THE Morning Exercise METHODIZED Or certain chief HEADS and POINTS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION Opened and Improved in divers SERMONS BY SEVERAL Ministers OF THE CITY OF LONDON In the Monthly Course of the MORNING EXERCISE at GILES in the Fields MAY 1659. Eccles 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one shepheard LONDON Printed by E. M. for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1660. To the Right Honourable CHARLES Earle of WARWICK NICHOLAS Earle of SCARSDALE PHILIP Lord WHARTON JOHN GLYN late Lord Chief Justice of ENGLAND Sir JOHN BROWNLOW Baronet And to the Right Worshipful JOHN CREW Esq GILES HUNGERFORD Esq JOHN PIT Esq THOMAS ROBINSON Esq And to the rest of the Nobility Gentry and others the Inhabitants of Giles in the Fields Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Right Honourable and Beloved IT is no small advantage to the holy life to begin the day with God The Saints are wont to leave their hearts with him over night that they may find them with him in the Morning when I awake I am still with thee saith holy David Psal 139.18 Before earthly things break in upon us and we receive impressions from abroad 't is good to season the heart with thoughts of God and to consecrate the Early and Virgin operations of the mind before they are prostituted to baser objects When the world gets the start of Religion in the Morning it can hardly overtake it all the day and so the heart is habituated to vanity all the day long but when we begin with God we take him along with us to all the businesses and comforts of the day which being seasoned with his love and fear are the more sweet and savory to us If there were no other benefit of the Morning Exercise than to be an help to us in this setting the mind on work upon holy things before it receive taint from the world and the distraction of our ordinary affairs it should upon that account be a very welcome guest to our dwellings But there are other benefits not a few that do attend it wherever it goes namely that it hath become an happy occasion through Gods blessing of manifesting the Unity and Brotherly accord of the Ministers of this City whilest by their mutual labours they strengthen one anothers hands in the Lords work and by a joynt testimony confirm those truths which each one apart dispenceth to his own Auditory for in the mouth of two or three Witnesses shall every word be established 2 Cor. 13.1 Besides that by the course which this Exercise hath hitherto held each Auditory cometh to have a taste of the several gifts which one and the same Spirit dispenseth for the use of edifying and this not without some conformity to the antient pattern Other fruits and advantages of the Morning Exercise see in the Introduction Serm. 1. towards the end where the several Congregations of the same City were not plures Ecclesiae Collaterales divers Sister-Churches but one and the same Church meeting by parts in several places fed and supplied by Officers in common who by turns in each place dispenced the word to them having their Government in common Now this Morning Exercise hath the Lord once and again sent amongst you there is a Providence that goeth along with Ordinances the journeys of the Apostles were directed by the Spirit as well as their doctrines Acts 16.7 The course of this Exercise though it hath been ordered by mans choice yet not without Gods direction To you is this word of Salvation sent saith holy Paul Acts 13.26 not come or brought but SENT and that as a message from our heavenly Father without whose providnece a Sparrow falleth not to the ground Now it concerneth you to see what use you will make of it Sermons dye not with the breath in which they were uttered If the dust of the Preachers feet bear witnesse against the despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more Matth. 10.14 15. Wherever the Word is preached 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a testimony how for a testimony either to them Matth. 24.14 or against them Mark 13.9 God keepeth exact account or reckoning what means and advantages each place or people have enjoyed Three years have I come seeking fruit Luke 13.7 alluding to the three years of his own Ministry which then were fully elapsed This SECOND Miracle did Jesus in Canaan of Galilee John 4.54 He taketh notice of a first and a second so 2 Pet. 3.1 This SECOND Epistle write I unto you and Jer. 25.3 These THREE AND TWENTY years have I spoken the Word of the Lord rising early c. You see God keeps a Memorial how many years the Gospel hath been amongst a people yea every day is upon account for so it is added even unto this day What pressing Exhortations you have had how many and how long you have enjoyed them all is upon the File therefore it concerneth you to see that all this be not without fruit and some notable good effect that your account may be with joy and not with grief and shame The rather I urge this because the Exercises of this Month have not been ordinary Morning Exercises but all the Arguments were picked and chosen as the Preacher sought to finde out acceptable words even words of truth Eccl. 12.10 and disposed into a certain order for the greater benefit It is observed that the Psalms of David that are alphabetically disposed are most exact in the composure so I hope I may say without offence these Sermons digested into a method are the more accurate with what perspicuity and strength they are managed as to the Doctrinal part and with what warmth and vigour as to the Application I cannot speak being strictly enjoyned silence by my Brethrens severe modesty but the World will judge and you I hope will evidence by your own growth in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ These Sermons which with so greedy attention you formerly heard with the hearing of the ear are now written for a memorial and that they may be subjected to your view and more deliberate consideration I say they are written not only for the Churches use but yours in special and oh that they may be written upon your hearts engraven there with a durable Character such as shall never be defaced Honourable and Beloved I hope I need not presse any of you to get these books into your houses I can easily presume it of the abler sort amongst you and would earnestly presse it upon the meanest even the servants in your Families that they would abate not only of superfluous expences but deny themselves somewhat even of their ordinary conveniences to purchase these Sermons which if the Ministry should fail a judgement which England was never in such danger
God grounded upon the perswasion of his glorious being and the goodnesse of his nature which is not terrible to them but when they consider his mercy is a holy mercy and that it is never dispenc't to the prejudice of his justice though they cannot hate God for his goodnesse directly yet they hate him with it for although he is the perfection of beauty and goodnesse it self yet they being evil there is no congruity or conveniency between God and them they love sin and hate punishment Now God as Author legis by the most strict Laws forbids sin and as ultor peccati inflicts severe punishments from hence it proceeds the most lovely and sweet Attributes of God cannot endear him to them no more than the natural or moral excellencies of a Judge the comelinesse of his person or his wisdome and knowledge can draw forth the love of a Malefactor when he is condemned by him Moreover since the general nature of sin is an eternal contrariety to the nature and will of God the love of it must needs argue the hatred of God for as the Lord Jesus requires an universal chearful and constant obedience as the most clear evidence of love to him if you love me keep my Commandments So the Argument will be as strong to conclude backward If you keep not Gods Commandments you hate him to live in the practice of known sinnes is a vertual and interpretative hatred of God 2. The benefits which God bestows upon us deserve our love How great an endearment did he passe upon us in our Creation we might have been admitted into the lowest form of Creatures and have only enjoyed the life of flies or worms but he made us little lower than the Angels and Crowned us with glory and honour and gave us dominion over all the works of his hands Psal 8.5 Whereas the rest of the Creatures were the acts of his power the Creation of man was an act of power and wisdome in all the rest there was nothing but he spake the word and they were made Psal 148.5 But in the making of man there was a consultation about it Gen. 1. Let us make man he framed our bodies so that all the parts conspire for the ornament and service of the whole Psal 139.15 Thine eye did see my substance being yet imperfect and in thy book were all my members written and therefore Lactantius said truly hominem non patrem esse sed generandi Ministrum man is only the instrument which the Lord doth use for the effecting of his purpose to raise the beautiful Fabrick of mans body Now if we are obliged to expresse the dearest love to our Parents with how much greater reason should we love God who is the fountain of all our beings He hath breathed into man a spiritual immortal rational soul which is more worth than the whole World this is in some sort a spark and ray of Divine brightnesse 't is capable of Gods Image 't is a fit Companion for Angels to joyne with them in the praises of God and enjoy a blessed eternity with them 'T is capable of communion with God himself who is the fountain of life and happinesse The soul is endowed with those faculties which being terminated upon God it enjoys an infinite and everlasting blessednesse The understanding by knowledge rests in God as the first and highest in genere veri the will by love embraces him as the last and greatest in genere boni and so receives perfection and satisfaction which is the incommunicable priviledge of the rational soul Beasts can only converse with drossy and material objects they are confined to earthly things but the soul of man may enjoy the possession and fruition of God who is the Supreme and Soveraign good Now this should inflame our love to God he formed our bodies he inspired our souls Moreover if we consider our lives we shall finde a chain of mercy which reaches from one end to the other of them How many Miracles of Providence do we enjoy in our preservation how many unseen dangers do we escape how great are our daily supplies The provisions we receive do serve not only for necessity but for delight every day we have the provisions of meat and drink not only to cure hunger and all our thirst but to refresh the heart and to make us chearful in our work every houre is filled up with the bounties of God Now what shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits he desires our love this is the most proper return we can make for love is of an opening and expansive quality calling forth the heart our love within should break forth to close with Gods love without the love of obedience in us with the love of favour and bounty in him 'T is a principle of nature deeply implanted in the hearts of men to return love for love nay the very Beasts are not deficient in this Esay 1.3 The Oxe knows his Owner and the Asse his Masters Crib Those Creatures which are of all the most stupid and heavy respect their Feeders and expresse dumb signs of love unto them How much more should we love God who spreads our Table fills our Cup and causes his Sun to shine and his Rain to fall on us 'T is an Argument of Secret Atheisme in the heart that in the confluence of mercies we enjoy we do not look up to the Author of them as if common mercies were the effects of Chance and not of Providence if a man constantly relieves our wants we judge it the most barbarous disingenuity not to repay love to him but God loads us with his benefits every day his wisdome is always busied to serve his mercy and his mercy to serve our necessities but we are insensible and unaffected and yet the meanest mercy as it comes from God hath an excellency stamp't upon it We should upbraid our souls for our coldnesse to God everywhere we encounter sensible demonstrations of his love to us in every moment of our lives we have some pledges of his goodnesse Let us light our Torch at this Mountain of fire let the renewed act of his bounty constrain us to love him we should love him for his excellency though we had no benefit by him nay though he hated us we are bound to love him as he is truly amiable in himself how much more when he draws us with the cords of a man with bands of love whosoever requites the love of God with hatred as every impenitent sinner doth puts off the nature of man and degenerates into a Divel 2. Fear this is that eternal respect which is due to our Creator an humble reverence we owe to him as he is infinitely above us the holy Angels cover their faces when they have the clearest views of his glory Esay 6.1 2 3. The Lord is represented as sitting on a Throne and the Seraphims stood about each having six wings with twain he covered his
heavens called the Milky-way which are invisible upon the account but now mentioned Sense tells us that the Sunne is of greater magnitude in the morning and evening than at noon here reason again interposes corrects sense tells us it onely apeares so because of the densenesse or thicknesse of the air or medium and that for the same reason if you put a piece of money into a bason of water it will appeare of a larger size than if it were in a bason without water that which I aim at is this that as reason doth thus correct sense à pari faith should correct reason 2. Philosophical Axiomes must be kept within their proper bounds and limited to a finite power for instance Ex nihilo nihil fit that out of nothing proceeds nothing is a truth if it be understood with reference to a finite power So A privatione ad habitum non datur regressus is a truth upon the same termes Sic una numero essentia non potest esse in tribus personis that one and the same numerical essence cannot be in three distinct persons is a truth limited as before I mean with reference to a finite power but all this and ten thousand Arguments more of this nature cannot overthrow this principle that there are three persons and one God for we are not speaking now of that which is finite but of that which is infinite Suppose this Question should be started how the same numerical essence can be in three persons possibly an answer might be returned thus Suppose a father begets a sonne and communicates to him the same numerical soul and body which he hath still himself and both of these should communicate the same soul and body to a third here would be three distinct persons yet the same essence in them all but I know a reply would quickly be made This is impossible answer must be made It is true as to that which is finite but not unto that which is infinite c. The time allotted for this exercise being spent in the handling of the doctrinal part of this Observation I can speak but a few words to the Use and Application Use 1. This doctrine should establish us in the truth of the Gospel even this mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest unto the Church the Heathens as we have heard could not attaine unto this knowledge by the light of nature Oh what a comfort is this that we serve an incomprehensible God! one God and yet three persons to comprehend is to environ and keep in all that God is for my part I would not worship that God that I could comprehend the doings of God know no bounds much more his essence and subsistence Kings have their Crowns a circle about their head and should also have a circle about their feet they should not go which way they please but keep themselves with n the limits of Law both of God and man and this speaks them to be creatures though in a greater letter finite beings but it is otherwise with God as he will not have any Articles put upon him so he cannot have any circles or lines drawn about him for an infinite God to be finite and limited is a contradiction in adjecto 2. Let us study this doctrine of the Trinity and as a motive to this consider we cannot worship God aright without some knowledge of this truth As God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost are the object of divine faith so are they the object of divine worship we must worship Trinity in unity and unity in Trinity you may direct your prayers unto God the Father Son and holy Ghost but you must not pray unto either of the persons but as united unto the other Gerard tells us in Loc. com de sanctissimo Trinitatis mysterio cap. 1. that it is absolutely necessary in some measure to know this truth and that not only the denial of the Trinity of persons but the ignorance of it is damnable Eph. 2.12 the Apostle tells the Ephesians that sometime they were Atheists we render it without God in the world but in the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheists in the world and the reason of this you have in the beginning of the verse because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the knowledge of Christ although a man acknowledges there is but one true God yet if he knows not this God in Christ he is an Atheist 3. Blesse God for the cleare discovery of this truth under the Gospel Blessed are our eyes for we see and our eares for we heare 'T is Gods method to discover himself by degrees we know more of God now than the Jews did and we shall know more in heaven than we know on earth Now God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost lead us unto all truth and bring us at last unto himself that we may enjoy him and have a more full and clear discovery of him unto all Eternity Amen READER BE pleased to take notice that the worthy Authour of this Sermon not long after he had preached it by a very sad hand of God fell sick and dyed so that he had not opportunity himself to bring it forth into light you have it here as it was taken by a good Noter yet so as it hath been compared with the Authours own Notes which yet being for the most part wrote in Characters the Comparer could not make so much advantage of them as he desired Had the Lord been pleased to spare him his life this Discourse had come forth more exact and accurate than now it doth but such as it is it here presents it self to thee and 't is hoped though that is wanting which might please the learned eye yet there is that in it which may profit the judicious Christian you will here see the difference of Treatises put forth by the Authours themselves and by others which is as great as the difference betwixt the childe whom the mother nurses her self which is full and faire and lusty and that which is put out after her death which is too often infirme lean and starv'd If thou findest any thing in this Sermon that is for thy profit blesse God for it and pray that no more such hopeful instruments may be cut off in the prime of their days THE DIVINE AVTHORITY OF THE Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God c. YOu have heard there is a God and you have had a discourse concerning the Trinity I am now to clear and prove to you the Divine authority of the Scriptures therefore I crave your attention to what the Scripture reports of it self in 2 Tim. 3.16 c. It was motive enough to the Ephesians to plead and zealously to conte d for the image of Diana because they said it was that which fell from Jupiter Acts 19.35
Sure then you will have reason to plead for and to hold fast this blessed book which we call the Bible if I shall be able to make it further evident that it is tha book which God himself hath writ An Argument which you need to hear and which you had need seriously consider for as I shall anon presse it upon you if you did believe the glory the Scripture speaks of and the dreadful misery that remains for impenitent sinners in hell if things as they are stated in the Scripture were looked upon as real truths it would cause you presently to return to God by godlinesse There were even in the Apostles time seducers so you finde in the beginning of this Chapter persons that would resist the truth as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses Not only in the present age which is like the dregs of the world in comparison of the Primitive times but even then also there were seducers and deceivers there are Comets among the Stars as well as ignis fatuus that creep upon the earth what must Timothy do ver 14. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom than hast learned them and that from a childe thou hast known the Scriptures c. From a childe Jos phus in his book against Apion tells us the children of the Jews were so instructed in their Laws that they could scarce name a Law to them but they could tell it more shame to us Christians that take no care to teach Religion that may much more easily be learned than the Jewish Religion could From a childe thou hast learned the Scriptures And it would be a shame for a person so long instructed not to continue in this doctrine a shame for an old professor well educated to desert the principles of his Religion and forsake the truths of Scripture do not forsake them why this verse gives two reasons first it is of divine revelation secondly it 's profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse A little to explain the words All Scripture is given by inspiration of God Scripture in the Text is the same with the Holy Scriptures ver 15. for you must know that in the Bible the word Scripture is commonly taken for the holy Scriptures so search the Scripture ye erre not knowing the Scripture John 5.39 Matth. 22.29 John 10.33 the Scripture cannot be broken so you must understand it here all Scripture that is not every thing that is written but the holy Scripture Is of Divine inspiration the meaning is that the things written are not of humane invention are not the contrivance of any mans wit or any mans fancy but they are the real revelations of the minde and will of God And yet those things which were thus reveal'd good men were excited to write them and assisted in it I say the inspiration of God comprehends in it these two things First the truths contained in this Scripture were not inventions of mans braine ot fancy Secondly that they who writ them were excited to it and were assisted in it by the Holy Ghost The Text is both explain'd and confirm'd by the parallel place 2 Pet. 1.21 Knowing this first that no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost That you may a little understand this Text give me leave to glosse upon it In ver 16. the Apostle said we have not followed cunningly devised fables c. That which we have proposed and preached to you was nothing cunningly devised by us when we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ we saw him transfigured we did not go about to tell you the story our selves but if you will not believe that ver 19. We have also a more sure word of prophesie There are predictions concerning Christ in the Old Testament whereunto ye do very well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts Not as some Enthusiasts would interpret this that men should mind the Old Testament till the Spirit of God should tell them the truth of this Scripture and then throw away the Old Testament No it 's a light that shines in a dark place untill the day dawns and the day-star arise in your hearts I 'le give two interpretations either first that this heart is the dark place till the day-star arise and so the word untill shall not refer to the word take heed but only to dark place mans heart is the dark place But I rather take it till they saw the accomplishment of those Prophesies till you see that really fulfilled which hath been Prophesied Take heed why knowing this that no Prophesie of Scripture is of any private interpretation c. so we read the word in the Greek it is they are not of any private incitation and impulsion for the word hath reference to the custome of Racers now you know Racers do not set out when they please themselves but when he watch word is given Now no Prophesie is of any private interpretation they did not go about nor set about it till God really put them upon it for it was not the effect of their own will choice or invention but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Say the Papists the Scripture is of no private interpretation therefore you cann't understand it but that is just as if I should say you must not put what meaning you will upon my words and therefore you cann't understand them The Scriptures being from God are not to any of private interpretation that is to put any other meaning upon them than what God means but it doth not follow what God means cannot be understood Luke 1.70 it s said that God spake by the mouth of the holy Prophets c. The Apostles before they preached were endued with power from on high as you read in the Acts. Paul saith of himself it pleased God to reveal his Sonne in him Gal. 1.15 16. by the Revelation of the Gospel 1 Cor. 14.37 If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. Quest The grand enquiry will be how may any man be truly satisfied that this book is the Word of God or that it hath Divine authority or Divine inspiration I confesse 't is an undertaking too great for me but yet sometimes you have seen a little boat follow a great ship That I may distinctly do it and offer my own thoughts in this great enquiry I shall give you what I have to say in these seven Propositions Sol. 1. Prop. That there may be a Revelation from God no man
and more deadly than death it self Jer. 10.24 Correct me O Lord but not in thine anger Apprehensions of wrath were the dregs in Jobs Cup. Job 14.13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave and keep me in sec et till thy wrath be passed over He cannot stand in the face of Gods wrath though he knew it was passing and not abiding wrath and therefore begs a hiding anywhere and in the very grave till that wrath be over who then shall dwell with abiding wrath John 3.36 With eveâ—lasting burnings Isa 33.14 with fire and brimstone and tempest that hath â—atred in it Psa 11.5 6. 5. What the Lords glory is when it is proclaimed and passeth forth in a way of grace only in a little more lustre and brightnesse Moses needs putting in a clift of the Rock and to be covered with the Lords hand while the Lords glory passed by Exodus 33.22 Peter is swallowed up at a glimpse of the power of Christ Luke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinful man oh Lord what then when he speaketh in his wrath and vexeth in his sore displeasure Psal 2.5 6. What the Lords wrath is passing upon others All the children in the house tremble when the rod is taken down though not with respect to themselves but their fellows only Take a man whose heart is touched with the sense of the Lords greatness and that will be his temper Isa 2.19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the Caves of the earth for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth 7. What the Lords wrath is only hanging in the threatening His rebukes made both the eares of Eli to tingle 1 Sam. 3.11 2 King 21.12 There is a terrour when a Prince convenes and rates his Rebels for their conspiracies and insurrections against him though not yet brought to the barre or block Hab. 3.16 When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entered into my bones c. Josiah his heart was tender 2 King 22.19 When he heard what the Lord spake against Jerusalem and against the inhabitants thereof 8. What Christ himself did under the sense of this wrath to be poured forth Col. 2.9 Heb. 12 2. though supported with all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him and saw the glory beyond and the certainty of his resurrection and the fruits of the travels of his soul that should be yet sweats Luke 22.44 and that clods of blood to the very ground prayes and that with strong cries and teares that if possible Heb. 5.7 Luke 12 50. this cup might passe Though other considerations made him drink it chearfully yet nature droops and cannot bear up under this burden Those pills are very bitter that very health it self doâ—h hardly sweeten You that are yet in the mire of meer nature steep your thoughts in these things that ye may have a little taste what an evil and bitter thing it is that Gods wrath and displeasure is out against you But this is not all God may be displeased and very highly with his own people Isa 47.6 I was wroth and polluted mine inheritance viz. dealt with it as if a polluted and unclean thing 2. God reckons and will deal with men and women found in their natural estate as his enemies Gods tender-hearted servants have not been able to bear the apprehension of this Job 19.11 He hath kindled his wrath against me and counteth me to him as his enemies the plural number encreases the sense as his deadly enemy He that takes the Bible and carefully turns it over and considers the contents thereof and what he hath said of those he reckons his enemies will have a further glimpse of the dreadfulnesse of this condition Nahum 1.2 He reserveth wrath for his enemies that is he hath built and made wide the storehouses of hell that there might be wrath enough in due season to be drawn forth for them Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Isa 1.24 Ah I will ease me of my Adversaries and avenge me of my enemies Heb. 10.27 Judgement and fiery indignation shall devoure the Adversaries And this must be applied to both sorts of enemies 1. Close That go closely on in wayes of sin secretly correspond with the Divel and his temptations and their darling lusts and will not lay the bucklers down though they smile in the Lords face and Isa 58.2 Seek him dayly and dâ—light to know his wayes as a Nation that doth righteousness and forsaketh not the Ordinances of their God Flatter him with their lips and lye to him with their tongues Psal 78.36 2. Open enemies that proclaime and declare warre against heaven that do and will do what they please let the Lord say and do what he will to the contrary As Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice Psal 12.4 Our lips are our own who is Lord ov r us Luk. 19.14 His Citizens hated him and sent a message after him saying We will not have this man reign ver us And understand when the Lord so deals with this sort of sinners he takes a kind of comfort in it Ezek. 5.13 Thus my anger shall be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them and I will be comforted To others the Lord distributes sorrows with sorrow and speaks of himself as grieved when he puts them to grief Judg. 10.16 Lam. 3.33 Isa 63.9 But here he is comforted in making them the resting place of his fury Prov. 1.26 The heat and height of his fury poured forth upon incurable sinners is comfortable and pleasing to him Isa 30.32 In every place where the grounded staff shall passe which the Lord shall cause to rest upon him it shall be with Tabrets and Harps Vengeance on such is musick and delight to the Lord Rev. 18.20 and to his people This is the first and not the meanest part of the misery of faln man that he is under the Lords wrath that is such as God is displeased with and will reckon and deale with as his enemies 2. Every natural man and woman is exposed to and under the Curse of the Law Is this nothing to have the Word against thee Job 13. â—6 and to have the Lord write bitterly against thee in that very Book which is the storehouse of comforts and supports to others Dreadful is that language of Ahab concerning Micaiah 1 King 22.8 There is yet a man by whom we may enquire of the Lord but I hate him for he doth not prophesie good concerning me but evil So that language of a natural mans heart Gods mind is in that book but I cannot abide to read therein or to hear it opened and applied by a lively rowzing Preacher for it only raises stormes and tumults in
any receive not him this wrath tarries still and will cleave to and abide upon him for ever John 3.36 He speaks with authority Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies bring them and slay them before me and it shall be done 3. That the Psalmist makes it as it is a point of wisdome in the greatest to kisse the Son with a kisse of homage and subjection Psal 2 11 12. least he be angry what is the danger of that and ye perish in the war of your hopes and purposes and never compasse grace nor glory If his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are all those which put their trust in him 4. That then ye may plead with the Lord with humble boldnesse Psal 74.1 Why doth thine anger smoak against the Sheep of thy Pasture remember thy Congregation which thou hast purchased of old the rod of thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed c. 5. And assure your hearts of welcome Prov. 21.14 A gift in secret pacifieth wrath and a reward in the bosome strong wrath Mark their policy Acts 12.10 and be assured the relations of Christ are beloved of the Father Job 33.24 Then he is gracious to him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransome 2. To those which the Lord hath translated out of their natural condition 1. Bring the work often to the touchstone that you may not boast in a false gift gold will endure the test and be more fully manifested to be gold indeed and finding the work to be right live with an enlarged heart to the praise of that grace which hath made this change 2. Deal seriously in the mortification of sin which God only strikes at and in order thereto count sin the worst of evils if this were done and throughly and fixedly done in our spirits there is nothing of any other directions would be left undone To set up this judgement there needs 1. Ploughing carefully with the Lords heifer viz. search into the Oracles of God there and there only are lively portraitures of sin and the genuine products and traine of sin 2. The eye-salve of the Spirit We are blinder than Batts in this matter and are indisposed very much or rather wholly to let this truth sink down into our hearts 3. Applications to the Throne of grace None but those which deal in good earnest in heaven will see the hell and mystery of sin in themselves He gives the Holy Ghost to them which ask him 4. Excussions and communings with your selves Prov. 20.27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly and duly made use of will tell many stories correspondent to the Word of truth use conscience and use therewith another and bigger candle to rummage the dark room of thy heart with Superadde to conscience the succours of the Word and Spirit and thou shalt do something in the search and finde out convictively the swarms of evil in thine own heart 5. The work of grace There will be else a beam in the eye and plaine things will not be plaine to us Gods work holds intelligence and is of amicable affinity with his Word grace hath the only excellent faculty in looking through sin 6. Attendance to the Lords administrations against sin God writes in great letters in the world what he had first written in the Scriptures every breach by sin should lead down into more hatred brokennesse of spirit and shame before the Lord for sinne This is the engaging evil this engages God and the holy Angels and Devils and the very man against himself Nothing can be his friend to whom sin hath made God an enemy Wo to the man that is in this sense alone and hath heaven and earth and hell and all within the Continent of them against him it is impossible for that mans heart and hands to stand strong This is the mighty prevailing evil Never was man so stout as to stand before the face of sin but he shivered and was like a garment eaten up of moths This hath fretted the joynts of Kingdomes in pieces Psal 39.11 and made the goodliest houses in the world a heap of rubbish Zech. 5.4 will make Bab lon that sits as a Queen an habitation of Divels Rev. 18.2 and the hold of every foule spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful birds made the Angels Divels and heaven it self too hot for them Never were the like changes made as by sinne grace makes not changes of richer comfort than sin doth of dismal consequence it is made by the Holy Ghost an argument of the infinity of the power of God to pardon and subdue sinne Micah 7.18 3. Bear all afflictions incident to an holy course chearfully The Martyrs went joyfully into the fire because the flames of hell were quenched to them bore their Crosse easily because no curse and damnation to them in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.13 4. Reduce your anger to the similitude of Gods which is very slowly kindled and is an intense holy displicence only against sin Psal 103.8 and is cleans'd from all dregs of rashnesse injustice and discomposure such zeal should eat us up John 2.17 MANS IMPOTENCY TO Help himself out of that misery ROM 5.6 For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly IN this Chapter there are two parts in the first the Apostle layes down the comfortable fruits and priviledges of a justified estate in the second he argues the firmnesse of these comforts because they are so rich that they are scarce credible and hardly received The firmnesse and soundnesse of these comforts the Apostle representeth by a double comparison 1. By comparing Chr st with Christ and 2. Christ with Adam Christ with Christ or one benefit that we have by him with another from the Text to ver 12. then Christ with Adam the second Adam with the first to the end of the Chapter In comparing Christ with Christ three considerations do occur 1. The efficacy of his love towards us before justification with the efficacy of his love towards us after justification the argument standeth thus if Christ had a love to us when sinners and his love prevailed with him to die for us much more may we expect his love when made friends if when we were in sin and misery shiftless and helpless Christ had the heart to die for us and to take us with all our faults will he cast us off after we are justified and accepted with God in him this love of Christ is asserted in the 6. verse amplified in the 7. and 8. verses and the conclusion is inferred verse 9. much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him The second Comparison is of the efficacy of the death of Christ and the efficacy of the life of Christ 't is absurd to think that Christ rising from the dead
We have three notable advantages in our temporal promises beyond what they had in theirs 1. The Old Covenant had special promises of temporal good things in the Land of Canaan for the preserving of their Mosaical policy untill the time of the Messiah to be born of that people promises of long life c. The New Covenant hath promises of all good things necessary without any such clog All good works shall be rewarded and he promiseth to give a present temporal reward in part of payment Eph. 6.8 Whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free and which is more 1 Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse is profitable unto all having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 2. The temporal good things promised in the Old Testament were symbolical they prefigured spiritual benefits by Christ we have them without any such adjoyned significations Col. 2.17 They had a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ They had a more sparing taste of heavenly good things in earthly benefits we have a more streight and direct way unto eternal life 3. Promises of temporal good things were in the Old Covenant more frequent in the New Covenant more rare and this I name as their excellency because they are thrown in as meer additions to spiritual promises * Alting Ma. 16.33 Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you this for temporal promises And for spiritual promises which are the best of the Gospel-Covenant not only the conditions of those promises are more easie for whereas it was Do this and live Gal. 3.15 now it is Believe and thou shalt not come into condemnation * Camero Joh. 3.18 but the condition is also promised Jer. 31.34 I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Câ—venant they brake although I was an Husband unto them saith the Lord but this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall know me from the least of thâ—m unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinnes no more Gods hearty good will is herein manifested Jer. 32.41 I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this land assuredlâ— with my whole heart and with my whole soul If you say these are Old-Testament promises and belonged to them to whom they were spoken and were not only Prophetical so as to concern another people * Calv. Instit I grant it Rom. 3.19 We know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law But they had not that efficacy of the Spirit to make these promises so effectual as was Prophesied and promised for the times of the Gospel * Synop. pu th Joel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterwards mark that afterwards I will poure out my Spirit upon all flesh c. The measure of the Spirit which they did receive tended mostly to bondage Gal. 4.24 25. but the Spirit is to us a Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 And therefore the Gospel is specially called the Word of Gods grace Acts 20.32 as if all the grace that God had formerly expressed had been nothing in comparison of this Rom. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under grace Law and grace are opposed as condemnation and mercy thus the Gospel is the better Covenant in respect of the promises of it 5. The Gospel is the better Covenant in respect of the effects of it the Old Covenant shews us sin doth accuse us and declares us guilty before the judgement of God Rom. 3.19 20. That every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne It subjects us under the curse and condemneth sinners for the transgressing of Gods commands Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them and all the people shall say Amen So Gal. 3.10 it is the ministry of death 2 Cor. 3.6 7. but now the Gospel that proclaims pardon of sin and lifts up with quickening consolation Isa 61.1 2. in the Law God is considered as reproving sin and approving righteousnesse in the Gospel as remitting sin and repairing righteousnesse and therefore the Word of the Gospel is called good seed Mat. 13.3 The seed of Regeneration 1 Pet. 1.23 The Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 19. The Ministration of the Spirit Gal. 3.2 The Word of faith Rom. 10.8 The Word of life Phil. 2.16 The power of God Rom. 1.16 That whereby the righteousnesse of God is manifest Rom. 3.21 The destruction of unbelievers is not the end of the Gospel but that is through their own fault Polan Syntag. eventus adventitius an accidental event God abundantly declares in the Gospel that he delights not in the death of sinners but in the saving translation of them by faith and repentance from the power of darknesse into the Kingdome of his dear Son The best effect of the Legal Covenant is the bringing man into the Gospel-Covenant and 'pray ' observe how when it is most effectual it turns over the sinner to the Better Covenant 1. It discovers sin to us Rom. 7.7 I had not known sin but by the Law but wherefore is it that we know sin at all that we might be compelled to seek reparation in the Gospel-Covenant Gal. 3.21 22. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe 2. The Old Covenant restrains sin there is a natural stupidnesse in mens consciences but then when the dreadful threatnings of the Law still sound in their ears man is somewhat affrighted and hath some reluctancy though afterwards the Law of the minde is led captive by the Law of the members and man forbears sin as having a bridle put upon him Ringente interim intus tumultuante appetitu corrupto though he be restrained from sin yet it is but a kinde of coactior it ends best when it ends in a spontaneous and voluntary inclination of the minde to forsake sin and hate it and that is the work of the Gospâ—l-Covenant 3. The Old Covenant works fear
audaciousness to bid the Son of God fall down and worship him Mat. 4.9 10. Christ said Get thee behind me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve The Devils are bound to bow though they refuse 2. The Devil Rebels and wicked men do not bow to but blaspheme the Name of Christ and yet Jesus Christ hath and doth exercise Authority over them 1. In limiting them 2. In punishing them 1. In that he doth limit them The Devil could not take away either Jobs Cattle Job 1.11 12. Luke 8.32 Servants Children or Health but as far as Gods permissive Providence was pleased to lengthen the chain and though God doth lengthen the chain yet he alwayes keeps the chain in his hand The Devils could not go into the Herd of Swine till they had first ask't leave of Jesus Christ And so persecuters they are limited too the Devil and his instruments they are limited The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that you may be tried and you shall have tribulation ten dayes Thus the Devil and his instruments are bounded 1. As to the Persons whom they shall persecute the Devil shall cast some of you not all into Prison 2. As to the kind of trouble the Devil shall cast you into Prison not into hell Rev. 2.10 3. As to the time you shall have tribulation ten dayes and not for ever 2. God will punish them and so they shall be Subject to Christ 1. In this life for though the patience of God be long-suffering yet it is not alwayes suffering 2 Pet. 2.8 Luke 18.7 Psal 110.11 Luke 19.27 and though he do beare long yet he will avenge his elect 2. At the last day The unjust are reserved to be punished at the day of judgement then will Christ put all his enemies under his feet and then Christ will say As for those mine enemies that will not that I should reign over them bring them forth and slay them before my face the total final subject on of the Devil and Wicked men of all the enemies of Christ unto him shall be at the last day then shall all knees bow before God Thus the Lord speaks in the Prophet I have sworne by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness Isa 45.23 and shall not return that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sweare To this Scripture it is that the Apostle alludes in this place and if you ask when shall this vniversal subjection be unto Christ the Apostle will answer you in his Epistle to the Romanes To this end Christ both died and rose and revived Rom. 14.9 10 11 that he might be Lord both of dead and living but why dost thou judge thy Brother or why dost thou set at naught thy Brother we shall all stand before the judgement Seat of Christ for it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God And so I am come to the third and last particular of Christs Exaltation viz. Every tongue shall confesse that Jesus is the Lord. In the handling of which I shall resolve these Questions Quest 1. What are we to understand by every tongue Answ 1. Some understand every tongue for every Nation and then the meaning is Omnis linguae pro quavis Gente Dan. 3.4 Rev. 5.9 Psal 67.7 Psal 2.8 Psal 72.9 Rom. 10.18 that the Name of Christ shall be acknowledged and worshipped by every Nation and so in Scripture Phrase Tongue and Language and Nation they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of the same notion and import And this is true that before the end of the world all the ends of the earth shall worship the Name of Christ. The Heathen shall be his inheritance and the uttermost ends of the earth his possession and they that dwell in the Wildernesse shall bow before him and the Sunne-light of the Gospel shall shine all the world over And it is very remarkable how God did repair the confusion of tongues by the gift of tongues Gen. 11.7 compared with Acts 2.11 Rom. 10.10 2. But I rather conceive that by every tongue is meant every person as by every knee every person for with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Quest 2. What are we to understand here that Jesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 2.8 Answ Jesus Christ is the Lord the Lord of glory in several respects 1 Cor. 8 6. Rom. 11.36 1. He is the Lord as he is Creatour of heaven and earth to us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him For of him and through him and to him are all things Heb. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.2 2 Cor. 4.5 2. As he was the Son of God so he is the Lord and so he hath obtained by inheritance this most excellent Name to be Lord and Christ thus Christ is Lord of all jure haereditario as he was the Heire of all things Jesus Christ is the Lord so speaks the Apostle We preach Christ Jesus the Lord. 1. Christ is a Lord to command us he hath that Authority that he hath an absolute Soveraignty over our consciences men are but Servants of our Faith Stat pro rationibus universis Deus vult but Christ is the Lord of our Faith and Consciences It is enough that Christ hath said it that he hath commanded it Heb. 7.25 2. Christ is a Lord to save us and he hath power and ability to save to the uttermost all those that come unto God through him And thus as he hath the Authority of a Lord to command us we should willingly obey him and as he hath the power and ability of a Lord to save us we should chearfully trust in his Name To confess that Jesus is the Lord is so to believe on him as to say Mat. 8.26 Acts 9 6. Lord save us or else we perish and so to obey him as to say Lord what wouldst thou have me to do Now as every knee must bow to the Dominion of Christ so every tongue must confess that Jesus is the Lord. 1. The Devils and Wicked men shall be forced at the last to acknowledge the power of Christ whose Authority they have alwayes rebell'd against And as Pharaoh and the Egyptians cryed out Exod. 14.15 Lâ—t us flee for the Lord fighteth against us So shall the stoutest-hearted sinner one day flee from the presence of Christ Rev. 6.16 and call to the Mountains to shelter them from the wrath of the Lamb. And all the implacable enemies of Christ they shall be forced through spite and rage to gnaw their tongues and gnash their teeth and say as that Cursed Apostate Julian Thou hast overcome me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Galilean 2. All the Saints
5.3 Well may the Prophet conclude They are poor and foolish and know not the Lord oâ— the judgment of their God ver 4. For even iron and steel is soft whil'st in the fire and impenitency under the Rod exposeth unto inevitable ruine they are reprobate from Gods favour who repent not in the time of his fury the saddest symptom of displeasure is to hear God determine You shall be smitten no more Isa 1.5 for ye will revolt still more and more God sealeth up to everlasting vengeance by a spirit of impenitency My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own cuonsels Psal 81.11 12. The proud Pharaoh that is not melted by and repents not under Gods many judgments is raised for this very purpose that God might shew his power and make known his minde unto the ends of the earth by their certain and severe destruction Rom. 9. Whil'st then the sons of men are by nature the children of wrath subjects of sin and liable to sorrows obnoxious to Gods chastising hand and land-destroying judgments provoking Divine displeasure and Repentance the only means to divert or remove the same must they not call one upon another Come let us return unto the Lord though he have wounded he will heal us Hos 6.1 2 3. And for us in this Land and Nation Are we not the subjects of sin and most horrid God-provoking sins which God cannot but punish pride and perfidiousnesse profanesse and perjury blasphemy and base contempt of his Ordinances and what not iniquity unto the very despising the Word of the Lord and mocking his Messengers that his wrath could no longer forbear but hath made us the subjects of shame and sorrow The furious footsteps of an angry God are to be found among us God hath smitten us with pestâ—lence after the manner of Egypt our young men have been slain with the edge of the Sword and yet his wrath is not turned away Our Fouâ—dations are removed Laws violated and Liberties invaded his Name and Truth blasphemed his Church laid waste and his People sadly subjected to a spirit of delusion And what Confusions Commotions sad because sinful Revolutions compasse us about making us a shame among the Nations and a burden to our selves And yet his wrath is not turned away but his anger is stretched out still because we have not returned unto the Lord. How many and heavy judgments hang over our heads threatning the extirpation of the Church eradication of the Gospel and desolation of our Nations And what is our remedy to remove what we feel or prevent what we fear is it not Repentance is not this ENGLANDS Unum Necessarium One thing necessary Should not all the Ministers of God cry Repent ENGLAND Repent Repent Must not all conclude in this respect Repentance is a grace of absolute necessity but Secondly Repentance is necessary to answer the call of the Gospel We are called Christians and do professe subjection to the Gospel of Jesus Christ our care must be in all things to walk as becometh the Gospel Hippocrates took an oath of his followers Phil. 1.27 to keep their profession unstained and their lives unblameable Sure I am that in our Baptisme we are dedicated and engaged to yield obedience to the Gospel and shew forth its holinesse and power by due acts of Repentance renouncing the flesh the world and the Divel for indeed Repentance is the great duty imposed by the Gospel and all such as will conform unto the commands of the Gospel must repent Acts 17.30 Now God commandeth all men everywhere to repent The light of Nature and of the Law did direct men unto Repentance but the light of the Gospel is a loud call unto all men to repent times of past ignorance were times of Divine Indulgence but these Gospel-days are seasons of imperious injunction God now câ—mmandeth all men not pity or patience must now be expected without serious pennance there are many things considerable in the Gospel whereby it calls to Repentance which doth evidence the indispensable necessity thereof and binds all men to answer viz. 1. The positive duty directed in and required by the Gospel is Repentance This is the main matter prescribed in it and preached by it John the Baptist the harbinger of the Messiah and first publisher of the Gospel came preaching Repentance and therefore his whole Doctrine and Administration is called the Baptisme of Repentance Mark 1.4 And the Lord Jesus the great Prophet and Apostle of the Gospel made his first appearance in the world at the imprisonment of John preaching Repentance for that thâ— Kingdome of God was at hand and the great disrespect he chargeth on the Jews was that they repented not either at the preachâ—ng of John or himself though both differently administred to anticipate their caption so that the great work of both appeareth to have been to bring men to Repentance The first Sermon that ever Peter preached after Christ his Ascension was to perswade Repentance this was and is the matter of all Preaching and the main end of all Ministry for the sole errand of the Gospel is to open the blinde eyes Acts 26.18 to turn men from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God and hence Repentance from dead works is reckoned as one of the first and foundation principles of the Gospel Hebr. 6.1 And certainly principles are positively necessary undeniable and indispensable truths Contra principia negantem non est disputandum he is to be declined as mad that denieth principles so that Repentance is the first chief and main lesson taught by the Gospel and its call thereunto then must needs be great 2. The prime priviledge of the Gospel is Repentance This is the royal gift of our Redeemer Jesus Christ he is exalted and made a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance the prime grace conveyed unto us by the Covenant of grace contained in the Gospel is Re entance he taking away the stâ—ny heart and giving us hearts of flesh making us to see the evil of our ways and doings The great Errand for which the Gospel is seâ—t into the world is Repentance they that receive the Gospel and not Repentance by it shall be upbraided as were Bethsaida Matth. 11. Chorazin and Capernaum as unworthy so high a favour nay they shall have their torments aggravated by the enjoyment but non-improvement of so high a favour It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah they never enjoyed a Gospel to call to Repentance this is the end of all the promises of God to make us partakers of the Divine nature escaping the corruptions that arâ— in the world through lust 2 Pet. 7.4 The proposals of glory and happinesse are the principles of purity and holinesse we have these great and precious promises that we may cleanse
the searing of the conscience is the clasping of the book but when this book of conscience shall be unclasped at the great day then all their Hypocrisie Treason Atheisme shall appear to the view of Men and Angels * Luke 12.3 the sinnes of men shall be written upon their forehead as with a Pen of Iron * Cunctis agminibus patebunt universa scelera tua Bern. Thirdly The Circumstances of the Tryal where consider foure things 1. The Impartiality 2. The Exactnesse 3. The Perspicuity 4. The Supremacy First The Impartiality of the Tryal Jesus Christ will do every man justice he will as the Text saith judge the world in righteousnesse It will be dies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justice holds the scales The Thebanes did picture their Judges blind and without hands * Reusner blinde that they might not respect persons without hands that they might take no bribes Christs Scepter is a Scepter of righteâ—usnâ—sse * Hebr. 1.8 Hebr. 1.8 He is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or respecter of persons 't is not nearnesse of blood prevailes Many of Christs Kindred shall be condemned 'T is not gloriousnesse of profession many shall go to hell with Christ in their mouths Mat. 7.22 * Mat. 7.22 Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Divels c Yet though they cast out Divels they are cast out to the Divel 'T is not the varnish of a picture that a judicous eye is taken with but the curiousnesse of the work 'T is not the most shining profession Christ is taken with unlesse he see the curious workmanship of grace in the heart drawn by the Pensil of the Holy Ghost Things are not carried there by parties but aequa lance in a most just balance Christ hath true weights for false hearts there are no fees taken in that Court the Judge will not be brib'd with an hypocritical tear or a Judas kisse * Veniet dies illa in qua plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba conscientia bona quam marsupia plena judex enim non falletur verbis nec flectetur donis Bern. Secondly The Exactnesse of the Tryal it will be very critical tâ—en will Christ throughly purge his floor Mat. 3.12 Not a grace or a sin but his Fan will discover Christ will at the day of judgement make an heart-anatomy as the Chyrurgion makes a dissection in the body and doth criticize upon the several parts or as the Goldsmith doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring his gold to the balance and touch-stone and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pierce his gold thorow to see if it be right and genuine and whether there be not a baser mettal w thin Thus the Lord Jesus whose Eyes are as a flame of fâ—re Revel 1.14 will pierce thorow the hearts of men and see if there be the right mettal within having the Image and Superscription of God upon it Paint falls off before he fire the hypocrites paint will fall off at the fiery Tryal nothing then will stand us in stead but sincerity Thirdly the perspicuity of the Trial sinners shall be so clearly convicted that they shall hold up their hand at the Barre and cry guilty those words of David may be fitly applyed here Psalm 51.4 that thou mayst be cleare when thou judgest The sinner himself shall clear God of injustice The Greek word for vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies justice Gods taking vengeance is doing justice sin makes God angry but it cannot make him unrighteous the wicked shall drink a Sea of wrath but not sip one drop of injustice Christ will say Sinner what Apology canst thou make for thy self are not thy sins written in the book of conscience hadst thou not that book in thy own keeping who could interline it now the sinner being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned shall clear his Judge Lord though I am damned yet I have no wrong done me thou art cleare when thou judgest Fourthly The Supremacy of the Court this is the highest Court of Judicature from whence is no appeal Men can remove their causes from one place to another from the common Law to the Court of Chancery but from Christs Court there is no appeal he who is once doomed here his condition is irreversible 6. The sixth and last particular is the effect or consequence of the Tryal Which consists in three things First Segregation Christ will separate the godly and the wicked Mat. 25.32 Matth. 25.32 He shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats Then will be the great day of separation it is a great grief to the godly in this life that they live among the wicked Wo is me that I sojourn in Meseck Psal 120.5 Wicked men blaspheme God Psal 74.18 and persecute the Saints 2 Tim. 3.12 They are compar'd to dogs * Psal 22.16 to Bulls * Psal 68.30 to Lions * Psal 57.4 they roare upon the godly and tear them as their Prey Cain kills Ishmael mocks Shimei rails The godly and the wicked are now promiscuously mingled together * Mat. 13.30 and this is as offensive as the tying a dead man to a living but Christ will ere long make a separation as the Fan doth separate the wheat from the chaff as a Furnace separates the gold from the drosse or as a searcer strains out the spirits from the dregs Christ wâ—ll put the sheep by themselves who have the ear-mark of Election upon them and the Coats by themselves after which separation there follows Secondly The Sentence which is two-fold 1. The sentence of absolution pronounced upon the godly Matthew 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you After the pronouncing of which blessed sentence the godly shall go from the Barre and sit upon the Bench with Christ 1 Cor. 6.3 Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the world The Saints shall be Christs Assessors they shall sit with him in Judicature as the Justices of Peace with the Judge they shall Vote with Christ and applaud him in all his judicial proceedings Here the world doth judge the Saints but there the Saints shall judge the world 2. The sentence of condemnation pronounced upon the wicked Matth. 25.41 ite maledicti Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire I may allude to that James 3.10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing out of the same mouth of Christ proceeds blessing to the godly and cursing to the wicked the same wind which brings one ship to the Haven blows another ship upon the Rock Depart from me the wicked once said to God Depart Job 21.14 They say unto God Depart from us and now God will say to them Depa t from me this will be an heart-rending word Chrysostome saith this word Depart is worse than the fire Depart from
then his * Cant. 2.14 v ice will be sweet when he shall call to them to come up to * Isa 25.6 this Mountain to a feast of fat things a feast of wine on the Lees of fat things full of maâ—row of wines on the Lees well refined Laetissimè excipientis 3. 'T is the speech of one that bids us welcome to the feast too Come my friends I it is Come and welcome now Come poor heart thou hast been coming a long time I went my self to call thee I * 2 Chron. 36.15 sent my Messengers rising up early and sending them continually to invite thee to come in I sent my holy Spirit also like a Dove from heaven and it did light upon thee and gave thee an Olive branch of peace in the Wildernesse of thy fears when it allured thee and call'd thee from all thy wandrings then I sent my black rod for thee by that grim Serjeant death to strip thee of thy soul body of sin not to be touched but by the Angel of death then I sent my Angels to bring thy soul to the Courts of thy God and now by the sounding of the last Trumpet I have call'd for thy sleepy body to arise out of the * Psal 22.15 dust of death And now after all these Messengers thou art come I will not upbraid thee for thy delays but come come blessed soul with as many welcomes as there are Saints and Angels in glory I have * John 14.2 prepared a place for thee * Cant. 5.1 thou at come into my Garden Eat oh friends Drink yea drink abundantly oh beloved And so I have done with the explication of the several branches of the Text now let us see what fruit they bear that may be * Cant. 2.3 sweet to oru taste First 1. Infer Then if there be a Kingdome prepared before the foundation of the World for the blessed Saints and holy ones then what manner of persons are * 2 Pet. 3.11 we in all unholy Conversation and godlessnesse in this generation Men are as dead to Religion as if heaven was but a dream and as hot upon sin as if hell had no fire or was all vanished into smoak as atheistical and wretched as if neither heaven hell nor earth neither did feel a God or any memorandum's of his Providence Therefore a little to fortifie this notion which artificial wickednesse hath endeavoured to expel and expunge out of natural consciences I shall endeavour to confirme your faith by Scripture and reason The Socinians deny the revelation of eternal life and a state to come to have been propounded under the Old Testament and the reward being only earth their Law and obedience to be but carnal and low which is to level the Jews to the order of brutes that so the Gentiles under the Gospel might be advanced to the state of men and so by vertue of rhe new prize of immortal life proposed they should have a new command as their care to run which is all as true as that all the Tribes of Israel were converted into Isacar's * Gen. 49.4 strong asses couching down between two burdens but * Luke 7.35 wisdome is justified of her children and the Chaldee paraphrase renders those words * Gen. 4.7 Remittetur tibi in saeculo futuro if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted by this glosse Amend thy works in this world and thou shalt be forgiven in the world to come and the â—argum says the very dispute betwixt Cain and Abel was concerning a world to come and those carnal Hereticks that * Jude ver 10.11 19. are sensual not having the spirit in what they know naturally as brute beasts corrupt themselves they are gone into the way of Cain But when God tells Abraham * Gen 15.1 I am thy exceeding great reward and Jacob cries out * Gen. 49.18 I have waited for thy salvation O Lord even when about to dye God stiling himseâ—f their God is not by our Saviours authority * Mat. 22.32 the God of the dead but of the living therefore God held out eternal life in the promises yea and in the very command too * Levit. 18.3 Gen. 3.12 do this and live the reward of that obeeience there enjoyned was no lesse than this everlasting life as appeareth by our Saviours interpretation when the Lawyer came to him * Luke 10.25.28 saying Master What shall I do to inherit eternal life and he said What is written in the Law how readest thou and he answered thou shalt love the Lord c. and Jesus said Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live that is thou shalt have that thou desiredst viz. inherit eternal life and the very reproach of the Sadduces and the distinction of their Sect from Pharisees and others argueth sufficiently the world to come was a very common notion among all the Jews and indeed the whole land of Canaan was but a comprehensive type and shadow of heaven and all their Religion but a * Hebr. 10.1 shadow of good things to come in the Kingdome of heaven as well as in the Kingdome of the Messiah * John 8.56 whose day they then saw and were glad and if the Gospel contain the promise of eternal life then they had it in Abrahams days * Gal. 3.8 for the Gospel was preached before to him yea and before to Adam * Gen 3.15 that the seed of the woman should break the S rpents head and the skins of the Sacrifices wherewith he was cloathed might suggest the putting on of that promised seed and his obedience who was * Isa 53.5 to be bruised for the iniquities of his people But now to awaken Atheistical souls that deny not only the revelation of this Kingdome of God under the old Testament but its reality and existence under old and new consider these foure things very briefly as the limits of this Exercise command 1. The whole Creation is a Book which always lyeth open wherein we may read that there is a God who made the goodly Structure and Fabrick of Heaven and Earth Who else could be able to * Job 26.7 hang the vast body of the Earth upon nothing or to * Ver. 10. girdle the Sea and all its mountainous Waves with a Rope of Sand * Psal 104.2 to spread the heavens as a Curtain and hang up those vast Vessels of light in the Skies there must be a being existent from and of himself and so being improduced is infinitely perfect and comprehendeth all those perfections dispersed through the whole Creation and infinitely more yet what he makes is like himself every creature bears his footsteps but * Psal 8 3. Gen. 1.27 the heavens are the works of his fingers and man bears the very image of God We see in the several stories and degrees of the Creation love and
torments to eternity with the enemies of God rather than to part with the pleasures of sinne which aâ—e buâ— for a season and seem to have that wrote on the tables of their hearts which that Wretch subscribed under the Image of God and the Devil * Domine si tu non vis iste me rogitat Lord if thou wilt not here is one that begs of me to be his and his I will be Now if there be a Law a Judge punishments and rewards in some degree here then every man is a Prophet in this case of this Future state 4. The promiscuous dispensations and providences of God in this world * Eccles 9.2 Psal 17.14 Lam. 3.16 all things coming alike to all nay the wicked it may be have their belly full of a large portion in this life when the godly have their teeth broken with gravel stones and covered with ashes these argue 1. There is a day to come when the scales shall be turned Abel is slaine for his piety when Cain lives and builds Cities Herod reigns Herodias danceth when John Baptists head is serv'd in in a Charger And though God sometimes by extempore and sudden justice hangs up some wicked wretches in chaines yet many times the most wretched oppressors are too strong and high for justice in this world and they that live like Lyons die like Lambs they have liberty in their lives and * Psal 73.4 no bands in their deaths Dionysius a bloody Tyrant dies quietly in his bed when David lies * Psal 32.3 roaring all night and a good Josiah falls in Battle which made the Prophet cry out * Hab. 1.8 Wherefore doth the wicked devour one more righteous than himself the just must therefore live by his Faith in the world to come or else all Piety will die therefore there shall be a judgement hereafter for * Heb. 6.10 Psal 58.11 God is not unrighteouâ— to forget their labour of love and patience doubtless there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth 2. Is the life to come such a Kingdome then here is field-room for all our ambition avarice and contention to shew it self be ambitious for something if we must be ambitious let us all King it here What scuffling and scrambling is there for Crowns and Scepters in the world out of that impetuous lust of dominering whereas a prophane Esau sold his Birth-right which had a Kingdome and a Blessing too in it * Gen. 25.34 for a mess of pottage Lysimachus when inflamed with thirst profered his Kingdome for a draught of cold water and how much gold or how many Kingdomes would Dives give if he had them * Luke 16.24 for a drop of cold water or to be delivered from that one Kingdome of the Devil and shall Christians contend about these things Alas Christian Religion was never made for a secular Engine we may as soon turn Axiomes of Truth into Swords and Speares the Rules of holy living into Canons and Musquets and prayers and teares into powder and shot as to make Religion a troubler of the order and peace of the world that is of a Dove-like * Mat. 10.16 innocent temper full of * Jam. 3.17 meeknesse humility gentlenesse easinesse to be entreated without partiality without hypocrisie can suffer any evil but do none can live and secure it self better by suffering than the crafty world by acting to use sinful means to avoid suffering or preserve worldly greatness is like him that when one hoped to see him at his Diocess ere long Replyed He feared he should be in heaven before that time should come It is not Christian Religion but that Anti-Christian spirit which diffuseth it self all over Christendome in its Doctrines and Agitations its Philtres and Poysons that inflames it more with contentions and Warres than any part of the world besides For Religion truly Christian * Mat. 12.25 takes only the Kingdome of Heaven by violence Let one Romane Emperour busie himself in catching flies another gather Cockle-shells with his Army on the Sands after great preparations for an Expedition silly emblemes of the most valiant attempts of many highly-famed Mortals but let Christians March with all Zeale only for the holy Land of Promise All those tittles of Honour for we pronounce them too long which the world playes with as children with Farthing Candles blowing them in with one breath puffing them out with another if they had never so good a * Membrana dignitatis Sen. Pattent yet what will they come to * Isa 34.4 Rev. 6.14 when the Heavens shall role up as a Scrole much more shall these shrivel up as a piece of Parchment before the Flames when all the Armes and Ensignes of Honour shall be blazoned alike in a Field ardent at the judgement day Beauty that blossome of flesh and blood which now carries so many Captives at her Wheeles tyrannizing over fond mortals affections when we come to those beauties of Glory will be no more comely than a dry skull in comparison of the Ravishing Lustre that will be in the most deformed body of the Poorest Lazarillo whose Brightness will transcend the loveliest face more than the rarest Jewel doth a vile piece of Jett And though perhaps difference of Sexes may remaine for all Scotus his Glosse That in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female yet * Delectent intuitum non inflectent ad vitium they will only delight the eye not incline to any vicious thought all lust being fired out and no spark of concupiscence left in the Saints but Grace triumphing in those objects that conquered it here when * Mat. 11.12 they shall be as the Angels of God only pure flames of Divine Love and joy When all the pure gold in the World shall be melted out of the veins of the Earth and mens Coffers into one common streame and all Pearles and precious Stones should lie as the gravel on the side of that River yet they would scarcely be thought fit then to make a Metaphor of for the very Pavement of the new Jerusalem one sight whereof will dimm and deface all the glory of the World 3. Must the Title be Inheritance then look to your evidences Regeneration and Adoption as ever you look for this Kingdome prove your Fathers Will and your selves Sonnes it is no matter how your names are wrote on earth in dust or Marble in reproach or renown if they be written in Heaven Some say this world is but a shadow of that above and it was so before sin had blotted and defaced all therefore look for the lineaments of that Kingdome above to be pourtrayed on you all are for an Heaven but as Eusebius says there were many * Ebionitarum Encratitarum Nazaraeorum c. spurious Gospels so Basilis asserted one hundred sixty five Heavens as many Heavens as dayes in a yeare The Turks