The Gospel discovers unto us the great honor that God hath put upon humane Nature above the Angels This could never have been known but by the Gospel this is as proper a thing to the Gospel as any I have spoken of And one special design that God had in the Gospel was To reveal those thoughts and counsels that he had from al eternity to put mighty and great Excellencies upon our humane Nature in these two particulars First In the Personal Vnion of Mans Nature to the second Person in Trinity That 's the first and great way of honor that God hath crowned human Nature with Hence the Apostle in 1 Tim. 1. 6. Without controversie great is the mysterie of godliness What is it God was manifested in the flesh God manifested in the flesh that 's a great mystery of godliness Now it could not be such a mystery if God had only taken an humane shape upon Him for so it was in the time of the Law Jesus Christ often took humane shape as when He strove with Jacob it was Jesus Christ as might easily appear But great is the mysterie of godliness without controversie it 's great God manifested in the flesh that is God taking flesh of man into a personal union which is more fully exprest in John 1. 4. The Word was made flesh This was a strange speech but proper to the Gospel An Heathen would have thought this a strange speech and especially if he knew that by the Word was meant He that was true and eternal God And then in Heb. 2. 16. it is said That Christ did not take the Nature of Angels upon him but the seed of Abraham So that it appears by the personal union of our Natures to the Son of God God hath advanced human Nature above Angels above all creatures Truly my Brethren in Christs taking our Nature upon Him which the Gospel holds forth to us me thinks we may see God as it were resolving to do a work from Himself to the uttermost to manifest the uttermost of his glory in a work out of Himself the work of God within Himself it is His eternal generation and the possession of the holy Ghost but now God would work out of Himself and work out of Himself to the uttermost extent I 'le make a world saith God Heavens and Earth by my Word But this is not such a glorious work as I am able to do I could make ten thousand worlds and when I have made them I could make as many more and more glorious But I would do some work wherein I might manifest even the uttermost of my glory What work is that that is The work that God pitcht upon He would do one work from without to manifest the uttermost of his glory and the Lord rather pitches upon this To take the nature of Man into a personal union with His Son that 's the uttermost And it is impossible that Men or Angels if they were left to all eternity to imagin could think of a work that it were possible for God to express more of His power wisdom and glory in but we know but little of it now but we shall know more in Heaven Now Oh how hath God honored humane Nature in this That when He would do a work to the utmost of His Excellency that He would pitch upon Mans Nature to take it into Personal Union with Himself here 's the mystery of the Gospel now this is indeed the marrow of the mysterie of the Gospel The Word made flesh the second Person in Trinity taking Mans Nature upon Him This is the mystery of the Gospel that Angels and Saints admire at and shall be taken up to all eternity in admiring and praising and magnifying God for That 's the first way of Gods honoring Mans Nature And then there is a second thing which the Gospel reveals and that 's this In putting honor not only upon the Nature of Man as having soul and body but putting a mighty honor upon the very Body of Man the meanest and the very lowest part of Man the very shel outside rine and case of Man that you have in 1 Cor. 6. 19. What know ye not that your bodie is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you Your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost You have no such thing revealed in the old Testament this comes by the light of the Gospel that the Lord hath made the bodies of the Saints to be Temples to the holy Ghost that the holy Ghost dwels in their very Bodies as in a Temple as the King in his Pallace so the holy Ghost in His Temple Now these two are great things revealed in the Gospel and had we but a cleer understanding of these two things Oh! it would mightily elevate our spirits And Conversations sutable to these two particulars surely must needs be a high raised Conversation As now for instance 3. In the personal union of our natures with the second Person in Trinity Oh how should this raise up our hearts and we should manifest the elevation of our spirits in our Conversation so as it becomes those that may expect great things from God surely that God that hath honoured our natures so as to be personally united to his Son he doth intend great things to some of the children of men as now Suppose you that are the poorest and meanest here in this Congregation you had a Sister that were married to the greatest Emperor in the world yea to one that were Emperor of all the whol Earth now you would think to live another kind of life than you did before were it beseeming such a man to live now upon scraping of Chanels or wiping of horse heels or any mean imployment when his Sister is married to the only Monarch of all the whol earth surely he may think now I must live at a higher rate for I may expect something by this So should every one of the children of men think thus indeed I have liv'd in a mean base way the humane nature of mine hath been basely subject to filthy lusts all my daies I have been a bondslave to sin and Satan but when I come to hear of the Gospel I hear that the second Person in Trinity God blessed for ever equal with the Father that is the Heir of all things that he hath not married my humane nature but hath taken it into a personal union with himself and is become my kinsman my neer kinsman hath taken this into the neerest union as is possible for a creature to be taken into with God Oh let us be raised then in our thoughts to think surely God intends higher things for some of the children of men than to eat and drink and satisfie the flesh and be brutish here in the world there are higher things that God will do for mankind and why not for me I am not excluded no more than others It was a speech I remember of
Seneca though a Heathen I am greater saith he and I am born to greater things than to be a slave to my body A Heathen could say so Oh but when we hear of humane nature so advanced and enthroned in Christ we should think with our selves that any one that hath humanity in them is born to higher things than to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof What wilt thou be a slave to the Devil now Thou hearest how God hath dignified the nature of man into so neer a union with himself Oh doth not this mysterie of the Gospel call to all the children of men Oh all you children of men Behold what God hath done for man kind surely the thoughts of God for man-kind are great and glorious there be higher things you may attain unto and will you yet perish and chuse your portion here in this world and be groveling on the ground as if there were no higher thoughts that God had for your good than meerly to live as brute beasts to eat and drink and then rise up to play Oh if God hath advanced mans nature so do not despise it in the meanest of the children of men the lowest servant or poorest boy that lies begging at your door for a piece of bread for it is of the same kind that is united in a personal union with the second Person in Trinity of the same nature which this poor boy that lies begging at your door for broken bread and meat therefore honor humane nature in every one and do not vilifie it in thy self those men that live under the Gospel and vilifie humane nature they put a dishonour upon Jesus Christ And even reverence thy self in private when thou art alone I say reverence thy self do not abuse thy body it is the Temple of the holy Ghost Oh remember this all you that are professors of Religion that these bodies of yours this flesh of yours if you be godly and walk answerable to your profession I say this flesh of yours it is the very Temple of the holy Ghost do not abuse it it 's the Apostles argument Therefore fly fornication and be not joyned to whores for your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost Oh it makes the sin of uncleanness to one that professes the Gospel of Christ a cursed sin the sin of uncleaness in a professor of the Gospel it 's a thousand thousand times more abominable than the sin of uncleanness in another why Because they know how God hath advanced humane nature into a personal union with himself and how their bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost What shal I make the Temple of God a â—â—y for the unclean spirit a cage of unclean birds God forbid There hath been a great deal of do about stony Churches and Temples and you should have a great many base whoremasters plead for the Whore of Rome the Mistris of all fornications in bowing and cringing with Cap and knee as soon as they set their foot in some of our meeting places and in the mean time abuse the Saints which are the Temples of the holy Ghost and abuse their own bodies and yet they profess themselves Christians Oh now either deny thy Christianity or do not abuse thy body to any filthy lust for it is the Temple of the holy Ghost This the Gospel holds forth And let thy Conversation be now as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ not abusing thy body so For we see that the Gospel cals for bodily cleanness as well as spiritual cleanness and truly I do not know stronger arguments to godliness than these that we have mentioned here in the Gospel We have gone through three Gods infinit hatred of sin The price of souls And the honor that the Gospel shews that God hath put upon humane nature Conversations but becoming these three would be other manner of Conversations than you have I shall only speak of a fourth and that 's this 4. The Gospel holds forth the greatest example of self-denial that ever was in the world by all waies that ever God hath made known his mind he never hath revealed his will in an example of self-denial so as he hath done in the Gospel and that is in the example of the Lord Jesus Christ God evidenceth there such a work of self-denial as never was and 't is impossible to apprehend a greater example of self-denial than that is though Christ thought it no robbery to be equal with God reade but the second of the Philippians vers 7 8. and there you may see what Christ was and yet how he emptied himself how he denied himself in his honor how vile he was made in the world though he was the brightness of his fathers glory yet he was made of no reputation how he denied himself in riches Christ that was the Heir of all things though he were rich yet he was made poor for us how he denied himself in his pleasures he was the delight of the Father from all eternity and yet he was made a man of sorrows he denied himself in his life for he was the Lord of life and yet he subjected himself to death to a cursed death for us Oh the example of Christ in self-denial is the greatest that ever was and this seems to be one great end of the humiliation of Jesus Christ to hold forth a preaching pattern of self-denial to the world And there 's a great deal more power in the pattern and example of self-denial then in the commands of self-denial I only present this to shew you that it is the most unbeseeming the Gospel for any one that professes the Gospel to be selvish altogether scraping for themselves and whatsoever service they are put upon except self may have an oare in it they have no mind to it Oh 't is becoming the Gospel of Jesus Christ for men and women to be emprtied of themselves no matter what becomes of our selves but be willing to give up our selves for publick good to venture your estates and lives and all your comforts yea to be swallowed up in the glory of God to be nothing that Christ may be all In the Gospel of Christ we find that Christ he was swallowed up with the glory of his Father and he came not to do his own will but the will of his father that sent him and though he was one that had infinitely more excellency than all men and Angels in Heaven and Earth yet he was content for the honor of his Father to be made as a worm and no man to be trampled under foot to endure the greatest extremities of all sorts this holds out an example to us that while we live in this world we should be taken off from our selves Oh this self-love sticks much in the hearts of men and women now upon the example of Christs self-denial we are required to deny our selves and it is the proper lesson of the Gospel
scope of the Gospel a principal scope I say God would in the Gospel make known to all the world his infinite willingness to be reconcil'd to such as have offended him Indeed without the Gospel we might apprehend this that the Lord is a God that is full of goodness that He is good and doth good that all good is in him but to apprehend God to be such a God of peace so infinitely set upon it as I may so say to be reconciled to such as are enemies could never have been known but by this Gospel of Christ herein we find that though there was an infinite difference between God and man between Heaven and Earth through our sinning sin yet the Lord was willing to be reconciled yea though the offence of man was exceeding great so that it cried for vengance yet he was pleased wonderfully to condescend to make a peace with him Yea though the Lord had man under his power and could do what He pleased with him He had His enemy under His feet and might have broken him all to pieces with His iron-rod as a Potters vessel which when it is broken can never be made whol again yet He was willing to be reconciled Thirdly Though God had no need at all of us He was infinitly blessed in himself who is perfection and blessedness it self Sometimes we are willing to be reconcil'd to our enemies either because we have them not under our power or because we have some need of them but God that had us under his hand and might easily have destroyed us and had no need at all of us yet was desirous to spare us as a father spareth his only son whom he loveth Fourthly The Gospel holds this out to us That the Lord He begins the work of reconciliation He first loving us the infinit God seeketh to us his creatures to come in to be reconciled therefore he sends his Ambassadors of peace to beseech us in Christs stead to come in to be reconciled to him to accept of His Propositions of Peace which make so much for our everlasting salvation Fiftly Though reconciliation must cost God very dear that God must be at a great deal of costs and charges to reconcile His creatures to himself it cost no less than the blood of his only begotten Son and yet he is willing to be reconcil'd saith God my heart is set upon this work and let it cost what it will if it were ten thousand worlds yet my heart iâ— so upon it that I will bring them in that they may be reconciled to me and made one with me Sixthly and lastly The Gospel reveals this That God is so set upon reconciliation and is so reconcil'd to such as do imbrace the Gospel as he will never be at enmity with them again Being once reconcil'd he wil never suffer such a breach to be made between Man-kind and Himself any more He wil be their Father in Christ and ye shall be his Sons and Daughters through Him to all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. Who shall separate us from the love of God Thus the Gospel holds forth not only reconciliation but such reconciliation as this is which men and Angels can never sufficiently admire and bless God for This is a Second beam as I may so say of the Gospel Then what manner of persons ought we to be our conversations must be as becomes this Gospel of Christ in this great thing that the Gospel holds forth unto us Surely then this cals to us al aloud to love peace O love peace Is God so set upon peace as he is and is he willing to be at so great cost for peace Oh let us love peace let us follow peace le ts pursue peace let 's seek peace let us do what we can possibly for peace If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Let us account peace never bought too dear with any thing but sin The Lord Christ would not sin to purchase peace if it could possibly have been conceived that any sin should have bin committed Christ would never have purchased peace that way but if it be by any way of suffering by his being willing to leave the Heavens for a while to take upon him the form of a servant yea to have the sence of the influences of the love of his Father ecclipsed for a time he was willing to endure yea to be made a curse whatsoever he suffered in his Name he was willing to endure any thing to make peace between God and man to reconcile the World to Heaven Oh! let us love peace that 's becoming the Gospel of Christ for our hearts to be set upon peace And the exhortation that you have in the Ephesians before mentioned it is likewise built upon the consideration of Christs working so for our peace Ephes 2. 14. For He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished in Hiâ— flesh the enmity And then in the 16. verse That He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby So that this Scripture holds forth not only that Christ is our peace in respect of God and he died for that end to make peace between God and us but likewise that Jesus Christ did die to make peace between man and man it was one fruit of His death to break down the middle wall of partition between us and to slay the enmity he doth not say to kill our enemies but to kill the enmity it 's self the meaning is this that Christ died to take down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile there was an enmity between the Jew and Gentile that they might not one converse with the other now it was a fruit of the death of Christ to take down the partition wall and to slay the enmity between them that so there might be but one sheep fold that He might reconcile both unto God in one body Now was this the end of the death of Christ not only to reconcile us to God but one unto another in one body Jew and Gentile Certainly there cannot be such a distance between one Christian and another as there was between Jew and Gentile and Christ did so love unity and peace in the world especially among those that made any profession of his Name that he would die to that end He would lose His life that He might procure peace between Jews and Gentiles and bring them into one body And truly so it should be with us we should be willing and those whose hearts are right I say cannot but be so sensible of the breaches that are among us and the unpeaceableness of mens spirits as if they could by the laying down of their lives procure peace they should be willing to do it every Christian should make it appear that he is so set upon peace that if
enough here and there to have a leaf and a grape or two but full ripe clusters of grapes becomes those that grow upon such a fruitful Root And then you know Christ is the Head and we the Members Then do not dishonor your Head When there is a temptation comes to any sin but will not this be a dishonor to my Head do I receive such a spirit from the Head to act after such a sinful course Oh be not a crown of thorns to your Head Jesus Christ Yea and the Union is very great for it is not only that we are Members of Christ and so we are in Christ but Christ in us the Root is not in the Branch though the Branches be in the Root and the Head is not in the Members though the Head be joyned with the members But Christ is in us as we are in Him and so the union is very glorious and mysterious You complain of weakness But is there not strength in Christ are you not joyned to Christ thus and a member of Him and a branch in Him what ever infirmities you have which bows you down yet there is power enough in Jesus Christ to convay to any to enable them to walk in an holy Conversation before the Lord to renew their strength as the Eagle Manifest then the vertue of your Head from whence all the sinnews of every members strength doth arise And then you know the relation we have to Christ As He is the Husband we the Spouse Oh do not discredit your Husband Any wise vertuous Wife would make it a mighty argument against any evil way It will disgrace my Husband especially if her Husband be a publick man in place and authority Oh let this be an argument against every sin even the appearence of evil it will be dishonorable to the Lord Jesus who is my Husband How can I do this wickedness against my Lord and my God who hath betrothed me to Himself so that I am bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh That 's the second thing And then a Third thing that the Gospel holds forth to us that we should labor to sute our Conversations according is this The near Vnion that the Saints have one with another It 's not so revealed any where as in the Gospel Rom. 12. 5. we are said there to be members one of another as we are members of Christ I beseech you observe it so we are members one of another That Scripture may be in stead of all for this in Ephes 4. 4. the exhortation there to unity We must endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Why For there is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling One Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all See here 's some seven ones to be an argument of unity One body and one spirit and called in the hope of one calling and one Lord and one Faith and one Baptism and one God Where have you such a unity demonstrated but in the Gospel of peace and love And I do not know in all the Book of God where any one duty is more pressed than unity Somewhat we hinted in speaking of the love of God which is a great design of the Gospel to hold forth and there we spake somewhat of Love But here of the unity of the Saints being so neer united into one thing the Saints should be one and certainly it 's the most unbeseeming thing in the world that can be for Saints to be divided in their affections upon some little differences in judgment Let me argue with you What was the Coat of Christ without any seam and shall the body of Christ be rent all to pieces Fy for shame the Gospel of Christ is in your hands which teacheth another lesson Next to our salvation the Gospel intends the union of Saints there 's nothing prest more strongly in every leaf of it and it 's here in my very text that makes me to speak to this for mark the very words that follow in this of my text Phil. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ Now if you should say Wherein should we walk so The Apostle doth answer then That ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel Mark striving together he would have the Saints to be strivers I but strivers for what Not for their own will and humors and opinions and fancies and customs and traditions which are out of date But strivers for the faith for the faith of the Gospel for the Doctrine of faith and they should labor to joyn all their strength together both shoulders and hearts There 's a great deal of striving now Professors of the Gospel they strive asunder but the holy Ghost would have us strive together and this is as becomes the Gospel saith the text The Apostle here doth instance in this particular above all others that to live as it becomes the Gospel it is to stand fast with one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel Oh how unbecoming the Gospel is the waies and lives of most Christians now Q. You will say From whence are these sad divisions and risings up of hearts amongst the Tribes so that one thinks that he hath the truth and another judgeth that he alone is in the right way A. I beseech you therefore because it 's so fully instanced in the very words of the Text that the Apostle instances in this particular give me leave to speak of it in a few words certainly his meaning is not when he saith that you shall be of one spirit and of one mind that men should give up their judgements and consciences to the opinions of other men that others according to their power may again lord it over us and so enslave our selves to draw in their yokes to grind in their mills and plow with their asses yea that were against other Scriptures No but the meaning is this That we should labor to find out what is truth search for it as for silver and go according to what light we have but yet so though we should differ to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and joyn in al things that we can and walk so lovingly that it may appear that if there be difference it is meerly that which conscience makes because we dare not deny what we are perswaded in conscience is a truth We cannot put out the convincing light of the candle of the Lord which is set up within us yet we can live in unity and peace and be useful one to another communicating our gifts and graces comforts and experiences one to another as it becomes Christians And indeed it is a greater honor to the Gospel for men though
God 1 Cor. 1. 24. it brings a great deal of power with it to help men against strong corruptions to overcome violent temptations to carry them through in any difficulties Powerful corruptions powerful temptations powerful difficulties are overcome by the power of the Gospel and therefore it is said by faith that is by faith in the Gospel we overcome the world the Gospel certainly doth not only stir in some men and women some wishings and wouldings and faint desires but it brings a power to transforme their hearts to make a metamorphosis there when there comes the light of the Gospel there comes the light of life together with it as that Scripture in Heb. 10. 32. After ye were illuminated that is by the Gospel then he speaks of their great sufferings they were willing to endure any thing for Christ therefore a Conversation that becomes the Gospel is such an one as exemplarily demonstrates the very power of godliness that men and women should not be alwaies learning and never come to the knowledg of the truth not alwaies wishing and desiring and never come to any powerful resolutions and determinations for certainly where the Gospel hath the upper hand in a soul it doth bring power but I do not say it brings power so as to overcome all our lusts so as there should be no sin remaining for so long as we live we must be hungering after a further degree of righteousness and sanctification but certainly when the Gospel prevails there comes a great strength there 's the strength of Christ put forth the Spirit of power as the Apostle saith We have not received the spirit of fear but the Spirit of power of love and of a sound mind be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. As if Paul had said to Timothy it 's true you meet with many difficulties but hath not the Gospel given you a Spirit of power There 's spirit of power and resolution when the Gospel comes in Timothy was a poor weakly sickly man in his body and Paul himself had no bodily presence with him a poor contemptible man in regard of his bodily presence but he had a Spirit of power given him by the Gospel so we should manifest a Spirit of power that is as becomes the Gospel of Christ Lastly The Gospel of Christ is a glorious Gospel 1 Tim. 1. 11. it is call'd there by the title of a glorious Gospel According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God Mark what a title is here the Gospel is the glorious Gospel of the blessed God that is the glory of all the Attributes of God doth appear in the Gospel more brightly than they do appear in all the works that God hath made There doth appear indeed a great deal of the glory of God in the Heavens Earth and Seas and you have seen much of the glory of God there but I appeal to you in this Have you seen more of the glory of God in the Gospel than ever you did in all the works that God hath made that were a good argument that you have had a true understanding of the Gospel and that the Spirit of God hath shined into your hearts if you can say Lord I have seen much of thy glory in thy Works when I have been abroad in the mighty waters where Gods paths and foot-steps are Oh the Seas they are thy glorious creatures but thy Gospel that 's glorious beyond all there do I see thine infinite wisdom and infinite power and infinite justice and infinite mercy and infinite faithfulness and the Lord knows that all the glory of the creatures hath been darkned in my eyes since the Lord hath shewed me the glory of His Gospel Can you say so This is a good evidence that the Gospel is a saving Gospel to your souls if you stand and admire at the glory of God in the Gospel Certainly there 's none though never so weak in parts yet if so be that God hath revealed Himself in the Gospel to them they see that which makes them stand and admire at God and darkens all the world in their eyes have you seen the Gospel thus then it is to you the glorious Gospel of the blessed God and in the 2 Cor. 4. 4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them Oh reade over this Scripture again and again The God of this world hath blinded their minds Mark compare this Scriptrue with that I said before of Christ that His Kingdom is not of this world but the Devil is called the God of this world note this he hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not if any which live under the Gospel beleeve not it is because the Devil as he prevails in the world and by worldly things by the pomp and vanity of the world he hoodwinks the eyes of those which beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the express Image of God should shine into them Oh the Devil is loth that the gloriou Gospel should shine into the hearts of men he is content that they should come and hear the Gospel but he labors to keep off the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ that it shine not into them for he know when once it hath shined into mens hearts then all the glory of the world will be darkned in their eyes and they will admire then at nothing but Christ Oh none but Christ none but Christ Whom have I in Heaven but Christ and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of my dearest Saviour who is the fairest of ten thousand I never knew God before I saw him in the face of Jesus Christ and now I see God in the face of His Son I see him in another way than ever I did O the Gospel is a glorious Gospel there is more of the glory of God in one sentence of the Gospel than in all the Heavens and Earth beside this we may boldly aver Now our Conversations must be as becomes the Gospel then there must be a glory in our Conversations we must hold forth the Gospel in our Conversations therefor Professors of the Gospel they should shine as lights in the world I beseech you mark this one Note I remember in the close of all the last day I shewed you that the Saints and godly people are call'd the glory of Jesus Christ Himself surely you that are Professors of the Gospel should live so as to be the glory of the glorious Gospel and what manner of persons ought we to be then it's not enough that our Conversations be not defiled with the most filthy and abominable pollutions of the world but our Conversations should be such as should be a glory to the glorious Gospel Look in the Gospel there shine the Attributes of God in glory so in our
soul this would be the answer of one that is chosen out of the world that hath a gracious heart and is brought under the Kingdom of Jesus Christ 2. A second note that I would give to know whether a man be a man of this world or no is this A man of this world is one that accounts the possessions of worldly comforts to be greater rices than any riches conteined in the promises that looks upon the comforts of this world as real things they have them in possession But looks upon the promise as that that hath but a notion in it as if there were no such reality and excellency in the things of the promise a man that dares not trust God upon his word upon his promise without seeing in a way of reason or sence how things may come in unto him for supply from the things of this world this is a man of the world he hath a promise but things go very ill with him in respect of his outward estate in respect of whatsoever by sence or reason he is able to discern he looks upon himself as miserable if indeed God would give him in the things of the world in real possession that would satisfie him but not the promise This is an evidence of a worldly heart that regards more the possession of the things of the world than the promise of God for provision for him as for promises he thinks that that man is but in a sad condition that hath nothing but bare promises to live upon here 's a worldly heart that hath low and mean thoughts of the promises But now one who is taken out of this world and translated into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ regards more to have a promise to live upon than to have possessions to live upon Promises in the word are greater and more real things to that soul than any Bills or Bonds from men can be he can live better upon a Promise than upon Bils or Bonds or Leases or any such things in the world Hast thou found such a principle within thee that canst close with the promise and canst bless thy self in the promises I have title to and an interest in many promises in the Book of God for life and godliness are more to me than all the treasures of Egypt and though I do not enjoy so much in the hand as others yet my heart hath enough because it is possest by Christ in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen that is sure and infallible God is faithful who hath promised this is an argument that thou art taken out of the world and taken into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ but otherwise thou that canst not trust God for thy outward estate body and soul upon a promise this is an evidence of one that hath his heart set on the world 3 A third sign of a man of this world is this A man of the world blesses those that are like himself looks upon and measures the happiness or misery of other men according to what they do enjoy or according to what they do enjoy in this world They call the proud happy I mean by this they measure the happiness of other men according to what they have of the world and think that the meer enjoying of worldly accommodations is enough to make men happy notwithstanding they see them to be very wicked and sinful yet so long as they flourish as a green bay tree yet rejoyce in them and with them yea get themselves in the midst of the guilt that is upon them when conscience as a woolf in their bosom flyes in their faces yet they can blesse themselves in the enjoyment of outward comforts and set that against any trouble of mind whatsoever as if so be it were enough to make up their comforts I have been at such a place and contracted such guiltiness upon my soul committed such sins Oh! what shall comfort me now well he comes home and sees all wel about him his house furnished his table spread means coming in as a floud and this quiets him here 's a worldly heart whereas were the heart taken off from the world the possession of al under Christ would never calm a conscience that hath any guilt upon it when I have contracted any guilt upon my soul although I see all well about me Oh! till I have an assurance from the Holy Ghost the Witness of the Spirit that the guilt of my sin is washt away in the blood of Jesus Christ what wil all these do me good I have these and these comforts Oh! but I have an unclean conscience a leprous soul Doest thou set the good things here to countervail the evil of sin Certainly thou art a man of the world thy name is written in the earth thou art but living dust and ashes at the best And the world is like to be the only portion of thy soul thou art a stranger to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ That 's a second Use Vse 3. The third Use should have been this Here we see the main thing that doth hinder people from the Kingdom of Jesus Christ What is that which keeps off men from coming under the Scepter of this King of Saints from subjecting themselves to His Kingdom Certainly this point shews it cleerly His Kingdom is not of this world were the Kingdom of Jesus Christ of this world then people would flock into it Who would not joyn in such a Kingdom and be a member therof where he could have worldly glory and pomp and riches and bravery but now because it is not of this world therefore they slight it As I remember we reade in the Gospel of Herod that when he heard of the great Miracles that Christ wrought Herod sent for Christ and he longed a great while to see Jesus Christ but when Christ came and he saw Him a poor mean contemptible man to the outward eye he thought to have seen him to have done such and such great things and to have been such a man as not the like upon the earth But Christ contemn'd Herod as much as Herod contemn'd Him and Christ would not shew his glory before Herod but appeared in his outward meaness and the text saith Herod set Him at naught he set Him at naught when he saw him so outward contemptible And so it is reported of the Roman Emperors that hearing that Christ should be the King of the Jews and that out of Davids stock there should come a King of the Jews they sought to destroy all of that family that they could find out and all the Tribe of Judah But afterward when they found out some that were of the Kindred of Jesus Christ and saw that they were poor laboring men that labored with their hands to eat their bread by the sweat of their brows they set them at naught and contemn'd them certainly this is the great offence to the world that the Kingdom of Christ is not of
the world and as Christ saith Wo to the world because of offences so wo to the world because of this great offence Christs Kingdom being so spiritual hence it is that the world receives Him not in 1. John 10. And so in John 14. 17. Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive Mark the world cannot receive the spirit of Truth the world receives not Christ and it cannot receive the spirit of Truth If you speak of the world to men then they savor of those things come to a man and tell him of a good bargain on the Exchange he will listen to you and remember what you say but come and speak to him of the great things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ of the glorious priviledges of that kingdom only there 's a sound in the air and it passeth away and takes no impression at all on the heart of one that is carnal 1 John 4. 5. there you have this exprest fully the very guize and way of a carnal heart They saith the text are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them those that are of the world they speak of the world and discourse of the world and savor the things of the world and the world heareth them but now let a man come and tell them of things that are heavenly of a goodly Pearl of Jesus Christ they savor not those things and they hear them not Oh! 't is from hence that men come not into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ because it is not of this world What 's the reason that there are more comes into the Kingdom of Antichrist than into the Kingdom of Christ Revel 13. 3. The whol world wandered after the beast saith the text because they are of the world and Antichrist doth set up a worldly kingdom instead of Christs kingdom and men that are of the world they flock after Antichrist and hence it was that your great rich men in places where the Gospel hath not been they were Papists or Popishly affected so that therefore the Papists make outward prosperity to be one badge or sign of the true Church hence it is that Popery is so sutable to worldly hearts and the holy Ghost prophesied before hand that the whol world should follow Antichrist only here and there a few poor ones Jesus Christ chuses out of this world to follow him for His Kingdom is not of this world One Particular more in a word seeing the Kingdom of Christ is not of the world then a worldly heart is the most unbeseeming thing in one that professeth himself to be a Christian of any thing that can be in the world If Christs Kingdom be not there certainly thy heart should not be there Thou that professest thy self to be of the Kingdom of Christ which is spiritual and heavenly and yet thou a worldly earthly heart I say it is the most unbeseeming thing that possibly can be what for a Professor of Religion to have an earthly covetous worldly heart By that that I have already spoken in shewing the vanity and the evil of the world and the great evil of loving the world were enough to strengthen this use but now that that I intended should have been to speakesp ecially to those that are Christians that have hopes that God hath made them partakers of Jesus Christ and would be loth to lose their hopes in the good things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ for 10000. worlds yet there doth remain much worldliness in their hearts to this day surely this not beseeming one of the profession that thou makest it is no honor unto thy King the Lord Jesus Christ worldly Professors they are great dishonors to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ when there shall appear no difference between those that we account to be men of the world and such as we hope are chosen out of the world Oh! how is Christ dishonored by this Look but upon the lives of Christians that profess Religion and one would think that the Kingdom of Christ were a Kingdom of this world rather than any thing else for I say to outward appearance though it may be Christ may see some integrity within the heart yet to outward appearance there is even almost no difference between them and the men of the world It doth become Christians to live so in their whol course as to make it appear that they are men and women above the world whose Conversations are in Heaven that they do beleeve the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that is not of this world SERMON III. JOHN 18. 36. Jesus answered and said My Kingdom is not of this world WHAT this Kingdom of Christ was and how different from the kingdoms of this world we have already opened unto you The fourth Use which we are to proceed in is If the kingdom of Christ be not of this world then of all dispositions a worldly spirit is most unsutable to those who profess themselves to be of the Kingdom of Christ Certainly then such as are Beleevers that are come under the Kingdom of Christ they must not be of earthly hearts We find the Apostle in the Epistle of the Ephesians doth rank Covetousness and Uncleanness together and saith of them both in the 5. Chapter 3. Verse Let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints So that a covetous heart after the things of the world it is such a disposition as it should scarce be named among Saints no more than whoredom they should abstain from it as from whordom as it becometh Saints It is the most uncomly thing for a Saint of God one of the Kingdom of Christ to have a covetous heart for the things of the world that possibly can be As it becomes them it doth not become you And Luther that was a great man for the promoting of the Kingdom of Christ he is bold to profess it That of all sins he was scarce ever tempted to that sin he found nothing tending almost that way though it 's true there 's no sin but we have the seeds of it in our hearts but yet he found his spirit most above that worldly sin because he was so much taken up with Jesus Christ And indeed the more any soul is taken up with the excellency of Christ and with the glorious things of His Kingdom the more vile will the things of the world be to them We look not at the things that are seen saith the Apostle they are not things to be looked at But at the things that are not seen And in the 6. of the Gal. 14. ver The Apostle Paul that was the great man for the promoting of Christ in the world and the setting up of His Throne he professes That he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him That is he look't upon the world but as a crucified thing What esteem would you have of a man that is hanging upon a
in opposing the Kingdom of Christ when as it is not of this world it is not that that doth intrench upon their worldly priviledges 8. Vse Hence this Kingdom if it be not of this world then it doth not depend upon 〈◊〉 world become of the world what will the Kingdâ—â— of Christ will go on Men are afraid Oh! if the Enemies should prevail and overcome and take away our Civil Rights Oh then the Kingdom of Christ what will become of that Let us not be too solicitous about that for the Kingdom of Christ is of another world there is no such dependance of the Kingdom of Christ upon the Kingdoms of this world but though they were broken the kingdom of Christ would subsist We indeed should labor to preserve our Civil Liberties as much as we can yea and our Civil Liberty in exercise of Religion in a War-like way and I should wonder that any should mistake in that when as this hath been so declared from the beginning of the War to this time that we may fight for the Civil Liberty we have to the peacable practice and profession of our Religion so far we may and that hath been the ground of our War had we indeed liv'd in such a Country as the Christians in 〈◊〉 primitive times where the Governors and the generâ—â—â—ty of the Country had been against it then indeed the taking up of Arms might have been very questionable but now when we live in such a place where our Civil Laws are for the protection of us in the practice of our Religion if any will come and disturb us we may take up Arms because we have a right to the profession of it by the Laws of the kingdom 〈◊〉 have to our Houses Lands and Estates but that by the way But that 's the thing I aim at in this use that though our Civil Right should be lost yet the kingdom of Christ would go on for all that Heb. 12. 28. this is a kingdom that cannot be shaken At those times when the Magistrates were the greatest enemies unto the kingdom of Christ yet even then the kingdom of Christ went on as fully as ever it hath done since that time but the Magistrates may be helps and there is a promise that Kings shall be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church but yet so it fell out that at the first when the Church was in its infancy that it did thrive as much when Magistrates and Civil Power was against it as ever it hath done since and thereby Christ would shew us that His Kingdom doth not depend upon this world but the Kingdom of Christ doth stand and will stand and it doth and will prevail to the end of the world The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it it shall be more than conqueror and this is a great comfort to the Saints 9. Vse If the kingdom of Christ be not of this world but of another then hence we collect the absolute necessity of living by faith Christians had need then have a principle of faith to live by for their greatest good is in things that are beyond this world their very King that they obey is a King that cannot be seen by the eye of sence nor by the eye of reason they had need have an eye of faith to behold their King in his glory The Throne of this King of Saints is not a visible Throne to be seen by the eye of sence and reason but by the eye of faith The Priviledges that we speak of are â—ot to be seen and enjoyed by sence and reason but by faith And so the Ordinances of this Kingdom and the Laws and Statutes of it they are Spiritual and must have faith to close with them and all the comforts of this Kingdom must be drawn in by faith therefore it is of absolute necessity that the Saints should exercise much faith in their lives that they should live continually by faith As the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 5. 7. For we walk by faith and not by sight It is not by Sight we walk indeed all the good things that there are in the kingdoms of the world they are seen by sence and reason reason and sence is enough to order us in the matters of the kingdoms of this world but now the kingdom of the Son of God that we are translated into it 's a Spiritual an Heavenly kingdom so that the Saints must walk by faith and not by sight therefore my brethren labor to strengthen faith and act your faith and live upon faith exercise faith in all your waies make much of grace and faith or you will never have much good in the Kingdom of Christ but that grace will help you comfortably to enjoy and spiritually to improve all the good things in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to an everlasting advantage 10. Vse If the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then the greater mercy to thy soul that ever thou wast brought under this Kingdom of Christ Oh! thou maiest look back unto thy former time and know that thou hadst a worldly heart worldly apprehensions thy spirit was worldly altogether for things of the world taken with the pomp and glory and the pleasures of this world How comes it to pass that thou shouldest have a Heavenly Kingdom reveal'd to thee Whence was it that ever Jesus Christ should be known to thy soul that was so worldly so drossie so earthy a soul thou wast as deep rooted in the world it may be as any and yet that the Lord should cull thee out of the world and reveal such a Kingdom to thee that is such a mystery as the Princes of the world have not known that thou that art a poor creature shouldest come to understand the â—â—alities of Christ that the wise and learned men of the world have not known Oh! the Free Grace of God to thee and not unto the world As Judas not Iscariot said How is it that thou revealest thy self to us and not unto the world how comes it to pass that such wise men that bear sway in the world they have very poor and low and mean and contemptible thoughts of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ they look upon it but as a meer notion and a conceit of men and the rather because they see but a few poor people that are but of mean parts that do imbrace such a way upon that they contemn it and through the worldly wisdom that they have they come to undervalue it Oh! then bless God that ever he should chuse such a poor weak wretch as thou art for to make known the things of the Kingdom of Christ unto and therfore of al men you rich covetous men they are hardest to be wrought upon by the Ministry of the Word When Christ Himself was preaching it is said in Luke 16. 14. That the Pharisees who were covetous they derided Him they blew their noses at Him for that