himself with a spurious Covenant of Works of his own making which is the main Lett and Hinderance to keep him from Christ and Salvation There is a two-fold Covenant of Works one genuine and true and of God's own Institution another Apocryphal and feigned a Bastard-Covenant of Works and of Mans Invention namely that which a Creature unable to perform the Duty of the Law or to get from under the Curse thereof frameth out of his own Brain as by doing something in order to our acceptation with God thô not doing all that is required and to make recompence for the defects in the weighty things by abounding in Externals There is a Covenant Man makes of himself by a short Exposition of the Law that he may have a large Opinion of his own Righteousness It is not for the Interest of their Quiet and Peace that the Ell should be longer than the Cloath therefore because they know they are not able to stand by the true genuine Covenant of God's making they make a Covenant of their own that so a blameless Conformity to the outward Letter of the Law may make a recompence for their other Defects abounding in humane Inventions and Observances of vain Riâ—es as if this would make them acceptable with God This is the great thing which keeps him off from submitting to the Gospel-way of Faith and Repentance and humbling himself before the Lord. 2 Reason It must needs be a powerful Instrument to prepare Men for Christ because this Covenant shuts up a Sinner without any hope of Relief unless Christ and Grace open the Door to him There are three places of Scripture which speak fully to this purpose Rom. 3.19 That every mouth may be stopped and all the World may become guilty before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyable to his Process and Wrath nothing to say for themselves no Plea to make by the first Covenant Rom. 11.32 speaking of the Iews he saith For God hath concluded them all in Vnbelief By this Covenant they are as it were shut up in Prison but no way to escape unless Grace and Mercy open the Door So Gal. 3.22 The Scripture that is the Law-Covenant hath concluded all under Sin that the promise by Faith of Iesus Christ might be given to them that believe This Covenant accusing convincing and condemning all Mankind for Sin it doth as it were shut them up under the fearful Curse as a Malefactor is shut up in Prison So that a Man is forced to lay aside all confidence of any Righteousness in himself and fly for Refuge to the Promises and to the Righteousness of Christ. Let us see how this Covenant shuts Men up and inevitably concludes them Lost and Undone If this could be powerfully and throughly done the Work of Conversion would not be at such a stand Thô all men be in such a Cursed Condition yet it is a matter of no small difficulty to convince Men of it or to affect their Hearts sensibly with it Therefore if there were any way to shut them up without all Hope where there is not the least Wicket or Door open for escape from deserved Wrath then the Work would powerfully go on and they would be necessitated to fly to Christ. Let us see then how this Law shuts Men up because the Duty of it is Impossible and the Penalty Intollerable 1. The Duty is Impossible So full and exact is that Righteousness that is required by the Law-Covenant in order to Life that it is impossible for the fallen Creature ever to perform it Rom. 8.3 What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh. The Law promiseth no good to Sinners but only to the Innocent it reveals no way of taking away Sin past but only of punishing Sin no way for Man once a Sinner ever to recover himself therefore it is become weak that is impossible through our Flesh the weakness of the Flesh will not permit it to be fulfilled in that exactness which is required of us if it could be exactly fulfilled for the future yet there would be no hopes of Life because of Sins past Therefore to hope our good Meanings good Intentions and Endeavours should help us is to no purpose A Man must from the first moment of Life to the last minute thereof be perfectly exact with God Now Man that could not keep himself in Innocency it cannot be thought that he can recover himself when Lost. 2. The Penalty is Intollerable Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them The Law is a mouth that speaketh terrible things it curseth a Man in his Person Comforts Basket Store in all things that he hath all the Miseries of this Life are included in this Curse Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his Sins Death it self is part of it it is the wages of Sin Rom. 6.23 and the pains of Hell Mark 25.41 Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire When the Law shall take a Sinner by the Throat and say Pay me what thou owest Alas what can a poor Creature do to avoid the Curse or overcome it Every one of us in Thought Word and Deed have broken the Law of God now wherewith shall we appease his Wrath We have nothing to give God or that he will accept at our hands we cannot hide or withdraw our selves from the presence of the Lord for we must all appear before the Iudgment Seat of Christ We cannot abide this Curse for who can dwell with devouring Burnings O what shall we do then to escape this horrible Curse There is no way but by flying from the Sentence of the Law to the Throne of Grace for Mercy and Pardon There is no other Hope left us for they that do not betake themselves to the Covenant of Grace must stand or fall by the Sentence of the Law So that this is the most powerful Engine to awaken Mens Consciences and prepare them for Christ. Therefore for good Reason Christ sends this Confident Young man to the Law Thou knowest the Commandments 3 Reason There is none passeth into the New Covenant till he be driven by the Old and therefore certainly this is the Way to prepare a Man for Christ to have some sense and feeling of it in our own Heart and we see we are cursed and Undone Creatures and so lye at God's feet with Brokenness of Heart Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father There is a Spirit that goes along with every Covenant the Spirit of Bondage begets fear in all that are under the first Covenant and the Spirit of Adoption begets Hope in all that are under the second Covenant Gal. 2.19 I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God Before we can
the Original of that Altar which Paul saw with this Inscription To the unknown God Acts 17.23 I have brought this account to shew you that all Evil is sent by God and his Hand must be acknowledged in it or else Religion will fall to the ground When the Disciples were terrified in a great storm Christ cometh walking upon the Waters and telleth them Be of good chear it is I be not afraid Mark 6.50 They thought it was a Spectre but Christ saith It is I. In short the Author of all the Annoyances and Afflictions that befalleth us in this Life is God their End is Repentance their Cause is Sin and this well thought of will silence all our Murmurings II. That it is a great advantage to Patience when we can consider him not as an angry Judge but as a gracious Father The Cup which Christ drank off was very bitter and yet he saith The cup which my father hath given me Now every one cannot apply this Comfort for many are not so much as in a visible relation to God and others that visibly live in his Family yet are not owned and acknowledged by him as his dear Children rather counted Bastards than Sons as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.7 8. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisements whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Not legitimate but degenerate Children Others have a special relation to God such as is between Father and Children 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be unto you a father and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty These have an Interest in his dearest Love and a Right to his choicest Benefits and they shall know it by his Fatherly dealing with them Now to such this Comfort properly belongeth for though God may punish and afflict others yet he cannot be said to chastise them as a Father but as an angry Judge he doth punish them for their Offences and Rebellions Therefore if you would apply this Comfort you must clear up your Interest enter into Covenant with him and sincerely believe in Christ and devote your selves to him that he may be your God and Father But because Being and Seeing are two things and many that are the Children of God may not know themselves to be so therefore I shall 1. State this Matter 2. Shew what an advantage it is to Patience First I shall state this Matter in these Considerations 1. God is a Father by Creation or Adoption 1. In a more general Respect by Creation as Adam is called The son of God Luke 3.38 So Mal. 2.10 Have we not all one father Hath not one God created us God is more our Father than our natural Parents are they concur to our Beings but instrumentally but God originally It is God that formeth us in the Womb we are his Workmanship not our Parents both as to Body and Soul As to the Body Psal. 119.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me They know not whether the Child be Male or Female Beautiful or Deformed they cannot tell the number of the Bones Muscles Veins and Arteries which God hath framed in such a curious and exact Order But for the Soul which is the better part of Man that is of his immediate Creation therefore God is called The father of spirits Heb. 12.9 They do not run in the Channel of Carnal Generation or Fleshly Descent In this general sense by virtue of Creation God is the Father of all Men good and bad which though it give Cod a Title to our Love Service and Honour yet it giveth us no Interest in his special Benefits or the Fruits of his Fatherly Love it moveth God not to stir up all his Wrath against them yet not to bestow Saving Grace his Favour and Image upon them 2. More especially and in a more comfortable sense there is a more peculiar sort of Men to whom God is a Father by Adoption and they are his dear Children This Title is not by Nature but by Grace the Foundation of it was laid in the Election of God Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will But before this Decree could be executed and take place the redemption of Christ was necessary for we read Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons Sin needed to be expiated by the Son of God in our Nature before God would bestow this Honour upon any of Mankind Christ was to take a Mother upon Earth that we might have a Father in Heaven Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.14 15. And besides this Grace is applied to us by the Spirit who by his effectual Operation bringeth us into a state of Love and Sonship As a Father by Creation he giveth us our natural Endowments as a Father by Adoption he giveth us the supernatural Grace of the Spirit to sanctifie and change our Hearts for Regeneration and Adoption always go together Iohn 1.12 13. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And by the new Nature put into us we are brought into this new State and Relation Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father The Soul that was shy of God then inclineth to him as our Lord that we may honour love and obey him and as our Happiness that we may seek after him and live in Communion with him And lastly the Act on our part that we may be received into the number of God's Children is an owning and acknowledging Christ to all the ends and purposes for which God hath appointed him if we really entertain him as sent by God to be our Lord and Saviour we are advanced to this Dignity Iohn 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name This of the Priviledge 2. You having received this Grace it is your duty to get it evidenced that you may maintain a comfortable sense of your Adoption It is evidenced by the dwelling and working of the holy Spirit in you Rom. 8.16 The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are
the children of God He witnesseth objectively and effectively Per modum Argumenti per modum Efficientis Causa By way of Argument and by way of Causal Efficiency Objectively if I have the Spirit of God framing my Heart to love and honour and fear and obey him and delight in câ—mmunion with him surely I am a Child of God for where these are sincere love to God prevaileth 1 Iohn 4 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit There he speaketh of Love to God and so for Honour it is else but an empty Title Mal. 1.6 If I then be a father where is mine honour If I be a master where is my fear So for Fear or Child-like Reverence that we dare not offend him Psal. 103.13 As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him His Children and those that fear him are equivalent Expressions 1 Pet. 1.17 If ye call on the father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear I illustrate by that Ier. 35.6 And they said we will drink no wine for Ionadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us saying Ye shall drink no wine neither ye nor your sons for ever So for Obedience 1 Pet. 1.14 As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance Eph. 5.1 Be ye followers of God as dear children So for delighting in communion with him Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into our hearts crying Abba father This 〈◊〉 most felt in Prayer Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and supplications Rom. 8.26 Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Jude 20. But ye beloved building up your selves in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost Here we have the nearest familiarity with God whilst we dwell in the Flesh and our Souls are carried to God as light Bodies move upward This is the matter of the Evidence but the Spirit giveth a sight or sense of this if he be not grieved and ill treated but his sanctifying Motions be obeyed he sheddeth abroad the Love of God in our Hearts and filleth us with much Joy and Peace 3. If this be faithfully done and there be no other reason to break our Confidence the bare Affliction or the greatness and grievousness of your Afflictions should not For these sharp Afflictions are not only consistent with this Relation as the Instance of Christ sheweth but also it is an act of his Fatherly Love and Discipline The Exhortation speaketh to us as Children Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. Ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons God's Children must look to be chastened neither must our Father's hand be slighted nor must we faint under it It is an act of love and kindness to us that he will not suffer us to go on in our Sins God seemeth to cast off them whom he leaveth to their own Hearts lusts Hosea 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone But he loveth whom he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth The Rod of Correction will not wholly be laid aside while God's Children are in the Flesh In Heaven where there are no Dangers there is no use of it any more because then we are fully and perfectly sanctified but here you must be content to submit to the discipline of the Family Certainly you must not question his Love because something falleth out contrary to your desires God is a Father when he frowneth and when he smileth he is the God of the Valleys as well as of the Hills and Mountains his Love doth not alter with our condition the comfort of Adoption is not for such a time only 4. Because of our imperfection both in Holiness and Comfort we must submit to the Authority of a Father when we cannot see our Interest in his special Fatherly Love Alas most are so ill settled in the Peace and Comfort of the Gospel that every notable Affliction reviveth our guilty Fears as the Sareptan said to Elijah when her Child died Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son 1 King 17.18 She looked upon that sad Providence as a Judgment for her Sins so if God awakeneth in us a Spirit of Bondage Besides there is none of us but may justifie God that he is not needlesly severe yea some have so sinned that though they be not Filii irae Children of Wrath yet they are Filii sub irâ Children under Wrath though they need no Regeneration or Conversion yet they have grieved the good Spirit of God by walking inordinately therefore their business is to submit to the Authority of God justly correcting and punishing them for Sins Micah 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him And by unfeigned Repentance to renew their Claim and promise greater Loyalty and Fidelity for the future Ier. 3.19 Thou shalt call me my father and shalt not turn away from me They must get their Wounds healed make up the Breach between God and them sue out their Pardon in the name of Christ and get a renewed Grant of it and a sense of their Adoption 5. If hitherto you have been quite Strangers to God such Providences may be an occasion to begin the Relation before they are over as they are helps to Repentance and Recovery Upon the serious working of your Souls the Lord may be found as a Father and admit you into his Family It is said The Lord loveth whom he chasteneth Heb. 12 6. There is a twofold Love in God the Love of Benevolence and the Love of Complacency the one while we are Sinners the other after he hath made us amiable Some God chooseth in the Fire or Furnace of Affliction Isa. 48.10 Behold I have refined thee but not with silver I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction The hot Furnace is God's Workhouse the most excellent Vessels of Honour are formed there Manasseh Paul the Iaylor in the Acts When the Prodigal began to be in
the poor Saints which are at Jerusalem What is in our Translation to make a Contribution for the Saints is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a Communion or Communication So 2 Cor. 8.4 Praying us with much Intreaty that we would receive the Gift and take upon us the Fellowship of the ministring to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So 2 Cor. 9.13 And for your liberal Distribution unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So here the Communication of the Spirit If you will render it Communion this is the great Effect of the Love of God and the Grace of Christ that we are made Members of Christ's Mystical Body by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit we are are all baptized into one Body And so are united to the Head and to one another by this Bond of Union The Church is a Mystical Body whereof Christ is the Head and the Holy Ghost is as it were the Heart of it the one guideth this great Body the other quickneth it Now in this Mystical Body we actually come to the Participation of what Christ hath purchased for us by the Holy Ghost 4. These make way one for another or work into each others hand for what the Father intended Christ purchased and the Spirit applieth God the Father is as the Fountain of Grace Jesus Christ as the Conduit or Pipe to convey it to us and the Holy Ghost the immediate Operator and Worker of it The Father of his good Pleasure electing Sinners to Grace and Glory the Son by his Obedience and Sufferings purchasing it that it may be brought about in a Way convenient for God's Honour the Spirit by his Virtue and Power working Grace in them There is not a different Effect from the Father which is not from the Son and from the Son which is not from the Spirit but they concur in an united Way that what cometh from the Father cometh from the Son and the Spirit the Father makes way for the Son's Work and the Son for the Spirit 's So back again the Spirit is said to honour the Son Iohn 16.14 He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you And the Son is said to glorify the Father Iohn 14.13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son The Spirit acts as sent by Christ and Christ as sent by the Father This is necessary to be regarded by us because as our Salvation in the general is from the Father through the Son by the Spirit so in all our Commerce with God God the Father as a Judg by the Spirit of Bondage sendeth us to Christ as Mediator and Christ as Mediator by the Spirit of Adoption sends us back again to God as a Father It is a great Help to Prayer Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father To whom are we praying To God as a Father Whence have we hopes of Audience By Christ. Who giveth us an Heart to come The Spirit II. The Reasons why they concur 1. That we may have the higher Esteem of the Work which hath such Agents concerned in it It is no slight thing to bring about the Salvation of lost Sinners all the Persons of the Godhead are at work about it and shall not we who are the Parties interested be employed about it also God is in good earnest for therefore before all Worlds he employed the Riches of his Wisdom and Grace to save us in this convenient Way 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore ordained before the Foundation of the World but was manifest in these last Times for you And who are we that the Thoughts of God should be taken up about us so long ago Jesus Christ hath spared no Pains to accomplish the Work of our Redemption but freely offered himself to this Work Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy Will O God He repented not his Undertaking but was fully contented if Souls may be saved Isa. 53.11 He shall see of the Travail of his Soul and shall be satisfied And the Holy Spirit continueth striving with us though often grieved by our Obstinacy and Disobedience Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not always strive with Man Isa. 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Many a Conviction do we smother and often check and resist his Motions yet he is importunate to prevail with us 2. That our Hearts may be raised to give equal Glory to all the Persons concerned We must honour the Son as we honour the Father as it is expresly said Ioh. 5.23 That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him There is an Honour due to God only not to be given to any other Christ is equal with the Father in participating this Honour he is to have the same Glory of Believing Love Fear and Invocation So also for the Spirit he is an Object of Invocation for as the Apostle wisheth and desireth Love from the Father and Grace from Christ so a liberal Distribution and Communication of Gifts and Graces from the Spirit Now to excite us to give this due Respect to all the Persons every one concurreth in his way to promote our final Happiness and Salvation The Father deserveth this Esteem from us Many think of God the Father as all Wrath and Justice difficult to be reconciled to Man and of the second Person of the Trinity as more gracious and merciful No the Love of God is the Original of our Redemption God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all Rom. 8.32 And God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses to them 2 Cor. 5.19 And the Father himself loveth you John 16.27 Christ came to shew the amiable Nature of God Being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 Then for the Lord Jesus in Christ the Glory and Riches of the Grace of God doth more eminently and palpably appear This is the Contemplation of the Saints Iohn 1.14 And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only-begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Ephes. 3.18 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length and Depth and Height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg that ye might be filled with all the Fulness of God Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy Brethren Partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Iesus Christ. His Grace thus condescending to Men is more eminently seen Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us And Rev. 1.5 To him who loved us and washed us from
good without it All things are Mercy even those that fall out contrary to our Expectations Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God to them that are the Called according to his Purpose Well then they that know the want of Grace or the worth of Grace will earnestly seek it 3. Let me plead the possibility of obtaining it For the three Persons conspire and agree together not to your Ruine but Salvation Whatever may be expected from Infinite Love Eternal Merit and Almighty Power it is all offered to those that will seek after it There are none but are sensible that they need to address themselves to God for Pardon and a Blessing Now God is an holy God how shall Sinners deal with him As the Prophet said to Ahab If it were not that I regard the Presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah I would not look towards thee nor see thee 2 Kings 3.14 Whatever we seek and expect from God we must seek it from Jesus Christ who hath purchased all Isa. 53.5 He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his Stripes we are healed Ephes. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sins And he is appointed to bestow all that which he had purchased Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Remission of Sins And by his Intercession he doth apply all Heb. 7.25 VVherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Well then if we will go to Christ he sendeth us to the Spirit who worketh all and doth accomplish in us the Pleasure of his Goodness Go to the Spirit he must heal you and help you The Spirit sendeth us to the Means Acts 1.4 And being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father You shall find him present in the Ordinances O what Incouragement have we to be serious and in the use of the Means by which the Spirit worketh 4. We are obliged by our Baptismal Covenant Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Father Son and Holy Ghost take upon them to convey this Love Grace and Power and we take upon our selves to accept the Father for our Lord and Happiness Christ for our Redeemer and Saviour and the Holy Ghost for our Guide Sanctifier and Comforter to obey his Motions to use those Means whereby we may feel his Power to avoid those wilful Sins which may grieve the Spirit and cause him to suspend his Operations and Comforts There we are consecrated as Children to the true God consent to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and obey his Spirit Now make Conscience of this Vow Vse 2. Is to put us upon Self-reflection Is the Love of the Father and the Grace of Christ and the Communion of the Holy Ghost with us Do we seek our Happiness in Father Son and Holy Ghost Or do you consent that God shall be your God as reconciled to you in Jesus Christ 1. As to the Father Do you own him as your rightful Lord and are you willing to return to his Obedience by Jesus Christ Do you take him for your Portion and Felicity Do you expect to receive all your Happiness from him valuing and preferring his Favour and Love above all the Pleasures Profits and Honours of the World Psal. 4.6 There be many that say VVho will shew us any Good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Admiring it 1 Iohn 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! His Favour is Life Psal. 30.5 yea better than Life Psal. 63.3 Because thy Loving-kindness is better than Life my Lips shall praise thee Willing to forsake all rather than forsake him Behave your selves with that Thankfulness as those that owe your selves and all your Happiness to him 2 Cor. 5.14 15. The Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judg that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Carry it as those that are obliged by Love 2. Do you take Christ for your only Saviour and Redeemer giving up your selves to be saved by his Merits Righteousness and Intercession as he hath promised in the Word Do you trust your selves and Souls with him for Pardon Peace and endless Happiness depend upon his Covenant and Promises for Reconciliation with God and everlasting Fruition of him in Glory trampling upon all things rather than turn your Back upon your Redeemer's Grace 5. Do you yield your selves to the Holy Ghost Are you unfeignedly desirous to be rid of Sin as displeasing to the Holy God how dear soever it hath been to you And do you submit to the Spirit to be sanctified and perfected by degrees in the Means he hath appointed being ruled by his Motions rather than the Desires of the Flesh Do you observe his Accesses and Recesses and behave your selves accordingly FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Principal Matters Contained in this VOLUME A Page ABraham's Faith opened 1. In his clear sight of Christ to come 474 The Grounds of this Faith 475 The Strength of it 476 2. In overlooking the Difficulties that lay in the way of the Promise 482 The Grounds of this Faith 483 The Strength of it ibid. The Effects of it 488 Acceptance with God for the pardon of Sin the highest matter in the World 945 Account There are Books of Account kept between God and the Creature 261 At the Day of Iudgment these Books of Account shall be opened 262 All shall be called to an Account ibid. Iudgment shall pass upon all Men according to the Account then given 263 The Advantage of calling our selves often to Account ibid. Mens Account shall be answerable to their Mercies ibid. Adherence Resolute Adherence of Faith how seen 471 The Grounds of this resolute Adherence 472 Adoption How the Spirit witnesses of our Adoption 1135 Afflictions should not make us question our Adoption 1136 1139 Afflictions come from God 1133 Afflictions and Miseries may befal Gods ' People 1210 Bearing Afflictions becomes God's People 1137 We must not faint under Afflictions 765 Afflictions of the Righteous prove a Life to come 1215 Angels look into the Mystery of Redemption by Christ 918 What of this Mystery Angels look into ibid. The manner how Angels look into it 920 The Reasons why Angels look into it ibid. Angels fallen Why God would not save fallen Angels but fallen Men 658 Page
the World whether Christ should come or no do you think carnal Men would give their Vote this way for Christ's Coming The Voice of corrupt Nature is Depart Iob 22.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy Ways that 's the Language of their Hearts Carnal Men are of the Mind of the Devil when Christ wrought a Miracle in casting out a Devil and discovered somewhat of his Divine Power the Devils were afraid as if he were coming to Judgment already Matth. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time The Devil cannot endure to hear of Christ's Coming no more can carnal Men for they are of his Mind If Thieves and Malefactors might have the Liberty to choose whether there should be Assizes yea or no do you think they would look for and long for the Judg's Coming and the Day of his Approach So corrupt Nature hath no Desire of this Day It is the Spirit in the Bride that says Come as soon as the Spirit of Grace works in us there is a Bent and Inclination this way 1 Pet. 1.3 Who hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope Spiritual Desires come from Heaven and thither they tend As soon as the Spirit works Grace in the Heart it looks out this way the Heart is bent thither from whence it receives all it hath as all Creatures love the Place of their Original The great Work of the Spirit is to bring us and Christ together The Spirit comes from the Father and the Son to bring us to the Father by the Son and therefore the Spirit stirs up those holy Groans in us When will he come Then look upon the Graces of a Christian there is Faith Love and Hope 1. Faith The Ground of this Looking is the Promise now Faith stands waiting for the Promise as if it were already begun to be accomplished Look as Rebeka espied Isaac a-far off so Faith espies Christ a-far off Faith is the Evidence of things not seen and looks upon Christ as if he were already on his way and so makes the Soul stand ready to meet and receive him As a loving Wife stands upon the Shoar and looks for the Return of her Husband and the Sight of every Ship makes her to realize by an active and loving Fancy the Sweetness of an Interview So Faith stands waiting for the Coming of Christ and the Approaches he makes towards the Church 2. Love 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love The Saints love Christ whom they never saw We know Christ by hear-say here in the Church not by Sight he wooes us as Princes use to do by Picture therefore they long for his Appearing Whosoever is a Friend to Christ will find his Heart long for Christ of whom he hath so often heard in the Word and so often tasted in the Supper Love is an Affection of Union it desires to meet the Party loved so is Love to Christ it is not satisfied with the present State but it cries out Come come Why is his Chariot so long a coming It longs to see him whom it hath heard of so often and so much and of whose Sweetness it hath already tasted for this Love is not only kindled by the Knowledg we have of him by hear-say but by Experience Christ first comes in the Heart by Grace and then the Soul having tasted the Sweetness of it longs for another Coming When will he come in the Clouds that we may see him as he is And as Love to Christ so also Love to the Saints enkindles this Desire We have not all our Company here in the World and till we all meet together we shall never be satisfied 3. Hope that is another Grace God sitteth us with Graces as well as Happiness The Lord doth not only provide a glorious Estate for us but Grace to expect it and stirs up Affections in us sutable thereunto As in the privative Part of Salvation Christ doth not only deliver us from the Hurt of Death but from the Bondage and Fear of Death Despair is the Beginning of Hell So in the positive Part of Salvation the Lord doth not only provide Heaven and Happiness for us but Hope that we may look for this Happiness We are begotten again to a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 And to wait for his Son from Heaven 1 Thess. 1.10 Hope was made on purpose for this thing that we expect our full and future Happiness When the Affection of Hope is elsewhere placed and turned to carnal things it is like a Member out of Joint It was made and framed on purpose that we might look for this glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ. 2. Look upon their Relation to Christ. There are two Relations the Scripture usually takes notice of with respect unto the Day of Judgment Christ is our Master and our Husband As he is our Master we must look for him It is the Property of a good Servant to wait for his Master 's Coming Mat. 24.46 Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Here we have only present Maintenance but hereafter we shall receive our Wages Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me A Servant of God should remember that when Christ comes he will not come empty-handed he is your good and bounteous Master Here you have but an Earnest as when you hire a Man you give him Earnest But now because God would not have our Affections to be servile therefore there is a sweeter Relation we are to look for him not only as a Lord and Master but as an Husband and therefore it is the Bride that saith Come Rev. 22.17 Here we are only contracted to Christ he hath pass'd his Promise to us but the Day of Judgment is the Day of solemn Espousals Hos. 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever Here in the Covenant of Grace Christ doth pass a Promise to the Church here he comes to give us a Pledg and take a Pledg from us As Tertullian saith Christ took from us the Token and Pledg of our Flesh and is gone to Heaven to make all things ready and he hath left with us the Token of his own Spirit that so we might long for the time when he shall come again for the Consummation of this happy and glorious Marriage that is between him and us We are to wait for Glory as a Servant for his Master and as a Bride or Virgin betrothed doth wait for the Coming of him that hath promised Marriage to her 3. Look upon a Christian's Privileges which we shall then enjoy and certainly Christians must needs desire Christ's Coming The Day of Judgment is the Day of Manifestation the Day of Perfection the Day of Congregation and the Day of Glorification 1. It is called a Day of Manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 The earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of
the Holy Ghost Peace of Conscience increase of Grace joy in the Holy Ghost They shall not want incouragement who seriously set themselves to love Righteousness and hate Iniquity 2 Pet. 1.11 For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Hereafter Heaven is the Portion of the sanctified Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified He doth sanctifie all that believe on him and then give them Eternal Life 2. External in the course of his Providence Christ hath set up a Government wherein he will favour and protect those that walk uprightly Psalm 11.7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright But with the disobedient God is angry every day Psalm 7.11 Only it is the day of Gods patience God is preparing himself Well then we must neither rebel against his Government nor distrust his defence For Christ administreth Justice in his Kingdom defending the good and destroying the wicked and he will in time earnestly espouse the cause of all Holyness and Righteousness II. I come now to the Unction of Christ which is the consequent fruit of the former God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows There you may observe 1. The Author of this Unction God even thy God 2. The Priviledge it self to be anointed with the oyl of gladness 3. The Partakers of this Priviledge or the Persons to whom it is applyed One Principal and Singular who hath the Preheminence and that is the Mediator others Inferiour and in a lower degree of participation called here his fellows Let us a little explain these things 1. The Author of this Unction God even thy God Is this spoken to him as God or Man It may be true in both senses As to his Divine Nature he is God of God or as it is in Iohn 1.1 The word was with God and the word was God As to his Humane Nature he is a Creature made of a Woman and so God is his God as he is the God of all flesh But especially is this spoken of him as Mediator so Christ is one of Gods Confederates There is a Covenant between God and him Ioh. 20.17 I go to my father and your father to my God and your God The Sum of the Covenant was that after he had suffered here upon Earth and satisfied Gods Justice by being made a Curse for us he was at length to be raised out of the Grave and exalted to his Regal Power in Heaven All that belongeth to a Covenant is found in this Transaction between God and Christ. 1. God propoundeth the Terms or demandeth of his Son that he lay down his life and for his labour he promiseth that he shall see his Seed that God shall give him many Children Isa. 53.10 He shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands 2. The Son consenteth and saith A body hast thou prepared for me Loe I come to do thy will Psalm 40.6 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened burnt-offering and sin-offering thou hast not required Then said I loe I come in the volume of the book it is written of me Here the Eternal Son of God doth agree and contract with his Father to performe that perfect Obedience to his Laws and to offer up himself such a Divine and Spotless Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World as was necessary for the Expiation of Sin 3. Christ hath not only consented but doth with all Joy and Delight set about this whole Will and Counsel of God and go through with the Work and Office assigned unto him very chearfully and heartily till he had brought it to a good End and Issue Psalm 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God! yea thy law is in my heart 4. After this ready and willing Obedience he is to plead the Covenant Psalm 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my salvation Psalm 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Upon this there is 5. Gods Answer God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows And Psalm 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Thus doth the Scripture lisp to us in our own Dialect or in such Language as we can best understand concerning that Bill of Contract or transacted bargain between God and Christ from all Eternity wherein Christ undertaking perfectly to fulfil the Will of God and to performe all Active and Passive Obedience even unto Death had the Promise from God that he should become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him The Redemption of Sinners is not a work of yesterday nor a business of chance but well-advised and in Infinite Wisdom contrived There was a preparatory agreement to that great work before it was gone about and therefore it should not be slighted by us nor lightly passed over 2. The Priviledge it self to be anointed with the oyl of gladness It noteth his solemne Exaltation and Admission to the Exercise of his Office By Oyl all agree is meant the Spirit by which Christ was anointed Luke 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me 1. Christ was anointed at his Conception in his Mothers Womb when he was sanctified by the Holy Spirit For the work of the Spirit was not only to forme his Body out of the substance of the Virgin which Nature could not do of its self but chiefly to preserve it from Sin and endow it with the gift of Holyness From which time he grew in Wisdom and Grace as well as in Stature Luke 2.52 And Iesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man 2. Again Christ may be said to be anointed at his Baptisme which was the visible consecration to his Office when the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove Matth. 3.16 17. and Iohn 1.33 once more 3. He may be said to be anointed at his Ascension when he received of the Father the Promise of the Spirit to pour him forth upon his Disciples Acts 2.33 Therefore being by the right hand of God eâ—alted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear This I take to be the Sense here his Glorious Exaltation at the right hand of God where being possessed of all Power he joyfully expecteth and accomplisheth the fruits of his Redemption I am the more confirmed in this 1. Because the
it Again it is an holy Law according to which the process of that day shall be guided A Law that is clean and pure which alloweth not the least evil Thy Law is exceeding pure Psal. 119.140 The Gospel abateth nothing of the purity of it Now when we appear before an holy God and must be judged by an holy Law surely we must have holiness and righteousness answerable or how can we stand in the Judgment It is an holy God before whose Tribunal we must appear and an holy Law that we must be judged by therefore if we be destitute of all kind of righteousness What shall we do 2. No other righteousness will serve the turn but the righteousness of Faith And therefore till we submit to the New Covenant we are in a woful case Now the righteousness of the New Covenant is supream or subordinate The supream by way of Merit and Satisfaction The Subordinate by way of Application and Qualification on our parts 1. The Supream is the Righteousness or Obedience of Christ. VVhich can alone deliver us from Hell Job 33.24 Deliver him from going down to the Pit for I have found a ransom There is no deliverance from eternal destruction which our sins deserve but onely by the Ransom which he hath paid Till his Justice be satisfied by Christ no good can come unto us 2. The Subordinate Righteousness which qualifieth us and giveth us an interest is Faith Repentance and new Obedience All which are hugely necessary and convenient and gracious terms 1. Faith By which we own and acknowledge our Redeemer with love thankfulness dependance and hearty subjection to him Certainly love and thankfulness is due to him who hath indured so much and procured such great benefits for us Would we have the blessings instated on us and not know from what hand they come And acceptance is due for should Christ save us without our wills and against our consent Dependance is due Should they have benefit by Christ's Merits who question the force and efficacy of them Therefore God hath set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood Rom. 3.25 2. Repentance is necessary Would we have God to pardon us while we continue in our rebellion without sorrow for it or purpose to leave it The case of the obstinate is not compassionable Jer. 3.13 Onely acknowledge thine iniquity and I am gracious And to acknowledge an offence and continue in it is to condemn our selves 3. New Obedience That was due before to our Creator and our Redeemer strengtheneth the Bond and maketh it more comfortable For we have a new Lord by right of Redemption Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living A Lord that hath payed dear for our Souls 3. This righteousness is every way sufficient that we may venture our eternal well-being upon it For what is appointed by God will be accepted by God And though there be many defects in our Faith Repentance and Obedience yet there is an intrinsick value in the obedience and death of Christ besides the Institution Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God And 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by Tradition from your Fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Lastly See your help The Spirit is the great New-Covenant Gift purchased by Christ that it might be dispensed to us the more abundantly John 1.16 And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Tit. 3.5 6. By the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us By his Sanctifying and renewing Grace we are inabled for all this duty We have it by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 And the whole dispensation of the Gospel is called the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.8 Therefore if a sluggish heart did not possess Christians they might do more than they do A Sermon on 2 Pet. III. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some Men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance THe Apostle in Answer to the Cavil and Exception of the Mockers of Religion is taking off the Scandal of the delay of Christ's Coming Three Considerations are produced to satisfie the Godly 1. The true measure of speed or delay is the Eternity of God which admits of no beginning succession and ending but consists in a constant presentness to all that which to us seemeth past or to come And we must judge as he judgeth This is laid down vers 8. 2. The end of this delay which is the conversion of Sinners It proceedeth not from any culpable slackness in God but onely his patience towards the Elect. God is not slack but we hasty Our temper requireth time and patience to work upon us and bring us under the power of Grace This is in the Text. 3. The manner of coming which is sudden and unexpected like the coming of a Thief upon a sleepy family ver 10. Therefore we should rather prepare for it than complain of slackness We are upon the second consideration Wherein 1. The false cause of this delay is removed The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some Men count slackness 2. The true cause assigned But is long-suffering to us ward 3. The end of this long-suffering propounded First Negatively Not willing that any should perish Secondly positively But that all should come to Repentance Wherein the way to escape ruine is intimated which is Repentance The only doubt is about the sense of the words How that is to be understood that God would not have any perish but all come to Repentance For we see many do yet perish all do not come to Repentance And is God frustrated of his end Ans. To this doubt three answers are given and all solid though I prefer the two first 1. The Patience of God according to its nature hath that use and end to invite all sinners to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance Gods continuing forfeited Mercies and tarrying the sinners leisure giveth us an hope that he is willing to be reconciled And if we do not seek his favour and turn to him by Repentance it is long of our selves the fault is our own because we do not improve this hope 2. The Apostle in this place hath special reference to the Elect who are concerned more especially in the promise of Christs coming to put an end to their sufferings and to render them an eternal reward Certain
lifted up his Eyes being in Torments He had a pompous Funeral here upon Earth for it is said he died and was buried which is not said of Lazarus These are Truths not spoken of once or twice but every-where 2 dly The Covenant sheweth it which is God's solemn Transaction with his Subjects and consists of Precepts or Laws invested with the Sanction of Promises and Threatnings Christ argues thus Luke 20.37 38. Now that the Dead are raised even Moses shewed at the Bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob For he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living He proves the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body 1. His Commands all of them imply such an Estate and some of them express it All imply it as Faith in Christ we believe in his Name to obtain eternal Life Joh. 20.31 But these things are written that you might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you might have Life through his Name And Joh. 5.24 He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life Repentance Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the Times of Refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord. Therefore it is called Repentance unto Salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 And Repentance to Life Acts 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life So new Obedience Heb. 5.9 He became the Author of eternal Salvation to all that obey him Acts 26.7 Vnto which Promise the twelve Tribes instantly serving God Day and Night hope to come And some express it He hath commanded us not to labour for the Meat that perisheth but for that Meat which endureth unto everlasting Life John 6.27 Not to lay up Treasures upon Earth where Moth and Rust doth corrupt and Thieves break through and steal but lay up for your selves Treasure in Heaven Mat. 6.19 20. And strive to enter in at the strait Gate Luke 13.24 Now if there were no such thing all these Commands would be in vain Would God flatter us into a Fool 's Paradise and command us to look after a thing of nought 2. The Sanction And there 1. The Threatning which is Damnation or the second Death Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned Is this a vain Scarcrow and need God govern his Subjects by a Cheat or a Lie 2. The Promises he promiseth Eternal Life to them that obey the Gospel and seek after this Immortality Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Be faithful in making good your Baptismal Vow improving Talents withstanding Temptations So to comfort us against Fears Losses and Sorrows Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you a Kingdom Now would God over-reach us and lead us with Chimera's and vain Hopes 3 dly The Mediator of the New Covenant sheweth it his coming from Heaven the Place of Souls the Region of Spirits and his going thither again at his Ascension 1. His coming from Heaven Wherefore was Christ incarnate and clothed with our Flesh but that we might be apparrelled with his Glory Iohn 10.10 I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly To lay a Foundation for our eternal Happiness 2. His going to Heaven his entring into that Glory he spake of and so giving a visible Demonstration to the World of the Reality of it 1 Pet. 1.21 Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the Dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope may be in God There he remaineth at God's Right-Hand to open Heaven to all Believers Christ when he died recommended his Spirit to the Father Luke 23.46 Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit And so do Believers to Christ Acts 7.59 Lord Iesus receive my Spirit If the Soul did perish with the Body why should we commit it to Christ 4 thly The Holy Spirit is given to form and prepare us for this Estate therefore by consequence to assure us of it 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for this self-same thing is God who hath also given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit 1. Look to the Graces of the Spirit we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature to draw us off from the World to Heaven 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to 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. Now will God fit the Soul for such a blessed Estate when this Life is ended and shall we never enjoy it If we consider the Soul not only as being an inward Principle of Life and Sense but also of Reason it proveth the Immortality of it much more as sanctified and enobled by Grace Rom. 8.10 The Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness Believers have a Life wrought in them by the Spirit which is the Pledg and Beginning of Eternal Life for they are sanctified and purified and fit to be brought into the Sight and Presence of God The Apostle doth not draw his Argument there from the Immortality of the Soul for that is common to Good and Bad the Wicked have a Soul that will survive the Body but little to their Comfort their Immortality is not an happy Immortality but he taketh his Argument from the New Life wrought in us by the Spirit which is the Beginning and Earnest of a blessed Immortality the New Life is an eternal Principle of Happiness 2. Look to the Comforts of the Spirit from the Love of God and the Hopes of Glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory Rom. 5.2 And rejoice in hope of the Glory of God Now is it a Fancy that holy Men rejoice in Look as the Terrors of a wounded Conscience are the Foretastes of Hell-Torments called somewhere the Pains of Hell so the Comforts of the Spirit are the first-Fruits of Heavenly Joys to set us a longing for more Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also which have the first-Fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body Now by all these things let us rouse up a drousy Faith and triumph over that Carnal Atheism and Unbelief that worketh in our Hearts Is the whole Scripture false and the Christian Religion a well-devised Fable our Redeemer an Impostor and the Covenant of God a Dream and the Comforts of the Spirit Fanatical Illusions And were they all
have Peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. By whom also we have Access by Faith unto this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God Comfortable Access to God here in the World depends upon our Justification the more clear that is the more we are fitted to come before the Lord. From the Stain of Sin Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in Heart for they shall see God Though all see enough of God to Satisfaction these see more than others do Therefore the more we cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit the more of God shall we see and the sooner shall we be admitted into his blessed Presence It was an old Observation even among the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he whom God loveth dieth young Not that all that die young are beloved of God But ordinary Observation will teach you this that let a Man more than ordinarily improve in Purity of Heart though God may lend him to the World for an Example for some time yet they are taken to God sooner than others or if they are continued in the World they are continued under more Weaknesses and do with more Earnestness expect their Translation to the everlasting Priesthood 2. Let us begin our Sacrifices and discharge our Priestly Office now and perform all the Duties which belong to our Ministration with more Fidelity Some of our Duties are proper only to the present State as consecrating our selves to God and using our selves for God that is out of date then for our Consecration is over before we come there It is undeniable that the blessed Spirits all live to God Luke 20.38 He is not a God of the Dead but of the Living for all live unto him But there is no need of giving up our selves to God for then we possess God Mercy is useless in an Estate where Misery cannot approach therefore now it must be exercised None are Priests in Heaven but those that have acted the Priests part upon Earth But Praise holds good now and then too Psal. 107.22 Let us sacrifice the Sacrifices of Thanksgiving and declare his Works with rejoicing This is to tune our Instruments and to be fitting our selves for our everlasting Work 3. Let us be more frequent and often with God For the Throne of Grace is the very Porch of Heaven by it we pass to the Throne of Glory Surely that Life upon Earth is best which is likest to the Life of Heaven Psal. 84.10 For a Day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness Prayer giveth us the nearest Familiarity which a Man in Flesh can have with God and is the best Preparation for our Entrance upon our everlasting Priesthood A Man acquainted with a God before-hand is not to seek for a God to pray to when he cometh to die nor for a Mediator to intercede for him nor for a Spirit of Adoption to fly to God as a reconciled Father Having been frequently entertained and accepted by God he can the better resign his Spirit into his Hands and with more Confidence wait for this nearer Attendance Alas to go out of the World into unknown and unseen Regions where we are wholly Strangers how sad is that Who will venture into the Ocean who hath not learned to swim in the shallow Brooks and Streams Communion with God in a way of Grace is the way to Communion with him in a way of Glory We go to see him Face to Face whom we have seen by the Eye of Faith to live with him in Heaven with whom we have lived upon Earth Species non laetificat in Patria quem fides non consolatur in via Sight will not be joyful to him in Heaven whom Faith hath not comforted upon Earth He that hath often heard and accepted us will not reject us Thirdly Let us be more apprehensive of the Greatness of the Privilege of drawing nigh to God that we may improve it accordingly The Priests were sanctified to draw nearer to God than the common People and imployed in his holy Service yea Nearness of Ministration before the Lord is the Felicity of the Glorified How must we improve it 1. Partly to be ashamed of our Lothness to draw nigh to God and our Weariness of his special Service O let us not shun God as an Enemy and be loth to come into his special Presence or backward to converse with him 2. To Thankfulness to our Redeemer It was purchased by the Blood of Jesus Heb. 10.19 Having therefore Brethren Boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Iesus We may be the more confident of drawing nigh to him in a way of Grace for he hath purchased also our Entrance into Glory Ephes. 3.12 In whom we have Boldness and Access with Confidence by the Faith of him Vse 3. Comfort 1. Against present Weaknesses in Duty There will be a Time when we shall more perfectly express our Thanksgiving to God 2. Against Troubles and Sufferings It must be so now that we may be conformed to our Head but no Molestation should be an Impediment in our Work 3. Against Death It should make us willing to die that we may minister before the Lord. If David so longed for the Injoyment of God in the earthly Temple Psal. 63.1 2. O God! thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is to see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary How much more Cause have we to long for the time when we shall be made Priests to him for ever SERMONS UPON LEVITICVS XIX 17 SERMON I. LEVIT XIX 17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him I Am to speak to you at this time concerning Christian and Brotherly Reproof Our first Care should be that we are not Sinners our selves Our next that we partake not of the Sins of others which may not only be by counselling and abetting their evil Actions but also by a faulty Connivance and Silence when the Glory of God and Love to our Neighbours Souls do loudly call upon us to mind them of their Duty and warn them of their Danger To this End I have made choice of this Scripture Thou shalt not hate c. Where take notice First Of the Removal of the Impediment Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart Secondly An earnest Excitement of the Duty of Reproof Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour Thirdly A Reason to enforce it Thou shalt not suffer Sin upon him or that thou bear not Sin for him First A Removal of the Impediment or Hindrance Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart Hatred is forbidden when Rebuke or
A Fourth Volume Containing One hundred and fifty SERMONS ON Several Texts of Scripture By the Late Reverend and Learned Thomas Manton D. D. In Two PARTS PART the First Containing LXXIV Sermons PART the Second Containing LXXVI Sermons WITH AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE To the Whole LONDON Printed by I. D. and are to be sold by Ionathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCIII AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Principal Matters Contained in this VOLUME A Page ABraham's Faith opened 1. In his clear sight of Christ to come 474 The Grounds of this Faith 475 The Strength of it 476 2. In overlooking the Difficulties that lay in the way of the Promise 482 The Grounds of this Faith 483 The Strength of it ibid. The Effects of it 488 Acceptance with God for the pardon of Sin the highest matter in the World 945 Account There are Books of Account kept between God and the Creature 261 At the Day of Iudgment these Books of Account shall be opened 262 All shall be called to an Account ibid. Iudgment shall pass upon all Men according to the Account then given 263 The Advantage of calling our selves often to Account ibid. Mens Account shall be answerable to their Mercies ibid. Adherence Resolute Adherence of Faith how seen 471 The Grounds of this resolute Adherence 472 Adoption How the Spirit witnesses of our Adoption 1135 Afflictions should not make us question our Adoption 1136 1139 Afflictions come from God 1133 Afflictions and Miseries may befal Gods ' People 1210 Bearing Afflictions becomes God's People 1137 We must not faint under Afflictions 765 Afflictions of the Righteous prove a Life to come 1215 Angels look into the Mystery of Redemption by Christ 918 What of this Mystery Angels look into ibid. The manner how Angels look into it 920 The Reasons why Angels look into it ibid. Angels fallen Why God would not save fallen Angels but fallen Men 658 Page Anger of God God may be angry with his own People 273 Anointing what it signifies 712 Christ was anointed by God 716 Why Christ was anointed 717 Who were anointed first Christ then Believers his Fellows ibid. Apparel Sobriety to be used in it 75 How to judg of Excess in Apparel 76 Helps and Motives to Sobriety in Apparel ib. We must not envy the Apparel of others 75 Appearing of Christ. Vid. Coming Assurance to be laboured after 114 What Application there must be when Assurance is wanting 115 B BAckslider in Heart what he is 1109 The Backslider in Heart shall be filled with his own Ways Vid. Filled Balaam's Plot to destroy Israel 802 Observations from hence 804 Believing what is necessary to it 723 Believing in God and Christ how they differ 235 Why believing in Christ is specially required besides believing in God 245 Believing in Hope against Hope opened with the Reasons of it 484 Better We are not only to be good but to grow better 429 Blessedness True Blessedness not to be sought on this side Heaven 129 Blessedness eternal wherein it consists Vid. Heaven 116 Duties of those that have an Interest in this Blessedness 130 Blessings spiritual we are to be much affected with them 426 We are to be in a capacity to praise God for spiritual Blessings 425 In Thanksgiving spiritual Blessings to be owned 424 Body The Qualities of a glorified Body 119 Brazen Serpent the History of it 747 The Typical Vse of the brazen Serpent 748 The Resemblance between Christ and the brazen Serpent 749 The Excellency of Christ above the brazen Serpent 751 Breasts Naked Breasts condemned 78 Brethren Christ having taken our Nature is not ashamed to call us Brethren 1083 Comforts from being Christ's Brethren 1088 Whether Believers may call Christ Brother ibid. Bruised Christ bruised by the Serpent and bow 538 Burden What a Burden Sin is 1125 None can take off the Burden of Sin but Christ 1126 C CAlamities In all Calamities we must look to God 1132 Vid. Afflictions Calling of Christ twofold outward and inward 784 Canaan The Woman of Canaan that she was a Believer 467 The Greatness of her Faith ibid. Her Temptations and Trials 468 Her Victory over them 470 Captives To whom we were Captives 164 The way of redeeming Captives 165 Care of the World What that Care is that is to be moderated 79 How sinful Care may be discovered ib. Whence it ariseth 80 Arguments against distrustful Care 1099 The Cure of sinful Care 80 Carnal Things Men are addicted to them more than to spiritual things 1111 Cause When we do not honour God as the first Cause 33 Centurion's Faith opened 460 The Greatness of his Faith 459 How it discovered it self 462 How this Faith was bred or begotten in him 461 Certainty conditional and actual what 1104 Charitable We must be charitable to others according to our Power 87 Reasons why we must be charitable 336 Charity or Love to the Brethren the Properties of it 995 Children are a Blessing 833 834 Much of the Providence of God exercised in and about Children 834 How far Parents may procure a Blessing or a Curse to their Children 836 How far godly Parents are blessed in their Posterity 837 Motives to Parents to take care of their Childrens Education 839 Christ. That Christ was God proved 152 Why Christ was called the Great God 150 Why Christ must be God ibid. Christ to be honoured and praised by Saints 1175 1183 Christ's Growth stated and proved 855 856 How Christ grew in Wisdom and Knowledg 855 Coming second of Christ the Preparations of it 139 Second Coming of Christ will be glorious 138 Why Christ's second Coming will be glorious 144 Inferences from Christ's glorious Coming 146 The Personal Glory of Christ at his second Coming 140 His Attendants then 141 His Work then 142 The Consequents of Christ's second Coming 143 Belâ—evers to look for Christ's second Coming 131 Objections answered 135 Reasons of it 132 The Advantage of looking for Christ's second Coming 135 How we are to prepare for Christ's second Coming 138 The Privilege of the Saints at Christ's second Coming 133 Coming to God How we are said to come to God by Christ 965 Who they are that come to God by Christ 964 Common Work not to be rested in 291 Comparison fourfold between this Life and the next 1211 Conceit Why Men are apt to conceit well of themselves 316 Arguments to press you against this Self-conceit 320 Conditions of the Gospel Man cannot perform them of himself 405 Confession with the Mouth what it is 953 The Matter to be confessed 954 The Way by which it is to be made ibid. The Necessity of it to Salvation 957 The Respect that Believing with the Heart and Confession with the Mouth have to one another 955 Conflict with Sin in the Regenerate and Vnregenerate the difference between them 365 Conflict spiritual we are to arm our selves for it 1101 The use of Faith Hope and Love in the spiritual Conflict 1105 Conscience the Nature of it
to do than to make the World at first The Object of Creation was pure Nothing but then as there was no Help so no Hinderance But now in Redemption there was Sin to be taken away and that was worse than any thing We deserv'd Ill his Justice and Truth had a Quarrel against us and therefore this was the harder Work and needed more of his Wisdom which now is discovered fully to us in the Gospel When God was to make Man though he was to be his noblest Creature next the Angels it was nothing to the Divine Power to make him of the Dust of the Earth Now Sin makes us worse than Earth Job 30.8 They were Children of Fools Children of base Men they were viler than the Earth Our Condition was worse here God's Justice opposed but Grace found out the Contrivance and sent Christ in the Form of a Servant who was in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 7. 2. We discern the Freeness of Grace in the Gospel both in giving and accepting Whatever God doth is a Gift and what we do it is accepted of Grace In giving there 's a great deal of Grace made known there The Lord doth all freely Ioh. 1.16 And of his Fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace that is for Grace's sake He gives Christ gives Faith gives Pardon He gives the Condition as well as the Blessing Certainly now we have to do with a God of Grace who sits upon a Throne of Grace that he might bestow freely to all Comers Out of Christ and in the Law there God is discovered as sitting upon a Tribunal of Justice as he is described Psal. 97.2 Clouds and Darkness are round about him Righteousness and Iudgment are the Habitation of his Throne But now saith the Apostle Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and Grace to help in a time of need that we may have Mercy for Pardon and for acceptance of our Persons and Grace to help us against our Weaknesses This was figured out in the Law under the Law it was figured out by the Mercy-Seat between the Cherubims from whence God was giving out Answers but there the High-Priest could enter but once a Year and the way within the Veil was not fully made manifest Heb. 9.8 There was a Throne of Grace then but more of God's Tribunal of Justice there was Smoak and Thundering about his Throne But now let us draw near that we may obtain Grace take all freely out of God's Hand Then there is Grace manifested in accepting as well as giving God accepts of serious Repentance for compleat Innocence of Sincerity for Perfection of the Will for the Deed of a Person for Christ's sake and of the Works for the Person 's sake Thus God doth both give and accept freely That we do is not brought to the Ballance but Touch-stone Many times a good Work is not full Weight God doth not look to the Measure but to the Truth of Grace he requires Truth in the Reins 3. The Efficacy and Power of Grace is discovered in the Gospel Christ sendeth his Spirit to apply what he himself hath purchased One Person comes to merit and the other to accomplish the Fruit of his Merit Mark to stop the course of Grace Divine Justice did not only put in an Impediment but there was our Infidelity that hindred the Application of that which Christ was to merit and therefore as the second Person is to satisfy God so the third Person is to work upon us There was a double hinderance against the Business of our Salvation God's Justice for the Glory of God was to be repaired therefore Christ was to merit and there was our Unbelief therefore the Spirit must come and apply it First Christ suffered and when he was ascended then was the Spirit poured out Had it not been for the Gospel we should never have known the Efficacy and Power of Grace The Apostle puts the Question Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the Hearing of Faith How did you come to be acquainted with Grace This is the Seal which God would put upon the Excellency and Authority of the Gospel that he will associate and join in assistance with it the Operation of the Spirit to accompany it Look as it is with the Sun Light encreaseth with Heat the Morning-Beams are faint and gentle but at Noon the Sun shines out not only with Glory but with Strength So it is here the more the Light of the Gospel is encreased the more is the Efficacy and Power of it conveyed into the Sons of Men. The Dispensation of the Law is called the Oldness of the Letter and the Dispensation of the Gospel the Newness of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 But now ye are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in Newness of Spirit and not in the Oldness of the Letter In the meer Law-Dispensation there was only a literal Direction but no strength and ability to perform what is suggested Lex jubet Gratia juvat The Law commands but all the Commands of Grace help There is a Spirit that goeth along with the Gospel to qualify us for the Duties of it 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life With the Dispensation of the Gospel God joins the Virtue and Power of the Holy Ghost The Letter convinceth and so by consequence obligeth to Death for we cannot perform what it requireth of us but now there 's a Spirit goes along with the Gospel and so we are acquainted with the Efficacy of Grace 4. We are acquainted with the Largeness and Bounty of Grace The Benefits that come by Christ were not so clearly revealed in the Law there was no Type that I know of which figured Union with Christ. The Blood of Christ was figured by the Blood of Bulls and Goats Justification by the fleeing away of the Scape-Goat Sanctification by the Water of Purification But now Eternal Life is rarely mentioned in express Terms sometimes it is shadowed out in the Promise of inheriting the Land of Canaan as Hell is by going into Captivity but otherwise it is seldom mentioned 2 Tim. 1.10 But now it is made manifest speaking of the Grace of God by the appearing of our Saviour Christ who hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Gentiles had but glimmerings and gross Fancies about the future State Life and Immortality was never known to the purpose till Christ came in the Flesh and therefore Heaven is as sparingly mentioned in the Old Testament as Temporal Blessings are in the New In the New Testament we hear much of the Cross of Sufferings and Afflictions
begging to his own Creature and deals with us as importunately as if the Benefit were his own thus doth he pray us to be reconciled And then God threatens eternal Death to stir us up to take hold of eternal Life he tells us of a Pit without a Bottom and a Worm that never dies Sometimes he seeketh to work upon our Hope and sometimes upon our Fear he not only tells us of the loss of Happiness which is very grievous to an ingenuous Spirit Heb. 12.14 Follow Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord But he tells us of those eternal Torments that are without End and Ease of a Worm than never dies and of a Fire that shall never be quenched O whose Heart doth not tremble at the mention of these things Then on the other side we have Promises as great as Heart can wish for and more 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises It hath not entred into the Heart of Man to conceive of these things Who ever hired a Man to be happy or a thirsty Man to drink or a hungry Man to eat Salvation is so acceptable and the heavenly and blessed Hope so glorious that we should purchase it at any rate but God taketh all Methods to awaken Man Thus the Gospel may well be said to be a powerful Instrument of our Salvation because it hath a powerful Tendency that way 2. Because it hath the Promise of the Spirit 's Assistance Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is said to be the Power of God unto Salvation not only because it is a powerful Instrument which God hath appropriated to this Work but this is the Honour God puts upon the Gospel that he will join and associate the Operation of his Spirit with no other Doctrine but this And therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 3.2 Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith How come you to receive the Spirit either by endeavouring to get Acceptance with God according to the Terms of the Law or by the Doctrine of the Gospel The Assistance of the Spirit is joined with no other Doctrine This is the Authentick Proof of the Excellency of that Doctrine that God hath reserved the Power of his Grace to go along with it he will not associate and join his Spirit with any other Doctrine The Law as it is contra-distinguish'd from the Gospel it is called the Ministration of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 and the Ministration of Death to fallen Man ver 7. It is the Office of the Law to condemn a Man not to save him Not as if preaching of the Law did make us guilty but shews us to be guilty to him that is guilty of Death it puts the Guilt before their Eyes that knowing it and feeling it he may be terrified and despair in himself and beg for Deliverance To this end the Apostle gives us an account of his own Experience Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once that is I thought I was alive and did not know my self or feel my self guilty of Death I thought my self to be in as good a condition towards God as any Man but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died then I counted my self to be lost and utterly undone A Sinner before the Law comes is like a Beggar that dreams he is a King and that he wallows in Ease and Plenty but when he awakes his Soul is empty and he feeleth his Poverty and his hungry Belly and his Rags confute all his Dreams and false Surmises So we thought our selves to be alive in a good condition towards God but when the Law comes then we see our selves to be dead and lost Therefore the Law as it is opposed to the Gospel is not the Means of Salvation so it is only the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Object You will say these seem to be hard Expressions to call it the Law of Sin and Death but you must understand it aright To Man fallen the Law only convinceth of Sin and bindeth over to Death it is nothing but a killing Letter but the Gospel accompanied by the Power of the Spirit bringeth Life Again Psal. 19.7 it is said there The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul therefore it seems the Law may also be a word of Salvation to the Creature I answer By the Law there is not meant only that part of the Word which we call the Covenant of Works but there it is put for the whole Word for the whole Doctrine of the Covenant of Life and Salvation as Psal. 1.2 His Delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night And if you take it in that stricter sense then it converteth the Soul but by accident as it is joined with the Gospel which is the Ministry of Life and Righteousness but in it self it is the Law of Sin and Death Look as a thing taken simply would be Poison and deadly in self yet mix'd with other wholsome Medicines it is of great use is an excellent Physical Ingredient So the Law is of great use as joined with the Gospel to awaken and startle the Sinner to shew him his Duty to convince him of Sin and Judgment but it is the Gospel properly that pulls in the Heart Vse To press you to regard the Gospel more as you would Salvation it self for it bringeth Salvation By way of Motive and Encouragement 1. Consider the greatness of the Salvation Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation It is not a slight matter in the Gospel God doth not treat with you about Trifles your eternal Life lies upon it we preach to you a Doctrine that tends to Salvation That so the Argument may be more operative consider what is Salvation Salvation implieth a Deliverance from Danger and Distress and a preservation in a condition of Safety Sometimes he is called a Saviour qui quod semel factum est conservat ne pereat that keepeth a thing in a condition of Safety tho it were never lost In this sense God is said to save Man and Beast Psal. 36.6 O Lord thou preservest Man and Beast As he doth preserve them from Decay and Ruin so he is the Saviour of all Men 1 Tim. 4.10 There is not a Creature but may call God Saviour But this Salvation I speak of is a Salvation proper but to a few Creatures not a general Preservation or Act of Providence here is not only Safety but Glory it is a translation to a place of Happiness Again he is said to save that delivers out of Danger and Destruction as the Shepherd that snatcheth the Lamb out of the Teeth of the Lion saveth him and in common speech we call him a Saviour that delivers from Evil. But mark this
of the Glory of the World to come as if we did see Christ upon his white Throne and Paul with his Crown of Righteousness and all the faithful Ones in Abraham's Bosom If a Beggar were adopted into the Succession of a Crown would he not please himself in forethinking of the Happiness Honour and Pleasure of the Kingly State So we vile Creatures that are adopted to be Coheirs with Christ if we did hope to be Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven Heaven would have more of our Thoughts and take up more of the Musings of our Souls We should still observe what we muse upon most carnal Thoughts and carnal Projects discover a carnal Heart When we are always thinking of plucking down Barns and building greater advancing our Families and providing worldly Encrease when we are talking to our selves as Luke 12.18 He thought within himself What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my Fruits And he said This will I do I will pull down my Barns and build greater c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies he was framing Dialogues with himself of bestowing his Goods this shews a carnal Heart So Iames 4.13 To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a Year and buy and sell and get Gain It is usual with Men to live upon the Reversion of their Hopes and feed themselves with the pleasure thereof As young Heirs spend upon their Hopes and run out their Estates e're they possess them so doth the Soul either in Matters carnal or heavenly still feed upon its Hopes And therefore if there be such an earnest Hope you will be entertaining your Spirits with Suppositions of Heaven and framing Images of the Glory of the World to come 2. It bewrays it self by hearty Sighs and Groanings and Longings after this Happiness Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also who have the first Fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body They that have once tasted of the Clusters of Canaan that have the first Fruits of the Spirit have tasted of the Goodness and Sweetness of God in Christ think they can never be soon enough with him in Heaven When shall it once be They are still looking out and the nearer they come to Enjoyment the more impatient they are of the Want As natural Motions are swiftest in the end a Stone the nearer it is to the Center it moves the faster so the longer a Christian lives in Christ the more he sends forth his Desires and Heart after his Happiness and therefore groans waiting for the Revelation of the Sons of God and for this blessed Hope The Apostle says The earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a lifting up of the Head as we are wont to put out our Head to see if we can spy a thing a great way off as Iudg. 5.28 Sisera's Mother and the Ladies looked out at the Window and cried through the Latice Why is his Chariot so long in coming as if they would spy him afar off So the Soul is still looking out When will the Change come when will it once be They would have a fuller Draught of the Consolations of the Spirit more Freedom from Sin and a more entire Love of God they have had some Taste already therefore they long for the encrease and full perfection of it 3. By lively Tastes and Feelings It is said of a Believer He hath eternal Life Iohn 3.36 that is in the beginnings of it he hath some Taste here upon Earth Hope is called not only Living but lively Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 because it quickens the Heart and fills it with a solid spiritual Joy And Rom. 5.2 We rejoice in hope of the Glory of God It is a Joy that is for Enjoyment and Possession In worldly things there is Pain and Travel and burdensom Expectation till we come to enjoy a thing but a Christian rejoiceth in his Hopes So 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory It is true all feel it not in such a degree it depends on a Sense of Grace which all Believers have not always but all Believers whenever they meditate upon Heaven they find Sweetness shed abroad in their Hearts when they think what is provided for them by Christ. Worldly Hope is only as a Dream of a Shadow there is Pain and Travel in Expectation and there is no Satisfaction when we come to Fruition but our Hopes in Christ fill the Soul with this lively Joy Look as the Patriarchs that waited for the Coming of Christ the Consolation of Israel they hugged the Promises O here 's a sweet Promise that will yield a Messiah at length that shall save the World Thus they rejoiced in what they foresaw concerning Christ in Vision Type and Figure So Christians that wait for Happiness and Blessedness to come how do they find a great deal of Sweetness shed abroad in their Hearts by meditating upon their Hope II. To shew the Influence it hath upon the spiritual Life 1. It purgeth the Heart from Lusts and the Filthiness of Sin 1 Iohn 3.3 Every Man that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure How doth this Hope make him purify himself Thus the things we look for are all holy and pure it is a great part of our Portion in Heaven to be freed from Sin to be Consorts of the immaculate Lamb Now the Soul will say thus Do I look upon this as my Happiness Do I hope to be like Christ hereafter and be freed from the Burden of Corruption and can indulge and allow these Lusts in my Heart A Man hopes for nothing de futuro which he would not presently compass were it in his Power We do not look for a sensual Paradise but for a pure and blissful Estate that is made up of Sinlesness and Purity and therefore whoever hath set his Heart upon the Hopes of Christianity the Vision of God and Fruition of Christ he must needs begin here especially since God hath required Preparation here we are to be made meet seasoned and qualified to accomplish the Months of our Purification to prepare our selves more and more for these glorious Hopes 2. It withdraws our Hearts from present things Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. A Christian lives in the Earth as if he were in the midst of the Angels We are weaned from the World by looking for better things and so the World is out-shined As a Man that hath looked upon the Sun his Eyes are dazled and cannot see an Object less glorious So when we look within the Vail upon our blessed Hopes the Glory of the World is obscured The Apostle renders
return That unto me every Knee shall bow and every Tongue shall swear It is a Prediction of Christ's Sovereignty and it is ratified with an Oath all God's Holiness and Glory is laid at Stake that it shall be accomplished Now this Prophecy is twice alledged in the New-Testament Phil. 2.10 11. At the Name of Iesus every Knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth And every Tongue shall confess There it is made the Fruit of Christ's Ascension what is swear in the Prophet there is confess they are both Acts of Worship and given to Christ Presently God gave him this Power upon his Ascension for his Ascension was his solemn Inauguration into the Kingly Office Christ was a chosen King and anointed from all Eternity While he was here in the World he was a King but when he ascended up on high then he was a Crowned King and God undertook to make good this Prophecy That every Knee should bow to him as David was anointed by Samuel but crowned at Hebron But some will say we do not see that all things are put under him there are damned Spirits that resist his Counsels and there are wicked Men that rebel against his Laws every Knee doth not bow and every Tongue doth not call him Lord. But wait a little the Work is a doing Christ's Royal Office receiveth several Accessions of Glory and Degrees of Perfection till the Day of Judgment and then it is discovered in a most Imperial manner The Apostle quoteth this Place to prove the Day of Judgment Rom. 14.10 11. Why dost thou judg thy Brother and why dost thou set at nought thy Brother We must all stand before the Iudgment-Seat of Christ. How doth he prove that For it is written As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall confess to God implying that at the Day of Judgment this Promise shall be fully made good This is the consummate Act of his Regal Office then Devils and wicked Men shall all be made to stoop to Christ. Christ's Kingdom is a growing Kingdom Isa. 9.7 Of the Increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end Not only of his Government but of the Increase of his Government then it is at its full strength Therefore it is called the Day of the Lord 2 Pet. 3.10 The Day of the Lord cometh as a Thief in the Night Then Christ discovereth himself as Lord in all his Royalties and Greatness and makes his Enemies shake before him Then also he shews himself to be a King to his People Mat. 25.34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right Hand Mark the special Title that is given to Christ when he invites the Saints into his Bosom then we come to receive from Christ the most Royal Donative and highest Fruit of his Kingly Office Thirdly The Consequents of that Day I shall name three sending of Persons judged to their everlasting State giving up the Kingdom to his Father and burning the World 1. The sending of Persons judged to their everlasting State the Elect into Glory and the Wicked into Torments For the Elect Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World O you have been too long absent Come blessed Children come into my Bosom Come possess that which was prepared for you before you had a Being in the World And then for the Wicked by a terrible Ban and Proscription they are excommunicated and cast out of the Presence of the Lord Ver. 31. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels A terrible Ban and Proscription As Haman's Face was covered when the King was angry and so he was led away to Execution so the Wicked banished from Christ's Presence are accursed to all Eternity and so enter into their Eternal State Now from this Sentence either of Absolution or Condemnation there 's no Appeal 't is pronounced by Christ as God-Man On Earth many times God's Sentence is repealed God may speak of the Ruin of a Nation but Free-Grace may interpose Jer. 18.7 8. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their Evil I will repent of the Evil that I thought to do unto them Deus mutat Sententiam non Decretum In the World tho God doth not change his Decrees yet he changeth his Sentence many times the Sentence shews what might be the Decree shews what shall be But now this Sentence shall never be reversed Now is the Day of Patience then of Recompence the Day of Patience is past It is said Luke 2.14 Peace upon Earth God may proclaim War against a Soul or People that he may awaken them to look after their Peace but this is a Sentence that shall never be changed The Execution is speedy here many times the Sentence is past but not speedily executed against an evil Work Eccles. 8.11 But here Christ's Sentence presently begins and the Wicked in the very sight of the Godly are thrust into Hell Mat. 13.30 Gather ye together first the Tares and bind them in Bundles to burn them but gather the Wheat into my Barn Which doth awaken the Grief and Envy of the Wicked when they shall see others gathered into the Great Congregation and themselves thrust out And then the Godly have a deeper sense of their own Condition When Contraries are put together they do mutually illustrate one another so when we see the Misery of the Wicked this matures our Apprehensions and makes us have larger Thoughts of our Deliverance by Christ. And then this Sentence to it is upon the whole Person and that for ever Upon the whole Man Go ye cursed and Come ye blessed both Body and Soul share in the Reward and Punishment And then the Sentence is Eternal it remains for ever Why for the Reward is built upon an infinite Merit the Lord Christ his Blood is of an infinite value the Virtue of it lasts to all Eternity to secure Heaven to us And the Punishment is Eternal because an Infinite Majesty is offended In short God is never weary of blessing the Godly and never weary of cursing the Wicked and accomplishing his Judgment and Displeasure against them 2. The next Consequent is the resigning and giving up of the Kingdom to the Father You have it described 1 Cor. 15.24 to 28. I suppose this giving up of the Kingdom is not taken for a resigning of his Kingly Office for Christ still holds the Government and wears the Crown of Honour to be the Head of the Church But Kingdom here is put for the Subjects of the Kingdom He shall finish the present Manner of Dispensation and present all the Elect to God and give them up as a Prey snatched out
earnestly Micah 7.3 It is the difference between us and civil Men but unregenerate they are like Cypress Trees fair and tall but fruitless of a comely Life but none of these good Works are to be found in them It is the difference between us and Hypocrites A Hypocrite like a Carbuncle seems to be all on a fire but when you touch it it is quite cold so they pretend to Religion talk much but have no true regular Zeal no spiritual Warmth It is notable our Lord himself proves his Divine Original by his Works Iohn 10.38 Tho ye believe not me believe the VVorks that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him So is this the sensible Evidence you are in Christ and Christ in you Graces are not always evident in feeling but in Fruit the Effects cannot be hid Then they are Signs and Evidences to God himself the Lord will look upon them as Marks and Evidences of his People Look as the destroying Angel was to be guided by a Sign Exod. 12.12 13. by the sprinkling of the Door-posts not that he needed it but because God would have it to be so So the Lord sutes his Dispensations and guides them by a Sign It is true God in his Gifts is arbitrary but in his Judgments he proceeds by Rule according to our Works At the last Day God will judg you not by your Profession but by your Practice what you have done he will not say You have prophesied in my Name you have eaten and drunk in my Presence but you have fed me clothed me visited me That the Faith of the Elect might be found to Praise and Honour he will have Works produced Not that God wants Evidences of our Sincerity but he will have all the World know we have not been unfruitful A Man that expecteth to be posed is preparing to answer and would give somethink to know the Questions aforehand Christ hath told us what are the Questions upon which we shall be examined and taxed at the Day of Judgment he will say Have you fed and clothed my People have you ministred to their Necessities have you relieved them with spiritual Counsel and Admonition have you been good holy and just Therefore let us provide to give an Answer that we might not be ashamed at the last Day Thus this Zeal for good Works hath the place and room of a Witness to God as the Rule and Measure of his Process to our selves as the ground of our Assurance and to the World as the great vindication of the Honour of our Profession 2. It is a Fruit of Christ's Death partly by way of Obligation for certainly God hath not been at all this cost and labour for nothing he did not project the sending of Christ and Jesus Christ did not so give up himself in the Work of Redemption for nothing but to inflame us to a great height of Piety They that live at a low rate of Holiness cross and disgrace the whole Design of the Gospel they are not apprehensive of the Love of God in giving Christ nor the Love of Christ in giving himself Our Redemption was carried on in such a way not only that the Comfort but also the Duty of the Creature might be raised to the highest Partly again as Christ hath purchased the Gift of the Spirit to fit us for good Works yea to make us zealous in them Titus 3.5 6. 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 Now the Spirit dwelleth in our Hearts to set our Graces a working Iohn 4.14 The Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of VVater springing up into everlasting Life So Iohn 7.38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture saith out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living VVater This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him shall receive The Spirit is not a Fountain sealed up but flowing forth The Spirit of God is a mighty Spirit and comes in upon the Soul not only as a gentle Blast but as a mighty rushing Wind he comes not only in the appearance of a Dove but of cloven Tongues of Fire Acts 2. He comes as a Spirit of Power to quicken and awaken the Soul to great heights and fervours in Obedience Look as Men acted by Satan the unclean Spirit are restless in Evil and carried headlong as the Herd of Swine into the Sea so those that are acted by the Spirit of God are much more carried on with great Earnestness in the Ways of God The Devil hath not such Advantages to work upon his Instruments as the Spirit of God hath upon us The Devil works and operates in all the Children of Disobedience Ephes. 2.3 The Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience But the Devil cannot work but by Man's Consent neither can he work immediately upon the Soul but only by the Senses and by the Fancy but the Spirit of God can work immediately upon them in whom he acts Therefore being acted by him they must needs be zealous and earnest for the Spirit of God nescit tarda molimina knows no slow Motions The Soul in it self is dead and slothful and apt to yield to Laziness and Delays but when we are acted and quickened by the mighty Spirit then draw us and we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 When the Spirit puts forth its Force upon the Soul such as are drawn by the Holy Ghost they are not in jest as carnal Men are but in earnest they do not dally with Religion but make it their great business to surprize Heaven and carry on constant Communion with God Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by force Vse 1. Information 1. That Grace is no Enemy to good Works Libertinism is ancient and natural Christ died to improve Piety not to lessen it but to raise it to the highest to make us zealous of good Works that we might be carried on to Heaven with full Sails Therefore he that grows looser less watchful against Sin less diligent in the exercise of Holiness less frequent in Communion with God less humble and penitent after committing of Sin offers the greatest Abuse to Grace that may be and perverts its natural Use. There is no freezing by the Fire we may freeze indeed by painted Fire that may make us contract Chilliness and Drowsiness but true Grace is a Fire that warms and inflames our Affections Christ came to make us more chearful and lively but not slack careless and cold 2. It informs us what little Reason the World hath to cry out upon Zealots for Christ died to make us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zealous of good VVorks Men that are only contented with a brain Religion speculative Notions they cannot endure Heats and Fervors they would have
with the holy Spirit of Promise The Spirit stirreth up Faith in the Promise and then giveth in the Sense and Comfort of it And therefore if you first look for Evidence and see what Grace is wrought in you you pervert the Order of the Gospel the right Method is to begin with direct Acts and then to go on to reflex Acts first refresh the Soul with God's free Grace and Mercy 2. Then for God's Truth look upon what sure Terms Grace is conveyed to you In the Text you have God's Word and Oath God would over and above satisfy you If you will not trust him upon his Word yet give him the Credit you would give to an ordinary Man's Oath You have Promises of Grace written in the Scriptures put him in remembrance spread your Matter before the Lord and shew him his Tokens Lord whose are these Then you have Covenant and Seals which are as Indentures between God and you A Covenant is a solemn Transaction between Man and Man now God hath made a Covenant and sealed it in the Sacrament Then you have not only outward Seals but inward Assurances Earnest and First-fruits as if the Lord could never be bound fast enough to the Creature that is so loose and uncertain God hath given us his Word Oath Covenant Seals and Earnest which you should meditate upon if you would increase Delight 2. Get Assurance and Holiness which is an Evidence of your Title and Interest As Ahab was angry with the Prophet Micaiaâ— 1 Kings 22.8 I hate him because he doth not prophesy Good concerning me but Evil. So Sinners hate us because we speak not Peace and do not assure them of Comfort But alas in vain do we press Men to Comfort for till there be Holiness there can be no Peace or positive Certainty 1 John 2.3 Hereby do we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments This is the Evidence we must avouch in the Court of Conscience Tho Comfort be founded upon Christ's Merit yet it will be found only in Christ's Way Mark the distinctness of Phrase Mat. 11.28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you Rest. Certainly it is Christ must give us Rest but when will he give it Ver. 29. Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart and ye shall find Rest for your Souls when we abide in the Discipline of his Spirit God first poureth in the Oil of Grace and then the Oil of Gladness There is an inseparable Connexion between Comfort and Grace as between Fire and Heat if no Fire no Heat and if no Grace it is in vain to expect Comfort The Dispensation of the Spirit of Christ cannot be severed from the Application of his Merit Christ is first King of Righteousness then King of Peace Heb. 7.2 First he disposeth and puts the Soul into a holy righteous Frame and then settleth Peace and Quiet in the Conscience Alas for others God will not trust them with it and they cannot receive it God will not trust them with Peace and Comfort God trieth carnal Men with the Comforts of the World which they abuse to the neglect of God and therefore he will not bestow upon them the Comforts of his Spirit If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your Trust the true Riches Luke 16.11 When a leaky Vessel is tried with Water and will not hold it you will not put any precious Liquor into it so if you are carnal and abuse worldly Comforts Corn Wine and Oil to Riot and Excess do you think God will trust you with the strong Consolations and Ravishments of his Spirit Then you cannot receive it A Man may as well think to apply a Needle to his Finger and not be prick'd as to commit Sin and not find Trouble in his Conscience Comfort cannot be felt there where Sin reigns and besides a carnal Heart can have no spiritual discerning Therefore the Foundation must be laid in Grace and Holiness that is the Evidence 3. Labour after a sense of Grace Grace and a sense of Grace differ for the spiritual Acts of the Soul are not so liable to feeling as the Acts of the Body When I awake I know I am so but internal Sense differeth from outward A Man may be in a State of Grace yet not always know it as Iohn 14.4 5. Whither I go ye know and the Way ye know Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the Way A direct Contradiction Sciebant isti sed se scire nesciebant saith Austin The Apostles knew the Way but did not know they knew it We need an Interpreter to shew us our Righteousness Grace is so weak and there is such a mixture of Sin and Men so seldom come to an Audit that Conscience is extreamly puzzled to know whether there be Grace or no. Our Uncertainty in this kind may be reduced to these two Heads Want of Observance and Want of Judgment Inadvertency and Injudiciousness We do not take notice of the Acts of Grace through non-observance and because of the mixture of Weakness Conscience cannot judg of the regulation of our Actions We neglect Observation and therefore are to seek of Consolation You know there are two Questions go up in this Debate Whether I have done such a thing or no then Whether I have done it as I ought to do it It concerns first the Being of the Action and then the Regularity of it Congruousness of it with the Rule Therefore if we would get a sense of Grace we must be watchful to observe what is done and judicious to see whether it carry proportion with the Rule Now by Vse our Senses will be exercised to discern both Good and Evil Heb. 5.14 To get a sense of Grace the Soul must be heedful and cautious By long and much Acquaintance with God and the Work of Holiness we may be able to make a Judgment upon our own Actions Secondly How shall we keep the Soul in a constant Observation that we may be more at home and constantly take notice of the State of the Heart Here these Rules will be of use 1. As Doubts arise get them satisfied These are Hints from God that you should study your Hearts more Smothering of Doubts is dangerous it breeds Atheism and Hypocrisy therefore when they arise never dismiss them without an Answer and clear Satisfaction do not suspend it out of Self-love and carnal Fear As when we see the Smoke a coming we keep blowing to get it into a Flame So when the Spirit begins to set the Heart on fire keep blowing Doubts arise but bring them to an Head God offereth many a fair Occasion to Men to study their own Heart how it is with them if they neglect it all runs to Confusion and Uncertainty Well having your Hearts at an advantage get the
5.14 Wherefore he says Awake thou that sleepest 2. Have you been drawn to Christ by the Cords of the Gospel Have you been brought to him as a Sanctuary for your distressed Souls as the Man shut up himself in the City of Refuge 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that Day Here is my Anchor and Safety 3. Are you begotten to a lively Hope Do you often look within the Vail and groan and long for your everlasting Hopes Do you send Spies before-hand into the Land of Promise a few Thoughts thither What hearty Groans are there and Sighs of that happy State Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also who have the First-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body Doth it quicken you and make you mend your pace whatever Difficulties you meet with Rom. 5.2 We rejoice in hope of the Glory of God Vse 2. Conviction It sheweth the hardness of their Hearts who have neither felt the Law-work nor the Gospel-work but remain like the Smith's Anvil softned neither with Hammer nor Oil neither driven by the Threatnings of the Law nor drawn with the glad Tidings of Salvation neither Iohn nor Iesus worketh on them Of such Christ speaketh Mat. 11.17 We have piped unto you and you have not danced we have mourned unto you and you have not lamented A rude and stupid People not affected with any kind of Musick In times of Rejoicing the Jews had their lighter Notes fitted for Mirth in times of Lamentation they had their Minstrels and mourning Women that had venales lachrymas beating their Breasts and crying Alas my Brother and ah Lord and ah his Glory Jer. 9.17 Consider ye and call for the mourning Women Notable movers of Passions they were It was a thing so common among them that the Boys would imitate them in the Streets To these Christ likeneth a stupid People that are moved with no kind of Doctrine neither with Judgment nor sweet offers of Grace Alas they are far from the strong Comfort here spoken of Vse 3. To perswade you to this Temper Three sorts of People usually we speak to 1. The carnally Secure 2. Those that are affected with their Condition 3. Those that esteem Christ and embrace him that own him as ready and willing to save Sinners 1. For the carnally Secure that never made their Peace with God never fled for Refuge nor took Sanctuary at the Grace of Christ. Our Work is to make them sensible of the Avenger of Blood that is at their Heels O poor Wretches will you sleep when your Damnation sleeps not Within a little while what will become of you In the ordinary Course of Nature you have but a few Years to pass over in this World but for ought you know the Wrath of God which makes Inquisition for Sinners may seize upon you a great deal sooner you may not live out half your Days that is so long as in an ordinary Providence you might expect Psal. 68.21 God shall wound the Head of his Enemies and the hairy Scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his Trespasses God may take you by the hairy Scalp while you are in your youthful Freshness before Baldness and old Age cometh and Infirmities seize upon you That which is measured by Time will soon come about Every Day you are a step nearer to Eternity O what will become of you When you are at odds with God Death way-layeth you in every place it may take you Sleeping Eating Drinking Ah poor Man what Refuge hast thou What Buckler to catch the Blow of God's angry Indignation and ward off the Strokes of his Vengeance O fly Sinners for Refuge the Lord knows how soon Destruction may seize upon you while you are yet in Health and Strength there is no other means but Christ. Surely this driving Work would prosper more if Men were not wanting to themselves to improve the Conviction of the Word When God shews you your natural Face and begins to startle and awaken you O let not Conviction die No Iron so hard as that which hath been often quenched and often healed So no Heart so hard as when it hath worn out many Convictions Make use of Remorses of Conscience and your own trembling Fears lest you are given up to a Spirit of Slumber 2. To those that are affected with their Condition to seek for Salvation in Christ alone You which are troubled about your Eternal State own Christ as a City of Refuge his Arms are always open to receive poor trembling Sinners that fly thither from the Wrath of God You do but go about while you seek else-where Jer. 31.22 How long wilt thou go about O thou back-sliding Daughter for the Lord hath created a new Thing in the Earth A Woman shall compass a Man that is when God hath set forth Christ born of a Woman why will you weary your selves to go about This City of Refuge stands open for all Corners own Christ as the only Remedy One who was long exercised with Troubles of Conscience and at length came to some establishment gave this Advice I will never look for that in the Law which is only to be found in the Gospel and I will never look for that in my self which is only to be found in Christ and I will never look for that on Earth which is only to be found in Heaven These three things are the Causes why Men are kept in Trouble You will get nothing but Weariness and Discomfort by running about and looking to Duties and legal Qualifications and therefore while you are affected with your Condition own Christ. 3. To those which are fled to Christ and owned him as the only Sanctuary for poor Souls Press onward to take hold of eternal Life Now you have fled from deserved Wrath run to take hold of undeserved Glory You are past the worst the rest is more easy The Apostle Rom. 5.11 12. puts a much more upon this Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life as if that were a more easy thing Now the worst Brunt is over And not only so but we also joy in God through the Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement When you are reconciled to God you may look to be entertained as Friends being adopted in Christ you may look for a Child's Portion If God would pardon your Sins and take you with all your Faults quicken your selves to be more diligent in the pursuit of Eternal Life and put to your best Strength You will have many ups and downs in the World but bear it with Patience Heaven will pay for all But here is a Doubt May we look to the Rewards I answer Yes else there were no room for Hope for Hope is nothing else but a longing
Affection Yea in the Pen-men of Scripture you may observe a Variety Iohn is sublime and seraphical Paul rational and argumentative Peter writeth in a more easy fluent milky way So in the Old Testament Isaiah more Court-like and lofty Ieremiah more Priestly and gravely c. Every one hath his different Character and way of writing Among the saving Graces you may observe a diversity tho all have all in some measure for the new Creature must not be maimed nor in any part wanting yet some are more eminent for one Grace some for another as Abraham for Faith Iob for Patience Moses for Meekness Timothy for Temperance And Grace it self worketh according to the diversity of Tempers some are modest and mild others bold and zealous some are mourning for Sin others are wrapt up in the Admiration of the Grace of God in Jesus Christ some are exemplary for strictness and weanedness from the Delights of the animal Life others are industrious in Service So true is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.7 Every one hath his proper Gift of God one after this manner and another after that That is some have this others that special Excellency whereby to glorify God And again Rom. 12.6 Having Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given unto us 3. They are not given to all in a like measure some have more others have less This is also spoken in Scripture Eph. 4.7 To every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ. Rom. 12.3 As God hath dealt to every Man the measure of Faith And once more Eph. 4.16 According to the effectual working in the measure of every part The measure of Christ respects the Author the measure of Faith the Benefit of the Receiver the measure of a part our Office in the Body All have their peculiar Function according to their several Designations and all this that every Man may be doing according to his best Capacity With respect to this variety some are weak some are strong Rom. 14.1 some have little and some have great Faith some are Fathers some young Men some Babes in Christ 1 Iohn 2.13 14. And our Lord in his Charge to Peter concerning his Pastoral Office distinguisheth between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his little Lambs and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Sheep Joh. 21.15 16. Feed my Lambs feed my Sheep This is very sutable to the Notion of a Body to which the Community of Christians is often resembled For as in the natural Body all Members are not of equal Growth and Bigness so it is in the Mystical Body of Christ there is a different measure in each part that there may be a meet Symmetry in the whole Besides all Members have not a like Office therefore God's Spirit giveth not all a like measure of Knowledg and other Gifts If all were of equal Strength for Faith Wisdom and other Graces the matter and occasion of sundry principal Duties would be taken away there would be no need that one Christian should edify another bear with one another avoid the Offence of another give help to another restore another Well then let us observe this measure for plainly there is a threefold difference 1. In the degree of the Gifts some have more Means some have more common Grace knowing their Master's Will which is a great Talent and Obligation some have greater Obligations and therefore greater Condemnation if they answer it not Iohn 3.19 This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men loved Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds were evil 2. In Opportunity Phil. 4.10 Ye lacked Opportunity Certainly the lack or want of Opportunity of doing good not through our Default doth excuse or justify the forbearance of it But when we have it we should take hold of it 1 Cor. 16.9 A great Door and effectual is opened unto me and there are many Adversaries The Door opened noteth Opportunity The Resistance of Adversaries is not a Discouragement but maketh it more necessary not to suffer it to be shut again Now all have not like Opportunity 3. In degree of Success It is ordered as God pleaseth some have more some have less Acts 17.34 Howbeit certain Men clave to him and believed Seldom doth God light a Candle but he hath some lost Groat to seek yet sometimes few are gathered for God is Debtor to none II. The Reasons 1. To shew the free Soveraignty of God who may do with his own as it pleaseth him And he will be known to be the supream Lord in the Distribution of his Gifts and Graces 1 Cor. 12.11 All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will As for Graces Mat. 11.26 Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight And as for Gifts God is arbitrary in his Gifts but not in his Judgments Gifts are not given as we will but as God willeth The Spirit is compared to Wind not only for his Force but his Liberty Iohn 3.8 The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit God doth not only dispense Riches and Honours as he pleaseth and common Gifts of Knowledg and Utterance but saving Graces To some they are not given and where they are given to some it is in a larger to others in a more scanty measure 2. These things are given by Christ in a different Proportion that the World may know that all fulness is only in himself Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell The greatest Gifts and Graces which God bestoweth on any is far below that Fulness which is in Christ. We have the Spirit by measure but Christ without measure Iohn 3.34 For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him He giveth to none so much but still there is somewhat wanting and they who have received most are capable of receiving more In him there is not only plenitudo sufficientiae but redundantiae a fulness of Sufficiency but of Redundance not only plenitudo vasis but fontis not only the fulness of the Vessel but of the Fountain And so a manifest difference between Head and Members 3. To shew his singular Love Care and Providence for and towards the Church such a Body as that is needeth distinct Offices and because there is a diversity of Imployments and Offices which must not be confounded therefore doth he enable his Servants with neeedful Gifts and Graces Rom. 12.4 All Members have not the same Office some are designed for this Function and Use and some for that Now as Offices are divers so are Gifts and Graces Isa. 54.11 12. I will lay thy Foundations with Saphires I will make thy Windows of Agats and thy Gates of Carbuncles and all thy Borders of pleasant Stones The Church is there compared to a
Diseases he ascended up into a Mountain or retired into a Ship and leaves the Multitude and when they would have crowned him King he refused it all these were Arguments and Instances of his Humility Hear and wonder at what you read Iohn 13.3 Iesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God A magnificent Preface Now one would have thought that some rare act of Empire Soveraignty and Domination should have followed No Verse 4.5 He riseth from Supper and laid aside his Garments and took a towel and girded himself After that he poureth water into a bason and began to wash his Disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded The Disciples did not wash the feet of their Lord but the Lord washed the Disciples feet and what was the meaning of this see Verse 15. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you 3. In Love to the Saints Iohn 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another And Iohn 15.12 This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you Oh how express are these Injunctions There is nothing in which Christ was more Eminent than in his Love no rancour of Spirit no boyling up of Envy but all Love The Apostle propounds it to Husbands Eph. 2.25 Husbands love your Wives even as Christ loved the Church Now how did Christ love his Church with a great Love so as to dye for his Church The Love of Christ was sincere not for By ends he loved Saints as Saints because of his Interest in them So should we love those in whom we see most of the Image of God It was not a blaze but a constant abiding Love whom he loves he loves unto the end so must we love the Saints It is true Jesus loved some above others Iohn was the beloved Disciple John 21.20 There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Flower of the Disciples whom he loved most but he loved them all We should Love not in Word but in Deed and in Truth Oh be filled with Love to God and Love to the Saints who have his Image stamped upon them You that are Believers have cause to love one another have we not all the same Father Are we not Children begotten of the same Holy Seed the Word Do we not all suck at the same Breasts of the Promises Do we not all sit at the same Table at the Lords Supper Are we not all cloathed with the same Robe of Christ's Righteousness and do we not all expect the same Glory 4. In his Vsefulness and Profitableness And of this the whole Gospel is a Narrative and History Therefore when the Apostle would summ up the Life of Christ he tells us this Acts 10.38 He went about doing good giving Eyes to the Blind Feet to the Lame Speech to the Dumb healing every sickness and every Disease among the people Matth. 9.35 full of Compassion to the Souls of Men. Jesus Christ was nothing else but Charity covered over with Flesh and Blood he was always either giving of Blessings or forgiving of Sins All his Miracles were not actions of Pomp but of Relief and Succour unless it were blasting the Fig. tree and sending the Herd of Swine into the Sea and the Figg-tree was Barren and the Swine was of little use in the Jewish Countries All the Miracles of Christ were salutary and healing We never read he destroyed one Man by Miracle but saved many Eph. 5.1 2. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us Oh that we could learn this none is born for himself but for the Community and it is better to give than to receive 5. In his Piety towards God If you consider the History of Christ you will find him much in Acts of Devotion he was Frequent and Fervent and Reverent in Prayer Frequent Mark 1.35 And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed And Luke 6.12 He went out into a Mountain to pray and continued all night in Prayer to God Alas we are weary in our ordinary stinted Offices of the day how soon do we grow weary of calling upon God! but Christ spends whole Nights in Prayer He was Fervent Luke 22.44 And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly And he was Reverent when he was in the Garden he kneeled down and prayed Luke 22.41 And he fell on his face and prayed Mat. 26.39 He was a most diligent Observer of the Sabbath Luke 4.16 As his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day he was diligent in frequenting the Publick Assemblies Oh how doth this confute those that out of height of Spirit and a proud Conceit of themselves are above Ordinances and say they were appointed only for Christians of the lower form He praised God for mean and course fare when he had but five Barley Loaves and two Fishes He took the loaves and when he had given thanks he distributed to the Disciples John 6.11 Alas when our Tables are full furnished we have scarce any serious Thoughts of God that giveth us richly all things to enjoy 6. In his Spirituality and Heavenly-mindedness Christ came from Heaven and he lived in Heaven all the while he was upon the Earth When he was at the Well of Samaria conferring with the Woman there he discourseth of the Well that springs up to Everlasting Life Iohn 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life He drew her from a Discourse of ordinary water to a Discourse of the Water of Life When he was at Supper at the Pharisee's House he discourseth of eating Bread in God's Kingdom Luke 14.15 Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God When he had wrought the Miracle of the Loaves he discourseth of the Bread of Life and the Mannah that came down from Heaven Iohn 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat which endureth to everlasting Life which the Son of Man shall give unto you When he was at the Feast of Tabernacles where they were wont to pour out water and so to make a Pool near the Temple he discourseth of Rivers of water and of the flowings of the Spirit Iohn 7.38.39 He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive A rare Pattern for us to follow We should labour as to see all things in God so to see God in all things and to be heavenly minded
to the thankful Soul but to the unthankful they prove Occasions to the Flesh so their Table is made a snare to them and their Welfare a Trap Psal. 69.22 But when we sip and look upward and acknowledge God on all occasions the Creature is sanctified to us 1 Tim. 4.4 Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving Where there is a due Acknowledgment of the Donor we have it with a Blessing So 2. It suppresseth murmuring or that quarrelling fretting impatient Humour which venteth it self against God even in our Prayers and Complaints and sowreth all our Comforts Murmuring is an Anti-providence the scum of Discontent by which we entertain Crosses with Anger and Blessings with Disdain Man is a tachy Creature always querulous especially when God retrencheth him in some Worldly Conveniencies which he fancyeth Now a Thankful Spirit counterballanceth Crosses with Comforts Iob 2.10 What shall we receive good at the Hand of the Lord and shall we not receive evil It taketh Notice how gracious God hath been notwithstanding his seeming Severity therefore it can Bless God in every Condition Iob 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. This fretting Humour is Cured as long as we see Occasion of giving Thanks it causeth us to submit to his Disposing Will. 3. It prevents Distrust and carking Cares This Remedy is prescribed by the Apostle Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God When we acknowledge what God hath done for us it prevents Distrust Psal. 77.10 11. I said this is my infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High I will remember the Works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old There are great Convulsions in an Earthquake but when it findeth a Vent all is quiet When we can Bless God for Favours already received we will not doubt of his Goodness for the future but quietly compose our selves to wait for the good end of the Lord. 4. It Cureth spiritual Pride to consider who must be Praised and Owned for all the good which is in us 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it The more we have we are more indebted to Grace We have all from God and for God not for our selves our own Glory and Ostentation God will be Angry if we rob Him of it as Herod was smitten because he gave not God the glory Acts 12.23 The Receiver is as bad as the Stealer we Consent to this Robbery and Usurpation VSE Oh then let us be more abundant in Thanksgiving and Praise It is God's Will concerning us in Christ 1 Thes. 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the Will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you But there are other Reasons to perswade us as 1. Our Profit both Spiritual and Temporal It argueth a good Spirit great Faith and Love when we look to God in every thing and a submissive Spirit when we take any thing kindly at his hands The Nations had never fallen to Idolatry if they had kept up Thankfulness and considered God in all their Mercies Acts 14.16 17. Who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Setting up the Idol Chance was the great Cause of perverting Mankind Besides this is noble and delightful Work the Work of Angels our Work in Heaven Well then Observe what matter of Praise God vouchsafeth to you continually if you did want many of the Comforts you now enjoy how miserable would your Lives be A thing too near the Ball of the Eye is not seen well Our Comforts must be set at a distance to make us value them 2. Our continual Dependance It is with us as it was with the Raven and the Dove which Noah sent forth out of the Ark Gen. 8.7 8. the Raven feeding on the floating Carrion returned no more but the Dove finding not whereon to rest the sole of her Foot returned with an Olive-branch Carnal Men if they can get any thing from God to support them and they have their Stock in their own hands they care no more for Him but live apart from God Ier. 2.31 Wherefore say my People We are Lords we will come no more unto thee 3. Consider how Thankful others are for less than what we enjoy There are many that would be glad of our leavings but usually those that enjoy the greatest Possessions pay the least Rent and God receiveth more Praise from a poor Cottage than from a rich Pallace But I proceed to the second Point 2 Doct. That in Thanksgiving to God we should especially own his Spiritual Benefits These are usually overlooked but yet these deserve the chiefest Acknowledgments First Because these are discriminating and come from God's Special Love which floweth forth to his own People Corn and Wine and Oyl are bestowed upon the World but Faith and Love upon his Saints David prayeth Psal. 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the favour which thou bearest unto thy people To have the Favourites Mercy is more than to have a common Mercy Protection is the Benefit of every common Subject but intimate Love and near Admission are the Priviledges of Special Favourites Now by the common Effects of his Providence Love or Hatred cannot be known Eccl. 9.1.2 No man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to all c. The things without us and the things before us and the things promiscuously dispersed will not discover his Special Love to us Christ gave his Purse to Iudas the worst of the Disciples but his Spirit to the rest as the choicest Gift Secondly Because these concern the better part the Inward Man 2 Cor. 4.16 For which cause we faint not but thô our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by â—ay He doth us more Favour that healeth a wound in the Body than he that soweth up a Rent in the Garment Is not the Body more than Rayment So is not the Soul more than the Body Yea farther and the Soul furnished with Grace than the Soul furnished only with Natural Gifts and Endowments 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal And though I have the gift of prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my
accomplished either for the multitude of Objects or degree of Grace As when Cornelius was gained to the Faith as the First-fruits of the Gentiles Acts 11.18 When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also unto the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life And Verse 21. The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord And Verse 23. Barnabas was glad when he had seen the Grace of God and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 2. When there are special Circumstances as if we have been instrumental to do them good and God hath blessed our Word or Converse or Example 1 Thes. 2.19 20. For what is our Hope or Ioy or Crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming for ye are our glory and joy Or if we have prayed for any thing for others whatever we have prayed for must be thankfully acknowledged when brought to pass 2 Cor. 1.11 You also helping together by prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf And 3d. Epist. Ioh. 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth 4 Doct. That in Thanksgiving for Spiritual Benefits whether to our Selves or Others the Encrease of Grace must be acknowledged as well as the Beginnings of it The Degree is from God He that beginneth perfecteth Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun a good work will perfect it to the day of Christ. The whole Progress of the Work from the first step to the last is all from God not from the Power of our own Free-will or the Srength of our Resolutions or the Stability of our Gracious Habits For the First That it is not from the Power of our own Free-will is plain from Ioh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And then for the Second That it is not from the Strength of our Resolutions Psal. 73.2 As for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt And for the Third That it is not from the Stability of Gracious Habits see Rev. 3.2 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain and are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God And 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all Grace who hath called us unto his Eternal Glory by Iesus Christ after that you have suffered a while make you perfect establish strengthen settle you He that beginneth the Work of Grace in us doth still carry it on to perfection he doth establish what is attained and increase our spiritual strength for all Difficulties and Duties so Luk. 17.5 The Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our Faith VSE Take Notice of God's Favour in the addition of every new degree of Grace because the change is more remarkable we may ascribe our first Conversion to God but we must also our after-growth We are still under the Love and Care of Christ Though we are passed from Death to Life yet not from Earth to Heaven You are in continual need of Christ for Direction Intercession Pardon farther Sanctification Support Comfort and Peace therefore take Notice of every degree if there be greater Fervour if more delightful Exercise if more Ability and Strength to overcome Opposition let God have the Glory of all He many times Chastiseth our Pride and Unthankfulness with Lapses or Decayes if we do not acknowledge him as Peter and David what grievous Lapses had they SERMON II ON 2 THESS I. v. 3. We are bound to thank God always for you Brethren as it is meet because that your Faith groweth exceedingly and the Charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth IN these Words we have Observed 1. An Affectionate Form of Thanksgiving 2. The Matter of it For the first It is a blessed thing when Complaints are turned into Thanksgivings both for our selves and others For our selves We should not be always Craving and always Complaining Gratulation should find a place in our Addresses to God as well as Acknowledgments of Sin and Supplications for Grace Col. 4.2 Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving So for others we should rather take Notice of their Excellencies than of their Blemishes We give occasion to others to suspect us to have a rough imperious spirit to be always finding fault never acknowledging the Grace they have received or the good they have done This was far from Paul's Temper who was ever ready to acknowledge any thing of Christ wherever he found it especially where Grace was discovered with eminency as in these Thessalonians therefore he saith We are bound to thank God always for you Brethren as it is meet Whence we Observed four Doctrines I am now to speak of the Matter of this Thanksgiving Because that your Faith groweth exceedingly and the Charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth Where Observe these six things 1. That it is a Comfort that our Inward Man is in a good State however it be with us as to our outward Condition before the World These Thessalonians were poor and afflicted we read in the first Epistle They received the Gospel in much affliction 1 Thes. 1.6 And in the Verse next the Text he speaketh of their Patience and Faith in all their Persecutions and Tribulations and the following words tend wholly to Comfort them under their sore Troubles Yet their Condition before God was thriving and prosperous and matter of Thanksgiving rather than Lamentation So 2 Cor. 4.16 For this Cause we faint not saith the Apostle but though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day We should count this World's Goods well exchanged if the want or loss of them be recompensed to us by the increase of spiritual Graces and be glad if it go well with our Souls though our Bodily Interests be infringed If God by an a king Head will give us a better Heart by a sickly Body an healthy Soul as he did to Gaius 3 Epist. Ioh. 2. Ver. by lessening us in the World or reducing us to streights make us Rich in Faith James 2.5 By Troubles and Oppositions excite us to a more lively exercise of Grace We should not barely submit to such a Dispensation but give Thanks The Children of God are always set forth to be of this Temper Psal. 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes 2 Cor. 12.9 10. I will rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecution in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then am I strong If the Afflictions and Troubles of the World may do us good and
next World but to carry us thither with Comfort supplying us in a way most conducible to his Glory and our Welfare Psal. 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly All things are yours Ordinances Providences 1 Cor. 3.21 For all things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is God's 2. Hereafter That Christ will give us Eternal Glory and Happiness in the other World 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe in him to life everlasting And Iohn 20.31 These are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name This is the main Blessing which Faith aimeth at 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your Souls By this all Temptations of Sense are defeated Now if you would know whether your Faith groweth or no you must discover it by the Firmness of your Assent or the Resolvedness of your Consent or the Peace and Confidence of your Relyance 1. For Assent If you believe the Word of Gâ—d especially the Gospel part with an Assent so strong that you can resolve to venture your whole Happiness in this bottom and let go all that you may obtain the Hopes which the Gospel offereth to you certainly he hath a strong Faith who taketh Gods Promises for his whole Felicity and God's Word for his only Security he needeth no more nor no better Thing nor surer Conveyance to engage him to hazard all that he hath when the Enjoyment of it is inconsistent with his Fidelity to Christ. 2. Your Consent A full entire Hearty Consent to resign your Selves to Christ not a feeble Consent such as is contradicted by every foolish and hurtful Lust but a prevalent Consent such as can maintain it self notwithstanding Difficulties Temptations and Oppositions of the Flesh and controll all other Desires and Delights whatsoever 3. For Relyance When you can trust him for deliverance from the Guilt Power and Punishment of Sin and to quicken strengthen and preserve Grace in you to everlasting Life You trust him in all his Offices as a Priest when you believe his Merits and Sacrifice and Comfort your selves with his Gracious Promises and Covenant and come to God with more boldness and Hope of Mercy upon the account of his Intercession especially in all Extremities and Necessities Heb. 4.14 15 16. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Son of God Let us hold fast our Profession for we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need You trust him as a Prophet when you give up your selves as his Disciples to the Conduct of his Word and Spirit being parswaded that he will infallibly teach you the way to true Happiness Ioh. 6.68 Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life You trust him as a King when you become his Subjects and are perswaded that he will Govern you in Truth and Righteousness in order to your Salvation and defend you by his mighty Power from all your Enemies 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day And 2 Tim. 4.18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom To whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen SERMON III. ON 2 THESS I. v. 3. Your Faith groweth exceedingly and the Charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth THE Growth and Encrease of Faith may be Judged of 1. By the Nature of Faith 2. The Properties of it 3. The Examples and Instances of great Faith in Scripture We are now upon the Second Thing the Properties 1. A Dependance upon God for something that lyeth out of Sight That this is an Essential Property of Faith appeareth by the Description of it Heb. 11.1 The Evidence of things not seen that is not seen by Sense and Reason Some things are invisible by reason of their Nature as God for no man hath seen God at any time Joh. 1.18 And therefore he is called the Invisible God Col. 1.15 And some things by reason of their Distance because they are Absent and Future as the Glory of the World to come and therefore 't is an Object of Faith and Hope Rom. 8.24 For hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for it Vision and Possession exclude Hope and leave no room and place for it Now without Faith a Man can have no sight of these things 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off There is a mist upon Eternity and we cannot look beyond the Clouds of this lower World unless we have the Eagle-eye of Faith but by Faith we can see them so as to frame our Lives accordingly 2 Cor. 5.7 For we walk by Faith and not by Sight By Sense we see what is pleasing or displeasing to the Flesh but by Faith what conduceth to the saving or losing of the Soul Faith being very much like Sight and serving us for the Government of the Soul as Sight doth for the Body it may much be explained by it Now to Bodily Sight there must be an Object a Medium to make the Object conspicuous and a Faculty or Organ 1. The Great Object of Faith is Eternal Life as procured by Christ and promised in the Gospel There is no use of Sight where nothing is to be seen therefore the Object is set before us in the view of Faith in the Promises of the Gospel Heb. 6.18 and Heb. 12.2 God's Truth is as certain as Sight it self can be in it we see all things promised as sure and near 2. The Medium As we see Colours in the Light of the Air so these Spiritual and heavenly things in the Light of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 12. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God 3. The Eye or Visive Power A Blind Man cannot see at Noon-day nor the sharpest Sight at Midnight Now this
the Flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 15. But the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are Foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no Man And Iude v. 19. These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Now the more we live this spiritual Life the more thorough Christians we are Another kind of spirit cometh upon a Man he liveth as a Man of another World he can bear up when the Outward and Animal Life is exposed to the greatest difficulties 2 Cor. 4.16 He fetcheth his Solace and Comfort from those great and glorious things which are kept for him in Heaven 'T is a mighty thing to have this spirit of Faith 4. We cannot hold out with Christ whilst any Temporal and Sensitive thing lyeth too near the Heart 1 Tim. 6.10 For the love of Money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows And 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present VVorld The Devil hath them in a string and are easily taken again though we seem to make some escape from him 3. Faith is the Grace that is employed in overcoming the World 'T is not only said to be a means of overcoming but the Victory it self for 't is the Nature of Faith there are Terms in it as in other Graces 't is a Recess from the World and an Access to God a drawing off the Heart from things Visible and Temporal to those which are Invisible and Eternal How doth Faith overcome the World 1. As 't is an Assent to God's Word and chiefly to the Promises of the Gospel Now this strong and firm Assent doth preposses the mind with the Glory of the World to come Heb. 11.26 Moses had an eye to the Recompense of Reward And 2 Cor. 4.18 VVe look not to the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen And Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen By this sight and View of Heavenly things our Esteem of the World is abated so by consequence the Force of the Temptation Alas whatever this World offereth must be left on this side the Grave Pomp Pleasure Estate â— Tim. 6.7 For we brought nothing into this VVorld and 't is certain we can carry nothing out Here we lust for greatness but Death soon endeth the quarrel In the Grave no difference is to be discerned between Rich and Poor both are alike Obnoxious to Rottenness and Corruption but Faith perswadeth us of better things Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the Earth 2. As 't is a Consent It causeth us to Surrender our selves to Christ's Discipline or that Religion which wholly draweth us off from this World to the World to come Its purpose and drift is that we may deny our selves bear the Cross and follow him this we Promise in Baptism 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptism saveth us not the putting away the filthiness of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. The Spirit of our Religion is not the Spirit of the World 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God 3. As it is a Dependance and Trust in Christ's Power and Sufficiency to maintain you and defend you safe 'till you are brought home to God He dyed for this end Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil World according to the Will of God and our Father He intercedeth for us to the Father for this end Ioh. 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the World but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil He overcame the World in his own Person for this end not only to encourage us but to enable us by his example Ioh. 16.33 These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace in the World ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the World He sendeth his Spirit into our Hearts to preserve us against the Assaults of the Devil the World and the Flesh 1 Ioh. 4.4 Ye are of God little Children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the VVorld And because every state of Life is thick set with Temptations he reneweth his Influence upon us Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me He had before spoken of carrying an equal mind in all Conditions Christ enabled him as well as taught him this Contentment Well then reckon the growth of your Faith by the exercise of your Mortification and weanedness from the World rather than by strong Confidence of your good Estate or high flown Joys and Comforts The Comforts of the Spirit will not be tasted by an unmortified Worldly Heart Most men's Confidence cometh from their Security and mindlesness of these things The Comforts are more suspicious when the Mortification is a sure Note Seventhly The seventh Property of Faith is quieting the Heart against Fears and Doubts and Waiting on God I joyn these two things together because the Scripture doth Lam. 3.26 It is good that a Man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of God But we must handle them asunder 1. Waiting Sense is all for present satisfaction but Faith can tarry God's leisure 'till these good things which we do expect do come in hand Isa. 28.16 He that believeth shall not make haste Men that cannot tarry for relief will yield up a Town upon the basest Terms The Children of God were always forced to eat their Words when they spoke in haste Psal. 31.22 For I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardest the Voice of my Supplication when I cryed unto thee And Psal. 116.11 I said in my haste all Men are Lyars But where Faith and Hope is there is Patience Rom. 8.25 If we hope for what we see not then do we with Patience wait for it James 5.7 8. Be patient therefore Brethren unto the coming of the Lord Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and latter Rain Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Unbelief leapeth overboard on the first danger Impatience and Precipitation is the Cause of all Mischief What
tender of their Reputation lest they should be despised and turned out of their places for deserting the old way wherein they were bred But none of this can be imputed to our Centurion whose Faith Christ approved and rewarded For in Contemplation of this Faith the Cure was wrought Verse 13. And Iesus said unto the Centurion go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it unto thee And he ventureth the Credit he had with his Nation and though the particular address concerned not him but his Servant yet he maketh an open acknowledgment of Christ. II. How was this Faith wrought and bred in him I Answer The Ground-work was laid in his Knowledge of the Omnipotency and Power of God and his acquaintance with the Scriptures of the Old Testament tho' he were not a professed Iew. This prepared for his Faith in Christ the report or hearing was the ground of Faith Isa. 53.1 Who hath believed our report He had heard by Fame of his excellent Doctrine Matth. 7.29 That he taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes And he had heard the rumour of his Miracles more particularly the late Instance of curing the Leper which was notorious and publick for Christ biddeth him shew himself to the Priests Matth. 8.4 And also the Miracle in recovering the Rulers Son an Instance near which was done a time before this Iohn 4.46 47. And there was a certain Noble man whose Son was sick at Capernaum And he heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Gallilee and he went unto him and besought him that he would come down and heal his Son for he was at the point of death By all which he was moved to ascribe the Omnipotency of God which he knew before to Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God can bless slender Motives to a willing Heart and there is a readiness in Holy Souls to believe sooner and easier than others Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures whether these things were 〈◊〉 no. They were not light of Belief for they searched the Scriptures yet they were more ready to believe than perverse and prejudiced Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When there is sufficient Evidence they can hold out no longer Thus the Spirit of God blessed the knowledge of this Centurion and the Rumours that were brought to him of Christ's Doctrine and Miracles III. The Effects or Fruits of it or how it discovered it's self 1. In that he applyeth himself to Christ. They that believe in Christ will come to him and put him upon work whilst others prize his Name but neglect his Office A gracious Heart will find Occasions and Opportunities of acqâ—â—intance with Christ if not for themselves yet for others for when they have heard of him they cannot keep from him Faith never wants an Errand to the Throne of Grace either Necessity brings us thither or Delight Christ inviteth us to come for what he hath to give Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest He is angry that we will not come Iohn 5.40 And ye will not come to me that ye may have life If we be backward he sendeth Afflictions upon our selves and Families Hosea 5.15 In their affliction they will seek me early Surely it is a Delight to him to do his Office in helping distressed Creatures or else he would never have taken it upon him The Elect shall be brought to him upon one occasion or another and he will kindly receive them Iohn 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out An Apoplexy fallen on a beloved Servant bringeth this Centurion to Christ. Well then since Christ is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 Let us not neglect the Occasions of coming to him but get nearer to God by Repentance and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Would Christ stoop so low as to take our Nature and purchase us with his Blood and be strange to us when we come for the Fruits of his purchase and his Mercy to help us and ours 2. That he accounteth Misery an Object proper enough for Mercy to work upon The Centurion came to him saying Lord my Servant lyeth at home sick of the Palsie grievously tormented Verse 6. that is grievously affected with the Disease Alas what can we bring to Christ but Sins and Sicknesses Justice seeketh a meet Object for it giveth to every one what is due but Mercy only seeketh a fit Occasion It doth not consider what is deserved but what is desired and wanted Etiam si sim indignus sum tamen indigens saith Romeranius I am not worthy but I am needy The more affected we are with our Misery the fitter for Christ's Mercy Psal. 9.18 The needy shall not always be forgotten The more hope we have the more we are sensible of our need Psal. 40.17 But I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me Faith giveth us this ground of Hope that Misery is a Motive to God's pity tho' we have nothing within us or without us to commend us to Christ yet he will not despise the Miserable and the Needy and they shall not perish who in the sense of that need repair to him God bringeth Alsufficiency to the Covenant we bring nothing but All-necessity as the Widow was only to provide empty Vessels the Oyl failed not till the Vessels failed Christ's Bowels yearn towards the distressed 3. When Christ offereth to come and heal him Verse 7th I will come and heal him which was the great Condescention of the Son of God to a poor Servant see how the Centurion taketh it Verse 8. He answered and said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof Humility is a Fruit of Faith A sound Believer hath an high esteem of Christ and a low esteem of himself and the one breedeth the other they see Christ so excellent and themselves so vile in regard of past Sin and present Infirmities What! the Son of God come to the House of an Ethnick and one that hath lived in Idolatry and the Worship of false Gods The Godly are ever acknowledging their Vileness and Baseness and Indignity and Unworthiness when they have to do with God and Christ. Gen. 18.27 And Abraham answered and said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes 2 Sam. 7.18 Then went David in and sat before the Lord and he said who am I O Lord God! and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant So Matth. 3.11 Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear So when
my Soul and forget not all his Benefits who pardoneth all thy Iniquities and healeth all thy Diseases Psal. 103.1 2 3. 3. Our own personal Victory over Satan's Temptations In part now We renew that Covenant now wherein we ingaged to fight against Satan 1 Iohn 2.14 I have written unto you young Men because ye are strong and the VVord of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Fully hereafter Rom. 16.20 The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your Feet shortly The God of Peace as pacified in Christ. Now this is matter of Thanksgiving 1 Cor. 15.57 Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. That Christ will take us along with him in his Triumphant Chariot and help our weak Faith and faint Hope and that we may conquer the Tempter and Accuser IV. Tho Christ's Heel was bruised in the Conflict yet it endeth in Satan's final Overthrow For his Head was crushed which noteth the subversion of his Power and Kingdom To explain this we must consider First What is the Power of Satan Secondly How far Satan was destroyed by Christ. First What is the Power of Satan It lieth in Sin And Christ destroyed him as he made an end of Sin and brought in everlasting Righteousness and made Reconciliation for Iniquities Dan. 9.24 Namely as he reconciled Man to God and restored God's Image and Life eternal In short the Power of Satan may be considered either as to single Persons or his Interest in the corrupt World or the sinful Race of Apostate Adam who in their degenerate Estate make up a Confederacy or Party that may be called the Kingdom of the Devil 1 st As to single and individual Persons All his Power over them is by reason of Sin which was introduced by his Subtilty and Malice There are three things in Sin the Power the Guilt the Being Whilst any of these remain Satan hath some Power and all these Christ came to dissolve but by several Means and at several Times 1. The Devil's Power lieth in the Corruption of our Natures for Men continuing in the Apostacy from God are of Satan's Party Eph. 2.1 2 3. And you hath be quickned who were dead in Trespasses and Sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the Course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Among whom also we all had our Conversation in Times past in the Lusts of our Flesh fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind This was the Power that Satan had over us to rule us and govern us by the Lusts of the Flesh. This was our daily Walk and Trade without any Remorse for it or any desire to change our Condition And we are the more confirmed in it by the general and corrupt Example of those among whom we live Now whilst we follow these sinful Motions and Suggestions Satan is our Prince and God the corrupt Nature maketh us readily to entertain his Motions and we are taken captive by him at his Will and Pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 Now how doth Christ take away this Power I answer By converting Grace which is not only a turning from Sin to God but from Satan to God Acts 26.18 To open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God Whereby the Reign of Sin is broken for as long as Sin reigneth Satan is in peaceable Possession Luke 11.21 When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace And the Devil who hath â—ost his Seat in Heaven hath still a Throne in the Hearts of Men and lords it over them as his Slaves Now the Reign of Sin is broken when Christ puts an Enmity into your Hearts against it I will put Enmity between thy Seed and her Seed For Sin dieth as your Love to it dieth and is mortified and subdued as your Enmity increaseth Well then they that are converted to God are possessed with a Spirit of Enmity to Satan and his Ways such as they had not before whilst they remained in the degenerate Estate Therefore 't is said Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart will I also give to you and a new Spirit will I put within you such as none else have till the Redeemer work upon them 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God The Spirit which possesseth the Generality of Men is the worldly Spirit that inclineth to earthly and sensual Satisfactions but this Spirit maketh them look after the great things promised by Christ and the great things required by Christ In short a Spirit quite opposite to the Satanical Spirit The Satanical Spirit is contrary to God and Man To God Col. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your Mind by wicked Works yet now hath he reconciled To Man James 4.5 The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to Envy But this Spirit begetteth in us Love to God and Man that we may seek his Glory and the Good of others Now till this Spirit be planted in us we have not changed Parties and Masters The Being of Sin is found in all but the Reign only in the Unconverted Therefore the Reign of Sin must be broken by the dwelling of this Spirit in us Sin will put strongly for the Throne again but you must pray earnestly Psal. 119.133 Order my Steps in thy Word and let not any Iniquity have Dominion over me And watch constantly as ever mindful of your Baptismal Vow and Covenant Rom. 6.11 Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto Sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And then you will find Christ overcoming more and more the Satanical Spirit and inlarging you into the Liberty of God's Children 2. The Guilt of Sin which is an Obligation to Punishment and ariseth from the Sentence of Condemnation pronounced by the Law against Sinners Our Misery ariseth first from the Violation of the Precept of the Law and then from the Sanction and Penalty threatned And so also therein lieth Satan's Power as we are obnoxious to the Wrath of God for therein he is the Minister and Executioner of Death as God maketh use of all his Creatures according to their Inclination And so this wrathful revengeful Creature is the Instrument of his Wrath he hath an advantage against us by the Law of God the Precepts whereof we have broken and so incurred the Penalty and so Satan cometh on as one that hath the Power of Death Those obstinate and careless Souls who refuse the Government of the Lord's Grace and Spirit are put into his Hands as when the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul an evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him 1 Sam. 16.14 He doth or may terrify and afright the Consciences of Men with the dreadful Expectations of Death and the Consequences of
Field or Garden where the Senses being locked from all other Objects the Mind may fall more directly upon it self which otherwise in a Field or Garden would skip from Object to Object without pitching upon any seriously 4. The last Circumstance in the Text is the Time in the even-tide which is also a matter of an Arbitrary Concernment Time in it self is but an unactive Circumstance all Hours are alike to God he taketh no more pleasure in the Sixth or Ninth Hour than in the First Hour only you should prudently observe when your Spirit is most fresh and smart To some the Morning is quickest the Fancy being fittest to offer Spiritual and Heavenly Thoughts before it hath received any Images and Representations from Carnal Objects abroad Morning Thoughts are as it were the Virgin Thoughts of the Mind before they have been prostituted to these inferiour and baser Objects and so are more pure sublime and defecate and then the Soul like the Hind of the Morning with a swift and nimble readiness climbeth up to the Mountains of Myrrhe and Frankincense Cant. 4.6 Vntil the day break and the shadows flee away I will get me to the mountain of myrrhe and to the hill of frankincense and it tendeth much to season the whole day when we can talk with the Law in the Morning Prov. 6.22 When thou awakest it shall talk with thee To some the Evening seemeth fitter that when the gayishness and vanity of the Spirit hath been spent in business their Thoughts may be more serious and solemn with God and after the weights have been running down all day through their Imployments of the World they may wind them up again at Night in these Recesses and Exercises of Piety and Religion as David saies Psal. 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul. To others the silence and stillness of the Night seemeth to be an help and because of the Curtain of Darkness that is drawn between them and the World they can the better entertain serious and solemn Thoughts of God David speaks every where in the Psalms of his Nocturnal Devotions Psal. 63 6. When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches The Expression is taken from the Custom of the Iews who divided the Night into so many Watches whilst others were Reposing their Bodies on their Beds David was Reposing his Soul in the Bosom of God and he gave the less Rest to his Eyes that he might give the more to his Soul So Psal. 119.148 Mine eyes prevent the night-watches that I might meditate in thy word Certainly in the Night when we are taken off from other business we have the greatest Command of our Thoughts and the Covert of Darkness that God hath stretched over the World begetteth a greater Awe and Reverence Therefore Mr. Greenham when he pressed any weighty Point and perceived any careless used to beg of them that if God by his Providence should suffer them to awake in the Night that they would but think of his words Certainly the Mind being by sleep emptied of other Cares like a Mill falleth upon it self and the Natural Awe and Terrour which is the Effect of Darkness helpeth to make the Thoughts more solemn and serious So that you see much may be said for the conveniency of either of these Seasons Evening or Morning or Night It is your Duty to be faithful to your own Souls and sometimes to take the advantage either of the Night or of the Day or of the Morning or of the Evening as best suits us David saith Psal. 119.97 Oh how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day So he describes his Blessed Man Psalm 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night That is sometimes in the Day and sometimes in the Night no time can come amiss to a prepared Spirit Isaac's Hour was in the Even-tide in the Evening he went out to meditate in which two things are notable 1. That he made Duty his Refreshment He had wrought all the Day and in the Evening he goeth to Recreate himself with God What a shame is it that what was his solace is our Burden If we had a Spiritual discerning we should soon see that there is no Delight to that of Duty and no Refreshment like that which we enjoy in the Exercises of Religion and in Communion with God The World's Delights are vain and dreggy they may provoke laughter but they cannot yield any pure solid and true Contentment It was Christs meat to do his Fathers Will Iohn 4.34 My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work It was sweeter to Iob then his appointed Food to hear Gods word Iob 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food And David saith Psal. 119.54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage All the Comfort he had to drive away the sad and disconsolate Houâ—s of his Pilgrimage was to exercise himself in the Study and Meditation of Gods Word And it was Isaac's Evening-Comfort to go out and meditate Gracious Hearts must have Spiritual Delights the Word and Obedience and Prayer and Meditation As one said Aut hoc non est Evangelium aâ—t nos non sumus Christiani Either these Histories are not true or our Hearts are much unlike theirs Oh how sweet would it be if we could make Duty a Recreation and our Work our Pleasure that in the close of the Day this might be our Solace after the work of the Day to take a turn with God in the Mount and to walk in the Garden of Love and as David saith Psal. 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. Isaac went out at even-tide 2. That at the Evening his Spirit was still fresh and savoury this was the time not of necessity but choice Many spend their heat and strength in the World toyling all Day and in the Evening come and offer God a drowsie yawning Prayer when all the Vigour of their Spirits is wasted You should bring forth the best Wine at last never so engage in the World as to hinder a Duty It should be the Wisdom of Christians to guide their Affairs with such Judgment that Duties may not become a burden and a weariness Now a Soul incumbred with business cannot act with such delight and freedom as it ought Too often do we suffer the lean kine to devour the fat Mary hath cause to complain of Martha so much time is spent in the World that we have no heart or strength for Communion with God and usually when all are asleep and wearied out with the World then we call to Duty Oh remember in the Evening and Close of the Day your Affections should be quick and free for Spiritual things Isaac went out at evening-tide I shall sum up the intent
to follow every part of the Duty with some Devour and Religious Thoughts 2. Enforcing Reasons when we pitch upon one Matter and inculcate it and whet it upon the Soul according to our present Distress and Exigencies which is a pleading with our own Hearts from the main Design and end of the Duty 2. It is not good to skip from Matter to Matter hastily Partly because a light touch leaves very little Impression and therefore as long as Milk cometh suck on the Breasts of Consolation Hold Reason and Faith to its work when things drop thus on their own accord they are sweetest as Life-Honey that drops of it self from the Comb or as Marrow that the Bone droppeth of its own accord as the Lamb sucks the Dams-Duggs till they cease dropping When thoughts come freely entertain them Partly because we cannot think of all at once one thought would but intrude and thrust out another e're we have received Comfort and Profit and in a throng and crowd of thoughts there is little good done And besides it would draw a tediousness upon the Soul if every time we should renew the same thoughts God appointed this Variety for our Relief not our Burden 3. There must be a wise choice in such variety of Matter according to your Necessities and Wants Iob 5.27 Hear it and know thou it for thy good Things that nearly concern us do most affect us and thoughts in season are most affecting while we are here in the World we are alwayes humbled with some present want Now these wants are known by Search and Gryal and therefore is Examination appointed as a preparative to receiving that we may know our wants 2. Case Is it good to bind our selves to such or such a Meditation Will not this hinder much sweetness which we should otherwise reap by the Duty And will it not exclude other thoughts which God by his Spirit might raise up in our minds And so we shall defraud our selves of much sweetness and Comfort in the Duty To this I answer 1. In every particular Duty a Christian should have one main particular aim either the removing of such a doubt the relieving of such a want the beating down of such a Corruption or the receiving of such a Grace upon a tryal you will find some special need for the supply of which you wait upon God And there are several Reasons why it is good for a Christian to be thus particular partly because it discovers sincerity and prevents much guile partly because one Case may be best managed and carryed on at one time either in Prayer by wrestling with God or in Meditation by argument and pleading with our selves Partly because the Comfort and Success will be most sensible as a Needle that toucheth but in one point entreth sooner than a blunt thick piece of Iron that toucheth many so particular things are most sensible and leave a quicker and smarter sense upon the Soul Partly because when you are thus particular it will make you come with fresh and renewed Affections It is good to drive on this main care and the bent and design of your thoughts must run that way 2 Cor. 12.8 And for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me 2. God usually comes in over and above our Aims and Expectations Eph. 3.20 He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think Solomon asked Wisdom and God gave him Riches and Honour in great abundance Iacob desired of God to be kept in the way and God made him two Bands The Prodigal comes with a modest Request make me a hired Servant and the Father puts on him the best Robe and entertains him with the fatted Calf We seek to subdue such a Lust and the Lord comes in with an overflow of Comfort He would have such a doubt removed and it may be the Lord comes in with a high tyde of sensible appearance to his Soul and increase of Grace 3. You should do in the Lords Supper as in Prayer You meditate in Prayer but not to exclude supervenient thoughts and sudden motions So here you meditate on your own wants and needs and leave the Spirit to his free assistance When we use the most prudent course it is no streightning to the Spirit of God In all preparations we leave our selves at a liberty to receive his free breathings and coming in to our Souls We keep Matter ready at hand to kindle our Thoughts to feed our Confessions and Petitions so it is good to keep Matter ready at hand to feed our Meditations and to drive on the main Care waiting for supervenient assistances 3. Case Whether there be required of a Christian a fixing of the Soul in a steady view and contemplation of God in quietness and silence without any variety of Discourse Or whether God doth now raise and heighten the Soul to a sole Act of Vision and Intuition without any Discourse or the Traverses of Reason in the Supper or any other Ordinance That you may understand the Case you must know that the School-men and other Writers of Devotion usually distinguish between Consideration Meditation and Contemplation Consideration is a thinking of Truth and a rowling of it in the Understanding and Memory Meditation is an enforcing of Truth upon the Soul by Discourse or variety of pressing Arguments Contemplation is the Fruit and Perfection of Meditation and this they make a supernatural Elevation of the Mind by which it adhereth to God and pauseth in the sight of God and Glory without any variety of Discourse the Soul being dazled with the Majesty of God or the Glory of Heaven and transported into a present Joy the use of Reason is for a time suspended and the Soul is cast into a kind of sleep and quietness of intuition staring and gazing with ravishing sweetness upon the Divine Excellencies and the Glory of our Hopes In short Contemplation is a ravishing sight without Discourse the work of Reason not discoursing but raised and extasied into the highest way of apprehension Now it is inquired Whether there be any such thing required of a Christian Or whether there be any such Dispensation in these latter times of the Gospel As for instance Paul had the Glory of God and Christ presented to him he did not barely think of these things by the Apprehensions of the Mind or Discourse of these things by the enforcement of Reason but he had an intuition a steady view or sight of these things such as did as it were ravish his Soul from his Body Doth God use such a Dispensation now I Answer in these Propositions 1. In the Primitive Times these Dispensations and Raptures were more usual We read of Iohns Rapture Rev. 1.10 I was in the spirit on the Lords day Mark He doth not say the Spirit was in him as it is present in the Heart of every Child of God but he was in the spirit which intimateth height
of our discharge but as he dyed for our offences so he rose again for our justification Rom. 4.25 As having perfectly done his work As the Eather delivered him to Death so he brought him back again from the Dead The Apostle layes a great weight upon this Rom. 8.34 Yea rather that is risen from the dead There is some special thing in Christ's Resurrection comparatively above his Death which hath influence on our Justification Was not Christs Death enough to free us from Sin Yes but the visible evidence was by his Resurrection It is as it were an acquittance from those Debts of ours which he undertook to pay As Simeon was dismissed when the Conditions were performed and Ioseph satisfied with the sight of his Brother Gen. 43.23 He brought Simeon out unto them 2. Christs Office is allowed so that he is the great shepherd of the sheep that is the Blessed Saviour into whose hands God hath put his Flock to be justified sanctified and saved and from whom we may expect all that comfort which a flock hath from a good and faithful Pastor We are put into his hands as he is Mediator not by way of alienation for they are in the Fathers hands still Iohn 10.29 My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand But oppignoration laid at pledge in his hands A Shepherd is not Lord of the Flock but as a Servant to take care of them They are not his as Mediator by way of Original Interest and Dominion but in point of trust and charge He hath an Office about them and giveth an account of them at the last day He is sometimes called simply without any addition The shepherd 1 Pet. 2.25 Ye are returned unto the shepherd and bishop of our souls Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The good shepherd as Iohn 10.11 And here The great shepherd and the chief shepherd 1 Pet. 5.4 because of the Dignity of his Person and Office And surely if we put our selves into the hands of this Shepherd we can lack nothing Psalm 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want We may look for all manner of supplies from Christ. 3. God is so far appeased that there is a new Covenant procured and constituted called here the everlasting covenant partly because it shall never be repealed and continueth unalterable and the called obtain by it the title and possession of an Eternal Inheritance Heb. 9.15 They which are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance And partly because Christs Blood is the foundation of this Covenant and the vertue of it never ceaseth therefore this Covenant is Everlasting also and made effectual and able to obtain its ends which is the Eternal Salvation of sinful Man once converted and reconciled to God This Covenant also is called the Covenant of Gods Peace because it is a publick Demonstration that God is pacified Isa. 54.10 But my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed Ezek. 37.26 I will make a covenant of peace with them Partly because in this Covenant this Peace and Reconciliation is published and offered to us that Man may not stand aloof from God as a condemning God So it is said Eph. 2.17 Christ came to preach peace to those that are near and to those that are afar off Acts 10.36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Christ he is Lord of all Partly because in this Covenant the terms of this Peace between us and God are stated God bindeth himself to sinful Man to give him Remission of Sins and Eternal Life begun by the Spirit and perfected in Heaven upon the Conditions of Faith Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God and Repentance Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out as our Entrance and new Obedience as to continuance Heb. 5.9 He became the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him IV. How we come to be Interested in this Peace and Reconciliation or the conveyance of it to us For this Peace may be considered as to the Impetration and Application of it 1. As to the Impetration and laying down of the price that was done by Christ on the cross Therefore it is said 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Then was God propitiated and the Merit and Ransom interposed by vertue of which we are pardoned and reconciled 2. As to Application when God is actually reconciled with us and we enter into his Peace and are restored unto his Favour This may be considered either as to the first gift God is never actually reconciled to us nor we to him till he give us the regenerating Spirit that is our receiving the atonement Rom. 5.11 It was made on the Cross but received at our Conversion and Regeneration Or else it may be considered as to the further measure of his sanctifying Grace called here perfecting us for every good work and working in us that which is pleasing in his sight This is given with respect to our reconciled Estate as we are actually at Peace and in Covenant with God 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ. The summ is this At the Death of Christ there was such a foundation laid that we need no other ransom nor propitiation He hath so far satisfied Divine Justice that he hath obtained the New Covenant The first Grace is given us meerly with respect to the Merit of his Sacrifice for Christ purchased the Mercies promised and power to performe the conditions Farther Grace is given us because we are already reconciled unto God which is a ground of the greater Joy and Confidence For our actual Reconciliation giveth us a title to all consequent acts of Friendship which can be expected or received For in Gods way we shall have further Sanctification and after that Salvation V. The Reasons why all increase of Grace comes from God as the God of Peace 1. From the Giver God will not set us up with a new Stock of Grace till satisfaction be made for the breach of his Law We must not look upon him as pars offensa the Offended Party but as Rector Mundi the Governour of the World Private Persons may forgive offences as they please but the Governour and Judge of the World would not pass by the offence of Man till the ends of Government be secured or that the Law fall not to the ground which it doth not whilst God standeth upon the satisfaction of Christ and the submission of the Sinner The right of passing by a wrong and the right of releasing a punishment are different things Because punishment is a common Interest
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
swallowed up of this Joy shall we be no more affected with it now We that shall so shortly be so full of joy shall we be empty now Shall not we rejoyce who have now a Title to Heaven and shall in a little time be in the full and perpetual possession of it III. The many Reasons which shew we should have a greater inclination to this Blessed Work than usually we have and be oftner in it 1. Because God hath done so much to raise it in us All the Persons of the God-head concur and contribute their Influence in that way of operation which is proper to each to give us grounds of joy 1. The Father giveth himself to us and his favour as our felicity and portion Gods Love is the bosom and bottom cause of all our Happiness which sets all other causes at work and when we have the sure effects of it can any thing so bitter befal us that will not be sweetned by the Love of God Or so evil that this shall not be ground of Comfort to us Psalm 4.6 7. There are many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased Carnal Men must have something good to sense but Godly Men take their full delight in God This doth them good to the Heart it is not like a little Dew that wets the Surface but like a soaking Showre that goeth to the Root And more enough to draw us off from the World enough to swallow up all our infelicities yea to encounter the Thoughts of Death Hell and Judgment to come 2. The Son is also matter of rejoycing to us as our Redeemer and Saviour You are to consider what the Lord Jesus hath done to deliver you from Sin and the bitter Curse of the Law and the Fears of Death and the Flames of Hell The Eternal Son of God came to heal our wounds Isa. 53.5 By his stripes we are healed To make our peace with the Father by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 To vanquish our Spiritual Enemies and triumph over them Col. 2.14 15. to be the ransom of our Souls 1 Tim. 2.6 The Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 the Head of his Church Eph. 1.22 The Treasury and Storeâ—ouâ—e of all our Comforts Iohn 1.16 and in short he hath recovered us to God and hath given us an Interest in the Comforts of his Gospel and the Promises thereof which are in him Yea and in him Amen and is not this matter of joy and rich comfort The whole Covenant breed strong consolation in the hearts of Gods People Heb. 6.18 And David saith Psalm 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart It doth our hearts good when we take these things for our Happiness Abraham rejoyced in the fore-thought or fore-sight of Christs day Iohn 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And should not we rejoyce that live under the clearest dispensation of it The benefits of our Redemption by Christ should be so esteemed that no Affliction should be grievous The Kingdom of Christ is every where represented as a Kingdom of Joy and Comfort Rom. 14.17 The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And if we be real Members of it we should see more cause of rejoycing in Christ Jesus 3. The Holy Ghost concurreth in his way of Operation as a Sanctifier Guide and Comforter As a Sanctifier he layeth the foundation for Comfort for it is the spirit of Delusion that comforts us in our sins that by imaginary Comforts he may keep you from those that are real solid and everlasting But the true Spirit is a Sanctifier and therefore a Comforter he first poureth in the Oyl of Grace and then the Oil of gladness Comfort and Joy follow Holiness as Heat doth the Fire And then as a Guide either in his restraining Notions as he mortifieth Sin or in his inviting motions as he exciteth and quickneth to Holiness These are helps to our Comfort cannot a Man live merrily without Sin And do you think a Life of Holiness irreconcileable with a life of rejoycing no such matter it is the ready way to joy especially to joy Spiritual But chiefly as a Comforter he is purposely given us to keep in this Holy Fire and maintain a constant delight in God in our Souls And therefore it is called Joy in the Holy Ghost where God himself taketh upon him the Office of a Comforter surely there will be comfort Life will quicken light will illuminate and the comforting Spirit will comfort in that season and degree God seeth fit and we are capable to receive Now he comforteth partly as sealing partly as giving earnest 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts As sealing us by stamping the impress and image of God upon us which is the mark of his Children the sure Evidence of his Love and the Pledge of our Happiness And as giving us the earnest of a Blessed Estate to come that Life is begun which there shall be perfected Now consider all this when God himself will be our Portion our Saviour our Comforter should not all this cause us to rejoyce in God what-ever our Condition be in the World 2. All the Graces tend to this Faith Hope and Love 1. Faith That is a dependance upon God for something future that lyeth out of sight Now these invisible and future Objects are so great and glorious that they support and comfort the heart how afflicted soever our present Condition be 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost In both these places Faith implyeth a firm belief of and dependance upon Christ as an All-sufficient Saviour by whom alone God will give us Eternal Life This Faith will breed a perpetual rejoycing in the Soul if it be firm strong and operative 2. Hope breedeth this Joy also Rom. 12.12 Rejoycing in hope and Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Though we be pressed with Miseries for the present yet there is a better Estate to come the excellency and certainty of which causeth us to rejoyce and giveth us a foretast of it Joy is chiefly for Injoyment but there is a partial Injoyment by hope which is not only a desirous expectation but delightful for tast or praeoccupation of the thing hoped for 3. Love to God also causeth us to rejoyce in him For it sheweth it self in a complacency and well-pleasedness of Mind in God as our chief good Psalm 16.5
We are never prepared till our State be altered Heart altered and Life altered 1. Our State must be altered For naturally we are Children of Wrath condemned by the Sentence of the Law and under the Curse and doth it become condemned Men to rejoyce and go to their execution dancing No you must take hold of another Covenant the hope that is set before you and then you provide matter of joy yea of strong consolation Heb. 6.18 By taking Sanctuary at the Lords Grace the Heirs of Promise have strong Consolation When the Eunuch was solemnly admitted into Gods Covenant by Baptisme He went on his way rejoycing Acts 8.39 By Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we enter into the New Covenant and that is a State of Peace Life and Joy In the New Covenant God offers himself to be your Reconciled Father Christ your Saviour and the Holy Ghost your Sanctifier are you willing to consent to this And then Why should not you rejoyce in the Lord For you have enough in God 2. Our Heart must be altered For every Mans relish and complacency is according to the Temper and Constitution of his Soul Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Know his complacency what it is that a Man is pleased with most and you know the Man An old corrupted Heart and Mind cannot delight it self in God 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But those that have a Divine Nature put into them cannot satisfie themselves in the World 2 Pet. 1.4 Ye may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust They can easily spare the pleasures of the flesh and leave these husks for Swine to feed on A change of Heart inferreth a change of Delights and Pleasures for the New Heart is nothing else but New Desires and Delights when you have a New Understanding and a New Heart then you will discern and relish Spiritual things 3. The Life must be altered For Holy walking and fruitfulness in Obedience raiseth the greatest Joy Iohn 15.10 11. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full Acts 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost The Godly Life is the only sweet Life 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world If you will but learn what it is to live in the Love of God and the belief and hope of Life Eternal and in Universal Obedience to the Laws of Christ you will soon see what it is to live in a State of Joy and Comfort If you fall into great and wounding Sins no wonder if your rejoycing in God be disturbed Surely a tender Heart cannot make light of Sin but it will cost them broken Bones and broken Hearts 2. Act it continually Partly for that the grounds of rejoycing are Everlasting an Eternal God an Unchangeable Covenant Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever a Kingdom that cannot be shaken an Infinite and Eternal weight of Glory Now these things should ever be thought of by us that we may keep up our delight in the Lord. Partly because we need it continually to enliven our Duties to sweeten our Crosses and to wean us from our Carnal Vanities for otherwise our Duties will go off heavily our Crosses will swallow us up with too much sorrow or our Hearts will be apt to be insnared by sensual delights unless we remember that we are continually to rejoyce in God and Heavenly things Partly because this delight cannot be maintained in the Soul unless it be continually exercised by constant acting it we keep it and increase it till at length it cometh to be predominant in the Soul and able to controul our Affection to other things It is said of Iohn Baptists Hearers That they were willing to rejoyce in his light for a season Iohn 5.35 And of the stony ground Luke 8.13 That they received the word with joy and believed for a while but in time of temptation fall away Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly for a while Mark 6.20 Gods offering Eternal Happiness in Christ may affect us for the present but this rejoycing faileth being over-mastered by the Appetites and Desires of the Flesh. Therefore to root it and increase it that it may be firm to the end it must be continually acted and exercised 3. Take heed you do not forfeit it or damp it by any great and wounding Sin As David speaketh Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Sin cloudeth the Face of God wasteth our Comfort and Joy Psalm 32.3 4. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption When the Comforter is offended he sheweth his dislike and withdraweth when we grosly omit any known Duty or commit any soul Sin he will shew himself displeased with it and withdraw his Gracious and Comfortable Presence Isa. 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth On such occasions he is wroth and smiteth he is wroth and hideth himself and then our Comfort and Delight in God ceaseth Therefore we should deal more dutifully with the Spirit neither grieving him by the omission or intermission of necessary Duties nor by the commission of any hardning Sin by some error of the concupicible or pursuing faculty or the irascible or eschewing faculty by Sins of the Tongue which most easily bewray corruption or by words which discover the temper of the Heart I observe that grieving the spirit Ephes. 4.30 is put in the middle between a disswasive from corrupt Communication verse 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying When Men endeavour to make themselves glad by carnal Discourse which argueth an Heart set for carnal delights and is contrary to rejoycing in the Lord Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks and on the other side verse 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from
it Sin dyeth when the Love to it dyeth All that are converted to God are possessed with an Enmity to Sathan and his wayes such as they had not before when they remained in the degenerate State They have a New Heart and a New Spirit not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God The Natural Spirit that Spirit that dwelleth in us is the Spirit of the World The Spirit that inclineth us to worldly and sensual satisfactions but the Spirit maketh them look after the things promised by Christ and required by Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 For we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God The Natural Spirit was a Spirit that lusteth to envy Iames 4.5 And so the Satanical Spirit But this is a Spirit of Love to God and Man that maketh us to seek his Glory and the good of others 'Till this Spirit be planted in us we have not changed Masters 2. As to Confirmation and Perseverance Christ will not loose the prey that he hath recovered out of the hands of Sathan Indeed while any thing of Sin remaineth there is somewhat of Sathan left which he worketh upon There is a remnant of his Seed in the best The Godly are yet in the way but not at the end of the Journey Therefore Sathan hath leave to assault them while they are here but Christ will perfect the Conquest which he hath begun and the very being of Sin shall at length be taken away At Death Sin is totally disanulled Iude 24. And to present you faultless before the presence of his glory Eph. 5.27 That he may present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish When the Vail of the Flesh is rent once there is a ceasing from Sin The Physician of Souls will then perfect the Cure and finish the Work The question then is how far Sathans power is destroyed as to the Converted I Answer Negatively not so far as to exclude our Duties or Tryals but affirmatively the Victory is secured by Promise to the striving Christian. 1. Negatively Not to exclude our Duty There is still room left for Prayer Watchfulness Sobriety Serious Resistance that we may use the means appointed for our safety 1. There is required of us Sobriety or an Holy Moderation of the Comforts and Delights of the present Life The Devil the Flesâ— and the World joyn in Conspiracy against us By the baits of the World Sathan inticeth our Flesh to a neglect of God and Heavenly things therefore we must be sober 1 Pet. 5.8 use the World as not abusing it 1 Cor. 7.31 that our Hearts be not depressed and disabled from looking after our great End and Happiness 2. Vigilance and Watchfulness is necessary that we may stand upon our Guard avoiding Snares fore-casting Hazards least we fall as a ready prey into the Mouth of the Tempter 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand ye fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong The first point of a Christian Souldier is to watch Conscience must stand Porter at the Door of the Soul examining what goeth in and what cometh out The Devil watcheth all advantages against us to espy where we are weakest Men that have no great tenderness of Conscience fear not much the loss of their Souls and are most easily wrought upon by Sathan Eph. 4.27 Neither give place to the devil If you but set open the door to Sathan the Capital Enemy of Mans salvation he will re-enter his old Possession and seek to exercise his old Tyranny therefore watch 3. A stedfast resistance Whom resist stedfast in the faith When we are yielding Sathan gets ground but he is discouraged by stedfast resistance This must be in the Faith or by a close adherence to Gods Word 1 Iohn 2.14 I have written to you young men because you are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Adhering to the Priviledges of the Gospel as our Happiness and persevering in the Duties as our work or resolving by a constant continuance in well-doing to wait for Christs Mercy 4. We are also to pray earnestly Psalm 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over me We had need to pray earnestly because sin will put strongly for the Throne again therefore beg Direction 5. All is bound upon the Conscience by continual mindfulness of our Baptismal-Vow and Covenant which must be often called to remembrance Rom. 6.11 Likewise also reckon your selves dead unto sin and alive unto God Rom. 8.12 We are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh If Christ had so destroyed the Devil as to exclude our Endeavours and our Duty the whole Gospel would be in vain and the Promises and Precepts of it to no purpose and all that furniture of Grace which he hath provided for us lost and useless Surely the Enemy and Avenger is not so stilled but that we need to be sober and watchful and stedfast in the Faith and much in Prayer and ever mindful of our Covenant and vowed Death to sin A Man that is baptized he hath a Debt and Bond upon him Secondly Christ hath not so stilled the Enemy and the Avenger to exempt us from Tryals of our sincerity God will have all Obedience to be tryed and honoured by opposition and sometimes sharp and grievous opposition Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed Iob was permitted to Sathan for his Tryal Iob 1.12 Paul had his Messenger of Sathan for his Tryal to see what shift he could make with sufficient Internal Grace under Outward and Vexatious Evils 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10. Now it is better to undergo the fiery Tryal than the fiery Torment Tryed we are but not destroyed exercised with Temptation but not over-whelmed 2. Affirmatively 1. 'T is so far broken and destroyed that we have necessary assistance provided for us 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness Perfect That is manifested to be perfect When the World is of Sathans side God is of our side 2 Tim. 4.17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthned me 1 Cor. 10.13 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape 2. The final Victory is secured by Promise to the striving Christian Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Sathan under your feet shortly 2. As to his Interest in the Corrupt World the Kingdom of Sathan is more and more subdued For Christ must divide the spoil with the strong Isa. 53.12 Christ prevails upon Opposition and against Opposition and by Opposition For 1. Christ having a grant of a Kingdom over the Nations is every way furnished with Power to obtain it by Means
wonderfully reconcile the heart to God and make our thoughts of him sweet and acceptable when we come to Pray to him Christ will not be strange to his own flesh as we are bidden Not to hide our selves from our own flesh Isai. 58.7 3. His bountiful providence His former kindness to David is mentioned all along the Chapter both by the Lord himself and also by David God that hath been good will be good for he wasteth not by giving but is where he was Iam. 1.5 If any lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him As the Fountain remaineth as full as ever tho it overflow and sendeth forth its streams God delighteth that former mercies should be improved to future trust 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us And to Prayer Phil. 4 6. In every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Promises should not lye by us as a dead stock Psal. 116.2 Because he hath inclined his ear to me therefore will I call upon him as long as I Live Deus promittendo et donando debet God is a Debtor both by his Promises and by his Gifts He loveth to crown his own mercies and to follow gift with gift For he is not weary of giving 4. His Promises The Promises to incourage Prayer are very large 1. There are indefinite promises of Audience Psal. 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Job 22.27 Thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy Vows So Isai. 45.19 I said not to the Seed of Jacob Seek me in vain Now these are mighty incouragements and shew us that 〈◊〉 is not labour in vain to seek God So that if there be not a commandment in our way to stop our requests we have all the ingagements in the World to come and acquaint God with all our desires griefs fears wants requests We may find in our hearts to be dealing with him upon these incouragements For what cannot God do And what will not Prayer do with a good God who is readily inclined to his People and able to do what he pleaseth and hath promised to do what we desire 2. There are promises of general universal concernment that God will not only hear Prayer but do all that we desire of him As John 14.14 If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it And Matth. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive Psal. 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart And many such expressions Not that men have a lawless liberty allowed them to ask what they will and Gods power shall lackey after their vain fancies and appetites No these large and universal offers admit of a limitation propounded in Scripture and that then when these universal particles are mentioned these limitations are to be regarded that you may not make promises to your selves and set God a task by your self-conceitedness and vain fancies and think him ingaged beyond what he is pleased to bind himself unto But what are the Limitations 1. That we ask righteously according to the matter So you have the limitation 1 John 5.14 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us And if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him All the business is what is the meaning of these words According to his Will Ans. With Conformity to his Revealed Will and with Submission to his Secret Will Surely with Conformity to his Revealed or Commanding Will that we ask nothing unjust or sinful and seek to bring God to our hire as Balaam when he built Altars and sought to God for leave to Curse his People And that we ask nothing but what is agreeable to his Secret Will Many things are lawful yea and commanded as for Parents to ask the Conversion of their Children and it is our Duty to use the means in order to it but we must refer the success to God God must be judge what shall be most for his Glory In short we must ask according to his Commanding Will with due respect to his decreeing Will Ioh. 14.13 Whatever ye ask the Father in my Name I will do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son Whatever belongeth to our Duty and the Glory of God we must do but for the event how God will be glorified by either we must submit it to God So for lawful things Gâ—ace puts a restraint upon the Will of a renewed man that he seeketh nothing but what may be for the Glory of God and his Good If he asketh other things and to other ends he is prompted thereunto by his Flesh which maketh him Lust after Vain Empty Carnal Satisfactions to please his flesh 2. The next Limitation is to the manner If we ask them fervently and with that Life and Seriousness which finding a Prayer in the Heart doth require So Mat. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Prayers are not answered if the Spirit of Prayer be wanting or that liveliness which is necessary to make it Prayer though the form and fashion of it be kept up Men may pray but that Life which their Necessity calleth for may be far to seek When we set our Face to seek the Lord God with Prayer and Supplication Dan. 9.3 I set my Face unto the Lord God to seek by Prayer and Supplications Jer. 29.13 Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your Heart This sets the Spirit of Prayer a work 3. The next Qualification is of the Person as in the Text Thy Servant so in other places 1 Ioh. 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight That is we are as certain we shall receive as if we had it already If Prayer should be performed with the greatest Earnestness and the greatest Faith and Confidence yet if the Consciences of men reprove them of any looseness and lightness of Spirit or that they have served God by halves and are off and on with him in their Practice and look for good things from God while they neglect their own Duty and what is required of them they cannot think that God should do it for them they cannot look that God should be ingaged any further than he hath ingaged himself So Ioh. 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto
worldy Spirit we are not fit for Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God So much as the Spirit of the World is deadned in us so far doth Christ prevail upon us So for the Flesh Men are given up to their own Hearts Lusts till God changeth them and care not for God nor Christ and his Salvation bruitish Appetite and Sense governeth them But what will be the issue of these things see Rom. 8 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die Well then to bring us back again to God that we may totally resign up our selves to him you see what a power is necessary to vanquish the Devil and save us from the World and change our own Flesh by his Spirit 4. It informeth us of the reason why so many Nations shut the Door against Christ or else grow weary of him you see frequently Men can bear any Religion rather than Christianity in its power sottish superstitions such as were practised and in vogue among the Gentiles Popery which is palliated Atheism or Gentilism trick'd up in a Christian dress and form half Christianity the form not the power priviledges not the duties The World disputeth it with Christ by inches what 's the reason His Spiritual Kingdom which is not calculated for the interest of the Carnal World and altogether draweth us to an Heavenly Life and State those that submit to it or would speak of it exasperate the World against them as upbraiding their course of Life 5. It informeth us how ill they deal with Christ who have only notional opinions about his Authority but never practically submit to it Many will say we must receive Christ as a King as well as a Priest and Prophet but do we live accordingly Luke 6.46 why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Professed opinions unless followed with suitable actions are but a mockage of Christ and a cheat and fallacy that we put upon our selves A mockage of Christ Cui res nomini subjecta negatur is nomine illuditur He that wants the thing signified by the name is deceived by the name They did little honour to Christ who Buffeted Him and Spit upon him and all the while cried Hail King of the Iews so whilest we call him Lord and King but make little Conscience of his Precepts we deny him the honour in deeds which in words we ascribe to him So that a practical sense of Christs Authority and Right to Govern should be deeply impressed upon our Hearts When is it practical when it breedeâ—h an awe upon us and checketh sin As the Rechabites were afraid to transgress the commandment of their Father Ier. 35.6 They said We will Drink no Wine for Jonadab the Son of Rechab our Father commanded us saying Ye shall Drink no Wine neither ye nor your Sons for ever So Ioseph Gen. 39.9 when Tempted by his Mistress to lye with Her he repels the Temptation saying How can I do this great Wickedness and Sin against God So all that have a reverence of their supream Lord you shall find that it works upon all occasions if tempted to Fleshly Lusts do this to please thy Flesh They answer as the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.12 We are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh. If they be assaulted by the Persecutions of the World still they have the authority of the Great Lord If threatned for speaking in his Name and commanded not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus as the Apostles Peter and Iohn answered Acts 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God Iudge ye so I dare not obey the Wills of Men or the Inclinations of the Flesh but my Great Lord. If Satan would draw you to any Inconvenience answer as Christ Himself did to Peter dissuading Him from suffering Mat. 16.23 Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of Men. When there is something that doth constrain within us and urgeth us to a constant obedience For Christ that requireth us to die unto sin doth also require us to live unto Righteousness When the sense of this becomes as an Habit or new Nature in us or the principle of our course of living it puts the Soul upon obedience it constraineth us most powerfully to live in him and to him Col. 2.6 and 10. verse the 6th As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him ver 10. ye are compleat in Him and Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Vse 2. is Exhortation If we would distinguish our selves from the Carnal World let us resolve upon a thorough course of Christianity owning Christs authority in all things 1. If we be to begin and have hitherto stood against Christ Oh let us repent and reform and return to our Obedience Mâ—t. 18.3 Except ye be Converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Remember that Faith is a great part of your works from first to last Iohn 6.27 Iesus answered and said unto them This is the Work of God that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent All the Grace and Mercy of the new Covenant it is begun kept up and carried on by Faith we are sincerely to believe on Him before we can rightly obey him 3. Your obedience must be delightful and such as cometh from love 1 Ioh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments Believers are not called to the Obedience of Slaves nor to be acted only by the fear of Hell but to the Obedience of Sons and Children that you may obey with love and delight Forced motives endure not long fears will abate and then your duty be neglected Love should be as a new Nature and the habitual constitution of our Souls and you should act not as driven to Obedience but as inclined to it and delighted in it Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy Will O God for this is a Soveraignty not forced upon us â—ut consented unto 4. Your Obedience must be very circumspect and accurate Heb. 12.28 Having received a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace that we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear A Kingdom may be received either by a King to Govern or Subjects to be Governed a King to Govern Luke 19.12 A certain Nobleman went into a far Country to receive a Kingdom Or Subjects to be governed when we submit to the Sovereign to injoy the priviledges which belong to that Kingdom So we must serve him with Reverence and Godly Fear For boldness in Sinning and coldness in Duty is a depreciation of his Majesty He is
the meanest and most abject form of Mankind not in any glorious Estate and Majesty Survey the whole course of his Life He was born of a Poor Virgin and instead of a better place laid in an Inn which probably being taken up by Persons of great Quality he was laid in the basest place of the Inn in a Manger His Birth was revealed to Poor Shepherds not to Emperours and Kings not to Caesar at Rome Presently after his Birth he was banished together with his Mother into Egypt and exposed to the Troubles and Toils of a long Journey into a strange Countrey for refuge Afterward till he appeared in his Ministry we read little of him His supposed Father a Carpenter and he himself called so Mark 6.3 Is not this the Carpenter He made Yoaks and Ploughs saith Iustin Martyr Certainly it is probable that as he submitted to other paâ—ts of the Curse so this In the Sweat of thy Brows shalt thou eat thy Bread In the course of his Ministry he suffered many affronts and reproaches Surely his Life was a Life of Sorrows we find him begging Water when thirsty Iohn 4.9 That a Fish payed Tribute for him Mat. 17.27 He had little Money and had no certain Residence and Place of abode but lived by Contribution Mat. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head At his Death never was Child of God under so much Misery as Christ himself His own Heavens his own Father his own Godhead did hide their Face and Consolation from him Gods wrath pressed the weight of Punishment with the full Power of Justice both upon his Soul and Body Those for whom he died despised him He himself being emptied of all things which make men respected in the World was depressed lower than any Man and was as a Worm to be trod upon He was made a matter of common talk and reproach in all Mens Mouths condemned by the ruling part of the World and set at nought by the basest of the People derided and scorned in his most holy behaviour his bitter sufferings made matter of Sport and Laughter malice feeding it self with pleasure upon his pain and misery and expressing it self with the basest signs of mocking which disdain could devise flouring at his saving doctrine and insulting over him as if he had neither been the Son of God nor an honest Man And all this was counted little enough for satisfaction of Justice exacting of him the due punishment of our sins II. That this was his own voluntary Act. He made himself of no Reputation You may read that Men set him at nought Act. 4.11 This is the Stoâ—â— which was set at nought of you Builders nay we read Heb. 2.7 Thou madest him a little lower than the Angels It was an act of God himself Yet on Christs part it was voluntary undertaken for the Glory of God and the Good of Men. It was not imposed upon him by constraint without his consent or against his Will An act of love and an act of Obedience are truely consistent A punishment is imposed upon us against our Will but here was a voluntary susception of our burden none of this was due to him upon his own account but ours It was no punishment for his self-exalting but an act of gracious condescention This appeareth in Scripâ—ure two ways 1. In that what he was to do and undergo was proposed to him and he willingly accepted of the terms and conditions When no kind of Sacrifices and Offerings were sufficient to take away sin and save sinners then he said Lo I come to do thy will Heb. 10.6 7. It was told him what it would cost him if he would deliver and save Man kind all was written down in God's Book that he must be made under the Law take upon him the form of a Servant make his Soul an offering for sin How did he like these conditions I was not saith he rebellious neither turned away back Isa. 50 5. No he refused not the terms but cheerfully submitted to them I delight to do thy Will O God He delighted in the thoughts of it long ere it came about Prov. 8.31 Rejoicing in the Habitable part of the Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. And when it was to be actually done he repented not 2. The Scripture assigneth this work unto the love and condescention of Christ himself as the next and immediate cause of his ingaging in it and performance of it Gal. 2.20 I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Eph. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto hiâ— that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood The Apostle telleth us 2 Cor. 8.9 Ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich He condescended to a poor and low condition and suffered therein for our good that we might be partakers of the riches of the Grace of God III. That this was for our sakes Christ hath a double Relation 1. As our Mediator Redeemer and Saviour 2. As the pattern and example of holiness in our Nature Both ways it was for our sakes 1. As our Mediator So he emptied himself that we might be filled with all Grace He was born of a Woman that we might be born of God Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him He was made a Curse that we might have the blessing Gal. 3.13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for Us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith He was forsaken for a while thâ—t we might be received for ever And to speak to the very case 2 Cor. 8.9 He was made poor for us that we through his poverty might be rich There are some things in the mediation of Christ which belong to Ministry others to Authority Those which belong to Ministry as to be in the form of a Servant and die He must be a Man for that Some things belong to Authority as to bring us back to God to make our peace with God to convey the Spirit to vanquish Satan to raise the dead to deliver us from Hell to make us everlastingly blessed he must be a God for
fourth rank is of those things which are evil in themselves and good only by accident in order to some greater good which may be procured by them as War to make way for a lasting Quiet and Peace the cutting off an Arm or Leg to preserve the rest of the Body burning the Harvest to starve an Enemy In a Theological Consideration Afflictions have this use which are not things to be desired and chosen but endured and suffered when sent by the wise God for our good Well now a Christian should love all things according to their value and as they approach nearer to his last end and chief good He valueth all things as they more or less let out God to him the nearer means more than the remote subservient helps Thus he delighteth in the Ordinances more than the Creatures because the Ordinances discover more of God and exhibite more of God to him He valueth Graces more than Ordinances because by the Graces of the Spirit he is brought into more Conformity to God and Communion with him than by the bare formality of a Duty And he delighteth in Jesus Christ more than in Created Graces as being by him nearer to God and God nearer to us Here is the method and order of our value and esteem then First God next Christ as Mediatour next the Graces of the Spirit next the Ordinances next the Creatures and Comforts of this Life 3. A Godly mans Judgment is rectified about the difference between things spiritual and temporal Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich cease from thine own Wisdom 1 Cor 2.12 We have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Psal. 16.7 I will bless the Lord who hath given me Counsel my Reins also instruct me in the night season He counteth that Condition beâ—â— wherein he may be most serviceable to God and best helped to Heaven The natural understanding valueth all things by the Interest of the Flesh for it looketh only to present things 't is the Spirit of the World But one to whom God hath given Counsel he is of another temper seeth things by another light and liveth to another end and scope His End enlightneth him and the Spirit of God enlightneth him The Spirit sheweth him the reality and worth of Heavenly things Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the Hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints There is no Prospect of the other World by the light of a natural Spirit but by Faith 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off A meer naturaâ— man acteth at little a higher rate than a Beast A Beast seeth things before him tasts what is comfortable to his Senses is guided by Fancy and Appetite But the Spirit of Faith maketh a Man live as in the sight of God and under a sense of another World His end enlightneth him for Mat. 6.22 The light of the Body is the Eye if thine Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light When a man hath fixed his end he will the sooner understand his way Finis est mensura mediorum The End is the measure of the means A good end and scope inlightneth and governeth a man in his whole course As a Man's end is so he judgeth of Happiness and Misery If a Mans end be to live well in the World then Happy are the People that are in such a Case If his end be to enjoy God then Happy is the People whose God is the Lord Psal. 144.15 It is a blessed opportunity to be waiting upon him So he judgeth of Liberty and Bondage If his end be to please God then Corruption is his Yoak if to please the Flesh Duty is his Yoak So he judgeth of Wisdom and Folly A carnal man counteth himself wise when he has made a good Bargain then he applaudeth himself Psal 10.3 The wicked boasteth of his Hearts desire and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth The Godly Man then counteth himself wise when he has redeemed time for spiritual uses Eph. 5.15 16. Not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time because the days are evil And the Eunuch when he was instructed by Philip went on his way rejoicing Acts 8 39. Vse 1. If these things be so then it informeth us how chearfully we should pass through our Sabbath Duties Isa. 58.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy Pleasure on my Holy Day and call the Sabbath a delight the Holy of the Lord honourable and shalt Honour him not doing thine own work nor finding thine own Pleasure nor speaking thine own Words c. It followeth naturally from the Point in hand for if a day in Gods house be better than a thousand elsewhere then a Christian should be in his Element when he is wholly at leisure for God His Sabbath time should not hang upon his hands nor should he count this day as a melancholy Interruption Few are of this Spirit they are out of their course Amos 8.5 When will the Sabbath be gone that we may set forth Wheat They are weary of Sacred Meetings and long to have them over that they might follow their gain and satisfie their worldly Humour They make the World and their Gain their great Errand and look upon Attendance upon God as a matter by the by and therefore are soon weary of it Vse II. Let us reflect the Light of this Truth upon our own Hearts have we this love and affection to the means of Grace If we profess it the Truth of it is best known to God but in some measure it should be known to our selves also if we would take Comfort in it Therefore let us a little state it 1. This Affection and Respect to Ordinances is to them as pure to those meetings where God is sincerely and purely worshipped As new born Babes desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 The new Nature is suited to Gods Institutions As the puking Infant when he sucketh a Stranger doth in Effect say this is not my Mothers Milk Christ is there where he is worshipped in his own way Mat. 28.20 Teaching them all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World The Church hath nothing to do about ordaining or instituting but only about ordering the natural circumstances of Worship 2. It is not the empty formality which the Saints prize but meeting with God Psal. 81.1 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord
this purpose Nemo te quaerere potest nisi qui prius invenerit vis inveniri ut quaeraris quaere ut inveniaris potes quidem inveniri non tamen praeveniri God will be sought that he may be found and found that he may be sought we cannot seek him till we find him we may return to him but we cannot prevent him for he pitied our misery and sought us when we had neither mind nor heart to seek him 2. To save them Two ways is Christ a Saviour Merito Efficacia by Merit and by Power We are sometimes said to be saved by his Death and sometimes to be saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 If when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life There is the Merit of his Humiliation and the Efficacy and Power of his Exaltation He procureth Salvation for us by his meritorious Satisfaction and then applieth it to us by his effectual and invincible Power Here I shall do two things 1. I shall shew why it is so 2. I shall prove that this was Christ's great end and business First Why it is so 1. With respect to the Parties concerned In saving lost Creatures Christ hath to do with three Parties God Man and Satan 1. With God God's Wrath was to be pacified by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 Having made Peace through the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself His Blood was to be shed on Earth and represented and pleaded in Heaven Now thus he came to save us that is to die for us and give his life a ransom for many here upon Earth Matth. 20.28 The Son of Man is come not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many In Heaven it is represented Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us 2. The next party is Man who is to be saved who is guilty and unholy His guilt is removed by Christ's substituting himself in Man's stead and bearing his sins But Man by a foolish obstinacy is apt to turn the back upon his own Mercies so that there needeth the efficacy of the Spirit of Christ to gain his Consent as well as the Merit and Mediatorial Sacrifice of Christ to reconcile him to God We are so prepossessed with a false Happiness and biassed by sinful inclinations so indisposed for the waiting for and receiving of the offered Mercy in that humble and submissive way wherein God will dispense it that unless Christ save us by a strong hand we are not likely to be the better for the tender of the Gospel to us Iohn 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And verse 65. No man can come to me except it were given him of my Father And Iohn 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that you might have life So that as we are deservedly cut off by the Law so also we are become morally impotent and averse to the undeserved free and gracious tenders of the Gospel and having wilfully pulled upon our selves just Misery we do obstinately reject free Mercy tendred to us upon the terms of the Gospel We are lost before unless Christ satisfie the Old Covenant and we are lost again unless he qualifie us for the priviledges of the Gospel And as the Gospel transcends the Law so our disobedience to the Gospel doth so far exceed in evil our disobedience to the Law so that we are doubly lost utterly lost unless Christ help us 3. With Satan who is a Tempter and an Accuser As an Accuser not a Whisperer but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accuser Rev. 12.10 For the Accuser of the Brethren is cast down which accused them before God day and night And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Adversary 1 Pet. 5.8 Because your Adversary the Devil like a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour As a Tempter by the baits of the World he doth sollicit and entice our flesh to a rebellion against God his assaults are daily and assiduous and the baits presented are pleasing to our flesh So that to begin an Interest for God or to keep it alive and maintain it in our selves the Divine Power is necessary As to begin it Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Luke 11.21 22. When a strong man armed keepeth his Palace his goods are in peace But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and divideth the spoil So to maintain and keep it still alive 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 John 4.4 Ye are of God little Children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World Nothing else nothing less can do it than the Power of Christ. 2. With respect to the parts of Salvation There is Redemption and Conversion the one by way of Impetration the other by way of Application It 's not enough that we are redeemed that is done without us upon the Cross but we must also be converted that is real Redemption applied to us We must again recover God's Favour and Image his Image was first lost and then his Favour So is our recovery first we recover his Image Titus 3.5 He hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost That is put us into the way of Salvation Sanctification is spoken of as a principal branch of our Salvation Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his Name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sins he hath his Name and Office for that use And then recovering the Image of God we also recover his Favour are adopted into his Family are justified and freed from the guilt of sin Eph. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God 3. With respect to Eternal Salvation which is the result of all that is to say it is the effect of Christ's Merit and of our Regeneration for in Regeneration that life is begun in us which is perfected in Heaven With respect to our Justification for thereby the Sentence of Death is taken off and he that is justified shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 Yea our Sanctification is acted in obedience performed upon the encouragements and hopes of Gospel Grace before we are capable of Eternal Happiness For the Apostle telleth us Heb. 5.9 That Christ is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him He bringeth us at length to live in those Eternal Mansions
lives because you do no more warm your hearts with these thoughts Gentlemen leave off the reading vain Books and Romances they that have found the saving effects of God's Love will do so Ephes. 3.18 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge This will be for our comfort Rom. 5.5 Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us It will quicken us to holiness if ever we feel the love of God 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us 3. It informeth us of the Harmony between the Churches Between the Old Testament Church and the Christian Church John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Luke 10.24 I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them The times of the Gospel would to them have been a sweet sight they ardently desired to see Christ in the flesh And between the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant they join together in admiring Christ. Saints and Angels have one Beatitude beholding the face of God therefore they join in one duty looking on Christ. VVe shall one day meet in one Assembly Heb. 12.23 VVe hope to be Luke 20.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like the Angels VVe should do as they do if we would be as they be 4. That Creatures busie their thoughts as they are affected Base Spirits are busied about light matters but Eagles will not stoop to catch Flies nor Angels employ themselves in inferiour and mean speculations but they have a great delight in acknowledging the manifold VVisdom of God in the Work of Redemption Great Spirits are taken up with things of great weight and importance Acts 17.11 These were more noble then they of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so whilst others quench their Souls in sensualities they are for the Divine Study these were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not meant of Natural Nobility but Spiritual True Nobility and Excellency which lieth in a care of Salvation not in wearing fine Cloaths or enjoying plentiful Revenues or good Descent but in the study of Christ not in greatness of Birth but Diligence in searching out the Mysteries of Salvation that is Nobility indeed not to enslave our selves to the Opinions of Men and their Customs 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of Men. Not to wallow in Earthly Pleasure but seek things above Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. Not to be overcome by a Man's Passions and Corrupt Affections Prov. 16.32 He that is slow to anger is better then the Mighty and he that ruleth his own Spirit then he that taketh a City Prov. 25.28 He that hath no rule over his own Spirit is like a City that is broken down and without Walls These Noble Spirits will not yield to Lusts. Vse 2. To Reprove 1. The slightness of Men and to confound us with shame that we do no more take care to look after this Happiness that we do so unwillingly think of these things or set a-part our selves for the study of them Shall we slight these things which Angels wonder at Some will scarce vouchsafe to look into these things scarce think or talk seriously of them whilst their Minds and Discourses are taken up with baubles and trifles Angels are more noble Beings nearer to God they are not the parties interested we have particular benefit by them Matt. 22.5 But they made light of it They would not let it enter into their care and thoughts We are bound to this under pain of Damnation 't is not a thing arbitrary Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Bewail your stupidness that you have so slight a sense of these things Meditation I know is painful work it is very difficult but the sweetness of the Argument should perswade us to it 2. It reproveth that satiety that is apt to creep upon us Why should we be weary of searching into these Holy Mysteries What is the reason of this satiety First We search for them out of curiosity or content our selves with meer speculations which is an Adulterous love to truth not to get an interest in them John 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked and he would have given thee living water Secondly We do not look upon them with the eye of Faith Ephes. 3.17 18. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Our embracing by Faith is a good means to make this study effectual Thirdly They content themselves with a superficial view but do not make an accurate inspection We do not know it so as to stand wondering at it in all its dimensions Ephes. 3.18 That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth Breadth whereby it is extended to Men of all Ages and Ranks Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you always to the end of the World 1 Tim. 2.4 Who will have all Men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth Length whereby it reacheth from eternity to eternity Psal. 103.17 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting Depth It stoopeth to our lowest misery Christ delivered us from the depths of misery and sin Psal. 86.13 Thou hast delivered my Soul from the lowest Hell And there is Heighth in it whereby it reacheth to Heavenly Joys and Happiness John 14.3 If I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also Study those several respects and ways wherein it is manifested till you are ravished with the thoughts of it draw solid comfort hope and quickening from it Psal. 39.3 While I was musing the fire burned 4. It reproves those that onely study it but do not get an interest and experience of the comfort of it otherwise it is a cold story 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious There is Christ revealed to us and Christ revealed in us then is there sweetness in these truths Gal. 1.16 It pleased God to
into our hearts as the pledge of our atonement we receive it when we receive the Spirit Rom. 5.11 And his Sanctifying work is the sure evidence that God is at peace with us 1 Thess. 5.23 The God of peace sanctifie you wholly And doth ingage us to wait on God in the way of well-doing till our pardon be pronounced and we be absolved by our Judges own Mouth in the hearing of all the VVorld In the mean time applyeth to us the Blood of Christ for the pacifying of our Consciences and the comforts of the Pardoning Covenant that our peace with God may be more firmly setled 2. As to Life He doth three things 1. Prepareth us and fitteth us for it 2 Cor. 5.5 He that hath wrought us for this very thing is God who also hath given us the earnest of the Spirit None are received into Glory but those that are prepared for Glory Rom. 9.23 Vessels of Mercy which he had before prepared unto glory He giveth us the Heavenly Mind or an heart working up to God and Heaven and purifieth us more and more for that blessed estate 2. He assureth us of it 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath anointed us and sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts The beginning of holiness and love to God is a pledge and assurance of the sight of God and our compleat vision of him and love to him For God would not so against Nature plant such dispositions in us if he meant not to perfect them Nor print his Image upon us if he intended not a more full conformity to himself in another and better World 3. He comforteth us and raiseth our longing after this blessed estate For the beginnings we have here are called also the first-fruits Rom. 8.23 The beginnings are sweet What will the Completion be As he is the earnest to confirm our hopes the first-fruits to raise our affections that we may be diligent and serious in the pursuit of it Vse of all 1. Here you see your scope what you should look for and hope for The forgiveness of sins and Inheritance among the Sanctified 2. Here you see your work and what you should now seek after the righteousness of Faith 3. Here you see your help and what will enable you to obtain through the Spirit Oh let these things be more in your thoughts 1. For your happiness or the great priviledges which you should most value and hope for First The forgiveness of sins I shall onely suggest these Two things to you 1. Till sin be forgiven you can never have sound Peace within your selves but still God will be matter of fear and terrour to you Adam as soon as he had sinned he was afraid Gen. 3.10 I heard thy voice in the Garden and was afraid and hid my self In the Morning of that day he was made by the hand of God and in a few hours runneth away from his Maker as afraid of him So Isai 33.14 The Sinners in Sion are afraid as unable to abide the presence of God Now we that have so much to do with God to depend upon him every moment for all that we are have and want surely it would be a comfortable thing to us to hear not onely that sin may be pardoned but is pardoned Isai. 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my People saith the Lord speak comfortably unto Ierusalem cry to her that her warfare is accomplished her sin is pardoned There is the true ground of comfort to have sin forgiven Other comforts tickle the Senses but this soaketh into the Heart 2. By waiting on the duties of the Gospel this comfort is more and more setled in the heart With the Serious it is not an easie thing to get this comfort setled for the Conscience of sin is not so soon laid aside We have wronged God and incurred his displeasure but now to believe that he is appeased is not so soon done as spoken Some are guilty and senseless but yet no sound peace Heb. 2.14 Subject to bondage though they feel it not Others are sensible and have a fear of God's wrath It is a great while ere they can get their hearts to settle on the possible pardon or reconciliation offered in the Covenant When they do it is but It may be Joel 2.14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him Zeph. 2.3 It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger But to judge of the sincerity of our qualification so as to say Psal. 103.3 Who pardoneth all thy sins and healeth all thy diseases this cometh not by and by The case is this God is angry his anger is ratified by the Sentence of his Law and Conscience is privy to our own disobedience and applieth the Sentence of his righteous Law to it self Some part of the anger may break out in his Providence Our duties and addresses to God about pardon are very imperfect therefore it is difficult to have Pardon setled yet by acquaintance with God in the exercise of Faith Repentance and New Obedience we come to get the Peace established Job 22.21 Acquaint thy self with him habitually converse with him and be at Peace 2. For eternal life Oh let it be your great hope to be translated into the glory and joys of Heaven when you flit out of this World This Life will not always last you must die but you do not wholly perish when you die Now what shall become of you to all eternity Would it not be a blessed thing to be assured that when you appear before the Bar of your Judge you shall not come into Condemnation but obtain eternal Life Surely happiness is desired by all The Young Man that cheapened the Pearl of the Gospel but was loth to go to the price said Good Master What shall I do to inherit eternal life Mark 10.17 Surely this is the question which all serious people should busie themselves about The Goaler did so Act. 16.30 Sirs What must I do to be saved Alas other things do not touch us so near Not How shall I do to live in the World But How shall I do to live with God for ever Let your hearts be upon that Psal. 24.3 Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord Who shall stand in his holy place Having spoke to your hope and scope let me Secondly now speak to your work what you must seek after and that is The righteousness of Faith To inforce this Consider 1. There is no appearing before God without some righteousness of one sort or another Why Because it is an holy and just God before whom we appear And Shall not the Iudge of all the Earth do right Gen. 18.25 And 1 Sam. 6.20 Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God If not now in the time of his Patience how then in the time of his recompence His Holiness inclineth him to hate sin and his Justice to punish
God Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens c. 2. God in our Nature was Abased Crucified made Sin made a Curse for us that he might pacifie the Justice of God and reconcile us to him So that besides the infinite Mercy and Power of God there is the Infinite Righteousness and everlasting Redemption of a Mediator God offended with Man is fully satisfied with the Ransom paid for Sinners by Christ Mat. 3.17 This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 3. God having laid such a foundation and bestowed so great a gift upon us will not stick at any thing which is necessarily required to make us fully and eternally happy Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but gave him up c. shall he not with him freely give us all things Here in the Text 't is said All things are by him such abundant provision hath he made for Mans Salvation Surely here is a broad foundation for our comfort and hope Here is God appeased the works of the Devil dissolved our wounded Natures healed our Enemies vanquished by him as the Captain of our Salvation the Church defended and maintained by him as supream Head and Pastor all kept quiet by him between God and Us as our Agent and Advocate and finally he will bring us into the immediate presence of God that we may remain with him for evermore 4. Besides the dignity of his person consider the suitableness of his office to our necessity The dignity of his person must not be over-looked for he is God-man and therefore he is accepted by the Father and may be relied upon by us Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Besides the institution there is an intrinsick value Act. 20.28 'T is called the Blood of God But what a suitable as well as valuable a remedy do his Offices of King Priest and Prophet make him By these three Offices he exerciseth the Office of Mediator The three Offices are alluded unto Iohn 14.6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life The Way as a Priest Truth as a Prophet Life as a King The Way because he hath removed the legal exclusion we were fugitives exiled and then Truth to direct us and give us the knowledge of Gods Nature and Will The Life To begin a Life of Grace in us by his Spirit which shall be perfected in Heaven So 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption All the offices of Christ are there expressed with a suitableness to our misery Wisdom as a Prophet to cure our ignorance and folly we had no true sense of the evil we deserved nor the good we wanted nor of the way to remove the one or obtain the other but he convinceth and instructeth us in all these things We lye also under the guilt and power of sin that is our second necessity and so Christ is made Righteousness and Sanctification as a Priest for he gave himself to cleanse us from sin Eph. 5.26 We are also liable to many miseries introduced by sin yea under a necessity of dying and perishing for ever therefore Christ is made Redemption as a King and as Captain of our Salvation at length fully redeemed us from all evil Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies Luk. 21.28 And when these things begin to come to pass then lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby ye are seal'd to the day of Redemption Thus you see how amply we are provided for in Christ. It may as well be said By him are all things as it may be said of the Father From whom are all things Secondly Another improvement is to ingage and incourage us to make those returns of Love Worship and Obedience Service and Glory which are expected and required of us There is something which reflecteth from us upon God from all this Grace and Mercy which God dispensed by the Mediator We must be for him and we must be by him 'T is more than if it were said we must serve him glorifie him We in our whole capacity we must be whatever we are and do whatever we do to God and for God by the Mediator 1. We must enter into Covenant with him and give the Hand to the Lord and consent to be his Isa. 44.5 One shall say I am the Lord 's another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his Hand unto the Lord. They should enter their Names to God to be entred into his Muster-Roll or Listed among the Faithful that belong to him and are Listed for his service a Member of that Body whereof Christ is Head a subject of that Kingdom whereof Christ is King 2 Cor. 8.5 'T is said But first gave their own selves unto the Lord. Rom. 12.1 Present your Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service Christ gave himself a Sin-offering and we give up our selves a Thank-offering 2. There must be a strong love to God ever at work in our Hearts levelling and directing all our actions to his glory and this love must be an impression of the love shewed to us by Christ a thankful sense of his Mercies and Benefits 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us Love is an earnest bent and inclination of Heart towards our chief good and last end and its effect and work is to devote our selves to his Service Will and Honour longing after more of God and continually seeking for it Psal. 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee My Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is A Soul that hath chosen God for its portion cannot want him nor be long without him nor satisfied with any partial enjoyment of him therefore still seeketh for more The main work of this life is a desirous seeking after God and getting nearer to their last end by all the means which God hath appointed us to use 3. There must be a constant study and care to please honour and glorifie this God Acts 27.23 Whos 's I am and whom I serve If we be dedicated to God there must be a conscience of our dedication that we may live unto God and this not now and then but in our whole course All our Faculties Bodies Souls 1 Cor. 6.19 20. What! know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy
certainly than others who are not of such a light and unsettled Mind It is said Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced Which implieth a steady consideration otherwise we are in danger to go as we came There is not that lively Commemoration of Christ. You come full of other Cares Desires and Delights and therefore return empty of all solid and true Refreshment 2. It must be Applicative Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me This great Love which God hath manifested in Christ is not only sounded in our Ears and represented to our Eyes but is brought home to us and shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us Rom. 5.5 The Spirit accompanieth Christ's Institutions and the diligent serious hungry Soul is not left destitute Christ and his Benefits are no where so particularly offered applied and sealed to us as in this Duty Christ's Messengers offer him to us in particular with a Charge and Command that we should receive him take and eat for our own Comfort and Use. What is particularly applied to us and made ours as Food that is turned into our Substance should awaken in us greater Thoughts and Care about our own Interest 3. Practical The Effects must more sensibly appear Two ways is that done 1. When we are made Partakers of his Benefits when we are justified and sanctified Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Annunciation inferreth this Then it is Practical when it assureth our Confidence Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And we are incouraged to wait for the accomplishing of these ends and instating us in these Priviledges 2. When we express more likeness to Christ in dying to Sin and to the World or suffering for Righteousness Dying to Sin and the World Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ. Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Or suffering for Righteousness Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death For as Christ came to destroy the Desires of the Carnal Life so to wean us from the Interests of the Animal Life Sacraments bind us to this Matth. 20.22 Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with II. Confirmation or Reasons why the Lord's Supper is a Commemoration of Christ's Death 1. To supply the room of his Bodily Presence 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And in the Text Ye shew forth the Lord's death till he come Christ is not bodily present in the Church till the last Judgment And we are to continue this holy Festival till the time that we shall have no need of these Memorials because then he cometh in Person 2. It is a lively Objective Means to affect our Hearts Both in regard of what is represented Christ is as it were evidently set forth Crucified before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 And also in regard of what is required to be done on our parts that we should return to our Duty and devote our selves to God's Service Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Use. To press you to the Duty of the Text To shew forth Christ's death 1. It is the strongest support to Faith When we apprehend the Greatness and Heinousness of Sin the Righteousness of God and Purity of his Holiness what shall compensate that infinite Wrong which is done to his Majesty If it seem easie to us we do not know what Sin is and what God is Not what Sin is which is a depreciation of God and a contempt of his Majesty There is no petty Creature above another but he is jealous of his Honour and will vindicate himself from Contempt Nor what God is God is of pure Holiness his Nature ingageth him to loath Sin his Justice to punish it It is a difficult case questionless how to get Sin expiated but this wonderful Condescention will make this Difficulty cease the Person is great and Way wonderful Consider what a Person hath undertaken this and what he hath done he hath died for us which at once sheweth God's willingness to Pardon and an answerable Ransom that such an one should undertake for us so beloved of God so equal to God Phil. 2.6 7. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men This will settle and calm the Heart that such an one should come about such a Work 2. It is the greatest Incentive to Love That Christ loved us and gave himself for us a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 Those innumerable Angels that left their Station and were once in Dignity above us have not such glad Tydings to impart to one another or to shew forth in their Societies not such a word to comfort themselves withal They cannot annunciate the Death of Christ and say Lo there is our Confidence and Hope the Propitiation for our Sins 3. It is a powerful Perswasive to Obedience Shall we deny our selves to him that gave himself to and for us Or seek to frustrate him of his End This was his great End 1 Pet. 2.21 For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps He hath purchased Grace to mortifie Sin and to quicken us to the fruits of Holiness shall we be alive to Sin and dead to Rightousness A Sermon on MAL. iii. 17 And I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him THese Words are part of the Promise which God maketh to them that fear him or to those who are good in evil Times In them take notice of 1. The Blessing promised that God will spare them 2. The manner of this Indulgence amplified and set forth by the Carriage of a Father to his Son wherein a double Reason of this Indulgence is intimated 1. Propriety his own Son 2. Towardliness or Obedience his Son that serveth him Parents are not severe to any of their Children especially the dutiful 1. Propriety his own Son A faulty Child is a Child still and therefore not so easily turned out of the Family as a Servant We often forget the Duty of Children but God doth not forget the Mercy of a
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
how miserable a thing it is to have a drossy unsanctified Heart even though your Life should be never so blameless Now the Spirit of God calleth upon us to shew our selves Men Isa. 46.8 Remember this and shew your selves men bring it again to mind O ye transgressors And if you will never sit alone and commune with your selves about these weighty Matters your Condemnation is just Motives to quicken us how much it concerneth you to get your Hearts sanctified 1. Because of the two great Competitors God and Satan how earnest they are for the Heart It is God's Choice Prov. 23.26 My son give me thy heart This is that which God craveth and every good Man should say Lord I give it unto thee It pleaseth God to hide our Hearts from one anothers knowledge but he seeth them whether they be kept in a right frame yea or no. Men are incompetent Judges of the Heart therefore they look to the outward appearance but God's Eye is upon the Heart 1 Sam. 16.7 Man looketh unto the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart Psal. 41.6 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom If we have a wise and understanding Heart a choice and excellent Spirit On the other side it is that which Satan striveth for most the greatest Contest between God and Satan is who shall have the Heart of Man As Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost So Luke 22.3 Then entred Satan into Iudas Then he gets into the Man when he gets into the Heart Iohn 13.2 The Devil having now put into the heart of Iudas to betray him This is the Castle the Enemy would surprize he maintaineth his Interest there by vain and sinful Thoughts 2. The importance of the Heart as to our Speeches and Actions it is Fons Actionum ad extra the Fountain of all our outward Actions we bring every thing out of the Heart Matth. 12.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things The Tongue Eyes Hands and Feet are but Instruments to execute the motions of the Heart The Prophet cast Salt into the Spring to cure the brackishness of the Water 2 Kings 22.21 And it is Terminus actionum ad intra the principle of our internal Actions Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered you Means 1. Earnest Prayer to God Psal. 51.10 Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me God beginneth to us that we may imitate him Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always Psal. 86.11 Unite my heart to fear thy name The Heart naturally is scattered to vain Objects 2. Treasuring up the Counsels of the Word Psal. 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Prov. 6.20 21 22. My son keep thy fathers commandments and forsake not the law of thy mother Bind them continually upon thine heart and tie them about thy neck When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee 3. Serious Caution that bad Principles be not rooted in us Heb. 3.12 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God 4. Watching against vain Pleasures which render it brutish sottish frothy and stupid Hosea 4.11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart The generosity bravery and spriteliness of the Heart 5. If gotten keep it Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence Our first business is to get an Heart worth the keeping a vain Heart is better thrown away than kept When the Heart is renewed and changed keep it pure and loyal to God First get out Sin then keep it out We keep it by a constant watchfulness over the Senses Iob 31.1 I made a Covenant with my eyes why then should I look upon a maid Over the Thoughts Prov. 15.26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. Over the Affections and Passions Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts 6. Increase it to a Choice an excellent Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind A Sermon on Acts x. 34 35. Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him THese Words are Peter's reply to Cornelius who sent for him to hear the Gospel from his mouth For the entertaining of this Message both Peter and Cornelius were aforehand prepared severally by God Peter by a Vision Cornelius by an Oracle So much ado was needful to gather in the first Fruits of the Gentiles In the Words take notice of two Things 1. Peter's acknowledgment of his former Mistake Vers. 34. 2. His assertion of the positive Truth which he learned by this Providence Vers. 35. First In the acknowledgment of his former Error you may observe three things 1. The Preface or Introduction Then Peter opened his mouth and said Prophane Spirits cavil at this Expression as needless For how could he speak say they without opening his mouth But they mind not that it is an Hebraism frequently used in Scripture concerning them that are about to speak any thing weighty upon mature deliberation As of our Lord Christ it is said Matth. 5.2 He opened his mouth and taught them saying So Psal. 78.2 I will open my mouth in a parable Prov. 8.2 I will speak of excellent things the opening of my mouth shall be right things To open the Mouth is to speak considerately prudently confidently Would to God that those that scoff at these things would never open their Mouths to worse purpose 2. The means of his Conviction Of a truth I perceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Phrase is used of those that are apparently convinced and perswaded to change their Opinion The Latines would express it A vero vinci to be overcome by the Truth it self Peter once thought that it was unlawful for a Man that is a Jew to keep company with or go to one that is of another Nation as he himself expresseth it Vers. 28. But being prepared by his Vision and now convinced by the Words of Cornelius he perceived the contrary 3. The Error That God was a Respecter of Persons or had so confined his Respect to the Jewish Nation that
took our Natures though the Crime of our first Parents had made it hateful to God and the consequent Miseries shewed it was not to be valued He that was a Judge of would become a Party and appear for us and answer in our Nature what might be required of us 3. It supports against the Terribleness of God's Majesty How can Men dwell with God Stubble with devouring Burnings If our Nature be taken into a personal Union with God it rendereth it more reconcilable to our Thoughts God incarnate born of a Virgin carried in the Womb rocked in a Cradle sucking of a Breast growing up by degrees going up and down and doing good when dying on the Cross lying in the Grave it mightily abateth our Fears 4. Against the pollution of our Natures which is so ingrained that it cannot be easily wrought off His own holy Nature is a Pledge of the Work of Grace He that separated our Nature in his own Person from all the pollution of his Ancestors he can purifie our Persons and heal our Natures how polluted soever So many as there are in the Story of Christ's Nativity Mat. 1. so many Miracles there are of Grace in that he prevented the Infection conveyed by such and such a one 5. Against the Mindlesness which Unbelief supposeth to be in God of Human Affairs especially of the Calamities of his People Now Christ hath taken the Communion of our Natures and Miseries as a pledge and sign of his Pity Heb. 2.17 He was made like his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest He would intender his Heart by Experience and inure himself to all our Sorrows 6. Against the doubt of Strangeness and that he will take no notice of our Request being so remote from him We may with the more confidence go to him with whom we communicate in Natures There is a natural Bond between him and us we are of the same Stock and Substance 7. Against the fear of Arrogancy in the assuming of the Priviledge of Adoption Surely he will bestow this Priviledge on a returning Sinner For if he be not ashamed to call us Brethren God will not be ashamed to be called our God Heb. 11.16 5 Use. Think of this for your Comfort We have an Unity with Christ in Nature that we may be encouraged to look after the Gifts which he dispenses that we may be one with him in Spirit We may the more chearfully come to him because he took our Nature for this end and purpose especially does this concern you that come to the Lord's Table The Meat that is set afore you is the Flesh of Christ his Humane Nature is the Food of your Souls It 's not enough that Christ the Son of God was partaker of our Flesh and Blood but we must also be partakers of his Flesh and Blood i. e. There must be a true Union and Communion with that Flesh and that Body and that Blood which Christ assumed into his Person and delivered up to Death for us all For Christ as the Son of Man in our Flesh is Head of the Mystical Body of which we are Members The Humane Nature is the Cistern in which the Spirit dwells without measure and of whose Fulness we all receive Grace for Grace that is the Temple in which the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily the Tree of Life whose Leaves heal the Nations In this Temple must we dwell into this Tree must we be grafted that we may become one with him and live by him So the Apostle tells us Eph. 5.30 For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his Bones That is not only of one nature with him which is common to them with all Mankind but as Members of one Mystical Body with him Not as God but as God-man We all draw our Spiritual Life and Nourishment from those things which Christ has done in our Flesh. For this end was the Lord's Supper instituted that we might be partakers of the Flesh and Blood of Christ not only of Bread and Wine but Flesh and Blood it self How so Not with our Mouth and Teeth but Spiritually by Faith with an hungry Conscience and Spiritual desires That which we do receive is not only the benefits which flow from Christ but the very Body and Blood of Christ That is Christ himself Crucified As none can be partaker of the Virtue of the Bread and Wine to his Bodily sustenance unless he do first receive the Substance of those Creatures so neither can any be partaker of the benefits arising from Christ to his Spiritual relief except he first have Communion with Christ himself We must have the Son before we have Life 1 Iohn 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life and we must eat him if we will live by him Iohn 6.57 Well then this is our great business to be partakers of Christ. Now in partaking of Christ we begin at his Humane Nature his Flesh and Blood Iohn 6.53 His Cross and his Death His Body and Blood 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Christ as dying becomes fit Food for Hungry Sinners So only is he suitable to their necessities Certainly the hunger is not that of the body for a Meal but that of the Conscience for a Saviour In this sense the flesh profits nothing but the spirit quickens Iohn 6.62 A man is not better nor a jot the holier nor the further from the second Death if he had filled his Belly with it 'T is a Spiritual eating by Faith that brings quickning and Life an applying of Christ as a Saviour in our Nature Well then His Flesh was given as the price of Life Iohn 6.51 The Bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world This is the first receptacle of our Spiritual Life and being laid hold on by Faith is the Conduit to convey Life to us But the Author of all is his Spirit being and dwelling in us That same Flesh and Humane Nature of Christ which was offered up a ransom to justice is also the Bread of Life for Souls to feed upon tho' the quickning Efficacy and Virtue flow from the Godhead to which his Flesh is united 2. Doctrine That Christ having taken our nature upon him is not ashamed to accept and acknowledge us for Brethren What cause of shame there might be in it we intimated before in the Explication Notwithstanding our meanness and unworthyness and his own glory and excellency Divines observe That he never giveth his Disciples the title of Brethren but after his Resurrection before Servants little Children and Friends were their usual designations But then expresly he calleth them Brethren Servants Iohn 13.13 14. Ye call me Lord and Master and ye
are his Members and belong to him Rom. 8.9 If ye have not the spirit of Christ ye are none of his 3. He blesseth his Word and Sacraments to this end and purpose Iohn 17.19 For their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth We hear of Christ by the Spirit and of the Spirit in the Ordinances and Duties of Religion Eph. 5.26 By the washing of water through the word Two are here mentioned the Word and washing of Water The one containeth our Charter or Grant of Christ and all his Benefits to every one that believes in him Iohn 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life The other is the Seal of it to assure us and be a pledge to us that Christ will be as good as his word Rom. 4.11 He received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith 1. The Word is a powerful Instrument Iohn 17.19 I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth John 15.3 Ye are clean through the word That warneth us of our Duty sheweth our Danger encourageth us by Promises to run to Christ for this Benefit holds forth his Blood as the meritorious Cause 2. Sacraments assure God will be as good as his word The doubting Soul saith â—how shall I know 2 Kings 20.8 What shall be the sign By these visible Things God assures us of the Truth of his Covenant Use. It sheweth us how and where we should look for this benefit of Sanctification From Christ by the Spirit in the Ordinances Look not to these singly but all together Holy Things do not sanctify us but we pollute them when we look to them singly Hag. 2.13 14. If one that is unclean touch any of these shall it be unclean The Priests answered It shall be unclean So is this people that which they offer is unclean Fowl Bodies the more you nourish them the more you hurt them 2. Go not to the Spirit alone without having accepted Christ and received him into your Hearts so upward Christ tendeth to the Spirit the Spirit to Ordinances Christ undertaketh to be a Sanctifier that you may have recourse to him A Sermon on Hebr. xiii 5 For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee IN the former part of the Verse the Apostle dissuadeth from Covetousness and perswadeth to Contentment The Motive to inforce the one and the other is God's Promise Many of our Distempers would have no more place if we did oftener study the Promises He saith that is God that He whose Voice should only be heard in the Church The Pythagoreans would use to say in their School 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath said It should much more be reason enough with Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he said But where doth the force of the Inference lye Apply it to the first part Let your conversation be without covetousness for he hath said I answer Covetousness is rooted in a Diffidence and fear of Want Now that Fear is irrational if we regard what he hath said God will maintain us as long as he hath Work for us to do He that is perswaded that God will not leave him will not be much troubled Apply it now to the second Branch Be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee And how is that inferred I answer The comfort of our Condition doth not depend on outward Provisions so much as in God's Promises therefore though you have little be content If God denieth the Creature he will vouchsafe his own Presence and what need we care for the want of a Candle when we have the Sun Once more The Connexion between the Dissuasive and Exhortation and the Promise is to be observed Be not covetous be content for he hath said I will never leave thee And Men would have less trouble if they could learn to cast themselves upon God's allowance If we could depend more we should crave less The Promise well applied would not only allay our Fears but moderate our Desires Lust is ravenous and therefore suspicious If we believe his Word we shall have enough to glorifie God enough for that condition wherein God will make use of us Fixing upon Carnal Hopes doth but make trouble for your selves Carnal Affections prescribe God a Task which he will never perform Psal. 78.18 They asked meat for the lusts Not Meat for their Necessities but Meat for their Lusts. God never undertook to maintain us at such a rate to give us so much by the Year such Portions for our Children The Sheep must be left to the Shepherd to choose their Pastures bare or better grown Be content and then Faith will be more easie We may pray for a Competency and are bound to submit to an Extremity He hath said Where hath he said it Every where in the Word more especially to Ioshua in particular Iosh. 1.5 As I was with Moses so I will be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee To all his People in general Deut. 31.6 8. Be strong and of a good courage fear not nor be afraid of them for the Lord thy God he it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee David bids Salomon be confident of it 1 Chron. 28.20 David said to Salomon his son be strong and of good courage and do it fear not nor be dismayed for the Lord God even my God will be with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee So Iacob Gen. 28.15 I will not leave thee till I have done all that I have spoken to thee of It is pleaded by Salomon 1 King 8.57 The Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers let him not leave us nor forsake us You see it is a known Truth and to be made use of upon all occasions of Tryal It was spoken to Ioshua when he was to fight the Lord's Battels To Israel when they had not as yet a foot of Land to possess To Iacob when to pass through many Services To Salomon when to go about a costly Work And God having said it so often delights to be challenged upon his Word and to have this Promise put in suit Before I come to shew you the full purport and drift of this Promise let me observe 1. Though the Promises were made upon a particular occasion to some of God's People yet they are of a general Use. Well then Promises made to one Saint concern another also Why 1. Because God is alike affected to all his Children he beareth them the same love His Saints now are as dear to him as ever Therefore as he would not leave Ioshua or Iacob or Salomon so he will not leave others that trust in him This honour have all his Saints Psal. 149.9 2. They have
want he thought of returning to his Father Luke 15.17 18 19. if our Ears be opened to Discipline we can own God in the humbling though not the comfortable way Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Many that were never serious before are brought to bethink themselves in their Afflictions 1 King 8.47 48. Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives and repent and make supplications unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives saying We have sinned and have done perversly we have committed wickedness And so return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul. The Doors of God's Family are always open to believing Penitents and it is a Fatherly Providence at last Secondly What an advantage is it to Patience and submission to God 1. God's Fatherly Relation sheweth his Love to us and so we know that by all his Chastisements he doth but seek our spiritual and eternal Good Heb. 12.9 10. We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the father of spirits and live For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Children though they take it ill to be beaten by others yet they take it patiently when beaten for their faults by their Parents who under God are the cause of their Being and Maintenance and ever in correcting seek their good much more should we submit to our Heavenly Father Earthly Parents may err wanting Wisdom or being blinded with Passion and so their Chastisements are arbitrary and irregular But there is more of Compassion than Passion in God's Rod all cometh from purest Love and is regulated by perfect Wisdom and tendeth to the highest End even our Holiness and Happiness 2. It inferreth great Love from us to God again No owning of God is allowed but the Practical owning of him and therefore none own God as a Father but those that love him as a Father Now love God once and nothing that he doth will be grievous to us for as Love sweetneth Duties so it sweetneth Providences It cometh from my Father that doth not only bespeak Reverence or Submission Numb 12.14 If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days but welcom any thing should be well taken at his hand III. It well becometh his People to endure willingly whatever God calleth them unto 1. From God His Sovereignty and Power He is too great to be questioned Iob 9.12 Behold he taketh away who can hinder him Who will say unto him What dost thou His Justice He is too just to do us wrong Iob 34.23 For he will not lay upon man more than is right that he should enter into judgment with God There is Guilt enough in every one to silence us Psal. 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgments His Goodness He is too good to do us harm he knoweth how to recompense us Psal. 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted Nothing but Good can come from him who is Goodness and Love it self His Wisdom and Faithfulness he will afflict us no more than need requireth or will exceed our strength 1 Pet. 1.6 Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 2. With respect to Christ whose Example should be of force to us both for Suffering and patience in Suffering For Suffering there is a certain measure of Affliction fitted and prepared for Christ and all his Followers the bitter Cup goeth round from hand to hand the whole Wave dashed upon Christ some Drops light upon us Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake which is the Church And for patience in Suffering Heb. 12.2 3. Looking unto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despised the shame and is sate down at the right hand of the throne of God For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself least ye be wearied and faint in your minds 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps And Vers. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously He hath trod the way before us and his steps drop fatness Matth. 20.23 Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father There are two things if any would be nearer in Dignity to Christ than others it is not in reigning but in suffering with Christ in drinking Christ's Cup but for Preferment in another World and to have a larger measure of Honour that is given to those for whom it is appointed We are to prepare for the Cross. The other is the New Covenant engageth us hereunto for there is an Allusion to the Sacraments Therefore Christ useth these Notions 1 Use Sheweth what Provision the Christian Religion maketh for Patience Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope This Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures is a higher thing than what is learnt by the Institutions of Philosophy Tam in ipsis falsa erat patientia quà m falsa sapientia Cypr. Both their Patience and their Wisdom is false The Grounds of Patience from the Christian Religion are particular Providence Adoption the Example of Christ the Assistance of the Spirit the Desert of Sin the Fruit of Afflictions both as to the refining of Grace and preparing us for Glory Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the presâ—nt seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby 2 Vse To exhort us to bear whatsoever God shall lay upon us 1. Seek this Grace of God both the Wisdom and the Power to calm the Spirit Col. 1.11 Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask it of God Man's
Body nothing would be so dear to us but we would part with it to keep off the Death of the Body for then there would be an end of us Death would be the chiefest Evil we could suffer and that which would deprive us of all other good nothing should be feared and abhorred like Death and we should lie forswear or do any thing to avoid it But this Principle would not only destroy all generous Actions but introduce all Dishonesty and Sin into the World for as we should never venture our Lives upon any Reason and Inducement though never so just so we should stick at no Evil to preserve Life and the Conveniencies which belong thereunto 5. The Desires wrought in us by the Spirit of God to see and enjoy God argue the Immortality of the Soul Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also which have the First-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies 2 Cor. 5.2 For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven We prove another Life not only by the Inclination Instinct and Disposition of Nature towards Happiness in general the universal Desire of all Mankind is to be everlastingly happy this proveth it for this Desire being universal and natural is not frustrate Nature doth nothing in vain but the Desires and Groans of the Sanctified do much more prove it for they do more forcibly direct and carry our Hearts to a certain Scope and End and they are excited by the Holy Spirit for he imprinteth a firm Perswasion of this Happiness and stirreth up these Desires after it and that in our sober and severest Moods when we are solemnly conversing with God in his holy Worship in the Word Prayer Meditation and the Lord's Supper and all other holy Duties then he most raiseth these Affections towards heavenly Things and also he leaveth this heavenly Relish upon our Hearts at other times as the Reward of our eminent Obedience to God and the more serious and holy any are the more do they feel of this Now these Desires being of God's own infusing they will not be disappointed therefore those who make the Hopes of the World to come their Happiness Desire and Joy will one day be Partakers of the Blessedness of it Their Groaning Seeking and Longing will not be in vain for God will give the Satisfaction where he giveth the Desire Vse 1. Is Terror to the Wicked and Ungodly Your Souls die not with the Body but must enter into endless Torments the Body perisheth but the immortal Substance will for ever subsist in a State of Wo or Weal Now how brutishly and much beneath a Man do they live who wholly give up themselves to carnal Pleasures and worldly Pursuits that live as if their Souls did die with their Bodies and they should never hear of them more they make no Provision for their everlasting Estate Three Evils I charge upon these Men. 1. These Men do not believe that which Scripture and Reason sheweth to be certainly true and so do not shew themselves either Christians or Men. The great Design of Scripture is to give them a Prospect of another World and to assure them of a Life after Death And will you not receive God's Testimony Are God's Threatnings a vain Scarcrow Are the Promises a golden Dream Go and reason if the Soul abideth not after it flitteth out of the Body it is either because it cannot be or act or because God will not suffer it to be or act or hath not clearly declared it shall be so so that no certainty can be had thereof or hath declared or expressed himself to the contrary Now none of these are true 1. Not the first The Nature of the Soul is such that it sheweth plainly that it can live without the Body a Spirit can subsist by it self that which God hath fitted to endure for ever he hath designed it to endure for ever Now the Soul as a Spirit is fitted to live for ever and it can live without the Body for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it doth of it self move it self Is it the Body that supports the Soul or the Soul that supports the Body Heathens have thought so upon this Argument and will not you Cum venerit ille dies qui mixtum hoc divini humanique secernat corpus hîc ubi inveni relinquam ipse me Diis redeam When that Day shall come when the divine Spirit shall be severed from the human Body I shall leave the Body where I found it and yield up my Spirit to the Gods 2. Is it because God will not permit it to be or act without the Body Whence doth that appear To us Christians he hath appointed a Mediator to receive our Souls 3. Or is it because he hath doubtfully expressed his Mind You are not sure there is no such Life it is impossible you should know or prove the contrary The Question between the Infidel and the Christian is not Whether there be a a World to come but whether he can prove there is none You cannot prove the Falsity of the Christian Hope by any sound Argument that there is no Heaven not Hell for ought you can say or know there are both and it were best to take the surer side In a Lottery Men will venture some small matter Some of the Heathens that disputed against it or doubted of it yet acknowledged it to be a Supposition conducing to Vertue and Goodness 4. God hath not declared his Mind to the contrary but plainly told us that it is so It is easy to presume that a thousand to one but it is so Natural Reason Consent of Nations Fears of a guilty Conscience or Presages of eternal Punishment the whole Drift of the Christian Religion the Example of Christ all prove it Those Wretches that out-face Religion accuse Christ of a Lie and the wisest Men of the World of Folly their own Consciences of imposing a Cheat upon them to check their vain Pleasures and in defiance of Light within and without smother all Conceits of a World to come 2. They do not consider these things and weigh them that they may come to understand what is their end and business here Alas are we so near everlasting Joy or Misery and yet neglect it yea it may be scorn and oppose those that make it their chiefest Care and Labour to prepare for it How long have you lived in the World and scarce ever asked the question or thought seriously What shall I do to be saved you are desirous to give full and ample Satisfaction to your dying Part yea have pampered it and over-clogg'd it but your business is not to pamper the Body but to save your Souls Now you should shew your selves Men Isa. 46.8 Remember this and shew your selves Men bring it again to mind O ye Transgressors Think aforehand
Christ is the First-born or First-begotten because he was the first that rose from the dead in his own Strength and vanquished Death others were raised before him but to die again they were raised in their own single Persons he as a publick Person But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-Fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 And he will by the same Power raise again all his Members to Immortality and Life 3. He is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth one that hath all Power given him in Heaven and in Earth and is superiour to all Princes of the World not only in regard of Eminency as a far greater Prince than they but Authority and Power over them he is their Lord and Soveraign as well as ours as it is said Dan. 4.17 The most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men and giveth them to whomsoever he will 1. Observe these Titles are given to Christ with respect to his three Offices of King Priest and Prophet 1. His Prophetical Office is implied in that Term the faithful Witness one that hath brought the Gospel out of the Bosom of God and plainly and clearly revealed it to the World and hath confirmed the Certainty of it by divers Miracles especially by his Death from which he rose again and ascended and poured out the Spirit upon the Disciples for a Testimony and still continueth that Dispensation in part of giving the Spirit so far as to assure the Hearts of his People that this is the Truth 2. His Priesthood is implied in that Expression The first begotten from the dead He died and so offered himself as a Sacrifice of Atonement to God he rose again and is entred within the Vail to continue the Exercise of that Office by his constant Intercession 3. His Kingly Office is implied in that other Expression The Prince of the Kings of the Earth They are all his Vicegerents absolutely at his dispose and can do neither more nor less than he will have them Mat. 28.18 All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth He hath supream and absolute Authority given him over all things both in Heaven and Earth for the Good of the Church and in the Church he is the only Head and King to appoint and maintain the Way and Means of gathering preserving ruling the Church and ordering all the Affairs thereof to the World's End 2. Observe that all these Titles are suted to the present occasion of this Prophecy which is to encourage his People to suffer Persecution for the Gospel's sake 1. As he was the faithful Witness it assured their Cause to be right The Gospel is called the Testimony of Iesus Christ ver 2. He declared nothing to us but the Will of God The Flesh hath such a value for and tenderness of its Interests that Men will soon distinguish themselves out of their Duty if there be the least doubtfulness in the Cause for which they suffer or any suspicion of it Therefore now when dreadful Troubles attended the Profession of the Gospel he setteth forth Christ as the faithful Witness to heighten their Zeal As also Rev. 3.14 These things saith the Amen the faithful and true Witness 2. As he was the first-begotten from the dead it still encourageth them more by assuring them of a joyful Resurrection if their Lives should fall in this Quarrel and Conflict This should allay all the Fears of Death Christ is not called the first-born of the Living but the first-born from the dead to own a Relation to us in every Condition dead as well as living He as the first-born rose as a Pledg and Pattern of what should be done to us 3. As Prince of the Kings of the Earth of whose Power and Persecutions they were so much afraid but needed not for they are not only accountable to Christ at last which those adverse Powers little valued having not imbraced the Profession of the Gospel but were held in by the Reins of his Government for the present so as they could not so much as touch an Hair of their Heads without his leave So that here was much Encouragement for suffering Christians who at that time were to conflict with great Difficulties and exposed to the Slaughters and Butcheries of cruel Enemies 3. Observe all these Titles serve to beget a Reverence and great Respect in our Hearts to the Person that owneth them he is the faithful Witness The great Prophet of the Church should be regarded by us This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mat. 17.5 We are to hearken to him believe him obey him as knowing that we must stand or fall at the Sentence of his Word He is the greatest and most excellent of all the Prophets and far above them all who knew more of God and of his Mind than all they joined in one and hath declared his Will more fully clearly and powerfully and shall we set at naught his Counsel Some that despised the Counsel of an ordinary Prophet smarted for it Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses 's Law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troddeâ— under foot the Son of God who came out of his Bosom on purpose to teach us the Way of Salvation If he require Repentance and Faith with a Promise of Righteousness and Eternal Life and a Commination of Eternal Death unavoidable if we believe not nor repent we are to believe it with all Certainty to set about this Work with all Care and Diligence and continue therein with all Constancy and Perseverance 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 Christ came from Heaven at first returned to Heaven again from Heaven sent down the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles and by that Spirit enabled them to preach the Gospel with Success O surely we should attend to his Doctrine and receive it with firm Assent and obey it with humble Submission Again he is the first-begotten from the Dead That he died should render him dear to us for it was for our sakes as I shall shew by and by That he rose again was for our sakes for our Justification Who was delivered for our Offences and rosâ— again for our Iustification Rom. 4.25 For it sheweth that his Sacrifice was accepted as sufficient for our Atonement Yea for our blessed Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.20 But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-Fruits of them that slept As the whole Harvest was blessed and sanctified in a little handful of the first-Fruits offered to God But I urge it now as an Argument why we should give him Glory as deserving it by the Greatness of his Person This made it evident that he was the
we urge the Desires of the Renewed and Sanctified which do much more prove it for these act more regularly and direct their Desires and Hopes to a certain Scope and End and these are excited by the holy Spirit of God who imprinteth the firm Perswasion of this Happiness and inclineth us to it and stirreth up these Groans after it Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also which have the first-Fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body The Word of God warrants these Desires and the Spirit of God kindleth them in our Hearts and that usually in our gravest and severest Moods when we are solemnly conversing with God in his holy Worship then doth he raise up these Affections towards heavenly things as in the Word Prayer and Sacraments then is this Relish left upon our Hearts and the more serious and holy any are the more do they feel of this And also in our bitter Sufferings for God Rom. 5.3 And not only so but we glory in Tribulation also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience 1 Pet. 4.13 14. But rejoice in as much as ye are Partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Ioy. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil-spoken of but on your part he is glorified This is a greater Argument than the bare Instinct and Desire of Nature Certainly if our Holiness be our Torment and God beget in us these Desires which he never meant to satisfy then we are of all Men most miserable 4. There would be no Recompence for their greatest Losses Christ requireth us not only to venture but lose our Lives for his sake Luke 14.26 If any Man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Now if our Hopes in Christ be at an End with this Life what Incouragement have we to lose our Lives for Christ's sake Nature will teach us to submit to a lesser Evil to obtain a greater Good than that Evil depriveth us of But what will teach us to lose the greatest Benefit we are possessed of when nothing cometh of it Grace indeed teacheth us to quit this frail Life for the Hopes which Christ hath given us of an immortal blessed Estate but if that be not Christians are of all Men most miserable who had better have kept that Life which they had till a natural Death called them from it than to have lost it for nothing Secondly Having vindicated the Apostle's meaning I shall prove That it is inconsistent with the Righteousness of God's Government that his People should be always of all Men most miserable for a time they may be so but not for ever Certainly God is righteous to deny him to be just is to deny him to be God and the Governour of the World The Perfection of his Nature includeth his Justice so doth also the Eminency of his Office Is God unrighteous who taketh Vengeance God forbid for then how shall God judg the World Rom. 3.5 6. that is he were then uncapable of governing Mankind But when is this Righteousness manifested not always in this World especially to those who perish in their Afflictions and Persecutions which they indure for his Name 's sake No He hath appointed a Day wherein he will judg the World in Righteousness Acts 17.31 And that is at the general Resurrection God now judgeth the World in Patience winketh or conniveth at many Faults indureth the Wicked with much Long-suffering but then he will judg the World in Righteousness None are punished now besides or beyond their Deservings but all are not punished according to their Deservings nor are the Wrongs of his People righted nor their Labour of Love recompensed Therefore we must expect another Day and Time when that shall be done and that is most fully and universally done in the great and general Day of Judgment when the Dead shall be raised out of their Graves they that have done Good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil to the Resurrection of Damnation And so it serves the Apostle's Scope to prove a Resurrection SERMON II. 1 COR. XV. 19 If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable II. I Must shew the Validity of the Apostle's Argument That there must be a Life to come because otherwise Christians would be of all Men most miserable The Apostle urgeth it here as a strong Proof of the Resurrection and elsewhere he urgeth it as a Demonstration of the general Judgment as when he speaking of the Persecutions of the Righteous telleth us 2 Thess. 1.5 Which is a manifest Token of the righteous Iudgment of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plain and certain Demonstration Surely the Argument is cogent and conclusive But where lieth the Force of it 1. I shall argue from the Nature of God and there 1. I shall begin with his Wisdom which doth things according to Number Weight and Measure and doth rightly dispose things in their proper Places This Wisdom of his will not permit the Disjunction of these two things so closely united together as Sin and Punishment Holiness and Happiness This cannot be but there will be an Appearance of Deformity and Irregularity If there be such a thing as Good and Evil bonum malum morale as Reason will tell us there is again if there be such a thing as Pleasure and Pain Joy and Sorrow or bonum malum naturale as Sense will tell us there is Then it is very agreeable to the Wisdom of God that these things should be rightly placed and sorted That Moral Evil which is Sin should be punished with a natural Evil which is Pain and Misery and that Moral Good which is Holiness should end in Joy and Happiness These seem to be such natural Relatives that without great Incongruity they cannot be parted It seemeth uncomely and an uncouth thing to us when it is otherwise Prov. 26.1 As Snow in Summer and as Rain in Harvest so Honour is not seemly for a Fool. That is as Snow and Rain in Harvest and Summer come unseasonable and unwelcome and breed a kind of Displeasure in our Minds So we look upon it as a Blemish or an uncouth thing when the Wicked are exalted We have Compassion on a miserable Man whom we esteem not deserving his Misery but are moved with Indignation against one that is happy and successful but unworthy the Happiness he injoyeth this is the general Sense of Mankind which is a Proof and plain Document that we perceive an excellent Harmony and natural Order between these two things Sin and Misery Holiness and Happiness and this Sentiment is
to us An Earnest is a part of the Sum which is promised so is the Earnest of the Spirit a part of the promised Felicity God would not altogether weary us and burden us with Expectation but giveth us somewhat in hand Surely he that giveth us Earnest will give us the whole Sum the Earnest of the Spirit consisteth in Light Life Grace Joy one Dram of these is more precious than all the World and yet these are but an Earnest Now having such a Confirmation in the midst of our Doubts and Fears let us with more Confidence look to receive the whole in due Season 4. Some already have got home to God upon the same Terms and in the same Way in which you expect to get home to him Think often of the Happiness of the Blessed who are now enjoying what we expect and are in possession of that supreme Good which we hope for They are entred into the Joy of our Lord and have neither Miseries to fear nor Blessings to desire beyond what they enjoy they possess all that they love And tho the time of our Advancement to these Privileges be not yet come yet we should look and long for it We are all of the same Family Eph. 3.15 Of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named It is but one Houshold some live in the upper Room some in the lower some in Heaven some on Earth but we are all of the same Society and Community Heb. 12.23 To the general Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven We are said to be already come into this Fellowship only they have gotten the start of us and are made perfect before us that we should follow after We are reconciled to the same God by the same Christ Col 1.20 By him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven And we expect our Portion from the Bounty of the same Father If he hath been so good to that part of the Family which is now in Heaven will he not be as good to the other Part also Therefore they that are working out their Salvation with fear and trembling may encourage themselves and look upon this Felicity as prepared for them tho not enjoyed by them It will one day be their Portion as well as those others who have passed the Pikes and are now triumphing with God A SERMON UPON ROMANS II. 7 To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life IN this Scripture we have a plain and full Character of the Heirs of Promise or a short but compleat Description of that Good which is necessary to Life The Words are occasioned by the Apostle's mentioning of the righteous Judgment of God which rendereth to every Man according to their Works That General mentioned in ver 6. is more distinctly explained in the next Verses wherein he sheweth how the righteous Judg will carry himself towards the Good and towards the Bad in the Judgment of Absolution and Condemnation towards the Good in the Text toward the Bad ver 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Indignation and Wrath. The one is a Reward of Grace and the other is a Punishment awarded by his exact Justice We are to consider the first of these the Reward of Grace To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life In the Words observe the Qualification and the Reward 1. The Qualification or Description of the Heirs of Promise 1. By their End and Design They seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality 2. The Means or way wherein they seek it by well-doing 3. Their Constancy and Perseverance in that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by patient Continuance Well then 1 st Here is a short and full Description of those who shall be saved They are those who out of the Hope of the eternal Reward persevere in the Obedience of the Truth for they that continue in well-doing are opposed to them that obey not the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Whereby is intended those that sin against the Light of Nature and refuse the Direction of the Gospel So that well-doing must be stated partly by the Light of Nature and partly by the Light of Scripture or rather by this latter alone as it comprizeth and explaineth the other And their Constancy and patient Continuance in this Work is as considerable as the Work it self Continuance implieth a constant Tenour of Righteousness and Holiness and patient Continuance implies Continuance notwithstanding Temptations to the contrary or bearing the Persecutions which they underwent for the Duties of the Christian Profession still going on in the Pursuit of that Reward which Christ hath promised 2. The Reward is Eternal Life This they looked and this they laboured for They were not carried on upon temporal Incouragements but eternal Bliss in the World to come And this is an excellent Counterpoise against the Loss or the Discomforts of the present Life Doct. That God will give Eternal Life to all those who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek after it The Point will be best opened by discussing the Circumstances of the Text. I shall speak I. Of the Qualification II. Of the Reward I. The Qualification And there I must speak First Of their Design and Aim They seek for Glory Honour and Immortality In all Businesses and Affairs the end must be first thought of Now these Persons which are here described propound to themselves the noblest and highest End which the Heart of Man can pitch upon even Glory Honour and Immortality Amongst Men the Ambitious who aspire to Crowns and Kingdoms and aim at perpetual Fame by their Vertues and rare Exploits are judged Persons of greater Gallantry than covetous Muckworms and brutish Epicures yet their highest Thoughts and Designs are very base and low in comparison of sincere Christians who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality and whom nothing less will content and satisfy than the Injoyment of God himself in his Heavenly Kingdom and all that Happiness which he hath promised to his faithful Servants The Threshold will not content them but the Throne Their End is far more noble than the Designs of all the rest of the World And whereas others do carry themselves but as an higher and wiser sort of Beasts and so are unworthy of an immortal Soul these carry themselves as Men possessed with a Divine Spirit The Beasts have an Instinct that guideth them to seek things convenient for that Life which they have And a Man that is satisfied with his Portion here and only relisheth the Contentments of the rational and bodily Life carrieth himself more like a living Creature than a rational Creature more like a Beast than like a Man All their Business and Bustle is to have their
Iesus Christ. Where the three Persons are again mentioned and their Concurrence to our Salvation 2. That Words proper to their personal Operation are used for there is Love ascribed to the Father Grace to the Son and Communion to the Holy Ghost The Father is represented as the Fountain of Love and all Goodness and as expressing and exerting his Love by the Son and Spirit By the Grace of Christ is meant all that gracious Provision which he hath made for Man's Salvation both in the reconciling God to us and procuring the Mission of the Spirit Communion is ascribed to the Spirit because all is applied or communicated to us by him Or thus our Salvation is ascribed in Election to the Love of the Father in Redemption to the Grace of the Son in Sanctification to the Communion or Participation of the Holy Ghost 1st The Love of God Love is ascribed to the Father for the Love of God is the Cause of all consider his giving Christ for us or giving Christ to us and us to him 1. In giving Christ for us Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life Christ did not merit electing Love but Love rather moved God to give Christ for Sinners Love appointed the Son to be our Redeemer there was the Bosom and Bottom-Cause 2. In giving Christ to us Iohn 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out John 17.6 I have manifested thy Name unto the Men which thou gavest me out of the World thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy Word And in time he doth execute and accomplish this out of his meer Love Ier. 31.3 The Lord hath appeared to me of old saying Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting Love therefore with Loving-kindness have I drawn thee As by Elective Love the Heirs of Salvation were distinguished from others in God himself or in his Intention and Purpose so by Regeneration and converting Love they are distinguished from others in themselves and set apart from the rest of the World to be the Objects of his special Love and Instruments of his Glory Besides there is a Love of God whereby he loveth us when we are in Christ Jesus which is the Ground of our Safety and Preservation Rom. 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 2dly The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. What is intended us by the Father is brought about by the Grace of the Redeemer and therefore all the Provision Christ had made for our Salvation is called Grace 2 Cor. 8.9 For ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his Poverty might be rich That is ye know his gracious Condescension in submitting to such a mean Condition for our sakes So 1 Cor. 16.23 The Grace of Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Grace is God's Favour and Love which was first purchased by Christ by his Obedience and bloody Sufferings Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ. Secondly applied by his Intercession which is also another Act of his Grace and therefore we come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help us in time of need Heb. 4.16 Namely having a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Son of God ver 14. who knoweth our Infirmities Thirdly As it is bestowed by him as Lord of the New Creation upon such Terms as every way keep up the Honour and Interest of Grace in our Salvation Ephes. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God All the saving Benefits we have by Christ are from Grace such as Reconciliation with God the Renovation of our Natures and everlasting Glory and Happiness they are all dispensed in a gracious way from first to last 3dly The Communion of the Holy Ghost Communion is ascribed to the Holy Ghost It may be rendred Communion or Communication The Spirit reneweth and changeth our Nature and worketh Faith and Holiness in us Light Life and Love are the special Benefits which he communicates to us He doth enlighten our Minds to understand and believe the great things prepared for us by God through Jesus Christ. It is said 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God So Ephes. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledg of him the Eyes of your Vnderstanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the Hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Life for we live in the Spirit and are born of the Spirit that is have a new Life begotten in us therefore called a Spirit of Life before we lived as Men now as Christians And Love the Heart is bent and inclined to God It began in Love and endeth in Love Love of God endeth in Love to God This threefold Effect is expressed 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear but of Power of Love and a sound Mind Life in Power as Light in a sound Mind And it is all together called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be Partakers of the Divine Nature For it answereth to the Wisdom Power and Goodness of God 3. That all these Words imply Riches of Goodness Bounty and Liberality Love noteth a ready Inclination to do Good to others without the Excitement of external Motives it openeth and inlargeth the Heart to another and then the Hand cannot be shut 2 Cor. 6.11 O ye Corinthians our Mouth is open unto you our Heart is enlarged Grace is some good thing freely given So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communion noteth a liberal Effusion or Distribution of the Graces of God's sanctifying Spirit and so it suteth with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Love of God and the Grace of Christ Elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Communion of the Spirit is joined with Bowels and Mercies Phil. 2.1 If any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies that is if you have received any Good from Christ by the Spirit So Rom. 15.26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain Contribution for
our Sins in his own Blood And for God the Spirit we also find our Hearts raised to give him Glory partly by the Motions of his Grace which we feel in our Hearts Psal. 143.10 Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of Vprightness Nehem. 9.20 Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them The Sanctifier Guide and Comforter of Believers is God's Spirit he is the only Author and Fountain of all Goodness and Holiness And partly by the comfortable Sense he begets in us of our Adoption Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And of our Hopes of Glory 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who hath also given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit And partly by the Support and Comfort we have from him in all our Conflicts and Distresses 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 3. That we may with more Confidence wait for the Beginning Progress and Consummation of our own Salvation There is the eternal Love of God the alsufficient Merit of Christ and the omnipotent Operation of the Holy Ghost What cannot Eternal Love Infinite Merit and Almighty Power do As Christ is necessary to keep all right between us and God so the Spirit is necessary to keep all right between us and Christ. As we need a Person of the Godhead to satisfy the Justice of God so also to overcome our Obstinacy and Unbelief and to vanquish Temptations and Doubts and Fears and to settle us in the Comfort and Hope of the Gospel It is God's Prerogative to settle the Conscience Isa. 57.19 I create the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace to him that is afar off and to him that is nigh saith the Lord. God is the supream Judg and the wronged Party He commands his Loving-kindness in the Day-time Psal. 42.8 By a powerful Imperial Act of the Spirit he stilleth our Doubts and Fears 4. That the whole Glory of our Salvation may redound to God alone Therefore the Divine Persons carry it on among themselves Love Grace and Communication do all To the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 Grace is the Fountain-Cause of our Election Grace bringeth it about for who could ransom a Soul except Christ had taken the Work in hand There would have been a stop there Psal. 49.7 8. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him for the Redemption of their Soul is precious and ceaseth for ever There would have been a stop there Grace applies all What are we before the Grace of the Spirit How unworthy till Grace made us lovely How unable to lay hold on it before the Spirit of God enable us Rom. 5.6 For when we were yet without Strength in due time Christ died for the Vngodly And how unable are we to make good use of it afterward For 1. What was our Behaviour before Calling Disobedient serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Titus 3.3 2. In Calling it was slight and â—efractory Iob 33.14 For God speaketh once yea twice but Man perceiveth it not He often inviteth but Men take no notice of what so much concerneth their Souls good but slight all Warnings and Instructions lay not their Condition to heart and many an Opportunity is lost but God overcometh Mens Evil by his own Goodness and will not lose his Elect therefore ver 16. He openeth the Ears of Men and sealeth their Instruction that is breaketh in upon them in such a powerful way that they cannot withstand it 3. Since Calling there are frequent Interruptions of Obedience Iames 3.2 For in many things we offend all Our best Performances are weak and full of Blemishes Isa. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags So that from first to last all floweth from God and all floweth from Love and Grace and Communication of the Spirit that our Persons and Actions are accepted Now it is our Duty to acknowledg this Love and highly esteem this glorious Grace and to testify our Esteem by Word and Work By Word â—n Praises by Deed expressing our Thankfulness in our Lives that they may be a constant Hymn to God and a Praise of his Grace that we are made Partakers of Vse 1. To encourage us to seek after the Effects of this Love of God Grace of Jesus Christ and Communion of the Spirit 1. I will plead your Want What will you do if you have not Father Son and Holy Ghost for your God You have your Beings from him for a while but the Day of his Patience will not always last You must die and give an Account and woful yea dreadful will their Account be who are not only involved in the common Apostacy but have heard of the Transactions of Father Son and Holy Ghost about their Recovery and never minded the Benefit or made light of it Surely it is woful Dulness and Stupidity not to value it and to feel no need of it 2 Cor. 6.1 We then as VVorkers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain What Grace was that God was in Christ reconciling the VVorld to himself chap. 5.19 That Grace which the Father hath contrived for your Salvation that Grace for which Christ laid down his Life that Grace which is so affectionately tendred in the Gospel that Grace and that free undeserving Mercy which is so sutable to your Necessities Will you despise this It was an Act of infinite Love of God to design it and reveal it to you of Christ to purchase it for you of the Holy Ghost to offer it to you yea to strive with you to make you capable of it Shall the Gospel be cast away upon you and all those gracious Methods of God frustrated Or have you no need of it How will you maintain Peace in your Consciences now without Grace How will you stand before God's Tribunal at the last Day 2. Let me plead the Worth of it He that hath this Love of God this Grace of Christ this Communion of the Spirit wanteth nothing to his solid Happiness He hath all necessary things in their Cause and Fountain for he hath God Christ and the Spirit For all things come from the Love of God and the Grace of Christ and the Communion of the Holy Ghost And he doth possess all things in that measure that God sees fit for him Psal. 84.11 The Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly It bringeth other Mercies with it and nothing is
Christ forgave you so also do ye We are of touchy spiteful revengeful Spirits and cannot pass by the least wrong and think it a Disgrace so to do we think a Man is a Dolt and hath no Mettle in him if he be not presently heated into a Distemper but Solomon says Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man deferrs his anger and it is his glory to pass over a Transgression This was the Temper of Christ to exercise Love and tender Affection to his Enemies Now if we imitate Christ in these things then are we Christians and Disciples indeed SERMON VIII ON MARK X. v. 21. And take up the Cross. 3 Doct. ALL those that follow Christ should prepare their Shoulders for the Cross. Here I shall shew 1. What it is to take up the Cross. 2. The Reasons why they must so do I. What it is to take up the Cross. 1. Negatively 1. Not to devise a voluntary Affliction to our selves as Baal's Priests gashed themselves 1 Kings 18.28 They cryed aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancers till their blood gushed out upon them and the Pharisees had their Self-Disciplines Christ is a lover of Humane Nature and he hath put no such severe Penance upon us This is to make the Cross not to take it up Origen that was too Allegorical in plain Texts was too literal when he castrated himself upon that Text Matth. 19.12 There be Eunuchs which have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake Christ only intended power over our Natural Affections 2. Not to draw sufferings upon our selves by our own Rashness and Folly Iames 1.2 My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations He saith when ye fall into them not when ye draw them upon your self It was Tertullian's Error to say That Afflictions are to be sought and desired Man is never satisfied with his present Condition sometimes we question God's Love when we have no Afflictions and anon when we have nothing but Afflictions In all these things we must referr our selves to God's Pleasure not desire Troubles but bear them and improve them when he layeth them on us Christ hath taught us to pray Lead us not into Temptation it is but a fond Presumption to cast our selves upon it Philastrius and Theodoret speak of some that would compell Men to kill them out of an Affectation of Martyrdom this was a mad Ambition not a true Zeal And no less fond are they that seek out Crosses and Troubles rather than wait for them or by their own Violence and Miscarriage draw a just hatred upon themselves Christ would not that for his sake we should run headlong into Dangers and without Necessity there is a Medium between Faintness and Rashness Christ himself did not take up the Cross till it was laid upon him If a Man set fire on his own House he is liable to the Law if it be fired by Accident he is pitied and relieved Therefore we are not to seek the Cross or make it but bear it and take it up not to fill the Cup our selves but to drink it off when God puts it into our hands to take it up when we cannot avoid it without Sin or a breach upon our Consciences we are not to shift then or avoid it by unlawful means 2. Positively To bear it patiently and willingly when we cannot avoid it without Sin When we are brought into a Necessity of either Suffering or Sinning in such cases there must be a chearful free voluntary submission of our selves to suffer the whole Will of God To take up the Cross implyeth 1. Faithfulness and Integrity without shifting 2. Patience and Submission without murmuring 3. Joy and Chearfulness without fainting 1. Faithfulness and Integrity without Shifting Many distinguish themselves out of their Duty and when God calleth them to suffering put a Fallacy upon their Souls Gal. 6.12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be Circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. They cannot live without Honour and Ease and Plenty and therefore turn and wind themselves to shift the Cross. Our Lord Jesus offered himself Psal. 40.7 8. Then said I lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God! yea thy Law is within my heart So should we resign our selves when the Will of God is so and give up the Comforts of our Lives when we can hold them no longer and be glad we have something of value to esteem as nothing for Christ. The Apostle speaks of some who are Enemies of the Cross of Christ whose God is their Belly whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Phil. 3.18 19. Multum interest inter Theologum gloriae Theologum crucis Men that have no love to God but only serve their fleshly Appetites and look no higher than Riches and Honours and Pleasures and Applause will never be faithful to Christ. There are a sort of Men that study to save themselves not from Sin but from Danger and accordingly accommodate themselves to every Interest As the men of Keilah dealt with David they entertained him for a while but when Saul pursued him they resolved to betray him they would come into no Danger and Trouble for him so they deal with Religion 2. Patience and Submission without Murmuring We shew our Obedience to God in suffering his Will as well as doing his Will He is Soveraign in his Acts of Providence as well as in his Laws And this we must do without murmuring or repining against God as if he did us wrong or did deal hardly with us Isa. 30.15 In quietness and confidence shall be your strength that is in Faith and Patience humbly submitting to Gods Will and depending on his favour and gracious Protection There must be a submissive Attendance upon God Psal. 62.1 Truly my Soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my Salvation Psal. 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it not uttering impatient words God's Will silenceth all 3. Chearful Behaviour under the Cross Rom. 5.3 And not only so but we glory in Tributation also James 1.2 My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Afflictions to God's People do not only minister occasion of Patience but great Joy 2 Cor. 7.4 I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I overflow with Joy A dejected Spirit doth not behave it self answerably to its Principles Priviledges and Hopes Are you at peace with God and have you Communion with him at every turn And have you Hopes of Glory and are you so troubled when you are a little cut short in your Temporal Comforts A Christian should be at an indifferency to rejoyce as if he rejoyced not and mourn as if he mourned not Dejection of Spirit argueth too great addictedness
to worldly Comforts and Love of Ease and Flesh-pleasing and Ingratitude for all the Spiritual Good we have received Shall God lay in such great Comforts and after such great Receivings do you take it ill to be put to a little Expence Iob 15.11 Are the Consolations of God small with thee If you had a due sence of the World to come you would be glad to keep your Conscience thô you lose your Coat Hebr. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Do you look for a Glory to be revealed in you Then look upon all the Sufferings of this Life as a Feather put into the Scales against a Talent We are to have a sense of our Condition yet in regard of the Honour done to us to bear a part of Christ's Cross and in regard of the Comfort and Happiness provided for us we should be chearful that it may not be known to be an unwilling Patience and extorted by force There is one Expression more Luke 9.23 Let him take up his Cross daily How daily There are fair days as well as foul days and the Face of Heaven doth not always look sad and lowring How then are we to take up the Cross daily I Answer 1. It notes a daily expectation of it the first day that we begin to be Christians we must reckon on the Cross. Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me These words are the Christians Indenture and every one must Seal to this before he can call Christ Master As Porters stand in a Street waiting for a Burden for them to carry so must a Christian be ready and prepared to meet with any hardship which God may lay out for him in his Christian Course Or as the Israelites eat the first Passeover with their loins girded their shooes on their feet and their staff in their hand Exod. 12.11 as ready for a Journey so should a Christian be ready to go forth at God's Call Acts 21.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Evils familiarized are less burdensome by renewing our daily Resolution the evil is the less when it cometh 2. The Frequency of our Conflicts as if every day there were some exercise for our Faith and Patience We are not to prescribe to God how long or how much Affliction he shall exercise us with No thô it were all the days of our Lives we must be content it is but a moment to Eternity We must take up our Cross as often as it lyeth in our way and we cannot baulk it without Sin Gen. 47.9 Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been Man is Born to Trouble The World is a Valley of Tears not the Mount of the Lord where is fulness of Joy If there were no Cross we should not be in Tune and Consort with the rest of the World for here all the Creatures are a groaning 3. The Word Daily sheweth That private and personal Calamities are a part of the Cross as well as the Afflictions of the Gospel and for the Profession of the Name of Christ. Afflictions are either for God or from God Sickness and Death of Friends and loss of Estate by an immediate Providence are a part of our Cross There is an enduring Persecution for the Name of Christ and an enduring Affliction at the Will of Christ. Ordinary Crosses do not exclude the Comforts of Christianity these occasion Experience of God and Tryal of Grace and are a part of God's Discipline for the mortifying of Sin and are happy opportunities to discover more of God and of Grace to us Yea there is more Reason for Submission in these because God taketh us into his own hands A Man that stormeth when a Bucket of water is cast upon him is patient when he is wet with the Rain that cometh from Heaven II. The Reasons why those that follow Christ should prepare their Shoulders for the Cross. 1. That we may be conformed to our Head He had a bitter Cup tempered for him by his Father's hand Iohn 18.11 The Cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drink it and we must pledge him Jesus Christ was a Man of Sorows and acquainted with grief Isa. 53.3 And there would be a strange disproportion between Head and Members if we should altogether live in Delicacy Ease and Pleasures The bitter Cup goeth by course and round first to Christ then to his Apostles and it goeth from hand to hand ever since The Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.24 that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. There is Christ personal and Christ mystical Christ personal as he is compleat in himself so his Sufferings are compleat but the Sufferings of Christ mystical are not perfect until every Member have their own allotted share and portion Indeed our Sufferings are but the drops upon the brim of the Cup he drank up the Dreggs The great Wave of Affliction did first beat upon him and being thereby broken some small sprinklings of it do light upon us we bear the hinder part of the Cross of Christ. It is but Reason that those that will partake with Christ in his Kingdom should be partakers with him in his Sorrows and that the Souldiers should follow the Captain of their Salvation Heb. 2.10 and fare as he fared Iohn 15.20 Remember the word that I said unto you the Servant is not greater than the Lord if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you We cannot in Reason expect better entertainment than he found in the World If you had an high esteem of Christ and a low esteem of your selves you would easily consent to submit to the Will of God herein It is an unseemly daintiness to be nice and tender of carrying the Cross after Jesus Christ as if we were better than he Many Christians will seem to express much Devotion to a Crucifix or those Chips of Wood which Impostors cry up for pieces of the Cross of Christ but here is true respect to the Cross of Christ to be willing for Christ's sake to bear afflictions with patience and humble submission The Apostle counted all things but dross and dung Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death There is a great deal of sweetness and spiritual Comfort in suffering after for and with Christ we should count all things dung and dross to gain this Experience This should be comfort enough to a gracious heart that thereby he is made more like his
proper Lord Psal 119 45. I will walk at Liberty for I seek thy Precepts To will and do things pleasing to our Creator Preserver and Redeemer Again if man have a Liberty it must be such a Liberty as leaveth him in a capacity to pursue his chief good and last end The more we are restrained from this the more we are in Bondage the less the more free Certainly the reasonable Nature is under a defect as 't is restrained and disabled from the Fruition of God or seeking after it For man was made for this end and is so far fettered as he is kept from it but this is little minded all our desire is to live at large and to have none to controul us 3. It proceeds from the Nature of Christs Laws 1. They are spiritual 2. They require self-denial 1. They are strict and spiritual Precepts which require the Subjection of the whole Man to Christ Thoughts Desires Inclinations as well as Actions The Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal saith the Apostle Rom. 7.14 That is it requireth inward Purity as well as external Conformity Now men will rather endure any external Burdens how heavy and hard soever than Christs spiritual Yoak Take for an instance the Pharisaical Institutions and Christs Law For the one 't is said Mat. 23.4 They bind heavy Burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on mens Shoulders They had little Compassion on the People and therefore imposed rigorous and severe Ordinances upon them But Mat. 11.30 Christ saith My Yoak is easie and my Burden is light Yet at that time there were more Proselyted to the Sect of the Pharisees than embraced the Doctrine of Christ Men will part with any thing sooner than their Lusts Micah 6.6 7. Perform costly Sacrifices deny many of the feelings of Nature and all that they may keep their beloved Sins The sensual nature of Man is such that it is loth to be crossed which produceth Prophaneness and Dissoluteness and men ingulph themselves in all manner of sensualities because they are loth to deny their natural Appetites and Desires and to row against the stream of Flesh and Blood So the young man is said to walk in the ways of his own Heart and the sight of his Eyes Eccles. 11.9 But if Nature be to be crossed a little 't is done by some only for a while and in some slight manner and this produceth Hypocrisie Isa. 58.5 To bow down the Head for a day like a Buâ—rush If this will not quiet Conscience we are apt to exceed in outward observances and rigorous impositions or macerating the Body by some by-Laws of our own and this produceth Superstition Col. 2.19 Touch not tast not handle not We place our Religion in abstinence from such Meats or in such Penances and exterior Mortifications and so he bound in Chains of our own making â—hus these three great evils Prophaneness Hypocrisie and Superstition grow upon the same Stem and Root But when Christ requireth us to serve God in the Spirit to subdue the Hâ—art to him this we cannot endure Therefore in all these ways of Religion wherein men walk who would not have Christ to Reign over them you may still observe they check at his spiritual Laws 2 Christ by his Laws requireth self-denial Mat. 16.24 If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me We are to deny our own Wit and our own Will Our own Wit or Wisdom so faâ— as it is conâ—rary Christianity 1 Cor. 3.18 Let no man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this World let him be a â—ool that he may be wise To condemn our own former Life wherein we so much pleased our selves our own Will For none are longer to be at their own dispose 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your Body is â—he Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are nâ—t your own Now men are so averse from this that it is a kind of a Mâ—racle that any are brought to deny themselves and subject all their thoughts and desires to Christ. I. Vse is Information 1. It sheweth us whence all the Contentions arise which are raised about Religion in the World Some may ignorantly mistake things and some proud Wits may oppose Christs Prophetical Office contradict the Mysteries of our most Holy Faith some may lessen the Merit of his Sacrifice but the most general Errour is Men will not have him to Reign over them All the corrupt part of the World oppose his Kingly Office many that are right in Doctrine are yet Carnal as to Practice They acknowledge the Redemption of Christ and Justification by Faith but will not make straight steps to their Feet and live by Christs Laws I am sure this is the great damning Sin in the Orthodox And as to Doctrine in the reformed part of the World Alas what will it avail you to cry up his Merits while you cannot endure his strict spiritual Precepts This is to set the Saviour against the Lawgiver the Priest against the King 2. It informeth us how much they disserve Christianity that will hear of no Injunctions of Duty or mention of the Law of Faith or of the New Covenant as a Law Besides that they take part with the Caâ—nal World who cannot endure Christs Reign and Government they blot out all Religion with one dash If there be no Law there is no Government nor Governour no Duty no Sin no Punishment nor Reward for these things necessarily infer one another A Governour inferreth a Government and all regular Government is by Law how shall the Subjects else know what is Sin and Duty for Verum est index sui obliqui The Law that stateth Duty doth give us the Knowledge of Sin and without a sanction of Penalties and Rewards all is but an Arbitrary Direction which we may observe or neglect at our Pleasure and no harm or good come of it Now these are horrid and uncouth Notions that stab Religion at the very Heart 3. Iâ— informeth us What a difficult thing it is to seat Christ in his spiritual Throne namely in the Hearts of all faithful Christians The Voice of corrupt Nature is We will not have this Man to Reign over us And till we are brought under the Government of Christ other Lords have Dominion over us as the Prophet speaketh Isa. 26.13 And they will not easily quit their Possession We are ruled by the â—evâ—l the Flesh and the World The Devil and we must be rescued from him before we can be brought into the Kingdom of Christ Col. 1.13 Now there is old Tugging and Wrestling to rescue the prey out of Satans hands The World Christs ransom respected that Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself that he might deliver us from this present evil World And so doth the Application of this Salvation by the Spirit for till we get rid of the
Faith standeth us in most stead Acts 3.19 Repent ye 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 by the one we are freed from the guilt of Sin and so have deliverance from Eternal Death By the other we have not only right but entrance into Eternal Glory What is our whole scope but to be absolved by Christ at last and enter into Eternal Life Finally these two are to be regarded to obviate their mistake who think indeed that Faith and it may be Repentance is necessary to pardon or to dissolve our Obligation to Punishment but not new Obedience But in their place all the Conditions are necessary They think new Obedience is necessary to Salvation or Eternal Life but not to Justification But Salvation is as gracious an Act of Mercy as free and undeserved a Gift as Pardon Rom. 6.23 The wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Eternal Life is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wages but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gift of God It is as much merited by Christ as the other and therefore as proper a part yea the chief part of the Hope of Righteousness by Faith and that which is only waited for and not injoyed III. What is the work of the Spirit in this business in urging Believers to wait for the Hope of Righteousness by Faith I Answer the work of the Spirit doth either concern the Duties of the new Covenant or the Priviledges of the new Covenant or what is common to them both I begin with the latter 1. What is common to them both He doth convince us of the Truth of the Gospel both of means and end that there is such an Hope and the Righteousness of Faith is the only way to obtain it Now this he doth Externally and Internally 1. Externally and by way of Objective Evidence All the certainty that we have of the Gospel is by the Spirit Acts 5.32 We are Witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Ghost which he hath given to them that obey him And Iohn 15. 26 27. When the Comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me And ye also shall bear witness because ye have been with me from the beginning Mark in both these places the two solemn Witnesses are the Spirit and the Apostles the one Principal the other Ministerial the one declaring Doctrine and Matter of Fact the other assuring the World of the Truth of their Testimony The Apostles testified of Christs sayings and doings and the Holy Ghost which came down upon them and the rest that consorted with them and was given in some measure to those that obeyed their Doctrine was an undoubted Evidence that God owned it from Heaven Here was enough to open mens Eyes and to give them a right understanding of his Person and Doctrine that it was of God The Visible Gifts of the Holy Ghost and his powerful working in the Hearts of men in order to their Conversion unto God These admirable Gifts and Graces shed abroad upon men were a Notable Conviction to the World that Christ was a Teacher sent from God to teach men the way to Eternal Life and Happiness This did afford sufficient matter of Confirmation and Conviction by the Spirit shed abroad and poured forth on the Christian Church 2. Internally inlightning their Minds and inclining their Hearts to imbrace the Truth Which maketh the former Testimony effectual So the Apostle prayeth Eph. 1.17 For the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Christ the eyes of their understanding being inlightned that they might know what is the hope of his Calling and the Riches of the Glory of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light To the sight of any thing these things are necessary an Object a Medium a Faculty As in outward sight an Object that may be seen a convenient light to represent it and make the Object perspicuous An Organ or Faculty of seeing in the Eye Unless there be an Object you bid a man see nothing Unless there be a Medium a due light to represent it as in a fog or at Midnight the sharpest sight can see nothing Unless there be a Faculty neither the Object nor Medium will avail a Blind-man cannot see any thing at Noon-day Now here is an Object the way of Salvation by Christ A convenient light it is represented in the Gospel And the Faculty is prepared for the Eyes of the Mind are opened by the Spirit that we may see both Way and End the necessity of Holiness and the reality of future Glory and Blessedness Alas without this sight we busie our selves about Vanities and Childish Toys and never Mind the things which are most necessary certainly we can have no saving understanding of Spiritual Truths neither what is the Benefit of Christianity or the blessed Condition of Gods People Nor what are the Duties of Christianity so as our Hearts may be held to them or how we may behave our selves as true Believers 2. The Work of the Spirit as to the Duties of the new Covenant He doth not only convince us of the Reality and the Necessity of Christs Obedience and our Holiness but by his Powerful Operation frameth and inclineth our Hearts to the Duties required of us Faith it self is wrought in us by this Holy Spirit for it is the Gift of God Eph. 2.8 And so is Repentance and Obedience Heb. 8.10 I will write my Laws upon their Hearts and put them into their Minds Moses his Law was written on Tables of Stone as a Rule without them but Christs Law on the Heart and Mind as drawing and inclining them to obey it The Renewing Grace of the Spirit of God doth prepare us and fit us and his exciting Grace doth quicken us that we may do what is pleasing in his sight And therefore if we profess to live under the new Covenant we are inexcusable if we do not bestir our selves and accomplish the work of Faith with Power and obey from the Heart the Doctrine delivered to us Indeed the Spirit doth most naturally put us upon spiritual Worship and spiritual Holiness these things agree most with his Being and Nature The observances of the Law were carnal yet as long as Gods command continued the Spirit inclined to Obedience to them But a better Law being enacted by Christ the Spirit that proceedeth from the Father and the Son suiteth his Operations accordingly For he cometh into us as Christs Spirit He shall take of mine and glorifie me John 16.14 All that he doth accordeth with Christ as Christs Will doth with the Father 3. The work of the Spirit as to the priviledges of the New Covenant which are pardon and life 1. As to Pardon he is the Comforter He cometh