Reflections our Sorrow should be most afflicting our Humiliation deeper our Selfcondemnation most severe for those Sins which have been most dishonourable to God and defiling to us Not that we can make any Satisfaction for our Sins tho we should fill the Air with our Sighs and Heaven with our Tears but it becomes us to have our Sorrows inlarged in some proportion to our Unworthiness And this mournful Disposition prepares us for the Grace of God The Law does not allow Repentance but exacts entire Obedience 't is the Privilege of the Gospel that repenting Sinners are assur'd of Forgiveness without this Qualification 't is inconsistent with the Majesty Purity and Justice of God to extend pardoning Mercy to Sinners for they will never value nor humbly and ardently seek for Mercy till they feel the woful Effects of Sin in their Conscience only the stung Israelite would look to the brazen Serpent And this is requisite to prevent our relapsing into Sin for the Dominion of Sin being founded in the Love of Pleasure the proper means to extinguish it is by a bitter Repentance the Heart is first broken for Sin and then from it To conclude Let us renew our Repentance every day let not the Wounds of our Spirits putrify let not the Sun go down upon God's Wrath let us always renew the Application of Christ's Blood that alone can cleanse us from Sin SERMON III. 1 JOHN V. 2. By this we know we are the Children of God if we love God and keep his Commandments OF all the Marks that are useful in the Trial of our Spiritual State in reference to Eternity there is none affords a more clear and comfortable Assurance of God's special and saving Mercy than Love to the Saints This has often resolved the Doubts and quieted the Fears of afflicted enquiring Souls when other Graces have not been so apprehensible in their Operations But there is no Mark which the deceitful Heart does more securely rest upon through the mistake of Natural Human Love for that which is Spiritual and Divine It is therefore most worthy our serious Thoughts the Deceit being so easy and infinitely dangerous to shew what is the unfeigned genuine Love of the Brethren to which Salvation is annex'd to confirm the humble sincere Christian and undeceive presuming Hypocrites The great Design of St. John in this Epistle is to excite and enflame in Christians the Love of God and of their Brethren the two comprehensive Duties and bright Sum of the Law our principal Perfections in Heaven and Earth These he recommends by the most affectionate and obliging the most warming melting Perswasives the superlative Love of God to us and our Communion with the Saints in Nature and Grace In the former Verse the Apostle argues from the reality of the Effect as an Evidence of the Cause Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ that is the Saviour of the World foretold by the Prophets and expresses the Truth of that Faith in a sutable Conversation is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Grace is not less powerful in producing tender reciprocal Affections between the Off-spring of the same Heavenly Father than the subordinate Endearments of Nature The Pretence is vain of Love to God without loving his regenerate Children And in the Text he argues from the knowledg of the Cause to the discovering of the sincerity of the Effect By this we know that we love the Children of God with a holy Affection if we love God and keep his Commandments There is but one Difficulty to be removed that the Force of the Apostle's reasoning may appear 't is this a Medium to prove a thing must be a clearer Evidence than what is concluded by it Now tho a Demonstration from the Cause be more noble and scientifical yet that which is drawn from the Effect is more near to Sense and more discernable And this is verified in the Instance before us for the Love of God who is absolutely spiritual in his Being and Excellencies doth not with that sensible Fervour affect and passionately transport us as Love to his Children with whom we visibly converse and who are receptive of the most sensible Testimonies of our Affection Accordingly the Apostle argues He that loves not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen As the Motives to love our Brethren from our Conjunction in Nature and familiar Conversation are more capable to allure our Affections and more sensibly strike the Heart than the invisible Deity who is infinitely above us by the same reason we may more easily judg of the truth of our Love to them than of our Love to God To this the Answer is clear the Apostle doth not speak of the Love of God as a still silent contemplative Affection confined to the superiour Faculty of the Soul but as a burning shining Affection like Fire active and declarative of it self in those Effects that necessarily flow from it that is voluntary Obedience to his Commands and thus it becomes manifest to the renewed Conscience and is a most convincing Proof of the Sincerity of our Love to the Saints The Text being cleared affords this Doctrine Doct. The Sincerity of our Love to the Children of God is certainly discovered by our Love to God and Obedience to his Commands For the Illustration and Proof of the Point I will briefly shew I. Who are described by this Title The Children of God II. What is included in our Love to them III. What the Love of God is and the Obedience that flows from it IV. How from Love to God and willing Obedience to his Commands we may convincingly know the Sincerity of our Love to his Children To explain the first we must consider that this Title The Children of God is given upon several accounts First By Creation the Angels are called the Sons of God and Men his Off-spring The reason of the Title is 1. The manner of their Production by his immediate Power Thus he is stiled The Father of Spirits in distinction from the Fathers of the Flesh. For tho the Conception and forming of the Body be the Work of his secret Providence yet 't is by the hand of Nature the Parents concurring as the second Causes of it but the Production of the Soul is to be entirely ascribed to his Power without the Intervention of any Creature 2. In their spiritual immortal Nature and the intellectual Operations flowing from it there is an Image and Resemblance of God from whence this Title is common to all reasonable Creatures and peculiar to them for tho Matter may be ordered and fashioned by the Hand of God into a Figure of admirable Beauty yet 't is not capable of his Likeness and Image so that neither the Lights of Heaven nor the Beasts and Plants of the Earth are called his Children Secondly By External Calling and Covenant
Greatness to be frequently in so mean a Work as Preaching whereas the Son of God was a Preacher of the Gospel Others make a Gain of the Flock but put off the Instructing and Care of it to others They will serve Christ by Proxy who died for us in his own Person How can they commit to others the Charge immediately entrusted to themselves What Exemption can they plead what Account can they give to the great Shepherd Thirdly Let Ministers that they may be successful adorn the holy and without Holiness dangerous Office of the Evangelical Ministry by a sutable Conversation Innocence and Abstinence from foul Sins is not sufficient to recommend them but the Power of Godliness and the Beauty of Holiness must shine in their Lives They can never effectually teach others what they do not practise themselves if any Sin reigns in them their Prayers cannot ascend with Acceptance to God and descend with a Blessing on the People Let a Minister preach Divine Doctrine yet if his Conversation be Earthly and Sensual he is more likely to harden Sinners than to convert them How unbecoming and disgraceful are unholy Ministers to their Profession What a Scandal do they give to the Profane and occasion to blaspheme their high and holy Calling Let such prepare themselves for many Stripes they cannot escape a double Damnation for the Neglect of their own Souls and the Souls of others committed to them Though a Heavenly Light shines in their Sermons if in their Practice they are dark Clouds the Blackness of Darkness is reserved for them for ever Fourthly Union among Ministers is a happy Advantage to recommend their Doctrine to the People Division and Jealousy will lessen the Authority and Efficacy of their Preaching If one Dog opens the Deer is not alarm'd but the full Cry rouses him When Ministers with one Consent declare the Wrath of God from Heaven against Sin the Profane and Secure are afraid and the awful Fear of Justice makes them seek for Mercy 'T is true there cannot be expected an entire Conformity in Opinions among the wisest and best Men therefore in Doctrines not so clear nor of that moment as the great Truths a mutual Forbearance is our Duty But to coin Controversies about clear and necessary Truths and obscure them by Opposition is a great hinderance to the Success of the Gospel Some worthy Men earnestly deny the Gospel to be a Law Will they reform the Scripture Is not the Gospel called the Law of Faith the Law of Liberty the Law of the Spirit of Life 'T is true the Gospel is a Covenant of Grace but it has all the Essentials of a Law 't is the revealed Will of the Soveraign Law-giver commanding Sinners to repent and believe upon no less Reward and Penalty than Eternal Life to penitent Believers and Eternal Death to those who disobey the Gospel Now the Command and Sanction are the proper Characters of a Law If we duly consider it the Soveraignty of God is such that whatever Covenant he offers to the reasonable Creature has the Force and Obligation of a Law I instance in this one Point that of late has occasion'd an unhappy Difference O the blessed State above where Ignorance and Strife are abolish'd for ever Fifthly Frequent and earnest Prayer to God is a powerful Means to render our Ministry successful Paul plants and Apollos waters but God gives the Increase Let a Minister be compleatly furnish'd with Learning Judgment Eloquence yet all his Labour will be fruitless without Divine Grace A Key that is exactly fit to all the Wards of a Lock cannot open it without a Hand to turn it Let the most proper and powerful Motives to work upon the reasonable Nature be represented yet they cannot open the Heart unless they are manag'd by the holy Spirit 'T is very observable that in the Narrative of the Miracles by the Prophets some Circumstances are related that declare they were done by the Divine Power Sometime the Command of God was before the Performance thus in all the astonishing Works done by Moses the Command of God was the beginning Take thy Rod stretch out thy Hand and others Orders that demonstrate the miraculous Actions not to proceed from an inherent Virtue in his Person but from a superiour and borrowed Power Sometimes Prayer was addrest to God before the Miracles were done Thus Joshua first speaks to the Lord before he commands the Sun to stand still upon Gibeon and the Moon in the VÃ lley of Ajalon Thus Elias and Elisha revived the Dead by Prayer to the Lord of Life This was declaratory that the Prophets were but Instruments and that God was the absolute Author of them Accordingly in the Conversion of Souls which is a Work as miraculous as any of those illustrious Miracles there must be the Divine Appointment of the Means and ardent Prayer to God for his Blessing 'T is the great Encouragement of Ministers in their Service that whatsoever is God's Ordinance shall effect that for which it is ordain'd the Rod of Moses was powerful to subdue Egypt to drown Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea Three hundred Souldiers with Gideon only arm'd with Lamps and Pitchers destroyed the numberless Army of the Midianites Astonishing Victory And the Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation But Prayer is requisite to obtain the holy Spirit by whose Influence the Word is effectual to recover lost Souls to Heaven And 't is evident that numerous and entire Conversions of Sinners have been by the Ministry of holy Men who made it their great and earnest Request that they might be successful in bringing Souls to Christ. Cold Formalities are unacceptable to God and without Efficacy but Prayer actuated with Life and holy Heat of Affection ascends to Heaven and prevails And what is more worthy of our constant and most ardent Desires than the Salvation of precious and immortal Souls II. To excite Ministers to a faithful Discharge of their Duty let them consider 1. The Example of our blessed Saviour It was one principal Part of his Office to preach the Gospel this he undertook in wonderful Mercy and perform'd with amazing Diligence He rises before Day and retires himself into a solitary Place to pray that he may lose no time in Preaching He preach'd on the Mountain in the Desert in the Ship in the Synagogues in the High-way in the House no Place no Persons no Time was unseasonable It was his Meat and Drink to do the Will of his Father Thus constant and delighted was the Son of God who laid aside his Majesty and Glory that he might instruct the People without terrifying them in his blessed Work How does his Example reprove and upbraid our Negligence How should it inflame us to imitate and honour him 2. His Love to us should make us ardent and active to save Souls as a Testimony of our Love to him Thus he speaks to Peter Lovest thou me
for some growing Distemper every Corrosive is for some proud Flesh that must be taken away In short they are deliberate Dispensations to cause Men to reflect upon their Works and Ways and break off their Sins by sincere Obedience Therefore we are commanded to hear the Voice of the Rod and who hath appointed it 'T is a Preacher of Repentance to lead us to the Knowledg and Consideration of our selves The Distress of Joseph's Brethren was to revive their Memory of his Sorrows caused by their Cruelty Now when Men disregard the Embassy of the Rod are unconvinceable notwithstanding its lively Lessons when they neither look up to him that strikes nor within to the Cause that provokes his Displeasure when they are careless to reform their Ways and to comply with his holy Will as if Afflictions were only common Accidents of this mutable State the Effects of rash Fortune or blind Fate without Design and Judgment and not sent for their Amendment this is a prodigious despising of God's Hand For this reason the Scripture compares Men to the most inobservant Creatures to the wild Asses Colt the deaf Adder to the silly Dove without Heart and the Advantage is on the Beasts side for their Inconsideration proceeds meerly from the Incapacity of Matter of which they are wholly compos'd to perform reflex Acts but Man's Incogitancy is the sole fault of his Spirit that wilfully neglects his Duty The Prophet charges this Guilt upon the Jews Lord when thy Hand is lifted up they will not see 2. Insensibility of Heart is an eminent degree of despising the Lord's Chastenings A pensive feeling of Judgments is very congruous whether we consider them in genere Physico or Morali either materially as afflictive to Nature or as the signs of Divine Displeasure for the Affections were planted in the Human Nature by the Hand of God himself and are duly exercised in proportion to the quality of their Objects And when Grace comes it softens the Breast and gives a quick and tender sense of God's Frown An eminent Instance we have in David tho of Heroical Courage yet in his sad ascent to Mount Olivet he went up weeping with his Head covered and his Feet bare to testify his humble and submissive sense of God's Anger against him Now when Men are insensible of Judgments either considered as natural or penal Evils if when they suffer the loss of Relations or other Troubles they presently fly to the Comforts of the Heathens that we are all mortal and what can't be help'd must be endured without the Sense Humanity requires that Calm is like that of the dead Sea a real Curse Or suppose natural Affection works a little yet there is no Apprehension and Concernment for God's Displeasure which should be infinitely more affecting than any outward Trouble how sharp soever no serious deep Humiliation under his Hand no yielding up our selves to his Management this most justly provokes him of this Temper were those described by Jeremiah Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they refused to receive Correction Secondly The Causes of this despising of God's Chastenings are 1. A contracted Stupidity of Soul proceeding from a course in Sin There is a natural Stubbornness and Contumacy in the Heart against God a vicious Quality derived from rebellious Adam we are all hewn out of the Rock and dig'd out of the Quarry and this is one of the worst Effects of Sin and a great part of its Deceitfulness that by stealth it increaseth the natural Hardness by degrees it creeps on like a Gangreen and causes an Indolency The Practice of Sin makes the Heart like an Adamant the hardest of Stones that exceeds that of Rocks From hence proceeds such Unteachableness of the Mind that when God speaks and strikes yet Sinners will not be convinc'd that Briars and Thorns are only effectual to teach them and such an Untractableness in the Will that when the Sinner is stormed by Affliction and some Light breaks into the Understanding yet it refuseth to obey God's Call 2. Carnal Diversions are another Cause of slighting God's Hand The Pleasures and Cares of the World as they render Men inapprehensive of Judgments to come so regardless of those that are present Some when ever they feel the Smart of a Cross use all the Arts of Oblivion to lose the Sense of it The Affliction instead of a leading them to Repentance leads them to vain Conversations to Comedies and other sinful Delights to drive away Sorrow Others altho they do not venture upon forbidden things to relieve their Melancholy yet when God by sharp and sensible Admonitions calls upon them they have presently recourse to Temporal Comforts which altho lawful and innocent in themselves yet are as unproper at that time as the taking of a Cordial when a Vomit begins to work for whereas Chastisements are sent to awaken and affect us by considering our Sins in their bitter Fruits this unseasonable Application of sensual Comforts wholly defeats God's Design For nothing so much hinders serious Consideration as a voluptuous indulging the Senses in things pleasing like Opiate Medicines they stupify the Conscience and benumn the Heart 'T is Solomon's Expression I said of Laughter It is mad for as Distraction breaks the Connexion of the Thoughts so Mirth shuffles our most serious Thoughts into disorder and causes Men to pass over their Troubles without Reflection and Remorse And as the Pleasures so the Business of the World cause a supine Security under Judgments We have an amazing Instance of it in Hiel the Bethlemite who laid the Foundation of his City in the Death of his First-born and set up the Gates of it in his youngest Son yet he was so intent upon his Building that he disregarded the Divine Nemesis that was apparent fulfilling the terrible Threatning prophesied against the Builder of Jericho 3. An obstinate fierceness of Spirit a Diabolical Fortitude is the Cause that sometimes Men despise afflicting Providences so far as to resist them There is a passive Malignity in all an Unaptness to be wrought on and to receive Spiritual and Heavenly Impressions from God's Hand but in some of the Sons of Perdition there is an active Malignity whereby they furiously repel Judgments as if they could oppose the Almighty Their Hearts are of an Anvil-Temper made harder by Afflictions and reverberate the Blow like that Roman Emperor who instead of humbling and reforming at God's Voice in Thunder thundred back again All Judgments that befal them are as Strokes given to wild Beasts that instead of taming them enrage them to higher degrees of Fierceness The Prophet described some of this Rank of Sinners who said in the Pride and Stoutness of their Hearts the Bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen Stones the Sycomores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars And many though not Explicitly yet
Benefit For if they do not feel the Blow how shall they take notice of the Hand that strikes If they are not softened with Sorrows how shall they receive the Divine Impression If they have no sense of his Displeasure how shall they fear to offend him for the future If the Medicine doth not work how can it expel noxious Humours 2. The neglect of Chastenings doth not only render them unprofitable but exposes to greater Evils 1. It provokes God to withdraw his Judgments for a time This the Sinner desired and thinks himself happy that he is at ease Miserable Delusion This Respite is the Presage of his final Ruin 'T was the desperate State of Judah as God expresses it Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more The words of an anxious Father that has tried all Methods Counsel Kindness Corrections to reclaim a rebellious obstinate Son and finding no answerable Effect gives him over to follow the pernicious swinge of his corrupt Desires No Severity is like the suffering him in his licentious Courses Thus when God hath used many gracious ways to reduce the Sinner by his Word Spirit and Judgments but he is inflexible to the Calls of the Word impenetrable to the Motions of the Spirit and insensible of afflicting Providences when after a Combate with the Rod Sin comes off unwounded and the Rod retires this Calm is more dreadful than the fiercest Storm nothing can be more fatal to the Sinner for by this Divine Desertion he is given over to a reprobate Mind and vile Affections he goes on undisturb'd in his Sins and every day increaseth his Enmity against God and provokes God's Enmity against him 'T is not conceivable that one who is not made pliable to the Grace of God by Afflictions should submit when he is in pleasant Circumstances and dispos'd to enjoy sensual Satisfactions If the Whip and Spur cannot break and tame the unruly Beast certainly the rich Pasture will never make him manageable So that God's ceasing to punish the Sinner at present is so far from being a Favour that 't is the Effect of his deepest Displeasure for it contributes to his hardning 'T was the Case of Pharaoh when any of the Plagues were removed Indulgence occasioned his Induration As Water taken from the Fire freezes sooner and harder than if the thinner Parts had never been evaporated by the former Heat so when Men are taken off from the Fire of Affliction they are more confirmed in their vicious Courses than if they had never been afflicted 2. The slighting of lighter Strokes provokes God sometimes to bring more dreadful Judgments in this Life upon Sinners No Man can endure that his Love or Anger should be despised Nebuchadnezzar commanded the Furnace to be heated seven times hotter for those who contemned his Threatnings God tells the Israelites If ye will not be reformed by these things but will walk contrary unto me Then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your Sins He will change the Rods into Scorpions and will scourge them for their continued Rebellions 'T is the intent of that Expostulation Shall one take up a Snare from the Earth and have taken nothing at all Shall God remove his Judgments while Sinners are careless and unreformed as if they might be final Conquerors over them no he will multiply and greaten them It may be at first God blasts part of the Estate and the Sinner is not apprehensive of his Hand then he comes nearer and snatches away a dear Relation if still the Sinner is unaffected he strikes his Body with a lingring or acute Disease if still he be not concern'd for God's Displeasure he wounds his Spirit makes him sick in Sense and Conscience at the same time fills him with Terror by the Reflection upon his wicked Ways and the fore-sight of that dreadful Tribunal before which he must appear so that altho he cannot live he dare not die tho his Earthly Tabernacle be ready to fall upon him he is afraid to go out and meet the supream Judg and if this doth not work a sincere thorow Change God casts him into Hell to the Company of the Giants those bold Rebels that fought against God Briefly as under the Law an incorrigible Son that neglected his Father's Reproofs was to die without Mercy so an unreformed Sinner who kicks against the Pricks and refuses to submit to God's Corrections shall be cut off in his Obstinacy Justice will proceed to Excision and Acts of Vengeance against him 3. Fainting under Chastenings is pernicious to Sufferers for it renders them utterly indisposed for the Performance of Duty and uncapable of receiving the Comforts proper for an afflicted State 1st It renders them utterly indisposed for the performance of Duty Hope draws forth all the active Powers of the Soul 't is the great Motive to Diligence and Instrument of Duty Despair like extremity of Cold that checks the Spring and binds up the Earth that its Fruits cannot appear hinders the free Exercise of Reason and Grace and cuts the Sinews of Obedience He that is hopeless of a good Issue out of Troubles will neither repent nor pray nor reform but indulges barren Tears instead of real Duties Besides it often falls out that the same Affliction is sent from God's Displeasure upon his People for their Sins and is the Effect of the Rage of Men against them upon the account of their professing his Name Such is the Wisdom and Goodness of God that by the same fiery Trial he may refine his Servants from their Dross and Impurities and render the Glory of the Gospel more conspicuous The Hatred of Religion and a blind Fury may transport Men to Acts of Cruelty against the Saints but 't is by the permission of the universal Soveraign who hath the Hearts of all in his Hands and fuffers their Rage for holy Ends. The Enemy designs against their Faith but God's Aim is to make them reform their Lives Now if either through strong Fears or the stinging sense of Troubles upon the account of Religion our Courage fails we are presently in danger of falling away and denying our Master The faint-hearted Person is usually false-hearted and for want of Resolution being frighted out of his Conscience and Duty chooses Sin rather than Suffering and thereby justly deprives himself of the Crown of Life that is promised only to those who are faithful unto the Death Besides not only the loss of Heaven but the Torments of Hell are threaten'd against those who withdraw from the Service of God to avoid Temporal Evils The fearful and unbelieving are in the front of those that shall have part in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death Now what Folly is it when two Evils are propounded to choose the greatest that is Eternal Death rather than Temporal and of two Goods to prefer the less a
and Love but the Prophets under Shadows and Figures in the Promises the Apostles clearly in the Truth and Accomplishment The first invited while the Preparations were making but the Evangelical Ministers are more earnest and pressing Come for all things are now ready And in comparing these two Periods of Time there is the most shining and sensible Evidence of the Truth of the Christian Religion for the Marks of it are clear in the Prophecies by their exact References to the Accomplishment in the Person of Christ and they are clear in the Accomplishment by the Correspondence to the Prophecies Who can suspend Assent that our Redemption by Jesus Christ is the Work of Divine Providence when the design of it is so exactly delineated in the Prophecy Thus the unchangeable Firmness and Stability of God's Counsel is the Foundation of our Faith The Consummation of the Marriage will be at the second coming of Christ. II. The Success of the Invitation is related They all with one Consent began to make Excuse The first said I have bought a piece of Ground and I must needs go to see it Another said I have bought five Yoke of Oxen and go to prove them And another said I have married a Wife and I cannot come All the Carnal Affections are readily and presently conspiring in the refusal It may seem that the Allegations of a Purchase and Marriage for not coming to a Feast were very reasonable but the Feast represents Celestial Happiness in comparison of which all the Profits and Pleasures of this World are but Loss and Dung 'T is evident then their Excuses are strong Accusations of their Folly and Ingratitude Of Folly in preferring Shadows before substantial Felicity Moments before Eternity Of Ingratitude in rejecting contumeliously the most gracious and earnest Offer of such a Happiness This is spoken of the Jews who lived in the time of the Son of God's Descent for the Salvation of Men The love of the World caused them to despise his mean Appearance and neglect the Call of humble Mercy Upon their refusal the Servant came and shewed his Lord these things Then the Master of the House being Angry said to his Servant Go out quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City and bring in hither the Poor and the Maimed and the Halt and the Blind And the Servant said Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and yet there is Room And the Lord said unto the Servant Go out into the High-ways and Hedges and compel them to come in that my House may be filled For I say unto you that none of those Men that were bidden shall taste of my Supper The Refusers are for ever excluded from the Joy of this Royal Feast being as unworthy as unwilling to partake of it This Judgment is still visible upon the Nation of the Jews who consent to their Progenitors rejecting and condemning the Messias and will not be convinced of the obstinate Imposture that was devised to prevent the Belief of his Resurrection But it did not become the Wisdom and Goodness of God that such costly Preparations should be lost it was requisite that some Persons should actually come to the Feast that is obey the Heavenly Call and receive the Gospel for otherwise the Redemption the Son of God so dearly acquir'd had been without Fruit he had died in vain which is directly contrary to the Promise of God to him I will give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayst be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth Accordingly the Servant is ordered to bring in the Poor the Lame and the Blind and to go into the High-ways and Hedges and compel them to come in that the House may be filled These Expressions declare the extream Misery of the Heathens who were at that time without Christ Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no Hope and without God in the World Compel them to come in The Papists allege this Text to give colour to their Cruelty in their violent ways of making Proselytes to their Idolatry Their convincing Arguments are Swords and Racks and Gibbets and Fires If this be a proper Method of converting Men to Religion the greatest Tyrants are the most infallible Teachers The Vanity and Impiety of the Pretence will appear by considering 1. 'T is ridiculous to Reason to use forcible Means for such an End for the Understanding is a reasonable Faculty and can only be convinc'd by instructing Reasons It cannot judg of things but as they appear nor assent against its Judgment Indeed Threatnings and Tortures may make Men Infidels but not sincere Believers it may make them Hypocrites and Comedians in Religion but not unseigned Professors This is abundantly exemplified in France where the vast number of servile Converts have been made by their Dragoons not their Doctors 2. This is most contrary to the Practice of our Saviour and to the Spirit of the Gospel The Sword that Christ useth in subduing his Enemies and making them willing Subjects to his Scepter goes out of his Mouth His Kingdom was introduced into the World by Preaching and Miracles by doing Good and suffering Evil he open'd the way for the Gospel not by killing his Enemies but by dying himself and in his Members The establishing and enlarging his Religion are by sutable means the Illumination of Mens Minds the Perswasion of their Wills the drawing of their Affections to embrace it Accordingly the Apostle tells us The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong Holds Casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ. The Weapons are sutable to the Warfare and the Warfare to the Kingdom which is spiritual not of this World The using of Force to constrain Men to embrace the Christian Religion is contrary to the Love the Goodness Meekness Clemency and Benignity the blessed Temper the Gospel plants in the Breasts of Christians How severely did our Saviour rebuke the fiery Spirit in James and John You know not what manner of Spirit you are of the Son of Man came not to destroy Mens Lives but to save them 'T is contrary to the Golden Rule given to all his Disciples What you would have others do to you do you to them But this must be acknowledged that 't is very congruous that the Papists make use of the material Sword when the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God strikes through the Heart of Popery The Doctrine of the Mass is a clear Contradiction to the Scripture and a notorious derogating from the Value and Virtue of Christ's Death they say 't is an unbloody Sacrifice of Christ propitiatory for the Living and the Dead Whereas our Saviour was offered up but once the Mass is ten thousand times
it was requisite to atone the just Displeasure of God for our Offences 'T is said he offered his own Body on the Tree his peculiar Right in it was requisite to make it a proper and acceptable Sacrifice 'T is true the Father and holy Spirit had the same Right in the Human Nature of Christ as the Son had with respect to the making it but the Son by assuming it into a Personal Union with himself has a peculiar Right in it and offer'd his own in a strict sense And in Consequence to this his Sacrifice was of infinite Value He did not compound with God but paid a Ransom equivalent to what was due for Sinners He bled a Fountain from his wounded Side that cleanses from all Sin 2dly By his Intercession He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him for he ever lives to make Intercession for them God pardons Sin as a Soveraign upon the Throne his Authority is preserved entire without any Condescension of his Person therefore the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross is pleaded in Heaven to reconcile God to us he satisfied Justice and sollicites Mercy his Blood speaks still and its Voice is as powerful as ever The Prevalency of his Intercession depends upon the Dignity of his Sacrifice the Dearness of his Person to the Father does also assure us of his favourable Audience He declar'd on Earth I know thou always hearest me 3dly The Gospel sets forth his Willingness to save us Faith has an Aspect upon Christ as able and willing to save for Power without a Will to save is unprofitable and the Will without Power is fruitless and ineffectual For the begetting of Faith we are to consider the Proposal and Offer of Grace in the Gospel and the Promise of it 1. In the Gospel there is a Proposal of Grace to all the Invitation is universal Whoever will let him come to the Waters of Life freely Our Saviour gave this Command to the Apostles Preach the Gospel to every Creature Neither the number nor quality of Mens Sins are a Bar against their coming to Christ for Life None are excluded but those who exclude themselves In the Parable those were earnestly invited by the Command of the Master of the Feast who refused to come This Offer of Grace and Life to all that will humbly receive it is the first Foundation of Faith and induces our Acceptance of it for without this the self-condemned Sinner sinks into Misery bottomless and helpless The most miserable Despair is drawn from Impossibility If Men think 't is impossible to obtain what they desire they will not endeavour to obtain 'T is easily clear'd by the Scriptures if Men will believe the Scriptures when they are clear that as the Brazen Serpent the Sign of Salvation was lifted up on high and made obvious to every Eye to convey healing Virtue to those who were stung by the fiery Serpents so our crucified Saviour is lifted up in the Gospel for every Soul-wounded Sinner to regard The belief of inviting Mercy opens the Springs of Godly Sorrow a Natural Sorrow arises from the sense of oppressing Evils and is terminated upon our selves a Spiritual Sorrow proceeds from the sense of our Unworthiness and the Divine Goodness that is so ready and desirous to save us 2. There is a Promise of Grace to all that repent and believe Our Saviour encourages us Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you Rest. Those who feel Sin as an intolerable Burden and their fainting Souls are without Support let them devolve their Burden upon him and trust entirely in him they shall obtain blessed Rest. The timerous Sinners that tremble under the Weight of their Guilt are encouraged for in this condition Christ invites them to come to him and promises Rest. Let them aggravate their Sins to the highest yet St. Paul challenges the Precedence as the chief of Sinners and obtained Mercy When the Heart is broken for Sin and from it not to believe the Promise of Mercy is dishonourable to our Saviour's Love and the Value of his Blood as if not sufficient to save poor Souls that would fain live in him We have the strongest Testimony of his Love in dying for us when we were Enemies Christ came with this Intention to save Sinners and when they come to him will he reject them He cannot deny himself he 's Truth and he has most expresly declar'd Whoever comes to me I will in no wise cast out and this Promise is confirm'd by the Will of his Father that sent him Christ invites thirsty Souls to partake of the Waters of Life and when he has inspir'd them with ardent Desires and they come will he send them away empty 'T is absolutely impossible for him who is incarnate Love and Mercy to despise and reject the Soul that looks to him that longs and languishes after him and will be ever unsatisfied without him In short the precious Promises in the Gospel of the Pardon of Sin and eternal Salvation are so proposed to us that the Hope of returning Sinners may be cherish'd and confirm'd and the Presumption of secure Sinners may be dash'd and controul'd While we are in this middle State the fear of Caution join'd with the lively hope of Mercy is the most congruous Temper and becoming the Breast of a Christian. The Presumer is like a Ship without Ballast floating so lightly in his own Folly that every Gust of Temptation oversets him The fearful Spirit is like a Ship over-laden and if not lightned will certainly sink and perish Fearless Security exposes to all the Temptations that gratify the Carnal Appetites desponding Fear causes a neglect of the Remedy If there be no fear of Punishment or no hope of Pardon the Consequences are equally fatal 3. 'T is necessary in order to the bringing Men to Christ to remove their carnal Prejudices The first and most fear'd Difficulties are That serious Religion will be a damp to all their Joys a harsh and unreasonable Restraint of their Liberties a Bar against all the Advantages of the World the sickly Fancy is frighten'd at the thoughts of this If the Way to Heaven were short and fair Men would like it but 't is long and deep and they are discouraged as the Israelites with the tedious and troublesom Wilderness before their arrival at the Land of Promise Accordingly Carnal Men cast a slanderous Shade upon Religion as a melancholy severe and joyless Discipline Now we may rectify these Mistakes by the Light of Scripture of Reason and of Experience 1. The Scrpiture declares that the Ways of Wisdom are Ways of Pleasantness and all her Paths are Peace The Entrance the Progress and Continuance in these Ways is joyful to the renewed Soul Let us take a right View of the Divine Commands the Sum of them is this That Men would be happy here and for ever We are commanded
their sinful Security are not to be parallell'd in Hell The Devils rebel against the Creator against his Authority and Laws but Men rebel against their Soveraign and Saviour and 't is admirable Grace The Son of God interpos'd as Mediator to make God reconcilable to the World But he did not assume the Nature of Angels he took no hold of them nor can they take hold of him The Golden Scepter was never extended to them Justice was strict and severe for the first Sin they were presently expell'd from the Habitation of Glory and their Doom is irrevocable But Men are within the Reserves of Mercy God spares them in order to Pardon and renews his compassionate Calls to them to forsake their Sins and live by his Word and wonderful Patience he invites them to Repentance and by Repentance to his Favour and to Happiness Now what a violent Provocation is the Contempt of such Mercy The Furnace of Hell is heated seven times more for the Despisers of the Gospel How will the remembrance of their Folly rack their torn Minds The fiercest Furies cannot so torment them as their self-condemning Consciences 3. Let the Ministers of the Gospel be excited to discharge their Commission with Fidelity I shall set down some Directions and Motives in order to it The general Direction is this Salus Populi suprema Lex esto The Salvation of Souls is the End of Preaching and must regulate it The Qualifications of a Minister to make him successful are First Excellent Knowledg An ignorant Minister is a plain Solaecism as to say a blind Eye not capable to perform the Act proper to it The Office and Authority without Abilities to exercise it is in vain The Apostle declares the Perfection of the Scripture that 't is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works He is to instruct the Ignorant to remember the Careless to refute the Erronious to resolve the Doubting and comfort the Afflicted Not only Fidelity but Wisdom is requisite in the Servant whom his Lord made Ruler over his House to give them Meat in due season There must be substantial Learning to convince Gainsayers and spiritual Skill to understand the Arts of the Tempter who will fail with every Wind and make use of the various Dispositions of Men to do them Mischief He feeds the blazing Presumption of indulgent Sinners He speaks Peace to them when God is their Enemy if there be sometimes a sad Countenance the shadow of Repentance it is sufficient But he perplexes tender and fearful Spirits by suggesting they do not mourn enough to damp their Endeavours and make them heartless in God's Service Now 't is a principal Duty of an Evangelical Minister to unmask the Malice of Satan and defeat his Design to preach the Word in that distinct manner that secure Sinners may be afraid of Vengeance and that the Penitent may apply the Divine Mercy He that wins Souls is wise The Terrors of the Lord must be set in array against the rebellious obstinate Transgressors but the indulgent Love of our Heavenly Father the tender Compassions of our sensible Head and Saviour and the Consolations of the holy Comforter are the Portion of relenting and returning Sinners An understanding Minister instructs his People in their Duty and Happiness he will not offer them Stone for Bread intricate controversial Matters that astonish and cannot edify but plain Evangelical Truths the proper Food for the Soul The Manner and Language in Preaching must be answerable to the Majesty of Divine Truths There is nothing more odious than a sacred Subject triflingly handled The Affectation of Wit and flanting Eloquence frustrates the End of Preaching that is to convince Sinners of their Guilt and Misery and by the Conviction of Conscience to make them fly to the Sanctuary our blessed Saviour for Protection partly because those things that flatter the Fancy are not proper to affect the Conscience light trimmings of Language gaudy Expressions glittering Points of Wit please the Imagination but Conscience is excited and inflam'd by representing eternal Things with powerful Plainness and in a solemn manner and partly because the Human Spirit being limited while one Faculty is attentive another suspends its Activity and Operations so that the Exercise of the Fancy hinders the Mind from serious reflecting on Divine Truths and applying them to the Soul Vain Ornaments in a Sermon are like a painted Complection the more 't is advanc'd to the Eye the more 't is abased to the Judgment The Discourse of a Preacher should directly go to the Heart it should be so fram'd as to prove and illustrate the Subject and work on the Understanding and Affections We have the Pattern of this in Scripture where the Love and Mercy of God to his Children and his Justice and Power against his Enemies are represented in the most pathetical manner I will produce an Instance of both Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee What can be more supporting and comforting The other Instance is as terrible God is angry with the Wicked every day If he turn not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready He hath also prepared the Instruments of Death This Description of God's righteous Displeasure is more powerful to shoot through the Conscience of hardned Sinners than the bare threatnings that Justice will surely punish them Secondly A Minister should be zealous and diligent in the discharge of his Office St. Paul adjures Timothy in the most solemn and fearful manner I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judg the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine Did the Apostle stir up the Fire in so vigilant a Minister how much more needful is it to blow up the Embers in our drowsy Spirits Certainly if Conscience be not sear'd and dead so sharp a Charge will rouze it to the performance of our Duty Zeal for the Glory of our Saviour if it inflames our Hearts will fire our Lips and animate our Sermons Let Knowledg be the Breath to blow the sacred Fire and the most burning Zeal is not excessive But our Affections at the highest are very defective How many preach the Word so coldly as if they had no desire to save Souls from eternal Death How many Ministers lie down in their Laziness and wretchedly neglect their Duty to better themselves and benefit others in preaching the Gospel Idleness enervates and unstrings the Bent of the Spirit the Mind is benumm'd by a useless and ignoble Dulness Some who are deputed Shepherds may think it a Disparagement to their