasing sin a profitable sin an honourable sin if you love the world you live in sin and we should as in the 12. Rom. 9. abhor that which is evil and love that which is good sin is evil the least sin is evil sinful thoughts sinful lusts are evil if unconsented to it's evil much more if consented to and lived in and practised it will bring forth death death eternal for the wages of sin is death that 's the first reason Secondly We should not love the world because it is the command of the great God the great and blessed and glorious God he commands us to not to love the world Love not the world saith he nor the things that are in it shall not the command of the great God obtain upon us and prevail with us In the word of a King there is power here 's the word of the greatest King of all Kings the great God of Heaven and Earth Love not the world saith God saith Peter Lord we have been toyling all the night and caught nothing nevertheless at thy command I will throw out the Net So the command of God we should hearken to it at thy command Lord I will not love the world nor the things of the world In the 35. Jer. 6. There are the Rechabites their Father commanded them to drink no Wine to plant no Vineyards to build no Houses and one comes to them and sets Wine before them and fills Cups and saith unto them drink Wine say they v. 6. we will drink no Wine for Jonadab the Son of Rechab our Father commanded us saying ye shall drink no Wine neither ye nor your sons for ever neither shall ye build House nor sow Seed nor plant Vineyard now see in the 14. v. what the Lord saith The words of Jonadab the Son of Rechab that he commanded his Sons not to drink Wine are performed Here 's dutiful Sons observe the command of their Father they will drink no Wine build no House sow no Seed They are performed for unto this day they drink none but obey their Fathers Commandment Notwithstanding I have spoken unto you rising early and speaking but ye hearkned not unto me saith God what a reproach is this to me faith God that the command of a man is observed and obeyed and the command of me the great God that have your lives and all in my hand is not observed not regarded well the great God he faith unto us Love not the world Therefore let his commands be of force and authority with us to knock our hearts off from the love of the world Thirdly Love not the world nor the things of it because it is the portion of the wicked of ungodly men Psal 17.14 From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world which have their portion in this life There are men of the world Inhabitants of the world they are of the world of worldly principles of worldly affections and of worldly practices and conversations they have their portion in this life saith he the things of this world are their portion would you have your portion here have your portion in these things it 's a poor portion a perishing portion an unsatisfying portion the worst portion of all In the 21. Job 7 8 9. Wherefore do the wicked live saith Job Lord wherefore doth the wicked live wicked men are not worthy to live in the world wherefore do the wicked live become old you are mighty in power To live and live long and be mighty in power and place and honour and estates they are mighty in power Their seed is established in their sight with them and their off-spring before their eyes They have their seed and posterity and are established Their houses are safe from fear neither is the rod of God upon them Their Bull gendreth and faileth not their Cow calveth and casteth not her Calf they send forth their little ones like a Flock and their Children dance They take the Timbrel and Harp and Rejoyce at the sound of the Organ They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment go down to the Grave Here are wicked men now you see it 's their portion to have the world to have the musick and mirth and all things according to their hearts desires it 's their portion and who would have such a portion It was the trouble of Jer. 12.1 Wherefore doth the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously wicked men prosper in the world though they deal treacherously yet they prosper and saith he Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root They grow yea they bring forth fruit Thou art near in their mouth and far from their Reins The world is the portion of wicked men therefore we should not love it Alexander a Heathen he had all the world he had it for his portion So Julius Caesar he had the Roman Empire for his portion Ahashuerus had 127 Provinces for his portion The world is meat for Dogs as the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is a portion fit for Dogs and 't is not Childrens meat therefore we should not love the world it is the portion of the wicked Fourthly We should not love the world because if we do we shall meet with great disappointments much trouble and little good in it Great afflictions we shall have in the world Joh. 16.