not David wofully lye and dissemble to Ahimeleoh at Nob 1 Sam. 21. And to Achish Chap 23. Yea he was almost gotten into a way of it whence he prayes against it Psal 119 29. And how much of Hypocrisy is a sensible Believer acquainted with in himself attending on his best duties How many wry glances and sinister aims in his prayers and hearing and whole Conversation Whence else is it that he is so often at a loss what to judge of himself as to any thing he doth 4. In the work of Conversation there is a new nature put into the man The man that is here said to be without Guile is to be supposed a true Convert for there is nothing else but Guile in an Unconverted man he is wholly acted by a Deâ—ved Heart which perverts him Isa 44 20. But when God comes to Convert a Sinner to himself he then makes a powerful and thorough Change in him 2 Cor. 5. 17. This is that which is called the New Man in opposition to natural Corruption which is called the Old man Eph. 4. 22 24. This is called the New Heart which God hath said he will give to men in this work Ezek. 36. 26. And what else is the New Nature but a body of Sanctifying Graces infused into the man by which he is Regenerated or born again 5. In this new nature there is no Guile at all The new Creature is altogether void of Sinful Hypocrisy it hath nothing in it but what is pure and sincere and without Guile We read 1 Joh. 3. 9â— Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin i. e. According to his new nature or the new principle that is infused into him and it must need appear to be sincere and not Hypocritical from the Consideration of the Original of it and that is from God it is therefore said to be Born of him 1 Joh. 5. 4. And Born from above Joh. 3. 3. And of the Spirit Vers 6. And is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. It never consents to much less contrives any deceit or cheat but is always upright in the exertings of it self And therefore every Converted man so far as he is renewed so far is he altogether without Guile As Guile is a quality adhering to every Lust so integrity is no less to every Grace of the Spirit that is in the Children of God their Faith is Unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. And their Love is without Dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. And such are all the Graces which flow from these two which are the root Graces in a Child of God 6. The New Nature sets it self against the Guile of the Law in the members in a Child of God It doth not only exert none it self nor consent to that which the Corrupt part is acting but it dissents from and withstands it There is the Lusting of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 17. And there are two things wherein it discovers this 1. In the Reluctancy of it against the Corrupt part in us seeking to suppress and prevent it So far as Grace is active in the heart of a Child of God when it meets with a Temptation to Guile or Hypocrisy it Resists it bears its Testimony against it influenceth the Conscience according to 〈◊〉 present activity so as to endeavour to Arm 〈◊〉 against that part in him which is eager and violent for it and this Paul designs in Rom. 7. When he speaks of the Good he would do and the Evil he would not do And doubtless many a time by the help of the Spirit of God he gets the Victory overcomes the Temptation and rejects the Motion with abhorrence 2. In the Repentance which it brings the man to afterwards Sometimes the Law of the Members is too subtile and strong and leads the man Captive and he is drawn into Dissimulation as Peter and Barnabas were Gal. 2. 12. c. The deceitfulness of his worser part imposeth upon him and he plays the Fool but as his Grace had no hand in it but was meerly overborn so it recruits again and what it could not prevent by withstanding it clears it self of by Repentance The Godly sorrow bitter mourning self-abhorrence and mortification he applies to it witnesseth for him 2 Cor. 7. 11. And this belongs to that Spiritual warfare with which the Gospel acquaints us 7. That God in the New Covenant values us according to this New Nature It is true the Corruption within us is Originally our own and we have reason to bewail it as long as we Liveâ— and it gives the Believer a world of grief and molestation And when we neglect our Graces and allow or nourish our Corruptions God as a Father is angry and Corrects us for it but however God looks upon his People according to their Grace This is the New-Creature and they are judge such who have it in them And where there 〈◊〉 this warfare against Corruption and Grace exercised in Resistance and Repentance God is pleaseâ— to accept of us and though he Charge the othâ— upon our Concupiscence and will Mortify it 〈◊〉 us yet he Chargeth it not so upon the person 〈◊〉 to put him out of his Favour for it And on thâ— account it is that Paul dares to put it off from himself to his Sin Rom. 7. 16 17. 8. Hence such an one is in a Gospel esteemâ— one in whom is no Guile Who 1. Hath been Regenerated by the Spirit 〈◊〉 God and so hath a principle of saving Grace 〈◊〉 him A Godly man and one without Guile souâ— the same thing in Scripture language he is therefore so called Context verse 6. for by vertue 〈◊〉 such a saving change the man comes to have 〈◊〉 Right Spirit in him as it is called Psal 51. 10. 2. Hereupon he cordially and sincerely propounds the Glory of God as his last end in 〈◊〉 whole course Though he may miss it in the application in many things yet this is the general scope of his life and he studieth it daily this is the great concern that lies upon him 1 Cor. 10. 3. And this is the natural inclination of the new nature in us for it was put into us to enable us to Glorify God and hath therefore in it a tendency 〈◊〉 the end it was Created for and accordingly â—rompts us hereunto 3. Hence he abhors every thing in him that â—raws to the contrary He finds enough and too much in himself which is molesting of him and sometimes wofully too hard for him but he is â—ieved at it carries it about as his burden and â—ies out by reason of it yea he is vile in his â—wn eyes on this account as he Job 41. 5. accounts it his misery that he is so unhappily chained to it 4. Hereupon he lives in the practice of the mortification of this deceitfulness As he doth not allow it so he cannot be quiet for it but seeks to have it destroyed We are commanded to mortify the lusts in us Col.
set against this turning to God being a lump of Enmity Rom. 8. 7. Th◠then it may be drawn to consent it must have 〈◊〉 New principle put into it and because the Will 〈◊〉 a power in a cause by counsel it requires that the Understanding be also rectified which is filled with crooked principles Call good evil c. and cannot do other so long as it remains in its carnality◠Isa 44 20. The New Convert is therefore sa◠to be a New Creature and all in him to be New◠2 Cor. 5. 17. And what is it wherein this change consists whereby he is new made but those sanctifying graces that are infused into him and disfused through the whole man Eph. 4. 24. Such a discovery then must needs witness to the ma◠that he is pardoned because it witnesseth the Conversion that is an inseparable companion of forgiveness 3. God designing his own Glory in forgiving the Sinner doth it in such a way as may be in all respects answerable Gods last end in all his works is his own Glory that there are designs of love and good will to the Creature in many of these works is beyond question but these are subordinated and ever refer to that as their highest aim and are accordingly so regulated as to advance it in the accomplishment of them So that though God intends the Sinners Salvation when he Justifieth him and therefore together with forgiveness he entituleth him to the Kingdom yet there are several Attributes that are concerned in this affair every of which must have its lustre herein and as his rich grace and mercy are in this exalted gloriously and as his Justice must be secured from wrong yea and triumph in it so there is his Holiness here to be displayed for God will be Holy in all his doings Psal 145. 17. Now the Holiness of God hath a special concern here in the manifestation of the hatred he bears to sin notwithstanding the love he bears to the person whom he pardons and if God should forgive the Sinner and yet not take away his Guile or purge him from his sin and overturn the Dominion of it he would seem not only to love the person but approve of his iniquity contrary to Hab. 1. 13. On this account wicked men who for the present escape punishment think so Psal 50. 21. And therefore to vindicate his holiness wherever he pardons sin he subdues it they go together Mic. 7. 19. 4. Pardon of Sin is a New-Covenant Blessing in which there is a perfect Reconciliation made between God and the person forgiven God often speaks of a Covenant that he will make with his people and we are told what are the benefits of it Isa 55. 3. The sure mercies of David i. e. all the good that Christ hath purchased for them whereof this is one and is expresly mentioned Jer. 31. 33 34. Now sin had made a breach between God and us and when God forgives and Justifies the Sinner he thereby signifieth that he is atoned and the Reconciliation is mutual 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And there is no prospect of a Reconciliation either on Gods part or the Sinners so long as sin remaineth in its power and he is not Sanctified this is the abominable thing that he beteth Jer. 44. 4. It is that which made the Separation Isa 59. 2. How then should he hold amity with one that hath nothing else in him Psal 5. 4 5. It is sin that hath filled the Carnal mind with enmity Rom. 8. 7. Till then he is Sanctified and his Guile subdued he cannot possibly be reconciled to God and so the New-Covenant cannot be plighted without which he is not forgiven 5. Jesus Christ Redeemed us for his Service Forgiveness of sin is a fruit of Christ's purchase he Bought it for us 1 Tim. 2. 6. And in the Application of a pardon the Redemption of Christ is applied to us and where any one part of it is applied the whole is so for Christ cannot lose any part of the design of this great work and we are assured that he Sought in it a people to Serve him which is promised to him as a fruit of it Psal 22. 30. We are therefore told that it was for this Tit. 2. 14. And his people are said to be Redeemed from their Iniquities Psal 130. 8. And from their vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. And the strongest argument to oblige us to Holiness is fetcht from this consideration 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Now as long as Sin reigns in the man he is the Servant of Sin during which he cannot Serve the Lord Christ he must then be made free from it in order to his attaining this end Rom. 6. compare verse 20. with 22. It is sincere Service and without Guile that he expects and by which he is honoured and because Christ will have Service from every pardoned one he with his pardon puts into him a new principle which makes him upright 6. Pardon or Justification is in order to Glorification They are Connected Rom. 8. 30. So long as the Law Sentence of Death was out against them they were incapable in that state of being Glorified when God taketh off the Sentence it is always in order to the making them happy for ever and therefore it must needs be followed with the Making them meet for that Glorious state which cannot be enjoyed by any of the Children of men so long as they have a Spirit full of Guile The natural man cannot be entertained in the spotless Kingdom nor can he resent the happiness either of the Place or Company or employment in it except he be made Holy all being accommodated to happify no other That then God may accomplish this design of his he Sanctifyeth them together with Justifying of them Christ had an eye to this Eph. 5. 25 26 27. From all these Considerations we see how evidential this being without Guile is of our being pardoned and how necessary it is for us to be able to argue this from that if we would not be mistaken in our hopes and assurances USE I. For INFORMATION in two particulars 1. Learn hence how vainly many pretend themselves to be in a Pardoned state How few indeed are there of those that Live under the Gospel who do not presume of this whence else is the quietness and confidence of the most under all the aw◠and awakning truths that sound in their Ears from time to time And yet if they were brought to the tryal of this one Character how must they fall before it And that not only in their own Consciences but in the Consciences of others too even after all the allowances which a well regulated Charity may make are afforded to them And 〈◊〉 is to be feared that besides those that walk open faced there are a great many of close covered Hypocrites whose own hearts would condemn them◠if they would hear them speak how plausibly so ever they carry it in
cheat and he that hath not found himself so is yet under the Cheat. 2. Have you truly loathed your selves for it Self-abhorrence is the genuine product of this discovery in every one that is delivered from it When God comes to shew men their Guile to a Saving purpose he makes it to work in them unto detestation of themselves they are vile in their own eyes Ezek. 36. 31. For together with shewing them the thing he â—ets them see how odious it is in it self and how loathsome it hath rendred them 3. Is it truly mortifyed in you Mortification is one part of Sanctification and though your Guile be not erradicated yet if it be under the efficacy of this mortification it is a good Evidence And here 1. Do you cordially mourn by reason of it If the presence of it grieves you and you cannot see it without being in bitterness by reason of it it speaks well for you this was Pauls witness for him Rom. 7. 24. You bear it as an insupportable burden it wearies you you long to be rid of it Godly Sorrow is a concomitant of or an ingredient in that Repentance that is not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. 2 Do you maintain a War against it Is it to you a deadly Enemy and that which you are wrestling with fighting against continually it makes many furious assaults upon you and gains sometimes very unhappily in you but you do not subject your selves to it but recruit again and combat it Do you find this Spirit in you Lusting against the flesh and all its deceits and doing its utmost to destroy it 3. Do you daily Repent of the eruptions of it There are too awful breakings out of this Corruption of yours you see it and find it but how do you resent it Do you say it is your infirmity and you cannot avoid it and make no more of it that is an ill sign but if you are indeed 〈◊〉 the work of Mortification every discovery of 〈◊〉 brings you upon your knees fills you with bitterness drives you to Repentance and so the work goes on continually USE III. Let it be to Exhort the Children of God to be more and more in the practice of such 〈◊〉 Spirit Have you it in you Endeavour that it may more powerfully influence your whole Conversation that you may express your sincerity in all that you have to do with And to move you Consider 1. Hereby you will bring more honour to God The upright plain dealing honesty of Gods Children in their converse with men is a credit to the name they profess and the Religion they pretend to God is Glorified by it Whereas the deceitfulness and cunning tricks they use are a reproach and open the mouths of men there is nothing in the world that more credits Christianity than this Godly simplicity 2. It will give you more inward peace and comfort 〈◊〉 dare appeal to the experience of any of Gods Children when you have strained your Conscience to some guilful trick whether it have not left 〈◊〉 prick there that hath put you to pain and it is 〈◊〉 it should so do Whereas whatever you meet with from the world yet this will be an inward support and matter of Joy to you in the midst of all was it not so with Paul 2 Cor. 1. 12. 3. It will give you more esteem among all men Not only will good men prize you for it but the worst of men will have an honourable respect for you on this account One that is Guilful is low in the esteem of all but such as would make a tool of him whereas sincerity in Conversation plainness in all a mans dealings and a care to be upright in all things commands respect from all that have any moral principle in them And for direction here 1. Labour to fortifie this principle in you The way to quicken any exercise of grace is to corroporate the principle Grace at first is small and weak and the corruption that opposeth it is strong see then to the inward man that that be encreasing and its influences into your life will hold a proportion Get more of love to and delight in sincerity 2. Watch your selves in your whole Conversationâ— You must look after your selves in all that you doâ— if you remit your spiritual watch your deceitfuâ— heart will be too hard for you and put a cheâ— on you and if you are deceived by them yâ— will practise deceit You must look to your wayâ— lest you be drawn aside 3. Eye all Temptations to deceit and resist theâ— Satan and subtile sin are very cunning in their offers and will impose on you if you be not wâ—ry Be inquisitive bring all to the Trial and 〈◊〉 you discern any guile in it or suspicion of 〈◊〉 stand off and have nothing to do with it 〈◊〉 shall you by Grace be kept from it VERSE 3 4. 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long 4. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer Selah The Words Opened VVE have been considering the Description of a Blessed man in respect of his Sin being pardoned and of the evidence of 〈◊〉 in the concomitancy of inherent Sanctification We proceed now to the Exemplification of â—is in himself given by the Psalmist in these two â—erses and that which follows wherein two things â—e to be observed 1. The distress he was in by reason of his Sin Vers 〈◊〉 4. 2. The course he took to get relief against it togeâ—er with the good Success of it Verse 5. 1. We have before us the distress he was in by reason 〈◊〉 his Sin in which also are two things 1. The distress it self 2. What it was that gave occasion of it or whence it did proceed which are mixed in the words but may be handled in their order 1. The distress it self Set forth in pathetical Expressions and Similitudes borrowed to shadow the extremity of it and there are two things in which he discovers the dolefulness of his condition 1. By the inward efficacy of his trouble it wasted it consumed him it made his bones old and dryed up his radical moisture for so the word used properly signifyeth The meaning is it wore out his Life Strength Vigour and made a Skeliton of him 2. By the outward expression of it arising from his inward trouble his Roaring and that without intermission the word is properly used of the fearful noise that Lions make in their Roaring and on what account was this but of his Sins which lay on his Conscience through the apprehension of the Guilt of them It may be here enquired whether David is speaking of his Condition before or after Conversion Whether he represents a Godly or an Ungodly man here And it may be replied That it is generally supposed and not without reason that this was after he was a pardoned manâ—
God witholds his Testimony from his Children they can take hold of nothing to relieve them can apprehend no faithâ— in them no love of God no hatred of sin which they dare call so And for others they are as the troubled sea that can find no rest and they goâ— a long time in this condition God all the whilâ— appearing to them as an enemy 3. Why or for what end he doth it A. As God is holy in all his ways and just in all his doings so are all his works done in wisdom theâ— is therefore a worthy design in it and here 〈◊〉 may observe 1. That the usual provoking cause of this is theâ— sinful Guile The deceitfulness there is in Sin anâ— Sinners is highly displeasing to God and though God can bear with a great many infirmities in hiâ— Children whiles they are plain and honest Psaâ— â—3 13 14. Yet when once they begin to practâ— deceit to hide and cover this is extreamly â—singenuous and he can bear no longer 2. God hereby lets men see that there is no imâ—sing on him And it is high time for him so to â—o when they grow up to so much of Atheism â—nd impudence men would else begin to argue â—hat he either did not know or not regard possibly that he approved of their follies Psal 50. 21. but when he takes them in their devices and makes their Consciences fall on them and terâ—ify them he giveth them an awful proof of his Omniscience now he makes their Sins to find them out and they are put upon confessing that he is not mocked 3. Herein he discovers his just displeasure at sin He hath indeed reserved the full discovery of this to be made in another World yet he will make some displays of it here He hath declared in his Word that he is holy and just that he cannot endure but will punish Sin but men scarce believe it because vile Sinners go on and prosper but when he maketh them feel the wounds in their Souls and they are snared in their own handy work here is terrible anger in this and to be read in the faces of such and â—ereby God giveth a further clear Testimony how hateful a thing sin is to his Holiness 4. He often doth this to give solemn warning to others His Judgments are to learn men Righteousness Isa 26. 9. He sometimes setteth up in sight some Monuments of his Severity that Israel may hear and fear and be cautioned When such things befal wicked men they should fright others of their Companions from their lewd courses and God expects it Dan. 5. 22. And they should caution Godly men to be the more wary and when such things befall Gods Children how loudly doth it speak to the Ungodly to consider it if it be thus done in the green tree what shall be in the dry And either men will take warning or their Guilt will be encreased by it 5. He sometimes thus prepareth Sinners for Conversion The Spirit of God begins this work with Conviction of Sin Joh. 16. 8. In which he gives them a sight of their Sins and an apprehension of their woful misery by reason of them in which he useth their own Consciences to amaze and terrify them he holds the Sinner over Hell and scorcheth him with the flames of it and maketh him find himself ready to fall into the midst of them thus to prepare him to give welcome to the offers of Christ 1 Tim. 1. 15. And the most guilful Sinners usually have deepest impressions of it 6. He doth it to humble his Children for and cure them of their Guile These are terrible temptations but they are to humble them and do them good Deut. 8 16. There usually is not a little of anger in this Dispensation however there is love in the bottom of it He seeth that in his Children that he liketh not but his spirit is grieved at and because he loveth them he will heal them of it and this is the course he taketh by this they are taught what it will cost them to indulge any sin and keep silence at it which embitters it to them and so brings them to Repentance they humble themselves before him and the breach thus cometh to be made up and they restored and so also it is a happy mean to prevent the like afterward by giving them a remembrance that abideth by them and maketh them more watchful as long as they live USE 1. For INFORMATION in two Particulars 1. Learn hence the great folly of those who make no great matter of sinning against God The generality of mankind have low and slighty thoughts of sin and therein discover themselves to be egregious fools nor are the Children of God free from the remainder of this folly but we have a clear evidence of the madness of it in that hereby they lay themselves open to the anger of God and provoke him to lay his hand heavy upon them and this is the very consequent upon such an esteem of Sin it is a weighty question the Psalmist propounds Psal 90. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger Surely there are very few that believe it they would else alter their principles and practices The burnt Child will dread the fire but Sinners have not felt the scaldings of Gods anger the weight of his hand and so they despise otherwise they would think it a more dangerous thing to sin than they do Sinners did you but know what some have felt you would feal to the truth of that Psal 76. 7. Who can stand when once thou art angry Well look to it if you do not know you shall know and you are in the ready way to bring it upon your selvâ—s When once you come to feel how heavy hâ— hand is you will wish you had believed it and â—ought to avoid it 2. Learn henoe how vain it is for any to live quiet and secure under the Guilt of any sin Thiâ— is it that procures the heavy displeasure of God and as long as the Gult remains the reason of it abideth in us Unless we can escape the hand of God there is no ground for this security as long as you have to do with God you have no safety if there ly on you Guilt unpardoned be sure it will bring his hand on you unavoidably Psal 21. 8. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies and though you are never so jocund and full of ease for the present and feel no hand upon you yet if God lay it on your mirth is gone in that moment he needs do no more but give a touch on your Consciences and that will make them to roar upon you like so many ravening evening Wolves and to rend you in pieces like Lions this is the warning God giveth to all secure ones Psal 52. 22. Though you have health and ease and outward peace and prosperity and enjoy of the World more than heart can wish yet a Finger of
there are three Conclusions contained in this Proposition 1. That God may be found by sinful men 2. That the Opportunity of thus seeking God is limited to time 3. That there are special seasons wherein God is to be found by them that seek him 1. That God may be found by sinful men This is the foundation of all our encouragment to seek after him We may here enquire 1. When God is said to be found 2. For the evidence that he may so 3. The ground of it or how it comes to pass 1. When God is said to be found A. In respect of his Omnipresence it is every where Act. 17. 27 28. And with regard to his Providence he fills all with his presence and influence Psal 135. 6. But it here aims at a gracious discovery which God makes of himself to us We then find him when we obtain favour from him in the thing we seek him for when he is propitious to us Deut. 4. 29. Gods being found is opposed to his hiding himself and his people account him to do so when they receive no favourable returns of their Prayers no gracious effects coming thereupon But when we ask his mercy and he bestows it upon us we conclude that we have found him If when we are burdened with the Guilt of Sin we humbly address him for pardon and he applies the promise and helps us to take hold on it and witnesseth within us his accepting us we conclude that we have found him and so in every other respect in which his Children call upon him It is he himself who comes in by his Spirit to the Soul and leaveth those things there which testify his presence Psal 34. 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me 2. For the evidence that he may be found Sin indeed hath made an infinite distance between God and Sinners and hath provoked him to hide from them Every natural man is a lost Creature hath lost his God and his happiness and knoweth not where to find him but wandereth in a Wilderness where there is no way But for all this such is Gods rich Grace that he hath discovered himself in the Gospel so as that he may be found again by the lost Creature and these things will evidence it 1. He invites men to seek him This precious advice is given to all where the Gospel cometh He would not have men to seek their help else where but enquire after him He gives them this call while they are wandring from mountain to hill seeking rest and finding none 1 Chron. 16. 11. 22. 19. Now God would not invite men to seek him if there were no hope that they might find him he doth not delude them but point them to a way of safety 2. He hath therefore made promises to such as seeâ— him that they shall find him The Prophet tells 〈◊〉 from God Isa 45. 19. I said not to the seed of Jacob seek me in vain And to make this appear he hath obliged himself 1 Chron. 28. 9. If thou seek him he will be found of thee So Psal 69. 32. Prov. 8. 17. Heb. 11. 6. And he who hath promised is faithful and will perform and they that adventure on his word shall never see cause to repent 3. He hath made a way for his being found by Sinful men And there is nothing wherein God hath equally celebrated his goodness to man as in this 〈◊〉 that when Sin had shut us out of his presence and raised Mountains between him and us he hath been at the cost to remove them and make a New and Living way for us to find him For this it was that Christ came into the World and made the Atonement with his own Blood that he might pull down the wall of separation And now he tells us that he is the way Joh. 14. 6. And so there is a new way Consecrated Heb. 10. 20. This God would not have done if he had not designed that some of the lost race should find him in it 4. He hath given us directions how we may find this way and him in it All the Gospel Precepts are adapted to this end As there could have been no way if he had not opened it so we could never have known it if he had not shown it us Mic. 6. 8. And his Spirit is sent to influence and guide us into it Isa 30. 21. The preceptive part of the Gospel is purposely given for our direction in this affair 5. Jesus Christ came to seek lost Sinners and bring them into this way he himself tells us so Luk. 19. 10. True he had a further design in coming viz. to make this way by his Priestly Office but yet in his Prophetical and Kingly he pursueth this design for having purchased to himself a Church in the world he sends forth his Spirit to gather them to himself he seeks them up in their lost estate and finds them and so they find him Isa 65. 1. 3. For the ground of this or how it comes to pass that he is willing to be found let these things be considered 1. That God hath purposed the glory of his Grace in the Salvation of Sinners Hence some are said to be Chosen in Christ to this very end Eph. 1. 3. 6. The foundation of all this is laid in his good will it was because he had a mind that this letter in his name should be made legible and celebrated throughout Eternal Ages 2. That mans happiness consists in his seeing and enjoying of God There is no other object is adequate for him should he enjoy all the goodness of the whole Creation separate from the favour and love of God it would not make him better man miserable Psal 73. 27. He only is a portion that can satisfy the cravings of an immortal Soul and if the man be happy he must know him Joh. â—7 3. and he must have him to be his portion Lam. 3. 24. 3. That man by Sin hath lost God This is the unhappy effect of the Apostasy and is the fruit of sin Isa 59. 2. Man was at first made near to God but as soon as sin came in it set him at a vast distance so that now he knows him not but is a stranger to him hath lost all title to him as his God and is become his enemy and so is made miserable 4. That fallen man must find God again if ever he enjoy him Vision and Fruition go together iâ— Mans misery is that he hath left him his only happiness is in finding him We must find him if we find life by him Prov. 8. 35. Till we so do we remain in the forlorn state state which Sin hath cast us into That man that doth not find his God again is undone for ever 5. For this end God exhibits himself to man as the object whom they are to seek God hath made our seeking of him a medium in order to our finding him Not but
Demonstration of this take these Conclusions 1. That it is arbitrary with God whether ever he will be found by sinful man or no Man in his Apostasy went away from God bad him depart preferred other Objects before him and renounced communion with him how justly might God upon this have rejected him for ever and resolved that he should never more obtain his favour He hath no dependance on his Creature if he had said they shall never see my face again for ever he had offered them no injury at all He therefore in this acts his Soveraignty and it therein eminently appears in that he thus manifesteth himself when where and to whom he pleaseth the greatest number of mankind are groping in the dark seeking an object in which to find their happiness and God doth not shew himself to them than whom they to whom he doth thus appear are nothing better so that his meer good pleasure is herein displayed hence that of our Saviour Mat. 11. 25 26. 2. Hence it is at his liberty to fix the terms on which he will be found by them If the thing it self be at his liberty he must needs then have the power of prescribing Man is a Rebel and an Out law if God will pursue him to death and destroy him he doth him no wrong and if he will indulge him with a treaty of reconciliation it is at his discretion to make the Articles of it Now among the other terms of the treaty this is one viz. the stating of the time wherein men may come in and find him A Prince that proclaimeth peace to his Rebellious Subjects may limit the day and proclaim that if they come in by such a day and she for it they shall have it but if they take not that opportunity there shall be no hope and it is a very high favour that such an offer as this though thus bounded should be ever made to any of the race of sinful men 3. That except God reveals himself unto men they may seek but they shall not find him There is such a thing as this Prov. 1. 28. And there is great reason for it God indeed hath made our seeking of him the way to our finding him made a gracious promise that they who truly seek him shall find him but it is a promise of Grace and indeed the reason why any do seek not find him is because they do not seek him as they ought However God manifesteth himself arbitrarily to men we may be in the outward use of all the means of grace and yet miss him never meet him there and it will be so unless he please to come and manifest himself 4. That unless God giveth them his Spirit Grace they will never seek him so as to find him There is a so seeking him as is ever crowned with success and brings us into his presence such as that Jer. 29. 13. All other is either hypocritical or legal which is not acceptable to God Now if any of the Children of men so seek him they must have the grace from him so to do it is a work of his Spirit and till he give them a new heart they cannot so do there must be his drawing if ever there be their following Now the drawing of the Spirit is at his pleasure if he see meet to withold this grace from men they will never so seek him notwithstanding all the calls and counsels and warnings that can be given them and he hath no necessary lying upon him to bestow this on them 5. There are certain means in and with which God reveals himself to men so as they may find him As God is to be found so there is a way for it Natural men that live without the Gospel can never find him in that condition the meer light of nature will never lead any of mankind to God or bring them to communion with him again had not this been manifested in the Gospel it had never been known and man must have wandred in an endless maze of error 2 Cor. 4. 6. And it is in and with this Gospel that God is pleased to shew himself to the Souls of men and therefore by serious attendance thereon they are to seek him Where therefore these means are either not bestowed or are taken from men or they from them now the opportunity must needs cease with them I now proceed to make it appear that if ever we find God it must be during the time of our life in this world and from the premises there are these evidences for it 1. That God hath in his Word limited the day of Grace to this life The Word of God is that by which we are to acquaint our selves with his will and there we are assured that the day of Grace is limited When our Text saith they shall pray in a finding time it infers that there will be a time when there is no finding of him and of the same import is that in Isa 55. 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found Hence he may be sought too late when there is no finding him Prov. 1 23. Nay the Scripture hath expresly limited the time to this life Psal 6. 5. Isa 38. 18. And elsewhere which intimate that the time of Glorifying God by making our peace with him will then be over or that the work of providing for eternity will then be at an end and this is the force of the wise mans argument when he urgeth the husbanding the present season of life Eccles 9. 10. There is no work nor wisdom nor device nor knowledge in the grave whither thou goest 2. That the means and offers of Grace are only afforded men during the time of this life Whiles God is to be found he affords men advantages of seeking him and these are the Gospel Ordinances in which his Spirit is wont to come and strive As long as he continueth these and cometh in and with them to the hearts of men they have a fair opportunity for finding him but when these are withdrawn and gone he goeth with them and it is certain that men enjoy these only in this life Whether so long is arbitrary but longer they shall not What saith the Psalmist Psal 88. 11. 12. Shall the dead praise thee c. by which interrogatories a vehement negation is insinuated and if Gods faithful Servants would never so fain they can come at them no more to speak to them about their Souls concerns 3. There are awful threatnings denounced against such as neglect this time and these offers God is a God of truth in his threatnings as well as his promises and he hath warned Sinners of what will come of it if they neglect the present time he hath denounced that they shall for ever miss of the benefit offered and for the obtaining of which they once had a price in their hands if they will not comply with Gods time they shall fail when
of this Grace is to be made to you and though it be admirable yet God hath bidden such a proclamation to be published Jer. 3. 1. And I am sure that he can break your hard hearts and give you repentance and if he do there is no doubt of the good success of it 2. You are yet striven with and called upon God indeed speaks of a cessation of his Spirit striving with obstinate Sinners Gen. 6. 3. And there are the awful instances of it but the case is otherwise with you If the means of grace are influenced so as to rouse and awaken you out of your security and make you feel your mifery and be asraid by reason of it if he presents your sins to you iâ— their aggravations and makes them evil and bitteâ— to vou this is a woâ—k of his Spirit and saith thaâ— he stâ—ives still and whiles he strives there is hopâ— that he may be found 3. Hence these fears and terrours are not to driâ— â—ou to despair but to awaken you from your neglect And indeed you stand in need of them You deâ—pised many a gentle warning and were grown dreadfully secure fearfully asleep it was thereâ—ore meet that you should be starâ—led by some terâ—ible impressions made on you that he should give you deep and gaping wounds in your Conâ—dences to make you sensible the providence then is merciful though terrible but you ought to count it a mercy and then the lesson properly to be learned from it is to put you upon speed and utmost diligence in seeking of God without delay We have such a prayer of the Psalmist Psal 83. 15 16. God makes sin a burden too heavy tâ— hear that men may feel the necessity of seeking him And therefore Christ specially invites such to come unto him Mat. 11. 28. Be then encouraged whatever you have been and done there is hope in Israel concerning this thing only delay not Conclu 3. That there are special special seasons wherein God is to be found by those that seek him A finding time not only intends that it must be done in time but that there is a division of time into that wherein God is to be found and that wherein he is not to be found Here in general observe 1. That God hath more largely made this life a finding time so that none in particular ought to conclude his time to be past if he be alive This is the difference between the dead and the living IsaÌ„ 38. 18 19. The treaty of grace ordinarily continuâ— with men under the Gospel till they dy and aâ— long as it so doth their state is not to us desperate for any to say of himself my time is over my day is done I am gotten past hope of Salvation is a rash conclusion without any Scripture warrant It is a great sin because it stops men from using the means yea it is to make God â—liar for he saith in his word to such if you will return to me I will return to you whereas this saith let me seek and pray and confess and mourn all will be to no purpose he is resolved never to save me 2. God hath declared concerning some that their fâ—â—ing time shall be over in this life He may wait and strive longer or shorter as he pleaseth and though we have no ordinary Rule certainly to determine it to persons that they are so left yet there are some and that should make all fearful of trifling with and putting of him off we have such threatnings Prov. 1. 28. Joh. 8. 21. Hence that warning Heb. 3. 7. Gods invitations are all for the present their date is To Day and whether he will repeat them another day is with him Esau represented too late Heb. 12. 17. And how awful a word was spoken to those Jews who rejected the Salvation offered them Act. 13. 46. Now there are some awful symptoms of this 3. That there are some seasons wherein there is greater advantage to seek find God than in other The word Time in our Text signifyeth an Opportunity it intimates a fit season A work may be done while there is time but it is best and more readily done at some times We are told that sometimes God is near and that it is best then to Call upon him Isa 55. 6. intimating that he may be far off and then it will be more difficult There are times when he is within call and will answer at first and times when we may call again again before we have an answer from him Here â—o Quest What are those seasons wherein we are peculiarly advantaged for the seeking and finding of God A. There are four seasons more especially for this 1. The time of Youth is a special season for this Young persons put off and think hereafter is soon enough but it is their great folly there is no such â—eason for seeking and making out after Christ as 〈◊〉 For 1. God earnestly calls upon such to seek him He doth as it were single out such and the offer is particularly made to them the Spirit of God speaks emphatically to such Psal 34. 11. Come ye Children 〈◊〉 Wisdom calls them as it were by name Prov. 4. 1. 5. 7. 8. 32. Eccl. 12. 1. which tells us how â—â—in God would have young ones to begin early and how loth he is that they should spend their first time in vanity 2. God hath testifyed how well pleased he is when such seek him The entertainment he gives them is a testimony how acceptable it is to him What respect did he shew to young Abel Gen. 4. 4. How wonderfully did he reveal himself to young Samuel who was devoted to him from his Infancy 1 Sam. 3. 1. with verse 19 21. What an eminent instrument of reformation did he make of Josiah who began young 2 Chron. 34. 3. And what a testimony did he give to a good Child of a wicked father when dying 1 King 14 12 13. 3. Young ones have not so resisted him as others have done Children have Original Sin in them as soon as they live and begin to discover it as soon as they are capable but God hath taken the Children of his Servants into Covenant with him and they have not so notoriously rejected his Covenant as those have done who withstoold him in youth and addicted themselves to follow folly and vanity 4. Their hearts are usually more tender and easy to be wrought upon Not but that natural hardness born with us requires Gods Almighty power to take it away in the tenderest Child that is But there is a contracted obstinacy which grows on persons by custom which Children do not presently arrive at but are more tractible readier to receive the impressions of Counsels given them And this is the reason why we are bidden to begin early with them in Prov. 22. 6. 5. They have many advantages now which they will not have afterwards With such arguments the Spirit of God
pleads with young ones to husband their youth well Eccl 12. begin There will be many encumbrances of life afterward which now burthen them not and when old age siezeth them it will greatly unfit them for it who did not engage in it before 2. Whiles the Gospel is dispensed to them powerfully and faithfully This is another special season Here observe 1. That the Gospel Ministry and Ordinances are the ordinary instruments by which God Converteth Sinners He hath seen meet to make this the appointed way of promoving the Salvation of men 1 Cor. 1. 21. Rom. 10. 17. Where he sendeth not these it is an awsul sign that he hath none of this work to do there 2. That they are the Gospel truths by the dispensation whereof he useth them as instruments They are moral instruments and therefore their business is to treat with men and the matter of the treaty is these great truths that declare the Counsel of God and the way wherein Sinners may come to enjoy him in and through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. 3. Hence the faithful dispensation of these truths is that which gives men all the advantage to seek and find God Their work is an Embassy 2 Cor. 5. 20. And the business is Reconciliation which is to be advanced by opening the terms and urging of them suitably If then they are faithful and do seriously and solemnly pursue this design there is all that can be expected of instruments by way of information and excitation Legal Preaching sufficeth not for this but Preaching Christ and the way of Peace by him and the more there is of this the more is the advantage of such a people 4. Hence when these fail this advantage is greatly impeded If then the Gospel is no longer Preached among a people it is a Judgment and a sign of his departure If instead of such dispensations there be such who Preach false Doctrines who blow up men with opinion of their own abilities who corrupt the pure stream of Gospel Truth or Proach unprofitable things needs must these impede this affair 3. Whiles the Spirit is pleased to accompany the means with his powerful influences This is a special finding time And here observe 1. That our sincere seeking of God depends on the Spirits operation He first seeks us if ever we seek him We must have a principle of Grace for it else we cannot do it and that must derive from him who is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. All our own moral powers can never exert this 2. There are times when he is more plenteously poured out upon men Not only is there a more powerful Ministry at one time than another but also more of the efficacy of Grace on the hearts of men when Sinners come flocking in apace at the call of the Gospel and the reason why it is so at any time is because the Spirit sets in powerfully with the means They may be the same and the labour in dispensing them as great Isa 33. 15. 3. There are times when he applieth himself to this and that person in particular as he did to Lydia Act 16. 14. And this is not always but at certain seaâ—sons which are arbitrary and he acts his liberty therein This he doth sometimes to one sometimes to another and when it is so it is an happy opportunity he is now very near and ready to be found when he stands at the door and knocks it is but opening to him 4. There are times of his withdrawing in both respects He sometimes lets a faithful Ministry be an unprofitable one to such as sit under it his Servants toil all night and catch nothing they complain as he Isa 49. 4. I have laboured in vain c. And then it becomes an hardning Ministry as Isa 6. 9 10. a savour of death 2 Cor. 2. 16. It will be hard finding of God at such a time as this 5. And there are times when after a great while he cometh again The Spirit withdraws and mens hearts grow hard but afterwards sometimes he comes again before he utterly giveth them up they have awakenings and remorces and now he is also near 4. When God brings his Judgments on a people And here 1. These Judgments whether publick or personal are Testimonies of Gods displeasure at men for neglecting to seek him He herein witnesseth his righteous anger at them and the reason is because they have not sought him but something else instead of him Jer. 2. 17. Isa 57. 17. If they had not forgotten him he had not fallen upon them 2. The proper design of these Judgments is to awaken them to seek him A professing people may so far provoke him as to fall upon them in his fury and make his Judgments a Sword to cut them off but it is not so at first they are part of his Discipline hence called his Corrections and God speaking after the manner of men tellâ— them what he expected Zeph. 3. 17. I said thouâ— wilt receive instruction c. 3. He is wont to stir up some at least of his Servanâ—â— to take this occasion to be earnest with men He affecteth them and makes them to cry aloud they see his anger and are afraid and upon it blow the Trumpet Thus in the times of the Apostasy of Israel and Judah God sent such Prophets to them who dealt faithfully with them 4. And he usually toucheth mens hearts at sucâ— times Indeed it is a natural operation of Judgments to put men upon thoughtfulness but thâ— Spirit is wont to set in and put such a people atâ—least many of them upon enquiring after hiâ— mind and to affect them with Convictions of sinâ— and fear of his Wrath. And this is a great advantage now to seek him 5. If all this be neglected he is hereby grievouslyâ— incensed It is an high provocation and he now thinks of withdrawing Hos 5. 15. Nay someâ— times it arrives at that that because all means aâ—ineffectual and they grow worse by them he deâ—clares resolutely to come at them in this way nâ— more but abandon them to destruction Ezek. 2â— 13. And then what a wo case are they in USE 1. For caution Let none from the prâ—mises conclude that his time is past I know somâ— troubled hearts are apt to be shaken by such awâ—ful truths and the adversary is ready to set iâ— and perswade them that their day is done anâ— so sink them into despondency To prevent this â—â— me offer these things 1. That none hath Scripture warrant so to conclude Gods purposes concerning individual persons on this account are reserved with himself nor hath he given us any Rules in Scripture to determine it concerning our selves or others there being but one Sin there branded for unpardonable all others may be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Now we are to â—â—tch our hope and regulate our selves in our duties by the revealed will of God 2. The arguments that such are wont to
likelihood he will use you in some eminent Service for him and put some special honour upon you here or at least will make you soon ripe and fit for glory and probably you shall have the most joyful communion with him in this world 5. You will thus prevent abundance of Repentance and Sorrow If now without delay you will forsake all vain things for Christ and seek him with your whole heart you shall never repent of it but rejoyce in it You never heard of a sincere convert that complained of making too much hast 〈◊〉 was sorry that he took not a little more liberty in his sinful ways but on the contrary if ever 〈◊〉 be truly converted who hath lost his youth in pâ—â—suit of sin he will bitterly bewail his former times together with celebrating the Grace which appeared in bringing him home to God at last How doth he cry our how much time have I lost what opportunities have I slipt how miserably have I consumed my days Besides there is abundance that old Sinners lay in for repentance which will make the pangs of the New birth very terrible which by this may be prevented Can you thinâ— to go on in sin and not smart for it and truly there is enough already to make the New birth sharp and severe be wise then and add not to 〈◊〉 by delays 6. If you will not be perswaded to seek God now 〈◊〉 may be you shall never find him When God begins early he often leaves off early if resisted How many that bad fair in youth have out grown all fallen into debauoheries vilest abominations been left to dy in their impenitency they would have their own courses in despite of calls and counsels and God hath cut them off in their sins and let them for examples and it is a righteous thing for him so to do See how God complains of such Jer. 2. 30. 5. 7. Ezek. 20. 21. And how fearfully he threatens them Jer. 6. 11. 9 21. 11. 22. 18. 21. And God hath been calling a loud to young men in his providence by many Judgments in which the flower of our youth have been immaturely taken away and what doth it speak to their survivours but that they take heed of putting off Repentance provoking a jealous God against them And if 〈◊〉 will not take warning by others how seen may you be made amazing warnings to others Accept then of the Exhortation and reject all the sollicitations of your cursed companions and make hast to seek God Let me address you in the words of the wise man Prov. 23. 15. My son if thine heart 〈◊〉 wise my heart shall rejoyce even mine But if you reject this counsel let me leave that memento with you Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth c. but know thou that for all these things God will 〈◊〉 thee into judgment 2. Let us all take hold of the opportunity wherein the Gospel is freely dispensed to us I believe the Gospel truths have been as fully and soundly Preached in this land as in any part of the Christian world and that God hath thrust forth such Laboureâ—â— into his Harvest as have made it their business to feed his people with knowledge and understanding and though he hath by manifold Judgments been pleading his Conâ—roversy with us yet he haâ—â— not brought a famine of hearing his Word but 〈◊〉 eyes see our Teachers and by this he testifyeth that although he is angry he yet waits to be gracious and it is still a finding time Let us then so improve it Consider therefore 1. How great a price there is in our hands 〈◊〉 shall we not improve it We shall shew our seâ—â—â—â— notorious fools if we do not Prov. 17. 16. Here by we have all directions encouragements quicknings to this duty by these God is calling and inviting us to seek after him shewing us the wâ—â— in which we may find him which the best improvement of the light of nature would not have discovered Herein he lets us know that he 〈◊〉 not departed from us thus heavens market 〈◊〉 kept open and everlasting mercies are waiting 〈◊〉 on us Why then do we sit still and not regard them Can we promise our selves ever to have 〈◊〉 fairer season This is certainly a day of grace why then should we sit idle all the day and 〈◊〉 nothing 2. How fearful a thing would it be if it should 〈◊〉 otherwise with us God can easily order it to 〈…〉 The Gospel means and Ministers are his gift he can put out the Lights in the Candlesticks when he will and nothing will more readily provoke him to it than not to walk in the light while wâ— enjoy it he can take away the Shepherds and suffer grievous Wolves to come in their stead who â—hall devour the Flock How many places are â—here in the world where the Truth once flourished gloriously are now turned aside to lies and though they bear the name of Christians yet are sed with husks instead of bread where ignorance error formality neglect of feeding the Flock and woful debaucheries prevail and the 〈◊〉 lead the blind this is a fore calamity and â—ould it be our lot it would make an amazing change among us and what would you give then for such an opportunity as you now despise 3. What grounds there are to fear lest corruption in Doctrine and Manners should come upon us a a flood 〈◊〉 avert the Omen but methinks there are sad symptoms of it They are the last and perillous times in which we are told that such things shall 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. begin The woful ignorance of fundamental Truths that many labour of and the â—oo general neglect of instructing Children in Gospel principles the giddy spirit that many are infected withal that love to run after novelties that awful contempt of the Gospel Ministry attended with the little regard in many whether they enjoy it or no looking upon it as a burden the little apparent success of the Gospel and how fearful a threatning is out against such 2 Thes 2. 9 10. Add to this the unsuccessfulness of Gods other Judgments which hath a moral tendency hereto for if God strives in Judgment and men will not be perswaded he is wont to give them up Hos 4. 17. All these things speak sadly to considerate Souls 4. What if God should take the Gospel away from you This also is a Judgment threatned Mat. 21. 43. Rev. 2. 5. And God is wont to execute it when other means fail and an Apostatizing people will not be reclaimed How many famoâ—â— Churches have there been in the world which are utterly ruined and ly in rubbish or swallowed up in Paganism or Mahomeâ—anism Nor are we mâ—â—â— secure How doleful a thing would it be to â—â— the whole face of a Church altered all the meâ—â— of grace lost and gone God forsaking his house and removing from us if ever it come to this
root of the matter in them through the prevalency of the 〈◊〉 Isaâ—â— in their members That then we may rightly take up this truth observe these Conclusions 1. That all disobedience to Gods Commands proceeds from the corruption in mans nature This is the proper fountain to which it is to be referred and this will be evident from the consideration of these things 2. That man was made at first for the Service of 〈◊〉 I do not say that it was the end of Gods intenâ—ion that all men should actually serve him for then they should certainly have so done for that end of his is never trustrated but it was mans end unto which he was appointed by the reyealed will of God God intended that it should be mans duty to serve him and that this should be his way to happiness and his coming short of it his misery and accordingly made him capable of this service gave him a Rule for his direction in it and â—aid him under the strongest obllgations of conformity to this Rule 2. That mans concreated Grace both enabled and enclined him to this Service God not only made all for his glory but he suited every thing to glorify him in the order wherein he placed it and according to the way wherein he would have glory from it It was an active free voluntary Service that he expected of man and it was an holy Service and so required a principle of holiness in him accordingly he made him a Reasonable Creature having an Understanding capable of discerning his Rule and judging of it and a Will fitted to make choice of it and Affections suited to prosecute it and manage his outward man therein but this is not all for he Imprinted his Image on him gave him Holiness and Righteousness Eccles 7. 29. And in Sanctifying he both impowred and disposed him to Serve him in a right manner 3. It was by sin that man revolted from that Service It was a transgression of the Law of God in which mans Apostasy did consist the very act of it was an act of Rebellion this is the very nature of sin 1 Joh. 3. 4. By that act of Disobediance that our First Parents committed sin was Introduced into the world Rom. 5. 12. If sin had not gotten into mans heart he had never violated the Command 4. The Grace that is renewed in the Children of God is a new Principle of Obedience in them Sanctifying Grace is put into us by the renewing of the Spirit Eph. 4. 23. Which supposeth that man once had it and lost it it is therefore the same Grace for kind that man had at first it must then have the same influence upon him and be given him for the same use which is to enable and dispose him to Serve God It is therefore called life because by it we are are enabled to live to God and being a principle of Holiness it can have no other tendency than to put us upon living holily 5. Hence all disobedience must needs flow from that eâ—mity that is in us which is not nor can be subâ—ect to the law of God It is the very disposition of the flesh or corrupt nature in us Rom. 8 7. From it then must proceed all that Opposition that is made by us to the revealed will of God If man had not sin in him he would not disobey if then he do so at any time it is Sin that leads him to it All sins are charged to be the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5 19. c. Hence every act of obstinacy is a manifest dâ—scovery of Original Sin in men 2. Hence all the disobedience that the Children of God at any time are guilty of proceeds from and discovers the corruption in their nature That they have perpetrated such acts yea and continued in them there are divers instances of it in the Word of God and there must be some principle in them from which it derives it cannot be their grace and so it must flow from their sinful nature for 1. The grace in them prompts them to the Service of God A Child of God so far as he is gracious is cordially bound for God and his glory and engaged in universal Obedience the new nature puts into him a respect to all Gods Commands Psal 119. 6. It fills him with a love to God and delight in his Precepts Rom. 7. 22. 1 delight in the law of God according to the inward man i. e The new nature which is born from above Grace in the Child of God is the Image of God on him and it puts him upon imitating of God in all his imitable perfections so that if he had nothiâ—â— but grace in him he would never do any thinâ— but what is pleasing to God 2. But they have in them another party which Flesh The Scripture frequently useth this woâ— to express the sinfulness of mans nature by reason of carnal lusts dwelling in it in opposition to which it calls Grace Spirit Gal. 5. 17. Now Gods Children have of this Flesh in them they were once all flesh but in Conversion when Christ sat up his Kingdom in their Souls he put his Spirit upon them but he doth not at once take away all the corruption of their natures but there are the relicks of it abiding in them Paul complains of it Rom. 7. 23 24. And there is none that can pretend to be free from it 1 Joh. 1. 8. 3. This Flesh in them is ever drawing them from their Obedience Though the Dominion of it be broken the remains of it are strong active and politick and it always resists the motions of grace Gal. 5. 17. And is many times too hard for it in us and so Captivates us sorcibly Rom. 7. 2â— We shall never be rid of it so long as we live and as long as that lives it will give us trouble it will have its cravings arguings forcible motions its importunities are urgent and it hath a thousand cheats to put upon us we are therefore warned to beware of being deceived by it 4. Hence when they are-at any time drawn aside it is by this Satan indeed waits for opportunity and instigates the corruption in us and so far he may be charged with it but not so as to excuse our Concupiscence from the â—lame and guilt See Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan impted thee If a Believer is precipitated into any sin and breakes his bones his lust must be charged with it Jam. 1. 14. If there be any grace stirring that will resist it therefore had no hand in it Rom. 7. 20. It is no more I. 3. Hence when a Child of God resists the means used with him he wofully resembleth the Wicked He is not indeed a wicked person because God looks upon men and denominates them according to the reigning principle in them now Sin hath not the Dominion in a Child of God but Grace how sar soever corruption may prevail at some times
Ezek. 18. 4. And whether for the present he suffers them or no yet they belong to him as the person condemned is said to be a man of Death or a Dead man because he is so in Law 5. That all wicked men till they are Converted abide under the Curse That all men fell under it we observed now it must needs remain on them till they are some way delivered if there be no way of deliverance there is no escape to be hoped for but if there be he must be brought into the way and therefore till men are so they remain where they were There is but one way revealed and that is by Jesus Christ thro' whom â—e are rescued from the Curse Gal. 3. 12. And those that obtain it by him do so in the way of the Gospel and as the terms of the New-Covenant declare and there is a double deliverance viz. from the Guilt in which the Curse lieth and from the Dominion of Sin which ever attends the former and doth of these are applied in Conversion till which men are under the First Covenant and so under the Curse Gal. 3. 10 And Gods wrath abides on them Joh. 3. 36. So that a man must cease to be a wicked man before he is freed from this Sentence 6. That though Godly men do suffer some of these sorrows yet they are not their portion It cannot be denied but that Gods choicest Servants do meet with the same afflictions that are put into the Curse and may as to what is visible undergo them in as hard or harder measures than many ungodly do yet it is certain that they do not receive them as any part of their portion by the threatning of the Law for 1. They are but some of these sorrows that they mut withal and indeed the least of them too These sorrows are some of them suffered in this life others are reserved for hereafter which are the consummation and top of all but Gods Children are put out of danger of them and it is only iâ— this life a little while that they meet with troubles and though they may be troubled both iâ— body and mind yet it is but foâ— a season 1 Pet. 6. And these under such moderations as infinâ— wisdom pleaseth and let them be what they wâ— their latter end is peace Psal 37. 37. Whereas â—â— belong to ungodly men positively 2. And the Curse is wholly taken out of those Sorrows which they do undergo They are indeed Crosses to them but not Curses God hath removed that An affliction is a Curse when it is a fruit of Gods meer Wrath and derives through the threatning of the Old Covenant but the believer is no longer under that Covenant Rom. 6. 14. Christ hath born the Curse though he is pleased that his Redeemed shall bear the Cross God hath taken satisfaction for the sins of all his people of Christ their Surety and so Revenging Justice is not at all concerned in the afflictions that Gods Children meet with in this world 3. Hence all these Sorrows of theirs are sanctified to them into benefits Though they have the nature of evils still in them as they are grievous to us yet as they are made profitable so they have a goodness in them for us Heb. 12. 11. They belong to another Covenant in which God hath undertaken the disciplining of his Children in order to their being made meet for the glory to be revealed in them 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. And they are under the influence of his Spirit made beneficial to them Rom. 8. 28. We are therefore told what they are for and what they shall bâ— to them in the event Isa 27. 9. And so their present sorrows are used as means to prevent their suffering those hereafter 1 Cor. 11. 32. Whereas what Wicked men suffer here are but the beginning of â—â—rrows and in this respect these belong to the â—â—ints inventory 1 Cor. 3. 22. 7. Though wicked men are sometimes reprieved for the present and enjoy much ease and outward prosperity yet these sorrows are their portion and properly belong to their birthright for 1. As long as they remain wicked the Curse lieth upon them They were born under it by vertue of their being of the progeny of fallen Adam Eph. 2. 3. And no wicked man while so is discharged from it If ever God pardon a Sinner he Sanctifies him too and then he ceaseth to be wicked but till then he abides in the state into which the Apostasy had dejected him 2. Hence all the miseries contained in the Curse must needs belong to them A man may be an heir who is not in full possession and though Sinners do not for the present feel those miseries they are nevertheless theirs because they are adjudged to them and the Psalmist gives a summary of their inventory Psal 11. 6. 3. They are therefore reserved for these sorrows and they for them God hath laid them up in his treasures to be kept till their time comes they are ripe for them and they are mean while treasuring up wrath Rom. 2. 4. and are reserved for it Job 21. 30. And that for them 2 Pet. 2. 17. Jude 13. And they are so kept as neither by power not policy can they escape the Curse holds them â—ast as a prison and fetters and they cannot get themselves loose 4. And therefore in due time they shall receive them Delays are not discharges they may escape for a while but the Curse will work it selâ— out God is not forgetful of them nor reconciled to them and though patient at present they shall have all at the last in full weight Deut. 32. 34 35. God is not slack though he be long suffering 2 Pet. 3. 9. They are now prisoners of Justice and the Assizes will sit on them ere long 5. And mean while these two things are certain 1. That they have no safety or security for one hour The Law hath already past the Sentence upon them they stand condemned and it is in the Judges breast when he will give out the Warrant for Execution all their outward peace and inward confidence is no sign that they are not upon the brink of that ruine which they are obnoxious to and how often doth God come upon them when they least dream of or dread it and are singing a requiâ—m to their own Souls 1 Thes 5. 2 3. So it was with him Luk. 12. 19 20. It is meer patience they live upon and are every hour provoking to fury 2. And whiles they are reprieved they are but fitting for the more fearful sorrows to overtake them Whiles Patience waits and defers Justice is fetching the greater blow at them to make their ruine the more amazing they are but filling up their measure crouding their Ephah we have therefore that remark Psal 92 7. When the wicked spring as grass c. it is that they shall be destroyed for ever God will sometimes let Sinners ripen and
the New Covenant and entituled to Salvation These are the first special fruits of Election breaking 〈◊〉 in Effectual Vocation Rom. 8. 29. And hitherto â—ong those great works of Faith and Repentance which are wrought in them by the Spirit of God by which they are made to turn from sin to God â—nd from all other trust to rely upon Christ alone according to the terms of the Gospel and these are accompanied with Justification and Adoption by which they are discharged from Condemnation and entituled to life and made heirs of God and coâ—rs with Christ and so have a right to all the good â—id up in the promise and these are not not common favours 2 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise c. 2. There are also those benefits which are bestowed on them after they are brought home to Christ and engaged â—he new Covenant which contain all the good that is 〈◊〉 up in the promise made to them that love God and 〈◊〉 in his Son Jesus Christ and those are specially the Sanctification of the Spirit enabling them to serve and glorify God in their generation the preserving them in a state of grace to perseverance the perfecting of all their graces in them and the â—inging them at length into and possessing them for ever of the Kingdom of Glory comprehended summarily in Psal 84. 11. 3. And there are also the saving operations of common providence by which they are made special mercies to them Those things which they have in the ordinary course of providence and are to wicked men but common mercies and do in their operation tend to their hurt are sanctified to the Children of God so as to be servicable to farther their Salvation Those things that are a Snare to ungodly men and abused by them to dishonour God are helps to their Obedience and they glorify God with them 1 Cor 10. 31. They make them to study gratitude Psal 116. 12. Yea and Afflictions too which are to the wicked the beginnings of sorrows are the happy means to do these great good Psal 119. 71. Isa 27. 9. The means of Grace which are to others a Savour of Death are to them a Savour of Life c. 2. As to the mercy that is discovered in these benefits we may observe it in these things 1. The Creature which is the subject of them is in it self miserable for so had the fall of man made the whole race to be in as much as they were involved in Guilt and a Curse which contained all miseries in it Read the description given of a natural man Rom. 3 10 c. and the doom that is fallen upon him Chap. 5 12. And what a forlorn wretched Creature must we conclude him to be and by this he is a subject capable of mercy 2. The miserable Creature receives inexpressible kindness by these benefits His misery is relieved in it yea and remedied and finally removed by it Common favours give a present relief but these make him of miserable to become happy they take of the guilt and so remove the Curse that was lying upon him and confer on him that which fills him with satisfaction and crowns him with endless felicity hence blessedness is pronounced on all believers Psal 2. 12. 3. And all these flow from the fountain of his freâ— benignity There is no merit of the Creature in it the best of men is less than the least of all mercies Ge◠〈◊〉 They deserve the quite contrary Dan. 9. 8 9. They do nothing for them have nothing to proâ—re them withal are no better than those that go without them God bestows them on them for his 〈◊〉 name sake And when these things meet together what is done for them must needs be called mercy 2. Wherein it appears that all the rewards of Obedience are fruits of this mercy A. We may come at it in the following considerations 1. There is a reward promised to the Obedience of 〈◊〉 Children There are not only great and preâ—ous promises made in the Gospel to the people of God but there are the things mentioned to which they are connected and these are proposed 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God for their encouragment in â—ing him God would have them to know that they serve a good Master and would have them to animate themselves by the contemplation and faith thereof Thus did Moses by respecting the recompensa of reward Heb 11. 26. Hence such encouragements Gal. 6. 9. Isa 3 19. Rom. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. ult 2 Hence their faithful Obedience is the way to receive â—he reward God hath not only told his people what he will do for them but how they are to expect to come by it for the Gospel promises are Covenant promises nay we shall find the connexion so strong that there are awful threatnings against such as neglect to seek to enjoy these benefits in the way prescribed we read Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after he flesh ye shall dy This is not to be understood as 〈◊〉 the Children of God should be left to fall from the promise but to let them know that God hath appointed the means in order to the end and thereby to nourish in them awful fear and quicken them to duty 3. This notwithstanding the reward is every way of mercy It is a great error from the notion of a reward to infer a merit in the person that receives it There is a reward of Grace as well as of Debt and is dayly exemplified among men A father bestows a favour on his Child in testimony of his accepting his fidelity in chearfully doing that which was his duty now that all the rewards which God bestows on his faithful people are fruits of meer mercy is evident for 1. The subjects of them are such as were miserable in their natural state and so stood in need of mercy to relieve them They were every whit as miserable in themselves as those that goe without them and this God would have his people to bear in mind and often reflect on to put the greater value upon his kindness Paul would have them to reflect hither Eph. 2. 2 3. ver 12. And he puts himself together with others in declaring how it was with them before Tit. 3 3 4. 2. It is by these rewards that they are made actually to partake in freedom from that misery and enjoy true felicity This is the very nature of them for all the good that is laid up in the promises is herein contained and that consists in a freeing them from those evils which the Curse of God laid upon them and an enjoyment of that peace grace and happiness which is purchased by Christ the whole of it is summed up in Salvation in which there is something that we are saved from and something that we are made to possess hence Salvation is so often mentioned in the Gospel as the portion of the faithful is the greatest mercy the undone creatures can
often doth David in the Psalms and Paul in his Epistles inculcate this but besides let it be considered 1. That joy is put into the Creature for use God who is the author of Nature did nothing in vain Affections are natural to men and are therefore deputed for Service among these Joy is one if then it loseth its use or be not improved it fails of its end and this is properly the Creatures delight in the enjoyment of that which is good for it 2. Hence the Creature is naturally carried out after it Joy is an Affection to which all the other do pay a subserviency they are all at work in their place to make way for that to exert it self the other are working Affections but this is that in which they center and take their rest when they have done their business thus sits down and reaps the comfort of all So that the Creature is restless till it comes to this every thing would rejoyce and is not satisfied till it hath some thing to rejoyce in 3 If any in the world have cause to rejoyce the Children of God have so Worldly men think they have good reason for it but it is certain that the Children of God have infinitely more Look over the worlds inventory and then the Saints and you must needs confess this to be a great truth Need then must it be a preposterous thing for a carnal worldling to be merry and jocund and a Saint sinking in spirit and overwhelmed with grief they indeed have their weeping time whiles the other laugh Luk. 6 21 25. But they have more to joy in in their weeping time than the other in their laughing time 4. There is nothing they meet with in this world sufficient to obstruct their joy There are Changes of Providence which they pass under and they are sometimes called to heaviness and mourning but none of all this can take from them their causes of rejoycing or be sufficient to excuse them from exercising it Jam. 1. 2. But of this afterwards 5. The honour of God is concerned in their rejoycing A Godly man cannot honour God aright unless he rejoyce in the Lord. For a Christian to go always sorrowful and heavy hearted doth not only shew unthankfulness to God for his undeserved mercy but it prejudiceth others and brings the profession they make into discredit among men and maketh them to think that such serve an hard Master whenas a Christian who is holily chearful gains credit to the ways of God Hence the Psalmists care Psal 73 15. 6. And their own comfort in this life depends upon it A man no farther enjoys himself than as he rejoyceth either in hope or fruition â—f his joy be false his life is a dream but if that be true his life is life indeed The Philosopher defines life an act with delight intimating that so much as this is wanting there is so much of death in life And as our spiritual life consists in serving God so we do nothing well for God but what we do chearfully None but the Righteous can claim this priviledge Conclu 4. THat this priviledge and duty belongs to none but these righteous and upright ones As it is common to all of them so it is proper to them There are no other in the world but the righteous and the wicked and certainly wicked men are here exempted if not altogether from the duty yet from the priviledges though in a sense from the duty too Only that we may cautiously take this up let a few things be observed 1. There is a threefold joy which may be considered viz. sinful natural and spiritual These are all mentioned in the Word of God and exemplified in men and we may take a brief account of each of them so far as is for our purpose 2. Sinful joy to begin with that may be so accounted either with respect to the matter or manner of it 1. Sinful joy may be so with regard to the matter of it when the thing it self in which we rejoyce is sinful And there can neither priviledge nor duty belong to this for we ought not to rejoyce in sin â—here are that rejoyce to do evil Prov. 2. 14. But it â—s a sinful joy For Sinners to make themselves merry in their Cups and with their harlots in gaming c. highly provokes God and we read of those that rejoyce in the troubles that befal the Children of God Psal 35. 26. But confusion belong to them 2. It may be so for the manner of it The things themselves may be good in their kind and afford occasion for delight but when men do sinfully rejoyce in them they therein transgress and greatly provoke God thereby There is a mad mirth which men take in the good things of God of which the Wise man tells us Eccles 2. 1. I said of laughter it is mad and hath that Sacrasmons concession Chap. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man c. When men take delight in abusing the goodness of God this is sinful 3. Natural joy is that which the instinct of nature teacheth It is natural for the Creature whether sensitive by meer instinct or rational by the use of the understanding to delight it self in that which it finds to do it good and this answers the inclination of the Affection and the Creature will of its own accord fall into it and there must be force put upon nature if it be suppressed this is accommodated by the common goodness of God in which he makes both good and bad to partake Mat 5. 45. Acts 14. 17. It is certainly a benefit to the outward man to have health and peace and plenty by which it is supported and refreshed and this gives the affection of joy a motive by which it is excited Psal 4. 7. And here let us observe 1. That this natural joy is in it self a duty Consider it abstractly and surely ungodly men owe to God thankfulness for every mercy they partake in and the good they taste in it should excite them to thankfulness Ingratitude is condemned in the Heathen Rom. 1. 21. And that which we are thankful for supposeth that we rejoyce in it else we cannot aright express our thankfulness 2. But a wicked man cannot thus rejoyce lawfully He must cease to be wicked and become upright before he is capable of thus rejoycing Every Ungodly man sins in every thing he doth and though the matter be lawful and a duty yet there is an evil root of bitterness in him that spoils all he doth it can at best be but a carnal joy which can be neither acceptable to God nor profitable for him 4. Spiritual joy may also be considered as to matter or manner 1. It may be called spiritual as to the matter when employed about spiritual things The love of God the Redemption of Christ the Graces of the Spirit and the like and such was Pauls rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. And that which Christ
adviseth to Luk. 10. 20. 2. It may also be called so in regard to the manner of it and it will comprehend not only spiritual but outward mercies And that is when all help us to rejoyce in God take our whole delight in him when not only the affection of joy is exercised but the grace by which the affection is sanctified and this is an holy mirth and altogether of another nature from that which is meerly natural much more the carnal for the former may be subordinated to it but the latter in no wise and here observe 1. That none but the upright have any title to spiritual things They are offered to others but they have preferred lying vanities and so cannot claim them how then should they rejoyce in them they have common favours but these spiritual ones belong to none but the Children of God 2. That none but these can spiritually rejoyce Tho' joy be natural to all yet spiritual joy supposeth the sanctification of the Affection which is wrought by the Spirit in the work of Conversion till therefore this be produced in the man he is utterly uncapable of doing any thing graciously 5. All ungodly men are the very heirs of Sorrow Man in his fallen state is born to it Job 5. 7. 14. 1. Sin hath put him under a curse of death every enjoyment of his is full of it none but the upright are delivered from it There is no peace to the wicked Isa 57. ult And if no peace no true comfort can belong to them certainly then their present business is not to rejoyce but mourn and that bitterly and it is rich mercy that God hath discovered a way how by Godly Sorrow they may come to true joy Psal 126. 5 6. The Righteous should alwayes Rejoyce Conclu 5. THese should rejoyce always The duty is urged again and again noting constancy in it and see 1 Thes 5. 16. Rejoyce evermore Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce and again I say Rejoyce This is an hard lesson to flesh and blood and Gods Children are sometimes stumbled at it how often doth God call them to mourning and how shall they then rejoyce I shall endeavour to make this plain in the following Conclusions 1. Gods Children have their mourning times here Not only have they abundant occasion for it in the Providence of God but it is their duty to mourn when God calls them to it As long as they carry a body of death about with them and are let captive by it they may well groan cry out as he Rom. 7. 24. There is a Godly sorrow belongs to them 2 Cor. 7. 10. And such occasions will never be wanting till they come to just men made perfect 2. They may also be often impeded in their work of rejoycing This grace is often obstructed in its actings and they hang up their harps in the willows and more especially 1. Through excessive sorrow under some afflictive Providences They meet with trials that are too hard for them at present which drink up their spirits and are ready to overwhelm them Psal 142. 3. they are broke in the place of dragons they faint in the day of adversity and now it is hard to sing a Zions song or tune their voice to a chearful celebration of Gods kindness to them Psal 137. begin 2. Through Divine Desertions There are occasions of Christ's withdrawing from his Spouse and then she is sick of love and ready to faint and dy away he hides from them and the thoughts of him were a perplexity to them Psal 77. begin The grounds of their joy are now hidden they cannot discern them and this makes them sad how should it be otherwise 3. Through Unbelief whereupon they put a wrong interpretation upon Gods dealing with them When he comes to correct them as a father they conclude that he sets himself for their enemy when he is about to heal them they think he intends to kill them he is at work for them and they say all is against them Now we live by faith and all our comforts are received and improved by the exercise of it so that when that is obstructed and unbelief prevails this turns all into sorrow 3. There are also special seasons wherein the joy of Gods people abounds in them As they have their sinking so their raising times God comes gives them more than ordinary advantage to exercise their joy and no wonder if then they are enlarged in it and here observe three more especial seasons 1. Upon their espousal to the Lord Jesus Christ The time of his wooing them in order to this is a sorrowful time for in breaking them from their other lovers and making them willing to accept of him he shews them their miserable state by nature the misery and destruction they are going to there is conviction compunction contrition apprehension of the wrath of God sense of Sin and Judgment which make them afraid noâ— Christ is wont after this when he hath gained their consent and plighted the Everlasting Covenant to make it a joyful day and the beams of his love irradiate the Soul that was but now in its own sense perishing and this is unconceivably refreshing We read of the joy of Marriage 2. Upon some special returns of Prayer When a Child of God hath in sore straits gone in bitterness of soul to him and poured out importunate requests and groans unutterable God after waiting comes in wonderfully by his Spirit and gives a manifest and experimental answer he comes away with his sheaves which he had sought with tears and what joy must he now have Psal 126. 6 Thus we read of the joy of harvest 3 Upon some new sealing of a pardon after Gods â—nger hath been felt He had by some sin incensed his Fathers displeasure and wounded his Conscience which filled him with amazing terrours God had withdrawn and left him in a lamentable condition but he hath câ—me and humbled himself confessed his sin cordially sought mercy God in pity to him hath not only forgiven him but given him a clear testimony of being reconciled and confirmed him in his love and what a joy is this This was the case in our Context and theirs Isa 12. 4. There is no season wherein a Child of God hath not the ground of rejoycing in him Possibly it is not always clear before him but it is always there his state is good his Justification is secured he can no more come into Condemnation he is a Son of God and an heir of the Kingdom and here is the foundation of all joy and these things once enjoyed can never be lost however the sight of them may be beclouded 5 The Graces of the Spirit may be joyntly exercised by the believer Tho' the manner of expressing them be various yet there is no contradiction between them nor will one hinder the other Irregular Sorrow indeed will hinder spiritual joy but that which is gracious
and lives the whole man is made for God all in us is in its place to serve to his glory 1 Cor. 6. 20. David call upon all that is in him to this Psal 102. 1 2 57 7 8 9. 3 Herein we make it to appear what esteem we have of the object and of our interest in it If we rejoyce not in the enjoyment of it we practically say that we do not apprehend or esteem it to be good and so far as we suppress this joy we withold our Testimony and so rob God of his due honour we do as good as say we have nothing to be glad of and how injurious is this 4. We are hereby to seek to win others to the love of God and his ways All that love God should endeavour to draw others to do so but if they do not rejoyce but lead a sad and dejected life or carry it disconsolately they offer discouragement to others will not lookers on say these serve an hard master whereas the more they shew forth their joy others will be the more likely to be won to think well of their Religion and enquire after those ways of God which afford such delights Psal 34. begin 66. 16 c. 2. How this Rejoycing is to be expressed A. 1. Negatively It is no foolish and frothy mirth that is here called for we are to leave that to a vain world whose mad frolicks are unbecoming the gravity of a Child of God and carry in them the discovery of a crazed mind We do not find the Spirit of God directing to any such thing but something else to shew our mirth in Jam. 5. 13. 2. Positively there are these things principally in it 1. We should always so carry it as to make it appear that we are satisfied in our portion The true nature of joy is a contentment or satisfaction in the Object that then whereby we give a practical avidence of this is a right Testimony of our joy Psal 36 8. 63. 5. Joy is the rest of the soul in the thing enjoyed David therefore expresseth it by returning to its rest Psal 116. 7. A Child of God should always carry contentedly as one whose cravings are replenished in the Object of them and hence to shew no other cravings but such as are after the more compleat fruition of it and in that also to be satisfied in the expectation thereof 2. We should be always as there is occasion testifying to it by duly commending of it Herein joy regularly breaks out when men applaud the thing they delight in and this is called for of all Gods people thus did David Psal 16. 5 6. We should talk of our portion and prefer it to every thing else and give it the greatest encomiums Psal 145. 7. to 11. 3. It should make us bear up chearfully under all Changes of Providence This joy should make a Child of God to carry it with a chearful countenance and a lively trust in God in the darkest hours not only when things go well but when they go never so cross Not that we are to be insensible of these Changes or not alter our deportment Eccles 7. 14. But we must resolve not to lose our joy by any thing Hab. 3 17 18. 4 And we should comfort our selves with this under all our sorrows If we are at any time put into mourning and Gods Children ought to expect such times this joy is to moderate and regulate our sorrows We should let it be seen that we have enough in it to make us resolved in our way of Serving God and enable us to pursue the work of our Generation as those that have learned to practice as he 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. 6. 9 10. Our Rejoycing should be in the Lord. Conclu 8. THE Righteous mans Rejoycing should be in the Lord. This is the Object presenteâ— Text and here let us consider 1. What is meant by rejoycing in the Lord A. The word Jehovah used in our Text points to the Divine Essence considered in all the Subsistences Father Son and Holy Ghost and it is through Christ that God comes to be the Object of fallen mans rejoycing out of whom he is most terrible there are these three things comprehended in it 1 That God in Christ is the ultimate Object of the Godly mans rejoycing In which the joy of the Righteous is opposed to that of the wicked There are many things here which Godly men do and may rejoyce in as well as others but here is the main difference the one rejoyceth in the things themselves and his joy terminates there and looks no higher because his happiness is placed in these things but the other though he finds benefit by the things yet be sees them all coming from God and therefore he rejoyceth in him and hither he brings his gladness his triumph is in him Psal 62. 5 6. 2. That his joy in other things should result from his enjoyment of God in them The wicked man is content if he may have the things themselves and he can make his boast of them and whether they come with a Blessing or a Curse he enquires not if his Cup overflows he hath his hearts desire but the Righteious man cannot thus be satisfied his great enquiry is whether God loves him whether he be a Son and all his blessings come through Christ as fruits of his Redemption Psal 46. And hence unless he have some distinguishing favours and such as accompany salvation all his common benefits do not content him and so he rejoyceth most in spiritual blessings and is temporal ones so far as he can see the love of a reconciled God and Father in them 3. That this interest in God is to him a sufficienâ— ground of rejoycing in the want of outward blâ—ssings May he but know that God is his God the God of his Salvation he can rejoyce in the absence of every creature comfort Hbb. 3. 17 18. One God is to him instead of and more than all so that in the lowest condition he can say The Lord is my portion I will hope in him Lam. 3. 24. God is hiâ— joy Psal 43. 4. And let other things change he changeth not and so his joy still abideth 2. What cause the Righteous have of abundant joy in him A. This will appear in the following things 1. That God is the chief good It is goodness that commends the object to the Affections in the fruition whereof joy finds room to exert it self so the greater the good is there is more matter for it to work upon but there is none good as God is Yea God is the fountain of goodness the goodness of creatures is derivative and they have no more in them than he imparts to them which is little compared with what is in him they are good but he is goodness it self they are Cisterns and sin hath crackt them too but he is the fountain of living waters Jer. 2. 13. All
the seas of increated inexhaustible goodness are met in him 2. Hence to enjoy him is perfect happiness He that hath God for his portion can want for nothing Psal 23. 1. There can be no perfect felicity in the fruition of other things for they have neither fulness nor sutableness in them to answer all the cravings of the soul but goodness it self cannot be defective in any point he that hath God hath all for God is all in all Psal 84. 11. He that can say God is mine can say all that is to be said to declare him happy 3 He is the Upright mans God He hath made himself over to every one that is Godly Psal 4. 3. He hath given to the believer a property in himself Isa 41 10. I am thy God and he is theirs for ever Psal 48 ult And they may say as Psal 67. 6. God even our own God shall bless us How full then must their joy be and there are these things in particular that they may glad themselves in 1. He hath loved them from eternity Jer 31. 3. For Effectual Calling is a certain fruit of that love God thought of and sat his heart upon them before the world was and what joy is there in this his love is better than life Psal 63. 3. If we are sure of this we are certain to share in all the happy fruits of it which are beyond computation if he loved us before time his love to us will outlast time And shall we not triumph in Everlasting Love 2. He hath converted them This is the first breaking forth of his love to them and if there be joy in heaven at the conversion of a Sinner Luk 15. 7 10. Shall not he himself rejoyce This is a joyful change indeed then was a Child born to God then was a Sinner made a Sainâ— a dead soul raised to life c. And can such an one but be glad 3. He hath pardoned them This accompanies Effectual Calling Rom. 8. 30. And this hath made them of miserable happy Context vers 1 2. The condemned Caitiff was going to Execution and had a pardon sent him the Sinner who was under the weight of all the Curses is delivered from them the prisoners of death is set at liberty the Sentence that was past upon him is revoked his peace is made he shall not dy but live and shall he not triumph 4. He hath taken him into the number of his Children There is a wonderful Adoption past upon him 1 Job 3. 1. 2. He that was a Child of Satan is now a Child of the Great God he hath put his own name upon him he that was one of Gods enemies may now call him father Jer. 3. 19. And this is an honour and happiness that cannot be expressed 5. He hath given them his Spirit He is theirs to dwell in them to undertake for them to conduct and counsel and comfort them Rom. 8. 9. They are called the Temples of the Holy Ghost in which he resides he is in them a Spirit of Adoption to help their faith in God as their father or of Sanctification to lead them into all truth of Consolation to comfort them in every condition and how great is their happiness 6. He hath taken them under his conduct to carry them safe through an evil world There are many troubles and temptations that they must expect in their passage but they are under the eye and care and in the hand of God and have his promise past for it that he will guide them by counsel and bring them to glory Psal 73. 24. And let things be what they will to appearance yet underneath are everlasting arms Deut. 33. 27. And here is joy indeed 7. He hath secured for them the glories of the Everlasting Kingdom They are not yet arrived at it and so cannot rejoyce as they do who are there swimming in the pleasures of it but they have this in hand and his Word and Oath for it that they shall without fail be brought thither and setled there in due time Luk. 12. 32. And he reserves it for them while he is conducting them to it 1 Pet. 14. And mean time gives them the seals and earnests of it Eph. 4. 30. 8. He both can and will accomplish all this for them He can do it in despite of all that withstand it Ro. 8 35 c. He is the Lord God Almighty And he will do it for his faithfulness is as large as his power and both are infinite if he hath said it it is as good as done and can those that are owners of such priviledges rejoyce too much The Application USE I. FOR Reprehension and it may be applied to two sorts 1. This serves to reprove the mad mirth of Unregenerate men It is an amazing thing to see Ungodly men living in all jollity and delight as if they only were owners of true happiness Job 21. 12. And there are several respects in which they are to be rebuked in regard oâ— this mirth 1. Those that rejoyce in iniquity So is the merry young man represented Eccl. 11. 9. And how many jocund persons are there whose very delight is in sin their stollen waters Prov. 9. 17. Lascivious and obscene talk drunken bouts carousing of healths making a mock of sin and a scoff and scorn of the Godly for their Godliness and are never merry but when engaged in heaven daring abominations doing things that it is a shame to speak thereby provoking the holy God to vengeance 2. Those that terminate all their joy on the Creature They seem more sober than the former and to have a better pretence the Creature is good in its place and we tast comfort in it but this is the blame they rest here God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. They dwell in a fat pasture their Cup â—verslows c. Psal 73. 7. And here is their hearts â—â—light Psal 62. 10. And so they pay all their acknowledgments hither Hab. 2. 16. 3. That rest content in a natural joy We observed that this hath a sort of medium between the spiritual and sinful being in its own nature lawful and may be used in subserviency to the spiritual and influenced by it but Unregenerate men please themselves with this and the lawfulness of it but forget that corrupt nature in fallen man turns all his natural actions into sinful ones T it 1. 15. 4. That do all they can to put mourning away from them And hence lest they should be sorrowful they are afraid to be serious they think men born to sport themselves in the world as the fishes in the Sea hence they abandon every thing that offers to trouble them and count them their enemies that invite them thereto and if the Spirit of God set any word home which disturbs them they are displeased and instead of retiring and entertaining their thoughts with it they fly from home from all business and
this is enough to discourage and amuse beginners 6. And you grieve the Children of God As the Spirit is grieved by it so are his people it gâ—ieves them for the sake of Religion it self which is reflected on by your means and it grieves them on your account to see how you stand in your own light and hinder your selves of the comfort which God hath made your portion they mourn for you and be you ashamed and humbled But possibly you think you have something to say for your selves in excuse as if it were not to be rebuked give me leave then to obviate three comprehensive cavils 1. How can I rejoyce who am so burdened with sinâ— I would be glad if I could but my sins are so many so great my corruption so strong and active I have so many vain and blasphemouâ— thoughts so much deadness in duty am so unprofitable in every thing that I can take comforâ— in nothing and if any in the world are called to spend their time in mourning then am I. A. 1. Godly sorrow is not forbidden but enjoyneâ— you Gods Children ought to mourn for sin a long as they dwell with a body of death Paul him self doth so Rom. 7. And all the sense we have oâ— the burden of sin may well make us to groaâ— and cry out doubtless he that doth not mourn foâ— sin borders upon one that makes a mock of it 2. But Godly sorrow for sin is no enemy to this joâ— â—â—t an help The sorrow that obstructs this joy is a worldly sorrow and that is to be avoided as sucâ—ful to the Children of God The end of Godly sorrow is to embitter sin to us and mortiâ—â—e our aâ—â—ections in regard of it to make us hate it forsake it and fly to Christ for deliverence all of which helps forward spritual joy 2 Cor. 7 9 10. 3. It affords matter of joy that you are so burdened To sink under our burden is sinful but to be weary and heavy laden under the evil and bitterness of sin is a foundation of comfort Godly sorrow is Grace of the Spirit and so a fruit of his everlasting love and an evidence of our good estate Christ himself declareth such mourners blessed men Mat. 5. 4. This very sorrow is a ground of â—ejoyting and blessing God for bestowing it on us 4. Hence the more you see of your own vileness the more occasion to admire at Gods wonderful love and rejoyce in it The true sight of sin sets off the Grace of God with the more radiant colours â— when you see how unworthy you are of such a mercy it will enhance the kindness did Paul rejoyce less or not more because he had been a chief sinner 1 Tim. 1. 13. c 5. This sorrow is a witness that you do not allow the sinfulness that is in you and so that is none of yours and so must needs result in the triumph of joy Tho' it be so with you as to give you trouble yet you may disown it so did Paul Rom. 7. 16 17. And what greater evidence that you allow it not than that you carry it as a burden that you would fain be rid of 2. But God bears witness in his Providence against me How then shall I rejoyce I could bear the affliction well enough did not God testifie against me by it but I read his wrath in it and that overwhelms me A. 1. All adverse Providences are not in anger There are some that are meer trials and Godly men may be mistaken in this Job was so when he thought God set him for his enemy and David Psa 102. 9 10. God oftentimes visits his choice Servants with great trials of affliction not in anger but in wisdom so trying their grace and proving their sincerity and this obstructs not but supplies matter for rejoycing 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. Jam. 1. 2. 2. There is an anger of God which is a proper fruit of his love A fathers anger that puts him on correcting his Child that offends and he may do it with a show of severity and yet with tenderness and evermore with an aim at his benefit Heb. 12. 6. And although it should grieve and humble us when it is so yet there is matter of comfort in this that we have a father who cares for us and will not suffer us to tuine our selves and therein verifies his faithfulness Psal 119. 75. 3 And here also is matter of rejoycing that he hath promised a good issue to these afflictions Though he hath thâ—eaâ—ned to afflict us in case yet he hath engaged that it shall not hurt but benefit us Deut. 8. 16. Isa 27. 9. What then should hinder us from boasting in him notwithstainding this one would think that one Text enough to establish us Heb. 12. 7 8. 3. But God hideth the light of his countenance from me and I have not ground sufficient to conclude my self to be one of these upright ones and I should be presumptuous if I should arrogate this joy A. This is one of the hardest cases of all and seems to carry the fairest plea and they that make it think they have stopt the mouth of all reproof Indeed such deserted souls are to be pittied but there is something to be said in this case here then 1. Have you not provoked God to this and can you rest till the breach be made up again I deny not but that a serious soul that can neither apprehend his own good estate by the things that accompany salvation nor by the witness of the Spirit in him must needs be stopt in the exercise of his spiritual joy but is this a condition to be lived in or should we take pains to maintain it Surely no. It is a time to make diligent search to find the cause and get it removed and pray hard as he Psal 51. 11. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation 2. Do you not discourage your selves with such things as have real encouragement in them This good men often do when they have the clear witness of the spirit in them they misinterpret every thing as if it made against them even that which is indeed for them they cry out of the strivings and molestings of natural corruption as greater than ever it hinders them more in duty they seel more deadness wandring formality c. Whereas this more clear sense and feeling is for you and argueth that Grace is more lively they find it harder to do duty than before which argues a better acquaintance with the spiritual part of it and many the like This is Satans policy to turn that into terror from which you might gather comfort 3. Have you no ancient experiences to make use of If every thing be now dark and you can make no comfortable work of your present self trials yet there may have been a time when it was otherwise and you then rejoyced in the hope of glory and there is sweet to be sucked