though 't is far from giving any true rest to the mind of man that being the peculiar property of God and an interest in him to do yet does it free a man much from those disquiets before mentioned for though a man in this estate may be supposed to have the same disturbing and devouring Lusts yet are they kept much under a restraint not having that fewel to feed them which Riches afford and which are of that nature that the more they are used the more insatiable they are in their cravings 2. A middle worldly Estate to a man as such is better than either of the Extreams with respect to the Body and that as it is a condition that hath a greater tendency to its health and preventing manifold Diseases and Infirmities to which it is liable whilst in this lower world 'T is true all Sicknesses and bodily Distempers that are either afflictive or destructive to mans Body are at the dispose of God in whose hands are all our times He kills and he makes alive he wounds Deut. 32 39. and he heals He says to them as the Centurion to his Servants go and they go come and they come do this and they do it Mat. 8.9 So that our Lives and Healths have no absolute dependance upon secondary Causes yet it must be acknowledged in the ordinary way of his Proâ—idence he dispences the weal or wo of the Body by external means Now 1. As to Poverty how many visible hazards do those that are poor run as to their Health and how many ways do bodily Infirmities beset them Sometimes through the want of these Creature-accommodations that God in the ordinary way of his Providence hath made necessary for the upholding of the Fabrick of Nature and repairing its dilapidations to which it is incident for want of supplies Little do you think who sit down at your well spred Tables how many of your poor Brethren would be glad of your Fragments whose Lamp of Life dwindles away sometimes for want of Oyl to feed it besides excessive Heats and Colds contracted by their Labours and Pains that they are at to fill their bellies and cover their nakedness as also unwholsom Diet and many times not enough of that neither 2. As to Riches these are so far from preventing these bodily Infirmities that commonly they hasten and heighten them proving temptations to those who are destitute of Gods Grace to sloth and idleness upon the account of which the Body like a standing Pool contracts filth and mud so the Body gross humors to its great prejudice especially hereby is occasioned Intemperance and Excess in eating and drinking which proves not only pernicious to the Soul but also destructive to the â—ealth of the Body as Erasmus speaking of the Epicures of his days makes this Remark Dum invitant ad coenam efferunt ad sepulchrum How many fresh instances might be produced wherein it might appear that many have so long drank Healths to others that they have drank away their own whilst a middle worldly condition tends to the preventing many of those evils by which the Body as well as the Soul suffers But I hasten to the second Head of Arguments Secondly A middle worldly condition is most eligible to a man as a Christian and as designing the happiness of the other world as it is most subservient to the living to God here and living with God hereafter This my Brethren if we be in our right minds is and ought to be the main scope and business of our Lives Hence that worldly condition that may rationally be judged most conducing to that end is doubtless the most eligible Now that a middle state considering our present Circumstances viz. those internal depravities with which we are infected is the most desirable I shall endeavour to evince This world and the time allotted for our abode here is the time for our acquainting our selves with God Job 22.21 that we may be at peace and that all good may come unto us all the good that God hath promised and that Christ hath purchased Now that condition that may afford most helps and fewest hinderances to this great Business is certainly the most eligible condition I have only this to premise by way of Caution that there is no condition in the world so well circumstantiated that can be so dispositive of us to our future happiness but that without the Almighty and out-stretched Arm of Sovereign Grace we shall still be left in a lost and perishing condition yet we do affirm there are some conditions in the world that though they are not in the least auxiliary to God who worketh in us to will and to do Phil. 2.13 and that of his good pleasure yet are they if wisely managed advantageous unto us for our improving those helps by which God is pleased to communicate his Grace to us In this respect the Apostle prefers a single before a married condition He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord 1 Cor. 7 32 33 34. but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world how be may please his Wife c. By which the Apostle shews the advantage in some respects that the single person hath beyond those who are married in the Service of God so also a middle condition seems to have the advantage of both the forementioned Extreams and this will be more evident if we consider that there are three things prerequisite and necessarily to be minded by us in order to our future happiness 1. A right and orderly entring into the way of salvation by the door of sound Regeneration and Conversion 2. A Progress in that way by a holy and heavenly Conversation 3. A Perseverance in that way of Faith and Holiness to the end against all internal or external opposition Now a middle worldly condition appears both from Rational and Scripture accounts to be the most subservient unto all these 1. Such as ever truly design to enter into Heaven when they die must get into the way that leads thither whilst they live Mat 7.13 14. Now every way hath an entrance that leads to it The entrance into this way is by the Door of Regeneration So our blessed Saviour plainly tells us John 3.3 Verily verily I say unto you except a man he born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And what this new Birth imports you may find v. 5. Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God To which I might add many parallel places Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven No Conversion no Salvation Now that Condition in the world from whence results the fewest Hinderances and the most Helps for our entrance in at this strait Gate is doubtless the most eligible and
understandings why all sorts of Persons are hankering after an earthly Happiness And now I shall speak largely in the third to what I little more than hinted in the second Proposition It is onely Serious Godliness that can any whit really abate the Vanity Prop. III that cleaves to every Condition Other things may like Topical Medicines as Playsters to the Wrists repell the Disease but while they do not remove the cause they cannot Cure it We may exchange one Vanity for another and the Novelty may please us for a while but when that is over the Vexation returns 'T is true God alone can cure us but what ever method he takes to do it whether of Indulgence or Severity 't is alwayes by framing the Heart and Life to Serious Godliness to hate Sin and love Holiness to live a Life of Faith in dependance upon God and resignation to him to live above the transports of hopes and fears about things temporal and to grow up in the Graces and Comforts of the Holy Ghost for things Eternal In short to be Blessings to the World while we live and to be Blessed with God when we dye this is the business and fruit of Serious Godliness And this alone is that which at present can effectually abate the vexatious Vanities which every Condition swarms with The wisest man in the World cannot tell what is good for man in this Life No man can tell what worldly Condition is better for him than that which is his present Condition Among the variety of things under the Sun which the Heart of man is apt to be drawn out unto neither he himself nor any other for him is able certainly to inform him which of all those 't is best for him to enjoy and to reap Comfort from Whether it be better for him to be rich or poor high or low in private retirement or in publick service Some mens greatness hath undone them they had never been so wicked had not their Wealth been fuel for their Lusts Achitophel might have lived longer had he not been so wise No man can tell whether that he snatcheth at with most greediness have not a hook under the Bait or be not tempered with Poyson Those that live by Rapine and Violence Prov. 1.18 They lay wait for their own blood they lurk privily for their own lives But you 'l say these are hot-headed Persons live extravagantly walk by no Rule don't take time to consider well turn your Eyes from these to those that are most accomplisht for humane wisdom and knowledge Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be Wise they became Fools drowning their some way right thô every way short Notions they had of God in unreasonable Idolatry You 'l say these were but Heathens and therefore no marvel if they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge 't is better with Christians Look next upon Christians and those of the highest Notions and form of Godliness on this side the Power of it 2 Pet. 2.18 19 21. While they speak great swelling words of Vanity about that they call Christian Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption and it had been better for them never to have known the way of Righteousness than not to have walkt in it Well but for all this Job tells us of some of even the worst of men that account themselves so happy as if they needed nothing from God to better their Condition but he tells you withall in the same breath Job 21.15 16. Lo their good is not in their hand thô they think it is they have not their Fortune as they call it in their own power to retain it while they live and dispose of it when they dye God can overturn it when he pleaseth and will do it to their Sorrow whatever Persons may hope or fancy if they fear not God nor obey the Voice of his Servants thô they are not at present in trouble like other men Psal 73.5 c. but can speak loftily setting their mouth against the Heavens and their Tongue walketh through the Earth thô they compass themselves about with some sparks or blaze of Comfort Isa 50.10 11. yet this shall they have of Gods hand they shall lye down in Sorrow Now thus when every one is rummaging among heaps of Vanities that pretend to be good for man upon Earth will you accept of a Guide to direct you to what cannot but be good for you and that in every Condition that shall not only abate the Vanity but discover the Excellency that is in every Condition This will be most distinctly done by an induction of particulars and setting contrary Conditions one against another what may be said for and against each Condition and how Serious Godliness makes every Condition amiable Who knows whether Riches or Poverty be best for man in this Life I. For Riches I need say but little because most Persons are ready to say too much they seem to be the Cause without which there can be not so much as the fancying an earthly Happiness what pleasures or esteem can worldlings have without an Estate to feed them the Riches of the Mind are too Spiritual to be seen by carnal Eyes But when you consider these or such like inseparable attendants on a great Estate you will see the desirableness to shrink as the Vanity swells e. g. Some run out the greatest part of their Life before they can reach what they can call an Estate to say nothing of those that dye the Worlds Martyrs in the pursuit of that they never attain those that have got an Estate or have an Estate left 'em have ordinarily as great care and difficulty in keeping as they or others have had in the getting of it O the tiresome Dayes the restless Nights the broken Sleeps the wild Passions the fretting Disquiet of those troublesom occurrences which they cannot possibly prevent And when you come to speak of an Enjoyment to speak strictly they have nothing worth the Name of an Enjoyment which they may not have as well if not better without what they call an Estate Yet thô 't is thus while they have it they are not able to bear the parting with it the very thoughts of losing puts 'em into Heart-convulsions So that an Estate can neither be got nor kept nor lost without manifold Vanity and Vexation of Spirit Alas what remedy Serious Godliness carries a Gracious Person above all Heart-breaking Vexations of getting the World for his Thoughts are fill'd about getting something better about keeping for comparatively he cares for keeping nothing but Faith and a good Conscience about enjoying for he counts nothing on this side God worth the Name of an enjoyment And as for parting with the World he impartially considers that he can't have the possession of his Heavenly Inheritance till the World and he shake hands for ever So that there 's no room without the regret of Grace to edge in so much as
to stay here There is more in the World to Wean us than to tempt us Is it not a valley of tears and do we weep to leave it Are we not in a Wilderness among fiery Serpents and are we loath to leave their company Is there a better Friend we can go to than God are there any sweeter Smiles or softer Embraces than his k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand Sure those who know when they dye they go to receive their Reward should neither be fond of Life nor fearful of Death the Pangs of Death to Believers are but the Pangs of Travel by which they are born into Glory Believe this Reward Vse 2 Exhortation look not upon it as a Platonical Idea or Fancy Sensualists question this Reward because they do not see it they may as well question the Verity of their Souls because being Spirits they Branch 1 cannot be seen where should our Faith rest but upon a Divine testimony we believe there are such places as Affrica and America though we never saw them because Travellers who have been there affirm it and shall we not believe the Eternal Recompences when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God himself affirms it The whole Earth hangs upon the Word of Gods Power and shall not our Faith hang upon the Word of his Truth Let us not be Scepticks in matters of such importance The Rabbins tell us the great dispute between Cain and Abel was about the future Reward Abel affirmed it Cain deny'd it The disbelief of this Grand Truth is the cause of the flagitiousness of the Age. Immorality begins at Infidelity l Heb. 3.12 to mistrust a Future Reward is to question the Bible and to destroy a main Article of our Creed Life Everlasting such Atheists as look upon Gods Promise but as a forged deed put God to swear against them that they shall never enter into his rest m Heb. 3.18 If God be such an exceeding great Reward let us endeavour that Branch 2 he may be our Reward In other things we love a Propriety This House is mine this Lordship and Mannor is mine and why not this God is mine Go saith Pharaoh to Moses and Aaron Sacrifice to your God not My God The leaving out one Word in a Will may spoil the Will the leaving out this Word My is the loss of Heaven n Tolle meum tolle Deum Psal 67.6 God even our own God shall bless us He who can pronounce this Shibboleth My God is the happiest man alive How shall we know that God is our Reward Quest If God hath given us the Earnest of this Reward Answ this Earnest is his Spirit o Pignus redditur arrha retinetur Hierom. Ephes 1.14 Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of the Inheritance Where God gives his Spirit for an Earnest there he gives himself for a Portion Christ gave the Purse to Judas not his Spirit Quest How shall we know we have Gods Spirit Answ The Spirit carryes influence along with it p Est Vehiculum influentiae it consecrates the Heart making it a Sacrary or Holy of Holyes it Sanctifies the Fancy causing it to mint Holy Thoughts it Sanctifies the Will strongly by assing it to good as Musk lying among Linnen perfumes it so the Spirit of God in the Soul perfumes it with Sanctity Object But are not the Unregenerate said to partake of the Holy Ghost Answ They may have the Common Gifts of the Spirit not the special Grace they may have the enlightning of the Spirit not the anointing they may have the Spirit movere not vivere move in them not live in them But to partake of the Holy Ghost aright is when the Spirit leaves lively impressions upon the Heart it softens sublimates transforms it q Implet Spiritus Sanctus organum suum tanquam fila Chordarum tangit digitus Dei corda Sanctorum Prosper writing a law of Grace there Heb. 8.10 By this Earnest we have a Title to the Reward 2. If God be our Reward he hath given us an Hand to lay hold on him this hand is Faith Mark 9.24 Lord I believe a Weak Faith justifies r Credo Domine languida fide tamen credo Cruciger As a weak hand can tye the Knot in Marriage a weak Faith can lay hold on a strong Christ the nature of Faith is assent joyned with affiance ſ Acts 8.37 Acts 16.31 Faith doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make God ours other Graces make us like Christ Faith makes us One with him and this Faith is known by it's Vertue No precious Stone saith Cardan but hath some vertue latent in it Precious Faith hath Vertue in it it quickens and enobles it puts worth into our Services t Rom. 16.26 it puts a difference between the Abba Father of a Saint and the Ave Mary of a Papist 3. We may know God is our Reward by our choosing him Religion is not a matter of Chance but of Choice u Psal 119.30 have we weighed things in the ballance and upon mature deliberation made an Election We will have God upon any Tearms have we sat down and reckon'd the cost what Religon must cost us the parting with our Lusts and what it may cost us the parting with our Lives Have we resolved through the assistance of Grace to own Christ when the Swords and Staves are up and to sail with him not only in a Pleasure Boat but in a Man of War x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ignatius ad Tars This choosing God speaks him to be Ours Hypocrites profess God out of Worldly design not Religious choice 4. God is known to be our Reward by the complacential Delight we take in him Psalm 34.7 How do men please themselves with rich Portions what delight doth a Bride take in her Jewels Do we delight in God as our Eternal Portion y Hae sunt Piorum delitiae Deo pacato frui Indeed he is a whole Paradise of delight all excellencies meet in God as the Lines in the Center is ours a Genuine delight do we not only delight in Gods blessings but in God himself is it a Superior delight do we delight in God above other things David had his Crown Revenues to delight in but his delight in God took place of all other delights Psalm 43.4 God my exceeding Joy or as it is in the Original the Gladness z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Cream of my joy can we delight in God when other delights are gone Hab. 3.17 Though the Figtree shall not Blossom yet I will rejoice in the Lord. When the Flowers in a mans Garden dye yet he can delight in his Land and Money thus a Gracicious Soul when the Creature fades can rejoyce in the Pearl of price Paulinus when they told him the Goths had Sack'd Nola a Domine ubi sunt omnia mea tuscis and
It would be considered how really difficult the controversie is about the ceremonies and some other parts of conformity Perhaps few metaphysical questions are disputed with more subtilty than that controversie is managed with by Arch-bishop Whitgift Bishop Morton Doctor Burgesse Doctor Ames Cartwright Calverwood and others And how very easily possible and pardonable is it to unlearned persons or of weaker intellectuals being obliged in order to their practice to give a judgment in reference to these things one way or other to judge amiss Why should we expect every sincerely pious man to be able to hit the very point of truth and right in matters that belong as Bishop Davenant once said in another case non ad fidem fundamentalem sed ad peritiam Theologicam fortasse ne ad hanc quidem sed aliquando ad curiositatem Theologorum not to the foundation of our Faith but to the skill of Divines and perhaps not to this neither but sometimes only to their curiosity What were to be done in reference to so nicely disputable things made part of the terms of Christian communion is more the matter of our wish than hope till by a gracious influence God better mens minds or by a more deeply felt necessity bring us to understand what is to be done Our case is ill when only vexatio dat intellectum when nothing but sorrow and suffering will make us wise which is very likely from the righteous hand of God to be our common lot In the mean time 't is hard to think that he cannot be a sincerely pious man whose understanding is not capable of so difficult things as to make a certainly right judgment about them In absoluto facili stat eternitas And why should not the communion of persons going into a blessed eternity have the same measure And besides the different size and capacity of mens understandings and consequently of their conscientious determinations 2. There are also as differing relishes of these things which Christian love would oblige a man to consider with equanimity so as thereupon to refrain hard censures All good men have not the same relish of the various forms and modes of dispensing the Truths and Ordinances of Christ Some of our suffering Brethren in Q. Maries dayes are said to have found great spiritual refreshing by the Common Prayer And in our own dayes some may profess to have their hearts warm'd their affections rais'd and elevated by it They are no rule to us but it would less become us hereupon to suspect their sincerity than our own Others again cannot relish such modes of worship when in the Ministry of such as use them not they find a very sensible delight and savour And this by the way shews the great difference between such things as have their evidence and goodness from God himself and those that borrow their recommendableness only from humane device All good men in all the times and ages of the Christian Church have a constant value and love for the great substantials of Religion which have in them that inward evidence and excellency as commands and captivates a rectifi'd mind and heart whereas the meer external forms of it the outward dress and garb are variously esteem'd and despised liked and disliked by the same sort of men i. e. by very sincere lovers of God not only in divers times and ages but even in the same time How different hath the esteem been of the Liturgick forms with them who bear the same mind full of reverence and love towards Religion it self As that habit is thought decent at one time which in another is despicably ridiculous whereas a person in himself comely and graceful is alwaies accounted so by all and at all times Now this various gust and relish cannot but have influence more remotely upon the conscientious determination of our choice concerning our usual way of worshipping God For how should I edifie by what is disgustful to me Thô it be true that our spiritual edification lies more in the informing of our judgments and confirming our resolutions than in the gusts and relishes of affection yet who sees not that these are of great use even to the other And that it is necessary that at least there be not a disgust or antipathy What is constantly less grateful will certainly be less nutritive That is usually necessary to nourishment Thô alone it be not sufficient As it is in the matter of bodily repasts Who can without great prejudice be bound to eat alwayes of a food that he disrelishes though he may without much inconvenience for a valuable reason do it at some time And they that think all this alledged difference is but fancy shew they understand little of humane nature and less of Religion Thô they may have that in themselves too which they do not so distinctly reflect upon even that peculiar gust and relish which they make so little account of For have they not as great a disgust of the others way as they have of theirs would They not as much regret to be ty'd to theirs Have they not as great a liking of their own And doth not common experience shew that there are as different mental relishes as bodily How comes one man in the matters of Literature to savour Metaphysicks another Mathematicks another History and the like and no mans Genius can be forc't in these things Why may there not be the like difference in the matters of Religion And I would fain know what that Religion is worth that is without a gust and savour that is insipid and unpleasant much more that would being used in a constant course this or that way be nauseous and offensive If indeed men nauseate that which is necessary for them the Gospel for instance or Religion it self that is certainly such a distemper as if the grace of God overcome it not will be mortal to them and we are not to think of relieving them by withdrawing the offending object which it self must be the means of their cure But is there any parity between the substance of Religion which is of Gods appointing and the superadded modes of it that are of our own Upon the whole nothing is more agreeable either to this divine principle of Love nothing within our compass more conducible to our end the ceasing of our differences which are most likely to die and vanish by neglect or their ceasing to be inconvenient to us than to bear calm and placid minds towards one another under them to banish all hard thoughts because of them If I can contribute no way else to union from this holy dictate and law of the Spirit of love I can at least abstain from censuring my fellow Christians It is the easiest thing in the world one would think not to do Especially not to do a thing of it self ungrateful to a well temper'd mind and a great priviledge not to be obliged to judge another mans conscience and
Heb. 10.19 21 22. In these things I say doth the true Glory of Evangelical Worship consist and if it doth not it hath no Glory in comparison of that which did excel in the Old Legal Worship For the wit of man was never yet able to set it off with half the outward Beauty and Glory that was in the Worship of the Temple But herein it is that it not only leaves no Glory thereunto in comparison but doth unspeakably excel whatever the wit and wealth of men can extend unto But there is a Spiritual Light required that we may discern the Glory of this Worship and have thereby an Experience of its Power and Efficacy in reference unto the Ends of its appointment This the Church of Believers hath They see it as it is a blessed Means of giving Glory unto God and of receiving gracious Communications from him which are the Ends of all the Divine Institutions of worship and they have therein such an Experience of its efficacy as gives Rest and Peace and Satisfaction unto their Souls For they find that as their worship directs them unto a blessed view by Faith of God in his ineffable Existence with the glorious actings of each Person in the dispensation of Grace which fills their hearts with Joy unspeakable so also that all Graces are exercised increased and strengthned in the observance of it with Love and Delight But all Light into all Perceptions of this Glory all Experience of its Power was amongst the most lost in the world I intend in all these Instances the time of the Papal Apostacy Those who had the conduct of Religion could discern no Glory in tâ—â—â—e things nor obtain any experience of their Power Be the Worship what it will they can see no Glory in it nor did it give any satisfaction to their minds for having no light to discern its glory they could have no Experience of its power and efficacy What then shall they do The Notion must be retained that Divine Worship is to be beautiful and glorious But in the Spiritual Worship of the Gospel they could see nothing thereof wherefore they thought necessary to make a Glory for it or to dismiss it out of the world and set up such an Image of it as might appear beautiful unto their fleshly minds and give them satisfaction To thiâ— end they set their Inventions on work to find out Ceremonies Vestments Gestures Ornaments Musick Altars Images Paintings with prescriptions of great bodily Veneration This Pageantry they call the Beauty the Order the Glory of Divine Worship This is that which they see and feel and which as they judge doth dispose their Minds unto Devotion without it they know not how to pay any reverence unto God himself and when it is wanting whatever be the Life the Power the Spirituality of the Worship in the Worshippers whatever be its efficacy unto all the proper ends of it however it be ordered according unto the prescription of the Word it is unto them empty indecent they can see neither Beauty nor Glory in it This Light and Experience being lost the introduction of Beggarly Elements and Carnal Ceremonies in the Worship of the Church with attempts to render it dâ—corous and beautiful by Superstitious Rites and Observances wherewith it hath been defiled and corrupted as it was and is in the Church of Rome was nothing but the setting up of a deformed Image in the room of it and this they are pleased withal The Beauty and Glory with Carving and Painting and imbroidered Vestures and Musical Incantations and Postures of Veneration do give unto Divine Service they can see and feel and in their own imagination are sensibly excited unto Devotion by them But hereby instead of representing the true Glory of the Worship of he Gospel wherein it excels that under the Old Testament they have rendred it altogethâ—â— â—inglorious in comparison of it for all the Ceremonies and Ornaments which they have invented for that end come unspeakably short for Beauty Order and Glory of what was appointed by God himself in the Temple scarce equalling what was among the Pagans It will be said that the things whereunto we assign the Glory of this Worship are spiritual and invisible Now this is not that which is enquired after but that whose Beauty we may behold and be affected with And this may consist in the things which we decry at least in some of them though I must say if there be Glory in any of them the more they are multiplied the better it must needs be but this is that which we plead Men being not able by the Light of Faith to discern the Glory of things spiritual and invisible do make Image of them unto themselves as Gods that may go before them and these they are affected withal but the Worship of the Church is spiritual and the Glory of it is invisible unto eyes of Flesh So both our Saviour and the Apostles do testifie in the Celebration of it We come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of Just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel Heb. 12.22 23 24. The Glory of this Assembly though certainly above that of Organs and Pipes and Crucifixes and Vestments yet doth not appear unto the Sense or Imaginations of men That which I design here is to obviate the Meritricious Allurements of the Roman Worship and the Pretences of its efficacy to excite Devotion and Veneration by its Beauty and Decency The whole of it is but a Deformed Image of that Glory which they cannot behold To obtain and preserve in our hearts an experience of the power and efficacy of that Worship of God which is in Spirit and Truth as unto all the real Ends of Divine Worship is that alone which will secure us Whilst we do retain right Notions of the proper Object of Gospel-worship and of our immediate approach by it thereunto of the way and manner of that approach through the Mediation of Christ and assistance of the Spirit whilst we keep up Faith and Love unto their due exercise in it wherein on our part the Life of it doth consist preserving an experience of the spiritual benefit and advantage which we receive thereby we shall not easily be inveagled to relinquish them all and to give up our selves unto the Embraces of this lifeless Image SECT III. It is an universal unimpeachable Perswasion amongst all Christians that there is a near intimate Communion with Christ and Participation of him in the Supper of the Lord. He is no Christian who is otherwise minded Hence from the beginning this was always esteemed the principal Mystery in the
and they have it not to pay them its hard to keep all this from going too near the heart and hard to bear it with obedient quiet submission to God especially for Women whose Nature is weak and liable to too much Passion 2. And this Impatience turneth to a setled Discontent and Vnquietness or Spirit which affecteth the Body it self and lieth all day as a Load or continual Trouble at the Heart 3. And Impatience and Discontent do set the Thoughts on the Rack with Grief and continual Cares how to be eased of the troubling Cause they can scarce think of any thing else and these Cares do even feed upon the Heart and are to the Mind as a consuming Feaver to the Body 4. And the secret Root or Cause of all this is the worst part of the Sin which is too much Love to the Body and this World Were nothing ovâ—â—loved it would have no power to torment us if Ease and Health were not overloved Pain and Sickness would be the more tolerable if Children and Friends were not overloved the Death of them would not overwhelm us with inordinate sorrow if the Body were not overloved and worldly wealth and Prosperity overvalued it were easie to endure hard Fare and Labour and Want not only of Superfluities and Conveniences but even of that which is necessary to Health yea or Life it self if God will have it so at least to avoid Vexations Discontents and Cares and inordinate Grief and Trouble of mind 5. There is yet more Sin in the root of all and that is it sheweth that our Wills are yet too selfish and not subdued to a due submission to the Will of God but we would be as Gods to our own chusing and must needs have what the Flesh desiâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—t a due Resignation of our selves and all our Concerns to God and 〈…〉 as Children in due dependance on him for our daily Bread but â—â—â—t needs be the keepers of our own Provision 6. And this sheweth that we be not sufficiently humbled for our sin or else we should be thankful for the lowest state as being much better than that which we deserved 7. And there is apparently much Distrust of God and Vnbelief in these troubling Discontents and Cares could we trust God as well as our selves or as we could trust a faithful friend or as a Child can trust his Father how quiet would our minds be in the sense of his Wisdom All-sufficiency and Love 8. And this Unbelief yet hath a worse Effect than worldly Trouble it sheweth that men take not the Love of God and the Heavenly Glory for their suffâ—cient portion unless they may have what they want or would have for the Body this world unless they may be free from Poverty and Crosses and Provocations and Injuries and Pains all that God hath promised them here or hereafter even everlasting Glory will not satisfie them and when God and Christ and Heaven are not enough to quiet a mans mind he is in great want of Faith Hope â—nd Love which are far greater matters than Food and Rayment III. Another great cause of such trouble of mind is the guilt of some great and wilful sin when conscience is convinced and yet the foul is not converted sin is beloved and yet feared Gods wrath doth terrifie them and yet not enough to overcome their sin some live in secret fraud and robbery and many in drunkenness in secret fleshly lusts either self-pollution or fornication and they know that for such things the wrath of God cometh on the Children of disobedience and yet the rage of appetite and lust prevaileth and they despair and sin and while the sparks of Hell fall on their consciences it changeth neither heart nor life there is some more hope of the recovery of these then of dead hearted or unbelieving sinners who work uncleanness with greediness as being past feeling and blinded to defend their sins and plead against holy obedience to God Bruitishness is not so bad as Diabolisme and malignity But none of these are the persons spoken of in any Text Their sorrow is not overmuch but too little as long as it will not restrain them from their sin But yet if God convert these persons the sins which they now live in may possibly hereafter plung their souls into such depths of sorrow in the review as may swallow them up And when men truly converted yet dally with the bait and renew the wounds of their consciences by their lapses it is no wonder if their sorrows and terrours are renewed Grievous sins have fastened so on the consciences of many as have cast them into uncurable melancholly and distraction IV. But among people fearing God there is yet another cause of Melancholly and of sorrowing overmuch and that is Ignorance and mistakes in maâ—â—â—â— which their peace and comforts are concerned in I will name some particulars 1. One 〈◊〉 Ignorance of the tenor of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace as some Libertines called Antinomians more dangerously mistake it who tell men that Christ hath Repented and believed them and that they must no more question their Faith and Repentance than they must question the righteousness of Christ so many better Christians understand not that the Gospel is tidings of unspeakable joy to all that will believe it and that Christ and Life are offered freely to them that will accept him and that no sins how great or many soever are excepted from pardon to the soul that unfeignedly turneth to God by faith in Christ that whoever will may freely take the water of life and all that are weary and thirst are invited to come to him for ease and rest And they seem not to understand the conditions of forgiveness which is but true consent to the pardoning saving baptismal Covenant 2. And many of them are mistaken about the use of sorrow for sin and about the nature of hardness of heart they think that if their sorrow be not so passionate as to bring forth tears and greatly to afflict them they are not capable of pardon though they should consent to all the pardoning Covenant and they consider not that it is not our sorrow for it self that God delighteth in but it is the taking down of pride and that so much humbling sense of sin danger and misery as may make us feel the need of Christ and mercy and bring us unfeignedly to consent to be his Disciples and to be saved upon his Covenant terms Be sorrow much or little if it do this much the sinner shall be saved And as to the length of Gods sorrow some thinks that the pangs of the new birth must be a long continued state whereas we read in the Scripture that by the penitent sinners the Gospel was still received speedily with joy as being the gift of Christ and pardon and everlasting life humility and self-loathing must continue and increase but our first great sorrows may be swallowed up with
can no otherwise command and turn away your thoughts rise up and go into some company or to some employment which will divert you and take them up Tell me what you would do if you heard a scold in the street reviling you or heard an Atheist there talk against God would you stand still to hear them or would you talk it out again with them or rather go from them and disdain to hear them or debate the case with such as they Do you in your case when Satan casts in ugly or despairing or murmuring thoughts go away from them to some other thoughts or business If you cannot do this of your self tell your friend when the temptation cometh and it is his duty who hath the care of you to divert you with some other talk or works or force you into diverting Company Yet be not too much troubled at the temptation for trouble of mind doth keep the evil matter in your memory and so increase it as pain of a sore draws the blood and spirits to the place And this is the design of Satan to give you troubling thoughts and then to cause more by being troubled at those and so for one thought and trouble to cause another and that another and so on as waves in the Sea do follow each other to be tempted is common to the best I told you to what Idolatry Christ was tempted When you feel such thoughts thank God that Satan cannot force you to love them or consent 9. Again still remember what a comfortable Evidence you carry about with you that your sin is not damning while you feel that you love it not but hate it and are weary of it Scarce any sort of sinners have so little pleasure in their sin as the melancholly nor so little desire to keep them and only beloved sins undo men Be sure that you live not idly but in some constant business of a lawful calling so far as you have bodily strength Idleness is a constant sin and labour is a duty Idleness is but the Devils home for temptation and for unprofitable distracting musings Labour profiteth others and our selves both souls and body need it Six days must you labour and must not eat the bread of idleness Prov. 31. God hath made it our duty and will bless us in his appointed way I have known grievous dispairing melancholly cured and turned into a life of Godly cheerfulness principally by setting upon constancy and diligence in the business of families and callings It turns the thoughts from temptation and leaveth the Devil no opportunity it pleaseth God if done in obedience and it purifieth the distempered blood Though thousands of poor people that live in want and have Wivâ—s and Children that must also feel it one would think should be distracted with griefs and cares yet few of them fall into the disease of melancholly because labour keepeth the body sound and leaveth them no leisure for melancholly musings whereas in London and great Towns abundance of Women that never sweat with bodily work but live in idleness especially when from fulness they fall into want are miserable objects continually vexed and near distraction with discontent and a restless mind If you will not be perswaded to business your friends if they can should force you to it And if the Devil turn Religious as an Angel of light and tell you that this is but turning away your thoughts from God and that worldly thoughts and business are unholy and fit for worldly men tell him that Adam was in innocency to dress and keep his Garden and Noah that had all the world was to be Husbandman and Abraham Isaac and Jacob kept Sheep and Cattle and Paul was a Tent maker and Christ himself is justly supposed to have worked at his supposed Fathers Trade as he went on fishing with his Disciples And Paul saith idleness is disorderly walking and be that will not work let him not eat God made souls and body and hath commanded work to both And if Satan would drive you unseasonably upon longer secret prayer then you can bear remember that even sickness will excuse the sick from that sort of duty which they are unable for and so will your disease And the unutterable groans of the spirit are accepted If you have privacy out of hearing I would give you this advice that instead of long meditation or long secret Prayer you will sing a Psalm of praise to God such as the 23 or the 133 c. This will excite your Spirit to that sort of holy affection which is much more acceptable to God and suitable to the hopes of a believer than your repining troubles are IV. But yet I have not done with the duty of those that take care of distressed melancholly persons especially Husbands to their Wives for it is much more frequently the disease of Women than of men when the disease disableth them to help themselves the most of their helps under God must be from others And this is of two Sorts 1. In prudent carriage to them 2. In Medicine and Diet A little of both 1. A great part of their cure lyeth in pleasing them and avoiding all displeasing things as far as lawfully can be done Displeasedness is much of the Disease and a Husband that hath such a Wife is obliged to do his best to cure her both in Charity and by his relative Bond and for his own peace It is a great weakness in some men that if they have Wives who by natural passionate weakness or by melancholly or crazedness is wilful and will not yield to reason they shew their anger at them to their further provocation You took her in marriage for better and for worse for sickness and health If you have chosen one that as a Child must have every thing that she cryeth for and must be spoken fair and as it was rockt in the Cradle or else it will be worse you must condescend to do it and so bear the burden which you have chosen as may not make it heavier to you Your passion and sourness towards a person that cannot cure her own unpleasing carriage is a more unexcusable fault and folly than hers who hath not the power of reason as you have If you know any lawful thing that will please them in speech in company in apparel in rooms in attendance give it them If you know at what they are displeased remove it I speak not of the Distracted that must be mastered by forces but of the sad and melancholly could you devise how to put them in a pleased condition you might cure them 2. As much as you can divert them from the thoughts which are their trouble keep them on some other talkes and business break in upon them and interrupt their musings rouse them out of it but with loving importunity suffer them not to be long alone get fit company to them or them to it especially suffer them not to be
and comfortable day They are arrayed with the robe of righteousness and garment of Salvation which adorn them more than garments of wrought gold Christ leads them into his Banquetting-House and there spreads over them the banner of his love which affords the surest protection and the sweetest shade Who but themselves are able to tell or conceive what unspeakable and glorious joy they have what triumphs and exultings of Soul when their best beloved Jesus kisseth them with the kisses of his lips and by his own Spirit witnesseth with theirs that they are the Children of God and with his most ravishing consolations doth delight their Souls what are mines of gold and rocks of Diamonds what are Lordships and mannors what are Crowns and Scepters what Kingdoms and Empires to one drachme of grace one smile from Heaven one whisper of divine love one embrace of a Saviour Cursed said noble Galeacius be that man who counteth all the world worth one hours communion with Jesus Christ and if one hour of Communion be so precious what O what is a life of Communion But then stay till the winding up of the bottom till that last and great day shall dawn in which there will be a revelation of the righteous Judgment of God and of the marvellous goodness of God wherein the wicked shall be stript of all their honour and power of all their riches and pleasures and turned into Hell for the wrath of God and the worm of Conscience eternally to feed upon them And those who have believingly closed with Christ and bowed to his Scepter and walked closely with God and studied the power of godliness and strictness of Religion shall enter into peace and be cloathed with glory and sit upon Thrones possessed of a fulness of joy and sporting themselves in Rivers of pleasure under the brightest and warmest beams of divine love and in the most endearing embraces of the Lord Jesus and in the plenarie uninterrupted enjoyment of those things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor have entred into the heart of man without any disquieting apprehensions or fears of being ejected out of that possession or disturbed in it Then all the world the most stupid and unteachable part of it will be throughly convinced that there is a reward for the righteous a God that Judgeth in the Earth and that true godliness is profitable for all things both for the life that now is and for that which is to come and that however things go now yet it was not in vain to serve God And therefore in the mean time though Clouds and darkness are round about the Throne yet let us rejoyce in the firm belief of what the Prophet tells us Psalm 145 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works The last thing promised for the proof of the point that Gods governing the world may well support us in the midst of all distractions is to present to your consideration several things more particularly relating to the Church and People of this God And they are these 1. The nearness dearness and intimacy of that relation in which the Church and Saints stand to God What may not the wife and children of a loving and mighty King promise themselves from his government Certainly they may well be assured so long as he keeps his Throne and hath power in his hand they shall want neither defence nor comfort The Church is Gods Vineyard and will he not water it and keep it every moment lest any hurt it She is the Spouse of Christ and will he not be tender over her and kind to her He is a Father to his people and will he not look after them and afford them maintenance and necessary supplies He is more than a Mother to them and will he not draw out his breasts of consolation that they may suck and be satisfied milk out and be delighted Doubtless they may believingly expect all good from him all kindness all comforts from him who hath been graciously pleased to put himself into all relations unto them In the 23. Psal v. 1. holy David looked with an eye of Faith but to one Relation in which God stood to him the Lord is my Shepherd and from thence he saw sufficient encouragement to conclude that he should not want What mayest thou then O believer argue from all Gods relations He is my God my King my Master my Father my Husband therefore surely I shall not want He is a Sun and Shield a Sun for comfort and a Shield for security In his beams then his children shall rejoyce and in his shadow shall they sit safely and no good thing shall he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Jerusalem is the City of the great King and if she be Gods City God will be her security Never fear that O Saints for he is known famously known in her Palaces for a refuge 2. The special interest which God hath in his Church and People they are his Portion and Inheritance And no one will if he can help it lose his portion Naâ—oth would not part with his Inheritance upon any termes neither fell nor change it much less will Christ with his who is so greatly taken with it as to count the lines fallen to him in a pleasant place and that he hath a goodly heritage His people are his Jewels and will he suffer them to be lost They are his Treasure and what shall his enemies rob him of that no no where his treasure is there his heart is also and where his heart is there shall his eye be watching and his hand of power shall be stretched out and his wings of protection shall be spread abroad and Salvation it self shall be for Walls and Bulwarks The interest which God hath in all the world is not comparable to that interest which God hath in the Church The rest are but his Slaves these are his Children the rest are but the rude wilderness the Devils waste these are his Gardens inclosed In others he sees his power but in these his Image and his Son Others are the work of his hands but these are the Workmanship of his Spirit 3. That most endearing and entire affection which he beareth unto his Church and People As be stands in all relations to them so he hath all affections for them You that understand what love is do feel within your selves what a noble active liberal principle it is and what a mighty power and vigour there is in it Now there is no love in the world comparable to the love of God He hath a flame to our spark an Ocean to our drop The dearest of Gods love is placed upon Christ and in and for Christs sake the same love is placed upon the Church and people of Christ thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me And what will not such love do it will awaken care and call forth power and engage wisdom and open the
renders them comly in the sight of men yea and in the sight of God too As the Ornament of a meek and quiet spirit so the Ornament of an humble and lowly spirit is in his sight of great price Indeed all along this was the great Requisite in the People of God The main thing that he required of them was to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with and before him so the Prophet informs us Mic. 6.8 To do justly and to love Mercy that is the Sum of all Duty to man to walk humbly that is the Sum of all Duty to God 8. Set before your eyes the Examples of humble and lowly Persons Direct 8 Some are greatly influenc'd by Examples more than they are by Precepts 1. Look upon the most eminent Saints that ever were upon the earth and you will find they were most eminent for humility Jacob thinks himself less than the least of Gods Mercies David speaks of himself as a worm and no man Agur says that he was more brutish than any man The Apostle Paul says of himself 1 Tim. 5.15 Eph. 3.8 that he is the chiefest of sinners and less than the least of all Saints How does that great Saint and Apostle vilifie and nullifie himself Bradford that holy man and Martyr subscribes himself in one of his Epistles a very paintâ—d Hypocrite The Apostle Peter said unto our Saviour Depart from me Luke 5.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for I am a sinful man O Lord a man that is a great sinner Thus the heaviest ears of Corn do always hang downwards and so do those Boughs of Trees that are most laden with fruit 2. Look upon the Angels of God the elect Angels they excel in strength and so they do in humility likewise they readily condescend to minister unto the Children of men that are abundantly inferior to themselves they take charge of them and bear them up as it were in their arms Are they not all ministring Spirits says the Apostle to the Hebrews The Interrogation is an Affirmation The greatest Angels do not disdain to minister to the least Saints When they have appeared to men they have utterly rejected the reverence they would have shewn them and have openly declared themselves our fellow-servants that we and they have but one common Lord. 3. Look upon the Lord Jesus Christ himself he is the great instance of humility though he was in the form of God and thought it not robbery to be equal with God yet he was made in the likeness of men and took upon him the form of a Servant and made himself of no reputation or as the word signifies he emptied himself of all his Glory he sought his Fathers glory and not his own yea he humbled himself so as to become obedient unto Death even the death of the Cross The very Incarnation of Christ is condescention enough to pole both men and Angels what then was his Crucifixion When you feel any Self-exaltation then remember and reflect upon Christ's Humiliation and think how unsutable a humble Master and a proud Servant is a humble Christ and a proud Christian This alone through the Spirit 's assistance is sufficient to bring down the swelling of the Spirits Direct 9 9. Use all Gods dealings with you and dispensations towards you as so many Antidotes against this Sin You hear they are design'd by God I pray you let them all be improv'd by you for this very end and purpose Hath God shined into your hearts and given you the knowledge of his Glory in the face of his Son Jesus Christ says Judas not Iscariot How is it Lord that thou dost manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World Hath he quickned and saved you from Sin and Death Say then By Grace we are saved not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he hath saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Is Grace and Life preserved and increased which was at first infused into your Souls give God the Glory Say Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name be the praise Yea let all Gods outward Dispensations have this operation upon you Let Mercies humble you if God gives you worldly wealth and honour and lifts you up above others in Estate or Esteem say as David Who are we Lord and as Jacob We are less than the least of thy Mercies Let Afflictions humble you if God lays his hand upon you then lay your mouths in the dust if he smites you upon your backs do you smite upon your own Thighs We are call'd upon in Scripture to humble our selves under the hand of God 2 Chro. 33.32 You read of Manasseh how when he was in affliction he humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers May your Afflictions have the like effect Direct 10 10. Be much in the Duty of Prayer Give thy self to it If Pride doth not hinder Prayer Prayer will subdue Pride and whilst thou art in this Duty make this one of thy chief Petitions that God would cure thee of this evil disease Some are ready to wonder why Prayer in all cases is one of our chief Directions and Prescriptions they may as well wonder why Bread in all Meals is one chief part of our Food Why Prayer is the principal thing that calls in God to our Assistance without whose help we shall never be able to master the Pride of our hearts This was the course the Apostle took when he was like to be exalted above measure he besought the Lord thrice that is often a definite Number for an indefinite he did not only pray that God would take the Thorn out of his Flesh but that he would also cure the Pride that was in his heart he knew if the Cause were taken away the Effect would cease Oh for this do you beseech the Lord again and again pray and that earnestly that God by his Spirit would help thee to mortifie the Pride of thy Spirit be humbled as Hezekiah was for the Pride of thy heart in times past and pray as Paul prayed that God would prevent and cure the Pride of thy heart for time to come Desire God to use what Preservatives and Medecines he pleaseth so that the Cure be effected Beg of God that he would help thee on with this Ornament and cloath thee with Humility he hath promised to give Grace to the humble do you pray that he would give you the Grace of Humility Quest Wherein is a middle worldly condition most eligible SERMON XVII PROV XXX VIII IX Remove far from me Vanity and Lies give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with food convenient for me Lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain MY Text presents you with a short yet very pithy Prayer of Agur concerning whom
as the the troubled Sea Isa 57.20 which cannot rest it will be casting out the mire and dirt which before lay at the bottom Nullum vinditae genus tam in promptu habet quam hoc maledicendi Davenantius Prov. 25.28 The evil of the heart is usually vented first at the mouth but it will soon appear in the other Members When once the mouth is full of cursing and bitterness the feet will be swift to shed blood till destruction and misery be in mens ways Rom 3.14 15 16. He that will not be overcome of evil must take care to rule his own spirit He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like to a city broken down and without walls easily overcome Nothing can conduce more to the calming of our spirits when they begin to rise against such as are offensive to us Psal 103.10 Psal 130.3 2 Sam. 16.6 7 10. than to consider how obnoxious we have been and still are to the great God David's patience towards Shimei was admirable when he cast stones at him and cursed him still as he went No doubt the consideration of the sins whereby he had provoked God made him the more calm toward that vile wretch Use 3. Rest not in this That you are not overcome of evil but endeavour as much as you can to overcome evil with good Do not your Relations perform the duties of their place to you be you the more circumspect and diligent to perform the duty of yours to them Are Neighbours unkind to you let the law of kindness be in your mouth and acts of kindness in your hands to them Vis ut ameris â—na Do any hate you let your love work to overcome that hatred 1. Keep your hearts in a constant awe of God commanding you When they draw back as they will be apt to do think of God standing by you and saying Have not I commanded you If others make no great matter of sinning against God do you say as Nehemiah But so will not I because of the fear of God Neh. 5.15 This was it that kept Samuel to the duty of praying for a people that had dealt very unworthily by him As for me says he God forbid that I should sin against the Lord 1 Sam. 12.24 in ceasing to pray for you 2. Have much and often in your eye the great example of all goodness Christ whose name you bear He met with a great deal of evil from an unthankful World yet he went about doing good still Acts 10.38 How kind was he in word and deed to his greatest enemies to the very last When Judas came to betray him the worst word he gave him was Friend Mat. 26.50 Friend wherefore art thou come And when Peter in zeal for his Master's safety had drawn and cut off the ear of one of the Officers that came to take him he touched his ear and healed him Luke 22.51 Consider him therefore who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself Heb. 12.3 lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds If he whom you call Lord and Master did thus should not you do so much rather To further you in this work take these few Considerations 1. By doing thus you will shew your selves to be genuine Christians and truly spiritual Jam. 3.14 15. To render evil for evil is devilish good for good something humane but no more than Publicans used to do but to render good for evil that is Christian What do ye more than others Mat. 5.46 The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness Eph. 5.9 If then there be found in you such fruits of the Spirit as are mentioned Gal. 5.22 Love joy peate long-suffering gentleness goodness c. it will be a token that the good Spirit of Christ is in you 2. It will tend very much to amplifying of the Kingdom of Christ Haec illa virtus est qua primitiva ecclesia excelluit accrevit ferendo non resistendo ad hanc quia redditi sumus inhabiles res Christianismi in deterius ruunt in dies Aretius 2 Cor. 13.11 and the bettering of the World One great reason why Christianity hath made no greater progress in the world in latter times is because Christians have not been so much conversant in this duty as they were in the Primitive times The rendring evil for evil makes the World a doleful place an house a Bedlam for fury and disorder A City a Wilderness for rapine and confusion A Kingdom a Land that eateth up the Inhabitants thereof as was said of that Numb 13.32 But to render good for evil tends to make the World a peaceable habitation where God and Men may delight to dwell If this duty were more practised the Wolf would sooner dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie down with the Kid as is prophesied Isa 11.6 3. It 's a sign that God hath more blessings in store when he hath given a Man a heart to perform this duty His labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Besides the eternal reward in Heaven God doth usually give a temporal reward on earth There is this encouragement given to afford bread to an hungry enemy That God will reward it Prov. 25.21 22. Saul was among the Prophets when he presaged good to David for not suffering him to be hurt when his Spear was taken from him while he lay sleeping 1 Sam. 26.25 Blessed be thou my son David thou shalt both do great things and also shall still prevail It hath been observed That such children as have been without cause discouraged by their parents so as not to have a like share in their favour nor a portion of their substance with the rest and yet have continued every way dutiful to them have been blest by God above the rest And such Servants as have had hard and froward Masters and yet have continued diligent and faithful in their Service have been wonderfully prospered when they have set up for themselves 4. This is the most glorious way of overcoming others It 's God's and Christ's way Hosea 11.4 I drew them with cords of a man with hands of love What glory would it be to a man that it should be said of him as Psal 9.6 Thou hast destroyed cities if he himself be in the mean time destroyed by his own lusts To be slow to anger is better than the mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato and he that ruleth his own spirit than he that taketh a city Prov. 16.32 5. Hereby you will keep a sweet serenity in your own spirits There is not only glory and honour but peace to every one that worketh good Rom. 2.11 How was David transported with joy when Abigail had been a means of keeping him from avenging himself with his own hand on Nabal and his house His mouth was full of blessings He blesseth the Lord God of Israel that sent her he blesseth her advice 1 Sam. 25.32 33.
12.1 ult That he formeth the spirit of man within him Which proves its distinction from the Body and its spiritual Nature too and if mans Soul were only as the Soul of a Beast the forming of it would not deserve to be reckoned up with those stupendous Acts of stretching out the Heavens and laying the foundations of the Earth as we see it is in the forecited place Add to this that when our Blessed Saviour dyed the Evangelist says he gave up the Ghost Matth. 27.50 that is his Spirit or Soul And St. Stephen dyed with these last words Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7.59 2. That the Soul is a spiritual substance is evident in that it is not produced out of matter as the Body of Adam was and all our Bodies are as is observed in the Relation we have of mans Creation Gen. 2.7 and in Solomons Observation upon it Eccles 12.7 speaking of Death after his most admired description of Old Age then says he shall the dust i. e. the body return to the Earth as it was there is the Original of that assign'd and the spirit shall return to God that gave it The Spirit or Soul is as certainly made by God out of no praeexisting matter as the Body is made out of matter Gen. 2.23 and if we grant the one why should we doubt of the other To be sure when Eve was brought unto Adam he says she is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh but he does not say she is a Soul of my Soul Whether the Soul be made by God mediante Generatione or by an immediate Creation though I am perswaded of the latter yet I shall not peremptorily determine Nec tum scitbam nec adhuc scio August libr. 1. Retr finding St. Austin in a plainer case concerning the Soul modestly professing his Ignorance 3. My third Argument to prove the Soul is a Spirit is because in it man bears the Image of God God is a Spirit John 4.24 and nothing corporeal as such can be said to be in his Image or Likeness Neither is any bodily thing as bodily capable of Wisdom Holiness Righteousness by which man resembles his Maker Now though these Scripture-proofs are sufficient to any that believe undoubtedly the verity of Scripture and such I speak to yet to name one or two of another Nature Therefore 4. Fourthly The Actions or Operations of the Soul are such as cannot proceed from any bodily Being as intellection and volition To abstract and reflect upon its self and its motions In one thought to meditate on Hell in the next on Heaven No Corporeal Agent can in less than the twinkling of an Eye or turn of a hand move or act on things so vastly distant The Opinion of the motion of the Orbs of the Planets and of the Firmament is antiquated and almost laught at because no Bodies can be conceived to move so swiftly and this motion of the Soul incredibly exceeds theirs 5. And lastly The Soul is a Spirit in that it is in the Body and one Body cannot be in another non datur penetratio corporum The Soul takes up no place as bodies do 't is tota in toto or at least negatively It is not by parts in the Body as material things are part here and part there whereas the Soul is so in any part that it is not the less in the other Thus these being premised 3. In what the Souls Excellency does appear I come now to that which is mainly intended viz. to shew whence we may know the excellency of the Soul For as to some other particulars which may tend to the further explaining the Text. As 1. How a Soul may be said to be lost And 2. What this Phrase giving an exchange for the Soul imports I shall take occasion to speak to them as they will fall with what we are yet to speak unto For I would not make the Porch or Entry too large or wide Though I may suppose that in what I have said enough may be discovered to prove what I am upon and that I have laid down such Principles as the worth of the Soul may easily be inferr'd from them Yet it will not be amiss to be minded of the force of them with the addition of such things as will abundantly serve our present purpose 1. In its Original The first thing that speaks the Souls Prerogative is its Original It is accounted no small priviledge to be nobly born to be descended from Princes or Persons Eminent in any kind yet man in his best Estate is altogether vanity Ps 39.5 Man is a worm Job 25.6 and the Son of man be he who he will is but a Worm his Generation is univocal and like begets its like But the Soul is the Off-spring of God Acts 17.29 In that sense the Heathen Poet and St. Paul from him is to be understood there is no pretence for the Body to be the Off-spring of God who is a Spirit If it be warily understood we may admit of what is ordinarily said of the Soul that it is divinae aurae particula I am sure 't is this part only in man that may be said to partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 'T is remarkable that the Soul at its Creation was not made according to any pattern or sampler taken from amongst the herd of the visible Creatures but 't is a kind of an Idea of God as true and as full a one as in matter can be borne and though man be lower than the Angels by reason of his Body which is as a clog upon the Soul or a flaw which this precious Jewel appears with Yet in some respect the Humane Nature may vy with the Angelical Nature and man is the Crown and Topstone of the Creation being added last of all by the all-wise Architect to his building of the World In the End 't is design'd for 2. The Excellency of our Souls appears from the End they are designed for It cannot but speak the dignity of the Soul that it alone of all the Creatures is chosen and set apart by God for such great purposes As 1. To glorify him 2. To enjoy him Men though otherwise of the lowest rank are ennobled when their Prince appoints them to Honourable Employments Now 1. The Soul of Man is made for to bring glory to God Not as the body of Man only as an Instrument which moves as the Soul would have it as the Ax in the hand of the Workman nor as the other visible Creatures who glorifyed God only as they afford us matter for Gods glory but all the Glory that God expects or can reap from all and every one of the Corporal Beings is entrusted with Man Man is the Creatures High Priest and by him they offer up all their Sacrifices of Praise and Thanks When in Psal 148. the Sun and Moon nay Storms and Tempests are call'd upon to praise
made me free from the Law of sin and death v. 2. If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live v. 13. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the Children of God v. 16. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities v. 26 27. But I must confine my self to that One in the Text the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading Conduct Manuduction which this Blessed Spirit vouchsafes to the people of God He is the Saints Leader their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dux viae the Guide of their Life Look as by Christ they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading Accesse Admission to God the Father in Prayer Eph. 2.18 and 3.12 So by the Spirit they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading and Guidance in their whole course of Life In the discussing of this weighty Point I will 1. Open the nature of the Act the Leading of the Spirit 2. Propound and answer some practical Enquiries about it For the better opening of it I must 1. Lay down some things more Generally concerning it 2. Then come to the closer and stricter Explication of it Under the First I shall commend the following Particulars to you Distinctions premis'd about the Spirits Leading 1. The Leading of the Spirit is either General and Common or Peculiar and Special If we consider him as God in his joint participation of the Deity with the Father and the Son and in his joint Operations with them according to their Divine Essence so there is a Leading by him which does extend to all Creatures whatsoever For all of them by his Divine Power and Influxe in their several Beings Actions Motions and Tendencies are disposed ordered governed and overrul'd to the Glory of the Creator and the good of the Universe Take them in all their Faculties and in all their Operations they are all excited directed actuated by this Spirit And so in a general Sence they all come under his Guidance and Regency This also may be said to extend to all men to the Unregenerate as well as to the Regenerate How why as they all doe act and move * Acts 17.28 in and by him as He in a Common and Providential way does order and regulate all their several Actions and Motions For this he does in all as he is the first cause and the supream Soveraign So that as there is his common Illumination common Conviction common Restraints common Gifts which even the Graceless partake of so there is too a common Leading by Him which they also have Now most certainly this is not that Leading which the Text speaks of for this cannot be the Foundation or Evidence of the Priviledge mention'd A common Act will never entitle to a special Relation Ductus spiritus quo Filij Dei aguntur non est Generalis Dei Actus quo omnia moventur sed est specialis Gratia quâ Filii Dei Sanctificantur in viâ salutis diriguntur ad Deum Pareus Observare convenit esse multiplicem Spiritus Actionem Est enim Vniversalis quâ omnes Creaturae sustinentur ac moventur sunt peculiares in Hominibus illae quidem variae sed hic sanctificationem intelligit quâ non nisi Electos suos Dominus dignatur dum eos sibi in Filios segregat Calv. in loc How many are thus led by the Spirit who yet are far from being the Sons of God! That Leading therefore must be here intended which is special and peculiar to Gods people such as will amount to the making of the Proposition here Reciprocal and Convertible thus All the Sons of God are led by the Spirit and All that are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God 2. The special Leading of the Spirit is Extraordinary or Ordinary The former was confin'd to some Persons and to some Times and was not to extend to all Saints nor to continue in all Ages Thus the Holy Prophets the Apostles were led by the Spirit as they were immediately inspir'd guided and moved by Him in the discharge of their Extraordinary Work and Office These in the penning of the Holy Scriptures and in all that they revealed of and from God were acted and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 and hereupon they were infallible in what they reveal'd But this was extraordinary and so Limited and Temporary The latter Leading of the Spirit therefore must be that which is here spoken of that which appertains to all Gods Children and at all times Did the Apostle when he says As many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God mean that as many as have Extraordinary Visions Revelations Inspirations Impulses from the Spirit of God are thus related to God and none Other surely no! Should we carry it thus high we should exclude all but the foremention'd Prophets and Apostles from being Gods Children which would be both sad and also false Wherefore 't is unquestionable that the Ordinary Abiding and Permanent Leading of the Spirit and that which reaches to all Believers is here intended 3. This Act of the Spirit may be consider'd either as 't is exerted at the first Conversion or after For as we distinguish the Grace of God into Prevenient and Subsequent so we may also distinguish of the Leading of the Spirit He leads at and in order to the first Conversion as he then does irradiate the Mind incline the Will spiritualize the Affections and so lead or guide the whole Soul to God and Christ Then he leads after Conversion as this is done by him all along in the whole course of a Christians Life for it is a continued Act. The Guidance of the Sp rit to bring a man into the state of Grace that 's done but once but the Guidance of the Spirit in the state of Grace that 's done Daily and Renewedly The first imports the infusing of a Living Vital Principle into the Soul the latter supposes this Principle and makes use of it in the Conduct of a Child of God in the way of Holiness Both are here to be taken in yet I conceive the last may be most proper And Observe these two Leadings of the Spirit have a different respect to our Sonship with God For the former Constitutes it the latter only Discovers and Evidences it The Spirit as leading me to God at the first Conversion makes me a Child of God the Spirit as leading me after Conversion causes it to appear that I am a Child of God 4. There is the Having of the Spirit and there is the Leading of the Spirit We have both in this Chapter the One v. 9. if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his the other in the Text. Now although these two be conjunct and inseparable whoever have the Spirit they are led by the Spirit yet they are distinct things To have the Spirit is to
Rule to act by His Internal Holiness and Perfection being his sole Rule But as to Vs in our Actings we have an External Rule by which all that we do is to be squared and therefore by and according to this Rule the Spirit guides us And our Conformity thereunto is both the Measure and also the Design and End of the Spirit in his Guidance of us The Word it self carries in it a leading and directive Property Prov. 6.22 23. VVhen thou goest it shall lead thee For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path 133. Order my steps in thy VVord Mic. 6.8 He hath shewn thee O man what is good The written Revelation of God's Will is the Christians great Rule the Compass by which in all things he must steer his Course the Star that must direct him in all his Motions 'T is to the Law Isa 8.20 and to the Testimonys that we must have our continual Recourse for the regulating of us in all matters of Faith and Practice Now this Leading of the word and that of the Spirit are never to be sever'd As that is in subordination to This so This is ever in Conjunction with That This Word we must in all things keep close unto or else we run our selves upon most dangerous Rocks The Enthusiast is for a Light within for immediate Revelations Inspirations Impulses from the Spirit and I know not what But are these Praeter-Scriptural much more are they Anti-Scriptural Oh then they are nothing but mens own Fancies and Delusions and not at all the leadings of the Spirit of God When any upon the pretence of these go off from the written Word what wild Opinions and Practices do they run themselves upon Of which we have had too many instances both at Home and Abroad The Spirit and the VVord are our full and compleat guide The Spirit gives Light and Life to the Word and the VVord gives Evidence that the Guidance is from the Spirit But it may be ask'd Does the Spirit guide only in this mediate way Quest Is there not an immediate Leading by him at least pro hic nunc No unless you state it thus That although he may not always Answ in an Express and in an Explicit manner guide by the VVord yet his Guiding always is according to the VVord and Consentaneous to it The Word evermore is in the matter though sometimes it may not be in the manner of the Spirits Guidance He may without making use of the Word by an immediate Divine Light and Excitation lead me to this or that duty but he never leads me to any thing but what the Word first makes to be Duty Take it in that other Act of the Spirit which follows here v. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God This witnessing of Adoption is usually Mediate and by the Word yet 't is not always so sometimes 't is Immediate and without the VVord That is the Spirit assures of this not only in a syllogistical way by such and such Scripture-signs Marks Qualifications Dispositions which evidence Sonship to God as He that is led by the Spirit is the Son of God Thou art one who art led by the Spirit therefore thou art the Son of God But he sometimes may and does directly and immediately say to a person Thou art a Child of God But now though here he thus witnesses Abstractly and praecisively without making use of the marks and signs of the Word concerning this Relation yet he never so witnesses but according to the Word i. e. where those marks and signs are In like manner 't is as to his leading this is not always managed by an express Revival upon the Heart of this or that passage in the Word yet for the matter of it 't is ever done in a way consonant and agreeable to the Word And so long as we keep to this I think there will be no great danger of Enthusiasm or Fanaticisme rightly so called The manner of it III. The manner of the Spirits Leading Concerning which not to run out into all the various Explications that occur about it I 'le confine my self to these two things The Spirit leads 1. With Power and Efficacy 2. With Sweetness and Gentleness Fortiter Suaviter 1. With Power and Efficacy The Spirit leads so as that the Person led shall certainly follow him For in this Act he does not only illuminate the Vnderstanding or barely dictate to the Mind and Conscience what way is to be taken but he does also Inwardly by a Secret Power upon the Heart incline and bend the Will to close with what he directs unto He leads with a strong Hand so as that the Soul shall not be able to resist him I mean ad Victoriam I speak not of his Guidance which is common and general but of that which is peculiar and saving of that which is put forth either in those that are regenerate already or in those whom God designs to make such This leading of the Spirit in such Persons is ever carryed on with Power and Efficacy I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Ezek. 36.27 here 's not only an Informing Light but an Overpowering Influence I 'le cause you to walk in my Statutes Turn thou me and I shall be turned 'T is leading in the Text to shew the Mildness of the Spirits Operation elsewhere 't is Drawing to shew the Power of the Spirits Operation 'tis Drawing as to the depraved Will 't is Leading as to the Sanctified Will The Evil Spirit leads to sin How Why he moves perswades solicites to sin and further than that he cannot go But the Holy Spirit in his leading to Grace and Holiness pursues this with a Determining and Overcoming Power so as that the Effect which he aims at shall certainly be produced This we must grant or else we must hold a parity of Operation betwixt the two Spirits that the Holy Spirit has but the same causal Influx upon what is good which the wicked Spirit has upon what is evil then which nothing can be more absurd 2. Yet 't is Power acted and exerted with all sweetness mildness and gentleness Here 's leading but no Force Conduct but no Compulsion no Coaction vehemens Inclinatio non Coactio Ghorran The Will is determin'd but so as that not the least violence is done to it to the infringing of its Liberty Ne arbitreris istam asperam molestamque violentiam dulcis est suavis est ipsa suavitas te trahit Aug. How spontaneously does the Person led follow him that leads him so 't is here This and all the other workings of the Spirit are admirably suited to the Nature of Reasonable and Free Agents Efficacious Grace does not at all
Thess 2.13 God hath from the Beginning chosen you to Salvation 1 Thess 5.9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain Salvation which Salvation doth include absence of all evil and presence of all good and this Salvation being Eternal Heb. 5.9 infers the absence of all evil for ever and the presence of all good for ever and whosoever is delivered from all privative Evils and possessed of all positive Everlasting good and that for ever can not be denyed to be happy for ever II. Christ hath redeemed some to be infallibly brought to Eternal Glory What reason can be given of the Incarnation and Death of the Son of God if there be no Eternal misery for men to be delivered from nor any Eternal happiness to be possessed of For 1. Did Christ dye to deliver his Followers from Poverty and Prisons from Sorrow and Sufferings from Trouble and Tribulation What! and yet his Holy Humble and Sincere people lye under these more than other Men that are wicked and ungodly why was Paul then in stripes and imprisonments in hunger and thirst in cold and nakedness in perils and jeopardy of his Life continually and such as Pilate Faelix and Festus in great worldly prosperity Or can it be imagined that Men persisting in Sin should be more partakers of the fruits of Christs Death than those that forsake their sin repent and turn and follow him 2. Did Christ suffer and dye to purchase only Temporal good things as Riches Honours for his Disciples Were these worth his precious Blood VVhatever Christ dyed for it cost him his most Sacred Blood Was it then for Temporal enjoyments only which Turks and Pagans may and do possess more than Thousands of his true and faithful Followers Did Christ intend the benefits of his Death for these in more especial manner then for such as remain finally impenitent and yet shall such reap the fruit of all his Sufferings and those that believe on him go without them Sober reason doth abhor it and all the Scripture is against it Would Christ have humbled himself to such a contemptible Birth miserable Life lamentable painful shameful Death only for transitory temporal fading Mercies If we consider the variety of his sufferings from God Men and Devils the dignity of the Sufferer I profess I cannot imagine any reason of all Christs undertakings and performances if there be not an Eternal state of Misery in suffering of evil things by his Death that Believers might be delivered from and of Glory in enjoying of good things to be brought unto III. The Spirit of God doth sanctifie some that they might be made meet to be partakers of the Eternal Inheritance of the Saints in light As all are not Godly so all are not Ungodly Though most be as they were born yet many there be that are born again there is a wonderful difference betwixt men and men the Spirit of God infusing a principle of spiritual Life and making some all over new working in them Faith in Christ Holy Fear and Love Patience and Hope longing Desires renewing in them the Holy Image of God is as the earnest and first fruits assuring of them in due time of a plentiful harvest of Everlasting Happiness Faith is in order to Eternal Life and Salvation Joh. 3.16 Love hath the promise of it 1 Cor. 2.9 2 Tim. 4.8 Jam. 1.12 Obedience ends in it Heb. 5.9 Hope waits for it Rom. 8.25 and because their hope shall never make them ashamed Rom. 5.5 therefore there must be such an Eternal-Blessed state they hope for IV. The Souls of all men are immortal though they had a beginning yet shall never cease to be therefore must while they be be in some state and because they be Eternal must be in some Eternal state This Eternal state must be either in the Souls enjoyment of God or in separation from him for the wit of Man cannot find out a third for the Soul continuing to be must be with God or not with God shall enjoy him or not enjoy him for to say he shall and shall not or to say he shall not and yet shall is a contradiction and to say he neither shall nor shall not is as bad if therefore the Soul be Eternal and while it shall be shall perfectly enjoy God it shall be Eternally happy If it shall for ever be and that without God it shall be Eternally miserable because God is the chiefest good the ultimate end and perfection of man The great work in this then is to prove that the Soul is Eternal and shall for ever be For which I offer these things 1. There is nothing within nor without the Soul that can be the cause of its ceasing to be here except God who though he can take away the being of Souls and Angels too yet he hath abundantly assured us that he will not Nothing within it because it is a Spiritual Being and hath no Internal Principle by contrary qualities causing a cessation of its Being and because it is simple and indivisible it is immortal and incorruptible for that which is not compounded of parts cannot be dissolved into parts and where there is no dissolution of a Being there is no corruption or end of it there is no Creature without it that can cause the Soul to cease Matth. 10.28 Not able to kill the Soul Luc. 12.4 Fear not them that kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do if they would kill the Soul they cannot when they have killed the Body they have done their worst their most their all 2. The Soul of man hath not dependance upon the Body as to its Being and Existence It hath certain actings and operations which do not depend upon the Body and if the operations of the Soul be independent from the Body such must the principle be from whence such operations do arise and if it can act without dependance on the Body then it can exist and be without the Body In the Body without dependance on the Body it hath the knowledge of immaterial Beings as God and Adgels which were never seen by the eye of the Body nor can because there must be some proportion between the object and the faculty and the Soul doth know it self wherein it hath no need of the phantasie for when it is intimately present to it self it wanteth not the ministry of the phantasie to its own intellection Besides it can conceive of universals abstracted from its singulars in which it doth not depend upon the phantasie for phantasmata sunt singularium non universalium therefore since it can act in the body without dependance on the Body it can exist without the Body and not dye when the Body doth which yet is more plain and certain from the Scripture which telleth us that the Soul of Lazarus after death was carryed by Angels into Abrahams bosom Luc. 16.22 but they did not carry it dead or alive but alive
and not dead Stephen when dying expected the continuance of his Soul in being and its entrance into Blis Act. 7.59 saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit The Thief upon the Cross had a promise from Christ that that day he should be with him in Paradise in his Body he is not yet therefore in his Soul without the Body therefore the Soul doth exist without the Body Paul believed the Immortality of his Soul and its existence after the death of his Body Phil. 1.23 I am in a strait having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better If his Soul had not existed he had not been a moment sooner with Christ nay his Soul in the Body had some communion with Christ if it dyed with the Body it had none and that was not far better but worse 3. The original of the Soul by immediate Creation is usually brought as an argument of the Immortality and Continuance of it to Eternity to assert the Creation of the Soul hath this difficulty attending on it how to clear the propagating of Original Sin to affirm the Soul is extraduce propagated by generation hath this knot to be untied how it doth consist with the Immortality of the Soul when that which is generable is corruptible but I for present shall take their arguing which prove it shall exist for ever because it is created immediately by God according to the worne axiom whatsoever is ingenerable is also incorruptible The Soul cannot be from the Matter or Bodies of the Parents because that which is Spiritual and Immaterial cannot be produced out of that which is a Corporeal and Material Substance for then the effect would be more noble than its cause and the cause would give and impart something to the effect which it self hath not but that which any thing hath not it cannot give to another as in a Spiritual so in a Natural sense that which is born of the flesh is flesh but the Soul is a Spirit Nor are the Souls of the Children from the Souls of the Parents either by Multiplication or Division not by Division that part of the Souls of the Parents should be communicated and pass from the Parents to the Children because it is a Spirit and therefore indivisible into parts because it hath none being without matter therefore without quantity therefore without divisible parts Not by Multiplication for this must be by participation of something from the Parents Souls or not if not then it inferreth Creation for that which is brought out of nothing into being is created if by participation of something of the substance of the Parents Soul this infers Division which before was shewed cannot be 4. That the Soul shall never dye but abide to all Eternity I argue either God neither can nor will maintain the Soul in Eternal duration or he would but cannot or he could but will not or he both can and will If he cannot then God is not Omnipotent for the Soul being a Spirit it no more implies a contradiction that the Soul should live for ever then that Angels and Devils should live for ever If he can and any say he will not I desire a reason of this assertion how shall any man know Gods Will by but what he hath revealed and God hath not revealed that he will not maintain the Souls of men in Eternal Being but the contrary It follows then that God both can and will and therefore they must live to all Eternity V. The certainty of an Eternal State in the other unseen world is evident from the innate appetite universally in all men after Eternal happiness There is no man but would be happy and there is no man that would have his happiness cease a man might as soon cease to be a man as cast away all desires of Happiness or Will to be for ever miserable though most mistake what their happiness is This innate Appetite cannot be filled with all the good things in this World for though the rational appetite be subjectively finite yet it is objectively infinite God therefore and Nature which do nothing in vain hath put unsatisfied restless desires after happiness into the hearts of men which cannot be any thing among things seen and Temporal there must be something that must be the object of this Appetite and able to quiet and fill it in the other world though most by folly blindness and sloathfulness miss of it VI. The absurdities which follow the denyal of an Eternal state of men though now unseen demonstrate the certainty of it 1. For then the lives of men even of the best must needs be uncomfortable and the life of reason would as such be subject to more fears and terrors than the life of sense which is against all sense and reason for Beasts must dye but do not foresee that they must dye but the rational foresight of Death would imbitter all his sweetest delights of Life if there were no reason to hope for another after this and the more the Life of Man as Man is more noble than the Life of Beasts the more the foresight of the certain loss thereof without another after this would affright afflict torment Now it is not rational to think that God who made Man the chiefest and the choicest of all his visible works should endue him with such powers and faculties as Understanding and Will to make his Life as man more burdensom by being filled with fretting fears wracking griefs and tormenting terrors more than any Beasts are liable to or capable of Nay and add that the more any Man did improve exercise and use his reason in the frequent Meditations of Death the more bitter his Life would be to consider that all the present good he doth enjoy must certainly and shortly be lost by Death and he not capable of any good after Death in the stead and room thereof 2. Then the Condition of many wicked yea the worst of men would be better than the condition of the godly that are the best if the wicked have their good things here and no evil hereafter and the people of God their evil things here and no good hereafter 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we had hope we were of all men most miserable 3. Then the chiefest and greatest encouragements to undergo Sufferings and Losses for Gods sake were taken away Why did Moses refuse the Honours of Pharaoh's Court and chose to suffer Afflictions with the People of God but because he had his Eye to the recompence of reward Heb. 11.25 26. Why did Paul endure such Conflicts but for the hope of Life and Immortality which the Gospel had brought to light 2 Tim. 1.10 12. and well might he ask what it would advantage him that he fought with Beasts at Ephesus if the Dead rise not to Eternal happiness 1 Cor. 15.32 Might not then the Suffering Saints repent when they come to dye that they had been so imprudent
bodily Eyes yet you do with an Eye of Faith and Love and therefore may rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1.8 When you look up unto the Heavens and see and say yonder is the place of my Everlasting abode there I must dwell with God there I must be with Christ and joyfully joyn with Angels and Saints in praising of my Lord and Saviour the foresight of this will make you joyful for the present and pleasant in your looking at it 10. Look fiducially at unseen Eternal things with an Holy Humble Confidence by Jesus Christ upon the performance of the conditions of the Gospel they shall be all your own that by turning from all your Sin by Repentance and Faith in Christ you trust you shall be possessed of them that when you see there are Mansions now unseen there are Eternal Joyes an Immoveable Kingdom an Incorruptible Crown the Eternal God to be enjoyed and for all this you have a promise and you know this promise is made to you by the performance of the Conditions annexed to the promise you trust in time to come unto it or rather when you go out of time into Eternity you shall be blessed in the Immediate Full Eternal Enjoyment of all the Happiness that God hath prepared in Heaven to give you wellcome joyful entertainment in that unseen Eternal World that you so eye that World while you live in this that when by Death you are going out of this World into that you might have this well-grounded confidence to say I have fought a good fight I have finished my course henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day 2 Tim. 4.7 8. If you get such a sight as this as now hath been set forth before you upon such Eternal Objects as before were propounded to you you will be able from your own experience to answer the third question contained in the general case but yet I will proceed unto that branch Q. 3. What influence will such an Eying of Eternity have upon us in all we do In all we do Will its Influence be so Universal Will the efficacy of such a sight be so extensive to reach forth its virtue in all we do yes in all we do Whether we Eat or Drink or go to Sleep whether we Trade or Work or Buy or Sell. Whether we Pray or Hear or search our Hearts or Meditate or Receive or Study or Preach or Sin or Suffer or Dy it will have a mighty influence upon us in any thing wherein we are active or passive culpable or praise-worthy in any condition be it Poverty or Riches Health or Sickness in any Relation be it of Husband and Wife of Parents and Children of Masters and Servants In any Office and Imployment Sacred or Civil out of such an heap because I am limited I will take an handful and because I have not room to speak of all I will not cast them into method according to their nature connexion and dependance one upon another but take them as they come in some few particulars only 1. Such an Eyeing of Eternity in all we do would make us careful to avoid Sin in any thing we do or however we might fail in all we do yet that we suffer it not to Reign or have Dominion over us Look at Eternity with a believing Eye and you will look at sin with an angry Eye you will cast a deadly look at Sin when you have a lively look at Eternity of Joy or Misery 1. Sin would deprive me of Eternal Life therefore I will be its Death it would keep me from Eternal Rest therefore I will never rest till I have conquered and subdued it nothing in the World would bring upon my Eternal Soul the Eternal loss of the Eternal God his Glorious Son and Holy Spirit of the Company of his Holy Angels and Saints of Eternal Treasures of a Blessed Kingdom and Incorruptible Crownâ— but cursed Sin Poverty Sickness Men Death Devils cannot nothing but Sin therefore I will be its bane that shall not Reign in me that would not suffer me to live in Everlasting Happiness 2. Sin would plunge me into unseen Eternal Torments into Endless Flames and Everlasting Burnings If you could speak with a Soul departed but a Moneth ago and ask him what do you now think of the delights of Sin of sporting on the Sabbath day of your pleasant Cups and Delightful Games of pleasing of the Flesh and gratifying of its Lusts What a sad reply would he return and what a doleful answer would he make you Sin Oh that was it that was my ruine that was it which hath brought me miserable wretch to Everlasting Torment that was it which shut me out of Heaven that sunk me down to Hell O ye foolish Sons of Men that are yet in time be not mad as I was mad and do not do as I did let not the seen pleasures and profits of the World which I have found were but for a time deceive you and bewitch you the Devil shewed me the seen delights of Sin but concealed from me the Extremity and Eternity of the pain that it hath brought me to the pleasure is past and the pain continues and I am lost for ever and all this Sin hath brought me to Let your eyeing of Eternity whilst you are standing in time be instead of ones speaking to you in time that hath been in Eternity for the Eternal God doth tell you as much as any Damned Soul can tell you and would you believe one from Hell and not the Son of God that came from Heaven Oh look and view Eternity in the Glass of the Scripture and firmly believe it and it will make slaughtering work amongst your Sins and destroy that which would damn you 2. Such Eyeing of Eternity would be a mighty help to quiet your hearts under the dispensations of Providence here to Men on Earth When you look at the seen Afflictions Distresses Disgraces Stripes Imprisonments Persecutions and Poverty of the People and Children of God and the Riches Ease Honours Pleasures and the seen flourishing prosperity of the worst of Men that by the Swearing Drinking Whoring hating of Godliness being patterns of wickedness proclaim themselves the Children of the Devil and you are offended and your Mind disquieted except in this you have a better heart than Job cap. 21.6 to 16. or David a Man after Gods own heart Psal 73.2 to 16. or Jeremiah cap. 12.1 2. or Habakkuk cap. 1.13 14. Now amongst the many helps to allay this Temptation the eyeing of the last yea Everlasting things is not the least Look upon these two sorts of Men which comprehend all in the World as going to Eternity and lodged there and then you will rather pity them because of their future Misery then envy them for their present Prosperity What if they have their Hearts desire for a
Death where note 1. His Submission to the will of the Father He puts himself into his Fathers hands and Subjects himself to his pleasure 2. His design the Fathers glory Glorify thy Name He doth not say simply let my Agony and Death come but Glorify c. q. d. This being the means of thy Glory which thou hast fixt upon here I am do to me as seemeth good in thy Sight Hence observe First The best way to quiet and compose our Spirits in time of distress is the Prayer of Faith Wrastle with God and you Conquer your own Tumultuatings 1. Sam. 1.10 11 18. Secondly That Soul will be heard who forgets or neglects himself in Comparison and Prayeth for the Accomplishment of the Will and Glory of God So doth Christ here and God heard him See Heb. 5.7 Thirdly Our Exemption from suffering may sometimes be inconsistent with the Glory of God Save me from this hour saith Christ but for this cause came I unto this hour Father Glorify thy Name The Ground of the Point lyes in his Correction of his first Petition Fourthly The best and most Effectual means to prepare our selves to meet God either in the way of Mercy or Judgment is to resign our selves to the Soveraign Will of God to be disposed of for his Glory 1. I shall prove the Doctrin 2. Open the Nature of this resigned Frame of Spirit 3. Give some Arguments manifesting that it is our Duty especially in a Day of Distress 4. Apply the whole Before I enter upon the first I lay down this Supposition That believer who is prepared for Affliction is prepared for Salvation that the same qualification fits for both these dispensations I know some are Vessels of Wrath fitted only for Distruction Ro. 9.22 If the Apostle did there Treat of a Moral preparation which I know he doth not then we must Distinguish between Destruction and Affliction and of the fitness of the Vessels of Wrath for that and Saints for this But to decide this matter Our Doctrine and Question speaks of an Holy Gracious Preparation for Sufferings to bear them quietly and benificially not of a judicial Aptitude for Ruin much less an Eternal act of Preterition which is the Apostles meaning there This premised I suppose none will deny him who is holily qualified for Suffering to be in a blessed readiness for comfortable Dispensations and Providences Now that the above mentioned Resignation to the will of God for his Glory Prepareth a Soul both for Mercy or Judgment Suffering or Deliverance appeareth as follows 1. In that we find Holy Men of Old in this Spirit ready for either Dispensation Tribulation or Comfort Adversity or Prosperity Job shall be our First Instance his Resignation is notably expressed Chap. 1.21 Naked came I out of my Mothers Woumb and Naked shall I return Thither The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh Blessed be the Name of the Lord. The good Man upon the first gust of the Storm that beats Terribly upon him falls down at the Feet of God acknowledging his Soveraignity and Adoring his Name Well in this Frame he met with greater Tryals afterward and how did he bear them See James 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very Pitiful and of tender Mercyes In this Spirit he bear Affliction Patiently and received Mercy Plentifully God had two Designs on Job to Try and Bless him and Job's humble Spirit equally quallified him for both Take David for a Second Example By Absaloms Rebellion he was brought to a great Strait that must flye to prevent the Surprize of his Person Now take notice of his Frame 2 Sam. 15.25 26. And the King said unto Zadack carry back the Ark of God into the City If I shall find favour in the Eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his Habitation But if he say thus I have no delight in thee behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth good unto him David was not without hopes of being Restored to his Throne and yet he had fears of the Contrary but whether God would dispose of him that way or this he Submits to his Pleasure Resigns himself to his Will and this prepared him for Suffering and qualified him for Deliverance Isa 41.2 'T is said that God call'd Abraham to his Foot i. e. to an intire Subjection to his Will He disputed nothing that God revealed refused nothing which he commanded what was this for why to fit him for great Tryalls Mercies Gen. 12.1 2 3 4. Cap. 22.1 2 3 10 16 17 18. this was Pauls Frame Acts 20.22 23 24. 2. That Frame is most fit to meet the Lord in the way of Judgment or Mercy which Christ chose to suffer in and so to enter into Glory In the Text this was his case he was shortly to meet with two Contrary Dispensations He was to bear our Sin and to Conflict with the Wrath of God for it to Suffer the Violence of Hell and the World and to Dye an accursed Death but with all immediately he is to be Glorified at the Right Hand of the Father Both these he had in his Eye in this Chap. v. 23 24. He expected a double Glory upon his Death here by the Propagation of the Gospel in Heaven by the Exaltation of his humane Nature Chap. 17.15 and both these he looked for Heb. 12.2 Well how will he prepare himself for Suffering and Glory even by lying at his Fathers Foot in the Text. And now he can grapple with all his Enemys and now he can wait for his reward Matt. 26.39 42 44. 'T was in this Spirit that he went to meet his betrayer v. 45 46. This all the Evangelists mention for our Example Certainly Christ knew what was the best preparation for Judgment or Mercy and Chose it for himself and was therein our Pattern 3. That 's the best way to meet God in the way of his Judgments or Mercies which himself prescribeth but a Resigned humbled Spirit to his Will and Pleasure is commanded by himself to qualify us for such Dispensations 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God and he shall Exalt you in due time q. d. bear my Afflicting hand and you shall feel my Supporting Exalting hand 4. That 's the best Preparation for Mercy or Judgment which God aimeth at in Afflicting and Rewardeth in Delivering his People and this is a Resigned Frame an Obedient Submiss Subdued Will to the Will of God If he afflict his Children 't is because they are Froward if he Cherrish them t is for the Compliance with his Pleasure Ephram was Smitten for his Stubborness and Comforted for his Obedience Jer. 31.18 19 20. God hath no Contention with us but our Crosness because our Wills Thwart his and our ways contradicts his First we resist his Commanding Will by Disobedience and then his chastizing Will
consistent with his Fathers Purpose and Honour yet all this notwithstanding he boweth his Soul and prayeth his Father to Glorify his Name so Matt. 26.39 c. His Soul trembled at the thoughts of the bitterness of that Cup we find him not Relucting at any foregoing Suffering but this amaz'd him as Mark expresseth it yet see his resolve nevertheless not my Will but thine be done Two things in times of Trouble we usually start at yet a resigned Soul will refer it self therein to the Will of God 1. The matter of the Tryal Very oft we think we could be content to bear any burden but what Providence lays upon us carrying it as if God had pick't out the very worst of Pains and Aff ictions for us We'd bear Sickness if it pleased God but cannot away with Death we 'd lay down our Lives at Gods Feet but know not to be confined in a nasty Goal Let God send any thing but Poverty or Banishment or Slavery c. The meaning of it is we would Suffer according to our own Will not Gods For to corrupt Nature any Trouble is more Eligible then what Providence fixeth upon Rachel could Die more quietly as she imagined then endure the Affliction of Barrenness Gen. 30.1 Though poor Woman she found that first as hard a Task as the second Chap. 35. 18. Was this Christs meaning when he prayed the Father to Glorify his Name doth he prescribe the Suffring or close with his Fathers Pleasure did Christ say any Cup Father but this any Death but this accursed Crucifixtion Nay but if this Cup may not pass away thy Will be done O how far are we from this Frame when we Complain our Lot is worse then any Mans. We think God hath chosen the Smartest Rod in all the Bundle for us But where is our Resignation all this while 2. The manner of the Tryal this is usually disputed Saul in his dispare will Dye but Scorns to be Slain by the uncircumcised 1 Sam. 31.4 Abimeleck too will Dye when he cannot help it but not by the hand of a Woman Judg. 9.54 And we flatter our selves as if we were willing to Glorify God by our Death only we would chuse the way of Dying The meaning is God shall be Glorified aâ— we please He shall have the Honours but we 'l prescribe the manner Indeed he owes us much thanks for our kindness Is this to Glorify God No! He is not Glorified but in the way of his Will 2. This Frame carrieth in it a Resolution of our Suffering not only into the Will of God but his Glory also O saith our blessed Lord I 'l Suffer thy Wrath and Mens Malice Rage and say thine be the Glory I 'l endure the Shame and thou shalt have the Honour Father Glorify thy Name Christ stood not upon his own Credit but the Fathers Glory 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye Eat or Drink or whatever ye do do all to the Glory of God Ye whether ye Live or Dye Suffer or Prosper do all Suffer all for the Glory of God A resigned Soul counteth it worth his while to bear any Affliction so God be Glorified Our holy Lord here Ballanc't the Glory of God against his Sufferings what a blessed Spirit was that of the Baptist Jo. 3.30 I must decrease but he must increase he began to loose his followers when Christ entred upon his Ministry but instead of grudging at it or envying him he 's aboundantly Satisfied that his loss was his Lords gain A resigned Soul will be base in its own Eyes and be content to be vile in Mens Sight also so God be Glorified I know nothing more contrary to the Spirit of the Gospel then Affectation of Reputation to our selves nor any thing more Christian then Zeal for and desire of the Glory of God and our Lord Jesus Jo. 5.44 How can ye believe who receive Honour one of another Christ aimed at his Fathers Glory First Jo. 17.4 I have Glorified the upon Earth Here both in doing and Suffering we must design Gods Glory our turn comes not to have Glory till we be in Heaven Nay We must not only Aim at Gods Glory in our Suffering but be willing that he mannage our Sufferings to that end He always hath most Glory when he Orders the whole affair Christ doth not say Father I 'l Glorify thy Name but refers himself unto the Father do thou O Father Glorify thy Name Our Sufferings bring God no Glory unless he order them Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy Will there was nothing of the Will of Christ in the case further then its Submission to the Fathers Will so must we lay our selves at the Feet of God and desire him to work out his own Glory in and by us 2. We must also be willing that he make what Glory for himself he pleaseth of us and by us Some think from Rev. 11.7 The Witnesses would have finish't their Testimony too soon and laid aside the Sackcloth and Ashes before the time What know we when God hath got Glory enough by our Sufferings Nay let 's be content to bear as long and as much as he thinketh fit to be sure we cannot Glorify him too much Let him Carve for himself when his Name hath had Glory enough by us himself will ease us Did Christ hang back after his Agony in the Garden No! but thence he went to meet his apprehenders thence to the Chief Priest thence to Herod and thence to Pilate again then to the place of Execution then to the Cross then to the Grave He Suffered as long and as much as it was his Fathers Pleasure His Prayer in the Text fixeth no measure nor Time but leaveth the Stint to the Will of God Holy Job bare his several Afflictions Patiently not one but all till God had done Paul professeth that he was not only ready to be bound but Dye for the Name of Jesus Acts 21.13 And none of these things move me saith he Chap. 20. 14. If when God hath Glorified himself by my Bonds he thinks fit to get him Honour by my Death I Submit This should check our impatience and weariness in a Suffering Day how can we say Father Glorify thy Name when we would Stint him in the degree and time of our Sufferings 3. This Frame Submits the Season when we shall Suffer to the Fathers wise Determination This was the dismallest hour that ever Christ saw the Hour and Power of Darkness Luke 22.53 when Hell and the World seemed to have all possible Advantages against the Lord. And doth he say Father save me from this Hour yea but he corrects himself and with respect to that Hour puts up his request to the Father in the Text Father Glorify c. He is so far from contending about the Season that he came designedly to Jerusalem at that time to Suffer Jo. 12.9 10. But we are apt to Reluct in this case O Lord deliver us from
and must be Submitted to the Will and Glory of God Be sure Christ put these things in their proper place and behold his Life and all are resolved into the Fathers Will and Glory Nor did he undervalue himself or them in laying them at his Fathers Feet Certainly he was most tender of that which was most Valuable All the Baptist's Credit was to Vanish at Christs appearing upon the Stage VVell did he Bustle in his own behalf Nay he bare witness that he that came after him was to be preferred before him Jo. 1.15 and being demanded who he was he confessed and denyed not but confessed I am not the Christ v. 20. VVhat need all this but that John was render of the order wherein God had plac't him So v. 27. O that it were thus with us that we would lay down our Selves our Lives c. At the Feet of God and subordinated them to his Glory That we were willing that he be Glorified though we Suffer 4 Be we never so great and high yet our Father must do his Pleasure with us and get Glory by us Though Christ were a Son yet he Learned Obedience Heb. 5.8 Yea he was Equal with the Father in Nature Phil. 2.6 Yet having Covenanted to be the Fathers Servant in the Mediatory Dispensation he made himself of no Reputation c. v. 7 8. O let this mind be in us which was also in Christ v. 5. How was God pleased with Abrahams Resignation of his Son his only Son the Son of his Love of his Age his Darling Child Gen. 22.12 15 16 17 18. VVell as great as any of us think our selves we are not so great as Christ not so Considerable as Abraham let us be Content God should Glorifie himself by making us little and laying us low in the VVorld VVhat an abasement was it to Christ to be sold for 30 Peices of Silver See what himself saith of it Zach. 11.12 13. a goodly Price that I was Prized at of them yet he could bear in Submission to his Father O that high proud lofty Stately Professors who stand upon their greatness who affect grandeur would consider this Certainly the hight of Christians is a great part of the Controversy God hath with us in this Day Pray le ts bow our Spirits and lour our Top-sails willingly for God is bringing us down and for any thing I know he cannot otherwise have his VVill and Glory 5 See hence whither we must drive our perplexitys in Suffering if we would Conquer them even to this Holy Resignation of our selves into the Soveraign VVill of God Our Lord Jesus came to no Composure till he arrived at this Frame Compare with the Text the foregoing verse As long as you reluct against Providence expect nothing but Tumult He resisteth the proud c. James 4.6 7. who so proud as the unresigned Soul Well if we submit not God will fight against us and judge what composure we can then have When Jonah opposed the Lords Will had he any rest chap. 1.2 3 4. Job 9.4 'till we resign he 'l visit our Souls with darkness our Bodies with pain and our Matter with frustration and disappointment A Man that will Swim against Tyde and Stream and Wind may waste and spend his strength but the longer he strives the more unfeasable his Attempt is So while you strive against the Lords pleasure expect universal disturbance For when the debate is who shall yeild whether God shall abate his Will or we submit ours we may easily conceive how bitter unquiet and vexatious the greatest will be on our part Well but come and resign to the Will of God and all will be calm Isa 30.15 There are three things herein exceeding composing 1. Our spirits and thoughts are now come to a conclusion before there was a contest between Grace and Nature that would this would not submit this created unquietness but now Grace hath got the day the Soul is calm When there are two Armies in the Feild Fighting all is in a cumbustion but when one is conquered Peace ensueth That which created Christ's trouble was the struggle between his Natural and Divine Will Now that being concluded by resignation he is at rest 2. Now there 's no difficulty in our way for we follow providence 3. Having resign'd the burden of our suffering is roll'd upon God A resigned Soul casteth it self into his Arms as well as submits to his Will and now God is engaged if not to save us from the hour yet to help us in and through it 6. Lastly Let me advise the people of God to take this course If we must suffer Imprisonment loss of Goods or Liberty or Life let Providence find us in this frame Well then let 's be earnest with God and contend with our own spirits till we come to this temper till we can in some blessed measure say with the Lord Jesus Christ Father glorifie thy Name Friends it may be this Doctrine and Exhortation will find very slight entertainment with some but I will promise them they cannot meet God in the way of his judgments in any other frame If the Lord Jesus would not venture upon his Agony till he had attained it how shall we be able to meet our sufferings without it Quest T is true this was the frame of Christ but is it possible for us to attain it Ans Yea it is feasable It was not peculiar to Christ but t is common to his Member with him I have given several instances nor doth God oblige us unto impossibilities There are two things I have to say in the case 1. God gives this resignation sometimes unexpectedly If he surprize an holy Soul with affliction he 'l sometimes surprize it with submission and resignation Nay every Believer in suffering for the Name and Cause of God hath the promise of the Spirit to compose and carry him through Mark 13.11 Observe this promise takes place in persecution what then Take no thought what ye shall speak We must not confine this promise to the Spirits management of our Tongues only nay it extends much more to our Hearts and Thoughts If the Spirit dictate our words how much more will it influence our Souls And I add the Lord doth not say it shall be given before hand but in that Day 2. This Spirit of resignation is ordinarily the Blessing of Exercise Psal 131.1 2. As in all other Cases Grace is given in and upon our endeavour Hos 6.3 Psal 119.2 so in this Case And therefore 1. Do what you can to clear up your interest in God This once cleared submission is in a manner easie Why did Isaac resign himself to his Father Gen. 22. because he knew he was his Father My Father saith Jophtha's Daughter if thou hast opened thy mouth to the Lord do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth Jud. 11.36 A dutiful Child will not dare not cannot prophane it's Relation by
to redress and check his own despondent Spirit 7. And here the State and Temper of Davids Spirit is remarkable for it was 1. Sensible of Gods hand and Mans upon it 2. Observant of its own resentments and deportment under its Grievances 3. Therefore much conversant with it self 4. Desirous of some Redress but yet from God alone and not only desirous But also 5. Duly provident and industrious to obtain it looking within to see its Maladies and above to get Relief and Succour for having Grace to act it and God to help it and a Covenant of Promises to encourage and support it it was resolved and at work to Act most like its considerate and gracious Self and to make its best of God Secondly Let us now consider these words as they contain what is Doctrinal to us as giving us some Notices of our present State and Duty of what we are liable unto viz. To be cast down and disquieted and of what we are to do when exercised thus viz. 1. To discourse our selves And 2. To urge our Hope in God upon our selves and to press upon our selves what may enforce it and encourage it For 1. We find that all passages of Sacred Writ are upon Record for our Instruction and Advantage Rom. 15.4 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And why not this amongst the rest 2. We are exhorted to take the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience James 5.10 And such was David Acts 2.30 3. And in this Great and Exemplary Prophet we have this Four-fold Mirrour 1. A Mirrour of the Calamities whereto the best of Men may be exposed viz. To be cast down and disquieted Dreadful Afflictions and Dismal Apprehensions and Constructions arising from them and deep Resentments of them are incident to the holyest and best Men. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I have Roared by reason of the disquietness of my Heart Thy Arrows stick fast in me and thy Hand presseth me sore Psal 38.2 6 8. I need not tell you what pressures were upon the Spirit of the Lord Christ and how they were resented by him 2. A Mirrour of that peculiar work at home which gracious Souls in their Afflictions are to mind Psal 77.6 11. 4.4 They must search into and commune with themselves about what lies upon them and how it is born and taken by them 3. A Mirrour of that redress and remedy whereunto they must repair when thus exercised and afflicted Psal 94.19 56.3 Let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in thee Psal 25.20 None but God and nothing but hope in him can give relief unto the troubled Soul And then 4. A Mirrour of that Grace and Wisdom which prompts and fits Men to Discourse themselves and to hope in God Hope thou for I shall yet let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee Psal 25.21 Here you may see the Holy poyse and bent of gracious Souls Sufferings though never so manifold and mighty and continuing will never bring the graceless Soul home to it self or God Only great thoughts of God and a due space of his relations and promises to us and of his interest in us can make us bear up our despondent and afflicted Spirits by fixed hope in God and bring us to discourse our selves to purpose The Power and Tendency of Holy Principles and of gracious dispositions are here conspicuous and legible in my Text take then the Sense thereof in this comprehensive proposition following Doctr. When gracious Souls are cast down and disquieted within themselves they should discourse themselves and revive those thoughts and such a Sense of God upon themselves as may encourage and enforce their hopes and confidence in God Psal 77.6 10. Holy David he is here a pattern to us all For here you see that in the greatest Agonies and Conflicts of his Spirit with what attempted thus to bear and keep it down David here 1. Makes a right and amiable representation of God to himself he sets him always before him as the Lord Jesus did Acts 2.25 and that 1. As God 2. As his God 3. As the health of his Countenance 4. As One that he should praise and therefore he expected the glorious appearances of this God for him 5. As One who in his great and gracious appearances for his Releif would master all those difficulties which any ways might threaten to obstruct the passages of his desired and expected Succours to him For I shall yet i. e. let things be as they will at present praise him 2ly He thence expects great things Such as are matters of high praises and acknowledgments to his God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laudabo Targ. Confitebor ei vul lat and infers them from these cheering considerations of his God 3ly He improves what he discovers and infers for the fixing of his hope in God 4ly And all this is to rebuke and moderate his otherwise too extravagant dejections and disturbances arising from excessive Sorrows Fears and Cares So that you see that no sorrows or dejections must banish or divorce us from our selves and God and from just hopes in him No Calamities should lay gracious Persons Prostrate at their Feet But they must conflict and argue with themselves and bring their Sorrows to the impartial Test and Scrutinies lest they promote their own distresses by sinful negligences and inadvertencies and make themselves to be the less receptive of those Encouragements and Supports which they might otherwise derive with ease from him who is their God and under strong propensions and engagements to act and to approve himself accordingly for their good Good Men are too propense and apt to make their Cups more bitter than ever God intended they should be whilst they attend more unto the resentments of their afflicted than to the hopes advantages and Principles of their gracious selves We wrest Gods dealings with us and then we censure him for what we bring upon our selves But Grace directs to better things and prompts Men first to self-discourses and debates about what is so very hard upon them that so the malady with its impressions and effects upon them being well understood the remedy may the better be considered and improved by them for as we can do nothing without God so he mistakes the proper state methods of Divine Redresses and Releifs that looks for any thing from God whilst he neglects himself But let me shew you the reach and purport of this Doctrine in these few following Propositions Proposi I. No Man so Great or Good in this World but he may fall under pressing and uncomfortable Circumstances Heb. 1.12 7.8 and Psal 34.19 the arrows of the Almighty are within me the poyson thereof drinketh up my Spirits the terrours of God set themselves in battle array against me Job 6.4 We have here neither a continuing City nor resting Place the troubles of the Patriarchs
for here he will find a full and truly great employment for every Faculty and Thought More here is requisite to self Redress than meer reading Complaints or Prayer Here is Work within him and above him God and himself must now take up his closest deepest and most serious thoughts and pauses much here must be enquired into remembred considered and debated and the distracted wandring careless inconsiderate Soul that is broken and scattered into wild and incoherent thoughts is no ways fit for this employment nor can it without due recollection of it self proceed to argue down what lies upon it as its Load and Burthen He that knows nothing of himself as to his State and Temper and as to those urgent circumstances under which he lies cannot know much of God nor well discern what fit and pertinent improvement may be made of Gods refreshing Name and Promises And he that through his negligence converses little with himself must know too little of his own affairs and straits to make right applications of Gods Promises and Memorials unto himself so as to derive herefrom what is fit to cherish and support him Prov. 18.1 all must be set aside that may distract and summoned in that may assist and thought upon that may relieve him in this strait Direct II. When thus retired and composed let him discourse and mind his gracious self Eph. 2.10 Isa 26.12 Grace in the Heart is a great pledge and earnest and gives us huge assurances of good things to come 2 Thes 2.16 17. God hath set gracious Souls apart for his own self Psal 4.3 and to the highest Purposes and Endowments are they wrought and framed 1 Pet. 2.9 Rom. 9.23 2 Cor. 5.5 What clearer dawnings of a glorious day And what more hopeful token and presage of special Favour and Respects from God to us can we imagine than the participation of a Divine Nature that never can be pleased but when aspiring towards God and that is insatiable till it get up to him What! a Soul created after God and formed to his Praise and bearing such impresses of the Holy One And yet determined to Dereliction and Destruction Oh how can these things be Read but those Characters of God upon thy Spirit Mind the propensions and ascents of Heaven-born Principles see but what wonders Grace hath wrought already Hath God assayed to tear thy Soul from Satans Paw Hath he transformed thy Spirit and made it so much a resemblance of his own Holiness and Wisdom Hath he advanced thine esteem of Holiness and Heaven Hath he cast out thy rubbish and raised in thee an Habitation for his own Holy Name And will he demolish and disrespect a Monument and Structure to his own Praise Why did God thus illuminate thine Eyes inflame thy Heart with Holy Fervours and so invigorate thy active Powers as to enable thee to move towards him but that thou mightest attain to and possess his highest Favours and Endearments Hath it been ever thus with thee that nothing can satisfie thine Heart but Holiness God and Heaven Why then hath God thus cast his Mantle over thee but to attract and draw thy Soul to him And hath God put these Principles Instincts and Propensions into thee only to torment thee by the unsatisfied enragements of an Holy Thirst Is Grace so beautiful in another And is it the less valuable and observable because God hath implanted it in thy own self Art thou made restless and dissatisfied every where but under the influences and sensible smiles of Gods most gracious Countenance And doth thy God impose upon thee and only trifle with thee Grace is a Principle and Design so truly Heavenly and Exalting as that its Tendency proves its Extraction and manifests Gods Purposes to do thee good for ever Let this thy experience be observed for who can think it likely that God should draw such paralel lines upon thy Soul to his own Holy Will and make thee such an Epistle so manifestly written by his own Spirit and yet not allow thee to peruse thy self and to form what is wrought within thee into such pertinent Encouragements and Supports as thy respective Agonies and Distresses may require And how can this be done if no Survey be made no Inventory taken and considered of thine inward Worth and Riches And certainly from what God works with in a gracious Soul may it infer great things determined to it and reserved for it for who can think that God would rear an Habitation for himself and not Inhabit it Or raise a Temple so magnificent and sumptuous as the Holy Soul and not fill it with his Glory Eph. 2.22 2 Cor. 6.16 see Eph. 1.17 20. Acts 26.18 Had God designed to forsake thee utterly would he not have delivered and resigned thee up to a stupid and polluted Spirit Then hadst thou been so inapprehensive of the sinfulness of sin the beauty of Holiness the pleasure of a well ordered Mind and Life and of invisible realities as that thou wouldst have easily received and born the Image of the Devil and the World upon thee The thoughts and prospect of an eternal State would never have reconciled thee so the Severities and Courses of true Godliness nor have made thee so ambitiouslly solicitous for Divine acceptance and the satisfactions and fruitions of that State where God is all in all as now they have done Surely the Soul that is visited with the Day-Spring from on High guiding its Feet into the way of Peace and all this by the tender Mercy of its God and ought not so easily to give up all for lost as to despair of Light and Help because of present Darkness and of the Valley of the shadow of Death This white Stone with such a New Name in it is no small earnest nor an obscure sign of everlasting Mercies and Endearments God that hath Sanctified the Soul hath thereby signified his gracious Purpose to do it Good at last and never so to forsake it as to return no more So then what Holy Principles Favours Aims and Actions God hath brought thee to and thence encourage and fix thy trust in God Direct III. Let him then well observe how far the Face of God is hid from him indeed lest otherwise his own condition and Gods aspects and deportment towards him should be mistaken by him Isa 49.14 16. Psal 77.6 10. How oft do Souls mistake God and form or fancy great Discouragements and Ecclipses which rather rise and issue from themselves than him What if the Brain or Body should be indisposed What if some bold and wanton Expectations or Desires irregularly formed and cherished come to nothing Suppose some Melancholick Christians such have I known and have rather pittied and reproved than cherished and commended them should Desire Expect and Pray for some Miraculous illapses of strength and comforts on them or Beg of God some such Deliverances and Salvations as suit not the ordinary stated Methods of Gods Providence
thee unto the prejudice of thy best affairs and that he never be defective in ministring those supplies to thee which his own Glory the credit of Religion the publick Good and the great Duties of thy Place and Station do require And that he never call the out to any thing beyond thy Strength and Furniture but that he suit thy Strength and Spirit unto the Work and Burthens of thy Place and Day 1 Cor. 10.13 God will not be offended at thee for such trust as this supposing thy devotedness and thy due diligence and prudence in the choice and using of all meet Subordinate means and helps and thy fervent cryes to him 3 Think upon those Encouragements which God hath given to this trust Isa 26.3 4. Psal 112.7 thou hast Gods Promises and Engagements Heb. 6.17 18. 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Heb. 10.23 24. Psal 119.75 76. and these are certain suitable large and precious and the genuine product of infinite generous and resolved Love Thou hast those near and dear Relations which God hath assumed and owns to thee an Husband Father King c. Isa 54.5 10. 2 Cor. 6.18 Rev. 21.7 Thou hast the exhibition of his own Son Jesus Christ Heb. 10.19 23.4 14 16. 2.17 18. John 6.39 40. 1 Pet. 1.3 21. Rom. 8.32 35. Thou hast the earnest of the indwelling Spirit Eph. 1.13 14. 2 Cor. 5.5 and of that new Nature which he hath formed and cherished in thee as in 2 Tim. 1.7 Rom. 8.15 23 28. thou hast a sealed Covenant with Sacramental confirmations and experiences of prosperous trust both in others and thy self Psal 9.10 Rom. 15.4 Dan. 3.28 Heb. 11. Do then as David did Infer from known experience all that may strengthen regular Confidence for thus did he Psal 32.7 10. and thus did Paul 2 Cor. 1.8 10. The Lord is my Shield and Strength my Heart trusted in him and I am Helped Psal 28 7. And thou hast the Glory of thy God concerned in the prosperousness of thy Trust Ephes 1.12 Rom. 4.20 And now to close up all Why such manifold Encouragements to Trust in God if they were either Vain or Needless And how can any keep up their Trust in God without their deep and sober Thoughts about and their intent and most deliberate Pauses on these weighty things upon Record which God hath left to Justifie and Encourage your Trusting in him It is both Strange and Sad to see many Christians come to their Ministers with Complaints or put up Bills for Prayers in Congregations and to desire Solemn Days to be set apart for them whilst they rest only here as if they looked to be comforted and supported by some Charm or Miracle they look to be healed by a Word and they neglect their own Work they do not search into themselves that they may know whether or no the Grace of God hath made them capable of Trusting in the Lord as their God They bring not their Calamities and Dejections to the Test that they may clearly know under what hand of God they are cast and how far God hath hid his Face from them and how far not God enters not into their close and serious Thoughts that they may plainly see and know what there is in him to draw their Spirits forth to Trust in him Nor will they studiously revive that Sence of God upon themselves whereby their Trust in him may be Engaged Establish'd and Emboldned and yet they cry What shall we do to Trust in the Lord as our God Why Sirs I will tell you what to do 1. See that your Interest in God be cleared up this you may know by the prevalency of your Desires Pursuits and Satisfactions and by the Practical Resignments of your selves to him 2. See what this Interest in God refers viz. Nothing is desperately lost at present and all will be well at last and that all lies safe that can concern you see Psal 23.1 4. The truth is all that can be grateful great and sure may be inferred from hence 3. Accommodate and apply what you infer as skilfully and faithfully as you can to your distressing and discouraging Case and Circumstances there are Histories to tell us what God hath done and there are Doctrines to tell us what God is and can do and there are Precepts and Instructions to direct us what we are to do in what Cases upon what Grounds and Reasons and to what Ends and Purposes we may Trust in God and God hath given us marks to know what Interest we have in him and a Directory and Helps to get it if we have it not and he hath shewed us fully and plainly what it is and what at last it will amount to to want or have this Interest in himself and when as we have gotten it he hath taught us how to apply it fitly and how to bear our Spirits up in Hope and Trust thereby and after all this and much more shall we be negligent and lazy and cry out like Fools and Drones We know not how to Trust in God nor whether he be Ours or not let us not thus abuse our selves 4. Think on these Means and Helps whereby we may attain to an Ability and Faculty of Trusting in God and let them be most Faithfully improved such as the Word Sacraments Sabbaths Conferences Meditation upon the Word and Works of God but these need no Enlargements on them and my Limits are transgrest already READER Expect not Accuracy here I am very sensible of many Imperfections in this Sermon I am separated from my helps having my Bible only and my God to help me in my wandring Solitudes and Retirements these things are what I have discoursed with my own heart and if some Censure them others I hope will Pity and Pray for me and the God of Heaven accept and prosper these though weak Endeavours I had some Inferences prepared but because I would not be too tedious I forbear to add them so as to Enlarge upon them I will but mention these 1st Infer Hence it follows That Humane Souls are Excellent and Capacious Principles and Beings 2d Infer Graceless Sinners are under dark and dreadful Circumstances when God Afflicts and hides his Face from them they need not say Why cast down so much but rather why not more 3d Infer Excellent is the Temper and Condition that Grace puts Mens Souls into in that they are enabled prompted and directed to such ways to know and help themselves 4th Infer Right and due Thoughts of God do mighty Service to the Gracious Soul in all the Eclipses and Distresses that do or can befall it Psal 42.11 Infer I. Mans Soul is a Noble and Capacious Being Mark 8.36 37. It is called by Solomon the Lamp or Candle of the Lord searching all the Inward parts of the Belly Prov. 20.27 It is the great Treasure that ought to be kept and used well for out of it are the Issues of Life Prov. 4.23 Its Joys
and Bitternesses lie deep within it self and they are not be intermedled with by Strangers Prov. 14.10 The Countenance of a Man is but the Index of his Spirit 't is in the Soul that Joys and Sorrows Center and Seat themselves Prov. 15.13 Many Infirmities or Distresses may easily be undergone by a sound Heart but if the Spirit it self be wounded how dreadful are its Wounds Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of Man is Gods Vicegerent and a great Mirrour of himself and as it Accuses and Condemns when it well understands and minds it self so it is the Vail and Representative of its God unto it self in Rom. 2.15 1 John 3.19 21. It can you see both Summon in and Search it self It can both Challenge and Discourse it self It can Command Reprove Exhort Encourage Enlarge Restrain it self It can Arraign its Temper Principles Purposes Actions Sufferings and Designs and make it self Inquisitor Judg Jury Witness and Executioner to it self It can look every way and make both Heaven and Earth good things and bad some way or other Serviceable to its own Concern and turn all the Memorials and Notices of its God to Self-improvements and Relief It is capable of Moral Government and of full Joys and Sorrows Congenial with its Contracted Principles Temper and Behaviour here It is capable of Converse and Communion with its God of Grace and Comfort Heaven or Hell It can perceive its own Distresses and Concerns Enjoy the best things and Improve the worst and so Consider all things as to Accept Refuse Approve Condemn and so resolve upon or wave a matter as it sees to be most fit nor needs it to truckle under any thing but Guilt and Wrath when plunged thereinto by its own Folly and Neglect The Text here shews you what the Soul of Man can do and if it be replyed That David's Soul it was Gracious and that Grace only brought it thus to be Disciplined and Tutoured by it self 'T is Answered That Grace can have no such effects on Stones and Bruits which Grace and diligent Care might make good use of And all Souls might do thus with and by themselves did they not by Sin degrade themselves For all Souls have Imperative Directive and Active Powers Infer II. Graceless Sinners are under dreadful Circumstances when Troubles comes upon them Rom. 2.8 9. Isa 50.11 57.20 21. 10.3 33.14 For when their Miseries surprise and overflow them should they then say Why so disquieted and cast down They have that within them which will rather say Oh why disquieted no more seeing there is so little ground of Hope from God 1 Thes 5.3 All is so Vile and Foul within them and all so Frightful and Amazing to them whether they look within about them or above them as that the greatest wonder is How they escape Distractions Souls so neglected and degraded and every way Devoted to the Will and Service of the Devil Such manifold and mighty Sins abounding in and from them and such great Wrath to be Inflicted on them such clear and numerous Presages of fearful Storms approaching towards them such an Inhabitant and Tyrant as Satan to make them do be lose and slight even any thing but what they should A God so much Incenst against them and every way so Resolved and Engaged to Ensnare and Ruin them And their own Spirits amidst all this so much estranged from uneasie in so frightful to and so much at variance with themselves so as that they never can be Reconciled to themselves again Why should not these Souls be disquieted and cast down when Troubles come upon them like Messengers with these heavy Tidings from the God of Heaven That they shall see his Face no more What Succour Hope or Refuge hath the Dejected Soul but God What Sanctuary is there for it in its Storms and Chases but the All-sufficient Jehovah And how can Mercy and Redresses be expected from him whom they can no way comfortably call their God whilst as yet unconverted Persons They have neither Encouragement nor an Heart to seek him acceptably and successfully Prov. 1.24 31. Their present Troubles are but the Harbingers and Foretasts of Eternal and Unmixed Wrath to come Providence serves the Writ and gives the Summons Conscience confounds and holds the Prisoner fast under the seizures of Gods Providence Justice draws up the Bill against them and Vengeance fixes them to their Wracks and they have nothing left them but their Fearful Expectations and Reproaches Heb. 10.26 31. Deut. 32.37 Let these Men Read Job 18.7 21. 27.8 9. Infer III. Excellent is the Case and Temper of Gracious Souls in 2 Cor. 1.12 Phil. 1.20 Isa 41.10 17. A good Heart within them A clear Way before them A good God for them A good Understanding of their Case and State And such Encouraging Refreshments and Supports so ready for them at their Call when truly needful to them What greater requisites than these can we mention and propose unto our selves to render our Condition easie safe and happy here What need we more to calm and cheer up our disturbed Spirits with Rom. 8.31 39. 2 Cor. 12.7 9. The God! my God! the health of my Countenance and One that yet is to be praised by me And therefore One that I must fully and may safely Hope in Why may not these things bear a Gracious Spirit up and quicken and embolden it to bid defiance to all Attempts which Earth or Hell can make to ruin and unhinge it The Gracious Soul as such is fit for any thing and it is Entitled to the greatest Blessings from its God and in due Season shall possess them what God by Grace hath made and brought it to renders it fit for Gods great Blessings and Supports And what God promises it may safely trust to and confidently relie upon The Text here shews you what the Gracious Soul can do it can restrain it self from its immoderate Sorrows by its faithful dealing with it self and by making a right Judgment upon whatever doth at any time befal it and as there is something in it apt to raise Storms and vexatious Resentments of its Pressures and Afflictions So are there certain Principles and a Seed of God within them and that in God above them and before them which will not always suffer their Sorrows and Dejections to transgress their stated Bounds and Rules because the composed and still Soul is fittest for Communion with God Hope in him Service to him and Consolation from him See here how narrowly David observed himself How skilfully he discoursed himself how powerfully he restrained himself and how readily he could and did Enlarge Encourage and Exalt himself you may discern in him that Grace will not admit of nor Countenance any unfit Reflections upon God it will not fall heavily with its Censorious Carpings upon his Providence nor in an Angry Pet of Frowardness and Impatience fall out with him It threatens no Revenge to Evil Men it
our God is the God of Salvation Psal 68.20 Think on him therefore as Infinitely Aimable Trusty and Compassionate for were not his Fideliey Inviolable his Mercy and Grace exceeding Rich and his Compassionate Bowels deep how could these Characters of Excellence which he Imprints upon the Gracious Soul be called his Image 'T is Blaspemy against the Grace and Goodness of your God and a flat Contradiction to all the Endearing Accounts which he hath given you of his Grace and Clemency for you to think him Careless or Cruel Inaccessible and Inexorable or False Exhort II. Bless God for Jesus Christ by whom we are brought to this Relief and our Hope in God 1 Pet. 1.3 9. For Christ brought in this better Hope by which we thus draw nigh to God Heb. 7.19 By Christ we have access by Faith unto this Grace wherein we stand and Rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God and can Rejoyce in Tribulation as knowing what Excellent Fruits they are now made productive of Rom. 5.1 5. see Ephes 1.11 and let those Two Chapters Engage your deepest and most serious Thoughts I cannot now stand to open them least I should grow too large When Sin had torn us from our God and set his Face against us how Dismally did all things look about and towards us then the Face of God was Terrible the Thoughts of God were Frightful and Amazing the Way to God was blockt up from us and the Majesty of God was no where visible but in the Presages and Effects of Dreadful Jealousies and Revenges till Christ arose a Prince and Saviour sent from God to give a Glorious Resurrection to our dead and buried Hopes there was enough to cast and keep our Spirits down and to Disquiet us for ever Infinite Wisdom to contrive our Snares and Miseries Insuperable Power to bind and keep us to our Torturing Wracks Inflexibe and Inexorable Justice as to us incenst and prompted by deep and keen Resentments of our Degeneracies and Defections to call for Rigid Satisfaction and to Demand the Absolute Resignation of our All unto Divine Revenges and the Concerns and Glory of Gods disturbed Government rendring it needful that Gods Violated Laws by us be fully Executed on us to cut off all Relief and Hope from us and nothing in our selves to be discerned but what must Justifie Divine Severities and Revenges on us and fit us for and vex us in that Sea of Wrath and Fury which we expected and over which we hung Surely such things as these could not but make us every way Hopeless Helpless and Disconsolate and Wrack our Spirits to the utmost with Disquietudes and Dejections But our Hope dawned when Christ was promised and prefigured and made its Advances by gradual discoveries towards the Glorious shining of that more perfect Day wherein the Sun of Righteousness arose with Healing under his Wings in Mal. 4.2 with Isa 50.10 And when the Lord Redeemer came our Hope and Trust in God was taught by his Doctrine Enjoined and Regulated by his Laws Sanctified and illustrated by his Practice Purchased by his Blood Ingenerated and Cherished by his Spirit Confirmed by his Exhibited and Sealed Covenant and all his Federal Relations to us Enforced and Encouraged by his Intercession with the Father for us and its Accomplishment undertaken and secured to the full by his most Glorious Resurrection and Ascention 1 Pet. 1.21 And its Success is to be visibly and compleatly full at his Appearance and his Kingdom and hence Christ is called The Blessed Hope Tit. 2.13 So that with most Tryumphant Thankfulness and Joy may we Cry out If God be for us who can be against us 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 Who is he that Condemneth seeing it is God that Justifieth and Christ that Died yea rather that is Risen again who is even at the Right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Who or what shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall Tribulation or Distress c. Rom. 8.31 39. And what Acknowledgments to God can bear proportion to so great a Gift as this whereby our Hope and Trust in God is thus Revived and Exalted Col. 1.21 27. View but the Face of God in Christ and let that Name of Christ be studied by you in Isa 9.6 7. and then see what can any way discourage you from Hope or Trust in God the Smiles of Majesty and the Supplies of Grace which we Expect and Covet are all from God in Jesus Christ Phil. 4.19 Epes 3.19 21. Christ is himself our Hope and the great Anchor of it 1 Tim. 1.1 Hebr. 6.18 20. And it is by him that God so Reconciles us to himself as to Encourage and Accept our Hope and Trust in him 2 Cor. 5.18 21. Both Comforter and Comforts are through him John 16.7 22. And he is the Patron and Exemplar of our Hope in God Exhort III. Look to your selves least any way your Hope or Trust in God be starved or stifled or trodden down by you Judg. 20.21 2 Pet. 3.11 14. 1 John 3.3 Phil. 2.12 13. If God make great Provisions to countenance sustain and raise this Hope and Trust in him must it not be our care and work to bear our Spirits up in the Liveliest Exercise thereof Let then my Text be Viewed again and see therein how your Work lies before you see that you mind your Souls and be more Conversant therewith than ever see what you have to Trust to your God and the Salvations of his Face or Presence see that your Hope and Trust be suited to the Grounds and Object thereof Observe the Timings of your Duty then most repair to this your Hope and Trust when Troubles and Discouragements press most severely on you and let your Spirits be Argued and Urged hereto by a due Sence of God and by Motives drawn from him Quest How the Religious of a Nation are the Strength of it SERMON XXX The Text is Isa 6.13 But yet in it shall be a Tenth and it shall return and shall be eaten as a Teil-Tree and as an Oak whose substance is in them when they cast their Leaves so the Holy Seed shall be the Substance thereof The Prophet was sent with heavy Tydings to the People 1. OF Spiritual Judgments like to befal them blindness of Mind and hardness of Heart to which they should be left the most dreadful Plague on this side Hell verse 9.10 2. Of Temporals to verse 11 12. until the Cities be wasted without Inhabitant c. God many times seconds Spiritual Judgments with Temporal they that are under the former can not be secure against the latter they that are insensible of the one may be made to feel the other But lest it should make the hearts of the few Righteous among them over sad and should prove in the event a temptation to despair and deject