think of God and study God but without Weariness Satiety or Distraction Secondly In Blessedness there is a Confluence of all Good To the Happiness of the Creature it is necessary that his Comforts should be full and eternal Psal. 16.11 In thy Presence is Fulness of Ioy and at thy right Hand are Pleasures for evermore 2 Cor. 4.18 The things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal That they may be full for Parts full for the Degrees and the manner of Enjoyment and that they should continue for ever that he may possess this Happiness without fear of losing it let us examine these things 1. He must injoy all Good for the Parts of it the whole Man in all his Relations must be blessed For Man being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable Creature is to be happy not only in his Person but in his Company and Relations so we hope for an Estate when our Persons shall be happy both in Body and Soul conformed to Christ and we shall be blessed in our Company and Relations we are brought into the Presence of God which is Blessedness it self and into the Sight and Fellowship of his blessed Son and into the Company of blessed Angels and Saints First The Happiness of his Person and there both of his Body and his Soul 1 st Of his Body It is good to consider that It is now a Temple of the Holy Ghost and he cannot leave his Mansion and quit his ancient Dwelling-Place and therefore he raiseth it up and formeth it again into a compleat Fashion like to Christ's glorious Body Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile Body that it may be like to his glorious Body for Clarity Agility Strength and Incorruption Solomon's Temple was destroyed but the latter Temple was nothing so glorious as the former Men wept when they saw it Ezra 3.12 But many of the Priests and Levites and chief of the Fathers who were ancient Men which had seen the first House when the Foundations of this House was laid before their Eyes wept with a loud Voice But it is not so here what is raised shall be quite another Body For the present there is to be seen a beautiful Fabrick wherein God hath shewed his Workmanship every Member if it were not so common would be a Miracle all is so ordered for the Service and Comeliness of the whole but now it is a vile Body subject to Diseases fed with Meat humbled with Wants many times mangled with Violence dissolved by Death and crumbled to Dust in the Grave like a dry Clod of Earth This is the Body that we carry about with us a Mass of Flesh dressed up to be a Dish for the Worms Men labour with a great deal of doe by embalming it with Spices to keep it from Putrefaction but all will not serve the turn it moulders at last But this vile Body shall rise in another manner like to Christ's glorious Body When the Sun appeareth the Stars vanish their lustre is eclipsed and darkned But the Sun of Righteousness when he appears at the last Day doth not obscure but perfect our Glory But wherein shall our Bodies be like to Christ's glorious Body The Apostle will tell us that in another Place 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. It is sown in Corruption it is raised in Incorruption it is sown in Dishonour it is raised in Glory it is sown in Weakness it is raised in Power it is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body Let me single out three Expressions it is raised in Incorruption it is raised in Glory it is raised a spiritual Body 1. It is an incorruptible Body Now it yielded to the Decays of Nature and is exercised with Pains and Aches till at length it droppeth down like ripe Fruit into the Grave but hereafter it shall be clothed with Immortality wholly impassible What a Comfort is this to them that are racked with Stone and Gout humbled with Diseases or withered with Age to think they shall have a Body without Aches and without Decays that shall be always in the Spring of Youth The Trees of Paradise are always green 2. It is a glorious Body Here it is many times deformed at least Beauty like a Flower is lost in Sickness withered with Age defaced by the several Accidents of Life but then we shall be glorious like Christ's Body The naked Body of Man at first was so beautiful that the Beasts of the Field admired it and thereupon did Homage to Adam but we shall not be conformed to the first Adam but the second Adam When Christ was transfigured in the Mount it is said Matth. 17.2 His Face did shine as the Sun and his Raiment was white as the Light There was such strong Emissions of the Beams of Glory that they could not indure the Shining of his Garments but it astonished the Disciples his Garments could not vail nor their Eyes indure those Beams of Glory Paul could not indure that Light that shined on him when Christ appeared to him from Heaven but was utterly confounded and struck blind Acts 9.3 4. And as he journied he came near Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a Light from Heaven and he fell to the Earth and heard a Voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me By this you may guess a little what the Glory of our Bodies shall be for we shall be like him Moses by conversing with God forty days the Complexion of his Face was altered so that he was forced to put a Vail upon it In this low Estate in which we are we must make use of these hints If we lose a Limb or a Joint he that healed Malchus his Ear will restore it again 3. It is a Spiritual Body either for Agility caught up into the Air to meet the Lord not clogged as now Or rather because more disposed for spiritual Uses for the Enjoyments and Employments of Grace Here it is a natural Body a great Clog to us it is not a dexterous Instrument to the Soul we are not in a Capacity to bear the new Wine of Glory there it is made more capacious as wide Vessels to contain all that God will give out The Disciples fainted at Christ's Transfiguration Mat. 17.6 And when the Disciples heard it they fell on their Faces and were sore afraid We cannot receive such large Diffusions and Overflowings of Glory as we shall then have every strong Affection and raised Thought doth overset us and causeth Extasy and Ravishment eminent Objects overwhelm the Faculty But there it is otherwise God maketh out himself to us in a greater Latitude and we are more able to bear it 2 dly For the Blessedness of the Soul which is the Heaven of Heaven Our Happiness is called the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 Giving Thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in
to take Care and Thought for our selves It was our Fathers part to preserve us and provide for us to bestow good and keep off the evil But every Man since would have life and his comfort and his safety in his own hands and so much of temporal Happiness as he seeth good There is no way to rectiâ—ie it but to return to our Innocency to mind our Duty and cast our burden on the Lord commending success and events to him 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you And Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thansgiving let our requests be made known unto God upon confidence that his Hand and Providence will not neglect us or any of our concernments 4. Those that are contented with what their Father alloweth When God giveth sufficient to supply our necessities we seek to satisfie our Lusts when God hath done enough and more than enough to evidence his Power Justice Truth and Care of our welfare yet we will not rest on him unless he will subject his Providence to our Will and carnal Affections As the Israelites when miraculously fed miraculously cloathed God kept a Market for them gave them their Supplies not out of Earth but out of the Clouds yet tempted God in their hearts asking meat for their lusts Psal. 78.19 Yea it is said Psal. 106.13 14 They sâ—â—n forâ—at his works they waited not fâ—r his counsâ—l but lusted exceedingly in the wildâ—rness They made haste they forgat his worâ—â— so 't is in the Hâ—brew Carnaâ— desires greatly transport they must have Festival Diet in the Wilderness or they will no longer believe his Power and serve him Thus when Men take the ruling of themselves into their own hands they will not stay till God provide for them but must have their Carnal Desires presently satisfied Matth. 5.5 The meek shall inherit the earth But who are meek They that quietly submit to God's Providence and so they have Food and Raiment and have any time to glorifie God and seek his Kingdom and the Salvation of their Souls let others live in Pomp and Ease It is enough for them to be as God will have them be They are not over-desirous to have Worldly Things or too much dejected and cast down through the want of them But those that are greedy and earnest and covet more than God seeth meet to bestow upon them as they forfeit the Blessing of God's Presence so by enlarging their Desires they make way for their own Discontent when they are not satisfied and so fall into murmuring against God and so into all disquiet of Mind about Earthly Things 2. Improve this Point to moderate and allay your distrustful and distracting Cares And so cometh in the Apostles Exhortation Be content with such things as you have Content is a quiet temper of Mind relying on God's merciful Providence and gracious Promises for such Things as are necessary for us during our Pilgrimage and Passage to Heaven Sometimes it is opposed to Murmuring but I take it here as opposed to distrustful Cares because we have little in a time of Troubles and are like to have less and therefore are full of anxious Thoughts what we shall eat what we shall drink what we shall put on Consider God will not leave you nor forsake you What cannot his Wisdom and Mercy and Power do for you He hath deeply and strongly engaged himself to his People and therefore it should quiet our Minds in all Necessities and Streights See Christ's Arguments Mat. 6.25 26 and 32. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment 1. They had Life from God without any thought of theirs therefore he would provide the Conveniencies of Life God has given Life and framed the Body which was a far greater act of Power and Mercy than giving Food and providing Raiment 2. Other Creatures are provided for without any solicitude of theirs both as to Food and Raiment Vers. 26. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they God that provideth for Birds and Fowls will provide for his Children Men may look for it more than they having ordinary means of Reaping and Sowing and other Trades and ways of Living which the Fowls have not and so are meerly cast on the Care of Providence Man is a more considerable Creature so more liable to God's Care and Providence 3. It is a Pagan Practice to be thoughtful Vers. 32. After all these things do the Gentiles seek 3. Improve it to remove our Fears of Danger So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me They are David's words Psal. 118.6 If God be with us he will help us therefore as Faith prevaileth Fear ceaseth Psal. 16.7 I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night season If our Hearts misgive us God is our Second he will afford Protection when necessary for his glory and our good The Fear of Man is an ordinary Temptation to divert the Godly from their Duty or discourage them in it You may be confident upon such a Promise Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Man can do much he can fine imprison banish reduce to a morsel of Bread yea torture put to death yet as long as God is with us and standeth for us we may boldly say I will not fear what man can do Why Because God will not see them utterly perish He can give us Joy in Sorrow Life in Death A Christian is not afraid because he can set God against Man Temporal Things against Eternal Covenant against Providence 1. God against Man Isa. 51.12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you c. God can change their Hearts Prov. 16.7 When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him He can weaken their Power Iob 12.21 He weakenth the strength of the Mighty Mar. 12.41 Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and can do no more 2. Eternal things against Temporal 2 Cor. 4.16 Our light Affliction for a moment worketh for us an eternal weight of Glory 3. The Covenant against Providence Psal. 73.17 Till I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end A Sermon on 1 THES V. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation IN the Context the Apostle inferreth our Duty from our Profession of Christianity all Christians are taken into a new estate called out of Dâ—rkness into Light
1. Here is represented the State of the Body after Death 2. The State of the Soul 1. The State of the Body it shall be resolved into the Matter out of which it was made Dust it was in its Composition and Dust it shall be in its Dissolution Then shall the Dust return to the Earth as it was 2. The State of the Soul in the other World And the Spirit shall return to God that gave it Where 1 st The Nature of it or what kind of Substance the Soul is it is a Spirit or an immaterial Substance 2 dly The Author of it who is God he gave it he gave us the Body too but the Soul in a more especial manner 3 dly The Disposal of it or in what State it remaineth after Death it returneth to God It is not extinguished when the Body is dissolved into Dust nor doth it vanish into the Air but returneth to God All true Wisdom consisteth in the Knowledg of God and our selves We cannot know our selves unless we know the Parts of which we do consist This Text giveth you a right Notion of them both for it telleth you what they are and what shall become of them They are conjoined but distinct And therefore when the Union betwixt them is dissolved they go several ways We are concerned in them both but more in the Soul which hath the Preheminence above the Body The one is visible and therefore its Changes are known but the other is invisible and therefore more unknown but the State of both is equally certain for as certainly as the Body returneth to the Dust so doth the Soul return to God First For the first Branch Then shall the Body return to the Earth as it was I shall not stay upon it 1. It giveth you the right Notion of the Body it is but Dust moulded up into a comely Shape which is an Effect of God's Wisdom and Power to make such a curious Frame out of the Dust of the Ground We read in the History of the Plagues of Egypt that the Magicians were not able so much as bring forth Lice out of the Dust of the Ground Exod. 8.18 19. But God could raise such a beautiful Structure as Man's Body is But though it speaketh God's Power yet it sheweth our Frailty Our Body is here called Dust it is not Brass or Iron or Stone or stiff Clay but Dust and shall return to the Earth as it was Dust hath no Coherence or Consistence but is easily scattered with every Puff of Wind so is our earthly or dusty Tabernacle with every blast of God's Displeasure Gen. 18.27 Behold now I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord who am but Dust and Ashes Isa. 40.15 Behold the Nations are as a Drop of the Bucket and they are counted as the small Dust of the Ballance 2. What shall become of it It shall return to the Earth as it was Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return Psal. 104.29 Thou takest away their Breath they die and return to their Dust. Psal. 146.4 He returneth to his Earth Which should teach us to take Care for a better Estate 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens The Soul dwelleth now in an earthly House it should look out for a more glorious Mansion Secondly Of the Soul three things are spoken which are so many Arguments to prove its Immortality which is the Subject I mainly intend 1. The kind of it it is a Spirit The Matter of which the Body is made is the Earth and so it is still maintained He bringeth forth Food for them out of the Earth Psal. 104.14 And so breedeth and casteth out Corruption every Day but the Soul is a simple Substance not compounded of corruptible Principles and therefore cannot be resolved into any The Body liveth by the Soul and from the Soul but the Soul dependeth upon nothing but God The Argument is good it is incorporeal and immaterial therefore immortal for Mortality hath Reference to some compounded Substance which hath in it self some Principle and Cause of Motion as well as a material and passive Part that may be moved by that Principle and signifieth no more but a Capacity of the material and passive Part to be deprived of the inward and active Principle of its Motion In short if the Soul die it must be from the Violence of some external Power or some Principles of Corruption within not by Violence without Matth. 10.28 And fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul And it hath no Principles of Corruption whereby it should destroy it self for it is a Spirit 2. The Author God gave it our Bodies are also his Workmanship but the Soul is immediately framed by God both in the first Creation and the continual Propagation of Mankind At the first Creation we read the Body was created out of the Earth or the Dust of the Ground but the Soul out of nothing but immediately breathed into Adam by God Gen. 2.7 And the Lord formed Man out of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became a living Soul And still the Soul is immediately created by God Zech. 12.1 He stretcheth forth the Heavens and laid the Foundation of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him The creating of the Soul is reckoned among the Works of his Omnipotency Heb. 12.9 Furthermore we have had Fathers of our Flesh which corrected us and we gave them Reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits The Fathers of our Flesh are distinguished from the Father of Spirits Our natural Parents under God are the Instruments of our natural and earthly Being as they procured the Matter out of which our Bodies were derived they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fathers of our Flesh but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of our Spirits The Spirit of Man runneth not in the material Channel of fleshly Descent it is not educed out of the Power of the Matter but immediately made by God 3. The Disposal of it When it flitteth out of the Body it returneth to God that is to God as a Judg to be disposed of by him into its everlasting Estate God challengeth Souls as his or belonging to his Government as universal King and Judg of the World Ezek. 18.4 All Souls are mine He will give to every one according to his Works adjudging and sentencing them either to Heaven the Mansion of the Blessed or Spirits of just Men made perfect Heb. 12.23 or to Hell the Place where damned Spirits are kept in Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 He went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison The Body is not said to return to God but to return to the Earth as it was but
acknowledged as the chiefest Good and so if we do not often think of him and delight in Communion with him fear to offend him and care to please him all this is Ungodliness 1. If we do not often think of him if we did not want Hearts we cannot want Objects to put us in mind of God He is not far from every one of us Acts 17.27 But though God be not far from us yet we are far from God and though he be every-where where we walk lie and sit yet he is seldom found in our Hearts We are not so near to our selves as God is to us Who can keep his Breath in his Body for a minute if God were not there But though he be present with us we are not present with him There 's usually too great a distance between him and our Thoughts God is round about us in the Effects of his Power and Goodness yet afar off in regard of our Hearts and the workings of our Spirits Psal. 10.4 God is not in all his Thoughts O consider how many there are that live upon God that have daily and hourly maintenance from him yet regard him not Wicked Men abhor their own Thoughts of God and hate any savoury Speech and Mention of his Name Look as the Devils believe and tremble the more they think there is a God the more is their Horror encreased thus do carnal Hearts and therefore they do all they can to drive God out of their Mind How many Trifles do occupy our Mind we muse of nothing unless it be of Vanity it self but God can seldom find any room there we would fain banish God out our Minds When David beheld God's Works and looked upon the Creation he cried out Psal. 104. 34. My Meditation of him shall be sweet O it is the Spiritual Feast and Entertainment of a gracious Soul to think of God! We cannot put our Reason to a better use None deserves our Thoughts more than God who thought of us before the World was and still thinks of us Saith David Psal. 139.17 How precious also are thy Thoughts unto me O God! How great is the sum of them It is a great part therefore of Ungodliness and Ingratitude not to present God with so reasonable a Service as a few Thoughts not to turn the Thoughts and set the Mind a-work upon the Glory Excellency and Goodness of God that is every-where present to our Eye 2. We do not honour him as the chiefest Good if we do not delight in Communion with him Friends love to be often in one another's Company and certainly if we did value and prize God we would say It is good to draw nigh to God Psal. 73.28 We would preserve a constant Acquaintance between him and us God hath appointed two Ordinances to preserve Acquaintance between him and the Soul the Word and Prayer which are as it were a Dialogue and interchangeable Discourse between God and the Creature In the Word he speaks to us and in Prayer we speak to him He conveys his Mind to us in the Word and we ask his Grace in Prayer In Prayer we make the Request and in the Word we have God's Answer In Prayer we come to inform God with our Wants and seek for his Grace and God answers by his Word to Salvation Well then when Men neglect publick or private Prayer or fit and meet Opportunities of Hearing they are guilty of Ungodliness for so far they break off Communion with God especially if they neglect Prayer that is a Duty to be done at all times a sweet Diversion which the Soul injoys with God in private it is that which answers to the daily Sacrifice and therefore it is said Psal. 14.2 They seek not God and ver 4. They do not call upon the Lord. When Men are loth to come into God's Presence whether it be out of Love to Ease or carnal Pleasure when Men care not though God and they grow strange and seldom hear from one another this is Ungodliness Our Comfort and Peace lies in Access to God So for Family-Worship when God is neglected in the Family it is a Sign Men do not delight in God as the chiefest Good Many Families call not upon God's Name Ier. 10.25 Pour out thy Fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name From one End of the Week to another there is no Prayer or Worship in the Family the House that should be a Church is made a Sty yea there is not a Swine about the House but is better regarded than God Morning and Evening they shall have their Attendance but God is neglected and not worshipped 3. If we do not fear to offend God will be served with every Affection Love is of use in the spiritual Life so is Fear 2 Cor. 7.1 Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God They are both of great Use Love sweetens Duties and Fear makes us watchful against Sin Love is the doing Grace and Fear is the conserving or keeping Grace and therefore this is the Honour that God constantly expects from us that we should always walk in his Fear O think of the pure Eyes of his Glory that are upon us Eccles. 12.13 Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man that is the Sum of all practical Godliness The internal Root of all Duty and Worship is a holy filial Fear and reverent Awe of God when as obedient Children we dare not grieve God nor affront him to his Face as Ahasuerus said concerning Haman Esther 7.8 Will he force the Queen also before me in the House God is always a Looker on and can we grieve our good God when he directly looks upon us But now when you are secure and careless and sin freely in Thought and foully in Act and without any Remorse you deny God his Fear Fear is a Grace of continual Use we cannot be always praying or praising God or imployed in Acts of solemn Worship and special Communion with him but we must be always in the Fear of God You have not done with God when you have left your Requests with him in the Morning you must fear him all the Day long Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the Fear of the Lord all the Day long A Man hath done with his Devotion in the Morning but he hath not done with God A Man should think of him all the Day long in the Shop in the Streets especially when Corruptions arise and we are tempted to Folly and Filthiness or any unworthy Act remember God looks on Thus must we be in the Fear of God continually rise in Fear walk in Fear feed in Fear and trade in Fear it is a Grace never out of Season 4. If we do not care to please him it is Ungodliness If we make it our Work and the Drift of our Lives to find out what may
Gospel of all the Prophets there was not a greater than Iohn the Baptist he was fed with Locusts and wild Honey therefore mortify Pleasure 3. By Custom this Sin is rooted and so hardly lest because it doth not only pervert the Constitution of the Soul but the Constitution of the Body Now when the Body is unruly as well as the Affections Grace hath more to struggle with A Man that hath habituated himself to carnal Pleasure because his Body is distempered and perverted is not so soon healed That 's the reason that when the Apostle speaks of Meats and Drinks 1 Cor. 6.12 he saith he will not be brought under the Power of any So again when Men are given to Wine it is their Custom and rooted Disposition therefore avoid not only the gross Act but the very Beginning that it may not be a settled Distemper Whenever you take Pleasures they should be used with fear It is the Charge the Spirit of God commenceth against those Iude v. 12. Feeding themselves without fear Mark it is not enough for your acquitment that you do not drink to Drunkenness or feed to actual Excess and Distemper but suffer it not to be a rooted Disposition in your Hearts for then it will be hardly left Austin speaks of his own Experience in this kind Ebrietas longe à me est crapula autem nonnunquam subrepit servo tuo Lord I was never a Drunkard it is far from me but Gluttony creeps upon me unawares and so hinders me from the Duties of the Spiritual Life The Throat is a slippery Place and needs to be guarded with much Watchfulness and Care lest this Distemper be rooted in the Heart Iob sacrificed while his Sons were feasting chap. 1.5 For Job said It may be that my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their Hearts In all these things should we use much caution 2 dly The next Particular the Apostle mentions is the Lusts of the Eye or Covetousness This is an Evil very natural to us and we cannot be watchful enough against the Encroachments of the World We need it in part and we love it more than we need it Worldliness is a Branch of Original Sin it is a Disease we are born with The Tenth Commandment that forbids Original Sin saith Thou shalt not covet The Best find Temptations this way We are daily conversant about the things of the World and we receive a Taint from those things with which usually we converse we find by Experience that long Converse is a bewitching thing Again the World is a thing of present Enjoyment we have the World in Hand and Heaven in Hope The Judgment of Carnal Men is quite different from the Judgment of the Word The Word of God counts the World to be but a Fancy and an Apparition and Heaven to be the only Substance Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine Eyes upon that which is not It is not in comparison of better things And the Fashion of this World passeth away 2 Cor. 7.31 But Prov. 8.21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit Substance Heaven is the durable Substance this is the Judgment of the Word but wicked Men think quite otherwise We have sensible Experience of the Profits of the World and therefore we judg thus perversly and call it durable Riches and Heaven but a meer Fancy to make Fools fond withal Besides Worldliness is a serious thing it doth not break out into any foul Act therefore it is applauded by Men. Psal. 10.3 The Wicked boasteth of his Heart's Desire and blesseth the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth We think well of it at least we stroke it with a gentle Censure A Drunkard is more liable to Reproach and Shame than a Worldling Worldliness is consistent with the gravity and strictness of Profession and therefore above all Corruptions it is usually found amongst them that profess Religion but dissoluteness of Luxury will not stand with that external Gravity and Strictness which the Profession of Religion requires Licentious Persons procure shame to themselves and are publickly odious but now this being a serious Sin and possibly it may win the Soul from other Vices therefore we indulge it the more Again it is a cloaked Sin the Apostle speaks of the Cloak of Covetousness 1 Thess. 2.5 It is a hard matter to discover and find it out there are so many Evasions necessary Providence and Provision for our Families is a Duty and it is a Duty enforced by Nature and Grace Here Men evade the Charge of Covetousness they think their carking is justified as being no more than the prudent management of their Affairs But consider it is an Evil which the Lord hates Covetousness bewrays it self by an immoderate care after the things of this Life immoderate Desire and immoderate Delight 1. By an immoderate Care after worldly Comforts When we are so sollicitous about outward Supports what we shall do and what will become of us that is a sure sign of a worldly Heart We dare not trust God's Providence but cark our selves Luke 12.29 And seek ye not what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink neither be ye of doubtful Mind The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Do not hang like a Meteor in the Air hovering between Heaven and Earth between Doubts and Fears This is to take God's Work out of his Hands as the Care of the Son is a Reproach of the Father It is a sign we dare not trust God's Providence but will be our own Carvers we reprove and tax his Providence as if he were not sollicitous enough for us Obj. But must we not be careful and provident I answer 1. Do your present Work and for the future leave it to God God would have us look no farther than the present day provided we do not embezel our Estate by idle Projects or in carnal Pleasures or wasteful Profusion and provided we be not negligent in our Calling Let us do our Work and let God alone for future Times It is a Mercy God would have our Care look no farther than the present day Mat. 6.34 Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof God is very careful of Man's Welfare he hath made carking a Sin he might have left it as a Punishment Every day hath Trouble enough for our Exercise and that 's as much as God hath required 2. It is bewrayed by an immoderate Desire The Temper of the Heart is very much discovered by the Current and Stream of the Desires As the Temper of the Body is known by the beating of the Pulses so is the Temper of the Soul by the Course of the Desires Or as Physicians judg of the Patient by his Appetite so may you judg of your Spirits by your Desires how they are carried out whether to Heavenly Things and the Enjoyment of God or to the World A carnal frame of Spirit will be known by an unsatisfied Thirst and the ravenousness of the Desires when they
the Sons of God All now is under a Vail your Christ your Life your Glory is hid Our Persons are hid under Obscurity and Abasement Col. 3.3 4. Your Life is hid with Christ in God but when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory Look as Moses told those Rebels when they would level the Officers of the Church Numb 16.5 To Morrow the Lord will shew who are his So when once the Night of Death is past over to Morrow when we awake out of the Dust of the Grave then Christ the natural Son will appear in all his Royalty and Glory as the great God and Saviour of the World and then also the adopted Sons shall be manifested we shall put on our best Robes and be apparell'd with Glory even as Christ is In Winter the Tree appears not what it is the Life and Sap is hid in the Root but when Summer comes all is discovered So now a Christian he is under a Vail but in this great Day all shall be manifested 2. It is a Day of Perfection Every thing tends to its perfect State and so doth Grace We see the little Seed that lies under Ground breaks through the Clods and works its way farther because it is not come to the Flower and Perfection So Grace still tends and longs for Perfection then we shall have perfect Holiness and perfect Freedom Christ to the glorified Saints will be a perfect Saviour Death which is a Fruit of Sin is still continued upon the Body therefore Christ is but a Saviour in part to the Spirits of just Men made perfect but then the Body and Soul shall be united and perfectly glorified that we might praise God in the Heavens Christ's Coming is to make an End of his Redemption of what he hath begun At first he came to redeem our Souls and break the Power of Sin but then he comes to redeem our Bodies from the Hand of the Grave and from the Power of Corruption the one is done by Humiliation and Abasement the other by Power The Scripture speaks as if all our Privileges in Christ were imperfect till that Day Regeneration Adoption Union with Christ they suffer a kind of Imperfection till then Regeneration the Day of Judgment is called by that Name Matth. 19.28 In the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on the Throne of his Glory Then all things are made new Heaven and Earth is new Bodies new Souls new Then Adoption is perfect Rom. 8.23 Waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies What is the meaning of the Apostle's Expression As soon as we are planted into Christ are we not the Sons of God Yes now we are Sons but the Heir is handled as a Servant during his Non-age 1 Iohn 3.2 Beloved now we are the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be we wait for the Adoption Justification that is perfect then Acts 3.19 Repent therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the times of Refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord Then our Pardon shall be proclaimed in the Ears of all the World and we shall have Absolution out of Christ's own Mouth then shall we come to understand what it is that the Lord saith I will remember your Sins no more and your Iniquity shall be blotted out Then for Redemption Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the Day of Redemption Luke 21.28 Look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh O how doth the Captive long for his Liberty so should we long for that Day for it is the Day of our Redemption Now the Body is a Captive and when the Soul is set at Liberty the Body is held under the Chains of Death Ay but then Christ comes to loosen the Bands and Shackles of the Grave and free the Bodies of the Saints Look as the Butler was not afraid when he was sent for by Pharaoh because Ioseph had assured him he should be set at Liberty So Christ comes to set you fully at Liberty not only the Soul but the Body Therefore to think and speak of that Day with Horror doth ill become them that expect such Perfection of Privileges to be acquitted before all the World and to be crowned with Christ's own Hands 3. It is a Day of Congregation or gathering together The Saints are now scattered they live in divers Countries Towns and Houses and cannot have the Comfort of one another's Society But then all shall meet in one Assembly and Congregation It is said Psal. 1.5 The Vngodly shall not stand in Iudgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous There will be a time when Christ's Church shall be gathered all together into one Place As the Stars do not shine in a Cluster but are dispersed throughout the Firmament for the Comfort and Light of the World so are the Saints scattered up and down in the World according as they may be useful for God but then when the four Winds shall give up their Dead and the Saints shall be gathered from all the Corners of the World this shall be the great Rendezvouz Look as the Wicked shall be herded together as Straw and Sticks are bound in a Bundle that they may set one another a fire Drunkards with Drunkards Adulterers with Adulterers and Thieves with Thieves Matth. 13.40 41 42. As therefore the Tares are gathered and burnt in the Fire so shall it be in the End of the World The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do Iniquity And shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be Wailing and gnashing of Teeth The Wicked shall be sorted with Men like themselves and so increase one another's Torment so shall all the World of the Godly meet in one Assembly and Congregation and never separate more In this Life we cannot injoy one another's Fellowship for divers Reasons God hath Service for us in divers Countries but such a happy time shall come when we shall all make but one Body therefore the Saints are still groaning and longing for that happy Day we for them and they for us not only the Saints upon Earth that are left to conflict with Sin and Misery but the Saints in Heaven are still groaning as the Souls under the Altar Rev. 6.9 10. How long O Lord Holy and True Look as those in a Ship-wrack that have gotten to the Shore stand longing and looking for their Companions So glorified Saints that have gotten safe to Shore still they are longing and looking when the Body of Christ shall be made perfect and all the Saints shall meet in one solemn Assembly This is the Communion between us and the Saints departed they long for our Company as we do for theirs Here the Tares are
for her Purification given her at the King 's Cost Nay it is danger to neglect him Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven It is God wooeth you he will take you with nothing you bring him nothing but Necessity but he will pay all your Debts Nay nothing can hurt you as long as he is on your side Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us Do not leave then till you can say as Thomas Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Take him but give him the Honour of a God Adoration Invocation Faith and Love Vse 3. Direction 1. If we would see God let us look on Christ as we look on the Sun in a Basâ—n of Water Christ is the Character of his Father's Person Heb. 1.3 Who is the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person 2. If we would see Sin without Horror and Despair let us look on Christ all the heavenly Powers could not bring us into favour with God again Secondly For the Title of Mercy and Love Christ is a Saviour as well as the great God How is Christ the Saviour Take it thus Positively as well as Privatively he doth not only free us from Misery but gives us all spiritual Blessings Ephes. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ. As he frees us from Misery so he gives us everlasting Life John 3.16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Then he is a Saviour not only by way of Deliverance but by way of Prevention he doth not only break the Snare but keeps our Feet from falling he not only cures our Diseases as a Physician when we are sick but he leads guides and keeps us as a Shepherd We do not take notice of preventive Mercy How many times might we fall if we had not a Saviour Prevention is better than Escape better never meet with Danger than be delivered out of Danger There is an invisible Guard we are not sensible of it but the Devil knows and is sensible of it Iob 1.10 Thou hast made an Hedg about him and about his House and about all that he hath on every side Again he is a Saviour by way of Merit and by way of Power not only to rescue us from Satan but to redeem us to God If a Man would deliver a condemned Person it is not enough to take him by force out of the Executioner's hands but he must satisfy the Judg. Thus hath Christ done not only delivered us from the Power of Darkness but God in Christ is well-pleased he hath satisfied his Father's Wrath. Again before his Exaltation he redeemed us then he deserved our Salvation and afterwards he works our Salvation When he was upon Earth he was a Saviour by Merit therefore it is said we have Salvation by his Death 1 Thess. 5.9 God hath not appointed us unto Wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ who died for us And after his Exaltation he works out our Salvation and so we are saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Living and dying he is ours that so living and dying we might be his Again he saves not only for a while so as we might be lost afterwards but for ever therefore it is called eternal Salvation Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him He saves us not only from Temporal Misery but from Hell and Damnation he saves not only the Body but the Soul Nay he saves not only from Hell but the very fear of it Heb. 2.15 And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to Bondage He not only delivers us from the hurt of Death but the fear of it He doth not only give us Heaven but Hope and frees us from Bondage and Despair He not only saves us from the Evils after Sin but from the Evil of Sin So Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his Name Iesus for he shall save his People from their Sins and there is the chief Point of his Salvation In short he not only saves us in part but to the utmost Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him He not only gives us Grace at first but all things that are necessary to Life and Godliness Vse 1. Bless God for Christ that he hath taken the care of our Salvation into his own Hands he would not trust an Angel with it none was fit for it but him Isa. 59.16 He saw and there was no Man and wondred that there was no Intercessor therefore his Arm brought Salvation unto him and his Righteousness it sustained him Christ did as it were look down from Heaven and say Alas there are poor Creatuâ—es like to perish for want of a Saviour I will go down and help them my self Look as when Ionah saw the Storm he said Take me up and cast me into the Sea and then shall the Sea be calm to you Jonah 1.12 So when the Lord Christ saw the Tempest raised he said Cast me into the Sea Lo I come to do thy Will O God Heb. 10.9 The Storm was raised for Ionah's sake but we raised the Storm and yet Christ would be cast in to appease it Therefore bless God for Christ. Vse 2. Get an Interest in him O be not quiet till you are able to say Our Saviour You can take no Comfort in the great God until the next Title follows and you can call Christ your Saviour but that is matter of Joy and Comfort Luke 1.46 47. My Soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour But what shall we do that we may apply this 1. Reject all other Saviours Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 Mark when God threatned a Deluge to sweep away the old World there was no Safety but in the Ark if the World had devised other Ships yet they would not hold out against the Flood So whatever you do unless you close with Christ and are grafted and implanted into Christ as Members of his Body for he is only the Saviour of his Body you are not safe But especially take heed of making a Saviour of Self that we are wont to set up instead of Christ of setting up the Merit of thy Works and the Power of thy Nature the one renounceth the Humiliation of Christ the other his Exaltation Be at a loss till you close with Christ for Christ came to seek and to save that which
Judgment and Hell are a part of our Bondage But now what cause have we to bless God Rom. 8.1 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Then to be under the Power of Sin is a woful Bondage to be at the beck of every Lust and carnal Suggestion Men rejoice in their Bondage they think there is no such Life as to live at large and to do as we list but the more liberty we take in Sin the greater Slavery the Work is Drudgery and the Reward is Death Sin hath reigned unto Death Rom. 5.21 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption for of whom a Man is overcome of the same is he brought into Bondage It is the saddest Judgment to be given up to our own Will to be given up to Satan to be given up to Self What a Slavery is this when we see Mischief and know not how to avoid it Conscience is held a Prisoner we cannot see a Vanity but the Heart lingereth after it and groweth sick as Ahab for Naboth's Vineyard Duties of Godliness are esteemed an heavy Task the Law of God is impelling to Duty and the Law of Sin impelling to Evil. What Thanks is due to God for delivering us from so great a Bondage Vse 2. To press us to avoid Sin Mortify the Lust and prevent the Action let it not reign in the Heart nor be discovered in the Life and Conversation Christ died that the Body of Sin might be destroyed Rom. 6.6 And he died to redeem us from our vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Consider when Sin remains in its Power and while you serve Sin what Dishonour you do to God and what Disadvantage it is to your selves 1. The Dishonour you do to God to all the Persons in the Godhead To the Father by making void the whole Plot of Redemption This was the eternal Project and Design as it were of God the Father the wise Counsel his Wisdom found out to remedy the Fall of Man Jesus Christ was ordained before all Worlds to redeem us from our vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World The Lord projected this way of Restitution from all Eternity that this Course should be taken to destroy Sin Now will you go about to make all this void Then you wrong God the Son and that many ways You disparage the worth of his Price as if it was not sufficient to purchase Grace and so seek to put your Redeemer to shame Nay you disparage the Purity of his Person for you were redeemed with the Blood of Christ as a Lamb without spot and blemish Nay you disparage the Greatness and Extremity of his Sufferings It cost him dear to purchase Grace and Deliverance from Sin and you slight it and make nothing of it Then you rob him of the Greatness of his Purchase he bought us with this great Price that we might not be our own and live to our Lusts. Such as are bought with Money are theirs who bought them 1 Cor. 6.20 For ye are bought with a Price therefore glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit which are his Did Christ pay our Debts and shall we like desperate Prodigals do nothing but encrease them by our Sin Then you disparage the Holy Ghost the Spirit whom Christ doth shed abroad to accomplish his Work 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty The great Work of the Holy Ghost is to free us from the Bondage of Sin Have you the Assistance of such a Spirit and can you not resist carnal Motions And are you taken with every vain Delight a Fashion a sensual Bait Thus consider what a dishonour it is to God to let Sin live if Christ died to redeem us You do as much as in you lieth to defeat the Project of God the Father the Purchase of the Son and the Work of the Spirit 2. It is a Disadvantage to your selves You cut off your own Claim and declare you have no Interest and Share in Christ if Sin live for he came to redeem us from Iniquity We cannot have an Interest in any part of Christ's Redemption till this be for all these go together God's Anger is not appeased the Devil's Power is not restrained the Law 's Curse is still in force as long as Sin lives You can have no Comfort if you be not freed from Sin the Wrath of God is against you and Hell is your Portion nay if you are not redeemed from all Sin for he redeems us from all Iniquity A Bird that is tied by the Leg may make a shew of escape but it is fast enough So though many may abstain from gross Sins for they that commit such shew plainly they are acted by the Spirit of the Devil yet if one Sin remains unmortified it enthralleth as well as many but if it reigns in the Soul you have no Interest in Christ. Object You will say Why should we mortify what should we trouble our selves about this Christ hath done all this Answ. No Christ hath redeemed us from all Iniquity but his Redemption doth not make void but oblige our Endeavours for he undertook as God's Surety that Sin should be destroyed and as our Surety that we should not serve Sin Rom. 6.6 Our Old Man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin There 's a Work on God's part he undertook for the pouring out of Grace and on our part that we should be watchful and strive against Sin and watch against all Occasions of it And he hath given us encouragement so to do Non pugna sublata est sed Victoria It is not the Conflict against Sin that is taken away by Christ but the Victory of Sin Look as when the Israelites had a Promise that God would give their Enemies into their Hands the meaning was not that they should not strike a Stroke but they were to fight the Battels of the Lord So when Christ hath redeemed us from Iniquity yet we are to use all spiritual means of Mortification to subdue the Lusts and to prevent the Act of Sin It will be our great Condemnation when we have so much help that still Sin should remain Certainly he is very lazy that will not ply the Oar that hath both Wind and Tide on his side And when the Lord Christ hath purchased Grace and the Spirit yet we will not endeavour against Sin Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again in the Yoke of Bondage Gal. 5.1 Vse 3. Direction When-ever you are troubled with your Sins and Lusts are too hard for you go to Christ. It is his Office to redeem you from your Iniquity and the Tyranny of Sin Therefore when you feel any Corruption stir go and complain to him as Paul did I cannot do the things
the World God created all things by his Word Psal. 33.9 He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast This whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth which we now behold with wonder was made with a Word And mark God's creating Word and Word of Promise do not differ they are both the Word of God and there is as much Force and Power in this Word I will take away the Heart of Stone as there was in this Word Let there be Light There is as much Power in this Sentence I will make your vile Bodies to be like to Christ's glorious Body as there was in that Word Let there be a Firmament God's Word was powerful enough to make a World when it was nothing before All the Works of God subsist by the Force of his Word Heb. 1.3 Vpholding all things by the Word of his Power It is but for God to say Let it continue let it be and either are accordingly One Word is enough to undo the World and one Word is enough to uphold and preserve it God's Word is the Declaration of his Almighty and powerful Will whatever he did in the World he did it by his Word Therefore if you have this immutable Ground if God hath deposited and plighted his Word you have enough to establish strong Consolation for it is powerful to all Purposes and Intents whatsoever 2. Consider the Certainty of it When the Word is gone out of God's Mouth it shall not be recalled The Lord prizeth his Faithfulness above all things The Scripture must be fulfilled whatever Inconveniences come of it Mark the whole Course of Providence and you will find that God is very tender of his Word he valueth it above all his Works Luke 21.33 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my VVords shall not pass away God is not so tender of Heaven and Earth but that he will break it all to pieces rather than not make good his Word though it be a curious Frame and Fabrick in which he hath displayed much of his Glory yet that shall be dissolved Heaven and Earth do only continue till all that is prophesied of in the Word be fulfilled We shall enjoy the Comfort of his Word in Heaven when all these things are melted away with a fervent Heat Nay which is more God valueth his Word above the humane Life of Christ his own Son If God passed his Word for it his Son who was the Delight of his Soul equal to him in Glory must come from Heaven take a Body and suffer a cruel Death Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy Will O God Psal. 40.7 God had passed his Word to the Church that it should be so therefore rather than he would go back from his Word he sent Christ to die for a sinful World There was no Promise of more difficulty for God to grant nor for us to believe than this of the Incarnation and Death of Christ yet rather than go back from his Word Christ must come and die an accursed and shameful Death Secondly The main thing is what ground of Consolation we have in God's Oath And there I shall I. Shew the Reasons why God gives us his Oath over and above his Word II. The several Advantages which we have by his Oath in Believing I. For the Reasons why God should give this Oath An Oath you know is given in Matters doubtful Philo saith An Oath is given for the manifestation of a Matter which is secret and doubtful and which cannot otherwise be determined To swear in Things apparent and Matters clear is to take the Name of God in vain All Matters which are clear are otherwise decided Matters of Opinion by Argument Matters of Fact by Testimony Matters of Promise by the single Word of the Party that promises if he be a Person of Honour and Credit but always an Oath supposes some Doubt and Controversy that cannot otherwise be determined And so much the Apostle intimates when he says Heb. 6.16 It is the End of all Strife or Controversy Well then God's Promises being of such absolute Certainty why doth the Lord deposite his Oath with the Creature since his single and bare Word is enough I answer the Matter it self needs it not but only in regard of us We look upon the Promises with doubtful Thoughts there is a Controversy between God and us we have hard Thoughts of God as if he would not be so good as his Word therefore his Oath is given not to shew the Doubtfulness of the thing that is sworn but the Greatness of our Unbelief Austin saith Est exprobatio quaedam infidelitatis nostrae God hereby upbraids us with our Unbelief when he gives us an Oath for the Confirmation of any Matter Briefly God's Oath is given us for two Reasons to shew us the Certainty and to shew us the Excellency of our Priviledges in Christ. Reason 1. To shew us the Certainty of our Privileges in Christ. The World makes it a Controversy and doubtful matter whether Christ came to die for Sinners yea or no whether God will save those that take Sanctuary at Christ God saith Ay and we say No and how shall the matter be decided Observe it and you will find that there are two things which we are apt to suspect in God his good Affection in making the Promise and his Truth in keeping the Promise We suspect his good Affection especially when we are in Pangs and Gripes of Conscience and we suspect his Truth in Straits and Difficulties whenever in the Course of God's Providence we are cast into such a Condition that we think he hath forgotten his Promise Now the Lord might be highly offended with us for those wicked Thoughts we entertain of his Majesty but in a gracious Condescention he is pleased to put an End to the Controversy by an Oath As if the Lord had said Do you doubt of this Will you put me to my Oath Here I am ready to take it and that the matter may no longer remain in Suspence I sware by my Life by my Holiness by whatever you count sacred and excellent in me That whoever among you whatever he be that is touched with a Sense of his Sin and Misery by Nature if he will run to Christ for Refuge take Sanctuary in Christ if he doth belong to my unchangeable Purposes of Grace I will surely without miscarrying bring him to a sure and eternal Possession of Glory and for the present I will be a Father to him and guide him and keep him as the Apple of mine Eye I will be his present Help his Guardian his Counsellor during the whole time of his Aboad in the World where he is only liable to Dangers This was the matter in Controversy and this is the Substance of God's Oath And I shall shew you how apt we are to distrust God in all this We suspect as I said either his good
hard for the Lord And this answered Ier. 32.17 There is nothing too hard for God The Affirmative is in the Text And Matth. 19.26 With God all things are possible And the Negative which binds it the more strongly is in Luke 1.37 With God nothing shall be impossible The General is in the Text All things are possible with God and the Particular is in Iob 42.2 I know that thou canst do every thing So that the Power of God is not only propounded in the Lump but particularly parcelled out Certainly God is Almighty 2. I shall prove it by Reason First The Creation of the World shews it The Apostle tells us Rom. 1.20 That 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 If you will know what God is look upon his Creatures Every Creature that hath past his hand hath some prints and some stamp upon it that may discover God his Godhead and his Power that is the most visible thing seen in the Creation His Wisdom and Goodness is seen in the Creation but his Power lyes upward and the most Natural Notion that we have of God is God Almighty God made all the things that are seen and more than are seen He that made all things is Omnipotent and can do whatever is possible to be done Creatures only can do what is possible to be done in their own kind A Man is one kind of Creature an Angel is another both have their Essence limited Man can do things belonging to a Man an Angel can do all things belonging to an Angel but God made all things and therefore he can do all things In short He that stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain Isa. 40.22 He that handles the great Ocean as a Child newly come out of the Womb he that appointed the Clouds a garment thereof and thick darkness a swâ—â—â—ing-band for it Job 38.8 9. He that hangs the Earth upon nothing Job 26.7 What cannot he do The Earth that vast and ponderous Body has nothing to support it but the fluid Air that will not so much as support a Pin or Feather It hangs like a Ball in the midst of the Heavens where are the Pillars and Props that suâ—taiâ— this mighty Mass It is upheld by nothing but the Power of God And for the manner of making How did he make all things By his Word This great Builder needed no Instruments and Tools Heb. 11.10 Whose Builder and Maker is God He commanded and they were created Psal. 48.5 What more easie than a word One asks what is become of the Tools and Engines wherewith God made the World Tully brings in a Philosopher disputing against the Creation of the World with what Spade did God dig the Sea where was the Trowel wherewith he arched the Heavens and the Line and Plummer by which he laid forth the Foundations of the Earth There was nothing but his 〈◊〉 that brought all things out of the Womb of nothing This is the Omnipoâ—â—â—â— the Glorious God that can do all things And then Ex parte termini he brought all things out of nothing which Philosophers could not so much as conceive how it should be done What a large stride and gap is there between Being and Not being He that out of meer nothing brought forth all this World certainly nothing can be too hard for him A Man cannot work without Materials and preparations to his work but God works when he hath nothing to work upon As long as the Creatures endure as long as Heaven and Earth stands which is a Monument of God's Power we need not doubt of his Alsufficiency and therefore in difficult and hazardous Case the Scripture referrs us to God as a Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the 〈◊〉 of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator Why as unto a Creator At that time they carried their Lives in their hands they had nothing to subsist upon no visible Interests to defend them Well go on chearfully in well-doing and commit your selves to him that can work all things out of nothing your Souls that is your Lives put your Lives into the Creator's hands There may be something of Love in the Expression he that Created you will take care of you and there is also something of Power implyed they had but only from day to day and then he bids them â—rust in God as a Creator So Psal. 124.8 Our help is in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Whilst you see Heaven and Earth doubt not of God he hath noâ— lost nor spent his Power He that made Heaven and Earth is as ready and as able to work as he did at first Thô a Potter it is Basil's Sâ—miâ—â—â—de make a thousand Vessels his Art is not lessened by the making but encreased rather So whatever God doth he doth not spend by giving his Power is the same and his Word is as mighty as ever He spoke and it was 〈◊〉 he commanded and it stood fast Psal. 33.9 and that when there was nothing to work on The Will and the Word of God what mighty things can they do He can do the greatest things without any visible Means things are done in the World and no Body can tell how or by what So the Apostle tells us that he still acts according to his mighty Power which he wrought in the Creation 1 Cor. 1.28 God hath chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that are not to bring to nought things that are God will ever Triumph over humane Improbabilities and will have no Flesh to despair because of the smallness of the means or to glory in his sight because of the greatness of them for he doth all things and that by his mighty Power Rom. 4.17 His Creating Power is there again alluded to He calleth those things that are not as thô they were As when God created the World he spoke Light out of Darkness and so still when he finds nothing to work upon he calls things that are not as thô they were speaking of fulfilling his Promises to Abraham So he works Grace in the Hearts of his People according to his Creating Power 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. So that Nature well considered is a great help to Grace when we consider the Creation and busie our Thoughts therein it helps us more to enlarge the Power of God in our Apprehensions Secondly As Creation so Providence shews it Take it either for God's External or Internal Providence 1. His External Providence preserving all things in their proper Place and for their proper Use Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power All things
the midst of Difficulties such a fickle and such a changeable Creature as Man is how can that be 1 Pet. 1. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation The Power of God is engaged for our Defence So for Temporal Difficulties when we see no means no likelihood to escape yet we are not thoughtful of this matter for 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 In Death when we go to the Grave to moulder into dust and rottenness then to look upon the Morsels of Worms as parcels of the Resurrection what shall uphold and support our Hearts in waiting upon God for this Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subà ne all things unto himself The Scripture still referrs us to the mighty Power of God whereby he can subdue and cause all to fall under him The Destruction of Antichrist and Enemies of the Church who are supported by great and strongly combined Interests how can that ever be hoped for Rev. 18.8 Her plagues shall come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her and that is the greatest Cordial of the Soul The Life of Faith lyes in the Belief of God's Power and All-sufficiency He can raise up the Church from her low Condition and all without any means when all is dry Bones then God can put Life into his People 2. To encourage us in Obedience it is good to believe and improve the Power of God 1. That we may carry it more humbly and more dutifully 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God This is that which begets a deep awe and reverence of his Majesty Shall we not submit to that God that is able to crush us O therefore let us Study to please him in all things When you sin you bid deâ—iance to the Almighty and enter into the Lists with God and provoke him to jealousie 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he Do you know what it is to dash against God and Contest with God He that is Almighty is the most desirable Friend or the most dreadful Adversary and therefore humble your selves and carry it dutifully towards him Every one would be in with the Almighty Be sure to keep in with the Lord Deut. 10.17 For the Lord our God is a God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward Will you provoke him and dare him to his Face 2. To keep us upright in Obedience without Warping and using any Carnal shifts Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect God alone is enough to you The Reason why we so often step out of the way is because we do not believe God to be Almighty that he is more able to defend than Man to hurt Even God's own Children may warp for want of a sound belief of this Abraham saved himself by a Lye because he would not trust God with his Preservation Gen. 20.11 Moses was backward to do the Lord's Message Exod. 4.13 as if God could not bear him out before Pharaoh and before the Egyptians There was a Promise Iacob should have the Blessing but Rebecka puts him upon using indirect means to obtain it because she could not trust God's Alâ— sufficiency to bring it about He that will not trust God and rest upon his Power cannot be long faithful to him because they think there is not enough in God they will seek elsewhere All sincerity ariseth from these two things and until you get your Hearts into this Frame you never will be sincere submitting all things to God's Will and resting upon God's Power How desperate soever the Case be this will relieve you and keep you sincere and comfortable the Lord is a powerful God and knows how to provide for his Glory and for your sustentation Now to quicken you thus to believe and improve the Power of God I will offer these Considerations 1. Consider the Amplitude of God's Power which is not to be measured by our scantling and model we can do something but God can do all things we must have Matter prepar'd but God works out of nothing we do things difficultly and must have time but God can do all things in a moment he needs no Instruments or Tools no Pattern or Copy but worketh all things according to the Counsel of his Will We rust with Age and our strength is dryed up but the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save Isa. 59.1 His strength is never wasted or dryed up When any thing is to be done or expected from God is it greater than making the World and God is where he was at first Our knowledge of things is by Effects but God never had an Effect adequate to his Power he hath done great things but he hath Power to do greater Mal. 2.15 And did not he make one yet had he the residue of the Spirit When he Created the World he had the residue of the Spirit he could have made more Worlds All Created Effects are finite and therefore not fully answerable to the force of the Cause Let us be still enlarging in our Thoughts of God's Power This is a Power that needeth not the Concurrence of visible means but can work without them yea opposite Power is no hinderance to God Rubbs are plain Ground to him Isa. 27.4 Who would set the bryars and thorns against me in battle I would go through them I would burn them together What can Bryers and Thorns do against a devouring Flame they are fit Fuel to encrease the Fire but cannot hinder the burning God works through all Opposition Isa. 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it 2. Consider this Power is ready to be employed for our Use so far as it shall make for God's glory and our good God is ours if we be in Covenant with him and if so all that is in God is ours also Quantus quantus est as great as he is God makes over himself in Covenant I am yours therefore Almightiness is yours to be set a work for you And as Aristotle said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are common between Friends and Confederates 1 Kings 22.4 Iehoshaphat said unto the King of Israel I am as thou art my People as thy People my Horses as thy Horses Surely being in Covenant with God it is a Relation of Friendship and whatever is God's is ours and that is the reason of this Expression Eph. 6.10 Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might In all our Faintings and Fears we should look upon God's Almighty Power as a
a Famous Physitian he desires to see him it is some Contentment to a sick Man to see him but when his Cure is wrought he much more rejoiceth So when we feel the Benefit in our own Souls it causes Joy Rom. 5.11 And 〈◊〉 only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now 〈◊〉 the Atonement A SERMON ON ROM IV. v. 18 19 20 21. Who against hope believed in hope that be might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy Seed be And being not weak in Faith he considered not his own Body now dead when he was above an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb He staggered not at the Promise of God through Vnbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform WE are now come to handle the other Branch of Abraham's Faith A Believer hath but two Works to do to open the Eye of Faith and to shut that of Sense I shall speak of this latter now This Instance deserveth to be considered by us 1. Because he is called once and again The Father of the Faithful Ver. 11. and 16. meaning thereby that his Faith is the Pattern according to which our Faith is to be cut out or the Copy to be transcribed by us or as the Apostle's Expression is Verse 12. That we should walk in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham 2. Because this was great and grown Faith It is negatively expressed Ver. 19. He was not weak in Faith and affirmatively Ver. 20. That he was strong in Faith giving glory to God Now in Abraham's Faith we shall consider three things First The Ground of it Secondly The Excellency and Strength of it set forth by four Expressions 1. That he believed in Hope against Hope Ver. 18. 2. That he Considered not the Difficulties Ver. 19. He considered not his own Body now dead neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb. 3. That he staggered not at the Promise through unbelief Ver. 20. 4. That he had a full Perswasion of God's Power Being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able to perform Verse 21. Thirdly The Fruit and Effect of it an exact ready and self-denying Obedience to God not spoken of in the Text but to be supplyed from other Scriptures especially in those two eminent Acts of Self-denyal his leaving his Countrey and offering his Son Thus was Abraham's Faith tryed by Promises of things strange and incredible and by Commands of the hardest Duties First The Ground of his Faith was the Promise of God as is often implyed in the Text for it is said Verse 18. That he might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy Seed be And Verse 20. He staggered not at the Promise of God And Verse 21. Being fully perswaded that what he had promised c. There were many Promises made to Abraham but those to which the Apostle alludeth are contained in Gen. 15. as appeareth by his Dispute all along and the comparing the two Chapters Now the Promise was either general or particular 1. The general Promise Gen. 15.1 I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward That God would take him into his Protection and abundantly reward his Obedience The like Promise is made to all the Faithful Psal. 84.11 The Lord God is a sun and a shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly The only one and true God Father Son and Holy Ghost will exercise all his Wisdom Power and Goodness to protect us and deliver us from all evil and to give us all those Blessings which are necessarily required to make us fully and eternally Happy He will be a shield to save us and protect us either by way of prevention or removal of all evil both Temporal and Spiritual and he will be a reward to give us all good things yea a great reward yea again an exceeding great reward which cannot come short of Heaven's glory and eternal Happiness which is the Aggregation of all Blessings It is implyed also in the Metaphor of being a Sun to us Here he is as a Sun at its first rising shining upon us with his Morning beams of Favour and Compassion which are very cherishing and comfortable but then our Sun shall be in its Meridian when he shall directly fully and for ever shine upon the Saints 2. The other Promise was particular and thus occasioned When God had told Abraham that he would be his shield and exceeding great reward he replyed Lord what wilt thou give me seeing I go Childless and the Steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus And again Behold thou hast given to me no seed and lo one born in my house is mine heir Gen. 15.2 3. These words of Abraham imply some Diffidence or Conflict with Unbelief or a Weakness of Faith at least though they also may be conceived to represent his Condition to God and revive the remembrance of an old Promise made to him sometime before Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed And they in effect speak to this sense Lord how can I take Comfort in the promised Reward since I do not see the fulfilling of thy Promise touching my Seed But now mark the Lord's reply Ver. 4. This shall not be thine heir but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir that is thou shalt have Posterity the Promised Seed shall at length come of thy Loins And then God led him forth Verse 5. And he brought him forth abroad and said Look now toward Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them Ocular demonstration leaveth a stronger impression upon the mind And he said unto him So shall thy seed be upon this Abraham believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness Ver. 6. That is upon this he began to grow stronger in the Faith more and more overcoming the Doubts of the Flesh and embracing the great Promises which God had made him He was a Believer before but now he commenceth a strong Believer this is that which is said Verse 18. He believed in hope against hope that he might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy Seed be Secondly The Excellency of his Faith in four Expressions I. He believed in hope against hope Abraham was still Childless and so remained for some Years after this Assurance from God and in the Course of Nature he had little reason to expect a Child but he hoped in the Word of God when according to the Order of Nature all hope of Issue was cut off We learn then that Spiritual Hope can take place when Natural Hope faileth as
Abraham had a strong Hope in God when all Appearances seemed to forbid Hope Most Mens Faith is born up by outward likelihoods and probabilities and when they fail their Faith faileth they can trust God no farther than they can see him But true Faith dependeth upon him when his way is in the dark and there is little appearance of the things we wait for as Paul could assure them not a Man should be lost when all hope that any should be saved was taken away Acts 27.20 22. I prove this 1. From the Genius and Nature of Faith There must be some difficulty in the thing to be believed or else it is not an Object of Faith Rom. 8.24 But hope that is seen is not hope for what a Man seeth why doth he yet hope for The Nature of Faith and Hope is so that it is not of things presently enjoyed for Vision and Possession exclude Hope and what is easie and next at hand it is as if it were already enjoyed therefore it is no Tryal of your Faith to wait for probable things and such as are within the View of Sense or Reason But to Hope against Hope when God disappointeth our Confidence and seemeth to beat us off from believing yet to adhere to him this is the disposition of Faith 2. From the Warrant of Faith which is the Word of God Now we must believe God upon his bare word though we know not what time or way he will take or by what means the things promised may be accomplished In things future and invisible we believe against Sense to say with Thomas Except I see I will not believe Joh. 20.25 this maketh way for Atheism In things incredible we believe against Reason Heb. 11.1 Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evidence of things not seen provided they be revealed by God we must not be false Prophets to our selves and make Promises which God never made that is to interest his Glory in our vain Conceits Ier. 4.10 Ah Lord God! surely thou hast greatly deceived this People and Ierusalem saying Ye shall have peace meaning the false Prophets using his Name And it is a Snare to our selves we dream of Deliverance when God intendeth a further Tryal 1 Thes. 5.3 For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a VVoman with Child and they shall not escape But when the Promise is clear then we must believe in Hope against Hope Sense Nature and humane Reason must not be heard against Faith Psal. 27.3 Tho' VVar should rise against me in this I will be confident whatever the Danger was for he had a particular Promise of coming to the Throne It must not be saith Sense It cannot be saith Natural Reason It both can and will be saith Faith Though what God had promised to do do far exceed the Power of Nature his Word is enough to Faith But if we have no express Promise may we not believe in Hope against Hope Answer If Believing be meant only of a Confidence in God's Power not determining the certainty of the Event Many times we are cast upon God's Providence all humane refuge and help faileth there is no possibility of escape yet God forbiddeth Despair and thus driveth us to himself 2 Cor. 1.9 But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead He means when the furious multitude at Ephesus was let loose upon him for his adherence to his way Psal. 44.19 20. Tho' thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death we have not forgotten the Name of our God We have sometimes that which is equivalent to a Promise even the usual Practice of God Deut. 32.36 For the Lord will judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth their Power is gone and there is none shut up or left Gen. 22.14 In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen 3. The Object of Faith God-all-sufficient We must neither measure his Goodness nor Power by our Scantling and Module Not his Goodness Isa. 55.8 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. But as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Hosea 11.9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not man We sin as Men but he pardoneth like a God Nor his Power Zech. 8.6 If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this People in these days should it also be marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of Hosts The Promises then made seemed impossible or improbable to be performed for the Iews were a despicable Remnant and the Times full of Dangers and Fears Reason and Probability is not our Support but Faith which looketh to God to whom nothing is impossible Nothing can be laid in opposition to his Power or can overballance his Promises We are at a loss many times but God is never at a loss You would think that man ridiculous that should say An Horse cannot carry him upon his Back because a Fly cannot It is more ridiculous to confine God to Humane Likelyhoods and Probabilities We cannot do this therefore God cannot Psal. 78.41 They lâ—mited the Holy One of Israel that is streightned his Power as if their Wants were so great God was not able to supply them or their Miseries so grievous that he were not able to remove them or their Enemies so strong that he were not able to vanquish them If there be any difficulty in the Case it is the fitter for an Almighty Power Certainly we have no strong Faith if any Faith when we cannot see the Truth of God's Promises unless we see the Possibility of their Accomplishment by Natural means If it pass the power of the Creature we say How can these things be Alas you do not know God's Infinite Power Can you say Thus far God can go and no further This much God can do and no more II. He considered not the Difficulties Ver. 19. And being not weak in Faith he considered not his own Body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb. Here we learn that we must not oppose natural Impediments to the Power and Truth of God Unbelief will stir up many Objections great Reasonings within our selves against the Promise To hearken to these is to tempt our selves and choke our own Faith As in other Sins to pore upon the Temptation is to parley with the Devil and suffer the Evil to fasten it's self upon our Spirits So in point of Believing Abraham considered not how dead and unmeet he and his Wife were as to Prolification First I shall examine how we are or are not to consider Difficulties 1.
Comfort because they are so vile and unworthy and such Sinners If you be such a Sinner the more need of a Saviour You would laugh at him that would argue thus I am too Cold to go to the Fire too Sick to send for the Physician too Poor to take Alms too Filthy to go to the Water to be Washed You must not consider what you have been but what you would be Christ doth not Invite us because we are Holy but that we may be Holy The Objection were of weight if we did only advise you to be eased of your smart but not to be rid of your burden if this Consent were only a Claim of Priviledges and not an Obligation to Duties or a submission to Christ's Healing Methods Celsus objected against Christianity that it was a Sanctuary for naughty Persons and Men of a Licentious Life Origen answereth him That it was not a Sanctuary to shelter them only but an Hospital to cure them It is not the Worthy are Invited â—ut the Thirsty and the Needy you are unworthy to the very last but are you hungry You are unworthy to receive Christ but God is worthy to be oâ—â—yed it is not a matter of Priviledge only but Duty 2. Your Hearts are so loose and changeable you are afraid to bind your selves to God The truth is this consent implyeth a delivery over of your selves to Christ to seek Happiness in the way that he hath appointed it is the first Egress of the Soul towards the Execution of the Duty of a Christian our entry into the practice of the Holy Life and an entry withall into a resolved War with the Devil the World and the Flesh who will resist us herein and you must consider difficulties so as to fortifie your Resolution Matth. 16.24 If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me He will surprize no Man Matth. 20.22 Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I drink of and to be baptized with the Baptism that I am Baptized with And not to consider is to discourage your Consent Obj. You will say You cannot do it by your own Strength and you are uncertain of God's Assistance Answ. Do not foretell the Event but charge your selves with your Duty It is your Duty to engage your Hearts to God tho' you cannot lay Wagers upon your own Strength You must resolve but continually depend upon Christ for the performing of your Resolutions He will maintain you in your way to Heaven 2 Tim. 1.12 For I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day In a sense of your own Insufficiency and Deceitfulness of Heart you must still relye upon his Grace and Spirit who hath made many Promises to support and to keep you by his Power through Faith unto Salvation 3. For Affiance in the great Promise of the Gospel or offer of Pardon and Life by Christ. There seemeth to be an impossibility to Sense and Reason from first to last If the 〈◊〉 of Salvation were sufficiently understood we should see from the beginning to the end from the first step to its last Period in everlasting Glory it is the meer Grace and Power of God that carrieth it on in despite of Men and Devils and therefore it is said Eph. 1.19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us word who believe according to the working of his mighty power As for instance the reconciling of a guilty Soul to God Eph. 2.3 Among whom also we had oâ—r Conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nâ—â—ure Children of Wrath even as others The changing of a naughty and obstinate Heart Ier. 17.9 The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it And the giving us an Holy Nature and Life Iob 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean nâ—t one Or to quicken us that were dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 You also hath be quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins To strengthen a feeble and weak Creature 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God That things meet with so much opposition by the way Eph. 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this World against spiritual wickedness in high places What can maintain us in the midst of so many Temptations We at length dye and rot in the Grave as others do now the rising of our Bodies after it is eaten by Worms and turned to Dust is a thing incredible and to Flesh and Blood wholly impossible 't is wholly within the reach of God's Power Now since we have ground to hope for all this from the Word of God even to Pardon our many sins Isa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon To change this sinful Nature that we may become an holy People to God Titus 3.5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saveth us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost To overcome our Obstinacy perverseness in evil fickleness in good To maintain Grace in the midst of Temptations Iude 24. To him that is able to keep you from falling And finally to raise us up out of the Grace We must not consider and plead the difficulties to damp Faith but to quicken it going on with our Duty and wait for his Salvation III. He staggered not at the Promise through Vnbelief Strong Faith is so satisfied with God's Promise that it leaveth no place for considerable doubtings as Abraham here admitted no doubts or questionings touching the Promise of God but without disputing or arguing to the contrary depended fully upon the Lord being perswaded he could do what he had promised There are two Reasons hereof The Immutability of his Nature Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong Consolation And his Tenderness of his Word Psal. 138.2 For thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name Both these breed this assured Perswasion of God's Faithfulness and Stedfastness and make his Promise the great Prop and Support of Faith Now this staggering or not staggering at the Promise and so the Weakness and Strength of our Faith may referr to three Acts or Parts of Faith 1. A strong Assent or clear sight of the Evidence of the Truth If we have the Word and Promise of God we should believe any thing as surely as if we had the greatest Evidence in the World
Thus some of the Disciples doubted of the Truth of Christ's Resurrection Matth. 28.27 And when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted Luk 24.21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel This argueth a weak Faith not vigorous and active but Faith is strong as it overcomes our speculative Doubts and so doth settle and establish our Souls in the Truth Acts 2.36 Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Christ. 2. There is a Doubting or Staggering as Faith is a Consent when the Consent is weak and wavering Faith is weak Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised But such a confirmed Resolution as leaveth no room for wavering and looking back argueth a strong Faith Acts 21.13 Then Paul answered What mean ye to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but to dye at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus 3. As Faith implyeth a Dependance and Trust Iames 1.6 7 8. But let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed for let not that Man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord A double minded Man is unstable in all his wayes Divided between God and other Confidences 1 Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Matth. 14.31 O thou of little Faith why didst thou doubt Well then it is a strong Faith that causeth such a Fortitude that we pass through all Difficulties and Tryals without distrust or anxiety of mind It is opposite to Fainting Psal. 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living To Fears and Troubles Matth. 8.26 Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith Strength of Assent doth exclude speculative Doubts and Errors Strength of Resolution doth fortifâ—y us against worldly Temptations which beget uncertainty Temptations of Profit Pleasure or Vain-glory if the Heart be secretly biassed with these It is opposite to Faith Ioh. 5 44. How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another And strength of Confidence doth exclude those Doubts which arise from Fears of Danger and Terrors of Sense in such Cases we dispute away the Comfort of the Promises IV. He was fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to perform A strong steddy and full Perswasion of the Power of God argueth a great Faith 1. There is no doubt of his Will when we have his Promise but the Ability of the Promiser is that which is usually questioned Unbelief stumbleth at his can Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Psal. 78.19 and How can these things be Luk. 1.34 So 2 Kings 7.2 If the Lord should make Windows in Heaven might this thing be Nay and the Children of God themselves Sarah was rebuked when she laughed Gen. 18.12 13 14. Therefore Sarah laughed within her self saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also And the Lord said unto Abraham Wherefore did Sarah laugh saying Shall I of a surety bear a Child which am old is any thing too hard for the Lord Her Laughter was not the Laughter of Exultation but Dubitation Moses Numb 11.13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this People for they weep unto me saying Give us flesh that we may eat The Case is clear we Doubt not but in Case of Danger then we are full of Fears and Suspicions if of his Will it is because we are so vile and unworthy but we are vile and unworthy out of danger as well as in danger therefore it is of his Power 2. God's Power and Alsufficiency is to the Saints the great support of Faith in their greatest Extremities They are relieved by fixing their Eye on God's Almightiness as Abraham here So Heb. 11.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead So for Perseverance Iude 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling And for the Resurrection Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself His Power reacheth to the Grave and beyond the Grave So for the Calling the Iews Rom. 11.23 And they also if they abide not still in Vnbelief shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them in again In short to question his Power is to put him out of the Throne to deny him to be God as if he were not able to help his Friends and to be a terror to his Enemies Well then in Matters absolutely promised we have nothing to do but to exalt his Power therefore you may reason thus He will do it for he is able to do it Rom. 11.23 They shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them in again In Matters conditionally promised we must magnifie his Power and refer the Event to his Will Matth. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 3. There are two things enlarge our Thoughts and Apprehensions about the Power of God they are mentioned Verse 17. Whom he believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things that be not as though they were We have to do with a God that can say to the Dead Live God's Power can bring Life out of Death something out of nothing Resurrection and Creation are easie to him He that can quicken the dead can quicken those that are dead in trespasses and sins By the Word of his Power he maketh all things to be that are not Let there be Light and there was Light Lazarus come forth and he came forth He causeth things to appear and exist that had no being before Thirdly The Fruit and Effect of his Faith an exact and constant Obedience Isa. 41.2 Who raised up the righteous Man from the East and called him to his foot The righteous Man is supposed to be Abraham often designed by that Character and he was called to his Foot to go to and fro at God's Command as the Centurion said Matth. 8.9 I am a Man under Authority having Souldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it There are two great Instances of Abraham's Obedience 1. His Self-denyal in leaving his Countrey Heb. 11.8 By Faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went It is a sore Tryal to forsake Kindred Friends Lands Fathers House and Inheritance and to seek an abode he knew
who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother And wherefore slew he him because his own Works were evil and his Brother 's righteous Now the Nature of Christ is quite contrary It is the Devil's Work to do all the Hurt that he can to the Bodies and Souls of Men and it is Christ's Work to do good and only good Acts 10.38 God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the Devil for God was with him Christ did nothing by way of Malice and Revenge he used not the Power that he had to make Men blind or lame or to kill any no not his worst Enemies when he could easily do it and justly might have done it No he went up and down giving Sight to the Blind Limbs to the Lame Health to the Sick Life to the Dead He rebuked his Disciples when they tempted him to destroy some for their Contempt by calling for Fire from Heaven telling them they knew not what manner of Spirit they were of for the Son of Man is not come to destroy Mens Lives but to save them Luke 9.55 56. It was unlike his Spirit and Design All his Miracles were Acts of Relief and Favour not pompous not destructive bating only two the blasting the unfruitful Fig-tree which was an Emblematical Warning to the Jews and suffering the Devil to enter into the Herd of Swine which was a necessary Demonstration of the Devil's Malice and destructive Cruelty who if he could not afflict and destroy Men would enter into the Herd of Swine that the poor Creatures might perish in the Sea Thus there was a perfect Contrariety of Nature between Christ and Satan 2. An Enmity proper to his Office and Design For he came to destroy the Works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 And was set up to dissolve that Sin and Misery which he had brought upon the World The Devil sought the Misery and Destruction of Mankind but Christ sought our Salvation Satan is the great Destroyer of the Creation and Christ is the Repairer of it Now Salvation and Destruction are diametrically opposite so are the Kingdom of Christ and the Kingdom of Satan the Function and Office of Christ as a Saviour and the Purpose and Design of the Devil as Abaddon the Destroyer And therefore Christ proveth that he had not the least Confederacy with Satan for then his Kingdom would be divided against it self and how could it stand Mat. 12.25 26. It was impossible the Saviour could befriend the Destroyer or the Destroyer the Saviour no their Ends and Designs are perfectly opposite Now as there is such an Enmity between Christ and Satan so there is between the rest of the Confederates on either side 1. An Enmity or Contrariety of Nature The Seed of the Serpent inherits his venemous Qualities For as these are an Estate opposite to God so they are to the People of God and seek their Destruction by all cruel and bloody Means All People of a false Religion whether Infidels Idolaters or Hereticks are of bloody and desperate Principles their Minds being efferated by their false Religion and the Influence of their great Guide and Leader who is the Devil Iude 11. They have gone in the way of Cain Let me instance in Antichrist and his Abettors and Adherents who is the Devil 's eldest Son Witness their bloody Practices that have been acted on the Stage of Christendom for so many Years What a deal of Blood hath been sucked by these Leaches in England in Queen Mary's Days in Germany France and the Netherlands Witness of late their horrible Slaughters in Ireland Piedmont and the Hellish Powder-Plot the Deliverance from which we commemorate this Day this was a Flash of their Malice by which they would have blown up the whole State at once On the other side Christ conveyeth his holy meek and Lamb-like Nature to his sincere Worshippers and Followers There is indeed a Contrariety of Nature to the Carnal so as they do not run with them into the same excess of Riot so as their righteous Souls are vexed with the impure Conversation of the Wicked so as they are grieved to see People go by Droves to Hell and list themselves in the Devil's Service But there is no destructive Enmity If they hate the Wicked it is with an Hatred opposite to the Love of Complacency but not with an Hatred opposite to the Love of Good-will There is an Enmity to Satan and his Works yet a Pity to the Persons inveigled and deceived by him The Wicked hate that holy Disposition which is in the Hearts of God's People and therefore malign and persecute them But on the other side there is a Contrariety of Disposition Prov. 29.27 An unjust Man is an Abomination to the Iust and he that is upright in the Way is Abomination to the VVicked There is Odium Offensionis but not Inimicitiae an Hatred of Offence but not of Enmity They bear with them with Patience pursue their Recovery strive to rescue poor Captives out of the Snares of the Devil but aim not at their Destruction 2 Tim. 2.25 26. In Meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth and that they may recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his VVill. 2. There is an Enmity of Design As Christ actually imployeth any as Souldiers to fight under his Banner so they participate of the Enmity of his Design and Office Every private Christian is one of Christ's Souldiers for we give up our Faculties and Powers as Weapons Rom. 6.13 Yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the Dead and your Members as Instruments or Weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Righteousness unto God And the Graces of the Spirit are called Armour of Light Rom. 13.12 Let us cast off the Works of Darkness and let us put on the Armour of Light And we are bidden to put on the whole Armour of God because we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this VVorld against spiritual Wickedness in high Places Eph. 6.11 12. The Ministers and those in a publick Station are Leaders under Christ the General and are by Office and Imployment engaged in this Warfare against the Kingdom of the Devil And therefore the Apostle biddeth Timothy to endure Hardness as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 And the Apostle says 2 Cor. 10.4 The VVeapons of our VVarfare are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling down of Strong-holds They must set themselves against the Devil and his Kingdom 2 dly The Enmity being such between the Seeds Christ sets upon his business to destroy Satan's Power and Works 1. His Power Satan hath a twofold Power over fallen Man Legal and Usurped 1. The Legal Power
trouble us no more but that the World should not be a Snare to us He came not to exempt us from Trouble but to save us from our Sins Mat. 1.21 To deliver us from Wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 We have the Victory which he purchased for us if the Devil and the World do not hinder the Fruition of eternal Glory Our Victory over Satan is mostly gotten by Patience even to the Death and so those that are killed all the Day long are more than Conquerors through him that loved them Rom. 8.35 36 37. Satan's main Spight is not at your worldly Interests but your Souls God may give him sometimes a Power over your worldly and bodily Interests but he doth not give him a Power over your Souls Though he get his Will over your Bodies yet if he get not his Will over your Souls it is you that conquer and not Satan Therefore in the Christian sense Suffering is Conquering If he do not draw you away from God and Christ though he and his Instruments have great Power over you it is your Heel only is bruised but your Head is safe 2. It is not a total Exemption from Sin Necessary vital Grace is only absolutely secured you shall receive no deadly Wound to destroy your Salvation The Godly sometimes may be foiled Satan stirred up David to number the People 2 Corinth 11.2 3. I am jealous over you with a godly Iealousy for I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ. For I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtilty so your Minds should bâ— corrupted from the Simplicity that is in Christ. 1 Cor. 7.5 That Satan tempt you not for your Incontinency Yea God may imploy Satan in punishing his People as when the Israelites murmured he sent evil Angels among them Psal. 78.49 and they were destroyed of the Destroyer 1 Cor. 10.10 Because careless Souls are apt to fall asleep God permitteth him to be the Executioner of his Indignation Vse 4. To animate and incourage Christ's Servants in their War against Satan's Kingdom at home and abroad within and without Not to give place to the Devil Ephes. 4.27 Christ whom we serve is more able to save than Satan is to destroy 1. The Devil is a Creature but Christ is the Sovereign Lord who hath Power over him and all Creatures The Devil 's tempting is by Leave Iob 1.12 And the Lord said unto Satan Behold all that he hath is in thy Power Luke 22.31 And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat He could not enter into the Herd of Swine without Leave from Christ Matth. 8.31 So the Devils besought him saying If thou cast us out suffer us to go away into the Herd of Swine When we are in Satan's Hands Satan is in God's Hands 2. The Devil is an Usurper Christ is the Heir of all things Satan is the God of this World by Usurpation but by lawful Ordination Jesus is both Lord and Christ Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. 3. The Devil hath only a perswasive Force no constraining Efficacy He cannot change the Heart or create any new Principles and Habits there which were not before But God can put his Law into our inward Parts and write it in our Hearts Jer. 31.35 He can only propound alluring Baits or Objects to the outward Senses and Fancy but God worketh immediately on the Heart 4. If the Devil be vigilant and assiduous in his Temptations he is matched and overmatched Christ is always mindful of the Affairs of his People he doth ever make Intercession for us before God And he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Psal. 121.4 Satan daily bloweth the Bellows inflaming our Corruptions suggesting Temptations but the Spirit is as watchful in our Hearts maintaining his Interest there 5. The Devil's Malice is restrained for he is held in Chains of Darkness 2 Pet. 2.4 If God spared not the Angels that fell but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved unto Iudgment Meaning thereby not only the powerful Restraints of Providence but the Horror of their own despairing Fears Chains imply Restraint but Chains of Darkness Horror he himself believeth and trembleth Iames 2.19 Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble 6. The Lord Jesus doth often give out Demonstrations of his Power and Providence Partly in protecting strengthning assisting his People and prospering their just Endeavours for the Advancement of his Kingdom so that all the Machinations of the Wicked against them come to nought Partly in making fearful Havock and Destruction in Satan's Kingdom In protecting his People sometimes he destroyeth their Enemies Isa. 27.4 Who would set the Briars and Thorns against me in Battel I would go through them I would burn them together Sometimes infatuateth their Counsels Iob 5.12 13 14. He disappointeth the Devices of the Crafty so that their Hands cannot perform their Enterprise He taketh the Wise in their own Craftiness and the Counsel of the Froward is carried headlong They meet with Darkness in the Day-time and grope in the Noon-day as in the Night Sometimes he hideth his People in the Secret of his Presence Psal. 31.20 Thou shalt hide them in the Secret of thy Presence from the Pride of Man thou shalt keep them secretly in a Pavilion from the Strife of Tongues He smiteth his Enemies by an invisible Curse Job 20.26 All Darkness shall be hid in his secret Places a Fire not blown shall consume him it shall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernacle He divideth them 2 Chron. 20.23 The Children of Ammon and Moab rose up against the Inhabitants of Mount Seir utterly to slay and destroy them and when they had made an end of the Inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another Christ is the Assailant and makes fearful Havock in the Devil's Kingdom The Word of Truth is come into all the World and pulleth down Idolatrous and False Worship Coloss. 1.6 The Word of Truth is come unto you as it is in all the World and bringeth forth Fruit as it doth also in you since the Day ye heard of it and knew the Grace of God in Truth Sermon on Gen. 24.63 Isaac went out to meditate in the Field c. SERMONS ON THE XXIV Chapter OF GENESIS SERMON I. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide THE Context is spent in describing the Journey of Rebecca with Abraham's Servant and the Text sheweth the occasion of the first interview between Isaac and Rebekah he goeth out into the Fields to meditate and of a sudden he seeth the Camels coming I cannot pass by this Accident
Exaltation of Christ is as it were his welcom to Heaven God doth as it were take him by the hand and set him upon the Throne after all the sorrows of his Humiliation as we welcome a Stranger or a Guest whose coming is pleasing to us by taking him by the hand and bringing him into our Couses So is Christ exalted by the Right Hand of God and welcomed into Heaven as having done his work and made full provision for the Glory of God and the Obedience of the Creature as we are also received into Glory after we are guided by his Counsel Psalm 73.24 Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory And then all Tears shall be wiped from our Eyes 2. The Terme the oyl of gladness implyeth it for that was the entertainment of Honourable Guests invited to a Feast We see it practised to Christ by one Woman Luke 7.37 And behold a woman in the city which was a sinner when she knew that Iesus sate at meat in the Pharisees house brought an alabaster-box of ointment And by another Matth. 26.7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment and poured it on his head as he sate at meat And the Psalmist speaking of Gods Festival Entertainment Psalm 23.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies thou anointest my head with oyl Another mention of this practice is Psalm 104.15 Wine to make glad the heart of man and oyl to make his face to shine All these places and many more in the Scripture allude to the custom of pouring some fragrant precious Ointments on the Heads of Guests of special Eminency called the oyl of gladness because the use of it was to exhilarate and chear the Spirits Now because this was an extraordinary respect paid them this Phrase came at length to signifie the prefering one above another and so it is fitly applyed to Christ whom God hath dignified above all Men and Angels in that he hath received Power Spiritual and Divine above what was communicated to any other 3. The Persons anointed 1. One singular in this Unction the Lord Jesus Christ. There are two sorts of Priviledges 1. Some things only given to Christ not to us as the Name above all Names to be adored Phil. 2.9 To be the Head of the Renewed state Ephes. 1.21 the Saviour of the Body Eph. 5.23 To have power to dispense the Spirit to administer Providences c. All this is proper to Christ neither Men nor Angels share with him in these Honours 2. There are other things given to Christ and his People as the sanctifying and comforting Spirit the Heavenly Inheritance Victory over our Spiritual Enemies the Devil the World and the Flesh These are given to us and him only God doth grace his Son above his Fellows Rom. 8.29 That he might be the first born among many brethren He must have the Honour due to the First-born Anciently the First-born was Lord of the rest of the Family Gen. 27.37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esan Behold I have made him thy Lord and all his brethren have I given to him for servants And also the First-born gave the rest of the Brethren a share of the Fathers Goods reserving to himself a double Portion Deut. 21.17 He shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he hath for he is the beginning of his strength the right of the first-born is his Christ being the First-born he must in all things have the preheminence In our Conflicts and Tryals he is the captain of our salvation Heb. 2.10 In Holyness he is our Pattern or the Copy which we must transcribe 2 Cor. 3.18 Are changed into the same image from glory to glory Primum in unoquoque genere est mensura regula caeterorum The first in every kind is the Standard for all the rest In our Glory and Blessedness he is our fore-runner Heb. 6.20 having actually taken possession of that Felicity and Glory which he will bestow upon his Followers so that Christs Honour is reserved and Believers are comforted whilst they follow their Head in every State and Condition 2. Others are admitted to be partakers of this Grace in a lower degree called his fellows They are also dignified and graced by God above the rest of the World but not as Christ was Two things I will observe here 1. They must be his Consorts and Followers Sometimes they are called his brethren Heb. 2.11 Sometimes Members of his Mystical Body Eph. 1.22 23. Sometimes joint-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Meaning thereby all Believers who are Companions with him both in Grace and Glory Thus we must be before we partake of this anointing Actus activorum sunt in passivo unito disposito They that receive influence from another must be fitted for what they receive and united to him from whom they receive it Therefore none but Christs Members and Fellows do partake of his Unction But who are they All such as are like minded with himself that love Righteousness and hate Iniquity that set themselves seriously to promote the Glory of God and to destroy the Reign of Sin in the World both in themselves and others In short those that are Regenerated and planted into his Mystical Body by the Spirit 2. The next thing which I observe is That all these may have somewhat of this Unction according to their measure and part which they sustain in the Body 1 Iohn 2.20 But we have an unction from the holy one compare Psalm 133.2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments The Ointment poured upon our head in such plenty that it diffuseth its self to all his Members God is the Author thereof 2 Cor. 1.21 Now he that stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God It is a Divine work but the Pipe or Means of conveying it to us is Christ who is the great Receptacle from whence the whole Family is supplyed Iohn 1.16 Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace And it mainly consisteth in the gift of the Spirit sanctifying and preparing us for our present work and final reward and comforting us with our present Interest in the Love of God and hopes of Glory 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for this self-same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of the spirit VSE I shall exhort you to Two things 1. To Holyness 2. To get more of the Oyl of Gladness 1. To Holyness If there were no more than that it is pleasing to Christ and visibly exemplified in his own Person this should induce us It was love to Holiness and hatred of Sin that brought him out of Heaven and put him on the work of our Redemption Nothing doth
Father of the Wicked and Christ on the other the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 Or between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed and it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel The Seeds are concerned in this enmity as well as the Chiefs 2. The Nature of this Enmity 't is double as on Sathans part both of Nature and Design so on Christs part both of Nature and Office 1. There is a perfect enmity between the Nature of Christ and the Nature of the Devil The Nature of Sathan is sinful Murtherous and destructive for t is said he was a Lyar and Murtherer from the beginning as before So 1 Iohn 3.8 He that committeth sin is from the divel and the devil sinneth from the beginning verse 12. Cain was of that wicked one who slew his brother 'T is the Devils work to do all the hurt and mischief that he can to the Bodies and Souls of Men. But the Nature of Christ is quite contrary 'T is his work to do good and only good Acts 10.38 God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with him Christ did nothing by way of Malice and Revenge he used not the power that he had to make Men Blind or Lame or to kill any no not his worst Enemies But he went up and down doing good giving Sight to the Blind Limbs to the Lame Health to the Sick Life to the Dead he rebuked his Disciples when they called for fire from Heaven to consume those that despised them telling them they knew not what Spirit they were of Luke 9.55 56. No all his Miracles were Acts of Relief and Succour not pompous and destructive bating only the blasting of the unfruitful Fig-tree which was an emblematical warning to the Iews and his permitting the Devil to enter into the Herd of Swine which was a necessary demonstration of the Devils Malice and destructive Cruelty who if he could not afflict Men would destroy Swine 2. An Enmity of design For Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Iohn 3.8 as the Devil seeketh to oppose the Kingdom of Christ Christ was set up to dissolve that Sin and Misery which Sathan had brought upon the World and the Devil sought to keep it up and hinder our Salvation The Devil is the disturber of the Creation and Christ the repairer of it and therefore Salvation and Destruction are perfectly opposite Now such an Enmity as there is between Christ and Sathan such there is also between the Confederates on either side 1. An Enmity or contrariety of Nature The Seed of the Serpent inherit his venemous qualities For as they are an Estate opposite to God so they are to the People of God All People of a false Religion whether Infidels or Idolaters or Hereticks are of bloody and desperate Principles Partly by the influence of their great Guide and Leader partly because their false Religion efferateth their Minds and stirreth them up into a blind bitter Zeal These go in the way of Cain Iude 11. On the other side Christ conveyeth his Holy Meek and Lamb-like Nature to his sincere Worshippers and Followers Their Righteous Souls are vexed indeed with the impure Conversations of the Wicked but so as to stir them up not to passion but compassion They are grieved to see People go by droves to Hell and would â—ain rescue them out of the Snares of the Devil but aim not at their destruction Iude 22 23. And of some have compassion making a difference And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted with the flesh 2. There is an enmity of design Seeking to pull down what Sathan would set up all that Sin Idolatry Errour and Superstition whereby the World is corrupted 2 Cor. 10.4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds and casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. That is to bring down all the disputings and reasonings and prejudices which are raised up against the power of the Gospel and hinder the acknowledgment and practice of the Truth Sathans end is to draw Men into Sin and Damnation and to dishonour God Theirs to glorifie God in the World and save their own Souls and the Souls of all about them 3. This Enmity of Sathan and his Instruments is carried on both against Christ and his People with much rage and fury I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Gen. 3.15 There is something common to both for the word bruised is used mutually both of the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent In this War as usually in all other there are Wounds given on both sides The Devil bruiseth Christ and Christ bruiseth Sathan Only Christs heel is bruised but the Devils Head is crushed that is he is finally destroyed 1. Certain it is that Christ himself was bruised in the enterprize of redeeming poor Captive Souls which sheweth how much we should value our Salvation since it cost so dear The Lord Jesus thought not his whole Humiliation from first to last too much nor any price too dear for overthrowing the Devils Kingdom and rescuing us into the liberty of Gods Children But how was he bruised by the Serpent Certain it is on the one side that Christs sufferings were the effects of Mans Sin and a demonstration of Gods Holiness and governing Justice Therefore it is said Isa. 53.10 11. It pleased the father to bruise him Unless it had pleased the Lord to bruise him Sathan could never have bruised him But on the otherside they were also the effects of the Malice and rage of the Devil and his Instruments In his whole Life he was tempted by Sathan often vexed with his Instruments Therefore he saith ye are of your father the devil but the closing stroke was at his Death Sathan then doing the worst he could against him When Iudas contrived the Plot 't is said the Devil entred into him Luke 22.3 When the High Priests Servants came to take him verse 53. He telleth them This is your hour and the power of darkness They did prevail at last to cause his shameful Death this was all they could do this was the time the Devil and they were permitted to work their wills upon him 2. No Christians are exempted from Tryals of their sincerity God will have all Obedience to be tryed and honoured by opposition and sometimes by grievous and sharp opposition Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed Thus Iob was permitted to
divers from all People neither keep they the Kings Laws therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them Thus whisperers make Princes conceive an ill opinion of Religious men But the Devil will Soar an higher flight yet to divide between them and God and to disengage him from the protection of his People What else is the meaning of all his Temptations But most eminently this was the Plot now in hand The Israelites could not be overcome as long as God was with them and how shall they do to get away God from them God was not as the God of the Heathens to be called out by sacrifices and inchantments as they used before they warred against any People to endeavour by certain Charms and Rites to get away their Tutelar Gods from them Macrobius hath a Chapter De ritu evocandi Deos And if they conquered any Country they ascribed it to the departure of their Gods Excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dii quibus imperium hoc steterat Balak according to the custom of the Nations would try this but they were now to deal with the God of Israel who could not be charmed away from his People And though Balaam were of great repute and esteem among that People and though it was misery enough to be blasted with his curse and happiness enough to be blessed by his mouth Numb 22.6 He whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed indeed Even as Simon Magus was esteemed the great power of God Act. 8.10 Yet this would not take effect Therefore 2. Let us see what Balaam Answered him 1. By way of prediction He came to curse them but he uttereth many Prophesies concerning the happiness of Israel Numb 23.8 How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed or how shall I defie whom the Lord hath not defied He sheweth that no inferiour power is able to hurt without leave from God yea he pronounceth a great blessing upon Israel as those that were happy both in life and death vers 10. Let me dye the Death of the righteous and let my last end be like his And farther sheweth the stableness of Gods love to his People vers 19 20. God is not a man that he should lie nor the Son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Behold I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it All the powers of the world are not able to separate them from his love and blessings in Christ. And then prophesieth of Christ Insomuch that Balak intreateth him to give over vers 25. Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all Since he could do no evil to Israel he would hinder him from doing good But yet he would make another tryal but still it pleased the Lord to over-rule his Tongue to bless Israel and the truth and constancy of his love appeared against whose will the more he strugleth the stronger he is resisted Numb 24.3 He taketh up a new parable blessing Israel once again which puts Balak all into a rage and indignation and he driveth away the false Prophet from his sight who sought after honour and riches as the wages of his unrighteousness but is sent home with ignominy and shame But Balaam's mind is still hankering after the reward and therefore when he could not hurt them by any prophetical curse he seeketh to do it by his Pestilent counsel 2. What he answered him by way of advice Numb 24.4 Come now and I will advertise thee what thou shalt do Moses doth not express the counsel given because it was whispered secretly into Balaks ear you see the sense is imperfect in that place And what it was may be known by the effect and by other places By the effect Numb 25. Balaam gave counsel to Balak and the Princes of Midian to put a stumbling block before the Israelites to see if they could withdraw the People from the Love â—ear and Obedience of the Lord their God that so God might be provoked to withdraw his favour and blessing from them and so Israels Sinning might bring themselves into the curse which Balaam with all his Inchantments could not bring upon them By this wicked counsel they prevailed against many to the Death of Twenty four Thousand Israelites That Balaam was the Author of all this mischief appeareth Numb 31.16 Behold these that is the Midianitish Women caused the Children of Israel through the Counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor And it is said Rev. 2.14 That Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication This was the plot to send some Beautiful Women of the Midianites to wander about the Camp of Israel to Tempt their Lusty-Youth and Martial Men first to uncleanness and then to Idolatry that so God might be provoked against them a design pernitious and full of refined malice 3. What befel them between Shittim and Gilgal 1. In Shittim they miscarryed fowlly by the effect of Balaams Counsel The intended War of Moab against Israel was turned into a pretended Peace and fained Amity and their fair Women were sent about the Camp to defile the Bodies and Souls of Men with Whoredom and Idolatry And so a People that had such experience of Gods Power and Goodness in the wilderness and were just now ready to enter into the Promised Land are here prevented and overthrown in the wilderness and Gods Anger was kindled against them and Twenty four Thousand were destroyed among the People Numb 25.9 It seems one Thousand slain by the Judges and Twenty three Thousand by Gods own hand that is by a Plague 1 Cor. 10.8 Neither commit fornication as some of them also committed and fell in one day three and twenty Thousand But after that God was atoned to them and his judgment was executed upon the Malefactours and the plague ceased 2. They are sent against the Midianites who had vexed them with their wiles that is with their Deceits and feigned Amity and there they light on Balaam and slew him Numb 31.8 This wretch died not the death of the righteous as he seemed to desire but his iniquity found him out for among others he was slain with the Sword 3. After this God appears among them again and they are led into Canaan with a miracle an argument of a great favour on Gods part and an awe of those things that befel them at Shittim and now they are very tender of provoking God again Iosh. 22.17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed until this day They had tasted of the bitter Waters 4. Gods Covenant is renewed at Gilgal to shew that he would still be their God and bless them as formerly Iosh. 5.2 3. II. The observations
should have such notice of good and evil as Children usually have when the use of Reason and Understanding begins first to put out and exercise its self As Deut. 1.39 Your Children which in that day had no knowledge between good and Evil. That is had no ability to discern the one from the other So that Christ was as other Infants bateing only his nearness to the Godhead The Sun is the Sun still at morning or at high noon yet at first rising 't is more glorious than any other Creature Well then the Gift of the Holy Ghost shewed himself in him and was acted and discovered according to the progress of his Age and the increase of bodily Strength At Twelve Years Old he disputed with the Doctors 2. By Reason 1. He every way made himself like man except sin Heb. 4.15 For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all point Tempted like as we are yet without sin He was carried Nine Months in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin 2 As his capacity was inlarged so his wisdom discovered its self And the power that was in him shewed forth its self In us as the Body increaseth so the powers of the Reasonable Soul are increased also 3. The effects of the Personal Union were communicated to the Humane Nature Non necâ—ssitate Naturae sed Libertate Voluntatis not by necessity but free dispensation As to all Creatures God considereth what is profitable and may make them useful in the state wherein he will imploy them So to Christ he knew all things that were necessary for the Execution of his Office So God hid from or revealed to his Humane Nature according to his pleasure 4. â—he Divine Nature did by degrees shew its self in him lest before the time it should be too Prodigious and not so suiting to the dispensation of the Gospel which is a dispensation of Faith not of Sense and so hinder the Beautiful Order of it which from inconspicuous beginnings was to be carryed on to a great increase His Kingdom was from a Grain of Mustard-seed to grow up into a Tree So in his Person he was from a state of Childhood to grow up into the Stature of a perfect Man and then to suffer and die Which might have been impeded and hindred if those things which were to be done by him as a man were done by him as a Child 5. There was need of a continual growth that there might be a distinction between the state of his Humiliation and Exaltation As in us we know now but in part but then that which is perfect will come 1 Cor. 13.9 10. So in Christ he was to know somewhat as a Child more as a man And there is a distinction between what he knew as a man in the state of his Humiliation and what he knoweth now in the state of his Exaltation he still knew what was necessary to his office John 5.27 And he hath given him Authority to Execute Iudgment also because he is the Son of Man He exerciseth Lordship over all things therefore his knowledge is as vast as his Empire In Iudea he knew those he conversed withal yea he knew their hearts But now all judgment is put in his hand And herein is nothing asserted unworthy of Christ for as the Divine Nature did in some manner shut up and conceal and hide its Majesty in its self during the Humiliation of the Son of God that it might not discover that dignity which appeared in his exaltation so the Spirit of Wisdom was held in and restrained that it might not presently put forth its perfections but by little and little acccording to the state of Christ. Vse 1. Is to teach us to admire the Condescention of the Son of God who submitted to all our sinless infirmities and would grow and be improved in Soul as well as Body 1. The oftner we think of this the more should our hearts be filled with reverence at this stupendious Mystery T is without controversie great that the Son of God should be as other Infants be Carryed Nine Months in the Womb be Suckled Swadled Brought up as other Children and grow in Wisdom and Stature as they do Is this the great God that made all things and governeth all things at his pleasure Is this the Fountain of Wisdom and the Author of all Perfection Yes 't is he but this abasing is for our sakes The beginning of his Humiliation was in the very Womb the progress of it from the Cradle to the Grave 2. If Christ grew in wisdom So must we 2 Pet. 3.18 But grew in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. We have not only incapacity but the vail of ignorance 'T is little we know of God at our best Therefore let us open and ripen by degrees from good going on to better that we may be best at last When 't is declining time with the outward 〈◊〉 yet the inward man may be renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.6 Long use of means and many experiences should perfect us Therefore let there be a continuâ—l progress in grace and knowledge till we grow to a perfect man in Christ Jesus Ephes. 4.13 To be a Child of days is as monstrous a thing as to keep to the stature of a Child when Thirty or Forty years old So it is in Christianity Heb. 5.12 When for the time ye ought to be teachers ye have need that one teach you again the first Principles of the Oracles of God When God hath given us means to improve our knowledge it 's inexâ—usable to be ignorant 3. It informeth us that Ignorance from Natural Defect and Imperfection is no sin For Christ was Ignorant of some things especially in his Child-hood Ignorance may arise from several causes 1. From want of revelation We are not bound to know a thing never revealed to us Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong to us and our Children for ever 2. From the sublimity or excellency of the matter to be known 'T is above our capacity Psal. 131.1 I do not exercise my self in things that are too high for me We are to understand what is revealed and must improve our selves more and more 3. From neglect of the means God hath given man to improve his knowledge This will be charged on man as a great Crime Especially of things necessary or such as concern our everlasting Salvation or 〈◊〉 thereunto Many have time and teaching enough but they wofully â—ispend it and are ignorant of the Principles upon which the knowledge of 〈◊〉 things doth depend and so are uncapable of farther instruction or the higher points of the Gospel This doth not excuse but is a great sin 4. From Natural defect as in mad folks and Naturals and for a time Children Now this is not culpable and is not charged upon man
alone is the only proper object for our trust for this benefit 1. Because he hath undertaken to keep us and guard us from all evil See Gen. 15.1 Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great reward Psal. 84.11 The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield The removal of evil belongeth to his Covenant as well as the bestowing of all manner of blessings The blessings of the Covenant are privative and positive His Providence is mainly seen in our Pilgrimage in keeping off evils Plures sunt gratiae privativae There are more privative blessings here in keeping from sin temptation and danger In the World to come we know more of the positive blessings See also that promise Zech. 2.5 I will be unto her a wall of Fire round about Pray mark the Promise for every word is emphatical It was spoken when the returning Iews were discouraged with the small number they had wherewith to People their Countrey and Man their Towns against their Enemies Now after a promise of future increase God for the present telleth them that he would be to her a wall of Fire round about The words are so precious it is pity a syllable should be lost There are two Promises included in this one Promise 1. That God will be a Wall There is a distinct promise for that Isa. 26.1 We have a strong City Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks round about her So Psal. 125.2 As the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so the Lord is round about his People from henceforth even for ever God will be instead of all Guards 2 Then a Wall of Fire Not of Brass or of Stone but of Fire Qui comminus arceat eminus terreat They made Fires about them to keep off the Wild Beasts Here is enough for a refuge and to stay our Hearts on the Lord 's keeping Would God speak at this rate and not be a shelter to us If we did make use of him we should find the benefit These promises shew that we have leave to dwell in God as our fortress and that we shall not be refused lodging nor thrust out when we enter into him for that end and purpose Yea they give us confidence as well as leave that we shall have the benefits we expect or a benefit every way as good or better 2. Because he alone will keep us and every part of us and all that belongeth to us our Souls our Bodies our Names and our Estates 1. Our Souls Psal. 121.7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy Soul If a Believer lose any thing by trouble he shall not lose what is most precious he shall not lose his Soul In a Fire a Man careth not so much though his Lumber be burnt if he can preserve his Money and his Jewels Our Soul is in more danger than the Body and needs more keeping Our Body is in danger of Men but our Soul of Spiritual and Ghostly Enemies If God suspend the keeping of the Soul how soon doth Man fall and lose himself Now God preserveth the Souls of the Saints Psal. 22.20 Deliver my Soul from the Sword and my darling from the power of the Dog 2. Our Bodies are not left to the Wills of Men but are under the special care and protection of God Psal. 34.20 He keepeth all his Bones not one of them is broken They are not left to the Will of Instruments in their trouble In our Lord Christ was this promise fulfilled Nay the Excrementitious parts are taken care of Mat. 10.30 The very Hairs of your Head are all numbred He hath a care not only of the essential parts Body and Soul and of their integral parts any Joint or Limb but of their Excrementitious parts which are the least things about them and serve for Ornament rather than for Use. 3. So for all their concernments and estates Iob 1.10 Hast not thou made an Hedge about him and about his House and about all that he hath on every side Not only about him but his Children Servants Horses Oxen Asses Satan could not find a gap or breach whereby to enter and work him any annoyance Such an invisible guard there is upon the Saints It is true there is a difference God hath absolutely promised to save the Souls of his people but life and the comforts of it so far as shall be expedient for his glory and our good Upon which terms we must trust all in his hands 4. I had almost forgotten our Name Psal. 31.20 Thou shalt keep them secretly as in a pavilion from the strife of Tongues Slander and detraction is an Arrow that flyeth in secret and so we are often struck with a blow that smarteth not Calumnies and false accusations are privily whispered to our wrong and prejudice Now it is a comfort to remember that God hath the keeping of our credit as well as of other things He will not only keep us from being smitten from the fist of wickedness but from the strife of Tongues 3. Because he can shelter us from all sorts of Enemies All our Enemies and Dangers they are all under God and at his disposal Therefore we are said Psal. 91.1 to dwell in the secret place of the Most High and to abide under the shadow of the Almighty God is most High and Almighty and the Enemies of your Salvation are something under God Whether Men or Devils Men are but poor Instruments in Gods Hands They can do no more than God pleaseth When you are in their Hands they are in God's Hands Acts 4.28 To do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Council determined before to be done Devils are not exempted from the dominion and government of his Providence they can do nothing without leave whether as Enemies of your Bodies or of your Souls Pests are thought to be an effect of his malice Psal. 91.3 He shall deliver thee from the Snare of the Fowler and from the noisome Pestilence See Iob's case Iob 2.7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore Boils from the Sole of his Foot unto his Crown The Devils are Princes of the power of the Air but God is most High They must have leave if the Devil could not enter into the Herd of Swine without leave surely he cannot afflict the Bodies of Men without leave Oh! could we dwell above in God all the frightful things in the World would seem less to us Though we are in the midst of a thousand dangers what should we fear that dwell above in the bosom of the Almighty God Things the more remote the less they seem and the nearer they are the greater We that inhabit the Earth judge the Mountains that are before our Eyes to be of an unmeasurable bigness and the Stars that are distant from us seem but little sparks and spangles but if we could ascend into Heaven then we should see those Globes of light to be
of an incredible bigness and all our Alpâ—s and Pyrenees to be but like little spots Those that converse above that dwell in the secret place of the Most High the difficulties and dangers of the World seem as nothing to them They can despise this Ant-hill of the World as a poor little sandy heap that is soon spurned into dust But God's help seemeth greater and therefore they are not troubled nor afraid They can say Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us Goliah frighted all the Hosts of Israel but David went forth against him in the name of the Lord 1 Sam. 17.45 Thou comest to me with a Sword and with a Spear and with a Shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the Armies of Israel whom thou hast defied David could despise the Giant as much as the Giant despised David Compare any of the Children of this World with a Servant of God that dwelleth in the shadow of the Almighty and what a difference will you find One dismayed with every danger troubled with every petty loss why so Because he dwelleth in the Earth and converseth only with created things and so small things seem great to him But now take any of the Servants of God who live in God as the Martyrs they are not daunted with Fires Swords Wheels Gibbets Beasts they are as a Flea-biting They are acquainted with things truly great Nay many of the evils we feel come from God himself from his immediate Hand as Pestilence and Famines None are affected with these things more than a Child of God as they are tokens of his Father's displeasure He is not stupid and fool-hardy None hath such a tender sense of the events and effects of Providence as he hath He looketh upon them with an Eye of Nature and of Grace and seeth God in them Yet none are less discomposed in such cases They know none can withdraw himself from God or lye hid from his Eye when he maketh inquisition for sinners Qui à te fugit quò fugiet nisi à te irato ad pacatum He that flies from thee whither shall he fly but from thee as angry to thee as appeased There is no way to avoid his justice but by flying to his Mercy Kings and Potentates of the Earth their wrath may be escaped their Eyes cannot see all nor their Hands reach all But none can hide themselves from him that filleth Heaven and Earth with his presence There is no hiding from God but in God 4. Because of the manner of his defence and protection It is every where expressed as a secret invisible thing that cannot be seen with bodily Eyes So Iob 29.4 The secret of the Lord was upon my Tabernacle Meaning his Gracious protection So Psal. 31.20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the Pride of Man Thou shalt keep them secretly in a Pavillion from the strife of Tongues So Psal. 91.1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty This keeping is not liable to the view of sense A man is kept no body knoweth how abroad yet hidden in God Natural Men cannot discern the way of it When to appearance they are laid in common with others yet they are distinguished from others by the special care of God's Providence God's Truth Power Grace and Goodness whereon Faith doth fix it self It is a riddle and a mystery to the World which carnal reason knoweth not to improve to any satisfaction and comfort However it teacheth us to depend upon the Providence of God whether there be any appearance of the benefit we look for yea or no. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower but it is an invisible Tower only found out by Faith and entered into by Faith Therefore he that would take up his dwelling place in God must not govern himself by probabilities of sense but by Maxims of Faith 2. An House is the seat of our blessings and the place where we lay up our comforts And so God is our Habitation as we expect all our supplies and provisions from him So the Saints have God for their store-house and his All-sufficiency for their Portion out of which they fetch not only Peace and Grace and Righteousness but Food and Raiment Psal. 23.1 The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want Psal. 34.1 O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psal. 84.11 For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly We must not prescribe at what rate we will be maintained for that is to ask Meat for our Lusts and to set Providence a task which it will not comply withal But that which is good for us he will not deny unto us He that satisfieth the desire of every living thing cannot be unkind to his People Psal. 145.16 Thou openest thy Hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing compared with ver 18 19. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him to all that call upon him in Truth He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear when they cry and will save them He that provideth not for his own is worse than an Infidel and can unbelief paint out God as so negligent and careless Christ taxeth them as of little Faith Mat. 6.30 Wherefore if God so cloath the Grass of the Field that to day is and to morrow is cast into the Oven how much more will he cloath you O ye of little Faith Shall we pretend to believe in God for Eternal Life and not trust in him for daily Bread 3. The House is the place of our abode and rest so in God we have consolation as well as protection and provision It is blustering weather abroad but in the Bosom of God we may repose our selves Iohn 16.33 These things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have rest in the World ye shall have Tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the World As it is comfortable to be within and hear the ratling of the Storm on the Tiles So it is to have inward peace in outward trouble 2 Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. Abroad a Christian hath his labours and sorrows but in God is his rest when he has recourse thither he is at ease 1 Sam. 30.6 David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Well then we have the effect of an House in God In him we may dwell quietly as in a secure safe and comfortable place and need not fear any danger whatsoever Thus much for the Metaphorical reflection upon these words which is the third consideration 4. I observe this title hath a special respect to that
Spirits to all the other parts so what we receive from God as good Stewards we should dispense it again and so propagate the Knowledge of God in the World which is better than Gold and fine Silver 3. It is a great comfort and quickening to confer together of holy things Rom. 1.12 That I may be comforted together with you by the mutual Faith both of you and me It is a far sweeter thing to talk of the Word of God and spiritual and heavenly things than to imploy our Tongues in vain and foolish Mirth or discoursing about mere worldly Matters Should any thing be more delightful to a Christian than God and Christ and Heaven and the Promises of the World to come and the Way thither And therefore surely we should take all meet occasions to confer of these things Certainly our relish and appetite is mightily depraved to judge our selves as in a Prison when we are in good Company who remember God And when they invite you to remember him with them will you frown upon the Motion because it is some check and interruption to Carnal Vanity Had you rather hear the Ravens croak or the Nightingale sing The grunting of a Swine or the melody of an Instrument Such a a difference there is between vain and worldly talk and heavenly discourse 4. The well-ordering of our Words is a great point of Christianity and argueth a good degree of Grace He that bridleth his Tongue is a perfect Man Jam. 3.2 If any Man offend not in words the same is a perfect Man and able also to bridle the whole Body And Solomon saith Prov. 18.21 That Death and Life are in the power of the Tongue Upon the good or ill use of it a Man's safety doth depend not only Temporal safety but Eternal And a greater than Solomon tells us Matth. 12.37 By thy Words shalt thou be justified and by thy Words shalt thou be condemned Therefore it concerneth us to look to our Discourses as well as our Actions Solomon often describeth the Righteous by his good Tongue Prov. 10.31 The Mouth of the Iust bringeth forth Wisdom Prov. 12.8 The Tongue of the Wise is Health The first Use is to inform us 1. What an Happineâ—s it is to converse with just and renewed Men Their Tongue is as choice Silver You are inriched by converse with them with such Treasures as if you were well in your Wits you would prefer above fine Gold and choice Silver And so sheweth what Teachers you should live under and what Families you should put your selves into if you be at your own disposal and what Company you should chuse You should go into the Mines those places where the Vein of choice Silver is to be had 2. That it is not enough to avoid evil Communication but our Speech must be ordered by Grace to the benefit of others Besides vain babling there are two defects Some are dumb and tongue-tyed in holy Things they can speak liberally of any Subject that occurreth but are dumb in Spiritual Matters which concern Edification Men shew so little Grace in their Conferences because they have so little Grace in their Hearts Many carry it as if they were â—shamed to speak of God or had nothing to say of him or for him You are not bound always to speak of Religious Things but sometimes you are bound now when do you interpose a word for God in a serious and affectionate manner Others jangle about disputable Opinions and all their talk is Controversie as if the plain and uncontroverted Points were not worth the owning yet in these the life and power of Godliness consisteth this is like leaving Bread and gnawing upon a a Stone In Nature necessary things are obvious so in the Universe of Religion to inculcate on each other the Vital Truths and the most necessary Duties Controversies have their place but the ordinary discourse of Christians should be about the most necessary things 3. To shew us what need there is that we should be just holy and righteouâ— If we would profit others by our discourses two things are necessary that we should be inlightned and mortified 1. That we should be inlightned by the Spirit of Grace If we would teach others the way of God it is necessary that we our selves should be taught of God It cometh warmer and fresher from us when we speak not by hear-say only but Experience as Heart answereth to Heart so the renewed Heart in him that heareth to the renewed Heart in him that speaketh and we shew others what God by his illuminating Grace hath first shewed us Then it savoureth of the Spirit that worketh in both he that is all on fire himself will more easily inkindle others Alas Good Things pass through many like Water through an empty Trunk without feeling they may speak very good things but they do but personate and act a part When God hath bound up our Wounds we do more feeling speak to others Certainly we are apt to speak oftenest of those things which we do most affect when we have a true discerning of the Excellency of holy things our Speeches about them will be more frequent lively and savoury 2. That we be mortified and dead to carnal things for we cannot conceal our Affections whether they are bent to the things of the Flesh or to the things of the Spirit Till the Heart be câ—eansed and we mortifie our sinful Inclinations from whence Thoughts and Words proceed they always obey the Ruling Power A good Man will be known by his discourse so will the Carnal The Froward will speak froward things and the Sensual of what is grateful to the Flesh and the Worldly of what is suitable to their worldly Designs and Knowledge doth not guide us here so much as Inclination for Speech is but the overflow of the Heart The second Use is of Exhortation To press us to imploy our Tongues to the Use of Edifying 1. Let us be much exercised in reading and meditating on the Word of God and get a good stock of sound Scriptural Knowledge Matth. 12.35 A good Man out of the good treasure of the Heart bringeth forth good things Every Man entertaineth his Guests with such Provision as he hath He that taketh Money out of his Pocket if it be stored with Gold or Silver or Brass Farthings as his Stock is so will the Draught appear The Word of God is that which enableth us to edifie our selves and others with holy Conference The more Store the more we have to bring forth upon all Occasions Coll. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another A plentiful measure of Gospel-Knowledge enableth us to instruct others and direct others There all Wisdom is made plain things revealed which cannot be found elsewhere that which by long search we get in the Writings of Heathens is there made ready to our hands and brought down to the meanest Capacity If the
wit the redemption of our bodies When we shall know more fully what Honour and Blessedness belongeth to the Children of God now it doth not appear what we shall be So pardon of Sin shall be then compleat Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. All pardoned Sins shall never be remembred more our Absolution shall be solemnly pronounced by the Judge upon the Bench. That is the great Regeneration Matth. 19.28 You that have followed me in the regeneration when the son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel So for Redemption Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption When all the Effects of Sin shall cease for Death remaineth on the Body till that day 7. This Work of taking away Sin is carried on with respect to Christ's threefold Office of King Priest and Prophet 1. As a Priest so he taketh away Sin by his Merit having purchased a Power and a Virtue whereby our Natures may be healed and cleansed and our Peace made with God In this sense it is said 1 Iohn 1.7 The blood of Iesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin 2. As a Prophet so he taketh away Sin by his Doctrine which is fit for such a purpose as it commandeth and requireth Purity and Holiness and inviteth us to it by notable Promises and encourageth us by blessed Examples especially of Jesus Christ himself and the perfect Pattern of his holy Obedience and heavenly Life Iohn 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth 3. As a King so he taketh away Sin by his Spirit So backward are our Minds so bad our Hearts so strong our Lusts so manifold our Temptations that beâ—â— Teaching will not serve the turn without a Spirit of Light Life and Love to open our Eyes and change our Hearts and incline us and bring us back again to God Therefore it is said Titus 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 which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our saviour His Merit giveth us Confidence his Word Means and Helps and his sanctifying Spirit maketh all effectual to the Soul III. That this is the great End and Scope of Christ's coming into the World appeareth by sundry Scriptures 1 Iohn 3.5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin He was manifested in the Flesh and manifested in the Gospel for this end He came as an holy innocent Saviour to take away Sin Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sins Not to ease them of their Trouble only but chiefly to destroy Sin with the mischievous Effects of it He is a Saviour that saves us from Sin not in Sin Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Not only from the Curse of the Law but from all Iniquity The Mediator's Blessing was not to free us from the Roman Yoke but from the slavery and bondage of Sin Acts 3.26 Unto you first God having raised up his son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Reasons 1. Sin is the great Make-bate between God and us The first breach was by Sin and still it continueth the distance Isa. 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God Till Sin be taken out of the way there can be no perfect Communion betwen God and the Creature The Purity of God is irreconcilable to Sin though not to the Sinner and therefore though the Sinner be pardoned the Sin must be taken away 2. Sin is the great Disease of Mankind and the cause of all Misery therefore Christ came to stop Mischief at the Fountain Head Take away Sin and you take away Wrath for when the Cause is gone the Effect ceaseth Those who are most sensible of their true Evil do mainly desire the taking away of Sin Pharaoh said Take away this Plague but the Church saith Take away all iniquity Hosea 14.2 Many seek to get rid of Trouble and Temporal Afflictions but not of Sin because they have a gross sense of Things and measure their Happiness and Misery by their outward Condition Hosea 7.14 They assemble themselves for corn and wine and they rebel against me They sought not God's Favour but Corn and Wine and Oyl Others if they mind Spiritual Things they mind only pardon of Sins and ease of Conscience but not to be freed from the Power of it as if a Man that had broken his Leg should only desire to be eased of the smart but not to have it set again But the true Penitent is troubled with the Stain as well as the Guilt therefore the Promise is suited to such 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Others if they would be freed from Sin they respect only the preventing the outward Act but you must abstain from the Lust 2 Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. If they look after the Heart and inward Man it is some Branch of Sin not the Root or the Change of the Heart and so die Impenitent Evil Practices do not flow from a present Temptation but an evil Nature All these lose their labour they neither get rid of Trouble nor prevent the Act nor are free from the breach of God's Law but Christ would make a thorough Cure 3. Taking away of Sin is a greater benefit than Impunity or taking away the Punishment Those Means which have a more immediate Connexion with the last End are more noble than those which are more remote The last End is the Glory of God Now the Holiness and Subjection of the Creature is a nearer means to it than our Comfort and Pardon Christ's End was to fit us for God's Use and therefore his End was to sanctifie us and free us from Sin 1 Use Is Caution Let us renounce all Sin that we may not make Christ's coming into the World in vain You go about to frustrate your Redeemer's End and so to put him to shame if you cherish Sin for then you cherish that which he came to destroy 1 Iohn 3.8 For this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil that is dissolve unty and loose this Knot The Work of the Devil is to bring us into Sin and Misery and will you tie the Knot the faster If you go about to frustrate his Undertaking you renounce all Benefit by him and slight the Price of
the World it cannot be imagined that God should use such an Artifice 1. That God governeth the World by the Hopes and Fears of another Life is evident not only by the Tenour of the Christian Religion where the Covenant between God and Men is established by such Threatnings and Promises but by the Consent of all Nations where Government is secured and upheld by such a Perswasion Now if the Soul be not immortal and there be not firm Reasons to induce us to believe that it is so why hath such a Conceit been rooted in the Minds of Men of all Nations and all Religions not only Greeks and Romans but Barbarians and People least civilized They all received this Opinion from Hand to Hand from their Ancestors and the nearer Men trace it to the Original of Mankind the more clear and pressing hath been the Conceit thereof Lapse of time which ordinarily decayeth all things hath not been able to deface it out of the Minds of Men the Sense of an immortal Condition after this Life hath ever been accounted the great Bridle upon the World and being spread throughout the Universe hath with all Forwardness been received among all Nations and hath born up against all Encounters of Sin and hath maintained it self in the midst of those Revolutions of humane Affairs wherein other Truths are lost 2. There is a Necessity of this Government as suting best with the Nature of Man which is much moved by the Hopes and Fears of Good and Evil after Death That Man is governed by Hopes and Fears common Sense teacheth us That the Hopes and Fears of the present Life are not sufficient to bridle carnal Nature and withstand Temptations and keep us in the true Obedience and Love to God to the End Experience also sheweth because for the Satisfaction of our Lusts we can dispense with temporal Evils as the Lecher in the Proverbs chap. 5.11 And thou mourn at the last when thy Flesh and thy Body are consumed Besides if it were so that these Motives of temporal Good and Evil were sufficient Man were more to be feared than God which killeth and stabbeth all Religion at the Heart for Man useth this Engine of temporal Punishments and Inconvenience they do Execution on those that break their Laws Now Christ teacheth us Luke 12.4 5. I say unto you my Friends Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you Fear him 3. The Necessity of it appeareth to meet with secret Sins such as Fornication privy Atheism Malice Adultery Murder Perjury Hypocrisy Treachery Theft Deceit He that believeth not a Life after this may secretly carry on these Sins without Impunity Man cannot see the Heart or make Laws to govern it therefore no Man can know or punish these secret Sins therefore if Men can but hide their Sins they are safe So for the Sins of Men powerful in the World for who can call them to an Account here for their Filthiness or Cruelty Iob 34.18 Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked and to Princes Ye are ungodly There is no Restraint to those who have none above them and all secret Wickedness would be committed without Fear So that to deny the Immortality of the Soul or a Life after this would take away all Honesty and open the Flood-gates to all Villany and evil Practices Who would make Conscience of entire Obedience to God enter in by the streight Gate walk in the narrow Way row against the Stream of Flesh and Blood work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling and consecrate their time to God if there were no other Life after this nor Happiness to be there expected Alas we plainly see the contrary Who are so lewd and hardned in their Sensualities as they that are tainted with this Conceit That not only the Denial but the Forgetfulness of this Estate worketh this Effect They make the best of the present Life 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die Such Atheistical Thoughts are very common Ver. 33. Be not deceived evil Communication corrupts good Manners But a deep Sense of this immortal Estate is the Fountain of all Sobriety Righteousness and Godliness and all that is vertuous and Praise-worthy hath been done in the World upon this Account Therefore who are the better Men those that believe the Immortality of the Soul or those that believe it not And who are likely to be in the right wicked Wretches or holy serious and considering Men. 4. The Duties which God requireth of us shew it Man is obliged to divers Duties which are difficult and displeasing to the Flesh and which we should never perform without a serious Belief of the Soul's Immortality such as these to forsake the sinful Pleasures of the World to mortify and tame the Flesh diligently to exercise our selves to Godliness to suffer the Loss of all outward Comforts yea of Life it self All these are commanded the Mortification and keeping down the Body Col. 3.5 Diligence in the Heavenly Life Phil. 3.13 14. Forâ—itude and Patience under the greatest Trials as Moses is propounded for an Example Heb. 11.24 25 26. Not to faint in the greatest Tribulations 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Yea to expose Life it self Luke 14.26 Now would God who is so loving to Mankind bind us to displease the Flesh and enjoin us so many Duties which are harsh and troublesome yea some of them hurtful and detrimental to the Body if he had not provided some better thing for us Would he all whose Precepts are for our good and who hath made Self-love so great an help to our Duty be so hard to us but that he knoweth how to recompence this Diligence and Self-denial He saith Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on Matth. 6.25 But he saith Keep the Soul with all diligence Deut. 4.9 Would he be so earnest in pressing us to look after the Soul and strengthning and adorning the inward Man if the Soul were to perish with the Body Surely if all depended upon the Body the Body should be more cared for but it is quite otherwise Scripture and Reason shew the Body is only to be cared for in Subordination to the Soul and that our chiefest Work should be to furnish our Souls with Knowledg and Grace And they are the worthiest Men who do most busy themselves about divine and heavenly things whereas they are the basest who care so much for the Body and make a business of those things which they should do only by the by Certainly if there were an end of us when the Body faileth we should abhor nothing so much as Death desire nothing so much as the good of the
degree is common to all Adam's Posterity which should make us to look higher than the present Life 2. Of all Men vertuous good Men are more miserable than others if you consider their Temper and the State of the World Their Temper they deny themselves the Pleasures of the Flesh and the World too often depriveth them of the ordinary Comforts of Life They deny themselves the irregular Pleasures of the Flesh as being an Impediment to Goodness and that Sense and Appetite may not carry them against the Dictates of Reason and so instead of being led by Conscience as they ought they serve their brutish Passions and Inclinations as others do This is the difference between them and others They do not run with them into the same excess of Riot 1 Pet. 4.4 But besides this they are subject to many Tribulations and Persecutions We often see that Instruments of Publick Good are made Sacrifices of Publick Hatred The Bad will hate the Good as differing from them and disgracing that kind of Life which they affect Prov. 29.27 He that is upright in the Way is Abomination to the Wicked They have a Malignity and Enmity to that Goodness which they want themselves and therefore deal worst with those that deserve best at their hands because they cannot so quietly take Satisfaction in their Lusts whilst others about them excel in Vertue and Holiness 3. Of all good Men the prophane carnal World is more enraged against Christians than others Probity and Honesty in the Heathens hath met with Opposition in the World and some among them that would reform a depraved and disordered Age have met with sore Troubles and been hurried even unto Death for seeking to stop the Inundation of publick Vices but especially hath this been the Portion of Christians 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer Persecution Christianity is the more violently opposed because it carrieth us to an higher pitch of Purity and Holiness than bare Morality doth for therein Men are more devoted to God and do most resemble him as they are made Partakers of the Divine Nature Therefore a true constant Christian Course doth more inrage the World Besides it is most contrary to those diabolical Impostures which have prevailed over the Nations and are entertained by them with much Veneration as being received by a long Tradition from Ancestors Therefore the Devil ever had a greater Rage against this Way and many of the Truths of it are not only Mysteries and therefore contradicted but Mysteries of Godliness tending to imbue Men with right Thoughts of God and do more shake the Interests of the Devil's Kingdom Thence hath it been that Christians have been worse used than other good Men and so considered as to their outward Estate are of all Men most miserable 4. To induce Men to lead such an holy godly Life which exposeth them to so many Miseries such Motives are necessary as are greater than the Temptations of the World partly with respect to Christ for Christ is so good that he would not impose this Duty upon us without a sufficient Recompence for our Losses and Troubles for he came not to make us miserable but happy to save not to destroy that the World might have Benefit by him and not Loss and Trouble We have a twofold Apprehension of God as an holy and happy Being There is his Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goodness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessedness Accordingly Christ hath made a discovery of him to us when he came to plant Godliness and Holiness in the World he hath revealed him as a God of infinite Purity and Blessedness that by imitating him in Purity we might be made Partakers of his Blessedness or that self-denyingly carrying on a Life of Holiness here we might have our Blessedness in a better Life hereafter His Calling is an high and holy Calling And partly with respect to us In this State of Frailty this living godly in Christ Jesus cannot be carried on unless our natural and sensual Inclination be over-ruled by the Bias of a stronger Affection The Flesh in us is importunate to be pleased and therefore when our Troubles and Trials are sore and manifold what shall we do if we have not such higher Motives as may rationally prevail with us The Voice of Nature is Spare the Flesh but the Voice of Faith is Save the Soul Now if this Salvation be not greater than the Temptations of the present Life how shall we row against the Stream of Flesh and Blood and run all Hazards with Christ 5. Christ hath promised an Happiness that will countervail all these Afflictions There is a fourfold Comparison which Believers usually make or in Scripture are taught to make between this Life and the next As 1. Sometimes they compare Temporal good things with Eternal good things or the Portion of a Carnal Man with the Happiness of a Child of God 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 thou fillest with thy 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 That is the rich and great Men of the World have all their good things allowed by thee in this Life here they have all Riches and Plenty and a numerous Posterity Wealth sufficient not only to enjoy themselves but to leave abundantly to their Children but I count my self abundantly provided for if I may have thy Favour with a painful holy Life here and when I awake out of the Sleep of Death may so see thee hereafter as to be like thee I am satisfied with the Hopes of the Vision and Fruition of God 2. Sometimes they compare Temporal evil things with Eternal evil things as a Prison with Hell or the killing of the Body with the casting the Body and Soul into Hell-Fire Luke 12.4 5. Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do but I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Certainly it is more for our Interest to fear displeasing God than displeasing Men the utmost that Men can do is to kill the Body and then their Malice is at an end but God can cast Body and Soul into everlasting Torments Every one would submit to a lesser Evil to avoid a greater When you must sin to escape Trouble in the World you run into eternal Sufferings to avoid temporal No Wrath like the Wrath of God no Torment like the Fire of Hell 3. Sometimes they compare Temporal Good with Eternal Evil as Mat. 16.26 What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul The
Good As to our selves we must subordinate all things to our true Happiness and be more careful for the Soul than for the Body All this Righteousness or the Evidence of natural Light calleth for at our Hands that we love our Creator and live to him and depend upon him for if he be God he is our first Cause highest Lord chiefest Good and last End That Love to others is shewed in doing to them as we would should be done to us We would have others helpful to us so must we to our Power be helpful to them he that will be for none but himself cannot justly expect that any should be for him And for our selves Man consists of a Body and of a Soul now all our Senses and bodily Powers and the Appetites must be subordinated to the Good of the Soul for the Soul is the chiefest Part. Well then if we live in the Neglect of God and be only Self-Lovers and Self-Pleasers and wrong our selves by gratifying our Flesh do we do well If we prefer every paltry Vanity before the Favour of God slander and wrong our Neighbour please Appetite before Reason and let the Beast ride the Man surely we obey Unrighteousness we do not do well 2. We must obey the Truth that is act agreeably to the revealed Will of God in Scripture that is to do well It is the Scripture which helpeth us to distinguish Good from Evil and will be a sure Direction in well-doing Psal. 119.105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. Prov. 6.23 For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them We are not to be ruled by our own Thoughts but by God's Word which amply sets forth our Duty to us The Light of Nature is very dim and it would be a matter of great Difficulty to find out our Duty if we had no supernatural Light to help us Therefore God hath given his Word and that not only to instruct us in moral Duties most of which are evident by the Light of Nature but also in supernatural Verities which tend to our Relief and Deliverance by Christ. Well then well-doing is not one Work only but all our intire Obedience which is necessary to â—alvation that we may not only love God do Good to others govern our Appetites and Desires but believe in Christ and live according to his holy Institutes and perform all the Duties which belong to his new remedying Law This is Well-doing 2. There must be Continuance in Well-doing As we must indeavour universally to do all that God hath commanded us so we must continue this Care unto the End Luke 1.75 In Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life In a Journey it is not enough to go a Mile or two but we must continue till we come to our Journey 's End so must we never give over whilst we are in this World There may be Interruptions Diversions and Straglings but a Christian gets into the way again Sometimes we slip and stumble and sometimes step aside but we must not go back again Some are good for a Pang or Fit Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always I might heap up many Considerations here but the thing is evident The Law bindeth continually and Grace planted in the Heart should influence all our Actions God's Eye is always upon us and every Hour and Moment we are a-new obliged to him for his Benefits how reasonable is it our Duty should last and the Use of Means be continued till we attain our End Therefore do not lose your Crown and the Benefit of all you have done already The Promise runneth to Perseverance Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life 3. Here is patient Continuance That is necessary also The good Ground is described to be that which bringeth forth Fruit with Patience Luke 8.15 The other Grounds brought forth Fruit but they did not bring forth Fruit with Patience the stony Ground was impatient of Contradiction and Afflictions The thorny Ground was impatient of the Delay of the Reward and therefore took up with present things Riches and Honours and voluptuous Living but they that have a deep Sense of the other World and can tarry God's Leisure enduring the Hardships of Obedience and look for their Happiness in the World to come that is the good Ground So Heb. 6.12 Be ye Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises We shall meet with Opposition within and without till we can deny our selves our Hearts are not sound with God We need the working Patience because of the Labour and Pains which belongeth to well-doing and the waiting Patience because our Reward is to come and the bearing Patience because of the Troubles and Dangers which we must indure if we would be faithful with God Loss of Estate Slanders of the Wicked and sometimes Danger of Life The working Patience should not be grievous to us because the Pains of Godliness will be recompensed with the Fruit of it the Peace and Comfort that followeth it and because there is more Labour in committing Sin than doing Good The waiting Patience should not be grievous because there must be a time for the Trial of our Faith They are Hypocrites which must have their Reward at present Matth. 6.2 Verily I say unto you they have their Reward The Believer he can wait for it he looketh for Glory and Honour too but not now The bearing Patience should not be irksom because Faithfulness in our Trials is most comfortable to us and most acceptable to God Comfortable to us we have not ordinarily so clear a Proof of the Reality of Grace as when we are under sore Trials 1 Pet. 1.7 That the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold though it be tried with Fire may be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Faith is then Faith indeed and Obedience Obedience indeed The greater the Work and the more Impediments we meet with self-denying Obedience doth most evidence it self to the Conscience Whilst we do any thing for God while we do it without Shame Opposition and Loss it is more hard to interpret our Sincerity It is more acceptable to God 't is tried Friendship and Obedience which is most valuable The Obedience of a Souldier is pleasing to a General in a time of Peace when he saith to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh but especially in the most desperate Hazards when he doth not dispute Commands when he is bidden to go upon the Cannons Mouth From the whole Mortification Self-denial Contempt of the World Patience under manifold Sufferings