Estate you have according to the Master's Command An unfaithful Steward that keeps all to himself is a Thief A Noble Man hath need of Money and sendeth to his Steward Go to my Steward and demand such a Sum Will he deny him his own when his Lord hath need of it God hath commanded to give when he sendeth to you How doth God send to us but in the course of his Providence We are one day to give an Account And what a sorry Account shall we make So much for Pomp so much for Pleasure so much for gorgeous Apparel so much for Riot and Luxury and so little for the Master's Use. If a Man to whom the Care of Children is committed should feed Dogs and Whelps and neglect the Children what a sorry Account would he give of his Trust God hath demanded his Right by our poor Brethren he hath made them his Proxies Our Bounty reacheth not to God himself therefore he offereth them to our Pity what we do for them he accounteth as done to himself Acts of Mercy are required that we may acknowledg God's Property it is our Rent to the great Landlord of the World It is an Honour put upon you you are as Gods to them to relieve them and comfort them He could give without thee but he trieth thee and will have them interested in the Act. It is a great Honour to Religion the World is taken with Bounty Rom. 5.7 Peradventure for a good Man some would even dare to die Titus 3.14 And let ours also learn to maintain good VVorks for necessary Vses that they be not unfruitful Let not others that have not such high Motives or such glorious Advantages be more forward than ours Secondly There are the Requisites to a good Work there is the State of the Person and the Uprightness of our Principle and the End and Rule of our Actions 1. The State of the Person the Person must be in Christ. Do we gather Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles We expect good Fruit from a good Tree The Person must first be in Christ as the Apostle saith Titus 3.8 These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good Works When the Foundation of Faith is first laid and that is the Root then good Works flow kindly as the Fruit that grows upon this Tree So in the Text first a peculiar People and then zealous of good Works The Leper under the Law till he was cleansed all that he touched and all he went about was unclean so till you are purified and cleansed by the Work of Grace passing upon your Hearts all that you do is abominable and filthy in God's Eye A natural Man cannot be acceptable to God nor perform an Act of pure Obedience for he is an Enemy and therefore his Gifts are giftless Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Method the Apostle lays down Ephes. 2.10 For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works First his Workmanship created in Christ there is the fitness and preparation for good Works Works materially good may be done by God's Enemies out of the strength of an unrenewed Will for carnal Ends without any Respect and Love to God therefore first we must be reconciled to God first we stir up Men to love God and then serve him Will you have the Graft or Cyon bear Fruit till it be set in the Stock So can we bear Fruit to God until we be planted in Christ All the Issue that is born before Marriage is illegitimate the Acts are but Bastard-Acts and our Graces are but Bastard-Graces till we are contracted to Christ. 2. The Principles of Operation must be right for the constitution of good Works These Principles are Faith Love and Obedience Faith receives Help from Christ Love enclines the Heart and Obedience sways the Conscience In every good Work these are the true Gospel-Principles Obedience sways the Conscience by virtue of God's Law Love enclines the Heart out of Gratitude and Thankfulness to God and Faith expects Help and Supply from Christ. In short every good Work is an Action commanded by the Law but arising from Faith in the Gospel it is done out of Conscience and because of God's Command but yet willingly because God is so good in Christ and Faith gives both help and encouragement Without Faith whatever is done is but Sin without Obedience it is but customary and without Love it is but Legal and no Evangelical Work 3. As the Principle and Operation so the End must be right to glorify God in whatever we do not to gratify Interest that is carnal not barely to promote the welfare of Nature that is but an Act of natural Self-love aiming at his own preservation not to pacify God that is legal and so a renouncing of the Merit of Christ. So that every Act of Duty must be made a Branch of Gospel-Obedience arising from Gratitude that God may be glorified 4. Those are good Works which are commanded by God and conformable to the Rule laid down in Scripture As Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Transgression of the Law of God so a good Work is a Conformity to the Law of God That is a good Work which is agreeable to that Rule that is the proper measure of Good and Evil Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments A Strictness beyond the Word or besides the Word is a Bastard and an Apocryphal Holiness and but counterfeit Coin which is not currant in the Kingdom of Grace II. What is it to be zealous of good Works 1. We should be forward and chearful in well-doing Zeal is ferventior Amoris gradus a higher degree of Love the more Love the more forward in acting Certainly Zeal will readily set us a-work to do all we do willingly freely and chearfully as the Apostle intimates 2 Cor. 9.2 For I know the Forwardness of your Mind for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a Year ago and your Zeal hath provoked very many It is not Zeal to stand hucking and disputing every Inch with the Spirit of God You are not only called to the bare practice of good Works but you must be first and most forward and Leaders of others Watch opportunities to do good and take hold of them when they are offered We should be glad of an opportunity offered wherein to discover our Affection to God and our Hatred to Sin This is Zeal to be willing and forward 2. To be zealous is to be self-denying and resolute notwithstanding Discouragements Zeal is a mix'd Affection it consists partly of Love and partly of Indignation and so when I am zealous of a thing I love that thing and shake off and hate all that lets and hinders it Zeal sets us a-work and holds us to it notwithstanding Discouragements Zeal will not stick at a little
so earnest and zealous to set up the Work of God O how can you look upon such a Spectacle as this without Shame that a Lust should have more power with them than the Love of God with you Is it not a shame that Amnon can be sick for Tamar and yet you cannot be sick for Christ as the Spouse was for her Beloved You have high Motives nobler Employment your Work is the Perfection of the Creature the noblest Faculties are exercised in the noblest way of Operation your Rewards are more excellent and you have greater Advantages and Helps Shall they take more pains to undo their Souls than you do to save your Souls We read in Ecclesiastical Story when Pambus saw a Harlot curiously dress'd he wept partly to see one take so much Pains for her own eternal Ruine and partly because he had not been so careful to please Christ and to dress up his Soul for Christ as she was to please her wanton Lover Christians whenever you are cast upon such a Sight or Spectacle when you come by a Shop and see Men labour and toiling out their Hearts and all this for temporal Gain doth it not make you blush and be ashamed that you are so negligent and careless in the Work of God 2. Consider you your selves have been violent and earnest in the ways of Sin and will you not do as much for God How may every one say when I was a wicked and carnal Man I followed it with all my Heart and shall I do less now in a State of Grace The Apostle hath a notable Expression Rom. 6.19 I speak after the manner of Men because of the Infirmity of your Flesh for as ye have yielded your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity even so now yield your Members Servants to Righteousness unto Holiness Mark how the Apostle brings it in with a Preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I speak after the manner of Men that is Men in common Sense and Reason judg it equal that they should be as diligent to come up to the Height of Sanctification and as zealous of good Works as ever you were to come up to the Height of Sin and were zealous for Hell Should you not have as much Care to save your selves as to ruine and damn your selves You made haste to do Evil as if you could not be damned soon enough Now in Reason you should be as zealous for God as for Satan Heretofore we could riot away the Day and card away the Night and shall not some Days be spent in Fasting and Prayer Shall every Hour be begrudged that is bestowed upon God You will say it is good Reason God should be served as well as the Devil but the Flesh is weak and how shall we be able to serve God But says the Apostle I speak according to the VVeakness of your Flesh It is an equitable modest and just Proposal that I make and with condescention to your Infirmities that you should be as earnest and zealous for God and to grow in Grace as ever you were zealous to increase your Guilt and Sin Formerly I never ceased till I got to the top till I was so wicked that I could hardly be more wicked why should I not now labour to grow in Grace Can Conversion be right when Sin had more of our Thoughts than ever God had The Apostle's Rule holds thus so much Time so much Cost and Care so much Love and Delight as hath been spent in Sin so much must be spent in the Service of God O say then why should I not be as earnest to grow in Grace to be as zealous and holy as I can It is observed of Paul that in his natural Condition he was mad against Christ Acts 26.11 I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities Look upon him converted and see is he not as earnest and mad for Christ as ever he was against him 2 Cor. 5.13 For whether we be besides our selves it is for God Do but look back and see what a Drudg you have been to Sin with what Zeal and Self-denial you hazarded your Souls O your pace was swift and furious like Iehu's March and will you be cold and slow in the Work of God Nay it may be this is your case to this very day you are very busy and painful to undo your Souls O this active Industry that is misplaced and misimployed if the Object were but changed would do well for Heaven Who would pay as dear for Hell as for Heaven Who would pay as dear for Glass as for Jewels What a stir is there to serve a Lust half of this through the Blessing of God might have conduced to save a Soul 3. It may be you have set out late and then it is but reason you should mend your pace and be earnest and zealous for God 1 Pet. 4.3 The time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles whilst you lived in Lasciviousness Lusts excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings and abominable Idolatries O it is enough enough Travellers that tarry long in their Inn ride faster in an hour when they set forth than in two before you have tarried long therefore put forward We see that slow Plants bring forth the most Fruit as if Nature would recompense the Slowness with the Plenty so you that were long e're you were called to God what reason have you to be diligent and earnest and zealous in the Work of the Lord You will think this concerns some that are called in the doting time of their Age but all Men set forth too late If we consider God's eternal Love we should be ashamed that we began no sooner God loved us before we were The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to them that fear him Psal. 103.17 from one Eternity to another God loved us before we had a Being before we were lovely and when we had a Being he loved us when we knew not that he loved us We were Transgressors from the Womb defiled and polluted Creatures in our Birth and Original and afterwards we knew how to offend and grieve him before we knew how to serve and love him If we have any Gratitude to God we should be ashamed that we began so late God began early with us from all Eternity he was our God as long as God is God he is our God therefore now we should mend our pace and double our Diligence and be more earnest and zealous in the Ways of God 4. Consider what Christ hath done in purchasing our Salvation It was no Play and Sport to redeem the World Christ was not in jest when he yielded up himself to be tempted to be persecuted to be crucified to be exercised with bitter Agonies and is all this Expence and Cost for nothing The Temptations of Christ
Person of the Godhead to work it out Next to the Gift of Christ we have the Gift of the Spirit O it should be a shame that when we have such a keen Sword to cut the Throat of our Lusts that we act so faintly use it so feebly and are no more valiant And then what pure and excellent Precepts have we in the Christian Religion reaching not only to the Act but the very Aim to the Intents and Thoughts and secret workings of the Heart Psal. 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul And not only to the Sin but to the Lust Thy Commandment is exceeding broad Psal. 119.96 Then we have glorious Hopes The Scriptures that are a perfect Rule in all other Cases yet herein they profess their Imperfection 1 Cor. 13.9 We prophesy but in part Words not fit and great enough to tell us of our Hopes 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the highest strain and reach of Fancy In all other things the Garment of Fancy is too great for the Body wherewith it is to be clothed Fancy never takes a right measure of things but the highest Suppositions are too short to express the Greatness of those Hopes that are provided for you And then for the dreadful Punishments we are told of a Worm that never dies of a Fire that shall never be quenched of a Pit without a Bottom of Torments that are without End and without Ease Ours Hearts are filled with Horror when we do but think of these things and shall we not burn now with Zeal for God when we are in danger of burning in Hell-fire for ever hereafter If now we are cold and slow in good Works it were the most incongruous thing in the World where there is such a high Elevation of Duty and Comfort The whole Scriptures are formed to elevate these things to the highest pitch that we may not be backward and slow in the Christian Religion All things are sublime and therefore call for something more than ordinary 8. Consider the great danger of Coldness both to our selves and others To our selves where there is no Zeal there will be Decay Prov. 18.9 He also that is slothful in Work is Brother to him that is a great Waster Not to go forward is to go backward Standing Pools corrupt as a Man that rows against the Tide and Stream if he doth not ply the Oar he will lose ground and be carried away apace So if we be not zealous we cannot stand and keep our ground there will be a Decay Bernard observes to this purpose that all the Angels in Iacob's Ladder were either ascending or descending there is no stay but either going up or going down When they lose their first Love their Zeal is gone Rev. 2.4 5. Thou hast left thy first Love Remember therefore whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first Works What is the reason Men grow weary of Truth weary of Holiness weary of Prayer Ordinances they do not keep up a constant Diligence First they lost their Zeal they became indifferent cold and careless then off goes the Service of God first their Love and then their Works So consider the danger of it to others Men grow formal by Imitation When Christians high in Profession grow formal cold and careless this makes their Neighbours so There is nothing hardens more than a cold Professor it makes Men sit upon their Lees. Mortified and strict Christians upbraid others by their Example A Man cannot come into the Company of a mortified strict Christian but his Heart will upbraid and shame him And therefore if in this general Decay we have learned Deadness and Formality one of another let us strive now who shall be most forward in the Ways of Grace Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke to Love and good Works You shall see in the Times when Idolatry was like to go down Isa. 41.6 7. They helped every one his Neighbour and every one said to his Brother Be of good Courage So the Carpenter encouraged the Goldsmith and he that smootheth with the Hammer him that smote the Anvil c. They were strengthning one another to plead for their Shrines and to get up their Pictures and Idols again that their Trade might not go down Thus Idolaters hold in a String O what a Religious Correspondency should there be in the Children of God When the Power of Godliness is like to decay and go down how should we strengthen and encourage one another and provoke one another by holy Example to be more zealous that we may not contract the Guilt of their Deadness and Formality 9. Consider There is no danger in Zeal we cannot do too much in solid Piety The least is more than enough in Sin because every thing is too much there but in Grace there is never enough In External Worship indeed there may be too much as in Pomp and Ceremonies when Men will be decking God's Ordinances with Gawdery it is not proportionable to the End of Worship therefore there may be too much And in particular Exercises there may be too much it is good to keep a decorum in Praying and Hearing But now in the Love of God and Zeal for God and the Service of God and solid Piety there can be no excess you cannot be too Heavenly or too Holy There is a great deal of Danger of doing too little Many come short of the Glory of God Rom. 3.23 O Christians you cannot be too busy for saving your Souls nor too earnest 2 Pet. 1.11 we are pressed to labour after an abundant Entrance There are some that are afar off that do not enter at all that neither strive nor seek to enter that are as Swine filthy abominable unprofitable good for nothing but to ruin themselves as prophane Persons and Heathens And some are very nigh to the Kingdom of God as the moral Man upon the Brink and Border and as he that was almost perswaded to be a Christian Acts 26.28 Others again make a hard shift to get to Heaven they are scarcely saved or saved as by Fire But others are carried on with full Sails their Hearts are enlarged to God This is our Duty to labour to get this abundant Entrance Some seek to enter and are not able they go far and yet perish Luke 13.24 Many shall seek to enter but shall not be able 10. Consider If your Hearts be dead and cold you lose the comfort of all your Christian Priviledges A dead Christian is as bad as none at all You cannot take comfort in your Conversion a Change without Life and Zeal is but a moral Reformation not a Regeneration for Regeneration is a quickning and a begetting to Life Ephes. 2.5 Even when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins he hath quickned us together with Christ. That
Remission I shall look upon this Prayer under a twofold Consideration 1. As an high Moral Act of an holy Man 2. As a Tast of his Mediation and Intercession where we shall consider the publick Relation he sustained upon the Cross. First Let us look upon it as a Moral Action he doth not threaten fearful Judgments but prayed for his Enemies there was no stain of Passion and Revenge upon his Sufferings 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps And wherein Vers. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously One great Use of Christ's Death was to give us Lessons of Meekness and Patience and humble Suffering In this Act there is an excellent Lesson Let us look upon the necessary Circumstances that serve to set it off 1. For whom he prays 2. When he prays 3. Why he prays 4. In what manner 1. For whom he prayeth for his Persecutors Men that had done him the greatest Contempt and Villany which their Spight and Malice could invent They had mocked and buffeted him mangled his Flesh with Scourges led him like a publick Spectacle of Shame through the Streets of the City and by importunate Clamours had gotten him to the Cross and there placed him in the midst of Thieves they had cursed themselves and yet Christ prayed for them In their Rage they had even appealed to and dared Divine Justice His blood be upon us and on our children but Christ saith Father forgive them Yea and which is more they did all this to him when he came to serve the World in a Design of the greatest Love Of all things Men cannot endure to have their Love slighted Holy David when Nabal slighted his Kindness vowed the destruction of him and all his House but when Christ cometh with higher Acts of Kindness he is despised and rejected of Men He came unto his own and his own received him not Iohn 1.11 Nay his own persecuted him and despitefully used him and yet he prayeth for them They omitted no kind of Cruelty the Law saith Breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth Lev. 24.20 But when they cry Crucifie him he cries Forgive them Oh! how may we wonder at this who are so vindictive as we are 2. When he prayeth in the very extremity and height of his Sufferings Then when we are apt to forget our Friends Christ remembreth his Enemies in the very height of his Sorrows he mediates for a Pardon for them A Man would have thought that the sharp sense of the Afflictions wherewith he was exercised should have imbittered his Spirit if he would make Intercession for Sinners in Heaven a Man would have thought that he should not have interceeded upon the Cross. We Pardon when the Misery is over and by the course of Affairs that which was intended for a mischief proveth an advantage as Ioseph did his Brethren Gen. 50.20 As for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive But Christ in the very Act of his Sufferings seeketh Mercy for the Instruments of his Passion Pendebat tamen petebat saith Austin their Rage had brought him to the Cross and there Christ mediateth to bring them to Heaven 3. Who prayeth Jesus Christ With honour enough to himself he might have done otherwise he could have destroyed them with the Breath of his Mouth or with a Beam of his Glory We forgive when we cannot harm Power efferareth the Mind and makes Men fierce and cruel many would be cruel enough but they are restrained either by want of Power or Opportunity But here neither was wanting Mat. 26.53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray unto my father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of Angels In Man's Eye that would have seemed a rare vindication of the Glory and Dignity of his Person but Christ doth not pray Father send twelve Legions of Angels but Father forgive them One Angel had been enough 2 King 19.35 The Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand It would have been more easie for Christ to come down from the Cross than to go up thither that was the greater Miracle four Nails could not have held the Lord of Glory if he had not been nailed and fastened through by his own Love and voluntary Condescention But Christ would not be Glorious now in Acts of Power but of Mildness and Charity and therefore it is not Father destroy but Father forgive them 4. How he prayeth for them he pleadeth their Case and putteth the fairest Construction that can be made of an Action so foul and enormous they are poor ignorant People led with a blind Zeal Christ pitcheth upon the only Circumstance that serveth to lessen the Offence Of all Excuses this is the most plausible 1 Tim. 1.13 I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief Acts 3.17 And now brethren I wâ—t that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Rulers We are wont to strein and force Actions to the most rigorous Interpretation they are capable of Iracundia solers est fingendi causas sui furoris Seneca Anger is witty to find out Causes to justifie it self and if there be ought to justifie Censure we omit those alleviating Circumstances and necessary Mitigations whereby our Asperity may be taken off and Actions be more mildly considered But Christ saith Poor Creatures they act out of a blind Zeal they know not what to do Father forgive them I Use. Information 1. It informeth us that the Love of Christ is greater than we can think or understand much less express If we be afflicted with any Pain in the Teeth Head or Eyes we are so overcome with the sense of it that we can think of nothing else we neither admit the visit of Friends nor will we trouble our selves with any business our Pain wholly engrosseth and taketh up our Minds and Thoughts But Jesus Christ in the midst of his Agonies and painful Sufferings remembreth not only Friends but Enemies and is solicitous about their Salvation Now if he be thus affected towards Persecutors how is he to the Persecuted They cry Crucifie him Crucifie him but he saith Father forgive them He might justly have called for Vengeance but he prayeth for Mercy Nothing was so cruel but they were ready to think and speak and do against him in this blind and inconsiderate Fury but he doth not consider their Injuries against himself but their Sin against God and would have that pardoned and this at the time when they sought not Pardon for themselves but were venting their Malice against him Which surely is an encouragement to the Penitent that he will not be hard to be entreated by them that confess and
third Branch of Sobriety is in Apparel That this is a part of Sobriety appears by that Scripture 1 Tim. 2.9 That Women adorn themselves in modest Apparel with Shamefac'dness and Sobriety We must be moderate as to Apparel as well as to other Delights and Comforts of Life In managing this part of the Discourse I shall first give you some Rules and then some Helps 1. For the Rules The Work of Sobriety is to moderate the Affection and then the Use. 1. To moderate the Affection to vain and immodest Apparel there the Disease begins Col. 3.5 Mortify therefore your Members which are upon the Earth Fornication Uncleanness inordinate Affection There may be even in those that are poor a Desire and an Envy at the Bravery of others which is grievous to the Spirit of God when we want it our selves Pride in Apparel is not only the Sin in the wearing but in the Desire of it when we can no sooner see a vain Fashion but we are taken with it as Ahaz was taken with the Altar at Damascus and we must have another of the like Fashion It is the Duty of Christians to consider one another to provoke to Love and to good Works Heb. 10.24 who should be most sober most modest in their Apparel but we often provoke one another to Excess and Pomp and strive who shall excel therefore this Desire when we are taken with vain Fashions is sinful And if our Hand will not reach to it then we envy and speak against others not out of Zeal but Emulation because we cannot attain to the like our selves as Diogenes trod on Plato's rich Garment with a greater Pride Calco Platonis fastum Envy shews we value these things Now to moderate this secret Envy take a Consideration or two 1 st If we have Food and Raiment to cover our Nakedness why should we trouble our selves about more 1 Tim. 6.8 And having Food and Raiment let us be therewith content When God first made Adam and Eve Apparel he made them Coats of Skins plain and homely Ware and they were greater Persons than we are And it is said of the Children of God those of whom the World was not worthy Heb. 11.37 They wandred about in Sheepskins and Goatskins Our Condition is much better therefore let us not envy others when they shine and excel in Pomp of the World it is enough God hath given us any thing for Warmth and Use. 2 dly Consider how holy Men have behaved themselves upon a like Occasion It is recorded in the Life of Bernard if he saw a poor Man in coarse Habit he would say It may be this poor Man may be glorious within and have a better Soul than thou hast but if he saw a Man with a fine Garment he would say It may be he excels thee as much within as without So Pambus when he saw one very curious in dressing her self he wept saying Have I been as careful to please Christ to deck my Soul with Grace in the Sight of God as she is to please a wanton Lover Thus should we make a spiritual Use of such a Spectacle and strive to be as fine in God's Sight as they are in Bravery without 2. The Work of Sobriety is not only to moderate the Affection but to moderate the Use of Apparel and outward Ornament that we may not be pompous and excessive That there is such a Sin as Excess in Apparel appears by the frequent Disswasives of the Word The Scripture takes notice of it chiefly in Women but Men have their Share The Holy Ghost by the Prophet Isaiah is pleased to give us an Account of the Fashions of those Days and to make an Inventory of their Wardrobe chap. 3.18 to 24. In that Day the Lord will take away the Bravery of their tinkling Ornaments about their Feet and their Cauls and their round Tires like the Moon The Chains and the Bracelets and the Mufflers the Bonnets and the Ornaments of the Legs and the Head-bands and the Tablets and the Ear-rings the Rings and Nose-Iewels the changeable Suits of Apparel and the Mantles and the Wimples and the crisping Pins the Glasses and the fine Linen and the Hoods and the Vails and therefore threatneth an heavy Judgment ver 24 25. And it shall come to pass that instead of sweet Smell there shall be Stink and instead of a Girdle a Rent and instead of well-set Hair Baldness and instead of a Stomacher a girding with Sackcloth and Burning instead of Beauty Thy Men shall fall by the Sword and thy Mighty in the War Mark the Judgment a Scab which meeteth with their Aim which was to set off their Beauty and the Violence Incivilities and Rudeness of the Souldiers to meet with the matter of their Sin who shall strip them of their Garments that they should not have Rags to cover their Nakedness So 1 Pet. 3.3 the Spirit of God takes notice of the outward Adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold and of putting on of Apparel By which he reproves not a decent dressing but a laying of it forth in Curls and Locks and wanton Plates So Luke 16.19 there it is taken notice of as a Luxury in the rich Man that he was clothed in Purple and fine Linen and fared sumptuously every Day Curious Clothing is made to be one of his Crimes as well as Gluttony and Neglect of the Poor Usually they go together And the Experience of all Ages sheweth that there is such a Sin and in these times more abundantly when all Distinctions of Ranks and Place and Superiours and Inferiours are taken away But how shall we do to find out the Sin Cases being so different and the Custom of Ages and Nations so various I answer in the general Such a Modesty as is without Exception doth best become the Saints and Christians indeed who are chiefly to regard the inward Ornament to adorn themselves in the Sight of God rather than in the Sight of Men 1 Pet. 3.4 Whose adorning let it be the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the Sight of God of great Price And again they are to stand at a Distance from a Snare and to avoid all Appearance of Evil 1 Thess. 5.22 Abstain from all Appearance of Evil. And again they are to give no Offence neither to Iew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 Neither to their Fellow-Members within nor to Observers without Therefore if we had to do with a gracious Heart the Case would be soon decided they do not love to walk upon the Brink nor to come near a Sin An inoffensive modest Habit is free from all Exceptions and if Men and Women were wise they would soon see that it would neither lessen their Esteem with God or Men but increase it rather But more particularly Persons guilty are clamorous and say why do we
Sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Then it is of Use to make you constant in walking in the Fear of the Lord Eccles. 12.13 14. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man For God shall bring every Work into Iudgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Especially it is an Engagement to Faithfulness in your Calling especially Ministers 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Again it urgeth you to keep the Commandments Christ will bear you out Keep this Commandment without Spot unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.14 And then it presseth to Diligence He comes with Crowns in his Hands to reward all that are faithful to him 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judg the quick and the dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom 1 Thess. 2. â—9 For what is our Hope or Ioy or Crown of rejoicing Are not even ye in the Presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his Coming The Day of Judgment respects our Callings especially as Ministers Christ's Officers must give an Account and in whatever Condition God hath set us in wherein he expects a Trial of our Faithfulness we are to consider what we must do SERMON XVIII TITUS II. 13 Of the Great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. I Come to the Description of the Person who shall appear who is described by a Title of Power and a Title of Mercy and Love because in Christ's Person there is Greatness and Goodness mixt for he is called the great God there is his Attribute of Power and Majesty and then there is a comfortable Name and Title Our Saviour That both these Titles do belong to the same Person the Fathers have abundantly proved against the Arians In the Original there is but one Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that greaâ— God and our Saviour We have just such another Expression 1 Cor. 15.24 He shall deliver up the Kingdom to that God and Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to God even the Father So here the great God and Saviour that is the God that is the Saviour Besides there is another Argument that the Words must be referred to the same Person because it is never said any where the Father doth appear but only Jesus Christ and therefore the Appearance of the great God must needs be applied to Jesus Christ. I shall handle these Titles conjunctly and severally I. Look upon them conjunctly and together and there you may observe the mingling of Words of Power and Words of Goodness and Mercy in Christ's Stile and Title I observe it the rather because it is often found in Scripture But for what Reasons are these Titles of Mercy and Power thus mingled and coupled together 1. For the Comfort of the Saints to shew that Christ in all his Glory will not forget himself to be a Saviour At the Day of Judgment when he comes forth like the great God with all his Heavenly Train then he will own us and will be as tender of us as he was upon the Cross. The Butler in his Advancement when he was at Court and well at Ease forgot Ioseph in Prison but Christ in his Advancement doth not grow shy and stately We may have Boldness in the great Day for he will not only come as the great God but also as our Saviour We have the like Expression Heb. 8.1 2. We have such an high Priest who is set on the right Hand of the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens And what follows a Minister of the Sanctuary Jesus Christ certainly had a gracious Welcome into Heaven and was exalted by the Father but even now he is our faithful Agent in Heaven This is made to be the Excellency and Height of his Condescention that he came in the Form of a Servant in the Fashion of an ordinary Man poor and despicable then he came to do the Church Service and now he is gone to Heaven in all his Glory still he is there as a Servant as one that is to negotiate with God for holy things to tender our Prayers to the Lord and to pass out Blessings to us this is Christ's Imployment in Heaven 2. To shew the Mystery of Christ's Person in whom the two Natures meet there is not only the Majesty of the God-head but also the humane Nature by which he claims Kin of us I observe it because the Scripture takes notice of it Isa. 9.6 To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace What a Mixture of Titles is here He is called a Child yet the everlasting Father Wonderful yet the Counsellor one that is intimate with his People he gives sweet Counsel to them He is called the mighty God and then presently the Prince of Peace Christ's Person is the greatest Mystery and Riddle in the World he is God and yet Man He is as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.3 Without Father and without Mother as Melchisedec yet he had both Father and Mother a Father in Heaven and a Mother upon Earth He was without Mother as to his Divinity and without Father as to his Manhood Another Place where the same Method is observed Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow He is called the Man but yet God calls him his Fellow our Brother and God's Son There are so many Mysteries that meet in Christ's Person that under the Law he could not be figured and represented by one Sacrifice Levit. 16.15 21. There were two Sacrifices chosen to represent Christ there was the Goat to be slain for the Sin-Offering and then the Scape-Goat one was not enough because there are in Christ two Natures a God that could not die and a Man that could not overcome Death The Goat that was slain shewed he was crucified in the Flesh and the Goat that was let go shewed that he did yet live by the Power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 For though he was crucified through Weakness yet he liveth by the Power of God Or as another Apostle hath it 1 Pet. 3.18 Being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit There was his humane Nature as he was Man that he might die to answer the Goat that was slain then his Divine Nature that he might live and overcome Death 3. To compare his two Comings and to show that Christ doth not forget his old Work His first Coming was in Humility to save not to judg Iohn 12.47 I
Giving and the Persons to whom 1. The Giver and that is Jesus Christ who is God over all blessed for ever Usually Men make a Market of their Courtesies they give to them that can give again and make them Recompence but he is that blessed Lord to whom nothing could accrue from us In short the Father gave him and he gave himself There is infinite Love in that God the Father gave him Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son It tells you not how but leaves you to wonder and admire at it I would represent it a little to you and therefore let us measure it by created Affections The Affections of the Virgin Mary to Christ is the fittest Glass I can represent it by From her he took his Substance that had the Interest of an earthly Mother Now how was she troubled What Commotion was in her Bowels The Holy Ghost expresseth it Luke 2.35 Yea a Sword shall pierce thrô thy own Soul also that the Thoughts of many Hearts may be revealed She was like one wounded to the Heart when she saw Christ hung upon the Cross yet he took but his humane Body from her If there was such a Commotion in the Bowels of the Virgin Mary the Mother of the Lord what then was it for God the Father to give up his only Son His Love was Infinite yet he gave up Christ. We read of some Fathers who have much denied themselves Abraham offereth Isaac Ieptha offereth his Daughter Lot would have given his Daughters to save his Guests These are but obscure Shadows of the Father's giving up of Christ in whom he took infinite Complacency and Contentment And then bless God for this willing Condescension of the Lord Christ that his Heart was so taken with the Motion the Father makes to him Son you must be responsible to my Justice and take a Body Christ replied Lo I come And Isa. 53.11 He shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied To bring Sons to Glory cost the Lord Christ much travel of Soul but he saith all this is well enough if he shall see the Fruit of it it is enough I am satisfied this is enough for all the Temptations in the Wilderness enough for all the Agonies in the Garden enough for all the Sorrows on the Cross if a few Creatures might be saved and brought to God And consider the Father's Giving and the Son 's Giving they are not contrary and do not destroy one another The Father's Love doth not lessen Christ's but commend it that he hath the same good-will to us as the Father had Jesus Christ as Mediator is the Servant of God's Decrees Many times the Servant hath not the same Affection to the Work as the Master hath But it is otherwise here God's Heart and Christ's Heart is set upon the Work God sets him a-part to be a Mediator and Christ sets himself a-part to see what he can do to save Creatures O bless the Lord. Thus for the Giver 2. The Gift He gave himself not an Angel Among all the Treasures of Heaven and Earth there was nothing more excellent and precious than the Lord Christ He doth not give Gold and Silver but himself to die for us 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold c. but with the precious Blood of Christ. And how doth he give himself Certainly his whole Self Body and Soul his Godhead was engaged in this Work tho that could not suffer He shall make his Soul an Offering for Sin Isa. 53.10 Christ's Soul was to stand in our Souls stead His Soul was heavy to the Death as well as his Body abused mangled with Whips and exposed to Sufferings And the Godhead it self assisted all was interested in it So that look as when the Sun shines upon a Tree tho you cut the Tree you do not cut the Sun so the Godhead stood by but suffered nothing Christ suffered not only Death but Desertion The Soul 's forsaking of the Body at Death was nothing so heavy as God's forsaking of the Soul when he cries out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 Many forsook him his Disciples left him they all fled but Christ complains not of this but there was the suspension of the wonted Joys of the Godhead and that troubled him This was the Passion of his Passion The Moon loseth no Brightness when it suffereth an Eclipse by the Interposition of the Earth but shines as bright as ever so the Lord Christ lost nothing but only there was an Eclipse of God's Countenance and this was the Terror and Anguish of his Soul 3. Consider the Manner of giving it was free and voluntary without reluctancy which was the great Argument of his Love freely and willingly he gave up himself Gal. 2.20 The Life that I live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Faith pitcheth upon this Circumstance Who loved me and gave himself for me to urge us to the spiritual Life 4. Consider for what End it was Ephes. 5.2 He gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savour The Sacrifice that was offered for the whole Congregation was to be killed without the Camp and the Blood to be brought with sweet Perfume to the Mercy-Seat So the Lord Christ comes out of Heaven to be killed on Earth and then is gone to Heaven to represent his Sacrifice to God as a sweet Perfume He gave himself to be a Ransom for us to die a shameful and accursed Death on the Cross he gave himself to be substituted in our room and stead The sadness of every Loss is according to the measure of Enjoyment Life died Righteousness was made Sin O blessed Exchange 5. Consider for whom he doth it The Apostle saith it was for us not for Angels Tho they did far exceed Man in Excellency of Nature yet God would not treat with the lost Angels they were never recovered but he gave himself for us Men. Nay not only for us that were his Creatures but that were his Enemies vile and unworthy Sinners Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us A Man would even die for a good Man tho there be but a few such Persons in the World but here the Just dies for the Unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for Sins the Iust for the Vnjust that he might bring us to God Now this commends his Love indeed in that it was for us vile Miscreants Dust and Ashes Adam sold us for a thing of nought an Apple and so the Lord might have condemned us cast us off and created another World of nobler Creatures than the present Race of Men or might have redeemed us at a cheaper rate Let all this
wilt thou have me to do said Paul when he surrendred himself up to God Acts 9.6 If Christ was longing when will the World be made and the Bounds of their Habitation fixed that I might dwell with them O we do not long for Heaven as Christ longed for Earth He could expect nothing but hard Usage Grief and Death he came to taste the Vinegar and Gall and we do not long to taste of the Feast of Love If Love brought down Christ to us why cannot it carry us up to God When you are backward to believe and pray let it shame you that Christ was so willing And in the Lord's Supper let it shame us that we have less Appetite to feast our Souls with the Benefits of the Cross than Christ had to endure the Death of the Cross. Can we say with Christ With desire have I desired to eat this Passover Here is a Cup of Consolation tempered with Christ's Hand and we have no earnest Groans after it Christ could say It is my Meat to do the Will of God and certainly it should be so to us In the Lord's Prayer Thy Will be done immediately goes before a Petition for daily Bread to shew it should be more desirous for us to do God's Will than to eat our daily Bread Christians when will you learn of Christ We plead and stand disputing every Inch with God When you feel any Reluctancy and Regret of Spirit remember Christ offered up himself willingly Christ's Work was sad Work but he did not say it is a hard Work and is like to cost me dear and I shall meet with an unthankful World and my Doctrine is like to be despised among the Nations he pleaded none of these Discouragements O when shall we learn to do as Christ not to reason but run the Ways of God's Commandments Psal. 119.10 With my whole Heart have I sought thee It is not Obedience if it be not willing Psal. 110.3 Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power When Difficulties arise consider Christ's Torment and Suffering abated nothing of his Love Iohn 13.1 Having loved his own that were in the World he loved them unto the end In the midst of his Agonies he still said Luke 22.42 Not my Will but thine be done Let us be content not only to do but to suffer 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here I am let him do to me what seemeth good unto him Vse 3. Here is Encouragement in Believing 1. In Troubles of Conscience Christ willingly offered up himself he went as a Lamb to the Slaughter therefore he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World John 1.29 Willing Sacrifices are acceptable to the Lord he loveth a chearful Giver God had no respect to Cain because he offered with a grudging Mind The Sacrifice that came to the Altar struggling was counted unlucky if the Beast did roar or bleat much or shewed much reluctation it was an ominous sign More particularly the great Aggravation of Sin is the willingness of it not the grosness of the Act so much as the propension and bent of the Will If thou hast been a willing Sinner and art now troubled about it here is a willing Saviour he suffered as earnestly and with as much strength of Desire as ever you committed Sin Luke 22.15 With Desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer Stop the Mouth of Conscience by considering the burning Desires of his hearty good Will with what desire haste and speed with what vehemency he did long to suffer 2. In your Prayers and Addresses for Mercy He that gave himself for us will he not give us any thing He that was ready to die will be ready to help Lo I come Psal. 40.7 So when we call upon him Isa. 58.9 Thou shalt call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say Here I am Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly He giveth the same Answer to our Requests as to the Father's Commands Wait with Hope Christ that gave himself for us will give himself to us SERMON XX. TITUS II. 14 That he might redeem us from all Iniquity c. I Come to handle the second Incouragement namely that which is taken from the Merit of Christ's Death And therein 1. Here is Christ's Act he gave himself for us to be an Expiatory Sacrifice and Ransom for Souls 2. I come to the second Branch and that is Christ's Aim He gave himself but why To redeem us from all Iniquity c. Here is the Privative and Positive Part of this Deliverance first Redemption then Sanctification The Privative Part we must first take notice of and that is Redemption a Phrase which the Apostle useth here to enforce us to a Denial of Ungodliness and worldly Lusts. Here I shall first handle the Nature of Redemption in General and then particularly shew how we are redeemed from Iniquity I. For the Nature of Redemption It is the great Gospel-Privilege and therefore needs to be explained To redeem another it signifies to free them from any Distress especially from Captivity and Bondage The Word will be best explained with respect to the Customs and the Figures of the Law of Moses for certainly from thence it was taken Now under the Law there was a two-fold Redemption such as was immediately made to God or else to Man 1. To God I observe that there was a kind of Ransom that every Man was to give for his Soul Exod. 30.12 13 14 15. When thou takest the Sum of the Children of Israel after their Number then they shall give every Man a Ransom for his Soul unto the Lord when thou numbrest them that there be no Plague amongst them when thou numbrest them This they shall give every one that passeth among them that are numbred half a Shekel after the Shekel of the Sanctuary an half Shekel shall be the Offering of the Lord. Every one that passeth among them that are numbred from twenty Years old and upward shall give an Offering to the Lord. The Rich shall not give more and the Poor shall not give less than half a Shekel when they give an Offering unto the Lord to make an Atonement for your Souls Whenever they were numbred by Head and by Pole that the Plague might not break out among them they were to give a Ransom for their Souls which shewed that all our Souls were forfeited by Sin to God and it was in God's Power to take them when he pleased therefore every Man was to give this Acknowledgment And some conceive the Plague which fell out in David's time for numbring the People was for want of giving this Ransom to God Now the Poor and Rich were both to give equally the same Ransom the Poor to give no less and the Rich no more viz. half a Shekel to shew that all Souls before God are equal the Debt was equal and that the Price of Christ's Blood was equal
therefore cast your selves upon God 3. Carry your selves as a peculiar People to him Wherein 1. You must not be contented with common Mercies Every distinct Society have distinct Privileges Now the Elect are a peculiar People and therefore should look after peculiar Privileges A Man may have outward things and here is nothing peculiar no Argument of God's special Love Cast-aways may have these things Psal. 119.132 Look then upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto them that love thy Name Look not upon me as thou usest to do on the World in general but as thou dost on thy own People You must have renewing Mercies and sanctifying Mercies a holy Heart be kept from Sin and conformed to God Other Mercies a Man may have and go to Hell therefore be not satisfied with them Luther protested to God he would not be put off with Estate and the Favour of the World and with increase of Honour and Esteem Alas the multitude may have these things it is their Happiness Psal. 4.6 There be many that say Who will shew us any Good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us 2. Be not contented with common Graces Thus far a Man may go and not be saved As for instance There are moral Inclinations in Heathens and they make Conscience of gross Sins It is not enough to keep from Theft Drunkenness Adultery a Heathen would discover those Sins by the Light of Nature and by such Arguments and Reasons as Nature suggests would avoid them And then Hypocrites may have flashes of Comfort Glances Wishes and good Moods though they have no constant Delight in Communion with God yet they have superficial Hopes and are much taken with Evangelical Strains and Tenders of the Gospel they have a desire to keep their Consciences quiet and peaceable but you should labour for Uprightness and special Graces Carnal Men desire to be secure rather than sincere that they may have some Delectations and superficial Tastes but you are to look after things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that have Salvation in them you should be contented with no Grace but that which is an undoubted Pledg and Evidence of Heaven not a loose Hope of the Gospel 3. Be not satisfied with a common Conversation How is that Partly thus You must not live according to ordinary Privileges and ordinary Hopes You must discover Self-denial as one trained up in the School of Christ. It is an Accusation the Apostle brings against the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not Carnal and walk as Men When Men pretend to be God's peculiar People and have nothing singular but are given to worldly Cares vile Passions and corrupt Affections as other Men are this hardens carnal Men. A Christian should live like a Wonder in his place by discovering much Self-denial and Mortification in his Conversation Mat. 5.4 For if ye love them which love you what Reward have you do not the Publicans the same It is the greatest Hypocrisy that can be in the World to profess to be a peculiar People and to deny your selves in nothing but do as others do we should live at another rate and be more Holy more Charitable more Heavenly 4. Do not live according to ordinary Examples We may not frame and fashion our selves to the Guise of the World because we are the Lord 's peculiar People Deut. 14.1 2. Ye are the Children of the Lord your God ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldness between your Eyes for the Dead For thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar People unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the Earth Dead Fishes swim with the Stream A Christian should live in a Counter-motion to the World You cannot do as others do for you profess your selves to be distinct Especially we should consider this in times of general Defection not to run away from God Mich. 4.5 For all People will walk every one in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever When every Man sets up a distinct Religion that is the meaning of it then the peculiar People of God should hold together and shew forth special Zeal and special Strictness in the Ways of God in times of Coldness Indifferency and Neutrality in Religion Josh. 24.15 And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this Day whom you will serve whether the Gods which your Fathers served that were on the other side of the Flood or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwell but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord. SERMON XXII TITUS II. 14 Zealous of Good Works I Come to the last Circumstance the outward Manifestation of Christ's Puririfying that he might make us zealous of good Works I shall consider it partly as the Note of Evidence of God's peculiar People and partly as it falls under the Aim of Christ's Death Doct. Zeal for or in good Works is a Note of God's People and a Fruit of Christ's Purchase Here I shall enquire I. What good Works are II. What it is to be zealous of good Works III. In what Respect and Place we are to put this Zeal or how it stands in order to the Death of Christ. 1. What good Works are I shall shew the Kinds of them and the Requisites to them First The Kinds of good Works Good Works for the Matter of them may be distributed into four Sorts or Ranks Opera Cultûs Acts of Worship Opera Vocationis Works of our own particular Function and Calling Opera Iustitiae Works of Righteousness Opera Charitatis Works of Mercy 1. Opera Cultûs Acts of Worship both Internal and External External to Pray Hear Read Meditate to be much in Communion with God So for Internal Acts as Faith and Repentance and Love All these are good Works and fitly placed in the first Rank of these we must be chiefly zealous because our Happiness lies in Communion with God It is notable Daniel would not omit Prayer for one Day though he was forbidden by the King and in danger of Death Dan. 6.11 Now when Daniel knew that the Writing was signed he went to his House and his Windows being open in his Chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his Knees three times a Day and prayed and gave Thanks before his God as he did afore-time Certainly they have little Zeal in them that care not to be frequent in Communion with God and call not upon his Name These are the chiefest parts of those good Works we must press and exhort you to where we are to be the more punctual because the Offence is immediately done to God If we do not Works of Mercy and Justice there the Offence is done to Men but neglecting the Works of Piety
in the sight of God Mark God may loath it in the same Degree that Men respect it for these are the Terms propounded highly esteemed among men and abomination in the sight of God Our Rose may prove a Nettle with him our Gold meer Brass and our Spices very Dung when God looks upon us 3. Consider that Self is an Incompetent Judge in its own Case and therefore you that are to endure God's Judgment should not stand meerly to the Judgment of Self If your own Heart acquit you you cannot rest upon that you can find no Evil in the Action but God can 1 Cor. 4.4 For I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Alas thô your Heart cannot charge you with any thing yet God can and if your Hearts condemn you God may much more for he knows us better than our selves 1 Iohn 3.20 For if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things SERMON V. ON MARK X. v. 21. Then Iesus beholding him loved him and said unto him One thing thou lackest go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and come take up the Cross and follow me IN this Verse is contained the fourth and last part of the Conference between our Saviour and this Young Man Observe here First The Gesture and Carriage of our Lord Christ towards him Then Iesus beholding him loved him Secondly The Answer he gives him In which there is 1. An Admonition of his Defect One thing thou lackest 2. A Precept and Injunction which is twofold Particular and General 1. Particular for the Tryal of this Young Man where is the Duty Go thy way sell whatever thou hast and give to the poor And the Motive or Promise And thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven The Precept is Particular but backed with a General Promise 2. General Come take up the Cross and follow me These are the parts let us insist upon them as they offer themselves And Iesus beholding him loved him This Clause hath troubled many Interpreters how Jesus could Love this Young man who seemed to be so full of Pride and Self-conceit and whose Heart was so addicted to worldly Riches that when he knew Christ's Mind he went away from him sad but there need not so great ado about the matter To open it two things will be necessary to shew you the Cause of this Love and the Kind of it why and how he Loved him 1. Why he loved him surely it was not for his Outward Feature or External Complement Christ's Love was never set upon these things but his Goodness of Disposition Moral Integrity and Ingenuity that was the Reason why he loved him 2. Now for the Kind of this Love Christ you know had two Natures in him and accordingly we may distinguish of his Love and Affection there is the Divine Love and the Humane Love of Christ as he was God and as he was Man 1. If you interpret it of his Divine Love the difficulty will not be great for there is a General and Common Love and a Special Love with the first God loves all his Creatures especially Mankind and amongst them those that have any strictures of his Image in them more than others But then there is a Special Love and so all those are Saved whom God thus Loveth So God loveth his own People either with a Love of Good-will when they are uncalled Ier. 31.3 Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting Love or else with a Love of Complacency when Called and Converted Zeph. 3.17 He will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his Love Now this will easily salve the Matter there was a general Love or a liking and Approbation of those Moral Vertues and good things which he saw in him but not that special Love which brings Grace and Salvation along with it But 2. Let us consider Christ as Man and so speak of his Humane Love Jesus Christ as he took our Nature so he had the same Affections and Aversations that we have and therefore as Man he loved his Parents his Kindred his Nation his Friends and Acquaintance in their several Relations Some there were with whom he contracted a more special Friendship as Lazarus Iohn 11.3 Lord Behold he whom thou lovest is sick He loved Lazarus in a special manner as a singular Good man So also his two Sisters v. 5. And Iesus loved Martha and her Sister and Lazarus And Iohn is called the Disciple whom Iesus loved Chap. 13.23 Christ in his own practice would sanctifie holy Friendship and therefore it pleased him as Man to have a special Humane Love to some above others Once more There were others who he loved with a larger Love as they had more or less of good in them as this Young man for his Good Nature and Blameless Life Iesus beholding him loved him that is shewed some signs of Inclination towards him Now this was either a Love of Courtesie or a Love of Pity 1. A Love of Courtesie and Respect Origen interprets it he kissed him or shew'd him some outward sign of favour Indeed if the word had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it might have been interpreted so but the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Others more generally He treated him kindly So this word sometimes is taken for Courteous Speech as Grotius and other great Criticks in the Greek Tongue observe He loved him that is spoke friendly and kindly to him So in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Welcome Guests you shall be loved by us that is friendly entreated or received And so again he excuseth himself that he did not Love him as soon as he saw him at first that is did not treat him so kindly so Jesus loved him that is treated him with Kindness 2. A Love of Pity pitying him who had done so much to so little purpose who lost the benefit of all he did by a vain Opinion of his own Righteousness As we pity Moderate Papists sober Turks or Infidels so Jesus Christ might love him with a Love of Pity Well then it was a Love of Humane Affection as one Man loves another for his Good Qualities not a Love of Familiarity and Friendship but either a Love of Courtesie or Pity seeing a Man so Young so Rich so Powerful and in so great Corruption of Manners had kept himself so blameless this was that for which Jesus loved him I observe two Points of Doctrine from hence 1 Doct. There may be some Amiable and Good Qualities in Vnregenerate Men. Here was a Young Man without saving Grace yet of a Moral Conversation and as touching the Externals of the Law blameless Now that there may be such Good Qualities in them appears thus 1. All are Created with some Inclination to Good thô not to good Spiritual yet to Good Natural and Moral In our decay'd Condition there
seem the cheapest Matter in the World But whoever is a Christian indeed makes a full and absolute Resignation of himself and all he hath He that loves Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Mark 10.37 He that loveth any thing more than Christ can never hold out in Heaven's way When the Profession of Religion grows cheap and is low God sends some trouble or other to raise the price that those that will go to the cost may be known what they are I. VSE For Reproof unto two sorts 1. Those that are so unwilling to part with a little Portion of their Goods when the Lord hath need of some supply from them for his Servants and their poor fellow Christians They are so far from being Content to part with all for the Glory of God and good of their Brethren that they are backward and will part with nothing for the maintenance of God's Worship and Relief of the Poor it must be drawn and wrung from them as if all were lost Men act as if their Goods were at their own dispose O how dwelleth the Love of God in them 1 Iohn 3.17 Whoso hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 2. It reproveth those that shift and wriggle and Dispute themselves out of their Duty and all to shake off the Cross and avoid suffering whereas they should with a ready mind take it up Gal. 6.12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only least they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ that is they did Judaise to avoid trouble from the Iews Thô they were not guilty of a total Apostacy yet to take off the Edge of the Iews they disputed themselves into such evil complyance It is true to escape suffering by lawful means is Commanded Mat. 10.23 When they persecute you in this City flee ye into another To remove our selves when a Storm comes this is commanded Prov. 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil and bideth himself but the simple pass on and are punished But to do any thing to prejudice the Truth to shift and turn and all to shake off the Cross this is sinful and forbidden 3. It Reproveth those that do with such Impatience suffer the Loss of any outward thing either by God's immediate Providence or by the violence of men for the Profession of the Truth O this should not be but you should cheerfully and willingly yield it up to God Lev. 10.3 And Aaron held his peace Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods 1 Cor. 7.30 We should mourn as if we mourned not In all worldly Losses we are to shew that we expect better things and that our Hearts are not here and that we have such an Esteem for Christ that he is so worthy and so necessary for us that we should be glad to follow him naked II. VSE To press us to be of such a Spirit to be willing to part with all when Christ will have us and when the Sence of our Duty and his Honour requires it of us This seems to be a hard Lesson but to help us to learn it something must be avoided and something considered 1. Something must be Avoided As 1. Love of the World and Addictedness to the Creature We must hang loose to outward things or we shall never be ready to forgoe them for Christ's sake If there be any secret Idol in your Heart God will bring it forth and put it to the Tryal whether you love him or your Idol most Now the World is a great Idol to keep us from God 1 Ioh. 5.3 4 5. This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous For whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the world even our Faith Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God The connexion between these Verses is thus Whoever will keep the Commandment must overcome the World which is a great Lett thereto therefore we have need of a Heart to look after better things and loosen the Heart from the World which is that Faith that overcometh the World This Precept is hard but it is only to those that are wedded to present things therefore Contempt of the World and of the Possessions and Riches of it is necessary for all that will not make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and render themselves uncapable of the Duties of their Holy Calling 2. Distrust of God's Alsufficiency and trust in the Means is that which makes this Precept difficult He that durst not trust in God will certainly be unfaithful to him Here is our danger resting in the Means as if there could be no supply but from Creatures 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches There is the great Bane of Men we cannot see how we can be well without Friends Wealth Liberty Favour Preferment and such and such Revenues by the year We would fain be on the surest side and on the gathering hand and that is the Reason it is so hard to forsake all and trust our selves alone with God's Alsufficiency And therefore if you would bring your Heart hereunto you must strengthen Faith in the Providence of God and bring thy Heart to lean upon that and not inferiour Means and trust him upon his Word then it will be easie It is no unreasonable thing that I require of you it is but that which is due to any honest Man especially if you have had tryal of him you will trust him upon his Word even without a Pawn So you should trust God thô you can see nothing but Nakedness and Poverty and all manner of Inconvenience In time past God hath not been wanting to you he hath given you better things and will he deny thee daily Bread 2. Some things are to be considered if you would thus forsake all for the discharge of a good Conscience There is God's Right and our own compleat Resignation when we first took Christ I suppose you have done so or certainly you are not Christians Our Hopes in the World to come Heaven is worth something But I shall pitch only upon two things 1. Others have quitted Wealth upon far meaner lower and more inconsiderable Respects than you are called to do it therefore certainly you should quit it for Conscience of your Duty to God Anacreon restored five Talents to Polycrates because he was so troubled with Cares about keeping of them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those things were not worth the care laid out about keeping of them Another cast his Wealth into the Sea saying
is not likely to be safe for your Soul O possess your Estates with Fear The Fear of a Snare may help to avoid it How easily may such a Carnal Heart as yours be enticed from God and grow cold and remiss about the great things of your Salvation 3. This ought oft to be press'd and seriously thought of to stir up Observation how it is with us There is no Man that Observes his Heart but will find this Effect that Riches make the business of Salvation more difficult Good David observed that his Heart was corrupted by his Condition Psal. 10.6 He hath said in his Heart I shall never be moved for I shall never be in Adversity And elsewhere we find he was sensible that Worldliness was creeping upon him Psal. 19.36 Incline my Heart unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousness A Child of God hath not the bent of his Heart so perfectly fixed towards God but it is ever and anon returning to its old bent and byass again The best may find that they cannot keep their Affections as loose from the World when they have Houses and Lands and all things at their Will as they could when they are kept low and bare The best may find that their Love to heavenly things is in the wane as worldly things are in the increase It is reported of Pius Quintus that he should say of himself That when he first entered into Orders he had some hopes of his Salvation when he came to be a Cardinal he doubted of it but since he came to be Pope he did even almost despair Many may find a very great Change in themselves much decay of Zeal for God's glory and love to and relish of God's Word and mindfulness of heavenly things as it fares better with them in the World Now it is good to observe this before the mischief encreaseth Look as Jealousie and Caution is necessary to prevent the entrance and beginning of this mischief so Observation is necessary to prevent the increase of it When the World doth get too deep an Interest in our Hearts when it begins to insinuate and entice us from God and weaken our Delight in the ways of God and Zeal for his Glory then we need often to tell you how hard it is for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 4. To stir up Supplication for special and peculiar Grace that it may not be so with us that the Lord would keep us from the Snares of our Condition for with God all things are possible That we may go to God and say Lord let not my Estate be my Bane and Poyson On the one side it is a great Judgment that God brings upon wicked Men when their Table becomes their snare Psal. 69.22 when their Comforts are Cursed to them and when their Hearts are drawn from God by their Plentiful Condition in the World On the other side it is a peculiar Grace and Favour from God when we be heavenly-minded in the midst of Plenty and keep up lively spiritual Exercises of Godliness notwithstanding our Opulency and Plentiful Condition in the World Iehosaphat is an Instance to encourage you to pray for this 2 Chron. 17.5 6. it is said of him He had riches and honour in abundance and his heart was lift up in the ways of the Lord Christians it is hard to carry a full Cup without spilling to have Riches and Honour and all this with great abundance and yet to have a lively Zeal towards God and a great delight in his ways Now this is possible with God and this God hath bestowed and therefore it should be asked There is nothing that quickens to Prayer so much as a constant sense and apprehension of the danger and difficulty which attends such an Estate therefore this must ever be laid before you that your thoughts may be steep'd in this Consideration 1 VSE It serveth to check the desire of Greatness and increase of Wealth If you had more your Duty would be more and your account greater and your Snares and Temptations and Stumbling-blocks in the way to Heaven would be much more multiplied and therefore you should be Contented with what you have If we cannot thrive in the Valleys and keep up a lively and warm respect to the World to come in a low Condition how should we expect to grow on the tops of the Mountains where we are more exposed to Tempests and the Soil is more Barren therefore you should strive rather to give a good account of a little than to make it more The Lord knoweth that if you were a step higher you would be apt to be proud licentious secure mindless of Eternal Life further off from God and then better you had lived in Beggary all your dayes The time will soon come about when you will judge so and therefore do not enlarge your Desires as if you could never have enough 2 VSE It teacheth us Patience not only in the want but in the loss of outward Riches It is more irksom to lose than to want as it was an unnatural thing for the Sun to go back ten Degrees in Ahaz his Dial Yet this is to be born for when God taketh away your Wealth from you he maketh your way to Heaven more easie if God taketh away Riches he doth but take a Bush of Thorns out of the way that would prick and gore your Souls The World is apt to turn away your Heart from true Happiness and to hinder you in the way that leadeth to it Now God's Grace is seen not only in â—ortifying the Heart but in abating the Temptation He seeth you are apt to sleep upon a Carnal Pillow and therefore taketh it from under your Heads to awaken you If you believe the Word of God that Riches and Honours do easily prove a Share why should you be grieved when the Snare is broken Do you love to have your Salvation hindered or hazarded And therefore why are you so impatient when God cuts you short in these outward things 3 VSE Let rich Men think of this and make Application of this Sentence to their own Hearts that they may Possess their Estates with Fear To this end Consider 1. The Person speaking is Christ who had so much Wisdom and Love to the Comfort and Happiness of Men that he would not â—right them with a needless Danger See before on Ver. 23. 2. When it is spoken of Rich Man those that can live of themselves in the World without the Supply of others The Disciples that had little cryed out Who then can be saved We fancy it is spoken only to the over-grown Rich but they that have but one Talent must improve it and it is hard to do so We must give an account of One Talent as well as Ten. The Sensualist will turn this upon the Covetous and the Covetous upon the Sensualist the Voluptuous Gallant upon the Cormorants of the City and they upon the Epicures
Guardian for our good All that God hath is forth coming for our use as all other things so his Almighty Power and Strength 3. Whatever his Will is or whatever God hath determined to do concerning us yet he would have us magnifie his Power and with Comfort cast our selves upon it Isa. 8.12 13. Fear not their fear nor be afraid sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread You should set Power against Power that you may not be dismay'd Isa. 50.10 It is not meant Spiritually only but also in Temporal Cases Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God You should Comfort your selves in the Power and All-sufficiency of God 4. Consider how angry God hath been with his Children for not resting upon his Power Nothing hath hindered the discovery of God's Power and the Manifestation of his Love to them so much as distrust of his Power Mark 6.5 He could there do no mighty work It is not said he would not but he could not do any mighty works there because of their Unbelief Unbelief doth put a Barr and Rubb in the way of God's Omnipotency And Ioh. 11.40 If thou wouldst beleive thou shouldst see the glory of God God doth not put forth himself because we do no more rest upon him and his Alsufficiency to help us See how angry God hath been on this account with his own Children and People with Moses and Aaron Mat. 20.12 Because ye believed me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I have given them The believing of God's Power is not determining the Success but when we encourage our selves to Pray and Wait and to be Sincere and Faithfull upon the account of God's Power that God is able Many Troubles and Perplexities have befallen God's Children for not believing his Power Zacharias Iohn's Father was struck Dumb for not believing Luk. 1.20 Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season And God let the Nobleman live to see himself confuted and then he was crushed to Death 2 Kings 7.2 Then a Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the Man of God and said Behold if the Lord should make Windows in Heaven might this thing be And he said Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof 3. Consider it is a notable Argument in Prayer to conjure the Lord by his Power As the Leper comes to Christ Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clearn Do what thou wilt but this I know that thou canst thou hast Power enough See how Moses insinuates Numbers 14.15 16. Now if thou shalt kill all this People as one Man then the Nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak saying Because the Lord was not able to bring this People into the Land which he sware unto them therefore he hath slain them in the Wilderness As if he should say Lord thou wouldest have the glory of thy Power seen in the Eyes of the Nations that they may know thee as a mighty powerful God now they will say the Lord was not able to bring them into Canaan 6. All our Courage and all the strength of our Comfort and Obedience and all the Blessings of Obedience depends upon the Belief and the Improvement of God's Power Look into the Book of God and you shall see all the generous Acts that worthy Men have performed came from hence Abraham the Father of the Faithful offered up his Son his only Son the Son of the Promise and that freely and why Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure Heb. 11.19 In such a Tryal what would support and bear us out So when the fiery Furnace was heated seven times hotter than ordinary burning and flaming exceedingly the three Children ventured into it upon this Principle Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King Dan. 3.17 What is the reason we are so Cowardly and Dastardly we look to things sensible and visible and cannot set the Power of God against it or above them and consider how he can bring good out of evil and so Carnal Fears and Hopes draw us aside Why are we discouraged and turn from God in difficult Cases rather than in easie Cases but that we do not believe that he can do all things Paul believed therefore in the Face of Opposition he goes on in his Work unweariedly 1 Tim 4.10 Therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all Men â—specially of them thâ—t believe This made him in the midst of Reproaches and all manner of Difficulties to go on with Courage 7. When we run to Carnal Shifts because we cannot trust this Power of God then we engage his strength that should be for us against us and it is just with God to blast us Ionah runs from his Work and God sends a Storm after him Ionah was afraid of the Ninevites but mischief will sooner or later overtake them that run from their Duty and they have worse Inconveniencies by their own Shifts Iacob would get the Blessing by a Wile but that cost him dear he was Banished from his Father's House upon it lest Esau should kill him Indirect Courses will certainly prove a loss though you may obtain your Purpose yet you plunge your selves into greater difficulties afterward and Obtain your Desires with more Trouble than if you had waited upon God 8. If the thing be not done for us which we need and desire when we trust upon the Power of God it is because it is not best for us He that trusts upon the Power of God cannot miscarry A Cross is best and a low Estate is best and Troubles are best It is not for want of Power and Love that we are afflicted of God he will deliver us and support us and turn it to the best Psal. 84.11 For the Lord God is a sun and a shield he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal. 34.9 The young Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing If we want any thing we would have certainly it is not good for us 9. The less Power we have in our selves the more Experience we have of God's Power Isa. 40.29 He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength So Deut. 32.36 The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their power is
should be as much affected or rather more in receiving the Mercies than we were in asking them for before we only knew them by guess and imagination but then by actual feeling or experience of the Comfort of them But chiefly the Argument is That Justice-requireth it It is a kind of Theft and unjust Detention of what is anothers if in our Necessities we crave Help and afterward there is no more mention of God than as if we had these Blessings from our selves 2. God by his Precept commanding it and we in our Distress promising it he expecteth that there should be Thankful returns of the Mercies afforded to us That 's the second Argument God's Expectation Which must be interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becoming the Excellency of his Being One may be said to expect a thing de jure rightfully or de facto really and actually God knoweth that he hath to do with unthankful Creatures and that the stupid World will not take Notice of his Kindness therefore de facto actually he expecteth no more than is given him having a full and clear Prospect of all future Events But de jure of right he might expect So these Expressions are to be interpreted Luk. 13.7 These three years I come seeking fruit on this Fig-tree and find none So Isa. 5.4 When I looked it should bring farth grapes brought it forth wild grapes So we may fail his Expectation but still to our loss 2 Chron. 32.25 Hezekiah rendered not again according to the Benefit done to him for his Heart was lifted up therefore there was Wrath upon him and upon Iudah and Ierusalem All our Receipts call for a return and a return suitable which if we perform not God's Wrath is kindled against us and therefore a good Man should make Conscience of his returns Psal. 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me 3. It keepeth up the Intercourse between us and God which would be interrupted and broken off if we should discontinue our Addresses to him as soon as we have what we would have and when our Wants are supplyed God should hear no more from us By the Laws of Ezekiel's Temple the Worshippers were so required to go in at one door and out at another that none of them might at any time turn their backs upon the Mercy-seat Ezek. 46.9 but which way soever they entered they were to go away right against it God cannot endure Men should turn their backs upon him when their Turn is served Prayer and Praise still keep up Communion and Familiarity with God that still there may be a Commerce between us and him by asking all things and taking all things out of his hands Prayer and Praise are our continual Work Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto his Name The supream Benefactor and Fountain of all Goodness must still be owned there must be a constant Course in it Some Mercies are so general and beneficial that they should be remembered before God every day and God is still blessing his People and by new Mercies giving new Matter of Praise and Thanksgiving 4. It continueth a Succession of Mercies for the more thankful we are for them the more they are increased upon us as an Husbandman trusts more of his precious Seed in fruitful Soils The ascent of Vapours maketh way for the descent of Showers The Sea poureth out of her fulness into the Rivers and they all return again into the Sea Psal. 67.5 6. Let the People praise thee O God! let all the People praise thee then shall the Earth yield her encrease and God even our God shall blâ—ss us Or when the Springs lye low we pour in a little Water into the Pump not to enrich the Fountain but to bring up more for our selves I do the rather observe it because it is not only true of outward increase but spiritual also Col. 2.7 Rooted and built up in him and established in the Faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with Thanksgiving If we give Thanks for so much Grace as we have already received it is the way to increase our store The reason why we do no more thrive in Grace or advance in the spiritual life is because we do no more give Thanks 5. In Thanksgiving all spiritual Graces are acted and promoted 1. Faith is acted in Thanksgiving when we see and own the invisible hand that reacheth out our Supplies to us All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 1 Chron. 29.14 Stupid and Carnal Creatures look to the next hand as if he that bringeth the Present were more to be thanked than he that sendeth it Hosea 2.8 She did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl We are unthankful to God and Man but more to God because Blessings that come from an invisible Hand we look upon as things of Course and do not Praise the Giver Beasts own the next hand Isa. 1.3 The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Master's Crib but Israel doth not know my People doth not consider 2. Love It is Love that doth open our Mouths that we may Praise God with joyful Lips Psal. 116.1 I will love the Lord because he hath heard the Voice of my Supplications and then Ver. 2. I will praise him as long as I live The proper Intent of Mercies is to draw us to God When the Heart is full of the sense of the goodness of the Lord the Tongue cannot hold its Peace Self-love doth more put us on Prayers but the Love of God on Praises therefore to seek and not to praise 't is to be lovers of our selves rather than of God 3. Hope is acted While we give Thanks for the very Graunt for the Promise for the Preparations with greater Assurance we expect what is behind as Abraham built an Altar in the Land of Canaan and offered Thanksgivings to God when he had not a Foot in the Countrey Gen. 13.18 4. Our Humility The humble Soul is most delighted in the Praise of God but the proud Soul in its own Praises They sacrifice to their Net and burn Incense to their Drag Habbak 1.16 Whilst others Sacrifice to God they deprive God of his Honour and Exalt any thing rather than the Author of Felicity they ascribe all to themselves whilst the others profess their Unworthiness of the least Mercies from God Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies and of all the Truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant and 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord God! and what is my House that thou hast brought me hitherto God is never exalted 'till the Creature be abased 6. It preventeth many sins As 1. Hardness of Heart and Security in enjoying the Blessings of God's common Providence These common Mercies point to the Author and discover their end
refreshment as the Christian hath 2. More Practical and Applicative Meditation is when we take our selves aside from worldly distractions that we may solemnly debate and study how to carry on the Holy Life with better success and advantage when we are wise in our Sphere Luke 16.8 The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their generation it is an Hebrew Phrase for the Manner Course and Sphere of our Lives Gen. 6.9 These are the generations of Noah Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation and Noah walked with God so to be wise in our generation is to be wise in our manner of living and business So it is said Psalm 122.5 He will guide his affairs with discretion which noteth plotting and wise fore-sight choosing our way or devising our way as Solomon calleth it Prov. 16.9 A mans heart deviseth his way It is a great part of a Christians Employment The Scriptures call for it for a Minister 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth to devise how to carry on his Ministry with most Honour and Success So for Private Christians Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works We should consider one another each others Gifts Dispositions and Graces that so our Spiritual Converse and Commerce might be the more improved By this kind of Meditation Piety is made more prudent reasonable and orderly Christians that live at hap-hazard and order their Lives at adventure without these rational and wise Debates if they do not stain their Profession with foul indiscretions yet find much inconvenience and toyl in the Holy Life and are not half so useful as others are Certainly we should learn this of the Children of this World a wicked Man is plotting for his Lusts Rom. 13.14 Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the luste thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they make Provision they are catering how they may feed such a Lust and satisfie such a Carnal Desire Therefore certainly we should take care for the Conveniencies of the Holy Life how we may be most needful for God and pass through our Relations with most advantage and cast our businesses that they may be the least disadvantage to Religion and consider how particular Duties may be the most dexterously accomplished Psal. 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me These are the kinds of Meditation The Definition may be formed thus Meditation is that Duty or Exercise of Religion whereby the Mind is applyed to the serious and solemne Contemplation of Spiritual things for Practical Vses and Purposes I shall open the Description by the parts of it 1. It is a Duty and Exercise of Religion 1. That it is a Duty and Exercise of Religion appeareth by the Evidence of Scripture where it is commanded Ioshua 1.8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night It is made a Character of a Godly Man Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night It is commended in the Practice and Example of the Saints that were most famous in Scripture Isaac in the Text Moses and David And as it is plain by the Evidence of Scripture so by the Light of Nature and Reason God that is a Spirit deserveth the most Pure and Spiritual Worship as well as such as is performed by the Body The Thoughts are the Eldest and Noblest Off-spring of the Soul and the solemn Consecration of them is fit for God In the Gospel Meditation is called for I find in the Old Testament the main thing there called for is Meditation in the Law in the Gospel we are directed to a new Object the Love of Christ Eph. 3.17 18 19. That ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that is the Study of Saints I confess it is more called for in the Old Testament being gross and carnal they needed greater enforcements to Spiritual Duties but now it suiteth every way with the Nature of our Worship Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Now Worship in Spirit and in Truth is more agreeable to our State Meditation is a pure and rational converse with God it is the flower and height of Consecrated Reason 2. It is not a Duty of an Arbitrary Concernment It is not only a Moral help that may be observed or omitted but a necessary Duty without which all Graces would languish and wither Faith is lean and ready to starve unless it be fed with continual Meditation on the Promises as David saith Psalm 119.92 Vnless thy law had been my delight I should then have perished in my affliction Thoughts are the Caterers of the Soul that purvey for Faith and fetch in Food and refresh it with the Comfort of the Promises Hope is low and doth not arise to such a fullness of expectation till by Meditation we take a deliberate view of our Hopes and Priviledges Gen. 13.17 Arise walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it for I will give it unto thee Our Hopes arise according to the largeness of our Thoughts it is a great advantage to have our Eyes open to view the Riches of our Inheritance and to have a distinct view of the hope of our Calling The Apostle prays for the Ephesians Chapt. 1.18 The eyes of your understandings being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of ehe glory of his inheritance in the Saints Men of barren thoughts are usually of low hopes and for want of getting to the top of Pisgah to view the Land our Hearts sink within us Certainly Hope thriveth best on the Mount of Meditation Then for Love the sparkles of Affection will not flow out unless we beat upon the Will by constant Thoughts Affection is nourished by Apprehension and the more constant and deliberate the Thoughts are the love is alwaies the deeper Those Christians that are backward to the Duty of Meditation find none of those impulses and meltings of Love that are in others they do not endeavour to comprehend the height and breadth and length and depth of the love of Christ and therefore no wonder that their Hearts are so narrow and so much straitned towards God Affections alwayes follow the rate of our thoughts if they are ponderous and serious Then for Obedience or keeping the Spirits constantly in a Religious Frame to others good Motions come like flashes of Lightning and are as soon gone as their thoughts
are slight and vanishing but deep musing maketh the Fire burn and keepeth a constant heat and flame in the Spirits not by flashes And as for Duty so for Comfort a Man that is a Stranger to Meditation is a Stranger to himself In Acts of review you enjoy your selves and you enjoy your selves with far more Comfort in these private recesses you have most experience of God and most experience of your selves Moses when he went aside to meditate had the Vision of the Fiery Bush usually God cometh in in the time of deep Meditation and an Elevated Heavenly mind is fittest to entertain the Comforts and Glory of his Presence Thus you see it is a necessary Duty Many think it is an excuse to say it doth not suit with their temper that it is a good help but for those that can use it I Answer 1. It is true there is a great deal of difference among Christians some are more serious and consistent and have a greater Command over their thoughts others are of a more slight weak Spirit and are less apt for Duties of retirement and recollection But our unfitness is usually Moral rather than Natural not so much by temper as by disuse and Moral Unfitness cannot exempt us from a Moral Duty Inky water cannot wash the hand white or a Sin exempt me from a Duty Indisposition which is a Sin in me doth not disanul my engagements to God as a Servants Drunkenness doth not excuse him from work That it is a Moral unfitness appeareth by two things 1. Disuse and Neglect is the cause of it Those that use it have a greater Command over their thoughts Men count it a great yoak but Custom would make it easie Every Duty is an help to it self and the more we meditate the more we shall It is pleasant to them that use it Psalm 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Fierce Creatures are tame to those that use to command them and if a Man did use to govern his thoughts he would find them more obedient 2. Want of Love Thoughts are at the Service of Love we pause and stay upon such Objects as we delight in Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Love naileth and fastneth the Soul to the Object or thing beloved as we see we can dwell upon Carnal Pleasures because our Heart is there As Solomon gives this reason why a Carnal Man cannot dwell upon a sad and solemn Object because his heart is in the house of Mirth Eccles. 7.4 We usually complain we want Temper and we want Matter but the truth is we want an heart David saith Psalm 119.97 Oh how love I thy law it is my Meditation all the day Delightsome Objects will engross the thoughts Therefore see if it be not a Moral Distemper 2. Suppose it be a Natural Unfitness yet while you have Reason it is not Total and Universal and therefore cannot excuse We see in other Duties some have the gift of Utterance and have a great savoryness and readiness of Expression for Prayer others are more bound up and restrained but this can be no plea for them wholly to neglect Prayer Duty must be done as we are able God will hear the breathing panting Soul as well as the rowling Tongue so it is in Meditation some are more for musing and can better melt out their Souls in Devout Retirements other can shew their Love better in Zealous Actions and Publick Engagements for the Glory of Christ yet still though there be a diversity of Gifts we are all bound to the same Duties and though we be fitter for some rather than others yet none must be neglected in their Order and Course 3. The Rank and Place that Meditation hath among the Duties Meditation is a middle sort of Duty between the Word and Prayer and hath respect to both The Word feedeth Meditation and Meditation feedeth Prayer we must hear that we be not erroneous and meditate that we be not barren These Duties must alwayes go hand in hand Meditation must follow hearing and precede Prayer 1. To hear and not to meditate is unfruitful We may hear and hear but it is like putting a thing into a bag with holes Haggai 1.6 He that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes Iames 1.23 24. He is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was Bare hearing begets but Transient Thoughts and they leave but a weak impression which is rather like the glance of a Sun-beam upon a Wall there is a glaring for the present but a Man never discerneth the Beauty the Lustre and the Order of the Truths delivered till he cometh to meditate upon them then we come clearly to see into the Truth and how it concerneth us and how it falleth upon our Hearts David saith Psalm 119.99 I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation The Preacher can but deliver general Theorems and draw them down to Practical Inferences by Meditation we come to see more clearly and practically than he that preacheth We see in outward Learning they thrive best that meditate most Knowledge floateth till by deliberate thoughts it be compressed upon the Affections 2. It is dangerous to meditate and not to hear because of Errors Man will soon impose a deceit upon himself by his own thoughts Fanatick Spirits that neglect hearing pretend to Dreams and Revelations we have a Sophister and an Heretick in our own bosoms which soon deceiveth without a Stock and Treasure of some Knowledge for Men would be vain in their Imaginations were not their thoughts corrected by an External Light and Instruction Iude calleth those Fanatick Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy dreamers Iude 8. All Practical Errors are Mens Natural Imaginations gotten up into a Valuable Opinion 3. It is rashness to pray and not to meditate What we take in by the Word we digest by Meditation and let out by Prayer These three Duties must be so ordered that one may not justle out the other Men are barren dry and sapless in their Prayers for want of exercising themselves in Holy thoughts Psalm 45.1 My heart is inditing a good matter and then it follows I will speak of the things which I have made touching the king my tongue is the pen of a ready writer The Heart yieldeth Matter to the Tongue the word signifieth boyleth and fryeth a word from Mincha their Meat-Offering the Oyl and the Flower was to be kneaded together and then fryed in a Pan and then offered to the Lord implying we must not come with raw dough-baked-offerings till we have concocted and prepared them by Mature Deliberation It is notable that often in Scripture Prayer is called by the name of
thoughts leave a forcible impression upon the Soul The Papists talk of St. Francis and St. Clara that had the wounds of Christ impressed on them it is true in a Spiritual way deep thoughts leave the wounds and sorrows of Christ upon the heart and do cruciâ—e us it is true Morally as well as Mystically I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 Certainly you find this by Experience that when you know not things you are not so throughly affected with them Serious Meditation hath this advantage that it doth make the Object present and as it were sensible therefore Faith which is a deep acting of the thoughts upon the Promises and upon Glory to come is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 It giveth the future Blessedness a present subsistence in the Soul and therefore it must needs ravish it It is a Principle in Nature Appetition followeth Knowledge and Desire is answerable to that certain and clear Judgment that we have of the Worth Value and Dignity of the Object Now it is not enough that the Judgment be once convinced but that it stay upon the Object for things loose their Vertue when we do not keep them in the Eye of the Soul When the Bird often leaveth her nest and is long absent the eggs grow cold and do not come to be quickned so do our desires grow cold and dull which otherwise by a constant Meditation are hatched into some Life Instance in any Affection Hope and Trust is ripened by constant thoughts of the Grace Power Truth Goodness and Unchangeableness of God 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day Presumption is an inconstant careless apprehension and therefore soon overborn Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee that is that seriously consider it for the Hebrew word is used for consider they that know what a God thou art how Merciful True and Powerful thou art they will trust thee So for Fear so far as it is sanctified it is fed by a consideration of the dreadfulness of Gods wrath and displeasure Psal. 90.11 Who knows the power of thine anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath that is who doth seriously consider of it According to those awful apprehensions that they form within themselves doth Gods Wrath more or less move them So for Desire either of Christ or of Heaven Of Christ a serious consideration of the Excellency of Christ is that which ravisheth the Heart The Spowse formeth a Description of Christ and then she saith he is all desires Cant. 5.16 His mouth is more sweet yea he is altogether lovely Enough to ravish all our Desires The value of things lyeth hid when we do but slightly and superficially look upon them but when we meditate of them they are double to that which is seen at the â—â—rst blush Iob. 11.6 And thaâ— he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom that they are doubâ—e to that which is In Natural things serious thoughts are necessary much more in Spiritual because the Mind by long use having been enured to Earthly Objects and Profits had need to be much raised We see that we do insensibly receive teint from those Objects with which we do Converse and therefore we had need to be often and serious in meditating of the Excellencies of Christ that by a Spiritual Art he may be as usual an Object to us as the World So for Heaven when we do not hold our Hearts to the consideration of the Glory of it it doth not work upon us Moses Heb. 11.26 Had respect to the recompence of the reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had an eye to it the word noteth a serious and intent consideration we should again and again consider it and be sending our thoughts as Spies into the Land of Promise to bring us Reports and Tydings of it as Love between Men is maintained by constant Visits and Letters So for sorrow for sin past Psal. 51.3 My sin is ever before me and Ier. 31.19 Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth When we come deeply to consider our Errors and the unkindness of them that begetteth a sad sence So for hatred and displicency against Sin Evil Affections are nourished by thoughts and kept up in Life and Strength for thoughts are pabulum animae the Food of the Soul Rom. 7.13 Sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that Sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful The sinfulness of Sin appears by considering the Purity of the Law the Majesty of God and the Kindness of Christ. So for Joy and Delight the Soul is feasted by Meditation it turneth the Promises into Marrow Psal. 63.5 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Hereby we discern their relish and savour Psal. 34.8 Oh taste and see that the Lord is good the thoughts taste and the relish is left on the Affections 3. It is an advantage to the Fruits of Grace in the Life it maketh the Heavenly Life more easie more sweet more orderly and prudent 1. More easie because it calleth in all the rational help that may be Reason which otherwise would serve the Senses and be enslaved to Appetite and Worldly Desire now is imployed in the highest and purest use and therefore when Reason is gained which is the leading faculty the work cometh on more easily Meditation putteth Reason in Authority and rescueth it from being prostituted to sence 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And then for sense it maketh our Eyes to furnish us with matter Iob 12.7 8. But ask now the beasts and they will teach thee and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee Or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Every Element giveth in an help he that doth not want an Heart cannot want an Object the Air the Sea the Earth giveth Fewel for Wisdom and Spiritual Advantage But for want of consideration a Man is worse than the Beasts Prov. 6.6 Go to the ant thou sâ—uggard consider her wayes and be wise 2. More sweet It bringeth the Heavenly Life into more liking with us Duty to worldly Men is irksome and unsavoury because they loose the sweetness and blessedness of Communion with God Psalm 26.3 For thy loving kindness is
and Spirits and yet there is Sin in the Work and Hell in the Wages Oh consider if it seem difficult which is better to labour for a Season or suffer for ever which is the end of them that live in the constant neglect of a known Duty 3. There is nothing so hard in God's Service but he hath manifested Love enough to sweeten it We begrudge a few thoughts of God and God had thoughts of us before all Worlds Psal. 40.5 Many O Lord my God! are the wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in number unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred Psalm 109.13 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God How great is the summ of them Who can tell what a condescention it was for Infiniteness to think of poor Worms and that he should before all Worlds plot and design our Salvation And when the Plot came out there was a great deal of Love to sweeten Duty the Lord Jesus Christ thought no Danger too great no Suffering or Extremity too hard no work too difficult for our sakes what a Mercy is this God hath not only required Obedience but discovered a Love that may sweeten the difficulties of it 4. There is no difficulty in Religion wholly insuperable and too hard for an Active and Industrious Spirit Those that follow on after God do at length find him to their Comfort A faint pursuit is the cause of discouragement When a flint doth not strike fire at the first we strike again Prov. 10.4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand but the hand of the diligent maketh rich It is a Rule in Grace as well as Nature Let us therefore follow on till we have overcome the difficulty that is before us 5. A Lazy backward Heart must be urged forward with the greater importunity When David was shy of God's Presence he layes a Command upon himself Psal. 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord He maketh Reason to issue out a Decree and positive Conclusion So Psalm 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue So by just Analogy we may gather that the Soul should in this case determine I will go and try and see what may be done I will keep off from God no longer but will go to him 2. Another Lett and Hindrance is Love of Pleasures Men that would pass their time in Mirth are unwilling to be so solemn and serious When Childrens minds are set to play it is irksome to hear of School or of their Books so when the Heart is set for Pleasure it is a hard matter to bring the Soul to Religious Performances How shall we do to wean the Soul from Pleasures 1. Consider to love Pleasure is to gratifie the Beast in us rather than the Angel Man is in part an Angel and in part a Beast he hath a Nature common to both now when Men study altogether to gratifie their sensual part it is to turn Men into Beasts To serve our lowest faculty and to enjoy pleasures without remorse is the happyness of the Beasts to eat and drink and sleep and sport is but to do as the Beasts do A Mans Delight should be in the pure and free Exercises of Reason If Men would exercise themselves herein they would find the greatest delectation would be in the contemplation and view of Truth Psalm 19.8 The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart That Taste which Hypocrites have of the good word of God Heb. 6.5 is meerly such as Scholars have in the height of Speculation and Study because the Gospel is such an excellent Contrivance and a sublime satisfying Truth Nulla major voluptas quam fastidium voluptatis there is no greater pleasure than a disdain of sensual pleasures 2. Consider the sweetness of Religious Exercises is far better than that of Carnal Pleasures as that heat is more Manly that is gotten by exercise than by hovering over the Fire It is hard I confess to abjure accustomed Delights Pleasantness is connatural to us but we should consider that by Communion with God in Spiritual Exercises Delight is not abrogated but preferred and advanced to a more noble becoming Object it is taken out of Egypt that it may grow in Canaan transplanted out of a Fenn into a Paradice that it may thrive in a better Soyl it is less Dreggy but more Masculine and Grave Psalm 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks We keep the Affection but change the Object The Comforts of Christianity are expressed by terms proper to the Delights of the Senses to teach us this Excellent Art to keep the Affection and change the Object and by an Holy Sleight and Wile to couzen the Soul into better Joyes Here Delight is most pure and more free no excess is vitious Castae deliciae meae sunt Scripturae tuae thy Scriptures are my chast Delights The Pleasures of the World are but sugard baits a Man may soon loose himself but here by Tryal you will find the same sweetness with less hazard and danger 3. We may make choice of Matter more pleasant to allure the Soul All the Objects of Meditation are not dark and gloomy there are some things pleasing to Nature the variety of Providences the Beauty of the Creation the excellent contrivance of the Gospel All Objects are not mournful and in case of such a Temptation we may allure the Soul and when we are not so fit for the severe Exercises of the Closet we may as Isaac go out into the Fields to meditate and heighten Fancy and Imagination by Objects more pleasant 3. The next general Hindrance is a Guilty Conscience When the Soul is under the burden of Guilt we are loath to be serious and alone lest the Mind should fall on it self of all things we then desire to flee the Company of our selves and therefore Meditation is an unpleasant Duty We cannot think of God but as of a Judge nor of a World to come but as of our own Ruine A guilty Conscience would fain obliterate the thoughts of God as the guilty Heathens Rom. 1.28 They did not like to retain God in their knowledge that is Actual Sound Distinct Thoughts of God It is said Iames 2.19 The Devils believe and tremble Thoughts of God impressed the more horrour on them therefore they cryed out Matth. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time So guilty Men are under these horrors They are all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 which though it be not alwaies felt is soon awakened Iob 21.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What shall we
be Grave and Serious The Mind is according to the course of the Life You flatter your selves when you think you are able to command Spiritual Thoughts on a sudden when you have suffered your thoughts to rove and wander Prov. 17.24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth here and there and every where 5. Watch against the first Diversion how plausible soever it be look upon it as an intruding that breaks the rank The Devil injects good thoughts sometimes that he might divert your other thoughts Charge your thoughts that they may not disturb your Meditation Cant. 3.5 I charge you O ye daughters of Ierusalem that you stir not up nor awake my love till he please 6. When you come to meditate in Gods Presence do not bring the World with you purge your selves of all Carnal Affections Ezek. 33.31 Their heart goeth after their covetousness Alwaies consider this the prevailing Lust will engross the thoughts to a distracted Mind no place is a solitude the very Closet is a Market-place Therefore before Meditation we should purge our Hearts of Worldly Affections SERMON IV. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide I Shall not wholly divert from the Subject in hand though I shall a little interrupt the Method of it My purpose is now to speak of that Meditation that is proper to the Sacrament The main part of that Worship is dispatched in Thoughts Here we come to put Reason to the Highest and most Sublime Use to be an Instrument and Servant to Faith and Love But now the Thoughts proper to the Lords Supper are many There are an Union of Mysteries yea so many that they are a burden to some Christians and a snare to those that are most scrupulous It will be necessary therefore to give you some Directions how you may guide your selves in this Duty for your best advantage It is a matter of great profit to be wise and skilful in Duties Many that know the general Nature of them know not how to manage them David saith Psalm 119.27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous works intimating that then we performe Duties with most success when we go about them with most Wisdom and Understanding and when we are skilled in the way of Gods Precepts we shall understand those Marvellous Acts of Grace which he vouchsafeth to his People Now it is good that every one according to his Talent should help one anothers Joy and therefore I shall now speak a little to this purpose and the rather because it will much conduce to the opening of the Doctrine of Meditation in the general My Method shall be this 1. I will shew the usual defects of Christians in this Service with their necessary Remedies 2. I shall handle some cases First The usual defects and faults of People in this Duty I mean so far as they concern Meditation and they are Four Barrenness Stupidity Roving of Thoughts and a lazy Formality 1. Barrenness This is a great trouble to Christians when their Understandings are unfruitful and they cannot inlarge themselves in pertinent and necessary thoughts Now how shall we do to get our Hearts to be fruitful in Holy Thoughts 1. There must be a Solemn Preparation for this Service It is good to breathe our selves in some Religious Exercises before-hand that we may run the more freely without fainting Spiritual Dispositions do not come on us of a sudden Christians are deceived that look for rapt and sudden motions there must be a time to put off the Shoes off our Feet when we come upon Holy Ground to converse with God in so sweet a Service we must lay aside the Distractions of the World and not come roaking from the World into Gods presence There must be a time to raise the Soul into a Zealous Height and Ardour there must be a blowing of the fire for here you come to the flame your thoughts are to flame out in great and raised ascents Cant. 1.12 While the king sitteth at his table my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof Wood doth not blaze and flame as soon as it is laid on 2. Those solemn and preparative thoughts are chiefly to be spent in these two things The Nature of the Supper and the Love of Christ in the institution of it 1. The Nature of the Supper You are to consider the great things that are offered to you and the great Blessings and Benefits which God cometh to represent exhibit and seal up to your Souls Matth. 11.7 What went ye out into the wilderness for to see Christ examineth the grounds of their Resort and Concourse to him It is good to consider what we are about and the Dainties of the Banquet we are invited to what assurance the outward Signs are to give you what Communion we have with Christ and his Graces We are barren because we do not consider our Work and the Nature and Importance of it 2. The Love of Christ in the Institution of it 1. The Time when it was instituted 1 Cor. 11.23 The Lord Iesus Christ the same night in which he was betrayed took bread The Lord Jesus Christ had thoughts of the greatest good to Man when Man was executing the greatest Spight and Malice against him And the rather because it is an Act of Mercy that Christ frequently useth to surprize Sinners in the midst of their wickedness when Saul was breathing out threatnings against the Disciples God had a design of Love to him and smites him from his Horse Some are smitten with Conviction in the height of Provocations We read in Ecclesiastical Story of a young Man that came to stab St. Iohn was converted by him so many come to jear and catch at a Sermon and have been converted by it 2. The Rights which he instituted appointing Bread and Wine Symbols of Pleasure and Delight as a Physician conveys health to us in a Golden Pill so doth Christ convey Spiritual nourishment to us by those Elements which we take Pleasure in The outward Observance is comfortable God doth not require us to lance our selves and to exercise the Body with Whips and Cords the Rights are not bloody as in Circumcision but Bread and Wine And yet this is nothing to the inward sweetness Meat and Drink which the World knows not of Iohn 4.32 I have meat to eat which ye know not of 3. The Advantage and Relief that Faith has from these things of Sense God speaketh to you now not by Words but things He doth as it were embody Religion and represent it to the Senses Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you That is in the Word or Sacraments here God doth as it were hold forth Christ dying before your eyes
Ambition and Aspiring thought but Man sinned by the Devils suggestion certainly it is more to be a Tempter than a Sinner and he that sinneth himself doth not offend God himself so much as he that made Israel to Sin However it be we have cause to bless God that he hath revealed his Justice against them and his Mercy to us 2. Observe Gods Wisdom fetched a large compass and circuit and those things which we count the ruine of Man were through the Wisdom of Providence his Preservation The fall of Angels the fall of Man those crooked things which seemed to be the destruction of the Creature through the over-ruling of God made for the manifestation of his Glory Gregory called the Sin of Adam Foelix Scelus because it occasioned the coming of Christ. Providence hath many creeks and turnings but all concur to the Beauty of the whole Frame The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold wisdom of God Ephes. 3.10 Therefore we are not to judge by present Sense Gods mending is better than his making he would have all fall to pieces to discover more of his Mercy Man must commit a shameful Act and Christ must suffer a shameful Death and all this to advance his own Glory As a Vessel that is crackt and sodered is the stronger there or a Legg that has been broken and set again by a skilful hand is the stronger so the Lord would first have Man to fall and ruine himself that he might be the better established by his own Grace 3. Observe again that God should pitch upon this way of sending his Son God was not limited or bound up he could have done it by an Angel or of his own will have released the Creature of his offence but it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 it was Gods Will that Salvation should be brought about this way In the whole business of Salvation God would proceed by choice not necessity I confess supposing the determination of the Divine Decrees no Creature was qualified to do us good the Angels do but their work they could not so fitly super-erogate for us But if God would send his own Son he might have come as a King in Glory and Triumph and wrestled with Satan and rescued all the Elect out of his hands but the Lord would not now discover Power but Love he had discovered Power in Creation Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead but in Redemption he discovered his Wisdom every Attribute of God was to be discovered in its season Again the Lord would meet with the Sin of Men and Angels The Angels had lost their Holyness out of a desire of greatness they would be over all and under none And Man was sick of the same Disease and did desire to be rather great than good Adam would be as God Adam fell by Pride and to counter-work this Christ was to restore Mankind by Humility When he cometh to save Mankind he layes aside his Majesty and puts on a humble garb he would not save Mankind by Power but by Suffering the Lords design was by the quality of the Remedy to shew the Nature of the Disease 4. Observe Man or Angel could not have found out such an excellent Plot or Design as this is It could not have come into our heads or hearts and therefore it came meerly from the Breast of God it was devised by Father Son and Holy Ghost Rom. 11.34 Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counsellor What Creature did prescribe to God or direct him to such a way The Apostle sheweth it could not enter into the Creatures thoughts 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him You will find by the Context he speaks of the Doctrine and Contrivance of Christ crucified neither Sense nor Fancy nor Reason could suggest such a thing to the Creature There are some seeds of the Law in Nature but not the least seeds of the Gospel We see in other Nations they cannot so much as think of a way of a Recovery Isa. 56.19 He saw that there was no man and wondred that there was no Intercessor therefore his arm brought salvation unto him it is chiefly understood of the Everlasting Salvation by Christ. If the Lord had tarryed till Man had devised a way for his own Comfort we had been miserable to all Eternity 5. Observe God discovered this design before it was accomplished in the fullness of time Isa. 42.9 Before they spring forth I tell you of them This Love was too big to be contained in his Heart but he must open his Mind the Prophecies and Promises of the Old Testament were the Eruptions and Overflows of Gods Love his Heart was so full of Love that it could not be contained within the bounds of secrecy he openeth his Heart and gives vent to his Love in the midst of Anger Assoon as Man had displeased him God drops out the Promise That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents Head 6. Observe again God discovered this by Degrees first in Types then in Truths first in Promises then in Performances God spake to his People formerly not so much by Words as by Things We teach Children to fight with Puppets and in the Oriental Nations it is their genius to be taken with Allegories and Figures God would prepare the World by degrees as the day groweth till it cometh to high Noon to us he hath opened all his good Treasure And further it was for our instruction that wickedness should be perfectly discovered And besides the former Ages needed Restraints more than Comforts Every Age had sufficient Revelation for what God required of them 2. Follow this Meditation by Arguments There could not have been a better way to save the Creature whether we respect Gods Glory or the Creatures Comfort and Profit 1. If we consider Gods Glory It was the best way to commend his Love Rom. 5.8 But God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Herein was the commendation of the Divine Love that God would give up the Son of his own Love and Bosom to dy for us that were Sinners As the Apostle saith Heb. 6.13 When God made promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself So when the Lord could give us no greater gifts he gave us his Son David seems to be amazed with wonder when he considers the Power of God in making such Creatures as the Moon and Stars much more when he considers the Love of God in framing of Man Psal. 8.3 4. When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers the moon and the stars which
Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life All the rest of the World are but as Dust and Refuse which God will give up to his Justice if Justice must have an object whereon to exercise it self I will give up Seba and Ethiopia and Egypt to Justice a Thousand of them shall perish rather than my people So verse 14. For your sake I have sent to Babylon and have brought down all their nobles God will stain the Glory of all the World for the Elects sake If God throw them into the Furnace he sitteth by the Furnace prying and looking after his Mettal Malachy 3.3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness The Fire shall not be too hot that nothing be lost 4. Providence must not be considered by pieces but all together You must consider the Way of God with the Aim of God and the Means with the End You must not measure things by present feeling Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to those that love God to those that are the called according to his prupose A single part of Providence taken out of the frame is odd and unseemly Providence is a draught of many pieces there is the manifold Wisdom of God in it All the Links of the Chain of Providence are not of one size If you would think aright of Providence you must take in your own Case and God's Aim 1. Consider your own Case not what is absolutely good but what is respectively good for you Gold absolutely is better than a dâ—â—ught of Water but not to Sampson who was ready to dye for thirst cutting a Vein is in it self ill but good in a Feavour so such or such a Providence though not good in it self may be better for you 2. You must take in Gods Aim with your own Case the single Links of Providence are not all of a sort like Nebuchadnezzars Image partly Gold partly Iron partly Brass and partly Clay To an observant eye there is a wonderful Beauty in the Providences of God there is no beauty in the parts of a building till they be set together no more is there in the several pieces of Providence till you consider them together and compare one with the other The first dashes of a Picture are uncomely therefore do not look on Gods Work by halves but all together 5. God doth manage and govern all things without labour and difficulty It is much for us to spread a small Net The care of a Family and the care of a Congregation is too great for our Shoulders but the Lord governs all the World without difficulty and pain he is not burdened with the multitude of cares it costs him no more to govern Angels than to govern Ants to govern Palaces than Cottages Look as the Sun doth as easily shine upon a Thousand places at one time as upon one Field so the Lord doth as easily manage the Affairs of the whole World as of any one place in the World his Care is without Trouble his Work is without pains Lucian scoffs at Gods running here and there no all things are represented to him in one view 6. Gods Providence is conversant about sin yet without sin God doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Work with us but he doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come into the fellowship of our sin or guilt As the Sun-beams may shine upon a Dunghil and in a filthy place the warm Sun draweth forth stinking Vapours but the Sun is not stained hereby The Apostle saith Acts 17.28 For in him we live and move We are moved by him but as the lameness of the Horse is no blemish to the Rider so neither is the defect of the Creature to be imputed to the Providence that doth support it 7. Providence doth not take away either the Industry or the Liberty of the Creature Acts 27 22. compared with 31. verse it is said verse 22. There shall be no loss of any mans life among you but of the ship and yet verse 31. Except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved We must plough though the Clouds drop fatness Still there is a place for Humane Industry and Humane Council and Deliberation Ezek. 21.21 For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two wayes to use divination c. There were two wayes one way led to his Countrey the other way led directly to Ierusalem God had determined which way he should go yet freely out of his own Spirit he is moved to take the way he went still there was place for Humane Counsel and Humane Deliberation 8. Observe the Providences of God to your selves in the Womb and from the Womb Psalm 139.12 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God! How great is the summ of them Gen. 32.10 With my staff I passed over this Iordan and now I am become two bands Broad Rivers come from a small fountain Iob 8.7 Though thy beginnings were small yet thy latter end should greatly increase 9. The great aim of Providence is Gods Glory and the Salvation of the Elect. Gods Glory Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Psalm 119.91 They continue this day according to thine ordinance for all are thy servants The Salvation of the Elect Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God to them that are called according to his purpose The World would soon shatter to pieces but that God had some Elect to gather out of it IV. When you have meditated and taken some view of Providence treat with your own Hearts about the Use and Comfort of it either about the Providences of God in general or to your selves in particular 1. About the Providences of God in General consider of the care which God hath over all Creatures Urge the Providence of God against your Fears Is it Fear of Mans Policy Oh consider Divine Providence is above Humane Prudence Iob 5.13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the counsel of the froward is carryed headlong Suppose they be able to contrive mischief yet God can hinder the Execution of it that they cannot find their hands for their enterprize Or do you fear the cunning of Satan Consider Providence is chiefly exercised for this end to defeat the Power of Satan There is a Providence over the Swine much more over the Flock of Christ and as Tertullian saith He that has told the brissels of swine hath much more numbred the hairs of the Saints Urge your hearts with the Providence of God to encourage your trust in God for outward Provision when you are humbled
more urge us to do a thing than Love or to forbear it than hatred These were Christs Motives to undertake the Redemption of Sinners Now we should love what he loveth and hate what he hateth Rev. 2.6 Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicholaitans which I also hate Prov. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate But there is more in the Argument than so This was the design of our Redeemer 1 Iohn 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Now it doth not become Christians to contradict the designed end of their Redeemer But this is not all it is to slight the price of our Redemption as if there were no such great Mystery in it that the Son of God should dye for if we slight the benefits we slight the ransom 1 Pet. 1.18 Yea there is this further in it we neglect the Grace that may be had upon such easie terms Surely the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ did somewhat shorten the Power of Sin or else he came in vain he obtained the Grace he purchased Iohn 12.31 Now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out These are the glorious Fruits and Effects of his Death that it shall tend to the Glory of God and the bringing down the Kingdom of Sin and Sathan in the World They to whom this purchase is revealed and yet reject the offer are guilty of sluggish Cowardise and if they be not delivered from the Power of the Devil and restored to a life of Holyness their Condemnation is just In our Natural Estate by the fall of Adam we were all corrupted and out of frame but the Second Adam came to restore things that were in Confusion and out of frame to their Right and Primitive Order Man hath faln from Holiness and Happiness Sin and Sathan have reigned and raged in this World the Children of this World have blessed themselves in their bad condition and delighted in their slavery and bondage Now if Christ come to make an end of Sin and bring in Everlasting Righteousness shall it be so still as it was before Shall the disordered World go on in its ancient wont Surely there should be more visible fruits of his coming seen among us If Men should lye in Wickedness still and turn their backs upon God after whose Image they were created and Sin and Sathan rule them at their pleasure how are things put in frame that were out of course What hath the Son of God done by all his Holy Life and Bloody Sufferings Surely either the Purchase is not so Great and Glorious or we make but little use of it and so are quite Strangers in Gods Israel I have not done with the Argument yet We have no Communion with Christ yea we renounce it if we continue to be so unlike him 1 Iohn 1.6 7 8. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light then have we fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Such a solemne Preface introduceth that truth to shew that if we live in our Sins we shall dye in our Sins and then farewel all Happiness 2. To look after more of this Unction He is Christ the anointed of God we must be Christians Acts 11.26 The disciples were called christians first in Antioch anointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power that we may understand the mind of God consecrate our selves to him work his work and ingage in his Warfare fighting against the Devil the World and the Flesh till we triumph with Christ in Heaven All must be anointed 1. This is the fruit of Christs Exaltation to send and shed abroad the Spirit There are Effects of Christs Humiliation and Effects of Christ's Exaltation The Effects of Christs Humiliation are taking away the Curse of the Law pacifying Gods Wrath satisfying his Justice the Annihilation of the Right which the Devil had over Sinners a Right to return to God and injoy Eternal Life The Exaltation of Christ also hath its effects the application of this Grace and the execution of this Right by quickning us who were dead in Trespasses and Sins and pardoning our Transgressions and putting us into the way Everlasting Now we should seek in Christ not only the force of satisfaction but the force of Regeneration and his efficacious Grace to apply what he hath purchased for us that he may be made sanctification to us as well as Righteousness 1 Cor. 11.30 Since Christ is so able and willing to dispense this Grace freely and abundantly into Mens hearts surely it should not be neglected 2. Consider the necessity of this Grace Our love to Righteousness and hatred of Iniquity is the fruit of this Unction for Affections follow the Nature When we live in the Spirit we shall walk in the Spirit Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil All that pretend to return to God must show the reality of it this way Therefore as you would be pleasing to Christ do not neglect this Grace 3. Consider the Utility and Profit It is for our Comfort The Spirit is called the oil of gladness because the benefits whereof we are Partakers are matters of great joy Acts 13.52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the holy Ghost Acts 8.39 He went on his way rejoycing Acts 16.34 He rejoyced believing in God with all hts house It is for our Honour we are dignified above others the more we are made partakers of the Spirit 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people A SERMON On ACTS xxiv 14 15 16. Believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man THESE words are part of Pauls Apology against the Accusation of Tertullus Among other things he chargeth him to be an Heretick or an Apostate from the Iewish Religion When the Romans had conquered the Iews they submitted upon this Condition that they should innovate and change nothing in their Religion but defend it against the disturbers of it Now the Christians being accused of innovation and disturbance of such a Religion as was under the caution of the Roman Laws before a Roman Tribunal it concerned them to shew the Harmony and Agreement of both Religions as to the substance This is Pauls business and therefore he giveth an account of his Faith
times Doct. God in and by the Gospel will effect an eminent and notable sanctification both of Things and Persons 1. Let us consider how Gospel Holiness is set forth in this Prophesie 2. I shall speak of Holiness in the General 3. Give you the Reasons I. That degree of Holiness which is here prophesied of 1. All such things as were before imployed against God should be then imployed and converted to his service for the Horse-Bells shall be inscribed He speaketh before of Horses imployed against the Church which God would overthrow verse 15. It was the fashion of those Oriental Countreys to adorn their War-Horses and Camels with Golden Chains and Bells Iudges 8.26 This Prophesie intimateth that now these Bells should be converted to another use to make Golden-Pots and Bowles for the Temple and be inscribed by Gods Motto and Impress In our Natural Estate we imployed our Time and Wit and Parts and Strength against God but if converted then for him As one of the Fathers glosseth upon Eves seducing Adam She was a Rib but she proved a Dart. We fight against God by his own Weapons but Conversion maketh a change Rom. 6.13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Weapons or Instruments of unrighteousness are become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instruments of righteousness So verse 22. For now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness There is a manifest change in the use of all things 2. Upon all the Utensils of the Temple there shall be Holiness to the Lord whether Pots or Bowles The great and immediate Duties of the Worship of God should have special Holiness in them for God will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him Levit. 10.3 I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified There should be a special Awe and Reverence upon our Hearts in our conversing with God when the Blood of the Sacrifice is presented to him as it was in the Bowles or the Flesh of the Sacrifice eaten by our selves as it was by the Priests when it was sodden in the Pots of the Lords House We read of discerning the Lords body 1 Cor. 11.29 We receive it not in an Holy manner if our eating be not in a different manner from eating our ordinary Meal The Impression of our great end should be upon our ordinary and common Actions but in Worship the Nature of the Work is Holy and the Manner of our Deportment should be very reverend and serious 3. The Expressions imply a proficiency and growth in Holiness For the Pots of the Kitchen of the Temple shall become as the Bowles of the Altar for purity and Holiness There were degrees of Holiness in the several Vessels belonging to the Temple the meanest things in Sacred use shall be advanced to an higher degree of Esteem and Holy Employment than before which some understand thus that the meanest things in the Christian Church shall be as precious as the most glorious things in the Iewish Church rather that Holiness should be upon the growing hand and increasing from degree to degree till all be perfected in the Everlasting Estate The Bells or Neck-Ornaments of their Horses shall be turned into Pots of the Lords House and the Pots in the Kitchen become as the Bowles on the Altar Oh Christians the Holiness of the Gospel is a growing Holiness we should go on from strength to strength Psalm 84.7 from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.28 The inner Man must be renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 There should be a continuance in Gospel-Holiness Carnal Men seek to grow greater and greater and higher and higher and attain further degrees of their Worldly Happiness and shall not we seek to grow better and better One dramm of Holiness is worth a whole World of Greatness Holiness is the Glory of Saints the Beauty of Angels the Delight of God you cannot be too holy But alas Many lose ground in Religion Holiness is in the wane not in the increase Sin is not so hateful as it was before What will this come to at length How can he be rich who groweth every day poorer Or reach the Goal who goeth every day a step back who loose their Zeal and the elder they grow live in more indulgence to the Flesh 4. As it is a progressive Holiness so it is also a diffusive Holiness that spreadeth its self throughout all Actions Civil and Sacred in things which belong to Peace and War 1. In things Civil and Sacred all the Pots of the Lords House and all the Pots in Ierusalem 2. In things of War and Peace for here are Horse-Bells and Pots all things should now become Holy and holily used In every point and ordinary Action of the Christian Life a Christian should devote himself to God True Holiness will extend its self and shine forth in a Mans most common things and imployments and the sincere Man referreth all to God even in his ordinary Conversation as if he were about immediate Worship 1 Pet. 1.15 For as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all manner of conversation In every creek and turning of your Lives or in every particular passage of your Christian Course Oh what a blessed thing is it when Godliness runneth through a Mans whole Life as the Woof through the Web when our whole Conversation savoureth of Godliness and True Holiness and our Common and Civil Actions are done in the Lord and for his Glory and upon all occasions you shew your selves haters of Sin and lovers of what is good Every thing that passeth Gods Hand discovereth the Author there is not a Gnat or a Pile of Grass but you may see God in it as well as in the more stupendious Works of the Creation So should a Christian in every condition prosperous and adverse in an high or low Condition whether he be abased or do abound carry himself like a Christian Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need Hosea 7.8 Ephraim is a cake not turned baked but on one side and dough on the other So in every Action Civil or Sacred there must not only be a Spirit of Holiness breathing in our Duties but shining forth in our ordinary Employments and Recreations Every Action morally considered is in its self a step forward to Hell or to Heaven In every Relation in Love to our Maker in Duty to our fellow Creatures Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwaies a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men
swallowed up of this Joy shall we be no more affected with it now We that shall so shortly be so full of joy shall we be empty now Shall not we rejoyce who have now a Title to Heaven and shall in a little time be in the full and perpetual possession of it III. The many Reasons which shew we should have a greater inclination to this Blessed Work than usually we have and be oftner in it 1. Because God hath done so much to raise it in us All the Persons of the God-head concur and contribute their Influence in that way of operation which is proper to each to give us grounds of joy 1. The Father giveth himself to us and his favour as our felicity and portion Gods Love is the bosom and bottom cause of all our Happiness which sets all other causes at work and when we have the sure effects of it can any thing so bitter befal us that will not be sweetned by the Love of God Or so evil that this shall not be ground of Comfort to us Psalm 4.6 7. There are many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased Carnal Men must have something good to sense but Godly Men take their full delight in God This doth them good to the Heart it is not like a little Dew that wets the Surface but like a soaking Showre that goeth to the Root And more enough to draw us off from the World enough to swallow up all our infelicities yea to encounter the Thoughts of Death Hell and Judgment to come 2. The Son is also matter of rejoycing to us as our Redeemer and Saviour You are to consider what the Lord Jesus hath done to deliver you from Sin and the bitter Curse of the Law and the Fears of Death and the Flames of Hell The Eternal Son of God came to heal our wounds Isa. 53.5 By his stripes we are healed To make our peace with the Father by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 To vanquish our Spiritual Enemies and triumph over them Col. 2.14 15. to be the ransom of our Souls 1 Tim. 2.6 The Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 the Head of his Church Eph. 1.22 The Treasury and Storeâ—ouâ—e of all our Comforts Iohn 1.16 and in short he hath recovered us to God and hath given us an Interest in the Comforts of his Gospel and the Promises thereof which are in him Yea and in him Amen and is not this matter of joy and rich comfort The whole Covenant breed strong consolation in the hearts of Gods People Heb. 6.18 And David saith Psalm 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart It doth our hearts good when we take these things for our Happiness Abraham rejoyced in the fore-thought or fore-sight of Christs day Iohn 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And should not we rejoyce that live under the clearest dispensation of it The benefits of our Redemption by Christ should be so esteemed that no Affliction should be grievous The Kingdom of Christ is every where represented as a Kingdom of Joy and Comfort Rom. 14.17 The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And if we be real Members of it we should see more cause of rejoycing in Christ Jesus 3. The Holy Ghost concurreth in his way of Operation as a Sanctifier Guide and Comforter As a Sanctifier he layeth the foundation for Comfort for it is the spirit of Delusion that comforts us in our sins that by imaginary Comforts he may keep you from those that are real solid and everlasting But the true Spirit is a Sanctifier and therefore a Comforter he first poureth in the Oyl of Grace and then the Oil of gladness Comfort and Joy follow Holiness as Heat doth the Fire And then as a Guide either in his restraining Notions as he mortifieth Sin or in his inviting motions as he exciteth and quickneth to Holiness These are helps to our Comfort cannot a Man live merrily without Sin And do you think a Life of Holiness irreconcileable with a life of rejoycing no such matter it is the ready way to joy especially to joy Spiritual But chiefly as a Comforter he is purposely given us to keep in this Holy Fire and maintain a constant delight in God in our Souls And therefore it is called Joy in the Holy Ghost where God himself taketh upon him the Office of a Comforter surely there will be comfort Life will quicken light will illuminate and the comforting Spirit will comfort in that season and degree God seeth fit and we are capable to receive Now he comforteth partly as sealing partly as giving earnest 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts As sealing us by stamping the impress and image of God upon us which is the mark of his Children the sure Evidence of his Love and the Pledge of our Happiness And as giving us the earnest of a Blessed Estate to come that Life is begun which there shall be perfected Now consider all this when God himself will be our Portion our Saviour our Comforter should not all this cause us to rejoyce in God what-ever our Condition be in the World 2. All the Graces tend to this Faith Hope and Love 1. Faith That is a dependance upon God for something future that lyeth out of sight Now these invisible and future Objects are so great and glorious that they support and comfort the heart how afflicted soever our present Condition be 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost In both these places Faith implyeth a firm belief of and dependance upon Christ as an All-sufficient Saviour by whom alone God will give us Eternal Life This Faith will breed a perpetual rejoycing in the Soul if it be firm strong and operative 2. Hope breedeth this Joy also Rom. 12.12 Rejoycing in hope and Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Though we be pressed with Miseries for the present yet there is a better Estate to come the excellency and certainty of which causeth us to rejoyce and giveth us a foretast of it Joy is chiefly for Injoyment but there is a partial Injoyment by hope which is not only a desirous expectation but delightful for tast or praeoccupation of the thing hoped for 3. Love to God also causeth us to rejoyce in him For it sheweth it self in a complacency and well-pleasedness of Mind in God as our chief good Psalm 16.5
I shall state it in these propositions 1. Certain it is That the Kingdom which God will erect and establish is the Kingdom of the Mediator And the Kingdom which God will destroy is the Kingdom of the Devil I put it in this copulate axiom or double proposition because the one immediately dependeth upon the other and the one cannot be done without the other The Kingdom of Christ as Mediator cannot be set up unless the Kingdom of the Devil be destroy'd Now that this is the purpose of God to erect the one and destroy the other is evident by Scripture Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Christ upon the throne hath Enemies but in due time they shall be his foot-stool He shall gain upon opposition and against opposition and by opposition They shall be so far from overturning his Throne that they shall be a step to it as the foot-stool is to the Throne And 1 Iohn 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To unravel all that Satan hath been a weaving for the captivating and deceiving of the World Christ having a grant of a Kingdom over the Nations his design is to conquer them and subdue them to himself and to recover them to himself This was the meanning of Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel 2. To know these two Kingdoms we must consider the quality of either 1. The Gospel Kingdom is a Kingdom of Light Life and Love Of light Because the drift of it is to give Men a true knowledge of God Act. 26.18 To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God The Devils Kingdom is the Kingdom of darkness The Devils are said to be Rulers of the darkness of this world Ephes. 6.12 And those that are called from one Kingdom to another are called from darkness to light Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son It is a Kingdom of Life As men that were before dead in sins may be made alive unto God Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly For Heathens and all men in their natural estate are alienated from the life of God Ephes. 4.18 But by Faith in Christ we live in God and to God Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 5.6 In Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love As it worketh by love we are inclined to God and do his will and seek his Glory and our happiness in the everlasting fruition of him And of Love It is a Kingdom of Love as it possesseth us with a fervent Charity to God and men 1 Joh. 4.8 He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Act. 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Now opposite to Light is Ignorance and Errour To life a Religion that consists of shows and dead ceremonies To love uncharitableness malice and hatred of the power of Godliness and Persecution And where-ever these eminently prevail there is an opposite Kingdom set up to the Kingdom of Christ. Which may be done by two sorts of persons or People 1. Those that continue in the old apostacy and defection from God As eminently was done by the Gentiles and Idolatrous Heathen World Who live in ignorance of the true God and are dead in trespasses and sins And where envy pride malice and ambition reigneth instead of that Spirit of love and goodness which the Gospel would produce 2. It may be done by a second falling away which is foretold 2 Thes. 2.3 For that day shall not come except there come a falling away first Now this falling off from Christ's Kingdom is there where in opposition to Light Errour is taught and Ignorance is counted the Mother of Devotion and People are restrained from the means of knowledge as if it were a dangerous thing As if the height of Christian Faith and Devotion did consist in a blind obedience and a believing what men could impose upon them by their bare authority And instead of life men place their whole religion in some superstitious rites and ceremonies and trifling acts of devotion or exteriour mortifications And instead of love to God and Souls all things are sacrificed to private ambition and consciences are forced by the highest penalties and persecutions to submit to their corruptions of the Christian Faith and Worship Where this obtaineth there is a manifest perversion of the interests of Christ's Kingdom Both these Apostacies The general Apostacy from God and the special Apostacy from Christ may be upheld by the Authority Power and Interest of several Nations And though the name of God and of Christ be retained in either for a cloak yet clearly we may see they are revolted from the Kingdom of God and of Christ. 2. The Devil's Kingdom Surely he hath a great hand in all the corruptions of mankind especially in Antichrist's Kingdom As the Apostle telleth us his coming shall be by or after the working of Satan 2 Thes. 2.9 He is the Raiser and Support of that estate as will appear by what is ascribed to the Devil in the Scriptures 1 Ignorance and Errour and Seduction For it is said Iohn 8.44 That he abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the Father of lies And therefore in that Society of professed Christians where ignorance not only reigneth but is countenanced and means of grace suppressed and most errours and corruptions in doctrine have been introduced there Satan hath great influence 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the god of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2. Idolatry This was his first and great endeavour for perverting the world to bring men to worship another God or the true God by an Idol The Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a delighter in Idols Sinecius he was the contriver of the Idols of the Gentiles therefore they are said to Sacrifice their Sons and Daughters unto Devils Psal. 106.37 And Deut. 32.17 They sacrificed unto Devils and not unto God They meant it to God but the Lord saith it was to Devils Aaron saith To
submit to any condition for his glory Some that profess his name will suffer nothing for him If they may injoy him or his ways in peace and quietness well and good but if trouble arise for the Gospel's sake immediately they fall off The most yea the best have a secret lothness and unwillingness to condescend to a condition of trouble and distress for the Gospel Now to these I will but propound these three considerations 1. If Christ had been unwilling to die for us and suffer for us if the same mind had been in Christ what had been our estate and condition to all Eternity without his sufferings we should have suffered eternal misery If you would not have Christ of another Mind let the same Mind be in you 2. We cannot lose for him as much as he hath done for us 2 Cor. 8.9 Ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we through his poverty might be rich 3. We are gainers by him if we part with all the World for his sake Mark 10.29 30. There is no Man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospel but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with Persecutions and in the World to come Eternal Life Oh then do not stand upon terms The same Mind or Spirit answerable to Christ was that of David 2 Sam. 6.22 I will be yet more vile than thus Christ became vile for us made himself of no reputation and shall we be flouted out of our Religion If he had disdained to indure grief and sorrows and stood upon befitting terms what had become of us 2. Humility We are far inferiour to Christ and shall we stand so much upon our reputation Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart Learn of me not to make Worlds or work Miracles but to be contented with the lowest place the meanest service to be any thing and do any thing to bring glory to God and that not out of necessity but choice Mat. 20.28 Even as the Son of Man came not to be Ministred unto but to Minister It is brought to check aspiring or affecting domination in the Church They that love the preheminence would be great and high seem to dislike Christs proceeding especially those that rend and tear all to advance themselves or to grow greater in the World See that magnificent preface to the History of Christ's washing his Disciples Feet Iohn 13.3 Iesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God Poor Worms that are but three degrees distant from dust and nothing how do we stand upon our terms Christ when his own thoughts were most filled with his own glory doth the meanest office Surely considering Christ's humility we should no more over-value our selves nor desire high esteem with others nor affect preheminence nor undervalue and despise others 3. More exact obedience Christs condescention was a special act of Grace and Love but it was also a signal act of obedience It is so called in the 8th verse He humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross. It was done in pursuance of the Fathers command and elsewhere Heb. 5.8 9. Though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered And being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him By the multiplicity of his sufferings he learned obedience and the impression is according to the Stamp and Seal Christ came to be the Leader of an obeying People 4. Self-denial as well as obedience Preferring a publick Interest the glory of God and the good of Souls before his own glory as God and the Interests of that natural Life that he assumed Rom. 15.3 Christ pleased not himself and Iohn 12.27 28. Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Father glorifie thy name That was enough if God was glorified Every Christian should be thus affected Phil. 1.20 That Christ may be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death 5 The last lesson is contempt of the World and all the glory thereof Christ teacheth us this lesson by making himself of no reputation two ways 1. The example of his own choice The Lord of Heaven and Earth despised and neglected the glory and riches of this World He passed through the World to sanctifie it as a place of service but chose not pomp of living nor the happiness of it lest we should chuse it as our rest and portion They are not of the World as I am not of the World Iohn 17.16 Those that are dearest unto God must look by crosses and trials to be fitted for another World If a Man say never so much for contempt of the World yet live in the love of it his saying is nothing But Christ would be a pattern of his own doctrine Contempt of the World is a lesson of great consequence Salvation lieth upon it 1 Iohn 2.15 16 17. Love not the World neither the things that are in the World if any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World And the World passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever Whether we are high or low full or kept bare it concerneth us all to learn it Though we flow in wealth we should be as having nothing and sit loose from the Creature If we are poor we must count grace a preferment Jam. 1.9 10. Let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted But the rich in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away There is required of all an hearty preparation for when they are not called to a patient enduring of afflictions for Christs Name Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need This is of an hard digestion to a Natural Man Now Christs example is a great help to us to check our worldly desires let us not affect greater eminency in the World than Christ had And to check the vanity of fulness or our carnal complacency that it may not be a snare to us 1 Tim. 5.6 The Woman that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth Christ was a Man of sorrows do you Profess Christ and yet are
for he doth it with good Advice 1. Though using our knowledge with Charity to our Neighbour be the matter in question yet loving our Neighbour is the fruit of our Love to God and both these go together 1 John 4.20 If a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a Lyar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen And they prove one the other 1 John 5.1 2. Every one that loveth him that begat loveth also him that is begotten of him by this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his commandments So that it must be expounded thus If any man love God and consequently his neighbour for Gods sake Therefore the master of the Sentences well defined Charity thus Charitas est dilectio qua diligitur deus propter se proximus propter Deum vel in Deo It is such a love by which we love God for himself and our Neighbour for Gods sake We love them either for Gods command or because of Gods Image in them or with respect to his Glory that we may not offend them but gain them to God And so the Apostle diverteth not from his scope only puts the cause for the effect love to God as productive of love to our Neighbour 2. Neither is the Apostle besides his purpose in the latter clause For Gods knowledge of us is the cause of our knowledge of him John 10.14 I know my sheep and am known of mine First he knoweth us and then we know him For Divine Illumination or saving Knowledge is the Fruit of his Love to the Elect they are chosen by God therefore taught of God and he giveth us Grace to know acknowledge and love him Doct. They that know God so as to love him in Sincerity are known of God 1. What is this sincere love to God 2. How God is said to know such 3. The Reasons I. What is this Sincere Love to God Here is 1. An Object 2. An Act. 3. The Qualification of the Act. First The Object is God Who is considered 1. As Amiable 2. As Beneficial 1. God is Amiable for the Excellency of his Nature and Glorious Attributes as Infinite Wisdom Goodness and Power Surely God is to be loved not only for the goodness that floweth from him but for the goodness that is in himself as he is a lovely being I prove it by these Arguments 1. Love is founded in Estimation Now the excellencies of God are the ground of our esteem We value nothing but what we account excellent and glorious Therefore the essential goodness of his Being and his moral goodness or his Holiness have an influence on our Love as well as his Benefits These things are worthy of esteem in the Creature and attract our Love as in the Saints Psal. 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my Delight Psal. 15.4 In whose eyes a vile Person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. Why not in God and His Law Psal. 119.140 Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it 2. We are not only to bless God but to praise him Psal. 145.10 All thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee Blessing relateth to his Benefits Praise to his Excellencies We bless him for what he is to us we praise him for what he is in himself Now whether we bless him or praise him it is still to increase our love to him and delight in him for God is not affected with the flattery of empty Praises yet this is an especial Duty which is of use to you as all other Duties are It doth you good to consider him as an Infinite and Eternal Being and of glorious and incomprehensible Majesty It is pleasant and profitable to us Psal. 135.3 Praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good sing Praises unto his Name for it is pleasant 3. A great Effect of Love is Imitation We imitate what we love and delight in as good we take delight to transcribe it into our own manners because we are affected with it Eph. 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children in whatever he hath made amiable and lovely by his Example Love doth imply such a value and esteem of God that we count it our happiness to be like him to be Merciful as he is Merciful and Holy as he is Holy We value it as a Perfection in God and desire the Impression of it upon our own Hearts It is the greatest demonstration of Gods love to us to make us like himself 1 Iohn 3 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but this we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is It is the greatest Demonstration of our Love to God to desire and to endeavour after it Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Now like him we must be not only in Benignity but in Holiness and Purity 2. God is Beneficial as he hath been good or may be good to us 1. In Creation He made us out of nothing after his own Image Eccl. 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth We must remember him so as to love him please him serve him Verba notitiae connotant affectus Words of Knowledge import Affection And in Youth whilst the Prints of his Creating Bounty are fresh upon us In age we carry about the Fruits and Monuments of our unthankfulness that we have no more improved our Time and Strength for God It is charged on Israel Deut. 32.15 He forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the Rock of his Salvation Many never think who made them nor why whose Creatures are we who gave us all that we have How can we look upon our Bodies without Thoughts of God whose Workmanship it is Or think of the Soul without thinking of God whose Image and Superscription it beareth Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Matth. 22.21 2. In Redemption there is the truest Representation of the Goodness and Benignity of God 1 Iohn 4.10 Herein is Love not that we loved God but that be loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us God commendeth his love to us by these wonders of his Grace and set it before our Eyes that we must either Question the Truth or else we cannot resist the force of this Love 1 Iohn 4.19 We Love him because he first loved us God loveth first best and most 3. The Mercies of daily Providence in sustaining our Being Deut. 30.20
Iohn 3.12 Not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother and wherefore slew he him Because his own Works were evil and his Brothers righteous Emulation and Malignity at those that are better than our selves is the very Poison and Venom which the Devil hath infused into Human Nature The affection which put Cain upon killing his Brother and puts the World upon persecuting serious Christians when at the bottom they have no other Quarrel against them but because they excell in the Simplicity of the Christian Faith and Holiness and Obedience Such were Ioseph's Brethren whose Virtue was an Eye-sore to them and therefore endeavoured his Destruction Gen. 37. Such were the Jews in the time of the Apostles who despising the Gospel could not endure it should be Preached unto the Gentiles Acts 13.45 But when the Iews saw the multitude they were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming Therefore well doth the Apostle Iames call this Bitter envying Jam. 3.14 'T is like Gall which corrupts good Food and maketh it unprofitable So doth this bitter Zeal corrupt all their Actions whom it doth possess Well then Charity envyeth not Those whom we love sincerely we will rejoyce in their Gifts and Graces as in our own their Success and Prosperity as in our own and be well pleased with their Happinesses But where Envy prevaileth Charity hath no place their Praises are our Disgrace their Success is our lessening And few there be that can say with Iohn the Baptist He must increase but I must decrease John 3.30 That is in Splendor and Fame Alas as placid and well contented as many seem without Envy burneth within and if it be not checked will soon produce mischievous Effects 4. Charity vaunteth not it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is it doth nothing pragmatically and foolish in Word or Deed where it possesseth the Hearts of Men they do not arrogantly speak of themselves or what they have done or can do Hesychius telleth us the meaning of the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is lifted up with Folly as giddy proud Fools are wont to vaunt or strut themselves so that their own Pride rendereth them ridiculous And so it forbids Arrogancy and External Ostentation as Internal Pride and Self-conceit is touched in the next Property Now Charity is contrary to more Vices than one to Pride as it manifests it self by contemptuous and scornful Carriage which Irritateth others rather than Edifyeth them 5. Is not puffed up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had told us 1 Cor. 8.1 That Charity edifyeth but Knowledge puffeth up that is with a vain Conceit of our own Worth despising others Now though Knowledge may beget this through the fault of him that receiveth that Gift yet Charity serveth all despiseth none therefore Pride and Insolency shewed in despising others or over-valuing our selves is far from the temper of this Heavenly Grace Poor empty Bubbles are soon blown up contemning those that are beneath them in Honours Favours Riches Knowledge and some External Services which look like Grace Luke 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other Men are extortioners unjust adulterers or as this Publican This condemneth that Pride whereby we thus conceit of our own good Estate above others Whereas Brotherly Love would perswade us in Honour to prefer one another Rom. 12.10 And in Humility to think others better than our selves Phil. 2.3 Not with our Lips only setting on a shew of Humility but with our Hearts For there is no Man so great that is not in some things beneath those whom he despiseth And we are conscious to our own Infirmities and should have a modest Esteem of our own Graces and Virtues For the true Excellency of a Christian lieth in a mean Esteem of himself For the great Businâ—ss of his Religion is to represent to him his own Sinfulness and the undeserved Goodness of God and therefore he seeketh no other Esteem with others than God fairly alloweth him and dareth not set too high a price upon himself nor is troubled if others come not up to his Price 6. It doth not behave it self unseemly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This followeth well on the former for Men puffed up transgress the Rules of all Decency in setting out themselves not giving others the Respect due to them Therefore it must needs be one of the Properties of Charity to make Men do that which will become Meekness Modesty and Godliness and to abstain from all things that may be an Offence and Scandal to others in Words Deeds Gesture Cloathing generally in all parts of Conversation Whatever may expose us to the Contempt of others or may argue a Contempt of them or may be a just Offence Charity will mind us to forbear it Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are lovely think on these things 7. Seeketh not her own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-Self-love prompteth us meerly to seek our own things but Charity seeketh the Profit of others It doth not drive on a self-seeking Trade or mind these things which make for our own advantage but the Welfare of others and is as sensible and zealous for other Mens Good as of its own To take care of their safety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.4 Look every man to the things of others To maintain our Neighbour's good Estate in his Profit Honour Fame Spiritual Blessings should be aimed at by us by the same Accuracy and Diligence that we use in reference to our selves The Law of Charity here is that we study not our own private Profit so as to neglect others or that any Damage should thereby arise to others Paul often presseth this 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no man mind his own but every man anothers Wealth Not so seek his private Profit as to neglect the publick A Man must mind his own Affairs but not with the neglect and damage of others First In the use of his Christian Liberty Secondly In his Calling Wherein they sin greatly who seek to draw all to themselves 8. It is not easily provoked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Differences arise it handleth them peaceably It doth not draw on things to Fervour and acerbity of Contention A Paroxisme is the sharp Fit of a Feavour and signifyeth when Anger is boiled to an height But Charity is not exasperated or highly provoked to Anger or imbittered into Wrath and Passion This Property is to shew that it tempereth just Anger That Men fall not into immoderate violent Distempers of Passion upon whatever Provocation It is hard to abstain from all Anger when we meet with so many occasions of it in the course of our Lives but the Violence is corrected by Love There was a Hot Fit between Paul and Barnabas Acts 15.39 And the contention was so sharp between them that they parted asunder one from the other Paul's Cause was more just Those that love one another may find a Temptation
toward thee for all that thou hast done Our Faith a thankful acceptance of Christ and all his Benefits our Obedience a thankful Obedience not out of fear of Hell but Gratitude all our Duties but the thankful Returns of Christ's Redeemed ones for the great Love he hath shewed to us So for all works of Charity our giving anâ— imitation of Christ who loved us and gave himself for us 2 Cor. 8.9 Tho' he was rich yet for your sakes became poor that ye through his power might become rich Forgiving so it is said Eph. 4.32 Forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Our works of Piety Worshipping God Love should bring us into his Presence and his Mercies to us in Christ should be continual matter of Praise and Thanksgiving Our Preaching Love to God should sweeten the labours of it Oh had we a deeper sense of this great Love that provided such a remedy for us we would feel the constraining influence of it in every thing that our hand findeth to do for God! 2. The next thing is the outward occasion or procuring Cause which is our Misery by reason of Sin He came to propitiate God offended by Man's Sin Sin was the cause of Enmity between God and Man and did set us at such an infinite distance from him that our peace could be made no other way but by Christ's making his Soul an offering for Sin Isai. 53.10 and becoming a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Therefore when we remember the Agonies and Death of Christ we should remember the odiousness of Sin To make light of Sin is to make light of the sufferings of Christ. The Scripture often shews the greatness of Sin by the greatness of the price that was given to redeem us from it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ. And this both in order to Caution and Humiliation Caution ver 17. pass the time of your sojourning here in fear And Humiliation Zach. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall look on Him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first born Before God would be propitious to Sinners the Son of God must be made Man and suffer and dye to expiate our offences Well then Is Sin nothing that sowed the Seeds of that woful Discord between God and us that he will have no communion with us till the Blood of Christ be shed to purge us from our Sins Generally we have slight and superficial apprehensions of Sin therefore we are not much troubled for what is past nor careful to avoid it for the time to come Ye are not deeply affected with what our Mediator hath done to deliver us from it Oh Christians Without these bitter Herbs due thoughts of Sin Christ our Passover will not relish with us Do but consider what you conceive of wrongs done to you how they provoke and stir your passions so that there is much ado to get you pacified What hainousness must there be in your offences against God both as to the quality of their nature and their multiplicity both as to number and kind It is true God is free from passion and is not troubled as your Spirits are But such is the provoking nature of Sin that it cryeth for Vengeance and bringeth you under the dreadful Sentence of Divine wrath which would fall upon you with all its weight if Christ had not interposed and catched the Blow In short the Sinner is in a dreadful and damnable condition by reason of Sin but Christ bore our Sins in his own Body on the Tree which should increase our Thankfulness for woe be to us if we bear our own Sin and heighten our Repentance that we may not provoke God for the future For you see satisfaction cannot be easily made for the injury of Sin The ignorance of God's Majesty and Holiness hath tempted the World to fancy some lesser expiations of Sin and satisfaction to God by sacrifices of Beasts or Penances or such a number of Prayers or costly Alms But the Gospel teacheth us there is no purgation of Sin but only by the death of Jesus Christ. 3. The effects and fruits are Pardon and Life I. Pardon For God's Justice being satisfied by Christ he hath granted a new Covenant wherein Pardon is assured to the penitent Believer We are told in what way and method Sin is pardoned upon the account of Christ's death If we in a broken-hearted manner confess it before God 1 Ioh 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness So Luke 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations Now this is no small mercy to have sin pardon'd II. The other benefit is Life begun in us by the Spirit and perfected in Heaven Consider it as begun in us by the Spirit in Regeneration We have have it by virtue of Christ's death Tit. 3.5 6. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost whicsh he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Lord. Or as perfected in Heaven it is still the fruit of Christ's death Heb. 5.9 Being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Now these benefits should be considered by us because they are the matter of our Faith and Trust. As God's Love calleth for Thankfulness and the hainousness of Sin for Repentance so the benefits of Christ's death for Faith and Affiance God solemnly reacheth out to us the benefits contained in the promises of the Gospel as by a Deed and Instrument and we by Faith accept them and by Affiance depend on God for the performance of them In short that Christ may give us the Favour and Image of God and all the consequent priviledges free access to God for the present and the full fruition of him in Bliss and Glory for the future Thus for the Object Secondly The Act is Annunciation or Shewing forth This may be considered with respect to the parties to whom we annunciate it Or with respect to the Properties or manner how it is to be annunciated 1. With respect to the Parties We annunciate and shew forth Christ's death with respect to our selves that we may anew believe and exercise our Faith With respect to others that we may solemnly profess this Faith in the Crucified Saviour with a kind of Glorying and rejoycing With respect to God that we may plead the merit of his Sacrifice with Humility and Affiance I. With
judged by this Law the holiest and the humblest the most penitent and believing Soul and the Soul that most loveth God cannot abide the Tryal and were it not for this promise and its Fellows what could we look for but Eternal Ruine 2. As to the Sanction the Law saith The Soul that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18.4 Now this being the Sentence of God delivered in a Righteous Law how shall we escape it Surely it cannot fall to the Ground Unless some Provision be made it will eternally take place This should the more affect us because it is often verified in the course of God's Providence Rom. 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness Heb. 2.2 For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward Now when others are punished and we are spared surely we ought to be affected with his Severity towards them but towards us Goodness 3. Our incapacity of appearing before God by reason of the multitude of our Sins There are none of God's Children but have a great and vast Debt upon them and if God should call them to an account and should not spare not one of them could stand or appear in Court Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared There is not a Man to be found who hath not some fault and failing which would render him uncapable of God's favour If he should proceed in just severity against us who could stand Not who among the Wicked but who among the Regenerate or the People of God So many are the Frailties and slips of their Lives And Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified It is impossible for such a frail sinful imperfect Creature as Man is to appear before God's exact Tribunal with any comfort and hope But he will not charge them on us with Severity but spare us with Mercy 4. The sense which Conscience hath of these Sins 1. Consider it in its old natural Bondage somewhat of which yet remaineth while Sin remaineth so Conscience accuseth of the Sins that are committed Rom. 2.15 Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another And fears the Death threatned Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the Iudgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death Now can it be appeased unless the Lord spare or set up some way of Grace which alloweth pardon for our failings And if the Lord spare it should be as welcome to us as a Pardon to a Condemned Man 2. Consider it as it is inlightned and renewed by the Holy Spirit It is true it doth not produce such a fear of Wrath as before but a greater apprehension of the Evil of Sin because of the increase of light and love both which intender the Heart As their light and love increase so doth their trouble about sin Rom. 7.9 For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed and verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death They are ashamed of that folly and filthiness and unkindness that is in Sin and are grieved for the relicks of Corruption Ezek. 16.6 And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live So Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Therefore if God will spare and not impute their trespasses to them they are more apprehensive of this mercy than possibly others can be None fee so many Sins and none see such hainousness in Sin and are more deeply affected with it In a clear Glass of Water the least Mote is espied They have a greater dread of God's Holiness a more sincere respect to his Law a greater reverence for the sentence of it a more firm belief of his threatnings a more earnest desire to please him and so a a greater grief for offending him Therefore if he will pardon and pass by their infirmities they are the more apprehensive of the privilege III. The grounds and reasons of this indulgence or sparing which God useth towards them 1. God's merciful nature which inclineth him to pass by the infirmities of his Saints This appeareth by the description of God given to Moses when the Lord proclaimed his name Exod. 34.6 The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth Since this is the description which God giveth of himself therefore it deserveth to be weighed by us The first notion is Merciful whereby God's Nature inclineth him to succour those that are in Misery by reason of Sin The next is Gracious which implieth his self-inclination to do good to his Creatures without any precedent obligation on their parts The third is Long Suffering or slowness to Anger he is not hasty to revenge the wrongs done him by the Creature He often pitieth wicked Men so far as to prevent the Temporal punishment and spareth them long when he might destroy them The Last is Abundant in goodness and truth that is expressing his kindness and bounteous nature many ways not at one time and in one sort only but upon all occasions and in all ways wherein we stand in need of his help and therefore will deal tenderly with his people Micah 7.8 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy If we had a due sense of the nature of God we should have much relief against the Evil Merit of Sin and a greater hope that he will deal in a Fatherly manner with us He had told them of great things God would do for them now in the apprehension of the sensible Sinner it is Sin chiefly which standeth in the way of their Mercies Therefore God will pardon Sin in his people in such a wonderful way as shall exceed all their thoughts He will not call them to a strict account for them and though he beginneth to reckon with them yet he will spare them and moderate his Anger and be reconciled to them It shall not go on to Eternal Wrath nor over long Temporal Evils and all because of the pleasure which he taketh in shewing acts of Mercy rather than acts of Vengeance 2. The satisfaction of Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his
Zeal We translate it Bitter Envyings or that secret discontent and grudge that we take at their advancement or esteem Well then in this Envying there is a grudge and an indignation and an evil inordinate Emulation of their Happiness 2. The object is expressed in the word Oppressor or Man of Violence in the 32 verse the froward The one noteth the disposition of his Heart he is froward the other the Evil of his practise he oppresseth or seeketh to bear down others by Violence The Froward Praefractus the hard inflexible man that is confirmed and settled in his evil purpose Refractory opposers of the ways of God Mark 't is not the Wicked or undeserving in the general A man may be Tempted to Envy them but the Froward and Oppressors such as are Maliciously and obstinately bent to do Mischief to us Though the advancement of such may be apprehended as a burden and Judgment and so complained of to God especially as 't is likely not only to prejudice our Interest and comfort of Life but as contrary to God's Honour and Interest or as it tendeth to the increasing or confirming of Wickedness yet we should not fret at it First as if they were Happier than the Godly lest we be tempted to let go our Innocency Secondly as if we did tax the Providence of God of Injustice Thirdly to be stirred up thereby to any undue Practice Fourthly that our quarrel should not be the main reason of that sense we have of this disorder our Ease our Credit our Revenge lest it be like Ionah's Ager Ionah 4. not so much for God's Honour as his own lest he should be accounted a false Prophet 2. That the People of God are subject to fall into this distemper of Envy at the Prosperity of the Wicked the Scripture every where witnesseth David is an Instance Psal. 73.3 I was Envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the Wicked So Ieremiah so Iob so Habakuk so all the Saints Here in this lower World where our hopes are unseen and to come and our tryals are so many and the flesh is so Importunate to be pleased and the Wicked being of the Earth have so much of Earthly Happiness as Nettles that grow of their own accord will thrive better than Choicer Plants Especially when we our selves are burdened and streightned Now this troubleth the Children of God that Bastards should be better fed than Sons that they whom God hateth should seem to have more of the Fathers Love Care and Blessing 3. That there is little reason yet why the People of God should be so affected if you consider 1. The condition of the Wicked 2. The State of the suffering Godly 3. The mischievous Nature and effects of this Envy 1. The Condition of the Wicked though never so much exalted That 's represented in the Text Envy not for the froward are an abomination to the Lord. Mark 't is not only said God hateth them but abominateth them There is not only odium inimicitiae aut offensionis a hatred of Enmity but abomination of abhorrence when a Thing is done contrary to our will or when a Thing or Person is contrary to our Nature so God is not only angry with them but hateth them and that 's enough to make them miserable 1. Observe here That the suffering Godly the Spiritual Blessings which they have they have with God's love and cannot but have them so for these are not given in Anger But we cannot say so of the Wicked's Prosperity and Success that they have this with the love of God they have it from the hand of his Providence but his Heart is not with them for the Froward are an abomination to the Lord which sheweth that their Felicity is no true Felicity for 't is such as may consist with God's hatred This consideration that the Lord abhorreth wicked Men as it sheweth that they themselves can have no solid satisfaction in their Estate be it never so high plentiful and prosperous for they cannot for all this say that God loveth them Eccles. 9.1 No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them Yea they may determine by the Word if wicked that God hateth them they are but fatten'd to destruction as Swine for the slaughter The Curse of God sticketh to them when they eat their plentiful Morsels of Meat put on their gorgeous Apparel they have this Thought to sowre all God hateth them I say as this Consideration lessens the comfort and satisfaction of wicked Men so should it abate yea take away the Envy of the Children of God God is displeased with them what plenty and pomp of living soever he affordeth them by the Bounty and Indulgence of his Providence Surely those whom God hateth are Objects of Pity rather than Envy if their Condition were well considered still they are under the Wrath of God Certainly the People of God when appointed by Man as Sheep to the slaughter being under the love of God are in a happier condition than wicked Men that are fatted for Destruction and under the wrath of God ' for 't is not the wrath of Man or the favour of Man that maketh us miserable or happy but the love and hatred of God Who was in the better condition Daniel among the Lions or Nebuchadnezzar among the Beasts In a sober mood which would you choose The love of God can sweeten the bitterest Cup that ever Believer drank off But if it were rightly apprehended to be lyable to his hatred is the saddest thing in the World 't is the Sting of Miseries and the Curse of Blessings 2. Observe To be hated and rejected of God should be esteemed by us as one of the greatest Calamities that can befall a poor Creature as to be accepted with him one of the greatest Blessings Psal. 4.6 7. There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their corn and wine increased 1. On one side we have the Matter compared their good Things their Corn and Wine not sinful but lawful Comforts 2. 'T is proposed with a supposition of Increase not in the wane 3. For the Time take it at best when this Joy is most lively at the time of Vintage and Harvest 4. The Persons their Corn and Wine not different godly Men in whom these Things are refracted and broken not the same godly Man in whom these different Desires are found On the other side there is 1. The Matter and Ground of Gladness the Light of God's Countenance Ier. 2.13 My people have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out Cisterns c. They drink of the Cistern you of the Fountain they rejoyce not in God but his Gifts and those not saving but the common sort such as Riches Pleasures Honours And in these not as the Effects of God's
Psal. 17.14 15. From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world which have their portion in this life and whose Belly is fill'd with the hid treasure they are full of Children and leave the rest of their substance to their Babes But as for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Men are dazled with the splendour of Worldly Happiness and think it a fine thing to be well fed and well clad and well attended but this is all for them and theirs and shall we Envy them for this That they have more for Back and Belly than we have a little pomp of living especially when such great things be provided for us in Christ. Alass what is a more plentiful Table to the Everlasting fruition of God The Pomp of the World to the Honour Christ will put on us at the day of Judgment when he shall be admired in his Saints The favour of Princes to seeing God face to face Vain Glory to Everlasting Glory Their momentary Pleasures which pass away suddenly as a Dream to that Everlasting pleasure at God's Right hand A little Decking and Adorning of the Body to be satisfied with his likeness and to walk with God in White 2. Present Enjoyments Here I take in the notion of the Text his secret is with the righteous There is some difference what should be meant by the secret of the Lord. Sometimes it noteth 1 Spiritual Illumination or the knowledge of God's Will Psal. 25 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him he will teach them his Covenant They know more of God's mind than others do and they know it not only Literally but Spiritually That is by the lively light of the Spirit not Disciplinarily Now this is a great favour that God doth so love them that he doth admit them to his Arcana Iohn 15.15 I have called you Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you 'T is a greater Evidence of God's Friendship to understand his Counsel in the Word and to be acquainted with the Mysteries of Godliness than all the Success Power and greatness of the World Christ gave his Spirit to the rest of the Apostles but his Purse to the Son of Perdition Some have Knowledge and Eminent Gifts others Wealth and Honour yea though they which increase Knowledge increase Sorrow yet the knowledge of a despised hated truth though it expose us to sufferings is better than to flourish in opposition against the ways of God through our ignorance obstinacy and blind prejudice And will you that are directed in the way of Salvation advanced to know God and the tenour of his Will far more than the Blind Carnal Careless World Envy them that are only acquainted with Christianity as a Report or Tradition calculated and formed to to a Worldly Interest 2. The secret of the Lord may intend not only direction in our Duty but Satisfaction about God's Dispensations for our Consolation in all Afflictions God helpeth them to interpret his Providence better than others called the secrets of Wisdom Iob. 11.6 And should the Saints whose Graces make them so sharp and Engaged that know more of God's mind than others in these very dealings which are so troublesome and offensive to them should they envy the Oppresâ—or and be so discontented to suffer a little that have more skill than others to look into God's ways and consider the course of his proceedings 3. Secret may imply the visible Blessings of God's Providence so 't is said Iob. 29.34 The secret of the Lord was upon my Tabernacle The singular Love God bore to him did preserve him and did guide him and his Family and made all his Affairs prosper Psal. 31.20 God shall hide them in the secret of his presence When they seem to be left open as a prey to the oppressions and injuries of their potent Adversaries yet there is a secret guard upon them and they are kept the World knoweth not how Now should such that are hedged round about with the guard of a secret Blessing leave their refuge for the defence of a little Interest in the World which God hateth and can soon blow upon Psal. 91.1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty 4. Secret may note the intimate familiarity that is between God and them and that inward Consolation which they have with God in a course of Holiness which is hidden from the World 1 Iohn 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him Many secret Refreshings visits of Love expressions of Grace are bestowed upon them Now have such any cause to envy others They that walk with God meet him at every turn are so often comforted and quickned by the manifestations of God and the influences of his Grace Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness The Psalmist preferreth his present condition before the greatest happiness of carnal men because he had opportunities of beholding the Face of God or enjoying the Comforts of his Presence This is as if a Child fed with Manchet should envy a Slave for being fed with the Bread of Sorrows 3 The Nature and mischievous effects of this envy For 't is not so tame an evil as the world doth imagine 1. It disposeth to fretting or murmuring against God's Holy Providence Psal. 37.1 Fret not thy self because of evil doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity Prov. 24.19 Fret not thy self because of evil men neither be thou envious at the wicked It notes a certain taxing of God's Providence as if he did not rightly Govern the World 1. It tempteth to Apostacy from God's ways to the ways of the wicked That 's in the Text clearly Envy not the oppressor and chuse none of his ways implying that this emulation of their Happiness will draw you to cry up a Confederacy with them and to enter into their Lot and Net Prov. 24.1 Be not thou envious against evil men neither desire to be with them When we admire their Happiness it secretly inticeth our Hearts to take share and lott with them A Man is perverted by this Envy it weakneth our fear of God our value of Spiritual Blessings expectation of things to come and diligence in God's Service 3. It implieth and includeth many ill Principles which tend directly to the weakning of Faith Hope and Piety 1. It implyeth or includeth this Principle or Opinion That the felicity of a Man consisteth in these external good things which the wicked enjoy which is an error destructive to Godliness For change a Man's
you shall command your Children to observe to do all the words of this Law Luke 9.44 Let these sayings sink down into your Ears Close Application Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things if God be for us who can be against us Job 5.27 Loe thus we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good And therefore as things are duly thought on so they must be closely applied These three acts of the Soul have each of them a distinct and proper Work Sound belief worketh on the clearness and certainty of the things asserted Serious Consideration on the greatness and importance of them Close Application on their pertinency and suitableness to us See all in one place 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a true saying worthy of all acceptation That Iesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief These are all necessary to make any truth operative Sound belief for we are not affected with what we believe not Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Therefore to awaken diligence the truth of things is pleaded 2 Pet. 1.5 10 16. Give all diligence to add to your Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge Give diligence to make your calling and Election sure for we have not followed cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Iesus Christ but were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty Heb. 2.3 4. For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him The first rousing Question when Men heard any Sermon about any Truth or Doctrine of the Gospel was Is this true For Consideration Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Christ Iesus our Lord. Without Consideration the weightiest things lie by as if they were not Sleepy reason is as none The most important Truths have no force upon us till Consideration awakeneth us Then for Application what concerneth us not is passed over Unless we hear things with a care to apply them we shall never make use of them Eph. 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of our Salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise 'T is not enough to know the Gospel to be a Doctrine of Salvation to others but we must look upon it as a Doctrine that bringeth Salvation to our own doors and leaveth it upon our choice A Plaister doth not heal at a distance till it be applied to the Sore Truths are too remote till we set the edge and point of them to our own Hearts Well then by this way we Preach to our selves Day and Night by exciting our Faith in God and Christ and Glory to come and by serious Consideration stirring up all God's graces in our selves and reproving our selves for all our Sins and calling a backward Heart to all the duties required of us This is the work of Close Application 5. They prosper best in Grace that most faithfully and diligently use the means Here I shall prove two things 1. That we are to use the means For wherefore hath Christ appointed them but that we should use them His Church is not like a Statuaries Shop where the Image or Statue doth nothing but the Carver or Artificer doth all But 't is compared to a School where Christ is the Teacher to teach us our Duty and we are Disciples to learn it And to a Kingdom where Christ is the Monarch and Sovereign and we are Subjects ingaged by Covenant to Obey him and the manner of his Government 't is not meerly natural ruling us as he doth the other Creatures by a Rod of Iron or in a way of absolute power as they cannot do otherwise but Moral by Laws Promises Threatnings working Faith by preaching and Love Hope and Obedience are the ends of Faith Certainly he governeth Man as Man not by Physical Motions only but by Moral Motives to which we must attend consider and improve Hosea 11.4 I drew them with the Cords of a Man with bands of Love Christ hath not to deal with Stones or Brick or Timber but with Men. God hath fitted the means to do their work and for these ends we must use them If he did ordinarily work without them he would never have appointed them to this end He could have done it with one powerful fiat one creating word or beck of his will but he hath set another train and order of Causes and therefore he will work by them because he worketh on all things according to their Nature and this is suitable to the nature of Man We never knew of any Man that came to Knowledge Faith or Love without means Therefore 't is presumption for us to expect it And the greatest neglecters and despisers of Means are every where the most graceless and the worst of Men Therefore it concerneth us to use them 〈◊〉 the greater diligence and care We may learn from our Adversary the Devil he sheweth his Malice to Souls in opposing the means either by depriving Men of them 2 Thess. 2.18 Wherefore we would have come unto you even I Paul once and again but Satan hindred us or keeping them from them by thraldom or filling them with prejudice Iohn 8.4.4 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do he was a Murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him 2 Cor. 44. In whom the God of this World hath blinded the Eyes of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine upon them Or from the Faithful using of them Matth. 13.19 When any one heareth the word of the Kingdom and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sowen in his Heart He watcheth them in all their Postures As soon as Men begin to be serious and to take heed what they hear he disturbeth the Work Well then the Means have an Aptitude and subservient Efficacy which we ought to regard 2. They prosper best that do most faithfully and diligently use the means I shall prove that by the double reason of the Text. 1. With what measure you meet it shall be measured to you again In the Allegation of this Proverbial Speech I shall observe two things 1. That there is a Law of Commerce between God and his Creatures or else how shall we know what to expect And the ordinary Rule
Apply it closely What sin have I done How doth it concern me Practice it readily Iam. 1.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of libetty and continueth therein being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word this man shall be Blessed in his deed 3. Use is to put us upon Self-reflection Is our Fruit proportionable to our Hearing The Word is not only the Seed of Regeneration but the means of Growth 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever with 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby God does not consider what we are de facto but what we ought to be what strength we might have Our account is according to our means Luke 12.48 Unto whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more Less Grace will serve to the Salvation of some than others Therefore take heed that where more Grace is bestow'd it be not neglected by you A Sermon on HEBR. ii II. For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren IN this Epistle to perswade the Hebrews to continue in their professed Subjection to Christ the Apostle setteth forth Christ in his Person and Offices In his Person there are Two Natures Divine and Humane The Apostle proveth both by one Argument That Christ ought to be such a Person as was Superior to Angels and yet for a time to be also inferior to them He had already proved that Christ ought to be Superior to Angels He is now shewing the Reasons why he must be made a little lower than the Angels in his Incarnation and Passion The necessity and reasons of his Incarnation he beginneth to lay down in this verse For c. In the words observe 1. A Maxim or Truth laid down 2. A Consequence or Inference thence deduced 1. In the Truth laid down Two things are expressed 1. A difference between Christ and his People 2. An Union between them 1. The different Parties here spoken of He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified Christ is the Agent he hath an active Power to free from Sin such as are polluted with it We are Passive for by him that sanctifieth is meant Christ One prime benefit we have from him is Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 Who is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption And by the sanctified are meant the People of God who sometimes were polluted and sinful 2. They are said to be of one This Notes the Union that is between them they are of one Stock and Lineage or one common Parent of Mankind Adam Of one Blood Acts 17.26 He hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth Thence Luke carrieth up the Genealogy of Christ to Adam Luke 2.38 So that he is one of our Kind and Nature There is indeed an union of Christ with man 1. By his Incarnation 2. Upon actual Sanctification In the first respect he is One with all Mankind as they are Men. In the Second He and the Sanctified which are the Church are one in an especial manner There is a Natural Bond between us and Christ and a Spiritual Bond The Natural Bond gave him an Interest to Redeem us The Spiritual Bond is the ground of our Comfort in that Redemption They are of one 2. The Inference or Effect thence resulting For which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Which words represent 1 the condescension of Christ He is not ashamed 2. The nature and value of the Priviledge to call them Brethren 1. The condescension of Christ He is not ashamed We are said to be ashamed in Two Cases 1. When we do any thing that is filthy As long as we have the heart of a Man we cannot do any thing that hath filthiness in it without shame Or 2. When we do any thing beneath that Dignity and Rank which we sustain in the World The former Consideration is of no place here The latter then must be considered Those that bear any rank and port in the World are ashamed to be too familiar towards their Inferiors But yet such is the love of Jesus Christ towards his People that tho' he be infinitely greater and more worthy than us yet he is not ashamed to call us Brethren It is said Prov. 19.7 All the Brethren of the poor do hate him If a Man fall behind hand in the World his Friends look askew upon him But Jesus Christ tho' he be the Son of God by whom he made the World the splendor of his Fathers Glory and the brightness of his Person the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords and we be poor vile and unworthy Creatures yet he disdaineth not to call us Brethren If a great Prince should call a poor Tradesman Brother it would be accounted singular Courtesie And yet what is the greatest Prince of the World to Christ 2. The nature and value of the Priviledge 1. The nature of it Christ calleth us Brethren Not Children Servants Friends but Brethren A Title of great dearness and intimacy 2. The value of it 1. It is not an idle foolish Compliment for there is Cause and Reason for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a reason of the use of this Title because all Mankind coming of one Father and being made of one Blood are Brethren And Christ reckoneth himself among us considereth the Bond he hath to us and assumeth all Relations proper to his Nature And also because the Sanctified are the Children of God by the Grace of Adoption 2. It is not an empty Title but a great and real Priviledge he is affectioned to us as Brethren His Call is Doing For his Call he is not a meer Nominal Titular or Complimental Word Rom. 9.25 I will call them my people that is openly and before all the world declare they are my People Called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15.19 Not worthy to be called thy Son Luke 15.21 Many Points may be hence deduced 1. That Iesus Christ ought to be of the same Nature and Stock Yet he with those whom he redeemed or sanctified to God 2. That Christ having taken our nature upon him counts it no disgrace to acknowledge and accept us as Brethren 3. The kindred is only reckoned to the Sanctified Though all Mankind have the same nature and come of the same stock yet he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one therefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren 4. This Sanctification which is required of us must proceed originally from Christ. 1. That Iesus Christ ought to be of the same nature and stock with those whom he redeemed or sanctified to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of one Stock of one Blood What necessity was there 1. That by the Law of Propinquity of Blood he might have right to redeem us Goel the next of kin had an obligation upon him to redeem his Brothers Land if Mortgaged Lâ—vit 25.25 26. If thy brother be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his possession and if any of his kin come to redeem it then shall he redeem that which his Brother sold. And if the man have none to redeem it and himself be able to redeem it c. Or Person if Sold ver 47 48. After that he is sold he may be redeemed again one of his brethren may redeem him So Christ is called Goel Iob. 19.25 For I know that my Redeemer liveth Isai. 59.20 The Redeemer shall come to Zion Christ is our Kinsman Not only true Man but the Son of man True man he might have been if God had created him out of nothing or he had brought his substance from Heaven But he is the Son of Man one descended from the loins of Adam as we are and so doth redeem us not only Iure proprietatis by virtue of his interest in us as our Creator but Iure propinquitatis by virtue of Kindred as one of our Stock and Lineage as the Son of Adam as well as the Son of God For Jesus Christ of all the Kindred was the only one that was free and able to pay a Ransom for us 2. To give us a Pledge of the tenderness of his Love and Compassion towards us For he that is our Kinsman Bone of our Bone and Flesh of our Flesh will not be strange to his own Flesh especially since he is one that is so not by necessity of Nature but by voluntary Choice and Assumption We could not have such familiar and confident recourse to an Angel or one who is of another and different Nature from ours nor put our Suits into his hands with such trust and assurance It is a motive to Man Isa. 58.7 Thou shalt not hide thy self from thine own Flesh. A Beggar is so though through Pride and Disdain we will not think of it Degenerate Men may shut up their Bowels hide themselves from their own flesh but Christ hath our Nature in perfection This made Laban though otherwise a churlish Man kind to Iacob Gen. 29.14 Surely thou art my bone and my flesh 3. Divine Justice required it That the same Nature that sinned should suffer for Sin and that as the Offence was done in Humane Nature so also the Satisfaction should be given to God in the same Nature For to Man the Law was given The Apostle telleth us Rom. 8.3 That God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin condemned sin in the flesh Christ was not a Sinner but he came in the likeness of a Sinner with a mortal Body in which God condemned our Sin that is shewed the great example of his Wrath against it punishing our Sin in the Flesh of Christ and so representing his Wrath and ingaging by his Love at the same time It being done in our Nature it is the better warning to us and the fittest way of satisfying God and reckoned as if we had suffered in our own Persons 4. That we might find a Fountain of Holiness in our Nature God hath poured out upon his Human Nature such a measure of Holiness that he might be a common Fountain to all the Elect Iohn 1.16 Out of his fulness have we all received and that grace for grace Christ as God-Man is the Fountain from whence we receive all Grace His Human Nature was a Pledge and Pattern of what should be bestowed upon us according to our Measure for as the Head is so shall the Members be 5. To answer the Types of the Law The Priests of the Law that sanctified others were of the same Nature with the People whom they sanctified all of one Stock and Kindred The First Fruits were of the same Nature with the Things represented by them As for instance The First Fruits of the Barly did not sanctifie the Darnell nor the Cockle Mint or any other kind of Grain Well then as Priest and People were of one Stock Firstlings Beasts of the same kind First Fruits the same matter So God will raise you up a prophet among your brethren Deut. 18.15 Christ that was a Man as we are Men. 6. To make a way for nearness between God and us Christ condescended to be nigh to us by taking the Human Nature into the Unity of his Person that we might be nigh unto God that we might draw near to him now in the Evangelical State and be everlastingly nigh unto him in Heavenly Glory The Children of Israel are said to be a people near unto him Psal. 148.14 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and contrite spirit Psal. 145.18 The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him that call upon him in truth Eph 2.13 Ye were sometimes afar off but now are made nigh by the blood of Christ. This is but a Preparation for everlasting nearness to God 1 Thess. 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 7. Christ taking our Flesh and being of our Stock is become the Head of the Mystical Body and suited to it and so fit to convey the Spirit to us as an Head 1 Use. To consider Christ's love He would not intrust our Salvation with an Angel but come himself in Person not only to treat with us as the Apostle of our Profession but dye for us 1 Pet. 2.21 He himself bare our sins in his own body on the tree Oh how irksome is it to us to go back two or three degrees in Pomp or Honour 2. It presseth us to be as willing to have Christ's Name and Nature as he was willing to have our Name and Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust If he was born of a Woman let us seek to be born of God let us endeavour that Christ may be formed in us Gal. 4.19 3. It stirreth us up to be serious and in good earnest in Religion God is in good earnest for he sendeth his Son and shall we slight the great Things he came about 4. What an ample Foundation is here for Faith against the improbability of the Blessedness offered 1. It facilitateth the Belief of the great Priviledges offered in the Gospel We may the better expect the Exaltation of the Creature when we consider the Abasement of the Son of God If he were cloathed with our Flesh we may the better expect to be apparelled with his Glory 2. It is an Answer to the Plea of Unworthiness He
in peace without spot and 〈◊〉 Now the Devil will not let you alone in this earnest diligence but seeketh to break your Resolutions or deaden your Affections or damp and discourage your Zeal and the Flesh joyneth with him especially when the World frowneth upon your Endeavours and are set against you for being so faithful to Christ. 2. That they are not prepared till they are endowed with Faith Hope and Love To evidence this I shall shew 1. Their Nature 2. Their mutual respect to one another 3. Their use in the Spiritual Conflict I. Their Nature 1. Faith which is a firm and cordial assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel or such things as are revealed by God because revealed by him 1. The Object 1. The Material Object of Faith in general is such things as are revealed by God in his Word Acts 24.14 Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets The Precepts Promises Threatnings Histories Mysteries The general Faith goeth before the particular there is no Building without a Foundation The special Object is God's Transactions about Man's Salvation by Christ Ioh. 17.3 This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. The formal Consideration is because revealed by him Iohn 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and believe that this indeed is the Christ the Saviour of the World That is because they had heard his Words and were convinced and satisfied 1 Thess. 2.13 Ye received it not as the Word of Men but as it is in Truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Not as any Doctrine devised of Men but as sent by God from Heaven for the benefit of Mankind 2. The act of the Soul It is an Assent The Understanding hath a double act about Divine Truths First Knowledge or a due Apprehension of them Secondly Exercising a Judgment about them this is Acknowledgment or Assent And this Assent hath two Adjuncts 1. It is a firm belief of these things There is a Latitude and Difference in the firmness of Assent there is Conjecture or Opinion which is a weak Faith but Assurance doth best Coll. 2.2 That their Hearts might be comforted being knit together in Love and unto all Riches of the full Assurance of Vnderstanding to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. I say there is a difference In the firmness of Assent there is Certitudo Notitia Certitudo Adherentiae a Certainty of Knowledge and a Certainty of Adherence But in all that are sincere it is so firm as to sway our choice incline our Hearts and govern our Resolutions that we see all the reason in the World to follow the way which Christ hath prescribed that we may be everlastingly happy whatever it cost they will venture Heb. 10.39 But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls Sense saith Spare the Flesh but Faith saith Save the Soul 2. It is a Cordial Belief or such as engageth the Heart For Faith considereth not only the Evidence of things propounded but the Weight Worth and Greatness of them 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation Simon Magus believed but his Heart was not right with God Acts 8.13 compared with 21 Verse So Many believed in his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did but Iesus committed not himself to them because he knew all Men John 2.23 24. This is Faith for first Men believe then love then hope then lift up the Head 2. Love Which is a Grace which inclineth our Hearts to God as our Portion and chief Happiness This over-ruleth all their Affections to their outward Interests Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Here we shall consider 1. The Qualification of the Object Love in the general considereth the Object as good God is good in himself and good to us Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good and we love God as a good God having received our Beings from him Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things And being redeemed by him when all was forfeited into the Hands of his Justice 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first And looking to expect more from him when all his Promises shall be fulfilled 1 Ioh. 3.1 2. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! Therefore the World knoweth us not because it knew him not Beloved Now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 2. The respect of Love to the Object It is such a respect as becometh the Chief Good and Happiness such a superlative and transcendent Love that our Love to other things should be as no Love when it is compared or cometh in Competition with our Love to God There are two acts of Love to God Desire after him and Delight in him 1. Desire is the pursuit of the Soul after God that we may get nearer to him It iâ— expressed usually by seeking after God and when God is sought after in the first place then are we said to love God as Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me All Duties and all Acts of the Spiritual Life are a seeking after more of God Psal. 63.8 My Soul followeth hâ—rd after thee Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the Days of my Life to behold the Beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple This ardent and burning desire is a great effect of love to God but when Men are cold and flat and more indifferent as to the distinguishing Testimonies of Gods love there is something on this side God which doth content us and divert us from him 2. Delight in God The highest exercise of this is reserved for the World to come when we shall enter into our Master's Joy but now it is a pleasing thing to think of him Psal. 104.34 My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. And to speak of him Ephes. 5.4 Neither Filthiness nor foolish Talking nor Iesting which are not convenient but rather giving of Thanks And to converse with him Psal. 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me Come let us go into the House of the Lord. Yea it is the Pleasure of their Lives to serve and obey him Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the Man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments This Complacency or
forsake their Sins and fly unto him for Mercy He seeks for Pardon for them that sought it not and considereth not so much what they deserved as what became himself and the Riches of his Grace They curse and he blesseth they vomit our Scorns and Slanders but he poureth out Prayers to God for them 2. That all Sins even the greatest except that against the Holy-Ghost are pardonable What greater Sin could there be than crucifying the Lord of Glory yet upon Repentance it is forgiven That it was capable of Pardon appeareth by this Prayer of our Saviour and that it was actually Pardoned appeareth by the Second of the Acts when they were touched to the quick with the sense of this Crime and asked what they should do Peter adviseth them to this Remedy Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and they found it effectual upon the use of it Ver. 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls And that it is so in the general Case our Lord assureth us Mat. 12.31 All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy-Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men There is no exception of any Sin though it go so high as Blasphemy but the malicious blaspheming the Operations of the Holy-Ghost those by which he testified manifestly and sufficiently that he was the true Messiah and their imputing these Operations to the Devil But of other Sins there is no exception speaking against the Son of Man was not believing him to be the Messiah that may be forgiven but Blasphemy against the Holy-Ghost is resisting his Manifestations affirming them to be done by the Devil rather than God and this shall never be forgiven Well then let us conceive of God's Mercy according to the Infiniteness of his Nature and of Christ's Merits according to the Dignity of his Person an Ocean of Water will wash one Sink or filthy Hole clean 3. That Remission of Sins is the free Gift of God and the Fruit of his Pity and Grace Christ asketh it of his Father Father forgive them He must be sought to we cannot merit it of our selves David addresseth himself to God and useth no other Plea but Grace and Mercy Psal. 51.5 Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Our Work lieth with the Father of Mercies and the God of all Compassions that he may be reconciled to us and seal up his perfect Pardon to our Souls 4. That Pardon of Sins is a special Benefit Christ asked no more than Father forgive them It is a special Benefit because it freeth us from the greatest Evil Wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 And it maketh us capable of the greatest Blessing Eternal Life Tit. 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life It is purchased at the dearest rate even the Blood of Christ Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God It is brought about by the highest Power the finger of God or his all-conquering Spirit who by converting us or giving us Repentance maketh us capable of Pardon Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins It openeth the Door to the choicest Priviledges the favour of God and communion with him in the Spirit therefore David pronounceth the Pardoned blessed Psal. 32.1 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no iniquity 5. That Love of Enemies and those that have wronged us is an high Grace and recommended to us by Christ's own Example Sure it is needful that we should learn this Lesson to be like God Luke 6.36 Be ye merciful as your father also is merciful That we may obey God who hath required this at our hands Therefore we must consider not what others have been to us but what God will have us to be to them meek patient and merciful Again we hereby shew the Purity and Sincerity of our Love Nature will teach us to love those that love us but Grace only teacheth us to love Enemies This is Love with Self-denial they who love us indear themselves to us the other alienate themselves from us yet for God's sake we can love them and seek to draw them out of the Snares of the Devil that we may restore them to God 2 Use. Reproof of those that are Cruel and Revengeful How different are they from Christ who are all for Unkindness and Revenge and solicite Vengeance against God's suffering Servants with eager Aggravations Oh! how can these Men look upon Christ's Practice without shame How can they look upon these Prodigies of Love and Grace and not blush Can there be a greater Crime and Wrong done to any than was done to Christ And yet when he was whipped Crowned with Thorns pierced with Nails lifted up upon the Cross he doth not pray for Revenge but Pardon he doth not cry Justice Justice but Mercy Mercy Father forgive them he doth not by captious Queries and Expostulations aggravate the Offence but he alleviates it by a sweet Interpretation They know not what they do It is strange to think what bloody Principles many Christians have espoused of late that we rage against our Brethren upon every Offence especially in Matters of doubtful Apprehension where Men are more liable to Mistakes Oh! it is sad when God is but a little displeased to help onward the Affliction I wonder where Men learn that cruel and fell Spirit into which we are commenced of late it was wont to be good Doctrine Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful What is become of all those good Lectures of Charity and Meekness and Gentleness which are commended to us in the Rule of the Gospel and the Example of Christ Certainly when the Spirit is exulcerated it argues some loss of Peace with God David was never more cruel than when he had violated the Peace of his own Conscience 2 Sam. 12.31 And he brought forth the people that were therein and put them under saws and under harrows of iron and under axes of iron and made them to pass through the brick-kilne Certainly Matters are not right between us and God when Men's Principles and Practices grow bloody and cruel 3 Use. To exhort us to imitate Christ in being meek patient merciful void of Malice doing Good for Evil bearing the worst Usage
Son of God Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead The true Messiah and Judg of the World Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead If he had been an Impostor neither could he have raised up himself being a mere Man nor would God have raised him up for we cannot imagine that Divine Providence would cooperate to countenance a Lie or Cheat. As then you would not be found Enemies to Christ in his Imperial Day give him Glory and Dominion If you slight him you despise one that is evidently declared to be the Son of God and there is no Medium either he must be your loving Saviour or your terrible Judg. If you neglect him he will not be the first-born from the dead to you nor the first-Fruits to you The first-Fruits did not bless the Tares or the Cockle or Darnel or filthy Weeds but only the good Corn though raised again you shall be by his Judicial Power Again he is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and therefore highly to be respected Respect to great Ones and fawning upon great Ones is the practice of all the World all will seek the Ruler's Face As all Rivers run to the Sea so do all the Respects of the World to the Great and the Mighty And is not the Son of God worthy of our Respects that is sat down at the right Hand of Majesty above all If we did live by Faith as much as by Sense we would see it is our Interest as well as our Duty to honour Christ we would not fear a mortal Man that can threaten us with a Prison but Christ who can threaten us with Hell nor be dismayed at the Frowns of Men when Christ smiles Who would not fear thee O Lord and glorify thy Name Rev. 15.4 We would yield up our selves to be his willing Subjects and obey his Laws who can reward us not with Temporal Dignities but Eternal Life The Authority and Power that all others have is but derived from Christ and subordinate to him therefore if he smiles whose Frowns need we fear He is the one Law-giver that hath Potestatem Vitae Necis Power of Life and Death he is able to destroy absolutely and you may be safe in his Protection Well then if we consider what he is he deserveth everlastingly to be honoured II. What he hath done for us He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood And there we begin First With the Fountain and Bosom-cause of all and that is Christ's Love To him that loved us 1. Christ's Love is the Ground of Man's Redemption that stirred all the Causes and set them a-work that concurred to this End Other Attributes were manifested in the Redemption of Mankind as God's Wisdom Power Justice Holiness but they are all subservient to Love but Love is at the upper end of all Causes subservient to nothing but it self If you ask a reason of other things it may be assigned but if you ask a reason of his Love that cannot be given but from it self If the question be Wherefore did God discover such Riches of Wisdom Goodness and Power for the saving poor worthless Creatures He loved us Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Wherefore did Jesus Christ submit to such bitter Agonies such an accursed Death He loved us Ephes. 5.2 Walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savour Ephes. 5.25 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it And Gal. 2.20 Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me But now put the question Wherefore did he love us Love only is the reason of it self He loved us because he loved us Deut. 7.7 8. The Lord did not set his Love on you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any People c. but because the Lord loved you 2. As it is the Fountain-Cause so it was that Property that shined forth most conspicuously in the Work of Redemption Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his Love toward us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us And therefore this is that which we should most admire and be ravished with in our Thoughts Here next to the Description of the Excellency of Christ's Person the first thing mentioned in the Doxology it self is this To him that loved us This is a comfortable Word as if Jesus would be described and known by nothing so much as by his Love What was the Son of God but Love incarnate Love born of a Virgin Love conversing in the World and preaching Salvation to poor Sinners Love going about and doing Good Love relieving the Diseased and the Possessed curing the Deaf and the Dumb and the Blind and the Lame and finally Love dying and hanging on the Cross God is Love 1 John 4.8 The Angels in Heaven adore this Love tho Spectators not Parties interested he came not for their sakes but ours only We have a little notional knowledg of it but could we once find the saving Effects of God's Love in Christ impressed upon our Hearts by the Spirit how would you be melted and ravished and ever be thinking what Glory and Honour you might bring to him that thus loved you You and I may discourse of it it is not a few cold Thoughts of the Love of Christ will work on us but the shedding of this Love abroad in your Hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 There is no Knowledg like the experimental Knowledg which ariseth from the felt and known Effects of this Love this would awaken your Hopes fill you with solid Comfort excite you to your Duty 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth us However till you have this the Means you must use are sound Belief and serious Consideration 1 st Imbracing by Faith the Love of God in Christ and the good things prepared by it as they are revealed and offered in the Gospel That is the way to get this fuller Insight and experimental Knowledg and Feeling of this Love for so the Apostle prayeth Ephes. 3.17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in Love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length and Depth and Height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg 1 John 4.16 We have known and believed the Love which God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 2 dly The serious Contemplation and
the poor Saints which are at Jerusalem What is in our Translation to make a Contribution for the Saints is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a Communion or Communication So 2 Cor. 8.4 Praying us with much Intreaty that we would receive the Gift and take upon us the Fellowship of the ministring to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So 2 Cor. 9.13 And for your liberal Distribution unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So here the Communication of the Spirit If you will render it Communion this is the great Effect of the Love of God and the Grace of Christ that we are made Members of Christ's Mystical Body by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit we are are all baptized into one Body And so are united to the Head and to one another by this Bond of Union The Church is a Mystical Body whereof Christ is the Head and the Holy Ghost is as it were the Heart of it the one guideth this great Body the other quickneth it Now in this Mystical Body we actually come to the Participation of what Christ hath purchased for us by the Holy Ghost 4. These make way one for another or work into each others hand for what the Father intended Christ purchased and the Spirit applieth God the Father is as the Fountain of Grace Jesus Christ as the Conduit or Pipe to convey it to us and the Holy Ghost the immediate Operator and Worker of it The Father of his good Pleasure electing Sinners to Grace and Glory the Son by his Obedience and Sufferings purchasing it that it may be brought about in a Way convenient for God's Honour the Spirit by his Virtue and Power working Grace in them There is not a different Effect from the Father which is not from the Son and from the Son which is not from the Spirit but they concur in an united Way that what cometh from the Father cometh from the Son and the Spirit the Father makes way for the Son's Work and the Son for the Spirit 's So back again the Spirit is said to honour the Son Iohn 16.14 He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you And the Son is said to glorify the Father Iohn 14.13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son The Spirit acts as sent by Christ and Christ as sent by the Father This is necessary to be regarded by us because as our Salvation in the general is from the Father through the Son by the Spirit so in all our Commerce with God God the Father as a Judg by the Spirit of Bondage sendeth us to Christ as Mediator and Christ as Mediator by the Spirit of Adoption sends us back again to God as a Father It is a great Help to Prayer Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father To whom are we praying To God as a Father Whence have we hopes of Audience By Christ. Who giveth us an Heart to come The Spirit II. The Reasons why they concur 1. That we may have the higher Esteem of the Work which hath such Agents concerned in it It is no slight thing to bring about the Salvation of lost Sinners all the Persons of the Godhead are at work about it and shall not we who are the Parties interested be employed about it also God is in good earnest for therefore before all Worlds he employed the Riches of his Wisdom and Grace to save us in this convenient Way 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore ordained before the Foundation of the World but was manifest in these last Times for you And who are we that the Thoughts of God should be taken up about us so long ago Jesus Christ hath spared no Pains to accomplish the Work of our Redemption but freely offered himself to this Work Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy Will O God He repented not his Undertaking but was fully contented if Souls may be saved Isa. 53.11 He shall see of the Travail of his Soul and shall be satisfied And the Holy Spirit continueth striving with us though often grieved by our Obstinacy and Disobedience Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not always strive with Man Isa. 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Many a Conviction do we smother and often check and resist his Motions yet he is importunate to prevail with us 2. That our Hearts may be raised to give equal Glory to all the Persons concerned We must honour the Son as we honour the Father as it is expresly said Ioh. 5.23 That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him There is an Honour due to God only not to be given to any other Christ is equal with the Father in participating this Honour he is to have the same Glory of Believing Love Fear and Invocation So also for the Spirit he is an Object of Invocation for as the Apostle wisheth and desireth Love from the Father and Grace from Christ so a liberal Distribution and Communication of Gifts and Graces from the Spirit Now to excite us to give this due Respect to all the Persons every one concurreth in his way to promote our final Happiness and Salvation The Father deserveth this Esteem from us Many think of God the Father as all Wrath and Justice difficult to be reconciled to Man and of the second Person of the Trinity as more gracious and merciful No the Love of God is the Original of our Redemption God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all Rom. 8.32 And God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses to them 2 Cor. 5.19 And the Father himself loveth you John 16.27 Christ came to shew the amiable Nature of God Being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 Then for the Lord Jesus in Christ the Glory and Riches of the Grace of God doth more eminently and palpably appear This is the Contemplation of the Saints Iohn 1.14 And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only-begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Ephes. 3.18 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length and Depth and Height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg that ye might be filled with all the Fulness of God Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy Brethren Partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Iesus Christ. His Grace thus condescending to Men is more eminently seen Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us And Rev. 1.5 To him who loved us and washed us from
away Religion that the want may make us more sensible of the worth of it 5. It bringeth a Scandal and ill report on God in the World Therefore he standeth upon his vindication Micah 6.3 4 5. O my People what have I done unto thee And wherein have I wearied thee Testifie against me For I brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of Servants and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam Oh my People remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted and what Baalam the Son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. That strangers receive him not is not so bad but that a People acquainted with him should cast him out after trial God calleth upon the Mountains and strong foundations of the Earth who keep still their obediential Subjection to their Creatour to witness against the ingratitude and stupidness of his People What injury have we found in God vers 2. Hear O ye mountains the Lords controversy and ye strong foundations of the Earth for the Lord hath a controversy with his People and he will plead with Israel 1. Vse We must neither build the walls of Iericho again nor as much as in us lyeth suffer others to build them Every one in his place is to hinder the work If Religion were uncertain it were another matter But did Christ come to establish the works of the Devil If Joshua saith cursed be he before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this City Jericho If Paul said Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed If others bestir themselves and by clancular and base artifices go to build these Walls again We should be the more Zealous for God Micah 4.5 For all People shall walk in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of our God But what must we do 1. Let us not only profess the true Religion but come under the Power of it The heart is best established by Grace The byas of mens corrupt hearts doth easily prevail against the light of their minds Few are corrupted in opinion but that are first false at heart The regenerate have advantages above other men 1 John 2.20 Ye have an unction from the holy one and know all things Most rotten opinions in the World are against the gust and sense of the new Nature But on the other side Men soon lose their zeal for truth that are addicted to a worldly sensual life Therefore see that Christ's Kingdom be set up in our hearts Luk. 17.21 The Kingdom of God is within you And that there we build not again the things we have destroyed Gal. 2.18 After we have devoted our selves to God we must not fall off from him till Christ's Kingdom be set up in our hearts we shall never sincerely care for his interests in the world For all carnal men seek their own things Men may bustle for a while for the Interest of their several Factions and Opinions but have not a true pure zeal for Christ's Kingdom 2. Let us pray That will do much Christ hath taught us to pray for the coming of his Kingdom Matth. 6.10 Thy Kingdom come David in his penitential Psalm could not forget the welfare of the Church when so deeply concerned as to his own particular for the recovering of his own peace Psal. 51.18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Walls of Sion not of Iericho or Babylon It is God's interest spread it before him 3. Be thankful to God for these deliverances Prayer gets blessings but thankfulness keepeth them For God is careful to preserve them to such who count it a benefit and are mindful of it We have manifold cause to bless God 1. For former deliverance out of the House of Bondage so early 2. That he hath so often defeated the attempts of those who would bring us back thither 3. For the good we have many years injoyed under the Reformed Religion which God hath blessed to the converting strengthening and comforting many a precious Soul 4. For continuing still the liberty of the Gospel and means of Grace under a Protestant King 5. For the quiet we now injoy when other parts of Christendom are are in a combustion we are untouched and injoy safety We are querulous and apt to complain but all things reckoned we have much more cause to give thanks 4. Let such deliverances as this inkindle our Love and Zeal to that Religion which God hath owned and defended Partly because when men are perswaded of the Truth such Providences as these are so many attestations to it Psal 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Partly because God will spue those out of his mouth that are neither hot nor cold Partly because Zeal discourageth the Factours and Abettours of the Kingdom of darkness The Fear of the People restrained the Pharisees 5. Prize the means of Grace and incourage them Iericho's Walls fell by the blast of the Rams-horns This Kingdom falleth by the Preaching of the Gospel 2 Thes. 2.8 Whom the Lord will consume with the Spirit of his mouth Whoever hinders that promotes the Devils Kingdom 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Owls fly in the dark This Kingdom is maintained by Darkness Blindness and Ignorance of the Truth 6. Let us not give incouragement by our Divisions to our adversaries The more we labour for Unity the more we Establish Religion Rom. 16.17 Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrin which ye have Learned and avoid them When Passengers in a boat fall a quarreling and pushing one another they endanger the sinking of the boat When Christ's Army is scattered Antichrist will prevail Keep up the common Christianity it may be peaceful endeavours signifie nothing in a factious and divided â— time yet we must Unite every one in the things that are right and owned by God Jam. 3.17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaecable Provided we touch no unclean thing Here we must separate 2 Cor. 6.17 Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you 7 Recommend Religion by an holy Life Partly because gross sins under the Profession of a Reformed Religion provoke God to remove our Candlestick from us Partly because with all understanding Beholders the Fruits of Love Peace and Holiness will justifie your Religion Matth. 11.19 Wisdom is justified of her Children 8. Practise the Vertues contrary to the Vices of the opposite Kingdom Theirs is a Bloody Religion ours a Meâ—k
one Be zealous to reduce them from their errours Let there be a hatred of Popery and a Pity to Papists a hatred of Abomination but not a hatred of Enmity Prov. 29.27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the Wicked A Sermon Preached November 5. 1676. Micah 6.5 O my People remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the Son of Beor Answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the Righteousness of the Lord. THese words are a part of God's Plea against Israel for their ingratitude in departing from their obedience to him Their backsliding had raised an Evil report upon God as if he were harsh and severe and had not dealt well with them Therefore God justifieth his Providence what injury had he done to them wherein had he wearied them What had they to lay to his charge verse 3. Oh my People what have I done to thee and wherein have I wearied thee Testifie against me The matter concerneth us for the General Sin of this Nation is that we are grown weary of God but we have as little reason as they had injuries he had done none to them but on the contrary vouchsafed many rare and singular favours He instanceth first in his redeeming them from Egypt where they were dealt with as Slaves and Bond-men vers 4. For I brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the House of Servants Surely a deliverance from Spiritual or Temporal Bondage should be an Eternal bond upon us to be for God The Second instance is his Conduct of them in the Wilderness under Moses and Aaron vers 4. And I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam When God giveth a People such Governors both in Church and State who do not only adhere to true Religion but countenance it in others yea set their whole heart to propagate it it is a great mercy not to be forgotten The Third Instance is that in the Text his bringing them into Canaan notwithstanding the designs to root them out by the way O my People remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted c. In which words 1. Observe the matter what is recomended to their remembrance in two things First The Plot betwixt Balak and Balaam Secondly The many good things that fell out between Shittim and Gilgal 2. The End why it is recommended to their remembrance that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. First For the Matter First The plot between Balak and Balaam 1. What Balak consulted how to ruine Israel and bereave them of God's favour and protection Therefore he sent for Balaam to curse them hoping that by this Wizards Inchantments and Predictions the matter would be easie 2. What Balaam Answered 1. Somewhat by way of Prophesie 2. Somewhat by way of Counsel 1. By way of Prophesie he found that to curse Israel was a fruitless endeavour and God over ruled his Tongue to bless them 2. By way of Counsel he perswaded Balak to feast them to induce them to Idolatry and Fornication 2. The Second part of the matter which is commended to their remembrance is what happened between Shittim and Gilgal Shittim was the place where they went astray after Baal-Paeor Numb 25.1 And the place where they did abide until after Moses his Death And from whence Ioshua removed them to Iordan where they passed over to Gilgal and there the Lord renewed his Covenant with them by Circumcision Iosh. 5.2 Therefore the Lord willeth his People here to remember the things that befel them from Skittim to Gilgal What these things were may be seen by the History following 1. Though many warped and committed such hainous whoredoms with Baal-Paeor the State and Body of the Church was still preserved 2. That God led them on dry foot through Iordan and at length brought them into Canaan the Land of promise And 3. there anew confirmeth his Covenant with them And 4. the slaying of Balaam their pernitious enemy in the intervail between their going from Shittim to Gilgal Numb 31.8 Balaam also the Son of Beor they slew with the Sword Secondly The end That ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. It implyeth here both his Mercy and his Fidelity His Mercy which strove with their wickedness and overcame their evil with his goodness His faithfulness in keeping his Covenant and his Promises for though some of the People did Perish for that they fell into this wickedness with Baal-Poeor yet those that cleaved to the Lord remained alive This was just as they were entring into the promised Land Doct. That old Mercies especially National Mercies should not be forgotten that we may know God's uprightness in keeping his Covenant and Gracious Promises 1. I shall give you an account of this Instance of mercy which the Text offereth 2. What observations may be thence deduced 3. Why such kind of mercies should not be forgotten First To give an account of this Instance of Mercy in the Text 1. What Balak consulted Let us state his design for this Plot that he laid was most dangerous and wicked and the most likely to obtain his desire For if he could have obtained from God a Curse upon Israel he might soon have vanquished them There are many ways which the Devils Instruments take to mischief Religion Sometimes by fomenting and promoting divisions among themselves that they may first ruine one another and then become a Prey to their common Adversaries Gal 5.15 If ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another It beginneth in calumniating and defaming one another And then within a while it breaks out into open fewds and that breedeth mischief and persecution The Devil hath an hand in all this And many times his instruments as Sanballat and Tobiah set up a party among the Iews to weaken their hands in the work Nehem. 6. Sometimes by sowing divisions between them and their rulers The Devil knoweth what an advantage it is to Religion to have the countenance of Princes and on the other side how jealous they are of their Authority and Prerogatives Therefore by his instruments he seeketh to prejudice and prepossess them against those that profess Religion in strictness and Power Thus Amaziah the Priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam the King of Israel saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel and the Land is not able to bear all his words Amos 7.10 As if he had inticed the People from their Duty and made them enemies to his Authority And this by clancular insinuation when Amos was neither called nor heard So Saul against David 1 Sam. 24.9 Wherefore hearest thou Mens words saying Behold David seeketh thy hurt So Haman against the Iews Esther 3.8 There is a People scattered abroad and dispersed among the People in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom and their Laws are