Blood of his Cross but vanquished our Spiritual Enemies and triumphed over them Col. 2. 14 15. Long enough might we have lain in Prison before the utmost Farthing had been paid or done any thing to procure our deliverance if our compassionate Redeemer had not taken the Work in hand had he turned us to any Creature we had been helpless 'T was he purchased Grace to overcome the Devil the World and the Flesh that quickned you when you were dead in Sin that put Satan out of Office and delivered us from the present evil World Gal. 1. 4. And is not this matter of rejoicing to us 3. That hereby he hath not only abolished Death but brought Life and Resurrection to Life 2 Tim. 1. 10. By entring into that other World after his Sufferings He hath given us a visible Demonstration of the Reality of the World to come and in his Gospel discovered a Blessedness to us which satiateth the Heart of Man and salveth the great Sore of the whole Creation If God had made nothing richer than the World the Heart of Man would have been as Leviathan in a little Pool 2. In the Promises of Christ there is matter of Joy In the general God is your God and that 's more than to have all the World to be yours compare Gen. 17. 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy Seed after thee With Psal. 144. 15. Happy is that People whose God is the Lord. We have an Eternal and Allsufficient God to live upon and from whom to derive our Joy and Comfort A God infinite in Power Wisdom and Goodness to be our Portion And where is Matter of Joy and Comfort if not in God Behold the difference between Carnal Men and the Children of God The World is their Portion and God is ours and who is better provided for More especially we are told 1 Tim. 4. 8. That Godliness hath the Promises of this Life and that which is to come Heaven and Earth are laid at the Feet of Godliness what would you moreâ— Surely we have full Consolation offered to us in the Promises of the Gospel He can want nothing to his Comfort whoâ— hath an Interest in them To instance in the lowest Blessings those which concern this Life God is our God that can cure all Diseases overcome all Enemies supply all Wants deliver in all Dangers and will do it so far as is for our good and desires of any thing beyond this are not to be satisfied but mortified Psal. 84. 11. But then for the more Excellent Promises of the New Covenant which concern another World such as the pardoning of our Sins the healing our Natures and the glorifying of our Persons 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through lust The pardon of all our Sins which are the great trouble and burden of the Creatures Who will rejoice like the pardoned Sinner who is discharged of his Debt eased of his Burthen and hath his Filth covered Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the Man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin iâ— covered O the blessedness of the Manâ— He is like one fetched back from Execution Then the taking away of the stony Heart and the giving of an Holy and Heavenly Heart Oh what Matter of Joy is this to have all things necessary to Life and Godliness What 's the trouble of a gracious Heart but the Relicts of Corruption Rom. 7. 24. Paul groaneth sorely but yet blesseth God for his Hopes by Christ Vers. 25. Renewing Grace is dearly bought and plentifully bestowed Titus 3. 5 6. and graciously offered to those that will seek after it Prov. 1. 23. Turn you at my Reproof Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you And this promise to be fulfilled by a Divine Power 2 Pet. 1. 3. Oh what a Comfort is the Redeemer's Grace to a Soul that hath been long exercised in subduing Sin 'T is true it groans while 't is a doing yet the very groans of the Sick shew that Life and Health is sweet Healing renewing Grace maketh other Things sweet as your whole Duty to God It maketh it become your Delight But the great Promise is Eternal Life 1 John 2. 25. And this is the Promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life That 's a Matter of Joy indeed What! to live for ever with God! the fore-thought of it reviveth us the fore-taste of it is a kind of Heaven upon Earth 1 Pet. 1. 8. The certain hope of it will swallow up all Grief and Sorrow Rom. 5. 2 3. So that there is no question but that in the Promises of Christ there is Matter of great Joy 3. The Enjoiments of Christianity are very pleasing I add this to shew you that it is not all in expectation if we consider not only what we shall be but what we are For the present 1. We have peace of Conscience Rom. 5. 1. Mat. 11. 29. Phil. 4. 7. Rest for our Souls is anxiously sought after in other things but only found in Christ's Religion and living according to the Precepts and Institutions thereof As Noah's Dove found not a place whereon to rest the sole of her Foot so we flutter up and down but never have any firm peace of Heart and Conscience till we submit to Christ and take his counsel 2. A sence of the Love of God Rom. 5. 5. Because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto us And 1 Pet. 2. 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious 3. God's Presence with us and our Communion with him 1 Iohn 1. 3 4. And truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ that your Ioy may be full And Iohn 8. 29. 4. Access to God with assurance of Welcome and Audience John 16. 24. Whatsoever ye ask in my Name ye shall receive that your Ioy may be full 5. The Fore-tastes of the Life to come Rom. 8. 23. and 2 Cor. 3. 5. So that all is to stir up this Delight and Joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. The Precepts of Christ shew that we have Matter of Rejoicing in him What are the great Duties required To love God! Now what pain is it to delight in the Lord as our All-sufficient Portion To be mindful of him and meditate of his Excellencies and Benefits Psal. 104. 34. My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. Is it any toilsome thing to come in a childish manner and unbosome our selves to him and beg the renewed Testimonies of his Love to us especially when set awork by the Holy Ghost Gal. 4. 6. To believe in Christ 't is difficult but pleasant to consider
will catch hold of any thing Judg. 17. 13. Now I know God will bless me because I have a Levite to my Priest giving him Meat and Drink and about fifty Shillings per Annum So willing are we to justify our selves by something in our selves or done by our selves Therefore that the Ell may be no broader than the Cloth they devise a short Exposition of the Law that they may entertain a large Opinion of their own Righteousness 4. There is another Reason Interest External Forms of Religion draw an Interest after them Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 2. 29. Whose praise is not of Men but of God And Gal. 1. 10. If I yet please Men I were not the Servant of Christ. And Rudiments of the World Col. 2. 10. It maketh a Man to be applauded and countenanced by the World Let a Man betake himself to such a Religion there are these which will back him and stand by him and their disfavour and displeasure he shall incur iâ— he forsake it And where the false Worshippers are the prevailing Party he runneth great hazard by contradicting such Form and Opinions Therefore the Heart of that Man that is set on Externals takes up with the Religion of his Country whether true or false 2. They place their Confidence therein Every Man that hath a Conscience must have something to trust unto Now what feedeth his Confidence but the Religion which he hath chosen There are two things which detain Men from God and Christ Some false Imaginary Happiness and some Counterfeit Righteousness and wherein they please themselves The False Happiness is as their God and the Counterfeit Righteousness is as their Christ and Mediator and so they are secure and sensless and 'till God open their Eyes they neither seek after another Righteousness nor trouble themselves about the way whereby they may attain it That Men set a false Happiness is evident for ever since Man fell from God he ran to the Creature Ier. 2. 13. Left the Fountain for the Cistern And if we can make a shift to patch up a sorry Happiness apart from God we never care for him nor will not come at him Ier. 2. 31. Our Pleasure our Profit our Honour that is our God And if we can enjoy these things without any rubs and checks we look no farther and will not seek our Happiness in an invisible God nor wait to injoy it in an invisible World But the second Error is That there is something instead of Christ to us to keep the Conscience quiet Our Happiness is to satisfy our Dâ—sires our Righteousness to allay our Fears Now here we run to a 〈◊〉 Religion or something External which is diversified according to 〈…〉 Pagans to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 15. Jews to the Observances of the Law Christians to Baptism outward 〈◊〉 or some strict Form without the Power under which we shelter our 〈◊〉 and by which we bolster up our Confidence till God convince us of our 〈◊〉 And so Christ and his renewing and reconciling Grace is neglected 〈…〉 certainly not cordially accepted as our Redeâ—mer and Saviour I come now to shew 3 dly Why a good Christian should have no Confidence in the Flesh. 1 Because till we are dead to the Law we cannot live to God Now to be dead to the Law is nothing else but to have our Confidence in the Flesh or External 〈◊〉 mortified You hear often of 〈◊〉 dead to Sin and dead to the World you must be also dead to the Law or otherwise you cannot 〈◊〉 in Christ and bring forth Fruit unto God Gal. 2. 19. For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I may live unto God And Rom. 7. 4. By the Body of Christ ye are become dead to the Law that ye may be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead We grow dead to the Law when thereby we understand our sinful miserable Estate without Christ and how unable we are to help our selves By the convincing Power of the Law we know our Sins by the condemning Power of the Law we know the misery and curse we are subject unto by the irritating Power of the Law we find that the Righteousness which the Law requireth is not in us nor can it be found in us Now in one of those places we are said by the Law to be dead to the Law and in the other by the Body of Christ. By the Law it self we are said to be dead to the Law as it maketh us to despair of Righteousness by that Covenant By the Body of Christ that is by the crucified Body or Death of Christ so we are dead to the Law as we are invited to a better Hope or Covenant which Christ hath established by bearing our Sins on his Body on the Tree or enduring the Curse of the Law for us Be it by the one or the other or both none will value the Grace of Christ till they be dead to the Law Men will shift as long as they can patch up a sorry Righteousness of their own mingle Covenants turn one into another make one of both chop change mangle and cut short the Law of God do any thing rather than come upon their Knees and beg Terms of Grace in a serious and broken-hearted manner None can partake of Christ but those that have their legal Confidence mortified who are first driven then drawn to him None but they who are convinced of Sin â—ly to Christ for Righteousness none but they who are left obnoxious to Wrath and the Curse prize his delivering us from Wrath to come none but those who are made sensible of their impotency will seek after his Renewing Grace But will still keep to their base shifts mingling and blending Covenants resting in a little Superficial Righteousness or half-Covenant of Works or mingling a little Grace with it are not brought in an humble penitent and broken-hearted manner to sue out their Pardon in the Name of Christ and so regularly to pass from Covenant to Covenant 2. The Superficial Righteousness doth not only keep Men from Christ but set them against Christ his Way his Servants and true Interest in the World These were Dogs evil Workers to whom the Apostle opposeth the true Christians usually they that are for the Form oppose the Power Gal. 4. 29. He that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit They that have but the Form and Shadow of Godliness no more than the Power of Nature carrieth them unto will persecute those that have the Reality and Truth that is the renewing and reconciling Grace of Jesus Christ partly because the true Spiritual Worshippers by their serious Godliness disgrace and condemn those that lazily rest in an empty Form and therefore they cannot endure them At the bottom of their Hearts they have an enmity and hatred against God and vent it on his People 1 John 3. 12. Not as Cain who
the Lord Jesus as the suitable Remedy for the lapsed Estate of Mankind both as to his Work with God and us Heb. 3. 1. He came to destroy Sin and Misery When-ever we reflect upon Christ what do we find but ample grounds of Joy John 14. 1. Let not your Hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me That is to get off our trouble consider we have an Alsufficient God and an Alsufficient Mediator Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of Hope fill you with all Ioy and Peace in believing that ye may abound in Hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost Repentance requireth sorrow for Sin only as it tendeth to Joy and Comfort Matth. 5. 5. 'T is a tormenting but a curing Sorrow The Word of God taketh care that a Penitent who hath foully miscarried should not be swallowed up of over-much grief 2 Cor. 2. 7. In the general Repentance and Mortification are our Physick to expel the noxious Humours that would bring us not only to Death but to Damnation and to keep the Soul in due plight and health And then for Self-Government We are to bridle our Passions and Appetites Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts. The bridling our Passions 't is but forbidding us to be miserable and throw out every thing that would disquiet the Soul Christ's great care was that the reasonable Creature might live in Peace and Holy Security therefore hath discharged our Cares and Sorrows and Fears Our Cares that they might not distract our Minds Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing And 1 Pet. 5. 7. Cast all your care upon the Lord. These Prohibitions shew you the Goodness of Christ He hath made it unlawful for you to be troubled and to perplex your Minds with anxious and distrustful Thoughts Oh! what pleasant Lives might we live if we could intirely cast our selves into the Arms of God and refer all things to the Wisdom and powerful Conduct of his Providence The Scripture is as plentiful also in forbidding Sorrow 1 Thess. 4. 13. Sorrow not as those that are without Hope Dejection and anguish of Spirit is your Sin So for Fear Isa. 41. 10. Fear not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God Heb. 13. 6. So that we may boldly say The Lord is my Helper I will not fear what Man can do unto me What should a Christian fear Dangers by the way God is his Helper To be cast into Hell when he goeth out of the World Christ hath shewed him how to flee from Wrath to come He feareth it with a Fear of Caution so as to shun it but not with a Fear of Perplexity so as to disquiet and perplex his Soul for Jesus hath delivered him from Wrath to come 1 Thess. 1. 10. Christianity is as contrary to Sadness and Misery as Life to Death and Light to Darkness For the other the crucifying and bridling of our Lusts which carry us to the good things of this World why that is troublesome to be debarred of the Delights which Nature affects But here are no rigorous Exactions but such as are agreeable to the reasonable Nature Christ hath forbidden us no Pleasure but what may be a Sin or a Snare to us He would not have Man to degenerate and turn Beast All Christ's Restraints are but necessary Cautions for our safety Is it burdensome to a Man to keep out of Danger 's way and to avoid such things as are destructive to his Soul If a Friend will take out of our hands the Knife with which we would not only cut our Fingers but our Throats Is he to be blamed Or is he your Enemy who forbiddeth you to drink Poison Forbidden Fruit costs dear in the Issue 5. For those Duties which concern our Neighbour To love all Men to do good to all Men 't is a Blessed and God-like thing to be giving rather than receiving Acts 20. 35. The delight of doing good is much more than the cost 't is to be as earthly Gods among our Neighbours This Work rewardeth it self because 't is such a contentment and satisfaction to our Minds For Justice To do as we would be done to what more pleasant We would have others bound by these Laws why not our selves 'T is horrible to require one measure of dealing from them to us and use a quite contrary our selves Would Men hate defraud oppress others and expect nothing but kind and righteous dealing from them this is a gross partiality Therefore as our Interest calleth for Justice so doth our Conscience and it would be a trouble and an affront to Reason not to do it So for Fidelity in our Relations These things maintain order of Families and conduce to our safety and private peace as well as they belong to our Duty to God So that on which side soever we look we see what Matter of Joy there is in Christ. I come now to shew you Thirdly The Reasons why Christians are not sacred and sincere in their Profession unless they keep up this rejoicing in Christ. 1. We do not else give Christ his due Honour if we do not esteem him who is so excellent in himself and so beneficial to us even to a degree of Rejoycing The magnifying of Christ was intended by God in the whole Business of our Redemption and Deliverance that we might esteem him delight in him count all things Dung and Dross that we might gain him Now we do not comply with this End but have mean thoughts of his Grace if we be not affected with Joy at it It argueth a double defect 1. That we are not sensible of our great misery without him Nor 2. affected with the great Love he hath shewed in our Deliverance and the Felicity accruing to us thereby 1. We are not duly sensible of our great Misery without him Alas What could we have done without his Passion and Intercession If he had not died for Sinners What had you to answer to the Tâ—rrors of the Law the Accusations of your Consciences the Fears of Hell and approaching Damnation How could you look God in the Face or think one comfortable thought of him Had we wept out our Eyes and prayed out our Hearts and never committed Sin again this would not have made God satisfaction for Sin past Paying new Debts doth not quit old Scores Long enough might we have lain in our Blood e're we could have found out a Ransom which God would accept besides him there is no Saviour And then for his Intercession If he did not hide your nakedness and procure you a daily Pardon you would not be an hour longer out of Hell If he did not bring you to God you could have no comfortable access to him Your Prayer would be cast back as Dung in your Faces if the Merit of his Sacrifice did not make them accepted And shall all this be told you and owned by you for Truth
Weak The Perfect that have the Truth of their side must not condemn others nor the Weak must not condemn and censure them 2. Something expressed Or the Reason of this mutual Condescension and Forbearance if they be sincere and humble God will at length shew them the Truth I begin with his Counsel to the Strong and Grown Christian and there I shall speak first of the Term by which they are expressed Let as many of us as be perfect Doct. That there is a kind of Perfection attainable in this Life I shall first explain the Point by several Distinctions Secondly Prove that all Christians should endeavour to be perfect For the first There is a double Perfection Perfectio termini praemii perfectio viae seu cognitionis sanctitatis A Perfection of the Reward and a Perfection of Grace 1. Of the Reward which the Saints shall have in Heaven where they are freed from all sinful Weakness 1 Cor. 13. 10. When that which is perfect shall come then that which is in part shall be done away In Heaven there is perfect Felicity and exact Holiness then the Saints are glorious Saints indeed when they have neither spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing Ephes. 5. 27. When presented faultless before the presence of his Glory Jude 24. Now this we have not in the World but because this we expect in the other World we are to labour after the highest perfection in Holiness here because allowed Imperfection is a disesteem of Blessedness Do we count Immaculate Purity and Perfection in Holiness to be our Blessedness hereafter and shall we shun it and fly from it or at least neglect it as if it were our Burden now No surely he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure 1 John 3. 3. That looketh not for a Turkish Paradise but a Sinless Estate will endeavour it now get as much as he can of it now When you cease to grow in Holiness you cease to go on any farther to Salvation you seem to be out of love with Heaven and Blessedness when your Desires and Endeavours are slaked 2. The Perfection of Grace and Holiness is such as the Saints may attain unto in this Life Col. 4. 12. That ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the Will of God So we are perfect when we want none of those things which are necessary to Salvation when we study to avoid all known Sin and address our selves to the practice of all known Duty serving God universally and intirely Secondly There is Perfection Legal and Evangelical Legal is unsinning Obedience Evangelical is sincere Obedience the one is where there is no Sin the other no Guile no allowed Guile The one standeth in an exact conformity to God's Law the other in a sincere endeavour to fulfil it the one will endure the Ballance the other can only endure the Touchstone 1. The legal Perfection is described Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of this Law to do them A personal perpetual perfect Obedience It supposeth a Man innocent it requireth that he should continue so for the least Offence according to that Covenant layeth us open to a Curse As the Angels for one Sin once committed were turned out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise The omitting of ought we are to perform the committing ought we are forbidden yea the least warping as well as swerving by an obliquity of Heart and Spirit maketh us guilty before God Now this is become impossible through the weakness of our Flesh. Rom. 8. 3. Man is fallen already and hath mixed Principles in him and cannot be thus exact with God 2. Evangelical When the Heart is faithful with God fixedly bent and set to please him in all things 2 Kings 20. 3. Remember Lord I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect Heart This may be pleaded in subordination to Christ's Righteousness this Perfection is consistent with Weakness 2 Chron. 15. 17. Nevertheless the Heart of Asa was perfect all his days And yet he is taxed with several Infirmities This Perfection all must have 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect Heart and a willing Mind What is done for God as it must be done willingly readily not by constraint but the native Inclination of the Soul so perfectly that is with all exactness possible As some may do many things which are good but their Hearts are not perfect with God 2 Chron. 25. 2. He did that which is right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect Heart Not a sincere bent of Soul towards God alone when the Heart is divided between God and other things Hosea 10. 2. Their Heart is divided Jam. 1. 8. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways An Heart against an Heart In point of Faith between God and other Confidences in point of Love between God and the Vanities of the World and God's Interest is not chief nor do we love him above all things In point of Obedience between pleasing God and pleasing Men and pleasing God and our own vain Fancies and Appetites honouring God and promoting our Worldly Ends you set up a Rival and Partner with God Now this Perfection we must have or else not in a state of Salvation 3. There is a Perfection Absolute and Comparative 1. That is absolutely perfect to which nothing is wanting This is in our Lord Christ who had the Spirit without measure this is in our Rule but not in them that follow the Rule Psal. 18. 30. As for God his way is perfect But that absolute Perfection is not in any of the Saints here upon Earth I prove by these Arguments 1. Where there are many Relicks of Flesh or carnal Nature left there a Man cannot be absolutely perfect but so 't is with all the Godly there is a double warring-working Principle in them Gal. 5. 17. For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would And 't is actually confirmed in Paul witness his Groans Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Mark there the Apostle speaketh of himself not of another of himself in his present renewed Estate not of his past and unconverted Estate when a Pharisee His past Estate he had spoken of vers 9. Sin revived and I died but vers 14. I am Carnal and vers 15. That which I do I allow not and vers 18. How to perform that which is good I find not Many things there said cannot agree to a Carnal Man As for instance not allowing Sin vers 15. Hating Sin in the same Verse What I hate that do I so delight in the Law of God vers 22. Again there is
a double Man distinguished vers 17. It is no more I but sin that dwelleth in me Again he distinguisheth between Him and his Flesh vers 18. So between an outward and inward Man vers 22 23. Lastly He giveth thanks for deliverance by Christ all which are competent only to the Regeneraâ—e Now these things being so surely God's best Servants are not absolutely perfect 2. There are none but sometimes sin 1 Kings 8. 46. For there is no Man that sinneth not And Eccles. 7. 20. There is not a just Man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not And Iames 3. 2. In many things we offend all 1 John 1. 8. If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us Therefore no Man so perfect as to be without all Sin 3. There is none but need the Mercy of God and ought to pray for this Mercy for the Pardon of their daily Sins Mat. 6. 13. as we pray for daily Bread This Petition our Lord directeth us to put up not for the Sins of others but our own Now these Arguments prove that no Man hath a Righteousness that is perfect without Defects The best of God's Children have innumerable Frailties which may humble them and which should be seriously laid to Heart and watched over every step of our way to Heaven 2. There is a comparative Perfection And that is Two-fold 1. When those who live under the Law of Christianity are compared with other Institutions 2. When the Professors of Christianity are compared among themselves 1. When the Professors of Christianity are compared with those that live under other Institutions They that submit to Christ's Terms are said to be perfect because Christianity it self is a Perfection For Instance take that one place and the rather that I may wrest it out of the Hands of the Papists who distinguish between Evangelical Precepts of necessary Duty and Counsels of Perfection to establish Monkery and voluntary Poverty as a more perfect state of Life than that which the common sort of Christians live Their most colourable place is Mat. 19. 21. Iesus said unto him If thou wilt be perfect go sell all that thou hast and give 〈◊〉 the poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and come and follow me Is not this a Counsel of Perfection doth not Christ call it so Or is every one bound to give all his Goods to the Poor and turn Monks or Anchorites No the meaning of the word If thou wilt be perfect is no more but this if thou wilt ascend to that higher pitch and rule of living to which I come to raise Men if thou wilt be a Christian. The Perfection here spoken of is Christianity it self not an Heroick eminent degree of it And the Condition here required is Matter of Command not Counsel only such as if we will not submit to we are not Christians for a Man that would have the Privileges of the Gospel he must submit to the Duties of the Gospel or the Conditions required by Christ that is to be a perfect thorow Christian. You will say Must we sell all and give to the Poor in contemplation of the Heavenly Reward Answ. 1. Every Man is bound to bestow Goods Land and Life as God shall direct and part with all the Wealth in the World whensoever it is required of him Now it may be required of us directly or by consequence directly by an express Command such as this young Man had from Christ. And actually to sell our Estates and give to the Poor obligeth none unless we have such alike Command from Christ himself as this young rich Man had By Consequence when we cannot obey any particular Precept of Christ without danger of being undone by it And so it obligeth all Christ's Disciples to part with all rather than to break with Christ for no Man is a Christian unless he selleth all for the Pearl of Price Mat. 13. 46. And our Lord telleth us that he that loveth any thing more than him is not worthy of him Mat. 10. 37. that is is no Christian so that if it be impossible to preserve our Fidelity and Obedience without parting with our Wealth we must impartially perform it though it be with loss of Estate and Life it self and if we do not resolve and undertake to do so we are no Christians and cannot be saved In Baptism we vow to forsake the World and follow Christ when the World cometh in competition with him if in a time of trial we do not perform it we forfeit the Privileges of Christianity and all title to Blessedness Therefore this Perfection is necessary for all Christians you esteem prefer chuse Christ above all resolving what-ever it cost you to be faithful to him 't is not an high and arbitrary Point in Christianity but a necessary Duty You will say What can the strongest Christian do more than 〈◊〉 all than part with all Answer They can do it with far greater love readiness and joy than the weak Christian can 〈◊〉 The difference between Christians is noâ— in the thing done but the manner of doing Well then this is to be perfect thus must you all be perfect for this Perfection is necessarily constitutive of sincerity you 〈◊〉 not true Christians without it 2. When compared with others of the same Profession Believers are distinguished into Perfect and Imperfect Tho' none can attain to absolute Perfection of Holiness yet there are several degrees of Grace and diversities of growth among Christians and the strong are said to be perfect in comparison of those weak Ones who are raw in Knowledg or feeble and impotent in the resistance of Sin Thus the Perfect are opposed to the Babes in Christ as when he had spoken of our growing into a perfect Man in Christ Jesus he presently addeth That henceforth we be no more Children Ephes. 4. 13 14. And elsewhere when he had spoken of the Perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6. who are skilful in spiritual Things he presently opposeth to them the Babes in Christ Chap. 3. 1. The same you may observe in Heb. 5. 13 14. He that useth Milk is unskilful in the Word of Righteousness for he is a Babe But strong Meat belongeth to them that are of full age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfect as in the Margin See also 1 Cor. 14. 20. Brethren be not Children in understanding howbeit in Malice be ye Children but in Vnderstanding be Men perfect or of ripe Age. These and many other places shew the Notion of perfect 't is not absolutely taken but comparatively Those who well and throughly understand Christian Doctrine and are habituated to a course of Godliness and have a confirmed Faith and Love to God and this in Opposition to Novices and unexperienced Christians newly entred into Christ's School Now thus we must be perfect not always Children 'T is a monstrous Thing after many Years growth to be a Babe still and an Infant still This
be considered that we must dispense this Forbearance as the Matter will bear There are great Disputes about Toleration only let me tell you now that we speak not of the Toleration of the Magistrate but of the Church what things are within the latitude of allowable Differences within the Church The Magistrates Concessions may be larger for in supernatural Things such as Matters of Religion are he may bear with that which the Church ought not to bear with in them that have submitted to an higher Institution or in its own Members or rather private Christians one with another But in this limited Forbearance there are Extreams and for want of right stating of things Men fight with their Friends in the dark some think all things should be suffered some nothing wherein to bear with our Brethren The one sort of Christians is for imposing on their Brethren all things that have gotten the vogue and the favour of Authority and that not only on their Practice but their Judgments too And this in Matters not fundamental or destructive to Faith or Worship but in things controversal or doubtful among godly and peaceable Men. But if it should not go so high contending about every Difference of Opinion and urging our Brethren with every thing we conceive to be right is a Breach of Christian Love and destroyeth the use of those differing Gifts which Christ hath given to the Church and crosseth his Mind in the frame of the Scriptures which are clear in Soul-saving Matters in other things especially Matters of Discipline and Order more dark and obscure 'T is also contrary to the mild and gentle Government of the Apostles who press in lesser Matters a Forbearance as Paul Rom. 14. 1. The weak in Faith receive but not to doubtful Disputations receive him own him but do not cast him out of the Church nor trouble him for doubtful Things but let him come to himself for Men will sooner be led than drawn The other Extream is of them that will have all things to be tolerated even Blasphemy and Fundamental Errors as if the Scriptures were uncertain in all things No in Things absolutely necessary to Salvation 't is clear open and plain The Law is a Lamp and a Light Prov. 6. 23. and Psal. 119. 105. And in such a case we are not to bid him God-speed 2 Epist. Iohn 10. In such cases of damnable Heresy the Law of Christian Lenity holdeth not but if we agree in the principal Articles of Faith let us embrace one another with mutual Love though we differ from one another in variety of Rites and Ceremonies and Discipline Ecclesiastical if we agree in the Substantials of Worship let us go by the same Rule do the same Thing Though in Circumstantials there be a difference these are Matters of lesser moment than Separation or the other division of the Church 2. As to the Persons contending there is a difference The Apostle when he perswadeth this Lenity and mutual Forbearance excepts those that raise Troubles in the Church and distinguisheth between Erring Christians and their Factious Guides Vers. 2. Beware of Dogs beware of Evil Workers beware of the Concision the poor seduced Christians he would have to be pittied but the Renders and Cutters of the Church he would have them beware of such 3. The Forbearance it self 't is not a Forbearance out of Necessity because we dare do no otherwise but voluntary choice out of Christian Pitty and Compassion knowing that we need as much Forbearance from God and others for we all have our Mistakes and Failings not a Forbearance out of Policy till we get opportunity to suppress others The Sons of Zerviah are too hard for us God often layeth that restraint upon us by his Providence and 't is well he doth but it should be the restraint of Grace not a respect to our own ease lest we create trouble to our selves but upon Christian Reasons No the Apostle sheweth you whence this Forbearance should come Ephes. 4. 2 3. With all lowliness and meekness and long-suffering forbearing one another in Love endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace There are four Graces enforce it 1. Lowliness which is a Grace and Vertue whereby a Man from the sense of his own Infirmities doth esteem but meanly and soberly of himself and all that is his 2. Meekness whereby we are rendred tractable gentle affable and easy to be intreated and conversed withal Iam. 3. 17. 3. Long-suffering which is nothing but Meekness extended or continued and not interrupted by length of Time or multiplication of Offences 4. Love to our Christian Brother or Neighbour whereby our Hearts are inclined or well-disposed towards them for their good Love covereth a multitude of Sins 1 Pet. 4. 8. Maketh us bear with many things in the Person loved 1 Cor. 13. 4. Charity suffereth long and is kind And Vers. 7. Beareth all things hopeth all things This is the Forbearance we press a Forbearance out of Meekness and Humility and Love for Christ's sake 4. In this Forbearance both strong and weak have their part and are much concerned as having either of them much to do herein Which that we may clear to you let us consider 1 st What they are not to do 1. Not to leave the Truth or to do any thing against it No the Apostle saith Let as many as be perfect be thus minded not change Truth for Error Strings in Tune must not be brought down to strings out of Tune but they brought up to them 2. Not to connive at their Sin or Error for that is not Love but Hatred Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him To let him go unconvinced is to harden him 2 Thess. 3. 15. Yet count him not as an Enemy but admonish him as â— Brother The Sins of others must not be leâ— alone under the pretence of Forbearance and there must be no neglect of Means to reclaim them from their Sin but meekly we are to hold our Light to them and use all Holy Means of convincing and satisfying their Judgments 2 dly What they are to do 1. The Strong are not to deal rigorously with the Weak nor insult over them nor pursue them with Censures but wait till God declare the Truth unâ—o them and must promote their Conviction with all gentleness and condescension We are to feed Christ's Lambs as well as his Sheep and for both we need Love Iohn 21. 15 16. Among the Flock of Christ there are variety of Tempers and Degrees of Strength both Lambs and Sheep we must imitate our Lord Isa. 40. 11. He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his Bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young We should condescend to the weak and feeble Ones as well as consider what
thing your resolution is unfixed They that only take Christ upon liking will soon be tempted to mislike him and his ways And your resolution is not unbounded whilst you set upon the Profession of Religion and yet keep the World or something of the World your Heart will ever and anon be seeking occasions to withdraw for you were false at heart at your first setting out and treacherous in the very making of your Covenant 2. With respect to the Duties of Christianity or that part of the Kingdom of God which concerneth your Obedience to him You are never â—it for these while the Heart cleaveth to earthly things and you are still hankring after the World A threefold Defect there will be in our Duties 1. They will be unpleasant 2. They will be inconstant 3. Imperfect in such a degree as to want sincerity 1. Your Duty will be unpleasant to you so far as you are wordly and carnal so that you can never yield châ—arful and ready obedience to God Certain it is that we must serve God and serve him with delight his Commandments should be kept and they should not be grievous to us 1 Ioh. 5. 3. Now what is the great Impediment Worldly Lusts are not throughly purged out of the heart for presently he addeth this reason For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World 'T is an hard Heart maketh our work hard and the Heart is hard and unperswadable when our Affections are ingaged elsewhere The readiness of our Obedience dependeth on the fervency of our Love the fervency of our Love on our victory over the World our victory over the World on the strength of our Faith the strength of our Faith on the certainty we have of the principal Object of our Faith the principal Object of our Faith is That Jesus is the Son of God whose Counsel we must take if we will be happy And the evidence of that Principle is the double Testimony or Attestation given to him from Heaven or in the Heart of a Believer Once settle in that that you can intirely trust your selves and all your Interests in the hands of Christ and all Duties will be easy 2. You will be inconstant in it and apt to be ensâ—ared again when you meet with Occasions and Temptations that suit with your Heart's Lusts. As the Israelites were drawn out of Egypt against their Wills The Fleshâ—pots of Egypt were still in their minds and therefore were ready to make themselves a Captain and return again Numb 14. 4. and Iames 1. 8. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways Nothing will hold an unwilling Heart Demas had not quitted this hankring mind after the World and therefore it prevented him doing his Duty 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present World He left the Work of the Gospel to mind his own privat Affairs The love of Riches Pleasure Ease and Safety if they be not thorowly renounced will tempt us to a like revolt and neglect of God Therefore to prevent it when we first put our hands to the Plough we must resolve to renounce the World Psal. 45. 10. Forget also thine own People and thy Father's House Look back no more as long as we are intangled in our Lusts and Inticements of the World we are unmeet to serve God Paul counted those things that were gain to him to be loss for Christ Philip. 3. 7 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but Dung that I may win Christ. Paul repented not of his Choice but sheweth his perseverance in the contempt of the World I have counted and do count He seeth no cause to recede from his Choice Many affect Novelties are transported at their first Change but repent at leisure 3. We are imperfect in it I mean to such a degree as to want sincerity for they bring nothing to perfection Luke 8. 14. Their Fruit never groweth ripe or sound for Religion is an underling Some good Inclinations they have to heavenly things but their worldly Affections are greater and overtop them so that though they do not plainly revolt from their Profession yet their Duties want that Life and Power which is necessary so that they bring little honour to Christ by being Christians 3. In respect of the hurt that cometh from their looking back both to themselves and to Religion 1. To themselves 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. For if after they have escaped the Pollutions of the World through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ they are again intangled therein their latter end is worse with them than their beginning for it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them Many have so much of the knowledg of Christ as to cleanse their external Conversation But Sin and the World were never so effectually cast out but they are in secret League with them still and therefore they are first intangled and then overcome first enticed by some Pleasure or Profit and then carried away with the Temptation But what cometh of this Their lattar end is worse than their beginning Their Sin is greâ—ter since they sin against Light and Taste their Judgment is greater both Spiritual and Eternal As God giveth them over to brutish Lusts and to the Power of Satan And this will be a cutting thought to them to all Eternity to remember how they lost their acquaintance with and benefit by Christ by looking back to the World and deserting that good way wherein they found so much sweetness in Christ. 2. The Mischief which is done to Religion They wonderfully dishonour God and bring contempt upon the Ways of Godliness when after they have made trial of it they prefer Sin before it as if God had wearied them Mich. 6. 3. Therefore 't is just with God to vindicate his Honour And Satan after he seemeth to be for a while rejected taketh a more durable possession of them Luke 11. 26. O think of this often to look back after we seemed to escape doth involve us in the greater Sin and Misery Better never to have yielded to God so far than to retract at last partly because their Sins are Sins against Knowledg Luk. 12. 47. That Servant which knew his Lord's Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall be beaten with many stripes Partly because they are unthankful for so much deliverance by the knowledg of Christ as they received and that 's an hainous aggravation of their Offence Partly because their Sin is Treachery and breach of Vows for they turned the back upon the World and all the Allurements thereof when they consented to the Covenant and resolved to follow Christ in all Conditions till he should bring them
to quit all other things to obtain it Vse 2. Is for Examination Let us examine our Spiritual Condition whether it be good or bad whether our Faith be sincere our Profession real whether we tend to Perdition or to Salvation whether we believe to the saving of the Soul that is if we care not what we lose so we may obtain the heavenly Inheritance Have you such a trust as that you can venture the loss of something which is dear to you for this Trust yea not only something but all things Certainly we have not a true belief of the promise of eternal Life if we can venture nothing upon it hazard nothing for it Now we venture things upon the account of God's Promise four ways 1. In a way of Mortification 2. In a way of Self-denial 3. In a way of Charity 4. In a way of submission to Providence 1. In a way of Mortification Denying our selves the sinful Pleasures of the Senses Our Sins were never worth the keeping these must always be parted with other things but at times therefore I can venture but little upon the security of eternal Life if I cannot deny my fleshly and worldly Lusts and a little vain Pleasure for that fulness of Joy which is at God's right hand for evermore I have God's Word for it that if I mortify the Deeds of the Body I shall live Rom. 8. 13. 'T is yet hard to abjure accustomed Delights and to Hearts pleasantly set the strictness of an holy Life seemeth grim and severe but a Believer that hath a prospect into Eternity knoweth that 't is better to deny the Flesh than to displease God To take a little pains in rectifying our disordered Hearts and distempered Souls than to endure pains for evermore And that a little momentany Delight is bought too dear if it be bought with the loss of eternal Joys No let me lose my Lusts rather than lose my Soul saith he Every Man's Heart cleaveth to those things which he judgeth best and the more it cleaveth to better things the more 't is withdrawn from other things Therefore Faith shewing us the truth and worth of heavenly Things and taking God's Word for its security it mastereth our Desires and carnal Affections 'T is the Stranger and Pilgrim whose Mind is perswaded of things to come and whose Heart is set upon them that abstaineth from fleshly Lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Upon the assurance of God's Word he is taking his journey into another World Tho the Flesh will rebel yet he counterballanceth the Good and Evil which the Flesh proposeth with the Good and Evil of the other World which the Word of God proposeth and so learneth more and more to contemn the pleasures of Sin and curb his unruly Passions Mortify your Members upon Earth for your Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3 â—5 And they that look for a Life of Glory hereafter will chuse a Life of Purity here upon Earth 'T is the Unbeliever findeth such an impotency in resisting present Temptations he hath not any sense or not a deep sense of the World to come 2. In a way of Self-denial What can you venture and forgo that way upon the security of God's Promise Mortification concerneth our Lusts and Self-denial our Interests What Interest can you venture upon the warrant of the Promise Christ saith He that denieth me before Men I will deny him before my Father in Heaven Luke 12. 9. And again Whosoever shall save his Life shall lose it c. Luke 9. 24. And once more vers 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in his Glory Now urge the Soul with the Promises Am I willing to hazard my temporal Conveniencies for the enduring Substance to incur shame and blame with Men that I may be faithful with God and own his Interest in the World and do I so when it actually cometh to a trial The Heart is deceitful and a Temptation in Conceit and Imagination is nothing to a Temptation in Act and Deed Therefore when your Resolutions are assaulted by Temptations of any considerable strength Do you acquit your self with good fidelity Can you trust God when he trieth your Trust in some necessary Point of Confession which may expose you to some loss shame and hazard in the World 3. In a way of Charity and doing good with your Estates That Religion is worth nothing that costs nothing and when all is laid out upon Pomp and Pleasure and worldly Ends as the advancing of your Families and Relations and little or nothing for God upon the security of his Promise or only so much as the Flesh can spare to hide your self-pleasing and self-seeking in other things Can you practise upon that Promise and try your Faith Luke 12. 33. Sell that you have and give Alms provide your selves Bags that wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not What have you ventured in this kind Do you believe that he that giveth to the Poor lendeth to the Lord and that he will be your Pay-master Do you look upon no Estate so sure as that which is trusted in Christ's Hands and are you content to be at some considerable cost for Eternal Life Most Men love a cheap Gospel and the Flesh ingrosseth all Faith gets little from them to be laid out for God Do not these Men run a fearful hazard And while they are so over-careful to preserve their Estates to themselves and Families Do they believe to the saving of their Souls Or if they do not preserve their Estates but waste them and are at great costs for their Lusts they do nothing considerably or proportionably for God this is saving to the Flesh and they shall of the Flesh reap Corruption 4. In a way of submission to Providence Whether you will or no you are at God's disposal and cannot shift your selves out of his Hands either here or hereafter But yet 't is a part of your Duty voluntarily to surrender your selves to be disposed of and ordered by God according to his pleasure to be content to be what he will have you to be and to do what he will have you to do and suffer is included in selling all You must submit to be at God's finding which is that poverty of Spirit spoken of Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit Such whose Minds and Spirits are subdued and brought under Obedience to God you must be content to injoy what God will have you to injoy and to want what he will have you want and to lose what he will have you lose 2 Sam. 15. 26 27. and Iob 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Many seem to resign all Goods Life and All to the Will of God But 't is because they secretly think in their Hearts that God will never put them to the trial or
upon the security of his Word that so doing I shall obtain it This intitleth us to the Reward Heb. 3. 6. Whose House we are if we hold fast the Confidence and rejoicing of Hope firm unto the End And Vers. 14. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our Confidence stedfast unto the End And Heb. 10. 35. Cast not away your Confidence which hath great recompence of Reward The Happiness which Christ promiseth us is spiritual and for the most part future an lieth in an unseen and unknown World but whilst we are ingaged in the pursuit of it we must depend upon his â—aithful Word That must be security enough to us to engage us to continue with patience in the midst of manifold Temptations till we obtain what he offereth to us These three must be often renewed Assent Consent and Affiance 2. 'T is a believing in Christ. I make Christ the special Object of this Belief not as exclusive of the Father or the Spirit but because of the peculiar reference which this Grace hath to the Mediator in this New and Gospel-Dispensation which was appointed for the Remedy of the collapsed estate of Mankind So Acts 20. 21. Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. He speaks of Repentance as respecting God and Faith as respecting Christ. These are the two recovering Graces Repentance is necessary because of the Duty we owe to our Creator and supream Lord and Faith respects our Redeemer who principally undertook our recovery to God Christ is believed in in order to the Salvation of our Souls 1. Because he purchased and procured this Salvation for us as Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9. 5. He is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Covenant they which are called might receive the Promise of the eternal Inheritance By the intervention of his Death Sins are expiated that penitent Believers might have everlasting Life 2. Because 't is by him promised or in his Name 1 John 2. 25. This is the Promise which he hath promised us even eternal Life Christ's great Business as a Prophet is to discover with certainty and clearness such a blessed Estate that it may be commodious for our acceptance laid at our doors if we will take it well and good He is Amen the faithful Witness Rev. 3. 14. who came with a Commission from Heaven to assure the World of it and to confirm his Message he wrought Miracles died and rose again and entred into that Happiness which he spake of that our Faith and Hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. Guilty Man is fallen under the Power and Fear of Death and strangely haunted with Doubts about the other World Now he that came to save us and heal us did himself in our Nature rise from the Dead and ascend into Heaven that he might give a visible demonstration both of the Resurrection and Life to come which he hath promised to us And when he sent abroad Messengers in his Name to assure the World of it their Testimony was accompanied with divers Signs and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 3 4. that the stupid World might be alarum'd to regard the offer and by this Evidence be assured of the Truth of it therefore still 't is a believing in Christ. 3. Because as King he doth administer and dispense the Blessings of the New Covenant and among them as the Chief and Principal this Salvation unto all those who are qualified And therefore 't is said Heb. 5. 9. Being made perfect through Sufferings he is become the Author of eternal Salvation to all that obey him Every Effect must have some Cause and this noble and glorious Effect of eternal Salvation could have no other Cause but Christ and he as perfected and consecrated is the Author and efficient Cause of it for as King he sendeth down the Holy Ghost to reveal the Gospel and work Faith in the Hearts of Men to qualify them for Pardon and Salvation and all those that sue for Pardon and Salvation in his Name by the Plea of his Blood before the Throne of God and promise obedience to his Laws and Institutes he actually bestoweth Pardon and eternal Salvation upon them There be many other ministerial and adjutant Causes which conduce to this effect But he is the Principal and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Cause in general is fitly by our Translation termed the Author of eternal Salvation So that still you see a new Reason why saving-Faith should be described to be a believing in Christ. 3. The prime Benefits which Faith respecteth I make to be two Reconciliation with God and the everlasting Fruition of him in Glory 1. Reconciliation is necessarily eyed and regarded by the guilty Soul 1. Because there hath been a breach by which we have lost God's Favour and Happiness We have to do with a God whose Nature ingageth him to hate Sin and whose Justice ingageth him to Punish it And before we can be induced to treat with him such a Reconciliation is necessary for all Mankind as that he should be willing to deal with them upon the term of a New Covenant wherein Pardon and Life might be offered to penitent Believers This Reconciliation is spoken of 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses and hath committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation that is upon the sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice Ransom and Satisfaction there was so much done towards an actual Reconciliation with God that he offered a conditional Covenant to as many as were willing to enter into his Peace He provided a sufficient Remedy for the Pardon of Sin if Men would as heartily accept of it as it was freely given them And the Office of Ambassadors was appointed to beseech Men so to do And unless this had been done a guilty Soul could never be brought to love an holy sin-hating God ingaged by Justice to damn the Sinner But it must be a loving reconciled God that is willing to forgive that can be propounded as an Object of Faith and Love or as an amiable God to us Psalm 130. 4. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared 2. Reconciliation is necessarily eyed by the penitent Believer because this Reconciliation and Recovery by Christ consists both in the Pardon of Sin and the Gift of the Sanctifying Spirit 1. One branch of the actual restitution of God's Favour to us is the Pardon of Sins without which we are not capable of Life and Happiness Ephes. 7. The possible conditional-Reconciliation consists in the offer of Pardon and the actual Reconciliation in the actual pardon and forgiveness of our Transgressions and then the Man beginneth to be in a blessed Estate Psal. 32. 1 2. 2. The other Branch is the Gift of the Sanctifying