yet do it not Resp. 1. The not obeying of God is for want of Faith Isa. 53.1 Quis credidit Who hath believed our Report Did Men believe Sin were so bitter that Hell followed at the Heels of it Would they go on in Sin Did they believe there were such a Reward for the Righteous that Godliness were Gain Would they not pursue it But they are Atheists not fully captivated into the Belief of these things Hence it is they obey not This is Satan's Master-piece His Draw-net by which he drags Millions to Hell by keeping them in Infidelity He knows if he can but keep them from believing the Truth he is sure to keep them from obeying it 2. The not obeying God is for want of Self-denial God commands one thing and Mens Lusts command another and they will rather dye than deny their Lusts. Now if Lust cannot be denied God cannot be obeyed Use 2. Obey Gods Voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Beauty of a Christian. Quest. What are the great Arguments or Incentives to Obedience Resp. 1. Obedience makes us precious to God we shall be his Favourites Exod. 19.15 If ye will obey my Voice ye shall be a peculiar Treasure to me above all People you shall be my Portion my Jewels the Apple of mine Eye I will give Kingdoms for your Ransom Isa. 43.3 2. There is nothing lost by Obedience To obey Gods Will is the way to have our Will 1. Would we have a Blessing in our Estates Let us obey Deut. 28.1 3. If thou shalt hearken to the Voice of the Lord to do all his Commandments Blessed shalt thou be in the field Blessed shall be thy Basket and thy store To obey is the best way to thrive in our Estates 2. Would we have a Blessing in our Souls let us obey Ier. 7.23 Obey and I will be your God My Spirit shall be your Guide Sanctifier and Comforter Heb. 5.9 Christ became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him While we please God we pleasure our selves While we give him the Duty he gives us the Dowry We are apt to say as Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.9 What shall we do for the hundred Talents You see you lose nothing by obeying The obedient Son hath the Inheritance setled on him Obey and you shall have a Kingdom Luke 12.32 It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom 3. What a Sin Disobedience is 1. It is an irrational Sin 2. We are not able to stand it out in Defiance against God 1 Cor. 10.22 Are we stronger than he Will the Sinner go to measure Arms with God He is the Father Almighty who can command Legions If we have not strength to resist him it is irrational to disobey him 2. It is irrational as it is against all Law and Equity We have our daily Subsistence from God in him we live and move Is it not equal that as we live by him we should live to him That as God gives us our Allowance so we should give him our Allegiance 2. It is a destructive Sin 1 Thess. 7.8 The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them who obey not the Gospel He who refuseth to obey Gods Will in commanding shall be sure to obey his Will in punishing The Sinner while he thinks to slip the knot of Obedience twists the Cord of his own Damnation He perisheth without excuse he hath no Plea or Apology to make for himself Luke 12.47 The Servant which knew his Lords will but did it not shall be beaten with many stripes God will say why did ye not obey You knew to do good but did it not therefore your Blood is upon your own Head Quest. What means shall we use that we may obey Resp. 1. Serious Consideration Consider Gods Commands are not grievous He commands nothing unreasonable 1 Iohn 5.3 It is easier to obey the commands of God than Sin The Commands of Sin are Burdensome Let a Man be under the power of any Lust How doth he tire himself What Hazards doth he run even to the endangering his Health and Soul that he may satisfie his Lust What tedious Journeys did Antiochus Epiphanes take in persecuting the Jews Ier. 9.5 They weary themselves to commit Iniquity and are not Gods commands more easie to obey Chrysost. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Virtue is easier than Vice Temperance is less Burdensome than Drunkenness Some have gone with less pains to Heaven than others have to Hell Consideration 2. God commands nothing but what is Beneficial Deut. 10.12 13. O Israel what doth the Lord require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and to keep his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good To obey God is not so much our Duty as our Privilege His commands carry Meat in the Mouth of them He bids us repent and why That our Sins may be blotted out Acts 3.19 He commands us to believe And why That we may be saved Acts 16.31 There is love in every command As if a King should bid one of his Subjects dig in a Gold Mine and then take the Gold to himself 2. Earnest Supplication Implore the help of the Spirit to carry us on in Obedience Gods Spirit makes Obedience easie and delightful If the Loadstone draw the Iron now it is not hard for the Iron to move If Gods Spirit quicken and draw the Heart now it is not hard to obey When a Gale of the Spirit blows now we go full Sail in Obedience Turn that Promise into a Prayer Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes The Promise encourageth us the Spirit inables us to Obedience Of LOVE THE Rule of Obedience being the Moral Law comprehended in the Ten Commandements the next Question is Quest. What is the Sum of the Ten Commandements Resp. The Summ of the Ten Commandements is to love the Lord our God with all our Heart with all our Soul with all our Strength and with all our Mind and our Neighbour as our selves Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy might The Duty call'd for is Love yea the strength of Love with all thy Heart God will lose none of our Love Love is the Soul of Religion and that which goes to the right constituting a Christian Love is the Queen of the Graces it shines and sparkles in Gods Eye as the precious Stones did on the Breast-plate of Aaron Quest. 1. What is Love Resp. It is an Holy Fire kindled in the Affections whereby a Christian is carried out strongly after God as the Supreme Good Quest. 2. What is the antecedent of Love to God Resp. The Antecedent of Love is Knowledge The Spirit shines upon the Understanding and discovers those Orient Beauties in God his Wisdom Holiness Mercy and these are the
defiled our Virgin-nature 'T was Death among the Romans to poison the Springs Original sin hath poisoned the Spring of our Nature it hath turned Beauty into Leprosy it hath turned the azure brightness of our Souls into a midnight darkness Original sin is become connatural to us A Man by Nature cannot but sin though there were no Devil to tempt no bad Examples to imitate yet there is such an innate principle in him that he cannot forbear sinning 2 Pet. 2.14 A peccato cessare nesciunt who cannot cease to sin as an Horse that is lame cannot go without halting In Original sin is 1. An aversion from Good Man hath a desire to be happy yet opposeth that which should promote his happiness he hath a disgust of holiness he hates to be reformed Since we fell from God we have no mind to return to him 2. A propension to Evil. If as the Pelagians say there were so much goodness in us since the Fall then why is there not as much natural proneness to Good as there is to Evil. Our own experience tells us that the natural biass of the Soul hath a tendency to that which is bad The very Heathens by the Light of Nature saw this Heriocles the Philosopher said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is grafted in us by Nature to sin Men roll sin as hony under their Tongue They drink iniquity as water Job 15.16 Like an hydropical person that thirsts for drink and is not satisfied so they have a kind of drought on them they thirst for sin They sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.19 Though they are tired out in committing sin yet they sin Ier. 9.5 They weary themselves to commit iniquity as a Man that follows his game while he is weary yet he delights in it and cannot leave off Though God hath set so many flaming Swords in the way to stop Men in their sin yet they go on in sin which all shews what a strong Appetite they have to the forbidden Fruit. That we may further see the Nature of Original sin consider 1. The Universality of it it hath as a Poison diffused it self into all the parts and powers of our Soul Isa. 1.5 The whole Head is sick the whole heart is faint Like a sick Patient that hath no part sound his Liver swell'd his Lungs perish'd his Feet gangren'd such infected gangren'd Souls have we till Christ who hath made a Medicine of his Blood do Cure us 1. Original sin hath depraved the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the intellectual part as in the Creation Darkness was upon the face of the deep Gen. 1.2 so the Understanding darkness is upon the face of this Deep As there is Salt in every drop of the Sea bitterness in every branch of Wormwood so there is Sin in every Faculty the Mind is obnubilated we know little of God Ever since Adam did eat of the Tree of Knowledge and his Eyes were opened we lost our Eyesight Besides Ignorance in the Mind there is Errour and Mistake we do not judge rightly of things we put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Isa. 5.20 Besides this there is much pride superciliousness and prejudice many fleshly reasonings against the Truth and swarms of vain Thoughts Ier. 4.14 How long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee 2. Original sin hath defiled the heart the heart is mortiferum junius deadly wicked Ier. 17.9 It is a lesser Hell in the heart are Legions of Lusts obdurateness infidelity hypocrisy sinful aestuations it boils as the Sea with Passion and Revenge Madness is in their heart while they live Eccles. 9.3 the heart is Officina Diaboli the Devil's Shop or Work-house where all Mischief is framed 3. The Will Contumacy it is the Seat of Rebellion the sinner crosseth God's will to fulfil his own Ier. 44.17 We will burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven There is a rooted enmity in the will against Holiness it is like an Iron sinew it refuseth to bend to God Where is then the freedom of the will when it is so full not only of indisposition but opposition to what is Spiritual 4. The Affections These as the strings of a Viol are out of tune These are the lesser Wheels which are strongly carried by the will the Master-wheel Our Affections are misplaced set on wrong Objects our Love is set on Sin our Joy on the Creature Our Affections are naturally as a sick man's Appetite he desires things which are noxious and hurtful for him he calls for Wine in a Fever so we have impure Lustings instead of holy Longings 2. The adherency of Original sin It cleaves to us as blackness to the skin of the Ethiopian we cannot get rid of it Paul shook off the Viper on his hand but we cannot shake off this inbred Corruption it may be compared to a wild Fig-tree growing on a Wall though the Roots of it are pull'd up yet there are some strings of it in the joints of the Stone-work which will not be eradicated but will sprout forth till the Wall be pull'd in pieces Original Concupiscence comes not as a Lodger for a Night but is an in-dweller Rom. 7.17 Sin which dwelleth in me It is a malus genius and evil spirit that haunts us wheresoever we go Iosh. 7.12 The Canaanite would dwell in the Land 3. Original sin retards and hinders us in the exercises of God's Worship Whence is all that dulness and deadness in Religion it is the Fruit of Original sin it is this rocks us asleep in Duty Rom. 7.19 The good that I would I do not Sin is compared to a weight Hebr. 12.1 A Man that hath weights tied to his Legs cannot run so fast it is like that Fish Pliny speaks of a Sea-Lamprey that cleaves to the Keel of the Ship and hinders its progress when it us under Sail. 4. Original sin though it lies latent in the Soul and be as a Spring which runs under ground yet oft it breaks forth unexpectedly Christian thou canst not believe that evil which is in thy heart and which will break forth suddenly if God leave thee 2 Kings 8.13 15. Is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing Hazael could not believe he had such a root of bitterness in his heart that he should rip up the Women with Child Is thy servant a dog yes and worse then a dog when that Original Corruption within was stirred up If one had come to Peter and said Peter within a few hours thou wilt deny Christ he would have said Is thy servant a dog But alas Peter did not know his own heart nor how far that Corruption within would prevail upon them The Sea may be calm and look clear but when the Wind blows how doth it rage and fome so though now thy heart seems good yet when a Temptation blows how may Original Sin discover it self making thee fome with Lust and Passion Who would have thought to have found Adultery in David
in hearing our Prayers Psal. 4 1. Have Mercy upon me and hear my Prayer Is it not a Favour when a Man puts up a Petition to the King and hath it granted When we pray for Pardon Adoption the Sense of Gods Love to have God give a gracious Answer what a signal Mercy is this God may sometimes delay an Answer when he will not deny You do not presently throw a Musician Mony because you love to hear his Musick God loves the Musick of Prayer therefore doth not presently let us hear from him but in due Season he will give an Answer of Peace Psal. 66.20 Blessed be God who hath not turned away my Prayer nor his Mercy from me If God doth not turn away our Prayer then he doth not turn away his Mercy 11. God shews Mercy in Saving us Tit. 3.5 According to his Mercy he saved us This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Top Stone of Mercy and it is laid in Heaven Now Mercy displays it self in all its Orient Colours now Mercy is Mercy is indeed when God shall perfectly refine us from all the â—ees and Dregs of Corruption Our Bodies shall be made like Christs Glorious Body and our Souls like the Angels-Saving Mercy is Crowning Mercy 'T is not only to be freed from Hell but inthroned in a Kingdom In this Life we do rather desire God than enjoy him But what rich Mercy will it be to be fully possessed of God to see his smiling Face and to have God lay us in his Bosom This will fill us with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Psal. 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness Use 1. As an Argument against Despair see what a great Encouragement here is to serve God he shews Mercy to Thousands Who would not be willing to serve a Prince that is given to Mercy and Clemency God is represented with a Rain-bow round about him Rev. 4.3 An Emblem of his Mercy Acts of Severity are rather forced from God Justice is his strange Work Isa. 28.21 Therefore the Disciples who are not said to wonder at other Miracles of Christ yet did wonder when the Fig-tree was Cursed and Withered because it was not Christ's manner to put forth acts of Severity God is said to delight in Mercy Mic. 7.18 Justice is Gods Left Hand Mercy is his Right Hand God useth his Right Hand most he is more used to Mercy than Justice pronior est Deus ad parcendum quam ad puniendum God is said to be slow to Anger Psal. 103.8 But ready to Forgive Psalm 86.5 This may encourage us to serve God What Argument will prevail if Mercy will not Were God all Justice it might Fright us from him but his Mercy may be a Loadstone to draw us to him Use 2. Bran. 1. Hope in Gods Mercies Psal. 147.11 The Lord takes Pleasure in them that fear him and hope in his Mercy God counts it his Glory to be scattering Pardons among Men. Obj. But I have been a great Sinner and sure there is no Mercy for me Resp. No not if thou goest on in Sin and art so resolved but if thou wilt break off thy Sins the Golden Scepter of Mercy shall be held forth to thee Isa. 55.7 Let the Wicked forsake his way and let him return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him And Christs Blood is a Fountain set open for Sin and Uncleanness Zach. 13.1 Mercy doth more overflow in God than Sin in us Gods Mercy can drown great Sins as the Sea covers great Rocks Some of those Iews who had their Hands embrued in Christs Blood were saved by that Blood God loves to magnifie his Goodness to display the Trophies of Free Grace and to set up his Mercy above you in spight of Sin Therefore hope in Gods Mercy Bran. 2. If God shew Mercy to Thousands labour to know that this Mercy is for you Psal. 59.17 He is the God of my Mercy A Man that was ready to Drown saw a Rain-bow saith he What am I the better though God will not Drown the World if I Drown so what are we the better God is Merciful if we perish Let us labour to know Gods special Mercy is for us Quest. How shall we know it belongs to us Resp. 1. If we put an high value and estimate upon God's Mercy God will not throw away his Mercy on them that slight it we prize Health but we prize Adopting Mercy above it This is the Diamond in the Ring it out-shines all other Comforts 2. If we are Fearers of God we have a reverend awe upon us we tremble at Sin and fly from it as Moses did from his Rod turned into a Serpent Luke 1.50 His Mercy is on them that Fear him 3. If we take Sanctuary in Gods Mercy we trust in it Psal. 52.8 As a Man is saved by catching hold of a Cable Gods Mercy is a great Cable let down from Heaven to us now taking fast hold on this Cable by Faith we are saved Psal. 52.8 I trust in the Mercy of God for ever As a Man trusteth his Life and Goods in a Garrison so we trust our Souls in Gods Mercy Quest. What shall we do to get a share in Gods special Mercy Resp. 1. If we would have Mercy it must be through Christ out of Christ no Mercy is to be had We read in the old Law First None might come into the Holy of Holies where the Mercy-Seat stood but the High Priest signifying we have nothing to do with Mercy but through Christ our High Priest Secondly The High Priest might not come near the Mercy-Seat without Blood Lev. 16.14 to shew that we have no right to Mercy but through the expiatory Sacrifice of Christ's Blood Thirdly The High Priest might not upon pain of Death come near the Mercy-Seat without Incense Lev. 16.13 No Mercy from God without the Incense of Christs Intercession So that if we would have Mercy we must get a part in Christ. Mercy swims to us through Christs Blood 2. If we would have Mercy we must Pray for it Psal. 85.7 Shew us thy Mercy O Lord and grant us thy Salvation Psal. 25.16 Turn thee unto me and have Mercy upon me Lord put me not off with common Mercy give me not only Mercy to Feed and Cloath me but Mercy to Pardon me not only sparing Mercy but saving Mercy Lord give me the Cream of thy Mercies let me have Mercy and Loving Kindness Psal. 103.4 Who crowneth thee with Loving Kindness and Tender Mercy Be earnest Suitors for Mercy let your Wants quicken your Importunity Then we pray most fervently when we pray wost feelingly Of the Commandments Exod. 20.6 Of them that Love me c. 1. GODS Mercy is for them that Love him Love is a Grace shines and sparkles in Gods Eye as the precious Stones did upon Aarons Breast-Plate Love is an holy expansion or enlargement of Soul whereby it is carried with delight after God as the
we love we fix our Minds upon He that loves his Pleasures and Recreations his Mind is fixed on them and he can follow them without Distraction Were our Love more set upon the Word Preached our Minds would be more fixed upon it And surely there is enough to make us love the Word Preached for it is the Word of Life the Inlet to Knowledge the Antidote against Sin the Quickner of Holy Affections It is the True Manna which hath all sorts of sweet Tasts in it It is the Pool of Bethesda in which the Rivers of Life spring forth to heal the broken in Heart It is a Soveveraign Elixir or Cordial to revive the sorrowful Spirit Get Love to the Word Preached and you will not be so distracted in hearing What the Heart delights in the Thoughts dwell upon II. If you would sanctifie the Sabbath by deligent attentive hearing take heed of Drowsiness in Hearing Drowsiness shows much Irreverence How lively are many when they are about the World but in the Worship of God how drowsie as if the Devil had given them some Opium to make them sleep A Drowsie Temper is now very absurd and sinful Are not you in Prayer asking Pardon of sin Will the Prisoner fall asleep when he is begging his Pardon In the Preaching of the Word is not the Bread of Life breaking to you and will a Man fall asleep at his Food Which is worse to stay from a Sermon or sleep at a Sermon While you sleep perhaps that Truth was delivered which might have converted your Souls Besides sleeping is very offensive in these Holy Assemblies It is not only a grieving the Spirit of God but a making the Hearts of the Righteous sad Ezek. 13.22 It troubles them to see any show such a Contempt of God and his Worship to see Men busie in the Shop but drowsie in the Temple Therefore as Christ said Mat. 26.40 Could ye not watch one Hour So can ye not wake one Hour I deny not but a Child of God may sometimes through Weakness and Indisposition of Body drop asleep at a Sermon but it is not voluntary or ordinary The Sun may be in an Eclipse but not often If sleeping be customary and allowed it is a very bad sign and is a profaning of the Ordinance A good Remedy against Drowsiness is to use a Spare Diet upon this Day Such as indulge their Appetite too much on a Sabbath are fitter to sleep on a Couch than pray in the Temple Now that you may throw off Distracting Thoughts and Drowsiness on the Lord's Day and may hear the Word with reverend Attention consider 1. It is God that speaks to us in his Word therefore the Preaching of the Word is called the Breath of his Lips Isa. 11.4 And Christ is said now to speak to us from Heaven Heb. 12.25 as a King speaks in his Ambassador Ministers are but as the Pipes and Organs it is the Spirit of the Living God breathes in them When we come to the Word we should think thus with our selves God speaks in this Preacher The Thessalonians heard the Word Paul Preached as if God himself had spoken to them 1 Thess. 2.13 When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye receiv'd it not as the Word of Men but as it is in truth the Word of God When Samuel knew it was the Lord that spake to him he lent his Ear 1 Sam. 3.10 If we do not regard God when he speaks to us he will not regard us when we pray to him 2. Consider how serious and weighty the matters delivered to us are As Moses said Deut. 30.19 I call Heaven and Earth â—o record this day that I have set before you Life and Death Can Men be regardless of the Word or drowsie when the weighty matters of Eternity are set before them We Preach of Faith and Holiness of Life and the Day of Judgment and the Eternal Recompences here is Life and Death set before you and doth not all this call for serious Attention If a Letter were read to one of special business wherein his Life and Estate were concern'd would not he be very serious in listning to that Letter In the Preaching of the Word your Salvation is concerned and if ever you will attend it should be now Deut. 32.47 It is not a vain thing for you because it is your Life 3. To give way to Vain Thoughts and Drowsiness in hearing doth much gratifie Satan He knows that not to mind a Duty is all one as not to do a Duty Quicquid cor non facit non sit in Religion What the Heart doth not do is not done Therefore Christ saith of some Hearing they hear not Mat. 13.13 How could that be Because tho' the Word sounded in their Ear yet they minded not what was said to them their Thoughts were upon other things therefore it was all one as if they did not â—ear Hearing they hear not And doth not this please Satan to see Men come to the Word and as good stay away They are haunted with vain Thoughts they are taken off the Duty while they are in it their Body is in the Assembly their Heart in their Shop Hearing they hear not 4. It may be the last Sabbath that ever we shall keep We may go from the place of Hearing to the place of Judging and shall not we give Reverend Attention to the Word Did we think thus when we come into God's House Perhaps this will be the last time that ever God will counsel us about our Souls before another Sermon Death's Alarum will sound in our Ears With what Attention and Devotion should we come hither and our Affections would be all on Fire in hearing 5. You must give an Account for every Sermon you hear Luke 16.2 Redde rationem Give an account of thy Stewardship So will God say Give an Account of thy Hearing Hast thou been affected with the Word Hast thou profited by it And how can we give an Account if we have been distracted in hearing and have not taken notice what hath been said to us The Judge to whom we must give an Account is God Were one to give an Account to Man he might falsifie his Accounts but we must give an Account to God Nec donis corrumpitur nec blanditiis fallitur He is so Iust a God that he cannot be bribed and so Wise that he cannot be deceived Therefore being to give an Account to such an impartial Judge how should we observe every Word Preached remembring the Account Let all this make us shake off Distraction and Drowsiness in Hearing and have our Ears chain'd to the Word EXOD. XX. 8 Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy c. II. If you would hear the Word aright lay aside those things which may render the Word Preached ineffectual As 1. Curiosity Some come to the Word Preached not so much to get Grace as to enrich themselves with Notions Itching Ears
Thomas Watson sometimes Minister of St. Stephens Walbrooke LONDON A Body of Practical Divinity Consisting of above One Hundred Seventy Six SERMONS ON THE Lesser CATECHISM Composed by The Reverend Assembly OF Divines at Westminster WITH A SUPPLEMENT OF SOME SERMONS on several Texts of SCRIPTURE By THOMAS WATSON Formerly Minister at St. Stephen's Walbrook London Printed from his own Hand-Writing Recommended by several Ministers to Masters of Families and others Heb. XI iv He being dead yet speaketh LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1692. To the READER THESE Catechetical Lectures of the late Reverend Mr. Tho. Watson all but one written with his own hand I have read over together with some Sermons annexed to them and since my Testimony is desired concerning them I do hereby declare That tho' I will not undertake to justifie every Expression or Sentence in them or in any Humane Writing yet I find them in the main agreeable unto the Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England and unto the Westminster Assembly's Confession of Faith and Catechisms And I believe that through the Blessing of God they may be profitable unto the Edification of all that read them with an honest desire to know and do the Will of God for certainly there are many excellent things in them which if they meet with a well-disposed serious Mind are very apt to have a good Effect upon it and if it prove otherwise with any that happen to read this Book it will be their own Fault more than the Books Most Writers have different Stiles and it is well known that Mr. Watson had one peculiar to himself which yet has found good Acceptance with and has been useful unto serious People and I hope this by reason of the great Variety of excellent Matter may be more generally Vseful than any other thing that ever he wrote I little doubt but every sober Christian will be of this mind after he hath read his Lectures on God's Attributes the Ten Commandments Lord's Prayer c. I sincerely profess I have no other End in giving this Testimony of this Book but thereby to serve the Common Good of Christ's Church and not the Private Interest of any Person or Party in the World if my Conscience did not bear me witness that this Book may be Vseful to that excellent End no Man should ever have prevailed with me thus to prefix my Testimony and Name to it Moreover I do not doubt but every Intelligent and Candid Reader will consider that this is a Posthumous Work and on that account will make some Allowance for any small Fault that may be in it as also for the Errours of the Press That it may answer the main End for which it was first written by the Author whom I always took to be a grave serious modest good Man and for which I hope it is now published to wit The Edification of the Church of Christ in Faith Holiness and Comfort is the hearty Desire of one of the meanest Servants of our most Blessed LORD IESVS WILL. LORIMER WE whose Names are subscribed having seen the Testimony of our Worthy Brother Mr. William Lorimer after his Perusal of this Book doubt not but it may be of use to many as the former Writings of Mr. Thomas Watson have been and with that Desire and Hope we Recommend it to Masters of Families and others William Bates Matth. Barker Iohn Howe Matth. Mead Edw. Lawrance Samuel Slater Richard Mayo Richard Adams Richard Steel Samuel Stancliff Iohn Raynolds Nath. Vincent Iohn Hughes Matth. Sylvester Ioseph Read Dan. Burges Abraham Hume Ioseph Cawthorne Rich. Stretton Daniel Williams Richard Wavel Iohn Shower Timothy Cruso Francis Glascock Timothy Rogers Nath. Oldfield ADVERTISEMENT THere are many single Sermons on Variety of Occasions as at Fasts Thanksgivings Sacrament Discourses besides several Subjects handled in many Sermons on each Text of Scripture left under Mr. Thomas Watson's one Hand-writing if these find Acceptance in due time after their being perused by some Learned Divine may be published Tho. Parkhurst Aug. 28th 1692. A Catalogue of what Books Mr. Thomas Watson published THree Treatises 1. The Christian's Charter shewing the Priviledges of a Believer 2. The Art of Divine Contentment 3. A Discourse of Meditation To which is added several Sermons preached Occasionally Quarto The Beatitudes or a Discourse upon part of Christ's famous Sermon on the Mount Whereunto is added Christ's various Fulness The Preciousness of the Soul The Soul's Malady and Cure The Beauty of Grace The Spiritual Watch The Heavenly Race The Sacred Anchor The Trees of Righteousness The Perfume of Love The good Practitioner The Godly Man's Character A Word of Comfort to the Church of God in a Sermon Quarto The Crown of Righteousness at the Funeral of Mr. Hoges Merchant Quarto A Sermon preached July 2 at the Funeral of Mr. John Wells late Pastor of Olave-Jury London By Thomas Watson Quarto The Fight of Faith Crowned or a Sermon preached at the Funeral of the eminently Holy Man Mr. Henry Stubs By Thomas Watson The Doctrine of Repentance Useful for these Times Religion our true Interest or Practical Notes upon the third Chapter of Malachy the sixteen seventeen and eighteen Verses The Mischief of Sin it brings a Person Low A Divine Cordial or the Transcendent Priviledge of Those that Love God and are savingly Called The Holy Eucharist or the Mystery of the Lord's Supper briefly explained A Plea for the Godly Wherein is shown the Excellency of a Righteous Person The Duty of Self-denial briefly Opened and Urged Heaven taken by Storm A Preliminary Discourse TO CATECHISING COL I. xxiii If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled INtending the next Lord's Day to enter upon the Work of Catechising it will not be amiss to give you this Preliminary Discourse as preparative to it shewing you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the Grounds of Religion If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled Two Propositions First It is the Duty of Christians to be setled in the Doctrine of Faith Second The best way for Christians to be setled is to be well grounded Doct. 1. That it is the Duty of Christians to be setled in the Doctrine of Faith It is the Apostle's Prayer 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all grace stablish strengthen settle you That they might not be Meteors in the Air but fixed Stars The Apostle Iude speaks of wandring Stars Verse 13. They are called wandring Stars because as Aristotle saith they do saltare leap up and down and wander into several parts of the Heaven and being but dry Exhalations not made of that pure Coelestial Matter as the fixed Stars are they often fall to the Earth Now such as are not setled in Religion will at one time or other prove wandring Stars they will lose their former Strictness and wander from one Opinion to another Such as are
the Crown of Heaven Glorifying of God hath respect to all the Persons in the Trinity it respects God the Father who gave us our Life it respects God the Son who lost his Life for us it respects God the Holy Ghost who produceth a new Life in us we must bring Glory to the whole Trinity When we speak of God's Glory the Question will be moved What are we to understand by God's Glory Resp. There is a twofold Glory 1. The Glory that God hath in himself his intrinsical Glory Glory is essential to the Godhead as Light is to the Sun he is call'd the God of Glory Acts 7.2 Glory is the sparkling of the Deity Glory is so co-natural to the Godhead that God cannot be God without it The Creature 's Honour is not essential to his Being a King is a Man without his Regal Ornaments when his Crown and Royal Robe are taken away but God's Glory is such an essential Part of his Being that he cannot be God without it God's very Life lies in his Glory His Glory can receive no addition because it is Infinite this Glory is that which God is most tender of and which he will not part with Isa. 42.8 My glory I will not give to another God will give Temporal Blessings to his Children Wisdom Riches Honour he will give them Spiritual Blessings he will give them Grace he will give them his Love he will give them Heaven but his essential Glory he will not give to another King Pharaoh parted with a Ring off his Finger to Ioseph and a Gold Chain but he would not part with his Throne Gen. 41.40 Only in the throne will I be greater then thou So God will do much for his People he will give them the Inheritance he will put some of Christ's Glory as Mediator upon them but his essential Glory he will not part with in the throne he will be greater 2. The Glory which is ascribed to God or which his Creatures labour to bring to him 1 Chr. 16.29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name And 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit The Glory we give God is nothing else but our lifting up his Name in the World and magnifying him in the eyes of others Phil. 1.20 Christ shall be magnified in my body Quest. What is it to glorifie God or wherein doth it consist Resp. Glorifying of God consists in four things 1. Appretiation 2. Adoration 3. Affection 4. Subjection This is the yearly Rent we pay to the Crown of Heaven 1. Appretiation To glorifie God is to set God highest in our Thoughts to have a venerable Esteem of him Psal. 92.8 Thou Lord art most high for evermore Psal. 97.9 Thou art exalted far above all gods There is in God all that may draw forth both Wonder and Delight he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is in him a Constellation of all Beauties he is Prima Causa the Original and Spring-head of Being who sheds a Glory upon the Creature This is to glorifie God when we are God-Admirers we admire God in his Attributes which are the glistering Beams by which the Divine Nature shines forth we admire him in his Promises which are the Charter of Free-grace and the Spiritual Cabinet where the Pearl of Price is hid we admire God in the noble Effects of his Power and Wisdom viz. the making of the World this is call'd the work of his fingers Ps. 8.3 such curious Needle-work it was that none but a God could work This is to glorifie God to have God-admiring Thoughts we esteem him most excellent and search for Diamonds only in this Rock 2. Glorifying of God consists in Adoration or Worship Psal. 29.2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness There is a twofold Worship 1. A Civil Reverence we give to Persons of Honour Gen. 23.7 Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the children of Heth. Piety is no Enemy to Curtesie 2. A Divine Worship which we give to God is his Prerogative-royal Neh. 8.6 They bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground This Divine Worship God is very jealous of this is the Apple of his Eye this is the Pearl of his Crown which he guards as he did the Tree of Life with Cherubims and a flaming Sword that no man may come near to violate it Divine Worship must be such as God himself hath appointed else it is offering strange fire Levit. 10.2 The Lord would have Moses make the Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Pattern in the Mount Exod. 25.40 he must not leave out any thing in the Pattern nor add to it if God was so exact and curious about the Place of his Worship how exact will he be about the Manner of his Worship surely here every thing must be according to the Pattern prescribed in his Word 3. Affection This is a part of the Glory we give to God God counts himself glorified when he is loved Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. There is a twofold Love 1. Amor Concupiscentiae a Love of Concupisence which is a Self-love when we love another because he doth us a good Turn Thus a wicked Man may be said to love God because he hath given him a good Crop or filled his Cup with Wine and to speak properly this is rather to love God's Blessings then to love God 2. Amor Amicitiae a Love of Delight as a Man takes delight in a Friend this is indeed to love God the Heart is set upon God as a Man's-Heart is set upon his Treasure And this Love is 1. Exuberant not a few Drops but a Stream 2. It is Superlative we give God the best of our Love the Cream of it Cant. 8.2 I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the jâ—yce of my pomgranat If the Spouse had a Cup more juicy and spiced Christ must drink of it 3. It is Intense and Ardent true Saints are Seraphims burning in holy Love to God The Spouse was Amore perculsa in sainting Fits sick of love Cant. 2.5 Thus to love God is to glorify him he who is the chief of our Happiness hath the chief of our Affections 4. Subjection When we dedicate ourselves to God and stand ready prest for his Service Thus the Angels in Heaven glorifie him they wait on his Throne and are ready to take a Commission from him therefore they are resembled by the Cherubims with their Wings displaid to shew how swift the Angels are in their Obedience This is to glorifie God when we are devoted to his Service our Head studies for God our Tongue pleads for him our Hands relieve his Members The wise Men that came to Christ did not only bow the Knee to him but presented him with Gold and Myrrh Mat. 2.11 so we must not
Relations lie in our way to Heaven we must either leap over them or tread upon them A Child must unchild himself and forget he is a Child he must know neither Father nor Mother in God's Cause Deut. 33.9 Who said unto his father and his mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his Brethren This is to aim at God's Glory 2. Then we aim at God's Glory when we can be content that God's Will should take place though it cross ours Lord I am content to be a Looser if thou a Gainer to have less Health if I may have more Grace and thou more Glory whether it be Food or bitter Physick thou givest me Lord I desire that which may be most for thy Glory Thus our Blessed Saviour Not as I will but as thou wilt Matth. 26.39 So God might have more Glory by his Sufferings he was content to suffer Joh. 12.28 Father glorifie thy name 3. Then we aim at God's Glory when we can be content to be out-shined by others in Gifts and Esteem so God's Glory may be encreased A Man that hath God in his Heart and God's Glory in his Eye desires that God should be exalted and if this be effected let who will be the Instrument he rejoyceth Phil. 1.15 Some preach Christ of Envy notwithstanding Christ is preached and I therein do rejoyce and will rejoyce they preached Christ of Envy they envyed Paul that Concourse of People and they preached that they might out-shine him in Gifts and get away some of his Hearers Well saith Paul Christ is preached and God is like to have Glory therefore I rejoyce let my Candle go out if the Sun of Righteousness may but shine 2. We Glorifie God by an ingenuous Confession of Sin The Thief of the Cross had dishonour'd God in his Life but at his Death he brings Glory to God by Confession of Sin Luke 23.41 We indeed suffer justly He acknowledged he deserved not only Crucifixion but Damnation Josh. 7.19 My son give I pray thee glory to God and make confession unto him An humble Confession exalts God how is God's Free-grace magnified in crowning those who deserve to be condemn'd as the excusing and mincing of Sin doth cast a Reproach upon God Adam denies not he did tast the forbidden Fruit but instead of a full Confession he taxes God Inscripser◠Deos sceleri Gen. 3.12 The woman whom thou gavest me she gave me of the tree and I did eat It is long of thee if thou hadst not given me the Woman to be a Tempter I had not sinned So Confession glorifies God it clears it acknowledgeth he is Holy and Righteous whatever he doth Nehemiah vindicates God's Righteousness Chap. 9.33 Thou art just in all that is brought upon us And Confession then is ingenuous when it is free not forc'd Luke 15.18 I have sinn'd against heaven and before thee he chargeth himself with Sin before ever his Father chargeth him with it 3. We glorifie God by Believing Rom. 4.20 Abraham was strong in faith giving glory to God Unbelief affronts God it gives him the Lye He that believeth not maketh God a lyer 1 Joh. 5.10 So Faith brings Glory to God it sets to its Seal that God is true Ioh. 3.33 he that believes flies to God's Mercy and Truth as to an Altar of Refuge he doth Ingarrison himself in the Promises he trusts all he hath with God Psal. 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my spirit this is a great way of bringing Glory to God therefore God honours Faith because Faith honours God It is a great Honour we do to a Man when we trust him with all we have we put our Lives and Estates into his hand a sign we have a good Opinion of him The three Children glorified God by believing The God whom we serve is able to deliver us and will deliver us Dan. 3.17 Faith knows there are no Impossibles with God and will trust him where it cannot trace him 4. We glorifie God by being tender of God's Glory God's Glory is dear to him as the apple of his Eye now when we are tender of his Glory by laying to heart his Dishonours this is a glorifying of him An ingenuous Child weeps to see a Disgrace done to his Father Psal. 69.9 The reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me When we hear God reproached it is as if we were reproached when God's Glory suffers 't is as if we suffered This is to be tender of God's Glory 5. We glorifie God by Fruitfulness Joh. 15.8 Hereby is my Father glorified if ye bring forth much fruit As 't is a Dishonour to God to be barren so Fruitfulness doth honour him Phil. 1.11 Filled with the fruits of righteousness which are to the praise of his glory We must not be like the Fig-tree in the Gospel which had nothing but Leaves but like the Pomocitron that is continually either mellowing or blossoming it is never without Fruit. 'T is not Profession but Fruit glorifies God God expects to have his Glory from us this way 1 Cor. 9.7 Who plants a vineyard and eats not of the fruit of it Trees in the Forrest may be barren but Trees in the Garden are fruitful We must bring forth the Fruits of Love and Good Works Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Faith doth sanctifie our Works and Works do testifie our Faith To be doing good to others to be Eyes to the Blind Feet to the Lame doth much glorifie God And thus Christ did glorifie his Father He went about doing good Acts 10.38 By being fruitful we are fair in God's Eyes Jer. 11.16 The Lord called thy name a green olive-tree fair and of goodly fruit And we must bear much Fruit it is Muchness of Fruit glorifies God if ye bear much Fruit. The Spouse's Breasts are compared to Clusters of Grapes Cant. 7.7 to shew how fertile she was Tho' the lowest degree of Grace may bring Salvation to you yet not so much Glory to God it was not a spark of Love Christ commended in Mary but much love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she loved much Luke 7.47 6. We glorifie God by being contented in that State where his Providence hath set us we give God the Glory of his Wisdom in that we rest satisfied with what he carves out to us Thus did holy Paul glorifie God the Lord had cast him into as great variety of Condition as any Man in Prisons more frequent in Deaths oft 2 Cor. 11.23 yet he had learned to be content St. Paul could sail either in a Storm or a Calm he could be any thing that God would have him he could either want or abound Phil. 4.13 A good Christian argues thus It is God hath put me in this Condition he could have raised me higher if he pleas'd but that might have been a Snare to me God hath done it
The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah he hath broken the Serpent's head upon the Cross. Satan is a chained Enemy and a conquered Enemy Michael is stronger then the Dragon 3. Comfort in case of Weakness of Grace and Fear of falling Away I pray but I cannot send out strong Cries I believe but the hand of my Faith doth shake and tremble Cannot God strengthen weak Grace 2 Cor. 12.9 My strength is made perfect in weakness Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me I fear I shall not hold out Christian Dost thou believe the Power of God Hath not God preserved thy Grace thus far Maist not thou set up thy Eben-ezer God hath kept thy Grace hitherto as a Spark in the main Ocean and is not he able still to keep thy Grace 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the power of God c. God's Mercy pardons us but his Power preserves us He who by his Power keeps the Stars that they do not fall out of their Orb keeps our Grace that it doth not fail or annihilate 4. Comfort in case of the Deficiency in thy Estate God can multiply the Oil in the Cruise miraculously he can raise up Supplies God that provides for the Birds of the Air cannot he provide for his Children He that cloaths the Lilies cannot he cloath his Lambs 5. Comfort in regard of the Resurrection This seems difficult to believe that the Bodies of Men when eaten up by Worms devour'd by Beasts and Fishes or consum'd to Ashes should be rais'd the same Numerical Bodies but if we believe the Power of God it is no great Wonder Which is hardest to create or raise the Dead He that can make a Body of nothing can restore it to its parts when mingled and confounded with other Substances Matth. 19.26 With God all things are possible If we believe the first Article of the Creed That God is Almighty we may quickly believe the other Article The Resurrection of the Body God can raise the Dead because of his Power and he cannot but raise them because of his Truth 6. It is Comfort in reference to the Church of God He can save and deliver it when it is brought low The Enemies have power in their hand but the remainder of Wrath God will restrain Psal. 76.10 God can either confine the Enemies Power or confound it If God be for us who can be against us God can create Ierusalem a praise Isa. 65.18 The Church in Ezekiel was compar'd to dry Bones but God made breath to enter into them and they lived Ezek. 37.10 The Ship of the Church may be toss'd because Sin is in it but it shall not be overwhelm'd because Christ is in it Psal. 46.5 Deus in medio All the Churches Pangs shall help forward her Deliverance Of the Holiness of GOD. THE next Attribute is God's Holiness Exod. 15.11 Glorious in holiness Nedar Bakkodesh Holiness is the most sparkling Jewel of his Crown it 's the Name by which God is known Psal. 111.9 Holy and reverend is his name He is the holy one Job 6.10 Seraphims cry Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Isa. 6.3 His Power makes him Mighty his Holiness makes him Glorious God's Holiness consists in his perfect loving of Righteousness and abhorrency of Evil Hab. 1.13 Of purer eyes then to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity 1 st God is holy intrinsically 1. He is holy in his Nature his very Being is made up of Holiness as Light is of the Essence of the Sun 2. He his holy in his Word the Word bears a Stamp of his Holiness upon it as the Wax bears an Impression of the Seal Psal. 119 140. Thy word is very pure it is compared to Silver refined seven times Psal. 12.6 Every Line of the Word breaths Sanctity it encourageth nothing but Holiness 3. God is holy in his Operations all God doth is holy He cannot act but like himself he can no more do an Unrighteous Action then the Sun can darken Psal. 145.17 The Lord is holy in all his works 2 dly God is holy primarily He is the Original and Pattern of Holiness Holiness began at him who is the Ancient of Days 3 dly God is holy efficiently He is the Cause of all that Holiness in others Iam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift comes from above He made the Angels holy he infus'd all that Holiness into Christ's Humane Nature All the Holiness we have is but a Chrystal Stream from this Fountain We borrow all our Holiness from God as the Lights of the Sanctuary were lighted from the middle Lamp so all the Holiness of others is a Lamp lighted from Heaven Lev. 20.8 I am the Lord which sanctifie you God is not only a Pattern of Holiness but he is a Principle of Holiness His Spring feeds all our Cisterns he drops his holy Oyl of Grace upon us 4 hly God is holy transcendantly 1 Sam. 2.2 There is none holy as the Lord No Angel in Heaven can take the just Dimensions of God's Holiness The highest Seraphim is too low of Stature to measure these Pyramids the Holiness in God is far above the Holiness in the Saints or Angels 1. It is above the Holiness in the Saints 1. It is a purer Holiness The Saints Holiness is like Gold in the Oar imperfect their Humility is stained with Pride he that hath most Faith had need pray Lord help my unbelief But the Holiness of God is pure like Wine from the Grape it hath not the least dash or tincture of Impurity mix'd with it 2. A more unchangeable Holiness The Saints though they cannot lose the habit of Holiness for the Seed of God remains yet they may lose some degrees of their Holiness Rev. 2.4 Thou hast left thy first love Grace cannot dye yet the Flaim of it may go out Holiness in the Saints is subject to Ebbing but Holiness in God is Unchangeable he never lost a drop of his Holiness As he cannot have more Holiness because he is perfectly Holy so he cannot have less Holiness because he is unchangeably Holy 2. The Holiness in God is above the Holiness in the Angels Holiness in the Angels is only a Quality which may be lost as we see in the fallen Angels but Holiness in God is his Essence he is all over Holy and he can as well lose his God-head as his Holiness Object But is not he privy to all the Sins of Men he behods their Impurities how can this be and he not be defiled Resp. God sees all the Sins of Men but is no more defiled with them then the Sun is defiled with the Vapours that arise out of the Earth God sees Sin not as a Patron to approve it but as a Judge to punish it Use 1. Is God so infinitely Holy then see how unlike to God Sin is Sin is an unclean thing it is
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hyperbolically Evil Rom. 1.13 it is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Abomination Deut. 7.25 God hath no mixture of Evil in him Sin hath no mixture of Good it is the Spirits and Quintissence of Evil it turns Good into Evil it hath deflowr'd the Virgin-Soul made it red with Guilt and black with Filth it is called the accursed thing Jos. 7.11 No wonder ergo that God doth so hate Sin being so unlike to him nay so contrary it strikes at his Holiness Sin doth all it can to spight God Sin would not only Unthrone God but Ungod him if Sin could help it God should be God no longer Use 2. Is God the Holy One and is his Holiness his Glory Then how impious are they 1. That are Haters of Holiness as the Vulture hates Perfumes so they hate this sweet Perfume of Holiness in the Saints their Hearts rise against Holiness as a Man's Stomach at a Dish he hath an Antipathy against There is not a greater sign of a Person devoted to Hell then to hate one for that thing wherein he is most like God his Holiness 2. That are Despisers of Holiness they despise the Glory of the Godhead Glorious in holiness the despising of Holiness is seen in the deriding of it Is it not sad Men should deride that which should save them Sure that Patient will dye that derides the Physick The deriding the Grace of the Spirit comes near to the despighting the Spirit of Grace Scoffing Ishmael was cast out of Abraham's House Gen. 21.9 Such as scoff at Holiness shall be cast out of Heaven Use 2. of Exhortation Is God so infinitely holy then let us endeavour to imitate God in Holiness 1 Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy There 's a twofold Holiness An Holiness of Equality and an Holiness of Similitude An Holiness of Equality no Man or Angel can reach to Who can be equally Holy with God Who can parallel him in Sanctity But 2. there is an Holiness of Similitude and that we must aspire after to have some Analogy and Resemblance of God's Holiness in us be as like him in Holiness as we can though a Taper doth not give so much Light as the Sun yet it doth resemble it We must Imitate God in Holiness Quest. Must we be like God in Holiness wherein doth our Holiness consist Resp. In two things 1st In our Suitableness to God's Nature 2dly Our Subjection to his Will 1. Our Holiness stands in our Suitableness to the Nature of God Hence the Saints are said to partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 which is not a partaking of his Essence but his Image Herein is the Saints Holiness when they are the lively Pictures of God they bear the Image of God's Meekness Mercifulness Heavenliness they are of the same Judgment with God of the same Disposition they love what he loves and hate what he hates 2. Our Holiness consists in our Subjection to the Will of God As God's Nature is the Pattern of Holiness so his Will is the Rule of Holiness This is our Holiness 1. When we do his Will Acts 13.22 2. When we bear his Will Mich. 7.9 What he inflicts wisely we suffer willingly This is our Holiness when we are suitable to God's Nature and submissive to his Will this should be our great Care to be like God in Holiness Our Holiness should be so qualified as God's God's is a real Holiness such should ours be Ephes. 4.24 Righteousness and true holiness it should not be only the Paint of Holiness but the Life of Holiness it should not only be like the Aegyptian Temples beautiful without but like Solomon's Temple Gold within Psal. 45.13 The King's Daughter is glorious within That I may press you to resemble God in Holiness 1. How Illustrious every holy Person is he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is a fair Glass in which some of the Beams of God's Holiness shines forth We read Aaron put on Garments for Glory and Beauty Exod. 28.2 When we wear the embroidered Garment of Holiness it is for Glory and Beauty A good Christian is ruddy being sprinkled with Christ's Bloud and white being adorn'd with Holiness As the Diamond to a Ring so is Holiness to the Soul So beautiful a thing is Holiness that as Chrysostom saith ' They that oppose it cannot but admire it 2. It is the great Design God carries on in the World to make a People like himself in Holiness What are all the Showers of the Ordinances for but to rain down Righteousness upon us and make us Holy What are the Promises for but to encourage Holiness What is the sending of the Spirit into the World for but to anoint us with the Holy Unction 1 Ioh. 2.20 What are all Afflictions for but to make us Partakers of God's Holiness Heb. 12.10 What are Mercies for but Loadstones to draw us to Holiness What is the end of Christ's dying but that his Bloud might wash away our Unholiness Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us to purifie unto himself a peculiar People So that if we are not holy we cross God's great Design in the World 3. 'T is our Holiness draws God's Heart to us Holiness is God's Image God cannot choose but love his Image where he sees it A King loves to see his Effigies upon a piece of Coin Psal. 45.7 Thou lovest righteousness And where doth Righteousness grow but in an holy Heart Isa. 6â— 4 Thou shalt be called Hepbsiba for the Lord delighteth in thee It was her Holiness drew God's Love to her Verse 12. They shall call them the holy people God values not any by their high Birth but their Holiness 4. Holiness is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only thing that differenceth us from the Reprobate Part of the World God's People have his Seal upon them 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knows them that are his And let all that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The People of God are sealed with a double Seal 1. Election The Lord knows who are his 2. Sanctification Let every one depart from iniquity As a Nobleman is distinguished from another by his Silver Star as a virtuous Woman is distinguish'd from an Harlot by her Chastity so Holiness distinguisheth between the two Seeds All that are of God as they have Christ for their Captain Heb. 2.10 so Holiness is the white Colour they wear 5. Holiness is our Honour Holiness and Honour put together 1 Thes. 4.4 Dignity goes along with Sanctity Rev. 1.6 He hath washed us from our sins â—n his bloud and hath made us kings unto God When we are washed and made holy then we are Kings and Priests to God The Saints are call'd Vessels of Honour they are called Jewels for the sparkling of their Holiness because fill'd with Wine of the Spirit this makes them Earthly Angels 6. Holiness gives us Boldness with God
let not unworthiness discourage you it is not unworthiness excludes any from the Covenant but unwillingness Quest. What shall we do that we may be in Covenant with God Answ. 1. Seek to God by Prayer Exige à Domino misericordiam Aug. Lord be my God in Covenant The Lord hath made an express Promise that upon our Prayer to him the Covenant shall be ratified he will be our God and we shall be his People Zach. 13.9 They shall call upon my Name and I will hear them I will say it is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God Only it must be an importunate Prayer Come as earnest Suiters resolve to take no denial 2. If you would be in Covenant with God break off the Covenant with Sin before the Marriage-Covenant there must be a Divorce 1 Sam. 7.3 If ye return to the Lord with all your hearts put away the strange gods and they put away Ashtaroth viz. their Female Gods Will any King enter into Covenant with that Man who is in League with his Enemies 3. If you would enter into the Bond of the Covenant get Faith in the Blood of the Covenant Christ's Blood is the Blood of Atonement believe in this Blood and you are safely arked in God's Mercy Eph. 2.13 Ye are made nigh to the blood of Christ. Use 4. Of Comfort to such as can make out their Covenant Interest in God 1. You that are in Covenant with God all your sins are pardoned Pardon is the crowning Mercy Psal. 103.3 Who forgiveth thy iniquity who crowneth thee c. This is a branch of the Covenant Ier. 31.33 I will be their God and I will forgive their iniquity Sin being pardoned all wrath ceaseth How terrible is it when but a Spark of God's Wrath flies into a Man's Conscience but sin being forgiven no more wrath God doth not appear now in the Fire or Earthquake but covered with a Rain-bow full of Mercy 2. All your Temporal Mercies are Fruits of the Covenant Wicked Men have Mercies by Providence not by virtue of a Covenant with Gods leave not with his Love But such as are in Covenant have their Mercies sweetned with God's Love and they swim to them in the Blood of Christ. As Naaman said to Gehazi 2 Kings 5.23 Take two Talents so saith God to such as are in Covenant Take two Talents take Health and take Christ with it take Riches and take my Love with them take the Venison and take the Blessing with it Take two Talents 3. You may upon all Occasions plead the Covenant If you are haunted with Temptation plead the Covenant Lord thou hast promised to bruise Satan under my feet shortly wilt thou suffer thy Child to be thus worried take off the roaring Lion If in want plead the Covenant Lord thou hast said I shall want no good thing wilt thou save me from Hell and not from Want wilt thou give me a Kingdom and deny me daily Bread 4. If in Covenant with God all things shall co-operate for your Good Etiam mala cedunt in bonum Psal. 25.10 Not only golden paths but his bloody paths Every wind of Providence shall blow them nearer Heaven Affliction shall humble and purifie Hebr. 12.10 Out of the bitterest Drug God distils your Salvation Afflictions add to the Saints Glory The more the Diamond is cut the more it sparkles the heavier the Saints Cross the heavier shall be their Crown 5. If thou art in Covenant once then for ever in Covenant The Text calls it Berith Gnolam an everlasting Covenant Such as are in Covenant are elected God's electing Love is unchangeable Ier. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them but I will put my fear in ther heart that they shall not depart from me God will so love the Saints that he will not forsake them and the Saints shall so fear God that they shall not forsake him 'T is Berith Gnolam a Covenant of Eternity it must be so for who is this Covenant made with is it not with Believers and have not they Coalition and Union with Christ Christ is the Head they are the Body Eph. 1.23 This is a near Union much like that Union between God the Father and Christ Iohn 17.21 As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Now the Union between Christ and the Saints being so inseparable it can never be dissolved or the Covenant made void you may die with Comfort 6. Thou art in Covenant with God and thou art going to thy God behold a Death-bed Cordial Death breaks the Union between the Body and the Soul but perfects the Union between Christ and the Soul This hath made the Saints desire Death as the Bride the Wedding-day Phil. 1.23 Cupio dissolvi Lead me Lord to that Glory said one a glympse whereof I have seen as in a Glass darkly Use 5. of Direct To shew you how you should walk who have tasted of Covenant-Mercy Live as a People in Covenant with God As you differ from others in respect of Dignity so you must in point of Carriage 1. You must love this God God's Love to you calls for Love 1. It is Amor Gratiatus a free Love Why should God pass by others and take you into a League of Friendship with himself In the Law God passed by the Lion and Eagle and chose the Dove so he passes by the Noble and Mighty 2. It is Amor plenns a full Love When God takes you into Covenant you are his Hephsibah Isa. 62.3 his delight is in you he gives you the Key of all his Treasure he heaps Pearls upon you he settles Heaven and Earth upon you he gives you a Bunch of Grapes by the way and saith Son all I have is thine And doth not all this call for Love Who can tread upon these hot Coals and his heart not burn in love to God 2. Walk Holily The Covenant hath made you a Royal Nation therefore be an holy People Shine as Lights in the World live as Earthly Angels God hath taken you into Covenant that you and he may have Communion together and what is it keeps up your Communion with God but Holiness 3. Walk thankfully Psal. 103.1 God is your God in Covenant he hath done more for you then if he had made you ride upon the high Places of the Earth and given you Crowns and Scepters O! Take the Cup of Salvation and bless the Lord. Eternity will be little enough to praise him Musitians love to play on their Musick where there is the loudest sound and God loves to bestow his Mercies where he may have the loudest Praises You that have Angels Reward do Angels Work Begin that Work of Praise here which you hope to be always doing in Heaven CHRIST the Mediator of the Covenant HEB. 12.24 Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant c. JEsus Christ is the Sum and Quintessence of
his Bloud abusing his Love grieving his Spirit and will he ever pray for me Resp. Which of us may not say so But Christian dost thou mourn for Unbelief be not discouraged thou maist have a part in Christ's Prayer Numb 16. The congregation murmured against Aaron yet though they had sinn'd against their High-Priest Verse 46. Aaron run in with his censer and stood between the dead and the living If so much Bowels in Aaron who was but a Type of Christ how much more Bowels is in Christ who will pray for them who have sinn'd against their High-Priest Did not he pray for them that crucified him Father forgive them Quest. But I am unworthy what am I that Christ should intercede for me Resp. The Work of Christ's Intercession is a Work of Free-grace Christ's praying for us is from his pitying of us Christ looks not at our Worthiness but our Wants Quest. But I am followed with sad Temptations Resp. But though Satan tempts Christ prays and Satan shall be vanquished tho' thou maist loose a single Battel yet not the Victory Christ prays that thy Faith fail not therefore Christian say Why art thou cast down O my Soul Christ intercedes 't is Man that sins 't is God that prays The Greek word for Advocate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comforter This is a Soveraign Comfort Christ makes Intercession CHRIST's Kingly Office Quest. XVI HOw doth Christ execute the Office of a King Resp. In subduing us to himself and in restraining and conquering his and our Enemies Now of CHRIST's Regal Office Revel 19.16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of kings and Lord of lords Jesus Christ is of mighty Renown he is a King he hath a Kingly Title High and mighty Isa. 57.15 2. He hath his Insignia Regalia his Ensigns of Royalty Corona est insigne Regiae potestatis His Crown Rev. 6.2 His Sword Psal. 45.3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh His Scepter Heb. 1.8 A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom 3. His Escotcheon or Coat-Armour he gives the Lyon in his Arms Rev. 5.5 The lion of the tribe of Iudah And he is the Text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of Kings He hath a Preheminence of all other Kings he is call'd the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He must needs be so for by him Kings reign Prov. 8.15 They hold their Crowns by immediate Tenure from this Great King Christ infinitely out-vyes all others Princes he hath the highest Throne the largest Dominions and the longest Possession Heb. 1.8 Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Christ hath many Heirs but no Successors Well may he be called King of Kings for he hath an Unlimited Power other Kings their Power is limited but Christ's Power is unlimited Psal. 135.6 Whatsoever he pleased that did he in heaven and earth and in the seas Christ's Power is as large as his Will The Angels take the Oath of Allegiance to him Heb. 1.6 Let all the angels of God worship him Quest. How Christ comes to be King Resp. Not by Usurpation but Legally Christ holds his Crown by immediate Tenure from Heaven God the Father hath decreed him to be King Psal. 2.5 6. I have set my king upon my holy hill I will declare the decree God hath anointed and sealed him to his Regal Office Joh. 6.27 Him hath God the Father sealed God hath set the Crown upon his Head Quest. In what sence is Christ King Resp. Two ways 1. In reference to his People And 2. In reference to his Enemies 1. In reference to his People 1. To govern them it was prophesied of Christ before he was born Matth. 2.6 And thou Bethlehem art not the least among the princes of Iudah for out of thee shall come a governour that shall rule my people Israel 'T is a vain thing for a King to have a Crown on his Head unless he have a Scepter in his Hand to rule Quest. Where doth Christ Rule Resp. His Kingdom is Spiritual he rules in the Hearts of Men. He sets up his Throne where no other King doth he rules the Will and Affections His Power binds the Conscience he subdues Mens Lusts Mic. 7.19 He will subdue our iniquities Quest. What doth Christ rule by Resp. By Law and by Love 1. He rules by Law 'T is one of the Iura Regalia the Flowers of the Crown to Enact Laws Christ as King makes Laws and by his Laws he Rules The Law of Faith Believe in the Lord Iesus the Law of Sanctity 1 Pet. 1.15 Be ye holy in all manner of conversation Many would admit Christ to be their Advocate to plead for them but not their King to rule them 2. He rules by Love He is a King full of Mercy and Clemency as he hath a Scepter in his Hand so an Olive-branch of Peace in his Mouth Though he be the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah for Majesty yet the Lamb of God for Meekness His Regal Rod hath Honey at the end of it He sheds abroad his Love into the Hearts of his Subjects he rules them with Promises as well as Precepts This makes all his Subjects become Volunteers they are willing to pay their Allegiance to him Psal. 110.3 Thy people shall be a willing people Plur. Gnam nedabot 2. Christ is a King to defend his People as Christ hath a Scepter to rule them so a Shield to defend them Psal. 3.3 Thou O Lord art a shield for me When Antiochus did rage furiously against the Iews he took away the Vessels of the Lord's House set up an Idol in the Temple then this Great King call'd Michael did stand up for them to defend them Dan. 12.1 Christ preserves his Church as a Spark in the Ocean as a Flock of Sheep among Wolves That the Sea should be higher then the Earth and yet not drown it is a Wonder so that the Wicked should be so much higher than the Church in Power and not devour it is because Christ hath this Inscription on his Vesture and his Thigh King of Kings Ps. 124.2 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side they had swallowed us up They say Lions are Insomnes they have little or no sleep 't is true of the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah he never slumbers nor sleeps but watcheth over his Church to defend it Isa. 27.2 3. Sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine I the Lord do keep it least any hurt it I will keep it night and day If the Enemies destroy the Church it must be at a time when it is neither Night nor Day for Christ keeps it Day and Night Christ is said to carry his Church as the Eagle her young Ones upon her Wings Exod. 19.4 The Arrow must first hit the Eagle before it can hurt the young Ones and shoot through her Wings the Enemies must first strike through Christ before they
consume the water this is impossible in the course of Nature But God can bring about all this Ier. 32.27 There is nothing too hard for thee Zach. 8.6 If it be marvellous in your Eyes should it be marvellous in my eyes saith the Lord How should God be united to our flesh It is impossible to us but not with God He can do that which transcends Reason and exceeds Faith He should not be God if he could not do more than we can think Eph. 3.20 He can reconcile Contraries How apt are we to be discouraged with seeming impossibilities how do our hearts die within us when things go cross to our Sense and Reason We are apt to say as that Prince 2 Kings 7.1 2. If the Lord would make windows in Heaven might this thing be It was a time of Famine and now that a measure of Wheat which was a good part of a Bushel should be sold for a Shekel viz. half an Ounce of Silver how can this be So when things are cross or strange God's own People are apt to question how they should be brought about with success Moses who was a Man of God and one of the brightest Stars that ever shined in the firmament of God's Church yet he was apt to be discouraged with seeming Impossibilities Numb 11.21 And Moses said the People among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh that they may eat for a whole month shall the flocks and herds be slain for them to suffice them or shall all the fish of the Sea be gathered for them to suffice them As if he had said in plain English he did not see how the People of Israel being so numerous could be fed for a month Vers. 23. And the Lord said is the Lord's hand waxed short Surely that God who brought Isaac out of a dead Womb and the Messiah out of a Virgins Womb what cannot he do O let us rest upon the Arm of God's Power and believe in him in the midst of seeming Impossibilities Remember there are no impossibilities with God He can subdue a proud heart he can raise a dying Church Christ born of a Virgin that wonder-working God that wrought this can bring to pass the greatest seeming Impossibilities Use 2. of Exhortation Branch 1. Seeing Christ took our Flesh and was born of a Virgin let us labour that he may be spiritually born in our hearts What will it profit us that Christ was born into the World unless he be born in our hearts that he was united to our Nature unless he be united to our Persons Marvel not that I say unto you Christ must be born again viz. in our hearts Gal. 4.19 till Christ be formed in you Now then try if Christ be born in your hearts Quest. How shall we know that Resp. 1. There are Pangs before the Birth so before Christ be born in the Heart there are Spiritual Pangs Some Pangs of Conscience Deep convictions Acts 2.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were pricked at their heart I grant the New-birth doth Recipere magis minus all have not the same Pangs of Sorrow and Humiliation yet all have Pangs If Christ be born in thy heart thou hast been deeply afflicted for sin Christ is never born in the heart without Pangs Many thank God they never had any Trouble of Spirit they were always quiet a sign Christ is not yet formed in them 2. As when Christ was born into the World he was made flesh so if he be born into thy heart he makes thy heart an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 Is thy heart Incarnate Before it was a rocky heart and would not yield to God or take the Impressions of the Word Durum est quod non cedit tactui now it is fleâ—hy and tender like melting Wax to take any stamp of the Spirit This is a sign Christ is born in our hearts when they are hearts of flesh they melt in Tears and in Love What is it the better Christ was made flesh unless he hath given thee an heart of flesh 3. Christ was conceived in the Womb of a Virgin so if he be born in thee thy heart is a Virgin-heart in respect of Sincerity and Sanctity Art thou purified from the love of sin If Christ be born in the heart it is a Sanctum Sanctorum an Holy of Holies If thy heart be polluted with the predominant love of sin never think Christ is born there Christ will never lye any more in a Stable If he be born in thy heart it is consecrated by the Holy Ghost 4. If Christ be born in thy heart then it is with thee as in a birth 1. There is Life Faith is principium vivens it is the vital Artery of the Soul Gal. 2.20 The life that I live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God 2. There is Appetite 1 Pet. 2.7 As new born babes desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere milk of the word The Word is like Breast-milk pure sweet nourishing the Soul in which Christ is formed desires this Breast-milk St. Bernard in one of his Soliquies comforts himself with this That sure he had the New-birth in him because he found in his heart such strong Anhelations and Thirstings after God 3. Motion After Christ is born in the heart there is a violent Motion there is striving to enter in at the strait gate and offering violence to the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 12.11 By this we may know Christ is formed in us This is the only comfort that as Christ was born into the World so he is born in our hearts as he was united to our flesh so he is united to our Persons Branch 2. As Christ was made in our Image let us labour to be made in his Image Christ being Incarnate was made like us let us labour to â—e made like him There are three things in which we should labour to be like Christ. 1. In Disposition He was of a most sweet Disposition Delitiae humani generis Tit. Vespasian he invites sinners to come to him He hath Bowels to pity us Breasts to feed us Wings to cover us He would not break our hearts but with Mercy Was Christ made in our Likeness let us labour to be made in his Likeness Let us be like him in this sweetness of Disposition Be not of a morose Spirit It was said of Nabal 1 Sam. 25.18 He is such a son of Belial that a man cannot speak to him Some are so barbarous as if they were a kin to the Ostrich they are fired with Rage and breathe forth nothing but Revenge like those two Men in the Gospel possessed with Devils coming out of the Tombs exceeding fierce Matth. 8.28 Let us be like Christ in mildness and sweetness Let us pray for our Enemies and conquer them by love David's kindness melted Saul's heart 1 Sam. 24.16 A frozen heart will be thawed with the fire
had a Son of his own Men adopt because they want Children and desire to have some to bear their Name but that God should adopt us when he had a Son of his own the Lord Iesus here is the Wonder of Love Christ is call'd God's dear Son Col. 1.13 A Son more worthy then the angels Heb. 1.4 Being made so much better then the angels Now when God had a Son of his own such a Son here is the Wonder of God's Love in adopting us We needed a Father but he did not need Sons 2. Consider what we were before God did adopt us We were very deformed a Man will scarce adopt him for his Heir that is crooked and ill-favoured but that hath some Beauty Mordecai adopted Esther because she was fair But we were in our Bloud and then God adopted us Ezek. 16.6 When I saw thee polluted in thy bloud it was the time of love God did not adopt us when we were bespangled with the Jewels of Holiness and had the Angels Glory upon us but when we were black as Aethiopians diseased as Leapers then it was the time of Love 3. That God should be at so great Expence in adopting us When Men adopt they have only some Deed seal'd and the thing is effected but when God adopts it puts him to a far greater Expence it seâ—s his Wisdom a work to find out a way to adopt us It was no easie thing to make the Heirs of Wrath Heirs of the Promise And when God had found out a way to adopt it was no easie way our Adoption is purchased at a dear Rate When God was about to make us Sons and Heirs he could not Seal the Deed but by the Bloud of his own Son Here is the Wonder of God's Love in adopting us that he should be at all this Expence to bring this work about 4. That God should adopt his Enemies If a Man adopts another for his Heir he will not adopt his mortal Enemy but that God should adopt us when we were not only Strangers but Enemies Here is the Wonder of Love for God to have pardoned his Enemies had been much but to adopt them for his Heirs this sets the Angels in Heaven a wondring 5. That God should take great Numbers out of the Devil's Family and adopt them into the Family of Heaven Christ is said to bring many sons to glory Heb. 2.10 Men adopt usually but one Heir but God is resolved to encrease his Family he brings many Sons to Glory God's adopting Millions is the Wonder of Love Had but one been adopted all of us might have despair'd but he brings many Sons to Glory this opens a Door of Hope to us 6. That God should confer so great Honour upon us in adopting us David thought it no small Honour that he should be a King's Son-in-law 1 Sam. 18.18 But what Honour to be the Sons of the High God And the more Honour God hath put upon us in adopting us the more he hath magnified his Love towards us What Honour that God hath made us so near in Alliance to him Sons of God the Father Members of God the Son Temples of God the Holy Ghost that he hath made us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Angels Matth. 22.30 Nay in some sence superiour to the Angels all proclaims the Wonder of God's Love in adopting us Branch 2. See the sad Condition of such as live and dye in Unbelief they are not the Sons of God To as many as received him he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe in his name No Faith no Sonship Unbelievers have no Sign on Sonship they know not God all God's Children know their Father but the Wicked do not know him Jer. 9.3 They proceed from evil to evil and know not me saith the Lord. Unbelievers are dead in Trespasses Eph. 2.1 God hath no dead Children and not being Children they have no Right to inherit 2. Use of Tryal Try whether we are adopted all the World is divided into these two Ranks either the Sons of God or the Heirs of Hell Joh. 1.12 To them he gave power to become the sons of God Let us put ourselves on a Tryal it is no sign we are adopted Sons because we are Sons of Godly Parents The Iews boasted that they were Abraham's Seed Ioh. 8.33 they thought they must needs be good because they came of such an Holy Line But Adoption doth not come by Bloud we see many godly Parents have wicked Sons Abraham had an Ishmael Isaac an Esau. The Corn that is sown pure yet brings forth Grain with an Husk He who himself is Holy yet the Child that springs from his Loins is Unholy So that as Hierom Non nascimur filii We are not God's Sons as we are born of godly Parents but by Adoption and Grace Well then let us try if we are the adopted Sons and Daughters of God First Sign of Adoption Obedience a Son obeys his Father Jer. 35.5 I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine and cups and said unto them Drink ye Wine But they said We will drink no wine for Ionadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us saying Ye shall drink no wine So when God saith Drink not in Sin 's enchanted Cup an adopted Child saith My Heavenly Father hath commanded me I dare not Drink A gracious Soul doth not only believe God's Promise but obey his Command And true Child-like Obedience must be Regular which implies three things 1. It must be done by a right Rule Obedience must have the Word for its Rule Lydius Lapis Isa. 8.20 To the law to the testimony If our Obedience be not according to the Word it is offering up strange Fire it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will-worship and God will say Who hath required this at your hand The Apostle condemns worshipping of Angels which had a show of Humility Col. 2.18 The Iews might say they were loath to be so bold as to go to God in their own Persons they would be more humble and prostrate themselves before the Angels desiring them to be their Mediators to God Here was a show of Humility in their Angel-worship but it was abominable because they had no Word of God to warrant it It was not Obedience but Idolatry Child-like Obedience is that which is consonant to our Father 's revealed Will. 2. It must be done from a right Principle i. e. The noble Principle of Faith Rom. 16.26 The obedience of faith Quicquid decorum est ex fide proficiscitur Aug. A Crab-tree may bear Fruit fair to the Eye but it is sowr because it doth not come from a good Root A Moral Person may give God outward Obedience and to the Eyes of others it seems glorious but his Obedience is sowr because it comes not from that sweet and pleasant Root of Faith A Child of God gives him the Obedience of Faith and that
make a Will and settles his Estate upon such Persons as he names in the Will none else but they can lay claim to the Will so God makes a Will and Testament but it is restrained and limited to such as are sanctified and it is high presumption for any else to lay claim to the Will 4. There is no going to Heaven without Sanctification Hebr. 12.14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. God is an holy God and he will suffer no unholy Creature to come near him A King will not suffer a Man with Plague-sores to approach into his Presence Heaven is not like Noah's Ark where the clean Beasts and the unclean entred no unclean Beast comes into the Heavenly Ark. Though God suffer the Wicked to live a while on the Earth he will never suffer Heaven to be pestered with such Vermin Are they fit to see God who wallow in wickedness will God ever lay such Vipers in his bosom Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. It must be a clear Eye that sees a bright Object only an holy Heart can see God in his Glory Sinners may see God as an Enemy not as a Friend may have an affrighting Vision of God but not a beatifical Vision They may see the flameing Sword but not the Mercy Seat O then what need is there of Sanctification 5. Without Sanctification all our holy things are defiled 1 Tit. 1.15 Unto them that are defiled is nothing pure Under the Law if a Man who was Unclean by a dead Body had carried a piece of holy Flesh in his Skirt the holy Flesh had not cleansed him but he had polluted that Hag. 1.12 13. An Emblem of a Sinners polluting his holy Offering A foul Stomack turns the best Food into ill Humours An unsanctified Heart pollutes Prayers Alms Sacraments this evinceth the necessity of Sanctification Sanctification makes our holy things accepted an holy Heart is the Altar which sanctifies the Offering his Duties tho' they are not to Satisfaction yet to Acceptation 6. Without Sanctification we can show no sign of our Election 2 Thes. 2.13 Election is the cause of our Salvation Sanctification is our Evidence Sanctification is the Ear-mark of Christ's Elect Sheep Quest. What are the Signs of Sanctification Resp. 1. Such as are sanctified can remember a time when they were unsanctified Tit. 3.3 We were in our Bloud and then God wash'd us with Water and anointed us with Oyl Ezek. 16.9 Those Trees of Righteousness that blossom and bear Almonds can remember when they were like Aaron's dry Rod not one Blossom of Holiness growing A sanctified Soul can remember when he was estranged from God thro' Ignorance and Vanity and then Free-grace planted this Flower of Holiness in him Second Sign of Sanctification is the in-dwelling of the Spirit 2 Tim. 1.14 The Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us As the Unclean Spirit dwells in the Wicked and carries them to Pride Lust Revenge the Devil hath entred into these Swine Acts 5.3 So the Spirit of God dwells in the Elect as their Guide and Comforter The Spirit possesseth the Saints God's Spirit sanctifies the Fancy causing it to mint holy Thoughts it sanctifies the Will putting a new Byass upon it whereby it is inclin'd to Good He who is sanctified hath the Influence of the Spirit tho' not the Essence Third Sign of Sanctification is an Antipathy against Sin Ps. 119.104 An Hypocrite may leave Sin yet love it as a Serpent casts its Coat but keeps its Sting but a sanctified Person can say he not only leaves Sin but loaths it As there are Antipathies in Nature between the Vine and Laurel so in a sanctified Soul there is an holy Antipathy against Sin and Antipathies can never be reconciled Because he hath an Antipathy against Sin he cannot but oppose it and seek the Destruction of it Fourth Sign of Sanctification is the Spiritual Performance of Duties viz. with the Heart and from a Principle of Love The sanctified Soul prays out of love to Prayer he calls the Sabbath a Delight Isa. 58.13 A Man may have Gifts to Admiration he may speak as an Angel drop'd out of Heaven yet may be carnal in spiritual things his Services do not come from a renewed Principle nor is he carried upon the Wings of Delight in Duty A sanctified Soul worships God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 2.5 God doth not judge of our Duties by the length but by the love Fifth Sign A well-order'd Life 1 Pet. 1.15 Be ye holy in all manner of conversation Where the Heart is sanctified the Life will be so too the Temple had Gold without as well as within As in a Piece of Coyn there 's not only the King's Image within the Ring but his Superscription too without So where there is Sanctification there is not only God's Image in the Heart but a Superscription of Holiness written in the Life Some say they have good Hearts but their Lives are Vitious Prov. 30.12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes yet is not washed from their filthiness If the Water be foul in the Bucket it cannot be clean in the Well Psal. 45.13 The king's daughter is all glorious within There is Holiness of Heart her Garments are wrought of wrought Gold Holiness of Life Grace is most beautiful when its Light doth so shine that others may see it this adorns Religion and makes Proselites to the Faith Sixth Sign Stedfast Resolution he is resolved never to part with his Holines let others reproach it he loves it the more let Water be sprinkled on the Fire it burns the more He saith as David when Micol reproach'd him for Dancing before the Ark 2 Sam. 6.22 If this be to be vile I will yet be more vile Let others persecute him for his Holiness he saith as Paul Acts 20.24 None of these things move me He prefers Sanctity before Safety and had rather keep his Conscience pure than his Skin whole He saith as Iob My integrity I will hold fast and not let it go Cap. 27.6 He will rather part with his Life then his Conscience Use 1. See what is the main thing a Christian should look after viz. Sanctification this is the Unum necessarium Sanctification is our purest Complexion it makes us as the Heaven bespangled with Stars it is our Nobility by it we are born of God and partake of the Divine Nature it is our Riches therefore compar'd to rows of Jewels and Chains of Gold Cant. 1.10 It is our best Certificate for Heaven what Evidence have we else to show have we Knowledge so hath the Devil Do we profess Religion Satan oft appears in Samuel's Mantle and transforms himself into an Angel of Light But here is our Certificat to show for Heaven Sanctification Sanctification is the first Fruits of the Spirit the only Coyn will pass currant in the other World Sanctification is the Evidence of God's Love we cannot guess at God's Love by giving us
Health Riches Success but by drawing his Image of Sanctification on us by the Pensil of the Holy Ghost Branch 2. It shows the Misery of such as are destitute of a Principle of Sanctification they are spiritually dead Eph. 2.1 Though they breathe yet they do not live The greatest part of the World remain Unsanctified 1. Ioh. 5.19 The World lies in Wickedness that is the major Part of the World Many call themselves Christians yet blot out the word Saints you may as well call him a Man who wants Reason as him a Christian who wants Grace Nay which is worse some are boy'd up to such an height of Wickedness that they hate and deride Sanctification 1. They hate it 't is bad to want it it is worse to hate it they embrace the Form of Religion but hate the Power The Vulter hates sweet smells so do they the Perfume of Holiness 2. Deride it these are your Holy Ones To deride Sanctification argues an high Degree of Atheism and is a black Brand of Reprobation Scoffing Ishmael was cast out of Abraham's Family Gen. 21.9 Such as scoff at Holiness shall be cast out of Heaven 2. Use of Exhortation Above all things pursue after Sanctification seek Grace more then Gold Prov. 4.13 Keep her for she is thy life Quest. What are the chief Inducements to Sanctification Resp. First it is the Will of God that we should be Holy In the Text This is the will of God your sanctification As God's Word must be the Rule so his Will the Reason of our Actions This is the Will of God our Sanctification Perhaps it is not the Will of God we should be rich but it is his Will that we should be holy God's Will is our Warrant 2. Jesus Christ hath died for our Sanctification Christ shed his blood to wash off our impurity The Cross was both an Altar and a Lavor Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity If we could be saved without holiness Christ needed not have died Christ died not only to save us from wrath but from sin 3. Sanctification makes us resemble God It was Adam's sin that he aspired to be like God in Omnisciency but we must endeavour to be like him in Sanctity It is only a clear Glass in which you can see a face it is only an holy Heart in which something of God can be seen there is nothing of God to be seen in an unsanctified Man you may see Satan's Picture in him Envy is the Devil's Eye Hypocrisie his cloven Foot but nothing of God's Image can be seen in him You can see no more of God in him then you can see a Man's face in a Glass that is dusty and foul 4. Sanctification is that God bears a great love to Not any outward Ornaments high blood or worldly grandure draws God's love but an heart embellished with holiness Christ never admired any thing but the beauty of holiness he slighted the glorious buildings of the Temple but admired the Womans Faith O woman great is thy faith Amor fundatur similitudine A King delights to see his Image upon a piece of Coin where God sees his likeness there he gives his love The Lord hath two Heavens he dwells in and the holy Heart is one of them 5. Sanctification is the only thing doth difference us from the wicked God's People have his Seal upon them 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Godly are sealed with a double Seal 1. a Seal of Election The Lord knoweth who are his 2. a Seal of Sanctification Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity This is the name by which God's People are known Isa. 63.18 Gnam Kodsheca the people of thy holiness As Chastity distinguisheth a vertuous Woman from an Harlot so Sanctification distinguisheth God's People from others 1 Ioh. 2.27 Ye have received an unction from the holy one 6. It is a shame to have the Name of a Christian yet want Sanctity as to have the Name of a Steward yet want Fidelity the Name of a Virgin yet want Chastity It exposeth Religion to reproach to be baptized into the Name of Christ yet unholy to have Eyes full of Tears on a Sabbath and on a Week-day Eyes full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 To be so devout at the Lord's Table as if Men were stepping into Heaven and so prophane the Week after as if they came out of Hell To have the Name of Christians yet unholy is a Scandal to Religion and make the ways of God evil spoken of 7. Sanctification fits for Heaven 2 Pet. 1.3 Who hath called us to glory and vertue Glory is the Throne and Sanctification is the Step by which we ascend to it First you cleanse the Vessel and then you pour in the Wine First God cleanseth us by Sanctification and then pours in the Wine of Glory Solomon was first anointed with Oil and then he was King 1 Kings 1.39 First God anoints us with the holy Oil of his Spirit and then he sets the Crown of Happiness upon our Head Pureness of Heart and seeing God are link'd together Matth. 5.8 Quest. How may Sanctification be attained to Resp. 1. Be conversant in the Word of God Iohn 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth The Word is both a Glass to shew us the Spots of our Soul and a Lavor to wash them away the Word hath a transforming vertue in it it irradiates the mind and consecrates the heart 2. Get Faith in Christ's Blood Acts 15.9 Having purified their hearts by faith She in the Gospel that touched the hem of Christ's Garment was healed a touch of Faith purifies nothing can have a greater force upon the heart to sanctifie it then Faith If I believe Christ and his Merits are mine how can I sin against him Justifying Faith doth that in a Spiritual sense which miraculous Faith doth it removes Mountains the Mountain of Pride Lust Envy Faith and the love of sin are inconsistent 3. Breathe after the Spirit it is called the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess. 2.13 The Spirit sanctifies the Heart as Lightning purifies the Air as Fire refines Metals Omne agens generat sibi simile The Spirit stamps the impress of its own Sanctity upon the Heart as the Seal prints its Effigies and Likeness upon the Wax The Spirit of God in a Man perfumes him with Holiness and makes his Heart a Map of Heaven 4. Associate with sanctified Persons They may by their Counsel Prayers holy Example be a means to make you holy As the communion of Saints is in our Creed so it should be in our Company Prov. 13.20 He that walketh with the wise shall be wise Association begets Assimilation 5. Pray for Sanctification Iob propounds a Question Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean
Job 15.14 God can do it Out of an unholy Heart he can produce Grace O! make David's Prayer Psal. 51.10 Create in me a clean heart O God Lay thy Heart before the Lord and say Lord my unsanctified Heart pollutes all it toucheth I am not fit to live with such an Heart for I cannot honour thee nor to die with such an Heart for I cannot see thee O create in me a clean heart Lord consecrate my heart and make it thy Temple and thy Praises shall be sung there for ever Use 3. of Thankfulness Hath God brought a clean thing out of an unclean hath he sanctified you wear this Jewel of Sanctification with thankfulness Col. 1.12 Giving thanks to the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath made us meet for the Inheritance c. Christian Thou could'st defile thy self but not sanctifie thy self But God hath done it he hath not only chain'd up sin but chang'd thy Nature and made thee as a King's Daughter all glorious within He hath put upon thee the Breast-place of Holiness which though it may be shot at can never be shot thorow Are there any here that are sanctified God hath done more for you then millions They may be illuminated but not sanctified He hath done more for you then if he had made you the Sons of Princes and caused you to ride upon the high places of the Earth Are you sanctified Heaven is begun in you Happiness is nothing but the quintissence of Holiness O how thankful should you be to God Do as that blind Man in the Gospel after he had received his sight He followed Christ glorifying God Luke 18.43 Make Heaven ring of God's Praises Of ASSVRANCE Quest. WHat are the Benefits flow from Sanctification Resp. Assurance of God's Love Peace of Conscience Ioy in the Holy Ghost Encrease of Grace and Perseverance therein to the end 1. Benefit flowing from Sanctification is assurance of God's Love 2 Pet. 1.10 Give Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Sanctification is the Seed Assurance is the Flower which grows out of it Assurance is a consequent of Sanctification the Saints of old had it 1 Iohn 2.3 We know that we know him 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed here was Sensus Fidei the reflex act of Faith and Gal. 2.20 Christ hath loved me Here was Faith flourishing into Assurance Aecolampadias when he was Sick pointed to his Heart Hic sat Lucis Here I have Light enough meaning Comfort and Assurance Quest. 1. Have all Sanctified Persons Assurance Resp. They have a right to it and I do incline to believe that all have it in some degree before their last expiring though their Comfort may be so strong and their Vital Spirits so weak that they cannot express what they feel But I dare not positively affirm that all have Assurance in the first moment of their Sanctification A Letter may be written when it is not Sealed so Grace may be written in the heart yet the Spirit may not set the Seal of Assurance to it God is a free Agent and may give or suspend Assurance pro libito as he please Where there is the Sanctifying work of the Spirit he may withhold the Sealing work partly to keep the Soul Humble partly to punish our careless walking We neglect our Spiritual watch grow remiss in duty and then walk under a Cloud We quench the Graces of the Spirit and God withholds the Comforts and partly to put a difference between Earth and Heaven This I the rather speak to bear up the Hearts of Gods People who are dejected because they have not Assurance You may have the Water of the Spirit poured on you in Sanctification though not the Oyl of Gladness in Assurance there may be Faith of Adherence and not of Evidence there may be Life in the Root when there is no Fruit in the Branches to be seen so Faith in the Heart when no Fruit of Assurance Quest 2. What is Assurance Resp. It is not Vocal any audible Voice or brought to us by the help of an Angel or Revelation Assurance consists of a Practical Sylogism where the Word of God makes the major Conscience the minor the Spirit of God the Conclusion The Word saith He that fears and loves God is loved of God there is the major Proposition then Conscience makes the minor but I fear and love God then the Spirit makes the Conclusion therefore thou art loved of God And this is that which the Apostle calls The Witnessing of the Spirit with our Spirits that we are his Children Rom. 8.16 Quest. 3. Whether hath a Sanctified Soul such an Assurance as excludes all doubting Resp. He hath that which bears up his Heart from sinking he hath such an Earnest of the Spirit that he would not part with for the Richest Prize but his Assurance though it be infallible it is not perfect There will be sometimes a Trepidation or Trembling he is safe yet not without fears and doubts as a Ship lies safe at Anchor yet may be a little shaken by the Wind. If a Christian had no Doubtings there should be no unbelief in him had he no Doubtings there would be no difference between Grace Militant and Triumphant Had not David his Ebbings sometimes as well as his Flowings like the Mariner who sometimes cries out Stellam Video I see a Star sometimes the Star is out of Sight Sometimes we hear David say Thy Loving Kindness is before mine Eyes Psal. 26.3 But at another time he was at a loss Psal. 89.49 Lord where are thy former Loving Kindnesses And there may fall out an Eclipse in a Christians Assurance to put him upon longing after Heaven Then there shall not be the least doubting then the Banner of Gods Love shall be always display'd upon the Soul then the light of God's Face shall be without Clouds and have no Sun-setting then the Saints shall have an uninterrupted Assurance and be ever with the Lord. Quest. 4. What are the differences between true Assurance and Presumption Resp. 1. They differ in the method or manner of working Divine Assurance flows from Humiliation for Sin I speak not of the measure of Humiliation but the Truth There are in Palermo Reeds growing in which there is a Sugred Juice A Soul humbled for Sin is the Bruised Reed in which grows this sweet Assurance God's Spirit is a Spirit of Bondage before it be a Spirit of Adoption but Presumption ariseth without any humbling work of the Spirit How camest thou by thy Venison so soon The Plow goes before the Seed be sown the Heart must be plowed up by Humiliation and Repentance before God sows the Seed of Assurance 2. He who hath a real Assurance will take heed of that which will weaken and darken his Assurance he is fearful of the Forbidden Fruit he knows though he cannot sin away his Soul yet he may sin away his Assurance But he who hath the Ignis Fatuus of
Desertion and are cast down for want of Assurance Resp. 1. Want of Assurance shall not hinder the Success of the Saints Prayers Sin lived in doth ponere obicem put a Bar to our Prayer but want of Assurance doth not hinder Prayer we may go to God still in an humble fiducial manner A Christian perhaps may think because he doth not see Gods smiling Face therefore God will not hear him This is a mistake Psal. 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my Supplication If we pour out Sighs to Heaven God hears every Groan though he doth not shew us his Face he may lend us his Ear. 2. Faith may be strongest when Assurance is weakest the Woman of Canaan had no Assurance but a Glorious Faith O Woman Great is thy Faith Mat. 15.28 Rachel was more Fair but Leah was more Fruitful Assurance is more fair and lovely to look upon but a fruitful Faith God sees is better for us Iohn 20.28 Blessed are they that Believe and feel not 3. When God is out of sight yet he is not out of Covenant Psalm 89.28 My Covenant shall stand fast Though a Wife doth not see her Husbands Face in many Years yet the Marriage Relation holds and he will come again to her after a long Voyage God may be gone from the Soul in Desertion but the Covenant stands fast Isa. 54.10 The Covenant of my Peace shall not be removed Quer. But this Promise was made to the Jews and doth not belong to us Yes Verse 17. This is the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord. This is made to all the Servants of God them that are now living as well as those who lived in the time of the Jews Quest. 8. What should we do to get Assurance Resp. 1. Keep a pure Conscience let no Guilt lie upon the Conscience unrepented of God Seals no Pardons before Repentance God will not pour in the Wine of Assurance into a foul Vessel Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience Guilt clips the Wings of Comfort he who is conscious to himself of Secret Sins cannot draw near to God in full Assurance he cannot call God Father but Judge keep Conscience as clear as your Eye that no dust of sin fall into it 2. If you would have Assurance be much in the Actings of Grace 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self unto Godliness Men grow rich by Trading by Trading in Grace we grow rich in Assurance 2 Pet. 1.10 Make your Election sure How Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge Keep Grace upon the Wing it is the lively Faith flourisheth into Assurance no Man will set up a great Sail in a small Boat but in a large Vessel God sets up the Sail of Assurance in an Heart enlarged in Grace 3. If you would have Assurance cherish the Holy Spirit of God When David would have Assurance he Prays Take not away thy Spirit from me Psal. 51.11 He knew it was the Spirit only that could make him hear the Voice of Joy The Spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter he seals up Assurance 2 Cor. 1.22 therefore make much of the Spirit do not grieve it As Noah opened the Ark to receive the Dove so should we open our Hearts to receive the Spirit This is the Blessed Dove which brings an Olive branch of Assurance in its Mouth 4. Let us lye at the Pool of the Ordinances frequent the Word and Sacrament Cant. 2. He brought me to the Banqueting House and his Banner over me was Love The blessed Ordinances are the Banqueting House where God displays the Banner of Assurance The Sacrament is a Sealing Ordinance Christ made himself known to his Disciples in the breaking of Bread So in the Holy Supper in the breaking of Bread God makes himself known to us to be our God and Portion Quest. 9. How should they carry themselves who have Assurance Resp. 1. If you have Assurance of your Justification do not abuse Assurance 1. 'T is an abusing of Assurance when we grow more remiss in Duty as the Musician having Mony thrown him leaves off playing By Remisness or intermitting the Exercises of Religion we grieve the Spirit and that is the way to have an Imbargo laid upon our Spiritual Comforts 2. We abuse Assurance when we grow Presumptuous and less fearful of sin What because a Father gives his Son an Assurance of his Love and tells him he will entail his Land upon him shall the Son therefore be Wanton and Dissolute This were the way to lose his Fathers Affection and make him cut off the Entail it was an Aggravation of Solomon's Sin His Heart was turned away from the Lord after he had appeared to him twice 1 Kings 11.9 'T is bad to sin when one wants Assurance but it is worse to sin when one hath it Hath the Lord seal'd his Love with a Kiss Hath he left a Pawn of Heaven in your Hands and do you thus requite the Lord Will you sin with Manna in your Mouth Doth God give you the sweet Clusters of Assurance to feed on and will you return him wild Grapes It much pleaseth Satan either to see us want Assurance or abuse it This is to abuse Assurance when the Pulse of our Soul beats faster in Sin and slower in Duty 2. If you have Assurance admire this stupendious Mercy You deserv'd that God should give you Gaul and Vinegar to drink and hath he made the Hony-Comb of his Love to drop upon you O fall down and adore his Goodness say Lord How is it that thou shouldest manifest thy self to me and not to other Believers Those whom thou lovest as the Apple of thine Eye yet thou holdest them in Suspence and givest them no Assurance of thy Love though thou hast given them the new Name yet not the White stone though they have the Seed of Grace yet not the Oyl of Gladness though they have the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier yet not the Holy Ghost the Comforter Lord whence is it that thou shouldest manifest thy self to me and make thy Golden Beams of Assurance shine upon my Soul O admire God! this will be the Work of Heaven 3. Let your Hearts be endeared in Love to God If God gives his People Correction they must love him much more when he gives them Assurance Psal. 31.23 O love the Lord ye his Saints Hath God brought you to the Borders of Canaan given you a Bunch of Grapes crown'd you with loving Kindness confirm'd your Pardon under the Broad Seal of Heaven How can you be frozen at such a Fire How can you choose but be turn'd into Seraphins Burning in Divine Love Say as St. Austin Animam meam odio Haberem I would hate my own Soul if I did not find it loving God Give God the Cream and Quintessence of your Love and shew your Love by
Christians it is but a while and you shall have done Weeping and Praying and be triumphing You shall put off your Mourning and put on white Robes you shall put off your Armour and put on a Victorious Crown You who have made a good Progress in Religion you are now almost ready to Commence and take your Degree of Glory now is your Salvation nearer than when you began to believe When a Man is almost at the end of a Race will he now tire or faint away O labour to persevere your Salvation is now nearer you have but a little way to go and you will set your Foot in Heaven Though the way be up-Hill and full of Thorns viz. Sufferings yet you have gone the greatest part of your way and shortly you shall rest from your Labours 3. How sad it is not to persevere in Holiness you expose your selves to the Reproaches of Men and the Rebukes of God First To the Reproaches of Men. They will divide both you and your Profession Luke 14.28 This Man began to Build and was not able to finish Such is he who begins in Religion and doth not persevere He is the Ludibrium and Derision of all Secondly To the Rebukes of God God is most severe against such as fall off because they bring an Evil Report upon Religion Apostacy breeds a bitter Worm in Conscience What a Worm did Spira feel and it brings swift Damnation It is a drawing back 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Perdition Heb. 10.38 God will make his Sword drunk with the Blood of Apostates 4. The Promises of Mercy are annexed only to Perseverance Rev. 3.5 He that overcometh shall be cloathed in white Raiment and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life Non pugnanti sed vincenti dabitur corona Aug. The Promise is not to him that Fights but that overcomes Luke 22.28 Ye are they which have continued with me and I appoint unto you a Kingdom The Promise of a Kingdom saith Chrysostom is not made to them that heard Christ or followed him but that continued with him Perseverance carries away the Garland No Man hath the Crown set upon his Head but he who holds out to the end of the Race O therefore by all this be perswaded to Persevere God makes no account of such as do not persevere Who esteems of Corn that sheds before Harvest or Fruit that falls from the Tree before it be Ripe Quest. 2. What expedients or means may be used for a Christians Perseverance Resp. 1. Take heed of those things which will make you desist and fall away First Take heed of Presumption Do not presume upon your own strength Exercise an Holy Fear and Jealousie over your own Hearts Rom. 11.20 Be not high minded but fear 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lâ—st he fall It was Peter's Sin he lean'd more upon his Grace than upon Christ and then he fell A Christian hath cause to fear lest the Lusts and Deceits of his Heart betray him Take heed of Presuming Fear begets Prayer Prayer begets Strength and Strength begets Stedfastness Secondly Take heed of Hypocrisie Iudas was first a Sly Hypocrite and then a Traitor Psal. 78.37 Their Heart was not right with God neither were they stedfast in his Covenant If there be any Venom or Malignity in the Blood it will break forth into a Plague-sore The Venom of Hypocrisie is in danger of breaking forth into the Plague-sore of Scandal Thirdly Beware of a Vile Heart of Unbelief Heb. 3.12 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief departing from the Living God Whence is Apostacy but from Incredulity Men do not believe the Truth and then they fall from the Truth Unbelieving and Unstable go together Psal. 78.22 They believed not in God ver 41. They turned back 2. If you would be Pillars in the Temple of God and persevere in Sanctity First Look that you enter into Religion upon a right ground be well grounded in the distinct knowledg of God you must know the Love of the Father the Merit of the Son the Efficacy of the Holy Ghost Such as know not God aright will by degrees fall off The Samaritans sometimes sided with the Jews when they were in favour afterwards disclaimed all Kindred with them when Antiochus persecuted the Jews And no wonder the Samaritans were no more fixed in Religion if you consider what Christ saith of the Samaritans Iohn 4.22 Ye worship ye know not what They were ignorant of the True God let your Knowledge of God be clear and serve him purely out of Choice and then you will persevere Psal. 119.30 I have chosen the way of Truth I have stuck unto thy Testimonies Secondly Get a real work of Grace in your Heart Heb. 13.9 It is a good thing that the Heart he established with Grace Nothing will hold out but Grace 't is only this Anointing abides Paint will fall off Get an Heart-changing-work 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified Be not content with Baptism of Water without Baptism of the Spirit The reason Men persevere not in Religion is for want of a Vital Principle A Branch must needs wither that hath no root to grow upon Thirdly If you would Persevere be very Sincere Perseverance grows only upon the Root of Sincerity Psal. 25.21 Let Integrity and Uprightness preserve me The Breast-Plate of Sincerity can never be shot thorough How many Storms was Iob in The Devil sets against him his Wife tempted him to Curse God his Friends accused him for an Hypocrite here was enough one would think to have made him desist from Religion Yet for all this he perseveres What preserved him it was his Sincerity Iob 27.6 My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my Heart shall not Reproach me so long as I live Fourthly If Persevere be Humble St. Chrysostom calls it the Mother of all the Graces God lets a poor Humble Christian stand when others of Higher Parts and who have higher Thoughts of themselves fall off by Apostacy They are likest to Persevere who God will give most Grace to But he gives Grace to the Humble 1 Pet. 5.5 They are likest to persevere who have God dwelling in them But God dwells in the Humble Soul Isa. 57.15 Non requiescit Spiritus Sanctus nisi super Humilem Bern. The lower the Tree roots in the Earth the firmer it is the more the Soul is rooted in Humility the more stablished it is and in less danger of falling away Fifthly If Persevere cherish the Grace of Faith Faith doth stabilire Animum 2 Cor. 1.24 By Faith ye stand 1. Faith knits us to Christ as the Members are knit to the Head by Nerves and Sinews 2. Faith fills us with Love to God It works by Love Gal. 5.6 And he who loves God will rather dye than desert him The Soldier who loves his General will die in
aspects and smiles of Gods Face Which brings me to the third thing 3. The Saints at Death shall not only have a Sight of God but shall enjoy the Love of God there shall be no more Veil on Gods Face nor his Smiles checker'd with Frowns but Gods love shall discover it self in all its Orient Beauty and fragrant Sweetness Here the Saints pray for Gods Love and they have a few drops but there they shall have as much as their Vessel can receive To know this love passeth Knowledge This will cause a Jubilation of Spirits and create such Holy Raptures of Joy in the Saints as are Superlative and would soon overwhelm them if God did not make them able to bear 4. Believers at Death shall gain a Celestial Palace an House not made with Hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here the Saints are straitned for Room they have but mean Cottages to live in but they shall have a Royal Palace to live in Here is but their Sojourning House there in Heaven is their Mansion-house An House built high above all the Visible Orbs an House bespangled with Light Col. 1.12 Enriched with Pearls and Precious Stones Rev. 21.19 And this is not their Landlord's House but their Father's House Iohn 14.2 And this House stands all upon Consecrated Ground it is set out by Transparent Glass to shew the Holiness of it Rev. 21.27 5. Believers at Death shall gain the sweet Society of glorified Saints and Angels This will add something to the felicity of Heaven as every Star adds some lustre to the Firmament First The Society of the glorified Saints we shall see them in their Souls as well as in their Bodies Their Bodies will be so clear and bright that we shall see their Souls shining through their Bodies as the Wine through the Glass and Believers at Death shall have Converse with the Saints glorified And how delightful will that be when they shall be freed from all their Sinful Corruptions Pride Envy Passion Censoriousness which are Scars upon them here to disfigure them In Heaven there shall be perfect Love among the Saints they shall as the Olive and Myrtle sweetly embrace each other The Saints shall know one another as Luther speaks If in the Transfiguration Peter knew Moses and Elias which he never saw before Mat. 17.3 then much more in the glorified State the Saints shall perfectly know one another though they never saw them before Secondly The Saints at Death shall behold the Angels with the glorified Eye of their Understanding The Wings of the Cherubins representing the Angels were made of Fine Gold to denote both their Sanctity and Splendor The Angels are compared to Lightning Mat. 28.3 because of those Sparkling Beams of Majesty which as Lightning shoot from them And when Saints and Angels shall meet and sing together in Consort in the Heavenly Quire what Divine Harmony what Joyful Triumphs will it Create 6. Believers at Death shall gain Perfection of Holiness Here Grace was but in Cunabulis in its Cradle very Imperfect we cannot write a Copy of Holiness without Blotting Believers are said to receive but Primitias Spiritus the first Fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 But at Death the Saints shall arrive at Perfection their Knowledge clear their Sanctity perfect their Sun shall be in its full Meridian Splendour They need not then pray for Encrease of Grace they shall Love God as much as they would Love him and as much as he desires to have them Love him they shall be then in respect of Holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Angels of God 7. At Death the Saints shall gain a Royal Magnificent Feast I told you before what a glorious Palace they shall have but a Man may starve in a House if there be no Chear The Saints at Death shall have a Royal Banquet shadowed out in Scripture by a Marriage Supper Rev. 19.9 Bullinger and Gregory the Great understand by that Marriage-Supper of the Lamb the stately Magnificent Festival the Saints shall have in Heaven they shall feed on the Tree of Life Rev. 22. They shall have the Heavenly Nectar and Ambrosia the Spiced Wine and Iuice of the Pomegranate Cant. 8.2 This Royal Supper of the Lamb will not only satisfie Hunger but prevent it Rev. 7 16. They shall hunger no more Nor can there be any Surfeit at this Feast because a fresh Course will be continually served in New and fresh Delights will spring from God therefore the Tree of Life in Paradise is said to bear Twelve sorts of Fruit Rev. 22.2 8. Believers at Death shall gain Honour and Dignity they shall reign as Kings therefore we read of the Ensigns of their Royalty their White Robes and Crowns Caelestial 2 Tim. 4.7 We read that the Doors of the Holy of Holies were made of Palm-Trees and open Flowers covered with Gold 1 Kings 6.35 An Emblem of that Victory and Triumph and that Golden Garland of Honour wherewith God hath invested the Saints glorified When all Worldly Honour shall lye in the Dust the Mace the Star the Robe of Ermin the Imperial Diadem then shall the Saints Honour remain not one Jewel shall be pluck'd out of their Crown they shall gain at Death a Blessed Eternity If the Saints could have but the least Suspicion or Fear of losing their Glory it would much cool and imbitter their Joy but their Crown fades not away 1 Pet. 5.4 As the Wicked have a Worm that never dies so the Elect have a Crown that never fades Ever is a short Word but hath no ending in fine erit gaudium sine fine Bern. 2 Cor. 4.18 The things which are not seen are Eternal Psal. 16.11 At thy right Hand are Pleasures for evermâ—re Who can span Eternity Millions of Ages stand but for Ciphers in Eternity This is the Elah or highest strain of the Saints Glory ever in Christ's Bosom Quest. How come the Saints to have all this Gain Resp. Believers have a right to all this Gain at Death upon a diverse account By vertue of the Fathers Donation the Sons Purchase the Holy Ghosts Earnest and Faiths acceptance Therefore the state of future glory is called the Saints proper inheritance Col. 1.12 They are Heirs of God and have a right to inherit Use 1. See the great difference between the Death of the Godly and the Wicked the Godly are great gainers at Death the Wicked are great Losers at Death They loose Four things 1. They lose the World and that is a great loss to the Wicked they laid up their Treasure upon Earth and to be turned out of all at once is a great loss 2. They lose their Souls Mat. 16.26 The Soul was at first a noble piece of Coin which God stamped his own Image upon this Caelestial spark is more precious than the whole Globe of the World But the Sinners Soul is lost not that the Souls of the Wicked are annihilated at Death but damnified 3. They lose Heaven Heaven is Sedes
beatorum the Royal Seat of the Blessed it is the region of Happiness the Map of Perfection There is that Manna which is Angels Food there is the Garden of Spices the Bed of Perfumes the Rivers of Pleasure Sinners at Death lose all this 4. They lose their Hopes For though they lived wickedly yet they hoped God was Merciful and they hoped they should go to Heaven Their Hope was not an Anchor but a Spiders Web. Now at Death they lose their Hopes they see they did but flatter themselves into Hell Iob. 8.14 Whose Hope shall be cut off That is sad to have a Mans Life and his Hope cut off together Use 2. If the Saints gain such glorious things at Death then how may they desire Death Doth not every one desire Preferment nemo ante funera Foelix Faith gives a Title to Heaven Death a Possession Though we should be desirous of doing Service here yet we should be ambitious to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 We should be content to live but willing to Dye Is it not a blessed thing to be freed from Sin and to lie for ever in the Bosom of Divine Love Is it not a blessed thing to meet our Godly Relations in Heaven and to be singing Divine Anthems of Praise among the Angels Doth not the Bride desire the Marriage Day especially if she were to be matched unto the Crown What is the Place we now live in but a Place of Banishment from God We are in a Wilderness while the Angels live at Court Here we are combating with Satan and should not we desire to be out of the Bloody Field where the Bullets of Tentation fly so fast and to receive a Victorious Crown Think what it will be to have always a smiling Aspect from Christs Face to be brought into the Banqueting House and have the Banner of his Love displayed over you O ye Saints desire Death it is your Ascension-day to Heaven Egredere anima egredere said Hilarion on his Death-bed Go forth my Soul what fearest thou Another Holy Man said Lord lead me to that Glory which I have seen as through a Glass Hast Lord and do not tarry Some Plants thrive best when they are transplanted Believers when they are by Death transplanted cannot choose but thrive because they have Christ's sweet Sun-beams shine upon them And what though the Passage through the Valley of the shadow of Death be troublesome Who would not be willing to pass a tempestuous Sea if he were sure to be crown'd as soon as he came at shore Use 3. Comfort in the loss of our dear and pious Relations They when they dye are not only taken away from the Evil to come but they are great gainers by Death They leave a Wilderness and go to Paradise They change their Complaints into Thanksgivings They leave their Sorrows behind and enter into the Joy of their Lord Why should we weep for their Preferment Believers have not their Portion paid till the day of their Death Gods Promise is his Bond to make over Heaven in Reversion to them But though they have his Bond they do not receive their Portion till the day of Death Oh! Rejoyce to think of their Happiness who dye in the Lord to them to dye is gain They are as Rich as Heaven can make them A Believers Privilege at Death Phil. 1.21 For to me to live is Christ and to dye is gain HOPE is a Christan's Anchor which he casts within the vail Rom. 12.12 Rejoycing in Hope A Christians Hope is not in this Life but he hath Hope in his Death Prov. 14.32 The best of a Saints Comfort begins when his Life ends The Wicked have all their Heaven here Luke 6.28 Woe unto you Rich you have received your Consolation You may make your Acquittance and write Received in full Payment Luke 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things But a Saints Happiness is in Reversion The righteous hath Hope in his death God keeps the best Wine till last If Cato the Heathen said To me to dye is gain He saw Mortality to be a Mercy Then what may a Believer say Eccles. 7.1 The day of Death is better than the day of ones Birth Nemo ante Funera Felix Solon A Queen of this Land said she prefer'd her Coffin before her Cradle Quest. 1. What Benefits do Believers receive at Death Resp. 1. They have great Immunities 2. They pass immediately into a State of Glory 3. Their Bodies are united to Christ in the Grave till the Resurrection 1. The Saints at Death have great Immunities and Freedoms A Prentice when out of his time is made Free When the Saints are out of their time of living then they are made Free not made Free till Death 1. At Death they are freed from a Body of Sin There are in the best reliquiae peccati some Remainders and Reliques of Corruption Rom. 7.24 O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death By the Body of Death is meant the Congeries the Mass and lump of Sin It may well be called a Body for its weightiness and a Body of Death for its noisomness 1. It weighs us down sin hinders us from doing good A Christian is like a Bird that would be flying up but hath a string tyed to its Legs to hinder it so he would be flying up to Heaven with the Wings of desire but sin hinders him Rom. 7.15 The good that I would I do not A Christian is like a Ship that is under Sail and at Anchor Grace would sail forward but Sin is the Anchor that holds it back 2. Sin is oft more active in its Sphere than Grace How stirring was Lust in David when his Grace lay dormant 3. Sin sometimes gets the Mastery and leads a Saint Captive Rom. 7.19 The evil I would not that do I. Paul was like a Man carried down the stream and could not bear up against it How oft is a Child of God over-power'd with Pride and Passion Therefore Paul calls sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law in his Members Rom. 7.24 it binds as a Law it hath a kind of Jurisdiction over the Soul as Cesar had over the Senate 4. Sin defiles the Soul it is like a stain to Beauty it turns the Souls Azure Brightness into Sables 5. Sin debilitates us it disarms us of our strength 2 Sam. 3.39 I am this day weak though anointed King So though a Saint is crown'd with Grace yet he is weak though anointed a Spiritual King 6. Sin is ever Restless Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusts against the Spirit It is an Inmate that is always quarrelling Like Marcellus that Roman Captain of whom Hannibal said Whether he did beat or was beaten he would never be quiet 7. Sin adheres to us we cannot get rid of it It may be compar'd to a wild Fig-tree growing on a Wall though the Roots are pull'd up yet there are some Fibers
into his image 1 Iohn 3.2 We shall be like him If when Moses was with God on the Mount and had but some imperfect sight of his Glory Moses face shined Exod. 34.33 How shall the Saints glorified shine being always in God's Presence and having some beams of his Glory put upon them We shall be like him One that is deformed may look on Beauty and not be made Beautiful But the Saints that so see God as that sight shall transform them into his Likeness Psal. 17.15 When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness Not that the Saints shall partake of God's Essence for as the Iron in the Fire is made Fiery yet remains Iron still so the Saints by beholding God's Majesty shall be made Glorious Creatures but yet Creatures still 4. Our seeing of God in Heaven will be unweariable Let a Man see the rarest Sight that is he will be soon cloyed when he comes into a Garden and sees delicious Walks fair Arbours Pleasant Flowers within a little while he grows weary But it is not so in Heaven there is no Surfeit Ibi nec Fames nec Fastidium Bern. The Saints will never be weary of their Prospect viz. of seeing God for God being infinite there shall be every Moment new and fresh Delights springing from God into the Souls of the Glorified II. The Second thing implied in our enjoying God is our Loving of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a Saints grief that his Heart is like the Frozen Ocean that he can melt no more in Love to God but in Heaven the Saints shall be like Seraphims burning in Divine Love Love is a pleasing Affection Fear hath Torment in it 1 Iohn 4.18 Love hath Joy in it To love Beauty is delightful God's amazing Beauty will attract the Saints Love and it will be their Heaven to Love him III. The Third thing implyed in enjoying God is Gods Loving us Were there Glory in God yet if there were not Love it would much eclipse the Joys of Heaven but God is Love 1 Iohn 4.16 The Saints glorified cannot love so much as they are loved What is their Love to God's What is their Star to this Sun God doth love his People on Earth when they are black as well as comely they have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imperfections O how intirely will he Love them when they are without Spot or Wrinkle Eph. 5.27 1. This is the Felicity of Heaven to be in the sweet Embraces of God's Love To be the Hephsibah the delight of the King of Glory To be Sunning our selves in the Light of Gods Countenance Then the Saints shall know that Love of Christ which passeth Knowledge Eph. 3.19 From this glorious manifestation of God's Love will flow infinite Joy into the Souls of the Blessed Therefore Heaven is call'd entring into the joy of our Lord Mat. 25.21 The Seeing of God the Loving of God and being Beloved of God will cause a Jubilation of Spirit and create such Holy Raptures of Joy in the Saints as is unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1.8 In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima imo rapitur Aug. Now the Saints spend their Years with Sighing they weep over their Sins and Afflictions then their Water shall be turned into Wine then the Vessels of Mercy shall be fill'd and run over with Joy they shall have their Palm-Branches and Harps in their Hand Rev. 14.2 in token of their Triumphs and Rejoycing 2. The Second thing comprehended in Glory is the good Society there There are the Angels every Star adds to the Light Those Blessed Cherubims will welcome us into Paradise If the Angels rejoyced so at the Conversion of the Elect First How will they rejoyce at their Coronation Secondly There is the Company of the Saints Heb. 12.23 The Spirits of Iust Men made Perfect Quest. Whether shall the Saints in Glory know each other Resp. Certainly they shall for our Knowledge in Heaven shall not be diminished but increased We shall not only know our Friends and Godly Relations but those glorified Saints which we never saw before It must be so for Society without Acquaintance is not comfortable And of this Opinion were St. Austin Anselm Luther And indeed the Scripture seems to hint so much to us For if Peter in the Transfiguration knew Moses and Elias whom he never saw before Mat. 17.4 then surely in Heaven the Saints shall know one another and be infinitely delighted in each others Company 3. The Third thing comprehended in Glory is Perfection in Holiness Holiness is the Beauty of God and Angels it makes Heaven What is Happiness but the quintessence of Holiness Here a Christians Grace is imperfect he cannot write a Copy of Holiness without blotting He is said to receive but Primitas Spiritus the first Fruits of the Spirit Grace in Fieri Rom. 8.23 But at Death Believers shall arrive at Perfection of Grace Then this Sun shall be in its Meridian Splendour then they shall not need to pray for Encrease of Grace for they shall be as the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Light shall be clear as well as their Joy full 4. The Fourth thing in Glory is Dignity and Honour they shall reign as Kings Therefore the Saints glorified are said to have their insignia Regalia their Ensigns of Royalty their white Robes and their Crown 2 Tim. 4.7 Caesar after his Victories in token of Honour had a Chair of Ivory set for him in the Senate and a Throne in the Theatre the Saints having obtained their Victories over Sin and Satan shall be inthroned with Christ in the Empirean Heaven To sit with Christ denotes Safety to set on the Throne Dignity Rev. 3.21 This Honour have all the Saints 5. The Fifth thing in Glory is the Harmony and Union among the Heavenly Inhabitants The Devil cannot get his Cloven Foot into Heaven He cannot conjure up any Storms of Contention there there shall be perfect Union There Calvin and Luther are agreed there 's no jarring String in the Heavenly Musick there is nothing to make any difference no Pride or Envy there Though one Star may differ from another one may have a greater degree of Glory yet every Vessel shall be full There shall the Saints and Angels fit as Olive-Plants round about their Fathers Table in Love and Unity Then shall they joyn together in consort then shall the loud Anthems of Praise be sung in the Heavenly Quire 6. The Sixth thing in Glory is a blessed Rest Heb. 4.9 There remains a Rest Foelix transitus à labore ad requiem here we can have no rest tossed and turn'd as a Ball on Racket 2 Cor. 4.8 We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 troubled on every side How can a Ship rest in a Storm But after Death the Saints get into their Haven Every thing is quiet in the Center God is centrum quietativum animae as the Schoolmen The Center where the Soul doth sweetly acquiesce
chief Good So Aquinas defines Love Complacentia amantis in amato Love is a complacential delighting in God as in our Treasure Love is the Soul of Religion 't is a Grace highly momentous If we had Knowledge as the Angels or Faith of Miracles yet without Love it would profit nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 Love is the First and Great Commandment Mat. 22.38 It is so because if this be wanting there can be no Religion in the Heart there can be no Faith for Faith works by Love Gal. 5.6 All is but Pageantry or a Devout Complement 2. Because Love doth meliorate and sweeten all the Duties of Religion it makes them Savoury Meat else God cares not to taste of them 3. It is the First and Great Commandment in respect of the Excellency of this Grace Love is the Queen of the Graces it out-shines all the other as the Sun the Lesser Planets In some respect it is more excellent than Faith though in one sense Faith be more excellent Virtute unionis as it unites us to Christ. Faith puts upon us the Embroidered Robe of Christs Righteousness which is a brighter Robe than any of the Angels wear Yet in another sense Love is more excellent respectu durationis in respect of the continuance of it it is the most durable Grace Faith and Hope will shortly cease but Love will remain When all the other Graces like Rachel shall dye in Travel Love shall revive The other Graces are in the nature of a Lease only for term of Life Love is as a Free-hold it continues for ever Thus Love carries away the Garland from all the other Graces it is the most long liv'd Grace it is a Bud of Eternity this Grace alone shall accompany us in Heaven Quest 1. How must our Love to God be qualified Resp. 1. Love to God must be pure and genuine he must be loved chiefly for himself this the School-men call Amor amicitiae We must love God not only for his Benefits but those intrinsick Excellencies wherewith he is Crowned We must love God not only for the good which flows from him but the good which is in him True love is not Mercenary a Soul that is deeply in love with God needs not be hired with Rewards he cannot but love God for the Beauty of his Holiness not but that it is lawful to look at Gods Benefits Moses had an Eye to the recompence of Reward Heb. 11.26 But we must not love God only for his Benefits for then it is not love of God but Self-Love 2. Love to God must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all the Heart Mark 12.30 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart We must not love God a little give him a Drop or two of our Love but the main Stream of our Love must run after him the Mind must think of God the Will choose him the Affections pant after him The true Mother would not have the Child divided nor God will not have the Heart divided we must love him with our whole Heart Though we may love the Creature yet it must be a subordinate Love Love to God must be highest as the Oyl swims above the Water 3. Love to God must be Flaming to love coldly is all one as not to love The Spouse is said to be amore perculsa Sick of Love Cant. 2.5 The Seraphims are so called from their Burning Love turns Saints into Seraphims it makes them burn in Holy Love to God and many Waters cannot quench this Love Quest. 2. How may we know whether we love God Resp. 1. He that loves God desires his sweet Presence Lovers cannot be long asunder they have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fainting Fits they want a sight of the Object of their Love A Soul deeply in Love with God desires the enjoyment of him in his Ordinances in Word Prayer Sacrament David was ready to faint away and Dye when he had not a sight of God Psal. 84.2 My Soul fainteth for God such as care not for Ordinances but say when will the Sabbath be over plainly discover want of Love to God 2. He who loves God doth not love Sin Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil The love of God and love of Sin can no more mix together than Iron and Clay Every Sin loved strikes at the Being of God but he who loves God hath an Antipathy against Sin He who would part between Two Lovers is an Hateful Person God and the Believing Soul are Two Lovers Sin comes to part between them therefore the Soul is implacably set against Sin By this try your Love to God How could Dalilah say she loved Sampson when she entertained correspondence with the Philistines who were his Mortal Enemies How can he say he loves God who loves Sin which is God's Enemy 3. He who loves God is not much in love with any thing else his love is very cool to worldly things his love to God moves as the Sun in the Firmament swiftly his love to the World moves as the Sun on the Dial very slow The love of the World eats out the Heart of Religion It choaks good Affections as the Earth puts out the Fire The World was a dead thing to Paul Gal. 6.14 I am Crucified to the World and the World is Crucified to me In Paul we might see both the Picture and Pattern of a Mortified Man He that loves God useth the World but chooseth God the World is his Pension but God is his Portion Psal. 119.57 The World doth busie him but God doth delight and satisfie him He saith as David Psal. 43.4 God my exceeding joy the Gladness or Cream of my Joy 4 He who loves God cannot live without him Things we love we know not how to be without A Man can want Musick or Flowers but not Food A Soul deeply in love with God looks upon himself as undone without him Psal. 143.7 Hide not thy Face from me lest I be like them that go down into the Pit He saith as Iob Châ—p 30.28 I went Mourning without the Sun I have Star-light I want the Sun of Righteousness I enjoy not the sweet Presence of my God Is God our chief Good that we cannot live without Alas how do they demonstrate they have no love to God who can make a shift well enough to be without him Let them but have Corn and Oyl and you shall never hear them complain of the want of God 5. He who loves God will be at any pains to get him What pains doth the Merchant take what hazards doth he run to have a rich Return from the Indies Extremos currit Mercator 〈…〉 Iacob loved Rachel and he would endure the Heat by Day anâ— the Froâ—t by Night that he might enjoy her A Soul that loves God will take any pains for the Fruition of him Psal. 63.8 My Soul follows hard after God Love is Pondus animae Aug. It is as the weight which sets the
such Secrets that they must not be spoken of again Or as if it were a shame to speak of that which will save us VI. Shut up the Sabbath-Evening with Repetition Singing of Psalms and Prayer Beg that God would bless the Word you have heard but I hope your Practice herein will prevent my farther speaking Could we but thus spend a Sabbath we might be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day Rev. 1.10 our Souls might be nourished and comforted And this Sabbath which we now keep would be an earnest of that everlasting Sabbath which we shall Celebrate in Heaven EXOD. XX. 8 Remember to keep the Sabbath-day Holy Vse I. See here a Christians Duty To keep the Sabbath-Day Holy 1. The whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God It is not said Keep a part of the Sabbath holy but the whole day must be religiously observed If God hath given us Six Days and taken but One to himself shall we grudge him any part of that Day It were Sacriledge The Jews kept a whole Day to the Lord and we are not to abridge or curtail the Sabbath saith St. Austin more than the Jews did The very Heathens by the Light of Nature did set apart a whole Day in the Honour of their False Gods And Scaevola their High Priest did affirm That the wilful Transgression of that Day could have no Expiation or Pardon Whoever do rob any part of the Sabbath for servile Work or Recreation Scaevola the High Priest of the Heathenish Gods shall rise up in Judgment against such Christians and condemn them And they who say that to keep a whole Sabbath is too Iudaical let them show where God hath made any Abatement of the Time of Worship where he hath said You shall keep but a Part of the Sabbath And if they cannot show that it argues much Boldness to go to rob God of his Due That a whole Day be design'd and set apart for God's special Worship is a perpetual Statute while the Church remains upon the Earth saith Pet. Martyr Of this Opinion also were Theodoret Austin Iraeneus and the Chief of the Fathers 2. As the whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God so it must be kept Holy You see the manner of sanctifying the Lord's Day by Reading Meditation Prayer hearing of the Word and by Singing of Psalms to make Melody to the Lord. Now besides what I have said for the keeping this Day holy let me make a short Comment or Paraphrase on that Scripture Isa. 58.13 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 thy own ways nor finding thy own pleasure nor speaking thy own words Here is a Description of the right sanctifying a Sabbath 1. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath That may be understood either Literally or Principally First Literally If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath that is If thou withdrawest thy Foot from taking long Walks or Journeys on the Sabbath-day So the Jewish Doctors expound it Or Secondly Spiritually If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath that is If thou turn away thy Affections the Feet of thy Soul from enclining to any worldly Business 2. From doing thy Pleasure on my holy Day That is Thou must not do that which may please the Carnal Part as Sports and Pastimes This is to do the Devil's Work on God's Day 3. And call the Sabbath a Delight Call it a Delight that is esteem it so Tho the Sabbath be not a Day for Carnal Pleasure yet holy Pleasure is not forbidden The Soul must take pleasure in the Duties of a Sabbath The Saints of old counted the Sabbath a Delight The Jews called the Sabbath Dies Lucis A Day of Light The Lord's Day on which the Sun of Righteousness shines is both a Day of Light and Delight This is the Day of sweet Intercourse between God and the Soul On this Day a Christian makes his Sallies out to Heaven his Soul is lifted above the Earth and can this be without Delight The higher the Bird flies the sweeter it sings On a Sabbath the Soul acts its Love to God and where the Love is there is the Delight On this Day a Believers Heart is melted q. d. quickned enlarged in Holy Duties and how can all this be and not a secret Delight go along with it On a Sabbath a gracious Soul can say as Cant. 2.3 I sat under his shadow with great delight and his Fruit was sweet to my taste How can a Spiritual Heart chuse but call the Sabbath a Delight Is it not delightful to a Queen to be putting on her Wedding Robes in which she shall meet the King her Bridegroom When we are about Sabbath-Exercises we are dressing our selves and putting on our Wedding-Robes in which we are to meet our Heavenly Bridegroom the Lord Jesus And is not this delightful On the Sabbath God makes a Feast of fat things he Feasts the Ear with his Word and the Heart with his Grace Well then may we call the Sabbath a Delight and to find this holy Delight is to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day 4. The Holy of the Lord honourable In the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorious To call the Sabbath Honourable is not to be understood so much of an outward Honour given to it by wearing richer Apparel or having better Diet on this Day as the Jewish Doctors corruptly gloss This is the chief Honour some give to this Day But thou shalt call the Sabbath Honourable that is meant of the Honour of the Heart that we give to this Day reverencing it and esteeming it the Queen of Days We are to count the Sabbath Honourable because God hath honoured it All the Persons in the Trinity have honoured it God the Father blessed it God the Son rose upon it God the Holy Ghost descended on this Day Acts 2.1 And indeed this Day is to be honoured of all good Christians and had in high Veneration It is a Day of Renown On this Day a Golden Scepter of Mercy is held forth The Christian Sabbath is the very Crepusculum and Dawning of the Heavenly Sabbath It is honourable because this Day God comes down to us and visits us To have the King of Heaven present in a special manner in our Assemblies makes the Sabbath-day honourable Besides the Work that is done on this Day makes it honourable The Six Days are fill'd up with-servile Work which makes them lose much of their Glory but on this Day Sacred Work is done The Soul is employed wholly about the Worship of God it is Praying Hearing Meditating it is doing Angels Work Praising and Blessing of God Again The Day is Honourable by vertue of a Divine Institution Silver is of it self valuable but when the Royal Stamp is put upon it it is honourable
is capable of Communion with God of being Christ's Spouse 2 Cor. 11.2 That I might espouse you Virgin-Souls to Christ. It is capable of being Crown'd with Glory for ever O then carrying such precious Souls about you created with the Breath of God redeemed with the Blood of God what Endeavours should you use for the Saving of these Souls Let not the Devil have your Souls Heliogabalus fed his Lions with Pheasant The Devil is call'd a Roaring Lion feed him not with your Souls Besides the Excellency of the Soul which may make you labour to get it saved consider how sad it will be not to have the Soul saved It is such a Loss as there is none like it Because in losing the Soul you lose a great many things with it A Merchant in losing his Ship loseth many things with it He loseth Money Jewels Spices So he that loseth his Soul loseth Christ the company of Angels Heaven It is an infinite Loss and it is an irreparable Loss it can never be made up again Two Eyes but one Soul Chrys. O what Care should be taken about the Immortal Soul I would request but this of you that you would but take as much Care for the saving your Souls as you do for the getting an Estate Nay I will say this Do but take as much Care for the saving your Souls as the Devil doth for destroying them O how industrious is Satan to damn Souls How doth he play the Serpent in his subtile laying of Snares to catch Souls How doth he shoot Fiery Darts The Devil is never idle The Devil is a busie Bishop in his Diocess he walks up and down seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 Now is not this a Reasonable Request to take but as much Care for the saving of your Souls as the Devil doth for the destroying them Quest. How shall we do to get our Souls saved Resp. By having them sanctified Only the pure in Heart shall see God Get your Souls in-laid and enamel'd with Holiness 1 Pet. 1.16 It is not enough that we cease to do Evil which is all the Evidence some have to show this is to lose Heaven by short shooting but we must be inwardly sanctify'd Not only the unclean Spirit must go out but we must be filled with the Holy Ghost Eph. 5.18 This Holiness must needs be if you consider God is to dwell with you here and you are to dwell with him hereafter First God is to dwell with you here God takes up the Soul for his own Lodgings Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your Heart Therefore the Soul must be Consecrated A King's Palace must be kept clean especially his Presence-Chamber The Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 then the Soul is the Sanctum Sanctorum how Holy ought that to be Secondly You are to dwell with God Heaven is an Holy Place 1 Pet. 1.4 An Inheritance undefiled And how can you dwell with God till you are sanctified We do not put Wine into a musty Vessel God will not put the New Wine of Glory into a sinful Heart O then as you love your Souls and would have them sav'd Eternally endeavour after Holiness by this means you will have an Idoneity and Fitness for the Kingdom of Heaven and your Souls will be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus EXOD. XX. 14 Thou shalt not commit Adultery God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pure holy Spirit and hath an infinite Antipathy against all Uncleanness In this Commandment he hath entred his Caution against it Non maechaberis Thou shalt not commit Adultery The Sum of this Commandment is The Preservation of Corporal Purity We must take heed of running on the Rock of Uncleanness and so making Shipwrack of our Chastity In this Commandment there is something tacitly implyed and something tacitly forbidden 1. Something tacitly Implyed viz. That the Ordinance of Marriage should be observed 2. Something expresly Forbidden viz. The infecting our selves with Bodily Pollution Thou shalt not commit Adultery 1. Something Implyed That the Ordinance of Marriage should be observed 1 Cor. 7.2 Let every Man have his own Wife and every Woman have her own Husband Marriage is honourable and the Bed undefiled Heb. 13.4 God did institute Marriage in Paradise he brought the Woman to the Man Gen. 2.22 He did as it were give them in Marriage And Jesus Christ did honour Marriage with his Presence Iohn 2.2 The first Miracle he wrought was at a Marriage when he turned the Water into Wine Marriage is a Type and Resemblance of the Mystical Union between Christ and his Church Eph. 5.32 Concerning Marriage 1. There are General Duties 1. The General Duty of the Husband is to Rule Eph. 5.23 The Husband is the Head of the Wife The Head is the Seat of Rule and Government but he must rule with Discretion He is Head therefore must not rule without Reason 2. The General Duty on the Wife's part is Submission Eph. 5.22 Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord. It is observable the Holy Ghost passeth by Sarah's Failings he doth not mention her Unbelief but he takes notice of that which was good in her her Reverence and Obedience to her Husband 1 Pet. 3.6 Sarah obey'd Abraham calling him Lord. 2. Special Duties belonging to Marriage are Love and Fidelity 1. Love Eph. 5.25 Love is the Marriage of the Affections There is as it were but one Heart in two Bodies Love lines the Yoak and makes it easie Love perfumes the Marriage-Relation without which it is not Conjugium but Conjurgium it is like two Poysons in one Stomach one is ever sick of the other 2. Fidelity In Marriage there is a mutual Promise of living together Faithfully according to God's Holy Ordinance Among the Romans on the Day of Marriage the Woman presented to her Husband Fire and Water Fire refines Metal Water cleanseth Hereby signifying that she would live with her Husband in Chastity and Sincerity This is the First thing in the Commandment implied that the Ordinance of Marriage should be purely observed 2. The thing Forbidden in the Commandment i. e. Infecting our selves with Bodily Pollution and Uncleanness Thou shalt not commit Adultery The Fountain of this Sin is Lust. Since the Fall Holy Love is degenerated into Lust. Lust is the Fever of the Soul There is a two-fold Adultery 1. Mental Matth. 5.28 Whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery already with her in his Heart As a Man may die of an inward Bleeding so he may be damn'd for the inward boylings of Lust if they be not mortify'd 2. Corporal Adultery when Sin hath conceiv'd and brought forth in the Act. This is expresly forbidden under a Sub poena Thou shalt not commit Adultery This Commandment is set as an Hedge to keep out Uncleanness and they that break this Hedge a Serpent shall bite them Iob calls Adultery an heinous Crime
the power of Godliness cannot say God is their Father they may say Our Father which art in Hell Well then how may we know that God is our Father Resp. 1. By having a Filial disposition This is in four things 1. To melt in tears for Sin A Child weeps for offending his Father When Christ looked on Peter and he remembred his Sin in denying Christ he fell a weeping Clemens Alexandrinus reports of Peter he never heard a Cock crow but he wept This is a sign God is our Father When the heart of stone is taken away and there is a gracious thaw in the heart it melts in tears for Sin and he who hath a Child-like heart mourns for Sin in a Spiritual manner as it is Sin He grieves for it 1. As it is an Act of Pollution Sin deflours the Virgin-Soul it defaceth Gods Image it turns beauty into deformity 't is called the plague of the heart 1 Kings 8.38 It is the spirits of evil distilled A Child of God mourns for the defilement of Sin Sin hath a blacker aspect than Hell 2. He who hath a Child-like heart grieves for Sin as 't is an Act of Enmity Sin is diametrically opposite to God It is called a walking contrary to God Lev. 26.40 If they shall confess their iniquity and that they have walked contrary to me Sin doth all it can to spight God If God be of one mind Sin will be of another Sin would not only unthrone God but it strikes at his very Being if Sin could help it God should be no longer God A Child-like heart grieves for this O saith he that I should have so much enmity in me that my Will should be no more subdued to the Will of my Heavenly Father this springs a leak of godly sorrow 3. A Child-like heart weeps for Sin as it is an Act of Ingratitude Sin is an abuse of Gods Love it is a taking the Jewels of Gods Mercies and making use of them to sin God hath done more for his Children than others he hath planted his grace and given them some intimations of his favour and to sin against kindness dyes a sin in grain and makes it Crimson Like Absalom as soon as his Father kissed him and took him into favour plotted Treason against him Nothing so melts a Child-like heart in tears as sins of unkindness O that I should sin against the Blood of a Saviour and the Bowels of a Father I condemn ingratitude in my Child yet I am guilty of ingratitude against my Heavenly Father This opens a vein of godly sorrow and makes the heart bleed afresh certainly this evidenceth God to be our Father when he hath given us this Child-like frame of heart to weep for sin as it is sin an act of Pollution Enmity Ingratitude A wicked Man may mourn for the bitter Fruit of Sin but only a Child of God can grieve for the odious Nature of Sin 2. A Filial or Child-like disposition is to be full of sympathy We lay to heart the dishonours reflected upon our Heavenly Father when we see Gods Worship adulterated his Truth mingled with the poyson of Errour it is as a Sword in our Bones to see Gods Glory suffer Psal. 119.158 I beheld the transgressors and was grieved Homer describing Agamemnons grief when he was forced to sacrifice his Daughter Iphigenia brings in all his Friends weeping and condoling with him so when God is dishonoured we sympathize and are as it were clad in mourning A Child that hath any good Nature is cut to the heart to hear his Father reproached An Heir of Heaven takes a dishonour done to God more heinous than a disgrace done to himself 3. A Filial disposition is to love our Heavenly Father He is unnatural that doth not love his Father God who is crown'd with excellency is the proper object of delight and every true Child of God saith as Peter Lord thou knowest that I love thee But who will not say he loves God If ours be a true genuine love to our Heavenly Father it may be known 1. By the effects 1. Then we have an holy fear There is a fear which ariseth from love to God that is we fear the loss of the visible tokens of Gods presence 1 Sam. 4.13 Elies heart trembled for the Ark. It is not said his heart trembled for his two Sons Hophni and Phinchas but his heart trembled for the Ark because the Ark was the special sign of Gods Presence and if that were taken the Glory was departed He who loves his Heavenly Father fears least the tokens of his Presence should be removed least Profaneness should break in like a flood least Popery should get head and God should go from a people The presence of God in his Ordinances is the glory and strength of a Nation The Trojans had the Image of Pallas and they had an opinion that as long as that Image was preserved among them they should never be conquered So long as Gods presence is with a people so long they are safe Every true Child of God fears least God should go and the glory depart Try by this whether we have a Filial disposition Do we love God and doth this love cause fear and jealousie Are we afraid least we should lose Gods presence Least the Sun of Righteousness remove out of our Horizon Many are afraid least they should lose some of their Worldly profits but not least they lose the presence of God If they may have Peace and Trading they care not what becomes of the Ark of God A true Child of God fears nothing so much as the loss of his Fathers presence Hos. 9.12 Wo to them when I depart from them 2. Love to our Heavenly Father is seen by loving his Day Isa. 58.13 If thou call the Sabbath a delight The Antients called this Regina Dierum the Queen of Days If we love our Father in Heaven we spend this day in Devotion in Reading Hearing Meditating On this day Manna falls double God sanctified the Sabbath He made all the other days in the Week but he hath sanctified this day this day he hath crown'd with a Blessing 3. Love to our Heavenly Father is seen by loving his Children 1 Iohn 5.1 Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him If we love God the more we see of God in any the more we love them we love them though they are poor A Child loves to see his Fathers picture though hung in a mean frame we love the Children of our Father though they are persecuted 2 Tim. 1.16 Onesiphorus was not ashamed of my chain Constantine did kiss the hole of Paphnusius's eye because he suffered the loss of his eye for Christ. It appears they have no love to God who have no love to his Children they care not for their company they have a secret disgust and antipathy against them Hipocrites pretend great reverence to the Saints departed they canonize
How glad are Children when they are going home This was Christs comfort at Death he was going to his Father Ioh. 16.28 I leave the world and go to the Father and Iohn 20.17 I ascend to my Father If God be our Father we may with comfort at the day of death resign our Souls into his hands So did Christ Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit If a Child hath any Jewel he will in time of danger put it into his Fathers hands where he thinks it will be kept most safe Our Soul is our richest Jewel we may at Death resign our Souls into Gods hands where they will be safer than in our own keeping Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit What a comfort is this Death carries a Believer to his Fathers house where are delights unspeakable and full of glory How glad was Old Iacob when he saw the Waggons and Chariots to carry him to his Son Ioseph the Text saith His Spirit revived Gen. 45.27 Death is a triumphant Chariot to carry every Child of God to his Fathers Mansion house 20. If God be our Father he will not disinherit his Children God may for a time desert them but not disinherit them The Sons of Kings have been sometimes disinherited by the cruelty of Usurpers as Alexander the Great his Son was put by his just Right by the violence and ambition of his Fathers Captains but what Power on Earth shall hinder the Heirs of the Promise from their Inheritance Men cannot and God will not cut off the entail The Arminians hold falling away from Grace and so a Child of God may be defeated of his Inheritance but I shall show you that Gods Children can never be degraded or disinherited their Heavenly Father will not cast them off from being Children 1. It is evident Gods Children cannot be finally disinherited by vertue of the Eternal Decree of Heaven Gods Decree is the very Pillar and Basis on which the Saints perseverance depends Gods Decree tyes the knot of Adoption so fast that neither Sin Death or Hell can break it asunder Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called c. Predestination is nothing else but Gods decreeing a certain number to be Heirs of Glory on whom he will settle the Crown whom he predestinates he glorifies what shall hinder Gods electing Love or make his Decree null and void 2. Besides Gods Decree he hath engaged himself by Promise that the Heirs of Heaven shall never be put by their Inheritance Gods Promises are not like blanks in a Lottery but as a sealed Deed which cannot be reversed The Promises are the Saints Royal Charter and this is one Promise that their Heavenly Father will not disinherit them Ier. 32.40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Gods Fidelity which is the richest Pearl of his Crown is engaged in this Promise for his Childrens perseverance I will not turn away from them A Child of God cannot fall away while he is held fast in these two Armes of God his Love and his Faithfulness 3. Jesus Christ undertakes that all Gods Children by Adoption shall be preserved in a state of Grace till they inherit Glory As the Heathens feigned of Atlas that he did bear up the Heavens from falling Jesus Christ is that blessed Atlas that bears up the Saints from falling away Quest. How doth Christ preserve the Saints Graces till they come to Heaven Resp. 1. Influxu Spiritus Christ carries on Grace in the Souls of the Elect by the influence and co-operation of his Spirit Christ doth Spiritu continually excite and quicken Grace in the Godly his Spirit doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow up the sparks of Grace into an holy flame Spiritus est Vicarius Christi The Spirit is Christs Vicar on Earth his Proxy his Executor to see that all that Christ hath purchased for the Saints be made good Christ hath obtained an Inheritance incorruptible for them 1 Pet. 1.4 and the Spirit of Christ is his Executor to see that this Inheritance be settled upon them 2. Christ carries on Grace perseveringly in the Souls of the Elect vi orationis by the prevalency of his intercession Heb. 7.25 He ever lives to make intercession for them Christ prayes that every Saint may hold out in Grace till he comes to Heaven Can the Children of such Prayers perish If the Heirs of Heaven should be disinherited and fall short of Glory then Gods Decree must be reversed his Promise broken Christs Prayer frustrated which were Blasphemy to imagine 4. That Gods Children cannot be disinherited or put by their Right to the Crown of Heaven is evident from their Mystical Union with Christ. Believers are incorporated into Christ they are knit to Christ as the Members to the Head by the Nerves and Ligaments of Faith so that they cannot be broken off Eph. 1.22 23. The Church which is his Body What was once said of Christs Natural Body is as true of his Mystical A bone of it shall not be broken As it is impossible to sever the leaven and the dough when they are once mingled and kneaded together so it is impossible when Christ and Believers are once united that they should ever by the power of Death or Hell be separated Christ and his Spiritual Members make one Christ now is it possible that any part of Christ should perish How can Christ want any Member of his Body Mystical and be perfect Every Member is an Ornament to the Body and adds to the honour of it How can Christ part with any Mystical Member and not part with some of his Glory too So that by all this it is evident that Gods Children must needs persevere in Grace and cannot be disinherited If they could be disinherited then the Scripture could not be fulfilled which tells us of Glorious Rewards for the Heirs of Promise Psal. 58.11 Doubtless there is a reward for the righteous Now if Gods Adopted Children should fall finally from Grace and miss of Heaven what Reward were there for the Righteous And Moses did indiscreetly to look to the recompence of reward and so there would be a door opened to despair Object This Doctrine of Gods Children persevering and having the Heavenly Inheritance settled on them may cause carnal security and make them less circumspect in their walking Resp. Corrupt Nature may as the Spider suck poyson from this Flower but a sober Christian who hath felt the efficacy of Grace upon his Heart dares not abuse this Doctrine He knows perseverance is attained in the use of means therefore he walks holily that so in the use of means he may arrive at perseverance St. Paul knew that he should not be disinherited and that nothing could separate him from the love of Christ but who more holy and watchful than he 1 Cor. 9.27 I
give him high honour and veneration and render his Name sacred We can add nothing to Gods Essential Glory but we are said to honour and sanctifie his Name when we lift him up in the World and make him appear greater in the eyes of others When a Prince is crowned there is something added really to his Honour but when we go to crown God with our Triumphs and Hallelujahs there is nothing added to his Essential Glory God cannot be greater than he is only we may make him appear greater in the eyes of others Quest. 3. When may we be said to hallow and sanctifie Gods name Answ. 1. When we profess his Name our meeting in this holy assembly is an honour done to Gods Name this is good but it is not enough All that wear Gods livery by profession are not true servants there are some Professors Christ will at the last day profess against Matth. 7.23 I will profess I never knew you Therefore to go a little further 2. We hallow and sanctifie Gods Name when we have an high appretiation and esteem of God we set him highest in our thoughts The Hebrew word to honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to esteem precious We conceive of God in our minds as the most super-excellent and infinite good we apprehend in God a constellation of all beauties and delights we adore God in his Glorious Attributes which are the several beams by which his Divine Nature shines forth we adore God in his Works which are bound up in three great Volumes Creation Redemption Providence we hallow and sanctifie Gods Name when we lift him highest in our Souls we esteem him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a super-eminent incomprehensible good 3. We hallow and sanctifie Gods Name when we trust in his Name Psal. 33.21 We have trusted in his holy name No way can we bring more revenues of Honour to God or make his Crown shine brighter than by confiding in him Rom. 4.20 Abraham was strong in faith giving glory to God there was an hallowing of Gods Name As unbelief stains Gods honour and eclipseth his Name 1 Iohn 5.10 He that believeth not makes God a lyar so Faith doth glorifie and hallow Gods Name The Believer trusts his best Jewel in Gods hands Psal. 3.5 Into thy hands I commit my Spirit Faith in a Mediator doth more honour and sanctifie Gods Name than Martyrdom or the most sublime acts of Obedience 4. We hallow and sanctifie Gods Name when we never make mention of his name but with the highest reverence Gods Name is Sacred and it must not be spoken of but with veneration The Scripture when it speaks of God gives him his Titles of Honour Gen. 14.20 Blessed be the most high God Neh. 9.5 Blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all praise To speak vainly or slightly of God is a profaning his Name and is a taking his Name in vain Let his Name be Hallowed By giving God his venerable Titles we do as it were hang his Jewels on his Crown 5. We hallow and sanctifie Gods Name when we love his Name Psal. 5.11 Let them that love thy name be joyful and that Love which is honouring Gods Name must be a special discriminating Love the cream and flower of our Love such a Love as we give to none besides As the Wife honours her Husband by giving him such a Love as she gives to none else a Conjugal Love so we hallow Gods Name by giving him such a Love as we give to none else a Love joyned with Worship Psal. 45.11 He is thy God and worship thou him 6. We hallow and sanctifie Gods Name when we give him an Holy and Spiritual Worship 1. We give him the same kind of Worship that he hath appointed Lev. 10.3 I will be sanctified of all that come nigh to me that is I will be sanctified with that very Worship I have appointed It is the purity of Worship God loves better than the pomp It is a dishonouring of Gods Name to bring any thing into his Worship which he hath not instituted as if God were not wise enough to appoint the manner how he will be served Men will go to prescribe him and super-add their inventions This God looks upon as offering strange fire and it is an high provocation 2. We give God the same Heart devotion in Worship as he hath appointed Rom. 12.11 Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. The word for fervent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor that alludes to Water that seeths and boyls over so our Affections should boyl over in holy Duties To give God outside Worship and not the Devotion of the Heart is instead of hallowing and sanctifying him in an Ordinance to abuse him as if one call for Wine and you give him an empty Glass It is to deal with God as Prometheus did with Iupiter who did eat the Flesh and present Iupiter with nothing but Bones covered over with Skin then we hallow Gods name and sanctifie him in an Ordinance when we give him the vitals of Religion an Heart flaming with Zeal 7. We hallow and sanctifie Gods Name when we hallow his day Ier. 17.22 Hallow ye the Sabbath day Our Christian Sabbath which comes in the room of the Iews Sabbath is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day Rev. 1.10 This was antiently called dies lucis a day of light wherein Christ the Sun of Righteousness shines in an extraordinary manner It is an honour done to God to hallow his Sabbath 1. We must rest on this day from all secular works Ier. 17.21 Bear no burden on the Sabbath day As Ioseph when he would speak with his Brethren thrust out the Egyptians so when we would have converse with God on this day we must thrust out all earthly employments It is observable Mary Magdalen refused to anoint Christs dead Body on the Sabbath-day Luke 23.56 She had before prepared her Oyntment and Spices but came not to the Sepulchre till the Sabbath was past She rested on that day from civil Work though it were a commendable and glorious Work the anointing of Christs dead Body 2. We must in a solemn manner devote our selves to God on this day We must spend this whole day with God Some will hear the Word but leave all their Religion at Church they do nothing at home they do not pray or repeat the Word in their houses and so they rob God of a part of his day 't is to be bewailed to see how Gods day is profaned Let not Men think Gods Name is hallowed while his Sabbath is broken 8. We hallow and sanctifie Gods Name when we ascribe the honour of all we do to him Psal. 96.8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name Herod instead of hallowing Gods Name stain'd the honour of his Name in assuming that praise to himself which was due to God Acts 12.23 We ought to take the honour from our selves and give it to God 1
at one draught catched Three Thousand Souls Let us examine How was our Faith wrought Did God in the Ministry of the word humble us Did he break up the fallow ground of our heart and then cast in the Seed of Faith a good sign but if you know not how you came by your Faith suspect your selves as we suspect Men to have stolen goods when they know not how they came by them 2. True Faith is at first minute and small like a grain of Mustard seed it is full of doubts and fears it is smoaking flax it smoaks with desire but doth not flame with comfort it is so small that a Christian can hardly discern whether he hath Faith or no. 3. True Faith is long in working non sit in instanti It costs many searchings of heart many Prayers and Tears there is a spiritual Combat the Soul suffers many sore Pangs of Humiliation before the Child of Faith be born they whose Faith is per saltum they leap out of sin into a confidence that Christ is theirs I say as Isaac concerning his Sons Venison Gen. 27.20 How is it that thou hast found it so quickly How is it that thou comest by thy Faith so soon The Seed in the Parable which sprung up suddenly withered Mark 4.5 Solent praecocia subito flaccescere 4. True Faith is ioyn'd with Sanctity as a little Bezoar is strong in operation and a little Musk sweetens so a little Faith purifies 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mistery of Faith in a pure Conscience Faith though it doth but touch Christ fetcheth an healing vertue from him Justifying Faith doth that in a spiritual sence which miraculous Faith doth it removes the Mountains of sin and casts them into the Sea of Christs â—lood 5. True Faith will trust God without a Pawn Though a Christian be cut short in Provisions the Fig-tree doth not blossom yet he will trust in God Fides Famem non formidat Faith fears not Famine God hath given us his Promise as his Bond Psal. 37.3 Verily thou shalt be fed Faith puts this Bond in suit God will rather work a Miracle than His promise shall fail He hath cause to suspect his Faith who saith he trusts God for the greater but dares not trust him for the lesser he trusts God for Salvation but dares not trust him for a livelihood 6. True Faith is Prolifical it brings for Fruit Faith hath Rachel's Beauty and Leah's Fruitfulness Fides pinguescit operibus Luther Faith is full of good works Faith believes as if it did not work and it works as if it did not believe Faith is the spouslike grace which marries Christ and good works are the Children which Faith bears by having such a Faith we may know the kingdom of God is within us Grace is certainly in our Hearts 3. We may know the kingdom of Grace is come into our hearts by having the noble grace of Love Faith and Love are the two Poles on which all Religion turns Cant. 1.4 The Vpright love thee True Love is to love God out of Choice Love turns the Soul into a Seraphin it makes it burn in a flame of Affection Love is the truest Touchstone of Sincerity Love is the Queen of the Graces it commands the whole Soul 2 Cor. 5.4 If our Love to God be Genuine and Real we let him have the Supremacy we set him in the highest room of our Soul we give him the purest of our Love Cant. 8.2 I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my Pomgrenate If the Spouse had any thing better than other a Cup more juicy and spiced Christ should drink of that We give the Creature the Milk of our Love but God the Cream In short if we love God aright we love his Laws we love his picture drawn in the Saints by the Pencil of the Holy Ghost we love his Presence in his Ordinances Sleidan saith the Protestants in France had a Church which they call'd Paradise as if they thought themselves in Paradise while they had Gods Presence in his Sanctuary The Soul that loves God loves his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 It will be a glorious appearing to the Saints when their Union with Christ shall be compleat then their joy shall be full The Bride longs for the marriage day The Spirit and the Bride say come Even so come Lord Iesus Rev. 22.17 By this Sacred Love we may know the Kingdom of God is within us 4. We may know the Kingdom of Grace is come into our hearts by Spiritualizing the Duties of Religion 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye are an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices Spiritualizing Duty consists in three things 1. Fixedness of Mind 2. Fervency of Devotion 3. Uprightness of Aim 1. Fixedness of Mind Then we Spiritualize Duty when our Minds are fixed on God 1 Cor. 7.35 That ye may attend on the Lord without distraction Though impertinent thoughts sometimes come into the heart in Duty yet they are not allowed Psal. 119.13 they come as unwelcome guests which are no sooner spyed but they are turned out 2. Fervency of Devotion Rom. 12.11 Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is a Metaphor alludes to Water that seeths and boyls over so the Affections boyl over the Eyes melt in tears the Heart flowes in holy ejaculations We not only bring our offering to God but our hearts 3. Uprightness of Aim An heart that is upright hath three ends in Duty 1. That he may grow more like God As Moses on the Mount had some of Gods Glory reflected on him his face shined 2 That he may have more communion with God 1 Iohn 1.6 our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our fellowship is with the Father 3. That he may bring more Glory to God 1 Pet. 4.11 Phil. 1.20 That Christ may be magnified Sincerity aimes at God in all though we shoot short yet we take a right aim This is a sure evidence of Grace the Spiritualizing Duty The Spirits of Wine are best so is the Spiritual part of Duty A little Spiritualness in Duty is better than all the gildings of the Temple or outward pompous Worship which doth so dazzle carnal eyes 5. We may know the Kingdom of Grace is come into us by antipathy and opposition against every known sin Psal. 119.104 I hate every false way Hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. against the whole kind Hatred is implacable Anger may be reconciled hatred cannot A gracious Soul not only forsakes sin as a Man forsakes his Country never to return to it more but hates sin as there 's an antipathy between the Crocadile and the Scorpion If the Kingdom of God be within us we not only hate sin for Hell but we hate it as Hell as being contrary to Gods Holiness and our Happiness 6. We may know the Kingdom of Grace is come into us when we have given up our selves to God by obedience As a Servant gives up himself to
II. Such as have this Kingdom of God set up in them it calls for gratulation and thanksgiving What will you be thankful 〈…〉 not for a Kingdom Grace is the best Blessing it is the result and product of Gods electing love God in setting up his kingdom of grace hath done more for you â—han if he had made you Kings and Queens for now you are born of God and of the Blood-Royal of Heaven O admire and exalt free Grace Make Gods pâ—â—ise glorious Psal. 66.2 The Apostle seldom mentions the work of Grace but he joyns praise Col. 1.12 Giving thanks to the Father who hath made us meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light If God hath crowned you with the Kingdom of Grace do you crown him with your Praises 2. The Second thing intended by our Saviour in this Petition is That the Kingdom of Grace may encrease that it may come more into us And this may answer a Question Quest. Why do we pray Thy Kingdom come when the Kingdom of Grace is already come into the Soul Answ. Though the kingdom of grace be already come into us yet still we must pray Thy Kingdom come namely that grace may be encreased and that this kingdom may flourish still more in our Souls Till we come to live among the Angels we shall need to pray this Prayer Thy Kingdom come Lord let thy kingdom of grace come in more power into my Soul let grace be more augmented and encreased Quest. 1. When doth the Kingdom of Grace increase in the Soul when is it a flourishing Kingdom Answ. 1. When a Christian hath further degrees added to his graces there 's more oyl in the lamp his knowledge is clearer his love is more inflamed Grace is capable of degrees and may rise higher as the Sun in the Horizon It is not with us as it was with Christ who received the Spirit without measure Iohn 3.34 Christ could not be more holy than he was but our Grace is receptive of further degrees we may have more sanctity we may add more cubits to our spiritual stature 2. Then the kingdom of Grace increaseth when a Christian hath gotten more strength than he had Iob 17.9 He that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Hebr. Iosiphometz He shall add to his strength A Christian hath strength to resist temptation to forgive his enemies to suffer affliction 't is not easie to suffer a Man must deny himself ere he take up the Cross The way to Heaven is like the way which Ionathan and his Armour-bearer had in climbing up a steep place 1 Sam. 14.4 There was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other It requires much strength to climb up this rocky way That Grace which will carry us through Prosperity will not carry us through Sufferings The Ship needs stronger tackling to carry it through a storm than a calm Now when we are so strong in Grace that we can bear up under affliction without murmuring or fainting here is the kingdom of grace increased What mighty strength of grace had he who told the Emperour Valentinian you may take away my Life but you cannot take away my love to the Truth 3. Then the Kingdom of Grace encreaseth when a Christian hath most conflict with Spiritual Corruptions he not only abstains from gross Evils but hath a Combat with inward hidden close Corruptions as Pride Envy Hypocrisy vain Thoughts carnal Confidence these are spiritual Wickednesses and do both defile and disturb 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit Which shows there are two sorts of Corruptions one of the Flesh the other of the Spirit when we grieve for and combat with spiritual Sin as being the Root of all gross sins Now the Kingdom of Grace encreaseth and spreads its Territories in the Soul 4. Then the kingdom of grace flourisheth when a Christian hath learned to live by Faith Gal. 2.20 I live by the Faith of the Son of God There is the Habit of Faith and the drawing of this Habit into exercise For a Christian to graft his hope of Salvation only upon the stock of Christs Righteousness and make Christ all in Justification to live on the Promises as the Bee on the Flower and suck out the sweetness of them to trust God where we cannot trace him to believe his Love thorough a Frown to perswade our selves when he hath the Face of an Enemy yet he hath the Heart of a Father when we are arrived at this here is the Kingdom of Grace flourishing in our Souls 5. When a Christian is arrived at holy Zeal Numb 25.13 Phinehas was zealous for his God Zeal is the Flame of the Affections it turns a Saint into Seraphim A zealous Christian is impatient when God is dishonoured Rev. 2.2 he will wrestle with difficulties he will swim to Christ through a sea of blood Act. 21.13 Zeal loves truth when it is dispised and opposed Psal. 119.126 They have made void thy Law therefore I love thy Law Here is grace encreasing like the Sun in the Horizon Zeal resembles the Holy Ghost Acts. 2.2 There appeared cloven Tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them Tongues of fire were an Emblem of that fire of zeal which the Spirit poured upon them 6. Then the Kingdom of Grace encreaseth when a Christian is as well diligent in his particular Calling as devout in his general He is the wise Christian that carries things equally that doth so live by Faith that he lives in a Calling Therefore it is worth our Notice when the Apostle had exhorted the Thessalonians to encrease in grace 1 Thess. 4.10 he presently adds ver 11. And that ye do your own business and work with your hands This is a sign grace is encreasing when Christians go chearfully about their Calling Indeed to be all the day in the Mount with God and to have the Mind fixed on glory is more sweet to a Mans self and is an Heaven upon Earth But to be conversant in our Callings is more profitable to others I may allude to that of St. Paul To be with Christ is best for me yet to abide here is more needful for you Phil. 1.24 So to converse with God in Prayer and sweet Meditation all the Week long is more for the Comfort of a Man 's own Person but to be sometimes employed in the business of a Calling is more profitable for the Family to which he belongs 'T is not good to be as the Lillies which toyl not neither do they spin It shows the encrease of grace when a Christian keeps a due Decorum He joins Piety and Industry when zeal runs forth in Religion and Diligence is put forth in a Calling 7. Then the Kingdom of grace encreaseth when a Christian is established in the belief and love of the Truth The heart by nature is as a Ship without Ballast it wavers and fluctuates
to the Life drew her Face covered with a Vail So when we speak of the Kingdom of Heaven we must draw a Vail we cannot set it forth in all its Orient Beauty and Magnificence Gold and Pearl do but faintly shadow it out Rev. 21. the Glory of this Kingdom is better felt than expressed 1. They who inherit this Kingdom are amicti stolis alhis cloathed with white robes Rev. 7.9 White Robes denote three things 1. Their Dignity the Persians were arayed in white in token of honour 2. Their Purity the Magistrates among the Romans were clothed in white ergo called candidati to show their integrity Thus the Queen the Lambs Wife is arayed in fine linnen pure and white which is the righteousness of the Saints Rev. 19.8 3. Their Joy White is an emblem of Joy Eccl. 9.7 Eat thy bread with joy let thy garments be alwayes white 2. The dwellers in this Kingdom have Palms in their hands Rev. 7.9 in token of Victory They are Conquerours over the World and being Victors they now have Palm-branches 3. They sit upon the Throne with Christ Rev. 3.21 When Caesar returned from conquering his Enemies there was set for him a Chair of State in the Senate and a Throne in the Theatre Thus the Saints in Glory after their Heroick Victories shall sit upon a Throne with Christ. Here is Royal Bounty in God to bestow such an illustrious Kingdom upon the Saints 'T is a Mercy to be Pardoned but what is it to be Crowned 'T is a Mercy to be delivered from Wrath to come but what is it to be invested into a Kingdom Behold what manner of love is this Earthly Princes may bestow great gifts and donatives upon their Subjects but they keep the Kingdom to themselves Though King Pharaoh advanced Ioseph to Honour and took the Ring off his Finger and gave him yet he would keep the Kingdom to himself Gen. 41.40 but God inthrones the Saints in a Kingdom God thinks nothing too good for his Children We are ready to think much of a Tear a Prayer or to sacrifice a Sin for him but he doth not think much to bestow a Kingdom upon us 3. Br. See hence that Religion is no ignominious disgraceful thing Satan labours to cast all the odium and reproach upon it that he can that it is a devout Frenzy Folly in grain Acts 28.22 As for this sect we know that it is every where spoken against but wise Men measure things by the end What is the end of a Religious Life It ends in a Kingdom Would a Prince regard the slightings of a few franticks when he is going to be Crowned You who are beginners bind their reproaches as a Crown about your Head despise their Censures as much as their Praise a Kingdom is a coming 4. Br. See what contrary wayes the Godly and the Wicked go at Death the Godly go to a Kingdom the Wicked to a Prison The Devil is the Jaylor and they are bound with the chains of darkness Iude 6. but what are these Chains Not Iron Chains but worse the Chain of Gods Decree decreeing them to torment and the Chain of Gods Power whereby he binds them fast under Wrath This is the deplorable condition of impenitent Sinners they do not go to a Kingdom when they dye but to a Prison O think what horrour and despair will possess the Wicked when they see themselves ingulphed in misery and their condition hopeless helpless endless they are in a fiery Prison and no possibility of getting out A Servant under the Law who had an hard Master yet every seventh year was a year of release when he might go free but in Hell there is no year of release when the damned shall go free the Fire the Worm the Prison are eternal If the whole World from Earth to Heaven were filled with grains of Sand and once in a Thousand Years an Angel should come and fetch away one grain of Sand how many Millions of Ages would pass before that vast heap of Sand would be quite spent yet if after all this time the Sinner might come out of Hell there were some hope but this word ever breaks the Heart with despair 5. Br. See then that which may make us in love with holy Duties Every Duty Spiritually performed brings us a step nearer to the Kingdom Finis dat amabilitatem mediis He whose Heart is set on Riches counts Trading pleasant because it brings in Riches if our Hearts are set upon Heaven we shall love Duty because it brings us by degrees to the Kingdom we are going to Heaven in the way of Duty Holy Duties increase Grace and as Grace ripens so Glory hastens the Duties of Religion are irksome to Flesh and Blood but we should look upon them as Spiritual Chariots to carry us apace to the Heavenly Kingdom The Protestants in France called their Church Paradise and well they might because the Ordinances did lead them to the Paradise of God As every Flower hath its sweetness so would every Duty if we could look upon it as giving us a lift nearer Heaven 6. Br. It shows us what little cause the Children of God have to envy the prosperity of the wicked Quis aerario quis plenis loculis indiget Sen. the wicked have the waters of a full cup wrung out to them Psal. 73.10 as if they had a monopoly of happiness they have all they can desire nay they have more than heart can wish Psal. 73.7 They steep themselves in pleasure Iob 21.12 They take the timbrel and harp and rejoyce at the sound of the organ The wicked are high when Gods People are low in the World the Goats clamber up the Mountains of Preferment when Christs Sheep are below in the Valley of Tears the Wicked are clothed in Purple while the Godly are in Sackcloth the prosperity of the wicked is a great stumbling block This made Averroes deny a Providence and made Asaph say Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain Psal. 73.12 but there is no cause of envy at their prosperity if we consider two things 1. This is all they must have Luke 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things thou hadst all thy Heaven here Luther calls the Turkish Empire a bone which God casts to dogs 2. That God hath laid up better things for his Children he hath prepared a Kingdom of Glory for them they shall have the Beatifical Vision they shall hear the Angels sing in Consort they shall be Crowned with the Pleasures of Paradise for ever O then envy not the flourishing prosperity of the Wicked they go through fair way to Execution and the Godly go through foul way to Coronation 7. Br. Is there a Kingdom of Glory a coming Then see how happy all the Saints are at Death they go to a Kingdom they shall see Gods Face which shines ten thousand times brighter than the Sun in its Meridian Glory The Godly at Death
would not come short of this Heavenly Kingdom let us be much in the exercise of Self-denyal Matth. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself He who would go to Heaven must deny self-righteousness Cavendum est a propria justitia Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him not having my own righteousness The Spider weaves a web out of her own Bowels an Hypocrite would spin a web of Salvation out of his own Righteousness We must deny our Civility in point of Justification Civility is a good staff to walk with among Men but it is a bad ladder to climb up to Heaven We must deny our holy things in point of Justification Alas how are our Duties checkered with Sin Put Gold in the fire and there comes out dross our most golden services are mixed with unbelief Deny self-righteousness use Duty but trust to Christ. Noahs Dove made use of her wings to fly but trusted to the Ark for safety Let Duties have your diligence but not your confidence Self-denyal is via ad regnum there is no getting into Heaven but through this strait gate of self-denyal 2. The second means for the obtaining of the Kingdom is serious Consideration Most Men fall short of Heaven for want of Consideration 1. Consideration We should often consider what a Kingdom Heaven is 'T is called Regnum paratum a Kingdom prepared Matth. 25.34 which implyes something that is rare and excellent God hath prepared in his Kingdom such things as eye hath not seen nor ear heard 1 Cor. 2.9 Heaven is beyond all hyperbole In particular in this Coelestial Kingdom are two things 1. A stately Pallace 2. A Royal Feast 1. A stately Pallace 1. It is large and hath several stories for the dimensions of it it is twelve thousand furlongs Rev. 21.15 or as it is in some Greek Copies twelve times twelve thousand furlongs a finite number put for an infinite no Arithmetician can number these furlongs Though there be an innumerable company of Saints and Angels in Heaven yet there is infinitely enough room to receive them 2. The Pallace of this Kingdom is lucid and transparent 't is adorned with light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The light is sweet Hell is a dark dungeon but the Pallace above is bespangled with light Col. 1.12 Such illustrious beams of Glory shine from God as shed a brightness and splendour upon the Empyrean Heaven 3. This Pallace of the Kingdom is well scituated for a good Air and a pleasant prospect There is the best Air which is perfumed with the odours of Christs Oyntments and a most pleasant prospect of the bright Morning-Star 4. The Pallace is rich and sumptuous it hath Gates of Pearl Rev. 21.21 it is enriched with white Robes and Crowns of Glory and this Pallace never falls to decay and the dwellers in it never dye Rev. 22.5 They shall reign for ever and ever 2. A Royal Feast It is called The marriage supper of the lamb Rev. 19.9 which Bullinger and Gregory the great understand of the magnificent Supper prepared in the Kingdom of Heaven A Glorious Feast it will be in respect of the Founder God the Glorified Saints shall feast their eyes with Gods Beauty and their hearts with his Love a delicious Feast it will be in respect of the festivity and holy Mirth What Joy when there shall be the Anthems and Triumphs of Glorified Spirits when Saints and Angels shall twist together in an inseparable union of Love and lye in each others sweet embraces a Royal Banquet it shall be where there is no surfeit because continually a fresh course served in The serious Consideration what a Kingdom Heaven is would be a means to quicken our endeavour in the pursuit after it What causeth Men to make Voyages to the Indies but the consideration of the Gold and Spices which are to be had there did we survey and contemplate the Glory of Heaven we should soon take a Voyage and never leave till we had arrived at the Coelestial Kingdom 2. Consideration How it will trouble you if you should perish to think you came short of Heaven for want of a little more pains The Prophet Elisha bid the King of Israel smite the ground six times and he smote but thrice and stayed 2 Kings 13.19 and he lost many Victories by it So when a Man shall think thus I did something in Religion but did not do enough I prayed but it was coldly I did not put coals to the Incense I heard the Word but did not meditate on it I did not chew the end I smote but thrice and I should have smitten six times had I taken a little more pains I had been happy but I have lost the Kingdom of Heaven by short shooting The consideration how terrible the thoughts of this will be that we should lose Heaven for want of a little more pains will be a means to spur on our sluggish hearts and make us more diligent to get the Kingdom 3. The third means for the obtaining this Kingdom is to keep up Daily Prayer Psal. 109.4 I give my self to Prayer Prayer inflames the affections and oyls the wheels of the endeavour Prayer prevails with God it unlocks his Bowels and then he unlocks Heaven all that have got to Heaven have crept thither upon their knees The Saints now in Heaven have been Men of Prayer Daniel prayed three times a day Iacob wrestled with God in Prayer and as a Prince prevailed this Prayer must be fervent else it is thuribulum sine prunis as Luther a Golden Censer without Fire O follow God with Prayers and Tears say as Iacob to the Angel Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee go except thou bless me Prayer vincit invincibilem Luther it conquers the Omnipotent Elijah by Prayer opened Heaven by ardent and constant Prayer Heaven is at last opened to us 4. If you would obtain the Heavenly Kingdom get a love to Heaven Love puts a Man upon the use of all means to enjoy the thing loved He that loves the World how active is he he will break his sleep and peace for it he that loves Honour what hazards will he run he will swim to the crown in Blood Iacob loved Rachel and what would not he do though it were serving a two seven years Apprenticeship for obtaining her Love carries a Man out violently to the Object loved Love is like Wings to the Bird like Sails to the Ship it carries a Christian full sail to Heaven Heaven is a place of Rest and Joy 't is Paradise and will you not love it Love Heaven and you cannot miss it Love breaks through all opposition it takes heaven by storm Love though it labour is never weary it is like the Rod of Myrtle in the Travellers hand which makes him fresh and lively in his travel and keeps him from being weary 5. If you would obtain the Kingdom of Heaven make Religion your business What a Man looks upon as
gives his Friend this Counsel to be ever well employ'd that when the Tempter came he might find him working in the Vineyard If the Hands be not working the Head will be plotting sin Micah 2.1 7. Subtilty Of Satan is to give some little Respite and seem to leave off tempting a while that he may come on after with more Advantage As Israel made as if they were beaten before the Men of Ai and fled but it was a Policy to draw them out of their fenced Cities and ensnare them by an Ambush Iosh. 8.15 The Devil sometimes raiseth the Siege and feigns a flight that he may the better obtain the Victory He goes away for a time that he may return when he sees a better season Luke 11.24 When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man he walks in dry places seeking rest and finding none he saith I will return to my House whence I came out Satan by feigning a flight and leaving off tempting a while causeth Security in persons and they think they are safe and are become Victors when on a sudden Satan falls on and wounds them As one that is going to leap runs back a little that he may take the greater Jump Satan seems to retire and run back a little that he may come on again with a Temptation more furiously and successfully Therefore we need always to watch and have on our spiritual Armour 8. Subtilty Of the old Serpent is either to take men off from the use of means or to make them miscarry in the use of means First He labours to take men off from Duty from praying and hearing his design is to Discourage them and to do that he hath two Artifices 1. He discourageth them from Duty by suggesting to them their Vnworthiness they are not worthy to approach to God or have any signals of his Love and Favour They are sinful and God is Holy how dare they presume to bring their impure Offering to God This is a Temptation indeed that we should see our selves unworthy is good and argues Humility but to think we should not approach to God because of unworthiness is a conclusion of the Devils making God saith Come tho' unworthy By this Tentation the Devil takes off many from coming to the Lords Table O saith he this is a solemn Ordinance and requires much Holiness how darest thou so unworthily come lest thou eatest and drinkest unworthily Thus as Saul kept the people from eating Hony so the Devil by this Temptation scares many from this Ordinance which is sweeter than hony and the hony-comb Secondly Satan endeavours to discourage from Duty by objecting want of Success When men have waited upon God in the use of Ordinances and yet find not that Comfort they desire now Satan disheartens them and 〈◊〉 them upon resolves of declining all Religion they begin to say as that wicked King 2 Kings 6.33 Why should I wait on the Lord any longer When Saul saw God answered him not by Dreams and Visions Satan tempted him to leave God's Worship and seek to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 28.6 No answer of Prayer comes therefore saith Satan leave off praying who will sow seed where no Crop comes up Thus the Devil would by his subtil Logick dispute a poor Soul out of Duty But if he sees he cannot prevail this way to take men off from the use of means then he labours 2. To make them miscarry in the use of means By this Artifice he prevails over multitudes of Professors The Devil stands as he did at Ioshua's right Hand to resist men Zach. 3.1 If he can't hinder them from Duty he will be sure to hinder them in Duty two ways First By causing Distraction in the Service of God and this he doth by proposing Objects of Vanity or by whispering in mens Ears that they can scarce mind what they are doing Secondly Satan hinders by putting men upon doing Duties in a wrong manner 1. In a dead formal manner that so they may fail of the success Satan knows duties done superficially were as good be left undone That Prayer which doth not pierce the Heart will never pierce Heaven 2. He puts them upon doing duties for wrong ends Finis specificat actionem He will make them look a-squint and have by-ends in Duty Mat. 6.5 Be not as the Hypocrites for they love to pray standing in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men Prayer is good but to pray to be seen of men this was a dead fly in the Box of Oyntment the Oyl of vain-glory fed their Lamp sinister Aims corrupt and fly-blow our Holy Things Here is Satans Policy either to prevent Duty or pervert it either to take men off from the use of means or make them miscarry in the use of Means 9. Subtilty Satan can colour over sin with the name and pretence of Virtue Alcibiades hung a Curtain curiously Embroidered over a foul Picture full of Satyrs so Satan can put the Image of vertue over the foul Picture of sin Satan can cheat men with false Wares he can make them believe that Presumption is Faith that intemperate Passion is Zeal Revenge is Prudence Covetousness is Frugality and Prodigality good Hospitality Come see my Zeal for the Lord saith Iehu Satan perswaded him it was a Fire from Heaven when it was nothing but the Wild-fire of his own Ambition 'T was not Zeal but State-Policy This is a subtil Art of Satan to deceive by tempting and put men off with the dead Child instead of the live Child to make men believe that is a Grace which is a Sin as if one should write Balm-water upon a Glass of Poyson If Satan hath all these subtil Artifices in tempting are not we in great Danger of this Prince of the Air and had not we need often pray Lord suffer us not to be led into Temptation as the Serpent beguil'd Eve with his Subtilty 2 Cor. 11.2 Let us not be beguil'd by the Snares and Policies of this hellish Machiavel Satan is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath a Dexterity in subtil Contrivances He doth more hurt as a Fox than a Lion His Snares are worse than his Darts 2 Cor. 2.11 We are not ignorant of his Devices 10. The next Subtilty of Satan is He labours to ensnare us by Lawful Things In licitis perimus omnes more are hurt by lawful things than unlawful as more are kill'd with Wine than Poison Gross Sins affright but how many take a surfeit and die in using lawful things inordinately Recreation is lawful Eating and Drinking is lawful but many offend by Excess and their Table is a Snare Relations are lawful but how oft doth Satan tempt to over-love how oft is the Wife and Child laid in God's Room Excess makes things lawful become sinful 11. Subtilty of Satan is to make the Duties of our General and Particular Calling hinder and justle out one another Our General Calling is serving God
God for power Alass if David and Peter who had an Habit of Grace fell for want of a fresh gale of the Spirit to hold them up much more will they be in danger of falling who have onely the power of Free will to hold them Let us therefore sue to God for strength to keep us from sinning Pray that Prayer of David Psal. 119.117 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and that other Prayer Psal. 17.5 Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Lord keep me from dishonouring thee keep me from the defiling sins of the Age that I may not be worse for the Times nor the Times the worse for me Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins Lord whatever I suffer keep me from sin The Child is safe in the Nurses arms and we are onely safe from falling into Sin while we are held up in the Arms of Christ and Free-Grace 2. Branch Of the Exhortation hath an aspect to God's Children you that are Professors and carry Christ's Colours I beseech you above all others to take heed of sin beware of any action that is scandalous and unbecoming the Gospel You have heard what a prodigious hyperbolical evil sin is Come not near the forbidden fruit Hos. 4.15 Though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah offend So though wicked Men run into sin yet let not the Spouse of Christ defile the breasts of her Virginity Sin doth ill become any but it doth worse become Professors Dung is unhandsome in the Street but to see it in the Temple How offensive is it Leprosie in the Foot doth ill but to see a leprous sore in the Face is much worse To see sin break forth in them who have a Face of Religion is most to be abominated The sins of the wicked are not so much wondered at Dan. 12.10 The wicked shall do wickedly It is no wonder to see a Toad spit Poison it was not so much wondered to see Cain or Ahab sin but to see Lot's Incest to see David's hands stained with blood this was strange When the Sun is Eclipsed every one stands and looks upon it So when a Child of light is Eclipsed by scandalous sin all stand and gaze at this Eclipse The Sins of God's People do in some sense more provoke God than the sins of the Wicked We read of the provoking of his Sons and Daughters Deut. 32.19 The sins of the Wicked Anger God but the sins of his People Grieve him The sins of God's People have a more malignant aspect and are of a blacker dye than others There are those aggravations in the sins of God's People as are not to be found in the sins of the Unregenerate in Eight Particulars For First The Godly have something which may ponere obicem Restrain them from sin Wicked Men when they sin have no Principle to restrain them they have Wind and Tide to carry them but have nothing to pull them back from sin but a Child of God hath a Principle of Grace to give check to sin He hath the impulses of God's Spirit disswading him from evil therefore for him to commit sin is far worse than for others This is to sin more desperately it is as if a Woman should go about to kill the Child in her Womb. Christian this thou art going to do when thou sinnest Presumptuously thou doest what in thee lies to kill the Babe of Grace in thy Soul Secondly The sins of God's People are greater than others because they sin against more Mercy This is like a Weight put in the Scale it makes sin weigh heavier God hath given Christ to a Believer he hath cut him off from the wild stock of Nature and grafted him into the True Olive and for him to abuse all this Mercy it is to out-do the Wicked and to sin with an higher aggravation because it is to sin against greater love How was Peter's sin inhaunced and accented that when Christ had done more for him than others he had dropped some of the Holy Oil upon him He had taken him into the number of the Apostles he had carried him up into the Mount of Transfiguration and shewn him the Glory of Heaven in a Vision now that Peter should deny Christ after all this Mercy this was heinous and could not be forgiven but by a Prodigy and Miracle of Love Thirdly The Sins of the Godly are worse and have this aggravation in them that they Sin against more clear illuminations than the Wicked Iob 24.13 They are of those that rebel against the Light Light is there taken figuratively for knowledge It can't be deny'd but the Wicked Sin knowingly but the Godly have a light beyond them such a divine penetrating light as no Hypocrite can attain unto They have better eyes to see Sin than others and for them to meddle with Sin and embrace this Dunghil How must this needs provoke God and make the Fury rise up in his Face Oh therefore you that are the People of God fly from Sin your Sins are more inhanc'd and have worse aggravations in them than the Sins of the Unregenerate Fourthly The Sins of the Godly are worse than the Sins of the Unregenerate for when they Sin it is against Greater Experiences They have felt the bitterness of Sin in the pangs of the New-birth and afterwards God hath spoken peace and they have had an experimental tast how Sweet the Lord is and yet after these Experiences that they should touch the Forbidden Fruit venture upon a Presumptuous Sin How doth this inhance and aggravate their Guilt and is like putting a weight more in the Scale to make their Sin weigh heavier The Wicked when they Sin never tasted the sweetness of an Heavenly Life they never knew what it was to have any Smiles from God they never tasted any thing sweeter than Corn and Wine therefore no wonder if they Sin But for a Child of God who hath had such Love-Tokens from Heaven and Signal experiences for him to Gratifie a Lust How horrid is this It was an aggravation of Solomon's Sin that his heart was turned from the Lord which had appeared to him Twice 1 King 11.9 Fifthly The Sins of the Godly are greater than others because they Sin against their Sonship When Wicked Men Sin they Sin against the Command but when the Godly Sin they Sin against a Priviledge they abuse their Sonship The Godly are adopted into the Family of Heaven they have a New Name Is it a light thing said David to be Son-in-Law to a King So to be called the Sons of God to be Heirs of the Promises is no small honour Now for such to run into any open offence it is a Sinning against their Adoption they hereby make themselves Vile as if a King's Son should be tumbling in the Mire or lie among Swine Sixthly The Sins of the Godly are worse than others because they are committed against more Vows and Engagements