thoughts shall be Established The word in the Text is Role that is put of thy burthen from thine own shoulders upon his So 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your Care upon him for he careth for you This for the right and more expedite performance of it supposes first our Interest in God and Acquaintance with him this belongs to the Covenant of Grace in each respect both on Gods part and on ours when we are in Covenant with God he will then undertake our thoughts for us and when we are in Covenant with him we shall be inabled to commit them to him and may safely and with Confidence do so First I say he will then undertake them when God at any time enters into Covenant and Ingages himself to be our God and takes us to be his people he does not onely hereby take upon him to bring us at last to Heaven and to land us safe there but to provide for us in all our way and Journey thither to guide all our thoughts and purposes and Actions and undertakings whatsoever upon which Ground we may safely settle and Establish our thoughts in themselves and then we shall be able also upon this account to cast our selves upon him This committing of our thoughts to God in a way of reliance it supposes our submitting of them first of all to him in a way of Obedience that 's the first Interest in God as requisite here Secondly The use and exercise of this performance the more we do it the more we may do it and it is of use to our selves to do it in some things which makes us the better to do it in others from particulars arising to Generals That we may still be further incouraged thus to do let us consider but two things more First That 's a thing very easie for God to settle our thoughts for us And Secondly That it is very pleasing that we should commit our thoughts to him to this purpose It is very easie first of all for him to undertake them and settle them we put him to no great cost or trouble hereby let them be as great or as many as they can be and of as great concernment he can as easily take care of a Nation as he can of a person and of the whole Church as one particular Believer and member of it he can rule the Ocean as well as the smallest River or Breach that passes through the Earth Secondly It is very pleasing to him also while we thus delight our own Souls we refresh his while hereby we have him in his Goodness and Power and Truth and the rest of his Attributes wherein he delights to be admired and Glorified by us So much may serve that and likewise for this whole Text. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SERMON XXIII Psal 104.34 My Meditation of Him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. As it is the Excellency and Priviledge of a man above other Creatures here below that he is capable of Reflection and Meditation and has his Thoughts and the workings of his mind which are remarkable in in him so is the Excellency and Priviledge of a Christian above other men that he has the ordering of those thoughts aright with the best advantage and contentment to himself that so whiles some are imploy'd in one thing and others are imploy'd in another He has his Thoughts fasten'd upon God and concentred as his chiefest happiness and united in Him and that with a great deal of delight and Complacency and satisfaction of Spirit This is that which we have here exhibited to us in this present Scripture which follows as a very good close of others which have been hanaled by us very lately we have heard of the several Properties of God in a Variety of Perfection Of his Power and Goodness and Faithfulness and Pittifulness and the like And what now remains as the Sum and upshot and conclusion of all this unto us but that the Meditation of Him should be sweet and that we should be glad in him Which is that which we have here presented unto us in these words which I have mentioned unto you IN the Text itself there are two General Parts considerable First Davids Contemplation Secondly Davids Exultation His Contemplation that is in thess words My Meditation of him shall be sweet His Exultation that is in these words I will be glad in the Lord. We begin with the former viz. Davids Contemplation in these words My Meditation of Him shall be sweet wherein again two particulars more First The Performance implyed and that is Divine Meditation My Meditation of Him that is of God Secondly The Qualification it self and that is pleasantness or sweetness My Meditation of Him shall be sweet First Here is considerable of us the Performance implyed And that I say is Divine Meditation It is here supposed and taken for granted that David did indeed Meditate upon God whiles he makes mention of his Meditation and so there is this in it That Gods servants they are much imploy'd and taken up in the Thoughts God in Holy and Divine Meditation This is that which there Mindes and Thoughts are very frequently carryed unto The Prophet David Himself was very much in this Performance as we may see in divers passages of the Psalms and we read of the Patriark Isaac that he went out in the fields to Meditate Namely upon God himself Gen. 24.63 Now there 's a various account which may be given hereof unto us as whereupon it proceeds First The Gracious and Heavenly Frame and Temper of a Christian Soul being sanctified and renewed by Grace Mens Meditations are much as their hearts are Vain and Frothy Spirits they have commonly answerable Meditations and those that savour of the world they have their thoughts fasten'd upon it but Gods Children being born from above they have accordingly thoughts above in sutableness thereunto David he was a man after Gods own Heart as the Scripture declares him and therefore he was much in the Thoughts of God and so it is likewise with all others of the same frame and temper with him forasmuch as they are born of God and have his Image stampt upon them they doe bend their thoughts to him to Contemplate upon him They which are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Rom. 8.5 Grace it is the Byass of the soul which does move it and incline it to the Mark and the scope which is propounded to it and set before it which is thus Active in those that are Regenerate Secondly The servants of God are much in thoughts and Meditations of Him because as their hearts are made like unto him so which also follows thereupon fasten'd upon him They have made God their Happiness and therefore they doe accordingly make him their Meditation For where the Treasure
sure not to want it God does either actually and absolutely deliver from the evil or else so sanctifie and dispose his Providence towards them as that it shall be either as good or rather indeed better than the deliverance from the evil it self to them And this is that which may abundantly satisfie their minds both as to the truth of this Point as also as to contentation in a mean condition And thus now this Point may be improved to particular persons So likewise in the second place we may also carry it as more pertinent to the occasion to the Church and State in general and reason so for that He has delivered and does deliver and we trust that he will yet deliver us It is an observation which is sometimes made concerning some kind of men and persons that they are Homines boni pedis happy and successful men which prosper in whatsoever they undertake whom God does in a special manner delight to make the objects of his mercy and goodness as Jacob and Joseph c. Now as it is thus with private persons so we may conceive it to be so with whole Nations and people at large Thus 't is noted of Israel Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord c. Deut. 33.29 the Epithet there given unto them And thus as it has been with Israel so we may observe it to have been with England with us of these fortunate Islands we have been the admiration of all the world for happiness and blessing never any Nation partaked of such mercies and deliverances as we have done It is true that God is not tyed to Countries nor places nor people any further than he is pleased to tye and engage himself out of his own free goodness and bounty But it is a great advantage if we do not forfeit it to be under such a Providence as this is and to be the ancient objects of Gods favour and miraculous dispensations yea which is now the improvement of this Doctrine in hand a great argument to trust and depend upon him for his goodness God has done many great and wonderful things for his people of this Land and Nation even of latter years and that within the cognizance and observation even of other people Then they said among the Heathen The Lord has done great things for them And we may eccho it back again unto them as the Church does there in that Psalm The Lord has done great things for us whereof we are glad But has he done all he means to do for us or which we may expect and look for from him sure I hope he has not but that he has more and greater blessings in store and reservation for us unless we by our unthankfulness frowardness wickedness and abuse of his blessings and mercies do for time to come deprive our selves of them surely if we do not very much provoke him God will not unravel that thread which has been of his own spinning which is the work of his own hands but will rather perfect that which concerns us as the Psalmist speaks It was good Logick that of Manoahs wife which she read to her Husband and as good Divinity in Judg. 13.23 If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things nor would he as at this time have told us such things as these And it was as good also that of Hamans wife to him in Esth 6.13 If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail against him but shalt surely fall before him God does not do things all at once but by time and leisure and degrees he makes one thing a preparation to another and a ground and argument for the expectation of it and so as we may in a manner see his footsteps in it This is the Improvement which we are now to make of the mercy of this present day we do not sufficiently or as we should improve it when as we only take notice of it in it self but when-as we make it a ground and argument and reason for the expectation of more and further acts from him This is one of our standing mercies and deliverances which in our discouragements and faintings of heart we should still have recourse unto for the quickning and reviving of us and putting us in heart again He that has delivered us from the Gunpowder-Treason what will he not now do for us and what will he not deliver us from Which as in matter of humiliation it is good to reflect upon some special sin or the original corruption of nature which is the greatest and chiefest of all thereby to work us to repentance and contrition of spirit So likewise in matter of Thanksgiving it is good to reflect upon some special mercy and extraordinary providence of God towards us thereby to work our hearts to answerable thankfulness for all the rest This is the proper Application of this present Point both for the General and also the particular Some of us have been under great sicknesses and God has freed us from them and some of us in other great troubles and exigencies and God has brought us out of them What 's the use which we should now make of all to our selves but what the Apostle here dictates unto us and gives us a pattern of in his own example speaking of God Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust also that he will yet deliver us SERMON XXXV 2 Cor. 13.8 For we can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth There are two things especially which either are or ought to be in the care and principal study of every true Minister of Christ the one is the Truth of God and the other is the Church of God The Dignity and Authority of his Ministry and the souls and welfare of his people and these two in a mutual compliance and subordination of one to the other so to assert his ministerial authority as not to prejudice his peoples comfort and so to tender the peace of his people as that the Name of God and his Doctrine may not be blasphemed Now both of these very eminently concur in the practice of the Apostle Paul through the whole course of his Ministry and did more particularly shew themselves in him in the course of this present Epistle and Scripture which we have here before us Wherein he seems not so much to stand upon his own private honour and reputation as rather upon the improvement of the Corinthians and the Dignity and Authority of the Ordinances and Truths of Christ amongst them that they might receive no violation or diminution of them Not that we says he should appear approved but that ye may do that which is honest though we be as
That thou wouldst keep me Jabez when he would now be freed and preserved from approaching dangers and evils which hung over his head he goes to the right person for the effecting of it and that is God himself As all kind of evils of punishment is ordered and disposed of by God No evil at all in the City that the Lord hath not done sayes the Prophet so all evil of the same nature likewise is to be removed and prevented by God or else it cannot be done unto thee at all As it is he that must inlarge our coast and He whose hand must be with us so it is He also that must keep us from evil and preserve us if ever we be kept All other means besides without Him are in vain and to no purpose at all This shews us what to think of such persons as have other shelters to defend themselves by which as the Prophet Esay speaks of them have made a Covenant with Death and with Hell are at an agreement that say when the overflowing scourge shall pass thorow it shall not come unto them for they have made lyes their refuge and under falshood they have hid themselves such as these shall not prosper in that way wherein they flatter themselves Their Covenant shall be dis-anulled and their agreement shall not stand c. There can be no hope or confidence for them but onely in God alone who has these things in His own disposing This does not exclude the use of means on our behalf which in their place are to be used by us we may not thrust our selves upon evil or carelesly fall into it and think it enough for us to desire God to keep us from it This is to tempt his providence rather then any thing else No but with indeavour on our part to betake our selves humbly to God and to rest and relye upon Him for it as Jabez here does I might here also take notice of the word which in the Hebrew Text is very Emphatical Gnazthea Hand of strength and activity or helping thereunto but I pass over that And so much of the Request That thou wouldst keep me from evil The second is the Amplification of it in these words That it may not grieve me Here was in his Name Jabez which as I have shewn signifies forrowful but he would not willingly have grief in his hands His mother bare him in sorrow in the verse before the Text but he desired not to live in sorrow From evil that it may not grieve me Mark here how he expesses himself in these present words before us He does not desire absolutely and wholly to be kept from evil That almost as the world commonly goes might seem to be a kind of petition but he desires to be kept from the trouble and vexation of it it is not from evil that it may not touch me but from evil that it may not grieve me It is not to be delivered from the Condition but onely to be delivered from the Affection This is that which we may accordingly desire of the Lord in such cases as these are That if he shall bring us at any time into sorrowful and sad conditions yet at least that he would keep us from sorrowful and sad hearts This is that which seems strange to Nature but Grace does very easily apprehend it God can suffer us to fall into evil and yet keep us from the Grief of the evil God can give a man a comfortable spirit in a sad and sorrowful estate and oftentimes does And this is that which Jabez rather then fail would obtain in this place so far forth as conveniently might be that he might be kept from evil but if not from evil wholly yet from evil at least in the sad effects and consequents of of it from evil that it might not grieve Him Thus for the better opening and unfolding of it to us may be taken with these following explications First He desired to be kept from grief That is from the Extremity of the Affliction so as to sink or to overwhelm his spirit Jabez could not imagine to have evil and not to have grief with it but hoped not to have it in the excess and violence of it And this he desired that though God in his Providence should afflict him yet he would not afflict him beyond his strength or lay upon him more then he could well and patiently indure This is that which we are subject unto if God doe not prevent us from it to be cast down upon every occasion and to be discouraged and put out of heart almost upon the smallest affliction and therefore is there need of prayer to God to support us and uphold us to this purpose and to keep us within bounds This is one thing which Jabez here intended Secondly When he desires to be kept from grief that is from the sinfulness of Grief and that inordinancy and distemper of minds which we are commonly subject unto through our corruption in such conditions Lord keep me from evil that it may not Grieve me That is that I may not be fretful in it that I may not be sinful under it that I may not be offensive by it That it may not grieve me nor I may not grieve thee nor thy holy Spirit occasionally from it This is the main and principal desire of every good Christian in such cases as these and where God is pleased at any time to doe this for us it is that which may very well satisfie us and quiet us and give us contentment whatsoever he does else besides A man's spirit it will help his infirmities as Solomon speaks and if our mindes be once well in us all things else shall be well with us what is it that we would to care for more And thus now we have also the third particular whereof this Prayer of Jabez is made up to wit for a Blessing in reference to his Protection and Personal Preservation That thou wouldst keep me in evil And so likewise we have done with the first General part of the Text viz. The Vow or Prayer it self both in the General Proposition of it at large as also in the particular explication of it in the several branches The Second is an Account of the Answer or Return which is made unto this Prayer That we have in these words And God granted him that which he requested which words may be looked upon by us two manner of wayes Either first of all in their common and general notion as they doe include in them God's manner of dealing in his answer of prayer at large Or Secondly in their restrained particular notion as they doe point out to us God's answer of prayer in these particulars which are here mentioned before us and which Jabez here beg'd at God's hands First To take them and to look upon them a little in the General God granted him that which he requested what 's the meaning of that
of Gods servants which are ready to mistrust themselves here especially though perhaps there may be less danger of them in that how they shall carry themselves through Adversity how they shall be able to take up their Cross to loose their very time from Christ if he should call them to it and not decline and start back from his work Here is that which may support them He will keep the feet of his Saints And so for any kind of Assault or Temptation whatsoever Here 's Gods promise which he has made for it and this use are we to make of it even to comfort and incourage our selves upon such Considerations as these are Forasmuch as Despair and Discouragement may in this case prove very hazardous and prejudicial unto us Now to make this point every way effectual and pertinent indeed to our selves we must here have a care of two things The First is the Qualification of our Persons we must look to that Observe here in the very Text it self whose feet it is that he here keeps It is the feet of his Saints They must be Saints whose feet God will keep Saints and his Saints too Saints of his Making and Saints of his Calling and Saints of his Owning Those which are such he will keep their feet that is as we have Explain'd it their Hearts and Affections and Ways He will preserve them from running into Extravagances and the Extremities of Sin His Saints that is such persons as are in Covenant with him and begotten again by him and have his Image and likeness Stamp'd upon them and his Seed remaining in them These are they which shall be thus kept and serv'd and none but they Those which are not thus they have no Ground for the Expectation of such a Favour or Priviledge as this is to be conpreferr'd or bestowed upon them Thus we may observe in the Connexion there in that place 1 Pet. 2.3.4 Begotten again who are kept in the last times None are kept but those which are begotten again c. It is the great misery and unhappiness of all men out of Christ That as they are deprived of many other blessings besides so amongst the rest of Divine Protection as to matter of sin and spiritual judgements They are more in danger of being given up to Satan and their own corrupt hearts then others are and being evil already to grow worse and more confirm'd in evil every day then other whereas those which are Regenerate and Renewed and Sanctified and have Grace begun in them they are thereby in some manner secured against those hazards which others fall into And he that hath begun a good work in them will confirm it and finish it in them until the day of Christ As the Apostle tells the Philippians Phil. 1.6 But Secondly That 's not all It is not enough for us to be right for our persons in the General Qualifications of them But we must be right likewise for our carriage and the behaviour of our selves Those which are the Saints of God may sometimes so order the business by their own wilful heedlesness and neglect as that they may provoke God for a time at least to suspend this protection and safeguard of them He may and does also now and then suffer them to slip that they may the better look to their feet at another time He will keep the feet of his Saints but he expects also that they should keep themselves and not rush themselves upon the occasions of evil as sometimes they are ready to do whiles they do so they may chance to smart for it and come with broken bones at last As God Himself undertakes it for the main so his Saints must also use their own indeavour as they are exhorted to it Eccl. 5.1 Keep thy feet when thou goest to the house of God c. But so much of the first reference of these words as they may be taken Spiritually and in relation to the Inward man Now further Secondly We may likewise if we please take them in reference to Temporals and God's Providence as to the things of this life He will here also keep the feet of his Saints That is he will prosper all events and undertakings to them He will bless them in whatsoever they do and whithersoever they go This is the meaning of it First He will bless them in their wayes Take notice of That This is one way to keep their feet And it is so likewise in the Language of Scripture As Psal 121.8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy comming in from this time forth and for ever-more And so Deut. 28.6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou commest in and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out Again Psal 91.11 12. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes They shall bear thee up in their hands least thou dash thy foot against a stone In all which places and the like we have promises made to God's people for the keeping and preserving of them even in their common and ordinary out-goings not onely for the preserving of their souls and spirits from sin but also for the preserving of their lives and bodies from destruction Therefore the Chaldee paraphrast reads it corpus servorum suorum He that keeps the body of his servants where the feet are put by a Senecdoche for all the other parts and the argument holds good a fortioris by reasoning from the less to the greater He that will keep the feet the most abject parts of the body and such as are of less esteem certainly he will not be wanting to the Breast and head those more noble and eminent parts but will be sure to keep them more especially He names the feet that from them we might rise higher to all the rest and those which are superiours Again further He names the Feet as those which are most exposed to danger and hurt of all other God bestowing the Greatest Protection where there seems to be the Greatest need and Necessity for it he gives more to that part that lacketh But the Sum of all comes to this God's Custody and Preservation of his people in their passages and goings up and down This may seem at the hearing of it to be but an ordinary Observation but yet is such as we may make very good use and Improvement of in the Course of our times Hereby to prevent the People of God from Inordinate and Exclusive Fears either for themselves or those belonging unto them in their Journeys and Travelings and the like That they are not onely under a Providence but under a Promise And whensoever they go in or out upon good and warrantable Occasions they may here expect God's preservation of them upon this Account His Word and Warrant for it He will keep the feet of his Saints And it is a great piece of weakness in any when as notwithstanding such an assurance as this is they
will be as sometimes they are full of Trouble and perplexity in themselves as if they had never had such a promise as this made unto them But perhaps you will here interpose that all Temporal promises are but Conditional and such as in the Event may fail for the accomplishment of them in which regard they do not exempt us from Fear and Sollicitude about them we have ground enough to be troubled in such matters as these are notwithstanding Gods promises which he hath made in reference to them forasmuch as many of the Saints of God do notwithstanding miscarry under them There are many which break their Legs and Armes and Limbs even of good men as well as others all things fall alike to all and therefore what stress is here in such promises as these are from whom the Saints and Servants of God might be kept from Fear as to themselves To this I answer and it may serve as a satisfaction in all other Temporal promises whatsoever of the like Nature That there is very great cause for Quietness and settledness of Spirit in the Saints and Servants of God notwithstanding all this And that from hence because it never fails but upon some special and eminent Considerations as wherein either the Glory of God or their own good in some other respect is principally aimed God will so fulfill to his Saints all his promises of temporal Blessings and amongst the rest of temporal Protection as that he will never turn aside from them but where themselves upon due Consideration and understanding of his providence towards them shall be ready to thank him for it All things fall alike to all in regard of the Condition it self which falls unto them but they do not fall alike to all in regard of the Ground and Principles and Arguments which they fall unto them upon God is carried by some other reason in his suffering of Miscarriages in his People and other men so that here is a double salve for this objection First That this promise it holds for the most part in the thing it self not onely in a way of common Providence but in special love Secondly That where it holds not in the thing yet it holds in regard of that Affection which was the ground of first making of it And so much for that That 's the first branch of Explication He will keep the feet of his Saints viz. in regard their ways Secondly In regard of their Works whatsoever they do This is said of a Godly man Psal 1. vers 3. That whatsoever he doth shall prosper And there are Instances and Examples of it In Joseph Gen. 39.3 The Lord was with him and made all that he did to prosper in his hand And Jacob he takes notice of it in himself in reference to Laban Genes 30. vers 30. The Lord hath blest thee since my Comming Le-ragli at my foot as it is in the Hebrew Text that is from my very first entrance and setting foot first into thine House There is a Blessing upon a righteous hand whatsoever it be that he undertakes As a Blessing of Protection upon his Person so a Blessing of Success upon his Labour and constant Imployment Now The common Application which may be made of all this to our selves is from hence to take direction what course is to be taken by our selves in reference to either of these two Heads which we have now mentioned unto you whether Prosperity and Success in Labours or Protection and Preservation in Dangers Especially in these times of Uncertainty and Distraction in which we live Namely to make this good to our selves that we are the Saints and Servants of Godwhich have his Grace wrought in our Hearts and are in Covenant with him We may from hence be then assured that he will preserve us and watch over us for good as over those which are of his own Household and Family and do in a special manner belong and relate to Himself we shall then be his in that day when he will make up his Jewel And he will spare us as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 But so much of this first Branch viz. The State and Condition of the Godly in those words He will keep the feet of his Saints The Second Is the State of the Wicked in these But the Wicked shall be silent in Darkness As there 's a difference betwixt the Wicked and the Godly in regard of their Disposition so is there likewise in regard of their Condition And it is here among other places of Scripture exprest in this present Text which we have now before us Where for the Wicked and Vngodly we have two things fasten'd upon them First A state of Darkness And Secondly A state of Silence in order to that Darkness Both these are here hinted when it is said They shall be silent in Darkness First A State of Darkness As to which it would be here pertinently inquired what is to be understood by it It may be referred to a double Condition whether of this present Life or of that which is to come of the way or the end First For this life present as the way Wicked men they are here in Darkness First In the Ignorance of their mindes Having their understandings darkned As the Apostle Paul speaks of the Gentiles Eph. 4.18 Being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance which is in them because of the blindness of their Heart And so Eph. 5.8 Ye wore all sometimes Darkness This is the Condition of all Carnal and Vnregenerate Persons so long as they are in a state of Nature they are in a state of Darkness The Natural man discerns not the things of the Spirit of God neither can be know them because they are Spiritually discern'd as it is in 1. Cor. 2.14 There is none that Vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh after God Rom. 3.11 Secondly In the Inordinancy of their Affections there 's Darkness in them from thence also He that hateth his Brother is in Darkness and walketh in Darkness and knoweth not whether he goeth because that Darkness hath blinded his Eyes says the Apostle 1. Joh. 2.11 Take a man whose Affections are irregulated and distemper'd in him and he hath a virtiginous and giddy humour possessing him he is as it were in the dark and so to be accounted sayes Athanasius Malice it shades the mind and so any other unruly Passion in them Thirdly In the practise of all other Sins whatsoever besides works of Wickedness are works of Darkness and so they are still call'd The unfruitful works of Darkness Eph. 5.11 Forasmuch as they seek the Dark for the Commission of them The Theif and Murtherer and Adulterer they all wait for the Dark as Job observes it of them such Places and Times as wherein they may be kept and preserv'd from others Eyes as to the beholding of them Lastly In that Spiritual blindness which they are delivered
Prosecution of their wicked Courses little think of them or call themselves to an account for them who yet afterwards when the sin is over and past have leasure to be think themselves and to Consider what they have done Yea God himself does by his Spirit oftentimes suggest it to them and suffers even Satan also though for no good to do it for them When men are past the time of Committing sin then he thinks he may very safely remember of it that he may drive them to dispair about it which is all the thanks they have from him for hearkning to Him Secondly As there 's an Exciting of the Memory for the calling of such sins to mind which have been committed in Youth so there is likewise a Convincing of the Judgment in the nature of the sins themselves how grievous and notorious they are that those which have been formerly slighted and neglected and made nothing of as no more but tricks of youth it may indeed appear in their colours to be breaches of the Law of God And that in all the several Circumstances and Aggravations of them and especially in that amongst the rest of sinning against all the Counsel and Admonition which has been given to the Contrary by Ministers and Masters and Parents and Christian Friends as we find an Expression to that purpose in Prov. 5.12.13 Thou shalt say How have I hated Instruction and my Heart dispised Reproof I have not obeyed the voyce of my Teachers nor inclined mine Ear to them that instructed me Thus will God not onely remember men but convince them of the sins of their youth And then Thirdly Afflict them also for them That 's like wise in this filling of the Bones The Conscience made sensible of sin and perplext for it which is done in succeeding times When God deals Effectually with men's Hearts and calls them to an Account for their Miscarriages he does not onely set home upon them their present iniquities but also their former Miscarriages This he does both in order to true and real Conviction as also upon any other occasion Yea and those sins also which have been most secret as I shewed the last day at large upon another Scripture the same word which is here used in the Text for the sins of the Youth it signifies in the Hebrew Language secret sins which such sins oftentimes are and so we find it to be taken in Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our secret sins in the light of thy Countenance Gnalâ—meni The reason why God does proceed against sins of Youth and set them home a great while afterwards First Because he will maintain his own Right and Interest in the world we use to say Nullum tempus occurrit Regi There 's no time which is slipt which can prejudice a Prince in his due no more can God Himself who is the cheif of all Sins of Youth they are sins still in their own Nature and so to be accounted Time does not alter the quality of them though it alters the Apprehensions of them through the weakness of our mindes Nay the longer agoe that sins have been committed by any the more they stand in Arrears to God Old and Ancient Debts they are the Greatest Debts of all because they have been so long without payment and satisfaction for them And so it is likewise to this purpose with old and Antient sins Continuance and Perseverance in sin for a long while and time together without reformation and renewing to God it becomes a further advancement and aggravation of it Secondly Because sins of youth they are commonly acted with greater Violence and vehemency of spirit It is observed by the Philosopher of Young-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do every thing with much intention in that which they do Quicquid volun Valde volunt Now sin by how much men's Spirits are more intent and carried out in it by so much the worse it is and more provoking of the Majesty of God who is offended by it Thirdly It is a Foundation of more Sin the sins of Youth There 's a Ground work laid for sin in after times and succeeding Generations where Youth is naught there is a great hazard upon old Age which is very difficulty reclaimed and reduced in such cases Therefore says the Young-man in the Proverbs being overtaken with Wantonness I was almost in all Evil in the midst of the Congregation and the Assembly Prov. 5.14 A Vessell what Liquour it receives at first into it it long retains the savour and relish of it And so it is likewise with the Heart and the Life and the Conversation It is much what it was at first The Consideration of this present point in hand is of Various Improvement to us First To those which are Young that from hence they would be so much the more careful and watchful of themselves and take heed of doing any thing which may stain and defile their first years and the Flower of their Age for if they do so they wlll find enough of it in following times and when as they think the worst is past Their Bones shall be full of the sins of their youth Perhaps their Bodies and outward man through Corruption and rotting Diseases which shall cleave unto them or if not so yet at least their Consciences either here or in a worse place And therefore let them not be secure and vainly flatter themselves as for the most part they are ready to do Youth is commonly full of Hopes and sometimes of Presumpteous hopes which have little ground or bottom for them and so in this amongst the rest of escaping the Alarms of sin But let none deceive themselves in this particular as Moses once told the Israelites in Numb 32.23 Be sure your sin will find you out Find you out to discover you and to manifest what you are And find you out to punish you and to afflict you for being so bad And the longer time of Intermission the Heavier the Account when it comes Beloved we should all study to Consecrate and devote our best time to God and to his Service And that is the time of our Youth while it lasts to any of us when we have health and strength and parts in the Vigor and Activity of them Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth before he Evil days come and the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Eccl. 12.1 And thus as for the thing it self so moreover in reference to old Age that so if we live unto it it may be so much the more Comfortable to us and free from Disturbance it is observed as to matter of the Body and Corporal strength and it holds as well in regard of the Soul that an orderly and well-temper'd youth it breeds an Easy and pleasing old Age and so the Contrary Moderata juventus efficit senectutem facillem Immoderata Gravem Oh it is a Blessed thing when Old
Translations besides The Hebrew word is Barak which signifies properly to bless and so we find it to be used even here in this present Chapter the 10th verse of it Thou hast blessed the work of his hands Berakta That which I shall speak of this word and passage here before us I shall reduce to two heads either by taking it in it's next and usual and proper and ordinary signification and so read it They have blest God or else by taking it in it's remote and contrary and improper and unusual signification and so read it They have cursed God c. First Take it in it's next proper and usual signification It may be that my sons have sinned and have blessed God in their hearts This at the first hearing seems to be somewhat incongruous Forasmuch as to bless God has no matter of sinfullness in it which yet here is suspected by Job at this time concerning his children in the conjunction of these two words both together But yet for all that if we shall well weigh the words there will be no incongruity notwithstanding and that as I conceive according to a threefold exposition which may be fastned upon them And that thus 1. It may be my sons have sinned and blest God in their hearts That is that they have sinned together with their blessing of God not that they have sinned by blessing but that they have with Blessing or in blessing And this word in their hearts Bilvavam to be referr'd not so much to blessing as to sinning They have sinned in their hearts it is to be feared whiles they have blessed God with their mouthes This meeting of Jobs Children it was a meeting of Joy and Rejoycing and probably also of praise and Thanksgiving wherein they did outwardly bless God and testifie their thankfulness to him for some special mercy received from Him This their Father Job was privy to and acquainted withal now although he did well approve of this performance for the thing it self that God should be blest by them who did deserve all acknowledgement from them yet because he was an holy man very tender of the glory of God and likewise a Godly Parent very fearful of his childrens miscarriages therefore he was somewhat suspicious lest they might offend as to the frame of their hearts and spirits in this service in which respect they might sin inwardly at the very time of their external benedictions and celebrations of Gods goodness to them Thus it will carry a very good sense and meaning with it and afford a very good instruction and observation from it And that is this That Inward failings and Distempers of spirit they do oftentimes accompany outward services and performances of Duty Men may bless God with their lips and yet in the mean time sin against Him in their Hearts This is that which is here implyed and supposed concerning Jobs children according to this Interpretation and is incident to many others besides together with them Thus Isa 29.13 14. This people draw near to me with their mouth and with their lips they do honour me c. but their heart is far from me c. And so Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart c. This is usual and ordinary and it does proceed from that Hypocrisy which by Nature rests in mens Hearts men are careful to have a good outside now and then and to conform to some outward Duties of Religion because they carry some speciousness with them but the Inward frame and Disposition of Spirit is little heeded or regarded by them Therefore we should from hence search and Examine our selves in this particular and be Suspicious and Jealous of our selves likewise as Job was of his sons see whether or no when we have Blest God we have not sinned against him in our Hearts Secondly It may be my Sons have sinned and blessed God in their Hearts It may admit of such an Interpretation as this Though my Sons have blest God in their Hearts and do habitually stand right to Him yet perhaps they may have fallen into some occasional and actual Miscarriage This is that which Job did suspect as that which was incident to his Children And so it is also to any else besides of the servants of God and there are daily instances of it There are Sins of three sorts accordingly as Divines distinguish them First Sins as we call them quotidianae incursionis of daily and frequent Incursion which whilst we remain here in the Flesh are inseparable from us and we shall never be freed from here below There are defects and faylings and infirmities which do more or less adhere and cleave unto us wheresoever we are and whatsoever we are about yea even in our Duties and Holy things themselves now it is not probable that Job by his Childrens sinning meant such a kind of sinning as this is for this had been without a may-be or perhaps he might be sure that they had sinned in this sense and no less could be expected from them Secondly Sins which do in a more special manner wound the Consciences and have a more notorious guilt with them which we call Devoratoria salutis according to the expression of Tertullian or which do drown men in Eternal Perdition according to the expression of St. Paul neither can I think that Job did mean or intend such a sinning as this when he says It may be they have Sinned For this though they were subject unto yet perhaps they were not so likely to fall into neither had he probably any occasion to suspect it Thirdly Sins of a middle Nature betwixt both which yet were neither Sins of Infirmity nor yet Sins of Presumption but rather of non-attendency and Neglect which yet it was very sad and unpleasing to be guilty of Job did fear that his Children might perhaps a little turn aside and slip into somewhat which was uncomely and unlawful for them upon this occasion though he did withall hope that for the main their Hearts were stedfast to God There are some Interpreters which retaining the word Blessing as the word of the Text do mention it either by a single Negation or by a Diminution of it in them By a simple Negation thus They have Sinned and not blessed God in their Hearts including the Negative in the word perhaps By a Diminution thus It may be my Sons have Sinned and little blessed God in their Hearts Each of these do charge Iobs Children as to this Business of their blessing of God either in it self or in the Circumstances of it First Take it Negatively They have sinned and have not blessed God i. e. They have sinned in not blessing of God and so he seems to censure them for their Neglect either of Craving a Blessing upon the Creatures or of giving thanks to God for them And that they did it neither Actually nor yet Habitually neither with their Mouthes nor yet in their Hearts The
present Famine and as to the giving of this following Plenty It was because he did not remember and call to mind the like former Dispensations The manna rain'd down from Heaven the Meal not wasted in the Barrel the Oyl multiplyed in the Cruse If he had thought but of these he would not have stuck so much at this nor called in question God's Power about it whom he would have easily thought could have done one as well as the other Therefore does our Blessed Saviour upon this score also check his Disciples when they were troubled amongst themselves concerning their want of bread after the experience of the Miracles already wrought in that particular Math. 16.8 9. Oh ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread so Mar. 8.18 Do ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets also ye took up He rubs up their memories that thereby he might quicken their faith as implying that their want of this latter proceeded from their defect of the Former Thirdly This questioning of Gods power as concerning the Variations of Providence it does proceed in men oftentimes from too much fixedness upon their present condition whether it be good or evil If their condition be good it proceeds from a spirit of presumption and carnal security If their condition be evil it proceeds from a spirit of Despair and carnal despondency Those which are under either of these distempers they are apt to limit and doubt of Gods power as to the changing or altering of their conditions First Take it in Good and matter of prosperity in the Distempers of a Presumptuous spirit and ye shall see it there David When he was in his prosperity he said he should never be moved God had made his mountain so strong in Psal 30.6 7. And so it is with many more besides and a great deal worse who have the like thoughts with themselves In health that they shall never know sickness in abundance that they shal never have want In Society that they shall never know desolation There are a great many people in the world which are sometimes so besotted and intoxicated with this present welfare and worldly prosperity as that they do verily believe that God Himself is not able to divert it or to obstruct it to them Nay it were well if some did not almost say so in plain terms and so fully come home to this instance here before us So again Take it as to matter of Adversity and Affliction and ye shall see it there also out of the principles of Despair and carnal despondency Men do from thence also question Gods power and providence towards them and think it is impossible that he should ever better their condition to them In times of straitness and famine that they should never see plenty more as it was here in the Text this is that conceit and imagination which does fasten upon them As they confine God to their Prosperous condition that he should not be able to remove that so they confine him also to their Afflicted condition that he should not be able to relieve their need This is that which the Psalmist does again take notice of in himself though at last he recovers out of it Psal 77.10 When he was for a time in a sad condition he began to think he should be so continually and that there was no remedy for him Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Hath God forgotten to be Gracious c. But then he seasonably corrects himself in it Then I said this is mine infirmity c. Thus this too much fixedness and settledness upon mens present condition whether in good or evil it makes them doubt of and suspect and call in question even the Power of God that he shall be able to do no more than what they fancy or imagine to themselves from either of these distempers to wit of security or despair presumption and carnal discouragement And that 's the first branch of this infidelity here mentioned in the Text namely as to the questioning of the power of God for the possibility of the thing it self The second is as to the questioning of the truth of God for the certainty and infallibility of the Message There is this also observable in it to make it more remarkable To have question'd whether God could have wrought such a thing as this is it had been bad enough though there had been nothing said of it But now when the Lord himself had absolutely and expressely declared it that indeed it should be so now to question whether it could be so or no was a further inlargement of the sinfulness and wickedness of it This was to make the God of Truth to be the Authour of falshood and to give the lye as it were to his word And this is another piece of Desperateness which is further observable in the Nature of Man not to receive or give entertainment to Gods most serious and solemn Protestations or intimations whether of evil or good Not to believe the Threatnings of God in matter of Judgement but to question whether God will be so severe as indeed he denounces nor yet to believe Gods Promises in matter of Mercy but to question whether he will indeed be so gracious as he signifies and pretends Thus is the Truth of God call'd in Question as well as his Power Thus it is more particularly and especially in the mouthes of his Servants who are his Ministers and Messengers to this purpose Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed as the Prophet himself complains Isa 53.1 And all the day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and a gainsaying people Rom. 10.21 There is that stubborness and peivishness abiding in mens hearts that they will not receive the word of God in the love and imbracement of it but rather oppose and set themselves against it though in it self never so acceptable and worthy to be received Even the Promises of Mercy they have no other then the returns of Rebellion and contradiction against them as the Jewes which were Auditors of St. Paul contradicting and blaspheming Act. 13.45 The true ground and reason of all is that pride which is naturally in mens hearts and especially when it is further prenoted by outward advantages This makes men to scorn the word of God and to think themselves above it specially when it is conveyed by the Ministery of meaner persons The Prophet is a fool and the spiritual man's mad with such Persons as these are Disobedience and unbelief and rebellion it is the fruit of Pride Therefore let us as much as may be bewail this cursed root in us and labour to have it rooted out of us let us take heed of
look to themselves as we see it was with David himself when he began he had never done but went on still in sinning against the Lord even to the sin of murder Secondly He that goes on in his Trespasses as he multiplies sin so he aggravates it He makes it more grievous and heinous then it was before and that as being now clothed with more odious circumstances for the longer a man continues in sin the more he sins First Against the Spirit of God wrestling and striving with him and moving and working in him He sins against all those Admonitions which are given him to the contrary in Education in the Ministery of the word in the good Counsel and Example of others He stifles those checks of Conscience which are administred to him which cannot restrain him and keep him in Secondly He sins against Providence whether in the Judgement or Mercies of God inviting him to Repentance And Thirdly Against many promises and Covenants and resolutions and purposes of reformation which have been made by him Thus in all these respects does he aggravate sin in himself and thereby procure punishment Lastly He confirms and settles sin in him The more that any man sins the more he may and the oftener he falls into the acts of it the more does he increase the vitious and sinfull habit Especially in case of Relapse after some former restraints of it when men have for some time abstain'd from sin and then return again to their old and wonted course in it they become from hence more insnared in it then they were before as it is in 2 Pet. 2.20 If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them now a course of sin is such as draws along judgement with it It is not simply he that falls into sin ignorantly non-attendantly through infirmity for some single mis-carriage or so though that be bad enough too but he that abides and continues in it He that walks and goes on as the word in the Hebrew Text Mithkallek properly signifies that 's the person who is here aymed at in the shooting of Gods Arrows against him So much for that first particular viz. The person threatned such an one c. Now the second is the evil threatned And that is wounding Jimchats He shall wound This it carries a double Emphasis with it First It is a Mollified expression Secondly It is a Peremptory one It is Mollified expression First It is not he shall kill but he shall wound God begins with wounding which is onely killing in the preparations and tendencies to it that so if it be possible men may be bettered and wrought upon by that He will not quite undo men if there be any hope at all of their amendment and reformation Therefore it is good for them to take notice of it do not slight any beginnings of wrath and vengeance which God layes upon thee for he does it thereby to reclaim thee He corrects thee in measure but yet will not let thee go altogether unpunished as it is in Jer. 30.11 This is a very Gracious and Merciful Dispensation The Lord if he pleased might wholly cut off and destroy make an utter and absolute end and consumption at once Now that he is pleased but to wound there 's the more favour and goodness in it and accordingly to be acknowledged yea t is a part of Gods Nobleness and Magnanimity satis est prostrasse He counts it enough for him to lay his Enemies flat He does not so much care to insult and to Triumph over them or to do the worst that He can against them But Secondly As it is a Mollified expression so it it a Peremptory He shall or will do it does it not yet it may be but yet means to do it hereafter if he be not the better prevented that he would have to be supposed and taken for granted Though hand joyn in hand yet the sinner shall not go unpunished as it is Prov. 16.5 God will certainly sooner or later wound all obstinate and pertinacious sinners whatsoever they be we see he has here threatned it and in many other places besides and he will accomplish it accordingly There are two things which make men to hope the contrary The one is the apprehension of Gods Mercy God is good and gracious and therefore may escape punishment this is the reasoning of many persons but such as these do not consider that He is just and righteous too Gods Attributes do not cross one another He is so far forth merciful to penitent sinners as that withall he is severe to pertinacious and these two they must not be devided or separated on from the other God hath a stroking for Converts and a striking or wounding for enemies both at once Therefore we find them both put togethere there in the Psalms Gracious is the Lord and righteous Psal 116.5 Again Another thing which makes many men to flatter themselves is because they have escaped all this while so as they have done God has not yet wounded them and therefore they think he will not wound them at all according to that of the Preacher Eccl. 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil But this is no argument at all if it be duly considered For Judgement that stayes for a while it will come at last and the less that men suffer at present the more their's to come God will be in no mans debt either for the reward of evil or good but will undoubtedly pay it into their bosomes That they may conclude on and make account of He will wound them it is a Peremptory kind of Expression For the further improvement of this passage we may take notice of one thing more in a way of Illustration and that is the singular Number such an one as goes on still in his trespasses It is not of those that do so in the plural but of Him that does so in the singular To signifie thus much unto us that God does not onely set himself against sinners at large and in the crowd but that he takes notice likewise of every particular offender And he will deal more immediately with Him as he has occasion for it There are many which perhaps may think either their Persons or their Sins to be so small as that God does not observe them or has any regard of them but they are deceived in so thinking for God has an eye upon every Sinner whosoever he is even the smallest and meanest that is and he will not onely punish the Assembly and
of its Duty more especially upon Gods Command as imposing it upon him Davids heart inclined to seeking of God from that principle of Grace that was in it But now when moreover God Himself requires him to do so this makes him to be so much the more determined and resolved about it When thou saidest seek my face then I sought thy face indeed The Ground hereof may be thus laid forth unto us First That holy Reverence and awe which they have of Gods Majesty Fear it works obedience and where we stand in awe of the Person we do more readily submit to the Command now thus is it with the children of God Secondly Their Love to God There 's nothing so complying as Love it is the most yielding Affection of any and so here in our carriage to God If we love him we will keep his Commandments And thus do all who are his true servants and therefore run at his call Thirdly There is this also considerable in it that Gods Power goes along with his Command This it did here as to Davids heart when God said seek my face he did cause him to seek it whiles he said it And so he does likewise with the rest of His servants which he does not with other persons And it is the true account of so much difference as is betwixt them that whiles they both receive the same word yet they are not alike wrought upon by it because in the one there 's the command in the bare proposal but in the other there 's the Spirit going along with it to make it Effectual In the Covenant of Grace God performs that in us which he requires of us which is the Great Advantage of all true Believers Thirdly Observe in General thus much That a Good and Conscientious Hearer is careful to apply the word of God to his own particular God spake it here at large and in the General seek ye my face in the Plural but David brings it home to himself and fastens upon it This is the Duty of all others besides Thus we find it to have been sometime with St. Peters Auditors in Act. 2.37 The word was spoke to the whole company at large This Jesus whom ye have crucified is Lord and Christ But those that were converted they applyed it and appropriated it to themselves And therefore it is said that when they heard it they were pricked at the heart And there is this Considerable that makes for it First Because the Particular is still comprehended in the General as the part 's in the whole That which is said to all it does respect whosoever are contained and comprized in that number and that successively in all Ages of the world that which was said to Moses and Joshua and David is said also to us The precepts of Religion they do indifferently extend themselves to all sorts of Persons When God says seek ye my face he says it to me and to thee and to a Third and so to all the world over Indeed there are some Positive particular Commands which are now and then given to such and such persons distinctly and so do reach onely to them in such and such Circumstances But the common Duties and Practises of Godliness they are promiscuously imposed upon all Secondly This is the very Life and Power of all kind of Teaching whatsoever to bring it home to a mans own Particular As the benefit of Meat in the Stomach is the degesting of it and sending its Nourishment into every particular part Aures omnium pulso sed Conscientias quorundam Convenio c. Says St. Austin the Parson he delivers things in General but it is every mans Conscience that must make the particular Application And accordingly it concerns us to do so upon all occasions The Neglect and want hereof is the cause why there is oftentimes no more good got by the Ministry and the Preaching of it because men think what is said to all is said to none when as indeed it is said to every one if they had Grace to apply it to themselves and every one is particularly interested and concern'd in it according to the particular occasions in which they are and the Circumstances which may be upon them And that in points also of all sorts and natures and qualities whether of Information or Direction or Reprehension or Consolation or Command Indeed ye shall have some kind of people who it may be will be pritty forward in Application but it is to others not to themselves They are ready to say that such an one had his Lesson and Instruction given him but in the mean time they pass over their own Now it is the Duty of every good Christian here with David to apply the Doctrine to Himself And so he shall close with Gods Intentions in the Discovery and Proposal of it and so much may be spoken of the points observable in General and Preparatory We come now more particularly and closely to the words of the Text it self Thy face Lord will I seek And here again I shall with Gods Assistance take notice of two things more First The Substantials of the Text. And Secondly The Circumstantials First To look upon the Substantials and that is as it does exhibit to us the main Duty which is here required of us which is the seeking of the Face of God for that which was Davids Practise is our Duty and is accordingly required of us we have heard out of the words before that it is that which God himself does invite us to Here now we shall see likewise that it is that which we our selves are bound too in acceptance of this Invitation which we shall the better be able to do if we do but consider what it is which is here Commended to us and what we are to understand by this expression The seeking of the face of God it does imply divers things in it and all such as is required by us we may take it in these following Explications First To labour for the knowledge of God and more intimate acquaintance with him because we know a man usually by his Face and outward countenance therefore our knowing of God is set forth to us by this expression of seeking his face and it is that which lies upon all men especially to do those that are absolutely ignorant of him to know him at first those that know him in part already to indeavour to know him more and still to increase in the knowledg of him And that we may do it indeed the more effectually to look upon him in that Glass wherein he has presented himself unto us which is the Lord Jesus Christ Take God consider'd in Himself and his Face is very terrible and dreadful as I told them before there is no seeking for us of it but rather seeking how to avoid it and to run away from it but in Christ here it is Lovely and Amiable In John 14.8.9 When Philip said
averse unto from the consideration of his own insufficiency Now go sayes he and I will be with thy mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say But that was but onely common grace as to the gift of Elocution God will give us also sanctifying grace as to the Duties and exercise of Religion which he does require of us also In any deadness of spirit which is upon us in any indispositions to good duties in any weakness as to the performance of them there is grace and power in Christ and his Spirit which he does communicate to his servants answerable hereunto And so for all relations likewise whether in Family or Church or Commonwealth this is the comfort of a Christian that the Lord will give grace especially as I said before where he hath given it already in the Principle Look where God hath given grace in the General that is the grace of Conversion and Regeneration there he will likewise give grace in the particular that is grace agreeable to the several occasions which we have at any time afforded unto us for the exercise of it and to the duties which he does require at our hands to be perform'd by us Thirdly Suffering grace for the Afflictions which he layes upon us the Lord will give grace likewise here It is that which does sometimes startle the best of the servants of God to think how they shall be inabled to graple and wrestle with the cross when they look about them in the world and see what a sea of evils does in a manner incompass them they are ready to faint in themselves and to think they shall never be able to undergo them and bustle thorough them well but see now here what God hath provided for their comfort and incouragement namely a supply of his grace There 's no Affliction which God layes upon his servants but he does in some measure inable them to bear it and not onely to bear it simply in a common and ordinary manner out of the strength of Nature and common principles as Heathen and such men as these but after a special and peculiar manner as Christians from a spirit of faith with patience and comfort yea and sometimes joy it self to the special honour and credit of Religion and of that grace which God hath given in reference thereunto Thus will God send grace in the increase and augmentation of it But yet for our better understanding and improvement of this point still in hand we must know that there are certain Qualifications which are required as special conditions in those persons whom God will bestow a greater Measure and Degree of grace upon then as yet He hath given unto them First That they be such as are humble This is that which the Scripture does especially point out to us as requisite in this business as Psal 25.9 The meek will he guide in judgement and the meek will he teach his way so Jam. 4.6 He giveth more Grace wherefore He saith God resisteth the proud and giveth grace unto the humble Those which are proud and conceited of their own strength and perfection God doth oftentimes suspend and withdraw his grace from them gives them up for a while at least to the power and prevalency of Satan and leaves them to themselves that so thereby he may humble them and debase them in their own thoughts and awaken them out of that presumption and security in which they are But for those that are sensible of their weaknesses and do mourn and groan under their wants such as these He inlarges himself unto them He fills the hungry with good things but the rich he sends empty away Therefore that is one qualification considerable as to the improvement of Grace in us viz. humility and lowliness of mind Secondly Those that are believing and do exercise faith in those promises which God hath made to this purpose whatever good God bestows upon us He conveyes it to us through the hands of Faith and so amongst the rest he does with this here of his grace The Lord will give it but we must still fetch it and draw it from Him we must come boldly to the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.16 And so Heb. 12.28 Let us have Grace How shall we have it what is this in our own power no but let us labour for it and indeavour after it and beg it at the hands of God Ask and it shall be given you we have cause to be incouraged in doing so forasmuch as we are likely so well to speed in so doing He that believes shall be established Faith is such a grace as hooks in all other Graces to it self Thirdly There is here required an using of these Graces which we have received use Grace and have it the more we do improve that grace which we do already partake of the more shall we increase in the addition of more graces unto us To him that hath shall be given which does not hold in nature to grace but in a less degree of grace to a greater There are some that would have it so that the use of Nature and Free-will profitably does ingage God to give his sanctifying grace to those that do so but that we had no ground to assert neither do we affirm it but rather this That those which use those beginnings of saving grace so as they ought God will bestow a greater measure upon them And so now ye have the first gift which is here mentioned as a part of Gods bestowing The Lord will Grace The second is Glory The Lord will give Glory this is distinct from grace in the proper notion of it though in some places it is made equivalent to it and synonymous with it so as by Glory to understand Grace as 2 Cor. 3.18 From Glory to Glory that is from grace to grace The grace of Christ which is revealed in the Gospel being full of glory has the name of glory put upon it but here in the Text it is a distinct Head Understanding by glory that blessed and happy Estate and Condition of the Saints in Heaven yet in some sort even begun and initiated here below in this present life So then by glory we are to understand the fruit and reward of grace or the consequents attendant upon it This the Lord will give and he will give it two manner of wayes according to a twofold Explication First Here in this life present in the pledges and anticipations of Glory in the first fruits of the Spirit and those beginnings which a Christian does partake of here in this world not onely in grace but in comfort These are glory in kind though not in Degree they are of the same nature with it though not reaching to the perfections of it and so therfore have the name of glory very fitly put thereupon This we find mention made of in 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom
is there will the Heart be also What 's the reason that Earthly and worldly Persons all their thoughts are taken up about the world and worldly accommodations why it is because they place their chiefest contentment in such things as these are They think of that most which they most desire and most affect In like manner is it so on the otherside with the children of God Because they look upon God as their greatest and chiefest Good and most desire the injoyment of Him therefore it is that they thus think upon him And then properly to meditate on God as mine that 's that which makes my meditation of him to be sweet as that this House is mine this Land is mine c. That 's that which puts sweetness into it and so here c This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our Guide even unto Death Psal 48.14 And so this is my Beloved and this is my Friend c. Cant. 5. last vers And then Thirdly There is much also in their Imployment and the things which they are busied about Mens Imployments have a great influence upon their thoughts for the qualifying and ordering of them It is natural for men to think of their Business and of such things wherein they are most Conversant Now thus it is with Gods Servants in this particular they are much in divine Exercises Prayers and Reading and Hearing and such as these and therefore they are also much in divine with Meditation These Performances do suggest Holy thoughts and Meditations unto them and put them as it were before they are aware upon the Exercise and upon the practise of them Lastly From the Spirit of God that dwells and abides in them Gods Children they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which Inhabits them and takes up his special residence and Commoration in them And he is not in them to no purpose but he is a very fruitful and profitable Inhabitant who still puts them upon that which is Good and infuses Gracious thoughts into them Look as on the otherside the Devil the Spirit that rules in the Children of Disobedience he is filling them still with sinfull and evil thoughts and suggests corrupt things into them So here the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit that rules in the Children of God he does put them upon Holy Meditations and the thinking of that which is good and agreeable to Himself As he puts into them Gracious desires in reference to Prayer and teaches them what to Ask so he likewise puts into them Gracious thoughts in reference to Meditation and teaches them here what to Contemplate and so helps their Infirmities for them in this particular also Thus we see how it comes to pass in sundry respects that Gods Servants are much in the thoughts and Meditation of Him This shewes us the difference betwixt Gods Children and the men of the World As for worldly men they have this Reproach fasten'd upon them That God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 No more he is not there are many men in the world that live without God in the world that pass from Day to Day without any thoughts at all of him as if there were no such one as he is or if they have some flitting thoughts of him they are not such as do stick with them and by them They do not indeed meditate upon him as is here mentioned in the Text this they are far from If ye could anatomize and rip up the Heart of a Carnal Person ye should see little of God in it but all of the world His Riches and Honours and Pleasures and Carnal Contentments as it is recorded of that worldling in the Gospel Luk. 12.17 It is said that he thought within him self and what did he think off Of his Lands and of his Fruits and his Possessions Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years c. This was that which he contemplated upon and that alone not a thought of God which past through Him till God Himself awakned him and so is it likewise with many more whereas this is the property of Gods Servants to be very much in the Meditation of Himself and to have their thoughts pitcht upon him as is here intimated of the Prophet David And this is the first Particular viz. The Performance implyed Divine Meditation The Second is the Qualification Exprest and that is Pleasantness or Sweetness My Meditation of him shall be sweet which passage as it lies before us in the Text is capable of a threefold Emphasis or Impression which may be fastend upon it First of an Assertion Secondly of a Resolution and Thirdly of a Petition of an Assertion as signifying what it was of a Resolution as declaring what it should be of a Petition as desiring what it might be First Take it as an Assertion and as signifying what it was The Meditation which a Christian Soul has of God it is very sweet and Comfortable this is that which is here intimated unto us Meditation is very pleasing of it self considered as an Imployment of the Soul which does naturally take delight in such reflexions but it is inlarged and further advanced from the quality and Condition of the Object which it is carried unto a delightful Argument makes a delightful Meditation Now thus it is here with a Christian to God while he meditates upon Him and that in his full Extent First The Attributes of God there 's a great deal of delight in thinking upon them in their several kinds and Varieties as for example First The Power of God how much sweetness is there in that to a Christian that shall seriously consider it and think upon it that God is Almighty and Alsufficient and can do whatsoever he pleases both in Heaven and Earth as the Scripture represents him This is that which the Servants of God have been very much affected withall when they have taken it into Consideration as from whence they have been very Hopeful concerning themselves That God is able to Kill and to make alive that God is able to Help and to cast down that God is able to raise even from the Dead and the like such thoughts as these have upon occasion much delighted Gods Servants Thus the three Worthies in Daniel which were cast into the Fiery Furnace The God whom we serve is able to deliver us It was a very Comfortable Meditation to them Dan. 3.17 So Abraham being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4.21 And so Heb. 11.19 Accounting that God was able to raise up his Son Isaac from the Dead It was a very great Incouragement to him So Secondly The Goodness and Mercy of God there 's a great deal of sweetness in that also to be suck'd out by us in Meditation that the Lord is Gracious and Merciful and Long-suffering and Pittiful as we have lately had occasion to shew there is very much
Contentment in it Oh how great is thy Goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee Psal 31.19 The Lord is Good a strong hold in the day of Trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Nahum 1.7 It was a great Comfort to think of that because from a Good God nothing can come but good and that which is like to Himself And then the Wisdome of God to meditate on that also that he is great in Counsell c. and the Scripture proclaimes him that he can foresee all Events and discern all Hearts and search into the secret corners of the Soul That there is nothing hid from his Eyes c. That he confounds the wisdom of the Wise and brings to nothing the understanding of the Prudent as it is said of him This is that which affords matter of satisfaction to that Soul that does duly Contemplate it And so Lastly To add no more at this Time the Truth and Faithfulness of God the God that keeps Covenant and Mercy that is true to all his Promises and that performes what ever he undertakes It is very pleasing to think on this and thus is the Meditation of him sweet in reference to his Attributes which is the first Explication of it to us Secondly The word of God which is a part of Himself the Meditation on that is sweet also It is said of a Good man That his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate Day and Night namely for the delight of it Psal 1.2 So Psal 19.8.20 The Statues of the Lord are right rejoycing the Heart the Commandments of the Lord are pure inlightning the Eyes more are they to be desired then Gold yea then much fine Gold sweeter then Honey and the Honey-Comb How much sweetness is there wrapt up in a Promise and to be drawn out of it by a serious Meditation especially fitting to the present State and Condition which at any time we are in here it must needs be very sweet indeed and so it is and the Servants of God have found it so upon their own Experiene'd promises of Pardon of Assistance of Deliverance and such as these they are all of them very sweet If we look into Scripture we shall find variety of Gracious Intimations suted to particular Conditions now these they cannot but be very Comfortable to those that are in them in Sickness in Poverty in Captivity in Temptation and the like and we cannot better provide for our own Comfort and Contentation in them then by thinking and meditating upon them in our own minds and where we are not furnished with particulars yet at least to close with the Generals which have a miraculous sweetness in them also I mean such promises as are made to Gods Children at large that God will give his Spirit to them that ask it That no good thing will he withhold from tehm that walk uprightly that he will never leave them nor forsake them That all things shall work together for good to them that love him It is unexpressible how much sweetness there is in the Meditation upon these Truths which are Exhibited to us in Scripture being set home by the Spirit of God Himself which must be taken in as pertinent hereupon Thirdly The works of God the Meditation on them also it is very sweet and that in all kinds As First His works of Creation to consider of them as they are all very good and beautiful considered in their Nature and kind so is the Contemplation on them is also remarkable As Psal 8.1 c. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth c. When I Consider thy Heavens the work of thy singers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained c. And so for this present Psalm which we have now before us the Hundred and fourth all throughout of it a meditation upon the works of Gods Creation which the Psalmist pleases Himself in and which he blesses God for So Secondly The works of Providence how sweet is it to meditate on these also to reflect upon all Ages and to consider what great things God has done for his Church and People in them What Mercies he has bestowed upon them what Deliverances he has wrought for them and that also sometimes after what a strange and miraculous manner It is very delightful to think of it This has satisfied and comforted Gods Servants when they have been in great Temptations and Trouble and perplexity of Spirit as for instance the Psalmist Himself Psal 77.7 Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Hath God forgotten to be Gracious c. And I said this is mine Infirmity well but what was that which holp him and relieved Him in it He adds presently hereupon I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of thy doings Meditation on the works of Gods Providence it was here sweet unto Him Thirdly The works of Redemption how sweet is it likewise to meditate on these To meditate upon God in Christ By whom he has reconciled himself to the world forgiving them their Trespasses as the Apostle Paul expresses it in the 2 Cor. 5.18 This is the sweet Meditation of all and without which we cannot meditate upon God without any true Comsort or Contentment The thoughts of God out of Christ they are not sweet but dreadfull and terrible Thy Heart shall meditate Terrour whosoever thou art that meditatest on him thus Deus Absolitus as Luther called it God considered absolutely and in Himself there 's no comming near him here so much as in our very thoughts and Meditations No but God manifested in the flesh taking our Nature upon him the Mediator God and Man together This is that which affords unto us the most Comfortable matter of Meditation Especially if we shall take him in his full Latitude and Extent and as he is of God made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption c. 1. Cor. 1. vers 30. Take Christ in all his Offices of King and Priest and Prophet and how sweet then is the Meditation of him Of a King to subdue our Enemies and to Govern and order our selves of a Priest to reconcile us to his Father and to make both Satisfaction and Intercession for us of a Prophet to reconcile unto us the whole will and mind of God all these are sweet things to think on And so as the Offices of Christ so his Graces which are likewise Emanations from Himself they are all very sweet and lovely there is not a work of the new Creature in us but it is very lovely and amiable in it self and the reflexion upon it also very delightful When a Christian by the help of the Spirit shall be
one to labour what he can to know it and understand it and to be acquainted with it that so he may the better avoid it as David exprest it to be his Care in another place Psal 18.23 I kept my self from mine Iniquity Where there is the greatest Inclination there had need to be the greatest Causion Thirdly From the Coherence of these words with the foregoing verses and the Demonstration Thus we see here what to judge of Staggering at Gods Promises and Providences which is the main point here intended and that is no other then an Infirmity This is mine Infirmity what does he mean by this Why this Desparing Distemper which was now upon him occasionally from his present Condition that he should have such thoughts in his mind and utter such words with his mouth as now he had and did against the ways and dealings of God This was a very great weakness and Infirmity in him and so it is likewise in any other Christian or Person besides so to do And it has these several Branches in it wherein it Consists First There is Ignorance and want of Vnderstanding Ignorance it is a peice of Weakness Especially in those matters which it is required of them that they should know now this is that which is considerable here whosoever quarrels with the Providence of God he is so far forth ignorant of the ways of God yea indeed of God Himself he does not sufficiently know or understand what an one he is for if he did he would think better of him and be better satisfied with that which is done by Him Secondly Infidelity there is that also pertinent hereunto a unbelieving person is a weak Person Faith it does strengthen and Corroberate now such Persons as these they are short and deficient in Faith to ask whether Gods Mercy be gone for ever and whether his promise fails for evermore and such questions as these they do beray much Infidelity and consequently much Infirmity Thirdly Impatience that 's also an Argument of Weakness If thou faint in the day of Adversity says Solomon thy strength is small Prov. 24.10 Not onely thy Natural strength but thy Spiritual so much Patience so much strength but so much Impatience so much Infirmity Now this does eminently discover it self in our Exceptions against God his Providence It is the Sign of an Impatient Spirit more or less and so has the just Censure of Weakness and Infirmity upon it thus in all these respects is this Expostulating with God an Infirmity as the Psalmist here expresses it to be and gives this black Character of it in this present Scripture The Consideration of this point should work us so much the more to the Hatred and Detestation of it and opposing it as much as may be we should not Cherish that in our selves which is rather Weakness then any thing else but expell it and drive it away from us and labour to recover out of it as soon as we can as men would do in the case of the Body When we Censure the Dispensation of God and and find fault with his Providence we do not prove any weakness in Him but rather discover weakness in our selves It is our Infirmity And so much of the point as it is Considerable in the simple Proposition and thing it self Now further Secondly We may look upon it in it's Reflexion as it comes here from the mouth of the Psalmist Himself I said this is mine Infirmity As it was so in it self considered in it's own Nature so it was moreover so according to his Expression about it In which again there are divers particulars Observable of us as pertinent hereunto First The Quickness of his Apprehension in that he spies and discerns this Weakness and Infirmity in himself while he says it it is Evident he spies it he discovers it and finds it out This is one thing which is observable and Commendable in Him it is a part of Spiritual strength to be sensible and apprehensive of Weakness and take notice of Spiritual Infirmities And thus did David here As for Wicked and Carnal men there is a great deal of Blindness and Ignorance upon them from whence they go on in Sin without any Reflexions but Gracious Persons who are inlightned by Gods Spirit they are made apprehensive of these matters they can distinguish betwixt Good and Evil in themselves Sees when they do that which they should do and again see when they do that which is amiss They have the Spirit of Discerning which is conferred and bestowed upon them whereby they are inabled to judg of things as they are and to be rightly opinionated of them they do not call Good Evil nor yet Evil Good as it is said of some in the Prophet Esay 5.20 Secondly Here was the tenderness of his Conscience not onely in that he discerned this Distemper and Infirmity in Himself but likewise that he check'd Himself for it for so we must here take it I said this is mine Infirmity that is I blamed and taxed my self for it that such thoughts should arise in me and he did it likewise which is here further to be added in a Justifying and acquitting of God there is no fault in him in regard of his Providence but rather the fault is in my self that do not sufficiently understand and consider him this is the meaning of it this is the manner and Disposition of the Saints and Servants of God that though they fall into Sin through Infirmity yet they do not rest and abide in it but recover and get up again They smite upon the Breast and they smite upon the Thigh when they have been guilty of any Miscarriage they do not allow or defend themselves in it but are sorrowful and Greived for it as David here was he speaks of it with a kind of remorse and trouble of Spirit And the reason of it is this because they have a principle of Grace and Spiritual Life n themselves which is ever and anon working Corruption out of them and suppressing it in them Dead men they feel nothing though they have never so many slashes or wounds made in their Bodies yet they are all nothing to them because they are Dead and devoid of life and so it is with those which are in a State of Nature and Vnregeneracy they are in the like manner Affected though they have never so many Sins upon them yet they are not at all affected with them nor lay them to heart no more then if there were never any such thing that they could be charged withall being alienated from the life of God they are past feeling as the Apostle speaks And so have given themselves over to Laciviousness to Commit all uncleaness with Greediness Eph. 4.19 But the Children of God they are alive through the work of Grace which is in their Hearts And this makes them to be so much troubled and perplexed and Afflicted in themselves for that guilt which is
upon them Thirdly Here was the Ingenuity of his Spirit I said this is mine Infirmity namely in a way of humble Confession and Acknowledgment it was in the thing it self and I signified it and declared it to be so I said it not onely to my self and in mine own Heart but as there was occasion for it I said it to others also and acknowledged it likewise to them This is another Disposition in Gods Children in regard of that Corruption which is in them to be willing to take shame to themselves that so they may give Glory to God and to acknowledg their own Infirmities that so they may manifest and more advance his Power The same words may be spoken and utter'd with a different Affection if we listen abroad in the world we shall many times heare such words as these are This is mine Infirmity But how and with what Spirit are they spoken and uttered for the most part Surely very Carelesly and Customarily and Formally and Corruptly Tell some men of such and such Sins and Miscarriages which they are guilty off they think to put off all with this by saying it is their Infirmity though perhaps it be never so Gross and Hanious a Transgression yet all is one with them it goes under the name of an Infirmity and so they think thereby to salve and make up the matter but Gods Children they speak of their Miscarriages with another frame and temper of Heart not as to Justify them but as to bewayl them not as to Extenuate them and make them less but to fasten a due Impression upon them as David here does as Loathing and abhorring them in themselves This Expression here in the Text it is not a word of Apology but rather a word of Aggravation and it further shews the Ingenuity of Gods Children not onely as to Confession it self but also as to the Nature and Quality and Condition of the Sins themselves which are confessed by them A Good and a Gracious Heart it bewails not onely its Iniquities but also its Infirmites and not onely open and Scandalous Sins which every Body sees and takes notice of but even secret and hidden faylings and the more inward Deflexions of Spirit Deadness and Hardness and Unprofitableness and Impatience and Unbelief These are the things which go near to the Soul of a good Christian as well as publique and more Notorious Offences as well as Gross and more Grivious Miscarriages Thus we see it was with David in another place as in Psal 73.22 When he was Envious at the Foolish and was troubled at the Prosperity of the Wicked these thoughts they were afterwards upon Consideration troublesom to him and he was geived in himself for them So foolish was I says he and Ignorant I was as a Beast before thee He befooles himself for his sinister thought such a Sin as if he had kept his own Counsell we should never have known he had been guilty of it The Ground hereof in the Servants of God is First That Wonderful Exactness and Curiousness and Sincerity which is remarkable in them see how it is in the Body Curious and Exact persons which are trim and neat Indeed they are affected with the least Spot or Blemish which is in their Garments not onely with Greater and wider Rents but with smaller and lesser Slits which may happen unto them Even so is it also in the Soul and as to the Concernments of the Inward man there 's the like Trimness and Neatness here also in a Proportionableness thereunto and so as to the Covering of the Body so likewise as to the Healing of it there is some which make as much of a Scratch as another would do of a deep wound as being of a far more tender and delicate Temper even so it is also here Tender Consciences they lament even Infirmities whilst hardned Hearts go away with Greater Sins Secondly It proceeds from that Love and intireness of Affection which a good Christian bears to God Love it is shy of any thing which may be offensive to the party Beloved not onely of Greater Injuryes but of smaller Vnkindnesses It 's troubled when it 's any thing defective in the Expressions of Love where it is due and it concerns it to be so and so it is also here A Godly man he has his Heart and his Soul full of the love of Christ and therefore is troubled for any thing which is displeasing to Christ not onely for unsavory Speeches but for unruly Affections not onely for ungodly Deeds but for ungodly Thoughts which have a mark also of Sinfulness upon them The Affection of a Christian is answerable to the Jealousie which is in God Now the Lord being a jealous God he does take notice even of lighter miscarriages even so does a Christian heart accordly bewail them in himself and is humbled and troubled for them Thirdly It arises also from Christian Prudence as considering whither infirmities tend and what they will come to if they be not better prevented As we see it is again in the body smaller matters being neglected and let alone they come to greater a lighter scratch it may chance to prove a mortal wound if there be not some care taken of it whereas those that complain betimes they doe thereby prevent and keep off more dangerous and pernicious distempers Even so it is in the Soul weaknesse it turns to wickedness if there be not the more heed and regard had of it by us Therefore a Gracious heart thinks it wisdom to complain of this and is sensible and apprehensive of it Now therefore accordingly it teaches us to be so likewise and that betimes Principiis obsta stop these very first Beginnings and Eruptions of sins in us Stifle these sins in the Conception before they come so far as the Birth and break forth into the outward expression Remember this that the very thought of foolishness is sin as Solomon tells us As it is the Advantage of a man above a Beast that he can reflect upon his own Actions so it is the praise of a Christian above other men that he does censure his own evil thoughts and findes fault with himself for those matters which no body blames besides And further observe here how he does more especially charge himself in this particular This Trouble which he had now about Gods Providence it was in part a Temptation of Satan who had injected this into his mind and had suggested it to him but yet he does principally and especially take the blame of it in his own particular as being likewise guilty of it This is mine infirmity it Satans malice as to the suggestion but it is my infidelity and unbelief as to the closing and complying with it The Devil could have no advantage against us as to the fastening of Temptations upon us if it were not for the falseness naughtiness and corruption of our own sinfull hearts which do in some sort yield and
Judgments are right and that in Faithfulness thou hast Afflicted me For indeed he does wonderfully moderate Himself in these his Corrections He punishes us less then our Iniquities deserves as Ezra makes Confession in Ezra 9.13 And although we do not always think so yet he always Corrects us in measure as himself declares unto us in Scripture thus in Esay 27.8 speaking concerning his Vineyard that is his Church In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth his rough Winds in the day of his East-winds And Jer. 30.11 I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee though I make a full end of all Nations whether I have scattered thee yet I will not make a full end of thee but I will Correct thee in measure and will not altogether leave thee Vnpunished Mark how these two are very happily joyned together I will not altogether leave thee unpunished and yet I will correct the in measure God will not leave his people altogether unpunished that he may the better rule them and keep them in awe and yet he will punish them and correct in measure that so he may keep them from Discouragement and Dispondency and dejection of Spirit Therefore I say let us observe Gods dealings in this particular and acknowledg his goodness in them It should teach us to entertain good thoughts of God and to look for such dealings from him as for time past it should draw out our thankfulness and so for time present it should strengthen our Patience and so for time to come incourage our Faith and Hope and Expectation That he that hath delivered will deliver and though he may Chasten sore yet will still mitigate his Chastenings to us that they shall not altogether overwhelm us and swallow us up but that we shall finde relief in them Indeed we cannot always expect it in the letter of the Text as to an absolute Freedom from Dissolution for that must come and will come at last after all our preservations from it upon such and such particular occasions Recovery is at the best but a Repreive and so must be accounted by us and what ever Evils we do escape there 's no escape of this comming to Death but yet under this phrase here we have signified Gods General inclination for the mitigating of his Corrections to us And therefore Secondly it teaches us also Bowels and Compassions in our selves in imitation of this goodness of God There are some kind of people in the world whom nothing will serve their turn but absolute ruine and destruction Like those two fierce Disciples in the Gospel presently calling for fire from Heaven or like the children of Edom in the Psalm concerning Jerusalem Raze it raze it to the foundation down with it down with it to the ground yea but these are taught better here from the Example of God himself who does hold and restrain his hand in the chastisements and corrections of his people This is still his manner of dealings especially where there 's any hope of proficiency for time to come He will not there presently make an utter end but spare them in much mercy As in Isa 65.8 When the new wine is found in the cluster oh destroy it not for there 's a blessing in it so will I doe for my servants sake c. And so much may be spoken of these words consider'd in their connexion The first part of the verse with the second as qualifying of it Now Secondly let us look upon them in their absolute consideration the latter clause of the verse distinctly and alone by it self He hath not given me over unto death We see here how God does graciously preserve his servants from Death and destruction he keeps and maintains their lives This David often makes mention of in other places of the Psalms besides As Psal 30.3 Oh Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the Grave Thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down to the Pit So Psal 116.8 Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears my feet from falling This the Lord is pleased to doe upon sundry considerations First out of his Goodness and Mercy and Love unto them thus David sets it forth in that place Psal 116.5 6. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is mercifull And what follows hereupon The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me So in verse 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints And Psal 72.14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence and precious shall their blood be in his sight It is not an indifferent matter with God the death of his Servants neither does he lightly take away their lives but where there 's good cause and reason for it and in order to some greater good to them Secondly Because he hath work and service for them to do In death no man shall praise thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit Psal 6.5 And Again Isa 38.18 19. The Grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee The living the living he shall praise thee As long as God has any work for any man to do so long he is sure to live and abide in the world Here 's a double goodness of God manifested to us First In designing us to service and the work it self And Secondly In preâ—erving our lives that so we may serve him and doe the work he has design'd us to This should so much the more incourage us in fruitfulness before him we cannot take a more expedient way to prolong our lives than by doing as much good as we can in them Useless and unprofitable persons which live idly and out of any imployment they doe but stand in the room of those which would do better then themselves and they provoke God oftentimes in Judgement to remove them and to take them away As the barren Figtree in the Gospel it was cut down that it might not cumber the ground But those that are active and serviceable they are a great delight and content to him and he takes a great deal of delight in thinking upon them as himself also expresses it in Malach. 3.16 17. They shall be mine sayes the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him A man loves all his children as children and from his Relation to them Oh but those who are of his Trade and which work to him those he loves and tenders more especially and would be lothest to part with them of any other besides and so is it here with God his sons that serve him their death is more precious with him of all the rest neither will he easily give them over to it Not that he simply needs any work or service of ours who when we have done all we can are at the best but unprofitable
the Text and that is the Duty commended Fraternal Agreements For Brethren to dwell together in Vnity The second is the Terms of this Praise and Commendation or the Particulars whereof it consists and this is taken from a twofold qualification First From the goodness of it Behold how good a thing it is And secondly From the pleasantness of it Behold how pleasant This is a very high Commendation if we rightly consider it and that not onely by taking it distinctly but likewise joyntly There are many things which sometimes are good but yet they are not very pleasant Again there are other things which sometimes are pleasant but yet they are not very good This for the excellency of it is both good and pleasant to Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. We begin in order with the first and that is the Goodness of it Behold how good c. Brotherly Concord and the Improvement of it in all occasional expressions it is a very great Good This is and will appear to be so in sundry Considerations As first In regard of the Authour and owner of it which is God himself who layes special claim hereunto Therefore in Scripture we find him to be from hence denominated and intitled 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the Authour of Confusion or of unquietness but the Authour of peace So 2 Cor. 13.11 The God of peace and love Peace it is called the Peace of God Phil. 4.7 And God He is called the God of peace each of which expressions does refer it and reduce it to him and does thereby advance it Yea He is not onely call'd the God of Peace and of Love but even love it self to advance it and to extol it so much the more as 1 John 4.16 God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him Look then how far forth God Himself is said to be good so far forth is this dwelling in Unity good also as it is commanded and owned by him as it appears thus to be Secondly It is good in the Nature of it It is good as any Grace is Good it is good morally Love it is a Fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And so to dwell in Love and unity one with another it is a goodness reducible thereunto It is not only Bonum morale but Bonum Spiritualis It is not onely such a good as is taught by Moral Philosophy and practised by the Principles thereof but is taught by the Holy Ghost himself and is a part of the work of Regeneration and in the new Creature in us especially if we take it in the full latitude and extent of it as it becomes us to do Indeed it is true men may go very far in it out of meer Moral Principles and sometimes doe Goodness of nature and sweetness of temper and facility of Constitution and Common Civility they are great promoters of this Concord and many from the strength of these doe sometimes go beyond those which pretend at least to better But yet in the true notion it is not good nature but Grace Thirdly It is good in the Effects and Consequents and Concomitants of it it has much good attendant upon it It is Bonum utile There 's a great deal of advantage which comes by Brethrens dwelling together in Vnity especially spiritual advantage and for the doing and receiving of good Where there 's envy and strife sayes St. James there is confusion and every evil work Divisions of Mind and Affection they divide men in their work and imployment and hinder them from doing that good which otherwise they might do in their places and especially in their mutual Society and Communion one with another But now on the other side Love and Peaceableness of Disposition as it Vnites them in their hearts so it strengthens them so much the more in their undertakings and the good things which are done by them This the Divel knows well enough better then we doe and accordingly makes use of it by hindring it and obstructing it and and destroying it all that may be what 's the reason that Satan is so busie as for the most part he is in the sowing of strife and discord betwixt brethren It is for this very reason here in the Text Because Unity and Brotherly concord is good and tends to make men better He being an evil spirit does all he can in opposition to what good is which he knows he cannot hinder more effectually then by such courses as these are Which therefore by the way should teach us to be the more jealous and suspicious of him we should not be ignorant of Satans devices in this particular but rather be the more watchfull over him and over our own hearts and when we find our selvs any thing inclined to things of this nature to strife and division and contention one with another think there 's somewhat of him at the end of it And so much the rather avoyd it shun it and take heed of it We may be sure it is for no good but rather the contrary even to keep us from goodness And that 's the first Qualification from whence this Vnity of Brethren is commended Namely that it good The second is the sweetness of it because it is Pleasant It is not onely Bonum utile and bonum Honestum but it is also Bonum Jucundum it has a great deal of pleasure in it Pleasure is such a kind of goodness especially to some kind of persons as that they care not almost what they doe or part with to obtain it and all other good besides is nothing to them if it be devoyd of this Therefore for the further advancement of this Fraternal Unity to us there is this also considerable in it that it is Pleasant Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Prov. 3.17 Thus it is with respect had to all sorts of persons whatsoever that are made sensible of it First It is pleasant to God it is such as is very acceptable to Him It is that which he much delights in wheresoever he observes it being himself as I shewed before a God of Peace he does therefore so much the more delight in peaceable persons and especially in peaceable Christians and such as do relate to himself How much do natural Parens rejoyce in the Agreement of their Children to see them loving and friendly and kind and courteous to one another oh it tickles them and joyes them at the very heart And so is it likwise with God to those which are his To see his children dwell together in Vnity it is that which is very pleasing and acceptable to Him He is exceedingly taken with it and does much rejoyce to behold it And on the other side He is very much grieved and offended with the contrary It grieves the holy Spirit of God in us when there are strifes and contentions amongst us as the Apostle seems to
intimate Eph. 4.30 31. Secondly This Brotherly Vnity as it is a thing which is well-pleasing to God and delightfull to him so it is also pleasant to our selves who accordingly shall have so much the greater pleasure in it and from it Quarrelsom and Contentious Persons that like Salamanders live in the fire they are oftentimes a very burden to themsevles And those that are not careful to maintain peace with others they want it now and then even in their own hearts and breasts And though strife be pleasing to them so far forth as it best sutes with their sinfull and corrupt nature yet so far forth as it best sutes with their sinful and corrupt nature yet so far forth as they have likewise any principles of humanity in them it must needs be very harsh and unpleasing and troublesome to them and so it is And on the other side Concord and mutual agreement is a great deal more delightfull A man has a great deal of more freedom and contentment in his own spirit when as upon good terms he is in Peace and Love with other men He injoyes himself a great deal more fully and has so much the more inward peace and tranquillity in his own Conscience occasionally from it it is pleasant that is it is pleasing to our selves Thirdly It is also pleasing to others to all men else besides that are standers by and spectators of it Behold how pleasant it is c. It is pleasant to all Beholders He that in these things serveth Christ he is acceptable to God and approved of men sayes the Apostle Rom. 14.18 Persons that are given to contention they are offensive to all that come near them and that are round about them who are troubled and displeased with them But quiet and peaceable persons they draw the Love and respect of all to them it is a most lovely and amiable spectacle Therefore that which is here by our own Translators rendred pleasant is by some others expounded Comely as the Hebrew word Nagnim which is used will very well bear it It is pleasant to the Eye which is refresht with such a sight as this is and thus it is pleasant in reference to all sorts of Persons To God to our selves and to other men And so ye have each Qualification whence it is Commendable to us both from the goodness of it and the Pleasantness Now to set home this point so much the more effectually upon us it may not be amiss for us but very pertinent and seasonable to take notice of it in the Inlargement and Illustration which is here used in this Psalm for the further commending of it to us And that as taken from a twofold similitude The one in the second verse of the oyntment upon the Head of Aaron And the other in the third verse of the dew of Hermon and of that which discended upon the Mountains of Sion First To take notice briefly of the former Illustration in the second verse which is very Emphatical and that in sundry particulars wherein this Fraternal Concord is compared to the Holy Oyle of Anointing which is exprest and described unto us in Exod. 30. First For the Nature and Quality of it It is precious Oyntment Shemen-ha-tou It is not to common and ordinary use Oyl of any Consideration whatsoever but the best and choycest that could be lighted-on Like that wherewith Mary Magdalene anointed Christ before his Passion when she brought forth an Alablaster box of oyntment of Spikenard very precious and poured it upon his head Mark 14.3 Such was this whereunto the Concord of Brethren is compared here in this Scripture To set forth unto us the preciousness and excellency of of it It is a vertue of very rare account and so to be esteemed of by us It is such which carries a good name and Report with it and accordingly like that is also better then precious Oyntment Secondly For the ordering and disposing of it It is compared not to oyl inclosed and shut up in a vessel but to oyl effused and poured forth abroad which is more significant As that which does cast forth a special fragrancy and odoriferousness with it Look how a Box of precious Oyntment when it is broken it does cast forth such a smell as does refresh the nostrils and brains of all such persons as are made partakers of it So in like manner the Unity of Brethren it is very sweet to all that observe it Because of the savour of thy good Oyntment thy Name is an Oyntment poured forth therefore the Virgins love thee as the Spouse of Christ speaks of her beloved Cant. 1.3 Thirdly For the Person whom it refers to It is not the anointing onely of some Levit or Common Priest but the anointing of Aaron himself who was the high Priest of all and therein a special Type of Christ as prefigured and shadowed out in him Lastly As to the Importment and Communication of it It was not oyle which rested onely upon Aarons Head but run down upon his Beard and from thence further to the skirts of his Garments which is a lively description to us of the property of this Grace of Love and Brotherly Agreement It is such as does not rest it self onely in those who are the next and immediate subjects of it but it conveyes it self to many other Love it is of a very diffusive and communicative Disposition It does not ingross all comfort to it self but it imparts it also to its brethren and all that are near unto it they are the better for it yea sometimes which are at a distance from it as in Superiours towards those that are below them in the skirts of the garments as from Christ to all his Members And that 's the first similitude The second Similitude is in the third verse As the dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descends upon the Mountains of Sion Look as Gardens and Fields and Meadows where they want dew and seasonable rain they become dry and barren and unfruitful and on the other side where these are any thing in abundance they are thriving and flourishing So Churches and States and Companies and Societies and the like where they are destitute of Brotherly Concord they are decaying and languishing But where this is any thing upheld and preserved in them they are likely to hold out and continue For there the Lord hath commanded his blessing even life for evermore And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which is the sight it self or spectacle propounded in these words how good and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity The Second with which I will conclude all and that as it were in a way of Application is the Invitation to the Observing of it In the word Behold which is set in the Front of the Text and it is Introductive to all the rest but comes last of all to be handled by
us as there must first be the sight prepared before the eye can take notice of it And here this Behold it seems to carry a threefold force or Emphasis with it First As an excitement of Faith Behold it to believe it Secondly As an Ingagement of Affection Behold it to admire it Thirdly As a Provocation to Obedience Behold it to practise it and to imitate it and to conform unto it All these three several intimations may be beheld in this word Behold First I say as an Excitement of Faith behold it to believe it and to give your assent unto it This Ecce here it is Ecce Demonstrationum The Psalmist delivered this Truth with so much Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit as that there is no denyal of it and therefore confidently points unto it as this is that which we may conclude on for a Truth and which upon Experience we shall find to be so if we put our selves upon it There are many things which go sometimes for good which yet do not prove so in Conclusion and there are many things which are thought to be pleasant which yrt have bitterness in the end But this Concord and Agreement of Brethren it is good and it is pleasant unquestionably that so we may believe it Secondly As an Ingagement of Affection behold it to admire it and to be very much taken with it Goodness and Beauty they are such things as are atractive of respect and men do not usually behold them but they are ravished and overcome with them and so should we now here be in the Contemplation of this Heavenly Virtue and Grace which is here commended unto us and of this Spectacle which is set here before us we know how much commonly men are taken with other sights in the World as the Disciples were to our Saviour Maâ—er see what goodly buildings are here why here is such a sight as deserves our just Applause and Admiration this dwelling of Brethren together in Unity And this is also hinted to us in the very form and manner of Expression which carries some kind of Astonishment and Admiration in the very words themselves Therefore it is not onely Ecce quod Bonum or Ecce quod juecundum behold that it is good or behold that it is pleasant in the positive Declaration But Ecce quam Bonum Ecce quam juecundum as it were in the Superlative How good and how pleasant a thing it is as being unable to Express it or to say how much it is so indeed Thirdly It is a provocation to Obedience behold it to practise it and imitate it and to conform unto it there are many who perhaps will be ready to acknowledg it in the Notion that it is a good and pleasant thing to live friendly and peaceably together and he were not worthy of the name of a Christian or a man that should deny it Yea but when it comes to the performance there they desert it and fall from it it is good for others as they are ready to think but not for themselves Good in Thesi but not good in Hypothesi Pax ab omnibus Laudatur a paucis servatur Peace it is commendable of all men but it 's followed and imbraced but of a few Now therefore give me leave to commend this excellent Duty to your practise and Christian observation not as if I did any thing doubt of it or would make any question of it amongst your selves but that upon this occasion I might so much the more quicken you and excite you and stir you up to it as a Grace which has so much Excellency and Commendableness in it Let us therefore follow after things which make for peace and things wherewith one may Edify another as the Apostle Paul speaks in Rom. 14.19 What may some say are they I can but name them unto you First Meekness and Humbleness of mind it is a great Advancement of Peace Onely by Pride comes Contention says Solomon Prov. 13.10 And Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or Vain Glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better then themselves An humble mind will be peaceable Secondly Patience and mutual forbearing and forgiving one of another take heed of Jealousness and causeless Suspicions and misprissions one towards another The Devil does hereby much promote discord and Contention and so hinders this fraternal Agreement Make not the worst of every thing but put the best and most favourable construction and Interpretation upon it which the nature of the thing it self will bear and when it is Capable Thirdly Justice and Righteous dealing there 's no such preservation of Vnity as when every one knows what it is his own and what belongs to him for his particular Opus Justitice pax The work of Righteousnrss shall be peace and the Effect of Righteousness shall be Quietness and assurance for ever as the Prophet Esay tells us Esay 33.17 To set home all this the more fully and successfully upon us let us be sure especially to keep in good terms with God preserve our peace with him When a man's ways pleases the Lord he will make his Enemies to be at peace with him and he that is able to make Enemies to be Friends He is able accordingly to keep Friends from being Enemies As it is he that makes men to be of one mind in one House as shew'd before so in a Church in a City in a Company or in any Corporation and accordingly he must be sought unto and call'd upon for it without him it is not to be Expected I beseech ye beloved Brethren that this Discourse it may not prove in vain unto you but may take deep impression upon you in every one of your Hearts If there be any motive or argument in Profit you have it there for it is that which is good or if there be any motive or argument in Pleasure you have it there for it is sweet also Let this twofold Cord unite you and knit you together which is not easily broken It is no uncomly sight to behold you here sitting together in your Civil Ornaments and Qualifications as you now appear at this time in this your solemn Assembly in your Ranks and Orders and Habits and such like Accomplishments these have an outward Decency and Comeliness in them Oh but that which will especially commend you to the Eyes and the Hearts of all spectators and which will prove your greatest Honour and Glory indeed is to see you sit together in Unity This is that which is the best and truest Confirmation of your Officers This is that which sets the Garland upon their Heads c. This and Health is that which you should affect so much the rather c. It is a Mercy to sit together in Peace but it is a Grace to sit together in Vnity and Love There 's a threefold Gradation in this Spectacle to see Brethren to see Brethren together and to
this Mercy and that we are inabled so to do it is that which every one cannot do even there where there is Mercy fitted and prepared and provided for him go praise God for that Thirdly That God accepts of this Hope from us and is so well pleased with it in us we have cause to praise him likewise for this to say the Lord be magnified as who rejoyces in the Prosperity so takes pleasure in the Graces of his Servants and that even at such times as he neglects the great thins of the World and in a sort despises them That the Bones of the mighty are oftentimes broken while they that stumbled are girt with strength as Hannah in her Song expresses it 1 Samuel 2.4 And so I have done with these words as in their absolute Consideration so in their Comparative and so with the whole Text it self The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy SERMON XXIX Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of Pleasantness and all her paths are Peace It is the Nature and Disposition of Artists and those which are of any Mystery or Profession as much as they can to extoll and advance that Profession which they are off and to Commend it to the Consideration of others As Paul of the Ministry of the Gentiles I magnifie mine own Office Rom. 11.13 Every one is ready to magnifie that way which he takes up to Himself above all others whatsover and this as it is observable in other things so amongst the rest especially in Religion and the wayes of Godliness Those which are the Professors of this they desire as much as may be to Commend it and set it forth to the view of other men Wisdom is justified of her Children as our Saviour tells us Thus we may observe it to be here in this Scripture which we have now before us in the Example of the wise man Solomon who being a Son of Wisdome and of special Wisdom especially that is Grace and Holiness and Religion which he here speaks off does in divers Chapters together applaud it and praise it all he can that so thereby he may invite others unto it IN these words we have described unto us the Excellency of Godliness and Religion in two particulars which may serve to make up unto us the parts of the Text. First From it's Pleasure and delight Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness Secondly From it's Tranquility and Quiet And all her paths are peace We begin First of all with the former to wit the description of Godliness from the pleasure and delight which is in it The wayes of Godliness and Religion are exceeding pleasing and delightful wayes they carry a great deal of sweetness and Contentment and pleasantness in them This is the point which is here exhibited unto us and it dâ—â—â— appear out of other places of Scripture likewise as Psal 36.8 David speaking of the Church and members of it sayes That they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Gods House and that he would make them to drink of the Rivers of his pleasures And Psal 118.15 The voyce of joy and Salvaton is sayd to be in the Tabernacles of the Righteousness So Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the Vpright in Heart Esay 51.11 The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their Head they shall obtain gladness and joy and Sorrow and Mourning shall flee away Esay 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness where you see they are both joyned together And Galat. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is joy Now this Truth it may be further amplyfied and made good to us in sundry particulars which do prove and confirm it unto us There is a great deal of pleasure in Religion in sundry respects Wee 'l take them in that order as they do offer and present themselves to our thoughts As First of all In the work of Grace and Regeneration wrought in the heart All the several Graces of the Spirit and the habits of Sanctification which are in us they do reflect very sweetly upon us and there is a great deal of delight and Contentment to the Soul which does see them in it self Take a man which is full of Lusts and Corruptions which bear sway in him and he is a loathsome and abominable Creature sometimes even in his own Apprehensions A wicked and ungodly man he is in some manner odious to himself and is overcome as I may say now and then even with his own stench like a man which is in filthy Rags and torn and uncomely Garments he does not like himself in them But now on the otherside a good Christian which has the Grace of the Spirit of God in him and the work of the New Creature in his Soul he is so far forth pleasing to himself Grace is a very sweet and odoriferous Qualification as it casts a sweet savor into the Nostrils of all others that stand by it so especially as I may say into the Nostrils of all those that partake of it That Soul which is indued with it is like one that has roll'd himself in a Bed of Spices who is all over sweet and delightful I might set it forth to you in all the resemblances of Comfort and Contentment look whatever it be which in the discovery and discerning of it does usually afford delight to our selves the same may be applyed to the Graces of Gods Spirit and the sanctifying Qualities which are in us not onely as odoures and sweet spices to the smell it 's pleasing to be sensible of them But likewise further as Treasures of Gold and Silver there are many which much delight in them The Rich man when he looks in to his Coffers how much contentment does he take in them even there where others deride him and laughed at him Populus mei sibilat c. Yea but now a Godly man recounting the Graces which are in him has more true comfort and content by far And that 's the First particular wherein Godliness proves so delightful In the work of Regeneration and the habits of the Spirit of God in us Secondly As there 's a sweetness in reflecting upon Grace in the having of it so especially in the Exercise of it Every Grace the more it is improveed carries a delight and pleasurableness in it in what kind soever Therefore the Psalmist tells us that in keeping of Gods Commandments there is great Reward Mark not onely for the keeping but in the keeping be-shomran Psal 19.11 There 's Praemium ante Praemium A reward before the reward even in the thing it self Sutable to the nature of the Grace is the Exhibition of the comfort yea the very Heathen and Moralists themselves so far forth as they exercised vertue and practised that natural goodness which was in them they had some kind of comfort and contentment
delight in us and express himself graciously to us Secondly The Peace of assurance in regard of our selves Religion is the way of peace in this sense also There is no peace to the wicked saith my God sayes the Prophet that is no peace in his own Heart This a Godly man has as God is actually in peace with him so he does evidence this peace unto him Indeed he does not do it to all at least in the like degree but we see where it is to be had and that is onely within the compass of Religion There 's no true peace of Conscience but onely in the wayes of Goodness There 's a false and counterfeit peace which Hypocrites sometimes have in them like themselves A peace of Security and a peace of Presumption and a peace of Non-attendency but a peace upon good Ground that they want Yea even the servants of God themselves by how much the less they walk in such wayes so much the less peace they have though God be a free worker and dispenses his Comforts as he pleases and not for any deserts of ours yet we can expect no more Comfort then we are careful to exercise Grace It is the wayes of Goodness which are onely the wayes of peace the very Heathens themselves had some peace answerable to the moral virtues which they acted but Christians have another kind of peace from the exercise of Christian Graces and bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit yea they have not onely peace but joy which makes their Condition so much the more comfortable in this regard they have the first Fruits of the Spirit in the hopes of a better Condition which they expect in the world to come The Third is peace with men the peace of Communion with all Prov. 16.7 Where a man's wayes please the Lord he will make his Enemies to be at peace with him First With Good men the peace of such one with another the more Godly-men are Godly the more peaceable The wisdom from above is pure first and peaceable afterwards The cause of so many devisions among Brethren is from want of Godliness Improved Secondly With Evil so far forth as we are careful to be Godly we shall be sensible of this also Indeed in some respects it is quite Contrary no sooner do men begin to be Religious but all the world is ready to hate them and to oppose them for it but it holds good in these Explications First In that while we are careful to be Godly we shall have Consciences of Evil men for us There 's many which may be against us in their affections whose Consciences notwithstanding are for us as Saul to David Thou art more Righteous then I. Secondly There shall be a restraint of their malice that it shall not break out against us in that Violence Thirdly Their Fury shall be turn'd to good unto us This may therefore teach us how to obtain what we all desire Pacem te posemus vos see the happy way to it Esay 32. Well to lay both together the pleasure and peace of Religion ye see here 's an happy mixture Omne tulit punctum qui miscent utilis datur Here they are met both Mercy and Truth Righteousness and Peace c. Let this perswade us all to be hence so much the more in love with Religion and to increase and thrive in it First For those which are strangers here 's that which may intice them to it methinks I hear every such person saying unto me as Agrippa sometimes to Paul Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian And indeed who would not onely be almost but altogether a Christian upon these terms Secondly For those which are at present Religious here 's that which may incourage them in it Yea and that in the want of other things though those were no Heaven to be looked for hereafter as we know there is yet the life of a Christian were sweeter then any other besides from the very practise of Godliness it self and we were not in this sense of all men most miserable To press this further on let us Consider that the more Godliness the more pleasure in Godliness none have more Comfort in the Condition then those which have most of the Affection It is Grace it self which makes us happy from Grace And so much also of the Second particular whereby Godliness is commended unto us and so for this whole Text. SERMON XXX Prov. 9.12 If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self But if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear shalt bear it It is a Great part of the Expression of Gods Goodness towards us not onely in that he shews us what way is to be undertaken by us but likewise that he takes all courses that may be with us for to lead us and to bring us into that way and to cause us to walk in it sometimes by intreaty and sometimes by incouragement and sometimes also by Threatning and denunciation of Judgment This is that which we find him to do more particularly in this Scripture and Chapter which we have now before us Where Wisdom prepares her Table sends forth her Maidens cryes upon the High places of the City to us and invites us to the entertainment of her self And because that this is a business which all men are not so easily brought to and perswaded to the doing of Therefore also uses some Arguments whereby to inforce it which she briefly draws up to an head in this Verse which I have now read unto you If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self But if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it THe Text it self is nothing else but an Inforcement of Good Counsel upon the Hearts of those whom it is offer'd unto and that from a double Argument The one taken from the Benefit which does insue upon hearkening to it The other from the Inconvenience of the neglect The former in those words If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self The latter in these But if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it We begin with the first taken from the Benefit of Obedience and hearkning to good Counsel If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self In which Branch of the Text we have two things further considerable First The Title or Denomination which is put upon a Tractable Person such an one as gives ear to good advice and that is that he is a wise man Secondly The Profit or advantage which does acrue unto him from so doing and that is that he shall be wise for himself First I say here 's the Title or Denomination which is put upon a Tractable Person such an one as hearkens to good Counsel whether as given by Preaching of the Word the Publick Ministerial Dispensations or else set on in a way of Converse and private Christian Admonition whosoever is reformable by boâ—t or eitheâ—r of these is a wise man This we gather from the Coherence
of the words and the Connexion of them with that which went before Solomon in 8 9. verses of this Chapter had said Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser And here now adds If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self he does not say If thou hearnest to reproof and good instruction though that he means by it But if thou be wise Hereby implying that so to do is a part of very great wisdom and so it is He that 's a Teachable man is a wise man He that has so much understanding in him as to give ear to good Counsel when it is given him he is a wise man indeed He is so and so he is said to be in Scripture especially in this book of the Proverbs in sundry places of it I shall not need to instance in them we do frequently meet with in them almost in every page tending to this purpose Not to stand upon this point which I onely take notice of by the by this will appear to be so in these following respects First It is a part of wisdom for a man to suspect his own wisdom and to think that it is possible for him to deceive himself He that trusts in his own heart is a fool Prov. 28.26 And so he that mistrusts it is a wise man Now this does such an one as gives attendance to good Advice he does thereby question and suspect himself and give more to the judgement of others then he does to his own which for the most part does carry a note of wisdom with it Secondly It is a part of wisdom to discern between good and evil to know what is to be left and what is to be imbraced Now this is in hearkening to good Counsel there 's a distinguishing spirit to put a differnce betwixt good and bad Bet wixt the motions os Lust and the Suggestions of Piety and Vertue The ear tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat Job 34.3 Now as a good and well temper'd Palate relishes good and wholsom Food which it is supplyed withal so a Gracious and Savory spirit closes and complyes with good Counsel and Advice which is administred to it and there 's wisdom in that Thirdly It is a part of wisdom to know ones best friends and to give them all incouragement of being further Friendly to us now thus 't is with those which doe yield to seasonable Admonitions they doe hereby discern their Friends they consider who wishes them best and incourage them in so doing Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetness of a mans friend by hearty counsel Prov. 27.9 Thus in all these considerations is wisdom to hearken to good Counsel and he is a wise man that does so even in the Judgement of the Spirit of God who is wisdom it self We see then what to think of all those which are otherwise affected If it be wisdom to be admonished it is then folly to reject and refuse admonition And those that are guilty of doing so they are in this no better then fools Indeed they doe not alwayes think so which makes their foolishness to be so much the more The sluggard's wiser in his own conceit then seven men that can render a reason Prov. 26.16 But yet for all that he is not wise indeed and good earnest neither does God Himself so esteem it who is best able to judge of them with Him a wise man and an Obedient are all one He that hearkens to the voice of wisdom crying to Him and inviting to her self as it is here in this Chapter such as these are wise with Him and none but such So much for that first particular to wit The Title or Denomination put upon a Tractable Person of one that is wise If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self The second is the Benefit that acrues to this this wise man Thou shalt be wise for thy self which passage again hath a double Emphasis with it and may be taken two manner of wayes Either first of all simply in its latitude Or secondly Exclusively with its restriction simply consider'd and in the Latitude so it does denote unto us the great happiness which does attend upon Godliness If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self that is if thou best good and gracious and walk'st in the wayes of Heavenly wisdom thou shalt be no looser but a gainer thereby exclusively taken and with restriction so it doth denote unto us that whatever benefit does at tend upon Godliness it does belong especially and chiefly to those persons who are themselves the Subjects of it more then to any other besides If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self That is if thou hearken'st to good Counsel and walkest in such wayes as are good thou thy self wilt be the greatest gainer and thriver by so doing of any other whatsoever First Take it in the Latitude and simple consideration of the words If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self That is if thou be godly and Religious and walkest in the wayes of Piety and Holiness thou shalt be no looser but a Gainer thereby This wisdom of thine it shall redound to thine own greater Furtherance and Account Thou shalt be so much the better for it every way this is one thing which is here implyed in these words and it is sutable to other Scriptures wherein we have this often exprest as the condition of Godly men that it shall be well with them Psal 128.1 2. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord Happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee So Eccles 8.12 I know that it shall be well with them that fear before Him Again Isa 3.10 Say ye to the Righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings So here now Thou shalt be wise for thy self That is thy wisdom and Grace which is in thee shall be advantagious to thee Godliness it is great Gain as the Apostle Paul expresses it to us in 1 Tim. 6.6 There 's much good which is coming by it This is true in the whole Latitude and Extent of it First For thy self in thy inward man Thou shalt be wise for thy self in that and therein especially This is not the least part of our selves yea indeed the chiefest of all Animus cujusque est Quisque Every mans mind is himself Look then what it is which does advance and promote that by that is a mans self truly better'd and is not this now by spiritual wisdom and by this especially Surely so it is There is an accomplishment in humane wisdom which does adorn and beautifie the minds of those which have it but in heavenly wisdom above any other This makes us wise to salvation and does raise the soul to a nobler pitch and frame of Spirit then any thing else does If thou be
signified or exprest unto us Leaving the scorner here in a doubtfulness and uncertainty of condition which is commonly and for the most part accounted to be very sad and grievous It is some kind of ease and satisfaction if men must needs undergo punishment that they may know what it is aforehand to fit and prepare themselves for it But this is that which is here denyed to a Scornful person That he shall not know his doom and misery Let him take what follows upon it at a venture but what that is he shall not understand till he come by experience to feel it and to be made sensible of it This is the misery of Scorners that they run themselves upon infinite hazzards and do not know where they shall stop Thou shalt bear it but what that is no body knows neither He himself nor any one else for him Secondly Heres 's the Vniversality of it Forasmuch as whiles none is named all are in a manner implyed and so indeed they are Here 's a blanck prepared for the putting in of whatsoever we please not one excepted Judgements are prepared for Scorners that is all kind of Judgments whatsoever one with another Prov. 19.29 Judgements are prepared for Scorners and stripes for the back of fools Look as Vniversal good is attending upon wisdom and Godliness as we have shewen out of the former Branch Thou shalt be wise for thy self at large in whatsoever may be convenient for thee So here also Universal evil is attending upon Scornfulness and folly Thou shalt bear it in all evils whatsoever which may befall thee In Outward man in Inward man In thy Body in thy Estate in thy Friends and which is worst of all in thy soul If there be any thing worse then other it thou shalt be sure to bear Thou shalt bear it Thirdly Here 's the Vnavoidableness of it It is not onely an indefinite expression and Vniversal but also absolute and peremptory Thou shalt bear it it may be not as yet but in time and within a while thou shalt suffer for it Those that Scorn they shall suffer punishment and not escape He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29. vers 1. This it meets with security and presumption of a Scornful Spirit which promises it self freedom from punishment because of present Indulgence They do not yet find no evil by it therefore they shall never well but they shall at last for all this and that in good earnest And there are these Considerations following which lay ground hereunto First Because Scorners they do still persist and go on in Sin and thereby aggravate it so much the more to themselves He that refuses to be admonish'd he perseveres and continues in Sin now that does alwayes make Sin so much the worse to those which are guilty of it Repentance that makes some amends where any thing hath been done amiss but proceeding in Sin it is a kind of further justifying of it this is the case of a Scorner and so he deserves Punishment even for that Secondly It is an abuse of Love and Friendship which is exprest in Admonition there is no truer love or kindness if it be duely thought of then a seasonable and pertinent reproof Encline not my Heart to any Evil thing to practice wicked works with men that work Iniquity And let me not eat of their dainties Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyl which shall not break my head for yet my prayer also shall be in their Calamities When their Judges are overthrown in stony places they shall hear my words for they are sweet Psal 141.4.5.6 Now a Scorner undervalues this kindness and mis-interpret's it lookes upon that as a discurtesie which is the greatest Curtesie of all and carries himself contrarily to it which has the greatest sinfulness in it Thirdly Which is worst of all it is a slighting even of God Himself and the motions and stirrings of his Spirit men are ready to think that when they neglect good Counsell which is given them that they offend none but men who are the conveyers of that good Counsell to them Well but there is somewhat more then so in it This their Contempt it arises a little higher even to the Divine Majesty Himself He that despiseth dispiseth not man but God who hath also given to us his holy Spirit as the Apostle Paul tells us But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another 1 Thes 4.8.9 Therefore is the Lord himself an Avenger of all such as the same Apostle also has it in that place while either Ministers or Christian Friends are scorn'd and despised in their Counsels God himself is despised in them and will call them to an account for them Hence it is said also of the Pharisees But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Connsell of God against themselves being not Baptized of him And the Lord said whereunto then shall I licken the men of this Generation and to what are they like They are like unto Children sitting in the Market place and calling one to another and saying we have piped unto you and ye have not Danced we have mourned to you and ye have not wept Luk. 7.30.31.32 Where as it is said to be against themselves the point which we shall come to anon thou alone shalt bear it So it is said to be the Counsel of God which was rejected by them Forasmuch as it is God Himself that speaks in such as these They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me says God to Samuel of the Peoples casting him off Let this then teach us to beware of such a Sin as this is what ever we be guilty of besides let us be sure to take heed of Scorning which is the aggravation of guilt upon us and that which adds to the weight of all other Sins besides and which God does in a more especial manner abhor and set himself against when men come once to this they begin to be almost past hope of Recovery and the influences of Gods Grace upon them Surely he scorneth the Scorner but he giveth Grace unto the Lowly The wise shall Inherit Glory but shame shall be the promotion of Fools Prov. 3.34.35 There is none that is more scorned by God then those which are most scorning of Him Those that Honour me says he I will Honour but those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.20 There is none which God can worse away withall then such persons as these are nor whom he will proceed more in wrath and Judgment against them and that in what ever Circumstances we may possibly consider them in Better is a poor and wise Child then an old and foolish King that will no more be admonished says the Prophet
in hand it is an Act likewise of Confidence and special Assurance The former Qualifications mentioned are requisite as a good Ground and Foundation for the commiting our Works to him This Present for a Performance of it Though a Man should be in Covenant with God and also in his favour yet if he doubted of it and called it into question he could not so readily commend his business to him therefore this must be added to the other that we may perform this so much the more fully That we make our Calling and Election sure and keep the Evidence of God's Love and Fame clear and undefaced to our selves which will otherwise much obstruct us and hinder us in this present business It is one thing desparately to cast away our Works and another thing graciously to commit them Lastly It does imply Innocency and Unblameableness especially for the Works themselves which we offer to commit unto him We must commit our Works to God upon those terms as we must commit our Souls And that is as the Apostle Peter has expressed it in Well-doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 4.19 He that presumes at any time to commit an evil work to God he does but implicitely put God in mind to punish him and to be avenged upon him for it which will make but a very sad Reckoning and Account in the conclusion of it Besides that it is a making of God himself the holy God to be a Co-partner with him in his sin which is a most fearful and horrid Abomination Therefore when it is said here Commit thy Works to the Lord this is that which is to be taken for granted that the Works themselves be just and unblameable And so this Commitment here spoken of it is to the rest An Act of Innocency And thus we see also the several Qualifications which are required of us in the performance of this Duty The summ of all is still no more but this even to put us upon it There are two things which are here to be looked after by us First That we be above all things careful to be in such a condition and frame of Spirit and so well employed as from whence we may comfortably and to good purpose commit our works unto the Lord and then absolutely and directly and positively and in good earnest to do the thing it self Then we shall come home to the Counsel and Advice which is here given us in my Text. This as we may safely do in all things else so more especially in such kind of Works as wherein God himself chiefly and immediately is to be concerned Those Works wherein we are serviceable to him in a more peculiar manner and in which his own Honour and Glory is interessed These are such as we may with greater confidence commit to his care As ye know it is amongst men Those which are partners together in their Trade they do trust one another with the work because their mutual gain is concerned in it Even so here betwixt God and us As in the Ministery and such Services as these The same which is our Work it proves to be his Work also besides Therefore we may well Commend it to him and our selves in it Malach. 3.17 As a man spareth his Son that serveth him A Father will take care of his Son because of his Relation but then his Son that serves him over and above because of his Work Those Works whereby God and his Church are any thing advanced they may be safely committed to him And that still we may do this so much the better let us more and more inure our selves to it for the more we do it the more we may do it When we are wont to Commit our selves to God in smaller matters we shall be the better able to do it in greater when dayly and constantly and continually in our own Particulars be so much the better upon occasion in the affairs of the Church This is very Comfortable and this is that which we should bring our selves to And now I have done with the First General Part in the Text viz. The Precept or Counsel Commit thy Work unto the Lord. The Second now follows And that is the Promise or Argument to inforce it And thy Thoughts shall be Establisht Where First here is somewhat which is Imply'd and Secondly here is somewhat which is Exprest and each of them Considerable of us First Here are some things as Implyed from the Phrase and Manner of Expression for observe how the Holy Ghost here sets it Commit thy Works and thy Thoughts shall be Established In the Sutableness and Correspondency of Expression one would have thought it should have been rather said Thy Works which is likewise here to be understood as we shall see afterwards But the Spirit of God rather gives it by the Thoughts whereby there are sundry Intimations exhibited unto us I can but name them First We see here thus much That where there are Works there will be Thoughts Yea and that likewise sometimes Thoughts of Trouble and Perplexity and Distraction such as have need to be Established This is clear from the Coherence and Connexion of these two both together in the Text Thy Works and thy Thoughts This has a double ground for it First The nature of the things themselves which are such as do properly and immediately produce the one of them the other Thoughts they do breed in Works as Worms do breed in Wood especially such as the Works may be for the Condition of them If they be great Works Works of deeper importance than other they will draw along Thoughts with them that 's a business out of all question And it is very fitting they should do so likewise if we consider rightly of it It is very fitting and requisite that men should there exercise their Thoughts and intend their Minds where their business is more than ordinary Secondly There is also a ground for it in the nature of the Mind It is a peice of weakness and infirmity in some Dispositions to be thus affected and disposed in themselves That never so little Work or Business it does presently disquiet their Thoughts and set their Minds and Spirit upon the racks that they have no settlement in them Works and Thoughts do here easily meet This teaches us not to wonder at it but accordingly to prepare for it and to make account that so it will be And therefore so to dispose our selves as those which expect it And especially by putting in practise the present Duty of the Text mentioned before but so much for that Secondly Observe here from hence also this That our chiefest business lies in our Minds to compose and settle them Therefore Solomon instances in these Thy Thoughts shall be Established As who should say When that were once done all besides were done to our hand And so in a manner it is Stablish but once a mans Thoughts and then ye have done enough
and by himself Thirdly In man Eminently i. e. in the best man that is First In Man that is in whole Mankind by taking it Collectively It is as I in part hinted and signified before annext unto the Nature of Man now since his fall to abound with vain and Foolish Devices When ye name a Man ye name such an one as is full of such Fancies and conceits and extravagancies as these are Thus in Psal 14.2 which is again repeated and so confirmed by the Apostle in Rom 3.10 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Secondly In man Distributively and Particularly taking them one by one There are some things which are agreeable to mans Nature which yet are not found in every person in whom that nature is Yea but this of vain thoughts and unprofitable Contrivance is so either more or less This have I found counting one by one to find out the account Eccles 7.27 And what did he find out Loe he found this that God made man righteous And not he only but they also that is man in his distrustfullness found out many inventions and many Devices One man has oftentimes many Devices Thirdly In man Eminently That is in the best man that is one way or other It is not onely be-lev adham but be-lev ish here in the Text which has a more Emphatical signification with it and is usually taken in a sense of excellency and advancement Indeed in such men as these they are with a great deal of restraint and qualification but yet even in them they are at least by fits and turns even in men otherwise of the greatest perfection whether for wisdom or learning or Power or even Piety it self The Lord knoweth the Thoughts of the Wise that they are but vain 1 Cor. 3.20 And not onely of wise to the World but sometimes even of better Principles when they swerve and depart from them As we gave you an instance before in David himself And so it has been with many others of the same Principles with him That 's the subject of those Devices in General namely Man The particular Subject or Seat of them is here expressed to be the Heart Many devices in the heart of man But how comes he to say so Devices seem rather to belong to the Head than to the Heart How are they then said to be in this There is a various Account which may be given of this Expression Devices in the Heart First As taken Synecdochically The Heart being put for the whole Mind and Soul as it is very often and frequently taken especially in the Hebrew Language The Denomination is taken from that part which is most eminent and transcendent above the rest The Vnderstanding and Will and Affections and Conscience and Memory all is the Heart and so commonly called Which because it is so therefore the Devices of a man are said to be in his Heart in this general Construction Secondly In the Heart Originally as the Spring and Fountain of all What ever a man does or devices it comes first from the Heart which is Generale Principium A man's heart deviseth his way as Solomon speaks Prov. 16.9 which is so both in Good and in Evil. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts says our Saviour in Mark 7.21 which is true of thoughts in the full Latitude and Extent of them whether in matter of Opinion or Contrivance First In matter of opinion if ye take it so Men's devices they here proceed from their hearts All these Fancies and Conceits and Whimseys and Errors in matters of Religion which many people take up withal they take their rise first from their heart As a foul and distempered Stomach sends up noysome Vapours into the Brain and disturbs that even so it is also here If men had better hearts they would have better heads than for the most part they have at least in regard of the use and improvement of them It would make them more to attend unto the Truth and it would make them better to relish it and close with it and to yield and submit unto it Whereas now the Corruptions of their hearts restrains them and holds them off from it It is the Goodness of Doctrines which men stick at as well as the Truth of them Nay those Points which considered as Truths they cannot but in some manner hearken and listen unto for the strength and concretion of their Judgments yet as holy they cannot away withal from the corruptions and perverseness of their Hearts which either keep them back from attending to the Reasons which make for them or else incline them contrary to Concretion to detain the Truth in Unrighteousness The way to make many Persons to be Sound and Orthodox Divines is indeed as much as may be to make them real and wary Christians especially in such Points of Divinity which are of the Substance and Marrow of Christianity where the Experiences of their own Hearts will be a sufficient Instruction to them And they will not need that any one should teach them but as the Anointing it self will teach them which is a Truth and no Lye and that also abiding in them So also Secondly In matter of Contrivance and Design It holds here likewise that men's Devices are according to their Hearts Those who have naughty and rotten hearts they have commonly answerable Speculations and their Projects are suitable thereunto The liberal man deviseth liberal things agreeable to the frame of his spirit but the heart of the wicked worketh iniquity as the Prophet Isaiah tells us in Isa 32.7 8. So Psal 36.4 it is said of a mischievous person that He deviseth mischief upon his bed and setteth himself in a way that is not good And it is the Account which is given concerning an ungodly man in Prov. 6.14 who is there called a Naughty Person Adham Belijagnot and Ish Aven that Frowardness is in his heart and he deviseth mischief continually He deviseth it and he deviseth it continually because his heart carries him to it which is a constant and continued Principle that does always abide in him Therefore from hence we may take some account of our selves what we are according to the Reflection As man's heart is so is he and as a man's devices are so is his heart So that we may judge of the one by the other of the Spring and Fountain by the Stream which issues from it They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they which are after the spirit the things of the spirit as the Apostle Paul has it in Rom. 8.5 6. Take a man in his Natural Condition and State of Unregeneracy and he devises nothing but that which may either nourish or at least gratifie and agree with such a
These are the several Parts of the Text as they lye before us We begin with the first General viz. The Specification of the Persons The Prudent and the Simple that is indeed The Righteous and the Wicked For these are the Titles which are frequently given them in Scripture not only here but in dives other places where Godly Men are described by Wise Men and Wicked Men are described by Fools It is that which we frequently meet withal but never more than in this Book of the Proverbs I shall not need to make a distinct handling of these two in the Prosecution of the Text but invole one in the other as mutually consequent and dependent For if Godly Men be eminently Wise Men then Wicked Men are consequently Fools who are so far opposite to them And if wicked men be transcendently foolish men then Godly men are consequently wise ones who do so far depart from them and do set themselves in ways against them Now that this is so indeed that the Godly are truly wise and none properly so but they will appear and may be made good unto us in sundry respects not only in that they are so often called so by the mouth of Wisdom it self but likewise if we look upon them in those Qualities and Action and Principles and Properties which do belong unto them Whatsoever is truly considerable as concurring to a wise man the same is to be found in a good Christian and Child of God And so again whatsoever is observable and remarkable in a Fool the same is in a wicked person and such an one as is devoid of Grace Nay to joyn them and put them both together the weakest and simplest Christian is wiser than the wisest and subtillest Worldling Take a Godly man but of low and mean parts as to Natural or Acquisite Qualification and he hath more true Wisdom in him than a Wicked man of the choicest Abilities and Accomplishments either of Art or Nature That this is no empty Flourish but a Truth may be evidenced to us upon these Consideration First A Godly man hath the true Principle of Wisdom in him Wisdom is not a Fit but an Habit and does imply a Spring and Principle for the nourishing of it No this is that which a Godly man hath and none but he What is the right Principle of Wisdom It is a Gracious and Savoury Spirit the Work of Regeneration and the New Creature in us In a word The fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom as it is signified both by David and Solomon This a Godly man hath He hath that Wisdom which is from above as it is called in Jam. 3.17 which is also in other places called The Wisdom of God whereas wicked men have only in them the Wisdom of the Flesh and the Wisdom of the World which is opposite and contrary to God yea indeed to true Wisdom it self Foolish Wisdom being Earthly Sensual Devilish as the same Apostle there speaks of it in the place before alledged Secondly As in regard of his Principles so likewise in regard of his Ends and the Aims which he does propound to him This as much as any thing else has a stroke and influence upon Wisdom what it is that one propounds to one's self Now for this a Godly man carries it above any one else as whose Aims are heavenly and spiritual the Glory of God the Salvation of his own Soul the Good of others These are a Christian's Ends and Proposals which are all very good and warrantable and such as do justifie and approve him for true Wisdom in that which he undertakes Thirdly In regard of the Rule whereby he is led That is a part of a wise man to have good Rules whereby he is squared Now a Christian has here the Word of God which is the perfect Rule of Wisdom This is that which the Apostle mentions to the Philippians Let us walk by the same rule Philip. 3.16 And to the Galatians As many as walk according to this rule Gal. 6.16 Lastly In regard of the Object whereabout he is conversant which is the Gospel the Doctrine of Wisdom We speak wisdom amongst those which are present 1 Cor. 2.7 As Christ himself is The Wisdom of the Father so that Doctrine which treats of him and leads to him is a Dostrine of Wisdom and they themselves wise which are employed and occupyed in it Thus in all these respects is a good Christian the only wise man This then serves to rectifie men's Judgments and Opinions in this particular The World accounts none wise but such as are so in their sense wise to get great Estates to set up themselves to advance their own Lusts to become great in the World wise to circumvent others to do evil Yea but see what is the Opinion of God himself and the Censure which his Word passes upon it Accounting those the wisest indeed that are wise to God that are wise to Salvation that are wise to lay hold on the Eternal Life These are the wise ones indeed whatever contrary Conceit men of the World may have of them The Godly are the only Wise Men and the Wicked are the only Fools and Simplicians that are in the World So much may suffice of the first General which I propounded to be handled in the Text viz. The Persons specified The Prudent and Simple The Second is the different Account which is given of each consisting also of two Parts First the Account of the Prudent that is of the Godly In these words He foreseeth the evil and hideth himself Secondly The Account of the Simple that is of the Wicked In these words They pass on and are punished We begin with the first viz. The Account of the Prudent or Godly Man Which is again layed forth unto us in two Particulars more as the Discoveries of Wisdom in him The one is in point of Judgment and Apprehension He foreseeth the evil as the Antecedent And the other is in point of Practice and Activity as the Consequent And hideth himself First Here is a Godly Man's Wisdom discovered as to his spiritual Judgment and Apprehension and Spirit of Discerning He foreseeth the evil It is a part of Wisdom to do this and such as is in special the property of a good Christian He does not only see the Evil when it is upon him which is that which many do not neither but even then before it comes at him He does not only see it but foresee it This is that which is here commended to us in him And it is not only so here in this place but also because it is so certain a truth it is signified to us likewise in another and that here in this Book Prov. 27.12 We have this Verse repeated again in so many terms which does serve so much the more to certifie and assure us of it So Prov. 14.16 A wise man feareth and departeth from evil but a fool rageth
as these seriously think and consider with themselves what we have hitherto treated of and be admonished and advised by it The simple pass on and are punished It is only the Prudent which foresees the evil and hides himself who does escape the Judgment And when we speak here of the Prudent and Simple we may if we please take it here a little narrower than hitherto we have taken it Not only hereby understanding Godly and Ungodly Men the Righteous and the Wicked who do differ toto genere but also as well Christians and Professors of Religion in a different frame and temper of Spirit which is considerable in them There are some Christians which are more watchful and vigilant and circumspect of themselves These are the Wise and Prudent Again There are others which though perhaps they may have some truth of Grace in them and good Principles at the bottom yet are a little more careless and remiss and negligent not so careful as they should be to stir up that good which is in them These may also be called Simple and Foolish And we see here what belongs unto them as the Doom which is past upon them They pass on and are punished That Christian that walks carelesly and securely and does not look to his Watch he does thereby ensnare himself It is not only the lot of those which are absolutely wicked and profane but even of the Servants of God themselves now and then which are not more careful of themselves for their simplicity and security to be punished So I have done with both parts of the Text and with the whole Verse it self SERMON XXXV Esaiah 9.14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail branch and Rush in one day Though God considered in himself in his own Blessed Majesty be altogether absolute and unaccomptable and need to give no reason at all of any thing which is done by him his own Will being the best and highest Reason that can possibly be given Yet he is pleased out of his Grace and Goodness so far oftentimes to condescend to the Sons of men as to give them some account of those Actions which are done by him Especially which do any thing more than ordinarily concern themselves as to their suffering from him And this is that which we may observe him to do in this Scripture which we have now before us where intending a great desolution of this People which he had to deal withal the People of Israel and the sending of a sweeping Judgement amongst them He here gives them a reason of so much sharpness and severity to them as proceeding not so much from himself but rather from them not from himself so much as unmercifully disposed towards them or set against them But from themselves rather who had neglected his mercy and goodness to them IN the Text it self there are two General Parts considerable First The Ground or Occasion of the Judgment that 's in the Particle Therefore which relates to that which went before in the 13th Verse the Judgment it self that 's exprest in these words The Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail c. We begin with the First of these Parts viz. The Ground or Occasion of the Judgment in the particle Therefore Therefore Wherefore Why namely because this People did not turn unto him that had smitten them neither did seek the Lord of hosts as is exprest in the Verse immediately preceeding Therefore will the Lord do thus and thus with them where the Cause which is here exprest may be conceived to proceed in the way of a threefold Gradation First Of their simple Impiety Secondly Of their Additional Impenitency Thirdly Of their continued Obstinacy There was their Simple Impiety in provoking of God by their sin and miscarriage at first There was their additional Impenitency in that they did not turn from their sin to him that smote them There was their continued Obstinacy in that they would not in all this so much as seek to the Lord of hosts First Here was their Simple Impiety and sinning of theirs against God at first as a Ground and occasion of Gods Judgment to be inflicted upon them This was that which was in the bottom of it Israel had sinned and therefore now Israel was to be punished in reference to their sin This is that which is pertinently to be observed in all proceedings of this nature sin it is the meritorious cause of all punishment and that which lays a ground for it Where ever there is sin there will be Punishment sooner or later And where once there is Punishment there has been sin greater or smaller and so the Scripture still intimates and declares unto us as 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are weak c. There is always a cause and a particular cause of Judgment and his proceeding to Punishment Sin and Punishment they are relatives and have a mutual dependance upon each other And that especially in regard of the Justice which is in God He cannot indure to behold sin and iniquity and therefore must needs punish it and be avenged upon it The wages of sin is Death and God is a true Paymaster who will not withhold their wages from such Persons to whom it is due nor yet on the other side will he give such wages to such Persons to whom it is not due Therefore we should justifie God in all his dealings with us to this purpose when his hand does at any time lye more than ordinarily heavy upon us it is good for us to search our hearts and ways in this particular and to consider how it is with us Gods quarrel is not against our Persons but against our Sins and therefore let us reflect upon them and lay the cause where it is to be laid indeed Why doth a living man complain or man for the Punishment of his Sin Let us search and try our hearts and turn unto the Lord our God as the Prophet Jeremy advises Lam. 3.31 We should for the most part suspect our sins as the causes of any Judgment which is upon us And accordingly look to find out that particular sin which may have more especial influence hereupon But Secondly As here was their Simple Impiety so also their Additional Impenitency as a further Cause of this Judgment Those that sin perhaps at first and so throughly provoke God's anger against themselves yet by Repentance and turning from their sins may happily divert it and appease it But those People here in the Text they did not so they turned not to him that smote them And this made their Judgment to be so much the furer to them than otherwise it would have been Where men repent of sinning God repents of punishing and of that Evil which he thought to bring upon them as we may see in the Ninevites But where they do not he does not neither That Punishment which is slow of it self Impenitence hastens it
behind us saying This is the way walk ye in it when we turn either to the right hand or to the left But now farther if we please we may take these words a little more at large as I in part hinted before When ye turn to the right hand or to the left not as touching it of two extreams but in reference to all the passages of our lives whatsoever they be When ye turn to the right hand or to the left that is whatsoever place ye are in whatever business ye are about whatever condition befalls you ye shall have the hints of the Word and Spirit of God assistant to you This is the promise which is made to the Saints and Servants of God And it is made not only here in this Text but also in divers other places besides as Psal 37.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass So Prov. 3.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy pathes So again in Prov. 16.3 Commit thy Works unto the Lord and thy Thoughts shall be Established This Disposition in God towards his People is founded on his Affection to them He loves them and therefore he Counsels them and cannot abide to see them miscarry Love it is full of direction of the party which it is placed upon and will not suffer him to go out of his way And so it is with God to us This is a great Comfort and Incouragement to us and should quicken us especially in his service wherein especially we are sure to have him to guide us and go before us and be assistant unto us And that in the darkness of this World wherein we walk If a man have a bad way yet if he have a good guide it is some Comfort to him This is the Lord to his Servants He teaches them to go taking them by the hand as it in Hos 11.3 Oh how much should we be affected herewith Especially in this Age and Time wherin we live In which we have so many Labarynths and uncertainties that a great many do not know what to do nor what way to betake themselves to We have so many humours and conceits amongst us that we know not almost what to believe nor what to practise It is the case and condition of many people that they are at a nonplus and almost at their wits ends in this particular Well in all these uncertainties and distractions Here 's the Comfort and Incouragement of Gods servants which do not provoke him to do otherwise with them from some default or miscarriage in them in which case it may be suspended to them That they shall hear a word behind them saying this is the way walk in it when they turn c. But here it may partinently be demanded How this word shall be discerned and known because there 's a great deal of deceit and mistake in the particulars many taking that to be the word and spirit of God which is no more but their own foolish fancy and the suggestions and intimation of the Devil joyning with their own corrupt hearts It is the condition of many people now in these present days and never more than now it is For this There are divers Touchstones and discoveries of it which we will briefly instance in First Let this within thee be regulated by the word without thee And the motions and suggestions of the Spirit examined by the Rule of the Scripture and the written word of God to the Law and the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 God never speaks in the Conscience contrary to what he speaks in the Scripture for he is unchangeable and cannot deny himself If therefore we have any motions in us which are cross and opposite hereunto we have very greet cause to suspect them as coming to us from another hand yea to abandon them and to bid defiance to them For which as the Wind does not sit at the same time in two contrary corners North and South so neither does the Spirit breath in two contrary motions Good and Evil. The motions of the spirit are always suitable and agreeable to it self Secondly They are also orderly and regular They keep men within the compass of their Callings and the spheres and the place which God has set them in Motions either from mens own Spirits or the spirit of Satan acting in them they are many times out of course they carry them above their line and make them to stretch themselves beyond their measure as the Apostle speaks But those which come from God and the suggestions and inclinations of his spirit they confine them and keep them within bounds They order them and frame them and keep them within bounds suitable to their several stations and Relations and Conditions and Circumstances in the world which they have regard and heed unto So likewise which we may refer hereunto they are agreeable also to the law of Nature and Civility and ingenuity in us Therefore such motions as cross these they are not such as come from Gods spirit but from the spirit of the Devil when any are carried to such acts as are against Civility and common modesty it self Thirdly They are also mild and gentle and seasonable They are not ordinarily violent raptures but such as leave a man in a right apprehension of what he does and reflexion upon it A man knows where he is and what he does while he is followed with them which in the motions of Satan is otherwise Fourthly They are discernable also from their Effects and the ends which they tend unto all the hints and motions of Gods spirit they still tend to make us better and to carry us nearer to himself one way or other they serve to promote Piety and Holiness in us and to better us especially and above all in our Inward man whereas those which are contrary and do serve to weaken Grace in us they have another spring for them Lastly In all these Cases the Spirit commonly brings his own Conviction and Evidence with him And as he says This is the way walk ye in it so he does likewise manifest that it is he that says it from whence the Soul of a Christian may be assured that he is not mistaken or deluded in it Look as those which had the Spirit of Prophesy they did by the same light know both the truth of the things themselves which they prophesied about as also that it was from God that message which they delivered even so is it with those also still which have any motions of the Spirit of God in them they do at one and the same time know both the things themselves which they are moved unto as also the Authour and Original of them But so much for that In these hints and suggestions of the Spirit this voice behinde us may be discovered by
that which is implied I will speak Secondly as a matter of necessity in that which is exprest I cannot hold my peace First to speak of the former to wit the parts affected both simply propounded as also doubled and repeated My bowels my heart These though if we take them corporally and according to a Bodily Dissection or Anatomy of them they are parts distinct yet here in this Spiritual notion and consideration of them they are one and the same and do signifie no more than the Soul and inward man yet as working likewise upon the body and outward Thus have some of the antient Expositors and Interpreters of Scripture understood iâ— as Gregory Nyssen upon that place of the Canticles Cant. 5.4 My bowels were moved in me he has this Gloss upon it ' H 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The belly or bowels here meant is the Intellectual and Discursive Faculty of the Soul So in like manner Gregory Nazianzen in his 17 Oration speaking of this place of the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning by his bowels his mind .. And St. Ambrose to the like purpose De Spirituali non corporeo ventre dixit propheta The Prophet did not speak of a corporal but of a spiritual belly This spiritual belly it is the Mind and Soul of Man There are three special Reasons among others which may be given by us for this expression of the Mind and Soul by the Belly or Bowels First The secrecy of it as that which is most inward and retired 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he before Greg. Naz. The Mind and Soul it is hidden and invisible as the belly and bowels within the body Thus Prov. 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly So Psal 103.1 Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy name Within me i. e. in my bowels in viscerebus as some translate it And more expresly Psal â—1 6 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom The bowels do well express the Soul in regard of their secresie That 's the first Secondly Because the Mind it does receive and digest the Thoughts as the Belly does the Meats Mens coquit curas ut venter aescas Greg. past 3. part admonit l. 3. The mind it does digest and boil out cares as the stomach does the food which is put into it and those Notions which at the first are but raw yet through meditation and often turning of them in the mind they come to be concocted Thirdly The Mind it is the Mother of Thoughts it is the fruitful Belly which doth send forth so many conceptions as the proper fruit and issue of it Vt proles in utero concepitur sic cogitatio in mente generatur says the same Author Greg. Mor. l. 12. c. 27. As the Child is conceived in the Womb so is the Thought generated in the Mind Thus in regard of this threefold Analogy and Correspondency is the Mind exprest by the Bowels or Belly so that My bowels my bowels and My heart my heart that is as much as My Soul my Soul my Spirit and my inward man There are two words here in the Text put together for the greater emphasis Bowels and Heart both the one as the explication of the other My Bowels my Heart that is My Bowel which is my Heart and indeed there is so great a nearness and affinity of these two to one another as that they are frequently put the one for the other and signifie the one by the other Thus Psal 22.14 My heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels not as if his Heart were in his Belly but in regard of the vicinity of these parts the one to the other it is thus exprest And because of this coincidency sometimes the Bowels is put for the Heart sometimes the Heart is put for the Bowels The Bowels for the Heart Jer. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts In their inward parts that is in their Bowels but the meaning of it is in their Hearts as the latter word explains it to us Again the the Heart is also put for the Bowels as in Jer. 48.36 compared with Isa 16.11 In Jer. 48.36 we find it thus My heart shall sound for Moab like pipes In Isa 16.11 we find it thus My bowels shall sound like an Harp for Moab and mine inward parts for Kir-hajesh There mine heart here my bowels and inward parts From both together we are to understand in one word the affections which while they are described by the Bowels it does shew 1. The retiredness of them they were such as every one did not see within the walls of the Heart Kiroth libbi as it is exprest in the Text. 2. The fixedness of them deeply rooted as low as the Bowels 3. The truth and sincerity of them without hypocrisie or dissimulation c. The second Particular in the first General is the grief of these parts both in the kinds of it My heart is pain'd and in the effect of it My heart makes a noise within me From both together we may observe thus much what work and disturbance passions and affections make in the Soul if they be not the better restrain'd they put all out of order and frame and cause great commotions of spirit in those persons which are exercised with them Indeed this of the Prophet it was not an inordinate but a regular stirring in him both because as we shall hear afterwards it was upon a just occasion as likewise that he was carried by the Spirit of God in it But yet we may occasionally from it take notice also of the tumults which do arise in the Soul from the distemper and miscarriage it self And so I say thus much How that Passion it puts all out of frame it puts the Soul out of joynt and takes off the wheels of it it is the ground of very great trouble and anguish and disquiet unto it this it is in all the kinds and specifications of it whether anger or sorrow or fear or what ever it is The excess of it is very outrageous and and such as there is no abiding or enduring of it not onely in others but in men themselves If we look into Scripture we shall find what work it has there made even in the best men in the world for example The Prophet David do but see it in him Psal 31.9 Mine eye is consumed with grief yea my soul and my belly Psal 32.3 My moisture is turned into the drought of summer Psal 38.3 No soundness in my flesh c. This extravagancy of affection it is not onely an affliction to the spirit but has also an influence upon the outward man Now there is very good use which we may make of this observation that we
no hope c. which is differently rendred by Interpreters we shall take notice of that which is most probable our own Translators give it according to the Reading which I have made of it Desperatio est No hope Now this may be explicated by us according to a threefold reference which may be made of it for it seems to respect three sorts of persons either first themselves or secondly the Prophet or thirdly God Themselves thus There is no hope i. e. there is no hope of us our lusts do so far take with us and prevail with us that there is no hope we should ever get the mastery or victory over them The Prophet thus There is no hope i. e. there is no hope in regard of thee and thy Ministery amongst us thou maist for thy part put up thy pipes and hold thy tongue and save thy breath and spare thy pains for we tell thee thus much thou art not likely to do any good upon us God himself thus There is no hope i. e. no hope of favour from him though we should haply change our course and amend our lives and reform our ways as he desires us to do yet we should be still where we are there is no likelihood or probability that we should be ever the better for it or that he notwithstanding all this would shew any mercy to us or divert his judgments from us This word and expression before us it has the force and emphasis of all these senses with it First in reference to themselves to begin with that There is no hope in regard of us that we should ever get the better of those lusts and corruptions in us or that we should ever return to God we have no heart or mind at all to it nay we are utterly averse from it and find our spirits and inclinations against it with despair in this point of our selves as to our amendment and and reformation This is the state and condition of many Persons and People in the world that they are desperate in this regard And there are two things which do make up this unto them and seem to be involv'd in this distemper First an absolute indisposition and aversness to all kind of good Secondly an absolute thraldom and subjection to all kind of evil First an indisposition and aversness to good There is no hope as if they had said We have no heart or affection in us at all to God and to his ways we cannot love him or close with him Thus the Chaldee Paraphrase expounds it Aversi sumus a cultu tuo We are averse from thy Worship and all Religion And another Translation Expectoratum est We are heartless and our minds are off from them This is the sad condition which many sinners are brought unto to have their hearts quite taken off from all that is good and to have no savour or relish or sense of Religion in them yea sometimes though they have formerly made some shew and profession of it This is the complaint of these people here of themselves upon their own experience they know not what 's the matter with them but they wish the Almighty to depart from them for they desire not the knowledge of his ways Job 21.11 This distemper it hath sundry grounds and causes of it from whence it proceeds as First A neglect and intermission of the Duties and Exercises of Religion or of the powerful and fervent acting and performing of them Christian and Religious Exercises they are great means to keep up the heart in a gracious and holy frame and to dispose the Soul to God in a blessed course of communion with him But now when these are intermitted or are carelesly and negligently per formed without any life or power or zeal there does from thence for the most part grow a deadness and awkness upon the mind and listnesness to that which is good men from hence grow strangers to God and he to them and as strangers in regard of communion so likewise in regard of affection and spirit which may dispose thereunto So dangerous a thing it is for any to be guilty in this particular of neglecting Prayer or neglecting Hearing or neglecting the search of their hearts Meditation and communion with Saints and such things as these are This neglect it breeds aversness Secondly A persisting and wallowing in some base and filthy course of life This it doth also wonderfully take off mens hearts from God and all favour of goodness that they have no contentment nor delight in it or in those things which tend unto it Hos 4.11 it is said That whoredom and wine and new wine they take away the heart Fornication and Drunkenness and such courses as those are which are more scandalous and notoricus they make sad impressions upon the Soul in this particular they do enervate it and take away the strength and sinews of it A lustful heart will always be an unsavoury heart so far forth as lust is predominant and prevailing in it We may see it even in David himself who whilst he lay under those grievous miscarriages his heart was very much taken off from God and he found a wonderful alteration in him over what he was before which made him so to pray for the creating of a clean heart and the renewal of a right spirit in him and the bestowing of a free spirit upon him Psal 51.10 Thirdly A walking contrary to light and knowledge and conviction and the dictates of Conscience a quenching of the motions of Gods Spirit and suggestions to the heart This does very much take off the heart also and cause a flatness of spirit upon it For it is a grieving of the Spirit of God himself and it provokes him to withdraw his help and assistance which being done there can be no good temper expected in any whatsoever Lastly Worldliness and too deep an implunging in earthly and secular affairs Those whole hearts are full of the world they are for the most part empty of God and of such thoughts and affections and dispositions as do tend unto him There is a great deal of danger in such a course as this is Ye cannot serve God and Mammon both at once These and the like are the occasions of this heartlesness and indisposition to God which is one thing here considerable Another thing here impli'd is a thraldom and subjection to evil from whence men come to despair of ever getting the mastery of their lusts and the corruptions which are in them There are some kind of people in the world their sins and and impieties do at the present so prevail upon them as that they are quite out of hope of ever getting the better of them they now begin to lay down the buckler and to think it is in vain for them to resist them and to set themselves against them they say There is no hope This is that which in a special manner seems to be intended here
cannot do they cannot do good Take a man that lives in a vile and sinful course and his heart is off from all good whatsoever he has no mind not list unto it cannot pray cannot read cannot hear cannot communicate cannot sanctifie a Sabbath cannot perform any duty of Piety or Religion which is required of him but is very backward and averse thereunto Or if it may be he may come off to the bare work and outward performance yet his heart is altogether flat and dead in it he has no life no spirit at all in him nor favour or spiritual rellish of that which he goes about but is as 't were out of his Element Nay further let it be one who has some beginnings of Grace in him and who is in some manner changed by the Spirit of God yet so far forth as he has any sin which is prevailing and domineering in him so far forth will his heart and Soul be much averse and indisposed to any goodness and he will find a great deal of difficulty in himself as to the managing of it Ye know how it was with David a man as I said before after Gods own heart whilst he lay still in those great sins whereof he was guilty how his heart was from hence out of frame and temper as to that which was good and therefore when he begins to recover and to come to himself he prays to God for a clean heart and a new spirit to be bestowed upon him and then he could teach transgressors the ways of God which before he could not do in that manner as he ought As Paul says of himself The good which he would do he could not do And as he tells the Galatians Ye cannot do the things that ye would that is indeed that ye ought This is the great thraldom and slavery which sin brings men into Men may do that which is good materially though evil but not good formally Secondly There is precipitancy to evil that 's another thing here considerable and is impli'd though it be not exprest as we may see if we make up the comparison in its full force for the strength of the sense runs thus As the Ethiopian cannot change his skin but as he is black so will he be black still and never but black And as the Leopard cannot alter his spots but as he is spotted so will he be spotted still and never be otherwise In like manner is the case with such a person as is accustomed to do evil so he does and so he will do continually and never give over A man that 's rooted and confirm'd in sin by daily and constant practise it is an hard matter ever to wean him or to pull him from it he has upon the point taken up his course which he will hold on and persist in to the end His heart is fully set in him to do evil as ye shall find that expression used by the Preacher Eccles 8.11 The ground of this prevalency of Custom is the fixedness and setledness of it it being as it were a second Nature which is sure and constant to its Principles Naturalia non mutantur Those things which are natural are unchangeable and this custom seems to be and therefore compared to those things which what they are they are by a Natural impression upon them as it is with the fore-mentioned resemblances which we spake of before Custom in sin it breeds an habit and that is such as it is not easily removed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but is as radicated as Nature it self The use which we may make of all this to our selves is briefly this First take heed of any thing to do with sin at first What Solomon says of strife it holds good as to any other miscarriage The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with Prov. 17.14 The same we may say to this purpose concerning sin Principiâ—s obsta stop it in the very beginning and the first entrance upon it of all if we do not we know not where we shall make an end after we have begun but are in danger of proceeding from one degree of wickedness to another from lust to consent from consent to act from act to custom and from custom to hardness of heart which being brought to the perfection of it as the Great Transgression of all proves unpardonable It is a good and safe course for a Christian not to think slightly of any sin at all though never so little for lesser sins make way for greater and beginnings make way for proceedings in such persons as dare to venture upon them Take heed brethren says the Apostle lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin in Heb. 3.13 and it is good counsel for sin will harden where at any time our hearts are enclined and carried unto it yea and it will entice too and bring the sinner from snare to snare till it has quite undone him and overwhelm'd him in absolute destruction There are many people which are ready to think when they make bold with such and such evil practises as the occasions which tend unto them that they will certainly go no further Alas when they are once got into the briars they do not know how to get out or to expedite themselves but like those which run down the hill they are at the bottom before they are aware We see it again in the example of David who when he had once begun he had almost never done but was miserably perplexed Again secondly If any should perhaps by chance fall into sin at the first yet as near as they can let them not stay and abide in it still but hasten out of it as soon as may be Shall we continue in sin says the Apostle God forbid No but as those which are out of their way and perceive and know themselves to be so they get into it as soon as can be because every step which they take otherwise leads them so much the further from home than they were before Even so should it be here with us as to the ways of Godliness and Religion where we find our feet any thing to slip and turn away be careful presently to rectifie them and bring them into rights again Lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed Heb. 12.13 Again further thirdly Take heed of Relapses and falling back to sin again If sin be such a Tyrant as it is and especially a slave in sin let then those which are in any measure delivered and freed from the Tyranny of it take heed of coming within the compass and snares of it again For who being set at liberty from imprisonment or captivity or any great bondage would willingly return to it again and undergo the
but examine it in the circumstances and particulars of it So much of the first particular the thing it self in the simple proposition That he answer'd discreetly distincty intelligently prudently Now the second is Christ's Inserence upon it in the connexion of the words together When Jesus saw that he answer'd discreetly then he said Thou art not far c. Where we see that Christ's favourable censure was grounded upon the Scribe's suitable answer yet not as I hinted before upon his answer simply in the letter but in the circumstances Christ who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he heard his words so he likewise knew his affection and discerned with what mind he uttered them and accordingly does pass this verdict upon them So that we see that the Lord he hath a specialregard to this he looks not only to good words but to good principles and to good affections in the speaking of them which otherwise is no more than even the Devils themselves sometimes have attain'd at This man that which he said he did not say it meerly in course or in a piece of flattery only to close with Christ and to gain acceptance with him Sir you have spoken very learnedly only to commend the Preacher or to say as he said c. and there 's an end No but he spake out of his own judgment and sense and experience as having some feeling in his own heart and conscience of the truth of that which he spake This should teach us accordingly our selves to be in this manner affected not only to have sound understanding but likewise to have savoury spirits Our hearts inditing a good matter as well as our heads as it is in Psal 45.1 Eructantes boyling it forth of us as out of a Pot or Caldron that so out of the abundance of the heart the mouth may speak This will make us most acceptable to Christ and cause him to pass a most comfortable sentence upon us at another day of coming neer into his Kingdom Again Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God It might be also taken Prophetically and by way of Prediction not only as shewing what he was but what he should be and signifying by way of encouragement what now ere long should befall him as to the work of Grace in him But this I do not insist upon I only hint it as rather resting in that exposition of it which we have before mentioned and laid forth So much also for the Second General observable and so the whole Text. When Jesus saw that he answer'd discreetly he said unto him Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God SERMON III. LUXE 12.20 But God said unto him Thou Fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee c. This Text which I have now read unto you that you may so much the more carefully attend it it is the Word of God twice both reflexively by way of Narration as it is apt of holy Scripture and directly by mediate Examination as it is the speech of the Almighty with a worldly and covetous person It was spoken at first to a fool but wise men may learn by it and be taught a great deal from it for their own edification and comfort yea every one indeed upon the matter is so much the wiser as he hath the more learnt that lesson pointed out to us in these words wherein we have God's warning and awakening to look after that which is a business of the greatest consequence and importance in all the world the Salvation of our own precious and immortal Souls The History is Parabolical and doth necessarily imply no more than the possibility of that which is related but we conceive of it so for the present as done in reality And in the words themselves there are four parts IN the Text it self there are these four parts especially observable First The Introductory Preface But God said unto him Secondly The disgraceful Compellation Thou Fool. Thirdly The threatning Tidings This night thy Soul shall be required of thee Fourthly The Expostulatory Inference And then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided We begin with the first The Introductory Preface But God said unto him It was no great honour to this man simply consider'd that God vouchsafed to speak to him for so he did to his enemy Satan God's speaking to his children is very sweet and full of delight but to his adversaries its full of terrour Speak Lord saies Samuel for thy servant heareth Let not God speak to us say the Israelites lest we die There 's the speaking of love and familiarity and there 's the speaking of anger and dislike and such was this here in the Text It was an hard and an heavy speaking a word of cold comfort which God here administers to him and that we have further exhibited in the Discretive Conjunction 5 but it mars all and carries with it for further aggravation a double Emphasis First an Emphasis of Interruption And secondly an Emphasis of Opposition God spake to him and God spake to him at the same time when he spake to himself there 's God interrupting him and God spake to him and God spake to him contrary to that which he spake to himself there 's God opposing him First God interrupts him he speaks to him whiles he is speaking to himself This man was talking to himself as fools use to do and God comes in and disturbes him How it was that God did it it is not agreed upon by all Interpreters do a little vary concerning this speaking some understand it to be a speaking no more but by way of intention not as if God did express himself any way unto him but only did resolve about him A meer simple efficacious determination and appointment in his own Divine counsel concerning the state and condition of this person without any intimation given unto the person himself others understand it practically that here by God's speaking we are to understand some dangerous disease which was already begun upon the body of this rich man which was to him as the messenger of death and bespake death unto him and indeed every disease if it be thought on is a speaking from God and accordingly we shall hear it A third sort would have it to be understood by way of express signification but then they are divided in the name of it Some by the ministry of an Angel others by the mediation of a Prophet others which is most probable and whereunto I rather incline by a secret application to the conscience although I must tell ye I do very well also approve of that interpretation which makes it practical There was somewhat which God did externally in the way of his providence by inflicting some sickness or the like and occasionally from hence he spake more close to the conscience Thus God spake in the Text he opened the man's understanding to see the folly of his imaginations as also
speak of they provide not for the supplies of nature but rather for the supplies of lust nor yet for the superfluities of encouragement but rather for the superfluities of sin This is another piece of folly agreeable to them It 's a wonderful weakness in any when their care and endeavour and prosecution is too high above the thing for the Soul of man being a noble and excellent creature and of a sublime and heavenly nature the strength and intention of it should run out in things proportionable and which keep a correspondency with it self for a man to be serious and intent and earnest in re levi in a sleight and trivial business it 's an argument of a trivial mind it shews that the soul is not rais'd to that magnanimity whereunto it should be Why this is now the folly of all carnal minded persons they spend their labour in vain they trifle at business and they weary and turmoil themselves at play The Application of this to our selves may be to teach us to take heed of being any of this number whom God shall call fool For now that we have spoken concerning this Fool in the Gospel there is a great Question behind whether there be any more of them or no in the world For perhaps this is like him whom the Preacher speaks of in Ecclesiastes Eccles 4.8 There is one and there is not another Or it may be this is such a fool as Solomon was a wise man that there was never the like since him It may chance the whole kind of them was confined to this individual And what shall we say then Indeed this is the great business which we have such adoe to perswade men of and to bring their hearts to believe for they when they hear this story concerning this worldly rich man here in the Text are ready to speak more seriously than Job did of his friends wisdom no doubt but this is the fool and folly is dead with him But they have foolishness as well as he and are not inferiour to him yea who knows not such things as these This is the misery of all that Stulti plena sunt omnium we cannot stir out of doors but we continually meet with such mad men and fools as this men that neglect grace and happiness and salvation and communion with God and prefer trifles and bables and rattles before the eternal peace and welfare of their own precious and immortal souls I beseech ye suffer me to awaken you a little in this business and that from the consideration of that ignominy and reproach which lies upon it The name of a fool it is that which every one shuns and would by no means have cast upon him Though men do not care to be esteemed extraordinary wise yet they would not be counted fools this is a matte of the greatest and highest reproach Well if men would not be thought so let them be careful then not to be so And if we would not have the name let us take heed of that which may deserve it what 's that which deserves it I have told you all this while already This immoderate pursuit of the world and this carelesness and neglect of Heaven it is the greatest folly imaginable And remember still this which I intimated to you before that God himself reckons it folly which is the greatest prejudice of all Men they may commend it and men they may applaud it and men they may admire it as it is in Psal 49. v. 16. Men will praise thee when thou doest well to thy self That is when thou doest well to thy self in a carnal way no more but so then men will praise thee that is carnal and worldly men as thou thy self art Yea but what saies the Lord to all this This is a thing to be regarded It was the speech of our Saviour to the Pharisees in Luke 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God And also it is the saying of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 10.18 It is not he that commendeth himself who is approved but he whom the Lord commendeth It is he alone which is approved Well men may haply please themselves with their own imaginations and conceits but when all 's done I believe he 'l be the grand fool which is a fool in God's account and that 's wisdom indeed which is wisdom in his esteem who is wisdom it self Religion 's beyond the censure of man's day Blessed be God that whatever the world counts of holiness it has yet approbation from him and whatever he thinks of earthliness it 's folly in his eyes It 's no matter what men reckon of us it 's no matter what we reckon of our selves let us approve our consciences to the Lord let us labour to be wise to salvation to apprehend the devices of Satan to faddom the depths and subtilties of our own sinful hearts Here is the mind which has wisdom Every wise man is ambitious still of the liking and of the good opinion of the wisest to be thought well of by them and should not we then especially study to be in favour and liking and acceptance with the only wise God Now alas what does he principally esteem of us for not for having so much wealth or learning or wit or birth or the like but having so much grace not for being rich to the world but for being rich to him and therefore should this be our principal endeavour This point as it should take upon all so especially upon men of learning and parts and a more noble and generous education There 's none should so contemn the world as those who have that about them which the world cannot bestow And there 's none should have more care of their souls than those whose souls are indued with a more excellent qualification Godliness it does well every where but especially in great parts and high places and ingenuous spirits because these have greater opportunities and may do a great deal more good or hurt with them and consequently receive either the greater condemnation or glory The wiser men are in a natural way the wiser they should be in a spiritual and the wiser men are for the world the wiser they should be for Heaven and their own everlasting happiness or else they do not sute and consist with themselves The Preacher in Ecclesiastes 10.1 speaking of wisdom and folly has this comparison That as dead Flies cause the ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour A little folly it 's a disparagement to a wise man because as it is best agreeable so it is most discerned and discovered and taken notice of And if a little folly be so disgraceful what is then a great deal what is the greatest of all
and over-whelm'd in her business and domestical distractions that she wanted a little quickening and exciting and stirring up that so she might the better heed and give care to that which was spoken and this Christ is not wanting in to her Whence by the way we may observe thus much That in our teaching and admonishing of others we must apply our selves carefully to the temper and disposition of their spirits Those which are more tender and apprehensive they will need less stirring and provoking Those which are more heedless and negligent and minding of other things as Martha here was they need a little rouzing and awakening and stirring up like those which are fast a-sleep Martha Martha This the Apostle Jude presses to Jude ep 22.23 And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire i. e. in great haste And the ground hereof is this because the manner and carriage of the business has a very great influence and efficacy upon the success of the thing it self Our counsel and admonition does so far forth prevail or miscarry as we in the administration of it have a respect to the condition of the parties we deal withal That wind which would but cherish some fruits it would nip and blast others And those expressions which would quite deject and discourage some kind of spirits for others are no more but necessary which they cannot well miss or be without This should therefore very much guide us and sway us in this particular But to come closer to the Text it self Martha Martha c. Here are two things briefly observable and considerable of us First his reprehension it self which he does here exhibit to her He does here gently check her And Secondly the ground and cause of it thou art cumbred c. First Here 's the reprehension it self he checks and reproves Martha and thus it may be amplified to us according to a various and different apprehension and notion in which we may here look upon her and that especially three-fold First as she was a good and godly woman And Secondly as she was a kind and friendly woman Thirdly as a woman beloved First She was good and yet Christ reproves her and checks her where she was now amiss Martha c. Though she failed in this particular yet she was otherwise a godly woman as well as her Sister Mary perhaps not inferior to her in that particular But though she was godly yet she was not to be let alone in her miscarriage Whence we note that even those which are good are to be reproved when they do that which is evil Thus it was here in the Text and thus also in other places Peter a good man yet Christ reprov'd him when he did that which was faulty and call'd him Satan Matth. 16. verse 23. Get thee behind me Satan for thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but the things that be of men c. And so Paul reprov'd him also because he was to be blamed Gal. 2.4 And so David a good man but the Prophet Nathan came and told him his own when he fell into sin c. And so Sarah a good woman but she was reproved as we read when she had offended and many such like instances besides And good reason for it For First The goodness of the person does not change the nature of the action Sin is no better than sin whosoever they be that commit it Evil and corrupt acts they cast a blemish upon the person but good and holy persons do not take off a tainture from these acts There 's a deep dye and stain in sin which pollutes and defiles and mars all that comes near it and which have any thing to do with it and it is the same where-ever it is found though in the best and holiest person that is which does not change the nature of it Secondly The goodness of the person sometimes makes the action worse The better any man is the worse is sin when it comes and proceeds from him It 's worse in regard of its appearance as carrying a greater ugliness and deformity in it like a spot in a fair face And it 's worse in regard of its influence as doing more hurt abroad and mischief to other men Good men are the rather to be reprov'd that others may not become the worse for their sakes Thirdly Those which are good may be better and this is a means so to make them therefore the rather to be reproved in this regard Wise and seasonable reprehension is a means which God has sanctified and appointed for this purpose let us take it from the mouth of a good man himself David in Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me and it shall be an excellent oil which shall not break my head c. Thus then it shews the weakness of those which except against the just reprehensions of such as these as now in these days we live in We have many good people in the World that is which are so in the general and which there is cause to hope well of which yet abound with many strange humors and extravagancies and also sometimes even in order to Religion it self which they are given over to What! shall these now be let alone and have nothing at all said to them but to run on in such kind of ways Soft not so by no means There is a just and due censure and reproof which belongs unto them All that good people do is not a piece of goodness in them which accordingly they ought to suffer that so corruption may not proceed in them nor proceed from them And it is a piece of love to do it as it should be Peter was more reproved than Judas by Christ himself Indeed in the reproof of good persons there are some cautions which are sit to be observed First That we be sure to reprove them for that which is evil and no other we must take heed of censuring them for goodness This Eli did to Hannah 1 Sam. 1.14 Secondly we must do it with another kind of spirit than those which are commonly profane persons looking upon them as Brethren and Sisters in Christ Thirdly So order the business as neer as we can that our reproof of good persons may not reflect upon goodness it self And so much for that notion Martha consider'd as a good woman Secondly We may look upon her as a friendly woman She was one that entertain'd Christ took him into her house made much of him was very careful of him and respectful towards him yet for all this he checks her and reproves her there where she was in fault Whence we note that the receiving of courtesies from any persons does not discharge us from our duty towards them where by our place and occasions we are call'd to the
in Martha was as a mis-apprehension of Christ so a misplacing of her own affections She look'd after that which was but trivial and nothing to speak of the providing of her fâ—â—st c. and neglected the main chance of all which was the word of Christ This is intimated in this expression Thou art careful and troubled about many things where that which expresses many things is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ordinary and common and vulgar things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So if we please we may render it and very suitable to the scope of the place And here we learn thus much that it is a great fault in Christians and those who are professors of Religion to have their minds and thoughts taken up about slight and trivial matters Coloss 3. verse 2. Set your affection on things above and not on things on the earth And it is a character of evil persons that they are minding of earthly things Phil. 3.29 And Matth. 13.22 He is condemned in the thorny ground that the care of this World and the deceitfulness of riches choaked the word that it became unfruitful This minding of such things is very unfitting in these respects First In regard of the unsuitableness of these things to their minds they are things below a Christian's spirit It is true that so far forth as we are men and consist of slesh and blood as others do so far forth we have need of those things which do tend to the sustenance and preservation of this our natural life and so far forth they may also in good sort and in a degree be tended by us but take them simply in themselves and they are exceedingly inferior and below a Christian's spirit there 's no agreement or correspondency betwixt them Take an heart which is sanctified by Grace sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ has the Spirit of God dwelling in it and how far are these outward things inferior to it as much and a great deal more than the sports and pastimes of children are to the thoughts of grown and grave men Secondly Because they have better and other things to take their minds up If Christians had nothing else to think of they might be perhaps excused for being so busy and careful about these because the mind of man must have somewhat to exercise and employ it self in But now there are other matters of greater and higher consequence and of better concernment There 's God and Christ and Grace and Glory to be revealed There 's one thing which is necessary which makes these many things which are superfluous to be out of date This was the fault here of Martha in the Text that she was so taken up in these trifles when she had the word of Christ to be exercised in That 's another thing which makes them unfitting Thirdly Because they little conduce to that end to which themselves are appointed Every wise man has his eye still upon his end and that scope which he propounds to himself to have a care of that Now what are all these things to that any further than as so many encouragements to carry us chearfully through our way Our main end is a better life and to be fitted and prepared for that And therefore accordingly our thoughts and affections should be pitcht on such things as do most conduce hereunto other matters are little to the purpose and sometimes do very much lead another way Ye cannot serve two Masters God and Mammon both He that will love the one must forsake the other And we see here again in the Text that Martha whiles she looked after many things she was so much the more remiss about one and that which of all other could least and worst be neglected Thus we see upon what grounds it is blameable in Christians to be intent upon trivial things This therefore justly meets with the distemper of many Christians in this particular whose thoughts are too much taken up about the world and the things thereof It is true that God does both allow and command us a moderate regard of these things as we intimated before but that these should have our hearts and affections this is that which he takes very ill from us and it is justly taxable in us when-ever it is so that these poor and empty things should possess us and have the mastery of us that Martha a godly woman and one that profest Religion that she should now be thus taken up was very irregular And so is it also for any other Christians besides and a dishonour upon Christianity it self therefore it deserved a chiding and a very tart and sharp one too as here it found from Christ for there was more in these words than is exprest there 's an Emphasis in the very naming an recital of them which Christ contents himself here withal in his dealing with Martha He does not give her any harsh language and tell her she is thus and thus that she is a worldling or a muck-worm or so only names her sin to her which was enough to an ingenious spirit Thou art careful and troubled about many things And this indeed shewed the greatness and heinousness of the offence That 's a great miscarriage indeed which the naming of it is enough to reprove And so was this here in the Text. And that 's the Second the misplacing of her affections about many things c. The Third and last thing which Christ seems here to tax in Martha is her sollicitude and distraction of spirit and excess in this business Here were two faults involved in one and so we 'll take them together First here was her excess and superfluity in the word many things as it is a note of variety And Secondly here was her perplexity and distraction in the word troubled First Here was her excess and superfluity in the word many things as a note of variety Christ did not find fault with her hospitality but she was too curious and superfluous in it From whence we may note thus much That we may over-do there where it would be a fault not to do at all we may do more than we need to do and we may do more than we should do where we should sin except we did somewhat Yea further we are apt and prone hereunto take notice of that We are very ready and subject to over-shoot our selves in things lawful and necessary and to go beyond our bounds in them licitis perimus omnes we are all undone by lawful things as by apparel by meats and drinks by traffick and commerce those things which are indulged to us and which we cannot well be without yet we sin oftentimes in the enjoyment and use of them The ground hereof is First of all The general corruption of our nature which taints the best things in us To the pure all things are pure but to them which are defiled is nothing pure c. says the
the name for good understandings now we see here how they may do so and indeed attain hereunto which is by walking in such ways as are good and which tend to everlasting life and salvation This is the great wisdom of all and most to be looked after Who is wise and he shall understand these things Prudent and he shall know them Hos 14.9 Men commonly think it a part of wisdom in them to choose such ways as are best for the world but that 's wisdom in good earnest to choose such ways as are best for Heaven and as may serve to bring a man thither Secondly It is an argument also of a gracious and savoury spirit Men choose commonly according to their affections and there 's much of their spirit in those things which they fasten upon we may see what 's within them and what principles they are acted by according to that which they make choice of A spiritual heart is most affected with spiritual objects and places its greatest delight and contentment in such things as these Thirdly It is an argument of some courage and self-denial and resolution of mind For the better part it is not commonly without opposition and resistance in the world there will still be some or other that will malign it and set themselves against it There 's hardly any man that can make choice of goodness but he shall be sure to have enemies enough for it They that hate me says David are many in number because I do the thing that good is Psal 38.20 Now therefore to make choice of it in such circumstances it argues some kind of boldness and spirit and courageousness in it Lastly It is also an argument of an elect and chosen Vessel It is a sign that God has chosen us when we choose him and such ways as these which are good and pleasing to him For there where God elects he qualifies where he makes choice of any person he does withal confer a disposition suitable and agreeable to such a choice This is that therefore which we should labour and endeavour after and be still careful of to put it in practice In every thing whereunto we apply our selves still to choose that which is best to close with the best persons to cleave to the best causes to take up the best opinions to take the best courses and ways that possibly we can that by so doing we may approve our selves the better to Christ It is the disposition of many people in the world that if there be any way worse than other they 'l be sure to make choice of that and to make it their own Now what a fondness and madness is this we see in other matters for the world how careful men are what they are able to make the best choice that may be and there 's nothing good enough for them so exact and curious are they And how much rather should they then choose the best in spiritual matters The way hereunto is first of all To beg direction of God himself for the guiding of us Alas we are but fools of our selves without his Spirit to teach us and therefore we must have recourse to him Thus the Prophet David for himself Psal 143.8 9. Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning for in thee do I trust Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee And again Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God Thy Spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Thus the Apostle Paul prays for the Ephesians that God would give them the spirit of revelation cap. 1. ver 17. And for the Philippians That they might abound in all judgment cap. 1. ver 9. And for the Colossians That they might be fill'd with the knowledg of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding Secondly We must also seriously weigh and compare one thing with another Good election it proceeds from good deliberation Eccles 7.27 Behold this have I found saith the Preacher counting one by one to find out the account or as some expound and read the words weighing one thing after another to find out the reason If we would choose those things that are best we must not take them in their simple proposition or have a slight and superficial view of them but examine them and dive into them and consider them in all their circumstances Thirdly Take in the advice and experience of well-grounded and experienced Christians to help us We see how men do in other matters where they have no skill or very little in such and such Commodities themselves they will take with them those that have to choose for them and so should they learn to do here It is a good rule in doubtful matters to advise with the generation of God's children which in all likelihood should know what is best and be able best to guess at it Quilibet in Arte sua credendus est Lastly To labour to be acquainted with the power of Religion our selves Those things men best choose which they are best verst in A Trades man in his own Commodities and Mysteries and so likewise a Christian And this is the first observation That it is the commendation of a Christian to make choice of such ways as are best and most approvable to Christ as Mary here did The Second is this That we are then good to purpose when we are good upon right Principles namely of judgment and consideration in us when it may be said of us as it was here said of Mary that we have chosen the better part Religion it is a matter of election it is not a business of chance but a business of choice There are many persons sometimes in the world who do not so much choose Religion as rather Religion chooses them and they stumble upon it before they are aware But this should not be sufficient for us neither should we content our selves with it but labour rather to set our selves to it upon due grounds and motives upon us Thus David concerning himself Psal 119.30 I have chosen the way of truth thy Judgments have I laid before me I have stuck unto thy Testimonies c. Beloved It is true indeed it is a great advantage to have gracious opportunities of goodness afforded unto us and we are to acknowledg God's Providence in them and to bless him for them good counsel good example good education good company and the like But yet we are not to rest our selves in these but to have somewhat further to act us We are not to be carried only by others principles but by principles of our own not only to take the better part but to choose the better part that is to take it out of a liking of it and out of an affection to it at least to do so at last and before we have done Indeed I do not deny but those helps which I mention'd before may
was this that his Servant Job was a perfect and upright man one that feared God and eschewed evil and still held fast his integrity It was le-balgno chinnam To swallow him up without cause and therefore it was that he could not perswade him to it We should all endeavour that it may be so with us That though God may always find cause himself to destroy us and swallow us up yet that Satan may never find cause to provoke him and perswade him thereto from careless and uneven walking and conversing before him And that may be the first thing considerable in this expression of desire viz. Satan's restraint He was limited and confined by God whose leave must first be ask'd in this particular Secondly As here 's Satan's restraint so moreover his malice and boldness of attempt Magnis tamen excidit â—usis He ventures high Two things there are that do commonly encourage men in asking and in putting up their requests the acceptableness of the thing ask'd and the acceptableness of the person that asks it neither of these are here in Satan in asking of God his children and therefore a bold request It is not only a bare and single desire but this desire drawn out into a Prayer which is somewhat more Even Satan himself prays take notice of that So sometimes may those also which are Instruments of Satan as to the outward action and substance of the performance But what kind of prayer is it and what does it tend unto That he may have Peter and the rest of the Apostles and do what he pleaseth with them He desires of God that he would give up these his Servants into his power This was a very insolent request As if a man should ask leave of a Father that he might cut his child's throat Such was this desire here of Satan So it was also there concerning Job Thou movedst me against him Job 2.3 This I say was a very great boldness yet such as was in Satan towards God in regard of Job as here in regard of Peter and the rest One may desire that which he is loth to signify that he desires Many an one desires that which he is ashamed to ask And many an one desires that which he scorns to ask especially if he must ask it of an enemy And yet thus does Satan here of God He asks his servants of him This is a sign he has a good mind to you and it should teach us the more to look to our selves and to overcome desires with desires impudence with prayers How much more reason and encouragement have God's children to pray to God for themselves than Satan to pray against them But so much also for this Before we proceed any further we may here take notice of one thing more which is The word of attention Behold This is ordinary and frequent in Scripture by way of Preface and Introduction But here as I conceive it hath some further Emphasis with it which is to excite and awaken Peter and to make him the more look about him in his present condition And there are these things observable from it First here is implyed Peter's ignorance and present unadvisedness He was not aware of this attempt of Satan So is it likewise with many others of God's servants Satan does secretly lay siege unto their souls and they do not discern it It is a great piece of skill to know indeed when we are tempted and to be apprehensive that we are under a temptation There are a great many persons which are so which yet do not perceive it nay there are many which think the quite contrary which are very secure in this particular and so secure as that they take and interpret Satan's temptations even for the motions of God himself This is a very dangerous condition and such as these have need to be admonished and warned most of all and therefore here Behold Secondly We see here also the love of Christ who helps our ignorance in this particular and advises us where we are less regardful This as he did then by word of mouth so as I said before he does still likewise by his Spirit in our hearts if we will but hearken and listen to him in those suggestions Thirdly Here 's also as sometimes the eminency and conspicuousness of the temptation It is such as is very obnoxious and open to all mens eyes so that one may easily see and behold it if they will but give heed unto it But so much also for that It is a sign he hath a mind to you and some hope of you or else he would never do as he does To come now to the object it self of this desire To have you he hath desired this this is I say very pertinently added to make up the fulness of the sense and accordingly we may take notice of it There are two sorts of Satan's temptations and so answerably there 's a double having of them which may be here understood by us First there are temptations to sin And Secondly there are temptations for sin and both here included And so to have you two manner of ways To have you to corrupt you To have you to afflict you First To have you to corrupt you Satan has desired this To have you so to have interest in you to have influece upon you to have service from you Satan has much wish'd for this To have you that is to have you for his turn This is that which as near as he could he would obtain of the servants of Christ he would have them out of the hands of Christ in his own enjoyment and possession This is that which he would fain have if he might have what he desired It is not that he would have your estates or your liberties or your lives only No but he would have your selves and he would have your souls He would have you and the best part of you He would have you and all of you at his command You and you indefinitely that is every one of you one as well as another And you and you extensively that is you in every part of you your whole soul and body and spirit There is nothing which God has of you but Satan would have of you too He would corrupt and defile your whole man This may serve as a very good item and caution to the servants of God in regard of the temptations of Satan and their own yieldings to them to be well advised and consider of them The Devil in the baits which he lays whereby to catch and insnare poor souls he makes them often to believe as if he were very modest in his requests and demands of them only that they should do such and such actions for such a particular time and that 's all that he would ask of them Nay but that 's not all which will content him he desires to have them themselves with the whole bent and inclination of their souls
that he would be mindful and careful of it even to recover and convert himself Thus we shall find this word used in another place likewise of the Gospel as Matth. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven He speaks it to his Disciples who in the first sense were converted already being regenerate persons This distinction is necessary to be premised for the prevention of a mistake For as to Conversion in the former sense so it is not within the compass of our own power any further than the use of means A man that is in the state of Nature cannot convert himself to the state of Grace no more than a man that is dead in his grave can raise himself to a state of natural life But as to Conversion in the latter sense so in some sort we have power unto it A man that 's already regenerate and converted he may stir up the Grace of God in him and so revive and recover himself from some spiritual deadness which was upon him And this is the Self-Conversion which is here call'd for in this present Text. Now the Phrase being thus explain'd unto us we come to the thing it self which is this That it is the duty of every Christian when temptation is upon him thus to convert himself that is as soon as may be to return and to come home to God again from whom he has declined There were two friendly Offices which our Blessed Saviour did here for Peter in the course of this Scripture The one was to forewarn him of the evil which hereafter would happen unto him upon Satan's tempting of him The other was to counsel him for his carriage and behaviour and demeanour of himself when this evil did indeed befall him and that was not long to lye in it but as soon as could be to free himself from it which is the duty of all other besides This it is upon these considerations First because so long as a man is in this sense unconverted he is in the disfavour and displeasure of God A Christian whiles he lies under the power of any temptation he is at a distance from God himself and cannot enjoy that freedom of communion with him I do not say that God and he are enemies as it is with a man who is in the state of unregeneracy and absolute unconversion but there is an over-clouding of friendship betwixt them There is not that sweet complacency and contentment of one in another Thus it was with the Prophet David whiles he was as yet unconverted to God and not reduced by timely repentance he had no joy nor comfort in God but for the time was as one which had no Grace in him at all And so accordingly we shall find him to express himself discoursing about it Psal 51 10 c. Create a clean heart in me O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence c. And ver 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Secondly Great untowardness and indisposition to that which is good As a man that is very sick he is unfit for work and business so a man that is sick spiritually he is not so fit to serve God acceptably in the place wherein God has set him Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joynt not only painful but useless he is not ready to every good work as it becomes him Thirdly Further improvement in sin and eagerness after it So long as a man abides in his sin he contracts more sinfulness to him and is more hardened and confirmed in it through the deceitfulness of it As a man that is out of his way the more he goes on the further he goes out till he return again Even so it is with a man which is drawn away by temptation into any miscarriage the longer he stays and continues in it without amendment so much the worse will it prove to be with him in this respect These and the like considerations being all of them laid together do shew how far it concerns those which are fallen to return and to recover themselves as soon as they can Therefore let us make this Use of it as we have occasion for it according to that counsel of the Apostle in Heb. 12.13 Make strait paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed Those which are perverted by temptation they should take the first opportunity for returning and converting themselves as our Saviour here advises This is done three ways especially First by the preserving of a softness and sensibleness of spirit in us That man who will quickly return into ways of goodness must quickly spy ways of miscarriage It is a great advantage to this purpose to keep conscience in a tender frame those who have wide swallows and can down with any miscarriage without any chewing and those who have brawny shins that can endure any kind of striking without any starting they are not so quickly or easily recovered but for others they are easily reduced which therefore we should be careful of We find it much in David's heart it still smote him and upbraided him upon every occasion which was very useful to him Secondly By often reflexion and calling of our selves to an account That man that still goes on in his way and never minds whether he be in or out he may lose himself irrecoverably but he that often asks and enquires and considers he is the sooner reduced Even so it is also in these spiritual things By re-collection we convert our selves Thirdly After discovery by repentance and humiliation when we labour to set home sin upon us and aggravate and charge it upon our selves this does the better free us from it and bring us into a right path again Thus did Peter upon the look of our Saviour He went out and wept bitterly as the Text says of him This it mollifies and softens the heart and makes it pliable to any gracious impression which afterwards shall be fasten'd upon it And this is that which the servants of God are careful for their own particulars to do with themselves Which shews us by the way the difference betwixt the servants of God and other men As for wicked and ungodly persons when they are once overtaken with temptations they proceed still further in it and it gains and gets ground upon them Evil men grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 But the godly they do rather reform and recover themselves Thus much of the words in the second sense as they have in them the force of a Command or intimation of a Duty And so much also of the First General Part of the Text The Qualification When c. The Second is the Improvement in these words Strengthen thy c. Which words
lose nothing by such improvements as these are but gain by them rather and they return upon us with so much the greater advantage that so we may be encouraged thereunto in the practice of them This Oyl it encreases in the spending and this Bread in the breaking of it And to him that thus hath it shall be given We should therefore be perswaded to put this duty in practice upon all occasions God has made and appointed us for the good one of another and not only for our selves therefore as we have any thing our selves we should mind one anothers good in it As the Ministerial official parts of the body The heart and liver and stomach they do not only receive nourishment for themselves but for the whole body So should we which are Christians in spiritual things As the Heavens what light and influence they have in themselves they bestow upon the earth even so should we do to those which are below us especially in these places of society We see how active evil men are in that which is evil Those which are themselves perverted they 'll be sure to pervert their Brethren and make others as bad or perhaps a great deal worse than themselves And why should not we then do the contrary in matters of goodness What a shame is it for the children of this world to be in this sense also wiser in their generation than the children of light Oh! let us cast off this sluggishness and remisness from us let us make it our business to make others partakers of the same Grace and comfort with our selves This is done divers ways as First by discovering and laying open the flights of sin and the subtilties of the spiritual enemy The reason why many miscarry and are surprized with spiritual evils is because they are not aware of the danger which is incident to them and which themselves are subject unto They are apt to think that there is no such great hazard in such ways as are undertaken by them as indeed there is Now here it concerns us being our selves converted to admonish them and warn them of it Peter who had now unadvisedly gone into the High Priest's Hall and mingled himself with the evil company which he met withal there in that place he was better fitted to advise others to take heed of such kind of temptations Exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 Secondly By quickening and exciting and stirring up one another to good we do hereby strengthen our Brethren There 's nothing does more strengthen men in goodness than the practice of goodness And there is nothing which does more promote and advance this practice in them than the quickening and exciting of them Therefore it is the Apostle's Exhortation in Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works We should be putting one another upon good as much as we can and thereby settle them in it yea we should encourage them and hearten them in it by convincing them of the great good and advantage which comes by it This is a means to confirm and strengthen them What strengthens men at any time in evil why it is the apprehension of little hurt in it and as they conceit a great deal of contentment The same would also confirm men in good if it were truly and really understood which we should therefore labour and endeavour to assure them and perswade them of and to fasten upon them Thirdly By imparting and communicating of our own Experiences we do hereby likewise strengthen our Brethren when we shall shew them what good we our selves have found by such and such good courses This is a means not onely to draw on but to confirm others with us And so when we shall shew what comfort we have felt in such and such like cases our selves this is a means to comfort our Brethren and to give satisfaction to them Therefore we shall find the Prophet David to be mindful of this practise in Psal 66.16 Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul As persons which are themselves recovered of such and such a sickness or distemper they are apt to tell what has done them good and thereby to refresh their Neighbours which are exercised with the like infirmities Even so should it be also with Christians in their spiritual conditions In case of temptation to sin I have found benefit by such a word of Command which has restrain'd me from it And in case of temptation for sin I have found benefit by such a word of Promise which has comforted me in it When I have been ready almost to sink in my self an to faint under such an affliction such a Divine Truth or such a Divine Attribute has been a Cordial and a Relief unto me and kept me up When Christians do thus mutually impart and communicate their Experiments to each other they do hereby wonderfully establish and confirm each other in good whether as to point of Grace or of Comfort And then further Not onely by imparting but by comparing these Experiences together one with another I was just in such a case my self and found these workings in me as you have done for your particulaâ— Why this is now a great Confirmation It appears from hence that Religion is no matter of meer fancy or imagination but has a Truth and Reality in it because it is thus uniform and consistent to it self as it is in one man as well as another Thus we see what ways those which are themselves converted may strengthen their Brethren To help us and enable us hereunto we must labour especially for such Graces as are conducing to the practise of it As first A Spirit of Discerning whereby to judge aright of the case and condition which our Brethren are in It is a great part of skill in a Physician to be able to find out the Disease and to know the just temper and constitution of his Patients Body and so is it also for an Healer of Souls All kinds of Remedies are not to be used to all kind of Persons some have need of one kind of help and others have need of another which is a piece of spiritual wisdom and prudence in our selves to be able to discover There is a word in season which must be spoken to the weary Soul or else it will do no good Isa 50.4 Secondly A spirit of love and tenderness and condescention There is a great deal of meekness required in a Spiritual Strengthner and Restorer Gal. 6.2 Restore with the spirit of meekness Men which are rough and austere and which stand too much upon their own terms they 'll never do good to others No there must be a yielding and bearing and pitying in such works and ways as those are There must be a putting on of the
the state of a regenerate person which is here illustrated and set forth unto us by a lively comparison or similitude taken from the Winde And that in three Particulars which may serve to make up unto us the parts of this Text. First from the quality of its motion Secondly from the sensibleness of its effects And Thirdly from the intricacy and mysteriousness of its proceeding The quality of its motion that we have in these words The winde bloweth where it listeth The sensibleness of its effects that we have in these Thou hearest the sound thereof The intricacy or mysteriousness of its proceeding in these But knowest not c. We begin in order with the First of these Parts viz. The quality of the motion The winde bloweth where it listeth Some by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated the winde understand the Spirit of God in the first sense and so render it But we are rather to take it in the analogy according to our own English Translation First the Winde and then the Spirit of God as compared and likened unto it Look as it happens in the blowings of the winde so it falls out in the breathings of the Spirit where whiles it is said that it bloweth where it listeth there are three things further implyed in it First the indefiniteness of it it is not limited Secondly the freeness of it it is not engaged Thirdly the efficacy or irresistibility of it it is not hindered First Whiles it is said of the winde that it bloweth where it listeth there is hereby signified to us the indefiniteness of it in its motions that it is not determined or limited in them no more it is not The Winde it blows where and when it pleases sometimes out of one corner of the world sometimes out of another Sometimes in the East and sometimes in the West and sometimes in the North and sometimes in the South There 's no certain place for the Winde which it is tied and restrained unto but it is indifferently inclinable unto any Sometimes it rises and sometimes again it lies still it is indefinite in all respects And as it is thus with the Winde so it is thus also with the Spirit of God which is thus far here compared unto it It is indefinite and undetermined in its Applications Thus it is in regard of Nations and thus it is in regard of Persons In regard of the means of Grace which it affords And in regard of its blessing of those means which are afforded Take it in regard of Nations And this winde of the Spirit it blows where it lists here as not limited to any particular either for place or time neither where nor how long it shall do so but all is still within the compass of his own will and good pleasure Thus in Acts 16.6 It is said of the Apostles that when they had gone through-out Phrygia and the region of Galatia they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia And again in the seventh verse of the same Chapter After they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bythinia and the Spirit suffered them not to Preach in those places either by some express prohibition of them or by withholding of his assistance from them And that at such a time as when in other places they had more liberty and freedom The winde it serv'd them for one way when it did not serve them for another We may see this if we compare the Eastern Churches and Western together The time was when this Winde it blew more Easternly witness those famous Churches of Asia in the Apostle St. John's time which are made mention of in the Book of the Revelation they did for a time enjoy the Preaching of the Gospel in a plentiful and glorious manner whereas now they are altogether defaced and under the power of Mahometism and Turkish Tyranny Again on the other side the Winde is now come into the West and the Gospel is Preached in these parts which are more remote from the other Thus it is indifferent in regard of Nations sometimes vouchsafed to one people and sometimes vouchsafed to another though never so opposite And so as for Nations so for Persons it is unlimited here likewise God's Spirit is not always confined or determined to them He may deal with them at one time and at another time withdraw from them move in their hearts now and for hereafter be for ever silent to them and never more apply himself to them It is that which he often-times does and which many persons have the experience of in their own particulars who sometimes have gracious stirrings and excitements of them to good which at another time they may be deprived of and have no such thing in them The proper Use which we are to make of this Point is still to close with the present advantages and opportunities which are vouchsafed unto us and to take heed of the neglecting of them Be not high-minded but fear We should do in this case as it is with those who have some voyage by Sea who watch the winde when it makes for them and are careful to take hold on it so should we in this our passage to Heaven Let us not think to have the windes always at our command for we are mistaken if we think so The winde bloweth where it listeth as it is here exprest unto us And so does this winde of the Spirit and so there 's a variety and an uncertainty in it It is dangerous for any persons to neglect and especially to resist the secret and gracious motions of the Spirit whether as restraining and keeping from evils or provoking and exciting to good because it may so fall out as they may never meet with them again It is not as we list but as he lists remember that And therefore observe him and attend upon him and give heed and respect unto him all that may be It pleases God sometimes in his Providence to be more free in his dispensations than otherwise it may be occasionally from such a Sermon or such a Discourse or such a Conference more effectually to stir in the heart and to deal with such a particular person Now it is wisdom in such a case to follow it and to close with it and that upon this ground and consideration which we have now in hand as an argument and motive hereunto And that 's the first thing considerable in this motion of the winde and so consequently of the Spirit as to the quality of it Its indefiniteness that it is not limited The Second is its Freeness that it is not engaged The winde blows where it lists that is nothing moving it or enclining it thereunto but it s own proper nature and disposition And so is it also with the Spirit of God in the activity and operations thereof There 's a voluntariness and a spontaneity in it what he does in this respect he
does it freely and willingly and of his own accord without any thing in us either to move him or mind him of it or to perswade him and engage him to it There 's nothing so free as Grace in the Collations and Distributions of it It is bestowed without any worth or Dignity in us at all to Promerit it This may appear if we shall consider but the Persons upon whom it is bestowed who are often times such as have nothing in them tending hereunto whether we take it as to worldly qualifications or else to moral It is very free in either Consideration As to worldly Qualifications first of all the Aposte Paul has here informed us how that not many wise men after the Flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise c. And Secondly as for moral Qualifications God sometimes makes choice of such as are the greatest Sinners where he passes by some other Persons of greater Civility Matthew the Publican Mary Magdalen the Harlot Saul the Persecutor the Barbarian Jaylor That Gods Spirit should blow upon these whiles it blew over others which were better what does this speak unto us but that it bloweth there where it listeth Into what can we possibly resolve it but into the will and good pleasure of God! Look what St. Paul says sometimes of the common gifts the same may we say also of the sanctifying But all these worketh that one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 And again Vnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gist of Christ Whatever Grace any man partakes of he has it purely from the Spirit of God who of his own accord bestows it upon them And therefore it is said in 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God All we have it is of free grace and it is freely given and conferred upon us The consideration of this point may be thus far useful to us First as it may teach us where to acknowledge all that we receive If any have more Grace than others let them see here how they came by it not by Merit but by Gift not by any thing as deserving it in themselves but from the goodness of the Spirit of Godas bestowing it upon them and therefore not to attribute it to themselves but to Him who is the Author and Giver of it as St. Paul himself gives us an example in 2 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am that I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me Secondly We have here an account of the difference and variety of Christians both from one another and from themselves we see why one Christian abounds in Grace more than another and we see also why the same Christian is better at one time than he is at another Both are from this ground in the Text because the Spirit bloweth there where it listeth And every one to this purpose should rest satisfied in this equal dispensation God may do with his own as he pleases and he pleases thus to do with it that so hereby he may shew his own liberty and freedom in this particular We are able to move no farther in good than the Spirit of God helps us so to do As ye know it was in the Vision in Ezekiel as the Spirit moved the living Creatures which were in the wheels so the wheels went when that went they went and when that stood still they stood still with it Ezek. 1.2 Even so is it here in these motions of the Soul we are so far forth more lively in regard either of Grace or Comfort as the Spirit of God is pleased to breathe and to infuse either of them into us And without Him we are able to do nothing as may be worth any thing to us Therefore thirdly Let us also make this use of it To be depending upon him for it If we cannot do any thing without his blowing and his blowing be onely there where he pleases we see what cause we have to keep in good terms with him and to do nothing which may be displeasing to him for if we lose his favour we lose his influence and his assistance which is the effect of it it is where he lists and onely there where he blows And therefore make much of him and wait upon him take heed of grieving so good and so gracious a Spirit as this is and besides who is so useful to us and necessary for us And further Fourthly let it teach us also tenderness and compassion towards others who it may be do not partake of so much grace or comfort as our selves For it is God and his Spirit who makes this difference betwixt us it is not we our selves Let us take heed of insulting too much over others weaknesses forasmuch as it is that Grace that distinguishes us and makes that difference that is betwixt us And that 's the second thing also in this motion its freeness that it is not engaged The third and last is its Efficacy or unresistableness that it is not nor cannot be hindred Whereever the Spirit of God will blow there is no standing out against it it blows where it lists that is it obtains whatsoever it endeavours Who hath resisted his will Surely none at all to any purpose Indeed corrupt Nature sometimes opposes the motions of Gods Spirit and that even Conversion in it self reluctates and strives against it but all in vain where he sets to the work Look as it is not in the power of a Child to hinder his own first birth even so it is not in the power of a sinner to hinder his own new birth where God undertakes and sets himself to it because his Spirit it does effect whatsoever he pleases Who hath gathered the wind in his fist as Agur makes the question in Prov. 30.4 Surely it is not Man but God Look as no man can hinder the wind or stop the blowings and motions thereof so neither can any man hinder the Spirit and stop the motions and influences thereof that they should not prove effectual This is a comfortable point in all contrary blasts whatsoever Satan who is the evil Spirit he has his blowings too and he oftentimes blows very hard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostom speaks but yet he does not blow where he lists nor can his blowings prevail against this blowing which we have here before us in this present Text which carries all before it and shall overturn and overthrow whatsoever stands in opposition to it It is said of Antichrist the man of sin and who is a great instrument of Satan that the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and destroy
him with the brightness of his coming And so he shall and all such persons as do adhere unto him The Spirit of Christ shall scatter the spirit of Antichrist and the wind of the Holy Spirit shall confound the wind of the evil Spirit and what ever is attempted by it This is a very comfortable point in all the assaults and temptations of Satan and his endeavours either against the Church in general or against any particular member of it Every Christian is thus far secure and in good condition as he has this Wind as I may so say for him which is sure to blow him nothing but good The Reason of it is this Because he is one that belongs to Christ and has an interest in him and so consequently has an interest in the Spirit which is the Spirit of Christ and so all the motions of it subordinate and subservient to him and disposed of according to his pleasure There are different and various winds which blow now and then both upon the Church and likewise upon the Soul but they are all ordered and regulated by him Therefore we find in the Canticles how it is Christ himself that stirs up his Spirit for the good of his Spouse Awake O North-wind and come thou South and blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out The Spirit it blows where it lists and it lists there where Christ lists too which is very satisfactory for all those that seek unto him And so I have done with the first part of the Text as to the resemblance betwixt the Spirit and the Wind in the work of Regeneration and that is the Quality of the Maker The Wind bloweth c. The Second is the Sensibleness of its effects in those words And thou hearest the sound thereof The wind it comes with a Sound and so does the Spirit of God It did so in its first coming of all when it came upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost There came suddenly a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting Acts 2.4 And so it is still to this present day in a proportion It has a sound and such as may be heard Now thus it is in a two fold consideration The one is the sound of it in the Ear and the other is the sound of it in the Conscience First There is the sound of the Spirit in the Ear and that is in the external Preaching of the Word and Ministerial Dispensation where this is performed as it should be it is no other than the sound of the Spirit and the voice of the Holy Ghost himself speaking to us Their sound is gone forth into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10.18 This is such a sound as may be heard and it is a mercy to hear it and to be made partakers of it and that in regard of the virtue and benefit which by the blessing of God is conveyed by it for Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God as the Apostle there tells us Rom. 10.17 Therefore accordingly we should prize it and esteem of it and apply our selves to it as that which is appointed for our good If we look upon Preaching onely as the work of men so there is but little in it and it may be rather matter of contempt in regard of the meanness of it But when we shall consider that it is the Ordinance of God and the voice and sound of the Spirit here 's that in it which commands our regard and attention to it And we should be glad of all opportunities which are at any time afforded unto us for the partaking of it that we may hear the sound of this wind blowing upon us That 's the first The sound in the Ear. But secondly that 's not all there is moreover the sound in the Conscience which is the main and chiefest of all This is that which comes home to the heart of a Christian for his conversion and the raising him from the death of sin under which he was held Like the voice of Christ to Lazarus when he bad him come forth of the grave This is that which is heard also by those persons whom it pleases God to vouchsafe it unto according to that of our blessed Saviour in Joh. 5.25 Verily verily I say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Thus we shall find it was with the Disciples going to Emaus Luke 24.32 They said one to another Did not our bearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and whiles he opened to us the Scripture There was a special efficacy went with his word to the hearts of his hearers And so it was with St. Peter's Converts Acts 2.37 When they heard these words they were pricked at their hearts And the Jaylor Acts 16.33 he heard not onely the sound of the wind but the sound of the Spirit and this sound of it whereof we now speak in the heart-quake as well as the earth quake which he was sensible of upon that occasion And so it has been with many more and still is they daily hear this sound made unto them they have strong and strange impressions upon their hearts and spirits to this purpose which they cannot but hear in several kinds sometimes checking them for sin and sometimes restraining them from it sometimes exciting them to good and sometimes encouraging them in it The Spirit of God in their hearts and consciences deals diversly and variously with them and it is their duty and wisdom accordingly to attend unto him They that hear thus they shall hear that is they shall hear effectually as it is intimated in the place before cited And therefore it concerns us to regard it and to give heed unto it all that possible may be There are a great many people in the world who though this sound which we now speak of in both the branches of it be continually exhibited unto them and such as may be heard yet they do not or at least will not hear it who like the deaf Adder stop their ears and will not hear the voice of the charmers charm they never so wisely as the Prophet David speaks of them in Psal 68.4 5. Now what do such as these but as much as in themselves lies hinder their own conversion and regeneration and the work of grace in their hearts which is accomplished by such ways and means as these And besides after a great indignity and disrespect to the holy Ghost himself as the Apostle Paul signifies to us in 1 Thess 4.8 He that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given us his holy Spirit Whose voice as it is sensible to be heard so it ought to be heard by us as we have occasion for it And so
belonging unto it as First of all in sorrow for sin They are ignorant and un-apprehensive of this and know not what belongs unto it Natural men they have a natural sorrow and grief for sin after a legal manner They may have great troubles and terrors of Conscience which for a while they may be exercised withal whereby they may be driven to great perplexity and desperation it self as we know it was sometimes with Judas But that Godly sorrow which St. Paul speaks of which worketh repentance to Salvation not to be repented of this is such as they knew not what it meant Sorrow for sin as it is an offence against God and so as may lead them and carry them nearer to Christ and pitch them and fasten them upon him This is such as is unknown unto them and far enough from them Secondly as for Spiritual Joy the comforts and consolations of the holy Ghost they are to seek also in these they are strangers to it and meddle not with it This is the hidden Manna and the white stone which no man knows save he that receives it The Spirit in the Witness of it is a Mystery to a carnal heart this is Honey which such persons never tasted nor had any sense or apprehensions of it They may have sometimes false joys and false comforts and false ravishments from the delusion and suggestion of Satan who is so far Gods Ape But the true joy of the Spirit of God indeed which is not onely chearing but purging not onely filling with comfort but quickning to duty and encouraging and engaging to obedience This is such as they are unacquainted with it and but ignorant of it which is a Peace and Joy above all that the World can confer Thirdly The Spirituality of holy Exercises and Duties of Piety Carnal persons they are ignorant of this likewise they can come off with some external performances as Prayer and Reading and Hearing of the Word and the like so far as they concern the outward man and as they are to be done by that but to perform them after a spiritual manner and to enjoy Communion with God himself in the performance of them this is that which is a Riddle to them and they understand not nor know not what to make of it A natural man he knows not what belongs to the Spirit of Adoption and to the going to God as to a Father in Christ He knows not what belongs to the improvements of Faith and to the getting of strength in his inward man occasionally from those Duties of Christianity which are performed by him as a man receiving strength in his body from that nourishment which is conveyed in his meat Fourthly The Exactness of Christian obedience and the inward life and power of Religion This is also a Secret and Mystery to an unregenerate spirit A natural man he may conform to some good things in Religion which carry no great difficulty in them and which do not cross him in his dearest lusts but as for others he is more weak and indisposed The Precepts of Self-denial and Mortification and Repentance and the Trade of Piety in holiness and righteousness of life and conversation these are more grievous to him Faith and Patience and Love of Enemies and forbearance of Revenge and such things as these the more refined and sublimer part of Religion as consisting in such matters as these are this is such as a carnal heart does very much stumble at and is offended with it Fifthly Perseverance and continuance in the Faith and Profession of Christianity notwithstanding all adventures In the multitude and violence of temptations in the changings and variations of Providence still to abide and remain the same and to hold out and to persist unto the end without declining or going backward or falling away This is that also which a natural man understands not but is much to seek and very ignorant about it It may be when he is out of a temptation and not strongly provoked to evil there he can such as it may be abstain from it But let it be a sin which his nature inclines to and let him be strongly assaulted about it and here he presently yields unto it Whereas now in the work of Grace there is strength given against strong temptations for the conquering and vanquishing of them And so as for the varieties of Providence not to be shaken or overturned by them in Prosperity not to be lifted up nor to forget God and say Who is he And in Adversity not to be cast down nor to blaspheme God or murmur against him nay which is more still to trust in him and to love him and to stick close unto him These are such things which the natural man knows not what to make of nor cannot perswade himself that they are in Reality Lastly Take this work of Grace also in the Reward of it and as it is swallowed up in Glory and it is very intricate and mysterious here also especially to such kind of persons As they know not whence this Wind comes so neither whither it goes nor what it tends to in the blessed fruits and effects and consequences of it Carnal persons they commonly think of Heaven as of a carnal place and as of a carnal condition a Fools Paradise such as Turks and Pagans and Infidels fansie to themselves or at least in some affinity and nearness thereunto They are not partakers nor any way discerners of the glory that is to be revealed Thus we see how as to all particulars as concerning the work of Regeneration such persons as are themselves unregenerate and but in the state of Nature are ignorant and inapprehensive of it Now there 's a double account which may be given hereof unto us The one is taken from the impotency of humane Reason and the other is taken from the indisposition of Nature corrupt First Humane Reason is impotent and unable to reach such a business as this is We do here suppose that many natural and unregenerate men they have notwithstanding sometimes great parts and abilities of humane wit and sagacity in them whereby they are able to dive into many great Mysteries and Profundities of Nature yea but they are not able for all this to dive into the work of Grace nor to comprehend the Mysteries of Religion which are far above them and superiour to them Secondly As from the Impotency of Reason so also from the Corruption of Nature which makes Reason more impotent and blind than otherwise it would be Wicked men they do not understand the work of Grace because they are strangers to it they have their under standing darkned and so are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness their heart as the Apostle himself gives us an account of them Ephes 4.18 There is not onely a blindness of the mind but also a perversness of the will which has an influence
in Religion and real and sincere without guile As men do one of another Take it in matter of friendship he is a friend which is a friend indeed not only who has the name and profession and complement but who has the truth and reallity and who upon occasion will shew himself to be so Even so it is likewise in Godliness it is sincerity which is all in all and the greatest ground of comfort of any thing Therefore David he stands upon this Psal 51.6 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to understand wisdom And so Hezekiah when he was drawing neer to the Grave in all probability what was that which upheld him and supported him and comforted him in that condition why it was the consciousness of his sincerity that he had been godly indeed Isa 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Oh beloved this is that which will be more of worth to us than all the world besides to be sincere and sound-hearted Christians and will stand us in stead when nothing else will be able to do us good As long as men are well and in health and have all things fall out to their minds so long they may make some shift it may be with the meer shadows and colours of Christianity and the outsides of Religion but when they shall fall into any trouble or distress or perplexity or death it self then there 's nothing which will serve the turn but sincerity When men must dye indeed then they must be Disciples indeed or else their condition will be very miserable There 's a double blessed effect which follows upon the sincerity of Religion The one is strength of duty and the other is strength of comfort First strength of duty for the performing of those things which God requires and in that manner in which he requires them This is according to the sincerity of mens principles Take a man that has not the truth of Grace in him and he cannot put forth that which is right in God's sight Because he wants the form and principle therefore he cannot produce those operations which slow from it Secondly Strength of Comfort which is still the more as there is more of truth in us As St. Paul tells the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you ward Secondly That does so Vniversally He is a Disciple indeed that is a Disciple in every particular Those which are Christ's Disciples they must learn what ever he will teach them and have them to learn though it be never so difficult Joh. 15.14 Then are ye my friends when ye do whatsoever I command you We must learn whatever he will teach us and we must do what ever he enjoyns us for there is both of these in this expression of a Disciple here in the Text. Which is not only a word of docibleness as it reaches to the information of the understanding but also a word of obedience as it reaches to the regulation of the practice All that are Christ's Disciples they are likewise his Servants which is not so with other Scholars And he is their Master not only to instruct them but also to command them And his commandments may not be grievous to them though never so opposite and contrary to nature and flesh and blood in them This Vniversality it is an impediment unto this Reality As Cornelius Acts 10.33 Now therefore we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God So here likewise in the Text If ye continue in my word indefinitely then are ye my Disciples indeed The Third Qualification is perpetuity and constancy This is exprest in the very Text as we shall see afterwards to be Christ's Disciples and to be so to the last and to hold out in the profession of the Faith without wavering are one and the same as the Apostle speaks in Heb. 10.23 Thus have we seen the chief properties wherein the nature of a true Disciple does especially consist We may look upon it further by way of Illustration in its contrarieties and oppositions And so a Disciple indeed it does carry the Antithesis with it First it 's opposite to a Disciple in name and appellation Such a Disciple was Judas he had the name and title of a Disciple nay and many performances also but yet he was short of this Disciple indeed for all that And so it is with many others besides even to this present day They are call'd and go for Christians but yet have very little or none of the power of Christianity in them being like some of those in the Church of Sardis which had a name that they lived but were dead Rev. 3.1 Secondly It is opposite to a Disciple in appearance and outward view As there are many in the World which one would take for as good Christians as any if he looked superficially upon them which yet indeed and in good earnest are none but the quite contrary to a piercing and discerning eye Such a Disciple as this was Simon Magus of whom 't is said that he believed and was baptized and continued with Philip c. Acts 8.13 He went currant for as good a Christian as the best but yet when Peter comes to search into him he passes this censure upon him that he was yet in the very gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity ver 23. Thirdly It is opposite to a Disciple as to the meer outward acts and performances of Religion He is a Disciple indeed which is a Disciplein spirit And so the Scripture sets it making these two expressions in spirit and in truth to be equivalent We read of divers in Scripture which did many external good services which yet notwithstanding Christ owned not for his Disciples because they did not do them in a right manner and with a single heart We are so far forth commendable in any good duties which are done by us as we are the better either in them or from them In them so far forth as our hearts are affected with them And from them so far forth as they have an influence and efficacy upon our hearts after that they are perform'd And thus ye see it also in its opposion Ye may take it and look upon it in one consideration more and then it will be full and compleat And that is its latitude and extent Our Saviour by this expression does not only point at a Disciple then but a Disciple now and gives such a description of it as does suit and agree with all times and ages of the world even in following generations Whosoever is
Secondly Positively By taking of such courses and using of such kind of means as may scatter and remove it First There is a prevention of this inordinate trouble Negatively By withdrawing from such ways as may either occasion or foment it There are many who are full of Trouble and Perplexity and they may sometimes thank themselves for it as who willingly bring it upon themselves not only by provoking God to administer such occasions to them but likewise when they are administred already by prosecuting them and following them too far There are many that love to seed and nourish those humours in them when at any time they fall upon them and will be troubled because they will be There 's a piece of sullenness and pride oftentimes upon the Heart of the Sons of men from whence they think much to stoop to the providence of God upon them and so moulder away in discontent and peevishness of spirit as thinking themselves too good to luster for Him Again There are others likewise which from the same Principle of Pride in them though differently expressing it self think sometimes to bite in their Grief and to carry it outwardly to the World as being loth to own and acknowledge Gods hand upon them from whence as a Fire burning inward their Grief is so much the more increased and for want of a seasonable vent their Trouble is enlarged unto them Now we must take heed of either of these as we desire to have our Hearts in a quietness and tranquillity of temper Neither affectedly following Grief nor affectedly neither suppressing it This is a prevention of it Negatively in withdrawing from the Means of Advancement The second way of doing it is Positively in the taking of such courses with our selves and in the use of such kind of means as may properly from such kind of distempers as First by studying of the Word and psamises of God in His Word Psal 119.50 This is my comfort in my affliction thy word hath quickned me And Ver. 92. Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction We should be well acquainted with the Promises whether general as to all estates and conditions or particular in such particular circumstances and we should bring them home to our own cases and circumstances as we have occasion for them The comfort of a promise lies in the due and just application of it which accordingly we should be careful of Secondly Study the Attributes of God There is much sweetness to be found in them The Lord gracious and merciful abundant in goodness and truth c. Oh get a sweet taste and relish of these Taste and see that the Lord is good and gracious c. It is our ignorance concerning God which makes us oftentimes so full of perplexity They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee And to his Attributes joyn his Providence and expressions of himself in that Consider what God has done in former times and consider what he does still and see what a sweet connexion and agreement there is betwixt them He is still the same that ever he has been and what he has done heretofore for his Church he is ready to do the like still and for every particular person and member of it The Lords hand is not shortened that he cannot save Thirdly Let us betake our selves to Christ and shrowd our selves under his wings they are safe which are kept by Him and they have no cause to be troubled or dismayed There was a special emphasis in the Persons whom our Saviour here speaks unto which were his own Disciples Let not your Heart be troubled Those who have an interest in Christ they are in safe hands There are two things here to be done by us The one is to make good our interest and the other is to improve it We must make good our interest that we are indeed such as do belong to Christ and are indeed members of Him And we must improve our interest by having continual recourse unto Him Lastly We shall hereby keep our selves from this inordinate trouble and fear seizing upon us by labouring for a special measure and exercise of several Graces of Gods Spirit in us as tending and conducing hereunto I 'le instance in some of them as more remarkable First Meekness and Humility and sense of our own unworthiness and ill-deservings There 's no Creature so full of Trouble and distraction as a pround and haughty person such an one when any evil befalls him he is like a wild Bull in a Net or like a Bear robb'd of her Whelps as the Scripture sometimes uses such expressions as these are full of rage and fury and swelling and horrour and confusion Like the raging Sea casting forth mire and dirt as the Prophet Esay hath it Esay 57.20 But now on the other side humility and lowliness of Spirit it meets an affliction half way and so as I may say takes off the violence of it It closeth with God and his Providence and so thereby does very much lessen its own grief and perplexity when we shall consider we deserve more evil we shall be less troubled with that which we endure when we shall consider the grievousness of sin and how we trouble God with that we shall be better satisfied in the suffering of affliction and of Gods troubling of us with that where sin lies heavy affliction commonly lies light and is better sustain'd Secondly Faith and Dependance upon God this is a setling and quieting Grace which lifts the Soul upon its hinges again and puts it in frame Therefore let us labour for that and improve it and put it in practise It is not Faith so much in the Habit which does quiet and settle the Heart as Faith rather in the act and exercise of it Therefore set Faith on work and draw it forth all that may be by resting our selves upon God and relying upon his Power and Goodness and Truth which he has manifested to us I had fainted unless I had believed says David Therefore wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart Wait I say on the Lord as he there infers upon it in Psal 27.13 14. And to encourage us further herein consider that the more we do so the more we may do so and the more cause we shall have to do so Faith helps it self by the Acts of it And God himself also rewards the Acts of it by giving further encouragements to it therefore determine and resolve upon it and that also in the greatest straits and difficulties that may be Although the Fig-Tree blossom not nor Fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail c. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord c. Faith it sticks at nothing because it is founded upon the Power of God himself with whom nothing is impossible Thirdly Innocency and
the Nature of the Disciples condition upon supposal of Christs removal from them it was such as was sad and comfortless The second is the care of Christ for them in reference to this condition and this is exprest two manner of ways unto us First in the Negative that he would not leave them And secondly in the Affirmative that he would come unto them First for the Negative that he would not leave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were now within a little while likely to be very sad and comfortless as Children deprived of their Parents as I shewed before in an orphan-like and fatherless condition But Christ was resolved that he would not leave them or continue them still in it but would recover them out of it I will not leave you comfortless or I will not leave you fatherless This is that which he makes promise of to them The word Comfortless it does denote two things especially First a comfortless estate And secondly a comfortlesness of mind I will not leave you comfortless that is not in a comfortless condition And I will not leave you comfortless that is not in a comfortless frame and temper of heart First Take it as to condition or state which seems chiefly here to be intended this is that which Christ promises to his Disciples that he will not leave them thus and it is appliable to all other Believers where there are two things further considerable First what it is which Christ does not promise to his Disciples And secondly what it is which he does First what he does not And here he does not promise them that he will absolutely free and exempt them from a comfortless condition so as they shall never fall into it this he does not promise them It is not I will not make you or suffer you to be comfortless no but I will not leave you so this is the sum of that which he promises them Christ is pleased oftentimes to cast his Servants into very sad and comfortless conditions and to exercise them with very great troubles and afflictions whiles they are here in the world This is here to be supposed and taken for granted And there is very great cause and reason for him to do so That he may beat them and knock them off of themselves and shew them their own frailty and weakness and that he may teach them so much the more earnestly and affectionately to look after him and to seek for comfort and relaxation from him Therefore we should not wonder at it when at any time we find it to be so nor yet absolutely expect the contrary as being more than Christ ever promised or engaged himself for to his Servants He never said That they should never be comfortless no but that he would not leave them so I will not leave you comfortless That 's for that which he does not promise But secondly for what he does I will not leave you This again it does denote and implies two things in it First that he would not continue them in that sad condition in which they were And secondly that he would not desert them or disown them or relinquish them in it First Not leave them comfortless that is that he would not continue them and keep them still in it This is that which God has often promised to his people for their comfort in affliction that it should not lie continually upon them And so here Christ was absent but he was not absent always as we shall hear more afterwards All the troubles and afflictions of the Church and People of God they have a period at last put unto them He will not always chide neither will he keep his anger for ever Psal 103.9 He will not contend for ever neither will he be always wroth as it is also in Isa 57.16 His anger is but for a moment But secondly I will not leave you comfortless that is I will not desert you or disown you in your comfortless condition but even then will take care of you And as in your condition so also in your sensibleness and apprehensions of it in your comfortless frame and temper of spirit It holds good of both together That Christ will by no means forsake his people in either There 's nothing more common and ordinary here in the world than for those that are left fatherless to be left friendless those that are destitute and deprived of outward accommodations to be neglected and forsaken by men but with Christ now it is far otherwise The poor committeth himself to thee and thou art the helper of the fatherless Psal 10.24 And Hos 14.3 In thee the fatherless find mercy God does not forsake any persons for the meanness and lowness of their conditions but does therefore so much the rather regard them and looks after them and takes care of them as his proper charge To this purpose he is called the God that comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 The reason of it is this namely the Royalty and Goodness that is in God that 's the ground of this Dispensation Base and low-spirited persons where they see any in good and prosperous conditions Oh! who is then for them but they hug them and embrace them and fawn upon them and make much of them but let them be at any time in distress and here they will not know them Yea but the Lord now he owns his Servants in their most desperate and dejected circumstances I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me says David Psal 40.17 And again Thou hast considered my trouble and known my soul in adversity Psal 31.7 He raises the poor out of the dust and the needy out of the dunghill c. Psal 113.7 The Use of this Point is to believe it and to observe it and to take notice of it and to lay it up against a time of need It is a very sweet and comfortable Truth if it be duly improv'd That Christ will not leave thee comfortless but will have a special care of them when no body else cares for them besides Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted says the Lord there to the Church Isa 54.11 Not comforted that is not by men I will do thus and thus for thee Therefore let us take heed of charging God foolishly as Sion there sometimes did The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me No he has not done so nor never will We should entertain good thoughts of God in this particular and be perswaded of his good-will to us It is useful both as to our own particular cases as also to the common case of the Church For this purpose let us learn to judge of Christ not always by his present carriage and behaviour towards us as according to outward appearance but judge of him by his Nature and sweet Disposition and judge of him by his promises and gracious intimations and discoveries of himself
Mothers or Nurses do sometimes with their children who whiles they perceive them to be loth and unwilling to let them go from them they do usually still and quiet them by perswading them that they 'll come to them again that so the hope and expectation of their return may pacifie them and satisfie them in their departure Even so does Christ here with his Disciples when he was taking his leave of them he puts in this with it I will come unto you Nay to make it so much the more emphatical and that it might work the more effectually upon them in the Original Text it is not onely in the Future but in the Present not onely in the Future I will come but in the Present I do come unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's the word in the Greek which is of a present condition before he was as yet gone from them he makes mention to them of his coming again that so he might the better perswade them and work upon them Now in that he uses this argument to them we may learn this from it That there is nothing which will satisfie a Christian in Christs absence but onely his return again to him Thus it was here with Christ to his Apostles He does not say I will not leave you comfortless for I will leave you rich or I will leave you great or I will leave you honourable and the like it was none of these outward accommodations which could satisfie in the absence of Christ no but this I will come again to you If Christ would give them any thing and not give them Himself it would not suffice or content them Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth which I desire besides thee Psal 72.26 None but Christ none but Christ as that holy Martyr at the Stake And another He is come he is come And the reason of it is this Because the Plaister must be as broad as the Sore and the Remedy must be as large as the Disease and the Comfort must be answerable to the Grief What was that which troubled these Disciples and made them at the present thus comfortless it was this that Chirst would go from them That therefore which must refresh them it must be this that Christ would come to them there 's none can supply the want of Christ but Christ himself And as there is nothing can do it indeed and in the thing it self so there is nothing neither can do it as to the sense and apprehension of a Christian he himself will not be satisfied with any thing else for his own particular As Luther spake once to God when he enjoyed some temporal refreshment from him Lord says he I will not be put off with these comforts if thou thinkest to give me these for my portion I will not be satisfied or contented with them Even so does a Believer say to Christ in such cases as these are Lord give me thy self or it will not suffice me Spiritual comforts may much uphold in temporal losses but Temporal comforts will not satissie in Spiritual deprivations So much for these words in the scope of them Now secondly to come to them more directly in themselves for the matter and substance of them I will come unto you this is that which Christ promises to his Disciples and with them also to all other Christians We may take it three manner of ways There is a three-fold coming of Christ whereby he does supply to Believers his temporary going away from them First The coming of his Resurrection I will not leave you comfortless but I will come unto you that is though for a time I shall leave the world yet within a while after I shall rise again from the dead This was such a coming as was proper onely to the Believers and to those that lived in those times to have the immediate comfort of it Though he rise to all others in the efficacy of his Resurrection yet he rose onely to the Apostles and to a certain number of other persons to converse with him after his Resurrection To whom he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them fourty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1.8 And this he did he came to them when they were comfortless and full of grief that they were deprived of so gracious a Master he came to them and comforted them in his Resurrection The Resurrection of Christ it was such a coming as did much comfort the Disciples and did in a manner drie up those tears which they had shed for his former departure But secondly that was not all nor that chiefly which is here intended in this Text wherein he tells them that he will return again to them I will come unto you it is not meant onely of the coming of his Resurrection but more especially of the coming of his Spirit the coming of the Holy Ghost which was also the Spirit of Christ and by him sent from the Father It was the coming of Christ himself when the one came the other came in him and so is conceived to do and interpreted This is the chief and proper meaning of this expression Now Christ is said to come in his Spirit according to a three-fold empartment and dispensation of it especially First in the Gifts of it Secondly in the Graces of it And thirdly in the Comforts First in the Gifts of it I mean the common Gifts of it These which we call for distinctions sake Gratiae gratis datae The gifts and abilities of the Ministery These were such as our Blessed Saviour upon his departure did in a large and plentiful manner effuse and pour forth upon his Church Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Ephes 4 8. This was that which was performed on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came upon them in the shape of cloven and fiery tongues and they were all filled with it Acts 2.2 This was a piece of satisfaction to them for the withdrawing of his own Person they had not Himself now to instruct them but they had his Spirit to do it for them and thereby to enable them also for the teaching and instructing of others This is further considerable under a two-fold Amplification First in the variety of these gifts And secondly in the Succession In the variety and several kinds and in the succession of several persons First for the various distribution to consider it in that That Christ does sort and dispose of his gifts so as he does that one shall have an excellency in one kind and another shall have excellency in another that to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12.8 One has a gift of Judgment another has a gift
and acknowledged on both parts whether orthodox or heterodox in this business whether of the right or of the contrary judgment Secondly by shewing what it is that the former do deny to the latter and wherein they do dissent from this First then by way of concession and acknowledgment as to the first term in the Proposition which is a man fallen and lapst in Adam it is granted that even such an one when he once comes to be restored by Grace and to be renewed in the Spirit of his mind that then he hath some power even of his own to such a work as is truly and spiritually good Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty says the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.17 And again Being made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness c. Rom. 6.18 When God hath once changed us and converted us and brought us home to himself there is then restored unto us that freedom and liberty to good which we once lost by our fall God that in our first creation did put into the will an habitual inclination to good he hath also in our new creation restored unto us an habitual conversion to the same good The will being freed by Grace becomes free Secondly As to that term of free-will If by freedom of will be meant no more than a freedom from natural necessity or extrinsecal violence and coaction so that a man does will and choose and do that which he does upon counsel and reason and advice leading him thereto there is no controversy at all in this business For freedom of will in this sense does as essentially belong unto a man as reason it self and to strip him or spoyl him of it were to turn him into a very beast We do will indeed we do will freely neither can we otherwise will any thing Therefore it is one thing to enquire of the nature and another thing to dispute of the power and ability of free-will in us Which latter especially taken in the active sense of it we say is wholly lost and extinguisht in man by his fall as to the performing of such things as do belong to eternal Salvation It is true that in the will of man fallen there is a passive power for the receiving of a supernatural being which by God shall be conferred upon it but there is not an active power for the producing of such a being as this is either of it self or with any thing else That Speech of St. Austin's is very significant to this purpose and which all must yield unto Libere velle est opus naturae bene velle gratiae male velle corruptionis To will freely is the work of nature to will well of grace to will ill of corruption As also that of Tapperus Opus pium quatenus opus ab arbitrio est quatenus pium a sola gratia quatenus opus pium ab arbitrio gratia simul A good work as it it a work it is from free-will as it is good from grace as it is a work and good from free-will and grace both Thus free-will in the true and right notion and acception of it is not rejected by us Thirdly As to the last term which is here exprest in the Text by nothing If we speak of that which is evil here we have freedom of will more than enough our corrupt nature carrying us too readily and freely hereunto But therefore we are here to understand it only of that which is good we are naturally prone to evil but to good we have no mind And here again there are divers particulars which we do further yield and acknowledg as First that a man in the state of nature and out of Christ may be able to do that which is good as to the matter and substance of the action By taking this word doing for the bare and simple effecting of the work in it self consider'd without any respect had either to the principle from whence it is produced or to the end whereunto it is directed Secondly A natural man he may be able to perform a work morally good according to a kind of moral honesty and the conditions of a virtuous action as prescrib'd by moral Philosophy not only as to the substance and matter of the action it self but also as to the very circumstances and manner of doing of it namely such as moral Philosophy does teach and require as honouring of Parents giving of alms and the like Thus the Apostle Paul tells us that the Gentiles which have not the Law they do by nature the things centained in the Law Rom. 2.14 Thirdly We also grant that the Grace of Sanctification and the power of living holily is not infused into any persons living idly and taking no care of any thing but in the diligent use of such means as God has appointed and sanctified to this purpose as coming to Church waiting upon the Ministry hearing the word of God both read and preach'd c. God will not save us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostom speaks nor sleeping and snoring and doing nothing but in our conscionable endeavours And so far forth as any one hath power to move and walk so far forth has he power to those things also as are ordinarily consequent and following thereupon in a way of ordinary providence Fourthly It is also acknowledged that an unregenerate person and as yet unconverted may be able to perform not only those outward good actions but some even inward good actions likewise As he may be able to have some kind of knowledg and apprehension of the will of God he may be able to meditate of God and of the things of God He may consider his own sins reflect upon his own guilt and have some kind of fear and horror in him upon the reflexions of it and much desire to be delivered from it These and many such things as are previous and antecedent to Faith and true repentance are required of men before the infusion of sanctifying Grace and accordingly may be performed by them Fifthly We likewise yield that in the Church of God where the word of God is ordinarily preach'd and the means of regeneration are ordinarily administred this Grace which does make men able to do such good works as are truly spiritual and saving is not denied to any before the repulse of initial Grace that is before they have resisted the Spirit of God in his preparatory works and refused those free and gracious offers and invitations which he has made unto them Lastly It cannot be denied but that some of the ancient Fathers did sometimes let fall some speeches and passages in their writings which at the first hearing or reading of them do seem somewhat to encline to this Doctrine of free-will whereof we now speak And thus have we seen what is granted and acknowledged on all hands by way of concession Now further it remains we should shew wherein the difference and
saving Grace but also a contrary principle of death that is of sin dwelling in him whereby the sinner is both habitually turn'd from God as also habitually turn'd to the creature and carried contrary to the Law of God The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The Third Proposition All the works which are wrought by any man before the Grace of Christ and the Spirit of God changing his heart they have in them the nature of sin As for example the vertues of many of the Heathen Aristides Socrates Scipio and the rest although they might be called civil vertues and so far forth as they were thereby useful and serviceable to humane society they might deserve to be commended yet forasmuch as they were defective of such conditions as in the Law of God are required to the making of good actions for the subject a sanctified heart for the end the glory of God and for the principle Faith working by love however in regard of the matter they may be accounted good yet for the manner they must be esteem'd vicious as deprivations of good works rather than as performances of them The Fourth is this That forasmuch as man in the state of nature is so miserably depraved and prone to all manner of evil and indisposed to any thing which is truly and spiritually good we conclude that as to the first work of conversion and actions of the like nature with it man is meerly passive and receptive not active or operative that is that he hath no free-will or power working with God but is a meer subject receiving the mighty work of God upon his soul According to that of St. Bernard which is very full and express to this purpose Deus est Author salutis liberum arbitrium tantum capax nec dare eam nisi Deus nec capere eam valet nisi liberum arbitrium God is the Author of Salvation free-will is only the receiver neither can any give it but God neither can any take it but free-will Which yet notwithstanding is not so to be understood by us as if in the workings of Grace the mind and will of man did not at all move themselves but were only moved as inanimate instruments as the hand moving the hatchet or the like this we do not say But thus That God in the work of conversion does by his regenerating Spirit so reform the will of man as that the natural power thereof which before did carry and apply it self to evil it does now carry and apply it self to good Wherein the act of willing is indeed from the will it self as the proper subject of that action but the supernatural goodness of this act is wholly from God who does use to work suitably and agreeably to the nature of the creature The will of man in his regeneration is not as a meer stock or stone or forced to Faith and conversion against the created properties of it but naturae voluntatis congruentes suitable to the nature of the will For besides that passive power which is in the will of man to God which is not in a stock or stone God does moreover in conversion not violently force the will but sweetly drive it with the reserving of those properties to it which were bestowed upon it in its creation The last Proposition is this That for the conversion of man in the state of nature and the performing of any good work by him it is not sufficient to have his will only excited and assisted by extrinsecal and additional Grace but it is also necessary to be healed and quickned by intrinsecal and renewing Grace and to have new qualities and principles and dispositions put into it That life which was not before is to be newly created not that life which was before to be newly excited This Grace of God in conversion it is not only a moral suasion or indifferent influx which it is in the power of men to assent or not assent unto but a strong and effectual motion as whereby he raised Jesus Christ from the dead Eph. 1.19.20 The Grace of God I say in conversion is not a meer moral suasion or indifferent influx which it is in the power of man to assent or not to assent unto As a Guest which stands without doors which a man may either take in or keep out as himself pleases but it is a strong and efficatious motion whereby God according to his mighty power raised Jesus Christ from the dead doth quicken a man which is dead in sin makes him a new creature and works in him not only a power of willing but even to will it self According to that of the Apostle Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Mark he does not only excite but work which hath some efficacy with it And these now are the Propositions which do serve to clear this Ponint unto us From all which thus laid together both the consent and dissent of adversaries together with the explication of the terms the whole matter in hand comes to this result and conclusion viz. That man being fallen in Adam not as recovered and restored by Grace but as still abiding in this his lapst condition hath not free-will not understanding it of the nature of the will but of the power of it And of the power of it not in a passive sense but in an active Not with Grace but without Grace And Grace not only exciting and moving and assisting but also changing and healing and quickening to a good work not which is good only Philosophically but good Theologically And for the doing of this work not only as to the substance of the action but also as to the manner of the performance the end and principle and all requisite circumstances And these circumstances consider'd not only according to the rules of morality and which are to be sound even in Heathen Authors but according to the principles of Religion and which are derived from the holy Scriptures I say A man that is at present out of Christ and so still continuing in this his state of nature hath not any freedom of will thus explained remaining in him to any thing which is good And so this speech of our Blessed Saviour truly fulfilled Without me ye can do nothing This we shall now labour to evince by these following Arguments First From the general and universal corruption of our whole nature where the principles are corrupted the actions which slow from those principles must of necessity be corrupted likewise As the spiring and fountain is so are the streams that issue from it Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean says Job not one in Job 14.4 Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles says our Saviour A corrupt tree must needs bring forth evil fruit Matth. 7.16 17. Now all the principles of
action in us are by our fall miserably depraved what therefore can be expected concerning the actions which do proceed from them These principles are the several faculties and powers of the soul of man which are distinctly to be examin'd by us to this purpose First The mind and understanding of man is sadly darken'd If the understanding be bad the will cannot be good as much depending upon the understanding and following the ultimate and punctual dictates of it The sight of the body is the eye says our Blessed Saviour If therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light but if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness And if the light which is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Matth. 6.22 23. Where from the sight of the body is argued to the sight of the soul Because what the eye is to the body the same is the understanding to the soul Now the understanding of all men by nature is very much corrupted and left in the dark This St. Paul speaks to the Ephesians Ye were sometimes darkness but now ye are light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 Sometime when was that namely in the time of your natural condition and before conversion not only dark but darkness it self And so concerning the Gentiles he says that they were darkned in their understandings through the ignorance that is in them that is which is inherent in their natures Eph. 4.18 The mind of man through corruption does lye under a double ignorance Frist of the true and chiefest end and Secondly of a fit application of the means to this end It is ignorant of the true and chiefest end namely of God himself to whom all humane actions are chiefly and ultimately to be directed And it is ignorant also of the means which tend to this end or if it have at any time some general apprehensions of them whereby it knows them as we say in Thesi yet in hypothesi pro hic nunc upon this particular occasion and in these present and particular circumstances so it knows not the manner of applying those means to the end as it ought to know And this depravedness and corruption of the understanding does the Scripture every-where declare as Rom. 1.21 22. They became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Professing themselves to be wise they became fools 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 2 Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to find it out by our reason namely in spiritual things but our sufficiency is of God Gen. 6.5 Every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart is only evil and that continually Rom. 8.5 6 They which are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Where the very understanding of the flesh is said to be enmity against God and death it self This for the corruption of the understanding But Secondly The will it is no less corrupted or depraved neither but has also a proper and peculiar depravation belonging unto it so that though the understanding should judge of things a-right yet without a peculiar work upon it as it now stands by nature and without a special work of Grace upon it it would not yet follow the dictate of the understanding truly enlighten'd but by a strange perversness would reluctate and hold off from it The will which is the governess of all our actions and the commander of the whole person is as much depraved as to the desire of good as the understanding is to the knowing of it and refuses to do that good which the understanding is sometimes convinced of and shews that it is to be done by it being desperately carried and enclined to all manner of evil From the corruption whereof together with the corruption of the understanding with it this business of free-will it must of necessity fall to the ground As because it is necessary for a man to go on both his legs therefore he must needs limp if he fail but only in one of them but if both his legs fail him he is then downright lame indeed and a perfect cripple Even so is it here the blindness of the understanding were enough to take a man off from the doing of what is good consider'd alone but the perversness of the will joyned with it does perfectly disenable him indeed Now this is here further observable and considerable of us Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Eph. 2.3 We all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind we all that is in the state of corrupt nature and doing the wills of the flesh and of the mind whereto may be referr'd that Gal. 5.16 Walk in the Spirit and do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh And so Rom. 2.24 He gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts Ye see then the force of the argument An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit as I have shewed before Now an evil tree is an evil man or an evil will as Austin interprets it Now the will by original sin is turn'd from God to the creature and so altogether indisposed and disenabled to any spiritual good Thirdly The higher and superior part of the soul namely the understanding and will which are the principles of humane actions being wholly corrupted and depraved this poyson it does farther spread it self to the inferior faculties Hence is that great strise betwixt the sense the appetite and reason which the Apostle Paul himself complains of Rom. 7.23 I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sin which is in my members See here rebelling or fighting against a word of wars And again leading me captive a word of triumph Hence all the affections in man since his fall do not follow the commands of reason but rather prevent reason it self bind it and tye it up and lead it captive whithersoever they are carried Now let us lay all these things together The understanding hath lost its light and is overshadowed with darkness The will hath lost its rectitude and is fill'd with perversness The inferior appetite hath lost its subjection and delights in rebellion And so the whole man in this latitude is spiritually dead How then can he possibly thus dispose himself to any thing which is good or by the power of his own free-will produce any spiritual good action Surely as every natural
these and the disposing of them to do all things Spirtually it is not ours but Christ's As a Trumpet that gives a sound but it is from the breath of the Man that blows through it so it is with us in this particular we perform such and such Duties materially and as to the outward substance of the action but it is Christ that chiefly and principally works in us and by us as the Apostle Paul most fully expresses it to this purpose 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me The third thing considerable to this purpose is a Spiritual Activity or Operation which is likewise conveyed to us by Christ and by him alone he does not onely give us the life of Grace and a Power issuing from this life but he likewise gives us the very Act and Deed it self for such a particular performance There is not the best man that is and who has most of the sanctifying Grace of the Spirit of Christ in him but he needs the present and actual assistance of the same Spirit as immediately concurring to such particular good actions that is to be done by him he needs not onely preventing and operating grace but assisting and co-operating grace to be bestowed upon him and to be joyn'd with it And this is that which is here intended by our Blessed Saviour speaking to his Disciples and in them to all other Christians whiles he sa◠〈◊〉 without me ye can do nothing not onely without me as who must give the general activity but also without me as who must give the particular accomplishment If Christ does not give the actual performance as well as the general qualification there is nothing which will be done by us to any purpose This can be no wonder to us if we do but consider how it is with us even in other matters of inferiour consideration take 〈◊〉 but in common business and the transactions of our ordinary Callings and we shall find it to be so even here That we have need not onely of common and general inablement but also of special and particular assistance In the Ministery for example it is not enough to have some general qualifications and abilities for the work but there is need moreover of Gods particular assistance and immediate concurrence with us in every particular Sermon and Exercise that is undertaken by us In the Souldiery it is not enough to beat large qualified for the Wars but they need Gods assistance of them and standing by them in every Battel and Encounter And so in Physick it is not enough to have skill in general but an application of it to his particular Disease and Patient and Condition certain hints and suggestions from God himself answering to the present occasion As it is said of our Blessed Saviour himself when people came to him to be cured of their several infirmities that the power of the Lord was present with him to heal them Luke 5.17 Such a presence of Power as this is whereof we now speak is requisite for any other besides Now as it is thus in Temporals and Corporals so it holds in Spirituals and Supernaturals especially that there is required not onely Grace in the Habit and Principle but also in the very Act and Performance This is suitable and agreeable to divers other places of Scripture as Hos 14.8 it is the speech of God to Ephraim From me is thy fruit found and Isa 26 12. it is the speech of the Church to God Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works for us or in us And so Ezek. 36.27 I will cause you to walk in my statutes c. To open this Point a little further to us and speak more distinctly of it we must know that there are three things which God does work and which it is requisite for him that he should work in us in order to any Spiritual performance which is to be done by us even after the first work of Conversion and saving Grace wrought in our hearts First he strengthens and confirms the habit of them whereby he fits us and qualifies us for such a duty which he requires of us Secondly he excited and nourishes this Habit whereby he inclines us and makes us disposed to the performance of this duty Thirdly He assists and concurs with this Habit as to the act and performance it self Each of these does God do for us and it is requisite and necessary that he should do so or else otherwise there could be no good action expected from us He strengthens the Habit he inclines to the Duty and he assists the Act. First I say he strengthens the Habit whether of Faith or Love or Patience or any other Grace which might be named by us This is the spring and source of all good actions in us which therefore had need to be preserved and confirmed in us all that may be and the ' rather because it is subject to so much weakness and shaking as it is There are so many corruptions and temptations which the Servants of God are exercised withall as that they have need of daily confirmation of the Graces of the Spirit of God in them which would otherwise languish and decay and for this purpose does God do it for them This was that which the Apostle pray'd for in behalf of the Ephesians Ephes 3.16 17. That God would grant unto them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith c. And so likewise in behalf of the Colossians that they might be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness strengthned with all might And this accordingly is that which the Apostle Paul professes of himself that he can do all things through Christ that strengthens him Phil. 4.13 Which words that we may rightly understand them are to be taken by us in their latitude and emphasis both Positively and also Exclusively that through Christ strengthning him he can do all things and without Christ strengthning him he was able to do nothing That 's the first thing here considerable in this business of Christ's concurrence with us in the doing of good he strengthens the Habit. Secondly As he strengthens the Habit so he likewise inclines the mind to the particular duty to be performed For though we have such and such Principles and Habits of grace conferr'd and bestowed upon us as qualifying us for such and such Duties yet we have not always and continually in us a readiness and promptness of mind for the exercise and improvement of them but we have a great deal of sluggishness and awkness upon us in this
particular Now therefore does Christ here by his Spirit awaken the Habit and provoke us and sets us on doing making us ready and prepared as the Scripture speaks to every good work Thirdly He assists the Act that is he helps and concurs with us in the very performance it self and this is that which we now especially speak of at this present time as considerable of us to this purpose For we though we have some general power and ability for such a duty and withall some kind of desire and propensity towards it yet we cannot particularly act it and bring it about without the immediate help and assistance of the Spirit of Christ carrying us bringing us through it For partly our own natural corruption which remains still in part in us does retard us and keep us back and partly Satan joyning with our corruptions does exceedingly hinder and interrupt us and therefore there must be a stronger than each come between which may scatter the power of either and may help our infirmities Hence it is that the Apostle Paul complains sometimes of himself that to will is present with him but how to perform that which is good he finds not Rom. 7.17 And speaking of acts of charity and bounty to the Corinthians he requires that as there was a readiness to will so there might be a performance also of that which they had 2 Cor. 8.11 Because these two they are such as may be possibly separated and divided the one from the other and oftentimes are But now Christ he joyns them both together wheresoever he pleases the Act with the Habit and the Performance together with the Will and it is necessary that he should do so or else they are never likely to concur or meet together Without him we can do nothing that is without him assisting of us in the very act and point of performance And God will have it thus to be upon very good ground as namely first of all That so hereby he may keep us in an humble frame and in a state of dependance and subordination He will have us to see how that all our strength lies in himself and that we are able to do nothing any further than as he is pleased to concur with us whereby we may be the more engaged unto him As the beginnings of Grace are from him so likewise the proceedings and the further actings and accomplishments of it according to that also of the Apostle speaking to the Philippians He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ yea and he must perform it too if ever it be perform'd at all or else it will never be so which the Apostle speaks with a great deal of boldness and freedom of spirit In regard of the great certainty and assurance which he had of it being confident of this very thing Phil. 1.6 Where by the way whiles it is said of God that he will perform such and such good works it is not so to be understood as the Subject of those works but onely as the Essicient not as if he himself did believe or repent or hope or any such as this but that he helps and enables us to do so which is observable in him He works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 And all for this purpose to make us pure in spirit and sensible of our own insufficiency For Humility it is the Beatifying Grace it is that which does adorn and set forth all other Graces in us and which God takes so much delight to see acting and flourishing in us and therefore takes such a course as this is with us Again secondly God will have it to be thus likewise that so we may relish the greater comfort and sweetness in that which we do For whilst we have strength communicated to us from Christ in every performance our hearts are so much the more cheered and enlarged in it whiles we apprehend his assistance of us to be a pledge of his special love and favour and good-will towards us This is that which makes us to be so much the more lively and comfortable in that which is undertaken by us Thirdly That hereby Christ may have the greater Honour and Glory from us as not onely the Author but Finisher of our faith as the Apostle styles him Heb. 12.2 that is not onely as of him that begins but that perfects Grace in us and the Author not onely of Salvation as the End but of Sanctification as the Way and Means that tends to it and of this sanctification of all the works and and operations of it For the better enlarging and illustrating of this Point yet still further unto us Whiles it is said that without Christ we can do nothing here is an exclusion of a three-sold strength as but weak and insufficient to this purpose First the strength of meer Natural Parts Secondly the strength of meer Habitual Graces Thirdly the strength of no more than former Assistance First I say the strength of meer Natural Parts it is not that which will do the deed We know that Natural Parts they do many times make a great shew and lustre in the world and that men may go sometimes very far with them in matter of Religion being applied unto them but yet they are able to do nothing to any purpose or so as it should be but are very defective Men may be able sometimes hereby as I shew'd you the last day to reach perhaps to the outward shell and hull of the action and carry it as it may be very gloriously and with a great deal of humane applause but to come up to the Spirituality of the Duty and to perform it so as whereby it may find acceptance with God himself this is that which such as these onely cannot reach or attain unto The Heathen Philosophers some of them though they pretended to a great degree of mortification which they could accomplish by the strength of Reason yet in truth they fell very short and wide of it Secondly the strength of meer habitual Grace it is not that which will serve the turn neither Though habitual Grace be very good and necessary also in order to Spiritual performances yet this alone and of it self is not sufficient it is requisite that we should have it but it is requisite also that we should have somewhat else with it besides that especially according as the ease and condition may be with us It is not any inherent Grace of our own which is our security in the day of trial but the assisting and strengthning and quickning Grace of Christ so far forth as he does actually excite and stir up those fruits of Grace in us which he hath already bestowed upon us It is not onely the goodness of our Principles but the Spirit of God concurring with them in us Of this we have an eminent example in the Apostle
to help us and that 's one encouragement so he hath likewise Will and that 's another For to be told that we are able to do nothing without such an ones assistance and withall to hear that it were such an one as had no good will or affection for us nor any mind at all to help us this would be little comfort to us But now this is here such encouragement that we do not more need his help than he is willing to send his help unto us and to concur with us that so we may be the more effectually perswaded to have recourse to him for it This is done in the exercise of two Graces more especially in us to wit of Humility and Faith First Humility whereby we are emptied of our selves and any conceits of our own sufficiency Those that think they can do well enough by any power of their own they will never once look after Christ for such is that desperate pride and stubbornness which is in our hearts by nature that we care not to be beholding to Christ more than needs if we can any thing shift without him we never care to come to him But when we see that without him we are lost and that there is no help for us this will make us to apply our selves to him as much as we can Lay this then for a ground which is here the Doctrine of this Text That without Christ we can do nothing Secondly The Grace of Faith let us also stir up that in us which is that whereby we suck and draw from Christ that which is in him and apply it and bring it home to our selves Without Christ we can do nothing and without Faith we can do nothing neither even there where Christ of himself is both able and willing also to do any thing for us This is that which like the Womans touch of the them of his garment draws forth strength and virtue out of him both for the stopping of the issue of sin and for the walking in the ways of Piety Therefore let us be sure to exercise and set this on work and that according to those two great Mysteries which are eminent in him his Death and his Resurrection Fetch by Faith power from Christ's Death for the mortifying and killing of sin in us which is very agreeable and appliable to this purpose And fetch by Faith also power from his Resurreâ—â—on in the raising up to newness of life and to the practise of all the works of new obedience which are to be performed by us Now further that we may still do it more successfully let us be advised on this which is much conducing and tending hereto and that is That we be careful to keep in good terms with Christ and to walk in all well pleasing to him forasmuch as without him we can do nothing It concerns us very much to take heed that we be no ways offensive to him or do any thing which may alienate his affections from us which is the ground of his assistance of us We see how it is ordinary in the affairs here of the world such persons as men do absolutely depend upon for all that is to be done by them such without whom they are able to do nothing which is of any concernment to them they will not offer to displease them of all other persons besides but labour and endeavour to give all the satisfaction to them that possibly they can give Even so should it now also be with us in reference to Christ we should take heed of grieving him because we do all things by him and are able to do nothing without him The more dependant we are upon him the more serviceable should we be to him And especially take heed of presumption and rebellion against him to take heed of quenching the motions of his Spirit of turning his grace into wantonness of rejecting or refusing that help which he does at any time offer unto us either for the shuning and avoiding of evil or for the doing and working of good for then we provoke him to withdraw his assistance from us and to give us up to the power of Satan and the vanity of our evil hearts When Christ shall offer to heal men and they will not be healed to help men and they will not be helped this does sadly provoke him even to deny his help unto them at such time as they shall most of all desire it and stand in need of it This is a very lamentable condition if it be duly thought of when Christ shall at any time deny men the benefit of his assistance either the benefit of his Intercession and speaking a good word for them without which they can obtain nothing in matter of request or the benefit of his co-operating grace and effectual winning of them without which they can do nothing neither in a way of Christian and Spiritual performance Either of these cases are very sad and such as are to be shunn'd by us by giving all content to Christ And so now I have done with these words in both the senses and acceptions of them whether as to matter of Interest or Influence Without me that is without union to me and Without me that is without assistance from me and dependance upon me can ye be able to do any thing which is good SERMON XXV ACTS 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power We are now this very day by the good hand and providence of God according to the common style and computation of time amongst us entred upon another new year And that after all the fears and dangers and hazards and calamities which have been upon us both in the City and divers places of the Kingdom for the year now past we have arrived to that year which hath been so much spoken of before-hand a great while ere the coming of it 1666. Many Prognostications there have been in the World concerning it many Characters and Significancies put upon it and many strange surmises and expectations have been had of it and what may be in the bosome or bowels of it we cannot tell We hear of wars and rumors of wars we hear of plagues and pestilences we have heard also of earthquakes and tempests and strange commotions These are such as do shew the World to be in a fading and declining condition and do bespeak the consummation of it But yet they are such as do not amount or come up to a full determination nor give us any warrant to make any absolute judgment or conclusion upon it They serve to awaken and humble us but they do not serve to dishearten or discourage us nor especially to take us off from that work which is to be done by us but rather so much the more eagerly and earnestly to put us upon it And therefore I have made choice of this Text at this present time as
cut the plumes of his pride and to keep him from being puffed up for them And that 's a second Disparagement which we lay and cast hereupon Thirdly and more principally to our present purpose we do disparage humane wisdom In ordine ad talem effectum in reference to such an effect as this is which is to bring those that have it to the saving knowledg of God in Christ Here the wisdom of the world is too weak and of small or no effect it cannot do this Take a man in his pure Naturals and the meer accomplishments of humane wisdom and he cannot by these things procure to himself any knowledg in Religion and the Mysteries of Salvation And that again in a two-fold Explication First He cannot do it immediately as an effect flowing from such a cause Wit it cannot dive into Grace as I shewed before it is too weak and shallow here Nor secondly He cannot do it meritoriously by way of merit and desert at Gods hands in the right use of his parts and natural knowledg The Pelagians teach this That an Heathen by a good improvement of the light of Nature and doing that which in him lyes may merit at Gods hands the revealing of Christ unto him and the bestowing of saving Grace upon him but this has no foundation in Scripture and is contrary to experience also The world by wisdom knew not God their other knowledg did not obtain this for them Go to now let us see then in what sense we do disparage this wisdom of the world namely as in another case we seem likewise to disparage good works when disputing against our Adversaries the Papists we seem to diminish and take from good works this is not simply considered in themselves but in order to Justification and Merit when we speak of good works in themselves as duties which are enjoined us by God as evidences of our Sanctification and as the ways wherein we tend to Salvation and the Kingdom of Heaven so far forth we speak honourably of them but when we speak of them as making us perfect and to appear righteous in the sight of God and to deserve at the hands of God for us here we disclaim them So likewise here as concerning humane wisdom when we speak of it as a common gift of Gods Spirit and ordained to such and such ends within its own compass here we admire it But when we speak of it in reference to Religion and the finding out of the saving knowledg of God in Christ here we cannot but mightily undervalue it the world by wisdom knew not God that is secondly from the weakness of the faculty The third is From the perverseness of the subjects namely those persons in which this wisdom was they did not do their duty nor still do not to this purpose as they should but rather the contrary and from hence it comes to pass oftentimes that they are as they are This is a certain truth that though the world by wisdom could not know God in that sense as we have shewn it yet they might have known him more than they did if they had given themselves to it But there was and is still a manifold obstruction upon them which is a great hinderance and impediment hereunto As first Their non-attendancy that they did not heed nor apply their minds to these things A Scholar that looks off of his Book will never learn his Letters let them be written or printed before him in never so fair and elegant a character Even so it is with us to this purpose the Book of the Creatures it is a Book which is very fairly written and every letter in its full proportion so that he that runs may read it as the Prophet speaks And the Apostle Paul tells us as we may read Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen even his eternal power and Godhead The Power and Wisdom and Mercy and Goodness of God c. these are written upon every Creature and may there be read by us But this is that evil which is in us that we do not always so attend unto it as becomes us to do we take and enjoy the Creatures only as other Creatures to draw the natural sweetness out of them but we do not as we should do improve them to a spiritual advantage which is the priviledg belongs to us of all other Creatures we may see and taste God in the Creature which the others cannot There 's our non-attendancy Secondly It proceeds from idleness and want of taking some pains with our selves to dive into these things though there 's a great deal of God which lyes upon the top of every Creature and the whole world is a lesson to us to this purpose yet by studying and further search into the Creature we may still see more of him than otherwise we can or than otherwise we do We should consider the works of Gods hands as the Psalmist said himself did which was not only with an ordinary observation but some special intention hereupon and review again of it This because the world did not do they came from hence to be ignorant of God and not to know of him so much as they should A Scholar must not only read but study that will improve in any knowledg A third obstruction to this knowledg is pride and scornfulness of spirit because men think themselves too good to be taught or learn any thing And here now we have a further sense of these present words in the Text than as yet we have spoken unto The world by wisdom knew not God that is not only by taking it privatively but by taking it positively Here is not only Ignorantia purae negationis but Ignorantia pravae dispositionis as we use to distinguish It is not only that by wisdom they knew not God but by wisdom they were further set off from the knowledg of God their humane wisdom was here obstructive and impedimental unto them This it was not in it self as I have already opened unto you but accidentally through their own perversness and the corruption of their own evil hearts A naughty and unsanctified heart it makes the worst use of every thing even of those things which are the most excellent of all and so amongst the rest love of worldly wisdom that which should draw them so much the nearer to God it sets them so much the further from God Thus it was here with these present people Ingenio pereunt they are undone by their own wit and thus 't is with many others besides They know so much of other things as that they care not to know any thing of God They say to the Almighty Depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways as it is in Job 21.14 Well to close up all now with a brief word of Application let us consider what does result from these truths and observations
expression it is none of all these things in themselves which makes Preaching so powerful a Conveyance no but the Ordinance of God which has appointed to work by these means and the Spirit of God who is pleased to concur with it in working It is he which has made us able Ministers of the New Testament says the Apostle Paul not of the letter but of the spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6 This is that which gives an efficacy to this Preaching Well for the thing it self we see 't is a blessed means to a blessed effect to wit of saving souls and that not withstanding all the low apprehensions which the world commonly has of it and the disparagement which they are apt to cast on it and upon those which are the dispensers of it after all which can be any way said against it to the extenuating and diminishing of it here is that in the Text which is able to bear it up and advance it That by it God is pleased even to save them that believe The improvement of this Point to our selves for Application may be twofold First as it concerns Ministers there 's a very good item for them to quicken us and encourage us in our work and the conscionable discharge of it without fainting and giving out For see what a work it is and what a blessed and happy end it tends to Even no less than to bring men to heaven and to make them heirs of eternal life Who would not think himself honoured in such a noble imployment as this and accordingly go thorough it with a great deal of cheerfulness and alacrity in the midst of all discouragements whatsoever which we can meet with in the world our very work it self is a reward though there were nothing else and to save a soul is more than to gain a Kingdom Let us not be ashamed of that which is the power of God to salvation as the Apostle speaks Again Let us also hence learn so much the more faithfully to discharge and make that our chief end in undertaking it which was Gods chief end in ordaining it What was Gods chiefest end here in the first appointing and instituting of this Ordinance why 't was to save them that believe let that be now our main end in taking it in hand That in this service we may be instrumental to Gods Providence in the bringing in of the number of his Elect. This should work and prevail with us above all other ends besides And this for the Ministers Secondly Here 's somewhat also for the people and that is so much the more carefully to attend upon this Ordinance of Preaching and to take heed of the despising of it as a weak and foolish thing they which despise Preaching they do in effect despise Believing yea they do despise Salvation it self And therefore let us take heed how we be guilty of such a sin as this is Do not say that Reading is as good as Hearing and a Sermon read in a mans study is as good as a Sermon preached in the Church for we are mistaken if we so think for though it be as good for the matter of it and it may be better yet it is not as good for the performance which does receive a greater efficacy from Gods Ordinance and blessing upon it And we must not be wiser than Him in such dispensations as these are Elisha's staff will do no good without Elisha's spirit to improve it and go along with it This is that which is more frequently in Preaching whereas in reading it is for the most part cold or at least not the latter in such a full and plentiful measure Besides that 's good which is seasonable and in due time And further let this teach us with what affections to come to the Ordinances the Preaching and hearing of the Word namely as those which expect and desire salvation from it as the end whereunto it is intended Let us not come to a Sermon as to a Prize or a meer trial of wits to see who can do best only to spend our verdict upon the Preacher or out of meer fashion and custom only because others come afore us but let us come to it with meekness and humility and fear and expectation as that whereby we must be judged and whereby we must be saved Jam. 1.21 And so I have done also with the third Particular viz. The means of working the foolishness of Preaching Now the fourth is the work or design it self which we have in the last words To save them that believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where among many other things which might be profitably observed by us concerning Salvation in the nature of it and the causes of it and the means of it and the like I shall at this time only fasten upon that which is here especially presented unto us and that is the subjects of it Believers To save them that believe The Gospel is the power of God to salvation to them that believe This is the restriction which is put upon it Rom. 1.16 I call it a restriction and so indeed it is and that also in this present Text which we have now in hand Where this word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is to be taken not only Specificativè but Exclusivè Believers and none else them that believe and them only that believe and none but them This Preaching it saves none besides in all the world whether Jew or Gentile we must take this expression here in a limited and restrained sense as pointing out a certain number of persons distinguisht from all others in this business as concerning them that believe the receiving of benefit and salvation by Preaching And here there are two things again which this restraint does extend it self to First here 's a restraint of the benefit of Preaching to Faith And secondly Here 's a restraint of the benefit of salvation to faith There 's none which have benefit by Preaching any further than they believe and there 's none which do partake of Salvation but those only which do believe neither By the foolishness of preaching he saves them that believe First I say there 's none which have benefit by Preaching any further than they believe it is Faith which makes Preaching effectual without which it is but an ordinary discourse This is clear out of that place in Heb. 4.2 The Gospel was preached to us as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them because it was not mixt with faith in them that heard it It is faith or the want of faith which makes Preaching either profitable or not And the reason hereof is this Because that this is the Applicatory Grace which does suck and draw all to it self look as meat does no good in the stomack except it be digested so Preaching does no good in the soul except it be believed There must be a concocting faculty
to digest every truth which we hear and to make it our own or else we can have no benefit by it There must be a turning of our spiritual nourishment into the substance of our souls as of our corporal nourishment into the substance of our bodies and that suitable to the several parts of it now this is the work of Faith Faith it makes every truth ours by appropriating it and bringing it home to our selves And that in a proportion suitable to the nature of the Doctrine it self If it be a Doctrine of Information Faith makes it ours by framing and conforming our judgments thereunto and setling us there If it be a Doctrine of Consolation Faith makes it ours by closing and complying with it and so drawing comfort from it If it be a Doctrine of Threatning Faith makes it ours by trembling at it and reforming for it Thus Faith is active in all as that Grace which does apply all to us The consideration hereof may be thus far useful to us As first It may teach us how to address our selves to the hearing of the Word namely by labouring to prepare our hearts by a spirit of faith Oportet discentem credere we must come with a resolution to imbrace every truth of God which he propounds unto us Preaching will do us no good without believing if we had all the Preaching in the world without it we make the Ordinance but a Complement and meer word of course unto us Why but then may some say If Preaching does no good without believing why then we should preach only to Believers and none but them To this I answer No for by Preaching we make them Believers through Gods blessing upon it Preaching is a means to work that Faith which does improve it self and without which it is ineffectual as wine enables the stomack to work it self to the good of the body Secondly Seeing Preaching does no good without believing let us here then see why there 's no more good done by Preaching many times than there is we are apt when we profit not by the Word to lay the fault on other things the Doctrine and the Preacher and the like but we should confider whether it lyes not in our selves in our own hearts It may be we come not to the Word with that faith and expectation from God as it becomes us to do and then no wonder if we profit not by it Thirdly Let us hence not glory in the means that we have the Ordinances and the Word Preached unto us but let us consider what faith our selves have for the receiving and entertainment of them And that 's the first restraint None have benefit by Preaching but Believers The second restraint is this That none have the benefit of Salvation but Believers Salvation is restrained to Faith He that believes shall be saved but he that believes not shall be damned Mark 16.16 No Faith no Salvation They could not enter in because of unbelief Heb. 3.19 Of them that believe to the saving of the soul Heb. 10.39 Faith is the saving Grace as infidelity is the damning sin Not but that there are other saving Graces and other damning Sins but those which are so they are in the strength of these as being prinoipal and most effectual hereunto These are so by a special quality and property in them either to save or damn And for saving because that 's to our purpose faith has it here attributed to it self First as the radical and fundamental Grace and that which puts a life and vigor into all the rest And therefore ye shall find in the Eleventh Chapter of the Hebrews how all 's ascribed to this By faith they had a good report for every thing else which deserved good report If they had love or patience or humility or self-denial or zeal all was from faith In Enoch in Noah in Abraham in Moses and the like By faith they are said to do all whatsoever they did Secondly Faith has it attributed to it because it is that whereby we please God Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Thirdly It is Faith which lays hold upon Christ who is the Author of Eternal Salvation Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me c. This knits and unites us to him asour Head and when he is saved we are saved too by this union Fourthly It is Faith which gives most glory to God Rom. 4.20 Giving glory to God And 2 Thes 1.10 To be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe Fifthly Faith is that which does most conquer temptations and subdue all the enemies and adversaries of our salvation Ephes 6.16 Lastly Faith is said to save as the condition which God requires and will have in them which shall be saved and this were enough though nothing else to give account of it In all these respects is Salvation attributed hereunto But what is this Faith which we speak of all this while and wherein does it consist Sure it is not a meer assent to the truth revealed though that be somewhat which belongs thereunto yet this is not all the Devils thus believe which yet tremble as knowing that they are sons of wrath Jam. 2.19 But saving faith is quieting faith too Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 Now what faith is this this is no other than a taking and receiving of Christ upon those terms in which he is offered in the Gospel for a Saviour and Lord too To as many as received him c. Joh. 1.12 As we must be willing to be saved by Christ's Blood so we must be willing to be ruled by Christ's Spirit Now this Faith has this also in it an assent to the whole truth of God which is revealed unto us Historical faith is comprehended in Justifying-faith as the less in the greater as the Vegetative and Sensitive soul in the Rational But the proper act of Justifying-faith is to lay hold on Christ Ens incomplexum est object um sidei justificantis Thus we see what Believing it self is The close of all for our selves is but to find this in our selves for our own particular And as we love Salvation accordingly to make good our Faith This we may discern and discover by the rise and fruits and workings of it For the rise of it it comes by Preaching and is suitable to the Doctrine of the Word Those which contemn the Ordinance they have none of the Grace For the fruits of it it works by love p1 It makes us afraid to displease God p2 It makes us couragious for God p3 It makes us love the Children of God p4 It quite changes and alters our converse from evil to good And so I have done with the fourth particular the extent of the work it self To save them that believe And so likewise with the second General in the Text Gods supply of the worlds defect
Christ crucified But why Christ crucified rather than Christ exhibited in some other consideration why not rather Christ incarnate forasmuch as that was the first news of him or why not Christ risen again or Christ ascended which was a great deal more glorious Why does the Apostle fasten upon this mystery in Religion and Christianity above the rest Christ crucified Surely there 's very good reason to be given for it First because he would give them the worst of Christ at first that he might shew he was not ashamed of him nor of that Gospel which made him known but that hereby he might the better prepare them for other Truths and make them the welcomer to them Christs Cross is the first letter of all in a Christians Alphabet and they that can take out this lesson they will learn the other fast enough Gods beginnings with us are commonly most tedious His conclusions and closings are for the most part very sweet and comfortable and so here Secondly Because Christ crucified it is vertually and implicitly all the rest For why was Christ Incarnate it was for this end that he might be crucified therefore he was born that he might die and therefore he took flesh upon him that he might lay it down again after he had taken it Again when Christ was risen and ascended what were the terms which he was risen from was it not from death and the grave his Resurrection it pointed at his suffering and death which were conquered by him So that all upon the point is Christ crucified Thirdly This was that Mystery which did most concern us for the good and benefit which comes by it as we shall hear afterwards his death was that which pacified Gods wrath and paid the debt which was due for our sins And therefore the Apostle instances in that rather than any other Lastly Christ crucified because this was that which these people had a particular hand in as instrumental hereunto they had been active in the crucifying of Christ themselves and therefore it was most fit that they should hear of Christ crucified to chuse of any thing else Therefore accordingly we shall find that this was the practise of the Apostles in the whole course and way of their Ministry still to urge and inculcate this upon those whom they Preached unto As soon as ever they had received the Holy Ghost upon the day of Pentecost they presently fall upon this as it was that which Christ himself much spoke of That the son of man must suffer many things so it was that which the Apostles of Christ much urged as Peter in his first Sermon Act. 2.23 this was that which he inforced upon them their crucifying of Christ This was that also which he preached so boldly in the Temple Act. 5.28 insomuch as the Council told him that they intended to bring the blood of that man upon them And Act. 8.32 the Providence of God directs them to a Scripture to this purpose out of Isa 53.7 8. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before the shearer so opened be not his mouth Thus was Christ crucified the chief point which they still urged in their Ministry And so it is that which is the chief work of ours it is the Doctrine which is to be chiefly preached by us and that upon these following Considerations First As it is a Doctrine of the greatest Humiliation it is an humbling and convincing Doctrine every Evangelical Truth being set on by the Spirit of God concurring and going along with it has an answerable work upon the conscience to bring it into a spiritual frame the Incarnation to work in us desires and affections after the new Birth the Resurrection to raise us up to new activity in holy duties c. the Ascension to carry us up to Heaven and Heavenly things and so the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ to humble us and to crucifie us for sin This Doctrine rightly preached and understood and believed and imbraced has a might power and efficacy in it for Conviction and Humiliation and to cast down th strong-holds of Sin and Satan in us This you shall see in the effect which it had upon the Apostle himself Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of the Lord Jesus whereby the world is crucified to me and I unto the world By the death of Christ was the world crucified to the Apostle And so St. Peter's Auditors Act. 2.37 When they heard this namely of Christ crucified then they were pricked at their hearts This same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was that which pierced them to the soul their piercing of Christ And so the Disciples which went to Emaus this made their hearts burn If we ask how this is done I answer by an Act of Reflection and special Consideration to this purpose namely as from hence taking notice of this grievous and odious nature of sin those which make nothing of sin in the commission of it and when they are set violently upon it in the strength of their lusts and temptations they may here see what it is now in the price which was paid for it and the pain which was endured to expiate it in Christ crucified And those which make a mock of a sin and sometimes of those which warn them of it they see how sad it is in those effects which it had upon the Redeemer and this is to be a means to humble them and lay them low in themselves Every nail which was struck into his Blessed Body it is here a piercing of our hearts every thorn which stuck in that opprobrous Crown it is a thorn in our sides every drop of blood which issued out of his sides it should fetch buckets of tears from us if we had not hearts harder than the flints This Doctrine of Christs Passion it is thus in this way of Proceeding a Doctrine of Humiliation and therefore fittest to be urged in the course of our Ministry And that because this is a main part of our Ministry to humble men and convince them of sin sutable and answerable to the work of the Spirit of God upon the Conscience for that 's a main work likewise of that The Spirit when he comes he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.9 Now thus it should be with Preaching which is a special conveyance of the Spirit the work of this is not to sooth men up to flatter them to give them scope to sin no but rather to humble them for it Secondly This Doctrine of Christ crucified as it has cause to be the chief work of our Ministry forasmuch as it is an humbling Doctrine so it has cause likewise to be so too because it is a comforting Doctrine and a Doctrine of the greatest comfort that can be We which are Ministers we are made to be the helpers of the joy of Gods people as we are called 2 Cor. 1. ult Now
from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it When men shall consider that that which they have they have by free gift here is that which may pull down their pride and prevent them from that haughtiness of spirit whereunto they are otherwise too much addicted and inclined So likewise further it holds well for the improvement and exercise of these gifts which God hath given us that we be no niggards or restrainers of them but good stewards of the manifold Grace of God as the Apostle Peter admonishes and as our Saviour exhorts his Disciples and in them all others Freely ye have received freely give And thus much briefly of the phrase or expression which is here used by the Apostle and that is Gifts Now in the next place for the thing it self this is that which is here commended to these Corinthians to look after these free endowments and to endeavour to partake of them themselves for their own particular and so are we from them desired to do the same also to covet earnestly these best gifts not only the saving and sanctifying Gifts of the Spirit which we shall have occasion to speak of more hereafter but also the common and ordinary common and ordinary in one sense though in another sense more peculiar and restrained Such Gifts as we mentioned before Knowledg and Language and Eloquence and such as these these are better gifts and have especial dignity and excellency in them The Dignity and excellency of them may be briefly laid forth unto us in three Particulars First From their original and conveyance when we shall consider how we come by them and how they are indeed derived and transmitted unto us there is somewhat in that and that is not only from God and his Spirit from whom all good things come to our hands but likewise as a special fruit and consequent of Christs Ascension These gifts they are as it were the legacy of Christ and the relict which he dropt and left behind him when he went up into heaven According to that of the Psalmist Psal 68.18 repeated again by the Apostle Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men See how these gifts did follow upon Christs Ascension and did take their first rise from that as the occasion of them Now if there were no more but this in it there were very good reason certainly why we should a little look after them The gifts of dying friends they are for the most part in very great account and valuation with us let them be but what they will for the substance of them yet we esteem them in regard of the circumstances and the relation which is upon them And so it should be with us here in regard of these several gifts we should prize them in reference hereunto Forasmuch as Christ when he took his leave of the world and was now gloriously ascended to his Father did pour forth these his gifts upon his Church as a special testimony of his love unto it He received them of his Father that he might bestow them upon us And therefore that which in one place of Scripture is accepit in another place of Scripture is dedit id est accepit ut daret So that we have cause to regard these gifts first of all in the notion of their original and conveyance But secondly That 's not all there 's a further ground for our embracing them besides and that is by considering them substantially what they are in their own nature and that impression which they leave upon the subject in which they are these gifts if we do but consider them in themslves they are very amiable and lovely and so make those persons further to be who are endowed with them They are special ornaments and beautifyings to them and do much raise them above other men not only those extraordinary perfections which were conferred upon the Apostles themselves in the Primitive times of the Church but even likewise those more ordinary and common gifts which men receive even now in these days They are such as do much adorn and advance and set a luster upon those which have them and are partakers of them Thirdly And especially for their use and improvement and those gracious ends which they lead unto And that is as the Apostle himself does express it to us in so many words for the work of the Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ These gifts they reach to these ends Ephes 4.11 12. Every thing is so far forth desirable as it serves to better purposes and designs Now this is the advantage of spiritual gifts especially there where they are drawn out into their full extent that they do at least for a very great part of them serve to build up the Church of Christ The manifestation of the spirit is given to every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 But of this we shall speak more anon So much therefore now for that viz. the first particular considerable in this first General and that is the object propounded Gifts The second is the qualification of this object by way of comparison or distinction and that is the best or better gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where we may observe two things more First that which is implied And secondly that which is exprest That which is implied is this That there are some Gifts better than others That which is exprest is this that if there be any Gifts better than others those are they which we for our particulars of all others are to apply our selves to First For that which is implied there are some gifts which are better than others this is here supposed and taken for granted whiles the Apostle propounds the better gifts to be coveted after he does thereby imply that there is a distinction of gifts and that there are some of them which are better than the rest and so there are though all in their kind very good as proceeding each of them from one and the self-same spirit yet there is a difference and a distinction amongst them according to that which we have in the fourth verse of this present Chapter Distinctiones sunt donorum sed idem spiritus There are diversities or distinctions of gifts so some render the words but the same spirit For the better opening of this present point it will not be amiss for us to consider wherein this distinction does consist namely in what respect some gifts are said to be better than others and do partake of this better denomination First Gifts sometimes are counted better as they are any thing more rare and unusual Those which can do somewhat which few else can do besides they do from hence for the most part esteem themselves to be better qualified and think that therefore
which is required to such a work as that is If ye ask what is required else I answer a competent understanding in the whole Body of Divinity and Religion a Genius which I know not how to express to you a particular faculty for the understanding and interpreting of Scripture a Theological and Ministerial frame and disposition of mind a spirit of discerning in reference both to persons and truths together with a mind wholly imployed and taken up in such things as these are and given up altogether to them The whole frame and bent of a mans course is to be inclined and carried on this way and dedicated to it an ability rightly to divide the word of truth and to give every one his portion in due season as Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy preaching may appear unto all or in all things as some interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in them wholly The work of the Ministry is such as it requires the whole man and all his time to be taken up in it or else in such things as do border and confine upon it and belong unto it at least not such as are alterius generis or do divert from it This in other and private Christians of other callings is not nor cannot be which yet is necessary to be And this we speak of the intrinsecal and immediate qualifications hereunto Besides all this to say nothing now at this time of the setting apart hereunto by the Church if there be any which have real gifts for it and approved of though of other callings I should not be sorry but close with you with all my heart but this is sooner presumed than to be hoped But so much for that And so now I have done with the first General part of the Text viz. the Counsel or Exhortation which is here given by the Apostle Covet earnestly the best gifts The second is the Additional Regulation of the said counsel and yet here the Apostle raises his note a little higher than in the former he had done He would not have the Corinthians rest in the common gifts of the Spirit of God and to content themselves only with them but to proceed somewhat further than so as he does here intimate and imply unto them that it was possible for them to do In this second Branch of the Text we have two parts more considerable First The thing propounded The more excellent may Secondly The Proposition of it I shew it unto you We have each of these observable of us First Here 's the thing it self propounded The more excellent way The more excellent way what way do ye call that why surely that will quickly appear if we do but read on to the following Chapter which there are some Interpreters of very good note that would make these words of the Text to be the beginning of And there we shall find charity to be especially commended unto us Charity it is a large word of large extent as large as the whole Decalogue no less than so It is as the Apostle calls it the fulfulling of the Law whatever we can imagine as required in Gods Commandments we have it epitomized and comprehended unto us in this one word of Charity or Love love to God and love to our neighbour and our selves in a due manner and in reference to God this is Charity And so indeed and in effect and conclusion the more excellent way it is nothing else but Piety and Religion Grace and Holiness and Goodness the sanctifying and saving gifts of Gods Spirit both for the habit and operation of them in us these are that excellent way which the Holy Ghost by this advice to the Corinthians does commend unto us There are three points especially which are here observable of us First That Religion it is a Way Secondly That it is an excellent way and more excellent than all other ways and abilities and accomplishments besides Thirdly That it is such a way as we are to pursue and follow after in the most principal manner First I say Religion it is a way and so it is here represented unto us This distinguishes it from a mere sitt or some transient act and no more which abides only for some particular time True Grace and Holiness it is not so it is not only the doing of one or two good Duties and away and for such a season as we may judg most expedient but it is a fixt and setled course through the whole time of our lives Therefore we may from hence judg and conclude of our selves what we are examine what our course is and what it is that we do for the most part apply and bend our selves to and how one part of our lives is suitable and agreeable to the other This is the best discovery of us Even Saul himself may be sometimes among the Prophets and there is not the worst man that is but he may be now and then found in a good action But this is not his way and course and so from thence he cannot be concluded to be good It is the question which Job puts about the Hypocrite Will he delight himself in the Almighty will be always call upon God no he will not in Job 27.10 Secondly As Godliness and Religion is a way so it is the most excellent way of all others it is via per eminentiam as it is here exprest unto us it 's via Regia although it be not via publica a way which has a transcendency in it above any other So the Arabick Interpreter another way which is more excellent One would have thought that when the Apostle had made mention of the best gists he could now have gone no higher for what can be the better than the best But yet he does for all that here 's a superlative beyond a superlative and that 's the most excellent way which belongs to Religion True Grace and Holiness it has an excellency and transcendency in it above all learning and common Gifts whatsoever This will be easily cleared unto us upon this account First Because it is that which does bringus into a nearer likeness and similitude to God himself that 's undoubtedly the most excellent way and carries he preheminence to all other which does make us most conformable to him who is the chiefest excellency Now this we are not so much by our gifts and parts and such accomplishments as those as we are by the work of Grace in our bearts The most exact Image of God it does consist in righteousness and true holiness as the Scripture expresses it to us Indeed it is true that we are made like unto God in some sort in the natural faculties and powers of our Soul our Reason and Understanding c. But this is not all nor the chiefest no but so far forth as we are new created and made over again by the sanctifying work
of Gods Spirit in us whereby we become his children and partakers of his Divine Nature as the Apostle Peter speaks It is a good rule of Aquinas which he has to this purpose In hâc autem viâ tanto magis procedimus quanto Deo magis appropinquamus cui non appropinquatur passibus corporis sed affectilus mentis banc autem propinquitatem facit charitas quia per ipsam mens Deo unitur Secondly Grace is the more excellent way and such as is beyond common gifts as the End is better than the Means which are ordained and appointed thereunto For what 's the reason that God has given such abilities as these are Is it not in a principal manner as was exprest before unto us for the persecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the bringing of men to the knowledg of Christ Therefore this knowledg it self it must needs be a great deal more excellent than the means which are instituted and used for the working and promoting of it that will necessarily follow hereupon This is the nature of this business which is here called the Way that it is both Via Terminus the way and the end both The way in regard of glory and the life which we look for to come but the end in regard of grace and this life present with the dispensations thereof It is such as these giftsare ordained to and so is superior and far above them upon that reckoning and consideration Thirdly It is more excellent also in regard of the effects and consequents of it For it gives peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost and contentation in every condition and at last eternal life and salvation it self which nothing else can do besides We are not saved as we have greater parts than others more knowledg and enlightning in our understandings but rather as we have more grace than others and more love and flexibility in our affections That 's the most excellent way which puts us into the most excellent condition and that I am sure does this more than any other way whatsoever The consideration of this Point may serve as a good Rule unto us whereby to estimate both our selves and other men and that is not so much by the former as rather by the latter Let us not think our selves the better men accordingly as we do more abound with the better gifts but rather as we do more walk and converse in the most excellent way that is in plain and direct terms not so much by our wit and learning as rather by our Piety and Religious Grace We do not here speak against that worth which is simply considerable in learning and such abilities as those are I hope we have said enough of that already in the handling of the former Branch of the Text whereby may be easily discerned what opinion we have of those perfections and how honourably we esteem of them both considered abstractly in themselves as also concretely in reference to these which are the subjects partaking of them All that we now drive at in the comparing of these two together it is no more but this namely to determine to which to give the preheminence and that 's out of all question to this last as the Spirit of God himself here determines it This is that which we should put into the ballance this is that which we should most value both our selves and others by we need no better pattern for it than the Apostles own example for himself Phil. 3.8 St. Paul was a great Scholar a man of singular parts and learning who out-stript many of his equals and such as were contemporary with him but when he will consider and reflect upon himself and take a view of what he is indeed he counts all things but dung and dross for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ to be found in him c. Thus it should be now with every one of us which is like God himself to judg of things according to truth For to speak the truth indeed what is any thing without this What is it to have a good wit without a gracious heart What is it to have parts and learning without Grace to use them well to the glory of him that gives them and to the benefit and comfort of him that is partaker of them As Austin sometimes expostulates for himself Et quid mihi proderat quod omnes libros Artium per meipsum legi intellexi nesciebam nnde esset quicquid ibi verum certum esset c I beseech ye let us not swell and grow big with the thoughts of the one but esteem rather of the other Knowledg puffeth up but charity edisieth as the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 8.1 And so much also for that second Point That Grace and Godliness is the most excellent way The Third is that which follows from this second and that is this That it is a duty which lies upon us to pursue the latter above the former to covet the more excellent way above the better gifts Grace before other accomplishments This is here implied in that word which we shall afterwards speak more distinctly unto and that is I shew you which is not so to be taken as if the Apostle did only acquaint them with it but moreover as perswading them to it I shew it you as that which I do require and expect from you and make known to you as a duty to be performed And here now as 't is said in the Scriptures like a skilful Workman he comes hence to the present occasions and necessities of these present Corinthians to whom he wrote he felt how their pulse beat and observed very well what distemper at this time was prevailing upon them and reigning amongst them They looked much after Gifts and Parts and such kind of accomplishments whereby they might become glorious and illustrious in the eyes of the world and might be admired and cried up by other men and in the mean time neglected charity and edification and doing good with their Gifts from whence they might be more acceptable to God Now the Apostle here does two things First He grants them somewhat and then he comes further upon them occasionally from this his yieldance to them So that that now which before I call'd an exhortation or Counsel and so handled it we may if we will call a Concession or Permission in another sense of the words The Apostle here grants and yields an excellency in better Gifts upon which account he gives them leave to covet and seek after them but yet withal he signifies to them that beyond these there is a more excellent way which therefore he does here charge them implicitely not to neglect and this implicite charge or precept which is here given to them it reaches also in the like manner to us We should together with the coveting after the better gifts labour to be likewise found
and strengthen their faith and to take notice of such Dispensations as these to them we should not shut our eyes upon God's Providence in this particular but observe them and lay them to heart and be affected with them it is that which God expects from us in a suitableness to his dealings with us and that in the midst of many troubles which are upon us yet still see how God does deliver us So likewise for spiritual deliverances to apply it to that also God does here deliver after deliverances The vertue and efficacy of Christs Death which hath purchased deliverance for us it is extended beyond the time of his suffering to all following generations Now does Christ deliver us and now does he offer deliverance to us in such Ordinances as these are and now does his spirit strive with us and move us and incite us to good To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts c. which should move us also to take the present opportunity And so now I have done likewise with the second General part of the Text and that is the signification of a deliverance present exhibited to us in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And doeth deliver The third and last is the prognostication of a deliverance to come in these words In whom we trust also that he will yet deliver us We see here this excellent gradation how the Apostle proceeds from one thing to another from time past to time present and from time present to time to come What may we observe from hence Namely thus much That deliverances which are past are a very good ground for the hoping and expecting of deliverances to come or if ye will thus God that has delivered hitherto he will likewise deliver again Thus does Paul reason here he delivered us from the great danger in Asia and he will deliver us hereafter from others as occasion is afforded unto him and as we have for our part need of it Thus also in another place 2 Tim. 4.18 speaking of his deliverance from Nero I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work He infers one deliverance from another yea a general deliverance from a particular God had delivered him from that cruel Tyrant whom for his fierceness he calls a Lyon and from hence he concludes that he would deliver him from the suffering of any evil work besides for so we may understand it if we please not actively only but passively as from doing evil works himself so from suffering evil works from others in their attempts against him This was likewise the reasoning of David 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon and out of the paw of the Bear and be will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine So again Psal 22.4 Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them What does he suppose from hence why that accordingly he would deliver himself too This is the sweetest heavenly reasoning of the Saints and Servants of God even to argue thus with themselves and to draw deductions and conclusions of expectation from former experience What God will do from what he has done and that also upon weighty Considerations First His Ability and Power In men this is many times defective so that we cannot so happily conclude of the one from the other of future goodness from former because their power and opportunity may be gone and they may not be so able to do that which has been formerly done by them but now as for God there 's no such fear his strength and power is the same that ever it was and what he has been formerly he is able to do the same still his hand is not shortned that it cannot save nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear power and strength is his he is the rock of ages our Almighty God and mighty to save Ye know a spring or fountain it issues out streams continually in omne volubilis as you see water coming out of it to day so you expect it in like manner to morrow And why so why because it is a spring it has an indeficient sufficiency in it And this now is the Lord to his Servants he is a spring of preservations to them his Power is inexhaustible and so he is a Sun as he calls himself Psal 84.11 The Lord is a sun and shield a Sun which has light continually proceeding from it This is a very good Argument to reason froth as the three Children in the fiery furnace Dan. 3.17 The God whom we fear is able to deliver us And what follows thereupon and he will deliver us out of thine hand O king he is able and therefore he will in God it is a very good Argument in such cases as these are So to his Power we may joyn also his skill Those which do things by art and skill they can do them again wheras those which do them by chance and hap-hazard once is enough and sufficient for them Now the Lord he is a person of skill as men are for their parts skilful to destroy so is he for his part skilful to deliver And then further here is an Argument likewise from the greater to the less he that has done the one he can do the other too he that has delivered from so great a death he can much more deliver from a less or smaller danger where it happens unto us and that 's the first foundation of this Confidence viz. God's Ability and Power Secondly There is in God a perpetuity of affection too It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not Lam. 3.22 The Lord 's an unchangable God and therefore he will deliver for time to come as well as for time past I the Lord change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3.6 there 's a great matter in that especially if we shall consider that himself is the original of the mercies and deliverances which he vouchsafes That he loves us freely and not so much for any thing in our selves If it were founded in us we had then little cause to expect it or to look for it because we for our part are ever and anon out of frame we are such as do continually provoke him and give him occasion very frequently to suspend his goodness towards us but the comfort is that lies in himself and in his own gracious nature and essence which is not subject to any kind of change or alteration at all Thirdly There is in God exactness and a desire to finish and perfect his own work now this he should not be able to do if together with deliverances which are past he should not join deliverances to come The deliverances of the Church of God though they are so many distinct actions consisting of distinct moments in a succession and
now the Servants of God they do receive the Truth in the love of it and as they discern it with their understandings so they likewise imbrace it in their hearts and therefore cannot act against it Look as there is an impotency in evil men to that which is good so there is likewise in some sort an Impotency in good men to that which is evil And so the Scripture seems to set it in another place as Gal. 5.17 The flesh insteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things which ye would Cannot in either reference as the reluctancies of the flesh hinder ye that ye cannot do that good which ye would do from the principles of Grace so again the reluctancies of the spirit hinder ye that ye cannot do that evil which ye would do from the remainders of corruption And this latter is that which we are here to take notice of when the Apostle says of himself and other faithful servants of God that they can do nothing against the truth he means so far forth as regenerate and living by the principles of grace and regeneration in them so they can do nothing against the truth indeed though otherwise when as left to themselves and the natural corruption of their hearts they are sufficiently capable of it and prone and inclinable to it as in case of desertion and temptation is too abundantly declared unto us This is the sum of all that as the work of grace in Believers which is sometimes call'd the seed of God does preserve them from other sins and the presumptuous commission of them so amongst the rest from opposing the Truth and setting against that they cannot do it because they are born of God and have his Truth setled in them Thirdly From a spirit of faithfulness and ingenuity which is over and above in them The Children of God they are conscious to themselves of many engagements which are upon them to truth from the vows and promises which they have made and from the favours and mercies which they have received and therefore can do nothing against it Where men are under any Covenant they are tyed thoug they had never so good mind and inclination to the contrary And so it is here If we could suppose the Children of God to be such as whose affections would serve them for the hindring of the Truth yet their promises and voluntary Covenants are a restraint upon them they have solemnly dedicated and given up themselves to the Truth and so upon that account are now able to do nothing against it And so likewise for the mercies which they have received there 's a restraint from them also The Truth where-ever it is imbraced it does sufficiently reward those who have been imbracers of it besides that they are intrusted with it Now for them therefore to do any thing against it it would be very unworthy they cannot do it upon the point of ingenuity That 's another and the third Consideration Now all together may serve as a satisfaction to mens minds in this particular There are many which are apt oftentimes to wonder at that strictness and rigidness which is in many of Gods servants that they keep so close to the Truth so that there 's no shaking or removing them from it or perswading them to do any thing against it Here 's now a true account of it whence it is so indeed in them It is from hence that they cannot do otherwise we cannot do any thing says the Apostle Paul against the Truth And as he could not do it himself no more can others do it with him They are better taught and they are better affected and they have other kind of Bonds upon them and restraints than other men have who are more loose and at liberty in this respect as for them they cannot do it It is not selfishness or peevishness or perverseness or a spirit of singularity as the world is ready for the most part to construe and judg and interpret it in them no but it is Grace and Religion and Christianity we cannot i.e. we will not there is a restraint upon us of Principles Thirdly We cannot i.e. we shall not It is a restraint likewise of Power we cannot although we would but herein shall be prevented and intercepted we cannot attempt it and we cannot effect it there 's both in it cannot attempt it as prevented by the Providence of God denying us opportunities cannot effect it as prevented by the power of God denying us success First We cannot attempt it God preserves his servants from this even from endeavouring any thing against Truth he keeps them graciously from such temptations and occasions as might put them hereupon and besides what we spoke of before the general frame of their own hearts considered as regenerate there is the particular actings and restrainings of his own spirit in them whereby he does keep them from such a miscarriage and sin as this is Gods servants are under a blessed conduct and government which does prevail upon them whereby they are preserved from those evils and snares which others are taken with and do very readily fall into We cannot that is we shall not attempt it he denies opportunities But then secondly we cannot i.e. we shall not effect it as denied success This it holds good both of themselves and all men else We cannot do any thing against the truth That is we cannot prosperously we cannot successfully we cannot safely We may do it but we had better let it alone Cannot to our own comfort and contentment And we may do it but we had as good spare our selves a labour Cannot as to any real prejudice or disparagement to truth it self Those that seem to do most against it yet indeed they can do nothing at all nor never shall This although it be not the proper and direct sense of the place but rather the other which we mentioned before with some other which we shall speak of afterward as also the analogy of faith yet it agrees very well with the words and may by way of overplus and redundancy be taken in to the explication of them to us even to signifie and declare thus much That all endeavours against the truth are in vain and to no purpose Veritas magna est praevalebit the truth is strong and is sure to prevail When we have done all that we can do against it yet this all is as good as nothing it will at last be too hard for us But I will not insist upon this Point now as not being that which is so much intended I only give an hint of it by the way So much of the first word of Emphasis which is here to be explained and taken notice of by us and that is the word cannot there 's a force in that The second is the word any-thing for so indeed it
Reconciliation committed unto them For them therefore at any time to do any thing against this Truth it were very irregular and unnatural Thirdly This Evangelical Truth it is that also which is most in Gods own heart and affection There 's no Truth which he desires more to extol or advance in the world or which he is so tender and careful of as he is of this and therefore to do any thing against this were a matter of highest indignity and prosumption so that it holds good in all particulars Now that as we must do nothing against any Truth indefinitely so not against the Truth of the Gospel more especially we may not do any thing either against this Truth at all But here it may be haply demanded as pertinent to this present Discourse When and in what respect are we said to do any thing against the Truth I answer this is or may be done divers manner of ways by us First more grosly and directly by the teaching and spreading of error when any do deliver such Doctrines as are contrary to the Word of God and the Rule of Faith which is therein propounded they do then act against the Truth in a more especial manner If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness as it is in 1 Tim. 6.3 5. such an one is reckoned amongst those which are destitute of truth and as destitute of truth and as opposire to it To set up errour is to deject and pull down Truth Secondly We act against the Truth when we do any way hinder or retard the progress and propagation of it when we suffer not the Word of God to run or to have free course and be glorified which seems to be laid to the charge of unreasonable and wicked men 2 Thes 3.12 When we shall be any way guilty in this particular we shall herein be guilty of opposing the Truth and that whether we stop it as to others or else to our selves Thirdly By perverting of the Truth and abusing it to a contrary purpose and intent As when men shall make the Truths of God by a wresting and straining of them to be subservient to their own lusts they do thus far act against the Truth Thus the Apostle Peter complains of some in his time who being unlearned and unstable wrested the Epistles of Paul and other parts of holy Scripture even to their own destruction and perdition 2 Pet. 3.16 And what he complain'd of then is that also which may still be found frequent in many persons even to this present day In these ways and such as these which may be refer'd and reduced unto them may we be said to oppose the Truth Now it concerns all those who do any way profess themselves Christians and especially which are the Ministers of Christ to be wary how they be any way faulty in this regard to have this sentence here of the Apostles not only often and frequently in their mouths but really and deeply in their hearts We can do nothing against the Truth And that especially considering the great hazard and danger of doing so there 's none which do any thing against the Truth in the least kind that is but they are obnoxious to a great deal of mischief for such a miscarriage As namely first of all the having of Truth it self taken away from them God infatuates and blinds them more and takes away those remainders of Truth which are yet abiding in them when as they presume to act against it Those that receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved God sends them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness as it is in 2 Thes 2.11 12. Secondly The giving up to strange and enormous practices when men do that which is destructive of Truth God does many times withdraw his restraining Grace from them and suffer them to fall into very vile and fearful lusts As it is noted of the Gentiles That because they retained not God in their knowledg nor liked not to do so therefore God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness c. as the Apostle expresses it in Rom. 1.28 29. Thirdly The following with many outward and temporal calamities this is a consequent of the departing from Truth and of opposing and acting against it The Truth it does very much secure those places and persons which maintain it and are faithful to it but those which prove opposers of it and adversaries to it they do oftentimes find the hand of God going out in revenge upon them so dangerous a thing is it to be guilty in this particular of doing any thing against the Truth And for which cause we should take heed of doing it But yet we have not as I conceive attained to the full sense and scope of this expression here before us there is somewhat yet further intended in it than as hitherto we have spoken unto when as the Apostle here says We can do nothing against the Truth and that is by taking Truth not only notionally and as limited to Doctrine and matter of judgment and opinion but also moreover as taken Practically and as extended to matter of life and conversation The Truth in the language of Scripture does seem to denote the whole business and substance of Religion in the extent and latitude of it As to instance in one or two places thus 1 Joh. 3.19 Hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him So 2 Joh. 4. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth And 3 Joh. 12. Demetrius hath good report of all men and of the truth it self In all which places and the like the word Truth is taken not only for the Doctrine of Religion but also for the whole tenor and course of a Christian conversation And so also here in the Text We can do nothing against the Truth that is we can do nothing which may be offensive or prejudicial to Religion and the Profession of Christianity There are two things which we shall here briefly do with Gods assistance First To take notice of the phrase and manner of expression And secondly Of the thing it self First For the phrase and manner of expression we may here take notice of it That Religion and the whole business of Christianity is exprest by Truth when the Apostle would signifie that he could not do any thing against that he says He could do nothing against this We can do nothing against the truth i.e. We can do nothing against the power of Godliness and the spirit of Religion which is in the world The one expresses the other This there 's very good ground and
three Discourses in their Pockets or perhaps in their heads it may be none of their own when all is done and put them out of one of them and there 's an end of my Preacher he has no more to say for himself This rawness and shallowness and idleness and insufficiency does not become the servant of the Lord who like a good Scribe instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven is to bring out of his Treasury things both now and old and new as well as old to be as much as may be furnished to every good work A workman that needs not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth 2 Tim. 2.15 We speak not for the allowance or patronage of any exorbitancies but in the due observation of circumstances We urge here the rehearsing and repeating of the very same Doctrines according to that of the Apostle Paul in another place Phil. 3.1 To write and so to speak the same things unto you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe That 's one thing in this particular As we said before so say I now again his constancy as to the matter of his Doctrine The second is as to the Quality of it The same for the nature of it and coming to the same effects as I said before c. that is I am still in the same mind that I was in before and I Preach the same to you as I Preach'd before This is that which is commendable in a Preacher to pitch upon that which is the right and to hold himself to it not to change and alter and vary upon every turn but to be firm and constant in the Truth Ye shall have some kind of persons in the world that as they never hold long in one opinion themselves so neither are they constant to the Doctrines which they teach and communicate to others that what they write or Preach one year they cross and contradict the next change and alter their Doctrines according as they conceive it may most conduce to their own ends and the designs which they propound to themselves such as these discover themselves to have no principles in them to be meer empty blanks in which ye may write what ye please but in the mean time at a very great distance from this spirit of the Apostle Paul as he is here represented unto us Not that men should hold to their Doctrines and Opinions whatsoever they be whether true or false When we plead for Constancy Persistence and Perseverance in the same points it must be understood according to the nature and condition of the points themselves which it is applied unto for men may be sometimes too peremptory and immovable from their former Tenets and be fierce and vehement for them which is not approvable in them Those who through non-attendency or seducement have by chance fallen into some by and sinister opinion which they have taken up to themselves and with themselves led others into it they do with a great deal of commendation renounce it and withdraw from it but this gives no warrant at all to that which is contrary It 's ingenuity to retract error but it is Apostacy to depart from Truth and has the reward of Apostacy with it The latter end of such persons being worse with them than the begining as St. Peter tells us It having been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn away from either the holy Commandment or the holy Truth delivered unto them c. 2 Pet. 2.20 21. But that 's the first particular wherein the Apostle exprest his Constancy Constancy to the Doctrine which he taught As we said before c. that is now as we Preach'd so we preach again I am the same in the Truth which I delivered The second is Constancy to the Censure which he imposed As I said before so say I now again that is as we curst before so I curse now again I am the same in the Threatning which I denounced and so it relates to what preceeds spoken universally before as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same verse Curses and Execrations of others they do for the most part proceed from a troubled and distempered spirit and are such as which men when they are cool and come to themselves they are ready to retract and revoke and begin to be somewhat sorry for them and to repent of them because they are sent forth in rashness and heat of blood But this of the Apostle Paul was not such there was no such disorder as that in it but was free from all kind of passion and violence and distemper and inordinate affection and therefore he still owns it and sticks to it and is peremptory in it As I said before so say I now again let him be accursed We see here by the way in what manner and with what kind of spirit Ecclesiastical Censures should be inflicted namely so as the inflicters of them may upon good grounds stand unto them and make good what is done by them that they may not play fast and loose do and undo as they list and make the keys of the Church turn round in the lock but to be more solid and serious and grave and well-advised and constant in a business of so high a nature and concernment as this is such punishments as these as they should not be imposed lightly and rashly upon every occasion so neither should they be lightly removed and remitted and taken off It was the great abuse of such things as these were which prevailed in some later times where the greatest Censure of all Excommunication and giving up to Satan as it was inflicted for every trifle so it was also upon as easie a matter dispenst with and reverst by those that inflicted it to the great ignominy and scandal and contempt of Gods own Ordinance and the just offence of God's own People such carriages as these are do not become the Ministers of Christ who are intrusted with such a Power as this is which is committed unto them no but rather to understand what they do that so they may be more constant in it and not upon every turn waver and divert from it lest as those Disciples in the Gospel James and John who would have presently in all haste called for fire to come down from heaven upon the Samaritans to consume them they receive this check from Christ for their presumption Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Luk. 9.54 55. And so again likewise are we to be wary as I hinted before of all rash and private imprecations of one man against another as being such as we cannot for the most part so well assert and maintain and stand to or say as here in the words of the Apostle As we said before so say I now again as being herein condemn'd oftentimes in our own consciences in such cases checking us
perhaps you were very little or nothing at all affected with it Now ye are ashamed This now it may admit of a various and manifold Explication First Now since the time of your Conversion and Regeneration and coming home to God Secondly Now since the commission of your sins and the intermission or the withdrawing of the temptation Thirdly Now since the experience of Gods Goodness and the sense and apprehension of his special love and favour towards you since these all or either of these ye are now ashamed of those things which formerly had no impression upon you or at least which ye did not look upon as any great matter of shame unto you First I say now that is since the time of your Conversion and Regeneration and coming home to God Conversion as it makes a change in a mans condition so also in his affections it makes him to have other thoughts and apprehensions than formerly he had and in particular in point of shame he is a shamed of those things which before he did not regard And whereas before sin was nothing with him now he looks upon it as the greatest reproach can befal him A man after Conversion will be ashamed and confounded in himself for those ways which he walked in before Thus it was here with these Romans yea thus it was with the Apostle Paul himself when he looked back sometimes upon his former condition before his Conversion he was ashamed to think of it and he speaks of it with a great deal of abhorrency and indignation as we may see in Act. 26.10 11. 1 Cor. 15.9 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Thus it proceeds upon these following Considerations First The clearer discovery of the nature and condition of sin it self which is the ground and matter of shame shame in the affection is according to the apprehension of it in the occasion those that are not thoroughly convinced and perswaded of any thing to be shameful they are not consequently ashamed of it but those which are so they will be affected with it And this is when it is apprehended to be filthy and base in â—â—self as the Philosopher describing this affection sets in forth unto us that it is properly imployed about those things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seem to have some vileness in them and which are apprehended so to be Why thus now is it with a man which is converted in regard of sin He looks upon it as a shameful business and proportionably is ashamed of it he sees sin in its colours and in its nature what it is by the light of Gods Spirit assisting him and inabling of him so to do which another does not It 's a good observation of Chrysostom's which he has to this â—urpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Every sin does then indeed appear how vile and filthy it is when you empty it and strip it off the affection of him that commits it Tell an angry man when he is cool of the words which he spoke in his passion and then he will be ashamed Then a drunkard when he is sober the things which he did in his cups and then he will be as contented bring an unchast person to his harlot when his lust is over and he will then abominate both her and himself and so he goes on These Romans when they â—â—ere here converted the Apostle dares appeal to themselves and needs no other witness besides for the confirmation of that which he said If people had but the same thoughts of sin in the committing as they are likely to have after it they would never be guilty of it There 's a double light which is communicated to a Christian as pertinent to this purpose the one is whereby he sees the filthiness of sin it self and the other is whereby he sees himself as guilty of sin Where either of these is wanting there is not this shame which we now speak of when either we see not sin in it self or see not our own interest and propriety in it as belonging to us then we shall not be affected with it no more than a blind man is with those spots which are upon his garments but where both these concur there is blushing and shame of heart and thus in a person converted Secondly This shamefacedness does arise from a serious and due apprehension of the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God Those which many times are not much ashamed of things simply considered in themselves yet when they think they are taken notice of by others this is a means to work shame in them Now a good Christian he is sensible of this he has set God always before his eyes that thereby he might be restrained and considers him as everywhere beholding both the evil and good Therefore it is emphatically exprest there in Ezra and twice repeated in the place before cited O my God I am ashamed and I blush to lift up my face to thee O my God if we had real and daily and constant apprehensions of him as present with us as it becomes us to have it would make us ashamed of doing any thing which were unworthy of Christians from the sense of his presence This is more than to set before us some Cato or Socrates or Seneca or any such persons as those were as the Philosopher advised in such a case Thirdly A Christian after conversion comes to be ashamed of his ways and courses before from the height and nobleness of his Principles and that spirit of Grace which is now in him over what formerly he had Men when they come to be men and are grown up to years of maturity and riper understanding they are ashamed to think of those toys and tricks which they plaid in their child-hood and Scholars when they come to some perfection they are ashamed of those exercises which they made in their former and younger time and all from this Consideration because they are now better qualified and more inabled than formerly they were even so is it also with a Christian upon conversion and turning t6o God He is not now the same man that heretofore he was and therefore the same things will not satisfie him or give him content but he is apt to quarrel and find fault with them yea to blush and to be ashamed of them when he reflects and looks back upon them especially his sins and evil courses which is that we speak of at this time because he has a new nature in him which does bear in most direct opposition and contrariety to all such courses as these are Yea further which is also pertinent hereunto a gracious person has an holy reverence and awe of himself which does encline him and carry him hereunto it was that which some of the Heathens did sometimes advise unto in their Moral Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all others reverence thy self This a good Christian does and from hence comes to blush and to be ashamed of
of Faith There are many which reckon themselves in the highest form of Divinity which are in the lowest form of Christianity as having little of the true knowledg of Christ abiding in them Secondly Weaker Christians are compared to little Children as for the smallness of their growth so for the shallowness of their understanding and the weakness and feebleness of their digestion Little children they cannot digest strong meats as is before implied no more can weaker Christians stronger or higher truths There are some Truths in Religion which weaker minds are apt to abuse and to pervert to their own perdition as the Apostle Peter tells us some did with those hard things in Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3.16 They are too strong and difficult for them 1 Cor. 3.1 Thirdly Little children they are froward and apt to be complaining in regard of the tenderness which is in them a small matter troubles them and so it is with weak Christians there 's a peevishness and morosity upon them from whence a little thing molests them and soon puts them out of frame Fourthly and lastly as most pertinent to the Text. Little children they are not long in a mind they quickly change and alter their opinions and so it is with weaker Christians It was so in particular with these Galatians for which the Apostle indeed does here call them little children they were soon removed from him that had called them c. chap. 14. Upon this account does the Apostle also express himself after this manner to the Ephesians That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine Take little children and ye may turn them which way ye will and that which to day they play with to morrow they are ready to cast away The same desposition is there in weaker Christians both in regard of Teachers and Doctrines those Teachers which for the time they admire within a while they have enough of them and those Doctrines which now they imbrace ere long they 'l be of a contrary mind and judgment to them But so much of the first thing here considerable which is the Title or Compellation Little children c. The second is the condition in which he stood in reference to them and that we have in these words of whom I travel in birth again Wherein two particulars more First The simple Proposition of it I travel in birth Secondly The additional Reiteration I travel in birth again For the first The simple Proposition The Apostle says he travels in birth with these Galatians where having before call'd them little children he still continues the metaphor about them by resembling and comparing himself to a travelling woman and so upon occasion he is made all things to the people of God sometimes a spokes-man to betratb them 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I might present you a chast virgin to Christ sometimes a Father to beget them 1 Cor. 4.15 For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel sometimes a Nurse to cherish them 1 Thes 2.7 We were gentle among you even as a nurse cherisheth c. sometimes a Mother to bear them My little children of whom I travel in birth And this latter is that which we are now to consider of at this present time Here 's that wonder which the Prophet Jeremy speaks of of a man travailing with child in Jer. 30.6 The Apostle Paul here assumes it to himself but he does not restrain it to himself he does by this expression signifie the condition of the Ministerial employment especially in the hands of those which are faithsul in it it is like the travel of a woman in child-birth of whom I travel in birth There are three things especially which are observable in a travailing woman and each of them appliable to a Minister and Pastor of souls First Sense of pain Secondly Desire of delivery Thirdly Fear of miscarriage First sense of pain There 's pain amd labour in travel so great as that other things which were painful are set forth and resembled by it in Scripture and a woman when she is in traved we say she is in labour as if there were no labour to speak of but only that Now this is also considerable of us in the work of the Ministry howsoever some may count it and others may make it yet in it self and in the conscionable discharge of it it is a laborious work And accordingly we shall find it in Scripture exprest in so many terms 1 Cor. 3.9 We are labourers together with God 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly than they all 1 Tim. 5.17 They that labour in the word and doctrine Still the work of the Ministry is represented and exhibited to us as a business of pains and labour and so indeed it is Indeed it is so differently to a difference and variety of persons as it is in the other kind of travel and bodily child-birth some have an easier pull of it than others accordingly as it please God to be assistant to them as it is noted of the Hebrew-women Exod. 1.19 So here in this spiritual travel according to different gifts and inablements the labour is different but yet all who are that which they should be have their share in this pain and labour This as it is a good Meditation to Ministers themselves to teach them with what thoughts to enter upon so weighty an employment so it is also a good item to people how to carry themselves towards them even by knowing them that labour amongst them and admonish them and to esteem them very highly in love for their works-sake as the Apostle Paul makes that use himself of it to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.12 13. We see what cause we have to bear a tender affection to the true Ministers of Christ to pity them and to pray for them even as we would for a woman which is drawing near the time of her travel so should we for those which are understanding such a great work as this is even seek to God earnestly for them especially considering that it is for our sakes and in reference to our good that it is undertaken by them That 's one thing which is considerable in this resemblance of the work of the Ministry to travel viz. sense of pain The second is desire of delivery A travelling-woman she longs to be eased of her burden with which she goes and waits for the times of her redemption and freedom from it and she has a great desire to bring forth what she carries into the world So also had the Apostle here of doing good to these Galatians he was with child till he had wrought some what upon them and brought them into a good temper of spirit This is another thing observable in a good Minister from whence he is said to travel in child for those which are committed unto him Thus Rom. 1.11 I
and Points of Religion especially such as do more concern Christ himself And not only to be acquainted with them but also changed into them which is a further thing here considerable of us to make up to us this forming of Christ so as all the several Doctrines of Christianity they may have a work upon our Hearts and Affections answerable and suitable to the nature of the Doctrines themselves Thus Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered unto you In the Greek it is into which ye were delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the commendation of the Romans that as the Evangelical Doctrine was delivered to them so they also were delivered to it that is changed and transformed into the nature and condition of it and closing and complying with it This is the duty of all others besides We should not only hear the word to hear it and notionally to discourse of it but we should hear it that we may obey it and practically conform our selves unto it That 's the first Explication of this forming of Christ in us as it does relate to the Doctrine of Christ The second is as it does relate to the Spirit of Christ Till Christ be formed in you that is till ye are made conformable to Christ having the same mind and spirit in you which was first in him This is another thing which the Scripture urges upon us and makes mention of to us as Rom. 8.29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son Christians they must be conformed to Christ and made like unto him this is to have him formed in them Now this conformity it is of two sorts as the Scripture exhibits it First A conformity of disposition and secondly Of conversation First Of Disposition That we be like affected as he was Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 So 1 Cor. 2. ult We have the word of Christ Christ he is to have an influence upon the framing and fashioning of our spirits And that again in two Particulars First In a conformity to his Death and secondly in a conformity to his Resurrection In a conformity to his Death so we have it in Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death How are we made conformable to his Death when as namely his Death proves effectual to the killing of sin in us and the mortifying of corrupt affections in our hearts Thus also Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin Then for the conformity to his Resurrection that is when we do partake of a quickening power from Christ to enliven us in all holy performances Thus Rom. 6.4 5. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection So much of the first conformity to Christ viz. the conformity of Disposition The 2d is the conformity of conversation to others when as we walk as Christ also walked 1 Joh. 2.6 And Christ is formed in our course that is made conspicuous to others from our carriage and behaviour What the carriage and behaviour of Christ was we have at large laid down to us in the Gospel which is the History of his whole Life declaring how he still went about doing good where ever he came how full he was of meekness and sweetness and gentleness and compassion and yet with it an holy zeal also against sin and sinful persons Now what 's the result of all to us as we should improve it but that accordingly in our several opportunities we should conform unto it that as he became like to us so we also should be made like unto him If we would know how this may be done by us I know no better way for it than by looking upon Christ as he is there represented unto us We know what a force there is in sight to work upon the imagination as in cattel when they conceived upon the beholding of the party coloured rods and had lambs suitable thereunto But there 's a stronger power in the eye of faith beholding Christ as he is propounded in the Gospel to change us and to make us like unto him Therefore says the Apostle elsewhere We all beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 The sight of Christ in the Gospel is transforming and has a power to change and assimilate those that exercise it suitably unto it This is the forming of Christ in us in reference to his Spirit which is that that is chiefly here intended in this Text. Now the Use and Improvement which we are to make of all this to our selves is to labour to find that this be so indeed with us that is that Christ be truly formed in us that we partake of his blessed Image upon us and his living Spirit in us are one with him and incorporated into him as considering that nothing less will serve our turn this is absolutely necessary for us as to all purposes and conditions whatsoever without this we can do nothing which is spiritual or in a spiritual manner we cannot please God or be accepted of him at another day He will no further own us than as he sees Christ instampt upon us Therefore let us look to this above any thing else let us not rest our selves in a bare outward profession and form of Religion which has no life nor power at all in it but let us endeavour that the life of Jesus may be manifested in us and his Spirit wrought into us or else there 's nothing in Religion will do us any good We may talk and discourse of Christs Birth and Death and Resurrection and such great Mysteries as these but alas they will be all nothing to us unless we for our particulars have a share and interest in his Person What is it for Christ to be born into the world except he be born in us to be conceived and formed and fashioned in the womb of his mother except he be also formed and fashioned in our hearts and we our selves made conformable to him as we have hitherto shewn This is that which we should principally look to Not as if there were no other forming of him but only this as some would go about to perswade us but this is chiefly to be minded by us ut quod in Christo factum est per naturam in nobis
they still put all spirituality in the outside of Duties themselves reckoning them for the only spiritual men in the world which are mured and shut up in a Cloyster and are imployed in their superstitious Devotions and practices of Will-worship and in the mean time wirhdrawing themselves from all serviceableness and usefulness to the world and places wherein they live This is not to walk in the spirit but rather in the flesh We must therefore take a further account of this business than as yet we have done and here to walk in the spirit will be as I in part intimated before to be heavenly and spiritually minded in our whole course and conversation Whatever the things themselves be so not sinful which we are occupied about let them be matters but of our ordinary callings yea even lawful recreations themselves a gracious heart will be spiritual in them and so we ought to be when we do every thing as in God's Presence to his Glory and as accountable to him for whatever we do then do we indeed walk in the spirit when we are in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 Which makes up the first Explication understanding by the spirit the spirit as bestowing grace as subjected in us Secondly By the Spirit we may here understand his motions and suggestions as objected to us Walk in the spirit that is walk according to the guidance and dictate and moderation of the Spirit of God And this again in two particulars more First In the directions of the Spirit Walk as the Spirit of God inclines you Secondly In the Consolations of the Spirit Walk as the Spirit of God comforts you and gives encouragement to you First Walk in the spirit that is after the directions of the spirit as the Spirit of God inclines you be sure and careful of that It is the blessed and happy advantage of those which are the servants of God that as they have the Spirit of God working grace in them at first so they have also the same gracious spirit still exciting and provoking and stirring up that grace which he has wrought in them for following times Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it c. Isa 30.21 Now then are we said to walk in the spirit whensoever we listen and hearken hereunto and move our selves accordingly when we do that which the spirit commands us and provokes us to do and when we shun that which the spirit forbids us and takes us off from not only in the word but in the conscience wherein he does also apply himself to us and that in a suitableness and correspondency unto the word look what he commands in the one he suggests in the other and never contrary or opposite thereunto whereby it may be discerned whether it be the Spirit of God or no. There are many who sometimes pretend to follow the dictates and motions of the spirit when-as it is rather the propensities and inclinations of their own corrupt and carnal hearts but such as these delude them This is the priviledg and duty of Christians to be guided by a better spirit than their own even the Holy Spirit to suffer his motions and suggestions to take place in their hearts and to rule and bear sway in them This we should labour still to do upon all occasions whenever we find any stirrings of good in us presently to close with them and to improvethem all we can toturn the motions of the spirit to resolutions on our behalf and not only into resolutions but into practice which is the life and vigor of all This is to walk in the spirit And this is that which we should apply our selves unto in obedience to this command or counsel which is here given us in the Text especially such amongst us as have any thing more of this Spirit of God dwelling in us the more that any partake of the spirit the more it concerns them to walk in the spirit and to yield themselves up to the Power and Authority of the Spirit upon them because that such as these have greater and larger opportunities than other have As for other men which are but of common and ordinary principles yet living within the bosom of the Church and there partaking of the means of grace there are very few of them except they be such as are desperately concluded but they have now and then some kind of stirrings and workings of the Spirit of God moving in their consciences whereby he diverts them from evil and puts them on to the doing of good and it concerns such as these accordingly to walk in the spirit and to follow those motions and suggestions which are thus offer'd and tender'd unto them yea but now as for the children of God which are regenerate and born again and have saving grace wrought in their hearts such as these they are seldom without them but are frequently and continually exercised and inured unto them And therefore for them not to walk after them is a matter of great indignity which is hereby offered to so holy a Spirit and such as does not pass in them without some trouble and affliction upon their own spirit usually for it that so they may take the greater heed of being guilty or neglectful herein at another time as is manifest from the experiences of many which have made complaint in this partiular and should be a caution and warning to all the rest We should take heed of grieving the Holy Spirit of God by refusing his gracious Motions and Applications of himself to our hearts but walk in the spirit that is first after the spirits directions as the Spirit of God inclines us Secondly Walk in the spirit that is walk in the spirits Consolations as the Spirit of God comforts and incourages you This is such a kind of walking in the spirit as the Scripture does sometimes make mention of as Act. 9.31 it is said there of the Churches That they walk'd in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost This is also our duty to do and though perhaps it be not that which in this place is chiefly intended yet neither is it altogether excluded it is the special office of the spirit to be a comforter therefore to walk in the spirit is to walk in his comforts We find among other fruits of the spirit which are reckoned up here in this Chapter Joy is named for one as that which does belong thereunto and certainly we do then walk in the spirit when we do preserve this joy in our selves When we labour to keep terms of peace and reconcilement betwixt God and us from whence our hearts may be filled with comfert When the Consolations of God are not small with us but we do value them and make much of them and do not easily do any thing which may forfeit them or provoke God to take them
sense and meaning of the Scripture as they have thought after a spiritual manner and in the mean time departed from the power and scope of it by leading lives opposite and contrary thereunto But the Spirit of Christ here by the Apostle requires of us to make the Word of God the Rule of our life Secondly We may not content our selves neither with some Discourses an inlargements of speech as tending to Piety which is another thing which many are subject much to rest in and to satisfie themselves withal There are many which if out of the strength of parts or the advantage of company and education and converse they can speak commendably and plausibly in Religion that they have then discharged themselves and done all which is required of them nay but it is not this which will serve the turn neither This walking in the spirit it does imply more than simple discourse or Amplification of speech in Divine and Spiritual Points it is not talking but walking which is here commended unto us not the walking only of the tongue but of the whole man Thirdly It is not only good meanings and intentions as some please to call them which should content and satisfie us neither There are many which go no further than these pretend they have as good a mind to God-ward as any other though they do nothing which savors of so much in them promise and vow and resolve and are full of good purposes but such as at last come to nothing at all in them Now all such as these are cut off by this Exhortation Walk in the spirit It is not enough for men to have good intentions but they must have answerable actions it is not enough for men to have good purposes but they must have answerable performances they must do that which they do resolve on Indeed it is true in some cases God accepts of the will for the deed and the intention for the performance it self namely there where we are extrinsecally hinder'd and debar'd of an opportunity of performance as we may see for Abrahams offering up of his Son God was well-pleased with his willingness thereto and accordingly accepted it and so for Davids building of the Temple God took it very well from him that he had a mind and desire to do it though he did not do the thing it self as being prevented by Divine Dispensation This his Son Solomon signifies concerning him in 2 Chron. 6.8 The Lord said to David my Father Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my Name thou didst well that it was in thine heart Mark thou didst well because it was in thine heart to do so God looked upon it as well-doing good actions are good intentions incarnate because there was well-purposing and well resolving for as the thought of foolishness is sin so the thought also of goodness is grace and so to be accounted but yet where there 's opportunity for action there 's somewhat more which is required of us We must not rest our selves in good desires but endeavour to bring them into accomplishment what we can through the infirmity of the flesh and that 's the first thing implied in this walking viz. Activity c. Secondly Here 's implied strength in opposition to faintness and remisness he that walks he moves strongly so must a Christianin his course of Christianity He must labour to express some strength and vigor therein he must be able to do somewhat more than other men and the generality of people in the world in the subduing of corruptions in the bearing of afflictions in the performance of duties it does not become such an one as has the Spirit of God in him to be overcome or yield there where perhaps another would be foil'd no but as he has been made partaker of a nobler and higher principle so to put forth the vertue of it in his whole life and conversation both to the Honour and Glory of God as likewise to the greater advancement of Religion it self Thirdly Here 's implied also constancy in opposition to declining and giving back walk in the spirit that is continue and go on in goodness and proceed still from one degree of grace to another here 's improvement and perseverance in Holiness which is commended to us under this expression as it is said of the People of God Psal 84.7 That they go from strength to strength till they every one of them appear before God in Zion So it should be with us in our Christian course we shoul never give over till we come to our journeys end till we attain the end of our faith even the salvation of our souls as the Apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 1.9 Forgetting those things which are behind press forward Phil. 3.13 There are many which begin as it were in the spirit but they end in the stesh as the Apostle speaks of these Galatians they set upon that which is good but they do not persist and persevere in it Now this is that which he does here over and above require of them and in them of all others besides which pretend to Christianity And so now I have done with the first Particular in this first General viz The Affirmative Injunction or Precept which the Apostle here commends to these Galatians and in them to our selves Walk in the spirit The second is the Negative or Prohibition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and do not or ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh I put them both together because the words will bear either and I find them both in our own English Translation the one in the Margent the other in the Text. According to the former so it has in it the nature of a Prohibition or Dehortation as shewing what should not be According to the latter so it has in it the nature of a Promise or comfortable intimation as shewing what shall not be We may if we please take notice of both And first of the former sense as it carries in it the nature of a Prohibition and as shewing a Christians duty Do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh the Subjunctive for the Imperative Where we may by the way observe this in the general how careful the Spirit of God is to set us and keep us right and what means he uses thereunto Here 's precept upon precept and line upon line and negative upon affirmative one thing after another to make it so much the more full and effectual to us one would have thought it might have been enough to have said this Walk in the spirit no more but so for whiles we do thus we are not likely to do much amiss as we shall hear afterwards but the Apostle is not content with that he adds this to it moreover And do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh This he does upon a two-fold ground First His own tenderness and jealousie over us Secondly Our falseness and the slipperiness of
our deceitful hearts First I say here 's the tenderness and holy jealousie of the Apostle Paul and the Spirit of God in him towards the Galatians and in them to all Christians in that he does reiterate and ingeminate his counsels to us This is still the nature of love and sincere affection that it thinks it 's never sure of the safety of the party whom it loves and therefore it repeats its admonitions and cautions again and again and is not satisfied to do it in one expression but is willing likewise to do it in another for the greater sureness and certainty of it But then secondly Here 's also the falseness and slipperiness of our deceitful hearts which stand in need of such kind of repetitions and inculcations as these are we are apt upon every turn and occasion to fall into evil and therefore we have need of all the helps against it that possibly may be not only to have our duty propounded and that which is to be done by us but likewise to be forewarned of sin and the countuary evil which we are to take heed of and avoid what we can And this by the way from the Addition of this second particular to the first But to come closely to the words themselves Do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh This is that which is in a special manner prohibited to all Christians not only here in this present Text but also in divers others besides The Scripture either in the same words or else in expressions like hereunto is very full of such Admonitions as these And accordingly it concerns us to observe them to take heed by all means that we be not guilty in this respect and to take notice of them and that especially upon these following Considerations First Because it is contrary to their professions those which are Christians have renounced the works of the flesh and vowed against them It is a part of our Covenant in Baptism wherein we are consecrated and given up to God that we will abandon such courses as these and therefore it concerns us in no hand to have to do with them If we have we transgress our Covenant and break the Bond which is betwixt us and God as an engagement to our new Obedience and Holiness of life Secondly It is contrary to our Principles and the work of Grace wrought in our hearts which in Baptism is also sealed unto us those which are true Christians they have the spirit of Christ in them which does incline them and carry them a clean direct and contrary way to these lusts of the flesh This we shall find to be the Argument of the Apostle in another place as Rom. 8.9 c. Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you Now if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness Therefore brethren we are debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh c. Every one that has the Spirit of God in him is a debter to walk after the spirit and so therefore on the other side not to fulfil the lusts of the flesh Thirdly It is contrary to their practice and that which they have done formerly already every good Christian as he has a Principle of Mortification in him whereby he is inabled to subdue the flesh so he has in some sort put this principle into action and has actually subdued the flesh indeed They which are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts says the Apostle Paul in ver 24. of this Chapter Now therefore for them to come and fulfil them is very incongruous and unsuitable and unagreeable to their former practise it is to take sin down again from the Cross and to put life and breath as it were into it after it is once mortified than which there can be nothing more absure or unfitting to be done Thus the Apostle does abundantly reason in Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin And again in ver 11 12. Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof And so all along in that Chapter Fourthly There is this also considerable against the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh the great evil and danger which comes by it and that is that it brings death and destruction along with it to be carnally minded is death Rom. 8.6 And if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8.13 And he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Gal. 6.8 And many such places as these which shew the deadliness and perniciousness of such courses What does all this now come to but teach us so much the rather to shame them and decline them and to abstain from them to follow and put in practice this counsel and admonition of the Apostle here in this Text Do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh For the better urging and pressing whereof it will not be amiss for us to consider the particular meaning of the terms themselves There are two Terms here to be explain'd as there were also in the former branch First What is here to be understood by the lusts of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what we have prohibited therein Secondly What is here to be understood by not fulfilling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what we have prohibited therein To speak somewhat to both First What are we here to understand by the lusts of the flesh Desideria Carnis Now for these we are hereby to understand all the motions and inclinations and actions of the unregenerate part in us of what kind soever By the lusts of the flesh we are not only to understand those sins which by an eminency are called fleshly lusts such lusts as are terminated in the body and acted by that as Drunkenness and Adultery and Fornication and Uncleanness and the like though these be so in a special manner and in that regard to be avoided but by the lusts of the flesh we are to understand all the motions and affections and emanations of corrupt nature in us not only as acted by the body but also as more immediate to the soul as pride and envy and malice and such as these these are included by the Apostle and not only included but also more especially intended as those sins which he did aim at to mortifie and subdue in these present Galatians to whom he here writes This we may observe from the context an the coherence of these words with the former He had spoken in the Verses before of using their liberty for an occasion to the flesh in uncharitable conversation and in biting and devouring one another by slanders and
imagination of many a sinner that where they have once begun in any evil they had now as good to go on and to make progress in it Oh but take heed of that do not yield to such a temptation as this is it is very dangerous and pernicious to the soul and so will prove God requires we should do our utmost to the avoiding of all manner of sin in us and where we have not so much grace as to come off to such a measure and degree of mortification yet at least to go so far as we can Est aliquid prodire tenus si non datur ultra We should endeavour as much as may be to subdue the very principles and first motions of sin in us if they will still remain yet to prevent the acts If any act of sin break forth from us in the beginning and inchoation of it yet to stop it and to restrain it in the progress then shall we truly put in practise this exhortation and command of the Apostle wherein he does charge us not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh To set this home a little more fully and effectually upon us let us over and above take notice of the intention of the Prohibition in the Text it is given us in two negative Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which carries so much the greater force with it and by the way likewise shews us how far it concerns our selves to have respect unto it it shews us how desirous God himself is that we should withdraw from such sinful courses and likewise how far of our selves we are subject unto them and therefore stand in need of such earnest and importunate prohibitions as these are and they should not be in vain to us but should work upon us to bring us to so much the more caution and heedfulness of spirit Indeed there are some spirits in the world which from hence are so much the worse and do too much make good that observation of Nitimur in vetitum Sin taking occasion by the commandment works in them all manner of concupiscence as the Apostle speaks and the more they are restrained from it the more eager and violent they are upon it There are some which let the Ministers and servants of God say what they please yet they are resolved to do what they list and the more they abound in admonition the more do these abound in transgression and purpose to do so still But this is a fearful perverting of Gods gracious dealings with us in such opportunities as these are and such as where we are guilty of it will highly aggravate our sins upon us which we should therefore especially beware of And further observe how this counsel of not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh it is indefinite and given to all sorts of persons not only to Monks and Eremites as Luther observes upon the place but to all ranks and conditions of men and as he particularly instances in to Magistrates who then put this counsel in practise when they are conscionable in the discharge of their places and careful to close with those opportunities of doing good which in those relations are afforded unto them when they watch over the temptations of their callings and the snares which they are subject unto from the corruption of men which is in them without better heed and regard to their hearts c. And so now I have done with this clause in the first acception of it viz. as it may be taken Imperatively and by way of Prohibition as denoting a Christians Duty Do not in any case fulfill the lusts of the flesh The second is as it may be taken Indicatively and Declaratively by way of Promise as shewing a Christians Priviledg which belongs to him upon his walking in the Spirit and that is that he shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh In the handling of which words in this sense we may take notice of two Particulars more First of somewhat which is implied and secondly of somewhat which is exprest That which is implied is this that it is a great priviledg and advantage to be freed and exempted from the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh that which is exprest is this That those which are careful and industrious to walk in the Spirit they shall be made partakers of this priviledg and advantage I begin with the First namely with that which is implied That it is a great priviledg and advantage to be freed from the fulfillingof the lusts of the flesh This I gather from the scope of the words and the Apostles intent in the bringing of them in here in this place and that is to perswade the people of God to this duty of walking in the Spirit from the benefit that shoul come to them thereby We must look upon the Apostle as here speaking somewhat extraordinary when he tells them that it shall be thus and thus with them he does not simply tell it them but he tells it them as some encouragement to them which accordingly he would have them to observe and take notice of and so should we also do with them and this is that which we should take notice of That there is a great deal of benefit and advantage herein to be exempted from the fulfilling of lusts What 's the benefit of it it's manifold and various I 'le instance in one or two Particulars First Liberty and freedom of spirit that has always been counted a great advantage And so it is To be free and not subject to the tyranny of dominion of enemies why this now is the happiness of that man which does not fulfil the lusts of the flesh He is a free-man and to speak the truth there is none other which is so but he Take any other man besides which walks in base and filthy courses and he is a very vassal and slave he is in thraldom and subjection to Satan by whom he is led into captivity according to his will 2 Tim. 2. ult And Satan he 's an absolute tyrant which will be sure to exact the utmost upon those which are made subject to him He is the spirit that rules in the children of disobedience but those which have got power over their lusts they are freed from this slavery and bondage Satan hath now no more part or share in them A second Benefit is peace with God quiet and tranquillity of Conscience This is another thing that follows hereupon Those that follow the by as of their corruptions they cannot so easily or fully be assured of the love and favour of God himself towards them which will be apt to be very much darkened and obscured thereby But now those that resist and overcome them they have this a great deal more certified and confirmed unto them They have more quiet and peace and serenity in their own breasts and spirits than otherwise they would be likely to have Thirdly More expediteness
to Duty and the doing of that which God requires of them in their several places Great and strong lusts are hinderances to any noble performances and high atchievements which are to be undertaken by us The Apostle tells us in the verse immediately following to the Text vers 17. of this Chapter that from the flesh lusting against the spirit the Galatians were disinabled from doing the things which they would and so they were and all others with them whereas on the other side where these are kept down there is strength and ability thereunto namely to serve God with so much the more strength All these laid together do shew us the happiness of this particular condition and the truth of this point in hand to wit the benefit and advantage of not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh Again further we may here also take notice that as it is a benefit in it self simply considered so it is such as is apprehended and counted so by all those which have the Spirit of God in them Those which are the true children of God they look upon this as one of the greatest mercies which can happen unto them to be freed from the power of their lusts This is also implied in the Text it was not only so in the thoughts of the Apostle but also in the thoughts of the Galatians to whom he here wrote or else he had said nothing to the purpose and it had been to no end to signifie as much unto them that by walking in the spirit they should have this benefit confer'd upon them if they had not thought it to be a benefit indeed But now he uses argumentum ad homines and speaks to them in their own Element to their heart as the Hebrew phrase hath it He knew he should now please them and bring that which would be acceptable to them when he should tell them of being freed from their lusts and so he did A good and a gracious heart looks upon this as the greatest mercy and priviledg in the world which he longs for and most eagerly desires as the Apostle Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord which is such as makes him willing to desire even death it self where in he shall indeed partake of this priviledg Again Moreover observe this as another thing implied in these words That the reward of Religion lyes within the compass of Religion The Apostle had stir'd up these Galatians and in them all other Christians to an holy Life and spiritual Conversation to walking in the spirit Now what does he here for their encouragement signifie to be the reward and recompence hereof unto them Why namely this that they should not fulfil the lusts of the flesh He does not say ye shall have such and such outward comforts heaped upon you riches and honours and the like nor he does not say ye shall have Heaven at last given you and ye shall be free from condemnation though this also be true no but ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh If we had no other recompence of a godly life but only that which is emergent from it and immediate to it yet this were enough to satisfie us in it and to perswade us to the leading of it And so much for that which is here supposed and implied in this expression I come now in the second place to that which is exprest which is the words of the Text And ye shall not fulfil c. This for the right handling of it we must take in its conjunction and connexion with the words before and as dependent thereupon Walk in the spirit and so ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh the one prevents the remedy against the other the more spiritual any are the less carnal and the more we are guided by the spirit the less we shall yield to the flesh This truth and expression may be made good to us according to a various explication which may be given of it First Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall not have so great a mind and desire to fulfil them ye shall be restrained in regard of inclination though Grace and the exercise of it does not as I said before wholly extirpate all cortuption out of us and make it cease to be whiles we live here in this world yet it does qualify the dominion of it and makes it cease to be in that measure and degree wherein it was in us before And as sinful acts do increase the habit of sin in us as we have formerly shewn in the point above so the other side do gracious acts dminish this habit and make it less It is the avantage of that man who is imploy'd and taken up in well-doing that he has not that lust and propensity in him to that which is evil as another has Godliness it puts our mouths out of taste to the pleasures of sin as on the other side sin does make goodness to be disrelish't by us Look therefore how far a man is freed from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh by having little or no desire unto them so far is he freed from them also by this course of walking in the spirit which is advantageous and effectual to this purpose to mitigate the desire of sin in them Secondly Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall not have temptation to fulfil them ye shall be kept from lustful and sinful suggestions and provocations The reason why many fall into sin now and then is because they have strong temptations and instigations to it because the Devil is very busie with them and it pleases God someimes in his Providence to give them up into Satans hands But now when men are careful to walk in the spirit they do very much provide for themselves in this particular Satan has not that power over them and advantage which otherwise he would have in the neglect of it nor they are not so much under the power of temptations as they would be if they did not thus walk This is true upon a ouble account both on Gods part and on Satans on Gods part who in this case does not so much give them over to temptation and on Satans who in this case has not that incouragement to fasten his temptation upon them First I say on Gods part who in this case does not so much give them over to Satan to be tempted Take a man that neglects his daily walk and converse with God that does not look so strictly and narrowly to his steps as it becomes him to do it pleases God now and then for his exercise and tryal and partly his correction to let Satan loose upon him and to suffer him to molest and trouble him with sad temptations not only for sin
but to sin also thereby to humble him and bring him low and to shew him the vanity and sinfulness of his own corrupt heart But now when a man walks in the spirit and is careful to keep close to God God will free him from such evils as these Again secondly It holds also on Satans part who in this case has not this incouragement to tempt as thinking he shall but lose his labour and do all to no purpose It is true indeed that Satan is not easily put out of heart in regard of his temptations nor yet does he always forbear men because they have more grace in them nay therefore does hereafter sometimes so much the more violently set upon them he throws his sticks the fastest at those trees which have the most fruit upon them because he thinks thereby he shall have the greater booty but yet where he sees Grace in the activity and the exercise and improvement of it in a spritual way he is not so much heartened and incouraged and provoked to tempt men as otherwise he would be Resist the Devil says St. James and he will flee from you Give him but the least advantage and he will be sure to take it and improve it to the utmost but resist him an give denial to him and then he is gone Why thus now do those that walk in the spirit they leave no hole for Satan to come in and they put on all their spiritual armour whereby they stand against the wiles of the devil Ephes 6.11 Thirdly Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall not have leasure or opportunity to fulfil them The more business a man has in goodness the less vacant he is to sin and has less time for the committing of it This a man shall be sure to find upon tryaland experience of it That man that truly walks in the spirit will find so much work for him to do in a spiritual course for the watching of his own heart for the getting of a farther stock of Grace for the serving of God in his relations and the place wherein God has set him as that he will find but little leasure for the lusts of the flesh at all And this is another Explication Lastly Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall be kept from the thing it self in regard of the immediate influence and efficacy of a spiritual Conversation which it has in the nature of it for the restraining and preserving of the heart from any sinful miscarriage This ye shall not as to actual accomplishment we shall find to be true according to all the former senses and explications which we have given of this walking in the spirit take it in which ye will and ye shall find that in the practise of it Ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh First Take it in the Graces and Principles of the spirit Walk in the spirit so and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh The more spiritual we are in our Principles the less carnal shall we be in our Conversation This is clear from the words that follow in the next verse to the Text the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the thing that ye would Ye cannot do the things that ye would it holds true of either part not only as to the doing of good ye cannot do the things that ye would that is whereby ye would with your sanctified will because the flesh which is in you is an hinderance and impediment to you but also as to the doing of evil ye cannot do the things which ye would neither that is which ye would with your corrupt will because the spirit which is also in you is here a curb and restraint upon you Look as the inherence of sin and corruption remaining in us keeps us from a full and perfect walking in the spirit so the infusion of Grace and Holiness abiding in us also keeps us from an absolute fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh Again Secondly Take it also in the motions and suggestions of the spirit and they all take us from the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh whether we understand it of the suggestions of Counsel or whether we understand it of the suggestions of Comfort they do either of them hold us back in this particular First The suggestions of Counsel the directions and excitements of the spirit they are such as if we follow them we shall be sure never to fulfil the lusts of the flesh which by the way shews the horrible blasphemy and wickedness of some persons in the world which would make their lusts of the flesh to be the motions and suggestions of the Divine Spirit What a grievous and fearful thing is this yea and how false is it too and incongruous the Spirit of God is an holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Holiness it self as the Scripture stiles him and therefore he does not nor cannot provoke men to that which is unholy no but it is the desperate vileness and rottenness of their own corrupt hearts together with the spirit of Satan of joyning and complying with them and improving of them Satan hath fill'd thy heart to lye against the Holy Ghost as Peter to Ananias So likewise secondly for the suggestions of Comfort which the Spirit of God does let in into us if we walk after them also we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh spiritual comforts and consolations they do not breed security and presumption or make men the more to abound in sin as some men vainly pretend against them no but where they are in reality and good earnest they make men so much the more to avoid sin and to be more shy and fearful of it To take heed of doing any thing whereby we should deface our evidences and lose that sweet and comfortable testimony of Gods love which he does vouchsafe unto us This is the proper improvement of such experiences as these are in the hearts of those which are God's People as also the proper consequence and connexion of the things themselves The Consideration of this point in hand may be thus far useful to us as it may serve to put us upon the search and examination of our own hearts and ways we may see what our selves are according to this Doctrine There are many which pretend to the Spirit and to the walking in it Well but how are they now as to this particular whereof we now speak the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh When men give themselves over to these without any curb or restraint at all Can they say and say with any truth that they walk in the spirit Certainly no such matter He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as
he walked 1 John 2.6 And how was that why according to the Spirit the Spirit of Holiness which was in him and acted him all his whole life If it be objected that David and Peter and other of the Servants of God have sometimes turned aside to these lusts First I answer that in the strict sense they did not fulfil them which is with delight and perseverance in them without repentance Secondly That so far forth as they did any way fulfil their lusts so far forth they did decline walking after the spirit but walk c. Again Yet further We may take these words not only simply and emphatically but if we will also exclusively walking in the spirit it does prevent and restrain the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh and upon the point nothing else but that at least so effectually and powerfully as that does There 's nothing which doe so infallibly civilize men as Grace and true Religion and the Spirit of God and the Power of Godliness This is the best means of Mortification that is in the world there are other means which are also happily used now and then as good company and fear of punishment and avoiding of occasions and the like But there 's nothing like this the living in the exercise of Religion This it makes sure work and sets our lusts at the greatest distance from us that possibly may be the best remedy against sin is duty and the best help against lust is grace every sin of commission it has commonly a sin of omission going along with it or rather going before it as the ground and occasion of it whereupon it is laid If we were but more in doing what we should do we should be less in doing what we should not therefore walk in the spirit if ever ye desire to be kept from fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh And in the spirit again in the highest and sublimest notion of it the spirit not in the natural or moral Consideration of it only the spirit of that 's his reason or ingenuity and good nature and the like though that be not excluded neither but in the spirit especially and actually in the supernatural Consideration of it The spirit of a man that 's his grace and his spirit indued with a principle coming from above it is not parts that will keep men from lusts but gracious and holy affections it is not reason but reason sanctified which will here serve the turn abstract it from this and it is too weak and feeble a Principle for such a business as this we now speak of We shall find by certain observation that men of the highest reason have been sometimes of the strongest passion and none have been worse for their Morals than those which have been most eminent and admired for their Intellectuals This I add that we may rightly understand it what spirit and in what sense it is spoken of here in this place when we are required to walk in it that we may not fulfil the lusts of the flesh And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which I propounded in order to be considered and that is the Doctrine or matter it self which is here delivered and propounded unto us Walk c. The second which we find to be the first in the method of the Text is the Preface or Introduction to this Doctrine and that we have in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This then I say This is as it were the dore in the Text and that which makes entrance into it This is such an Introduction as we oftentimes meet withal in Scripture and where we meet with it it is commonly with some special force and impression upon it Here in this present Text we may look upon it as carrying a fourfold Emphasis in it First As a word of Authority I say it that is I charge it upon you and require you to observe what I say I say it by special warrant and command mand from God himself and therefore know what I say it is not hoc dico ego non Dominus this I say and not the Lord as it was sometimes in another place 1 Cor. 7.12 But hoc dico ego quia dominus this I say because the Lord he has said it and I say it from him A Minister whiles he speaks from God he may speak boldly that which he speaks without difficulty or hesitation As Paul to Philemon I may be bold in Christ to enjoyn thee that which is convenient Philem. ver 8. When we speak purely from our selves according to the dictates of our own fancies or passions or the like here our speech may be well intercepted and hindred in us but we speak by direction from God here I say his Authority And especially may this confidence and boldness further be used when-as the things which we speak have some footing and foundation in the hearts of those whom we speak to It is great matter of confidence to a Preacher when he has the soul and conscience of the hearer bearing witness to that which he says and can say as the Apostle also does in another place concerning his Epistles We write no other things than what you read or acknowledge and I trust ye shall acknowledg even to the end in 2 Cor. 1.13 And again chap. 4.2 By the manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God And again chap. 5. ver 11. We are manifest to God and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences Thus was St. Paul also here in the matter of this present Text and therefore says I say that is boldly as a word of Authority and Command And so 't is a word of Constancy I say it again and again and therefore confidently Prov. 21.28 He that heareth speaketh constantly that is he that is sure Secondly I say it is a word of experience I say it sensibly and I say it feelingly and I say it upon mine own knowledge as finding the power and efficacy of this Truth upon mine own heart from whence I may so much the more fully and freely commend it to you Thus did St. Paul say it here and thus should we also which are Ministers endeavour to say what we say upon such occasions and in such matters as these then indeed a Preacher speaks to purpose when he speaks thus When we deliver spiritual Truths out of raised and spiritual affections and more as the workings of our hearts than as the workings and inlargements of our brains it is not enough for men to speak out of Books from the spirit of other men or to speak out of themselves only out of the strength of parts and wit and invention and such kind of abilities to say what can be said of a Text in a way of logical deduction and as fetching one thing out of another by a kind of rational distillation but to spin
and work such points as these are out of the windings and turnings and actings of their own spirit This is to be a Preacher indeed and to speak with the greatest profit and edification to those which are our hearers because that which comes from the heart is most likely to go to it and to rebound more effectually upon it Thirdly I say it is a work of sympathy and Pastoral affestion I say it out of my love and tenderness and bowels towards you as pitying you to think ye should go on in courses of vanity without restraint which therefore I would take you off from by this seasonable and pertinent Admonition There were some Teachers now in the Church of Galatia which did labor to infect and corrupt the People of God with their carnal Doctrines which were spread by them Now therefore was the Apostle Paul here so much the more tender and jealous over them and would speak a word in due time for the redeeming and saving of their souls And this is another thing to be heeded and regarded by a Preacher not only to speak affectionately as to the things themselvs which he speaks about but also to speak affectionately as to the persons themselves he speaks unto This is that which Panl did in this Text. Fourthly and lastly I say it is a word of Comprehension or Recapitulation wherein he sums up all in effect which he had said before What had he said before why that they should not use their liberty as an occasion to the flesh that they should by love serve one another c. Now this then I say says he c. as the upshot and epitomy of all the rest as the Preacher in Eccles 12.13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments so here in the Text This I say walk in the spirit c. To shew that this is as it were the scope and sum of all our Ministry to bring men hereunto to eschew evil and to do good to abstain from that which is sinful and to walk in ways of Piety and Goodness This is the pith of all we can say And therefore accordingly we should set our selves to this more especially and above any thing else not troubling our selves and our hearers with fancies and strifes about words to no profit but the subverting of the hearers but study to shew our selves approved unto God and workmen that need not to be ashamed in distributing and rightly dividing the word of truth as is elsewhere advised in 2 Tim. 2.14,15 There are a great many Preachers in the world especially in these present times which when they have said all they can they have said nothing at all which when they have spoken and uttered many words neither themselves nor any that hear them can make any thing of them as being nothing but so many airy speculations and words of course But the Apostle Paul here was otherwise who what he said he said to purpose and was such as carried some weight and strength and efficacy and edification with it This then I say c. And so now I have done also with that other General viz. The Preface or Introduction to the Doctrine and so likewise with the whole Text it self SERMON XLI Gal. 6.4 But let every man prove his own work and then shall be have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another There are two grand evils and miscarriages which the generality of people in the world are subject to in point of Censure The one is to pass too hard and severe an interpretation upon others and the other is to give too favourable and indulgent allowance to themselves And these two as they do both of them for the most part go together so they do both of them seem to proceed from one and the self-same ground and root and occasion of them which is the want of a due Attention and Consideration of men's own hearis and of the actions which spring from them Therefore are men commonly so apt to judg and condemn others with the highest aggravations that may be because they do not look upon themselves as subject to the same passions and affections with other men And therefore again it is that men are so apt to appland themselves and to think well of what is done by them because they do not consider the defects and imperfections of their best performances Now for this cause the Apostle Paul in the course of this Scripture before us applying himself indifferently to the cure of either of these distempers does propound the same counsel and prescribe the same remedy for the removing and healing of them and that is by putting every man upon the search and examination of himself This be does as to the first evil in the two former verses of this Chapter Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault c. And this be does as to the second evil in the two next following verses to them He that thinks himself c. But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another our business at this present is with the latter of these two which I have mantioned and that which I have now at this time read unto you But let every man c. IN the Text it self there are two General Parts considerable First An Exhortation And Secondly The Argument to inforce it The Exhortation that is in these words Let every man prove his own work The Argument for the inforcing of this Exhortation that is in these And then shall be have rejoycing in himself c. We begin with the first viz. The Exhortation Let every man prove his own work Wherein again we have three branches more First The object his own work Secondly The Act conversant about this Object Let him prove Thirdly The subject of this Act in reference to this object Every man The Emphasis of the Text may be laid in either of these words for surenss we 'l consider it in all where we shall follow the method of the original though not the method of the Translation And so as we have here propounded it speak in the first place of the object his own work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiles the Apostle makes mention of his own work which he desires every man should prove Methinks he seems to intimate divers things in it which are here briefly considerable of us And as I conceive we have here a threefold Caution which is implicitly exhibited to us First Against idleness or unfruitfulness Secondly Against arrogancy or affectation Thirdly Against curiosity or intermedling This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text in carries a threefold Antithesis or opposition with it to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First In this Expression of his own work there seems to be a Caution against idleness and unfruitfulness of Conversation
thence matter of rejoycing but only such an one as upon tryal does approve it and give allowance unto it And so is that place also to be understood 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread c. What barely examine Is that all no but approve upon examination and even so all here Let every man prove his own work that is let every man so order it that upon due tryal he may approve it Where yet again further for the better understanding of this phrase This expression even in this sense also namely by way of approbation it is not to be taken only nor so much in reference to judgment but to practise when the Apostle says Let every man approve his own work his meaning is not this That he should absolutely think well of his work whatsoever it be whether good or bad for that many are forward enough unto of their own accord whereby they do now and then judg unrighteous judgment and besides it is not always in a mans power so to do Heman cannot approve what he pleases but the meaning of it is this That he should so manage and dispose of his actions as from whence he may have just cause and ground for the Approbation of them so that probare here in the Text it is as much as probatum facere to prove that is to make approved And so it is to be taken by a Metonymie of the effect for the cause because he that does any thing as he should do he does deserve and receive approbation therefore the doing of it in that manner it is expressed by approbation This now for the further illustration of this point unto us is considerable in two particular Branches First In reference to what And secondly in reference to whom we are to prove or to make our works to be approved we are to do it in the thing it self and we are to do it also in reference and order to such and such persons First In reference to what and for the thing it self Take it in three particulars more in which it is to be done by us for the matter of it for the manner of it and for the principle First We must approve our work in regard of the matter of it and the substance of the action it self This is necessarily to be premised as the very ground and foundation of all the rest that which is not a good work substantially it can never be made good by circumstances let them be the best that possibly can be A man may mar a good work by bad circumstances but he can never mend a bad work by good because Bonum oritur ex integris causis malum ex quolibet defectu It is a rule in Divinity that which is good must have all things concurring to make it good but that which is evil may be so but from some particular defect As a man is not a compleat man except he have all his parts but he is a lame man if he want but one limb This is that then which we say That that action which is materially evil it cannot be warranted or made good from any good which is concomitant with it or adhering unto it It is not the best end that any man can propound to himself which will justifie his action where it is sinful and unlawful in it self A man may not lye for God as Job speaks Job 13.7 Neither may we do evil that good may come thereof as the Apostle speaks Rom. 3.8 Indeed there were some that both thought so and said so of the Apostle that it was so with him but they wronged him in so doing as himself there declares it as we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say no the damnation of such is just which so argue and reason and conclude and it 's such as will not hold water For this purpose we must know thus namely that there are some actions which are evil simply and intrinsecally and in their own nature there are others which are so only conditionally and in such and such cases but in their own nature and out of those cases are indifferent and neither good nor bad The latter of these actions according to the several conditions which may be upon them of circumstances which they may be cloathed withal may become good and warrantable but the former of these they cannot be warranted from any condition whatsoever but being evil formally are therefore so indispensably That 's the first Explication that work which is approved it must be approved for the matter and substance of the action it self Secondly It must be also approved for the carriage and manner of performance It is a good rule also of Nazianzene's to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is good is not good except it be well done there 's a peculiar Modification which is proper to every action to be attended and observed by us and without which it cannot be accepted nor we in it This is appliable to all the particular exercises and duties of Religion Prayer Reading Hearing of the word and such as these where it is not enough for us to do these things simply in themselves which yet are not to be omitted by us but we must be careful to do them in such a manner and fashion as God does require Thirdly We must approve our work also for the Principle and Spirit from whence it does proceed and arise in us Prov. 21.27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord how much more when he brings it with wickedness or a wicked mind A wicked mind makes a good action to be abominable which is no further good than it has goodness for the Original of it This same spring and principle of our actions it hath a very great influence upon them for the Goodness and Approbation of them And thus much of the first Head namely in reference to what we are to prove or approve our work The second is in reference to Action and the persons which are to be regarded by us Now these are likewise of a threefold specification First To God Secondly To Man Thirdly To our selves First We must approve our work that is we must approve it to God that he may like it and be well-pleased with it This is that which the Servants of God have been careful still especially to do and it concerns them to do so and that especially upon these following Considerations First As he is one of the most exact and accurate judgment and best able to discern of our work what it is In all approbations of mens selves for any thing which is done by them they are commonly most careful to do it to such perfons as have most skill in it and are of greatest worth and dignity in themselves The approbation of one person of quality and that knows what belongs to a business is more than an
but in operations as walking it implies motion and action for so it does it is true that Religion and Christianity it begins here to wit in the infusing of gracious principles and dispositions into the hearts of those which are made partakers of it but here it does not rest These habits they are such as do exert and put forth themselves in a proportionable actvity and where there are the Principles there will be likewise the Operations suitable and conformable thereunto As it is in 1 John 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him i. e. in Christ ought himself also so to walk even as he walked Let us therefore be sure to make this good to our selves that it is thus with us so as the Graces of God's Spirit be active and operative in us and that we shew forth the vertue of him that hath call'd us out of darkness into his marvellous light as the Apostle Peter speaks in 1 Pet. 2.9 There are many which talk sometimes of their good thoughts and meanings and intentions and inward qualifications because they think no body can confute them and convince them in these matters But alas these are not enough without some outward acts of new obedience as discoveries that they are in us of a Truth as fairness of outward conversation is not enough without sanctifying Principles and a change of the heart within from whence it does proceed so neither is this declared to be in good earnest where it does not in some manner express it self in the life and behaviour Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven says our Saviour but he that doth the will of my Father which is in He aven Matth. 7.21 Christianity it is a matter of doing which is imply'd in walking Secondly It is matter of progress which is implied in walking also and improvement of that which is good A good Christian he is careful to put on and to go forward from one degree of grace to another They go from strength to strength as it is in Psal 84.7 Where grace is in the truth of it it is in the increase of it more or less it never stands at a stay but is still in motion and tending to perfection Thus we have it in the Apostle himself Phil. 3.12 13 14. Where he tells us that he counts not himself to be perfect but he presses forward to the mark c. Thirdly Here 's the extent of Christianity It is not only a work but a walk it consists not in some single performance but in an universality of carriage according whereunto it is denominated Grace it runs through a mans whole conversation and expresses it self in that as large as he has any opportunity of doing good afforded unto him whether publick or private in reference to others or himself Therefore it concerns every one accordingly to be careful to improve it There are many which single out some one or two duties or services to be done by them in which they rest themselves contented and neglect all others besides which do belong unto them This is not to walk as Christians for to walk it does imply a course and moving from one path to another and not always continuing in one A Christian he has his divers rounds as I may say which he takes to this purpose sometimes in his General calling and sometimes in his Particular and in his particular according to the various distribution of it But not to insist upon these things that 's the first thing here considerable in this first General to wit the nature of Christianity that it is a walk in the activity of it in the progress and in the extent The second is the Regularity of it it is an exact and orderly walking and we have two words in the Text which do signifie as much unto us First The word walk which in the Greek has this Emphasis with it it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to walk in order and rank Secondly The word Canon or Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 each of these speak this unto us And from both together there are two things here commended unto us which we may take notice of distinctly First That it is a matter of circumscription And secondly That it is matter of comeliness or order both of these are such properties as do pertain to the walk of a Christian First I say Circumscription to speak of that first A Christians walk it is remarkable for this it has its bounds and its limits set it Quos ultra citraque nequit consistere beyond which it cannot pass or hold A Christian is not a lawless person one that rambles and runs up and down like a wild creature like one distracted and out of his wits he is of a body politick which has its laws c. he knows not whether nor cares not how but he is confined and kept within compass he walks by rule And this is that which accordingly in other places we have exhibited unto us wherein we are bid to consider our ways and to ponder our paths and to take heed to our feet and the like This shews that we may not walk at random but with due regard had to our selves in this particular This is no piece of bondage but of liberty rather Profane and Atheistical persons they look upon the strictness of Religion as an imprisoning to them and think they cannot be free except they be loose and licentious but those who are the true servants of God are otherwise indeed and their practise is according hereunto they have restraints and impediments upon them and they reckon them as advantages to them and so they are Look as it is the priviledg of a man which is in his right senses that he is kept by the strength of reason in him from those exorbitances which one that is distracted falls into without controlement so it is the advantage of a man that is regenerate and a true Christian that by the strength of Grace in him he is kept from running into the same excess of riot with other men as we find that expression used 1 Pet. 4.4 Whiles it is said here emphatically by Rule for the better opening of this passage to us we may take notice of two things First Of somewhat excluded as opposite and contrary to this rule Secondly Of somewhat included as the kinds and parts of it and making it up For the first That which is excluded it may be reduced to these three heads First Custom and practise when men do things but because they have done them Secondly Humor and passion when men do things but because they will do them Thirdly Patience and example when men do things but only because others do them before them To walk by either of these Principles is to walk indeed by no Principles at all but opposite contrary to
rule and so very unsuitable and disagreeable to a Christian who is here limited and circumscribed in the Text by a rule set unto him This is that which is excluded which yet I will not now inlarge upon as not altogether so pertinent to be handled but rather leave it to your own Meditation The second is that which is included and so making up the kinds and parts of this rule untous And here again there are three things especially First The rule of Goodness A Christian he then walks by rule when he does that which is warrantable Secondly The rule of Charity A Christian he then walks by rule when he does that which consists with that love which is due to brethren Thirdly The rule of interest and propriety and calling A Christian then walks by rule when he does that which is proper and belongs to him to be done by him All these might be very well prosecuted but they will perhaps fall in more pertinently to be discourst of in the following head and therfore for brevities-sake I will pass them by here So much of the first thing here considerable as the condition of a Christians walk in point of regularity and that is circumscription He is not left at liberty and at large to rove up and down where he list but is kept within bounds and to his Rules The second is the comeliness and order of it in the Verbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as I said is to walk in a due and decent manner And indeed this is as requisite and convenient as the other when a man does not only keep his bounds but observes his paces and measures and gait and carriage in walking This is what the Scripture sometimes calls in another place a walking uprightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2.14 And in another a walking exactly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5.15 See then that ye walk circumspectly or exactly not as fools but as wise A Christian must have acare of this and has so so far as he is a Christian he may be added as a fifth to Solomons four things which are comely in going Prov. 30 29. This is call'd a walking in wisdom in another place Col. 4.5 Walk in wisdom towards c. This is to walk with care and caution in regard of the manifold dangers and extremities which we are subject unto As Nazianzene speaks particularly of Ministers that they should be herein like those which dance upon ropes or which climb a Mast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whom it is not safe to incline too much either one way or other but to keep themselves in an even state and posture of body Thus should it be also with all Christians in their several places which makes up to us the second particular considerable in this first General to wit the condition of a Christians walk and that is regularity he must walk and he must walk by rule The third which is the main of all and which therefore I have made haste unto as most peculiar and considerable in the Text is the Determination of the rule which a Christian must walk by and that is this rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And here now the question will be what this is and what the Apostle means by it Interpreters are at difference about it but I shall not trouble you with the variety of their conceits neither do I think it necessary We need not go far as I apprehend to find out the sense of it if we cast but our eyes back upon the verse immediately preceeding the 15th of this Chapter where we find it thus In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision but a new creature or a new creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then this is the rule which he here speaks of Regeneration and the work of Grace in the heart As many as walk by this peace be upon them c. There 's the Gospel in the word of it and there 's the Gospel in the work of it each of these are a rule to Christians The former he had spoken of in the foregoing part of the Epistle The latter he here now speaks of in this pace in the new creature which he here commends to this purpose Now this for the clearing of it to us may admit of a double Explication and be taken two manner of ways Either first in the notion of a byass or secondly in the notion of a mark According to the first sense so it is to walk by this rule as having this moving and acting in us ratione principii and so it does simply denote Christians as Christians as many as walk by this rule of the new creature i. e. as many as have true and saving grace acting and working in them as the whole by which they are moved According to the second sense so it is to walk according to this rule as our own Translators render it as having this directing of us Ratione metae vel termini and so it denotes Christians walking in the power of Christianity and suitably to those gracious Principles which are really and indeed in them either of which may be understood by us First Take it as a Byass or Principle 't is rule so And here we have commended to us all such persons as have the work of the new creature wrought in them and are indeed acted by true and saving grace which do that which they do in Religion out of the Principles of Regeneration and the inclination of a sanctified heart than which nothing less will suffice or serve their turns This is that which every one is to regard and look after in himself It is not so much what any one does as what principle acts him in doing it and what is the spring of such actions in him This if it be not a new nature and an heart subdued and subjected to Christ it is nothing worth As many as are led by the Spirit of God and those alone they are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 This is that the Scripture still stands upon Matth. 7.16 c. Men gather not grapes of thorns or figs of thistles a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit c. Quid est arbor mala voluntas mala says Anstin What 's an evil tree in this place An evil will and an evil heart if that be naught all 's naught with it And this evil heart is an heart not sanctified and indued with grace an heart of unbelief as we find it also called in Heb. 3.12 This is that evil tree whence no good fruit does come Therefore I say let us look to this that we may find it in ourselves there are many which rest themselves contented with the Principles of common ingenuity and morality and civility the strength of wit and natural parts and think they are safe enough here though they go no further But alas this will no do it must be the new creature as the
the judgment which on any is past by us We should so far reckon and esteem of any and of our selves as we have of this in us This it suits with the scope of the Text by comparing it with that which went before The Apostle had to deal with some in the Church of Galatia which stood much upon their Jewish Prerogatives and priviledges which they did partake of in that respect which did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made a fair shew in the flesh in ver 12 of this Chapter Gloried in their circumcision and conformity to the Law of Moses In answer to whom he adds the following words God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ c. And in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature And then he adds As many as walk by this rule that is as we may well understand it by this rule as to matter of judgment and estimation of any ones person This is that which we should be mindful of though respect is also to be had to other Considerations yet we should principally value any as they have more of grace and goodness in them walk by this rule in point of Censure Thirdly In matter of practise and the things which are to be done by us consult also with this rule Consider whether that which we do or not do be agreeable hereunto First Be sure to know and to consider what the new creature is and wherein it consists and then examine whether such and such actions do comply with it according to this we should either provoke or restrain our selves where we find our selves slack or remiss to our duty quicken our selves upon this Consideration that our Principles require better from us where forward and carried to evil check our selves also from this argument as being contrary to the new creature in us This is the state and condition of a Christian and of one that is indued with saving-grace that he cannot do those things which others take liberty in nor omit what others discharge themselves from but has a necessity upon them from whence it is that we read o◠such expressions as these in Scripture We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Act. 4.20 And we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 Here 's can and cannot with a Christian in such cases as these are because he is under a law even the law of the spirit Rom. 8.2 That which he cannot do with a good conscience he cannot do at all A Moral impotency is all one with him as a Physical and he is provoked or tyed up according to the Principles which are in him Fourthly As to matter of carriage and behaviour in every condition we must walk by this rule here so deporting our selves as may be suitable to Religion and the work of Grace in us forasmuch as that does very much fit and qualifie us for all estates whatsoever The Apostle Paul speaking of himself in Phil. 4.12 says He knew how to be abased and he knew how to abound everywhere and in all things he was instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need He was taught a suitableness and comeliness of behaviour in a variety of conditions And who and whence was he taught it surely not from flesh and blood but from the work of God's Spirit in him and by Grace wrought in his heart And so must every one else be besides and being so be careful to walk proportionably hereunto with patience and humility and thankfulness and moderation and contentment and compassion and fellow-feeling of the necessities of other men to exercise the grace of that condition in which we are This new creature if we observe it and be indeed acted by it it will lead us and carry us to such a frame and temper of spirit as this is whatever state happens unto us And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which is the qualification of the persons here mentioned As many as walk c. The second is the signification of the blessings or priviledges belonging unto them Peace be on them and mercy c. I call it the signification of blessings but indeed there is somewhat more in it This passage for the clearing of it to us seems to carry a threefold Emphasis with it which may be fastened upon it First In the notion of a Promise or Divine Intimation Peace and mercy unto them that is there shall be peace and mercy unto them it is a priviledg which they have interest in Secondly In the notion of a Prayer or Apostolical Benediction Peace and mercy upon them that is let peace and mercy befall them it is the blessing which I do pronounce unto them Thirdly In the notion of a compliance or friendly salutation Peace and mercy upon them that is I am peaceably affected towards them and in charity with them either of these notions or all may be comprized in this expression here before us in these present words We begin with the first As it has the notion of a promise or Divine Intimation There shall be peace c. This is the advantage of all godly men living in the Power of Godliness and walking by the Rules of Christianity that they shall have peace and mercy for their portion which shall be bestowed upon them This is that which the Scripture does signifie in divers other places as Psal 119.165 Great peace have they that keep thy law and nothing shall offend them So Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee c. and Phil. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds c. Peace it is a large word comprehending all kind of happiness and felicity in it whatsoever but we may here in this place confine it more especially to that which is spiritual Peace and mercy that is peace flowing from mercy in the pardon and remission of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ This is the peace here meant with the effects and concomitants of it as belonging to powerful Christians they shall have peace and reconciliation with God as the main ground-work and foundation of all and they shall have also peace in their own consciences as issuing and following hereupon To which also we may add as an overplus Peace with men and all other creatures so as not to be able to do them hurt but rather good even in their greatest oppositions and at last eternal peace and rest in glory to him that ordereth his conversation aright I will shew the salvation of God Psal 50.23 For the further amplifying of this unto us it ma no be amiss for us to take notice of the manner of expression by an Hebraism Peace not to them but upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And
Now that which Christ submitted to for us was the worst and most grievous of any other Now the greater was the suffering by so much greater also was the love Thirdly In the full and perfect Application of this his death unto us It is said That he washed us in his own blood He did not sprinkle us only but bath us He did not only bestow some few drops of it upon us but he did drench us and souse us and immerse us over head and ears in it he did give us a plentiful share and interest in it And lastly There 's an Emphasis also in the word of propriety in that it is said His own blood The Priests under the old Law in the discharge and execution of their office they sprinkled the people with blood and did in a sense and after a sort wash them from their sins in it But that blood it was not their own but the blood of beasts yea but Christ he hath of himself purged us from our sins in his own blood as it is here intimated to us And this is a further inlargement of his love towards us The Use of all to our selves is to inlarge our hearts in all thankfulness and acknowledgment to Christ for his goodness which we should be very much quickened unto Oh it is that which we can never sufficiently prize or be affected withal and therefore we should be often and frequent in the thoughts and meditation of it He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Oh what an high favour was this and what could he have done more for us It was the highest expression of love that possibly might be And we should be exceedingly ravisnt with it It is a great piece of dulness and deadness in us when it is otherwise with us For it has the perfection of all love in it And we should make it a ground of Incouragement in the expectation of all things else from Christ which are requisite and necessary for us He that has not stuck at this great expression of love which is here mentioned in the Text will be sure not to stick at any thing which is inferiour to it and he that has given us the greater will not stick to give us the less And so the Apostle himself teaches us to reason Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Again we may also carry it higher as to the expectation of higher things from him and as reason from the greater to the less so likewise from the less to the greater and in particular as to the expectation of Heaven and Glory to come If he has received us he will also actually save us as the Apostle reasons Rom. 5.10 For he that has done the one he will do the other likewise upon it He that hath loved us and washed us in his blood will also love us and set us in his throne and will fully perfect and accomplish the work of Salvation for us And so I have done also with the second General part of the Text which is the Description of Christ from the particular discovery of his Affection Who hath washed us c. The third and last is from the effect and result of it in these words And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Wherein there 's a twofold Dignity which Believers do partake of from and with Christ the one is the Dignity of Kings and the other is the Dignity of Priests All true Believers they have a share in each of these Offices First In his Kingly Office all true Believers are Kings This is to be taken not in a Temporal sense but in a Spiritual and so the Scripture still expresses it Thus Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the kingdom and Luk. 22.29 I appoint unto you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me This it consists of two Parts which are belonging unto it the one is the state of Grace and the other the state of Glory First For the state of Grace All true Christians they are Kings in this particular namely so far forth as they have power over their spiritual Enemies and all those things which might hinder their salvation A true Believer he has power over his own lusts and the corruptions of his own heart in some kind of measure and degree and so in that respect is a King Take men that are slaves to their lusts and they are the greatest slaves and vassals that are But now a Christian he is free from this slavery through the Grace of Christ which is communicated to him And so as he has power over Sin so in some measure over Satan also the King of the bottomless pit as he is call'd the Prince of the world A good Christian by the help of Christ's Spirit hath some power over him also and at last shall be inabled to trample him under his feet in Rom. 16.20 And then for the World also A good Christian he has power over this also so far forth as all things are order'd and disposed to his good All things are yours c. There 's no Providence whatsoever but he is still getting good out of it if it be prosperity it makes him more cheerful in God's service and if it be adversity it draws him so much the nearer to God All things work together for good to them that love God whether in themselves they be good or evil Take even Death it self which is sometimes called the King of Terrours A true Believer through the Grace and help of Christ is in a sort a King over this as having the sting of it taken out of it to him and of an enemy made a friend unto him as being the passage to Glory Thus is he a King in reference to the state of Grace And then in reference to the state of Glory also so far forth as he is an heir of Heaven and shall reign with Christ for ever and ever Thus he is a King in regard of right and title even here in this life though he be not in actual possession Therefore we should learn so to carry and demean our selves as suitable to this condition we should abhor to conform to the world and the lusts and vanities thereof as considering to what we are appointed we should endeavour to have a frame of spirit suitable to such a noble estate as this is wherein we are And this for the first piece of Dignity which is here mentioned and that is of Kings The second Dignity is of Priests And hath made us Priests c. These were another sort of persons who in times past were anointed and Christians are spiritually thus also in sundry respects First In regard of the Prayers which are continually put up by them both for themselves and others
v. 7. If I depart I will send him unto you The Holy Ghost is the Proxy of Christ that serves to bear his Bride company in the absence of Christ himself from her And he does carefully perform this office of respect unto her It was he that made her next to God Here 's the Spirit and the Bride both together And that 's the first particular in which he is here considerable of us to wit in the notion of his Presence or Personal Concomitancy The second is in the notion of Influence or operative concomitancy As it is the Spirit join'd with the Bride so it is the Spirit that is assistant unto her and what she does she does by his helping and enabling of her This is another thing here considerable of us it is the Spirit and Bride that say Come that is which make this particular request for the hastening of Christ second appearance And so there is this in general observable from it That the prayers of Gods people they are the workings of the Holy Ghost himself in them The voice of the Spouse it is all one with the voice of the Spirit they are not two voices but one and accordingly they are here in the Text join'd in one and put in a copulative expression It it not said the Spirit says come by himself and the Bride says come by her self No but the Spirit and the Bride say come both together as having the speech or action of the one transfer'd to the other We are the subjects of those actions which God himself works in us Certum est nos velle sed Deus facit ut velimus Certum est nos facere sed Deus facit ut faciamus says Austin We will but God makes us to will we do but God makes us to do And so we pray but the Spirit enables us to do so the spirit helps our infirmities Therefore we read of praying in the spirit Ephes 6.18 and of praying in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. And of the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father in Rom. 8.15 and Heb. 4.6 c. this is called the intercession of the spirit In Rom. 8.26 27. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God c. There are two things which the Holy Ghost does for us to this purpose the one is the suggesting of the matter of our petitions by teaching us what to ask and to beg of God in prayer And the other the stirring up of holy desires and affections in us and giving us an holy boldness and confidence at the Throne of Grace and perswading us of our acceptance with God in the name of Christ He makes intercession for us by making intercession in us and helping us to make intercession The Consideration of this Point makes much for the comfort of Believers in regard of the success of their Prayers Therefore they are sure to be granted at one time or other because they are the workings and operations of the Holy Ghost himself in them whereby they are also distinguish't from the Petitions of other persons As for natural and carnal men they may sometimes cry to God out of the Dictates and suggestions of Nature or out of the Principles of custom and formality but the Holy Ghost has little influence upon them in such Applications and accordingly they cannot expect so confidently to be heard in them or to find any such benefit by them but the Prayers of the faithful being wrought in them by the Holy Ghost that does prompt them and put them upon them and help them and assist them in them they are therefore sure accordingly to have an efficacy and successfulness with them because God will be sure to hear the voice of his own Spirit and it is not so much they that speak as his Spirit that speaketh in them Where Christians pray as they should do and observe the right rules of Prayer which the Scripture does prescribe unto them their Prayers shall be followed with a blessing and good effect of them This is the confidence says the Apostle that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we have desired of him in 1 Joh. 5.14 15. From hence also we learn to take heed of slighting such things as these are and of diminishing from them we should not think them to be of no value and to little purpose as some are ready to do But to set a price and valuation upon them there is more in the hearty prayer of the poorest and meanest Christian in the Church than the world is commonly aware of as being such as has very great Prevalence with God himself to whom it is tender'd But so much of the first of those persons which is here mentioned in the Text and that is the spirit considered both under the notion of his Presence as joyned with the Bride as also under the notion of his influence as being assistant unto her The second person is the Bride her self as she is here exprest and exhibited unto us By this title as I said we are to understand either the whole Church of Christ in General or every distinct Believer and Member of Christ in particular And according to either Consideration or Application of it it hath a twofold notion with it either of Eminency or of Diminution This word Bride as it lies before us in the Text is both a word of Excellency and a word of Extenuation It is a word of Excellency as it stands in opposition to Adultery and strange affection It is the Bride not the Whore It is a word of Extenuation as it stands in a distinction from Matrimony and compleat marriage It is the Bride not the Wife First I say The Church is here call'd the Bride as it is a title of Excellency and stands in opposition to adultery and strange affection It is the Bride not the Whore The false Church is an Harlot and a filthy and unclean adulteress it is the Whore of Babylon as she is called here in this Book of the Revelation the Mother of fornication c. And such an one as she is she never cares for the coming of Christ but rather desires he should stay away still and is glad of his staying as an Harlot is for the absence of her Husband The good man is not at home he is gone a long journey as she there expresses it Prov. 7.19 But the Bride which is the true Church as chaste and pure Virgin she longs for the coming of her beloved and calls after him as it is here declared
concerning her and the Church of Christ and every Member of it is known by this name both here and in other places of Scripture and especially in the Canticles She is called it is the Spouse and Bride of Christ Thus I say we find her to be called in sundry places as Isa 62.5 As the bridegroom rejoyceth over the bride so thy God rejoyceth over thee It is spoken of God's affection to his Church And in Rev. 21.2 I saw the holy City the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband And I have espoused you to one husband that I might present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ says St. Paul of the Church of Corinth in 2 Cor. 11.2 There 's a special Covenant and Contract drawn betwixt Christ and every true Believer which does justly fasten this Title and Denomination of a Spouse upon him every faithful soul is Christ's Bride and accordingly it concerns him to reserve his affections for him and for him alone and for none but him There 's nothing more uncomely in a Spouse than to have her eyes and heart fastned upon any other besides her beloved and so there is nothing more uncomely for a Christian than to have his heart upon any other than Christ Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee says the Prophet David Psal 73.25 Whosoever is otherwise is not Christ's Spouse but an Adulteress is not the Bride but the Harlot Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the love of the world is enmity with God says St. James in Jam. 4.4 And that is the first notion of this expression The Bride as it is a word of Excellency in opposition to an Harlot The second is as it is a word of Extenuation in opposition to a married person Thus is the Church and every Christian-soul whiles it is here in the world she is a bride and not a wife it is but the Contract only in this world the marriage it is to be consummate in another viz. in Heaven Indeed in one place it is called the bride the Lambs wife Rev. 21.9 and both titles are joyned together but that is to be understood as signifying rather what she shall be than what she is already for as for the present she is no more but contracted and in that regard in an unperfect condition which makes her here in the Text so much to long for the perfection of it when she calls to Christ to come Indeed she is not far from it as seems also to be intimated in this expression again of a bride which is a person near to marriage though short of it and so seems to be in a middle condition betwixt a simple Spouse and a Wife for in a Wife the wedding-day is past and in a simple Spouse the wedding-day is not come but a Bride is a Spouse in the confines and borders of marriage A spouse upon the wedding-day and such an one in a sort is the Church in this latter age and period of the world It is not only a simple Spouse but a Bride in the approaches of conjugal solemnity It will not be over-long ere Christ and his Church which are now but as it were only contracted shall be fully and compleatly married and in the perfect enjoyment and fruition one of another And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which is the persons themselves here mentioned in Conjunction one with the other and they are the spirit and the bride The second is the Action which is here attributed to these persons and that is of calling after Christ they say unto him Come Here 's the speech that comes from these speakers Now this again as it lyes in the Text may admit of a twofold Emphasis or qualification which may be fastned upon it the one as it is a word of entertainment or contentation the other as it is a word of desire or invitation Come that is thou mayest come if thou so pleasest and shalt be welcom to me I am content and well-pleased with thy coming or come that is thou must come and there 's no remedy I am impatient and unsatisfied without thy coming There is each of these impressions in it First Take it in the first sense as it is a word of simple acceptance or admission and entertainment Come that is thou mayst come as signifying the Churches willingness and contentedness to have Christ come unto her upon his own offer and tender of himself and so it is a Relative expression Christ had in the verse before to wit the seventh verse of this Chapter said of himself Behold I come quickly Now hereupon says the Church to him Come that is thou hast leave and liberty to do so I am contented with it come if thou pleasest and welcom it has a passive or permissive Emphasis with it This is one step of grace and of sincere affection to Christ to reach even to this though it is true as we shall hear afterwards it is not all which is required of us nor which the true Spouse of Christ does for her particular attain unto yet somewhat and a great matter it is And accordingly that which all Christians should labour for and endeavour after to be willing for the coming of Christ at such time as he shall please to come when he shall say I come for them to answer And Lord come To have their hearts and affections so far weaned and loosned from this present world and the things of it as to admit of Christs coming to you This is one thing here considerable By this coming of Christ here we must still remember what coming is meant namely the second coming his coming to judgment with the preparatories of it to judgment whether particular or general though the General be that which is here principally to be understood by us Christ's coming to judg the quick and the dead at the last day This is that coming which the Spirit and the Bride here aim at when they say Come and this coming in the full latitude and extent and comprehensiveness of it is that first which every Christian does desire to submit unto and could be well content to have it accomplished A good and a gracious heart does not decline this coming of Christ or wish to be exempted from it but does very really and heartily and cordially close with it This is grounded upon another coming of Christ first which it has already submitted unto which is his coming in a way of Conversion and Regeneration Those that have first admitted of Christ in his Ordinances and the effectual work of Grace upon their hearts they will not stand out against this coming whereof we now speak but very readily yield unto it And this is the difference now betwixt the Children of God and other men As for wicked and ungodly persons they
tremble and quake at this coming and at the thoughts of it as malefactors at the coming of the Judg They desire that Christ would not come and where he gives any symptoms of it they cry out with the unclean spirit in the Gospel What have we to do with thee thou Son of God art thou come to torment us before our time A guilty and defiled conscience it abhors the coming of Christ and withdraws from it if it were possible it would altogether shun it and never have it to come to pass and when it does come it is matter of the greatest terror and astonishment to it that can be Therefore it is said of such persons at such a time That they shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and shall say unto the mountains and rocks Fall upon us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6.15 16 17. The ungodly shall not stand in judgment Psal 1.5 Not stand that is not stand upright but fall down before it and accordingly shall do all they can to avoid it Whereas on the other side the Children of God shall be well-pleased with it and hearty and couragious in it and very freely and cheerfully entertain it When he shall appear they shall have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 Joh. 2.28 Indeed there are some cases and circumstances and times wherein the Spouse of Christ her self may not be always in such a present frame and disposition of spirit as to utter this speech here before us and to say Come even in this sense which we now speak of even the servants of God themselves may at least for such a particular season have an indisposedness upon them hereunto As namely when they have not finished their work or got their businesses ready about them but yet they have always a general and habitual preparation for it in them As a steward that is for the main faithful yet he may not always have his accounts made up and in that regard may not yet wish for the Audit And a Spouse that has a good affection for her Beloved yet may not presently have all her Ornaments upon her and in that Consideration may sometimes wish for the delay of his coming This is tha which is here chiefly considerable that God's Children they do still labour to frame themselves to an entertainment of Christ at his coming And that 's the first notion of this Expression as it may be taken for a word of simple acceptance or entertainment Come that is thou mayst come if thou so pleasest and shalt be welcom to me The second is as it may be taken as a word of desire or invitation Come that is I pray come it is my earnest suit and request that thou would'st come And here now we have a further inlargement and improvement of Grace in a Christian which is not only to be content with Christs coming and submitting unto it but also to be desirous of it and longing after it This is the temper and disposition of a good and of a gracious heart to pant and breathe and thirst for the second coming of Christ and not to be satisfied in it self till it does come The Spirit and the Bride say Come that is they say it importunately and earnestly with a great deal of affection This desire whereof we now speak it is laid and founded in sundry Considerations which do make for it As first in reference to the world it self in the present frame and constitution of it The world is at present in that condition as that the coming of Christ if very desirable in that regard And there are two particulars especially which do make up this unto us First In point of sin and wickedness And secondly in point of misery and affliction Both these two taken together do cast a disparagement upon the world and do therefore make Christians to desire the destruction of it First As it is a wicked and sinful world The world taken at the best was never over-good since it first began to be bad even presently upon the Creation of it Sin made an entrance upon it and got possession of it and not long after the whole earth had soon corrupted it self as the Scripture tells us but now as it 's grown any thing older and of longer standing so its sinfulness is so much the more improved and it grows worse every day than other The very times themselves we live in are a sufficient demonstration of it to us and we find it so by sad experience as being such wherein iniquity abounds more than ever and wicked men grow worse and worse as the Apostle speaks In these latter days and times of the world more especially as the spirit has foretold it there are the greatest incursions of wickedness of any other and that in all the kinds and degrees of it Now this is that which makes a gracious heart so to long for this second coming of Christ that so thereby he may put a period to these days of sin that God may be no longer dishonoured his Name may be no longer blasphemed his Laws may be no longer transgressed his Ordinances may be no longer despised his Spirit may be no longer grieved A good Christian has such an enmity and antipathy against sin as that he cannot but be very desirous of that which is destructive of it as the coming of Christ is not his first only but his second For this end will the Son of God be manifest that he may destroy the works of the Devil And for this end also do the Children of God so much desire the manifestation of him that so by this means sin may be destroyed and have a period and end put unto it And that both in others and also in themselves The Children of God they are both scandalized and offended at others abominations and likewise they are burdened and overprest with their own corruption and in each respect do desire that Christ would come for the remedying of either that their righteous souls with Lot's may be no longer vexed with the Conversation of the wicked and that themselves also with Paul may be delivered from the body of death that is the body of sin as we shall hear more anon in the following Explication But secondly As there is the world in the sinfulness and wickedness of it so there is the world also in the misery and afflictiveness of it which does make for this desire in them also that exceeding vanity which is upon the creature and those manifold calamities which do attend upon humane Life This is another thing here considerable in the world which does put the Church upon this Prayer for Christs coming that as God has promised he may wipe away all tears from
nature of the Ministry is the same should be the temper of heart which is wrought by it those that hear much of Christ the Excellencies which are in him and the good that comes by him and the inclinations of his soul towards them it is a shame for them to be of any other than of a Christian spirit such as these they should be moulded and changed and transformed into the Truths themselves with which they are acquainted That 's the first object of his hearing to wit the voice of Christ in the Ministry The second is the voice of the spirit in the conscience This we have also in the Text where it is said the Spirit says Come namely the spirit in the heart of a Believer as we have already expounded it This it prompts a Christian to desire this coming of Christ now when it does so and when a Christian hears it to do so it behoves him presently to say Come And so there is this in it That the motions of God's Spirit in our hearts they should be always and out of hand received and entertained by us when he calls we should answer when he beckens we should come when he raises we should rise when he puts on we should run when he commands we should obey and submit and put in practise what he requires of us we should be careful not to give any repulse to any suggestion of God's Spirit unto our minds This has still been the care of the Saints and Servants of God to eccho back as it were upon God again according to his Applications of himself to them When God calls Samnel he answers Speak Lord thy servant heareth When God calls Abraham he says Here I am When God calls Paul he is presently obedient to the heavenly vision When God says to David Seek thou my face his heart presently answers Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27.8 In all the intercourses and invitations of God to a gracious soul still he that heareth says Come and so he should do it is that which is here in the Text required of him Therefore let us for our particular take heed of doing otherwise It is a dangerous business for any one to resist the motions of Gods Spirit upon his heart or to delay the performance of them it is that which does very much provoke Gods wrath and indignation against him and cause him to withdraw himself from him as he hath sometimes threatened as Psal 81.12 My people would not hearken to my counsel and Israel would have none of me therefore I gave them up c. And again Prov. 1.24 Because I have called and ye have refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regardeth therefore I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh We should not think it a light or small matter to be guilty of such a sin as this is That 's the second object of this Hearing viz. The voice of the Spirit of Christ in the Conscience The third and last is the voice of the Spouse of Christ in the Church And this again is also in the Text the Spirit and the Bride say come as the Spirit in or to the Bride so the Bride by and from the Spirit It is the voice of the generality of Christians which are led by the Spirit of Christ in them thus to pray for the second coming of Christ and whosoever hears them doing so is to do so likewise Here 's the duty which lyes upon us for the following of good Examples and labouring to frame our selves to the temper and disposition of all vigilant and zealous Christians with whom we converse when we hear such gracious expressions and holy breathings coming from them we should endeavour that they may be in us likewise and should eccho as it were to them also Let him that hears others say come let him say come likewise himself As we must have an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the Churches so we must have an ear to hear what the Churches answer again to the Spirit and hearing the Heavenly words that are uttered by them conform to them in our own particular practise This we shall observe to have been sometime with the Daughters of Jerusalem in the Canticles when they heard the Spouse of Christ inquiring after her Beloved her self and longing for his coming to her they fall inquiring after him also and have the same affection occasionally wrought in them as we may see in that Book Whither is thy Beloved gone Oh thou fairest amongst women whither is thy Beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee Cant. 6.1 It is a great advantage to light upon good company and the society of affectionate Christians who having first warmed their own hearts with the love of Christ and the meditation on it will be so much the readier to warm ours also occasionally from it And it is our duty to take occasion here from them in some manner to warm them our selves as those who are accountable to God for good patterns and presidents and examples which are afforded unto us and the speeches and actions and lives of others which are set before us We know how it was with Saul himself when he fell into the company of the Prophets and heard what came from them even he himself fell on Prophesying inso much as it came to a Proverb And how much rather then should those who are truly and really good be much quickened and in-livened from one another to such things as these are It is the great benefit this of the Communion of Saints which as it is a business which we all profess to believe so we should also all endeavour to promote and further both in our selves and others And so I have done with the first General Part of the Text viz. The provocation of desire or longing affection in those words Let him that heareth say come The second is the Invitation of access or seasonable Application in those And let him that is athirst come This is to be understood in a spiritual sense suitable to the scope and drift of the whole Discourse which is here presented unto us Christ directs his Invitation especially to thirsty persons and desires such of all others to come unto him Thus Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come unto the waters c. And Joh. 7.37 Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst c. There are two things in thirst which are considerable as pertinent to this purpose the one is as it is a word of indigency and the other is as it is a word of appetite where there 's thirst there 's want of somewhat an where there 's thirst there 's desire of somewhat And so Christ does here graciously provide for his servants in each particular He supplys their wants by giving them that which they stand in need of and he fulfills their desires by giving them that which they are
most eager and longing and earnest to be partakers of it And he does not the former for the most part without the latter He does not supply their wants but so as withal he satisfies their desires and relieves the sense of want in God So the Scripture still sets it Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden c. says Christ Mat. 11.28 He fills the hungry c. Now this it may be resolved into two things further by way of Explication First Into a sense of our own misery and wretched condition which we are in by nature And secondly Into an apprehension of the necessity which we have of Christ and consequently a desire after him These two Dispositions of Soul do express to us this spiritual thirst which is here laid before us First A sense of misery thirst it has painfulness in it and grief attendant upon it and so it is with all those who are athirst spiritually they are afflicted with the present state and condition in which they are and mourn under it thus it has been with all those who have been converted and brought home to Christ they have first seen themselves undone without him and have bewailed themselves in their present circumstances Paul and the Jailor and St. Peters Auditors they have been all thus far athirst as their natural estate and condition hath been grievous and irksome unto them and they have complain'd of the wretchedness of it as they still have done and so it is with all others whom Christ does here invite to himself that they would come unto him they have a sense of their misery Secondly An apprehension of the Excellency which is in Christ and a desire after him this is also in this thirst it is in the spiritual thirst as it is also in the natural In natural thirst as there 's the tediousness of drought so there is likewise the longing for water for the quenching and abating of it and so it is here in this spiritual there 's a groaning under the burden of sin and there 's a panting after the Grace of Christ and such as have both of these properties and qualifications in them they are more especially here called upon by him to come unto him Let him that is athirst come And there 's a twofold account which may be given hereof unto us The one is as it is that which is the greatest favour to them and the other is as it is that which is the greatest honour to him First For Christ to invite especially the thirsty it is the greatest favour to the persons themselves which are invited by him as those who do from hence receive the greatest benefit from him where there 's the greatest want and sense of it there 's the greatest courtesie in supplying it And so it is here The whole needs not the Physician but the sick And the full stomach it loaths the honey-comb it self And those that are at the well-head they despise the waters which are brought home but to the hungry and thirsty soul such supplies are exceeding sweet Those that are scorched with the fiery beams of the wrath of God against sin and have the flames as it were of hell in their consciences for these to have the water of life as it follows afterwards offered unto them it must needs be a great mercy indeed and so it will be apprehended by all those that shall attend unto it And God delights still so to order his favours as may be with the greatest advantage to those persons upon whom he confers them And this I say in this business it is the greatest mercy to them Secondly It is the greatest honour to himself he gains the greater glory and renown by it and receives the greater thanks and acknowledgment for it We know how it was with Paul a man that thirsted after the Grace of Christ how he blesses and praises Christ for it O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of dath I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord c. Rom. 7.24 25. namely for his delivering of me out of this condition And 1 Tim. 1.12 c. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me c. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious c. And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant c. Now as God delights so to order his favours as may be most for our content and encouragement so he desires likewise so to order them as may be most for his own honour and glory Therefore let us call our selves to an account in this particular and see how it is with us whether or no we have this spiritual thirst in us which is here commended unto us as being that alone which does dispose us and fit us for coming to Christ so as to be accepted of him There 's a great deal of excellency in such a temper as this is to be taken notice of by us First It is a very good argument of Grace already in some manner begun and wrought in us As we use to observe it in corporals where the Patient grows thirsty it is a sign that the Physick hath wrought kindly and that the body is now perfectly purged Even so is it here in Spirituals when a Christian thirsts after Christ it is a sign that those afflictions and troubles of spirit which God has been pleased to exercise him withal as spiritual Physick they have had an effectual operation upon him and have purged corruptions out of him The earnest desire of more Grace is a sign of Grace already obtained and it is a very good advantage to have such a comfortable evidence in our selves That 's one consideration Secondly It makes us capable so much the rather of receiving more this is the proper notion of the Text Let him that is athirst come as who shall be sure not to be sent away dry God will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground Isa 44.3 Such souls as these they do so much the more easily draw and suck in the Grace of God into them and God himself as I said does delight the rather to bestow it upon them Thirdly It makes Grace it self so much the sweeter and better rellishing in the enjoyment as want provokes appetite so appetite increases delight those things which are most remote are most desired and those things which are most desired are most comfortably enjoyed and so it is amongst the rest with Grace an the appurtenances of it Thus how much the more we desire it so much the more we rellish it The consideration of these things should put us so much the rather upon endeavour after this which we now speak of we should not content our selves with an indifferency of spirit in this particular as many do who have now and then some faint kind of wishes and imperfect inclinations towards Grace but no serious and hearty desires
signifies 408 Counsel Listning to good counsel a threefold Argument of VVisdom 224 How far the counsels of God may be known how not 258 Means tending to the knowing of Gods counsels 258 Company The danger arising by bad Company 368 Cities Why God often sends greater judgments on them than other places 401 D Despise The ways wherein God is despised 114 119 Whence despising of God springs 116 The danger of despising God 117 Dregs What they signifie 135 Death Comfort against it 192 Sinful in three cases to desire it 413 Discord The evil of it implied 197 198 Whence it springs 222 Delight What in Christians God delights in 208 The properties of Gods delighting in his people 209 Signs of Gods delighting in us 211 The ground of it or what it is 220 A threefold delight respecting Religion 221 Doubtings Whence they arise 211 Day The Sabbath a pleasant day 218 Day of the Lord taken three ways 412 A threefold wicked desiring a day of the Lord or death 412 The day of Judgment desirable on a threefold account 416 Darkness What it signifies in Scripture 352 Day of the Lord darkness to wicked men with the ground thereof 41 Day of the Lord darkness and not light threefold Emphasis in it 148 Devouring What signified by it 379 Despair Motive to a despairing sinner to hope 385 The evil of despair 385 386 Whence it springs 386 E Eye Look on Christ with a fourfold eye 7 Gods Eye what it signifies 20 Gods Eye hath three properties 21 Examples Bad their evil 46 Examination Why we should be much in self-examination 245 England See Nation Deliverance from Gun-powder-treason a great Mercy 52 62 Error Prejudicial to the soul 303 394 377 On the right and on the left hand what 302 Ezekiel Why called the son of man 401 Feasts The evils oft attending them 79 When laudable 78 Faith Incouragements to it 150 Fruitfulness Arguments to it 189 Fear The advantages of holy fear 212 Forgetfulness Of God opened in four particulars 287 Formality See Hypocrite It s consistency with prophaneness 345 The dreadful evil of it 375 Setting of the face its different notion 402 G God His standing What 6 His face What 84 140 What the hiding of his face implied 85 96 VVhy resembled to the Sun 151 How to know he is our God 111 VVhat his being our God implies 111 God speaks to the hearts of men three ways 138 298 To seek Gods face VVhat 141 His wings VVhat 149 The ways wherein despised See despise God See forward Grace or Holiness See Godliness VVhy God will certainly perfect it 113 Whence indisposition and averseness unto it springs 384 A Christians duty disposition and priviledg to grow in it 306 Motives to recover decaying grace 306 307 A threefold difference between saving-grave and meer morality 308 Helps to recover decaying and strengthen weak grace 309 God What kind of shield he is 153 Gods comforts What 165 Why called the most high 183 Gods right hand What 183 Gods songs in the night What 202 Gods counsel how taken 253 What Gods saying signifies 278 A double object of Gods guidance 301 Godliness See Grace The gain of Godliness 224 Guide How to discern between the guidance or dictates of Gods Spirit and the spirit of delusion 303 H Hearing The right hearer 139 300 Why many get no good by hearing the word Preacked 139 140 385 Heart The speaking of the heart What 119 Gods trying it What 245 How taken 252 How a grieved heart eases it self 362 Discovery of a tender heart 365 Humbling Humbling considerations 251 253 392 Head What it signifies in Scripture 124 127 Head and tail how taken 273 Hypocrite See Professor See Formality Terror to Hypocrites 246 Condemned by God and often by conscience described 347 348 371 Its odiousness 347 Its danger 349 Hell How taken 282 How to escape it 288 Heathens What to think of those who never heard of Christ 287 I Inheritance Implies three things 50 Justification Why no condumnation to justified persons 95 Infancy Mercy vouchsafed in it See Mercy Judgments When God will pour them upon a people 133 Pouring out Judgments What Ibid Why God sometimes brings great Judgments upon his own people Ibid Dregy judgments What 135 How Christians foresee them 363 Who most like to be secured and who to be exposed under publick judgments 409 410 411 Joy When holy 177 Infirmities Whence they flow 178 Men have their especial infirmities 179 Wherein infirmity consists Ibid Impenitency See Presumption The evil of it 268 Ignorance Several sorts of it supplied 383 K Knowledg THe difference between saving and meerly notional Knowledg 148 L Loving-kindness Of God taken two ways 143 146 The excellency of Gods loving-kindness 144 Love How to keep our selves in the love of God 146 M Gospel-Ministers WHy called Angels 7 Caution to them 280 402 386 362 Direction to them 404 405 366 Ministerial Qualifications 399 A sad judgment to be deprived of their persons 403 Magistrates Why compared to a head 272 Mercy Outward when given in mercy 33 Outward Mercies in themselves good things 36 40 Mercies attending our Births See Births Mercies attending Infancy See Infancy The especial mercies of God 146 295 The extent of pardoning mercy 295 Meditation Whence holy meditation proceeds 170 311 Its objects 172 Helps to it 173 175 How taken 174 Its excellency above other duties 175 Motives to it 176 See its excellency When right 364 Melancholy The evil of it in a Christian more than others 220 Mind Express'd in Scripture by bowels the reason of it 360 Why a Christian minds heaven and heavenly things 311 Marriage Touching mixt ours 368 N Touching Natural ability 294 295 397 Nation Wherein a Nations strength lies 378 A Nations gray hairs or the fore-runners of a Nations period 382 O Orphans Gods care of them 110 Obedience The properties of true obedience implied 141 Prayer AGainst praying to Angels and Saints departed 25 137 Why God oft answers prayer in kind 42 When answer of prayer in kind is done in love 43 Special seasons of prayer 138 204 Acceptable prayer 177 The power of it 213 A pleasant comfortable duty 217 Neglect of it a great evil 356 Presumption See Impenitency Whence it springs 28 98 123 263 264 350 One branch of it 348 350 Caution to presumptuous sinners 305 Peace The excellency of peace with God 96 How to get and keep pease with God 92 281 A threefold peace 221 276 279 Christian peace considered as a grace and as a priviledg 277 On what a sinners peace is grounded 278 Parents Mothers if able ought to unrse their children 109 Patents duty towards children 110 248 Promises How God makes good temporal promises implied 158 Preaching What power God puts forth in it 299 Providence How far we may and how far not know its events 258 260 Pride In Habit and naked Shoulders and Breasts reproved 265 Pardon The extent of pardoning mercy 295 God pardons repeated
since through means of that deliverance vouchsafed unto us I say it behoves us to provoke our selves to all kind of Thankfulness in this regard and to take advantage of this Annavasary Commemoration which is appointed to this purpose That it may not be onely a matter of Course and Formality which we cannot well decline but may have a real Influence and Impression upon us to raise our Hearts in the praysing of that God who hath done so great things for us Secondly As to matter of Faith we are to improve it to that likewise having had Experience of God's Goodness hitherto to be ready to expect as much from him for time to come That he that hath kept the feet of his Saints will do so still Sutable to the manner and Carriage of the expression here in the Text which is not in the time past but in the Future Not he hath kept onely but he will and therefore will because he hath experience of former Mercies should teach us to trust and to depend upon God for following as 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Thirdly and Especially To Fruitfulness and Obedience God having done so great things for us we should indeavour to do somewhat for him And being thus Delivered out of the hands of our Enemies should study to serve him as now without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our Life And this for the keeping of the feet of his Saints In the deliverance of his people Now further Secondly For the Wicked's silence in Darkness in the Disappointment of his Enemies we may observe the Parallel in this also Here was both Darkness and silence in Darkness Darkness there was in the very Letter It was a work in the Dark And that both as to Place and Time in which it was wrought There was Darkness in the Place For where did these Wicked Conspirators prepare their Devices Surely it was in the Seller and in the Vault which they had fitted to that purpose They dig'd deep to hide their Counsell from the Lord and their work was in the Dark saying who seeth us and who knoweth us as the Prophet speakes in Esay 29.15 And there was Darkness likewise in the Time For it was the Night which they chiefly made choyce of for the carrying on of their wicked Designes A time and place of Darkness sutable to a work of Darkness And then there was Silence as to this Darkness When they were Discovered they were in a manner Confounded and knew not what to say for themselves As others were silent in a way of Astonishment at the Horridness and Strangeness of the Fact so were themselves silent in a way of Confusion being Prevented and Disappointed of it and as a Reproach not onely to their Persons but also to their Religion the Principles whereof led them and carryed them thereunto in the full extent and improvement of it But that which made them chiefly to be so was the last thing of all And that is That by their strength they could not prevail Neither by the strength of their interest and Combination Nor by the strength of their Wit and Conspiracy God infatuated their Counsels and turned all their Wisdom into Foolishness And in the things wherein they dealt proudly he was above them Their strength it was proved to be Weakness both ways both to the hurting and spoyling of us And as to the helping and securing of themselves as sayling in either I will Conclude all at this time with these words of the Prophet David in the name of the People of Israel which are applyable likewise to our selves Blessed be the Lord who loadeth us daily with Benefits even the God of our Salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from Death SERMON IX Job 20.11 His bones are full of the Sins of his youth which shall lie down with him in the dust The Scope of this present Scripture which we have here in hand is to set forth to us the miserable Estate of an Ungodly Person And for sureness sake it takes him in his full Latitude and Compass from his Youth to his riper Years from the Beginning of his Life to the end of it wherein the Evil of his sinful Courses does continually pinch upon him His bones are full of the Sins c. IN the Text it self there are two General parts observable First The State or Condition of a Wicked man Secondly The Extent or Amplification of this his Condition His State that 's exprest in these words His bones are full of the Sins of his youth The Amplification or extent of it in these Which shall lye down with him in the Dust We begin with the first General viz. The State or Condition His bones are full of c. Wherein again two Particulars more First The Sin and Secondly The Punishment of the Sin The Sin That is Youthfulness in the Miscarriage of it The Sin of his youth The Punishment of his Sin that is Exprest in this that his Bones are said to be full of it First For the Sin here mentioned It is the Sin of the youth The word in the Hebrew Text is Gnalumaw which signifies properly his Youths and being applyed to a matter of Guilt Youthful prankes These are things which are laid to the Charge of evil men By Sins of youth for the better opening of this passage to us we may understand two things Especially either the kinds of Sin or the time of Sin The kinds of Sin that is such Sins as are more Especially proper and incident to that particular Age and Condition of Life to wit his youth The time of Sin that is such Sins as are indifferent to any Age but which for the Commission of them have been Acted very Early and betimes First The Sins of youth it does denote the kinds of Sins by way of Specification and does signify such kind of Sins as are more proper and peculiar to that Age as some Sins there are Corrupt Nature though it cleave to all Conditions of Life in the whole latitude and Extent of it yet it does not Act and put forth it self alike in all but as is it varies to other things besides In Constitution in Improvement in Place and the like so amongst the rest in matter of Age and the periods of Life There are the Sins of Elder years and there are the Sins also of Youth which are to be observed and taken notice of by us and to be understood and avoyded Thus 2 Tim. 2.22 Fly Youthful Lusts Such Lusts namely as Youth is more Especially subject unto St. Paul would have Tymothy a Young man Especially to take heed of those These they are of divers sorts ' I le instance briefly in some few of the Cheifest of them which may give us an hint of the rest
First Vanity both of Spirit and Conversation That 's one kind of Distemper which this Age is Exposed unto so the Preacher has told us Eccl. 11.10 Childhood and Youth are Vanity Not onely Vain but Vanity it self in regard of that frame and temper of Spirit which is upon them They mind and imploy themselves chiefly about Toys and Trifles and Superfluities but in the mean time neglect Solider matters and those things which are more Real and Substancial How much part of men's time even the prime and floure of their Age is as Samuel speaks to the People 1 Sam. 12.1 Carryed after vain things which cannot profit nor content in the latter end because they are Vain Pastimes and Pleasures and Sports and Gaming 's and such things as these are they are made not onely the Play and Recreation and Refreshment but even the Work and Business and Imployment oftentimes of that Age. Lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 Secondly Flexibility to Evil that 's another Evil in Youth easily wrought upon and drawn away and intised to that which is Evil. The very Heathen Poet Himself couldtake notice of it Cereus in vitium Flecti Like wax to any sinful impression which shall be fasten'd upon them Like dry Tinder to Sparks of Fire thus is Youth for the most part to Temptation quickly takes no sooner can they meet with any Persons which are willing to Corrupt them but they are presently Corrupted by them In matter of Judgment to such in any new Opinion though never so Gross In matte of Practise to conform to any sinful Course though never so vile this is that which is very much incident to the Age of Youth A Flexibility to that which is Evil. Thirdly Unteachableness and Untractableness and Uncapableness of Admonition that 's another thing in Youth Monitoribus asper that Age does disrellish such as would reform them and bring them into rights so deferring of Repentance c. Wax to Temptation and Flint to Admonition and the means of Reforming These and the like are the Distempers which that Age is subject unto in regard of the frame of their Spirit Now as for outward Practises and the actings of Sin so Impetuousness and Intemperance and Violence and Uncleaness and such Bodily Lusts they are such as though all are not guilty of which is not the meaning of this Discourse yet the Age it self is exposed unto which accordingly does give this Denomination of the Sins of Youth that is as it is First of all to be understood by way of Specification as denoting the kind of Sin The Second is as denoting the Time Thus a Sin may be in some sense call'd the Sin of a mans Youth when it has been committed by him in his Youth though it may be as to the Quality of it it was a Sin of riper years There are some kind of People in the World which do Antedate their Age to themselves as in other things so in matter of Sins in which they grow old betimes and make hast unto it As there are some which are guilty of the Sins of Youth in the time of Age so there are others which are guilty of the Sins of Age in the time of Youth Malitia supplet aetatem Their Wickedness it makes up their years when they were Defectives Now these also are as well as the other the Sins of Youth what ever Sins men committed in the time of their Youth they are to them Youthful sins by way of Denomination And so much briefly of the first Particular Considerable in this first General viz. The sin he Sins of his Youth The Second is the Punishment of his sin which is exprest and propounded in those words where it is said that his Bones are full of them Thus although it may be very well applyed as to the matter of Guilt as we shall hear more anon Forasmuch as Sin does as it were Incorporate it self into Wicked men and is as a part of their Substance yet as I conceive in this place it does refer Especially rather to the Punishment The Spirit of God would hereby signify to us the sad and miserable Condition of an obdurate impenitent sinner that has Especially lived for a long time in a Course of sin That he possesses the iniquities of his Youth as it is Exprest in another place of this Book His bones are full of it This word Bones it may be taken here in this Text two manner of ways either in a Corporal sense or in a Spiritual Either proper in a Literal or in a Mystical If we take it in the next and Literal sense Corporally so it does denote the Body and outward man If we take it in the Remote and Qualified sense Spiritually so it does denote the Soul and the more particularly the Conscience each of these are full c. First The Bones that is the Body and Flesh and outward man taken it Literally There are many which in old Age feel the sins of their youth in their Bones according to this Interpretation which mourn at last when their Flesh and Body is Consumed Prov. 5.11 And which receive in themselves that recompence of their Errour which is meet as the Apostle speaks Rom. 1.27 Namely in regard of those Diseases which does attend their Vicious Courses and hasten their Bodily Destuction There are some kind of Sins which God does punish even in this present Life and as they are committed with the Body so are they avenged upon the Body which is made the Subject of Punishment as it has been before of Miscarriage and all little enough to take off such Persons from them as are addicted and given up unto them Secondly By Bones here we are to understand not onely the Flesh but the Spirit and more particularly the Conscience Thus we shall find the phrase used in some other places besides of Scripture As Psal 6.2 Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my Bones are vexed So Psal 38.3 There is no Soundness in my Flesh because of thine Anger There 's the remembrance of sin in the Body Neither it ther any rest in my Bones because of my Sin There 's the remembrance of sin in the Soul So again Psal 51.8 Make me to hear Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce The broken-Bones i. e. The broken Spirit and that occasion'd from the sense of sin Sin it will stick in the Conscience for a long while after the Commission of it And when men are grown old they then pay for the Sins of their Youth in the reflections of them God charges the Guilt of them upon their Souls when the things themselves are past and gone Thus it hath several ways and degrees whereby it does proceed First In rubbing up their Memories and bringing their sins to Remembrance There are many which in the heat of their Lusts and while they are in the full
may likewise join Gods gracious assistance of his servants as to further progress and perseverance in Grace To him that hath shall be given And the more that any abide in Christs Doctrine hitherto the more likely are they to abide in it still because God will never be wanting more or less to gracious endeavours but where he has begun a good work in any of us will there perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ in Philip. 1.6 But yet all is not limited and confined to this present life there 's a further reach in this expression still which we have not yet spoken unto when 't is said here that he that abides in Christs Doctrine he hath God both Father and Son And that is in reference to eternal glory and that life which is to come hereafter He hath him now by Adoption and Sanctification and hereafter by Salvation and Glorification Thus when the Apostle had spoken of the Grace of God appearing to all men c. he tells us it brings Salvation And when he had spoken of living godly and holy he presently adds Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour c. Neither is this any way diminished by the word in the present tense He hath God but rather confirmed which does signifie the certainty of it as if it were done already He that abides in the Doctrine of Christ he is as sure of eternal Salvation as if he were saved already Therefore the Apostle Peter has such an expression as this is A partaker of the glory which shall be revealed 1 Pet. 5.1 The glory which shall be and yet a partaker of it already And so the Apostle Paul Ephes 2.6 He hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ. This holds good first in the faithfulness of Gods promise he has promised it and therefore it is as good as if it were actually performed And secondly in the preparations to it and anticipations of it in the first-fruits of the spirit that of God which a Believer has already it does bespeak more of him to him which he is thence assured further to injoy He hath both the Father and the Son But why is not the Holy Ghost joyned with them as which he has likewise To this I answer that he is included in the two other persons as he is also in other places of Scripture of the like expression Therefore it is a very good observation of Austins which shall shut up this discourse Cum Spiritus sanctus sit nexus Patris Filii ubicunque ponitur persona Patris persona Filii simul ibi semper intelligitur persona Spiritus sancti Forasmuch as the Holy Ghost is the band uniting Father and Son therefore wheresoever there is mention made of the Person of the Father and of the Person of the Son together there is always to be understood the Person of the Holy Ghost as included And so now I have done also with the second general part of the Text which is the Proposition in the Affirmative expression as qualifying the former He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the son And so much for this Text for this time SERMON XLVI Revel 1.5 And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first-begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood There is nothing more necessary for Christians in the blessings and good things that they partake of than to be fully sensible and apprehensive of the spring and fountain of them and of the conveyance of those blessings to them and this as that which is here done in this Scripture by the Aposile John in his Salutation of the seven Churches of Asia to whom he directs and inscribes this his Book of Revelation more especially He wishes them Grace and Peace and he withal informs them who it is from whom they must expect them and that is not only from God himself considered essentially From him that was and that is and that is to come but from God especially considered Dispensatively and as revealed and made known in Christ whom he adds to the other And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness c. IN this present Text before us we have a threefold description of Christ according to his several Offices which he hath undertaken for us First From his Prophetical who is the faithful witness Secondly From his Priestly who is the first-begotten of the dead And thirdly From his Regal who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth These are the Parts of the Text. We begin with the first of these Parts viz. the Prophetical Office of Christ exprest to us in these words wherein Jesus Christ is said to be the faithful witness There are two words here put together and both of them with their distinct Emphasis as they run in the Original Text it is the witness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is the faithful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Article prefixt to each First It is the witness Christ is a witness and he is a witness with a witness he is a special and singular witness so as there is none else besides that in this particular is like unto him Isa 55.4 Behold I have given him for a witness to the people it is spoken of Christ This he is said to be according to a twofold Explication First By way of Discovery and Revelation And secondly By way of Assurance and Confirmation In each of these respects is Christ a witness First By way of Discovery and Revelation as making known to us the will of his Father Thus in Matth. 11.27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him So Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Christ being God's Eternal Wisdom and so always present with the Father By him as one brought up with him Prov. 8.30 He from hence knows the mind of the Father and so is able to discover it to us and make it known which accordingly is done by him In Heb. 2.3 it is said that the Gospel began to be spoken by the Lord himself And in Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son c. There were two ways wherein Christ did make known unto us the Gospel and the will of his Father The one was directly and mediately in his own person and the other was immediately and ministerially in the mouths and pens of his Servants who were sent and appointed by him First In his own person Isa 61.1 c. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek c. And we see it fulfill'd in Luk. 4.18 so Ephes 2.17 He came and preached peace to them that were a far off and to them that were near that no man may think meanly or scornfully of this work of Preaching and publishing of the Gospel it was the work and business and employment even of Christ himself in his own person But secondly He did it also and still does in his servants who were sent and appointed by him Thus 1 Pet. 1.10 11. Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ c. And so St. Paul in 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me c. It is Christ that speaks to us in his Ministers who have his Spirit given them to this purpose Thus is Christ a witness by way of Discovery and Revelation which is the first Explication Secondly By way of assurance and confirmation not only so far forth as he reveals to us those things which we knew not but also as he does further settle us in these things which we know in part already he is a witness in this respect likewise And that by virtue of his Spirit that dwelleth in us God hath revealed these things to us by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God And as he reveals them so also he confirms them and gives us a further assurance of them as it is also intimated to us 2 Cor. 2.10 Now there are two things which Christ by his Spirit doth thus witness to all those that are members of him First The Truths and Doctrines of Christianity and Religion it self And secondly Their own spiritual condition and state in Grace as having such truths belonging to them First For the Truths and Doctrines of Religion Christ is a witness in regard of these namely so far forth as he does illustrate them and shine upon them and open our minds and understandings for the conceiving and apprehending of them As it is said of the Disciples in the general in Luk. 24.45 He opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures The Spirit of Christ in his children witnesses Divine Truths not only to their heads but to their hearts and gives them a further savour and rellish of those things which they know in part already which is the great difference betwixt them and other men Take common and ordinary persons who have no work of Grace at all in them and they have many times a great deal of knowledg in the Doctrines and Points of Religion so far as belongs to the brain and are able to discourse it may be pretty largely and plausibly of them But now a good Christian indeed he has another kind of knowledg of them He sees spiritual Truths by a spiritual light that which others discourse of he feels and has his heart transformed and changed into the nature of them Thus he knows the Scripture and written Word to be the Word of God not only from the testimony of the Church but from the testimony of the Spirit and as finding in his own soul the workings and impressions of it as Austin sometimes professes it for his own particular This is that accordingly which we should labour to find in our selves as being that which will be of greatest use and benefit to us and most likely to hold out with us It is the best and readiest way to perseverance and continuance and abidance in the truth when it is thus wrought and riveted into us When the Doctrines of Religion are meerly notional and speculative as swiming and floating in the understanding men do more easily let them go and part with them but when Christ by his Spirit does seal them and engrave them upon the heart then they are sure and certain and we shall constantly hold them out even to the end Again for a further explication of this Point as Christ may be said to be a witness of the Truths of Religion by his Spirit so also by his life and his whole conversation Joh. 18.27 For this end says he was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth Christs actions they gave a testimony to his Doctrine and to the truth and reality of it That which was done by him it was a manifestation of that which was said which is indeed the best witness of truth that can be given unto it And it teaches us the same likewise in some kind of conformity unto him We ought thus far to be fellow-helpers to the truth and promoters of it all that may be And so as by doing so by suffering likewise Christ was a witness to the truth also thus and enables all his servants where they are called unto it to be so likewise He is in a sense the first Martyr and all others take it from him that have any ability to be so That 's the first Branch of this witness as to the matter of it as extending to the Truths of Christianity The second is as to Christians own condition and state of Grace Christ is a witness likewise thus as he witnesses by his spirit to their spirits that they are his children Rom. 8.16 Thus 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself that is wrought and imprinted upon his heart by the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in him and certifies him in this particular and that against all false witnesses and objections to the contrary When Satan or a mans own misgiving heart shall be ready sometimes to accuse him and fly in his face here 's the witness and testimony of Christ himself which will carry all down before it And so again when a man 's own heart acquits him and speaks comfortably to him here 's the witness of Christ also to confirm it and to add strength unto it which is the chiefest of all As Peter sometime to Christ Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Christ is not only a Judg but a Witness and accordingly we may appeal unto him for the clearing and justifying of us upon any occasion as this Disciple here does and he will be ready accordingly to give in witness to us and for us as it is proper unto him my witness is in heaven and my record on high Job 16.19 Yea and to give witness in us too within our own breasts Christ he can speak peace to the Conscience and make it speak peace to it self which no other witness can do besides He can so enlighten and over-power the Conscience as thereby to enable it to give a right judgment of it self which oftentimes
their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled There is a ripeness and maturity of sin which calls for the execution of judgment till which time judgment is delayed and put off and for a season procrastinated and then he that shall come will come and will not tarry Lastly This desire of the Church to Christ's coming and hastning of it it hath a respect to Christ himself who in a manneris hereby also perfected for the Church in the fulness of its Members is the fulness also of Christ and so it is called in Ephes 1.23 The fulness of him that filleth all in all We must distinguish of Christ in his person and Christ in his office If we look upon Christ as God and as the second person in the Trinity so he is absolute and compleat in himself and capable of no addition or augmentation but if we look upon Christ as he is God-man the Mediator and Head of the Church so he is so far forth perfected as the Church it self is perfected and compleated in the number of Members And as himself also has finished and compleated all the works which do belong to his Mediatorship which is coming in Glory This is the only remainder of what 's behind and lest yet undone as to the full work of our Redemption and therefore does the Church very properly call for it and put him in mind of it out of her respect unto him This if not so to be taken as if Christ himself would not come otherwise for that he would though she should be silent and never call for him nor yet if she could properly hasten it or speed it before its time for that she cannot neither God has appointed a day wherein he will judg the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained as the Apostle tells us Act. 17.31 As he has appointed the man namely Christ so he has also appointed the day which we cannot name nor it does not belong unto us It is not for us to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Act. 1.7 But the Church prays for his coming as a testimony of her affection to him and as desiring thereby to put a respect upon him because in coming his Glory and Majesty shall be so much the more revealed and discovered And that 's the last account which may be here given of this Prayer and Petition When the Spirit and the Bride say Come namely out of respect to Christ The Vse of all to our selves serves to teach us to labout for such a frame of spirit as this is whereby we may in truth and sincerity come up to this requess and desire so as to pray and to pray heartily for the second coming of Christ and the appurtenances of it It is a request which is so much the more considerable as it is such as we are taught to make by Christ himself in that Prayer which he hath left unto us whereof one branch is this Thy Kingdom come As the Holy Ghost suggests it so Christ himself also commands it and requires it of us and accordingly we should all indeavour that it may be practised by us We should labor for the Considerations above-mentioned to say Come Lord Jesus come quickly as it follows afterwards in this Chapter Where when Christ promises it the Church presently apprehends it and returns upon him with desires answerable and suitable to so gracious an intimation For this purpose let us especially endeavour to have the Spirit of God Himself in us and to be filled with that For observe how it is said here in the Text The Spirit and the Bride say Come Nature that does not say it but rather reluctates against it and puts it off no but it is the Spirit that says it and we our selves say it to purpose so far forth as we are spiritual and act upon spiritual Grounds and Principles in the desires of it There are some kind of people who now and then in a discontent and when any thing crosses them then it may be they could wish for an end of the world and of their own lives with it But that may be perhaps from the flesh and not from the spirit and so to be suspected no but then it is so as should be when it proceeds from a work of the Holy Ghost and Spirit himself in us Now there are three ways especially whereby the Spirit of God does usually work such a desire as this in us and makes us in Truth and Reality to desire Christs second Coming First By discovering to us the vanity of all these things here below What is the reason that many people are so unwilling to think of another world It is because they think there is no other but this but place their happiness and contentment here in these poor outward things which if their hearts were taken off from it would be otherwise with them Now those whom God has a delight in he does by his Spirit convince them of the vanity and Transitoriness of this world Secondly By purging our consciences from any thing which may be burdensom to them and putting us upon duty and that work which is required of us in our present opportunities When Christians shall have this lye upon their spirits that either they have been sinful or unfruitful they cannot so easily wish for Christs coming either guilt or their work yet unfinished they are great pull-backs and retarders in this particular Now therefore does the Holy Ghost take order with them to both of these purposes by not suffering his servants to lye under the power of any known sin nor yet wilfully to omit and neglect any known Duty but to be sincere and fruitful both to such Christians as are so Christs coming will be the more acceptable to them Thirdly By manifesting unto them the Excellency which is in Christ himself and the blessed and glorious condition of God's People in another world together with their own interest and concernment in it When Christ had declared before that he was the bright and moring-star then the Spirit and the Bride say Come it is ignorance of Christ that makes men no more to breathe after him nor to be desirous of him Therefore the Spirit of God may rouse those desires in us he presents these Excellencies to us and gives us some glimpses and anticipations of that glorious condition which he has provided for us And then also which belongs hereunto vouchsafes some kind of assurance of our interest in this condition and that it belongs to us for our particular whereby the more to quicken our desires Excellency is nothing without propriety it is the Spouse of Christ alone which can with joy desire Christs coming When therefore the soul is convinced that it is so with it self that it is contracted and espoused to Christ and owned by him then the Spirit an the Bride say Come When we
are upon good Grounds perswaded of our interest and relation to Christ who is so desirable and again also perswaded of his acceptance and imbracement of us as so related to him We shall then with a great deal of earnestness long after him So much for that and so much for this present Text. SERMON XLIX Revel 22.17 And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely I made choice of this Verse at first but in reference to the former part of it as that which was most consonant and agreeable to the Scripture immediately preceding in the course of our Ministry And this as ye know we dispatch't the last day But I have thought it since in a manner necessary or at least very convenient to take in this part to the other to be handled with it as containing the second Branch of that Communion which does mutually pass betwixt Christ and the Church The Application of the Church to Christ that we had exprest in those words The Spirit and the Bride say Come And here now in the words that follow at this time with Gos gracious assistance to be explained by us we have the reflexious of Christ upon the Church and his desires of further fellowship and communion with her in those words which I have now read unto you And let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Which besides other conveniencies and correspondencies which are observable in it carries a very good agreement with that other Ordinance which has already this day been dispensed amongst us in our approaches to the table of the Lord. IN the Text it self there are three General Parts considerable First A provocation of desire or longing affection Let him that heareth say Come Secondly An invitation of access or seasonable application Let him that is athirst come Thirdly An intimation of acceptance or grateful entertainment And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely We begin with the first of those Parts viz. The provocation of desire in those words Let him that heareth say Come Where the subject mentioned and called upon He that heareth is indefinitely exprest but the expression is to be limited according to the proper references of it which as they lye in the Context are reducible to a three-fold Object or voice to be heard First To the voice of Christ in the Ministry Secondly To the voice of the Spirit in the Conscience And Thirdly To the voice of the Spouse in the Church He that heareth that is that heareth either of these Let him that heareth c. First To the voice of Christ in the Ministry This hearing it refers to this this we have signisied to us in the verse immediately preceding the Text viz. ver 16. of this Chapter I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testifie these things unto you c. Now he that heareth this Testimony or Prophetical and Ministerial voice and that heareth it in good earnest and to purpose let him shew that he indeed does so by this influence and effect of it upon him so as to desire this coming of Christ and so there is this in it That those that are partakers of the Doctrine of Christ they should labour to be affected to the person of Christ those that have notice given them of his coming they should accordingly desire that he would come those that hear his voice they should desire to see his countenance This is one thing which seems here to be hinted to us in this present expression There are two things which the Word of God does in the Ministry of it which are especially available for the provoking of our desires after Christ The one is as it propounds the excellency of Christ and shews us what he is and the other as it reveals the purposes of Christ and tells us what he intends and both of these are joyned here together in this present Chapter the former we have in these words I am the root and off-spring of David and the bright and morning-star in the clause immediately foregoing Here is a proposal of Christ in his Excellencies and the good that comes by him the latter we have in these words wherein he sigaifies that he is minded to come in the 7th and 12th verses of this Chapter Behold I come quickly c. I come that is I mean to come here 's a discovery of interests desires and resolutions in himself Now take these two I say both together Christs Excellency and his own offer and voluntary exhibition of himself and here we cannot now but close with him Those that partake of such gracious opportunities afforded unto them they are engaged to all suitable affection for the compliance with them those that thus hear must say Come Therefore this justly meets with all such persons as are otherwise affected There are a great many of people in the world who do sometimes hear tydings of Christ and do sometimes seem to be well pleased with such points as are discoveries of him but yet in the mean time how little succour or relish of him or love and affection unto him but are as carnal and sensual and worldly and earthly minded as ever Now such as these do plainly declare that their hearing it is to little or no purpose for if it were that which it should be it would have an answerable effect with it so as to work them to some gracious breathings and longings after him Every good and right hearer of Christ is more or less inflamed with affections and desires unto Christ and is in a manner restless till he attains to some enjoyment of him And so indeed it is required and expected of him that he should be as the Text here seems to import in the carriage and laying of it which does infer the one upon the other crying and calling after Christ upon the mentioning and hearing of Christ Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me says Christ and so desires that I should come to him which is all one Joh. 6.45 He that hath heard and learned that is that hath heard profitably and to purpose This is the effect that followeth upon it and it is hereby evidenced and demonstrated to be that which it is So then this is that which we should look after in all our approaches to the hearing of the Word namely to examine what work and operation it has upon our hearts and to see that the working of it be answerable to the nature of the Doctrine which is delivered unto us If it be a word of threatning that it work in us a trembling frame and disposition of spirit if it be a word of command an obedient if it be a word of promise a comfortable if it be a word of excitement an awakening still what the